TURF TOPIC.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 92, 5 April 1902, Page 20

TURF TOPIC.

By 'Krect-Card.

For the hist daj '% races of the Fell cling Jocke\ Club there was splendid weather, and a lecord attendance. Tlie lacine was good throughout, and some very close finishes were fought out Two dividends weie paid out on eveiv race, the least number of starters in am one race being six in the bis; hurdles. Everything went as meinly as a marriage bell, Secretary Goodbelieie and the stewards doing all in thenpower to make the meeting a success. Proceedings commenced with the Flying Handicap, for which there were nine starters, Laurestina and Roseplot declining the contest. Livonia and Faugh-a-ballagh were made about equal favourites by the public, and their judgment was not astrav, as they Dassed the posti in that order, with Lady's Link a good third. Mairehau, bv Vanguard — Gips^ King mare, never gave his opponents a chance in the Maiden Hack and won with something to spare from Kuserow and Le Vent. The winner was trained to the hour. A good-looking filly by Captain Webb — Forlorn Hope, made her first appearance, but was rather big in condition. She will be heard of later on. Tirea and The Hempie divided honours in the public fancy for the Kara Kaw a Hurdles. The former w as done before the home stretch was reached. Dr. Bill, who was making his reappearance on tho track after an absence of some months, made the pace a cracker from the fall of the flag, and was only oveihauled by The Hempie in the last few strides. The Hack Hurdles, for which a field of seven faced the starter, was a complete boil-over. Two outsiders in Cattor and Redshank had the finish to themselves, the former paying the handsome price of £22 19s, and the latter £6 16s. The winner hails from the same stable as Nea, and is a good-look-ing gelding by Australian out of a Natator mare. Nine faced the bainer in the Cup — the only withdiawal being Fakir. Crusoe, Motor, and Halberdier earned most, money on the machine. Benefactor, who was making his first anoeaiance in open company, went to the fiont at the start, and looked like winning all the way, but when tackled bv Halbeidier and Motor in the straight he could not respond, and had to be content with third 'place Halberdier had no difficulty in shaking Motor off, and won with something in hand by a length The winner's party were very sweet on their horse's chance, and threw in for a good stake. King Edwaid was picked on as the best of good things in the Hack Welter, and he won easily from the disappointing Haidwork. Calceolaua and Bowman cut out the running foi six furlongs m the Winter Oat.s, and then retired, leaving Lauiostina and Lady's Link to fight it out.

Twent\ ;\ards lioni tlie po>st Stiathiiaim came with aw et sail and, altliough he beat Lady's Link, lie could not leach Lauiestina, \\ lio passed the post half a length to the good Had the son of Blangowne got home, he would ha\e leturned his admirers a £13 dividend, a,s it w as, they had to be content with £4 bs ()d second money. The winner paid £b 7s. Nothing looked better than Blackwing, but Uie is evidently slioit of a gallop. Anchonte and Spun Gold weie the popular fancies in the Ongo Hack Flvmg. Gold Wai wa.s a qiuet tip inside, and these three had the finish to them,sehe&. The former, who hails from Taianaki, got a flying start and, making e\eiv post a winning one, succeeded m^catching the judge's eve a length and a ha.lf to the good. Gold Wai came with a late inn, and Hist beat Mr Turner's repiesentative by a head. Fakir, from whom great things ha\ e been expected tor some time came out of his shell at the NaDier Park meeting The first day he lomped home in the Cup in the good time of 2min 30sec, which constitutes a lecoid foi the race, beating Woodstock's tune h} thieehfths of a second. He was raised a f-tono and six pounds for the Bennett Memorial Stakes on the second da^ run over a mile and a quarter, and again succeeded in landing the stake in 2min Hjsec. Certainly, the honours in the lace for the Cup rested with Tortulla, who was conceding the winner ."311b and it was hard luck for her connections that the black raaie should have bumped up against Fakir when he was in winning ■vein. The Hon. J. D. Ormond has evidently got a more than useful filly in Camelot, for, in the Sapling Stakes, she carved out the five furlongs in linin 2 2-Jsec. Being by Sir Lancelot, out of Trentalto, she is bred on speedy lines and now she hais started winning should land seveial decent stakes for the Squire of Karamu. How the general public allowed her to pav such a price (£8 18s) passes my comprehension for, generally sneaking, anvthms, representing the Karamu stable has been weft supnorted bv the maiontv of racecourse frequenters Tirea the K&iwhaka gelding is quite in the front rank of hurdle racers this season. He has been winning all along the line, and his last essa\ in the Hurdles at Napier Park was a leally ci editable one. He carried 12st 31b, and ian the mile and three-quarters in the excellent time of 3min 21^sec. * * ♦ The disannointing Malatua ha,s been leased bv Dan O'Brien to J J Russell, for stud purposes in the Ta,i anaki pro\ince. Jim Taggait has se\eied his connection with the Poinua stable, and intends to start tiaimng on Ins own account. The Wairaiapa Club's autumn meeting, held on Mondav and Tuesday well attended, £0349 pacing thiough tlie totahsator on the fiist dav Fairbiothei, the ridei of Rodaia in Ihe Huidle Race at Nanier Paik, was caipeted b\ the stew aids foi punishing his mount too sc^erel\ and his license w a,s suspended for the meeting Le\antei h\ Captn atoi — Steel All, the er<-twlule XeA\ Zealand steeplcchas(i won the Grange Handicap Steeplechase bv thiee lengths. He started at the tempting odds of 8 to 1 Noneitte started nist favounte for the Auckland Kaster Handicap, and onlv defeated Highlander b\ a Jiead in roalh arood time — Imin 42sec. Ostiak and Val Rosa the second and thud in the betting were not placed.

