GISSIP TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12607, 18 November 1926, Page 10

GISSIP TURF

FIXTURES FOR COMING EVENTS November 20—Levin R.C. November 24—Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. November 27. December I—Takapuna J.C. November SO, December I—Feilding J.C. December 4—Methven R.C. December 4—Taumarunui R.C. December 8, 9—Woodville District .J.C. December 10, 11—South Canterbury J.C. December 11—Waipa R.C. December 16, 18 —Dargavillo R.C. December 27—Waipukurau J.C. December 27, 28—Westland R.C. December 27, 28—Taranaki J.C. December 27, 28 —Dunedin J.C. December 27, 28, SO—Alanawatu R.C. December 27, 20, January 1, 3—Auckland R.C. December 31. January 1, 4—Greymouta J.C. January 1, 3—Stratford R.C. January 1, 3—Hawke's Bay J.C. January 1, 3—Mart-on J.C. February 24—Waiapu R.C. Countersign ran a poor race in the Stonyhurst Handicap on Saturday, and "following on her failure in theOaks she cannot be accounted a good one. The Australian bred two-year-old Royal Ceres, made his opponents look a very cheap lot in the Pioneer Handicap on Saturday. Burdened with 9.5, he was* conceding from 261 b to 331 b to the other ‘youngsters in the field, but at no stage of the journey was his rider at all uneasy. It looks at present as if the Wairarapa sportsman,' Mr A. MeDonalgLhad urawii a prize when he secured noyai Ceres at the Sydney yearling sales last Easter for 325 guineas. The two hard races, exacted from Licihius early in the nieetuig, evidently had their effect on fhe Wairarapa gelding, as lie cracked up badly over the deciding stages of the Members’ Handicap on Saturday, and finished well back. Rapier created a very favourable impression when racing on soft tracks during the winter, his two wins at Trentham in July stamping him as a horse much above the average. Unfortunately, he met with an accident, which prevented .him from being got ready for some of the big races at the recent meeting. He has only been in work for a few weeks, but his form last week showed that lie is well. He has already won up to a mile and a quarter, and he might go even Further than that. ; The Riccarton trainer, F. P. Clar- I ldge, had a narrow escape from a painful injury while the horses were j bexng paraded prior to the running i ot the Cressy Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday. He got too close to the : quarters of Lady Desmond,’ who ■ kicked out, but, fortunately, the impact was met by the bag containing : his field glasses, which hung over : ins back. It was the general opinion that Lvsander would have an easy win in the Uieat Northern Guineas, but those who laid odds on Ria ability to win received a thrill because he only struggled home, writes “Archer ” The going undoubtediy troubled Lvsander, and it was only a courageous effort, seemingly beaten, that gave him victory. Lysander has participated in h °J at Ellerslie. this season and he has shown courage of the highest order on both occasions. The humping that took place inside the distance was regrettable. It happened when Lysander, Tinokoa, Chamour ?erl Tr T B ‘° od u we f o racln fi almost on teims about a hundred yards from the post and effectually settled The chance ot Chamour, who got the worst of it when True Blood came in. It is hard to say wliat difference it made to the result hut IV. Kyan, who rode Ghamous, thinks his mount might have won. I cannot say that I think the best horse at the weights won the Melhourne Cup, writes “Cardigan,” fn the Australasian,” although I would like to he able to do so. I honestly tmnk that if the race was run ten times 1 antheon would win nine. The pace set by Comus upset all calculations, and Pike, undoubtedly oue of the best riders in Australia, for once in a while made a mistake. Perhaps w^s justified in making so much use of Pantheon, as he knew he was on a good horse, which was thoroughly nt, but if, and the “if” means everything in the Melbourne Cup, he had decided to wait until the halfmile before attempting to go after y*® leader, there is not the slightest doubt in my inind that he would have won. He did all the hard work and paced the field up to the runaway. \\ hen lie had beaten Comus he in turn stalled off The Banker and Royal Charter, but Spearfelt obtained the last run, and it proved too good. Pike told me after the race that he considered, with Comus out of the race, he would have cantered in. McCarten, on The. Banker, made the same mistake as Pike, being over-anxious. It is rather the irony of fate that . the pace-maker for The Banker should i

help to defeat him. eilETjarten • was quite frank about his mistaken tactics, and afer the race he realised that if he had waited his mount would have, done better. He explained, and the explanation is more than feasible, that The Banker obtained an extraordinarily good run, slipping through on the rails all the way along the river side, and only going outside one horse_ in the course of the journey. “lou would have thought it was made to order for me, the manner in which the horses in front pulled out,” said McCarten, “and I had no other option but to take advantage when it presented itself.” The victory recorded by Star Ranger in the Mitchelson Cup was thoroughly deserved, writes “Archer.” For most of the journey he was near the rear, and was still well back with three furlongs to go. Then he commenced a fine run, and, going right

round the field at the turn, he maintanned it to win narrowly. Star Ranger ran a similar race in tlie King Edward Memorial Handicap, but he was not quite capable of getting up under' his increased weight, though he not far away from the winner m fifth position. The Martian gelding was a very fit horse and was in his element in the going. The win of The Harp in the Subuiban Handicap at Riccarton on Saturday broke. a long run of failure?. , e. registered some good performances last season, but be seemed to have completely lost form, judged by his earlier efforts this season, Saturday being the first occasion • on which lie had finished in the money. He dispos&d of. the opposition so decisively that he looks like being a useful horse to iollow in other events during tlie next tew months. The four-year-old Amounis, who lias earned chief distinction among the miters ’ of the present . season in Australia, has proved a profitable speculation to the three men who have been identified with, him at respective periods since he went up to auction as “A®" I ** Randwick in the autumn w r.'i J fle fe y dn ey trainer, Mr J. "■ > s6 ® urc< ‘ the youngster (who jvas then simply described as' the Magpie—Loved One colt), subsequently named Amounis, for 300 guineas', lhe son ot Magpie registered four successive victories at three years old and Ins form was held to he so impressive that the Sydney sportsman, Mr A. P. Wade,, was encouraged to buy him at 3000 guineas in the hope that lie would win the A.J.C. Derby Amounis, however, failed to stay, and after registering a win in a trace of handicaps he was sent ud to auction last autumn, when he was bought hv Mr W Pearson at 1800 guineas. Tlie iorm displayed by Amounis this season brought prize-money to the extent ot over £6OOO to his new owner and his recent victories in the Epsom Handicap, Cantala Stakes, and Linlithgow Stakes entitle him to be accepted as a horse of high class over a mile course.