THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 9

THE TURF.

(By GLENCOE'.)

,i ' RACING FIXTURES.

March 5 and 7.—Wanganui J.C. Autumn. ■ March :6. and,7.—Westport J.O..Autumn. March 10."—Akarosi County R.C. Annual. March 11 and 12.—Dannovirko J.C. Anniial. March-13 arid :14;—Tolajja Bay J.Cj (Annual; ' March 47.—Opunako R.C. Hack. - , March lZ.yancl IS. — Napier Park R.C. -Autumn. \ ■, . • March 17. and 18.—Groymouth J.C. Autumn. March, 19.—Warrcngate J.C. Annual." i March 19.—Waimato- R.C. .Annual. March 21.—Thanhs J.C. Autunin •::March,2l.-^lh D gt°U-.-Pony. and Galloway . R.C. Meeting. •' ■ - ■: March f 2s.Ti^\aipawa'.County. R.C-' AutumnMarch 25 and 2G.-rr-Taratiaki J.C."Autumn. . March 25 and 26.-*-South Canterbury- J-C- ---! .-.Autumn..: -■ i"A• - 'March 26' and 27.—Masterton R.C. AutumnApril l.r-Manaia Hack R.C. .Annual. 1 ■ April .1 and. 2.—Nelson J.C: Annual. April'7,'and B.—-ManaAatu R.C. Autumn. April 8 and o.—Southland .R.C. Autunin. , April .10 and 11.—Reefton J.C. Autumn- 1 April 18 and 20. —Wairarapn, It.C.Autumn. April 18, -20 and 21.—Auckland R.C. 1 Aut- . . wnn.;.. .. • 1 ■ " ■April 20 and 21. —Kumara R.G.-Autumn- . April 20 and 21,-r-C.J.C. AutumnApril 20.and 21;—Foildmg J:G. Autumn- ■■' April 20v, and.-; May: . 2.—Wellington 8.C.Autumn. - ■■ 'i' 1 May, 6 and-7;—Hawke's.Bay J.C.-Autumn. i May 23 and 25.—North Otago J.C. I r NOTES AND COMMENTS." '■; . '.'Weights. for tho' Djuinovirke . and' Napier !Park;hibetings. should > a'ppea'r,.t6 : dayi,. , Entries for the Third Feilding Stakes ,of 600 sovs. aro'diie next Friday. No money.is required at-th6;timo J _of nomination. 1 " An .acceptance for.-tho Egrr.ont Hack Produce Stakes .of 1909.: is., duo • this. evening.

v . The annual : meeting ,of tho- Warrengate Jockey. Club takes place on March 19. ISomi-nations-fo£'.all events close" -this evening with tho sccrctary,lMr!-Selby Morton,-" of Wanganui. . •■•x Nominations /forthe'"'autuinn ~ me'etw" ;'of v: r the Mastertou' Racing Club-will bo received -by .tho secretary, Mr. Hathaway,-until Fri- . . day evening .nest.. Kingls Messenger (lung Monmouth—Swift- . «uro) the last male lino of: Kinfr Tom, stands at: Sheffield Lano. Paddocks, Sheffield, 1 at a fee of 22 guineas. . Jos. Pro3ser takes his team to Wanganm to-day. It will most.'likely bo composed of Gold 'Crest,;' Marguerite^. Swimming .Belt, Taitoko, Consuelo, Maui and Ataahua. While the, abovo .team are doing battle for . .the stable! All Red,will be taking'matters easy at Porirua. . . £_Geo.:Price will pilot Marguerite'-: oveT'the' wariganui Cup.'journey-noxt Thursday. The horseman .mentioned iodo';Gho6rka to victory - - ill the race in 1904.;.:. • . -,' Arthur. M'Connon, who goes -to' Wanganui to-day, will- ride;,: Maui v;an4 -,/Ataahua in • their engagements.'"'' . Goldf Crest will- bo .-started'-'in tho -Wanganui Cup in -which lie' has- been .'allotted Bst. ■-. . olb;,V;: : Tho -Big :chestnut.' will...be- ridden ,'byhis' usual'pilot,-W:Young. -

