THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19351, 11 December 1924, Page 5

THE TURF.

By Sentinel,

THE WINTON MEETING. There was some fairly interesting racing at Winton last week, but some of tho fields were on the small side, and th'o attendance fell below previous musters on the eumo course. The Winton Jockey Chib is tho happy possessor of a well-equipped course, but a serious error was made in placing the winning post right in the middle of the straight instead of about half a furlong nearer the turn out of tho straight. The Winton straight is exactly two furlongs in extent, and the present position of the winning post brings the six-furlong and sovon-furlong stai-ts to near a turn —in fact, the draw for position at these posts is a very important factor in deciding the result. of a race. II full use had been made the straight by placing tho winning pose »alf h furlong further on from the home V.»u it would not only help to popularise tho meeting with owners, trainers, aI u 1 riders, but also automatically bring the six and seven-furlong starting posts into better positions. Shifting the winning post half a furlong, ond away from the stands, would, no doubt, be considered out or. the question, but it should at least be shifted sufficiently to improve the position of the starting posts. Looking at a field | ine rl tip at tho six-furlong post the outside horse seemed to be standing about three lengths further back than tho one on the rails. Tho same thing applies to the seven-furlong post, and in both places tho outside horses at the barrier have all the worst of the situation. THE AUCKLAND CUP. Despite tho fact that it is generally considered almost impossible for a horse to win a handicap race decided over two miles whew carrying over nine stone, the nandif.oners apparently think otherwise, as they frequently go well over that margin when starting a handicap. Gold Light was handicapped at 8.8 in the New Zealand Cup, but carried 9.0 including a 61b penalty. _ bhe failed to get nearer than second in a falsely run race. Now she haa been sent up 71b and awarded 9.7 in the Auckland Cup. It is true she won the Gold Cup and Canterbury Cup, but nevertheless the handicapper appears to have rather flattered the daughter of Hymettas and Simper. In the N Z Cup she beat Musketoon a length arid a-half, and now haa been invited to meet him on 71b worse terras, which should make the Englishman finish in front of the mare. The Canterbury Cup was a soundly rim race, and although Gold Light beat I onghrea well, she has been asked to meet him on the liberal margin of 81b worse terms. Limelight has been nicely treated. She was not herself when running m the N.Z. Cup, but subsequently won _ the Metropolitan, and Can now meet Gold Light on 81b better terms than when they met. in tho N.Z. Cup. Right at her best, and ,he should be in better racing shape at Ellerslie than she was at Riccarton, Limelight should take a power of beating if she can act on the course. Tarleton did not show his real merit in the N.Z. Cup, and is well treated at Auckland ,m being dropped 51b, whilst Gold Light is sent up 71b Tarleton has shaped well , on , Auckland track, and with Limehght should prove one of tho two hardest horses to beat jix the race.

