TURF TOPICS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17153, 1 October 1926, Page 9

TURF TOPICS

FIXTURES —RACING. Oct. 2 —Hawke's Bay J.C. Oct. 7—Kurow J.C. Get. 7, 9—Wiiangiuvi R.C. Oct. 8. 9—(Haiti .Maori ILC. Oct, 9—Oamaru J.C. Oct. 14. 16 —Dunedin J.C. Oct. 16—Carterton K.C. tCt. 23, 25—Wellington R.C. Oct. 25—Waikato .Hunt Ciul>. Oct. 25 Waipawa Countv R.( . Oct. 23, 25, or 25, 27—Wuverley H.C Oct, 25—North Canterbury R.C. Oct. 25,-27—Gore H.C. Oct. 28, 30—Poverty Bay Turf Club. Oct. 29, 20— Alasterton R.C. Oct. 30—Banks Peninsula R.C. Oct. 30, Nov. I—Thames J.C.

Tile Avondale Cup race lias twice to Mr. W. T. Hazlett, Beacon Light’s being his second victory in this event. Two years ago Gold Light did the trick for Mr. Hazlett.

The next meeting between the rival three-year-olds, Lysaridcr and Commendation, is likely to take place on November 6, in the Great Northern Guineas, over the same course that staged their memorable battle last week.

At, last season’s yearling sales at Sydney, Laughing Prince fell to the New Zealand owner, Mix W. J. Jorgensen, for 230g05. .Laughing Prince is by Quantock from Martian Princess, and his victory in the Nursery Handicap on Saturday at Auckland was a good one. •* # it

With the fine weather, further progress lias been possible with the new track for the Waikato Trotting Club at Claudelands, Hamilton. There is still a fair measure of work to be carried out before the track will be ready for racing.

Reports' from Wanganui, published a few weeks ago, indicated that Mask would be well in the picture at the Avondale meeting, but in the Avondale Cup he was nowhere. He trailed the field for practically tho whole distance, and though hard ridden in the straight did not get near tho placed horses.

The financial advantage reaped by the Avondale Club as a result of the change of venue from its own course to that of the Auckland Racing Club at Ellerslie can be judged from the fact that Hie (otalisator investments exceeded last year’s by over £36,000. The Avondale course is undergoing reorganisation.

The brood mare Serbia has been sent south to be mated with Arausio. the English-bred sire, recently purchased by Mr, J. D. Ormond. Serbia has produced some good stock to Gisborno sires; including Barrier to Heather Mixture, Cannula to Autumn, Kingi Pita to Polydamon, and Pita to Flying Start.

White Fang, whose pevionnances dur- ■ ing last season attacked so much attention to the Gisborne-bred gelding, is now on his way to Australia, and will join the strong contingent of New Zealand horses competing there. The confidence shown by his connections regarding the expensive, enterprise indicates that White Fang is back at his best.

Nelson Derby, one of the early favorites for the New Zealand Trotting ‘Cup, has been causing W. J. Tomkinson some anxiety of late. He has been given a dose of physic, and he is at present having am easy time. It will be bad luck for his connections if he fails to survive a Cup preparation, as lie only has to be at his best to play a leading part in the big race at, Addington. * # * •»

Two wins for two starts is a good percentage for any horse. Antrim Boy pulled off a surprise in tho Maiden Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday*, and on Monday lie captured the New Lynn Handicap. It is stated that his connections were chary about bringing the Some Boy II gelding to tho meeting, but the decision they took has boon well justified.

Te Monanui had a. hard row to hoe in the Henderson Handicap on Saturday, and t-he only one to beat him, High Pitch, was in receipt of 2st. 101 b. from him. The same gameness characterised the bid of Te Monanui for the Plumpton Handicap on tho second dav of the meet-* ing, and this time nothing stopped him. The owner of the Potoa gelding is Mrs. Graham, of New Plymouth, an ex-resi-dent of Gisborne.

The Hawke’s Bay Guineas field should not present a difficult problem to Commendation. The race is to be run oil Saturday next. Threadncedlo and Xgawati have been accepted for, but Autonmo is likely to carry most confidence in his engagement in the Flying Handicap. Mr. Barry’s trio will proceed further south after the 11.8. Jockey Club meeting, and participate in the Otaki Maori Club’s meeting, before going on to Trentham.

