ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 153, 29 June 1901, Page 3

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Query, Auckland.-- (i) Carbine holds the two miles record for the colonies, viz., 'im 2£{n, In the Molbovrno cup: (i) Seahorse's performance m the Canterbury Cup lust Spring w&.j ;i record for tho tw> and a quarter ir'i.- ,n ihe colonies. He docs jiol hold :; twu mile record.

jSor'wcsr is nearly sound jigaln

Ifavona is still workinc1 at Bllerslie

J Maker will take over the stables shortly to be vacated by P. Martin at Hastings.

The hunter Jim changed hands at Messrs Buekland's yards ou Friday lor £14.

Mr J. Beckett will probably leave Auckland for Sydney on Monday by the Mararoa.

Kaiwaka sired the respective winners of the H.B. Trial and Hunt Club Steeplechases, in Waitio and X Jam.

Seahorse is still being exercised at Wapiti, aacl wears a boot, his foot not being sufficiently sound for the roads.

Moifaa, the winner, and Holler, the runner-up, in the Hawke's Bay Hurdles, ai*e each from mares by The Painter.

W. H. Keith anticipates leaving Ellerslie for Wellington with Sundial, Employer and Forward Guard early in the coming week.

Mr J. Booth has purchased the Malua mare, Lady Marion, who has for some time past been used as a hack by a traveller.

Weights for the New Zealand Cup are due on Monday. On the same day Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup weights are also due.

A goodly number of members of the Pakuranga Hunt Club took their horses by train to the Pukekohe meet this morning from Remuera.

Readers are again reminded that the sale of Mr J. Lennard's racing and thoroughbred stock will take place on Monday, at 10 a.m., at Mangere.

A mare foaled in 1866 in the County Cork, Ireland, is still doing daily toil. She, raced for several years and had her first foal at the age of 21 years.

Admiral Hawke, Tarragon, Straybird, Hylas, and Voltigeur 11. are to be shipped to Gisborne on Tuesday to take part at the forthcoming meeting there.

Hohoro is being led to the Ellerslie course daily, and is steadily gaining flesh. His feet have improved since he went into retirement suffering from influenza.

Last year the Hon. J. D. Ormond's gelding Roller won the Hawke's Bay Hurdles and Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. This year the same double •was won by Moifaa.

In addition to the racing stock of Mr J. Lennard, Royal Conquerer, St. Jack, and Swiftfoot will be offered by Messrs Alfred Buckland & Sons without the .slightest reserve.

Kowhai, who claims engagements at the Gisborne Racing Club's Winter Meeting, was taken South to-day on the Waihora by Mr Tooman. Mitchell took Don by the.same steamer.

The hurdles at Riccarton are stronger than those used at Ellerslie, and are 3ft <sin hi<?b, but with a lean, and are negotiated vriili greater confidence by most horses on that account.

No big transactions have been recorded over the New Zealand Cup in Auckland so far, but after the appearance of the weights the old flame is sure to kindle, and some of the bookmakers, will be doing business, though others have decided not to operate.

The name of Ellingham has been more often associated with the successes of winners of the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase than that of any other owner. Mr W. Ellingham won it in 1886 with Denbigh, dam of Moifaa, and Mr A. Ellingham won with Chemist in 1888, with Ruby in 1899, and with Moifaa on Friday.

The imported trotting sire Huon C2B-1) who proved one of the best stock-getters in Australia, and had left a good many excellent performers there during the past ten or twelve years, is dead. He was purchased two years affo by Mr L. Wilson, of ChristSreh ?rom Dr. Slate, of Sydney, and was in his 22nd year. HnonJr., who holds a stallion record of 2.24J, is a son of Huon.

Twelve stone is the heaviest: w«*ht yet carried to victory in the Hawkes Bay Hurdles, and Moifaa's performance, from a time point, w one of the bost-next, in fact, to that of Dante, in 1898, when that gelAmg won, carrying 10.8, in 3m 51s. Only.once has more weight been earned in the Steeplechase, and that was when^Clar ene. scored with 13.2, or two pounds more than Moifaa earned. Clarence beat a large field. ._

Bandolier changed bauds during tin week, Mr W. Hae being the purchaser

Mr ,T. ('. Booth contemplates taking up quarter-? near Hamilton during- the winter.

Further repairs tire being made to the top tleck of the grandstand at EJlerslie.

icro. Winsome, Val Rosa, Bedding-ton mid St. Ursula, are the Auckland horses

engagud

Buffer would appear to be :i misnomer Tor a recent winner at Hawke's Bay.

J. TRae is superintendingl the training of Mnrs, and will take that gelding South with his team.

Mr E. D. O'Rorke has been in Auckland about a week, and was out at the hunt on Wednesday at St. John's College.

The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club came out well financially over their Winter Meeting. The totalisator turnover showed a substantial increase.

Natation is being worked more regularly on the tracks here, and will, it may be presumed, be kept from harness duty from now forward, in view of New Zealand Grand National engagements.

Mr Danvers has given Moifaa n load, viz., 14.2, in the Napier Steeplechase. Social Pest would only have to be himself to account for the best of them. Acceptances are due on Monday for the whole of the events.

"But the poor dog, in life the firmest friend, the first to welcome, foremost to defend." It was Byron who wrote pathetically of the dog, and the author of "Don Juan" had a tender spot in his heart for his canine friends. There are many men like Byron in that respect. Only last week Mr Leonard Marshall had his favourite trick and prize terrier Bill killed by two good-for-nothing gTeyhounds at Newmarket. Bill and his master were firm friends, and the loss of a racehorse would not have been so much felt. A decent burial was accorded, and a rail marks the spot where, in a neat coffin, poor Bill's remains were interred.

