TURF NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19197, 13 March 1926, Page 22

TURF NOTES

[By St. Cum.]

RACING FIXTURES. jJwffch 13.—Napier Park R.C. Second day). . . ■ March 13 and 17. —Ohinemun J.C. March 17.—Opunake R.C. March 18.—'Waimate R.C. March 20.—Bay of Plenty J.C. March 20.—Mastertou R.C. March 20 and 22.—Westport J.C. March 23 and 24.—Oamaru J.C. March 24 and 23.—Rangitikei R.C. March 27.—Horornta R.C. March 27. —Franklin R.C. April 3.—Tuapcka County J.C. April 3 and s.—Wairarnpa R.C. April 3 and s—Auckland R.C. April 3 and 5. —Feilding J.C. April 3 and 5. —Riverton R.C. April 5. —Beaumont R.C. April s.—Waipukurau J.C. April 6.—Kumara R.C. April 5 and 6 Canterbury J.C. TROTTING FIXTURES. March 13.—Timaru. March 17.—Wyndbam. March 18 and 20.—New Brighton T.C. March 20.—Thames T.C. March 27.—Wellington T.C. April 3 and s.—Hawera T.C. April 3 and 7.—New Zealand Metropolitan T.C. OWNERS’ REMINDERS FOR NEXT WEEK. To-night.—Acceptances for Wyndbam Trota. Monday.—Acceptances for first day, Now Brighton T.C. Wednesday.—Trotting at Wyndham. Saturday.—Nominations for minor events at O.J.C. Easter Meeting. Saturday.;—Nominations for Riverton Meeting. THE SOUTHLAND MEETING. A late harvest and the meeting hold a fortnight earlier than usual did not help the attendance at the Southland Racing Club’s Autumn Meeting this week, and the gate receipts showed a decrease of £169 12s as compared with last year. The track has never been in better order for an autumn meeting, and it reflected credit upon the club’s caretaker. On the second day, when the atmospherical conditions were favorable, the times were very fast and at least two trotting owners will regret the fact. Mr M’lvor’s starting was good throughout, and in one or two races he had some very unruly horses to despatch. He is still inclined to give these horses a little too much latitude, and also not careful enough in seeing that horses start from the correct place in the barrier. At least one winner was materially assisted to win by being allowed to start from the inside berth when hs should have been further out. The racing as a whole was and in the majority of races the finishes were good. There are always some horses thrown ■in, and other badly treated according to the critics, but the good fields and the dose finishes proved that there was very little wrong with Mr Pierco’s handicapping. A thoroughly enjoyable meeting was marred by a little unpleasant incident just before the last race, when Los Ambus was brought back into tbe enclosure so that his owner could give his rider Instructions. Mr Cambridge complains that he was insulted, and rather than submit to any chance of this occurring again he has decided to give up racing, and at once advertised all his horses for sale. It was an unfortunate affair, as owners like Mr Cambridge can he ill spared at our meetings in Otago and Southland.

