TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3825, 22 August 1899, Page 2

TURF GOSSIP.

- “He had noticed —and he had no doubt other members had—that-if the jockeys w tinted to catch a train, or if it was. very wet, they got oft for the last race in-,the most remarkably quick .timev Lie thought that was because there was a kind ,of tacit, agreement amongst them to assist .the starter 1o get them elf, Over and over again he had noticed the fast race started in vary good tunc.'’— Lord Durham or: the obsolete method of starting .‘in England. Before the last mail left Sydney, War God was backed lor £3OOO to win the Melbourne Cup, and Wait-a-Bit tor £2OOO for the same event at 100’s to 1. Merry Pilgrim’s name was also written ‘Lor £IOOO. For the double—Derby and Cup—Gungadin and Elect Admiral were coupled to win £iO,UOO,‘ and for the Derby, after eight fifties had been accepted on behaif' or Lancaster, £3OO tc £co was taken.

’Tis refreshing to,read, even at the'tail end of this enlightened .'nineteenth cent tury, the queer notions-still entertained, even in. the most exclusive and reduc'd racing circles in England, of much that is Australian. The Hon Mr Septimus Miller is the title conferred oni the worthy chairman of the V.R.C. by the lending English sporting scribes. Sandwiched in between the minus of such aristocratic personages, as H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, H.R.H. the Duke of York, H.R.H. Prince Christian, Lord Durham, the Duke of Westminster, the Duke of Richmond, Lord Falmouth, Lord Derby, and a score of other noblemen and pillars of the English Jockey Club, m the list of members at the annual meeting of the Jockey Club, held at Betgravs Square five weeks back, appears the nano of “The Hon ■Septimus Miller, who gave his views on the .starting machine-, at the direct invitation of the Prince of Yvahfs, who called upon him ‘to say a lew words.’” Verily, one has to go aw ay from home to bear-news of Australian horses and our system of training them. At the English Jockey Club meeting Lord Durham told Ins aristocratic audience that a friend 'had told him “Inal, if a stable lad in Australia wanted a shave in the morning, bo galloped his racehorse down to the barber’s shop m the town.” This talc was actually* told in the temple of “The Holy of Holies,” the chamber of the English Jock.-;. Ciub. -■■■■’

Air Geo. Cutts* has suggested to. flic Auckland Racing Club to raise the neight of ponies to 16 hands so that they may ■be termed Galloway races. This will .mean increased fields.

An exchange has it that at a boardinghouse in Perth it lias been the custom amongst the boarders for some time past .to fine each one at the table; who used slang one penny for each word used. A few • clays' befores she’ ’ V.llC. G.N. Steeplechase Was run, the sum of 10s was in hand, so it was. decided to invest tin two sweep tickets witluji- local promoter, with the result-that.,Qayen .was drawn, ending in the lodgers having £45 to .divide between thcini There’s'some virtue in slang after all, at least those boarders should think so. b • >

Dundonald pulled up lame at AmberIV,'whore ho was'being trained, prior to the G.N. meeting. ■< Air Fletcher, of Gisborne, has- purchased the stallion Stockville from Mr W. Rathboue, of Hawke’s Bay. P. Quain, well-known at Sydney pony tracks, was disqualified for a year at Alackay (Q.) for interfering with a horse named Little Sam. Quain, who was on .Raven, was alleged to have rim Little Sam off the course in the interests of Cadow. The latter won, but was also disqualified for twelve months.

