TURF TATTLE

NZ Truth, Issue 639, 15 September 1917, Page 9

TURF TATTLE

(BY "SPEARMINT") JOCKEY'S LIST. FLAT. F. Ellis .. 2 J. Olsen .. 1 W. Bell .. 2 M. McArlen .. 1 A. Reed ..2 K. McDonnell 1 L. Morris . . 2 R. Reed . . 1 C. Price . . 1 HURDLES. R. McSeveney 8 A. McDonald 1 S. Reid 2 F. Flynn . . 1 J. R. Kaan . . 2 H. McSweeney 1 F. Eilis . . 2 A. Lawrence . . 1 ! / ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ''Constant Reader" — The results of the "Great Tobacco Competition" will appear m our advertising columns m our issue of 15/9/17. "Wager" (Dunedin) : Manazona, by Captain Webster, never won a race at Riccarton. "Mulga" (Riccarton): Write to secretary, A. Way, Marton. . GLASS-CASE HORSES. y . \ The failure of many flash track gallopers to reproduce "private" form m public is generally attributed to the cattle being roguish, but when the glass-case methods of training are considered, it is hardly to be wondered at that form is unreliable. Presentday registered trainers imagine they are doing excellent- justice to their charges by working early, and it is no uncommon thing to witness horses working at daybreak. They are then taken home to luxurious stables, groomed, and left m their boxes until the afternoon, when they are led exercise for a couple of hours. In their work on the tracks they are ridden by the lightest possible boys, and the weight of a "roller" and rug is all that is asked of them to carry m their afternoon's work. It therefore can be seen that the horses are not used to galloping under the heat of the sun, and a decent weight is unknown to them, until they are sent out to race. NEWS AND NOTES. Ashburton on Thursday and Friday next. •Jockey Len King has been called m the ballot. A lot of New Zealand horses are engaged at RoseMll to-day. Gold Fran failed to show up m the Hack Hurdles at Marton. J. Olsen has passed the medical test and goes into camp shortly. The big fields at Marton were responsible for some very "rough riding. The going at Marton was very&eavy and the big fields very quickly strung* out. ' - Trentham Rose and Pall Mall have been nominated for the ©eraldine meeting. That usually safe conveyance, Golden Glow, tossed out m the Rangitiki Steeplechase. Jockey "Bobby" Young, who has been on active service, has returned home invalided. Tonukpke showed plenty of pace at MartonTbut lie soon petered out when pressure was applied. The West Coast owned Marsinah has been entered for the Ashburton and Geraldine meetings. >l Orleans seems to be no good m front, and at Marton after pulling into the lead he stopped to nothing. Tatima ran a good race at Marton, and lie may score while the tracks are , m their present soft condition. "Rangi" Thompson and H. Lorigan have now been granted licenses' by the Hawke's Bay district committee. The touts m Sydney have already labelled T^raru . Jack for a 'hurdle ' race at tire big Randwick meeting. The many friends of the Marton trainer, Harry' Howe, will regret to hear that he lost his wife last week. Backers began the fiat season badly, and at Marton, Master Strowan was the only horse that the "heads" scored over. Twelfth Night, who has been off the scene during the winter, is to make his re-appearance at Geraldine this month. ■-,- The Rokeby — Elysium colt that C. Morse purchased at the November sales, m Christchurch, is to race as True Joy. While playing m a small paddock recently Seadown gave himself a knock and has been off the scene for a couple of days. There was a bumper attendance at Marton, and the profits, which are to go to the patriotic funds, should be considerable. Signorella seems to have wintered really well. He finished very fast m the Trial at Marton, and should win a race or two this spring. Lady Middleton was always prominent m the open six furlongs at the Marton meeting and the Wanganui mare looks like an early winner. Evidently the owner of Awahou does not despair of getting a race out of the Mahaki gelding, as he has been entered for an open welter at Geraldine. Lady Louisa was saddled up twice •at Marton but she did not do as well m her second start as m the big handicap m which she finished second to Iceberg. The apprentice, M. McArten, who is attached to F. Tilley's Fordell stables, attracted favorable attention by the way he handled Rude m the Maiden at Marton. , Maniaroa fan a good race m the Marton Handicap, m which he was prominent throughout and was just behind the placed horses when the winning post was reached. A well-known sportsman who has seen most of the two-year-olds m the Dominion, gives the palm to a fullsister to Kiirea, m the stables presided over by F. D. Jones at Riccarton. Postillion has proved a veritable frost at hurdle racing, and It was stated -last week that A. Hall was so clis- ( gusted with the display of ihe black ihorse that he Intends returning him to his owner sit once. Acre showed a ton of pace m the Electric Handicap at Marton. but lie " failed to finish on. The race can be relied on to do the Linacru three-year-old a lot of good and he should not be long 1 m getting- amongst the money.

