NOTES BY PHAETON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 11

NOTES BY PHAETON.

HAMILTON RACING CLUB.

| Another meeting held under the auspices of the Hamilton Racing Club at Claudelands has been entered ud in the records, and, thoue.li in a financial eense it was much boiow the record gathering of the preceding year, the popularity of the meeting waj once again emphusiscd. On both days racegoers were presont in 6trong force, ana the racing from first to last was invested with such a fine dafh of interest that there was alwayo a deal of life in the proceedings- If it were possible lor the Hamilton Club to undertake the equipment of their ncwlyacQuired property at To Rao* with the necessary buildings and appointments, it would mean cons.deraoly increased patronage tor the Waiiiato boay, but in the lace of the situation ruling the ■ club will have to con- ' tinue tneir tenancy at Claudeiands for a much longer period than was thought necessary when they decided on a removal to l'e Rapa. Even it the necessary money could be obtaiued for the equipment of the course at To Rapa at the present time, it is a wise policy for the club to continue as at present, instead of mailing large commitments, the Hamilton Racing Club is fortunate in having a very sound and safe man aa president in Mr. G. W. Vercoe, and when the proper time arrives for the vigorous prosecution of works at Te Rapa it may confidently be expected that the enthusiastic* snirit' will be evoked to place another feather in the cap of his beloved Waikaio. CLIPPING RECORDS. " Milroy." of the Sydney Mail, dearly loves to have a tilt at New Zealand and New Zealanderß, and it has to be admitted that now and again tho well-versed Sydney writer gets home a good thrust. Unuer the heauing. " New Zea.anu ttecorus," in a recent icsue oi the byuney Man, "Milroy" peuuou Uie following :—" borne years ago a well-known Sydney man »« hneu oy some sporting association m New Zealand to teach the young luea over tnere how to play cricket, and alter a lengthy sojourn in the land of the Maori the byuneyitc, who is a pretty good hand w.t.i a stopwatch among pecUstriuiiß. on his return to this very sinful city asked some sports assembled in a Castlercagh Street club a few rjuestionfl. He wanted to know whether Now Zea.and or Australia had the be>.t time records at racing. He was told Australia held thsm, and in reply ho asserted New Zealand soon would have them, for at a certain meeting he timed every winner, and the nearest ha got to an oficial record was two seconds. The other day at Wellington the official time records were startling. Some lumpers galloped a mile on the flat in a tick over lm 41s. If that is corroct, they would be handy in our mile welters. The Hawk beat Thespian over six furlongs in lm 9 4-ss. which is pretty elick going: and Mountain Lion won a two-year-old race and ran five furlongs in a tick over 595. That two-year-old should be here, where the money is. Then we read of a horse named Bodyguard running seven furlongs in lm 265, and another named Songbird running a mile in lm 38s: and Crucello travelled a mile and a-rjuartor in a filth over two minutes, which was some going. Anomaly ran six furlongs in lm 10 4-Bs. Now the Australian record for six furlongs is lm His, for the mile lm 375, and the mile and a-ouarter 2m 4}s. The New Zealand times make our mokes look email. Seemingly we are not in the picture with our cousins over the water, who send a .lot of horses to Australia—their best horses, of course*—with which they win in their turn, without breaking records or the hearts of local owners. But if they eend us a few of the above record-smashers we may as well close the shutteri." , . It must be said that there is plenty oi room on occasion 5 for the times as recorded being challenged. The record (3m 255) which was accorded to Bridge in connection with tho New Zealand Cup of 1910 was all round questioned, but, all the same, it waa elevated to the top of the list at that period. Before the time records made in athletic contests are accented 'a lot of people have to be Bati*fied, but in horse-racing there in no such keen oversight, and thus we find horses ranged ud as record-breakers that by all accounts could bo very stoutly challenged. The time test no doubt is responsible tor furnishing much interesting material in our raring, but in not a few caaee it takeß a ludicrous phase. It is not everyone who holds a watch that can time a race accuri ately. and unless such is accomplished tho : time test in a good few cascß muet be taken pretty much in a jocular vera.

