TURF GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 13

TURF GOSSIP

-''. (BY WH In ' America, the. turf prophets select horses in each race who. are likely to finish first, second, and thj-d. Sceptre, who. (recently -. foaled a fllly .i° Isinglass, has since been mated with Carbine. Sceptre's-two-year-old',filly, by Cyllene:will De raced this .season. : The arrival of the King on jhe Hoodee racecourse at Chester a few: aiinutes before the first race was' the signal tor an outburst of cheering. This is thb first visit paid to Chester by'a King 'ot Eut--nd for 250 years. The, Johannesburg Turf Club jjractically race over a gold mine,-:and before very: long racing will.-be 1 thing of the'past over tbe present course, which will become a busy mining centre. Only. 100 proprietary shares were originally issued," and these cost 3& each.' Now they' are worth £30fK) apiece. : ; The start forTthe Great Cheshire Handicap in England, recently- was effected at least:a. minute before the advertised time. We give prominence to the fact in the hope that any "sharps" who may have, attempted to urVflt by it will be frustrated.: Had such a'thing taken place in the colonies, the race would: have had to be, re-run", but evidently they do' things differently in -England. Cresceus (2min 2Jsec), the champion trotting stallion of the world,- has been booght by a prominent Russian . horseman, living; near j St. x etersburc, the price paid to the; great horses owrier, M. W. Savage, of Minneapolis, being £5000. Crescens will be shipped to,**?. new owner some time in May, and wiU,pe used entirely for; exhibition, and breeding

purposes. There is. something in being a Jockey in England. Last month W. Saxby refused an otter ot £2000 a year for-two years from Baron Oppenhelm to ride in. Uermany. At the time the offer was made Saxby was unattached, but the patrons of W. T. Bobinsoh's Foxhill stable, for whom he; has been riding, being apprised of the situation, decided to pay Saxby, aretainer sufficiently Übe- ; ral to ensure, his remaining in England, When the last mail left. England the ; Sydney lad, F. Wootton, was third- on the list of winning jockeys. His average worked out at 16.43. Wootton bad : 73 mounts, out of which he rode 12 winners, 9 and 10 thirds. D. Maher was on top, with 21 wins out oL 88 mounts; and W: Higgsfollowed, with 19 wins for 116 mounts. L. i Hewitt's score was.sosmaUthat.it was not mentioned. He hss, however, ridden several winners lately. . ■ .. I The secret of* the' small popularity Jn England of therspott of trotting, writes., "Gareth" in the VBeferee," probably lief. : i. to a great extent in' this fact:; In England the record for a mile, the most freemen, distance trotted, was made at .-Liverpool by Professor last September—2min. 16 In America the record made by Lowpuion in October, ISO 3, is lmin SSisec. What it comes to is that the Transatlantic trotter would have beaten our best representative by considerably,, over a furlong. The death is announced of the fariious brood mare, Memoir, at the Egerton Stud, Newmarket This daughter of the/recently defunct St Simon was bred by iher late Majesty Queen Victoria at the Hampton Court 'Stud, and: was purchased by the Duke of Portland for lfjOOgs. : Her classic victories -were, the Oaks and; the Leger, beating Sainfoin; the Derby winner, at Doncaster. She nev.er threw anything as (good as herself. The horses owned by the. late Duke of Devonshire -were sold by auction at Newmarket (Eng.) .last '. month, good prices being realised.. Mr. S., Darling, paid 3400gs, 7 for Fugleman, 1 a'five-year-old horse by .Persimmon, and for. 3700g5. Mr.. J.. Buchanan took Acclaim, tbe four-year-old colt by Am-: phiori - Other : chief prices were:—Marcovil (Mr. F. Luscombe), 930gs:; J. Buchanan), lOoOgs.; Black Spot (Mr. Darling), 820g5.; Caramel (Mr. K. Wnldie Griffith), iCOOgs.; two-year-old colt by Gallinnle (Mr! S. Darling), llOOgs.; two-year-oia colt by Ayrshire (Mr. 3. B. Mffler). *UOOgS-;, and a two-year-old filly by Fioriael 11, (Sir B. Jardine), 1200gs. The twenty-two horses sold brought 20,330g5., an average of 91915 a ' In commenting upon a race at Newbury, one of -■ the new circular- English, courses, the "Winning Post" writes on the subject of jockeys not taking up their'right position, as follows:—"BandaU (one of the foremost "English riders),! who was drawn eight started on the rails, having taken up number one position, to which he right hot even assuming that ■ the jockey who was so drawn had consented.