Goldstream stripped well at Marlon, but he, like several of the others, could not act m the heavy going 1 . Chuckle was taken to the Marton meeting;, but was not produced owing' to lha heavy state of the going. Combustion ran quite a good race m lho Hack Hurdles at Marton, and was noticed finishing on at the right end. i'awerewerc jumped very badly m the Hack Steeplechase at Marton, and he seemed quite unable to act m the going. Bezmar's run m the Welter at Marton was wobbly enough to/ give his backers wrinkles m the bram and pains m their pockets. At Marton Acre faded out of the Electric Handicap as fast as a plate of corned beef and cabbage \does' before a hungry navvy. The Sydney "Sportsman" says: "Tararu Jack, a N.Z. hurdler, started. in the Canterbury Hurdles on Saturday. Started, that's all. * . _ Polynesian was well m the market for tho Electric Handicap at Marton, but the Moniopoto mare never once threatened' danger. The New Zeakmder, Red Rock, one of R. O'Donneli's team, has grown- a bit dotty, and Vet. .Miller is busy making him as good as new again. Petruchio began smartly m the Railway Handicap at Marton and ren with Centre till the straight was reached when he cried peccavi.. L.Hewitt had Centre m a good position the whole way m the Railway Handicap at Marton, but Elocution wore him down m a punishing finish. There- was a lot of bustling for positions at the start of the Hack Welter at Marton and several of the horsea got chopped back and had their chauc es spoilt. Owing to illness Mr. Jas. Bull was prevented from' being present at the Marton meeting, where his horses Golden March and Colorado both paid dividends. Ample, from the Stead stable, gave us an idea of what the New Zealanders are likely to do here m the coming season. Good luck to them. — "Sydney Sportsman." . . Woodlark ran his Dest race to date m the Hack Welter at. Marton and m a great finish he was only a head behind the deadrheaters, Sleepy Jack and Golden March. Owner H. J. Cameron was present at the Marton meeting, but ho was still walking lame as the result of the altercation he had with Lord Nelson's half-brother.' Salutary showed out m front for about five fuTlongs m the Hack Welter at Marton. The race will Improve the chestnut who appeared to be a bit above himself. One rider showed enough nerve last week as to make one think he would be game enough to tickle the heels of a mule with his eye lashes or blurt at an army of "stipes." There is one racing man who has to wander around, a. la Ishmael; no one has time or desire to speak to him. Silent contempt is all that is left for him. Contempt is a bitter herb. Quite a lot of money was lost on Pergola at Marton. The half-sister to Marconi had been galloping wftll ' at home, and a win for her was confidently expected by her connections. A big punt was done on Lady Beaufort m the Tutaenul Hack Welter but after occupying a good position just behind the leaders till the straight was reached she then faded out of the picture. ■ ' ■ ' " , Flying Camp was early m the lead m the big event at Marton, and he showed a bold front till well into the straight when he collapsed and was not m the first half-dozen' at the business end. F. Davis informed the writer at Marton that he had received instructions from Mr. T. H. Lowry to abandon the trip to Australia with Desert Gold. This will mean that the champion will do the Trentham and Riccarton Spring meetings. Prominent amongst the stewards who assisted to make the Marton meeting a success were Messrs. H. McManaway, S. !J. Gibbons, J. McDonnell and F. R. H. .Brice, all of whom were Indefatigable m attending to the wants of visitors. Avon Park ran a great race under adverse circumstances m the Railway Handicap at Marton. She jumped out with the leaders and was soon sent to the rear, but m the straight she came again and was m fourth place at the finish. ' The chestnut mare will be handy m her next start. When racing prominently In the Hack Hurdles at Marton, Miss Sation galloped clean through a fence at the back of the course and was lucky to stand up, Needless to add, it took all the steam out of her and. marked the first occasion that she has been out of a place since racing over fences. With the favorites getting beaten, backers fought a bit shy of Master Strowan m the Rangitiki Steeplechase, and the National winner, though starting favorite, was not so short on the machine as might have been expected. McSeveney rode him the National race over again, and the Foxton idol never looked like getting beaten. When heads were turned for home m the big handicap at, Marton, Crawford was