SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17338, 9 December 1919, Page 12

SPORTING.

I NOTES BY F'IHAETON. / S , GREAT .M&ftES. '•] ii ''£. '■ — f ; '*'' r ffimOlXEi; OF THE .pSTRALIAN SKND NEW ZEAtAIteD ]TOT. Desert Gold's racing caseer having been ■ terminated, the qrtestioj of the greatest rmires that, have figured on the "sew "Zealand and Australian turf can be depended upon to form the subject m much discussion. Ah a gauge to merit it is*never, of comae, quite satisfactory .u make a comparison between equine* ihiita.vv.- figured on tho t firf at different perrala. but still, in endeavouring to term no ©pinion as to tho relative merits oi part-War performers, It is interesting to point; 'Mil ti.e star feat registered by each and'Jthcn endeavour to matters as accurately as means allow. Taking the mares that have figured on the turf during *"th,. past 20 years, I.a Carabine, WußUfal, Cruciform. Gladsome, Lady Wallace, Lady Medallist. Warstep, Car-liia.'-an-l Desert Cold stand out as the bright particular star.-, ant 1 . I place their names' in the above order simply on the lines'.of seniority. The greatest mare that has figured on the Curt in Llm.se lands is held to be Wakeful, but the fact that La Carabine and "Cruciform ea-cn beat her twice at weight- for- a pee must be taken to clearly give the two latte. a "close place with , '"he daughter erf Trenton and Insomnia. Wakeful' proved herself a high-class mare i.ver nil distances, and the race she ran in the Melbourne Cup of 1903, when with lOst 141b over weight-for-age) in the saddle she ran a good three-year-old like Lord Cardigan (Est BJb) to half-a-length for fest honours, was a performance ot great excellence, for the two miles were east behind in 3m 29i?. In surveying Wnkeiul's performances there is, indeed, a very-great xleal to call up the enthusiastic note in her favour, and remembering that she won races ranging from six furlongs to toireo miles she can boast of tho allround" certificate, i La/Carabine won the Sydney and Australian Cups, and topped off that brace of doughty performances by leading tho Held home in two successive years for the ihampion Stakes. These performances clearly stamped Carbine's daughter as a jreat stayer, and, in addition, she had the reputation of being as true as st<*:i. Cruciform's victory over Wakeful in the A.J.C. Spring Stakes of 1904 will stand the searchlight, for the mile and a-hail attaching to" the weight-for-aga race was run hi 2m 3615, and it was * true test betwgen two great mares, j It was undoubtedly a great perionnanco on the part voi' Cruciform the day sbo beat akefui at weight-for-age. and the Australian critics frankly admit it. Though Gladsome never won over * longejE distance than a mile and a-half, she was undoubtedly great up to 12 turiongs,,: and her winning- -feats in weight-lor-age events give Seatou Delavai's -chestnut daughter a good place «> l th the noteworthy ones of her sei that havegraced the colonial turf. Lady Wallace proved herself a good mare, for her name is enrolled amongst V.R.O. Derby winners, and amongst her exploits at weight-lor-age- wag a defeat of \ Gladsome over a mile, which she accompl&hed in brilliant stylo at Raadwick in tS'ic autumn of liar t,h,re.o-yearrold career.'' in the settlement- of the- A.J..0. All-Aged Stakes. Tkgfcgh Lady Medallist is entitled to i?p ranged up with tho. noteworthy performers, her exploits a% weigHt-for-age do not bulk largely. In characterising her as good, but not great, is a summing up thai would: na doubt find wide acceptance. I opine, be no- disagreement ip awarding Warstep a place with the noteworthy ones of her sex, for she wag severely tested. The star performance