Turf Topics

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 58, 10 August 1901, Page 19

Turf Topics

By Seahorse.

The Canterbury Jockey Club starts the bail rolling on Tuesday next, at Riccarton, when the Grand .National Steeplechase and Winter Cup will be decided. The thirteen acceptors for the cross-country journey uiciude previous winners in The Guard and Dummy. Of the others, Venture, Natation, and Straybird have got over the country Avrbhout mishap. Moifaa should account for all the top weights. The light weights from which opposition is likely to come are Gobo and Straybird. The Winter Cup will take some picking on the day. The winner may come from Ostiak, Benzoin, and Ormond's elect. The Grand National Hurdles is run on Thursday. Haydn may show improvement on his Hutt form. If so, he will be one of the hardest to beat. Others likely to be dangerous are The Needle and Dartmoor. For the Maiden Hurdles, on the first day, either Demngcotte or Dartmoor should score. The Hunters' Hurdles may go to Mangatera or Derring-do. Social Test, if started, should about win the Enheld Steeplechase. In his absence, Nipapu and Huntingdon may be found the next best. F. Barry will ride Goldspur at Riccarton it granted a jockey's license by the Wellington Racing Club. The eight-year-old Tamaki (Cuirassier — is^atipo; has been shipped to Honolulu, where ne will take up stud duties. Record lteign has been withdrawn from the Caulneld and lvieiDouine cups, and leaves tor India on inursday ncu. i±is mission is the Viceroy's Cup, lun on Boxing .Day. Three days' trotting and three days' steeplechasmg at ennstohurch next w eeK. At both meetings the system oi paying out on nrst and second horses will be tried. The withdrawals from the New Zealand Cup on hrst, acceptance night were beaHorse, Benzoin, le Hapuka, Mate10a, Canine Chiel, St. Mark, Voiiey, intrepid, Reliance, BilleD Doux, Kinglet, Comfort, and Henot. Sagacity, who met with fatal injuries while competing at Caulneid recently, was a nve-yeai-old chestnut gelding by Pilgrim's ti ogi ess— Mercy Mernck, and trained and nominated by Mr. lkeFoulsham. Last September the gelding beat Australian Colours (now m England) in the A.J.C. Spring Maiden b takes, and the following March pulled oft the St. Kilda Cup. At the recent Grand National meeting, Sagacity won the Winter Handicap and Baybrook Handicap. Betting on the New Zealand Cup is almost at a standstill. Advance is now quoted at 5 to 1, all the available money at 100's to lb being readily snapped up. There is little doubt (according to a Southern scribe) that the son of Vanguard will be a starter it he trains on all right. The presence of Advance appears to have paralysed the betting market. Although sto 1 seems a small price three months before the race, the tavounte, whether it be Advance or any other, is not likely to pay that price under the new system. There is really no necessity for an owner to back his horse with the bookmakers. The club lays the owner 1200 to 22. Those still in the race have yet to pay 7sovs on general entry day (about October 19th), and a final payment of lOsovs about October 31st. The grey gelding Mangatera, who shaped well at the Hutt, won a double (Hunters' Hurdle Race and Steeplechase) at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club meeting, on July 31st. On each occasion he was ridden by Mr. Dick Roake, well known in this 1 district as huntsman for the United Hunt Club a few seasons back. Mrs. J. B. Rhodes also won two events with The Phantom, by Master Agnes — Nancy Lee (dam of Crescent). The Phantom was ridden by Mr. A. J. Podevin. The Hunt Club Cup was won by Chance, an aged gelding by Archer — Jaraletta, who was ridden by Mr. G. Hirst. Mr. J. T. Blake started two (Cobra and Daphne) in the Open Flat Race, the latter being beaten by Warwick (Quilt— Waingongoro), who was ridden by Fred Davis. Sylvanus did Mr. Blake a good turn in the Steeplechase, worth 35 soys to the winner. All the other starters oame to grief. Rhino and Waitio were remounted, the latter securing the fiver second money.

