TURF TOPICS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16773, 4 July 1925, Page 11

TURF TOPICS.

RACING FIXTURES. July 7, 9. I.l—Wellington R.C. July IS—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 23—Waiinato District. Hunt Club. Juiy 23, 25—Gisborne R.C. TROTTING FIXTURES. / July IS.—South Canterbury Hunt Steeplechase (one 'event). Cansovino (winner of the Derby in 1924) and Diophou (winner of the Two Thousand Guineas in the same year) had their first meeting in the l.inglield Park Stakes (7 furlongs) last month. Each carried 9.4 and Sansovino, who ruled favorite, won by a short head. 4 * • « Boomcrday has entered the exclusive circle of horses that have competed in over 100 races. Boomcrday made his debut in 1920; this was at Avondale, when he ran unplaced. He was then owned by Mr. R. Hannon, who sold him in 1921 to Mr. W. H. Waekrow. Boomerdav won at the recent Auckland Racing Club’s fixture, his record to date being 1-1 firsts, 13 seconds, and 10 thirds. 4 4*4 Winning the Hunters’ Hurdles, with Mv Hobby, the Knwera Handicap with Tunhino, and the Iloroanui Hack Handicap with Gauntlet, Mr. A. B. Williams practically scooped the programme tit the 11.8. Hunt Club’s meeting. My Hobby was not given much support by the public, and consequently paid a highly satisfactory dividend. ft ft ft ft The amateur rider, Mr. J. Morris, has ridden seven times for Mr. W. H. Gaisford, winning once on Festivity, twice on Better Luck, twice on First Born (before the hitter was sold by Air. J. B. Gnisford), and finally on Serene, at Ellerslic early this month. Mr. Morris also rode Better Luck into third place, his record for seven attempts in Air. Gnisford’s colors thus being six firsts and one third. * * * * Rowley is not likely to be the only bearer of the colors of Mr. A. McDonald, tin l Wairarapa sportsman;, 'in th,' Winter Cup. Air. McDonald has Killocra, Strategy', and I’Amour entered as well as the ex-Gisborne horse. ft ft ft ft Gloaming will be ridden in his Aitstrillion engagements bv George Young, who litis now taken up his permanent residence on the other side of the Tasman. Mr. G. D. Greenwood’s stable will have a vacancy for a firststring jockey for New Zealand engagements.. / ft ft ft * A point that seldom occurs to the crowds in the grandstands was mentioned by Mr. A. Winter, an English sportsman who recently toured the Dominion. in the course of a chat about racing in the Dominion. He had seen the big meetings at Ellerslic and Trent ham, he said, and had been favorably impressed with the control exercised over the sport. He did not, however, like the long waits at tho barrier which occur in so many of the race events, and he pointed out the disadvantage to the topwcight.s who have to carry their imposts longer by' reason of delays. ft ft * ft ft For the first month of the current season in England, J. Taylor, with Jfl wins out of 5b mounts, was leading in the jockey’s list. S. Donoghuc was next, his 98 mounts having returned l-l wins. ’Then came Richards l.'i, Elliott 11, Smirke It. Tn his first month F. Dempsey, the Melbourne rider, had 28 mounts and six wins. His average was 21.42. TnVlor being the only rider ahead of him in that respect — they pay great attention to averages in England. k # * * Victoria lost during the week one of its greatest turf celebrities, H. Byron Moore, who for about half a century held the position of secretary of the Victorian Racing Club. The veteran was thought of so highly by the club that it decided to put him on the retired list, 'but, so that he would not be lost altogether to it, he was given the title of adviser to tho V.R.C. The dull did not. merely give tho ancient secretary (he was in his eighties) the high-sounding title, but decided that tint salary of four figures- per annum should be continued until his own life’s race was run. Tho generous pension was not to be paid for long, however, as Moore’s retirement came about only a few weeks ago. Incidentally, he was one-time Assistant. Surveyor-General of Victoria, but. went out in the great retrenchment of 187 S, his compensation being an annuity of £2BO a year. He had drawn £13,000 by it since tlie year in which ho went out. 4 * • » After training operations at TrcnHi,am recently some of the trainers walked round Hie steeplechase course. They were all loud in their praises of it, and they declare that the going will be excellent (states the Dominion). The new drainage has made

