TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3439, 21 May 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

TURF TOPICS.

According to Mr Evett, Plain Bill is just as good as St. Simon over small timber, the pair being placed on the same mark in the Grand National Hurdles, to be run on June 4th. Missfire is next on the list with 12st 3lb, but whether he is going up is problematical. Toriki, on the list 2lb mark, is clearly out of place. To place him halt a dozen pounds ahead of Levanter is clearly not the thing. In the medium division quite a number appear to have a show, including Dummy, Vanish and Opai. A number of new names figure in the list, but all of them are strangers to the game, and little is known of their pretentions for hurdle honours.

During the past three weeks the coastal horse. The Sinner, has been whispered about as a good thing for the Great Northern Steeplechase which is to bo run on Monday, June the 6th. Levanter and Mutiny head the list with 12st 101 b and 12st 91b ropeotively, but Plain Bill is rather harshly treated on the list mark. Miss Nelson would appear to be the beat treated animal in the race and she will receive a great measure of support. The Briar, Dummy, Biot and Itch also appear to have chances. The last named horse was bred in Hawke’s Bay, and is by Mute out of Scratch. If he wins Jtoh is bound to pay a big dividend.

The Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting at the end of the xqouth promises to be a first-class show. The nominations appear in another column. Mr Buckland, the Sydney Sport, has not nominated, but it is expected that his champion Fritz will give an exhibition trot at Miramar in consequence of a promise made by his owner to the Wellington Club a few weeks ago. Acceptances close on Wednesday, the 25th inst., the meeting taking place on the 28th. At time of writing it was not known whether the club would he issued a permit by the Colonial Secretary, but it was generally understood that a license would be granted. It is to be hoped that it .will at any rate.

I have been sent the following memo,, from New Plymouth:—On the invitation of Mr J. J. Itussell a small party of geuSemen, including Mr F. Lawry, M.H.8., drove to Okato on Wednesday, for the purpose of seeing the progeny of Waiuku. The two youngsters, a filly and a colt, are running on Mr J. C. Montefiore’s farm, which is situated about a couple of miles beyond the Okato township. The youngsters were disporting themselvss in a large paddock along with their mother Lady Onslow (Governor— Motamoka, by‘Don Juan), the pony mare who put so many flat and jumping events to her credit in 14.2 company some seasons back. The old mare, who had given herself a nasty knock on the near fore fetlock, was looking well, but was not able to move along so fast as her foals desired her to do on the approach of strangers. As to the foals, the filly, rising two years, is a handsome chestnut, taking after fior dam in colour, with a large but well-defined blape on her forehead, and ‘a white stocking bn her near hind leg. She is a well-set, powerfully built filly, combining strength with symmetry, and way she moves round is sufficient guarantee that she will gallop when she is called on to sport silk. The colt, rising a yearling, takes after his champion sire in colour, and also temperament, as he displays a more sedate and quieter style than his frisky sister. He, if anything, is a shade darker than Waiuku. He displays'the substance and bone of his sire, with ,a pretty game-looking head, and taking hire ail round he is, no doubt, a racehorse 'in ' embryo. The only white afiout him is a pice sized star on his forehead. lay J".. who, hy ; the-bye, is a believer in letting young stock mature ami gain muscle by roaming about large paddopks, has been wrestling (mentally) with the nomenclature question, bnt as he is net U past master in that line, your correspondent suggests that the filly be called Yiofo royal, and the colt White btar.

Comparison is made by a writer In Melbourne Sportsman between Newhaven and April pi in favour of the former. In alluding to their respective Melbourne Cup efforts the writer says that Ifew haven won every yard of the journey with 131 b, while Aurupi, with half a stone more, was third in his race. Both truly grand achievements; but there pan be no question about which was the batter, despite the difference in the ballast. Eight stone six pounds would assuredly not have stopped Newhaven that day, It would

indeed require some boldness to aver that another stone would have altered the result. Without unduly boosting up an old favourite, one can say that it is not beyond probability that, if set tbs task as a three - year - old, Newhavea would have proved equal to winning the Caulfield Cup with Bst 4!b; then the Derby; and capped all with the Melbourne Cap, carrying the penalty from Caulfield 1 This is a good deal, but Newhaven was the customer for the job, if ever there was one. Sometimes we hear it said that the field that Newhaven broke up so decisively was not particularly strong. Maybe not out of the way so, but the flying chestnut was so good that those behind him were always made to look a good deal below what they really were. Far example, with Newhaven away. Coil could look after himself amongst all the others, and recently we have seen what Resolute is made of. Yet Newhaven, tho same ago, was always right ahead of them. Anyhow, a Melbourne Cup is a Melbourne Cup, and the opposition encountered therein is always comprised of about tho best that can be collected together. Newhaven Can, therefore, claim to have met an average field, and the plea that it was “ weak ”is not allowed. “History is more reliable than theory." So says that experienced man of the world, Mark Twain. And, taking history for it. Newhaven can bo reckoned up as the beat throe-year-old ever produced in this part of the globe. There have been some wonders at the same age, but in the unprejudiced mind Nowminster’s son must be put indisputably in front. That Melbourne Cup of his sattled all, and it will prsbably remain as a challenge for many along day.

