THE TURF WORLD.

Wairarapa Age, 14 March 1933, Page 3

THE TURF WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS. FIELDS FOR WELLINGTON THIS WEEK. EVENTS AT MELBOURNE CARNIVAL. (By “Observer.”) The Champion two-year- old Plate to be decided at Trentham on. Friday is arousing a lot of interest and, as the best are engaged, it should be a great race. A filly that appeals strongly is Fracas, a smart Riccarton-trained juvenile. She has won twice at Trentham and her last success at the summer meeting was over six furlongs. She easily beat Guarantee, a winner of four races this year. After her brilliant win at Dunedin, Fracas is in line for high honours and her prospects this week are particularly bright. St. Leger Hope.

Tout le Mend is reported to be getting through a solid preparation for his engagement in the ‘St. Leger, and as staying is his long suit he will have to be considered. He is one of the best of the Southern horses engaged and, in fact, 1.-a Moderne may be the only Northern horse good enough to beat him. o Has The Form.

Mobile, who beat a good field of hacks, including Zcebruggc at Dunedin, Will probably make the trip to Trentham. He is a speedy galloper who has the right form to suggest that’ he might be among the winners this week. A Dunedin report stated that he is working in an attractive style and is in first-class condition.

A. Big Jiimp. Navaho, who put himself out of hack class when he scored at Wanganui, will make his debut in open company if he starts in the Thompson Handicap. From hack events to the Dominion’s most important mile race is a big jump. However, he should have a good chance, taking a line through Aiguille’s form. Aiguille won the Douro Cup and Navaho was a good second. The form of Aiguille since then has been good and he is considered a prospect for the Great Easter Handicap. This shows up Navaho in a favourable light. Last Tear’s Winner.

Golden Wings won the Railway Handicap last year with 8.6, a stone and three pounds less than he is asked to carry this year. Taken right through, his form this season has not been as good as last. However, he is at his best now as he demonstrated at Wanganui and Woodville. Gtolden Wings is a briliant beginner who will take a lot of catching down the straight six. His track work at Woodville is attractive. A Good Lightweight.

Royal Bengal may be one of the most dangerous lightweights in the Thompson Handicap. It will be remembered how easily he won the Whyte Handicap at the winter meeting. Although he has not done anything great since, he was placed second in his last three starts. He is a speedy sort who likes the roomy Trentham course, and with 7.3 he should have a big say at the finish. Will be Dangerous.

Sbuchong, the brilliant Hawke's Bay sprinter, will he in demand if ho is reserved for the Railway Handicap. His form at the summer meeting was attractive and his recent success at Napier Park suggests that he is still tn his best form. He is not harshly treated with 8.9 and with Reed in the saddle the combination looks a dangerous one.

Racing in Australia.' The V.R.C. autumn meeting was concluded on Saturday. The seventyfifth contest for the Australian Cup Was won by Topical with a brilliant finish on the rails, scoring in the last few yards. Windbag, sire of Topical, also got Winooka, winner of the Leonard Stakes the same day. The Ascot Vale Stakes for two-year-olds, was won by Shakuni. IShakuni, who is trained by the former New Zealander, George Price, put up the fastest time ever recorded by a juvenile at Flemmington. Shakuni is a fine, classy colt by Brazen (son of Phalaris and South Wales by Llangibby) from Varta Mozzle. He is a full brother to last year's two-year-old champion, Kuvera, but is framed on somewhat bigger lines than the older horse. Shakuni and Kuvera were bred by the late Mr. H. C. Rouse, at Biraganbil stud (N.S.W.), Varta Mozzle was bred ih 1921. She is by Linacre from Grafton Lass by Grafton from Miss Melos by Melos from. Hirondelle by Lochiel. The ex-New Zealander, Gaine Carrington, registered his first Victorian win by leading throughout in the C.M. Lloyd Stakes. He beat the fast finishing" Kuvera. The winner is now trained by Cecil Godby, and is owned by the bookmaker, J. Phillips. While second and third money is useful in the payment of expenses, states the Sydney * 4 Referee," the owner of Havaspot would welcome a change to first. Although beaten by Fordlight, the chestnut again ran well .to finish a close second in the first division of the Rosebery Flying Handicap. In August last, Havaspot won a race at Moorefield, but while he has not added to his winning score since then, he has recorded three seconds and two thirds. Havaspot is one of the tallest and longest horses in training at Randwiek, and if looks go for anything, should make a great hurdler. As he has reached a weight which makes it difficult for him to win on the flat, his owner might not now be loth to sell him to someone on the look-out for a jumper. Perhaps some enterprising Melbourneite may be tempted to make an offer for him. There is insufficient hurdle pacing in Sydney to make him as valuable as he would .be down south.

Now that the Liverpool Grand National is coming round again—it will be run in England in March —all the interesting -tories of past winners are

being revived. Of these none is more romantic than that of Rubio, who scored in 1908. The London 4 ‘ Sporting Life" says that Rubio was one of forty-two horses brought to England as yearlings by an American breeder, Mr. Haggin. At public auction the forty-two lots realised an average of 200 guineas apiece, but the weedy-look-ing Rubio was knocked down to a Northants farmer for a mere 15 guineas. A year or two later he was sold for 95 guineas to Major F. IT. Pennant, and, after working on the farm, Rubio was put into training, and won a race at the Grafton Hunt meeting in 1905. Later on Rubio broke down badly, and his owner lent him to a sporting publican, a Mr. Browning, at Towcester. Mr. Browning got Rubio sound again by employing the gelding to draw the queer omnibus-cab which plied between Towcester station and the Pomfret Hotel, and in this lowly occupation .Rubio spent the summer of 1907. On one bright afternoon during the summer Mr. Browning won a nice wager by driving Rubio thirty-five miles in the shafts of his trap! In the autumn *of that year Major Pennant decided to put the horse in training with Costello at 'Stockbridge. Six months later, starting at 66 to 1 against in a field of 24 he carried off the most-coveted steeplechase prize in the world, beating a better-fancied stable companion in Mattie McGregor, owned by Major Pennant's nephew, Mr. W. Cooper.