TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 24

TURF GOSSIP.

BY TE WHITE NEW ZEALAND NOTES. Tho Nordoufeh.lt—Pearl Ash nmro Melinite lias, alter u lengthened spell, been put into 1 mining for tho coming season’s jumping events. She is in capital condition to commence work. Tho Armourer guiding Egmont, who was successful on several occasions last season over the little sticks, has gouo amiss and

has been thrown out of work.

Teddy Barnes, a well-known Wanganuite, is now in charge of Mr Jerry Driscoll s string of horses at Unworn. Fratcrnile, by tho Dauphin—Sissy, is also an inmate of his stable and is to bo schooled over hurdles. Martyrdom, tire four-ycar-old daughter of Apreiiiout, who is an inmate of the Karaniu stables, is to be given a trial over hurdles. She has been anything but a success on tho flat.

3ho three West Coast ex-lmcks, Irish Twist, Waiuku and Tho Artist, are nominated for the Winter Oats at the Wanganui May Meeting. It will be interesting to notico how the haudicapper will place them, and a meeting between the trio would cause no end of excitement.

Mr J. 0. Evett, the Auckland Racing Club’s haudicapper, does not consider a reply necessary to Mr L. D. Nathan’s written complaint to the Auckland Racing Club re Stopfoldt’s handicapping at their recent gathering.

Mr T. Morrin, who has recently returned from a visit to Australia, re-sold at an advance tho Sweet William filly purchased by him at the auction sale of the 'focal yearlings.

Mr F. Martin disposed of Review, tho winner of the Nelson Cup, to Mr F. Trask, of Nelson, for 30 guineas. A West Coast sportsman offered Mr Martin 45 guineas for the gelding just after he had completed the sale to Mr Trask. Review has not been a very profitable investment for M r Martin.

Marino is ropoitod to be likely to main the trip north for the llawera and Wanganui Meetings.

Mr Moss- Jmu s purchased No Wonder out of the Novel Rare at Die Timaru Meeting and afterwards m ide a present of the gelding to Mr P. Butler.

Mr G. G. Stead advertises, in tie at ithern papers all his throe-year-olds in training, aud Hie four-year-old Blue Fire, and the stallion Medallion. All mo for private sale. It these are disposed of, bis two-year-olds will then appear in the private sale list.

Tho grey gelding Musket, recently sold out of Goodman’s stable for a mere song, being considered a hopeless cripple, “ flopped up ” at the Riverton Meeting and his connection:-; are reported to have benefited to tho extent of AISO over the ig-ldinq’s win.

Thai hit, ml rogue til oddish again pul hia party in a hide at tho South C'nnterbiuy Jockey Club’s Meeting. A Fig commission was worked in l i., favour, but lie again faihd to run up to Ids p rivalo form, iln bus cost his connections a hatful of money.

Barman.by fj,.minis—Barmaid, is now an inmate of J. Taggart's stable at the Unit. Ho is to bo nominated in .steeplechase events, and should prove more than useful.

I Fishmonger has arrived in Auckland i from Australia. Mr 11. Ilayr’s venture j proved far from a profitable one.

St. Laura is a bit of a Tartar at the post: letting fly her heels she deals it out to all and sundry in a most indiscriminate manner. She established quite a high kicking record at the Into A.R C. Meeting.

The speedy St. Kilda Is to join tho ranks of tho hurdle-racers, have shown an aptitude at the game.

T. Clark is to have charge of Chainshot on the voyage to England. Notwithstanding the number of Musket horses that have been sent to England lately the demand for this strain of blood lias become so fashionable there that not any difficulty should be experienced in disposing of such a handsome horse as Chainshot.

The stewards of the Waitara Racing Club are nothing if not energetic. They liavo formed Themselves into a working bee to improve the condition of their course, tho Club’s funds not being in tho most flemishing condition. Success must surely crown the efforts of such a deserving body of sports.

It is stated that tho nativo owner of Tiritea recently refused the sum of 400 guineas for tho aged son of Hippocampus. There is no doubt lie is one of the most accomplished fencers at present competing, and as good hurdlers arc unfortunately just now scarce his owner no doubt acted wisely in refusing such a tempting offer.

