THE TURF.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19373, 8 January 1925, Page 5

THE TURF.

Br Sentinel. A DREAM OF SPEED. The New Zealand-bred two-minute pacer is right in sight and the marvellous speed displayed does not require elongated stretches and extended turns and rivalling American tracks in order to make our timekeepers gather an idea that someone has surreptitiously dropped a little extra oil into their watches. There is quite an easy manner of facilitating the legal speed 01 the pacer. The pacer is allowed to carry so much gear and mechanical aids to speed that there seems to be no limit to what may be added to his equipment. He may legally carry an over-head chock to keep his head up, or an under-head check to keep his head down, or both. He may carry a bar bit, a snaffle bit a curb, a chain, or any old bit—perhaps to prevent him from talking. He "may have his ears plugged or wear a hood to keep him from listening. Ho may wear blinkers or open bridle, elbow boots, knee boots, cannon boots, quarter boots, hock boots, scalpers, too weights, side weights, knee spreaders, shadow blinds, hobbles and accompanying bloomers, head-poles, crupper (“horsey, keep your tail up”), a-nd any typo of shoe or gear that human ingenuity can concoct by any wide stretch of imagination to make a horse step short or long, wide or narrow, to cultivate speed. Knee-knockers, diahers, over-lappera, elbow hitters, hoppers, runners, fiddlers, side cutters, and the very many knocks with which a pacer may knock himself, and so tamper with speed, can all legitimately, and generally do, require gear of every description or _ shoeing to make a pacer keep out of his own way and get along and buzz along after the money. The average pacer is the greatest demonstration of artificial aid to speed that can be found on earth. After reporting four days (on and off) of real racing at Riccarton and three days of semi-artificial racing at Addington the writer once fell asleep and dreamt that he had discovered all that is really necessary to produce a two-minute pacer at Addington. Perhaps the dream will come true. The dreamer conceived the idea that a little extra mechanism and gear on a pacer would - not be noticed. That was the basis of operations. Ine hobbles only required the rigidity of the position rod of an engine working in conjunction with a motor concealed m the seat of the sulky to push a horse to any flight of speed that would make a Dan Patch look like a ’bus horse. This in conjunction with a particularly powerful gas (vapour of crude alcohol 13 p.b.) vo inflate .specially constructed tyres, which would make the sulky wheels buzz round like the propeller of a biplane, . and the rest would be easy. The horse would iherely float in the atmosphere and the mechanism and gas would waft the animal to a mile in nothing at aIL So the dream went on. The Now Zealand Trotting Oip was on. The market had been swept to the last collectable copper. The race was on. The horse was running rings round the field.. He was about throe laps ahead, the crown was frantic, everyone was frantic, the horse was frantic, the driver was frantic. The horse went the" first half in nothing, the first mile in 2-terrible, the third half in 2-terrific, and the two miles in 2-awful, and had the race won by furlongs beyond shadow of doubt. After the first lap was traversed the committee ordered out the ■water carts so that they would tie up the dnst, and so allow the rest of the field to see the way the winner was going. Never was seen saofa a sight at Addington. So much speed was gathered by the winner that he was lapping and relapping the field. He was so fast around the ring that the driver could see his own back. But when going about 1.30 or less to do the mile at the finish he failed to make the sharp turn out of the straight, and .went slap-bang through the ten-foot corrugated iron fence separating Addington from the show grounds. Ho went through with such a great momentum bow of terrific speed that it could bo only likened to a clown going through a circus balloon paper hoop. Ho disappeared over the horizon of success into a sea of chagrin. There was an awful crash. A waiter had slipped and dropped a tray of glasses on the iron fender. WHEN RULES ARB NOT RULES. If rules are to be rules, and really rule and control sport, there is absolutely only one set of rules which can bo quoted as law, and that is the rule laid down and agreed to by established authority. Under the Rules of Trotting Logan Chief was ineligible to start for the Auckland Trotting Cup because he had not a placed performance which entitled him to figure in the field. The rule on the point clearly states, according to Rule 344, Part