THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15705, 6 March 1913, Page 10

THE TURF.

Bi Ssmmsik WINGAD7DI AND WANGANUI. Tba fact that Mira succeeded in gaining a placo in the Wangairai Cop recalls that other horses have captured both the Dunedin Cup and Wan gin ui Cnp in tho eame year, although it necessitated a hurried voyage between both meetings. In 1894 liberator won the Dimodin Cup on February. 21, and on March 8 sccred ia tie iWahganui Oup. Both stakes v. r cre 500sovs each. In tho following year Lady Zetland ran second to Casket in the Ihinedia Cup, and.a couple of weeks later went one better by ': winning the W-aaganui Cup. In 1898 the: Dunedin Cop was run about three weeks later than the Wanganm Cup, and on this occasion St. Paul, with 10A and Antares ran 1 in both races. In 1899 the first Dunedin Cup to be run at Wingatui was won by Djin Djin, and the field included Boreas, who had figured at tho Wangaaui meeting a fortnight previously. In 1900 Advance won the Wanganui Cup on Maroh 8, and the; Dunedin Cup on March 21. The following year the Dunedin Cup meeting opened on February 27, and tho Wanganui Cup gathering started on March 7. On this occasion no horse started in both races. In 1905 Orloff won the Dunedin, Cup on February 25,-and wqs shipped tlie following day; to Wanganui, where he ran second to Mats, who beat him by half a length. This was tho occasion when Advanco started favourite with 11.3. ' In 1904 the Dunedin Cnp was run on .February 24, and the Wanganui Cup on March 3. Canteen started ia both races, but failed to gain a place ,in either event. He was a strong at "Wanganui, but dwelt at the post. The following year Ghoorka won the Dunedin Cup, and' eight days later was amongst the " also starteds" in the Wanganui Cup.. In more recent yeare no horse ran in both r&es, ugtil Mira made his attempt this season. Trainers evidently realise that the meetings arc too close together on the calendar and too far apart by journey. It is also noteworthy that some of the horees that ran in both the Dunedia Cup and Wanganui Cup only made one appearance at 'the former meeting. They took the' plum and left the husks for something elscf The above, however, has shown that owners and trainers are inclined to have a shot at both races, and justifies the writer's oftrepeated contention that the Wanganui and Dunedin Cup meetings would mutually benefit if given a chance on the calendar. It has been shown that both cluhs in the past have not held cast-iron ideas' a3 to •when they should hold their principal meetings, and changes have occurred in bygone years. There is not much doubt that an advantageous change could be made in connection with future Cup meetings.

