TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 58, 8 March 1913, Page 16

TURF NOTES.

;(By "WHALEBONE.")

It is estimated that- the value of the thoroughbred stallions, brood mares, and lior>c« in training in England is not less than £6.000,000.

It is estimated that purses aggregating ,0.000,000 wore distributed last year in America among 5000 trotters und pacers performing at 1.300 meei'ngs on 1000 different tracks.

Mr. M. Evans, who won the Dunedin Cup in 1910 with Olyoi. is leaving for Ireland on March 0. Mr. Evans intends to see some racing in England, but will probably settle down in Erin's Isle for good, at least that is his intention.

Representatives of various Japanese horse-ownens have been visiting different centres at which racers are located in America, on the lookout for suitable material to be used for racing, and later on for breeding, in their own land. The sport was legislated against in that country several years ago. but is about to be restored.

Last year there were thirty-three days' racing in Denmark, somewhat unequally distributed among the six meetings held in that country. Copenhagen alone claiming no fewer than 27 days. The leading winning owner was Captain U. Glauson-Kaas. The champion jockey was T. Wilmot, who won' 36 races out of only 00 mounts.

The New Zealand-bred Gold Seal 11. (Gold Reef—Seal Brown) was a warm favourite when he won the Guildhall Selling Steeplechase at the Folkestone imeeting. An account of the race says that at the second obstacle (the ditch) all the competitors refused. The favourate,, however, was eventually got over and finished alone, but elicited no bid at the auction which followed.

In Great Britain and Ireland last year 1527 two-year-olds, 10S4 three-year-olds, 623 four-year-olds, and 704 five-yejar-olds and upwards, or 3998 in all, took part in flat races. Putting the cost of keeping them in commission for one year at £300 apiece—a by no means too liberal estimate—an expenditure of £l,l9D f 4Oo"isjepresented. If the money expended in their acquirement, together with that spent in rearing or purchasing and training of the horses that did not race, is idded, racing may safely be said to cost owners at Home £2,000,000 annually.

It will surprise most people to hear that old Play-fair, who won the Liverpool Grand National in 1888, is still in the land of the living. Such, however, is the fact, for he is located at Exning, where he is spending the remainder of his existence in corn-fort, thanks to the kindness of his owner, Colonel E. W. Baird. He must be the oldest racehorse alive, for the son of Ripponden, who is out of a half-bred mare by Rattlebones, ws* foaled as long ago as lSßl;"tbis'"mak;iug him bhirty-iiwo years of age. Mawson, who trained him at Stockbridge for the great Aintree event and rode him in it, died some years ago.

With reference to the case of the alleged "doping" of a horse engaged at the Marlborough Trotting Club's (meeting at Dashwood last week, the "Marlborough Express" now admits that further investigation failed to substantiate the report. It was stated by that paper that the circumstances pointed to an endeavour to administer a dose of some corrosive liquid during the night, and that the airimaPij mouth and nose were rather 'badly burned. The horse in question is GJucy Wallace, who won the principal event at the meeting, showing excellent form in doing so." The proprietor of the stables In which the mare was quartered said he could see absolutely no room for suspicion, even in regard to the appearance of the animal's nose. On one side of the nose thhere is-a slight-abrasion, with some irri-tation,-but it is more than probable that caused through the action of the horse in rubbing itself against its leg, and possibly coming into contact >with some liniment or other preparation left in the stall.

..iLast .ononth. the cables informed us that the "telegraph, office at Wye had been up in order that no betting telegrame could be got through to the -racecourse there, thus affecting the starting price of a certain horse. The explanation- of this, received by the mail this week, shows- that the affair was attributable to the action- of persons .who wished to "hold up" the wires in order to effect a betting coup. The telegraph office on the course is small, and usually two clerks are sufficient to cope with thf: ; business. It appears that on the opening day of the meeting the office was flooded' with -incoming messages of a bogus character. Some came from Brighton and others from Southampton, but the bulk emanated from a West Strand office. They were addressed to nobody in particular, and contained all manner of nonsense. Presumalbly the object of thus blocking the telegraph wires was the achievement of what in racing is known as a "starting-price job," the means adopted by certain owners for backing a horse while at the same time not shortening the odds. The horse is backed by sending bets by telegraph to starting-price bookmakers in London and the provinces. The messages are handed in at the last possible moment so that they shall not reach their destination until the race is actually over. Thus the starting-price bookmaker is unable to transmit the money betted to the racecourse. If he could do so, the operations of his agent in the ring .would at once shorten the odds. If, however, there is no money for the particular horse in Tattereall'a ring up to the time of the "off," .it usually starts at a long price—-say, 10 to 1 instead of 4 to 1. Ingenious methods are sometimes adopted for delaying the delivery of telegrams to starting-price bookmakers. In one celebrated- case some years ago several -pages of the London Directory were handed an by an owner to take precedence of the betting , messages, though all the messages, of course, weTe coded at tihe same time. A tiny office outside London was selects •ed, and some of ihe .messages did not reach the bookmakers until the next morning, though as they were timed before the _vertiseuj tame of the race the bets were v_d. In the Wye case, com mniacation between the Btarthw-priep booltmakeiß and Tattersall's was* out off by blocking the wires to the course, an unusual though not unprecedented proCOGC3H2. : .

