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TTJBF TOPICS.

(By "Asmodeus.")

Favoured with congenial sunshine and.
a well-conditioned programme, the May
meeting at headquarters proved a success
in every particular. The attendance was
also a hit over the ordinary run of ''ex-
tra" meetings. Tho salient feature of
the racing was the success of the Davis
Laudor combination, which accounted for
a moiety of the card with Metalloid,
Zeus, and Opera, about each of which
nico prices were obtainable. It remained
I with the opening itèm, Radcliffe Hurdles,
I to furnish the best contested race of the

day- The two hcaviest-bullioned candi-
dates, Liatus audi Manilla, failed to fin-
ish in front, though both obtained places.
The unreliable Metalloid availed himself
of the opportunity to score his first vic-
tory on West Australian soil, but prior
to making his run, both Liatus and Man-
illa momentarily nattered their respoc
; tive partisans u turn. Liatus looked

all-over a winner after jumping the last
hurdle, but he suddenly curled un very
much after the fashion of a "quitter."
Then it became Manilla's turn to look
dangerous. Meanwhile, Metalloid was
being ridden for all he was worth, and
responding generously towards the end,
he wore down Liatus, who beat Manilla by
a neck for second money- It was a very
interesting finish. Metalloid does Jiot
bear a reputation for gameness, but in
this particular instance ho stuck to his
work with rare determination.

Metalloid's stable companion, Zens,
emphasised the hurdler's opening victory
by taking the Rockingham Handicap, for
which the winner was quite unbacked,
the little stable money that went on be-
ing entrusted to Circulus, who did not
perform to anticipation. Zeus wou
quite comfortably in the end from his for-
mer Victorian confrere, Strathjoy, when
both wore trained by M. P. Whitty.
Zeus presented quite a jolly appearance,
and was evidently not thought to be
ready. He has improved wonderfully
since he came over here, having lost all
that wasted exterior which characterised
bim when he escorted Bandolier and Pre-
sident home in the Derby. He is quite
a nice colt, and might yet succeed in
Eroving that he is nothing inferior to

is Derby victors. By way of exempli-
fying tho forlorn aspect in which Zeus's
candidature was regarded, one well
known long odds fielder offered 100 to 2
against him. "H anybody had come along
and wanted 200 to 21 don't think I would
have allowed him to go away," he le
marked after the race. Thus, Zeus's vic-
tory came in the nature of a great sur-
prise, nobody being more taken aback
than the stable, who are understood to
have pinned their faith to Circulus. In
like manner Bandolier, who finished out
of a place, was fancied in preference to
his i stable companion Leonatus, who
filled third place.

Jap was the popular pick for May-
lands Handicap, and this time backers
were on tho right trail, as the favourite
won leisurely from Keston and nine oth-
ers. It was Keston's first appearance
under silk in this State. He is only two
years-old. by Medallion from Salutation,
and thrice carried Mr. Septimus Mil-
ler's colours unsuccessfully before cross-
ing tho seas. Keston is not a bad look-
ing colt, and after his promising be-
gining on Saturday it is more than pro-
bable that a career of usefulness awaits
him in the colours of the gentleman who
races under the norn do course of "Mr.
E. Firebrace." Class was admirably re-
presented in the May Handicap, and tho
strong favouriteship of Orphan Boy did
not deter liberal backing bei nc extend-
ed to Meteorite. Asteroid and Homeward
Bound. Although Fighting Mac was the
despised outsider of the party, he cam©
home au easy winner, thus giving tho
ring another Zeas turnup. With H.
Holmes in Adelaide looking after Sport
Royal, none of the stable followers were
induced to invest on Fighting Mac, who
was consequently unbacked. The Gozo
gelding has always run his best races at
Ascot, and now tuât he has at last broken
the spell, it is quite likely for him to con-
tinue in a generous vein and add to his
winning account It was a very hollow
¡ victory, nothing having a chance with

