Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 204, 28 May 1904, Page 14

Turf Topics.

By the 'Old Un."

RACING men throughout New Zealand are unammous in sympathying with Mr. J. B. Reid over the lesult ot the Convoy-Gladsome case. Most of those owners, whose hoi set, fini*li«d second to Gladsome m the rgoe* she won have intimated to Ml. Keid. that they will not make any attempt to take advantage ot the Appeal Boaids decision with the view of claiming the stakes. Mi-. Homes, the owner ot Terrapin, who rail second to Gladsome foi the St. Albans Handicap at the C J O summer meeting:, expiessed himself to' the effect that he would! prefer to • orack stories on the 1 oads" rather than claim stakes under such circumstances. Included amongst the events for which Gladsome has beeai declared ineligible through having been ridden by Jones, are. The Great Northern Derby, Auckland Plate, Wellington Cup, W.R.C. Handicap, C.J.C. St. Albans Handicap. The following horses were also riddten by Jones, and, on application bo the Racing Conference, their owners can be oompelled to lefund the stakes won. First money, Bagpipes, Criterion Handicap ; second money, Silkworm, Welcome Stakes, C.J.C. spring meeting; third money, Melodeon, Auckland Cup , second money Starslhoot, Raalway Handicat) • third money, Bonheur, Christmas Handicap ; second money Delania, Alexandra Handicap; second money, Romola, Oitenuon Handicap ; first money, Waipuni, Goodwood Handicap ; second money, Silkworm, Royal Stakes; all at the Auckland summer meeting. Jones also rode Replete into second place at the Wellington summer meeting, in the Ruapehu Hack Race, and won the Peoicarrow Hack Race on the second day of the same meeting.

It is rumoured that thioughout Canter bury and Otago a laige number of owueis die in exactly the same position as Mr. Reid, owing to their horses having been udden by appi entice*, who hold no licenses,. As these appi entices relied on the written opinion of Mi. Wanklyn, seoreitaiy to the New Zealand Racing (Conference, it would seem that Jus leading of the rules is likely to lead to endlesb complications. Mr Hugo Fnedlandei , the well-known Canteibuiy racing man, has decided to disperse his Auckland team of racers, and tlie New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have been instructed to offer lus horses for absolute '-ale next month. Amongst those to be sold is Gladstone, a full brother to the sensational filly, Gladsome. Sydney O'Neil, a rider well known m New Zealand, has incu/red the displeasure of the racing authorities m South Africa, and the leading clubs have "warned O'Neil off" for stopping The Imp in a race. The horse refer) ed to is identical with a pony that gained some notoriety at Auckland some two \ears ago. The stewards of the Otaki Maori Racine Club have received record nominations for their winter meeting, 376 entries for twelve events probably oonstitutine a record fox New Zealand. When the entries for the Maiden, Plate and Scurry an*© made, the secretary will have received over £400 in nomination and entrance fees. Should the acceptances pan out in. a satisfactory miaameir, the club should have over £600 subscribed by horse-owners in hand to start the meeting with. Racing men were surprised to find twenty-nine horses nominated for the Otaki Hurdle Race, and doubts are expressed as to whether such a large field of jumpers can compass the course without serious results. The Otaki course committee have arranged that the hurdles shall extend right across the course, and as, probably, there may be a few absentees the risk of serious accident will be reduced greatly owing to the width of the jumps. The number of horses being put to the "illegitimate game" is largely on the increase. Many horses when they emerge from the hack ranks are not quite class enough for open company, and their owners put them to hurdleracing, and later on to steep] eohasing. The Wairaa-apa Racing Club seem fully alive to this, and intend applying for a permit to hold a steeplechase meeting in August next. The Wairarapa course

is veiy nicely situated, and a capital steeplechase couise can easily be laid oft. I venture to pi edict that, should! then cross-countiy meeting eveaituate, it will be a most successful one.