ON THE TURF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 31 July 1929, Page 9

ON THE TURF

NOTES AND COMMENTS Mr Uea Dooley's Llamoses and an Aero two.-yc.ir-old are to be tfaosfenxjd U> Qtakt from Ricjimojid. Traiper J. Olson fa changing lift training quarters owing to tho wet naturo of the track at Richmond. With Limerick again i" Australia, the time opportune to compare the Liinond gelding's winnings with those of CUoahiing. Limerick's net earnings to <late have heen assessed at £37.811. and as Gloaming's retirement came about, when he had brought in £43.100, it will readily be seen that. Mill. A. Knight's representative has only to go on the right way to depose Gloaming from the position' of tho biggest stake-earner in Australasia. Limerick s first race will be the Warwick Stakes, which is run at weight-for-age over a mile distance at the end of August. His last race in Sydney this spring, if all goes well with him, will be the Randwick Plate, of two miles, on the concluding day of the big Australian Jockey, Club carnival. ' I Advices received from Sydney this, 'week indicate that Aussie had no sooner got on terra firnia than he commenced to show Kandwick critics that ho could gallop. The Fortafix gelding is almost certain to start in the big A.J.C. Epsom Handicap in the spring. Whether Commendation will ever come back to his old form is a very debatable point, but his owner, Mr W. 11. Gaisford, expresses satisfaction with the manner in which he has progressed, and has decide* to give him ample time to show his best, and therefore it can be understood that ho will not be raced in the immediate future. Ceremony, looking in great heart, was given an easy round at Wanganui: last Saturday, and then slipped over half a mile in 49 1-5, doing it nicely. Vallar. who 'has not been required to do beyond useful pace work, is not likely to be raced again until the lower scale of weights obtain. During the present season Vallar developed into a first-rate sprinter, and as he is still a young horse better results can be expected of him during tho coming season. L. J. Ellis will ride King Balboa in the Winter Cup. Horomea has been paid up for in the Grand National Hurdle*. This maro has been improving all the time at the jumping business since 'tho ' Auckland winter meeting, where she ran two thirds in her three starts. At Wellington recently she performed most consistently, for after finishing second in the Vittoria Hurdle Race she accounted for the Corunna Hurdles and the Talavera Hurdles, both mile and a-half events. The distance of the Grand National may be beyond her, but she is likely to show up in a shorter event before long. Horomea was a good sort on the flat, and she. v.ill have to be considered if started in the Jumpers' Flat Race on the first day. In addition to Red Fuchsia, Glyn Dhu, Blue Paper, and possibly Calluna, Mrs A. McDonald will take Locarno through to Riccarton for tho Grand National meeting. The Elysian gelding made quite a promising showing in the Winter Hurdles at Trentham, and he should do still better afc Riccarton, particularly over a shorter course. When Lucky Bag scored in the Kia Ora Handicap" on the final day at the Wellington meeting she accounted for several smart hacks who had recent svinning form in their favour. Lucky Bag, who is a three-year-old filly by Lucullus from Moonshine, is engaged in several minor events at the Grand National meeting, and if taken to that meeting she is likely to carry good support in any race she is started in. Lord Ranald has started three times in steeplechases during the past month and he has won on every occasion. These are the onjy races he has contested, and it is hard to say haw good he may be, a.s lie is improving steadily all the time. He won the Wai-iti Steeplechase at South Canterbury very comfortably. It was unfortunate that Fabriana fell at the first fence. If'he had completed the course ho would have provided an excellent try out for Lord Ranald. In his absence the field was of moderate class, so that nothing new was learned concerning the Riccarton gelding. Lord Ranald is in the Grand National, but though lie is a particularly good novice, the seasoned steeplechasecs he will meet in that event will provide very different opposition to anything ho has met so far. With more experience he may take high rank over country, but it is much tob early to expect Grand National honours from a horse who had his first racing a month ago. Mainspring, who added Jo the winter's toll of jumpers when he was dispatched at Timaru last week, was one of the plodding brigade, who was always likely to be on hand at the finish of a race when others were in distress. He was a useful winner for the Orari owner, Mr A. G. McDonald, who had hopes of getting some money with him at Riccarton next month. Keddar will race in the colours of his owner-breeder, Mr V. A. Knight, in future, Mr G. E. Trevor's lease of the Arrowsmith gelding having expired. MiTrevor had a good innings >vith Keddar this season, winning four races and scoring five seconds and four thirds. Stakes won amounted to £ll6O. Hunting Cry, the rising three-year-old by Hunting Song from Natali, who was recently disposed of by Mrs M. G. Mcintosh to a Gisborne sportsman, is still under the care of J. Cameron at Hastings. This' gelding is expected to do well next season. Incidental to a reference to the doings of Trainer O'Rourke's team on the tracks, a Sydney writer says: "Gay Ballerina, who joined O'Rourke's stable on her arrival from New Zealand, is merely pottering about. She was given a dose of physio a couple of weeks ago, and is beginning to look nice and bright. Gay Ballerina will always be at a disadvantage in the matter of height, but her New Zealand record entitles her to the utmost respect." Hyperion appeared to have the Craigmore Hack Steeplechase at Washtlyke. in safe keeping when he led over the last fence, but he tired badly in the run home. He has been in A. B. Wormald's stable at Riccarton only about three week's, so he should be greatly improved |u condition with a few weeks' more work. Take Down, tho darn of Overhaul, was by Downslvire (imp.), and her dam, Decoy, was by Medallion from Siren, by St. George—Waterspite, by Traducer—Waterwitch, by Camden— Mermaid (imp.), by King Tour. This breeding is full of stamina and staying blood and no doubt responsible for Overhaul staying on so well over

