ASCOT (MELBOURNE) HEIGHT CLASS THOUSAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 66

ASCOT (MELBOURNE) HEIGHT CLASS THOUSAND.

The Ascot Racing Club, Melbourne, will run off its Height Class Thousand Race, of five furlongs, on let September, as advertised in this issue, the prize money being £IOOO. Competitors will be ponies, 14.1 and 14.2 and under, and as there are many capable performers of these heights in the Commonwealth and New Zealand, the manager (Mr J. Wren) hopes for a big nomination. This magnificent race for ponies has now become a leading turf event in Victoria,, and through the establishment of such a _ fine competition a great fillip has been given to the pony-breeding industry, last year's winner having been sold in New Zealand for over £IOOO, to go to India. Nominations close on June 28: later nominations, at an advanced fee, will be received until August 9. Owners may be advised to send in their nominations early, and thus effect a substantial saving in fees. Nominations posted in New Zealand on or before June 28 will be accepted. Full details are advertised. AN ECHO OF THE PAST. Sydney people would flock in shoals to ' see two great horses in opposition at w.f.a., but old-timers never went very wild over its biggest handicap, the Sydney Gold Cup. They, in fact, took a greater betting interest in the Melbourne Cup, which not one in a hundred ever saw run. Until comparatively recent dates, says "Milroy," in the Sydney Mail, handicaps were of only secondary concern among Sydneyites, and once upon a time they would bet with much more freedom on a Derby or a champion raoe —and back the outsiders, too — than they would on the Doaicaster _ or any other handicap, no matter how richly it was endowed. Mr Clibborn's great friend, Mr W. A. Long, for many years alvocated raising the stakes and improving those j races described' by imaginative writers as j "classical," but the committees of old kqpt a tight grip on the puree-etrings, and turned deaf ears to all appeals." At last Mr Clibborn got a committee in whom his ideas were reflected, and prize* at once began to improve, and at last went up with a boom. I fan.cy. the old secretary

