IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2849, 21 October 1908, Page 55

IN A NUTSHELL.

— Count "Witte is shaping pleasingly in his icork at Riecarton. — The breeding of Saga's dam is " surxounded in mystery." — A five-year-old sister to Leonardo is to join D. Moraghan's stable. — Spinning Flight ran well in both bis laces last week,- but failed to catch a win. —ijLr W. J. M*rshall bas sold Grand Stand, *nd tbs gelding becomes a> stable companion of Stormont. ' —It is reported that E. M'2famara bas been engaed to ride Grenadier in future engagements. —It is understocd that H. Donovan has been engaged to ride Sunglow in the Stewards' Handicap. — Ringdove, "who bas never quite recovered from a ricked knee, has baen scratched fox the New Zealasd Cup. — Nominations for tbe Tahuna Park Trotting Club's Spring Meeting are dus on Saturday, November 14. — Heirloom is now trained by R. Ellis, and under bis mentorsbip ran two fairly geeft tout unlucky races last week. — A Christchurch telegram states that Bobrikoff waa. scratched for the*- New Z«a- J land Cup.ii* 1.40 p.m.- on Monday. I — Goldbe.-T.ir aad the two-year-olds Apple- , earth and: Scmsisault hav-a lett for tbe X^oith Island to fulfil nort&rn engagements. — Harvest is on th© improve, and his torm at Wingaiui last -week va» much better than ! he displayed when racing at Geraldino. — When put under the hammer in Sydney Cross Battery was parsed in at 600 guineas, j and not 60 guineas as given by cable. — A London calia states that Mr Buchanan told Noctuifcrm (Multiform — La iSotte) at auction at Newmarket for 500 guin-?.<'s. — The Tahuna Park Trotting Club give I away 1180sovs in stakes at their soring meet- I ing, or 189scvs above the amount given away last year. ' — Amongst the horses looking bright and •well at present, but susceptible to improvement, are Flavour, Sam Weller, Rifle Range. nnd Somateria. —My Lawyer has not improved' in his respiratory organs since last year, and still snakes .considerable noise when trying to ■win a case on the turf. — Armamento is sinking in the handicaps, and his form this season 13, up-to-date, considerably bslow what be displayed at tha : last Dunedia Cup meeting. | —Mr H. Piper was in excellent form at ' the barrier when officiating at Wirgatuf last "week, and when he gave the word te-go the fields were invariably well in line. — Some very interesting- sport was witnessed during bath days of the D.J.C. epnng meeting, and close and interesting finishes were of frequent occurrence. ! — rThe well-known reinsman Tom Robert- ■ son, who generally pilots the Allendale Stock Farm horses in. their races, duove four wimiers at a recent Richmond meeting. — 'Casque looked to hold an excellent ■winning chance when inside tbe distance at ihe finish of the Telegraph Welter, but Mango got up and pipped him on the post. — Cuirossettia looked in fairly good order wben sent out for his races last week, but aft* being prominent until reaching the straight, be faded away at tbe business end cf his journeys. . ~ — •• Serenade, a ponified three-year-oid by J Obligado, showed a bit of pace when he j •won the Taioma Hack Handicap, and 1 as a Tesult was awarded a substantial increase of Height lor his one win.