being hailed as the winner, but m the run to the post Iceberg always had his measure, .. and Lady Louisa cut him out of second money on the post. The old chap seems to have taken a new lease of life and may win a welter m second-class company. Prior to the Handicap at Marton, Iceberg seemed to be moving short m front, and his rider kept busy on him while waiting for starting time. C. Jackson, trainer of the gray gelding, was very confident he would win. Jackson states that the Coronet geld-, ing Is slightly affected with rheumar tism, and this causes him to move short before he ia warmed up. Mr. H. .E. Troutbeck's three-year-olds, Silver Tongue and Elocution, both stripped well at Marton, the former particularly so. He was fancied by his owner for the Electric Handicap, but could only finish third to Vladieau and Impediment. L. Wilson had to cover a bit of extra ground at the home turn, otherwise he might have won. A. Reed rode Elocution, and after a dingdong finish with Centre, the Hawke's Bay Stakes winner got the verdict m i the last rwjpla of stride*.

■ It was as easy as picking: a dead man's pocket to tell what some of the runners were up to m the Trial at Ifarton. The stallion commanding the biggrest fee m Australia is Fiavus. His list is full foi- the present season at 100 guineas. The good-looking- Yarilla seemed quite unable to act m the heavy goin^ at Marton, but his condition enabled him to ( run past the beaten field at the finish. . In'" his last two "starts over fences, My Pal has sold out early. F. Lind's horse has been m the boom for some time, but his backers will probably drop him now. A private cable received from Sydney states that the success of Good Day at Randwick on Saturday was well anticipated by the connections of the New Zealand three-year-old. "Snowy" Morris, a younger brother of B. H. Morris rode two winners at Marton. He was successful on Vladieaw and Golden March, both of whom are trained by his father. Little Ann, a half-sister to the steeplechaser, Grey Guard, was noticed finishing fast m the Trial at Marton. The Wanganui trainer, C. Gordon, should soon be able to place her to advantage. Egmont autumn form pointed to Mattock as having a good chance m the Hack Hurdles at Marton, as he met Miss Sation on over 2at. better terms. Several stray "quidlets" were invested on Mattock by those who went into tho figures, geyoral pwners complained at Marton that the .Hack Steeples was adyertjsod as. a tWQ miles race, put th.c distance w&s P& miles, Had it bepn two miles J.)pdenham might Jiave defeated Coalition, but. the latter stayed best m the heavy going. Aratiatia had his first start In a steeplechase at Marton, but though he got' round safely he was not prominent after the first milo had been covered. The Achilles gelding jumped very big and should be able to negotiate any country. ' Swlnton was made favorite m the opening event at Marton, and J. Mailer's charge seemed to be unlucky not to win. Hie met with interference at the five furlongs post, but finished better than anything, and was close up third when the post was reached. Mulatto, who narrowly escaped being shot once, so bad was ihe with nasal disease, has now grown into a commanding looking horse, and what is more, he seems to be a good mover. Like the rest pf tW Stock Of Multifid, he may yet demonetrate that age has improved him. The New Zealand gee-gee Plymouth, at the opening of betting In the Canterbury Hurdle Race, was backed as If he was the only bristle m the brush. Whep he slumped from 2 to 1 taken to 5 to 1 offered," interest }n him ceased. In the race the Grafton was very bqi-b and tailed gig tfee whple way. Golden March was, t^vice saddled up at Marton. In the Trial Plate he could not go with the three but later on he came out and ran a dead lieat with Sleepy Jack m the Hack Welter. He battled put the finish In the gfimest manner possible. Tl)ls is the first success qn the flat of the black son of Advance,

