Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 867, 16 February 1917, Page 19

Turf Topics.

By Torpedo.

FinHE going has been very hard of .—■ late, and a lot of horses have broken "down." The., hard going .has similarly affected a''lot of ".-punters. There is some talk of the, "stipes" in New Zealand being called up for "active" service—sort of reflection on their service of lateT Dame- Rumour is 'also busy to the effect that all the double layers _ are to be commandeered and sent straights to the front. Each will be armed with the .latest chart, and it is anticipated that at sight of the ruling prices every Hun will drop dead. I saw a prominent .punter the other day driving a motor car, as he pulled up'in front of a pub I suggested that he must-have struck a double. He sighed a great, big sigh,' and said "Yes, I did once, lint now I'm trying to strike a buyer." : Handieapper Morse must have felt a ; touch' of re-morse when he hadn't the . chance to give George Nash's mare, ■ ■-.." Taringamutu, all the weight; she deserved —and a bit more to be going on with. The' one-lugged filly is down and out, from a racing, point of view. . " It is not truf> that . the SportingScribes' Association has- engaged Mr. Tom Wilford to apoear in support of their appeal that members/ thereof should not he called up on the grounds of their inability, to sort out winners.It was suggested in a'circle of sports the other night that returned soldiers would fill the gaps created by the calling up of some'of our leading jockeys. One astute trainer remarked : "No good to me;. when once a boy has been at the front he don't want to get.there again," and all his listeners -wondered. ~" I.sat down the other night to have a pipe—and. a drink —with one of the old school of sports, and this is how he unburdened himself: "Racin' ain't what it used to be, but ; I'm glad they're puttin' a stop on that -ere doping game. r I'll never forget my own experience. There was only two of»us in the race, and the bettin' was evens—l go nap on the other bloke's horse, and dopes / -mine with two buckets of water. It was a two-mile race, and when-it was - agoing I tells my opponent what I had . done v That's nothin',' says he, 'I've'given my bloke four buckets,' and I nearly falls off the stand." He puffed violently at his pipe, and I, becoming quite interested, queried:. "Who won?" 'He gave some more puffs, ; shook bis * head in a melancholy way, and this is what he replied: ' 'They was comin' round the bend -locked together, like a pair of' Siamese twins, when the grass on, the track caught fire, and they both ■stopped, thinkin' as how they were fire '■■■ engines to put it out, and the stewards declared it no race and confiscated the stakes'." - There are a lot of "scalers" about-in the small double class. I have heard of two within the last week. Seven . flimsies to a boh sounds pice, to the ear, but when it comes to collecting—-well, -it's the punter's aftermath. The sporting circles of Wellington were interested in the result of a recent. Supreme Court case wherein three well-known sports ■; were charged with ... beating a man- out -of night on half-a- " century at a hand of poker. They got off for the alleged offence. It's a funny game is poker.. It's \an enticing game is poker, but if you really want to win aat the game in a school composed of "heads" never bet until you hold a royal flush—and then they'll try to rake• : up a hand to beat you'. When the present war is over, and peace on earth reigns supreme, will someone legislat-e spurs out of existence? Last Trentham meeting v I saw a beautiful horse's sides reeking with blood as the result of spurring. "If those lips could only speak" and "Someone's eyes could only see" —that would be the end of; it I ~, # .■» »> »-"■"* Mr. Morse's, weights: for Wanganui afford enough'food for reflection to make a pretty solid meal.

The principal event, the Wanganui Clip, is run over a mile and three-quar-ters. Amongst those well tried over the distance is Depredation, winner of the great two-mile Cap in Auckland. He has a nice handy weight in 8:6. George Hunter's Indigo can gallop and stay. He has 7.13, and should be capable of keeping Depredation or any , others in the race busy-over the last four furlongs. A horse I had a consider--able liking for.after tlie Ti-entham running was Client. He had real bad luck in his raGes when well supported by his* connections. There is another in the race-that might be taken into consideration, and that is Rewi Poto, with. 8.3. Some horse the black fellow when well. I mustn't keep on mentioning many more possibles else I'll qualify for -the guessor's championship, but who can deny Rangitero or Colonel Soult also a chance? The Flying Handicap is full of Zeppelins. Tete-tete has too much ballast aboard in 10.2. Astor can't complain with 7.4. Should gallop like a scalded cat over six furlongs with that weight. Cease Fire is leniently treated . with 7.5, and so is Greenstreet, with 7.1. ILadify, with 7.10, should make the pace hot in the Stewards' Handicap. Mascott has a chance to bring good luck with -f.6. The field is a solid one. In the Juvenile Handicap, six furlongs. Tantalus will probably go out favourite. Acre and Birkenvale should help to keep things moving. ThePetri e Handicap, six furlongs, reminds one that Rewa Rewa is a long time coming to light. The handicapper hasn't been hard with 7.11. Haupai is lightly. ti-eated with 7.5, and so is Penniless with 8.5. Superstitious backers might look with favour on the lastnamed. . The Wiritoa Handicap is run over eight and a-half furlongs. Thames is a doubtful starter. Altercation, with 8.10, is a consistent performer. Ticino has been off the pay-sheet for many moons nowThe Westmere Hurdles, of two- miles should suit Glenarchy. with 9.11. Marton should find no fault with his impost of 9.9. I don't want to give my readers a chill when I say that Iceberg is a competitor in the Tayforth Welter, which is run over eight furlongs and a-half. * # •»'■; # All true sports learned with regret of the death of Mr. Pat Campbell, one of the finest of the' old school of "sports, who helped many a. lame dog over a fence and told him to keep it dark: He owned some good horses in his time, among them being Tamburini, whichhe bought for £15, and won many good races with it. Hector Gray has again' applied to the Auckland Racing Committee for reinstatement, but was turned "down. Some of-you young Johnny Armstrongs had better notice the fact—and take a pull, hang it all, you are used to that. I notice that tbe Finland gelding Yes is to' be tried over sticks. Supposing he 'says "No?" A chum of mine went down in time to- catch the races at Riccarton. He

said he would have backed Lovesick in the Lyttelton Plate only lie 'was too seasick. , -/:..;".'.':: Through Pall Mall running second in the Port: Handicap at, Riccarton the other day, plucky, if not lucky, "Mr. Whitney" got £30 in stakes, which, I am given to understand, he is about to devote to purchasing a return ticket for Mount Victoria to the Chatham Islands, where it is anticipated that in tlie event of his not catching a race he might succeed in catching a fish. That will be his "sole" hop_e, as. he always "flounders" at,his fences. Tavistock was hot stuff in town for the Final Handicap at the Poverty Bay meeting, but, according to newspaper files,' lie"" was "chopped" out. Just fancy, when punters had so much at "steak." .;..'.'■ Quick March, after a three months' spell, has been taken up again, and is being" hacked about by her, owner preparatory to going into'work. A case of "marking time," eh?