Of the horses racing In the open ©vents pride of place must be given to Apache, who, though well treated each day by the handicapper, won the mile events each afternoon. Ho is vary well just now, and showed that the fast mile credited to him at "WinEtui last season was no fluke. Ho d something to spare at the finish of each race, out it looked as if a mile is his full distance just yot. Mountain Lion, who looked very big and fresh, won the Southland Cup from end to end, but on the second day the extra weight fixed him fully a furlong from homo. Ravenna might have been second in this race hut for the saddle slipping back, and sba had to be palled up in the straight. She ran a food third to Geranial and Listening ’ost in the Awarua Handicap on the second day, hut this wee mare has had a lot of racing, and is not a good weight carrier. Geranial, who won on Thursday, scored the most popular win of the meeting, the public quickly recognising the consistency of this mare, and also her owner’s long run of bad luck. She beat her stablemate, Listening Post, fairly comfortably at the finish, but too much use was made of the latter, especially considering he had not been up very long. Ho, too, looked on the big side, but should be cherry ripe by Easter time. Another from the same stable in Tommy Dodd was well placed for six furlongs in the Southland Cup, and then appeared to get pinched out. He came again in the last two furlongs, and just failed to catch Bull Swing. On the second day Tommy Dodd ran a long way below his true form. Full Swing ran a good race in the Cup from behind, but on the second day, when taken to the front early, she failed to stay on. She will win a mile and a-quartor handicap before the. season closes. The sprinters were quite a goodlot, and Set Sail again proved she is_ a great mare on the second day by winning the President’s Handicap under 9.8 in the good time of Imin 13 l-ssec. Apparently she races better after a good gallop in earnest on t]jo first day. Corn Money made the others look like hacks in the first day’s race, getting an early break and increasing his lead all the way. On Thursday ho got none the best of the start, and met with trouble after going a furlong. He finished in the ruck. Warhaven, who has only been up a few weeks, ran tiro good races. On tlio first clay he hod no chance of beating Corn Money, but on the second day, had ho commenced his run a few strides earlier, he would have beaten Set Sail. The steeplechases on the programme provided two good races, the one on Thursday being one of the best seen on the course. Kipling was much improved by his race at Otautau a week earlier, and on the first day his natural staving abilities made the race easy for him over the last half-mile. He was well handled by young Cooper each dav. Cassels chanced a lob of his fences the first day, but on the second day was jumping well until bo broke down nearly half a mile from home. The injury is in the near fore fetlock, and it will be another season before h© races again. It is bad luck for Mr Hazlett to lose the services of this horse at the commencement of the steeplechasing season. Greenstone is gradually improving in his manners, and ran two good races. On the first day h© hit the big ppst-and-rail fence at the end of two miles very hard, and it caused him to drop back, but on Thpsday ho fenced well, and Kipling, was conceding him 311 b, had to be ticked along to boat him a length. Hq .mould bo worth following at Riverton. Unci© Bob was not nearly ready, and both Frenchman and Windermere should show improved form at Riverton.

Hack races in the south always fill well, and this week’s meeting was no exception to the rale. Receipt was only started once, and won, but had Pink Note not got chopped out at the start he might have beaten the filly. Pink Note won comfortably over a furlong farther the second day, and registered fast time. He is very well just now, and should win again before long. Solzia followed up his Otautau success by downing a good favorite in Obligio, jpb# ’Ctaa placed second by the judge.

but Jack o’ Lantern was nearly a neck in front of her at the post. In this race Solzia was bracketed with Bilbo, who effected tho surprise of the meeting by winning tho mile hack race on Thursday, and returned his supporters a dividend of over a quarter oi a century. A good-looking three-year-old named Black Duke, by Balboa from Amata, made his appearance at tho meeting. Ho is owned by Dave Wilson, and one of the nicest movers at the meeting. Ho ran well up each day, and should not be long in earning a winning bracket; > The holds in the trotting races were —as is always the case at this meeting —very large, and for once the local stables had little luck. J. Henderson, of Oamaru, brought down a more than average useful pair in Terence Dillon (a very handsome throc-ycar-old son of the champion Author Dillon from Terasita) and Final M’Kinney, who nearly cleaned up the programme. The former won the two harness events, the two-mile race in 4min 41sec, which, I think, is a record for tho course. Final M’Kinney won the milo and a-lialf saddle raco by a narrow margin from Macarauda, a much-improved pacer since going into A. Matheson’s stable. In the mile race Macaranda appeared to beat Carbon, who was dying over the last bit, but the judge gave it a dead beat. Carbon quickly established a good load, hut Macaranda caught her over a furlong from homo, and was unlucky to get the verdict. His time—2min 17scc—for the mile establishes a fresh record for tho track. JOTTINGS. Mr Cambridge’s horses are all for sale now. Rosenor has been given a nomination in the Great Easter Handicap. The Wyndliam Trotting Club’s nominations easily constitute a record for the club. Set Sail and Listening Post are booked to race at Riccarton at Easter time. Great Count and Charlatan will not be sent over to Sydney for the Easter racing.

Frivol failed to stay out tho six furlongs in the Roslyn Handicap, which was run in slow time. She is evidently a horse of moods.

