TURF TOPICS.

Wairarapa Age, 6 April 1933, Page 3

TURF TOPICS.

NEWS AND NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS. RANDWICK AUTUMN MEETING. CUP AND DONCASTER ENTRIES. (By “Observer.”) Limelight, who won the Newbury Spring Cup on Saturday was bred, and is raced by His Majesty the King, and his success would undoubtedly be the signal for a popular demonstration. Limelight is a four-year-old horse by Pharos from Vervaine, and last year proved a first-class three-year-old. He was not entered for any of the classics but won three races, including the- Jersey Stakes, at Ascot, and collected £2775 in stakes. His Ascot win created tremendous scenes of popular approval. Loading critics judged him one of the best three-year-olds of the season. His sire, Pharos, sired Cameronian, the 1931 Derby winner, also Firdussi, the St. Leger winner last year. He was the leading sire of England two years ago. Solenoid, the runner-up, was also a good three-year-old last year, winning three races worth £2557. Solenoid is related to Mr. John Donald’s Captain Bunsiby. Entries for Randwick.

Although New Zealand will be largely represented at the coming autumn meeting of the Australian Jockey Club at Bandwick, the horses hailing from the Dominion on this occasion will not include either a Limerick or a Nightmarch, and that will serve to rob the weight-for-age races of some local interest. However, a good number of likely contestants in other events were bred here and several are owned by Dominion, sportsmen. Autopay, who figures in the Doncaster Handicap with 9.5, has shown himself to- be an accomplished miler, for he scored a brilliant win in the Epsom Handicap* at Randwick in the spring of 1931, carrying 8.6 and beating a field of 21 in the fast time of 1.37. In his recent races at Trentham and Awapuni, Autopay showed that he retains his briliancy, but is can be argued that he has been weighted up to his fullest deserts in being called upon to carry an impost of 41b over weight-for-age. La Moderne, having distinguished herself by winning the New Zealand St. Leger, her owner has been encouraged to seek honours at Rand-wick. She is engaged in the A.J.C. St. Leger, but with the prospect of a strong field for that event she is confronted with a very difficult task.

The New Zealand-bred division engaged in the Sydney Cup, two miles, include the following: Veilmond 9.10 Peter Jackson 8.8, Waterline 8.7, Gaine Carrington 8.4, First Acre 8.3, Miss Nottava 7.10, Jaloux 7.8, Pythea 7.7. Gaine Carrington has figured most prominently of the New Zealand division in the betting, and some -keen .judges hold the opinion that the best has yet to be seen of him. A Brilliant Sprinter.

The outstanding sprinter of the present day in Australia is Winooka, a tour-year-old son of Windbag. In the Caulfield Futurity Stakes, seven furlongs, he carried an impost in conformity with weight-for-age, and romped home in front .in the fast time of I.S4J. Ho was sent out favourite for the Newmarket Handicap, six furlongs, in which he carried 9.9, and it is a popular belief that he would have won if he had escaped a broken strand of the barrier at the start, for his rider was nearly pulled out of the saddle, losing a stirrup-iron. The Leonard Stakes, run at Flemington a few days later, showed him up in very striking colours, and the manner in which he won under the steadier of 10.0 in I.lo} is estimated to be the most convincing victory achieved up the Flemington straight six.

With 9.13 Winooka is top-weight in the Doncaster Handicap, one mile, to be run at Randwick on April 15, and as the impost represents 131 b. over weight-for-age, the handicapper has made it clejr that he estimates the bay son of Windbag at a high standard Successful Brothers.

The Sydney syndicate which races under the name of “Mr. F. Smithdcn” had such happy experiences in racing the Brazen—Varta Mozzle colt Kuvera in the season of 1931-32, that it bought his yearling fullbrother last year Kuvera cost only 225 guineas as a yearling and has proved a bargain, for his winnings in prize-money at two years amounted to .£3295. Shakuni, who cost 9OT guineas, has won thi J ee races ineiAo™ 8 ’ the Aseot Valc Stages, worth £lOOO. He is engaged in the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes and the AJC Champagne Stakes, to be run at Randwick this month. Kuvera won these events last year, and if Shakuni can do likewise it will constitute an interesting record.