WHAT IS LUCK?

Otago Witness, Issue 2855, 2 December 1908, Page 54

WHAT IS LUCK?

In the courss- of a most interesting article by " Vanoc." the well-known contributor to the English Referee, under the title oC " What is Luck? " the writer, ''with his usual broad-mindedness, tolerance, and common sense, says that "as much claptrap is talked about gambling as about Everybody gambles. The "goody-goody do it in one way, other peoplein another. W v here is the Scran* who does not find it prudent to take the odds from that particular kind of ready-money bookmaker called an insurance company that hig house will not be burnt down on ont of 365 days from the date of the bet? Almost every kind of business involves the study of chances, and the be«t business man is the best studemt of chances — i.e., he who knows when to increase his stake and when to cut- his losses. So deeply is ihe question of luck beund up with the londuct of high finance that the house o£ Rothschild is understood always to have acted on the principle of having nothing to do with 'an unlucky man. In the vast field' of sport one constantly meets with cases of men and animals who are so notoriously lucky or the reverse that the ancient belief in the good or fevil start is accounted for if not established.

'• If it were not for our belief in luck life would lose much of its savour. What is called the frightful prevalence of gambling is nothing more than insurrection, against the rigidly severe and deadly conditions of monotonous industrialism. It baa always been a mystery why British Governments refuse to recognise the existence- of a universal passion for risking sprats in the capture of whales. In foreign coun- ' tries considerable sums are easily obtained for the support of hospitals and for the relief of the poor by imposing a small toll on gambling transactions. The reason'~why sanctimonious counsels prevail is not because our rulers hate vice, but because, they fear those of their supporters who ere not; sportsmen National capital, in the form of telegraph plant and wages, is invested on every racecourse in the kingdom. As you cannot extirpate private vice by coercive laws, the wise statesman takes human nature as it is, and utilises national habits for national purposes. Them can be no doubt that street- betting is an evil, but if bookmakers were licensed there would be no more difficulty in stopping street-betting; than in preventing unlicensed foewker* from peddling their goods at the kerbstone. Perhaps Mr Lloyd search after * hen roost to rob will end in the discovery of a poultry yard in the universal 'Qesiyo to try one's luck.

*' After all deductions are made, however, there 13 a mystery about good Juck aridill luck that is at present unfathomed. One man toils all day and catches nothing; another strolls to the banks of the stream

of life, and the fish jostle one another for * the honour of taking his fly. "Whether this is luck or not we cannot tell, but the elusive charm of good fortune is probably due to the fact that some of its laws era , not understood." IN A NUTSHELL. —G. Price has beem retained io ride Diabok) in the Auckland Cup. — Nominations for the Tuapeka meeting are due on Monday, December 14. — -Golden Slipper is once more amongst • the -active brigade in commission at Randwick, — Nominations for the Gore Trotting Club's meeting afe due on Saturday. December 12. — Nominations are due on Tuesday next for the Wyndham Racing Club's annual meeting. , — San Severo and Jessie Lewars gave a lot oi trouble when at the post for their races at Timaru. , , "Ehe Timaru track was hard and fast last weak, and rapid times were of common occur* nee. , _-.. ... „ • — for the Waikouaiti Raoing Club/s annual meeting are due on Friday, December 11. v — Kominatwns the Cromwell Jockey Club's annual meeting, are due on' Wednesday, Becember 9. — ~Ht H. J. Gonrley 7 liandicapper to we Tahana P*tk Trotting Club, has left on a visit to Tasmania-. — Persuader ran bslow form last weeic, and did .not display the da*hv he has mustered up at times. ' — Volclia ran c couple of good races last week, but the opposition was too good for her at the weights. The sprinter Motoa was booked to *ail for Australia this week, and joints D. J. Price's stable «t Mordialloc. — The Rothschild pony Bright, who was amongst the winners at Tahuna Park, is out of a half-sister to The Urchin. — Apologue, who was purchased by an Indian buyer, with the object of winning the Viceroy's Cup, is reported to be amiss. — Mida scored comfortably when she annexed the opening event on the S.C.J.C. card, and also ran well up on tie second — Obligate pulled up lame after a gallop on the morning of the first day at Timaru, and in consequence was not started at the meeting. English papers state that L*dv de Bathe (Mrs Langtry) won £20.000 in bets by the success of her horee Tl envoi in the Cesarewitch Stakes. —•George Laing. the well-known horseman, received a bad fall whilst schooling Sedgemoor over fences at Wanganui, and had four of hi* ribs broken. —It is reported that when T. Cahill rode Pilot to victory in the Cup Steeplechase at Fiernington he w*e presented with a stake by the owner oi the i»orse. , — The Wellington Racing Club's .summer prcgrarome chows an increase of WSOsovs over the amount) given away at the last "Wellington Cup meeting. . — The Sydney Royal Agricultural Society has decided to publish a trotting stud book, and the publication will embrace horses in all parts of the • Commonwealth. **Tbe "Ribbon wcod colt Silver Ribbon, who got amongst tihe winners at Geraldine. appeared in the aune role at Timaru, where he won nicely in 2min 41 l-ssec. — Vladimar got * bad passage in the principal race on the second day of the Timaru meeting, and did well in finishing a close fourth under the circumstances. Master Alix appears to be standing up to bis work, and has evidently trained on since at Oamaru, but the hard going . at Timaru ccruld not have been in his favour. —E. Griffen had the bad luck to lose a useful horee in Thunderer when the tetter broke his neck in ih» accident which occurred in the race for the President's

