THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2941, 29 November 1916, Page 5

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS JBr GtENcoE.l The Takapuna Meeting will be concluded to-day. Tho big event is the Spring Handicap, one mile, in which Dopredation, Bst. 71b., is top weight. The Campfire horse, if at his best, should bo able to hold his own with tho others. Guiding. Way, a double winner on the opening day, again figures in both hurdle races. He scemß to have struck form over fences, and should give a good account of himself again. Hurdle horses when they show form usually require' more weight than flat performers to 6top them. The Malster filly Agncstes has been paid up for in the two-year-old handicap, and as sho did not get too good a run on the opening day sho may be prominent again to-day. Entries for the Manawatu Racing Club's Cup Meeting close. on Friday night. The Peilding Jockey Club's Spring Meeting will be held to-day and to-mor-row. Acceptances for the Woodville Meeting close to-night at 8 o'clock. Nominations for all events at the Stratford Meeting close with Secretary A. Coleman on Wednesday next. R.'Manson has been engaged to. ride El Gallo in the Auckland Oup. He has contracted to ride the son of Spalpeen at 7st. R % J. Mason has engaged four boxes at Ellerslie for the Cup Meeting. A Sydney, writer says: "Thero seems to be a doubt as to whether Martian, tho sire of the Melbourne Cup winner, Sasanof, and other good performers, is entitled to rank as an imported horse. He has been referred to quite as often one way as the other, and even in New Zealand Martian has frequently had (imp.) tacked on-to his name. Reference to the New. Zealand Stud Book shows that Martian, though bred to English, time, was foaled in New Zealand in 1901, his dam at the time being the property of the late Mr. G. G. Stead. As the owner of the mare at the time of foaling has always been regarded as the breeder, ,it follows that Mr. Stead was the breeder of Martian, who is, there-, fore, not entitled to be classed among imported horses." Silent Way and New York, the property of the fate Mr. C. Studholme, were not brought back to the Dominion, but were left in Chisholm and Co.'s hands for private sale in. Sydney. The unusual happening of a horse having- a fit at the conclusion of a race occurred at Sunbury (Vic.) the other day. A woll-backed candidate in Pearl King ran last most of the way in the Sunbury Cup, and, having a fit on returning to the saddling paddock, accounted for his poor performance. The New Zealand gelding Master Regal started a hot favourite in tho Hurdles at Caulfield on November 18, but Wortupa comfortably accounted for him. The latter ,was saddled up again later in the afternoon in the Tara Steeples, two miles, but broko down in the race. The winner turned up in Londonderry, who was ridden by • the Riccarton horseman, R. M'Seveney. ■ , . It is reported that Sasanof fell away a lot on the trip to Sydney after racing at Melbourne. This probably accounts for his defection from the Auckland Cup, but it is to be hoped he will be able to meet The Toff in the Auckland Derby. A case of the totalisator getting "a skinner" occurred a few days ago at Belmont Park (W.A.). Lady A.8., who won the Second Class Plate, was not supported on the right out totalisator, so that investors received their money back, less the usual commission. There v?as, however, one backer of Lady A.B. on the "Place" tote. Tho racehorses Diavolo, Kooya, Bee, and Zuland, who have been racing on the other 6ide, are expected.to arrive by the Riverina this morning; L. Hewitt, G. Clarke, and C. Emerson, who have been riding at the Timaru Meeting, arrived in AVellington yesterday and went on to Feildiiig to fulfil riding engagements there. Tho services of C. Emerson have been secured for Lady Black in the Plying Handicap at Peilding to-day. Taking a lino through her form here when sho defeated the Stewards' Handicap winner, Bimoter, 6he is likely to be well supported to-day. Sasanof and Cheloma were scratched for tho Auckland Cup, and Cheloma and Sweet Coin for tho Railway Handicap, at 11.50 a.m. yesterday, states a Press Association telegram' from Auckland.