HIGH-HANDED ACTION. The stewards of the Winton Jockey Club took a very , high-handed action at their race meeting, held last week, ® the representatives of the Southland News to the indignity of being ejected from the stewards’ stand. They had previously been debarred from using the press room. It is understood that the club or some of the officials took umbrage at the report of last season's meeting in the Southland News because the margins stated in the paper to have existed between some of the placed horses did not quite coincide with the official verdict. _ If that is all the stewards have to grieve about their action is too paltry for wqrds, and calls for severe condemnation. It is certainly anything but a snorting attitude to adopt over a difference of opinion in connection with the result of a race. It also seems obvious that if the report of the Winton races does not please "the stewards, then the press representatives are not required at the meeting. This is really an intolerable state of affairs, and sounds like a deliberate attempt_ to gag the press. It has long been recognised in certain rases that if a pressman’s report or comment on what has taken plac© during a race meeting does not please the officials of a club some of them make it a personal matter and endeavour to get even in some form or other with the offending iournalist. The action of the Winton Jockey Club is tantamount to the disqualification of the two pressmen concerned, and unless very good grounds exist for such unsportsmanlike procedure it is the duty of the Racing Conference to hold an inquiry into the matter. QUALITY OR QUANTITY. At the monthly meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Committee it was reported that some of the members expressed doubt as to whether a tignt-class race was a better betting race than one with a longer limit. Experience of racing and trotting proves that the public bet more freely on a field of well-known horses than what is the case when there is a long limit and several horses, comprising an unknown quantity. It stands to reason that the public are more likely to bet freely in the light than they are in the dark, and that is just about the difference between short and 1* 315 ? limit races. The long limit races mean that the back-markers have to give away too much ground and also work their way through or round a field. The back-njarkers in such races are rarely found amongst the winners. In other words, the fields are not sufficiently well balanced to make a good betting race. At the recent meeting there was a pool of £5425 on the Forbury Cup, but it dropped to £4341 10s on the next race, the Tainui, a slow class of 4.42 or better. It rose to £5121 10a on the Victoria Handicap, which followed, and represented tne tightest class over put on for trotters at a Forbury Park meeting. The same thing is found in connection with every meeting. On Trotting Cup day at Addington, the two- best betting races, apart from the principal event, were the Victoria Handicap (for horses that can do 4.40 and have not done 4.56 or better), and the Hagley Handicap, which drew only six starters, but each horse was a well-known performer. Big fields do not usually mean good business or good racing, and it is almost invariably found that, given a field of seven or eight horses of fairly well-known form, and it will provide one of the best betting races of the day. This much will be discovered by looking at the totalisator returns of any meeting or series of meetings. REVERSALS OF FORM. Some very notable reversals of form took place at the AATnton meeting, and some of the winners who scored in good style on the second day did not threaten any great danger on the first day of running info a place. The reversals did not apparently attract official notice. Possibly there was too much sting in the going on the first day, and some of the hoises who were a bit tender on their pins would not stride out at the first attempt, but did better when a little more accustomed to the hard ground. Many trainers frequently make the serious mistake of continuously working their horses on the soft going of the plough track, and then expect them to race at the first time of asking up to their best gallops when started on hard ground totally different to that on which they have been trained. Many apparent improvements or striking reversals in form from the first to the second day of a meeting are really due to the fact that some horses will not gallop on a hard track which represents a complete contrast to the going on which they have been trained. They may do so after having a race, and so become accustomed to the feel of the ground. That, however, is not sufficient reason for a horse to be allowed to run a really bad race cne day and a really good one the next without official notice being taken of the fact. The'public invariably notes the fact when a marked contrast in form takes place, and they are entitled to an official opinion as to tho reason. It really seems at times that what may be deemed an offence at ono meeting is ignored at another, and perhaps by the same stipendiary steward. THE INVERCARGILL MEETING. Tho Southland Racing Club has issued an attractive programme for the Summer meeting, which is to take place on Friday and Saturday, January 2 and 5. Stakes range in value from lOOOsovs to ISOsovs, but only five events carry stakes of less than 200sovs. The star feature of the programme is the Invercargill Cup, of lOOOsovs, one mile and a-quarter, and it is backed up by the Southland Handicap of SOOsovs, one mile and a-quarter, the" Flying Handicap of 400sov.s, six furlongs, and the Shorts Handicap of 225sovs, six furlongs. Four events for trotters and two hurdle races worth 200sovs each also find a place on the programme, for which nominations are duo on Friday, December 19, at 5 p.m.

The Wanganui Cup will carry a slake of lOOOsovs. and a trophy valued at lOOsovs. Avispado is shaping as if ho wants turning out for a lengthy holiday from racing. Ravenna was handicapped at 8.0 on the first day at Winton, and not at 8.4 as published-

Baldowa was coming with a great run when he ran into second place in tho Winton Cup. Reports from Australia state that King’s Trumpeter has been shaping badly in his recent engagements. There was an attempt made at n bit of shepherding on the first clay at Winton, but it did not come off. Tho Trotting Cup winner, Sheik, is again in work after being treated to a brief spell since racing at Addington. Jfc was rumoured that Mr L. C. Hazlett had purchased Ngarata during tho Winton meeting, but no deal was made.

