IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 41

IN A NUTSHELL.

Hot Air is a doubtful starter at the Waimate meeting The Waimate Racing Club’s meeting takes place on Thursday of this week. The ’chaser Vascular has been showing signs of soreness during the past week. fulfil her engagements at the Waimate. meeting. All going well, Kilboyne is regarded as a sure starter in the Great Easter Handicap. Two races were fired away at Gore owing to riders chasing their mounts to a standstill. • Lion was taken to Gore, but, was not saddled up owing to the hard state of the going. _ - ■ _ . Subterfuge; is not likely to run at the Waimate meeting, owing to one of her legs filling. Kauwhero now looks much lighter-than when- displaying winning form earlier in the season. R. C. Reed rode the .winners of the three principal flat races run at the Gore meeting. Aerial displayed something like his old pace at Gore, but .could not go on with the business. The well-known ’chaser Waiweva is again in—commission for the coming crosscountry season. Beltane and Kill’em join J. Soobie’s stable at the conclusion of " the V.R.C. autumn meeting. An English writer recently stated that the apprentice allowance is the curse of handicap racing. Murray Hobbs intends returning to New Zealand at the conclusion of the A.J.C. autumn meeting. Revolution ran a good race in the Summer Handicap at Gore, and finished right up with the placed lot. Owners arc reminded that nominations close to-day (Wednesday) for the Riverton Racing Club’s meeting.. There is a proposal on foot to substantially increase the prize money attached to the Winton Guineas. Mr W. Kain has purchased Marsa, and l the disappointing daughter of Martian has joined C. Gieselor’s stable. The cross-country rider F. Tutchen has been discharged from military duties after being some considerable time in camp. Red Empress was made a strong order for the Rivntdale Trot, and she justified the confidence by scoring a comfortable win. The Australian-bred Vera Mauritius showed the way for about a mile in tho Electric Trot at Gore, but then petered ont. A. Pringle achieved the “hat trick” at Timaru by winning three consecutive races with Succory, Harold Devon, and Lady Willings. The well-known trainer George Price, who has been in charge of the Highden stables for some years, has been drafted into ho Medical Corps. Eric Rothschild put up two good performances at Gore. A mix in his second race spoilt a good chance of clowning Socialist in the Electric Trot. ' Rorke’s Drift received a rough passage in the Gore Cup. He was badly bumped at the home turn, but when straightened up again was coming on at the finish. Battle Eve recorded his first win in Mr J. F. Buchanan’s colours, when he scored at the Akoroa meeting after previously running unplaced in the principal event. joined G. M'Lean’a stable at Invercargill, and will run in tha trainer’s interests at the Southland Racing Club’s meeting. The luncheon and afternoon tea. arrangements at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting were run by the local branch of the Red Cross Fund with satisfactory results. Tho Marvin Wilkes gelding Sucoorv was sent out favourite for the Waimate Handicap at Timaru last week, and won the unhopplod trotters’ race easing np at. the finish. Glensponse was saddled up twice at Gore and placed on each occasion. In his attempt over a mile Glensponse stayed on well, and was just beaten for second money. The Birkenhead gelding Haskayne. who was purchased at the sale of the Kora mu stud bv an Auckland buyer, subsequently contracted tetanus, and had to be destroyed. Disdainful’s comfortable win in the principal event at the Akaroa meeting suggests that she is likely to be in good shape for tier engagements at the C.J.C. Great Autumn meeting. There was a close call between White King and Glensponse for favouritism in the

