THE Racing World

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3, 3 January 1903, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE Racing World

Bt "Whalebone."

The Americans are taking great interest in the prehistoric horse. In a recent issue of the "Horseman" it is stated that a party of naturalists out in the west have made some wonderful discoveries. From the meagre reports at hand it seems that the fossils of a herd of five horses have been discovered, and that all belonged to the same species of three-toed horses hitherto known only from fragments of the skull and leg limb. Five forelegs and ten hind legs were found in a perfect state of preservation. There were also several skulls and one nearly complete skeleton. Further details of this important dis~ covery will be impatiently awaited by students of the horse.

The Victoria R.C. committee recently passed the following resolution: —"That the committee of the V.R.C. strongly support the principle of the totalisator, and that circulars be forwarded to registered racing clubs throughout the State requesting their co-operation and support, and asking them to appoint delegates to meet this committee in conference, with a view to furthering the movement for the legalisation of the totallsator, and that a sub-committee be appointed, consisting of the chairman (Mr S. Miller), Messrs W. H. Croker, A. McCracken, and R. Crawford, to expedite the movement."

It is generally agreed that the Australian turf would be all the better if we had a greater number of men of m D n social standing taking- an active part, says "Martindale." It would appear to bo much the same in other partss of the world, as I read in an exchange that the indifferent results of the yearling sales at Hoppegarteu recently inspired a Bavarian sporting journal to declare that Germany lacks real sportsmen—men of fortune ana position, who regard racing as a pleasure and not as a means of making money. In most caseS (says the journal in question) the money is there, but there is no inclination. The old German prejudices against racing have not yet been overcome, and, with the exception of Hamburg, the merchant princes and leading manufacturers are too timid to fake up racing. They have no high officials, or, as in England, a Cabinet Minister with racing stables; and men of position hesitate before the pen of the biassed journalist, who is ready to heap obloquy on the public man who ventures to show a cap and jacket on "the racecourse. The Emperor has no taste for sport, and yet he, as a soldier, must know how dependent the army is for its cavalry supplies on the. racecourse. The visit of the Crown Prince to the next meeting at Cologne may have ah excellent effect on sport in the future.

"The victory of Lot at Leicester is a rather amusing event (says "The Sportsman"), as he Is a son of Sorcerer and the now notorious Pentecost, whose elimination from the Stud Book has for two or three years been the subject of controversy. Lot was foaled in Prance, where his dam had been sent for sale by M. Halbronn. Up to that time the record of her had duly appeared in the English Stud Book, but it then transpired that there was a mare in the French Stud Book purporting to be the same animal, and said to have been imported in 1893. In spite of overwhelming evidence that the genuine Pentecost had never left England until sent for sale as just mentioned, Messrs Weatherby solved the difficulty as far as they were concerned by deliberately omitting her from their next supplement and from Vol. XIX., and M. Halbronn was proceeded against in the French courts by the owner of the bogus Pentecost for ever having advertised the right one for sale. Failing the aid of Messrs Weatherby, M. Halbronn was cast in damages of £80 and costs, which now he is seeking to recover in the English courts. The case will come on very shortly, and the identity of this mare will be the question at issue, Messr Weatherby having agreed to abide the event. Meanwhile Pentecost's two-year-old son, Lot, had to be very carefully described for purpose of entry in races."

St Simon must be now nearly, if not quite, With his son Persimmon at the head of the winning sires of England. When the last mail left it was figured out that the totals were: Persimmon, £36,500, and St. Simon £35,196. Since then St. Maclou has put the Manchester Handicap to tha latter's credit, so that when the final results come to hand there will probably be little between the two leaders. Isinglass has made a ?orward move, as while last season his representatives only credited him with £6387, his total up to last month was £26,601. Carbine was fourth, with about £22,000, and was a long way in front of the next horse, Ayrshire, £14,630. Plorizel 11. has been the- particular disappointment in England this season. /In 1900 his progeny won nearly £10,000, and last season he went up third with £23,607, but this year his representatives have done so badly that he is not even in the first 25. Ladas is another who has dropped right back, but last year his forward position was owing to his son Epsom Lad winning a couple of the "ten thousand pounders." He has actually more winners and more races to his account this time, but the stakes do not amount to one-fifth of last year. Persimmon owes his position to the fefforts of two horses, Sceptre having won six races of the value of £23,137, and Cheers one of £9675.

