Totalisator Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 398, 15 February 1908, Page 21

Totalisator Turf Topics.

By "The Tout."

r»-i HE VR C handicapper caji, of I couise, only anne at the- meiits of houses nominated horn JNeu Zealand in a most haphazard w ay, ana his Newmaiket Handicap weights beai ample e\ idt'iice oi this Munjeet, on all hea essaj r s>, has showji heiseli to be Jiiimtely superior to Pink 'Un, and conceded him weight when she won an important event thirteen months ago>. temce that occasion, Mungeet nas won seveial important laces. Notwithstanding tha ta lepoat was industriously circulated that the owner of Pmk 'Un was open to match the 6on of Strowan to race Munjeet for £1000, no one took it as anything more than an attempt on the part of Pink 'Uns owner to boom his horse, with the view of selling him to. some veudant Australian visitor On hei lecent foim Munjeet will rua prominently in the Newmarket Handicap, and if she has nothing moae formidable to meet "than. Pink 'Un (judged on his New Zealaaid form), her ownei can shake hands with himself. Some Dominion handicappetrs would piobably have made a difference of close upon 211b between Munjeet and the ex-hack Dusky Morn, for the latter's best form seems quite that number of pounds inferior to Munjeet's. Lance readers will reineniber that early last spring they were warned in thi& column against being deluded by cabled aeporte of the doings on the tiaining track of the JNew Zealandbred cojt Maranui. It was pointed out pretty plainly that possibly certain interested paities were "pulling-the-leg" of the Sydney agent ott the Press Association, and* turnishing highly exaggerated disci iptions of track gallops, with the view of inducing New Zealanders to invest their cash on Maranui with Sydney metallicians. The well-gilded bait was, However, not accepted to any extent, and Maraniui, as your correspondent predicted, proved a frost. The estimate Mairamii is now held in by Australian experts is evidenced by his being allotted 7st 31b in the Newmairket Handicap, and he has few friends even at that impost Seddon, the full-biothei to that good horse, Waireki, is a long tune displaying the form his leiationsnip to the redoubtable Aucklander denoted. Seddon has been given every chance in the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, and if not entirely a failure on the turf should play a prominent part in the settlement of these events. The son of Soult's connections have exercised plenty of patience with him, and should he run up to his breeding they will be well rewarded. Seddon's imposts are Newmarket 7st 71b, Australian Cup 7st 31b. The demise at Melbourne of the oldtime New Zealand and Austiahan trainer-owner, James Monaghan, makes one reminiscent. A quarter oi a century ago his name was very prominent in Victorian racing circles, as was that of Bob Reay, Dan O'Bnen, Pat Butkr, Harry Goodman, and Dick Mason. The former has some years since joined the great majority. Dan OBrien, after many ups and downs, has taken- up his resideinoe in Sydney, and Messrs. Butler and Goodman are still with us, but, like many who* made money easily, spent it as quickly as they made it, and are now not m the ranks of owners Dick Mason luckily became associated with the Squire of Yaldhurst, and, being an unusually shrewd man has earned for himself a competency, and will, m a few days, take a holiday trip to the Old Country, which he will view for the first time, having been born in Wellington. Visitors to the C.J.C. midsummer races were struck with the pool patronage extended to the meeting by the Canterbury public. It is evident that the bulk of Christchurch folk are not much interested in the doings at Riccarto<n, and much prefer to assist at the Metropolitan Trotting Club's gatherings, which are always well patronised The object of the club in holding the midsummer meeting has been given out as in, the direction, of providing local trainer-owners with an opportunity of picking up a race or two to keep things going until the Easter meeting. It is doubtful, however, if the owners of moderate means benefited much, owing to the phenomenal success of the colours of horses hailing from Ghokebore Lodge.

Of the rank and file, Dan Roberts secured a race with Sootn.erofl:, and Murray Hobbs on© with Aime-e Soult, but, \\ ith the exception of the Halswell Welter, which foil to a- Mir. Gilbert, with the aid of the Grafton mare Jatket, tiamer-owneis met with poor success, and the ostensible object of the midsummer meeting was not attained E Cxvtts and son had their charges in. the best of fettle, and were deseivedly congiatulated on their success. The Horowhenua-trained Moscow nas given one run during the meeting, and just managed to scratch home in the Trial Stake*, from a modeiate field The son of Stepniak does not inn up to his high lineage, but iudiciouslv placed may par his way. Saga, annthei North Island representative, must hp more or less stale. This maie was raced at Trentham and Pahiatua and then taken on to Riccarton Even a motor car would not stand such continual laring without getting out of gea.r, and her trainer would l>e wise to permit the daughter of Soult to recuiperate. Fleetfoot, a filh that has done yeoman service for her owner this season, is reported to have prilled up vea-v sore after winning the Middle Paik Pilate, and may now be given a rest. In Husbandman (Treadmill — Golden Vale), Sn Geo Clifford has a capital second string, and t^ blue and gold chequers should catch the judge's eye on majiy more occasions ere the season ends. Mr. Stead's filly Armlet is another that seems to be 'feeling the hard racing she has done this season. She, too, has a stable mate (Sunglow) ready and competent to carry Mr. Stead s colours, and the battle between the Chokebore and Yaldhurst stables seems likely to be continued until the end of the season. The victory of Stratagem brings to mind that well-known pair of old timeds, Nelson and Dudu. Stratagem's win in. the. Midsummer Handicap was, however not a very meritorious one, as the huTdler Southern, Cross was runner-up. Stratagem could, however, do no more than win. and it may happen, that she is going to do something towards proving herself a credit to her renowned sire and dam