ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 January 1928, Page 11

ON THE TURF

RACING FIXTURES Jan. 14—Ashburton R.C. Jan. 17, 19—Wairoa R.C. Jan. 19—Waipapakauri R.C. Jan.' 21—Bay of Islands. Jan. 21—Ngaruawahia Jan. 21, 23—Foxton R.C. Jan. 21, 23, 25—Wellington R.C. Jan 28, 30—Takapuna J.C., Feb. I—Tapanui R.C. Fell. 1, 3 Pahiat.ua R.C. Feb. 2, 4—Egmont R.C. Feb. 2, 4—Gisborne R.C. Feb. 4—Matamata R.C. Feb 9, 11—Dunedin J.C. Feb. 9, 11—Taranaki J.C. Feb. 9, 11—Poverty Bav Turf Club. Feb. 11, 13— Rotoriia R.C. Feb. 15—Clifden. R.C. Feb. 16-lolaga Bay J.C. Feb. 16, 18—Wanganui J.C. Feb. 18—Canterbury J.C. Feb. 22, 23—Gore R.C. Feb. 23, 25—Nelson J.C. Feb. 24, 25—Woodville District J.C. Feb. 23—Waiapu R.C. Feb. 25, 27—Te Aroha J.C. Feb. 29, March I—Dannevirke R.C. TROTTING Jan. 26, 28—Forbury Park T.C. Jan. 28—Hawkes Bay T.C. Jan. 31 and Feb. I—'Nelson T.C ' Feb. 2-Takaka T.C. Feb. 4—Cheviot T.C Feb. 11—N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. Feb. 18, 22—Otahuhu T.C. Feb. 25—Kaikoura T.C. With Reremoana showing a return to his best form lie will make the sprint events at Trentham very interesting. A perusal of the list of winners of the Wellington Cup, reveals that in the ,54 contests that have so far eventuated the th;ree-year-old division lias only scored on seven occasions, viz., Castaway (8.0), Korari (6.10), Cynisca, (7.1), Renown) (8.10), Gladsome (8.5), Nightfall (8.2), and Rapine (7.12)., With Martarma an absentee from the list of entrants for the Wellington Cup, Mr H. Coyle awarded Laughing Prince the distinctive place in connection, with that division in the weights, for the Wellington race. The .7.13 allotted to Laughing Prince represents lib under weight-for-age, and, all things considered, the chestnut colt may be considered to have earned his impost. Lysander will not race again until the Wanganui meeting, at which lie will be a starter in the Jackson Stakes, all going well.. Episode is not likely to be seen out again until the Auckland Easter meeting, at which she claims aii engagement in the Champagne Stakes. Mask, Covent Garden, and Damaris will be taken to Trentham. Mask figures in the Cup, in which he has been awarded 8.4, under which weight the son of Limond—Cowl should run a big race. Present intentions are that Laughing Prince will be a, runner in the Wellington Cup. Money is not so plentiful on tho West Coast as it was. at least so far as racing is concerned, and this was evidenced by the totalisator figures for the holiday. meetings. The Wcslport Trotting Club was the only body to show an increase, the figures for the circuit being as follows:

At first blush Set Sail looks fairly well treated in the Wellington Cup, but she .meets Piuthair and Footfall on 141 b worse terms than when they both beat her in the Great Autumn Handicap. Set Sail has developed improved form this season, But 1411) is 141 b in a high-class field. . An exchange -states that a feature of the West Coast meetings was the/ excellent starting executed by Mr # K. E. Hatchi who carried out his duties at all the galloping, meetings and the, West 1 - land. Trotting Club's fixture with a consistency appreciated by all-.concerned. Te Kara developed unsoundness after contesting the Auckland Cup on Boxing Day, and it may apparently be regarded as quite certain that the son of General Latour will be off the scene for some time, even if he should be raced again. A perusal of Te Kara's performances shows that he has contested 65 races, and; as .several have been ov&r long distances, it can bo said he has well earned a rest. The Douro Cup, which rank/; as the, richest hack' event in the Dominion as far as stake money is concerned, will be decided at Trentham on 23rd January. There are 46 horses nominated for the race, and thew comprise some of the best hacks in training at the present 'time. Those that have recent form to recommend them are:—Aiikiwai, Golden Armour, Lady Limond, King Midas,

