THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16590, 13 January 1916, Page 8

THE TURF.

BlSkntdtkl.

A WISE MOVE. Ever'since the outbreak of war tho various racing and trotting clubs have been liberal contributors towards the patriotio funds which havo been creatcd. Clubs have contributed in various manners and to;;various objects, but no definite line, of action has been adopted. Some months ago the writer suggested that it was a matter which should certainly be under the direct control of the Racing Conference. In tho first place, because each club has to present a balance sheet to tho authorities,- and so account for the financial operations of each racing, season; and, secondly, because it would bring one or two dilatory clubs into line. At this present time there is a tendency in some quarters by people who are unaware of or ignore the vast business Bide of racing and breeding, and merely regard it as a pleasure pure and simple, to " shake a stick " at the sport. It would certainly help to disarm such antagonists if a full and complete record of how clubs are contributing towards tho various funds is placed on record. Many object to carnival methods of raising mo: v for no matter how deserving an object. Nevertheless the substantial side of racing requires more recognition than it has been receiving, and, bearing this in mind, all racing and trotting clubs should promptly reply to the request which has been 6ent out. Up to the present many thousands of pounds have been contributed by racing clubs, but so- far the fact has been published only in, a disjointed and haphazard sort of manner. The following speaks for itself._ The racing clubs of New Zealand are being" circularised as follows by _ Sir George Clifford, president of tho Racing Conference: — ' Very large sums have been voluntarily dedicated to patriotic purposes by the racing and trotting clubs of New Zealand. The absorption of such offerings into a common fund will before long cause their origin to be forgotten., It has been suggested to me that their amalgamation for some acceptable object would be of practical, utility in itself, and might be made a continuing record of _the_ patrioticunselfishness of the contributing institutions. The exact destination of the combined fund is a matter for agreement with the W&r Funds Council recently appointed, lie main object is to secure lasting recognition of the sources of the contributions and of the sacrifices made, in accumulating so large a sum. My desire in addressing the racing clubs i 6 to obtain an indication of_ the feeling of each club jn regard to this proposition, and to ascertain its willingness or otherwise to accept it. If it be generally welcomed, further measures can be adbpted to carry it out, but before any Public step can be taken it is advisable that the clubs concerned should as speedily as possible express concurrence or the reverse. I should esteem it a favour if your committee could reply to this circular on or ( before the 18th of January if possible." 'i THE DUNEDIN CUP MEETING. " Although we are still, some distance from tirg, Dunedin Cup meeting of 1916, its approach is heralded by the fact that nominations for the fixture are due on .Friday of next week. The Dunedin Cup, of lOOOsovs. forms the chief item on the programme, and it is supported by the Publicans' Handicap, 500sovs; D.J.C. Handicap, of 50ifeovs; Handicap, of 350sovs, Hazlett Memorial Plate, of 300sovs; Champagne Stakes, of 350sovs; and several other events ranging in value from 200sovs to 250sovs. The only stake of lOOsovs is attached to the Apprentices' Plate, and all the minor events carry stakes running from 220bovs up to 175sovs. Such an attractive programme should meet with a liberal response from owners. The meeting will, as otEers held at Wingauti during the season, bo ;held in aid of the Patriotic Funds. — Blackall pulled up sore after running in tile Auckland Cup. for the Wairio meeting are due on Saturday next. 4-Silver Shield was too sore to show his real form at Oamaru. -f-Nominations for the Dunedin Cup meeting fall due next week. -r The Tapanui meeting takes place on. Wednesday and Thursday of this week. v — There seems to be tlq pronounced favourite for the Wellington Cup. — Prince Berlin went round a 4.30 gait when he won at Canterbury Park. 4- Desert Gold pans. out well. So many hundreds to the furlong sort of thing. — Scotch Melody broke down when running in the Final Handicap at Invercargill. 4-Battle Eve, in the humour, would keep I them galloping in the big sprint at Wellington. — The Gore Trotting CMba meeting turned m £187 8s 5d in taxation to the Government ooffere. — Medley seems a bit out of tune at present, and not running up to her early promise. — On his Oamaru form Aerial was lucky to «ia the principal event at the Waikouaiti meeting. — The imported horse Panmure is one of the favourites for the W.R.C. Telegraph Handicap. —It is reported that the owner of the erack pacer Our Thorpe contemplates taking his horse to America. . —The queen (Warstep) is dead or burst. Long live the queen (Desert Gold), who is on a burst of success. _It is reported that the light harness racer John Dillon has been purchased by Mr W. . A. Gordon at £500. -T- Handicaps for the first day of the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting are due on: Friday