1: is very evident that among the officials connected with the various proprietary race clubs they have a clever business man (says an Australian writer). This is tl-own by the manner in which the clubs have fixed up financial matters in connection with the stipendiary steward question. The appointments mean chat Uje clubs have to pay out no less than £20 per day—some of them a little more. To cover this the clubs have decided to increase the fees paid by bookmakers. This has been done, and after paying the extra money in the shape of sic -wards' fees line various clubs will be left with a nice little surplus. The bookmakers, as may be supposed, do not take kindly to this way of managing the business. They, however, have a very good thing, and are now paying less than is charged lor Ooing business upon a racecourse in any cdher part of the world, except in England. There is no business under the sun in which more money can be made at such small outlay. What is more, in these days of cash business there are no bad debts and no stock to be spoilt. What is more, the bookmakers should be very pleased to pay the increased amount. It is they who must reap the greatest benefit from the appointment of paid stewards, as it means increased confidence in the sport by the public. Such being the case, the public will invest their money in a n-.ore liberal manner, and back their fancy in place of waiting off vnd watching for a move from stable commissioners before backing a horse.

A considerable commotion has been caused in French sporting circles by an incident which at present baffles all attempts at explanation. A Paris telegram, November 19th, to an American exchange, says that on the preceding day, in the course of the forenoon. Mr C. Carter, the well-known trainer, received a telegram, signed "Lienart" or countermanding the order to run Audimint. which had been engaged for the principal event of the day at Auteuil. the Prix de la Muette. At the same time a.nother trainer, who had in his stables the Belgian horse Marmot, which was entered for the same race received a telegram signed "Brugmann," the owner, instructing him to send back the animal immediately to Belgium. The trainer at once proceeded to carry out his orders, and took Marmot to the station. Mr Carter, •uspectinff that something was wrong , ,

took no notice of the extraordinary tele* gram, and turned up with Audimint at Auteuil. The result proved that he was well advised in doing so, for neither Mr Lienart nor Mr Brugmann, the owners of the horses named, had sent the tele-, grams which were received. None of the other proprietors whose horses were entered for the same race are considered capable of such a disloyal proceeding. It is believed that the trick was perpetrated, by someone who hoped to gain financially by the removal of Audimint and Marmot. The Societe dcs Steeplechases has decided upon a rigorous inquiry. This unpleasant incident, coming after the recent Bordeaux scandal, in which the police placed under restraint several horses which had been "doctored" and run under false names, and the admission made some time ago by a Maisons I*af-. fitte bookmaker of laming a horse with, whose proprietor he was unfriendly, has directed attention to a very unsavoury, side of French racing life, and a strong feeling that it is high time the French turf was purified of its undesirable ele-< ments.

On the stipendiary steward question much has been wriuen from time to. time, and much more will no doubt ba said on the question. The appointments made in Sydney by the Australian Jockey; Club are being discussed -by the people. All are not satisfied; it would be impossible to satisfy everyone. A Sydney paper, in dealing with the recent appointments, takes up fair ground, and thus refers to the matter:—lt was the correct thing for the proprietary clubs to ask foe the selections to be made by the commit-* tee of the Australian Jockey Club. Out of the hundreds of applicants the selection has been made of three gentlemen of standing in the social world. To tha metropolitan sporting world they ara comparatively unknown. Thus they will commence upon their duties free from, the Slightest suspicion of anything in tha shape of favouritism or antagonism to anyone. Of course, the fact alone of their not being known to metropolitan racing folk is, In the eyes of many, a. fault. They argue that to fill the positions allotted them they require great racing experience. This they cannot possibly possess and not be known in tha racing world. That, of course, Is" very; fair argument; but, then, there is a lot of racing outside Sydney, and it would be a most unlikely thing for gentlemen, like those composing the committee of the Australian Jockey Club to make the mistake of appointing anyone incapable. They know exactly what is wanted of these stipendiary stewards, had scores to make their selection from, with full ere* dentials, so that nothing was wanting. Exception has been taken to the appointment ot one of the three on the grounds that he is a Victorian. Not that he is a Victorian, but that we have scores of men in this State, and that such good billets ought to be given to local men. That is a. most sellisli and egotistical -way; of looking .at the matter. We went abroad for a manager for our railways,, and we got a good one. The Americans a short time back decided upon appointing a stipendiary steward. No doubt, tliey have thousands of capable men that could have done the work; but the committee iof the leading American Turf Club decided to get an Englishman to fill the post, their selection falling upon a very popular London pressman. What we want is to have our racing conducted in the fairest possible manner, and if it is thought best to have men from abroad it is quite right to appoint them. We do not wish to infer that we have not as capable men in Sydney to fill the positions as could be found anywhere. We know, that they could be got. That, however, is not the point. Those who wished for the appointment of the stipendiary stewards requested that the A.J.C. committee should take the business in hand and select the men. They have done so. It now only remains for the gentlemen appointed to take up their duties, and by, their actions prove their worth and capacity for filling the positions to whiett they have been appointed. ,

