TURF TOPICS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1510, 7 February 1901, Page 41

TURF TOPICS

(BY ADVANCE.)

PAHIATUA RACING CLUB

For their annual race meeting on Wednesday and Thursday of last week the Pahiatua Club experienced bad weather. Notwithstanding that rain poured heavily on the morning of the first day, there was a good contingent from Masterton and a fair number of visitors from Palmerston North, Woodville *nd Dannevirke. I would surest that for future meetings the stewards should endeavour to arrange for a special train to and from At present the «rcKnary train leaves at 6.15 a.m. and returns at 10 p.m. The stewards held a meeting and decided to go on, as a postponement of a day or two could not have improved the track much, and visi-

tors and horseowners would have been put to considerable expense and inconvenience had the meeting Been postponed till the following week. The weather was bad enough to keep away a great many district settlers who drive in. It continued to be showery throughout the day, and just before the last race there was a perfect deluge, which must have lasted for about half an hour. Fortunately the races were got off without mishap of any kind—there was not even a spill in the hurdle race—although the course was in a terrible state, i Under the circumstances, speculation was good, and the totalisator turn-over for the first day was only £55 less than the corresponding day last year, when the attendance is said to have been a record one.

The officials of the club are : Pre- . si dent, Mr R. Smith; vice-presidents, Messrs'McFarland and O. Cooper; judge, Mr W. H. Hartgill; starter, Mr H. Piper; handicapper, Mr J. E. Henrys; treasurer, Mr A. Yule; clerk of the scales, Mr G. Bottomley; clerk of the course, Mr D, Knight; totalisator clerk, Mr John Harris; timekeeper, Mr G. Oxley ; stewards, Messrs R. Smith, A. Mcfarlane, O. Cooper, A. Yule, G. Bottomley, B. A. Beattie, P. J. Quirke, O. Avery, W. W. McCardle, J. Lundon, A. Castieberg. J. C. Taylor, W. I. Hus- . band; and J. McCarthy; secretary*, E. E. Lewis. The club’s genial president is, a firstclass' entertainer, and pays visitors every - attention. The meeting was capably managed by Mr Lewis, who was ably assisted by Mr K. J. McLennan, secretary of tiie Woodville District Jockey. Club. To both, gentlemen I ant indebted for press privileges. Any club that employs first-class officials like Messrs Henrys (handicapper), Hartgill (judge), and Pipei'- (starter), deserves success. The racing: was interesting, and several of Air Henrys’ handicaps provided exciting finishes. Jim: Crass lias the grey mare Grey Ribbon very well at present. She put up 171 b oenalty and won the hurdles. This was the best race O’Leary has ridden on her over sticks. Considering the weight, she was carrying and. the state of the going, he rdcle a nice patient race, and only got in the lead when well in the straight. Cyclist (by Voltigeur) led to the last fence, where he stumbled. Cyclist made his first appearance in a welter handicap at Martinborough at Christmas time, and has since been purchased by Mr . W. McKenzie. He is now an inmate of Joel Ayers’ stable at Featherston. This was his first ap pearance in a jumping race, and he shaped very well for a, novice, considering the slippery nature of the course; 1 With only 71b more to carry and a quarter of a mile less to go, he should have won easily on the second, day, but Galbraith made a, poor exhibition, and Cyclist finished out of a place. When called before the stewards to explain his riding;, Galbraith admitted he could haye been third, and was let off Without a caution. Next time Cyclist starts —ii handicapped on this performance— he can hardly miss. Morning, who was pay* ing a dividend of £34 10s. ran off at the hurdle entering the straight the first, time round. Grey Ribbon was backed down to less than level money, and only for -striking the last fence might, haye, beaten Master Jack, who paid the good dividend of £6 18s. The latter was meet-, ing Gyclist on 51b better terms than on the first day. In justice to Mr W. Met Kenzie. owner of Cyclist, it should be stated .he was not present at the meeting. The W anganui-rowned Somnolent (Somnus Wairiareka), sister to Hiamoe, Rangiatea, Manawanui and Co.,' shaped better than at Foxton, and won the Flying all the way. Mustella was the best of the others. Himalaya (Lebel —Bombshell) half-sister to Flying Jib and Flying Shell, was well backed, but finished out of a place. Mustella was the unlucky performer at the meeting. In the Telegraph Handicap she got badly away, and acted as runner-up to Kukapa (Forester Jeanette), who. won the Scurry at the Masterton meeting, but ; , did not the stake owing to her trainer not being licensed. Kukapa is particularly smart over short distances, as later in the afternoon, she won the Eonmi Handicap with a 101 b penalty. The field in this race was a poor one. The Wolverine gelding General Wolfe at last rewarded Mr A. G. Pilmer with a win, which should have been a double. In the Maiden Mr Jas. Macara’s Plaidie (Quilt Jeuzail) looked a good thing on paper, after the way she shaped at the Wairarapa meeting last month. General Wolfe (McMorrinj passed her. about half-way. and led into the straight, and appeared, to he winning comfortably, when Plaidie was allowed to get up on the rails and won bv a head. Had General Wolfe been favourite. instead of Plaidie there would certainly have Been a demonstration. Mr Pilmer appeared perfectly satisfied, as the same horseman was put up in the Welter, when General Wolfe made no race of it, : and paid £lO 15s. The Tauherenikau division relied 1 on Cavalier, who finished second. The Taranaki gelding, Tukapa (Lebel —Jenny) went out favourite for the Cup, but was not seen to advantage, and did not start again at the meeting. The grey filly Field Trick (Trickster • - Field Piece), owned by Air R. Bright, of

