NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19124, 16 September 1925, Page 8

NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

GOSSIP OF THE TRACKS. BY ABCHEB. Koyal Present is working freely and has a very healthy appearance. This horso usuaily races well when fresh and will have a big following in the Avondale Cup. If Marble Slab ever make 3 good as a hurdler it will orobably not be beforo bo has plenty of racing over hurdles and schooling. His display of fencing on Saturday was very ordinary, and ho did not fence with any confidence. Probably no horso at Ellerslio ha 3 raced more than Passionate during tho past 12 months, but he is the possessor of a sound constitution, ancl not only does he look well, but ho i 3 also working nicely. His condition is a credit to his trainer. J. Anderton. Muaketoon has not been doing any really fast work, but has dono a good amount of strong work over a distance. The Englishbred horso is well conditioned and will strip in excellent order at Avondaie. P. Conway has been sending Miss Lucca over the steeplechase fences in the middle of the course at EUerslie once a week, and the daughter of Lucu'ilus has been fencing well. Miss Lucca is gradually improving in condition, but will take time to come to her best. Kin-j Cheops is sprinting well. This fellow is almost invariably a good track galloper, but his latest form has been poor. Sometimes horses improve with a change of quarters, and perhaps he may do better for E. E. Brown than ho did for his former trainer. Tho Tea Tray—Lady Cilia filly is shaping excellently, and may be a smart two-year-old. She is a good type of filly with a pleasing action, and is a half-sister to that good horse of his time, Gasbag. It is hardly necessary to say anything concerning Sir Archie except that he is still sprinting nicely. Now that he is becomincr more seasoned he may be expected to improve upon anything ho has yet shown. Marble Town may never bo so good as her full-brother. Sir Archie, but she should win in hack company all the fiamo. Her efforts at Paeroa last March demonstrated that she has pace, and she certainly looks a better mare this season. Daylight was in excellent form last June and raced very consistently. Since then he haa had a short spell but he is doing really well again, and should soon return to his best, though it may not be so early as Avondale. Daylight sprinted five furlongs nicely with Gold Fern and Merry Damon on Saturday. Te Tahi had his first schooling work since his return to training on Saturday and went rather well. In tho past he has been nothing more than a moderate, but he should again win in minor hurdle, company this season. T. George has him doing well. Quincoma is one of the lean kind, bat he is more robust than formerly, and is hitting out boldly in his work. Last season he won among the hack class,, and should do so again this season, as he is on the upgrade. Antrim Boy and Nassock sprinted well enough on Saturday to suggest that both have possibilities They have been making good progress and may continue to do so. The latter is a son of Nassau and Cassock and is a youngster likely to improve as he ages. A. Julian is working Scot Free and Wonday along steadily. . The former has thickened considerably since last season, while the latter, who was rather light in condition when taken in hand, is building up gradually. W. Gall has several hacks in his team, including Marble Mount, Orchua, and Dorothy Abberv. Tho first-named is doing beet of the trio at present and is a solid customer that may improve. So far the other pair hove not displayed any great promise. Queen Emerald is a rejnlar worker at Ellerslie and has been training on steadily without doing anvthing of note. Her run in the Jellicoo Handicap was suggestive of possibilities, and she should win races if properly placed. Brushwood 807 seems to be making a little improvement, but he will need to make further progress before he reaches the winning list. A coarse, bis fellow, he may do better with age. There is no reason why he should not improve, as he is well enough bred. W. H. Patterson hae rrtgrned to Ellerslie with Subdivision, Pelhtim and Zircon. His charges are none the worse for the racing thay had during their southern trip. * The Auckland horsemen. C. Brown, B. Rosen. W. H. Jones and H. Wiggins intend doing the Dannevirke and Otaki meetings before returning home. A few riding engagements that have been made for the Avondale Meeting are:-~R. Reed (Btar Stranger. Mimetic. Joy Kine and Rapine). L. Pine (Value), and B. Rosen (Gay Comet, Queen Comet, Gold Rain and King Lu). Rapine is reported to have finished at a great rat® in the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes and, if he remains sound, as he looks to be at 1 present, he