Welter. — Jessie Lewara. c Stepniak filly, whom rumour credts with being a flyer, was seen out at Timaru. but was principally remarkable for a strong disinclination to face the barrier. — Ard Reigh is usually regarded as a sprinter, but last week he went one better by running a fair second to Tikitere over seven furlomjs in lmin 28 2-ssec whilst giving away 161b. — The Hon. George M'Lean and Mr P. Miller, prominent officials of the Dunedin Jockey Club, were amongst the spectators at tbe first day of the Tahuna Park Trotting Crab's meeting. — Messrs H. and P. Osborne have sold the

lAaribyrnong Plate winner Brookong for\ 1000 guineas to Mr M. A. Currie. of Victoria, and the colt goes into Walter Hickenbothem's stable.

— Silfcweb won both "his races >at Timaxu in brilliant style, and although it was understood he had had a light preparation, comfortably ran half * nuje in 49sec and five furlongs in lmin 1 4-seec. — Cerise and Bine, who paid a big dividend when he won at the Cup meeting, ran •well "in both his races at Timaru. but could only manage a brace of thirds to Silkweb. ■who .won" nicely each day. — Another of the Stepniak — Irene tribe, in Volodia, showed .sinning form last week. She is a nice cut of a filly, and on the improve under the mentorslrp of the oldtime Dunedinite, James M'Guiness.

— Tessera, looked batter to the eye when.

stripped at Timaru than the writer has previously noticed her, but she still failed to gather the shekels. P-erhaps it was the not uncommon complaint of looking too well. — Captain- Tracy, a good-looking sort of a three-year-old by General Tracy, from Triiby, showed a fair amount of pace in the esrly stages of the St. Kilda Handicap, but he commenced to tire after going half a mile. — In order to further popularise the Miramar Racecourse, the committee of the Wellington Pony and Galloway Racing Club have decided that at their future meetings ladies will be admitted free to all parts of the course. — Outlander was only stripped once at Hinaru, when he ran a good second to Harvest. The Finland horse looked all over a winner until Harvest arrived witih a late run and beat him in the last few strides in 2min 8 2-seec. — The wins achieved by Harvest and Peirovna at Timaru last week were very popu~ar with local sports, and "it was the proud man" he must have been when Mr F. Nelli-

pan saw his green and gold triumphing it midst « salvo" of cheers. ** — Lad/ Qrizoin ran a good second in the Farewell Handicap, but was beaten in the last few strides by the .r;me old veteran Petrovna, who. by the way, 'has proved a rare -bargain *t the 200sova which Mr F. Kelligan piud for her. — The American-bred coJt, Norman 111. who won the - Two Thousand Guineas, was successful in the Newmarket St. Leger Stakes last month. Starting second favourite*, he beat St. Wolf and three others in 3min 15sec for the mile and three-quarters. — Probable did not run up to form last week. At lea*t, he did not hit out with ' the freedom he displayed earlier in the ■MBon, and the son of Primula has evidently '

