THE TURF

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 178, 13 July 1927, Page 2

THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES. I June 12, 14, 16—Wellington R.O. July 21— Waimate District Hunt Club July 23—S. Canterbury Hunt Club July 28, 30- Gisborne R.C. July 30--Christchurch Hunt Club August 6—Poverty Bay Hunt Club August 9, 11, 13—Canterbury J.C. August 20—Pakuranga Hunt Club, WELLINGTON RACES. Wellington, July 12. ' For the first day of the Trentham I races the weather was fine and the going very heavy. The tote handled £-12,924 10/-, agaipst £42,940 on the corresponding day last year. Late results:— WELLINGTON STEEPLECHASE Of 1000 sovs; about 3} miles. I , 2 Mr. A. G. Quartley's b g Beau Cavalier, by Chesterfield— I Finland mare, aged, 10-7 (8. Henderson) 1 1 1 Mr. H. A. Swaffield’s b g Kawini, by Formative—Miss Winnie, aged, 10.12 (A. McDonald) 2 3 Mr. H. Tupaea’s b g Crown Grin, by Crown Imperial U. —Rouble, aged, 10.4 (W. Bowden) 3

I Also started: 6 Comical. 7 Wedding . March and Royal Abbey (bracketed), 1 Tuki, 9 Zircon. 5 Scamp, 8 Omaha, 14 Dick, 11 Bonny Rill, 10 Birkenella, 12 San Forte, 13 Sir Wai.

Won by six lengths, two lengths between second and third. Tuki was another four lengths back fourth Comical and Birkenella did not comI plete the course. Time, 7.25. I Trentham Hurdles.—a AVharncliffe | (A. G. Ellis) 1, 1 Royal Form (W. Bowden) 2,2 Brigadier Bill (A. McDonald) 3. Also started: 5 Koauau, 6 San Pedro, 8 Rahepoto, 3 Kamehameha. 7 Captain Sarto. AVon by five lengths, two lengths between second and third. San Pedro was fourth. Time, 3.27}. Whyte Memorial Handicap. —l4 Nukumai (W .Bowden) 1, 13 Queen Arch (A. Tinker) 2. 6 Indian Sage (B. H. Morris) 3. Also starred: 2 Sun Up. 8 Shining Armour, 9 Merry Damon, 1 Master Doon. 12 Mint Leaf, 3 Black Mint, 11 Tresham, 4 Alloway, 17 Huikai, 10 Rouex, 15 Killoch. 7 Fairy Herald. 16 Miss Hupana. 18 Outfit, 5 Royal Mint. Won by three lengths, a head bei tween second and third. Merry I Damon was four lengths away i fourth. Time, 1.50}. Te Aro Handicap.—l 3 Horomea (F. C. Corlett) 1, 8 Rowley (R. S. Bagby) 2, 3 Te Kawana (F. Davies) 3. Also started: 7 Waicullus, 4 Merle, 1 Mister Gamp, o iwi. r 4 Cerf, 11 Highflown, 12 Bronstell, 9 Wild Work, 5 Denier, 16 Raukura. 10 Sir Moment, 3 Roval Head (coupled with Te Kawana)” 15 Anolo and Mountain Jean (bracketed) 2 Piperenzo and Thurnus (bracketed). Won by a nose, a length between second and third. Cerf was fourth. Time, 1.37 a. DIVOTS. (Dug by “The Delver.”) Nominations for the Christchurch Hunt Club’s Meeting are due on Friday next.

Banjuke and Delightment were the only two first favourites to win at Trentham yesterday.

On the other hand, three winners. Lady Limond, Nukumai. and Horomea, paid double figure dividends, the first-named under the score, and the last-named something over it. while the old hurdler’s return in the Whyte Memorial was something under a score and a-half. Queen Arch, had she reversed places with him would have paid not far short of the same price. Kailmhu and Solrose were two other seconds that would have yielded double figures had they won.

