TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1084, 15 December 1910, Page 5

TURF TOPICS.

A final payment of 12 sovs. in connection with the Auckland Cup falls due to-morrow (Friday).

Acceptances for all events to toe decided on the opening day at Ellerslie, together with the final payments for the Cup, Derby, Foal Stakes, and Royal Stakes, close to-morrow evening at 9 p.m., with the secretary of the A.R.C.

Acceptances for the Manawatu Summer Meeting close to-morrow night.

C. Brown has been engaged to ride John in the Cup. This horse has many friends, as he is considered a good stayer.

Weights for the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting are due to appear to-morrow.

Waidtahi is getting through some useful work, and this mare should be doing her trainer, P. Jones, another turn before long. She will be a runner in the Thames Cup.

Spectre was given a turn over the hurdles the other morning, but though he jumped well, he was very slow, and would want to be a good deal quicker to have a chance of winning a hurdle race.

Lady Frances will do battle for K. Heaton at the A.R.C; gathering. The mare is being sent over seven furlongs and a mile in the morning, and as she appears well treated in the Trial Handicap, she may run well.

Black Northern gave a fine display of schooling one morning during the week. The son of Salvadan is also galloping well, and he may make amends for his failures at Takapuna before the A.R.C. meeting is through.

Prophet, as usual, is putting up some fast times on the track, and this useful hurdler can be looked upon as a certain . starter in the Cup. He made short work of Manapouri in a gallop over nine furlongs on Tuesday.

Turbine, who has been having an easy time at his owner’s place since the Takapuna meeting, is back in F. MOManemin’s stable at Ellerslie. The Railway Handicap candidate looks well, but seems to be going out of favour, the reason for which is hard to understand.

Omati was in the sale ring on Friday, but as only a modest “tenner” was bid for him, he did not change hands.

Judging by the amount of work being slipped into North Head, it should not be long before he sports silk. On Tuesday morning he covered three rounds (27 furlongs) at a good solid pace.

Togoshushima is negotiating the big country at Ellerslie in good style, and the cream gelding hsould have no difficulty with the fences at the Thames on Boxing Day.

J. Conquest piloted both Red Lupin and Contralto to victory at Waitara last week.

Master Theory may be worth watching at Ellerslie. This son of Soult disposed of Goldfinder in a gallop over a round outside the trestles on Tuesday, the distance being covered in 2.4 4-5, the fastest round of the morning.

The unlucky Solus may be sent to Taranaki to compete at Xmas. Although Solus scored in the Malden at the Avondale Spring Meeting, another win would not be out of its turn.

Rutter, who won a race at Te Awainutu, is trained by T. Williams, at Ellerslie.

Seatoriella is a pony getting through good toil, fit Ellerslie, and there will be a few disappointed backers should this little one fail to run prominently at Alexandra Park.

R. E. (“Nuki”) Brown will journey to the Thames and ride Jena in the Cup, in which event the mare is expected to run well.

The probable starters and riders in the Auckland Cup are:—Diabolo (R. Hatch), Bridge (<H. Gray), Kopu (E. O’Brien), Sedition (A. Julian), Advocate (B. Deeley), John (C. Brown), Paisano (J. Buchanan), Sir Prize (Coleman), Waimangu (Conquest), Goldfinder (C. Einmerson), Prophet ( ). Manapouri and Dunborve are regarded as unlikely starters.

Of the 16 horses engaged in the Railway Handicap, only three, viz., Kakama, Tamainupo, and Turbine, are at present at Ellerslie.

It is stated that the connections of Sedition have coupled the son of Soult with Theodore in the Railway to win a good stake.

Swagsman is not going too well just now, and it would appear as though the half-brother to Solution, had seen his best day.

After taking particular notice of Advocate during the past couple of weeks, I have no hesitation in writing him out of the Cup, and I shall be very much surprised if he runs as well as he did last year.

The G.N. Derby winner, Kilwinning, has rejoined the active brigade at Riccarton.

War Song, who was sold by Mr. T. H. Lowry after the N.Z. Cup meeting, was not long in doing his new owner a turn, as he won the Flying Handicap last week at Woodville.

A two-year-old full brother to Waipuna, the property of Mr J. Muir, has gone into W. Gall’s stable at Ellerslie.

The Aucklander, Rauparaha, started favourite for the Woodville Handicap, which event he won last week, when ridden by H. Gray.

The parties connected with Lady Moatoa had a good win when she won at Woodville. The trainer had nearly two score invested on her, and she paid considerably over what is known as the limit.

Culprit, the crack two-year-old in the South, is to come to Auckland for the Great Northern Foal Stakes.

Mr G. D. Greenwood will have Danube, Peirene, Miss Mischief, Perle d’Or, and Orton or Lady Reina to battle for him at Ellerslie.

W. Mobberley has an addition to his string in the shape of a five-year-old half sister to Irish, by Euroclydon.

Provocation was withdrawn from all engagements at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting, at 12.30 p.m. on Saturday.

