CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 47

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Fbitz.

Sir Geor?e Clifford's fine colt 3>eerst;ilker may, attei ail, stand a preparation, though his trainer is not wry sanguine on the point.

At the annual meeting of the Ca2iterbury Jockey Club last week Mr T. Te^cisemaker proposed a motion instructing the incoming committee to alter its programme in the direction of having fewer short-distance races and more longer events, as he was afraid there was a tendency to encourage leggy horses who were tillable to gallop even a mile. He made out a fair case, and was followed by Sn George Clifford and My G. G. Stead. Both these gentlemen practica'iy endoised the desire of tho mover to encourage stayers, the latter admitting that owners did breed a larger number of '"squibs" than was dpsirable. Sir George quoted from Ihe programme, somewhat hurriedly perii.ijjs, u= to tht number of open races of six furlongs prd under, as a glance at the list shows that there art n - ore. Finally, on tlie snggestion of Sir Stcid, it was a^rsed that the meeting desired the incoming committee to consider the advisubleness of increasing the number of Jong-distance iacs. That is at leapt satisfactory, pud should the committee recommend to that effect :t might have a good effect on the programmes of country clubs, who difaiiinctly encourage the squib. Anyone can easily discover thia by glaacing ut iiny of the piogrammes. Referring to the question, a local contemporary ?a} - =: — "Mi T Tcschema'.cor has rendered some servce to the conimutntv by inducing the Canterbury Jockey Club to consider the advisability of introducing a larger number of long-distance ucc-s u.lo lit p ogiamines. One of the fast effect.-- of the motion he succeeded in getting passed at the suimia! meeting of the club the other day has been to call attention to the fact that Canterbury, which likes to think of useli as tho headquarters of racing in the colony, hm> clone fai less than either Auckland or Wellington lo encourage the te=its of t.tauima that jtp popularly supposed to improve the breed of hordes. Of ths 17 Taccs at tlie club's Spnrg. Si: inner, silt! Autumn meetings last season or>iy six were decided over a distance exceeding mile , while the Auckland Club, at its coiresponding meetings, provided 13 livcea of this character, and the Wellington dub 10. It may be qiute true, as Mr Sttud saya, that the best horses of to-day are as good as the be3t of 20 oi 30 years ago, even over a distance of ground, but this is scarcely an answer to Mr Tesc.hen.aker" 0 contention that the tendency of six-lurlorg 'flutters' is to pioduce horses that are of little value off the lacecours?. We have little doubt ourselves that there a/c plenty of selling platers in the colony at tlie present time that would have beaton the famous Eclipse at •weight-f ox-age over a. iniie oi a mile and a-half, but we *re not sanguine enough to imagine that they are going to do a great dea-l foi the good of tJieir species. They are, in fact, mere racing machines that are practically useless for anj other purpose than racing. They can gallop fast enough, on a sward of closelytrimmed grass with six or seven stone on tlieir back, but if they were set to carry a 12st man 30 or 40 miles a day for a week they would scarcely last to the end of the task. We should have little hope of the institution of two or three iong>-di3tance races bringing about a better state -of things. Owners would -simply refiain •from entering their horses for these events, and would reserve them for the !essirying contests over five and sue furlongs. The only way to get rid of 'those long-legged tlnng3 ' which Mr Teschernaker condemned so vigorously 13 to get rid of tho raoes thatTiave pioduced them. But timt, as Sir G-eorge Oif- [ ford point fid out, is a matter of finance, or. in j other words, of totalisator investments. BetI ting, to be o,uite frank, is at the root of the whole .evil. The public like to have large fields | to gamble <on, and -the racing clubs must

think, however, that the Canterbury Jockey Club, having discovered that it is really doing less than the other metropolitan clubs to encourage the breeding of sound, useful horses, ought to add -two or three long-distance events to each of its programmes, if only tc save itself from the reproach of being •entirely under the heel of the totalisator."

