Turf Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1519, 5 June 1919, Page 9

Turf Topics

The Signor gelding Signorella, who has run indifferently this season, is to be tried over the hurdles. P. T. Hogan intends treating Almoner to a spell before placing the Boniform gelding in work again. St. Alwyne, sire of Poitrel, has left some good performers in Australia, and Poitrel is probably the best to date Two Wanganui residents succeeded in drawing third prize (£870) in the No. 2 Tattersail’s sweep on the Sydney Cup. Mr. W. H. Norton, the Canterbury sportsman, has acquired a lease of the 1916 Auckland Trotting Cup winner. Admiral Wood. Reports from Dunedin state that the Stewards’ Handicap winner, Michaela, and her sister Adeline, are shortly to resume work.From Adelaide comes word of the death of Mr. A. O. Whittington, who, since 1889, was secretary of the South Australian Jockey Club. The Martian mare Nanna, who died from injuries received at Bacchus Marsh some time back, won £2925 in prize money for Mr. W. R. Kemball. The ex-North Island gelding Multiplication, who has so far proved a disappointment in Otago, is being treated to swimming exercise at present. The Forbury Trotting Club Committee have decided to apply for three dates for next season: November 28 and 29, March 20 and 23, May 7 and 8. The Waikato Trotting Club will give £lO to the Soldiers’ Club if the building is erected in Victoria Street. Hamilton, or £5O if the original site at the Jubilee Gardens is utilised. Silent Way, the Sydney performer, is reported to have been leased to Mr. Leslie Stuart. Silent Way should win good races in the company racing at Melbourne meetings just now. K. Bracken, who, on the opening day of the A.J.C. meeting at Randwick, won the Autumn Stakes on Poitrel and the Sires’ Produce Stakes on Millieme. received as his percentage of the stakes £231 2s. Xavier has rejoined J. Bryce’s team, while the trotting gelding Whisht, owned by the Hawera sportsman Mr. J. R. Corrigan, also Lieutenant and Little Kauri, will in future be trained by the Oakhampton Lodge mentor. In connection with the newlyformed Central Otago Trotting Club, Mr. J. Keddell has been appointed judge and Mr. Dave Jolly starter. It has been decided to appoint an outside handicapper of established reputation. Acceptances for the first day’s events to be decided at the Gisborne Racing Club’s steeplechase meeting, which takes place on June 12 and 14, are due with the secretary, Mr. H. E. Dodd, on Saturday next, June 7, at 8 p.m. The stewards of the American Jockey Club recently refused a license to John Loftus, who, by many qualified to give an opinion, is regarded as that country’s most capable horseman. The Jockey Club stewards declined to give any reason for their action. Among the newly-formed clubs seeking totalisator permits is a trotting body recently promoted by enthusiasts in Clyde and Alexandra, Central Otago. Already the new club boasts of 100 members, and is to be known as the Central Otago Trotting Club. Lady Black followed up her victory at the recent Marlborough Racing Club’s meeting by winning the Telegraph Handicap (five furlongs) at the Taratahi-Carterton gathering on Thursday last. The All Black mare is evidently not a back number yet, as she defeated some fair performers in the race in question. When Parorangi accounted for the Trial Plate at the Taratahi-Carterton meeting last Thursday he was mak-. ing his first appearance in the colours of his new owner, Mr. W. Higgins, who secured the two-year-old son of Demosthenes — Pellicle from Mr. E. Short at the recent sale of the latter’s thoroughbreds for 585 guineas. Parorangi is now trained by A. McAuley.

Among the buyers of yearlings at Messrs. H. Chisholm’s Randwick saleyards on May 20 was the New Zealand owner, *Mr. Nicholls, who purchased a bay colt by Gunpowdei’ —Pamperoo and a brown filly by Varco (imp.)—Lady Rouvray. A final reminder to owners and trainers may be necessary to the effect that all nominations for the Poverty Bay Trotting Club’s annual meeting, which is to be held on June 28, are due with the secretary, Mr. H. E. Dodd, on Friday next, June 6, at 8 p.m. Prior to contesting the Sydney Cup, in which he finished sixth, Finmark was reported to have developed a doubtful leg, and it was questionable whether he would get through his engagement. The ex-New Zealander was up in front at the Jialfmile post, but cried enough at the straight entrance. Bibbenluke, who won the First Steeplechase at the Australian J.C.’s autumn meeting at Randwick, frequently acted as pacemaker on the tracks to the great Australian stayer, Trafalgar, during the time the latter was, as a result of his brilliant achievements, the idol of Commonwealth racegoers. Bibbenluke is 14 years old, and was originally owned by Messrs. P. and W. Mitchell, who raced Trafalgar. Owing to the fact that he ricked himself slightly whilst galloping on the Rand wick tracks, Magpie was prevented from carrying silk at the A.J.C. autumn meeting. Magpie has thus been taken through from Melbourne to Sydney for the last two autumn carnivals at Randwick, and, owing to unexpected circumstances, has not yet raced in New South Wales.