THE INCONSISTENCY OF MASTER- ' PIECE. Once again has Masterpiece aroused the ire of the sporting' public, and, as at Trentham, his win at. Wanganui was received with noisy displeasure by Bome of the spectators. There is no doubt the torso's form has been decidedly inconsistent, and perhaps it v is time that eome official notice "was taken of his in-and-out running. Those who cannot find a reason for tho changes inform are commoncing to talk about tho existence of a racing Jaw for the 6mall owner, and another racing law for tho big owner. Tho. next thing that will probably occur if an owner is challenged as to his horse's inconsistency will be that stewards will have their memory refreshed with Masterpiefee's inconsistent but unchallenged running. The horse with . his chops and changes of form is really settrng a bad precedent, and if one of the chief merits of ; having imported stipendiary .stewards consisted in tho supposition that racing in this country would be viewed with impartial and unbiassed eyes, it is time that the public —the public that does not know, but that would like to know—was made aware .of the reason why Masterpiece's running has been viewed with'official silence but noisy demonstration on the part of the public. Evidently the stewards do not think an explanation is necessary, but that does not apply in all cases. Personally, the writer holds the opinion that Masterpiece's form admits of easy explanation, and has previously combated the opinion that the horse is inclined to be roguish. Possibly such is tho case, but more probably it is not. Masterpiece is a horae that requires a good- deal in his favour to show top form. He wants plenty of elbow room, as it were, and a good track to acjb on. A small track such as Wanganui, or a sharp turn such as exists at Trentham, would greatly hamper him unless he got a clear and perhaps a. somewhat lucky run. He is as long as a boat, and appears to become unbalanced and change .a good striding action into a sprawl, as .the result, of a little trouble from which most other horses would quickly recover. In some_ of his races the writer has noticed Masterpiece in trouble, Jrat-instead of being gathered together and allowed to get right again he has been hunted along and ridden into deeper trouble. On these occasions the horso's faults have been accentuated by indifferent riding. The cyclonic finishes to which Archer and other good horsemen treated people can only be achieved by allowing a home to get well into stride before being sent on to win with a wellgathered 6peed. Horses subsequently found to be genuine stayers can bo ridden to a standstill in half a mile, but this fairly effective method of stopping a horse is not much adopted nowadays. In tho case of Masterpiece, he seems to be greatly assisted to chaagc what is to some an inexplicable lose into a subsequently comfortable win by the manner in which he is treated by some of the northern handicappers. These weight adjusters appear to follow the great fallacy of accepting a horse's worst form as being correct, and a handicap based on that idea, which is of "course a most erroneous one, generally makes a race an absolute present to a horse that afterwards runs minus what has only been bad luck and not real form. If Masterpiece is not the most courageous horse in the world, it is surely a mistaken policy to handicap him on his roguish form and not on what he exhibits when bent on victory. If Masterpiece is a ,bit timid in his races it is probably due to the fact that he' was raced and hustled as a big over-grown colt before he gathered his full strength, and perhaps some of the unpleasant experiences he underwent at that stage of his career loft him with a tendency to 6hirk matters when in trouble. He has a frame big enough to push through any field, but, like other giants, both human, and equine, increasing strength has run parallel with loss of courage owing to the latter being taxed too much when the former was in its infancy. Hence it is that pluck and power are not always allied in the same individual.

— Tho death is reported of the well-known stallion Young Burlington, — The dispersal of the Allendale Stock Fcjm is dut to a dissolution of partnership. — The Wanganui grand stand will seat 7000 people, and on Cup Day it was crowded- to ■its utmost capacity. — The totalisator held £1791 on tho Wanganui Cup. On tto Dunodin Gup the total djd not reach 400030v5. — Masterpiece would prooably. be n. good horse to give a poor owner a, compulsory holiday. _ \ — Sir George Clifford is one of the kings of the turf. "Tho king can do no wrong," Imt bis horses can. — The Wanganui Cup once carried a stake of lOOOsova, and judging by the success of the recent meeting, should soon regain that mark. — Tho Southland Racing Club have gTanted the use of their course free of charge for tho trotting meeting to. be Uhere. — Masterpiece is reported to have received a bump in the Wangamri Cup, and lost •ground as a result. He finished at tho tail of the field.

— Bronzo is reported to have received a bad passage in the Wanganui Cup. With a clear ran it is believed tbe mare would have 'beaten Tiresome. | —In the Great Autumn Handicap Bronzd lias been allotted 81b less than she had to take up in last year's race. Sbe meets Masterpiece on 121b better terms. —Che33ar ran prominently in the WangMiui Cup until heads turned for home, and tljen retired beaten. Both Cheddar and Master Loddo were reported to be a bit on the big side. , — Machine Gun* carried 10.4 when he wbn the Creat Easter Handicap in 1905. Boreas won under 9.12, Cruciform as a three-year-old won w«h 9.9, and Penates scored with 9.3 on his back.

— Bribery, winner of a V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race, and both , a V.R.C. Grand National and Australian Steeplechase, has been given away, and will be pensioned off by his new owner. _ • —B. Lowe was suspended after the third Tace at Wanganui for failing to ride out Patriotic in the Stewards' Handicap, and for not telling the truth at the meeting of stewards held in connection with tho matter.

— Mr E. 0. Duncan has been appointed deputy stipendiary steward for the Nelson meeting, to bo held' on tha 12th and 13th of this month. Hence he will not b'e tho "man in the box" at the "Waimate meeting. — A' writer in an American paper says:— "If an owner insists upon fooling himself concerning the spoed and racing ability of ilia trotter or pacer, ha should keep it to

himself and not persist -in misleading his friends."