Stable Boy (to inebriated driver) : "Eh. matey, you're putting yer 'or.se in the wrona way round." Inebriated Driver: ".Mind yer own bishness —how do yer know which way I'm going?"

Achilles' brother, the five-year-old gelding Sev God, by Medaiiion —Nereid, was among the winners at a recent meeting in Australia. He realised 475 guineas as a yearling, but has proved a costly failure as a racehorse.

In England recently it was found necessary to destroy Jenkinstown, winner of the Liverpool National Steeplechase of 1910. East year Jenkinstown wa< bought for 3300gns by Mr. G. W. Blundell, for whom, however, he failed to wiii a race.

Everything that appeared on the green at Win gat vi last week wan not a jigger, and although not palpably so, still it .would not have been surprising, if the stewards took the cue and handed a reiit to some who were trying to give a safe miss, c«ys a Dunedin scribe. Imitation is the best of flattery, and everything should be a jigger when they appear amid those at the baulk line formed by the starting tape.

When the reformers attacked racing in America, which meant a terrific blow to the thoroughbred, Mr. Belmont said the damage would take many years to repair, and millions of dollars "must be expended. This was five years ago. Mr. Belmont's prediction is becoming truer every day. Every horse that is worth calling a horse has been sent abroad (says the New York "Field"). Every horse-breeding State has lost the cream of its stock, until to-day there is little left except hack material. A few years ago there, were sales of horses every autumn at Sheepshead Bay, where hundreds of thoroughbreds were disposed of. as they are at Newmarket. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were expended by rich owners. Breeders received substantial prices for the stock. Breeding thoroughbreds was a paying industry. To-day stock farms of five years ago are cabbage patches and tobacco fields."

Some years ago the D..J.C. erected a look-out stand at the home turn of tire Wiragatui straight, but did not use it to any great extent, and linally neglected it altogether, until instructions were given to have it demolished. On one occasion, however, it was occupied by a person who was one of the many at that time "beyond the pale" of'the racing world, and so. found it compulsory to view the racing from a spot "well down the running." In one race his money was not being carried -with the vigour and earnest endeavour of the true trier, and, assuming a loud staccato official tone of voice, he bawled out. "Now then, So-and-so, I am watching you." The rider in question, who is long since out of the game, did not lower his head, but livened to such an extent that the selfconstituted disturber of the sleep landed a good dividend.

Many years ago ~(,says critic) people-used to be fond, of . a.little flutter on the Lincolnshire Handicap. By this expression I mean that the offer of , W;hat appeared to be long odds tempted us to invest a small amount on an animal which -might or might not be entered for the first important handicap of the season. There was at least a slight element of excitement about the thing. In the first place. one was keenly anxious to know if the horse had been entered for the race. Then came the curiosity to discover what weight it had been apportioned by the handicapper, and our own preconceived notions of whether the "official" view coincided with our view. More -uncertainty prevailed as to whether the horse would accept or not, and then came the feverish ' but not unnatural, desire to scan the list of quotations from day to day, and observe whether our judgment ofi the horses should have /been vindicated by public opinion. If all this interest could 'be inspired by the mere investment of a few shillings, who can reasonably say that racing is an unhealthy or demoralizing pastime? The answer is: "No one but the bigots."

Sa.m Darling, the Beckhampton trainer at Home says, "I do hope something will be done to give us better jockeys. I have never known such a lack of talent in the pigskin in my time as at present. I do not think it is at all favourable to the boys to ride so- short as they do now, especially to begin with. They must be depending entirely on their horse's mouth to keep their balance, and very much more so for boys with heavy hands." I may say that Mr. Darling is in favour of the idea that boys should only be entitled to the allowance when riding for their own stables. It may be mentioned, however, that very few trainers nowadays take the trouble to "make" jockeys. They say it is too expensive, for they have to keep horses specially for the boys to practise on. A few years ago there were certain staibles in which a successful apprentice was regarded as a much more profitable adjunct than a good 'horse. Trainers who were fortunate enough to have the skilful boys under their command earned a competent fortune, thanks to the exorbitant terms which they could demand for the boys' services, which went to the highest bidder. This is now altered to a great extent owing to the fact that boys are only entitled to claim the allowance in handicaps when the guaranteed value of the stake does not exceed 200sovs. As regards jockeys, a good deal depends Upon opportunity, whilst in many cases jockeys, like poets, are born not made. By this I mean that some boys are infinitely more intelligent than others, and are thus able to make better use of the chances that come in their way. The indents of jockeys vary IconsideTaibly. One will lie in wait with his horse and "steal" the race from his opponent so quietly, and win ■by so short a distance, as to occasion wonderment as to how it was all brought about. Another boy, if he feels that the horse ihe is riding is equal to the task, will make his way to the front and force the race from, bcg-'n nirtg to end. All that a jockey has learned, all that he knows, must be brought into requisition in the supreme minute or two which is devoted to the struggle. If a jockey has any talent this is the time for its exhibition. What are called "fine hands" are essential to a jockey; they are the instruments which indicate to him the strength, and power of the animal which he is trying to guide to victory. Some horsemen have)' this gift in perfection, and have known how to use it to the best advantage. Strong horses will occasionally run away with the race, leaving the jockey power lless. In such cases a 6st. boy is help • lessi except to sit still.