TURF TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 47

TURF TOPICS.

When news oanie of the high jumping performance of the American horse Heatherbloom, they were not wholly credited, and in order to set the matter at re*t a Queensland sportsman wrote to n friend at Chicago asking him for particular. The reply came recently :— " The horse Heatlierbloom is owned "by Mr Howard Willitls, of New York, and, with Richard Donnelly as mount, has been the bcnsational high jumper of thin country for the past three years. He attained a record la9t year at -the Chicago show of over 7ft., and at the Bryn Maur y?kiladelpha) show lie jumped 7ft. Siini This

■world's record was broken on September 28 last at Dcs Moinee, lowa, by Mr George Pepper's horse Pearl, she clearing the bar aft 7ft. 6|in. At the recent Chicago horse show, Heatherbloom contested for a prize of 5001 dollars, and again bsoke the record in a( series of jumps, working up to 7ft. Bin^_ This stands as the present record, and tneV jump was witnessed by 10,000 people. Hea-f therbloom made a flying clear jump oxers the bairier. Heatherblooni is an American thoroughbred horse, of great size, depth of body, and clean appearance. He is a hay, with white stripe ou face, his height beingf about 16 hands. It takes two men to get' him straightened away for the bars, bub' once off he is an equine cyclone, seeming to| be most eager to take the jump, which he. does flying, with a trick of throwing his hind!legs sideways to clear the bar. He lands far> over. While a thoroughbred, his jumps are, taken like a hunter. His Tider, Donnelly,, says that in trials he has beaten his own record."

The London Sportsman of 22nd January* announces the death of Mr C. G. DufFa famous 1893 Grand National winner, Cloister,, by Ascetic out of Grace 11., who was the previous day shot at Lower Forty Farm, Wembley. Cloister's fiist appearance wass made in a Regimental (16th Lancers) Huni" , Challenge Cup at Fairyhouse in 1888, -whichi i he won, with his owner, Captain J. A, \ Orr-Ewing, up. In 1890, ofter winning the t Great Shropshire Steeplechase at Ludlowji r he was bought bx Lord Dudley at Tattei> . soil's for 1550 guineas, and in the next year* , having run second to Come Away jn thp Grand National, he changed lands' again*' becoming the property of Mr C. G. Duff, in, whose ownership he remained. During ' his career Cloister Tan in 35 races, of which) he "won 19. He ran three times for the Grand National — won it in 1895, after ~bein& second in 1891 and 1892. He performed! over all sorts and descriptions of courses — Punchestown, Aintree, Croydon, Sandown; Park, Bangor, Ludlow, Wolverhampton^ Manchester, Gatwick, Windsor, Lingfield, - Tarporley, and Cardiff. The last race the> old warrior Tan in was the Great Shropshire' Steeplechase at Ludlow in 1894, which he won. For the last three or four years thot grand old fellow has been living a life of rest at Lower Forty Farm, Wembley, whera he has been right well caved for by Messrs Frank and Harry Rich. Wakeful did not do as well in the Caul-i field Futurity Stakes under her 9et 131b a^ she <Hd Jast year, when she ran second to] Sir Foote, writes " Goodwood." Had it not( been that Emir met with «n accident afteP passing the distance. Wakeful would have* missed a place altogether, and those who accepted short prices about her wera naturally disappointed that she failed to get. nearer than a moderate third. The tendency to make excuses for beaten horses may bo. admitted, but admirers of Wakeful have a( very reasonable explanation of her defeat. It( is simply that she did not get a goofl run.Those who watched the race closely no * donbt noticed that she suddenly dropped) back at the home turn, the oause being that . she was crossed by one of the other starters:; Going at top speed, and carrying 9sfr loir*,, it can be readily understood that to -be ' thrown out of her stride meant, in a short ' race, a great deal to Wakeful. At anyrate' she lost three or four lengths. When she got fairly going again, she was overhauling the, leaders, and with a Btraight run she must have given Sir Leonard and Chantrees a great race. It can be- said of Wakeful that, although defeated, she was by no means disgraced, and she is still likely to be hard ios beat in weight-for-age races in the near future. At anyrale it h pretty safe to predict that she will start favourite again next Saturday for the Es6endon Stakes. Up to date Wakeful has won 20 races, has run second eight timos, and third three times. Her total winnings in stakes are £13,487. J. Lynch, who was in charge of Mr 8., Allen's team of horses in India, recently returned to Australia. Lynch says thati Cretonne should have won the Viceroy's Cup, aiid thus have landed the £17,003 her party backed her for. S. -G, Thomas fairly threw the race away,losing his place seve-ral times, and being at the rear of the field half a mik from home. As a proof that Cretonne should have scored, she won later on at the meeting with 9st 121b and 9«t 131b, and on the last day ran a dead heat with Up Guards in the Coronation Stakes, conceding all the Cup horses' weight.- The mile five furlongg and 48 yards were cut out in 2m 54-scc, which) constituted a record for India. As already mentioned, -Cretonne was sold to Mr Gal* staun for 1500 guineas. Mr Allen also disposed of Hoop Iron, Malva and the pony, Cissy J. to Mr Galstaun for just under £1000.. He took Peppercori*, Matilda, and Glen Albyn on to Lucknow, where Peppercorn and Matilda won a double, by which their owner profited to he extent of £2800. Kin's* slon, Sorella, Dandy, Flora, California^. -' Caledonia and Myosotis were sent to take* part in the Bombay meeting, aud those . which are not sold will be sent to -South Africa, where they will be raced. California// ' Caledonia, and Myosotis have been off colon \ since their arrival in India, having been " badly attacked with fever. Lynch is ofthe opinion that there is a better class o£ jockeys in India than in Australia They are more experienced ond stick closer tt» their work on the tracks. Ames, the America! rider, was doing well, and had refused a retainer of R4OOO a year. Of course^ coloured labour is very cheap in India. Lynch had 34 men engaged under him, and he only paid them RB, or 10s B<i a month,* on this they have to maintain a wife and family, and the Victorian trainer remarked — " They do it well, and save money." Lynch had to travel 1640 miles by train in! order to catch the Orizaba at Colombo.