Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 135, 29 August 1927, Page 6

Turf Notes

By

“EARLY BIRD"

This Week's Racing The spring racing season opens at Marton on Friday, when the Marton Jockey Club commences its spring meeting on the new course. Back Home By the Aorangi from Sydney this morning the well-known jockey, Roy Reed, returned to the Dominion after a couple of months spent in Australia. He will be riding at the Marton meeting this week. Avondale Entries Nominations for the Avondale spring meeting, to be held at Ellerslie on September 24 and 26, are due to close at 5 p.m. on Friday next, September 2. Likely Maiden At Hastings on Thursday, after lunch hour, Torquil was the only horse to gallop, and by going three furlongs on the plough in 37sec, gave a taste of his galloping ability. Mr. J. S. McLeod’s half-brother (by Lord Quex) to Tiega will make his first public appearance in the Maiden at Dannevirke. Local track watchers are awaiting the event. Handicappers Impressed In placing Lysander within four pounds of Reremoana in the open sprint at Wanganui next week, Mr. IT. Coyle shows that he holds a high opinion of the son of Absurd. In the Jackson Stakes at Wanganui six months ago Reremoana beat Lysander by three parts of a length in 1.12 4.5 (which is a second outside Gloaming’s record), the three-year-old receiving seven pounds under the scale. Civility and Reremoana When Civiilty won the A.R.C. Easter Handicap, one mile, four months ago, carrying 8.2, the brilliant daughter of Elysian and Civilisation was receiving 281 b. from Reremoana, who was in fourth place a couple of lengths behind the winner. The pair have been handicapped by Mr. Coyle in the Wanganui Flying Handicap, Reremoana having 9.10 and Civility 9.4. The 231 b. difference in the A.R.C. Handicap is now reduced to 61b. over the Wanganui sprint course. Winners Penalised Reliandicaps for events on the first day of the Marton meeting are:—Hunt Club Cup, Banjuke 12.2, Maidos 10.1. Electric Hack, Wanderlust 7.10. Tutaenui Hack, Lady Faye 8.6. Grand Knight Withdrawn Grand Knight has been scratched for all engagements at the Marton meeting. The Early Birds G. Reid arrived at Marton on Friday morning with Town Bird. Te Kawana, Komak and Hangawera. C. G. Hall also arrived with Calithe. A Forward Youngster The leading apprentice-jockey, T. Green, was at Feilding, last week giving young horses trained by H. Batten barrier practice. Batten has Miss llupana well forward. The juveniles are by Chief Ruler and Warplane, the latter’s representative being from Hupana, the dam of Miss Hupana. Leightons Go to Sydney Mr. W. G. Stead’s six young Leighton horses left by the Ulimaroa for Sydney on Friday in charge of their trainer, H. Neagle. They are all two-year-olds except Stretton, who is a three-year-old. Among the latter’s engagements are several important events this spring, including the RoseF hill Guineas, A.J.C. Derby, Melbourne Cup, and New Zealand Cup. Mounts at Marton T. Green did not ride at New Plymouth. His mounts at Marton next Friday will be Alloway, In the Shade, Grand National, Kalos, and Butterscotch. In the Shade is the Australianbred three-year-old trained by J. T. Jamieson for Mr. W. Glenn. His form last season behind Gascony and with the best two-year-olds suggested that he is in the top class. It is stated that in future Green will do some of the riding for J. T. Jamieson’s stable. All's Well with Commendation Mr. W. H. Gaisford was in Wellington last week on a brief business visit. He stated that he had had word from G. Jones that all was going well with Commendation, who was to have done a fast gallop last week, says the “Dominion.” Mr. Gaisford is taking his expensive Rossendale gelding Atereria to the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt meeting next week to race. Atereria has done a season with the Dannevirke hounds. Perle de Leon Departs An unexpected departure for Sydney on Friday, writes “The Watcher,” by the Ulimaroa was the Polydamon gelding Perle de Leon. Mr. D. J. Craig sent him over in charge of H. Neagle, and it is intended to race him in the spring hurdle events on the other side. Perle de Leon has not had a great deal of experience as a hurdler, but he has shaped promisingly, and all going well ho should pay expenses on the trip. It is doubtful, however, if he is brilliant enough to be outstandingly successful in Sydney. It will be in his favour that the hurdle races there are run over long distances. At the A.J.C. spring meeting, for instance, they are run over two miles and two miles and three furlongs respectively. Win Over Merry Mint Merry Mint drew first blood for the invaders from New Zealand, says a Sydney scribe. The three-year-old, who Accompanied The Hawk across the Tasman, was the medium of one of the largest commissions worked on a suburban course for some time. Thousands of pounds were invested on him at a short price against a weak field at Moorfield, and he never left the result in doubt. His engagements include the A.J.C. Derby. “I’ll be satisfied with the pickings,” said J. M. Cameron when he arrived from the Dominion with The Hawk, Goshawk and Merry Mint. And the pickings of the last-named in the Three-year-old Handicap were substantial. Merry Mint had winning form and good looks to recommend him against an indifferent lot of milers, and an attractive gallop at Randwick during the week pointed to him as the probable winner. A long price was out of the question, but that did not deter his backers, as one of the first bets laid was to win £9OO to £6OO. Then followed sums laid out to win the following amounts: £6OO, £SOO (twice), £SOO (twice), £l5O, £2OO, and a number of hundreds, while one of the last wagers written was £2OO. In two bets one bookmaker laid £l,lOO against him, and another leading ringman laid £l,lOO in two wagers. The wonder is what local youngster they thought would defeat the sturdy New Zealander. Hastings Training The following account of training operations at Hastings last week are taken from the “Tribune”:—Horses engaged at Marton, Wanganui and Dannevirke were sent along against the watch. Minter, the unraced half-bro-ther by Kilboy to Comical, was out and galloped away before any other horse hud put in an appearance. Breaking

51sec. for the half-mile demonstrates his ability to gallop. Over threequarters of a mile Eloquent was going better than Hypnotic in 1.215. The former was making a row due to getting her tongue over the bit, and not to respiratory trouble. Nahi just touched Coot off at the end of four furlongs in 521 sec. Lady Carrol’s three-year-old son of Cynic and Tatau Tatau is a most promising sort. Royal Damon was going slightly better than Lipsol at the end of six furlongs in 1.20 L Epistle carried too many guns over the latter part of six furlongs for Gannymede in 1.215. The big half-brother to Runnymede shows pace over a short distance, but soon tires. A big colt, no doubt he will require time before passing judgment. Ridden out, Grand National failed to head off Kalos for half a mile in 51sec.—a good gallop. Peneus, in a working gallop of once round with a couple of compaions, showed that he is in great fettle. Liaison (Lord Quex —Lovematch), engaged in the Maiden at Wanganui, put plenty of dash into her work. This filly is good. Butter Scotch, who in her last start dead-heated at Hastings, is in rare fettle for Marton. She got to the end of six furlongs in 1.20 2-5, a length in front of Othon. Handy was sent twice over the country alone, but fell at the sod wall. On being remounted he gave a good display of lepping. Raasay, our best two-year-old, unfortunately is suffering from a slight cold and was restricted to trotting. At present colds are prevalent among the juveniles, but not of a serious order.