TURF GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 107, 7 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

TURF GOSSIP.

[By Hii-poXa.]

NiK weights fortheGroatXorthern Steeple•hase will make their appearance on Wednesday or Thursday next. Since the nomination, were posted one or two small lines kavc been transacted on the double of Steeplechase and Hurdles, bub backers are Holding off till they see the weights. The following arc the weights for the Wanganui Steeplechase, run on the 24th

I take Denbigh and Omata to be the best treated of the lot, and if fche pair see the post one of them should be returned the winner. Acceptances are due on the 1/th instant. , . - * Our trainers are now busy with their yearlings. E. Kelly has Man Friday, the colt by Robinson Crusoe-Charity in hand teaching him the rudiments of his education, and George Wright has a couple. At Kohimarama J. Kean has Mitrailleuses s full brother, the half-sister to Pearly and two others belonging to Mr E. Mitchelson. ~~ Macaroni was shipped to the Thames on Thursday, where Mr Bobbett intends wintering him. The old steeplechase hero struck one of his Jegs and when put in work he showed symptoms of lameness, which necessitated his being thrown out of work during the whole of the present season^ Mr J. Gallagher left for Melbourne on Tuesday last. It is quite on the cards that he may take up his residence permanently in Australia. Peter Osbeck has passed into fche hands of Mr M. Gallagher. The grey son of Peter Warbeck arrives from Christchurch by Monday's steamer and goes into George Hope's stoble.CHiMiffll mJc^ , All sportsmen throughout Australia will regret to learn that one of the colts which the Hon. James White proposed being represented by in the English Derby has died, the youngster by Chester out of Moonstone having jjone the way of all flesh. Some months ago I mentioned the fact of the Squire of Kirkham having had five of hiH marcs served by Chester so as to foal to English time, and although Moonstone, Princess Maud and La Princesse threw a colt foal each, Episode had twins which died and the fifth one missed. Two youngsters only arc now left—viz., those out of Prinoes.« Maud (dam of Acme) and La Princesse (Cranbrook's dam), and it is hoped that the tide of ill luck will not continue and prevent the praiseworthy undertaking from being carried out. I hear that the Christchurch 'chaser Victor arrives here shortly, and goes into J. Rae's hands to be trained. Rae is gradually getting his boxes tenanted, and I shall be glad to hear of his success.for it can honestly be said that no one is more steady or painstaking than he is. From a brief telegram in the American papers to hand by the mail, I learn that E. Jay's Gamecock won the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase by three lengths from Savoyard, Johnny Longtail being a bad third. ' The distance, about four miles and a thousand yards, was covered in lOmin. Ifisec. Sixteen horses started. I learn from Sydney that E. Weekes, the Indian" trader, was in treaty for Nelson before he was shipped to Christchurch, but even an offer of £1,200 failed to tempt Major George to part with the son of King Cole. As soon as the decision of Resident Magistrate at Dunedin on the case of Stuart y. Roberts became known,Hobbs and Goodwin, the Christchurch totalisator proprietors, took legal advice, with the result that they decided to go on with the working of the machine at the South Canterbury Jockey Club races. They had, however, certain rules printed on each ticket issued from the machine. While at Randwick (writes "Augur") I searched for a dark Derby horse, and found a couple in Carlyon and Cranbrook. Of course, turf speculators will prefer the performer Abercorn to either, but it is quite within the bounds of probability that one of these may prove next season's hero, so far as Mr White's stable is concerned. Craubrook is a magnificent fellow,standing, I should say, quite 16 hands, with wonderful length, and perfect freedom in his action. Carlyon is smaller, but still big enough for anything, but his family on the dam's side is not celebrated for the production of stayers, while Cranbrook's dam, La Princess, comes from the celebrated Lady Sarah line,from which have sprung so many 1 great performers in England. The Bloomer, granddam of La Princess, was the dam of Fairwater,one of the best mares in England. She was also the dam of Ely, who, as a two-year-old, won the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, beating Count Lagrange's wonderful Fille de I , Air and others. Later in the year he won the Triennial Stakes, at Newmarket, Tomato and others being behind him, As a three-year-old, Ely won eight times, beating Fille de lAir again, in the Prince of Wales Stakes, at Ascot; and he put down Cambuscan and others in the Biennial, at Stockbridge. He also defeated Miner over two miles, at York, but, at the same meeting, Miner beat both Blair Afchol and Ely in the Great Yorkshire l> lakes. Ely afterwards won the Doncaster Stakes, Grand Duke Michael Stakes, and Triennial Produce Stakes It was, however, as a four-year-old that Ely shone to most advantage. He started the season by being beaten by Cambuscan in the Newmarket Biennial Stakes, but after that he won eight races in succession, the first being the; Beaufort Cup, in which he. defeated