Greytown North, made the pace from flagfall, and was never headed. Tukapa ran up’ to her about two furlongs from home, but immediately dropped back. Passion Fruit came well in the straight under punishment, and was only beaten by about a length. Illumination’s performance was a good one. She was meeting the winner on two stone worse than w.f.a. Field Trick was the biggest outsider of the seven runners, and paid £lO 4s.

Considerable interest in taken in the Alembers’ Handicap, the conditions of which are : —Minimum weight, lOst 71b. Gentlemen riders. Professional riefers to carry a penalty of 71b. The race to be handicapped by the stewards, or someone appointed by them. All horses nominated must have been within the Pahiatua Electorate .or the Eketahuna County for three months immediately preceding September Ist, 1900, and b'e the bona fide property of a. member of the club at time of nomination, and never to have won an advertised race at time of start. The horse may be trained outside the district. Of the 11 acceptors four were withdrawn, one being unable to get a pair of riding breeches, and another a rider. Mr B. A. Beattie’s Postcript (ridden by owner) made the pace for about half a mile, where he dropped back beaten. The favourite, Mr A. G. Riches’s Splash (Waterfall Javeline), a three-year-old halfbrother to Destroyer, led into the straight, aiid after a great finish was beaten a .head ’ by Mr C. Avery’s Mangahao (by Wanderer), a good cut of a three-year-old gelding. Mr Avery won* last; year ujith Ball an ce, who was also ridden by Air Hirst. Mr J. BA Eaton’s Kokatau (Air A G. Pilmer) was third. The other starters were Germs (Mr Alurfitt), Makakahi . (Air Best) and Joubert (Air Cerlett).

. There was a great improvement in the weather, and also the attendance, for the second day. By resolution of the stewards, the jockeys’ all wore black a.iin-bands, and the officials of the club were also in mourning for the late Queen.

For the seven events the totalisator turn-over was £3480, making a total of £7209, a decrease of £617 compared with last year. ~ Illumination won the Newmarket Handicap easily from Fireball, who is no champion. The daughter of Petroleum is turning out quite as useful as Ambrosia, another member of the family who was in Ayers’ hands. The Onslow Park Handicap named after the property of the president of the club—saw Mustella again in second place, this time beaten by a horse who finished in the nick the previous day, and was now meeting her on only 61b better terms at the same distance. The winner, Norine, ran in the name of Mr G. E G. Richardson. of Napier, owner of Alurmur, Robin Gray, etc., having been entered for the Pahiatua meeting before she won the Hack Disposal at the Hutt. Air Richardson, however, had nothing to do with her at Pahiatua. She was purchased at the Hutt by a Christchurch man, who was acting on behalf of a visitor from Australia, who was at the Hutt and Pahiatua. The latter put her in the hands of A. Rore, and she ran m his colours: McMorrin rode Norine the first day, and Wilson on the second. No action was taken, some of the stew-, ards being of the opinion that the heavy going might account for the difference of form. -

