Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 296, 6 March 1928, Page 10

Turf Notes

Conducted by “EARLY BIRD” j

The Franklin Meeting The fixture of most interest to Auckland and provincial sportsmen is that of the Franklin Racing Club, which races at Pukekobe on Saturday and Monday next. With excellent fields engaged the club will probably register a record gathering. A Hurried Trip H. Wiggins and T. Green will go South on Thursday to be in attendance at the Napier Park meeting on the first day. Wiggins’s mounts will include Kilmiss, Moa Bird, and Kinross. Immediately after the opening day they will return to Auckland to ride at the Franklin meeting, where both claim a number of engagements. To Ride Gold Money A rider for the two-year-old filly, Gold Money, in the Champagne Stakes has already been engaged. The Ellerslie horseman, C. Brown, will have the mount on this smart sprinter. Not Eligible Although Cybelle was weighted for the Novices’ Handicap at the Ohinemuri meeting, she is not eligible for this race. Cybelle won at Te Aroha last Saturday week, and as the conditions of the Novices’ Handicap state that this race is for horses that have never won a flat race, she is automatically disqualified. The Downward Trend Scion, who was a good horse when he won the New Zealand Cup and then the Auckland Cup, has been a great disappointment for some time past. He was tried as a hurdler at Gore last week, and his form encouraged the belief that he would soon be a winner among the jumping brigade. Blue Spear Progressing J. Lambess has Blue Spear in good condition just now, and the manner in which he has been acquitting himself in his essays at Ellerslie gives the impression that he is on the improve. He has thickened out a lot lately, and when the class is not too good can be expected to win in his turn. Survey is No More The Surveyor colt, Survey, was destroyed during the week-end with the aid of the friendly bullet. During last week he ricked a muscle in his shoulder, and trainer R. E. Brown decided not to go on with him. Previously the colt suffered with the same complaint. Marble Mount at Ellerslie P. Conway has made an addition to his stable of Marble Mount, a six-year-old gelding, by Marble Arch from Clatter. This gelding hails from Whangarei, and it was at the Dargaville meeting a couple of months back | that he proved successful. He is only moderate where the class is good (judged by his performances), but 1 country fixtures round about the province should be well within his com- ; pass. Marble Mount is a good weight carrier. About Spearfelt ! V. O’Neill, trainer of Spearfelt, 1 stated a fortnight ago that although Spearfelt had been withdrawn from 1 the Australian Cup, he had not broken down. He bruised a tendon on the * morning of the recent Geelong races, 5 and this had been giving trouble. He [ added that there was a chance of the ; horse running in the weight-for-age [ races. Spearfelt galloped brilliantly at Caulfield the other morning. , Future of Happy Days F. P. Claridge has the aged Merry Moment gelding, Happy Days, in active \ commission, and provided he continues sound will form one df the jump- \ ing brigade during the coming sea- : son. Claridge has also recently taken in hand, on behalf of Mr. J. G. Macdonald, a two-year-old filly by Gay Lad from Arch Lassie, therefore a sister to that fair performer, Young Loch- . invar. She is on the small side, but , shows a lot of quality. I New Trainer Takes Over . During last week S. Tlodge took over ' Mr. T. Impey’s horses, and has now 5 installed himself at Avondale. Six is * the number of his team, and they in- » elude Serang and Nassock, and the 1 two-year-olds Envoy, Aggressive, Presumption and Principal. It is a fairly * useful team, and as the youngsters 5 have shown a fair indication of speed 1 Hodge should do well. J. Buchanan, who formerly trained for Mr. Impey, ' has not altogether severed his nonnection with that owner, however, for the > two-year-old, Camp Prince, will still * be prepared by him. ’ Won Six Out of Eight The feature of the Dannevirke meet- : ing was the success in the saddle of i the Auckland light-weight horseman, , H. N. Wiggins, who had one of the i most extraordinary runs of luck that has had to be chronicled for many a day. And it was not all luck, for Wiggins was riding well and thoroughly earned his success. He began by winning four races on the * opening day, and those four rides were - the only rides he had. On the second day he did not have many engagements, ! but he won on the first he had, Tom Byrne, and that made five consecutive firsts that he had ridden. His next mount was in the Hartgill Memorial, ‘ the big handicap of the day, and in this he was second on Tintoretto. He followed this up by riding Maui and winning on him. This made six firsts and a second out of seven mounts. His only other ride was on Lady Gay, and she ran unplaced. Wiggins has been riding well of late whenever he comes down this way, and his successes at Dannevirke will draw pointed attention to his ability in the saddle. How Good is Polly?

