IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 55

IN A NUTSHELL.

»•■ — _, I' -— Achilles is evidently himself again. J — Six Foote's- time of Imin 13|sec is the recorder the "Newmarket -Handicap. — Orloff * ha's been awarded 32-.Q x& a, dis- • irict TreltsE-at the Waimate meeting. j — Nominations- for the' Southland Racing. ' club's, autumn meetings close. on. March 22.- £ — The Liverpool Grand: National Steeple- •' chase to be decided on the 31st of the present month. !> —Mr St. John Buckley's "Vanguard gelding | Convoy is to be put. to the illegitimate game , shortly. < I — The Forbury Park Racing Club received ' } £ 100 Ss in bookmakers' fees for its autumn meeting. I — 8% -Jim's smin 1 4-ssec is one of the best i performances a big horse has ever put up at Tahuna Park. — The Rothschild gelding Gentle Child sold , at 60gp at the dispersal sale of Mr W. E. J. Craig's- trotting stock. — Pallas and Becky Seaton are to be indulged in a- short spell during their owner's absence in Australia. ' — General Pet has developed into a. fine r cut of a horse, and has also improved in J pace as well as appearance. — Convoy has been allotted 10.7 in the Wai- j mate Cup, and Gypsobel terminates the handicap -with 6.10 opposite her jiame. — Belmont M., the brother to Almont, got amongst the winners at a recent Sydney meeting, and went a mile in 2niin 30£ sec. — A copy of the entries for the V.R.C. autumn meeting is to hand from Mr Byron Moore, and acknowledged with thanks. — Cariola, who raced with success in Christchurch last season, sold at 180gs at Mr Craig's ' aale of stock, recently held in Melbourne ! — Nominations for the principal events to j fee decided at the Central Otago Trotting Club's meeting close on Wednesday, March 15. — The well-known Australian horseman E. Power, one of the best jockeys of the eighties, died on Wednesday, February 15; aged 45 years. —W. H. Smith, who is at present one of the front-rank horsemen of Australia, was recently cautioned by the Sydney stipendiary stewards. — Fifty-eight nominations have been recei /eel for the Egmont Hack Produce Stakes of 1307. , The first acceptances for the Produce Stakes ' of 1906 number 40. _ i — Jewel Case, on looks, would appear to be a : better stayer than his brother Heirloom, but at present he does not relish anything over the shortest of courses. — Ssrehedon's win in the Trial Handicap at flSa. ITarbuiy was somewhat overdue, and prior

