TURF GOSSIP

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 5, 31 January 1912, Page 12

TURF GOSSIP

By

WHALEBONE.

The gelding Mtukewai. which, was badly galloped uu at the recent A.R.C. Bummer •Meeting, in being hacked about again. F. McMancmin is handling a three-year-old by Mouoforui—Native Rose, which looks like being useful. Mr F. W. Edwards has been reappointed handicapper to the Te Arolia. Jockey Club, jud Mr C. O’Connor starter. Duma was operated on during the week. •nd will probably not be seen under silk till tho winter meetings roll round. The hottest favourite to suffer defeat at th© Wellington meeting was St. Felix In the January Welter. The Bluejacket mare Sphinx is making good progress in her schooling work at Ellerslie. The Auckland colt Prince Soult was sent out second favourite for the Wellington (Stakes, iu which his defeat was a big blow to his Auckland supporters. The Conqueror gelding Nauinai was the hottest favourite to win at the Wellington meeting up to the present, and the price he returned was very, very short. Out of 199 horses handicapped by Mr. Pollock for the conluding day of the Wellington Summer Meeting, only 72 made the acceptances. A gelding by Spalpeen—Flying Fish. which bears the name of Spnlfish, has made its appearance at Ellerslie under Malcolm’s charge. Lloyds was schooled over live hurdles at Ellerslie yesterday morning, fencing well. Rakau jumped a couple of the big fences, and then did a round of the hurdles in good. Tho gelding Bon Jour has been a bit off colour of late, lie has been treated to a dose of physic, and, as a consequence, is having an easy time of It. A correspondent writes complaining of the law that prevents the publication of dividends, and states that this Is the cause of lots of wagers being made that would not otherwise be. The matter, however, is one for Parliament to deal with. The filly Whakarahla is to be taken to Opotiki to fulfil her engagement in the ‘Produce Stakes at the Wai-o-eka. Jockey Club’s Annua! Meeting. There is also a £ robability of the two-year-old All worthy ring taken down for the same race. Mr II R. McKenzie was at Ellerslie yesterday morning with Black Northern, which ■was schooled over the hurdles with Bon <?yr as a companion. Black Northern showing to- most advantage. In framing his weights for the Summer Handhmp. one mile, on the concluding day of the Wellington meeting. Mr. J. 11. Pollock assessed Equitas as the equal of BubrikofT. awarding both 9.9. The Te Aroha Jockey Club are out with the programme for the annual meeting, which is fixed for March 4 and 5. Nominations for all events close with tho secretary < Mr. G. J. Parker). Te Aroha. on February 16. Tho opening day’s racing of the Taka<Njna J C. Summer Meeting is being looked forward, to with a lot of interest, and Che gathering promises to be a record one. In the (’up. Elect rakoff ami Soultoria still remain favourites, but there is plenty of •oom amongst the light-weights for a ‘ surprise. and one or two have exceptionally pood chances of landing the stake. . ?' h ? . horseman J. Conquest failed to ride a winner at the Foxton meet tne but on the concluding day his mounts In two of the events were onlv beaten •y tho narrowest of margins, in the Carnarvon Welter Waitupere was beaten by a •mac. nnd in the Newmarket Handicap Eady Motoua suffered defeat by half a lead. Sir Geoepe Clifford’s brilliant fillv Counterfeit was so leniently treated by Mr. Pol-m.-k In the Wellington Racing Club HantHc*p. that she started a good odds-on flu yon rite, carry lag more money than has r been Invested on a horse at Trent ham. Counterfeit is one of the most brilliant •Illes yet seen In New Zealand. and it Is hard to see how she could have been beaten in the Welllngitui Cup had .she been started; A t f hc re*hi«*tlon sale of the Glenora Park Htud last year, the marc Caller (hi. with a colt foal by Moult, and served by ■farbto Arch, was disposed of for BK.gns. Mr J. Buckley being the purchaser. The •arn found her way to rhe Waikan.ie Slud, •ad at yeateniay'a sale the colt was

