SPORT AND PASTIME.

Evening Post, Issue 8, 9 July 1910, Page 14

SPORT AND PASTIME.

The Turf. FIXTURES. July 16, 20, and 23.— Wellington B.C. Winter. August 9, 11, and 13.— C.J.C. Grand National. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Sir Bedivere.) At a meeting of delegates from the metropolitan and country clubs of the Wanganui district, held at Marton last week, several matters of considerable importance were ventilated. In the main the conclusions arrived at will probably meet with general approval, and none more so than the resolution "that it be a recommendation to country club 9to consider the advisability of eliminating hurdle races from their summer programmes." Many sportsmen have long been of the opinion that hurdle racing during the season when courses are in their most flint-like condition is unfair to both the competitors and their riders. That, quite apart from the danger involved, this is so scarcely admits of argument, and the sooner we follow the English example and institute a close season for all classes of jumping events the better. Tho whole tendency has been to put in too many of these races m tho summer and too few duiing the i /inter. With regard to the question of issuing complimentary entrance and, luncheon tickets, there was considerable diversity of opinion, but was eventually agreed that effective steps should be taken to curtail the isue of all such privileges. The wisdom of taking such a course is most questionable, and it may at least be pointed out that the clubs which have progressed most rapidly are those which have earned a reputation "for liberality and courtesy in the manner in which they treat visitors, rather than for niggardliness. No doubt the custom of extending free passes has been abused, and in view of this curtailment up to a certain point is quite justifiable. It is equally certain, however, that an expensive mistake may be made by going too far in the direction advocated. Before leading this subject, it may be mentioned that, a motion was passed the effect, of which will be to prohibit any passes being isued to the general public as between grandstand and the outside enclosures. The reason for such action is unknown to me, but that its result will be endless inconvenience I have no sort of doubt. At country meetings especially hundreds of people who drive or motor to the course- provide themselves witb a hamper, and if they are not to be allowed to leave the paddock for the purpose of having lunch, they may be expected in future to keep away altogether. A subject of considerable importance was brought up at the last committee meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club, ,when a lengthy letter from Dr. O'Brien in advocacy of stiffly-made hurdles of a uniform height of 3ft 6in, was read. Therein the doctor expressed the opinion that the flimsy battens of only 3ft in height which now do duty on many of our racecourses constitute a grave danger. They require very little jumping, and as a consequence horses are not ■o thoroughly schooled as they should be. Partly on account of this, and partly also because of the great pace at which short-distance hurdle races were ran, serious accidents frequently occur*«d. As a remedial measure, the doctor advocated that no hurdle race should be run over a teas distance than two miles. Now, there » a lot of good sound sense in aH this, and it is to be sincerely hoped that the Racing Conference wiil eventually see fit to legislate in the direction indicated. At present a few clubs do provide solid hurdles of the Standard height, and it is when horseß who have suffered no ill results from taking literfcies with the thin white pine boards erected on other club's courses come to race over the more legitimate obstacles that mishaps take place. Hurdle races of only a mile and a-half m length, too, are in no sense desirable, and even if the doctor's proposal is considered too drastic, it might at least be advantageously agreed that no race should be of leas distance than a mile and throe-quarters. The decision of the Manawatn Club to foHow the lead of the Wellington Club and donate prizes to the A. and P. As•ociation with a view to encouraging the breeding and improvement of horses suitable for remounts is worthy of the highest commendation. In this country, as in England, the Government has done very Ifttle to assist in thie -"natter. It has been left almost entirely to private enterprise to supply the class of horae in such general requirement, an d in the circumstances breeders have done fairly well. Hundreds of our best mares for this purpose have recently been exported, however, and it is the consensus of opinion of those now qualified to know, that