gone off ft trifle. A tttief spell, however, | should freshen him np again. • ! — Boutade the winner of the Hopeful . Stakes a.t Timaru, had previously shown good form in public. She was got by Formosan (brother to Cruciform) from Escapade by Pilgrim's Progress, from HeTa by The Drummer — Devotion, by Goldsbrough. — When Kilts finished third in the Flying Handicap at Timaru he carried 12lb overweight. The son oi Ayr Laddie— Annerhe has grown into a fine cut of a colt, and has a lot of pace, but is said to be very nervous when running in a field of horses. — The three first winners at Tahuna Park on Saturday were got by Rothschild, and a son of his in Geo. M. Patchen, whilst Vitella, who was disputing winning honours with Exchequer, throughout the run in the Domain Handicap, is out of a Rothschild mare. — Albury. who^gave a proficient display over the Riccartct country when he raced at the last National meeting, could not be persuaded to jump at the Dune Sin show last week. Another good fencer in St. Kooringa would not jump when asked to cross a stone fence at the Taieri. . . — Jack Tracy had no difficulty m winning the Stewards' Handicap in omin 2sec, and j will in all probability do much better. He is «, powerful sort of a thor.se.and acts with great vim. Jack Tra<!y was got by General Tracy from Little Jane, by Spot from • Morris Dancer mere. ' — Motorist ran two seconds on Saturday last, and i& one of the unlucky performers on the trotting track. He is unquestionably brilliant, but evidently some people are Ox opinion that weight makes no difference to * pacer or trotter, even when they are only just about pony height. — A London paper sa-yn that among the summonses for hearing in Chambers on October was one in an action " Sievier v. Joel, which was understood to be a summons for directions in an action commenced by Sievier to recover damages for alleged malicious prosecution from Joel. The Prince Imperial fiily Areida was made a strong favourite for the Seadown j Trot at ~imaru, but went under to another Prince Imperial in Merry Prince. The latter paid a big dividend, but had to run the gauntlet of -a protest for alleged inconsistent running before getting the stake. — The Geo. M. Patchen mare Separator comfortably ctenped omin Bsec when she won the Trial "Handicap on Saturday, and her display so impressed tte handicapper that he penalised her; 25sec in the Musselburgh Handicap. In'" her secend race she lost a weight and spoilt her chance. _ j — Next year's produc" of the American ; harness horses Peter The Great and Grace Bond has been sold by \V. E. D. Stokr-s for 2500 dollars. It doeen't look mucu as though the trotting horse industry was very much depressed (says an exchange),^vhen an unborn foal brings such a p«ce. —In Gernisuv it is proposed that racing societies should allow gent'emen riders a certain sum of money equivalent to a se<«ndclasfe return journey from their place of residence to the meeting where they . pur\ pose Tiding, with a further allowance of 30s a day for the payment of hotel expenses. ' —In England' the fee to a jockey who wins a steeplechase or hurdle race of nhe advertised value of lOOsovs or upwards,- is 10 guineas, and to a losing jockey sgs. Unaer Jockey Club Rules a winning jockey s fee is five guineas and a losing jockey's fee three guineas, whatever the value of the race may — Stepniak was kept well in the forefront by tfc,3 results at Timaru On the first day Linda and Czar Kolohol were winners and place-getters Vologda, Cute, and Steplink. On tbe second day winners were Cute, Caspian. Vologda, and Petrovna. whilsc -place-setters were Master Ahs, Czar Koloiiol, Volodia. «nd Linda. Chatam was whispered about as one ot the best things on the first day's card of the T P T.C meeting, and although the heavy rain which set in would have settled many an otherwise would-be certainly, the Young Berlin gelding managed to deliver the goods, although he slipped about a bit at one stage of the proceedings. , -Cvmbifcrm, the two-year-old ran of Multiform and Saucer (dam of Porcelain), thaped promisingly at Timaru last week, and then hashed "out a bit more sh ou lo win before the season closes. He is a beautifullybred colt, as his dam was got by Sorcerer from Angola, by Macbealh from Argelica, a a-ster to St. Simon. _ „ -Czar Kolohcl. the brother to Kremlin, has latterly been fulfilling tome of his eariy promise, as his last three outmgs include two wins and a second— making m all tne best form he has shown. In the Presic ni .s "Welter he won in good style with 9.4 in lmin 29sec, and on the second day ran a good £fc - n Orloff, the" C.J.c!' Derby winner of 1902, and hero of other notable equine batJes. was in the paddock at the S.C J.C meetmg. and doing duty as a 'umble f «ck. The state of his legs clearly shows that his racing: career is a thing of the .puttal it " pleasing to note that he is evidently well cared for by his owner. i — The South Canterbury Jockey C»ub con- j tinue to effect improvements on their course, j The parade and weighing-in enclosure has b«sn considerably increased, and -the stall accommodation in the saddling paddock can , now shelter £3 borre?. In addition there is a large number of hz,xcs on the course for the convenience of visiting trairers. — Lupulite was given <i couple of races at Timaru but again faded out at the finish of his work. In the Flying Handicap. live furlongs. B« led for about four furlongs, and then was passed by San Sev«ro. to whom he was conceding 48lb. On the second day he got eko-pped cut at the start, aud although vigorously ridden could not get a p"ace. — Ihe well-known Kiug Ilarold gelding Punch, who has been running in pony rac<-s for several years past, was put under the standard on Saturday. and« failed to pats the Tahuna Park troiting stewards Piinch has been running a? an aged" pony for fully 10 years past, and hia case is a remarkable instance of a renewal of growth in old age

