Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VII, Issue 338, 22 December 1906, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By "The Tout."

USEFUL racing stock seem a faiLrlj Captain Shannon, found a new marketable commodity just mow. -owner in Sydney, and mow Submarine, a horse; that only won one iraoe ouit of twenty-one starts last season, iias found a purchaseir willing to give* 500 soys for him. The son of Torpedo — Bluefire was under suspicion of unsoumdfness a few months back, but may earn bis new owner his purchase money if piroperly placed. If the Hangitikei hamdacapiper's estimate of Submarine is correct, he ought to be a cheap horse. The Hotchkiss horse, JMartello, cost £800 and 1 has run we'll . Nevertheless, Submarine is* set to oon•oede him 261b in poundage. Unfavourable- reports are in ourcula^ toon as to the running of several heroes at recent provinciail race meetings. On© would think that the note of warning sounded by the Premier as to the. need for curtailing th© number ot race meetings would: have a tendency to indite© officials of country clubs to be vogilant. The question of appointing stipendiary stewards has been before the, New .Zealand Racing Conference, and on more than one occasion) a move in that dureetion has been stopped l . I think I am correct in' asserting that it has been the delegates from country oluibs who have opposed such appointments!, and 1 such opposition! has usually beeta. based on the score of expense. Ap(parenitly, matters 'have reached! an acute stage, and 1 some clubs' who are openly charged with lack of vigilance should 1 bestir themselves. Obviously the task of carpeting owto•era and jockeys is an unpleasant one; all tihe more so far th»e easy-going, jov^ai country steward. But the turf must be purified and 1 thisi ©am only be done by holding strict investigations in cases of suspicious running. Where stewards feel disinclined to investigate inquiries, let them engage stipendiary officials who will promptly act without fear or favour. Since Gfaoorka's owner decided to make an attempt to win the Auckland Oup, the black eon of Lochiel has been ■olidly supported by Hocal followers 1 of the Porirua stable, and; a victory will cause much rejoicing. brhoorka, although never in the first flight of racehorses, has run some good) races, his best performance being his win in the Waniganui Cup of 1904, when he ran the mile and l three-quarters in 3mm 4eec. This pans out thirteen seconds to the furlong, and) would make Ghhoorka's time for two miles 3min SOseo. Of course, h& has more weight by 121b, and the extra two furlongs may find him slowing down, but, taking into consideration that Mr. Monk's hornse is now in his prime, ihe ebouldi tram tihe Auckland Cup distance in ■omewflnere about 3mim 30sec, which just equals the time put up by Paritutu, who finished second! in Noctuiform's New Zealand! Oup. J. McClusky, a liight-weight of con■ldterable experience will be entrusted with the mount on Ghoorka, owing to Jiankins' services being <requiiredi at race meetings nearer home. At his bast on the day, tte Porirua horse ■ttwuld at least be in the. van at the business' end of the Auckland Cup. Armistice, who was selected as being most favourably handicapped] after hier sterling performances 1 at the C.J.C. ■pring meeting, is saidl to be a siure •tarter. She has, However, had a rather bad' tune of it wrfch strangles, and 1 latest advices state that tlhe \\Al not strip at her best <xa Boxing Day. The Auckland 1 sporting folk are exceedingly loyal to their locally-owned horses, amdl Apologue rules favourite in the far North. The owner of this ihorsie, an Auckland metallician, is a heavy bettor, and 1 no doubt it has been the weight of his money that has brought Apologue to the position of favourite. The New Plymouth pair, Paritutu and) Grenade, are more to my liking. The former should) strip a mudh-im-paioved' horse as compared with the form he displayed in the New Zealand Gap, and', dmessed 1 in his 1 best, it is difficult to reason out how he is to be defeated. Grenade, a five-year-old son of Grafton, has such a 'foandtv impost (6st lllb^ that his owner, Dani OBrien, may find! him a capable substitute for Multi-

