TALK OF THE DAY

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 54

TALK OF THE DAY

BT gtaXTIXIL.

THE DUNEDIN* JOCKEY CLUB. Since Ihe season of 1900-1 th>e Duned n' Jockey Club have been steadily adding to tho amount of prize money which they have annually hurfg up for competition amongst horse-owners, and as solid evidence of that fact it is only required to point out that in tho season mentioned above the stakes totalled £5615, whilet the- programme which will bo issued during the next few days will carry a prize-list of £8470. This is a pleasing state of affairs, and cannot fall to gratify those who are anxious to ccc the sport progress under the control of our metropolitan club. In the latter end of their tenure of Forbury j Park, the club fell on somewhat troublesome times, but now it is pleasing to cote that the period of depression appears to have been left behind. A change from the Forbury Park' to Wingatui involved the making a new course, and the consequent expenditure of a lai'ge amount of money. This naturally had the effect of making the club careful with their prizelist, but the bolder policy adopted during rho past couple of seasons has born good fruit, ajul last year's programme attracted unusually large fields and ej^lendid attendances, clearly showing that Win-gatui gatherings are growing in .popularity. In i allotting the additional prize money for the present season, the club have studied the e:aall owner, and have not made any great alteration to the principal events to be decided during the year. This will no doubt meet the approval of the rank and file of owner.', but the raising the value of tho minor events on the programme hae in some cases considerably diminished the distinction which one generally expects to *cc between the chief race of a day's card and those which go to make up the balance of sport. There should at least be one star item on each day as a trump drawing card, and for that rea->on it is a pity the club did not allocate another three or four hundred to be tacked on to their principal events. For instance, the Mosgiel Handicap, which forms the chief race at the coming spring meeting, has a etake of 125sovs, and the bulk of the other items on the card carry lOOsovs or overT The club are deseT\ ing of congratulation on their forward policy, but the margin between the big races and the others is not --ufficiently wide, and is apt to cause the former to lose the distinction which they should nossess. The Spring meeting has absorlx"d" the bulk of the 970sovs which the club has tacked on to tho amount ghen away last season, and of this 250&0Y5 goes

to the Dunedin Stakes, which is to take the place of the Juvenile Plate, of 70sovs. With the exception of the Trial Plate, which has been lifted from 55sovs to 70sovs; the Taioma Hack, which goes from 60sovs to TOsovs ; the Burnside Hack, of 60sovs, and the Kaikorai Hack, of 60sovs, all the events on the spring programme now carry lOOsovs or more in prize money. At the summer meeting everj event on the card is worth lOOsovs or mere. -, Both the hurdle races have been lifted to lOOsovs, the Dunedin Handicap goes up to 150sovs, the Trial Stakes to ICOsovs, the Federal Handicap to150sovs, the Grand Stand Handicap to 130sovs, the Juvenile Handicap to 125eovs. There is also an alteration in the distances of somo of the races. The Salisbury Hack, the Trial Stakes, and the Caversham Hack .have each been increased by a furlong. At tho Cup meeting each of the hurdle events has been lifted to 115sovs. and after deducting the place money, the even century will remain for the winner. The Trial Plate has been lifted from 60soys to lOOsovs, th« Domain Handicap, of six furlongs, on the second day's card, goes to 150sovs, and on the third day the Flying Handicap goes to 125sovs, the Anniversary Handicap to 200sovs, the Abbotsford Welter to llOsovs, and ihe Wingatui Handicap to 120sovs. A.t the winter meeting the Birthday Handicap is lifted from 200sovs to 250sovs, the Trial Plate from 60sovs to lOOsovs, the Tradesmen's Handicap goes to 150sovs, the Provincial Handicap" from 150sovs to 20Csovs. and the Wai-rongoa Handicap goes up to 125sovs.' Last season the club increased their prize list by lOOOsovs, and with the 970sovs for the present