Hen Curtis has retired from the ranks of the metallieians and now appears on tho scene, solely as an owner, ilo has Casket, Misfire and a colt by St. Clair in training under the care of Laughlin, and should soon score a winning bracket.

An exchange says that Mr E. McElwnin has purchased from Air J. Cameron the five-year-old gelding by Ascot, from a Day Dawn mare. The horse is a splendid cut of a jumper, and should pay his way in the very near future. It is understood that tho well-known trainer intends taking up training operations in Auckland.

A fair-sized commission was executed on the Wellington market in favour of Kungiiitea for the Novel Race at the Rangiora meeting hist week. A wire was received during the afternoon staling tho horse had won, but not giving Urn dividend. A rumour gained currency during Hie evening that tho divvy was .£3 12s, and those layers who had taken all they could get “ Rangiatoa,” were heard performing in anything but choice language at sundry street corners. They were somewhat mollified the next day when the correct divvy, At Ills, camo through, but they one and all vow to fight shy of Novel and Selling Races in the future.

Local sports, who attended the Nelson gathering, consider Sing Song (by Louis D’Or —Tui), tho winner of the first day’s Hack Race, a cut above the average. She won very easily, and on the second day, when carrying fist 4lb in heavy going, it was only in tho last hundred yards that tho five-year-old Swordfish, fist 81b, had really shaken her off. As Sing Song is only three years old, the gallant attempt she made to defeat Swordfish at a difference of 41b was a really good performance, and one that satisfied keen observers that this filly will bo heard of again in the future.

That the race-going public of Now Zealand dearly love a good cross-country event is an acknowledged fact, and it is also well known that on account of the feeling in the minds of backers that most starters in races of this description aro “ triors,” punters put down their pieces with far more confidence than in ordinary fiat events, past records proving that tho jumping race is generally tho best totalisator event of (ho day. This being so, racing olub stewards should endeavour to induce owners to nominate more freely and 60 have larger fields competing at their meetings. The only method to produce the desired result is by increasing tlie stakes fur cross-country vents and reducing as Hindi as possible the nomination and accei lanco foes, and so in all ways encourage the breeding and training of horses capable of negotiating fair steeploeha.iiig country. As a rule programme stewards fa vour those races which yield the biggest return of As. d., having in their mind's eye the annual balance shoot, instead of endeavouring to popularise tlioir mooting and give their patrons the best value for their money. The class ol horses already muniri'/tod for cross-country events this season are of anything' but a high standard, and wise clubs to hold out more liberal inducements and c-uice. dons owners wuld not he slow I > re.-pond, and wo should soon have far better fields, both, as regards quality and quantity, competing at our winter gatherings.

Now that Skirmisher is turned out, says “Mazeppa," Mr J. B. Reid is mostly interested in a couple of line yearlings which lmnn Fas taken in hand. One is the iuv.hn" of St. Leger—-Bangle, bred in Am U n: 1 : the oilier a. brother to Firefly !: Fair.'maid), bred at Elder.i----i.... , ivho have seen the youngsters I|. >voll of them, and it is to ho Imped limy gill I mu < 'U (- as good as by looks and (h-.y ought to he. The publican) direct ly ; ' I 'd hi this. They know full well t j ; • il U.ey always get a straight run - v ;,j, mv ];...id's horses; that lie is an l i-tiiu ia.-Jii: lovei’of the thoroughbred, and for tho pleasure; that lie docs not Sake it to heart and meditate repri.-.a s when the people hack his horse3j anul 1 speak of personal knowledge in saying th at ho never seeks to mislead the publiefeeing

always ready to answer questions put to him by an authorised pressman. The success of such an owner is worthy of supplication by tho united praying power of backers as a body.

Tho Faust Family were performing in Nelson during race week and on Cup night. Between the first and second part of tho programme, says the Colonist, Mr Wilson, on behalf of the management, in a neat speech presented a silver-mounted whip to J. Donelly, who rode Review to victory in tho Nelson Cup. He referred to the excellent sport that had been provided at the races, when all tho horses had been honestly ridden to win. lie said tho race for tho Nelson Cup had been a grand one, and it reminded him of one that took place at Bulls some years ago, when a dark and a white horse came in so close that tho public decided that it was a dead heat. But on the judge being referred to, that official, having partaken somewhat freely of whisky, declared that lie gave tho raco to the piebald. (Laughter.) The whisky, tho speaker explained, was of such a fiery quality that a drop would burn a hole in a man’s shirt. Ho said only tho judge could say which horse won tho Nelson Cup, and that young Donelly had won a grand race by an exhibition of pluck, coolness and good judgment. (Applause.) Ho concluded by calling for three cheers for Donelly, wliifli were heartily given. Ono more cheer was afterwards given for Mr Wilson.

