NEWS AND NOTES.

NZ Truth, Issue 137, 1 February 1908, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Concluding day of Takapuna. Swimming Belt was priced on Saturday, but was not foe sale. Crisis only cost £50 as a yearling. It would take more than that to buy him now. The Auckland hurdler, Cachuca will be seen out ; " at the Wanganui meeting. > Twenty-two, of the- best stayers m this island have been nominated for the Wanganui Cup. Teotane will require a lot of time yet- before he becomes proficient enough to win a race. Lochiela is not •• turning out as well as I expected of her. The first day's .effort was the best, but it was unavailing. ■ A cable received from D. J. Price on Wednesday states that Munjeet and Co. had a good trip, and landed well at Sydney. Ataahua was unlucky m meeting Moscow m a galloping humor, and although Prosser's horse ran gamely he had no show at all with the winner. • The , EMerslie trainer, Joe Gallagher', has secured a lease of the stables owned by Mars G. Wright,, m Auckland, and m future he will train Guidwife and Co. tnere. x Aboriginal seems to be a lung time getting ' back to his Winter Cup form, but m the Autumn he will be better, I have just a suspicion that the hard tracks are against him. Multifid has been entered for the principal sprint events at the Wanganui meeting, but tihere is not much likelihood of him facing the starter as he will not be ready. The black col;t, Swimming Belt, had a very easy victory m the Melrose Handicap, and just now he ; is -very well. Had De Witte run up to his form he might have troubled' the winner. As if by way pf a change, Sen Sim left the mark quite smartly m the Wallaeeville . Welte» on Saturday; arid he led till well into, the straight, but here the chestnut was caught and passed. Hurdle racing has , apparently detracted him from pace. The party behind King Post* were very stiff on the last two days,- of the Trentham meeting, but they cannot growl as- they were ver^ lucky m one or two other instances earlier m! the season. Lucky inasmuch as they won when they liked, and no bother with stewards or anything like that. Suttee must have gone off while at Trentham, and her owner will indulge hier with a bat of paddock training for a few weeks, to try and make -her pick up again. I don't know if Suttee- is as good as she is cracked up to be, but that was not her best form here, and on the last day she looked very empty.. Red Rain- is a bull-dog finisher, and may turn out good enough for anything.. In the early stages of his winning, effort on Saturday, he was well iri' ! the rear, biut once into the straigh'ii he belted past everything, and finished a very easy winner. He possesses a great run, and later on, no doubt, will go a lot .further. De Witte failed to reproduce his form of the previous week, and ran a very poor second to Swimming Belt. It was whispered freely early last month that this horse could be bought cheaply, but his success evidently changed his owner's mind, as on Saturday last Sir George Clifford was not disposed to treat for him. j Messrs Hayr and Wynward, who started a subscription to relieve the necessities of Mr J. O. Evett, the late : handicapper, were most successful m their canvass ol the Wellington meeting. The local club gave 25 guineas, Mr E. J. Watt, of Hastings, 20 guineas, and several other lesser amounts made up nearly one hundred pounds. As the outcome of his libel action against Perth "Sunday Times," P. A. Connolly has the pleasure 6f paying his own costs, which will amount to a pretty penny. The Judge regarded the verdict; which was m his favor, with damages one shilling, as being a contemptuous one. Anyway, Connolly has had a good advertisement for his money.

