Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 351, 11 May 1928, Page 6

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

Ashburton Contests The one-day meeting of the Ashburton County Racing Club comes off to-morrow. Among those listed in the Trial Plate, five furlongs, is the two-year-old Red Jazz, who earlier in the season ran third to Childsplay and Noteworthy in the McLean Stakes at Wingatui, and on the same course in midsummer finished second to Night March in the Juvenile Handicap. Battle Colours Again?

One of the most promising handicap performers in the South Island is Battle Colours. He has 9.8 in the Autumn Handicap at Ashburton tomorrow, and is to concede 251 b to Assurance. On paper it looks like being an interesting duel between this pair in the principal event. A High-weight Event The two topweights, Skyquest and Crossbow, appear to be a bit above their 14 opponents in the Longbeach Hack Handicap at Ashburton tomorrow. Consistent Malmsey After being confined to sprint events, the consistent Malmsey is to be tried out over a mile in the Eiffelton Hack at Ashburton to-morrow. Zaragoza at Ashburton After winning a race in Australia recently, there is sure to be a lot of support for Zaragoza in the Farewell Handicap, seven furlongs, at Ashburton. The mare has 8.9, so is not at all badly treated; in fact, she is well in. One of her opponents will be Polydectes, and with 7.6 the Absurd gelding would be very much in the boom if at his best. Recently, owever, his efforts both in private and in public have been far from encouraging. Riders For To-morrow The following riding engagements have been announced for the Ashburton meeting, which will take place on Saturday next: C. Emerson, Battle Colours; W. Bush, Skyquest, Sagittarius and Despot; C. Eastwood, Carnot, Amor and Finora. Might Be Worth Backing Lancer has been pleasing in his work lately, and now that he has freshened up again he might soon win another race, reports the Christchurch "Sun.” He is engaged in the Eiffelton Hack Handicap at Ashburton, and a reproduction of the good form he displayed at the Wellington Racing Club’s autumn carnival would make him out a distinct possibility for the mile race.

Will Be On Hand G. Humphries, who was suspended for three months at the Marton Jockey Club’s summer meeting, will be riding at tlie Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday next. Humphries can go to scale at a light weight, and besides others on Saturday he will have the mount on Gay Crest, who will be a runner in the Trial Plate. Has Recovered

Taku Tama, who got galloped on while competing at the recent autumn meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, has so far recovered from the mishap that he was able to be entrained for his home quarters in the Auckland district at the end of last week. The son of Quin Abbey, who has been consistent this season, did not show his best form at Hastings owing to the interference that he met with.

To Ride in Brisbane The well-known jockey, E. A. KLeesing, is due to leave by the Maunganui to-day en route to Brisbane, where he will take service with a prominent sportsman in that localty. Keesing contemplates remaining in Australia for the best part of three months. Might Not Stand The Archery colt Jericho is still being pottered about the tracks at Riccarjon, but it is doubtful if he will stand a preparation. He looks parti - cularly bright and well, but lie still has a decided limp, and the chances are that his connections will not take the risk to gallop him, but will retire him to the stud. As a racehorse Jericho was a very promising sort, and but for injuring a fetlock he probably would have developed into a firstclass three-year-old. Bred on ideal lines, this voung stallion should be a success at the stud.

Three All Blacks All Black, who died 12 months ago, had his name kept well to the fore at Aspendale (Victoria) a couple of weeks ago. The last three winners, Rugbvean, Sombre and Amarelle, were all got by the son of Gallinule, but where - as the two geldings are not likely to rise above mediocrity, such cannot be written of Amarelle, who is just regaining in public the racing merit she displayed as a late two-year-old.

Hone Heke Out of Commission j Anderton has deemed it advisable to put Hone Heke aside during the winter months, and the Prince Merriwee gelding was turned out on Wednesday to browse in the paddock. Hone Heke has made considerable headway this season under the supervision of his trainer, and can be rated a bit unfortunate in not recording more than one victory. His two seconds on the concluding day of the Franklin meeting in March made him out to be a promising hack, but subsequently he went amiss and this was responsible for his absence. Adjuster—No Mean Hurdler

There is every likelihood of the Avondale-trained Adjuster developing into a good jumper, for his was an impressive display yesterday morning. His splendid fencing, combined with the easy manner in which he negotiated The obstacles, evoked admiration, and although one may be too optimistic in regarding the Adjutant gelding as a distinct possibility in his initial attempt, he can be relied upon to give a good exhibition, for in addition to possessing the power to jump, he has the pace. New Trainer for Ladies’ Boy

In consequence of a provisional trainer’s licence being granted to T. Carmont, Ladies’ Boy will now sever his connection with W. Tozer’s stable and is to join up with the above-named mentor. This smart sprinter was due to leave this morning for Te Rapa, where he will join F. Tutchen’s pair, Pouri and Peter Maxwell, the trio to journey in company to Wanganui to compete at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s winter meeting. Ladies’ Boy has shown himself to be a smart galloper, and the actual racing he has indulged in lately will be a factor toward success at the Southern fixture. Full Brother to Avon Court Occasionally F. Gilchrist has in attendance at Ellerslie a rising two-year-old colt by Lucullus from Avon Park, a youngster ranking therefore as a full brother to the smart filly Avon Court. The colt will only need to emulate the deeds of his elder relative to prove a payable proposition.

