TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 101, 27 April 1912, Page 16

TURF NOTES.

(By WHALEBONE.) .. ._:... I'r.n.'- of German vi- ambc I -.. . .-. u« - a rj-.- n-z -tabic. " ! ■ - -.':: i.irt - Lrinv meeting of the i • ■-•■ .. !':.i:i!;jr mj..- only once! -...-.! :.:.i «j, in the Mcl- j -; ■-.-!. ..••■.- hi- i'wrious show-| ■ : a: -.'-'. i 'r.i ::iL'..i .. i n without a' :.. .- a- \ .!:.' . <'. B. Fi.-.cer| ;- ._ . '. A..' . .-:. G.-.,rgc Stake.-. V.R.C. ! ..--■■ . - - ..ik'f. Li« ii t'iatc. ( aampiou] .-.;.-.- :.'. A.J. - . Autumn Stakes,] , -•;■--'.:' ! . -take-, and .'v.-1.-'. Plate. | ;. - -.;.::■■;.. •>. re fore, not to be ■-■ ■:: ■;• -■ i it. Tii -'- -ward- ».f the English Jockey (■;-, , ■„- ■ ■ •■•... ™>w< red stewards of meetr.:- i-- ' '-*■'■ "■•'■• '■'• their fixtures wiien rhe .... .-.' ;>: c authorities .ire unable to --..' fn'rn aii-ona-e protection, and if -..->• raihvti' .r.r.hnrCies notify their in- .,;-.;::-. > provide adequate means for ;.- ...nveyanc, ■■:' horses to a meeting. >;c-.ii7t- ' ' nice* Lugs are not. allowed to Li.ia.rM"'? •.:)■- ticttiros if 'he only reason -~ - - ■ .: --,_- i- -'■• ;-»>-— t~bie abstention of the .::.•' : r-.-xpo cement can only be .i i-titorts-'d x- from day to day.

T >trin:in; the probability of racing -.... -_. resatmed in Sew York Stale, a rrtcssace from Albany says thai several — .-rr. '-■> "- of the l.t-risLatiirc have been a -rrTnai-i o.i with a proposition for the ,r'-itm ■ f a legislative coramißee to make .1-. investigation of the whole race irax*k question, with a- view of drawing ■.> a >.im. or lows, that will be acceptable to ix>t_i aide.-. It is the idea to have this committee invite members of the Jocto?y 'rob. and. other racing bodies, to a. meeting for the purpose of ascertain- ."_" just whai son. m compromise can be a —.i--:ged. When this is reached suitable -bTfs -will be. drawn tip to make possrbic the return of racing.

A ,_-.- is toM vf the eminent French artist. -,\io. after Persimmon's Derby victory, was commissianed by King _L.l-,vti.r I VII. to paint a picture of the lames is -i-i of M. Simon. The celebrated steeplechaser Manifesto was then ;n h- : rime, and. -'iter his second sne-,-,-ss to the Liverpool Grand National Stccrsk-cliax'. his owner. Mr. Burteel. re-oues-tM M. Adnm to paint a portrait o: "'•'-■ Lrreat cross-coamiry horse. Haviac br-er already honoured by the King, M. Knii! Adam demurred on the ground •Jrat it would be "•infra dig;*" to bestow h'.- talents on what he termed "a mere horse" However. his iriie- were overcome, and he was persuaded '.■• ?-■> dorwn To Hampshire and ;iidje fir hi-nscii whether his subject -vis likeiy to do him credit or not. A visit, to Manifesto in his box was quite sufticjeiit,. "•Why. 'c is a. racehorse!" ex- - ; :iimed the artist in rapture, as he ram Lis experienced eye over the shapely proporti, n- of the gallant son of Man-o'-»-i", "Ma foil What a. meestake I have r-.tke. -o he .-ure. Paint 'im, in--'e-'. ' ii! i not. And the result was "'..-.. -■ ' i"v-.--,] v.-a.s M. Adam with his h-Ti'.iw. ts. -!-_-: he asked permission "■ M". I'ti'toe- ;.. exhibit the picture s.ii c- '!;.. following: sirrnmer. '•'■'- regarded, and deservedly '."-■-'■ ' " i .'.-.-..an admirers as one of ''.:■'• .i- -•'.- b.-ipniosi efforts. I

::-tial!y a: the A..J.C. autumn

: -'- '.n-.' that t:ir-s.- spurts who are given ; -> r- —,::•_' months ahead try to find : r.-- - .t Melbourne Derby and Cup win- "-"--. List \e:i- they r ort-ed out -»aca- "■■' in■! Ciiiamatong. the former be- ■ i"— i .•■ won Nrrr-i - :-- Haaidjcap and

