Turf Topics

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 57, 3 August 1901, Page 19

Turf Topics

By Seahorse.

The Hawke's Bay Hunt Club rung down the cuitain toi the season 19001901 at Hastings on Wednesday last. All horses were a year older the following day. On the first day of the Wellington meeting big commissions were worked m Mapier for Leah, Ostiak, and Gobo. The latter was also supported on the second day. Mr. J. Dyson-Holland, who assumed control of the Queensland Turf Club this month, formerly resided an this colony, and is related to the late Mr. Freeman R. Jackson. Mr. Graham Hagarth, who was shot dead at Charters Towers last month, was the founder of the Queensland "Sportsman," an up-to-date weekly journal, published at one penny. The annual meeting of members of the Woodville Jockey Club will be held on Wednesday next. The club recently decided to purchase the balance of the pioperty on which the racecourse is bituated. Douglas Watt will probably have his last ride on Moifaa in the Grand National Steeplechase. He has been over the country before, and won the Beaufort Steeplechase on Kauri Gum last August. With Percy Johnston in the saddle, and the extra schooling he has done since the Auckland meeting, Dartmoor can be expected to be well up at the finish, of the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton. Glenloth, winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1892, was racing at Mount Gambiei (South Australia) a week or so back. He and Megaphone, who was racing at Uoonamble the other day, were foaled the same year, 1887, and the pair will be fourteen years old next month. xne >»est iiuscraiiaji iurt Cluo leceiveu sevemy-bix applications 101 mo pubiuou ox na.ncucappt>i , ana twelve ioi die secretaiysnip. iviessis. w . i^. and i^. c. i 3. Keyser, ot Aiouiy, neie me successful applicant, iixe nancucapper leceives towO, anu the secleiary ±,000. j^ciuncuston (Ta smdl1 — Rubiua), who cainea Kan O'Briens "rose ana blacK jacket to victory in the luiasumiuer jULcMiuicap at Kiccarton, is now located in the urarton district in JNew boutli vvaies. At the locai meeting, last month, he was represented by seveiai i unncis, and one winner named Linw ood. At a meeting of stewards ol the Woodviile Jockey Club, last weeK, me secietaiy ot tiie Canteibury Jockey v^lub torwarded a petition tor siguatuie ostensibly tor the object ot excluding bookmakers and other objectionable pei sons from lacecourses. It was decided to sign the petition. As the Colonial Secretary intormed the .Racing Conteience that the Government did not intend to legislate in the direction ot excluding any persons from racecouises, the Canterbury Jockey Club's petition is not likely to have any useful effect. It was not generally expected that Dummy would be again taking an active part in the cross-country event at Christchurch. He is the only winner of both the Grand National Hurdle Race and Steeplechase. In both events he was ridden by Percy Johnston, who will steer him next month. He won the Hurdle Race on his first appeal ance at Ricarton, and the following year ran unplaced behind Levanter in the Steeplechase. The next year he scored in the Steeplechase. Two years ago he finished fourth, behind Blackbeny, with 12st 91b, and also ran unplaced in the Hurdle Race. My namesake has been purchased by Mr. L. De Pehchet, on behalf of Mr. S. H. Gollan, for England. The price is said to be 2000 guineas, which must be regarded as satisfactory, considering tho great son of Nelson has been more or less under a cloud smco he sustained ,i slight injury to his shoulder in Victoiia, on his first visit. The following autumn he was attacked with influenza, from which he did not recover for some time His next trouble was an mjui\ to one of his feet. Seahorse won over £3000 in stakes, and his last win was in the Auckland Plate, when ho defeated Kxplosion, after a great st niggle Mr Gollan is a plucky buyer, but Record Reign or Moifaa for tlie <-<une money might have turned out a bettei bargain. This remains to be seen.

