PAST FORM OF NEW ZEALAND CUP HORSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1915, 3 August 1888, Page 23

PAST FORM OF NEW ZEALAND CUP HORSES.

(Compiled to July 27, 1888.)

*** Referring to an article reproduced in this issue, John Kent writes to the Field as follows: — "Permit me to confirm what the writer of * Reminiscences of Epsom ' says about the merit and beauty of Priam, who won the Derby in 1830. I have always considered him the most perfect animal as a racehorse that I ever saw, his only conceivable fault being that he was a little flat-sided. His head was elegance itself ; his neck, shoulders, back, loins, hocks, knees, and thighs being faultless. I never saw more perfectly formed legs and feet. His temper was as docile and gentle as that of a lamb, and his courage that of a lion. In colour he was a rich bay, with black legs, mane, and tail. No course came amiss to him, as he was equally good for the T.Y.C. as over the Beacon. I have seen a great many Derby winners, but none of them superior, and few indeed equal to Priam. When he was in training at Goodwood, from Ascot until he won the Goodwood Cup in 1831, 1 rode him repeatedly at exercise as a thirteen-year-old boy. I doubt whether thero is anyone else now living who was ever on Priam's back. He won the Goodwood Cup, as a four T year-old, in 1831, and again in 1832, ridden in each by Conolly. In 1831 he beat his Majesty's Fleur-de-Lis, aged, almost at even weights, the two previous Goodwood \Cups having been won easily by her. It was a very heavy betting race, Lord Chesterfield, the owner of Priam, being then 26 years old, -end a very daring speculator. In 1832 Priam, aged five years, was backed against a large field at evens, beating, amongst others, Lord Exeter's Beirain (a first class' three-year-old) and Mr Ridsdale's St. Giles, the Derby winner. Priam could have won with another stone on his back. He was, I think, the best and sweetest tempered horse that I ever saw, and such was also the opinion of my father and of ' Lord Chesterfield, the latter being a most superior judge of a racehorse. There is one slight mistake in 'The Druid's' account of the purchase of Priam as a yearling from Sir John Shelley. The colt was knocked down to John Dilly (the well-knowu trainer) for lOOOgs, aud was sold by him a little later 1250gs to William Chifney. The latter was, I believe, short of money in the July meeting of 1828, but was determined to have Priam at any price, and gave Dilly 250gs for his bargaiu. Chifney sold Priam to Lord Chesterfield for 3000g5."

%* I hear that Macdonald, the promising light-weight jockey, has been offered and has accepted an engagement in Mr Stead's stable. Macdonald is & tidy young fellow and a decent horseman, and if he gets the show there is no

reason why he should not be as famous as Huxtable, the rider whose place he will now fill. 'Twould give our Dunedin boy a litt if the two Scotties, Lochiel and Macdonald, were to pull off the next New Zealand Cup.