potw& of for 250gus, so that the mare has now to come within the category of one of the bargains of the sale ring. The gelding Blakeney, which, won on both the first and second days of the Wellington R.C. Ssrmmer Meeting, .is by Soult—■ Inumorata. As a ibwo-year-old Blakeney, which is now 'three years old, only started once, in the Trial 'Plate at <tJhe Wellington Winter Meeting, but his trainer. Geo. Price, carted him round the country a Lot in order la give him experience, and had him in Auckland at the A.R.C. Winter Meeting. The annual yearling sales, of the Waikanae Stud Company were somewhat ef a disappointment,. and coming after the disappointing prices realised at the Auckland ©ales, there does not appear to be much demand for bloodstock, while the fhet that <the big owners are for the most part breeding their own, Is also a big factor in the poor prices ruling. According To reports, the lots offered were on the whole above the average, and that the highest prices realised was only 270gns, gives plenty of food for reflection. The defeat of Prince Soult in the Wellington Stakes gave Aucklanders a big surprise, which was -6he greater when the news came through that the Auckland crack had failed to get a place. Prince Soult* although, he got well away, does not appear to 'have been aide to pace it witli his opponents, and never had a look In at any part. The right-handed going an all probability affected his chance, but even allowing for this disadvantage it is safe to say that the defeat of an Auckland horse has never caused so much d-Lswppoint-raent locally as the failure of the son of Soult. The disqualification of Dearest for the Telegraph Handicap on the opening day of the Wellington meeting, was the sensation of the day’s racing. Writing of the occurrence, the Wellington writer, “Sir Bedivere,” says.:— “Re the Dearest incident on the opening day, Prosser. It seems, was not present when the mare weighed out, and it was Deeley who declined: to declare overweight. With the exception of a pair of rings which were attached to the martingale, no extra weight. It is stated, was added after Deeley weighed out, and as the piece of gear referred to. cannot have weighed more than 2oz, the gain in weight still remains unaccounted for. the more so as no rubber or towel was placed beneath the saddle. Mr. Hartgill tells me Deeley weighed in '.Hit the merest trifle over 7.7, or just sufficient, to tilt the end of the beam down four inches. The exact amount of overweight was not determinable. The finish for the Mungaroa Welter on the second day of the Wellington meeting was very close, and Mr. Hartgrll’s verdict in favour of Blakeney did not give universal satisfaction. In its report, the “New Zealand Tmies’’ says:—“The doirlvt raised, ns to the correctness of the placings emphasises the contention often raised by racing men that the judge’s box should be placed further back from the course and ■should bp more elevated. At present rt is obvious that with the judge practically oil the level with the horses,, in a very close finish he can only see properly the horse nearest him, and the latter often gets the benefit of the doubt. In the present instance B-la-keney was nearest the box, Tril>oli being in the centre, aud. Turua farthest away, and they were placed In that order. It is more than probable 'Mr. 'Hartgill was absolutely correct in his verdict, but many of those in the stand Ivebind him did not agree with it. The victory of Undecided in the Wellington Cup came in the nature of a surprise, and commenting on bis win « Wellington writer says:—Undecided <s> a laorse with a history. Originally his breeding used to be given as by Alenscbikoff or Seaton Delaval. but now he is accepted as by Menschikoff. Formerly owned by Mr. E. J. Watt, he came into Mr. W. Smart’s possession by means of an exchange, one of the "terms of which was that Mr. Walt should receive Tupono, a mare by Medallion. Dater Undecided was opera led on for respira trouble, and soon commenced to show form when put into work. After winning various hack races, he carried off the Winter Cup (under a peu.ilty) at UiccarttMi last Augtmt, and also showed capital form at the Wairarapa meeting this month. At one stage <he was hi favour for the Wellington Cup. but Backers subsequently turned from, him as recently as Wtslupsdfiy last, when Mr. F. Crossley had to operate on him for bolls on the mowth. As it proved; however the nllinont dl.I not interfwe with hin chance nnd Ills party, who hn.l an early bet about Intn ot >c>shl .hl.ls, are hon.lsome winners ns the result of t*he race. to connection with the comparison of stokes lietween the obi days and the present, ‘Old Sport" writes to the "New Zealand Times": I notice that Mr PoHodt in. Kirin* evidence before the ttacluK Commission on Friday said lint the stakes before the days of the lotalUakor were small. Let