At Hie North Canterbury Jockey Club’s annual lixturo held at Rangiora on Thursday last, the attendance was a record ono and .02011 went through thcmachino (about TOGO more than last year. Nicholas won tho Winter Oats of seven furlongs, boating Salvo Shot, Nirvana and two others, tho dividend being .£3 (is and the time Imin 3(ijsec. In the District Welter Camel got home and paid <£3 (is, and heating a hot favourite in Jewel, four others following the pair homo. Five started for thcNorth Canterbury Cup, one niilo and a quarter, and tho winner turned up in Zola, a five-year-old gelding by St. Swithin, Mona and Salvo tilling tho places. Magazine and Clarence were tho other starters. Zola paid Iho handsome dividend of Jjl9 12s, and did tlm distanco in 2min2osec. As the winner had run unplaced in tho Welter Oats, tho first race of tho day, a protest for inconsistent running was entered, but was not upheld. Three Cheers won tho Trot, A 5 12s dividend ; Frenchy (Derrctt) (lie Welter, beating Mona, Fire Ring and seven others, dividendAlo Its; Rangiatoa the Novel Race, with A 1 Ids dividend; Barn Dance the Mile, Trot, A2 lGs dividend; and St, John tho Flying, five furlongs, beating Fire King, Jewel and fivo others; dividend A2 12s, time, Imin Bsoc. ROUND TIIE WORLD. Dan O’Brirn has sold llehestcr to Mr 11. Morton for the Indian market. One of Lochiel’s get, named Lady Lodi, who is eligible for the pony class, changed hands recently in Sydney for 100 guineas.

The, New Zealand-bred pony llazclmcre, by Ta.smau Hazel, which was recently shipped to Australia is to be placed under tho care of \V. J. Miller, r.ul will be trained at Kensington.

Dunlop, a Melbourne Cup winner, was recently sold in Sydney for 1(30 guineas for stud purposes. At the. same sale Stromboli, who lately returned from America, was sold to a Northern Queensland studmaster, tho price paid being 250 guineas.

Ike Karnshaw, private trainer to Mr 8. Hordern, won the fourth prize in the London Sportsman's “ Ladas mating competition.”

Idolator did a wonderful mile and a half on the training track at Flemington rocenily. With a light-weight, up he ran the distance in ‘2min 42scc, pulling up as strong as a lion.

Mr W. R. Wilson’s cheque for stakes won over tho recent A.J.C. Meeting amounted to i‘ 40213, Mr S. Hordern came next with 131552, and Mr S. 11. Gollnn received £441 as the rcHii't of Tire’s wm in the All oped Stakes. The total a mount paid away by the A.J.C. reached the gigantic sum of 1312,855.

The W.F.A. three-mile, event the A.J.C. I’lale, m which Wallace suffered defeat at Iho hands of The Harvester and Fort, took exactly the same time to negotiate as the tlnuMiiih: Steeplechase, run the same afternoon, Mikado 11. won ihe cross-country wi'.h lit lulh up, in Gmin 17-sce.

In lhiify-nnc years only two horses have succeeded in winning the treble at the A.J.C. Melding, viz., the St. Leger, Sydney Cup and A J.C. l’lato. Fishhook did the trick in ISO/, and Progress was successful in 1881. Ton hones have been uiccessfui in landing Hie two weight-fur age eicnts, It-. Leger and A,J.C, Plate, including such giants as Robinson Crusoe, Male,block, Lu Grand, Trident, Abercorn and Wallace.

1 1 is said Dial Colonel North has a ledger account kept against each of his horses and greyhounds, and he can toll at once by reference what he is in or out of pocket by any racehorse or dog running in his name.