— One mistake frequently leads to many. It is noticed that who won a couple of two-year-old races at the Dunedin Cup meeting, is given in exchanges as being out of Demeter, whereas he is out of Nautiloid,

the dam of Carolus and Pilgrims Way, — Achilles has evidently endowed Peronilla with soma of hia great speed, and tho filly's form should give the crack son of Medallion a boost as a sire. Ho has yet to sire somethins in tho same street as himself, but great racehorses are not always great sires. — Domino is_ said to have sported his usual aldermanic appearance when going out for the Wanganui Cnp. He is rather a round cobby sort, and consequently looks big, but may bo fitter than he looks. He, however, generally appears to improve on racing.

— Ngawera, the winner of the hurdles on the final day of the Cup meeting, has been purchased by an Australian Brighton, the sire of Ngawera, was shipped to Australia some few years ago. — Los Angelo3, who has been allotted 9.8 in the Great Antunm,' l fwon last year's race comfortably under Ho/was followed home by Masterpieco and Midnight Sun, who subsequently fought out the N.Z. Cup, run in November last. Masterpiece now meets Los Angelos on llb'worso tgrms. — The Wanganui Cup seems to have proved' a ratheT unsatisfactory race, Bronze, Masterpiece, Lady Menschikoff, Moutoa. Girl, and LaEour Day all received more or less interference during the raoe, and general opinion claims that Bronze and Labour Day should have fought out tho finish; On tho other hand Tiresome got a good clear. run, —Jockeys now earn such big fees at Homo that ,like young Wootton, they wax rich in very _ few years. They also appear to be growing up in > the social scale, and there is no reason shouldn't. Up to date, however, no jockey has been knighted (if it is _ not lese inajeste to think of such a thing).

—At time of writing tho acceptances are not due for the Southland Racing Club's autumn meeting, but even after allowing for a shrinkage the fields should be of fairly good numerical strength. The steeplechase events promise to be quite the features of the meeting, and in consequence likely to dwarf tho interest in the more important events.

— When scanning tho handicaps for the Great Easter and Great Autumn, remember that a good hoTso i 3 not stopped by weight. On the _ contrary, a good horse . with no weight is doubly handicapped, because good jockeys that can ride no weight (of importance) are extremely rare. Uonco weight mil not at-op a horse, but an incapable lightweight will anchor him.

—A private cable from Melbourne t states that Anna Carlovna landed in Melbourne in splendid order. On the voyage the filly was entrusted to' the care of W. Jl'&Tath, who has had a good deal of experience, and makes several trips a year to Australia with shipments of horses. M'Grath is a thoroughly capable man with horses, and the fact that ho lias charge of shipments sent to Australia by Mr J. O'Brien, of Oamaru, is evidence of the fact. horses trained by G. Price to carry tho colours of "Mr Highden" have been comparatively very unlucky this season. Bronze was apparently .unlucky to miss the Wanganui Cup, but some amends were made by the win of Lockwood, who scored on the first day of the meeting. Lockwood looked a rather promising sort last season. He was got by St. Ambrose from the Eiridspord mare Waitemata, who also threw : Porirua, Sir Frisco, and Kamo.

—An adjourned meeting of tho. committee of the Taranaki Metropolitan Jockey Club was held on Tuesday of last week to. consider tho running in the hurdle race at tho second day of the recent meeting. Tho meeting was in continuance of one held on the course during the progress of the race meeting, and after hearing further-evidence the oommittee imposed a disqualification of 12 months oil W. D. Young, rider of Aviatrix, and a similar term on P. Marr, rider of Timothy. F. Flynn, the rider of Bercola, and E, Abbott, the rider of Proxy, were severely cautioned. It was decided to pay out the second dividend in the race on Aviatrix.

