NEWS AND NOTES.

NZ Truth, Issue 152, 16 May 1908, Page 2

NEWS AND NOTES.

Wanganui and Takapuna next week. Lull will take on steeplechasing this season. The Waverley-owned Showman is to be taken to the A.R.C. meeting. Bobrikoff looked very big; at Hastings, and wants racing into condition. The trotters Norice and King Cole have been sent to D. J. Price at Melbourne. Sir Artegal was taken to Masterton last ' Saturday and will be" wintered there. Marguerite 9.0 is top weight m the Connolly Handicap, to be run next Saturday. Wanganui Steeplechase and May Hurdles next Saturday. Century Hurdles on the following Monday. Ikon 7.3 is well treated m the Connolly Handicap, but unfortunately Mr Douglas' mare is not too sound at present. If Prospector can be got back to his best form he should give the opposition a very hot time of it m the Century Hurdles at Wanganui. Playmate and Kuku were allowed to forfeit their engagements at Ellerslie. The former is still a bit lame and the latter is not good enough to take up on his own. Jack Hall will ride Nadador m her Wanganui and Auckland engagements. Collello has the 'chaser m good buckle and she is a sure starter at both places.

A. Shearsby is taking Aorangi to Auckland at the conclusion of the Wanganui meeting.

It seems ridiculous entering Te Kainui for steeplechase events when he can hardly clamber over hurdles. Prospector is going to Ellerslie and reports say he will start m the Steeplechase and not m the Hurdles* T. Williams is keeping Cavalierio going at Ellerslie, and the old fellow will be on hand to play his part next month. Reports from Ellerslie give glowing accounts' of the condition, of Paritutu and Kiatere, who are favorites for the Great Northern double.

Followers of the sport of kings were impressed with Waipu's display at Hastings. He is not quite ready yet and will do better next time out. Irish Corner, a sister to Poseidon, stinted to imported Fortunatus, was bought publicly by Mr S. Hprdern for 610 guineas at the recent Sydney sales. • Mountain King has a splendid record up to date. He has started 17 times, winning on 12 .occasions, being uecond twice, once third and twice unplaced. Says a Melbourne' paper :— The two defeats of the New Zealand-bred gelding Waipuna at the A. J.C. meeting were costly to followers of Ike Earnshaw's stable. Indian Queen and Mosqueterie, the dams of King Billy and Boomerang, brought 375 and 170 guineas respectively at the Longlands clearing sale last week. Altogether 409 thoroughbreds changed bands during the four days m Sydney, the total amount realised for them being 4674-£ guineas. These are pretty large figures. ' .