NOTES AND COMMENTS

ON GALLOPS AND TROTTING

Somo Lad, Goshawk-, Bfoadacre, The Haider and The Swell. The Apprentices' Plate, to bo run on 21st January, will form a good guide to racegoers for the Douro Cup contest. Laughing Prince will bo ridden by L. Wiggins in his Wellington Cup engagerient. The .Auckland lightweight, who will also be on the other members of F. Tilley's team when the weights are suitable, is riding in great form this season, being seen to advantage on a number of winners during the past few weeks. The death is announced from Australia of Royal Feast, who last season was the champion two-year-old, winning among other races the .Marybymoiig Plate and tho V.R.C. and A.J.C. Sire Produce Stakes. Royal Feast was the biggest two-year-old that had been seen in Australia for many years, and it was thought that this season he would have been'hard to dispose of in the Derbies. However, he went amiss'early in the season and has not raced since. C. Emerson is mentioned as the probable rider of Rapier in the Wellington Cup. • With the holiday season over A. E. "Ellis and T. Green maintain their positions at the head of the jockeys' list. Ellis has increased his wins to 36, while Green with his brilliant run lies close to the leader with 33£ to his credit. G. New by turning out four • winners at Manawatu and Marton keeps his place at the head of the trainers' list with a total ot 19 wins for the season. Some oif the Riccarton trainers who have horses engaged at the Wellington Racing Club's meeting will probably go north to-night. They would have preferred to delay their departure till next week, but all the accommodation on. the Wahine on Tuesday night has been, reserved for yearlings, which are going north for the Trentham sales. ' Riccarton horses did well on the West Coast circuit, which was concluded at Rceffon on • Saturday. R-. Longley, F. Christmas and A. E. Wormald each claimed five winners, while F. P. Claridge had three., J. W. Jennings two, J. 11. Prosser one and 11. Nurse one. E. Shaw was tlie most successful jockey at the West Coast meetings, winning nine races on the circuit. J. W. Jennings piloted six winners, R< Coveney six, R, Morris five, W. Bush five, I. Tilsiti three, A. Messervey two and G. Salt Two. Tlie progeny of Acre did exceedingly well during the holidays. Thev won nino races, were five times second and seven limes third. Civility failed to show her best form at Awapuni, and she is not likely to be asked to do much till the autumn.. Each year a likely horse for the Douro Cup is searched for, and on this occasion recen> form appears to point unmistakably to Goshawk (says a Christchurch paper). He started only once in Auckland, when he gave Martarma 91b and ran the three-year-old to three-quarters of a length ill the Queen's Plate. Martarma's subsequent form need not be emphasised. Goshawk won two races in Sydney in November, a seven furlong maiden welter, with 10.2 up, in Imin <27£sec at Rosehiil, and a mile and 75 yards race at Canterbury Park- with 9.2. Goshawk has all the credentials, and even though he is sure to Tie in a prominent position in the handicap, if he starts, he should be hard to beat. In the Grey Handicap on the last day at Ellersiie he was awarded top weight, 9.0, Imt was not accepted for. Although the Metropolitan Trotting Club has definitely decided to put on a speed test between. Great Bingen and Native Chief over a mile a'fc Addington on 11th February, there is just a possibility that the contest may riot take place. It transpires that when racing on the filial day of the recent Auckland meeting Great" Bingen hit one of his knees rather badly, and D. Withers has decided to give him a short spell. If the horse is then all right he will be placed in .work again and got ready to take on the speedy Native Chief. The opinion in the South is- that if both horses are at their best and go away from the mark right Native .Chief will win. ■ Great Bingen's best'time for a mile is 2.4 3-5, while the best down to Native Chief (under handicap regulations and in a big field of horsesj is 2.8 2-5. By winning the Canterbury Handicap in 4.28, Logan Park has qualified for tlie New Zealand Trotting Cup. He was driven by-F. C. Dunleavy. Logan Park has such a nice turn, of speed that he is - able to secure a good position whenever his driver consider? the time has arrived for Him to run up to or past the pacemakers. Now that he has reached the 4.28 nu>rk he may find it difficult to win again at two miles. The chestnut mare, Golden Spray, made a name for herself 'at the - West Coast fixtures, where she saluted the judge on three occasions. In her last successes, which were at Greymouth, she gave wonderful displays (says a Christchurch writer). She is only a fouryear old, and ran fight away from her field oh each occasion. Golden Spray is by Great Audubon, from.a mare by Lord Elmo, and is trained by C W. Gahagan, who at one time was associated with F. Hickinbottom's stable.