I clip the following report from the Times

Mr T. Teschemaker, at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club yesterday spoke strongly against the tendency to introduce into programmes a larger number of short-distance races. He moved — "That this meeting wishes the incoming committee to increase the number of iong-diptance races ard lessen the number of short-distance ones at the meetings held by the Canterbury Jockey Club during the coming season." He said there was a general opinion, not only in New Zealand, but also in Great Britain, that short-distance races should be lengthened. Of the 2S flat races run under the auspices of the club 14 were faix furlongs -md under, and for those 14 races £-2800 was given in prize money. The newspapers showed a general feeling among those who were interested in sport that short-distance horses were more or less useless for any purx>ose except a flying race. If the distances were increased, more interest would be taken in the races and the quality of the horses would be improved. The majority of those long-legged things that ran short distances were all right for one year, or perhaps two years, but at the «nd of thattime were practically valueless, being quite incapable of doing more than six or seven furlongs; there were very few of them that could do a mile or a mile and a-half. To show the "tendency 'n this province, he stated that the Canterbury Cup used to be three miles, and had been reduced to a mile and three-quarters ; the Midsummer Handicap had been reduced from two mile 3to a mile and three-quarters ; and the Great Autumn Handicap from two miles to a mile and a-half. Sir G. Clifford, pt a previous stage of the meeting, had praised the doings of Sir Modred and Tasman. They were not seven-fur long horses, and since horses had been kept fo* short distances only there had been degeneration. The Grand National was another instance of the shortening of distance. People now talked about cruelty to animals in connection with racing; but there was no cruelty in the olden days, when the distances were longer than at present. He thought that the result brought about was laigely attributable to jockey clubs, which offered good prizes to those horses which were kept for short distances.

Mr G. B. Starky seconded the motion

The Chairman (Sir G. Clifford) said he sympathised with a great deal of what had been said by Mr Tesohemaker. It would be advisable for the club to encourage "stayers" as much as it could and as far as its finances would permit. The matter, however, was one for the Rules of Racing, so that every paTt of tlie colony should bear a part of the loss that might be entailed. On glancing over the club's programme he saw that of the 14 races of six furlongs and under seven were open to two-yeaT-olds, and they should not oe considered. At the time of the yeaT, November, no one could ask two-year-olds to run for a distance of more than six furlongs fairly. Out of the club's 28 races there were 11 of one mile or over, and he thought that that was a very fair proportion to give to horses deemed to be "stayers." He should suppose that any horse which could keep up the pace for a mile would bo a fair "stayer." It could not be said that the Jockey Club in this instance had not acted fairly and generously towards the "staying" horses at its meetings. There were, he thought, only tliree open races in the whole programme of the club of six furlongs and under, and those three were races which everyone present would be sorry to see eliminated from the programme. They were the Stewards' Handicap (one of the features of the meetings), the Ashley Handicap, and the Randolph Handicap. He admitted he was anxious to see throughout New Zealand an effort to extend the long-distance races. Still, the fact remained that very few clubs encouraged "stayers" as much as the Canterbury Club did. The committee intended to give as many long-distance races as the patrons would stand.

Mr G. CS-. Stead said that he had an impression Mr Te^chemaker thought certain owners were in favour of Bhort distances and of encouraging "squibs." There was no one in New Zealand who appreciated more than he did the thoroughbred horse that could stay a lor.g distance. He maintained that the best of the thoroughbreds of to-day could stay just as v. pII a= the horses that were forward when Sir Modred was running. He mentioned in this respect Cruciform. Renown, and other horses. The horses of to-day were every whit as good and as sound as those of 20 years ?go. At the same time, he would admit that owners did breed a larger number of "squibs" than was desirable. He urged, hov.-evpr, that whatever faults were plared at the door of the racing community in New Zealand, it conld not T>e said that the Canterbury .Tockry Club, which stood alone in rehpect to the long distances of some of its principal races, did not encourage "sljvera."

On the sueefestioc of Mr Stead, tlie motion was altered to read as follows: — "That this meeting wibhefc the committee to take into cons.der ikon tlie :idvi. j ahleness of inccafiug tbr rumbe- of long-d'^tancr races and losseni"i«» the number of short-distance ones at nueimfrs heiJ during the coming season."

