TURF TOPICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3556, 22 June 1912, Page 9

TURF TOPICS.

FIXTURES. June 26 and 27—Napier Park R-C. Winter. July 4 and s—Gisborne R.C. Steeplechase. (By " Argus.”)

The handicaps for the Gisborne Racing Club’s Steeplechase meeting made their appearance during the week, and when all is considered Mr Chadwick, with the exception of one or two instances, they are satisfactory. In the Hurdles Paisano has been awarded 11.13, and it is any amount when his recent .performances are taken into account. With 12.3 in the Karamu Hurdle Race (won by Doggerbank 9.4} Paisano was well beaten out of a place. He also finished out of a place in the Century Hurdles at Wanganui with 12.0, and he met with similar fortune in the May Hurdle Race when carrying 21bs less. On Wednesday he got third in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles with 11.10, and this is his best performance for - a considable time.. He has been obviously out of form of -late, but this looks as though he is coming into his own again. Sleacombe, next on the list, went to Dunedin recently, where it is stated his connections supported him solidly for the Pacific Handicap, but he failed to materialise with 10.5. Doggerbank won the Karamu Hack at the Autumn Meeting, carrying 9.4, and was third in the Mangatarata Hurdles with 10.6, those behind him including Appin, Woolloomooloo and Game. He was also third in the Hurdles at Egmont with 10.6, so that with 10.2 here he has been liberally treated compared with Paisano. Game with 9.11 won a two-mile hurdle race at Gisborne last year, while he ran third in the Hack Hurdles at Hastings in May. He is not too slow on the fiat, and therefore 9.11 is not out of place. Baldos has been off the scene for some time, and with 9.2 he is reasonably weighted.

11l the Flying Handicap Dazzling is given pride of place with 10.9, but she has not been seen out for some time past. Last year her successes were mainlv over seven furlongs and a mile. Rill ,on the other hand, has a number of six furlong races to her credit, and I think she should have headed the list. Sublime is not unfairly treated with 10.7, though, of late she has shown an inclination for decidedly longer courses. Scorch is good at six furlongs, and with 10.2 he is suie to run prominently, while Ardfert must be difficult to beat at 9.13, provided .lie is in his usual form. I fancy the distance will be a bit too far for M aiarewa, who prefers a course a furlong shorter. Wee Rose must be given .a chance with 9.4. * * *

In the Gisborne Steeplechase Okaihau heads the list, but I don t think he is likely to contest the event with 11.13, which is a very solid weight, even after winning the "Wanganui Steeplechase. Tui Cakabou has 10.12 and he put up a fair performance m -the Maiden Steeplechase at Auckland, and he must lie given a chance. Captain Jingle has been given enough with 10.9, for his 7>est performance over steeples last year was third in the Petane Steeplechase at Napier Park, when carrying 10.3. Armagh got third in the Tainaki Steeplechase at Auckland with 10.7, those behind him including Tui Cakabou.and Hinakalia, so that with. 10.6 he does not seem to have been badly ' treated. Donzel has' only recently been put over the big fences, but. lie was faiil> consistent over hurdles, so 9.12 should not inconvenience him.

In the Hack Flat Waikehua has 9.13. He put up two good seconds

at Wanganui, and he should be handy if he starts at Gisborne. The owner of Wee Rose -has nothing to complain about with 9-10. Among those lower down I like Miss Jewel 9.8, and Kirkby 9.2. The latter is a full-brother to Formby. * * * In the Winter Oats Birkline tops the handicap with 10.13, and I think' he could have been let off with much less. When conceding Sublime 21bs in the Gisborne Racing Club’s Handicap he beat her by half-a-length. Now he has to concede her 61bs and Rill ha,s to give her lib. ■ When racing in the Stakes at the October Meeting of the Poverty Bay Turf Club Sublime beat Rill by three lengths at a difference of 131bs. So taking a line through Sublime, Rills meets Sublime on 121bs better terms and Birkline on 4lbs worse terms. Sublime therefore seems to have the best of the argument with Birkline. Regarding Rill she is in the best position of the three, for now she has only to give lib to Sublime, who beat her by three lengths. La Reina won the Cornwall Handicap at Auckland with 8.2 recently, and if we put the weights under review on the same scale as those in the Cornwall’ Handicap, she has gone up lllbs, but she is in more moderate company and I think she is well treated. Waikehua, with 9.5, and Loch Maben, with 9.7, also appear to me to be well in.

The N.Z.-bred sire Nonette put up something "of a record in connection with the Central Queensland Derby, recently decided. Three of bis progeny, in Smoko, Non Est and Owen Roe, the first-named of whom was favorite, filled the places.

Although the weights for the New Zealand Cup are not due to appear for some weeks, yet the very early backers are selecting Bronze, Midnight Sun, Miscount, Prince Soult, and Undecided as the likeliest to score in the big event, but the prices on offer are very short indeed.

