TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1288, 5 November 1896, Page 25

TURF TOPICS.

[Br SILVERSFUR.]

The result of the Victorian Derby could not be called a surprise. Newhaven had got beaten at Caulfield in the Guineas b*y The Officer, and it was confidently anticipated that he would go under to the same colt on Saturday. However, such did not happen, the chestnut demonstrating his superiority by any number of lengths at the finish, while his conqueror at Caulfield Heath finished out of place. Such is the great horse sport ! That Newhaven is a dandy must be now admitted, but how he came to lose the Guineas is a mystery. The Officer is certainly a first-class colt, but Newhaven must be a great deal better, if the Derby running is any criterion. It is said, and perhaps with a great deal of truth, that bad riding lost Newhaven the race at Caulfield. The jockey was not altogether caught napping, but The Officer came with such a rush at the most critical moment that opposition was of little avail. In the V.R.C. Derby the favourite gave nothing a show, making his own running, and allowing no horse to get near him. He may not have had much left in him at the finish, but he ran the mile and a-half without assistance in 2min 39sec, which is great time. On two previous occasions only has it been done in that time, Carnage and Trident being the fast pair. Both were good horses, and made a name for themselves. Last year the time was 2 min 46sec, but it was a slow go, and Osculator nearly beat Wallace. The animal that should have won was Auraria, who got home in the Melbourne Cup the same meeting. Newhaven is the first of Oceana’s stock to prove himself a champion. Froude was only a selling plater, and not a good one at that. The Newminster-Oceana nick appears to be rather handsome.

These lines are, of course, written before the Melbourne Cup is run, but it matters little. Newhaven is undoubtedly a great horse, and may yet rank with Carbine and Abercorn—a peerless pair. Strange as it may seem, the best horses always get downed sometime. Malua, Abercoin, Carbine and Co., undoubted champions, were all beatfen, although they shouldn’t have been. And think of Marvel! He was a greater horse than Carbine on one particular day, but that doesn’t matter now. Also, the “ unbeaten Grand Flaneur ” held great sway, and still holds sway in so far as sires go, but people do not know that he could have been beaten. And by a New Zealand horse, too. The hairy-legged Mata, from Duredin, could have downed Grand Flaneur ; it avus common talk amongst Maorilanders at the time. The majority of the public do not, perhaps, remember the little episode of sixteen years ago, but there were a number of New Zealanders who have occasion to remember it. Mata didn’t win the Melbourne Cup, but he got home in the V.R.C. Handicap, of one mile and three-quarters, later, and didn’t get the money. There were a number of disqualifications, but that is past and gone. It is a painful subject to allude to, but the writer was inducod to mention the subject by the fact that he saw a relation of Mata’s the other day, backed him, and went down. The Mata and Sinking Fund circumstance in the Dunedin Cup will never be forgotten by those who saw them run a dead heat.

The chatty writer of the Sydney Referee hears of several good winners in Sydney over Cremorne. A sporting solicitor was the principal one. He got one thousand at a very long price before the weights came out, and picked up something like four thousand altogether. This had nothing to do with stable inspiration, and as Cremorne “came back to form” the money was duly landed. A sporting boniface in George street netted a useful stake, and another sporting solicitor, who is well known throughout the length and breadth of the Australian colonies, threw in for a few hundreds. Several small sums were won, as a result of inspired wagering from a certain quarter. Two of the winners referred to are members of Parliament, so that they may think kindly of the bookmakers in the future when the Legislature is asked to legalise the totalisator. Sydney backers would have been prepared to stand Cremorne a little had he run better in the Toorak Handicap, and just why he didn’t may be capable of further explanation than I have yet seen in print. His trainer was evidently as much in the dark as anyone else, and had

not the stable money been on prior to the first day’s racing the chances are Mr Mitchell would not have won much over the race. There axe rumours of Cremorne being destined for England, but, despite his creditable Cup win, he might be as well left on his native heath, while some younger representative of Tabletop travels in search of fame over the seas.

