TURF GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 173, 21 July 1906, Page 11

TURF GOSSIP

lhe Singapore Derby (for all ages), run a few weeks ago, was won,by Rapid Pilgrim (by Pilgrim's Progress), owned by a Cnluese named Yap Long Chin. EssingtGu was second, and Jim Gospel' third. The ptner starters included Acetine iqd Wiugaroon.. The following day, in the Club Cup, . a handicap over a inilc and a quarter, tssington- turned the tables, beating ftflpid Pilgrim by three-quarters, at a length, Acetlne being third; while ou the thud and last day Bssihgton .Woo again, and Kapid i J llgriin was unplutied.

Various, methods of teachhi&.-hdrses. tosuiud still by themselves are practised In M'lerent parts of. the world." lii" "South' America-the natives hobble the.animul, and leave the long raw-hide rein trailing .ou the ground; if the horse tries to get away; he -treads-on (he rein-, and thus brings himself ... to a standstill. Atfer a time he learns to" stand without hobbles when the rein is simply thrown. on the. ground be: fore him.; In the -Western/States of America the plan is'to tiealgihgth .'of 'rope "to'a sharp 'Mexican bit iiv the" horse's '"•mouth, and let it-lie; if the horse moves he.'treads' on the rope,, and .hurts its. mouth ._ Another method is>to tie the reins' below-"the knee, so that he can feed, but cannot' get his head up. ■ If this does-not answer, the rein is tied.instead on.his hind. lag;_.this,.it is claimed, will stop; him-at-once. •

Thus "Vigilant": Whatever jnay. be" the quality of the rank and file > of .our three-year-olds, there is no mistake about the quality of Spearmint, who certainly -must bo regarded as at "any rate an average. Derby winner, if not something better. He won bis; face "in, a. Hack canter: he "was always handy, and-tbe-moment Malier asked.him to win his race be won.it. Then the time, 2ai'n 36 4-o.s.ec, was a record. Of course the time test is not conclusive, as I have pointed out many times; but still it-goes for sornelhing, and .mo far from trie..three-year 7 olds being 101b-hehlud Rock -Sand, as-has been stated," it is questionable' whether; there is any four-year-old - can- -give- himiplb., This opinion 1 heard .expressed by: cue of the shrewdest judges of racing, and 1' agree with it. . Spearuiint is' a handsome horee—lie is more .than that, he is .hnl.lt on correct lines. He stands on.a short leg, is deep bodied,' with a back and quarters such as are not- often seeii. .'-;-.-"

• Say-as an cxcUan.srcr:—" '" " '.'~ ■•:---: ■ — A certain Yorkshire trainer is a good hand at putting the. "quisaer" off. Recently he was a:r."oyed by a bore who was athfrst for'informaiioiv regarding one of his horses. ........ ~-•.... .-..-,.... "Does he like the. mud?" asked the In qulsitive one. -'».'. ' - - - "Like the mud?" repeated the'".trainer. "Well, I should say. He won't go into his st.-.l! wir.ir.rhc--h.wc has been turned* on It for half an hour." "That's funny." said the bore. "Is thets anything the matter with his legs?" "Oh, nothing .much,'.' . answered- the trainer, "excepting that his- front legs are where his hind ones ought-to be."' "Well, candidly, do you think he has a chance?" persisted the questioner. '"A chant-e—certain," said the Yorkshire-, man. "If. he gets away hi front and keeps the inside position all the way. round and doesn't swerve-at the turn he's liable to finish last" - . . ...."•

_Amhng|the many animals put up at Mr Blenkirou's sale at the break-np of Middle lark was the once mighty Blair Atliol. Bidding was very brisft when the latter steppert into the ring, and an officer from a neighbouring garrison attracted some attention by the. bold way in which he weut-flue better until "QOOgnis was reached, when upon someone offering a still better price," he retired, not a few pconle wondering inwhosc interest lie/ liaU been acting.' One.-of.-the officials connected -with Middle' Park shared this feeling, and .invited the: mill-' tary stranger to lunch. Having '. done themselves well, tlie conversation naturally turned upon the great event of the day, and the host contrived to mention in an offhand way that he had seen his guest bidding. "Yes." assented the visitor.- ---' that's-; quite right., I went up to seven thousand; but;'" he added, confidentially, "1 only bid up to that .amount because .I was sure he'd fetch ten thousand. I haven't as many pence, but I wanted a little amuse--raent."- History does not record:! wliat the Middle .Park official said Jn reply to this", frank admission.