It is quite on the cards that that game little bit of horseflesh, Dick, may not be on hand to contest his sixth Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie next month, for in the Egmont Steeplechase yesterday he injured a stifle and had to be pulled up. A

Great Northern without little Dick would be a disappointment to many. Among the casualties yesterday was Bonny Rill, who is said to have struggled on into third money although she had broken down. She was a promising jumper, and last season finished second to Maunga at Wanganui, and later did well over the big fences. Mister Gamp's Improvement

When raced on the flat Mister Gamp was a trying sort of horse to follow, and although he won a few races he would refuse to do his best more often than not. Then his owner, the late Mr. J. G. Collins, of Palmerston North, tried him over the sticks, and in the spring he won a couple of races and was placed in others. It was a promising debut, and then the horse was given a let-up. That he has benefited was evident. In the interim Mr. J. G. Collins, who had been in ill-health for many months, sold him to his brother, Mr. E. W. Collins, who also races Arrow Lad, and it was in his colours that the gelding won so easily yesterday. To beat the good field opposed to him yesterday by an eight lengths’ margin suggests that the best has not yet been seen of Mister Gamp, who, by the way, figures in the Great Northern Hurdles, being on the minimum, although it is likely that he will be penalised a little. Bulolo to be Kept in Work

Very few owners take such an interest in their horses as does the former Hastings sportsman. Mr. D. Potter, who is engaged at the present time in supervising the preparation of his two youngsters, Monetize and Bulolo. Until recently the latter was trained by A. Julian, but his owner will take care of the juvenile during the winter months, and will keep him in steady work until the spring. When that period comes under notice the Bisogne colt should be sufficiently forward to credit his owner with a stake at an early date. On several occasions several writers, when referring to Monetize’s p>’formances, have credited the Paper Money colt with only one second, whereas he was also in second berth to Tea Miss at the spring meeting of the Napier Park Racing Club, the index of the Turf Register being incorrect in that instance, as it also is in many other cases. Following a Jockey

Quite a number of regular racegoers, realising how difficult it is to select winners, invest on the mounts of one or more of the leading jockeys. There is not a fat profit in it, yet its ope- + ors are given considerable interest in most races, and they are seldom heavy losers. Of the Australian jockeys, for the four months between his spring and autumn trips to Melbourne E. Bartle was a payable r-oposition, but since he returned to Sydney in March he has had a lean period. He has had 23 losing mounts in the city, but as his two winners have returned 10 and 14 to one he has yielded a small profit to his thick and thin admirers, who put £ 1 on each of his mounts. He has piloted seven minor placegetters, yet backers who invested £1 on the tote on each of his 32 mounts have lost £5 7s. Maurice McCarten has had a splendid run in the same period. He has had IS losing mounts, but nine wins and of these only one of the fi”e he rode on Limerick would be of any use to the average backer. Still his backers would be mulcted in a loss of just over £3 His backers on the . tote, however would ha--- netted £3 2s as he had nine minor nin- - J. Toohey, with five winners in 34 mounts, was not quite so successful, as he had been during the summer, and his straightout backers lost 10s. Toohey has always had an army of fair followers on the tote, but as he has had only six minor placings. two or which did not yield any dividend, his supporters on the tote have lost £l3 2s in a couple of months. The supreme artist of them all, J. Pike, is precluded by his heavy weight from having many rides, but. when he does take one, his mount always commands respect. As most of his winners were at short prices his ardent admirers sustained a loss through spring and summer racing. However, Sion, with his 12 and 10 to one wins, has meant a nice profit on Pike’s autumn mounts. He has had three wins, four seconds, and two thirds, and only six unplaced rides. These have meant a profit of £lB 5s to his straight-out backers, and £S 12s to investors on the machine.

Day Guard’s Surprise That Day Guard should win the McRae Memorial at Hawera yesterday was in itself no surprise, but the many Northerners who were waiting to be on the Waikato representative in the shorter event to-morrow probably got a shock. However, judged on the way he spreadeagled a good field yesterday Day Guard may repeat the performance to-morrow, despite his rise of 15 pounds. The promising Te Rapa apprentice, P. Mclnally, rode Day Guard and Bonogne, and so captured the flat double. Won First Time It is rather remarkable that the winners of the two steeplechases at Hawera yesterday, San Fera and Brigadier Bill, were both having their first outing over the big fences. The former, as The Sun readers were told, proved something above the ordinary, and is credited with giving a great exhibition of leaping. Brigadier Bil l belongs to that good sportsman, Mr. James Bull, of Hunterville, and so if the horse goes on the right way he can be ticked off as a certain starter in the Great Northern Steeplechase, for Mr. Bull always likes to be represented in this spectacular contest. With Ngata reported as a cot case after competing in the hurdles yesterday. probably Ruby Ring will accompany the Brigadier to Ellerslie, if the latter does not come alone. Will Dick Drop Out? #