TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1046, 24 March 1910, Page 5

TURF TOPICS.

Hoanga and Leo were withdrawn from the Brighton Hurdles, on Tuesday.

On Saturday the A.J.C. St. Leger and Doncaster come up for decision.

Handicaps for the Manawatu meeting are due to appear on the 31st iust.

Weights for the opening day of the Wellington Racing Club’s Autumn meeting will appear on Wednesday next, after the A.R.C., C.J.C., and Feilding meetings.

Goldbird, who won the Hurdles at the Masterton meeting, now belongs to Geo. Delaney, who bought him prior to his victory at Wanganui.

Sir Geo. Clifford nas disposed of Full Sail to an Australian sportsman, and the horse has been sent across to his new home.

Evidently all is not well with Taskmaster, as the son of Treadmill was withdrawn from the Great Autumn Handicap on Wednesday'last.

The Sydney Cup will be run for on Monday.

The star two year old performer on the other side, Beverage, has . won five races in succession.

The New Zealand-bred Nobel, .by Seaton Delaval —Problem, and therefore half brother to the great Solution, is one of the favourites for the Sydney Cup. Nobel is owned by Mr. E. A. Connolly and is a stable-mate of Celerity, also a New Zealander, who won the Oakleigh Plate a few weeks ago.

A Hawke’s Bay writer says: Parable was lucky to win the Woodville Cup, and that with ordinary luck, Woodhey and Sandstream would have finished first and second.

Bjrkdale, who will represent the Hon. J. D. Ormond in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes on Monday, is a half-brother to Sir Tristram.

The fields at Ohinemuri were mostly small, only 80 horses taking part in the 16 races, or just on five horses in each race.

Pefiza, who won the Maiden at Masterton, is by Finland—La Gloria. The latter is a full-sister to Nonette.

Nominations for the Papakura Racing Club’s Annual meeting,, which takes place on the 16th prox, close with the secretary, Mr. F. D. Yonge, to-night Thursday, at his office, Durham Street, East.

Obscurity, who was a turn-up for the pencillers at Napier, was, it is said, lucky to win. Oliver, on King’s Prize, thought he had the field well beaten and steadied his mount, with the result that when Obscurity put in a run, Oliver could not get his mount going again and had to put up with second place.

Polyanthus and Amaru, winners of the first and second races on the opening day at Napier Park are fullsisters both being by the Possible— Violet.

The following crubs will hold race meetings on Monday: Auckland, Canterbury, Wairarapa, Taieri, Beaumont, Patea, Waipukurau, Feilding, Kumara and Riverton.

The Regel horse Regain is doing great work on the tracks at Ellerslie, and he looks a certainty to pick up a stake at the coming meeting. It will be remembered that when well backed at the Spring meeting, this horse failed badly, but when practi cally neglected he won comfortably, and paid a big dividend.

While schooling at Ellerslie on Saturday the Leolantis gelding Leo cut one of his stifles badly.

Of the horses engaged in the Brighton Hurdles nothing is going better than Lady Patricia, but there is a probability of her starting in one of the flat races instead of the hurdles.

At the final payments in connection with the Easter Handicap on Friday last Master Soult dropped out. This did not come as a surprise as the son of Soult had only registered a couple of gallops and he does not walk away too sound after working.

Some surprise was expressed at Lady Medallist being allowed to drop out of the Easter Handicap. This well-performed mare was exceptionally well treated and it looked a certainty that she would make the trip.

A mare doing good work at Ellerslie and one who looks like scoring very shortly is Lady Betty.

The Explosion gelding Explosive, who ran second in the Maiden Hurdles at Takapuna easily annexed the Ohinemuri Cup, leaving the mile and aquarter behind in 2.9, a good go if the time is correct. Explosive also won the big handicap on the second day.

At the coming A.R.C. meeting the Great Northern Champagne Stakes will be decided on the second, day, and not on the opening day as in previous years.

Sabre, in R. Hall’s, stable, accounted for two hurdle races at Ohinemuri. Necktie, another of Hall’s string, was so successful.

The disappointing Waiotahi credited P. Jones with a . win at . Ohinemuri and. now that the chestnut has finished in front it is, to be hoped that he will not let it stop at that.

Mr- Montgomery, who recently purchased Nelius in the South and placed him in C.. Coleman’s charge, did not 'have long to wait for a return, as at the first time of asking the horse won the Komata Hack Handicap at Ohinemuri.

Taka, a winner at Helensville, is only a pony, by Takapuna, but possesses a fair amount of pace. Taka won the Cup at the Polo Club’s sports at Alexandra Park last season.