An English trainer, Mr Tom Brown, is dead. He trained for Mr W. Long when that gentleman raced in England some yeai's ago, and it is a coincidence that Mr Long’s Australian trainer is of the same name. In noticing Mr Brown’3 death the Sportsman says:—“There were few smarter looking men in his time, and as a trainer he had some very notable and sensational successes. He trained Plebeian when that horse won the Middle Park Plate in 1874 ; Tonans, when he fought out the Cambridgeshire 7,0 closely with Bendigo that his namo was sent off in most of the telegrams as the winner, and the same horse was also under his charge when he won the Lincolnshire Handicap in ISS4. Primrose 11., the winner of the Manchester Cup in ISB3, was another that Tom Brown brought to the post, and he was part owner of the same, with the breeder (Captain E. Haworth) during the horse’s racing career. Discord also won sorao nice races from the same stable, as did also Marden, a great favourite of the deceased, and retained by him as a stallion for many years. For a great many years Tom Brown was established at Graham Place, so well known for a long time as the chief training residence at the top of the town, and at different times he trained for the Duke of Hamilton, Lord Howe, Mr Graham (of Regalia fame), Mr Christopher, Mr E. Bird, Captain Haworth, Mr G. Smith, Mr J. V, . Smith, Mr Ormerod, Mr Johnstone, Mr Charles and others. His lot of horses often numbered over fifty, but in late years he has not been very fortunate.

Up North the other day there was a small row about a liorso losing an event on the first day aud getting home easily on the second. It is a rather common practice, but one, apparently, that cannot be helped. Winning on the second day appears to be a very ordinary fault. Horses on the travel cannot always be expected to be as fit as horses on the spot. If the latter are behind in tlieir preparation, the visitors ought to scoop the pool. Somehow or other, though, they only manage to do it on the second day. The question would take some investigation. The only man the writer ever knew to solve the matter is now dead. His demise was the result of a severe strain, caused through vainly endeavouring to hold himself out by the chest w itli one hand.

The Maribyrnoug Plato gave a win to the owner of Coil, Keera, by Neckersgat—llortense, romping in before Fleet Admiral, The Hypnotist and others. It is a great flutter is the Maribyrnong—tli b greatest two-year-old race of the season, but it doesn’t follow that because a youngster is swift he will maintain his reputation. Look at Dreamland! His luck since liis win has been of the worse possible character. Keera is a brother to Destiny and other animals, and, apparently, can race. Last year Newhaven beat Coil and Kobold in lmin 2lsec, or two seconds more than the race was run in on Saturday. The year previous Arihi got home from Blue Cap, Wallace boing third, and the time was fairly fast, too. 'The dam of Saturday’s winner won the same event in 1886, Hualingtower and Bedouin being in the places. Mr C. L. McDonald, who now trains for Mr W. R. Wilson, of St. Albans, raced Hortense, and used to think a lot of her. 110 thought she would win a Melbourne Cup, but she could not stay. However, Hortense was a fine mare, and, when racing, took a lot of beating.

The ’Frisco jockey, Chevalier, has made a complete confession at last. It has been the opinion of nearly every turfgoer in the State that Chevalier had been guilty of pulling many a horse, but despite the “ Little Pete ” scandal, the youngster persistently claimed that while he knew of many jobs he was not a participant in any fraud. A. well-known turfman arranged a meeting with Tom Williams and several other California Jockey Club oincials recently. Chevalier then told of eight different horses that he had pulled for a bookmaker. The latter never issued instructions except through another man, so it would be a diliieult matter to convict the bookmaker. Chevalier also related that one day a certain horse he was riding got off in front and, although his instructions were to pull, he was not able to do so without making a plain job of it. Ho was unmercifully beaten that night. He says that was his usual punishment when he failed to follow instructions.

Following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s Consultation on the Caulfield Cup, of 100,000 subscribei-s, at 5s each. The consultation was fully subscribed for: —First, Cremorne, H. Stevens, Railway Hotel, Armidale (N.S.W.), <£6750; second, Straightfire, P. Keating, care J. Lemon, Tabham, Richmond River (N.S. W.), <£2250; third, Le Var, Mr Irvine, Rose, Thistle and Shamrock, Harrietviile, Vic- ( toria, <£1125.

