THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1488, 10 July 1912, Page 8

THE TURF.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. I'.E.G. (Wellington).—Jockeys are allowed 21b. over-weight in a flat race and lib. over-weight in a hurdle race, but must declare any greater over-weight ami weigh in accordingly. The rules, of racing provide that there shall bo no fine or di.-qimlificntion for over-weight in the ca-e of a bystander completing the cour.-e on a steeplechase candidate which may lose-its jockey. NOTES AND COMMENTS. [Bv Glencoe.] The V.R.C. Grand , National netting will bo continued at l-'lemington this afternoon. li. fteeley, tho leading New Zealand horseman, intended to come to Wellington a::.( remain here for tho Winter meeting, but ho received a cablegram from 1?. .J. Vinson asking him-to proceed at onco to Paitdwick, and will therefore take passage by next Friday's, steamer from Wellington. Deeley's total of winning mounts for the present season is 88. This is a remarkably fine total, but is still one off C. Jenkins's best record for a season. Foter Pan (Stepniak—Armilla), wlio lias been purchased by Mr. J. Corlelt to do stud duty in the Wairarapa district, arrives from Oamaru this .morning. Tho sale price of tho black liorso is reported to bo .£l5O, which seems cheap enough, when' it is remembered that Armilla was the dam of Armlet. / That good horseman, W. J. Porter, went to Carterton at tho conclusion of the Gisborne meeting. His visit there may mean that ho is to school Sir Lethe, and may also ride him in future engagements. Considering his good form in the saddle at Gisborne, A. M'l'lynn is likely to have a large following at Trentham, where ho will ride Taiaha in the Hack Steeples, Hautore in the Wellington Steeples, and Master Theory in tho Winter Hurdles. The Ellerslie trainer, D. Moraghau, took three horses to the Gisbome meeting, viz., Master Theory, Taiaha, and Admiral Poult, and each of the trio won a double. Tho first-named is in at the minimum in tho Winter Hurdles, in .which he will again be ridden by A. M'Flynn, for whom ho seems to gallop most generously. Taiaha, who gallops fast and stays well, will be a runner in the Hack Steeples here on Wednesday, -and will" also be ridden by MTlynn.

It was intended to start La Jieina twice on the second day of the Gisborne meetine, but, after her easy win in tho Waikahae Handicap, this decision was cancelled, and tho mare was sent on to Trentham, where it would seem that sho may have the opportunity of repeating her form in the Parliamentary Handicap. The daughter of Soult is a difficult mare to handle, and requires some understanding, but, apparently, S. Reid has now mastered her, and the pair should bo in thorough accord on Wednesday next.

So far the only visiting horses at Trentham arc those whose arrival was reported yesterday. In some 'quarters it is thought that Black Northern will bo given a race here over the big fences, probably in the Hack Steeples on the second day. Tho Salvadan gelding has been schooling recentlv at Napier l'ark, and has been jumping perfectly. His owner, however, will no doubt deem it wise to givo him the benefit of a raco ill public before asking him to race in tho Grand National Steeplechase. The New Zealand hurdler Keumac, who went lame shortly alter his arrival in Sydney, has resumed work at liandwick. lie i's now being trained by J. Whitworth. It is said that Mr.'J. B. Joel is paying F. Wootton ,£2OOO and a winning percentage for; second claim oil his services this season.

The death is reported from King Island, Australia, of the well-known thoroughbred stallion Canteen, who won the NewZealand Cup of 1903.

When the last mail left Melbourne Lady Medallist and Volstoano wero favourites for the Caultield Cup, while Trafalgar and The Parisian wero each-at a-ridicu-lously short price for tho Melbourne Cup. Obi and Merry Monarch were tho Grand National Hurdle liace favourites, and Nimrod, Vanguard, Leah Kleslma, and Tinapagce in equal demand for the Grand National Steeplechase.

This year the added money for the Grand Prix was .£12,000, but as there were 581 entries, and a first forfeit of ,£4, a second of <£21, and a sweepstakes of ,£lO each for starters, it is possible,the value will be greater than last. year, when it was worth .£14,060 to the winner. This year second money was ,£I2OO, andjliird '.£7OO. The ra<?e is run _ at' lmile 7 furlongs, a distance which, though unusual elsewhere, is rather popular on Trench programmes.

A cablegram to the "Asian" (Calcutta) shows 1 haL starters for the Eglish Derby were:—Tagalie, Jaegar, Tracery, I'intadeau, Sweeper 11., White Star, Mordred, Catmint, Jingling Cieordie,, Javelin,. Hall Cross, Cylba, Farman, Kosciusko, Lorenzo. Orchestrion, Aleppo, Royal Mail, Wisemac, and Chill October—twenty in all. Sweeper 11, who was favourite, was never prominent, and, as previously published, Tagalie won ail the way. Pintadeau, who finished well, was only beaten a head for third place, and only for it being necessary to ease him in his work during the week prior to the race, owing to one of his legs filling, he would certainly have done a little better. Though she accounted for the Derby easily, Tagalie's run in that raco must have comple'.oly knocked lier out, as she did not get near the Oaks, for which she started a warm favourite in a field of fourteen. Mirska (first) and Equitable (second) each started rank outsiders. In the Oaks Tagalie was ridden by Stern, and not by Rolff.

Wingarara, who won the Y.R.C. Grand National Hurdles on Saturday, was successful in a jumping race at Williamstown on June 29. Referring to that race a. Melbourne writer says:—"E. A. Connolly, who is 'Lou' Robertson's ad-

viser-in-chief, had a rattling win over Wingarara, and he. also hit up tho 'books' earlier in the diiv over the Winter Handicap, for which his gelding Brookong, in a field of 20, started favourite. He must have won a pot of money over this race. It was a very good thing for Brookong, who led off and won pulling up by six lengths, the fivo furlongs being covered in lrain. 2Jsec. In the Point Cook Handicap, Connolly, who is verv much in the racing public, eye at. present, backed Tiercel, but he reckoned without Dumfries, who is owned by Mr. 'Tot' Murray, a member of the l-ing. Dumfries, in a field of nine, leer all the way, beating Tiercel by a length." It would appear that in prance those people who live on. racecourse betting have uothing to learn from those who, in Australia! get their bread and butter in a similar fnsluoii.' In Paris recently tho sporting paper the "Jockey" drew the attention of stewards to the fact that of lato certain abuse had been made of tho "mutuals" in races over short distances. Jton who «tc stationed at the start havo found ways and means of communicating by signals with others in the stands, and thus "communicating information respectins the incidents preceding the start, giving advice as to which horse to back, and enabling certain persons to put. their monev on before the ultimate signal is given to stav oil investments. When it cames to going to the starting-post to get the "office" from the jockeys, the Parisian displays a keenness that puts even Australians' in the shade.

At a meeting of stewards of the Mostertoii liacing flub on Saturday last, a communication was received front the Marlborough Racing Club, stating that the dotes for the spring meeting of the two clubs dashed, and aslcing the Masterfon Club, if possible, to niter its dates. The secretary was instnieled to write the Marlboroii?h Club, informing them that itwas impossible to alter the Masterton dates, and suggesting that, the Marlborough meeting held a weel: or two earlier the Napier Park Club had altered their dates so as not to elasli with Mnsterton;

The acceptances received by tlie 'Wellington liacing Club for the first day's events at the Winter meeting are excellent in point of quality and quantity. Some canital racing should result next Wednesday, and if the club is favoured with anything like line weather, (he fixture slioud prove a very successful one.