TURF TOPICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1539, 23 October 1919, Page 33

TURF TOPICS

femilius has been purchased by a patron of J. Bryce’s .stable. The Canrobert gelding Robert Bell is again in work at Wingatui. Sedd-el-Bahr is reported to be making a good recovery from his recent operation. At Woodville Mr. R. A. McKenzie’s Kilbroney —Lady Jean 11. colt is reported to be doing good work. Miss de Vai has foaled a filly to Hymettus and Derelict a filly to Absurd. F. D. Jones sent Once More home to his owner after the Dunedin meeting. Mr. W. H. L. Christie’s Capon (Stepniak —Lady’s Maid) was as an act of mercy shot a week or so ago on account of age. (says a Dunedin writer). An offer'Of 1000 guineas is said to have been recently refused for the Demosthenes —Lady Celia colt Gasbag. Swanee River recently sustained some injuries to her shoulder, and has been blistered and turned out for a spell. Mr. R. M. Morten, of Christchurch, has sold' the speedy pacer General Wilkes to Mr. W. J. Taylor, of Bundaberg, Queensland. Affectation’s form at Wanganui and again at Masterton has set the owners of some :of the best of our three-year-olds thinking. ■ Word from Dunedin states that Mr. Acton-Adams has leased the Demosthenes filly Lisp to a patron of D. Wilson’s stable. Balefire, the full-brother to the Auckland Cup winner Fiery Cross, made his debut in the Taioma Handicap on the opening day of the Dunedin J.C. spring meeting. Lord Rose, Dorothy Dimple and Gold Girl, winners on Saturday at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, were each winners at the last meeting held at Alexandra Park. H. Young was the most successful rider at the Dunedin J.C. two days spring meeting with three winning mounts. The apprentice J. Andrews rode two winners. Kilboyne is looking a bit light, but it has been. decided to keep him in easy work. 'He has freshened up a good deal, and is now in Geo. Reed’s stable at Wingatui. The Wellington-owned trotter Lieutenant, who has been an inmate of J. Bryce’s stables for some time past, is to be returned to the Greenlane trainer, R. Hall. The 'five-year-old mare. Metallum (All Black —Winning Post), who won several races last season for Mr. C. Elmer, has been purchased bv Mr. A. D. Scott. The ex-Aucklander Rangi Aroha has of late been . galloping well on the .tracks at Riccarton, and should not be long in picking up a stake in the south. Mill o’ Gowr.e’s name figures in the list of Maiden Hurdle candidates at the spring meeting I 'of the Auckland Racing Club, and she is also in the Maniikau Rurdle Race.. Hetaua was scratched for the New Zealand Cup at 9 o’clock on Saturday, the day following his nomination for Auckland Racing- Club ‘ spring events and surviving -the first forfeit for the . Great' Northern Guineas. Bonnie Heather has now won two races, and is in.the New Zealand Cup with the minimum. If he can win that race it will be an advertisement for the imported sire Heather Mixture. Since 1901 and including that year seven first favourites, have won the A J.C. Derby, while in this year’s blue riband at . Randwick the favourite,Artilleryman, dead-heated- with Rich-mond.-Main,-:another well-backed candidate. ... Air Motor,; the dam. of ;; the .dual Derb.y winner, . Biplane, who was. bought, for 750gns. at the .dispersal sale of the Sh'pley Stud, slipped her foal-by Comedy" King, this year. The Ayr'-Laddie rnare is now in her 21st year, and-- the prospects, of her -producing another Biplane cannot. be re 7 garded as' bright.

