THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 265, 5 August 1919, Page 9

THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Glencok.)

Tho railway "cut" promises to have a more decided effect oil tho National .Meeting than was originally thougJit would bo tiio caso, and trom tho south comes word that a lot of accommodation lias been cancelled. Tho officials ol' tho Union Steam Shin Company report a similar stata of affairs.

Pinal payments for {lie three big events at the C.J.C. Meeting un<l accoptuncoa for the minor events close oil Friday next.

Local sportsmen were pleased to hear that .the ex-New '/calandei;, J.. N. M'GroEor, had ridden the winner of the Australian Hurdle .Race at Caulficld on Saturday. Sir Mnenom only carried 9st. shows that is not putting on much llesh. Beltane, who was runner-up, is'by Elysian, and used to carry Mr. T. H. Lowry's colours in tho Dominion. He is only a six-ye«\r-oJd, and may turn .out a high-class hurdle horse wlhen more seasoned. Lust month ho won the Leamington Hurdles at Caulfield,

A..'J. M'Flinn received n lelegi'nm at Auckland last week Asking him lo hasten south to school Cynic, as the imported horso had been sticking up some of the other riders, ami refused lo jump at all. M'Flinn arrived here on Sunday nwl went on by the Maori last night. J. Williamson was a passenger for Dm south yesterday. He reports that Troublesouio has been giving a lot of trouble sinco ho injured his stifle at Trcutham. Williamson is afraid tho old gelding will be unablo to start in the National Steeplechase, but he will not make up his mind until ho has a look at him. The northern trainer, W r . Windsor, was aboard tihri .Maori, which sailed for L.vttelton last evening. He had. the hurdle horse Seville with him.

tho Auckland horseman, H. Robinson, has been very ill. sinco tho Wellington Meeting, but he hopes to be able to ride at the Winter Cup fixture. jVccording to well-authenticated reports all is not well with, Waimai, and tho condition of the old 'chaser is causing concern to. his connections. Waimai is getting up in years, and may not return to his best form, but there was a. time when ho was in a class liy himself as a chaser, and already ho has won a National and been runner-up in another, the riding of tho old fellow has always neon a matter that has caused a lot of argument. Why ho is allowed to go lo the front with such big wsigThts when it It. a B "i. c >dal policy is tho thin** that Iwafef his admirers. National steeplechases aro not won from tho front, especially when tho horse is carrying the maximum impost. Ho has been ridden in behind in tho past, and success has followed his efforts. A case in point was in the Brighton Hurdles, in which tho Spalpeen gelding could not go the pace in the first part, b>it lie stayed on. well, and won in 3min. Msec., wih'ich was a good gallop over two miles.-Were similar tactics adopted in the National Steeplechase, the Aucklandor would certainly. have a better chance of success. In some circles it is thought that Bon Rove may not be quite at home over tho National cfturse. Thoso who argiio in this fashion point out .that Sol and Tho Native were horses of a similar- build to .Bon Rove, and had been top hole performers in other parts of-the country, but the-Riocarton course beat them because they had to get right up to their fonces to jump - them, and it is thought, that it will be the same with Bon Reve. Although the horses school well on tho tracks, tho fences they meet flliere arc nothing like, as big as they ,aro compelled to raco over.

Loohella continues to be in much demand for tho National Steeplechase. The Dunodin-owued horso is such a perfect jumper that tho country will not troublo him. .and ho has a nieo light weight to assist him. - It is in his favour that ho could get to Gang Awa'. at the end of two miles at Riocarton at tho Hunt Club Meeting, and any !horse that can do this has a chance in ; the National Steeplechase. Lorigan l . will rido. Lochella. The- withdrawal of Vagabond. has left S. Reid without-'a mount in.the Winter City, -