THE TURF.

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 10

THE TURF.

RICCARTON NOTES. 'By Telegraph — Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept, 28. Finora was unable to fulfil her engagements at Riccarton on Saturday as a result of sustaining injuries in her box. At present she is on tlie easy list, but will soon be rccom m i ss i o ued. Three juveniles in J. JMcC'omb's stable liave been turiied out and will not be required to do mucli till the autumn. Oue of their •number, named Cburt Jester, Avas reoently gelded, After missing for five seasons Pineta, dam of Rapine, has prodneed a filly foal to Paladin. The Wellington sportstnan Mr Ballinger was l-epresented at the Ashburton meeting by Waetea, Axle, and Royal Game. None of them raced up to ex'pectations, but they may do better at the Kurow and Dunedin meetings. Taboo, in J. D. Pearson's stable, has been thrown out of wot'k ancl will not be raced till the Christmas meetings oome round. Ohiekwheat and Rapier are both on the easy list, whicli suggests tliat the trainea", II. Nurse will be withont a represenhative in the New Zealand Cup. Never at tliis time of the year has there been so many lame horses at Riccarton. For tliis the hard state of the tracks is pa.rtly responsible, and trainers are anxiously awaiting a heavy down fall. Carnot is not yet at liis best, and he was not required to fulfil his Ashburton engagement. He should be almost at,tbe top of his form by the time the Dunedin meeting comes round. Half a diozen prospective New Zealand Cup canclidates were seen out at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday — namely, Tarleton, AVaetea, Goosestep, Heather Lad, Jubilant, and Kilbox. In no case was their form sufficiently attractive to suggest any of their number liaving muoh to say in the decision of the November race. Jubilant put up a fair cffort in the Cup, and more judiciously ridden may have reversed positions with Footfall. Heather Lad was very sore on pulling up, and is not likely to stand much more racing, while Waetea was al together too backward even to see out a mile and a quarter. Tarleton faded out badly in his race, which. suggests that he is still faint-heart-ed. Altogether it looks as if the soKbhern contingent in the New Zealand Cup will be much weaker than usual; Sup Up is again in easy work, and liis trainer hopes to have the speedy gehling ready to contest some of the sliort distance events at tbe November meeting. After a long absenoe from the tracks Sunny Loch has again joined the act.ive brigade. He is more forwartl than oould have heen expected. and 'should be ready to race in a few weeks' time, as he comes to hand very quickly. That smart filly Jarretiere .is among the latest to ,go amiss, and she is unlikely to fulfil her Geraldine engagements. This is particularly bacl luck for her owner, as_ she had been galloping in greatly improved stvle.

Recenfly Goosestep was supported for the New Zealand Cup, presumably by liis stable connection . On breeding the son of Nassau and Warstep should be able to stay with the best, but his showing at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday was disappointing. As this was his first race since lasf autumn, he can be expected to sliow plenty of improvement during the next tew weeks. The jiews of Count Cavour's success in the Hawkesbury Spring Handicap was well .received1 in local sporting circles, and quite justified his trainer's anticipation of improvement with racing. Early tliis month Jones was so disappointed with the gelcling's form that he wrrote to Mr Barrett suggesting a change of trainers. This Mr Barrett would not agree to, as he was confident that with a reice or two into him the Solferino gelding would be altogether a different proposition. At present Oount Cavour rules as one of jthe favorites for the A.J.C. Metropolitan Hanclicap.