TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1568, 13 May 1920, Page 9

TURF TOPICS.

The Highden team is being reduced to make room for the first batch of the stock of the imported horse Panmure. Ermine and War Baby are to be retired to the stud. Several substantial offers have recently been made in the south for the pacer Gleaming, but his owner is not disposed to part with the son of G'alindo under a four-figure price.

The ex-Aucklander All Talk has been nominated for the principal hurdle events and the Jumpers’ Flat ro be run at . the Dunedin J.C.’s winter meeting.

The important steeplechases to be run at the Dunedin J.C.’s winter meeting have attracted a large number of entries from the North Island, the most notable being those of Master Strowan. Coalition, Gang Awa’ and Arlington.

The Auckland ’chaser Tirau figures among the nominations for the crosscountry events to be run at the Dunedin J.C.’s winter meeting. A notable absentee from the list is Waimai, who, however, figures among the acceptances for the steeplechase to be run at the Royal meeting at Riccarfon on Saturday.

On the occasion of his departure from Ashburton to take up. his permanent residence in Dunedin the well-known trotting owner and trainer Andy Pringle was the guest of a large and representative gathering at the Theatre Royal, Ashburton, when he was presented with a purse of sovereigns. Many eulogistic references were made regarding Mr. Pringle’s long and honourable association with light harness racing in all parts of the Dominion. The fact of last year’s Grand National Steeplechase winner. Lochella, not being nominated for the crosscountry events at the Dunedin J.C.’s winter meeting, points to the son of Grafton Loch —Estella, fulfilling his engagements in the Great Northern Steeplechase and the Winter Steeplechase at the A.R.C.’s winter meeting at Ellerslie. Lochella is to contest the hurdle events at the Egmont meeting this week, and as he is engaged in the Century Hurdles and May Hurdles at the Wanganui meeting he will probably fulfil the latter engagements before being taken to Auckland. C. Christie, who brought Lochella north, also has Graftella under his charge, and the latter is also expected to race at Ellerslie next month.

Mr. J. Richardson, a well-known figure in Canterbury in connection with light harness racing, has taken over the Crown Hotel, Dunedin. Mr. Richardson is making extensive alterations. and is renovating and refurnishing the house throughout. Visitors to Dunedin will find the Crown a most central house, being within a few minutes of post office, theatres and business centre. Mr. Richardson, being a keen sportsman, will be a decided acquisition to sporting circles in the southern capital. Humbug has won £3120 in stakes, giving him first place among this season’s two-year-olds, while Moorfowl is a good second with £3lOO. A. Reed piloted four winners at the Marlborough R.C.’s meeting, and now heads the list of winning horsemen with 53% successes to his credit. R. Reed comes next on the list with 52% wins.

The coming two-year-old half-sister to Silver Link by Martian, purchased last January at the sale of the Waikanae yearlings by Mr. W. Higgins for 1300 guineas, has been registered as the joint property of Messrs. T. M. Mills, F. W. Manton, W. Higgins, and H. Spratt. The last-named is the owner of Inah and other horses. The Newcastle Cup, decided on Saturday, was won by Red Cardinal, a five-year-old son of imported Cardinal Beaufort, who is a No. 3 horse by John o’ Gaunt, sire of Thurnham, in the One Tree Hill stud of Mr. Paterson. Red Cardinal certainly had a big pull in weight over the unlucky All Black gelding Bunting, who races under the disadvantage of having at one time broken down. Bunting, by the way, is from Red Plume, and in our opinion next to Desert Gold the best of All Black’s progeny—certainly the best stayer. Red Plume, it may be mentioned, was got by Stepnlak from Rosetta, by Seaton Delaval from Roie. sister to that good stayer St. Hippo, winner of the Auckland Cup as a three-year-old carrying 8.9, a performance that will take some beating.