TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 17

TURF NOTES.

?By WHALEBONE.)

Tn England Mt. J. Musker commences this season with a team of (54 horses. They are -being trained by A. -T. Gilbert, and of these 4ti are two-year-olds. The English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries gives notice to farmers and owners of horses that in order to enJtonxage the -breeding of horses -the War Office--has issued instructions to its purchasing officers to avoid, as far as- pos-sible-Ahe purchase of mares, and on no account to -purchase by impressment any mare whose owner 6igns a declaration that he will use her for breeding next service season. A match between the two great pacing stallions. William (2m) and Direction I. CEm SSJs) was brought off on September 24 at Grand Rapids. U.S.A_ the conditions being a purse of £1.200 put up by the proprietary, divided 60 and 40 per cent. The attendance was 0.000. Rain fell, and a keen wind was not conducive to fast time. The match was for the best three in five heats, and William won three straight heats, and the match, in 2m ljs, 2m IJs, and 2m 2Zs. The conclusion to be drawn from the two w.f.a races at the V.R.C. meeting, •which he might have won with different handling (says a Sydney writer) is that Land of 6ong is at present the best horse in Australia at any distance be-yond-a mile—presuming that his disposition has not been soured. A willing horse will not remain amiable if he is repeatedly "messed about." Indiscreet riding has thus far cost his owner a lot of stake money, not to mention the hackers and their many thousand quids. There seems to be no end to the fashion, of importing English horses to Australia to race, and it is predicted that l>efore the close of the season there will be no event at a meeting in Sydney which wfl] not include at least one Eng-lish-bred competitor. Tbe latest arrivals are th e three-year-old colt Half a Glass '('lsinglass—Scotch Gift), and the four year-old Bed Dennis (Tredennis—Rosey Head), owned 'by Messrs. Robinson and Clark, who have already scored well in 'Australia season with St. Spasa and Flash of Steel. He iSeJboitme "Age" says that a more certain system of "beating the bag" than by hacking one's fancy was successfully worked at Flemington during the autumn meeting by a- gang of smart and JweE-dressed racecourse habitues. While inquiring the prices of the different candidates the would-be punter, with one hand in his coat pocket, in which -there is a convenient aperture, deftly removes as many notes as come within his grasp, and, apparently dissatisfied iwith the odds offered, wanders off through, the crowd. By this means one bookmaker was was on Saturday last relieved of '£100 in notes, while another lost £50; and Eeveral doing business on-the hill were also victims for small amounts. Races over two miles under weight-for-age conditions are not usually run fast. The pace, as a rule, is of the improving kind, and (says an exchange) Loch Plate which was run at Flemington, affords an illustration. But it is not often that the first half-mile -of a race is run so slowly as on this occasion, the pace being almost funereal. Tbe appended figures show the proportional times of the race of Thursday last, and for Loch Plate of 1914. When Piastre won the Loch Plate fa 1913. the time occupied wa s 3.39J: — 191-3. 1914. First four furlongs 1.3 59} Next four furlongs 571 544 Next four furlongs 51 1 52 Nest four furlongs 49} 40} Last six furlongs l.tttj 1.14} Last mile 1.41} 1.41} Full journey 3.41 j 3.35} Commenting on the VJLC. Autumn meeting, which closed on Saturday, the "Argus" says: ''A general topic of conversation throughout the meeting was the failure of the stipendiary stewards to take immediate official notice of the inconsistent form. It is not necessarily a reflection on an owner, trainer,, or rider to hold an inquiry. There was possibly a good explanation for every case-of inconsistent running aj. the meeting. Some owners court an inquiry where the- form of their horses appears inconsistent. The stipendiary stewards may have good grounds for knowing that-there was nothing wrong about the cases of .in-and-out running, but to the racing public, who provide the money to keep the sport going, the form was at times inexplicable. That the stipendiary system of stewards ia an improvement on the old style is generally admitted, but the present stipendiary stewards would give a good deal more satisfaction were they to institute formal inquiries on the course where the cases of a reversal of form is not readily apparent. All racegoers know, of course, that racehorses are not machines, and allowances must necessarily be made. Even an abortive inquiry may,,however, have a good mora) effect. - ' From the latest Australian files it. is gathered that a meeting of the Victorian Racing Club enthusiasticaily approved of the proposal t» ask for legislation for the introduction of the totalisator. Mr. W, Reid moved the following motkm: *• That the Victorian Racing Club Committee urge the Government to introduce legislation, authorising th c use of the totalisator on licensed racecourses." The publk- seemed to want the totalisator, be said, and itwas right they should have it. 31 r. B. Thomson seconded the motion, which was supported by Mr. C. E. Ogden. who said it would be impossible for a horse to recede iv price two points in two minutes on the totalisator as had happened in the case of Carlita in the Loch Plate, with the bookmakers. With the bookmakers 187.000 bets were registered on Cup Day. If the Government had the strength to put the Totalisator Bill on the Statute' Book, it-would be the best possible thing that could be done in the interests of racing and backers. (Applause.) Mr. G. B. Turner th.en.-climbed on the platform. " I have been, a -punter for 30 years," he said, -"and Lsay bookmaker-* never make a profit of JO per -cent on their trrrnorer," ifLoud. la«ghher and satirical cries.) *I will procmee- bookmakers- VJLCL for the privilege, ot making 1$ per cenfe-on their outlay. (6hpjd» of laughter), Voicesr?«frtaown, Mr. Turner. Mr. Torrow*. down, defeated. ' After-«*««?. SMalcer* I*4 addressed fte meefapg, th>■wUon^ritkfl^-igorda. .......

