Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 402, 14 March 1908, Page 20

Turf Topics.

By "The Tout."

YCSITORS to the Wanganui races were not at all oomplameinitary in their remarks concerning the action of the executive of the club with reference to altering their days of racing from Thursday and Friday to Thursday and Saturday. Quite a number could nolt afford the tune to stay for Saturday's racing, as by so doing they could not get back to Wellnngton eanlier than Monday evening. Horse-owners alls© were loud in> denouncing the innovationi, and several, including the Hon. J. D. Ormond, ordered their horses home, and did not assist at the concluding day's racung. There seems very Little occasion, for 'having a day's interval between the first amd second days' racing. Horseowners do not wiish it, white* it is very unsuitable for visitors. Only about 10 pea- cent, of the trades pec pte amd residents of Wanganiui take any interest aln racing, so it is surely not worth whiLe studying them to the utter inconvenience of the club's best patrons and visitors. In the face of the weldf-voiced complaints made during the meeting, it is mot improbable that the old order of things wiJI be reverted to ; otherwise the number of visitors will be certainly diminished, as many were heard emphatically declaring that they would not again attend Wanganiui under the circumstainces. The Pon'rua stable started two horses in the Wangaoui Oup, Marguerite and Gold Crest. Of the pair, Marguerite ran the best race, getting fifth, just behind Tangamoana amd The Lark. Gold Orest might have given a better accooiint of himself had he been reserved for the Flying Handicap, which was woni by tihe Gold Reef filly, Gold Thread. Certainly 351b was a lot of poundage for one three-year-old to concede anotheir, even over a six-furlong course, but Gold Crest's past deeds loom large, and probably had he started he would have been more heavily supported than the equally well-bred Gold Thread 1 , who skipped over the six furlongs, according to the Wanganui timeist, in lmin 14sec. Zimmerman, \\ ho. was chosein as a good thing by the clever division, who were looking for the winner of the Wellington Cup, cut up very badly at Wanganui. He certainly had lib more weight than he was allotted by the Wellington hamdicapper, but this would scarcely account for Zimmerman's bad showing. Mr. Morse quickly found he had over-estimated Zimmerman's Auckland performances, and he dropped him 31b below the weight Mr. Pollock gave Mr. Ormond's horse for the We'lltogtom Cup when he came to frame his weights for the Wainganui Stakes, a race the same distance as the Wellington! Cup. Prosser's jumpers, Maui and Ataahua, put up a good record at Wanganud, the former winning both open hurdle evemts, whilst Pawas brother worn the hack hurdle race on the opeining day, and ran away with the one and a-quarter mile hack race on the oonclmding day of the meeting, both races, it is said, being annexed without am, effort. It is reported that Mahuta's owner and his friends thought he could hold his own with Margueirite, winner of the Wanganui Stakes, with a concession of only 21b in weight. This is surprising when it is remembered that he declatoed, Mahuta's Wellington! Cup engagement when in (receipt of 181b from Prosser's mare. Surely the moderate win Maimta scored ait Hawera did not warrant his owner considering him improved by a stone and a-half. The indiscriminate licensing of bookmakers to wager on racecourses is not bearing the bestresulrtis. At nearly every meeting welshers and balancers are in evidence. At Wanganui it is reported that loenises were issued to all and sundry, with the result that several were unable to bet on the second day because the bag was empty. Why doesn't the Bookmakers' Association step in and arrange with racing clubs that only approved men shall be granted licenses? Mr. Bidwell must be accounted a very lucky man to breed two such fine colts as Elevation and Gravitation in succeeding seasons. The former may not display his best form during the balance of this season, but in Gravitation Mr. BidweH has a splendid second

string. There are a number of valuable classic events yet to be decided, and, all going well witth Giaviitation, he should make a bold bid to head the Jist of winning two-year-oTds. Glenculloch's followers looked upon the Wangan.ui Jackson Stakes as a soft snap for the Clanranald colt. How he would have fared had he got aw ay with his field is a matter of com] octui c. It so happened, however, that he lost qua te ten lengths when the barneawent up. This he had mo prospect of picking u>p with a colt of Gravitation's cahbie in the van. Those who watched the race say that Glenculloch was travelling the faster at the business end of the iace, but po.ssably Gira\itation's Tidei bad his eye on Si>r Geo Clifford's colt, and did not wish to win by a "street." "Great cry and little wool" is an old saving It is, however, very applicable to the Maorilaaid horses that went from New Zealand to win, the Newmarket Handicap and scoop the pool generally. It may in time occur to New Zealand .lacing men that such races as the Newmarket Handicap are contested by the cream of the whole of the Commonwealth States, aand, as there are probably tern times as many horses in training in Australia as there are in New Zealand, the prospects ■are none too favourable when a New Zealander makes a bid for the big Australian sprinit event. The starting problem is becoming more and more acute. At many race meetings men are entrusted with the duties of starting who have not even mastered the ABC of the business. Clubs have, of course, to appoint someone to carry out the duties, and that someone in more cases than one us a man going in for some experimenting at the expense of horse-owners and those who entrust their money to the totalisator. At the present time there are only two men in the Domimi,cvn capable of managing a field of horses at a starting gate — Messrs. Piper and OConnor. The former, unfotnttLniatolv, has a happy-go-lucky style of doing his work, but when thoroughly put to it no fault can be found with his efforts. The provincial clubs cannot, of course, all obtain the seirvioes of the gentlemen mentioned, and have to accept such make-shifts as come along, with disastrous results. It would a4ppeaT that the time has airrived for some combined efforrt to be made with the view of encouraging capable mem to take up the duties of starters. At present the fees are insufficient to warrant experienced men throwing up other occupations to take on starting. Why should not the Racing Comf erenoe take the matter in hand, and by some combined action provide say six or seven hundred a yea,r as an inducement to men of integrity and experience to take up starting?