TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1913, 9 October 1890, Page 23

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA.

* # * Owners are reminded that nominations for seven of the races at the Dunedin Jockey Club's Spring meeting must be made by Saturday of this week. The events requiring attention od that date are the three hurdle races ; the Dunedin Stakes, a five-furlong Bpnnt for two-year-olds ; the St Kilda Welter Handicap, a mile race en the first day ; the Onslow Plate, a spin of a mile and a-quarter at weight fo r ape, with penalties for the Derby and Canterbury Cup winners • and the Commemoration Plate, of five furlongs, at weight for age, with' penalties and allowances. The fee in each event, excepting the Onslow Plate, is £1. *** I have also to call attention to the Winton programme. This meeting is to be held on the 10th November. The programme contains no fewer than 11 events — is that not a record ?— these being the Hurdle Handicap of

3030V8, Winton Guineas of £31 10d, Winton Cup of 40aovs, Maiden Plate of 20sovs, Time Trotting Race of 25sovb, Flying Handicap of 25sovs, District Handicap of 2530v5, Maiden Trot of 1530V5, Prince of Wales Stakes of 30.30V5, Consolation of lSsovs, and Hurry Scurry of saovs. In this variety there should be something to suit every available horse that can go fast, and as the course is one of the beet in thß colony— so it is described by those who have seen it, and the management is generally satisfactory, owners will doubtless nominate freely. The date of nomination for the handicaps is the 18th mat. **.* There was a capital attendance at the Kurow races last woek, over 300 going from Oamaru by excursion train ; and •as the weather was favourable and the racing quite first-class for a country meeting, the affair may be fairly deemed a success. Dandolo, winner of the Maiden, U a new horse so far as my memory sarves me ; and he may be a pretty fair one, as later in the day he beat the three horses that vt ere placed in the chief event of the programme, though perhaps that was no great feat after nil, as The Druid, who ran second in each of the races referred to, ia not a very high-class member bo far as we know him. However, sv win is a win, and I hope that in Dandolo Mr Robertson has as good a one as either Billy or Windsor, both of which pair came from the same district. I observe, by the way, that the public were of the same opinion as myself ia regard to the Kurow Handicap, College Boy being made a warm favourite, and thus allowing Eofield to return a decent dividend. A noticeable fact in connection with the racing was that in one of the trots the winn9r was home first by only half a nose ! That is a bit closer than the great finish we once saw at the Forbury between Wakatu and Bella. Messrs Mason and Roborfcs passed £1177 through the totalisator. *** Since writing the above I have made inquiries and learn that Dandolo, winner of two of the races, is the ISBS son of Le Loup and Maid of Honour, and therefore half brother to Billy, the calebrated gelding that did yeoman'a service for Mr Harry Goodman. This Maid of Honour was a chestnut mare got by Scud out of Alice May, a Victorian-bred mare by Dolo out of Helen May, by imported Romeo. Everything that Maid of Honour has thrown has turned out some good. Her first foal was Highlacd Maid, who in turn produced that pame little fellow Lg Temps ; her second was Zoe ; her third, Furfcrader, who stood a great lot of knocking about iv hack races ; her fourth, the famous Billy, who won in stakes over £2000 ; and then she produced in turn Royal Maid, Miss Mac, and Dandolo. Mr A. M'Donald was her owner, and he doubtless now regrets that so stout a matron was not from the first put to good sires. She died in 1887. *** The Hon. G. M'Lean is this season placing three stallions at the service of the public. The best-known of the trio is Gorton, the well-bred son of Thunderbolt and Lyra, and sire of Blizzard, Belvidere, Emmason, St. Ives, St. Malo, Lady Bell, and other racars that have proved their speed on metropolitan courses. St. Ives was one of the fastest horses the colony ever bred, in proof of which it may be mentioned that he ran Ruby to a head when the last-mentioned set up the colony's present reoord for Beven furlongs, and it is alleged that but for Derrett'B euperior horsemanship the result would have been the other way about ; while Blizzard's performances at the Forbury and in Australia were exceedingly satisfactory. We may reckon Gorton's reputation made as the sire of fast and early-devoloping horses, Sfc. Clair is as fashionably bred as any horse in the world, being by the mighty Musket out of the Rosicrucian mare Pulchra, whose dam, Formosa, is a daughter of Buccaneer, and is celebrated among racehorses as the winner of the One Thousand, the Oaks, and the St. Leger of 1868. Further, Sir. Clair was a good performer himself, and the first of bis foals are thought a good deal of, Don Pedro is the third stallion, and in his favour it may be remarked that he is by a brother to the great Pero Gomez (winner of the Leger and a successful sire afterwards) out of a Musket raare. An additional recommendation is that Don Pedro is himself a winner. He ran very determinedly when ha beat St. Malo at the Forbury 13 months ago. The terms on which the services of these otallions are obtainable are not by any [means exorbitant, and there is every reason to expect a successful season for the Warringfcon stallions. j *** At a meeting of the Gore Club's commitee last week it was decided to convene a i general meeting to consider what reply should be forwarded to the D.J.C. concerning the proposal to form a New Zealand Jockey Club. The Waimea Plains Club forwarded an intimation to the effect that they had decided to suggest that the formation of the club was premature ; bub in the event of its being formed they suggested Christchurch instoad of Wellington as headquarters, a clearer definition of the "gentleman rider" status, and 11 stewards instead of five to form a quorum. Plans for a grand stand, as prepared by Mr Oumberbeach, were submitted, the cost of seating 250 persons being estimated at £130, and after discussion it was resolved that the secretary write to Mr Sydney James asking for the privilege of inspecting plans of D.J.C. grand stand, so that Gore Club might copy on a modified soale. The opinion was general that a grand stand wa3 necessary on the course before next race meeting. Messrs James Dun, C. Pacey, John Cregan, and P. Monaghan were elected members. *** The programmes of the forthcoming spring and autumn meetings at Wellington are constructed on much the same lines as those of last season. Tnere is a slight ad vanoe in added money — from £G95 to £"00 at the November meeting and from £1350 to £1510 at the February fixture ; and I further note that a trophy worth £50 is added to the Cup, and at the spring meeting the Maiden Plate is no longar merely a hack race. The othor alterations are but of a nominal character, as s for instance, substituting the Metropolitan Handicap for the i Place Handicap — an alteration, by the way, which I do not altogether rejoice to see. Having one race for placed horses is or should be a meane of encouraging owners to have their horses ridden out, and this would appear to be irore desirable than to have them hanging back for a consolation rape. I presume, however, that the committee had some reason for the alteration. It would have been unreasonable to expect improvements in these programmes beyond those noted. Wellington is not a great racing centre in the same sense that Christchurch ia, and from what I can make out the burden of keeping the game going reats mainly on the shoulders of a comparatively small band of men, Applying Bellamy's doctrine that he who makes hisbestefforts is deserving of as mv oh recognition as the cleverest and most successful of his neighbours, Mr Lyon and those who share with him the responsibility of promoting racing in Wellington are entitled to as much credit as is bestowed on the management of the more prosperous clubs, and properly so. When circumstances justify a radical improvament in the Wellington's programmes, in the way of lessening the number of back raceß,