Out (J a |.. (a I i,f XI MJ Ids in tested in Hie lolalisatur on the Onkaparinga Bleepleeliaso, X 1152 was on Dungan, the winner ; £?9Boii Joi, £797 on The Actress, £255 on Mlrike, £2IG on All Fonts, and £235 on Conti,li nee. In the Cup Viking carried £577, Preston £142, Duke of Richmond £313, and Veronica, tho winner, £3)4. £18,130 10a was put through on the first day of the ineef- • Easier Monday. The course is situated a i'e,.v miles out 6i Adelaide. T lie Adelaide bookmakers had a very bad time over Onka* paringa. ’1 he principal layer was over £2OOO to the bad on the day.

Court Sehomberg, the unlucky colt who played such a prominent jet disappointing partin four of tlie principal handicaps at the back end cf last season, was sold in England last month for 300 C guineas to In. Robert Lcbauilv, a well-known french sportsman, Count Sehomberg is engaged in the Grand Steeplechase and tlie Auteui! Grand Hurdle llaee, run in France.

Demise, in Adelaide : Filgate,the worthy, if rather fossiliferous, Melbourne turfite, an astounding mine of horsey yarns. He carries to the grave, according to his own account, the true story of Newminster's nobbling, when trainer Dakin slept in a nightcap of steel and dagger-proof blankets. Filgate once entered a horse for a race at Rainlwiclc, but the A.J.C. altered the date. Filgate refused to run his horse, would not pay"forfeit, and was “posted.” lie sued in the Supremo Court, but was beaten on a technical point. His argument was that the club had no right to alter racing fixtures while horses were in training, and, still refusing to pay up, he was placed “ beyond the pale.” lie had declared, however, that, whichever way the .suit went, he would never run a horse again in New South Wales, and many Victorian sportsmen of the day followed his example.—Sydney Ilulldin.

It is a matter for congratulation that Newhaven has fallen into the possession of two such sterling sportsmen as Mr W. Cooper and Mr W. T. Jones, sajs “ Asmodeus.” Mr Jones’s familiar “black and gold liamonds” are always uidi u->, but the “all orange” of Mr Cooper have not been seen on an Australian racecourse since the days of Trenton, Bkurgo.W'io and Lady lietly, when they were frequently in evidence at liamlwiek and Flemingtou. “ Black and gold diamonds, orange sleeves and cap, would bo appropriate colours for Newhaven to carry in the next Victoria Derby.

According to the Melbourne Age intelligence lias been received of the death try drowning in the Noithcru 1 erritory of Mr J. W. Watson, eldest son of Mr George Watson, the well-known master of the Melbourne Hounds. “Jack” Watson, an old Melbourne Church of England Grammar School boy, was a famous amateur athlete 20 years ago, and in addition to distinguishing himself as an oarsman and a pedestrian he was about the best amateur boxer in Melbourne. General sympathy will be felt with the bereaved family, another member of which, Mr Alfred Watson, was killed some lime ago at Mooneo Vuliey through the steeplechaser Explosion falling on him.

At a recent pony race meeting it is rumoured, says' 1 Martinualc,” that a boy was put up on a competitor with instructions not to win. The boy, however, found that the animal was too good for t-re Jot opposed to him, and he won. Now the owner will not. pay him the winning fee for his mount, and the boy is asking the otiicials of some other clubs if he cannot have that owner stopped from racing his horses tilt the amount claimed is paid.

'l’hc highest price realised at the (Sydney sales was for the Doncaster Handicap winner, Courallic. Mr Uphill started him at 300 guineas and the bidding ceased at 500 guineas, when Mr Clibborn announced that the bay gelding’s figure was 700 guineas. “I’ll give you (100 guineas, Mr Chbborn,” came from Mr Uphill, and after a short consultation with the owner the auctioneer replied, “ lie’s yours,” and Courallic will go to India with Air Uphill’s other pureh.\,':oH. The Lender.

The Stewards of the Jockey Club in England when the mail left were reported to be contemplating the creation of a long race for a valuable prize—a departure from the present system, under waich the three .£IO,OOO prizes arc fought for over a course of the same length—one mile and a quarter. Such an alteration would have been long insisted upon in Australia, says “ Asmodeus,” where tho practice of having the most valuable races run over courses from a mile and a half to three miles has been an unqualified success. It is suggested that the distance of the Eclipse Stakes—the oldest established cf the throe—-should ho left unaltered. The races proposed to be altered are the Princess of Wales’s Stakes to a mile and a half or a mile and Ihroo-quarters, and the Jockey Club Stakes to the Ccsarewiteh distance—two miles two furlongs and 2b yards.

