TURF TOPICS

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 5, 4 August 1900, Page 16

TURF TOPICS

By Seahorse.

Dingo returned to Auckland on Thursday last. Plain Bill is under offer to an Australian buyer. Falka and Quiltina went South on Friday. Cora Lynn and Sundial were shipped South on Friday last. Percy Johnstone took Kaimate South on Wednesday last. Eecord Eeign is in the Maiden Hurdles at Eiccarton. £800 was refused for Dr Bill after he won at the Hutt. Fred Page took The Possible through to Napier on Friday last. Eecord Eeign is owned by Dan McLeod, and leased to J. E. Thorpe. The imported horse Orzil has been withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup. The Hotchkiss— Eve colt in training at the Hutt has been re-named Frontier. Blackberry, Kauri Gum, and Straybird were shipped South on Wednesday last. The Victoria Grand National Hurdle •was worth £1106 and the Steeplechase £1028. Mr John Grindley has succeeded Mr P. Miller as judge to the Dunedin Jockey Club. Phoebus Apollo is said to have cost £6,000. How much shou d Bill of Portland be worth ? Barbarossa is going to Riccarton for the Enfield Steeplechase. He is a much improved jumper. Coeur de Lion is expected to run better in the Grand National Hurdles than he did at the Hutt. Weights for the Hunters' Hurdles, Maiden Hurdles, and Enfield Steeplechase are due on Friday next. Crusoe and Lasting are doing good work at the Hutt — waiting for Jervis George's return from New Plymouth. Leo. Matthews rode the winner of the Biera Cup. His mount started at two to one, and the New Zealand boys were on it. The Hon. J. D. Ormond's Woodlander was seen out at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's Meeting. Bidden by Fred Davis, he started in the open flat race, but failed to get a place. Egotist (Martini Henry — Vain Glory) full brother to Vanitas and Dandy, won a double at the Esk (Brisbane) Meeting on July 12th. Carnival (by Patriarch), ridden by Bob Harley, won the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club Cup last week. He was afterwards started in the Open Steeplechase. The Canterbury Trotting Club will hold its Spring Meeting on August 15th and 17th. Mr Buckland's team of horses are on their way from Sydney to take part therein. Morag started favourite in the Open Steeplechase at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's meeting, but was never prominent. The race was won by his half brother (Barbarossa). Mr T. Scott has owned a few good jumpers in his time, including the all-round champion of his day, Ahua. He, however, considers Plain Bill the best he has had to do with. Plain Bi 1 was taken South on Monday last. Horses will be coupled in the totalisator, for the first time, at Eiccarton next week. Pairs likely to start under the same number are Morag and Boiler, Black Dust and The Guard, and Eecord Eeign and Chevalier. Coeur de Lion, who competed in the jumping races at the Hutt, was among the runners in the open flat race at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club Meeting the following Wednesday. With list he was beaten by Bonnie d'Eau (lOst 61b), Daphne (lOst 81b) third. " Boz," in the Observer, writes :—: — " The present bug-bear of a number of the leading pencillers of the North is a certain • C.T. whose successful operations over a long period of time have earned for him consideiable celebrity as a cunning punter, wideawake horse owner (assumedly), and a not indifferent wire puller. The boys fairly roll over each other to get on to his ' lines,' experience has taught them that they are almost foregone conclusions. The pencillers, even, have at last wakened, and now do a bit of punting on their own when his lordship comes round.

Percy Johnston took Phoebus Apollo to Auckland on Thursday last. Harry L. James has been appointed acting-secretary to the Dunedin Jockey Clnb for one year. Should Record Reign not start in the Winter Cup Sir Launcelot (list 91b) will be hardest to beat. Harry Piper will act as starter at Dunedin Jockey Club meetings when not otherwise engaged. Ruby Twist was not paid up for in the Winter Cup. He has not been on the track since the meeting. Messrs Bright and Morison's starting machines will again be used by the Master ton Eacing Club next season. Phoebus Apollo is this season to be limited to six of the pick of Wellington Park matrons, including Hilda and Cissy. Djin Djin, Scottish Minstrel, and Bloomer were withdrawn from the Winter Cup the day after the weights appeared. The final payments for the Grand National Hurdles and Steeplechase and Winter Cups due on Friday next. Woodlander would have been taken to Christchurch only he broke down in a flat race at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club Meeting. Te Ngaro, who won the Hunters' Hurdles and Plat Eace at Hawke's Bay Hunt Club meeting, is by Kaiwhaka — My Trip, and was ridden by Mr G. Hirst. The well-known performers, The Plug and Billy, were among the competitors at the Woodlands Hunt Club Meeting on Wednesday last. The racing season of 1899-1900 was closed with the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's Meeting on 25th ult., and 1900-01 opened on Ist inst. with the Woodlands Hunt Club Meeting. Last season Blackberry won the July Steeplechase at the Hutt, and afterwaids scoied in the Grand National. Will Dr Bill repeat the performance ? Manton (by Musket), Goodfellow (by Trenton) and Cambria (by Nordenfeldt) were each repiesented by a winner at the Kensington Pony Eaces on July 11th. Baron H. W. Weddellsborg was among the owners engaged in the Hunt Club Cup at Hastings. He rode his own horse, Pyramus, who came to grief at the sod wall. Plain Bill or Prosser's may win the Grand National Steeplechase, Ormond's or Bush Eose the Winter Cup, and Chevalier or Haunn the Grand National Hurdles. W. Carr took Mr Stead's mares South on Sunday. Carr returns in the Papanui in charge of Screw Gun. He informs me that Multiform is on his way back to the colony. The Grafter started favourite at 100 to 30 for the Ascot stakes, and the winner, Baldur, at 4to 1. The Cup winner, after leading into the straight, finished seventh. The New Zealand Tirant d'Eau, was fourth. Woodstock (the aged gelding by St. Leger — Cantiniere) got cast in his box last week and broke one of his legs. Dolph Davis had him destroyed. That was the reason he was scratched for the New Zealand Cup. The formidable fence opposite Cutts', which has caused the downfall of many a jumper at Eiccarton, has been removed and a brush fence erected in its place. The change will, no doubt, be greatiy appreciated by cross-country rideis. Flora Macdonald (by Traducer), dam of Plain Bill, is dead. Beside Donald (by Patriarch) and Titokowaru (by Dilke), she bred Eevenue, by Uncas II (Ingomar — Aida), who won a few hack hurdle races for Johnny Macdonald, and a filly by Exchange, which died. Although Scallywag did not put in an appearance at the Hutt, there would appear to be nothing seriously the matter with him, as he ran a good race in the Open Steeplechase at Hastings last Wednesday. Barbarossa, who has been shaping well with McMorran on his back, may now be taken to Christchurch. Visitors to Christchurch will have plenty of spoit during National week. Leaving here on Monday night, 13th inst., they will arrive in time for the first day at Eiccaiton, on Tuesday. The meeting is continued theie on Thursday and Saturday. On the off days— Wednesday and Friday — the Canterbuiy Trotting Club provides mst-class sport at the Show Ground. Leaving Christchurch on Saturday night, visitors get back heie on Sunday. The horses withdrawn from the New Zealand Cup, viz., Advance and Woodstock, were not supported for the race. The peisons connected with the top weight, it was known, were not pleased with the weight, and this and the fact that he was engaged in Australia, and that the stable had another horse engaged in the race, was sufficient to keep punters off. Had he remained in I do believe he would have been one of the biggest favourites on the day, thereby justifying the handicapper's opinion. Woodstock, who was withdrawn at 5.45 p.m. on Tuesday week, was never seriously considered as having any possible chance of success in the race.