' to it the Castor gelding had stacked up a big debit for training expenses. — Mr O. R. "Wise has a tine tut of a hone in Osbome R., the three-year-old son of Rothschild and Black Belle, whose looks should win bin* favour with breeders. — Brighton was made a strong order for the 1 Forbury Handicap on Saturday, but he com- ' pounded at the distance, after he had made the ' pace a cracker to the honie turn. j Three New Zealanders — m Moccasin, ! Taltine, and Union Jack — have been entered ! for the principal events to be decided at the 1 Onkaparinga Steeplechase at Adelaide, j — Playaway, who vron the Newmarket Handicap on Saturday, finished third in. last year's race la Mairp and Pendant, after going oi't a hot even money chance in a field of 17. — Dividend, the winner of the Essendon Stakes on the first day of the V.JR.C. autumn meeting, is a half brother to Lord Cardigan, by Simmer, the sire of Mr G. G. Stead's colt Savoury. l — An. Australian buyer was recently after I Pipi, but no business resulted. The Natator [ gelding would have been nominated for the principal event at Onkaparinga had a deal been made. — Redstart was strongly fancied by her , owner for the Trial Handicap at the Forbury, i but was allowed tp go out unsupported for the Welter Handicap, which the Casiket filly won j handsomely. 1 — The South Canterbxiry Jockey Club has _ engaged Mr Robertson to run his double-event '■ totalisator and to tpke charge of the whole of ' the totalisator arrangements at tjhe forthcoming ' autmn meeting. — One of the first of MenseliikofE's stock , noticed to be christened is the yearling by j the- speedy soa of Stepniak out of the Golds- ' brough mare Lady Curaton, who has been named Prince Rory. —At the dispersal sale of Mr W. E. J. . Craig's trotting stock at Kirk's Bazaar, on February 17, the American-bred horse Rex ! Derby was purchased by Mr A. J. Hill, of New . Zealand, at JGOgs. j — The Ati3tralasian says if there ever w&3 a ! profession in which it pays to go straight it jis that of a jockey. There is a monument oj. ! sound adviea in the statement — clever riders ; are nearly always broke. * ! — Wairiki continues to show improvement, 1 and Mr S. O. "Wood, veterinary surgeon, thinks ! the Soult horse will be well enough to- leave by a boat which is being despatched direct from Melbourne to "Wellington this month. —Up to date no alteration has been made in. the dates selected by the Southland and South Canterbury Crabs for their autumn meetings. In the best interests of spoxt, in addition, to their own welfare, these clubs j should endeavour to avoid clashing with their j meetings. — The Wild-wood pony Wild Arab was lame in front when doing Ms preliminary for the pony race on the second day of the Tahuna Park meeting, but he won without difficulty in 4min IS 2-ssec, after easing up over the last couple oi furlongs. * —W. J. Taijgart 'takes a Stepniak — Cobweb I colt-, a Stepniak — Lady's Maid filly, and a couple of youngsters by St. Ilario — Strathspey and by Formosan— Roseguard respectively to I" Australia when hi makes the trip with, the j 'ciiaser Slow Tom. '. ' — "i should think," said the horse, "that you wouldn't try to kick a man. unless, he's doiag you. some, harm." — "Well, when I was quite young," explained the mule r "I kicked at sill man indiscriminately, and. I keep it up in order to"T» consistent^-' [ —Mr J"., R. M'Kenzie has sold the crosscountry horse Phaetontis to Mr St., John | Buckley, who is- going 1 into the game in no I half-hearted manner, and the success of his colours in a prominent race- would be well • !' received in sporting circles. ! — A. Godfrey, who was identified with the ! flying Goldspur, bohh as a trainer and rider,'' 1 has left for Wellington, where he will proi bably settle / down if sufficient inducement -offers. It is quite possible, however, that he will abandon the turf as a, means of livelihood. — IDr W. Winchester informs me of the death of the brood mare Primrose, the dam -of Summer Rose* Primrose was foaled in , 1887, and was got by Hilarious (Goldsbrotigh — ; Maritana-) oat of Tera. (by Tbtara)> from Con- .. stance, by Towton. Some of her later produce ' by Obligado are sadd to be very promising* — H. Webb, the Australian jockey, who. was ordered off the. Wingatu? course during the progress of- the D.J.C. Cup meeting, was up on Replete in. the Flying Handicap at the . Focbury. It is somewhat of an anomaly to fincl that a rider who is not allowed to "even , witness the sport at one meeting is to be seen a couple of days later lYp on favourites at another, without any apparent reason. — The death is announced' of the well-known trainer, R. Kir.gan, who died in. the WellingtonHospital, after a short illness. Kingan won many raves- with the grey gelding Musket, Bay King. and the Grand Nktional- Hurdles with Umslopagaas. His lafce&t successes were .achieved -with Jea-nne d'Alberb, and. he will be ' greatly- missed- by -a- large circle of friends and acquaintances. ' - — Silkworm is. at present located"*(says "Sir Modred") in Tnvercargill, and the son of Season Delaval looks remarkably well after his. season. I£&, has irepzaved and thickened out considerably, and after his suspicious limb has been treated an attempt will probably be made to. train him. At present there is every reason to hoge that he wilL again sport the racing colours of his owners. — The well-known breeder and sportsman, Mx J. B. Reid, whose uoiralar colours wore successfully carried in the'C.J.C. Derby and Canterbury Clip by Skirmisher, in the C.J.C. Oaks and Great Northern 3>erby, and in many other races, left la,st week for a. visit to England. It is to be hoped that the scarlet and white will not be furled for any great period, as -this colony cannot spare sportsmen of Mr Reid's type. —In speaking of the late E. Power, "Terlinga" said he (Power) did not know what fear v/as, and his only fault was a penchant for coming on the inside. Annesley lo3t all chance in The Admiral's Derby through Power petting pocketed with him, and Dare-bin would have won The Assyrian's Melbourne Cup if Power had come out instead of going on the rails, and giving the rider of Stockwell the chance to,, stop him. — Stepenfeklt's chance- of a win in the Forbury Handicap was. materially assisted by the, fact that Brighton ran himself to a standstill over the first part of the journey, and in doing, so settled his own chance and that of "Donna Rosa and Koputai. who both endeavoured to pace it with the .Euroclydon gelding. Whoever was responsible for the riding orders should bear in mind that the winning post is not at the foot of the straight, but a little farther on. —As it is possible that someone may be desirous of knowing the starting pi-ice of the' AustraliarPts^ro niateh. it ia worthy ox notethat Mr j. Loughlin laid a bet of £250 to 1 against Otago winning outright. The fielder mentioned was positive that long odds would not make the weaker team's chance any better, and this was proved shortly after the local willow attempted to guard its wickets, whilst incidentally attempting to exercise the Australians. — O.u Saturday., at Christchurch Tatlersall'e,

