IN A NUTSHELL.

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

IN A NUTSHELL.

Acceptances for the first day of the Ashburton trotting mooting are due on Saturday next, June 11, at 9 p.m.

Gold Dredge gave a poor display iu the Fairfield Hurdles, and was hopelessly beaten off after going a mile. The Dunedin Jockey Club's winter meeting was one of the most successful gatherings ever held at Wingatui. Red M'Gregor, who won the Great Northern Steplectase on Saturday, is a fullbrother to last year's winner, Capitol. Owners are reminded that nominations are due on Fridav of this week for the Ashburton County Racing Club's meeting. ■ —■ Despite the fact that Master Soult is considered backward, he man-aged to carry 10.9 and win over 10 furlongs at Auckland. Southern sportsmen were liberal patrons of the D.J.C. meeting, and it was pleasing t 3 see some of the spoils of war going that way. —ln the Telegraph Handicap fit Canterbury Bark on Saturday Revenue, who finished third, covered the distance in 2min 14 2-ss-ec. Ben Jonson, Sol, Dunborve, and T'ua Kitua were withdrawn from the Great Northern Hurdles owing to being troubled with colds. The tot-al number of runnexs at Wingatui last week was 158, which makes a very fair average for the 14 events on the programme. The "gats" at Wingatui on the opening day of ih-e D.J.C. winter meeting wag over 1-C-Osovis above the ' amount taken ,on list Dunedin Cup day. I Czar Kolohol was looking in fairly gcod I shape last week, and has still some of his. dash left, as he shaped well in a half-mile sprint bef ire the meeting. —Le Beau, who finished fourth in the Great Northern Steplech-ase on Saturday, occupied third place in the same race in the two preceding contests. The financial profit over the D.J.C. meeting is. expected to prove a handsome * -addition to the treasury coffers, if, in fact, i& is not a record for the club. St. Aidan and Octave, who captured the Birthday and Tradesmen's, were both badly ridden at Oamaru, and showed much better form with a change of riders. The one-time Dunedin horse Canteen is advertised for dale in Melbourne. The grey son of Castor is a particularly fine cut of a horse, and should get good stock. Manillus, who displayed a fine turn of speed when he won at Timaru, again bobbed up a winner last week, and is almost sure to do well when running over short courses. —Mr T. S. Clibborn has re-signed the secretaryship of the Australian Jockey Club on. account of. ill-health. Mr Clibborn has been -acting for' the club for about 37 years. Honours were easily in favour of Sotithland in connection with the steeplechases run at Wingatui. Both winners were bred, • owned, and trained in that part of the \\ orld. Hymettus, the son of Cyllene, that is being imported by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, is expected to arrive by the Bimutaka. Two mares are also being brought for the .same stud. Great Northern Hurdles, but Wimmer-a, carried too many guns if not so many port holes as the Australian-bred horse, and beat him handsomely. Stone Grrger, who would have been the /popular pick if he had gone to the post for the Otago Steeplechase, did not arrive at the scene of action owing, it is said, to Mr Toomey being unwell. The West Australian stipendiary stewards recently suspended a rider for six months because it was found that careless riding on his part was the cause of a couple of horses falling in a race. —Mr R. O. Duncan had some close finishes to decide last week, but evidently h<s has established confidence in his ability to split heads, necks, bcdieis, and quarters, as no complaint was heard about his placings. For the fifth successive year a horse named Yankee Dope won the Farmers' Steeplechase at the Eglinton (England) Hunt meeting last month. On ordinary ooca3icns Yankee Dope does duty in a, milkcart every morning. Whatskura is easily one of the most oonsistent hurdlers in training, and has been a payable horse this season, although unlucky in -recent engagements. He will probably be given a chance to distinguish himself over big f-enices. Giand Rapids, who won the New Zealand Cup in 1904. was among the starters at a country roosting in Victoria last month, but, -according to a Melbourne writer, he' "looked very dotty and very .iolly, and Tan forty lengths behind the field." —Gunboat, put up a good gallop when he won the Provincial Handicao in lniin 45 2-ssec in heavy going, and although only getting there by half a head he would have had a bit more in his favour but for running wide after entering the straight. The winners were well concealed liisfc week, as Manillus was the only favourite to score during the two days on the flat. Punters were nearer the mark in the lepping events, as Eifle Range and Honest Tom were both first choice for their races. Gunboat, who won the nrincipal event on the second day of the Wingatui meeting, belongs to one of the "oldest families" in the Dominion, as he runs back to Mountain Nymph, who was bred in England in 1855, and was imported to Canterbury m 1861. Runaing Silkweb over middle distances has evidently damaged his sprinting abilities a trifle. Formerly when he appeared in a. sprint roce it was generally a million to one that he would be one of the pacemakers, but in the Tradesmen's he failed to show lip as usual. Fisticuff showed pace in the early part of his race last week, but faded out_ wheni the final pressure was put on. He is one of the biggest horses in training, and for a three-year-old has; shaped in -a way which suggests better work when he has become a bit more Reasoned. Last week's fixture at Wingatui was the first for many years that Sir George MTL/ean's popular Zetland spots were not unfurled. Up to the present Sir George 1 baa always kept something to carry the colours, although iu reoen-t years the luck has been ra-ther discouraging. Count Witte was whispered about as having a cho-roe in the Tradesmen's Handicap, but he failed to get amongst money. The Champagne Stakes winner of 'O7 ia evidently not yet a back number, as he ran; a good fourth in the Weirongoa Handicap on the second day of the meeting. Waiju put in a fine run at the finish! of the Winter Welter, and Fasnakyle was apparently a shade lucky that the southern