Report now has it that the Victorian jockey, E. Turner, is sorry that lie has engaged to ride m India, and thinks he would have done better to have tried bis fortune m Germany or Austria.-. If Carissima 6.13 is m the same form next Saturday as when she competed m the Autumn-Handicap at Trentham she will nearly -land -the big flat event at the Wanganui Steeplechase meeting. Mr lan Duncan, of 'the Waikanae stud, was the principal purchaser at Mr E. J. Watt's dispersal sale, and amongst other lots he bought Ismene, Dalny and Bluewater, three mares that should earn still further fame at the .stud. W. Reay, who took Rangina and Glen to the Blenheim meeting, returned to Nelson empty-handed. It was rather a shabby action of .his late employer's, as the horses had won three races between them at the Marlborough meeting. , The N.Z. stallion Malatua, who is similarly bred to the once well-known Pidelis, and is the sire of Maranui, went for IQO guineas at .the recent Sydney sales. His owner, Mr D. O'Brien, must have wanted to get rid of him when he let him goat such a ridiculous price. . Dave Price's string of' horses which are at present located at Mordialloc, Melbourne, consjsts of -OP ink 'Un, Bribery, Otjra, Coronella-, Barina, Seafield, Idealist, Fireiron, three unhamed colts belonging to Mr. G.- Payne, of Christchurch, and the jumpers Maui and' Ataahua. Shrewd track-watchers at Hastings proclaimed Rawhiti a'dertainty for any hack hurdle race he started" m. He was slipped on the second day, and what an exhibition he made of the' field. He is a lovely iumucr. and ii he takes care of him trainer Lawry will win no end of jumping events with him. Black Reynard was labelled "Can't lose" m the* second Hurdles at Hastings, but ho had to go under to Waipu, who looked very big and muscular, and at the tail end of the journey he was the only one galloping. Jack Cameron had him m the condition of his life and he should add a few more hurdle races to his credit this season. . : . •, Grand Slam was offered for sale at Hastings last week; but was passed m at 410 guineas. Of course this is a bad time to buy a horse, as it will cost an additional hundred before he can start, but a good performer like Grand Slam is surely worth* 500 guineas. If he wins the Connolly Handicap next Saturday, many buyers will regret they did not close on him. M. Dunn, who has been on a visit to Tasmania, returned to Wellington by the Warrimoo last week. He has come to 'stay and will beat the services of owners throughout the winter. During his recent trip to Tasmania he rode Eden Holme, who won the Autumn Handicap atthe T.C.C. meeting, outing a hot pot m Montague and establishing; a time record for the race. . On the evening of the first day's races Gold Crest and All Red were galloped six furlongs on the course proper at Hastings. The chestnut had about his Stakes weight up, and he accomplished a very satisfactory gallop, winning easily from All Red, who could not get near him. However, m the race the going was slippery, and tne Porirua horse was unable to show his best form. Taken throughout, the yearling sales >n Sydney last month must have been satisfactory from the breeders 1 point of view, for the 310 youngsters that changed hands realised the substantial sum of 38,857-J guineas, or an average of 125 1-3 guineas. Thorough-bred horse-raising is indeed a very big industry m New South Wales, though it is m such a very unsatisfactory condition on the other side of the Murray. It is again on the cards that another movement is shortly to be taken to form a racing club m the Ohakunc district, and that the course is, to be round the Rangataua Domain Lake. Some people say that it would cost thousands of pounds to put the course m order, but we have it on good authority (m fact the best authority) that it will not cost more than £500 to form the course and fence m the lake. This money would soon be subscribed by the residents of the whole of the district. A big sensation was provided at a recent meeting at Hurst Park, England. Among the three starters for the Open Steeplechase was Mount Prospect's For-* tune, who was purchased a short time previously for 3500 guineas. With only two moderates to beat, odds were freely laid on him. but to the general surprise he was beaten after ah exciting finish with The Longmynd, a horse that was so little thought of a week or two earlier that he was purchased out of a selling race for 22 guineas. ' Devonia must be a broken-down sort of mare v/hen she couldn't win a £17 Handicap art Orari sports. She -an last to Rqscommonj Casablanca, and Bouncing Bob, while Salaam and /Bouncing Bob beat her m the Flying at the same tinpot meeting. In the circumstances, her appropriation of the High-Weight Handicap at Christchurch R.C. meeting is inexplicable until one hears that some animals running m that event were so dead that the dogs of the neighborhood smelt the bodies from afar and assembled for horse-meat. Official time for the mile was given at lmin 46 2-ssec, but a private watch made it slower than 1.50. I

The North Otago meeting taken pla<* next Friday and Monday. Eurus is to be shipped to Wanganui today, m charge of his trainer, W.Clarke. At New Plymouth last week Bagatelle went lame, and will require a short spell. When a jockey loses his head the punters of his neddy usually lose their brass. The Inveroarsjill owner-trainer, P. T. Hogan was a visitor to Wellington last week. The stallion Renown was offered for sale last week, but \fcas passed m at 200 guineas. The black mare. Culmination, who has been retired from the race tracks, will visit Birkeritead m the Spring. The Launceston "Examiner" says Mick Dunn rode the race of his life when he won the Tasmanian Newmarket on Eden Holme. The Possible, filly, No (Trumps, only brought 25 guineas at Hastings last week. This was.undoubtedly the bargain of the day. Grand Slam ran two good races at Hastings but his turn did not come, though he was knocking at the door on both occasions. | The rising two-year-old full brother to Gravitation has been named Attraction. He is a brown colt and shows plenty of quality. The WaiuJcu gelding, Motukawa, ran second m the Ladies' Purse at Hawers. so perhaps there is hope for him winning a race .ve<\ At last Cross Battery has broken - for a win. The Stepniak mare landed the Ashburton Cnn from the consistent But unlucky Medallist. ■ . ' The ForddiL owned Contour was heavily backed. «"n Wellington for the Railway Handicap at Hawera. but s,he did not finish, m. a nJace. It is ridiculous to say the first Hurdles at Hastings was a "ready" -when Te Kainui won. As a matter of fact there Were TWO triers m the race.

