THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 November 1907, Page 9

THE TURF.

MIONG THE THOROUGHBREDS. "■ \ '"■ (By Glencoe.) THE WAIKANAE STUD FARM. first'.Wolliqgton races were held at Petone' in 1841;. later at Te Aro Flat, Welling-ton';-then at Burhham Water, Miramar, and though racing. has,;bcon carried on in tbis'province for 1)6 years, yot' in all that time no one 'ha'Si bred thoroughbred yearlings for regular sales. ' Of course thero were many pri.yvate breeders like tho Hon. Mr. Petrie, who imported .Riddleworth and ltavensworth; Major Trafford, Mr. Donald Fraser, breeder ."of Advance; and "several others. Wellington buyers have always had to go afield to buy yearlings—to Marlborough, where Mr. Rcd'wood bred very good ones; to Middle, Park, in Canterbury; to Mr. Reid, of Oamaru; or to Sylvia and Wellington.Park in. Auckland; or to Ha'wke's Bay;-whore Messrs. Douglas ;' and_ Golin sold many which afterwards won distinction. - V",,' About three-years ago Mr. Lan Duncan de- . cided to establish a stud farm to'supply the local market yearly. He is an enthusiast, with a real knowledge of„ pedigrees and of Bruce horse, and other theories of breeding racehorses. He bought a farm at Waikanae, a stone's throw from.-'th'e-railway station, on the slopes leading, from'the line-to {he bush. The climate is, perhaps, the 'finest in New ...Zealand, certainly the most equable; a land , of; sunshine, a fat land where the grass grows almost all the'year round, so late does it grow into the-winter—and before the winter is over it-has/started again. Tho site is a 4glorious one; the sea and landscapes from tho stables being'really magnificent. The farm .lies beautifully to the sun, and the 1 native bush on two sides breaks the wind—an ideal farm for breeding thoroughbreds. ".. '-Erstwhile Champions. • He starte'd with a few mares and the stallion' Conqueror, Who holds the Australasian record for four furlongs, which he cut out in '46 l-ssec. ;.A horse with such wonderful speed 'will naturally get speedy stock, and. nearly "everything'by him has shown speed, e.g., Chi•valry, Ability, Toa Tuhi, William, Waipaku,' •. Tawhera; Naumai, etc. He is beautifully bred ,being by Medallion, 'vsire of but of .Siesta (Q.). Last year Mr. Duncan, 1 in partriership ;with the successful Canterbury. : . sportsman, _ Mr: Reid; imported an English srje to Waikanae, and bought another English sire, St. Ambrose, by ■ St. Simon, that had teen-imported to Australia. There' arq at .Waikanae' this season St./ Ambrose, the well-known Achilles,'and Conqueror. F--'.Sf:-'. Ambrose yearjings, early this November," brought good prices 'at Christchurch. Kilcheran, .the other stallion, out : of a dam '■" by; Galopin, going back to Hermit,'> by. KilwSrlin; winner of tho English Lcger;' reads, pretty ...g00d.." Fast as were Conqueror and Achilles .faster still was Kilcheran, for ho won an English race and cut out six furlongs irf. the merry time of lmin.', 11 , V 4-Ssec.. If-a; buyer, wants Speed—Speed—Speed, before all things,:surely ho"should' be able to pick up* pretty ..speedy, yearlings by Conqueror, Achilles , and ■ Kelcheran —especially when, he studies, the : dams/for Mr. Duncan likes speedy;mares. v ..-.•.• -•,■■:'.

Speedy Matrons. ,■)'. , Browsing in the paddocks are Waiwera, JeSpun Gold, La Gloria, Eden,' Prelude, ■■ Blue Tire, etc! ,T ' '; 'The great authority ,John, Day, declared he would never'breed from any maro, no matter how excellent her, pedigree, .unless she had shown niares,.must,.be fast— they mightUba : .%lKim'-' i common, be speedy. . Mr.! Duncan has ; belief. in speed. Kilcheran holds a record for six furlongs'not arorpachedby any. sire.ever, imported: to .'New by Traducer, pr ; Miisket/.or. San- ■'■ or, Birkenhead,-, -Kilchoran, /mated ■o-jth;'mares like Waiwhera,' Ringlet) Blue Fire;-.etc., should produce yearlings with all the'speed,that the hungriest buyer can sire. Kilcheran, Achilles and St. Ambrose untried sires—but there ijas a time when Gullim'ile, Musket, Multiform and Soult were untried. The early" bird caches the worm — and the early buyer of colts .by untried sires gets in at bedrock > prices. Good colts by tried sires l« fetch £1,000 or £800. -whilst \\equally good-looking colts by untried sires ..fetch'.perhaps, £100. ''■..".' .'.'■ Roaming abo'ut the paddocks are over. 20 mares—ill of: the bluest blood., by Castor, Goldrecf, ■ Soult, -Apremont, Dreadnought, Grafton, Gossoon, Maxim, and several by Multiform. Foals out of such/dams by St. Ambrose, Kilcheran and. Merriwfeo are gambolling in the paddocks—a sight to pleasq every horse-lover. Here are two foals by Advance;' there are seven colts by Kilcheran,'next', to them a Merriwee and a Con--quer.br., Sired by such great.horses, with fine s moving and speedy dams., Mr. Duncan should breed many winners. He' is a great' believer in' providing new, sweet ; grass for his stock, ' arid keeps the'plough going regularly. Every four years 1 each paddocji is ploughed up and sown anew with Italian rye grass, white and reid clover. The whole'■ establishment is'be-ing-run on most modern, anproved stud farm lines, all with care and skill.,

