SPORTS OF ALL KINDS

Evening Star, Issue 13015, 9 January 1907, Page 3

SPORTS OF ALL KINDS

THE TURF.

Nelson January 15 and 16. fiore .January 16 and 17. Foxton January 22 and 25. Wellington January *22, 24, 26. [Gossip By Old Idenhtt.l I understand that Amethyst, bought from the Hon. G. M'Lean at the auction on Saturday, is likely to go into a country stable. The Sydney jockey J. Gainsford. who h»s been" training horses in New Zealand tor some time, is returning to Australia. There ifi some talk of Harry Ellis taking % stable at Oamaru. Good accounts come to hand concerning the brother to Munjeet owned by Mr Buckley.

Vladimir has been thrown out of training, and the chances are that he will not race any more. There arc inquiries from the other side as to his price. Harrv Goodman, jun.. who was for about rive rears in Air A. Moss's employ, is now *"on his own." Master Delav&l. who broke tho record in the Auckland Cup. was sold as a yearling for 340gs to Mr M. Friedlander. who shortly afterwards sold the eolt. to Mr Foss. Mr H- Oxenham's mare Acrasia, who was *ent to New Zealand on a visit to Multiform, has been taken back to Sydney. Says Sydney ' Referee ': Very few of tlie bookmakers at present doing business care abont laving a. to a. laxjje amount, and a commissioner who had £l2O to put on a horse at Kandwick on the 22nd December says he had to bet with about eight men owing to the difficulty of getting the odds to mote than a " tenner" in one bet.

Although Australians who have seen D. Maher ride credit him with being much superior to any other jockey in England, a prominent. London writer is of opinion that in a match the American would find the King's jockey, H. Jones, a very formidable opponent. Only twenty-four cut of the forty-four courses in England earn any profit, and fourteen of these depend upon London. Racing has liecoroe centralized. When there were 120 racecourses there was a love ot" sport all over England ; but now. when there are only forty-four, the country love of sport has pretty well died out. The worst feature of centrali.sation is that it tends to foster stay-at-home betting. Luciana. by Lochiel—Dunrnse. won the Villiere Stakes, one mile, at Kandwick on the 22nd December. She started at 5 to 2. and did the mile in lmin 41sec. " Umpire " says: It was only after turning into the straight that she began to look like having a possible chance, and then she put in the kind of run that was known to be within her powers. Port Arthur and Caisar had been making the running up to the home turn, with Jim Dorset and The Loch in handy positions. Inside the distance this quartet were nearly on terms when developments began. "On the rails Pompous was getting through with a nnst-rate run, and just as he looked all over a winner Luciana, on the outside, was drawing up to contest the issue. She finished up her run with a rattle, and beat Pompous by a neck. The Viceroy's Cup, India's big race, was ran on Boxing Day, and won by the Australian horse Fitz* Grafton, by Grafton — Olive Branch, carrying 9.5. Mallard (9.2), another Australian, was fecond. and The Master, also from Australia-, filled third place. When the last mail left Fitz-Graf-ton's price was 6 to 1. Fitz-Grafton, bought for Mr Apcar, is a six-year-old honse, and in Queensland, the land of his birth, was somewnat of a champion. He won four races as a two-year-old and six as a three-year-old, including tho Queensland Derby. Guineas, St. Leger, and Brisbane tup. As an early four-year-old he ran both in Sydney and Melbourne unsuccessfully, but" finished the season in Brisbane by "winning three races off the reel —the King' 6 Plate. Brisbane Cup (two miles, carrying 10.0). and Boyal Stakes. Last season ne won a couple of wcight-for-age races in Queensland, and the Club Handicap, at Rosehill. carrying 9.9. Fitz-Graf-ton was undoubtedly a fair horse in Australia, but nothing like the class of Great Scot and some other Australians that have won the Viceroy's Cup. He is trained by J. Watson, who hails from Australia, and was probably ridden by tho Australian jockey J. Robinson. The Bechor Steeplechase at Liverpool on November 7 produced a splendid race between Fetlar's Pride and Denmark, and it was in every way a very sporting affair, because Fetiars Pride used to belong to Denmark's owner, and the latter was, above nil things, anxious to beat the one he had sold. Similarly, the present owner of Fetlar's Pride would have given nruch to have seen his horse assert his superiority to the other, and the outcome, of it was that they arranged a friendly wager between themselves, each backing his horse to beat the other wherever they finished, the stake at issue being a dinner. Mr G. Johnstone was not presepWshut sent the following telegram to mark whatever you do, but do not break your neck." Mr Sheppard's instructions to Dunn were in a similar strain: •" Wherever you finish, do everything you can to beat" Fethir's Pride." The race was practically confined to the two at! the way, for Bective fell at the third fence. and' High Wind soon becaane tailed off. Denmark and Fetlar's Pride galloped side by side for a mile and a-half, rising simultaneously at each fence, but when it came to racing in earnest Denmark had tho bttter speed, and, gamely as Fetlar's Pride struggled, Mr Sheppard's horso drew away arid won comfortably. He was, nevertheless, very tired, whereas Fetlar's Pride could have kept jogging on at the same pace for another circuit of the course, and liad the distance been three miles the verdict would probably have been different. The notable incident of tho last phase of the Gambling Bill, says the 'Australasian.' was the failure of the Legislative Council to draft its own decisions, so that there •should bo no doubt as to their meaning. The majority in the Council desired to give newspapers the right to publish, as a matter of news, the movements in antepost betting, and a daily summary of the odds. Even with no restrictions imposed, the privilege was never widely exercised. In the daily papers the progress reports as to tire betting are given only for events of national importance, such as Cups, Derbys, and Grand National races. The Legislative Council wished to have the practice continued —not as a. matter of favor to the newspapers, because no single paper can gain an advantage over its rivals in face of a restriction which applies to all of them —but purely as a question of public convenience. And the public, without a doubt, will be the cliief sufferers through the negligence of the Legislative Council, and tire smart practice of tho Assembly in denying the other Chamber the chance to make its intentions clear. The Upper House members were undoubtedly straight goers, and were jockeyed out of position bv the other Chamber, the members of which seem rather jealous of the reputation of the Council for common srise. The questionable tactics of tho Lower House—even though exercised only in a negative way—are much more likely to hamper than aid their intentions with regard to betting. It is a bad thing for any deliberative, and presumably dignified, body to score by a trick, because it is a challenge to those who are more directly affected by the Betting Bill to defeat the intentions" of Parliament if they cm by similarly sharp practices. Mr Herring, whose death occurred inEngland a little while back, was closely connected with racing as a commission agent nearly fifty years ago, the late Lord Westmoreland/Mr George Hodgman. and other cvwncTS being among his clientele. His friendship with the first-named was of long standing, and for many years the present Lord Westmoreland has shot with Mr Herring at Putteridge Bury, Herts, a wellstocked shooting he rented from Mr b'owcrby. For Mr Hodgman several heavy coinmiajion.l were worked by Mr Herring, Heiress being backed to win £72.000 in two bets for the Cetsarewitch in 1860, but she finished third to Mr W. Day's Dnlci'oiUa, and Mr Hodgman had no better luck with the mare in the Cambridgeshire a fortnight later, for she was again third to Mr F. * Swindell'* Weatherbound and

