THE..... Racing World.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 122, 24 May 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE..... Racing World.

* WlialanoiM.

Tatter "Wallop, a ,ialf brother to that good mare Old Clo. while working at /Randwick recently, fell and injured himself.! so that his hind quarters were paralysed, and he had to be destroyed.

Mr W. S. Cox, at one time a first-class amateur, recently won a steeplechase at Mentone, near Melbourne, on a horse called Forty Winks. Mr Cox had not won a race for some years, but handled his mount in something like his old form.

Paddy Nolan was a good waster himself; when race riding. His feelings can be imagined when a jockey named Brooks, who was to have ridden a horse called T.C. for him at Rosehill, went to the scales 171bs too heavy, leaving Nolan no other course than to sicratch his horse at the last moment.

Says the " Special Commissioner" In the "London Spoi .sman":—The first Merman foal I have seen is a remarkably fine chestnut filly.- very typical of the old. horse, with plenty of size and bone. It is out of Meg Kissock, by Rightawaj r , out of Braw-LasS.-and is the first foal of its dam. Bidothea, own sister to Merman, and as* like him as a iiiare can be to a horse, has be-'-n in p. fed this year to Bill of Portland, a very eleven cross* it a Icl.i- pioportiou of aiermu »; stock should only turn out as good as he himself has proved, there win be some sound and sterling performers on the turf soon.

An exciting incident is thus recorded in a Sydney exchange:—At the conclusion of the day's programme at Rosehill* iand jiust as the ringmen werje paying out to the successful backers of Orphan Boy, and those who had nothing to draw w!ere making for the trains, the chestnut gelding Cecil Rhodes broke away, with the cross beam to which he was attached, swinging at his heels. The horse bolted madly through the weighing in enclosure, round the judge's box, and out again into the saddling paddock, then round the grandstand, up and down the lawn, and over the flower beds. This caused a great scatter, especially among the ladies, of whom there was a large number, but fortunately no one was .injured, the horse being caught when he had exhausted himself.

Those who love to see horses well named, and who have no sympathy with owners who are- fond of duplication, should do all they can to discourage the practice. The secretaries and programme committees of racing clubs should in the same way remember that in drawing up their racing programmes .they might get away from a common practice in the naming of their races. The number of races called after Important events decided In other colonies or in other parts of the world must be numerous. Surely, instead of calling so many events after big races run elsewhere, and describing others as first, second and third welter handicaps, and first, second and third maiden welters, or maiden hurdle or maiden steeplechase handicaps as the case might be, appropriate names could be given to such races.

The list of leading sires in Australia, for the third quarter, ending April 30th, has been compiled from the "Australasian Turf Register," and is most instructive. New Zealand figures conspicuously, as out of 180 sires represented, twenty six were bred in this colony, and Trenton, now in England, bred at Wellington Park by Mr T. Morrin, heads off the list, four of his progeny having won 17 races of the value of £11,698. Gozo comes next with 27 winners of 48i races, and £9387 to their credit. Grafton figures third with 16 winners of 29 races and £6770 opposite their names. Lochiel has 29 winners of 65 races, with £3901 as their total earnings. Bill of Portland comes next, and then Metal. Wallace, son of Carbine, figures seventh in the list, a creditable position indeed for a young: sire. Sunrise and Padlock are each represented by plenty of winners Russley, the half brother to Stepniak, has ten representatives, who have earned £2604. Medallion has 13 winnens of £2069. Carbine, Mana, Zalinski, Escutcheon, Niagara, Martini Henry, Loyalty, Thunderbolt, Strathmore, Tartar Enfilade, Nordenfeldt, Oudies, Fusilier, St Swithin, Torpedo, Castor, Hova, Town Moor, and True Blue are familiar names that occur in the winning sire list.

.v r^ Gor . am ' the own er of Shannon Lass, the Grand National winner, according to •Sporting Life," gave a luncheon, at which some 80 of his personal friends sat down, including neighbouring farmers and some of the stable lads. Occupying a prominent position at the head of the table was the handsome cup, which was greatly admired. After the King's health had been drunk with musical honours, the Rev. J. F. Poole, the Vicar of Telscombe, proposed the health of Mr A. Gorham, and said it was impossible to convey to that gentleman how glad they were when they heard the news in their little village, and knew that he had gained the summit of his ambition. He was very pleased indeed to congratulate Mr Gorham; no doubt it' would seem very strange that such a toast should be placed in the hands of a clergyman, but he, a Yorkshireman, considered that no one should hold aloof from such a task when racing was conducted on such lines as were followed by Mr Gorham. Racing was not bad in itself, as it gave encouragement to trade in the country, and it was only when malpractices were indulged in that he should hold aloof. The toast was enthusiastically received. Mr Gorham, In responding, thanked them all for the very kind reception they had given him." Sportsmen reading the above will conclude that racing has a good friend in the Vicar of Telscombe.

