The Turf.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 55, 13 August 1891, Page 6

The Turf.

[by

OLD TURFITE.]

The acceptances for the New Zealand Cup which are now to hand must be considered good, as forty-one out of the original seventyone entries have declared content. This is of not so much importance, but it gives a clue to the intentions of some of the owners. Mr. Gollan has scratched Tirailleur, Sternchaser, and Tiraillerie ; this points to the fact that he anticipates a visit to Australia with the best of his horses. Mr. Stead leaves in Medallion, who at the present time is in Australia. Another good one that has been struck out is The Workman. What his destination may be is hard to know, but at present he is under a cloud, it being reported that he has sprung a curb. Crackshot is none of the soundest. Freedom, it is said, is intended for the, other side. Taking all things into consideration, it is a race that for the present should be left alone, as it may be left to the ragged division to finish. At present Cynisca and Strephon read as well in as anything.

The Clown, by Patriarch —Bay Leaf, by Peter Flat out of Sharkie, by Riddlesworth out of a mare said to be thoroughbred, imported from Sydney, the property of Mr. W. J. Ralph of Auckland, will stand the season in the Huntly district at the moderate charge of £z 2s. per mare. The Clown is well known to most sporting people in the North Island of New Zealand, having won many races during his career on the turf / amongst a few of his performances he won the South Auckland Cup, if miles, and the Handicap, i| miles, carrying 141 b penalty: both these races he won with the greatest of ease. Besides these races he won many others, including three maiden plates, and was also second in two handicaps run at Tauranga, and third in the New Year’s Handicap at Cambridge. Mr. Ralph informs me that he has a beautiful two-year-old filly by him out of Minerva (the dam of that good pony Antic). Jenny Lind (by Gemma di Vergy out of Dora) is expected to foal to him in a few days. The Clown is also the sire of Oaklands—his dam being Reserve, by Traducer—who was the champion hack racer in the Wanganui district last yeai, and it is said that he will make one of the best hurdle horses in New Zealand this season. He had the bad luck to run second on two occasions to such good performers as Ival in the Wellington Hurdle Race (at the same time defeating such sterling horses at Sentinel, Pyramus, Master Agnes, Theorem and others), and Pyramus at Hawkes Bay. beating Waterbury, Darnley and Theorem. Waikato breeders should be pleased to have such a sire at their command, and at such a reasonable fee no doubt his services will be largely availed of.

Tommy Lyford will in all probability ride Sentinel in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase to-day.