TALK OF THE DAY. BY MAZEPPA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1951, 11 April 1889, Page 23

TALK OF THE DAY. BY MAZEPPA.

*** Those owners who have already sampled the sweets of fortune this season will doubtless be eager to again " pull out a plum," and those who so far have been living on hope are not likely to throw away their few remaining chances of making expenses before shutting up shop for the winter — so that in all likelihood we shall see a rush for the prizes offered at the Dunedin Jockey Club's final meeting of the season. Particulars of the dates of payment are fully seb forth, and it will be owners'jown fault if , they forget that nominations for the handicaps close on Saturday of this week, the 13th. %* Many of those who are old eripugh to remember the racing of a dozen years ago when we thought it a good afternoon's work to get off five races, must, I am sure, consider that the altered arrangements of the present time are not an improvement. Then, racing was a pleasure ; now, it is nothing but hurry and rush from midday till the finish, in the endeavour to squeeze as much racing as possible into the allotted period. Six races is but a small number for one day in these times ; we can manage seven with ease, and on a pinch eight and even nine events are not too much. I'll guarantee that if an old - fashioned sportsman, say Mr Sydney James, for instance, could find it consistent with loyalty to his club to give us his innermost convictions on the subject, he would prefer the out* of-vogue customs. I am sure that I would. Life is too short for the fashionable frenzied fun to which we are now treated. If a fellow wants to go and have a look at a horse in the paddockhe has to seamperaway like a lamplighter and hurry back to the stand for fear of missing a race ; there is barely sufficient interval to bolt one's luncheon ; social converse among friends is supplanted by taciturnity and fear of being spoken to lest one should be asked to disclose what he may know as to a horse's chance and thus spoil the prospect of a dividend \ and gene-, rally speaking, racing is fast degenerating into a g^me of " grab." This at least; in my experience. Perhaps lam getting old and slow ; but others, and their name is Legion, also feel the oppressiveness of the existing fashion, and on behalf of these, who are, perhaps, as loyal sportsmen as those of a later generation, I may be excused for remarking, just for once in a way, that, as between the leisure of the past and the rushing of the present, we prefer the former. — " * " %* This is of course purely a matter of taste. Some of us may look regretfully at the change; others, and probably these are in the majority, will prefer the new order of things. But' all sportsmen whose hearts are not indurated by the accursed thirst for gold will I think combine in lamenting another development in our racing : I refer to the sandwiching of our programmes with trotting races and races for ponies. The trotting horse has its use, so has th!e pony, and none would be so foolish as to object to these animals having a show, if only for the purpose of subsidising the endeavours of those who are engaged in breeding a superior type of beast ; but I must say that I am alarmed at the increase in the numbers of theße races. My objection is twofold in form — first, I say that many who frequent bur racecourses regard these events as nuisances that may be tolerated but. certainly' are npt V ; Bieanir of gmu'senieritj'

secondly, money of the clubs and of the public' appropriated to these contests might be more 1 beneficially used in endowing competition for the regular racer, with the result that mediumclass thoroughbreds would appreciate in value. Here is an instance of what I mean : The owner of Silver Bell, a third-class trotter, worth not more than £20 in open market, was enabled, by means of one race and a single £1 investment thereon, to land £160 4s in one pop this season ; while the Hon. G. M'Lea'n's St. James,' who has been racing all the season, has won three races, and yet, adding in his second money and a dividend on each event, he has earned but £179 6s. Clearly, Silver Bell has been the more profitable animal of the two! This is perhaps a 'comparison of extremes, but in a lesser degree hosts of instances might be quoted in which a sound cut-and-come-again hack is really more valuable than a second-class racehorse, or even a firstclass one if not quite fi<L The ' horde that I should prefer to keep if I were'a poor owner'dependent on racing as a livelihood, would, be one of the Ixion type, or a Billy or Trapper as 1 we know these nags at their best. Properly' placed, a man would frequently have the chance^ of landing a decent dividend wifeh horses of this stamp, while in regard t) your real gentlemen and ladies —your