substituting weight-for-age races for some of the handicaps, and giving further encouragement to two and three year olds, the opportunity will not be lost sight of. Meanwhile wa must bo thankful that the programmes are as good as they are. There is at anyrate no falling off as compared with last season's — rather^ the raveraa — and owners will find it to their interest to patronise these meetings. Nominations for the chief events at both meetings close on the 31st inst. %* Ifc may be regarded as a misfortune for the whole colony that Colonel Carre's efforts to form a new company to take over the Sylvia 1 ark stud have so far proved unsuccessful, for if this attempt should fail it will probably mean that no one elsa will essay the task, and that the splendid collection of stock will bs scattered about, most of the more valuable to find their way to Australia. Should this dispersal become unavoidable, it will bo a calamity from which there will be no recovery. Here we have a stud which has attained unto the highest pinnacle of success, and if it cannot be kept together no future attempt will be made, in this generation at any rate, to form such another. I, for one, have always rejoiced to hear of a good sale from Sylvia Park, even though it meant the deportation of a clinker to Australia ; but I must confess that I 'shall ,be sorry to Bee the stud itself shipped away. *** A late paper gives some particulars of the history of the Hampton Court stud farnu, from which Sainfoin waß bought. The haras hard by Bushey Park was established in 1812 by George IV when Prince Regent. He did not, however, contemplate the production o£ racing stock at that period. His object was to breed riding horses of pure blood, all of which, as far as practicable, he intended to be grey. For this purpose he kept the stud till 1820, when he gave orders for it to be sent to the hammer at Tatteraall's, The farm thon passed into the bands of tha Duke of York, who kept a stud for the breading of racehorses, with Mohos, the Derby winner of 1822. as the leading sire. On. hiß decease, the whole lot were disposed of at auction, of course at Hyde Park Corner. Once more George IV entered into possession of the Bushey paddocks, this time for the purpose of breeding his own racehorses, and he only relinquished the occupancy with hiß life, when William I v reverted to the ownership of the whole concern, and bred and raced from the same mares and stallions until his decease in 1837. The entire stud, consisting of 43 brood mares, five stallions, and 31 foals, was then sold at the hammer for a total of 15,G92g8. The premises now became vacant. Queen Adelaide granted permission to General (then Colonel) Peel and Mr Charles Greville to ocsupy tho establishment with their breeding studs, the former retaining the privilege until he gave up and sold all off, with the exception of the stallion Orlando, who was winner of the Derby of 1814, through the disqualification of the four-year-old Running Rein. Mr Greville kept, possession conjointly with her Majesty until ISGS, when his stud was disposed of in the paddock on the same day that the royal yearlings were sold. It was in ISSI that the Queen, acting under tho advice of the Prince Consort, consented to form the nucleus of the present stud. The managers were Major Grovoa and Mr Lewis, assisted by Mr •William Goodwin as veterinary surgeon. After the decease of these gentlemen and Mr Ransoms, the stud groom, the average price 9 of the yearlings were considerably lowered, but of late years we have seen a revival, and this year matters reached the zenith when a St. Simon and Quiver filly were sold for no leBS a sum than 5500ga. *** The brood mare Gitana has produced another colt to Le Loup— a chestnut this time. This youngster is of course full brother to Gipsy King and Gipsy Prince. She goes to Le Loup again. The present birth makes the sixth one for Gitaoa, and in every case her foal has been a colt— an experience, by the way, somewhat the reverse of that which attended the other Gitana named in the Stud Book, the daughter of Sir Hercules and Gipsy Qaeen, who out of 10 foals had eight fillies, among them Gossip, Calumny, and Tres Deuce. The tendency to produce colt foals seems to be inI herited by Gitana — I speak now of the Otago mare— for her grand-dam, Zingara, had but one nllym her stud career. %* I heard a little argument the other day, says " Freelance " in the Sportsman, between two or three bookmakers who should know, and a backor who would like to know, the monetary strength of the Ring. The controversy arose in connection with the book- | makers' Rlriko, and the subject under debate was, " How much money do the 116 bookmakers who have determined not to bat at Oaulfield roprosent?" "A quarter of a million of money," waß the contention of the representatives of the Ring, and this is how they made up the items :—: —

