TURF GOSSIP

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 13, 28 September 1910, Page 12

TURF GOSSIP

By

WHALEBONE.

FIXTURES. Sept. 29 and <>-t. 1 — J.C. Spring Oct. ’> and 6 Hawke’s Bay J.C. Spring Oct. 5 and 6 - Marlborough R.C. Spring Oct. 12 and 13 Otaki Maori R.C. Spring Oct. 12 and 13 - Napier Park R.C. Spring Oct. 12 and 15 — Dunedin J.C. Spring (Jet. 19 and 22 — Wellington R.C. Spring Oct. 20 and 21 North Otago J.C. Spring (let. 22, 26 Auckland Trotting Club Spring. Oct. 26 ami 27 — Goto R.C. Spring Oct. 27 and 28 — Poverty Bay T.C. Spring <H t. 28 and 29 - Masterton R.C. Spring Oct. 29 Wailii Hack Racing Club’s Annual. Nov. 5. 7. 9, and 12 — Canterbury J.C. Metropolitan Nov. 5. •). and 12 — Auckland R.C. Spring Nov. 9 — Waverley-Wuiototara R-C. Annual Nov. 19, 23 Otahuliu T.C. Spring. Dec. 27, .”>l, Jan. 7 A.T.C. Summer. Dec. 26. 29. and Jan. 2 and 3 — Auckland R.C. Summer Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 — Greymouth J.C. Midsummer ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Inquirer. I have been unable to yet trace the breeding of the mare yon mention, but will have it by Wednesday. C’.B., Auckland.—Apelion won the Sylvia Handicap at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting, iiud the Northern Champagne S‘«tkes at the A.R.C. Autumn Meeting. One or two big punters got a nasty knock over Admiral’s Soult defeat in the Nihotupu Handicap on Wednesday. The Iwo year old track a! Ellerslie is shortly to bp put in hand, and a couple of furlongs will be formed for a start. Before the start for the Avondale Cup, Waimangu and Lochbuie bad a duel with their heels, but fortunately neither was lujuied. With P.iiilnhi, Welleast, Swagsman, and Banana in Ihe field, Hie hurdle race at Avondale on Saturday could well be called tho Veteran Stakes. In winning the steeplechase at Avondale on Saturday, the Salvadan gelding Antarctic put up a record for the course, the previous best being 6.12 3-5. The veteran horseman, S. Lindsay, was seen in the saddle again at Avondale on when lie had the mount on Mistime in the Islington Handicap. Tho Auckland horse lloanga was sent out a warm favourite fm the hurdle race at the recent Tatlcrsail’s (Sydney) meeting, but a faulty jump brought him to grief. The Auckland horseman. B. Dooley, has a great iecord in the Avondale Stakes, and out. of seven rides in the event, has steered the winner on no less than five occasions. Tho next meeting of King Soult, Anol ion, find I‘oictiors should be very interesting, •is the two lai lor arc bound to improve with a It He racing. Before the start of the Kingsland Handicap, Miss Folly gave an exhibition which would have earned tier a place in -any buckjumping show, ami twice unseated her rider (E. R. Brown). John Rae. the well known Green lane trainer, has been laid up for some days with a sex ere attack of bronchitis, but his many friends will be pleased to know that be has fully recovered ami is about again. After Antarctic's victory on Saturday, Mr Bow ling was asked to put a price on the Salvadan gelding but as he was not anxious to pait with the horse, he declined to state a figure. The Castor gelding Partitutu brought, his winning list of hurdle races to four by accounting for the Second Hurdles at Avondale on Wednesday. All of his successes have been on the suburban course. The weight, 9 12, timl i which California Won Hie Avondale Cup, is not by any means a record for the rare, for St. Paul won in 1898 with the steadier of 10.8 in the saddle. The late J. B. Williamson was never tired of singing the praises of Salvadan as a gire of jumpers, and he would have been a happy man had bo been present at Avondale on Saturday last. Tn winning the Maiden Plr(i* at Avondale, Solus scored his first success. The son of Salvadan was very iiiilifky is a twoyeat old. but will probably make amends thia bcHhOU, given ordinary luck.

