RACING CHATTER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 37

RACING CHATTER

BY “ADVANCE.”

Mr J. J. Russell’s familiar figure was missed from the Taranaki Autumn Meeting. Mr Russell is still confined to his residence through illness. His many

friends will be pleased to hear of his recovery. T. Woiodgate’s position as first jockey in J. Allsop’s stable is contingent on the result of S. Callinan’s appeal to the A.J.C. against his disqualification by the Warwick Farm stewards. Mr T. Duncan, the secretary of the Masterton. Racing Club, has received a -copy of the “Australasian/ 5 of February 9th, containing the following, which-will he read with interest in this part: “At a special meeting of the stewards of the Chiltern Racing Club, held on Friday, February Ist, the bay .or brown mare Gocramadda, also her nominator (J. Truscott) were disqualified for life for fraudulent practices in connection with the Galloway Handicap, run at the New Year’s meeting. R. S. Henry, of Melbourne, who was alleged to have sold the mare to_ Truscott, was ordered to appear before the Stewards on February 15th, to explain his position in the matter. The enquiry elicited that the mare, which was identical with Music and Melody, was the property of a person at Lancefield, who leased it to Henry and another.” The Mr R. S. Henry, referred to 1 is, no doubt, the Richard Samarius Henry, who was disqualified for life by the Masterton Racing Club in connection with “Ethel 55 alias Cupid, alias Virgil, ‘'ringing-in” case. The resignation of Mr H. M. Lyon as secretary of the Wellington C-lub will be received with regret by racing people throughout the colony. ihe present position of the club is in a great measure due to the administrative ability and racing knowledge possessed by Mr Lyon. Great difficulty will be experienced in filling the vacancy. I take this opportunity of thanking Mr Lyon for the courteous manner in which lie has treated me las pressman at- the Hutt for a "period extending over a number of years. Frank Higgott had no luck at Riocar toil with Lady Agnes. Ho brought the untried Shrapnel Shell (Son of,a. Gun— Dudu) back with him. Who would have thought that we should ever arrive at a stage when the totalisator receipts on one day at a country meeting in Auckland would more than exceed: the sum handled on two days at a gathering held under the auspices of that powerful organisation, the Canterbury Jockey Club? Yet such has come to pass. On the second day of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s meeting the totalisator receipts ran out to £9lll, while the amount handled on both days of the C.J.C. meeting only amounted to £8074. Taking the totalise tor investments for both days, the T. J.C. fairly distanced the C.J.C. gathering, as the sum handled was no less than £9124 in excess of the amount put through at Ricoarton. Golden Rule was purchased in the South last week and came North after the C.J.O. meeting. The Pahiat-ua Racing Club cleared £3OO over their recent meeting. Forbury Park is, the Dunedin “Star” understands, likely to soon see a revival of racing within its precincts, a powerful syndicate having approached the Forbury Park Company with an offer toi purchase the property at £16,000. Those moving in the matter will form a new club, and it is rumoured that a totalisator permit will be issued to them. Colonel Pole-Penton, the Commandant of the New Zealand forces, had a magnificent mount in the military display at Auckland to welcome the Imperial representative corps. The Messrs Duder allowed Waterloo to go into the line for the day, and it was the brown son of Cuirassier and Hu.ne that carried the Commandant. Waterloo carried himself in a manner befitting a thoroughbred, and he was on all hands voted the best-looking horse in the procession. Speaking of Bill of Portland, the “Sporting Times” (London) says:—“St. Simon sires appear to be worth their weight in gold, and their earning power

