THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19065, 10 January 1924, Page 5

THE TURF.

By Sentinel.

A JUBILEE CUP. The first Dunedin Cup figuring in the Turf ‘Register is that won by Lurline in 1874. Consequently the race which will come up for decision next month will mark the jubilee of the time-honoured handicap; Two Dunedin Cups were run before the race won by Lurline, but for some reason or other the compilers of the Turf Register have ignored them, although they figure in official records of the Dunedin Jockey Club. It is perhaps for the reason that 1924 does not actually represent the jubilee of the race that the club has not made any fuss or flurry about it, or drawn any attention to a very notable fact as represented by the Turf Register. Whether 1924 represents the jubilee of the Dunedin Cup is immaterial, but the fact remains that it is one of the oldest established races in the Dominion, and, if making it a jubilee event oould infuse any extra interest into the meeting, by all means let it be done, because, judging by recent gatherings, Wingatui is in need of all the boosting it can get The D.J-C Handicap is a much older race than the Dunedin Cup, as it appears with the date of 1863 against the first time it was run. The Canterbury Derbv was first run in 1860. and the C.J.C. TUndican fnow the New Zealand Gup) in 1R66. The first Auckland Cup was run in 1874-75. The D..T.C. Birthday Handicap was inaugurated in 1873. and the Forbnrv Handicap in and from the_ above it will be seen that the snorting pioneers of Ota m were early on the scene with the establishment of imnortaut events. It is feared that the sporting snirit which existed in Otago in bygone days does not bum with the same ardour and keenness to-dav. and that fact is evident by the lack of what one mi chi term “good owners” in the district. who race for snort and let stakes be a secondary consideration. In fact, one might rro further aud say we are painfully short of anv sort of owners to carry on the game. It should stand as encouragement ‘hat some of our locally owned or trained horses, such as Rosedav and Baldqwa, are capable of landing good stakes, whilst it is also pleasing to find small owners such as Mr D. Ruthven {owner of Eaton Bells) and Mr R. Ruthven (owner of Apple Dighton) meeting with reward for being courageous enough to step in and buy some of the Australian-bred youngsters brought over oy Mr A. G. Hill. Unfortunately, we have few local horses worthy of entry for the Dunedin Cup of 1924, with its stake of ISOOsovs, but it is to be hoped that anything which should be in will not be missing when the list closes on Friday, January 11. The Dunedin Cup is supported with other well-endowed events such as the Champagne Stakes (of 750sovs), D.J.C. Handicap (of bOOsovs). Hazlett Memorial Plate (of 605sovs), Publicans’ Handicap (of 600sovs), and other stakes ranging in value from 2CCsovs to 4Cosovs. Altogether, it is an attractive programme, which should command a good response from owners. THE HOLIDAY MEETINGS.

