Sporting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 794, 26 October 1904, Page 5

Sporting.

Ways of the Turf.

IBy Searchlight.!

The flagrant fluke of Tercelet in the "Wellington Handicap has led people to make distressing observations as to how some jockeys ride races now-a-days. They keep too far out of it in the early stages of the contest, and come with a late run, making dead sure that the leader will the and come back to them, only to find that then- conclusions were quite erroneous, and that they had lost a purse-by simply not knowing how to ride with judgment.

That was what happened at the Hutt. Buchanan, on Mahutonga, didn't fancy that Tercelet Jiad a possible, and that Mahutonga's finishing run, as at Hastings and Napier Park, would settle the leader in one act. But when he tried to catch Tercelet, who is only a third-rater, he couldn't do it, nor could Tommy Wilson, on Convoy, do any better than third. The only chance of a horse with a light weight, who isn't much class, is to go to the front, race the crowd off their feet, and endeavour to stay there.

There are no horses of superlative merit left in the New Zealand Cup now that Achilles and Martian have been withdrawn. Stead wouldn't scratch Martian, preferring to keep him in until paying up time. The bookies have made a nice haul over this horse, who had been backed pretty consistently since his fine win at Randwick.

The two Yaldhurst horses left in the Cup are Grand Rapids and Nightfall, and the latter promises to start favorite. I, for one, am not partial to her chance, believing that Grand Rapids will make a better showing, and that won't be too good if it's a fast run race.

Although he is top weight Convoy isn't overburdened with 8.6, and * I'm quite satisfied that he'll be galloping when the rest will be wishing it was all over. Annother I like is Melodeon, who is a stayer alright, and should have improved greatly since last year. He has been kept in lavender ever since. Have you noticed that the stable carefully avoided racing him against Cup horses a the National meeting, and at Hasting, Napier Park, and Wellington ? There was a motive for that, you may wager. If he is well he will have a great chance. A nag that is bound to make a good showing is Calibre, who ran two seconds at Oamaru last week. He was giving away a good deal of weight to the winner, De La Rey, who is no slouch, although he raced wretchedly at Dunedin. Anyway Calibre seems to be preferable to Secret Society and Bulawayo. The latter has a very poor chance in the Cup.

The handicapping at Oamaru on the second day caused much ribald laughter. De La Rey, who usually carries something over 7st, won with 6.7, and on the second day he was only given three pouDds more, and there was a quarter of a mile less to go. Of course, he walked in. The handicap was a most ridiculous

There was a quaint scene at the last New Brighton trots. The festive bookie, who is so anxious to lay winners, was barred the enclosure, his money being refused with great contumely. But there is a privately owned section alongside the course, and the fraternity gathered there in all sorts of vehicles, and gambled with people inside over the big fence. They secured the drivers whips, made their handkerchiefs into bags, tied them on the end of the lash, and lowered them over the fence for the coin. A rather beery individual happened along to collect a dividend, but bookie; bluffed (seeing his condition), and reckoned he owed him no dividend. There was a wild row, of course, but the beery one shut off steam as a man came up to make a bet. Bookie lowered the whip over for the coin, when the beery one stepped forward and grabbed it, saying that if he .couldn't get his money he would have the whip. There was a struggle, and the penciller, perched aloft, looked for all the world like a frantic angler trying to land a big fish. Presently the whip broke, each getting a piece of it, and the backer was satisfied. It was a brand new whip, and the layer had to settle for it with the angry driver right away, or else get pitched off the drag into the enclosure. The iYaldhurst couple, Machine Gun and Golden Lily, are bound to be largely fancied for the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton. I like the latter in preference to the Gun. A mare that should shake them up is Ailsa, the Wallace —Faraway filly, who has only 7st 31b, and Zetland is another who will have to be reckoned with.

There will be a big number drop out of the Welcome Stakes ere the day. King Billy will take a power of beating. The Yaldhurst pair are Munjeet (Stepniak—Madder) and the Multiform colt, Sungod. Latter, however, has been suffering from influenza.

One of the smartest two-year-olds galloping at Riccarton is Glenowlet, by Clanranald—Madowla, and though she may not be up to Welcome Stakes form, she should win a juvenile race at the meeting. -

Signalman should go precious near that C.J.C. Derby. He ought to beat Golden Lily; the question is, can he beat Nightfall? Latter should win the Oaks.

Ailsa is engaged in both Derby and Oaks, but she is an unknown quantity so far as form this season is concerned. She promised to develop into a fine mare when a two-year-old, and her breeding is excellent. The Wallaces, too, have been running well on the other side lately. "We can form an opinion of her capabilities, probably, if she starts in the Stewards on the opening day. Flamen, who won at Wellington, is good enough for open company, but not quite good enough for the' Derby. Veneer, who is also left in this race, will have to have improved wonderfully to have any sort of a chance.

Achilles may be seen out in two events at Riccarton.

More than one horse was stiff at Wellington on both days of the meeting. I An old turf friend told me a dream j yarn yesterday. He said his brother-in-law, who has hoof on the brain, dreamt that he was at Riccarton, saw a horse win the Cup, noted its number, and looked for his card. This, however, he had lost. He searched for another, found one, and looked to see what horse was No. 4. To his dismay he found that the card was printed in Russian, and he couldn't read it. The next one he secured was printed in Japanese, and the next in Dutch, so ho stuck up a man and asked him what horse had won, and the reply was given in Gaelic. At last a crowd of boys came marching towards him, the front one playing an accordeon. As the melodious strains came nearer the dreamer woke up! He took it as the •'office," and after breakfast he hacked

Melodeon for a couple of hundred notes. Lass o' Gowrie, winner of a double at the Hutt, is a really good mare*, who should win many races during the current season.

Ohivalry is to be taken to Riccarton, and as he is very well, he may score a win if well placed ere the meeting closes. Cavalry looks to have a pretty good thing in the Manakau Hurdles at the Auckland meeting. I don't know what Cyrus and Blackstone are doing in the New Zealand Cup, But people will be found to back them, if they start. ■ And that remains to be seen, as the boy said when he gave his brother a fine black eve.

Hinetaura ought to have a show in the Auckland City Handicap, if taken up. I don't know of anything likely 'to beat Gladstone (Gladsome's brother) in the big classic event there.

Petrovna is in royal form just now, and punters should watch her over short courses at Riccarton.

At a coastal meeting not long ago farmer who frolics a little

on the turf, approached a prominent jockey and asked him to ride his neddy in a mile race. As the rider wasn't engaged in that race he acquisced. The owner gave him about 17b instructions how to ride the moke, the jock listening quietly, and he wound up by saying: "Now, I don't want ye to break any records, mind ye, no record breaking for me." The nag got well away, but was out of it before going fifty yards, and he came in when they were ringing up for the next race. "Break records!" said the em-aged jockey.to the owner. "By heavens, if ever you ask me to ride a sulphuretted moke like that again I'll break your Rotorua head."