• We take the following -from' the New York "Sun":—"Boots" Duniel, , who is persona nou grata as far as the Jockey. Club tracks are concerned just now, is quietly working for a reinstatement "at" the .instance" of-the Pacific Coast turf governors. Durnell -entertained some turfmen the other day with ** , E . t 9 r " r " which seems hardly probable, but which • Boots' declares is absolutely true. Durnell says-that John W. Gates and "John a. Drake while conducting .their turf, campaign in England, put through- one of the famous coups, which netted them 3.000,000 dols., not 300,000 dols. "They so-arranged it, says Durnell, "that.,th,ey covered every, 1™!"S « fflce "no" handbookmaker iii the United Kingdom.* They went:to a weil fi?f ,W , 1 - * ,ankin '" house' in London, hired all «&>PSSSJ If?? a cert £ a nftemoon. fixed the time for betting on their horse to a minute » na theni handed out the ready "cask The ?rv c > r "?f-^ re(l otUer Olerk *-■••'•*•»«. there were t* DnbHn S '3B*% , **&**& hurried even down 'Th. w. G,asgow ' to ««* :the coin track' whvf.. o °rw w ° n < and the ring at the J? c , ,c 5» ates; and Drake loaded the money on-iu thousands, was burnt "un SO were the commission officers and the liaud ut there s'stni oo^ 0 * V"l S was -coilected, «.{,■ J, a-.* 6t J l Uan : outstanding amount which Gates and Drake will probably-never

'■■One of the late Tred Archer's most gencr--out patrons once requested himf to' take * S^ethin^ e rhf^ raJ^l^In something that was..considered, "real-jam" by the stable. It was not the celebrated jockeys first visit to Ireland, and 'while waiting at the station for a vehicle ! to cob' to wh«m 11l c*e * C .° nr * e , he met a gentleman to-whom he had been introduced on his iirst appearance at the Curragh meeting, and who on this occasion" was to act as starter The usual wielder of the absent from. Illness, and Archer's, companion- had undertaken to officiate. As they travelled along, the deputy", confided to Archer that he felt somewhat nervous, and trusted that he might be able to give satisfaction to the power- that relgued. With'the utmost seriousness Fred promised to do all "In his power to smooth, the troubled water's," and" the amateur starter became somewhat j assured. In the second event ou the programnie the "good thing" .Archer intended riding was engaged, and- as the faehlonab'e jockey was oh a large, sum; to nothing, he determined to win if it were at all possible. There were-a" fair number of runners," and' Archer was ofit-before them every time; but the Hag .did liotfall. as the starter- was far from satisfied. "Shurc, Archer, you tou'd ine you would do the best you'could for ■mc," the said to Fred', in a wrathful-tone; "but shurc you- are more ..nuisance than .all. the. rest .put 'to-, gether." Much amusement was caused; by. this speech;-hut the troublesome" jockey managed to get the best of the'start after all, and landed the good thing easily;-' - -

At ChevelT .Park Stud one evening this week, says '-Ashplant"' iii the- London :"Sportsman" of May 21st, I.saw ..some" won-' dcrfully good-foals by Galllnule.- It is marvellous what splendid samples the old" son of isonomy keeps on turning out. There 'arc' also some first-rate foals : by Cyllene"- at the- stuiijusl -now. •- Of -course we had a peep-at Isinglass. "}fo.n- 10-years.-old, lie is remarkably fresh , and;..well.-. /St.; Amsnt's dam. Lady -Loveriile," has this season,.-a-chttstnut colt 'foal; own .brother tp* the lier.-.. by -winner of I'HM. The niare iSjiowoii a visit to Oallimile at Browhstowh. "one of Captain Greer's stud at The Curragli. ;-it is sincerely to be hoped that the result-of the alliance "will be n real \good one to carry the popular "bltae and yellow" of Mr Leopold de~ Rothschild, whose absence, owing to' jH.-heAlthv from thc-recent.rNewmarket meetings, has been a subject ,of sgeneral-rogrctw-All who know him. and millions who do not. heartily-.Wish'this kindest of good men and sportsmen a speedy and complete recovery. Amongst other well-known mares to Galllnule this season;-are". ""lair'sdam Glare, with a bay fllly by -Bt. a**naantß; Float, with a brown fllljr by Bt. Sy-mtmn: Repietlim, -ftth. a clustnat celt *_>. ?m«.

