TURF TOPICS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1751, 27 September 1905, Page 45

TURF TOPICS

(By “Advance.”) RANGITIKEI RACING CLUB. The Rangitikei Racing Club was again unfortunate in the weather experienced foa* its Spring Meeting, which opened on Wednesday of last week. Last September the elements prevailing each day were unfavourable, and the meeting resulted in a loss. The Rangitikei Club is one of the oldest racing on the' Coast, and has never postponed a meeting. On Wednesday last it rained steadily, and foa* the previous twenty-four hours the weather was bad, making the course and enclosures, which ploughed up quickly, knee-deep in mud. The question of postponement was considered in the morning, one stating that if they could not gallop they could swim through it, and it was decided to go on. Under the circumstances the attendance was very satisfactory, and at the end of the day the total turnover showed an increase of £490 compared with last year. The meeting was capably managed by Mr H. A. Goodall (Secretary), and Mr F. J. Mansell attended to the wants of the visitors. King Billy and Prelude were the withdrawals from the Flying. On his form at the Grand National Meeting it looked a good thing on paper for Jolly Friar. He had the services of C. Jenkins, who always has a strong following, and throughout the afternoon all has mounts were favourites. Jolly Friar had the inside running, hopped out, and won from end to end.- Gold Seal and Rustique, the best, backed of the other runners, filled the places. The Maiden Hack Race field was reduced to ten, twenty-one-horses being withdrawn. Compass, ridden by C. Jenkins, was backed down to level money. Windy and Clementine (St. Clements— Aka) who ran in the nomination, of Messrs Good and Paget, showed out to the where Compass came through on the outside, and won comfortably. Compass is owned and trained at Hkwera, and competed twice without success at Marten. Hie is a light bay, by Daystar—Mainboom (King Cole.—Masthead), and shows some of the Castor character. Dalny (sister to Orloff) finished fourth. Daredevil, the favourite for the Hack Hurdles, appeared unable to act in the mud. Wild Oat, who was not ridden by Clarence O’Neill, ran off. John Peel took charge half a mile from home, but had to be ridden out to secure the verdict from Repulse, who was conceding his opponent two stone. John Peel ran fairly well on the second day at Marten, and should win again. He is by the Hotchkiss—Satanella horse Linstock, who was also represented in the race by Leri da., who ran fifth.

Ma-rinella ran well under her welter weight in the Willowbank Hack Race, being just beaten for second place* by Da Iky. Fancywork ran better than at Marton, and scored in good style. The Steeplechase was full of interest, and provided plenty of excitement. Hauriri, who broke down, wa sthe only withdrawal, leaving thirteen starter®. Nor’-west and Wi Waka. were bracketed on the machine. The latter turned over at the second fence, a solid sod wall. He continued in the race and interfered with some of the competitors in the race, finishing close up to the placed horses. During the first mile The Vagrant and Roer were prominent, Nor’weeit and Kaitere being tailed off in the rear. At the end of the second mile Playfair, and Idikairoa- were prominent. Hutana took charge half a mile from home. His victory was made easy by Playfair coming to grief at the last fence, and bringing down Hikairoa, who would probably have been second. The others finished in the following order : —Rapanui, Roer, Nor’-west, Vagrant, and Jack o’ Lantern last. The victory of Hutana, who is owned by Mr Oon Hammond, one of the owners of the Bulls racecourse, was heartily cheered. Nonette made hi® reappearance In the Spring Handicap, bearing a jolly appearance. He was ridden by his trainer (C. Stratford), tailed off from the start, and finished a had last. Lacs o’ Gowrie made the running, shaping better than at Marton. She was beaten after a good race by Hydrant, whose record proves him to be more useful on the flat than over hurdles, at which business he was recently tried. He was one of the least fancied candidates, a?cl paid the good price of £9 9®. Ngatarua was a good favourite, but was slow to begin, and did not get a clear run in the straight. He was only beaten by the narrowest of margins by Lass o’ Gowrie for second place. Sir Fereivale was backed down to nearly level money in the Rangitoto Back Race. Jenkins got a break, and made the most use of it. Coming into the straight he was veil clear of the others, and was brought on the outside to get into the good going. The Pa-