It is reported that Pervolo will in future be Ltbained by A. M. Wright, at Foxton. . The Advance mare will be given a chance at the hurdlingbranch of the sport. The New Zealand horseman Stan Reid received £39 as his share of the Istake when he piloted Beltane to victory in the hurdle race on the opening day of the A.J.C. spring meeting at Randwick. After the A.J.C. spring meeting the following were the five leading Australasian stake winners: —Carbine, £29,476; Cetigne, £23,457; Desert Gold, £23,133; Wolaroi, £19,816; Poseidon, £19,496. Listening Post, who ran second in the Two-year-old Handicap on the second day of the Dunedin J.C.’s spring meeting, is to go into W. McDonald’s stable at Riccarton to be trained for future engagements. Post Haste, the chestnut son of San Francisco and Fleetfoot, who towards the end of last season made an unsuccessful tom- of the North Island meetings, was sold after the Dunedin meeting by Trainer F. D. Jones for £5O to a Winton sportsman. The filly Dunstan Rush, now racing in Mr. W. T. Hazlett’s interests in Hawke’s Bay, is a younger full-sister to the five-year-old mare Barley Rigs, who won the Kaikorai Handicap at Wingatui on the concluding day of the Dunedin J.C.’s spring meeting. The West Coast owner-trainer V. Alborn has a strong team in work on his private track at Inangaliua Junction, including Never Will, Dixie Lee, Wee Winnie, Woodland Rose, Capewell, and May Patch. He intends racing some of them at the coming Greymouth meeting. Mr. Wood could not have seen Starland, favourite for the Mosgiel Handicap at Wingatui, when he gave the word (says a Dunedin correspondent). Mr. Stead’s gelding was facing the wrong way, and lost several lengths. Starland was again made favourite for. the Kaikorai Handicap (seven furlongs) ’on the second day, but he finished in third place behind Barley Rigs and. Cannie Jack.' The scratching of Windorah for the New Zealand Cup on Thursday, at 10.40 a.m., did not occasion any surprise. ‘ Winning at Whangarei did not lead anyone to suppose that he represented New Zealand Cup form, and he was not. entered for any of the minor races in Canterbury the previous week. Affectation is a well-named son of Kilbroney and Simper, whose form at two and . three years o’d has stamped him with the hall-mark of excellence. He has been awarded 41b. over weight for age :‘n the C J.C. Stewards’ Handicap, in which, however, Desert Gold has 151 b. over the scale weight. 1 Weights are due on Tuesdav next (October 28) for the Maiden Hurdle Pace. Onehunga Steeplechase, Shorts Handicap, Hobson Handicap. Flying Handicap, and Hunters’ Steeplechase (second day), to be run at the Auckland R.C.’s spring meeting on November 8 and 12. For the Mitchelson. Cup the penalty conditions as they , appear in the programme state that the winner of the Great Northern Guineas must not carry less than 7.7.'' As no Guineas candidate is now engaged this cannot happen, though it is never likely to do so. No three-year old remains n the race.. Windorah, who is a four-year-old, is-the only one of that age paid up for. The - Australian hurdle - and ere country jockey F: ~W. McCabe, who is well known to New Zealanders, having at one t’me piloted the late Hon. J. D. Ormond’s jumpers in their engagements, has. just discovered that since August last, when he fell with Maria i-gong at the Australian Steeplechase meeting, he has been suffering from a slight fracture of the base of the skull. Since’ his fall he ha. 3 had head pains,, and early this month underwent an examination by X-rays, when the injury was discovered. The Dunedin Jockey Club’s Judicial Committee held- an- inquiry on the evening of the second day’s racing at the recent spring meeting into the running of Link Up in the Taioma Handicap on the first day of the fixture, as compared with her form in the Clarendon Handicap on the. second day. The trainer of the filly (H. Ellis) and her jockey (F. Gray) appeared before the committee, and after-'hearing their, evidence the committee decided to accept their explanation.

