THE TURF NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 34, 10 February 1913, Page 2

THE TURF NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Sir Bedivore.l

A most interesting little stranger arrived here last week in the shape of a filly foal that Was born in the,, Tasman Sea the day before the Remucra reached Hobart. No one aboard the Remuera was able to tell me anything of the foal and its dam, other than they belonged to Mr. G. D. Greenwood. - Whilst in England, however, Mr. Greenwood purchased three young mares, one of whom, named Vicelta,by Velcs— Sweet Duchess, was expected to foal towards the end of January, and there can be very little doubt that this is the mare at present on the Remuera. Her daughter is a chestnut by lan (by St. Serf, a son of St. Simon— Berengaria), and is, I understand, a second foal. It is, of coursd. difficult to get a good look at a thoroughbred when the same is confined in a small loose-box, but,, bo far as I could see, Vicella is a very nice lengthy and roomy mare of good quality. Her daughter must, of course, suffer some disadvantages in having been born in such exceptional circumstances, but she is not half a bad foal all the same, and when her mother gets her freedom in a grass paddock in North Canterbury she will, judging by appearances, do her j offspring well. There- may have been | others^but, bo far as I know, this foal, i who will, I have no doubt, in response to the general request" of the captain, officers, and crew, be named "Remuera," is the first thoroughbred foal born at sea to reach these shores. Again, there may have been others, but the only other thoroughbred that arrived in this country as a foal that I have known of was St. Leger,» who was imported with his dam, Atlatitia. And further, if, as appears to be customary, vide the Stud Book, it is correct to say that an animal was bred where it was born, this foal' has the unique distinction of having been bred in the Tasman Sea. The withdrawal of Los Angelos and Bon Ton from the Wanganui Cup doeß not come as a surprise* Los Angelos is presumably to go to Dunedin and Bon Ton, who injured one of his feet at Ellerslie, cannot be sufficiently forward to get to the end of a mile and a-half. The thoroughbred stallion Parsee, who has been purchased *on behalf of the German Government, was a good performer on the Turf, and won the A.J.C Derby, the Caulfleld Guineas, the Allaged Stakes at Flemingtoft, and the Craven Plate at Randwick. A sale of thoroughbreds was held at HaWera last Thursday, but the stock offered did not appear to be in much demand. Mr. D. Barry gave 25 guineas for a yearling filly by Bandman— Porangi, and Coronet, who is carrying his twenty years remarkably well, was passed in at 160 guineas'. The Feilding trainer J. Cameron suffered A bit of bad luck last week, as his 'chaser Wheturangi was so severely injured through being kicked by Strategist that it was necessary to destroy him. Los Angeloa was certain to be at the head of the hahdicap for 'the Dunedin Cupj and in being awarded 9.9, or lib leas than lie carried to victory over twelve furlongs at Hastings,, he cannot bo said , to, have been harshly used. ViceAdmiral would no. doubt beat him" if Hobbs haa him in" the same form as he was last November twelve months, but-> the Multiform horse has dohe no good since then, and Mr. Hemp's is quite justified in treating him comparatively leniently. Soldiers' Chorus, who failed to get to the and <^f a mile and a half at Trentham under 8.8, seems to have received his full share, and personally 1 should prefer .Corohiform. Masterpiece has been well looked after, but he is such an erratic customer that it would never do to take tisks with him, and Sombrero, who is said to be a much-im-proved horse, is handicapped as such. Anna Carlbvna will meet Coroniform on 12lb Worse tgrms than she did at Riccarton, but she then beat him so easily after 'losing some lengths at the start that she must again be considered very dangerous. Parable won the Cup last year under 7.12, but she will only meet Coroniform on 2lb better terms than she did at Riccarton this month. Still there is a lot in the old saying "horses for courses." Stardancer has got off with 7.2, and if she can stay the distance after climbing the Wingatui hill— and there is no reason to doubt her ability in this respect— she must taks all sorts of. beating. During' the progress of the Wairoa Meeting, Lady Volley, who k stinted to King's Guest, changed hands for a consideration of 45gns. Jason, who was given a let up oft, his Teturn from Ellerslie, is again m work under T. Quiiilivan's guidance.