SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1188, 7 December 1894, Page 24

SPORTING NOTES.

By Gipsy King. Very favourable comment on the Waverley and Waitotara Meeting is sent me by a friend who is very keen on a well conducted _ meeting, and he assures me the Prince of Wales’ Birthday Meeting of this club was very enjoyable in every way. Many improvements for the comfort of patrons of the club, and also for horses, have been made during the last two seasons, and if the club would only plough and level the racing track, the racing public would have little to complain about for a country fixture. The latelyappointed hon. secretary, Mr E. Symes, carried out his duties splendidly, being assistod by his brother, Mr Walter Symes, who formerly, so successfully piloted the affairs of the club.

‘ 1 Terlinga ” of the Australasian writes : “ Anyone looking at Patron would say he is the possessor of a bowed tendon. At Randwick in September an expert who looked him over on behalf of a would-be purchaser told his principal that lie had one of the worst bowed tendons he Had ever seen, and a breakdown be expected at any time. Talking to Mr W. E. Dakin about this on ' Tuesday, he told me on tL® authority of Mr Purches that the unsightly thickening of the tendon does not amount to a ‘bowed tendon,’ but is simply caused by the pressure of the boot .in which the horse is worked. The following note from our Flemington reporter amplifies this point. He says :— * For many weeks past those who have had to notice the performances of the horses at Flemington have remarked what appeared to be a tendency to wliat, in racing parlance, is called a “ bowed tendon ” en Patron’s near fore leg. To a casual observer the leg seemed thoroughly unsound, and the horse liable to break down at any moment, but the unsightliness in the appearance of the leg was caused in a most simple manner. Mr Purches was always in the habit of putting boots on tfye horse, and about three weeks ago some rough sand getting inside the boot set up irritation of the skin and sheath of the tendon, which is the sole cause of the enlargement which is so noticeable.’ ”

At the Wellington Show in the Hunters’ Competition the old steeplechaser Canute was placed first, Louis Chemis second, and Kamo third, The Master highly commended. It, is difficult to say how the judges decide these contests, but in the one referred to 1 thought that Kamo was the best hunter. Undoubtedly Canute sailed over the stiff jumps erected in fine style, but no ordinary horseman would be able to manage this hard puller, and Louis Chemis, who was badly ridden, blundered badly over the post and rails, not the horse’s fault, while Kamo went the course in such a proficient manner that any lady could have ridden him. If Louis Chemis had been properly ridden he must have been awarded the prize, although it may be said: he has no style in jumping.' I thought that Kamo had won easily after Louis’,Chemis blundered so badly at the post and rails. But then judging at shows was ever unsatisfactory, and especially in the thoroughbred horse class, many owners now prefer to exhibit their horses than have them judged (?).

A Melbourne contemporary says that it is understood that E. Power has severed his connection, with Mr J. Scobie’s stable. Of late Power has been very unlucky when riding in Mr Bailey’s colours, .and it was at his own request that Mr Bailey got another rider for Dreamland in the Cup.

% “ Wentworth,” a recognised authority on | veterinary items, writing to the Farni, Field and Fireside with reference to “ HorS'ea with Brittle Feet,” says : —“Yes, I am ‘against both stoppings and grease.' With reference to-your idea of the action of cow-dung, its temporary effect may be that of a poultice, but its prolonged action is in the directipn of producing brittleness. But perhaps the best thing I can do is to quote you what Dr Fleming says, which will, at least, show you that if I err, as your question seems to suggest', it is in good company. I may premise that Dr Fleming is an eminent veterinary surgeon, late Principal of the Army Veterinary Department, and the author of numerous works on the foot and its shoeing. In his ‘Practical Horse-shoeing/ he. says, ‘When it (the foot) has been robbed of its born by the'farrier, and brought to such an artificial and abrioimal state as we have indicated, then its preservation in anything like a healthy or efficient condition is a matter of no small difficulty, and appears sometimes to demand very curious, and often by no means reasonable, practices on the part of the groom. The most common are : Applying to the face of the wall tar, oil. fish-oil, or advertised mixtures of various kinds to make the horn grow, prevent brittleness, cure diseases, etc; and to the sole plates of leather, bolsters of tow steeped in tar, filthy applications of cow-dung, mud, or clay, and otbeir matters. It is scarcely necessary to say that, to the unpared and unrasped hoof, these are not only unnecsssavy, but .some of them positively hurtful. Oil, for instance, hot only renders the wall brittle, but loosens the nails ; while cow-dung, from the ammonia it contains, softens and destroys the frog." If you will invest in this eminently practical little work it may alter your ideas as to either the necessity or desirability of cow-dung and black varnish for horses’ feet. In reply to the question, ‘ What is lanolin ? 5 it Is a cholesterino fat, neutral in.reaction, and mixable with water. It is found in woo', feathers, and all horny tissues, the brilliancy arid elasticity of which is exactly ■proportionate to its amount. Its principal source is the yolk or wool oil of the sheep, known to the ancients as cesypus,' but lately reintroduced in a purified form by Dr Oscar Liebieich as lanolin. Being a natural fat and one that does not decompose and form fatty acids,. it is peculiarly suitable for application to hoofs that have been denuded of the thin semi-translucent horn designed by Nature to prevent shrinking and drying of the horn tubes.