Although Frank Wootton was not on the back of the Derby winner, he scored three times on Derby day. He and Maher are having their customary tussle for the premier position. When the mail left the American had ridden 20 winners and the Australian hoi’seman 19.

Smoko, who is a son of the Auck-land-bred Nonette, must be a. very useful colt as, after winning the Central Queensland Derby, he ran second in the Rockhampton J.C. Handicap, and wound up by pulling off the Carnival Handicap, with Bst lib, on the concluding day.

The Aucklan'd-bred Seddon, the younger brother to Wairiki*. who was •raced in Australia and subsequently sent to broke down just before the last big meeting. Another from this side of the world in-San Pedro (San Francisco —Erminie) had to be destroyed.

The list of nominations for the New Zealand Cup included one described as the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Auzant. Confirmation of the telegraphed nomination shows that it should be Aurana, a bay mare by Birkenhead —Auray, who will be five years old when the race is decided.

Those who saw Creusot race at Ellerslie were firmly of the opinion that the days of usefulness of the 1905 Grand National winner are long past. In the preliminary prior to the Winter Steeplechase, he went down like a butcher’s hack, and seemed unable to go any faster when the race commenced. He tailed off early in the race and was pulled up.

A recent addition to the ranks o r Australian stallions is the imported 'horse Powhatan, a half-brother to the English Derby winner, St. Amant. He is by Gallinule, from Lady Overrule, by Muncaster—Nellie, by Hermit—Hippin, by King Tom—Daughter of the Star, by Kremlin—Evening Star, by Touchstone. Evening Star comes up in innumerable New Zealand pedigrees, as she was the granddan of Mermaid, who was imported to New Zealand and became the ancestress of sucli celebrities as Aborigine, lio r ibshell, Cynisca, Darebin,* Grand Rapids, Indian Queen, Le Loup, Lur- ; line, St. Swithin, Natator, Stonyhurst and many others.

The mares purchased by Mr ActonAdams at the dispersal sale of the Ellerslie stud, will probably shortly come under the-hammer again, as that gentleman is holding a clearing sale at his station. The following mares are included: —Savannah,- by Stepniak—Seashell; Latchet, by St. Alwyne—Latchkey; and Gitanella, by St. Clair—Gitana.

No fewer than twenty-nine sires are represented in the Neiv Zealand Cup nominations. Birkenhead has seven rex>resentatives, Martian six, Soult five, St. Ambrose four, Treadmill three, Merriweo ’ three, Multiform three, Royal Artillery two, Multifid

two, Menschikoff two, Seaton Delaval two, Obligado two, San Fran two, Boniform two, and Field Battery, Achilles, Clanranald, Sir Lancelot, Royal Fusilier, Freedom, Gipsy Grand, Cuirassier, Gold Reef, Hierarch, Captain Webb, Charlemagne 11., Stepniak, Signalman and Advance one each. * * ■* When Bridge started in the York Hurdle Handicap at Flemington this month he was big in condition. He completed * the course, but finished second last. * * # A large number of rising two-year-olds are regular attendants on the tracks on each-afternoon, and some very interesting sprinting has been accomplished. With Sir Geo. Clifford’s lengthy string and M. Hobbs’s team, Riccarton will hold a particu- I larly strong hand next season as far ( as two-year-old representation is concerned. Among those that are showing promise are Veritas, by Elevatoin —Brave fleart; Nightwitch, by Treadmill—Glenowlet, and Parachute, by Gravitation—Safeguard, of tlie Chokebore Lodge stable. M. Hobbs has a number of very promising youngsters, and the Charlemagne IL. colts out of Nautiloid and Armigera respectively appear to be moving nicely. <

Mr. Walter Raphael, the owner of Tagalie, the winner of this year s Derby, is a member of the well-known banking firm of Messrs R. Raphael and Sons, of London. His eldest brother, Sir Henry Raphael, has represented South Derbyshire in the Liberal interest since 1906. It was after the disastrous war of 1870 that the Paris firm of Raphael’s (Raphael, Bert nd, and Raphael)' came into special pi on inence in the French capital. Several firms were mutually agreed upon by the German and French Governrcciits'to carry out the payment of the liidomn ty of £200,000,000 which Bismarck had exacted from Germany, ( and amongst these figured that of Raphael’s. It was a very big transaction. Further, the French Government had millions of pounds in hand waiting for transmission, and these funds were utilised by the Bank of France as best it could. The Raphaels made arrangements with the Bank of France to discount bills in London, and to rediscount at a lower rate with the Bank of France. Some idea of the magnitude of these transactions can be gained by knowledge of the fact that the profits made by the French branch in that one year amounted from this source alone to a princely fortune.