fcorso did net get going sooner. On the second day the tTack conditions were against Waiju, but he was one of the bunch that finished clcse to the placed division. The first day's prize-money given away at Wingatui last week was within an ace of being equal to the stakes given away at Doth days of a. Birthday meeting held 10 years ago. In addition the Wingatui racecourse has been brought to its existing state, and the future appears to hold further progress.

Prior to the D.J.C. meeting doubt was expressed in some quarters as to the bona fides of the splendid acceptance for the Steeplechase, but the proof of the genuinenss of the field is easily seen when it is pointed out that 23 horses started in the two steeplechases out of a list of 31 nominations.

Wimmfra is reported to have fenced badly in the Great "Northern Hurdles, but nevertheless won easily in 4min 52sec, as against 4min 55soc put up by Bully last year. In the early part of the race Prophet was p.fcing it with the winner, but the latter outpaced and outstayed the lot even after he had' flattened out the fence at the sixfurlong post. Adage, the winner of the Brighton Handicap, was picked up cheaply as a foal. He is a Eon of Casket and Motto, ,a mare that paid a very lajge dividend at Wingatui soma years ago when ridden by L. H. Hewitt. Mo'tto is a half-sister to Strowan (the sire of Pink 'Un) and Ismene (the dam of Tumnt and Osiris).

Kiatere, who fell while taking part in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Saturday, was expected to play a prominent part in the decision of the race, as he was thoroughly acquainted with the country. He has now taken part in the Great Northern Steeplechase five times, winning in 1905 and 1907, and finishing second last year.

St. Aidan and Balaclava were the favourite picks for doubles on the Birthday and Tradesmen's, and from all accounts enough money could not be obtained about the combination. St. Aidan, who had evidently sharpened up a bit as a result of his racing at Oamaru, fulfilled his part of the contract,' but Balaclava hung fire at the start, and failed to make up the ground so lost.

One of the most surprising wins at' Wingatui last week was that of Jack Ashore, who swooped down a-t the finish of Ihe Pacific Hurdles and beat Rifle Rangewhen the latter had apparently the race von after landing over the last hurdle. Jack Ashore displayed an inclination to shirk his fences when being schooled, and the win returned his few supporters a fairly handsome dividend.

