TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1247, 12 March 1914, Page 12

TURF TOPICS.

There is always hope for a thoroughbred that shows and retains pace. They get to stay better very often if they keep sound.

New Zealand owners are always ready to make offers for yearlings in Mr. Currie’s stud, even though they claim no New Zealand engagements.

J. Conquest returned to Auckland on Saturday, and is making good, but should take a spell off before riding again.

Paperlitz, who was in winning form at Dannevirke, is a four-year-old son of the St. Leger horse Papakura from the Soult mare Austerlitz.

Mr. H. H. Jackson, Wanganui, has disposed of his gelding Rangiruru, by Conqueror, to Mr. A. Tucker, who intends to put him over the sticks.

Wallingford, the only representative Harrow (son of Eton) has racing, is well up in the weights at Australian country meetings, and has won a number of races over there.

A Southern writer points out that Altcar, by Birkenhead —Temeraire, is returned in the last volume of the N.Z. Stud Book as that mare’s 1896 filly, instead of her 1908 colt, since gelded.

Mr. G. Currie could have sold a couple of his yearlings privately to would-be purchasers last week had he teen disposed to put a price on them, though they claim no New Zealand engagements.

One or two bookmakers were victimised at Caulfield on Oakleigh Plate day through the medium of forged betting tickets. One paid out £9O and another £35 on false tickets.

A two-year-old full-sister to Expect has been leased to a patron of TQuinlivan’s at Hastings by her Breeder, Mr. D. Fraser, owner of her sire Advance and dam Endeavour.

Aruake, winner of both hack hu die races at Wanganui also the well-known hurdler North-East, were each purchased untried at Messrs. F. R. Jackson and Co.’s sale yards for a mere trifle.

Aucklanders will remember the bay mare Celerity, by Seiaton Delaval from Monsoon, which ran on Auckland courses a few years ago, and was taken to Australia, and trained by D. J. Price, and won the Oakleigh Plate twice. It was her yearling colt by Bobadil, son of Bill of Portland and Stepniak’s sister She, that was sold in Melbourne bv Yuille and Co., on March 2 for 700 guineas.

Messrs. Webb Bros-, Wanganui have had the misfortune to lose the dam of that promising hack Brunswick. Her foot got poisoned, and she had to be destroyed.

Reports which emanated from the south about the existence of a jockey ring are generally discredited. Our Southland correspondent has something to say on the subject in his letter this week.

Mr. John Isherwood, a very familiar figure on Melbourne racecourses, died suddenly last month. For years he did duty at the scales on various racecourses. He was acting as weigher at Caulfield on the first day.

The Bay of Pl nty meeting was voted a success f.om some points of view, but unfortunately good nominations did not end in big fields, and three horses —Jolie FiVe, Kotiropu, and Lady Lynette—accounted for a double each.

The Caulfield Futurity Stakes, won by Brattle, was won two years in succession by Gladsome, and also by Soultline. Gladsome has the honour of having won with 9.13, the biggest weight ever carried to the front in the event. Soultline had 9.8 and beat the largest field, which numbered 21.

W. McKinnon left Auckland on Monday with the jumper Adherent, who goes into P. Nolan’s stable on arrival in Sydney, Mr. Dunnett having sent instructions to F. Stenning, his Auckland trainer, to that effect.

Tiresome was very sore after her accident at Wanganui, and Allegation was lame and cou’f. not start on the second day, but a telegram from King, their trainer, on Saturday said that Tiresome was all right again.

The death of Mr. W. Foster, of Wanganui, long time mine host of Foster’s Hotel, took place on Friday. Mr. Foster, in and out of business, was always very popular. He raced a few horses in early life, and played a good game of billijards. Mrs. Foster and members of the family will have the sympathy of a large circle of friends.

“I thought the bushranging days were over,” remarked an Albury fielder upon his return to Albury from the Talgarno race meeting on a recent Saturday, “but I reckon some of those amateur jockeys up in the hills would have no difficulty in qualifying. There was a ‘hold up’ in every event, and no one was arrested.” It is (says the Albury “Daily News”), perhaps, needless to remark that there was no “stipe” present.

The dust at the Te Aroha meeting was frightful.

Hemisphere, half-brother to Marshal McDonald, managed to win a race at Te Aroha.

The second day of the Wanganui meeting has been referred to as a Greenwood day.

Tattoo and Spalflsh were a class above most of the horses racing at the Te Aroha meeting.

Otaraia ran very consistently in all his races, and looks like furnishing into a useful performer.

Yankee Doodle, who won a race at Te Aroha, is as excitable as ever, and gave a good deal of trouble at the post.

Both Messrs. McHugh and Tooman were present to see Admiral Soult run, but the course did not suit this horse, who has his peculiarities.

