Turf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 368, 31 May 1928, Page 6

Turf Notes

(By

EARLY BIRD)

Otago Steeplechase With seven acceptors, the Otago Steeplechase has material for an interesting contest. Judged from a quality standard, however, the field is one of the poorest that has been attracted for an important event in recent years. In the hurdle races at the meeting the class again is poor, and it is surprising that North Island horses do not more often seek the Southern prizes. At the same time it has turned out in recent years that the winner or another prominent runner in the Otago Hurdles has gone to Trentham the following month and make good against all-comers. Penury Rose and Wharncliffe can be mentioned as recent examples, and earlier than them General Retain and Rorke’s Drift.

A Public Reserve Riccarton racecourse is a public reserve, constituted under the Christchurch Racecourse Reserve Act, 1878, and is administered by a board appointed by the Government. The present members of the board are Sir George Clifford (chairman), Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, Messrs. C. G. Dalgety, G. Gould, G. Fulton,. R. Allen, and H, A. Knight. The area of the reserve is about 300 acres, 200 acres of which are occupied by the racecourse, and its appurtenant lands, while the balance is leased mainly for grazing purposes. The revenue of the board, says the “•Lyttelton Times.” is very small, and the cost of the upkeep of the beautiful gardens and lawns that make this ground so popular devolves on the Canterbury Jockey Club. An Interesting Record

Wharncliffe, whose sale to Mr. J. S. Barrett is recorded, showed good form over hurdles last winter, the Grand National Hurdles Handicap being among his successes. He had his first start in a steeplechase at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting a few weks ago, and gave a very creditable showing. Since then he has been schooled at Riccarton, where he created a very favourable impression. He is engaged in cross-country events at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting, but he will not make the trip to Wingatui. A more likely programme is that he will be got ready to carry Mr. Barrett’s colours for the Jirst time at Trentham, in the Wellington Steeplechase, in July. While Mr. Barrett has had considerable success with some of his flat racers, his great ambition for some years past lias been to win the Grand National Steeplechase. Doubtless it was with this idea in view that he made his latest purchase, as the mishap which laid Charlatan aside left him without a jumper for the coming winter campaign. Wharncliffe is a good jumper so far as he has been tried, while his stamina will be a great asset in trying contests over country. ,

A Busy Week-end There will be racing at Ellerslie next Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Dunedin will race at Wingatui on these days, and Otaki on Saturday and Monday. Puwhero at Napier Puwhero, the winner of the Adamson Steeplechase at Hawera and the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui, continues to hold up and he will, in all probability, bo found at the Napier Park meeting. The All Red gelding might easily repeat his record of a couple of seasons ago, when he followed up his success at Wanganui by capturing the Napier Steeples. Sprinter Given Away The aged Absurd gelding Mireusonta has been retired from the active ranks, owner R. A. McKenzie having given him away to be used as a hack. Piu-

thair is at present being hacked about on the owner’s property with a view to preparing her for future racing. One From Australia An attender at the local tracks at the present time is an Australian bred gelding, the property of Mrs. Sell, of Kairanga. Last season he was hunted with indifferent success, but he has now taken more kindly to the game and he has been placed in G. New’s charge fo.r further education. He will probably be found out contesting hunters’ events. Although he has not been officially accorded a name, he hunts under the cognomen of Clarence. Will Come Good Oriflamb showed plenty of dash in the early stages of the Brackenfield Hurdle Handicap at Amberley. He was going quite as well as Heisler up to a mile and a-quarter, but after that the weigth seemed to trouble him. It was his first race over hurdles for some time and it will do him a lot of good. ■*, Pamplona to Race

Mr. L. C. Hazlett informed a Dunedin writer on Saturday morning that Pamplona has got through a fair amount of work, and will probably be a starter during the Dunedin winter meeting. Pamplona at his best is a real ’chaser, and everyone would be pleased to see him survive a preparation for some of the important events taking place during the winter campaign. Catkin in Form

Dealing with Catkin, a Wellington writer stated that his first engagment at the meeting will be in the Carbine Plate, a mile race for amateur riders, on the second day. Catkin has been working well, and is in good order. Prior to leaving he galloped seven furlongs in 1.33. Trentham track watchers will be disappointed if lie does not run well at Ellerslie. Mixing It

Some years ago a couple of Riccarton trainers supplied training notes and comments to some Christchurch papers, but the racing authorities objected, and stated that they would either have to become scribes or trainers. Latest reports state that the English Jockey Club has taken the same stand in connection with trainers or jockeys who have been contributing to newspaper columns.

