THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 7

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. [By Glehcoe.} The Victorian Racing Club's meeting will bo continued at Flcmington today when tlio Australian Cup comes up for decision. So far as this year's Australian Cup is concerned, there seems every probability of the field being larger than since Malua beat 18 other runners as far back as ISSG. Since then the total has not exceeded 13, that being the number when Realm and Peru won in succossivo years. Heroward is to he shipped to the West Coast by the Mapourika on Tuesday next. Lionlieart is doing good work at Foxton and he may be seen racing again beforo long. Tlio Great Mogul (Royal Fusilier —Bijou) and the two-year-old full-brother to Bellah (Royal Fusilier—Lissadum) are to leave Hastings for Wellington on Thursday next, and they will bo shipped from here to Sydney by Friday's steamer. Mr. W. Scott was among the passengers that left for Sydney' by the Manuka last evening. On Wednesday and Thursday next, the Napier Park Racing Club's meeting takes place at Greenmeadows. • Tho steeplechaser Nero is now being used as a hack in Stratford. If the Nestor gelding keeps sound, his owner, Mr. T. Carson, intends to have him prepared for events in tho coming steeplechase season. R. Brough will shortly take in hand, at Hawera, tho Sir Laddo—Alfalfa filly, owned by Mr. C. E. Major. Mr. H. Havr, tho Auckland totalisator proprietor, was a passenger for Sydney by tlio Manuka last evening. Ho is bound for Brisbane to inspect, the working of tlio electrical totalisator machines in uso over there. Good Form is still in V. O'Neill's stable. The salo to Mr. R. A. M'Donald was not completed. Peacemaker is the making of a fine horse, and only requires a little time to build up. In his style of galloping he very much resembles California, alia it is quito possible that, later, ho will mako a valuable substitute for the champion. Lady Medallist was shipped to Sydney yesterday by the Manuka. In both her races at Dannevirko Daisy Paul was heavily backed. Tho reason for this run on tho chestnut mare was that it had leaked out' that sho had badly defeated Irish Rifle in a gallop on the Bulls course. As tho marc has had a foal, she would probably require a race or two for sharpening_ purposes, so that, when next she is stripped sho may have her number hoisted. . Aiuiwell looked well, and went well in his preliminary on both days at Dannevirko, but, • in liis races, he lackcd dash, and was not amongst the placed division. The form shown by San Lnss at Dannevirko was difficult to follow, as the mare looked very fit, and was opposed by second-raters only. It may have been that the hard going affected her weak front joint.' Tho most striking feature of the handicap's for the Masterton Cup-is .that Merrivonia (9st. 21b.) • appears to bo iwell'tveated, and .TePuia (Bst. (lb.) soerris' to ■ 'be harshly .dealt I& will occasion no surprise if Mr. J. Ames's treble Cup winner adds another laurel to her wreath. ' / Mr. W. D. Watson, owner of First Consul, v/as not present to see his liorso run in tlio Danuevirke - Cup, he beingabsent, acting as judge of horses at-tho Hawke's Bay A. and P. Show, which was held on the same,day. However,, on the second day, lie motored from Hastings, and arrived just in time to see the big handicap.

Lethean paid a big dividend when lie won the concluding event at Dannevirkc, and,-as. several runners in the race wcro backed'for good money, . his success would be very welcome to stay-at-home' layers. In his past essays Lethean has not usually performed well on the second day, and this would account for the long prico obtained about him. His recent form has been consistent enough, for, at Hawera last month, lie van second in one of his races, and, at New Plymouth, in tho samo month, he was second in each of his two essays.

At the Kodron Park Racing Club's meeting in Brisbane, on February 27, the principal event, the Kedron Park Handicap, was won by the New Zealandbred Aurifera, formerly a well-known performer at the pony meetings atMiramar. Aurifera is certainly 0110 of the most useful ponies ever foaled in New Zealand. She won numerous races in tho registered ranks here under tho name of Linkless, and then carried all before her at Miramar until she was weighted up to 12st. Sbo has sinco raced successfully in three States of tho Commonwealth. Mr. T. Baxter, who took Aurifera to Australia, is now located at Randwick, where he has in work a "14.2 pony named Putai, by San It'j mo.

Speaking of the Newmarket Handicap favourites, a writer in the Sydney "Arrow" has the following interesting note: —Carbine is numbered among tho defeated Newmarket favourites. It was tho occasion of his first appearance in j\lr. D. S. Wallace's colours in ISS9, and his form'in the spring had so impressed followers of racing that, with Bst. 121b., ho was backed down t-o short odds. Cranbrook, with the steadier of lOst. 31b., being next in demand. Carbine ran well, but had to put up with third place, a neck behind Lochiel, the winner being' tho little-fancied Sedition. Carbine was also beaten into second place by Lochiel in the Australian Cup at that meeting, but on the concluding two days pulled off the Champion Stakes, All-aged Stakes, and Loch Plate. Odds were laid on Lochiel for the lastmentioned race, and he was only beaten a 1 half-head.