The one-time brilliant paeer, Logan Chief has. been sold to Mr J. F. McKendry, and the aged son of Logan Pointer will go into F. G. Holmes' stable. Logan Chief a- couple of seasons back was undoubtedly one of the best pacers in the land, but he suddenly lost some of his dash, and though he can ran greattrials on the track he does not reproduce them in a race. One of the best races he ran for some time was in the last New Zealand Trotting .Cup, when he was out forcing the pace for a. con-_ siderable part of the journey. A change ot stables often works wonders in a horse, and it may be that- the veteran, F. G. Holmes will get Logan Chief back to his best form again. Hoou Hay, who was recently purchased by the Addington trainer, W. J. Tomkinson, has been shipped to Australia with Bell Harold and Trenand, and in future all three will do their racing in the vicinity of Perth. Conelil'f has been doing well in his work of late and with Elzear, Logan Park, and Dalmeny will comprise W. T. Tom kin son's Forbury Park team. Young Blake is having a short spell after hi.s Auckland exertions.

LOCAL MEETINGS TROTTING AND RACING FIXTURES As will have been peen by the nominations published on Wednesday evening, the Trotting Club has every reason to expect that its coming meeting on tho 31st January and Ist February will be a great success. The nominations total 289, an average of 18 per race, and there are 26 horses nominated for

the Cup, including a large number from other parts, Tliis will be tlic third occasion on which lite, Club has run its two <l«y mooting, Since being allotted the extra day's permit some time ago. For the first two years the Club raced in November, and although the meetings were very successful from a racing point*] of view, it was felt that the time of iho year Apparently did not altogether euit the public, and after a great deal of effort the Club has now secured a holiday date, viz. Anniversary Day Ist February, and it is anticipated that the attendance will be very largely increased on this aedpunt. As an incentive to a larger attendance the Club has also made a drastic reduction in the price l of admission to the lawn. The outside gate charge will remain at 2/6, but the charge to the lawn giving access to the grand stand has been reduced from 8/- to 6/-. Mr George. Hogg has been appointed to the. commitee tot fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late Ml* Godfrey Best, and Mr John Hagen of Wakefield, a. very well-known and respected resident, who has been connected with'racing in Nelson for over half a century, has agreed to act as judge, ihj which capacity he will also take Mr. Best's place. The Jockey Club nominations for its meeting on the 23rd and 25th February have notyet closed, but there is every reason to expect that satisfactory entries will be received for this meeting also. This Club is also making two departures from its previous practice, in that it has deleted the trotting events from its programme, thus leaving the whole 16 events open to gallopers, and giving the public an. equal number of galloping and trotting events during the season. This club also is making a. reduction in its admission charges, and. the price at the outside gate will be reduced from 3s to 2s 6d, and lawn charge from lis The Club has appointed Mr G. W. Hall, of Brightwater, to replace the late Mr Best on the Committee, and Mr E. S. Merrick lias been appointed to the , joint ground committee in place of Mr Best. ■;,,,,:/

Wostport T.C. (2 days): Westlahd R.C (2 day?) Greympnth J.C. (3 da'vs) Westland T.C. (1 day). Greymouth T.C. (1 day) Roefton J.C. (2 days)/ Total' 1927 £ 20,088 15,431 30,826 , 6,172 11,964 15,226 1926 £ 18,262 17,832 31,137 6,569 12,591 16,948 99,608103,339