. — JJebnartk), who won both Hurdle "events at Wingatui last week, is now a better noise than when be won up north, and it is understood will in. good time be given a chance to win over big country. — Owing to going a trifle sore the Multiforn>—Lady Rosslyn colt Multifoil, destined to carry tbe Zetland spots banner of the Hon. G. ifLean, was not given a run at the D.J.C. spring meeting. — All Cufts's team are now doing well, except Glenculloch, who split a fiit recently; but tbe injury is not deemed sufficiently serious to interfere with bis preparation for spring engagements at Ricarton. — The Brighton gelding Ngawere was fancied for the Trial Plate laet -week, bnt he was one of the first horses whom tbe writer noticed in trouble when beads were turned for the winning post. — Hewitt has noi ridden- many winners tLir. season in England, but evidently th-are jj 1 * still hope ior hiza, its at a recent Jivestir cj *t Derby bis mount is reported to have "roc-n cleveriy by t'aree psrts of a length." — The Tahuna Park TrottiEg Club ar e again offering a 20sors purse and Ssovs gold medal for the establishment of a new track record. It is, as usual, 'open to all horses nominated at their spring meeting. — Peterhof. tbo premising thiee-year-o!! brother to Oiioff, " in training at Caulfield recentiv, broke a bloodvessel, aad is not likely* to bo seen out at the T.A.T.C. meeting, wher« be claimed valuable engagements. — Ard Heigh looked fairly well iast week, but ran badly in both bis races at "Wragatui, and is evidently not tbe horse be was ai tbe back end of last season. His recent racing, however, may help to bring him on a bit ' " — KaikomtSc-v w« running fairly well in tbe Wakari Eurdtes last week until he struck a fence at the back of the course, and tbie caused him to low ground, but be came again, and just beat Leeside for third place at tbe finish. —The Stepniak m/sure Linda nnisbed v«ry reraiutely in Jhs Burnside Hack Handicai>, aiiir ju3t got up in time to be»i Spinnirg Flight in th« nia from the ba]f distac^jp. Linda's 6ucces« in the race- put 3 her out of the "hack"' class. — Tbe shadows do not always correctly forecast coming events. Lupulite bobbed about in tbe market prior to his win laet week, and many look that as ad omen that be was not farxifrd. He won, nevertheless, and paid a fairly geed price. — The race-books issued in connection with the D.J.C. spring meeting contained the performances for the previous year of the horses engaged at tbe meeting. They were r>ot iri all cases complete, but still they sounded a pleasing note of progression. — Mahuta has arrived at Riccartcn. . H« was one of the fir&o arrivals last year,, and subsequently put up some excellent -work, hut fai!.ed to" tee o\i± 'vm- Cup distsj-ce. Thc-e was, bowever K «n impiession abroad that he was not ready to run two nsil6s. — Armamentc's form at Wingatui last week does not lead one to errlhuso about his N.Z. Cup chqece. \and Red and Black appeared to bs deliberate??- cutting it when b« was twisting his flag a + - th? tail of the fieM which contested Banfurly Handicap. — Octave bas been coughing lately, &?& although running wall ia« week tre.s, owing to her ailment, not quite at ber beet. In England the direst calamity that can happen is ior a fancy for any of the big events to be beard coughing, but here it is a meTe — The Wingatui regulars at the D.J.C. spring meeting wer e pleased to see the Hoc. George M'Lcan once more in the foreground on tbe stewards' stand. His colours were carried several times at the meeting, but without^ catching the judge's eye as a firs., past tbe post. *" — Several horEes in D. J. Price's stables were suffering from influenza just uefore^tne last mail to hand left Melbourne, and although Pink 'Un was removed to fresn quarters it is possible he may have picked up enou£i» ©1 it to account for bis non-success m _l h l shapely' gort^of ft hcrse that attracted a good deal of notice last week was the Stepniak-Lady Lorraine colt Warsaw. He is a bad beginning at present, and after getting "low awal in tie Trial Plate finished third^ His dam was got by Loname >P«»°° *" Maria Theresa) irom Lady of the Lakes, a of the unluOaeat horses seen out last week. In his first race be was ridden by a boy makjng his first appearance in colours, and naturally did not ha£ his chance improved by that fact On the second day, when handled by an e^ perienced rider, he was beaten by Saga, who " dropped from tbe cloud.. — Mango put up a good fight in his races la-t week and when be scored on the iocond day of the meeting came from bety ClanranaU to the well-known hurdler C '^ g Tpecial rule adopted by the Tabuna Park Trotting Club, and which has ten m uce by them for some time, but which has net