Messrs Pyne and Co. submitted to auction a r.iiinbar of thoroughbred and trotting hoi».=s, ru account of Mr J. Waterman, who will shortly leave the colony for England. The sales insule were • -B h The Manager, Byrs, by Albert Victor—J. 11., Mr A. Doig, £40; br g, 3yr<i, by Yoniig Irvmgton— Tiny, Mr T. Brake, £17; br g, 2yrs, by Ha-ha— Miss Victor, Mr W. llay-wa.-d, £15. eh g, Cyrs, by Cashmere— St. Leg'Umare, Mr \V. H. Wilson, £13.

— '-The expatriated Cup winner The Victoiy is now doing sttid duty in Ireland at £9 1.9s per mare, this sum being specially stipulated to qualify the progeny tor the Irish National Produce Stakes, as well as to obtain allowances. Judges here (says a Sydney critic) generally contended that the Melbourne Cup winner of 1902 did not show sufficient masculinity to give promise as a progenitor. Even when Ths Victory was out of training he was m appearance more a gelding than a stallion. Anyhow, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

— Referring to Edward Power's death, the Age says: — Although it is not generally known, Power was probably the first horseman in Australia to adopt the crouching style of riding which Tod Sloan subsequently 30 well advertised. Power years ago was an enthusiastic cyclist, and prior to the Newmarket Handicap, which ho won on Carlton in 1887, he did a good deal of cycling amongst the hills around Essendon and Tveilor, with the object of keeping ixi condition and reducing his weight. His experience was that he could in ridmg a horse race get over the ground much better by copying the cycling professional, and bending over his mount instead of sitting upright.

I — A race for the progeny of Australian-bred I sires ought to be ori the programmes of the j A.J.C. and suburban clubs at least once a year. An event of this description would (says the Town and Country Journal) doubtless induce j breeders to put good mares to sire's that are I born in the Commonwealth, so that horses of ( the Gaulus, Holbrook, Hova, and Sequence stamp would be in better demand. The entries for the Easter programme of the A.J.C. show that 50 of the 106 Doncaster Handicap candidates and half of the 70 Sydney Cup candiI dates are sired by imported horses; whilst the ! paternal parents of no fewer than 77 of- the 241 nominations for the principal race for youngsters, the Champagne Stakes, are imliortsd. — The country publican who combines sport with business now mostly adopts ihe picnic system of racing, by means of which he evades the registration fee charged by the A.J.C. A meeting conducted on these lines took place at "VV allendbeen recently, and is described by the Cootamundra Herald a& having been "promoted by th.9 proprietor of the Federal Hotel, and was held in a paddock opposite the hotel and just across the railway line, but," the writer naively adds, "the finishing point was a little too far away from the hostelry from a_ business aspect, and conse-' quently the promoter, who wa3 refused* a license for a publican's booth on the cotirse. - must have- been a considerable loser, for the weather was very siiltry, and very little in the way of drinkables procurable." — The contest for the -Flying Handicap at • the Forbury Park meeting on Saturday was one of the finest races the writer has witnessed, this season. The winner, Heirloom, was ridden with excellent judgment by M'Cornb, who timed 1 his effort correctly-, and did not bustle his mount when Replete and Donna Rosa were streaking off with a big lead. L. G. King, who was up on Brighton, "by the , same token," also rode a gzeat race, as his mount had already taken part in a race, and got a bit the worst of the start in the sprint 1 event. Neither M'Comb nor King appeared on the scene until they had to be there to win, and there was very little difference be- ,, tween them a3 they flashed past the post after a battle royal between the first four horses. Both these rider 3 are displaying their beat form in the saddle at present.

