TURF GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 249, 17 October 1908, Page 13

TURF GOSSIP.

Mr K. Croker has sold the stallion A inerteus to the Gerniau Government for £SWU. [ The famous American race track Brighton Beach, has been sold by Air W. L. i-Jngc-niau u> Mr Edward L. Sullivan for £."iuu,ixio. The owner had declared to the Brighton Be.ich Kacing Association that be would not dispose of the track, but, apparently, changed his mind, lie has sold the tracK to lie developed by a holding company. Thu track is over luo acres in extern, and is to be cut uj, into 1000 lots. Racing without bookmaking or betting was atu-mpted at New Oilcans on August U2 for tlie first time in history. In an effort to satisfy the stringent requirements oi the Locke anti-racing low now in effect. I'hat it failed to draw a crowd is certain, i but the promoters declare that it was owir.jj to the ircessant downpour of rain. Only 200 people passed the turnstiles. Mr Jamc? IS. Keene still dominates the raring situation iv America. This highly successful owner has now won £00,000, Mr Matiden has pocketed £82,000, and Mi August Helmont is also a very handsome' winner. These three owners have no fai j won in the aggregate a sum equal to one-, nfth part of the total amount distributer. annually in Euglaud between March and October. During a rain and thunder storm on Aua. 21, lightning struck circle barn No. 7 <m J. B. Haggin's Elemendorf farm, at Lexington, Ivt-rtucky, and it was totally de»trnyti! by fire. There were fourty-four thoroughbred yearlings in the Darn at the time, but they were all got out with the I exception of the bay colt by Goldfinch I Queon Modred (dam of Kenilworth and Ola England), by Sir Modred. The yearling half-brntber of Telephone, chestnut colt by Del Paso 11. — Pompadour, by Emperor of Norfolk, was badly burned, but may be saved. New York advices say that the Futurity Race iv Brooklyn, one of the classic struggles of the American Turf, although won by a horse iv a time never before excelled, proved a ghastly farce. The Jockey Club, with the fear of Governor Hughes before their eyes, had announced that the meeting would be unaccompanied by professional betting. As a consequence, notwithstanding that the weather was absolutely perfect, instead of the usual crowd of 50,000, only a few hundreds were present. The price of admission to the lawn was reduced from five to two dollars. This had the amusing effect of introducing scores of flashiy-dresscd negresses to the enclosure usnally monopolised by New York's "Four Hundred." • A sample of the New York "Morning Telegraph's" criticism: — "Master Eddie Dugau bears a reputation for honesty second to that of no jockey in America. But if he rides again as he did on Mouocle in the stewards at the Yonkers meeting to take him in hand. Why on esrth did he take Monocle out at the near turn and sacrifice 100 yards, and. why did he ride so apathetically iv the backstretch and upper turn? These arc questions the regulars would like to have him answer. There have been jockeys who would have beeu notified that their room hereabouts was preferable to their company, before they dismounted after such rides." Tbp three stallions the ATherioan breeder, Mr James B. Haggin. has sent to South America to be sold in the horse mart at Buenos Ayres are Euglish bred. They are Gerolstein. Arklc. and Die::!onne. Of "these ■ Ihe best, if the performance of his get is considered, is Uerolstein. sire of Chapul-ti-peo. Guiding Star. Kemp Ridgeley. and Commodore Fontaine. Mr Haggin will send no mares, some yearlings, some two-year-olds, and some matrons of mature years to Buenos Ayres. and Mr Keene will ship 25. This venture is experimental. If a market is developed in South America fov American thoroughbreds, more will be shipped to the Argentines, the foremost racing country of the South. But if the Haggin and Keene horses do not fetch good prices Buenos Ayres will be passed over in future. "Tnrf reform" is a never-ending topic for discussion, and among the questions which a contemporary thinks might engage the attention of the stewards of the English Jockey Club arc the following:—(l> Betting, with a view to the introduction of the Pnri-Mutnel on racecourses: (2) the substitution of the walk-up for tic standstill start: (3) tho predating of the opening of the flat race season, so as to relieve tho present congested state of the fixture list: (4) the reduction of the minimum weight in all handicaps up to Ascot, with a view to obviating the too limited scale now in use, and which practically shuts out the three-ypnr-olds; (5) the licensing nf paid stewards at all meetings savi> Newmarket, or those of which the .lockey Club stewards arc px-offiein stewards: (6> supervisors of conditions, entries, and weights. The Coney Island Jockey Club will begin nnd end its autumn meeting at Sheepshead Bay on the days allotted by the Jockey Club last winter, but only eleven of the thirteen days will be utilised, and the club will not countenance anything approaching professional betting. The resolution with reference to professional betting adopted at the meeting on August 23rd is couched iv unambiguous language. It follows :— "Moved aud seconded that the autumn meeting be run off with eleven days of racing, omitting the two Fridays, commencing August 29 and closing September 12, with open gates provided all professional betting can be stopped. Should it be found that it is impossible to stop professional betting, the gatos will be closed to the public and stakes only run off." Apparently the Argentine Republic is no; to be the only country to receive shipments of racehorses from the Vnited States. 11. E. Harris and It. L- Delisser. American turfmen, are preparing to develop the Island of Jamaica as a horse-breeding and horse-racing country. Kingston, the chief city of the island, which has a population of 70.0H0, possesses one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world iv Knutsford Tark which is picturesquely situated at Ibo foot of the Blue Mountains, one mile from the centre of thp city. The track is a mile one, 70 feet in width, and the park cuntains 145 acres. It is planned to hold li 100-duvs' meeting, starting in December. No purse's will be for less than 400d015.. and there will be at least one purse a day for (JlK)dnls. The programme will include two jumping races a week, and there will be m>l less rhan twenty races during the meet limited to .laraaica-bred horses. It is interesting to know that, the subject of the starting gate still exercises th.minds of those iv authority in England, ami suggestions for improvement have been entertained, though nothing officially has been done. Some time ago, Durham took the opinions of all the official starters regarding the "walk-up" start that has been so widely recommended, and we understand that while a few were altogether against this method others confessed thac they could not express an opinion till they had had some experience of it. which is sorely natural. While the Jockey Club may be disposed to favourably consider the -walk-up" start, it is hardly likely that they will initiate any change yet awhile. i Possibly, however, tho official starters will < bo vested with more authority *o far as exercising their own discretion is concerned. The following is a description of the effect of a wicked piece of rough riding in a race at the Empire City Track. New York, at the recent meeting: —'-Two jockeys. Sweet and Sumter. came within an ace "of losing thoir lives in the last race at the Empire City Track on Saturday afternoou. Sweet bad the mount on C. R. Ellison's J. C. Core, while Sumter rode J. 11. McCormick's Saylor. In a wild dash for the lower turn, E. Dugan, who was recently punished by the Saratoga stewards for rough riding, crossed over from an outside position with Comedienne, the favourite. and grabbed the rail just at the beginning

?m i V 1 ™- WUIe Comedienne dirt not foul anybody, she caused several riders to Pull up, with the result that there was a jam. In lh( . ini(lst of Uu , ~o nfllsjon j. <-■ <-or e and Saylor stumbled, and went Clown in a cloud of dust. The accident occurred within litty yards of the club honse, where many women turned away in horror, i- '.I c ,ay stiu : ' s 'f flea«J with Sweet mrectly under him. Saylor. however, scrambled up, as (lid Sumter, but the boy V° ha <Uy shaken up that he fell agaiu i 'P' o **. hweet's head was covered with blood which flowed from a deep Rash over 7? k L>ar - II was about •->■ "our alter the accident that the ambulance reached the track, and Sweet was then driven hurriedly back to Yonkers. At the hospital after an operation had been perI cove?' R WaS Silid that Sw<,pt """Kl «■ ' mis?,,~ ■ l 6et 1S one of tne tnost Promising jockeys in the East." In a "personal- editorial concerning hts recent acquittal upon the charge of ,u----tompiiug to blackmail Mr J. B. Joel. Root. "The wtnnin" dOn * PoTtin S J°"ma.. ilie Winning Post." says: — Aβ it is Impossible tor mc to leply severally to the immense number of congratulatory telegrams .and letters that began •to arriVe frnmedr<itely the result" was known, and stiu continue to reach mc by every post, I must :\sk my frieuds to regard these few words as a most grateful acknowledgment of the kind feeling shown towards mc. On Friday morning I received cables from Australia, from India, and all parts of Europe, ana from South Africa they continue to come; and especially I wish to convey my