is enormous. That being so, we are not surprised to hear that longing eyes have been cast on the expatriated Bill of Portland, who has been one of the great successes of the Australian Turf, three successive Derbies having fallen to bis progeny. In each of bis first three seasons at the stud he has sired the best colt of his year, A’iz., Bobadil, Merriwee and Maltster, and no horse has ever equalled that record. He is only ten years old, and the change back to England! will probably benefit him as it did Melton. He is all but full now, and -will soon be full for three years. He will for the coming season be limited to twenty mares.” The South Wairarapa Trotting Club will bold their annual meeting on Queenj’s Birthday. The> programme will probably consist of three trotting events and four galloping events of a total value of £250. An unseemly scene took place in the paddock at Takapuna. The affair arose out of the decision given by the stewards in the protest lodged against Zeehan in the Hack Race. Words ran high between a steward of the A.R.C. and a steward of the T.J.O. The word “liar” is alleged to have been uttered: by the latter, and this led to a resort to- fisticuffs and a scuffle, Both combatants went down in the scuffle, and when they regained their feet mutual friends stepped in to stop the little affair. It is to be hoped that we shall be spared another such undignified 1 scene, and for the credit of the T.J.C. ground the parties oonciernedl in last Saturday’s fracas should! be called on for an explanation of their conduct. The Wellington Racing Club invite applications for the position of secretary at a salary of £350 per annum. The successful applicant must devote the Avhole of his time to the work. The NeAv Zealand horse Waiuku returned from England by the Wilcannia on Friday last, and! Avill undergo the usual quarantine at Randwick before being sent on to New Zeaand, says the “Sydney Mail.” The horse came out in charge- of Carr, Avho- has made many journeys to and fro Avith horses betAA'een Australia and! England. Carr’s last trip was with Australian Star, Spark, and two youngsters belonging to Mr H. C. White. Skopos was to have come out- by the Wilcannia in charge of Carr, and the horse was brought from NeAVcastle to the- docks to be- shipped, but iu consequence of a mistake in ordering a box for him he was left behind. Mr H. C. White, the owner of Skopos, who' has been in England for some time, is expected back in Sydney in a feAA r days. Blazer has nearly recovered from his mishap. He Avas examined by a veterinary surgeon, who pronounced the Dunedin sprinter to be fairly right, al- . though bruised through coming in contact, with the rails. “Terlinga,” in the “Australasian,” says: —For various reasons betting on the NeAvmarket Handicap has hung fire this year, and it Avas not until Monday that any genuine commission came into the market. This was for the NeAv Zealander AdA r ance, who Avill have to be eA r ery bit as good as his most sanguine admirers imagine to jump off and win a Newmarket with 9st 111 b on his back. The New Zealand sprinter Blazer wins under extraordinary Aveights, but the fields are generally small, AA’hereas in a Newmarket such brilliant light-AA 7 eights as Dube of Portland!, Songbird, and Hearsay will be a. feAV of the many that may be expected to jump off and keep Advance - going all the Avay. Advance Avill be a wonder if he can A\in Avith everything in his favour, whereas he has a sea voyage 1 and a l-ong train journey to get through, before he even sees Flemington. Since he became a champion Advance has done no sprinting. Early last season he Avon over six furlongs, but at that time he was not ni it with Blazer over short courses. Now the pair are reckoned about the same thing, both being placed at 9st r.2lb in Wellington the other day. Advance did not run,, but Blazer avoix easily m In.in 15sec. If the back horse can beat tins ho must be a clinker, but even then 100 to 6 is a cramped price to take about a horse with the journey from New Zealand in front of him. T, should have thought the Aveight-for-age races at Flemington, and afterAvards a. try for the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup in Sydney, would have been better policy than trying to win the NeAvmarket Handicap Avith Advance. The reason Aprile, a maiden performer in Shear shy’s stable, was not started at Ricoarton, Avas because she sustained an injury to her shoulder and is ■at present enjoying a spell. “Petronel” Avrites :—Tortulla’s running at the Taranaki Meeting was, according to- eye-Avitnesses, rather changeable. In the Cup the Torpedo mare was in the rear for the whole journey, but on the second day in the Autumn Handicap she was in front from the start and Avas never headed. Of course, the Avaiting policy may have been folloAAred in. the mile and a half race, and as a mile and a quarter is the black favourite distance slie would be better suited by making her oAvn pace. Coronet ran a slashing race under 9st in the Autumn Handicap and only succumbed by a head.