The Yearlings. Next'we/are piloted to the'paddocks where run the-yearlings,that are. to be offered for. ' saloon January in Wellington at Cup time. First we scan the colt's—there are five of tKein: two by Kilcheran, two by Conqueror, and,,a'Merriweo. The Kilcheran-Spruco colt is the largest—a strong,' massively built/colt, good-alf round, with great muscular dcvelop- ' ment and a capital middle-piece, a strong, . resolute tgallopei' and a good doer. Ho .and the other Kilcheran colt out of Spun Gold .much resemble-their sire in their sturdy build. Hard, game-looking chaps that should stand a lot of work, with -excellent feet and legs. The Mcrriwce-Olivette colt could be picked out as a'brother to King Billy. If he ,turn .out.as good as "my pair of. buggy ponies,!' as Mr . Watt used jokingly' to call King Billy and Boomerang, then he will be a prize, to thejucky buyer. In his muscularity he. reminds : mb of Moriarty and Aborigine. The-pair o.fConqueror colts are a richchestnut and,-a,:bay, a different.type of ■ colts to the, others—tall, loose-limbed; the-chestnut is o'ut of Berenice, the other out of Lady Principal. Those' - well-bred dams , should produce faster colts than thbso out of tho common mares that have been producing so many winners to ./Conqueror, and all tho Conquerors:are fast.' All.the colts are goodsized, and these 'two look: like growing into big horses. The chestnut colt strongly reminds one of Gold Crest. May he prove as fast. ~' . : ■

In a paddock hard by .are four fillies, well.grown, a vory handsomo.gqod lot.- The biggest is by Royal Artillery out of Blue' Fire, by Maxini.- Blue Fire won the Oaks, why ?hould not.'this oiie be "as good as her mother? • Bit Tatton/Sykeswiden of- breeding was—by', a St". Leger! winner out of'an Oaks winner. Next app'ear two fillies by tho imported St. Simon .hdi'se','St. Ambrose. Here is a chance f6r';buyer,;sivHo^failed'to get a-St. Ambroses yearling'in Christchurch to pick up ono. One lsoiit of W'aiwh'era, who won tho Canterbury ■ Wintery Cup..:and the other out of Strathspey— 50 both should gallop. Then appears a chestnut .fill}' by or Porirna—but more like the latter, a nice, muscular filly, dropped very late, and, therefore, smaller. Then there are throe Kiicherans, a lively- trio. A; bay out' of- Ekaterina —a nice galloper; • an aristocrat all over, with beautifully cleancut, well-developed muscles, a credit to any sire;"full of life and go; buyers must fall in love,-with her. The two brown Kilchcran " fillies .are a most attractive pair, one out of Morezo, the,other, out of Sombre: Very well grown, full of quality, sweet movers; with excellent feet and -.limb's and plenty of nower. It is rash to prophesy how yearlings will turn , ' out; but. if pedigreo, shape, make, stylo in mdvin'g, go for anything, then these fillies Bhoiijd bo good winners. Mr. Duncan will put*into the Bald ring, a very attractive lot of yearlings. They-have not been pampered, are not. fattened/as are so many yearlings, but they have been well done, and are in tho best of Health.'