during the past twenty years the quality of our saddle horses has shown a marked deterioration Though the Indian market has induced farmers and others to continue breeding to a certain extent, they have never yet had the encouragement they have deserved, and it is pleasing to note that those who control the testing grounds, which provide the only means of sifting the fit from the unfit, are now beginning to take action which cannot fail to have most satisfactory results. Clubs in tho Wanganui district are also signifying their intention of moving in the direction indicated, and if the feeling gains ground, as it seems sure to do, it wil not be long ore special prizes for staLlions and mares suitable for the production of one of the most useful types of animal that- can be bred will be set apart at every agricultural show :n the country. _ Australian papers containing complete lists of the horses handicapped in> the big spring events at R-andwick, Flemington, and' Caulfield came to hand this week. In the Melbourne Cup Alawa and Prince Foote are asked to concede Master Soult 101b and 81b respectively and thougb, in etrict accordance with the book, they might be capable of doing so those in a. position to know something of the New Zealand houses' tr.ue powers will be very much inclined to doubt such ability on their part. The fact is Master Soult, from one cause and another, has never been in a position to show what he is really made of. His- most recent displays at Ellerslie, where he was decidedly backward, were sufficiently convincing, (however, and there is no doubt that he is a very high class horse indeed. Oiyoi is handicapped within 31b of him in the two, mile event, a margin that would not be nearly wide enough to bring, the pair together. Lady Lucy, 7.12, ia well in. and «would assuredly beat Iranui from -wiom she is set to receive 51b over such ■a lengthy journey. In the Caulfield Cup Alawa is asked, to concede both Prince Foot, Aborigine, and Master Soult 81b, Oiyoi 91b and Maori King 181b. The last named is too alow a beginner to warrant his chance being favoured in a race which is invariably contested by a large field, and although Irs elder brother, who won last year, has probably impi"OT»d since he left these shores few New Zealand sportsmen v«>uld fancy his prospects of holding has own with Master Soalt at even smighte., fe tbe E&m-Ma&V

Sonlt (9.7) is at the head of affairs, and ' is undoubtedly to be preferred 1 to Pen-ates 9.5. Orucinella, 9.2, promises to be dangerous, and Gold Lace 9.2. should be i capable of giving a good account of hcreelf if she makes the trip. Armlet 9.1 too, must take ail sorts of beating, and in comparison with Equitas, 8.10, she is favourably placed. Parsed 9.5, Maltine 9.4, Irishman 9.3, and Malt King 9.2, are the New Zealanders most formidable opponents, and a most interesting struggle between the best representatives of the Commonwealth and the Dominion over a mile course should be forthcoming. Alaw,-* leads in the Metropolitan with 9.9, and is assessed as 10lb better than, Cracinella. Well, he may be, but if the San. Francisco mare starts and is fit she will not want for solid support from this side. The latest of Carbine's stock to greatly distinguish himseli is Carabas, who was purchased as a foal, together with his dam Dolly Watts, at the Newmarket July sales three years ago by Baron de Springer. He was thereupon taken to iungary. ana in common arith the majority of his sire's progeny, he was at first rather disappointing. Anyway he showed but very moderate form as a two-year-old, and his owner subsequently offered him to M. de Mauttner for £G25. M. de Mauttner, who wanted him in the belief that he might eventually make a good jumper, was only prepared to pay £500, and the deal fell through. Then the colt began to show what he was really made of. Three days latei he landed his first event, a success which he followed up by taking the Staats Preis of 500 soys. run over a mile and a-quartcr. M. de Mauttner now again approached Baron de Springer, but the colt's price had been increased to the -extent of £5000. Even at such a figure he could not have been dear, as when the last mails left he was fully expected to win the Vienna Derby. Truly one has to go away from home to learn news. Here are a couple of paragraphs that recently appeared in Australian papers: — (1) "Equitas, who figures among the Epsom Handicap and Metropolitan entrants, is a mare, owned by Mr. J. Brown." (2) "Though tho purchase of Oigoi for Australia is understood to have fallen through, it is said on good authority that the horse will be trained in Sydney for Melbourne Cup and other engagements. Oigoi is a five-year-old gelding by