Tattersall's sweeps are likely to continue at Hobart for at least two years. Major George has engaged Powerful (Nelson-Moongaj in the V.R.C. Derby, 1902. Lady's Link (Chamlink — Kitty Totara), who won a double at the Otaki meeting, is the latest addition to the Hutt stables. What sort of a trainer is Diok Mason ? During the past nine seasons the bearers of Mr. Stead's colours have won £42,890 in stakes. The Dannevirke and Waipawa Clubs have agreed to the Bth and 15th January respectively as the date for their summer meetings. The three-year-old colt Scotty leaves Auckland for Sydney on Tuesday next. He will be trained by F. McGrath, who had charge of Record Reign. At the Demhquin Jockey Club's meeting, on July 17th, the two-year-old race was won by Allus, by Alcinous, the New Zealand-bred son of Ingomar — Corcysa. In the event of the Avondale Jockey Club's course not being ready tor their spring meeting they may again ask the Auckland Racing Club tor the Ellexsne course. Audacious, North Star, Phooka, and iEneas have joined the working brigade at Karamu. Audacious is a full-brother to Daunt and Dauntless, and yfineas is a full-brother in blood to Ideal, his dam, Enid, being a full-sister lo Mount Ida, Ideal's dam. The first of the 'foreign" Cup candidates to put in an appearance at headquarters is "Will-o'-the-Wisp, who has already appeared on the tracks at Riccarton. He is in charge of Ted Moran, who trained and rode him for the Messrs. Baxter at West Coast meetings. H. Faarbrother has got over the accident that compelled nim to abstain from nding, through Awahuri coming to grief with him at the late Wanganui steeplechase meeting. Last week he was able to resume his old occupation at Mr. G. P. Donnellys training quarters. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club is taking a long time to settle the case of the giey geiuing Mangatera. At the monthly meeting, on Friday last, further evidence was taken in reference to the disqualification of Mangatera, owner, and rider by the Kumeroa Racing Club, and the case again adjourned. At the annual meeting of members of the Wanganui Jockey oiub it was decided to lecommend ohe incoming committee to adopt the system of paying out on the second horse in totansatoi dividends in future. The success of the system at the recent Wellington meeting was instanced in support of the innovation. Seahorse goes Home in chaige of D. Momgiian, who lias been acting as Major George's private trainer tor borne time past. Mornghan is well known in this district, wheie he occupied positions in J. Mailer's and the Hon. J. D. Ormond's stables. The St. Leger — Bessie McCarthy and Mousquetaire — Freda fillies accompany Seahorse. A box has been engaged at. Wooley and Smith's establishment tor the Captain Webb — Fair JNlell colt, who is tne property of Mr. A. L. D. Fraser. Since the colt left Mangatarata station, where he was bred, he has been an inmate of Martindale Lodge, but, as Percy Martin has vacated those quarters, and as his owner was desirous of that mentor still continuing to supervise the youngster's education, a new home had to be found for him. Mr. J. Roulston, the breeder of Record Reign, was m Auckland the other day, and "Whalebone" had a chat with him about his stud. He has a three-yeai-old gelding by St. Hippo, a two-year-old colt by Hotchkiss, and a yearling colt by Castor, all from Winnie, and each are promising. This year Winnie is not in foal, neither is her daughter, Miss Blair. Pretoria, a fullsister to Winsome, will visit one of the Wellington Park sires this season. Mr. Roulston intends to keep Record Reign's brother entire, and also the Hotchkiss colt, who, however, is growing a bit on the big side, from his owner's account. The "Canterbury Times" expresses a strong opinion about the amateur stewards, and concludes — ''It is remarkable how tenaciously the honorary steward hangs on to the position. He is competent and suitable, whilst a paid man cannot be found equal to him. Ninetenths of the stewards of the colony aie probably betting men, who aie constantly on the look-out for a "dead-bird," and the only horse they see in a race is the one they have backed." A writer in the "Town and Country Journal" s>ays that, as showing the necessity of appointing stipendiary stewards, only four stewards adjudicated on a protest entered for foul riding in the Footscrav Steeplechase, because the remainder had bets on the race. "Truly," says a contemporary, "a nice state of things at the headquarters of Victorian lacing."