TURF GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 58, 9 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

TURF GOSSIP.

(By Hiitona.)

Followers of the turf have had plenty to engage their attention for some days past. What with the Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup, Champion Stakes and the Wangarmi Meeting, truly they have had their hands full. So far as the Australian Gin) is concerned, backers came out triumphantly, bub the vast majority had a bad time over the Newmarket Handicap, and the hopes and thoughts of many were rudely shattered last Saturday night when the wires flashed Sedition's name as the winner of the .great; Flemington sprint race. Lochiel and Carbine had a bibol misfortune to meet an opponent like Mr Morris Jacobs's mare, for an Aucklander who looked over her in Melbourne about this . period last year, tells me that ib was whispered to "him by her connections that she was a rod in pickle for a Newmarket Handicap, and so it has turned out. The mare has always been credited with being possessed of greab pace, and from the period the weights appeared she was constantly nibbled at on the other side at long prices, and I notice by a paper of 27th February that on that evening at the Victorian Club a wageil of 5.000 to 250 was wanted about her. Sedition's owner is a heavy bettor, and it is quite certain that he has fallen in for a big stake. Previous to the Newmarket Handicap, Sedition's only two successes were gained at meetings at Moonce Valley and Williamstown, and there was nothing of any note bshind her. On the score of breeding, though, she has plenty to recommend her, for her sire iNecker.sgat 5,0b that brilliant colb Newstead, in addition to many others that have gained turf lame. Irish Queen (the dam of Sedition) is an Australianbred mare, and is an occupant of the stud farm of Sir Thomas Elder at Adelaide. She was bred by Mr M. Bryant in 1874, and was got by Irish King, her dam Sylph, by Impudence (V.) from Creeping Jane, by Plenipo. Singular to say, the Newmarket Handicap was the only event Sedition was entered for at the meeting,but she is a rattling good mare, or else she could never have pub down the field she did last Saturday. The slow time recorded has been a puzzle ho everyone, but the state of the atmosphere and the way the firsb couple of hundred yards was run would, in all probability, bring this about. With such flyer.? as Lochiel, Carbine, Cranbrook, and Tradition in the race, it was very properly anticipated that there would have been some record-smashing, and when the timo was published there were many who would not credit it being correct.

If Loclnol missed the sprint; race, he made ample amends in the Australian Cup, which he appears to hxve won with something in hand. Tbo number that opposed him was the smallest since Protos won so far back as 1374, when nine wont to the post, while the field, excepting Carlyon and Carbine, can hardly be termed of the highest, class. Nevertheless, there was a deal of merit in the performance, and Mr

Stead's success will cause gratification, from one end of the colony to the other. I think it goes without question that ho has done more for the cause of racing and breeding than any man who can bo mentioned in New Zealand. He is a thorough enthusiast and a practical man to boot, while he spares neither time nor expanse to gain his successes. Slay the "yellow banner and black cap " of the Canterbury sportsman be further carried to victory.

All doubts about Carbine being a nonstayer were set at rest by his victory in the Champion Stakes on Thursday. He recorded a real sterling performance in the event, to say nothing of his second in the Australian Cup. Carbine possess a splendid record, for he has never yet been unplaced, and it is pleasing to think that he is owned by a sportsman of Mr Donald Wallace's stamp. Lochiel again covered himself with glory by winning the Autumn Stakes, so that altogether New Zealand has good cause to feel proud of the deeds accomplished by her equine representatives at the meeting;.

The nominations for the Easter Handicap, Autumn Handicap, and Steeplechase, to be run at the A.R.U. Autumn Meeting next month, will bo found in .another portion of this issue. It has been generally thought that Man ton's name figured among; the entries for the St. Leger, but glancing through the lisb I find that he is missing. This is a thousand pities, for a contest between Cuirassier and Mr Butler's crack, both at their best, would have been a treat indeed.

The Henderson's Mill Turf Club annual meeting1 comes off next Saturday. This is one of the legitimate fixtures of the year, and always retains its popularity with turfites, so with a fine day there is sura to b3 a good attendance. Acceptances and general entries will be found in another column, and the railway authorities announce trains to leave the Auckland station at 12.10 and 12.25 p.m.

