GOSSIP OF THE TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12211, 8 August 1925, Page 8

GOSSIP OF THE TURF

Talk from Track and Stable

(By

"CARBINE”)

The Wairarapa trainer, P. Hazelman; went south laßt night with Hall Hark, who is to contest the Winter Cup. 'Sir Rosebery stiil holds his position as favourite for the Grand ational Steeplechase, and he is likely to be the favourite when the machine closes on Tuesday next. Passin’ Through has come into favour for the big cross-country event in the last few days, and on his showing at 'the Hunt meeting, it would be no surprise to see him reverse places with H'.ria, who defeated him by half a head. Erie has a lot of followers, and Tigeriand. Charlatan and Fireblight are the next in demand It is difficult to say what will wind up favourite for the Winter Cup, but the chances are that Killocra will. No horse looked as well as Killocra when the field paraded for the Brabazon Welter at Riocarton a week ago. He gave a very disappointing display m his race, but there are many who will give the son of Kilbroney at least one more chance before they drop him. If he gets out with the leaders in the first couple of furlongs he should be very hard to beat. White Comet is in nearly as big a favourite as Killocra. The northerner , has fine races to nis credit at Trentham in the wjnter going, and these performances have not been forgotten. Also, he far from disgraced himself last Saturday. Sun Up, who led the Brabazon Welter field heme, has come into the-Winter Cup market as a natural consequence, and there can he little doubt that on the-form he displayed a week ago he ought to be one of the best competitors in Tuesday’s field. Form points to his being very hard to dispose of. Pompey is considered to have been, improved by his race' on Saturday last, and he is now among the heavily fancied division for the Winter Cup. Equally well liked is Moorland, one of the smartest of the southern gallopers. Nukumai is txnning hack into, the boom for the Grand National Hurdles, and there are indications that _ the Foxton horse might start favourite. He will he ridden by- W. Bowden. Boomerday’s showing in the open hurdles at the Hunt meeting won him many friends, but on his track work since then he has lost admirers. ’Frisco Mail is a big tip from _ the South and. all going well with him m the meantime, he will he one of the best hacked of the National Hurdles field on Thursday. Many Colours is now numbered among the four most horses who are down to- contest the i-iational Hurdles, and on his running last Saturday this is as it should be. The committee of the Canterbury Jockey dub has been a good deal exercised during the last few* days regarding the Winter Cup, owing to the possibility of a field so large as to necessitate an alteration at the starting barrier, in order to obviate a division. The final acceptance, however, left *a field of twenty-one, which >is

the “safety, number,” so that the difficulty has been disposed of. 1 Five horses were allowed- to forfeit , their engagements in the Grand National Steeplechase, these being San Forte, Golden Prince, Windermere, Aurore and Uncle "Bob. The first named is under a cloud, and Unde Bob is being reserved for minor cross-coun-try events, while the other three are not at Riocarton. The -twelve horses still engaged include some candidates with only remote prospects on form,' hut it is highly satisfactory to fine that the best of the original entry will be at the post next Tuesday. Nine horses have dropped out of the Winter Cup, these being Sunny Loch, Lucius, Qontarf, Clareina, The Harp, Ayrburn, Ed Route, Bretland, and Rich Prize, but of this lot only Sunny Loch and Rich Prize were seriously fancied, and both of them are causing their trainers some anxiety. The field whioh remains includes ten horses who took part in the Brabazon Welter Handicap last Saturday, and there will be eleven fresh candidates—Deucalion, Mountain Lion, Moorland, Hall Mark, Kuhio, Anticipate, Beaumont. Rehutai, Irish, Ecuador and The Cheat. Twenty horses survived the first acceptance for the Grand National Hurdle Handicap, and of these all but Rational remain in after final payment. The race hears a particularly open appearance. Frenchman appears to.be a doubtful starter in the Grand. National Steeplechase. It is significant, at any rate, that he also claims an engagement in the Enfield Steeplechase, on the. same day. Of the nineteen final acceptors. for the Grand National Hurdle -Handicap all but Highway and En Route . are engaged on the first day of the ing’Frisco Mail, Bonibrook, and Bonecto are three candidates for the Grand National Hurdle Handicap who have not yet reached Riccarton.Sir Rosebery and Passin’ Through both figure as acceptors for the Grand. National Steeplechase and Grand National Hurdles, a double that no horse, has yet won. Alec. Taylor, who trained Gainsborough when he won the substitute Derby at Newmarket, for Lady James Douglas, always had a great appreciation of the horse’s merits, and his opinion that he would get stayers is finding endorsement in English results this season. Celerity, a filly now in T. H. Gillett’s stable at Riccarton, is by Gainsborough; • > ' I The following team will represent the North Island jockeys against the South Island jockeys in the annual fixture at Riccarton: P. Moßrearty, W. Bell, JV Nixon, L. Morris, S. Walls, W. Bowden, N. Rowe, R. Reed, P. Ryder, S. Raghy (wing), E. Warner, W. Rennie,. 11. Goldfinch, E. Garrett, A. Tinker. 'Emergencies: J. Barry, W. Woods:- Hie following are the South Island representatives: Ruthven, Blair, Bojbinson, Paul, Peart, Choate, Morris, Salt, itoare, Dawson, Wormald, Ellis, .W. Shore, J. Tilson, H. Were. Emergencies: Adams, Thomson.