XXXIII; “ The first, second, and third horses in a race shall be timed, and the time of each ouch horse shall be a record, and be publicly announced.” That is the end of the matter legally, and if any club or person considers that the time of a horse finishing fourth in a race is entitled to a “ place ” according to authority laid down by the Rules of Trotting, then they are travelling beyond the dictates of common sense. According to the Rules of Trotting as far as timin g horses in a race _ is concerned, a fourth horse does not exist. It is ridiculous to contend otherwise. The famous Dan O’Connell and other legal jugglers may have been able to steer, and, perhaps, can still steer, the proverbial ooach-and-four through any act of Parliament, but they could not, cannot, and never will be able to drive a coaeh-and-four up a legal ladder which may be said to represent the quintessence of impossibility. In other words, when the clear and very obvious translation of a rule says, “No! ’ it. cannot possibly be made to mean Yes! There may be some imaginary loophole in the matter, but in the writer’s opinion the New Zealand Trotting Association displayed an unpardonable supinity in making an insinuation that four horses- can possibly exist when the Rules of Trotting, ■which they are continually_ tinkering with, and so should claim familiarity, distinctly say there can be only three. STARTS AND STARTING. Mr A, D. MTvor made soine very excellent starts during the Southland Racing Club’s meeting, but he laid himself open to very hostile criticism for keeping the majority of the field in theWaihopai Handicap standing flat foot up to the barrier for over 10 minutes because Franoaise refused to lino up. Every horse is entitled to fair consideration, but not to the extent of very seriously handicapping the majority of the field. After a horse has been warmed up by a preliminary, and kept moving until lining up for the start, it must be obvious to anyone that it is utterly wrong to keep them waiting 10 minutes or more flat foot whilst one or two (in this case principally one) are fiddling away. Mr MTvor, it has been noted, does not supply the same consideration to other horses, and a notable instance was furnished' by standing back Shandre and the brief latitude allowed that horse at Wingatui. Then, again, it is not infrequently noted that the horse causing all the trouble finally receives all tho best of the deal, and so it was in this case. The starting on the second day was very good (and this, of course, accentuates a bad start by the ’ same official), as the fields got away from a fair line. They were in good line at the start for the Final Handicap, but tho despatch was utterly spoilt by the fact that the horses, outside the four or five nearest the rails, were jammed up and crowded far too closely when the barrier rose. The result was that tho first two out from near the rails were in front all tho •way and those who followed them home also began with a clear run from near the rails Oupidon was the only one to get anywhere near the placed horses after being ■wide, and he finished several lengths away Others, such as Monoxide and Tncursio. first and third favourite respectively, never had a chance from the rise of the barrier, as thev ran at the tail of the field all the way, and Gay Juliet lost her rider in the scramble. This could not be characterised as other than a bad start, because two or three horses standing quite free obtained a very decided advantage over the rest, who wore crowding each other on the outage and rendering it impossible to get clear away and make an even despatch. The clubs are open to severe blame, because they seem to expect a starter to fulfil a difficult task with very unsatisfactory barriers. Riders cause more trouble at flimsy barriers, because there is no risk att-chfvj to beating them in a dash to get ■well away. Fairly substantial, barriers should be used. In the first place, the horses stand up better and more quietly because their riders are not continually niggling at them. If thor* is a good chance of a harrier pulling a rider off his perch, he will neat it with far more respect for the cake of his own skin, than if he is facing a. flimsy string or two. Electric starters should be installed by every club of stand'ng, and certainly by all who hold two meetings during a season. ERRORS AND REMEDIES. The Wyndham Racing Club has a fine and commodious grand stand, but it proved too small to carry the crowd desiring to use it on New Year’s Day. In mapping out the sealing accommodation a great mistake was made in failing to take proner means to exclude the public from what, was intended to be the official quarters. The run of official seats i vote) overcrowded and lined at the by rows of gpectatora standing up, and