Mantons and Cyniscas— it is hopeless io look for anything beyond the stakes. The public step in and share the machine money at the same price as the man who stands all the expenses. This state of affairs, which. threatens to knock out professional owners at a very early date, is of course a distinct entail of the totalisator. I stand up for the machine as having on the whole done racing good service, but it is impossible to shut one's eyes to the fact that it has its disadvantages, of which the one referred to is particularly serious. ' '%* I started off to say something in favour of checking the too rapid increase of trotting and pony races ; and to return to the subject, I may mention that, so far as this racing season has gone, we have had on an average more than one trotting race to every meeting. I have in my records the reports of 209 meetings up to and including the Ist of April, and have counted no less than 207 trots confined to grown horses, besides which there were a number of pony trots. The exact number of pony races, many of them being trots, is 91. Ninetyode plus 207 gives us 298 of these illegitimate contests. Most of the trots are in the South Island, and the bulk.of the pony races in the Nbrth; but I observe that pony races are corning into fashion in these parts, and our friends up North seem inclined to favour a general introduction of trots ; and unless steps are taken to discourage the spread of these gambling races we shall soon have them egging the orthodox contests out of- the programmes. It is for those clubs that have admitted trots and pony races to their programmes to consider whether such a consummation is desirable, and whether they have not already gone as far or farther than is consistent. with their responsibilities as the regulators of horse racing. The question should be thought out in all its bearings, and not considered, solely from the standpoint of expediency. Personally, I should like to see trots and pony races kept , altogether separate from,, ordinary racing — let the, people who delight in! these .affairs have meetings of their own, while tbiel patrons of horse racing could attend or not, as they please— but it is not for me to rule the roW, and I content myself with suggesting that if , the proposed conference of racing delegates is, actually held the wholequestion should be introduced and fully discussed. At present we are drifting towards what seems to me to be a danger; and I should' like our pilots to give an opinion as to whether we can avoid the rocks by ; keeping on drifting or whether it would not; he ; wise to shape an approved course. , < %* I see it stated in some of the papers that the recent Napier conference " agreed that, pony races do not come under the metropolitan rules." ■ By " agreed " I presume is meant that, tb,e conference agreed to recommend But I ' l fancy there is some doubt, whether the conference ever made any recommendation on the subject. My informant as to the doings of that not over-energetic body said: nothing about 'the matter. And supposing the recommendation is made, it is not very clear what is meant by saying that pony races do not come nnder metropolitan rules. What is the purport of the term "come under" ? It may mean that pony races ar|e prohibited ; it may mean simply that in passing programmes the metropolitan dubs are to take no account of the money given to pony races, but that the rules as te the amount of stakes and percentage of owners' charges are' to be enforced as though these races are not on the programme. If this last-mentioned interp'retatipn is the correct one— and Ithinkifc id— then the big clubs will not be affected.' 1 They^have enough money in their programmes without the pony races, and could stick in a few .'more, of ttieso. ten-percenters without: violating/the law. I(| would be the smaller clubs that 'would be affected by the rule; df passed; The whole subject calls for 'consideration. ; * ■*• r ***' Speaking of trotting,' I observe that the newly-formed Haiyke's Bay Trotting Club' met with a greater degree of success at their inaugural race meeting than the most sanguine of the promoters expected!