North-East received 12.7, top weight, in the Jumpers’ Flat Race at the Canterbury -Park meeting, won by Kopane (9.8).

Woorak is said to have won the Ascot Vale Stakes in even easier fashion than the Sires’ Produce Stakes.

North-East is entered for the hurdle race on the opening day of the Auckland R.C. meeting, and may return to New Zealand.

C. Coleman left his pair, Admiral Soult and Obdurate, at Te Aroha. They go to the Paeroa meeting in charge of Mr. C. Walker.

The profits over the Te Aroha meeting should be at once spent in needed improvement on the course. The appointments and conveniences are behind the times still.

Gold Brew jumped the tan in the Newmarket Handicap and lost some ground in consequence, his rider being nearly dislodged in the effort. He finished a good fourth.

Wallolo started at 25 to 1 in the Essenden Stakes, which he won in the last stride by half-a-head, with Hector Gray up. His owner got 50’s to 1 for a start.

The secretary of the Te Aroha R.C., Mr. George J- Parker, ably assisted by the committee, worked hard for the success of the meeting although they were badly handicapped by the dust fiend.

Ma angjai paid over a quarter of a century in the race he won at Te Aroha. but a much bigger dividend was returned on Try Fluke; indeed, it was over a third of. a century.

McFlynn and O’Shea, friends both, had the bad luck for their mounts to fall on the flat in the Welter at Te Aroha- These riders were amongst the first to look after Conquest when he met with his fall at Wanganui.

Cherubini’s nomination for the Auckland Racing Club’s Autumn meeting has been interpreted by some to mean that he will not race at the Autumn meeting of the Canterbury

Jockey Club, where he claims an engagement in the Challenge Stakes. There are some who are predicting that he will be taken over for the Autumn, meeting of the Australian J.C., in which he and Emperador are nominated. The chances are against this.

Hector Gray’s one ride in the Australian Cup would probably mean more to him than the thirty-one wins he has had in New Zealand this season. It has been stated that he is the only New Zealand horseman that has ridden the winner of the Australian Cup, but that is not so. The late Wally Clifford won on Lochiel when he beat Carbine in 1889, and W. Brown rode Nelson when Indent, a three-year-old, beat him a head in 1887.

Valhalla, by Heirarch—Peace, a brother to a yearling Ally sold at the Waikanae sale, can apparently gallop fast despite an enlarged knee injured when a yearling. His form at Akaroa led to that conclusion- He cost Mr. Greenwood 440 guineas as a yearling, and this is his first return.

The Musket blood was much in evidence at the recent Caulfield meeting-

Mr. N. Falkiner, owner of the champion steeplechaser, Bullawarra, has decided that that horse shall leave Austra’ia for England to compete in the Liverpool Grand National, by the s.s. Runic on March 21.

People profess surprise when horses, beaten one day, wm the next and start favourites, but people back riders quite as often as they back horses, and it is probable that if the names of riders were hoisted on the totes instead of the names of the horses they ride quite as much money would go through the machine on some races-

Black Northern’s inconsistencies are quite sufficient to earn him disqualification from racecourses. His two performances at Te Aroha were the antipodes of each other, and the second time he paid a big dividend, considering the class he met. Horse and rider came in for a hostile reception when he won. Some horsemen would not ride a horse of his erratic class, and some could not do so and make sure of getting round. He has been a pig a long time now.

At a recent meeting of the Whak,atane Racing Club, it was decided to ho d the annual racing meeting at Whakatane on Easter Saturday, April 11. The same programme as last yea.’ was adopted, and the Minister for Internal Affairs is to be asked to grant the necessary permit-

The weights for the two leading events to be decided at the Australian J.C. Autumn meeting have been declared. For the Doncaster Handicap, Jolly Beggar heads the list with 9st 81b. The New Zealand horses are weighted as follows: —Royal Scotch, 9.1; Bandiera, 8.9; Emperador, 8.7; Bon Reve, 8.4; Beau Soult, 8.1; Rinaldo, 7.12; Sister Radius, 7.5. For the Sydney Cup Allured is top weight with 9st 71b. The imposts of the New Zealand horses are as follows. — Midnight Sun, 8.10; Royal Scotch, 8.7; Cherubini, 8.;4; Beau Soult, 7.11;

A number of carpet-bag horsemen journeyed to Te Aroha after Dannevirke, but some of them did not get rides.

Fancy* the Hon. J. Alien being present at the Akaroa meeting and presenting the cup to Mr. A. Boyle, owner of the winner, and the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher officiating at the Dannevirke meeting, and opening the new grandstand, the same week. Country clubs should be able to count on these two Ministerial heads as their friends.

