Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 383, 2 November 1907, Page 19

Turf Topics.

By "The Tout."

THE suspension by the Wanganui Metropolitan Club of the accomplished and popular jockey, Chas. Jenkins, has been a subject much discussed in sporting circles during the week. Close followers of racing credit Jenkins with being the belt rider at getting a horse away from the tapes ever seen m the saddle in New Zealand. Not a few of his less alert rivals, with the view or accounting for their dilatory action at the start of a race, tell their employers that Jenkins is unduly favoured by starters. The facts are that, with a barrier start, the starter cannot favour any one rider but, as Jenkins is always like a highly-trained athlete sprinter on nthe alert, he seldom gets left on the mark. • • Wellington visitors to the Masteiton race speak highly of the sport witnessed The weather was beautiful, and the attendance the largest ever seen on the course. The fields on both days constituted reeoids ioi the club The winners weie, in most events, well concealed, and, from the dimensions of the dividends, the handicapper appears to ha-^e completely mystified backers. The Saracen eelding, Mataari, was the hero of the meeting. He had a comfortable victory in the Masterton Cup, whilst on the second day he was narrowly defeated for the President's Handicap and according to an eye-witness of the race, would probably have won had he got a clear run at the turn into the straight Full Kate, a candidate for the Stewards' Handicap, was heavily supported for the six-furlong event on the second day of the meeting, but cut up badly, and can have no prospect of winning the C.J.C. Stewards Handicap. Waitapu, a Cup horse, was also a competitor at Masterton His form was no improvement on that displayed hitherto, and he may be written out of the Cup. Letherm, a horse that was heavily backed for last year's New Zealand Cup. was saddled up a couple of times at Masterton, but is reported backward in condition, and ran a long wav in the rear m the races he contested. San Julie, Loch eh a, Russley Maid, Prize Bloom, and Anga Moona are half-a-dozen well-bred, racy-lookmg novices that should be worth the attention of backers in their future engagements The hurdlers were a moderate lot, with the exception of Kaipitepite, who, seemingly, was a class bv himself. Royabl Blue, who was much boomed after that dual win at Trentham. was outpaced when _ pitted against the Gisborne-bred gelding. Mahoe, winner of the Wanganui Century Hurdle Handicap, was given a couple of Taces at Masterton, but must be a long way below his best form as he failed to run into a place on either day, although only meeting a lot of moderate performers. The result of the Canlfield Oup, so we are informed, was not satisfactory to the backers of the New Zealandowned horse, Apologue. 'Twas ever thus. The professional backer, when his fancy is defeated, at once begins to insinuate that the horse he had supported was not run honestly, motives are imputed and the ear of turt scribes is obtained, and owners, trainers, and riders are slandered up to the hilt to vent the spleen of men who have lost money "backing their fancies. The V.A.T.C. stewards apparently observed nothing of an unfair nature during the running of the Caulfield Cup race, as they subsequently declined the invitation of the owner of Apologue to hold an enquiry into the horse's running. Commonwealth racing authorities do not appear any too courteous when. New Zealand owners are concerned and invariably keep a sharp eye on the doings of their horses when racing on the Australian courses Had Apologue been ridden at Oaulfield in a suspicious manner it is reasonable to presume that the V.A.T.C. stewards would have held an enquiry. Readers of this column are on the eve of the biggest Dominion racing event of the year, the New Zealand Cup For several months turf scribes have advised, and the public have