The Committee of the Auckland Racing Club again had Mr G. G. Stead's letter under consideration, suggesting that the A.R.C. should alter the date of their Spring Meeting to October, thus enabling our crack two-year-olds to journey to Christchurch for the Metropolitan gathering in November, while in return, the Canterbury Jockey Club would reciprocate by holding their Summer Meeting towards the end of January, thus enabling many of their horses to take part in our Summer Meeting. The whole ihatber was fully gone into and discussed by the members, and tho conclusion was arrived at that they could nofc see their way clear to alter the present date of the A.R.C. Spring Meeting. It was pointed out that the 9th of November was a public holiday, while added to this the stakes given were too small to attract from the C. J.C. Meeting, and that the gathering was purely and simply a local one. Since the meeting was held, a second letter has been received from Mr Stead ; but the contents have not been made public. From the way Ladjr ISTorah won the Wanganui Cup, ifc is plainly evident that she is back «in her old form again. It 13 is always pleasing to chronicle a win of Mr Bobbett's, and this makes the secondoccassion that his colours have been carried to the front in the race, Tetford having gob home in 1886. With 7st 121b the daughter of Cadogan has always been a slippery mare over 1| miie, and she must have a chance of also annexing the Hawke'a Bay Cup, run on the 18th inst., and for which "fche has entailed a 101b penalty. Tins brings her weight up to Bst 81b. Leopold was made a great " pot" for the race, but he got no nearer than third, despite his light impost. Katterns rode Lady Norah, thus adding to bis many succeßses.

There has been a lob of surprise at Hilda dropping oub of the Hawke's Bay Cup. The exact reason of her defection I have not been able to learn, but it has been a blow to several early punters who are fond of backinr- doubles. There are now left in the race : Silence, Bst 6lb ; Escutcheon, Bsfc 21b ; Lady Norah, 7st 12lb ; Lady Florin, 7st 101 b ; Recluse, 7st Bib ; Salisbury, 7sb 51b ; Meta, 7sb ; Partner, 6st 131b : Leopold, 6st 121b ; Foxton, 6st 61b. The Takapuna Jockey Club have brought under the notice of the Auckland Racing Club the action of Messrs Brimblecombe and McLeod in laying totalisator odds at their last meeting, and up bo the present not having paid the fine of £25 each inflicted. At the monthly meeting of the A.B.C. Committee the matter \v;»s-fully gone into. Some of the members opined that the flue was far too heavy for a first offence, but at fche same time expressed the opinion that the practice of pencilleca interfering with the legitimate business of the Racing Clubs must be pub down with an iron hand. Ib was further.thought that the Metropolitan Clubs should join issue, and it was eventually agreed to let the matter stand over. _ Tetford demonstrated at the East Tamaki meeting lasb Saturday that he has not forgotten how to gallop. He won both the Cup and Flying Stakes in a very easy manner, and it is quite plain that, he has lost the bad temper he was in the habit 01 showing. Harry Harrison is deserving of praise for the way hs has treated the horse since being under his care, and everyone was glad to see him have a win with the son of Musket. • Musket's daughter Volley proved what a first-class mare she is when really well by her V.R.C. St. Leger victory last Saturday. Her running goes" to prove that the Kirkham stable made no mistake when they so heavily supported liar in the early spring for the A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbies, bub the fickleness of the sex no doubt brought about her downfall ab that period. J. Rae has had an addition made to his string in the shape of a two-year-old filly named Lilac, by Loolinus—Leila. She has jnst been .broken in. The Nordenfoldt— Leila colt^purchased by Rae ab the lasb New Zealand Stud Company sale has been

named Focus. • \ Dudu's in-and-out running at Dunedin was quite the topic of the hour in Southern sporting circles. The Christchnrch contingent are very wroth at the D.J.G. holding an inquiry and passing the resolution they did, ib beingl contended that if there was no conclusive evidence forthcoming to prove the charge ib would have only been justice to" Cutfcs to have left no suspicion of guilt about the matter, as implied in the resolution passed. It was proposed that the stewards of the Canterbury Jockey Club present at the meeting should publish a statement of their dissent from the finding of the stewards of the Dunedin Jockey Club, hat the Canterbury officials, while unanimously disagreeing with the tenor of the resolution, declined to place themselves in opposition to their Dunedin contemporaries. Mr C. H. Williams, owner of Sultan, and several of Cutts's patrons, however, have coma to his rescue, and Mr G. H. Clifford published the following letter in the Christchurch papers : " Sir,— The formal expression ot opinion by the stewards of the Dunedin Jockey Club that the running of Dudu at their recent meeting was unsatisfactory and suspicious obliges me to state publicly that with a fill?, knowledge of the facts of the case, I am certain that the mare was run honestly on her merits. Were it otherwise, I should feel constrained to remove my horses from her owner's care. I was present at the inquiry, being examined as a witness. 1 was struck by the inexplicable spirit of partisanship exhibited by some of the stewards, and I was more than astonished that any body of men acting in a judicial capacity should, without one tittle of evidence produced to support their censure, have cast a cruel and unmerited slur upon a trainer whoso whole career has given a conspicuous example of integrity in his profession.—l am, etc., Gko. H. Cltffouu. Christchurch Club, February 25th, 1889."

