TURF GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 78, 27 March 1886, Page 4

TURF GOSSIP.

[Bf HIMOHA.]

The Taranaki Jockey Club Anniversary Meeting comes op for decision on Wednesday and Thursday next. Judging from the email acceptances and entries received for the different events, it would seem that the meeting will not be up to previous years, and the big event—the T.J.C. Handicaphas dwindled down to the following seven, viz.:—Cinderella, Bst 81b ; Libeller, Bst 71b; Speculation, Bst 61b; Victoria, Bst; Armourer, Sat lib; Bayard, 7at 41b ; and Victory, 7st 31b. Libeller's name has evidently been left in by mistake, but the other half-a-dozen will no doubt see the post. My fancy for the event is Cindbb-

In the company of Mr R. Gough ("Warrior"), the well-known Australian sporting scribe and correspondent of the •'Otago Witness," I paid a visit to Sylvia Park on Wednesday last, and despite drizzling rain that fell at intervals, we put in a pleasant afternoon. My confrere wos highly delighted with what he 6aw, and he has no hesitation in pronouncing the establishment asoneofthefinesthehaslookedover. The Company are having splendid luck with this season's foals so far, and all are looking healthy and well. Altogether they number 30. Old Sylvia's filly by Musket is certainly the gem of the collection, being exceedingly well-grown and compactly put together, while a full sister to Nordenfeldt gives promise of developing into a racinglooking lady. Mata's dam Baupo is attendedliy a nice filly got by Cap-a-pie, and this Is the first foal the Company have got out of her, she having thrown twins to Mußket three years in succession. A colt by Musket -Locket(full brotherto Thunderbolt and Necklace) is a real gentleman to look at, and Pearl's dam Pearl Ash is represented by a nice filly by Musket. My Idea (the dam of Nelson) has a promising colt by Musket running at her heels, and among tho others I liked a colt by Musket out of Tres Deuce (the dam of Louie, who won the Auckland Easter Handicap in 1882). Brydna (the dam of Mitrailleuse and Ricochet) has this season produced a colt to Musket, and a big Btronglooking fellow he is. Major Walmaley informed us that 45 of the Company's mares were served this season, Musket having had nine, and five along with Leolinus and Ingomar, the last matron who visited the defunct sun ofcToxopholite's harem being Locket, and she has proved to be in foal. Among 13 mares put to Ingomar are Onyx, Pearl Ash, and Raurjo, while Hermit's half-sister Steppe, Sylvia, My Idea, and Erycina have each been served by Leolinus. On our way home from Sylvia Park, we dropped in at Mr T. Morrin's, where we found Frailty (dam of Trenton), Pungawerewere (dam of Tetford), Ouida (dam of Artillery), Maid of Athol, (dam of Krupp and Soudan), and Albatross, the three first-named having splendid colts by Musket running at their aide. The little full brother to Trenton came in for a deal of admiration, and a half - brother sired by Anteros (rising two years old) that we interviewed running about in another paddock brought forth the opinion that if shape, action, and good looks go for anything, hia name should certainly be written among the future " kings of the turf." lam informedthat Mr F. F. Dakin, the well-known Australian raoing authority and trainer, will pay Auckland a visit during the time of our Autumn Meeting. It is understood that the two-year-old colt Musk Rose and one of the yearlings owned by Mr Balmain will be taken with him on his return to Melbourne.

JThe following horses have paid-up for the Great Autumn Handicap, run on Easter Monday : —

Out of the 25 nominated 12 have dropped out, the only prominent absentees besides Lochiel being Fuailade, July, and Taiaroa. Considering that the event is only 1J mile, Nelson on paper now looks as good as anything engaged, and I look upon him and the .est of O'Brien's pair as being the moßt worthy of attention at. the hands of backers.

The arrival of Vanguard, Liverpool, Winchester, and Thunderbolt at Christchuroh would make it appear that the Hon. W. Robinson once more intends solely confining hia racing affairs to New Zealand, but if Mr Barnard is at all lenient in the next Melbourne Cup, it would certainly not surprise me in the least to hear of the team being shipped back again to Australia. I hear that Trenton was priced *by an Aucklander during the week, and Mr O'Brien replied that he could be had for 3,000 guineas. While at Sylvia Park on Wednesday, I interviewed Silver Prince, the two-year-old colt by Anteros from Sylvia that was brought back from Sydney. The colt has improved greatly since he haa been here, and I am Informed that he will be put in work and raced here next season.