An amusing account of a time 'trial which took place many years ago is told by an American correspondent in his nc tes on the veteran English trainer, Anthony Taylor. He says: " Anthony Taylor, a veteran English trainer, was sent home recently by the American Jockey Club. He has lately been in hospital, and was to reduced circumstances. He was a brother of the late Alec Taylcr, and thought his brother would have willed him something, but was disappointed when he found himself left big. unci dry. He first came over here as k trainer for H. M. Sanford, who' ran Mate and other horses in England. Later he trained for the late August; Belmont, aieo for • Pierre Lorillard. Of recent years he had found out that all the training berths are conferred on the rising talent, and America has no place for an old-timer. He could get no employment . orth having, and had a hard time to get along. It was a charitable act on the part of the Jockey Club to send lim home to hia relatives, who will doubtless lind him a comfortable home. When he first came over and was taking contr ii of Mr Sanford's stable, that owner said to him: 'Now, Taylor, I know yocr countrymen are much opposed to the use cf the watch' in training. But I want my horses trained like the other Americans, by the watch, and I shall bring you a timer the next time I come down, so that you will have one to use.*

'In due course Sanford came to Monmouth Park, where Taylor had the horses, bringing with him the timing watch as promised. 'Now, Taylor,' he said, ' these horses are going to work, and I want you to take this timing watca and time them with me. See if we make it alike.'

" ' All rate, sir,' said Tony, giving the boys on their horses the necesasry 'nstrucflons, to work the horses a mile, back to the winning post where they stood. It was a mile oval track.

"The horses started in due course, and Sanford and Taylor both clicked their watches on them as they broke. After they had finished the gallop, Sanford looked cX hia watch to see the time.

Then, turning to Taylor, said: "How fast did you make it, Taylor?"

"Tony looked down at his watch, but, unaccustomed to using it, had forgotten, in watching the finish of the work, to stop it. He looked up' at his patron, with a broad grin, and said: ' I started 'un all rate. But, by gum, 1 forgot to pull the bloomin* trigger.'"

The practice of giving a prize Cheshire cheese of the value of osovs to each of the owners of placed horses in the Chester Cup is still mtaintained. In noticing tho victory in this race of Carabine, by Carbine from Saintfied, the own sister to> Mr Leonard Marshall's Cyrenian, a confrere thus refers to this old established event:— " Racing is said to have been carried on when Castra, as the place was then called, was occupied by the Twentieth Legion of the Roman Army, but this is only legendary. What is certain, however, is that records of racing on the Roodee in 1511 are still in existence. Prebendary Robert Rogers, of the Cathedral, vrtio died in 1595, yte lis of a

• silver bell, which was ordayned to Do the reward of that horse which, with speedy runnlnge, then runne before all others.' There is an order of the Corporation of Chester, dated tlio 10th day of January, in the third yeae of Henry VIII., directing that this bell, of the annual value of three shillings and fourpence, the reward of ' speedy runnlnge,' should in future be always, run for on a course on the Roodee. Tha Chester Cup, however, as at present known, was first run for in 1824, when Doge of Venice, 6yrs, carried 9.2 -to victory. Since then many famous horse 3 have been among the winners, notably Hymettus, General Chasser, King Cole, Alice Hawthorn, Joe Miller, Leamington (twice), St. Albans, Tim Whiffler, Dalbv(twice), Beeswing, Paul Jones, Knight oC the Garter, Freeman, Pageant (twice), Carlton, Dare Devil (twice), Kilsallaghan, and Count Schomberg. Last year the race was won by Mr P. Lorilard's h c David Garrick, by Hanover—Peg Woflington, 4yrs, 8.10, the race being worth £2030. Sir E. Vincent's Australian-bred horse Stoicado, by "Cranbrook—Tiwoona, syrs, 7.13, was third, Aye lengths behind. This year's winher was bred by Lord Londonderry, and was purchased as a yearling by Mr Jay for 100 guineas. Ha ran five times as a two-year-old, winning in his first essay the Juvenile Selling Plate of £100, at Salisbury, and being purchased directly after by'his present owner for 170 guineas. He afterwards ran third in the Hollybush Plate at.-Gat* wick, second in the Clumber Nursery _&£ Nottingham, and second in the Frytton Nursery Handicap Plate at Pontefract; and ■ wound up the season by being unplaced at Manchester. Last year he wort on. five out of seven essays, .the Thirnk Handicap Plate of £116, at Thlrsk- th-3 Warwickshire Plate of £183, at Birmingham; the August Handicap of £273, at Haydock Park; the Nottingham Handicap Plate of £435, and the Manchester November Handicap of £1375."

