TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1075, 13 October 1910, Page 5

TURF TOPICS.

Weights for the C.J.C. Stewards Handicap appear on Monday.

Wellington Racing Club’s meeting opens on Wednesday next, and concludes the Following Saturday.

General entry day for the Auckland Racing Club’s Spring meeting tomorrow.

Formeden and Vice-Admiral were withdrawn from the New Zealand Cup , 12.25 p.m. on Monday.

A cable informs us that the Ausralian lad, Frank Wootton, has ridlen his hundreth winner this season, and is now well in front of D. Maher. With George Gray causing a revolution in the billiard world, and Frank Wootton beating the riding profession in the list of winning horsemen, Australia is receiving a cheap advertisement.

Nominations for the Waihi Hack Racing Club’s meeting close this (Thursday) evening with the secretary of the Club, Mr. J. S- Ritchie. * Hi # *

During the running of the Mangapapa Hack Hurdles at Hawke’s Bay, Pikapo broke a leg and had to be destroyed.

The spring meeting of the Otahuhu Trotting Club is fixed to take place on November 16 and 19, and judging from the programme, which appears in another column, the response from owners when nominations fall due should be well up to the average. During the two days the amount to be won in stake money is £7B 0, and of this the Spring Handicap (saddle) will carry 75sovs., and the Suburban Handicap (harness) 65sovs. There are two races for ponies, the Tramway Handicap (six and a-half furlongs) and the Flying Stakes (four, furlongs), each being worth 40sovs. As announced in the advertisement, nominations close with the secretary, Mr. F. D. Yonge, on October 28.

The Aucklander, Master Soult, made a bold bid for victory in the Craven Plate at Randwick on the third day of the A.J.C. meeting, but he had to strike his colours to the Metal horse Parsee. As the mile and a-quarter was cast behind in 2.7 1 4 there is evidence that there was no loitering on the journey.

A Wellington writer, “Glencoe,”, stated that on Wednesday morning last Provocation made a hack of Tribulation in a gallop over six furlongs and had 50 yards to spare at the finish. As Tribulation won the Hack Handicap at Hawke’s Bay with 9.7 in the saddle, and left the six furlongs behind in just over 1.15, and on the following day won the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, Provocation must be galloping exceptionally well.

Now that the trotting season is almost upon us, let us hope that the stewards will exercise their powers when occasions warrant it. There is one item which calls for a little more attention, and this is the very common occurrence of gear breaking, or becoming undone during a race and necessitating horses being pulled up. Meeting after meeting at Alexandra Park one sees horses trotting two, three and sometimes four rounds of the track before they are required to line up ready to start. In these preliminary rounds everything goes well, but what happens in the race itself? Hardly has the field gone half a mile before one of the competitors (generally a favourite) is pulled up much to the chagrin of backers. On returning to the paddock the explanation “gear broke” is put forth and accepted. Of course this kind of thing does not occur in each and every event, but nevertheless it is an occurrence getting all too common and it is certainly time something was done to effect a , ’emedy. <■ u .

Acceptances for the A.R.C. City Handicap fall due to-morrow at 9 p.m.

Nominations for the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s Spring meeting close on Saturday next.

The Auckland owned Poictiers was sent out second favourite in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas but he cut a poor figure and made no showing at all. On this form it would appear that there is more likelihood of Poictiers being seen out at Ellerslie next month than Riccarton.

Trainer (F. Porter, who recently shifted to Wellington to prepare those horses owned by Mr. Whitney was not long in landing a winner for his patron, as Whatakura, an inmate of the stable, scored in the Pakawhai Hurdles at Hawke’s Bay.

Bootle, who made short work of the youngsters opposed to him on the second day at Hawke’s Bay is said to be exceptionally smart and this son of Birkenhead’s is expected to be extremely hard to beat in short sprints.

Pierere, winner of the Hastings Stakes, was purchased by Mr. G. D. Greenwood at the annual sale of Kaikanae yearlings for 400 guineas.

North East is said to be working the reverse way round and this would point to the chestnut being sent to Auckland to compete at the A.R.C. Spring meeting.

Respect who won the Gimcrank Stakes at Randwick is the property of Mr. Dan O’Brien, and is a young sister to Multifid, being by Multiform —Heriot. The success of the New Zealand bred filly is a pleasing item to Dominionites.

Antoinette claims engagements at Wellington, and as the daughter of Soult is getting through the tasks apportioned her 'by E. J. Rae she may be sent South.

Omati pulled up lame after exercising one morning last week

The performances of War Song since the opening of his three-year-old career would not make Mr. Lowry’s horse out to be anything above a hack. Of course it is very early yet to come to a definite conclusion, but he will want to improve out of all knowledge before he can hope to beat the best of cur three-year-olds at even weights.

The totalisator investments at the Marlborough meeting showed an increase of £437.

After running into a place on several occasions, the jumper Woolloomooloo managed to finish in front in the Second Hurdle Handicap at the A.J.C. meeting.

The Caulfield Cup comes up for decision on Saturday next.

Mr. G- Hunter’s black mare Bliss made short work of the opposition in both the King Edward and Flying Handicaps on the opening day at Hawke’s Bay. In both events the daughter of Stepniak had matters all her own way and beat her field pointless.

Sir Geo. Clifford’s pair, Husbandman and Taskmaster, are both progressing favourably at Riccarton. Up to the present! Taskmaster is not showing any signs of the lameness which troubled him last February.

Master Soult will be amongst the runners in the Caulfield Cup this afternoon, in which race the Aucklander will have top weight to carry, 9-1. His second to Parsee in the Craven Plate suggests that the son of Soult is well off on the score of condition, and, this being the case, we may look for a big effort from him. A win for Master Soult in the Caulfield Cup would be hailed with delight by the number of friends of his owners and the many admirers of the Auckland .champion. . .Deeley will ...5? - - - ■

Herb. Price, the well-known mercer and tailor, 54 Willis-street, Wellington, intends giving two more 18ct. gold chronometers to the most successful jockeys over the fences and on the flat for the season 1910-11.

The Gold Reef mare Gold Lace made a bold bid for victory in the Toorak Handicap at the V.A.T.Cmeeting on Saturday, but the New Zealander had to strike her colours to the lightly-weighted Sequarious. As Gold Lace carried 9.7., the honours of the race are with her.

The annual race meeting of the Ngaruawahia Racing Club takes place at the club’s course on Saturday next, and as this is one of the favourite “ country” meetings with enthusiasts, the club should be favoured with a good attendance. An attractive programme of eight events is provided, and as Mr. F. W. Edwards’ adjustments have drawn good acceptances, an enjoyable outing appears a certainty. A train wil leave Auckland for Ngaruawahia at 7.55 a.m., returning after the last race.

Charles Cressy, a Hull bookmaker, was surprised the other day when a burly “ woman” took him by the arm and remarked that he was in custody. The “ woman” turned out to be a constable, who told the court that he had to adopt the disguise in order to approach the prisoner. A fine of £lO and costs was imposed, with the alternative of two months’ imprisonment.

The success of Artillerie in the Caulfield Stakes is doubly gratifying to New Zealanders when one considers the ill-fortune which has attended horses from this side now in Australia. The daughter of Royal Artillery won the event last year, and as a result she was sent out favourite for the Caulfield Cup, but finished in the ruck. Her success on Saturday is sure to bring her into the betting for the big race at Caulfield on Saturday, and with 7.13 to carry she may prove the Dominion’s best representative.