TURF GOSSIP FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 978, 28 November 1890, Page 14

TURF GOSSIP FROM THE SOUTH.

[By “ Musket.”] Mr Editor, —The above nom de plume has been decided upon by mo as a fitting one Under which to indite this, my first, and if you approve, future epistles to your paper, I have not heard of any other newspaper correspondent adopting it, therefore I shall not be trespassing on the preserves of any of the craft in making the selection. It has been, and still continues to be, a common practice for sporting writers to select names of famous racehorses, and it seems more surprising that while we have a “ Tranter,” a “ Martini,” and a “ Nordenfeldt,” and, I fancy, a “ Carbine,” we have eo far not had a “ Musket ” amongst the prophets. We have “Ariel,” “Castor,” “ Oeo,” “Gipsy King,” and “Rata” writing. “Hermit” bobs up serenely on occasions still. “ The Bart,” “Warrior,” and “ Cranbrook ” are heard of from distant shores, while “Flashlight ” and leaser lights are en evidence from every week. Henceforth let me do honour to the memory of the defunct Toxopolite sire by using his renowned name at the head of my “Turf Goßeip from the South.” And a long experience of racing in the colonies, familiarity with the Canterbury and Otago sporting communities, constant opportunities for getting about amongst the people by visiting their meetings are the only qualifications I wish to parade by way of introducing myself to your readers, For the rest they must judge for themselves.

It is rather late in the day to attempt a roview of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting, decided early in the pre sent month, but I cannot refrain, here at the outset, from taking this opportunity of expressing regret at what I consider the very ill judged comments of a large number of sporting writers throughout New Zealand with regard to the running of Medallion. I cannot understand for the life of me why Mr G. G. Stead’s colt should be singled out, and specially written about as the in-and-outer of this season’s three year olds, any more than St Andrew or Crackshot. Ido not inolude Freedom, for he ran consistently each time he started. St Andrew, up to a mile, is a fair colt, but beyond that distance cannot race, at present, in anything like company, at least that is my opinion. The exact distance. that suits Crackshot cannot be fairly ganged. He has pace and can stay, too, judging from his Canterbury Cup form, and if time develops the gameness of his sire and grandsire, rather than the in-and-out character of his dam, then we have in Mr Butler’s colt a racehorse.

A man with a sore leg would not run far, the most generous and enduring of the race of thoroughbreds are alike sensitive in pain, and I incline to the opinion that had Crackshot not knocked his knee badly, we should now have heard him lauded in the skies as the champion colt of New Zealand, and the thousand and one croakers, who make so much of Medallion’s Derby win, and of his subsequent defeat in the Canterbury Cup, would have had to find another peg on which to hang the bat of discontent. Medallion may yet prove himself a racehorse, but his form at the Spring Meeting of the C.J.C. was nothing like first olass, and the fact of him being , so close to Freedom and only a few lengths away from Diadem, certainly does not point to him as a colt that has improved on his two-year-old form, and It is only reasonable to suppose

