TURF TOPICS.

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 815, 11 February 1916, Page 20

TURF TOPICS.

By Torpedo

THE Woodville Races are next to come up for decision, the weights for which have been declared bv „ Mr. J. Henrys.

There is a big entry for the Hurdle Jtace, but with one or two exceptions t 'they are a mediocre lot, the best among them being Captain Macky (10.13) and Tarero (9.13). Arlington (9.13) and Ceylon (9.2) are well-known performers on the flat, who have - yet to give us a line of their abilities over sticks. Black Ada is top-weight with 9.0 in the Whariti Handicap, of seven furlongs, for which there is a very large entry, including such good, ones as Jean Laddo (8.12),' and a recent winner in Miralma (8.3). One of the trio named should about win. The Woodille Cup, one mile and a-quarter is worth 250 sovs, and js a popular event' with owners. Square Deal is top-weight with 9.0, and. Redloh is in at the minimum with 6.7 —a fairly wide range, considering the calibre of those engaged. Taringamutu has 8.8, but as Nash's, mare has been let up a bit since the rating she had. at Treatham, she .will be an improbable starter. Rumania, with 6.7, after looking a winner' for a great part of irse Midsummer Handicap at Christc'lurch on Saturday last, would, look real good goods at the weights, but as Mr. v» hitney's nag is engaged at the Dunedin Meeting, it is not likely that the latter engagements will be interfered with. Lsdogeur, with 8.0, is favourably placed. "What beats the Sir Laddo gelding should, be thereabouts. In the County Handicap, of six furlongs, the disappointing Lady Nolan has been given 'a royal chance with 7.8, Chillies being top-weight with 9.U; Whisperer bas only 7.1, therefore must rank dangerous. The President's Handicap, seven furlongs, has Crown Pearl top-weight with 9.l3—quite stiff enough. Orleans, with 9.1, looks better, provided not a starter in the Cup, but the pick of the bunch looks to be Black Lupin. (8.11). He should run prominently, if started. Interlude, with 7.9, seems to have a good chance' in the Telephone Handicap, but Hyginas can also skip some, and has only 8.11 to carry. * ■ ' «■ Rupahu, winner of the Gisborne Cup, tried to win the principal event on the second day, but could only get second to Tavistock. As I anticipated, Rupahu landed the Gisborne Cup, The Summit being second. I hear that Rongora is likely to be seen out in hurdle races during the coming season. Breeding and conformation point to Joe Scott's mare being a success in that line. . " ' Met a friend, who some months ago was an inveterate punter, but has given the,game up entirely.. "I have given it a good go, but have come to the conclusion that a backer has too

many against him. He has to contend with the trainer, the jockey, and the horse, with an occasional owner thrown in. No, it's no good. I was able to take my wife for a trip at Christmas — the first time for years." He concluded by drawing attention to the proved estates of a couple of bookmakers, who recently died in England—nigh, on a million each. Another indication of the advancing popularity of trotting in the North Island is evidenced by the large entries received for the two days' Wanganui meeting. The Dunedin Cup will be run on the 16th inst. Just mark Ogier amongst the likely ones in this old-established event. It has been definitely decided that New Zealand's champion trotter, Our Thorpe, goes to America, accompanied by his owner. It's taking on a big hurdle to go to the land of wooden hams with a trotter, but Our Thorpe is no slug. They gave Snub a short respite after his Auckland and Trentham efforts, and when he went back to the track he moved as stiffly as some of the Trentham punters. Might be better about Dunedin Cup time. "Plucked" writes as follows:—"Glad you made reference to the presence of "a 'scaler.' A friend of mine^— a Maori —struck a double, and is still looking for it. Pity the law of libel prevents you naming the take-down. 5 Verb sap. • Local trotting punters were pleased to see Bobby Allan score in the Forbury Handicap with Don Caesar. Bob comes of an old Dunedin racing family —riders of both gallopers and trotters. He was to have been present at the Wellington Trotting Meeting last month, but had to go South to attend the funeral of his father. \Local. owner, Mr. Whitney, has entered ■ Cyra, Ceylon, Roumania, and Rose ""Pink for the Dunedin Meeting. T wonder what has become of Mount Victoria ; he will be quite jealous if he learns of tourist tickets being , taken out for others than himself.

THE WAR FEELING IN ROUMANIA.

