Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 277, 21 October 1905, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the "Old 'Un."

THE Otaki Maori race meeting is a favourite place of resort for Wellington racegoers. The first day's racing was heldl in, beautiful weather, although ram fell all day in the vicinity of Wellington, and deterred many from taking advantage of the holiday. Under the circumstances, the Otaki executive are to be congratulated on the result of their efforts, and, as the totalisator handled £3973 more than last year, the club should come out a long way on the right side. Although some compLaints were heard from horse-owners re the absence of a starting machine, the first day's racing passed off pleasantly, good fields amid close racing being noticeable. In Borne events the riders .seemed to time their final runs badly, and their mounts were going faster at the finish than the winners. Prelude, the winner of the Demonstration Handicap, was somewhat lucky, as she got well away, and had a clear mm throughout the race. Had Seagull been made more use of in the early stages, the positions probably would have been reversed. Prelude is a neat, though email, filly, and should prove useful over short courses where the fields are not large. The Porirua stable secured a couple of wins with Marguerite. Jenkins, her rider, managed to beat the starter on the first day, 'and won comfortably. An "even start was effected on the second day, and the Porirua filly had to be ridden right out to win by three-parts of a lengtih. Gold Crown ran third in the Demonstration Handicap, but Maui was not prominent on either day. A few more gallops will, however, improve him. Owing to the absence of a startinggate, and the heavy ram, the scratching pen was freely used in tihe principal events on the second day. Black Reynard hiad an easy task to defeat Tikarawa and Seagull in tihe Ngatahuia Handicap, and good judges expressed the opinion that had he started in the Demonstration Handicap ihe would have won. Taking a line through Seagull, this argument would appear & sound one. \Mr. W. Davis appears to have Black Reynard in splendid condition, and his owner should be rewarded with a few good stakes ere lonig. The hack events were interesting. Kuroki proved himself a much-improved horse, and should hold his own in open company. The Second Hack Hurdle Race was marked by a hostile demonsfarataom seldom ©quailed on a racecourse. The onlookers groaned 'and hooted in ia most unanimous manner when Numa romped home. The fact that Mr. Hall's horse had finished several chains in the rear of his field on the first day appeared to require some explanation. The stewards met, and, after hearing the jookey and owmer, and also the starter, they decided to award the race to the second horse, Flanagan, and suspend tihe rider and owner of Numa for the meeting. The explanation of Numa's rider I understand was that his mount struck the first hurdle, and bumped him on to his neck causing him to lose his reams. Had Numa's rider made some effort to catch his field later in the race, this explanation, might have found weight with the stewards. The matter of the accident to Numa should have been reported to the stewards by Numa's owner on the first day. This might have averted much of the hostile feeling that was shown by the public on the second day. ♦ ♦ * The New Zealand horse, Maniapoto, is in the hands of the vet., and his prospects of winning the Melbourne Cup are practically nil. We shall probably hear of his being sold to some Australian buyer, who will, by judicious training and placing, find him a profitable speculation. With Mahutonga scratched, and Maniapoto in the hands of the vet., New Zealanders will have lost interest in the Melbourne Cup. If they want to back one, however that will run well, I would recommend the New Zealand-bred mare, Gladsome. She always runs very consistently, and has a nice weight. • ♦ ♦ The performances of Mahutonga at Hawke's Bay and Napier Park may be

described as patchy. His victory at the latter meeting was not well received by the public, but in such cases their sentiments may be measured to some extent by their investments. When Mahutonga is thoroughly wound up he will, no doubt, run as consistently as he did in his earlier career. Then, those who assisted to make the hostile demonstration at Napier Park will be found cheering the son of Quilt — Maud. • • • The practice of owners investing fchear cash on other than theur own horses m races is not uncommon. At a recent race meeting the owner of a favourite was observed rushing in to the totalisator just before the starting bell rang, and investing a considerable sum on another man's horse. His investment was of sufficient magnitude to keep the totahsator bell ringing until the horses had gone some distance on their journey. Another late investor was cleverly prevented from investing fifty pounds that he had in his hand on the favourite. It subsequently transpired that the favourite was heavily backedl with the starting-price men throughout the colony, and they were much surprised at the dividend declared. • • • Should the weather keep fine, the Wellington races should draw a good crowd to the Hutt Park racecourse. Representatives from the Porirua stable figure largely amongst the horses engaged, but, as the various candtdlates compete in different interests, some good contests may ensue. The following should pay divideinds : — Hack Hurdle Handicap. — Taxpayer, South Star, Gipsy Jack. Shorts Handicap. — Boras, Prelude, Gawain. Wellington Handicap. — Achilles, Black Reynard, Signalman. Flying Handicap. — Sir Tristram, Prelude, Exmoor. Rimutaka Hack Handicap. — Aorangi, G-ayley, Aberration. Waim.ua Handicap. — Seagull, Wind Clanbuirn. Spring Hack Handicap. — Gawain, Pas. Seul, Petticoat. Wellesley Stakes. — Munjeet, Zimmerman, Ivanoff. "Small Backer" writes asking for information re the best public performance of Black Reynard. Black Reynard's most meritorious peiformance was when he won he Woodville Cup, with Bst 91b. He defeated a large field of useful horses, and ran the distance, one and aquarter miles, va. 2min 7 l-sth sec, official time. Gold Grown (Bst 41b), Shrapnel (Bst 21b), and Mystification (6st 121b) finished unplaced in the iraoe. • * • With further payments for the New Zealand Cup due on the 20th, and the results of the Wellington iacing undisclosed, speculation is of a most limited description. The running of Achilles will be watched with much interest, and should he fall to run prominently in the Wellington Handicap, his New Zealand Cup prospects will be considerably discounted. Nightfall holds her position as favourite at 4 to 1, but Noctuiform has been supported in well-informed quarters during the past few days. The further payments should disclose owners' intentions.