The New Zealand horses racing at Randwick number twenty-three. So far, Ample and Good Day are winners. G. Price is not over pleased with the way his Kilbroney filly, idle Talk, is doing and he may turn her out for a further spell. General Chasseur, a maiden m T. Pine's,. Hawera stables, who has been m the boom for some time, was a runner m the Trial Plate at Marton, but failed to show up. One frider whose mount ran off m a jumping race at Marton. declares he was deliberately run off by another rider,- but the latter got his deserts as his own mount went off, too. Despite the flotation of the biggest internal loan on record m the Dominion, there Vas still plenty of money for investment at Marton, where the totalisator showed an increase of £4419 compared with last year's figurea. The chestnut mare Briseis (Achilles — Celaeno), bred'at Highden, still continues to win amongst the ponies m Sydney. At Victoria Park on September 1, she carried 10.7 and won the Flying Handicap for which she was an odds-on favorite m a big field. A returned visitor from Sydney says that m the Flying Handicap at Canterbury Park won by Ample, C. Emerson beat the barrier badly and the filly was m front the whole way. This is the third occasion that Emerson has won m Sydney at his first outing. Nice. mess-up made by the V.R.C. over the Melbourne Cup penalty cpnditlpns. The winner of -4ny rape of over 500 soys after Aqgust 31 is penalised. • Thus Cup candidates will be m trouble over v/.f.a. races. F. pavis wil} jiow be glad that he did not get to. Randwick with Desert Gqld. Many members of the public hqld the press up to ridicule when it fails to tip 'the programme fpr them.. If a newspaper scribe could only tip as con. siste.ntly as the public expects him to, there would be no occupation for him to be a paper tipster. He'd be pushing a fruit barrow and planking his profits on his tips. A Sydney writer says? "The New Zealand team now m Sydney promises to score well at the forthcoming' A. J.C. Spring Carnival, for just now we haven't a w.f.a. horse that could even be mentioned with past champiqns, such as Trafalgar, Poseidon, Carlita, Woorak, Wakeful, Duke Foote, Prince Foote and Malt King." The Irjsh Department of Agripulture recently issued an order prohibiting? the export qf horses from Ireland from July 21 last, except hordes shipped under the Department's license. •These licenses wiU be issued where the department Is satisfied that the animal is thoroughbred, whether racehorse, brood mare, yearling, colt, or filly, or is otherwise unsuitable for agricultural purposes. The Karamu fllly, Piano, was made a good favorite m the Trial at Marton, but at no stage qf the race did she look like winning-., though she " was prqminent throughput. T^o Stable also started Centre , and WpQ-dlark later m the day and both horses sJifißed well. The last-named m particular seemed to spin better over a b4t pf ground and probably he gpes better when not bustled jn the first part qf' a mpe. " "

There were several falls nt M.irton, but luckily there was a lot of give m the ground and none of the riders were hurt. Mr. R. Aclon-Adani3 was present at Marton to see Eloquenc^ race, and after her poor showing m the Trial Plate lit sent the Demosthenes filly i back to Crissoge. The Fordell pair of three-year-olds. ! Coolpan and Rude, were both started m the Trial at Marton. and they did well. The former • soon ran to the front and led into tn« straight, but at the distance Rude tbqk charge and won very comfortably. Both the Australian importations appear likely to do good service for Mr. Y/. Duncan this season. lln New Zealand last season the orses with £1000 or over to their credit at galloping meetings totalled 62. Between them the 62 put together something over £97,000 m prizemoney. Ten others won sums varying from £995 to £900, and an additional 735 were credited with prize-money ranging from £850 down to £40. Of these only 41 won less than £50. The strike m Sydney -was the cause of Luperino and Co. getting into trouble, for had there been a boat coming to New Zealand the party would have been home before the Williamstown meeting. The Tasmanian owner of Raheny was also affected by the strike, but m a happy way, for his horse won two steeplechases/ in Melbourne that he would not have started m had he been able to get home. When going well m the Hack Stee 7 piechase at Marton, both Merry Jack and Sabrenui ran off. The former is generally a reliable jumper, bui several times of. late he has clucked off at simple: fences. Opinions differed at Marton as to how he would have fared with Sabrenui had both completed the course. The Hastings folks all declare Sabrenui would have won, as he was working very freely before the meeting. At the Coroner's inquest into the death of the apprentice, Leslie Victor Bragg, who was killed when nine horses fell m the Maiden Two-Year-Old Handicap 'at Canterbury Park on July 28, it was elucidated m the evidence that the track was 55ft. wide at the spot where the accident happened, and that though there were 25 runners the farthest footmark was only l[»ft. out from the rail. Two of the A.J.C. stipendiary stewards, Messrs. M. Mitchell and Abel Hyde, as well as trainers F. J. Marsden and P. Nolan, were agreed