for which Warstep was responsible was a record-breaking feat over two miles, when .shfcrcon the "Trenthani Gold" Cup in 3m;-245. That performance will always ensure, for Warstep a good advertisement, as sue registered the performance under weigbtfor-age conditions. Carti'ta's form was really good. ..She ranks : as a Derby winner under; . meritorious conditions, while her victory in tho V.R.C. Champion Stakes at three years '.bid and in -the-King's Plate, run over a like distance, ' at a year older, gives her a place amongst vein.ark.able stayers, for when she -won the last-named race the time registered ' was only aquartet o.f a second outside the Australian end New Zealand record for three miles.. And; now I come to Desert Gold. That the bay daughter of All Black was great up to" a mile and a-half she furnished abundant proof; and at 8, 10, and 12 furlongs she would when at the top ot ber derm, I have . no hesitation in saying, be regarded as a fitting match lor anything standing on four legs. It -may, however, be doubted if she was a true stayer in the wide serine of thai term, for the records show that on each occasion she was called upon to contest an event extending to two miles, she was decisively defeated. Desert Gold's winning record both m regard to actual races and amount of stakes captured, place her in a position that will bo sure to keep her well in the picture. The 'following is a list of the performances of the most noted mares that have figured on the New Zealand and Australian turf since the opening of the present centaury, the order in which their respective records are given eorresponding v/.th their appearance on the turf; m- k ° / LA BINE. By Carbine—Orotava. . t , lfit 2nd. 3rd. rj„p At two years .. .. i 0 ft « At fhre? years . . . . 0 0 0 t At four years . . . . 0 -2 0 3 At {jvq jo- . . . . a 1 1 - At si. years . . . . 8 ■> 0 4 At seven years . . 1 0 I •* , Summary . . . . 15 ~ ~3 ojj Han in 47 races. Won in stakas, i'7o&.". WAKEFUL. By Trent. Insomnia. A* fo„r-T*ar. .. .. \f *?* C ? D ' A' fiv., y<*>rs .... 0 1 X , -•' i.x Jt-ai) . . . . 10 1 1 _ At ,-vcu y«urs . .3 ;j x - Summary . . . . 25 12 "1 ~ T.'tii '.% 41 ra-fs. Won iv s,taki-s. i'l6.«K> CKUCIFORM. By Hi. Le«.- - Forme. At.«.. V..K,. .. .7 ";; rf *f u «0- '■• \",y : -.;'..'■ ■■ 1,, ' " o 1 --.[ : ! ,' : ..;■;;'■ ' '•'• } x •> I - ■ l ' • •' l '" > . ..1 o j i •-"•"»-= , . . .19 ~i ~2 ~ 'A. 'I -n ..;. :,. . •_••-<; >.:.' !)s\;! Uor a-, i-.jn L. ..., m ..■ OUuys. ■ v ■-.- ' '' -'.;'i '■}'■•<■ Cup. : ' ' •.-»,,'.'. ;; ; \ ", » '''''•• ■ • I t l ! i ■■> ■ . I, .-, •. * - '' • ■ . ■ I) .1 -> i "•"■" •• ■ -J 11 'l, If "' '- u . '- .".•.'il.rM. : '>* -M:: UAI.I.IST ■■•>■ A •■>» I, -•■ .... ,v... -.. , -',■ ■■■< L"p. J- in ..- ' " • ' . ' ■> ■' ■ I. „ mi <■ ' ' ' ' - ' ' l - '■ At ijv,, ■' ;, • • ■■ - ; • .: . ~ Summary . . .., ' i; a « in CI ;a..' .•■"' ' '■ '-- '•on La, alakc"' ■ ;r.!,, - L.MJY \YAI.; \t )' Sy Waliute-L.-.-y M.'.'-j,.. ,Q W \<ia.xa . . ." H r ' '

] " •WABSTEP. By 3tepdano«r. ' * - Ist. -2nd-- 3r4. Unp. At two years . . .. 2 0 0 5 At three years.. .. 3 '2 2 3 At four years . . .. *7 9 0 2 At fiv© years . , . . 1 1 11 Summary .- ..*l3' o 3 11 Including one .dead heat. Ran in -8 races. . Won in stake!', £10,190. CAELrEA. By Charlemagne ll—Oouronn*. let. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. At- two years . . . . 2 "5 0 1- ', At three years. . . . S I 4 5 ,I At four years .. . . 5 i 1 3 5 ■ At five years . . . . 1 3 1 5 , , Summary . . . . 16 10 8 15 , Ran in 47 races. Won in stakes, £17.-830. ', DESERT GOLD. . By All BlackAivrariue. , Ist. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. ' At two years .. . . 