TURF TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 48

TURF TOPICS.

A Capetown (S.A.) correspondent writes as follows to the Sydney Referee concerning spoit in that part of the world: — '"Theie arc two clubs, the South African T.C. and the fiymkhana R.C. Horses and ponies run on the same course at Capetown, which is a good one — about one mile and a-half. They have a members' stand, with a £1 and 10a tote, win and place- betting, ami a general btand, where the books are. The club has a platform built like a square with a railing round, and the books stand upon this, with large signboards hung out displaying their names. The tote is just behind them, but the bookmaker^ prices beat the tote'a as a. general rule. In tho summer they have nine^ races ; winter six ; but they only have one meeting a month for ponies, and about every three months the S.A.T.C. have a. two-days' horse- me«ti'.ig. The flat racing is fair, but there are a few ponies -in each class that far outclass the others. Chesney stirnds alone among the horse.?. He is weighted at list odd >-for his races ; limit 6st. The steeplechases and hurdle races are farce. The . fences *are made of light wood about 2ft 'high and brush, bringing the jump to 3ft oin, and ' they have, cm sand embankment ; but even these jumps are too severe for the jumpers here. They have no clerk of the course ; a mounted crcistablo does ■ tho work. It takes about half an hour after each rac.i until they get the weight flag up. The books all have- offices here in one street, and hang their price lists out (only on Kngl'sh Tares though), and bet without fear of police interferem.-:-. Gambling houses are iuii openly, but 1 believe the police arc trying to get a bill passed for their suppression. Racing iv general, is

about as crooked as possible. Stewards and all bet."

A remarkable instance of hereditary transmission (says a correspondent of the Field) recently occurred at the breeding stud of Baron Alphonse do Rothschild, in Normandy, and there can be no doubt as to the facts, for they are not only vouched for by Mr Balchin, Baron de Rothschild's stud groom, but I have the photographs, published in the Sport Illustre, of the marc and her foal. The facts are very simple. A thoroughbred mare named Mascarade, by 'Mask — Shepherd's Bush, while galloping about in a field, came into collision with tho branch of an apple tree, and struck it with the left side of her head so violently that she stripped all the bark off the branch. After the contusion had healed it was noticed that there was a very marked depression on the lachrymal duct, and that the nutrition of the eye was much affected. About six weeks before the mare had been put to Le Nicham II winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap in 1894), and when in due courso a filly foal was born, her ' left eye was affected in exactly the same way as her dam'?. The lachrymal depression is, perhaps, less marked than in the case of the dam, and Mr Lc Hello, who has read a paper on the subject before the Academic dcs Sciences, stated that this was a very marked form of the nervous impressions, upon tho reality of which a good deal of doubt has, up to the present, been cast. During the last season in England only 21 yearlings realised- 1000 guineas and upwards at eale by public auction. The highest-priced pair were a filly by St. Simon from Bonnie Morn, and filly by Ladas from La Flcche, purchased by Mr J. Musker for 5300 and 5200 guineas respectively. Lord Howard dc Walden gave 2300 guineas for a filly by Persimmon from Caesimere, 1850 guineas for a filly by Isinglass from Helen's Tower, and 1500 guineas for The Pagan, a colt by Ladas from Darkie. Mr Reid Walker secured Periander, a. colt by Persimmon from Ambleside, for 2300 guineas ; and Mr L. Brassey paid 2100 guineas for Red Lily, by Persimmon from Melody. The other high-priced ones were — filly filly Sterling Blue, by Blue Green from Yesterling, Mr J. AVatts, 1600 guineas ; Malcolm Orme, colt, by Oyme from Miss Little, Mra Fowler, 1600 guineas: br o St. Gerald, by St. Serf from Geraldine, Mr T. S. Jay, 1500 guineas: b c by Orme from Jersey Lily, Air T. Kincaid, 1350 guineas ; eh o by Kendal from Sea Air, Mr G. Chaloner, 1300 guineas ; br o by Kendal from Lady Yardley, Mr G. Faber, 1250 guineas ; eh o Omar Khayyam, by Love Wisely from Under the Rose, Sir R. W. Griffith, 1200 guineas- b f by Kendal from Stirrup Crip, Mr Wadlow, 1150 guineas ; eh f Gallymawfry, by Gallinule from Madame . Royale, Mr O. M. Beatty. 1150 guineas ;'b c, St. Walshaw, ty St. Simon from Walshaw, Mr W. Raphael, 1100 guinea?; b o Japan, by Raeburn from Primula, Mr G. Prentice, 1100 guineas; br f by Queen's Birthday from Merry Wife, Mr G. Edwardes-, 1100 guineas ; o f Lotten, by Florael II from Maude, Mr Wadlow, 1000 guineas ; and br fLa Laide, by Ladas from "intriguer, Mr C. Archer, 1000 guineas.

Ono of the most extraordinary instances we ever knew of a "no race" arose in connection with the Lewe3 Handicap of 1667 (h&ya the London Sporting Times). The field was as good and large as nowadays we see for the Ceearewitoh, seeing that such homes a* Julius, Rama, Pearl Diver, Mandrake, Dr Syntax, Knight Errant, Endsleigh, and Misfl Havelock ran for it. We were present on the. first day of the meeting, but, unfortunately, not on the second, but wo had all the particulars from an eyewitness, who declared that half the onlookers were under the impression that they had "got '«m agin" when they saw for the same race three different finishes with three different sets of horsea. In the first batch that came up the well-known Mandrake wag fu>t, Dr Syntax, second, and Knight Errant third. Scarcely were their numbers hoisted than -up came the second lot, and the puzzled judge placed Pearl Diver first, Julius second, and Rama third, and their numbers were also hoisted. Scarcely had ho left the box than a third lot came, with Pirate Chief first, Mies Havelock second; and Maid of Mabham filly third, but having left the box ho did not take official cognisance of this placing. • It transpired that after the field had gone some distance, Endsleigh, who was leading, had gone the wrongs courpe, on which several of the jockeys pulled up, and, retracing their steps, went anothictt' course. Killick, how lover, who was a lad of Drewitt's, whcfie hon-eu were trained on the Lewes Downs, saw that they had not gone back far enough, and he, with two or three others, got into the right track, and Pirate Chief, whom ho was riding, would have got the race had the judge been in the box. Tho final rate was won by Pearl Diver, with Mandrake second, and Vixcu third; Julius, Rama, and several others not going to the post the second time.