Mademoiselle de Chantilly. Heiress never iron a race for Mr Hodgman, but nino years-later Vestnriostcr won the Cambridgeshire for the stable, and the commission, which was a heavy one, was again' worked by Mr Herring. Another notable race in which Mr Herring shared the triumph of his old racing friend was that of Victor in the Eoyal Hunt Cup of 1863, Mr Hodgman having £I,OOO on his horso at a good price. As an owner of racehorses Mr Herring did not havo a long career,- his colors, " violet, green sleeves, and quartered cap," being unfamiliar to present-day followers of racing. His best horse was Shadow, a winner of four races out of ten in 1874. Tbo events were the Surrey Stakes at Epsom, the Corinthian Plate at Goodwood, the. Brighton Club Stakes, and tho Lewes Autumn Handicap. Tom Cannon, sen., rode Shadow in all races excepting the one'on Lewes Downs, when had the mount.

Tho 'Field' is again advocating the alteration of tho English rule making nomination void on the death of the nominator. It says:—"Tho Free Handicap, for two-year-olds, at Newmarket, was won by a colt (Sagamore) that has been disqualified for all his most valuable engagements owing to the death of his nominator, and this once more brings to the fore tho question as to whether this particular form of disqualification ought to hold good. In this recent instance it is extremely probable that the colt now unable to compete would havo piayed a bold part in the classic races of next year, and we shall be only endorsing public opinion in once more making the sugucstion that the law concerning disqualification should be. at all events, thoroughly discussed. That a colt which shows ftrr>t-rat« form on the ntccoovrse. brat for which no valuable engagements have been made, is worth less money tlian he would otherwise be, need hardly be said, though when such a colt .suffers merely because he has not. been entered no one except hi, owner is much concerned. But when u nominator dies owning a good colt, that colt becomes disqualified for ill engagements which have been made, for him, and his value causes a loss —in some rases a big loss l — to the estate of his original owner.

