THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19868, 16 June 1927, Page 4

THE TURF

FIXTURES. June 18—Napier Park R.C. June 22—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. June 24, 25—Hawke’s Bay J.C. June 25-—Oamaru J.C. July 2—Ashburton County R.C. July 12, 14, 16—Wellington R.C. July 21—Wahnate District Hunt Club. July 23—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 39—Christchurch Hunt Club. July 28, 30—Gisborne R.C. August 6—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. August 9, IL 13 —Canterbury J.C. Grand National. August 20—Pakuranga Hunt, Club. September 3—North Taranaki H.C. September 7. B—Marton J.C. September 10—Otago Hunt Club. September 14—Dannevirke R.C. September 15—Dannevirke Hunt Club. September 17—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club. September 24—Ashburton County R.C. September 24, 26—Napier Park R.C. September 24. 26—Avondale J.C. September 29, 30—Geraldine R.C. NOTES AND COMMENTS (By “ Kestrel. ”) There will be racing at Napier Park on Saturday when a one-day fixture of the Napier’ Park Racing Club will eventuate. Three Days' Racing Next week Hastings will have three days’ racing as follows: —On Wednesday the Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club fixture will be held, and on the Friday and Saturday the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club will hoid their winter gathering.

Double Engagement. Crown Coin, who was due to arrive at Napier last evening from Wanganui claims a double engagement at the Napier Park meeting on Saturday, He figures in the Petane Hack Steeples with 10.13 and in the Napier Steeplechase with 9.8. It is understood that the latter event will be the mission of Wallace Young's charge. Hurdle Recruits

Two acceptors in the Moteo Hack Hurdles who are this year’s recruits to the game are Peneus and Great Day. It is stated that both are possessed of jumping ability, the latter being especially good but Peshwa, on Wanganui form, may hold them both safe.

Another Trophy The Hunterville sportsman who races Brigadier Bill, Omaha and Ngata has a fine collection of trophies won during his extended campaign on the turf in the Dominion and as usual he has a candidate in the amateur riders’ event at the Napier Park meeting. With 11,12 and Mr J. Morris, on his back, Mr J. Bull’s Brigadier Bill should have a say in the decision of the Ladies’ Handicap.

To Visit Top Gallant Bv this week’s steamer there will be shipped to Melbourne the brood mares Lady Islinglass (Absurd-Cowl) and Purple Lilac (Martian-Persian Lilac). They are both in foal to Royal Divorce, and are to visit Top Gallant at the Borambala Park Stud in Victoria.

Improved by Racing Bonena is ticked off by southern critics as likely to win hurdle races against stronger opposition than he beat at Dunedin, and Captain Sarto is also noted as one who win be improved by the racing he had there. H, McSweeney has always declared that, but for getting badly interfered with by a horse falling in front of him in the Grand National Hurdle race two years ago. he would have won on Captain Sarto.

Clerk of Course Injured During one of the preliminaries at Ellerslie on Wednesday of last week the horse ridden by the elerk of the course. Mr A- Selby, turned sharply and went with the Field, after depositing his rider on the turf. At the time it was not considered that Mr Selby had suffered as a result of the incident, but for the past two days (says the Sun) he has been confined to his bed with injuries to his ribs. A Rapid Recovery

B. J, Mackie, who a short time back had to undergo an operation for an internal trouble at Palmerston North, is making a rapid recovery, and it is anticipated that it will not be long ere he is following his avocation again. Extra Penults

The following clubs have put in applications to the Racing Conference for extra day totaltsator permits for next season:—Stratford. Franklin, Ohinemuri, Taumarunui, Waipa, Taranaki, Ashurst-Pohangina, Carterton, Masterton and Westland. Appropriate Name

Mr Frank Ormond has selected the name of Tragic for the rising two-year-old full-sister to Gurnion (King Mark-Birkelot). As Birkelot was sired by Birkenhead (Orme-Tragedy), the appellation is in a manner appropriate. Better Conduct

Rafa, whose erratic conduct at the starting barrier was the cause of his being placed on the schooling list, is now being used in the hunting field with the Taranaki Hounds. He is conducting himself amenably in his new sphere. Rafa, by the way, is a halfbrother to Day Bell, who made a fuss in the bird cage at the late meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club,

Nibbling at Rascal Some time back Mr J. D. Ormond had inquiries regarding Rascal from a West Australian buyer, who had previously been a buyer from Mr Ormond when he secured Taradiddle from him. However, so far nothing definite has taken place in the matter. Dates That Clash

Next autumn both the Rangitikei and Manawatu Clubs have applied for March 21 and 22. The Wanganui district committee has decided to be in the argument and it will be left to the dates committee to decide. The autumn

date for the Manawatu Club is listed to follow the Wellington meeting and in the pas there has been some friction with Rangitikei. This season the Rangitikei Club secured the March dates and the Awapuni meeting was put back to the end of April, From ali points of view it is highly desirable that these matters should be settled with a minimum of argument and illfeeling, states “The Watcher,” but

surely a major club which caters for the best class of horse and has no fewer than three classic events on its programme should be entitled to prior consideration. The arrangement in the past whereby horses competing at Trenthan were transhipped direct to Awapuni to race the following week is undoubtedly the best from all points of view. The country clubs have claims, certainly, and these claims receive due recognition, but the fact should not be overlooked that if it were not for the clubs of the status of Manawatu and the main centres, the standard of rac ing in New Zealand would be very low indeed.

THE BEST DAYS

MID-WEEK OR SATURDAY EGMONT CLUB’S EXPERIENCE Up to a couple of years ago the Egmont Racing Club held its meetings on mid-week days. Due to Mr Massey’s death and funeral, however, the winter meeting in 1925 was extended to a Saturday. On the experience the club decided that the Saturday was a better day than the original mid-week conclusion, and have since adhered to it Recently the Hawera Retailers’ Association wrote to the club asking it, in the interests of the business section, to revert to Wednesday and Thursday as its racing days. In its reply the club, has declined and states, inter alia: —“While conceding that the business of the town may be materially affected on the days of the races, the committee does not share the opinion of your executive that business is affected to a much greater extent (taking the season through) with racing as conducted on Thursday and Saturday as against Wednesday and Thursday. The experience of this club, during the last three winter meetings has been that the larger attendances have been on Saturdays, while Thursdays always show a greater return than Wednesdays, which proves conclusively that the club is catering for the majority of the race-going public. Another aspect of the matter is that racing dates require to be arranged with due regard to fixtures of other clubs, otherwise horse-owners would be precluded from visiting various meetings, with a consequent decrease in attendance and returns. The fixing of dates for the race meetings is a very important matter to the club, and any arbitrary alteration to meet purely local conditions, even if such dates were approved by the New Zealand Racing Conference, may have far-reaching results. ’ ’