Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 106, 26 July 1927, Page 6

Turf Notes

By

“EARLY BIRD"

Slump’s Progress Although Slump has been in a couple of weeks he has not been asked to do much more than walking exercise. It is anticipated, however, that next week will see him doing strong work and having a few lessons over the obstacles.

Found a Battery The inquiry into the finding of a battery when the mare Elsie Chip jumped a fence and threw jockey L. Kiely during the running of the Lovedale Handicap at Pokolbin races on June 25, has been adjourned owing to the absence in Sydney of the stipendiary steward, Mr. P. J. Ryan. Jockey Kiely is now out of hospital. To Spell Now

The Thorn, whose two wins have more than repaid trainer J. Williamson the cost of his Australian trip, is not likely to race again for a little time. At any rate, his owner and trainer consider that lie is now too high in the weights for suburban races, and it is intended to give him a short rest. It is probable that he will be racing round Sydney in the spring.

With Gladiole’s Speed? A half-sister, by Arrowsmith, to the speedy Orchid (Absurd —Gladiole), Murica is an inmate of F. Lind’s stable at Wanganui (writes “Kestrel”), and has shown decided improvement of late. When the new season’s racing campaign is opened it will be found that Murica will be ready to play her part and display that she has inherited some of her famous dam’s sprinting ability.

Well Bred Youngster The Turakina Valley (Marten) sportsman, Mr. Duncan Lourie, has claimed the name Pont d’Or for his yearling half-sister, to Demure (Panmure—Zemanek). The filly claims Tonbridge as her sire, and has all the appearances of making a good one when the time comes to test her on the race track. Demure herself was a brilliant galloper that would have gone far had she remained sound. Zemanek will be mated with Mr. Lourie’s new stallion Golden Sovereign (Polydamon —Golden Sky), next spring. Bought for W.A.

Accompanying Agrion and Phillipic to Sydney was the rising four-year-okl Autobiography, a gelded son of Sutala and Egotism. Earlier in the season Autobiography carried Mr. G. D. Greenwood’s colours to success in the Motukarara Handicap, worth £ 80, at a meeting of the Banks Peninsula R.C., but although Mason took him to Sydney, it was not as a member of his team. Mr. Greenwood has sold the gelding to Mr J. O’Hara, of Western Australia, and Autobiography has been shipped to his new home. Some Jump

A gang of men has been busy during the past week putting the Riccarton fences in order. The fence known as Cutts’s has been “brushed.” but not yet trimmed, says the “Press,” and the height of it is something to put consternation into the hearts of any but the most accomplished jumpers and the most fearless horsemen. When trimmed it will not be within a foot of its present height, but it will still remain one of the most formidable on the Riccarton course. Racing Five Days In Nine Northern owners and trainers doing the Marton and Wanganui meetings will have the opportunity of racing for five days if they so desire. On Friday and Saturday, September 2 and 3 at Marton (when the new course will be opened), and on the following Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Wanganui. The Wanganui Jockey Club holds its spring meeting on the Thursday and Saturday, September 8 and 10, and on the intervening day the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club also races on the Wanganui course. Jockey Turned Trainer A. Tinker, who has obtained a trainer’s licence, is to set up his headquarters adjacent to the course at Te Rapa. Changing the Jockey It is difficult to account for the change of riders on Tuki at the Wellington meeting. The horse is a sluggard in his races, and even when he won the Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie last month he came from a long way back. In the Wellington Steeplechase, Tuki again lagged, and to make his task more difficult he clouted a fence along the back, taking the steam out of him. Even then he finished a good fourth. Apparently the connections of the horse were dissatisfied with R. E. Thomson’s handling, and on the concluding day they substituted A. E. Ellis. Tuki won then, but the merit of the performance was detracted by the poor field and the fact that the horse just scrambled home from Zircon, despite the fact that the latter interfered with him. At any rate it was hard on Thomson in being taken off the horse, apparently through no fault of his