- There were 67 entries for five events, and 51 came to the post, or an average of over 10 for each race. Most of the animals were entirely unknown to the luck of the spectators, and as a consequence the investments were pretty equally divided, .the best dividend of the day being £10 10s. 1 The day's proceedings passed off without an hitch "of any kind, and, says a local paper, judging from the many expressions of approval, it is a certainty that now. the Hawko's Bay Trotting Club has established itself many mo're^ meetings, of a similar nature will take place, .and. as the club must have scored financially, the stakes at future gatherings will be considerably augmented. Mr Danvers had arilineuyiable position to fill as a handicapper, but the utmost satisfaction was expressed at his adjustments. The sum of £1083 was passed through/the tbtalisator. " * ' %* A readable sketch of Charles Wood's career appears in a late number of London Sporting Life. At the time Wood was born Newmarket was at its very worst; - All its glory had departed, and it was feared that .the sun which had shone so brightly oVer the gay, scenes Of sport upon the classic heath had set, to rise nd more. Somehow or' another things had been very bad at the little Suffolk town, and the' tradespeople had a very gloomy look-out. Owners of racehorses declined to send their animals to Newmarket to be trained, and when the' Queen and Prince Consort ordered 'that the palace should be sold tinder the auctioneer's hammer, and it was knockned down to a speculative purchaser for only £100 more than the reserve price, everybody imagined that, by this significant withdrawal of royal patronage the place was doomed and would cease from that time to be a racing centre. Curiously enough there had been no Derby winner ftrairied there between the years of 1848 and 1863, and sportsmen shook their heads, and declared that there was a fatality about the old racing capital. Suddenly, however, there came a sudden, revolution. Mr Joseph Dawsou brought Lord Stamford's horses to be'trtraed there,' ;and in 1861 Diopharithns, secured the TwpThpusan^Quwisas;' 'From that'

time the land of heath resumed its former prosperity. ' Macaroni was tralnedthere by Mr Godding in 1863? and won the Two Thousand; afterwards beating Lord Clifden by a head for the' Derby, and everything went merrily, business increasing at a tremendous pace, from year to year. ' In 1866, after Count Lagrange had sent his stud to Newmarket under the care of Jenings, and was victorious with Gladiateur in the great classic, races, so many horses were in training that numerous opportunities were presented for likely lads whose physical construction, nous, clear heads, and courage qualified them to hope at sometime to become knights of the pigskin. i Charles Wood was at this time 12 years of age, haying been born in Hull on November 21, ! 1854. and it was arranged that he should be ! apprenticed for seven ' years 'to Mr < Joseph Dawson, then at Bedford Lodge, who was disposed to give the lad a chance. Wood's merits were quickly recognised, and, moreover, he' was a particularly sharp youngster, and a willing worker. His master gave him many opportunities of being put up as a light-weight in the numerous rough gallops that' were constantly taking place, and which afforded the lads opportunities for practice. In 1872, when he was about 10 years of age* he had his first winning mount) riding Henry V, and defeating Fordham. During the same year he rode a codpl'e of winners* and two years later he got to double figures, winning 12 races during the' season. His performances during that' season won for him the highest regard as ah unfledged jockey, add in 1875 he came with a tremendous leap right into the foremost division. During that year he rode to the post no fewer than 198 times, and succeeded in scoring 43 victories. In 1876 he was scarcely so successful, for out of 185 mounts he only won 34 times, carrying, off no races of any importance. In 1877 Wood rode 302 races, and was first past the post on 57 occasions. In 1878 he steered Peter to victory in the Middle Park Plate, and during the season his 281 mounts produced no fewer than 40 winners, whilst he game in second 49 times, and ran up third on 43 occasions. 1879 was one of the best years of his whole career,' for it sent him not only to the front rank amongst professional horsemen, but he became the pet and admiration of -the publio, particularly that section addicted to backing the man and not the 'horse. Altogether he went into the weighing room 460 times, and out of this number Jwon 89 races, was second 95 times, and was placed third on 73 occasions. In 1880 he took his place next to F. Archer in the number of winning 1 mounts. He started 448 times, and carried off 70 races, runnii)g second 75, and third 83 times. It was in 1880 that Wood secured his first classic race upon Elizabeth in the One Thousand Guineas. •* # * Of the classic races 'Wood secured .comparatively few. He never succeeded in winning a St. Ledger or a Two Thousand Guineas. Hja r,ode one filly to victory in tne Oaks in the last year of his career, the Duke of Beaufort's Reve d'Or. In the same year he secured the One Thousand Guineas upon the last-mentioned horse, and was successful on two former occasions in riding the first for this race— Mr xWalker's Elizabeth in 1880, and Mr Crawford's Sti. Marguerite in 1887: His only absolute success in the Derby was upon Sir F. Johnstone's Sti. Blaise