tho space marked off for the press was thereby rendered utterly useless, and in continence never once used by the pressmen during the running of a race. Every care should bo taken to provide a dear view the racing for those who ocou-- official positions and also for the pressmen who are there to supply as accurate as possible report of tho running. This cannot be obtained if one is compelled to fight for a view with dozens of others. Apart from this drawback, the new stand is » great great credit to the club, and its faults in the direction indicated can be easito remedied. It is well that all faults in connection with raeng should bo made prominent, so that they might be remedied. Faults continue to exist even though they may not lack-pub-licity, but it is safe to say they would become even greater if continual silence was observed in connection with their existence. It is quite obvious that when a critic tramps on tho corns, as it were, of those offending that it engenders more or less personal animus. Faults must be drawn into notice or they would not bo remedied. The only wav to still criticism is to disarm it by leaving practically nothing that calls for remedy; but surely repeated errors call for remedy. THE DUNEDIN CUP MEETING. The Dunedin Oup meeting is brought into oroximity by the tact that nominations are due on Friday, January 9. The feature events on the programme will be the Dunedin Cup of 1260sovs (includin nr trophy valued at lOOsovs), one mile and a-half ; the Ohampagno St&kos of 750sovs. tho Publicans’ Handicap of SOOsovs, D.J.C. Handicap of SOOsovs, Hazlett Memorial of 600sovs. and other events ranging from 2Cosovs to sou sovs in value. The above forms an attractive list of stakes, and it is to be hoped that owners will be found liberally responding to tho club’s effort to keep going despite tile great anchor of taxation. THE PERMITS. The Hon. Mr Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, has been touring the country in search of knowledge, personally gathered, as to how he should allot the extra Permits at his disposal. It is quite clear tha ~ all the racing permits will, from tho trend of his remarks, gd to country districts, and the same applies with equal force to the trotting permits, which, with the exception of what goes to Wellington, will also go to our rural friends. Mr Bollard has been visiting country racecourses when there was no racing on, and therefore cannot gather a true conception or anything like it of where the usual attendance and support comes from, and how the meeting derives its various means of support. It is a notorious fact that some country meetings derive very little support in any shape or form from their immediate locality, although there may bo a few local enthusiasts who act as officials to tho club, it tno Minister of Internal Affairs attended a racemeeting he could gather a correct impression as to whether a particular district really desired, deserved, and patronised its own particular fixture, or whether what success -it achieved was totally duo to the fact that New Zealanders are fond of racing, and will travel considerable distances to attend them. There can be no objection to country districts having a race meeting, but it should never be forgotten that they are almost totally dependent for horses and the paying publio to visitors from a distance. Mr Bollard, for instance, could not fail to bo impressed by the new grandstand ho inspected at Wyndham; but as.it stood there in its solid and silent grandeur it conveyed absolutely no true idea to who really built tho greater part of it. If he had attended the meeting on Now Tear’s Day and noted the hundreds of cars parked in 'the course rnd inspected their numberplates, and also noted tho hundreds and hundreds who came and went by train from Invercargill and by tho train from Dunedin and intermediate stations, ho could not fail to learn that jWyndham itself played a comparatively small part in the success of the gathering. When it was almost a purely focal affair it really half died, because it had to bo dropped from a two-day fixture to' a single card. If he noted the evidence supplied by tho number of motors and trainloads of people that nine-tenths or more of the attendance travelled long ioumeys, ho would agree that such meetings are a very heavy tax in the way of expenses to the sporting public, and it is absolutely ridiculous and criminal folly to hav© the country overloaded with exravagant racing appointments which are used only one day in the year. Tho Minister has suggested that ho will require each now club and some of those in existence to spend £2OOO