At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club on Thursday Sir George Clifford, the chairman, in moving the adoption of the import and balance sheet, which have ulreadj' appeared in youi columns, snid that it had become qialo tHt custom for the piesident to coiifnalul-ite the club on the prosperity of the cast 12 months, and lie trusted that Uie custom T\ould be continued. But there wore special reaicns why the members shorld be satisfied with the yuar that had just ?one by. The preceding yeai hud been that of the Jubilee. Last year i.he efforts were on a more modest plan than dunn» the Jubiict- year, but the success of the Jubilee programme had encouraged the committee lo make 'ast year's after the same nature, being extended ;uid improved. The result v. as a gratifying success, as the returns had exceeded those of any preceding ordinary yeai, and would have exceeded even tho3e of the Jubilee year had it not been for the additional stakes the coruuiitte^ felt that it wab wibhm its power to offer. He would not go into figures to justify thut statement, as, no doubt, if anyone needed an explanation, the treasurer would be only toe g-kid to give it. There was on« method of employing the capital which the committee had intended most earnestly to carry out, and that was in the direction of frc3h fctand •ccoinmodatiou for the public. The committee had been prep*red to spend the larg€ sum of £SOOO on extension, both with regard to the inside aiid tlie outside stamts, but when tenders vere called for, the figures were fo far m excess of anticipations, oivuag, probably, to the boom that hud taken place m the building trade, that the committee felt it necessary to wait ft little while and postpone the carrying ont of flic projected improvements. The matter would not hs lost sight of. As soon as the committee found that the bullderfa m Christchurch uere becoming anxions for work, the committee would be very glad to relieve them of some of their anxiety. The committee had bow seemed offices in a permanent freehold site The old rooms had served their purpose for a long tune, bat it was a, sign of the expansion of tho club and of inoreaeed -work teat tie