— Mrs R. 0. Duncan has 6old two yearling oolts to Mr H. S. Cribb, of Queensland, and who is the owner of' the imported American trotter. Marion "Wilkes. Both the youngsters were got by Marion Wilkes. One is from Vanquish (Van Cleve—Victress), and the other from Runaway (Rothschild—Vanquish). Tho stock bred at the Coldstream Lodge Stud have always given satisfaction to their purchasers, and the above pair were sold solely on tho recommendation and description of their breeder. It- may be interesting to learn that the Coldstream Lodge Stud may inaugurate annual sales of light harness bred yearling 3, and with a. sire like King Cole (2.8 3-5) there should be a demand for the stock.

— A pleasing feature of the Wanganui meeting is the return of form demonstrated by Autumnus, whose earlier running in tho present season _ was of a disappointing nature. After his success as a two-year-old. when he stood out as not only the best of his year, but also one of tho best youngsters seen in New Zealand, his spring form was a bit unpalatable to anyone who naturally expected tho son of Treadmill and Goldleaf to train on into a high-class. three-year-old. He apparently won the Flying Handicap under difficulties, and although his burden was not by any means harsh, 1 paid a rather pleasing dividend. His win in the Jackson Stakes looked a fairly rosy prospect after the success of the first day, and the back end of the season may permit the colt further opportunities to distinguish himself. —In view of ths fact that quito a number of English racing men are agitating for the walk-up, in preference to the standing, start, D. Maher's opinion on the subject is of "value. Recently lie delivered himself ns follows:—"This han been tried and failed. One reason why it would not do," he continued, "is that the older, stronger, more experienced jockeys would be sure to jump off and try to eet a bit the best of it; the" light-weights wcmld go with them, and these little boys, not being able to stop their horses in time, would burst through the tapos. The gate given ths boys—the littla boys—a better chance, - there is no doubt about that. The. older jockeys canr.ot steal an advantage.. Before the gate came horses often used to get. out of hand and gallop a furlong, or more before they could bo pulled up and brought back. The machine docs away -with that."

— Judging by file report of the Wanganui Cup meeting, Mr R. H. Skipwith appears *io have been particularly successful in despatch; ing his field's, On assuming the role of starter, and when gathering experience in that direction, Mr_ Skiowith was by no means kindly criticised in some quarters, and this waa accentuated by the fact that what good work-he put. up was "damned with faint praise," or left unnotioed. On more than one occasion recently h© has been officially complimented on his work by stewards of-club3 for which he has acted as starter, but such has never gathered the publicity of print until now. It will lie remembered that at a previous Wanganui meeting he took the Tight notion with some riders, and was fortunately backed up by tho club. That it appears to have borne good fruit is suggested by the laudatory account in tho Press Association report of the meeting.

— There did not seem to bo a vast amount o; interest taken in the c Newmarket Handicap, which was run on Saturday. A few years ago a good deal of New Zealand money hung on the result, particularly when something from this side of the water was included in the field. Relievo, who won this year's race, paved the way to this success by putting up a tracli rccord in a gallop. at FlemingtOn, hut his previous form in public did not tend to inspire one to back him in such an important event. Relievo was got bv Engliah-brpfl horse Murillo. won the Maribyrnong Plate, and ran second] in the Caulfield Debutant Stakes. Murillo, who did not last long on tlie turf, was got by Velasquez from a Friar's Balsanl mare, who died shortly after importation to Australia. Lancaster Rose, the dam of Relievo, is a daughter/a Lancaster, the three-quarter brother to Trenton. E-elievo's - second dam is a mare named Xitouciie, who was got by Eiridspord from a sister to "Stepniak and the dam of iJobadil, a. great sprinter in his day. — The enterprise shown by the Egmont Racing Club in deciding to put on two additional w.f.a. events next sejson is to bo highly commended. This club is evidently prepared to take rather _ than accept■a lead from moro important institutions, and is therefore deserving of . every encouragement at the hands of owners. It wa's one of tho first to strongly advocate tho appointment of paid stewards. It is the first and only club in the Dominion to own a number board on which the order of the draw for tho positions at the post, as well as the jockeys' names, are displayed. And now it has gono yet a step further in a .direction long enough desired. I refer (sayH "Sir Bedivore") to the timo of closing of entry for its new w.f.a. events. Instead of ! forcing breeders to nominate yearlings early in the previous season, as other clubs have persisted-in doing, the Eelmont Club has decided /to accept entries in Slay. This is exactly what everybody has been asking for long enough, and will permit tho engagement of yearlings offered for sale next month at. Randwick. The proper lead lias been given, and-it is lo bo hoped that other clubs will full into line.

