SALIENT SUBJECTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 24

SALIENT SUBJECTS.

BY VIGILANT.

The Queen's Birthday Meeting, which is to take place at Otaki on the Queen's Birthday, under the auspices of the Otaki Maori Kacing Club, will be a notable racing event, for, although a Maori fixture, the stakes are the largest ever given for a hack meeting in the Colony. The club has already received partial compensation for its enterprise in securing by far the best lot of entries it has ever had. The acceptances and general entries, which were due on Wednesday evening at Otaki, had not come to hand when these notes were written, so that I am unable to do more than indicate generally what horses I like best at the weights, and I must reserve my final tips until a day or two before the meeting, when they will appear in the New Zealand Times. The Trial Handicap, three-quarter mile, should be between Liberty, 7st 101 b, Cruiskeen, 7st 101 b, and Beeswing, Bst, and a horse that is likely to show great improvement is Nirnrod, Bst. The First Hurdle Handicap should be won by Strike, 9st 71b, whose superior pace should bring him home if he takes his jumps. Others that are likely to prove dangerous are Pumau, lOst, Silent, 9st 121 b, and Waikawa, 9st 41b. The Glasgow Plate, one and three-quarter miles, which is the most valuable hack stake ever run for in New Zealand, is worth iJIOO to ihe winner, and is likely to bring out a good field., I think that on this course, which she knows so well, Slave Girl, 7st 41b, is most leniently handicapped. Hippodamia, 7st 31b, is a muchimproved mare, and should have a show, and so should Sweet Dream, 6st 121 b, if she has not deteriorated. Of the lightweights I like Hark, 7st 21b, and Magazine, 7st lib, best. I hear good accounts of Gun Cotton, 7st 91b, and as he is about the best bred horse in the race (Nordenfeldt —Patch), he ought to acquit himeelf well. The heavy-going will, I think, stop the top-weights Pill and lonic, and I shall look to see the race won by either Slave Girl or Gun Cotton. In the Flying Handicap, as I said last week, I can see nothing to beat the top-weights Marama, Bst 121 b, and Lady Isabel, 7st. The result of the Stewards' Stakes will depend much upon preceding running, but Mairua, 7st 121 b, and Primero, 7st 101 b, if they escape penalties will be dangerous. The first race starts at 11.30 a.m.

For the principal events of the first day of the Dunedin May Meeting my selections are as follow :

Hurdle Race—Rebel, 1; Magpie, 2; Smuggler, 3.

Birthday Handicap, 1£ mile—The besij of Messrs Hobbs' three, probably Saracen, 7st lib, with Retina, 7st 81b, and Conjurer, 7st 101 b, as next best. Tradesmen's Handicap, 1 mile—Wakawatea, 9st 21b, 1; Lady Zetland, Bst 51b, 2 ; Liberator, Bst, 3.

The Wanganui Steeplechase Meeting, we are told by the man in the street, will be held on the Queen's Birthday. The acceptances are not over numerous, and the meeting is not likely to attract much attention in Wellington.' The following is my impressions of results :

Flying Stakes—Tulloch, Bst 91b, 1; Dingo, 75131 b, 2; Stockfish, Bst, 3. Wanganui Steeplechase—Aorere, lOst 111 b, 1; Empire, lOst 101 b, 2; Disturbance, 9st 91b, 3.

Hunters' Steeplechase—King Rose, lOst 71b, 1; The Doctor, lOst 91b, The Dunce, lOst 71b, 3.

Winter Oats Handicap—Kapua, Bst 61b, 1; Mutiny, 7st 91b, 2; Tulloch, Bst, 3.

Trial Steeplechafe—Waterbury, list 71b, 1; Glenelg, lOst 71b, 2; Allegretto, lOst, 3

Handicap Hack Flat—Pennant, Bst 41b, 1; Chatterbox, Sst 51b, 2: Derry, 7st 81b, 3. . "

I notice in one or two papers references to a draft programme said to have been arranged by the Wairarapa Hunt Club for their annual Steeplechase Meeting which it appears is to be held on July 20th at Tauherenikau. There is something wrong here, for the programme given does not at all comply with the new rules applying to Hunt Club race meetings, and is nol likely to be passed by the Metropolitan Club until it does. I would also ask the secretary if he has gone through the necessary preliminary of obtaining a certificate entitling the club to hold a meeting.

