NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 16

NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

GOSSIP OF THE TRACKS. BY ARCHER. The Ellerslie-trained hunter Fair Abbey has two engagements at tho Taranaki Hunt meeting to-day. It is probable that his mission may bo the Hunters' Flat Handicap, but bo should take a lot of beating # m whateverl, ho Etarts. Fair Abbey recorded a good mile fallop for one in his class at iMloralio on Thursday. Wenday has been showing excellent track fornr and is probably botter than she haa been at any time previously. She is engaged at New 'Plymouth to-day and also at the coming Marton and Wanganui meetings. Wenila.v should be a good one to follow in the next few weeks. Lupineel. who accounted for the Hunt Cup Steeplechase at Hawera on Wednesday, is favourably placed to oxtend his record at .Now Plymouth to-dav. He seems to have scored very easily at his last start. Tho throe-year-oid Quondong is being kept moving. For a novice this fellow shaped rataer well, after getting away badly, in hia first start last week. His turn should como in minor company later on. The form shown by Chairman in his most recent engagements has been below expectations. Tho reason may bo that ho is not favourable to soft going. At any rato he should _ do botter later on, for he is nice and bright and should not lack condition at the spring meetings. San Ouin is a regular attendant at Ellerslie and has been working usefully. This gelding showed signs of improvement in tho winter. but_ he has a bad constitution and is a vorv difficult horso to train. It would be pleasing to see his connections rewarded for tho patience they havo shown with him, but further progress will be necessary before that i 3 likely. There are some very decent novices in training at Ellerslio at present and they will have largo followings any time they are produced in minor company. Among them are Clarus. who was equal to running third in the open sprint at Ellerslie last Saturday. King Emerald, and Stormy. Tho imported horse Royal Picture made a favourable impression hv the manner in which he reeled off four furlongs without being extended at Ellerslie on _ Thursday. Royal Picture has improved considerably in appearance since coming to Ellerslie and is coming on very nicely. Tho two-year-old Solanio is making good progress and hit out nicely with a couple of companions in a short sprint on Thursday. For_ a beginner Day Bell shaped satisfactorily in a schooling lesson over the pony hurdles or. Thursday. Tho Day Comet gelding hns sufficient size and speed to make a useful hurdler. NORTH TARANAKI HUNT. TO-DAY'S MEETING. The North Taranaki Hunt holds its annual meeting to-day. Tli9 following is a list of the horses engaged in the leading events:— LEPPERTON HURDLES, 1} miles— Ratapiko. 10.8; Roaming, Young Thurnham, 10.2; Frizzier, 9,11; Pilsiiriai, 9.8; Roche, 9.6; Sea View. Daylark, Fair Abbey, Tamakama, Rerenui, Athena 11., 9.0. STRATFORD HANDICAP, 6 fur.-Hipo, 10.8; Merry Jest. 10.5; Gnillard, 9.13; Halgina, 9.9; Bonogne, 9.7; Enaro, 9.5; Quillfire, 9.4; Willow Wai, 9.3; Shut Eye, Crossfire, 9.2; Killoch, 9.0. HUNT CLUB CUP, 2} miles.—Sansalino, Gilgai. 10.13; Lupineel, 10.12; Roller, 10.7; Tako Take. 10.3; Sea. Comet, Suweilch, 10.2; Grey Dawn, Chyrria, Rayo, 10.0. THE BANKER'S SURPRISE. WIN AT CAULFIELD. Melbourne papers to hand bring details of tho race won by tho New Zealand gelding Tho Banker at Caulfield on tho 14th inat. Tho following 18 an excerpt from " Cardigan's" notes in tho Australasian;—"Tho Banker upset all calculations by winning the. Balaclava Stakes at 20 to 1 against. Godby has not been fortunate since he regained hia trainer's license, and. tp uso ni billiard term, ' the balls have been rolling against him.' He had little encouragement to support Tho Banker at Caulfield. as that horso failed at Flemington when heavily backed, and he ran only moderately in the Malakoff Stakes, Apparently the races improved Tho Banker more than was thought, as' ho was, always going well on Saturday, and at the half-mile was : close to the front. He joined David Garrick at the three furlongs, and they camo into the straight with Textile and All Sunshine in close attendance, with Stralia next. At, the distance it looked as if All Sunshine or Stralia would win. as they got on terms with Tho Banker,, but Cairns was. not concerned and. rodo. him along With his' hands and heels, and he held thenv off to win by a narrow margin from All Sunshine, with Stralia a close third. It was an impressive performance on Tho Banker's part., as he carried 9.3, and, although not yet: at his best, the manner iii which ho. fought out the finish stamped him as alb that, his New Zealand admirers said about' him. Ho is a genuine stayer, and. as ho is up to_ weight, it looks as if he will hive something to sav in the decision of tho important lons-distance handicaps of tho spring. As he is fairly forward, perhnns Godbv will go to Sydney and tackle the' Metropolitan before the cups. ' He has 9.2 at Randwick. 8.13 at Caulfield. and 8.12 at Flemington l ," »