in improvements before ho will grant a permit. He has 49 permits to bestow, and that means the extra raco dates will cost racing and trotting collectively about £IOO,OOO. He would, no doubt, know that the Wyndliam stand cost £6OOO, and that there must be a limit to such extravagance. If Mr Bollard considered this aspect of tho case, and then also gave himself the task of drawing up an imaginary racing calendar to contain the existing meetings and those which he intends to create, h© would realise somelike the real state of affairs. He should also consider the very important point as to which class of meeting should be encouraged, with a view of mounting our soldiers in time of war. That is easily discovered. He struck one good note on his travels, and that is the idea concerning amalgamation. Facilities for travelling are growing greater every day, and this very important fact reduces the need for a multiplicity of meetings, which would overload and crush the life out of good sport rather than assist. There is such a thing as having too much branch timber on some trees, and the tree of racing, as per calendar, is in danger of having far too many branches. It is to bo honed that Mr Bollard has gathered some evidence towards the general welfare of snort, and not turned too large a sympathetic, and perhaps political, ear to the demands for permits in districts which could not support them, and in tho event of getting them would stand in danger of being choked by a false diagnosis of the case. Furthermore, it is to be hoped that Mr Bollard is not so colossally egotistical as to imagine he can rush round the country and so acquire the knowledge of how he should really deal with such a very important matter. The best advice he could have gathered would go in the direction of a gradual distribution, and so allow the calendar to gradually absorb tho fresh food, and not throw it bolus bolus and run the risk of killing by a mistaken kindness.

Nominations for tho Dunedin Cup meeting are clue to-morrow. Polonett, who started second favourite for the Auckland Oup, finished second last. Master Doon, the winner of the Railway Handicap, started the rank outsider of the field. Mantua had a change of pilots last weejc, but it did not mean steering the mare to further success. Lovesign started favourite for tho Yilliers Handicap, but after being prominent faded out towards the finish. Frenchman won both hurdle events at Invercargill in good style, and was galloping on well at the finish of both his races. The New Zealand-bred Wassail is amongst the horses in training at Flemington. He might win a Newmarket if they set him for it. Listening Post put up two excellent races over a mile and a-quarter last week, but found soma of the opposing forces a bit too good for him at the weights. Limelight had to make up a lot of ground in tho concluding stages of the Auckland Cup before she finished third. With a good run it appears as if she would have won. The Vincent meeting will be held on December 13 and 14, and in conjunction with the Cromwell fixture provides upcountry sports with a popular circuit of racing. There is supposed to be no such thing as inconsistent running, but another disqualification on that ground was recently imposed in connection with a West Coast meeting. The horses following tho placed lot in the Auckland Oup were Gold Light (who was one of tho first into the straight), Far North, Muskctoon, Muraahi, Stork, and Right and Left. Palestrina looked a picture when sent out for the Invercargill Cup, bat after threatening danger ns she moved up when rounding the far turn she faded into the “ also started ” brigade. It is estimated that there was an attendance of 27.0C0 to 48,000 at Ellcrslie on Auckland Oup day. It is to be hoped that during the Fxhibition year we will see as many at Wingatui. The sum invested on the totalisator in connection with the Auckland Cup was £23,570 10s. In previous years the investments were as follow : —1920. £29,417 10s; 1921. £25,849 10s; 1922, £24,046; 1923, £26,956. Nominations are due on Wednesday, January 14. for the Tapanui meeting. The principal event will be the Tananpi Hack Handicap, of lOOsovs, one mile and aquarter. The programme also contains two trotting events. Nominations for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Summer meeting fall due on January 13. The programme is the most progressive one ever issued south of Canterbury. and siiould attract a goodly number of the best in training. Gold Light ran a great race in the Auckland Cup. but it appears as if she made her final run too soon with 9.7 up. She led into the straight, and was still in charge at the distance, but finally finished just outside a place.