Mr. John Daly, the A.J.C. handicapper, was much impressed with the manner in which Lempriere won the Australian Cup. According to Mr. Daly, Lempriere not only won the Australian Tup easily, but slowed down in the last furlong, while only errors of judgment on the part of the riders of the other starters enabled Hayston to win Loch Plate. Mr. Daly describes Land of Song as not being quite forward enough to do himself full justice, and anticipates seeing him a better horse at the A J.C, meeting nest month. A well known French turf expert writing to "London Sportsman" says that the turf authorities of his country have every disposition to recommence racing at the earliest possible date, that is to say, as soon as the Germans have been driven off French-soil by the excellent Allied armies. Meanwhile the French of them were sufficiently enterprising to buy at the Newmarket December sales. For example, M. Ed. Kann and Jlr. Frank Jay Gould made purchases there for their French studs. Moreover, several French breeders are sending mares over to England to fill nominations which they have taken to some of our best stallions, and some English breeders will be sending mares to French stallions. It is unusual to read of a ra-cehorse being destroyed consequent on hydrophobia, but this happened at Lueknow (India) last month. The night subsequent to running in the Stewards' Cup a maro named Lady Anne developed extraordinary symptoms, tearing up everything within reach in her stall, kicking and pawing the 6table walls, and displaying a state of wild frenzy. Colonel Holmes was called in by the trainer, Longstaff, and after examination the mare's case was pronounced to be hydrophobia. She had been bitten by a dog at Lahore just a month previous to a day, and she was destroyed. As Colonel Holmes and Longstaff had haadled tbe mare's mouth, both subsequently went up to Kasauli to the Pasteur Institute. The King is dead, long live the King. The great American driver and trainer of trotters, Ed Geers. for the first time for a lifetime, was not the leading money winner for the 1914 season on the American trotting tracks. The most successful horseman was Thomas W. Murphy, whose winnings amounted to £20,034." Geers had a successful season notwithstanding, his total for the past three seasons amounting to £26,000. Big figures both, considering that betting has been a dead letter in America for the past few years. I Shewing and balancing a trotter in 'America is an art that has never reached us, and until it does the two-minute trotter will never become an accomplished fact. Scarcely two youngsters are shod alike in America. One of Murphy's fastest carries a different style of shoe on each foot. As is generally knorwn, the prize-money few ail England's classic races is provided by owners in the way of subscriptions and forfeits. The first forfeit is £5, and that has to be declared as early as the last Tuesday in March of the year prior to the decision of the race. At that time few, if any, of the horses engaged have even had an opportunity of running in a two-year-old race, and owners are in the dark as to their merits. However, if they leave them in they accept a .liability of £25 for each youngster, and in very many cases the animal is really not of that value by the time the race comes round. It costs £50 ito start, and at the declaration of the minor forfeit in March last only 150 of the 429 originally nominated for the Derby dropped out. In connection with the Oaks, ownens had less trouble in coming to a decision, as 134 of the original 308 entrants for that race were struck out. Tt does not often happen that a race at a Sydney suburban " horse " meeting is reduced to a match, says a Sydney writer. Invariably the prize-money is 100 sove., and it might be supposed that so much was always worth running for in these times of war, increased price of feed y etc. Among the races at Canterbury Park on Saturday last was Flying Mile, for which, there were entered iv tbe race book Wilftow Green l , Spurn, Brundee Lad, Sanguine. Sarar/no, Cool Air, Ethel Buckley, Grail. Third Prize, Ballara, and San Leandro. hut one by one they disappeared until only Brundee Lad and Sanguine remained. Why the others were struck out did not transpire, ■but the unexpected turn of events was generally discussed at the course, and racing men would like to learn -why the nine malcontents, or. at any rate, some of them, were not struck out at latest on the Friday. The wholesale withdrawals left the club in the position of paying 95 soys. in prize money instead of 100 soys., for in cases where there are only two starters any third money arranged for reverts to the club. The following, from the "Bulletin," speaks for itself: The results of certain races on the first three days of the VJLC. meeting added fuel to the enthusiasm with which the rank and file of V.R.C. members voted for the totalisator at the last gathering of the club. The "boil over" for the Loch Plate, for instance, had made a lot of soreness, and there was no ointment in the Press announcement that Land of Song's jejekey when questioned by the stipendiary steward that he rode a bad Taoe." What sort of race the jockey of Carlita thought he had ridden was not stated, though its "badness" was equally apparent to the crowd. The betting on the Loch Plate may, of course, have been influenced by the news that Mr. Norman ■ Falkiner, the owner of the favourite, wanted to scratch his gee after the scratching time had expired, and was refused permission by the V.R.C. stewards. Anyhow, Land of Song's price went from 4 to 1 on to 5 to 2 on before the start, notwithstanding his satisfactory showing in the preliminary canter. Evidently tbe owner's misgivings about tbe animal's fitness to run were not justified. The race was an extraordinary opportunity fur the pacemaker. Hayston was really the sorest horse in the field, and he couldn't gallop for nuts until he had gone a mile or more. One has to presume that the experienced riders of the '"waiting" horses didn't know how slow they were going. Hayston gradually shook off his soreness and improved his pace, and then Carlita, apparently, was unable to recover more than five of the lengths which had been conceded to the slow leader. Land of Song overtook Carlita and made a belated effort to reach Hayston, but the despised outsider had a neck to the good as they passed the post. One bookmaker, not tbe biggest of tbe fraternity, won £3,000 over the Loch Plate (four starters) and £5,000 in all on his day's betting. Some of his clients, no doubt, were among the crowd of V.R.C. members who carried a tote resolution 1 next day.