*** English writers are irate because Minting was weighted at 11.2 in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot. " Such a handicap has never before been issued within the memory of man," writes one of the leading malcontents ; •* a truly crushing, and, as all good sportsmen must think, intensely cruel impost." When spying that such a handicap was never before known, the writer — the editor of the London Referee — meant, of course, so far as. he was aware of ; that is, he referred to England alone. For, as a matter of fact, we have had a heavier handicap in the colonies. The occasion will suggest itself to all bearded sporting men in these parts ; 1 refer to the impost served out to The Barb for the Melbourne Cup of-J869. Mr Tata's demon had in the fall of the 1868-69" season won the Sydney Cup, as a five-year-old, with 10.8 up, beating Stumpy, Tim ' Whifller, and others, and doing the two miles in 3min 40sec, and it was on account of this performance that the 11.7 was served out to him in the Melbourne Cup. Comparing the two weights by the standard of the weight-for-age scale now in force in England, we find that Mint ; ng, being a five-year-old, would at weight-for-age have had to carry 9.2 in the Hunt Club Cup, which is a mile race, and his handicap of 11.2 was 281b over the scale impost. The Barb, being a six-year-old- at the time the Melbourne Cup of 1869 was run, weuld, at weight-for-age, have had a burden of 9 5 in the two milerace at Flemington, and as he was handicapped at 11.7 he was asked to carry 301b over weight-for-age. In making this calculation I have assumed the English May to be the equivalent to the Australian November. A reference to the New Zealand scale shows that according to its provisions the comparative weights would have been about the same — there is only a pound difference. Referring to this matter the Sydney Referee says: " |^j r T a if s black demon The Barb was imposted with 11.7 for the Melbourne. Cup— a two-mile race, mark you ! And because there was a doubt as to whiph was the best between the son of Sir Hercules — Young Gulnare and another of Mr Tait's horses named Glencoe, the handicappers (there were three of them in those days) clapped ] 1.4 on the latter. The lowest weighted animal iv that race was Bonnie Carlisle (who afterwards developed into a highly successful sire), a five-year-old, with 6.7, on his back. Neither The Barb nor Glencoe accepted, and Warrior won with 8.10. The Barb had previously won the Sydney Cup with 10.8, so that, when the style in which he won was taken into consideration, 11.7 was not so prohibitive after all. In fact, the threat was covertly made if he succeeded in proving victorious under that weight, and entered the following year he would be compelled to drag a watercart after him." But it would be misleading to omit to state that in Minting's race the minimum handicap was 5.7, whereas in the Melbourne Cup referred to lowest weight was 6.7 ; so that by one way of reckoning The Barb was after all 12lb better treated than Minting. It is not of great importance to argue out these matters, for neither of the horses spoken ef was an acceptor ; but it is sometimes interesting to institute comparisons between English and colonial methods. %* It is understood that the gentleman who races under the name of Mr. A. Walker has sold out his Dunedin business and contemplates a visit to the other side for the purpose of having a look round. During his short career as an owner Mr A. Walker has gained a name for straightforwardness by his fair running of Oamerine, Snapshot, and Apres Moi, and I hope to see him eventually settle down again in Dunedin and resume his active connection with the turf, for the retirement of such a man is au appreciable loss to our small sporting community.

*** The Taranaki Club have a debit balance of £265 odd, but as a tangible set-off to this burden they can point to assets acquired during the past year in the shape of a grand stand on which £692 has been expended, also fencing to the value of £236. It is proposed to hold a two days' meeting in January, and a one day's meeting on the date of the anniversary of the province. *** The Wanganui Club's annual meeting was held on Tuesday of this week. The report stated that the receipts for the past year exceeded those for 1887 by £94, the figures beiDg £3346 as against £3252. The staked paid away amounted to £2634, this amount being an increase of £137. The entries show a better return by £207. The privileges from all sources amount to £1960, being a falling off of £77. The subscriptions have also declined to the extent of £22. The general expenses have been about £20 in excess of those for 1887, and the total expenditure has exceeded the receipts by £23 7s Id. The debit balance, after providing for the Derbies and two-year-old nominations, amounts to £257, as against £233 for 1887. The committee are anxious to liquidate this balance, and therefore strongly recommend that a reduction in stakes for the year 1889 should be made.

