Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 675, 29 May 1929, Page 14

Turf Notes

CONDUCTED BY

"EARLY BIRD”

Saturday's Heavy Day There will be racing at Ellerslie, Otaki and Wingatui on Saturday. Heavy Going The steady rain of the past few days will ensure heavy going at Kllerslie on Saturday. Wiltshire Dus The Great Xorthern Steeplechase favourite, Wiltshire, may be given an outing over the Ellerslie hill before Monday’s big race. Will Be Short The excellent schooling efforts over the big fences at Kllerslie by Vexatious has impressed critics, and she promises to start favourite for the Green Lane Steeplechase on Saturdaj r . The chestnut is also in Monday's G.X. Steeplechase. From Taranaki The steamer from Xew Plymouth, which arrived at Onehunga this morning, brought Seatown and Horomea. The former is a rather fancied candidate for the. Cornwall Handicap on Saturday, and he looks in nice order for that big event. Horomea will be seen out in the hack hurdle events. Doing Well All continues to go well with Gold Money and she is in excellent fettle to carry out her engagement in the sprint on Saturday. The fine burst of speed she unwound to win the six-furlong event at Pukekohe recently was fully recognised, and she is now a popular pick for the Members’ Handicap; in fact, it would not surprise were she the actual favourite on the day. Failure to keep her position in the early stages may tell against Gold Money, but with such a competent jockey as T. Green in the saddle, backers can be assured of a splendid run. Southern Hopes

Xeither of the Southerners, Black Duke and Overhaul, secured any of the money going at the recent Wanganui meeting, but both can be expected to fare well at the impending fixture. In his only schooling essay since arriving here Overhaul showed he was a very bold and fast jumper, indicating that the much-feared Kllerslie obstacles will have no dread for him. He should quite hold his own with other hurdlers, and as the racing extends over three days, should have good prospects of capturing a stake before setting off on the return journey South. Black Duke pleased the critics by his sprinting task yesterday and it will not surprise if he races prominently in sprint events during the meet-

Unlu*'ky Hack Standfast has invariably shown speed in his races, but he has been running without luck, and only a couple of minor placings have gone his way. Having done all right since his last outing he is being popularly ticked off as one who will take a leading part in the settlement of the second division of the Jervois Handicap at Kllerslie on Saturday. For the Carbine Plate

There is not much of Maori Boy. but every inch of him is good, and he is one to be kept in mind for a race dui - ing the meeting; for, say. the Carbine Plate, in which he is to be ridden by Mr. J. Patten, who rode last year’s winner. Waltzer. Maori Boy reeled oh a convincing gallop at headquarters yesterday morning, and as he can be relied upon to race in honest fashion he should show to advantage at some stage of the first division of the Jei - vois Handicap on Saturday. Jumper Fast

The top-weight in the Otago Steeplechase, Nylotis (J. L. Cotton) was schooled over four of the big lences at Invercargill on Thursday, says the “Times.” It was his first jump since the Riverton Meeting, and the son of Obulus executed a pleasing display with the pace on all the time. Well-bred Youngster Flair, the winner of the Trial Plate at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday, is a two-year-old black filly byPsycliology from Orolino. She was sold as a yearling by her breeder, Mr. T. H. Lowry, at the Trentham sales for oO guineas, the purchaser being Mr. D. H. Roberts, who races Red Heckle. Orofino comes from the Desert Gold, Xigger Minstrel family, and is a sister to Moorland and half-sister to Doree. It would not be surprising if Flair turns out a bargain. Racing and Trotting

At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club last week the president, Mr. George Gould, remarked that there was a good deal of trotting in Canterbury, and trotting was a deservedy popular sport. The Canterbury Jockey Club could not be expected to make headway like clubs in other places where there was little or no trotting. “Racing, I am confident, will make progress,” said Mr. Gould. “We must maintain the general average distance of our races and try to increase it." He viewed sprint races as the least attractive side of racing. Of course, these events appealed to many owners, and it was necessary to maintain them; but they should not be overdone, and the club should gradually try to make the average distance greater.

