TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1775, 14 March 1906, Page 45

TURF TOPICS.

(By “Advance.”)

HOROWHENUA HACK RACING CLUB.

The annual meeting of the Horowhenua Hack Racing Club will be held at Weraroa on Friday and Saturday next. In most of the events the fields are satisfactory and provided the weather is good the outing will no doubt be largely patronised by Wellington and Palmerston racegoers. Tho Fordell 3 Porirua and Wcravoa stables are ivell represented and with ordinary luck should win some of the races. The following may run prominently in their engagements on the opening day:— Flying Hack—Pat and Aboriginal. Koputnoa Handicap—The Lark and Bonheur.

Park Stakes —Marguerite. Horowhenua Cup—BourrasqueT Hokio Hack Handicap—Noya and Waitapu. Kawin Hack Handicap—The Lark and Miss Lancelot. ■St.. Patrick’s Welter —Mussel. Hack Hurdles —Apiti and Durban. DANNEVIRKE JOCKEY CLUB. The Dannevirke Jockey Club had a most successful meeting last week, considering tho inclement state of the elements on the first day. The sixteen events on the cards averaged over £IOOO per race, tho total falling .short of £17.000 by £29. Had the weather been fine the turnover would have gone close to £BO,O-00. Several horses that were taken to the meeting wore allowed to remain in their boxes. Since the last meeting the course lias been fenced all round and a new weighing room built. All the officials worked hard to make the meeting a success and special meiytiion should be made of Mr J. Spiers Freeman, the club’s most obliging secretary.

There were two double winners at the mooting. Florio, who failed to run a mile and three-quarters at Woodviile, and did not get a run on the. second day at Wanganui, placed both jumping events to Mr Kennedy’s credit. He was certainly the best looking horse at the meeting, in good condition. .Tho best of a bad lot he beat on the first day was Silverlene, who was making her first appearance in a- jumping race. Inglewood gave a poor exhibition finishing fifth, and Gold. Duet, who ought to be good enough to win races in such company, was sixth. Anadeja and Swop were brought out in the mile and a half event on the second day. Inglewood won comfortably from Gold Dust- with Silverlene, who lost ground at the fences, in the other place.

The other double winner was Polyanthus (The Possible —Violet), who wins au nearly every meeting she starts, and is, judging by her performance on the second day of the meeting, better than her previous form made her out to be. In the Tamaki Welter, which race she won a year ago, she had no difficulty in beating Tomirangi and three others. In the Autumn Handicap, one mile and a distance, on the second day, she conceded weight to her six opponents, and won in the easiest manner. The halfsister to Daphne, Jadoo and Co. can stay 1 as well as sprint, and if she continues to train on all right will win a good handicap before her^career closes. Mystification, winner of the King Edward Handicap at Hastings in the spring, in which race he beat Boomer- ■ ang at level weights, was expected by his owner and trainer to- shape well in the Oup. After Jolly Friar, who had not previously essayed such a long journey, had tried to win from end to end, Mystification took charge in the straight and won fairly easily. The Apremont horse was among the unplaced division a year ago, when he won the Autumn Handicap on the second day. Hipporoffla and Gold Seal, who made their only appearance at the meeting in the Flying Stakes, could! not act in the heavy going. Declination had no difficulty in beating White Ribbon and Fancywork. The last named pair were opposed by Captain Shannon on the second day. The latter was sent out a level money favourite, hut was beaten after the first fifty yards and finished about a hundred yards behind the other pair. Fancywork met the grey on 61b better terms and beat him nicely at the end. Declination would probably have beaten the pair again had she been other open event was the Kaitoke Wdlter Handicap, for which Tomirangi, who acted as runner-up to Polyanthus on the previous day, was heavily backed. She ran realty well, being beaten

by the narrowest of margins in the last few strides by White Ribbon, who ia a great finisher. Mussel took part m a slashing finish with the pair named. ’Some -sinart hacks were seen out at tho meeting. The Ashhurst-trained Red Cross (Son-pf-a-Gun—Oaritas), a winner on the second day of the Woodviile meeting, won the six furlong event in most attractive style, but a rise of a stone stopped her on the second day. Among those she beat were the peculiarly named Honyhuhnm, who ‘won on the second day. She beat two previous winners in Olem and Splendid! Idea, but the performance did net strike the writer as being very meritorious. Scenery (New Forest —Princess Maude), who finished out of a place behind Olem, was much better backed when she put down Bonheur on the second day. Lord Boult, who can get half-a-mije very smartly, never gave any of his opponents in the Electric Hack Race a chance. The runner-up, Clementine, met the Soule gelding on a stone better terms in the Telephone Hack Race, five furlongs, for which she was sent out favourite, and scored in good style from Pat.

Several well-bred beginners were seen out at the meeting. Probably the best of them were Aboriginal and Splendid Idea. The latter was beaten by Aeolus at Woodviile and did not win out of her turn. She ran well on the second day and now that she has started may go on winning. Aboriginal has not been before the public so long as the sister to Float, but evidently he has made a favourable impression. In the Scurry he was backed down to less than level money. The Hutt-trained Xavier, who ran second, was paying the nice price of £5 lie to win. He beat his stable companion (Lamlwe-rnt. who was better backed. Both finished out. of a place in the Trial Hack- on the first day. The Stcpniak colt appeared to move a little sore, although the going ivas not hard. CHATTER, Alt* A. E. Whyte, Secretary of tjie Wellington Racing Club, after spending six weeks holiday at the Southern lakes, returned home last week. After Inglewood’s poor displays at the Dannevirke meeting, F. Tilley will probably return him to his owner. Footer and Autumn handicaps are due on the 23rd inst. Aboriginal (Merriwee —Polly), who scored his first win at the Dannevirke meeting, is a half brother to Whario, Voltaire and Notes. Re is, like Boomerang, ii black Merriwee. The Victoria Racing Club has apncuited Messrs Norman Wilson (judge at Caulfield) and A. Vowles (a well-known li an dicap per), stipendary stewards at £4OO a year.