*#* Dunedin sportsmen have cause for complaining that no intimation of the scratching of Irish King for the Grand National was made public here until after the race had beea run, though the withdrawal of the favourite took place on the previous afternoon. Shillelagh was also taken out, but that was a matter which no one felt interested in, as the little horse had few fanciers in Dunedin. As to the race, Waitangi made the running for about three quarters of the journey, but was then done with, and Mangaohane, who had been patiently ridden by Hickey, then came through and won as he liked from the alnw-and-sure Daddy Longlegs. There seems to have been no falls during the race, but the six unplaced horses found the fences too stiff for them, and quietly stopped at various stages, the upshot being that none but the three placed horses finished. Mangaohane, it will be seen, started first favourite, and the result was therefore no surprise to the local folk; nor did it call forth many expressions of wonder in Dunedin, for it was pretty well understood here on the morning of the race that Chemist was not likely to win — though I. am riot aware what reason existed for the abandonment of the erstwhile favourite ; Faugh-a-ballagh's usual followers, were in a blue funk about little "solidsides " oh hearing that at exercise he had been stuck up by a common post-and-rail febce ; and it was understood that Haka had disappointed his party by a poor display of jumping during the thrtfe or four days prior to the race — so that Mangaohane and Kangaroo were looked upon by the well-informed division as likely to be the most dangerous pair. The last-named was a strong tip with a certain section of backers, and I understand that all the money available was taken about him prior to the race day. -

*** Mangaohane is a six-year-old gelding by Pohokura out of Wild Duck. The "'Stud Book" does not tell us anything about this trfare, and therefore we can only guess that she is 'one of the many good half or three-quarter bred animals that are knocking abont Hawke's Bay and used for breeding purposes.' Potiokura is a Hawke's Bay bred sire, got by Pacific out of Villette, by Young Plover oat <Jf Ada, by out of a mare owned by Major Hickson,

of Auckland, and said to be imported, but, as Mr Elliott says, most probably Australian bred. Pohokura is dead. Prior to this season Mangaoliane had performed creditably over crosscountry, having won the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase and the Napier Steeplechase last winter ; but this season he had prior to the Grand National scored only one win out of five races, his success being in the Hurdle Race at the Napier Steeplechase meeting. The following table shows the WINNERS OP THE GRAND NATIONAL.

*%* From the full accounts appearing in another column it will be observed that the Auckland-owned Shillelagh made a most creditable display at the meeting, winning the Ladies' Bracelet and fighting out a close finish with Landsborough in the Maiden Steeplechase, which was the very next race. He must be a game bit of stuff. Haka made a poor show in the last-named event, and has evidently a deal to learn before he- can be reckoned au accomplished jumper ; but the other new chum, Torrent, took his fences in the Hurdle Race as though quite used to the illegitimate game, and was defeated, not through lack of jumping ability, but simply because he could not stay the distance. Two rare old stagers were seen out in the Selling Steeplechase — Linwood (the horse that Weston made money over) and Ravenswood (a winner of the so-called Steeplechase at the Forbury). Linwood, who has since his prime been doing a bit of trotting, baulked, and Ravenswood broke down, leaving Master Guy to finish unopposed.

*** I cannot for the life of me comprehend the method on which the C.J.O. committee worked in arranging their dates for nomination and acceptance for next season's meetings, and I expect owners will get into some pretty muddles over the matter. On a given day in October owners have to attend to events in each of the three meetings ; and thsre seems to be an altogether unnecessary multiplication of days on which something or other demands attention. What advantage is there in adding to the perplexities of owners and trainers ? They frequently make mistakes even when the arrangements of a club are of the simplest character.

\* A remarkable exhibition of nerve was made by jockey Andy M'Carthy in the Kentucky Handicap, when with a broken leg he rode Gallifet the full mile and a-quarter and finished with the others. While the horses were at the post, Insolence kicked out and struck M'Carthy on the right leg. He fell from his horse and fainted, but when revived, Mr Barnes, owner of Gallifet, was anxious to have him ride, and the jockey not knowing how badly he was, injured, insisted that he was able to sit on his horse. He was more seriously hurt than at first supposed, the small bones of his leg being fractured. The injured member had to be put in a plaster.of Far.s cast, aud the physician attending him was of opinion that it would be at least a«month before M'Carthy would be able to don the colours again.

