THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1117, 3 May 1911, Page 7

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. [BV fILENCOE.] That good little pony, Lady Volley, was reported'as sold niter the Trenthnm fixture, but tho snle did not take place. She is not to start nt Blenheim. Starter C. O'Connor left for Blenheim by tho Mapotirika yesterday, and will officiate-on the Hiverlauds racecourse today. The Avondale and Marlboroiigh Clubs are holding meetings to-day. Glenfcrn, a stable-mate of Red Lupin, and Paul, has been sent over to Blenheim to contest the Maiden Hack at Riverlands to-day. Mr. Pitt's horse raced at New Plymouth in February, and, though very green, he showed himself to bo possessed of considerable pace. With a 7lb. penalty for winning tho Thompson ifaimicnp, Eijuitas will now carry "Ost. 101b. in the Alorlborough Cup. Despite the penalty, it would be a bold inovo at attempt lo select ono to beat her, though, if half ono hears is true, strong siinport will be forthcoming .for Gunboat, liiainly on account of the assertion that he was unlucky in the Thompson Handicap, and also because he will be 11. Gray's mount in to-day's race. Gray will also -steer Zealand (7st. 81b.) in tho Flying Handicap. Worcester, who has 7st. 131b, in the Nursery Handicnn nt Avondale to-day, was made u hot favourite in Saturday's two-year-old race, run over a furlong less. He was badly left at the post, unit then ran third. To-dny B. Deeley will have charge of the ribbons. Allurement was shipped to Blenheim in tho Pate<u:a on Monday. The Soult filly will contest the Electric Hack Handicap, of five furlongs, to-day, and will be ridden by A- Oliver. ' ■ .. The Australasian two-milo record-holder. Bridge, has not put up anything of note since he went to Sydney, and about the best race he has run so far was in tne Place Handicap, on tho concluding day of the meeting, when he ran fourth to Cadonia. Making his first appearance at Juarea (Mexico) last month. Anion, the crack American two-year-old, created a sensation by getting, over a lialf a mile in ■10 l-550:., when Tio beat a hot favourite in Calisso and fivo others iu tho Yucatan Stakes, of. 2000d015., for two-year-olds. Anion, who was ridden by Garner, thus came within a fifth of a second of equalling the world's record for the distance. Going to sleep at the post is regarded as a very br.d offenco by tho Australian 'Jockey Club stewards, who recently fined the crack horseman, W. M'Lnchlan, .£SO for getting, left on Nangar in the Tocal Handicap, and not Roine after the field. Had it not been that M'Lachlan was on the eve of departure for England, and the authorities did not desire to prejudico his chances in the Old Country, they would probably havo disqualified him. A. fihearsby took Floater and Makara back to Awanuni on Monday night. This means that the latter horse will not bo a competitor at Blenheim. Deploy is an unlikely sfa.rter at the Marlborougli meeting, and Kina, To Kahurangi, Ribstone Pippin, Aloha, and St. Folix havo been scratched for all engagements. Cheddar seemed quite unable to act in the heavy going at Trentham,. which ■was different altogether from that experienced at Ricdnrton. Tho Merriwee gelding' only wants good firm eoing at Hastings next week to prove that his Trcnlham form was all wrong. From Waverley tho death, is reported of the hurdler Showman. Golden Grain, who won the Onkaparinga Hurdles ou Easter Monday, has a history suoh as few horses which have triumphed iu a.big race can boast. ."By Pygmalion —dam unknown"—that is all the official records show. As a matter of fact, the "dain unknown" was a 111 or 14.2 hands buggy mare, and she was put in the ring with her yearling foal (Golden Grain) running' alongside. The mother found a new owner at .£8 10s., and the youngster was piirchasad by Mr. T. C. Coombs for £\2. Subsequently tho hurdler—ho was j not a racehorse their—fell into .'the. hands, 'of Mr. James Cross, who played Mr. Coomb.;, a hand at poker to decide whether he should give. ,£2O ,or .£lO for him.. AVhen Mr. Cross died, Mr. H. 11. Comley purchased' the horse out of the estate, and changed his name to. Golden Grainstill reminiscent of tlv; days when the Onkaparinga winner us;d to assist in the harvesting operations. In "tho 17 months that Mr. Comley has figured as his owner the handsome chestnut has won 17 racesall "except three of them ' on' the Hat— carrying weights well up to 12st. Golden Grain is even now only rising eight years old, and should have a good period of usefulness, before him. May he never be put back to the harvester! When his racing days are over ha will surely have earned a handsome pension.—Adelaide "Register." Mr. Geo. Morse, the Marlborougli Racing Club's handicapper, passed through Wellington yesterday. At the conclusion of the Oakley Handicap at Avondale on Saturday the four-year-old gelding Moreykoff, by Mensehikoff—Kilmorley, was auctioned by . Mr. Toomnn on behalf' of the owner and . knocked down to Mr. C. E. Major for -11 guineas. In the autumn and winter the majority of the racing clubs that include maiden races on their programmes state in the conditions that the events are for two-year-olds and upwards, with special weights. For some reasons past the Otaki Maori Racing Club has excluded two-year-olds from the maiden race on the winter programme, the event being for three-year-olds and upwards. There are plenty of stables at this time of the year sheltering two-year-olds, for whoiu it is difficult to iind a race, and if the Otaki Club made two-year-olds eligible for the nuiideu race this season it would probably make a big ditVerence in ths nominations. At this late stage of the season, two-year-olds ure well able to sec out a six-furlongs race. There v;cie several accidents at the Avondale Races on Saturday. In the hurdle race, the Ben uodfrpy gelding Pitkenui fell, broke his leg, and had to be destroyed.' ■■,-■■ In the hurdle race run at.the Tattersalls meeting iu Sydney la«t Saturday, Contorp carried top-weight, list. 41b., and Pakau had tho minimum, 9st. A Victorian trainer, on raturniug to Melbourne after the Australian Joekuy Club's Autumn meeting, told a reporter that while in Sydney he offered, on behalf of a' patron, 3000 guineas for Poseidon's two-year-old brother, Jticaiuar, but no business was done.

FIXTURES.

May 3 —Avoadalo J.C. Autumn. Hay 3 and -I—Marlborough E.C. Annual. May fi—Chriotelnireh E.G. Autumn. May 10 and 11—Hawke's Bay J.C. Autumn May 11 and 12--Ashburton County E.C Autumn. May I" and 13-Egmont E.R. Winter. May 20 and 21—Takaimua J.C. Winter. May '.'-1 and 2.l—Wansjanui J.C. Winter. May 21 and 25—North Ota»o J.C. Winter. June 2 and 'i—Dunodin J.C. Winter .luue 3 and fl—(Haki Maori I?.C. Winter. June 3, 5, and 7—Auckland E.C. Great Northern Steeplechase. June 21 and '22—Hawko's Bay J.C. Winter. June 28 and 29—Napier Park E.C. Winter. July 6 and 7— Gisborne E.C. Winter.