in 1883. But Wood never thought much of the horse, and considered it more from accident thsn merit that he won. To quote his own words will show what a near thing the race was : " You see there was a scrummage at the turn, and I just shot my horse round on the rails— my boot grazed — and got five or six lengths to the good, and they were useful at the finish. Highland Chief was coming at a tremen.do'us pace at the end. I wasn't sure that he hadn't got up and beaten me until the numbers w^re hoisted. It was a desperate close thing. Sir F. Johnstone gave me £1000." Perhaps, however, the most exciting finish that Wood ever rode— at least as far as concerned the public— was in the memorable dead-heat between St Gatien and Harvester for the Derby of 1884. Although Wood has ridden i6O many times (he had over 1500 wins) he has been marvellously fortunate. He met with only one serious accident, and that was at Alexandra Park in the spring of '78, when he broke threfe ribs. This deprived him of Sef ton's mount for the Derby. He has, of course^ had some close shaves, and that which he considers the nearest was at Goodwood on Hornpipe in tile Stewards' Cup in 1883, when Geheimniss was beaten on the post with Archer up. Wood describes it in the following words: "I was shut in right on the rajls, and couldn't see a "chance of getting through, which was all the wprse/for'my horse had something left in him, and I ■ was anxious to win the race for Sir George. Just near home there was a bit of an opening, about so -much "—holding, his hands a few inches apart — " and I saw I must make a ,dashif I was to do* it.- <\ You, see there was a .ctiance of going against .the; rails, and- you know there is a steep drop on the other side of JiHe course. I don't, know how far. However, it filmed out all right." X ;*** Taieri weights appear in this issue. We may well leave over the task of attempting ,tq pick the winners until next week, by which time something may be known as to what horses are likely to go to the post. At present I should think old Trapper has a now-or-never chance in tne President's Handicap, and that if he is put down it will be his stable companion Crossbow ; and something strikes me that Dodger will go very near winning the Stewards' Purse ; but I reserve my finals for next week's issue. *** Mr Percival, secretary to the Auckland Racing Club, is credited with haying brought before the conference the desirability of increasing the gelding allowance to 51b. At present thee sexless ones are allowed 31b all round. The ob| ject in view is, I presume, to tempt owners to use the knife more freely and thus restrict the number of covering stallions. If something could be done to prevent owners from breeding from stallions of the cheap and nasty Order I am sure the colony would be a considerable gainer in the course of a few years ; but I hardly think the offering a premium to gelding racers is the best way of accomplishing that purpose. Colts are cut before it is known what sort of racers they are going to turn out to be, and in some cases —[Atlas and Fishhook and Mata ate well-known instances — the owners must have regretted, when it was seen how they shaped on the turf, that the operation was performed. I should 'prefer to see the legislature petitioned on the subject, this being a question of colonial interest, and asked to put say a £20 tax on all covering stallions, or perhaps a better way would be to have all such stallions licensed and punish any persons concerned ■in breeding from an un- I licensed horse. At the same time Mr Percival's I suggestion is one that deserves full consideration. '%♦ Another subject mooted by Mr Percival was the issuing of a racing calendar. The proposal was, to quote the exact form in which it' appears before the public, ".that arrangements should be made to print a racing calendar by one of the Christchurch papers immediately terminating each racing season, and that all meetings, both' large and small, should be fully reported therein. Mr Clifford was Appointed to see if the suggestion could be carried out." It is^not quite clear what is'desired. Mr'Perciyal gays he wants a racing calendar, which is generally

