RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 199, 20 August 1904, Page 11

RACING NEWS.

Bi

RACING FIXTURES.

Septemb?r I.—Amberley Steeplechase Club ' September T. B.— Marton .lockey Club Hack i September 17, 21, 21.—Avondale Jockey ' Club. The much-advertised World's Fair Hall- ' dicap. of JUIU.OOO. duly came i>iV at Si. 1.-onis in .luue. and was won by Mr c>. Sti- , ffd's Country c.'irl. who carried Ii.XI. aud j started "cvoml favourite at 4 to 1 in a , liehl of 12. The favourite. Hermis, ran «. STi-eat race, but 9.4 pnjved too much for h-ini on a sticky track, and lie had to put ' up With second place. The owner of the ' latter was lucky in oue respect, as lie wished to put JC'iIXX) on his horse nt 15 to 1, ' nut that price uot beim; forthcoming* he did not Let. »>t the iIo.OOO. tho owner • of the nisi hoiwe received £820(1. second _rjo;i. tliird i.V.00, and fonrLli -C'-JOO. the last-mcntioued amount bciny tvliat it ci>st to si art. The owner of the winner is .1 ' brewer, and a Tier giving his trainer _4000. ' distributed a iarge portion of the balance in maintaining --open house" in all places ' iii Si. Louis -where Stifel beer was sold. ■ The owner of tlie second horse was also ill a liberal mood, as he divided his share of the pri/.e money between his trainer, jockey, and stable iueu. The humorous scribe on the '"Melbourne and Dramatic" states that Michael Carmody is much impressed with red-tapeism that now obtains in Tasmania iv counection with tlK' shipmenit of horses. The genial Irishman went over that way recently to briug back the I_tmeestou Cup winner, Southern Cross, and at Can—eld on Saturday he told ns all about it. "Fur-r-st _id foremost," said Michael, "1 had to go to the slaughter yards to Hud the stock itiiipecthor: thin some other certhiticatc had to be tilled up foreninet the lc«. - al butcher, aud liually both mc and Billy Clare found ourselves at liberty to ship our geeto Milhur-rn—provided we hild a consultatJo.il with the bllssid shoemaker." And as Hilly Clare stood by nodding assent to it •all, it must be true. Michael can't understand wtiat all the fuss was about. lie says they watched him like <| suspected person: and not for ail the good cheer of "the Latmeesion" or the sweet communion of kindred souls to be had nightly at "the Brisbane" could he be enticed to Tasmania again. He tltiuks he was dead lucky to jret the mare away without a post-mortem. A correspondent, writing to the London "Sportsman" on the subject of putting up light-weight boys with a lot of dead-weight to carry, states that the system was first introduced wtien Archer begau to be regarded as ;. phenomenon, and also that it was in vogue iv the time of Keny-ou, J. (irimsiiaw, und George Fordhaiu. To a certain exteut. they are undoubtedly correct (says "Vigilant".!, aud 1 Well re.mciiiber the sensation that was caused when Archer who theu could go to scale at about usl.was put up by the late Lord Fahuouth on Atlantic, aud won the Two Thousand Guineas iv 1574. At the same time, such instances were few aud far between, until the Short-lived craze for American jockeys was iv full bias!, aud probably J. lteiff has put tip more dead weight tli;ui any jockey that ever lived. "Humturn" remarks that the eiperiment was uot a mistake in the case of Archer, and thinks that 1 shall agree with him. So 1 do to si certain extent, but theu an Archer or a Fordham stands right out from his confreres, ami 1 still thiuk far more races have been lost through the practice than hare bepn won. At latest Hungarian sportsmen were eagerly looking turward to the entries for the famous "Napagedl Stakes." This event may, perhaps, lie si record one, as. according lo lhe Viennese papers, the entries are limited to JO in number, with, a fee of sun soys, and there Is morn than one youngster among the lot who seems capable of offering a stout resistance to the challengers. The affair arose out of the recent sale <if the yearlings of the Nsi paged 1 Stud, where the *4tt offered produced iiIS.COU, They were admitted on all sides lo be lhe best lot ever sent up for sale, and bidding was more than usually brisk. Two of them—a chestnut colt by Tokio out of Scarcity (own brother lo Taral) and another chestnut coll by Matchbox out of Turquoise—were