TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, 8 February 1900, Page 43

TURF TOPICS.

The acceptance list for the C.J.C. Midsummer Handicap at Christchurch discloses the fact that Boreas declined his engagement-. This is not to be wondered at, seeing that he . was asked to carry as much as lOst- 21b. It. was rather a stiff task to set the son of Sou’-wester, who was conceding Djin Djin a great deal of weight. Cutts’s horse certainly looked to have the best of it on paper. Fulmen only recently changed hands, and his late form was not very re-assur-ing ; neither was that of Pitch and Toss, : whose defection does not come as a surprise. ■ The others who.have been eliminated are Seabrook, Herinosa, Sequin and Red Banner. . *’ - * - .. ’ .* . There are now eleven left in the race, : Malatua being at. the head of affairs with Bst 131 b, and on past, performances his chance does not appear to be of the rosiest. I fail to see how he can give away anything to either Jupiter or Djin [ Djin. The last-named has an undeniable chance. Dundas may show to advantage, but I would rather stand by Skobeloff, who will have to be reckoned with if he starts. * * -; * * .#:• , Thirty-seven horses have been entered ; for the Great Easter Handicaps to be ! run at the Autumn Meeting of the I C.J.C., and twenty-five for the Great ! Autumn Handicap. Prosser’s stable has contributed liberally, Boreas, Tortulla, Advance and Ostiak being entered, but the last-named is in only the seven- ' furlong event. The name of Daunt is ; conspicuous in boTIi races, and the ' speedy Jabber, his stable mate, is- in the Easter. Other Hawke’s Bay horses en- : tered a,re Tire, who went wrong on. the eve of Bluejacket’s Auckland .Cup,.Dingo ' and Antaia. *.#*• * » ■ ( ... Tho erst-New Zealander Gold Medal- i list has been awarded plenty of weight in the Lincolnshire Handicap in Bst 121 b, or one pound more than Oban, who was i made such a hot pot for the last Cam-: j bridgeshire and failed. In the City < and Suburban Handicap - Multiform is . placed on . the same, mark as the Austra- i lian-bred Maluma, being asked to carry ‘ Bst 111 b or a pound more than the Mel- t bourne Cup winner The Grafter. The _ latter lias not yet struck ' form, but when he does people down under will s know about it. ■ , - i

One surprise connected with the re-cently-declared handicaps at Home, however, is the opinion the weight adjuster holds of Battalion, who has been allotted only 7st 101 b in the Great Metropolitan Handicap. The son of Battalion, who originally hailed from Queensland; carried heavy weights to victorym Australia, and if he could only be got right he would find 7st lOst a picnic weight;* •• —- v - - *** * w V ■ A number of horses shaped very well at the -Pahiatua meeting. Waipuki ap r propriated the Pahiatua Cup under 7st 131 b, and also secured the Grandstand Handicap on tlie day following. She was well fancied on each occasion. Coolgarche was in a place-in both events. . Another horse who scored a double was To laiaha, who won two short - distance events, carrying Bst 31b and Bst 81b respectively, This horse is by Torpedo, and pretty slippery. The party, bexund ; Jewel Gun were pretty confident " 011 U 10 first day, and.:the gelding, who is a four-year-old by Needlegun out of ' Chatelaine, got home in both'the New-' market and Stewards- Stakes. He is r? Ce r Ra y ner - Another gun in. Cunfeldt was responsible for the iVlaiden i late, ands is by Quilt out of Waitiri. Chance annexed both hurdle races. He promises to turn out a promising lepper, Hotu, who was taken up for the meeting, could not do better than third on either occasion. * * Aide-de-Camp, who has been picking, up a few monetary crumbs lately, added another race to his list at Pahiatua, w here lie put down the double-event, winner, naipuki. He has never been so well before, and will be heard from The best dividend of the meeting, £lB odd, was returned by Bailance who unexpectedly flopped- up in the Members’ Race. The Welter fell to Roney , who is by Piscatorious, who was also unfancied, paying £9 12s. * * • wbo bas been racing latefv is by Cuirassier. His original name \ras J omniy Atkins. ■ ■ * * * a - ... flie Australian racehorse Port Admiral by Richmond—Footstep, is being advertised in England at 3000 guineas. W * * * * Antai es, by Castor, wlio has been doing stud duty at Warwick Farm (Q.), has betn sold by the Hon Mossmaii to Mr J. Allman for 500 guineas ***** The Dannevirke meeting is fixed for »Wednesday next, the 14th inst. Jewel Cun and Chance have been raised in weight, in consequence of their recent victories. There are only eight in the big handicap at time of writing but this number is likely to be reduced. Moreze well probably win if started. * * # * ‘ ' Fulmen is now in Hankin’s stable at Dunedin his owner having decided on a change of establishment. The Dunedin Jockey Club has "decided to write to all the country clubs under its jurisdiction notifying ..-that all fines imposed on the jockeys- must in future be sent to the Metropolitan Club. * * * * * . Idalium who died in America recently, was one of the team of four that Messrs Proudfoot and Pritchard sent over to Melbourne for the Cup Meeting of 1881. Sir Modred, Somnus and Hilarious were the others. The story went that the owners referred to paid £IOOO a. head all round. Somnus started first favourite for the Derby, won by Darebin. Idalium could not be started in Australia. He went lame in the lumbar muscles on top of the rump. Mr H. Prince weut over as manager of the team, and Mr H. Goodman- was trainer. Philanthropist, the Napier-ojrned facer, is again in work at Napier Park *-w** 4' " ■ D. Mtinn, trainer of Will-o’-the-wisp, has offered liis services as a member of the third contingent. La Gloria met with a mishap prior to tho Takapuna meeting, and will not be seen on . a racecourse for a considerable time. *** * . * At a recent sale of trotters in New York Tommy Britton (record 2min Bsec), standard trotter, having to his credit the fastest three heats ever trotted l by a stallion in one race in America; was sold by Fasig and Tipton for the huge sum of 20,000 dol. Mr E. A. Lord, a millionaire lumberman, of Chicago, being the purchaser. * * * * » Little Kaiser Myers has struck winning form again. He was on two winners at the Takapuna meeting—Doctor and Trooper. * 1r -> * J. Page is now in charge of the thoroughbred- stock at Mangatarata, Hawke’s Bay. r * o' * * Mr IT. Franks, of Aackland, has purchased a two-year-old by Captain Webb from Princess Helen. , * * * » Pony racing in Melbourne has got to a pretty low ebb.. Stakes have dropped gradually from £2O usual, and £3O occasional, to £lo—when you got it. Jockeys’ fees also have suffered, and the usual fee for a losing mount now is a “frankfort and roll,” or perhaps nothing at all. . ... * * * V * -Dayntree is reported to be quite sound again. His recent indisposition Wfls due to having struck himself.