6 6 1 0 l At three years.. . . \i O 0 0 ■ At four years . . . . 6 1 1 0 1 At five years . . . . 9 22 O > At six years . . . . 2 'J, O 3 At seven years . . 0 0 1 2 : Summary .'. . . 35 10 5 6 > Ran in 56 races. Won in stakes, £22,758. An interesting fact to be noted in con- , nection with the nine noteworthy mares I have dealt with In the above article, is that each of them claims a dash of > Musket blood. Wakeful (by Trenton) and • La Carbine 'by Carbine) were each sired , by a son oi Musket: Cruciform's dam. Forme, was got by Nordenfeldt (son of Musket); Gladsojne's dam. Miss Gladys, 1 is a daughter of Cuirassier (son of Mus- ) : keC : Lady Wallace was got by Wallace , , (son of Carbine) ; Lady Medallist's dam. .\ ! Diploma, was got by Medallion (son of ' ' Nordenfeldt) ; Waratep's dam, Stepdancer, , was pot .by St-epniak (son of Nordenfeldt) i I Carlit&'s grand-dam, Coronal, is by MedalI lion /son of Nordenfeldt)'; while Desert .' \ Gold's grand-dam. Aurous, was get by 1 Wallace (son of Carbine). i ' _,„„»_ ; WHAT IS A STAYER? i r A highly-interesting correspondence is ) going on in Melbourne on the question : !j" What is a stayer?" and many keen men J have given their views thereon. One of J the men to enter the arena to express his 5 view on the interesting point is Mr. F. . W. Purches, who is on all hands accepted i as a great judge both on racing and of - the thoroughbred. In the course of his re--marks Mr. Purcbes remarks: —"The horse , i must, other things being fairly equal, . I have good and sound heart and lungs and i plenty of lungroom for forced breathing. I ' This is obtained in two ways, either by I good depth or good " spring " (or round- '■ j ness) of the whole of the ribs, and par- |: ticulsrly so of the back ones. Where the . ! ribs lack a little hi depth nature can i i ' largely compensate, not only by aforesaid ' ' 'spring,' but by inclining the ribs to the ! . rearsomewhat after the style of a sharp- J . angled blackfellow's boomerang—and also ! • j shorten the middlepiece. (A long-backed j I horse never stays well.) One of the chief ! , I reasons why the thorax and also the bait j , ; ribs should be well shaped is that the j . sheet of muscle called the diaphragm dur- ' - j ing forced breathing pushes the stomach ! i and intestines well to the rear, thereby i i ! making more room for the lungs. Heneo I , i the necessity for good back ribs. So far l j We can see that conformation plays i. very i , important part in staying ability', ' bus not . ; nearly so much so in that of stamina. The : • latter applies more, I think, to the animal , born and reared hi rough, inclement sur- , roundings, with coarse fare, and yet able , i to perform great feats of hardihood year i in and year out, which the well-nurtured , racecourse stayer could not endure. TemI perament of the kind amenable to the L rider's every —therefore free of i . wilfulness is another strong factor, and it I s has a large influence, together with."the , foregoing qualities, on action." SOME MOKE ABOUT RECORDS, j » ' In my. notes recently I gave a list, of 1 tats Australian and New Zealand time i j records as. timy were in 1900, 191 a, and ' ! at the present, and it demonstrated in a i j practical way how our horses hav e imI proved in recent years. An extract from ■ . the London Sportsman of 1902 placed i alongside present day records gives seme I idea of how English horses have speeded ' up within the last decade or two, especially over the longer distances. The Engv! lish records of 1902 were as follow : — I Five Furlongs—s7 l-ss, Otherby, Epsom, j April 19, 1898. . Six Furlongs—lm 7 l-ss, Master Willie, j Epsom, June 6, 1901. One Mile— 33 l-ss, Caiman, Lmgfleld, I July 13, 1900. One Mile and