TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue XXVI, 29 June 1901, Page 1208

TURF NOTES.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Otahuhu,” Auckland.— The registered colours of Mr |A. Ellingham are white body, navy blue sleeves and cap, and Moifaa ran in those colours. Natation was the only horse that won a double at the A.R.C’. meeting. I*. Coffey took Vanquish home to llawera on Friday. This little mare is all out of sorts. J. Rae may lake The Needle and Natation South for the New Zealand Grand National meeting. Firefly is to be tried at hurdle racing. She jumped the pony hurdles a.t Ellerslie well during the week. Mr J. R. Corrigan’s horses Sundial, Forward Guard, and Employer will remain at Ellerslie for another week. Mr L. D. Nathan will not be back in New Zealand from his trip to England until December. A horse that may be worth watching in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race is Lowland Chief. The number of horses that have bled at the nose during the past fortnight at Ellerslie has been unaccountably large. Messrs and Good, have purchased St. Elmo for stud purposes, and will take him to Gisborne after the A.R.C. Meeting. A. Robertson, who is leaving Auckland, has disposed of Firefly, who will remain in H. Franks hands at Greenlane. Mr XV. Mitehell and XV. Searle were the only riders who each won two races at the recent meeting of the A.R.C.

Seaton Delava 1 had in Reddington Rosella and Paul Seaton three winning representatives at the A.R.C. National Meeting. Sly Miss got one of her hind legs injured through being galloped on while running in the Maiden XVelter on the last day of the A.R.C. Meeting.

Mr. l.awry, M.H.R.. intends re-in-troducing his Rill for the legalisation of consultations in the coming session of Parliament.

Fitzsimmons, the St. Simon horse for the Sylvia Park Stud, is expected to arrive from England by the Pakeha about July 25th.

Mr T. R. Bell, who has been racing for about 16 years in Auckland, is retiring on account of ill health, hence the disposal of his horses on Friday.

Fulmcn is being schooled over hurdles down South, and another New Zealand Cup candidate in Strathnairn lias been given some jumping lessons.

A doubt is expressed whether Mr. J. Leek s X .R.C. Grand National candidate Lowland Chief will come through the ordeal of a searching preparation.

Mr. XX. Lyons left for Sydney on Monday with Raimate, his recently purchased 'chaser, who, if not too highly classed, should win a race or two at Randwick.

A local penciller has laid 100 to 10 against Advance, 100 to 6 San Remo, and 100 to 3 Kahnwai for the New Zealand Cup. Thia race has not been the cause of much (peculation so far.

A few Auckland horses may ba nominated on Friday for the New Zee land Grand National Meeting. A fair number of the bareea that visited Auckland

from Southern districts are likely to be engaged.

The want of' a trough near the boxes on Ellerslie racecourse at which to give horses a refresher has been noticed by visiting trainers as well as local ones.

The Auckland pencillers have not had a good season, taking it all through, and several of them had a particularly oad finishing up day on Wednesday at Ellerslie. Natation. Hinau. Xloifaa and Sundial, four sons of the defunct Traducer horse Natator. won five of the twenty-one races at the North New Zealand National meeting.

Dartmoor was not started on the concluding day of the A.R.C. meeting, owing to the heavy condition of the course. P. Johnstone returned to New Plymouth with the son of Hotchkiss the same day. Plain Bill has a lot of staunch friends, and a lot of money was invested on him by wire in the XVinter Steeplechase, and he started at a false price, considering that he was not nearly at his best.

It is not often that twenty different horses tire returned winners at a three days' race meeting at which twenty-one races constitute the programme. Such was tiie case at the recent meeting of the A.R.C.

Mr Dakin, the V.R.C. handicapper, has not been hard on the flat-racing division nominated for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. Some good performers are receiving lots of weight from Record Reign and Cavaliero.

New Zealand horses engaged in the X'.R.C. Grand National Hurdle. Race are Record Reign (12.12), C’avaliero (12.7), and Korowai (9.5). In the Grand National Steeplechase, Volcanic (11.5), Crnsado (10.12). and Korowai (9.10).

P. Chaafe got Blue Jacket up on Friday to show him to a would-be purchaser. The son of St. Leger, who has not been boxed since the autumn, is looking well. There are more unlikely things titan winning another big race with him. say the Auckland Cup for the third time. On the morning of the concluding day of the North N.Z. Grand National Meeting, a report was In circulation that Beddington had been sold, but this was not correct. The Winter Handicap winner was placed under offer to a Southern owner at 500 guineas, but no business resulted.

