IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 58

IN A NUTSHELL.

FiTst forfeits for the D.J.C. Champpgne Stakes are due on September 4. Nominations are due on the 29th mst. for the Ashburton spring meeting. — The crack sprinter. Master Ahx, is now doin* light harness work in Oamaru. — Pretty Nell was boijgtft in at 80gs after comfortably winning the Woolston Plate. — Count Witte was resold jhortly after being knocked down at 200gs for over double thsrt figure. — Audax gave Grand National form -wban he made a show of the^pposition he met in the Lincoln Steeplechase. — Mr C. Bennett, of Napier, has purchased Janella, who raced in the Hunter event 3 at the National meeting. Cross Battery was finishing well m her races last week, but her slowness off the mark doubles her handicaps. — Ghoorka was given a turn over a couple of the big fences at Eiccarton during National week, and shaped well. — Petrovna, although doing work at Riccarton, was not produced for any of her engagements at the National meeting. The C.J.C. Derby winner Orloff is amongst those ■ engaged in His Hunters' Hurdles to be run at Waimate this week. Scotty is one- of the best-bred hurdlers in the land. He is by St. Leger from Janet, wtioi was by Castor from Cissy, a sister to Trenton. — Miiltind has been purchased by Ma Carrington, the well-known stud matter, who has bsen long associated with breeding in the North Island. ,_ — Stormont would not look out of place in a dray, still he ran iwo miles over hurdles in 3.45 2-5, or a tick lees than a second of Shrapnel's record. — General Average has seen- purchased by Mr Petersen, of Southland, and the son of Hotchkiss will probably be at the service of breeders during the coming season. —Le Beau ran, well on the first and 1 last days of the National meeting, and his poor display in the Beaufort Steeples ie accounted for by the fact that be was unlucky enough to strilce himself during the race. — Speed was in evidence on the concludin" day of the N.Z.M/I.C. meeting, when Durbar went, 4.39 2-5 and 1 2.16 andi Florin went 2.50 over a mile and a-quarter. — The trio -which comprised the field for the Ladies' Bracelet, run at Riccarton on Saturday, was one of the worst that has ever saddled up for a lace en the course. — Mir H. Brinkman has been appointed handicapper to the two principal trotting clubs on the West Coast, and that fact shmild help along the sport in that part of the ■world. >

— Motoa was not improving rs the National meeting progressed, and oh the conoTudrng day did not run witb the dash, he displayed in the "Winter Cup and August Handicap. — The "Waimate Hunt Clu.> hoids its annual Steeplechase meeting on Thursday of this -week, and judging by the numerical strength of the fields, there should be some good sport. — All E*d looked well to the eye when stripped for MB 1 engagements last week, but failed to get amongst the money after benig with the leading division m the early part of his races.

— The Stepniak— lrish Girl filly engaged in the Dunedin Stakes should be called Irish Jig. The fhst part of the name is obvious, and latter is s\iggested by the first part of the Eire's name.

— The Pilgrim's Pi-ogress filly Prim won the Selwyn Handicap ia a very convincing manner. She raced past Lupelite and the leaders at the half distance, and won, going away in the smart time of 1.16. — The North Otago Jockey Club are out with an attractive programme for their spring meeting. "With two -exceptions, all the events are endowed lOOsovs or more, whilst tlie Stepniak Stakes carries 200sovs — A commissioner from Australia came across to the stud dispersal sale with power to buy tip to 5000gs worth of stock, but failed to procure anything, as aJI the good goods? were far beyond his prices. —Mr J Chadwick, who is one of the bestknown men in the New Zealand sporting world, was acting as commissioner for the Messrs Stead Bro=. when buying ?t the dispersal sale of the l»te Mi G G. Stead's stud.

