GOSSIP TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12609, 20 November 1926, Page 8

GOSSIP TURF

FIXTURES FOR COMING EVENTS

November 20—Levin E.C. November 24—Afihhurst-Pohangina E.C. November 27, Deoember I—Takapuna J.C. November 30, December I—Feildinff J.C. December 4—Methven K-.C. December 4 —Taumaronui E.C. Deoember 8, 9—Woodville District J-C. December 10, U—South Canterbury J.C. Deoember 11—Waipa E.C. December 16, 18—Dargaville E.C. December 27— Waipukurau J.C. December 27, 28—Westland E.C. December 27, 28—Taranaki J.C. December 27, 28 —Dunedin J.C. December 27. 28, 30— Manawatu E.C. December 27, 29, January 1, 3—Auckland December 31, January 1, 4—Greymouth J.C. January 1, 3—Stratford E.C. January 1, 3 —Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 1, 3—Marton J.C. February 24—Waiapu E.C. Racing at Levin to-day will begin with the Manakau Hack Hurdles. They are not a well-performed lot as may be gathered from the fact that Bonecti, with 10.2, is left, at the head of the handicap. Gauntlet ran well on the flat at the Masterton meeting, and he has since done a fair amount of schooling. Axle showed up for a while in the hurdle race on the second day at Riccarton, but he was very light in condition then and the racing and travelling since mighr not have done him any good. Gauntlet has a great opportunity. Of those engaged in the Marsden Race, Kilmezzo, Eloquent and Some Lad have 6hown a fair turn of speed. The Wereroa Hack Handicap does not look an easy race for bettors, but it might not be a hard one to win. The four top weights—Bronstell, Gardant, Our Jack and Vertigern—all look to have good chances, and lower down is Panart, who, on some of his last season form, is a possibility. Both Our Jack and Gardant would come into strong favour if the course became heavy. Black Mint would look a good bet, were the Mako Mako Hack Handicap run on a big course, but the turning track at Levin will not suit him as well. However, it is not a simple matter to pick one to beat him. The Levin Cup is a race which can be won from end to end and if Indian Sage, Hipo or Diogenes can get to the front any one of them ought to be able to stay there. Kilfaire must he given a chance, but he has disappointed ibis party more thia.ni once of late. Indian Sage and Diogenes might be the best to rely on, and as the race is not difficult to win from the front, Bonhomme cannot be ruled out.

Bonliomme, most likely, tv ill start in the Cup, but he figures also in the Lake Handicap, and if he takes it on he will only have to leave the mark well and hb judiciously handled to be prominent at the finish. Our Jack, who is engaged in the Wereroa Handicap earlier in the day, and No Favours look to he the pick of the others.

On his Riccarton running First Acre must have a great chance in the McDonald Memorial. There. will he support for Epistle, Modern and Gold Box also, and probably for Joy Bird, but First Acre should take a lot of beating. The draw at the barrier and the jump out might* play a big hand in the Hokioi Hack Handicap. Argue, Royal Game, Note, Starboard Light, Jazz Baby, Royal Land and The Bolter all go fast, and there will be plenty of pace on. Several of those mentioned are poor stayers, and the best irjight be Royal Game, Starboard Light, Note and Jazz Baby. It is certain that Ashley Reed was never seen to greater advantage than in his handling of Thracian in the Derby (says a Melbourne exchange). Victory often wins more praise than it is entitled to, and, by the same rule, a jockey may ride the race of his life and gain little honour, if Becond money only is his portion; hut Reed may well he congratulated on his effort with Thracian. He seemed to do just the right thing all through and his last run was beautifully timed. Though his mount failed to reach Rampion, it was in a great measure due to Reed’s fine horsemanship that Thracian got so close at the finish. Limerick was blistered before he left Australia on his return trip to New Zealand, and sinoe his arrival at Riccarton he has had a dose of physic. He will now have a good 6pell, to allow the injured foot to grow down and completely heal. This means that he cannot be at his best for the Great Northern Derby on New Year’s Day, and it can be taken as pretty certain that no attempt will to made to race him seriously until the autumn. Then, if all is well with him, he may pay another visit to Australia, where he has St. Leger engagements at Flemington and Randwick. Everything will depend, however, on how his injured foot progresses during the next month or so.—-“ Christchurch Star.”

