TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1366, 29 June 1916, Page 10

TURF TOPICS.

The weights for the V.R.C. Grand Nationals appear in this issue.

It transpires that Morning was weighted at 12st. in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase.

H. Thompson, the New Zealand horseman, is to ride Ungala in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeples.

E. Moon has been engaged to ride Bullawarra, and G. Scobie Booligal, in the V.R.C. G.N. Steeplechase.

J. O’Shea’s list of winning successes at the close of the Napier meeting numbered 75.

Nominations for the Caulfield Cup this year fell a little short of the best previous record.

The Auckland R.C.' have received about the same number of classic entries as they did last year.

Gazeley, who has had nine years of stud service at Gisborne, claimed three winners at the recent meeting there.

There is said to be some chance of the imported horse Lilyveil, by Martagon, finding his way to Gisborne.

The remains of A. Goodwin, the Hawke’s Bay trainer, who died recently in Melbourne, were embalmed and sent to New Zealand.

Melbourne Cup nominations this year constitute a record; 266 was a lengthy list for the handicapper to deal with.

Sleight-of-Hand and The Hound are being brought back to New Zealand by A. Shearsby by an early steamer from Melbourne.

The English horse Cyklon won the Birthday Cup in brilliant style. He was always nicely placed, and smothered the opposition at the finish.

Queen’s Post is on the light side for steeplechasing under weight, but she is a clevei’ jumper and should get a win soon.

Tim Doolan was the prime goods for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase after the weights appeared. Morning was third in request.

Roi Herode, sire of the Tetrarch, has been responsible for a number of winners in England of late, and one of them of peculiar colour —a grey, roan and chestnut mixture.

It has been definitely decided that Pursefiller will be shipped to Melbourne shortly to be raced in Victoria, but too late for the big campaign which opens there next week.

Little Crawford made a good second attempt at the Napier Park meeting over the hurdles, which are to suit beginners, and he may do better under a light impost.

Bravest, by Coeur de Lion from Resulka, has been a bit unlucky in steeplechasing essays, and his Park Steeplechase win at Napier on Saturday was quite due.

Gladful, winner of the Ahuriri Hurdles at Napier, is a four-year-old by Birkenhead from Gladsome’s fullsister Gladisla, and has gone on improving steadily.

Mr. G. Stead is very unlucky in not being able to run Tim Doolan for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, owing to the son of Rokeby injuring one of his joints last week.

The death of Morning, an accident to Tim Doolan and the scratching of El Gallo will leave New Zealand Without a representative in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase.

The 191 entries received for the Williamstown Cup constitute a record for that race. The club’s liberality entitles it to solid support from owners in the various States.

Mr. W. Ryan leaves Auckland for Sydney on Monday, and goes thence to Melbourne to see Merrimax run in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race.

Of late more young men immediately connected with racing have joined the expeditionary forces, and the enlistment of quite a number of horsemen during the month has been recorded from different parts of the Dominion.

St. Omer, winner of the Newstead Hack Handicap at Napier Park, is by that good horse Moral from The Officer mare Energy, whose dam, Industry, by Nautilus, was bred in South Australia. * * * * Bullawarra beat Nazzaro, Westaway and seven others in the Williamstown Steeplechase on Saturday. The trip to England has evidently not impaired the usefulness of the winner. # * * ♦ St. Medoe has won his initial hurdle race for “Mr. J. Birk” at Warwick Farm, near Sydney. He cost 900gns. two and a-half years ago and has only won three races since, so has been a very costly purchase. The fact that The Tetrarch is a grey does not appear to have prevented his list filling at the stud, and last year he had 20 mares and this year 28, outside those of his owner, at a fee of 300 guineas.

At latest advices Tim Doolan was in the hands - of a veterinary surgeon, and his prospects of racing at the V.R.C. meeting were said to be far from good. He was, however, accepted for on Thursday.

Horses by Strowan usually turn out well with age, and War Tax, who is a half-brother to The Pole, may do so, and may perhaps make a jumper, too. The Guard and Paritutu are two members of the family.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond was in Auckland last week. His horses Gladful and Aurore were not raced on the second day of the Napier Park meeting for the reason, it is said, that the weights did not suit.

Waiparapara, Korirangi and Korangi, three Maori-named ones, were the placed horses in the Hunt Club Steeples at Napier, and the only ones to finish. Another Maori-named one in Whakahoki got home in the Winter Oats Handicap.

Whakahoki, winner of the Winter Oats Handicap at Napier, is a five-year-old gelding by San Fran from Maid of Astolat, half-sister to that good horse California and to Goldenlyte. The last-named, a winner on the opening day, ran third to him.