During the last few days Nelson has been inquired for here in connection with the Great Autumn Handicap (presumably for the stable), and the commissioner was very eager to accept 100' ato 10 about him, but owing to the field promising to be a small one, none of the Auckland knights of the pencil care to meddle with the race. Mr R. Gough (" Warrior "> left -for Christohurch on Thursday, where he intends remaining a couple of days, and will then proceed to Dnnedin. My fellow scribe is very enthusiastic about tho Horn J. White's colt Trident, and if he winters all right, he thinks that he will prove the hardest to beat in the next V.R.C Derby. He tells me that Jacinth (Nordenfeldt's full brother) has been taken np again, and is putting in alow work at Baudwick with a view to noxt season's campaign. 3. Monaghan has charge of the colt,

. The steeplechaser Alaric has been in lavender since the Takapuna Summer Meeting, having struck one of his fore-feet during the progress of the race. He is now all right again, and we may probably see him figuring at the latter end of the season.

At a sale of thoroughbreds at Napier last weok, Mischief was knocked down to Mr A. McLean for 150 guineas, while the same buyer also secured Vanguard's half-brother lorerunner for 115 guineas, a.nd Minerva for 100 guineas. The jumper Pastime was purchased by Mr Beamish for 25 guineas Soudan and The Poet were also offered, but passed in, failing to fetch the reserve. I hear that J. Kean has severed his connection as trainer with the Hon. G. McLean, and there is some talk of him shortly paying Auckland a visit with business intent. Since Kean undertook training for Sir Hercules Robinsoa, subsequently for the partnership between the Governor and the' Hon, G, MoLean, and later still for the last-named gentleman alone, the horses j under his care have wan close on £6000 in stakes alone. Lady Emma has, of course, been the mainstay of the stabie,her contri- I nation being no less than £3700 «i\T)~i*emia3*t ifc fe only a matter of JE2En&sr$ m*Pc *° be introduced in l^t^ advocated the use oT the'iwSiJl. hati_. best means of mitigatingufflEST " ?_ Wiethe turf. auFthaf Z X&8&1_ aurly opportunity of introducing abttbrfitS that object. p • ™

"Sene&c," who paid a visit to the RicCarton race-course last week writes:-It struck me that Sou'-WebWr was looking in better condition tnan I have seen him of late, and $ uly looked bright and healthy, but a, good deal on the big Bide. Cutts himself waa on top of Maligner, and it Btruck me that the gelding had filled out amazingly a in ce he raced here at midsummer, Neleon appeared to walk short and stiff behind. Mr O'Brien's team, consisting ot Tasman, Tasmania, Hermitage, and Argonaut, were also doing an afternoon's saunter, but Trenton was not out. Argonaut is a grand upstanding colt, upwards of 16 hands, and his owner thinks him too overgrown to race with advantage aa a two-year old. Mr O'Brien introduced me to his Australian purchase, the yearling colt Sextant, by Robinson Crusoe—Sunshine, a nice evenly-built brown, with a kindly eye, and very powerful quarters running well down into beautifully-shaped hocks. Dan thinks very highly of the racing in Australia, and he informed me that he should enter Trenton again for the prinoipal Australian events.

At the sale of the Ulenormiston stud, poor prices were realised for the various [ lots offered. The highest price obtained ! was for Froii Frou, the dam of Wellington and other winners of the turf, which was bought by Mr J. V. Smith for 465 guineas. The American mare Maid of Kentucky, own sister to the celebrated Foxhall, brought only 55 guineas. Mr Nivison, of New South Wales, secured Sea Swallow for 260 gnineaa, and Tourmaline, a full sister of First Water, realiaed 140 guineas. The brood mares, as a whole, did not fetch high prices. The well-known stallion Wellington was Becured by Mr J. C. Stanford for 370 guineas. King Cole was bought in by Mr C. C, Finlay for 100 guineas, that being the only bid. The Hook waß purchased by MrS. Gardiner for 100 guineas. The total amount realised by the sale was about 6,360 guineas.