(By - JwiALEBONE.y

ese;-Yesterlingi • with.- a Brown- colt , -bj Per*, sinimon.;: Burgoaet; . Xhe Message,-.with * •brown filly by Wildfowler; Self-Sacrifice, j.with a. brown JfiUy by'-Gallinulej'-Haekler , * j (io Oij, ,>yith ji .clies.tnut.,cojt. (owu i brother to Polar Star')' by Pioneer; and ■ Siiintlieia,■". I.doubt if a grander lot of foals : were ever got together at one stad- thaa 'are to Be see'n-at'th'e preseut"in"6merib'in tUe j paildoeks-at-the-liTOwnstown-Studr-'Mr L. j Neumaun"e Clarehavcii has tills-season "a ! eliestnnt coit ; by Gallinule; and goes t* (Eager.. . . -~.. ~ .-W -. ~.

More amusing stories are told (says an English wi-lterl, especially by' Jockeys, about the Grand,-JNatipnal-than ;with-reference t» any other race "of a "simitar character. For instance; old Mini- Adahis—one of the"finest horsemen of.; his-day, and still -riding out every morning, at . Epsom—once ,fell„ wlttt. others:at Aintree, and during the coufusioa that,resulted, lie. got.on the wrong, horse. "But I soon found.'' he said, with twinkling eyes, "that liijvfresu -mount" "wa* abettei,jumper, than, the other, so. that,-when nsked to give him up, l pretended to,have a prcss'!>«•"appofiithienf* "itiL flic "next "nelq"."' The same jockey once rode in the "Natlcmal"- , 'oa a 211) saddle, "lieingras happy there as If he were reclining (with a nymph to fan him)~on silken -cushions.-. ''Little,'"..- he -averred, "is as good as much to.si.t on if we can sit on it-properly,- and if we can't we ought to ride dn_a..barge, with, a.net over usj.to keep •off the insects." Robert. I'Anson, anothVr splendid cross-country horseman—who also Is to-be seen' riding on Epsom. Downa every-morning, .with the spirits, of-a boy— .'Was,, curiously, never successful iii winning the '.'Liverpool." He had several tries for it and once "got. very near, hut his luck was bad towards the ; he- was obliged to. ■■■ put up.with an inferior, position.:" Wouldn't you like to be on this one?" he remarked to a. jockey ,by iiis. side' in the race, for he was-going strong anil - -, wen not far Iron* home; -his next--inspiration being "1.-thlnk ,!'ve;u.Qiie..it atilast,-" wheu-voveiv went the show! He was: interested in the-training of AUs'terlitz, r wlio'.wpii the Grand National with an- amateur rider oh"hi* back. ."That was a great horse.'"-observed I'Ansoih "and he w«uld rather .jump'than not. His jockey, who took hold behind nt the: fences,- beat, his foes individually, aud ..collectively—as ■ one after another raced .up to him he_raced thorn all down—a-nd"-* "even "after victory he seemed eager to.-fiouilCe/ bu-*othei's; "so; as V» make his-triuniph-mpi'e complete;'' .-.

