Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 256, 27 May 1905, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the "Old 'Un."

THE Gieat Northern Huidle lace is not run until the 3rd June. I shall therefore have an opportunity of making final alter seeing the lacing a* Waniganui. In the imeaaitimc, I ma\ mention buat 1 have a Inking ror Trumpery, Levant, Mis,-, Kuik and Innpa,n. Lad'v Hune has been supported' ioi tine Gieat Norbuein Hurdle Handicap, coupled with Up-to-date for the Steeplechase, in biueh a spirited manner that some spoits have good reason to believe that the race is all ovei barshouting." Lady Hun* in a useful m.ure, but I decline to believe that she hold*' a mortgage on this yeai's Great Northern Hurdle Race. Up-to-date appears to have a great chance in the Great Northern, Steeplechase. He has ju&t returned from Sydney, where he easily accounted for the steeplechase at Ramdwiek The half-brothei to Record Reign will not requite to be a champion to defeat the moderate lot which oppose him in the big Auckland cross-country event. Moccasin, whom I sdeioted' as one of Up-to-date's most dangerous opponents was inadvertently allowed to drop out.' Princess of Thule, Defoe, and Kaitere are expert jumpers, but, although they should run well, lack pace. A good deal will depend on the running at Wanganui whether the Pomua pair, The Guard and Waitarere, pioceed further North. The "old hor c" has only been accepted for in the Steeplechase, but Waitarere it> still engaged in both huidles and bteeple. If I were asked' to hazaid a tnie-*,, I would predict that neither of the pair will see Auckland. Trumpery, Levant, Defoe Mifes King, and Inspan may be entrusted with the task of representing tliLs end of the island at the A.R.t . winter meeting. The Otaki Maori Racing Club have received capital nominations for their annual winter meeting. Gold Crown, Ghoorka, Regulation, Black Reynaid, Asteroid, Auratu*, Solution, Ballarat, Exmoor, Lass o' Gowrie, and Sh,rapnel Shell lepresent ela^s amongst tilie North, Island entrants, whilst St Michael and Sandy are nominated from Canterbury. Given favourable weather, the M«» on executive will be able to provide some excellent &port foi their patrons. The success of the New Zealand-bred mare, Gladsome, m Australia points the way for furthei invasions by Maoriland owners into the Federal States. Already there are rum.ou.is of a, team from Yaldhurst being taken to Randftvick for the A.J.C. spring events. Sporting scribes aie also busy predaoting that the Ponrua memtor, J. H. Prosser, will take a strong team over for the meeting. Achilles, Mamapoto, and Gold Crown would worthily represent the stable in any company, and if Mahutonga joins the team Jenkins shou'd be able to avenge the defeat he suffeied ■when Advance was beaten for the Newmaiket Handicap a few years back. In has preparation, of horses for early spring engagements, Pro=&er has a great advantage over his brother trainers in respect to training tracks. The Ponrua flat continues m the same condition winter and summer and in both ■wet and dry weather horses can be galloped legulairlv Followers, of racing will note that horses seildom become infirm wlul&t trained at Ponrua. Boreas and Toi - tudla finished their turf career sound. Advance broke down through carrying heavy weights on the Wan,ganui and Ricoarton courses. Achilles, Ghoorka, and Exmoor. although they have suffered from ailments, have never been laid aside through strained ligaments or jarred points. The Guard's legs are as clean as when he was a yearling and but for the injury he received when ,ie fell he would still pass any yet The utility horse, the trotter, may be termed the sporting medium of those who cannot afford a racehorse. The trottmg home ca,n take* the. milk to the factory, and the family to market on Saturdays. When a trotting meeting is on he can be given a bit of training and saddled up and raced for the stakea offered by local trotting clubs. The Wairara.pa Trotting Club is holding a meetirte for which capital fields have entered. I have to thank the secretary (Mr. Armstrong for a complimentary ticket and I hope ms club will have a good, meeting.

The annual oonteiencc ot New Zealand racing clubs will be held m July. A number of important matters will toa\ c to be dealt with, amongst them being an. amended set of rules. It is expected that the committee feet up lawt year will have evolved a set of rules that will be moie understandable than those that have done duty in the past. Lawyers and laymen have agieed to differ very largely over many of the motet important of the NW Zealand lacing rule>, with disastious lesults to some of our most popular sportsmen. Racing autlionties aie just now exceedingly vigilant, and jockeys and otlher evil-doers are being ruled' out m all directions. This u& only r.iP'ht and just to the public, who it is obvious pay the piper on, all occasions. I would, however, ryotint out that there are few rules that protect the jockey against the dishonest or lmpecunnous owner. Many jockeys risk life and limb trying to win a race, only to' be told after it 1^ over that the ridding feet> will be handed over in the 1 sweet by-and-bye Mv contention 19 that jockeys should be enabled to demand their fees at the scale, and the owner who canmot depob'it his jockey's, fevs with the cleik of the scales prior to the 1 ace should not own 1 acehorses. Impecunious owners make impecunious lockeys, and. it is no wonder that the latter are driven to look for "punters." As no man can serve tw r o masters, neither can a lockey act in the interest of a,n owner and a backer at the same time, and thus we have corrupt racing. My contention is that if jockeys were naid for their riding promptly they would have no occasion to call on outside aid to assist them to sret a living.

When other lips and othei hearts With flattering vows allure, Eemember that your truest fuend Is Woods' Great Peppermint Cure When frosty stars gleam oveihead And earth's in wintry moods, And cold attacks in thioat and head, Then you'll lemember Woods.