TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1254, 30 April 1914, Page 12

TURF TOPICS.

The weather conditions for the Wellington R.C. Autumn meeting werd perfect on both days.

The racecourse guesser is still in evidence at meetings, and will continue so as long as racing lasts.

Some racing clubs have given up employing detectives on the ground of expense.

Provocation’s progeny, like those of his full brother, Gravitation, are well grown and of good colour.

Elevate, -by Elevation, half-brother to Provocation and Gravitation from Jolie/ is a colt that will stay all right.

Belasco and Merry Roe were double winners at Trentham, and the firstnamed was a hot favourite each time.

Cherubini, Sir Solo and Bronze were led a merry dance by Merry Roe in the Trentham Gold Cup.

The Autumn Handicap at the Wellington meeting was the slowest since Au Revoir won it twenty years ago.

Want, the well-named son of Penury and Lady Flora, will not be found wanting for friends and in ability when he gets more seasoned.

A good many police were on the road between Wellington and Trentham on Thursday, in places controlling the motor traffic.

The Wanganui - Jockey Club have received a fair number of entries for their chief steeplechase, but we miss a number of names from the list, and it-would seem likely that some horses are being kept in reserve for events later on in the season —in fact, we know they .are.

Mount Victoria has on occasions proved good in the mud, and came to light in the Hutt Handicap at Trentham.

J. Buchanan was in form at the Wellington meeting, and his three winping rides would bring in a nice cheque.

Listen’s rider (R. Manson) received a 51b. allowance in the Belmont Handicap, which race that , mare won in nice style. ’- . • .

Pavlova may race better next time she starts than she did at Trentham, where she ran well on the second day in the dirt.

Sir Moseley and Crown Pearl each ran consistently at Trentham without scoring. Crown Pearl should win soon.

Some racecourse detectives have given up work for some racing clubs because the fees allowed them are not sufficiently remunerative.

Chudic, the Canterbury J.C. Easter Handicap winner 1 , has been placed about a dozen times this season. He has proved a consistent little gelding.

The attendance at Trentham on the opening day of the Autumn meeting of the Wellington R,C. was probably not a record for the time of year.

The jumping races for hacks and hunters proved little short of burlesque. This might have been averted if the fences had been wider in the straight.

A visitor to Trentham picked up a sovereign going to the course and put it on the double Sir Knox and Aratiatia at £BO to 1, and landed the odds.

Wee Olga’ was a quiet tip among the knowing ones for the Welter Handicap on the concluding day of the Avondale J.C. meeting, but she failed to uphold their good opinions.

Though the morning opened fine in Wellington for the second day’s racing at Trentham, it rained heavily at the course and there was a big downpour an hour before the races started.

A few enthusiastic sportsmen were missing from the Wellington R.C. Autumn meeting. It has been one continual round of late with some owners, and they had to make or break.

Hector Gray was amongst the New Zealanders who returned from Sydney this week, via Wellington. Some people who are over from Australia think he was very unlucky to get put out at Hawkesbury.

The Gluten—Chiara gelding, Barbwire, ran a sterling race in the Maiden Hurdles at Avondale on Wednesday, but experienced hard luck. Mr. Bolton has had several enquiries from Would-be purchasers for this gelding, but Mr. P. Bolton has leased the horse with an option over him until thb- f 6nd of the present Season. -'■■■•■■■

A four-year-old by Gluten —Delia ZRose -has gone into J. Chaafe’s stable. -Delia Rose will ,be remembered as a very fast sprinter that competed at The country meetings. .

Ermengarde is good in soft going, /She would undoubtedly have won the Suburban Handicap at Trentham on • Saturday had she not been last away, . -and she was carrying top weight, too.

Tete-a-tete wins friends because of

? her nice manners, and a filly like that - is worth waiting for. She should do well when she gets a l?it older and ; more seasoned. :

:i; Fred Jones, who.trains for Mr. Bid- ,: TWill, got his nose broken through a ’ colt he, was handling rearing up and . -striking him other day. He was ■ ' unaware of thei fact: until he consulted ■ a doctor on Friday.

Elevate finished fast in the Plun- ; ket Nursery atriWellington. His dam was got by St. Leger from Freda, by .Maxim by Fair Nell, by Apremont —ldalia. Elevate takes after his sire most.

Belasco, to most people' who saw

him win at ’Ellerslie on the second • -day after getting caught in the tapes ■ The first, was voted the best of good ■ things in the Silverstream Hack Race at Trentham.

The attendance at the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s May meeting on the 6th • and 7th is expected to be large. The club is bidding for popularity now, and when Hawke’s Bay becomes more populated will take its proper place in racing matters.