“Better than Precious Dust,” exclaimed many admirers of Polly Flinders, by Paper Money, when she won the first division of the 14.2 Handicap at Victoria Park, Sydney, in sensational style recently. And one who passed that remark was R. Skelton, who should be in a better position than anyone else to judge the merits of the two. Skelton won many races with Precious Dust before he sold her, and it was only a couple of weeks ago that he disposed of Polly Flinders for £6OO. Although he had to accept a short price the new owner of the Paper Money mare recouped his purchase money Her performance in giving Lady Woo and Belle Isle the best part of 10 lengths start in the last three furlongs was a remarkable one, especially when it was found that a fractious horse had kicked her on the point of the shoulder during the delay at the post. Luckily, the injury has not developed seriously, and will not interfere with her preparation. The handicappers are gaining a profound respect for Polly, and she was handicapped to carry 9.9 in the 14.2 at Rosebery recently, but for the Kensington Cup, in all-heights company, she has the luxurious impost of 7.5 a pound from the limit.

Lucky Owner Miss Elizabeth Daingerfield. who is manager of the Faraway Stud Farms in Kentucky, says that Man o’ War’s list could be filled for the next five years at a fee of £I,OOO, if he were available to the public. Miss Daiiigerfield has had charge of Man o’ War since he was retired from racing in 1921. Dates Agreed To At a meeting of the committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club it was decided to refer the matter of the refund on the totalisator turnover for December to the finance committee. It was decided to notify the New Zealand Racing Conference that the committee had no objection to the Manawatu Club altering its da'tes to April 18 and 19, nor to the Marlborough meeting taking place at Trentham on April 21 and 23. Agrion's Condition

The Limond colt Agrion, who cor tracted severe lameness several daj ago, is apparently quite sound agab but it is unlikely that he will stan a serious preparation. It is extreme! bad luck on the part of his connec tions t.o lose the services of such

promising colt at this particular period of his career, but he may later be given a chance to earn distinction as a sire. Bred on such fashionable lines, the New Zealand Derby winner would appeal to owners and breeders if he were placed at the public’s disposal. Living in Hopes

It was feared the turf had seen the last of Rampion, but Mr. J. E. Brien mentioned in Sydney recently that he was hopeful he would race again. He is at present in Messrs. J. Stewart and Son’s veterinary hospital at Randwick, but after a rest of about four months another attempt will be made to put him through a preparation. The trouble with Rampion is that he inclines to grossness, and the longer he is away from the track the more difficult he will become to train.

Fly-Weights The question of weights is one over which there has been much controversy. An English writer says that the late Mr. George Thompson, one of the best amateurs the turf ever had, won a match at York when he was eight years old, his weight being then 2st 13lb. When George Fordham won the Cambridgeshire on Little Daniel he only scaled 3st 131 b, and won the Chester Cup on Epaminondas at 4st 101 b. Frank Buckle rode under 4st at first, and the celebrated Chifney also accomplished this feat a? a lad. Good “District” Horse

Earlier in the season Adjuster was racing in the events confined to horses trained in the district at the Whangarei meetings, but of late he has been trained by G. Henderson at Avondale. At Te Aroha he was sent for the Champion Hack Cup, and after being prominent in the first couple of furlongs he went right back, and at the post was not in the first ten of a field of 14. The second day he was fairly well backed in a seven furlongs race, and this time lie was always just behind the leaders, coming away in the straight to score in convincing fashion and give a good return to his supporters. The victory was too convincing to say that Adjuster would not win again in similar company.