j The figures, which are, of course, purely approximate, I give without comment, simply adding that onß of the bookmakers remarked that three or four of the " ten thousand pounders " are worth considerably more, and several considerably less. %* The most noticeable feature of the Hawke's Bay meeting this week was the downfall of favourite after favourite in succession, including the much-vaunted Medallion in the Guineas. This was a most serious blow to backers. Those who might be supposed to know most about this colt professed to have information to the effect that ho had done a splendid gallop in preparation for this event, and he mu3fc have been well or Mr Stead would never have sent him up. I count as one who was taken down. I did not think it was possible for Medallion to lose the race. Now that wo hr.va the result before us, all that I can say is that I do not think this was Medallion' 6 form— it was too bad to be true, but at the same time St. Andrew must be a clinker to put down a decent field so easily. The following table shows the WINNERS OF THE HAWKE'S BAY GUINEAS.

Notk.— Time is given to the nearest quarter of second. The immediate effect of this result is to make gopd wagers for the backers of all those tranaactiona on the Oup in which St. Andrew was the medium before the weights appeared, though I do not suppose there will be much new business over him', seeing that he is already a bad horse for a good many of tha books. St. Andrew is also engaged in the Derby, and as he was withdrawn from the Spring Handicap immediately after winning

the Guineas it looks as though ho is coming to Chriatckurch to meet Medallion again. If he does there will be supporters for both colta, for many will hesitate about accepting thia as Medallion'a true form. Crackshot seerasto have had very little to spare in the Spring Handicap on the second day, and now that he has a penalty for tho New Zaaland Cup hia price for that event will not be much shorter than it was before. %* The Hawke's Bay Guineas, in some respects the chief race at the meeting juat referred to, was, it will be se6n by the above table, established in 1880, when Rewi beat Firefly, Primrose, and Prince Charlie, a trio nono of which ever did anything worth speakiner'of in after yeara, Tbeyaar this race was run La Loup appropriated the treble at the Ohristohurcb meeting, aed Sir Modred carried off the Derby from a field of five, among which was tha red-hot favourite Lure, who did not get a place. Natator was raciDg then, and bo were Billingsgate, and Luna, and Maritana, and Betrayer, and Adamant — heroes and heroines of a paat equine generation. Hippodamia, then known as the Slander filly, won the Guineas in 1881, for which oha started at 6 to 4 on, The Sq-jiro being next in demand at even money. This last-mentioned member shaped fairly well in the raca until he ran inside a poot, and thua feave away whatever •chance he had, which was probably a poor one of being anything better than second.^ That place was eventually gained by Kincraig, who was boaten three lengths by the favourite, ■Sydney being placed third, and Otupapaand Panic following. The Slander filly afterwards won the Maiden Plate, walking over for the stake 3 after a daad heat with Louie, tha filly that in the following March created a sensation by winning the Napier Handicap and paying a dividend of £259 to each of two nvestora. *** In 1882 there were seven starters for he Guineas, and a poor lot they were judging by subsequent history. The winner was Mr Allan M'Lean'a Kincraig, a decent hurdle racer in his prime, but the others never did any good. They were Rangipo, Yankee, Mabanga, Te Ata, Larivaudieve, and Carmen. JCeAta was Mr Butler'a representative. It was at this meetiner that the first of Musket's New Zealand stock were stripped in public, the forerunner of that remarkable family being 'Waewaehapi, a daughter of Aconite, who ran second to anoiher colebrity, Rubina, in the Trial Plate. This was altogether a memorable season, introducing us to a splendid three-year-old in Welcome Jack, and another fair one iv Cheviot, while as two-year-old debutantes we had famou3 horses in Oudeis, Wapiti, Mitrailleuse, and Nelson, besides tha before mentioned Rubina, The fiald for the Guineas in ISS3 was even woraa than that in 1882, for the quality was again indifferent, and there were but four starters. Of these Ebcopota, a daughter of Musket and Winifred, was