—At the usual meeting of Hh& New Zealand Trotting Association correspondence was read on the subject of A. F. Taylor's disqualification for his connection with the Ccrocrah case. The Forbury Park Trotting Club wrote stating that it saw no reason for varying the penalty. It was decided to ask the Forbury Park Trotting Club to request Taylor to refund the stake, or he would be placed oh the unpaid forfeit list. A number of people well known in sporting circles have been kindly interesting themselves in the widow and family of the late W. J. Taggart, and it has been decided to start a fund on their behalf. Mr L. C. Hazlett has kindly undertaken charge of the movement in Dunedin, and Mr P. Herman will act for the Canterbury district. No doubt these gentlemen will have the satisfaction of gathering a substantial sum. for the bereaved widow and her two children.

—Mr Andrew Robertson, well known in racing and trotting circles, writes from Melbourne stating that he intended leaving for America on June 6. He intends seeing the " big fight," then off to New York on business and a couple of months on the grand circuit before returning. Incidentally, Mr Robertson states that Revenue is not entitled to a world's saddle Tecord at 2min 11 4-saeo, as Country Jay, a chestnut gelding by Jayhawhev, trotted a mile in 2.min BJS3C From all accounts Wimmera, is hot a particularly attractive horse, but he can evidently assert himself as a tojvnotchetr. He was picked from the first to make a good hurdler, and evidently he is even better than expectations. Wimmera's breeding has been alluded to previously, but as he has joined a distinguished brigade of winners it is worth while recalling the fact that he is «• half-brother to Killindini and a brother to 'Boomerang. Two years ago Stratagem won the Birthday Handicap with 8.12 in 2niin 11 4-ssec, and appeared to> have a- good chance in last week's race with 7.7—particularly as she rod won handsomely "at ihe Southland R.C meeting, and in such a mar-cer as to suggest she was comi'riT back to form. She looked a good deal lighter them when ■tripped at Jnvercargill, but the opposition at Wing*tui was a good 'deal stronger than what she met in the south.

' The death took place in New York a. few weeks ago of Mr James Galway. who was an owner tn'd bleeder of thoroughbreds pnd a steward of the Jockey Club. Earlier he owned th* once noted trotting gelding St. Julien, who held the record for the mile prior to the advent of Maud S. St. Julien's xecord was 2min lljsiec, at Hartford, in August, 1880. On no fewer than six occasions Maud S. beat that time, hex fastest being 2min Bfsec at Glenville, in July, ISBS. Soult got Wairiki and other big horses, but he also got ponies. Fis dam, B-cauhar-rais, was a smart mare, who won plenty of iaces, but she was less than 14.2. distance, in his book, says she used to strike his ankles with bwr elbows when he was riding her. The Dnke cf Hamilton had, in Wild Tommy and B.ta,uharr-ais, the largest and the smallest horse in, .training, and he had them painted, with Lemaire, who weighed 4st 7lb, en Tommy, and Custancs, the biggest jockey of the day, on Beauharraas.

, The cable message concerning the E-nsom Derby states that Leraberg's time, 2min 35 l-sseo. is a record for the race. The previous records, 2min 36 4-ssec, stood to the credit of Spearmint, the son of Carbine, who won in 190 G, Cicero, 2min 39 3-ssec. in 1905. and Signorinetta. 2min 39 4-ssec in 1908, being the only other winners of the race whose time was less than 2min 40sec. Pretty Polly, a>s a four-year-old, carried 9.0 and covered the Derby course in 2min 33 4-ssec when she won the Coronation Cup in 1905, the day after Cicero won the Derby. The Provincial Handicap was a somewhat remarkable race in the fact that the liorses just before entering. the straight were strung right out, but at the finish a sheet ■would hove covered the bulk of the field. G-unboat got home by half a head, Tikitere finished on the second's quarters, and then in a bunch, oarne St. Aidan, Paragon, Waiju, Stratagem, My Lawyer, and Genius. On© could riot wish to see a better finish, and a judge would have to keep his weather eye fairly keen to pick u» the lot. My Lawyer ran some good races at Wingatui last week, but the mile and aquarter in the Birthday appeared to find him out. "He, however, ran a better race over the shorter distance in the Provincial Handicap, but he could not get on the scene •when shouldering 10.8 in the Invermay Welter, which was Tun in mud and r»ain. The shapely black has got through a fair amount of racing lately, but he seemed bright «nd frfcsh. enough n«verthfiless. and