Wanganui’s big lepping event of •fiOOsovs closed with a rather weaklooking field, but they are apparently the best we have. First-class jumpers are scarce here, and also in sister colonies. What is wanted 1» more hunt clubs to foster and educate this popular class of equines.

Marshal McDonald has been lame for some time. One of the back tendons of a hind leg was sprung and prevented F. Davis winding him up, but he ran well in the St. Leger. He -will be spelled while the leg receives treatment.

Secretary E. Dyson, of the Rotorua Jockey Club, and Messrs. D. McDowell and G. Urquart were in Wellington in connection with the Parawai case, but received a notice that they need not attend after they had taken their tickets, so they went on and enjoyed a couple of days’ racing.

One of the finest finishes witnessed in Auckland for some considerable; time was the set-to indullged in by Worcester, Goldsize and Self in the Autumn Handicap at the Avondale J.C. gathering on Saturday. The . finish appeared to be between Goldsize and the winner, when Self appeared ■ -on the scene/and, butting a lot of vim into her finish, managed to deadheat with the son of 1 ' Gluten for second money. ’ lf ■ ' n

■, The gentleman sometimes referred to as the Rainbow Minister—the Hon. ' F. M. B. Fisher—was one of those • present at’ Trentham on both days • of . the meeting last week, taking-' a •’keen interest in the racing. It was •■‘•‘Somewhat of a coincidence that just before the business of the dhyifllosbd ra -• beautiful double: rainbovvpapiei out in full view of i the; peoplgfTonofthe course. •' I'b-h • ' - ml-

After Miss Harcourt, daughter of the President of the Wellington R.C., had presented the Trentham Gold Cup to Mr. F. Hall, owner of Merry Roe, the winner, the Hop. Mr. Herries made a speech, congratulating the Wellington R.C. on introducing long-distance races.

Downham cannot be judged on his present form. He has not grown 'much since the spring, and he had a fair weight in the going on Saturday. Mr. Watt’s colt will win before very long no doubt. He should be useful in the spring of next season, but does not claim many engagements.

In the -last sixteen years eight first favourites have won the A.J.C. All Aged Stakes. The public fancies to Score included odds on chances in Advance- Wakeful, and Mountain King. When Montcalm won, he ran the mile in the record time of Imin 37%sec.

-The Martian, filly Bee, who was first.favourite in the Plunket'. Nursery on. the first day at Trentham, ■ was just cut out of second place by Elevate in that race, but won next day when she started sixth in request in the Pacific Handicap. Martian sired Honesty, who won the Plunket Handicap, so that the son of defunct Martagon added to his score again..

Mr. Sam P. Mackay, who has purchased Bon Ton for 1000 guineas, has always been a spirited buyer of highclass performers. Two of his previous purchases in Soultline and Radnor proved great bargains, and won many good races when carrying the black and yellow jacket of the Victorian owner.

The winnings of leading two-year-olds now total big sums,, thanks to the increased prizes devoted to juvenile events. Woorak has broken all records as a two-year-old winner, and for five victories he has secured £5506 in racing prizes. As a two-year-old Wolowa won £4960, Desert Rose £:4830, Beragoon £4383, and Autumnus (N.Z.) £3070.

. J. Deerey made the most of his s chances with Napper Tandy in the i r. Mt: Eden Steeplechase at the Avon- . ?"dale meeting on Saturday. The horse i sabove himself and jumped ■ Uhauch ltbo high„ -but he finished game--qjytjX He will be served by time, and should be in capital form for the • R.C.’s Great; Northern meeting in June. .

One of the luckiest sportsmen .in the Dominion during the last few years is Mr. Fred Hall, of Gisborne, who, with his small and select string of horses, has captured most of the racing “plums.” Bleriot, Merry Roe, Mira, and others that have carried the black and white livery to success during the past fjbw seasons have indeed worthily represented the popular Gisborne owner.

The horses trained by G. Irwin atEllerslie put up an excellent showing at Avondale. Try Fluke accounted for the Maiden, while Tripoli annexed the Oakley and Waitakerei Handi-' caps, in addition to which she-- ran a dead-heat in- the Railway Handicap with Royal Irish, paying a good dividend on all three occasions. Another of Irwin’s representatives in Kitty; Bellairs was just beaten by a short neck in’ the Juvenile Handicap by Bedford.? ’' ’ ’’l

■ One of the horses,. -King Try, had the distinction - of paying the best dividend at the fixture. 'The King’s Own gelding rushed away to the front in the Maiden Hurdles on the first day, soon establised a lead and looked like winning easily, but stopped at the half-mile post.- -In the Waikumete Hurdles on the second day King Try won pulling up, paying nearly a score. - ~