.. ihe. Special. Coininissloner-of- the London "Sportsman i.t. is almost a case for sackcloth aiid aslies. With the re-cord-of Spearmints' Victdry-'confrbhtTng mc, I can-do no-more thau-'humble'myself. - la .opposing Major, .Loder'sLcolt..l acted as I thought, in accord, with the dictates of eohunoii sense. , But this Derby has all through' the "piece been gbvernediby mysterious influences-. candidly- admit that the- result-of «the--c6iitest--astounded mc.When.th"c story, of, the. Derby of, JL9O6ls read by succeeding generations, .it will seem likea fairy "tale. "Dunug'.,fSe''"wiirt'ef,' "Admiral Crichton- was supposed to - be', the- • Clarehayeh Lodge Derby '(.'"lampion; but he did. .not flo,iirlsh,,.and_.dropped .out of the. .'calculations. ' Then came Flair, whose easy victory "In "fiio -o"Ke''Tho"i'isaiid"-proved" that she more'than ."retained the'splcndia forhi she displayed In-the -autumn.-and convinced the . majority, of. people .that, the..Derhy.wwas at her inerey. The next we hear is that she has broken dowii r anil'been withdrawn from the great' Epsom race. ' OntveisaT sympathy -is expressed-for those associated- with the > staole,. -V..few..days y.tss,.and'then ,we are fold, one fine moruing, that ano-ther Derby winner' hasVbeen unearthed from trie-same establishment. Are'there regiments-of' them .at Clarehaveu Lodge? It appeared to some pt.us/ that .ihe pill ; :.>v.C; were asked-to "ewaiiow was rather too liberally sugared. The reports as "to what'Stfeariniiit 'could dowhea pitted against;-Pretty 'Polly Were'Uhbelievable.. Thceolt's two-year-old- form- gave, one ' ■•' ;ho. encouragement; ..Indeed,: the ...whole of the circumstances were of-such -a character thaf-'one felt entirely. jiistlfied"'ih:"assuhilng the role, of,a seepth:. Anthimw-the impossible has, eoiue-.to..iKtss;- Well.- well,--well! It only shows, what .a Kbndei'f.uLlgamc, racing is... Those who went on. to-the-house- . tops and proclaimed" Spearmint "as the winner of- thet-Derby'-ure entitled to-all the credit and person:,:, satisfa'cti6h~they 'derive from the verification, of' their prophecy; Wa / who took. a-.contrary, view ' will,—no doubt, still;be. able',to -rub".'along, even though we ' are humbled for the time being. As I left' the" course -a "motor', car passed 'me''with pieces- of -pa pcf- -inside the- two head-lamps. On, them Were,printed the words*...".Keep smiling." Not bad advice,., either. There arc several features about. the race worth noting. Perhaps.the most interesting is . the -fact-; that..the- lime was -as much -as 2 3-"iseCiinside, ; the.record" set up.liy Cicero a. year ago. The figures are really astonish--ing, even When we lake liito consideration the- very- favourable- conditions- that'"prevailed., lii distance, they are-equivalent to "bout 45 yards, so„that .half, the eompetitora beat the previous record! That, of course, \ disposes of "the'notion":that' the tluie"makeß ■"penr-niiub-a-wondeK- ■AH-'thc-'saure:-I"'thluk it also .'shoWs„.that_ .our. threc-yeaivolds are not so bad.-a«j they-have been painted; Another point' "worthy." of. ""mention '"is""tho- one that- during-the last Six • yc.-irs the"" DerW winner has five times been ridden by an American. Lester Reiff began the sequence on Volodyovski, Martin, continued-it on Aid Fa t ric ."*. a«d:.M.ahsr,. T a)i.Jnalhj;ained..the run". on Rock Sand.--Cicero, and now Spearmint. Ihe name of Keuipton Caiiiibn aioiie "ihtervenes; -Then;-to;rerur;r-"to Spearmint". 'we find that,MaJor,ixideL'.bought.hlm'asa-,year- i '_".?.?* Doncaster for. .'iOOgs.. He. was. one of the contingent sent up for'sale by Sir Tat- - ton Sykes. A"member of the"sporting I'rosa had taken .-a- fancy-to him, -and-bid up to .•«J'Jg6..aud.uo. wondei- he. was..lameutiug'hls i luck yesterday afternoon. But when there is any" luck' "about, "Major'- Eustace Loder generally seems to"be on' hand.,- 'Foftuna / has heaped favours-upon him ever since.h* began., to own racehorses. - I do -not mean to say that his X success- is entirely due t» luck. Nothing of the k'lrid: good "judgment has played'a-big part in the scheme. iThia was .shown-,when h¥-sent-his-horses to be trained. by,..Air.,GypiiL,Af,te.r .Hugglhs had returned to America.: Gilpin's method "of preparing' hls'horses may. hot" always be. orthodoxrbut-there-is no-gainsaying that "they.areseffectivc.--Lnst season-the-stahle's record.showed .that, the ..value, of. the .stake* won was £27.13. It will not bo surprising-- It that, figure "Is yc;ir*