Summer Handicap, and at the finish the former carried £7 mors than the latter on the totalisator. Auriferous fell soon after tho start in the Farewell Handicap at Timaru, and in addition to bringing down Bridgewood was also tho cause of several others suffering interference. The Croydon Handicap, which concluded the Gore card, was the best betting race the writer ever remembers seeing run on the course. It also provided a good race and a close finish. J. Beale jarred his left shoulder and broke two or three teeth when Turehana fell with him in the Steeplechase at Gore. He, however, rode Aerial in the final event on Ihe card. Wardancer wrenched a front fetlock during a gallop last week. The mishap is particularly unfortunate at the present time, as he was shaping well in his work for the Great Autumn meeting. Croesus appears to have dodged most of his friends and followers when he won last week, as he paid a remarkably good dividend at Napier Park. He has not incurred a penalty for the Great Easter. The Four 'Chimes gelding First Toll was sent out second favourite for his race at Gore, but spoilt his chance by beginning badly. He afterwards -displayed a good deal of pace during the course of the race. The well-known Southland rider, W. Robinson, who has been associated with P. T. Hogan's stable for some years," recently received an offer of £SOO a year as a retainer ,from a North Island owner. Margerinc, Giendowcr, Wrestler, Adjutant, Disdainful, Scornful, and Heathercotc wero amongst ihose that put up good' solid work at Riccarfon on Saturday... Fi+ry Cross had a day off owing to being in physic. Jock was a strong fancy at Gore, but faikd to finish amorgst the placed lot. He has built up and thickened a good deal, and now looks bigger and stronger than formerly. He may improve as the result- of his race. Socialist, tho winner of the Electric Trot at Goro, is a half-brother by Prince Alert to Nihilist. Socialist is a good-aized taking sort to look at, but nearly sacrificed his chance by mixing up in the .first part of his race. The field contesting the Steeplechase at Gore was made up by a rather poor lot of 'chasers. Turehana was the only one represent: ag anything like class, and after putting in flomo bad jumps he finjily tipped out at ihe sod wall. —; The post-and-rail fence near the sixfurlong post on the Gore racecourse has been replaced by a brush hurdle. The post-and-rails found out several good jumpers, and the course is now a comparatively easy one to negotiate. Neil Denis, the winner of the Maitai Trot- run at the Nelson meeting, was bred by Mr W. Kerr, and got by Galindo from that good producing, mare Thelma, the dam of Wildwood Junior, Adonis, Lady Sybil, Cameos, and others. The Glenculloch gelding Glenwood strode home a comfortable winner at the finish of his race at Gore. He did not arrive on the scene until after Teaching the straight, and then won going away from rhe others at the business end of the race. -—Helicon's win at Gore» was more meritorious than it appears on paper, as he got a bad passage at one stage of his race. The Finland gelding is staying on much better than formerly; but oven so, he was perhaps a„.shade lucky to finish in front of Mohawk. .., • - ' '■ ■'■ •■•-.' Some horses lose their popularity with a!"hump. Kokowai started favourite in one race at Goro with £B9B invested on her chance, and ran badly. Later on the card she started again, ; bat- on the one-bitten-twee-shey principle punters only supported her to the extent of £SB. An Australian paper credits F. Davis, the trainer of Desert Gold, with riding Downfall when the ©on of San Francisco won the New Zealand Cup of 190-3. Davis trained Downfall, bur L. Wilson had the ride when he won at Riccarton. 'Davis, however, won the Cup on Halberdier in 1902. Mohawk was badly placed in the early stages of his race at Gore, but was finishing fast with a- somewhat belated run in the straight. It is understood that the American goes into W. M'Donald's stable at Riccarton to undergo his final work for engagements at the Great Autumn meeting. The Galindo mare Nancy Stair won the Fairlie Handicap, ran at Timaru last week in 4.42, or 3sec faster than the time recorded in the principal event of the day. Ardzigular, the dam of Nancy Stair, was got by Viking from Mercy, a mare by Stonyhurst, a winner of the New Zealand. Derby. Kilbi'ogan did not relish the very hard going in evidence at Gore, but, nevertheless, ran well for about a mile in the Cup. He and Kauwhero were responsible for the bulk of the pace-making, which resulted in 2.G 4-5 being hung up at the finish. The time recorded is a record for a Soulhlsnd racecourse. Biplane is credited with running over six furlongs at Riccarton in 3.14 3-5 from a flying start. It will be interesting to note how he shoulders his load if started in the Great Easter. "Onlooker" held the watch on the son of Comedy King when he recorded the above gallops, and stated that the colt carried 8.0. Mr E. J. Watt has made arrangements to have the stallion Wolaroa and the racehorses Pontoon. First Rain, All Aboard, and Silver-and-Black shipped to Sydney.