-"-!■-';" -takes, and the latter stood out -• - ' '■■' .cinruT of Sires' Produce Stakes i ■■•:- • -- also gave support to the Cham"s:-""' -takes winner Posadas, so that in r. ..;.!-_- ..-icr selections they bad cur- :■—.; :"or-n with ihetn. though the results -.-.-■-.. arait-st them, and they lost their ::'•••".-■-.-. \"o:Yiruf lircated "Oy tnat- fail-:-re. •- 1 -!;. n-.-.-s'.-.r- hardly permitted M'olsw.i to • )oi down after his A..1.C -i*s-s* JVoiluce Stakes victory before they pi.inked their money on fcrm for the T'-x \".R.C. Derby and Cup double, i *::,• member of the ring -watered 3000 aj-airr-t tie combination of —the two Wo "..a. was." at a figure that must not ■-■ s;j^ P d. and it is probable that others r';d -imilar business with regard to Air. _-' V. 1 1 . Clarke's colt. The price ae- . ,s>tn '•'. -si' i appear short to the marjor- .'-.- <•'■" :.'-;'l-. could it only be mentioned, i 3'. i .iii not lengthen to any appreciable extent with Wolavva's defeat by ( ider 'i ' hanrpagne Stakes, though Wo- !-'..! -...-•- s-om+»what out of fashion.

tPTrtroT-iriiy. after his poor showing in \li-ajCT- I .-takes. Cider was also be-:rreD-jed to win the double, but not to the r-ame , item as Wolawa. who may be said to i •' already a strong favourite for the Deri'-;'.

The brood mare Wakeful was offered for stile in Sydney, and passed in at 3.V-"' _-.:7}ii-. Wakeful is in her sixteenth yea.-, and the price stated may .i?pe:i.r as representing more than her snil v-alu'. Hut Wakeful has a colt foal r„r foc-i ' .-. Maltster. and is ciclicvrsi to be in foal to Posrranr s.. that her owner declined t i a-"cepi. The su.t mentioned for the. en--.-tc lot. Mr. i . L. Macdonald. who owns Wa.set'-aJ and Co.. bas no reason to regret having -oid out his racehorses. He recurved lortO guineas tor Biairgour. and ].Vfc' uiitie-.i- for 1 lOtdeti Point, but good t.-irur-jii thoi-e sales were, he was. perhaps, instiripd. 'C requiring a little more : .- WaK.-iid tinder the circumstances. Buying nitres and foals may not be nn.tr a- big a lottery as tbe purchase i or veari pss r=. but there have been some i •_—at failures. There is the sensational : sale of the late Sir Daniel Cooper's .-•--.; .i- a i-ac-e in point. Lesbia. cover- , ; ..-. i .ailinule. was sold to Mr. W. F. .--',.'.: " - irnOO guineas-; Edmee. with filly i -. ■--. Knisquiu. and covered by him ■j -.i.r. .- r \Vm. Cooper. *»400 guineas: Sil- .. - Thread, with rtliv by Velocity, and ,-.-,-,.; by- tij'ilinuie. 2100 guineas, to - : ■■ =...-,,. ;.-.iver: Film, with filly foal by ■':".;.:::"::-. ail covered by Bridge' ot ' .:.: • . Mr. .lames Buchanan. 2300 - :.:.-.!-: and Concertina, with colt foal ".-.- '"ai'dauie. and covered by Radium. ':.. ri .'■ ..-r.e ,:am. 280-0 guineas None of - c l" .a-.- c.-i any .rood, but fortunately m.tror are not too "id to return their - ..- .la--' money. But the purchase ot hitrh-priced mares has not always been disastrous to their buyers. There is Sceptre. for instance. She brought 10.000 -ruinous as a yearling, and. after wianins more than double that amount in stakes, was sold for £2.3.000. La Heche was sold for £d 3,230. and in proportion to these sums the price wanted for Wakeful was small. Wakeful herself was a great performer, and quite one of the best mares ever seen-oa -the, turf ia -Australia. 'i

In the ruins of the Equitable Assur atrce Society's Buiidinu. c.hich was destroyed by tin- recently, is the famous Ascot <;:.ld Cup. won by -lames R. Keem-'s noted racer. Koxha.ll, in ISB2. It is the only Ascot 1.-old Cup ever won by an American turfman i -ays the "New York Herald': and to keep it s-ife Mr. Kcene hail stored it in his vault in the Equitable Building. The V •■.-. R. '". <:i!!ie. in the '-Christian Commonwealth." tells the story of a i encash re elergyraa.il who remarked to .1 working woman that he had not noticed Vi )i:;-band in church lately. -No" •■'*■■ replied "yon see. it's his'only day for 1-ttintr. ' it he's with you in spirit." The t'.-ei daw" -lie of the yearlings in Sydney which concluded recently Ad not 'come c;. to !a--l years high figures. when .ifJO lots changed hands for £84.----sss while this season's lots numbered 481." for a total of 68.508g5. The highest prk-e realised en Friday, the last day of the sale, was liTOOgs. which Mr. .1. Scobie gave for the well-furnished colt by iialtser. from Lady Trenton.