Isaac Murphy, the celebrated coloured ■jockey, whose death at Lexington i.s announced by American exchanges, was one of the most respected members of the fraternity. He was aide, honest, and true. Ho never pulled a m ree or robbed (he public or Ids employer, '1 lie Spirit <;/ lhe Times says the advice bo once ofiered (o ell i of the most phenomenal huishers and dishonest scoundrels that ever mounted a horse is well worth pondering over by certain drivers on the turl: —“ You just ride to win. They get you to pull a horse in a selling race, and when it comes to a stake race they got Isaac to ride. A jockey that’ll sell out to one man will sell out to another. Just be honest, and you'll have no trouble and plenty of money. Murphy left his wife 100,0011 dollars. In his best days he was known as the “ black Archer ” of America.

In the last number of the Badminylon Magazine “Rapier,” referring to the question of ro-granting licenses to disqualified jocko vs, concludes with toe following : Whether a license once withdrawn should ever be renewed is another question.. It has always seemed to me that if a rider has been shown to bo a rogue, he should never be permitted an opportunity of renewing his fraudulent practices. 1 would have the law of the Modes and loioiaie. put in onention against him; and im»t thin i, 'mv -loom' to bo d-uomstraHu by tllo fact; that in ('• I'i-'hl cams to" w.'VcW-V warnings have been found impmalive jockeys who have been ‘ let back after being warned oft have again incurred sua-

picion. For mere breaches of Jockey Club law which did not include fraud, the withholding of licenses for so many months might be a fitting penalty ; but it is so hard to prove a jockey’s guilt that, once pioved, his sentence of banishment should be irrevocable.”

From what I gathered in a recent conversation with an intimate friend of Mr S. 11. Gollan, I was not led to believo chat any great things were anticipated from tho invasion of tlie English turf by Norton, Busaco and Ebor, says “ Asmodeus,” yet notwithstanding the poor hopes of success held out by the plucky Now Zealand sportsman in a recent letter to his friend, comes the news of Ebor’s victory in a 500 so vs steeplechase. Good and clever as our horses arc over their native timber, doubt has always boon expressed about their ability to negotiate English fences with the same skill and cleverness, but now that an Australian lumllo racer, past his prime, has succeeded in whining a 500 sovs steeplechase no further doubt can bo entertained regarding the capability of horses like Daimio adapting themselves with practice to any reasonable lino of fences to be found in England. Ebor was found to be too slow for hurdle racing, and he was very wisely put to steeplechasing. Mr Gollan writes to say that it takes horses after tho class of Bessie Macarthy to win hurdle races in England. This is paying a high compliment to tho excellence of the English hurdler. Mr Gollan has coni l ' to 1 lie conclusion that Norton is not good enough to compete successfully against English steeplechasers, hut Busaco lias recently

shown signs of recovering his Australian form, and perhaps we may expect to hear of him winning a race before tho termination of the jumping season. Mr Gollan is such an enterprising sportsman that any honour his horses can achieve in England will lie gratifying to everybody oil this side of the equator who take an interest in the affairs of tho turf.

Sterling, in the Sportsman, is a great believer in encouraging stceplcchasing, and remarks that while the majority of crosscountry prizes for which we race in Victoria are small in value when compared with those for which the ’chasers of England contend, and while Wo are apt to think stcoplecliasiug florishos nowhere as it does under the flag of England, we err greviously, for La Belle Franco far and away transcends any other country in the world, not only in the value of the stakes run for, but in the number of steeplechase meetings held and tho number of horses kept in training for this class of lace alone. For example, the principal winning owner over fences this year in France won in stakes alone over .£20,000, while others were within measurable distance; and tho greater portion of tho immense sum was won by a throe-year-old. Now, no class of liorso is a more desirable one to breed than tho cross-country horse with size, substance pace and quality; for even if lie fails in any one respect, so preventing him from winning the highest honours as a steeplechaser, ho still commands a high price for a host of other uses. It is thus most desirable that the V.R.C., tho V.A.T.C. and other clubs cater liberally for horses of this class; and already the V.A.T.C. has given earnest that it is quite alive to its responsibilities in this matter by largely increasing the stakes for its coming National.

