TURF TOPIES

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 October 1900, Page 16

TURF TOPIES

By Seahorse.

Wanganui winners should be in evidence at Hastings. The Miner and Passion Fruit were double winners at Waipawa. Waterbury's sister, Ponaturi, has produced a filly to Sou-wester. St. Paul is announced to serve a limited number of mares at ten guineas. St. Denis, Proposal, Clytie, and Constance were double winners at Geraldine. The brothers to Korowai, owned by Mr T. B. Bell, are named Motor and Mechanic. Tortulla's three-year-old sister, Ngaio, will make her first appearance at Hastings. The four-year-old half-sister to Hotu and Whetui by Vanguard, has been named Valeric. Mr F. W. Edwards has been appointed starter and handicapper to the Auckland Trotting Club. Scotch Mist (St. Andrew — Elaud) who ran unsuccessfully at Waipawa, has been renamed Hamish. Roller was not engaged in the jumping races at Hastings, bnt is in the Welter Handicap on the second day. Golden Fleece, Adulation, St. Ouida, Blue Fire, Bellicent, Ich Dien, Corolla, and Stresa have visited Multiform. Major George has not yet decided who will prepare Seahorse and The Labourer for their Flemington engagements. The Lochiel horses Le Var and Paul Pry have scored in the Craven Plate and Randwick Plate the last two years. Seahorse and The Labourer have arrived safely in Australia, and are by this time striding along at Flemington. Will-o'-the-Wisp has been kept in his Hastings engagements, so there cannot be anything seriously the matter with him. Billy Laing, the well-known hurdle and cross-country rider, is laid up in the Napier hospital suffering from consumption. The beautifully bred Tirade and Tiraillement, both by Mousquetaire — Florence ' Macarthy, ran disappointingly at Waipawa. First Blood, who raced on 65 occasions last season, is trying to keep up his record. He ran five times unsuccessfully at Geraldine. Dumps, a seven-year-old son of Escutcheon and Eventide, won the principal event at the Port Adelaide meeting on 12th September. During the visit to the A.J.C. Spring Meeting, J. E. Brewer purchased So Long (Splendor — Ta Ta) and Inquirer (Invader — Marion) . In the event of anything going wrong with Beddington, Mr Nathan has a useful second string in Ambition, engaged in the Great Northern Guineas. Although the A.J.C. had not a single juvenile race on their spring programme the Warwick Farm Club received twentyfive entries for a two-year-old stake run on Ist October. Half brothers to Canard (Voltigeur — Kate Coventry) in the Wairarapa are named as follows : — The Colt (by Derringer), 7 years; Kaimoe (by Forester) 4 years ; Pukio (by Petroleum) 2 years ; Ofcahuna (by Petroleum) 1 year. There are now thirty-three horses left in the New Zealand Cup. A payment of seven soys. has to be made on the 19th October, and Nobility,Beddington,Hohoro, Val Rosa, Volley, Ben Farley, Conqueror, Hengist. Fabricator, and one or two of Messrs Stead's and Ormond's will leave in about twenty to make the final payment of ten soys. Mr W. Rathbone has bestowed the following names on his yearlings :—Optimist, Apremont — Flatter; Gracilis, by Apremout — Fawn ; Thrysus, by Apremont — Thyra ; Precipice, by Apremont — Inisthona ; Pabius, by Apremont — Taihoa; Grey Goose, by King George — Gooseander; Sparti Fento, by Sou'-wester — Zanella ; Eveulode, by King George — Evendale ; Happy King, by King George — Felicity; Georgii, by King George — Mrs Randon ; Pharetra. by King George — Archeress ; Athenius, by King George — Athens.