—It is understood (says the Adelaide cor-resj.-o.adent of the Australasian) that one of our leading clubs will shortly take steps to prevent totalisator agents doing business in opposition to the totalisator. The police having proved powerless to prevent bookmakers laying starting price on our racecourses, the number of ' agents has increased rapidly, and their pre- ! sence deprives the clubs of a considerable amount of revenue. There is a clause in the • Gaming Act which throws the responsibility of 1 preventing bookmakers from betting on the , clubs, but so far the clubs, have not taken any serious action in the matter. The leading bookmakers are easily kept off racecourses, I because they are identified without any great j • effort, but from what can be noticed in this ! colony the agent or bettors who endeavour to j • supply the' place of better-known bookmakers | ' ai'ei almost as difficult to keep off. the courses r as the atmosphere. . 1

I —A contemptible outrage was committed on j- ■ Friday night at the Racecouise • Hotel stables, I where several visiting horses were put xxp on the eve of the Forbury Park race meeting. ;It appaars that during the night some person entered the stables, and, after cutting and ■■ hacking* the. clot*hing of Mr J. C- Amorettys . horse Red Ronald, turned the animal at liberty to wander vdiere his fancy might lead nun. Fortunately, Tisionarv (who- was ia. charge of Mr J. M'Guiness) "and Mr R. M'Donald's , hor3es Heirloom, Jewel Case, and several , others, had their boxes safely, locked, and it was impossible to tamper with these animals. The miscreants, however, entered tne stable room, and cut and hacked some sacidles, bridles, clotning, and other gear which were m the rooms. In several cases some of the gear was completely destroyed, and the monetary loss amounts to a consiaerable item. It. is more than likeiy that had the other boxes been accessible other horses besides Red Ronald would have been turned adrift, and, J in consequence, the Forbury meeting would not have proved the success which it uld. Ii t is understood an effort will be maae to bring the person or persons who committed the out- t rage to book, and if it is sheeted home no doubt .the crime will be punishea with the ( severity which it merits. — Aow as for shoeing for action the great ( question (says a winter in the Live Stock Journai) to decide is what action you want. It is rather the old case again of the razor made for ■sale, not for use. As a rule, the heavier the i snoe the more lwee acaon is arrived at Look ' at a young labourer running after a rabbit at- I harvest time-sec how he flourishes his legs about. Then look at a professional sprintex I, running oa a track. You will see very dif- : ferent action. But a heavy shoe has bad . qualities, wliicH I, for one, cannot put up . with. On hard ground jt jars the horse to an ex- I tent that I.iU not be verydong in screwing him up. ' On soft ground, unless he gGcS unusually clear ' all round, th-e heavy-shoe will be apt to make j him hit himself, and the heavier the shoe the worse the blow-*- So I. would- advise no one to depend too much on shoeing as a way of improving action. Careful riding and driving .' work wonders in this way, and if the subject be a young horse he should never be worked to a•■ st?te of fatigue. But if he has not pretty fair action naturally you have no material to work upon. The effect of the heavy shoe ceases with the use of it, if not immediately, not very long after its discontinuance. But this may be sau\ of all artificial aids,

even the careful bitting and scientific handhug. Let a man with bad hands and no knowledge of bitting ride or drive a perfect horse long enough, and the perfection will be i> thing of the past.