Tho imported horse Musketoon started favourite for the Auckland Cup. He finished sixth. The old-established Cromwell Jockey Club's annual meeting will b© held on Thursday and Friday of this week. It perhaps comes a bit too near the holiday racing, but still there is a promise of some fair fields being on each card. Two record meetings took place at Wyndham and Invercargill, and promise to be as good, or better, next year. Tho dates fall at a universal holiday time, and hence lend very material assistance to the attractiveness of the programme. Sound and well Baldowa would have in ail probability won a race last week; but he was sore, and could not display his best form. It now seems as if an opportunity were lost in not bringing him up to Wingatui, where the going was much easier. Mr L. C. Hazlett mot with a piece of real bad luck when Portsido came to grief, with fatal results, when racing at tho Wyndham meeting. He was a very promising sort, arid would have possibly developed into a really good horse over timber. Three favourites out of four got home in the trotting events at Invercargill, and double winners were Frenchman and Red Wink. Eaton Bells and Geranial both nearly landed a double win each, and others, such as Andante, displayed consistent form. Monoxide created n bit of a surprise by coming from a long way back in the Shorts Handicap, and flying past the opposition in the run home. On this she was made a good favourite for tho Final Handicap but she got hemmed in a pack «w tho start, and never emerged from tho Bon Spec recently won -tho Tasmania and equalled the local record for seven furlongs in 1.50. Bon Spec when raced Here was probably the most brilliant horse ever seen in New Zealand as far as getting over one furlong from a flat foot start is concerned. When lot rip at a hurdle he would take off and clear more ground than any other tho writer has seen in donkeys years. . , Loughroa ran a really good race m tne Invercargill Oup, but was again anchored by a burden of ton stone. As they rounded tho homo turn ho looked to hold a good chance, but covered a bit of ground in coming through, or otherwise he would have boon close up. As it was he put up a good third, and would have boon closer if ridden right out, but was eased when there appeared to be a remote chanoo of getting first or second. . The judging at tho Southland Racing Club’s meeting was decidedly unsatisfactory, because it lacked accuracy. Better results could no doubt bo obtained if the club adopted tho successful idea of shifting back and elevating the judge’s box. It has boon proved thoroughly satisfactory at both Trentham and lliccarton, and there should ho no hesitation in adopting a successful idea which has won tho approval of all those interested.

Mimetic won the Great Northern Stakes in good stylo, and judging by the fact that neither Runnymede nor Shirley, who both ran well at the N.Z. Cup meeting, failed to gain a place, it appears as if tho Australian is tho best two-year-old of the season, bar Autumno, who has yet to meet him. Mimetic cost 2000gns as a yearling, and was got by Comedy King from Joyeuso, an English mare by Bayardo from Joio do Vivro, by Gallinule. It is probable tho totalisator will bo installed on Irish racecourses before those of England. Colonel M'Cabo, manager of tho Mallow racecourse, recently announced that a double-event totalisator would bo given a trial there, and if results were satisfactory he would initiate tho full system customary on Continental racecourses. Strike talk on the part of some of tho bookmakers was, in a measure, responsible for Colonel M’Cabo’s determination. Red Wink stayed on much better than expected when ho won twice over a mile and a-quarter at Invercargill. He was patiently handled in each of his races, and brought along with a well-timed ran at (ho finish, and so greatly assisted in making success. Still, thoro is no doubt his form was far and away tho best ho has shown over tho distance, grid, all going well, ho may bo found winning over more ground than ho has successfully travelled up-to-date. Mountain Lion ran three very solid races last week. Ho was up in front disputing leadership with anything that came along and still had enough loft to win tho Wyndham Cun. The same tactics were used at Invercargill, but they did not prove successful. The pacemaking business can be overdone, as it is very apt to loove a horse without a final punch to ward off something that has been allowing a leader to split the atmosphere and act as a wind-shield until it is time to win. Punters were fairly well on tho spot in romiertion with the trotting