that the field was too big for the course, and that 17 or 18 horses were quite enough on it. The Coroner, m finding that the death was accidental, further stated that the course was safe, and that the Canterbury Park Club was not to blame, but would be well advised m future to abide by the opinions of ' the stipendiary stewards regarding the number of starters. It is certain that due re\ gard will be given to this matter on the suburban courses m Sydney, and it is to be hoped, that similar action will be taken here before th.c necessity of it is forced on our racing authorities. There seems to be little speculation m Sydney just now on the important handicap events to be decided during the spring, and much less than there has been for some years past. v With the uncertainty regarding the holding of the various meetings there, owing to the strike, it looks as though trainers will not have the opportunity to race their horses m public as much as has been custojnary, and according to reports to han4 from Randwick this week, a number of them are considered as being rather, backward m condition. This js not the case with most of the members of the formidable New Zealand contingent who are being stoqc}. right up to the collar m their work,- and who are expected to play a prominent part at the A.J.C. Spring meeting, The three crack four-year-oldsY-KJlboy, Saaanof and The Toff — are all pleasing, though the former looks rather beefy. Sasanof is not so ragged m appearance as when he was last there, and The Toff has quite established himself m the good graces of the touts. A deal of interest is taken, m the doings of the Derby colt Biplane, and though there is some diversity of opinion regarding his stamina, he has shown that he can muster up no end of pace. Th'e disqualification of owner A. B. Charters, jockey A. Foreman and the horse Luperino by the stipendiaries at the Williamstown meeting ia being appealed against. A report of the race m which the trouble occurred is taken from the Sydney "Sportsman" and is as follows: • "Proceedings started with the HURDLE RACE, £125, 2 miles, which brought out 10 runners, and the New. Zealand gelding Tenacious (Gluten — LadyLJla) 10.G was always favorite. There waß, however, heavy backing fpr the sq far very dis-y appointing Short Rain 9.5, while Ballista 11.6, Luperino 10.13, and Will Comfort 10.5, were also m request, and there was, some mpney for Molly Brandon 9.6. The latter went to the fore after going half way, and looked all over a winner till she made a bad jump at the second last Uui'dle, and repeating the performance at the final obstacle, Tenacious, whp had been under pressure .for a long way, ran her down, and won by a length and a quarter m 3.48, while Barwidgee 9.6, who bad done the early pacipg, was a .similar distance away third, Will Comfort, 'who spoiled what might have been a winning chance by indifferent jumping, was fourth, while the rear was brought up by Boyne Water 9.6, who was making a first appearance aa a Jumper. The Aisne 9.1, ran oK, and Ballista was very lame on pulling: up. Tenacious, who is a lightfieshed, narrow, mean-looking gelding, is owned by the New Zealand trainer, E. J. Rae, and was ridden by his son, E. J. Rae, who shapes well m the saddle, considering that he Js handicapped by a wooden leg. E. J Rae was not enamored with the prospects of Tenacious, and PTtfy invested £1 on him, but at the same time he considered his chance was better than that of his other charge, Luperino, and advised the latter's owner to that effect, and suggested that he should not start his gelding. The advice was, however, disregarded, and the performance of Luperino was such as to attract the attention of the stipendiary stewards, who, after a lengthy inquiry, decided upon disqualifying owner J. B. Charters, jockey A. Foreman, and Luperino, for two years,: while they took no action with regard to Rae, who was able to show that he had nothing to do with the riding orders, which were given by the owner." Later information states that the appeal -ma di«aaias«d.

' Waimai 12.5, was a runner m " the Samlringham Steeplechase, two miles, at Caulfield on September 1, but the Spalpeen gelding could only finish third. It looks as if the Auckland gelding is not yet over the hard race he had m the l^lemington National. Refusing a "limit", and "next up" accepting- even money is a case o\ honesty rewarded. Our advice to owners is never put off till to-morrow a certainty of to-day, for punters are not blind, and besides, horses get so accustomed to being pulled up that they are liable to run a bye on their own accord.