*** Chanticleer, the trotter sent to Sydney from Christchurcb, put his backers in a hole at the Rusehill races. Referring to this event, the Syndey Referee says that " it was an error of judgment on the part of the stewards to mark a white line across the grass to define the starts in the Distance Handicap Trot. These lines proved something more than a stumbling block to the animals engaged, who invariably tried to jump over them. Chanticleer, especially, came to grief thereat, and to this cause his inglorious performance wab mainly attributable. By the way, speaking of Chanticleer, a few of the would-be ' talent ' caught a snag over him. It's all very well to get the straight tjp on the quiet, and wade in and •cop' the market before the owner can back it ; but that sort of game may prove to be, like using a two-edged tool, rather precarious to play at. You see the owner of the animal may, if so disposed, return a Roland for an Oliver. We don't say such was the case on Saturday— we don't believe it was. But we do say, and say it emphatically, that if it had been played it would have only served the forestalling division right. The right of owners to do as they like with their horses may not be a divine one, but when we see a good exemplification of the biter being bit, there are not a few of us who do not care about inquiring too rigidly into whether the action is right or wrong." *** The Eclipse Stakes, the mammoth prize of 10,000sovs given by the Sandown Park executive, was run for last week, and resulted in a victory for the Duke of Westminster's Ossory, with Orbit second and Martley third. *** Wednesday of this week was the day on which, according to the turf law, thoroughbreds add another year to their ages. Carbine, Sommeil, and Co. are therefore now " of age," and free from the restrictions that during the past season bound them down to race only under certain conditions as to distance ; while a new batch of nags are reckoned two-year-olds. What these latter'may prove to be, goodness only knows ; but we have had a taste of the quality of the new three-year-olds, and so far as we know them they are all round up to the averageperhaps up to the admittedly high standard of the previous seasou. Allow me to hope that the racing season now commencing may be a prosperous one, that the plums of the turf, may be eqaally distributed among those owners who deserve to win, and that backers and layers may come out level. That is^the result which will bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number. When a few men win heavily a number of others lose more than they can afford to pay. Remember Lochiel nine months ago. %* There were five races and 40 starters at the Christchurch Hunt Club's meeting. An average of eight starters at a gathering of this kind is satisfactory ; and in other respects the meeting seems to have been a success, for there were three close finishes, and not one serious accident during the afternoon. It is not often that a three-year-old manages to win a hurdle race, even over a short course; and Reuben, the son of Hornby, who accomplished this feat, must be looked on as a promising addition to the ranks of onr hurdle racers, the performance being the more creditable when viewed in the light of the facts that he had 12.0 to carry and met a field that included several veteran fencers. Torrent gave a capital display of fencing in the Hunt Club Cup, but fell just as he began to look very dangerous.' Daddy Longlegs, the favourite in the Open Steeplechase, was only able to gain second place, being beaten with something to spare by Kangaroo. The last-named had 12.7 up, • and by his performance .proved conclusively that it was the distance that stopped him in the Grand National.

Torrent failed to get ov6r one of the fences in the Tally-ho Plate, and the prize went '.to Piccauini, who thus atoned for several failures. The competitors in the Ladies' Bracelet were all unknown horses, and the event was of no interest outside the district. Messrs Hobbs and Goodwin passed £1693 through the totalisators. %♦ Mr Stead has sustained a severe loss by the death of his three-year-old colt Bar Sinister, who turned up his toes last week. The .colt was by Albany or Cadogan out of No Name, and had some supporters for the New Zealand Cup and Derby, though I have a fancy that had he remained in the land of the living he would have found his way to the other side in the course of a few weeks. —