. CRICKET. . __.$ .. • (BY BItEAKER.) " POSITION OF SENIOR TEAMS. • Phoenix 8 points. Old Boys 6 . „ Wellington ... ... 6 ,> Petono "4 ~, Gas Company 4 ,> Midland ... .... 2 . „. : , . The elements were not favourable for cricket on Saturday. Tho ground had ,not dried up after tho heavy, rain which had fallenoarly in tho week, and the sun, was not in evidence at all. Tho result was that fieldsmen wero nearly frozen, and tho crowd retired early, although at least-two games were in interesting stages. In addition to the weather conditions cricketers had to play on a ground which did not seem to have seen tho grass cutter for over a week. . Hard drives along the carpet—correct cricket strokes—worth threo or four runs, only produced singles, and it was evident at once that if batsmen wero to score, 'they, would have to lift the ball.. This trouble too often arises on" the Basin Reserve', although* cricketers have to pay for the upkeep of two groundmen. Tho staff lacks enthusiasm. Although the season just opened, and there has been plenty, of rain, tho practice wickets arc tamping very badly, showing plainly how much attention they-havo been receiving. ■.--'■ '-,' Nn No. 1 wicket,' Phcenix were playing Old Boys. This promised to be the game of the day, and Phoenix first' wickqt looked as jf:tho promise would bo fulfilled. -Temptation proved to be the undoing of Phoenix. It was offered by Tuckbr, and Burton and.Laws foil. Tho rest of tho team also fell,'.so as to be in the fashion, and . tho ' side was banished with the score reading. 82. G. Burton batted very well for 31, and he did not take long to make them. '••.'■■.'.. ■- Tucker ; finished ,up with 6 for 30—good figures for a slow wicket. OltU Boys have tho'match all their own way, tho scoro standing at 198 for 3 wickets. • Tucker tbpscored .with 87 ; not but. He batted in a now stylo for him, being 1 free ■, and clean.' ' Beechy made 30 in an opeii manner, and Mohaghan was lucky in getting 43 not out; ■ Both tho latter wore "let off", twice. •":-/'

•j To show the value of a wicket-Keeper to bowlers, Blacklock got. 3 out of .the first 4 wickets, for Tucker. Tho Phoenix■'wicketkeeper missed Beechy in the first and second overs off Laws, Blacklock off Moore, and Tucker off Hickey. .. ; ' .';' No. 2 was occupied by Wellington and Gas Company. The former batted ■ first, 'and had lost Quinn and Hickson for a total of 7. Richardson and, Mahony then stemmed the tide: Mahony had bad luck in stopping-one off Gourjay with his finger. The finger was badly split. AVaters, Fisher, Condliffo and Willis also made runs; and the innings closed for. 187.-. ..-'■•. •■■■ - i Waugh, for Gas Company, bowled Willis with one of his tricky leg breaks.'.'Ho should havo had Cpndliffo.:'oaught-at square leg first ball had it not been that tho' fieldsman was rooted to the ground,

Gas Company, wants to wake up in the field if \tbey want to win matches. Tho Midlands beat them through carelessness, in this ; department,, and on Saturday chances dropped, were treated as "jokes, and ~everybody laughed ex'copt'fifcho3bbwler,' noi: S /! - , ' , ',» v

Gas • for "13 runs'at call of .time. ~:.•."

.Quee is back- in. the-MidlaW .team...-. Ho. madOiS runs. Dakin, late'of AudtraLs, who represented Canterbury since -he iast. played here,' appeared for Phoenix on Saturday. He is a bit but of form for want of-practice.

Hickey has.been made a chango.bowler for his side. This is apparently on .the strength of sound advice given by an expert authority. All the same it seems'funny in view of the fact that he had taken more wickats than any two.of -his club : mates'. for 'under 10 runs each. ' „ -.. :..V'.\:::' .

Tucker has done remarkably well With .the ball this season. He has 'only played jnthrco matches, and he has taken 6 wickets "in an innings on three occasions. ■ His figures are 27 wickets for 7 run'j apiece; Thci'.'.cxhibition'ho gave of batting on-Saturday-[is considered by many to havd been ;his finest effort. Ho pulled very Well, and'with good judgment. ''. .■'. '"■■•; I

Patrick, who played for Pctono, and who did not know what clubi to -play/-.for., or whether he should come up late,' or early, or ■not at : all, has got ovor all his doubts by returning to Christclmrch. ' •"'.'.'■.

.Moofe bowled better on .Saturday than his figures read.

Petone batted first against Midland on No 3, and made 113, although 8 /v for 49, did not'l look as if they would get anywhere hear the century. Cobcroft, who opened for Petone, matlo 23, and the -last three men--Senior, Dalgleish,' and Gate—made 64 between them. These were very useful contributions,, and were made in ' good . stylo. ! .Stephenson bowled best and finished with .4 ion, 27; Upham getting 4 for 50, and Mitchell'-2 for 20. Extras helped Petono to the extent of U runs. Midland started hitting hard, but with 5 wickets down for under 60, they steadied down. So far only,three \batsmen have reached double figures, and Midland require 20 runs, with 2 wickets to fall, to lead on the first innings.

