THE TURF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LII, Issue 187, 11 September 1909, Page 5

THE TURF.

(Dy "Field Glass.")

Ti-inli-r; are ti> !>«• «all«-»l f«r i)u- erection of new st-ibles tor the laranaki JiK-kev Club, to be dealt with at the ijockev club's next meeting to be held cm the 21st in^t. It is intended to have the new stables erected if possible and the grass laid down in readiness for the Christmas meeting. W«rk on the course -would have been in a much more foiwaid .state, but the wet weather has hindered the cont racers conwderably. The new stewan s stan , etc., now iv course of erection, will be a distinct adJilion to the dub a ippointments. It is Ih-uik erected we back, so that the.c will be ample room between that and the fours.- for a commodious bird cage. When the old stewards' stand it. removed, and tm. other improvements now m hand etfccted tho New IM> mouth course should be une of th- iineU in lh« l'^nce, and for situation it would be. difficult to boat anywhere. II Ins from time to time been claimed that tl-e i«iauguro.tiuii ot the larauaki Uunt has U-i>>i the moans of introducing a much better class ot jumper into this district than has ever been known, aiul thu claim was strikingly exemplified ou Thursday. The jumping throughout the day at the annual race meeting of tho hunt was excellent. What a contrast to the exhibition seen on tho occasion ol the first meeting, when the crowd was kept amused by the tactics of tlio inajoiity ot the horses as they laboriously "chmbed" the fences or continuously ran around the wcio pails, baulking time after tune. »ero were, ol course, one or two spills on Thursday. One could hardly expect a I steeplechase meeting to iventuato without one. They weie, however, of a very minor nature, except one, in which ! RoiWouui came down with Mr. 1 • Sole, I the huntsman ot the club. J'he jockey was struck by one ot the horses fol1 lowing on, and had to be medically examined. Fortunately his injuries are not of a serious nature.

Taken all round the fields were very satisfactory, and the lacing was very closi — a distinct credit to Mr. .M'llae's handicapping. I heaid a local sport ask Mr. M'Hae's opinion oi one of the events just about to Ik- decided, and the icply came: "Well, I handicapped them so that thej would all finish up a dead heat." And the finish was too close to be comfortable tor anyone who had '•plunged" on either of the ibu'v placed horses. It wa.s only a question of noses, and the others were only n >nrd ol iv»o in tho rear. This wn". no exception to the rule. The jioMtiou of Mr. 11. H. Pigott in the judge's box was not an enviable one, but hi.-> decisions were always 1 prompt and were never questioned, giving entile sausluction to owners and backets alike. Mr. Fred >\a(sou succeeded in elJi-rtiiig good staits all throti^!: e^iuciailv considering tln> fact that l)i*' b-ui-ierb \.eu- dviif 1 uu;iy With and the eM tiMe nxthed adopted.

Maitaru people wore in a ttate ot glee and deservedlj so seeing that a Waitara stable met with so much success. The victory ot Una in the Licensed Victuallers' Steeplechase was very popular. It was indeed a splendid race. The winner came i!i, »i< at one of his fences and threw his rider thereby losing a lot of ground, but tho chesnut has a big heart, ami in the end won by a couple of lengths. Star Lass, who came second in this event, got too much pace on at tho start and before the distance was naturally tiring. At one time it seemed impossible lor mis thing to <atch her. It in uticstioimble whether a better exhibition ot jumping has been seen locally than that given by Star Lass. She never made a mistake all the way, nnd takes the sticks in a pretty fashion. Mr. Matthews' Una also won the Hunt Steeplechase Handicap atter_ a koen strugglo down tho straight with Cloudy Morn. Dr. Shimose maintained his recent good form and annexed both open events. Each time, however, it was really only a question oi inches. The finish ot the second open event caused a great deal of excitement. Dr. Shi- , mose. appeared to have the race well in band and his rider was- just ruling him comfortably a little ahead of Conynonwealth when the nose ot Bisinnrck was seen in front. Bismarck had young Era up. It was his first mount in public, and he came very near to commencing his career with a winner. His final dash was commenced just about half a chain too soon. Hud he waited just that wee bit longer he would have had the race, for Dr. Shimose's jockey, who was no doubt taking things foi granted and only watching the horseimmediately alongside, would not then have had time to use the whip and get going at top once more. Tho Ladies' Bracelet wns a very pretty race, and mnnv well-known sports reckoned it was as interesting as a Grand National to witness There '■were only the three Mnrteis. it is true, but they made it willing all the way ami the result wns really in doubt until the po->t flashed past. ,\itH)ii<£ tin- New Zcsilaiid-hred horses ■'ettiii" through satisfactory tasks at Ttai'duiek are Golden Slipper, Tuinut, (Kirns M.ii. iiiiii .mm! Aborigine CoMM'i|.iciit on In-, \ k toi\ in the Marton Handicun la.t week. Suudstieum.