■Av Wanganui writer-says that < Haribingcr, who won the double at the Pomt-r to-point Steeplechase at Aloniahaki, is trained by C. Birkett. This - mare should bo heard of to ail Vantage over country. She made a runaway race of .the principal •event and the Light-weight Hurdles at Alomahaki. Another good performer at the same meeting was Pipe, a son of Recluse, who annexed the Ladies’ Bracelet and Heavy-weight Hurdles. The N.Z. Cup this year is a good betting race quite a number being deemed to possess chances. Air Grant, the Dunedin mctalUciau, informed , “Alazcpna’’ the other day that the first- demand was for Malatua, but ho has fizzled put. “Then backers came for San Harm and Battleaxe, and the latter still remains a marketable line,' but St. Lucia has displaced San Haro in t-He regards bf-those who follow Air Stead’s stable. They backed ber for a couple of thousands. ffc were next asked for Pitch and Toss. I don’t know that mat was a stable move. The stable wanted a certain price, but others were more anxious to get on and came to our terms. - Amongst the Dunedin horses, however, Fulmen D backed the most heavily. Jupiter we have laid for a couple of thousand—£looo in one pop, and the other thousand is to people who are apparently '-inspired. Of Air Ormond’s horses backers have taken Dauntless and Sir Lancelot, and then there was a ran from the north upon Aliss Delaval and Explosion. About the same time a move was made in favour of Seahorse, and we also laid Labourer to a fair amount, putting in £IOOO to the right people. We have also laid Roseplot to those who are evidently in the know. Sylvia Park has been backed at outside prices for £ISOO. Amongst 1 the Christchurch horses the only one backed, apart from Air, Stead’s .horses, is Strathnairn. I should have mentioned that Skobcloif has been selected as well as the others of Air Stead’s that I told you about, but I cannot tell you much about nis- booking, excepting one man took £IOOO because he liked-the-gelding’s breeding. There has booh all through, a 1 demand for Tire at 100 to 3, ‘ and' one way ’ and' another ws have laid him a Couple of thousand. We have also,laid.£looo Trask-to the right quarter, and £IOOO Tauhei, and Uhlan lias been well supported up; to now. The latest wagers- are 500 to 25 Battleaxc, 1500 to 03 Douglas, and 1000 to 15 St. Paul. Castashore’and First Blood are alio backed by the right people; Yes,-it is a splendid betting, race, and we have plenty money foi- a lot of good horses yeti including Boreas and Djiri Djin ; ” A full brother to Lotion has been purchased by Air T. Ross, of Wairarapa, from Air Taylor,• of- Wanganui, for 1 iGgs. He ought to prove a bargain at that price.

Paul Seaton is. the name bestowed on the Seaton Dehivel—Lcocant colt. At Tamworth. (N.S.W.) recently an amusing scone was l witnessed at thc"scalcs as the riders were weighing out for the Welter Handicap on the racecourse. F. Rose secured the mount on Sardon, who was weighed, at list. The rider could only draw the beam at about 7st, and half a hundred weight of dead lead had to bo made lip. Rose filled-his pockets with lead; and tire man in charge of the horse bustled round and secured a variety of rugs, rubbers, a stockman's saddle, etc. With all these encuraberances the

weight was Just secured, and notwithstanding all the disadvantages under which Sardon laboured ho finished a good third, being hardly half-a-lcngth. boliiud the winner.

It is considered likely, that-Black and Bed will change hands shortly. Sir Lancelot, who has boon backed for N.Z. Cup, served a number of marcs last season.

ruwerewerc (Xordcnfeldt —Pungawcrcwerej who belongs to Mr F. Webb, is to bo put to the,imported horse Cyroniau. Multiform, who was sent from the colony’ to England recently, gave great trouble to those in charge of him on the voyage home. Ho took bad and was so for eight days, during which time Doolan rarely left him, being in bis box fomenting and otherwise attending to him for sixteen hours at a. time.

Lore! Durham has made some very pointed rehiafks abiuf the reporting of Jockeys, which will be taken to heart by every starter. “When a Jockey was reported,” said bis lordship, “it was seldom one of our swell Jockeys. Ho did not think be could recollect a single case of one of our crack Jockeys being reported for disobedience at the. post. It was always some youngster who, poor uVthwretch.'’ was'didd" that lie must get off, and so made himself conspiVaous to the starter, by his futile efforts to imitate the tactics of the older Jockeys.” ■ The .defection of Stnrshot from the N.C. Cup was owing to her having gone wrong. Concerning Daunt ho has Mcr-n running out in a paddock; it was feared he would not stand a preparation. New Forest is to stand at Hastings this season.

