Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 158, 24 September 1927, Page 6

Turf Notes

By

Concluding Day The Avondale meeting will he concluded on Monday, when, among other interesting events, the Guineas comes up for decision. *

Auckland Spring Meeting The weights for the handicap events on the opening day of the Auckland spring fixture, to be held on October 8 and 10, are> due next Tuesday, and acceptances close on the following Friday at 5 p.m. In Work Again Clarus, who was Uhken across to Sydney three months ago with J. Williamson’s team and was left there, has finished his period of inactivity, an<j is once again in work at Randwick as a member of R. O’Donnell’s string.

A Few Reminders 1 With so many owners and trainers at present in Auckland it may be considered opportune to publish the following timely reminders: To-night ((9 o’clock): Acceptances for second day of Avondale meeting. September 29: Hawke’s Bay acceptances. September 30: Waikato entries. September 30: Auckland acceptances. September 30: Otaki acceptances. October 3: Wellington entries.

Doings at Fukekohe The chaser Bahadur is still enjoying a spell at Fukekohe and he will not be recommissioned until well on in the spring. The Dansant, another member of S. G. Lindsay’s team, is being kept in steady work on the Franklin course with a view to early racing.

Spearfelt Gallops Well Spearfelt did the best mile of the morning at Caulfield on Saturday week on the sand in 1.431. He covered the last half-mile in 54sec. He went very fast early, but was ridden out at the finish. The first furlong took 12£sec, two 24sec, three the half-mile 49!sec, six furlongs in 1.16*4, and seven 1.30. Heroic’s Brother

“Thracian is 'going to be a good horse,” said his trainer, J. Pengilly, after Heroic’s brother won the Budgaree Handicap at Moonee Valley a few days ago. “I did not think he would be quite ready, but the Caulfield Cup field will know they have been galloping when they have finished with Thracian. His manners at the barrier are perfect and he showed he is no trouble at the post.” Thracian, who is owned by Mr. T. Creswick, has been one of the fancied horses for the Caulfield Cup for some time. At Caulfield and Williamstown he showed Heroic’s disinclination to face the barrier.

Merry Mint’s Disability J. M. Cameron is very pleased with the improvement Merry " Mint has made since he injured his off fore fetlock. The three-year-old was given a light dose of physic and the inflammation in the joint has subsided after treatment. Cameron does not think now that the swollen fetlock betokens irreparable injury, and is confident that Merry Mint will be able to continue his preparation for the A.J.C. Derby, which is to be run on Saturday next at Randwick. At the Ponies An incid€;nt while the horses were on their way to the post for the second division of the Fourteen-one Handicap attracted the attention of the stewards, and after the race P. B. Bryne and the jockey H. Griffiths w ere called into the officials’ room. The stewards charged Byrne with communicating with Griffiths, rider of Sweet Oil, when he was going to the post. After hearing evidence it was decided to disqualify P. B. Byrne and H. Griffiths for three months. Byrne was a prominent figure on the pony courses. An inquiry was held on the running of Transparent in the first division of the Fl?ung Handicap, and after hearing the evidence it was decided to disqualify L. Roberts, part owner and trainer, and the bay gelding Transparent for six months, and to suspend the rider, H. Bowdler, for a similar period, and to call upon Mrs. E. Smith, part-owner, to show cause why she should not be disqualified also. These were some of the incidents at a recent Sydney pony meeting. A Win at Last

When Tripod, by Surveyor, won the third division of the Flying Handicap at Rosebery, his trainer, R. Griffiths, smiled as broadly as a farmer at the breaking of a drought. It meant the end of his own little drought, for in recent months he has had an exasperating run of bad luck with his team. Tripod, Lambero, Euandi and Prevail credited him with a host of minor placings, but could not sandwich a win between. The stable was confident of success, and a fair amount of money was invested away from the course. The way the race was run suited the Surveyor gelcling to a Roogee and Liwa Cure Vichy cut at one another all the way, and Tripod, waiting behind them in a handy position, came fast in the straight and just won. Handsome Is Limerick, champion Australian galloper of the day, is a splendid illustration of the modern type of horse—tall, loose-limbed and rangy, quite distinct from the shorter, low-set racers of years ago. As a horse he is like the lanky, rawbonecl North Queensland men, all wire and whipcord, says the Sydney “Sun.” At 16.2£ hands, Limerick, even at four years, is not quite so tall as the gigantic Royal Feast at three, and he has not quite the same massive body as that colt. Medley’s son to-day recalls Beauford at the same age, with his long hind legs, and quarters which perhaps only look rather narrow because of their disproportion to his height. Like Beauford again, Limerick exerts tremendous leverage from his hindquarters, and his immense' bounds enable him to eat up the distance. It all seems so effortless, too. Firom the point of view of symmetry, Limerick was the ugly duckling of the Chelmsford party, perhaps because he is one of the rawboned, lean kind, all muscle without an ounce of superfluous flesh to round off the corners. However, “handsome is as handsome does,” and Limerick’s tremendous pace cannot be questioned after his last exhibitions. Whether ho will be able to maintain his pace under pressure over long distances under big weights will be the determining factor as to whether he is truly a great horse—on© able to win over all distances.

“EARLY BIRD.”