TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1507, 13 March 1919, Page 19

TURF GOSSIP.

The Taratahi-Carterton Racing Club intend holding their annual meeting on May 29.

It is understood that the whole of the thoroughbred stock owned by Mr. E. Short, of Feilding, will shortly be offered for sale by auction.

Bitholia and Parorangi were priced recently by a would-be buyer, when 1000 guineas were asked for the former and 700 guineas for the latter. No business resulted.

Although no definite arrangements have yet been made, it is practically certain that the Highden-trained Warplane will be sent to Christchurch to contest the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes,

Menelaus’ win in the Wanganui Stakes was the first recorded by the 1917 New Zealand Cup winner since he scored in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap in January of last year.

Seventeen horses have been nominated for the Ashburton Cup (one mile and a-quarter), among the number being Afterglow, Adjutant, Lionskin, Almoner, Golden King and Margerine.

It seems a general opinion (says a Victorian turf scribe) that so far nothing like the best has been seen here of the New Zealand mare Impediment, who is working in a pleasing manner, and who will be a strong order for any race whenever a stable move is made in her favour.

The Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting is to be held on June 3, 5 and 7, when £7500 will be distributed in stakes, an increase of £9lO per day over last year’s programme of two days. No race on the programme is worth less than £2OO.

A Lyttelton “Times” writer states that Braid has been suffering from an abscess on the jaw, and this may account for her disappointing form more than once lately. She is now on the improve, but will be reserved for a while.

Collector has been nominated for both hurdle races at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s autumn meeting. The ex-Aucklander, Achilledes, also figures among the entries for the same two races, in addition to which he has been entered for the welter events.

Kilbarry, who won the Maiden Plate at Oamaru, in the colours of his breeder, Mr. O. R. Wise, is a three-year-old gelding by Kilbroney — Nithsevo, so that he is a brother to Killiney and a half brother to Charlotte, Charleville and Ardmore.

The Victoria Racing Club’s postponed autumn meeting will be opened at Flemington on Saturday next, March 15. The presence of Nanna, Scornful, Hymestra and Sunb in the weight-for-age events will make the meeting of special interest to New Zealanders.

The aged hunter, Dardanelles (Battlefield —Miss Hillsborough) has joined P. T. Hogan’s team at Invercargill to be prepared for autumn jumping engagements. At the last Grand National meeting the Messrs. Leonard’s horse ran second in the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase won by Gaekwar. 1 1

Messrs. E. J. Watt and H. Chisholm left Wellington on Wednesday by the Riverina for Sydney after a brief visit to the Dominion. J. O’Shea also left by the same steamer for the purpose of riding Mr. W. R. Kemball’s horses in their Australian engagements. Mr. Kemball’s team will probably first be seen out at the V.A.T.C. and V.R.C. meetings at Caulfield and Flemington respectively.

In all probability Nobleman will be a starter in the Rangitikei Cup, an event in which the Sir Laddo gelding started favourite last year but had to be content with second place, Kiltess romping home an easy winner. Nobleman is reported in splendid fettle, J. Coyle having kept him in forward condition, notwithstanding that he has not been asked to sport silk since the Wellington Racing Club’s summer meeting.

According to a southern writer, Killjoy is troubled with lameness in the shoulder and will probably go to the stud next season.

H. Gray, after fulfilling engagements at the Hamilton meeting, journeyed south by the' Main Trunk express, arriving in Wellington in time to catch the Nikau for Nelson. After riding on Wednesday and Thursday at the Nelson Jockey Club’s annual meeting he left for Wellington, where he joined Friday’s northward bound express, thus enabling him to be in the saddle at the Te Aroha Jockey Club’s annual gathering on Saturday and Monday. Gray is certainly putting up a record for quick travelling this season, and the end of the 1918-19 racing period should again find the crack horseman at the head of the list in the jockey premiership of the Dominion.

The “Australasian” gives a list of the highest prices realised by thoroughbred stallions in this part of the world. The list does not include horses bought in England for Australia: — Carbine (privately) 13,000 gns., Trafalgar (auction) 7500gn5., Comedy King (auction) 7300gn5., Tressady (auction) 6000gns., Nordenfelt (auction in N.Z.) 5000gns., Trenton (privately) 5000gns., Bill of Portland (auction) 4900gn5., Kenilworth (auction) 4100gns., Kilbroney (auction in N.Z.) 4000gns., Multiform (auction in N.Z.) 3750gn5., Shepherd King (auction) 3500gn5., Trenton (auction) 3000gns., Bobadil (auction) 2300gn5., Charlemagne 11. (auction in N.Z.) 2300gns.

A meeting of the stewards of the Horowhenua Racing Club was held last week for the purpose of considering a telegram from the Racing Conference regarding the holding of a meeting by the club on the Levin course during the remainder of the current racing season. Mr. J. McLeavey, president of the club, occupied the chair, and there was a full attendance of stewards. The telegram from the Racing Conference was as follows: “Your club may hold a one-day totalisator meeting during the remainder of the current racing year. Wire urgent if meeting will be held or not, and submit date for approval.” After consideration, the stewards decided to accept the offer of the conference, and to recommend that the meeting be held on May 28, subject to the approval of the Racing Conference.

The success of Lochella at the hurdle racing game during the progress of the North Otago Jockey Club’s recent meeting has caused inquiry to be made as to the origin of his dam, Estella (writes “Sir Modred,” in the Southland “Times”), and it transpires that she comes of a family successful on the racecourses of the goldfields and far across the seas as a matter of fact. Trainer J. Gray, who knew the mare well and rode her in races, says that Estella was got by Epicure from Kate, by Choirster, a sire who proved very successful in Central Otago. She was a full sister to the well-known southern hurdle races of a few years back, Waikaia, and a full sister called Elwyn ranked as a pony, winning races in Maoriland, Australia and India. There were several other useful members of the same family. Estella herself won a number of races, and on one occasion at Queenstown caused a sensation by returning a dividend of £123 in a minor event. In the race referred to there was only one ticket taken out on the chance of the Epicure mare, and her surprised and delighted trainer was the man who collected the spoil, the investment being made on his own behalf.