Nukumai’s versatility does not seem to wane with age. and yesterday, better regarded than only three others in a field of eighteen, he rt amo home with a couple of lengths to snare from a really good field in a mile race. • If his connections had any real hopes of him prevailing thev must have kept them very much to themselves.

The same may be said of the two-year-old Lady Limond (Limond— Lady Laddo). who hails from she same stable, that of A. M. Wright, at Foxton. Assuming that the amount of Nukumai’s dividend would not have been affected bv it. a playU P on the stablemates would have yielded somewhere about £5OO. Ladv Lnnond went out a good second favourite when she ran a close third to D Oree and Polydectes in the Nursery Handicap at the Hawke’s Bar Autumn Meeting. She was third io demand when she finished in fourth place behind Avro. Roval Picture mid Romantic in a maiden race at Otaki. her last appearance prior io .yesterday, when she was only ninth in lite public estimation.

There is no denying that the Limond filly, though highly thought of by her connections, has up i ill now proved a great disappointment. However, having now found her wav to the front thus late in her two-year-old career—she did not start racing until Easter time—she may yet fully redeem her character as a .three-year-old

. The withdrawal of Troilus. a fancied candidate, from the Vittoria Hurdle Race yesterday may be explained by the fact that he had been causing his trainer. W. Pine, some anxiety for a few days. He is suffering from a slight rick, and as a result he may not be seen out. or at any rate at his best, at Trentham this week. Pine, however, hopes to have him al] right in time for Riccarton engagements next month.

Beau Cavalier full" confirmed the soundness of his success in the GreatNorthern Steeplechase by carrying an extra stone to the front In the Wellington Steeplechase yesterday nd winning easily by pretty nearly the rtimo margin with the unlucky Kawini anain behind him, but in second place instead of third. It vet remains to be seen how he will shape under the additional weight he is sure to have to carry over Riccarton country, a much stiffer jumping proposition than any he has yet tackled in public. This will provide something like a test as to whether he is to take a place in the front rank of our cross-country heroes.

Although Merry Mint has been out of the public gaze ever since he ran unplaced in the Juvenile Handicap at Masterton last October, his chance in the Trial Handica- at Trentham jn’Hilv regarded locally. However, the Catmint—Merry Roe welding had to go under to the littlefancied Lady Limond. and possibly his defeat may cause a change in the proposal to send him over to Australia. But we have yet to hear what sort of luck he had among a big field, in the draw for starting positions and in the running of the race.

A still greater disappointment would be occasioned by the failure of Arikiwai. Pilliewinkie’s two-year-old half-brother to get even into a place in the race just mentioned. There may, of course, be explanations in his case also, but on bare results the outing does not make him out a very good proposition for the A.J.C. Derby, on which he is said to have designs a couple of months hence.

Horomea’s big dividend is no great matter for wonderment. She has been out of sight altogether since running unplaced in a hack race at Feilding last April, and prior to that had an unbroken string of half-a-score of other “nowheres’’ against her name, until we find her. as first favourite, winning the Farewell Hack Race at Marton last January. The Quarantine —Hermia mare, now in her fifth year, had thus not given the public much encouragement to back her yesterday. Apparently the rest she has had has done her a lot of good. In this race Rowley came very near breaking a pretty long series of “outs’’ since he returned to the race tracks last April after a lengthy spell. It was only by a nose that he was beaten.

Despite all the disparaging remarks made with regard to South Island jumpers, they accounted for both hurdle races at Trentham yesterday. Though owned and trained in the South Island, however, Wharncliffe is Auckland bred, being by Thurnham—Taknhau. He was well recommended by the Southern press on the strength not only of successes early in the season, but also of a good second under 11.4 to Coastguard, 9.12, in the Otago Hurdle Race last month, his first appearance after seven months in retirement.

As to Bonena, a six-year-old geld,ng by Bonifonn-Kilena, he was not seen out this season until he made his bow to the public as a jumper at the Dunedin winter meeting last month. He easily won the Trial Hurdle Race on the first day, carrying 9.3, but from a very moderate field. On the second day he aspired co open company in the race won by Wharncliffe, and under only 9.7 finished poor fourth. However, he was reported as shaping very well since, and his connections must have had good faith in him, as he paid a quit* modest dividend.