Baron Schickler, at the sale of English blood mares at Deauville (France), paid 1000 guineas for Infanta Pax, who is in foal to Hampton. The 12 mares submitted to public competition brought 4052 guineas, being an average of 337 guineas. Count de Ganay gave 800 guineas for the Royal Hamilton mare, Jane Grey, and M. Aurnont, 700 guineas for Nellie Cope, by Hagioscope. Mr Daniel Cooper’s Blow, by Bray (out of Mens Meg), will return to England again, Mr Wilfred Wilson having purchased her for 400 guineas, with the intention of putting her to the Australian stallion, Tren-

ton, next year. The Sportsman adds : “ Blow, who is to be mar,ed with Trenton, ought to breed a cup horse of the best sort.”

The Duke of Westminster, having his eye on the great race at Doncaster, scratched Regret for the Great Yorkshire Stakes, and declared to win with Labrador. Thanks to Mornington Cannon, the son of Sheen and Ornament easily disposed of his field, adding another prize to the Duke’s long list of victories. In the past the Great Yorkshire Stakes has furnished as many surprises as any other long distance race in “ .Ruff’s Guide.” This year the winner, Labrador, and Nouveau Riche each started at 11 to 10 against.

Mr Joseph Osborne is now 88 years of age. Sixty-tnree years ago (1833) he was a member of the Irish Turf Club, and in the palmy days of the Curragh was one of the leading owners. Maria, by Sir Hercules, with whom he beat Hathaway, was his favourite racer. With Abd-el-Kader, Mr Osborne twice won the Grand National Sceeplechase in the early fifties.

Writes “ The Aristocratic Tout ” from Christchurch :

“Thursday being a galloping morning there was a lot of fast work done. Cutts started by sending Montacute and Dalliance a mile and a quarter fast, both finishing together. Rustic did one round at half pace. Goldleaf trotted and cantered once round, brushing home. St. Ouidaand Bisley cantered to the six-furlong post and came home at top in Imin 191 sec. Tallyho did two rounds at half pace. War-dance and Taipari jumped away from the mile and a quarter post, the former finishing in front, time 2min 2-11 sec. Blandyke cantered once round. Lady Zetland did six furlongs on the plough at a strong threequarter pace. Marquis galloped once round strongly. Gillie galloped twice round at a nice half-pace. Day Star and Quiltiri started at the mile and a quarter post, being picked up by Mahaki six furlongs from home, Quiltiri finishing in front. Aldershot did not put in an appearance. St. Laura galloped once round, the last three furlongs at top. Belle Clair and Black and Red arrived on Wednesday night and are looking remarkably well. The remainder of the charges diu half-pace work. “ Saturday being a splendid morning, there was a lot of fast work executed. Cutts, as usual, opened tlio ball by sending Montacute a fast mile. Goldleaf and Sea Shell trotted to the five furlongs and came home at top, registering lmin 81 sec. Tallyho was sent a mile aud a quarter, being ridden out at the fiuisli. Oeeauus and Blandyke cantered to the half mile, brushing home. Bisley ran six furlongs in lmin 20isec. Quiltiri galloped a mile and a half, Lotion picking him up at the mile and a quarter, tie did not, however, seem to be able to get up to Quiltiri. Gillie did two rounds at a good half pace. Rustic went on the plough. Fabulist and Woodstock trotted once round, and then ran a fast mile and a quarter —time, 2min Issec. The Lumper dicl two rounds at half pace. Maybud cantered ouee round on the plough. Starshot and Tutanekai galloped two rounds strongly. Jewel had the better of Pactolus in six furlongs, run in lmin 19sec. St. Laura did one round steady. Eangiatea brushed over half a mile; so did Billigerent and Salvo. Social Pest did one round at three-quarter pace. Undesirable Bill did twice round at a strong pace. Marino and Diploma brushed over six furlongs. Venom and Piie King ran half a mile in 52lsec. Euroclvdon and Lord Rosslyn did two rounds at half pace. Tlio rest were restricted to walking exercise. “ Friday being an off morning there was very little work of importance done. Fabulist compassed two rounds, finishing the last three furlongs fast. Euroclvdon brushed over six furlongs. Jewel, oil tho grass, cantered to the five-furlong post and came home in lmin 5, sec. Lady Zetland and .Chaos cantered to the mile aud a half and wore then jumped off, Lord Zetland picking the mare up, and finishing in front. Taipari galloped a mile and a half on the grass, Belligerent picking him up at the mile post. Pactolus and Maybud brushed over half a mile in 53sec. Wedlock and Barnardo galloped six furlongs, the latter finishing in front. Tutanekai and Starshot ran six furlongs together. Rangiatea brushed home the last six furlongs on the plough. Alcestis did a like task. Fabulist, Black and Red and Day Star, on tho grass, galloped a mile and a half, Arrnilia picking them up at the five furlong po3t. Fabulist had slightly the best of it the whole distance, which was run in 2min 44^sec. Mahaki covered three circuits at a strong pace on the plough. Bizarre and Marquis of Zetland galloped five furlongs in lmin Osec. The Medallion —Adulation filly brushed over the last part of once round on theitan. ’The Stoat, Lady’s Chain and St. John galloped half a mile fast. Undesirable Bill galloped a mile and a quarter at top. Acone and Skirmisher galloped six furlongs in lmin 22sec. Salvo and Venom went a similar distance on the plough, the former having a little the best of it. Social Pest covered once round at three-quarter pace. Saracen, Euroclydon, Aldershot and The Shrew were restricted to walking exercise. St. Laura galloped six furlongs fast.”

