Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 97, 10 May 1902, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By 'Krect-Card.

The letent two da\b' meeting ot the 3l.inaw.atu Racine; Club was one ot the must successful evei held— both as regauls laige fields and excellent la-cing. Tlie attendance was good on both da^s, and the totalizator returns show an increase of 138()o 01. the conesponding meeting; last \ear The lace foi the Manawatu Racing Club Handicap was one of the best contested e^ er seen on the couise, and at the finish a sheet would have covered the whole of the competitors Two protests weie enteied on the second day for inconsistent running, in one of which the \eteran Derrett was nned LZ bv the stewards for not ndine his mount out, and in the other the stewards' did not distui b the judges decision. Faudi-a-ballagh. on the strength of his forward running at the Hutt, was made a hot order for the six furlong flutter, in which twelve horses lined up to the harrier, with Ringlet and la next in demand. Chasseur made the pace very meirv from the start, with the ftnounte and Ringlet next in order, and so they raced till well down the straight, when Shrapnell Shell andToiowai took a hand in the game, and, easily settling the leadeis, passed the post m that older. Shrapnell Shell returned his supporters £7 Kjs, while Torowais backers received £4 12s second money. Eight horses contested the Hack Hurdles, for which Katoa and Romany Lad were most in demand. The latter, aftei leading; for the greater part of the journev, fell at the second to last hurdle, and the favourite, then assuming the command, won easily by a length. Great Scott succeeded m once more saining second honours. A field of tv elve tried conclusions in the big event of the day, for which Crusoe was a slightly better favourite than Tradewmd. Motor was third in public estimation, while Ideal and Strathnaim were also well supported. After Inspan and Macintosh had been indulged with the lead for the greater part of tlie journey, the favourite commenced to improve his position, and so did Ideal When heads were turned for home, Crusoe got badly bumped about, which spoilt his chance. Aji exciting finish was then fought out, victory resting with Ideal by a head from Motor, while Kahuw ai was the same distance off third. Backers of the Dreadnought filly received £5 Is. The time occupied for the mile and ahaJf was 2min 44sec. It was pleasing to see a representative of the Hon. J. D Ormond's- stable successful, a& the Squire of Karamu has not had the best of luck lately with his horses. Sudor came to light in the big hurdles, and so little was his chance thought of that he was allowed to pay the fancy pi ice of £17 ()S. Dr. Bill followed his usual tactics, and assumed the lead right from the fall of the flag, but could not ouite see the end of the -journey and suffered defeat by two lengths. The favourites Sabreur and Mourner were the last to finish. Anchorite once more ga\ e evidence ot her speed in the First Hack Race for, getting well awav from the start, she managed to pass the judge's box half-a-head in front of Dexterity. The Recluse mare rew arded her supporters w ith a dividend of £19 16s. The majority of backers thought the distance too far for Anchorite and that is how she was aJ lowed to pav such a fancy price. Insoan defeated a pronounced favourite in Floka for the Borough Handicap, which was contested by a field of twelve. West Guard, ridden by Derrett was also well backed, but took no part in the finish Blackwing showed the way into the straight, but, when tackled by Inspan and Fleka, could not respond. Oracle came with a late run, and finished third. The winner paid £10 19s, while backers of the favourite received 14s for every pound invested. For the first race on the second day, West Guard showed much-improved form and, after a good set-to with Faugh-a-BaJlagh, secured the verdict by a neck. Livonia was third, some distance away. A protest was entered against the winner for inconsistent running, and, after hearing evidence, the stewards fined the rider of West Guard £2 for not riding his mount out on the first day. Anchorite, for her win on the first day, was raised a stone in the Hack Flying, but this did not deter backers from sending her out favourite. She