The Wellington Racing Club was represented at the Dannevirke meeting by Messrs J. B. Hareourt and N. McLean. Three well-known persons in the local sporting world have recently joined the ranks of the local licensed victuallers. The owner of Black Reynard, who adopts the nom dc course of J. S. Thane, has taken possession of the Pier Hotel. Mr W. Jorgensen, who has for a number of years raced horses from the Hutt, lias become proprietor of the Imperial Hotel and Mr A. McVinish, who raced Rnamahanga and other horses before going to Invercargill, has taken the Post Office Hotel..

■Clem and Clementine, by St. Clements, wore .success! ul at the Dannevirke meeting.

Oryx, who has shaped rather disappointingly on the 'flat recently, has been engaged in tho Hurdle events at the Masterton meeting.

Tho starting of Air Harry Piper at tho Dannevirke meeting was the best tho writer has witnessed fo-r some time. The official did not have cattle like Starshoot and Dulcinca to manage, but all the same there were no false starts or breaking away and not a single tail in one of tho fourteen events.

Sir Agnes, winner of th© Parliamentary Handicap in 1889, has been engaged in the Hack Hurdles at the Masterton meeting. Patronus, who has been doing stud duty in the Manawatu districts and Scotch Reel, who is now a member of Mr McGrath’s Opaki team, also appear in the lists.

The totalisator figures for Dannevirke meeting (£16,971) were a record for the Hawke’s Bay district. A Melbourne paper is responsible for tho statement that Machine Gun is to be shipped to England at the conclusion of his autumn engagements. He will probably be ridden in the Old Country by L. H. Hewitt. The withdrawal of a horse at the last moment at Dannevirke was caused by the horseman engaged not being in a fit state to ride.

Adorning Herald, a roan son of Guide Harold (American standard bred trotter) imported from Sydney to Hawke’s Bay, was represented by a galloper at the Dannevirke meeting. Declination scored on her first appearance in open company at Dannevirke. Had she been started on the second day she would probably have again accounted for White Ribbon, who finished behind the daughter of Stepniak on the first day. The grey gelding White Ribbon scored a deserved win in the concluding event

at the Dannevirke meeting. At Woodville he ran two seconds and at Dannevirke two seconds before scoring the above-named victory. Tomirangi, who- lias so fax Been rather an unlucky purchase for Mr J. Maher* pulled up lame after contesting the Ksuitoke Welter- at Dannevirke. In tli® event named the Mahaki mare ran the: best race of her career. Polyanthus, Mystification and- Fancy*work, winners at the Dannevirke meeting last week, were successful at the same gathering a year ago. Sir Geraint, Probability and: Deetrno tion were taken to the Dannevirke meeting, but were not started on account of the wet weather. After the poor showing he made at Dannevirke the writer is inclined to. write Roseal down as a hack number. J. B. Williamson, the Auckland! owner-trainer, was present at the Dbnnevirke meeting with Vexation and E’mi graver, tw*o Wanganui-bred geldings* The horses named competed unsuccess* fully in the hack class. Mr Stead allowed .Porcelain to drop out of tile Manawatu Stakes, being, renresented in the race by Isolt and Cuneiform, As the horses mentioned are eon** sidered unlikely starters the race look* a good thing for Achilles., Last yean the Medallion horse met Machine Guii in the race and suffered defeat. Secretaries E. J. Gothard (Woodviile), W. G. Nightingale (Waipukurau), E. A* Laery (Wairarapa), were present at th® Dannevirke meeting last ■week. The latter journeyed on to Napier to witness tho racing at- the Park. Polyanthus was the best of the per-* formers seen out at the Dannevirke meeting. Clem and Clementine, two of the progeny of St. Clements, were successful at the Dannevirke meeting. 8. Reid, the Wairarapa, light weight* rode five winners at the Dannevirke meeting. It is reported that F. Davis, the wellknown horseman, will in future hav® the preparation of Mr T. H. Lowry’steam, which will be trained from Hastings. At Dannevirke Inglewood and Clementine ran in the nomination of John Oliver. The pair named are still in F. Tilly’s stable and carry the same colours as when they ran in the ownership of a Stratford sport. Mr J. R Whyte, late secretary of the Foxton Racing Club, acted as assistant secretary of the Shannon meeting. An effort is being made to get another race out of Nonette. His name appears among the horses engaged at the Manawatu meeting. Three of Rangipuhi’s progeny, Zelma Rossgrove and Almira, were successful, at the Shannon meeting. Mr Watt has engaged Melodeon, Starshoot, King Billy and Boomerang at the. Manawatu meeting. The Horowhenua Hack Racing Club has arranged for a special train on Friday and Saturday next to leave Palmerston North at 8.40 a.m., returning from Levin at 6.45 each evening.