A Promising Sort The Quin Abbey geding Waihemo made short work of the, opposition. in the Seadown Hack Handicap at Amberley. At no stage was he far from the front, and he had the race in safe keeping at the home turn. Waihemo will improve a lot yet, and he should win in much better company next season.

Lacks Experience Royal Land was a pronounced favourite for the Brackenfield Hurdle Handicap last Saturday at Amberley, but his effort was disappointing. He was not hurried in the early stages, but after looking dangerous at the home turn he failed to sustain his run. On this form he is just a moderate hurdler. Disconcerting Reports Mr. I. G. Duncan has received cable advice from Mr. J. B. Reid, in England, to the effect that the Derby prospects of his colt, Black Watch, are not encouraging. This will be disappointing news to Dominion sportsmen, who have been hoping that the good reports and opinions previously to hand concerning the colt would be justified In the great English classic. Improving All The Time In a spin over five hurdles, a distance of nine furlongs, Mister Gamp conceded Aberfeldy a substantial start and then finished on terms with the Southerner. Mister Gamp took all the obstacles in his stride, never once making a mistake, his showing being such that there was an immediate rus]i to get in on him. Aberfeldy’s effort was good, too, but the fast time registered showed that, considering the start he had to give away, Mister Gamp is in great form. Why He Failed

Frisco Jack, who strained a muscle in his neck when he fell at Hawera, is back at his owner’s place, and it is the intention of Huntsman Waller to follow the hounds with him. Rangi Sarto, who raced in the same ownership, is another who has been following the hounds in the Manawatu. Other well-known members who have been out with the pack are Bismocr. Chrissarto, Scornful, Birkie and Son o’ Mine. The owner of Bismoor has, incidentally, a youngster by Bisognc from Kithara, and is thus a halfbrother to that one-time well-known performer over the fences, Paoanui. Mr. L. PI. Collinson.who, apart from being a well-known owner is Master to the Manawatu Hounds, informed our Palmerston North correspondent that the team of boys from local stables following the hounds at the present time were the best set of riders ho has seen out locally during his career with the hunt.

Wee Marble’s Jumping Probably the best display over the country seen at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning, apart from the usual grand exhibition of Beau Cavalier, was undoubtedly that given by the novice jumper, Wee Marble. He participated with several others in a full round of j the steeplechase course, and he finished well in front in fairly good time. He never made a blunder at any obstacle, and judging by his schooling efforts he will be hard to beat in the Green Lane Steeplechase on Saturday. We© Marble is also in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Monday. Comical Is All Right When he rapped the stone wall, the last fence, at the conclusion of his schooling task on Tuesday, Comical ripped off a shoe and turned another right round. Fortunately this was at the end of the spin. Up to this point the chestnut gave a splendid display over a full circuit, taking the fences on the hill as well as anything else. His amateur rider, Mr. R. Russell, was

in Wie saddle, and he will pilot Comical in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Monday. Two Novices Solgele, the winner of the Novice Stakes at Amberley, showed great promise as a two-year-old, but he', lias raced disappointingly, this season. He has plenty of speed, but after going half a mile he usually is in trouble. He only struggled to the end of five furlongs on Saturday. Greyfinch ran a decent race in the Novice Stakes. She was the only one who was able to keep near Sogele in the early stages, and she was overhauling him rapidly in the straight. Greyfinch should pick up a stake later on, but she is never likely to get past hack sprint company.