The Manchester Handicap, one mile and a half, decided on the second day of the

Feilding meeting, was a great race, a neck each separated four horses.

The decision in the Hawke’s Bay trotting case, where the owner of Lulu sued for the Pony Race stakes and the presiding magistrate dismissed the case because the decision of the stewards was final, is very briefly summed up by the Sydney Bulletin as “ Club footed justice with a vengeance 1”

One of the greatest mares that ever graced the English turf, La Fleche, ran her last race in the Champion Stakes, her success in which was a befitting termination to what has been a brilliant career. The mare was sent to Morion in the spring, but there appears to be some doubt as to whether she is really in foal or not. <\ As she was seen to quit Ravensbury at the Bushes the cheers commenced and were continued right along the line until the grand little lady disappeared into the Birdcage, —London Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette.

Mr T. Waddington, the principal witness in the Hawkins v. Woods trotting case, is expected to return to Wellington during the next few days, when the. “ Invictus : ’ case will be proceeded with.

During the week the exchange copies of the Melbourne Sportsman, October 23rd, and Sydney Referee, October 24tli, were received. There is nothing remarkable about this but for the fact that they were “ saved from the wreck of the s.s. Wairarapa,” and even now are quite damp, and must therefore have had a good soaking.

Messrs Cohen and Stock are the successful tenderers for working the totalisator at the Pahiatua race meeting. v

The death is announced of the English trainer, Robert Sherwood senr. He trained many winners for Mr- Hammond, including St. Gatien and Florence.

It appears that the Canterbury Jockey Club voted two guineas tovyards the funeral expenses of the late Arthur Smith, but the amount was returned" by the Riccarton trainers and jockeys, who considered the sum insufficient. The amount voted was certainly not large, but the C.J.C. were not bound to give anything, and I think the money should have been accepted, as the refusal may prejudice any future case. . If the New Zealand Turf Council had been established there would have'been a large balance on hand, and a satisfactory amount could have been voted from fund.

It seems a pity that Mr Stephenson, of Dunedin snapped up the name Gipsy Grand for his Grandmaster—Naomi colt, winner of the Dunedin stakes. Although the colt is appropriately named it would have been a mo9t suitable name for a colt by Gipsy King, and this name I suggested a long time ago.

Gipsy Grand is evidently a good colt, and, unfortunately for his owner, has not many classic engagements, the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes of 6 furlongs, decided at the Autumn Meeting, being his first. The secretarys of the Wellington district trotting clubs inform me they find very great difficulty in compiling the correct cards used at their meetings, as frequenlly owners neglect to give the sex and colour of the horses they nominate, and very seldom send the colours of the jacket and cap, presuming that they are. known to the officials of the clubs. This should be easily remedied. The clubs should advertise that unless thiss particulars are supplied at date of acceptance the horses will not be allowed to start, or perhapß it would be better to ask for all these particulars with nominations, and if not supplied then return the nomination fees and papers. This would make owners and trainers of trotters more careful. It is simply disgraceful the way trotting horses are nominated at present.

The monotonous complaints of bumping, jostling, fouling, etc. (says the Sydney Bulletin'), bear out our oft-repeated statement that the average Australian jockey rides without head, hands, or system- The finish for a Derby or Cup suggests a crowd of cockneys walloping their way across Hampstead Heath on broken-kneed nags, hired at threepence per short gallop.

Why cannot owners and trainers of trotting horses be called upon to give the breeding of the animals they nominate. It is necessary under racing rules, and it is equally as important with trotting horses. What is the use of fostering the breed of trotting horses if we do not know which are the most successful sires ?