oul> sufteied defeat by a head by Somnolent to whom she was conceding 241b. Hard Woik Mas tlmd, a head away. The dinner paid Cfo 10s. A field of thnteen contested the Hack Hurdles, ror which Gieat Scott, Romany Lad, and Old Gun were most m demand. The winner turned up m Ngapuhi, who passed the post half-a-length to the good after a smait tussle in the stiaight with Great Scott, and paid the handsome dividend of £11 7s In the Autumn Handicap — the big c\ent on the card— a field ot thirteen competed. Crusoe was again made favourite, but he was closely followed m public estimation by Motor, Kahuw ai Bowman, and Abvdos The latter went to the front as soon as the tapes* woio i pleased, and led along the back stretch, whore Bowman was seen to be moving up. Reaching the straight, the whole held were whipping, but Bowman managed to stall off a late lun by Motoi and passed the post lialf-a-length to the good, with Abydos third The mile and a yuartei was mn in 2mm 13 l-Jthsee, and the winner naid £o 10s. Tirea made hacks ot lus opponents in the Second Hurdles, and won with ndiculous ea&e by fully a dozen lengths Sudor finished second, after a dine--dong struggle with Svhanus Fifteen hoises were in the Hack Handicap, for which Ontario, Frost, Ogle, Dexterity, and Waitoa weie most in demand. The winner turned up in the outsider Lifebelt, who got a good start, and, making every post a winning one, passed the judge's box a nose m fiont of Cave, with the favourite third The finish was s>o elose that many thought Ontaiio was second but the judge decided in favour of Cave The winner paid the biggest dividend of the meeting— £21 l"ss The Farew ell Handicap was won easllv by Oracle. Shrapnell Shell was made favourite, but, after being in a good povsition for the greater part of tho jouiney, took no part in the finish. Had Minerva, who finished second, socured the verdict, her backers would haT e been rewarded with a £22 odd dividend , as it was, they received £7 12s. Moifaa is in active commission foi the winter campaign, and Natator's son is l eported to be doing good work ovei the steeplechase obstacles at Hastings. Hohoro, the Auckland flier, who ran second to Cruciform in the Railway Handicap at the Christmas meeting of the A.R.C., has been nominated for the AJC RovaJ Stakes His more recent peformance, m winning the Flvins Handicap at the Avondale meeting, under the steadier of list 111b, proves that up to five furlongs the son of Tasman and Moth has few equals m the colony. It is thought that in a wanner climate he will be able to get over a longer distance Since his success in the A.R.C. Summer Cup, he has been affected m his wind, and any distance over five furlongs finds his w e-ak spot. Seaton Dela^ al is the sire at the head of the list of winning two-year-olds for the present season. His stock, who aie lepresented bv Porirua, Idas, Mary Seaton, Gladisla, Northumberland, Grev Seaton. Liquefy, La Yaliere, Geordie, ha\ e won nineteen races, and the stakes total £3105 From the very outset of his career it might be said that Seaton Delaval has proved his ability to sire high-class stock, and when it is considered that amongst the races the youngsters have appropriated are ARC. Welcome Stakes, Great Northern Foal Stakes, Northern Champagne Stokes, Hastings Stakes, and North Island Challenge Stakes, it will be generally admitted that things promise well for his being the chamnion sire of NewZealand this season. In the three-year-old class. Nonette has taken high honours and, with £4052 to his credit he will head the list as the biggest stakeearner this* season. At the Canterbury Park (New South Wales) Racing Club's meeting, held on the 19th April, the ex-New Zealauder Regalia II won the Jumpers' Flat Race, iun over a mile and three furlongs, beating a field of eight in fine stvle. RegaJia IT. carried lOst 101b and started. an odds-on favourite at () to 4. Record Reign, an erstwhile New Zealander, who last year was sold to <"O to India, made his first appearance there at the Lucknow spring meeting last month, and, conceding nearly 3st to the Sunrise gelding Roscommon, ran second to that horse for the Lawn Stakes. Ard Patrick, for whom Mr. J. Gubbins refused an offer of 20,000 guineas, could only get third in the Two Thousand Guineas, which was won by Mr R. Siever's Sceptre, the highly-priced filly bv Persimmon — Ornament. Sir C. Vincent's colt Pistol, by Carbine, separated the pair. The latter gentleman is the owner of Seringapatam, better known in New Zealand as Screwgun. According to a statement published m Sydney, Gozo, for the ten years prior to March 22nd last, had sired 213 winners of 442 races, of the value of £68.190. This included two Melbourne Cup winners, the brother Gaulus and The Grafter.

Since Mr. George Adams initiated Tattersall's sweeps, twenty years ago, it is estimated that something like £10,000,000 has passed through his hands. The Tasmanian Government officially stated that the pubhc subscribed £04."),12.) for the 1901 sweeps, ot which they received back in due course £490, h13 Mr. Adams' profit (less expenses) thus admittedly amounts to £04,.512. The V.ll C. St. Leger dinner Graspan has been sold to go to South Africa. A Large number of horses have been sold in Australia recently for South Africa, and this surely is an indication that our sporting friends on the other side of the Tasman Sea have arrived at the opinion that the wai will soon be over. A foimer New Zealand champion, in Uniform, is also at the stud there. The Melbourne "Sportsman," m a lecent issue, has the following — "The bay gelding Fail-field, the owner S. R. Heniy (racing as S. Richards), and the rider, J. Mathieson, have been disqualified for two years for suspicious practices in the trot at the annual meeting of the Kerang Turf Club." New Zealand sportsmen are wondering if the owner referred to is any connection of E, S Henry, of Ethel fame.