TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 11, 12 January 1918, Page 14

TURF NOTES.

tßy WHAI.BBOJHB.J For a Christmas box, ail the" ¥:IL6; employees at Fiemihgtoh received ah extra week's wages. TB£ club will fifid that such a graciohß act ia mbhejr Well spent on the workmeh.

One of the first American volunteers to land ih France when his country dfr= olared war on Germany Wits Mf Kenneth Alexander, a wealthy Kentucky horsebresdei. During his absence his colt Fecabe won the Breeder*' FutitiHiy Purse; and iwhen he heard this Mr Alexander cabled from the front that the prize money should be turned over to the National Red Cross Fund.

A striking incident occurred recently ih the Hurdle Race at Rahdwick. O. ft. Davis, the rider of Lochneil, was thro#il about four feet into the ait as the. field crossed tihe obstacle In front of the Rtand. Fortunately the momentum enabled him to fall neatly back into the saddle, and without losing His balance he f esunied riding as if nothing had happened: The crowd appreciated his nonchalance, and gave him a hearty cheer for hie clever piece of circus riding.

The English jockey 6. Madden, like the inimitable. George Fordham years ago, is a remarkable instance of resuscitation (says the London Sportsman"). After taking up the duties of training for nearly ten years, he has come back to ride as well as ever he did in his Hie; indeed, he has no superior among the jockeys of to-day. It was a happy inspiration when Alec Taylor made the proposal for Man ton to have first claim 6n hia services without any retaining fee. A first-class jockey who can without undue wasting go to scale at 111 is an invaluable acquisition, while, on the btneir hand, Madden has been afforded the opportunity of showing that his skill iii the saddle is as great as ever.

Discussing the holiday meetings in Sydhey, a Sydhey Writer says:—The" quality of the horses racing at llandwick this Christmas was good. The times proved this. Records were made or equalled in races over all distances from five furlougs to a mile and five furlongs. Fields fell off on the last two days of the carnival, and competition was disappointing, but winners continued to make fast times; and although racegoers were at a loss to account for this paucity of runners, they could not find fault with the quality of the homes in the majority of the events after seeing the pace at which they were run. Of course, the Btate of the going, and other conditions were in favour of speedy results, but this could not altogether account for the consistency with which records were attacked.

Says a Sydney writer:—Until the introduction of the totalisator made it necessary for non-acceptors to declare before the day of racing, controllers of clubs in this State declined to include such a necessary condition in connection with minor events on their programmes. Now that it has been tried, no one would willingly revert to the old order of things. It-does not entail any hardship on owners and trainers, and is of distinct benefit to the supporters of the sport. Having been conceded so much, racegoers arc hoping that the authorities will go further and introduce a law giving power to the stewards to demand an explanation in cases where acceptors are withdrawn on the day of racing, especially from events on which there has previously been some betting. Anything that tends to keep racing clean should be welcomed, and it will scarcely be denied that the introduction of such a late scratching rule as that suggested would work in that direction.

The following is an interesting record 1 of speed for the four days of the car-; nival:— Cetigne's 1..38J, a record for the Villiers Mile. Chantemerle's 1.52J, record for nine furlongs, Grand Stand Stakes, and within isec Woorak and Perkoe's Australian record. j Some Boy's 1.12 for six furlongs, within isec Australian record. Palm Leafs Imin for December Stakes, 1 five furlongs, equals Brolly's Australian record. Poitrel's 2.45 for 13 furlongs equals; Australian record, and new record for Summer Cup. • Bombita's 2.5f for one mile and a-, quarter within Jsec of Australian record.: Sweet Corn's 1.26 for seven furlongs' equals Randwick record, and within! 2-ssec Australian record. j Sobrina's 2.6 for one mile and a quarter within Jsec Woorak and Biplane's record. Rosedcll's 1.1 If for six furlongs equals Australian record. Frank E.s 1.38 within }sec Australian record. Poitrel's 2.32J for one mile and a-half, Tattersall's Cup, equals record for the race. Enlacre's 1.26 for seven furlongs, Tattersall's Welter, equals Randwick record.

After Golden Rule won the Rutland Handicap at Newmarket on November 6 a protest was lodged against him on the score that he was trained by an unlicensed trainer, R. Wooton. The objection was subsequently withdrawn by permission of the stewards, and in referring to the occurrence tbe Special Commissioner of the "Sportsman" said: "The objection to Golden Rule was overruled, and rightly, for. as Wooton's authority to act for his son, who is a licensed trainer, is registered at Weatherby's the authority to train the horses would be included. It is only in comparatively recent years that provincial trainers have required to be licensed at all, and authorised agency involves a much wider and more important power. If there be any objection to the individual agent whom it is proposed to appoint, that could be taken before authorisation is registered. At the same time it Would be well to have the position made somewhat more clear. It oould hardly be contended, for example, that a jockey by authorising an agent could empower that agent to ride for him without obtaining a jockey's license. It would have been hard indeed if Stanley Wooton, who is serving his country at the front while his father is just keeping the- stable going for him, should have been made to euffer for what could only have been a technicality." The protest was lodged by P. Gilpin, owner of Salamandra.