%* Rangitikie Hunt Club Steeplechases were held on the York Farm coarse on the 26th ulr. The Hack Hurdle Race, of 15sovsi resulted iv Thurstou'B Forest Queen (10.8) beating Coleman's Revoke (10.10) and Riddiford's Riot (11.2), Cora being the other starter.'! In the Hunt Club Steeplechase, of 20sovs, three miles, Roake's Neck or Nothing (12.10). beat Wilson's Doctor (12.0), Riddiford's Spartan (11.4), and Lady Bell, the finish being a :close one. Lambe' Mistake won the Hack Maiden Steeplechase ,o lOiovs, from Piako, Madcap, Dick Turpin, and Lucy Glitters; the dividend being £33 6s. There were four starters for the Ladies' Bracelet, value 20sovs, the winner turning up in Miss Thurstou's Forest Queen (10.12), with .Spartan (11.2) second and Doctor (12.3) third. Mr Thurston has now won the Bracelet three years in succession. Amon's Duchess (8.4) beat Waimea, Larrikin, and Little John in the Hack Flat Handicap, of 15sovs, and paid a dividend of £22 10s. In the Welter Steeplechase, of lOsovs, Piako put up 14.0 and won a good race by two lengths from Madcap (12.10). The Forced Handicap Steeplechase, of lOsovs, attracted a field of seven and resulted in Little John beating Mistake and Riot for places.

Horses. og t3 . v S3 o o (B O --1 ft, ft 03 Is a 3 M Qj Nelson Maxim Lochiel b'extant ... Tranter ... Waitiri ... Escutcheon Whakawai Marlborough Artillery ... Springston Silvermark Carbine ... Beresford ... Quibble ... St. Clair ... Ruby Strenuous ... Antelope ... Sommeil ... British Lion General Thornton The Spy ... Lorraine ... Northcote... Warama ... Chain Shot Alcinous ... Riehraond... Phormlum Tenax Hotehkißß... Radiance colt ht. Malo ... St. James ... JeD d'Bau ... Clive Gitana colt Dandenong Snapshot. ... Keiwood ... Leopold ... Manton ... Cuitassier ... Wolverine... St. Hwithiu Engagement Son-ot'-a-Gun St. Ivss Ravenswing Torrent Knchantress Vandal Rainbow ... Kimberley Raglan Hii«> Exchange ... 62 10 11 12 4 29 18 5 47 17 12 19 5 16 52 22 33 36 37 6 33 8 7 7 4 14 23 8 3 5 1 12 J 1 16 3 4 4 5 2 20 6 8 12 9 3 *12 1 g 1 1 6 16 2 1 1 0 10 4 1 10 3 2 8 0 4 7 1 8 H 6 2 10 1 1 1 0 3 6 0 3 3 0 2 5 1 9 1 1 3 0 4 6 2 3 5 4 0 2 0 2 2 2 1 17 0 4 3 3 5 8 2 12 10 5 4 0 6 19 13 14 10 18 1 9 6 2 3 1 4 £ 7724 2482 2353 2048 160 2902 439 257 942 1168 783 1092 1230 fcOl 1766 1047 1072 829 5M 584 1118 38 43 86 77 474 ~ ~ ~ 1 0 0 - * 0 " ~ - - - — - - " - - " _ - - - 1 0 0 0 1 -I ~ -I -I 34 5 5 2 6 4 1 2 32 7 8 2 9 4 28 4 2 3 7 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 - 8 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 9 3 1 0 2 1 5 1 0 2 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 2 1 1 2 6 0 0 0 - 16 1 10 2 4 3 1 2 15 3 5 1 6 1 15 3 1 1 424 166 155 169 - 180 24 619 213 36 14 18 236 26 67 95 * Including one dead heat.

Year. Starters. Winner. Rider. Weight. ■1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1883 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 6 13 9 12 12 6 8 5 4 6 6 13 9 Royalty Fakir Mousetrap ... The Agent ... The Agent ... Clarence Katerfelto ... Kosciusko ... The Agent ... Moody Canard Paugh-a-ballagb Mangaohane MrMartelli S. Osborne P. M'Coy W. HanUins Mr H. Lunn F. Hedge W. Clifford T. Sheeuan T. Lyford 0. Hobbs Mr H. liunn I. Lyford Hickory st lb 10 0 10 5 11 4 12 8 12 7 la 2 10 0 10 ft 12 6 11 0 12 10 11 13 11 2