The other day a horse-owner was asked by a friend what would be best for him to do with several horses he had in training. Sell them and buy one good one, was the advice tendered. The adviser lias been keeping a few sorry samples of the thoroughbred himself, and is well qualified to express an opinion.

Lieutenant was sent home to Mr Donald McKinnon, his breeder, during the week. His one victory, at Lake Takapuna, in the autumn, is the only winning record Lieutenant, who is ten years old, has achieved. He is now likely to be reduced to the ranks and be kept for station use. Melbourne “Sportsman'* seriously informs its readers that thr New Zealand sire Fulmen is making a name for himself a* a stud horse in Germany. An English sire has been confounded with the son of Castor, who has not yet bffin relegated to stud life, and who is still racing in New Zealand.

The sum of £28,443 was passed through the totalizators during the three days of the A.R.C. North New Zealand Grand National Meeting, the respective days showing £ 10.535. £9900, and £9309. The largeat amount handled in any one nice was

£2314 iu the Great Northern Steeplechase.

11. Moore, who rode Coeur de Liou to victory in the North New Zealand Grand National Hurdles, went to Sydney on Monday under engagement to ride Record Reign at the X'.R.C. Grand National Meeting and winter meetings in New South Wales. Geo. Price, the well-known light weight, went by the same steamer.

Forward Guard was not started at the recent meeting of the A.R.C., being out of form. Evidently Southerners fancied the son of Vanguard, as a lot of money was sent from “down the coast" to be invested on him iu the Farewell Handicap. XX'hat an unlucky colt Hengist is. A fine sort to look at, he does not stand winding up, and has been again thrown out of work, and is an inmate of the Hon. 11. Mosman’s stables, at Greenlane, where he has been blistered. Hengist cost Mr Mosman 1000 guineas as a yearling, and has only won one race since.

During the past few years the Messrs. R. anil R. Duder have had many misfortunes with their horses. Only the other day they lost their most promising yearling colt, a fullbrother to Takapuna, who had just been broken, and was highly thought of. Inflammation is said to have been the cause.

Natation was driven from Greenlane to the Ellerslie station in a trap with portmanteaux and baggage belonging to visitors who were leaving for the South the same afternoon. Mr Mitchell, who rode the son of Natator and won the Hunters' Steeplechase on him, is one who can speak as to Natation’s all-round usefulness.

The Avondale Racing Club had the protest against Rocket under consideration on Friday, and adjourned the further hearing for a fortnight. Information from one of the first owners of the gelding was received from Hawera, from whieii it appears that Rocket did not race before coming North.

A number of horse-owners who are generally allowed to be well up in their racing catechism have neglected to register partnerships in horses, and sticklers for the fulfilment of racing law urge that the fact should be disclosed, and that the law-breakers should be called to account in some wav.

The Taranaki gelding Cfusoe was taljen straight, from Ellerslie, afterrunning fourth in the Winter Welter Handicap, and shipped back to New Plymouth. Crusoe never looked better, and probably never ran better either. He might possibly have been short of a gallop, but all the same be could not give Beddington lllbs over a mile.

English papers sometimes speak plainly about faulty handicapping. Speaking of the Sandown Park Meeting the “Daily Mail” says: XX’hat is plain is that the Committee of Handicappers are under a severe censure for their work in the two big races of the meeting. After such an experience they ought to go into voluntary dissolution.

Mr Bell, who sought to dispose of u number of his horses at the Haymarket on Monday, was completely taken aback when someone else claiming to be the owner of Motor appeared on the scene. Mr Bell had leased the horse, and it is alleged that some one —not Mr Bell—had sold Motor without authority to the gentleman in question.

The New Zealand Cup is not exciting much interest locally, and so far I have only heard of small lines being booked. The weights are due on July 1, after which it is possible some business may be recorded. The quotations of a Southern flrm give Advance as favourite. In some previous years a lot of business bus been done before the appearance of the weights.

The reason why Nor’west did not start in the XVinter Steeplechase at Ellerslie on Wednesday last was because he had slightly injured one of his legs while galloping about in the paddock on the previous day. or had given it a twist in some unaccountable manner. Nor’west has been a good friend to Peter Chaafe, and he did the right thing in keeping the old fellow in his box.

