Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 257, 29 October 1931, Page 12

Topics of the Turf

4 1 I >r 1 ‘V And news from everywhere

'J'HE Limond three-year-old Granado, belonging to Mr V. Riddiford, shaped so moderately at Trentham that S. J. Reid may cancel his proposed trip to Riecarton. Granado is an acceptor for the Derby. RIRj’S TURN THIS TIME. Riri, as a maiden, had the worst of the weights at Rangiora, but he has a big pull on other New Zealand Cup candidates engaged in the Akaroa Handicap on Saturday, as will be seen from the appended list. He meets Black Duke, for instance, on 131 b better terms at Motukarara than he does in the big two mile race. Gay Crest is the next best off in the Banks Peninsula race. The weights compare:

Sydney has lost a good jockey in W. R. (“ Togo ”) Johnstone. He left recently for India, having accepted an engagement to ride for the Bombay stable of A. Higgins. * * * * As a guide to the CJ.C. metropolitan meeting, form at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s spring meeting in 1930 proved of very little value. In the first three days at Riecarton it was no use, but Spoon, winner of the Akaroa Handicap at Motukarara, won the Stoneyhurst Handicap on the fourth day, while Sapient, third in the Brackenfield Flying Hack Handicap, won the Seymour Handicap. ENGAGED AGAIN. Several horses who won at the spring meeting of the Banks Peninsula Racing Club a year ago, are engaged at the corresponding fixture on Saturday. Ravine, who, after running unplaced in the Akaroa Handicap, won the Le Bons Handicap, is again in the two events. Spoon, winner of the Akaroa last year, is in the Le Bons this time. Giggleswick, also an acceptor for the Le Bons on Saturday, won the Halswell Hack twelve months ago. * * * * Palermo, whe is in the Stewards’ Handicap with 7st 111 b, showed at Gore that he has returned to form. PENALTIES FOR MOTUKARARA. Fixed penalties were provided for in the programme of the Banks Peninsula meeting on Saturday. As a result of having to carry 71b extra each, Rangiora winners now have the following weights for Motukarara:—Ravine 7st 71b in the Akaroa Handicap and Bst in the Le Bons Handicap. Weatherly 7st 131 b and Monastic 7st 101 b in the Halswell Hack Handicap, and Pixie Gold lOst 51b in the Kaituna High Weight. Monastic is not now eligible for the Okains Trial Stakes. TOTALISATOR IN VICTORIA. The New Zealand owner-trainer, A. D. Webster, has had plenty of experience with totalisators in the Dominion, but he was agreeably surprised with the facilities afforded machine patrons at Caulfield. He backed First Acre for a place with the bookmakers, and a few minutes before the start of the race noticed that the machine was showing ; a better price for his horse than he had accepted. Pie forthwith invested on First Acre on the place totalisator, and was more than satisfied with the dividend. * * * * E. Pope had intended to bring Royal Artist, High Comedy and Tea Trader to Riecarton after the Trentham meeting, but he returned to Takanini with them instead. Tankard was also sent back to Takanini. WILL PHAR LAP START? Mr D. J. Davis, part-owner of Phar Lap, said last week that he could not definitely announce whether Phar Lap would start in the Melbourne Cup. “ The horse is the first consideration,” added Mr Davis. “ Pie has a big weight, and will need to have everything in his favour to win. If I were to state today that Phar Lap would be a runner, and we had to withdraw him on the day of the race on account of the course being extremely heavy, or for some unforeseen circumstances, we would probablv be accused of misleading the public. “ I have not invested one penny on Phar Lap in the Cup, and I think the public would be well advised to wait until the day before backing him. At present he is at a very short price, and if he goes to the post the public may not have to accept much shorter odds on the day. Should the going be at all soft there is a possibility of Phar Lap receding in the market, so that the public may have everything to gain and little, if anything, to lose by waiting. “We would be only too pleased to win a second Melbourne Cup with him, but we would not be justified in the risk of his being knocked about through too severe a race.” * * * * L. D. Berry, trainer of Kahikatoa, reports that the gelding was off his *eed all the week at Trentham, so possibly too much notice should not be taken of his failure at the Wellington meeting. NORTHERNERS ARRIVE, Golden Wings, winner of the Great Northern Guineas, Lack, winner of the Wellesley Stakes, Fiji, a Derby candidate. and other northerners in Jayson, Adventus. Beacon Fire and Nightmare all arrived at Lyttelton this morning, bound for Riecarton. Accompanying the invaders were the local horses. Cricket Bat, Winsome Hind, Ball Dress. Zeebrugge, Gay Crest, Royal Baby, Desert Song and Tout le Monde returning from Trentham. FIXTURES. October 29, 31—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 31 —Banks Peninsula R.O. October 31—Carterton Racing Club. November 5. 7—Whangarei Racing Club. November 7—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. November 7. 9. 11, 14—C.J.C.

Akaroa. N.Z. Cup. St lb St lb Gay Crest . 9 7 8 10 Black Duke .... ... 9 3 8 1 Martian Chief .. ... 8 3 7 3 Royal Love .. 8 1 7 2 Ranelagh ... 8 0 7 1 Taloux . . 8 0 7 0 Riri 3 0