TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1138, 1 February 1912, Page 8

TURF TOPICS.

Cloudy Dawn, after a somewhat unsuccessful career won a good race when he defeated the field in the Moana Handicap at Takapuna. It is to be hoped the Seaton Delaval gelding will not be long before returning his owner another winning stake.

■ La Reina ran two good races at Takapuna on the first day without scoring a win. She ran to within about half a length of Soultoria in the Cup (one mile and a-quarter) and went out later in the Stewards’ Handicap (five furlongs and a-half) and was only beaten by a head by Mighty Atom after meeting with trouble in the race.

Hector Gray and Ben Deeley each rode three winners at the Takapuna meeting, C. Brown and A. Cowan two, and Bennett, Ayres, Coleman, Stockley, Conquest, and Whittaker one each.

The successful trainers at Takapuna were: —Mr. H. R. Mackenzie (Black Northern, twice), F. McManemin (Soultoria and Monoline), D. Bannatyne (Tiresome), E. Mantle (Red Lupin), D. Moraghan (Master Theory), W- G. Irwin (Surplus), F. Loomb (Lannacost), W. C. Ring (Mighty Atom), E. Pope (Cloudy Dawn), H. Barr (Lloyds), T. A. Williams (Peggy Pryde), H. French (Gloy), H. C. Tonks (Bogey), C. Winder (St. Amans).

R. J. Mason experienced misfortune with two members of his team at Wellington (says a Canterbury correspondent), as Byron contracted a cold and the English-bred colt Valid© wrenched one of his joints and had to forfeit his engagement in the Wellington Stakes. Valido, which has a good private reputation, is a somewhat wild customer, but I believe he showed galloping ability of no mean order at Trentham.

The nominations for the Dunedin Cup meeting make a fairly lengthy list, but the entries for the Cup, in both quality and quantity, are distinctly disappointing- Class is confined to about four or five horses in the big race. The entries for the shorter races read rather better, but the events open to hacks are the only ones which have attracted anything like liberal entry.

Beverage has been allotted top weight (9.8) in the Newmarket Handicap. Other weights are: —Sharpshooter 7.11, Sunburnt 7.10, Chief Lochiel 7.6, Takipono 6.13, and Irritation 6.13. For the Australian Cup Trafalgar (9.12) is top weight. The New Zealander, Gunboat, has 7.13.

The C.J.C. midsummer meeting has not attracted many outside horses. The North Island will only be represented by Odessa and Turna, while Otago is only sending half a dozen contestants.

Three of last year’s ponies won good races in open company at Takapuna. They were Red Lupin, Mighty Atom and Peggy Pryde.

In every weight-for-age race decided in Sydney this season, the first favourite has been defeated. From this it will be gleaned (says the “Referee”) that those backers who believe that the only way to win money on the turf is to wait until the last moment, and back favourites for races of the weight-for-age class, have experienced a rough time in Sydney. In all, backers were astray in connection with the five w.f.a. and two special weight races of importance in Sydney, whilst in Melbourne, they picked three winners outright, and, in a fourth case, the winner shared favouritism with another competitor. A fifth race went to the second favourite, and the other two were annexed by outsiders. It rarely happens that the non-success of favourites in w.f.a. races in Sydney is so marked as has been the case so far this season, but perhaps in the autumn backers will even matters to some extent.

From Bathurst, N.S.W., comes ' word of the death of the Hon. Geo. Lee, of Leeholme. He was a very prominent breeder and owner of racehorses. Among many fine horses bred at his stud the best known perhaps were Etra Wennie (winner of the Maribyrnong Plate and Oaks), Diffi-

dence (winner of the Sydney Cup), Merriwee (winner of the V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup—subsequently a successful sire in Hawke’s Bay), and Wilari (winner of the V.R.C. Derby). Mr. Lee was seventy-seven years of age at the time of his death.

The New Zealander Merrie Zealand was made the medium of a plunge in the Anniversary Handicap at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting on January 20th. He was expected to repeat the Gunboat coup of the previous meeting, and the money was piled on to him. He got off badly and finished out of a place. It is thought the failure of the good thing was in a measure due to H. Cairns being unable to do his mount’ justice. The New Zealand horseman got a bad

shaking when Portlight fell and broke his neck in the hurdle race, and was hardly in a condition to make the best use of Merrie Zealand.