( that the came attributed by the stable, viz., influenza has prevented him progressing ss his early promise led us to expect, - I am no friend of Mr Stead, bat I regard him as one of the few men in New Zealand, who have done a vast'deal of good for the country from a racing point of view. He has been one of the biggest importers and purchasers of blood stook. One of the few of our leading men with the pluck to run horses in the Australian oolonies, and thns advertise the country he has made his home. He has given much of his time to the management of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s affairs indeed, without him that body would not have attained its present position amongst the Racing Club 3 of the Colony—but, like many men of his time, he has been spoilt somewhat by having bad too m'uoh controlling power in his hands. By the main body of racing folks he is regarded as too selfish, so much so that they aver that it is rot for pleasure, but for £ s. d. that he races at all, in fact that he is not a sport in the true sense of the word. If this is so Mr Stead has many contemporaries, but I question the correctness of the deductions of his enemies nevertheless. Some people take pleasure at winning filthy lucre-which is to them a first consideration, bat give me the man who lives for-the good opinion of his fellow man, and who values more the genuine applause that follows his successes than the amount of grist that comes to his mill. These are the kind of men one delights to race with, but racing owners and race-goers of to-day are largely composed of olever folks whose enjoyment depends upon the amount of their gains, no matter how obtained ; and while this is the case the numberless contradictions of form will be multiplied and magnified, of course. The average race-goer, eduoated though he be, is full of suspicion, and has willing ears for almost every tale in which the horse and his jockey are set down as instruments of fraud in the hands of designing owners. He cannot even believe the evidence of his own eyes. We South Islanders, as a general rule, are put down as the olever people of this country, and no doubt the professional element U stronger in Canterbury than in any other pare. This, of coarse, is only to be expected in the chief racing centre of the country, but the information is pretty geneial I fancy. Just now, and for some time past, we have had an unusually large supply of spielers in onr midst too. As fast as old faces disappear new ones take their places, and consequently police vigilance is necessary to keep them in check. The numerous meetings held all over New Zealand offers a premium for this undesirable olass. The totalisator price man is becoming a nuisance in our thoroughfares. The recent police prosecution, whereby three offenders were fined LIO each in Christchurch, has not stopped the business even on our racecourses. The fact is one oan if he is a backer get “tote” odds on starting price, with a limit as to liability, on any event run on this side of the line, or as a matter of fact on the other. If they fancy anything running in Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin and elsewhere, punters can have what they want, and consequently the “ tote ”■ and starting price bettor is a convenience! when you want him, but a nuisance when he sticks his betting card right under your nose in the middle of the street, and wants you to do a line whether you wish or not. VTou could put up with oue such encounter, but a dozen or more appeals from others in the same busings you don't care for, though many of those who seek your patronage are men who pay their way, and conduct themselves with propriety. There are of course exceptions to every rule. It is almost invariably the case that when the authorities decide upon running trains at excursion rates to any of the country race meetings, not only does the habitual raoegoer, resident in town, take advantage of the cheap fares, but many business people, too, make it a point to have something engaging their attention away from the city on such occasions. It is much the same go where one will. The Southerner i 3 not one whit behind his Northern brother in this respect. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings of last week heavily-freighted trains took their departure from the Christchurch platform. On the same evenings, particularly after the arrival of the express, the Christchurch station was thronged with people, and nowhere else in New Zealand—exoepting at the Dunedin end of the line have I noticed so much enthusiaem. A stranger would conclude that the races at Ashburton on the days mentioned were responsible for all this. Not so, though a very large number went up as usual to Bee the Spring meeting of the Ashburton Racing Club, and amongst others yours truly. I have so often made the trip before that I have become familiar with the people aud the surroundings of the former. I can assure you they were a mixed set. Many of course going on pleasura, many on business, and on business and pleasure combined, but there could be no mistaking what was taking a fair percentage of the passengers away from town. “Birds of a feather, &c.” Some of them did not look as if they possessed a feather to fly with. How these gamesters do chaff eaoh other at times, too ? I was seat ad about the centre of one of the first class cars. One of the fraternity took up his seat near the door. Presently one of his mates, who was riding secondclass, peered in, and thns aooosted him. “Oh, is that where you are? Riding with the toffs, eh ? You look very nice, but Bill wants you to come and pacify your monkey. ” Thus the identity of the first-class passenger in question was established. In turf parlanoe this is what is known as “putting away” a pal, I looked in vain for the monkey, but old Aunt Sally and Uncle Sam were there, when I set foot-on the course. I noticed, as usual, in large letters, curiously enough attached to the totalisator, that “ no betting would be allowed.” I fancied I saw one of the D’s “giving the office” to one of the bookies who had so far been oblivious to the fact, but I did not enquire by what right the A.R.C. issued such a stern command, or whether they would have a leg or two legs to stand on if they tried to 'enforce it. I know that some “ tote ” betting was done on the coarse, and that it was late on the