A friend of mine who has just returned from the Melbourne Cup meeting, and was lucky enough to back .Patron to win him £IOO, informs me that the best horse won, although the stable did not fancy his chance, and Dawes, the rider of Patron, was most anxious to ride Tarcoola in preference to Patron. Ruenalf, my friend considers, was beaten at the time when he was bumped on to the rails, and all the harm the mishap did to him was to prevent him from running about fourth. He watched Ruenalf in his work, and says that he did not do what he would consider a Melbourne Cup preparation and consequently dropped him in favour of Patron, whose past performances appeared to him to be too meritorious to disregard. Taranaki is his next fancy for the Melbourne Cup, but he very sensibly remarks that “ you can’t catch him hacking anything until the day.”

The Artist and Irish Twist are nominated for the Rangitikei Cup, and Mr Henry will have to give his verdict as to whioli lie considers the better horse. It will be interesting to watch how so competent an authority sums up.

It may be many years (says the Sydney Bulletin) before Cai-bine’s Cup time is beaten. The champion had to get away from the crowd ere the jostling began, and make the best of his way home. There were at least seven jockeys chasing him all

the time with orders to prevent the best horse from getting a fair run. But they never arrived at their hoped-for opportunity. Carbine was too fast for them. This was one of the rare instances in which virtue defeats the deep-laid plans of villainy. Ask the four or five “prominent matallicians ” who so pertinaciously laid the favourite without decent regard for the appearance of their little books. “ I got near ’im once,” said one of the blocking contingent to his Hebrew patron, when they were discussing the fiasco in a pub the night of the race. “Well, yer ought to ’ave caught him by the blanky tail and ’eld on,” observed the child of Israel.

I.have to acknowledg receipt of a complimentary ticket for the Warrengate Jockey Club’s Meeting.

Mr J. Driscoll, of Hawera, nominated by wire, his three-year-old Tim Whiffler colt “ Buckley’s Chance ” for the Maiden Plate at the Waverley-Waitotara Meeting, and was surprised to receive a telegram from the Club addressed Mr “Buckley” (which the postal officials had traced as for Mr Driscoll), asking for particulars about his horse “ Chance,” and although the particulars were sent the entry appeared in the “correct card” as Mr Buckley’s Chance, 3,5 rj, 7st 111 b. Naturally the secretary concluded that Mr Driscoll was nominating a horse by the name of Chance for a Mr Buckley!

“ Norton is a good horse, but at 13st 21b he had no chance of winning the Victorian Racing Club’s Steeplechase, won by Timoni (by Lapwing), 9st 81b. and the latter is not a first-rater,” so I was informed ; so says my friend who has just returned from Melbourne.

If Norton were to meet John Pile’s grey horse Confidence (by Emulation) ab level weights, and the latter as well' as he was when he won the V.R.C. Steeplechase in Glenloth’s year, it would be a good thing for the Adelaide horse.

Wellington backers are dividing their favours between Mahaki and Golden Plover for the Wellington Cup, but if Lady Zetland and Skirmisher strip fit and well on the day, well—either of the other two won’t win—on form ?

La Fleche has started in 24 races and has won 16 of them.

Nominations for the Jolinuonville Trotting Club’s Boxing Day Meeting are due on Saturday, December Bth.

The Pahiatua Jockey Club have issued a very nice pictorial race programme poster, which was executed to their order by the New Zealand Times Company. These posters are very attractive and catch the eye, especially of the sporting man, and must eventually supersede the old. fashioned race programme posters. The Pahiatua Club should have a splendid meeting there on January 4th, as the horses competing at Woodville on January Ist have only a short journey to make by road, and they will. have two days’ rest between the two meetings.

Nominations for the Pahiatua meeting close on December 14th. Owners who have a decent hack should not forget this meeting, as there is plenty of money knocking about there during New Year time, and consequently the totalisator is bound to be well patronised.

It is reported that Liberator (12st 31b) will start for the Auckland Steeplechase, but I fancy if he is well enough to start for the cross-country event, Bst 51b in the Auckland Cup, two miles, should be more tempting to his owner.

Prime Warden’s disappointing brother Murat, who was in training at Wanganui and started in the Second Hurdle Race at the Wanganui Spring Meeting, has been turned out. lam afraid he is a hopeless case. The only thing he is good at is kicking a stable to pieces, when being dressed.

After Hopkins (who was formerly owned by the ex-Rangitilcei cross-country horseman, “Jack” Cameron) fell.in the Steeplechase at Williamstown, says " Asmodeus,” he was remounted by a bystander, who rode him over the four remaining fences, with the intention of obtaining second money, but on returning to scale the impromptu rider was found to be 91b short weight.