b-en taken advantage to any great extent in ;he past, ia that placed horses on the first day may hi nominated for a higner class on the second day. Such nominations mu «t bs made by 8 p.m. on the night of the first day's racing. — Fandanso. ap.9i»i;d by Sipa. was responsible fcj- the pacemaking" in \h^ early stages of tbe Mosgiel Handicap, -and that showing wa<j probab'y ths cause of 6. good deal cf support beinpc recorded him in the final race of the meeting. Ths brother to Grand Kapids, however. r?n bad'j; end evidently belongs to a clsrs consiaelably below the i 20ew Zealand Cup winner. j —The Multiform— Cuifow Bell filly Sweet Avgehis was acoirJed a good deal of sunport for the Ele?tnr Handicap la^t week, but failed io resist Dab^hick's challenge at th^ finish. Sweet Angelus has grown a good daal since last year. and has a fair amov.nl of pace over a short course bui fiom lack of stamina, or lack of cordiuon, is at prssent not partial t» even a six-fur!org r/>urse It \e pleasinar to note thdt the Talmna. Park Trottins: Club are not lagging behind in the new idea in oater for the true trotter, and at their spring meeting two Tosovs stakes find a place on their programme. The first of these is over 2i miles, 6.50J c'-ass (2.44 gait), and the other over 3 miles for an 8.6 c'ass (2.42 gait). Anyone wi'h a good SLsyer should certainly pa-tronise" these e\ ant 3. — Tbe D.J. Club's efforts to cater for hurdlers at their spring meeliug met with a poor response from horpe owners. There is rcom for a useful hurdler or two about here nowadays, and tbe stakes attached io these races are well worth winning. In fact, tbeie appears to be a chance of a moderate horse winning n>ore over the small sticks than p fairly eood ov& can ot.rn on the flat. — The fo'lowiug figures give the fluctuations and growth of pormlarity of the D.J.C. -"fring meeting:— ln 1901 tbe- tote returns

wexe £8147; 1902, £6497; 1903, £6907; 1904, £6323; 1905, £7600 10s; 1906, £10,867; 1907, £12,462 10a ; aria ibis year _£10,853 was registered; in addition to which the amount received from the bookmakers made the returns mere than equaJ to i»st year's figures. — The Obligado filly Liza, carrying Mr H. Goodman's colours at Wingalui last week, goi. a bed. passage in both her races, and Dame Rumour is eiying that on the second occasion the interference was born of "malice aforethought." That ehe got a particularly rough journey on the second day was quite apparent, but whether it cam* about by design or accident is a moot point. — Mr it. Daweon is handling a racy-looking two-y«ar-o'd chestnut filly by George M. P&ichen from fchtf Kentucky mare Liberia, the «ia;ra of First Pet. George M. Patchen invariably leaves gccd-lookiiig stock, and confiequ«2itly if liiey are not Bpcecy enough for lacing piirposes malic Etylish roadsters. Tihe twc-y-as.r-c'd mentioned sbove is a truegaitad trcttcr, and not a pacer like * large unrnber of the Georg& M. Pctche&s. — Maraaiti is ifce first New Zealand-bred horset to win the CsnlfieM Cup, but l««t yeas: another Maorilander, in Apologue, acted aa runcer-up to Pcseidcn. Maranui was bied by his o-wner. Mr -D«e O'Brien, and w«s got by Mfclfciua (eon of Malue), from Grafin by Carbine, from I»qj-al Peel.se* by The Peer/ 'Maranui and Agoiogne are the only horses br«d in this country • that have tfver ran into a place in the Caulfield Cup. — Whea Mr William Brown purchased Otlerd«n at the bue*k-«p of the late Mr G. G. Stead's _ stnd some doubt esieied 'as tc whether this distinguished dura was in foal b? MuKiform, but the latest from "Whittinghsra is tha-t the mare is surely in fcal. This is a gratifying piece of news, says an" exchange, for if the youngster thxiv-ae it will be a valuable aseet, inasmuch an it will bear full relationship to such performers as Sungod and Boniforro. — Probable has incurred a 7lb penalty for the New Zealand Cup by his trio of snecesses:at Ashburton, Geraidine, and Dunedin. He was galloped on daring iho nace for the Mosgiel Handicap, but not seriously enough to interfere with his Cup preparation. There is a compensating effect about Probable's penalty, as the incurred penalty will allow H. Donovan, who has been Associated in the saddle with the horse's wincing form, to have the mount in the Cup. — Petrovna ms purchased by Mr F. -Nelligan s>£ter her race on tba second day of the jj.J.C. spring meeting for, it is understood, £•200. The daughter of Stepniak will remain in T. Cotton's stable, and should rot ■be long in roturniEg her purchase money. Petrovna has no* an enlarged near front fetlock, but is evidently Bouid enough, «.rd that her pecs ia still unimpaired is evident fiom l-'ae fact tliet wiih. a bit of luck ehe might have bsate.i Lupulite laai week. — Dabchick