i-acing year it will be seen that the club have opened their pu.rsa-strin.gs of _ late. With so many races well worth winning on tiheir programme, there should be plenty of horees running at Wingatui during the year. At least it is to be hoped so. as the horse-owners have only to recognise that i-n helping the club they are helping themselves, and incidentally giving the sport a boost generally. _ ( THE NEW ZEALAND CUP. Zimmerman's form during the recentlydefunct eeason has resulted in his being elected fco the position of honour at tho head of the handicap for the New Zealand Cup, the most important event to be found in our Racing Calendar. The upstanding son of Birkenhead has been allotted 9.9, or exactly 141b more bhan has ever been carried to victory in the race. Nekon carried 9-10 when he ran second to Spade Guinea. Euroclydon had 9.5 when he met and was defeated by Lady Zetland, and Wairiki and Achilles had 9.2 and 9.6 respectively when they filled the places behind Canteen. From this it will be seen that the handicapper has at first blush apparently a high opinion of Zimmerman, and that the staying powers of the majority of those who follow the top weight leaves a good deal to be desired. A glance afc Zimmerman's i mining during the past season will be of interest, owing to his being the peg on which the handicap *s hung. He commenced at Hawke's Bay by finishing out of a place with 8.10 in the Spring Handica.p, one mile and a-quarter, in which the places were filled by Whakaweki 7.0, Grand Slam 8.2, and Psritutu 8.8, whilst Master Delaval, with 9.0, was ateo a runner. Zimmerman was next unplaced, with 8.3, in the New. Zealand Cup, won by Frisco 7.8, with Master Delaval 8.9 and Lapland 6.13 in the places. From this it . will be seen that Master Delaval meets Zimmerman on 161b better terms than when they laet tried conclusions over two miles at Riccarton, whilst Frisco is sent up 14-lb for his win. Master Delaval won the Metropolitan with 9.2 in 2min 35 3-seee, and bea-t Apa (7.13) a head. Zimmerman was unplaced in the J.C. Handicap, and ■on the same day Master Delaval 9.2 ran third in the Canterbury Gup to Elevation and Bonny GJen. the latter carrying lib over w.f.a. Zimmerman then won the Jubilee Cup after a memorable battle with Elevation (both carrying 9.0), whilst Bonny Glen was a head away with 8.0 up. Going to Auckland. Zimmerman won the Cup with 8.4, with Waipuna 7.5 and Eonny Glen 7.8 in the places, and Master Delaval 9.4 amongst the runner."; He next won the A.R.C. Handicap, one mile and a-half, with 9.3 in 2mixi 36 4-ssec, Master Delaval 9.3 and Waipuna 8.12 being outside the menev and followed that up by. winning the Auckland Plate. His next appearance was at Wanganui, where he finished outside the first three (TJhlando 6.3, 1; Waitapu 7.6, 2 : Tanjfimoana 7.12, 3) in the Cup. with 94 on his back. He captured the Great Autumn with 9.4. in which, h-e beat Signor 6.13 a head, with Stratagem 7.9 in the other place. Now Zimmerman jyess up- 51b, and Si-enor 141b. .whilst Stratagem is down lib. Signor subsequently won the Leger Zimmerman, with 9.12, failed to gain a place, in the Hawke's Bay Cup. in which the first three were Uenuku 6.11. Grand Slam 8.5, and Kairoma 7.3, and made his last aopparance for the year when he finished amongst the beaten division with 9.7. This is a brief and bald recital of I Zimmerman's form, and it will readily be Peen that it'is interlaced with the running of the majority of those in the 8.0 and over division After running second to Zimmerman in the Auckland Cup when in receipt of 13!b (he now receives 141b under a higher teale of weights). Waipuna won tho Sum nier Cup, one mile and a-quarter. with 7.13 in 2/nin lOncc, but was beaten out of a r;lac<» in the A.R C. Handicap, won by Zimmerman 9.3, and giving away- 51b to j Waipuna. He alpo finished out of a place with 9.0 in the Takapuna Cup. Moral was seen out seven times last season. Ha won the R.C. Handicap, one mile and a distance, with 6.12 in lmin 58 4-ssee, the Wail'arapa, Cup, one mile and a-quarter, with , 7.10 in 2min 9sec; second with 8.4 to Maniopoto 8.11 in the St. Andrew's Handicap, on? mile and a-half, at Feildinsr. ! Frisco 8.11 being unplaced. On the &econd , day of the ea-me meeting Moral 8.9 won the j Manchester