Karioi next -Thursday. Glencullocfc is doing O.K. at Riccarton. - Discipline may not race again this 1 season. Belario let his owner down for a goodly sum •of money at Foxton. Master Delaval and Pohutu are the only Auckland horses nominated for the Wanganui Cup. Paddy McLaughlin wort a double on the first day at Wairoa with Earmark and Crackpot. ■St. Denis won a double at Tuapeka. The old fellow has won a few of these m his day. The Stepniak horse Orloff, who is now owned at Ashburton, is nominated for the next Dunedin Cup. Mr J. R. Keene, the American, sportsman, pays his trainer £3000 a year and 10 per cent, on the gross winnings. The ancient Scott'y landed the Takapuna Cup. He carried seven stone. Last year he won the same race with 8.9 on his back. Zimmerman was walking quite sound again on Saturday, but I should say he will not be a starter m the Wanganui Cup. The Kilcheran— Spun Gold colt, purchased by Mr H. Hayr, of Auckland, has been handed to C. Weal, to prepare for future engagements. The owner of Gravitation took 200 to 100 m one -hand about bis two-year-old m the Hopeful Stakes. The horse paid more than that on -the machine, and there were two dividends. Martyrium ran gamely m the Kelburne Hack Handicap, and though the winner always had her measure, she. only succumbed m the last few strides to King, Post, who got second money. Mr J. . 8.. Whitehead intends to give Dividend another chance, md the son of Simmer and Lady TrenI ton will, be got ready for the <veJ;;ht-jfor-agej events at the. A. J.C. Autumn meeting. . . . , If Motqa couid gallop, the first couple of furlongs like he does the last four, he would cover three-quar-ters on a mile m about lmin 13sec. What great sprinters the Conquerors are, to be sure. Bob Barlow expected Nukutihi to' collect on Saturday and so reiiiiburse them for the week previous. The Day Star gelding was not fortunate at the barrier and ran m the ruck the whole way. Shanks, by Sou-Wester, who used to perform, for F. Tilley, turned up at Wairoa last week, where he won a double. On the first day he carried 7.7 and flew m, and on the next day with a rise of 18ft s he did 'ditto. The Hawke's Bay trainer Jno. Prosser, has six horses In work at Mohaka.. .They are Lord Bobs (a double winner at Wairoa and also, at Mohalca), Captain Jingle, Water and Milk, Ngahere, High Flier and Tongoi. One hundred pounds seems a very small sum for Mr T. Lowry to take for a well-ibred filly like: Clochette: If she wins the A.R.C. Oaks he i will look. At the present- time the writer cannot see what is going ' to beat her. The Dimedin Jockey Club has refused to take any further ' nominations of Curiosity. This horse has so regularly played up at the post as to becomie hot only a nuisance but a trouble" to other owners, whose chances are imperilled, since. there is no telling which horses will suffer m a muddled start. , •There was a siix-up on the second day of the Wairoa meeting. Ngahere won the Hack Scurry, but was dis- . qualified for not weighing m with his breast-plate, and the stakes went to Tapuke and Matiti, who were placed second and third. The bookmakers had paid out on Ngahere and then were forced to pay on Tapuke as well. There seems to be a dearth of good boys willing to become apprentices m stables, and several trainers spoke to me at Trerithani on the subject. I can place fully a dozen ladsi m good stables where they will' be taught to ride, receive plenty of practice, and be paid ten shillings a week. If . parents will communicate with me I will be pleased to consult with them. , The well-known Anglo-Australian' fielder, Joe Thompson, is on a: visit to Melbourne. In a letter to a friend m New Zealand the old man (ho is now 80 years of age) says that things have not been too good m the Old Country during the last couple of years. He says each and every time the "heads" fired they Sit ■the bull's eye, arid he alone has lost a small fortune to xnem. Mr G. W. Taylor,,, Mayor oi El.tham, who bred M&nvakau, a win.ner of several races about H'awera and Stratford, and who was after- ' wards sent to the stud m Australia, informs me that he still has DancingLass, the dam of Mamakau, who since then produced Lady Roberts, by Fraternite, Hermit No. 2, by Recluse, Lady Kruger, by Nestor, Oom Paul, by Nestor and Kapoc by St. Paul. The latter is a stylish-looking youngster and is .just being handled. It's a bad time of the year to buy a horse' for Australia if he has won recently. Whatever will they think of Dusky Me ti m Australia? His last performance here was over ;. six furlongs, when he carried 8.12 ; and cut out too distance m lmin 14 2-5 sees. The times at Trentham were also fast, and shows what the tracks must have been like. Fancy hacks runninc- seven furlongs m lmin. 29sec, six furlongs m lmin 15sec, and miles under lmin 42sec. No wonder when the writer priced a few horses last week thai; their owners held very, high opinions of their worth.