the most fancied, being backed down to 5 to 4 on, and she won bard held from Oberon, with Mr Douglas' pair, Biiar and Jacob, bringing up the rear. Escopeta did not earn a great deal more for Captain Russell. She won the Maiden at the oame meeting, pulled off a email stake at Petone, was donkey-licked by Nelson and Wapiti in the Auckland Derby, won the Consolation at Hawke's Buy in tha autumn, and then died— by an accident if I remember aright. Trenton made his first appearance this season. *„* The season of 188-i saw the Hawke's Bay Spring programme reconstructed and extended to two days. In thi3 year there were five competitors in the Guineas, aud these ware of a rather better claBS than their predecessors, though the winner, Pearl, was the only one with any claim to be clubbed a fii-Bt-rator. She won V3ry easily, being ridden by Clifford, A peculiarity about thi3 race was that there was notaatallionamongthe starters. Christina, Misdeal, and Miss D,irgon were fillies, and Marksman a gelding. This was the year iv which Tigridia, the smart daughter of Mr Redwood's disappoinmenfc Amohia, woa the Plying and also the Spring.Handicap; and to mark the progress of contemporary history, it_ may bo mentioned that this was the season in which Vanguard won ths New Zealand Cup, Poet eprang a surprise by beating Administrator in the Auckland Cup, and Tigridia beat Necklace in tho Auckland Derby- %* A really good mare won the Guineas in 18S5. I refer to Waitiri, the stout daughter of Musket and a steeplechase mare, who put down Soudan, Bonny Blink, and Revoke, and got home first by half a dozen lengths. Rsvoke, by the way, started quite as good as if not a better favourite than Waitiri, the collective investments being 198 cm Itevoke and 190 on Waitiri. Bonny Blink made the running in Waitiri'B interests. Pasba won the Spring Handicap at that meeting. Features of tha racing later in the season ware the debut of .First Lord, Lady Norah, Apropos, end Artillery — four racers deutinad to become famous ; Fusillade's victory in tha New Zealand Cup ; and Nelson's unexpected triumph in the Auckland Cup, when ho paid a dividend of £50 17s. In 1886 Mr Stead seat up Sierra to compete in tha Guineas, and she was ridden by Derrett, but failed to gaio a place. The winner turned up in Mr Tancred's Forester, who got home rather easily from Cramorae, and paid a dividend of £70 10a ouißide. The other starters were Huata, Tornado, and Galatea. Silence was tho Spring Handicap winner at that meeting. Among tho prominent events of the nubaequent racing that season were Spade Guinea's successes in the Naw Zealand and Duaedin Cupa. and tha advent of several two-year-olda in Niagara, Maxim, Silvermark, King, Sextant, and Sultan, who then or later developed remackably good form, %• Brief mention of the further history of the Guineas ia all that is necessary, the particulars being within easy remembrance of all •sportamen. In 1887 tne prize fell to Maxim, who won easily by three lengths from Lady ITloriu, with Bangle, Waterfall, and Orator following — this was the seaßon in which Lochiel broke tho Ring ; in ISBB Manton wont out an odds on favourite and got horns after a splendid finish by a short neck in front of Ouirassior, with Leopold, Rangipai, Foxton, Jet d'Eau, Katinka, and Chudleigh behind him— Manton's Cup and Derby following, an 3 Sultan's Dunedin Cup ; last season Tirailleur followed Manton's lead in taking the Guineau and then establishing himself as the champion of his age (or indeed, in his case, of any age) for the season ; and now we bave St. Andrew bidding fair to follow in their footsteps. V 4." The annual hoise parade at Tahuna Park lastweek brought oat rath era larger collection of thoroughbreds than we ore accustomed to see. Le Loup, who headed hig class in the procession, wa-i looking remarkably well, his condition reflecting credit on his groom ; while Gorton, another of the senior division, made a bettar show than ordiuarilj, being clothed with more fleah than he generally carries. It waa evident that he, also, is well looked after. Among the others St. Clair was a prominent figure, having grown into a handsome little horse full of quality. Digby Grand seema to be a useful stamp of stallion, possessing plenty of substance, and I was rather pleased to sco him bought for Milburn ; Captain Webster waa quite worthy of the company, and earned himself liko a regular gentlerean ; while Hark-