Handicap, one mile and a- ! nuarte*\ from Irish Rifle 8.6, Saga 6.13, with Maniopoto 8.9 unplaced. At Woodvill© Moral 9.5 was beaten by two lengths in the Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, by Tangimoana 7.12 in 2min 8 3-ssec, and was unplaced on the second day with 9.9 in the Summer Handicap, one mile and a distance, won by Moloch 7.3, with Tangimoana 8.3 second. Tangimoana was keDt fairly busy last season. She started in 25 races, and won eieht timp=. In the autumn she was third in the Fe^dinjr Cup with 8.12, won by Bourrasque 3.2 and The Lark 8.6", Moloch 8.6 unplaced. She won the Eastern Handicap, one mile and aquarter, with 8.13 in 2min 12 3-sseo, won the Dominion Cup. nine furlongs, with 8.11 in lmin 55 l-sseo, unplaced in the Thompson Handicap with 8.4. and wound

up the season by winning the AutumnHandicap, with 8.1 in 2min lOsec. Mahuta won the Epmont Cup with 8.1, Nova 7.2 second, and Tangimoana 8.8 third, and his last win. of the season in the A.R.C. Autumn Handicap, which he won with 7.9 in 2min 45 3-sseo in heavy going, Seotty 7.6 second, Master Delavel 8.10 third. Üblando won six races out of 16 starts. He won the Wanganui Cup with 6.8, Waitopu 7.6 second, and Tangimoa-na 7.12, finished third tc Marguerite in the Wancranui Stakes, and finished up by winning the Taranaki Cup with 8.2 in 2min 10 l-ssec beating Mahuta 8.6, and Seotty 7.10. The Lark won the President's Handicap, one mile and a-quarter with 8.7 in 2mm 7 4-s*ec, beating Manicpoto 9.7, and several others. Grand Sia-m 1 * did not win last year. He wound up the season by running second -with 8.5 in the Hawke's Bay Cup to Uenuku 6.11, and was unplacpd. Grand Slam was again second with 8.8 to Kairoma 7.4 in Ihe Burko Memoria.l. With the exception of Ci-oss Battery, who has latterly been running like a stayer, but is booked for Australia, the form from Signor upwards, and, incidentally some of the others, has been touched upon, comment i.«. of course, out of the place, and will be so long as the law stands at present. A PROTECTIVE POLICY. The successful chase by American andforeign owners after some of the big prizes on the English turf appears to have created a bit of alarm at Home, probably because it is feared that a continuance of such a state of affairs would have a dispiriting effect on the British, but less fortunate, at , least, for the timebeing sportsman. Formerly, the British thoroughbred was claimed as the superior of all its off-shoots, but since the progeny has been treating the parent stock, a change of tone is noticeable with some of the critics. The " Special Commissioner " is one of the number, and he writes as follows: — "No good result can accrue to anybody by flooding the market in this country with yearlings, and as to bringing over stables of racehorses. I have already explained that it is extremely improbable that the Jockey Club stewards will tolerate anything of the sort being done on a large scale, and that they have full power to prevent it by refusing to allow the owners -to have their horses trained here. This cannot be too clearly or too soon understood, and no American owner, unless he be of the* class- of Mr James R. Keene, or Mr Belmont, should dream of transportinghis stable to England without first ascertaining from Messrs Weatherby whether he will be allowed to have his horses trained here. It is suggested they may come to Ireland, and that is quite another proposition, but they will not get fat over racing in Ireland unless on the principle of dog eat dog. The whole of Ireland does not' contain so many people as London alone, and most of them are penurious, so that it would be impossible to run really big meetings there on a commercial basis. No, I think our American friends will have to work out their own salvation as against their opponents, who have inherited the tainted blcod of. the Puritan fathers. They must fight for 'their own and not run away. If they do this resolutely they are sure to win, but if in panic they come rushing over here they will assuredly find that they have dropped the substance for the shadow." THE SUCCESSFUL STRAINS. Australian exchanges to hand by the latest mail contain statistics of success achieved by successful stallions in Australia. Graiton, the imported