Some people think that neither Plain Bill nor Record lieign will start at Eiccarton. Cceur de Lion, Paria, and Bush Rose arrived from Napier on Friday on their way to Christchurch. - The secretary of the,Feilding Jockey Club (Mr B. Goodbehere) has had his salary increased to £100 a year. Te Ruhunga, who won the Hunters' Hurdle Kace at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Meeting, is a grey horse by Lochnagar (son of The Painter). The Hon. J. D. Ormond's team for the Grand National Meeting passed through on Friday on their way South. The team consists of Morag, Koller, Ideal, Sir Launcelot and Honours. The Dunedin Jockey Club are inviting applications for the position of handicapper. Mr George Dowse has held the position for a great many years and the Committee of the Club is evidently of opinion that their officer is not up to date, or that a change is desirable. If a change is to be made, I am of the opinion Mr J. E. Henrys will be the officer appointed should he apply. On the concluding day of the Victoria Winter Meeting, the four year old brown colt Cornquist (Abercorn — Somniloquist) carried 8.3, and won the July Handicap, one mile, in 1.43 J. The race was worth £184. He is the first horse to be penalised in any of the Cups. In the Melbourne Cup, he has 51bs penalty, bringing his weight up to 8.3, and the Caulfield Cup 3lbs penalty, making his impost 8.4. Cornquist is owned by J. M. Eoberts, and trained by J. Henton. Dreadnought is not the only son of Chester who is siring jumpers. At the Victoria Grand National Meeting, Insult (by Bengal) carried 11.13 and won a hurdle race over two miles and a-quarter in 4min 20£ sec. This was at the rate of 3min 52sec for two miles. Not a bad performance with 12st less a pound. To the best of my recollection, Bengal never won a race and ended his career by a fall at Wagga, in which district he does stud duty. He has sired several winners this season, and succeeded Oudeis at Mr Andrew Leich's stud.

Mr H. M. Lyou, secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, will be among the visitors to the Grand National Meeting. One reason why Kecord Beign may be started in the Hurdles instead of the Winter Cup is that he will escape a penalty. The Hon. J. D. Ormond's Bracelet candidate Honours (Dreadnought — Queen of Trumps) is expected to run well at Riccarton. Adam Macmorran liked the way The Guard shaped at the Hutt, and has got the mount on him in the Grand National Steeplechase. A good field contested the Open Steeplechase two miles and a-half, over the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase country at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's meeting on Wednesday last. Barbarossa (9.10, A. McMorran) and Scallywag (10.4, H. Moore) made the pace the whole way, and the former won by half a dozen lengths in 6.31. Tally-Ho (10.7, O'Neill) was the same distance away third. The other starters were Morag 12.12, Carnival 10.4, Sylvanus 9.12, and Chance 9.7. Sylvanus fell. The unnecessary travelling Captr Russell's Cceur de Lion and the Hon. J. D, Ormond's Morag have done lately _is not likely to benefit them for their Riccarton engagements. Coeur de Lion's two gallops at the Hutt showed that he was not improving. After racing on the Saturday, both were railed. to Napier on the Monday, and raced there on Wednesday. Coeur de Lion started in a race worth £25, and Morag £35. The races they are engaged in at Riccarton are worth £400and £500 respectively. There was a race" on the programme of the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club for troop horses, the property of members of Hawke's Bay and Awahuri Corps. There were eleven starters, and the winner was Mr H. Gorman's Cossack (by Renata — Marie) He was ridden by Alick Smith, for some time head lad at Hon. J. D. Ormond's, but who recently started as a public trainer in partnership with his brother-in-law, Ted Wooley, whohas Torpina. Alf . Ellingham was second on Moifa (Natator — Denbigh) half - brother ta Ruby. H. Reeves and A. Hyde were among: the other riders.