When the Cuirassier mare Caller Ou, with colt foal at foot by Soult, was purchased at the Glenora Park sale of mares last year, the price paid was 165 guineas. The foal was identical with the yearling sold at the Waikanae sale dast week for 250 guineas, so that Mr. Duncan made a good bargain when he secured the mare.

Master Theory was one of the most disappointing horses to sport silk last year. He started in twenty-one flat races during the season, and only succeeded in securing one winning bracket by capturing the Welter Handicap, of one mile, on the last day

of the A.R.C. Spring Meeting in 1910. After this poor showing his owner, D. Moraghan, decided to try the SoultRomula horse, over hurdles. At first Master Theory took very unkindly to the battens, ’but recently has shown greater aptitude. He first sported silk as a jumper in the Maiden Hurdles at Takapuna, and rewarded his painstaking owner-trainer by winning the event in convincing style, and returning a substantial dividend. Later the same day he ran another good race by running second to Black Northern in the Waiwera Hurdles.

Royal Scotch and Bon Bon have been scratched for all engagements at the Canterbury Jockey- Club’s Summer Meeting.

Mr. E. J. Watt’s brilliant two-year-old Ventura has resumed training at Randwick. « « # Ss Master Theory was not able to compete in the second day’s racing at Takapuna on account of his sustaining injuries when returning from the racecourse on Saturday. He got away from his attendant and fell. Fortunately his injuries are trifling, so that he may be seen out again under silk within a few weeks.

Before the racing started at Takapuna on Monday the stewards had B. Deeley, the rider of Captain Soult- in the Stewards’ Handicap on Saturday, before them. It was alleged ’by the lookout steward (Mr. George Cutts) that Deeley had not ridden his horse

to the best advantage in that race, ueeley, in his statement, said that Wee Olga had run the field out soon after they jumped off, and his mount had lost several lengths. Under the circumstances he had ridden the horse to the best of his judgment. The stewards accepted the explanation, but warned Deeley as to his riding in the future.

The Maiden Plate at Takapuna owned by Mr.. E. W. Alison. Tireowned ’by Wm. E. W. Alison. Tiresome is a fine stamp of a mare by Seaton Delaval out of Torment. She started again in the Anniversary Handicap on 'the second day, an(d although she ran a good race was defeated by St. Amans. Tiresome promises to pay her way this season.

The Takapuna Cup was won for the second year in succession last week by Soultoria, carrying Bst 61b. In the early stages of the race matters did not look at all promising for the daughter of Soult, but over the last quarter of a mile Deeley brought her along at a great pace, and when a furlong from the post Soultoria dashed past the speedy La Reina, and won an excellent race. * * * By his victory on Soultoria in the Takapuna Cup Ben Deeley has added another notch to the three he has already scored in the event. * * * # Monoline, who won the two-year-old handicap at Takapuna on Monday, certainly looked the best of good things on paper. In all her races the

Monoform filly has shown herself remarkably smart up to four furlongs. In' the handicap, won by Lady Georgia, at Ellerslie, the chestnut was as good as the winner for half a mile, and, on this form, she certainly seemed a winner when compared with the weak field which opposed her at the Shore. ' The speedy pony Red Lupin, who had such a successful career in pony

racing last season, made his reappearance at Takapuna last week. Although he was saddled with an impost, of 9st in open company he won the Zealandia Handicap on the first day, and finished second to Peggy Pryde in the Suburban Handicap on the second day of the meeting.

Black Northern has put up a good record for January by winning four races in succession: a double at Whangarei and two hurdle events at

Takapuna. His victory in the Orewa -Hurdles on Monday when he defeated Blue Mountain was a particularly meritorious one, and proved beyond all question that the son of Slavadan is a very capable hurdle horse with a good turn of speed. If he has a short respite before the autumn racing comes round there is every reason to believe that Black Northern should be found among the winners of the big jumping prizes.

Two New Zealand horsemen now resident in Melbourne —R. Cameron and S. O’Neill—intend paying a holiday visit to the Dominion after the Easter meeting’s. ' - •. * * * j The most successful jockey at the Wellington meeting was A. Oliver, who rode six winners on the three days. Ben Deeley, Claude Brown, and

C. Emmerson each rode three winners, while Luke Wilson scored a double. * * * * Tommy Mussen, who does riding work for G. Murray-Aynsley at Riccarton, is said to be the most diminutive lad so engaged in the Dominion (says “The Judge”), his weight being not much over four stone. We have one or two riding in the North Island who are not exactly giants, notably young Kemp and A. G. Reed.