- Several yearlings will also be included in the shipment, and in all probability Mr Watt's colours will figure very seldom on the New Zealand turf in the future. Harold Devon, the winner of the principal event, at the Timaru Trotting Club's meeting, was got by Harold Dillon from T-n'ly Devon, by Rothschild from Kentucky Belle, by Kentucky from Why Not, a mare said to bo thoroughbred There is a mare named Why Not in volume I of the Stud Book returned as foaled in 1865. On paper Glensponse appeared to have a good chance in the Summer Handicap at Gore, as with the apprentice allowance he was meeting The White King on only 21b worse terms than when they last met at Wingatui. Glensponse. however, did not get too good a run, and White King beat, him a neck for second place, whilst Benefit piloted the pair past the post. Jolmy Walker was just headed off in the New Zealtin.'l Cup bv his stable companion Monelaus, and on the last day of the meeting ran a good third, in the Metropolitan with 7.11, after having a rough passage in the early part of the race. In the Great Aulunvu Johnny Walker has 7.10, and if steered a shorter course than in the Metropolitan should run a good race. Tho two Kilbroney youngsters shipped to Melbourne last week were much admired by Uioso who cast an ey» over them durinetneir brief stay here. Thev were not got up in polished racing shape, but looked pood sorts that in breeding and appearance should make a n»nw on the turf. It is understood that Mr J. Wren, of Malbourn* txra-fh* both on their breeding, and iiaid lOOOgs for each of them. the Great Autumn Rorke's Drift should help to make things interesting. At the New Zealand Cup meeting he finished a> good

fourth in the Metropolitan with 8.4, when Tcka won in 2.32 4-5, and with 73b off his back the Calibre gelding should get a good mile and a-half. Rorke's Drift finished in front of Adjutant on that occasion, and nowi meets him on 31b better terms. Benefit was elected a. good favourite in the Otarain Welter, which opened Wk> card at Gore, but after being prominent, until reaching tin; straight, finished out o.f a place. He came out later in the day and just worried The White King out of winning honours in the principal sprint of the day. Benefit had 2st off hia back in his second race, and was not hustled to tha same extent as when running in the "Welter. The Shanghai racecourse, where a disastrous fire, causing a heavy loss of life, recently took place, is situated in the middle of the town. The racecourse, covering 98 acres, was acquired in 18G0 nt £24 per acre, and- a conservative estimated value of tha same ground to-day is no less than £9OOO per acre, an indication of Shanghai's marvellous growth during the last half-century. The stands destroyed by fire were built on am elaborate scale and on up-to-date methods. Marsa was tailed off, and running in' the du3t of the field for over a mile in the Gore Cup. At the finish she ctrne with k. fast but belated run, which was good enough to suggest that the element of luck was not absent from tha win scored by Ascalaphua. Some of her track work has been quite good enough to allow Marsa to score in any of her recent races, but she has been shaping disappointingly in public. A change of stables may, however, bring about a change of luck to her followers. Kokowai was sent out a strong order for the Longford Hack Handicap at Gora on the strength of some small gallops, but Sartolite settled her by keeping her busy, from the rise of the barrier, and the supposed good thing was well beaten over ai furlorg from home. Sartolite was in turn easily defaated by Glenwcod, at the finish, but should train on to become a useful '■ sort. Sartolite was bred by the late Sir ' George M'Leari. and got by Sarto from" , Rubolite, by Lord Rosslyn .from Tourmaline, by Hotchkise. ' —lf Mr H. F Nicoll can make suiiable arrangements the trotting stallion Hal Zolock will stand the next season at Ashburton, whilst .St. Swithin will the disposal of Auckland breeders. Mr Nicoll ia desirous of obtaining a change of blood for his district, as there is a great deal of