The "Australasian" of the 17tH has art interesting article on "Racing in New Zealand." from the pen of "H.," who It will be admitted has summed up the situation in such a way that very little exception can be taken to his conclusions. He is a little out, however, in the Statement that, excepting on big Cup days at Riccarton, and Ellerslie, a large assemblage is seldom drawn to our racecourses. This !b probably so in the South Island, but hero in Auckland the attendances keep up surprisingly at nearly all our meetings. Here is the article referred to: —"When one Is in the hurly-burly of a sporting life, he is inclined, whatever his misgivings may be, to look with the -kindliest eye on the pastime which is at once his recreation and pursuit. In coming in contact with all that is best in the life, he is apt to minimise the reading on the reverse side of the shield. We dwellers under the Southern Cross are marked all the world over as great lovers of . the sport of horse-racing; it is obvious the distinction has been fully earned. But how would our devotion stand if the accompaniments of the sport were taken away? The waning interest in sport, for the sake of sport, has been deplored from time to time by those that take heed of the tastes of the people, yet it Is veryquestionable if a proper realisation of the state of things- has been come to. Those living in an atmosphere that iia& been gradually vitiated do not discern the foulness in the air. Returning to-New Zealand after the lapse of more than a year, and being now only an interested spectator, it has come home to me that instead of being a nation of we are merely a nation of gamblers. The noble animal, then, is only tolerated by the bulk of the supporters of the furf as a means of speculation. As all the speculation is regulated by the totalisator— which is regarded as the fairest posslbla means of arriving at the equitable chances of the horses—the gradually in-' creasing turnover at the machines accounts for the apparent flourishing state or' racing. But the sums put into che totalisators at the racecourses do not ade-quately-represent the amount gambled on turf events. Indeed, with decreased attendances at the. racecourse sides; the xnoney invested with, those willing to fact* tiie risk of paying totalisator prices is ever mounting up. Most of the investors nowadays never see, nor. have they any desire to see. a race run. They are quits content to speculate upon ihrormatlbn received. and if the information tends to ' their enrichment are well satisfied; if, on, the contrary, they back the wrong one, they confound their luck, more often than not ascribing their undoing to the machinations of unscrupulous racing men. It.is these stay-at-home backers that know all about *he illicit means by which ** acoundrellv owners, trainers, and jockeys and all of that ilk. take down the confiding public. On their good days, in the freely-epoken opinion of these people, the turf is a giand institution. When the fates are against them, racing is condemned as a sink of iniquity.

'• The ' Australasian ' has pointedly called attention to the decadence of trie ring in Victoria. J .imagine tne reason ot this is that there Is sb little ants-post berin F now indulged in that bookmakers cannot stand to b* snot at over a tev, irorses when they have really «t,ww. The advent of the totalisator meant tin. krock-out of bookmakers betting to ngur'es in this State; still up to. the last few years the New Zealand cup, wit a. -he weights issued months before its decision, created a betting market, and ay ownTr could probably get *MMgt*jpM his horse. With decreasing business,-U is now a bad looK-out for those wita Cup books. Starting-price betting is the rage, and the rush to get on only comes wheA the emissaries on the course send the-very latest good thing. The greed of clubs for totalisator revenue is one ot the things that tend to the demorahsa-t-or. of the sport. Every little tin-pot racing institution that can get a license, not content with a single day's racing, s.reads out its meagre stakes over two days and into as many events as • wiil be sanctioned. . The clubs more often; than not defeat their own ends in tftts way, for th_ better-class horses are npC attracted, .nd the pubQc stay away, ! Tii& long-drawn-out system, however, - suits the gambler at a distance, for he has more chances to Indulge in his propensity, and one race is as good as another for him to speculate on. The big clubs even are not above the avarice of see .- ing to drain their patrons through tha machine, for summer and winter they s. I dewn eight events per diem for decision, such being the maximum allowed by the rules. This is playing to depraved tastes. The horse-lover likes to see the contestants for a coveted prize both before and after running; and what time '.» there for doing so on a Grand National afternoon, with eight events to be got through ? It Is all hurry and bustle—enjoyment gives place to irritation. Except on the big Cup days at Ri«carton and Ellershe, which have become faanionable functions, a large assemblage is seldom drawn to our racecourses. The zest for seeing equine contests wou:d seem to be evaporating among the present generation, and when this is admitted It must be held that the sport is far from being In a good way. ' .