Boy wai not seen at nia ftest-; neither ]
was Météorite, who was thé first hors© !
beaten. " Ho was very much oniihahnriy
£iäe3 and evidently Ireqúires a lot of solid
gaUoping to enable him to show his pro-
per form.
. . By way of a> change, a well, hacked ono
ia Brown and Black got home in the
Telephone Handicap, and as Mr. Chas.
Watson's colonna hare not been to the
fore of lato, nobody begrudged him the
victory. It was Brown and Black's in-
itial win in this State, and having been i
heavily backed on several previous ceca- ¡
mons, "her tura came none too soon.. Try J
'Again did well to get second, consider-
ing hie-backward condition, and the Ger-
aldton horse T^êmendus ran him to. half
a, head for m»ndKmoney. Allander did
'?not perform to the expectations of those
"who were instrumentai in making him a
slightly better favourite than Brown and
Black. Neither did May King succeed
:in improving on tho preceding efforts* of
hdB stable companions Orphan Boy, Ban-
dolier, Leonatus. and Man of Honour.
Opera wound ap a great day for the
Davis-Lauder combination by annexing
the Nanarup Handicap ; and judging of
the betting market she carried much
more money than the other two success-
ful members of the team, Metalloid -and
Zeus. Opera's condition reflected credit-
ably oh Tom Lauder's skill as a trainer,
-She is a beautifully formed little mare,
with a splendid turn of speed, which has
been considerably improved since she was
taken in hand by her présëùt mentor.
Opera showed her field no quarter, win-
cing from barrier rise to the judge's box.
Vivian beings quite three lengths behind
her on crossing the line. Considerable
delay was occasioned at the start owing
to the hot-headed Oyster dashing
through and breaking the ropes, followed
by . Opera and Jayomi. Finally Oyster
T was left badly.
,. By appropriating, the St. Leger with
F. J. A., the' Goodwood Handicap - -with
Latchkey, and tba Elder Stakes with
Combat, the Victorian contingent made
a most aticcessraJ invasion of South Aus-
tralian territory on the. occasion of the
"May campaign. F.J.A.'s task in tho
classic Ä-year-old event was an easy qne,
but Latchkey had to twjce traverse the
,, course in the" Goodwood before she se
cured first money. According to all ac
"coiùitô^the. Victorian marie, was extreme-
ly lucky in setting the" "prize, as in
;.rnttning ott tbs dead-heat she obtained
ian advantage at the start which- alone
I "gayelie^ 'the race; This was cistretriely
' unfortunate for Phaedra, who onîy lost
lay .half à "neck alter being left several
;.'le^äift atíplame*.- ; Follbwuig a.de
; îà^cif twenty-4ive minutes in despatching
, ;tne prîgiôàl.neldjïtUiis latter incident in
"", tensified the situation, and the starter,
; on returning ^after " the " dead7heat, met
r;^th á hb$ïiié reception from the crowd.
; Mr. T. Q-Ütfä&pB luck is dead out at
^res^t.^aridiQnly ¡a-few weeks ago at
?-, ^Gawler i&l btw , another race spoilt
: tlrouga .sbmet^g^öing wrong with 'the
machine. :
Of fie-Jye wliicfe^^
Stakes, -this State claimed two represen.
|aiiv:e«^|H^ Thc
first-named succeeded' iâ accounting foi
t:^ifj^eaBy.ii^^'-«iA' '-'iíáatóáiisai bat
VOffafcc&tii^iyov many, gtinâ for' hunj
and t^e.-jJ4;%ynj^gn«;-'t5a.;tift ifeinäSa
content , milk mootai place. Another
West Afcstraha» rebrestetatfvö in ISJBT
-Itewmba- jbad &1SB> io aabmit to defeat in
v ^:totaKs|*or, avdecrëâsé of £337oT)cpm
pareä ??W^w-*ams^ê^'^f, last
;yèar. ;Tkfe;did w&sêr&lSv^E&iffo
. sttfé.of afters, and cé&tâû&bé tittàîbift
ed to 'aîtfinipcTary fígntasé^ ^a, tho local
jnoaejr;^
taken ^i^^.i^mÊ^MU^'^àiat
.'? or thé size of tho nëfdSj wjiscîi were VeU
;Í^S^^^.^T^WÍ;.v,-'R.'A'-":*"v: : ?.
>foíto^fc^|«SÉ«8t«.';--- l|fcf«jpiwes. Kelly/
.lr wKnie -first aorsèfles»;'parchase, Mande-:
?^îîîér^aîned for iiis new -owner hj&sQp.-<
:i^^^gwfâi^Â\^-'ÂSèp^a- Two-Year
:^ldia*JCÏ^elii'; on SjÈààd^^-Maaàe^
Omlle"!^ Zarina,' and