The Egmont Winter Meeting the first winter meeting of the season—took place on Wednesday last week under very favourable circumstances- as regards weather and attendance, but it was hardly a success from a racing point of view. The feature of the three steeplechases was the singular persistency with which the candidates refused the jumps. As a matter of fact during the afternoon only three

horses negotiated the steeplechase course without making a mistake. In the Trial Steeplechase five out of seven baulked at the second fence and Waterbury, who was going so well that it is certain he would have beaten his co-survivor Iroquois easily, bungled the last jump and extinguished his chance. In the Egmont Steeplechase (in which seven started, not only three as stated in the Keferee)'Booties the winner was again the only one who did not make a mistake. Iroquois, who ran second, refused one jump, and Jacob, who ran third fell at the last fence when going well alongside Booties. In the Final Handicap Steeplechase Disturbance was the only one that got round safely. It would be thought from this extraordinary chapter of accidents that the Egmont steeplechase course is an exceedingly stiff one, but curious to relate it is not. A friend of mine, a good judge of racing, was at the meeting, and his explanation is |hat the jumps, although really not at 'all difficult, look more formidable than they are, and the horses, who from the early date of the fixture are not quite accustomed to the work, fight shy of them. I think his theory is very likely the correct one, for there is no doubt the jumps are quite fair ones, and yet both last year and this year only two or three horses got round. My friend suggests that if the stewards made the jumps a bit more tempting without actually rendering them too easy they would ensure a much more satisfactory meeting, and get a lot more money put through the machine. As it is, people are wary about backing their fancy as there is such probability of an accident preventing them having a run for their money. Empire, my made mincemeat of his rivals in the Hurdle Bace, and it was a pity that our. local owner, Mr J. Driscoll, should have elected to chase him with Jacob. Had this muchimproved son of Natafor been kept for the Steeplechase there is in my mind little doubt that he would have won. He is essentially cutout for a steeplechase horse and it may almost safely be concluded that his bungle at the last fence was owing to his tiring after -his two journeys. Couranto ran badly and was. evidently not nearly fit. Despised, the winner of the Hack Hurdles, is a son of Cap-a-pie and Mavis, so that he has good blood on both sides. Auroa, list 31b? was a great tip in town but his backers came to grief. Although Iroquois won the Trial and ran second in the Egmont. Steeplechase my expert friend can't stand him at any price for Wanganui. He saysjit was sheer luck his occupying such prominent-positions in both races. He says Waterbury would have won the Trial in a walk if he had not gone into the ditch at one of the last jumps. The Egmout Steeplechase field was reduced to seven by the scratching of Shillelagh and Auckland, The defection of the former was owing to his having gone amiss on the previous day, and the latter's absence owing to his being ' blocked ' owing to his name being in the forfeit list. The withdrawal of these two caused Booties, 10st 71b, to start favourite, and backers did not make a mistake, for the son of Volunteer kept on while the others were .stopping, and won comfortably. I congratulate Mr McEae on having such a good substitute for Whalebone, who did not accept. The other starters besides the .placed lot were Empire, Chester, King Kose, and Darebin. The two hack races both resulted in surprises, Starlight, a three-year-old son of Endymion, winning the mile and a half, and Chatterbox,., a full brother to Mutiny, landing the six-furlong race after being second in the other. Starlight paid .£l7 3s and Chatterbox .£2l 15s, so that those who spotted either did well. Derry, by Ascot—Hippona, in J. B. Williamson's stable, was-made a warm favourite for the short race, but although he showed prominently for the first portion of the journey, he disappeared from the front just when he was wanted to stay there. He was backed for a lot of money in town, and was quietly put about as a ' certainty.' Pennant ( was also well backed and ran well, but was pipped on the post by the outsider. The numerous refusals prevent any line for Wanganui being gathered from the, results, more especially as neither Booties nor Jacob are engaged. '

The Australasian in a leader laments the dearth of really good steeplechasers in Victoria at present. It says 'We are afraid that the prospects for the big National races have never been less promising, and the rivalry between Ballarat and the jumping stables round Melbourne will not nearly be as keen as it was a few years back. . . With Medicine about the only chaser of any repute in work at Dowling Forest there is not much to be expected from this quarter, and when Ballarat is reduced to.. such a state of poverty we may well wonder where the competitors for the Grand National Steeplechase are coming from.'

I notice that ' Random ' in the Canterbury Times replies to my remarks anent his summary disposal of the totalisator. He says : ' My prediction was made after a count of heads, and it seemed to me the simplest thing in the world to say that a majority of the House of Representatives being against the totalisator, the machine was bound to go.' My admiration of ' Random's' prophetic powers is increased by this explanation of ' how it is done.' Having ' counted heads' I presume he is able to give us now a list of the ' ayes' and the ' noes' in the great division on the subject which will take place in the House next session. If lie can do this

' Bandom' must enjoy quite exceptional facilities for obtaining political information, and I must take a back seat, as I cannot claim similar advantages. I quite agree with him when he says it was the simplest thing in the world to say what he did. It was, of course, very ' simple 'to ( say ' it, but it might be difficult to prove it. My friend arrives at his conclusion by begging the question, that is by assuming that there is a majority in the House against the machine. But I should scarcely have returned to this subject but for the grossly unfair way in which my words are quoted in the concluding portion of' Bandom's' remarks. He says : ' Racegoers do not alone make the laws of the land, and they will have very great difficulty in satisfying the members of the House of Bepresentatives that a system which is encouraging promiscuous everyday betting among the rank and file of the population is necessary to the well-being and prosperity of the. country.' You should have left this part out, ' Bandom. 1 There was surely no necessity to give us the information that ' race-goers do not alone make the laws of the land,' and why should you insidiously try to make it appear that I referred to the totalisator, per se, as a system which encouraged promiscuous everyday betting. You know it was totalisator-betting in our cities and towns away from- a racecourse which I referred to as operating so injuriously to society. I again quite agree with you that race-goers will have a difficulty in satisfying the House that what is a pernicious system is a benefit to the country, but there is not the slightest ground for your imputation that I said anything to the contrary. .

