"THE SPORT OF KINGS."

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1321, 24 June 1897, Page 42

"THE SPORT OF KINGS."

It would be perhaps paradoxical to assert that in the case of the turf there is a popular prejudice against a popular pastime, but, all things considered, that statement fits fairly. For not only are the opponents of the turf waging deadly war against it, but its votaries, in the colonies more particularly, are anxious that the noble sport should he reformed in some respects, and that it should be relieved of the many undesirable excrescences that disfigure it. Horse-racing is not objected to by the major portion of the community; it is the excess to which it is carried and the incidental evils that are complained of. But ever since the inauguration of the fascinating equine t sport in the form that we have it now, its surrounding associations have not been of the brightest or best ; but when properly controlled its army of patrons and devotees have little to complain of. Despite great hostility on the part of the minority, horse-racing still holds pride of place in the national estimation. The hostility of nowadays is not new, for in ancient Greece when they raced in chariots the pastime was publicly denounced. Whether they betted or whether it was reckoned that it corrupted the morals of the community is not known, but long ere that time even these functions were held, and were regarded as being of a semireligious character. In fact, the earliest instance of horse-racing recorded in literature is a chariot face at some funeral games held in honour of Pactroclus. And the conbests>reldetailed with great vividness. Horse-racing did not obtain a very substantial footing in England until near the end of last century, and this century has witnessed a marvellous change. In fact, during the last 60 years —since the ascension of the Queen to the throne the progress that has been made is simply marvellous. There are racehorses and racecourses in all parts of the kingdom; fine stud 3 dot the land; the breed of the fleet-footed equine has been improved immeasurably ; rich stakes are offered for competition ; the first gentlemen in the land not only control the destinies of the turf, but race horses, and spend many thousands a year in keeping up magnificent establishments; and all this within a comparitively short period. Her Majesty the Queen has never frowned on horse-racing : on the contrary, the success of the Royal colours, carried by the horses of the Prince of Wales, has always given her great pleasure. The Prince owns some splendid horses, and any reverses he may have had at the outset of his career as an owner have been amply compensated for latterly, more particularly when his St. Simon colt, Persimmon, beat Sb. Frusquin in the much-coveted Derby. The Prince's colours are the most popular on" English racecourses, and his success is always received with delight by the public. The name of "Diamond Jubilee," given by the Prince to his juvenile colt, a brother to the gallopiwg" Persimmon, is rather appropriate nomenclature in view of current events. His career as a Derby colt will be watched with interest. It might be interesting to know, writing of the Derby, that three courses have been used for that classic event since the Queen's ascension. Cossack won the last Derby on the old course in 1847. It was what was known as Durand's Corner. The following year (Surplice's) the horses were started in view of the occupants of the grandstand on the town ■ide. Th» next course adopted was in 1872, when Cremorne beat Pell Mell. A most noticeable thing about latter day racing in England, is the success of the Irish horses. ! They originally sent over a jumper or two, and as years rolled on their sturdy animals met with fair success. Nowadays they sweep all before them, both over little sticks, big timber and on the flat, the richest of the handicaps on the latter falling to their share. This has been particularly so this season, as, so far, every handicap of any importance has been won by Irish-bred horses, and, to wind up with, Galtee More annexed the Darby. And there are some fine plums still in store for this rare colt. English trainers were taught years back to respect French horses ; the Americans gave them a surprise in the Blue Ribband another year, but have never proved danger jus in big events since, although wealthy American ,owners have essayed to capture races and have established their horses in England. The late successful invasion of Irish-bred animals has caused Englishmen to reflect that their own are not always the best. But not only has Ireland entered the lists in earnest but the colonies are now having a tilt. The exhibitions made by pony Paris, who twice won the Caulfield Cup, came rather as a surprise. There are quite a number of other animals, bred out here, located at Home/ some of whom have been racing, notably Mr Gollan's jumpers, and some who will want time before they are seen at their best. The big prices realised for .Australian stallions (bred in New Zealand by the way) showed what respect was entertained by English connoisseurs for Musket blood. A horse who is likt-ly to make his mark on the English turf is the Australian-bred Newhaven, who will likely ■want considerable time after arrival in the Old Country, but, on his Melbourne Cup running, he is the best r.icer ever sent away. The exportation of thoroughbreds to England is In itself ample evidence of the progress the horse-breeding industry has made out here. Of course the

horses who laid the foundation of otir valuable studs were imported from the Old Country. A vast amount of money has been spent by sporting colonials in building their studs up, and it is due to the great energy displayed in the old days, and to the experience brought to bear by practical men who made a study of breeding—always a difficult problem —that we have the fine thoroughbreds we possess. New Zealand and Australia are admirably adapted for breeding purposes, and what splendid animals been reared in both places! "Who will ever forget the illustrious Carbine, the colonial Eclipse, who was undoubtedly the first racehorse of our realm, the rest being nowhere ?. The last portion of the sentence is not quite meant in the sense in which it is written, because Abercorn, an undoubted great racer, was not so very far behind Carbine as some people imagine. But he ccmld never have won that Melbourne Cup with did. Only a Carbine could do it. Should the son of Musket's stock or the progeny of any other colonial stallion turn out first-flighters in the Old Country it will prove a great advertisement. We in the colonies have taught Britishers a good deal latterly in the way of race management. Meetings are not nearly so well managed at Home as they are in the colonies, and well English sporting visitors know it. They have adopted our numbered saddle-cloth system, and the starting gate will be the next little innovation that may be gradually adopted. There seems to be a prejudice against it at present, but when the " old-timers " are assured of its being all that is claimed for it, there will likely be a revulsion of feeling. That is a fairly «afe prophecy to make. The recent happenings in the sporting world in England and in Australia in regard to cash betting need scarcely be touched upon. The law on the subject of gambling sadly needs amendment, punishment for one form of betting and not another being farcical to say the least of it. New Zealandors possess an admirable betting system in the totalisator—one that will be much more widely adopted in the near future than is the case at present. Its fairness is a characteristic which commends it to _ ail who give consideration to the gambling question. If we are to have gambling—and that is inevitable—it is best to have it regulated. And when it is regulated, as in the case of the machine, the public are protected.