Sir Geo. Clifford’s team at Ellerslie will comprise Sharpshooter, Continuance, Tenterhook, and True Knight.

*.♦ * * Lbs Angelos is being restricted to walking exercise.

It is reported that Mr William Brown, owner of Prince Foote, has leased most of his horses, including six to the Ballarat trainer J. Scobie.

Victor Cotton has accepted a situation as private trainer to the wellknown sportsman “Mr H. Whitney,” and this week takes charge of the team, which consists of Whakakura, Mediterranean, Odessa, and Turna.

Mr. Sol. Green has been advised that the mare Salamina, In foal to Isinglass, has been purchased in England on his behalf for 920 guineas.

H. Gray is now at the head of the list of winning horsemen in New Zealand.

W. Mobberley has had his team strengthened by the addition of a five-year-old mare out of Asthore.

R. Hall is now training the" pony Mistime.

Pretty Polly’s three-year-old brother Admiral Hawke has been sold to the Brunswick Government stud, Hanover, for 650 guineas.

A patron of F. Higgott’s stables has purchased Aimwell. The Soult horse is being given a spell at the Hutt, preparatory to being put into work again.

The Victorian horseman, “BroWnie” Carslake, rode 72 winners in Austria during the past season. He is enjoying a holiday in Australia at present, but returns to ride for Baron Stringer at a retrainer of £2OOO a year.

Buff Gauntlet who was amongst the winners at the Maniototo meeting, is the first of the defunct Red Gauntlet’s stock to score, and is only half fit at present, so that a future seems in store for him.

After a short spell Ingoda, who ran disappointingly .at the New Zealand Cup meeting, is in work again.

The New Zealand-bred chestnut gelding Cachuca (Leolantis —Castanet) has changed hands again in Australia, Mr. J. F. Barton getting him for 16% guineas.

“London Truth” does not love advertising “tipsters.” The following paragraph is taken from a recent number of that journal:—“The famous tipster Pizzy was in his finest form at Newmarket last week. Here are the telegrams which he sent out from day to day: ‘Sherboro, extra special; Miss Keen, extra special; Killin, extra special, well tried, will win; Red Star, extra special; also Privation, considered certainty. Help yourself to-day.’ My sporting readers will not need to be told that all these animals figured among the ‘also rans-’ Immediately before this Pizzy had given five similar predictions, so that he secured altogether a sequence of a dozen beaten and uplaced horses. Not everybody could do that. The odds are that if you or I attempted the feat we should blunder upon at least one winner, but it seems quite easy to this gifted prophet.”

As a result of the situation arising out of the passing of the Public Holidays Act, the Thames Jockey Club will hold the summer meeting on December 27 and 28, instead of opening the meeting on the Monday.

In consequence of the passing of the Public Holidays Act, matters in connection with the holding of race meetings have been in a decidedly unsettled state. Christmas Day, which this year falls on Sunday, will now be observed on Monday, and as the law now stands no liquor will be sold on that day. At a meeting of the committee of the Auckland Racing Club, held on Tuesday, it was decided to hold the meeting on the dates originally fixed, viz., December 26 and 29 and January 2 and 3, provided the trains are running as usual on the 26th, and that the Minister for Internal Affairs issues a totalisator permit for that day. It is understood that the principal reasons which actuated the committee in deciding to adhere to the 26th were that it was the date originally fixed, and the committee had no desire that the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting should clash with the Trotting Club’s meeting, which has been fixed for the 27th. It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in getting the permit from the Minister for Internal Affairs for the 26th, and it understood that if the races are held at Ellerslie on that day the race trains will be run as usual.

The Indralema, which has arrived at Freemantle from New York, brings 50. American , racehorses and trotters for Melbourne.

The Auckland Metropolitan , Committee issued an importance' notice bearing bn disqualification fdr taking part at unregistered meetings. Those who wish to get' disqualifications removed must send in their applications to the secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, giving full particulars and enclosing a deposit of £1 for each person or horse, on or before the 31st inst., otherwise the applications will not be entertained.

The mere fact of a jockey shortening his leathers until his knees are up level with a horse’s withers does not make him a capable exponent of the forward seat, but oftener suggests that he is merely balancing himself by means of his mount’s mouth. A prominent English scribe in dealing with the reason why the American style succeeds so well in some cases and not in others says;—“The real trouble is that boys are not made into horsemen, in the old style, as a preliminary to their learning this special method of jockeyship- Maher and Wootton are both Of them perfect horsemen, put them, where you will, over a country, hurdles, or what you like. Young boys, however, who begin crouching before they can really ride and handle a horse are in the same position as would be a sculling aspirant if you put him in a racing shell with sculls wired down in the rowlocks, and expected him to scull before he had ever had any preliminary coaching in a tub or half out-rig-ged boat. To scull or row, a man must first learn to be a waterman, just as a jockey should first learn to be a horseman.”