— Bonny Glen carried silk on the last day of the National, and although backward m condition demonstrated that he retains his speed. He pulled up eound enough after the race, and he may train on for his spring engagements. — Heorthen dropped irom the- -clouds when she won the Summer Handicap. She appeared to be beaten when a couple of hundred yards from home, but then she put in a good run. and raced past the leaders for a length and a-half win. — "Wailothe was unlucky to Ice the Islington Handicap, as she lost a lot of ground at the start, and was only baaten by enough to sweai by at the finish. She made amends

i on the last day by winning the Heathcoh Handicap in "brilliant style. ; — Stormont, \rith 12.10, was handicapped t< give Sootty 31b ever once round and t distance on the conducting day of th( National meeting, and a stone to compas: the winner of the big ntird.ie event at tfo< recent "Wellington meeting. — Gold Seal gave a good display in th< National Steeples. He was always disputing the leadership with Albury, and finalli finished a good third. His -win in the Beau fort Steeples marked the finish of as fine c race as one could wish to see. — Stormont is the first Dunedin ownec horse to win the Grand National Hurdles and it is away back to 1882 since a Dunedir racer won the National Steeples. This was Katerfelts, who gave the later Walter Clifford his winning ride over the Riccartorj country. — There k just a suspicion of pea codeines; about Penates, but he is a very attractive son nevertheless Just at pres&nt he is very well, and acts with a lot of vim. He is a son of Ruenalf a-nd Housewife, by Archie from Thimble, by imported Blair AthcJ mare Lady Blair. — The 4500gns filly Golden Slipper has grown since she raced at. the C.J.C. autumn meeting and now looks to stand .about 16 hands. She looked in 'oeautiful order when in the ring, and displayed a rare com.bina.tion of power and quality that commanded admiration from the spectators. —It is understood that Ma- R. J. Mason has YaJdhurst under offer to the Messrs Stead Bros., and in the event of a sale being effected, Mr Mason will settle -in Sydney. On the other hand, Mr Mason will train foi Mr G. D. Greenwood if he cannot sell hi« training stables advantageously. — The* following racehorses were sold by Messrs Payne and Co., in Ghristehurch, at Tattersall's, on Monday:— Rose Nobles, 140g3; Master Leslie (Mr J. J. M'Cracken), 30gs-, Mango (Mr F. H. Wilson), 70gs; Pretty Maid (iir H. Ghisholm), 150g£ ; Myrtle Biand (Mr R. O'Neill), 30gs. — Dunedin played a prominent part in the Nationals last week. Albury acted as a pacemaker in the Steeplechase, and Stormont went one better and landed the Hurdles. This is not bad for a town which has not had a steeplechase for many years, and where hurdling was also in danger >i going out at one time. — Lone Star looked light, and, as usual, showed a paucity of muscle when he went OTxi. f^r lais races last week. Still, li-e ran a. couple of fairly good battles. He is naturally a light-fleshed horse, but if the machinery of his frame could be strengthenred with • muscle he should prove a winner of a good race or two. — North Head was strongly fancied for his races at the Riccarton meeting. He is credited with being smart in private, but probably has not the stoutest heart in the world when in public. Many horses are very good in private, and perhaps it is only mo-d-esty that prevents them from proving their merit in public. —As C. Jenkins relumed to the weighing enclosure after ridilng Vasa, a winner in the Redcliffs Handicap, he aras greeted with volleys Df cheers frcm patrons of the lawn and outside stand. It was easily the mosi popular win of the meeting, and should take tine sting out of the suspension from which 'he had