Totalisator Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 217, 27 August 1904, Page 21

Totalisator Turf Topics.

By the "Old 'On."

READERS of this oolumn should have had a good time on. the opening day of the Canterbury Jockey Club meeting, provided they invested their money as I advised. Won. derful, Slow Tom. and Tupaja were selected straight out to win the Huntei s' Hurdles, Grand National Steeplechase, and Jumpers' Flat Race. ii,ach of the trio won, and the dividends weie respectively, £9 18s, £bs Os bd, and £b 12s 6d. I suppose I may be excused if I am caught shaking hands with myself. Mahutonga, winner of the Winter - Cup, was also mentioned as being likely to scoie provided the top-weight® were off-colour on the day. The Guessei, Nadador, and Ehbank weie also suggested as worth backing in their engagements. Each of the trio ran second on the opening day, and won the next time they were stai ted, whilst Canine Chiel, who was recommended for the Winter Cup, won over the same distance, with the same weight up, two days later. The "Old 'Un" trusts that his readers will have no difficulty in finding sound investments foi their winnings. The Auckland horses, it will be remembered, filled the first half-dozen places in the Wellington Steeplechase. They, however, met their Waterloo at Riocarton, where the places were filled by Slow Tom, Pipi, and Victory, all owned in the South Island. Of the five Auckland repi esentatives that started in the Grand National Steeplechase, all fell save Saturn (late Star), whilst Hippowai was the only Aucklandei to secure a win at the meeting Haydn ran wedl on the second and third days, but the others hailing from Auokland either ran badly or went wrong. Much sympathy will be felt for Messrs Kidd at the breakdown of their horse Aka Akai. Good judges predicted a great future for this horse, and it is to be hoped that a lespite from training will have the effect of rendering him fit for racing again. Moccasin and Kaitere, another pair of promising 'chasers, wei c urn fortunate. The former went soie, whilst the Wellington Steeplechase winner contracted influenza. This year's invasion of Canterbury will long be remembered by Auokland owners and trainers. The Grand National Hurdle Race resulted in a capital contest, and quite a number of horses were thought by their backers to be able to win. When the news of the result leached Wellington it was at first discredited. Some half-dozen sports, all of whom had "legs in" with Slow Tom, were congregated in a room waiting for the result of the Hurdle Race. Each 1 had a different horse running for him, and it was quite expected one of the number would be in a position to stand "gold top" in response to the congratulations he might be expected to receive The result created only blank dismay. The only occupant of the apartment who displayed any excitement was a layer of odds, who threw up his hat, and vociferated that he had "a skinner" (i.c , had not laid the winning; double). The remainder looked unutterable things, and silently stole away. The veteran hurdler, Waiwera, is evidently becoming a back number. Many backers considered him a rod in pickle for this year's Grand National Hurdles. The handicapper also expected him to show improved form at Riccarton, as he gave him 61b more weight than he cairied when he was beaten out of a place with in the Final Hurdle Race at the Wellington winter meeting. Public form has been bornle out, and it goes without saying that adjustments framed on latest public form are most likely to give satisfaction to horse-owners. Spalpeen earned a good reputation during the spring and summer meetings at Auckland. He is a young horse, and should, when well, repeat that form. His trainer (Mr. J. B. Williamson) is no novice at training hurdle horses, and I would recommend those who lost money on Spalpeen to keep him in view during next season. Kremlin also failed to ran up to expectations during the past week. He had heavy imposts, it is true, but, as heavy imposts have not prevented his