Mr. G. P. Donnelly is this year limiting his imported horse Demosthenes to half the number of outside mares he had last year, and his ser-

vice fee has been fixed at 50 guineas. The son of Desmond will soon have his list full. « * * • The New South Wales stud of Mr. H. R. Denison, known as the Eumaralla stud, was dispersed on June 20th, and the cable tells us that fair prices were obtained. The imported mare Faustine, by Gallinule from Film, realised 760 guineas, the top price. * * * * The gallop at Ellerslie now used for schooling hurdle horses is to be converted to a grass gallop, and will be put in shape at an early date. With increasing numbers of horses at headquarters provision for training work is a constant study of those in authority. * * * * Styrax has raced very consistently this season, and a second and a win for this descendant of old Discretion, who was in her day well known in the Hawke’s Bay province, were well earned at Napier Park. Styrax was bred hy his owner, Mr. Robert Hicks, of Hawera. * ❖ * * There was a falling off in the totalisator turnover at the Napier Park meeting of £lB7O as compared with last year, or £2679 as compared

with the previous year, notwithstanding excellent attendances and plenty of horses, but the last three winter meeting were ahead of that of 1912.

St. Carwyne has finished his turf career, says the “Referee.” He is a five-year-old, and bred by Messrs. W. and F. A. Moses was sold as a yearling for lOOgns. to Mr. W. Dailey, for whom he won £11,412 in prize money, the result of seven and a-half firsts, three seconds, and six and a-half thirds.

Silver Tag, who won the Newmarket Cambridge shire Hunt Plate, the race substituted for the Ascot Hunt Cup, is a half-sister by Sundridge to Fifinella, the Derby and Oaks winner, from Silver Fowl by Wildfowler, winner of the St. Leger. Silver Tag was one of the best fillies in training in England last season.

In the opinion of many owners and trainers (states the “Referee”) some clubs racing just c-utside the 40 miles Sydney radius should give prizes better worth winning. In the case of leased horses there is not much left for the lessee after the owner’s third of the prize, jockey’s winning fee, and other incidentals are deducted.

The imported filly Cheloma cannot be thought highly of down Napier way, judging from the way she was hand’capped and that she started at a fair price in the Settlers’ Hack Race. She, however, beat all save Otara, the son of Gazeley and Te Aorangi, who won also at Gisborne and consequently showed some form.

Atuatoro, who won the Ladies’ Necklet on the first day of the Napier Park meeting, is a four-year-old by San Fran from the Torpedo mare Waingongoro, and a full-brother to Tangimoana, who came eight years earlier and proved very useful when carrying the colours of Mr. D. Buick, ex-M.P., of Palmerston North.

Australian papers credited El G'allo with having carried a 101 b. penalty in the Great Northern Steeplechase, and this is intei preted by some writers as having influenced the weight adjuster in awarding him the weight he did in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, but the hollow victory in record time is the more likely to have guided the handicapper.

Having won the Wanganui, Gisborne and Napier Steeplechases in succession, the Sir Laddo gelding Braeburn has got away with three important jumping events between the flags. As they are his first three essays over country he has established a bit of a record as a ’chaser, and this for an unsound horse, too. Staying is clearly his forte.

It transpires that Polybius was sired in England by Polymelus, but was not foaled until after his dam Berylium reached Australia. Although Mr. N. Faulkiner had nothing to do with the mating of Polymelus and Berylium, says “Pilot” in the “Referee,” the tact of being the owner of the mare named at the time she thiew Polybius makes him the breeder of the latter.

In England it has been claimed that racing has not interfered with the coming forward of men for active service, and that the professional element in the racing world has contributed very largely to the formation of the new armies. The hunting fields have been largely depleted of eligibles as well; indeed, all sports associations have done their share in finding men.

The weather has been much colder during the past week than at any period during the past seven or eight months in Auckland. Thanks to the number and excellent condition of the tracks at headquarters, the recent rains have not prevented plenty of work of a useful order being got through there. Trainers are busy with their coming two-year-olds and horses wanted for jumping meetings ahead.

Lady Stout, on recruiting, is reported to have said that while youths under age were clamouring to be taken for service, the selfish, com-fort-loving batchelor, with neither the courage to marry or take any interest in his country, had not been found rushing the recruiting officers. They could be found crowding the racecourses, and if she could have her way she would not only conscript, but press gang them into Trentham, where three months training might rouse their manhood.

There have been no better female representatives of the Towton — Anticipation mare Amohia since Tigridia—her daughter, who was a good one, and won the Great Northern Derby—than Kooya and Loloma, who should make good brood mares to carry on the line if suitably mated when they retire to the stud. This line is a branch of the No. 3, and should be built up. Some of the daughters of Amohia and other descendants were unfortunate in their mates, or would probably have done better. Hinemoa’s first six foals were colts, and then she had four fillies, of which Seabird, dam of Loloma, is one, and Scotch Mist, dam of Master Florence, another. Kooya’s dam, Koiana, was got by The Possible from Leonie, by Leolinus from Amohia, and many will class Kooya, who is by Signalman, as the best. She certainly continues to race well, and was the best of the horses racing under welters at the Napier Park meeting. A few unfortunate punters who have been following her in doubles of late when she did not start left her alone when she just missed the Stewards’ Handicap there on the first day.