T. Metcalfe is riding in good form this season and added some well-deserved wins at Winton to his list of successes.

A rather poor lot of racers were in evidence at Winton Inst week, and several of the runners are not worth training. Sunart has been getting through useful work since ho won the New Zealand Oup, aiul will be raced at the Manawntu meeting. The Monk has been shipped to India and should win races over short courses in the land of Rajahs and rice. Mr H. A. Knight has decided not to race any of his horses until after the term of disqualification imposed on his trainer expires. The Invercargill Cup will carry a stake of lOOOsovs., and is supported by the Southland Handicap of 500sovs., and the Flying Handicap of 400sovs. Limelight, 'ootlight, and Starmist are being worse he reverse way at Riccarton with a vie of accustoming them to the style of racing at Ellerslie. Balclowa figured on tho card for tho second day at Winton, but although the Balboa gelding was on the course he wan not saddled up for his race. Mr H. A. Rhind, the owner of Giantkiller, has purchased the four-year-old Voute (by The Welkin from Audulusite) from Mr G. D. Greenwood. Tho adamantine going at Winton did not help the chances of Angelo, Heather Lad, King 801. Winkle, Buoyant, and one or two others that ran at the meeting. Cupid on threatens to come back to form. Ho pulled up sound and well after racing on the hard going at Winton, and bears every appearance of standing up to his work. During the Winton meeting R. M’DonaJd purchased Trysoon, a five-year-old mare, by Our Thorpe from Too Soon, and she ran tn his interests on the second day of the fixture. Tarleton is booked for tho Auckland Cup meeting, and with that object in view is being worked tho reverse way at Riccarton. Tarleton reads well treated in the Auckland Cup at 7.4. Sherlock landed the first day’s steeplechase at Winton in good style, but Polthogue seemed to have his measure when he tipped out at the last fence on the second day. _ In some of the reports issued in connection with the Winton meeting, Francaise is credited with winning the Soldiers’ Memorial Handicap with 7.0 instead of 6.9, with a 51b allowance. Happy Warrior won well when ho scored in tho_ Winton Cup, but did not put much fight into the finish on the second day after Cupidon had kept him busy from the rise of the barrier. The nominations for the Dunedin Jockey Chib’s Summer meeting should supply fair fields on both days of the fixture. Handicaps are due on December 12, and acceptances on December 17. It is intended to hold an official opening of the Wellington Racing Club’s new buildings at the summer meeting in January, when the public stand at present under conconstruction will be completed. The Pallas gelding Greenstone charges his fences a bit wildly, and that does not help him to stay a journey. He was a well-beaten horse when he tipped out about half a mile from home at Winton.

Mr A. D. M'lvor displayed a tendency to line up the fields rather too soon during the Winton meeting. On some occasions the horses were lined at the barrier whilst the totalisator was still doing business. Monoxide scored handsomely in both her winning efforts at Winton. and was galloping on so freely at the end of her races_ as to suggest that she may be found winning over a fair distance of ground in the future. J. Beale on Happy AVarrior set a solid pace in tho Winton Cup, and made Loughrea carry his 10.7 all the way. Loughrea made a challenge in the straight, but collapsed, and Baldowa got up and cut him out of second money.