h'iatua-owned Papatawa, ridden by A. Oliver, the Porirua light weight, slipped up on the inside and effected a surprise by beating Sir Percivale by half a length. The weather for the second day of the meeting broke fine, and a strong breeze helped to dry the course and improve the going. In the enclosures a quantity of straw had been laid down, enabling the club’s patron® to get about without carrying any of the ground with them as on the previous day. The attendance was satisfactory. Speculation on the machine was brisk, amounting to £4,818, making a. grand total of £8,983 for the meeting. This amount exceeds last year’s total by £1,731. That John Peel is an improving horse he demonstrated by winning the Second Hack Hurdles, with ..Repulse out of the way, easier than on the first day. He was never extended, and Avon hard held from Daredevil, who was expected to run better than on the first day, but had no chance of beating the winner, who has plenty of pace, qnd beat his opponents badly at the jumps. At. one hurdle at the back of the course he must have gained two length® at the jump. Nukarau, ivko accounted for John Peel at level weights on the second day at Mart on, met his opponent at level term®, and could only finish fifth. On the first day he paid the good price of £5 13s, but on the second the public picked out the good thing, which paid a shade under level money. Linstock (sire of John P'eel) is one of the Hotchkiss tribe, who are valuable at the present time. FancyAvork was withdrawn from the Telegriaph Handicap, having another engagement later in the afternoon. Jolly Friar, who was asked, to. meet Gold Steal and Rustique on 111 b and 131 b worse terms than in, the Flying Handicap on the previous day, Avas backed down to 2 to 1 on. Although the good thing got home, it was by the barest margin from Rustique, who finished ay elf under the whip. Jenkins was at Jolly Friar Avith his hands and heels from inside the distance, and appeared to get everything out of the St. Hippo gelding. St. Albert made his reappearance in the race, but is not thoroughly wound up yet. Sedgmoor slipped and fell entering the straight, and his rider was fortunate to escape. Whataroa finished third, and his Taihape owner* afterwards let him go for 32 guineas. Before the race for the Clifton Steeplechase started, Hutana was submitted at auction with a. reserve of £IOO, but not a single bid was forthcoming. The Avay he Avon carrying 12.0 made the opposition out to be moderate. Lurcher, Patupaeraeliae', and Playfair, who Avere - responsible for the pace, shaped like non-stayers, and in the lastpart of the journey Hutana had nothing to seriously challenge him. Hikairoa, who ran second, would have occupied that position on the first day but for failing over Playfair. Lurcher and Patupaeraeliae Avere pulled out of the Hack Steeplechase, eight going to the post. Wi Waka again took liberties with the fences, but stood up. and finished third. Roer and Senorita kept together in front until half a mile from home, Avhere First. Lesson, AA'ho ran tAvo good races at Mar ton, took charge, and ran home a. comfortable Avinner. Nanette, on his first day’s form, might as Avell have been left- in the box. He ran in the September Handicap, and was pulled up in the straight, finishing a hundred yards behind the field. Ngatarua Avas hacked down to level money. He was kept closer to the field than on the first day, and at the turn held a good position in the centre of the course between WhakaAvehi and Contingent. In the run home he shoAved too much pace for the opposition, and Avon comfortably. Ngatarua has won two stakes at tAVO meetings, and being well placed should be a decent stake-winner at the end of the season. FancyAvork and PapataAva, tAvo first day’s Avi nners, carried the bulk of the mone.v in the Welter Hack Tists-a, Ual-

