TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue III, 18 July 1903, Page 163

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. Mr Stead has virtually decided to send Cruciform and Orloff to Sydney. He talks as If he did not Intend to start the former in either of her handicap engagements, and as if he did not cherish great hopes of Orloff winning the Epsom Handicap. He thinks Orloff may run a falg race in the Metropolitan Stakes.

The death of Enid removes another of the quartette of mares by Apremont— Idalia, of whom Fair Nell, Enid and Ravenswiug were famous, either on the turf or at the stud. If I reeoiiect aright, the only, race Enid won was the Oaks. In private she was a really good mare, but shs failed to reproduce her home form in public, owing, 1 believe, to her inability to act on hard ground. Her feet were always terribly troublesome. She produced Geraint and Bellicent, the former a useful sprinter, and the latter a Great Autumn Handicap winner.

The Canterbury Jockey Club's programme for the coming season will be the same as last year, with the following amendments’ Spring Meeting: Elimination of the Sapling Stakes, and the substitution of the Great Tom Plate, a handicap of 25osovs, second horse 2osovs and third horse losovs, minimum weight 8.0, penalties for winners 71b, entrance Isov, acceptance 2sovs, one mile and a-half. The stakes in the Ranfurly Handicap will be reduced by lOOsovs, and the acceptance made Isov. Summer Meeting: In the Belfast Plate SOsovs to be substituted for oOsovs in the conditions. Autumn Meeting: The distance of the Malden Plate to be increased from seven furlongs to one mile. The Ashburton Racing Club has altered the date of its Spring Meeting to September 10 and 12, In order not to clash with the Dunedin Jockey Club. It will distribute £550 In stakes.

Mr G. H. McllaffJe has been appointed chairman of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. Goldspur, Windwhistle, Goldmine re. Khaki and Lee Enfield went North on Thursday ulght to fulfil their respective engagements at the We ling ton Racing Club’s Winter Meeting. Sir George CH if ord travelled Uy the same steamer. The Stepnlak-Cobweb yearling colt, the property of Mr W. J. Tennant has been named Gossamer. A filly by Wallace from Faraway, which has just joined McGiuuess's team at Wingatul, is credited by McGinness with being like Carbine. As McGlnuess broke in the famous son of Musket, he ougnt to know what he is talking about. Isa, the rising two-year-old filly in the same stable, is said to be a larger edition of her full brother Vladimir. Pamperos* foot, which burst at Wellington, has completely healed, and the son of St. Clair is said to be thoroughly sound. A filly by Casket has joined Jackson's team. Jackson, by the way, has broken Blazer Into harness. Mention of Casket reminds me that an offer of £3OO made recently for the son of Castor was declined. Blackstone, the overgrown son of Grafton, in McGinness's stable, who has been in the private sale list, has been withdrawn, and is to be trained again. A report that Red Gauntlet had broken down has been contradicted. The Southland steeplecnascr Violin is expected at lliccanou shortly, to be trained for engagements at the Grand National Meeting. CH RISTCH URCII, Tuesday. The weather is the chief topic uf conversation here. For once it certainly deserves the notice it is receiving. After a week of almost summer-like days, culminating with the thermometer at 67, the weather changed abruptly before Saturday night. Snow had fallen in most parts of Canterbury, and although it did not last long in the vicinity of Christchurch, it was followed bv such weather as to bring to a standstill ali outside work and render training operations an impossibility. This is the present situation. Luckily for them the local horses in their engagements at Riccarton had left before the weather had changed. Sultana, the last of them, journeyed up on Friday night. He was very well when he took his departure, and in the absence of strong opposition it is not unlikely that he will win the Wellington Steeplechase. T. Pine, the well known light-weight horseman has again accepted service with E. Cutts.

Mr Friedlander’s fillies by Cianranald— Iris and Cuirassier—Anita are now being ridden. They are behaving well. Accommodation has beeu secured at Riccarton by Mr S. Bradley for a couple of horses for the spring meeting. From this it may be inferred that the A nek Ju nd racing man intends to try to repeat the Impulse coup with Walriki. Alarming rumours are current here regarding L. H. Hewitt, the well known horseman. One of them is that the American doctors have found it necessary to amputate the leg which Hewitt had injured just prior to the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting. Colour is triven to the rumour by a letter from Hewitt which announced that the injured limb had given trouble on the voyage from New Zealand to San Francisco.

The stallion Nihilist, by Stepnlak—Sincerity, is for sale at Dunedin. St. Denis was priced a few days ago. It is understood that £5OO was asked.

It Is rumoured that legal proceedings may arise out of the dispute between the Forbury Park Company and the St. Ki Ida Borough Council, which I mentioned in a former letter.