' can thank the late Mr G. G. Stead for the fulfilment of his ideals. Mr Stead owned Cruciform, the champion of New Zealand, when Wakeful was pre-eminent on the Australian turf, while Ibex was a king among sprinters. Mr Stead brought his great mare over from New Zealand, ' and his landing at Sydney could only be construed as an act of war, and Mr Leslie M'Donald, accenting it as suoh, brought i Wakeful over from Melbourne to meet the ! MaoriJand crack. This pair met in the ; Spring Stakes, and the crowd they drew was till then unprecedented. Hitherto the ! Craven Plate had been described as an off \ day as far as gate returns went, but when Cruciform and Wakeful were down for a ' certainty to run in the Craven Plate, and ! Ibex was in to see fair play, that "off : day," I think, returned the biggest pad- ! dock gate of the four. This race opened : everybody's eyes to . one adamant fact — though it was long ago well enough known, to Mr Clibborn—that- two horses iike Carbine and Abercorn, Wakeful or Cruciform, were stronger magnets in Sydney than a thousand handicappers, and that is the reason why the A.J.C. began giving out high money for its w.f.a. races, and II think it intends to go bigger still. PROGRESS AT WINGATUI. The dropping of the curtain on this season's racing at Wingatui has been marked with the laying of the foundation stone of the new stewards" stand, and the function served to call to mind what excellent progress the Dunedin Jockey Club has made since they made their racing rendezvous at the foot of the Chain Hills. The D.J.C. have emulated the tortoise, and made slow and sure progress since they settled at Wingatui. Perhaps even better results would have been recorded if a bolder policy had been adopted; but be that as it may, there is no doubt that our metropolitan club is comfortably situated at present, and well placed to make further progress. This is better than a meteoric flight or two and a subsequent repentance, but even so it is clearly evidenced that each Launching out has been followed by a further success. It was with a great deal of diffidence that steeplechases were included in the winter programme, but they have proved quite a magnetic attraction. Just in the same manner have increased stake? proved that Wingatui is not the worst place in the world if sufficient inducement is hung out to come there, and this despite the fact that the accommodation is not quite the best in the world. To' illustrate the progress made by the club in 10 yeais, a glance at some old programmes is necessary, because figures can at times be made fairly convincing. Ten years ago the D.J.C. May programme totalled £IO6O in prize-money. Stakes such as the Farewell, of 50sovs, more than one of 40507.3 were on the bill; but now no race carries less than lOOsovs, and minus a £lO- - the stakes given for the first day's meeting of last week equalls those of both days 10 years ago In addition to so liberally attending to horse-owners, the comfort of patrons has not been neglected, so that the stewards are at last fully entitled to do something for themselves in the way of a new stewards' stand. There is ample evidence that the high-water mark of popularity has r.ot yet been reached. Each succeeding season has proved better than its predecessor, and the success of the past should p.ive the way and urge the club to go on. That is the reason why the writer joined in the hoorays when three cheers ■were called for the Dunedin Jockey Club on the occasion of Sir George M'Lean laying the foundation ston<> of a new stewards' stand, and it is to be hoped a "milestone" on the road of future success that will make the past look exceedingly small by comparison. THE ENGLISH DERBY. The most important race in the world has again been won and lost, and' this year's "Blue Ribbon of the turf" has been captured by an Australian, who, by a lucky turn of Fortune's wheel, has taken a very prominent position in the sporting world. The Home critics were fairly unanimous that Neil Gow and Lemberg were the best two-year-oldis last year. The former demonstrated) that he was a narticularly brilliant colt, but unfortunately had a kink in his character, and discounted his speed by unruliness at the barrier. Unfortunately, Neil Gow is ako reported to have met with a slight accident a few days prior to the running of the Derby, and it may be due to that occurrence rather than lack of staying that has resulted in his finishing out of a place at Epsom. Lemberg is a halfbrother to Bayardo. who was also a crack two-year-old, but who failed to strike form until the back end of the season. He, howover, made amends by winning the St. Leger and other races, which established his claim to be last year's best three-year-old _ Lemberg was got by Cyllene (who had previously sired two Derby winners in Cicero and Minoru), a grandson of Bend 'Or, so that jhe Stockwell line keeps alive and incidentally maintains its reputation by finding Derby winners amongst its tribe. Lemberg is out of Gallicia, a mare got by Galopin from Isoletta, a daughter of Isonomy, of whom this year's Derby winner possesses a strain on each side of the house The predominant line in Lemberg's pedigree is, indeed, Stockwell, of whom he has four strains, two of which are picked up by Isonomy, who is out of a Stockwell mare. The next important factors close up in his breeding lines are Galopin and Hermit. Greenback, who ran second 1 to Lemberg, is a son of St. Frusquin (brother to San Francisco, now in Canterbury), from Evergreen, a daughter of Bend 'Or, from Ivy Spray, by Galliardl, a son of Galopin. Greenback would probably be ridden by Mr Thursby, a son of the colt's owner, who is a leading amateur, and has previously had a mount in the Classic. Charles O'Malley, who occupied third place, was got by Desmond (son of St. Simon) from Goody Two Shoes, by Isinglass (son of Isonomy) from Sandal, by Kisber. Lemberg had quite a distinct pull over Greenback in the matter of age, as the former was foaled on January 29, and Greenback not until April 23, so that the latter may turn the tables on his victor before the season ends. Neil Gow was also foaled late in January, and Charles O'Malley in April. BIG TROT FOR £SOO. Another big trotting meeting is advertised by the Melbourne Trotting Club in the present issue, the principal event being for £SOO. The distance is one mile and a-half, and the race is for trotters and paoers equal to a speed of 2.32 or better. The date fixed is in November next, and

nominations sure due with the secretary Mr A. J. Gray, 197 Bourke street, Melbourne, on June 15 inet. Details as to scratchings and payments are given in the advertisement The meeting will be held under the rules of the Victorian Trotting Association.