won the EJeolric Handicap laet woek in really attractive style. She caught and wore Mown the speedy Sweet Angelus XT.d won, going away from her. Her form in ■Sche r*ce euj^oaied she .would stay, on, but pftsr teiog- prpj-uiii«at in tbs early part of '.Us Eacfuriy Hendicap ehe fodeil away at the fvaisli, and evidently a milo is at pie■Efent. "oey-->ad her compass. SJLva is a lisndsoißO filiy. -kx-A on that score won a, gcod deal of aclroira-ucn last w?ok. " — The Tahuna Paik Trotiting Chib have * •■•ulfc waich is mor? observed in the breach (or l&ck of breaches) than in the observance, and it ia the cue wh.:ch. pivovides that aJll ridara and drivers sl'all appear in proper "toetuaao. It .does not add to the ton.3 of a maetirg to see several riders garbed as If the? were burkeauing their UD-to-date riv«l jcclcevs and reintsmen. and it is to ba hoped the club will insist on future ob- , servance of the rule. — There is a possibility that a couple of steeplechase events will be included in the D.J.C. winier programme if sufficient encouragtment is ofierpd. A splendid crosscountry course cou'd bs laid out at Wingatui. and such an excellent v'aw o r the run could be obtained tha-t the races would be very popular with the public. It is many years eince * steeplechase w«a run ucder the" D.J.C. management, and possibly many of our local sports have never seen a raos between the flags. — H. Donovan has lidden tL« winner of the three big handicans deei«3«d at the Ashburton, GeraJdine, vn& Dun«din meetings, and on -sach oosasion displayed excellent horsemanship. Donovan is not so much in tli3 public eye as some of the freouently lauded North Islanders, but that dees Dot raean be is less capable than bis chief opponents in the saddle. In his ca^e success means capability, and rot a result of the luck in catching mounts bern of continual beaming. — Smdl&hot gave _a very poor display over hurdles at Wingstui last week, and his precence in Wednesday'B field cost Leeaide his cha.ace in tha race. Subsequent eveni«, towever, conclusively proved that Leonardo I would have beaten Leeside even, if the latter I bad the clearest of runs. W. O'Connell was i Warned for allowing Smallshot to g«t in hia i way. but it i* eelclcan a horse stous dead ' at his fenc«* like tbe Leinster geld?ng did. j and fh» miehap to I>ee<id« appeared to be occasioned more by bad luck than lack of judgment. - — Valdimar, who won a double at Wingatui la3t week, cost his owner 70 guineas. The gelding is a good-looking acrt. except that lie is inclined to turn in his front toes. Another thing about iis confirmation is the horce's remarkably long wither, which runs haif- way into the back. Valdimar was got by Piigrim's Prcgrass from thai, good mare Tsariiza, who was a good winner, although generally raced in a very beefy coadition Ttarnza. was get by Stepniak from Irene, by bcud from a mare of ou unknown breeding but said to b& thoroughbred. °"' —Amongst the visitors at Wirigatui on the first day of the D.J.C spring meeting was Mr Gibba. tk« well-known southern handicapper. The compilation of handicaps for southern racas must naturally ba considerably influenced by racirg at Winfratni; but still the scutheru handicappcrs in the pa?t have- been by no means frequent visitors at cur turf headquarter". .Southern racinjj club? and routhern horse-ov.-nars hvva boih been somewhat indifrersnt in this important matter whi.h is indeed a \ery remarkalile fact, eonsidenrg that handicapping is the backbone of cur racing. — According to " Glencoe," Mr Barclay, the owiier of Penates, who returned from the otljer side dujing last week, endorse? the opinion expressed by other New Zealanders, that Mooltan is tho best borae at present racing in Australia. He also formed a gcod opinion of the three-year-old Parsee. and expects the colt to continue in winning vein. Of Sir Aymer, he says that th« reason the imported liors* has been co Leaviiy baekett for the Melbourne Cup i<3 becaufe lie showed Ike Earnshaw a better trial ilian ever last j ear's v. inner (Apologue) did. — Two supposed dead-'uns at TVingatui last week were Mythical and Sweet Angelue. At least, so some of the "wise-acres" said. As c matter of fact, when Pine rede the former ho could hardly keep his ssat owing to the saddle slipping, and he was already in sufficient trouble through being sore and stiff as a Tesult of his fall when schooling Leeside at Eicoarton. Sweet Angelua. after running a good xoce, only got beaten in tho