The following business has beeu doue locally on the New Zealand Cup:—7oo to t against Secret Society, 700 to 18 against Strnthavon, 600 to 28 against Heroism. 600 to 24 against Golden Rose, 500 to 15 against Melwood, 500 to 5 against Leonore. 200 to 22 against Shrapnel, 200 to 21 against Orloff, 200 to 9 against Gold Crown, 200 to 15 against Halberdier, 200 to 22 against Walrikl, 200 to 16 against Lady Lillian. Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race: 600 to 7 against Gobo and Walwera, 200 to 4| against Hurricane and Tresham. 200 to 6 against Sultana and Tresham, 200 to 7

•gal: •'t Awahuri and Battleaxe, 2<O to 5 against Kayd i and Comfort, U» '•»3 a«fiinM Haydn and 2fiU t > 4 against Awaburi and Awahurt, 2OU to 2 lualiurt <<olm> awl Hrottiah MinatrvL 2»> to 2 against Scallywag and JbU-rrjr Boy, 2UO to 2 agaiust Jack o’ Lantern and Merry

BALE OF THOROUGHBREDS AT AUCKLAND. The New Zealand Loan and Mcrcauttte Agency Company (Mr H. O. Nolan. nur*tlotieerl a*dd by auction on July llrth. on account of Mrs J. Leonard, the following hun»vs: — Maroon and Gold, h g, by St. Hippo—lda, W. Thomson OOgs Lavadel. b c. by Seaton Delaval— Dorothy, J. D. Flexman 31 gs Idusa, b f. by Seaton Delava! —Ida, T. Armitage uOgs Vai Rosa, br h. by Seaton Delaval—■ Vieux Rose. J. Davidson 175 gs Alba Rose, b f, by Seaton Delaval— Vieux Rose, W. Moberley 62gs

© © © WELLINGTON RACING CLUB S WINTER MEETING.

The following acceptances have been received in connection with the Wellington Racing Club’s Winter Meeting: — Stewards’ Handicap oi ISUsovs; 6 furlongs -Ostia k 10.13, Guidspur 10.9, Chasseur 10.6, St- Olga 10.4, Shrupnel Shell Kangitatu 9.11, Golden mere 9.5, Reclaimer 9.3, Maxo 9.0, Platypus 9.0, Livonia 9.0, Camelot 9.0. Miramar Hack of SOsovs; i furlongs.— Recoil 10.9, llainua 10.9, Roseshoot 10.5, Position 10.2. The Guesser 9.10. Sir Agues 9.5, Cumulus 9.5, Rei>ellious 9.5, Australasia 9.4, Fireball 9.3. Parkshot 9.3, Rapids 9.3, The Romney 9.2, Royal Blue 9.0, Commonwealth 9.0, Artisan P.O, Fairwater 9.0, Lady Field 9.0, Curenagh 9.0. Wellington Steeplechase of 350sovs; about 3 milt's. —Gobo 11. G, Nor-west 11.0, The Gryphon 10.4, i’ipi 10.3, Sultana 9.12, Straybird 9.7, The Pullack 9.7, Marine 9.7, Counterbine 9.7. Parliamentary Handicap of SOOsovs; 1 mile.—Durable 11.6, Ostiak io 1.3. Exmoor 10.10, Windwhistle 10.6, Shrapnel Shell 10.5, St. Olga 10.3, Mcnura 10.3, A.B.N. 9.13. Tupara 9.13, Roseshoot 9.12, Kotmpapa 9.10, Volley 9.3, Platypus 9.0. Rubin P.O. Sanfoin 9.0. Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase of 80sovs. about 2 miles.—Great Shot 11.12, Umsiopogaas 11.5, Kiatere 10.5. Testator 9.12, Taranaki 9.9, Counterbine 9.8, King Lear 9.7, Kaloo 9.7. Fishery 9.7. Winter Hurdles of 250sovs.—Wniwera 11.7. Haydn 11.3, Tradewind 10.8, Mourner 30.1, Merry Boy 9.13. Rags 9.13, Meteor 9.1 A. Slow Tom 9.10. Kohunui’9.B, Khaki 9.6, Levant 9.5, Boko 9.2. Te Aro Hack of 80sovs; 5 furlongs.—Recoil 10.9, Optimist 10.7, Sandy 10.7. Matuku 10.2, Scrip ',>.10, Clovelly 9.9, Ngatitoa 9.3. Aldinga 9.8. Repulse 9.6. Rapids 9.5. Silver Star 9.3, Maminga 9.3. Hinerau 9.3. Parkshot 9.2, Landlock 9.0, Lady Field 9.0. Motai 9.0, Moorianuku 9.0, Black Squall 9.0. Commonwealth 9.0, Mauserlne 9.0, Sergius 9.0, Not bos 9.0.

VICTORIAN NATIONAL MEETING. MELBOURNE, Saturdn; The V.R.C. Grand National steeplechase resulted: — Grafnell .” 1 Freedom . Plunger 3 Also started: Error. Brokerage. Fiddlestring. Syringa, Sloth 11.. i Drummer, Springfield, Sir Harry. Anchor, Worgleburnie, Burghos, and Bush Lad. Retting: 5 to 2 Sir Harry, 9 to 2 Freedom, 10 to 1 Anchor. 12 to 1 Error, 14 to 1 Grafnell, 15 to 1 Brokerage and Fiddlestring. The first half of the running was made by Freedom, Springfield. Wongleburnio, Fiddlestring. and Sir Harry. . The latter, who was a hot favourite, fell shortly after the concluding stage was entered upoiu and after Springtie hl had run off. Freedom went to the head of affairs and led to the last fence from Grafnell, Burghos, and Plunger. Once in the straight Grafnell challenged the leader, and easily cutting him down. won comfortably by four lengths. Plunger was a similar distance way from Freedom, then came Isis. Burghos, Wongleburnio, Sloth 11.. and Anchor In the order named. Time. 6.314*