THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 49, 21 November 1917, Page 7

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

IBY OLENCOE.I

At Ashhurst to-iiny racing will bo in full swing. The first oveut will start al 12.i0 p.m. Thie is tho Hack Hurdles, in which thcro is a field of eighteen, including many green ones, uo fewer than thirteen being on tho minimum.

Atuatora, lOst. lib., is an experienced horae with plenty of pace, and tbo distance, twelve furlongs, should suit both he and Foeinan. Thu latter showed good form at Feilding at Easter, where he acted as runnor-up at hia first etart.

lady General, 9st. lib., ia top weight in the Pohanginu. Handicap, six furlongs. She is only a pony, and may bo unable to concedo 51b. to Orowhurst. who is to be ridden by fl. Gray. Trials, Bst. 91b., has been racing well ot late, and may be suited by the small field, but when at his beßt Orowhurst is a very useful horse, and carries weight woll.

The Martian filly Nanua is very fast over a short course, and. if her rider is fortunato enough to draw a good positiou at tho barrier to-day 6he may be seen in a favourable light. Her former trainer, G. Ayuslcy, always regarded her as likely to tako n. lot of beating in hack class. She will be opposed by some useful hacks today in Astrophel, Madam Hiatori, and King's Armour, and the draw for positions will havo ail cHect on tho result. Tho Ashhurst Cup has drawn a field of fourteen, most of whom will seo tho poet. Last year's winner, Eoso Pink, is again engaged, and after tho bold raoo she ran In Die Jockey Club Handicap at Kicearton 0. Kmcrson's mount ia certain to be' well supported. Another favourite with, tho public is Lady Louisa .who has raced prominently in all her starts this spring. The biggest field of tho day is engaged in the Komako Welter Handicap, no fewer than tweuty-two horses having been accepted for. Polynesian, 9st. 51b., may find the weight beyond her in euch a big field. A promising light-weight is Kahumangu, who has been in second place in several Scurry events lately.

The Feilding Cup winner, Municipal is at tho head of tho list in the Baumal Welter Handicap, seven ftirlpngs. The topweight has been ofl tho secuo for some tide, 'and may not bo ready to show his beet form till he has been sharpened up with a race. Botanist, Bst. 101b., raced well on this course before, aud tho distance to-day will suit him. Probation, who was noticed well up at tho finish of her Trenthani races, reads particularly well. Ifr. Bidwill's maro was also successful on the Banie course twelve months ago. If half the reports of the ability of Turangaplto are true, the Prudent Jiing gelding must be a smart galloper. Ho has not got a good horse's weight, so may bo a good favourite in tho concluding event to-day.

Mr. D. 11. Roberts is not fond of having hie horaes prepared for Cups, but all going well Fiery Oross will be taken to Ellqrslie for the Auckland Summer Meotlng.and will be accompanied' by Gleudowcr, who will run in ono or two of tho minor races. J. Campbell will go north to ride tho pair. Tho three-year-old gelding Eed Eock, who was sold by. Mr. G. L. Stead to Mr. E. A. Uonnolly during Melbourne Oup week, mado his firat appearanco in his ucw owner's colours at the Williametown Meeting. Hβ was mado favourite for the Truganinii Handicap., eix furlongs, but finished third to Eemnon and tho imported horse Ludovitch. Mr. Stead started Ample in tho same race, and sho finished sixth.

11. Cairns, the ex-New Zealander, rode lianiua, tho favourite, in the Melbourne Oup, but his mount at no stago of tho race looked like fulfilling expectations. "Ho never had a chance from the start," ho said. "I used the whip and hit him hard, but ho was never dangerous. He was like a big kid in tho race. Ho never felt like a winner at any time." After Biplane had won tho Victoria Dorby, his trainor, H. J. Mason, aaid that he had never handled a three-year-old that stood up to his work so well. "Ho was rather a handful to manage—highly Btrunj, and it \yas no good putting a light weight on him. I had no anxiety at all during his preparation, except tho fear that ho might want a race. Ho did a lot of work—Biplane is a very thick-winded horse—but we could not get anything to gallop with him. That might have been a disadvantage, because a raco is more searching than track work, but everything has come out all right. Biplane has been in my ■ care for about eighteen months, and waa broken in by me. Tho colt was brought across from New Zealand to Handwick four months ago, and met defeat in his first race, the Ohelmsford Stakes, running fourth to Princo »India.' The raco was run in a howling gale, and tho jockoy's instructions were to stay behind tho pacemaker for shelter. Biplane, however, jumpod out, as ho did on Saturday, and to bring him back to tho field took all the go out of him. We changed our tactics after that, and the colt won in succession the Kosehill Guineas, the A.J.C. Derby, and tho Craven Plate, equalliug in tho lastnamed event Woorak s record time."