warmly disputed, aud fell to the respective bids of Count N. Yon Szemere for 1440sovs nuil to Count A. Sigray for 12S0 soys. The two record purchasers "powed" each other, und arranged to run n private match over five furlongs on the last day of lhe \ ienaa summer meeting of lffOo, the stakes to be tho respective value of the two colts. The field of actiou has beeu widened, periods f;»r the declaration of forfeii htm* been n«uied, ami any other buyer at the sale eaii enter his purchase by paying JBOOsovs: while the stud management, entering fully into the spirit of the affair, offers a hsinuscme cup as a memento to the winner. The recent closing of the Washington Park track at Chicago was one of the most remarkable turf-happeuings in America this year. It was brought about: by the sudden determination of the municipal authorities to put into force a by-law against betting that had existed for years, but for seme neasou or other had uot been observed. On this oceasiou. However, the Mayor notified that bookmaklng would not be allowed, and between seven aud eight hundred policemen were present at the track to see t hat the order was obeyed. Racing, without betting in some form, does not appeal in the public anywhere, and although the American Derby was down for decision on the first day. there was a tremendous falling oif in tiie attendance as compared with the previous year, the receipts being abont £10.000 lower. That was bad cuough. but when, on the third day. tbe takings fell to about £100. it was decided not. to go any further with the meeting, as to have carried out the 25 days advertised would have meant a loss to tne club of at least £40,000. It is improbable that there will be racing sit Washington X'ark in future either, as it is reckoned that oven the strong efforts likely to be made to allow of bookmaklug there will prove unavailing. However, the closing of Washington Park does not mean that the citizens of Chicago will have to go without racing, as the anti-bookmaking regulation only applies within the city limits, •uid betting will go on as heretofore at tbe Harlem. Hawthorpe, and Worth tracks, which are outside the boundary. The uuusual case of a woman at Worship street Police Court (Loudou) heing fined £.") for boobmakiug induced a "Mirror" representative lo make some inquiries sis to ihe growth of hefting among women. There is plenty of evidence to show that a number of women bookmakers ply their calling Iv London and other big towns: whereas a few years ago the lady "bookie" was unknown." At Birmingham recently, according to the secretary of the National Antiliambllng League. ' a young woman who had been housekeeping for her father turned bookmaker, although for two years shehad been attending religious meetings. Ami iv tbe same city five mlier women wen* known to the police as bookmakers, cine «t ilicm having a *raiT or youths of 14 to 1!» years of ace collecting 'bets. The bookmaker's agent is frequently a woman, indeed, on the racecourse it is not unusual to see a lady acting as clerk to a bookmaker. Aud in many large Loudon workrooms and offices, where many girls and wi-uieu are employed, the big Continental linns which conduct sweepstakes 011 F.ngli<U races have their agents selling tickets. In this esse the remuneration eousists »f. say. one ticket for every book of 20 or 24 disposed of. The ordinary bookmaker also lias' his paid agents working for him in the factory and the oflice; while a study of the poiiee* court reports shows the bookmakers look to women backers for a lot of their Lusiuess. Most betting on Paris racecourses Is conducted through the parl-ewtuei (says "St. James' Gazette"). Having aalccted the horse one fancies, one asks for its number on the rare card at one of the offices, and th** employee delivers a ticket, coloured according as one has betted for a win or a place, and also according io the race, perforated with the number of the office and race, and with a cypher to prevent fraud or forgery, in return for one's stake, which cannot be of lower unit thau five fraucs