of this week. — Specialform appeals to have turned jady, and does not race so well as when she was a home-trained racer. — Golden King is reported to have, broken down. He never seems to have been right at any pajrt of the present season. — The Wellington Cup meeting takes place on Thursday and Saturday of next week, and will be concluded on the following Monday. — United Service looks well to the eye, but has been running badly. He seems to .be horse that either wants making or — Moulu seems to be just an ordinary 'Oorso that might make good if he was put Jy? for another few months to gather Strength. . . — One of the most promismg horses seen out at tho recent West Coast meetings is a three-year-old named Tip-up, by All Red from Fairy Rose. — A yearling by Soldiers Chorus recently changed hands at £100. Evidently the son of Martian and Grand Opera is getting them promising shape. ■—Ringform is standing up to his work, and, all going well, should catch a race .after the sting is out of the ground during the autumn meeting. — According to reports, Rorke's Drift was forward enough to win the Wyndham Cup, but not forward enough to wade through the deep going at Invercargill. — Sartomart looked bright and well when he; raced at Oamaru. He showed that he letains his pace, and should make good again before the season grows much older. Th© members of the Trotting Conference will meet in Wellington on the 20th to receive and consider the report of tlic executive on the appointment of stipendiary stewards. —J. O'Shea's cheque for tho Auckland Cup meeting amounted to something like £200. Nevertheless there is a great scarcity of flight boys anxious to shine in the saddle. 4-. The Martian —Linda colt Linden gave Kilboyne a good run for the money on the finjt day at Oamaru, but was just good ' enough to get beaten on both days of the eneetmg. 4- Tho two-year-old race run at Randwiek on Boxing Day was won by Cerelia, a filly /%y The Welkin from the New Zealand-bred mare Demeter, the dam of Stepmeter and IJinu-ldo. — The Grcymouth Jockey Club had to pay over £500 to the Government by way oi taxation over their recent meeting. The cliib will, however, make a big loss ovei the fixture. — Desert Gold has dethroned Reputatior as' the most successful three-year-old that has raced in the Dominion. Desert Golc has won £5850, whilst the other's recorc stood at £4690. — Kilkee was made a strong OTder in th< Nursery Handicap at Oamaru, but he rar greenly, and never got near the money. He however, looks a likely sort that should shon up in the future. — Ardmore was made a can't lose chancc in' the Ladies' Purse at Oamaru, but he jnst got there. There is always a dangei jn backing young and unseasoned horses under welter weights. — The chestnut gelding Varanian, sold at Invercargill last week, was purchased bj Mr James Smith, of Greenfield, at 180gs The pacer M'Connachie went at llOgs te Mr D. W. Thomson. — Encore is looking well,' but racinp badly. He may bo finding the going a bit too hard at present, but his National meeting form suggests he is one of the best welter horses in the country. — A special meeting of the Hawke's Baj Joolcey Club will be held on Fridav to con eider an appeal against the disqualification imposed over the of Croesus at the recent race meeting of this club. — The growing and well-sustained popu larity of light harness racing is given furthei evidence by the excellent array of nomina tiona for the Forbury Park meeting, wlircl will take place towards the end of the month Despite the very antagonistic weather th( Southland Racing Club struck in connectioi with-their recent meeting the treasurer hac the satisfaction of paying over £1279 10s 4< in general tax to tho Government Treasury — Peronilla looked so well and in sue! good heart at Oamaru that she should b< worthy of respect when Bho next appears Her chance at the meeting was spoilt by i bolt, which naturally cut the hea<rt out o hex gallop in ft rflo©«

— Five fillies recently arrived from England to the order of Mr W. G. Stead, of Hawke's Bay. The importations consist of a filly by Llangwyn ll—Cholys; Marco—Oriole; Llangwyii il—Valve; Sunstar —Tho Broom, and one by Bttyaido—Alicia. — None of the two-year-old raoes at Wingatui or Oamaru wero particularly hard to # win. The North Otago Club may como out" with improved stakes next season in older to tempt soino of the youngsters opt of their box that were not in commission during the holidays. — The South Canterbury Jockey Club has decided to delete the steeplechases from its autumn programme, and will* give a sevenitem card, carrying a total list of stakes amounting to £1700. With the inclusion of steeplechases the prize money would havo amounted to £1980. — Fonder, the winner of tho Buckley Memorial Handicap, was got by Martian from Fireside, by Perkin Warbock II —Blytheside, by Stony hurst —Alsace, by Apremont —Mario Theresa, by Rata-plan. She belongs to No. 27 family, one of tho extreme outsiders of the Brnce Lowe theory. — Top price at the Auckland blood stock sales was made by a yearling filly sister to Eligible, which made 550 guineas. She was purchased by the Messrs Riddiford, of Wellington. Next best was the 500 guineas paid for a Demosthenes—Gold Treasure colt, bought by Mr H. E. Troiitbeck. — All Ready seems to be one of the' most disappointing horses in training. He