THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1501, 25 July 1912, Page 6

THE TURF.

WOODLANDS HUNT CLUB. For the annual meeting of the Woul< lands Hunt Club, to bo held ai the l'ahiatua Racecourse, on July 31, the following handicaps have been declared by Mr. (J. Shannon:— HACK HANDICAP. Seven furlongs.— Royal Maid, 10st.; Portcullis, 'Jst. 121b.; Lucretius, 9.-1. 111b.; Piormont, 9st. 71b. j Vesuvius, 9st. 51b.; Black Lupin, list, dlb.; Sunset, 9st.; King Bruce, {Ist.; Nightfall 11, 9st.; Marima, Pst.; Ora Pro Nobis, 9st.; Little John, 9st; and Tho Toiler, 9st. WOODLANDS HUNT STEEPLECIIASE. Three miles.—Lord Hllui, 12st.; j''s' ln K Cloud, 12st.; Miss Hippo, list. 101b. j El well, list. Mb.; Avon, list.; Black Arrow, list; Consul, list.; Amta, list.; 1 amniotic, list. MEMBERS' HANDICAP FLAT RACE. Uno milo and a quarter.—Lady Scot, list. 9 b.; Lucretius, list. 71b.; Miss Hippo, ™ inn rrolll r!pV l .¥- nlb --' Tom Fl.vnn, MM, 101b.; CLiffside, lOst. 71b.; Littlo John, lost. 71b.; Ora Pro Nobis lOst. 71b.; 10sT"71b 105 l :' 7 ' b-i a " d Ni * ,llftt H — HUNTERS' HANDICAP HURDLES. Ptm'j,. tliree-(| uar tors.—Loi;il i' 1 " 1 ' "St.! lii'wohusi list 101b.; Sun J»OSG, list, rib.; I-arromtc, list. 51b • 1 haedon, list. 51b.; Clilfside, list.; LanceF?ynn, list! rarriftl,eWe - llst - ""d Tom KUMKIfOA STEEPLECHASE. Two miles and a half.—Lord Ullin, 12st.: Mk; Hippo, list. 101b.; Avon, list.; Black Al raw, list.; Arata, list.; Tarrialette, list., Cliffoido, list.; and Ngatapa, U.t. HACK HANDICAP FLAT. Ono milo and a distance.—l> lying Cloud, lOst. 21b.: Lady Scot, 9st. 131b.; Piermont, fl.-t. till).; 9 -t ', 4lb „"; B ,te ck L «Pi", 9»t "i' r • John, 9st.; King Bruce, 9st; Marinin !)st.; Sunset, Ost.; Ora Pro Aobis, 9st\; and Tho toiler, 9st. "MR. HIGHDEN'S" HORSES. By Tolceraph Press Association—Copyright «\r it- i , .„ , Sydney, July 24. Mr. Highden's" horses lauded from the Ulimaroa m good condition.

A NOTABLE IMPORTATION. By TelcerapU—Press Atsociiition—Copyright (Rcc, July 25, 0.30 a.m.) . London, July 21. Mr. J. B. ]'eid,< of Eldertlie, IVew. Zealand, has purchased Kilbrone, who waß considered to be the best long-distanco horsß in Lngland last year. Tho hor&o will be sliipped by the Athenic. NOTES AND COMMENTS. [Br CiLZNCOE.I . The field for the Winter Cup at present numbers twenty-six, but doubtless ero tho barrier is released and. tho horses start out to run tho tnilo there will' be a considerable weeding out. That good maro Saluto now heads the -' handicap. If at her best on the day, and : if tho going is firm, tho daughter of Soult - will be ablo to paco it with the best of - them. Mono of tho other acceptors 'iscredited with such high-class performances as Saluto has, and to-day the latter rightly ocoupics tho position of favourite; In being placed alongside Saluto, tho local maro Sea Queen.has none tho best of the deal. Tho form of the latter' has; •been, most consistent this season, but it will he remembered that when she showed winning form it was generally over a. Jqjiger course than eight furlongs. At tho barrier, Sea Queen is, generally speaking, a nuisance. She either gets tlm best of the start or the worst of it. Should' tho latter be tho case on August 13, her chanco will lie nil. In any case do not like tho idea of a had horse at tho. barrier carrying their money. If My Lawyer was to striko form, ho. would be a hard horse to'beat. But he has-been off tho soeno for'a considerable time, and at Dnnedin month he was : very backward iii condition. Tho distance will trouble who is seen to more advantage over a'' shorter course and in less pretentious.: company.