About four furlongs is "the length Lucrietius can gallop. Naumai is still running -put m the paddock at the Hutt. r< Stepniak the most successful sire at the Trentham meeting. ; C. Cress has left Auckland and will m future. train horses at Opaki. Xayier is improving weekly, fend now jumps m a very finished manner. MX D. Fraser, of Bulls, was an interested visitor to TrentJiam last week. .■' • . '•/ Sea K ; ing| is not 1 equal to the' class he met m the City Handicap at Trentham. • : •The "wash-up", for the recent meeting of the W.R.G. will reveal a credit of about £4800/ „• : ■ . There is a likelihood of Fleetfbot measuring strides with the best m Australia next season. ' •Dawn looked a picture on Saturday, and if, he goes on the right >ay he will turn out a 'champion. / Fishermaid broke a blood vessel whilst galloping at Foxton, but it was not of a .very serious nature. Apa is an unlucky horse, and got away last m the Summer Handicap. This was Ms position right through the race. Ancyle is for private sale. He should turn out useful over the small sticks, a game I have ; always held he should be tried at. {■ .; j ' The winning 'riders at Wairoa were Broadfield 4"; W. Kirk and J. Griffiths 3 each, A. Simpkin and J. Murray 2 each, and W. Woods one. It was only superior horsemanship that won the Hopeful Stakes on Saturday, and backers of Gravitation may consider themselves very lucky. Moscow ran kindly m the Hack Welter . on Saturday, and of course he should have, as it was only a, small field and nothing to hamper him. . : . . . Aeolus got lacked all over 'the' shop 1 when at the post for the Summer Handicap. On Monday he was verysore and showed signs of the bad time he had had. ; ' : X airoma broke another blood vessel m his head just when he " looked to be going very easily m the Summer 1 Handicap. Only for this accident, he might have run into a place. Probably, the best race Stratagem has yet run was her gallop m the Summer Handicap. Rounding the bend for home she put m a real good run, -but could not last and died away again." Despite his long series of defeats Mr ' 'F. Preston" does no t grow tired of Apa. On Saturday 1 approached him re putting a price on Muriwai's son. He did so. • It was 1000 guineas. My client did not buy the horse. ■. In the Summer Handicap Full Rate (F. D. Jones) got out next to King Billy, who was immediately • behind Gold Crest. The big fellow got 'a bad bump arid 1 was knocksd back nearly last. When' he came m he showed signs of his contact with the; fence. .''. . With the aid of- a two-lengths break at the start, Playmate was- enabled to win the Disposal Stakes from, end to end. Jos. Prosscr bought the horse for llOgns;,., which was good play, as he has : fully. one hundred pound's worth ; of condition on him, lAt the present time Splendid. Idea : is. very well. She got away last -m: the Summer. Handicap," but by a marvellous run. she got up into third place. If, she would . only get over this fractiousness; at the • post she might win an important handicap.. Tangimoana had a very bad passage m the Sunimer Handicap, and : she also exhibited signs of contact with the fence'! when '.she- returned to. the paddock: This 3 g6od mare :\y"ill * make her nex^ aMearance m the Wanganui Cup, of If" miles. Just a- 1 bout half a mile too far. for her. Mr G. Beatson and Trainer Wilson must be heartily sick of Waikaraka and his little Mways; On a pony was sent round to. the start to quieten him and; try and make/him ! •leave.' the barrier, but though he actually started, he only went a few strides,- and when he found his companion was: missing .he returned to look for him. ' : The Secretaries'' Conference, held at Wellington last Friday, proved a very tame affair, and after, it was oyer each of those . present, was won-; dering what' they : came* to Wellington for. Through the efforts f f John-, ston) of the Manawatu Club,, the press Was not admitted. A notable feature was the absence of Mt W. H. E. Wanklyn, of the C.J.C., who, 4 it is understood, . was absent _. on advice from his committee. , "'- . ■ . . Marguerite covered herself with glory by performing so well m the Sumtpier Handicap. Jos. Prosser expected his horses to run first and second, but the mare to be m advance of Gold Crest as her track work had been, of a high order. Had ( she left the irfark on anything like the same tennis as Gold Crest I am strongly of the opinion that she would have beaten the chestnut. I hope to see a.' good .handicap come her way- m the Autumn. The crack colt, Gold' Crest, won the Summer Handicap "from end to end. ' Young got a similar start on hinf, as he did m the Stewards' Handicap, and. from! thence onwards it, was only a question of what would be second. The pace was a cracker right through, and several ol the starters were very distressed after their efforts. (On looks Gold Crest was the daddy of the field, and" he was much quieter also. His two pre-: vious gallops must have benefited him considerably, and there is no doubt about his being a real top-notcher.