Many people run away with the idea that where the starting machine is used there will he no further use of the present starters, thinking that it is necessary for the representative of the inventors to attend to this duty. This is a mistaken idea. If experienced “ flag ” starters are not employed, the “ machine ” is as likely to be as big a failure as many of the flag wielders. At the Dunedin Meeting Mr George Ellis, who has the New Zealand rights for “ Gray’s ” machine, tried his hand. He touched the “spring” when Goodwood had his head turned the wrong way in the Spring Handicap, and the horse lost a number of lengths. In fact the starting is not too highly spoken of, and one returned visitor to the meeting informs me that an experienced “ flag ” starter would have managed the starting with success.

“ Rata ” of the Otago Witness says, it is not unlikely that the Hawke’s Bay Cup winner, Cruclifield, will be schooled for hurdle racing.

Under the heading “ Principal Races in New Zealand,” a Melbourne sporting paper gives the result of only the two hurdle races decided at the Wanganui Spring Meeting. I suppose the Wanganui Derby the first day and the Wanganui Stakes the second day don’t count f

Writing about the Wanganui Club reminds we that they have a race named the Wanganui Stakes run for at the Spring Meeting, and a similarly named race run for at the Autumn Meeting. It would save confusion and disputes amongst people who talk horse if the Wanganui Stakes at the Spring Meeting were renamed the “ Spring Stakes,” and the “ Spring Handicap ” on the first day of the Spring Meeting could be called the “ Aramoho Stakes,” or some other suitable name.

A horse named Noble, when taking- the last hurdle in the hunters’ competition at the recent Chiltern (Victoria) Show, cast its shoe, which flew back and struck a lad. named Charles Martens, fifteen years of age, the son of a well known local resident, on. the temple. Nothing very serious was anticipated at the time, but, notwithstanding the exertions of five doctors, the boy succumbed to the injuries,

. I hear that the Greytown North colt Britain (British Lion —Anterose) has been added to the list.

Ruenalf is handicapped at 9st 91b for the Sydney Summer Handicap, so that the handicapper evidently considers he can get two miles,

After Rotherham won the big Saddle Trot at the recent Miramar Meeting, I observed that his sides had been pretty freely punctured with spurs. I do not think he broke once during the journey, and I cannot recollect on any previous occasion noticing the effects of spurs on a trotting horse, such as we are in the habit of witnessing on a race track.

A new method of “ faking ” racehorses prevails in the United States. If a horse has a chronic lameness, the trainer injects into the foot a solution of cocaine, which so dulls the sensibility to pain for from half an hour to an hour and a-half that the horse will act as if he were sound.

I have been asked several times lately, if I know anything about the programme for the Lower Valley Jockey Club, and upon what date the nominations fall dne. I am unable to. answer the question, and the information does not appear in any of the sporting papers.

Nominations for the Rangitikei, Master-ton-opaki, Wairarapa, and Otaki Racing Clubs meetings, appear in another column; also the weights for the Auckland Cup and Steeplechase, and Wellington Cup.

Petty larceny from the jockeys’ rooms along this way is becoming’ rife again, and it is just about time that the police were made acquainted with the amount of thieving going on in the hope that some offender may be traced.

It is a noteworthy fact that all the clubs that have advertised in the New Zealand Mail and New Zealand Times have received splendid nominations and acceptances, and when particulars are advertised by secretaries of recing clubs re accepting totalisator investments, the clubs interested have had a large increase [in totalisator investments. In the Wairarapa district and along the Napier and Wanganui coasts' the New- Zealand Times, as a daily distributor of sporting news, is recognised as second to none.

It may not be generally known that Polly, the dam of Voltaire, is full sister to Voltarina. dam of Eecluse, which partly accounts for the speed he displays occasionally. Eecluse had few colonial equals over a short distance, and during the zenith of his racing career, his burst of speed was well-nigh phenomenal, but training him for long distance valuable stakes cooked his brilliancy. As Polly has a dash of Traducer blood, either 'Derringer or Ascot should nick well with her.

Between October 6 and October 11 the progeny of St. Simon won no less than L 5457. Thus St. Florian earned L 1740, Utica L 642, La Fleche L 930, Florizel 11. L6lO, Childwick L 1035, and Matchbox LSOO. During the present season St. Simon’s stock had up to October 13 won fortj races of the value of L 39.354 10s.

At a meeting of stewards of the Wairarapa Eacing Club held at Featherston on Saturday afternoon last, the treasurer reported a credit balance of L 59 4s 6d.