DECLARATIONS TO WIN. An old rule in the Enelish code at which there has been many a severe thrust, but which to far has withstood all assault*, is that with reference to declarations to win. and which allows a jockey to pull up a horse to enable the declared one of the stable to win. The exact reading oi the rule in oucsUn is as follows:— "An owner running two or more horse*, in a race may declare to win with one of them, and Biich i declatation must be made at scale- A jockey riding a horse with which the owner has i n A declared to win muat on no account stop > 6uch horse, except in favour of the at&bio 1 compan.cn on whose behalf declaration to 1 win has been made." A recent case at Hurst I Park led to the following being written by a i London writer:—" Have you ever seen a !jo(key deliberately pull his mount to present it winning? Like the ; Ninepence, for ■■ Fourpen.e' stunt of a notorious politician. I it is something often heard of. but seldom seen We who attend practically every race i meot:nu often flC'fl it. or think we do-but j never in frunt of the stands in full view I cf everybody, and under the very noses of I the stewards. We do net often Ret a chance I of sayinc in cold print that ' Gardner puliea ' his mount to prevent him winning,' but we i were (liven the opportunity at Hurst Park when the iockey named pulled Pondoland uo i to allow Sicyon to come uo and beat him. 1 It wae all perfectly legitimate, too, aa Mr. i So! Joel, who owns b;.th horses, had made ! a declaration to win with Sicyon, and this ! pave Gardner the right to stoo his mount 1 while Sicvon had a chance. One felt ex--1 tremoly sorry for the iockey named when ! he found himself with the race in hand a j furlonE from homo, but Sicyon seemingly ' miles behind him. apparently too far off tj i get UP to beat Scamp. Gardner was called on fur Quick judgment, and took the risk iof just holdine on. This turned out all I right, as S'cyon came up. and. overhauling 1 Scamn and his stable companion before reach--1 ine the judge, cverythinz ended ' accordinc | to plan.' "

AN AUSTRALIAN INCIDENT. Declarations to win at one time was allowed in Australia and New Zealand, but a period of four decades has nearly slipped by since uncli were ruled out. The Victoria Eacmc Club was, I think, the first body to expunge the same and to lay it down that when an owner starts two or more horses in a race thev must be ridden out. The particular incident that brought about the abolition of declarations to win in Australia was in connection with the. Normanby Stakes run at Flemington in 1882. This event which was for two-year-olds, was the medium of Borne heavy bettinc. and the late Mr. Ettie De Mcetro had two hordes engagedSolitude and Navigator. The declaration made was in favour of Solitude, who. started a ptron? favourite, but, to the chagrin of the owner and the stable followers. Navigator got home first by a head. Of course, there was a big hubbub, and the jockey (W. Riley . .it may be imagined, was talked to. Certain pencillers operating were, accounted to nave won larse ftiVes by Navigator's head defeat rf Solitude, and a great deal was read into that circumstance. In a short suace of time the V.R.C Committee took mMM old-tiaa rula went out of tb* Australian code.

TOTALISATOR DECREASES. Thoee who predicted a marked decrease in totalisator recoipts this season are having their opinion amply verified. The following statement shows the volume of investments at recent meetings held in the Auckland district and the decrease to be noted in connection therewith; ~ Investments. Decrease. £ £ Rotorua R.C. .. 87.485 .. 655 Takapuna J.C. .. 112.683 .. 32,061 Te Kuiti R.C. .. 22.545 .. 10,622 Hamilton R.C. .. 80.383 .. 29,420 ENGLISH-BRED HORSES. A few weeks back I made mention of the fact that a further addition to English-bred horsee might be expected in Auckland at an early date. While journeying to Hamilton on Wednesday last I met Dr. C. Ring, and be furnished me with the interesting statement that he had information that a quartette of highly-bred animals were ' recently shinned from London to Auckland, and that they are expected to arrive about the middle of the coming month. The collection is bred as follows:—

Fair Toy. 2yrs, chestnut filly by Ampelian from Toi Fajr, by Yentoi from Fair Anna, Musketoon. yearling bay colt, by Stedfast outoorf r Musk, by Myram (son of Flying Fox) from Zara. by Soliman (son of St- Simon). Bay colt, by The White Knight from Agnostic by Senseless from Aggie Osborne, by Marcion from Nurso Aznes, by Waterford.