Compass ceitainly looked the moral the public though-, him to be on the first day at Hawsra. but Mt. Cook carried too many guns for him. Mr H. Catherall, part owner or Te Kainui, purchased Snowshell at the Lon^lands clearing sale last week, and most likely tne chestnut mare will be raced, again. The hurdle horse Commander was sold last .week for, 52 guineas. Unless something is seriously amiss with" the Officer gelding the price paid is about one-fourth of his value. A. Oliver, on Chicane, fairly, out-gener-alled Fred Jones on Woodheyin the concluding eve-it on the first day of the Hastings meeting, and Chicane's backers were very lucky to collect. .• Mediterranean is the name chosen by Jack Cameron for his three-year-old gelding by San Fran— Lady Bevys. The gelding has recently been put into work but will not be raced ' till the spring. At the Te Mahanga sale last week J. Cameron purchased a fine yearling! filly by San Fran from the Car,bine mare Moonga for 65 guineas. On breeding and looks she ought to turn but a bargain. When Merriwee was offered at auction last week, he did not receive a single bid, though 1 have it on the best of authority that he would have, gone to the highest bidder. . Now. I doubt if he could ' bo bought for 1000. guineas. The public made Kairoma nnd Wondbey very "hot" at the Hawke's Bay meetina: op the concluding day. It is stated that several punters offered to bet 5 to 1 on the double, but the bookies refused t«' do business. Both horses *won easily.

The many, friends on this side of the pond of the well-known Victorian ira;n^r Ike Foulsham, will be pleo.s?d to l»t»rn that he. has so far recovered from Ins iccent illness as to ■be able to leave a- private hospital and return to via home at Caulfield. Biabolo. has caused more broken , ««iandeliers than all hieh-kjeMny tal'et girls that have ever lieen fiiled With fizz. I• do not refer to the Stepniak-T o.rtulla colt of Jos. Prosser's stable, liut Ui some new fancied 1 game" thai? 'has reached. th:» Dominion: •■ '" " ' '"'■ " " Percy Watte: a trainer "at Beltccnt. W.A ! ., was attending a hdrse m a loosebox when the animal kicked him m tb<} groin, causing internal injuries. The man was conyc} T ed to the Perth Hospital, where an operation . was performed, r.nd he died a couple of days later. . Har;r-y Hickcy, owner of Maiora, "was knocked a twister when his pony- flopped up on the opening day. but next day no put a good' many yellow ones on' him, trusting he would repeat the performaace. So he did, but there was a fresh one m, that was Advantage; and she beat Maiora. Dave Price's Grand NfttAonsl eanrtidatn Bribery had another gallop m public m the Jumcers' Flat at-Sandown. and though he was whipping m for some of the road, he went past several horses at the end. If he goes on as he m doing he should be thoroughly seasoned by the time | the Nationals come along.— Melbourne "Truth." .

Elevation arrived from Sydney by the Ulimaroa last Wednesday, and was railed on to Feathers-ton the following morning. Jack Farmer came to town to meet the colt and was pleased with his condition. After landing, the little chestnut walked off the wharf all right, except that he was a bit tender on his crook "Butch peg." I should say that he could ' be patched up again, but most likely -his owner will have himy as a sire.

Just at the present time people ara wont to sympathise with Mr W. E. Bidwill owing to his bad luck m! losing the services of Elevation. I think he is ode of the luckiest men on earth. Why ? Som« little time back his other crack colt, Gravitation, picked up a nail m the fiog of his foot and was m such a bad isay that the services of Mr J. A. Gil ruth had to be called into requisition. He pronounced the case a very bad one, as bloodpoisoning had set m, but, marvellous to relate, the colt got over it and is na\f walking about the paddock as if :notb.injj had occurred. Who says Mr Bidwill is anlucky now?

The owner of Advantage bad a royaler over the success of the black filly m th» : Scurry Hack at Hastings. He fell everybody right anc> left, and the Looks m Wellington . got it particularly hot, . as tha mare paid the limit. The gentleman who races as "Mi J. Melrose" went round t*U» ing everybody that he had -had a stroke of bad luck, as he intended • backing his mare, hut since arrivine; atHastinpts she had not eaten a single feed, so he was doubtful if he would start her. Needless to say, his big-bue friends took iU all m, never dreaming that their supposed chum would' go, out of his way to ,fall them, and the mare was allowed to pay any old. price on the machine. The usual moral is to be deducted from this— ask no' one, but back your own selections.