Stated that Boreas got olb or 61b more in the A.J.C. Spring events than was anticipated'by Sydney men. The Southern horse Skirmisher has been suffering from cracked heels. The Now Zealand Cup Horse Bubin is reported to hare wintered well, and looks bright and healthy. W. Homes, •is schooling Cannonade over small sticks. Homes has a good' string tinder “control just now. including Tupuhi, Sabreur, Toa, Lorelei, Richmond Gem, and others. In a letter received in New York from

“Tod” Sloan, the jockey, lid says lie Tec's that the English jockeys hare put up some sort of a job to ruin him. This was written the. week before the Ascot incident. A .three-year-old filly by l.cger— Welcome Ixatie has been purchased by Peter Chaafe.

The Melbourne trainer, I. Foulsham, says the Auckland bred Lancaster was not backed by tbo.sta.blc to win Victorian Derby and Cup recently. St. Paul is reported to bo showing satisfactory gallops at EUerslic, sufficient to warrant his-supporters backing him for a decent stake.

The death is reported from. Calcutta, of the horse Luxury. Luxury, who originally’ was a Now Zealander,, won the big Poona Steeplechase. The Napier horse Moonrakcr is now enjoying a short spell at Glrccmacadows. Leroy, who lias-captured a, number of good faces .over hurdles, . including a couple, of Grand Nationals, was sold at Adelaide last week for 14gs.,.and be goes to Queensland. At the same sale the draught stallion Lord Salisbury, who is said to have turned the scale at 10121 b, was submitted/but at 350 gs. he returned to his former custody. Evening Wonder, ivihiier of a rate at theTast Bawkc’s.Jßay ITunt Club meeting, has been purchased by Mr Skipwith, of Auckland. • ...

The estate:of the latciMr -Archer, an Indian bookmaker, who was visiting the colonies last year, was sworn at £16,000. The starting machine is now used ar. .almost all meetings in Gcrmapy. The Derby at Hamburg was started in that Frank Reid how has charge of Tangahoc.

The Melbourne Cup winner ■ Glcnloth was knocked' clown a.i, auction recently for Cogs. Mr V/.- R. Wilson; gave 240 gs. for-Tortile, by Trenton, and served by Bill of'.Portlaml, on the same daj r . The-first - foal - of the season has made its appearance at, Wellington Pack, Lady Evelyn having pr»t|i}CQcl>a filiy to Hotchkiss. ; y r ;T.,',i-

* Holbrook, rthi&uwiite. his- reappearance in public'at 'M'odfeficld; '“Sydney, the other day, 1 - after 'an'- eighteen ’.months absence ’from *tho - Turf, lias developed into a, fine horse, ', and . provided .his leg docs hot trouble’, him,, he will probably have, to bo , reckoned, .with: in: the, w.f.a. races at the Spring meetings, according to. the “Referee.”’ , He- looked a.-good deal on the big side,, hut ho ran well, and j did a, lot. better in the Bank ! Handicap i later. His stable companion. Crabb'erry continues to 'do welt. Mr S. Fielder is not commencing the season with a numerically strong string, but’ Ins* ’ot includes two really good ones in Holbrook and Cranberry, and, unless wo are greatly mistaken, a fair share of price-money will come liis way’ before’ the Spring meetings arc over. . . r,