There was enough racing and trotting during the Christmas and New Year holidays to satisfy even the greatest gourmand for sport. Meetings were held d’t every point of the compass, here, there and everywhere, and a general success seems to have been achieved. This is very gratifying to those anxious to see sport either hold its own or make even greater progress in popularity than even in the past. It is quite clear that the sporting enthusiasm has not diminished even though one occasionally hears talk of depression in trade. There is, however, every reason why meetings held during the big vacation should achieve general success, because it is one of the few periods in the year when all the working world is free to play—that is to say all the working world except pressmen who seldom sheath their pen or pencil save inside the top of an ear. It is a period for clubs to make the best of a good opportunity, but when there is so much competition for patronage it is safe to say that those who lag behind in building up the attractions of a meeting are sure to suffer. The commercial side of sport makes it a sure thing that patronage goes mostly where the most money can be found. One of the few meetings which suffered a knockback was the Wingatui Summer fixture, and it is to be sincerely hoped that more enthusiasm will bo aroused over the Dunedin Cup meeting, the time honoured gathering which forms the chief race meeting of our local season. The Wyadham Racing Club had every reason to feel gratified with the result of their annual gathering, as the card provided some good sport for the excellent attendance which mustered in force in the enclosure. There is a great lack of accommodation, however, and it is to be hoped that the club will pluck up courage and carry out some very necessary improvements. At one time the club had a two day programme and in those days both attendance and fields were rather limited. It is now in a very much stronger position, and in justice to the district it should have received one of the lapsed permits which the Minister of Internal Affairs has allotted to the North Island, when thev rightly belong to the South Island. T'he handicappers took a risk for some unjustifiable reason with General Advance, and he won the Wyndham Cup going away from the opposition at the finish. The Southland Racing Club’s meeting as usual gathered an excellent . attendance, but perhaps one Is apt to gather an erroneous impression of a crowd at Invercargill, because it is difficult to move through the people who pack in the very limited area between the totalisator and the Steward’s Stand. Some relief in that direction has been made by the erection of a receiving house for ten shilling investors, but this has been placed rather too near the main building. There was an unusually large crowd in the outside enclosure and it is certainly the duty of the club to provide an improvement on the utter lack of accommodation which exists there since the old stand was destroyed by fire. At least the outside patrons should be provided ■with a terrace or banked lawn in order to supply something like a view of the racing and in good time a stand should follow. It is understood that the club is in the fortunate position of having a good supply of cash in hand, and some of It should be spent on behalf of those good sports who are not so fortunately placed as the patrons of the grand stand enclosures. The consistant and solid mare Mantua won the Invercargill Cup in meritorious stylo, and the pleasure of seeing her owner land the stake was not at all discounted by the fact that the element of luck stood linked with the victory. Over confidence on the part of Loughrea’s rider appeared to cost him the race, as his mount was well on the bit when Mantua flashed on scene and fce*it him p<iif the post befoie there was time to set the Kilbroney gelding going again. Palestrina must also have been very much harder to beat if she had obtained a clear run, and the decisive manner in which she scored on the second day lends weight to that opinion Ealdowa has travelled up in the handicaps but still he ran well, although apparently feeling the effects of a fairly strenuous time he has been experiencing. .The general impression of the Wingatui Wynoham. and Invercargill meetings is that they retain all their popularity and never fail to draw ■when the card shows an indication thait will provide interesting sport. Owners naturally go where the good stakes are, and the best fields made by good class horses can always he relied upon to prove an irresistable and magnetic attraction to the sporting public in the south.

NO DISGRACE IN' DEFEAT. Louehrea was not handled to the best advantage in the Invercargill Cun, and in consequence he was generally regarded as a good thing for the Southland Handicap. Those who formed that opinion were, However paying rather too much attention to one horse and not to the danger represented bv some of the others. Palestrina looked rather hi" in condition when she stripped at Wingatui and filled the eye much more pleadingly when she went out for the Invercargill Cup. In this race it was obvious to anvone who saw it that Palestrina, owing to interference which brought about serious results in the fact that it settled any chance she had. did not, in consequence. show anything like her true form. When interfered with about half a mile from home she was going as well as anything in the race, and it was when attempting to improve her position that she struck trouble. In the Southland Handicap Palestrina was meeting Loughrea on 41b better terms, and Baldowa on Dunedin form at 171 b better terms for about a halflength heating. This pointed to Palestrina holding an absolute certainly of beating Baldowa and very likelv to seriously trouble Loughrea, who had to give her 81b. This is not an attempt to be wise after the event, but as a note of guidance to the future. Last season Palestr'na won the Midsummer with 8.5. was second with 88 to Sunart 8.5. in the Wanganui Cup. with Enthusiasm 8.8. Muraabi 7 12. and others unplaced. She was second with 8 13. to Muranhi 7.2, who heat he r a neck in the Earle Stakes Handicap; second with P. 7, in the Hororata Cun when Some TCid 8 7. beat her a head; won the Ashburton Autumn Handicap with 8 12. and was seeped with 9 6 in the Ashburton Cn n. This season she was third with 9.5 in the