his defeats \iere due more to the change of conditions than any loss of galloping ability. of the brood mare Ornament, by Band Or out of Lily Agres, the property of the Duke of Westminster. A full sister to Ormonde, she was foaled in 1887, and was consequently 23 years old. She or-.ly ran once—and that unsuccessfully as a two-year-old,—but became famous as the dam of that great mare Sceptre, of the sire Collar, and of Star Ruby, a successful stallion in the States, and the sir.> of Rnbio, the Grand National winner of 1908. The remains of Ornament were buried in the stud yard at Eaton, where also lie those of Angelica, Lily Agnes, Shotover, and Bend Or. Mr " Fairie," owner of Lemberg, is &t ex-Australian, who made a fortune in mining and is now a lavish patron of racing. During the last two seasons he won over £40,000. principally due tc Baj'ardo. Taken altogether, Mr Fairie, his horses, and Aleo Taylor proved a powerful combination last year, and there seernis every probability that they will make a, deep mark also on the season of 1910. Had Neil Gow won this year's Derbv, he would have given D. Maher his fourth winning ride in the race, and Lord Rosebery would have won as many times with horses of his own breeding. Greenback, runner-up to Lemberg, won six races of 10 starts as a. two-year-old. Paragon, who was made favourite for the Birthday Handicap, got left' three or four lengths at the rise of the barrier, and under the circumstances ran a good nice in getting second to St. Aidan. The lastnamed met Paragon on even terms at Oan.aru, and finished on his ' girths after being right! out of it in the first half-mile, and in the Birthday Paragon was giving away 7lb, so that on form St. Aidan would still have required some beating even if the other bad been minus his bad start: On top of fcoving 71b in his favour, St. Aidan was ridden a different race to what he put up at Oamaru, where he got into bad positions in each of his races and then finished up with the placed horses. The win which went down to Rifle Range was well deserved, as for a green performer he made bold displays over the hurdles each time he went to the post, and his record for the first four runs over the small sticks reads: A third, two seconds, and a win. The racing he received »fc Oamaru did him a world of gcod and ha is quick at his fences although only a novice. His success and jbat of Jack Ashore goes to show that a moderate horse can frequently be converted into a far more profitable piece of property by racing him over the battens. Jack Ashore, for instance, has been particularly bad to follow, but over hurdLss he wins at the first time of asking, even though his schooling displays left a good deal to be desired. Cyllene, sire of Lemberg, had previously sired two Derby winners in Cicero and Minoru. He has been a success at the stud from thi2 very beginning. Like other stallions, his first year's produce created little stir, but in his second season Cyllene. made a jump of over £15,000. In 1905, when still a young sire, he was fourth on the winning sires' list with £21,555. In 1906 his stock won £12,188, 1907 £10.539, 1903 £7600', and last year he headed the list with £35,550 opposite his name. He is sure to be near the top again this year, for in addition to Lemberg there is Maid of Corinth (Cyllene— Sceptre) to help him. .Unfortunately for English breeders Cyllene was sold some few years ago to South African owners, who did not hesitate to give £25,000 for him before his second Derby winner was heard of. A story is told of the great American trainer John Splan, who in common with many of the best American trainers will not sit behind a hoppled horse, that he sat silently listening to a party of men giving the most hair-raising experiences of their lives. The yarns went on, but John spoke not until asked what his most terrible experience was. " Well," said Splan, " in the good old days I've locked down the muzzle of a six-shooter without blanchin?, I've looked into the demon eyes of a lunatic with a bowie knife, I have had personal experience of all the adventures you state, and I must confess thev are fairly terrifying, but they count small compared to my terror when the judges at a county fair asked