son. of Galopin, heads the list with £24,092 to his credit. To garner this amount his stock had to win 219 races, and Grafton's continued success marks him as one of the most successful stallions of the Southern Hemisphere. From 1904 to 1908 his stock have won 782 races, worth £96,958, and this amount does not include the value of a number of races which his stock have won in India. Wallace is second to Grafton with £19,638, spread over 70 races. Positano ranks third with £13,862, gathered 18 winners of 39 races. Phoebus Apollo, thanks to Apologue, is fourth with £8576. That promising sire Malster comes next with £8271, and then in order are: — Malvolio, £7979; Simmer, £7275; Haut Brion, £6483; Bobadil, £6208; Lochiel, £5731; Sir Tristram, £5281; and San Francisco with £5102 concludes the list of horses whose stock won £5000 or over during- the year. Of the dozen stallions included in the above list no less than eight are descendants of Galopin, whilst another of tho lot is Sir Tristram, whose dam is of Galopin descent. Lochiel keeps his ' memory green by getting in the first 12, but although he lias been a prolific sire ' of winners none of his sons have yet achieved anything to warrant their being called a worthy son of a worthy sire as far as stud life is concerned. THE D.J.C. SPRING. The appearance of the Dunedin Jockey ! Club's programme for their spring meeting is a pleasant reminder that the racing season will soon be crowding upon us, and trainers should be getting their horses in shape for the campaign. The present programme is the best the club has issued for a spring gathering at Wingatui, and, that being the case, it should win a considerable amount of patronage from horseoivners. The principal events are to be the Mosgiel Handicap, of 125sovs, one mile and a-quarter, and the Ranfurly Handicap, j of 12550v3, one mile, and, in addition to j these handicap events, there is to be the Dunedin Stakes, of 250sovs, for two-year-olde. This last-named event would arou=e a considerable amount of interest, as it will introduce racegoers to some well bred equine novices at the game. The balance of the programme is made up with the Spring Hurdles, of lOOsova; Trial Plato, of 170sovs; Electric Handicap, of 115sovs, six furlongs; Taioma Handicap, of 70sovs, five furlongs; October Welter Handicap, of lOOsovs, seven furlongs ; Waikari Hurdles, of lOOsovs ; Burnside Hack Handicap, of 60sovs, six furlongs; Domain Han- | dicap. of lOOsovs, four furlongs ; Shorts Handicap, of lOOsovs, five furlongs ; Ivaikorai Hack Handicap, of 60sovs, five furloners; and Telegraph Welter Handicap, of lOOsovs, seven furlonga. Nominations close on Friday, September 18. THE GORE RACING CLUB. The Gore Racing Club held its annual meeting last week, and the fact that about 40 members were present shows that considerable interest is taken in the affairs of the olub, and, incidentally, augurs well for the sport in that part of the world. The

report presented at the meeting showed that -a profit of £808 19s was made, over the season's operations, duping which £75 more was given away in stakes than was the case during the previous year, when a profit of £335 lls was recorded. During the year tho sum of £250 was expended in improvements, so it will be seen that the club has reason to be pleased with the financial result of its desire to cater for the sporting public. The sum of £1300 was given away in stakes at the spring and summer meetings, and under the circumstances Mr J. W. Kelly 's motion that a further increase of £300 be added to the prize-list should be carried into effect. Mr Kelly pointed out that there was practically £500 in hand, and that the club could afford to ma-ke the increase. Mr Kelly's motion, was warmly supported, and the president (Mi T. Green) said that the matter woukl be favourably considered by the committee It is pleasing to note that the G.R.O. has some ambitious members on its list, and are anxious -that their olub should launch out a bit bold«r in the future than has been the case in the pa6t. There is no doubt that racing has latterly been enjoying a wave of prosperity, and the clubs which recognised that fact have had no reason to regret any v additions they have made to their prize-lists. The Dunedm, Oamaru, Tima.ru, an<3 Ashburton Clubs- have all maida substantial increases to- their ' stakes, and in doing so met with a liberal patronage from horse-owners ; so much so that the result has been in every., case that increased stakes come to mean increased profits. This is also the case in the south. 