—Horses carrying the " Highden " 'colours have been running in a Tathcr unlucky groove this season, and this seems to have been continued in the Wansranui Cup, in which Bronzo finished Focorid, but according to report received an unluckv run, which evidently cost her tho race. Half a mile from homo Bronze mot with interference which cost her sevoral lengths, and no doubt lost her the race. Losing ground .at such a. stage is rather' serious, because if anything out in front can keep moving a horse knocked back lias to run an almost impossible half-mile to finally become a winner. Pew indeed sire the horses that can pull a race out of the fire when they get in trouble at the final stage of a, fairly long journey, which has been Tun at a sound pace throughout, In the N.Z. Cup won by- Noctuiform tho son of Multiform got boxed' on tho rails aa they

turned out of tho straight, and remained so until nearly half a mile from home. At this stage Hewitt had dropped back, to nearly the tail of the field, and 011 getting clear brought Noctuiform wide on the outside, and finally measured off Paritutu and the rest of the opposition. Noctuiform was credited with running the last half in '18. and this, if true, was a phenomenal speed to show at tho enil of two miles. At Riccarton, however, there is a much better chance to get out of trouble than at Wanganui, as the former track has a. Tun-in of over two furlongs. Some people pass rude remsrta a'jout Noctuiform's Cup, but perhaps they are more impolite than truthful. \ —Tiresome's win in the Wanganui Cup furnishes a fitting opportunity to draw attention to the oonftision which formerly existed between the pedigrees of Raupo and Renga. In tho earlier volumes of the N.Z. Stud Book Renga was given as belonging to the J8 family instead of having a colonial taproot in Woodstock, whereas Raupo is a No. 18 taproot, and not a member of the unnumbered Woodstock tribe. The matter is nrado important by the fact that none of the family would be eligible for admission to the English Stud Book, and anyone compiling a pedigree of either "family should note tho fact tl'"t Vol. V gives a table showing the female descendants ol both Raup9, and Renga, and hencc reduces the possibility of further mistakes to a minimum. Torment, the dam of Tiresome, died in 1908, and hence is not oontiriued in Vol. V, but, as Vol. IV is the latest number giving her pedigree it should be noted that she is returned fls Tunning, baok to Wflimoa. instead of Phosbe, and through the latter to her correct taproot. A couple of northern papers, in commenting on Tiresome's success at Wanganui, both accopt the pedigree given in Vol. IY as being correct. Hence this par. — Tiresome, tho winner of the'Wanganui Cup, is said to be only <i pony in stature, and (his fact would distinctly stand in her favour when running on a track about a mile in circumference, whilst it would, on the contrary, be just • as much against a long strider such as Masterpieco unless he received a fairly lucky passago. More trouble than usual seems to have occurred in the Wanganui Cup, and Tiresome had apparently the fortuno of war witli her chance. There is no attempt made hero to dim tho merit of her win, but merely to draw attention to the generally overlooked fact that small horses have a decided advantage when racing on small tracks. Tiresome was got by Soaton Dokval, who also sired another ponified stayer in.Slis3 Delaval, whose hoaf would not cover tho palm of a small hand. Miss Delaval won the Great Northern Derby, -the Wellington St. Leger,- and finished only ai necK away when Fuiman- and Ideal deadheated in the N.Z. rf .Cup. Tiresome is out of tho- Musket—Hannah mare Torment.'. Hannah was got by Traducer from Renga, who until recent years was confused with Raupo, the da-m of Mata, and ateo the ancestress of other' notable performers.