Mr. J. E. Henrys. has declared the weights for _the Dunedin Jockey Club's Cup Meeting. The entries for the various events can hardly be termed satisfactory, and , should the average weeding out occur before the day, the fields will be on the small side. Avery inferior lot are engaged in the Hurdle Race-, and the two top-weights. Moddite and Crib should be quite capable of humping their burdens. In the Gladbrook ( Handicap, of one mile, the quality is only fair to medium, of which Marc Antony, Silent Way, and Count Tolstoi, who have winning form to recommend them, should run well. There are twenty horses engaged in the Dunedin Cup, First Glance being top-weight with 9.11, but the imported nag -is an unlikely starter, having broken down, and will be probably retired to the stud. This will leave Bee, the dual winner at Trentham, on top with 9.6 —a solid weight over a mile and a-half for a small mare, but she is such a good one, and the quality of the field generally of such a weak nature that the Martian mare might be equal to doing the trick. Further down the list is the runnerup in last year's Cup to Warstep—l refer to Ogier, who has been- allotted the handy impost of 7.5. . Beaten only a.. half-head by Warstep, since gelded, his chances look fairly promising. Ogier was reckoned to have a good chance in the Wellington Cup, but he didn't come up, being reserved and specially prepared by his connections to avenge his defeat in last year's Dunedin Cup, which many shrewd judges aver he won. Another light-weight that will have -a say in the finish of the race is Ardenvtior, with 7.0. Fast and a stayer, a bit of a disappointment in the past, but has a good chance to make good this time. There are 21 weighted in the Publicans' Handicap, of six furlongs, the second leg of the double, Bee being topweight with 9.0. Run on the same day as the- Cup, the mare will probably not be a starter. The High den representative Panmure has 8.13, and will probably start favourite on the day, but .Night watch, Reval, and Meltchikoff can sprint some. All Ready has been given a good chance in the Stewards' Welter with 8.13, and so have Slogan (9.5) and Multum in Parvo with 8.13. * » * » As showing how they are burying English racehorses since the outbreak of the war, it might be mentioned that one-fifth of the large entry for the Newmarket Handicap consists of imported neddiesCeylon has been tried' over hurdles, and is said to jump pleasingly. Recorder is costing punters a bit of gold. This horse has a reputation as a watch breaker, but so far, it is only punters who have been broken. What good ones the Lupins are, ii from any mare with a bit of breeding. King Lupin gathered in the Takapuna Cup, Master Lupin being second. On the concluding day Master Lupin scored. Pity Lupin didn't get better chances. That good trotting mare, Country Belle, who did so well in Auckland, is in foal, and consequently will go into retirement. A. Pringle, who was riding at the Wellington Trotting Meeting, put up a good performance at Forbury Park on Thursday last week. There were eight races on the card. The first was for amateurs; of the other seven he won four, and was second in three. Therefore, followers of Sandy would be well ahead of it.

There's a win due for Merrie Gain. Dunedin possibly: - Ormond's cast-off Daytime cost punters no end of money in Southern engagements, and is now being spelled. His supporters also need a spell. The imported mare Week End has developed "week ends," and has been relieved of work. Followers of Welcome Nugget are developing a tired "feeling, but they should not go in for the rest cure until the Wanganui Meeting. The ' 'Highden'' stable is going to be in the limelight at meetings in the near future. The trip to Dunedin should fill the oats bin. It is not often that "two horses cop the double on both days of a meeting, but such occurred at the Egmont gathering, when Merrie Itoe and Astor gathered them in. Writer was returning to Cromwell from the Queenstown races some thirty odd years ago, in company with several other wild blades. It. was a braw, bricht, moonlicht, Tiicht, and the halfway pub was the Victoria Bridge Hotel. Far from the haunts of the man-in-blue, we pulled in there at midnight, and called for refreshments. The pace was fast and furious. Talk turned to trotting. One decent old chap, who owned a coalpit near by, had a black mare, a noted trotter, and he backed her to trot any of our mounts for a couple of large bottles. My charger. happened to be black also. The bet was accepted, and I went out with the groom to saddle up. • We put the coalpit Owner up on my black, who couldn't trot fast enough to shake off a frost-bite, and I rode his mare. We proceeded to the starting point, a mile up the road, when we observed the coalpit sport patting v my gelding on the neck, and remarking, "Biddy, come up!" Needless to say, Biddy didn't come up, and I trotted in some lengths ahead. The accompanying horsemen afterwards told me that he called "Biddy" some-awful names on-the-road when "she" wouldn't settle down, but, like a true sport, he settled up. It "was a hot time at Victoria Bridge that night. First Glance, who disappointed her backers at Trentham recently by falling and who is the holder with Chortle of the Australasian record of 2.5 1-5 for ten furlongs, takes her name from the fact that her owner, Mr. J. C. N. Grigg, took a liking to her at first glance when she entered the sale ring. First Glance was bred in Ireland, and cost only 50 _ guineas.. She claims a lengthy winning record in good races.