Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 168, 19 September 1903, Page 25

Tu r f Topics.

By St. Simon.

We all threw our hats up in the air, metaphorically speaking, on Saturday night when the cable man sent us the nets that the New Zealand mare Crucitorm had downed Australia s ohampion Wakeful. There were many of us v.ho doubted the Chnstchurch mares ability to do so, and, in writing last week's notes. I favoured the chances of Wakeful. True, it was only a head victory, but "we" got there all the same. The win is a splendid advertisement for the Wellington Park Stud, where Cruciform was bred, but it also emphasises the loss occasioned the company by the death of her sire, St. Leger. Cruciform's pedigree carries us away back to the good old days of Formosa, the winner of the One Thousand Guineas, Oaks, St. Leger, and a divided Two Thousand Guineas— all in her third year. The description given in the text-book of celebrities of that far-back day of Formosa nicely fit our Cruciform— "a long, low, dark chestnut," When I first saw the Chnstchurch mare stretch herself, and that was prior to her first appearance in public, I waxed enthusiastic as to her "creepy" style of going — her lons, sweeoing stride, close to the ground reminded me of Musket's son, Revolver, v.ho, on account of his tender feet, did little, but was capable when well of putting up good time m private. The race must have been worth a long journey to see, and I can imagine the feelings of Mr. Stead as he w a,tched the mare turn into the straight, and I can appreciate the intentions of Wakeful's rider when he dropped back preparatory to making his final run. Great mare and all as Cruciform had undoubtedly previously proved herself, the pace which she set from the fall of the flag was bound to tell. So thought Wakeful's rider, and after measuring strides for the greater portion of the journey he took a "pull" (an interval for breath), and, when the turn was reached, he sat down on his mount for a vigorous finish home, but the blood of her ancestors was flowing at top through Zealandia's representative, and I can picture Bert Hewitt, -erched between her ears, rattling her up to stall off the challenge of Australia's champion mare — the result a head victory. The question is did the rider of Wakeful err in taking that pull? I don't wish to detract from Cruciform's victory when I say that he did, but I do think that, with different tactics, wluch I am sure will be observed when the champions meet on Saturday, over the mile and a quarter, the New Zealander will be downed. The wish, I may say, is not father to the thought. It is rather an emphatic statement to make, but I'll stand by it — and should it prove otherwise, there will be no one prouder of the result than myself.

It took 2mm 3G}sec to complete the distance, and when we consider that the Australian and New Zealander earned 9st lib and 9st respectively, the peifoimance of Advance over a similar distance, at the Wellington meeting, with lOst 51b, which he carried out in a tick under 2min 35sec, stands out as a performance entitled to be written clow n in letters of gold. * * * Splendid entiies have been received by the Wanganm Jockey Club for the spring meeting. The Governor has signified his intention of being present. There are those who affirm that the New Zealand Cup candidate Shrapnel], son of The Workman, is a second Carbine, and are quietly picking up the odds (not liberal) that are being laid against him He put up a record mile a* the Wellington meeting, and that he can get beyond that distance is borne out by the 'fact that he is also nominated for the Jubilee Cup. It is interesting to note that the owners of Wakeful and Cruciform secured their champions at very reasonable prices, viz., 310 guineas and 325 guineas. Wakeful was four years old w-hen Mr. Wilson purchased her, and Cruciform was a yearling when she fell to Mr. Stead's bid. The latter's stake money prior to Saturday reached the respectable total of £6420 The Hut.t representative, Delight, was given out as a good thing at the Marton meetmer, last week, but got no nearer than third. Another from the same place, Catspaw, got home m the Electric Handicap, paying the fair dividend of £5 Is. It was with deep regret that those who go a-racing learnt that the popular and successful iockey, C. Jenkins, was seriously ill at Rangitikei, hut it is gratifying to note that he is on the mend and that a long sea voyage is expected to restore his health. We all hooe> that such will prove to be the case. The Avondale spring meeting, extending over three days, commences tomorrow. My anticipations for the various events read as follow — Cup. — Idas and Val Rosa Steeplechase. — Straybird and Hvlas. Flying Handicap — Soultfish and Cygnet. Maiden Plate. — Leo Delaval and Bloodstone. Hurdles. — Haydn and Tim. Pony Handicap. — Girton Gnl and Annoyed. Hack Handicap. — lush and Fiankton. Avondale Stakes. — Kilmarnock and Rose Seaton . Bert Hewitt, who steered Cruciform to victory on Saturday, was, five years ago, a stable lad in the employ of Jimmy Lawson, who trained Mr. John Tennants horses, at Winton. Bert, in those days, was a wee chap, with flashing black eyes, and a temper and gameness that made him notorious. Of a horse he had no fear, and in his hands the most erratic colt took on an air of docility that was amazing. His riding abilities w ere such as to bring him under the notice of metropolitan trainers, and he drifted to Christchurch, where in a short time, he became attached to the celebrated YaJdhurst stable. Adopting the Ted Sloan seat in its colonial infancy, he soon proved its efficacy, and quickly shot to the forefront. He is a steady lad, with an abhorrence of drink, and it is safe to say that he has a brilliant future in front of him as a rider. Like poison, he is done up in a very small parcel.

I am pleased to not© that many muchneeded improvements to the course and its surroundings are under contemplation by the Grounds Committee of the Wellington Racing Club. The caretaker, I understand, is putting in useful work on the track — not in the aa ay of exercise for an athletic encounter- — and that the "bumpiness" complained of at last meeting is quickly disappearing. I notice with pleasure that the Wellington Racing Club has decided to dispose of the catering for the tea kiosk to one person in the future. Hitherto the caterine 1 has been in the hands of the caterer for the main luncheon, with the result that ladies had to wait until late in the afternoon for the cup which cheers. It is by these little acts of consideration for its patrons that the W.R.C. will add to its popularity. Two popular knights of the pigskin — Messrs. G. Price and W. Thomas — have returned from a holiday trip to South Africa. In conversation with the former, I gleaned the fact that there is no place like our own little isle. There is plenty of turf plunging on Afric's soil, plenty of racing:, but a lack of that true -sportsmanlike spirit •which prevails in this colony. There is no end of betting there, and, when you get that in abnormal quantities — "w ell , the least said about the main part the better.