There was a bit of a whimper from a few spectators after one of the winners on the second day came back to the bird-cage, but there was nothing in it, and apparently it did not agitate the tympanum of the official auricular as it were. It is a far cry from Randwiek to ’Winton, but to show that it is not an unbridgeable distance it may be mentioned that George Young won the A.J.C. Derby on Gupidon three years ago, and the same combination got together at Winton. last week. In commenting on the disposal of the Elderslie stud the writer over-looked the fact that Carlita was amongst the crack racers that were bred there. “Snowden,” of the Australasian, drew attention to the fact, and the omission has to be rectified. An old English racing trophy, in the form of a handsome silver cup, is on view in a jeweller’s window in Cathedral Square, Christchurch. The cup was won by Lord Marcus Beresford’s Caramel (ridden by 11. Crawshaw) iu the Hampton AVelter Cup in 1874. A rule should te made to prohibit steeplechasing and hurdle racing- during the summer months, when the going is so hard as to impart unnecessary danger to these branches of sport. At Winton. last week the ground was much too hard for cross-country racing. The catalogue giving particulars of tho blood stock to be sold at the dispersal of the Elderslie stud and Burnside stud has been issued. The sale is dated for Friday. January 16. The Elderslie stud stock will be sold in the morning, and the Burnside stud in the afternoon. Mr N. B. Lusk conscientiously attends all the meetings he possibly can, and was amongst those present at Winton. Neither Mr (ii'bbs nor Mr Dunne were noticed at the meeting, although they will shortly have to issue their handicaps for the Wyndham and Invercargill meetings. If Royal Blood can be regarded as a winner of the Steward’s Handicap, he must be hard to beat in the Railway Handicap even with 9.9. He made a hack of Tukia in the Electric Handicap, which he won comfortably in 58 4-5, and at Auckland can meet Tukia on only Slbs worse terms than when they met at Riccarton. Charley’s Mount, tho winner of this year’s Cesarewitch Stakes of 152550v5, 2i miles, was got by Charles O’Malley from Sunny Ridge, by Sunstar from Monteur. by Ladas from Kermesso. Ladas was got by Hampton from Illuminate, and Charles O’Malley is a son of Desmond and Goody Two Shoes, a mare by Isinglass from Sandal. It may seem an easy matter to start a field' of four, but big fields sometimes give less trouble than smaller ones. At AA'lnton four horses wont to the post for the Soldiers’ Memorial. They ware sent away from a moving start. Happy Warrior and Cupidon got well away, but FTancaiae interfered with Andante, and sent tho latter out wide, so that the field of four really got away in, three sections. Acron stood on the mark in the Trotting Cup when on the same handicap as Sheik. In the Auckland Trotting Cup Acron has been handicapped to meet Sheik on 48yds better terms. Acron went 2.3 3-5 in tho Free-for-all. Ho was handicapped at 4.27 in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, and as it could not bo claimed that he displayed a loss of form at Addington, he is well treated at 4.28 in the Auckland Trotting does not always follow figures, and sometimes a horse will defy tne handicapper. For instance, in the Trial Stakes at Winton Soldier’s Hope gave Navy Cut 61b and a beating. On the second day Soldier’s Hope was handicapped to give Navy Cut 31b, which was increased to 81b by the apprentice allowance. On this occasion Navy Cut finished third and Soldier’s Hope nearer last than first over the extra furlong. Tne chi«f secretary (Mr C. W. Oakes), speaking at tho opening of City Tattersall’s new club-rooms in Sydney recently, remarked that there were 485 licensed racecourses in Now South Wales. The Government, for registration fees, received £1261. i betting taxes amounted to £68,000 in twelve rnontijs, while bookmakers' taxes brought in £40,000, and admission to racecourses £143,013. The totalisator revenue was £266,000. Tho handsome stake attached to tho Invercargill Cup will no doubt create some “waiters” prior to it coming up for decision. It is not insinuated that horses will be “waiting” when carrying tho colours; but it is only a common-sense action on the part of owners to miss a comparative small stake if it is going to cost them a good chance of winning a big ono. When the stakes at the Invercargill Bummer meeting formerly overshadowed those hung up a low days before at AA Tingatuni, it generally meant poor fields on the second day at the latter track. And sometimes Worse than that.

Despite the fact that the streets of American cities are crowded with motor vehicles, which tends to create the impression that the horse is doomed to disappear, an American points out that such is not the case. Statistics, based upon the census, show that while the normal rate of increase has not been maintained, there