Beau Cavalier shares with Kiatere (1905) and Coalition (1921) the honour of winning both the Great Northern Steeplechase and the Wellington Steeplechase in the one season.

Originally ran over a three mile course, the distance of the Wellington Steeplechase was increased to three miles and a-quarter in 1906, at which it still stands, while a more recent proviso fixes the maximum weight at 12st 71b. Only once in the history of the race has a greater weight been carried to victory. That was in 1921. when Coalition won with 12st 111 b, Only two others won with 12st or over. They were Master Strowan (12-5) and Plain Bill (12.0). The three mentioned were “real horses,’’ and it is safe to say that we have nothing in their class in New Zealand to-day.

Double winners crop up fairly frequently on the honours list of the race, Nor’-west having won in 1898 (as a five-year-old), and in 1903; Gobo in 1901 and 1902; Kiatere in 1901 and 1905; Master Strowan in 1918 and 1922; and Oinahu in 1924 and 1995.

It is said that the Raring Cc.n--fctviu-e officials deny that the names of the appeal judges for the Memsahib ease as published in some journals are correct. It is not customary to announce these names prior to the hearing. The case will be heard by the judges to-morrow night.

There are in reality two appeals: (1) The appeal of the chief stipendiary steward (Mr J. M’Mahon) against the action of the Auckland District Committee in upholding Mr Mervyn Well’s appeal against his year’s dis qualification imposed by the stewards of the Auckland Raring Club; and (2) the appeal of W. Reid, the rider of Memsahib, who still stands disqualified for one year. This is the first instance of the stipendiary stewards having appealed against any derision. As both appeals deal with the one ease, they will be held simultaneously. • • « The Southland giant, Scamp, does not seem to have come up to his admirers’ expectations in the big steeplechase yesterday. Perhaps a full description of the race may nrovide excuses for his not getting into a place.

It is not often that a press critic, in advance of the event, places the three horses “in the money’’ correctly in such an open race as yesterday’s Wellington Steeplechase seemed to be. However, “Whalebone.” of the Auckland “Star.” wound up the summary of his views by saying that “probably Beau Cavalier. Kawini. and Crown Coin would be the elect.”

In recent years the result of the Wellington Steeplechase has been regarded as “a good line” to the New Zealand Grand National Steeples, but it was not until 1901 that a horse was capable of winning both races. That was Mr Douglas Gordon’s GoOo Since then, however, the feat lias been achieved by Captain Jingle (1912). Coalition (1921). and Oakleigh (1923).

Cornstalk started poorly backed and ran nowhere in the Trial Plate at Trentham yesterday, while nis stable companion. Chickwheat, was a last-minute withdrawal from the Whyte Memorial Handicap, ir. which he had been held to have a good chance. It is. perhaps, worth while bearing m mind that their Riccarton trainer. H. Nurse, has made a good many trips to Trentham with horses, and has never failed to win a race. A year ago he won a double with Rapier, with whom he returned co win the Wellington Cup in January. • # •

W. G. Hobbs, trainer of Beau Geste at Riccarton., savs he has had no advice confirming the Sydney newspaper report that Mr Luttrell had sold the full brother to Scion co Lady Fuller. He will, however, be sorry if the report proves correct, as he has a fair opinion of the Boniform gelding, who shapes like earning some money before long.

Very general and genuine regret would be felt not only among trotting enthusiasts, but among the sporting community at large, at the news received bv wire a day or two back of the death of Mr C. F. Mark, secretary of the Auckland Trotting Club, a position he had held since 1891. He had also been a member of the New Zealand Trotting Association for about thirty years, and had represented the Auckland Trotting Club on the New Zealand Trotting Conference for a very long period. When Mr Mark became executive officer of the Auckland Trotting Club the sport was in a very small wav. but to-dav the club ranks as one of the foremost in the Dominion. Mr Mark had been indisposed for two or three days, but it was not thought until near the last that anything critical was the matter with him.