GOSSIP OF THE TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12406, 27 March 1926, Page 8

GOSSIP OF THE TURF

Talk from Track and Stable

(By

"CARBINE.”)

FIXTURES. March 27—Wellington Trotting' Club. April 3, s—Hawera5 —Hawera Trotting Club. April 3, S—Wairarapa Racing Club. April 3, s—Auckland5 —Auckland Placing Club. April 3, s—Feilding Jockey Club. April 3, 7—Metropolitan Trotting Club. April-S, 6, Canterbury Jockey Club. April 7—Westland Racing ClubApril 10—Greymouth Jockey Club. Though Grand Knight was not raced at Masterton he was taken there,- and was on the course. He looked; very well, and there is no doubt he will be a fit horse at Easter. He has done a lot of solid wdjrk, and on Thursday morning he run, six furlongs at Trentham in great style in lmin 15sec. Minotus is developing well, and possibly will turn out good. Minotus accompanied Grand Knight over portion of the gallop on Thursday, and went .well.

Modern and Misgovern were galloped together, on the grass, and got to the end of'seven furlongs in lmin 84 seo'. ' ’

Tresbam is being kept going in view of Easter engagements. He seems to have brightened u$ somewhat since he raced at Masterton. ...

Royal Picture is'working well. It might take time to get him right, but he looks like coming good. ’ Opa was unable to fulfil her Masterton or Bulls engagements, but she has been freely nominated for Easter events, including -the principal hapdicaps at Tauherenikau. - When letter of- Credit raced at she showed enough pace to suggest that she will be hard to beat in the five furlong hack event at the Franklin meeting this afternoon. Sottano will not.be long in winning over hurdles. y

A copy of “Form in a Nutshell” has been, received from the, publishers. It appears to be one of the most valuable publications of its kind concerning English racing. A feature of the book is, that the travelling representative of the publishers gives notes on the running, condition,' etc., ot the horses at all the principal meetings. According to the present outlook,,,the Wellington Racing, Club has good reason to. anticipate the Trentham. Gold Ciip furnishing a capital contest, for the following are included in the list of entrants Gold Light,. Count Cavour, Rapine, Te Monanui, Grapd Knight, Income, Tresham, Star Stranger, Ureum, and Catcall. The Trentham Gold Cup is set down for decision on tTie second day of the Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting, April 17tli. The iTe Awamutu representatives, Mount Marta, Siaosi and Berintltia, who . claim engagements at the liororata' and Canterbury" Jockey- Club’s meetings, went -south during the week, and will race. at Hororata to-day. Additional, ricjitlg . engagements' announced for the Franklin meeting are as follow :-r-L. Jarvis, Prince Abbey, iTago San, and Passionate j- H.' Lee, Quinette and - Raceful; and A. Tinker, I King. Merv. . :

.T. H. Jefferd will probably have a team of six horses at Ellerslie for the taster meeting, as he bos Booked ac---inodation for that number, at ' . E. Rae’s stables. Miss, G. Maher has ' also ; engaged ’ accommodation for -two horses at the same establishment.

There is, it is stated, a good prospect of several noteworthy, weight-for-age horses contesting the. Chipping Norton Stakes at the Warwick Farm meeting to-day. • The English-bred trio/ The Night Patrol, Top Gallant, and Pantheon, figure, among the en-

trants, while the Australian division includes that brilliant pair, Valicare and AV-indbag.

It is understood that A. McAulay will take Tarleton and Sun Up north for the Auckland Racing Club’s Easter meeting, while Sun Up will also, fulfil engagements at the Avondale .Tockcy Club’s meeting,. which will be held a week later.

Backers made Calcite a very hot favourite for the Trial Plate at Oamaru, and her supporters were never given much occasion 'for uneasiness. The imported ‘ mare was going comfortably behind the two leaders in the early stages, and she won very decisively over the last furlong. Calcite has not done much racing, but she looks like developing into a smart performer, with prospects of staying a mile at least.

Roman Archer, the winner of the Buckley Memorial Handicap at Oamaru, is a four-yoar-old gelding, who was purchased as a yearling in Sydney by Mr A. 11. Fisher for 200 guineas. His sire, Bowman, who died some time ago, was a brother to Arrowsmith, while tiis dam. Ganla, is by Gaulus, a Gozo horse.who had a Melbourne Cup among his successes. Roman Archer had only won two races prior, to his success this week, a mile hack race at Gore last season, and a mile and a quarter hack race at the Dunedin summer meeting in December. He shapes like a stayer, and he may cam further honours over a distance. . ;

Zaragoza followed up her first day’s success at Oamaru by scoring on the second day . She came' along with a strong run at the business end, and her two. displays at the meeting left the impression that an even longer journey than . seven furlongs would suit her. There seems little doubt that she is at her best on a heavy track, and if she gets conditions to her liking she will ’be seen to advantage in other races during the autumn. The Grand Steeplechase de Paris, run at Autueil, is the most valuable cross-country event in the world. The records published, gave the value of the raoe in question in 1921 as £15,200: The Melbourne Cup of 1925 (£13,215) holds the record as the richest stake yet competed for in Australia. The value of the first prize in last year’s Melbourne Cup was £10,215. Kapuna made his first appearance ns a hurdler at Oamaru on' Tuesday, when he filled third place. The face did him a lot of good, and being further assisted by art advantage -in weight, he was able on the second day to turn the tables on the pair who finished in front of, him bn the previous day. His jumifing was quick* and sure, and he looks like making a good hurdler (says the Christchurch “Star”). He is by the imported horse Saxby. from Lady Symons, and is thus a half-brother to the Great Easter winner, Reval, also to Jack Symons, who was a useful performer in’ his day, 'over hurdles or country.

•There was an - unfortunate mix-up at the start of. the, jpucliley Memorial Handicap, the chief Cvent at the Oamaru Club’s meeting. The five ; horses were in perfect Tine when the signal was given, but. the barrier did not rise, the result being that only the three horses in the middle went offl Mantua, on" the rails, losing about fifty yards before she .went after them, While CqurtlyJ Rose, on the outside, was left altogether.:. As usual, Namutere has’been sprint- 1 ing well,',and he reeled off a ' smart five furlongs on Tuesday., His condition is excellent, and-, if he would race truly, he wo'uld be likely to, show up at Pukekohe.—Auckland “Herald.’ 1