The field of 24 which saddled up for the Maiden Plate al Avondale, is a record for the course. Throughout the afternoon 4 he fields were large, and an average of eleven a lace for eight races, takes some beating. The horses for oouises theory gets another illustration in the case of Paritutu. Since April 29: h, 1908, the veteran son of Castor has only won three races, all of which were hurdle races run at Avondale. Tn my notes last Saturday. I only credited M. Ryan with winning the Avondale Guineas on three occasions, whereas the veteian has ridden the winner four limes, viz., Nonette, Ropa, Kilderkin, and Cambrian. Tho first of Gladstone’s progeny was seen out under silk on Saturday, Master Gladstone being a runner in the Avondale Stakes. Master Gladstone did not leave the barrier with the others, but when he got going, showed a lot of pace. Those on the look out for coincidences should have backed Antarctic for the steeplechase on Saturday. Antarctic, ridden by Scott, was a happy combination, and one can only hope that tht/ seeker after the South Pole will be as successful. The field that contested the Avondale Guineas contained four promising three-year-olds, in King Soult. Apollon, Poictiers, and Antoinette, and each should, with ordinary luck, be well on the credit side of the ledger before the season closes. General Soult has not fulfilled the expectations formed of him when lie was a two-year-old. In Hie President’s Handicap at Avondale on Wednesday he was made a very warm favourite, but was never prominent, eventually finishing outside a place. The ILawera-owned mare Emblem gave a very piggish display at the barrier in the Mt. Albert Handicap on Wednesday, and absolutely refused to budge one way or the other, and eventually the field left" without her. As Emblem was a warm favourite, her mulishness cost backers some money. The Menschikoff gelding Turbine seems to be improving with age, and his brace of wins at Avondale were good performances. In most of his previous races, he has always been allowed to go to the front, but at Avondale was ridden behind in each of his races, and finished with great dash. After his good showing in 11ip Maiden Plate at Avondale, Royal News was expected 1o run prominently in the Kingsland Handicap on Wednesday, for which he wound up second favourite. He gave a very disappointing display, however, finishing with the “also started.” The Daystar mare, Royal Day, which is (rained and owned down Tauranga way, nearly brought off a surprise in the Hurdles on Saturday, and would have paid a substantial dividend had she won. As it was, 'her price for running second was a twofigure one, the mare starting the outsider of the field. A few days after Antarctic won Hie AVondale Steeplechase, his owner, Mr Theo. Bowling, received word of the death of his dam, Coryphee, which was found dead in the paddock. Coryphee was not put to the horse last year, but had a yearling colt by Slavina running with her al the time of her death. Mark Ryan was very confident of winning the Avondale Guineas on Apellon, and in drawing my attention to the fart that 1 had only credited him with three winning rides instead of four, said “You had better wait till to-morrow, ami then you can make it five.’’ He, however, failed to make up the quintet. The following sires have been nominated for the Fourth Manawatu Produce Stakes: Charlemagne IL, St .Ambrose. Achilles, Elevator, Martin, Clanramihl, Treadmill, Boniform, •Birkenhead. Merriwee. Gold Reef, The Rand, Obligado, Hierarch. Papakura, Soult, Royal I’usiller, Field Battery and Maniapoto. Mr. M. M<’Lean has derided to send Poictiers South to contest the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, and the Obligado gelding will be shipped on Tuesday in the charge of J. Buchanan. Poictiers has been nominated nt Wellington, and If his performance at Hastings is satisfactory will be taken on to Trent ha in. The win of Lochbuie on was long overdue, for the little s n of Cyronlan has not credited ills trainer-owner with a blakc binev he won at Avondale last spring.

