TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 190, 12 August 1922, Page 18

TURF NOTES.

(By "WHALEBONE.",

Stakes to the value of £276 017 w distributed among horse ownere from S* various Victorian racing clubs for tfc season which ended on .July 31 Montem. by Ladas from K ern . foaled her thirteenth filly f oa l ; n S*' last season. The Special Comm»X>e r of the -Sportsman" states that t>, record is unique-thirteen foale and \, fillies. w *" Lord Glanely has cancelled the sai of Sceptre to the South American buve'r and cables received in Australia etatJ that the famous mare has been present to the National Stud. British the world over will endorse this action for it savoured of sacrilege to send the "peerless Sceptre" to die in a foreien country. s There was nearly a panic amongst tie hookmaking fraternity in Sydney recently* (says a Sydney writer), as Rostrum Wai supported very solidly for the Epsom. Tlu- Newmarket Handicap winner was until the 1% commission came for him at a fairly long price: but at present, owing to the awful possibilities in front tf them, the layers of odds are not inclined to liave anything more to do with Mr Connolly's horse, except at a prohibitive price, until they get their wind bai again. Word has been received in Christchurch that on July 5 at the Stadium trotting fixture in San Francisco seven travelling Maorilanders. including Messrs. Free Holmes, W. E. Sjmes and others wore introduced to occupants of the grandstand by megaphone. Describing the incident, Mr. Simes states, "I replied in New Zealand megaphone v'ojce to 3000 spectators, acknowledging their kindness and hospitality extended to our party since arriving in America." When the mail left for Maorfland the tourists were about to leave for New York and so far no purchases of light; harness stock had been made. There were two 6elling races of f'OO each at Epsom (Eng.) on Oaks day, and to the executive the actual cost of one was £42, and of the other £94. However, one winner was Bold for oOOga and the other for sSogs. the executive's share of the surplus being £417, so that the two races actually gave a profit of £281. It is difficult to imagine a couple of £200 selling races in one day at a meeting at which the world-famous English Derby and Oaks are run. Although the priamoney for the six races on Oaks day came to £9,072, owners' contributions to that total, in the way of entrance fees, ferfeits, and sweepstakes, amounted to £0,082. A London cablegram to the Sydney papers, dated July 28. states that the newspapers are " acclaiming George Smith, the ex-Austra.lian rider, as "tho invincible big-race jockey.- . His successes in important handicaps this season are remarkable, and include the Jnbilm Stakes, the Chester Cup, the Steward*' Cup, and the Goodwood Plate. The last two were achieved recently. Smith's most sensational win was the Chester Cup, on Chivalrous. Smith is the lightweight for Persse's fashionable establishment, for which Carslake rides the heavyweights. Persse trained Tetrarch and numerous fliers, the progeny of Tetrsrch, including Tetratema and Tetrameter. France is looking to America to iniure -iiie future of her horse breeding and racing, according to an interview with Baron Maurice de Rothschild, published in the "Petit Tarisien."' The Baron predicts that wealthy Americans coming , to reside in France will in future replee* the former famous French breeders, ami re-establish French racing in its pjd * flourishing condition. Frpnch breeders of to-day are not willing to make ftf same sacrifices as those of thp past, ani acquire bloodstock from England under the present unfavourable rate of tx< change. The new breeders are not inspired by the same 'regardless of cost ,, devotion to the spert. The contrary iethe ease in England, continues Baron Maurice, where, if some famous breeders have disappeared, thro have been replaced by others equally ardent. Greta, by Vancleve (imp.), may be described as one of tho greatest brood marcs Australia has seen, amqns her foals being Rock Hnon (2.13*), Dexter (2.18). Lulu Roy (2.17*). Marble Arch (2.15*), Qaltimore (2.19). Xot alone , were these horses successes on the racecourse, but they have proved prolific sires of winners on the race tr™k. a recent meeting in Sydney three of them liprl renmrkahle suorv«s. Rock Huon siring , three winners, Lulu Boy two, and Marble Arch one. Rock Huon's were Tod Notch, winner of thn first division qf the Trial Handicap: Machine Brick, (Flying Handicap) ; and Velu (second division Tramway Handicap). Lulu j rWs brace were Lulu (Glebe ■ Handicau) and Lulu Dnllv (first division Tramway Handicap). Marble Arch's winner was Marble Bar (second division Trial Handicap). Rock Huon, tho leading lieht harness sirc3 in that State. Gre-ta's first foal, is now 20 years old, and is still owned by his breeder. "Mr. J. P. MeCndden, of Toniingley. Some ■time ago lie broke a hind lesr, but was saved for the stud. He grazes about his paddock on three legs, hnt if it is desired to change him to another paddock, an artificial leg is strapped on, with which he walks quite comfortably. Commenting on the introduction v? the yards system of starting at Addiapton, n ■writVr in the "Lyttel'on Times", pens the following: Saturday's racing gained a special interest from the fact that it marked the initiation of a new method of starting. After several years of the seconds system the club has adopted the yards system pf handicaping, ami the nrw style was brought into force for the first time with this meeting. Thp startins machine installed l>? the club is the invention of Mr. H. Reynolds, who also devised the starting clock so familiar on local trottingeoursei under the seconds system. The machine worked admirably" on Saturday, the absence of noise being a special feature about it. This new system of starting appeared to work very satisfactorily so far a- the hor=es 'were concerned, especially in view of the tact that it w»* quite new tv the competitors. Objection was made in some quarters on the ground that horses would fail tq go off under this method of starting, but there seemed to be no more trouble in that direction than under th<> old system. It wa " noticeable that the horses did not get going so fast, and times in future win be slower than under the seconds system, which enabled the horses to le»v« (the mark at something approaching * ae ' tuu sneeil With experience of }>>* standing start, fc.wpv.-r. Ihc competition can be i-xpwte.l tv begin more Taken all round, iae yards system ttw •through the fif»l day-5 ordeal «rj ererlitabljT-