' —— • : —— . Some time ago is was reported that - Merloo.las. had! won the Viceroy’s Cupi run at Calcutta, on Boxing day, but a private telegram from Perth states that authentic news lias been received there from Calcutta, stating that the event resulted in a victory for Cherry with Up Guards second and Vidette third. The winner started at 14 to 1, Merloolaf, who was an even money favourite failing to get a place. The time was 3mm Bsec. ; . antes has improved a great deal since her spell, but she still makes a noise when galloping. • * * * * • E Cutts informed a southern writer that if Cannie Ghiel had not got caught in the barrier at the start for the Wellesley Stakes at the Hutt he thinks the colt wdhld have won the event. *,* • * i" SeUborse has been, backed for some *-A Australian Cue* and is now quoted dt;' 9 to 1. - . . * v ' * * ■ Record Reign is reported to be thoroughly sound, but- is onlj- being treated to easy exercise just now. - ’Hie statement that Chaafe was "oing* to try and get a race out of St. Paul m the Autumn is said to be without four--dation. . * * * * The Atickland correspondent of the Canterbury Times” says that the famous Hobson Handicap case has cropped up again. It will be remembered that in connection with the race in question a contretemps took place at the start only two horses completing the course. The starter (Mr E. D. Halstead) declared that it was a start but at a meeting of the stewards the race ivas ordered to be run over again which was accordingly done. Mr J. Booth, the owner of Blue6ap the horse that came in first in the; first race, declined to again start his horse, and appealed to the committee, of the metropolitan body, with the resiilt that the appeal was upheld. The Takapuna stewards declined hmyever, to accept the finding of the Auckland Racing Club and appealed to the chairman of the Racing Conference who set' up a court to confi der w^ e matter - ; The court held that the Takapuna Jockey dub was within its power in ordering the race to be run over again and that, of course, left the Takapuna Jockey dub stewards victors Mr Percival, secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, acting at the instance of the committee, sent a statement of his case to Messrs Weatherby whlcb was summarised thus : ' T Can the stewards upset the starter’s cteciaration and order a race to be run ™ or in other words, is not a decision, as to a start or no UWA fil k a ‘ lA replying, Messrs 'V eatherby wrote: ‘We say, with the 1 stewards of the Jockey Cnib, that there can be no doubt, if the e wi ared x tlie s , tart g oo d, it must stand. The stewards could not break tneir own rules without an imputation [ Qiiot^ aI Ff raCtlCe '”V ;The En g }ish opinion quoted of course dobs not affect the New ' A;? nd i, ff i nding , ; , but h is made quite Rlain what would have happened had a arl Yf T ee , n pi YT nted to the stewaras of the Jockey Club. 1.: - . * # ' s&vty recovering from 1 A i ttack ° f P al 'alysis, but is still very , shaky oil it-. J ' hilt Sf rae V r jt e r says that the feed bUI must be m a bad way when twenty ' VrXh 0 ™ 5 started , for a £25 race J , Mairbrynong recently. • -wiH wirf tba t Seahorse will remain, m Australia as more than is aU< ««d to fee of. Westminster last month sold, his three-year-old Frontier, by Orme from Quetta, to the French Government, presumably for stud purposes, lne price, which did not transpire, must ■ nave been a big one, as Frontier’s breeding is exceptionally attractive. Hi® sire, Orme, stands at the head of the list of winning sires for the past season, his total being £46,703, towards which Frontier contributed £1275 * * * * • Although the Hnte Mr Naylor, the owner of StockweH, had a reputation ror , : nearness hisV. employees did not give him that character. Thomas , Chaloner received £3OOO for xvinning the Derby on Macaroni, Godding, his trainer, and others interested in the horse being liberally rewarded. * * • * * Commenting upon the figure system of breeding, a leading American authoriS T S U P T the theory as follows: , r Bruce Lowe is not the only man who has sought to ignore the laws of nature and to set up new ones to please himself. All those little crotchety attempts to create mysteries, and then to explain them without any regard to the universal and immutable laws which govern the transmission of qualities—physical and psychical—from the parent to tho offspring, never in the past, and never m the future, will amount to anything more valuable than ‘milking a he goat m a sieve.’ ” & .** * « Hero, who won tho mile trot at the Gore mjeetmg, was disqualified, the stewards deeming him to be a non-trier div h of £l9 thG S y * n H ? WaS pa y in g a C * lV 1 The horse’s owner is appealing t& the N.Zi. Trotting Association against the decision.

