"SPECTATOR'S" NOTE-BOOK.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10055, 6 June 1898, Page 2

"SPECTATOR'S" NOTE-BOOK.

I JUauallv there is some betting in New Zealand on tne English Derby, but on that won on Wednesday by Jeddah, transactions were of the mildest description. Disraeli, who was at 6 to 4 against on the previous Saturday, was at 7 to 4 on the Monday, but on the day before the race was quoted at 2 to 1, and it is probable started at longer odds. It is a rare thing for a favourite for the Epsom Derby to finish outside a place ; they more frequently win. Ordinary backers do not attach much importance to a horse receding

half a point in price, but the eleventh hour punter who watches the game closely, prefers to get in on a rising market, and several who like to have a pound or two on the great classic event, " just because it is the Derby don'tcherknow," stood off the favourite simply for the reason that he was weakening instead of hardening in price, as per latest advices. Jeddah, singular to relate, is a stable companion of Dieudonne, who was in the betting and continued to be supported to the last. The cable tells us that it was Mr Larnach's first trial for the Derby, and that he bought Pilgrimage for 160 guineas, but was unaware at the time that she was in foaL Pilgrimage would be twenty-three years li if still alive. It was probably on account of her age and the uncertainty as to whether she was stinted that she was secured so cheaply. Mr Larnach has not been racing long, his colours having only been registered within the last few yeara. A friend informs mc that, when he left England ten years ago, a Mr Larnach having relations in Dunedin, and who had at one time been in New Zealand, had started a small stud, and it is surmised that the owner of the Derby winner and the gentleman referred to ore one and the same. The pedigree of the winner reads as under:—

* The Palmer's pedigree is accepted. According to the late Bruce Lowe the No. 1 family, from which both the sire and dam of Jeddah take their origin, "is essentially a running, as distinguished from a sire line." The black figures in the pedigree tabulated above will show the eire blood. Students of the figure system will see how the combination has worked out. At the time Bruce Lowe's work was in the hands of the printer, there had been fourteen Derby, sixteen Oaks, and twelve St. Leger winners descended from Tregonwell's Natural Barb mare, and the family was more largely represented in winners of the One Thousand and Two Thousand Guineas than any other race. Quoting from the same authority:—" Very few great sires have sprung from this line in proportion to its winners. The best were Partisan, Melbourne, Bay Middleton, Glencoe, Whalebone, and Whisker." The line ia esteemed most for high-class fillies and prolific brood mares, bnt the two last-named sires were classed " good all round horses." Pilgrimage, the dam of Jeddah, and Isonomy and Jannette, the sire and dam respectively of Jeddah's sire, Janissary, were eadv foaled in the same year. Jannotte as a two-year-old won seven races. As a three-year-old she ran ten times, only missing twice, once when Pilgrimage beat her in the One Thousand Guineas, and when she was third in the Ascot Derby. It was said that she would not have won the Oaks and St. Leger had Pilgrimage kept on her legs, but, be that as it may, Jannette was highly thought of, and when she retired to the stud was sold for the large sum of 4200g5, while her old dam, Chevisauce, fetched lOlOgs. Jannette, however, was for a long time considered next door to worthless as a brood mare; indeed, none of her progeny have achieved much distinction on the turf. To leave a Derby winner and an Oaks winner would bring Pilgrimage in to be classed as a famous brood mare, and Janissary's success is sure to bring him into prominent notice. Last year nine fillies and five colts were left by this horse, and it will be interesting to note how they figure in the leading races of the future. There are five two year-old colts and fourteen fillies to represent him this season. Jeddah is one of seven of Janissary's colts of the season of 1895, when he only left two fillies. Chevisauce was an own sister to Lord Lyon and Achievement, and their dam, Paradigm, was the dam also of King at Arms, Man at Arms, Rouge Dragon, Blue Mantle, and Gardevisure, all winners.