Another matter in this connection which needs keeping sternly in view is that there shall bo no cutting down of fences ; rather let the tendency be to increase their size, so that, oven if tho pace be lessened, the jumping powers of our horses and the horsemanship of our riders may reach their fullest development ; and it is only by this end being kept in view that stoeplechasing will reach its acme of popularity.

“'lie; Ural,” a writer in Sporting Sketches, is resj onsiblc for the following interesting *■ para.” :

borne years ago, Tom Gannon owned a icry handsome horse called The Prince of Warns. In time the animal developed a frightful temper, amt as a consequence he was •• improved.” A little while after the operation had taken place a gentleman from abroad was over here w ith a large commission to buy horses for exportation. The l'lince was an extremely attractive brown—a coVmr niiidi favoiirod by in-ml foreign purchason,— and it, is scarcely necessary to say that nadi r Cannon’s care the horse looked a pci feet picture. So thought the visitor, ami, as

terms ware satisfactory, '1 he Biincc changed ],an 1-, and wa« snipped for the Canon! Good Hone. Aiming thole safe and .soim-i, cVeiyhody was delighted with him until someone made a discovery—the buyer had omitted to mention that the horse was required for stud purposes. When Sir Charles Banburyks famous horse iSrnolcnsko was being saddled fur the Derby of LSI3, tho baronet raid to bin jockey, Goodisoti— 1 Here is your horse, Tom ; he

will do lii.s duly if you do yours." So small were the fees thru given by owners to successful jockeys that .Sir Charles Bimbury gave but £’-3u to Goodison for winning three principal race] the Two Thousand, the Newmarket .Stakes, and the I erby—on Bmolensko, rcuuuking, as though haunted by some consciousness that the same miserly spirit which compelled him to sell the aged Diomed for £so to two Virginian planters would he again imputed to him—“ 1 would make it morn. Tmu, il I’m;: rave had not shot himself.” If may be explained that Brograve was a heavy loser on the Derby of 1813, and blew his brains out after Smolensko’s victory, defaulting to the extent oHorae £IO,OOO ; i.ut it is not known that -Su Charles L'uribury’s lu.ss was heavy. -\ feature of Cannon’s riding—-though mie ear. hardly eail it a striking tarn ore—which commends i'.-Vf vsa.l ic ■■■■.'. invert eQ Jme rip- 01, j«! sir: rrXrll e ■' iI.:C of til' - V/liij-. llUie after time, when coining with that “long run” for which he is famous, he has got up in absolutely the last stride without a single

application of the whalebone ; in fact, it is very rarely that he docs use it, and in this respect he goes even one better than his sire and mentor, the horseman whom we all loved to speak of a decade ago as the “ prince of jockeys.” What an example *• Moray ”i 3 for youthful riders ! The number of races which arc annually lost through picking up the whip is enormous, for however cleverly the operation known as “ pulling it through ’ is peiformed, a jockey’s hold of his horse’s head must to a Certain extent be iclaxed in the process. No greater dissimilarity in style could possibly exist than between the riding of Cannon and that of hi-; nearest rival. “ Tommy ” Loa'.cs. The latter, even when not actually using his whip, is continually flourishing it about., and more than once it lias been almost ludicrous to witness the crack middle-weight, in pos ession of a length’s lead, \abily endeavouring by persistent use of the whalebone to stall oil “ Moray's ” rush, which, time 1 to the moment, is unaccompanied by the abuse of either whip or spur. Bradford—personally, perhaps, most popular of all tho jockeys—is also rather too prone to rely upon what poor Jem Snowden once ea led his ” balancing pole,” though for strength at tho finish of a race he has few superiors, and almost invariably shows to advantage when opposed by anybody other than the great “Morny.” The opinion of a well-informed sp ' its man as to the best animal lie ever saw is always interesting, and it will surprise many people to know that in Sir George Ciot'.vjud’s opinion Kisber occupies that position. Speaking of the son of Buccaneer on the occasion of his IK*iby victory, Sir George says: “I am quite certain ho is the best, horse I have ever seen, and am confident that lie would have beaten O: motile if the latter had been of the same year. Through his trials and on his best form I made him out at least a siorie infer than Po'rareh on the latter’s Two Thou-and running.