away, Mameluke, and Enchanter made up the complement. The last-named stallion was sold to Mr Hume, of Gore, and Mameluke to Mr Landells. In the class for carriage, trotting, and roadster stallions there was an assorted collection of soven, and of these Young Diomedes and Dexter were undoubtedly the best ao far as a spectator could judge.

%* Items of news in this issue convey the information that theTaieri, the Waitnea Plains, and the Lake County Clubs— three of the most important of our country clubs — are not in favour of the proposal to form a New Zealand Jockej Club. It is pretty certain, even if moßt of tho clubs that have not yet replied should declare in the affirmative, that the preponderance of influence throughout Otogo will be against tho proposal. What effect this may have on tho conference it ia impossible to say, but the voice of such a large district must have some influence. I think from what I know that the suggestion would have received more favourable consideration if provision had been made for the direct representation of country interests on the New Zealand Jockey Club. Apropos, it will be necessary for provincial clubs that wish to have a say on this subject to reply to Mr Sydney James' circular without delay, aa the conference will bo sitting at Christchurch early in November.

Ten thousand pouudfrs... Five thousand pounders One thousand pounders... Five hundred pounders ... Dead Brokers ... 10 ... £l00,0(X ... 20 ... 100,001 ... 40 ... 40,001 ... 30 ... 15.001 ... 16 ... Nil Total... ... 116 ... JE255,00(

ear.i Winner. 1 Sire. I I Eider. I Time, 1880 1881 1882 1883 1881 1883 3880 1887 1888 1889 1890 Ko-n i Hippoclamia Kingask Kbcopeta Ppiirl W.iiliri Forester Maxim Man ton Tirailleur St. Andrew The Mute Hippocampus HeroMusket Bolton Green Musket I'tiriri Musket Musket Musket St. Leger Williams Taylor Robinson Robinson Clifford Woods Vaile Huxtable Clifford Reeves Page in. s. 1 52 1 50-f 1 52| 1 53 1 50£ 1 45| 1 ill 1 sl| 1 4o| 1 48 1 45