Brico had a brief, expensive stay at (the bowling crease. Green was fairly destructive, and his avcrago (4 for .20) ,is a good one. Isherwood, with 1. for 0, bowled well. , Had Barber taken a catch off- his own bowling from Hickson, Petone- would have led on tho first innings. . Just' after this tbero was a unanimous appeal for' Upham caught behind tho wickets, but ho; was given not out. This decision also may decide tho match, but Petone still-has a very good chance. '

. Claude Hickson came to light-again onSaturday with a most serviceable 44 not out. Ho has entered for the. reliability. batting test this, season. .

■ Williams was'making the paco hot until B'rico caught him in the outfield. ■ . '.

■ Inj-cferonco to the No. 3 ■wicket, two gool points can bo mentioned. One is that tho wicket itself is good. The other advantage is that there is plenty, of room about it for bowlers to place the field as they wish. On Nos. i and 2 it is too easy for a batsman to hit a ball over tho ' boundary. Even a mis-hit will go over the fence, and although •tho crowd thinks over the fenco is good play, it is mostly good luck, and a good many of the strokes that go over tho foiled from Nos. 1 and 2 would he caught on No. 3.

J.. Moore, of the. Phoenix Club, and tho Oriental; Wednesday team was married last Wednesday afternoon. The members of the Oriental Club mado him a presentation on Tuesday.

The matches between Otago and Wellington and Otago and Auckland will bo threeday contests, but in the case of tho match against Canterbury for the Plunkot Shield the game will probably bo played out.

Tho Drako family wero much in e'videnco in run-getting in Dunedin cricket on Saturday For instanco, W. Drake knocked up 105 for Albion against Dimedin. H. Drake compiled 163 not out .for St. Martin's against Mornington, and in tho same match F Drako scored 29. Thus three members

of tho Drake family totalled 302, which is tolerably, good going, and speaks well for the batting abilities of- tho Drake clan.

Mr. J. Sanderson, tho groundman of tho Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, lias received an appointment at North Shore, Auckland, and leaves Dunedin shortly to take up his new duties.

In connection with tho. Simmomls and Osborn Shield (Senior Wednesday competition) matches, . a correspondent says the question has arisen as to how far tho jurisdiction of the Association extends with icgard to tho protection of umpires whoso decisions give dissatisfaction to those concerned. The position taken up by the committee that the Association controls players and protects umpires so long as they are on the Basin Reserve or other ground on which matches are being played, seems either going too far or not far enough. If tho association is to take notice of any dispute or altercation between player and umpire other than on the actual field of play, it must extend its protection to all times and places, or what is to stop tho' player waiting until outsido the fence, and then blackguarding the umpire to his heart's content. It is, however, a pity that players do not always recognise that whether the umpire's decision is right or wrong he is the solo judge, and his verdict must bo accepted.

A Dunedin writer delves into the future in the following strain: —The littlo new blood which has trickled into local cricket this season has not developed our resources to any extent. The principal weakness is in the bowling department, and when Fisher and Dowries drop out, as assuredly they must 'shortly, Otago will indeed be in a poor way,

as there is nothing sensational coming on. Torrance, who promised to develop into a good bowler, lacks resource. He keeps a splendid length, but varies neither pitch nor pace, consequently, after a time, a batsman gets used.to playing his good length balls. William's; a fast bowler, has arisen, but ho is somewhat erratic, and lacks length. Nothing new in batting'has arisen, and much the same players who formed the backbone of rungetting last year will do the samp again this season. Foster, a promoted junior, has the makings of a first-class bat, and he is certain to develop. ' Allan Adams, the 'Varsity footballer and cricketer, has got out of his stonewalling tactics, and has developed a much freer and more attractive stylo.., On form, he should be. chosen in the. Otago' team for the northern tour. Baker is now making a "few runs, but he has not settled into his stride. Tie has.'not lost that powerful off-drivo with which ho has amassed many runs for the province. Watson, the young English cricketer, and groundman at Carisbrook, lias moro strokes \than the majority of batsmen; moreover .he has'some claims to. style and is a finished bat.- Practice is all that he requires to bang him.out. That was denied Watson last year,"" when, in-the representative match season he was astir as early as 3!30 a.m., preparing wickets'for the day's play! Frank Williams,. the Otago representative, is still' our best wicket-keeper, though W. Bcal, an ex-Victorian, who stands behind tho sticks for Grange, does good work. For Sheer pluck in taking, every class of bowling, Lear, of Opohp,. is the best of tho lot. The balls he has to take would brealc tho hands of an iron'man,'but Lear tomes up smiling every time. .Mr, A. D. Jones, captain of the M.C.C. touring, team, is accompanied by his wife. Tho week beforo last, they received a cablegram stating that Mrs./ Jones's mother-'is dead. ' i