M. McCarten, who won the Maribvrnong Plate on Royal Feast, and the V.R.C. Handicap on The Banker, has returned to Sydney. He has accepted an engagement to rid© in Sydney, and within the next few months intends to take a flying visit to New Zealand to arrange his business affairs before permanetly settling in the New South Wales capital. McCarten proved himself a brilliant horseman while in Melbourne, and made many friends, owing to his gentlemanly, behaviour (says the •‘Sporting 'Globe”). McCarten will have pleasant recollections of the Maribyrnong Plate in the years to come. H© had hit first ride over the straight course at Flemington wheu he piloted Royal Feast in the Plate, and it ended in victory. New Zealand has sent us many front-rank riders in the last ten years or so, and McCarten can claim a place among the best of them. Smart in getting off the mark in sprint events, he also is at home when it comes to a distance. McCarten is not exactly a lightweight as jockeys go, but lie is not likely to lack opportunities as he can go to scale at a handy weight. It made a wonderful difference to Spearfelt’s price in the Melbourne Cup when it was known Cairns was to ride him (says the “Referee”). Almost up to the last moment Young fought for the ride. He was annoyed at what ho regarded as the off-hand manner in which he was treated. In his opinion the horse had a good winning chance, despite his failure in the Melbourne Stakes at a shorter distance, apart from the monetary side of the business, the possibility of being among those successful in a Melbourne Cup appeals to any jockey. Young was eventually the gainer of nearly £soo—the equivalent of a winning mount—hut still he was somewhat unhappy that he had been deprived of the possible opportunity of landing a Melbourne Cup. J. Beale is making a good recovery from the accident which prevented him from riding at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting. His ankle is still under treatment, but he expects to be in the saddle again at the Methven meeting, early next month. Bonaparte, who won an important race at Melbourne on Saturday last, was bred by Mr I. G. Duncan, who sold him as a yearling to an Australian buyer, who resold him later at the big price of 24o0gns. He lias been a disappointment on the turf, and Saturday’s was his only success. A yearling by Boniform from Desrinn, granddam of Bonaparte, was eold at the Christchurch sales last week to go to Melbourne, for 175 guineas. Rapine, who won the Canterbury Cup and G. G. Stead Gold Cup at Riccarton last week, has a great, record in big events. Apart from his victories at weight-for-age in Australia, he lias won in New Zealand, amongst other races, the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, the Avondale Guineas, both St Leger Stakes, the Wellington Cup, tlie Trentham Gold Cup (twice), the Napier Cup, the Canterbury Metropolitan Handicap, the Auckland Cup, the Awapuni Gold Cup, the Canterbury Cup, and the Stead Gold Cup. Lysander is expected to contest the Feilding Stakes, which event comes up for decision at the end of this month. The distance of the race is five furlongs, and though Lysander has incurred the maximum 101 b penalty he still has the reasonable weight of Bst 121 b,

Commenting on the Melbourne Cup, an Australian writer says that the three-year-olds were disappointing. There was excuse for Limerick, owing to. his foot trouble, and only that so many New Zealanders were among the early investors on the black gelding for the Cup Mr H. A. Knight might not have started him. After the Derby neither he nor F. Jones flattered themselves that Limerick had any chance of success, but he did better than Rampion, who was settled after going about a mile and a quarter. Limerick lasted for nearly three furlongs further, and, if he is sound, when he comes over next year lias at least a chance of atoning for his recent failures.

Of the Cup starters it would be difficult to select many that would be worth remembering for next year, says an Australian writer. Spearfelt, The Banker, Royal Charter, and Naos, all of whom will be six next season, may again be worth taking into account, though Naos is seemingly not much good with anything over 7st. He ran wretchedly in the Hotham Handicap with 7st 81b and the y.R.C. Handicap with a pound more. The Banker may have a little more to carry in 1927, but as ho looks strong enough to shine with big weights ‘n steeplechases, a few pounds extra should not dispose of him. Royal Charter, too, is evidently up to weight, and like The Banker and Naos, is a gelding. Spearfelt and Pantheon are stallions. The latter will he seven, to our time, next August, hut, as he was bred »n England, will actually be some months short of that age. Still, it is a long time since a stallion over six years of age won a Melbourne Cup, the last being Tarcoola, in 1903.