THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 13

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS IBY GLE.vcoe.l ■ First aiccoptances for the Grand National Hurdles and Steeplechase and Winter Cup, also general entries for the minor events at tlio C.J.C. National Meeting close 011 Friday next. Heeltap, who is one of the fancied division for tho Winter Cup, was uot produced at Trentham 011 account of an accident received ' while galloping .at home: It appears that ho trod on a spiked bit of wood, which penetrated the. frog of the foot, necessitating veterinary assistance. His owner, Mr. A. Rore, returned home from Trentham on Monday last, and it is his intention to get tho Achilles gelding to the liost -for the Winter-Cup if nt all. possible. Reports from the south stated that Zuland, who scored at Warwick Farm on July 8, was again successful at Moorefield on Saturday' last. Marconi is still at Trentham, pending tlie> return of his trainer C. Colemau from Ellerslie, .whither lie went with Ins other' charge' SoultikofT, developed soreness, and could not start at Trentham. Marconi is to go south for the National Hurdles, in which a proved stayer liko the son of Soiilt should give a good account of himself. Idealism': does not_ strike one. as a horse that would be in his element over the big fences at Riccarton, but tlio Ivarainu representative lias a host of admirers for" tlie Grand National Steeplechase. In his few essays over, brush fences in public the Birkenhead gelding has Jumped extremely well, but so far lie/lias not-negotiated country that for size- can compare with tlie Riccarton fences. Year -after year borses that haje'done famously bofore tho National were failures at Riccarton. -They often get' rounu safely,' but the exertion of negotiating big fences takes too much: out of-them. -Another well-back-ed, horse to come under the samo category as-'ldealism, is New York. On tho concluding day-at .Trentham he jumped anything but well., and a horso that is liot' Perfectly at homo over Trentham 'should'-■■ little .chance - nt Riccarion. '

| Itiglitly or wrongly, an impression prevails locally'tliat the field for tho Winter Cup will dwindle, down considerably as the day approaches. Of' the fortyfive horses entered, four have already been withdrawn, but even if fifty per cent', of the remainder drop out before the day, it will still be a good-sized tioiti, though perhaps not a strong one. Kooya, so. far, ; -,lias only onco started In a iiurdlo-race, hut indications point to her bcingi a-runner in the big event at Riccarton, and already she is one of the prime lots. If she is ?to race in the National Hurdles, she will likely be started in tho Trial Hurdles on the opening 3av. This will mean her absence from the Winter Cup field. Tlio, Highest; weight ever carried to victory, in the Winter Cup" was 10st. 121b...which.impost Vladimir, and Kiom- ' tin' bore successfully. _ Only on two o~er occasions liorses carrying over lOst., 'been "successful. Horses carrying the minimum weight, have won more often than any others. No fewer than 20 are in this year with the minimum weight. : Several borses wicH engagements at the coming-Riccarton. meeting were shipped. south last evening. Amongst Ehem were the Gisborne pair Multifual and Fagot, and the Hawera-owned Darby Paul. Multifual, list, lib., continues to come in for strong support for the Winter Cup. If tho Gisborne gelding wins the race he will establish a weight-carry-ing record. v Information received from Melbourne announces the death of a well-known, exOtago breeder and sp'oftsman, Mr. J. R. Mackenzie, who has for some years been ■ residing in Victoria. During his career as an owner in New Zealand Mr. Mackenzie, raced quite a number of use--1 ful ; horses', including- Pliaetontis (who | subsequently won the Grand National Steeplechase -in the late Mr. J. ley's colours), Paladin, Pallas, Trentbridgp," Canada, Maple Leaf, and others. '.-The deceased sportsman also supported the light harness game on, occasions, but it ,was as an importer and breeder of j' Clydesdale horses that- ho' was generally best known. 1 ' •

The Hntt-trained Sal Zolock has been nominated for the. big events'at the New Zealand Metropolitan .Trotting Club's August meeting. ;"'Tli'is is to give him a chance to qualify for the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Alex. Watson, the Masterton jockey, has enlisted'for service abroad. FIXTURES.. Aug. 15, 17,-and 19—C.J.C. Grand Na- ' tional. . Aug. 23—Da.nnevirke 8.C., Steeplechase. I Aug. i£—North. Taraiiaki Hunt Steeplechase.'-