supposed to be a' monthly pablicajion giving ,., handicaps and nomination* and aya v brief aeetiunt, \ of results; but it cannot be this' sort of a cajen-;;' dar 1 that is meant, as the suggestionfe'to bring ik out only once a year. Such a publication Would " be simply a turf register, or a -record^or whatever else you may choose to calMt/ori the' same lines as Whetham's book; and why it>hould ' be suggested that one of the Ohristchurch papers should take in hand the "work now so , thoroughly performed by Mr Whsh"am' is to, me a deep mystery, unless it is that'Mr'Percival " \ would like the metropolitan clubs to start ' an opposition book by way of retaliation « for' Mr ■' Whetham's delay in the publication of-thei last ~ volume of the Record. As this 7 'may's be the ' reason that has prompted Mr Percival -to move * in the matter, it is as well that the publio'should ' know that one of the chief causes; of the delay was the tardiness of several' '- of r the ■ Northern clubs— Mr Percival's club beingone of ." these— in forwarding to Mr Whetham the bonus for the previous volume, thus keeping him oat of : funds and preventing him from , employing; iskilled assistance in hurrying up the work. If ■ the clubs referred to had kept their promises and made> prompt payments the Record .would * have been out early in the season. ■ I have every ' confidence that the majority of the delegates' will refuse to sanction this proposal to give; 'Mr 'Whetham a gratuitous slap in the face, 5 - If proper and business-like arrangements are made ' with Mr Whetham there is no question' that he would bring out his book as early- as. may be desired, and it goes without saying that the work could not be in better hands. '*** As it was in the beginning of Donovan's carreer, so it promises to be during' his three-year-old season, and perhaps more so ; at anyrate he has started well by annexing the valuable Prince of Wales Slakes, the .'chief', prize offered by the Leicester executive. 1 ,It would appear likely that the crack did not mcct 1 the most formidable of his contemporaries in this event. Possibly they'are being reserved for the later events— the' Derby and so' forth. When the last mail left England Donovan 'was reported to be very well, and few owners would care to go out against the Derby favourite ' unless their representatives ■'had a show of beating him. We shall probably find that there' was i a small field for the Leicester race; and that Donovan won easily. Still the< effeob would be observable on the market, however' weak the field, and it is more than probable that the increase in the number of those anxious to have a bit ou the Duke of Portland's colt in the 1 Derby has had the' effect of shortening his price. He was at 3 to 1 taken at the end of February, and is now, I should think, at little more r than 2to 1 for large sums. The marketiis Very sensitive in these days of reduced wagering,' • V'The 5 Hon. G. M'Lean' received word this week that his Great Autumn candidate St, Clair was doing good 'work with CuWieam at" Riccarton, and if these favourable* 1 reports continue, the squire |o r f Warririgton^will go' up to Christcburdh.to,seethesbn of Pulchra win or lope as the* case' may be. The Hon. GM'lieanm- • fortns me that he has sent in. to MrTornbull's cajre the yearling colt by Gorton out of a/ady Emma andjthe yearling gelding by Gorton from Scraps. I shall take an early ' opportunity ' of tailing my readers' how these youngsters' sh^pe at exercise." The Lady Emma yourigster wajs a reWarkably fine colt' as exhibited at' the show last November, and ,1 am ipformed bh'it he has grpwn very considerably in 'the interval, and is now as fat and lusty as can be. I may^'perhapsi, be allowed to express satisfaction 'af finding that this youngster will be raced by Mir M'Lean himself instead of on behalf of another owner; It seems in accord with the. natural 'fitness of things that Lady Emma and her progeny should continue to be identified with the old master.' * # * At the Lincoln meeting l on March, 2s the Australian-bred horse Rin'gmasterJ, which was some time ago mysteriously shipped to England, |was a starter in. the Trial Stakes.' ,'He ; ,ran nowhere, butt it is believed that he wad a non« , trier. Ringmaster was a good performer on the turf in Australia^ arid although I ' only Vharid fiil, proved himself, to be. as game as the, proverbial pebble. The last, time ' Ringmaster in" public' in Victoria A was when he ran third to Lesbia and The Yeoman in the Geelong Winter handicap on 6th*August 1887, on which occasion he carried ost 21b. Amongst other races he won ' the V.ft,.T.C. Great Foal Stakes, as a two-year-old; the Coalfield Guineas,, Melbourne Hant piub Flat, Race, V.A.T.C. Hawksburn Handicapi'andth'e^Elsternwick Park Handicap as 'a three-year-old, and the A.J.C. Place Handicap as a four-year-old. Ringmaster is by First ,King trom Yardley, and consequently full brother to Lonsdale.