X oltigeur 11. was too sore to walk to the Devonport ferry boat after running in the Great Northern Steeplechase, and had to be left at Ellerslie for a couple of days. Fortunately for his owner the postponement of the last day of the races gave X’oltigeur a chance to get over the effects of the big race, and the going being to his liking, and the weight only 4lbs above the minimum, the old grey was in his element. XV hat a good friend he lias been to his present owner, F. Ross.

The winning payments iu connection "’th the Auckland Racing Club's National Meeting are as follows: Mrs A. Ellingham £5OO, Captain Russell £4OO, L. D. and N. A. Nathan £4OO, G. B. Oman £235, F. Ross £215, J. R, Corrigan £2OO. L. Harris £ 190, M. Deeble .£>l6o, J. Chaafe, sen., £145, J. Rae £l4O. J. Jacks and H. Tooman £lOO each, Warrington and Howell. J. Currie, G. Anderson, L. Arthur, T. McLennan £9O each, S. McGuiness £75, E. H. Lambert £55, S. Bradley £4O, H. Moodv £35, J. Livingstone £3O, P. Chaafe £25, J. TVarner £2O, J. G. Ralph £l5, J. B. Williamson. T. Scott. F. Watson, H. Hannon. J. Marshall. E. Ellett, F. XV. Arnold £lO each.

Lady Zulu was one of the unsold lots at the Haymarket on Friday. This little mare is very fit just now, and ran well in her first engagements at the A.R.C. Meeting. ■ For two years past she has been raced at country meetings, and during last summer started nine times, winning six. and the previous season scored fourteen times. Lady Zulu is by Brigadier from Avaunt by Handover from Brunette. Avaunt came from Australia some years ago and raced in the ownership of Mr Dalton. Lady Zulu is a capital harness mare. When a yearling she got one of her knees' injured through falling on some scoria, and it was thought she would not stand training. She appears very sound now.

A Canterbury friend, who is in England in search of stud stock, under date April 25th, has written me au interesting, though all too short, note, from which I make the following extract:—“l went down in a friend’s coach from Hampton Court to see the City and Suburban run for yesterday, and the drive was most enjoyable. Australian Star won hard held, and there was nothing in the race to make him gallop. Epsom Downs was a great sight, but personally I would rather go racing at Riccarton. I missed the numbered saddle-cloths, and the starting was atrocious. It was a Derby Day crowd, but being packed like herrings is hardly conducive to enjoyment. I caught sight of Mr Boyle for a moment, but failed to find him in the hurly-burly. It takes a few score of police to clear the course and keep order, and on looking round whilst our horses were being hitched to I thought it might have been raining orange peel, newspapers and bottles. Speaking generally. 1 am inclined tn think the best New Zealand* horses are a bit better than those I saw yesterday, and are certainly better grown. The weather here is glorious just now. ’Tis a bit uncertain whether I see the Derby or not; prefer smaller meetings for sport. Lord Bobs is a pretty good one. so I hear.”

The London “Daily Mail” thus makes eulogistic reference to au erstNew Zealand sportsman: It, is erroneous to style Mr Gollan a millionaire, albeit he. more deserves to be one than some who are —he is such a good fellow and such a thorough-going sportsman. He represents a type of which Australia may well be proud end which commends itself especially to Englishmen. Hardly an athletic exercise can be mentioned at which he has not distinguished himself, but with his recent exploit on the river fresh in everybody’s remembrance, there is a danger of forgetting that he is?.- equally good in as on the water, a fine boxer, a good walker, and, as we have seen on more than one occasion, a capable rider across country. Perhaps his favourite recreation is paddling on the river,

and the Thames Rowing Club has no more enthusiastic supporter. Mr Gollan is the reverse of a gambler, and in having £5OO on Australian Star In quite reached his maximum. This was invested at a longer rate than the 9 Io 2 at which he ended up, a remark which also applies to other inspired outlays, and the stable generally had a good race. At one moment during the morning they experienced a bad quarter of an hour, as marked and general hostility broke out against the horse. But as Hickey, who trains him, took the opportunity to lay out £5O at the increased rate, even this had its compensations.

