ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 December 1927, Page 11

ON THE TURF

RAGING FIXTURES Dec. 7, B—Woodville District J.C. Dec. 10, 12—Taumarunui B.C. Dec. 17—Waipa R.C. . Dec. 26, 27-Dunedin J.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westland R.C. Dec. 26, 27-Taranaki J.C. „ Dec. 26, 27, 2'J-Mnnawatu R.C. Dec. 26, 28, Jan. 2—Auckland R.C. Dec. 30, 31, Jan. 2—Greymouth R.C. Dec. 31, Jan. 2 —Wairarapa R.C. Jan. 2 —Waikouaiti R.C. Jan. 2—Wync'lham R.C. Jan. 2, 3—llawkes Bay J.C. Jan. 2, 3—Stratford R.C. Jan. 2, 3—Marton J.C. Jan. 3, 4—Southland R.C. Jan. 6, 7—Reefton J.C. Jan. 7, 9—Vincent J.C. TROTTING Dec. 10—Northland T.C. Dec. 15, 17—New Brighton T.C. Dec. 26-Ashburton T.C. Dec. 26, 27—Westport T.C. Dec. 26, 27—South Wairarapa T.C. 'Dec. 26—Gore T.C. Dec. 28—Winton T.C. Dec. 27, 29, 31—Auckland T.C, The Auckland Clip will attract more than the usual amount of attention in Canterbury this season owing to the fact that Rapier, Count Cavour, and Footfall, three proved stayers of good class, are almost certain to be in the field. Each of them has. his circle of admirers, and they will add greatly to the interest of the big race at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. According to reports from, ■Dun'edin, there is a big chance that the three-year-old Ark Royal will be sent north to fulfil his engagement in the Auckland Cup. It has been a bad race for the three-year-olds, no horse of that age having won since Nestor was successful, 31 years ago. Civility has been showing her old brilliancy since she returned home to Wanganui, and apparently she -was benefited by her .racing at Riccarton. She is being got ready for the holiday meetings, but it is not certain whether she will be raced at the Auckland or the Manawatu Meeting. So far Booster has done all his racing over short courses, his longeet effort being his win at seven .furlongs in the Members' Handicap at Riccarton. He is now to be tried over a distance, as his engagements at the Dunedin meeting include the Otago Handicap, one mile and a quarter.

Apparently it is believed that there still is a hope of winning another race with Roseday, as this one-time good horse figures among the nominations for the Dunedin meeting. ' Comical, who was a big disappointment last winter when tried at steeplechasing, looks in rare buckle at. present. He will not be raced until the early autumn, and then as a preparation for winter events. Although Footfall and Paperchase have been regarded as certain visitors to Auckland next month, they have been nominated, for the Dunedin meeting, which suggests a doubt as to their holiday programme. Civilisation, the dam of Civility, Siaosi, and other good performers, has produced a filly foal to Nigger Minstrel.: Papatu, who contested the two principal events at the Takapuna meeting, must be given credit for running two sterling races by finishing second and third respectively. Summed up on his latest form, the Romeo gelding looks like taking a prominent part in some of the big handicap events during the holiday meetings. Siaosi is entered for the two principal events to be run at the Taumarunui meeting next week. Providing the Elysian gelding has trained on well since he raced at the spring meetings he should be capable of holding his own at the King Country fixture. Nastori won three races at Wanganui in the spring, and since then till Monday last she had failed to get into the money. However, she finished a good third in the Qautley Handicap, and it looks as though her turn is not far off. Grand Knight is going on well, and is almost certain to start at Woodville prior to going on to Auckland. So far no rider has been secured for Grand Knight at Auckland, and probably McTavish, if available, will be. up. There '. is a chance, however, that H. Cairns may get the ride.' Lausanne did not go to Feilding, and so far it has not been decided whether he will do his Christmas racing at Auckland or Manawatu. There is not much doubt that Lausanne needs a strong rider, and a roomy course. It is understood that Celerity II will not be raced again until saddled up for the Invercargill Cup. , s . Reports from the south bring word that Red Boa, a brother to Baldowa, is shaping promisingly on the Invercargill tracks.

More than a hundred yearlings booked to go under the hammer at Trentham in January. High Pitch ran third in the concluding event at Takapuna and his showing indicates that he is on the improve. Since winning the Railway Handicap last season Iho Sarchedou gelding has failed to win it race, and his displays must have been very* disappointing to his owner. In the "Feilding Cup on Wednesday Tresham was the only horse less backed than the winner Jay'Bird, which paid a great juice in a six-horse field. Kiimiss was favourite when she ran second to the outsider Ruaruii in the Kiwitea High-weight Handicap. She appeared to meet with interference down the track. It was surprising to see her as low down as eighth in the order of favouritism for pie chief event on. the second day and those who stuck to her were well rewarded when she scored in a very close finish from Euphonium and Wanderlust. Vast'Acre put up a notable performance when she won the Fitzroy Handicap at Feilding. Carrying 9.7 she started from the extreme outside (No. 15) and then scored, with iho greatest ease from Expense. She was strongly supported on the second day with 10J5 up, but was beaten by The Raider arui Lucky Days. G. Morris rode four winners on the opening day at Feilding. Limited was the actual favourite in the Feilding Stakes with Kiosk the next best backed. The favourite faded out after half a mile had been covered. Kiosk put up a good performance in winning from Silvermine. Shirley was never in the picture but Lady Cavendish did well to get, third after a, bad passage. Silvermine earned a winning bracket on the second day, winning the chief sprint> from Arrow Lad and Deluge. Magna. Charta. has made wonderful improvement since rejoining the active brigade at Riccarton, and in his first serious work since the Grand National Meeting, ho covered four furlongs in comparatively creditable time. The best

NOiIES &ND COMMENTS

ON GALLOPS AND TROWING

has not yet been seen of the big King John gelding, and lie ..should be seen to advantage at the Auckland Summer Meeting.