should be found as good as ever in the near future. The Banker must have finished well in the Marangai Handicap at Wanganui. Hia winning margin from Alaric was small and his fine stamina no doubt contributed to his success. This fellow should win a good race over a distance of ground this season. The Wanganui Guineas was run at a slow pace over the first four furlongs and could not be rated-as a test of staying. The winner, Father O'Flynn, was no doubt the best three-year-old on the day and is stated to have been doing nicely at the finish. While he may not be great, he is decidedly useful and further wins should come his way. Mimetic is stated to have looked well ■when he went out to contest the Wantranni Guineaa. but hia effort was not in keeping with the promise he gave last summer. Ace may do something for him. as at present he does not seem to be too robust. Lady Cavendish has been beaten into second place in both of her starts this season, but has shown that she retains her two-year-old speed by leading for most of the way in both her races. It is Btated that oha did not feed too well after leaving home for the ' Marton and Wanganui meetings. This undoubtedly had a bad effect ou her as she looked tucked-np. Zircon had his first race over hurdles on the second day at Wanganui and is reported to have jumped well for a beginner. He schooled well at Ellerslie yesterday and shows promise / of making .a useful hurdler. Nigger Minstrel ia said to have developed into a very fine horse and it is pleasing to record that he appears to be quite sound at present. Evidently F. Davis has him in nice condition to commence the season and. if he trains on* the weight-for-age candidates will have to look to their laurels. The Auckland-owned colt Subdivision was made a hot favourite for the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui as a result of having shaped well in two two-year-old trials before the race. He ran auite up to his track form bnt evidently met two youngsters of better clfcss and was only able to finish third. Nevertheless, he is distinctly useful. Spoony was solidly supported the Biggie Handicap at Wanganui but raced below expectations and never flattered the hopes of hia backers at any stage. The finish between Gold Light and Niggior Minstrel in the New Zealand Eclipse Stakes aiuat havg been'thrilling. Both horses are credited with showing courage of the highest order under greet pressure and their great battle will be long remembered, Tho slow pace in the early stages would bo a disadvantage to Gold Light and probably it was her condition that enabled her to overtake Nigffer Minstrel over tho last little bit. Their next meeting over this distanco will be awaited with tightenod up, I expect Nigger Minstrel to take the honours. Master Doon ia bowling along freely and is in good heart. On a soft track this fellow mav have .to be reckoned with in the Flying Handicap at Avondale. He is equally at home on a dry track and has proyed hia ability to mingle with the best sprinters under handicap conditions. Dress Circle had two runs at Wanganui and made auite a good showing in the maiden race on the opening day. Dress Circle is a three-year-old gelding by Comedy King from Berylium. and should improve with age. The vetaran trainer K. Heaton is working Frowning Boauty, Star Attraction. Billy Bruce and Josie Melville. The last-named, who is a two-year-old, rtotos to be the most promising member of his team, and has shown fair pace. The hurdler Earamu, who paid a sennational dividend when he won a hurdle event .at Avondale about 18 months ago, hae rejoined the active brigade at Ellerslie. Ho ia bright and healthy. The Gisborne-ownod horses Aufomne and Automaton have arrived, at Avondale. They are roported to look well. WAIKATO RACING CLUB. MEETING AT TE RAPA. The Waikato Racing Club has fixed its annual race meeting to be held on Saturday and Monday, Novembsr 14 and 16 and the programme iasue in connection therewith should ensuro a highly-successful gathering at Te Raoa. The sum allotted in imziv money amounts to fi3oo. and the committee is to be congratulated on the rramine of the programme, for it can bo said that all classes are catered for. The WaiWatn Cup of £750 holds the leadinc place, and it is pleasing to find the distance retained at a ? -j -k leading sprint eventaMCambridge Handicap and Kinkinroa Handicaps—are respectively worth £4OO and £3OO, and a brace of events each of th« valuo of £2OO are for the two-year-old division There is a bTace of hurdle event* each worth £2CO. and an e<iual number o f steeplechases carry the respective stakes of £3OO and. £250. Nominations for all events close with the secretare, Mr. E. H O'Mcar*, or Mr. C. F. Jtfark High ,Street; Auckland. » 5 tun. on Fridas, October 23.