events on tho Southland programme. Our Nurse was n little over an oven money chance, arnl Maiv/hariti won at not so good a price, whilst Queen’s Own also justified the strong support accorded her. Maiwhariti wont no loss than lOsec bettor than his class in the handicap, and probably put up a winning record for Southland. The track and atmospheric conditions wore, however, very much in favour of fast times for both gallopers and trotters. The number of imported horses engaged at tho Auckland Racing Club’s Summer meeting easily constitutes a record (says “Phaeton”) for tho Ellerslio ground. The division includes Royal Divorce, Grand Knight, Musketoon, Drawbridge. Knighthood, Lapidary, Piquant, Ring the Bell, Drolatiquc, Merit, and Ballymoy 11. Tho Australian-bred list is composed as follows:—Royal Present, Illumination, Pavo, Alfort, Steel Bar, Landslide, Cawnpore, Namutoro, Tresham Sandstar, Tanadoes, Explorer, Far North, Cool Stimulants, Air Queen, Mimetic, Gold Acre, King’s Speech and Uralla. Tho English Bookmakers and Backers Protection Association recently decided that in future its members betting in all rings but tho chief enclosure will pay out on tho hoisting of tho “ weight ” flag. This moans that tho smaller bookmakers will not be affected by any subsequent objection. It is pointed out, though, that tho association is not in a position to enforce its rule, as if a bookmaker in the silver ring refused to pay after a horse was disqualified subsequent to the hoisting of tho “ weight ” flag the backer could go over the association, and apply to the committee of Tatteraall’s for redress, “Never mind how it is done, so long as you do it,” is the idea of many people when it comes to beating the books. In England C. A. Street, turf commission agent, and A. Montin worked out a system in this connection, but it was disastrous for them. At the Hereford Assizes last month they were found guilty of conspiring to defraud two Hereford bookmakers by placing late bets after they had ascertained the results of the races. The accused pretended to bo strangers, but they worked together. Their method was to obtain the result of races by telephone from London, and place bets on the horses that had won with local bookmakers. Mr Justice Lush sentenced the accused each to nine months’ imprisonment in the second division, and ordered them jointly to pay £350 towards the costs of the prosecution. It has been decided by tho English Jockey Club that horses entered this year ns yearlings for some races to be run in 1926 can bo taken out for a minor forfeit of £5 m July, 1925. This applies to the Derby. St. Legor, Oaks, One Thousand a-iid Two Thousand Guineas. As a set-off in the Derby the final liability for that race is to ho increased from £SO to £IOO, and, while this will keep up tho value of the stake, it is believed it will reduce the number of “no chance” horses started for that race. They merely interfere with those which have possible winning nrospccts. Even with the alteration mentioned owners atill'v'have to declare first forfeit eleven months ’-more running of the Derby (says “Pilot”). Rather different from the conditions of the A.J.C Derby, with its £BOOO added money, and a first forfeit of only £l about a month before the race. The cost of remaining in the A.J.C. Derby until within two days of its decision is only £5. In the Legislative Assembly recently Mr R. E. OTlalloran made a bid for further discussion of the Select Committee’s report on pony racing in Sydney. A vote was taken, and discussion was negatived by 37 to 21. So Mr O’Ha'loran’s hard work in connection with the inquiry lias "one for nothing after all I am afraid (says “Pilot”) no one took the inquiry quite as seriously as he and one or two other members of the committee. The evident bias of some of tho early witnesses reacted in favour of the. clubs. Their statements were so wild as to b© laughable, and the fact that so many hard-headed racing men treated the inquiry with amused tolerance throughout did not tend to tho idea that it was likely to accomplish much in the way of its avowed object—the uplift of unregistered racing. Nor, for that matter, was there such serious need for improvements as some of the witnesses contended. The principal grievance with many was that the clubs were doing too well Nineteen hundred and twenty-five will mark a regrettable period in the racing and brooding history of the New Zealand turf, because it will be identified with the breaking up of the Elderslie stud, and also what might bo termed its younger brother, the Burnside stud. For about a quarter of a century the writer hae fre-