Bay colt by The White Knight from Golden Import. The latter, it is intcrestins to note, is out of Mudgee, an Australian mare, by Lochia! from Laxly Superior.

MERMIN IN AUSTRALIA. Tho Victoria Amatour Turf Club'B February meeting is fixed to open at Caulfield to-day, and Now Zeah.nd interest thcroin will be chiefly centred in the Oakleigh Plate, in which event the New Zealand coll Mermin 13 expected to make h.s debut under an Australian aky. Tlie race in question in run over five furlongs and a-half, and Mermin figures top weLuit with 9-6. Tne son ol Absurd, it must be said, has beon well taken care of. and he will certainly require to be a first-roter to score a victory. Mermin, it is interesting to note, figures among the late entrants (or tho Caulfield Futurity Stakes 'seven furlongs), which event is set down for decision on Saturday noit, and it would seem safe to conrlude from this procedure that the cheetnut colt has afforded som<> encouragement to his party to regard him. as a capable horso beyond three-quarters of a mile. LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK. In extending a word of severe caution to the jockeys R. Reed and T. Glover, wno were summoned bofore the Judicial Committee of the Hamilton Racing Club on separate occasions for alleged infringements of tho rules of the road in their riding efforts at, Claudelands, tbo chairman, Mr. G. W. Vercoe, took occasion to remind thorn of the change that has been made by the Racing Conference in tho matter of licensing jockeya, which will next season bo performed by a epecial licensing committee, and that it was highly necessary that jockeys should recognise that any marks entered against them would bo duly reported to the body responsible. Mr. Vercoe is to be warmly applauded for the firmnoss of his speech, and it should have a good effect of making those riders who are inclined to take risks to change their tactics. When Radiant Light came out at Avondale in the spring and led the field home in the Maiden Plate she mode an excellent impression, and in the interval the bay daughter of Demosthenes and Sunlight has very amply borne out the good opinion formed of her. At To Kuiti last Saturday she won the Cun under 8.12, and under 8.11 at Hamilton on Thursday she led the field borne in the Waikato Handicap in a solidly-run mile and a-auarter. Radiant Light showed herself up attractively in each of her efforts whon the concluding stages came to be undertaken, and, whatever she may or mnv not bo able, to accomplish over a, longer distance, she is certainly to be accounted good over a 10-furlong course. Radiant Light iijjurw araonv the entrants for tho Great Northern Oaks, and matters look bright for her playing a part in the settlement of that Question. Royal Box was in such a pitiable plight after his sensational escapade at Ellershe List spring that Nassau's obostnut son seemed to have settled his career so far as racing was concerned. Dr. Ring took the difficult case in hand, and the treatment applied proved so effectual that tho chestnut was able to go back to Mr. G. I: Stead's place at Cambridee in a compartiveb short anace of tim». Royal Box has, I am told, continued to improve since his return to Cambridge, and 6trong hopes are ontertaincd that ne will aaain canr silk. It will be hichly pleasine to find Royal Box again included in the activo brigade, and better still should he reward Mr. G. L. Sbad for the severe disappointment he suffered by losing the service* ol the aon of Nassau at a period when iijatters looked bright for his earning distinction in valuable three-yoar-old engagements. The New Zealand-bred mare Indian Queen (by Stepniak—Ranee Nuna). who has been at the stud in Australia for sovoral years, claimed a two-year-old winner in Victoria recently, when nor son Indian Seal scored in good style. Indian Queen was foaled as far back as 18S8, and she wan 21 years old when she produced Indian Seal. Before she was transported to Australia Indian Queen had made a name for herself in New Zealand. Her eon, Our King, won tho Great Northern Champagne Stakes, and Aborigine captured several good races in the Dominion, and on going to Australia he ran a dead heat in we Caulfield Cup. Two others of her New Zealand-born sons in Maori King and King Billy both, performed with brilliance, winning classics and handicaps in Maoriland. In Australia Ind'an Queen produced Maharajah to Positano, who unfortunately was out in the same year as those two good fillies, Traauctte and Carlita, and on three occasions the colt ran into second place. In the end, however. Maharajah captured the rich Caulfield Futurity Stakes ot 1916 When the Maeterton owner, Mr. C. HVallance, struck his horses. Chimera ami Peneus. out of all engagements at the Hamilton Racing Club's recent meeting, there s reason to believe he did so under en impression that they had been harshly treated. A perusal of the resu'ti of the racing at iVoodviile. however, reveals that Chimera and Poneus were quite fairly treated at Clauuelnnds. Chimera carried 8.12 to victory in the Ruahine Handicap, and on the sccona day she got home first in the Telegraph Handicap under 9.9 in lm 13 4-ss, Peneus won the Sapling Stakes under 8.5 in lm 1 4-53. In the Cambridge Handicap nt Claudelands Chimera was weighted at 8.13, while Peneus was awarded 85 in tho Tamahere Handicap. A flag incident led to a delay of several minutes in the starting of the Kirikiriroa Handicap at Claudelands on Thursday last. The starter was on his platform, tho horses woro lined up, and people could not understand the delay. The starter could be seen to look toward the totalisator bnildlnfi, where the flag is raised indicating that everything ws« in ordc The flag had become tangled in being hoisted, with tho result that it did not unfurl. The matter wa9 quickly adjusted when attention was directed to it, and Mr. Bkipw th got the contestants away to a capital start.

