RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1912, 13 July 1888, Page 25

RACING IN AUSTRALIA.

ROSEHILL RA.CING CLUB.

June 23. NATIONALISTS' HANDICAP.

Of lOOsovs ; second horse lOsovs from the prize. Six furlongs. Mr D Lawson's b g Strephon, by Gemma di Vergy — Juventas, 4yra. 7.11 ... ...(MRiley) 1 Mr H Oxenham's b m Lady Marion, 4yra, 8.4 (M Harris) 2 Mr F Clissold's b or br f Lady Lovell, 3yrs, 6.2 (Cohn) 3 Also ran : Centaur, aged, 9.7 ; Cinderella, 6yrs, 8.11; Vespasia, 4yrs, 8.7; Blarney 3yrs, 8.4; Nonsense, 4yrs, 8.4 ; Rossiville, 3yrs, 7.7 ; Butterfly, 4yrs, 7.2; Stockwell, 3yrs, 7.0; The Miner, 4yrs, 7.3; Mitchell, 4yrs, 7.2; Marlborough, syrs, 69 ; Master Avenal, aged, 6.9 ; Gaytime, 2yrs, 6.7 ; Viper, aged, 6.7 ; Albion, 4yrß, 6.4; lona, syrs, 6.4; Lady Carrington, 3yrs, 6.2; and Ennisvale, aged, 6.2. Betting : 3to 1 agst Lady Marion, 6 to 1 Stockwell, 7 to 1 each Viper, Nonsense, and Rossiville, 8 to 1, Cinderella 10 to I Strephon. Lady Lovell headed Butterfly at the entrance to the straight, but the effort played her out,, and, Strephon and Lady Marion catching her at the half- distance, a pretty race took place' for a few strides, when Strephon drew away and won comfortably by nearly two lengths from Lady Marion, who was three-quarters of a length in front of Lady Lovell. The placed horses were followed by Viper, Cinderella, Albion, Marlborough, Butterfly, and The Miner, while Eonisvale was a long last. Time, lmin 16f sec. ROSEHILL JUNE HANDICAP, Of 150sovs; second horse 25aovs from the prize. One mile and a-quarter and 100 yds. Mr J Monaghan ns b m Rosebud, by Musket — Rosarina, syrs, 6.2 (J Fielder) 1 Mr T Cook's br h Invader, by Grandmaster, 4yrs, 7.8 ... ... ... ... (R Ellis) 2 Mr J Moore's b g Here's Luck, by Kinjjaborough — i f Hussey, aged, 7.6 ... ... (Longlord) 3 Also ran: Folly, 6yrs, 7.12; Figtree, 4yrs, 7.10 ; La Valette, 3yr5,7.8 ; Simon, 4yrs, 7.6 ; Desmond, 6yrs, 7.4; Bertram, 4yrs, 6.11 ; Teddy Yuille,4yrs, 6.6 ; Peeress, 6yrs, 6.6 ; Young Kingston, 4yrs, 6.1 ; and Riddle, syrs, 6.0. Betting : 7to 4 agst Rosebud, sto 1 each Desmond and Invader. Once fairly in the straight, Rosebud assumed command, and, drawing away in the run home, won by two lengths and a-half from Invader, who beat Here's Lui'k by a neck for second place; while Teddy Yuille, Peeress, and Desmond were almost on terms with Here's Luck, and after the bunched lot came La Valette, Bertram, Young Kingston, and Riddle, while Figtree finished last. Time, 2min 16sec.

A CLERK OF NOMENCLATURE.

(Sporting Life.)