It would be easy to sympathise with the jockey who, in going to the post for a six furlong flutter, complained that ho had received orders enough to do him for a ten miles race. The journey was not far enough to admit of him carrying out a tenth part of his carefully imparted instructions. How he got out of the tangle is not no record. Probably he was left at the post in deep thought as to how he was to begin the weighty contract. A Melbourne writer says that equally could he feel for tho other saddle expert, for whom an owner, in engaging him for a threemiler, drew a plan of the course, and in an imaginary race, with matches for horses, showed him just how he wanted the work done. Every yard of the journey was gone over, aud the position the rider was to occupy at each point clearly shown on paper. “ But ” protested the jockey, when he at last got an opportunity to have a say, “ what will the others be doing all this time? Will they fall into the arrangement, too, and allow me to go where I like ? ” The owner, as he himself admitted, had “ never thought of that,” and thus was calculating without taking into consideration one of the most important matters of all. There is a mighty difference in a sketch of a race beforehand and a real picture of the actual thing just as it happens. How many races, one wonders, are yearly thrown away through the man on top being cramped with orders, given in plenty of oasf s by those who have no practical knowledge of the business on hand. Such, if they could only be traced, would tot up to no inconsiderable total at the end of every season. When a rider has a share of brains, and is conversant with the little peculiarities of the horse under him, the less he is hampered with instructions the better. If he, in the thick of the battle, does not know how to act in an emergency, what possible idea can a man on the ground have of it ? Take those w.f.a. events..for instance. We often see then run in direct opposition to what is expected. The rider goes to the post crammed with commands; the pace don’t suit these, but he must obey; and thus the whole show is “ messed up."

At the Paeroa Magistrate’s Court a bookmaker named Thomas Williams, on two charges of having unlawfully used a certain place at the Paeroa racecourse for betting purposes, was fined 41 and costs in each case, with the alternatives of 14 days’ imprisonment.

Maid Marion, outorod for tho H.8.-T 0. Hurdles, is being schooled at Napier Park, and (hows aptitude at the business.

Eepanza is tho name bestowed by Mr f.'athbone on his animal by Vasco di Gama—Last Chance.

The southern horse Epaulet has been turned out.

Mr Cress has purchased Ben Varrey from Mr J. Belcher.

Tho Auckland Racing Club, it is said,' contemplates making provision for a big raoo in the autumn next year.

Tho Auckland mitre Arm ilia will probably be taken on a visit to Bill of Portland in Victoria next season.

A foal by Clacrauald —Retina, belonging to Mr P. Martin, of Wellington, was destroyed by Mr E, Cults the other day. Tho foal had a deformed back bines its birth.

Fabulist i» again in work at Mangoro in view of next season’s racing.

Tiritoa, who died' in Sydney after being sent across by Mr Douglas, of Hawke’s Bay, never recouped the .£SOO paid fpr him by the squire of Te Mahanga some time ago.

Fine weather racegoers will be interested to know that the last Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase was run in a blinding snowstorm. The snow fell so thickly that at times it was impossible to distinguish the runners even at a short distance. This condition of things, accompanied by a boisterous wind, continued pretty well throughout the day, and still the meeting waswell attended, and speculation on the chief ©vent was very heavy. Of the 25 runners, Ford of Fyne, was favourite at 11 to 2, Cathal was next fancied at 7 to 1, and a point longer was taken about Prince Albert and Gauntlet, while the winner, Drogheda, went out at 100 to 4. Drogheda appears to have had the race won at almost any point of the. last mile, and he beat Oathal easily by three lengths, Gauntlet, third, being four lengths further away, attended in order by Filbert, Dead Level and Ford of Fyno. The race was worth 2500 sots, and run over a distance at four miles and 850 yards.

Newhaven’s vanquisher in the City and Suburban (Bay Konald) ran second in the same race last year.

Lieutenant, the onoe-bcilliant Sydneysider, went the other day fpr 26gs.

In writing of Bill of Portland and his talented son Bobadil, Mr lUliaon remarks “Jt remains for future years to show what the other St. Simon horses in Australia will do. Of these, however, I do hot for an instant doubt that Haut Brion will make a big name, for the yearlings by him at Howbury are so good, and I hear he baa seven or eight foals (yearling according to our time) in Australia. Then there is Gigue, also by St. Simon, at Mr Hordern’s stufl, and in New Zealand there is Soult, a pretty smart horse in bis day, but faulty of hook—and here is the point where breeders should take warning as to the combination of Galopin or St. Simon and Musket. Both of these breeds have a tendency to imperf ect hooks, and in any interbreeding care should be taken in selecting-the individuals. I need hardly say to the initiated that because St. Simon or St. Simon horses succeed on mares of Mnsket blood, it does not in the least follow that the reverse cross will be equally successful. Musket horses need an altogether different study.”