K-^huscto Syambnton,"* and others; and, CTheSance.was two miles and a half, Spre S be no doubt rejecting his ,m-! Yn qtav At Ascot be won the WSSssM AC'nr, in which Cambuscan, General Seland'other great horses wem engaged. T« the Brighton Cup he was again vicious and had behind him such pero mS atcaller Ou, Union Jack, Cambus«n and Sydmonton. At. Stockton he StheCla7et Stakes Albert Victor, a brUHant racehorse in his tune, was a son of Princess of Wales, and so was George Frederick, who won the English Derby. liSbe seen, then, that Cranbrook decends from a splendid family on the dam s side and when it is examined in the bade £es; one discovers that Lady Sarah was by Velocipede from Lady Moore Care«r,.by Tramp from Kite, the graddam of Juliet, the mother of a line of Australian equine Sncsand queens. Cranbrook;* breeding, then is just what a Derby colts should be ahdshouldall go well with him, he will prove another instance of the soundness of Mr Whiteis judgment in the selection of broodmares. "Vigilant" thinks that Mitrailleuse will bo heard of in the Royal Stakes, run at Randwick on Queen'? -Birthday. This event is Over a Six furlong course, and from all accounts a lot of money can be won over it The same writer says that he seen no colt at Randwick within seven pounds of /Ibercora, unless it be Matador, who, unfortunately, is not engaged in the Derby. After FLoneydew and Tom Brown, ' Vigilant " certainly considers Abner the best handicap horse in New South Wales over his own distance, and he certainly iails to see why that should be a yard less than a mile and a half. The Apremont—-Watersprite colt recently purchased from the Christchurch Middle Park Stud Company by Mr A. lv. Blackwood, of Victoria, will be handed over to Mr F. F. Dakin.'who will prepare him for his Australian engagements. Enterprise, the winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, was bred by the Messrs Graham at the Yardley Stud F rm and at their yearling sale was bought for 2,000 Guineas. The dam of Enterprise is sister to iinc Alfred, who ran second to Blue Gown for the Derby in 1868. She has not had a foal since she produced Enterprise, but was served this year b Sterling. Speaking of Mr Carew's decision in the totalisator°case a Dunedin writer_ says :- "The totalisator is not yet killed; it is doubtful whether it is even scotched. One way for the Clubs to maintain their position in the matterwouldbetohayea.board hun| up on each of the machines, and write down thereon the names of those who desire a return of their money: This would, 1 should imagine, be an effectual check on the totalisator's enemies. Machine investments are now debts of honour, and nothing more, and no man with an atom of respect for himself would care to be publicly posted as a defaulter, for that is what the exposure of his name would amount to. Whether this course will be adopted by the Clubs is, of course, beyond my power fco say, but I have reason to believe that the immediate outcome of the action is to suggest the charging of a license fee to the bookmakers, and it will not surprise me to see this carried out in a short time." A peculiar error has come to light with reference to the Australian Jockey Club Sires' Produce Stakes for next year, and for which no less than 13 entries have been received and published in the official books, the progeny of sires that were never nominated. Included in the number are three of the Hon. James White's, six of Mr John Lee's, and four of Mr Andrew Town's, and it seems strange that, the informal entries were not discovered. long since. Those mentioned are by one or the other of the following sires, viz. : -John Bull, MartiniHenry, Musket, Grandmaster, Sardonyx and Kingsborough, none of which subscribed to the stake. Says the Sydney "Telegraph" of the 28th inst. :— Niagara's name was mentioned yesterday in connection with the Melbourne Derby, but no business resulted. Several prominent ringmen have expressed their intention of withholding operations till the day of racing; in fact, signs of the times justify the belief that betting will shortly be principally confined to the post. The Hon. G. McLean's yearling colt by Leolinus — Pungawerewere, purchased by him in January last, has been named St. James. : The Duke of Beaufort, who won the One Thousand Guineas last week with Reve dOr, has given notice~that he will move the English Jockey Club to adopt a rule that the Messrs Weatherly shall not publish the names of horses entered for handicaps until the weights are. declared. The idea is to prevent people; backing horses before the weights appear. It is thought thatl this system of betting before the handicaps are out prejudices the chances :of the horses which are backed. . General Thornton, the Apremont—Nelly Moore' colt (half-brother to Lochiel), for whom Mr'C.H Lushingtonpaid 310 guineas when a yearling, has been purchased by Mr Allan McLean, of Napier. If lam not mistaken the colt has never yet won a race. Mr Joseph Thompson's suggestion of adopting the English, idea. of haying a "Birdcage" at Flemingion has been aG- | cepted by the Victoria Racing Club. The i birdcage is simply an extra enclosure. In this the horses will be saddled, and members and others will be admitted on paying an extra charge. i; V - The "Victorian Racing Calendar" for April contains, inter alia, a list of the names of 291 bookmakers registered by the Victora Racing Club, 162 of whom pay £25 per annum for the privilege of betting: in the paddock, whilst 129 pay an annual license fee of 10 guineas to beallowed to bet on the hill, the total income derived by the club frombookmakei«'licensesbeing £5,404. This being the amount paid to one club only for the privilege of laying the odds, some faint idea may be formed of the extensive operations of the" Victorian ring. • > Silver King, the A. J C. St. Leger winner of 1885, and who has since proved a bitter disappointment, succeeded in winning a race the other week at the Liverpool (Sydney) Meeting. "This was the Ladies' Welter Handicap, in which lie carried lOst 71b. There were nine other starters.: Among the entries for-the A.J.C. Sires' Produce Stakes of 1891,1 notice the nanies of Martini-Herny, Cheviot, and Italian. The two last-named are full brothers to' Sir Modred. • Mr J. B. Haggin.the Californian bleeder, who has been buying Australian thoroughbreds, has made no less than thirty entries for the English Derby oi! 1888. Mr H. Oxenham's brilliant little mare, Cerise and Blue, who recently visited Grand. r Flaneur at Hobartville, was galloping in the paddock one day when she fell heavily, and in juried herself so badly that at one time it was thought she would not come round. The mare is heavily in foal. Don Silva, who won his share of hurdle races in Victoria in his clay, broke his neck while galloping a few days ago. For some time past he has done, duty in the shafts of a buggy. "