by San Fran — Va, has incurred a 5 Ib. penalty for the New Zealand Cup. A SYdney writer Btates that it is probable that Bribery will be sent to England to run in the Liverpool Grand National and other big jumping events. If he is sent, F. Burn will also go to ride him. Should the Malrolio gelding acclimatise tvell, he should make the best of the British horses travel where lug jumping is required. Tho flood waters from the Saltwater Iliver got on to the Flemington course on .August 20, and the V.R.C. August meeting had in consequence to be held at Caulfield. About two furlongs of the Flemington track was submerged, while the water got into tho saddling paddock and reached the rail of the horse-boxes. There were ulso two feet of water in the grandstand luncheon rooms. A good deal of damage was done.

It is almost a certainty that King Edward will top this season's list of English winning owners, his most dangerous opponent probably being "Mr. Fairie." Up to the commencement of July his Majesty's total wa5*,£19,077, the result of ten wins by six horses. Mr. Fairie only had £7104 td his credit nt that time, but since then his colt Bayardo has accounted 1 for the rich Eclipse Stakes, and it now looks as if he is likely to carry off the. St. Leger. Last year Mr. J. 'B. Joel was first w ith £26,246, but he has not boon particularly fortunate this season,^ his winnings being slightly less than £7000 when the latest papers to hand left England. In France Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt held a good lead up to last month, his winnings totalling 1 £32,00&. Baron Maurice de Rothschild came next with £24.000, and then M. Edmond Blanc with slightly over £15,000. The (Jreek, the mnnnr of tb'Australian Derb> ;«t AioiphctU .ik last we" 1 i\ by the New Zealand-bred

■, nation, by Apremont — Naiitilus, who won the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes in 1889, and headed the list of winning two-year-olds in New Zealand for that season. Permain, who acted as runnerup to The (ireek, is a gelding, and received the unusual allowance of 5 Ib. from entire colts. It is worthy of noce that in England, New Zealand, Victoria, and New South Wales no allowance is made to unsexed horses in I)erbies, but in Queensland and West Australia they are given a concession of 3 Ib.

The great American high-jumper. Heather Bloom, whd cleared 7ft. P : n. at the New Norfolk Horse Show, Vngiiiia. in October, 1906, died recently. Heather Bloom was credited with c"cuing over Bffc. in private, but, of ooun , that would scarcely be accepted as n record. A little while back an offer of . £4000 was refused for Heather Bloom, who had to be destroyed owriji to the injuries he received when sittempting to take a fence.

The Australasian says: "Perhaps no sire in Australia ever had more mares sent to them in a season .than Locluel and Graf ton, but their record pales into insignificance when (compared with that of .Red Prince ll.' Red l'rinco 11. sired Red Lad. who ran up to Ascetic's Silver in the Liverpool tJrand National Steeplechase a year or tuo ago. Although ho has reached the av.o of 20 years, ho served 76 liiares last year, and this year he had 128 mares, and 122 of them are believed to bi» in foal. Red Princo 11. is ndw in (JernißJiy, and ho must be a wotiderfullv virile horn* " <

Madame Melba, who recently legistered her racing colours with 1 the V.H.C., was recently elected by Ijallot a member of that institution. Nothing has transpired as yet as to her intentions with regard to racing horses in Australia. The honour of membership in such an institution as the V.il.C. to a lady is unique. "Milroy," of the Sydney Mail, >rites: — "Aborigine is one I have heard a great deal about from New Zealanders, who, however, seem disposed to regard all their geese ao wans since the successful invasions inaugurated by Mr. G. G. Stead, whicii were supplemented by the successes of Solution and Mauiapoto. Aborigine can certainly gel six furlongs well, but he is built only for. sprinting, being short-bodied and somewhat high on the leg- He k not aa attractive horse in repose or in his slow paces, but he looks the part well when extended. A great fuss, I see, is being made over his having run six furlongs on the magpie track at Randwirk in about lmin lfoec. That, of course. is always smart time to make with shoes, hut Aborigine is not the only watchsmasher that has set his backers thinking after a magpie track trial— not »>y many. Mooltan or Mountain K"i£ could be depended upon in their best days to make faster time than Aborigine did on the magjpie, but they were champions, and it w only what they should have done; but we have seen several horses that were not up to topnotch form make time equally as $ood as that accredited to Aborigine who has been backed heavily for, and may win, the Epsom Handicap and Caulfield Cup, but if he wins either I \ril\ be ono of the disappointed lot. '