TURF TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1922, Page 3

TURF TOPICS.

(By

“Moturoa.”)

Grand National Steeples on Tuesday. Oaklelgh should win a race shortly. Polthogue appears to be a hopeless case. Tuesday’s Winter Cup has got the punters guessing 1 Kauwhero is a great jumper, and will be “hot stuff” next week. Some of the layers quote Oaklelgh—-Ngata as a "full book.” “Billy” Duncan’s three representatives won £5170 in stakes last season. Not bad work! Hector Gray’s son, Joe, has been apprenticed

co an English trainer, and is now riding-work at Newmarket. Thef number of licensed jot-keys this season has been reduced from 306 to 189. Jockeys will be as rare as barmaids if the “stipes’’ continue to control racing. Forest Gold has been galloped well at Riccarton, and with J. O’Shea aboard in the Winter Cup he will have a bit in his favor. The drastic “cut" in the issue of licenses for the new season has caused a sensation in many quarters, and it is quite on the cards that more will be heard of the matter. Those wh©' saw Paonui “cakewalk” his races at Wangantli and at Ellerslie give the northerner a great show in the National Hurdles. The "horse was never in better nick than at present. Taranaki horses which paid their way last season include: Income £3OOO, Rational £2860, Marqueteur £2360, Stork £2055, Egmont Park £1945, Silver Link £1725, and Volo £l3lO. What a rattling good mare Silver Link is! In five consecutive seasons she has won £660, £l9lO, £3665, attd £l72s—making a totol of £10,485. The Brewer, who filled the role of runnerup to Ngatoa in the Grand National Steeples of 1915. fell while hunting recently and broke his neck. Joy Ride, who gave R. S. Bagby a couple of easy winning rides on the second day at Gisborne, is a four-year-old gelding by Merry Moment from Sanguine, the dam of that good mare Sanguinary. Both Beauford and Gloaming are reported to be pleasing their trainers in their work, and their meeting is the most-discussed problem in ’Stralia at present. Possibly Beauford will not race at TattersalPs meeting, but the pair should measure strides at Rosehill. "Pilot,” of the Sydney Referee, states that Gloaming is galloping half-miles at Randwick with all his old dash, and though his trainer Is not exactly confident that his legs will not give trouble, they are not doing so at present. Reports from Newcastle point to Beauford being in excellent trim for the time, and it would be necessary for him to be fairly forward if he is to ’ race at Tatt’s meeting on September 9. With Melbourne meetings to be kept in view, however, Beauford may not be produced so early in the season. Once again, hats off to Gloaming, who topped the list of winning horses in the Dominion last season—a feat which he performed in 1918-19 and 1920-21. His New Zealand stakes winnings during the four seasons have been: £6765, £2625, £5630, and £5765; making an aggregate of £20,785. In addition, his ’Stralian winnings run into five figures. Guianforte, with 12 winners of £6617, did well last season. Hallowmas is again well forwar with 17 winners of £5697. Campfire, 15 winners and £3760 10s, and Husbandman, 11 winners and £3455, have also done well. In addition to the Taranaki winners already quoted, fewer than usual of the lesser lights won more than £5OO during the recent season’s racing. Passin’ Through won £1230, Hipo £l2OO, Uncle Alex £ll4O, Awake "SlOB3, Irapuka £945, The Dunce £905, Sunny Jim £875, Roman £B7O, Still Sea £B3O. Erie £775, Muraahi £750, Kuia £740, Big Push £730, Kareao £7OO, Kato £682, Active £6BO, Crossfire £655, Lady Kotiropo £635, Gold Light £605, Simonides £593, Cold Steel £543, and Mockery £525. Trainer “Dick” O’Donnell, who has again emerged from retirement, has got into harness again at Trentham, where he has Ares, King of Hearts, and Lady Jellicoe’s Boniform— Peace gelding in work. A glance at the list of licensed trainers and jockeys for the new season, published in this week’s Referee, will set most sports wondering if the Licensing Committee has not been copying the Chief Justice when in his best form—namely, dictating terms of probation to offenders against, the laws of the country. Sttfrs, asterisks, and “conditionals” bristle boldly on the lists, and it is only a matter of time when church-going, prohibition, croquet and snakes-and-ladders will be the sole qualifications for licenses'. Once more the “tote” has been “bumped” in Victoria. The combination of Bar Vona and unco’ guid has been too much for those disinterested sports who have nothing but the good of racing to consider. Which reminds the writer of a conversation he had with a resident of a no-license district shortly before the .last licensing poll. In answer to my question as to whether there was any chance of restoration of licenses in the district, my friend replied: “No hope whatever! There are too many of us making big money out of •dropping dope’ to let that happen I”