TURF TOPICS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1736, 6 September 1919, Page 9

TURF TOPICS.

The Riccarton. tracks were a trifle dead this morning, but, nevertheless, some useful work Was accomplished on the trial grass.. All Cutts's team got through strong work, but none were asked to do their best.

Gay Lad, under a strong pull most of the way, ran the last half-mile of a journey at a good, solid pace. Tortrix and Punka, finishing together, ran six furlongs at little better than three-quarter pace. -Pyjama was going better than Bclair at the end of half a mile. Merton, alone, skipped ovef four furlongs in good style. Primum registered a fair half-mile, finishing well. Wardancer was doing his best at* the end"'of a mile, moving evenly throughout. .Mustard Pot, assisted by Once' More over the last five, ran a sdlid seven furlongs, doing'it well. . Paraoa was given a useful half-mile. Trickery and Missouri finished together at the end of four furlongs. ~ A number of two-year-olds were sprinted two or three furlongs up the back. The f ollowng horses are booked -to leave by the Mokoia for their homes in the north to-night:—Parisian Diamond, Gazique, Munsser, Pretty Bobby, Athens' 11., Waimai, Signature, Tigerland, Merrie Lad, Red CeDt, Bon Reve, Multive, Lionskin, Cynic. In addition, there are 10 trotting horses going by the same steamer.

There are still nine three-yeaMlds engaged in the New Zealand Cup, and two of their number, in Starland and Lucid, are amongst the well-fancied candidates.

A number of horses that have been at Riccarton since the Grand National meeting take their departure. for Napier, Gisborne and Auckland by the Mokoia this evening. Entries for the Geraldine Racing Club's spring meeting close this evening, and those for the Kurow J.C. annual meeting on Monday. The action of the Ashburton Racing Club in postponing its spring meeting has not found favour with those Riccarton trainers who were getting teams ready for the fixture. As it is, the club will endeavour to fix on suitable dates when the railway restrictions have been removed. /

Of the 53 horses originally engaged in the New Zealand Cup, no fewer than 37 have survived the first payment. The only notable defections are those of Bed Ribbon, Cynic, Melee and Motuihi, all -of whom, had already found support for the big handicap. Kilmoon and Mascot are now in the place of honour, and there is every probability of both seeing the post. Vagabond and (Jay Lad, the two favourites, still stand their ground, but though Lucid has also been paid up for it must not be forgotten that he also figures in the Melbourne Cup. With a view to purging the unpaid forfeit list, as a sort of peace offering, the New Zealand Trotting Association has requested all clubs to forward it particulars of the cases they have placed on the list. These will doubtless be dealt with by the board, and their number be greatly reduced. Like most Aucklanders, Mr C. F. Mark .has no sympathy with the moving■up start or the fining of those who take advantage of it. When it was reported at yesterday's meeting of the Trotting Association that the funds had benefited to the extent of £3O in fines inflicted at the August meeting, he facetiously suggested that it would be a gpod idea, in the interest of the association's finances, if all clubs were compelled to adopt the moving-up system. Those owners concerned should not overlook the fact that entries for the New Zealand Trotting Cup close at noon on Wednesday. That unlucky mare, Sally Brass, has finished her racing career, and will join Mrs M. Duncan's stud.

, Our Thorpe has been sold to Mr E. Young, of Ashburton, and will take up stud duties in the South Canterbury district.

The'action of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club in deciding that in future all intentional cases of starting before time would be met with disqualification was highly commended by members at yesterday's meeting of the Trotting Association. Considerable correspondence was read at yesterday's meeting of the Trotting Association from the' Westland B.C. and Westport T.C., regarding the clashing of dates of their summer meetings. The Westport T.C. also objected to Westland placing trotting events on its programme as likely to affect the patronage it would receive from owners. In view of the fact that the association had already declined to allow the inclusion of trotting events on the programme of the Bcefton J.C., it was decided not to grant the Westland B.C. permission to hold trotting races. The latter club was advised that, if its dates were altered, the association would be prepared to consider favourably a future application. A rather peculiar position was revealed at yesterday's meeting of the N.Z. Trotting Association, when a letter from the Owners' and Breeders' Association came up for discussion.. The letter asked that a ruling be given as to the correct interpretation of rule 118 a, which reads: "Placed horses doing better time than that specified in their class may be nominated for a higher class at the meeting. Nominations may be made at any time up to half an hour after the finish of the last race on the first and second days." The

point in doubt was as to whether it was optional for clubs to allow horses to be renominated, or whether it was compulsory for them to do so. Mr Selig mentioned that, when the subject of renominations was dealt with by the Trotting Conference, the intention was that the new legislation should be nothing more than a recommendation to clubs to incorporate it in their programmes. On going thoroughly into the matter, however, he found that the new rule made it mandatory for clubs to accept renominations. Mr Kitchingham thought the board should not give a ruling on ex-parte questions of this class until the points in dispute cropped up. After further discussion it was decided to circularise all clubs, drawing their attention to the n%w rule, and also to inform the Owners' and Breeders' Association that as the renomination provision was now a rule of'trotting it was incumbent on all clubs to accept such. The annual meeting of members of the Wellington Racing Club will be held at the end of this month. A proposal is to come before members to increase the number of stewards from eight-to 10. One reason given for the increase is the amount of judicial work on race days, which falls to a few, as there are at present one or two members of the executive out of the Dominion. If the proposal meets with the approval of the ma3ority of members, an election will be held some time after the annual meeting. TEMPLAR