Stepniak from Hermosa, and a performer that should prove a welcome addition to our forces." Equitas, needless to say, is owned by a Marton sportsman, who races under the nora do course of "F. Preston" ; his real name is certainly not Brown. Oiyoi, whose name has been misspelt, may possibly be destined for Australia, but no trustworthy information to this effect has yet been given to the press in thi6 country. oeven imported horses are engaged in the Melbourne Cup this year — viz., Mnemon, Salvator Rosa, Mary, The Frenchman, Comedy King, Hermes, and Red Knight. Etruscan, another of those engaged, was not in England, but foaled m Australia. There are also seven imported horses in the Caulfield Cvp — viz., Kingsclere, Salvator Rosa, Mary, The Frenchman, Eyeglass, Red Knight, and Hermes. Up to th 6 present no imported horse, says an Ausaralian paper, has won either of these races. The writer, apparently, is impressed with the idea that only English-bred horses aro to be described as "imported" animals. He forgets the victories of ex-New Zealanders in Martini-Henry, Carbine, Apologue in the Melbourne Cup, and Maranui and Aborigine in the Caulfield Cup. Though no English-bred horse has been successful in either event, Panic ran second to Toryboy in 1865, and Vogin followed Merriwee home at Flemington in 1899. The aged Seaton Delaval mare Celerity, who established a record by winning the Newmarket Handicap as a nine-year-old, after having produced at least one foal, was again to the fore at Aspendale Park on the 22nd of last month. She was made favourite for a minor event called the Aspendale First I Division Handicap, and won very easily by three lengths. A most peculiar occurrence that took place soon after the field left the mark for the Adelaide Alderman Cup is thus referred to in the "Register": — It appears that after the start one of the posts of the barrier, which had been eaten away by white ants, came down, and the webbing fell across the course. It was said that a number of onlookers, knowing that the Cup horses would run over this spot again, caught the webbing and, suspended it so that they could pass under. A valuable consignment of thoroughbred stock, comprising the stallion, The Welkin, and the mares Wilga, Aris'to, and Cape Hatteras, arrived from England by the s^s. Suevic, says the Melbourne Argus. These horses are the property of Mr. E. E. D. Clarke, who is establishing a stud at Melton, and they are now in quarantine at Kirk's Bazaar. The Welkin is a splendid specimen of the massive thoroughbred of the Alawa type, standing about 16 hands, and is probably as fine a horse as has ever been imported to Australia. He is a dark bay with a white blaze down his face, a white nose, and two white hind fetlocks. He was selected in England by J. E. Brewer, who, in writing to Mr. W. Glasscock, states that The Welkin was, when in training, a great galloper, and R. Marsh, the King's trainer, referred to him as a "a smasher." He broke down as a three-year-old, and could not be properly trained afterwards, but still the Portland Plate and July Handicap — two important sprint races — were won by him. The Welkin was bred in 1904 by Lord Wolverton, and is by Flying Fox (son of Orme) from Woodbury, by Crowberry from The Widgeon, by Uncas (son of Stockwell) from Nu, by Orpheus from Lambda, by Umbriel. Ha is the first Flying Fox horse to come to Australia, and those who have seen him at Kirk's Bazaar (Mr. Clarke and his trainer, James Scobie, amongst them), are highly pleased with him. Cape Hatteras is by William the Third (sire of Mary), from Hattie, by Kondal ; Aristo, by Cyllene, from Perleonie, by Persimmon ; and Wilga, by Marco fram Lottie Hampton, by Royal Hampton. GISBORNE RACING CLUB. [BX TBLEGBAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] GISBORNE, Bth July. For the second day of the Gisborne Steeplechase meeting the weather held up till the last race,- when rain set in. The totalisator handled £4927, as against £5563 last year. The total for the two days was £9489, a decrease of £101 on last year. Concluding results :—: — Hack Flat, six furlongs.— Caruso, 9.13, 1; Hirini, 9.13, 2; Prestonpans, 9.4, 3. Also started — Master Stead and Durability. Won easily by three lengths. Time, lmin 24sec. Final Steeplechase, two miles. — Nogi, 11.11, 1; Whatashot, 9.12, 2; King Hippo, 11.7, 3. Also started — Tekainui, Haurangi, Game. A great race between Nogi and Whatashot, the former winning by a length. Time, 4min 12sec. Farewell Handicap, one mile. — Spate, 10.4, 1 ; Caruso, 9.2, 2 ; Sublime, 10.8, 3. Won by two lengths. Time, lmin 52sec. For Children's Hacking Cough at night. Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. It 6d. i«S<i &Lfcksi4ddr -4|