in regard tc the matter of storage. Another ' question which had been dealt with, and -which, perhaps, was ifie most important, so far as the prosperity of the club was concerned, was the : securing of a water supply. It would be within i the n*ark to say that within previous years j their course had not a very good reputation i for the excellence of its training tracks. Now, | however, with the present facilities, the course would provide training accommodation second i to very few in the colony. I would be re- , inembered that at the present outside stand there was a grove which had been utilised very ! little in the past, and had been rather an inconvenienc thar otherwise. The committee proposed to have stables erected at the snot, and to give facilities foi picnic parties to "obtain hot water and other conveniences. In this manner, it was thought, an undeveloped asset would be put to some use, and would be tiirned from what might be considered an eyesore into a place that the public would like to visit. There was another point to which he desired to call attention. The club was not only the Canterbury Jockey Club, but also the Metro- I politan Club for the Canterbury racing district While, from year to year, there had been enhanced prosperity, it had become evident that the provincial clubs had failed to maintain the standards which their antecedents would demand. In respect to the three principal clubs. I at Rangiora, Ashburton, and Timaru, "be did j not think that anyone could say racing was of j the same importance or quality as in the past, when Su Modrcd and Tasnian won their laurels. ' It was not necessary for him to go mto 4he ! causes of the decadence. He thought, however, that the Metropolitan Club would not be doing its duty unless it considered carefully what could be done to improve racing throughout tlie district entrusted to its jurisdiction. ' Posslßly,. the stakes offered at the centres he ' had indicated were small, and did not create > sufficient pride in the surrounding country-side. Probably another reason was the operations of the layers of totalisator odds on and off the , course. Without going into details, he would ; say he hoped the incoming committee would | consider carefully whether or not something j might be done to put heart into the managers I of those meetings. Some of them, however, j were awakening to the desirableness of improv- ' ing their sport, as had beer shown recently ' in the case of the Ashburton County Booing ' Club. In conclusion, he said he supposed the ] committee migh* consider that it had been flattered in having a "walk over" for the ensuing year, there being no fresh nominations. At the same time, perhaps, they might have looked for s sign of ambitior on the part of othei members to take part in the government of the club. He hoped the committee would justify the confidence that had been placed in it, and, at the endt of the next year, would pre- I sent as satisfactory a statement as they did ' that day. — (Applause.) Mr G. G. Stead seconded the motion, and briefly reviewed the balance sheet. He said that cash receipts, excluding cross entries for deposits, amounted to £28,704, whilst the net disbursements, -eliminating the balance brought forward, the cross entry for bank deposits, and the purchase money for the offices, made a total of £26,827, leaving an excess of £1876 of receipts over expenditure. The stakes had equalled SI! P«r cent, of the net receipts, and the ordinary working expenses 16J per cent, of the amount paid in stakes. Owners' contributions towards the stakes for ■entrance, acceptance, and training fees totalled 30 per cent., and the ordinary race receipts for the grand stajid, booths, railway returns, and so j on contributed 422 per cent., whilst the net | revenue from the- totalisator provided about ' .42J per cent, of the ordinary disbursements, j The charge of £414 Us 3d foi law charges ~was incurred by the club in its efforts to protect I itself from the bookmakers, it having lost the case it brought in the court. The six classic : races competed for during the year — the Welcome, Derby, Oaks, Middle Park, Champagne, and Challenge Stakes — had been endowed with £3150, and owners' subscriptions to those stakes amounted to £1474, or about 462 P er cent, of the total. By classic races, he meant events the entries for which were practically confined to foals and yearlings. To the other stakes competed for during tlie year, the owners contributed 23jJ per cent, of the total. The club had a reserve fund of £4000, invested in Government securities, and £2000 on deposit with the Union Bank. Against the latter amount, however, there was a debit balance of £721. Other liquid assets were represented by the 1 offices recently purchased at £4000, and the pri- , vate railway line, wiiich cost £3000. Those | assets were exclusive of the stands on the ' course and totalisator plant «.nd office furniture. It was plain, therefore, that the club was ; in an exceptionally sound financial position. < The motion was carried. The following officers were re-elected — l Stewards— Sir G. Glifford, Messrs A. Boyle, P. , Campbell, C. G. Dalgety, H. A. Knight, F. H. ■ Pyue, J. B, Reid, A. E. G. Rhodes, R. Heaton Rhodes. D. Rutherford, T. Tcschemaker, and , Hon. L Walker; committee— Sir G. Clifford, ' Messrs T. Bassett, A. Boyle, W. F. M. Buckley, . P. Campbell, C. G. Dalgety, G. Gould, B. L. Lane, R. M. Morten, G. J. F. Palmer, F. H. | ' Pyne, J. B. Reid, and C. Hood Williams, hon. j ; treasurer, Mr G. G. Stead. ; A special committee meeting of tho New Zealand Trotting Association wa9 held on ' Tuesday to consider amendment and alteration ; of rules. Several notices of motion -were agreed to, and left in the hands of a subcommittee to be put in proper form and placed i before the annual conference. i > Land Tax, full sister to Social Pest, is being , tiamed by W. Clarke, the well-known crosscountry horseman, at Yaldhurst. The daughter ' of Ahua has already shown the possession of ' pace, and if Claike can persuade her to jump j she should be a, welcome addition to the j 3 ranks. I The victory of Dundas in Oarnaru was an- ! tieipated here, but when he failed on the ' second day many returned their first day's , winnings to the layers. His stable mate, Bill j ' Perkins, secured a double victory, and his performances suggest that this horse will yet do j better for his stable. Calibre, who showed symptoms of lameness alter winning at the Chnstchurch Racing Club's" meeting, is now much better, and though still sore his trainer is hopeful that he '■ will soon have his charge fit and well. . Quarryman, To-nicrrow, Ardchattau, Golden , Vein, Terceiet, and Dirk — Chokebore Lodge ] inmates — are all going on nicely. The Bill of ' | Portland youngsters are growing into attractive [ looking horses. . Huku looks nonp the wor«e for his southern , tiip. A few days' respite flora the usual round t hns been granted the son of Vanguard, who has this season proved bimseif a most con- j sLrtent, yet withal uulurky, horse. It is questionable whether Somerled will j stand s severe preparation. ' Sir G. Clifford j declined to put a price on the horse last 1 week. •( Cora Linn, who has never looked better, has j been put into ivork again, and her stable mate, \ Cerise and Blue, is going on well. f Though Fair Play, bj Saracen from Justice, ] is improving in his jumping, he has not yet j developed striking ability. However, time alone makes the jumper. | A walk round the steeplechase schooling i fences at Ricc&rton shows that every effort is being made to meet the requirements of ! i trainers of jumpexs. | ', The following additional amendments to the j Rules of Racing have been sent in : — ' j By the Taranaki Jockey Club. — "That at ; this meeting and at all subsequent meetings t ' pj j&A fiflnfnrftttce (until QihtiyiW dfcjdetl b>y_ ] :

