THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 275, 9 August 1918, Page 8

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS fBT. GLINCOE.T Final payments for tho Grand National Hurdles and Steeplechase and tho Winter Oup aro duo on Monday. Acceptances for the minor events cloeo on tho samo day. Entries for all ovents at tho Jlnrton Jockey Club's Spring -Meeting close on Friday next. Tho Australian Steeplechase will bo decided at Caulficld to-morrow. The splendid showing of Coalition at Iticcarton on Tuesday, when ho badly beat W&imai over a couple of rounds of tho bis fences, will bo very ploasins to his supporters. The Pat-romis gelding seems to be at the top of his form, and ob he will be well suited by tho big fences, he is sure to give his supporters a good run. The withdrawal of Don Francisco from his National engagements hardly comes as a supriic. for tho Chokebore-brcd geldins has been giving hiß trainer a lot of trouble for some time past, and so far he has not been able to raco this 3 ear. Veronal, who will be remembered racing in the interests of a Jfostcrton Bportsman in the Dominion a couple of seasons back, has resumed work at Caulfleld under M. T. M'Grath, while De Gama was recently taken up again by tho ex-New Zealander. G. Ifolaney. The services of the aOX-Now Zealand hurdle horseman, J. X. %11'GrcKor. aro in keen demand on the principal Yictoriau courses for schooling purpoßCS, and though he has not met, with a deal of success of late, he is said to havo lost, none of his ability or gamenoFS, despite tho numerous fall? and broken limbs he has experienced on tho turf. That, good horse Amherdown, who was at the top of the tree in Queensland last year, is again showing good form in the Northern State. At, the Turf Club meeting on July 27 tho Downshire gelding carried lOst. 71b. to victory In a six-furlong handicap. On tho same day the Wellington Oup winner, Bunting, carried 9st. 111b. into first place in the Bed Cross Handicap, one miio a.nd a quartor. Mrs. 0. Lumley Hill, in whoso colours Hunting now races, gave the stake to tho Tied Cross funds. The Welkin horse Three, who is owned in Masterton, was offered for sale by r.uctinn at Sydney on Tuesday, but 50 far no word ha= been received as to whether lie changed hands or otherwise. . Tho Grafton gelding, Plymouth, who "s»d to carry Mr. G. L. Stead's colours in the Dominion, is an accentor for the Australian Steeplechase, to bo decided at Caulfleld to-morrow. Marsolo (Kinc Itufus—Hronco) was a winner at the Monanglc Park meeting en .Tuly 31. Tho Wanganui-brcd filly ran tho four furlongs in Msec, and won easily. The' success of that rank outsider, Narahqnong. in the Y.E.C. Grand National Hurdle Kacc, brings to tho mind of a Melbourne writer past races in which little-fancied horses hove been victorious. The most notable case of an outsider wining on important event in Australia was asfoeiated with the Melbourne Cup of 1871, in which The Tcarl, whose starting prico was 100 to 1, was successful, ltomula, from the then powerful St. Albans stable, was favourite that year at 3 to 1 in a field of 23, and.among the other starters solidly backed were Lapdog (a stable companion of Romula), Oleonite, Little Dick, Fn'.adin. .and Pyirhus. The Pearl, 1! ko Pvrrhus, was owned by. "Honest" John Tint, and Pyrrhus was the fancied ono of the pair, bis nuolation at Aacfall bcins 10 to 1. The Pearl won with n couple of lengths to spare from Romula. who was owned by "Joe" Thompson, the socalled "King of the King." Not only had he backed ltomula for a substantial stake, but he had "saved" her in his book, and the Buecess of tho rank outsider was naturally unpalatable to him. A protest against the winner, on the ground that the jockey. Cavanae/h, had struck Eomula over the he-ad with his whip, was dismissal. The late Sir Thomas (then Dr.) Fiteerald was one of the hick? backers of The Pearl. He accepted £9CO to £9 shortly before the start. A Sydney racing man, 'who had bucked The Pearl somo weeks before the doy, vainly tried to lay off. The Pearl was supposed to be "off" on acennnt or a cold, and nobody wanted to bach him.

Two well-known owners in Ofngo en"h thought that they owned a most promising vonnpstrr. bought from one ol tho leading eluds in the Dominion (writes "Comet"). That was all right, but whoa ench gave different instructions regarding the up-bringing of the -onus one. t-rio trainer in whose charge it. was uatuvally b"g.in to wonder if fill was right. Then the fun began, and oiy of the owners, to put' matters right, said that he would give th« horse or any share which belonged to him to the war funds if the other would do the same. Tihc other owner was just as good a sport, and they agreed to "ive the valuable youngsl'"- to the Church Army. It is anticipated that this generous action'on tho part of two sportsmen will, by the aid of raffling the horse, benefit th(» fund of this organisation bv £300 to £100.

From Auckland e/"M? word of the death of that groat hurdler Oavalicro. who litvi been turned out at his owner s place, Huntjv since tlie conclusion of his racing career. Tho son of Cuirassier and Clio was a good performer on the fiat before bcin<* put to hurdle racing. For .lie rrcal»r part of liiß career ho was trained at'Kllprelio by J. E. Thorpe, and is his opinion was one of the greatest horsos that ever crossed a- fenre, being equally at home whether the going was hard or soft. , An interesting feature in connection with tho acceptances for the three leading events at tho Grand National meeting- is that nearly all tho horses who played a prominent part a year ago are again eligible to contest the same, races next week. Sleight-of-Haml, Sir Solo, and hi.Fisher, who filled the plnceß in tho Grand National Hurdle Handicap, are all on the ground and likely starters, as is Art, win fell a year ago. Master Strowan, R F-lnin and Crib are expected to contest tiio Grand National Steeplechase', in whicn they filled the places a year ago, while the acceptors also include Merry Lad and Nita, who were in last year s held. r ansiau Diamond, second m tho Winter Cup a vear ago, will not bo on hand next week, hut the field may include King fctar, the winner, and Brambletyc, who finished third, as well as Varnish, Miss do \al, Kilters, Sir Agnes, and Cardrona, who were among the unplaced lot last year.

Tho "Turf Register" for tho past season was issued yesterday. As usual the publication gives the performances oi all galloping and trotting hbrECs racing in tho Dominion for the season 1917-18, the leading owners, sires, and horses, in addition to the entries for most of the classic events to be decided during the present Beason. Followers of tho turf should find this Register" a- valuable guide. A Press Association message from Sydney states that Sweet .Tippcrary has been scratched from the Epsom Handicap.

The annual report of the Auckland Racing Club states -.-"During the year four race meetings were held by the club on eight davs, as against eleven days in the previous "season. The sum of £34,550 was given away in stakes, and this amount will be increased for the coming season. The grounds and buildings have been maintained in a good state, and the area of the property haß been increased by Iho purchase of additional land which will permit of a much-needed extension of both inside and outside enclosures in order to accommodato the ever-growing attendances at the club's gatherings. After writing-off £3476 10«. 2d. for depreciation, a sum of £5981 Os. Id. remains to be carried to capital account. Your committee have continued to give liberally to the various .patriotic funds, and these donations since the commencement of tho war now amount to £7512, besides which £20,000 has been subscribed to the New Zealand War Loans."