Tolstoi, who won at Takapuna, is in vcory. good nick just now; ho is a castoff of Mr Stead’s. * • • - • •. Sundial is now being trained at Hawera by P. Coffee. , 4 4 ♦*' /’#'•’ ♦. At the last meeting of the committee of •'the Dunedin J.C. a letter was received from, the OrCpuki Club stating that a protest had been lodged against the winner of one of the events on the ground that the rider did not hold a jockey’s license. The rider in question being the owner of, the horse, and an amateur, lodged the foe for a license with the secretary under protest, as he maintained that an owner could ride his own horse. - The .club asked for advice oa the question. It was resolved to reply that • as it appeared from the correspondence that the rider" in question was '.entitled to a gentleman rider s oortificato, but did not hol<s the . aaino at the time'. of- ; riding,. a.sabstantial une: would meet > the .case, apd that; .the abates should be pwaxded .to tbejorigjival winner. • ; rr-J ", ■ •- '*• • The well-informed ~ wriferj “Sir Herotiles/’ in his comments, says:—-Ail told, retiring horseflesh goes into winter faager with a very bad reputation. Soft, non-staying, unsound ir. wind or limb, and savage in temper, is a description that truly sums up the characters of the majority,"of such ruinous strength in all ages are they that we may well prepare for the worst when they conic forth in spring. Jockeydom is in quite as parlous a condition as horseflesh. They have been ridden down,' horse, foot and dragoons; the four Americans, palpably weak saddle-seated as they are, have throughout played havoc .with our native guard, whose- worst is yet t come, as the Yankee' riding reserves are being called up and moblised for the new years campaign. Let us hope that winter will be availed of by our native riding forces to ask themselves, how is it that in dawdle as last year, or- race as this, and as in wind and no wind, we tire so readily cut up .by tfchese crouching j invaders. ( , British trainers; & orrace. riding' have an equally rieep mtcrest i'n the s.Otutior. of . the 5 riding question.'' I kno.y » Dusty they call-him/who says' that men' who eend out; feather Apprentices -re race loaded-with whips to be used at' discretion in the iace,4nust have a contempt 6r worse!-fr the first elements of jockeyship. There is no getting away from -the abundance of whip to be scon in Apprentice Plates all over the country equally is the evil with poor jockey .ship: The four American riders have leaped in one short campaign here sixth a golden crop as all Ireland’s jockeys would not gather in Ireland in three seasons, and yet somehow Irish jockeys are not tempted over to the free, open, golden battlefield, so near, and ready and open for a raid. «■***«- ; Continuing, the same writer says: • Dp to the Houghton Meeting one m gbt naturally and reasonably have charged Irish owners with prefering the reputed potential English saddle torcc.-, for some stable reasons, but since Irish Ivy’s Houghton racing here. m*-n un-ie are who say that modesty and humility on the part of Irish jockeydom, and mt any willingness on the oavt of Irnh owners to keep them up, keep them down in the sense that they are down; that ie, on foot, when others in the saddle reap the golden riding crop. We Cannot but charge breeders with the undoubted degeneracy of the racehorse, so woefully patent on the racecourse. With public and private breeders fashionable breeding has for the oast twenty years been all the rage. Strictly speaki-«fcg,c-we have -but one - really private breeder. In no stud bar the one I refer- to, will one find a are owfter to pofqso ;as unsUitable'Tb': his" high "'fee lashionablg.sire. a fashionable ’ maiebPc. f&P.; grounds of not likly to irck; -Of plLpla usable remedies nope got such <a trial, as what may be called numbers, for beyond all expectation numbers got a noble, start at Childwick stud. d'y. # . *• * # - In conclusion ' Sir Hercules remarks that in. the way of lavish outlay great Hires, great mares, and the best of care all under the highest management no stud in the'empire is better found, and yet; in spite of numbers and all, the return has ; unfailingly been ot ; ,the ’grorst; The theory of numbers blinds gome -people, to’ the-ffaet thac the'vast jnajbrity: of Sir .BhirideH’s- choice mare£ are, y on brood breeding linen, nowise suited to his famous trio of famous sires. ► I say trio, for the sprinting sire does not count. The sire winning lists of Ireland as well as England, broadly read, throw a strong light on the want of-grit in the pedigree of the horse. When St. Simon gr Mowerina gave us Donovan there was a wild Welbeck boom in Scottish Chief pares, yet anyone who knew Mowerina well would not fail to see that her strong physical qualities were not at »H_ finished off, as in a true Scottish Chief they beautifully are, as. a rule, Much after the- Welbeck lead are nearly all fashionable sire studs carried on, .and., in almost;all cases with nearly like wasty results as Seen in the existing brand of racehorse of every age. Most p tables find themselves overstocked with fheso soft horses. They stand, as it .were, between the coming motor and jfche upstanding regulation fence with grave-like ditch. The motor lessens wheel, Value the regulations bar them off the steeplechase course. Thus we