Martial Dawn made an indifferent show in the decision of the Hamilton Cup, but she cut a very much better figure in the Waikato Handicap on the second day, and when the last furlong came to be entered on, in the last-named race matters looked fairly bright for Mr. W. Biggins having the pleasure of supplying the winner. The Martian fil'y struggled on gamely, but Radiant Light beat her handsomely »t the finish. Radiant Lisht was conceding her rival 2st, so that on a question of poundage the latter was well placed, and she is therefore iust moderate-

•Mountain Lion was seen out on both days at Hamilton. In the decision of the Tamahere Handicap (five furlongs) he carried 9.10 into third place behind Shebang (7.4) and Ad Astra (8-9), and in the Ruakura Stakes (six furlongs) ho carried 9.13 into second place behind Finelli (6.131). In the lastnamed event the Mountain Knight geldins shifted under pressure inside the distance, but his finishing effort was quite satisfactory, and the light-weight only beat him three-quarters of a length in lm 15s.

On the strength of Pente'e second to Radiant Light Demosthenes' chestnut daughter couDted sufDcient support to send her out favourite for the Hamilton Cup. but ehe was a complete disappointment: and in the Te Kowhai Welter Handicap on tho second day she was again included in the also-ran division. A win for Pontc is overdue, and it womd he pleasing to find her owners, Messrs. Byrne and Gleeson, once again rejoicing over a good win with the white-faced chest-

Mr. 9- Saulbry, secretary to the Ngaruawahia Racing Club, writes me that the annual race meeting promoted by that body, and which was fixed to be held this year on March 25, has been postponed until next year, as the state of the race track was not deemed satisfactory. The Ngaraawahia meetin? ifl one of the old-time fixtures, and wtien next year comes round it will be picasmg to chronicle that matters have brightened for the old club.

Aureate, the three-year-old full-euter to Desert Gold, made a reappearance under silk at the Woodville meeting. She was well fancied for the Woodville Cup under 7.13. but failed to gain a situation. In the decision of the Autumn Handicap Bhe did better by running a dead heat for second place under 8.0 with Princess Pat (6.12), but. as she was in. receipt of 271b from l;e winji*/. Volo, her performance fell below what might bo expected from a full-sifter to cue of the most brilliant mares that has gTaced the turf in these lands.