Lord Astolat, half-brother to Ohinewairtfa/ to-‘-win ■ face’d.' f Hymestra was beaten in a race near Melbourne recently. The three placed horses in the Caulfield Cup were trained by R. Bradfield. The cable announces that horses carrying King George’s colours won three races. Carslake, the ex-Australian jockey, rode Tetratema, winner of the Middle Park Plate. Surveyor was fourth in the Caulfield Cup and Delight finished in the same position in the Gwyn Nursery after being slow off the mark. Peter Moko, the American trotter, starts stud life at Manurewa next week, where he will have a number of well-bred consorts. General Stpphen has been handicapped as 21b. inferior to Ohoreka in the October Handicap at the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s meeting. Jack Cameron, who has had a number of horses belonging to Mr. W. J. Richmond in Australia, is returning to New Zealand at an early date. Totalisator figures showed an increase of £9210 at the Masterton meeting over those of the last spring meeting held there. H. Gray was expected to reach Wellington from Australia this week. It is not definitely decided where he will be riding the second week, in November. Messrs. W. Ryan and J. Gleeson returned from Sydney by the Moeraki, and on the same steamer B. Deeley, J. Deerey and R. Tapp, the well-known horsemen. Mr. W. ,R. Kemball’s horses, seventeen in number, will be brought to New Zealand on November 20, and a number • will race at Ellerslie at the summer meeting. Messrs. Clark and Robinson have won the Caulfield Cup in succession with English-bred horses, King Offa and Lucknow. R. Bradfield trained both, and F. Bullock rode them. > Geo. Phillips, who has been with ■Frank McGrath, the Randwick trainer, for about twelve years, when he took over the hurdler Cachuca, came over in charge of Dunedin, Messrs. Gleeson and Thorpe’s two-year-old. Rewipoto broke down in Sydney and Henry Clay was sold to a West Australian owner for 350gns., their trainer, Dick Johnson, going over to see the Caulfield meeting, after which -lie was booked to return to New Zealand. Surveyor finished in front of Richmond Main and sixteen of the starters in the Caulfield Cup, but was in fourth place. . The . three-year-old form so far is not very conclusive, but it would appear that Artilleryman is the best of the Australians. The ex-New Zealand ’chaser Tararu Jack, by Spalpeen from a Soult mare, ridden by Stan. Reid, won the Wyuna Steeplechase at Caulfield, carrying 12.10 in good style, on Saturday. H. Robinson went on to Melbourne after the spring meeting at Randwick. It is 'said that SaSanof was going well in the Randwick Plate .until he broke down in that race. It is considered unlikely that he will stand another preparation. One of the most successful bettors at the recent A.J.C. meeting was Mr. Joe Lemon, owner of Rebus, who won the .Metropolitan Handicap. After being badly left in- the Epsom Handicap on the opening day, Rebus ran fourth in that event, and in view of his promising showing- a big commission was worked by an ex-Victorian bookmaker for Rebus- in the Metropolitan, a good price be ng obtained for the owner of that horse. That Mr. Lemon had a substantial win over Rebus’ meritorious victory can be accepted as certain, as to mark his appreciation of his horse’s success he . placed. £lO,OOO in Peace Bonds. The totalisator accommodation, provided by many of the clubs, both for the receiving of .investments and. the paying of dividends, is totally inadequate, with the 1 consequent result that thousands' of pounds have been shut out of the totalisator. (says the report submitted-to Parliament' by Mrb-P. J. Keliehpr, Inspector. of Tqtalisatbrs). As, however, the majority of these clubs had'donated their profits during the wap to patriotic funds, ho ac.tion was taken-, but it is; to be . hoped-that now that the full number of days’ racing has' been restored, the' clubs referred to -will "provide the increased totalisator accommodation ’ necessary both for the public arid the tbtq jsator staff. ''