th« Rothschild strain there at present. Hal Zolock is an American-bred horse, sold at the Allendale Stock Farm sale. He was goti by Zolock (2.5 3-5), a son of M'Kinr.ey, whilst his dam is by Sky Pointer, a full, brother to the famous- Star Pointer, Ihe first horse to pace a mile inside two minutes. When the Gore Cup field was travelling; on the back stretch of the course Ascalaphus and Thnddeus were running so well that it appeared as if thev. would rtit the finish. At this stage Rorke's Drift and Marsa were lying a bit away from tha leaders, behind whom Ascalaphus and Thaddeus were nicely placed. Ascalaphus ran to the front when rounding the home turn, but Thaddeus got inio trouble as the field closed up. Ascalaplus had established a good lead by the time heads had straightened for home, and he ran home an easy winner, whilst Thaddeus finished in the bunch close up to third horse. ' u The 'barrier in use at Gore was put out of action -early in the day, > and Ms . R. E; Harley despatched his fields from a line made, by a. strand of* easily -breakable _ string stretched across the "track." The barrier was brought into U3e again for the last race on the card, hut it did not act .top well, and the tape was caught by Mohican and Redowa. Redowa was last to leave, and lost a good deal of ground. Mr Harley had hia fields in good line when ho sent them a,wav, and his starting was quite up to his best form. During the day he imposed, fines which helped to enforce hie authority and keep the riders in hand. _ .; Point Blank, who scored his first win at the Gore meeting, is a brother to Rorke'fl Drift, and has been a. long while in the making. He is rather carty in appearance',, and big and bulky enough to pull a dray, and was in training for some considerable time before he could muster His third to Kazan in the Berwick Handicap, run at the Dunedin. Cup meeting, was hia best performance prior to his win last week. Point Blank is, however, only a five-year-old, and should now go on improving, as he ia rather too big to show early form. It is, by the way, -interesting, to recall that ha would have paid over a " century" had ha won at Wingatui. Over-anxiety to win on the part of A. M'Kav cost The White King his race at Goie.' The White King is a bit too leggy to be bustled and hunted off ihe mark; tout, once on his legs, generally finishes well. At Gore he got well away, but wn« ridden under the whip ov.ur the first half-furlong „ to hold his place in the front, and at three furlongs froni horn* went out to a eouphV of lengths' lead He looked a sure winner., as he landed in the straight, but in the last bit the severe race told a vale, and he failed to ward off a challenge --when Bfiefit: got to him half a furlong from home. More patiently handled The White King could nothave lost the race. —Mr R. Ewing. the Federal Com mis- 5 sloner of Taxation, has stated that there is no tru+h in the reports- published to tha effect that the stages won by Biplane at the Australian sprint? meetings had been treated as excess profits and taxed heavily. No action such as that indicated had been taken by the Taxation Department. It will be remembered that, some few weeks ego Mr G. D. Gre-enwcod, the owner of Biplane, stated that after expenses and taxation had been paid there was little more than two- - " Blue Ribbons" remaining as the result of Biplane's success in Australia. It would be interesting to know the amount ofytaxa--+ion which wee levied on the stakes won by Binlanc. The merit of the Musket line has again been brought into prominence by the success of the Carbine gelding Defence in tha Australian Cup, the onlv handicap run in Australasia over two miles and a-quarter. Defence was imported to Australia in 1912, and lies won several races, but achieved nc-v thing of anv groat note until he scored ill the Australian Cup. He was pot by Cm-bine from Pola, a mare by St. Simon—Potion, by Friar's Balsam from a- Galopin mare named Substitute, by Brother M Stafford from Makeshift, by Yoltigeur. It will "be seen that Defence represents a Musket cross on to a double s+rain of St. Simon's sire Galopin. which is further strengthened throus-h a strain of . Yoltigeur, the grandsire of Galopin. Beltane, KiUcrn, and Kilboy were- scratched for all engagements at the Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting at 8.30 p.m. on Thursday.