At the opening day ofr the Canbeibury Jockey Club's Easter meeting the totahsator results weie £10,753. T. Connop, who was mjuied whilst ruling Victoria Cross at Waipawa, has so. far lecovered that he ha& been able to lea.ve tlie Waipukurau Hospital. The next Caulfield Cup is to be worth £3000 to the winner, another £000 having been added to it. The second and third moneys will be proportionately incieased. Aurous (by Trenton —Aura) is to be ietired to the stud on account of the injuries received at the recent V.R.C. meeting being more serious than was generally anticipated. The Auckland autumn meeting started at El lei she on Saturday. 29th, with grand weather and the attendance good. The totahsator receipts for the day amounted to £10,989. There is likely to be keen competition foi the yearling brother to the Ponrua smasher Achilles There is a strong resemblance between them, except that the youngster is better below the knee. It is stated that Revenue's injuries aie not so severe as was thought at hist. A fetlock is badly strained, but ib is considered that, after a lengthy spell, it will be possible to train this fine son of Tlenton a^ain. St. Patrick's Day was kept up right royally at the Stratford meeting. The stewards and officials wore green rosettes, and the saddle cloths were the same colour, and a green flag, with a harp on it. was draped from the main stand. Blue Metal, who won the Australian Cup and Loch Plate at the V.R.C. autumn meeting, was not raced until he was four jears old. He has won nine races in fifty-four starts in five .seasons. He must have been a good fiiend to the ling, as lie nearly always won at along prioe. At the sale of blood stock, held at Hastings, Mr. J. H. Prosser, of Porirua, purchased ten thoroughbreds, principally bv the Australian horse The Officer. With his general know ledge of horseflesh, the lovers of sport may expect something good from his recent purchases m the near future The Hon. H. Mosman, who was a spirited buyer at several of the Wellington Park annual 1 yearling sales, has decided to give up racing. The honorable gentleman certainly has not,been treated very kindly by Dame Fortune, and his letirement from the New Zealand turf is to be regretted. Mr. Eden George- —a one-time Mayor of Chnstchurch, and popular photographer, but who has lately taken an owner's inteiest in racing —has started hoises in ninety races in Sydney and Melbourne without once leading in a winner. Not having the patience of Job, he has decided to sever his connection with the turf as an owner, and take a tiip to the Old Country. By a fiie in Geoige Wright's stables, two valuable fillies bv Hotchkiss out of Roie and Miss Ro.se lespectivelv, belonging to Messrs. Nathan, were unfortunately burnt to death, and a colt by St Legei —Ladv Cureton was so badly scorched that he will possibly have to be destroyed. The value of the two filhos would come ncailv to £1000, while for the polt the trainer gave 250 guineas at the last Wellington Park sales.

" Home Rule," once much discussed, Is laid aside and left to rust Old Gladstone, spite of all his skill, Failed to pass this famous Bill, How often do the greatest fail 7 \nd coughs make ill the stiong and hale, Unless the lemedy they proeme — W. E. Woods' Grf\t Pfppehmini Ci re.