Pukenui, who went amiss at the last C.J.C. Grand National meeting, was amongst the competitors at Helensville, but he gave a poor showing and finished last.

Tarina and Miss Advance were brought back from the South by P. McLaughlin on Thursday last.

On account of Friday being a close holiday, horse owners should note that nominations for the Avondale Jockey Club’s autumn meeting close with the secretary, Mr. H. H. Hayr, to-night (Thursday) at 9 p.m.

The St. Paul gelding Sir Prize has been turned out, and will be given a lengthy spell.

Horses to incur penalties for engagements at Ellerslie are: Easter Handicap, Clemora 31b; Tramway Handicap, Waiata 51b.

Parawai was well supported for the events he contested at Ohinemuri, but he let his supporters down badly each time. Although he ran second on the opening day his supporters lost money.

S. Morrow has Lady Betty looking very well just now, and this mare will be hard to beat when the company is not too strong.

Birkdale, who won both two-year-old races at Napier Park, is another of the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s string. Birkdale claims an engagement in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, and it looks as though there will be a good contest, especially if King Soult is himself again.

At Ohinemuri on Thursday the Karangahake Handicap resulted in a walk-over for Hyperion, who, of course, was the only starter. Last month Mahinga had a walk-over at Alexandra Park in a pony race.

Flying Cloud, who was brought up from the South recently by J. Chaafe, succeeded in scoring a win in the Jumpers’ Flat Race at Ohinemuri, but the opposition was of very poor quality, and there was very little in the performance.

Te Arai is going along all right, and is negotiating the big steeplechase fences in a bold manner just now.

Ngapuka was responsible for a sterling gallop the other morning, when the son of Soult never gave Waiari a look-in.

Devonport is stated to be doing all that is asked of him at Takapuna. Last year he ran fourth in the Easter Handicap, but perhaps a shorter journey than a mile would suit Mr. Duder’s horse.

Necktie won the St. Patrick’s .Handicap on the opening day at Oninemuri, but a rise of ,81b stopped , the ' little Merischikoff mare oh the ‘ second day, and she succumbed by a head to the improved Sir Rupert.

The Karamu representatives, Woodhey and Birkdale, arrived on Monday. Both horses look well, and should score before the meeting closes.

The promising colt Goldflnder, in company with Reservoir, Auldearn, and Dazzling, arrived at Ellerslie on Monday.

Birkdale, who won at Napier with 7.13 and 8.12 in the saddle, has only 7.3 to carry in the Ellerslie Handicap on Saturday.

A. Whittaker added four wins to his total at Ohinemuri, Brady three, Buchanan two, McMillan two, Howard two, Greenwood one and Deeble one.

*,* * „ * The withdrawal of Maori King on Monday from the Easter Handicap was a knock to double backers, who backed Mr. Watt’s colt heavily after his victory in the St. Patrick’s Handicap at Napier Park. The pencillers must have received a fair amount of “ dead” money on the Easter.

F. Cress, has severed his connection with Mr. E,. J. Watt’s stable. -

The winning jockeys at the .Napier Park meeting were:—H. Gray (4 wins), F. D. Jones (3), E.,Lowe (2), J. O’Connell (2), A. Oliver, J. Kemp, A. Neale, L. Wilson and F. Hutchinson one each.

Maku has now run himself out of hacks, and will make nis first appearance in open country at Feilding.

The hurdle horses seen out at Napier Park, with one exception, were far below the usual standard. On the first day, only two went to the post, when Polyanthus won easily. Carrying 12.2 on the second day, she again won with ridiculous ease, which made those behind her very ordinary.

It is rather surprising to find clubs retaining hurdle events for hacks on the programmes considering the maner in wnich these are supported, (says a Wellington writer). At Dannevirke there were but'two starters in the Hack Hurdles on the opening day, and three on the second day. At Napier Park only two accepted for.- the Omaranui Hack Hurdles. These events might well be deleted without spoiling the programme.

Two New Zealand-bred stallions, Swordfish 11. and Marunui, are to be sold by auction in Sydney next month.. • • • ♦ '

The New Plymouth sportsman, J. O’Driscoll, will be a. visitor to the Auckland meeting with Waitapu and Pharos.

King Edward has presented the skeleton of Persimmon to the Natural History Museum, South Kensington (London).

The Leolantis gelding Cachuca, owned by Messrs. Ryan and De Groen,. is doing exceptionally good work on the tracks at Rand wick, and there is every hope of his running forward in some of his engagements at the A. J.C. autumn meeting. Provided he is. not sold in the meantime, Cachuca is to be brought back to New Zealand after the gathering.