— Some idea of the best long-distance form in England this year as compared with the best French may be gained from the finish of the richly-endowed Prix de Municipal at Paris last month, when Biniou. a French horse, gave Radium, the best stayer in England. 201b and a beating. They do not encourage two-year-old racing in France. — A contemporary states that an Indian buyer had the refusal of Peru prior to tho spring meeting for 2000 guineas, but after seeing the horse Tun declined to deal. Since then Peru has won .S-2257 in stakes Had the Indian buyer taken this honest son of Grafton. he would have had a cheap horse to-day, fud a worthy opponent for Moollau next year. — Alpha H.. the first of California s stock to race at Tanuno- Park, showed pace, but ran a bit greenly. California was imported from Ame-rioa by Mr J. A. Bucklacd as a pure-gnited trotter, but the eon of Mendocino paced when he was raced here. Alpha H. is out of Hush, a sister to Valour, and is & trotter, a somevr 1 at notable fact considering that 'pacers predominate in his pedigree. — When Slavey won at tho Kurow meeting the writer drew attention to the gelding's breeding, but several peop'.w are evidently under the impression that the onlj Tiger

Idly in the Stud Book was the St. Clair { gelding of that name. Tiger Lily, the dam ' of Slavey, is evidently identical with the Le Loup — Tangi II mare of that name, and is a sister to .Evening Star, the dam of Jupiter. — A couple of Australian-bred youngsters were amongst the runners at Timaru last ' week. One was a bay filly named Aisy, by ! Gaulus from Restive, by Metal (imp.) from Restless, by Gozo; and the other was a i chestnut named Margaret, by St. Alwyre ' (imp.) from Margo (an English mare), by Hopbines (grandson of See-saw) from Moon Daisy, by Oxlip from Flora Macdonald, by Scottish Chief.

— 'i'he bookmakers operating at Timaru last week did not appear to be doing a great deal of business. "All cry and no wool" soil; of thing, whilst only three faced the music in the paddock for the first day of the Tahuna meeting. The high fees are apparently having a thinning-out effect, and the legal .status of the bookmakers is not By any means a cheap affair to those who have to find the ways and neans.