Referring'to .the-patch between.tho M.C.C. and South Australia, tho "Rcferco" says:— For the first time on record, four centuries' in an innings have been scored for an English team against Australian bowling. Three conturies were got by members of Stoddart's first team (A. Ward 215, J.,T. Brown 101, and.F. G. Ford 106) in 1895 against South Australia, and three by members of MacLaren's team (A. C. MacLaren 167, T. Hnvward 176. and J. T.: Tvldesley 142) against Now South Wales.

In view of.the Pluiiket Shield contest-at Christchurch next mon&li, the following players have, among others, been chosen by the Auckland ; selection committee to go into practice:—L. G. Homns, E. V. Sale, A.Haddon, W. B. Smith, F. R. Mason, ' F. MacCormick, A. Hussey, W. Ciimmings, A. Howdoh, A. Kerr, C. Oliff; P. White, and R. W. Barry. If effect'is given 'to a report by tho special committee of the council dealing with the' playing of coaches, Rclf, tho English coach, will, bo included in the team.

; The Orange "Leader" of a recent datecon.tains an interesting account of a union fixture match which-provided some record slogging. The following portion merits reproduction: —" Otf one over Barnes scored 36 (six sixers), another yielded 28, another 21, and several 19 each. He hit one ball over 200 yards away, right out of the ground into tho adjoining scrub, and it took a quarter of an hour to find 'it.' Af(;er a glorious, leather hunt for two hours one of the field planted tho ball in a hollow log, in the hope that tho game would be stopped, bub another was produced, and the merry (lance) proceeded. Mine bowlers wore tried. Six men were fielding right out on the boundary, but no chances were given, the ball sailing right over their heads, or like lightning'along the ground. Onco Barnes was caught, but the fieldsman was standing fully a foot over the boundary, and tho hit recorded six. ' Barnes was eventually caught and bowled for 251."

Eric P! Barbour, tho. .leading all-round cricketer of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales, is the eldest son of Mr. G. P. Barbour, President of the Board of- Control for International Cricket, in AustraliifP and was-born in 1801. He holcls the following records for the Sydney Grammar School, winch, it may be added, includes among its old bovs R, C. Allen, S. P. Jones, F. A. Iredale, ft. Donnan, G. L. Garnsey, A. Cotter, C. A. Richardson, B. W. Farquhar, and hosts of others who have figured in the highest class of Australian.cricket:—Highest aggregate in a season, 1726; highest number ot wickets m a season, 142; first-wicket partnership, 283 (with H. R. Gregg); second-wicket.partnership 325, with E. M. Fisher); sixthrwicket partnership, 291 (with C. W. Keele).. He' was the only boy of the 1600 candidates who. scored seven A's in the'last University Junior Examination. And as ho is also tho tennis captain of the school, it will, says tho " Referee,'' be seen that bis success in atnlotics is co-ordi-nate with, success in his studios.

An Adelaide critic, referring to the first day's play of tho M.C.C. in that city, said it it was unpleasantly hot for the greater part of tho .afternoon, and bowlers like Barnes and each of whom goes to the limit with a long run, soon lost their sting, without letting any of the batsmen, excepting Clem Hill, gct.completo command over them. The left-handers, Barnes and Rhodes, got no help from the wicket,' but Braund was bowling fairly well when he had to give it up, one of the catches /being missed off him. Tho mistakes in fielding were those of men who have not yet fully timed the paco of .the Australian fields in hot wcathor. Hutchings gave some fine 'demonstrations in outliclding. He covers a great deal of ground, gets fast to the ball, picks up unerringly with a one-handed dash, and his returns are both quick and true. Hardstaff in the drive also put in good work, and on, the first day's form I would say that Hardstaff ranks next to Hutchings and Jones as a fieldsman; while Fane probably comes next. Humphries made a really good impression as a wicket-keeper. In physique be seems capable of wear and tear, but thoro is nothing solid in his stylo. His nervous eagerness at first suggests a per who would sacrifice sundries in order (o make the most of chances, yet, with all this keenness to anticipate possibilities, he never let a ball pass him. That is wicket-keping in its best style, bocauso although Barnes and Crawford wero bowling fairly fast at times, Humphries never stood hack.