THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 7

THE TURF

RACING AT FLEMINGTON CHAMPION STAKES. THE FAVOURITES DEFEATED BY CARLITA. By Telegraph—Press Association—tUDjright (Rec. March 7, 2.55 p.m.) Melbourne, March 6. At Flemington this afternoon, tho Victoria Racing Club's Autumn Meet, ing was concluded. The day was hot and dusty; but the attendance was the best for the meeting. Nothing distinguished the racing, except the consistent form shown by El Progresso, and the downfall of , the two hotly-fav-oured candidates (Land o' Song and Di Gama) for the Champion Stakes. , The friends of Di Gama were very confident of his beating Land o' Song. When the others were beaten off, and the real race commenced, a struggle between the two was looked for. When Carlita, going strongly, rounded the turn, Di Gama was still fighting behind Land o' Song, but it was seen that neither could catch the filly, who was ridden in amid rousing cheers. Details of the racing are as follow ELMS HANDICAP, a sweepstake of 3 sovs. each, with 300 60vs. added; for- three-year-olds. ;Seven furlongs. ■ ■.

Mr. E. E. D. Clarke's b. g. Achor- '' nar, by The Welkin (imp.)— Andalusite, 7st. 111b 1 Mr. W. S. Hickenbotham's b. f. ... Miss Meadows, 7st. 91b. 2 Mr. S. A. Rawdon's b. f. Sanotity, 7st. 91b 3 Eleven others started. Won by three-quarters of a length, with two and a half lengths between second and third. Time, lmin. 28sec. GIBSON CARMICHAEL STAKES, a handicap sweepstake of 6, sqvs. each, with 500 sovs. added; for two-year-olds. Seven furlongs. Mr. W. P. Mein's b. c. Euretta, by Earlston (imp.)— Miss Symington, 6st. 71b : 1 Mr. G. Woodfordo'a br. f. Celosia, Bst. 131b 2 Mr. R. Crawford's br. f. Dame Quickly, 6st. 71b 3 There wore nine starters. It was a good finish. Euretta won by a neck, a similar distance separating second and third. Time, lmin. 303 sec. NORTHCOTE HANDICAP, a sweepi stake of 4 sovs. each, with 400 sovs. added. One mile and a half. Mr'. W. il'Culloch's b. g. Meerut, by Duke of Melton—Mario, syrs., 7st. 131b. ....' ;. 1 Mr. J. C. Roberts's b. h. Allansford, . 7st. lib 2 Mr. L. Robertson's ch. m. Hamburg Belle (imp.), 7st. 91b 3 There were eight starters Won by three-quarter's of a length, with .three lengths between second and third. Time; 2min. 36i}sec.

AUTUMN STEEPLECHASE, a handicap sweepstake of 3 sovs. each, with 400 sovs. added. About three miles ' and a furlong; . Mr. A. J. Lord's El Progresso,.lJst. 1 Mr. C. W. Leonard's Moonbarra, * 1 lOst. ,131b. 1 Mr. J. .Mills's Gold Vale, lOst. 81b. 3 , {There were seven other starters, including Fireworks.. Won. easily by three lengths, with a neck between second and third.. Fireworks and.Wes.tpbrt were'the only others to finish. Time, 6min., 30 4-5 sec., ' ' ' ''' : CHAMPION STAKES, a sweepstake of ' 5 sovs. each, with 1500 sovs;'added. , For three-year-olds -and ' upwards. ' ' Weight-for-age. Three miles. Messrs. P. Rogers's and J. Rivers's . b, f. Carlita, ; by Charlemagne ll'-- - ; —Couronne, 3yrs.,'7st. 91b. (Bracken): 1 Mr>, N. Falkiner's;, Land o' Song (imp.), Bst. 111b.' ...... (Killorn) 2 Mr. J\ C. Davis's Di 9st, ; (M'Lachlan) 3 : The other starters were Bon Toni .Abbej', Craig, Mountain Oak, and Hayston. The winner, Carlita, led throughout. , After the first mile she was two and a half lengths in front of Hayston, Abbey- Craig, Mountain Oak, Bon Ton, Di Gama, and Land o' Song. A mile from home Bon Ton was third, followed by. Land o' Song and Di Gama, with the others beaten off. Land o' Song ran. into second place rounding the tunij and was followed by Hayston and Di Gama. , The last-named .then moved up, and he and Land o' Song were ridden hard,; but they failed to catch Carlita, who.won by a length and a half. Three lengths separated second and . third. Time, smin. 28}seo.