5The famous Hungaiian mar, 7^ dead. Her career on the tmt tl& *r the mwt brilliant in M?**K f celebrtiewv as on retiring i n >7>.<? five-year-old, she had inaU^ 9'Aj. J contests, and this without 01J ill I i bitters of defeat. She wag •' : well-bred,, being by Uamlm^M ' Water Nymph, and her ownoT^ir I once refused 20,000 guineas for ,' 'N " and unbeaten chestnut mare. :"' Welching has become so bad*.« racecourses that at the recent! ■ : Meeting the memln is of the ti n , , *H ' - own protection, paid a«.peual L Si « watchforthe.se gentry. Tl iec U7 t*:: r any kno\m man to bet onhial 3e i! l 7Nf' : mended by a member of TatfS^l ':fffi men thus passed wore a pi £c , \\,§ £ and the move was voted a good on™ " The feature of the foalhi^ - , i • .it r m . o oc*woDihi? Midland is that of bhotover prodnrin h ll> foal to Bend Or at Eaton. AfoM IV aire arid dam are both Derby'yjv^ W *i unprecedented in the annals of fL6ls' |.^ Eleanor and Blink Bonny, tht &• other mares besides Shotovei \ihof^ it| *'■ the Derby, were, in fai b, never"«Z! lfe' a hero at Epsom. Eleanor had U?} " she therefore had more chance §Jft* ' Bonny, whose three foals neverllXf^i' by St. Leger winners, Xewminst»i?S the sire of Borealis, and ip father of Blair Athol and .',_"' Blair Athol himself tuim') •• <.\^ St. Leger winner, but still t!i b Gn '** so close as that of Shotover >nd Bcr/a*-VV' pair that embrace that gr,»i<] iiw?'. minster and Sbockwell—a strain {k - could not improve upon. '' The value of the stakes diskita'' the various racing clubs in AmeruaS - - 1886 is represented at £246,730, wW^J : advance of t'40,000 on the previoL Nineteen of the associations dis»- t ' £200,000, and the remaining .eighta \ paid away the odd £40,000 among'tl,'

May :— Omati 10 7 Reform .. Kangaroo '. 1" 8 Lancleeer .. Sell .. JO 0 Pathfinder,,. The Jilt .. 10 0 stlb 9 12 .. 9 10 ..9 8 ..9 8 ..9 7 ..9 7 . i) 7