In England thi.s season the Persimmon— Lock and Key filly Keystone 11. has won more in stakes than any other racehorse, five races, of a total value of £12,832. standing to her credit. Keystone 11. won the Oaks, and run <lisapi>ouitingly in the St. Leger, but her form since the lastmen tionod race makes it certain that she must have been right off at the tiifie of it-s decision. " Vigilant." of the London •Sportsman,' is of opinion that if tlie Ix-ger were to be run over again it. would bring about a- great race between Keystone 11. and Trotitbeck. 'The close of the flat racing season in England finds old Carbine well up in the list of winning sires. Tlie leader is Persimmon, whose stock have won thirty-one races, worth £21.757; Ladas being second with thirty-one wins, value £19,860; Gallinule third with tbirty-ono wins and £16,211; and " Old Jack"" a good fourth, his sons and daughters having won twentytwo races in England during the season, worth £16.048. His chiof winners have been Spearmint, whose Derby victory was worth £8,450, and Gingal, who won three races, worth £3.023. The sum of £16,048. credited to Carbine by his children this year, is the largest amount his stock have won since 1902, when " Old Jack" also occupied fourth place on the list with £21,979, the leader being St. Simon, with £38,531, with Persimmon second (£36,568). and Isinglass (£27.826) third. Adverting to Carbine's success during the past season, "Vigilant," of the 'Sportsman,' remarks: "Carbine has fluctuated in curious fashion. The Duke of Portland was doubtless perfectly correct in thinking that ho would prove an ideal mate for mares by Galopin and St. Simon, and I do not suppose that he ever lost faith in tho great New Zealand horse, in spite of tho fact that he was a very long time in making his maxk. I notice that, after being down as low as 50 guineas in 1902. he went to 200 guineas in 1904 and the following season, only to be reduced again to £9B this year. As so often happens, no sooner did this reduction take place than he had by far his 'best season. Of course his great triumph was winning the Derby by tho aid of Spearmint, but ho did not by "any means depend upon this one colt, as Gingal, Haytor. Ramrod, Foresight, and Tui all did him more or loss good service." Carbine is no* twenty-one years of age.

CRICKET.

fßr Umpisb.] " Rattled " is the expression Americans ■would use to describe Otago's state, of mind on Saturday afternoon. Just after lunch it is not so easy to get right down to a ball coming along the carpet, and the Otago fieldsmen let one or two simple ones past. They got no sympathy from the crowd, and the "jeering did not tend to improve matters. Fox and Tufnell played just the sort of cricket to aggravate Otago's unhappiness, always flattering the field with the hope of a run out and just managing to get home. The bowlers could not bowl the batsmen, the wicket-keeper could not stump Ibem, and when the fieldsmen tried to ran them out extra runs often came from misfielding or overthrows. The crowd became more exasperated than the players, and their comments were often most unfair. Laziness or " funk" in tho field aro inexcusable, and perhaps deservo audible censure. But it was unkind and unjust on the part of those spectators, for instance, who gibed at a fieldsman like Siedeberg, who chanced dashing forward and fielding one hand to try for a run-out, rather than waiting for the ball and attempting nothing more than fielding safely. Under tlie circumstances the possible loss of a run was not worth considering "if thero was a chance of ending the innings. After their experience in tho field the frame of mind the Otago team were in on beginning their second innings was not conducive to good batting. I am certain this had a lot to do with the rot. Some of our men seemed so put off their game that they fairly threw their wickets away, and others were unlucky. This is not put forward to excuse Otago's crushing defeat. They met a superior team, in my opinion—a team whose tlefeat by Canterbury is inexplicable, ov«n allowing for their majiifest unfitness for cricket on tho first day after having a bad passage from Wellington shut up in the steamer's hold. But cricket is a game full of inexplicable things. Tho M.C-0. team aro "right after" Cantcrburv in their return match. Does New Zealand contain a fast bowler of any class? One of tho M.C.C. team was asked if they had como across one so far. Ho said No:" Upharn was perhaps the fastest they had met, and he classed the Wellington" man as a fast-medium rather than a fast bowler. In view of Mav's success, tho same authority was asked if May had done much for his county with tho tall. It appears, however, that Surrct, to which county May belongs, have in Knox tho fastest bowler in England, and although quite young and a bit erratic, one of the most successful. On that account May has only had occasional chances for his county, but he has done a lot for his University (Cambridge). May is said to bo able to break back from the off at his top pace. Tho Otago batsmen, however, say that they did not notico much work on hie bowling, except, perhaps, when lie bowled verj-short, and then tho break could be seen all the way, and was not difficult. Simpson-Hay-ward works very little from leg—just a sensation, in fact—but his off break is a puzzler. After seeing the M.C.C. toaro bat one has not much hesitation in naming Barns as the best batsman on the side, though, of emmse, Douglas is an unknown quantity to us l in Otago. Harrison is evidently the most sedate bafc in the itam, the rest of whom aro 9ashers, De Traffnrd and May are the hurricane hitters. Tho latter" crouches when at the wickets very much after Jessop's style. Simpson-Hay-ward and Page aro both free bate, but tho latter seenrs to he rather a poor judge of a run, and is not the best eort of partner for running between the wickets. Austin's catch that disposed of May in the second inninps was one of the best ever seen, at Carisbrook. Tho ball came at a tremendous pace, and with a big swerve. The Englishmen were very complimentary in referring to it. Austin was stationed on the boundary between long-on and, long-leg. It may. be mentioned that.