From the Waikato Mangani and Gold Rep put in an . appearance at headquarters yesterday ! afternoon. Te Rapa trainer W. C. | Woods is expected tomorrow with two i horses, and other Waikato mentors are also due today and tomorrow. ■ For Carbine Plate Among today’s arrivals were two candidates for the Carbine Plate, a mile hack event for amateur riders on Monday. George Jones brought Archeria and L. Knapp Otairi. The former, as already announced, will be ridden by the crack amateur, Mr. J. Morris, and Otairi’s pilot will be Mr. X. Duncan. Overhaul Jumps At Kllerslie this morning Overhaul (A. Hobson) was sent twice round over the schooling hurdles in the centre, negotiating eight obstacles. There was little pace on over the first circuit, and the Southerner jumped only moderately, but with the speed applied then he took the last four obstacles in dashing style. Riding Engagements Additional riding engagements for the Great Xorthern meeting are the following: F. McGovern: Kamehameha and Master Doon. J. Cammick: Tanertri. K. Manson: Otranto, King Willonyx. High Pitch and Maori Boy. R. J. Mackie: Lady's Boy. Aussie for Aussie G. Paul states that arrangements have been completed lor taking Aussie to Australia in a few weeks’ time. Probably another horse from his stable will accompany Aussie, but it is not finally decided which it will be. Is Prepared Xothing of a strenuous nature is being exacted from v anur, but he is being kept going anti snouiu strip a fit nuke Lor ins engagement in the iVit.i.uas r-xanaicap. -k uorse of his undoubted oruiiunce should be able to steer clear of any u-ouble going in a big field like this, ana providing the higher *>cuie ui weights ao not tell against him lie slioum keep the opposition busy on Saturday. A heavy track, however, will not be in his favour. There is no doubt that he was very unlucky not to have won at his last start. Kawini Is Ready When brought to Kllerslie yesterday morning Kawini looked a picture and it seems assured that he will put up a gallant fight in both Hurdles and Steeples. He made many friends as the result of his splendid essay over the sticks yesterday, and a repetition of that form will make him one ot the most dangerous horses in both races. Team for Dunedin Riccarton trainer R. Longley will have at Wingatui Amorist, Tleisler and Ripdale, who claim engagements at the Dunedin Jockey Club's winter gathering. Last week Amorist and Tleisler gave a perfect display of hurdling, and the former has done so well lately that it is quite on the cards that lie will win a race at an early date. Ripdale, the other member of the team for Wingatui, is also doing well, and the former Xorth Island gelding may soon show a return to form. A Fit Team It is an open secret that linvercargill private mentor F. J. McKay will produce a team of very forward horses for Mr. W. T. Hazlett at Wingatui, while one of the best-conditioned for his task in the string may be Mr. J. Hazletts representative, Greenstone, writes “Sir Modred.” _ The old fellow is now well up in years and may not gallop as fast as he did in his best seasons, but he can jump the D.J.C. fences really well and he is in great shape to do so. Of McKay’s flatracing pupils, Paris, Lucky Light and Latin Quarter will strip well, and Apache is keyed up to gallop well in batten events, provided he does not tire in clearing obstacles by the way. With his charges dressed in something like their best, McKay has reason to look forward with some degree of confidence to their running at the interesting meeting which opens on Saturday. Wharncliffe’s Fine Chance T. H. Gillett’s team will arouse some interest at Wingatui. The steeplechaser, Wharncliffe, looks better for his trip to Wanganui, where lie raced quite creditably. He will have stiffer country to jump on the Southern trip, but it should present no special difficulties. If he jumps the country lie should go close to winning. Magna Charta is a hurdle novice who has improved rapidly with schooling. Tie flies over the obstacles, and gets away again without loss of ground. Ho is the best hurdle prospect seen at Kincarton for some time past. Charlatan may accompany his two mates, though he has no engagement on the first day. He is working along steadily, but he may not be at his best until later on. Glendowie’s Rider

The Riccarton jockey A. K. Bllis has had a great run of luck this season, and he is riding in such rare form at present that it is little wonder that the majority of his mounts carry the confidence of the public. Ellis will be riding at Ellerslie, where his mounts will include Mister Gamp, The Hawk, Merry Mint and Glendowie, comments the Christchurch “Sun." There is no doubting Ellis’s ability at the fencing branch of the sport, and two seasons ago he had no peer in the Dominion as a hurdler and steeplechase rider. After a nasty fall when Maidos came to grief in the 1927 Manawatu Hunt Cup Steeples, he turned his attention chiefly to the flat, and he has been very much missed by owners of I jumpers. Mister Gamp is already a j strong favourite for the Great Xorthern i Hurdles, and he has done so well since | h . is arrival at Ellerslie that it is prac- ! ticalJy certain lie will be a sound first j choice on the day of the race. Glendowie, one of the favourites for the Great Xorthern Steeples, is doing excellently, and there are quite a number ! ot critics and astute judges who are of I opinion that he will again prove a | formidable rival in this year’s cross- | country event. In last year’s race he ; outclassed the opposition. and he knows the Ellerslie country so well that there is no reason whatever to doubt bis ability to negotiate the stiff Kllerslie hill. The Hawk is in the Cornwall Handicap. Earlier in ms career the once brilliant Martian gelding started a hot favourite for the Caulfield Cup, and thought he failed to stay the distance at that time he showed in the last Wellington Cup that he has stamina now, though with it he has forfeited some of his brilliance. Merry Mint, Ellis’s other mount on the open\S S .. y ’ wUI contest the Members’ i Handicap, six furlongs, in which he •ri,f X , P - e< ; ted )° take a lot of beating-. j» lle Catmint gelding is stated to be near ins old form, and that says much for his prospects, for there is no denying that he is a high-class galloper at 1155 b es t- All told, Ellis’s mounts appear to hold very strong chances in their engagements at Auckland, and at this stage it certainly appears as if | the Riccarton jockey will do well at | the fixture.