THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 12

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

The influenza epidemic has made its presence felt in Trentham stables. At Ellerslio it has played havoc. L. Jorriss, private'trainer to Dr. Bevendge, and I'. Mulcahy, the well-known cross: country horseman, have passed away. The Eangitikei trainer J. Coyle has been in a very bad way, but is reported to be new recovering. A. J. M'Flinn is also on tho mend, and the condition of .1. Chisholm, who was in n critical state on Mondav, has much improved. I. fctenning, J. Buchanan, C. Carmont, and R, Manson arc still laid up, but E. Pope and G. Murray are about again. Discussing the V.R.C. Derby the morning after the race, says an exchange, W. H. M'Lachlan, Immark's rider, reiterated his previous statement that he had ridden to strict orders. He said he was told to keep the colt in third or fourth place until near .'he home turn, and by no means to improve his position earlier. M'Lachlmv savs he pointed out to F. Davis, tho trainer, that Outlook might go to the front, and slow the field down, making a sprint home of the contest. Davis said that did not alter his instructions, for Finmark would win in any circumstances. M'Lachlan says that if he had disobeyed instructions and taken I'inmark to the front he could noThave been criticised mora than he had been. He thought he should haye b=en permitted to ride his own race. Telling a story how he nearly stole the Derby, Bob Lewis said his mount, Outlook, looked like the winner before reaching the ha.fmile, when he saw Finmark close in on tho rails and Franklin pulling hard at Eusebius. This he thought was his chance to steal a march, and he bounced off to sprint home. If Outlook had not run a little unkindly he thinks he would have beaten Eusebius. . ,- H. Grav has.a very strong following among backers, a fact that'-was amply demonstrated at Riccarton on the final day, when he rode in every event on_ the programme, seven of his mounts startin" favourite, while the remaining one was a good second choice. Gray piloted two winners during ,the day, besides being three times-in second place and once third.

When Sasanof won the Melbourne Cup in 1916 an Australian writer dubbed him "a freak." The Martian gelding has proved himself a lery profitable "freak" to Mr. W. G. Stead. In his first season's Sasanof won in stakes more than double the amount expended in his purchase, and up to date his captures represent a'eum running to .69950. ■

Owners arc to soni2 extent free agents, but it is not impertinent to ask why Mr. T. H. Lowry. withdrew Killowen from the Derbv on the afternoon of the race, says the Melbourne "Herald." No man could be keener than Mr. Lowry to add a Victorian Blue Ribbon to his "bag of racing triumphs, but the more one .ponders over the matters the less easy is 'it to understand why he. should have placed himself at the mercy of other owners in failing io provide a pacemaker for Fihmark. In 1915 Mr. "J. Barron" did not have a "second string in the Derby, and, not being satisfied that Wallace Isinglass' was beaten on his merits by Cetigue at Raiidwiek, he recouped Mr. M." Ellis the expense of starting Francis".Foy in the Jlemington event. Mr. Lo'wry did not have to hunt about for a pacemaker, Killowen being ready to hand, vet he scratched tho son of Kilbronev, and thereby precipitated trouble. The stable tactics are all the harder to understand when one remembers thai: Mr. Lowry started both Desert Gold and Estland for the Craven Plate at Raudwick, when Estland could have been of no possible use as pacemaker'for the mare. His presence in the field had the disastrous result of depriving Desert Gold of the great distinction of ncvor having finished out of a place. The absence of Killowen brought about the downfall of Finmark. Racing is far from dead iu France, seeing that from Oct.iljer 3 Io Xovember 30 the Societe des Steeplechases had arranged for thirteen days' sleeplechasiiig and hurdle-racing at Mnisons-Lafi.He. the events varying iu value from .£IOO to '.£3OO. The meetings, however, were to have continued of the "test" order, the general public thereby being debarred from being present. Mr. Leslie Macdonald, whose colours were borne to victory by Nighhvateh in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday last, occupies a place with the veteran owners of the Australian tuff, and, bearing in mind that ha was long associated with the St. Albans stable when racing operations were carried on at the Geelong estate by the late .Mr. W. R. AVilson on somewhat colossal lines, his mind must be well stocked with stirring ' reminiscences in which the thoroughbred racer has played a part. "If" (says a writer) "Mr. Macdonald were asked as to the day he regards as the most fortunate that came to him in racing matters, it may, I think, be taken as qui.'e certain that he would jiame the day when Wakeful, the bonnb bay daughter of Trenloil and Insomnia, fell to his bid at SlOgns. at the sale of the £.'. Albans team an August 10, 19C0." Wakeful subsequently earned tho title of "queen of th.v•Australian turf," and, as she von in stakes for Mr. .Macdonald .£'16,693, tho financial return constitutes pleasant reading indeed to tho Victorian. Wakeful having'thrown a Melbourne Cup-winner in Nightwatch. Mr. Macdonald has further reason to rejoice over his purchase of the daughter of Trenton, and, further, that he withstood the test of the rattle of money-bags to part with the bay marc.