The Avondale Stakes winner, Miss Winsome, had no difficulty in accounting for the field that opposed her In the Nursery Handicap on Wednesday, ami is undoubtedly gifted with a lot of pace. For some reason or other, most of the southern horses that compete in Auckland are notoriously bad at the barrier, and are always trying to break through the tapes. Naumai and North-east, on Saturday, weie cases in point, and evidently the starters in the South cannot be as strict regarding the standing start as they are in Auckland. The victory of Winsome in the Avondale Stakes was well leceived, and it must have been specially pleasing to her owner, Mr D. McLeod, who also bred the filly. Winsome is a bit on the small side, but this is only to be expected, as she was a very late foal, and is yet a couple of months short of two years. The little daughter of Soult knows how to handle herself, and her victory was a very easy one. The nominations received for the positions of stewards of the Otahuhu Trotting Club do not exceed the required ’lumber, and there is no necessity for an election. With the exception of Messrs Absolum, Crookes, and Thom, last year's stewards were re-elected, the vacancies caused by (he retirement of the above-named gentlemen being filled by the appointment of Messrs (’. E. Palmer, 11. A. Lloyd, and E. Leslie. The Seaton Delaval horse Gladstone Is advertised at the services of breeders this season at a fee of £7 7/. Gladstone is a beautifully bred horse, being by Seaton Delaval Miss Gladys, and is therefore full brother to the great Gladsome, and halfbrother to the Melbourne Cup winner Apologue. Gladstone’s stock are well spoken of, and several at present in work show a lot of pace. Fuller particulars can be had from R. Hall, Green-lane. In 1 lie Plumpton Handicap on Wednesday California again demonstrated his right to ho classed as one of the ’ best handicap horses in the Dominion, and his effort in conceding Lochbuie no less than 461116 and running him to a head was a high-class one. I am told that his owner offered to race Bobrlkoff Last season, for 500gns over any distance, hut I am afraid he would find that a tougher proposition than winning handicaps, even with welter weights. The victory of King Soult in the Avondale Guineas was a meritorious performance, and if he goes on the right way in the meantime, the Southern cracks will have a hard nut to crack. King Soult has furnished into a nice colt, and is a very even mover, while he gives the impression that he would stay on. In Wednesday’s race he came at the right end, and put in a good run over the last couple of furlongs, winning comfortably -at the finish. Now that the Avondale Club have brought their appointments up-to-date, the next stop will be to improve the course. From the four-furlong post round to the entrance to the straight — .about a counle of rmlongs — the course Is too high next the rails. It would not entail a heavy expenditure to put the plough in it. and lower it about a foot, and they would then have a galloping ground equal to anything in the Dominion. The Waikato trainer, R. Hannon, informs me that lie had the bad luck recently to lose two two-year-olds, a colt by Seaton Delaval - — Matanjataharakiekie, and a colt by Soult — Lady Emmeline. The latter, which was purchased at the last Glenora I’aik sales, by Mr F. Ross, had shown himself to be possessed of a lot of pace, and was well forward for the Avondale Stakes. He had been working up a hill, and on reaching tlie top, collapsed. He was got back to the stable with some difficulty, but did not last long. Veterinary examination showed that his lungs were completely gone, and this was the cause of death. When Seaton Delaval made his appearance in the yards of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Company on Friday, to be submitted to auction, he carried his years lightly, and looked the picture of health. An effort was made to start him at l<K)gs — low enough in all conscience — but he travelled backwards, Dutch auction fashion, until the modest tenner was forthcoming. Then bids camo quickly, with tens and lives, till 30gs was reached, then, after a long pause, came 31 gs, and then, in long-dawn-out singles. s<)gs was totalled, and Ibis proved to be the limit, and after a lot of fruitless rallying on the part of the auctioneer, he was knocked down at that figure to Mr T. Cunningham, who secured a bargain. A Sydney paper, commenting on the fact that next Monday is Dominion Day, bursts into poetry as follows: The true New Zealander A fern frond, gay and green, should wear Stuck proudly in his hat — or hair! His firm opinion That “God’s Own Country’s” over there Not all the outside world can share. Yet do wo love, for change of air, His dear Dominion! He’s one of us in love of sport — Dick A rust put Barry out of couit, • All Blacks” at Rugby hold the foit, Tho list’s a long un! Again bis horses come to score. And when he’s starting two or more. We’ll waltz up gaily ns of yore, And back the wrong ’nn’ When Antarctic first made his appear* nnce at Ellerslie, n more ungainly customer it would be hard to find, and many a laugh was raised al his owner’s expense. II is action in front w:i» a horrible climbing

cue, and his owner must have bad thß heart of a llou to keep him going. However, he kept him going, and gradually hB improved out of all knowledge, and would not now be recognised as the same horse. Antarctic is by Salvadan — Corpyhee, and was bred Ly his owner, who bought his dam for logs, It being the popular opinion that «he was past breeding, but the late J. B. Williamson succeeded iu getting her to hold to Salvadau by artificial means. Coryphee was the dam of Atlantic, a most promising jumper, owned by C. W. Coleman, which unfortunately went amiss. The Auckland Trotting Club are out with the programme for their Spring Meeting, which is fixed for October 22 and 26. Oa each day of the gathering the principal event is worth lOOsovs, and it is noteworthy that one is for saddle and the pthw» for harness. In this connection, it will be noticed that, in accordance with the resolution carried at the last Trotting Conference, optional races are done away with, and for the first time in the history of trotting in Auckland, saddle and harness ttn.rses will have to compete separately in the races set out for them. This, it is expected, may have some effect on the numiuations at first, nut there is no doubt that eventually, trotting will .greatly benefit by the innovation. As usual, a pony race appears each day on the programme, which is a very liberal one. and in accordance with the club’s progressive policy. Nominations for all events close on Friday. Oct. 7th, at 9 p.m. Writing me from Sydney, Denis Moraghan gives the information that Master Soult has made a good recovery from bis recent accident, and was woiking again. Before (lie accident, the Auckland crack had never looked better, and although the mishap put him back somewhat, at the time of writing, he was going on all right again. The Ellerslie trainer gives some interesting information regarding various horses.. Prince Foote he describes as a .horse something after Elysian’s style, but just a shade bigger. Son of the M.ash and Comedy King are a couple of fine horses, well up to weight. Aborigine, although he looks well, is no better than he was In New Zealand, but Maori King is stated to be a much-improved horse. One thing that forcibly struck the Aucklander was that the horses were not required to be out on the course so long before a race as they are in New Zealand, and t hl? Is a big consideration from a trainer’s point of view. The tracks in Sydney. Denis considers, are about on a par with ours, the only advantage being that the grass and outside the course are available every other morning.