There are people in high quarters in the world of sport who never can find a good word fbr pony and galloway racing. They* in their ignorance, for such is really the case (says "The Town and Country Journal"), describe it as the lowest class of sport that can be imagined. Now, most of the people who speak loudest and in the most bitter terms of this branch of our great business of racing have never attended at a pony or galloway race meeting in their life. Thus they, know nothing about it. If these men. upon any Wednesday afternoon paid a visit to the meeting held by the Ken-< sington Racing Club they would be able to see for themselves, ilf they spoke truthfully afterwards, their statements must be. very different to what they now make. That club conducts its race meet-* ings upon very strict lines; consequently* it is in a most flourishing state, and. what is more, has done quite as much, service to the horse - breeders of this State during the last seven years aa even the more pretentious racing olubs under, jockey club rules. Before we had pony and galloway racing, placed with us on a> proper footing and carried out on the very, best lines, there was not an animal itt this State under 15 hands, whose value was more than fifty guineas. Such Is not the case now. Hundreds of small horses have been sold to go to Africa, India, and other parts of the world from the prices! ranging from £100 to £500. The selling is still going on, as the {•oinmissioners are always upon the look-out. It is a solid fact that a better price could be obtained at the present day for a clinicing good 14.1 pony than for the majority of the racehorses that race 4 over Randwick or Plemington during the last spring race meetings. Such being the case, it appears more than strange that gentlemen of standing never can, find a good word for a sport which in instances has put money into their pocket, as they are breeders, and we know that they cannot at command fix the height to which. their horses shall grow. That the very, best studs in our and other States contribute to the pony and galioway ranks a glance through the complete vace books issued by the Kensington Racing Club is evidence. On this track we. have seen racing horses by Carbine, Abereorn, Trenton, Lochiel, Archie, Marvel, Trident, Russiey, Beauchamp, Nobleman (imp.j, Trenchant, Gozo, Manton, Haut Biion, Jeweller, Bargo, Hindoo, Launceston, Zulu, Cor* reze, Metal, Niagara, Retfora, and other popular sires. This is pretty plain evidence that all studs contribute to the ranks of the small horses. Now, were there no such place as Kensington to keep this sport clean and honest, and push it ahead, the value of these small horses would not be that of a common hack. As it is, they, in place of being an encum* brance on the hands of the breeder, rea« Hse for him a handsome sum of money* Thus it appears more than strange to hear people who are actually the breeders of these horses declaiming against the sport of pony and galloway racing. What is more, the leaders of this class of racing have shown very clearly, and deserve every credit for it, the value of stipendiary stewards. The Kensington Racing Clu.b Proprietary hare always made it a point of securing the very best people obtainable to carry out the business associated with their racing. Thus, prior to the ruling of the A.J.C., by which their officials were prevented from acting, tha sport at Kensington was carried out under a list of officials, in which appeared the names of the judge, starter, handicapper, clerk of the scales, and clerk of the course, who did duty at Randwick. Of course, they cannot act now, but other gentlemen of the highest standing in the turf world fill their places. Thus we see what a race club can do whose officials act firmly and honestly, as by their example others do likewise, and we find a sport, which was at one time of no account whatever, raised to a very hlg-Ji standard indeed.