Though the winner of the Oaks, Airs and Graces, takes her origin from the same maternal source as Touchstone, the maternal side of the 14 branch has not been very successful in classic races, only one Derby,

three Leger and three Oake winners having descended from this line, Airs and Graces being the latest addition to winners of the "ladies' race." Her pedigree reads as under: —

Airs and Graces was bred by Captain Fife and sold as a yearling to the Duke of Portland for 550gs, but according to cable advices this week, was re-sold in December last to Mr W. F. Day (for a long time trainer to Mr Samuel Hordern), who is said to have purchased on behalf of Mr "Bravo" Jones, of Ballarat, one of the most successful Australian turf speculators in England. The Oaks makes her second win, the Hardwicke Stakes having fallen to her lot at her first attempt as a two-year-old. She has several more important engagements. A novelty in the way of official race-cards has just come under my notice. It was issued by the secretary of the Mangamahu Hack Race Club for the March meeting. Though no totalisator was used, the club received excellent entries for the majority of the races, the chief of which, the Mangamahu Cup, was worth £12. The card not only set forth the colour, breeding and age of each competitor and colours of the rider, but furnished information that one never expects to see from such a quarter. For instance, under the names of some of the horses appeared the words "performances nil," " won races at Waverley and Bulls," " performances known to handicapper," "won half mile District Race at Mangamahu, 1897," " won Flying at Karioi," '* won Bracelet at Mangamahu," "secondinStratfordHurdles," " run into two places at Karioi," and so on. The longest list of performances detailed was " second in Flying and Cup, Ohingaite, won Flying, Cup and Kaimanawa at Karioi" against the name of Marina, who was giving lumps of weight away to twelve others in the Flying Handicap. Marina is a daughter of Somnus, and has, during the past week, been adding to her winning list at Otaki. The Gisbome-owned gelding Opou was well backed in Chrisfcchnrch for the Second Hurdle Handicap at the Takapuna J.C.s meeting in whioh he finished fourth. I fancy the son of Emir Bey, who is a half brother to Hopgarden, a North New Zealand Grand National winner, will be seen to greater advantage over country. He is perhaps not quite brilliant enough for decent hurdle race company.

is now 10st 31b, including her penalty of 51b. Nominations are due on Monday for the New Zealand Cap. Usually there is more business doing in the big handicap at this time of the year, but backers and bookmakers alike apparently prefer to wait for the appearance of the list of first payments. Some of the southern bookmakers have not yet struck a blow. It may safely be anticipated that there will be a fair response from owners for this rich stake, though the number of horses that have shown anything like Cap form during the season is not large. I ehould not wonder if half a dozed ex-hacks are found in the entry list. I shall not, however, attempt to make a forecast as to what horses will be submitted for treatment to the Canterbury Jockey Crab's weight adjuster.

Sterling (12) Oxford (IS) Birdcatcner (11J Honey Dear Flatcatcber (3) Silence a> >. a 8 Whisper IboU Bella Stockwell (3) The Baron (24) Pocahontas Ethelbert (13) Batsisbaw g i Tsoline Tonchetoae (l<) Beeswing Melbourne 0) Volley The Baron (24) Pocahontas Faragone (2) Ellen Home LordClifden <2) lNewminsfr(8)| t> c B C3 ►5 The Slave Stockwell (3) Q Chevisauce ParAdijrjn a Id a s 1 S « >i •3 •s Beadsman 03) Weatherbit (ia: Sb't Anchor (13) MireLetty Touchstone (14) Lady Moore Carew Mendicant •^ . !5 g I a* Madam Eglantine Cowl (2) Diversion BayMiddlefnO) Crncifix Defence 5 Folly Gladiator 22 Lollypop Macaroni (M) Sweetmeat (21) Jocose Pantaloon Q.7) Banter Secret {Melbourne (1) Humphrey Clinker (8) Cervantes m. (8) (Mystery Jerry 05)

1 s. &: sr 5i rrdClifden (2) Newminster (8) The Steve Touchstone (l<) Breavring Melbourne (1) Volley Udy Langden Kettledrum (3) [Haricot Rauplan (3) Hypla Lanercost (3) Queen Mary a o Pi ■< s< < I I il Galopin (3) Feronla jCambuscan (19) Vedette (13) Flying Duchess Thonnanby (ID Woodbine Newminster (8) Xhe ArrowOrlando (13) Voltiffeur(2) Mrs Ridgway Flying D'tchman Merope Windhouud Alice Hawthorne Stockwell (3) Honeysuckle Touchstone 14 Beeswing Slane Southdown Touchstone (14) Vulture Voltaire (12) Marth* Lynn Humphrey Clinker (8) Cervantes m. Pantaloon (17) Glencoe en. Dunsinane Iledlej- m. Actaeon (28) kittle Lady Volley !l! It, j_es l< a roung Melbourne (25) Melbourne (1) Clarissa Mary Aislabie Malcolm Daughter of