shall have too many of the-useless brand still on the warpath on the flat when spring comes round. M. 3fi -£ * Mystical, sire of Will-o’-the-wisp, got injured through being hung up on a . fence last week and had to be destroyed. ♦ J. Monaghan, the Sydney trainer, is ; to prepare the Auckland colt Seahorse . for his V.R.C. engagements. The 1 horse was taken to Sydn.ey last week. i The death of Mr F. C. Goyder is i announced to have taken place at Ka- > toomba, New South Wales, on January > 18. Mr Goyder was at the time of his 1 death 73 years of age, and was one of 1 Sydney’s earliest bookmakers. What 1 a change has taken place in the betting since AD Goyder did business With ■ the little betting book and metallic pen--1 oiL:< 'Mien a ringtnan could-put-all hip 1 tools.nf -trade into the breast pocket of . !i hia'xcoatf xaiid. not ;be; at «U encumber-; i eib ,'nNow:,to. see a member of thecring: • going, tojdo. a day’s..work:at .Randwick ? ho must- have a .clerk,., and: both he and the principal must be arranged in most- ■ distinguishing clothes, and then there is the book—-a most cumbersome affair -r-togeiher with a capacious bag, to hold ths rcashv/t the: days when Messrs Goyder, Coker, Branch, Cook, Alelhardo r Miller, Joe Harper and others of the old school went betting, they had no distinguishing badges about them. Air GoyJer also owned several good horses, the best most undoubtedly "being. Sussex, with which he won the V.R.C Grand National Steeplechase in 1881. In that race Sussex carried 13st lib, the highest weight yet carried to the front over the course. * * * Sir G. E. G. Richardson, or .Napier, has presented Orizabar to a member of the third contingent. The Wanganui mare Silver Ray has been put into work again. * $ # The sale of AI. J. de Bremond’s famous racer Cazabat descended from Reuil was marked Joy a remarkable incident. The French Government inspectors refused to go as'high as 50.000 francs, whereupon AI. Ae Bremond announced that he would* take that sum from a Frenchman! but-' not less than 60,000 francs from a foreigner. The horse thereupon fell to a German bidder, AI. Robert Alilton, who relates the incident in “Figaro,” expresses his regret that French breeders should let their best horses go abroad * * * *■ Until one of the trio was sold to Air John Widger for 100 guineas, the English owner (Air Charles Hibbert) had (says the “Alan, of the World”) been for a considerable period in the possession of thiee 'of the most heartbreaking—not to say bank-breaking—instruments of gaming in the wor.d—Coffee Cooler, Sicily Queen, and Mack Briggs. The first-named is a sort of cross between a pig and a tiger, and when competing in a race his jockey is armed with a species of sjambok. Sicily Queen occupies her t.me for the most part when racing in looking for a chaik-pit or a coal mine in wh.ch to hide; and until recently Alack Briggs had won but one race for the man who wrote a very bold cheque indeed to become' his possessor. * * * * : Three horses in the Takaka (Nelson) distret disturbed a colony of bees recently. La Tosca was stung to death and In-the-swim had to be destroyed as the result of the injuries he received. ■ * *, • •»’ #•'<- On the concluding day of the Newmarket blood stock sales in England last month a 1 filly foal by Trenton from Lady Sterling realised 390 gs. . On the sswa& " oeea&idn, Miche, -a filly- by from Mons' Afe.g' sold for 500 gs. . Mons. Meg was one,, of the h Tses’sent to England By the Ihte AD'"James White. 1 She* was • got 'by Alartini-Henry from Malacca, ‘ damof Singapore. „ ' •' ■ ■ ' ■ * • • *;o’ •* . An English writer is responsible for the statement that Aurum will probiibly find his way to Australia. An offer of 6000 guineas from that source was made on December 7, but Mrs Langtry asked 10,000 guineas. It was, however, expecter that the gallant son of Trenton would change hands. - ■ ’ , a i ’'' A Sydney'paper says that theif present collection of hurdlc borses is-a sorrowfui-looking lot.- - ’Several of the seven starters for the jumping event at Canterbury recently looker as though they’d been taken ‘ out of 1 cabs to make up a field, and even- the winner, John Ridd, isn’t the sort of nag a horse thief would take many risks to obtain. John, who is an aged pessi-mistic-looking bay, was a good favourite, ; however, so the public didn’t object to his beating the washy Condobolin nag, Brokerage, and Kelso’s Stellarane, although the latter was well backed and, . with luck 1 should have won. ’ Of the other starters, Aboriginal, a. gouty-' legged old black, fell over, whilst an i ind cr:bable quadruped named Aberdare cantered feebly and arrived by the time the books were paying out. «tPeerage, is-again* in work at Riccarton. I r •The Crown winner of the big event at Stratford lias now to leave the hack ranks, having won over £l5O. The Taranaki Jockey Club has re-

moved the disqualification imposed on J. Bailey and K. Johnston for taking part in an unregistered meeting. The ex-Australian racehorse Ninepins appropriated the Club Cup, 1200 rupees, lone mile and a quarter, at Calcutta last month, .with the top weight, 10st 61b, beating nine others, among which was Burieigh. Later in the afternoon the Sydney pony Kezia annexed the Small Pony Plate, of 1000 rupees, and started a hot favourite in a field of five. , , The first of the famous Eclipse stock which appeared in public +was Mr O’Kelly’s Horizon - (out of-* Clio), by Young Cade, which won 390 gs at Abingdon in 1774, when a two-year-old, .. His subsequent produce in 23 years numbered 344 winners of stakes, amounting to upwards of £io8,000; and Air O’Kelly affirmed that Eclipse earned him as a racer and a stallion, upwaids 0f£25,000, whichatjthat periqd wonld be considered an enormous, sum. After a race, how often has the average racegoer heard the owner or trainer of a well-backed beaten horse, complain that the jockey had not ridden to orders. “Alartindale” says he has often thought that in a case of expreienced riders this giving of orders was almost, a farce. It would be all very well if one knew beforehand exactly what the other riders in the race were going to do. "Without, that knowledge, it is-- hardly possible to say how your jockey should act. Perhqps a fast race is wanted, and the rider is told to lay about third to a certain po’int. r Then he is to go to the front and win. Now the race is run at a funeral pace, but the rider acts on instructions, keeps his mount in third place, but- as the race, which should have been over a distance of ground is converted into a sprint, he loses. When he comes in, the trainer or owner tells him he is a fool for not goint to the front- when he found nothing was making the pace. Not riding to orders, however, is considered a very serious offence, and a case cropped up abroad a short time ago, in which the rider was - severely punished. The stewards of the English .Jockey Club are also down upon any offender, as according to a late issue of the “Racing Calendar,” Otto Aladden was reported to the stewards of the Jockey Club by Lord AI. Beresford for not riding Essex according to the orders given in the Catesby Selling Plate at the Northampton Autumn Aleeting and for insolence after the race. The stewards, having seen Lord AI. Beresford and Madden, considered the charges justified, and severely reprimanded Aladden, and cautioned him as to liis future conduct.

Out in. the colonies we are not troubled to the extent they are in England with private turf tipsters. They flourish at Home all the year round. “Ranger” has this to say about them : —With regard to the question—now being discussed with animation in certain quarters—whether the general public speculate more largely on flat races than on jumping contests, there is little room for controversy. Far more “punting” is done in summer than in winter. Some persons connected with this business perhaps in a laying or tipping capacity, suspend their operations when the curtain is rung down on sport under Jockey Club auspices. What are technically termed “s.p. merchants,” who stay at homo at ease .and try and win money, do not invariably gather a golden harvest in the cold months, and some of them do not think it worth their while to go on during the inclement period. They: do not, however, spend their time, in any form of work or steady in* ; their methods are different. “Shall I tell i you' what, my' boy,”- said oHe rthem * td‘ another, :■^“whdt 1 yqtfll get by hard work if you stick to ; it lotri enogh? He was asked to divulge his gujlty. secret. “You’ll get the name’of being a fool,” he answered, “and, wliat is ; even more piteous, you will deserve i-- . A f. to .the, manner in which tho tipsters live during the winter no man dares to hazard a definite opinion. Not only are the majority of their customers broke by the end of November, but they are in the same condition themselves long before that time arrives How they obtain enough to eat, when their mugs are cleaned out, is.wonn " ... A member of ; the. fraternity who publishes a tipping circular for tho Hat racing season, .was asked why he did not continue his curious publication all the year round; his reply being perfectly frank and 1 ingenious. “Whv bloss your soul,” he said, “those who follow me or any other tips right through for any length of time won’t have money enough to buy a crust much less a paper.” We expect that 2,1 • 18 + a F eat deal of sound philosophy in that remark. People who are e V ollgh to try to win money by backing horses on such advice as that nw ted ? re - not ! ike] y to make many in real estate even if they n ® F ° 2 ke ? p ° l ut of workhouse. On the other hand, the fact is worthy of notice that some of the professional backers do better by betting on jumpst:?elm Cthan , ou , those u 1 which no obstacles have to be negotiated. Absolute certainties, according to experts are to be found, for example, in hurdle races occasionally, and the “lepping” is not considered a danger at all. Some fa !, ; ifc seoms impossible to wrestle them down. Besides, so far as the National Hunt races are concerned a better line of the form may often