Queen Abbey made a very bold dash for victory in the Kirikiriroa Handicap, run at Claudelands on Thursday. Tho winning-post, however proved just o little too close, and ehe failed to just roach Tama-o-roa, who lasted long enough to win by a head. Volo was the star performer at the Woodville meeting, and, as the son of Husbandman won the Woodville Cup under 8.13 and the Autumn Handicap,under 9.13, there waß much to enthuee over in his performances at the gathering named. A decrease of £25,359 in totalisator receipts was voted at the Woodville meeting, held on Wednesday and Thursday last, compared with the sum handled at the corresponding n B ting la«t year, Rathlin must, I tear, be written down a.s of small account at tho present stage. With the distance to his advantage in the Waimai Hurdle Race, be looked to have a capita, chance in thnt event, but he failed to stay out the U furlong*, and ran unplaced, and he had a like record on the succeeding aw xa to* Utteui Batik E*o*

Sixteen races came up for decision at the Hamilton Racing Club's Meeting hold on Wednesday and Thursday last, and when it is stated that winners came from 15 different stables it will be recognised that thero was a wido distribution of tho i, 7 , 350 , ?•" C P formed the prize-money at the Claudelands gathering. G. Jones was the only trainer. u> claim more thin one winner, and the Hawke's Bay trainer captured the leading event each day with Truthful and Radiant Light respectively. The other trainers to furnish winners were:—J. A. Winaor (Euphoria), H. Rama (Active). 0. Hoddor (Shecbang), 0. Coi (Sunny Jim), C. Coleman (Bute Sound), E. George (Hipo). K. J. Graham (Loch Abbey), W. Turner (St. (Waipa). F. Tonge (Tinokaha), F. E. Loomb. (Finelli). J. Williamson (Fort Regal), A. B. Coi (Some Fashion), L, Boles (Tama-a- ---' roa), and A. Robortson (Pentagram). Sunny Jim, who won the Hnutapu Hack 1 Cup at Claudelandß on Wednesday, is a 1 higlily-bred gelding by. Sunny Lake from . tho Ruenalf maro Murcia The brown geld- ■ ing won his race in good stylo and w?ugn • ho figured top weight (9 5) ui theJauwhare ' Handicap on tho concluding, day he counted i sufficient admirers to. send him out fa™""™- • Ho made a good bid for victory, and bo I beat all his field with the exMptwnof Pontagram. to whom he was conceding MID , and a year in age. Mr. John Lennard, who is one of the.best. , biown, as ho is one of tbo - most fopu ar. of Auckland's veteran aportsmen. vas bered among those present at Claudelanus on Wednesday last wnen. the Hamilton Raoing Club's meeting was in .Pft?ft B^:" hd *" ' the veteran sportsman's, eightieth^MrtuOa j, ' and it goes without saying that man? con gratulations cyne to him on the event m. : Lennard. it was pleasing to notice, w sUU ■ hale and hearty, and, though the maroon and gold hcSps are for the tune: being folded away! his love of the thoroughbred and ot racing is as keen as ever. The Hon. E. W, Alison's English-bed . tUllion Borneo received a further advertise ne.il recently, when his twe, sons, £ u mpiy ' Dumblv and Roma 11.. scored v ctor eslIM 1 first-named horec carried 10.1 to victory in ■ the Markeatop Plate at Dwbf;"" ™ W . «on»e«e *-•"** fr in j South" Irica. won an important handicap at CapetownAdvices to hand from Perth (W.A.) its*) • ! that the New Zwland-bred mare Early Daw, 1 ; (by DemoMhenee-Marly) won a good rare ;, there recently over a mile and <£«*«"■ ' This whs the Belmont Five Hundred, in 1 which she earned 8.6 and beat br » ! performer in Easingwold M the 8000 ■ time of 2m 7 3-Ba. Early Da™ ww ■ purchased by Mr T- L. Bright, of Auck- ' Cd. on ac"unt of a West Australian sports- ■ man last spring, and the sum invested in ' her purchase was 600gns. In these days, when so much business of an exacting nature has to be transacted by secretarial staffs on racecourses complete facilities are very necessary- IhougH tne appointment, at Claudelands are somewhat primitive, the secretary, Mr. E. E 0 Mean, and the staff under his control, discharged