There is so much to talk and write about now on a variety of subjects that quite an embarrassment of riches exists, however lamentably the riches fail to be in evidence from a financial point of view. It will be perhaps noticed that I discard the French phrase regarding the " embarrassment," and I do so for the reason that I think foreign words are getting too much mixed up with our own tongue, and that wherever the English language " pure and undefiled" can serve the purposes intended it should be used. This puts me in mind of an anecdote I recently heard regarding Jake Kilrain, who, I observe, has accepted John L. Sullivan's cl allenge to fight, if the world is big enough to find a place to fight in. The popular Kilrain, who is a modest man and an earnest speaker, was the showman for Charley Mitchell's statuary business at St. James' Hall, in scenes depicting, for instance, "Ajax defying the lightning," " Hector on the hop," "Achilles with an arrow in his heel," "Ulysses recognised by his dog," &c, &c, on being, complimented after the perform ance r e replied, " I believe you are trying to spoof me, but what I want to know is, why these fellows couldn't just as well have had English names, so as there could have been no mistake about 'em." lam soiry to see a great tendency of late amongst owners of horses to give then colts and fillies foreign names. Surely an English name is good enough for an English horse, while the many " Saints" that abound makes one feel proud of being a sinner. Lord Randolph Churchill is a notable offender in nomenclature. Fancy naming a filly L'Abbesse de Jouarre — transformed by the Ring into "Abscess on the jaw," which they say Friar's Balsam has got. In the Balsam's malady, however, it has been a case of " Physician heal thyself " in a most satisfactory manner. I would suggest to Mr Goschen, Chancellor of the Exchequer, that there should be an additional tax on all

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forejgn-named horses, on a similar Principle to that adopted with regard to bottled wines from foreign parts. It may also be suggested to the Jockey Clnb that a good appointment might be instituted fora nometiclaturer under official sanction, and that this talented gentleman's knowledge should be confined entirely to the exercise of the English language — which would also embrace America, Australia, New Zealand, and the Isle of Wight— and that the pedigrees of all foals should be sent into him to be named at a fee of, say, half-a-crown ahead, the same as for handicapping — the owner to have the right of appeal if he objected to the title by depositing £5, and should the objection be considered frivolous, half to go to the official namer and half to the Bentinck Fund. Also that for every change of name in a horse there should be a £25 charge, just as for registering the assumed name of an owner.

These are not wild suggestions, and, I believe^ would meet with much public and private approval, while certainly they would simplify one of the " mysteries " of racing — if not of hansom-cabbing, a la Mr Montagu Williams, who, I am afraid the other day, in his dictum about stopping all the cab horses in London which were lame, rather allowed his zeai to overcome his judgment, There are thousands of lame horses in every sphere of equine life capable of fulfilling the duties required of them, and some of them much better than the presumed sound ones. How many tales could be told in connection withhunting and racing of what a good lame-un has done and keeps doing. Of course I am utterly opposed to cruelty in any form, but there is a lot of claptrap going about, exactly the same as at horse shows, and much discrimination is required to make sure that good objects are not sacrificed to "fads." If only half the lame men that are hobbling about London pavements were eased up and taken caie of, and be driven home or to hospitals by lame horses in three-wheeled cabs behind one-eyed drivers, an excellent channel would be afforded the benevolent of doing a lot of good. With regard to giving foreign names to horses, I would also carry the matter further, in so far as evidence in courts of law is concerned, and all technical terms dealing with the diseases of man and horse should be abolished as far as possible, so that the meaning of the words can be " understanded "by the people. " I found a fracture of the occiput, and an indentation at the base of the cerebellum," said a medi-. cal witness recently. " I presume you mean," queried the judge, "that the man had got the back of his skull broken V " That's it, bit lord ; only one must adhere to scientific teachings." " I also discovered a solution of continuity of the femur, and a displacement of the patella." "By this," replied the judge, " I suppose I am to understand that' the poor man's thigh-bone was fractured, and his knee put out of joint." " That's exactly it, my lord, to speak in a common or garden sort of way." Last year there were over 1700 foals. The naming of these at half a crown a head would be an inducement for many a well-educated man to accept the post, and to give when required the reasons for his bestowal of titles, while a lot of trouble would be saved to owners, and much bother to the public, the press, and the telegraphing staffs. Let me, therefore, suggest an " Official Nomenclature Clerk," whose appointment would be a hardship to nobody, and be a congenial task to at least one of the " unemployed."