^He'is now six years old as age. is computed in the colonies. A cablegram received in ( Duhedin on Tuesday informed us that Ringmaster ran in and won the Billesderi; Handicap, and ' that an objection lodged against him on ; the "ground that he had not been regularly trained land was overruled. This was th"e,rook oh, which it was feared Ringmaster's owner would come to grief. Goodness only kno^a why the horse was taken from Australia at all, andit is still more difficult to discover any sufficient motive for taking him away in such V'quiet aud mysterious manner. One would have thought that with the probability of disqualification hanging over his head if the horse ever did win a stake in the Old Country it was a particularly bad spec to invade the English' turf, for Ringmaster, though a game pony, was not first-class so far as we knew him. But the horse has won a decent race, and has 1 survived the ordeal of appeal, so. that the owner is probably en very good terms with himself. To the pnblic here, who have no pecuniary interest in Ringmaster's doings, it is also' satisfactory to fibd that a decent second-class horse from the colonies is able to win a race in England. ' May we accept this as a favourable augury in respect t6 the Hon. J. White's venture,, next' year? I ftiia would hope so, but hardly dare to ' express an opinion just yet. I reckon there will be some betting in the colonies ' on the Derby in which Kirkham and Narellan are to take part— that is if they land safely" and" train as satisfactorily. ,%* The committee of the, Dunedin Jockey Club met on Monday night and formally approved of the recommendations forwarded by , the Napier conference ; but the sanction of a general ' nieeting of members of the club is required' to confirm the approval before the alterations be made in the rules, and pending the calling of a general meeting the matter is hung up. } Thiaapproval has reference only to the recommendations as to the alterations of the rules. , ; The fourth : recommendation— viz , that, to the, effect, that a cpnference be held during the ,Hawke'6 Bay Steeplechase meeting, the committee were of opinion that the time and place, of. the conference shomld be left in abeyance for the present. . ♦ # * The D.J.C. committee, at the same meeting, decided to inform Mr Roderiques, in reply to a question, that the club would not receive the nomination of the trotting horse Victor, this horse being under the ban of disqualification. Victor was disqualified by the Canterbury Trotting Club, and hence, I suppose, the. question, Mr Udderiques evidently ;'thinkiog there was a chance that the !D'.J.C. f would not pursue the disqualification seeing that ijkdid not , originate with the metropolitan club of' thedis-

trick Another subject for the committee's con-, Bideration was brought up by a letter from Mr iPenfold, asking if the D.J.C. would pass a programme, say of £200, in which £150 was given to flat facing and £50 to trotting. The reply was in the affirmative. In answer to a question raised by Me Sydney James, the committee decided that the penalty for a breach of the, rules shall date from the time of such breach. This will meet the possible case of a club racing against the rules, and the fact not becoming known until some time afterwards. *#♦ Our Christchurch friends will not have a very exciting race to open their Easter meeting with, for there are only two acceptors for the Hurdle Handicap. Irish King, as winner of the two doubles, one at Christchurch and the other at Dunedin, will doubtless be a red-hot favourite, especally if Lunn gets up himself, but I am not quite sure that the result is a foregone conclusion, as Irish King is not a Clarence— he has not the stamina of an Agent either—and at a difference of nearly three stone it is just possible the other joker may dish him. Personally, I would sooner take 5 to 1 than give it in this race. There is a further payment yet due for the Champagne Stakes, and this may cause the retirement of Retina ; but bar her I think thoje now engaged will go down to Mr Campbell. A pretty quartette they are — each one a racehorse, but of different type*. On form we must of course at present anticipate the success of the unbeaten Oynisca, for she has this autumn put through Dunkeld at level weights and given Scots Grey 71b and a beating— this was in the Danedin Champagne. Merrie England, however, may prove an awkward customer to dispose of. They tell me that this son of Rup<<e has improved immensely since he ran third to Cynisca and Dunkeld in the Welcome Stakes, and as he 18 to all appearance well up to Champagne weights, he will take some doing. " Cynihca first and Merrie England second " would be my selection if compelled to hazard a tip this week ; but thank goodness I have a week's respite in regard to that unpleasant task. Once again, however, I take occasion to say that if all goes well with himi Scots Grey will beat both Dunkeld and Cynisca next season. \* Nothing of any importance went out of the Autumn Handicap on Saturday, unless it be Lady Florin, who was said to have been supported for a century or so a day before the final payment was made. Captain Cook was regarded beforehand as a certain ,nonexceptor, and none had any regard for Rainbow. It may perhaps be of interest to briefly scan the present season's history of the eight