—In taking a recoru. of 2min -17 2-ssec on a slew track Wilkie stamped himself as the crack pony of Australasia. His time is a race record for Tahuna Park, and is just lsec outdide the nmrk made by Myosotis. Kentucky Wxlkes, the sire of WiHrie, was got by Belle Vue (son of Irvington) from Maud. S., a daughter of Siorari \% son 'of Towton and Hsrakeke), and consequently Wilkie has some good blood in his veins. , — Advices' from Australia, state thai D. J. Price's numerous team has been considerably Teduced by several members of it having been turned out. Bribery and Maul have gone to the Dandenong district ; Banna, Ataahua, and Ngatlapa are at Aspendale 'Park; and Marsovia. Saltare. and Idealist at Hacchus Marsh. Pink 'Un and Ambrosia will go to Bacchus Marsh, and Otira will then be the solitary horse left in the stable. — All Guns went out to win the Timaru Handicap from end to end. but aiter going a little over a mile Outlander had him beat. The lattfer in turn failed to resist Harvest's challenge^ and went under to the Golden Vale gelding, who, by the way, is a halfbrother to the ro«chbacked DeTby winner Husbandman. On the second day All Guns was run over a short course, but here again he failed, after being well up on the early stages of the race> —At a recent Singapore meeting the Club Cup of 1500 dollars, one mile and a-quarter, we« won by Pause (by St. Swithan), with Gillo (by Gozo) second, and First Tenor (by Harmonist) third. This trio were impo'led from Australia, as was Pin Xty Moravian), who won the Tanglin Cup of 800 dollars, beating two corn-patriots in Deleore ana Acetine • and the Malvolio horse Durbar won the Stewards' Cup of 800 dollars, for the versatile Sultan of Johore. — Betting frauds upon bookmakers by means of the telephone have been particularly numerous of late in England and on tne Continent, and according to latest accounts the* English post office officials were prosecuting in 1 no fewer than five cases of alleged conspiracy and forgery arising out of the=e matters, and ihe facts m connection with several others were under investigation by tbe d«p*rtmen.t. In one instance a startling «squel is not tmlikely. — Crossfire, the dam of Alawa and X.ing s Cross, who is now 25 years old, is believed, to be in foal again to Malster. Crossfire was a top-notch performer in her day. The best performance, to her credit, perhaps, was winning the Doncaster Handicap, when a two-year-old. Her brother, won the Me:b>urne Cup, and one of her sons, Long Tom, won the Indian Viceroy's Cup and Prince of Wales Cup in a big year— during the visit of the Prince of Wales to n — The Medallion horse Rose Noble nan disappointingly— very, . disappointingly— in the Timaru Handicap last week. He was one of tbe first to bagin, and after being up in front for a couple of furlongs dropped back, and appeared to be deliberately cutting it. He however, has not -the best feet m tie world, end his shirking business may have been entirely due to that fact, as the «"»»» was very hard. Rose JSoble ran a Jitter race on the second day, when the track had been eased by previous racing. — The most interesting. Tace on <tbe first day's card at Tahuna Park was the Musselburgh Handicap, of 2£ miles, for trotters only. The race attracted a field of c.even, and four or five appeared to have whining chances until about half a mile from home, when Hero got to the front <md stayed there He had nothing to spare at the finish, and if Imagination and Frisco had not mixed in the latter part of the race, there would have been a really good finish, whilst Separator, who had shown good form e*rlier in the day, lost a weight when going well. — Mr C. A. Jefferson had one or two awkward horses to handle at the barrier last week, and allowed them, far too much latitude. It is unreasonable to expect horses who are in a high stete of tension through expecting to be jumped off the mark at any moment to be kept waiting whilst some half-broken, crankypated thing is twisting and turning all over the place. Bad actors at the barrier should have a reasonab'e chance of getting a fair start, but it w distinctly unfair to the majority of «»*•»• Mr Jefferson, however, is not the only offend6lSnSn 3fw.li breeders are complain; ing of England' being a /' dumping ««»»* for American blood stock J^eeatly X American yearlings were sold there at fair orices, and when the latest files tc .hand left London another draft was advertised. ally Old Country breeders do not relish this competrtion, and it has been suggested that, instead of charging only one guinea, as at present, the Jockey Club's registration fee for every foreign-bred yearling brought to England' to b? offered at auction should be 10 guineas. It is believed this would haie the effect of reducing the number of youngsters being &ent from Amerioa. — Racing men of mature experience seldom display any excitement on » racecourse no matter ho.v much they may Disinterested m a race. Continual buffetings from Dame Fortune generally teach them to take matters calmly and philosophically But there is one Canterbury trainer who was riding winners as far back as 1871 who goes off like a "packet of crackers" when"- any of his horses are racing. He genera 1 ly starts off when the field is entering the straight, and from that out to the finish, if his neddy has the ghost of p chance, there is a running fire of shrieking advLce to the rider, who has as much chance of hearing it as Queen Anne. — Personally (says a writer in the English paper, the Country Gentleman), if I were given my choice of two etallions, one who had distinguished himself over long distances and had the reputation of being a stayer rather than a speady sort, and another who had shown equally emart form over a mile, I think I should prefer the lafcteT. Our experience of modern thoroughbred etallicns tells us that it is not the plodders who make the best etud horses, but rather the quick ones, who seem to have a greater bpark of vital energy or nervous foree — call it what you will — which, enables them to get more racing-like stock tnan the slower horses. — When Field Gun was a three-year-old he was looked upon "is a somewhat unreliable custon-er, but in the latter part of bis four-year-old season and (Ms spring as a five-

