GOSSIP OF THE TURF

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12611, 23 November 1926, Page 10

GOSSIP OF THE TURF

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"CARBINE"

FIXTURES FOR COMING EVENTS November 24—Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. November 27, December I—Takapuna

J.C November 30, December I—Feildingl—Feilding J.C. December 4—JVletliven R.C. December 4—Taumarunui R.C. December 8, o—-Woodvillc District J.C. December 10, 11—South Canterbury J.C. December 11—Waipa R.C. December 16, IS—Dargaville 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, 30— Manawatu R.C. December 27, 29. January 1, 3—Auckland R.C December 31, January 1, 4—Greymoutb J.C. January 1, 3—Stratford R.C. January 1, .3 —Hawke’s Bay J.C. January 1, 3—Marton J.C. February 24—Waiapu R.C. Tli© Ashhurst meeting will be held to-morrow. Bonecto is not at his best yet, and ho had no chance at Levin on Saturday. A. McDonald rode Matu a particularly good race in the Levin Hack Hurdles. He travelled the shortest course and mad© a clever attempt to 6teal the race, but Gauntlet was too good. Gauntlet, on his Trentham form, ought to have been favourite, but McDonald’s'presence on Matu secured for th© Polydamon gelding the post of honour. Tempean should not be long in winning a short-distance hurdle race. The Levin Maiden turned out to be a good thing for Kilmezzo, who w r on ns he liked and then came out in the final event and dead-heated with the speedy Jazz Baby. On this form he is better than was suspected. Dale Ogden, who ran without dispensation at Levin, is a daughter of Ukraine, who gave the turf Sasanoff. The form of Black Mint at Levin was all wrong, and, in any case, the small course did not suit the big fellow. Many Manawatu bettors looked on Lin Arlington as unbeatable in the hack six at Levin, and he amply proved that their estimate was good. He was early in the lead and none of the opposition had a chance with him. If that Prince of Starters has a fault it is that he lines up his fields too soon. Bonhomme did not repeat his Riccarton behaviour on Saturday. He was fractious at the barrier. It was surprising to see Mali Jong so bad at the post in the Levin Cup. He obstinately stood behind the line, and was by no means well served by the dispatch. Another who was rather a nuisance to the starter was Nukumni. but the old fellow did not get awav badly. Indian Sage was fairly well backed for the Levin Cup. but he did not get out of the ruck, and at no stage of Hie race did his chance look promising. Diogenes ran well enough at Trentham to suggest that he would take a hand in the decision of the Levin Cup. He not only took a hand, but he won decisively. Though he was fortunate to get clear of trouble in good time in a very rough race, he won meritoriously. The Cynic horse is useful over a middle distance, and it will not be surprising if he wins again before Hie holiday fixtures are over. George New has him very well just now, and further success for Mr Blundell’s colours would be well received.

Hipo was one of the unlucky division at Levin. He did not get clear until after the. field turned into the straight. He finished fast, but the task of overhauling Diogenes was hopeless. Second was the best the New Plymouth galloper could do. but even this was a good performance in the circumstances. He looked better on Saturday than he did at Trentham. E. George is getting him back to form, but the son of Potoa is not improving as age overtakes him.

The Bonhomme party erred when they ran the chestnut gelding ; n Levin Cup on Saturday instead of in the hack event, which was run over a mile and a distance. Bonhommo had no chance in the Cup, but the hack race took very little winning. Anyhow, why hurry a horse out of hack class ?

No Favours was unlucky to be beaten in the Lake Handicap at Levin. After securing a beautiful position in behind the leaders and on the fence, he drifted right back and was one of the last to turn for home. From the bottom of the straight he made a good effort to cut down the leaders. He could get no nearer than second, and, as he was a warm favourite his supporters lost portion of their outlay. As the field was very weak the race did not provide a really good guide as to this horse’s form. Penman might win soon. ■

Next time up Star Area will he ready to show his best. He was just a little above himself at Levin, but even so he ran a good race and finished strongly once an opening presented itself. Had he got away as well as First Acre lie might have beaten the Wellington-owned horse. He seems to he most at home over a journey of about seven furlongs, and in races of that kind it would be Well to watch him closely. It is understood that an Auckland jockey, who had been riding regularly lor some Taranaki sportsmen, has severed his connection with the stable. Joy Bird had every chance in the McDonald Memorial on Saturday. As she had won over seven furlongs at Trentham she was backed to win at Levin, but the field there was better than the opposition she encountered at Trentham and she went under, though not by much. She was iumped out of the barrier smartly’, and held a good position along the back. There, however, her weight appeared to be bothering her, and probably it will be found that the English mare will do better under a light scale of weights than _ when the minimum is Sst, as it was in Saturday’s race.

Riccarton running pointed strongly to First Acre being the hardest to beat in the McDonald Memorial at Levin. In the south only half heads separated Killocra, Pink Note, and First Acre. That looked a good guide lor investors on Saturday, but they did not altogether take ’ the hint as the Acre horse was allowed to pay an excellent price. First Acre won nicely, but, all the same, he did not finish as solidly as he did at Riccarton.

The Epistle party considered their mare such a good thing for the McDonald Memorial-- that they thought she would be home having her dinner before the remainder of the field arrived. They must have been sadly disappointed, as Epistle never looked likely to win, and actually finished outside a place. However, the luck of the running did not favour her much, and she might do better in the near future. Thera was big money for Modern on Saturday, but the Trentham mare failed after being nicely placed after the field had settled down. Old Santonio ran a good race in the open seven at Levin, but his owner appears to he having a hard row in trying to win one.

What a good thing Star Shell would have looked at Ashhurst had they paid up for him in the hurdles! On his form on the flat last Saturday lie would only have to stand up to collect the thick end of the prize. Jazz Baby was a bit unlucky to he caught on the post by Kilmezzo in the last race at Levin, and to have to share first money instead of getting the prize outright. Jazz Baby has a fine turn of speed in the early stages of a race, and when he hit the front on Saturday bettors considered the race as good as over. Jazz Baby was still in front a few yards off the post, but Kilmezzo finished determinedly, and the judge awarded a dead-heat.