ky, who was making his fourth appeaav ance at the meeting, did not appear too anxious to face the starter, and created a surprise by getting out by himself at the home turn. In the straight Fancy work had charge, and at the distance Kuroki took a hand. Togo® came fast on the inside in the straight, but did not get through until inside the distance. He caught Kuroki a'hundred • yards from home, and finishing generously under punishment, won an exciting race by a neck. Notwithstanding a loss of £7O last year the club raised the stakes £l9O, and will come out cm the right side over the meeting. THE AVONDALE MEETING. The New Zealand Cup candidate Scotty was seen out twice at the Avondale Meeting, and in both events, run over a mile, he finished behind Avalanche (Soult —-Princess Alice), sister to the Stakes winner (Sweet Alice). On the first day of the meeting Avalanche finished third in the Flying Handicap to Millie (Tasman —Duchess) who worn a similar event on the concluding day with a stone more on her back than when she scored on the opening day. She beat the top weight Waikato (St. Hippo—Folly) at a •differenee of 21b. When they met on the first day Waikato was asked to concede Millie a stone. The latter won a double on the second day of the meeting, hut did not meet Millie, who ran second .in a halfmile event to Martyr King (Sir Lancelot —Martyrdom). The latter won a juvenile race in the colours of his breeder last season. In the Grand Stand Handicap Avalanche was within a stone of Putty (the Oup winner) and Gladstone. Avs r lanohe is useful over a mile, and scored twice over that distance last season.' Mignon (who acted as runner-up in the Stakes) won the Nursery Handicap on the second day, beating four others that finished behind the sister to Laertes, Y&eult, Talavera, Cordon Rouge, ana Eilspeth in the Stakes. The last-named won a race for the Hon. Mr Mossman at Brisbane this month. The field for the Guineas dAvindled down to four, of which tAvo (Kilderkin and Apologue) were stable mate®. Both colts are framed by J. E. Thorpe, who claimed two other Avinnei’s at the meeting in Sweet Alice and Waikato. The winner Kilderkin (by Cyrenian—Kilmorey) was bred at the Cambria Park Stud, and was purchased at the annual yearling sale by Mr M. Friedlander for 75 guineas. Ai the dispersal of Mr Friedlander’s stock Mr J. Thorpe gave 100 guineas for Kilj detrkin. He started eleven times as a 1 two-year-old, and soared twice, in a Nursery Handicap at the Avondale Spring Meeting, after running up Cymbal in the Stakes and the Ellerslie Handicap, six furlongs, at the Auckland Autumn Meeting, beating four others. Kilderkin is not engaged in the Great Northern Guineas, to be run on November 4th, but Mr Thorpe is represented by Apologue. The only foreigners engaged are Mr Watts’ pair, King Billy ! and Boomerang, who.are also entered at Ricearton. NEW ZEALAND CLP PENALTIES In the course of his address as Chairman at the Canterbury Jockey Club annual meeting, Mr G. G. Stead made the following interesting statements:— ! “Member® have doubtless observed the j ne ay conditions of the New Zealand Cup. These are both novel and interesting, and whilst not restricting the handicapper, -they will put a check upon the best horses being crushed out of the most valuable long distance handicaps in NeAV Zealand by the imposition of prohibitive penalties. It can readily be understood that although a penalty of141b m : ght be successfully carried over -'two miles by a horse handicapped at j anything like Aveight-for-age, it would al- ; most assuredly put it out of the race, j Horses handicapped originally at | we’ght-for-age or OA*er, a.re generally, j Aveighted up to their best form, which, i leaves no margin for penalties. Your

