TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1365, 22 June 1916, Page 9

TURF TOPICS.

Gazeiey claimed three winners at the Gisborne meeting.

El Gallo has been scratched for his Australian V.R.C. Grand National engagements.

R. Kelly, who failed to pass the doctor, left for Sydney on Monday by the Westralia on a trip.

Braeburn has a stiff knee and the wonder is that he gets over fences so well.

The Horowhenua R.C. will not have trotting races on their programme, as at first intended.

Desperado, by San Francisco from Brave Heart, has been purchased by Mr. H. S. Wilson, owner of Soldier.

On Furlough, by Royal Fusilier from Bijou, therefore full-brother to Cullinan and Kohinoor, was a winner in Victoria recently. * * * *

Syce, an imported horse, sired Lord Vindex, Lyndhurst Lady and Merry Syce, the place getters in the Sires’ Produce Stakes.

S. Neary took Try Fluke and an untried three-year-old pony mare by King Rufus from St. Ada to Sydney by Monday’s steamer from Auckland.

F. Coleman, an ex-Wanganui horseman, rode F.J.1., winner of the First Hurdle Race at Randwick early in the month.

The programme of the Canterbury Jockey Club for their N.Z. Grand National meeting will be the same as last year, with some slight alterations in the order of evei ts and the alteration of the distance for the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race to about two miles and a-half.

Why Naupata was left in the Winter Steeplechase on the last day of the A.R.C. winter meeting and since paid up for at Napier Park is what has puzzled some who saw him run his last race at Ellerslie, after which he was very sore behind. Evidently it was expected that he would come right again quickly.

Dust Cloud, who ran second to his stable mate, Artillery Bill, in the Hopetoun Steeplechase recently in Victoria, just missed the Wanda Steeplechase at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting at Caulfield last Saturday, Esteemed winning by a head. This is the same margin that Dust Cloud beat Tim Doolan by for second place in the Hopetoun event.

Braeburn, the ’chaser, whose sire, Sir Laddo, left us some good stayers, traces back on his dam’s side to the English-bred mare Sissie, imported by Mr. W. Wilson, of Whenuakura, near Wanganui, in 1879. Sissie was being stinted in England the season she was sold. To Hyppocampus she produced Caller Herrin, who bred Tuhirangi, dam of Braeburn, to Sou’wester.

The Soult horse Canrobert, who went to the stud unraced owing to being placed under the ban, together with others in the same stable, s making good as a sire. His constitution not having been impaired by racing, which sometimes happens to good horses, it may have been a fortunate circumstance. It is a pity that more 'fillies are not sent to the stud without having been raced, or raced so young, which prevents their growth.

With the horses of Messrs. Watt, W. G. Stead, G‘. D. Greenwood, Murray Hobbs, Williams, Casey and other owners entered for the spring meetings in Victoria, and the possibility of many of them being there for at least the earlier fixtures, there should be quite a big New Zealand representation of thoroughbreds. We have heard nothing concerning Mr. T. H. Lowry’s intentions. Possibly the Queen of the New Zealand turf, Desert Gold, may remain ir. Maoriland and not go away for weight-for-age honours across the water.