The balance-sheet of the South Auck and Racing Club shows receipts amounting to £4504; £2759 for the total isator at the recent meeting, and £59 6 for the gate; nominations and acceptances, £322; members’ fees, £121; jockey fees, £325; cards, etc., £165; booth £llO. The expenses fund jockey fees; rent £5O, cards included: — £1260 stakes, £3lO re£67, totalisator £344, Government tax £7OO, wages £133, leaving a credit balance of £1478. The secretary mentioned the liabilities included an amount of £7OO owing to the A. and P. Association for half share of the improvements recently effected. It was decided to pay off the whole amount immediately.

Tavistock, the colt that won both juvenile races at Dannevirke, belongs to Mr. Don. McLeod, one time of Whangarei, who purchased him foi the sum of 20sovs at the Waikanae sale held in Christchurch in the spring of last season. The youngster is the lowest-priced one of the Vascos and of yearlings that were sold by auction at any of the yearling sales that season.

Try Fluke, by Motiti from Parahaka, won a race last year at the Bay of Plenty. Mr- Dickie owned him then, but who gave him the name and why was it allowed. We have had several horses of that name, and evidently the sponsor wanted to perpetrate the memory of one of the number, by Puriri, that used to run in the Bay of Plenty and Auck 1 and districts over twenty years ago. Would anyone be allowed to call his steed Carbine in these days?

Maharajah, by Positano —Indian Qu,een, is expected to race better at three years old than at two.

Nominations for this year’s Onkaparinga R.C. meeting are again sufficiently numerous to be pleasing to Mr. A. Von Doussa, and the club thoroughly deserves the support it receives. Apart from jockey’s fees, it only costs £5 to start for the Great Eastern Handicap of £1550, and £2 for the Hurdle Race of £5OO. Liberality in conditions could not well go further. The course has been made somewhat easier than heretofore.

It is extraordinary what foials will accomplish at times. “Milroy,” after referring to a feat reported by the special commissioner of the “Sporting Life,” when a foal jumped a six-foot fence, tells of one that recently jumped out of the Neotsfield picket yards, which certainly looks over six feet. He then went on to relate that when he was a boy a foal, one of a number only just separated from its dam to be weaned, went into a flooded river and swam across during a dirty, stormy night and re-joined its dam, who was on the opposite side, afterwards becoming the best horse on the station. It was partly in consequence of seeing a hollow-backed yearling by Grand Prix from Fleurette jump some slip rails in good style that he was secured on behalf of a client for 20 guineas at Sylvia Park. That yearling was afterwards known as Boulanger, and won about £4 000 in stakes. Foals have been known to swim longer distances than their dams, and are, as a rule, much harder to capture in the water than older horses.

This is how “Terlinga” in the “Australasian” referred to the winner of the Australian Cup on his appearance at the Caulfield meeting:—When Wallalo came on the course and cantered he was decidedly “rocky” in his gait. It may have been nothing, but apparently the big bettors thought it was, as Wallalo went back, and a rush for St. Vano brought him to the position of favourite. Last hour thoughts were best. St. Vano went to the front entering the straight. He was winning so easily at the big stand that R. Lewis took a look back over his tail to see where the others were, and then won pulling up. When St. Vano came back to weigh a few people wanted to know, “What about last Saturday?” but there was no demonstration. It was quite clear that the horse had been ridden hard and genuinely beaten the previous week. Wallalo and Atora commenced a long run six furlongs from home. At the sod wall Atora left Wallalo, who was floundering, and could not go at all. Loch Amos, who got second place, pulled up lame.

An interesting table has been • prepared, showing the various amounts won in stakes in England during the past 32 years. From this it can be seen that last year’s aggregate of £573,187 is by far the largest, and exceeds by something like £160,000 the figures of 1882. This comparison is more particularly satisfactory, writes “Vigilant” in the “Sportsman,” as pointing directly and unmistakably to the steady progress of the affairs of the turf as a national institution, in spite of all faddist opposition, which finds its origin in the ignorance—l do not use the word offensively, but literally—of those faddists who listen to informers always prone to set forth evils without any endeavour to possess themselves of facts, the knowledge of which would show them beyond all doubt that, if not altogether void of them, the turf is as clean in character by comparison as any other of the world’s great undertakings, and should be judged from that, the only fair point of view. It was not until 1898 that the aggregate of stake money won in England exceeded £500,000, but never since has it been less, and with upwards of fifteen and a-half million distributed during the period of 32 years we have an- average nearly approaching half a million annually during that appreciable period. This appears to me a conclusive argument as far as regards general prosperity, and one is encouraged to hope that it will be fully maintained when contemplating the entries which have recently been' published for the principal races —in this category lam referring tothe classic rather than handicap class —of the futures