recently emerged. — Laeside gave Stormont 311b and a "beating when tihsy la-et met at Wingatui, and in the Sydenham Hurdles Leeside w«s meeting the National winner on 411b better terms. Sitill that did not bring ttb&m together, although after landing over the last ience th<> Euroclydon gelding looked 1 to have a winning chance-, but he failed to get in the money at the finish. — Stormont, who elected himself the hero of this year's National Hurdles, has a common and somewhat carty appearance. He-B-fcaaAs about 17 han-ds ki-gh. has a big, plain head, ragged hips, wiiioh "collectively does not suggest that he is one of ihe b&st bred horses about. He was got by Apremont from Athc-line. by Oadogan, from the imported Blair Athol mare AthoJ. — The elem&n.t of luck was not altogether absent from StoTmont's win. in the Sydcnharn Hurdles. Stronghold for once in a, way was h) a galloping humour, but got blocked on the rails a-fi.er landing over the last fence. The latter bad 'then to be pulled to the outside of three- or four horses, and after getting the bad passage, wan only defeated by a very narrow margin. —Mr D. Rutherford has garnered a fair share of honour at the C.J.C. National meeting.' He won tihe National Hurdles in 1892 with Kulhine, »nd also in 1606 with Social Pest. Alma captured ffre Nartional Sieepleehase in his colours in 1892 and now Eurus has won the cross-country Blue Ribbon. W. Clarke has been also with each win — three times in the saddle, and now as trainer. — 'Penates was turned onit in excellent order for his races last week. He was a trifle big, but looked clean and bard, and proved full of fight. Motoa, on the other hand looked light, and his general appearance would suggest that he was a gelding rajfihea: than a stallion Lupulite also looked on the ligiht side, anid both the latter would probably improve if they could be made heavier. — Pilot was the crack hunter of the National meeting. He is a oarty-Lrvoking gelding, but a beautiful fencer and lias a. good turn of speed. Many were inclined to the opinion that he should have been in the National Steeples. He won both his jumping races comfortably, and even with 13.13 was not far out of the money in the Hunters' Plate. — Stormont cost his present owner £100 The Apremont gelding was purchased in the NoTth I-aland by Stuart "Waddell for 110g3 for his friend. Mt T. Kett, who was one of the unfortunate ihotelkeepers in Invercargill when prohibition was carried. The triumph of the water brigade was the principal cause of Mr Kett selling five or six horses he had in training and! .amongst them was the Natioral winner. — The first of the imported Kikheran'9 stock the wri-ter has seen was the yearling from Ediia May, which made 70?? at the Stead dispersa-1 sale. She is a neatly-turned little lady, and looks one of tbe quick a«d early sort, in demand for early two-year-old racing. Mr J. Geisking has purchased the filly frcm tbe g-en-tleman to whom ahe was knocked down at the sale. — Th& first race run at the FJeet meeting in Auckland was timed to start at 13 10 am. Both the Canterbury Jockey Club and the N.Z M.T. Club should note the fact, as they still insist on having an eight-item , programme for their winter meetings. The result is that the last event of the day is ' run in «, bad light, wbien. almost prevents ; one from picking up tfie horses as they race along the back of th« course. — Albury knocked one of his legs whilst running in the Hunt Club Cup. and -although nothing serious resulted, it was decided to keep him' in Eis box on the last day of the meeting. In both his races Albury gave a capital display of fencing, but lacked pace at tlie business end of his journeys He was a bit short of work, owing to having to be 3lopped in his preparation, ;

