TURF TOPICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1507, 13 March 1919, Page 21

TURF TOPICS

Ngaruawahia races March 19.

For betting at the Takapuna meeting an offender in a small way was last week fined £2O.

Word from Dunedin states that the Stewards’ Handicap winner, Michaela. has resumed work with J- Rutledge s team. Course records have been put up on the Te Aroha course for particular events and distances, evidence that the going has improved. The yearlings J. Williamson bought at the sale of Mr. G. Currie’s lots at Wanganui are now at Ellerslie, and are shortly to be put through further lessons. It was inadvertently stated in these columns last week that Mr. F. McManemin made the handicaps for Te Aroha, whereas it should have been Mr. F. W. Edwards.

Hetaua, the brilliant black two-year-old by Demosthenes, a taste of whose quality and good class we had when he won at Ellerslie and Takapuna, won again at Napier Park. Statuette, by Marble Arch from Seatonella, is keeping up the family reputation. Her win at Napier Park on Saturday was an easy one, and she is paying her new owner. On Saturday at Te Aroha Mr. Alf. Kemp had the bad luck to lose his bay gelding Alf. Delaval through an accident which occurred, a motor car coming the opposite way being the cause.

Jingo is reported to be displaying improved form on the tracks at Riccarton, and the four-year-old son of Flavus should be seen to advantage in welter events at the Ashburton meeting.

Kilboyne, who established an Australasian record (Imin. lOsec.) for six furlongs at the last N.Z. Cup meeting at Riccarton, has resumed work with a view to fulfilling Easter engagements. A Wellington syndicate has acquired a three year-old filly by Advance from Cecile. The youngster was purchased from Mr. F. S. Easton, and will be trained by J. McLaughlin at Trentham.

The Northern Steam Ship Company announce that steamers will leave Auckland on Friday and on Saturday, conveying passengers to Paeroa for the Ohinemuri races, returning Saturday and Monday evenings. Battle Song’s win in the Napier Park Cup calls further attention to the progeny of the Pilgrim’s Progress horse Signor, who as a stayer has had no superior in the Dominion. The Wanganui Cup went to the Signor gelding Dusky Eve.

Mascot is reported to be galloping remarkably well. She has an engagement in the Woodville Cup, run this month, but may not be a starter. There is an idea of sending her to Ellerslie at Easter, while Menelaus will go to Riccarton. Emerson, who rode three winners at Napier Park on Friday, and who was on Sweet Corn when she won the chief event on Saturday, was offered riding at Te Aroha, but could not 'get through there. This horseman is riding in good form. Reports from Sydney show that Biplane is striding along in good style in preparation for his autumn engagements. The son of Comedy King has been hitting out freely on the tracks at Randwick, getting through his tasks without apparent effort. Eleus’ form of late has been of a nature to suggest that the full-brother to Koesian and Cyrisian will pick up a good stake ere long. Eleus is engaged in the Ashburton Cup, and should the son of Elysian see the post he will not want for supporters.

The only occasion on which the Judicial Committee met at Dannevirke was to hear a report from the club’s racecourse detective that some of the patrons were motoring to town in a car during the intervals between the races. No action was taken. Prior to the Stewards’ Handicap on the opening day of the Nelson J. C.’s annual meeting at Richmond Park a lad named Macmahon was kicked on the hdad by Rebekah. His ear was torn, but fortunately the skull was not damaged. He was taken to the jockeys’ room, where his injuries were attended by Dr. Washbourn.

J. O’Shea was en route for Wellington to catch the steamer leaving for Sydney when he was advised that it had been delayed. He then dropped in at the Hamilton meeting, and had a nice winning ride on Spanner, the best three year-old colt at the meeting.

Mr. Fred. Edwards has long been handicapper for the Te Aroha Racing Club, and for the opening day of the meeting the acceptances were very good. The weights were issued immediately after the Hamilton meeting with" the very latest form before him.

B. Deeley rode the two-year-olds that carried Mr. T. H. Lowry’s colours on both days of the Dannevirke meeting. The pair consisted of Lucid (Demosthenes —Lady Lucy) and Red Pepper (Demosthenes —Gipsy Belle), the latter being recently purchased by Mr. Lowry from Mr. A. J. Toxward.

The sum of £2418 was invested on the Nelson Cup. which is a record investment for one race in Nelson. There were eight starters, and the winner turned up in Mr. F. S. Easton’s Master Moutoa, whose victory was exceedingly popular, the aged Sarto gelding going out a staunch favourite.

At the sale of thoroughbred brood mares conducted by Messrs. Hoadley, Son and Stewart, Ltd., at the Otatara racing stables on Friday last, Golden Ball was purchased by Messrs. Dwan Bros, of Wellington, for 30gns.; Kilworth went to the bid of Mr. J. H. Harris, of “Redcliffe,” Taradale, for 40gns., the same gentleman also purchasing Lady Delaval for 40gns. and Formona for 26gns. Marula was offered on behalf of Mr. J. Ormond, and was purchased by Mr. M. Thomas, of Waimarama, for 37gns.

Spanner was handicapped at 10.0 to 80-Peep 9.12 for the Farewell Handicap at Te Aroha, thus estimating them as equal. They were not paid up for.

One of New Zealand’s erstwhile leading horsemen, Charles Jenkins, has been arrested at Bulls and committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. The offence, to which he pleaded guilty, was breaking and entering and the theft of about £2 in silver and 141 b. of corned beef.

After the Esk Hack Handicap on the opening day of the Napier Park meeting, C. Emerson, rider of the winner (Statuette), was summoned before the stewards for the alleged crossing of Lord Muskerry. It was decided that Emerson had been responsible for carelessness and he was cautioned.