-- In short-, several Jockeys started from positions other than those they had drawn, which is.strictly against the rules. Had an objection to the start, been lodged, we'sumnit that it must have been declared; false one. m any event it Js. a point_which demands deliberation, arid an opinion of the stewards of- the. Jockey Club respecting it would-be welcomed One can hardly blame .BandaU for -jockeying,• but, there, are rules, and the breaking, of them must not be encouraged; on the contrary. It is ridiculous to expect that the starter can continually check the One—in this instance there were seven-, teen starters—for if the entire, responsibility of keeping the, positions of the draw rested .with him, starts might be delayed , ad infinitum. There might be a superintendent employed for t U any case a jockey, .without,t*e : P™« or order of the starter, changing.his place at the, barrier, should be fined. -'" "Spearmint" : > rivals somewhat adversely with a recent oeysfon oTtTEngllsh Stewards. e«ea«gr ~ «,»• rales of racing. As with-Mr. vmsw. ( ChurcbS;s ph^e, S • tadV?To our racing confrere considers!! new term shonld be eob"^ :^P? I i:- tbe < aros'declslonthata jockey -had been guilty -, "''unintentional foul rldhig," and thus dis- . missed ."Spearmint continues: ( "Btaritly, this-fe( not -playing, tite Eame.V If " a jockey,' whether, totentior^y.or unintentionally interferes with a. rival,-and by that interference earns profit for master, he , shonld be promptly ruled out this particular case Is worsened by the addendum to the decision: 'They cautioned Piper to be more careful as to the future, but exonerated him from all blame." ; I presume their view." of :mntters was -that the horse and pot the lad was r at.fault. But • even, so, the : Curtaln, colt had no right to be allowed to retain second place. A jockey of "the character and standing, of Randall Is riot apt at; making frivolous .objections. :. The I Stewards, la truth, admitted the Justice of

!■ The horses owned by the: late Puke of 1 Devonshire -were sold by auction at NewI market (Eng.) last ' month, good prices being realised...- Mr. S. - Darling, paid 3*OOgs,for Fugleman, 1 a'five-year-old horse. ,byJ?ersunmon, and for. 3700g5. Mr. J.. Buchanan took Acclaim, tbe four-year-old colt by Am-: phiori - Other chief prices' were:—Marcovil (Mr. F. 930gs:; J. Buchanan), lOoOgs.; Black Spot (Mr. Jj>Darling), 820gs:; Caramel (Mr. B. Waldie Griffith), ICOOgs.; two-year-old colt by Gallinnle (Mr! S. Darling), llOOgs.; two-year-old colt by Ayrshire (Mr. 3. B. Mffler). *UOOgS-;, and a two-year-old filly by Florizel IL (Sir B. Jardine), 1200gs. The twenty-two horses sold brought 20,330g5., an average of 91915 a "In commenting upon a race at Newbury, one of •; the new circular- English courses, the "Winning Post" writes on the subject of jockeys not taking up their-right position, as follows:—"Bandall (one of the foremost "English riders),i who , was drawn eight started on the rails, having taken up I number one position, to which, he b»d_no right no' even assuming that" the Jockey who was so drawn had consented. - In short-. ! several (Jockeys started from positions other than those they had drawn, which is.sttlct- ! ly against .the rules. Had; an. objection to the start, been lodged, we" submit that « must have been declared; a; false one. m any event *it is . a point_which demands deliberation, arid an opinion of the stewards ot-the. Jockey Club respecting it woitfa.be welcome: One can hardly blame -.BandaU; for -Jockeying,' but, there are rules, and the breaking of them must not be encouraged; on the contrary. It is ridlcutous to expect that the starter can continually check the line—inthis instance there were seven-, teen starters—for -if the entire. resP?" 8 '" bility of keeping the, positions of the draw rested with him, starts might; be Aebiyei , ad infinitum. There might be a superintendent employed for to any case a jockey, .without, the P*™ lßß , 0 " or order of the starter, chasing. his place at the barrier, should be fined - rivals somewhat adversely with a recent; oeysC oTthTEngllsh Stewards.concern**; «i»- rales of racing. As with, Mr. w-inswu. , Churcbn!;s ph^e,-"termlnological^exaca-; tndV?To our racing confrere new term shonld be coined.upon- the stew- - aros' decision that a jockey -had been guilty " "unintentional foul rldhig," and thus dismissed Ort'protest, continues: "Btaritly, this fe( not -playing, fee «,« a- jockey,' whether; Intentionally .-or, unintentionally interferes with a rival,-and by that interference earns profit for master, be , shonld be promptly ruled out The matter.hi this particular case is worsened by the addendum to the decision: 'They cautioned Piper to be more careful as to the future, but exonerated him from all blame." I presume their view of (matters was'-that.'tne horse and riot the ladwwass s at. fault But ■■ eyen, so, the : Curtaln, colt had no right to be allowed to retain second place. A ;Jockey of "the character and standing of Randall Is not apt at making frivolous .objections. .The Stewards, la truth, admitted the Justice of the plahit by anowmg^the'lnterference, but. considering the same unintentional. -No; it is riot playing-the: game, according, to. the Eules ofißaciug.".,,. . -."We are ruined b"y~Chinese cheap labour." I Thus Bret Harte. • Arid it-seerhs to mc the Turf : ls in a way "of being ruined by sickly sentimentality. (That, is .a flower of evil growth not unknown in other quarters of . English life. Sicklysentimentality has cost England millions of pounds «hd thousands of her bravest sons. :"(;But I. never: suspected its presence as a blight on the English Tnrf.