Re the Distressed Trainers’ Fund, “Pilot” says it-might be as we’l for members of the ruling body to know that trainers would like to be represented in the administration of a fund so closely concerning them. In fact, with the assistance of the A.J.C. in the first place some would like to practically control and administer the fund. There were two stipendiary stewards present at the Wanganui meeting. For careless riding in the Wanganui Steeplechase on Foeman, whereby Master Strowan was interfered with about seven and a-half furlongs from home in that race, F. Flynn was fined a “tenner.” On the second day ’Cello, who was not in the picture in the Purua Hack Flat Handicap on the first day, came out and tried to win the Balgownie ’ Hack Race all the way over the same distance. The stewards disallowed a protest for alleged interference. ’Cello’s form was a bit inconsistent. It is stated (writes “Sir Modred” in the Southland “Times”) that G. Young appeared to be winning the Te Puke Welter easily at Oamaru with Gunrest when W. Robinson closed on him with Kilkee and beat him home by a neck. The Rorke’s Drift Lodge horseman is a very strong finisher, and in this respect holds an advantage over many of the so-called fashionable jockeys. Young is not the first rider caught napping by the

Southlander, and it is safe to say that he will not be the last provided Robinson sticks to the game. As a result of Finmark’s win in the St. Leger on the opening day of the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting, Mr. P. Wade, who is said to have purchased the three-year-old son of Finland—Warscare from Mr. T. H. Lowry at a price in the neighbourhood of 5000 guineas, secured £1384, while A. Wood, who rode Finmark, received as his percentage £6B 14s. After running in the Sydney Cup on the second day, Finmark was withdrawn from his other engagements at the meeting, Mr. Wade deciding, in view of the fact that the colt had been in training for a lengthy period, a spell was necessary. At a committee meeting of the Marton Jockey Club Mr. R. E. Beckett was unanimously elected chairman for the ensuing year. In returning thanks, Mr. Beckett paid a tribute to the committee for the splendid manner in which they had carried out their duties. It was a pleasure to him to preside over such a progressive club, and he hoped that as in the past pleasant relations would still exist. Messrs. K. W. Deighton. J. McDonell, I. Jefferson and E. Openshaw were elected a Course Committee. At a recent meeting of the. committee of the Riverton Racing Club it was decided to make application for an’ extra permit, and in doing so the committee claim that a club with such a standing in the centre of so large a sporting community is entitled to the consideration asked for. The club is committed to a building scheme that will entail an expenditure of over £5OOO, and with only one meeting a year members do not feel justified in taking the step until they

build up their reserve. An extra meeting would ensure this being accomplished, and patrons would get the accommodation they are entitled to. The matter will be placed in the hands of Mr. J. C. Thomson, M.P., and the representatives of the club on the Conference. It is a bit doubtful which is the best two-year-old in New Zealand, and it has not been determined by any outstanding form which is the best of that age in the Commonwealth. It would appear very likely that a very useful lot of colts will be in work during the winter and early spring months to try and win the A.J.C. Derby. That some New Zea-land-owned colts will be taken over his practically been decided upon. In the way of jumping horses, the best New Zealand hurdlers and steeplechasers just now in commission are probably not very far behind the best of the Australians in each department. Waimai did not get a fair chance when he was sent to Victoria. When Sleight of Hand made the journey he was raced in consequence of his trainer being carried off with pneumonia, and he was brought back. He was then practically a maiden, but has since distinguished himself. A team of useful jumpers could be sent over this winter, but with shipping conditions so uncertain no owners are thinking of winter racing in Australia.

“Do you think we’ll have anyone on the course?” asked a member of the Marton Jockey Club at the recent annual meeting, when the chairman had read through a list of those who were precluded from visiting a racecourse under the provisions of the Gaming Act. Another member suggested- that those privileged to attend should wear a badge. Biplane’s vagaries on the Randwick tracks a few days prior to the A.J.C. autumn meeting are thus described by a writer in the Sydney “Sun”: The sensation of the morning was provided by Biplane, but it was nothing in the way of record breaking. Nor was it witnessed by many people, as it occurred when most of the spectators had left the tracks. The dual Derby winner, ridden by L. Walker, was galloping on the cinder track, which adjoins the magpie. In parts a rail separates the two, but near the furlong there is no division, and Biplane, in the middle of his gallop, suddenly jumped the small embankment up on to the magpie, and then veered out towards the tote on the flat. A few yards from where he changed from one track to the other there is a fence, and he narrowly missed a collision with this. Then he nearly came into contact with the steeplechase fence, as he continued to pull sideways across the magpie track, and Walker finally just managed to pull him up in time to keep him from crashing into a second fence near the flat tote. When the horse had quietened down again Walker took him on to the cinders a second time, and he went quietly round for a furlong or so, and was then pulled up. Biplane galloped six furlongs in Imin. 25sec. before he ran off the track.

When last month the Melbourne Cup winner Nightwatch, who is owned by Mr. C. L. Macdonald, won the Peace Cup (li miles) at the Williamstown Racing Club’s peace meeting, which was held at Caulfield, it was decided that the St. Alwynne— Wakeful gelding should be sent to Sydney to contest the Cup at Randwick on May 19. Nightwatch, therefore, accompanied his stable mate Magpie, who contested the weight-for-age races for his owners, Messrs. Lionel Robinson and William Clark, to the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting, Mr. C. L. Macdonald going to Sydney to witness the final preparation of his horse, he being one of the most astute judges of form in Australia. As is weT-known, Nightwatch made a bold bid for victory in the Sydney Cup (two miles) and succeeded in defeating all of the 18 other contestants with the exception of the English-bred ge’ding lan ’Or, who drew away from the Melbourne Cup winner inside the distance and secured the verdict comfortably by three lengths. Nightwatch thus went very close to repeating the performance of his dam. Wakeful, who carried 9.7 to victory in the Sydney Cup and won altogether £l6 690 in stakes. Nightwatch’s impost, however, was only 8.2. Magpie was subsequently sold to Mr. P. Miller at a price reported to be in the vicinity of 5000 guineas.