BITS OF TURF.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 410, 12 October 1889, Page 5

BITS OF TURF.

While racing in the Spring Stakes on the opening day of the A.J.C. Meeting, The Australian Peer broke a blood vessel in his head, which accounts for him not being further seen out at the gathering. Sydney papers to hand show the commission in favour of Dreadnought for the Victorian Derby was a very heavy one. In one line 1,800 to 200 was accepted. The entries for the forthcoming Caulfield Stakes won by Mentor last year are large. Carbine is among the number, and he will be afforded an opportunity of measurine strides with the Derby favourite, Dreadnought, and as Tradition, Boz, Oakleigh, Biavo, Scottish Chief, Benzon, Chicago, and several other Cup horses are engaged, the result of the Stakes should furnish us with a good line to the winner. Koss Heaton has in work at Ellerslie a jumping mare named Neck or Nothing. She hails from Wanganui, and is engaged in the A.R.C. Summer Steeplechase. She won the Rangitikei Hunt Club Cup in 1887 and 1888, and fell in the same race this year. At the l'ecent special meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Mr E. G-. Griffiths suggested that bookmakers might laystarting prices — which would really be totalisator odds — without incurring the penalty provided by Rule 25 of the new rules. Mr W. Gannon's sudden intention to withdraw from active turf pursuits was a great surprise to Sydneyites. No cause has been assigned for his action, but it is said to be dissatisfaction with the way his horses are handicapped. Here is a coincidence for turfites to ponder over. In 1877 the Hon. J. White pulled off the Melbourne Cup with Chester (then a three - year - old), and five years later he accomplished the same feat with Martini-Henry, who was the same age. Five years have now elapsed since that period and the conundrum is, which three-year-old of the " blue and white " stable is the great Victorian handicap to fall to this year ? Merrie England's new owner, Mr Vernon Musgrave, is a partner of Mr Randall, of Ashburton, who purchased Beresford for stud purposes when his turf career was ended. The colb will still remain in H. Lunn's charge. It transpires that Lady Walmsley, own sister to Carbine, was purchased by Mr G. Markwell, of Brisbane. She is to be put to Buckthorpe. At the last Elsternwick Park (Melbourne) races Mr D. OBrien bought a horse named Lvaland, who won the Selling Race, for £80. At the A. J.C. Meeting, so great was the terror inspired into the ring by Abercorn, that his followers had to lay 4 to 1 on him for the Craven Plate, and one well-known backer actually laid 100 to 50 on the double, Abercorn for the Craven Plnte and Rudolph for the Foal Stakes, while their victories so stagnated the betting that 4 and 5 to 1 was demanded on Dreadnought for the Wycombe Stakes. The Caulfield - trained three - year - old Scottish Chief is thought to have a great chance of annexing the Caulfield Cup. He was lately sold for £1,000 with a contingency of £500 in casa of winning the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups. Mr D. Cooper, the owner of Lady Betty, in a private letter states that the mare haa never missed a feed since she left Sydney, and that, in point of condition, she is a long way ahead of efther Narellan, Kirkham, or Plutarch. Boz, who has been well backed to win the Caulfield Cup, distinguished himself recently at Williamstown races by annexing the Ozone Handicap, 5 furlongs, carrying 9st 31b, and in the Spring Handicap, 1 mile and a f urloag, he ran a dead heat with Prince Consort. Mr W. Lyons won the Handicap Pony Race with the ex-Aucklander Secret at the last Canterbury Park (Sydney) gallovray and trotting meeting. She started ab an outside price, and beat a field of thirteen.