a-quarter 2 l-55., Australian Star, Alexandra Park, JuJv 5, 1902. . * ' One Mile and 3 furlongs—2m 19 2-ss, . Fatherless, Nottingham, October 1, i 1895. J One Mile and a-half—2m 30 4-ss, Avidity, j . j Doncaster, September 13, 1900. i , One Mile and threequarters— 59 1 ss, j Xkmsel 11., Manchester, June I. 1895. j 1 To-dav the English five furlongs! - record is 55 3-ss, held by Coronis, who ! i; made that sensational time in 1914. Times '■ at Epsom, it is* pointed out, cannot be j 1 j taken quite seriously, especially over short' , i courses, as the finish is down bill, and • i I this helps a great deal in record Break- ; ■ j ing. Master Willie's six furlonga re- ! cord still stands, as does Caiman s lm •. 33 l-6s ,foi a mile. However, in 1911 . ; Stedfast clipped a second off the best j time for a mile and a-quarter, and his . j record (2m 1 l-6s) still holds pride ot I i } place. j ■ The mile and three furlongs record is' .' now held by Dean Swift (2m 16 3-ss), at . Liverpool, and Marajax gat over a mile . ; ™d a-half '« the marvellous time of 2m i <u 2-5s at Manchester in June. 19U- This ! is easily the best. In 1915 Pommern I lowered the record for a mile and threequarters to 2m 55 3-ss. AN OLD COUNTRY SENSATION. The sensational sale o-f vearlings held at Doncaster in .September last, when j 22-3 ; oogns was realised for the lots sub nutted ton average of 9Ylgns)— formed ' the subject of much writing in the Old ■ Country. '• PhiUippos," in Country Life, writes: As I watched the procession of the young Tetrarchs, Orbvs, Swvnfords and others in and out of th ring.' I won- . dered what history would have to say a. year or two hence. And I cast mv mind I back only a year, and remembered that Head Note (by Orhv from Meaangel lcr which Lord Wilton gave 6000 guineas, . I had not won a race of any sort. Mr. A. : L. Barton gave 42C0 guineas lor a. grey ' feti-arch from Miss Cobalt, It has ne\er seen a racecourse. And so <,-n! Ttet did not Mr. Frank f'urzi'ii pav only 10 guineas for Pretty (Jir! tun \ears "ago. and sell he- this year lor about oOCO guin. a.-.' The other fide of the medal', ll I know; and I merely mention it iu shew , I the sort of lottery the affluent buyers ! ■ w«'i'e participating in ut Dom-aster "last I week, in referring to the colt by Swynford from Blue Tit, who was bought by Lord Gi-.tu'ev lor 11.500gns, the English writer | 'i-i-.-tcrl above nay.- : " The development of j this colt is truly wonderful for a yearling, and hi--. ni;ir.-i\e top is borne by strong ! and bttiri!-. '.iuibs. ft Is l>«ca'.iSß he is so : phenomenal in si/.;; that li,. may .>o 'iiifi- < ult to tiain. and it I set eyes on him I I for the first time, and did not know that '• Ihe had realised ll,soogns in the r-peii in;; i kit 1 should prophecy that lie might : never I,- lit to rare until his three year old days, if, indeed, then. ' BAY OF PLENTY JOCKEY CLUB. The liny of I'lf-nty Jockey Club hold th?ir annual r.ee meet.ny .isi 'I Ijur.-iday next, and v.-i;h special transport lnoililico to Tauran"a nflertd by »li e Northern Steamship Company. me '■ " •', t>e ex-M-cied to a,.tract ;i iaraoumul l« r ... tn,- Ea.-t Coast ({athcrinK. Thn , S.b .Naui-iihi 1.-, timed to leave Auckland toi in-.:r..,v in-lit- at seven o'clock.: and as. tho : re: .i.-ii ti;.i. wII vomowm« at the R*rne hour ' J' liio SUlowins evening, oxcurs.onists wilj .n-.-n,.,re bo onab ed to reacjj Auckland early ■•li I' riiiuy mornimf, MAXAWATU RACING CLUB. <i,A l ' (X ' 1 ' l '" M:: '.'.- all events to bo run at the '-i ,",' „',« " ;,V ,"'" Ma nawatu Racing; Club's ini,l« f .i^ 1 '??- , " B<?,!l " Wl«l final pavbtak.« , r i ,f "» l boor t* nlh PaJmerston .North bukes. close to-night at iun fe o'cl«ck