Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 230, 17 December 1927, Page 6

Turf Notes

By

“EARLY BIRD.”

Footfall Will Be Better Some good judges at Ricearton hold the idea that Footfall’s recent compulsory let-up of a few days will do him good instead of harm for his Auckland engagements. Footfall has Accomplished some very solid work in his preparation, and it would be no surprise if the spell freshened him up. Not Riding At Ellerslie A. E. Ellis has purchased a property at Ricearton, and is now riding work there daily. He is to be present at the Oaraaru meeting on Saturday next, and will confine his riding engagements during the Christmas racing to the Manawatu, Wairarapa, and Marton meetings. Civility At Awapuni Civility will be ridden in her Manawatu engagements by D. C. Watts. She is not an entrant for the Manawatu Cup, which is run over a mile and ahalf, a distance that does not suit her, and for Cup day she has an engagement in the open six. But for the second day of the meeting she is entered for the President’s Handicap, one mile a-quarter, and is omitted from the principal sprint race. Writing His Own Price At Warwick Farm on December 3 a man was arrested in the Leger Reserve carrying a small attache case which, on examination by the police, was alleged to contain 900 tickets, several rubber stamps, gum, and paste. He was subsequently charged with forging and uttering a betting ticket with intent to defraud. Recently several bookmakers have been victimised with tickets faked to coincide with those issued on winning horses. Not For Sale When interviewed upon his return to Gisborne from Australia. Mr. L. G. Clare, owner of Merry Mint, was asked if there was any foundation for the statement that he refused an offer for Merry Mint, the figure mentioned being £4,000. Mr. Clare smiler, and remarked that hearsay had been busy. He could have disposed of his horse very easily, had he cared to. but would not entertain any proposition, he said. There were plenty of owners who would like to have a good horse such as Merry Mint had shown himself to be, for his performances in the spring events had made the Gisborne horse highly popular. “It’s not the good ones you sell,” Mr. Clare added. The training of Merry Mint will remain in the hands of J. M. Cameron, the Hawke’s Bay trainer.

Gallops At Hastings Heavy rain fell just as operations on the training track commenced on Tuesday morning, and although it might have been greasy in parts the going was not affected as far as the times were concerned, says the Hastings •‘Tribune.” Bennanee was first out, and was supposed to gallop a mile and a-quarter, but the jockey made a mistake with the post. The time registered from the post he did go from was 2.12 ft, or about 2£ seconds under the correct distance, so roughly he would have taken 2.15 —only fair as he carried only 7.0. Clarendon finished in front of Sneer over half a mile in 51 1-5. Lipsol, at pace work, went well within himself. Mountain Heath also worked well at the same pace, while his stable companion, the Hapuka gelding, ran four furlongs in 54. Birklad just beat Bulolo over four furlongs in 53 on the grass. The former shows much improvement. The Hawk did slow work. On appearances he does not look a likely starter here. Monetize, by himself, skipped over half a mile in 51ft. Kahu Ariki and Clavers finished together in a run over five furlongs in 65ft. Irish Court, not pushed, took 38 for three furlong's. Gesto, who is developing into a nice colt, went freely at working pace for a round- Primax could have done better than the 531 registered for the half-mile. Queen’s Choice and Charmaline ran the same distance in 52ft, the latter going best. Ruasay was galloped three furlongs the reverse way from the three to the six-furlong post, taking *35 3-5, a brilliant performance. This colt on present showing should win a race on the Auckland trip. Torquil for a similar journey took 361 — very fair for a hack. Getting the best of the start Coot beat Ganymede over three-quarters of a mile in 1.18. Keen was first out after breakfast running the last three furlongs of a two-rounds pace work in 39ft. Royal Damon, looking very well, did a couple of rounds at an easy pace. He is engaged in two races the opening day at Ellerslie, but the present intentions are to start him in the Railway. Mouru Rangi went three furlongs in 39, while Royal Time did a second better. Kinross, in a working gallop, took 67 for five furlongs. Wikitoria and King Manu ran a furlong only, taking 13. These two two-year-olds from Ohiti are backward. Epistle showed a clean pair of heels to Sandburr in a half-mile spin in 51. The track was slower after breakfast.