THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 58, 3 December 1918, Page 8

THE TURF

; NOTES AND COMMENTS [By Gmsscob.] Entries for events to be run at tho Stratford Kacinif Club's annual meeting closo to-morrow. On present appearances the first meetin" to be held after the influenza epidemic, will most likely be at Ellerslie on The" two-year-old gelding , Palstaff, by Comedy Kiiig—Pctruvia, has joined E. J. Mason's team at Eiccarton. This youngster was purchased for 210gns. by Mr. G. 1). Greenwood at the Shipley dispersal sale last January, and is a brother to the'V.R.C. Oaks winner Stagegirl. He is said to be not tall,,but built on particularly'broad lines. ■ Sir George Clifford has decided to dispose of Wrestler, Wild Night, and Onlooker. The three-year-olds engaged in the Auckland Cup are: Tinmark, Bst. 31b.; Kilmoon, 7st. Sib.; Almoner, 7st. 21b.; Punka, 7st. 21b.; Taunalia, Tst.; Melee, fist. 71b.; Scornful, Gst. 71b.; Eisingham, fist. 71b.; and Pearl de Mont, Gst. 71b.. Jn the history of the race since 1874 the only three-year-old winners are: Welcome Jack, 1832; Crackshot, 1890; St. Hippo, 1892; Pegasus, 1593; and Nestor, 1896. i A daily visitor to. the track at Eiccarton is Fiery, Cross, who still looks very much in the rough. The two-year-olds Flight' Commander, a half-brother to Balboa by Martian, ami Sans fiouci have been added to the list. Another of Mr. E. S. Luttrell's team in Winter Cherry is being kept in steady work in view of summer engagements. H. Gray is making a good recovery from the injuries he sustained when Good Day fell in. tho Fendajton Handican at Biccarton on the concluding day. He 1s at present getting round on crutches. A Press Association telegram firom lieefton "states that owing'to the influenza epidemic the West Coast racing clubs will hold a conference on Wednesday to decide ivhether meetings will be held at Christinas p.nd New' Year. Meanwhile the time for receiving nominations for tho Eeefton Jockey Club's Midsummer Meeting has been extended to December 11. Amongst the deaths last week caused by influenza was that of Mr. Georgo Thomas Lo'mas, 'clerk of the course for .tho Napier Park E-acing Club, and well known in sporting cirelas. Deceased leaves a widow and four youns; children. At Eiccarton last week members of the Chokebore team were worked the reverse, way. in preparation for northeriuenirasoments. The following horses are likely ■ to represent Sir George Clifford at Ellers]je.-( Onslaught, Jlnyal Stajr. Heathercote, Haripy Captain, 'Lionskiu, and Matduff. ' There have been many chnnges in the Australasinn galloping records of late. Below are given the correct records:— Four furlongs. Surveyor. -15 .1-ssec.; four and a half furlongs, Woorak.. 34-Jsep.; five .furlones. ! Machine Gun, 58=pc. ; fiv« and a half furlongs. Poitrina, luiin. fij sec.; six furlongs, Kilbovne. Imin. lOsec; seven fnrloiigs. Jolly Beggar, lmin. 25 3-ssec.; one mili\ Desert Gold, Imin. S7 3-ssec.; omp mile and a furlong. Glo!>.mmz. lmin. 52sec.; one mile and a distance, de ,k Eey, lmin. 54 1-ssec; our milo and :a quarter, CWifWe. 2min. <♦} fee.; one mile and three furlongs, Molly's ■Robs, 2mi:n. 18} sec.; one mile and a half. Pnitrpl, 2vnin. 31sec.; one milp and five furlongs, Chantemerle, 2min." 45sec: one mile and three-quarters, Scoutmaster, 3min.; favo miles. Warstep, Sinin. 2tec; two miles and a quarter, Harriet Graham, 3aiin. 53} sec.; three miles, Trafalgar, Smiii. 22|sec.

In hi?' notes on form at Flemington, "Goodwlaod" says that Desert Gold must have bqen feeling the effects of her previous riicing : when she run in the Melbourne -Cup, as, according to her rider, W. Fo/ulsham, she did not show any dash /it all at the start, and when she fairly" found her legs was in such n bad posit'ion that 6he could not make any headd'ay. She was. however, coming through in good style at the straight entrance, when Democracy came back on her, iand, half twisting her round, settled any chance she may havo had of getting a. pliice.

A. sensational accident, which resulted in jhe death of a jockey, occurred in tho Farm Stakes, the concluding t event at tho Warwick Farm race meptirig in Sydney, on November 16. There was a field of 18. Coming to tho five furlons poat Clilorelumo (L. Siely) fell, with the refiHJt that eight other liorses also came rl'iwn. These were: Louvoyer (A. Keys), f.'(p ex-New Zealander Football (G. Carb?r). Morvella (J. Toohey), Sporran fW. ?,-Tiin. Burrabogie (L. O'Connor). Fair Murillo (S. Watmoiujh), Stunner (G. Potter), and Donna Mona (W. Crockett). Waimough was picked up unconscious, his head having been badly injured. After treatment on the course he was removed to a hospital, but died on the way without having regained consciousness. ■ The other jockeys fortunately escaped serious injury. ' G. Potter was, however, admitted to the hospitaj suffering from shock and bruises. L. Siely Vns bruised, but after treatment was able to an to his home. Of the liorses, Donna Mona. a five-year-old maro by Poseidon, \ras killed outright, but none of' the others sustained any more than minor injuries. -

E-. ,T. Mason's active team is at nrese'nt confined to Gloaming. Bianor, FaJstaff, and a two-year-old by Danube. Gloaming is being kent movinq; along in view of ■.the Great Northern Derby.

At Eiccarton Murray Hobbs is working a couple of Mr. J. B. Eeid's two-year-old fillips. One is Jj.v Kilbronoy from the imported mare Orange PipDi'n, while the other is a half-sister to Kilmoon, being by Sunny Lake out of St. Sophia.

In view of. tho Victorv of Niphtwatch Sn tho Melbourne Cup it is interesting to mention that the horse's' owner, Mr. C. L. Macdonald, is said to have a filly by Cardinal Beaufort from Wakefiil (dnm of Nightwatch) and a colt by Earlston from Wakeful's Daughter, both" two years old. When these youngsters have finished their stiell they will bo handed over to R. Bradfield to nut into ratine shape. According to the "Stud Book" Wakeful does not possess a two-year-old filly by Cardinal Beaufort. That mare's return shows that she was served in ...1911 by Earlston, missed in 1915, and produced a foal in 1910 to St. Alwyne. Last year she missed to Polycrates and this 6he was mated with Joseworthy. Chaplain J. A. Gault, writing to the Chief Commissioner of tho Australian Comforts Fund, says: "On Sunday we generally do what I call 'Sunday stunts," part of which is writing Bible names and places in the air with n cane, and giving a small prize to the one who first guesses it. One of the 'Diggers,' who hud not been very successful, called out, 'I say, padre, give some of \is blokes that don't know our Bible too well a bit of a show. , 'Right you are,' said T. 'I've pot some Capstan cigarettes from fie .Victoria Racing Club, and any man who can write down in two minutes the names of twelve winners of the Melbourne Cup will get two packets as a prize.' There was a great laugh, and for two minutes I a great, silence. 'Time!' nnd it, was found that five men lind a liet of twelve winners that the audience checked off. It struck me as rather an unusual combination—a Methodist padre, Sunday afternnon, nnd cigarettes from the Victoria Racing Club as a prize for winners if the Melbourne Cup."