the last half-mile in 'he Winter I Hurdles at Trentham. Take Down was responsible for some useful performances, both on the (hit and over hurdles ami steeplechase country. Two full sisters to Overhaul, Dismantle and Assemble, who raced ill Mr Cecil llazlctt's colours, gave promise of being better than Overhaul, but unfortunately each went wrong in the wind. Dismantle put up one or two| eery impressive winning performances over sik and eight furlongs that I brought her well into the limelight, and) Overhaul's good record now is going to make her a very valuable brood mare. "lie's the biggest horse, anil he's the worst horse at Kandwick," was the remark oi one regular track attendant when, he. learned that ICeho Point was in commission for the Maiden Handicap at ltosehili recently (says a Sydney l writer). But (ho horse substantiated only one point, that of his size. He finished third, and had his apprentice rider, Pratt, been strong enough for the mountainous horse he might have won. Echo Point, is huge in matter of size. lie stands 17.2, ami few horses at Randwick can come within a hand of him. On the track he had appeared too big and cumbersome to get out of his own road, and barely manug..'d to register time to warrant his being kept in training. But his owner-trainer, .1. Harden, persevered with him. For two years now Echo Point, has been a sight for visitors at Randwiek, and it was not till the Canterbury meeting on Ist June that he was given his first run. Mr T. B. Louisson's filly Dilworth is down to contest the. Queen Mary Handicap, 4.35 class, at the next meeting at Aldington, and engaged in the same race is her sire, Travis Axworthy. Dilworth's last race over two miles was in the President's Handicap, won by Wrackler, at the Oainaru Meeting in May, in which she was set to do 4.35 in a 4.36 class race. She was not, favoured by any luuk in the running, but .she went a really good race. Off 4.35 in her coming race she will bo well supported, although strong opposi- i tion may be expected from Maiwhariti, whose gooil third to Lingfield and Wrackler at Aushburton will not have been forgotten. Although Canterbury is regarded as the homy of the trotter and pacer in New Zealand, the three owners at the head of the list this season, Mr G. J. Barton £4728. Mr G. McMillan £3897, and Mrs I. E. Sweetapple £3462 10s, are owners outside Canterbury. Mr Barton resides in Dunedin, and Mr McMillan and Mrs Sweetapple in Auckland. Ono of the early sensations of the present season was the excellent form shown by the Kurow-trained pacer Roi l'Or. He opened the season at the Forbury Park Trotting Club's Spring Meeting by winning the Dash Handicap of one mile in 2.17 3-5 on a track by no means fast, and the Tainui Handicap, of two miles, in very heavy going, in 5.12 2-5, in each case winning very easily. He next won the Ashburton Cup of two miles very easily in 4.37 3-5, and after getting away very badly he finished second to Giideaw'ay in the Dunedin Cup, his time being 4.38 2-5 in what was described as slow going. At the same meeting he won the Metropolitan Handicap of two miles in 4.32 1-5. After a fine race in the Easter Handicap at Addington, Roi l'Or finished second io King Pointer, his time being 4.28, but hobbling on the mark in the High-Class Handicap of a mile and a quarter, he finished out of a place. Tie has not been overraced, and though a bit uncertain at the barrier, he is greatly fancied for the August Handicap, to be decided at Addington next month. His record is a good one. JOCKEYS' CHAMPIONSHIP A. E. ELLIS THE WINNER THE ELLISES AT TIMARU The jockeys' premiership, for the season was definitely settled at the South Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting. A E. EJJis and L. J. Ellis each rode a winner, leaving the former with a lead of four from his young brother at the end of the day, their respective totals being 61 and 57. There is a day's racing still to be got off, but there are only three flat races in which L. J. Ellis can ride, so he can do no better than finish second even if he wins all of them. A. E. Ellis has ridden very consistently throughout the season, and has been assisted by a few mounts in jumping events. The light-weight L. J. Ellis lias done remarkably well to finish second, after having a month's absence from the saddle in the autumn at a critical period, when he missed some winning rides. It is an unusual experience to find two brothers heading the winning jockeys' list for the season. Five 'members of the Ellis family, all brothers, were officially engaged at the South Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting, and they played a prominent part in the proceedings, two as trainers and three as jockeys. F. W. Ellis, whose headquarters are at Invevcargill, trained King Balboa, the winner of the Prince Edward Handicap, while E. J. Ellis has Silver Light, winner of the. Craigmnre Hack Steeplechase, in his Washdyke (.stable. The three riding members of the family ;il| claimed a winner, A. E. Ellis being on Sweet Refrain. L. J. Ellis on King Balboa, and A. S. Ellis on Silver Light. It is doubtful if : a similar family record has been wit- , ncssed at any meeting in New Zealand.

LIMERICK SLIPS OVER ON WHARE BUT NOT INJURED (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) ( SYDNEY, 30th July. While Limerick was being unloaded, he slipped and floundered helplessly on the wet wharf, but soon regained his feet, lie appeared sore, though thick bandages on his legs doubtless saved him from injury. Later he was examined and was found to be uninjured. He will visit Randwiek tracks in the morning. AUSTRALIA HURDLES RACE ACCEPTORS MELBOURNE, 30th July. The final acceptors for the Australian Hurdles Race at Caulfield on Saturday are as follows: Mayday, Longlands, Sir Eaton, Moss Trooper, Wandaking, Brave Roy, Shanti, Savles, Scudalong, Leontes.' fi. PRICE AOAIN HEADS LIST (Received 31st July, 8.55 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The New Zealander G. Price again heads the list of winning trainers here for the fourth time in five years, with twenty-two wins and three, dead-heals.