TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1365, 22 June 1916, Page 24

TURF TOPICS.

Marconi was the only rehondi capped, horse at Gisborne to score. * * * * The new number board to be erected at Tauherenikau will cost over £4OO. * * * * If Chelloma is worth taking to Australia to race she should do. something at the Hawke’s Bay meeting. * * * * It is improbable that El Gallo will be sent to Australia for the V.R.C. Grand National meeting. 3{s * * * Jullundur, a fast horse on the flat, was talked of before the weights appeared as a likely V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles candidate. * * * * Eight hundred and seventy-six horses were recently nominated for fiften races at the Empire City Racing Association’s meeting, an average ■of 58 per race. * * * * That speedy horse The Pink’un, who, after a brilliant turf career, went to the stud in Queensland, has been already represented by a winner or two there. Chortle is as far ahead of El Gallo on the flat as El Gallo is ahead of most of the hurdlers and ’chasers we have racing just now. » * * - A Southern writer refers to the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s gelding as Mr. “Taupiri” Ralph’s Aurore. The fact that Mr. Ralph once owned Dawn, a full-brother, must have been in the writer’s mind.

An inquiry was held by the stewards of the Gisborne Racing Club in connection with a mix-up that occurred at the hurdle near the seven furlong post during the decision of the Gisborne Hurdles Handicap on the first day. After hearing evidence it was concluded that the occurrence was accidentally caused by King of Athol, a “green” horse, running down his iences, and no action was taken.

While all the glamour is on and the deeds of El Gallo as a hurdler and ’chaser are being extolled, horses that met and defeated better fields and carried more weight are forgotten for the time.

The Gisborne Racing Club’s totalisator staff handled £28,222 at their meeting last week, as against £28,918 at the corresponding meeting last year. The weather was perfect.

An accident to Miss Allwill, daughter of the long-time Waikato sportsman, Mr. J. Allwill, in the hunting field at Bardowie on Saturday resulted in that lady having her nose and jaw broken. The horse she was riding broke its neck.

Though the judge (Mr. R. Lusk) at Ellerslie gave the distance El Gallo won the Great Northern Steeplechase by as 100 yards, it was, as a matter of fact, not more than 80 yards, or 5 2-ssec., though it might have been more had the son of Spalpeen been spun right out.

Tatterley was accorded a nomination in the Maiden Hurdle Race at Napier Park, but has done no jumping since he went into Mr. W. J. Ralph’s hands. If he should not take to jumping he may be useful in some of the five and a-half furlong races at Takapuna, for which it is understood he was purchased, as he is good at getting out well.

Achilledes, who is now owned by Mr. F. S. Rutherford in the South, is to be tried for jumping, and bred as he is on the dafcfe side should come good at the gaujgß’His dam, Dexterity, by Sou’-wesJeiA from the Natator mare Eclat, from > Fame, by The Painter, had all the blood of jumpers. Sou’-wester, Natator and The Painter were great successes as jumping sires, and Captain Webb, so many of whose progeny are still in evidence as fencers, was a full-brother to Eclat.