■Mr P; Heagle has proved very'-sncccss-fali in 'Hunters’' raceSj-iiny season.* He rod© Mr; E; ;Dovohshire’s ; Surprise the WdodlandVMuiit l Glub’k Steeple tlieotno; day,, and later qji.'.’goh' home’ in .the ICuineroa StceplcVh’ the 1 same .horse. 'Bravo fell in , this race valid; broke his neck. . The Ladies Bracelet went to Billy, by Perkin Warbetl:—Brenda, who was piloted by Mr,.J-.Gammaa A well-known English sportsman; Captain Clayton, recently ,issued a cncuiai letter against the starting machine. He starts off by stating that ho has had 40 years .practicalrexpcHyneevaeian -owner of racehorses’,' and ‘after paying “tribute’ tc CStevt®*, ?-Shy£ tliere is too- much inclination nowadays Ip’ consider; tiro;sgencral-rpilbhc. in ’ i .prefereacßvto tbe owners of horses, “but for whose', enterprisf'-VdAd -lavish’’ expenditure there would, after alii ’he no race-' horses and'no racing;”;' ’The ea’ptaln'adds that- there - Tiro' ninny whp'assdrtAhachitte starts are scidpm ,ro .perfect as those 'oh taihfed. under; thqj,o\d system,- and ' that the reason - ’ the.inachijiie has -come into use in ia-hceause, starters could not'h’o round Upon whose’integrity the public* could depend, which is rather’ rough- upon~thtrstr - who “handled the - flag’ in bygone years. Then we are told the reason of the machine’s success in Australia is duo to the majority of our races being contested over’ a distance of ground, and that live - furlong and two-year-old races do net- form a - daily feature as in England. The 'next pm tipii of the circular is - not at all flatlcriiigHo Australian trainers, - and - suggests’ that,’ | in ’■vulgar .parlance, the writer laid “had ibis leg pulled.” It runs as follows: “The system.of. training out there, where the horses are dragged- about.at' exercise lor several hours/night as well as mom- ! nig, renders them so listless and inert, if not cowed—the ‘majority, moreover, having been’Sobered by castration that when they reach the starting-post they are only too glad" to stand still, if not to lie down; and arc consequently far more amenable to reason and’ subjection than_our highly-strung youngsters, full of dash and courage; and ready to jump out of .their skins from sheer animal spirits. As bearing on this point, I may draw attention to the fact that wc have heard and read so much about the long period w-hich is supposed to be necessary to acclimatise racehorses imported to this country’ from ’ Australia; the real truth is that.it is not a question of climate so much* as that a. long period'becomes necessary before they can be revived and galvanised into that state of nerve and courage which is found so to be essentia] “fore they r can compete, with any chance of success, with the quick-silver condition *iu which -our racehorses are brought to the post.” Rich! I VI “ I ;t . : - Swordfish 11. has not been doing much hard work_.pa the track .of late. His A /i ti ’tiU-/ c ill aJi'M i

trainer says that'.ini'bad display cutnng the past season was - owing to his not having properly recovered. from the ir.fiuenza he contracted at Riccarton .10 spring.

Satanclla, dam of St. Raul. is again in foal 10 St. Leger. , Nest year she visits Ben Godfrey.

-Mr G. P. Donnelly is having a private track laid down away from Crissogc, and Douglas'and Go. will in future receive their preparation on the new gallop-

At the annual meeting of the Hawke s Bay Jockey Club, several members said the club was going backward, and it should make its programmes more attractive. particularly that held in the spring, when Hawke's Bay should have a- week’s carnival somewhat on the lines of that at Christchurch.. Ho .suggested that hack events should bo-added to the programme, which would be found to bo very remunerative, and would' not iniperi! liio dignity of the ■ club. At ihte* present time they had: hack races on the programme all but in name, though owners of hacks would not nominate for fear of being debarred from racing elsewhere. Hr also suggested the inauguration of a. mile race of 3QO sovs on the spring .programme,' which, he said, would attract horses from all parts of the colony, and would popularise, the club, j He offered £2O as a contribution towards the establishment, of such a race. Other speakers remarked that tiro- high price of admission to the Jockey, Club’s r-ouud and enclosures was prohibitory, and 1 de--1 rimental to the. interests of the club. The club's stinginess in regard to complimentary tickets to visiting sportsmen clared that unless the club adopted a mere progressive policy it must go backward. The Hon J. I). Ormond, while agreeing that the suggestions made’were worthy of consideration. reminded the meeting that a valuable race —the Hawke’s Bay Stakes, of 500 sovs—lin'd been added to their autumn meeting: Ho would make the autumn meeting still •more attractive, if it was thought desirable to increase the stakes, in preference to the spring meeting, believing that the New Zealand Gup overshadowed all other racing events in the spring. It was eventually resolved to refer the matters raised to the incoming committee.