promised to furnish into quite a useful sort, but latterly never runs two races alike. Perhaps the endeavour to convert him into a stayer is a bit premature, and lie might do better over short courses until next season, — Mr T. H. Lowry recently experienced the bad luck to lose a full brother to Desert Gold. The youngster got in a drain, and was drowned. A yearling brother to Bobrikofl hurt himself across the back, and it is considered doubtful if ho will over race. Losing tho services to two champions is indeed a piece of misfortune. — The Martian—Ukraine mare Martuk has come on well during the past month or so, and her performances at Wingatui and Oamaru suggest that she will go on winning. Her dam, Ukraine, was got by Stepniak— Madder, and is a sister to All Red, Munjeet, Mungista (dam of Indigo), and Rose Madder, the dam of Sea Pink. — Some of tho northern scribes state that the disqualification of Crcesus and co. is a highly regrettable affair. On the contrary, if the punishment is deserved it is a matter for congratulation. The of the turf is the first consideration. No doubt an appeal will be lodged, and (hen more may be heard concerning tho matter. — Down, the winner of the principal race at Invercargill, could have been picked up cheaply at the latter end of last season. He was under offer at about £150, and finally passed in to the ownership of his. trainer. In the early part of tho season Down ran disappointingly; but one good stake makes amends for several misses. —Tho South Canterbury Jockey Club has received a reply from the president of the Racing Conference that he could not accede to the club's request to call a meeting of the conference to consider the question of reducing the amount of racing on the calendar during the war. The club has decided to ask for a reason why its request was not granted — Adjutant seems a rather in and out customer; but when in the humour can gallop a fair race. He put up a fair performance when. he beat First Glance at Wingatui; but followed by an indifferent gallop in'the North Otago Cup. On tho second day of the latter meeting he ran quite a good race, although it was not quite good enough to win. — Tho Calibre gelding Bore, who won both hurdles at Oamaru, ran as green as grasn on the first day, but shaped in improved style at his next attempt. At Wingatui and Oamaru Bore was a very faulty fencer; but clouting the obstacles apparently opened his eyes, and he jumped in good style on the second day at the Oamaru meeting. His pace beat the moderates opposing him, and now that he knows his way over a hurdle other wins should come his way. — Robert Bell, who earned distinction at the Oamaru meeting as a Cup winner, claims as his grand-dam a one-time well-known performer in Bay Bell. Several of Canrobert's stock are of the lean and lathy sort, but Robert Bell is a compact, robust gelding, following the type of his grand-dam rather than his sire. Bay Bell carried the colours of the well-known trainer S. Waddell in the early 90's at Forbury Park, and won several races in his name. Bay Bell was got by the Musket horse Hiko from Black Bell. — Snub is 6poken about in a derogatory strain in connection with his Auckland form; but it should not be overlooked that he was not so far away in the Cup, and apparently gave Eligible a good go for second money in the Derby. That form is good enough to make him dangerous in future events. A great factor in his favour is that Warstep, with whom he worked continuously, is out of action, and he will not have the heartbreaking gallops he has been putting up with her since the early p&Tt of the season. This may Tosult in him bucking up, - and if sent for th« Wellington Cup should be found running a good race. — Although light-harness racing is very popular in Southland, some of the stock sold by Mr H. Cunningham last week in Invercargill made very poor prices. Some of the thoroughbreds offered also made moderate figi;res. The following sales were made: — Varanian, chestnut gelding, four years (Varco —Ngaio), to Jas. Smith, Greenfield, ISOgs; M'Connachie, bay gelding, five years (Young M'Kinney—Dexter mare), (pacer), to D. W. Thomson, Lochiel, llOgs; M'Vea, bay gelding, six years (Young M'Kinney), (pneer), to Alex. Chisholm, Otautau, 21ge; Highland Nector, grey gelding (Phosphorus—Tomorrow), (maiden trotter), to D. W. Thomson, Lochiel, -tigs; bay gelding, three years (Young M'Kinney—Rothschild mare), (unbroken), to Murdoch M'Kenzie, Lochiel, 7Jgs; bay gelding, three years (Young M'Kinney— Lauderdale mare), (unbroken), to Murdoch M'Kenzie, Lochiel, 12gs; bag filly, two years (Young M'Kinney—Rothschild mare), to Robt. Cowie, Winton, 14gs; bay filly, two years (Rose Noble—Battlefield mare), to Jas. Lindsay, Barkly, 7£gs; bay brood mare Blue Bell (Conqueror), foal at foot by Buff Gauntlet, and stinted to Buff Gauntlet, to Smith and Smith, Winton, 15gs; chestnut mare, Miss Sylvia (Sylvia Park—Miss Fortune), stinted to Buff Gauntlet, to Alex. Bisset, lela Bank, 22-igs; bay filly (spring-carter), three years (Young M'Kinney), to Richard Brouchland, Makarewa, 12gs. On account J. R. M'Murray: Trotting horse Hazelfield, to A. Agnew, Invercargill.. £40. On account G E. Martin: Bay coit by King Child, to G. E. Davis, Roslvn Bush, at £13. On account client: One bay filly, three years, by Rothschild, to Cecil Hazlett, Gigs.