Too Soon went o::t favourite at 3 to 1 for the Election Handicap at Pvosehill (Sydney), in which he waa easily defeated by Mr W. J. Dangar'?) mare La Valetre. There wero twenty-six starters. Anent the race "Martindalo" writes: "The defeat of Too Soon must have been a serious loss to his owner, Mr \V. Lyons, who is one of our most popular ringmen. This horse must have cost no end cf money, and all wo aid like to see him score a good win." I have advices from "Adam Bede," stating there were 1,309 subscribers to the Newmarket Handicap, 28 prizes coming to New Zealand. Carbine and Australi;u) Peer came to Auckland, and Pakeha and Melody to Wellington, while in the Australian Cup Lochiol came to Auckland. During the week Mr Percival has been collecting subscriptions to bring Major Walmsley's remains over from Adelaide and have them interred here. It is intended also to erect a suitable headstone and railing around the grave. Mr H. H. Hayr has nfso been exerting himself with asimilar view in regard to the jockey Edgeeombe, who is interred in the Taramiki cemetery.

1 see by a Sydney paper that the wellknown jockey Alec. Sutherland has turned boniface, having recently taken possession or' Tattersall'e Hotel, (Jrafton.

The Secretary of the Pakuranga Racing Club tells me that the Club will come out of last Saturday's race meeting with a profit of £5. It is intended to sow the course down with grass, and have it levelled.

. The Auckland - bred colt Leontios, by Leolinus—Tifcania, purchased a, couple of years back at the New Zealand Stud Company sale, recently ran second in a Maiden Plate at Oakieig'h Park, near Melbourne. He carried Mr Oscar Barnetb's colours.

Antelope has not yet recovered from the injuries she sustained in the Auckland Cup, and there is no chance of getting another race out of her this season.

Out of tho 27 Australian Cups which have been decided the three-year-olds have annexed no less than nine of them. The four-year-olds have only managed to place four to their credit, whilst the five-year-olds have won but throe. Amongst the senior division the six-year olds have appropriated three. The aged horses have succeeded in gaining a winning bracket in the Australian Cup on eight occasions, the last of that division to be successful being Loehiel.

Speaking of the two-year-olds that ran at the Dunedin Meeting, the "Canterbury Time? " says they were a particularly good lot, The writer reriiarks : Cynisca, who won the Champagne Stakes and Railway Plate, is now unquestionably the best of her year, and we doubt very much if a faster thoroughbred has ever stood on a racecourse in the colony. She slips away from her field in the first furlong, and after that seems never fairly extended. Dunkeld ran disappointingly. Re stopped in an extraordinary fashion in the Champagne, nob through any want of gameness, bub by changing his legs coming round the top turn, and when he. was set going again the pursuit of Cynisca was hopeless. He won the City Stakes cleverly enough, but was all abroad in the Marshall Memorial, and we must either conclude that he is a very unfortunate eolfc or not so good as we at one birr.c supposed. Scots Grey i.« a colt for which we entertain the highest respect. He is very backward, and has altogether a babyish appearance, bufe should those sus-picious-looking .hocks stand work he will have something to say in the decision of next year's Derby. He is nob bred exactly like a stayer, bub he tried every yard of the way in his three races at Forbury, and if we were required to place the bwo-year-olds we sf>,w last week in their order of merit we should certainly give this young gentleman a place.

From Melbourne cornea word that Don Giovau has once more " gone to pieces,"

and he may never stand another preparation. : , ~ ■' , For a Ion"- time past the leading cash bookmakers in England have been a good deal puzzled what to do to protect themselves in cases of dispute and objections which often arise after having "paid out' on a race, and after much consideration they have decided to pay cash bets on the "all right" being officially signified in the usual "accepted manner. They further notify that it is only on this expressed understanding and condition that any ready money business will be transacted by money or otherwise. Latest advices from England state tnat the Duke of Portland's coit Donovan, by Galopin from Movverina, who during his two-year-old career made such a brilliant record, having started 13 times and scored 11 winning brackets, still holds the position of first favourite for the Derby, his price when the mail left being 100 to 30, taken and offered.