1 where the Winton, R.iverton. and Southland Clubs are all prosperous. The Gore- Racing Club has a- good track, splendid saddling paddock accommodation, and the course is well situated on the main line, making it easy of access from the north and south.. Judged by the prize-mon«y attached to their principal races the ehib has been following a somewhat standstill policy, for as far back as 1E95 the Gore Cup was worth 70sovs, in 1900 it was the same figure, and the same again in 1907. Last year it was increased to 80sovs, which wa3 a similar amount to that attached to the race of 1903. The minor events have been increasing, but the public like to see good horses race, and it is to be hoped the club will endeavoi*. to cater mops liberally for them in th< future. They have the experience of other clubs to show that it pays to be ambitious, and no doubt the G.R.C. will be found following their example, and it*is to be hoped with a corresponding amount of success. PROFITABLE PURCHASES. It is interesting to look back at some of the principal purchases made by the late Mr G. G. Stead in recent years and note how they afterwards fared. From 1901 up to the time of his death Mr Stead purchased over 50 yearlings, at an outlay of about £21.000, and during the same period horees belonging to him won in stake money £100.000. In the vea-rs 1899 and. 1900 MiStead expended a lot of money, and got together a number of good horses at that time. Among them were 1 Menschikoff, for whom he gave 200gs, Royal Artillery lAOOge, Cruciform 325g5, Siege Gun 650ge, Field Battery 525g5, San Patricia llOgs, San Remo 725g5, and Knight Errant 225g5, the total outlay beuvg 4160gs for those mentioned. The two last-named proved failures, and Menschikoff and Royal Artillery retired from racing at three years. Nevertheless, the lot returned £15,073 in stake money. Menschikoff won £4290, and was afterwards put to the stud, where he sired many good horses, the latest, Armlet, who went to Sydney last spring and took the A. J.C Giracraok Stakes, and was sold for 500gs; while Royal Artillery brought lOOOgs. Multiform Mr Stead got in the sale rm£ for 215gs. and what a luoky investment he has proved! In stakes he won £7380 in three seasons. Then he was sold for several thousands to go to England, Sir Ernest Oassell being the purchaser. Then Mr Stead, desiring to get the horse back to New Zealand, gave Sfcrew Gun in exchange, and while the latter proved a failure Multiform established a gTeat reputation as a sire, among his get being Nightfall, NoctuifoTm, and Boniform; the two first-named 1 won £7854 in stakes, and the last-named £2087. Noctuiform was purchased by the English sportsman, Mr J. Buchanan*, for 5000gs, and went to England with Nightfall, who also brought a good price. At th« sale Multiform brought 3750r5, Cruciform, who, as before stated, was purchased for 325g5, brought 135O;?s. Problem' cost 340gs. and produced Count Witte. Nobel, and Acrostic. Count Witte won £850 in stakes and sold at 200gs; Nobel made 425g5, and Acrostic 700gs. THE ASHBURTON SPRING MEETING. The direction of the owners of trotters and pacers is drawn to the fact that, owing » to sp-ecial circumstances, the New Zealand Trotting Association has granted the Ash- , burton County Trotting Club permission to run the trotting events on its programme with the conditions unaltered from those of last year. Consequently both trotters and pacers will be eligible for nomination. Since laqt season the Ashburton Club has effected further improvements on its <*m r se, and it is confidently expected that all the alterations will be in readiness for the meeting to be held on the 16th and 17th of next month. The horse-boxes have been removed to a more convenient site, and other improvements are being carried out which will greatly add to the comfort of .the club's patrons. A special traitn *»£««. running at cheap fares will be on hand, and owners are reminded that nominations for the meeting are due on the <29tn.