THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1736, 29 April 1913, Page 4

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. |By Glencoe.] As there arc no other fixtures, sportsmen will bo ablo to concentrate attention on tho Marlborough meeting, which opens to-morrow. Some nineteen horses wero shipped across the Strait by tho Patcena yesterday. The Mapourika sails for Picton at ;i o'clock this afternoon, and a number of Wellington sportsmen are going across by her.

Leading jockeys will be engaged as follows at Blenheim to-morrow:—Decley will ride lioyal Sleeves, Stepney, Aratiatia, Sitiapis, Commotion, Lord Possible, and Portland Lady; A. Oliver will l>e upon Huia, The Great Mogul, Black Lupin, and Merry Frank; Conquest will ride Parky anil Styx; Emerson will take tho scat on Cadonia, Ceylon, Leapuki, and Gleuf'ern. ! Kilts, with E. Griflcn in the saddle, will lie a Tinnier iii tho Flying Handicap at Riverlands to-morrow. After his failure at Timaru, it came as a .surprise to find the Australian-bred gelding sent worth but perhaps his owner regards his form at Washdylte as inconclusive. Acceptances for the first dav's events at the Asliburton Racing Club s meeting are duo to-morrow. In addition to Midnight Sun, several other New Zealand horses were entered for the Glen. Huntly Cup at Caulfield on Saturday, viz., True luiight, Blakeney, Antoinette, Broadsword, Trugnnini, and' Bridge. Probably Antoinette did not go to the post. Black Lupin has two engagements at Riverlands to-morrow, but it is understood that ho will start in tho Autumn Handicap only. In this race ho will, with his doublo penalty, carry Bst. 121b. Amongst tho horses shipped to Blenheim yesterday were the Cup candidates Merrivonia and Sea Queen. The former has been shaping disappointingly of late, but Sea Queen who will bo making her, last appearance on the ilat, has shown fair form. In tho big handicap at Tauherinikau sho finished second to Patriotic, with 9st. 31b. on her back, tho beatfrn division including Ariom, Bs"t. 51b. There is only 71b. between tho pair to-morrow, so that tho Trentham liiaro seems to havo a bit the |>est of the figures.- However, it is likely that the form in tho Hawko's Bay Cup, in which Ariom (Bst. 31b.) finished second to Lady Moutoa, in Tecord time, may make the Hastings; mare favourite in the Marlborough CupN. It. should be borno in mind that the Hastings event was a "false run" rate, this being due to the fact that .the winner achieved a flying start. The form in that race therefore, may be' proved to Ire all wrong.

North Island owners, who contemplate being represented at tho North Otago meeting next month, should note that nominations for all events, except tho Trial Plata and Shorts, close on Thursday next at 9 p.m.

The All-aged Stakes, run at the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting, will in future be known as tho C. M. Lloyd Stakes, out of respect to the memory of the lato Mr. C. M. Lloyd, for many years a member of the V.R.C. committee, and a leading racehorse owner.

Some years since Mr. von Szemcre tried tho experiment of importing Japanese riders and training them as jockeys (says tho Paris, correspondent of tho London-, "Sportsman"). Tho idea seemed good, as the Japs, aro Jio'b given to bodily bulk save tho few who become professional wrestlers. The essay does not appear to havo been successful in the caso of Akashi, who promised at ono time to do credit to tho acumen of Mr. von Szeinere," who argued in favour of tho skill of the Japanese in imitation, and their native frugal habits in the question of food. Akashi has found that western civilisation appreciates tho art professed by Brillat-Savarin, and the excellent daily fare in the jockeys' tooiu a't the establishment'of Mr. von Szemere has tickled his palate. Ho has thriven on the chatigo of diet, and taken on so much flesh that ho cannot ride tho required weight. A'i a compwisation ho has learnt to speak Hungarian like a native, and expresses his intention of remaining in the stables two or three years longer so as to perfect : his education before returning to the land of the rising sun, whero he will establish himself as trainer, bringing with him nil tho knowledge ho lias gleaned in the west. He may be found'oven yet as the trainer of tho Tokio Derby, for it is said that somo exports have been made of bloodstock of late for tho Imperial stud, and that flat-racing is held' in great esteem in a country Where, to tho Enropeaii visitor at tho time of war with China, tho founder of the hippie race might well have been tho famous liorso of Troy.

At a joint meeting of the Stewards of the Irish Turf Club and of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, held a't Dublin last month, the question of increasing tho minimum value of races was considered, and it was derided to refer to tlio-matter again at tho meeting of tho Turf Club to bo held in April, and at tho meriting of the Irish National Hunt to bo held in Punchestown Week.

On tho third Thursday in March is run each year in a remote part of East Yorkshire what is known locally as tho "KipHTlg Cotes Derby," a race which has been contested annually without a break,' so far as the records show, for 250 years. Tlia starting-post, a stone one, stands in tho parish of Etton, in which village the kennels of tho Holderness Hunt is situate, and the course, which is on tho grass on the sido of tho high' road, passes through tho parishes of Dalton Holme, Lund, and Gooilmanham, finishing in tho parish of Middleton-on-tko-WoMs - , a distance of- four miles from the start. It usually attracts a goodly number of local; sportsmon. As the entrance fees go, under tho terms of the bequest, to the second horse, thero have been instances where tho first horse did not get the besJt share of tho stakes, which are drawn from invested funds.—London "Sportsman,"

GLEN HUNTLY CUP, 1 By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright Melbourne, April 28. At the V.A.T.C. races on Saturday, tho principal event resulted as follows:— GLEN HUNTLY CUP, 0f.500 govs. One mile and a furlong. Nari, by Pistol (imp.)—Athata, syrs., 1; Safrano, 2; Mala, 3. Ten; started, including Midnight Sun, who finished last. -Won by a head, with a lentil between second and third. Time, Imm. 57Jsec. DEATH OF V.R.C. STARTER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Roc. April 28, 10.55 p.m.) Melbourne, April 28. The death is announced of Jlr. Godfrey Watson, the Victoria Racing Club's starter, fixtures! April 30 and May I—Marlborough R.C. Autumn. May 8 and 9—Ashburton County R.C. Autumn. liny 14 and 15—Egmonfc R.C. Winter. May 22 and 21—Wanganui J.C. Winter. June 3 and I—Dunedin J.C. Winter.