year-old lie lt«s run very consistently, and is evidently on tiie improve. His form in the New Zealand Cup and in the Fendalton Handicap suggested he bad an excellent chance in the principal race on the second day of tiie S.C.J.C. meeting, *&n& this he proved by winning in the excellent time of lmin 41 4-ssec. He was well ridden by ii. King, who got the mount through Douglas unfortunately breaking a collarbone when Zioness came down in her race on the first day. — The death occurred in France last month of the prominent stallion Perth, who was by War Dance out of Primrose Dame, by Barcaldine out of Lady Bosebery. On the turf he won £31,000 in prize-money, accounting for the Ghantilly Derby and Grand Prix de Paris ounong other races. He was some time at the stud before he~ started to make » name for himself, but a couple of years ago his progeny won £20,000 it. one season, and during the current season nearly £40,000 has been put to his credit. His representatives include North-east, Sauge Pourprea, Magellan, and Bomax. Perth was owned by M. Caillault, who recently refused an offer of £20,000 for him from the Hungarian Agricultural Department. -=-It is pleasing to note (says "Augur" in the N.Z. Times) that the initiatory- steps which the Wang anui' Jockey Club have taken to bring about the introduction of stipen- \ diary control at its ..meetings and those of j country clubs under its- jurisdiction is being favourably viewed by the latter. The com- | mittee of the Marton Jockey Club met during the present week, decided to support the proposal, and *ppoin-ted Dr Skerman to represent it at a conference of delegates to be held later on. The result of same will be awaited with much interest in sporting circles throughout the Dominion. The chief difficulty to be faced will doubtless be to secure competent persons to undertake the duties. — San Severo paid a sensational dividend when she won at Tinuaiu. She also started in the Shorts Handicap, but she got badly away, and was last home. When she won later in the day some of the win, tie, or wrangle folk wanted A. M'Kay to protest against the winner on the grounds of inconsistent running, but th© well-known rider declined to fall in with the idea. It is understood that his action in the matter came to the knowledge of R. McDonald, who. as a recognition of M'Kay' s sportsmanlike action, m«de the latter a present of a suit of clothes. San Sever©: waa well backed by her party for her first xace^but they did" not participate to any gTeat extent in • the big div.— a little of which, however, is just the sort to go 'a iong way. —An unnamed filly by Cyllene from Sceptre whom all sporting writers in Ergland refer tef as "Sceptre's Filly," after several failure^ won the CheveLsy Park Stakes of £880 at Newmarket recently. The Sceptre filly led all the way and won easily, while Mr Wm. Cooper's colt Perok* ran laafc Special interest attaches to this fiHy, apart . from being the daughter of suck a remarkable mother. She is owned by/ Mr Bass, whq purchased: Sceptre from R. S. Sievier for £20,000, and subsequently paid £30,000 to Mr C D. Rose for Cyllene. Therefore 3w sire •nd d*m cost the useful sum of £50,000. A few month* back Mr Bass sold Cyilene to a South American for 30,000 guineas, whither the horse journeyed in great state, with Polar Star, for whom « Soufh American paid Mr W. Hall Walker 20,000 guineas. — They pui them - to the stud early m America. Trampfast, who last season as a tyro-year -old 1 made a record of 2min 12Asec, did a short season at the stud before being sent to the trainer to be fitted for the three-year-old events in which he was engaged this eeascm. But he went amiss, and will not now be seen out. What would we think this side of sending such a great two-year-old to the stud? Great three-year-olds are cropping up aU over the United States this season. The Harvester won his maiden race in straight hea.ts without being extended, and another youngster in Tony Swift won his first heat in 2min 9Jsec. The Columbus circuit, extending from September 21 to October 2, was just commenced when the last mail left, and there being two futurities on the card, it was expected there would be a deal of record-breaking by t<he two and three-year-olds. — Tileitere, by Finiand from Flame, by Phaethon from Catherine Wheel (dam of Tread mill), won the Stewards' Welter in good style, in the smart time of lmin 28 2-seec, and should be heard of again as « winner. She finished third on the first day in the President's Welter, and apparently had no chance of winning, but her owner had L. G. .King before the stewards for not- riding out Tiketere. It was admitted that she could not have won, but the owner was under the impression that his filly could have been second. That, however, is a matter of opinion, and one with which some could not agree, as when King dropped his hands his chance of getting second was about as good as his chance of winning. It is true that Tikitere ran better the second day. but on that occasion she got a clear lead and did not h*ve to run the gauntlet of the accident which occurred in the President's Welter.