last few strides, and probably the reason why she was dead (dead after it) was because her owner came all the wny from the West Coast to hack her, and the stable and all its friends were on i 4 to a man. — White Cockade ran a gcod race under difficulties in the Mcsgiel Handicap, and after getting well away dropped and lost his position through being galloped on at tbe first turn. He was last when running three furlongs from home, and making an apparently injudicious run on the hill got in front before reaebing the distance post. This attempt to win co far from home, combined with, hi* previous bad luck, must have taken a lot of the steel out of him, and it was no great wonder he failed to resist Probable's challenge at ihe business end of tbe journey. White Ccckade is evidently developing staying powera, and in the future should be found making amends fear his defeat of last week. — Tbe Wynoham Racing Club lias decided to giv« 330sovs in stakes at their next annual meeting. Last year th© clui> gave away 280sovs, and passed £3038 through the totaksatar. The rules of racing provide that no club -shall give a less turn in stakes fhan the ret cmouni derived from r£« tree of tbe totalisator during the previous year; so that the increase cf E&akes given by th« Wyndham Cub is what might- be termed *■ natural one rather than -one springing from progressive sdsas. However, as the majority of the N«w Zealand clubs axe tarred with tbe same Vrusli. it ,is not alte^ettM? fail to single out a minor club- for the purpose of rating euch a fact. Tbe principle object fox doing co is for the reason that, should the contemplated reduction in meetings be .carried into effect, it will naturally be the clubs which have noi proved {heir genuine right to «xdat that will be the first to ba guillotined by the Dates Committee. — It was a fortunate thicg that the Dunedin Jockey Club gay« sufficient inducement in tbe way of stakes to attract a fair amount of visiting horses to Wingatui last week, as otherwise some very poor fields ■would hay« bsen seen out at the gathering if purely local support ha-tfc to be relied upen to furnish the sport. On the first day five ovrt of the six runners in the Mosgiel Handicap came from. Canterbury, and on the eeeond four of the eight runners in tihe Banfurly Handicap came from, the same place. Visitors were also strongly r«pr»sented in the other races on the programme, and a study of the fields will conclusively show how essential it is that good stakes have to be offered' if a club is desirous of providing the reasonably large, fields which attract the public. ,The majority of our cluba are in the same position; si-ill they have to be whipped: up by progressive spirits in order to realise that all-important 'fact. — Although Pink 'Un was stoutly supported for the Caulfield Cup. his party were full of doubt as to the horse's ability to last cut a fast-run 12 furlongs, and unfortunately for them their fears were too well grounded. Some of the critics prior to the race spoke of " carefully planned ccups." " deep-laid schemes," etc.. and* pferhaus they -will now tender their apologies- to tne owners of this year's favourite for their ill-natured criticisms, -which between the lic e s appear to pray for Pink 'Uns downialL According to the cabled report of the race Pink 'Un was second to move off, out -in the nest mention of his name he is given *s being fairly well bask from, the leader. It will b2b 2 intexesimg to learn how Euch a brrllant Korse lost his position so quickly. In any case' the CauifWd mile and a-haH is n«t as eaay as F'-sminMon. The going is softer and the incline up the back also tends to nijVe a hor« feel th© full length of the journey. —A new method of keeping records 01 . racing perfcxmaKoss for the guidance of the handlcapper has 1-atsly beea devised by Mi A J Gray, secretary and Landicapper for the A=cot and Richmond Racing Clubs, MclODiirne. The pan is to have a photograph of th? finish of every race run on th? course? controlled by the general manager. Mr J. Wren, and the picture, ehowmg the position of ey^ry horse within snap-3b.ot distance of tbe winning-post • is sub3eoueni.ly pasted in a book with the names of the hordes marked under tbe photograph. When a horse win* "by a street" it is shown in tbe picture, ir'd it is of no value to an owne- to come along later on and try to persuade the hand;capper that be has been badly treated in the adjustment of weights. The photograph "cannot lie." and a persuasive owner can, on being shown the true state of things in black and white. 1-3 easily satisfied that the bandicapcer has hi* records correct, and that he knows what be it about. A glance through the book of photographs is interesting. TTie system practically reduce? tha allotment cf penalties to a science and by its adoption (pays an rxchanaco*). ari».r thinking out the plan for hini-elf. Mr Gray ha 3 j ut himself in a position to do his work to the paiisfact-.on of honest owners and the race-loving public.