TURF NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume 304, Issue 304, 23 December 1926, Page 10 (Supplement)

TURF NOTES.

A pharmacist's mistake in preparing ' a prescription vvas responsible for the death of the American racehorse, Cap- - tain Hal, and resulted in an insurance ' company having to pay out £5000 in ' Chicago recently. An investigation into ' the cause of the horse's death showed ' that a chemist, in preparing a prescription, had included sixteen grains of ; strychnine, instead of four, in medicine later administered to the horse. Firs: , reports were to the effect that a stable boy. when reaching for a bottle containing castor oil. picked up one containing strychnine and had given it to Captain Hal. The investigation, however, cleared the s;a!>le boy of blame. Warden of the Marches is rounding off the season well, since he beat Pons Asi- . nonini pointless in 1 lie Champion Stakes , at Newmarket on October 12 (remarks ,an English writeri. J. fluids kept him , well behind Zaml.o and Pons Asiuorum ' until reaching the bushes, then he sent , him up to the leaders, and in a very ■ few strides he had taken the measure of both Comedy King and Mr. Sol. Joel's colt. He run in blinkers tv keep him ■ from starng about, and, as uaual, had > bis ears well laid back. No horse, how- '■ ever, could have finished in better heart. ' and Warden of the Marches now goes > on to Lord Dunraven's stud in Ireland. > His subscription list is full for next sea- ' son, at 200 guineas. ; Surely the demand for freeh English I ; blood will leave room for a horse like ; Windbag, that proved good enough to - win the Melbourne tup as a young four- , year-old, with 9.2 on his back (remarks ; the Melbourne "Globe"'. it niav be , I true that there have been even '.Mel-| , i bourne Cup winners who could not be i, highly recommended as sires, but Wind- , bag's fame docs not rest entirely upon ; his fine achievement in the great two , miles handicap. His record shows a ; great deal more. Walter Hickenbotham ; classes Windbag as next to Carbine i, among the many great horses he has , seen in his 00 years' experience. This ; is high praise indeed, coming from such an authority. There perhaps always will be differences of opinion on the . point, but it may be that Hickenbotham ; is not far out in his estimate of the Syd- ; ney champion, who, possessing as "he '_ does a remarkable combination"of speed j and stamina, will remain an outstand- ' ing figure in the turf history of Australia. It would be little short of wane joi good material if a horse of this type is relegated to the background as a sire n in lavour of imported stock of much i, ess quality. It has been said that Fn»yjlish horse.-, are getting a u tuo vi „ wi Jj_ | nets. But it might be added that they . are also getting all the chances. It hs dunk to conceive why an Australian- •. bred horse of the best British blood, pro- . viding he has proved his worth in the >f test of the racecourse, as Windbag has done, should not be valued as hi-hlv as ' the imported article. In England" a'performer of W mdbag's class would readily command a stud fee of 400 guineas, but t would probably be difficult to fill his h "*, a \ ha , U tlle am ™nt in Australia, it lias io be remembered, however that I .yearlings in England are of great deal Ter° tW tha " the voi.ngsters that are sent into the ring, but >r understand why our best racehorses are >t not m more favour when they enter the t. lists as sires.

A lhely controversy is engaging the attention of French sportsmen just now, the bone of contention being the abandonment of the post-war boycott on German and Austrian jockeys (says the Paris correspondent of "Sporting Life on November li. A German steeplechase jockey, Oertel, took out a license to ride in this country, which be was entitled to do. and an Au_tv.an jockey named Mate also provided himself with a license to ride lien. As soo:i as the news bee-am., known one of our papers commented on the fact, and. in rather a lengthy article, welcomed the two exenemy riders. Following en this a letter appeared in one prominent Paris sporting paper signed by the French jockey Rarre, on behalf of bis colleagues, protesting against the effusiveness of the article, and stating lhat his comrades still had good memories and did not feel iound l.i do more than extend to Oertel an.l Mate the bare amenities of ordinary hospitality. In an editorial the next day the paper which published thi_ letter commented unfavourably on the coining of the foreign jockeys, and expressed surprise that any of our train t,- should employ tl.tni. 'ii:,- controversy ivai-hed its climax at the Auteuil Meeting, when Oertel had been engaged to ride a hurss called Impatient in the chief event, the Handicap d'Automne. In the weighing room prior to the race there was a li'.ated discu.-sion on the point, and finally Oertel had to relinquish the mount. The steward; then issued the following statement: — "Th.' jockey Oertel was fully qualified to ride the horse Impatient in the Autumn Handicap, but M. '''iihin, nt. with the entire approval ot the steward- of the Steeplechase Society of Franc:', ha- pr.ferred to postpone the ib but o! I l.i- jockey on j Paris racecourse.-, v ':■•■-,■ :..■ intends to ride o ■i-a-ionally." '|'! : . ; . :,t !■ . .1:1. S more piquant when it :- :.-.';.. mbcrcd that two French jockey, hew already ridden in Germany, aud a Fr. :.. 1. 1. >r_e has yon ;i race at Berlin. Both juvenile winners, at '.<:■ ■.. el'eld (N.S.W.) on Saturda\. N'.iun.b'r 13, Lady Roi and Podieiil. were -ii-d by Kenihvorth's brilliant little . :i, Wolaroi (remarks "The Globe"). ll was a highly creditable perfo: ::.a:.•-_■ for a young sire. Mr. D. I". >•„;:.. ::. the owner of Wolaroi, Lied 1...tb La !y Roi and Podieal. and he would !■•.- delighted with their success. Rod!, a! . specially has a typical "Seatoii pedigu.." for his dam, Lincra, is by Liitae;.' : . Ainilera, by Ruenalf from Amei.i. ■!■;■' Mar-tini-Henri from \"nin Hi..:.. !\ Chester from Vanity, by The J'..;.' !. will be noticed that there are .'.'■■> -'.rains of Vattendon here, the tir-t li.i _;. 'iiand Flaneur (sire of !!uei:.i!: ..i.'l the second thiiiU"!i Chester 1,-.|. - .Inn, Miss Issi].i. is an in '.." ' re by The Wag (son of Cr: ■■ . re of Kilbroncyi from Ai:.a;:..i:. ... : :Ic}" (son ~f st. Simon i from .\ .".. by Minting. This very - .!. aud Lady Roi should !,;• 'iv" •; ■ •; ;.- a brood mare when she i j . turf. A iiiilii.uairc iv_. .•:. . _ . ■. l-.-turo ' made his name in •; .. ~ \:1 ihe success i liai 1 !,_i\ ~ ~'./.. - : iited. I ' lies U'eii due io . tie I ..; . . ; hick, pi.:.-:. The silence that follow. . - impres* I sive. Then, at the 1.-ac . • hail a : voice solemnly disturb .;■ Tat hot? : are you to find tho rig:.: _ :. .1 peonl* to pluck?"