The hardest workers in connection with racing are undoubtedly the trainers. We hear a lot about successful jockeys and the amount they get in fees, whH-h. no doubt, they are quite entitle! to: but, after all. the trainer is the main mm in the service. If t-he horse is not well, all the riders ability goes for nought.

It is now-generally understood in New York that, though the Jot-key Club, prominent owners, racing official"! and others interested in the sport will take no active part therein, pressure wnll shortly he brought to bear to have the A£tiew---PcTkins law- amended in such a way as to permit of horse-racing being once again carried on without fear of molestation. Those interesting themselves in the matter are people connected with the State and county fairs, follow-' ers of trotting, hotel proprietors and the State Grange, an association •composed of the leading farmers. This combination will, it is believed, be able to produce the influence required.

A couple of sensations occurred at the March meeting of the South African Turf Club. The first of these was the eleventh hour scratching of a gelding named Debauch for the Trial Handicap, a rumour being circulated to the effect that he had dropped dead. Subsequent inquiries proved that this was untrue. The other incident was in connection with a race named the KenHworth Handicap, for which there -were only two runners BHry Boosey and Debenture. Odds were laid on the former, and the race resulted in a deal heat. The owner of the favourite declined to run off. and the stakes were awarded to Debenture. Not tmnaturrJly this very unsatisfactory climax to an excituKT race was by no means liven received by backers of Billy Boosey; but. considering that he was conceding .Ist 31b to his opponent, his withdrawal was considered by many to be justified, in view of the severe race jhe had just undergone.

: The great American trotting stallion | The Harvester changed bands at Chicago last month for a sum considerably in excess of 30,000 dollar.-. Mr. C. K.*G. Billings being the purchaser. The Harvester, who is recognised as the greatest horse in harness in the world to-day. was the property of the August Uihiein Estate, of Milwaukee, and his new owner took possession at once and sent him to Memphis, where he is now under the change of Ed. (Jeers. This horse, which for three years 'has been the sensation of the trotting turf, will be paraded before Royalty the coming summer, as Mr. Billings will, with several others of his crack stable, take him to Russia. Mr. Billings ba-s been specially invited by the Russian Government, which takes a keen interest in trotters, to visit the empire. The Harvester and Uhlan will be the stars of the consignment. It was in I£>lo at Columbus, Ohio, that The Harvester became the national stallion trotting champion by going the mile in 2.01. The Harvester is by Walnut Hall, out ot Notelet by Moko. and is seven years old.

I Even those people who have noticed with pleasure the rapidity with which A.J.O. stake- have mounted up may not know that during the past 10 years the premier Sydney club has doubled its i prize money at both tbe apring and autumn meeting-. In 1902 the amount paid in stakes after the antumn meeting was £13.304. and in the spring £14.009. Last year the winners at the autumn meeting received £26,051. and in the spring they divided £29.327, whilp this year's figures will he in excess. With the autumn meeting which concluded last week prizes to the value of £28,14S were associated, and something bigger I may be expected in the spring. These are enormous figures indeed, and if they point to anything at all i: is to the wisdom of permitting the A..1.C. to continue in sole control of racing affairs in the State. Perhaps in no other part of the world has a club made such progress as the A.J.C. It has had no freak years, and therefore never bad to look back. lbs advance has been steady and continuous, and there is no sign of its being arrested- —Sydney Exchange.

Among the many features associated •with the recent meeting of the A.J.C. was the enormous volume of speculations, and reliable members of the ring have given it as their opinion that never before was there-6o much betting t here in that respect Sydney Cup provided a record for Randwk-k — they would I have "held" ever so much more money | had all those who wanted to back their I fancy been able to reach their booknial:----j er. But the crowd was too dense to : face more than once, and many regular j betters preferred to look on to searching lin that solid mass of people for a fair j market price. And so far as can be I learned of the many thousands of betters 1 who indulged during the meeting, not 1 one has been reported "missing." A | few slow ones there are. as usual, but it ;is only breathing space they want. Jockeys seemed to behave themselves reI markably well during tbe four d-avs" raej ing. So far as could he detected, there I was no foul riding, and it is extremely ' doubtful if the accident which brought ■ ! Uncle Matt. Mayrah. Early Hope, and I Martha B. down in the First Nursery : Handicap. and fatally injured Jockey U. Matthews, was due to any intentional mi terrerence by the jockeys. As for the ' racing generally, it was no: only good. j but remarkably clean. All sorts of wild : rumours were afoot as to one of the competitors having been "in the bag.' i •'handled" by several visitors, but it is I' an easy matter to spread such things, and I scarcely a meeting of note passes without something similar being erven a !out something srrmflar being srven a start. —Australian Exchange.