TURF TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3509, 27 April 1912, Page 3

TURF TOPICS.

(By “ Argus.”) The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club will commence its Autumn meeting on Wednesday next, and it looks as though the meeting will be a succesful one—judging by the entries. The Hawke’s Bay Cup is the principal event on the first day, and a really good class is engaged. Los Angelos lias been given pride of place with 9st lOlb, or 51 bs more than he carried in the Autumn Handicap, out he won so easily that the extra 'poundage should not seriously inconvenience him. At any rate he meets Bronze on 2Jbs better terms and I should think that he lias the best of the deal, for he conceded her Slbs in the southern race and she never got a place. Masterpiece has been given Sst 71bs. He finished second to Los Angelos, and is now meeting the San Francisco gelding and Bronze under more favourable circumstances. He is in receipt of Ist 31bs from the former and Ist 21bs from the latter, against Ist and lllbs respectively when racing in the C.J.C. Autumn. As this colt has improved a great deal lately I think that i.e will run a really good race. Midnight Sun has Sst 31bs, against Sst 71bs in the same race. He therefore meets Masterpiece oil Gibs, Los Angelos on 91bs, and Bronze on 131bs better xeuns, so that when it is considered that Masterpiece only heat him by a neck ho will be very hard to dispose of. Miscount can stay with the best of them, and at Sst 21bs ho cannot he said to be harshly treated. Goklfindcr has been disappointing ever since he went south for ...-e New Zealand Cup, and his chances do not look particularly bright. Birkline has put up some good performances over a mile and a ffuarter, and it is more than likely that the little fellow will play a prominent parv, but if the field under review start I am doubtful whether be can beat those above him. Lady Menschikoft' is a good little mare and at 7st Slbs she is fairly well placed. Waipahu won the Manawatu C’up in hollow fashion leading from end to end for a mile and a half. She was taken hot favourite in the C.J.C. Autumn, and led for the greater part of the distance, and with 7st 21bs must bo considered. Mira, accoiding to southern advices just lasted long enough, to win a mile race at the C.J.C. meeting, and therefore even with 7st lib I cannot see him lasting tlie journey out. Golden Loop must be regarded as well in. In the Waipipi Cup at Masterton he was carrying 7st Slbs and was left six lengths and then finished third, a bead behind St. Felix who was only a bead away from Miscal.

In the Porangaliau Handicap some fast sprinters are engaged. Mr E. J. Watt has got both Maori King and Theodore engaged while Messrs Stead Bros, have Culprit ancr Bandeira running. The last-named is in great fettle at the present time and will be very hard to beat- Gold Battery who has the small impost of 6st 121bs may prove troublesome.

Among the entries for the Khrainea Hurdles is Corazon (lOst lllbs). He is again apparently being got into shape for the winter fixtures. Quite a number of local horses went south on Wednesday to fulfil engagements at Hawke’s Bay, and later at Wanganui. Tliev were: —M. G. Nasmith’s Auldearn’ G. B. Oman’s Paisano, C. Worse’s Birkline, T.Blackett’s Sublime, J. A. Lucas’ Continuance, Nicholls’ Doggerbank, G. Jellie’s Game. * * * G. Jones had l:is team (Kaipetipeti, Paisano, Continuance, and Doggerbank) in splendid condition, and they should run well. Kaipetipeti will journey on to Wanganui to fulfil his engagements in the Steeplechase. * * * Continuance will race at Wanganui and then fulfil other engagements in the south. * * * The Chef, who raced in Gisborne some little time ago, won the Handicap Hurdle Race at Avondale from a fairly strong field on Wednesday. It will be recalled that when owned by Mr G. B. Oman he ran third to Montigo and Donzel in the First Hurdle Handicap at the Poverty Bay Spring Meeting, and filled second postion behind Montigo on the following day.

Mr H. R. Mackenzie secured a great bargain when he bought Lady Hester in the summer of 1907 was sold for 120 gs. Lady Hester period the St Leger mare had a colt foal at foot by Seato' Demval and was in foal to Soult. The colt foal raced as Royal Scotland, and was sold for 500 gs. In the same year as she wa ssold for 120 gs. Lady Hester threw a filly to Soidt (Dearest), and Mr Mackenzie quitted her also for 500 .O'S. Lady Hester’s next ion was (Told for 500 gs. With 800 gs

realised for Lady Hester's Soult colt tliis year, it is a. pleasant little document that Mr ’Mackenzie has to peruse. Lady Hester, it may be added, last season threw a very fine filly to the Gallinule horse Penury.