■ Scenery is now trained by A< Wright, at Foxton. North Head is a fine stamp of a horse, that should improve with age. B. Deeley rode three winners at the Takapuna meeting on Saturday. Toa Tuhi is down m the weights now, if they .could only get Mm right. . , It was freely whispered at Foxton that a< specially arranged "joke" came undone. Lord Soult 10.2 broke down m the Newmarket Handicap at Foxton. Is it any wonder ? ; . . The defeat of Supplement it Foxton cost supporters of R. Bariow's stable a lot of coin. Rangipapa was priced last week and Mr D. Buick asked 700 guineas for him. No sale ; resulted. . < Tarina is. very well at present and her party backed her solidly for the Dash Handiqap at Foxton. A leading .Palmerstonian writes : —"Keep at Johnston and make him resign. He really ought to." . The two-year-old Passive is very flighty, but she is a fine, big filly, and may win races next season. Wirjral must be all right again, . as Alec Hall has been nominated *at Wanganuj. m the Hack Hurdle events. •The .. hurdle "horse, Mount Cook, who won on the second day at Foxton, is stated to be the makings of a tjopfaqtcher. /. .:■... \. '$'. \ Davis , Staking m hand '■ half-a-dozen . youngsters at Bastings. They, have just been brought down from Mr T. H. Lowry's estate. Consuello had a run m toe concluding event at the Trentham meeting, but she showed no form at all and apparently wante time. Chantress was lucky on -Anniversary Day. but Fate deserted her on Saturday last, and she was last but one, to leave' the barrier. They say 6xton : „;Can do anything on the tracks with the best of the Karamu stuff. It's a pity he doesn't repeat his form m his, races. Wallasey. was recently sold to . an Australian buyer. • The price was m tire region of 300gns, which seems a \o\ for a horse that never won a race. , '•; • Gravitation improved wonderfully as the meeting went on; and last Saturday' he was a much- "improved horse as compared with the previous week. Aborigine began: like a shooting; star m the Hopeful, Stakes on Saturday, but he" ran himself to a standstill, and could not withstand L. King's finish on Gravitation. Dave Price sailed for Melbourne last Friday and took with him Munjeet, Fireiron, Coronella and a trot- , ter. ..I;.-, trust Price will be able to win races with the lot of them. 'A Wjaverley correspondent writes me. that S, Brereton's team are all doing' well at Waverley, and so is Auratus, who, if he keeps sound, will most likely be given a run at : Wianganui m March. ' Motoa won the City Handicap m very taking style. It would have taken a. tip-topper to beat the son of Conqueror after the way he ed on Saturday. He seemed to -vrin i with a stone m hand. The fashionably-bred Loftus was the best backed of the fiela* m the Disposal Stakes, but he could v only run third, , -After the race he was sold to" Mr M. ■■' Hogan, who intends to race him m the South. ' Speculate, Jackashore and • Notus were the placed horses m the faig handicap on both days at Gore. The former won on the first day, and on the following day be was third, white the other pair moved up one. At a; meeting of the D.J.C. Metropolitan Committee Mr W. J. 