TURF TOPICS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 216, 16 October 1914, Page 8

TURF TOPICS.

An account of a visit to J. Tasker's training establishment will be found on page 5 of this issue. Mr S. A. Luttrell has placed the chestnut horse Bed Book, who arrived back from Sydney yesterday, under B. Der-a-itt's care to prepare for* future engagements. P. Mason has recommissioned the Obligado mare Bencontre, who appears to have benefited by her week's rest. The three-year-old colt Wharfinger bruised his off forefoot a few days back, and is at present on the easy list. Bin aid o and Sea King were railed south, this morning for the purpose of fulfilling, engagements on the concluding day of the Timaru Meeting. Skene Dim appears to have thoroughly recovered from the mishap which be fell him while Journeying to .Dunedin and is again bowling along in his usual free style. Since being: taken in hand by Mr F. Biggs, the Clanranald mare Trilby has made wonderful improvement and thickened out a good deal. "She was given her first sprint since becoming the property of her present owner over half a mile yesterday morning, and the manner in which she began suggests that she has lost none of her brilliancy. Several minor changes are being effected at, the Addington course that should lend to the popularity of meetings held there. Amongst them are the addition of several windows to the outside totalisator and the shifting of the horse paddock and motor car reserve. The New Zealand representative of Messrs Walker,. Hall, and Co. has presented the Metropolitan Trotting Club with a silver shield, which will form part of the prize attached to the Dominion Handicap. The trophy shows an engraved view of the Addington course and stands, with the figure of a horse as the centre-piece. W. Garrett, trainer of Sir Solo, writes to a Wellington sportsman from Melbourne that the trip out from Wellington was rough. Sir Solo soon recovered in Sydney, and was landed in good health and condition to finish his preparation for the race. It will probably be found that the time was not quite sufficient a long sea trip to wind the horse up for such a hard race to win as the Melbourne Cup is. The agitation to have Tuesday in Carnival Week declared a public holiday for the New Zealand Trotting Cup is meeting with a lot of support in local business circles. Already a number of firms have fallen in with the project, and others are expected to follow suit. Acceptances for the Auckland B.C. and Wellington B.C. Spring Meetings fall due this evening. No fewer than six New Zealand Cup candidates sported silk in the Spring Handicap at Masterton yesterday, and two of their number, in Expect and Guiding Way, got amongst the money. The former "s showing was in every way. satisfactory, and is sure to bring him into increased favour for. next month's contest. True, yesterday's race was Only run over a mile and a quarter course, but it at least demonstratedthat Expect is almost at his best again, and there seems no reason why he should not be capable of running out an extra six furlongs with a stone less to carry. Altogether it was the most convincing performance registered by any Cup candidate this season. Little notice need be taken of the displays given by Sinapis and Bahrain, for both were making their first public appearance this season, \and the race is bound to benefit them greatly. Of the Eiccarton trained horses engaged in the Stewards'' Handicap, Warstep and First Glance, are those that find most favour with local sportsmen. Three-year-olds have not infrequently played a prominent part in' the decision of the Stewards' Handicap, but in being awarded Bst 71b, which is 51b over weight-for-age, Beputation has been set a task hardly warranted by his past performances. The brilliant track form shown by First Glance in her .training work at Biccarton quite prepared track watchers for her victory in the Flying Handicap at Timaru yesterday. The Irish-bred mare is engaged in the C.J.C. Stewards' Handicap at Bst 31b, and, though not any too well treated, her prospects in the big sprint event cannot overlooked. '•My Lawyer , retains his form remarkably well for a stallion. During his six seasons on the Turf the son of Blackstohe has raced very consistently,and his achievement of dead heating with Slogan in the chief event at Timaru yesterday, was one of the best he has put up in his lengthy career. Two winners at Masterton yesterday, in Crown Pearl and Blue Book, claim engagement in the C.J.C. Stewards' Handicap, and at Bst 91b the former is not overweighted. Warstep, who won the Steward's Handicap twelve months ago under 6.13, has been awarded 8.7 in next month's contest. Tatterley, who followed her home, is now racing in Australia, while Immer, the third place filler last year, has gone up 41b. The Yaldhurst trained filly, Dinner Gong, was heavily supported for the Trial Handicap at Timaru yesterday, but she failed to reproduce the form that is credited, to her in private. Bouiform's daughter is engaged in the C.J.C. Derby and- Oaks Stakes, but she will have to show vast improvement on yesterday's form to have much chance in either of the Biccarton races. Optician scored his first success over the battens in the Otaio Hurdles at Timaru .yesterday, and in doing so he returned his supporters the best dividend of the afternoon. The winner's task was made the easier by Ngatiruanui refusing to start and Kings way losing his rider when going particularly well. : . Ever since the nominations were declared for the Stewards' Handicap there has been a disposition to favour Chortle's chance in that event. At 8.12 the Winter Cup victor seems to have more than a fair share of weight, for amongst the lighter weighted candidates are several with better public form. On the opening day of the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting Ngatiruanui played up at the post in the hurdle race, and got left. This performance he re-

peated yesterday at Timaru, and let his many backers down badly. Evidently the son of Maniapoto, like his sire, is decidedly self-willed. ! Two North-Island owned horses, in Merry Eoe and Postillion head the list in the C.J.C. Stewards' Handicap. Eacing will be continued at Caulfield to-morrow, when the old established Caulfield Cup will be decided. On recent form Anna Carlovna promises to i start favourite, and that she will run prominently admits of no doubt, though in some of the lightly-weighted division she will be meeting several that have been showing greatly improved form of 'late. The South Canterbury Jockey Club's Meeting will be brought to a conclusion to-morrow, when the Jockey Club Hani dicap and Members' Handicap will form the leading attractions of the afternoon's card. For the convenience of Christchurch sportsmen a special train will leave at 8.5 a.m., returning from Timaru at 6.45 p.m. The alteration in the date of the South Canterbury Meeting from November to October was a big factor in the success of yesterday's fixture. Though there was not such a big 'crowd of Christchurch sportsmen present as would undoubtedly have been the case in the event of the meeting being held on consecutive days, the local patrons of the club turned out in much stronger force than usual. Horse owners also appreciated the opportunity of giving their representatives a race in public before the November meeting, with the result that the fields, though somewhat deficient in quality, were of more than average numerical strength. Another pleasing feature of yesterday's gathering was the increased totalisator turnover, for this, in conjunction with the same pleasing state of the money market shown at other recent fixtures, demonstrates that the racing public have got over the scare that restricted? their Speculation when the war first -broke but. . ;> [ The South Canterbury owned Beval put up a fine achievement in the Shorts Handicap at Timaru yesterdax carrying - within a pound of ten. stone fd victory in lmin 3 4-ssec. Finland's son is engaged in the C.J.C. Stewards' Handicap at 7.9, and such a good beginner must be given a chance in the big Eiccarton .sprint.".. - ' TEMPLAE.