Regret (by Turquoise) has been under offer to a would-be purchaser for a century. It is stated that Tod Sloan Hewitt will rule Pampero in the New Zealand Cup. His three-months' disqualification has expired. Susette (dam of Woodleigh) w as a successful hack racer in the Wanarapa distnct. The fhst time she camo out on the Opaki course she paid a dividend of £23. Bannciman. winner of the Mmook Two-year-old Handicap, at Caulfield, is by the imported horse Tostig, who raced in India, from Strange Device, a daughter of Escutcheon. Mr. F. F. Dakin has been appointed handicappcr to the Ballarat Turf Club and Ballaiat Miners' Turf Club, in place of his brother, W. E Dakin, who shortly goes to Perth as handicapper to the West Australian Turf Club. Mr. J. R. Coirigan must have had a bad time over the Wellington meeting. Three heavy commissions on his behalf were worked in Auckland two for Sundial, and one for Employer but none of the three events came> off. Patroclus, by Forerunner — Kingfisher mare, who won the Farmers' Plate at the Opunake Racing Club's meeting on New Year's Day, has been purchased by Mr. Wiltied Stead, and the aged brown gelding will probably be a competitor at the Chnstchurch Hunt Club's, meeting, this month. The list of winning jockeys for the Auckland Racing District for the season show that E. Abbott has had 24 wins, 14 seconds, and 13 thirds, and has beon unplaced 55 times, a fair record out of 106 rides. Buchanan, with 19 wins, 17 seconds, and 11 thirds , comes noxt , Whitehousc, Stewart, and ( Ryan follow' in order. The match between Osterley and Digitalis has fallen through. Digitalis strained the muscles of his thigh while training, and Mr. Alex. Robertson had to forfeit the £50 deposited to bind the match. Digitalis was being trained by Will Whitburn, the well-known comedian, and was going very well at the timo of the accident. Some surprise was expressed at Favona's name appearing among the acceptances for the Grand National Huidles. His chance is thus summed up by ' Whalebone" — "Favona was shipped for the South, and is intended to take part in the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race, in which he is thrown in with 9st 31b , but the horse is so infirm that he cannot possibly be got to the post well." ihu a-iu, UUU American-bred ycailmg iSa-SLuiuuiu is a uietstnut colt b> wateicicis — ±viai^enque, and. was nominated ior tiio juui oy uy i\ii . M. a. v^hancuei . jn.e has no two-year-old engagements m iMigland. iui. Whitney lias now six hoises in the Dei by, the others, his own nominations, being a cli c by Albeit — ivieta, cii c Dy Jtlanovei — L«iay Agnes, b c by Meddiei — Killdeai, cli o by Meddler — Peg Wothngton, and a bi c by Tithonus — Gienview. 'ihe stable bo^s' stuke at JSewmaiket cau&ed quite a, little nuttei oi excitement ax rlemington and Caulfield recently. ' Gom' out on strike, ±snl:"' askeu one youngster ol anothei as they lert the tiainmg ground on Monday morning. "i\ot me," replied Bill. I'm piomibed my back wages when the boss gits another wm. This bloke I'm ndni is about due ter cop, and when ho does I want ter be 'andy ter do a bit o' collectin'. A man don't never part as free as when he's jist received, don't yer know ." Centaui," in the Wairaiapa Stai," lemarks on the Wellington meeting — In the Final Hack Race at Wellington, Mi. A. G. Pilmer's General Wolfe was successful, and paid a nice price, with Mr. C. F. Vallance's Raema second. Both horses belong to Masterton. Mr. Pilmer was not satisfied with the performance of his horse on the first day of the laces, and very nearly scratched him for the second day. Greensleeves was heavily backed in Masteiton for the Final Hack Race. 'Bob" Knox trained Woodleigh, the winner of the Hack Race on the first day of the meeting. Gobo's win of the Wellington Steeplechase came as a "smasher" to Masterton punters. Jenkins rode General Wolfe to victory. The general opinion is that Raema should have won this race. Gunfeldt, which is now being trained for Mr. Murcott, is reported to be fast improving.