The following were the successful tenderers for the undermentioned privileges for the season 1895: —Grandstand publican’s booth, L 3 3; outside publican’s booth, L 33 ; J. Crawford and 11. J. Hodder cards, L 4 4; H. Duff, outside luncheon booth, L2B 10s; A. Jones, afternoon tea tent, L 4 ; H. Cook, fruit stall, Ll 3 15s, and fruit hawking, January meeting, L2 5s ; Greytown Brass Band, L 9.

It was resolved to call fresh tenders for the gates to close at the Post Office, Featherston, on Saturday evening, to be considered at a meeting of stewards to be held at Tauherenikau on Monday 'afternoon, and it was also resolved to call fresh tenders for the horse yards. Mr Pearce proposed and Mr Wilxinson seconded that the matter of altering the lawn and making other improvements should be left in the hands of the chairman and secretary.

I notice that two of the staff of the Melbourne Sportsman,“ Sterling” (Mr Bradshaw) and “ Cranbrook ” (Mr Smith), have joined the ranks of the handicappers. They are capable men and should do well. In New Zealand very few sporting writers have tackled handicapping, not that there is any good reason why they should not, but I fancy hitherto, it has been a case of “live and let live ” with them. , I don’t want to go to many more race Wrings, if (hey cannot afford the luxury of

a band of music. An afternoon’s racing without the inspiriting strains of a good band is like listening to a singer without pianoforte accompaniment.

Liberator has not been doing much on the Riccarton training tracks lately, and it is said he is sore.

A visitor to the recent Victorian Racing Carnival, who has seen Gray’s starting apparatus at work, gives his vote in favour of Messrs Johnston and Gleeson’s invention. A very clear sketch of this “ machine ” appears in the Australasian of November 10th.

Mr Bryant informs me that his trotting horse, J.H., if he gets a fair handicaD, will start for the big trot at Auckland, after which he will use him for hackney purposes, as he is convinced the horse will never be given a show, especially in the Wellington district. He very properly remarks there is no encouragement to purchase good trotters, as the “riff-raff” trotters get all sorts of absurd handicaps. „

Mr Shannon, handicapper to the Wairarapa Trotting Club, has reported Mr Jorgensen, a local bookmaker and owner of the i rotting pony Bobby Burns, to the Wellington Trotting Association for attempting, as he alleges, to bribe him in his capacity of handicapper. There has been considerable talk amongst sporting men in town about this case, and the majority are wondering what good will come of the case, as it is purely a matter of one man’s word against another, that is if a serious complexion is put on Mr Shannon’s report. The latter will I presume be able to satisfy everyone that he has been able to distinguish the difference between “ bribery and leg-pulling 1"

As far as the Wellington Metropolitan District is concerned, the decision of the Racing Conference re reduction of race meetings will effect the following meetings : —Porirua, Akura, Wellington Baciug Club’s Steeplcfcase (Winter) Meeting, United Hunt Club, Wairarapa Hunt Club, and Pahiatua Jockey Club. So that after the end of the present racing season these meetings will be discontinued.

The luckiest false start in a race, probably, occurred at Feilding races last week. This was in the Manchester Handicap on the second day. After one break away it was noticed that the first flight of hurdles past the stand had been left standing from the preceeding race—the Hack Hurdles—and the start was delayed until they yvere taken down. As the hurdles were just round the turn into the back sti etch they would not have been noticed by the riders in the race in time to pull up. However, all’s well that ends well, and the false start averted what might have been a fatal catastrophe. It appears the club employs four men, one to each flight of hurdles, to put them up and take them down again, hut the man whose duty it was to attend to the hurdles which were left standing was busy attending to something else, and the fact that the hurdles had not been taken down escaped his memory. He is an old servant of the club and does a lot" of work for them, and a similar omission has net occurred with him before. However, the stewards asked him for an explanation, and he expressed sincere regret for his inadvertence, aud no further action was taken.

It having , been hinted at the Johnsonville Trotting Meeting that Violetta (first) and Sailor (second) in the Maiden Race were horses of another name, the Wellington Trotting Association has been asked to make inquiry in the matter, and the case will probably come before the Association during the week.

In connection with the re-handicapping of horses (winners of £100) engaged in the Wellington Cup, there is no stated day for publishing the rehandicaps, but they will be published and owneis informed as soon as the handicapper’s readjustment comes to hand.

A meeting of stewards of the Lower Valley Jockey Club was held at the Club hotel, Martinborough, on Saturday evening, when the course committee reported that the new course was nearly ready, and that it is a great improvement on the old one; also, that a contract had been let for the horse yards. The grandstand is well under way, and the lawn and saddling paddocks are well towards completion. After some minor Business the meeting terminated.