Yesterday I received a circular of interest, addressed originally to the sporting editor of the Otago Witness, dealing with the matter of the N e r .v Zealand Jockey Club. It is signed “ Old Correspondent/’ He says : —“ Some years ago 1 addressed you on the New Zealand Jockey Clue question, and, although you did not agree with all my suggestions, you were good enough to give them a certain amount of support. You will conclude from what follows t hat my opinions have not altered —in fact, the more experience I get and the more I see of the present management of racing in New Zealand, the more convinced I am that to retain the totalisator and conduct

racing as it should bo conducted an absolutely autocratic body should have the sole control of the sport. The Wanganui Jockey Club lias given notice that ‘ the time has now arrived when a New Zealand jockey club should be formed,’ and in forwarding you my suggestions for the formation of the club, you will gather that I have gone a great deal further

than I did previously and very much further than any suggestion made by the conference delegates. In the first place, I think that the government by the metropolitan clubs has broken down in more ways than one. The rules of racing are constantly being broken by the governing clubs themselves. There is no appeal from the decisions of the metropolitan clubs, and if we are to believe what we read in I the sporting papers, during the last few I years several decisions have been given that i would have been reversed by a competent i court of appeal, and unoffending persons | have had stigmas placed upon them that I they did not deserve, while guilty parties j have got off free. It is manifest that, ' both in the interests of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty, the court for fiual hearing should be free from local influence or bias, and should be a court of upright and honourable men who have the ability and knowledge of the sport to specially fit them for the position. I do not for one moment suggest that the present metropolitan committees are anything but hononrable men, but I think it stands to reason that, in small communities like ours, men of the necessary knowledge to govern racing must be few and far between, and local jealousies often prevent their services being availed of. In the scheme I propose tho selection would be with competent men, and only the best of them would have a chance of election. What is the position of the trainers’ and jockeys’ provident fund under the present system ? It was certainly decided at the last conference tiikt these funds were to be kept separately, but what has and what will become of tho funds prior to this resolution? I estimate that the metropolitan clubs must hold between £1501) and <£2ooo belonging to the fund. Under the present arrangements they will accumulate at the rate of £BOO or £7OO per annum, and while it is so arranged no practicable scheme of disbursing thorn can be propounded. The reason is that no two clubs are likely to agree to a scheme of general disbursement; indeed, I do not think it would be possible. With trainers and jockeys, more particularly the latter, their residence is transitory, and if they leave one district for another they would naturally lose their claim on the funds of the former district; and with tho latter, in the case of a disabling accident, their residence may not have entitled them to a severe strain on that particular fund. Tho trainer and. jockey, as a rule, is not of a saving disposition, and more often than not lie dies in penury. I maintain that the funds now in hand and accumulating should be looked upon as an insurance, and with proper regulations could bo easily made workable ; but in its present state it is simply an accumulation with no object. Why make the license fees if there is no benefit to those who supply the funds ? A New Zealand jockey club could work a schema ; the metropolitan clubs never will or can. In suggesting a scheme for the formation of a New Zealand jockey club you will note that I have limited the number of stewards. They are practically life members, aud have the sole right of filling vacancies. This may be considered a retrograde movement to the advanced thinkers of the ago, but the management of the turf is different from other social and political questions : it: can only be governed and protected by tho best class of men who are known to be impartial and respected. I look upon the English Jockey Club as one of the best managed institutions in the world. And why ? Because only men with knowledge of the sport and unblemished reputations are allowed into its precincts. They do their work without pay. Their decisions are law and above suspicion. The innocent with them are sure of justice; the guilty are sure of punishment. It is the ambition of every honourable racing man in England to bo admitted to their circle. Why should it not be so in New Zealand ? Tho gentlemen I suggest should be the first stewards of the jockey club, and so far as I know they are men who have proved their ability in the past to govern tho turf in the Colony. There could be no reasonable doubt that in their hands justice would bo dealt out impartially, while the value of their deliberations iu the government of the turf would be tho salvation of it. With this tribunal vexed questions of ownership of colours, nomenclature, &c., could be settled once and for all. It is only necessary to glance at the index of the New Zealand Turf Register to seu what a state of chaos has eventuated by the duplication of horses’ names, while iu several cases two owners have registered the same colours with different metropolitan clubs. ’The objection to the formation of a New Zealand jockey club in tho past has been from one end of the Colony, and the objectors have not yet enlightened us of their reasons for objecting. To my knowledge, although resolutions have been carried objecting, there are a good many prominent supporters of the turf in the colony who are favourable to it. I ash, Why should the future of the turf in New Zealand be jeopardised because one small section objects without valid reason ? The scheme I iiropose would certainly necessitate a central office and a local executive, but the meetings would be held at the most convenient times and centres. Under the present muddled system there are three or four Official Calendars. W'.y should there not be one calendar published by the jockey club? 1 do not'*’think it would affect the newspapers in the least if a calendar was published without their assistance. The best sporting mediums would get the same amount of revenue from advertisements so long as they kent