'Marshall's > appeal against the Wyndham Racing Club's decision m dismissing his protest against Lupulite m the ... Spring Handicap at its meeting on January lon the ground that R. McKay (the rider) was hot qualified so ride as -he owned the horse, was considered^ and it was decided that the appeal be upheld, McKay not being qualified to hold a. jockey's license.; The result of this decision is that Eous takes first place and Curiosity second, Lupulite being disqualified for the race. According to the "Southland News" the stewards' stand at the Gore racecourse,! together with the accompanying range of offices, luncheon, weighing, and press rooms, were within an ace of being destroyed by fire on Wednesday. While at work 'in the press room a scribe, after lighting bis ' 'smoke, ' ' apparently a lighted match into* a crack m the flooring,- and left the room " without' noticing the happening. The other reporters, iwlio had concluded their labors for the time being-, indulged m a friendly conversation before adjourning, and thus remained indoors longer than is their wont; On rising to depart, one et their number noticed that a hol» had been burned m the floor, and that the gale, which beats with great 1 force v on this angle of the building, was driving the fire with Wow pipe action into the heart of the lower timbers. The prompt application of a small supply of watec speedily removed all danger, but bad the occupants left the premises- &*■•»— cording tOy custom, a sefioufc conflagration must have resulted, as the room "is. not often opened by outsiders, and a lew minutes would have sufficed to set it completely ablaze.. The force of the wind' prevented smoke being observable, and a fire was thus given an unusual opportunity of extending, while there is an absence of fire appliances on the premises.

San Jujiie requires a rest, or she I&ay so. out. , •."■•■. Guidwtfe was not started: at Takapuua on v Wednesday last. 1 ■ -••' Earmark was sold to Mr Barry, of Qisborne, last week, fpr 3%ns. . . The N.Z.. Cup winner, Star Rose, is now being tried over hurdles. -Truce will not race again this season, so reports trainer Shearsby. • The Gore Cup, run on Thursday of last w*ek, resulted : Speculate, Jackashore, Notus. ■ y . ■•'■ ■ Rosegrove likes seven furlong races. H« has won more over this distance •fthftn any other. ■' ' : Sir Tristram was very sore" last Saturday, and he could not start, m #h« Summer Handicap. i The Karamu mares, ~Ebna and Intelligence, will not race again, but will be sent to' the stud. " Luresome. was second to Office Girl In the Croyulon Handicap on the first day .of the Gore meeting. Fred Davis is taking Dam Lenp to Gisborive for the meeting, whioh takes place next Thursday and Friday. During tlie Wairoa meeting the aged gelding Shanks was' put up for auction, and passed mat 40 guineas. Luplilite 10.12 scored easily m the President's Handicap of four furlongs, at 'Gcrt. The official time was 49 8-6 see. : "'"• Belario was sent back to Feilding after, tbe-Fpxton' meeting; -{[M was »c|'i'tched^V foi' • all 'engagements'' at PahiAiiia: ■- ■ "■ •• ■■' ""'''■ •''. '■•.••''' • ■S^ikomako has been sold to a Dmue&Ln' buyer,' and H. Carr handed over •ft.B : chestnut iramiediately after the' Gore meeting. • The Hastings-owned Formidable won the Maiden Plate at the Wairoa msetitfg. Gleaafric and Peep o' Day Vr«re m tiie places. , • Pap»liawa was well backed locally ier *fa§ Hwrdles at Pahiatua on Wtdnesdiy.-- 1 Her price surprised the. looal layers; of the odds'. - : A. Oliver; who was- badly hurt ■VhJJji riding just, before the Trentham meeting, will iiot be seem iri the saddle. ior, aome tame yet.' - The "win of Bonnie Doon was riot 0m.