bo obtained by intelligent and practical -' students. A seven pound difference comes out truer at two miles than at F--five furlongs. Over tho longer courses giving the jumps in, horses are mor6 : likely to perform consistently if other arrangements have mot been made for them. hvo : « • * * *

Aldershot, who once led ' into straight in tho New Zealand Cup, wonthe cliief event at the Orari meeting - T last week. . . '

• * * * * * h’-V Mountebank is reported to be suffer-' 1 ' ing from an ugly leg, but appears to ho standing up to his work all right: /'•

While a young man named Trair.or • was exercising General Buffer at Dane- " virke recently he was thrown and had/*, one of. his legs fractured. «• * * ■ h '

First Shot broke down in- one df aliis* 1 ' races at the PahiatUa.‘ineetmg; yi - w »*' ;:v v : '.■* O'.-t

lady ' jyieux ha^., donated i«S' < '|: the War Futfd; ’The h&rse is' sold and tho proceeds given to. the" fned-t*

The Alanawatu Racing Club has’' drawn up a good programme for:its/March meeting, when £IOOO will', be* ? given in stakes. This is £SO more ' than was offered last year.

A rather remarkable thing is reported ... in connection with a race which took place in Tasmania recently. The comr-.j, bined ages of the three placed horses!.V in the Steeplcchaso was- forty-four years’: The Barber, who won, is a colt of 14; ; Barrington, who ran second, is a frisky! ' grey of sweet sixteen:; while lino, who/! placed third, is a cocky handsome, bat' of fourteen summers. * - w # f! *

Seahorse was hacked in Alelbourne .; for the Australian Cup for £IOOO to, £7O just before the last mail left.

Carbinier, by Carbine—Barley, is in j winning form just now. He annexed 1 the Perth Cup on New Year’s Day, and three weeks later took the big event at. , Caulfield. -* *. - * * * ' t , ji

MosquOtaire! the Frailty horse, the recently in Ireland.« He originally cost'. Air Gollan 2025 gs at the Wellington Park sales. • .•. , ; * * - ' ‘-r % ' •• -

Record Reign will likely go over sticks. He is said to be a natural jumper.

Alelbourne representatives of owners, trainers and jockeys presented a petition on the’ condition of jumpers’ flat races to the Associated Racing Clubs recently. The association, after consideration, decided that from Alarch al jumpers’ flat races at suburban meetings shall be run under the following conditions, viz.:—That all jockeys must have ridden in three hurdle or steeplechase_ races; that all horses must have run ip. three hurdle races or steeplechases; that- the lowest weight shall be Bst 71b. This will be an improvement on tho present system. - ; - * * » V; ,

Mr R. S. Sevier, who was known in Australia as Robert Sutton, the cash bookmaker, lately raised a ■ company of Yeomanry in Bedfordshire, but owing to difficulties with the ’War Office* Mr Sevier’s'company has been, disbanded- ..... .1 . * * * *

Air J. Brimble, of Greymouth, who died recently, used to be well-known in the ranks of West Coast owners twenty years ago. Robin'Hood (the hurdler), Bide-a-wee, and Whalebone (the \ latter a winner of the' lnahgahua Cup) were amongst, (he horses he owned. » t .: • '. ... .• ft

The second darts-.racing of the Taranaki Jockey Club takes place ..to-day (Thursday) when the Autumn Hantb-, cap will be got off.

A Home ' writer says * that among the changes which the tvar is making obviously necessary, is a ‘ complete rearrangement of whatever scheme there is for purchasing cavalry remounts, and the sino qua non about any horse to be purchased is that he should have at least two or three crosses of the English throughbred. . The. Indian troop horses also arrived in South Africa all right, key 3X6 almost entirely “Walers.” Why thero should not be Government studs for breeding horses of; the right class ho cannot see for as "it is: our cavalry are . tho worst mounted :in-tho world.L.i. Again whj*--should -not mules be bred on some well-defined plan, instead of our having to send all over the world, and l buy them at ridiculous prices? In Ireland, pf all countries, mules could be bred to great advantage, and there is always a.ready market for them. Aloreover, they do not cost nearly so much to rear as horses. Breeders in England have never grasped this idea of mule breeding. It strikes them as waste of a mare to put her to a Jack, but as a matter of fact the produce is far more certain to sell.. He believes mules in any considerable numbers are difficult to keep in ordinary enclosures, as they are mischievous, roving sort of beasts, able to climb over most fences. This, however, cannot be a vory serious drawback, for fences can easily bo mode to prevent any such trouble. . ;i

a contestant for the last A ieeroy's Cup, bolted round the course three times before tho race, and liis, owner would not then allow him to be started. ... •••>-,

Weights for the Canterbury Jockey Clubs Midsummer Meeting are due tomorrow (Friday.)

JhiT Riverton Racing district now includes Mat aui a.

Cyrenian. 'the recently imported St. Simbn stallion, is doing half-pace work at Auckland.