In the Racing Club Handicap, nine furlongs, Somnolent was well backed, but dropped out of the running after going seven furlongs. Passion Friiit and Gipsy Queen were together as they entered the straight. The latter finished strongest, and, the boy riding her all he knew, she crossed the line with a two lengths’ advantage. The distance was a furlong -shorter than the Cup,, in which , she had finished fourth, and was now meeting Passion Fruit on 51b better terms. It was hard luck to run second in the big race each day, but-his straight-going owner, Mr J. T. Blake, was rewarded with a win and a good .dividend in the Grand Stand Handicap, in which three of the six runners; were well backed. Oudenarde made her only appearance at the meeting in the race, and yverit out favourite, but for some reasdri or other never seemed able tp overtake Plaidie. AlcKinnon. made his run on the post, and just got home by a head. Had he got in front earlier something else would probably have beaten Passion Fruit. It is pleasing to see such straight owners as Messrs Blake and Jas. Alacara, who always give the public a. run for their money, meeting with success.

Forest Oak won the Stewards Welter all the way, and made a better showing than on the first day. Alanawanui (an aged grey gelding by Natator), Rags and Grey Ribbon finished close up. Rags (Quilt Nymph), full brother to Bones, was making his fourth appearance at the meeting.’ W. Jillett raced! Skylark (Meridian. Tui) twice on the second day, but on each occasion he finished out of a place. The field in the Scurry would probably have been larger had the entries been taken with the second day’s acceutances, instead of on nomination night. Manawanui’s performance in the Welter made him. out as the best of those engaged, but he was somewhat easily de-

feated by Wee Guard, an aged mare oy. Vanguard'.