tip their circulation and sporting information, because the calendar would be published only monthly. Another question that crops up under this system is the cost of the present conference. The ten metropolitan clubs supply the funds for carrying it on, while the balance (about 100 clubs) do not contribute a cent. It does not make much difference to the metropolitan clubs in the larger centres, but w T hat about struggling clubs like Marlborough and Nelson having to pay, while comparatively wealthy ones like Napier Park, Takapuna, Manawatu, Egmont, &c., get off free? A call on each club of about a quarter per cent, of the stakes given away, with a minimum fee of <£l Is, would be ample for carrying on such an institution.’'’

On Persimmon J. Watts won his fifth St. Loger, his previous victories having been achieved on Ossian in 18S3, The Lambkin in 188-1, Memoir in 1896 and La Fleche in 1893.

Mr George Bowen, “Nunquam Dormio,” tells in West Australian Ball’s Life how he could have become possessed of the great Malua for =£6. Myself and pard, he says, ; had a nice little wager of <£loo to <£3, j taken some months before, about Narina j for the Maribyrnong Plate; whilst Harry J Tibballs had brought over from Tasmania | a three-year-old (Bagot) and a four-year- i old (Sfockwell), two full brothers, by St. Albans from Edella. Bagot did not do very well after arriving at Plemington, but one morning I caught him traversing three-quarters of a mile on the sand track in lmin 19sec, after putting in fully three miles on the tan at a good half pace. This convinced me that he was a real bobbyda zzler when well, and on speaking to . Tibballs thereanent that astute trainer informed me Bagot was much the better cole of the two, although Stockwell was a real good one, and said that he would be put up for sale after the Melbourne Cup, when anyone wishing to purchase a first-class racehorse could get him for <£soo. Stock- i well ran second to The Assyrian for the Melbourne Cup; Bagot won the Yan Yean J Stakes, and was sold the Monday after the j Cup for ,£SOO. The week prior to the j Caulfield Cup I was paying a visit to the ! V.R.3. ranger, and just as I was passing j the lower scraping sheds, never dreaming i of a “ go,” all at once The Assyrian, First Water and Prometheus dashed out and went round a mile and a half, the former winning easily in 2min 42-isec. It was a tremendous gallop, and you should have seen the countenances of the touts who were lunching up at the Racecourse Hotel when they became aware of the fact that a trial had been brought off under their very noses without their being aware of the fact. [Saving myself and Mr Saville, not another soul caught the time, and we twain had not time to compare notes till the following morning, when Mr Saville came up to me smiling. “ Did you catch the time ?” he queried. <r I made it 2min 421 sec,” Irejoined. “I was a quarter of a second faster than that,” said Mr Saville. “ A rare good go, was it not ?” “ Good go !” I e jaculated—“ why, good is no name for it. lie is bound to shake the Caulfield Cup.” “ Never you mind the Caulfield Cup,” said Mr Saville to me impressively ; “ you have your own little bit about him for the Melbourne Cup.” But I didn’t. No, not even after that, and after Narina winning us our <£loo to <£3 in the Maribyrnong Plate. You see, The Assyrian started first favourite for the Caulfield Cup, and finished nowhere, with Mick O’Brien in the saddle. Then The Assyrian could only get fourth in the Melbourne Stakes; and although Navigator looked a real good thing for the Derby (which he won), I quite forsook The Assyrian on the wet day for the Melbourne Cup, and refused repeated requests to a.ecex)t <£soo to £5 