Topics of the Turf

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 365, 5 March 1932, Page 12

Topics of the Turf

/Votes and news from everywhere

rpjjE Auckland owner, Mr H. Rama, ?s contemplating a trip to Sydney with his horses Taneriri and Manawhenua. * * * * Acceptances for the Waimate Racing Club’s meeting will close at eight o'clock on Tuesday night. ENGAGED AT TRENTHAM. If engagements are fulfilled, the Wellington meeting on March 17 and 19 will be a representative New Zealand fixture. A number of Christchurch horses were nominated and Dunedin has representatives, while the following horses trained in the Auckland province figure among the entries. Aga Khan, Hauwhiri, Heremia, Huntingdon, Chief Jewel, Persham, Toujours, Baroscope and Princess Bede. IMPROVEMENT NEEDED. When Te Homai went to the front about half a mile from home in the Manawaru Hurdle Race on the second day at Te Aroha, he looked a sure winner, but two faulty jumps later in the race saw him beaten into third place. Te Homai has had a fair amount of experience over hurdles, but so far his form has been nothing to enthuse over, and he will need to improve to win ’races in the future. This gelding has shown up on several occasions over steeplechase country, and may do better in that department later on in j the season. BACK ON TRACKS. The jumper Billy Boy has made his reappearance on the tracks at Ellerslie. Billy Boy has been on the easy list for some weeks, but he has not been entirely idle and is in nice order to go ahead with another preparation. All going well in the meantime, Billy Boy will probably have his next race in one of the jumping events at Ellerslie at Easter. COSTLY FAILURES. In each of his at Aroha, Lucidus failed to begin with his usual speed, and his failures proved costly to his supporters. Earlier in the season Lucidus promised to develop into a first-class hack, but his recent form has been below expectations, and the public are not likely to be over anxious to follow him until he shows signs of further improvement. However, he is only a three-year-old, and there is still plenty of time for the son of Illumination to atone for past failures. PROMISING COLT. Mr V. Riddiford has gone to a great deal of trouble and expense to establish his racing stable and stud at Brentwood, Trentham, but so far he has not had a great deal of luck on the breeding side, says the “ Dominion.” He has had several winners, but having the classic and weight-for-age horse in view, results to date have been disappointing. It is therefore a pleasure to be able to refer in terms of praise to his two-year-old colt Might, who got on the winning list at Woodville recently. Might has not had much racing experience, bpt he has come quickly, and his win was accomplished in a style which gives every hope that he will prove a good class staying three-year-old. He is an exceptionally wellbuilt and handsome brown, the only fault being that he is possibly a trifle heavy in the shoulder. His breeding is good enough for anything. His sire, Limond, has a record with his colts that has been exceptional in the last few years, and his dam, Graciosa, is a half-sister, by Gay Crusader, to Beam, a winner of the English Oaks. Graciosa has thrown four successive colts, and it was disheartening that both Intruder and Granado, who were also by Limond, should have failed to come up to expectations.

Acceptances for the first day of the Wellington Racing Club's meeting will close at nine o’clock on Wednesday night. EVENTPUL CONTEST.

