TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1314, 1 July 1915, Page 13

TURF TOPICS.

Golden Slipper’s Wallace yearling filly is to race as Golden Shoe. Tim Doolan is one of the fancied candidates for the V.R.C. Grand National.

Clarence O’Neill has been engaged to ride Benong in all his winter jumping engagements in Victoria. Mr. W. Ryan, the well-known horseowner, left for Sydney by the outgoing steamer, and will be absent for a few weeks.

Pommern is the shortest-priced Derby winner for ten years—ll to 10 against. Cicero started at 11 to 4 on.

For the Ascot Thousand and Five Hundred, run on September 24th and 28th, quite a number of New Zealand bred galloways are engaged. The jockeys and some of the trainers at Ellerslie will be assisting in the sports procession in Auckland on Saturday.

Sauci did not school well when tried in Melbourne recently, hence, it is said, his scratching for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles.

Wild West is still winning races in the country districts in Australia. At the Cootamundra meeting recently he won a race, and next day was beaten by Seraphic, by Menschikoff —Madonna, also a fair performer.

Ngatoa is being talked of as a possible for the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase, and there are some people who think he was not seen at his best in the Great Northern Steeplechase. It is possible that he was a bit knocked out with his exertions on the opening day, when he won so nicely, but however that may be he is not in the same street with horses of the class of Morecambe and El Gallo.

The Gisborne Racing Club’s meeting, which takes place on Thursday and Saturday of this week, should prove a successful one. The horses will be there from different districts, and there are amongst the number some of the best known of our fencers. Horses are always looked for to show form to cause them to be taken further afield, and usually some light is thrown on future events by the form displayed. The deeds of Paisano, Te Arai, Continuance and Co., to say nothing of others that distinguished themselves afterwards at Southern meetings, are fresh in memory. A number of Aucklanders are making the trip.

The Wellington meeting bids fair to be a well-patronised one, as there are so many owners whose horses are being prepared to take part. Auckland will send a number of horses along, and the support of other provincial centres North and South should cause the meeting to be right up to the standard of predecessors, leading up as it does to the Grand National meeting, with which the new season usually opens. The meeting of Racing Conference and Trotting Conference delegates and so many people who make the time one for business and pleasure, helps it along, and there is every reason to anticipate good sport. A further reference can be left until after the accep.ances are declared.

The thoroughbred horse Spalpeen, by Gosoon from Windmill, by Goldsborough, who has been making such an excellent name for himself as a sire of winners of flat and jumping races since he himself showed out brilliantly both on the flat and over hurdles, and now stands well up the list of winner getters, is to be sold at Hamilton on July 27th at the Horse Fair to close a partnership. The golden chestnut is looking in perfect health, and is in his prime, and the attention of breeders is called particularly to the intimation of his owners. In the meantime Spalpeen can be seen at Ngaroto. El Gallo is one of Spalpeen’s latest advertisements, and it must be remembered that the son of G'osoon has never had the support of owners of very high-class mares, and has won his way by sheer merit under a big handicap.