The stable presided over by J. H. Prosser was strongly represented in events at the recent Masterton meeting, amongst the number from that quarter being Pakau, Millpond, Taitoko, Swimming Belt, Waione, Kina, Lace Collar, and Laius. The only one to score out of the eight starters was Waione, who won the Ladies’ Bracelet and paid a small dividend. Supporters of the beach stable experienced a bad run of luck at the meeting.

. Mr. Spencer H. Gollan, the wellknown New Zealand sportsman, who now spends most of his time in-; theOld Country, returned to the Dominion by the R.M.S. Mongolia. By the same steamer outward bound Mr. T. H. Lowry,- of., Hawke’s Bay, left, for Sydney to witness-the running of his horses, BobriXoily and Downfall, at the Australian, Jockey Club’s Autumn meeting.

The fact of Bobrikoff winning the Rawson Stakes would tend to show /that the black son of Finland —Gossip, has gone on the right way since his arrival on the other side. The cable states that the New Zealander had to be ridden right out to win by a length from Hoax, the time for the mile anil a furlong being 1.53, or only three? -quarters of a second outside the Australian record held by Perkeo. ♦ * • • ../"> 7-?•; Two New Zealand-bred horses in Azurine (Seaton Jj'elaval—Real Blue) and Ellis (Hotchkiss —Edith Cureton) won races at the Kalgoorlie meeting, West Australia, recently. The Victoria Racing Club has decided to increase the added money to the Melbourne Cup by £l,OOO to a total of £6,000, and altogether to increase the stakes for next season’s events by a total sum of £4,000. In discussing next year’s English Derby prospects, a writer in a London exchange remarks that a lot of people say and affect to believe that Neil Gow will turn out a non-stayer, but what are their grounds? All the races he won last year he won at the finish, not at the, start, and his last race for. ’the Imperial Producq Plate at Kempton Park was perhaps one of the most extraordinary ever seen. If Neil Gow had not been a marvellous two-year-old that day he would never have given away the weight and start he did to Sunningdale. If only the start he conceded could be accurately computed it would be found to be next to an impossibility for any horse to accomplish, and in doing it he perhaps did one of the greatest two-year-old performances of all time. * * * * In addition to Cambrian the following horses were shipped to Australia by the Maheno to the West Australian sportsman Mr. Musk:—Hara, 4 yrs, by Soult—Miss Nelson; bay filly, 3yrs, by Soult—Miss Nelson; bay filly, 4yrs, by Menschikoff—Apparition; bay colt, Cuiraslmon, 3 yrs, by Cuirassier—Miss Simon; bay filly, 2 yrs, by Obligado—Miss Simon; bay mare, Quadroon, syrs, by Menschikoff—The Slave, in foal to Monoform; bay filly yearling, Novelstone, by Gladstone—Novelette; bay filly yearling, by Soult —Curacoa; chestnut pony mare Flower Fire, by Firearm—Heather. By the same steamer Mr. George Robinson, of Greenlane, forwarded 16 specially selected Clydesdale colts and fillies. '*» ♦ . * Cronstadt, the full-brother to All Red, won the Waimate Cup, run on Thursday last. Rose Noble and Lovelorn filled the places. Cronstadt’s win will necessitate his putting up a penalty for the Great Easter Handicap. Full Sail was shipped by the Moeraki at Lyttelton on Friday, en route for Melbourne. Owners are reminded that acceptances, for the first day’s events at the Wairarapa Racing Club’s meeting close to-morrow. C. Jenkins will ride Kilindini in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton on Monday next. Jenkinstown, winner of the Liverpool Grand National, has previously completed the course in this event, but has never occupied a place. Jerry M., who ran second, was engaged in last year’s event, but as soon as the weights were published, his owner expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment which his horse had received, and in consequence, scratched him. • • • * At the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting, which opens on Saturday, Bobrikoff will probably be seen out in the Autumn Stakes, of lOOOsovs, one mile and a half. With Alawa amiss and the crack three-year-olds Prince Foote and Malt King in the St. Leger, Bobrikoff will receive strongest opposition from Tarfalgar, Maltine and Pendil. • • • • F. Davis has arrived at Ellerslie with Mr. T. H. Lowry’s team, comprising Ambala, Virtue, War Song and Reformist. • . * • * The three-year-old Royal Scotland, who was recently purchased in Auckland from Mr. H. R. McKenzie, on behalf of an Indian sportsman, was shipped to Sydney on Monday by the s.s. Wimmera. The same steamer also conveyed a number of youngsters shipped by the Hon. J. D. Ormond. * ' ' • • • , The attention of horseowners Is called to the programme for the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Winter meting,, which will be found in this issue.