FAREWELL HANDICAP, a sweepstake of 3 sovs. each, -with 400 sots, added. Onemile. Mr. B. M. Hawker's b. m. Tsdahga, by Pistol (imp.)— Cardinal and Black, syrs., Bst. 81b. 1 Mr. H. Power's Philio, 9st. olb. ...... 2 Mr. J. E. O'Brien's' Golden Wire, 9st. 31b 3 There were nine starters. Won by a neck, with half a length between second and third. Time, lmin. 41sec. THE "TOTE" IN VICTORIA. Melbourne, March 6. 'At the Racing Club's meeting in support of the "tote" Mr. Ogden claimed that New Zealand's experience was. conclusive proof of the benefits of the machine.' It would also place charity on a sound footing. NOTES AND COMMENTS I3y GLBncoi.l The running of Di Gama at the Flemingfon meeting shows that the ex-New Zealander is not up to weight-for-age form,.and whenever he meets any of the cracks defeat can be expected for him. Some time ago an offer of .2000 guineas, made on behalf of the owner of Woorak, was refused for him, but it looke : now as if it would have been better to let him go, considering that his handicap form was so exposed.

The old hurdle gelding Windage is again in work at Awapuni, under the care of Jas. Hathaway. ■ The same trainer has Heather and Imarose in active commission. W; Scobie rode Daylight Bill to vie*, tory in the hurdle race at Akaroa on Saturday, and then won the ■ Jlaidon Plate on Athehic (Charlemagne ll—Seashell). Mr. P., Martin has nominated Powdor Pox for the sprint events at Ellerslie next month. Considering that the Menschikoff gelding hangs out badly on left-handed courses he may be expected to do much better at Auckland, where the going is right-handed. Haudicapper Coyle has shown that ho thinks highly of Croesus by asking Mr. G. P. Hardy's gelding to carry 9sfc. dlb. or within ilb. of Chortle in the Flying Handicap at Napier. Taking a line through his running in the Kelburn Plate, when ho badly defeated Downham, the Railway Handicap winner, Croesus is not badly treated, and will probably be a starter. It is a nice stake, and 'the Royal Fusilier gelding can win it without earning an additional penalty for the Challenge Stakes at R.iccarton. If Banksia is sent north for the Masterton meeting she will probably bo started in tho mile hack raco, in which she is very nicely treated with Ost. Gib. Kina, Want, Multoe, Hap Dlia, Kerohaii, Killa'loo, and a couple of other horses weru shipped to Nelson by tho Arahura on- Saturday." Chrysotis, winner of the Peninsula Cup, is one of G. M. Aynsley's team, and carries the Riccarton trainer's own colours. She does not do much racing, as , she is not too sound, but her owner keeps her going to lead other horses in theirwork, Several times Aynsley has refused to put a price on her, as she is a very-well-bred mare, and is' destined' for ta< |

Daylight Bill, who scored in the hurdle race at Ak&roa on Saturday, has hot been up long, and he was only schooled once prior to the meeting. However, he was a class above the other competitors, and won comfortably. • The Porirua trainer, J. H. Prosser, 'eaves for Nelson to-day with Goldstream and Gold Soult. BobrikofF's speedy half-sister Tete-a-lete was in a bad way last week with an acute attack of colic, but she is now almost right again. It is reported from the south that Charlotte, by Charlemagne—Nithsevo, has been sold by Mr. 0. R. Wise to Mr. 0. Machell. Charlotte_ has. frequently demonstrated that eho is a very useful mare over short courses.

The steeplechaser Dorando is again in work at Wanganni, where ho has done a lot of exercise on the beach. Ho is quite sound, and seems likely to stand a preparation for cross-country racing this winter. The weight-for-age form in Australia this season has been very in and out, and the handicappers and general public must be in a quandary in regard to it. First of all Mountain. Knight was hailed as the champion. Then Carlita unexpectedly defeated him in the V.R.C. Derby, but Mr. Watt's colt regained his reputation by winning the Linlithgow Stakes, while Carlita went on and won the Oaks. Then Land o' Song came on the scene, and though he had not had a race for twelve months, he was equal to defeating Mountain" .Knigh't in the St. George Stakes. As the latter won the Sit. Leger the form was still good, and it read all right when Land o' Song defeated Di Gama by. a head in the Essendon Stakes. But the Champion Stakes'form has once more put., Carlita' "oil' top, and we will now hare' to wait for Easter form at Randwick before a , final decision can be .given,...':, The result of the Loch Plate (two .miles), at' .Flemingfxm haa not- been taken, into account, for it is plain tha:t it was run at a muddling pace, and reading between the lines; it looks as if Hayston was very lucky to defeat Land o'- Song and Carlita. .

Owners are reminded that acceptances for the first day's events at the jfasterton Racing Club's meeting close on Thure-. day next. FIXTURES. March 10 and 11—Nelson' J.C. Annual. March 12 and 13—Napier Park R.C. Autumn. March 17—Opunake R.C. Annual. March 18 and 19—Masterton R.C. Autumn March 24 and 25— Rangitikei R.C. Annual.