% of its turn. The Foxton mare, has been Tunning ■ consistently,, -but •with no luck for a long time. , Mr .A. F. Douglas's Commander, by The Officer— Nixie, was four times placed second at the Wairoa meeting. Rather a record for consistency. Loftus was shipped' South Yesterday; In future/he will be trained by Pat Hasan, who has several fair horses under Ins care at Riyerton. The luck still keeps on the side of; the' bookmakers. The first two events, at Pahiatua were very bad,' but then 'skinner after skinner rolled 5 'home. Orisis was not started on SatuiS lav. and while the other' horse's were galloping their hearts out, the chestnut was safe m his box at Blasterton.- ■'■-• •■• ■ ■ "< ■■■ .. . The owner of Inniskillen must despair of the jumper ever winning ano.HhK race. Though he fails repeatedly he does not come down m the ■weight. - , , ■. ' '. H. Telford is having no luck with First Mate. ■ The Blue Jacket colt was just beaten by a hot favorite m Prince Hassen for the Trial Hack Plate at Pataatua* „, .-;..' Th« Wansanui-owned Anemone • has feceni.xacir^c fox a long time now, ■but her effort ; an Wednesday m; the" Weltei Hack ait Pahiatua was the best sbe h&a put up so far. : ■• There is * very sty lish-looking filly 'at Waoganui called Confection. The youagrter is by Field Battery, from Perfection, a in&re that used to carry the lat« J. Paul's colors. The old battler, Convoy, who does -most of his work m the sea, was piven a run m the Maiden Hurdles at [Takauuna, He was at any price on fche machine, and ram accordingly.- . The Midsummer Handicap looks like taming out a tame affair. The only •outsider engaged is Saga, 8.2,, and Rafter her poor showing, at Pahiatua it is not certain that she will be sent to Riccarton. ,/ As was generally anticipated, Red Rain 'did not accept for the Midsummer Handicap, but the Ohokebore filly, Sister Anne, 'has continued, her m the valuable Filly Stakes, to be run at the same meetins. . The punter who goes forth to the races with a heavy, pocket and a light heart not infrequently comes home with; a, pocket light as a vacuum . and a heart as heavy as a ship's anchor. There is nothing like a day at , Trentlxam to eith.tr elevate- or depress. . „-■ . The well-known Sydney sport, ' Jim . Brennan, has decided to taike -a trip to England; and his team oi horses, consisting of Scotland, Istria, Melodebn, Malt Queen, and Little Lad, together with the brood mares, will be brought under the hammer 'by Messrs Ohishplm a/nd .Co. after the AJJ.C. aaturan; n'eeting. ■ Mikota-hi, who won the Welter Hack at Pahiatua, was not on tho cards issued. by the 'bookmakers' and a riot was narrowly averted wheir the result was made known. There are hundreds of punters who are sure that the bookmakers know which 'horse is going to- win, and leave the name off the card on purpose. ■-...'.-.■.>■

I Most of tho Hasting trainers are ' taking horses to the Gisborne meeting. : Gaelic was a quiet tip for the Pahiatua Cup. A commission m his favor was worked locally. The 'erstwhile pony Ruatamataj wqn a race at the Victoria Park meeting early lastrr month. 'The ; Hawke?s Bay sportsman, Mr F. Armstrong, ; has named his Amph'ion—Ta'ihoa colt Timi Kara. A-' jockey is .dead a great number of tin-tfes m this world before he puts any pelf m the undertaker's pocket. The Foxton trainer, S. Messena, has.a smart two-year-old by Conqueror from Waipuna. She 'is named Wairota. H. -Gray rode three winners at the North Shore on Wednesday besides being; up on the second horse m two other races. The N;Z.-bred' colt Maranui was entered for , the Trial Stakes at the A.J.C. .moeting/last Saturday. Lion Heart .8.7 was top-weigiit, and Maranui was only asked to carry 7.5. The race was looked upon as a certainty for Dan OJErien's colt, but at the time of v/fiting no results are to hand.