nor higher than COO francs, though en* may. of course, take thut uuit us often a» one pleases. As soon as the starter has dropped his liag «>r raised the ribbons >'C thr machine a bell tiukles iv every oi« of the ulfii-es. aud a grating is slid up by —achinery worked from thr central bureau, over tbe tickets, thus ensuring that no mor*. shall be delivered. While the race is beiui; contested the number of tickets taken about each horse —that is. the amount of mener laid on each—is telephoned to the central office. Of tbe whole araouut staked. seven aud a half per cent, is first deducted. Tart of this sum is devoted to Parts hospitals. This is an extremely practical way of assisting the pool-. thbugll to some, it may seem a little immoral for a Uoverameut openly to regulate aud profit by what ia many case* must be called --vice." But' it is reali.r only an acknowledgment of a fact which exists, and must exist in some form or other, aud the hospitals are the rlchef for it every year by £80.000 or so. Tbe remainder of the percentage deducted from the stakes foes to ihe society owuing the course. The stnkes to wiu are tbeu divided nmons the backers of tlin winning horse. For "place," bets a slightly different procedure, the reasnu of which is apparent, is adopted, the sum laid on the placed horsed being first subtracted from the whole amount, aud the rest being divided Into as many equal parts us there are horse* placed—two if less tb.au eight run; tore* if more tnan that number preseut themselves to the starter. Those parts are tbeu distributed proportionately amongst tv» prescient hackers. Thus, it it seeu. it i» the backers themselves Who make Uielr own price. The announcement that the Jockey Club has resolved upon discontinuing racing ou the old course finishing at the top of tho town, upon which the race for the Cambridgeshire was run for so uiaDj- years, and. the Old Cambridgeshire has since been decided, will excite approval or the reverse, according to the point of view. The rank aud file of Newmarket frequenters, who neither owu horses uor belong to the carriage folk section, will approve, for fhey will be spared tbe unnecessary ineouveuleuce, as it appears to them, of shifting their quarters, with bag and baggage at a scramble, and witnessing in an uncomfortable and unsatisfactory manner one or two races. The different Newmarket course* ai-e not entirely without rhyme or reasou, aud the uphill Criterion Course has beu valued because of tbe severe test It entails, and it is this uudoubted qualiry waich will be the principal reason for any; regrets that may be felt at tha abolition.' We do not doubt that a thought for tbe paying public has influenced tbe Jockey Club iv takiug this step. Courses and startlug and winning posts all over the place, separated by a mile aud a half or more. were all very well iv the days when the people witnessed the racing in carriages or on hacks. Tha erection of the Rowley Mile stand, with its three priced rings for the general public, inaugurated a new era, althougli the fact may not have been so fully grasped at the time as it has siuce come te be. People need not go to Newmarket unless they please, but the Jockey Club, as a body, rich though its individual members may be. eauuot carry ou its racing satisfactorily without money, and a considerable proportion of the money Uas to coma from the public, ft lias often enough been argued that it is not altogether tee satisfactory tn charge a person a sovereign to go iuto a Kauri itul 6ni»h a propertioi* of the races at points Taryiug fi-e_ ens to j three furiougs distant. We de uot suppose that anyone will live to see tbe »»aJitir.-a nf the Ditch Mile aid Abingdon Mile IHli"ing posts, but the disuse of the T.T.C. course, with its winning pest so far away that it might as well be in the aext _»urÜb. seems to be quite a possible centmeeiioy. No ene. reveres traditions. Newmarket traditions included. in«re than «u----sclves. but when .-, tradition ii!> palpauir outlived itn day. it should he alls-wed to go. We shall miss tiie Red Post, tanking in its new dress so lmieh like a \. ,st o_ce pillar box. but time has assuaged the pansa of parting for ever with the Pitch Mile stand and the Ditch Stables. — T.aadoa •Field.'' r.reedingr enthusiasts will be pleased lo read the following; from the pen af tha "Special Commissioner" of the Lendou "Sportsman". H* says: Mr Dobsen Peacock's Judgment iv the mallei- of Palmy Days was thoroughly vindicated by the result of the Narthsniberlana Plate for it would have needed very much out of the com mo a to beat Mr Baira Hay's filly. Her trainer has always maintained that iier victory iv the Lirerpeol Cup represented nothing like her trse form, and that if she could once hare grot clear of Bachelor* Button (who had her pinned, on the rails for the last furlong) she would have wou in a eontar. 