The Hutt-trained Dr. Bill and Bingle are engaged at Hastings on Monday next. The useful Will-o'-the-Wisp was not started at the Waipawa meeting, having injured one of his hoofs. Seahorse's half-sister, Mongonui (by Carbine), was made favourite for a race at Waipawa, but failed to get a place. The Wellington Cup meeting will be • held on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, January 22nd, 24th, and 26th, 1901. Fashion is engaged in the Hack Handicap the second day at Hastings ; also MiBaldwin's two-year-old gelding by Stepniak — Charity. This season the Canterbury Jockey Club gives away in stakes which amount is only J>B3s less than the Auckland Racing Club. Tsarina, a three-year-old filly by Autonomy — Lady Edda, bred at Hobartville, won two races at the Port Adelaide meeting on 15th SeptemberMajor George did not hurry himself in scratching Seahorse for the New Zealand Cup. He was not withdrawn till the day after he left for Melbourne. J. Williams and C. Cooper, trainer and rider of Ampier (Epsom Handicap winner) are coming to New Zealand for a trip for the benefit of their health. The winner of the Wanganui Guineas should pull off the classic race at Hastings. A 71b penalty may not stop handicap winners from scoring at both places. Adam MacMorran received a nasty spill while schooling Gunfeldtover hurdles at Masterton, but has sufficiently recovered to ride Dr. Bill at Hastings. Although Renown is the only repre« sentative of the Karamu stable at Wanganui, no less than eleven of Stewart Waddells team are engaged at Hastings. After competing once at Randwick, Eiridsdale was sent back to Tasmania. It was found that while competing in the Spring Stakes, he had strained the sinews of his fore leg. Mr J. F. Reid has decided to see the Elderslie yearlings during the November Carnival at Christchurch. The 21 lots include full brothers to Tolstoi, Romanoff and Nantes, a half-sister to Goldspur, and a half-brother to Spider. Assayer, who won the Maiden Plate at Waipawa, is the first of the progeny of imp. Gold Reef to win. Thyra, dam of Assayer, is a daughter of Robinson Crusoe. Assayer is owned by his breeder, Mr W. Rathbone, who has a yearling half-brother by Apremont, named Thrysus. Record Reign continues to do satisfactory work at Ellerslie. On Tuesday morning last he put up a real good gallop over two miles. Backers in Auckland are taking 5 to 1 about his chance. He promises to start the biggest favourite that has gone out for the New Zealand Cup for some years. W. Powell's performance of riding six winners at the A.J.C. meeting is the best since T. Hales put up a record of eleven wins at the V.R.C. Autumn meeting of 1888. Hales won on Carl yon (three times) Volley, Abercorn, and Cranbrook (each twice) and Lady Betty and Ambition. Hales was present at the recent meeting at Randwick. The " cerise " jacket will be carried at Hastings by Ideal, Papho<!, by Robinson Crusoe — Aphrodite ; Honors, by Dreadnought — Queen of Turnips : Apollo, by Dreadnought — Mount Ida; Goyt, by Dreadnought — Thame ; Menura, by Flintlock — Lyrebird ; Renown, Intrepid, by Dreadnought — Orientale, Pellicle, by Flintlock — Film, and Roller and Jabber. Spark, who has accepted in the Flying Handicap at Hastings with the minimum weight, is one of Mr Rath bone's breeding, by Seaton Delaval — Thyra (by Robinson Crusoe), bred on similar lines to Miss Delaval. Spark has only started once, when he won a hack scurry at Hastings last summer. His half-brother, Assayer, who won at Waipawa, should win the Maiden at Hastings. It is bad luck for Mr E. J. Watt losing the services of the ihree-vear-okl colfc, Nobility (St. Leger — Lady Emily), just as his valuable engagements are about to be decided. The colt contracted influenza with other members of T. Quinlivan's string, and was recovering from the epidemic when he met with an injury to his shoulder. Although he was paid up for in the Wanganui Guineas, he will be an absentee from that meeting ; also Hastings. It is very doubtful if he will be able to make the trip to Christclmrch. In consequence of having shown prom. sing form at the back end of last season, Nobility was one of the first horses backed for the New Zealand Cup. He has since been steadily supported at 100 to 5 and 3, as the reports of his doings on the training tracks have been of a satisfactory nature.