c ' amcl was, consequently, biggish in concliI tion. 0 j — Paritutu ma3e a bold bid for victory lir * i the National Hurdles, and must bs accounted' b very unlucky to have ran two seconds in the 3 race in record times. He had a severe s race in the Jumpers' Flat, in which he wurried 11.13, antt -was just beaten in 2.41 on s a slow track. This race probably tools; t some of fche steel out of him. and did not y improve bis chance in the Ivationa.l. Still. he ram a good race, and was just beateffl *■ i, by a horse to whom lie was conceding 371b. — The annual meeting of the above club } will fee hald on Monday, Augusr 31. The , following have been proposed for election :. — 1 President. Messrs W. J. Gore and R. s Riifherford ; vice-president, Mr G. Hodges ; - committee — Messrs R. Grcenslade, J. Jeffs, i J. M'Ghie, and T. T. Ritchie. As there ' are more than the required number of s candidates for the offices of president and t committee, a ballot will be taken at th« ' anjiual meeting. i — Nadador was nicely placed, and fencing ) well in ths early part of -the Grand National i- Steeples, but going along the back for thelast time her ri-dsr raced his mount up to 3 the leaders, as if the win depended od -who- [ was first' over the Kennels double. Hadi the mare baen ridden more patiently she i would have bsen very, dangerous at the finish, ; and it was the sucTden change in her rider's 1 tactics that appeared to ba responsible for her fall. l — Top Rose «rau very consistency at the 5 National meeting. He gave » good" display r in the Txi«J aa|3 Na>tioEa.l . Hurdles, and was well entitled to win on the concluding day. : The Torpedo gelding however, appeared to ) be a, trifle lucky, in ihe fa-ot that Farley - Grove punched the last fence as the latter r appeared to be going the belter of the 'two . ; at that stage, asad lost ground by ths mis- , hap, which, turned, the title Sf victory to. Top Rose. > — ILaitere is about as game » 'dhaser as ever look«cl through a, bridle. After running severe races in the National Steeple- , chase and 1 Beaufort Steeples, he came out again on the last day. and struggled on ; to beat lie B?au for second place in a punishing finish in the. Lincoln Steeples. Kaitere could not catch the judge's eye as i a winner, but he 13 entitled to the 'chasing -, honours of -the gathering, and one can't help regretting lie did not gather some of the gold, as well as glory. — Cross Battery and Sea King leave for Sydney OD IVi.<3ay in change of W J T^ggart ■ana: I/. G. King goes acioss to pilot them in their engagements. Both horses should pay their woy if the Australian handicappurs oould only ricJ themselves of the idea thai everything front New Zealand is a CaTbine. Cross Battery w.auts to ba taught to leave the mark & bit b&tter than what she has been showing here, or else she will have to do some- stern chasirg. — Jsr A. A. Forks, secretfvry of the Ashburton County Racing Club, -writes as follows: — "As probably owners may, without - referring to published programmes, think th» two trotting events at our meeting 1 must be for un'hoppled trotters, would you mmd! in your notes referring to fche fact that under the 'special ciroumst*.nc«9 the association has passed my club's programme so far as it refers to the "trotting evemts, so Xih&fc pacers ■will also be eligible for nomination." — The C.J.C. National meeting of 1998 ■wiill be remembered as one of the very best' cross-country -gatherings ever held at Ricc«rton. Good sport, climaxed by close and exerting finishes, no serious accidents, eplen-. did weather; everything calculated to niake. any man a sportsman. And it is But a> scant recognition to say obngnatulaitions to Mr J. E. Henrys, whose work provided the sport. That it is impossible for a handioapper ' to please everyone is a stereotyped prtrase, but Mr Henrys went very near doing co last week. — Audas won a lisa.'p -of admirers by the form he displayed at Eiccarton. He won the Hunters' Hurct!©3 very comfortably, made one horse race of the Lincoln Stesple®, and witih two wine out of two starts made <a bi-fc of a record fox himself. He is a good thiok-set sc-nt, and is by Birkerohead from Temerair-e, by Dreadnought from Sister M*ry. by Ingonior from imported Sister Agnes. Audax was a strong favourite for the Lincoln Steeples, d&spite the fact that it was his first, essay over country -when carrying silk, and he easily proved that the confidence was not mißplft'Ced. -^-Bnxus was trained" for his Grand National Steeplechase victory by W. Clarke, ■who a few years back proved ha could* lide a horse successfully between the flags or on -the flat, and now he ha* demonstrated thsrt he can get a horse fit and well to run the moat severe r&ce ure have in the country. won the National Hurdles oil Kulnine in 1892, and also roefce- Ahua. in the National Steeples to make the winning double for the year. H© alsc piloted Social Pest and Record Reign when they won the National Hurdles, an-d was in raw saddle t>n Freeman and JTorton wben they won the National Ste&ples. — Eurus was regarded as very uncertain at his fences prior to las<t week. «nd his previous displays between tEe flags furnished' good reason for that opinion. Now, however, he appears to have found the fifth legi that all gcod jumpers bring to light when introuble. H« hooked on* of the fences of the stand double -when running on the second day but. nevertheless, kept op his legs and continued on his way. Owing to havinga tendency to run off, Bums was taken oveia lot of ground in his Taces in order to reduce that risk to a minimum, and that g'?ve additional merit to his form. — The writer has authority to state that Ms. H. F. Nicoll, the owner of Durbar, is prepared to match the Vancleve gelding against any liorfi« in the Dominion for j£soo aside. By nis form on the last day of the N.Z.M.T.C. meeting, Durbar has a, good! claim to be considered the champion lightharness and saddle horse of the country, and it would make a great drawing card for the November meeting if some one wrnild take up the challenge. Kb doubt the Metropolitan Club would hang i>p a purse — at least they ought to in order to give aesiataiice towards making a match. —It is no use chaining yourself to your bookmaker if you axe careless enougli to lose a wimning ticket. Do not tell anecdotes while riding a race There aare severe penalties for boring your rivals. Do not be seen giving the- favourite an apple ot a piece of sugar jus>t before the race unless you have previously booked your bet. Your humane action may shorten^ the odds. In these days of cheap literature the race-card still remains an expensive shilling's worth. Be wary as to your movements in the paddock. HJorse shoes are hicky, but when a-ttached to Hie hoof they are apt to cause a painful abrasion. — "With the exception of Mr Houldswor th there is not perhaps an owner of longer standing than Mr StedaM on the English! turf. Like Sir Thomas Lrpton, he built up a grea»t business from small beginnings, antt he is now a large property owner and a very rich man. Some years ago — a good many, in fact — he wanted a. branch establishment in Southampton, and having clicsen the site he complied with «, request from the owner*