Mr George Cutts has never started a field of horses in such a lieavy rain as that experienced when the horses were lined up for the A.R.C. Winter Handicap on Wednesday. I cannot remember witnessing such a downpour, and it was an experience that the jockeys will not forget. The horses could not be properly seen when the rain was descending at its worst. When the Jockeys returned to scale they were in a mud-bespat-tered condition, and weighed from 3Mb to 41b each heavier than when they went. out. It is time the Auckland Racing Club added farther to the conveniences of their up-to-date course. A good bathroom in which jockeys could get a shower would be a great acquisition in summer and winter. I lie want of such a convenience was demonstrated after the race under notice. What with the choco-late-coloured dirt, and the sand the riders were bespattered with, they presented a deplorable sight. The want of water to wash themselves, and towels, was never brought home to the powers that be so forcibly. In Hawke’s Bay there is a fine showerbath provided for the boys, and is available to them either in the dirty weather of winter- or the dusty and sweltering heat of summer. At Takapuna the wants of the horsemen are catered for, and in many other parts of New Zealand. When the A.R.C. have completed their water-raising plant the requirements of the jockeys will no doubt receive consideration.

Defumer, who is one of the most accomplished hunters in Auckland, it may not be generally known, was once owned by Mr A. EHingham, who recognised the old son of Opawa one day being- ridden along the road between Sylvia Park and the Harp of Erin Hotel. He is owned by Mr Selby, the Master of the Pakuranga Hounds, who did not know the ago of his horse until told by Mr Kllingham, who informed me that he would be twenty-one years old this foaling. It is about ten years ago since Ellingham. who was riding Defamer in a steeplechase at the Hutt had a very singular, dangerous and exciting experience. I remember it well. After jumping one of the fences Defamer got off the track and sank into a swamp. EHingham himself got thrown on firm ground, and for nearly two hours held Defamer’s nose above water, and thus saved him from drowning, as he must undoubtedly have done had hr been left even for a few minutes. It was a wet day. and there KMingham remained by h»s horse, standing in water over his k.’-’Cs the whole time, and not a soul came near. After one or two races had been run J. Munn, who bad business with Ellingham, set about looking for him. and then, strange to say. it was the ■first time anyone bad missed him. A search was made, and Kllingham was found holding Detainer's nose above water, he himself in a orry plight too. More dead than alive Detainer was rescued from what is a bottomless bog. To-day he is one of the most useful of hunters, looking as well as ever he has done in his life, and showing evidence of being in the ownership of one who does him well, as all good horses deserve to be

Remembering the two performances recorded by the New Zealand gelding Record Reign over hurtlies last August at the New Zealand Grand National Meeting, when he won the Maiden Hurdle Handicap and New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Handicap, putting up a time performance in the two mile race under weight that has never been equalled in

the world ou a grass track, and over the samr number of hurdle®, it could not have been expected that the fine eon of Castor and Winnie would have received less in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Handicap, run for on the 6th July, than the 12.12 opposite bls name. All the same 1 should doubt whether our old favourite, who I have no hesitation in saying is the best horse ever raced over hurdles in this colony, certainly the beM I ever saw in my life.cau l»e landed at the post fit and well. He is a wonderful horse, however, and if he has built up since going to Sydney there is no telling what he may do. Racing hi tn when hardly himself in the autumn here had the effect of making him far too light, but he is a good doer. an<| a good winded' horse, and a natural fencer, and when you get a horse like that, master of weight, and marly class enough to take his pari with the best flat horses, there is no telling what big deeds he is capable of. It is always possible, but very improbable, that you will find another of the same class in at a much lighter weight, and Cavaliero has certainly earned the impost he has received, and that he is well just now admits of ao doubt, and seeing that he is so seas med I for one would like to see him taking part. Good one as be has proved himself, he would have no chance with Record Reign at their handicap weights, for the simple reason that he cannot go quite fast enough. I’nless shipped straight away Cavaliero would have no chance of doing himself just ice. and indeed would have to meet with a good passage over and have everything in his favour. It is unlikely that he will go. It is a great compliment to New Zealand as a horse producing colony, and to Auckland in particular, to see the two hurdle champions above everything else in the long list, and to know at the same time that they are there not through any caprice on the part of the weight adjuster, but because they have an undoubted right to be classed as they are. There are other New Zealanders engaged at the meeting, but they are not of a. class to enthuse about.