Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 309, 2 June 1906, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By "The Tout."

THE 1906 steeplechase season was opened at Wanganui last week, in fine weather. The meeting was capably managed by the clubs secretary, Mr. F. Moffatt, who was greeted' with a capital attendance including visitors from Wellington and the provinces. Speculation was brisk on the totelisator, notwitlistandina that quite on army of startingprice" men were in evidence, and apparently transacted a considerable Amount of wagering. In the absence of a double totalisator, there was a run on the metallicians for doubles, and] there were several good winners over the meeting. The Porirua stable was represented at Wanganui by five horses. Waitarere unfortunately displayed' symptoms of soreaiess, and his trainer wrthdxew him from his engagements. Exmoor ran a couple of capital hurdle races ior a novice, and when he becomes more proficient in jumping he will, perhaps, battle out the finish of his races with more success. Gold Grown seemed unable to act in the going, which was soft in some places, and he dropped back in eadn effort whea the far side of the coutrse was reached. The light-weights were thus allowed too much of a break to make up. Gold Grown seems to act best on a hard track where the tarns are not too sharp. Ailsa and Cavatina ran below their best form', and followers of C. Jenkins 7 mounts donning the meeting fared badlly. Exmoor and Gold Grown have gone to Auckland, and will continue their engagements at the A.B.C. meeting. The former, even if he fails in the Great Northern Hurdle Race, fhouldt secure a race ere he returns. A. McConnon will ride him in his jumping races. Gold Grown will start in the Cornwall Handicap, in, which he has list 91b. Being a good horse under heavy weisfhts, ne may more than hold his own at Auckland. Leonator and Ironmould may be hardest to beat. "Mr. Whitney," the owner of Moifaa's half-brother, Defoe, was most unlucky, inasmuch as had his horse not 6lipped-by the last jump in the Wanganui Steeplechase he must have gained, the judge's verdict. Defoe held the lead approaching the last jump, >and was going strong. T. Pritcnard, has rider, raced) bis 1 mount at the end of the fence, which was unprotected by a wing. The result was that Defoe ran round, and was followed by Playfair. Thia left Euros andi Nadador in command, and, although Defoe's rider was doing his best to pull his mount up after missing the fences, he finished in front of Mocassin, and only two or three lengths away from the leadling pair. Obviously he must have won, as he was going very strong when the mishap occurred. A well-known Rangitikei sportsman had) a big double wager on Defoe and Hydrant. He was naturally annoyed when he found that, through the careJessness of those responsible for tihe erection, of the Wanganui jumps, the final fence had been left without a wing. Having relatives amongst the club's executive, he spoke his mind freely, with the result that on tihe second day a high wing was erected at the fence where Defoe 1 and Playfair ran off. There is no doubt that it was a glaring oversight to neglect erecting a wing at the final jump, wihere most horses would be under punishment and liable to shirk their task. Mr. C. H. Chavaaanes has, I understand, acted in the capacity of starter for the last time. "Charley" has tune and again notified racing clubs that he wished to cease acting as a public starter. His appeals, however, have been ignored, and he has been pressed to undertake the charge of the starting-barrier whether ihe was willing or no. During the recent Wanganui meeting there were some unusually large fields, and in some events there was not sufficient room at the starting point for the whol© of the horses to be fined) up. This circumstance rendered equitable starting an impossibility, and 1 the result was that some riders got left. The comments of some who should have known better only tended to make the starter anxious, and in his anxiety his efforts were less success-

ful than if he had been nonchalant. In one event, the Winter Oats, he called out "Go" almost befoie he pulled! the handle which releases the barrier. The. consequence was that some riders got entangled, in the tape, and interfered with others, match to their detriment, and an uneven send-off was the> result. During Mr. Chavanne©' long public career he has enjoyed l the complete confidence of the club officials, owners, and riders. One and all felt th/ait if an uneven start occurred it was pure misadventure, as "Charley" was never known to favour any rider and all interested have had) the utmost confidence in his integrity and! earnest desire to give veiry competitor he dealt with an equal start. Over-anxaety and a reluctance to punish refractory riders may have, to a .certain extent, been responsible for occasional uneven send-offs, but, taken as a whole, Mr. Chavannes has been most successful, and his place will be hard to fill. An incident occurred during the race for the Rata Hack Hurdles, at Wanganud, that as unparalleled in tfhe history of racing. Ability, R'angiwhenui, and Silverlene raced at the final hurdle in, that order. The leaders crashed) through the hurdle (a lightly-made batten affair), and one batten, about five feet long, flew thorough the air, .and met Silverlene, an'd in some remarkable manner inserted itself between the girth of thie saddle and Uhe mare's body. The spectators were horrified as they witnessed Silverlene continue the race with five feet of a state fixed' to her side. They naturally imagined it had entered her bodiy. On pulling up, the clerk of the course removed) the piece of wood, which had not injured Silvemlene beyond scratching some hair from her ribs. The Grand Stand Steeplechase, which was decided upon the second day of the Wanganui winter meeting, was a capital race, although the only runners were the representatives' of those good sportsmen, Captain Campbell (Playfair), Mr. John Buckley (Phaetoaiitis), and Sir W. Russeill (Nadador). The trio kept together during tihe whole of the race, and 1 , as they were fairly evenly backed, their respective supporters were jubilant until the horses reached the final jump, when. Playfair was seen to ihave a slight advantage. The race was 1 an interesting one to watch, and 'aroused great enthusiasm amongst the spectators. • • • The Auckland winter meeting opens to-morrow (Saturday). As a number of ilooal-owned horses are engaged at the meeting, the results will be looked forward tot with some interest. Exmoor, Gold Grown, Hydrant, Mocassin, and Shrapnel Shell should worthily represent Wellington ; Ability, Phaetonltis, and Convoy will battle for Canterbury, and thus the meeting will bear am inter-provinicdal aspect. Twenty-four horses have made their first payment for the Great Northern Hurdle Race, but, as there is a final payment to be made at the post, the niumber will be considerably reduced, and about a dozen may face the starter. Of these, Hydrant, Exmoox, and Romany King are strongly fancied on Wanganui form. Aka Aka, Sol, Cujuragno, and Silicia look the best of the Auckland 1 division; Comfort, Florao, and Oryx should worthily (represent Hawke's Day ; whilst the veteran Waiwera., and 'fche novice Durable, should mot disgrace Taxanaki. The racei has a very open appearance, but recent form points to Hydrant, Romany King, and Exmoor, and I select them in that order, with Durable as the best outsider. The following should iun well in. the minor events . — Maiden Steeplechase. — Catherine Gordon .and Weary Bill. Cornwall Handicap. — Rose Madder and Ironmauld. Maiden Welter. — Peail Necklet and Silvershell. Maiden Hurdle Handicap. — Ability and Oryx. The Great Northern Steeplechase takes place on Monday, the 4th. A capital field! should face the* starter. My selection is: Haydn, Phaetonitis, and Pharos, with Nadador as a good) outsider. * • • The Dunedin winter meeting commences to-morrow (Saturday). The acceptances are not yet to haindi. The following, however, should run well if started : — Hurdle Handicap. — Slow Tom. Birthday Handicap — Sar G. Clifford's selected and Tirole. Tradesmen's Handicap. — Redi Gaunijlet and Beau Seaton. Winter Welter. — Manjess and Brighton. Brighton Hack Handicap. — Balsam and Cathoron. 1 Saddle Hill Hack Race. — Flying Spark and The Seer.