#or*references tjr giving the Barck o£ England, ffbis coHespond«iboe ensued : "Mr Stedall -wishes to tak© ova premises in snein-and-such a street. Shall we le* him have them?" " Yes; «nd if he wants the rest of the atr&eit iefr' Mm- h»ve thalfc also." — " Robin Goodfellow," in. the Daily Mail. — The motor car may oust tie- horse from the high toad, fcu-fc it can never replace the horse for miliiCaicy purposes, and it is absolutely -essential that- we eWuld continue to breed within our own shores not only horses enough, to supply our troops in time of peace, but horses enough to- farm a reserve on which, we can depend in time of vmc *Eo place out dependence upon horse euppidss feoa our ~ colonies or foreign cotmteies i£ we were- involved in war ■with, any eea power would be simply natkm*l suicide. Thus it become* the duty o£ theGovernment ' to maintain the iighf^horse breeding industry, not because it will benefit the farmer, but because it is necessary fox the national welfaoe. — Sir W-aJter Gilbey, in •the Live Stock Journal.

— Lupulite is a great sprinter, but Be met foremen worthy cf his steel last week when he tumped tlt> against Penates and Motoa. Both the latter can go fast and sta.y> Better than the- Dunedin geiding-. On the last day of th» meeting . Lupulite was h»ndic*pped- as sll> worse than Pen»t«3 over sis furlongs and Mote*.. as 2Lb- better than Persa-tee over seven- , furlongs. The two started off by Lupulite giving 41b to Mkxtoa and- 15Jb to Penates over eight furlongs in the Winter Cup. Lupulite waa giving slb to PenaCtes in the August Handicap-, and 'the latter ha& him beat over a fiirlcng fzctm. home-, so it will be- seen thjut-th-e form makes Penaifce3 smart. Neither oi the two- mentioned, however, put up a performance- like Groldspur did when he carried 11.13 end ian six furlongs in 1.16 over the same ground as- Motoa, Penates and Lupulite measured strides last week.

— The Sfcate -of New York has never received a severer blow than that sustained by tlie passing of the Anti-Racing Bill, in the opinion of Judge E. P. Coyne, of New York, who ia-now in London. "As counsel for ih« Jockey Crub, I suppose my views on this subject will b» regarded as prejudiced." he siabd to- a Hesa-ld eorresp<nuien<t at the Savoy Hotel, "but a* » private lawyer I think the bill is unconstitutional, and that fch.sre-f.ore in the end it will be found impossible to enforoe its provisions. Tho love of gambling is an ineradicable weakness in nMsf men. «nd: especially Americans, and the law making be-tting- a misdemeanour punishable by a fine a.nd. imprisonment is » curtailment of tlie liberties of citizens; and, therefore unconstriru&onal. ' The bill was even passed in an imcoiieritution»l. way, for to gain bis ends Governor Hughes repeatedly called extra legislative sessions. The maj-oiiiy of Senators even did not vote as they- wished. The bill will kill racing, disoourage h-arse-breedang, hint agriculture, and throw "thousands of men cut of employment. In the end". I son sure the courts will decide that the bill is % violation of the constitution."—New York Herald.