about “ Navigator and anything else” for the Derby and Cup. Six pounds laid out at those odds would J have enabled me to purchase Bagot right enough. And that’s how I came to miss possessing the mighty Malua for half a dozen pounds. I had fully made up my mind to have a cut-in for him after the information Harry Tibballs had vouchsafed me, backed up as it was by Bagot’s running and Stockwell’s second in the Melbourne Cup; but somehow or other I lost sight of The Assyrian altogether after the Caulfield Cup; and you can imagine my feelings when Mr Saville grabbed mo by the arm as he was leading the massive son of The Englishman and Tinfinder back from scale, in the pouring rain, and whispered, j " You were m this lot, old fellow ?” I ! should have been, but 1 wasn’t, all the j same; though I never let on to Mr Saville j how I missed it. ; On November 9th both the Carterton and Otaki meetings take place, and sport at both promises to bo excellent. It is a pity the two meetings clash, but as the day is a general holiday the sporting public will roll up in force at both fixtures. Newhaven’s Melbourne Cup will long bo remembered. An easier win could not be imagined. All doubts about him being a stayer were set at rest by him going to the front and making his own running. There was no chance to block him. rle is the first three-year-old to carry such a heavy weight as 7st 131 b to victory, and the way he finished suggests that he is another Carbine, if not a better. He was a cheap 412000 worth, and W. T. Jones knew -vhat he was about when he bought the chestnut. Bloodshot, who ran second, is a ’natter horse than Air Stead thought he was. He can stay all right, and may yet prove himself a champion on the other .do. How could he have won the NV*•> h -ilafid Cup this year had ho not boon:. M ; A; Harvey ? The Skinpc-r ran bewsr • : .••n expected under Bst 10lb —at least ‘ it- r than I expected. Resolute, who fourth, must be a long way" behind .'h-svhavou, from whom he was ::i receipt of A: Hen pounds. And it could not. havo been Newhaven’s true form when he was

beaten by Coil at Randwick last year, or by The Officer in the Guineas. Devon shaped badly in the Cup, but he is a very unlucky horse, and was probably not at his best. Disfigured did not race up to my belief; the weight probably caused her trouble. After her running in Melb. Stakes, however, I certainly thought she would get a place. Newhaven is indeed a champion and the ring will certainly not forget his record performance. They have got so badly struck lately that a few in Melbourne and Sydney will likely be obliged to give the game best, for a time, at all events.

The owner of St. Paul assesses the price of that animal at <£2ooo. He would have had a great chance in the New Zealand Cup, according to competent authorities.

Some remarks of Sir John Lackey on the Australian turf are worth thinking over. Sir John says, in effect, that horseracing in New South Wales has become a trade instead of a sport, in which a horde of bookmakers and hangers-on, who do not care for racing as racing, pull the strings that make the puppets work, and the public pay every time and ail the time. There can be no doubt that the feeling is growing in favour of the totalisator.

John Holmes, a veteran American driver, recently took in a race at Green Bay, Wisconsin. On the last turn the other drivers noticed that a peculiar change came over his face, and, though he retained his seat in the sulky, and the horse he was driving came home third, it "was found that the driver was quite dead, having died from heart disease at the moment the change was noticed. His lifeless body fell from the sulky seat as soon as his horse commenced to slow up.