Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 207, 12 July 1894, Page 7

Turf Topics.

By

Reviewer.

Sydney people say Donizetti has one chance in the Melbourne Cup -Buckley’s. Sharp, the Southern jockey who rode Adamant to victory in the Dunedin Cup, has been engaged by Mr Reany, of Gisborne. I notice Mr D. A. McLeod has nominated Osculator (by Hotchkiss—Punga were were) for the V.R.C. Derby. Busaco, Mikado 11., or Daimio should repay a backer’s attention in next Saturday’s V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase. George Wright will stay in Australia and train Three Star for the Melbourne Cup. This looks like business. Port Admiral’s owner is said to be disgusted with his animal’s Melbourne Cup weight, and it is on the card that he may scratch him. Mostyn has earned 31b extra in the Melbourne Cup for his South Australian victories. His weight in the big Flemington handicap is now 7.6. The Hon. D. S. Wallace had the bad luck recently to lose a brood mare named Damsel, by Gloucester by Debris, who was in foal to Carbine. The wound in Morag’s leg, which reopened during the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, is greatly improved, and all going well the horse will start in the Christchurch Grand National Steeplechase. Corangamite holds the position of favourite for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase to be run at Flemington next Saturday. His price is 5 to 1. In one of the Wellington Park paddocks, Lady Walmsley, the full-sister to the great Carbine, is heavy in foal to Castor. The result of that union should be worth something. Linburn’s scratching for the Caulfield Cup was due to lameness. Hova, the Newmarket winner, who is under a cloud, has also been struck out of the race. To take two long shots for the Melbourne Cup and the New Zealand Cup I would select Havoc for the Victorian event and Casket for our own Cup. I see by the Bulletin that Hova was written out by nearly every bookmaker in Melbourne straight out for the Caulfield Cup, so the pencillers have doubtless scored heavily by his scratching. According to the Sydney representative of the Sportsman, I oyalty is the best “ Sydney ” horse in the Melbourne Cup. He is also the first pick of the same writer for the Caulfield Cup. The Chief Justice of Western Australia has upset the disqualification of nine months placed on Carbine’s (not the great) owner, by a W.A. Club, on the ground that he was not allowed to give evidence when before the committee. Once again the Totalisator Bill has been rejected by the Victorian Parliament. On the 6th inst. the second reading of the measure was negatived by 28 votes to 16. But it’s only a matter of time for the Bill to pass. Par. from the Melbourne Sportsman “ Wright and his friends feel badly over Acone in the Flying Handicap. They backed the gelding for pounds, shillings and pence.” But they had a more than fair win over him in the Canterbury Stakes. I saw the Tasman—Rubina colt which Mr Kidd bought at the last Wellington Park Sale at Frank Macmanemin’s establishment last week. St. Clements’ trainer has put a fine appearance on the youngster, who ought to show fine galloping when worked in earnest. If as good as his relation Florrie he will soon pay his way. The silver cup presented by Mrs E. C. J. Stevens, which accompanied the prize of 25 sovs offered by the Lancaster Park Trotting Association for any horse breaking the world’s record under American conditions for any distance was won by Specification. He was given a flying start and after breaking once or twice lowered the world’s record by 5| seconds. -