The question of - paid ,stevfards forms the subject of a Bill recently put-forward in the United States Senate.-;' Tho Bill 'provides' that. tho. Jockey Club "may"-, appoint' paid stewards subject to the approval, of tho Stato Racing. Commission.', Ono of/ the clauses in tho measure states, that, every steward, before entering ;on thoperformance "of his duties shall ,filo .in. the office Sof rthe/StatQ .Racing: Commission -that-;ho" will "not bet. or\wager.-.on the result'of-any race run at tho meeting for which' is cie-. Jignated. ;.-No person shall 'act 'as a. steward* jr judgo of "a riinning-raco - 'or, , steeplechase meeting; whose.appointment 'has' not. approved by tho State Racing'; Commission as provided by, this:section,/and.-any'person who , shall so act shall "bo; 'guilty of a misdemeanour.- . . •« '■■■■ -i-.-.Y r'tyjrk-

Mr. H. Whitney*;' was presept )at. ; 'tho Bnanuon'•; meeting;. on AVednesday; ;His corse 1 , r LudlomV- started tivice/ during* the afternoprij' secondswas. tho-fefc the St. Hippo gelding couldi ( do.jv : Mr. Whitney is ono;.of the, number-who.race/for .'the'love of the. sport and; certainly: 1 deserves";better' luck than he has lately been .having.

What every owner , has tb"'contend -' with (says an.;Au'stralian writer) - isthe . backer who keeps no hqr'seo -and has ;ho- expenses beyond those'of.att'endiiig- the meetings.-By getting in'with :tho jockeys.- tho. latter frequently gets hold or, information' before'the betting opens 'aiid- thus is'enabled to'.have first call oil. the long prices; while tho'owner must! take what is'■ left, and be content to:see his horse win ' alot' of . mohey-'for another man.,-; ; - -

Soino'.of. therbetting at'Shannon'was. .very peculiar,. and when the -bookmakers opeiieil on the different races they were as often as not completely ;.in' the 'dark .as to v,'hat borso would, end- up favourite. ; .More than olico dqi-ing .tho afternoon candidates ; opened", at odds on or .evens, and five minutes later 5-to 1 would-be called' 111 vain by tho bookmakers. The public were waiting for and. only once or tivico wero.they in doubt as' to what to'back.. ;■

■Tho Newmarket Handicap will bo run at Fleniington this afternoon. ■ .The event is of more than .ordinary, interest ■'■'this'year ;on.ac- - count, .of ,tbp. number; of;New-.Zealand candidatesengnged. . ;Of tlie thirty-ono 'acceptbrs probably more titan,: tifentyv.iwill.go to,.tho ' , au< * »' great ;■ race *"should' result: Gollarit who has- beeri'dbirig-good track work heads the handicap with 9st. 101b. The English, horso 'Antonio , (winner; :of, the Futurity Stakes), comes; n.ext\witb : 9st. ; :61b. Other Tluglish horses .'in .the race are.Traquair Bst..Blb. (a candidato.ivith a. big reputation),. ; Curtam Lecture 7st. '91b. (a. recent winner) and Bright Steel 7st\Slb.j who won tho'OakiQigh ■ Plato-. two 'Weeks ; ago. Of the New Zealand-bred contingent; -Murijeeii;; :Bst.' 131b.. has l the 1 most : weight .to' carry,, .but '.she. is considered, to -be well;'treated, , ; It -is"truethat yshp has been' in-training -'since 'the earlypart of the season; ybiit.. 'since the.Fcildipg Spring -meeting -she- has had: very little racing. ~ Judging: by her runningrat thp-Tre'ii-tliani meeting and her.:, form since" her'ar-' rival in Melbourne she*must be better" than ever she.-was; •-• Dusky Morn,. Bst." 31b;, has been doing good work since going to tho othciside....' He did fivo' furlongs .on ; the' tan in lmin. 6sec. ono morning, a' perform-' 1 anco highly/spoken of. Grenadier; . /sk ' 121b;;; and Captain; Shannon, -7st.' 21b;; ( are the other New Zealaiiders. Amongithe other Acceptors ; Melodrama BstV 131b. ■ (winner of the Epsoni), Ebullition Bst. 131b. (winni'r of-the last Newmarket)',-'?ruo Scot, Bst. .imb.,;-and Scotland, Bst. .41b., .are worthy, of mention.'. •The latter, wasf a,: brilliant two-year-old and has lately- accomplished sen-, jatimia] track work, but a point against him. '.s the fact that his feet have been, giving a <n(i(l • deal of trouble, ■ and .- bo has had very ltfclo racing- for a.long time.'; ' ,1 HE KING AS RACING MAN. .Tho.fpllo4ing.-i8 air extract from'an.article ,ri ten by Mr L H.; Cooper in: tho; "Ob®n*or \Vhat''makes tho .- King' a .model iportsman in everybody's eyes, and what yould mako h_j.ni. a great . influence in 'tho racing world if ho' wero jiist a'Norfolk "'iintrv gentleman, is the thn'ouiihly "bu-

