IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 41

IN A NUTSHELL.

Chortle is reported to have broken down. Over 12 yearlings are to go under the hammer in Melbourne this week. Biplane has been engaged in the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps. Miss Leslie, who landed a double at the Rotorua meeting, is a sister to Koesian. Wrestler is displaying his well-known brilliancy over short distances on the track. Weights are to be declared for the Great -Easter and Great Autumn on March 8. Form Up is conspicuous by absence in the nomination for the Great Easter Handicap. ' Fiery Cross continues to striae along ''nicely in- his work for the C.J.C. autumn moating. —Mr Frank Ormond has ma.de arrangements to have some horses trained by V. H. Collello. . <~ .Desert Gold ran the last six furlong* of the St. -George Stakes in 1.132, and tho last mile in 1.381 —Mr "W. J. Moir has been re-elected president, of the Canterbury Owners and Breeders' Association. Handicaps for the Southland Racing Club's meeting arc due on March 8, and .acceptances on Match 15. ■ Tin Grand National Hurdle winner Hurakia, who scored in 1915, is again in work after a lengthy spell. Molly M'Kinney, a mare formerly trained at Forbury Park, is now in J. Bryce's stable at Christchurch. A Hall, of Wanganui, is reported to have purchased Form Up, the winner of the last C.J.C. Stewards' Handicap. —Mr "Win. Gardiner, of Oamaru, is giving his horses a spell, and at present has nothing in- training at Wingatui. Desert Gold's galloping ability very favourably impressed the critics who witnessed her first races in Victoria. Owner.-- of cross-country horses should note that there are four steeplechases on the Rivcrton Racing Club's programme. Two crack sprinters in Croesus and Hymestra have been engaged in the Great Autumn Handicap, one mile and a-lialf. ■ — Birdwood has been pur-chased by Mr J. Jarden; but Ben Dillon failed to bring his reserve when submitted to auction.

The Cimhield Cup winner Bronzeiti acted as ranijajF-up in the V.B.C. St. Leger, after a great finish with Prince Viridis. The running at the Alcaroa meeting maj r make a difference in the appearance of

Borne of tho handicaps to bo decided next week at Wairuate.

—ln the Sapling Stakes, to bo run at the Napier meeting, Torfreda has been kandi-oa-pped to receive 9lb from Demagogue and 51b from Pontoon. Red Pennant, who filled third place in the Brunswick Stakes at Plemington on Saturday, is a brother' to the Wellington Cup winner Bunting. Tho Australian Jockey Club's autumn meeting, at which Desert Gold is booked to run after her Victorian campaign, will take place on April 1,8, and 6. Carbine ran third in the Newmarket Ha\idicap of 1889, and it is interesting to note that a eon of 2iis in Defence was a winner at Plemington last week. Prince Virid's, the winner of the V.R.C. St. Deger, was got by tire Melbourne Cup winner , Prince Foote from Lacrosse, by Lad as—Lucy Cross, by St. Simon. —■ The Disposal Stakes Handicap on the Southland Racing Club's programme has attracted a, comparatively good field, -instead of the usual resurrection of ancients. The Great - Easter Handicap closed with an entry of 48, as against 46 last year; while the Great Autumn Handicap attracted an entry of 35, or 11 more than last year. Kili'em (tire brother to Killboy) and Beltane, who aa-e both racing at Plemington this week, figure amongst the nominations for the G-reat Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps. Disdainful continues to stand up to her work. It is to be hoped that she will train on without any . more of the mishaps which have occasionally interrupted her preparation. . Biplane is credited with running the first half-mile of the Wanganui Guineas in 47 3-5. If .that is correct, it is not surprising that Estland beat him nicely at the finish of the mile. Soornfid was keeping Wardancer busy when the pair were slipped over five furlongs last week, and apparently his racing at the Dunedin Cup meeting has helped to bring the former along. Cetigne, the winner of the Newmarket Handicap, was bred by Mrs Moran in Victoria, EJid got by Grafton from Pretty Nell, by Padlock from Doris, by Neckersgat—La Name, by West Australian. —"I am amongst those," says " Goodwood " in the Australasian, "who think that, both fit and well, Biplane would beat Desert Gold at weight for ago over eny distance up to a mile and a-half." —Owners of horses holding no chance in the Champagne Stakes or Challenge Stakes can save a few pounds by running the pen through the names of their nominations and paying a forfeit of Isov on March 15. —Mr W. R. Kemball, of Masterton, has purchased the Autumnus—Ukraine yearling colt. The youngster is a half-brother to Sasanof, and. was ordered to go under the hammer at the Sydney yearling sales. Kilboyn© and Tliaddeus are the only Wingatui-trained horses engaged in the principal events to be run at the C.J.C. autumn meeting. Southland is more liberally represented by- Xvorke's Drift, and Mohawk. Bon Ami and Billy Parole should help to make things interesting if . they meet at Tima-ru. -It will be remembered that the latter displayed a good turn of foot in the Crescent Handicap, won by Hardy Wilkes, at Forbury Perk.

