THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 254, 22 July 1919, Page 7

THE TURF

C.J.C. SCR-ATCHINGS. *•' fly TolecraDh-ProEs Acijioifttlon. Christchurch, July 21. Paddington Green, Thrace, and Hii\eainaru have been scratched for all engagements at, the Gvatul National Meeting. - NOTES AND COMMENTS (By Glencoe;) Acceptances for tho principal events nt the National Meeting and entries for the minor events close on Friday next. It is stated that . W'hen-.-.jfanaw'apango races at Eiccarton he will, carry thp colours of Mr. J. S; Barrett; and will in future be trained by F.- : D,- Jones. At tho present time • Wairnai, 12st. 71b., and Bon l\eve, 12st. 61b., are well spoken.of in connection with the Grand National Steeplechase. Tho former is an excellent jumper, ami many expect him to improve considerably on his showing intho .Wellington .Steeplechase, He. ,?sill certainly requiro l to if lie is to. win his second National Steeplechase. The Spalpeen gelding will find tho stiffer country at Hiccarton to his-liking, but the same cannot, belaid of Bon Eeve, who is ouly a little fellow,' and with -such a big weight- on his baclc he may encounter difficulty in-negotiating tho National country. Seiidown has:: been off. the .tracks for some days, and he can bo written out as an unlikely starter in the Grand National .Hurdles.' His stable companion 1 Coalition has done well since the Trentham Meeting, and lie Will'go south to-night'in charge of J. Lowe. ' Rebekah lifts many friends for the Winter Cup, in '.which'' alio is nicelyweighted 'with lOst. 21b. 'The chestnut mare had not. done', muchwork-before the Wellington Meeting on account of an unexplained swelling which affected her legs. However, she proved capable of getting through tho heavy going aiid beating a ■good field over six furlongs,'and as she has previously raced well over a mile course, tliero is., every reason to expect lier to put up a good race in the Winter Cup. The Bezouian mare carries weight well, and, being a smart beginner, she will have a lot in her favour at Hiccarton. • ' Mount Victoria, who struck himself last nionth, when on tho eve of racing at tluj Napier Meeting, has been neibwncu off, and no further atteili'pt will be made to train him. ' When well fancied by his trainer Vagabond failed badly oh ljoth, days at Hastings, where the distance was six furlongs and] a half, and he'did -no better over a mile in his only start at Trentham. Despite these performances lie is well in the market for the Winter Cup, in which he has the steadier of Iflst. 131b. Those who favour the chances of Vagabond would do well to remember that the winner does not. usually come from this end of tho handicap. Only one horse in Vladimir has ever succeeded in winning the mile at Riccarton with anything like this weight. Vagabond is an improving 'horse—all the Martians improve with age—but his admirers will agree that so far his performances in public do not put him in ■ the same ijdass as- Vladimir. There is a likelihood of tile Trenthnii trainer, C. Priteliard, shortly shifting liis team to Otaki. Priteliard originally trained at the coast town, and he is a. great believer in the beach, as a training track. That a long walk to a meeting does not jeopardise a horse's 'hanee of vinning was amply proved in the case of Probitv nt Trentham. The daughter of Bezouian and Tortulla is trained on the beach at Otaki, .and she was walked-to Trentham, where she arrived on the eve of the meeting. She had a hard race in the Trial Plate, in which she was ridden right out, and this was plainly what she required, for on the concluding day she caiwj.out and scored over a seven-furlongs course. The Martian mare Esperance, who will he four years old next nionth, is now spelling for the winter. She seems to have srown a .lot and is thickening ~out ns well. The spell is evidently doing her good, and her trainer is not in a hurry to take her up again. . .. '