STAYERS AND STEEPLECHASERS.

NZ Truth, Issue 68, 6 October 1906, Page 2

STAYERS AND STEEPLECHASERS.

Comparing r^iag m this, colony with what it was {^^ fifteen years ago it is found that the stance of big fiat events has m general "h^n diminished and the task of the jump-; ers has been made easier. -With the exception of classical races and three pi" four open events, no fiat'' race m New Zealand i^ over, a course longex than twelve furlongs. Among the few lengthier events! have the New Zealand Cup, Wang^ui Cup, arid Auckland CuPj and one. or two w.f.a. , sygnts.' The; biggest event m connection with the sport is the New Zealand Cup a two-mile race. Though th£ prizp" for this is a very handsome one and though the winning: of it must count , for a good deal from a •breeder -s point of view, ". the; entries • ■acceptance's during the. last few fyears.. haye not improved; as -..' mighs .reasonably be expected.' For such -an event there should be . considerably over one hundred entries and close •upon thirty starters, y ii^t. fpir niany years past there have been consider.ably less than this nunib'e,r and' it does not seem provable that twenty horses will go to the ppst m j-10-. •venvber next. ■ This is a; circumstance that merits -4>he -attention of the different racing cluibs. The New Zealand Cup is under the direction of the Canterbury ! Jockey- Club, but we have ho hesi- j tation i'd saying thafe it is an event of national ioterest and one which re- i eeives the l^a of ' eyery i sport m the' ,'eolq»y. As there are | numerous shoEfcer race? with fat; prizes attached,' api(_l 'as there is un-dsu-bted merit m a good striper, rip I sensible _persqn would, far a mome&t, ! suggest educing the distance of the': big Cup. ' It is indisputable, ' however, that soMething is required to ; attract better eifoje.s. Inhere is no Mistaking the fact that the .prepara- •. t'ioSf' for a race of two miles or"_ver ; cn taifsya go*wi deal more paj£, trou- ; ble -aiiidk'xi-s-k than: the prdinary six vptwelve fsrlpinig event. So .many hor- ; •ses Jireakydowtf under a severe preparation a-rSj there are so few long tKstan-oe events open to competition, that many i^ers and -trainers come; 4to the. cOnclj&SJiopi that sufficient infeement is i*ot .ogered tp warrant risks J»in® t^ken . wi^j their thor- ° As b on^ad^^ u Went -to -so doitag, some of th^tf^ 5 • < *SftSSf ' well, consider the (jue^e* ■& PS w ' g dn a two-mile rabe. With ?^3r*£r did sires as we have. at preset' << ,, -these parts, , viz., Birkenhe_<i, * .Merriwee, Multiform, . Safi Frair, P^Hiri's P£og&sfs, Wairiki, etc., the. heixt ' season or .two , should see sOirie' -. splendid stock produced. Now, were ttierfc m; New 1 Z>%- --: larid^a dfoz^ii I'O'Od fades from;- one arid ' threequferter mites #wa^ds,-n6t: only : would it be an incentive tb breed 'and : train horses with pronounced staying ; powers, but also a means^ of mateti- ' ally, swelling the annual field m the . New Zealand Cup. Reverting to, the junipers, it is hardly necessary to mention the, fact that our horses have always been m i the front rank, 'of this department. Will they maintain that position ? It is. to be siricerely hpped so.. It cannot be said. that th'efc is yet any ■ sign dl a -backward move, but m s^a^ parts of ilye country there is- ari und'oUMe-- tendency to citer less lib l erally for junipers arid to considerably lighten,- their, tasks. That the reverse, "is the case with the Canterbury Jockey. Club f .is. a. matter for general 'satisfaction, arid the actioiji Of thip body will doubtless meet with c'o-operat'ibri and approval m the way of large entries at its future meetings. Recently the . Auckland Racing Club 'decided „to eliminate the Summer ; Steeplechase from the programme bf. the Summer Meeting, and m other- parts st'eeplechase.s.-have been reduced to mere hurdle racef^uririg tlje steeplechase season we • frequently hear the cry that such and .such a liprpe will , never negotiate certain coun.t-ry. ■•• Well', ,if so, he certainly ' cannot getr $he prize ; but . : : if each

club were to cut a slice off the hurdle for every horse that baulked or fell, they would soon be chopping at the ground. For a steeplechase, let us have a steeplechase course, and let hurdle and fiat races come m their proper place. Many argue that hurdle races are uninteresting and this may have something to do with certain clubs providing for hack jumpers only* duriil-g the summer. A good team -of fencers, ■ -however, will always raise the enthusiasm of the spectators. Without going frdm 'liotiie we might cite -the hurdle race oh' the second day of the January imeeting at Trentham.' which was, Irofri start to finish, as fine a race as could be witnessed anywhere. These few issues are put forward, first, with Hhe object of evoking interest m the ' matter of the poor fields that contest the chief flat event m New Zealand ; arid, secondly, asa note, of warning against anything tending towards retrogression m the jstarhpj- standard, or stainina of the •Colony's' jumpers.