thanks to the Victorian" Club. Melbonrne, Rand Mub Johannesburg, supporters Jit Oudtshoorncape. Newcastle Club, Natal, dubs at .Simla, Bombay, and Calcutta, friends at Gibraltar and Malta, and to Nat Goodwin at Cortina. On Friday I received a visit from Mr Adolph Beck, who called personally to shake mc by the hand, knowing full well what had once happened to him. Not only have friends and single individuals in the great majority of cases unknown to mc personally — made mc the recipient of their congratulations, but so have numerous bodies of people who happened to be collected together, such as a number of naval officers at Plymouth, various branches of the different entertainments at the Franco-BritisH Exhibition, travelling theatre companies Innumerable, while one telegram was received from a Hebrew audience at Sadler's Wells" I can but reiterate my grateful thanks for( all these expressions of sympathy and confidence, forming as they do so representative a testimonial from all parts of ous Empire. In England recently there died, at the ripe age of So years, Mr William Day, who oar-marked tnrf history to a greater extent, perhaps, than any of his contemporaries. Not only was he during tht? palmy days of his stable at Woodyeates the man of all men amongst trainers, but after his retirement he disclosed himself to be an apt penman, and no more interesting book on Turf matters exists than hie reminiscences, "William Day of Danebury" Two of the greatest animals the late William Day was first associated with were Crucifix, trained by his father, "Honest John,' , as he was familiarly known, and Virago. The first-named is credited with having won Lord George Bentinck no less a sum than £100,000, and amongst the races which she won were the Two Thousand, One Thousand, and Oaks. Virago achieved the great performance of winning the City aud Suburban and Great Metropolitan Stakes in the same year, those races thea being run on the same day. It is interesting to note that John Porter, of Kingsclere renown, was at that time a lad in. the famous Danebury establishment. Amongst William Day's patrons were Mr Merry and Lord Palmerston. who had Isng connection with the Day family. Deceased nsed to tell au amusing story how once his father went to the House of Parliament to see "Old I'.im." but was refuse*! admission by the policeman on duty. However, he subsequently succeeded in seeing the Premier, whom he congratulated upon his attaining such an exalted position in the State, and his lordship heartily replied, "Oh, thanks. John, I have won my Derby." No account of William Day's career would be complete without a reference to his warning off in connection with what was on everybody's tongue at the time as the **Old England Scandal." Those were days of ramping, nobbling, and general roguery on the tort and only in Cie preceding year (1844) the infamous case of Running Rein had occurred. John Day then trained Okl England for John Gully, who, "from information received" concerning his horse, who was then first favourite for the Derby, went post haste to Danebury, and demanded of the trainer an explanation of the rumours. The gist of the story was that Old England was to be lamed, and that the trainer's son was privy to the plot. Whatever truth there may hare been in any part of the tale —and in his William Day indignantly and eloquently denied that it bad any foundation in fact—the Stewards of the Jockey Club took a seckras view of It. A remarkable feature of this case fs that in the mid-eighties it was thrashed out once more in a published controversy between the Duke of Portland and Da.T himself. Robert Black, most careful and accurate of turf historians, gives this precis of the matter. "The Stewards of the Jockey Club, after examination, ordered Messrs J. P. Bloodsworth, WHliam Stebblngs. and William Day to be warned off for a conspiracy to make money out of llr Gully's horse, Old England, by betting against the horse for the Derby, and u> prevent the horse from running for that race, whether by maiming or otherwise. As a matter of fact, Old England did ran fop the Derby, and was third to The Merry sJonarch and Annandale, and it is only fair to remark that if the Stewards of the Jockey Club had clear proof of the atrocity ■Charged against Mr W. Day (who declares that he was unjustly dealt with, and who floes not appear to have entertained the suggestion as to maiming the horse), their Eubsequent leniency towards him, after onlx about two years' suspension, notwithstanding what they still, in 1847, called 'the enormity of his offence.' is incomprehensible and most blameworthy: and that, if they had. on the other hand, convinced themselves that they were mistaken, they owed Mr Day a handsome apology."