Writes a Louden correspondent;—At the. Newmarket bloodstock sale the ciglit-ycar-old Australian marc Acamcmi, mow in foal to Matchmaker, passed out of Mr P. Osborne’s possession into the bands of Mr L. Brasscy, who bad io bid up to 900 guineas before the, daughter of Martini-Henry and Acme became bis property. Among the young bloodstock sold were throe yearling Carbines. The first, a bay colt out of Raiutfiekl, named Field Juice, was not iNfocl, and passed into the possession of Mr Simpson Jay at TOO guineas. The next lot wasliristouian, who is out of St. Bees, a St. Simon mere, which Iras produced .several winners. This colt is by-far the finest yearling yet sired in this country by Carbine, and competition ,was, fairly keen, but at 010 guineas, he became tlio property of Lord Farq.ulnpv ~TJiO third Carbine was a bay colt out of Santa Palma, a,rather small and ..not at ail promising youngster, but I.daresay' its buyer,: Air Sam Darling, the trainer, will contrive to get back’ thc AlSi,guineas ho paid for Caribbean before, At the same sale, a. bay colt, by Tutlitmi out oh Tabitha, the living imago of itm sire, and a. rare good walker, brought about a triaugular duel between Trainer Darling, Sir Edgar •Vincent,' and Mr Purefoy, the first-, named staying, longest, and securing The colt for GOO guineas. Subsequently, Sir Edgar Vincent.got bint at a. profit of £l5O. Tho latter is owner of Multiform.

Late files show that'Flyiug Fox. carrying 9.5, won the Princess of Wales’ ■Stakes, of 10.000.sovs, easily from Bo\#l Emblem 8.2. Minus 9,11. and six others, which included Dicudonue 'and Musa. .The ■winner -was favourite at G to 4-on-. Flying Fox’s share of the stake turns £7190. £I7OO wont to the second hors'c, and ,£l.OOp to third, and as tlio .subscriptions to the race amounted to £9586, the Newmarket executive had to supply but £414, Blackberry ricked himself prior to tho National Meeting, and.(was idle for a few days, i Torpiha TcftTitU*i. course'lame mf several occasions, y lion'i . H. French lias oilioagn :TD'nm Diipi as ’the name for his'thrdc-yfcar-old colt by Cuirassier from HolciviMcGrcgor. A six-yeaiyold gelding .by Sou’-wester, leased by Mr D. McLeod to Mr A.', Phillips, of Auckland, has bcch ; named N6r’Easc. 1 ■" ' ' ■

Mr P. C. Patterns ■'haf'd-workcd colt Longy, a son of Trenton and Saintly._distinguished itself a fen- weeks ago at Sundown, in the British Domonion Two-year-old Race of £984 Carrying 9.9* .and presenting 131 b to Leigh’s. Stealawajf| 181 b to Lord Rosebery’s Dandy Lad, tlic? jPrincd ‘of .Wales,’ Fremtignan, • and:, j 191 b ■to the Duke of PortiayultsLa Roche, Longy was: OaiisidErcd :. rather,.’Out of it. but after waiting, on Ids opponents till the distance, Trenton’s son .challenged th'd' held, and,: 'cutting down DandyfLad and Frontighali’; oras only beaten a neck by Steala.way',i after - /* desperate jiuish. In another .stride dr. two" Longy would hav© won. Longy. by the way, is what one may calk a chahc'o bredf colt. Mr Patten bought Saintly,’front'Mr Daniel .Cooper in tho early sprinjk, his intention being to mate herewith Carnage. Saintly had been turned'out’of training four or five-months previously-, bht.' her c.'JrTew owner decided to have.hdr traiilod again, and she was sent to. Ogbounic, ,and remained there- son)? ten or 'weeks, until she v.'ivsi tried and found wanting. There was nothing for it hut to carry out the original Intention: of making a ■breed mare of her. but it was near the end of June, and Carnage’s subscription ;was full. His list had been advertised as limited t.o. 20 marcs, and, Mi - .. Patton 'would liot ekcecd the limit’ in 'farour'of his own marc. , Trenton’s .list, was.hdt ifull, so Mr ! Patton paid TOO guineas to put Saintly to hint, Longy was the result, and virtue was in this instance considerably more than its own reward., t