animals that have retained their engagements in this handicap. Dudu began by finishing second to Ravenswing in the Criterion Stakes, one mile, Ravenswing being in receipt of 51b and getting home first by a neck. Next day Silvermark gave Dudu 61b and a decided beating in the Stewards' Stakes, six furlongs. With 7.10 up Dudu was absolutely last in the Metropolitan Handicap, run, it will be remembered, on '» very muddy course ; and she finished her transactions at the CJ.C. meeting by gaining third place (8.5 up) in the Consolation Handicap won by Strenuous (8.0), with Repose (7.7) second. Then came the unexpected performance in the Midsummer Handicap. Ravenswing with 7.3 was supposed to be the better of the pair, but she got into trouble, being unable to beat Vandal (6.0), and Dudu then came to the rescue and polished off both of them, winning by a length and a-half in the fast time of 2min 38sec. For this she had a 71b penalty in the Craven Stakes, seven furlongs, and (she could only get third to Golden Crest (6.12) and Ruby (7.13). The Wellington Cup was Dudu's next race, and it is scarcely necessary to say more then that with 7.7 up she ran the two miles in 3min 37sec, beating Sultan (7.8) by 15 or 20 lengths. Next day she carried 9.7 in the Racing Club Handicap and was beaten by a neck by Sultan (8.7). In the Dunedin Cup Bhe looked like winning when a mile and threequarters had been covered, and then stopped still, finishing absolutely last ; and on the following day gave us all something to talk about by winning the D.J.C. Handicap (8.11 up) in a canter, her time for the mile and a-half being 2min 42f sec. With 9.9 she, was second to Lady Norah (7.12) in the Wanganui Cup, and won the Wanganui Stakes with 9.12, doing the mile and a-half in 2min 45aec. Dudu is, according to her performances, one of the speediest animals ia the country, but not the most reliable. British Lion has not run since the Auckland Summer meeting. At that fixture he was third (7.7) to Lochiel and Hilda in the Cup, won the Racing Club Handicap (7.8), the mile and a-half being cast behind in 2min 38£ se c; and with 8.5 on his back was beaten by Hilda (8.0) and Tartar (6.3) in the Grand Stand Handicap. Since that meeting British Lion has "been supposed to be under a cloud, but I don't think there is much wrong with him at the present moment. Ruby has been successful in only one race so far this season, and. that was in the Publicans' Handicap at Dunedin, when Ravenswing was asked to give him 41b. Leaving out of count the short-dis-tance events, I find that Mr Webb's horse was eighth in the order of finishers (with 7.5 up) in the New Zealand Cup ; with 7.6 he ran second to British Lion (7.0) in the Metropolitan Stakes; with 7.6 he finished fifth in the Midsummer Handicap, and with 8.9 was one of the very last in the For bury Handicap. I don't consider Ruby's chance a particularly good one on public form. Vandal has been the unlucky horse of the season, and out of eight faces has won only one first prize, and that the smallest one he has tried for. If anyone but Dan O'Brien were his owner I should say that the colt has been badly placed, but I have a deep respect for Mr O'Brien's judgment, and am willing to believe that Vandal has been simply unlucky. To begin with, the son of Rubina ran last in the New Zealand Cup ; then with 6.7 he was fourth in the Stewards' Stakes ; with 7.10 he was second to Quibble (9.0) in the Ashburton Cup ; with 8.0 was first home in the Ashburton R.C. Handicap, beating Quibble (9.10) ; and then came his four seconds in succession — in the Midsummer Handicap, Dunedin Cup, D.J.C. Handicap, and Forbnry Handicap. This is not a discreditable record, but Vandal was always carrying a light weight. Ravenswing's career has also been a rather unfortunate one in some respects, for she would infallibly have won the Oaks if the weather had been atall fine, and she unluckily went off just a few'days before the Dunedin meeting. When at all well this mare has proved herself very fast and very game, both' as a two-year-old and during the present season, and she is entitled to be judged by her best performances, for when she has failed there was always an evident reason for the failure. Most people will accept her running in the CJ.C. Consolation in December last as her most meritorious exhibition, for in that race ehe carried 8.0 and ran the mile faster than it had ever been run before in the colony; but for the purpose of estimating her chance in this race it is perhaps safer to look afc the Blidsuramer Handicap running. In that event Dudu gave her 21b and a two lengths and a-half beating; whereas in the Great Autumn Handicap Dudu has to concede 2st 31b. Surely the difference in weight should be a sufficient set-off for the beating ! especially whea we consider that in private Ravenswing must have beaten Dudu at the Midsummer weights, for the former was fancied to win, while the' stable didn't have a sixpence on Dudu. St. Clair has had an idle

