TURF TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3224, 22 May 1911, Page 6

TURF TOPICS.

(By “Argus.”) FIXTURES.

May 20 and 24 —Takapuna J.C. Winter. May 24 and 25—Wanganui J.C. Winter. May 24 and 25—North Otago J.C. Winter. June 2 and 3—Dunedin J.C. Winter. June 3 and s—Otaki Maori R.C. Winter. .Tim a 3,5, and 7— Auckland R.C. Great Northern Steeplechase. June 21 and 22—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Wm-

June 28 and 29—Napier Park R.C. WinJuly 6 and 7—Gisborne 3LC. Winter.

There appears to be an opinion held in certain quarters that Ribstone Pippin is turned loose in the -Great Northern Hurdles at 9.1. Personally, however, I cannot see that the.. Australian-bred gelding has accomplished anything which stamps him as a good one.. His form has been markedly inconsistent,, and' possibly a suspicion has thus arisen that he may be a much better horse than the book suggests. On at least one occasion, viz. l ; at the Taranaki Autumn Meeting', he was well supported by his connections, and though he only had 9*. 7 to carry, he was never prominent at any stage of the racei. He subsequently came out at Wanganuifi and after just beating Torbelle under 9.4 on the opening day, he put down Mahuta (10.7) and Astraea (9.2) decisively under 10.5. There is nothing very suggestive about, these performances, and he will need to improve considerably if he is to hold his own in the best open company. The aged Handsome Jack gelding Lull, who was more than a, useful jumper, and won the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles in 1908. is now the property of Mr Ohas. Gordon, of. Wanganui. His owner has been treating him mainly to swimming exercise, but he was given a turn over the schooling fences recently, and negotiated l them in* capital style. He is engaged in the Wanganui Steeplechase, in which. he has been let off with 9.11, and if he remains sound he may be a quantity to be reckoned with. Auratns is said to be training on satisfactorily at Hawera, and he. has recently given creditable- displays over the schooling hurdles. The best has never been seen of this gelding, as 'he has always been difficult to train. He won the Manawtu Cup under 7.7, beating S'avoury (7.14), Martian (9.2), and nine others in 1905, however, and there is no doubt that had he been a sound horse he would have shown l himself to be pretty smart. The year before last, it will be remembered, he was a. wellfancied Grand National candidate. After easily beating Pikopo and Rendrock in the Trial Hurdles at Riccarton, however, the best he could do' in the big event, in which he carried 10.6, was to finish fourth. ■ The Auckland ’chaser Antarctic is, it seems not altogether sound, and his owner is waiting to see how he shapes this week ere deciding, to take him to Wanganui. This gelding is one of the most capable cross-country horses now in commission, and it would be exceedingly regrettable if he should fail to stand up to his collar. Le Beau will not be taken to Wanganui, but S'ol and Loch Fyne may be expected to reoresnt the Northern l province in the first important steeplechase of the season. After winning the Autumn Stteplechase at Ellerslie Sol was taken back to the "Waikato. Only the immediate connections therefore, know how he is progressing, but the fact of his being one of the favourite selections for the Great Northern suggests that all is well with him. (Sol, who is now ten years old, won the Great Northern Steeplechase five years ago in Smin 17 3-ssec. the time record for the race. On that occasion. Sol conveyed list 31b over the hilly Ellerslie course, or 91b less than he was awarded this year. Research, who at one time was one of the best backed candidates for the last New Zealand Cup, was sold at Hokitika recently fo rone shilling. He went amiss at Christmas time, and since then he has been twice badly kicked by a trotting stalion. It is said his present owner is endeavouring to patch him up again. According to the Sydney Referee, things were made fairly warm at one of the country meetings in New South Wales recently. The writer of the paragraph in question omits to mention the name of the club concerned, but states that for one of the events there were only two starters. On getting under* weigh one of the jockeys fell off, and his contemporary promptly went back and picked him up! No allusion is made to the result of the race, nor as to the betting thereon, hut the little courtesy so generously extended cost one of the jockeys disqualification for life, whilst the other was rubbed out tor two years.