There are rumours of a sensational lawsuit on the tapis in connection rwith the Canterbury Jockey Club and their recent highly successful First Challenge Stakes. I have made enquiries on the subject and have read 'Bata's' notes in the Otago Witness of last week, and I.have come to the conclusion that whether any lawsuit eventuates or not the C.J.C. have not been as careful'as they should have been in framing the conditions of The Challenge Stakes. These read as follows: —' The First Challenge Stakes of 2000 sovs by subscriptions of 25 guineas each, the nominator of the winner to receive 100 sovs, the owner of the second horse 200 sovs, and the owner of horse 100 sovs out of the stake,' &c.' Now it is plain from this that the race was purely a sweepstakes, and that there was no added money. The Club have paid .£2OOO as prize money, and it is said that when the whole of the forfeit money is collected they will have a surplus of nearly .£IOOO. The question is does racing law allow them to appropriate this surplus ? Bule 74 of the New Zealand Bules of Racing lays it down,that 'Stakes and forfeits in a race belong to the winner except as otherwise declared in the conditions ; and the stakeholder shall render an account to him or his agent and pay over all stakes and added money within 15 days of the conclusion of the meeting. If the race is never run, or be void, they shall be returned.' This is important so far as it established the principle that stakes and forfeits belong to the winner except otherwise provided, but it does not touch the main question of whether a club can make a profit out of a race which is essentially a sweepstake. There is not, so far as I can ascertain, any rule in the New Zealand code which touches the point. But when we turn to the English Rules of Racing we find it settled very clearly. Rule 160 runs, ' In all races, should there be any surplus from entrance or subscription over the advertised value it shall be paid to the winner, unless provided by the conditions to go to other horses in the race.' It is plain from this that if the English rule is held to be good here, Mr Dan O'Brien is entitled to the full value of the stake, less the deductions provided for. It stems to me that, as ' Rata' puts it, 'the C.J.C. has made a bloomer,' and it would have as well if the committee had not been in such a hurry to put the names of those responsible for unpaid subscriptions in the forfeit list. I see that Dan O'Brien's name figures among these. It will be a great turning of the tables if Dan after paying £26 ss, which he is posted for, should recover over .£IOOO.

The principal races at the South Australian Jockey Club Autumn Meeting were the Goodwood Handicap of 400 sovs, 6 furlongs, the South Australian Stakes for 2-year-olds, and the St Leger Stakes on the first day, and the Adelaide Cup on the second day. The Goodwood Handicap brought out a field of 20 and Mr E. McNamara's Froude, 3yrs, 7st 121 b, was made favourite, with Prosperity, 3yrs, 7st 61b, next in demand. Neither could get a place and the race fell to a complete outsider, Mr W. T. Cowan's Britisher, by The Englishman—Victorine, 4yrs, 7st 41b, with The Arab, 4yrs, 7st slb, second, and Fulham, 4yrs, 9st, third. Britisher paid a dividend of £23 18s. The Two-year-old race fell to Mr R. Howie's brown colt Salient, by the defunct ex-New Zealand sire, Oudeis, from Nancy. The winner paid a dividend of £8 3s. Malula, the favourite, was not placed. The St Leger proved the good thing it looked for Mr Jno. Crozier's magnificent colt, Vakeel, by Robinson Crusoe—Eileen. It was thought the only one he had to apprehend any danger from was his old opponent, Mr D. James' Broken Hill, and so it turned out. For a few strides when nearing home the issue looked in doubt, but when fairly called upon, Vakeel got the best of the struggle and won by half a length. The betting was 4 to 1 on Vakeel who is a colt

that will have to be watched in some of the coming big events. The Cup produced, a" field of 15 runners and Vakeel, Bst 21b'shared favouritism, with. Arquebus, 3yrs, 7st 101 b, at 5 to 1 each, Port Admiral, 4yrs,'7st 81b, being backed at 6 to 1, and Jericho, 4ys, Bst, at 10 to 1. Vakeel occupied a prominent position, in the front division until reaching the half mile post, when he took the lead, and although challenged in the straight by Jericho and Britannia, Boase, who rode! Mr,Crozier's colt haij only to keep him %oing to win cleverly by a length and a half from Britannia, with Jericho half a length away third. The time for the mile and 5 furlongs was 2min 54£sec, and the dividend, £5 10s. The victory was very popular.