Tho presentation of a Gold Cup for competition at the Gisborne Racing Club’s summer meeting has been hailed with much satisfaction by owners in this district, and it'is likely that a few good horses from Hawke’s Bay will be sent hero to give the local runners a tussle for the trophy. Racing is a sport that the average owner finds hard enough to finance, lint- it is a fact that, as the donor of the cup stated at the annual meeting of the Gisborne Club, a good many sportsmen would value the trophy more highly' than an extra £IOO on the stake.

Beacon Light, the half-brother to Gold Light, only managed to win a minor small race at three- years old, but the Boniform gelding has demonstrated that as age has come to him racing development and slaying capacity have also accrued, writes “Phaeton” in the Now Zealand Herald. At the Wanganui spring meeting Beacon Light won the Biggie Handicap, and at Ellerslie last (Saturday he stayed out the mile avid a-lytlf satisfactorily' in the decision of the Avondale Cup. Beacon Light is carrying himself well, and maybe lie will have something to say in the settlement of the New Zealand Cup.

It is recalled that the mile record for Australian and Now Zealand, which Commendation and Lysandcr ran so close in their dead heat at Ellerslie, was put up by Thespian with only* 8.2 in the saddle. This year’s most promising three-year-olds carried eight pounds more each, and on that basis, they must be given credit for outstanding performances. Another interesting fact in connection with the trio is that Mr. G. M. Currie, who bred Thespian, also bred .Lysauder and Commendation, and had Lysauder running in his interests at the Avondale Club’s meeting. Mr. W. 11. Guisford owns Commendation, having acquired him at the yearling sales for a couple of. huudr<|i guineas. He has since returned his owner a sum of £2965 in stakes.

KING OF BETTORS. £IOO,OOO LOST IN WEEK. Australia has some big bettors, but their gambling operations appear piny when compared with those of England's king of big bettors. Royal Ascot week was disastrous to backers this year, and the 'punter referred to lost £IOO,OOO during the meeting. A few weeks later lie organised a party for a game of chance and lost £30,000 in one night. Mr. Leon Vandenberg, the well-known Sydney bookmaker, who returned by* the Somonia yesterday alter one of Ins frequent trips abroad, related these incidents of the English racing season. He added that this mammoth punter is an elderly man, between 65 and 70 years of age, and he lias been betting lmvily for many years. He claims to have been “beating (be game” • over 1 long period, and is certainly very wialfhy. His only compraint is that he •‘cannot get enough money on, as the lookmakers will not bet big- enough.” One of his misfortunes gt ‘Yscot occurred in the Royal Hunt Cup. Iho punter was asked to put' £2OO on Gross Bow. Alec. Taylor, of Manton, saddlell up Inca, who was heavily backed; and Gross Bow, who, was a 33 to 1 chance. The punter decided to lay the wager himself. Cross Bow won, ami his action cost him £6600. Taylor had a similar experience in several other races, arid these victories of the despised stable candidates cost- barkers a gieat deal of money. AUSTRALIAN NOTES. BOASTER- SUSTAINS INJURY. MOUNT FOR- McCARTEN. (Elcc. Tel. Copyright-United Press Assu.) MELBOURNE, September 30. According to the. trainer of Amounts, McGurlcn will be given tho mount oil Amoiinis, but it is stated in other quarters that MeCarten will vide Red Gauntlet. SYDNEY, September 30. Aeridou liar, been scratched, for the Derby. Boaster has been withdrawn from the Epsom Handicap owing to an injury to his fetlock, which occurred some weeks since. EPSOM HANDICAP. THE FINAL ACCEPTORS. SYDNEY, September 30. The final acceptors for the Epsom Handicap are: Fujisan, Red Gauntlet, Amoiinis, Bravado, Mullabawn, Wedding Eve, Aorangi, -Stoney, Balbus, Quant-art, King Cyllone, The Cause, Hecate-on, Donmoon, Pigeon Pie, Kalarc, Chris. Metropolitan Handicap.—Rapine, Pantheon, Spearfelt, Fujisan, Count Favour, Star 'Stranger, Valnmita, Vitality, Piastroon, Resource, Larkspur, Mountain Prince, Stoney, Donald, Freddie C., Hincbinbrook," Clialler, Buchanan, North Logan, Wltizbro, Thrice, Solomon, Boon ala, Bacchus. For the Derby tho acceptors are: A\eri(lon, Ivirigval. Rampion, Amusement., Valarie, Royal Tea, Baron, Limerick.