Mr P. E. Baklwin. has purchased from Messrs Nathan, of Auckland, a yearling filly by Hotchkiss —Sybil, and she has joined Shearsby’s team at the Hutt. The four mares purchased at the Tocal good health. The additions to the Sylvia Park Stud are : Cantatrice, foaled 1895, by Goldsborough from Songstress ; Orchestra, 1893, by Goldsborough out of Melody, with a chestnut colt by Splendor at foot; Toi-toi, 1896, by Splendor or Sweet William from Tauri, and the bro'.vn rour-year-old by Sweet William out of Storm by Goldsborough. Fashion and Queen’s Guard Avill be taken to the Wanganui meeting, but the former may not fulfil his engagement in the Cup. Mrs Batchelor, of Awahura, owner of Petroline, has purchased from Mr Rore, of Spring Creek, the well-known hurdler and flat racer ilotu. The price is about £3OO. Mr Martin Taylor, on leaving Christchurch for Auckland, Avas the recipient of a diamond scarf pin and several other wsluable presents from his brother pencillers and sporting friends, Avho Avished him bon voyage and prosperity in his new home. Mr C. O’Connor, of Christchurch, receded much praise for his excellent starting at the Gisborne races. The f ‘Gisborne Times” says that eA'ery start could take rank as a first-class one, and on seA'eral occasions the starter Avas Avarmly applauded. Fred Gentry, aaLo Avas engaged in training £nd riding in New Zealand up to eleven years ago, when he went to Australia, returned last A\'eek by the Mo-ana, from Sydney, and purposes residing in Canterbury. A peculiar case will shortly engage the attention of the A.J.C., arising out of the hurdle race run at Tuniberumba, near Albury, recently. There were six competitors in a race, which was won by Donnybrook, with Gratis second. During the race one hurdle Avas knocked doAvn, and after the horses passed some say a policeman and other officials of the club re-erectecl the obstacle. When the Avinner weighed in, the OAvner of Gratis lodged a protest, on the ground that no one had the right to interfere Avith the hurdle that had been ridden down. The stewards gave but little consideration to the protest, and dismissed it, whereupon the owner of Gratis notice of appeal to the A.J.C., and the payment of the stake and Avagers has been suspended pending the decision of that tribunal. It is held that a rule exists that no hurdle shall be interfered with after the fall of the flag, and the question arises if that rule is still operative. Should Advance win the Newmarket Handicap, lie will incur a 101 b penalty for the Australian Cup, and that would have the effect of raising his impost in the long-distance handicap to lOst 31b—a weight that has neA 7 er yet been carried to A'ictory in the last-named race. At a meeting, of the V.R.C. committee, application 'was made to remove the disqualification placed upon J. Skirving (owner), A. SkirA-ing, and the horse Redeemer; but the committee declined to re-open the case at present. In February lash Mr Francis Eoy sent seven mares to Lochiel, to be mated to English time, the result being eminently satisfactory, six having produced foals at Mr Foy’s farm, near Parkes, and if the youngsters get on as Avell as there is eA’ery reason to believe they will, they will be raced in England. The foals, which are out of highly-bred mares, are : A bay colt from Colors (dam of Australian Star), by Grandmaster; a bav colt from Champ Elysees (imp.), by Thurio; a bay colt from Recolte (imp.), by HarA r ester; chestnut celt from Goldmine, by Grandmaster; bay colt from Countess Aberdeen (imp.), by Primrose League; and! bay - filly from Farthingale (imp.), by Minting, Mr H. C. White, of JnaAulah, also mated a feAV mares to English time last season, Avith a view of racing the progeny in the Old Country, r rom Mutu (imp.), by Bendigo, and Lady Superior, by Gibraltar, he has got a colt and a filly by Lochiel, and Antias, by Henchman, has" produced a filly to the defunct Sterling horse, Yardly. Maltster has already been backed for the Newmarket Handicap, between £3OOO and £4OOO having been secured at 100 to 4. Whether or not the commission has been worked on behalf of the stable has not transpired.

The Victorian jockey, R. Lewis, has accepted a retainer from Sir Rupert Clarke for the privilege of first- call on his- services.