Tinwald Handicap; won the Ashburton Handicap with 9.4, and at Wingatui she ran a really good race in the Otago Handicap with 8.13. Taking her form all round it is better than that of Loughrca, who was attempting to concede her 81b. Perhaps he would have done so if the going had been in his favour, but as it was she beat him fair and square despite the fact that, she covered more ground than ho did. It thus seems that track conditions and the cold facts of form were accountable for Loughrea’s defeat, as not many can give half a stone or more to Palestrina when she is keyed up and in good tune for a race. BUMPING AND BORING. The bumping and crowding which was in undesirable evidence at the Wingatui Summer meeting was again conspicuous at Wyndham and Invercargill. So much so has that been the case that it is high time a much stronger grip should be taken of the matter. It is not by any measn eas./ to win a race even with ordinary luck and a clear run in a horse’s favour, and it must bo very annoying to owners to have the chance of their horses completely settled by interference duo to the erratic riding of others in a race. In the Wyndham Oup All British led Osterman into the straight, and they were followed by Baldowa and Listening Post, the last-named on the rails and about half a length behind Baldowa. Listening Post was thus in a bad position. Baldowa was moving up to Osterman after they had straightened for homo, when Listening Post endeavoured to squeeze through, and in doing so bumped Baldowa. Some contended that Baldowa came in and bumped Listening Post, but with that opinion others do not agree by any means. It surely could not be contended that Baldowa should make way and room for Listening Post, who caused trouble by attempting to make room for himself, and incidentally cost Baldowa the race. If Listening Post had stuck to the rails, instead of leaving them, he would have got through the opening which oave General Advance the race. Powell, the rider of Baldowa, was cautioned for interfering with Listening Post, but even this mild punishment was totally undeserved, although, of course, it goes as a black mark against the hoy. When the field was about half a mile from home in the Invercargill Cup Lady Blissful was closely attended by Loughrea, and then close up came Palestrina, clear of General Advance and Baldowa. Palestrina moved un. but met with interference, which sent her back last, and settled whatever chance she had in the race. This very serious interference was apparently overlooked by the officials, as after the race the pressmen were informed that Powell, the rider of Baldowa, had been on the carpet for interfering with Palestrina. The idea of such a thing was ridiculed, but after leaving the half-mile post the field runs into a dip, and only the heads of the riders can be seen. At fhe home turn the spectators on the too high terrace block the view from the press stand, and thus the horses are lost to sight at a most critical stage of a race. When Palestrina moved up after dropping back last it appears she did suffer interference from Baldowa as they approached the home turn. When questioned Powell admitted that he did unintentionally interfere with Palestrina ; but this was not the original interference which cost Palestrina any chance she held- It will be seen from this that statements and admittances made by riders should not always be accepted as statements of fact, but rather as something said by a rider who is not as fully aware as to what is taking place in a race as competent men sitting in calm criticism of how a field is running In other words, racing officials should rely more on their own judgment than the statements of riders, who notoriously shield each other if possible, in order to perhaps save trouble to themselves in the future. It must be quite patent to anyone that unless tne undesirable bumping and boring is handled on the suggested lines it will never be stamped out, and despite all that has taken place we are just as far off a remedy as ever. Even when such a serious interference as that which ended the career of Monsieur Boutade took place, there was apparently no official notice taken of the matter, and if such a state of affairs continues it will not be surprising to find owners and trainers up in arms against such supine control of the sport which endangers the lives and limbs of riders and horses. x COMPULSORY BRANDING.