It is reported that Messrs Macdonald and Chisholm received £6OO for the Martian filly Battle Flag. She goes into J. Hymer’s stable to be trained.

Trainer J. A. Rowland bad bad luck at tho Invercargill Meeting not to win at least two races. His team earned him four seconds.

E. Ellis informs me that Loughrea will bo taken in hand again after Easter.

Lava ran two bad races in the sprint events at Invercargill. This is not her true form.

Jack o’ Lantern again stood quietly into the barrier in each of his races at Invercargill, and evidently is quite a reformed character now.

Pamplona is striding along in his ■work satisfactorily, but such a big horse cannot be ready to race over three miles of Riverton country at Easter time.

Kilfane was amongst the starters in the Awarua Handicap on Thursday. He looked sound enough, but is not nearly ready to race, and was always tailing off the field. Tho reported sale of Mantua has fallen through, and tho game little mare will continue to carry Mr A. G. Hill’s colors. C. Gieseler, with thirty-throe wins, and S. G. Ware, with twenty-three, continue to head tho list of winning trainers.

C. Emerson has now 52 J -wins to his credit, and leads R. Reed by live for the jockey premiership. F. D. Jones will have Zaragoza and Reonui racing at Waimato next week, while his team for Camara, a few days later, will include Calcito, Economist, and Zaragoza. J. B. Pearson will take the hurdler Naughty Peter to Waimato t while ho will have The Harp and His Majesty racing at Camara. A. M'Aulay contemplates doing the Waimato and Oamaru meetings with Tnrleton and Sun Up. . . , A. Wormald will take Frivolous south for the Waimnte and Oamaru meetings. _ F. Christmas intends to rnco Fresco and Grey Lass at Waimate next week. J. M'Combe will race Forgery and probably Power at the Oamaru mcetlnfjp to date Pilliewinki© tas won stakes to the value of £15,911, £lo,Bol of which sum has been won since ne has been engaged in carrying the colors of Sir Samuel Hordern. It is reported that a local owner ana trainer were the biggest partakers of the good dividend paid by Tommy Dodd when ho won the Otautau Cup last week. . ~ , The Cheat is only a little fellow and does not carry weight well. Ho finished some distance hack m each or his races in Invercargill, where he earned 8.13 and 8.9 respectively. In tho future the New Zealand Trotting Association will not approve ol anv names commencing with ‘ Mtss ; “Mrs,” or “Mr” for horses registered. , ~ Apache drew the same place at the barrier in each of his races at Invercargill, started second _ favorite, and paid the same dividend in each race. My congratulations to Mr Blackley on scoring n win with Bon fekirl lost week. Northern writers give Emerson most of the credit for the win. An apprentice named Dooley in Jt. Ellis’s stable made his appearance in the saddle in a race at the Southland Meeting. He has an exeeptionally good seat, and looks ns if his weight will not trouble him. The ex-hurdler Mazama gave L. .It. Smith a very rough ride in the Inveij cargill Steeplechase, until ho ran on and spilled Smith at the post and rails. Th© judging nt Invercargill was not very satisfactory, and on one occasion the mistake made was so apparent that the stipendiary steward had to go to the box and get the original numbers as hoisted by the judge changed. _ Happy Days did not shape well in either of his races at Invercargill. He is down in the handicaps now to where he should have a big chance of securing a stake at Riverton if ho is nominated. Los Ambus put up an _ attractive performance in the final mile race at the Southland Meeting, carrying 9.5 to within a length of Apache, who was in receipt of 251 b. The Oamaru Meeting looks like being a success if one can form an opinion from the acceptances received. Everyone would like to see this old club have a run of good luck for a change.

It was had luck for Mr J. A. Ainge that he should lose tho foal by Tractor from All Pink. The foal was a splendidly grown one, and beginning to turn grey in color, showing the Roi Herode bioodfl He refused an offer of £SOO for this foal a few weeks ago. Mr William Hutchison, for many years prior to the Boer War on the literary staff of tho ‘ Referee,’ in which he contributed under tho name of “Hotspur,” is now on the staff of the ‘ Argus ’ in Cape Town. Goranial has been very consistent in her races this season, and her win in the Autumn Handicap on Thursday was very popular, despite the fact she started almost the outsider of tho field.