A meeting of the Metropolitan Committee was held on Tuesday night, the Hon. E. Mitchelson presiding. The following licenses were granted:—Trainers: J. I. N. Mackenzie, M. McKinnon, C. J. Wyatt, E. Hillary. Jockeys: K. Campbell, G. Keenan, Percy Moore, Hy. Mitten, E. Hendrey, J. I. N. Mackenzie, J. W. Jennings, Jos. Williams. The following programmes were passed: — Maamata Racing Club, January 19; Bay of Plenty Jockey Club, January 30; Opotiki Jockey Club, February 15; South Auckland Racing Club, February 24 and 25. It was agreed to recommend the conference to allow the Thames Jockey Club to change their dates frbm December 26 and 27 to December 27 and 28. The Papakura Racing Club was granted permission to race on January 21 and the Te Puke Jockey Club on January 26. The Huntly Racing Club’s programme for January 21 was passed, hety to be allowed to was passed, they to be allowed to they so desire.

The A.R.C. Committee met subsequently, when the following transfers were passed:—From J. B. Reid: To D. O’Brien, bay filly, lyr, by Boniform —Cyre; H. Friedlander, brown colt, lyr, by Charlemagne II. —Nautiloid;' G. D. Greenwood, bay colt, lyr, by Charlemagne ll.—Annabelle; G. D. Greenwood, bay filly, lyr, by Charlemagne ll.—" Portia; W. G. and G. L. Stead, bay colt, lyr, by Charlemagne II- —Ena; J. T. Mcßride, bay colt, lyr, by St. Ambrose —Angele; D. Rutherford, bay or brown colt, lyr, by Charlemagne H. —Seashell; L. C. Hazlett, bay or brown filly, lyr, by Charlemagne II. —St. Regis; Mr Highden, brown filly, lyr, by Charlemagne II. —Watershoot; Fred. E. Davis, chestnut colt, by St. Ambrose—Decoy; John Buckley, bay colt, lyr, by Charlemagne IT. —Janet; A. Macfarlane, bay colt, lyr, by Charlemagne II. —Castellina. From Sir George McLean: To James Smith, bay colt, lyr, by Sarto—Komuri; A. Macfarlane, bay colt, lyr, by Sarto — Ventoso; C. G. Dalgety, bay colt, lyr, by Sarto —Tourmaline; D. Rutherford, brown colt, lyr, by Sarto—Brisa. From J. F. Reid: To Hugh Friedlander, black filly, lyr, by Stepniak —Miss Dalrymple; G. P. Donnelly, black colt, lyr, by Stepniak—Madder; C-. M. Aynsley, chestnut filly, lyr, by St. Ambrose—Rosella; Alex. Boyle, chestnut filly, lyr, by Stepniak—Belle ■Clair. From J. B. Reid to H. Gainsford, brown filly, lyr, by St. Ambrose —Happy Valley. From J. F. Buchanan to Mr Highden, brown filly, lyr, by Martian —Cuiralba. From F. Waller to H. Sydney bay gelding Michaeloff, aged.

News from Wellington is to the effect that Diabolo. is striding along in the best style on the Porirua tracks and there seems every likelihood of trainer Jos. Prosser doing the hat trick. He won the last two Cups with All Red.

Blue Garment has been doing nothing on the tracks lately, and there is very little likelihood of him sporting silk at the A.R.C.. meeting.

Mark Ryan is going along the right way towards recovery from his accident and his many friends will be pleased to see him in the saddle on Boxing Day. Mark is of opinion that he will be well enough to ride.

Bully is jumping with all his old time dash and the chances are that the Great Northern Hurdle Race winner will be sent to the Thames to fulfil engagements during Xmas week. If so, the gelding may be ridden by “Rang!” Thompson.

It would appear that Danube had fully recovered from the effects of the injuries he received at Riccarton as Martian’s son has left Christchurch to contest the Great Northern Derby.

Michaeloff and Haldane were placed under the hammer on Friday last, but neither found a new owner.

Gold Soze is the name claimed for Doughboy’s , brother, now receiving his tuition from J. Chaafe.

Tanekaha, who claims an engagement in the Railway Handicap, arrived from the South on Tuesday.

Betting on the A.R.C. double is very dull, backers probably awaiting the arrival of the visiting brigade before investing. Another reason may be that the prices on offer are too cramped, as a glance at several lists shows that it would take a lot of money to win a lot at the prices on offer.

Delegate shows no improvement in his jumping, and the son of Phoebus Apollo does not look a winner at the approaching meeting.

Prophet will be ridden in the Auckland Cup by A. Morris.

Santa Rosa bruised one of his feet after working at Ellerslie on Tuesday, but a couple of days should see the son of Soult well again.

Apelion is on the easy list, and he may not be a runner at the approaching meeting.

Cloudy Dawn is back on the track, but this fine looking colt does not improve in his galloping, and the prospects of him winning a race are anything but bright.

Full Rate, who won a double at Feilding is said to be a grand jumper, and one writer suggests that he will be a hard horse to beat when the Nationals come up for decision.

The favourite combination for the Cup and Railway are Kopu and Theodore.