oommittee folly recognise that hamdoaps are necessary, but the results show that the beet horse of the year rarely or never wins an important handicap, which in effect means that second or third olass horses do better- in handicaps than first-class horses. For instance, the four most important handicaps provided by the C.J.C. each year, are the New Zealand Cup and the Metropolitan Handicap at the Spring Meeting, and the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps at the Easter Meeting, and on looking through the returns I find that, during the past fifteen years, in no single case has one of the races named been won by the top weight in the handicap. That is to say, of the sixty most important handicaps run at Riccarton during fifteen years not one of them has been won by the horse that was allotted the highest weight.. I wish to make it clear that I refer to the top weight in the handicap, and not to the top weight that started. The new conditions of the New Zealand Gup will not necessarily make the beet horse of the year win, but at least it will be some encouragement to owners of good horses.” Should the “novel and interesting” conditions adopted result in the smallest field cm record going to the post, members will doubtless consider the advisability of reverting to the old order of penalties next year. PAHIATTTA RACING CLUB., A meeting of the Committee of the Pahiatua Racing Club was held on the 19th bust.- Mr O. C. Cooper (president), occupied the chair. Mr Cooper said that the business to be transacted was to appoint a starter, and elect the sub-committees necessary in connection with the working of the club. Prior to commencing the business he would like some member to propose that Messrs R. O. Smith, J. Lethbridge and F. Piper, who had been nominated for the positions of members of the club, be elected. Mr McGardle proposed, and Mr Anderson. seconded: That those gentlemen be elected members of the club. —The motion was carried unanimously. Air d. Harris of Hastings, wrote forwarding his resignation, which was accepted with regret. ; . The chairman said the question of electing a starter was an important one, and referred to the gentleman that had officiated in that capacity in the past. Applicaions had not been called for the position, but two had been received, one from Mr A. Hyde, of Hastings, and the other from Mr A. Wood, of Greenmeadows. The stewards were, however, of opinion that there was one of their number who was a capable man, and who had applied for the position. It was for the meeting to say whether it would elect an amateur in place of a man with experience. Mr Hare moved: That Mr W. W. McGardle be elected starter for the forthcoming year. The motion was seconded by Mr F. J. Andersen, and, after considerable discussion, carried unanimously'. Mr McGardle. who had been out of the room during the discussion, was called in and informed of his election, and returned thanks, saying that he considered himself ca/pable of undertaking the duties of starter, otherwise he would not have applied for the position. The following gentlemen were elected to act on the various committees: — Works Committee, Messrs Cooper, Blake, McOardle, Anderson, and McLennan : Finance Committee, Messrs Lundon, Hare and Husband (re>-elected); Programme Committee, Messrs Cooper, McLennan, Hare, Sullivan, Husband, McCardle and Bottomley. The meeting then terminated.

CHATTER. Boomerang, King Billy, Cabspaw, Si. Joe, Apa, and other horses were taken to the Rangitikei meeting, but did not Bport silk on account of the weather. Mr 'H. Oxen ham is sending his Melbourne Cup winner Acrasia, to New Zealand on a visit to Multiform. Aorasia, being by that eire of many winners, Gozo, from the Sydney Cup winner, Cerise and Blue, her union with Multiform ought to be productive of something high class. Portland Light goes to the same horse. A copy of the hook programme of the Auckland Racing Club is to hand from Mr W. Percival (Secretary). The total amount of added money for the year (£20,380) is less than has been distributed during the past four seasons. Last year’s total was £21.670. At a meeting of Stewards of the' Pahiiatua Racing Club applications for the position of Starter were received from Messrs. A. Hyde and A. Woods. It was unanimously decided to appoint Mr W. W. MoCardle, a Stewart of the club', to the position. Messrs. H. Piper and C. H. Chevannes formerly acted in the capacity at Pahiatua. After the inglorious displays he made at Rangitikei Nonette can be dismissed from the probables for the New Zealand Cup. The declaration of weights for the Wellington Racing Club’s Spring Meeting has been postponed until October 6th. This will enable Mr Chadwick to witness the running at Hastings before making his adjustments. - After winning a double on Ran ana at Avondale, Percy Johnston came down to

