THE TURF

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 182, 4 July 1931, Page 15 (Supplement)

THE TURF

Origin of Colours

Racing Overseas

(By “Binocular.”)

A writer in an American paper says that Henry VIII. in 1530 dressed his jockeys in colours to make them more easily distinguished on the racecourse. The custom became increasingly popular, and by 1765 nearly all jockeys wore colours. A Good Looking Colt. Eric A. Connelly, the well-known Victorian owner-trainer, who is remarkable for the way in which he plunges oil any horse, whether his own or anyone else’s, when he takes a fancy to its prospects, is said to possess the best looker in Victoria in Ghandi, a colt by High Force—Eastern Belle, who was purchased by him for 475 guineas as a yearling. Jockey’s Success. The English jockey, E. C. Elliott, brought off an unusual double recently. He won the Oaks Stakes in England, and. followed this by success on Prixj Bediane in the French Oaks, run at Chantilly. Heroic’s Progeny. Of the young sires whose initial progeny figured on the Australian Turf this season, Heroic is the one singled out for most notice. With 14 winners credited to Heroic, he has certainly heen well placed at an early stage of his stud career. In A.J.C. Derby. A Brisbane-owned colt in the shape of Morning Carol is included among the promising candidates for honours in the A.J.C. Derby, to be run at Bandwick during the coming spring. Morning Carol is by stout-hearted Magpie from Perriwoo, and is credited with possessing all the attributes pointing to his proving a thorough stayer. Another Suspension. For the second time this year the Melbourne jockey, W. Duncan, has been suspended, the previous occasion having been at the Sydney Cup meeting in April. At the Williamstown meeting on 13th June the stewards heard a complaint laid by R. Sinclair, trainer, that Duncan had broken an engagement to ride Lineage in the Point Cook Handicap. Tho stewards suspended him from riding in races until 30tli June. Achieved His Ambition. Prior to steering Cameronian to victory in the Derby Fred Fox, last season’s premier jockey in England, had never once ridden a classic winner during his lengthy career in the saddle. His nearest to a win was a second on Parenthesis in last year’s St. Leger. Gordon Bicliards, another champion rider and second on the list to Fox last year, has yet to bring home a Derby winner, though he has been successful in the other classics, including the Oaks and St. Leger last year. His onportunities, however, have been few, Skyflight C 1924), Solitary (1925), Chichester (1927), Sunny Trace (19281, and Grand Salute (last year) being his only rides, all of which were unplaced. Big Money. The fact of Sir John Butherford having refused the record offer of £IOO,OOO for Solario at the close of his three-year-old racing invests the stud career of the son of Gainsborough with special interest. So far Orpen, who finished second to Cameronian in the Derby, is viewed as the best of his progeny that has so far carried silk. In commenting on the offers that were made to Sir John Butherford to part with Solario, a London writer states that Mr J. B. Joel made an offer of £75,000 for the horse after his victory in the Ascot Gold Cup of 1927. The Aga Khan then offered £IOO,OOO, . but Sir John declined to sell. Solario is at the stud at 500 guineas, and the fact that his list is declared full for two seasons ahead carries with it a highly pleasing return to the owner.

Personalities in the Game

The World's Best

All over the world there is a weakness for English blood. Of nearly 400 horses in training at Alag (Hungary’s racing headquarters), 155 were the produce of English sires, and 42 of that number were also out of English mares. England has a world’s market, while in Australia they have only their own. That is where the new order of things, which debars geldings from classics, will tend to overrun Australia with undesirable stallions, says an exchange.

Staying Blood. The winner of the Ascot Gold Cup, Trimdon, is by Son-in-law—Trimestra, and again draws attention to the value of tho Hampton blood as a staying strain. Son-in-law is by Dark Bonald, sire of one of Australia’s greatest sires, Magpie, and a grandson of Hampton. Singapore, the second horse in the Gold Cup, is by Gainsborough—Ternbazzia, and here, too, the much-prized Hampton blood comes in, for Gainsborough is a great-grandson of Hampton. Singapore’s dam, Tetrabazzia, was a smart sprinter, but her sire, the unbeaten The Tetrarch, has sired some really good sires, as well as many highclass sprinters, and his descendants, both the male and female lines, have shown their ability to transmit both exceptional speed and good staying qualities to their progeny. Presentation to Grakle’s Rider. B. Lyall, who rode Grakle to victory in the Aintree Grand National in April, was the guest of the evening at a dinner of sportsmen of Lincoln, his the native city, recently. He was presented with a magnificent cocktail cabinet and other gifts, more than a hundred citizens subscribing. Mr Cecil Taylor, Grakle’s owner, making the presentation, said success attended the combination of a great horse, a great trainer, and a great jockey. Lyall, in reply, said he won the National for one of the best ownors a man could ride for. Kidaides Again.