The Government received £4055 in 'taxation from the .Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting last week. Dalnahine's performance in winning both the chief two miles races-at the Forbury meeting will take a lot- of.h'eat-; ing when all the conditions are, : (alceh' into consideration. In" a strong gale'on the first day the Onmaru trained pacer put in determined work all' Ihe&way and won decisively. On the second starting from the back markjheu'aced; outside the. Held nearly the ney, and beat the opposition pointless. Prior U> the commencement, of the meeting .(. Henderson, who trains Dalnahine, stated that the Southland bred pacer had improved out of all knowledge. The two* performances were justification of the trainers contention. Dalnahine was handicapped at 4min 27sec on Saturday and when next handicapped lie will be alongside the best horses. Caterpillar looked sore when he starti ed in the Suburban Handicap at Dunedin. The ex-Nelson .owned trotter failed to go away well and.--wou.ld not hit out on the hard track. Caterpillar is now trained at Hinds by W. 1. Lowe, wild' drove him. ■ ; The most classy field of straightout trotters to be got together will be those who go out to contest the Rowe Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club's cup meeting on 27th December. Without exception every trotter who has claims to real class is entered, and it should provide the finest contest for squaregaited horses seen for many, a long day. Away may not stand up to racing much longer. He showed speed in the early pari of his races last week, but that is not where races are won. Slump did not show up in his races and, once again proved that he does not relish pronounced bends. Quality has settled down into a genuine pacer, and it now looks as though even the best of company will not be beyond her eventually. Childe Audubon, who looks rather well treated on the limit in the Claudeland Handicap at the Waikato. meeting to-day, it is understood will race unhoppled. If he had the strap's on it would look a. good thing for him. G. Stubbs has Speed King entered for the Wellington Trotting Club&s meeting( but the Epsom owner-trainer has not definitely decided whether to go to the meeting or not. The chances are he will do the Waikato and Northland meetings. Herbilwyn, who deadheated with Little Logan in the Victoria Trot at Forbury Park on Saturday, was a couple of seasons ago hailed as a coming champion. He is a chestnut by Nelson Bingen, out. of Miss Speai', and last season succeeded in winning one race. However, he has not yet reached anything like the high standard he was expected tO. . . | ..... ~.., ~', ■■■ U .■ General Bingen was .again, solidly supported for the mile Saddle event at Forbury on Saturday, but the big pacer faded out of the contest before half the distance was covered, and he finished a long way back. , i Quality, winner of the Caversham Handicap, claims half blood relationship to Cardinal Logan, and all through she paced like a really good one. This mare, a bit unreliable, on the mark in some of her earlier engagements, has now settled down and looks likely to turn out a good racing proposition. It was C. Donald's patient handling that had much to. do with, her success. The inclusion.of a Champion Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, for horses who can go at 2.11 gait all the way, has met with fine support from owners, and the event promises .to be one of the star attractions at .the Auckland summer meeting. The race figures on the second day's programme, and the entries number fifteen, and include such great pacers as Great Bingen, Prince Pointer, Jewel Pointer, Jack Potts, Nelson Fame, Sheik, Bessie Logan, and others. The limit between hack marker and front enders is not likely to be long, and the contest should certainly go> a long way to deciding which horse is the champion speed merchant of the lightharness sport. Judging from the free manner in which several horses at present racing in Australia are nominated for the Auckland Christmas carnival, there promises to be a solid invasion from across the Tasman for the function. That good horse Sheik, winner of the 1924 New Zealand Cup and many other , good handicaps in the Dominion, figures, in •all the principal heats, while Native Prince, who won in. New Zealand prior to going over the water, is also engaged. Happy Eosa, also in this 'land appears 1 in'the list for the Rowe Cup, and other high-class trots on the card, and Leo Mauritius is entered among the improver trotters' classes. Then there is that good free-legged performer Pandora, who has been nominated in the special events for unhoppled horses. If the quintette comes across it will add to the interest of an exceptionally attractive carnival. Tom Thumb, who has been handicapped to do 4.29 in the Mace Memorial Handicap on the first day of the New Brighton Mooting, is engaged in the Auckland Gup. This raco is for horses that have done 4.31 or better for two miles, but the limit will be 4.28. Talaro, Sea Pearl, Queen's Own, and Great Bingen filled the places in last year's Auckland Cup, and all with the exception of Queen's Own figure in the nominations for this year's race. The tightening of the limit in this race from 4.30 to 4.28 has had the effect of reducing the number of nominations as compared with last season, but this should be all in favour of even more interesting racing. Twenty-one nominations were received last year, as compared with sixteen on this occasion. Dalnahine, winner of the two principal events at the Forbury Park Meeting last week, is not engaged at the New Brighton, Wellington, or Auckland Meetings, and his next appearance will probably be in the Canterbury Handicap of 1100 sovs, two miles, at" the Canterbury Park Meeting at New Year lime. This race is for horses that have done 4.30 or better. When he won the Forbury Handicap Dalnahine was handicapped' on 4.27 and registered 4.28 4-5. Dalnahine did not give the impression that he was fully extended at Forbury Park, and must now be reckoned amongst the best-class horses in commission. »