their difficult task at the Hamilton meeting with the modicum of friction, and they arc ' entitled to warm praise for the order observed throughout. Mr. Hugo Friedlander had the pleasure of peeing his colours borne to victory at Ellcrslie bv the Anstralian-bred Pavo, and at Claudelands on Thursday Fort Reeal. who was also bought in New South Wales by the Auckland sportsman, played his part attractively by winning the Tsupin Handicap. Mr. friedlnnder, it was pleasing to note, was present at Claudelands to witness tho success of his colours. Some Fashion was responsible for Quite an attractive preformance in the le Kowhai Welter Handicap at Claudelands. He jumped off in front and led throughout, winring by three-quarters of a length from Prince Carl, to whom he was conceding 1.51b. The English-bred Callaghan did not acquit himself at all creditably when he was called upon to finish up his task in the Karamu Welter Handicap at Hamilton on Wednesday. The chestnut did not evidently relish I the whip when McFlynn not to work in an ! endeavour to cut down Bute Sound an-1 Forest Gold inside the distance, and from that Point Callaghan'* fate was well sealed. Poet, the three-year-old son of Feramors and Marie Agnes, can boast of a great pedigree, but he is a long way from running up to his breeding. At Claudelands on 1 bursday he was ranged up at the minimum, but. though well placed at the two-furlong, post, he failed to come on. and once again ran unplaced. Tinokaha came through his engagements at Hamilton very creditably. In the decision of tho Waimai Hurdle Race he beat all tne field save Active, and on tho second day he won the Matangi Hurdle Race by a display of downright gameneas. Tmckaha jumps vory cleanlv, and he evidently relishes his tasks over the battens. Pine Arch made a strong bid for victory 'in the decision of the Hamilton Cup, but the last bit found him out, and Truthful beat him by a length and a-auartcr. As the race was run in 2m 2.25. Pine Arch can bo given credit for ninDing a solid mile and a-nalt. The Thames Jockey Club hold its annual race meeting at Parawai on Saturday and Monde v. February 25 and 27, and the popularity of the gathering is so well established that it should only require fine weather for a complete success to be registered. The Ohincmuri Jockey Club's programme to bo brousht off at Paoroa next morth includes a brace of events for two-year-olds, which aro respectively worth £300 and £250. and the chara<ter of tho prize-money should ensure a good list of entries. 1 Eurvthmio is oinectcd to make a (reappearance under silk at Caulfield to-day in the St. George Stakes, which event 13 run at wcight-for-age over nine furlongs. Advices to hand state that the chestnut flyer is [ quite ready for the fray. By being in a position to furnish the winners in the three principal events at Te Kuiti and Hamilton meetings, Mr. W. G. Stead has good reason to regard with pleasure his assault on Waikato in the summer of 1922, Truthful won the Hamilton Cup very nicely. The brown daughter of Demosthenes arid Lilywhite came along in the straight in really good style, and she can apparently be safely ticked off to register sometni"B further of an attractive character et an early date. I At the end of January The Welkin was ; well ahead in the winning sires' list in the ! first half of the present Beason in Australia. his descendants naving won stakes to the ' value of £20,616. A win lor Shebang was overdue, and the , victory that came to Dr. Milsom's colours j in the Tamahere Stikes was included among the pleasing incidents of the Hamilton meeti ing. There is stated to be a strong probability ' of Eurythmic being given an opportunity to 1 win the V.R.C. Newmarket Handicap, in which race he figures ton weight with 10.3. i Additional provision has been provided at Claudelands for the pressmen, and this was I triirb appreciated at the recent meeting. Poanui looked bright when he raced at Hamilton, but he was apparently wearying i of his recent racing.