According to the Rules of Trotting all winnings must be paid within 14 days of the conclusion of a meeting. The stakes attached to the race won by Kingsdalo at the Gore Spring meeting have not yet been paid over and it is understood have not been claimed. It is a most noteworthy fact that it stakes are not paid, over in the specified lime that a claim is sure to be lodged, but apparently no such request has been made and Dame Rumour says that a claim never will be made. If that is so the money should ho paid over to the owner of the second horse. An official notice should be made that if the stakes are not claimed by a certain date the money will be paid to the owner of the second horse and third and fourth should also receive the share of the stakes which would have been theirs witli first past the post cut of the way. The stakes righTTully belong to the owner of the second horse in much the same manner as if the first past the post had been disqualified. In fact, there is room for a rule to the effect that when the stakes pay : able to the first, second, or third horses are not claimed within a certain date the money should become the property of the next horse past the post. The stakes won by a rung-in horse are not likely to be claimed as it would lay the claimant open to a prosecution at law to a charge of obtaining money under false pretences and that is the reason for suggesting the rule to protect, genuine owners, as some clubs would hold stakes because they could legally do so whilst morally the money was the property of the owners of the placed horses which may follow a masquerador post the post. There has been a move made in Australia towards making it compulsory to brand all imported or exported horses, and there is good reason for "stating that every horse raced in New Zealand under the Rules of Trotting should carry a brand before being allowed to start. It would impose no hardship on any genuine owner, but rather help to protect them against the machinations of the thieves who endeavour to make money by ringing horses and so, surround the sport with a bad odour which drives good men out of the game. The question of compulsory branding should certainly be taken up by the Trotting Association, and further strength is added to that contention by the fact that rumour is busy with the name of one of last week’s winners. It may be merely idle rumour, but a distinctive brand that displayed no suggestion of being tampered with would soon clear away any doubts about the matter. Acceptances for the Wairio meeting are due on Tuesday, January 14. Silent King ran a very fair race on the second day at Invercargill. Listening Post stayed fairly well when tr.ed beyond his usual distance in the south. The imported filly, Piquant, by Some Kiss, got amongst the winners at the Wairnrapa meeting. Mr J. P. Hornung is the new owner of Papyrus, who is to be kept in training for next season’s races. Black Ronald was back in bis box at Tauherenikau when the Great Northern Derby came up for decision. Silent King put up a race record when he won the Invercargill Cup of 1922 in 2.8. This year Mantua won in 2.8 1-5. Anomaly was a bit sore after his race at Wyndham, and is not likely to show up as a winner until the sting is out of the going. Incursio looks rather light and split up at present, and does not look sufficiently robust and muscular to display his best form. In 1920-21 the total investments at the Auckland Cup meeting ran to £511,455, They fell to £386.920 10s in 1922-23, and this year rose to £407,709 10s. The two-year-old filly. Motley, was withdrawn from some of her engagements at Auckland owing to her striking herself while galloping at Ellerslie. At a sale of bloodstock, held in Melbourne list month, the imported horse, Red Dennis, sire of the Melbourne Cup winner, Sister Olive, was sold at 260 guineas. Royal Box appears to be corning back to Ids b?st form, as he was just beaten in the Goodwood Handicap, won in 1.38 3-5. Wild Hind also ran well in the same race. J. J. Kennerley, the driver of Grear Bingen, was before the stewards after winning the Park Handicap at Addington and was cautioned for an undue display of his whip. Nominations for the Dnnedin Oup, of ISOOsovs (including trophy valued at lOOsovs), and other events to be decided at the D.J.C. Autumn meeting close to-morrow at 5 p.m. A visitor to the 'Wyndham meeting was rskod, “Well, what sort of a meeting was it?” “Not bad, but very dry. In fact, I had to pin the stamps on a letter I posted after the races.” The report that 650 guineas was paid for Prompter brought him into the limelight, but so far, be has not run up to the expectations of those who backed him because he cost a good figure. The lameness developed by The Harp at Wingatui was responsible for his absence from southern engagements. He appeared to rick one of his hind fetlocks whilst doing a preliminary at Wingatui. B. Rosen wne s'ood down for three months on the final day of the Auckland Cup meeting for serious interference with two other horses in a rare. At th’s end of the country a serious interference generally gets off with a caution.

Eoseday made amends for his defeat in the Auckland Cup by capturing two good stakes at the meeting. Roseday, Mantua, Loughrea, and Baldowa are amongst those engaged in the Wellington Cup. Other horses from this end engaged at the meeting are Palamon, All British, Listening Post, Kerb, St. Augustus, and Royal Wink. Guncase has been a disappointing horse this season. Sometimes it did not appear to bo altogether the fault of the horse, but at Invercargill, it is worthy of note, he struck a safe track for the first time since he ran at the Dunedin Winter meeting. One of the best two-year-olda seen out in England during the season just closed is a brown colt named Donzelon, who was got by Chaucer (sire of Arrowsmith) from Tortor by Yolodyovski from La Mortola by Martagon from Fleur ds Marie by Hermit. The bay gelding Lookout, who won on each day of the Southland Racing Club's mooting, and also ran third at the Wyndham meeting, has been seized by order of tho Trotting Association, and is now held at Mr G. Grant’s stables pending inquiries into his bona fidcs. English Derby winners are generally oa the boom when they leave the post for the paddock, and receive good opportunities at the stud. A notable failure has been Yolodyovski, who has proved anything but a stud success, although a fairly good eiro of brood mares. The principal events to be decided at the Dunedin Cup meetine will be the Dunedin Oup of ISOOsovs, Chamnagne Stakes of VSOsova, Publicans’ Handicap of fiOOsovs. D.J.C. Handicap of 600sovs, Hazlett Memorial of GOOsovs, and Plying Handicap of 400sovs. Nominations are due on Friday, January 11. Tho investigation into Sydney pony racing by a parliamentary committee is still going on. According to an official in the Registrargeneral’s department, tho nominal capital of the various clubs is:—Kensington Recreation Grounds, £75,000; Ascot Racecourse, £300,000; Victoria Park, £300,000; and Roseberry, £140,000. On© of the most attractively bred youngsters that won during the holiday meetings was the Kilbroney—Afterglow two-year-old, Qnescent, who beat eleven others at the Wairarapa meeting. He cost 850 guineas as a yearling. Afterglow was a good winner and got by Demosthenes from Sunglow b-e Multiform from Ofterdcn. A race that is worthy of special attention on the Dunedin Cup programme is tho President’s Handican of 400sovs. 11 miles. Th’S represents a pleasing attempt on the part of the club to encourage slavers who have not yet emerged from the hack class, as it is restricted to horses that must comply with hack conditions according to the Rules of Racing The final meetings of the English racing season carried their principal interest in the race for supremacy between Donoghue and Elliot to top the list of winning riders. With three davs’ racing to go Donoghue drew level with Ell'ot, but neither rode a winner afterwards. Donoghue got nearest, as he was second in three races, whilst Elliot failed to ride a placed horse. An exchange states that during an interval between the races at the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s meeting, three two-year-olda sprinted a couple of furlongs. They were Father’s Voice, by Absurd—Shrill; a sister to Highland, by Finland -War Scare, and a filly by King Mark, dam by Hymettus— Intelligence. The first-named pair moved pleasingly, particularly the Absurd colt, who is a bold galloper. An English writer says it is an old racing axiom that it never pays to fall foul of the handicapper and starter. Perhaps a little friendly discussion is not out of place, but, when official complaint is made, you are hound to rub somebody up the wrong way. He might have gone further and said, "If you rub stewards the wrong way, some of them will always wait for a chance to ‘bury the hatchet’ in the offending scribe’s skull. A well-known city banker, who is a great believer in variety in both trainer _ and jockey, began to give tho American riding instructions. “For the first quarter of a mile you remain nearly last; then you move up to sixth position. Half a mile from home, you become third; at the distance you—” ’ Cut it out, cut it out,” interrupted the man in tho saddle, “if your jockey can ride, he don't need instructions. If he can’t, they’re no damned use- to him.” Curtain! The stewards of the English Jockey Clue make no bones about inflicting adequate punishment in any case of proved breach or the accepted rules of running. During tho Acwmarket meeting they considered that of a very well-known and successful jockey. J. Ledson, who had been reported to them from an Edinburgh meeting, where bis mount was disqualified on the ground of crossing after he had finished second for the Edinburgh Gold Cup. The Jookey Club steward’s promptly decided, to withdraw Ledson s license.