Carisbrook'is hot an ideal ground" for fieldsmen, especially in the country. The background of hills and trees sometimes cautes the fieldsmen to lose sight of the ball for a moment, and this unsighting is fatal to certainty. Ackroyd's misses in the Canterbury match were a good deal. due to this, and it is a matter spectators might keep in mind when they see a catch dropped. ! Tho Englishmen liked tihe Cfeisbrook Ground and wicket as well if not better than any they' have played on in Niow Zealand. Mr Torrens, one of the team, says that in Auckland they played on a soil wicket laid down "only last year, 'and the ball kept very low on it. Local club cricket will be resumed, on Saturday.' Grange and Albion is one of the fixtures, and a supporter of tho Grange Club has offered a trophy to the highest scorer in Grange's first innings.

ROWING.

[Bt Fin.] Tho Port Chalmers regatta, was this year conducted like an amateur drama, in three acts. The first act concluded stormily on Boxing Day; the second act spread over tlie afternoon of Saturday last; and the third act concluded with the Senior Fours on Monday evening. It cannot truthfully be said that the stage management was all that could be desired, or that those most intimately concerned did not show a considerable ;unount of impatience at the long-drawn-out intervals, or that the assistance of the prompter was not required. Still, it has copie to an end. To the terse and cursory criticisms of misguided rowers the Rowing -Association have said “Let tlvero be finality,” and there is finality. At least they hbjKs so. The holiday season usually punctuates tho two active portions of club life, and the sheds are astir with brown groups of returned holiday-makers. Tho next event of interest at the Otago shed is the > Fouroared Outrigger Race for the ladies* challenge cup, open for competition to all members. Entries close at the boathouse on the 14th inst. This is tho classic event of tho Otago Club, and as there are no local regattas to engage the attention of representative oarsmen, the competition is usually keen and general. Tito North End crews who competed at the Bluff regatta at New Year met with a fair measure of success. They speak in liigh terms of the kindness received atr the hands of the Southland oarsmen. It is said that this club will be represented at the Invercargill regatta on the 16th mst. The Otago pair, Kerr and Mills, who won the maiden race at Port Ghaimers, also make the trip to Invercargill. The prize-money offered for pair-oar rowing in Invercargill is not beyond the dreams of avarice, bnt rowing chibs, though poor, are proud, and may fairly claim to bo actuated by a more laudable ambition than the secretion of prize-money. With them virtue is indeed its own. not to say only, reward.

TENNIS.

Mr F. W. Payne, who has twelve seasons' experience to draw upon, and has taken part'in a hundred and twenty tournaments at Home and on the Continent, has written a book on ' Tennis Topics and Tactics,' in which, inter alia, be has a tilt at Mr P. A. Vaile. He has given the New Zealander the prominence of a whole chapter headed ' Anti-Vaile,' and it k one of the most entertaining in the hook. Mr Vaile has gained notoriety by his criticism i} of both "English lawn tennis and cricket, and in this chapter Mr Payne hits back hard—• goes, in fact, bald-headed for the Maorilander. He describes Mr Vaile's maxim that " whatever the right arm is doing the left should bo countorbaJancing" as "some of the greatest nonsense ever written," and the advice that the ball should be hit " when it is about to become dead " as one of the greatest of faults. Mr Vaile's position as a critic be also challenges. "There is no evidence," the author 6ays, " that he ever hit a ball over the net in America, but the fact that lie was born in Au»tralsia and has visited America, lias been of enormous service to him in foisting highly-imao-inative 'comparisons' between the players of those countries and the English, needless to 6ay much to the laiter's disadvantage, on English readers." Mr Payne adds: " A smattering of mechanics, a visit to America, and an acquaintance with New Zealand are Mr Vaile's main qualifications for posing as the Grand Lama of the game he does not understand and does not play."