Some of those impetuous punters who are backing- Record Eeign for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race may have cause to regret it. Unless Mr McLeod'a representative reports that 'the son of Castor is thoroughly well, he may not be asked to undertake such a stiff contract on Saturday next. On Friday, his owner, in answer to a cable, received a reply offering him 1000 to 120, surely a short price. He has not backed Record Reign for a shilling.

It is really remarkable how successful the Ravensworth and Painter blood has been in jumping races. In the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase in particular we find this the case. Ravensworth claimed New Year, who won in 1882, and Clarence, who won the two following years, as his sons. Tauraekaitai and Gondolier were got by sons of his, Norton was from a daughter, and Morag, who won twice, from a granddaughter. The Painter sired Denbigh, Chemist, and Oddfellow, and Denbigh has given us Ruby and Moifaa, both winners, while last year's winner, Roller, was from the Painter mare Roll Call.

When coming from Greenlane on the train a few mornings since a horseman of some note was expressing his opinion with some freedom on the game of football when a passenger remarked that he was an enthusiast. "I should think so," was the reply. "I never miss an important match if I can help it. I would rather attend a willing go at football than a race meeting; that is, when all the players are going for keeps." Here another passenger chipped in with the remark that he thought footballers invariably went to win. "Not always," was the reply. "I've seen a good many non-triers, believe me, on the football field." The subject dropped, when a football player who had been listening attentively turned the refrigerator on by adding: "And you've ridden a few on the racecourse."

The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's two days' winter meeting, which commenced on Wednesday and terminated on Friday, saw the Natator gelding Moifaa again in winning form. In a field of nine in the Hawke's Bay Hurdles, in which race I favoured his chance, he paid the line dividend of £8 6/. There were three better favourites, Coeur de Lion, the North New Zealand Grand National Hurdle winner, being the most in request. This horse, who has been more or less infirm for some time past, we are told cut up badly in the race. The following is a table of winners of the Hawke's Bay Hurdles since 1896:—

1896..Mr Portland's The Plug, 10 0 . 4.142 189T-Mr R. Connop's Tally-ho, 10.11 4.2? IK9S—Mr JT. Moore's Dante, 10.5... 3.5: 1899-Mr Coleman's Troubadour, 9.3 4.0} iW-Hon J.D.Ormond's Roller, 10.13 '.'i 1901^Mr A. Ellingham's Moifaa, 12.0 3.54

On the second day of the meeting Mr Ellingham's gelding appears to have bad nothing to beat. It was only a matter of getting over the fences safe for him, as with one exception the other starters did not finish. The following are winners of the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase since 1896:—

iRqB-Mr W. McKenzie's Kaika .9.9 SS-MrGE. G. Richardson's Morag..lo. StMrV Bningham's Moifaa ..13.0

?eeplechase was the biggest weight S3 to the front since Clarence won with 13.2 in 1884.

Tt. was probably due to the way in which Waitio was racing with Moifaaon the opening day of the Wanganui Steeplechase Meeting, when she fell, that made the daughter of Kaiwaka a favourite for the Trial Steeplechase she won a-t the Hawke's Bay Meeting.

Nominations for the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase are not so large as could have been desired, still most of the horses may be got to the post. The Nominations for the Grand National Hurdle Eace are more satisfactory in point of numbers, and the quality is good. A good entry has lv;cn received for the Winter Cup. Cajiuougnte and Natation, in the Steeplechase; Cavaliero, Cannongate, Favoua, Firefly, The Needle and Royal Conqueror, in the Hurdle Race; ('aval-

Grey Seaton, Mary Heaton and Northumberland -were given some sharp sprinting this morning at Ellerslie. The colts utc lazy workers, the grey in particular.

it i.s probable that the- horses imported by the Government, lor Bind purposes will bo located ;rt t!ic State Purrn at Momobaki, near Wnngunui, until liie si i.son commences. Two of Ihe number arc believed to have been secured for the Waikato, and may be located at the Mataraata Estate. It id hardly likely that the Government will eater into competition with breeders of thoroughbred stock, but it is thought will see that these horses are used almost exclusively for begetting army remounts. For this purpose they will be located in different parts of the colony, but unless restrictions are placed upon breeders to the extent of refusing to allow the horses to be used for other than first-rate mares the primary object of the State may in a measure be defeated. The horses should certainly be located where they can meet with excellence in their mates, as more than individuality on one side i.s wanted to ensure success. Under no pretence should weeds and nondescripts be permitted to consort with the Sultans of the Government stud. Judgment must be exercised in the mating of the parent stock. Sentiment, regardless of the fitness of mares to become stud matrons, must be discouraged. Indeed, the time is overdue when State interference has almost become a necessity to check the indiscriminate use of indifferent sires. This might be done by imposing a tax upon all horses travelling for public service, and here with sires of their own the Government, with good men in authority, can prevent a perpetration of disappointments that can only result from injudiciously using mares totally unfitted to produce anything out of their own class. It is to^ be hoped that the enterprise of the Government may result in success. There are other ways in which good can be done to the horse-breeding industry, and one is to assist the settlers t 0 obtain a regular market, This can be done by receiving orders through the Imperial Government, who now know the worth of New Zealand-bred horses as army remounts. New Zealand should get a share of the business of supplying demands. No country can j do it better if only a start is made on a proper basis.