THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2316, 25 November 1914, Page 3

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS TBi, GIBNCOE.] The Takapuna Jockey Club will comtuenoe itß Spring Meeting to-day. H. Cutts, in charge of Battle Eve and Boldstroke, is expected from the south "tliis morning on his way to the Feilding Meeting. C. Pritchard with Rumania and J. Scott with Fashion Plate will leave Trentham on Thursday bound for the Feilding Meeting. L'adoga, who wrenched himself some time back, "is again in work at Trentham, and is moving along well. Negotiations are in train for-the purchase of Arlington; a dual winner at Blenheim. The price asked is 400 guineas. During the progress, of the. New Zealand Cup fixture an ex-Southland sportsman was very anxious to purchase the mare Rene, by Multifid—Sliss Frisco, but the parties concerned could not quite agree 'as to terms. It should not be necessary to remind those .interested of the sale of the Messrs. Fraser's bloodstock, which takes place at Feilding on Tuesday next., JL'he animals to be sold can be seen in Feilding on Monday next, which is the second day of the Spring Meeting. •The Feilding Jockey Club's Spring Meeting,' which opens on Saturday next, will be full of interest. The fields in some of the events are exceptionally targe, and in the Feilding Stakes there is the material for a splendid contest, including Battle' Eve, the Weloome Stakes winner, and Postillion, who is probably the best 'of the older brigado. Secretary J. W. Turton, of the Egmont Racing Club, is at present on a business visit to Wellington. Haiidicapper A. H. Cox gave Di Gama list. 21b. (6st. 71b. minimum) for the Jockey Fund Handicap at Moonee Valley. Needless to remark the Vasco horse did not start. ', Mr. R. H. . Skipwith has been ap- : pointed starter to the Nelson Jockey Icarian (Gravitation—Matuku) 'won his first race at the-Woodend (Victoria) Meeting on November 13.' This liorfie was taken from Iticcarton by 111-. H. Nurse, owner of .Master PauL The latter seems to> have lost all form, and though he has started favourite in. his last'two attempts he has. failed on each occasion. - At the Sunbury (Victoria) Meeting, on November .11 the well-known Caulfield horseman G. Lambert had a bad fall off Felim in the Maiden Plate. He was removed to the' hospital in a critical state, \ and when the last mail left' there was very little improvement in his condition. ' "Terlinga," in the "Australasian," accounts for the fast times at Riccarton by the faot that there-is a high galvanised iron fence round the course, and 'this acts as a wind shield. This will.be news to the people who are in the habit of frequenting the Riccarton course. Regarding Bridge's time record for the New Zealand Cup, two miles, tho same authority is assured "by a man whose name will never be forgotten as long as racing exists, in New .Zealand," -that the horses started from tho_ wrong post, and did not run two miles. Apart from the 'orror ''Terlinga" lias fallen into the times at Riccarton are not 'taken seriously in Australia, nor indeed are they here. What is wanted is a more up-to-date method of timing the .horses,, for the opinion is expressed, and rightly so, that the timekeeper standing in the judge's box cantot pro-' pei'ly see when the horses are dispatched from the straight six,' five, 'and four furlongs courses. At Flemington ;an electrical chronograph is in use, and the five furlongs there generally takes lmin. 2sec. and over to run. Lesbos took this time to run both races she won at; Flemington, and she is generally regarded as the best two-year-old in Australia at the present time. •

FIXTURES. Nov. 25 and 28—Takapuna J.C. Spring. Nov. 28 and 30—Feilding J.C. Spring. Deo. 9 and 10—Woodviile District J.C. Summer. > Deo. 26—Taratahi-Carterton R.C. Annual. Dec.. 26 and 28—Dunedin J.C. Summer. Dec. 26 and 28—Taranaki JIC. Christmas. Dec. 26 and 28—Keefton J.C. Midsummer. Dec. 26 and 28—Thames J.C. Summer. Doc. 26 and 2D, and Jan. 1 and 2—Auckland B.C. Summer. Dec. 26, 28, and 29—Manawatu R.C. Summer. Deo. 31 and Jan.l—Groymouth J.C. Hidsummor. Jan. 1 and 2.—Warrarapa' R.C. Summer. Jan. 1 and 2.—Marten J.C, Summer.