TURF STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 46

TURF STATISTICS.

During the past season tho English, sporting writers have frequently alluded to the great scarcity of stayers at present m the Old Country, but when one glances at the statistics furnished by tho Racing Calendar of 1903 it will be seen that tin} number of K»ces run over a distance of ground is very small when compar-xl with the number of short-distanco laoos, and that the racing clubs, by catering so largely for sprinters, may bo held responsible- for the fact that tho principal long-distance events run during ths season wore won by Irish and JFrench horses, whose staying rowers are dc-velcpeU because long-dutaac© races are given p.cnty of prominence on the programmes of theso countriee. v Statistics usually furnish dry reading, but the following tables shou -d prove interesting to racing men. and show that stayer-:— th"t is to say, horses that are capable of running out races over two miles or more — are probably tcarco simpiy because they are. not c:i*cr<?d for in the land where the improvement of '.he thoroughbred i«, held to be of primary importance. Ihe number of races run in Great Britain and Ireland are divided as follows: — In Great In Britain. Ireland. Five furlongs ar.d under &ix 627 77 Six furlongs ?nd under 1 mile 299 56 One mile 305 40 Ovei n mile and under two . . 444 (9 Two miles and under three . 30 64 Th-Tee. mi'.es and under iour . — 1 Four miles — * Totals 1705 318 Of the above races tlieie were, for two-year-olds only . In Great In Britain. Ireland. Under six furlongs 405 35 Six furlongs or upwards, but under a mile .... 51 12 A mile 9 2 VALUE OF STAKES. The value of &tik&3 won during 1903, calculated according to rule 117 of Rules of Racine (.not including prizes to second and third horses), amounted to: Eigl«nd, £354,913 10s; Ireland. £22,273 16s 3d; Scotland, £12,126. The classes of races run are also defined, and the number of runners summarised, as below : Handicaps for three-year-olds and upward"? or three-year-old=! only. — England Number of races 499, amounting to £149,700 ss. Ireland : Races 161, £10,450 103 (including handicap? to which two-year-olds were admitted with o'.der horses). Scotland- Races 40, £G615. Selling handicaps for threo-year-olds and upwards. — England Krimbor of races 1?8/ amounting to £17,566. Ireland- Races 22, £1556 10s. Scotland. Racss 11, £Vlii. Selling races (other than handicaps), excepting those for two-year-olds on'y. — England Number cif laces 19-t, amounting io £26,601. Ireland : Races 15, £1362. Scotland . Races 16, £1941. Weight-for-age races, for three-year-olds or upwprds. — England Number of races 310, amounting to £154,818 ss. Ireland . Races 65, £7202 16s Bd. Scotland- Races 20, £2291. Weigh t-for-age races, including those for two and three- veai-o ds. — England: Number of laces 21, amounting to £6028. lieland: Races 6, £1752. Scotland ilaee 1, £137. Two-year-olds only — England Number of races 72, amounting to £17,8f3. Ireland: Races 11, £1538 10s. Scotland: Races 5, £881. Selling handicaps. — England- Number of races 25, amounting to ClVio. Ireland Races 6, £652. Scotland Raus !J, £300. Selling rpcc'j '"o^ ha"clic c ;ps). — England Number of races II 7 , amounting to £1G,585. Ireland: Races 10, £1278. Scotland Races 5, £500. Wcight-for-agp races — England Number of races !232, amounting to £.14,082 15s. lielpnd Races 22, £7199 18s. Scotland: Races 6, £15^4.

The above shows s tof'. of —England 1593 iace3, amounting to £486 602 ss. lipland 318, £32.942 4s Bd. Scotlaid- 107, £]5,383. To thiß must be added 9 matches and private sweepstakes in England and 8 m Ireland (four of those rin England did not produce race-<), amounting to £1260.