Kidaides won his second Adelaide Birthday Cup when he defeated the bottom weight, St. Frederick, by a length and a quarter at the South Australian J.C. meeting on 6th June. The top weight, Suzumi, was threequarters of a length away third. Kidaides won his previous Birthday. Cup in 1929. Oil both occasions he was ridden by N. Percival. Since lie won the Sydney Handicap at Bandwick in 1929 Kidaides had not shown good form, but he was sent out a hot favourite for the Birthday Cup, with Suzumi, St. Frederick and White Nose next in demand in that order After the race Percival said that lie was well back in the early stages, hut got to the rai's at about the mile post, and stayed there. He added that Kidaides had never performed so well before. SOTJTH AFRICAN TURF. RACING IN A BAD WAY. SIR ABE BAILEY’S VIEWS. The following is tire report of a speech recently delivered by Sir Abe Bailey, who has long been a leading

patron of the Turf, both in England and South Africa. Sir Ab© Bailey was recently entertained by the South African Turf Club, which desired to make some recognition of his great service to racing and horse-breeding in South Africa. He claims to hold the world’s facing record, as he lias raced for 36 years ill England and 44 years in South Africa, and lie added: “I look it.” After outlining some of his struggles early in life, Sir Abe Bailey proceeded to condemn strongly the state of the Turf in South Africa.

“There is not a man in this room,” said Sir Abe Bailey, “whatever his views and opinions of the stewards of the Jockey Club, that does not hold very dear the prestige of the Jockey Club. That should not prevent us speaking frankly one to the other, or compel us to confine ourselves to platitudes, or cause us to shut our eyes to the great dangers to racing about us. Tho stewards of the Jockev Club have been, and are, too indulgent, and are primarily responsible for racing being on the down grade as it is in South Africa. There is too much racing in South Africa, especially on the Witwatersrand, where there are too many racing clubs. The public have become soured and angry owing to so much 'crook’ racing; horses liave their teeth pulled out to prevent them from winning.

“This is onlv what vou must expect. as almost all the racing in South .Africa is by leased horses. Although the stakes are excellent, owners cannot make racing pay with only half the stakes, and, consequently, the genuine owner, who is the backbone of racing, is driven out of the game.

“Some of these gentlemen who have horses through the leasing _ system have not a coin to toss with, and search for 'mugs’ to pay their entry fees. I was taken for a ‘mug’ a month ago, and invited to pay the entry fees for four horses at the Kenilworth meeting.

“This class of owner is soon under the commands of the bookmakers, or so-called bookmakers, who have an assistant with a pair of race glasses watching the other hoards, and bet, not to their books, but to other boards, and the sooner bookmakers are abolished the better for racing.

CATERING FOR BAD HORSES. “But the genuine owner finds, as I do, that if we continue racing under these conditions, we shall leave a will similar to Rabelais, which was. in simple words: ‘I owe much. I have nothing, the rest T give to tho poor.’ There is too much catering for had horses. Everything should be done to attract to South Africa as much good blood as possible in order to improve cur thoroughbred horse-breed-ing industry. Bear in mind that every horse is a potential asset for defence in South Africa.

“The breeders and owners should he allowed to lease on a limited scale their yearlings and horses. But breeders, through the present leasing system, are not only killing racing, but are destroying the thoroughbred horse-breeding industry of South Africa. A R interested in racing are asking: ‘What will it be in the end thereof ?’

“It will not he a deputation to the Government to assist racing, or to assist breeding, hut a deputation to abolish horse-racing throughout South Africa. And' it will receive greater support than we who love racing would wish to see. Let there bo greater cohesion between the different racing clubs and racing centres; let them, with all those interested in racing, work together, purging the Jockey Club and racing clubs of stewards whose only interest in racing is leasing or hefting. Do not have stewards who. when obviously a horse is deliberately pulled, are asked. ‘Did you see that?’ reply ‘Yes’ ; and when asked, ‘What are you going to do?’ reply. ‘Back it the next time out.’ The Jockey Club should bear in mind jockeys do not pull their mounts for the love of the thing; they love winning races.”