The following payments were made over the Avondale J.C.’s Autumn Meeting:—Mr. J. Williamson, £395; Mr. W. Handley, £340; Mr. D. J. Lynch, £325; Mr. F. Marshall, £170; Mr. P. Conway, £140; Mr. J. D. Kemp, £130; Mr. W. S. Dalton, £130; Mesdames Foss and Steuart, £120; Mr. J. L. Guildford, £120; Mr. J. Love, £95; Mr. E. Alison, £95; Mr. J. Britton, £B5; Mr. J. H. Walters, £6O; Mr. N. Dickey, £4O; Mr. T. D. Gordon, £3O; Mr. F. El Ross, £2O; Messrs. Winder and Moore, £2O; Messrs. Bolton and Tooman, £2O; Mr. C. McLaren, £2O; Mr. E. J. Rae, £2O; Mr. H. Connop, £2O; Mr. H. R. MacKenzie, £l5; Mrs. M. Crocker, £10; Mr. H. Sydney, £10; Mr. J. Twohill, £10; Mr. E. Bankes, £10; Mr. W. Sharp, £10; Mr. R. E. Wright, £10; Mr. F. E. Loomb, £5; Mr. F. Macmanemin, £5; Mr. T. Floyd, £5; Mr. S. G. Lindsay, £5; total, £2490.

The combined efforts of the handicapper and the heavy going settled the first favourites at. -Avondale, only two getting home in the'sixteen events scheduled,-Bedford- (twice) being true to his trust with the public.

Merry Roe’s time (3min. 4 2-ssec.) for the New Zealand St. Leger has only once, been beaten, when Ingod lowered it to 3min.‘ 2sec.

P. Conway’s two leppers, Donzel (Donovan —Kowhai) and Vestal both showed good condition at Avondale, where they ran sound races for their owner-trainer. .

Mr. J. D. Lynch’s filly Tripoli, since .finding her feet, has been putting in some very consistent racing, and we have not yet seen the best of Ofcligado’s speedy daughter.

A win for Mr. F. E. Ross with Ruse de. Guerre at Avondale would hot have been; out of order. The filly put in a good run in the Maiden Plate, but had too much lost ground to make’ up.

Mr. Pat Bolton, of Matahura Valley, has- a fine three-year-old half-brother (by Marble Arch—Chiara) . to the promising Barbwire. The colt is. nearly as big: as the -Gluten horse.

, Mr.. J. Williamson’s lucky star is still in the ascendant, and with, the aid of the brilliant Soult horse ..Royal Irish he won the principal handicap event and dead-heated in. the chief sprint race on the opening day .at Avondale..

C. Emerson headed the list of successful horsemen at the Wellington

R.C.’s autumn fixture with four wins. Other winning jockeys were: —J. Buchanan (3), R. Berry (2), N. Campbell, F. Meagher, C. Carmont, W. Bell, A. Oliver, W. Mcßandall, and R. Manson (1 each)-.

Mr. Sam Bradley’s gelding First Wairiki, as a result of his failures at Avondale, has the Ellerslie course watchers, also the punters, puzzled. On his track essays he was confidently expected to run well forward, but he lacked that bit of stamina so essential at the finish of a strong-run race.

R. McMiken’s pair, Munster and Otaraia, both winners at recent country meetings around Auckland,- showed up very poorly at the Avondale J.C.’s autumn fixture. They both possess pace, but never . seemed •to get anyway near the leading division in their efforts last week.

The old Soult —Pauline gelding Ngapuka is seemingly a light of other days. He was produced at the'Avdndale meeting, but never showed even the faintest sign of his former brilliancy.' Takihini, a’ half-brother, als'o started, but displayed ho pace. ’

When Dogger Bank came, down’ at the - double jump : opposite the? stand the Mount Eden: Steeplechase on the’ concluding- day at "Avondale, ah onlooker - mounted the riderless. Steed amidst the plaudits of the spectators and made a hero- of himself forj-i couple of jumps, but -deemed .discretion- the better part of valour, and at this stage quietly - pulled up the old neddie and walked him back ■to the paddock,- - • ..

A. J. McFlynn with three wins and a dead-heat, was the most successful horseman at the Avondale J,C.’s meeting, piloting Ruffy, Soultikoff and .Tripoli to victory, while he rode a deadbeat on Royal Irish. Next came R. E. Brown with two wins (Worcester wice) and a dead-heat on Tripoli. Kennedy (Bedford twice), C. Browp (Try Fluke and Royal .Irish) each piloted a brace of winners. J. .Conquest, R._ Percival, Tilsley, A. McMillan, _F. Tutchen and Monk each rode a winner at the meeting.