Most of those giving evidence in favour of the totalisator have strong financial reasons for keeping it on a sound foundation. Some of those giving evidence against it and on the gambling question generally do not know what they are talking about. — “Otago Witness.” A * sfc :js As an indication of the keen demand for the services, of the Auck-

land jockey, B. Deeley, at the recent Trentham meeting, the “Dominion” says, it may ’be mentioned that of twenty-three races, in which he was eligible to ride, he had mounts in twenty-cne. His cheque for riding fees was the biggest drawn at the meeting. * ' * * * The Vasco-Madder colt is to 'be brought north very shortly to join

the Highden stable. It will be remembered that the youngster had his jaw broken about the time he was sold in Christchurch last November. It has mended splendidly, and the colt has kept his condition wonderfully well.- * * :? Information from Wellington is to the effect that J. H. Prosser was acting for a well-known local sportsman when he purchased the Achilles — Strathspey colt at the Waikanae sale

of yearlings last week. The owner’’ in question raced several horses a few years back, but latterly his colours have not been seen on the racecourse.

Jargon, a dual winner at the Taranaki meeting at Christmas, has been more, or less lame after working lately, and his ailment is puzzling his trainer, O. Cox. Whilst competing at Wobd’ville the bay horse . moved very scratchily, so .the trouble may have been coming on then.

Sir George Clifford will have a team at the Dunedin meeting. Masterpiece and Countermine have been nominated for the Cup, D.J.C. Handicap and other races, while Heatherbrae, Brown Owl, Scottish Star and Avarice are also engaged at the fixture.

A very smart gallop was registered on the Riccarton training track last week, when Kilts reeled off 6 furlongs in lmin 15 4-ssec. The chestnut son of Ayr Laddie had that useful performer The Cornet as a companion, but the latter was easily beaten. -

Mr. E. J. Watt, of Hastings, suffered the loss of a yearling colt, Achilles — Marseillaise, on Saturday last, says ..the “Tribune.” The youngster was purchased by Mr. Watt at the sale of the Waikanae yearlings, at Wellington, on Tuesday last, and cost 260 guineas. Death was due to some internal trouble.

Swimming Belt, who has been a sad disappointment as a racehorse in Southland, displayed his savage propesisties in -an alarming fashion a few days- ago. He and Bold Venture, says a Southern writer, had been worked on the Southland Club’s course, and were being ridden back to their stables by boys nanied Townson and Cameron respectively. The . unruly son of Captain Webb, though he was ornamented with a muzzle, suddenly dashed at Cameron and -drag-- • ged him from, the saddle by the .leg. Swimming Belt got... Cameron down,., despite the frantic efforts of Townson to stay him, and tore some of his clothing away. Cameron’s leg was painfully injured before he could “ escape, and in consequence he was “ compelled to forego a visit to the Gore meeting. Meanwhile Bold Venture had galloped off, and fears were ex-, pressed that he would damage him-' self, as on a previous occasion when he got free. Eventually the son of Clanrobert was discovered in a vacant section quietly cropping the grass, and Cameron got him home safely. The determined nature of the stallion’s attack can be realised when it is explained that he had to reach up, owing to Bold Venture being a much bigger horse, and drag his victicm to earth with a light muzzle on.

Does it pay to follow a jockey or back his mounts throughout the meeting? Usually we would say it would be an unprofitable way of picking winners. “Phaeton,” of the “Herald,” has however, worked out the dividends returned on the horses ridclen at the Takapuna meeting by several of our leading riders, which shows a margin of profit. Allowing for an investment of a sovereign on each mount the returns work out as follows :

The Waitemata Swimming Club will continue their series of swimming carnivals, which was inaugurated so successfully on Tuesday night, at the Albert-street Baths this (Thursday) evening, when another first-class programme will be presented, including the One Mile Team’s Race, 220 Yards Breast-stroke (scratch), and a water polo match between Sydney and Waitemata. The Sydney swimmers will make their final appearance in Auckland at the Graving Dock on Saturday afternoon, when the chief attractions will be the One Mile Scratch Race and the 100 Yards Scratch Race.

Mounts. Dividends. Total. H. Cray .... 9 6 £18 2 B. Deeley .. 10 5 13 4 A. Whittaker 9 8 10 5