Mr George Dunnet’s two-year-old colt Devastation came through his racing the right way at Elierslie, and is carrying himself well. ■

The Great Northern Hurcfle Race winner Whakaweira is being trained over the big country at Hastings, with a view to winter jumping events ahead. Stourton is a stable companion to Whakaweira.

Mr E. J. Watt, the Hawke’s Bay sportsman, returned from Sydney on Wednesday last. Mr Watt was a liberal purchaser of thoroughbreds at the sale of yearlings at the ’Newmarket sales at Randwick on the 9th and the 12th inst., and these were on board the Ulimaroa. Amongst tlie youngsters secured by the Hawke’s Bay sportsman were a half-brotuor to Apologue (San Francisco—Miss Gladys), a brown colt by Ro3 r al Artillery—Quitest (sister to La Siesta and Ether), by Grafton (imp.), a brown filly by from Gold Dust, by Niagara (halfGrafton—Langrel (half-sister to Sylvanite), by Projectile (son of Chester) brother to Trenton) j a bay colt by Royal Artillery from Lady Rylstone (sister to Strata and Florida and halfsister to Lord Cardigan and Dividend), by Grafton (imp.) The youngsters are all said to be good types of the thoroughbred, and their future exploits on the turf will be noted with interest by sporting folk throughout the Dominion.

The Royal Fusilier—Gossip colt (half-brother to Bobrikoff) who was sent over to the Sydney sales by Mr T. H. Lowry was brought back to New Zealand last week. An offer of 900 gs was not sufficient to tempt Mr Lowry to part with him.

Autumnus is undoubtedly the best two-year-old in New Zealand, and the manner in which he put down Ermengarde and Prince Soult in the Manawatu Stakes showed that he is a really high-class colt, for these two were regarded as the pick of the Dominion. The weather was wet and apparently the going did not suit Prince Soult, who according to the P.A. report, was a poor third. Ermengarde, however, made amends on Thursday by scoring in the Sires’ Produce Stakes from Brown Owl and Bon Ton. Autumnus did not start, and Prince Soult finished out of a place.

Sir Geo. Clifford, due principally to the victories achieved by Counterfeit Autumnus and Masterpiece, has won nearly £II,OOO this season, and lie bids fair to eclipse the record established by the late Mr Geo. G. Stead, when he annexed £12,325 during the season 1901-2. Sir George will certainly bead the list of winning owners. * * » While horses are often started twice in one afternoon, it was something novel to see the two-year-old Semolina saddled up for two events at Auckland on Saturday week. In the third race, the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, Semolina finished sixth, and then, a little over two hours later, weighed out for the Onslow Stakes, and again occupied sixth position.

Regarding the Northern Champagne Stakes, “Spectator” says: Prince Soult was not himself at Wellington, when people supposed him to he the crack of his age by reason of his Midsummer form at Ellerslie. He was well at the A.R.C. Easter Meeting, and was solidly hacked for the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, only to have his wings clipped by the Gis-borne-owned colt, Our King, by that good performer Multifid, from the once brilliant two-year-old Indian Queen, dam of King Billy, Aborigine, Maori King and Our Queen. Our King had only started in two scurry races at Gisborne previously, and ran green in both, hut he showed good track form prior to the meeting, and won decisively from Prince Soult in record time for the race—viz., lmin 15sec., and it was a good performance. An excuse was made for Prince Soult in that samething was supposed to have gone wrong with his bridle gear.. This was not so, and the statement has been challenged by D. Moraghan, the trainer of the colt, for whom no excuse can he offered, as he was fairly and squarely beaten by a good colt—how good we have yet to learn.- They met again on the second day over a short course, and at a difference of 61b, and Prince Soult turned the tables on Our King, for whom no excuses have been made, though I am assured legitimate ones could he advanced, as lie did not get as good a run as Prince Soult. There will he no meeting between Our King and Autumnus this season. Though there is no finer type of Derby colt at present in the Dominion than Our King, Mr C. Parker lias not got his representative in either the C.J.C. or Great Northern Derby—more’s the pity.