The most successful owners at the Dunedin J.C.’s spring meeting were:Sir George Clifford, £630; Mr. J. Graham, £362 10s.; Mr. R. C. Gillies, £294; Mr. R. Rewcastle, £294; Mr. G. B. Starky, £220; Mr. A. B. Armour, J23C-; Mr. J. B. Reid, £195; Mr. D. P. Wilson, £lBB 10s.; Mr. W. Bunton, £175; Mr P. Delargy, £175; Mr. R. McKay, £157 10s.; Mr. D. Kilkelly, £140; Mr. W. Gardiner, jun., £140; Mr. D. J. Stockwell, £140; Mr. G. L. Stead, £125; Mr C. G. Dalgety, £140; Mr. F. D. Jones, £lOO. The Metropolitan Handicap as a spectacle .was a disappointment, says a Sydney “Sun” writer. The actual finish was splendid, but the big field tended to make the contest a scramble for positions in the early stages, and quite a number of horses had no chance of showing whether the support accorded them was justified. Kenilford ran a remarkable race, and without detracting from the merit of the fine win registered by Rebus, it can safely be said that with ordinary luck Kenilford would have won the race nine times out of ten. The backers of Rebus can thank Wood’s fine bodily condition for pulling his mount through in a tight finish. The fact of three of six' horses which George Jones took across to Australia going amiss on the eve of the Australian J.C.’s spring meeting was decidedly unfortunate for the Hawke’s Bay mentor. Golden Bubble had the misfortune to develop split heels after running second in his engagements at the Tattersail’s , and Rosehili meetings. Spanner was reported sore a couple of days before ,the Australian meeting, and the' best he could do was to finish third in the Kensington Handicap (seven furlongs) on the opening day. Taunaha, who has only started once since his arrival in Australia, was unable to lace at the meeting owing to going amiss. The Epsom Handicap has proved a disastrous race for favourites. Only three have won in 20 years. Famous was favourite in 1903, but no- actual favourite had won the mile' since then, although Woorak was equal favourite with Garlin when he won in 1915. In the last 15 Epsoms the favourites have had a particularly bad time. Last year Publican was unplaced. In the previous year the joint favourites, Norbury and Ardrossan, were both unplaced. This year the favourite, Quaestor, was second. In 1916 Polycrates, in 1913 Gigandra, ‘n 19C-8 Blue Book, and in 1907 Mooltan, ran second. In 1915 Garlin, joint favourite with Woorak. was unplaced, and in their respective years, the following favourites also ran' out of a place:—l9o4, Chore Arnie; 1905, Muniapoto; 1906, Berthier; 1909, F'lav.’nius; 1910, Malt King; 1911,. I adv Medallist; 1912, Jolly Beggar; and 1914, Royal Laddie. < There is good and bad luck in racing, as those who are in or have been ia the game know. Hopfield, who dropped . dead :’n the centre of. the race grounds at Ellerslie while doing steady work there, had certainly been a, very costly gelding for his owner and trainer. J. Thorpe, since his im-poi-tat'on from Sydney. There always .'appeared to. be something wanting in his case, and., lie failed to. run up to the expectations of those connected with him when he had their support. He had had a good, spell and had been in work again only a few weeks when his end came -so unexpectedly, and he had, been entered only the day before for. races at The A.R-.C. spring meeting. At one time in his career the son of Malster performed well in good races in Australia. - - Some, Boy, who has every claim to he considered the best horse in' the Auckland province at the present time, has since the Avondale meeting been working rather scratchily and short, suggestive 1 of muscular/stiffness rather than anything else/.as heaas a. very sound, set of legs and feet. He ' harp been’ doing regular steady -acs, work,, and the next week or two ■ hon'd decide whether he will be as ■Cady.to take his n'ace in the Mitchelson Cup as he was to start at’.Avondale, .where he -acquitted himself.-so well. In the-meantime he need not be taken into serious consideration for the Auckland R.C. spring handicap event by those who are always so ready in. anticipating the tote. He o a good .horse with a good horse’s weight, but no more than he has rarmed, 1 ' An' Alteration, Marquete.un, Depredation and Detroit claim ah en-gae-ement at the -Waverley-Waitotara meeting, to be held on Labour Day,’ it is. just as well for the friends - ofthese liorsep to remember the fact that the winner of any handicap in the interval will have 71b. more to carry.