, In .New':Zealand a rule is in force ;bj which" jockeys' are only allowed to bdcl horses" they are -riding, and :then througl t the agency, of. their .employers. '. The. Aus trian and Ilr.nsarlanr Jockey Clubs have.de elded "to take up'a similar position with r« gard to""trainers. Hitherto, "under the rule of -the '.clubs',, named,, trainers have, been dt barred from backing horses other than thos urider.,.their care (and in their respeetiv stables. In future; however, they' wiHonl be allowed, to back horses in their charg .through the medium ■of their respeetiv owners or ..the authorised ..(managers .0 stables. Consequently, they:are placed p; the same terms ns jockeys: Touching ,0: this, ana what led up to it, ~n Continenta writer says that at the reguest^of.Her Matertnnoch. the owner £ .K™Jf IT ."_ •«,' winner of the^rfstwlt t Handicap, ante JSSStfjr.V "scept a shorter prie

ALEBONE.) -.■„', -.._ ..,- .JZ-Z} than would otherwise have.been offered him • by. the It was said-that one "A person alone had won over £4000 through ■* .S having'obtained early information. The iniT.estiga'tioh(made in this case, as informer ,-■-;; ' affairs of the same kind, concentrated itself ::,\; into : a formal accusation against the son of : the trainer: of -Kristaly, ~who holds a ; license to' ride, -and., as it was proved that he had sent' off; a telegram respecting the « trial of that horse:with Blizzard, his license;. has been withdrawn, arid he has been warn- i |ed off all racecourses under the jurisdictioa .. ;:JS ol tne two Jockey Clubs. -, .. Dealing with :the manner In which the % English Rules ;of Racing are observed—-or otherwise^—oh the . course, .the "Jjondon Sports Supplement" remarks: "How Import- ./-.:: ant it becomes; that the rules should be., strictly' adhered -.to , when '.'thousands.: pfpounds are at, stake and thousands of people are involved in the issue! In racing ; ;'SJ there is no, room for sentimentality.". The writer continues::"!, always honour the late Mr-John Gubblris and the present Sam Dar-j-•; ling for breaking through the so-called un- .""Ziwritten. rule of Ascot—'No( objections'-^^. : when:they"resolutely objected against Cupbearer after he had fouled "Ard Patrick.; : (ft; 'Disgraceful!" said some: of: the peddling ; ;-;;; journalists who only appear once a year-, at- ■.:'■,; -;,£ racing,.wearing-the same old top-hat and the "._% same .old frock, coat. 'Not at all re rigueur 1' "';' 'De rigueur be d-— '-■'.- said a (blunt Lancashire man standing by.' -'Are people to ~-.-'; be'robbed of their money because of an ,un-. ;; ( written, law?': The -man from Lancashire .: X 'was, as indignant with 'de rigueur- ! as was the officer In .'Tom Jones': when Partridge declared he was guilty of a .'fn'on. serraiter.*- ■■;,> But the one had whatthe other had. not«~. reason.on his Side. And the upshot? Why,,: : the Stewards : Of: : Ascot decided that Cup- V bearer could riot be allowed to. retain the spoils, and awarded them to Ard "Patrick. . ' Of course, the bookmakers, .like, the; widows :( of Ashur, Iwere loud,in their wail.!. They ."". 7 had never heard of such a thing as an objection at Boyal "Ascot. : It was an; outrage on .decency." However, these exquisites oa .:::: matters of taste have known several Ascot ,objections since, and perhaps .they will have to survive further shocks." ; • : : An English writer states that the Alexandra Park : course was in euch'a stajp.whea the mail-left that the -majority of- animals were helpless, as ~;inayv be imagined,..when it is "stated that on,walking over" the tract":' at the.finish'of racing any number-of hoof. boles were found a "foot deep,•? cut "clean ' into the ground. * ... ■'Horses for', courses'.' is ia .term often ;: usedj- and .seems-, to be- very, applicable at times;' Father Blind, who; won the Great: Metropolitan Stakes - at -*- :Epsom, England, last month, woh : the. same event -the year; previous, and: had started seven: times unsuccessfully at,different courses in the in-.■•:■■■ ■.