After the Champion Stakes was decided, the downfall of Malua of course was the allabsorbing topic in Melbourne, and all kinds of excuses have since been put forth for his defeat. Mr Inglis, the owner of Malua, was interviewed in reference to the horse's running, and this is what he says of the matter to a Sydney scribe:—"The inuendos of the preea and public, that the horse was not wanted to win, were as cruel as they were untrue. He then informed me that during the progress of the race, it dawned on his mind that Malua had been tampered with ; but that impression had since been dispelled, as the horse had not left a grain of food in his box at each meal since his run on Saturday. He gave Robertson strict instructions not to allow anything to lead him by more than six lengths, in any part of the race, and before Robertson dismounted, he taxed him in front of the stewards with having disobeyed his orders. Robertson explained that he was hopelessly beaten by the time the stand waa reached the second time, and that he tried ineffectually to catch Cyclops. Mr Inglis is quite satisfied with the explanation, and can only attribute his defeat to the Bevere race be ran in the Australian Cup, in which, although he appeared to win easily, he was all out and greatly distressed at the finish, Malua, he says, walks soundly enough now, but directly he trots he staggers about as though he wonld fall. Beyond 100 to 50, which he laid on him once, he had no further interest in thestakea, which, he says were sufficient for him. Immediately after he won the Australian Cup he took 100 to 50 about his horse for the Champion Stakes from. Joe Thompson, but scratched the wage? on the course before tho race began. He also says that be considered it 100 to 1 on Malua winning, but he did not care to plunge. He has shown me his list of wagers on tho Newmarket Handicap, which amounted to£l 1,450 to £1,070 On the Cup he won £3 500, less £400 invested on Sandal and Matchlock. In conclusion, be declares that it has been his ambition to win the Champion Stakes, and he has personally superintended the training of Malua, night and day, for the last six months. He is so much cnt up by the remarks made over the result of the horse's defeat that he contemplates retiring from the turf indefinitely."

It having been freely circulated (says the " Melbourne Age") amongst sporting men in this and the other colonies that Matchlock was supported by tbe stable and its connections to win a fabulous amount in the - Australian Cup Race, Mr Fennelly is desirous that the rumour should be contradicted. As a matter of fact, £2000 would more than cover the sum for which the colt was backed, and the numerous commisaiona executed in hia favour in Sydney were not for the stable, neither were they aware that any such decided demonatration had been made in his favour until the endeavour wasmade to make a small investment on him.

A case interesting to sporting people was heard at Timaru recently. Albert Mazengarb, a jockey and groom, sought to recover from Messrs Murphy and Stock tho sum of £15 for riding. Plaintiff stated he was engaged by the defendants as groom in thoir livery stables, and that he was now suing for fees for riding in races at the rate of £3 a race. He rode in the Albury Cup, Handicap, and Hurdle Race. He also rode at Pleasant Point. All the races were ridden under the South Canterbury Jockey Club's rules, which showed that a jockey could claim £5 if he won and £3 if he lost, unless any previous agreement had been made. Witness made no arrangement with the defendants for riding. He had to re-luce himself nine or ten pounds for these races. Evidence was given by tho defendants, and by Messrs C. A. Jefferson, John Hammond, and F. W. Cook (Secretary to the South Canterbury Jockey Club) to the effect that they did not pay boys for losjng mounts ; if they won they got payment in proportion to the amount of the stake, Mr Beswick found for the defendants. While a witness for the defence was under examination, he was asked if all grooms were jockeys, or if all grooms could ride. Whereupon the witness gave a bland smile and replied: " Well, they all say thoy can, whether they can or not. They might possibly make a start in a race, but he didn't know whether they would be 'on ' at tho finish."

Nelson Tastnan .. Pasha Mallgner .. Hermitage. Titbit Captain Webs st lb stlb .. 10 0 AtholDalay „ 0 .. 8 i TakeMlss .. ti ..8 8 Spade Guinea .. 6 s -80 Patrician .. .. 6 q ..' 7 13 Madonna.. .. 6 n .. 7 7 Indolonoo .. 6 n ster 7.0 „