fid whom lie' withdrew as soon as he saw has handlicap. Ga-eniadl© has fcOiine good perforon | an!oa& to his- credit, and, staying being his forte, I shall be surprised if lue does nlot nun a good' race andi I prefer Mm to the favourite, Apologue. The Railway Handicap field us not a strong one. King Billy, Cambrian, Lady Annie and Sir Trasfcram represent class. The Hawke's Bay-owned pair seem most m favour with local backers, and have been freely supported in doublets coupled with Ghoorka, Paiitutu and Armistice. King Bally has only to repeat his last Railway Handicap performance to win. The OlMii/stohfuiroh Exhibition naoe meeting, was a very suooesisful gathexing and tlh>© finanicial result should 1 be most satisfactory. The racing was aomewhat a-eoniairkabLe inasmuch a© till© built of tne stakes fell Ma horses bired by Sir Geoaige Clifford 1 . Oha-yseoiS, a mare recenitly &iodd by Sir George, to Mr. G. Palma, secured til© Exihabitioai Handicap on tlbe first day, easily defeating Mr. Stead's mare, Edlein. The principal event on the second dlay went to Sir George Clifford"© Sagnalman, who, for once in a way, was induced! to leave the banrieir and! take part in a race. The Clano-anald filly, Cockleshell, won the Kinder gairten Handicap for two-year-oildbi on a comfortable fashion. Altogether, the descendants of the Chokebore sire, Clianranald made a goodi showing dbrinlg the meeting. Mr. R. Weliea- has beeni entrusted with the can© of ©uir Auckland! Curp re-pa-eseinitatuve, Ghoirka, and left far Auckland with that hoase laeifa Mtondlay. The many backers >ot Mr. "Monk's" house may depend that they will g|et a good run as fehe black son of Locbiel has not been for some time pa&t as well ac he is at present. Ma-. Piros&er has taken tlhoß© of has teaan engiaged at Mamaiwatu to Palmerstonj North, and tiney wail b© indtolged an a few sprints on tliie Awapuinl tracks. AchdJes w canryang; himsejf well, and) should) give Munjeeib amotlhieir goodl "go" in the Palmetrstoih Noruh Stakes. Marguerite, Kuilou, Mamd, Goidl Clrown, and Happy Maud, also engaged at Manawatu, aa - ei reported 1 to be fresii and 1 well and i&hould each win a a-ace befoiie th&y retxurn to Poriiriuia. Mr. "Bai-olay'&" hurdlea-, Sardonyx, has broken dJowii and will not oomxpete at Mianawatui. 'I'h© tnainang traieksi on ih& did Hutt Park racecourbei ai-© reported to be almost unfit for houses to galllop on 'and the accudemfa to Sardonyx ■16 said to be due to the state of tihe course. Several trainers contemplate removing to Treauthain shortly, tih© tracks there bedng im nrst-oloiss otrdietr. The Wedlington Racing: Club havei receared a liberal response) from owners for their summed- meetun/g. Nomnnatioiis fior the twenty-two handlioap eveuta totlflJ' just upon hve hundiredl, and! the horses engaged are of the very best class and include ail the best ihor&es in training. AchaJlLeisi is again engiagiedl -n the WeUington Cup and the principal handicaps. Amongst tihe horses missing from the Lust are Boomerang, Muiltindi and 1 Cambrian. The former two are at present being indulged in a respite from work. The latter might reasonably have been expected 1 to assist at thie meeting. • • • The Auoiiland summer meeting opens on Wednesday next (Boxing Day). The following horses should letiuirm theiibackers fair dividends: — Trial Handicap, seven furlongs. — Lucrece oa- Bailtamore. Great Northea^n Foal Stakes. — GJenoulloch <xr Eona. Auckland l Cup, two miles. — Glhoonka or Paritiutu. Ga-enadie for an outside cftxanto©. Grafton Hurdle Handicap, two males. Swagsman or Hauitapu. Railway Handicap, sax furlongs. — King Billy or Sir Trastram. Niuxsaiy Handaoap, six furlongs. — Quadroon or Hierareh. Robinson Handicap, seven furlongs. — Uneuku or Colleen. Christmas Handicap, one mile. — Geordde or JWaipuniu. A.R.C. Great Northern. Derby. — Cambrian is sure to win. * * • Manawatu Racing Club's summer meeting (Boxing Day. My tips atr© 1 : Kelvin Hack Hurdles, one and', threequarter miles. — Bandmaster or Rangitoto. Manawatu Cup, one and a-half miles. — Submarine or Signalman. Thie latter has incurred! a 103b penalty, making his weight 9st 51b. Tia-itea Hurdles, two mil>es. — Gapulet or Pushful. Awapuni Handicap!, sax furlongs'. — Bucclemch or Marguerite. G*nii«& Hack Flat. Race. — The Seer or Marseiillaise. Nursery Handicap, five fu/rlongs. — Happy Maid' or Pearl Reef. Grandstand Handicap, «ne mile. — Burc'euchi or OiDeretta. Palmerston North Stalk**;. — Munjeet or Achilles.

The Aslhlrarst — Poihan@in,a R.C. meeting follows the Manawatu fixture. The AshhuTst Ouij> may be worn by Submarine or Savoury, providing they incur no penialtieg a/fc Manjawatu. The other events depend! largely oin Mana•watu running. • * . Tiawenc Valley J.C. annuail meeting, Boxing l>ay. Here «ure my reflections Hack Hurdles Handicap, one and ahalf miles. —^Liberator or Sen Sen.

Lower Valley J.C. Handicap, one mile. — Narootio or Hamua. Ruamalianga Handicap. — Silken Redn or St. Brandon. MoFarlane Handioaip, six furlongs. — Elfreda on? Pettdooat. Hack Plying Handicap!, six furlon(gs. — Kaikuku or Wailethe. Ladies' Bracelet Handicap^ one mile. — Tanigarin© or Hoity Toiity. Ofcaia Hatok Handicap, fire fnidomgs. — Bt<rat!hnllan or PytcHey.