■THE TURF IN ENGLAND. YORK MEETING. Reuter. LONDON, Aug. 2G. At the York meeting to-day. the following was the result of the leading event:— GIMCRACK STAKES, Of £lO each, with £IOOO added; for two-year-olds; 6 fur. BOLD ARCHER, H. Shaw's b c, by Matty 1 FRIAR OF ORDERS - GRAY, Sir P. Newson's be . .. .. 2 DINGAN'S DAY, Sir A. Ba|jey's gr c . f NIPISIQUIT, Lord Beverbrook's b f .. t Fourteen started. Bold Archer won by three lengths, dead heat for third place. STEEPLECHASE FATALITY. PROMINENT RIDER 1 KILLED. A sad accident occurred at the Findon Harriers' meeting held at Moonee Valley (Victoria) on August 11, ~by_ which a prominent amateur rider lost his life. Master Fifo, who was ridden by Master .Tames Bullock, ' when leading , the field about five furlongs from 'home, bit a fence very heavily with his' knees, turned a complete somersault, and landed on his unfortunate rider, who was instantly killed, while Master Fife never moved after his fall. It is related that the late Mr. Bullock came into prominence last vear as a cross-country' rider by winning several hunt steeplechases on Wincheldean., The deceased was only in his 17th year, and he was regarded as one of the. most dashing amateur riders in Victoria. LUCK IN RACING. "YOU NEVER CAN TELL." Racing ,is a funny game and there is a lot of luck attached to owning a good horse. This w&3 strikingly exemplified when Take -My Tip recently won the Grand Prix do .Paris. Take My Tip, who was foaled in England/while his'dam was on a visit to Gainsborough. i 3 by Rire aux Larmes (who is ' 19 years old) from: Take a Step, by Ecouen (dam of St. Frusquin) from Tallynacree, a mare bred in Ireland, by Fowlingpiece (son of Carbine). _ Tullynacree is inbred to Musket, as. he is great-grandsire at the top and bottom of the pedigree. As a foal Take Mv Tip was, according to the French - correspondent of the Horse and Hound, a poor sort of a foal, with one doubtful leg. and M. Hennessy's veterinary surgeon condemned him and said he would never race. But Batcheior (his trainer) treated him as a yearling with great patience, and, in the end was rewarded. However, so little was thought of him thathe came out 'first as a two-year-old in a selling race and finished second. He was easily_ beaten at three years old and there was little encouragement to fancy Take My Tip for the Grand Prix. To complete the romance of Take My Tip's win. it is only necessary to' add that'' Batcheior, trainer to M. Hennessv, was carrying a forfeit form about in his pocket two day's before the race with a view.to strikins Take My Tip out of the Grand Prix, and it only by the intervention of Jennings, his jockey, Uiat the horse saw the post at all. as M. Hennessv listened to'his argument that the horse had not vet had' a .strong-run race and .hat ho would do better in the Grand rjix, ps there was always a good pace. And so the greatest race of the French turf was oncn again captured by a despised outsider. •