Thev go in a great deal for show in India or. race days. Mere is an account written for the 1 Australasian bv a correspondent who attended the Viceroy Cup gathering:-“Make way for the Viceroy! make way for the \icerov'” As the cry goes up, Lord Curin'of Kedlestone (39 years of age) comes clattering along with his ADC’s in-a State carriage, headed by twelve splendid Sikhs, and red and gold uniforms" on cantering steeds. In the necoud carriage comes - Lady Curzon looking charming in French grey, with large white ostrich plumes m her hat, the attentive A.D.C. shielding her ladyship from the glare and dust with, a huge Japanese umbrella. In the third carriage comes the two Misses Reiter (Chicago), who are on a visit to their sister °Lady Curzon. The rest of the vice-regal party is made up ot endiess officials of one sort or another; an expensive staff, seemingly, as compared with ail Australian Governor’s; hut then think who the Viceroy is! No sooner has the Queen’s representative been received than every eye is turned on a still more gorgeous cavalcade—His Highness of Hyderabad! He comes amid clouds of dust,,* such dust as Calcutta alone knows. All the watering in the world seems absolutely ineffective, especially oil Cup Day. The Nizam takes the shine out of everybody. His string of State carriages are painted a bright canary colour, picked out with red, the Royal coat of arms, the size of soup plates, emblazoned on every panel. Coachmen, footmen and all the rest of his followers are arrayed in blue and gold, scintillating like Brazillian parrots in the sunshine. Each “syce” (groom) carries an enormous fly-duster dyed pink for the purpose of flicking flies off the aristocratic steeds. The harness alone looks English. Everything else blazes with colour, chiefly canary, and the Nizam himseif brings a chestnut charger, clad in a tiger skin, the stuffed head of the beast, with eyes of precious stones, and gnashing teeth, resting on the horse’s rump. Very effective, if somewhat errcusified. This show of Oriental finery is well worth coining to see without any racing which latter, if the truth must be told, was decidedly of a second-rate character.

The Australian colt Chesney is now in F. \i. Day’s stable at Newmarket.

When the weights came out for the Australian Cup Meriwee and Vocalist were the first selected as having chances The Aucklander Seahorse has arrived at his destination ere this.

According to an account from London, the stallion Gunuersbury, a son of Hermit and Hippia, that in spite of his high lineage never won a race, but proved a tremendous success at the Kisber (.Austria-Hungary) stud, is dead. He was bred in 1876 by the late Baron Lionel de Rothschild, who used to race under the assumed name of “Mr Acton.”

Shortly before the Duke of Westminster died he sold the three-vear-old Frontier (Orme—Quetta) to the French Government. The price was not stated but it was. bound to have been a pretty high one. As a two-year-old, Frontier won' the Dewhurst Plate, beating the American colt Caiman by a head, and as'a three-year-old he put the Ascot Derby to his credit, also running second to his stable companion, Flying Fox, for tho Eclipse Stakes. * * # «

Tli ere was a great row over tho scratching of Tarquin for a race at Perth lately. He was a hot favourite, and the night before the race the books were laying nothing else. Some of fue hackers, who reckoned they were “had,” took out summonses for the recovery or their money, but the cases were not allowed to go into Court, the amounts for which the summons had been issued being paid. * * fl. .*

B ls given out that next. season there will be on the European trotting tracks a purely American stable, owned ay an American, trained and driven ay an American, American horses and American “swipes.” The horses are owned by Captain S. M. Tuttle, of Uoshen, and they are in charge of Ira ityersou, who will campaign "them or. the European tracks. The stable is made up of the following trotters: Derby Princess, 2.8.), by Charles Derw;u Baron 2 - 10 iby Baron Wilkes; Belle J., 2.11, by Ben JohnW-’ ?•., 2.12)-, by Black Vienirl’ T?'u y shl i 6 2- 17 41 by Haxhall, tara E ‘ £ e ?’ b -Y Alcan: w dl be Derby Princess’ Sf VOy :, ge across the Atlantic, a trotter ° n TlL a l l3 enj ° yed by no other en tn ™ le bo^se3 are not being takthem Wlt , h a 7 iew of selling season p* + b ? y J? av e been raced one to race buttle says'he expects Vienna Ja* h , orses at Paris, Berlin, Moscow d St. Petersburg and KXan stS ,S V 1! be the firs * a «- an ex+eiißiVn 6 . trotters to attempt tracks 6 cam P ai 6 n on the European

Acceptances for the Egmont R.C. Suinmer Meeting are due on the 10th (Saturday). * « # * *

I like little Carbineer, and know that he is a great racehorse, but 1000 guineas is of more use to me than, even a fast racehorse/ was the opinion expressed by the W A. owner, Mr Roberts, on the day that he sold the Perth Cup winner to Mr C. N. Kidman. *****

The country clubs of Perth (WAV are making strong efforts to secure the appointment of a stipendiary stewa ™>- m and the committee of the W.A.i.C. has promised to prepare a scheme m connection with the matter which will llhfely be adopted.

* -* M. Mr George Ruthven has put Casket into steady work again with the object of racing him either at Wingatui or the Taieri meetings at Easter. Motto and old Stockfish in the same stable are also m work. **_ # * *

The local horses Tortulla and Advance have been entered for the Egmont Cup. The other ..entrants are—Wilson, St. Jacob, Battleaxe, Will-o’-the-wisp, Daystar, Coronet, Okoari, Crusoe, Swordfish, and Worry. They are also engaged in tlieAtkinson Memorial Stakes. Osborne’s name appears in both hurdle events. Good nominations have been received for the meeting. * * * *

Tatt’s sweep prizes are constantly coming to New Zealand. Mr J. Connihan, of Mangaweka, has just dropped in for £1333 over the Geelong Cup consultation. * * * *

The Dunedin Cup entries are less than last year, and five less than in 1898.