-,, terim. He was not the only horse who " , had- scored twice m-that-event, : as King's Messenger won in 1889 and 1890, and before him again Tassaphernes was twice successful. ' "...:' "";" "-■z-l .'--• ;.'"-.. ~-. .;..'■_;— ——■".,.'' '■'.'..'.. "'.-•;; The French Jockey Club nas passea a , new rule whereby " the .: bridle is ;. not to be included ;in the weight allotted *o a: - horse. .. Until the , Sejan disqualification, a few weeks ago, the: •-;,, jockeys were; wont to have one -or two" .- pounds deducted-for the bridle.' Stern that :> day ; declared '21b for the bridle, -but..the .-;: : trainer of Sejan. only used one half that Weight, with' the (result that about dn« -, pound could hot vbe 'accounted for-'when ; / ; Stern weighed "in: as the winner. In referring to some, riders who.;are la ; the fore-front in, England, a writer all-odea to Hewitt, -and'conrimifng, said: — "Mention:.; of Hewitt reminds me;that this colonial is -very delighted with England, and has; - thoroughly settled down.-. He-lives with :.': Bernard Dillon and Lyne at Newmarket;--the three of thesi keep, house. - Hewitt is (,V . well educated and extremely-intelligent.' He can talk Australian politics, give *"* ideas about things in general in a moaf ' ; lucid -way, and is altogether a most amusing travelling, companion:. Certainly, last year ( S enough criticism was levelled ■at him to cause him to i» mnpti atmiau »yj but he la one of those natures who fight against all rebuffs, as he was determined to "get : : there." Those who have, seen Hewitt rid* - •dnht that they never saw a better jockey. . at uic gate; it ifi simply wonderful the way] he gets awajv Certainly some, of his finl-.:(,;..'" Ishtng displays ire not. cimfc- "orthbaox,'*f: : " and on more than one occasion last yeai lt whb considered that he did not display; that artistic style which one Is accustomed ' to in many of our other horsemen. Thera are two sides, howewr, to this question, ':-•'( On Nightfall, in the ., Queen's Prise last . Easter Monday, It strock mc that he .was;, ' not at his, best, but it must be remembere*;. that this' very moderate maze ran extremeix. 1 badly on subsequent occasions, and thac- ■ she was alongside a very, great hocse la - Bridge of Canny. .'; With another jockejg-; ■ in the saddle' she might' not nave beeati : . where she was. Hewitt will get all the rid- " , lag he wants, and his abißty, over aprnnV . distances is extawrntimry. J. 1 The late James Merry, Oe owner **>' ( Doneaster, was an owner to whom that; - bringing off of such a conn as that ~swtfcl"<sl' by Blgnornietta. m ;whrrrlng the ■' BJagßste . Derby last week, would have bcoagbt un- ; told joy. He bet on a hnge scale, and ha* a great idea of keeping nU good things, quiet. - He is said to have once WiTis'bm'w"- " a race which a horse of his apparently won. by a hesd, arid to have ehotrted, **Wost flfty thousand, and not a sonl else has wost-ahalf-pennyr* However, the good fhin». bad not quite come off, aa-tbe Jurjge gsva. the , verdict the other way abont. *Wnest Doncaster won the Derby — or, rather, before be-won it — ttemua: did not thtolß. he had much chance. Tne cott could nott x be got fit enough to ran as a tm> jm-old-and did not even make much nrogreas ma a. three-year-old, tm one day hla Peck, weigbing about TU), gave hhn a gsfcTlop himself. This -would startle our morfcr*' trainers a-bit, the idea of gHrng a Derby colt a mOe and a half gaSop wtththat : weight on board. Btm_be-dld it, and work, - ed better than he had ever done befora* ■ ■ and began to tmprove from that momentEven then ne was beaten in the TWw Thooi sand Gnineas, and Mr Merry wm txmfitei tennined to- scratch the cott for tbTDerbyv but ne won a trial -that satlsned. hbn, an* ■ ..the.; ran, and won easily. Here «2 SL**^*^??^ w^SS^il.* ««»'»«Wes. eacvS Hermtt'B, "base been- won- by -good horse* witch were for some -SL I^ 8 - *o |a,l • «>* as .much good; but Blgnorinetta's win bmm I to have , ta« of an absolnte "dark '! ---.■: ■-- " * ' ■ '—-■-