Obligio recorded two more second places to her already _ long list. It would appear that the judge is so used to placing her second that lie couldn’t get out of the habit when she finished third on Wednesday, and thus deprived Jack o’ Lantern’s owner of the second money and dividend. Mr J. Henderson, of Oamaru, had a very successful trip to Invercargill this week, and a lot of good southern money has found its way to Oamaru as the result of tho successes of Terence Dillon and Final M’Kinnoy. Listening Post looked very fresh and big when stripped for the Southland Cup, and the race did him good, for next day he ran a much better horse. Beale made a lot too much use of him, and ho only failed over tho last few strides.

The tree of A. E. Ellis’s saddle opened out on Ravenna in tho Southland Cup, and this allowed the saddle to slip back. She would probably have been second but for this happening. Queen Balboa ran a great race in the Tradesmen’s Handicap on Wednesday, but tbo race apparently knocked her out,’ for she ran very poorly the next day. Still, both efforts at Invercargill wore much better than at Otautau. A crow’s nest has been erected at tho entrance to the straight on the Invercargill course, and one of tiio stewards who was on patrol duty there fairly frequently during this week’s meeting informed me that as a result of this point of vantage there appeared to be less unfair riding at this part of tho course than was formerly tho ease. Eucador, who is badly touched in the wind, ran almost unbacked in the Plying Handicap on Wednesday, and on Thursday, when paying nearly a three-figure dividend, just failed to stay out the last 50yds, and finished close up fourth. Ho may win a six furlong race yet. There is an old saying in'He raring world that a good old horse is bi tter than a poor young one. This remark would be appropriate in First Lire’s case. Each visit that tho old black chaser has made to Riccarton was voted to he his last, hut news is to hand from his lionie town that he has just been taken in hand again to be prepared for the approaching jumping season.

Scamp, who is a good-looking sieeplechaser, met with more trouble when he fell over the post and rails at Invercargill on Wednesday, as he appeared to be lame in the shoulder on returning to the cage, He is only a five-year-old yet, and has plenty of time to develop into a steeplechaser, and a spell for a while now would do him no harm, as he lias a wound on one of his hind legs that should be given time to thoroughly heal up. In the race card his breeding was given as being from Belle of New York, lut in earlier cards he has always hen cuedited with 'being from Helianthns, the dam of Corn Rigs.

At the Summer Meeting of tho New Brighton Trotting Club, in December, great interest was aroused by tho performance of Onyx, who in a trial against time established a world’s record of 3.13 for a mile and a-half, a record which since has been beaten in America by Peter Manning. On tho second day of the New Brighton Autumn Meeting next week Mr L. G. King’s popular mare will ho sent for another speed trial, this time to beat the New Zealand record for a mile r.r.d a-quarter, 2.41 2-5, which stands to the joint credit of Our Thorpe and Author Dillon.

In America last year the' two-year-olds included some very big winners, the principal being Pompcy, a colt by imported Sun Briar (Snnbridge—-Sweet Briar H., by St. Frusquin). Pompoy, who was his sire’s only two-year-old winner, put seven races to his credit, and computing tho value of the dollar at only five to tho £1 sterling, his earnings wore about £24,500. Canter, by Wildair (Broomstick —Verdure), was next with about £21,400, and, strangely enough, he was his sire’s only two-year-old wanner.

Racing continues to progress in America, and one of the latest ventures is a course thirty miles from Chicago. Stables to accommodate 1,400 horses on the ground have been designed, and there is parking space for 15,000 cars. There will also he_ a polo ground and golf links on the inner portion of the course, while the club nouso, dining rooms, lounges, and promenades will be the best of their kind. It is proposed to make the Derby the most valuable in America. In addition to that of Chicago, there will be the Kentucky, Latonia, and St. Louis Derbies, and it is computed that any liorso capable ot winning the four would land at least £30,000 in prize money. _ There is plenty of money in America for the owner of a first-class three-yeai’-old.