BLAZER’S GREAT RECORD-

Air Solomon’s wonderful old gelding v; surely deserves to be classed with Bunge- • - bah and Hopscotch as one of the 7 mesft u brilliant performers of his day to be found in the ranks of unsexed racers, or,, for the matter of that, in the ranks-ok racers generally. Of course (writes “Mazeppa”), Blazer, so far as we know . him, is only a sprinter; but as a sbt-oli: . he is a better laster than either of the <■ cracks mentioned, and up to tne pre- . c sent he seems to be shaping, towards making a record career in point of time, his latest achievement in W ellington be- _ ing one of-Ahs best, and cy nei means suggesting a decrease of weti gbt-carrying v; orgalloping power. Tne Honk. McLean, who bred Blazer, will hardly quarrelwith me if I say that the gekhng comes • •: of one of the least-admired of the War- : rin o'ton mares. Alountam Lely, Aie dam referred to, is by Totara out. of a Lra- ■ ■ ■ aucer mare. It is' from Totara, everyone says, that Blazer gets his^ plainness. Perhaps that is time.. Ihe lotaras, so.. far as I know them, were not remarkable for elegance or even prettmess. Jtsut many an owner would like to swap one of his pretty horses for Blazer. _ Plain he may be, but in his case plain'll®®® means power. He is what may be callr ed a master workman, add that higher grads than that of. - the whose chief asset is a pair, of Family Herald legs. -I have a high admiration , for .this attribute, of . consistency , that. ; makes Blazer a great horse, and the only way cf rendering homage to my four-legged hero I woxh out nis record® for general perusal. He began public life in a lowly way, being sold as a yearling to Mr J. Grindley • (as agent) for what do you think? forty-ooiei guineas! * This was • when the bhek and red” stable acquired him, and ! he went into the hands of - Sam ; Mercer. His first race was at in the Selling Two-ye&r-old Plate, when - carrying top-weight at Bst 71b, and rid- r den by Whittaker r he finished fouxtn, the race being won by Bold 7si 71b. Next ' day, weighted at 7st 91b in the Nursery Handicap, he beat Sir Lancelot (whoffiad • ••••' dead-heated with Multiform id the Weicome Stakes), the latter carrying Bst 121b*. The time for the four furlongs was 49 4-ssec, and Blazer in this his first win paid £9 16s. /In the Electric -* Plato he again beat Sir Lancelot, but Mutiform downed the pair. Coming ..to v Hie Forbnry, Blazer won his first race : there, this being the Dunedin. Stakes, he : smothering Senior Wrangler by four A lengths. Next day he ran Multiform to _ a neck in the Alusselburgh Plate v and he was third in the Glasgow Plate when Sir Clements and Multiform rah th«ix , dead-heat. In the following 1 autumn, . Blazer finishedi last in the D.J.C. Champagne, won by Gold Aledallist, and he ended his baby season by beating Gold- . leaf.,and,. ih t|ie ; - ? Railway Plate, doing’ the half mile ? in 49sec. As a - ■ three-year-old Blazetr began by carrying j his 7st 121 b into third place ih the _ Stewards’ Handicap behind Boreas 7st 121 b and Sedgebrook Bst, and he was nowhere in the Juvenile Plate, won by , ; Daunt; hut he made up for these dis-. . appointments by a brilliant victory over Gold Medallist iii the Electric Plate, . Daunt and Conqueror being among his opponents. Thd time was 46 3-psec, and the dividend £l2 16s 6di. - At the Dimedin meeting in November he ran fourth- ■ with' 7st 111 bin the Federal Handicap .. won by Arline 7st 81b, and netxt day de- V; feated Gold Medallist a length and' a-half - in the Musselburgh Plate, afterwards - finishing behind Conqueror and Gold Medallist in the Glasgow Kate. Tbeto, at the C.J.C. Summer meeting, he seered decisively in the Flying Handicap, ■. ; carrying 9st ’ lib and doing the five fur- - ; longs in Tmiri 1 2-sAec. Next came two successes at the . Dunedin Cup meet- J 1 ing, making ah exhibition of St. ■' Cler; ' rnehts- in the Railway Plate, arid csmryt - „ ing 9st 71b to the front in tlie Hopeful : - Stakes, beating : Altafr 7st”' Sib, by; a' length. His last race that season was ' the Templeton Handicap af jy Christchurch, and this he won easily under the top weight of 9st 71b, his; tihid fdr ;'the six furlongs being Imin 15 4-osCfc.: These “ victories eamed Blazer the impdst of 9st 1 r ’ 131 b for the 1898 Stewards’ Handicap, and he finished out of a place, the face ; being won by Chasseur, 7st 81b.' He also failed to secure a shop ih the Electric Plate, won by Jabber. But at Dunedin he downed the favourite'(Behson) in the Musselburgh Plate by half a length, and also frolicked 1 home from Arline in the Glasgow Plate. Going up to Christchurch in’ February he just fail- . o edin his effort to give Cherrystone near- . ly 3st in the' Craven. Plate, but he had solatium in the Champion Plate, which he won by nearly a length from Dundas, both beating Boreas. With 3st 71b he : was only fourth in Brisa’s Publican’s Handicap, but he pulled off'the Railway ' , Plate without an effort from La Heine, and: carried 9st 91h into third place in the Flying, won by The Spinney 7st 81b. Then, at Christchurch, he finished "unplaced with lOst in the Easter Handicap, : won by Boreds 9st 121 b, and* ran second ' with 9st 121 b to Cherrystone 7st 91b in the Templeton Handicap. As a. five- . year-old Blazer 9st 91b began by dead- ( heating with Vanilla (to whom he conceded 271 b) in the Electric Handicap at ' Wingatui. With 9st 101 b he was unplaced in the C. J.C. Stewards’ Handicap won by Benzoin 7st 81b, but at the same

