TURF TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1916, Page 7

TURF TOPICS.

(By "Moturoa") Desert Gold will not be a starter at Hastings to-day. Egmont races on Wednesday and Thursday. Weights for the Great Northerns ire due on Monday.

Ormond's Aurore is reported to be a swallow-catcher. Look out! Di Gajna and Cherubini are now trained at Victoria Park, Adelaide.

According to an exchange Tree Lucerne recently took a header down the side of a hill, and now bears some resemblance to the man that fought Jack Johnson.

Gerald Stead's great little 'chase'r, The Pole, recently broke down at Williamstown, and the handsome Gerald's colors will not be unfurled on top of that neddy for some time to come.

"Three months suspension" is an all too common penalty dealt out to jocksters in this Dominion, and it always leaves a doubt in the minds of keen followers of the game. If there is a doubt the ridei should get the benefit of it, but if (as alleged in the Deeley ease), the careless riding, or whatever it was, endangered the lives of both jockeys and horses—then three months suspension was absolutely ridiculous!

La Fleche, news of whose death was cabled this week, was one of the greatest racehorses the world has seen. It is just about a quarter of a century ago that she set the world agog by running off with the Oaks, One Thousand Guineas, Ascot Gold Cup, Chesterfield Stakes, St. Leger, Newmarket Champion Stakes, and Cambridge Stakes. The only fly in the ointment was when Sir Hugo upset her pot in the Derby of 1892. No less famous was her owner, the philanthropic Baron de Hirsch, who gave all his turf winnings to charities, Now, this scribe would do likewise, and neither he nor the charities would notice much difference, but the Baron's winnings were winnings that are usually brought home in barrow-loads! Evidently not all of the racecourse parasites have gone to the front. After every meeting during the past few months one hears the hard luck stories of cliaps who have been relieved of superfluous cash —not per medium of the totalisator —but by the nimble-fingered variety. The hip pocket seems to be the favorite repository of "fivers" and notes of greater tonnage, and no pocket is so easily rifled. It is up to theae hayseeds to take their big sisters with them for protection in future, or else carry fish-hooks or rat-traps in the pocket that is situated opposite- to their "corporations!" From Lingfield (England) comes an astonishing racecourse story. A chasar named Abdul lost his rider at one of the fences, and continuing on, turned a somersault over a photographer and his camera, making a general wreck of both. The horse was struck with astonishment, apparently, for he stood rooted to the spot for fully a minute gazing at the mess he had made of the whole outfit. The jockey and photographer were doubtless astonished tool

Egmont acceptances, published yesterday, are A.1., fine fields beinj; assured in all events. Only fine weather is required to make next week's gathering a most enjoyable one. The eight top-weights remain in the Mcßac Memorial Handicap (H miles), and opinions may be evenly divided if Rewi Poto, Lconta, Harbor Light, Want, etc., go to the post. Play-Off and Tyson are the principal defections from the Tawhiti Handicap, and the dozen remaining, in include such smart sprinters as Astor, Lord Lupin, Glenroy and Interlude. Pratcically nothing of note has dropped out of the Tongahoe Hurdles, Purawanui, C'rown Pearl, Lord Nelson, and Simple Sam being all likely to carry good money. Nine have been paid up for in the Railway Handicap (fl furlongs), including Coropet, Maid o' Cowrie and Antwerp. The last-named may be the publie's choice.

If scratchings do not upset calculations about tell horses will start in the Telegraph Handicap (!) furlongs). Amongst the number are good beginners like Depredation, Coropet, Zion, Flying Camp and Royal Cliel". This promises a good finish. The seven engaged in the TOiihi Handicap (8J furlongs), are not a very high class crowd. Black Ada has only to run up to recent form to hold Analogue and Co. quite safe. If gentlemen jocks can be found in sufficient numbers there is every prospect of a big field lining up for the Jjadies' Purse, twenty being accepted for. There are good horses and bad ones amongst the score, but Parawanui and Sylvan Dale appear to be in a class of their own.

When Emperador finished up his engagements at the Canterbury Easter meeting a ""''thorn scribe look the trouble te :• -'rough the Charlemagne

ll's horse's record, and it reads well. Although he has won only thirteen races in four seasons, he has filled a place on thirty-six occasions, and his stake winnings run inio the tidy total of j £(>925. Amount his chief victories have been the Jackson Stakes (twice), Manawutu Stakes (twice), Middle Park Plate, Egmont Cup, Twenty-Second Challenge Stakes, Wellington City Handicap, Egmont Stakes, Hawera Stakes, Taranaki 1 Stakes, Palmerston North Stakes, and Great Easter Handicap.