man nature of his interest in-racing.'He knows a . good horse when ho sees- it, is frankly idolighted at .having one, of,.his . own, is ~ frankly "disappointed when; soma highlybred youngster turns; out to bo' worthless; and when ho goes to .'a•' race : meetiiiggivps himself up to ; the afternoon's business with an enjoyment which might infect tho most sated spectator.. People realise.this'instinctively, and.like to roaliso it; and a maii who would no moro have • dared to' congratulate -the. late-. Duko of Westminster on'winning the Derby than ho would have chaffed the Tsar of Bussia . about having, a 'new. baby, cheers ivith warm personal deliglit'when tho King wins a .race. The conversation at the >mall lloyal lunch parties at Newmarket and Goodwood circles round- the racing of the afternoon very much as it does in tho grand stand luncheon rooms ■ a 'few yards away, and as tho King walks down the steps;to .his seat afterwards, with a ,cigar in his mouth ho , is. mostly undoing.. the, strap of "his, race ■glasses' and. preparing ;to c'riticiso.; tho- horses which aro-cantering down'to tho post for the next, race; : . .

t> Nowiy-olectcd 'mombers. of ; tho Jockey Club stands. at Newmarket- (to .whitjh , enclosure anybody-jnay .be clected who- is proposed and seconded by members of tho :Jockey : Club itsell)' have-'moro than .o'neo told of their surprise,\whenj: coming in or out ofi. tho'birdcage or standing about : in /some , stairway or .passage,' -at. hearing 1 a.." murmured'.'word' of *J?°i?^. f ro®>.^%erand. : fiiidmg^at'3he ■K'ngjwas standing, close <by. them waiting to come past. ' There is 'no. place <in . Europe Where His ■ Majesty dives'. so entirely at ease and . without ceremony, as at .Newma'rlfet. From: his'rooms• in"tho Jockey-Club ho:rides or drives out at the usual ''early morning hour -J® fee • the'-gallop's'.on'' the '' Heafch ' or .Bury | Hi"—gallops .which : begin_ in sumhiier time at four or iivo in the morning and' aro mostly all oyer soon ' after , .eight,.. Witlr two'-o'r tliree friends he drives :up to the', rac'e'cquiyie ]ust ; before the first -rage,. walks aboxiti freely : chatting;,with-.endless friends in tho stands; occasionally. to be*seeu ' in deep corivcrsatioTi'- with Richard Marih; who' trains'' his ftorses, or- Herbert :Jones, the chief' stable jockey, and smiles-.courteously at tho ; not infrequent. occasions. ..when 'some-.' lady '' says excitedly,'-to her companion, "Is'tho -king hero? Do show me the King if you can" and her. companion, ;with;-a nervous "Slfif-h— "> . glances red-faced and -apologetically at- a gentleman- in a' brown - morning "siiiti'and browii bowler hat, who is'standing two'yards iway.' . ],n-the evening the King nearly always d,ne S out eith.er.with Sir Erncst'.'Cassel. at Moulton Paddocks,; or with Mr..Leopold do Rothschild -afc Palace-House. . -