the conference) all resolutions adopted at » conference shall take effect without furthe reference to individual clubs, provided that such.' resolutions be agreed to by not less than threefifths of the total voting power present ; and that Rule 167 (II) be altered accordingly." Rule I—"Hack."1 — "Hack." After the definition ol "free handicap" add the following definition, of "hack": — '"'Hack' means a horse that hr,a l.ot, at the time of nomination, won a race d? the value of £iSO or races of the collective vahit of £300. The amount won by a horse in flat races, hurdle races, or • steeplechases, respectively shall not render such horse ineligible except in the special class of race in which it has won such amount." Rule I—"Club."1 — "Club." At the end of the definition of "club," add after the word "meetings" the words "duly regiss tered under these zules." Rule 2 — After tb.B word "handicapper" ir the sixth line add th.» words "and auy special conditions not provided in these rules." Rule 21 — Strike out at the end of the rule the following words: — "Without the consent of the stewards." Rule 39 — Add at the end of the rule the following words : — "No deduction shall Le made from, the stake as advertised." Rule 47 — Strike out this rule. Rnie 80 — Strike out in the second lint the following words: — "Or clerk of the scales." Rule 81 — Strike out in the fourth line the -words "amount of such overweight" and insert the words "total amount of -weight to be carried." Also strike out in the sixth line the words "amount of such extra weight" and insert the words "actual amount of weight to be carried." Rule 78 — A<M at the end of the rule the words, "Every jockey shail produce his license to the clerk of the scales if required to do so." Rule 113 — Strike out in the third line the words "or clerk of the scales." Also add at the end of .the rule the words "unless a majority of ihree-fifths of the.stewards present shall decide to the contrary." Rule 116 — StTike out at the end of the rule the words "or clerk of the scales." R\Ue 166— In the "Rules of Totalisator" strike out para* graph 20. Rule 171 — Strike oxit in the second line the figures "1897," and insert henceforth, in each year the appropriate year. "That a committee (consisting of such persons as may be appointed by the conference) be appointed for the pirrpose of preparing rules of racing; and that it be an instruction to such committee to cause three copies of the draft rules to bt forwarded to each registered club at least threemonths before the conference, to be held on or about July, 1903, and to invite suggestions thereon from each such club (to be posted to such committee not later than one month after the draft rules shall have been forwarded ta such club), and thereafter to revise such draft rules and forward three copies thereof a-3 revised to each club not less than one month, before such conference, in order that at ■such! conference the existing Rules of Racing may; be rescinded and now Rules of Racing made."

By the Wellington Country Clubs Add to Rule 45 or make new Rule. 45a — "Colours to bs worn by rider must be stated at time of entry, whether registered or not." Add ta Rule 89, after the words "ir. front of" in first line the words "or more than half a chain behind." Rule 155 to be altered to read: "Any person running a horse in colours other than those named at time of entry or registered in his own or assumed name shall b« fined £2. When two or more horses start, tho property of tlie same owner, a distinguishing colour must be worn." Rule 156 — Tak6 out first five lines and substitute the following : "Application for certificate to ride as a gentle^ man rider must be. made annually to the committee of the jockey club in whose district the applicant resides, and in such form a 8 may be required, and must be accompanied by • a fee of £1 and a certificate from the committee of th" racing club nearest to the place where ha resides. Such application shall be dealt with, by the committee as they deem fit, and ) if approved a certificate shall be issued which, will entitle the holder." etc. Rule 167, subsection II — Take out the words "not less than three-fourths" and add "'a majority."