One of the heaviest penalties ever inflicted on a rider for an alleged deliberate breaking away at the post was imposed on C, Sinclair by the Wyndham Racing Club. Sinclair was riding Aleaborg in the Mimihau Hack Handicap, and when his mount broke away, two other riders went with him, but they escaped punishment. The fact that Sinclair carried the tapes round his neck suggests that tho break-away was not altogether deliberate on his part, as surely he would have enough sense to duck his head unless he wished to deliberately hang himself. There seemed to be a tendency in some quarters to claim Motley as the best of the season’s two-year-olds, but any opinion, expressed at the present time, may prove somewhat hasty. In the Royal Stakes, Tukia, Sat 61b, just beat Nigger Minstrel, 6st Blb, by a neck in an exciting finish. Inferno. 7st Sib, was too and a-half lengths away third. Nigger Minstrel thus looks a possibility amongst those who may be in the first line when the Autumn meetings come round. He is a full brother to Desert Gold and Egypt, and like his famous sister, may not develop form until the back-end of his first season on the turf.

Poisoned Arrow, who won the Liverpool Gun of ISOOsovs, and run over ten furlongs and 170 yards, at the Liverpool Autumn meeting, was got bv Spearmint from White Lie, by (White Eagle from Jean’s Folly, by Ayrshire from Black Cherry, by Bendigo, There are three strains of Galopin iu tho dam of Poisoned Arrow, and from this it will be seen that Carbine, who was taken to England to mate with mares of the St. Simon—Galopin line, is still fulfilling his mission through his sons. Poisoned Arrow is a four-year-old colt, and carrying 9sf beat a good field, including Pharos, Twelve Pointer. Brown Nylda., and several others. Figures showing the revenue received by the New South Wales Treasury from fhe Sydney pony racecourses were quoted by Mr E. G. Hayes, clerk in the revenue brunch of the Treasury, who gave evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee inquiring into pony racing. Since 1917 taxation returns received bv the State from bookmakers operating at pony races amounted to €249,526. The highest revenue from this -ource for one year was £28,865. in 1991. For the first eleven months of 1923 the figures were £26 905. In the thr-m years Die admittance tax at the Kensington, Ascot, Roseberrv, and Victoria Park racecourses amounted to £147.009.