—The steeplechase course at Invercargill is always! available to trainers for schooling purposes until a few days before a meeting. The Australian-bred- Sylva was recently tried over the fences, but gave a very poor display. —ln Sydney on February 5 Henry Powers received two years' imprisonment for misrepresentation in connection with the sale of two trotting horses. Powers advertised 6om« trotters for sale, and disposed of them under fictitious pedigrees. The Calibre gelding Bore Was tried over big country at Riccarton last week, with Wellwood and Vascular as schoolmasters. Bore jumped big and unshipped his rider, but afterwards negotiated a brush fence and sod wall in promising st3de. —■ The Welkin's stock are on the boom in Australia, and Mr J. J. Corry, who picked' up The Welkin—Flower of the West colt for 225 gs at the November sales, has apparently secured a cheap youngster, if the sire is really Worth a" sOogs fee. Eleven horses donated by Mr Harvey. Patereon form the prizes for an art union to be drawn in June next in aid of the Red Cross Fund and Navy League Fund. Mir W. H. E. Wanklyn is acting as honorary secretary for the business side of the art union

While riding a horse at Riccarton last week an' eight-year-old son of E. M'Cann met with a serious accident. The boy wasthrown and dragged some distance, and when assistance . arrived it was found that he had one of his arms broken in three places. Cetigne had Desert Gold fully extended at the half-distance in the St. George* Stakes, but in the last few strides she shook him off, and won by a length. Tho mare is said to have been slightly offcolour on the day of the race owing to sexual troubles. The Southland Racing Club's autumn programme attracted a very pleasing response from horse-owners, and the lengthy list of nominations should result in a successful meeting. Handicaps for the first day are due on March 8., and acceptances on March 15. Mr Andrew Robertson, who is well known in racing and trotting circles, recently returned from a visit to America and England. He states that there are 72 race tracks going in America, with 902 racing days. The stakes paid out last season amounted to Sls,2Slsovs. Multicipal failed to finish in the first half-dozen in either of his engagements at the Dunedin Cup meeting, but scored a win in the Dannevirke Cup. He met a much weaker field in the north, but no doubt fo'ind the going much more to his liking than he did at Wingatui. Biplane was given a sound working gallop over six furlongs on Saturday, and reeled off the distance in the best time of the morning. He will probably run in the Challenge Stakes at Riccarton, in which Almoner, Heathercote, "Wrestler, 80-peep, Demagogue, and Hymestra are also engaged. A Wood, who rode■' Cstigne in the St. George Stakes at Caulfield, stated that when once he got to Desert Gold he thought that it was any odds he would beat her. The mare, however, was too good, and though his mount never flinched from the task set him, he was unable to hold her over the last furlong. The success achieved by Cetigne in the Newmarket Handicap brings his winnings ur> to over £18,936, the total amount depending on tho sweepstakes attached to the .Newmarket Handicap. Cetigne is now fourth on the list of winners in Australia, headed bv Carbine with 29,47550v5, Trafalgar 22Jllsovs, and Poseidon 19,49C50v5. - matter of regret if the heavy track conditions which wer< responsible for Desert Gold's withdrawal from the Espetidon Stakes should unfortunately continue, and prevent her appearance during 'he balance of tho V.R.C. autumn meeting. She