The Napier people lost heavily by backi&SCouranto for the V.R.C. Grand National. Wakawatea, who I stated last week was ih tlje market, has been withdrawn from sale. ita*. Mr E. D. O’Rorke’s gelding by Cocksure has found its way to Christchurch. The stallion, Tasman, has been leased to Mr. . Marshall for service in the Waikato. Taranaki people fancy Swordbearer for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Wanganui backers are declaring for Rosefeldt t. and Merganser for the New Zealand Cup. Samoa has been sold to Mr A. H. Barron, the J owner of Hukatere. The Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club made a profit of over their Winter meeting. Kopere has been bought by Mr B. Denehey, the owner of Somnambulist. Mitrailleuse’s filly by the Melbourne Cup winner, Mentor, has been named Akarini. The man who purchased Quadrant is Mr H. Garratt. The last number of the Canterbury limes to hand states that there is absolutely no betting over the N.Z. Cup in Christchurch. Major Mair’s Beanstalk is in the market. Particulars respecting him may be obtained at this office. Mr D. A. McLeod's Hotchkiss—Pungawerawera colt Osculator will accompany George Wright when he goes to Australia next week. The sum of ,£1,846 was put through the totalisator at the Gisborne Park Steeplechase Club’s meeting. W. H. Keith is getting a team together for the purpose of making a descent on Australia. He has been trying to buy Waiuku. The weights for the New Zealand Grand National Meeting will be found in another column. It is said that Morag cost his present owners a little undergo. At that figure he was a decided bargain. Skirmisher is said to be a trifle on the big side, and in tip-top health and full of life. • He should be ready for racing in the very early spring. “ Mazeppa,” of the Witness, declares that the best four in the New Zealand Cup are Au Revoir, Skirmisher, Pegasus, and Pompom. George Wright laughs at the rumour that he has been appointed head man at St. Albans. He is, however, booked for a twelve months’ stay on the Australian side. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s representative at the Racing Conference will be Sil George Clifford. By the way, when is the date of the Conference going to be fixed ? “ Borderer’s ” review of the New Zealand Grand National weights will not appear until next week’s Review owing to want of space. The completion of his Melbourne Cup article has also been crowded out, but will appear next week. The Hotchkiss—Rose of Wellington colt which was bought by Mr A. Hooke, Jeweller’s o wner, at the last Wellington Park sale has been placed in J. Monaghan’s hands. The name of True Blue has been given to the youngster. “ George Wright ought to re-christen Acone ‘ Pride ’ —because he ‘ came before a fall! ’ If he hadn’t ‘ come ’ before that fall in the Park Stakes last week he would not have landed the little Scotchman that lovely) £1, 800.” (From Sydney Truth.) The United Hunt Club stewardshave considered the Timothy case, with the result that the trainer of the animal, Kenneth McKenzie, has been disqualified for six months, and the jockey, Gravestock, and the horse have been placed under a similar ban for three months. “Mr Henry,” the owner, has been completely exonerated. Mr J. B. Reid has informed a representative of the Canterbury Times that he considers Skirmisher has been so well treated in the Caulfield Cup that unless he fancies the colt’s prospects for the New Zealand Cup very highly, he will send Vanguard’s son to Melbourne in the spring. “ Borderer’s”,expressed opinion that, top weight and all, Portsea cannot be far out in the Melbourne Cup, receives strong support from a far from insignificant Australian turf writer. All the other tipsters in N.Z. dont give Portsea a chance. “ Cranbrook ” of the Melbourne Sportsman unhesitatingly declares however that Portsea is one of the best four horses in the race. “ Cranbrook ” of the Melbourne Sportsmen is early in the field placing them 1,2, 3, for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups. In the big Flemington handicap he tips Sternchaser to win, and takes Ronda, Nobleman and Portsea, as the next best. In the Caulfield Cup he takes Lord Randolph to win, and considers the next best three, are Birinji, Launceston, anp Amadeus. The third volume of the “New Zealand Centaur ” is in the printer’s hands and will be published early in August. It contains a quantity of interesting racing matter in the shape of the performances of all the leading racers in New Zealand arid Australia, and as it contains all the pedigrees, performances, and weights of the competitors for the New Zealand Cup, punters should appreciate the small price at which this handy little volume is published. From “Mazeppa’s” notes in the Witness I . gather that the retrenchment effected by the Dunedin Jockey Club’s special committee amounts to about a year. My Sydney James’ salary is reduced to 200, and the handicapper, Mr Dowse, will in future receive j£zio. The many valuable services rendered by these officers were freely acknowledged by the members of the committee, and regret was expressed that necessity compelled a reduction of their salaries. The Sydney double shops have once again, writes the Bulletin, scored a clever victory over the authorities. After the conviction last week ot one of their number who was prescribed a month’s hard, others who had been summoned, hastily got their cases adjourned for three days. In the interim—well, the informer—who happened to be the same in-each information, fell ill, or something, anyhow he didn’t turn up when wanted, and so the prosecution went by the board. \ - E. Roden who went to Sydney last spring as private trainer to Mr Hungerford is back at Christchurch on a holiday. He has informed “ Castor ” that if New Zealand horses do not win immediately on going to Australia, there is no chance of their proving victorious until they become thoroughly acclimatised. For the first few months his horses did well in point of health, and Whakawatea was quite at his best just at the time he ran in the Newmarket Handicap. Then, however, he com- v menced to go off, and although looking well enough, seemed to have lost his dash.

National- Steeplechase at FlemSeturday next. and Norton have returned to New The New Zealand jockey, Beale, who went to f the other side with Ultimatium, is coming back. The Dunedin Jockey Club will be represented at the racing conference by the Hon. G. McLean. Southern papers state that the report of Mr. S. H. Gollan having purchased Norton is premature. Busaco or Daimio are worth backing for the V.R.C Grand National Steeplechase to be run on Saturday next. Bluefire was top of the winning horses of 189394 with £2087 3s, and White Rose was at the bottom with £l9. With the aid of nineteen wins St. George sired • stock that won /403 S 7s- during 1893-94. St. Leger with seventeen wins was only £O9O odd / pounds below him. In future the cost of the New JZealand Turf Register, which will be published in the first week of next month will be 10/6. Hitherto the Register has not returned to its publishers the cost of production. The Stewards at Warwick Farm requested the pleasure of a few moments conversation with Geo. Wright re The Dancer’s running in the Saxonia Handicap, but the Ellerslie trainer’s statement was quite satisfactory, and he came through theordeal with flying colours. During the racing season of 1893-94 totalisator dividends of and upwards were paid on 51 ‘ occasions. The highest dividend declared was. 'ZI62, which was paid on Waimarama in the Christmas Handicap at the Annual Meeting of; the Porangahau Racing Club. > The Canterbury Jockey Club heads the different. Metropolitan Clubs in the amount of totalisat orrevenue for the season 1893-94. The C.J.C. revenue amounted to The Auckland* Racing Club comes next with /"59,266, and third: place is taken by the Dunedin Jockey Club with; £51,943- - In the racing stastics for 1893-94 compiled by “Pentagraph,” a table is given showing the favour- . ites and the winners of all the principal New Zealand races. It may be interesting to those who follow the system of backing the favourite that out of the 67 races given in the table, the favour- , ites only scored on 22 occasions. George Wright has decided to give New Zealand a spell for twelve months, and he will try his fortune on the Australian turf for that period,. -Gallagher has been left in chaage of Three Star and Co., and when Wright returns to the other side'next week he will take other members of his Ellerslie string with him. Stanmoor will be one of the number, and so will the great St. Hippo, who may be expected to represent us right worthily when he gets fairly back to racing form. Three Star may how be reckoned a certain starter for the Melbourne Cup, in which case of course he will not contest the New Zealand Cup.