T. Metcalfe was riding in good form at Invercargill, where he won tho cup on Mantua, Flying Handicap on Laughing Eyes, and Farewell Handicap on Guncasc. He has only to continue to exhibit similar form in the saddle to establish a claim to be considered one of the best lightweights who can ride near seven stone. A couple of wins and horsemanship such as he exhibited last week should easily convince owners that it is much more profitable to utilise the services of such a good lightweight in preference to putting inexperienced apprentices, whose claim for an allowance is more than counterbalanced by losing on horses that should win. For a considerable time it has appeared that the New Zealand rider, H. Gray, was not getting the riding in England his ability warranted, and consequently he rode few winners (writes “Historicus”). As proof of this, it may be stated that Gray only rode nineteen winners in tho season just concluded, finishing thirty-first on the list of winning jockeys. Against this record, we find that tho Australian horseman, F. Bullock, with 78 winning rides holds the high position of fourth most successful jockey. Other Australians to do well in the saddle were Carslake, who occupied tenth position with 53 wins. Smith who piloted 22 winners for tho 38th position, and M'Lachlan, who rode 21 successful horses. The committee of tho Victorian Racing Club has passed a new rule, to come into operation on December 17, under which any club holding meetings within the suburban area mar, with the consent of the committee of the Victoria Racing Club, include in their nrogrammes the positions to be taken by the horses at tho barrier. The draw for positions must be made under the supervision of two stipendary stewards after the declaration of acceptance. It is not intended to grant a general consent. The chibs desiring to take advantage of the new rule must apply to the Victoria Racing Club in time for the stipendiary stewards to make arrangements for the draw before each meeting. The rule is not mandatory, and, if the positions are not previously determined, they will Ire balloted for by the jockeys at the time of weighing out, as heretofore. Large fields are invariably seen out in trotting events on Southland programmes, but they do not prove particularly interesting, as the horses are generally spread over at least two or three furlongs by the time the leaders have, travelled less than n mile That being so, one is inclined to ask why are about 5U Psr cent of the horses in a race? Still, the horses are there, and no doubt the owners derive some sort of pleasure, if not profit, in seeing their colour® in public. Even the rider or "driver should lie provided with a telescope in order t< see which way the lenders have travelled. In quite a large number of races two or three single themselves out from the others, end the picture is more Hke a hunt than a race. The fact that big fields are made up with a large percentage of rubbish which has not a million to one chance of winning,

naturally is a double handicap on the back markers who have to wend their way through it, and the time seems overripe for a tighter class to be generally introduced in races for light harness horsos. H.H. Aga Khan is almost as successful in France as in England. Hia colt Niceas, by Sundridge—Nike, is not quite in the first flight, but was sent to Spain and won tho Grand Prix de Saint Sebaatien, worth about £4OOO. His highness won about £14,000 last year in Franco, and looks to be doing well this season. He certainly deserves it, as ho purchased at least a baker’s dozen yearlings last year for about £21,000, and several of them have returned winners. The highest price he paid was £7320 for Dandiprat, by Sans lo Sou from Dame Marie 11, by Alcantra IT, but this one has so far not started. Danuiprat’s dam is a half-sister to Griilemont who won some good races last year, and is continuing his successes this season. It is a branch of the No. 14 family, that has not had many successes, the best perhaps being the Grand Prix du Conseil Municipal winner Ossian in 1910. His Highness has won several selling races with his youngsters, but he would lose over Montesa, who cost him £2840, as tho race he won was only worth £2OO, and he was entered to be sold for £BOO, but was purchased for double that sum. A writer in an exchange makes the following reference to the breeding of Verdict: “Verdict, winner of the Cambridgeshire, is very much of an outsider from a pedigree point of view, as neither her sire, Shogun, nor her dam, Finale, are eligible for the English stud book. The ancestry of both sire and dam can be traced for generations, but very far back tbe pedigree °f certain mares from which they are descended is unknown. A century or less ago breeders were not as careful as they are to-day, and the pedigree of many a good mare was forgotten through the failure of their owners to register them. Prior’s H. B. Stud Book deals with a very large number of these, and in that volume mav be found the otud record of many horses and mares which have been brilliant racehorses. One of these is Shogun, a member of the Mayboy family, to which belong many other good performers on the turf who afterwards earned distinction at the stud. Amongst these are Clorene. a Lincolnshire Handicap winner; Mavfowj, winner of the Viceroy’s Cup (India! in 1910, 1911. and 1912; Curwelln, a good winner in South Africa; Caravel, Forerunner and Prospector.”