meeting won the Electric Plate from Courtier and Romanoff. The Salisbury Plate at Wingatui was a soft job for him, and the Glasgow Plate a real picnic. Going to Wellington, he Avon the Telegraph Handicap with 9st 81b and the Electric Handicap AA'ith lOst 111 b ; and coming to Christchurch he scored brilliantly in the Craveln Plate Avith the steadier of lOst- 21b, afterwards suffering defeat by Screw Gun in the Champion Plate. Then came his tAvo easy Avins at Rune din, in the Railway Plate' and the Wingatui Stakes. This season Blazer commenced by running unplaced with 9et 131 b in the C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap won by Pampero 7st 41b, and he "afterAvards accounted for the: Ashley Handicap with 9st 131 b and the Randolph Handicap Avith lOst 91b, making his own running in each race. Then Ave have his Welongs occupying lmin losec, and a win in the Telegraph Handicap with 9st 121 b, the six furlongs occupying lmin lose<3 and a Avin in the Metropolitan Handicap, lOst 111 b, the six furlongs being done in lmin 17sec. This is a \'ery fine record.. Look at it in tabulated form: Un- Stakes

As “to Blazer as a speculation for the: public, if any man has followed him up with £1 each start there is a surplus to crefdit of £3B 9s 6d.

RENOWN’S RECORD.

. The great performance of Renown in the Wellington. Cup, in which he ran a mile and a half with Derby Aveight up in time which equals the record for the colony, makes him out to be an exceptionally good colt. When he was AA'ithdrawn from the New Zealand CiTp early in the season the reason given was because his owner intended to keep him for weight for age events. At the Hutt, fhoAvever, he Avas started in handicap in preference to the W.F.A. Zealandia Plate. The following is Renown’s record to date:— AH TWO YEARS OLD. •' Hawke’s Bay Spring.—Second in Welcome Stakes, four furlongs, Bst oiks, won by Beddington, Bst; won Nursery Handicap, furlongs, Bst lOlbs, time 56 2-oth *ec. —• C.J.C. Spring. Third Welcome Stakes, four furlongs, Bst olbs, won by Romanoff, Bst 21bs ; won Juvenile Plate, five furlongs, 7st, time lmin 3sec; Second Spring Nursery Handicap, four furlongs, Bst lllbs, won by Canine Chiel, 8s t. Auckland Summer. Woii Great Northei'n Foal Stakes, six lOlbs, time lmin 17sec; second in Royal Stakes, six furlongs, 7st olbs, Avon by Screw Gun, Bst 61bs. Hawke’s Bay Autumn.—Third in Hawke’s Bay Stakes, 6£ furlongs, 7st 31bs, won by Screw Gun, Bst 131bs. AT THREE YEARS OLD. Wanganui Spring.—Won Guineas, one mile, Bst ,lOlbs, lmin 46sec.- ' Hawke’s Bay Spring.—Won Guineas, one mile, Bst lOlbs, lmin 43see. C.J.C. Spring.—Won Derby> time 2min 42 2-sth sec ; second in Canterbury Cup, one mile and three quarters, 7st 61bs, won by Advance, 9st. Auckland Summer meeting.—Won Railway Handicap, six furlongs, Bst lllbs, time lmin 16 4-sth sec ,• unplaced Slimmer Cup, ,one mile and a quarter, Bst lOlbs. won by Hohoro, Bst 61bs; won Great Northern Derby, time 2min 40 1- sec; won Royal Stakes, 6 furlongs, 9st 21bs, / Time lmin' 15 l-sth sec. Wellington Summer.—Won Cup, one mile and a half, Bst lOlbs, time 2min 35 2- sec; unplaced Racing Club Handicap, 9st 81bs, won by Boreas, 9st lOlbs. Summarised Renown’s performances oome out as follows : —At two years—3 first, 3 seconds, 2 thirds. At three years —7 first, 1 second, tAvice unplaced. His winnings to date amount to £3931.

Starts. 1st . 2nd. 3rd. plaqed. Won At 2yrs ... 8 3 2 1 2 <£192 At 3yrs ... 10 6 0 2 2 610 At 4yrs ... 11 4 2 1 4 623 At 5yrs ... 11 to 1 0 1 1107 At 6yrs ... 5 4 0 0 1 715 45 26 5 4 10 <£3457 f Including one dead lxeat.