With the exception of Hastie, who races for patriotic purposes, none of the horses belonging to Mr. Ernest Short were started at the Dannevirke meeting, owing to the transfers not having been completed in accordance with the rules of racing. They were withdrawn from Napier Park for a similar reason.

Mr. H. Friedlander, owner of the big team that C. Giesler has at work at Wingatui, has practically decided to give up racing, and sell all his horses, including Flora Macdonald, at the D.J.C. meeting in June. It is said that he is dissatisfied with the handicapping. Giesler proposes to carry on as a public trainer.

St. Miro is doing steady work at Ellerslie after his spell off. Waiuta, Queen Abbey and Uncle Ned were the best backed of the starters on the first day at Te Aroha. Bagby, the lightweight, rode three winners on the first day at Te Aroha and a dead-heat. He only rode one place-getter on the second day. E. Warner was about on Sunday with his arm in a sling, and counts on riding at Paeroa. Hamilton and Te Kuiti Cups were run in the, same time, viz., 2min. 7sec.

Tinopai and Glenopal were the only two handicapped at top weight paid up for on the second day of the Te Aroha meeting. Both won. Thrace was handicapped at 12.11 on both days of the Te Aroha meeting, but was not started, though accepted for on the first day. Mr. J. Lennard, of Waihou, states that Idra will be again tried for racing. She disappointed her lessee in the spring. It is the intention of the Waikato Hunt Club members to apply for a permit to hold a meeting in the winter. It has practically been promised.

Welsh pit ponies in the coal mines have been attacked by the influenza epidemic, causing a shortage in the output.

, Quin Abbey’s list is being well booked up for next season, so his owner, Mr. Potts, informed a representative of this -paper during the week.

Ohinewairua has won herself out of hack company. She was eligible to start on the second day of the Te Aroha meeting, but her owner-thought 10.8 was too big a load and so let her drop out. She won the open race, however.

On Monday morning at Te Aroha Mr. H. Tonks received a wire to say that his stables at Remuera had been destroyed by fire on the previous night.

A report that some ladies fainted through the heat and dust met with at Te Aroha is probably exaggerated. It was enough to make them sorry for expensive costumes when they got such a dusting. The death of Mr. George Mcßride, who for many years took much interest in trotting in Auckland and bred and raced a number of useful horses he purchased from time to time, took place on Monday at his home at Mount Albert.

Philomela, the three-year-old daughter of Bezonian, by her win on the second day of the Te Aroha meeting would help pay some of her expenses. She was the only one of Telford’s team to start during the day, and a win was quite due for her.

The disqualification of Mr. Ewen W. Alison, jun., by the Hamilton Racing Club’s stewards comes before the Auckland District Committee today (Thursday), Mr. Alison having appealed.

John Barleycorn ran a very fair race in the Buckley Memorial Handicap at the recent Oamaru fixture, in which he finished third, with a short head and a neck dividing the placed lot. He, however, seems to be getting a bit sour, and occasionally displays that tendency by his behaviour at the post.

R. Hannon rarely sends horses to a country or any meeting without winning part of the prize money. Tinopai and Glenopal each scored for that owner-trainer at Te Aroha, and each carried top weights in their respective races when they succeeded.

On the day preceding the Te Aroha meeting Alf. Delaval met with injuries that ended fatally. He broke a leg through a motor car coming in collision with him crossing the Te Aroha bridge. Mr. Alf. Kemp’s luck is right out.

It is thought that in order to remedy the dust nuisance in the front of the Te Aroha grandstand and in the vicinity, as the grass cannot get a chance to grow there, that it would be advisable to tar and sand the spot, as is done to the footpaths in the Domain.

Taiamai added two more wins to her list at Te Aroha, and in her last essay was conceding 31b. to Queen Abbey, who she has always previously had the pull in weight over. Queen Abbey finished last of the four runners.

Whitehall for his win on the first day of the Te Aroha meeting paid about the same sized dividend as did Woody Glen at Hamilton. Cambridge gave a surprise return for his second; had he won the dividend would have been a little larger than was paid on Whitehall.

A change of riders on Formalin caused her to go out favourite for the Maiden Plate at Te Aroha, but Gray could do no better, with her than she did for M. D. O’Shea, who got her into second place on the first day behind Whitehall in the Trial Handicap. Mr. H. C. Tonks had to pay two losing mounts. This filly is, apparently, not very solid yet.

The time (Imin. 39sec.) registered by Mill o’ Gowrie and Housewife for the mile at Te Aroha is not credited in some quarters. Tinopai is reported to have put up a mile gallop outside the hurdles on the same track before the meeting which would work out as quite equal to that registered by the dead-heaters. She, however, won her race in Imin. 41 2-ssec. when she beat Housewife a neck.

Mr. John Lennard has a four-year-old by Carl Rosa from defunct Ida which he thinks highly of, and which he is prepared to dispose of to a good man on terms. Mr. Lennard has taken a lively interest in sport in the Te Aroha district since going there to reside, and was one of the most pleased of men at the success of the meeting which ended on Monday.

‘Stilts, Mossman, Flowing Bowl and War Tank were amongst Ellerslietrained horses which were not taken on from Hamilton to Te Aroha. Flowing Bowl pulled off. two plates while racing at Claudelands, and it was in consequence that he was not started on the second day, as he broke away one of his feet. The two first-men-tioned may race at Paeroa on Saturday and Monday. In 1917 £39,760 was passed through the tote during the two days of the meeting held at Te Aroha. On Saturday £29,032 10s. was handled, and on Monday the amount was £26,332 10s. This brought the total to £55,365 for the two days, and will give some idea of the progress the club has made.