1 have from lima ta time recognised that the Bachelor's Button party had alio aometaiag to say as to this, for, undoubtedly, the horse would have done better if he had kept clear of the filly, but he showed at Ascot how very useful he really is, and the form as It stood: was quite good enough to foreshadow the Northumberland Plate. Whether Palmy Days is the best English-bred one of Trenton's stock I should hardly like to say. but 1 have an idea that Eeclestcm was probably better, though by no means so fortunate, and there "was a time when 7000 guineas was offered for Longy, and refused, but evil fortune has dogged almost all the Trentons in this country, especially those out of mares by Brag:, from which the Fisherman "nick" could be obtained. It is easy to see why Trenton siiouljl not be so successful tn England as in Australia. With scarcely an excepUan, his best Australian sons and daughters— such as Aunim, Auraria, Wakeful, and Quiver —got the second cross of Fisherman iv their dams, and Trenton himself takes far more after' hia colonial-bred dam than his imported etre. Trenton* dam was by Goldsbrough, who was a eon of the famous Sylvia, by Fisherman. It is hardly possible in England to find mares providing a suitable nick for sneh a very out bred sire as Trenton, but in tha cewiiies it was quite easy, for Fisherman Mood, and that of tho Australian Sir fi.ercn—s is abundant there. It wns proved there, however, that mares of Nos. 1 or 2 family, and full of running blood, suited Trenton best, and for that reason Folly Eccles Was bought to mate with him here, and she produced Eccleston. He had already get a good horse (Magnificent) in Australia out of a Barcaldine mare, and now We find that Pallanza. tbe dam of Palmy Days), is not only by Barcaldine, but comes of the No. 1 family. There is no reason why Barcaldine Mood should suit <i son of Musket, for it -brings two good lines of West Australian iuto close combination, aad, though Pallanza has no Fisherman in her reins, she gets the blood of WeaiherbU through The Palmer, while Goldsbroogh, tbe maternal graudsire of Trenton, was a direct tail-male descendant of Weathertut through Kelpie aud Fireworks. Thus we get some pretty closa affinities between Pallanza and Treutou. and tbe No. 1 blood has done the liest; but whether w« shall ever see n son or daughter of the old horse up to the Wakeful cr Auruni class without tie second tsucb of Fiehcrmau may be .doubted. Aunim was considerably the best hoiae. Robisnaa eTer had at FaxhHl. Hnoagh tva* feund cat absul him te make that point elaar. and it ia a fact that not only did the Australian henaii—Bper rst--kna Aunim 371b better class than The Grafter, but tha runnis*; «f the twi iv (he Mellwirua Cup. wha» the Grafter was *c<v>nd nnd Anm_ third, with 'JM atkeis behind ihetn. all bot justified tMs astimatr. We hare e»aii The Grsftar wia tbe City .nnd Snburbaa with tot i«e. aad fcsvva. therefore a claar Ihie am t« what Aarum was. U may o« menti«ne«l hera tiaat fcaTenne, by Traotan, wha wen the _alhaaruc <"-.ip, was •* !«•. l family, aad ea waa thac graat m&re. tiuirer. Farther iiraaf af tae ralue of the combiue-tion »f iia. 1 with the No. 18 of Trenton is furaiefcea' by tha latest Melbourne Cnn winner. Lard Cai-tigau, wUo if by >*«ait«a« {1) out of l-at> Treut»D, by Trentan (H). After all, we hare the moat utrtfciug lostaaoa af what >'os. U sad t can do in the pedigree «f Whalebsue, Whuker, aud their famoua sisters, by Waxy 1181, out af Keaelope tl). it will 'he ssau. I then, that Palmy Days is bred wu well-tried principles, aud It <iu!te ou the cards tlijt she is a higher-class mare than eves her run-away victory proves. it was a licrv thiug for Mr Jialrd Hay that no uua wetii"l | buy her wheu he sent her up, as wild as a. I hawk, for sale at Newmarket. She h-ii j apparently never beeu led about before an t | she broke away twice iv the sale paddock.