season, having, so far as I recollect, run but once, that was in the New Zealand Cup, m which he was never able to get to the front, and finished about tenth in order. That was not the little horse's true form ; indeed I doubt whether he has been seen at his best since he won the Birthday Handicap at the Forbury 11 months ago. Up to the last fortnight very few of those who keep the run of these matters anticipated that St. Clair would stand a preparation fcr this Autumn Handicap, his hoof having given much trouble, and interfered with his regular exercise; but at the .eleventh hour the pony's chances are reviving Word has come down from Christchurch that he is doing all that is asked of him, and hopes are now entertained that he may make a creditable show, if not even win outright. I should not hesitate about selecting him to win if it were assured beyond a doubt that he was as fit as he was a year ago ; but lam not yet prepared to say that he is, and, while I hope for the best, I am compelled to pass him over for the present. Perhaps we shall have definite information about the little horse in time for next week's publication ; and we can then appraise his chance with more confidence. Mon Loup has not yet met the very best company, and he has not proved himself the most reliable customer even in the company he has met ; and further, his party, though ostensibly sanguine that he has a show, have not, so far as I am aware, taken any money about him though 10 to 1 has been procurable, and may begot even now in small sums. These circumstances force^ me to conclude that Mon Loup's chance is not a first-class one, and I shall discard him for the present, with the proviso that on a wet course he might perhaps upset our calculations. Wakatipu's form at the D.J.C. meeting is no index whatever to his ability. He was capable of verjr great improvement, and when fit will win a big race. I do not forget how he beat Haka and Torrent in the D.J.C. Maiden Plate. My present opinion is that the three most dangerous horses in the Autumn ' andicap are Ravenswing, St. Clair, and Wakatipu, and, of the three I prefer Ravenswing, but my final tip is reserved for next week. The following were the odds on offer on Wedi nesday about the GBBAT AUTUMN HANDICAP. 2 to 1 agst Dudu 4 — 1 — Vandal 4 — 1 Ravenawing 6-1 Ruby 8 — 1 Mon Loup 8 — 1 — St. Olair 8 — 1 British Lion 10 — 1 Wakatipu. *** As to the other events at the Canterbury meeting, it will be observed that Sultan — " the sick man " — is left in the Challenge Stakes and is entered for other races, while Mr Goodman has Apropos, Don Caesar, and Moss Rose .engaged, and Mr Turnbull purposes to take up Apres Moi, The last-named is not the most robust filly in the country, and it depends on her doings of the next week whether she will make the journey. Apropos, too, might be better than she is. *** The English correspondent of the Leader has the following :— " Goodness only, knows whether we shall ever get to the commencement of the case Wood v. Durham, which has been pending so long. My opinion is that it never will come on at all. Last week the matter was mentioned (to use legal slang) before the judges, who agreed with counsel that the case could not well be tried before Easter. Behold you ! on Monday appeared warm letters on behalf of each principal, advising readers of all the papers who would publish the epistles that they were each and both only too anxious to come to legal fighting as soon as possible. Yet two days later the cause is quietly shelved for a month and a bit, quite to the satisfaction of counsel for plaintiff and defendant. Meanwhile a big point has been settled. Wood, as you know, gained a verdict in his libel suit against Cox, the newspaper proprietor, but was awarded a farthing damages only. If the judge who tried the case cared to certify for costs he migkt have saddled the defendant with the plaintiff's taxed costs. Lord Coleridge, the Chief Justice, did not so choose, however, and met plaintiff's counsel with a refusal to give costs at all. The appeal from his ruling was heard by three judges, all of whom declared that as it came out in evidence that Wood's character was not good, he ought not to have instituted the action, saying in so many words that though the charge of pulling Success was not substantiated, he often had pulled other horses, and one did not reckon for much among so many. This means a matter of £3000 out of Wood's pocket, and makes the other case of Wood v. Durham well nigh hopeless, for how can you expect a jury to return against Lord Durham after it is firmly established that the plaintiff was of bad character as a jockey ?"