The S’oult gelding Waipuna was recently sold at auction in South Australia, and realised 1 152gns. He has lately given evidence that he may turn out a good hurdler. Dr Bennett, who owned ' him, does not care about jumpers, however, and hence .Ms 'sale. The Moeraki brought to New Zealand last week the;fashionably-bred Roscommon, purchased by Mr Geo, Currie at the Randwiok sales. . Thisr mare, who is now six years old-, and is in- .foal to Traquaire, is a sister to Bower and Bowery., and half-sister .to Toni Brown, Saramonda, Becket, and Dinora. Her sire. Common, was a “triple crown” hero, whilst her dam-, Rosamonde, was by Hermit (Derby) Enguerrande (Oaks), by Vermouth —Deliane (French Oaks and dam of La Jonchere, who also won the French Oaks), by The Flying Dutchman (Derby and 'St. Leger)—lmperious© (One Thousand and St. Leger), by Orlando (Derby). She lacks nothing in point of appearance, and may be considered one of the greatest acquisitions that this country’s paddocks have received for some time past. Two of Mr Currie’s mares in Albeura (Soult Hotcherina) and Carmania (San Francisco— Campania), which were sent over to Australia -last spring on a visit to Flavus, are to remain in’ New South Wales for another year. Each is evidently in foal, and will again visit Flavus. Alec. Hall has been working Northeast and. St. JBill the -reverse way at Wanganui, which points to the fact that the pair will he competitors at the A.R.C. Winter Meeting. John- is said to, have taken to i/Tio hurdle business like a duck to water, his schooling displays having given his trainer every satisfaction. This being so the Cuirassier gelding should pay his way this winter.

The death of Mr Patrick Butler was recently reported in Auckland, and obituary notices appeared in nearly all the Dominion journals. According to the “New Zealand Herald” Mr Butler is still at an island retreat in the Wailieka Passage, near Auckland. The old-time racing man will not bo the first who lias read what others have to say of him after his supposed death. Sol and El Dorado appear to. be most fancied for the Great Northern Steeplechase, while quitp a number are in request for the Great Northern Hurdles, among them being Wimmera, Paisano, Ribstone Pippin and The Native. Mr Middleton Melrose informs a southern writer to the effect that he has been far -from well recently, and.has been ordered to live in a warmer climate than that to be found in Victoria during the winter months. It is, therefore, his intention to sell all his horses, namely, Truganini, Advantage, Magneto, Lord Kelvin (now, a gelding), Italy, Masonic, Rafferty and Paris. Mr Melrose considers that the handicapEers have been anything but kind to im, and mentions that as a result of running second three times. Advantage received an additional 211 b.

Star Rose, who paid a great dividend when he won the New Zealand Gup of 1906. is now being used 1 as a. hunter, Mrs Matthews riding the son of Daystar at the North Taranaki Hunt meets.

Wimmera is showing attractive form on the Hastings tracks, and on Thursday morning he held Cheddar, to whom he was presenting weight, quite safe over a. mile. A somewhat unusual case was heard before the V.R.O. committee a few days ago, when the appeal of Grellet Brothers against the decision by the Glenorchy Turf Club stewards in disqualifying their horse. Boatman, for the Flying Handicap, run on March 29th, on the ground that the horse was led to the scales by an unauthorised person, was upheld, and .Boatman declared the winner. In this ease the horses were lined up for the start, but through a misapprehension only one. Boatman, left the Dost. The starter declared that he had started the field, but as Boatman was, it is alleged, led to the scales by an unauthorised person, the stewards declared that it was “no race,” though the .rider of Boatman duly weighed in. The report which recently appeared, to the effect that J. Cameron had suffered from a fractured thigh as the result of being kicked by Wooloomooloo, was incorrect. Woolloomooloo was brought back to New Zealand by the Moeraki in charge of Mr Williamson, who states that Cameron was kicked in the stomach. A clot of blood formed, and an operation became necessary. Cameron has been progressing favourably, however, and was expected to be in a position to leave the hospital this week.

Mr Sol Green is said to have experienced a considerable loss over Comedy King’s dual defeat at Randwick. He thought his champion could scarcely get beaten in either race, and backed his opinion accordingly. One way and another, Mr “Rawdon” must have spent close on £IOO,OOO (reports a Tasmanian paper) in his racing ventures already that is to say, during the last three or four seasons. The property at Mentone, where his racing stables and private track are, cost him about £60,000, and goodness knows how much he lias spent on horseflesh—not ail of it the best horseflesh either. The Doncaster Handicap, with the New Zea-land-bred Broadsword, is his first really big win; so his feelings can be understood. Such an enthusiast deserves to succeed'. There are not many men who go into the racing business expecting i ,f° I much ij ? a year,” as Mr does; quite the reverse, in •act, there .are too many waiting to get a bit. -And trainer Adam Skirls would be as much elated as “the doctor.”