? : -wàs btídiri lasíhañia.% He trained by '
TBCTÍ ^^Bdlai^,.wb!or^lifir' iii táeóday;
r^^'^lQiiàâptoâm Hurdles withÄtray
,jer,tl2.9." l";Otbex1iorse^
úp,«ic^^ were^St.
I^eér^wnoi^^taíred iba; principal .event
t'i^iêhiàae-.'wà- :Ä3»pecfc;., Weight is
^materiar'^ 'jájmó horses once they
:. i|£^S«;|i|^^~^á¿i-'a|iá'ii appears as:
'~trïfc'«ii^meto^teá sprite, ballast to stop
.'^äüa;*PM>^ T3y; rnniQin^ *r couple of sec-
onds with Boabdil and 'Niineia. " Mr.
- James Wilibn," 3^
' ^ota^'the'tanffig^g i«ck whiohàas at- -;
atended Mm -Öirongbont a particularly di
. «fetapouff season. v ? . * ? . ' '
:The ihird'quarfcer of tkeiracing season
ie ÍOVWÍ and accoróUnfe to - the "Austial
aaian";'' Grafton. <m the 30th of April,
.Held-Ä commaadiac ieadi of the success-
ful sires, with a total bf £12,177. He
claimed 87; winnora, who accounted for
racesbetween theni, Fositano, al
"though he had'only half a dozen win-
nora, occupies' second , place . with
£10#39, made tip largely of Lord Cardi
~gan s winnings, jpositano's progeny an-
nexed only 17 races, or less than hau th©
number (35$) credited to tho representa-
tives of Walk^, who ia third on the list
with £9,-688; . Then" follow ia order of
priority-Saul Brion, £8,281: Bill of
Portland, £6.639; Loch*n?lw £4,949 ; Mal
volio, £4,656: Medallion £3.700 ^Wel
linêïbn, £3.547; GOBO, £3,099; Padlock,
£2#80; Pilgrim's Progress, £2,957; .
Light Artiïïery, '£2.541'; _ Trenton,.
£2,333; Havocy £2,214 j¡ Harmonist,
£2,177: Metal. £2.154; and Off Colour,
£2,122. . .
, Step Out who won the South Austra
, lian Stahes^ is a toartículárly promising
colt, Rad one which maj %pve to he sen
.'fl^y^.r^àBÎâèèéii ~-:¡4»& connection;
*mm the neit -year's* classics.. lt was
his . fourth1 victory, and h© now
looks to have been a cheap yearling pur-
chase at^SO guineas. Ho belongs to a
straight-going sportsman in tho Adel-
aide-owner who races under the nom do
course of "Mr. J. Rowen." Th© same
fentleman also' owned tíiat genuine race
oise, Footbolt, an elder brother "to Step
Outj now retired to the Stud, where bia
ffinuly credentials, by Thunderbolt from
Footstep ought to make him out for a
successful career.
In addition, to capturing the Good-
wood Handicap with Latchkey, the Vic-
torian owner. Mr. Tom Conway, took se-
cond money in the St. Leger with the
aid of that improving colt, Newmarket,
thus making up a good afternoon's work
for an owner in ,such a comparatively
small way of business. Mr. Conway has ,
never many horses in work at Femington, '
but he is constantly picking up races, .
and knows as much about training and
placing his horses as others in possession
of formidable teams and aspiring to much
bigger things- The Goodwood Handicap
takes precedence as Tom Conway's pre-
mier win. Conway is very popular with
his training ground confreres, and was
for many years a famous athlete and
wrestler when a resident of Bendigo.
.He once held the "Catch as catch eau"
championship.
The recommendation of tho Country
Racing Clubs' Conference concerning the
appointment of a stipendiary steward has
received the favourable consideration of
the W.A.T.C. committee, and I presume
we are about _to fall in line with South
Australia, Victoria, and New South
Wales in this-connection. A sub-com-
mittee has ben appointed to draft regula-
tions as to the duties of such an official,
the salary to be offered,, and to recom-r
mend as to what proportion of his salary
should be contributed by each of the gold-
fields and suburban clubs and thé W.A.
T.C. As the goldfields clubs haveshown
the iuitiative in this "important matter,
an amicable all-round understanding will
doubtless be arrived at. The main thing
to be devoutly hoped is that the stipen-
diary steward function in this State will
prove more wholesome and effective than
the passive and impotent office it-has
shown itself in the adjoining dependen-
cies.
$