The Autumn Handicap at the Napier Park meeting yesterday was an eventful race. Chief Cook passed the judge ahead of Teller, Toxeuma, and San Quex, but his rider was 41b under weight. lie was disqualified for the race and the other horses took the places in the order named. As a result of an inquiry, M'Dowell, rider of San Quex in the same race was suspended for the remainder of the meeting for,interference with Moa Bird, who was pushed on the rails and B. H. Morris sustained injury to a foot and damage to his saddle straps, which forced him to pull up. * * * * Thurina has rejoined Mrs J. Campbell’s team at Riccarton. He won two hack steeplechases at the Grand National meeting in August, but he had six months’ spell, from which he has come back in the best of health, to undergo a preparation for another cross country campaign in the winter. * * * * Watch Officer, whose sale to a Sydney trainer is reported from Mel- ; bourne, is a New Zealand-bred four-year-old by Chief Ruler from Watchful. After winning the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham as a two-year-old, he was . ! sold for Australia, where he has been a failure so far. ; RETURNS TO FORM. After having numerous defeats registered against him this season, Leitrim ran right up to his best form when he accounted for the opposition in the. Waihou Handicap at Te Aroha. He looked well when he went to the post, and, jumping away smartly from the barrier, was always in a winning position. He ran another fine race in the Farewell Handicap on the second day, and should be a good horse to follow during the remainder of the present racing season, despite the fact that he will be required to carry solid imposts. * * * * Reports that Royal Lineage had schooled exceptionally well were confirmed by his initial success oyer hurdles at the Napier Park meeting yesterday. He is the first of the progeny of Limond to race over hurdles. DESERT GOLD'S SON. Desert Gold’s son, Chrysology, may be a long way below the class of his dam, but he is proving a useful proposition to his breeder and owner, Mr T. 11. Lowry. He was successful at Takapuna in November and at Trentham in January and, yesterday, he added the Napier Park Cup to his record. The favourite, Esteem, missed a place. Chrysology, who was second choice, won after a hard struggle with Shrewd. Chrysology is a four-year-old gelding by Psychology. * * * * General entries for the C.J.C. autumn meeting, to be held at Riccarton on March 28 and 29, close at 8 p.m. on Friday. First forfeits for the Champagne and Challenge Stakes are due at the same hour. HIS BEST EFFORT. The success of Great Emblem in the Piako Handicap was the most important 3 r et registered by the Australian- ' bred gelding. He outclassed the field over the final stages of the race, after ; being in a handy position 'throughout. ; Great Emblem has taken some time 1 to reach his true form, but has now ' become solid and looks certain to win • more races in the future. He has : shown more than average staying : ability, and it would not surprise to : find him winning in better company l later on in his career. When the mail dated January 23 left India, the Sydney jockey W. (“Togo”) Johnstone was leading the winning jockeys’ list in India. From sixty-one mounts, he had ridden thirteen winners, three seconds, and six thirds. STRONG N.Z. TEAM. The Rawson Stakes, to be run at the Rosehill meeting next Saturday, is expected to produce an interesting contest. The entries include Ammon Ra, Nightmarch, Admiral Drake, Pentheus, Yeilmond, Chide, Cathmar and High Disdain. BRILLIANT HORSE. The win recorded by. High Comedy in the Farewell Handicap on the final day at Te Aroha was impressive, for he won going away at the finish. He was capably handled by the apprentice rider C. Walters, who allowed the pacemakers, Huntingdon and King Ford, to hold sway until the straight was reached. High Comedy is now at the top of his form, and as he is a brilliant galloper he will have more opportunities before the season ends. BRONZE EAGLE.

No announcement has yet been made regarding Bronze Eagle’s autumn programme, and no doubt much will depend on his progress in the next few weeks, as his connections may prefer not to ask a great real of him unless he does really well. Dr W. CRing is very pleased with the way in which the crack three-year-old has thrived lately, and is hopeful that he will be in the pink of condition for the autumn campaign. Unless H. Gray is successful in his appeal, a new rider will have to be found for the colt. BETTER NEXT SEASON. Although the Hunting Song two-year-old Good Run failed in his engagements at Te Aroha. he should eventually prove a payable proposition. He is a nicely developed youngster with plenty of size, and he displays a lot of quality, while no fault can be found with his action, for he has a nice, smooth style of galloping. Good Run should develop into a good sort next .AGING FIXTURES. March 0. 10 —Dannevirke R-C. March 11, 12—Cromwell J.C. March 12 —Bay of Plenty J.C. March 17 —Opunake R.C. March 17—Waimate R.C. March 17. 19 —Wellington R.C. March 17, 19—Ohinemuri J.C. March 19—Otautau R.C. March 19. 21—Westport J.C. March 23—Opctiki J.C.