first-day when it was stopped ;-but I know also that- such wagering was going on merrily in Christchurch withoutinterruption. Of course I do not know why fish should be msrle of one set of layers, and fowl of another, but I suppose these wrongs will be righted; in time. Inspector Pender was on dnty at the time, and methought his Argus eye was open to much that was being done under the rose. I have no desire to Interfere with these layers of totalisator prices, but when Magistrate Beetham or some other administrator of the law delivers judgment “ Three months’ hard ” without the optioD, I shall not be able to render them service, so I take the opportunity now of dropping a hint, as I should not like to see a severe visitation made, especially as the. Act has remained inoperative so long. A word or two about the racing, and to be brief: On the first day Romulus (7st 71b), ridden by Kingan, left things a bit late, but managed, nfter striking tbe last fence, to get home in the Hurdle Race from Don (9st 101 b), College Boy (9st7lb), and The Druid (9st), paying investors of £1 a return of £2 4s. Ben, a plain bay, one of Trump Card’s four-year-olds, favoured by the start got the best of a moderate lot in the Maiden plate, Lady Zetland and Bredalbane being nearest to him at the finish, and the latter was a warm favourite. The dividend this time was £7 Bs. Riohlake, by Richmond Bluelake, with the nice impost of fist 81b on his back, effected a surprise by beating Rosebud (Bst 81b), Diadem (7st 31b), Martha (6st 1 lib) and Bay King (fist 31b) in the Ashburton Cap, outking out the mile and a half in 2min 39^360 —some made it less, —and a nice divi dead of £lO 16s awaited lucky investors. Then Prima Donna, an aged daughter of Guy Fawkes, in receipt of 301 b, beat Red Cross and a lot of rubbißh in the Windemere Six-furlong Handicap. Dividend, £22 14s. The Albany mare Emma, after winning the Novei from Doubtful, Duohess of Albany, and others, and paying a dividend of £6 6s, was sold for £23. Inez (7st 41b), another daughter of the eama sire, bowled ever Von Tempsky (7st 121 b), Liberator (6st 51b), Heather Bell (7st 101 b), Riohlake (7st 9!b), and Neliy Gray (fist 51b.) In the Spring Handicap, of one mile, and another nice div of £6 Is was paid. As showing the fast “ going,” lmin 43sec was registered by more than one watch as the time. Ben got off the mark the smartest in the Distriot Welter Handicap, aad polished off a lot of old and worn stock, amongst which was Quibble and Jack, and tbe latter did what be has often done before—walked in lame. Dividend, £0 ss. On the second day College Boy, by John Bull—Honesty (an Australian pedigree, like that of Riohlake), squeezed home in the Distriot Hurdles from Cymaro, Don, and Inch Keith. Dividend, £2 6s 6d. The Ashburton Racing Club fell a soft thing to Bay King (6st), who boat Diadem (Bst), Riohlake (7st 41b), and Rosebud (Bst 111 b). The two former showed improved form on their running on the first day. Bay King, who finished behind Diadem, met her on 41b better terms, and beat her,.and the 131bs concession made in favour of Bay King as against Richlake, stood the Cadogan colt in good stead. Dividend, £4 Is 6d. Mailboy, another Guy Fawkes, landed the Disposal Stakes. Dividend, £1 18s. Old Quibble, once a Great Antnmn Handicap winner, landed the Winohmore Handicap from Liberator, Penning, Sir Julius, and Rondenella. Dividend, £2 lls. Bredal. bane, by Cadogan, from an Albury mare with Jimmy Leeson up beat Loo, Quibble, and others in the Open Welter. Dividend, ‘£s 6s. Lady Zetland turned the tables on Ben, who beat her on the first day, by winning the Allerton Handicap. Prima Donna was third. Dividend, £2 2s. Dragon finished up by winning the Flying Handioap, of five furlongs, running the distance in lmin 2seo. Loo was second and Heather Bell third. Inez was the favourite, but pulled up lame. Bay Krng also started, and several local horßes, and it was a capital race between the placed horses and Inez ; indeed, if the Club were as fortunate with their starters as with their handicapper (Mr J. Creswell) and secretary (Mr liiasett) thero would be more room for congratulation. However, over £4OOO was passed through the totalisators during the two days, and this amount and the attendance beat previous records.

Wae-iti, dam of is dead. Her fool by Stoneyhurst will be brought up by band.

Merrie England is said to be recovering from the ailment which placed him hors de combat at the C.J.C. meeting. Mr Butler takes Crackshot and Bay King North shortly to fulfil Auckland engagements. Thackeray, in the same stable, will be put into work again this week. Buapehu has gone into Charlie O’Connor’s hands.

Inez, Von Tempsky, Rosebud, and Union Flag were taken to Dunedin last week. Romulus and Red Cross were also to have left Ashburton for the same place.

R, J. Mason has taken some of Mr Stead’s team to Dunedin, and Mr Webb, Mr D. Rutherford, Mr Lunn, and other owners who were at sixes and sevens with the DunediD Jockey Club, are also to be represented. The Spy would win the Hurdle Race on the first day under more favourable conditions, but it is not giving him a ohance sending him down from Wellington with only five days before him, and half the time spent on the water, but I have most fanoy for Ixion under the circs. Occident must win the Otago Cup if all right on tbe day, Florrie the Dunedin Stakes. Between Freedom, St! Andrew, and Francotte, the Federal Stakes will be fought out. Bon Trovato can gallop, but bo far cannot stay. The St Kilda Welter may fall to Dragon or Mariner, and the Maiden to BenTrovato or Wayland. Dan O’Brien’s horses left last week for the scene of action, and their owner is expected to be in Dunedin in time to see them run, as he is expected from Melbourne via the Bluff. Dan has had little luck with Whimbrel, who has run very in and out, and is said to be not of the reliable sort.

Mr Hungerford has" purchased the St. George—Rupee colt from the Middle Park Company privately.