me refer him back to the time when liocscs were m by sportsmen,, over decent distances, and without the aW of the fotatlsa: tor. The population was comparatively small in those days—about halt what it is nt present—and owners had to travel their charges about on foot over tong distances. People had not the facilities for getting to the racecourses that they have in these luxurious days, aud the freezing works and butter factories were not in full swing to make folk prosperous. Yet what do we And? Will Mr Pollock and those who think with him kindly run their eyes over these flgures: — Year 1831 k Welliugtou Cup, gold trophy valued at 100 sovereigns presented by the chib, added to £500; second 50 sovereigns from the stakes; two miles. Wellington Racing Club Handicap (second day), 200 sovereigns; second 25 sovereigns; one mile and a-half. Wanganui Jockey Club Handicap, 300 sovereigns; second 50 sovereigns; two miles and a-Quarter. 'Hawke’s Bay Racing Club Cup. 250 sovereigns; second 30 sovereigns; two miles (one day meeting). Hawke's Bay Jockey Club Handicap, 150 sovereigns; one mile aud three-quarters; Tradesman's Handicap, 100 sovereigns; one mile and a-half. Year 1880. •Maflton-Rangitikel Handicap, 200 sovereigns; second 25 sovereigns; two miles and a-half. Hawke'S Bay Racing Club Cup, 300 sovereigns; two miles. Hawke's Bay Jockey Club Napier Handicap, 250 sovereigns; one mile and threequarters; Tradesmen’s Handicap, 125 sovereigns. C.J.C. Great Autumn Handicap, 300 sovereigns; Champagne Stakes, 250 sovereigns. Geraldine Cup, 100 sovereigns. C.J.C. Derby, 250 sovereigns; J.C. Handicap, 500 sovereigns; Welcome Stakes, 200 sovereigns; Canterbury Cup, 500 sovereigns. Year 1881. Dunedin Cup (autumn meeting), 500 sovereigns; D.J.C. Handicap, 200 sovereigns; Forbury Handicap, 150 sovereigns. Wanganui Cup, 600 sovereigns; Wanganui Stakes, 250 sovereigns. O’ 4- + TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The Riccarton trainers are hurrying ttielr charges along iu great style now, aud some attractive work is being done In view of next week's meeting. Colleen Alary put up a pleasing performance yesterday, running five furlongs in 1.3, and she should be galloping in her ■best style when she is asked a question. Sant Rosaleer, which is iu the Midsummer Handicap at the minimum, is galloping particularly well, and made a lot of friends yesterday by covering nine furlongs in 2.1. Martine was going freely over a mile and a-quarter, which occupied 2.13 1-5, and The Cornet and Coroniform each galloped six furlongs in a tick over 1.16. Bonny Glen, which looks well, got to the end of seven furlongs in 1.29 4-5, and Starctancer did

well fe covering six furlongs in 1.18 from almost a standing start. Lourdes, which claims an engagement In the two-year-old handicap on the first day of the meeting, put up a very smart performance, galloping four farfongis- In 49h. Quikrantine. the two-year-old colt by Treadmill—Fairhaven, has been eased ia his. work, and may not be set any more serious tasks until next season, by which time t# is hoped he will have outgrown the atftaeksof lameness which have troubled him at times. The two-year-old Triemer, by Treadmill— Cbrysefe* win> was sent to Auckland some time ago to be operated on a cure foe roaring, has returned to Rieearton, and is being spelled. All Guns, winner of the Selling Plate at Treutham, ha» been a very consistent performer for the Riccarton trainer W. McDonald for some time past, having wort races on several South Island cotirses during the recent holiday meetings. He won a number of stakes on the West Coast. McDpirald has had a very successful season, though he has no horses of imrtlculaifly good class under his care, but they have all done their share during the last few months towards paying the expenses of the stable. The crack North Island hack sprinter Taft, after running badly ou.ee or twice, opened his winning account in the south on Wednesday by carrying off the Welter Handicap at Tapanui. He is statetl to have won all out by a length., and as the field beiiiml •him was not of very much accouut, the performance did not impress. The double winuer at Tapanui was Russ<\ a five-year-old gelding by Stepaiak—AiteeiK and therefore a close relative of Master AHx. and other good horses. The Kilcheran gelding Kilkenny, which acted as runner-up to Benzowen at Gore* k was sold in November last at the Christchurch sales for Signs. Kilkenny want formerly in R. Mason’s stables, and cost Mr. G. D. Greenwood 140gns as a yearling.