Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 281, 18 November 1905, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the 'Old 'Un."

LOCAL followers of racing ha/c surely had 1 a surfeit of their favourite sport. The form ot horses engaged in the Caulfield, Melbourne and New Zealand Cups has been, carefully studied for months past and now that these event® have been decided, numbers are wiser at the cost of empty pockets. Although winners are few and far between, there are several local sports who have been fortunate during the past week. "One ardent follower ot the locally-ownedl mane, Solution, coupled her with Noctuiform w doubles, and his winnings run into considerably over four figures. An employee of Solution's owner is said to have netted close upon a thousand pounds. Of course, one hears o± the winners, but those who have come out on the wrong side of the ledger are mostly silent. One singular feature about the C.J.C. racing was the fact that the Porarua trained horses signally failed to win a race. Indeed, with the exception or Ghivaky, who ran third in the Randolph Handicap on Saturday, not one of the team earned l even place money. Achilles was one of the first horses to be beaten in the Cup race, and m his subsequent essays he displayed no improvement. Undoubtedly, he must now be deemed an over-rated animal, a» his condition- appeared perfect when he left for the scene of his engagements. The powerful stables presided over respectively by R. J. Mason, and E. Cutte secured half-a-dozen races each. The former annexed five weightrfor^age events and one handicap — the New Zealand Cup, whereas Outts' charges won the five principal handicaps and one race for which special weights had to be carried. Both trainers had their teams in great buckle, and L. H. Hewitt and Y. Cotton, both exponents of the "Sloan" style of riding, had a great innings during the week. Stewart Waddel, trainer for the Hon. J. T>. Ormond, picked up a couple of handicaps with Medallist amid Sir Tristram, but Zimmerman, a fine-look-ing two-year-old, failed to run up to appearances. The Wamganui trainer, Fred Tally, was fortunate in having such a sterling mare as Solution to represent his stable, otherwise he would have had to return empty handedl, as St. Joe and Handsome Rose founidi the class opposed to them too formidable. Mr. Patersons mare emphasised her three-year-old form, and must be considered one of the best sprinters of the season. Her owner is reported to have been very sanguine or winning the Stewards' Handicap, and had a good win as the result. Mr. W. Davis had Black Reynold and Ballarat in rare buckle. The former ran well in the Criterion Handicap, but was not subsequently saddled up. Ballarat was given a run in the Stewards' Handicap, and later on m the Randolph Handicap, of five furlongs, but in neither event did Mr. Ross Allens mare display her usual dash. Ballarat was second favourite in the latter event, and must have cost her admirers a goodly sum. Frank Higgott's filly, Petticoat, had a somewhat fluky victory in the Riccarton Welter Handicap. She got a break on her field when the barrier flew up, and just got hornet in front of the fast-finishing Clanchattan. Petticoat was made favourite for the Randolph Handicap, on the concluding day of the meeting, but met a better class of horses, and finished behind Ballarat, who could only run fourth. My readers will have noted my advice to leave Maniapoto severely alone for the Oaulfield and Melbourne Oups. I stigmatised the Soult horse as a quitter after the A.J.C. meeting, and still hold that opinion. It is very probable that had anything tackled him in the Metropolitan Handicap, which he won, that he would have thrown up the sponge, and! retired to the rear. My first impression of Maniapoto was that he galloped like a horse that would do his utmost withoutbeing urged, and that when called upon for an effort he would, owing to his style of action, go all to> pieces. Every allowance, of course, must be made for change of climate, and the fact that

Maniapoto suffered from a cold, but, nevertheless, I fear that Mr. Goods horse has been over-rated. The most .consistent horse at present racing m Australia is the Lochiel horse, Tartan. His fine victory in the last Sydney Cup was followed by his winning the Melbourne Stakes, beating Marvel Loch, Gladsome, Maniapoto, and the pick of Australasia. He then carried 9st, and finished third for the Melbourne Cup. In his last effort, he annexed the C. B. Fisher Plate, a weight-for-age event, of one and a-hali miles. As he again defeated Gladsome, he must now be accounted the best horse of his year. The downfall of Mr. Watts' colts, Kiag Billy and Boomerang, at the Auckland Racing Club's spring meeting comes as a surprise. The above pair of sons of Meriwee displayed good form at Wanganui and Hawke's Bay, the admirers of King Billy asserting that had he been started again&t Conuiform in the Hawke's Bay Guineas the latter would have been, defeated. Thedfc, winning at Auckland was generally supposed to be only a matter of health,, but, so far, both colts have been easily beaten in each of their engagements. Both started hot favourites on Saturday last, andl the best they could do was to finish third' in each of their essays. The inclement weather somewhat spoilt the racing at the Tanatahi meeting. Nevertheless, the Wairarapa folks turned out in good numbers, and the officials of the club, declining to be intimidated by the weather, were able to get through the meeting in* a creditable manner. The racing, undier the circumstances, was not of the most exciting order, the slushy state of the course rendering it impossible for horses to display their best form. Kuroki made his first appearance in open company, and had an easy victory in the Wairarapa County Oub the useful Hydrant running second. Tikarawa is apparently rapidly getting back to his early forrn^ and fairly revelled in the soft going. Mir. Seton, his owner, is said' to have had a good win over the victories of the son of Merrie England. Clanburn, a recent addition to F. Bigserott's team, ran like a commoner, and is evidently not up to the standard of the North Island seoondr-raters.

Gawain and Duloinea, a useful pair, owned in Masterton, were in capital form, and secured a couple of races each. Taken as a whole, the meeting may be termed a successful one, but, had fine weather prevailed, the club would have, in all probability, established a record totalisator turnover. Messrs. Friedlander, of Ashbairton, who are breaking up their breeding stud of thoroughbreds, had 1 a capital sale last week, at Elderslie. A number of yearling® were disposed! of by auction. A filly by Stepniak — Faraway was bought by J. F. Buchanan at 520 guineas, and a colt by Stepniak — Madlder fell to J. Buckly at 430 guineas. Amongst the Wellington buyers were: Major-Greneral Babington, who purchased a colt by Stepniak — Fairymaid, for 105 guineas. J- W. Abbott secured 1 a full-brother to Moscow for 70 guineas, and R. W. Peterson, a colt by Pilgrim's Progress — Neva, for 115 guineas.