THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2452, 4 May 1915, Page 9

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS Pi Glencoe.l Patrons of the Marlborough Meeting, which is to be held to-morrow and Thursday, should note that the Mapourika leaves lor Picton at 11 o'clock this evening. Tho steeplechaser Bercola was offored for sale in Sydney this month, but was hissed at 175 guineas. Sir Artogal (Stepniak—Britomart) changed hands recently in Sydney for 14 guineas. Valhalla, formerly a member of B. J. Mason's team, is now racing in tho unregistered ranks in Sydnoy. Major J. H. Purvis, the ownor and rider of ilartial IV, winner of the National Hunt Steeplechase in England early in March, is said to bo fil years of age. Ho was homo from tho front on sick leavo. English trainers take charge of much bigger teams than the colonials would think of trying to manage. An exchange remarks that E. C. Dawson started the season with a team of fifty-threo horses and was looking forward to winning a lot of races. The Flemington trainer, Jas. Scobie, has the largest team in the colonies. It numbers forty. ■

The prominent English 6portsman, Sir Huthwaite Meux, in writing about tho contemplated stoppage of racing to tho London "Sporting Life," said: "I have little doubt that most of our eoldiors and sailors would be vastly disappointed at being denied the possibility of cheering Friar Marcus's victory in the Derby, or of reading _ the details of that raco, should His Majesty's colt be successful. It is not necessary to bo present to enjoy a race-yl speak from experience, for during my sea service in different oceans 1 have missed various races that I would have been delighted to have witnessed, but, nevertheless, enjoyed all the same."

New Zealand sportsmen will be pleased to hear of the success of Sonite (Field Battery—Wish) in the principal handicap at the Gasford Meeting on April 27. The black horse is still owned by tho exTrentbam trainer, W. Davies, and though he is seven years of age he can still gallop.

The progeny of New Zealand sires was very successful at Sydney meetings last month. Amongst the winners were Long Reef by Sant Ilario, Ctousot by Machine Gun, Dunalistir by Boyal Fusilier, Tski by Royal Artillery, Sibi by Penury, Cocotea by Royal Artillery, Brown and Pink by Saint Ilario, and Sonite by Field Battery.

At the Canlfield Meeting on Amil 24 the New Zealand horseman H. Cairns, who has had no success for some time, rode La Fidelio, winner of the Khartoum Hurdles; , Moorefield is the champion swe of winners at the pony meetings in Sydney. At Ascot last month sis of the progeny of this horse were successful. At the Warwick Farm Meeting on April 24 the Juvenile Handicap wa9 won by Long Beef, who claims the New Zea-lang-bred Sant Ilario as his sire. Ifolt's son, Simon Frisco, won the big handicap at the same meeting. Jockeys. B. Deeley, W. O'Halloran, S. Heid, B. Hatch, M. M'Donald, and R. Peed left for Blenheim yesterday to ride there on Wednesday and Thursday nest. The prominent .French cross-country rider, G. Parfrement, who is now riding in England, is rather a healthy weight, riding about lOst. 81b.

■ Several horses with engagements at the Blenheim meeting were shipped to Picton by the Pateena yesterday. Amongst the number were: Montana, Munje, Altcar, Diavolo, Evadne, Arlington, Ormesby, Immer, Pall Mall, and Gold Necklace. '

, Jockey F. Porter, who was seriously injured at tne Wairoa Sleeting in January, is now quite recovered. He was in Wellington last week on his way to the Blenheim Meeting.

_ C. Emerson left for the south last evening. He will be ridiner at Ashburton on Thursday and Friday, and will have 'the mounts, on Chrysotis, Twelfth Night, and Cosy Corner. W. Bell is the only North Island horseman to make the trip. He will be on Snapdragon and Medley. A. Reid the jockey who was thrown from Pearlform in the Scurry Hack Handicap at the Hawke's Bay jockey Club's races, on Saturday, and who sustained a fracture of the skull, is progressing favourably. The other joclceya injured, Sinclair and Thompson, aro also recovering/