Rangitdkei and rode Kaitere. He returned to Avondale, and rode liana n a on Saturday last. Machine Gun’s name appears among the entries focr the 0.J.0. Stewards’ Handicap. The Napier Park Racing Club will use its own totalisator at the Spring Meeting next month. The Hawke’s Bay Club’s staff will work the machine. C. Jenkins added four wins to his list at the Rangitikei meeting. The nominations received for the C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap number 29, this number being nine less than last year. The list includes the names of the winners of the race for the past three years (Vladimir and Machine Gun). Five stables are responsible for twenty of the entries, which makes the list appear really better than it is. The Ya Id hurst stable has engaged no less than seven, including Cruciform, whose retirement was announced some months ago, and two unknown quantities in Porcelain (Multiform Saucer), and Peres'na (Stepniak—Ambush). Last year Achilles (10.0) was called upon to concede Machine Gun 51b and Vladimir a stone. This year Machine Gun should be called on to give weight, to Achilles, who will bo closer to Vladimir than a year ago. Handicaps are due on October 6. Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather experienced, the Rangitikei Racing Club, the writer is pleased to be able to record, came out with a profit, of about £3O over its recent meeting. The club deserves to succeed, as although a loss of £7O was made last September the stakes were raised £l9O this year. Mr J. A. Turton, Secretaxy of the Egmont, Racing Club, is reported to be among the applicants for the Auckland Racing Club’s Secretaryship. Mr H. Brown took Hydrant and Togos to the Rangitikei Meeting, a.nd scored a win with each. Last year the same owner won the principal Steeplechase with Mocassin. The local owner is reported to have had a substantial win over Togo®. One of the advantages of the electric totalisator, which the Wellington Racing Club has decided to adopt, will be that investments can be made at any part of the racecourse where “exchanges” (ticket-boxes) are placed. This will entirely do away with the crushing so objectionable at present. Mr L. C. Pharazyn has written to a Wellington friend stating that the machines in use in San Francisco are supplied with exchanges at different t parts of the course, and are a revelation to the oldtime system. A. J. was unable to journey to the Rangitikei Meeting on account of an injury received through Probability walking on one of his feet. This is rather unfortunate for the Levin trainer, who has a lengthy string in his charge. Whataroa did not return to Levin, Mr Frank Gibbons letting the New Forest gelding go for 34 guineas, about a third the price he bought him hack for at Christchurch.

In the Rules of Racing adopted at the last conference, section 23 of the rules of totalisator was deleted. This particular clause referred to disqualifica<tion of any official or steward who delayed a start with the object of allowing further time for investment of moneys on the totalisator. The rule was more honoured in the breach than the observance, and no doubt the committee which drew up the rules thought, it would therefore be better out of the book. At some of the meetings the writer attends the old-time flag signal, giving the starter word when to despatch the field, still prevails. Occasionally a starter inflicts a fine on a jockey for being late at the post. It is a most unusual thing to hear of a starter being fined for a similar offence. Such a case did occur at the late A.J.O. meeting, when Mr H. L. MaoKellar was fined £5 for being late at the post in the Wycombe Stakes. Mr W. Davis journeyed to the Rangitikei Meeting, but on account of the inclement state of the weather returned without witnessing any of the racing. A few days ago it was announced by cable from Sydney that Mahutonga had been supported for the Melbourne Cup to win £2,000 at 100 to 5. The backer may have been some New Zealander playing up a century of his winnings at the A.J.O. Meeting on the off chance of the Quilt horse going to Australia. Mahutonga’s name appears among the entries for the Canterbury Oup, which closed on Saturday last, and it appears unlikely therefore that the doings of the Yaldhurst brigade at Randwick has frightened him away from Riccarton. The entries for the Canterbury Cup number fourteen, including the Oup candidates Achilles, Mahutonga, Nights fall, Quarryman,, Paritutu, Melodeon, Bulawayo, Golden Knight, Noctuiform, Sungod, Calibre, Probable, Joe Chamberlain. The absence of Nonette and Scotty may mean their dropping out of the race on October 20th.

The thoroughbreds purchased by Mr G. Wright, the Auckland owner-trainer, at the Sydney sales this month, were: — Chestnut gelding, two-years,, by Beauchamp (imp.)—Grace 1 , 45 guineas; bay gelding Ironmould, by Metal—H)op~ about 6yrs, 85 guineas; brown gelding by Metal Adelift, 4yrs, 95 guineas. The two last named are breJi on similar lines to the Epsom Handicap winner (Sleeper) by Metal out of a daughter of Gozo.

Mariea, winner of two pony handicaps at the Avondale Meeting, is own-

ed by the Queensland sportsman, Hon. H. Mosmaa. Marisa, is well bred by Cyrenian—Mantilla (Anteros —Matana), all of whose progeny have been returned winners. She produced Mantle (to Tasman), Strathavon (to Blairgovyrie), and Korowai, Motor, and Mechanic to Hotchkiss. Korowai was sent to Australia, and competed successfully at Randwick. Strathavon is at present in Perth with J. Rae’s team.