a big improvement, and the outside of the course proper, where the big steeplechase will be run, affords going equal to cither Caulfield or Flcmington. The jumps tire in the same position ns last year, with the exception of the richer at Hie nine furlongs, which has been replaced by a brush and shifted further forward. This italics the trickiness away from the fence and gives the runners a better sight of it. 4* 4 4 * Reports from Palmerston North, are to the effect that Bonibrook will race in the Trentham Hurdles on Tuesday and not in the Steeples. The latest development will mean that A. AlcDonald will be free to accept *hc mount on Black Art. #444 Ashley Reed, Hie New Zealand jockey, has done so well in Melbourne that his brother, Roy Reed, is seriously considering a change of venue and may be found next season among the Victorian riders. ft ft ft ft Though Charlatan won the AVintcr Steeplechase at Ashburton 011 Saturday, his performance was not one to enthuse over (writes “Argus”). The fences should have presented no difficulties to him, but he hit more than one obstacle, his display of jumping being somewhat disappointing. ft * * • Recently two members of the New South Wales Trotting Club Committee, in Messrs. .T. B. Davis and E. A. Ireland, proceeded to Melbourne for the purpose of identifying a number of horses located in the southern capital. One horse was known as Grattenost, tin 1 1 tho report of Messrs. Davis and Ireland is to the effect that Grattenost. is identical with Aspect, a horse which was previously raced in Sydney. Grnttenost was, some time ago, impounded by the Victorian Racing and Trotting Association officials. It is the intention of the Victorian body to shortly meet and deni with the horse. It appears that the present owner lias not raced Grattenost, although the horse Ims won races in Melbourne on a 2.52 and 2.20 basis. This man bought Grattenost in a saleyavd for £22 10s. For a horse with a 2.12 record he certainly went cheaply. However, it is the opinion of Victorian officials that the present owner of the horse is quite above suspicion. A number of people alleged to have been associated with Aspect in New South AVales have been cited to appear at the inquiry. « * * » Colonel Graham, of the Tenth Hussars. won the King’s Challenge Cup for jumping at the English International Horse Show, riding a gelding aged 21 vears. **4 4 4 4 When the tote indicator showed not a single ticket had been taken in his nomination, an Indian owner-trainer, R. Kambattia, invested len rupees on his horse. Easily defeating a field of twenty-four horses, the neglected one returned his lucky owner a dividend over 17,000 rupees (£1140). 4 .4 4 4 In England this year The Tctrarch ranked as the only horse that commanded a 500 guinea fee, but there were ten at 400 guineas—namely, Buchan, Gay Crusader, Gainsborough, Grand Parade, Hurry On, Lemberg, Pliiilaris, Potnmern, Sinister, and Swynforil. Alan 0’ AVttr leads in America, his fee equalling that of The Tctrarch. A GAME HORSE GOES AVEST. One of the gamest old campaigners, in .Tackstaff, lias run his last race. Ho broke a leg in Melbourne recently, and wits destroyed. “Cast Iron” Jack-staff was the accepted cognomen for him in Melbourne, and no thoroughbred deserved it better than lie. Ho raced for years in all classes of races, in cups’, hurdle races, jumpers’ flat races, .mil iu handicaps. Versatility was his metier. Last. July ho registered a weight-carrying performance in winning the V.R.C. G.N. Hurdles, and it was only a few months earlier, when backed for about £II,OOO, that he ran second to a top-notch stayer in Accurak in the Australian Cup. He had raced in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. He had travelled thousands of miles to race meetings, and had covered more thnn .100 miles in races. Pistol has sired some of the hardiest racing thoroughbreds in Australia, and Sen Prince, the sire of Jacks!tiff, has shown that he can get. equally solid gallopers. Jackstaff was a great mone.yspinncr for liis ownor-traincr, AH. Harry Connolly, who, in losing his old stand-by, has consolation in the fact that he has a younger brother in Eric the Red, a smart hurdler, who has been in the market for the A.J.C. Hurdle Race. Jackstaff’s record at tho end of last season was nine firsts, eight seconds, anil sixteen thirds. He was 49 times unplaced.

DESCENDANTS OF ABSURD. Two-ycar-old descendants of Absurd have played a very noteworthy part this season, both in New Zealand and in Australia; and it is quite safe to say that the record stands by itself. The following is a list of the more important races won by Absurd’s youthful descendants this season: — A.J.C. Breeders’ Plate—Nincompoop. Gimcrack Stakes.—Chignon. V.R.C. Sires’ Produce tSakes. —Poetaster. Ascot Vale Stakes. —Los Gatos. Jackson Stakes.—Lady Cavendish. Wellesley Stakes.—Lady Cavendish. Wellington Stakes—Lady Cavendish. Manuwatu Sires’ Produce Stakes. Lady Cavendish. Great Northern Champagne Stakes. —Lady Cavendish. C.J.C. Champagne Stakes. —Black Cat. 1 A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes—Los Gatos. Tho exact amount won in stakes by two-ycar-old descendants of Absurd during the present season is not yet available, but a compilation shows that the sum will reach well over £20,000 when tho youngsters retire to winter quarters. GLOAMING A GREAT TRAVELLER. Gloaming sailed from Wellington for Sydney by the Ulimoroa on Friday. When Gloaming completes this trip to Sydney he will have the unique record of having made the voyage between Wellington and Sydney 011 eight occasions,* and as lie also made the journey back to New Zealand from Australia a like number of times he can be appropriately referred to as the most extensive sea traveller that has been associated with the turf in the Southern Hemisphere. “SAUCY SUE.” When Frank Bullock dismounted from Saucy Sue after that, lilly had won the One Thousand Guineas early last month, lie told Lord Astor and Air. Gerald Deane that she is tlic most extraordinary horse he has ever ridden. “When she is winning her races so easily,” he said, “she gives me the idea that she is going at no more than half speed.” The odd thing is that Saucy Sue does not look a champion, comments a London writer. She has a plain head, she is rather too long in the back to be judged correct, and, altogether, she has not the distinguished appearance one would expect in one so supremely good. It is when she is in action that she it at her best, sweeping along, as she does, with the most ridiculously effortless action, and giving the idea that she was just as other mortals among her species. As she went to the post she took some restraining, as if anxious to get there and back. One or two horses broke through the tapes before the actual start took place. Wliat wasted enterprise on their part! When at last they entered on their journey she just lobbed along at her leisure, which was altogether too much for the rest. While they, poor things, were being pressed and asked for more she continued to lead them a merry dance, and so it was to the end. She won by -half a dozen lengths, her mouth wide open because Frank Bullock was still holding her in, and her ears pricked as if slier was wondering what all the fuss was about.