winning previously, it was only to be expected that he would iuii well at the N.ilional meeting. Fleka was another amm ad that did not show his best foim. It is just possible that the excessive cold weather at Canterbuiy had a bad effect on horses accustomed to the mild weather prevailing in the North Island. The Southern-trained horses, The Mohican, Slow Tom, Pipi, Phaetonitis, Bughton, Flower of Clutha, Cannae Chiel, Muscovite, and Secret Society, all pei formed better than on any previous occasion. They would, of course, not be subject to any chmatac influences. The Ponrua stable repiesentatrvies gave ci editable displays. Elibank just failed to give that good performed , Brighton, 111b in the Hack Handicap, and later on beat Musoovite at level weights by a head. As the latter won the Selwyn Handicap on Satuiday, with a stone more on his back, Elibank must be a bargain to his new owner at £140. Waitai ere ran prominently each time he started, although he was not flattered by the handicapper. He ran three times and on each occasion carried 9st 81b. Loch Erne ran as consistently at Riccaiton as he had pieviously done at Wellington. He defeated Wairtarere twice at the latter meeting, and was favourably treated in being set to meet Waitarere on one pound better teirmis in the Heathoote Handicap. Lodh Ei ne appeared more susceptible/ of lmpi ovement than the Ponrua colt when the pair met at Wellington. As Loch, Erne pan still be improved, he is worth following for spring events. Mr. W. Davis, the Hutt ti ainer, tells me that the various membeis. of his large team are doing well. Onewa, the New Zealand Cup candidate, has filled 1 out into a nice horse. He is bowling along in his work, and, all going well, may be accounted a sure starter. Ropa, Ballarat, Wind, and St. Winifred are also looking well, and are m work m view of spring events. The Hon. Geo. McLeans horse, Syohem, has improved very much since the Wellington meeting. The same owner's brace of two-year-olds are progressing favourably, and are occasionally spurted a couple of furlongs. A two-yiear-old colt bv Gipsy Grand — Impentor dam is also doing nice work. Mr. Davis's Stepniak— Leda and Stepmak — Wish colts 1 have not yet been put in woik. Field Batteiy, Motor, and Melwood aie allowed to run in the the paddock during the day. The faimer pair are in the market as stud horses. Old Kohinui has been turned out for a spell. Owing to the presence of Mr. Stead's team in Sydney, the A.J.C. meeting has a special interest foi New Zealand sportsmen Cruciform has been engaged m the weight-for-age events, and Grand Rapids and Martian claim engagements in the Epsom and Metros pohtan Handicaps. The Epsom, of one mile, should suit Grand Rapids, and, according to leports, he has been backed! to win several thousands for that race. Martian is in the Epsom, and also the Metropolitan Handicap, of one and a-half miles. Some Wellington sports who recently visited Sydney have supported Mr. Stead's pair to win both the Epsom and Metiopohtan Handicaps for a considerable sum. They accepted long shots about the double, Martian for the Epsom, and Grand Rapids for the Metropolitan. As Grand Rapids has since been backed solidly for the Epsom, their wagers don't look too good now. Immediately the New Zealand Racing Conference appeal judges published their award in the Petrovna-Bagpipes case, Mr. J. B. Reid (owner of the Wellington Cup winner Gladsome) wired to the Committee of the Wellington Racing Club to pay over to Mr. W Young (owner of Convoy) the amount of the stakes which had been refunded by Mr. Reid, and held pending the result of the Petrovna-Bagpipes enquiry. Mr. Geo. G. Stead, om learning tine judgment in the Bagpipes case, at once handed the secretary of the C.J.C. his cheque for the amount of stakes won by his mare, Bagpipes. The matter of Petrovna's qualification has; been questioned, and will probably be considered by the C.J.C. The annual meeting of membeis of the Wellington Racing Club will be held on Wednesday next, the 31st. Members will be asked to confirm the resolution recommending the purchase of the Silverstream property earned at the infoimal meeting of the club held lecently. The Wellington Racing Club's annual report and balance-sheet has been circulated. The net lesult of the year's operations is a credit balance of £917 2s 9d, which is considered satisfactory. Dvi ing the year twenty-two new members have been elected, and two have resigned. It is significant that £700 had to be expended in maintenance and improvements. This would have gone a long way towards forming a new racecourse had a site beem acquired earlier in the day.