Jeddah, the English Derby winner, has been retired to the stud. * * * * *

7 Whmi Mr H. O. White,- of Havilah (JN.S.W.) sent Georgia to England his intention was to breed her to one of the English stallions after her racing career was over. Mr White was one of the earliest supporters of Bruce Lowe in working out his figure system and once told “Umpire” that were he a younger man he would have established a. select stud in England for the purpose of demonstrating the value of the system, more particularly in producing winners. But apart from figures Mr White is a student of breeding, with sound views of his own. Another Australian mare owned by him in England ist Old Clo, who did badly on the voyage, and never picked up her Sydney form in that country Mr White intends to send both Georgic and Old Clo to English stallions this year, and probably they will eventually return to this colony. He failed in getting a subscription to Orme for Georgic, and will have to make another choice, but it is stated authoritatively that he will send Old Clo to Patron. * * # e *

Boston, the sire of Lexington, had a wonderfully successful career on the American turf. He was foaled in 1833; he started ir. 45 races, and won 40 of them, three being four-mile heats and nine three-mile heats. In 184.0 he went to the stud, and covered 42 mares in the following season. *** « . »

The Yankee plungers, or some of them who visited England last season, went away owing large amounts to the pencilling fraternity. This time they will have To be prepared to do business on a cash basis. In alluding to the subject an American paper remarks that the British bookie is a confiding chap until you rub him the wrong way. several of the Americans who went £® r 9 s s t° enrich themselves by playing Tod Sloan’s mounts were unfortunate in their selection of winners. Some of theni rolled rather high, and indulged m the pernicious habit of plunging. Under the English system of betting a man who has credit in the ring settle's with his bookmakers on Monday, which day has been known for nearly a century among the sporting fraternity as ‘Blue Monday. This system of credit gives the bettor a whole week in which to operate. The system resulted in some Americans ‘coming a cropper’ early in the week, and subsequently plungin'* - heavily to get even with disastrous consequences. The British bookies are bewailing the plunging propensities of the aforesaid American youths who toyed with them last season, and are. anxious to exchange the cards in their possession for sure enough money. *****

I. James now has charge of the Dreadnought mare Eketarini Passarapoula, and she is quartered at the xiutt. The filly is well bred enough for anything, and should not be long in rewarding her mentor with a win.

The Hiko horse Aide-de-camp is to be given a brief snell. All the other inmates of Cress’ stable are well.

Though few, if any, of the Sydney pony jockeys are above “taking hold” occasionally, some are particular for whom they do it. A local writer says that the other day one lad announced he would 1 not ride a certain animal “dead”, even if he were desired to do so, and the difficulty was eventually overcome by his accepting a sovereign to forego the mount. ******

It is remarked that the most successful men on the English turf have had the fewest trainers. The Duke of Westminster first trained with the late R.

Peck, and then with John Porter, the lapse to George Dawson being only slight, and not of long duration. Lord Falmouth first had John Scott, on whose death William Boyce had his horses for a short time, and then began the connection that lasted till death with Matthew Dawson. Mr Merry had the reputation of being changeable, and yet considering the many years he was on the turf he had not many trainers. William Day had charge of Lord of the Isles for him when that horse won the I o Thousand. Saunders also had one or two at Hednesford, including the sensational Hobbie Noble. After the retirement of Lord John Scott, Mat Dawson trained for him in conjunction with Prince, the latter training Sunbeam ior the St. Leger, whilst Mat Blanche of Middlesbie, who was third. During the great years Mat Dawson had, however, the sole charge. He was succeeded! by James Waugh, and theu by Robert Peck. The great Lord Derby from first to last trained with John Scott ) and tho same with Mr Bowes, whose horses remained at Malt on after the death of “the Wizard of the North.” The Lord Zetland who °™ed Yoltigeur was satisfied with Bobby Hill. John Day and JoJir. Kent were the trainers for Lord George Bentmck, and the changes made bv Sir Joseph Hawley were not many. ‘ Of his Derby horses, Alex Taylor trained leddmgton, and then came Manning for a short time, followed on his death, by John PoTter, who continued to the end. Captain Mac-hell has been running horses in England for over 35 years. His first trainer was Bloss, after who came Joe Cannon and Jewitt the latter remaining after the former liad gone over to Lord Rosebery.

* # dfc -h. Colley, who has been acting as private trainer for the Hon Mossman, is going back to Queensland. ” * * * *

It was originally intended to take Boreas to Taranaki to start him in the Cup, but after consideration his owner decided to keep the big gun at home. * * * * -* • .

The Otaki Maori Racing Club lias drawn up a programme for its May meeting, the sum of £B6O being given in prizes, £440 on the first day, and £420 on the second. * * . 34=

Chance, who has been showing good form over hurdles lately, is by Archer, now dead. Archer was by Musket, and was owned by Mr W. Heslop, of Hawke’s Bay. He never got many opportunities with good mares, and was used by liis owner in getting useful, heavy weight horses, suitable for farm work. I don’t think Archer, who was a fine stamp of a stallion, was ever raced, having met with an accident when a juvenile.

One thing worthy of note about the Pahiatua meeting is. that seven races went to horses bred at Te Mahanga, Hawke’s Bay. * # # =JF

The jockey F. Kingan, who had his license cancelled by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club for failing to keep ail engagement to ride, has written to the- committee setting forth the facts. It was decided to'suspend him until July 31st.

H. Franks has done very well with the Stepniak—Fairy maid horse Tolstoi since he purchased him last November at the Cup meeting. At Takapuna Mr Stead’s Castoff won the Zealandia, Stewards and Welter Handicaps, and 1 ran third in another event—a most creditable performance, and followers of the stable must have had a good innings. Another horse to score a treble at the meeting was Favona, who won a hurdle race on each of the three days. Favona is by Regel from Friendship. The steeplechase was, of course, a moral for Nor’-West, who has been luckly lately in meeting indifferent company. As at Auckland, his stable mate Crusado acted as runner. It was only recently that that good pony The Slave Changed hands, and he has managed to win a race with her. Doctor was aided materially by his light weight in the Takapuna Cup, in which St. On.i ran second, but he had to be satisfied with third place in the Jockey Club Handicap to the latter, the pair being split by St. Ursula. Iu the mile Summer Handicap on the concluding day it was Red Lancer’s turn, and he paid good dividends, St. Ona on this occasion being third. Korowai, who got homo in the Maiden Hurdles, is by Hotchkiss. CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB. CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. For the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Midsummer Meeting the acceptances are: Midsummer Handicap, of 350 sovsone mile and a half.—Malatua Bst ] 31b Jupiter Bst 91b, Djin-Djin Bst 81b, Strathnairn Bst lib, Dundas 7st 131 b, Huku 7st 81b, Skobeloff 7st 61b, Haria 7st 21b, Ben Farley 7st lib, Cameo 7st, Derringshot 6st 71b. hor the Autumn Meeting the nominations are: -