La Reina is a mare that is difficult to size up. Somo of her performances have, beoir good, while others have been very poor. At Ellerslie she beat a useful field in the Cornwall Handicap, but going on to Gisborno slio was easily defeated bv Admiral Soult. She made some amends tho second day by winning, from a poor lot. At Trentl'ianl she was not able to show her best form owing to leaving tho barrier behind tho others. Shrewd judges liave supported her for the Winter Cup, and it is said that her trainer is most sanguine, of her ability to win. Taking a line., through tho Cornwall Handicap running, she ought to defeat Salute, as tlicy meet oil tho same terms again. In- horse racing, however, it is not always tho expected that results. - The owner of Irish Rifle niakss no secret of tho fact that if favoured with a dry track his liorse will beat all the liorses weighted under XOst. In stipulating the under lOst. division, ho is probably holding tho idea that Salute will, be the hardest to beat. At Hastings, where Irish Mo last ran in good (joins, he put un a great performance-over seven' furlongs," and was unlucky not to win.j He should have finished many lengths in front of Mount Victoria, who was third.; Tliis makes him out to bo at his best, now, for Mount Victoria has .boon run-; ning evcrvwhoro, and to-day is one of the well-backed division ill tho Winter Cup, Tho people behind Odessa fancy tho brown horse in preference to Mount Victoria, but lie has been troubled with', lameness in the shoulder and his trainer might oxperionco somo difficulty in getting liiin to tho post.

Mangaroa is selected by a lot of people as one of tho best handicap hones in tho Dominion at the present time, llur owner and trainer view her chance at Riccarton in tho most hopeful strain. As showing that in this opinion the.v arc joined by many others, it has only to lie mentioned that' several .- of the leading iockeys liiado application to Mr. W. J. Dourlm for tho mount on his mare. Mira has had a great private reputation, but iu public ho has failed to aci> up to it. There is no special reason as vet for regarding him as a likely WinterCup Winner. A lot of boom surrounds Royal Arms, who is at tho present time looking in great fettle. His public, pcrtornianeoaf have not liecn anything to marvel at,, and lie probably occupies a false position in tlie betting. ■ Prosper has been taken good care oi bv tho handieapner, and judged, through Mount Victoria's form, Mr. D.' J. Simmonds's good-looking horse has all the worst of matters. He has wen three hack races, while Mount. Victoria has been first past the post on no fewer than seven occasions, _ and has certainly defeated horses quite as good as have gone under to Prosper. The Advance gelding was one of the early favourites, but sinco the publication of the weights he has" re-' ceded in (he market. If there is a well-treittcd horse in the' race it is Mount Victoria, wiio has been; carrying all before him of late, and seems ou the improve (he whole time. At Napier, over seven furlongs, lie , was beaten by San l'luie in the last stride, but. lie came ou to Wellington and won in the most impressive manner on both days, tho beaten division including Shuja, who won the big race the second day. If'the Signalman gelding is defeated it will be by tho dislanre. In tho light-weight division Leapuki stand* out prominently. Us sprints well and stays ou. At. 'Ireutham last week ho galloped exceptionally well on. the sand, but., could r/>t act in the mud in bis race on the tivst day, and wn> not saddled up again at the meeting. At the annual general meeting of members of the Kgmont Racing Club, held last Saturday, a resolution was carried recommending flit 1 committee to increase the salaries of the club's handicapper and secretary. Antagonist (Soult—Miss Annie) ban again gone wrong at Riccarton, and it fa not likely that the brilliant colt will.be further persevered with. New rules worn passed by the Napier Tark Racing Club at a spccial general meeting held on Monday. One of tha new rules prohibits "plumping" in connection with the election of members of the committee.