Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 286, 23 December 1905, Page 15

Turf Topics.

By the "Old 'Un."

m O readeis of thas column, the I writer extends his good wishes. May they enjoy a happy and prosperous new year. Raoe-goers will be enabled to indulge in their favourite sport to the fullest extent during the next fortnight. Ihe Maruawatu summer meeting will, no doubt, attract the attention of most Wellingtonians, the horses engaiged being well known to local followers of the sport of kings, and, with, trains running at excursion rates, the Manawatu Club shouLd receive such patironaige as to enable them to establish a fresh record in the way of totalisator turnover. The Ashhurst Club, which is really a Manawa/tu thiid day's racing on a oours© a few miles out of Palmerston North, offers good! stakes, and has induced most of the horses engaged at the Manawatu meeting to patronise it. Providing the course is in good order, there should be some capital contests witnessed. Most horse-owners agree that it would be a much better arrangement were the Manawatu Club to hold a three-days' meeting, instead o* Wo days' racing beang held an the Awapum racecourse and) the third day on the Ashhuist course. It is an undeniable fsst that the population 01 Ashhurst does not warrant a race meetiii"- being held there, and the club is entirely upon outside support. After a coontmuance of ill-luck, Mr. W Davies stable scored a long overdue win with the am of the St. Leger horse, Ropa. The horse has been m Davies stable for nearly two years, and untal quite recently failed to show even decent hack form. Has second at Feilding encouraged his party, and, with his lenient impost, he appeared worth backing for the. Woodvalie Handicap. Ropa's victory was a severe facjr to the local metallicians, who were astounded when they found he had paid a nine pound dividend. Several layers had to pay out over a thousand pounds to the backers of Ropa, and, as a number of other well-backed horses won during the meeting, they have good reasons to remember the Woodville meeting. The nominations received by the "Wellington Racing Club for the handicap events which will be decided at Trentham, at the opening of the new racecourse, auerur well for the success of the meeting. Thje whole of the leading training establishments in the colony have representatives engaged. Sir Geo. Clifford, the Hons. J. D. Orcnond and W. W. Johnston, and Messrs. G. G. Stead, E. J. Watt, T. H.Lowry, St. John Buckley, J. Monk, R. T. Turnbull. Murray Hobbs, Jen-vis George, L. C. Haslet, J. Brett, J. Jeffs, W. E. Bidwell, and many other well-known sportsmen claim nominations, and will assist at the club's first meeting on their new racecourse. The Porirua-trained horses have been freely nominated for the various provincial racing clubs' holiday meetings. Boris, Mom, Kurawaka, and Exmoor have continued their engagements at Manawatu, whilst Maui, Exmoor, Flamen, and Boris may be seen, at the Ashnuist meeting. The acceptances for both meetings are capital, fourteen having paid up for the 1 Manawatu Cup, and twenty for the Ashhurst Cup, which is run over the more favourite distance of one and a-quarter miles. The executive of the Ashhiurst Club are exceedingly fortunate in regard to the date of their meeting, which follows the Manawatu R.C. fixture. It is generally recognised that the proximity of the Ashhurst course to Palmerston North, leads horse-owners to look upon the Ashhuirst meeting as an adjunct to the Manawatu races. Success is thus assured. Holiday-makers will, no doubt, start out with the anticipation of picking up a few winners, "just to pay expenses. 7 ' Most race-goers have their own fancies, and prefer to follow them loyally, and meet with more or less— pi incipally less — success. To those who have no fixed fancies, the following may be suggested as probable dividend-payers : —

MANAWATU R.C.— Boxing Day. Handicap Hack Hurdle Race. — Numa or South Star. Manawatu Cup. — Lyrist or Auratus. Handicap Hurdles. — Sleepwell or Miss King.

Awapuni Handicap. — Sir Tristram or Petticoat. Hack Flat Handicap. — iMova or Loiret. Nursery Handicap. — Munjista or Inglenook. Grandstand Handioap. — Black Reynard on Rose Madder.

ASHHURST MEETING. As a number of horses engaged at Ashh_urst will have incurred penalties by winning at the Manawatu meeting, the penalties accruing will have to be taken into consideration when searching for winners. However, at present the following appear worth watching: — Trial Hurdles. — G-old Dust and Ontario. Fly.ng Hack Handicap. — Mereshot and Waipunehu. Ashhurst Cup. — Auratus and Regulat on. Komakot Welter. — Heywood and Tsitsihaiv. Gorge Handicap. — Pretty Maid and Tonderghie. Pahamgma Handicap. — Petticoat and Stronghold. Ashnunst Guineas. — Aorangi. Maiden Scurry. — Pomegranate and Devonia.

LOWER VALLEY BOXING DAY MEETING. Ruamahanga Hack Handicap. — The Ruler or Sir Percival. Maiden Hack Race. — Takina or Narrow Escape. Hack Hurdle Race. — Tilson. or Kaingatahi. Lower Valley Handicap. — Aberration or Silverlene. Hack Flying. — Elfreda or First View. Otaria Hack Handicap. — Pat or Tekanui. McFarlan-e Handicap. — Miretta or Coxswain. Ladies' Bracelet. — The Voucher or Tilson. • • •

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB SUMMER MEETING.— Boxing Day Auckland Cup. — Paritutu or Qua<rryman. Great Northern Foal Stakes. — Kirriemuir or Hauscar. Railway Handicap. — Glenowlet or Kins? Billy. Christmas Handicap. — Multifid or Full Cry. Grafton Hurdles. — Inniiskillen or Waiwera.