Great Easter Handicap, of 500 sovs ; seven furlongs.—Mountebank, Cherrystone, St. Ouida, Jupiter, Mauser, Boreas, Tortulla, Advance, Ostiak, Glenogle, Relic, Daunt, Jabber, Tire, Blazer, The Spinner, Suzannah, St. Dennis, Fulmen, Brisa, Paladin, Skobeloff, St. Ilario, Strathnairn, Rochester, Derringshot, Malatua, Peerqge, Ben Farley, Rougemont, Dundas, Benzoin, Hermosa, Autaia, Oingo, Corusa, Lady Medallist.

Great Autumn Handicap, of 500 sovs; one mile and a half.—Jupiter, Boreas,

Tortulla, Advance. Cameo, Relic, Daunt, Temeraire, Tire, Djin-Djin, Ful- ", men, Haria, Huku, Skobeloff, St. Ilario, Strathnairn j Derringshot, Malatua, Peerage, Sequin, Pen Farley, Dundas, j Benzoin, Autaia, Oingo. COLONIAjI. HORSES IN ENGLAND. mi t n .LONDON, February 1. ’ the following Australian horses are !i! acceptors for coming events:— " >‘.j Lincolnshire H andicap.—Gold Medal- J * list Bst 121 b, Oban Bst 111 b, Survivor Bst 31b, Syerla-Tst 131 b. Grand Nation- d al Steeplechase.—Levanter 9st 81b. Northampton Stakes.—Maluma, 9st 31b". ’ 1 Lancashire Steeplechase—Levanter 9st *' 71b. Great Metropolitan Handicap— Battalion 7st 101 b. Chester CupGrafter Bst 10!b. Kempton Park Ju- r > bile© Stakes—Krcaldoune Bst 51b, Graf- 1 j** 1 * 21b. City and Suburban Han- 1 dicap—Malnma and Multiform, Bst 111 b. ’ Grafter Bst 101 b, Survivor Bst 21b,” 3 Syerla 7st 61b. * •.» >•/ The Gativick Maiden Hurdle Race resulted.—Tornado, 1; Peace and Plenty, ' 2 ; losos, 3. * TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB. •••! . . AUCKLAND, Wednesday. ■ Pacing m connection with the Taka--'' puna u ockey Club’s Summer Meeting ; was continued to-day. The sum passed through the totalise.tor was £7821 The”' results are:—- , Handicap, five furlong-. ! Mineroa II 1; Hohoro, 2 ; Telephone, Bam 4 2-ssec. Inside, £J 18s; outside, £3 ss. Handicap Hurdles, one rade •( and tbree-quarters.—Favona, 1; Koro- ; 25see 2; n ai :¥ ro f a ’T 3 ' Time > 3niin 2osec. Dividends—lnside, £2 1% outside. £2 16s. ’ Second Pony Handicap, six furlongs. the S-ive 1; Lena, 2; Athol, 3 ' Time Imm 20sec Dividends—lnside, 7s; outside, £3. •. i Jockey Club Handicap, one mile and -• a quarter._ S t. Ona, 1; St. Ursula, 2; The Doctor 3 Time, 2min 1 3-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £4 11s; outsido ’ 4s. ’ ■

Hobson Handicap,, five furlongs.— Kiss Mary l ; St. Elyn, 2; Ladv Avon, 3. Time, lmin 4 4-ssee. Diviaonds Inside, £ll 6s; outside, £l2

First Handicap Steeplechase, about three miles and a half.—Nori-west 1 • Crusado, 2; Volcano, 3. Time,' 7min ASST*, £2 3sSecond Hack Handicap, five furlongs. q bl m>. 1 5 Delia Rose, 2; Perseverance, r • i ¥ Un 5 2-ssec. Dividends— Inside, £4 16s; outside, £3 10s. Anniversary Handicap, seven furlongs.— Knight of Athol, 1; Lillie, 2" St. Jack, 3. Time, lmin 29 3-sscc. Dividends—lnside, £5 Is; outside, £7 Ls. 3

m, . T AUCKLAND, Saturday, ihc third days racing in connection with the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting was held to-day. The sum through the totalisator was £9200. The results are: Maiden Hurdles, one mile and a half. rr- owai A 2; Stockman, •, 1 3mm 3 3-ssec. Dividends—lcsiae, £2 6s; outside, £2 4s. -n Borough Handicap, four furlongs.— telephone, 1; Tolstoi, 2; Puhia 3. rime, 51 2-ssec. Dividends—lnside’ £2 10s; outside, £2 7s. Summer Handicap, one mile.—Red Lancer 1; Lillie, 2; St. Ona, 3. Time,, lmm 44 3-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £& 8s; outside, £7 6s. > Handicap Hurdles, one mile and three-quarters.—Favona, 1; Korowai. 2 • Barbaressa, 3. Time, 3min 22 l-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £3 19s; outside, £6 2s.

Pony Handicap, five furlongs.—Athel, 1; Trooper, 2; The Slave, 3. Time, lmm 4 2-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £l2 18s; outside, £9 10s. Devonport Handicap, six furlongs. St. Elmo, 1; Hohoro, 2; Dayntree, 3. Time, lmin 18 2-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £9 17s; outside, £9 6s. Second Steeplechase, about three miles.—Voltigeur 11., 1; Stockman, 2; Crusader, 3. Time, 6min 38 2-ssee. Dividends—lnside, £3 14s; outside,. £4 Is.

Welter Handicap, one mile.—Tolstoi, 1; Brilliant, 2 ; St. Ona, 3. Time, lmin 46 4-ssec. Dividends—lnside, £7 14s r outside, £7 13s.