— The English stallion Kendal died unexpectedly at the Ojo dfe Auga stud, in the Argentine, South America, early in September. When he was purchased for export to his new homo many people thought he was past his prime, bat rerfutts disproved this idea, for his stock Averaged yearly winnings to the amount of £15,000. His son, Boreal, was the best of ibis year, and in England Kendal got GaJtee More. His death was suddens, as just prior to his decease he appeared to be in perfect health. Fortunately the proprietors of the stud have at their disposal such gcod horses as Cyllene and Polar Star fox the stud season, which" has just commenced. KendaJ's stock first appeared in South America in 19W. and 53 of them have since been publicly sold for over £60.000 ian average of well over £1000 each), whilst Tip to date his progeny have won stakes c,f a total value of £76.863 in the Argentine.

— A Continental writer says that the English trainer R. Day has done remarkably well since he went to Graditz. Out of a lot of five-and-forty he has sent out 34 who have touched down, and the £23,447 standing to the credit of the Graditz stud will permit of something between £12.000 and £13,000 being fiand-ed ovei to the Union Club for redistribution among- owners, winners of the Graditz State prizes, «s the races are called, which derive the added money from funds placed at the disposal of the Union Club as ibe net receipts from the money earned by the fiscal stable when proving the value of the horses bred at Graditz before sending them to the stud. Every pennypiece is reckoned up, and the assent of the' Ministers of Agriculture and Finance has to be obtained for each sum disbursed, while the whole sum, after deduction of bare "expenses, including trainex and jockey, is distributed as an encouragement to divers provincial gatherings.

—In respect to the administration of oxygen to athletes and racehorses, the London Daily Mail — taking its cue from the Sporting Times, which started the subject — has canvassed for opinions, which the paper publishes extensively. Veterinary surgeon*, it appears, have for scone years administered oxygen to horses and dogs with much success,

and there seems to ba no doubt at all that its inhalation considerably improves the stamina of humans; but the general trend of opinion is that its use among horses comas under the head of "dope, and w*z for an athlete to take it is unsportsmanlike. One great physician writes confirming the value of oxygen, but concludes with:— I' think the man who eata, drinks, and lives like his fellows, and then does his walk to Brighton in good time, is the true athlete, and not the overtrained artificial production." One veterinary surgeon d^eolares that the administration of oxygen is the very _ best rented/ known 'to combat pneumonia in horses. — Caspian did not have an easy task when he won the Sapling Stakes la3t week. He lost a -couple of lengths at the rise of the barrier, and before he got properly on his legs Boutade and Cymbifoxrn had increased their break to fully four lengths as they swnng into the straight. Once in line for home L. G. King s*t down on the Gitanelhv cort, and as a result of vigorous horsemanship got up in time" to win by half a head. There was an impression abroad thab M'Clusky was caught napping on Cymbiform, but as the Saucer colt was apparently all out to beat Boutade that could hardly have been the case." Caspian has come on nicely since ne r*n at Oamaru. and with further improvement- effected at Riccarton. was able to score bis maiden win. The Guanelhv colt, itwillberememb&red, was beaten by a narrow margin in the Pioneer Handicap on the las* day of the Cup meeting in the smart time of lmin 1 "3-ssec, and on that *orm was made« strong order for his Timaru race.