NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18611, 19 January 1924, Page 12

NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

GOSSIP OF THE TRACKS. BY ARCHER. . Though Highland failed v to show,his?best form at the Auckland' summer meeting, he has been taken to Trentham ■to contest the Wellington Cup. Highland is trained ■. in private at Psvpaktira, and little is known as to how whe has progresesd since ; last: seen in public, but evidently- F. Davis is: well satisfied with.' the manner of his work, and when he :-.; thinks ; it.worth while \ travelling - a long distance to any. ■■> meeting it is . always ,odvi«able to treat hi» horses with Arespect. Highland is a proved good horse over 12 furlongs, and I fancy v that he will be seen in a more favourable light at Trentham than he was at Ellerslie. '_ ' ; ,That smart filly, Queen March, is nicely placed in the" Telegraph Handicap at a'rentham. : : She ran fairly well over middle distances nt Ellerslie at the summer meet-: ing, but her form • indicates that . sprinting is her forte. > and she may be seen to more advantage over the shorter course* at Trentham.' than she was at Ellerslie. : QueenMarch was " successful at her: last attempt over six furlongs, carrying 8.5 and winning the Cheltenham Handicap at Takapuna , in. attractive style. ~"; , , * White Comet is a very useful back, and is soon likely to run himself out of that company before very long. '{ He ran below expectations in the Shortland Plate, but.it: subsequently transpired that he was a little off oo:0ur that day. White Comet is to fulfil his engagements at Trentham, and though be will be. meeting good class hacks there, should give a good account of himself. He is engaged in - the Apprentices' Plate on the first day. and the distance, seven furlongs, should suit him admirably. -, The victory of Suggestion in the Shortland Plate at Ellerslie was of such an impressive nature as to cause him to start favourite for the Great Northern Derby, and was proof that he could run a -merry mile. He ran disappointingly in the Derby,-but it was said that the effects of a cold contributed to his failure in that event. Suggestion will be racing over a % mile coursi a ; rain in the Anniversary Handicap at Wellington next woek, and, if stripped at bis best, should make matters interesting. The Avondale Jockey Club is going tight' ahead with its proposed programme of providing extra training facilities at its course and has two grass tracks in course of laying down, the ground having already been ploughed and. disced. The grass will .not be sown until after the club's autumn meeting in April, but it is expected that the tracks will bo ready for use in the spring. Perfect Day was despatched for Kawakawa on Wednesday, and is to take his place in the Kawakawa Cup field, which promises to be a weak one both in point of numbers and in quality. Ho is reported to have been galloping well at Avondale prior to his departure, and should run prominently. E. Manson will bo hii pilot. Gold Light has run some of her best races at Trentham. She seemed to bo improving with racing at Auckland, and wan a' close fourth in the Grandstand Handicap on the concluding day. so.thai it is not improbable that she will again be seen to advantage at Trentham during the progress of the Wellington summer meeting. N'igaer Minstrel is still a maiden, but ho one that may work himself out of hack chics. He displayed a great deal of promise when he ran a close second to Tukia m the Royal Stakes at Ellerslie. beating, among others, that good colt Inferno. The son of All Black is nicely treated in the • Fitzherbert - Handicap-, at Wellington, and is sure to command a big following. Gold Town was heavily supported for the Grey Handicap at Ellerer'e, but was unlucky in the early stages and missed a place. .Despite this, he ran sufficiently well to suggest that ho may have been in the money had be began smartly. Gold Town is engaged in; hack events at Trentham and may be worth following. E. J Rae took Opaloid and Tresor north on Wednesday for the Ray of Islands meet- ■ ing. Both geldings-" have been working attractively at Ellerslie during the past fortnight, but both have previously shown good form in private and not repeated it in public. ■ ' That natty little mare Shebang, who has been indulging in a short let-up. has commenced work asain at Eljeralie under the supervision of C. Fodder. Her stable-mate. iTu«t.Quietly; who has-also been spelling, is beintr pottered i>bo"t and will return to the track at an early date. Word received from r Hawera states that Mark Time. Muraahi, and Kareao are all £roi:ag well in their work on the .local track. The two first-named ere engaged in the Wellington Cup and will both have plenty of friends, , - ' F. Voisht. the New Zealand light-weight, who went to England; under engagement to ride for O. Bell's stabl" a couple of seasons arro. returned to the Dominion last week He does not intend going back to England and will apply for a license immediately. Greekson (Barrow) and Take Take (Johnson) were associated in a school-ng bout over three flights of hurdles at Ellerslie on Thursday morning. Both geldings fenced without mistake, but their display was not impressive .-■'.-' : ' T. Georse. who came to Auckland from Awanuni a brief time back; is getting » team together at Ellerslie. the three-year-old Himpo and the Demosthenes mare Phyllona having been placed in his charge to be prepared for future racing. The apprentice D. Beer, who had a bone in his leg broken while riding «t Datoavillo, is reported to be making favourable progress. • The break is a simple one, and it is believed that be will be able to leave hospital in the course of a, few weeks. Cambric, for whom Mr. H. Gaieford refined a big "tic* last year, is in regular work in the Hawke's Bay district, end will be. a competitor in jumping events later in the season. .'. Motley has 6>»"n galloping attractively on the track at Wanganui and should strir) in fine fettle at Trentham. She easily led Veil over four • furlongs on Thursday morning, being timed to cover the distance in a shade iinder 50s. Tebimana is the name under which the Emliah-bred colt by Desman out of Damson Gin will race. The chestnut colt is being trained at Ellerslie by J. Williamson for Mr„ ( V. Casey. It is stated' that the speedy Rational is to take his nlace in the Tclcrrapu Handicap field at Trentham. and will be ridden by R. S. Bagby. -.: ••'..- ' ' '' JiDombroski.tbo promising young apprentice horsernan, who is attached to J. Jackson's stable at Hawera. intends comina north with a view to riding at the Takapuna mealing. \';■'•; -'/'■. : ": Mr W R. Russell has been appointed to the 'position of nidge for the laranaki Jockey Club's Jubilee Meeting, which takes place nest month. - , Zarasoza.. who has not raced since returning from Australia, is expected to make a reappearance in the Ruapehu Handicap at Trenthitr?. next week. The Avondale Jockey Club has granted the Auckland Rugby ~ Union the use .of the club's ground for football fields during the coming football season. _ W'-'H ' Jones has been engaged to do the light riding for the Messrs Alison's stable ot! Takapuna and Landslide and Sheffield will be among his mounts on the first day. ■ J n-fjnea has been engaged to rido SuntiTt' Kureiisonta. Orchid.: and Suggestion at Wellington. . , Illumination, who' changed,hands recently, ha o ; joined tbo team of horses in charge of F.'Locmb at Te Awamutu. ..--. M Conway has been engaged to ride Take Take in his hurdlo engagements at Takapuna.'. C .-.,;-.' i ■-.'. Mah-oloire (J. Preston) and Mimiwhangata (C Cotter) jumoed four flights pi hurdles in. good style at Ellerslie on Thursday morning. i H. Wiggins will ride Opaloid in the Kawa-ka-.va Cup, and will probably also ride Titaness in the Maiden Handicap. E Keesing has • been engaged to ride Boiinerday in the Takapuna Cup.