will, however, have opportunity to distinguish, herself at the A.J.C. autumn meeting. The firet race at the Akaroa. meeting was timed to start at 11 a.m. and the last at 3.40. Clubs are travelling around tha dock in order to make the beat of the restricted railway service, and if they keep going we may yet see one of the moonlight steoplechases which made a bright sporting spot in the ancient history of racing. Excellent acceptances have been received for the Tirnaru Trotting Club's meeting, ! which is to be held on Thursday of thi3 week. The club should, with ordinary luck, experience a . successful meeting, even though the interest of the southern sporting world will be split up with the Gore Racing Club's meeting,-which takes place on tha previous day. The Timaru Trotting Club's annual meeting and the Gore Recing Club's summer meeting clash this week, and as the latter ohib gives two «übstantial stakes for trotting the bump on the calendar is regrettable. There was an open date for either club last week, so tha-t the clash could , have been avoided with advantage to both, clubs and owners. —.Nystad, Saeanof, and Fiery Cross, the '. place-fillers in the last Great Easter, have been engaged for this year's race. Fiery Cross and Adjutant, who were close up to Kilboy at the finish of the last' Great Autumn, are down to run in this year'* race, but the Kilbroney colt is absent, although two of his present stable mates have been engaged. "W. H. M'Lachlan, who is riding Desert Gold in Australia, said he ridden a better horse, and he has been up on some of the best racing in Australia during recent years. He admits that he was a bit '■, frightened when challenged by Ce.tigne; but ! the mare made a. good response. He could f not, however, at that stage express an ; opinion as to her _elaying a.bilitiee. Owners are reminded that nominations close on March 13 for the Riverton meeting. The progrrtmnie contains several attractive stakes, including the Riverton Cup, of 300sovs, one mile and a-quarier; the Great Western Steeples, of 300sovs; Easter Handicap, of 200sovs, one mile and a distance; and the Riverton Steeples, of 200sovs. The smallest stake on the rnograinmo fa worth, lOOsovs. The Beaumont Jockey Club's annual meeting will take place on Easter Monday, when the chief events will be the Beaumont Handicap, of llOsovs, seven furlongs, and the Flying Handicap, of 75sovs, six furlongs. The JJunkeld Trot,- of 90sovs, and Electrio Trot, of 75sovs, in addition to other event* closely approaching them in value, are also on the programme, for which nominations are due on Sattuday, March 9. After an absence of some years from tha ' public eye as a reinsman, D. J.' Price occupied a sulky at a recent meeting of tha Melbourne Trotting Club, when he drove a horse into second place, but found another ' just a bit too good for him. Some years ~ ago i). J. Price was deservedly recognised ! as the most capable reinsman in New Zea- 1 lard, but in recent years he has been do* | voting his attention solely to the thorough- ■' bred. Desert Gold cannot act in heavy goiny, and when rain set in at . Flemington on Saturday she was withdrawn from tha Essendon Stakes, run over one of her pet journeys of 1Q furlongs. Only three horses went to the post, and the winner, Wallace j Isinglass, could only finish a moderate third . to Desert .Gold when they met in the St."'. George Stakes, run over nine furlongs at •"• Canlfield. On form Desert Gold is unlucky to have missed a good chance at. gathering the Eeaendon' Stakes. —An inquirer is informed that the straight-out trotter Rita won a free-for-all at Lancaster Park on April 17, 1895. Tho. race was run under the name of the Champion Stakes, and got off in mile heats. Stonewall Jackson won the first heat (run under saddle) from three others, and liita won the second (run in harness) from Young Irvington and another. In the final heat Rita defeated Stonewall Jaekson by a length in 2.30, the fastest heat of the race. Rita was driven by Mr James M'Kewen. Palm Leaf, the winner of the Sires' Produos Stakes, run at Flemington on Saturday, also won the A.J.C. December Stakes and tho Federal Stakes, run at Caulfield . on February 16. She is a grey filly, got by Linacre (son of the Barcaldine horse "Wolf's '. Crag) from Parademya, by His Reverence from Farthingale, tho dam of Lord Uliin'a Daughter, a winner of the Australian Cup. Farthingale, the grand-dam of Palm Leaf, is also the- dam. of Wooloomooloo, a fairly = well-known performer owr hurdles in this j country. -•> The American-bred mare Trix Pointer, who won ihe King George Handicap) arid ' filled the position of runner-up to Harold ', Junior in the Fo-'oary Handicap, is on the limit with Dunspey in the Timaru Handicap. Trix. Pointer and Rorke's Drift -.vera on the sa'ma mark, but the latter, who ~' finished fourth, now meets the American ' mare on 2seo better terms. Pita Roa finished behind the above-named pair, and in ' now meeting Trix Pointer 4sec better and - Rorke's Drift 3s'ec better. Dunspey, who ' finished outside a place in the Forbury . Handicap, meets Trix Pointer on 2sec better terms.

The Kilbroney youngsters purchased from Mr J. B. Reid by Mr J. -Wren, of Melbourne, have been chipped across. They are both good, sturdy sorts, but aft present a bit in the rough. The KilbroneyRouge gelding belongs to a really good family, and his dam could gallop, although not persevered with on the turf. She was got by Charlemagne II froih Madder, tha dam of All Red, Munjeet, Rubia, and Co., including Ukraine, the dam of the Melbourne Cup winner Sasanof. The other is by Kilbroney—Kosyth, by Charlemagne II from a good mare in Ailsa, who waa by "Wallace— Faraway, by Bill o' Portland—'Happy Land, by Musket.