ma to take the terns behind a, hoppled pacer in a desperate field of 18, all of them rigged in the same way." Calendar that no steward is qualified to act officially in any matter or adjudicate or sit upon any inquiry on the result of which he is in any way interested bv bets or otherwise. It is a pity that the V.R.C. Committee did not go further and relegate the betting steward to a place outside the stewards' room. However feays an exchange), on the principle that half a loaf is better than no bread, it is well to know that if the betting steward is to be still tolerated he must not adjudicate upon any matter in which he has an interest, for if he does the inquiry may be nullified by the leading tribunal. Unfortunately, when betting stewards act there is always the 1 possibility that they may all be barred from acting, because of pecuniary interests, when a matter requires looking into. The official Boeing Calendar which appeared about Easter contained the grave and extremely solemn announcement that "P. -Peck, having been reported to the stewards of the Jockey Club for exercising horses on enclosed ground, has been reprimanded and fined ssovs." To appreciate the grim, humour of this (says the Tatler) it shculd ba remembered that Percy Peck is Lord Durham's private trainer, and as Lord' Durham fills a high place in connection with Jockey Club rule, the powers cannot in future be accused of partiality. No doubt the trainer is extremely sorry for his heinous offer.ee —you will notice that the horses which assisted to ctmrnit the crime were Lord Durham's, —and he probably feels the sting of the advertised reprimand as keenly, as he promptly paid up the "fiver"; but as I cannot recall to mind that this particular trainer has ever before sinned in this wav, does not the method of punishment seem like that which befell the butterfly over which a Juggernaut car passed? The latest from Western "Australia is that, for the time being, at any rate, the Government is unlikely to interfere with bookmaking on racecourses, but that the suppression of shop and street betting is to be vigorously prosecuted. Though personally favouring the tctalisator, I cannot see anything against a continuation of the present positioi on W. A. racecourses. The presence of- the bookmakers enables ov.nexs to often get a better price than if speculation were entirely confined to the totalisator, while small punters, with the knowledge that they will get much the same price about a favourite as from the ring, and a much longer one about any outsider, naturally support the machine. In New Zealand (says "Pilot'') many of the racing clubs are still anxious to get rid of the bookmakers, notwithstanding the big fees they pay; but if ever the totalisator is installed either in New South Wales or Victoria it vill probably give satisfaction to racegoers if the bookmakers are still allowed to ply their calling. '— Grand Slam has apparently had some r.ew life galvanised into him sine© joining

Mr F. P. Claridge's stable. Prior to going urder his mentorship Grand Slam had apparently gone right off the form that stamped hin- as a, fairly useful horse as a thi ee-y ear-old, and until he scored' on Saturday had not won a race since the back end of his three-year-old season—just three years ago. During the three years the Turf Record gives him starting 31 times in addition to "his present season's work. As a three-year-old Grand Slam won four times, and his wins were in the Autumn Stakes at Manawatu, the Waiwetu Handicap at Wellington, a, deitl heat at Manawatu over a mile wilh Buecleuch, and a win in the Hawke's Bay Guineas in Ihe early part of the season, "when he defeated Zimmerman, Mungista, and others. One wonders what was happening to Grand Slam prior to going into his present tiaining stable. Shortly before P. Holmes left for America the writer heard him strongly advising a mutual friend to buy the son of Scctia, as he was almost sure to prove a cheap horse. A saying that has passed into almost a proverb was uttered a few years ago by a prominent English racing man, and it was to the effect that there was not the length of a walking stick between the best and worst riders. Anyone who noted the difference between th>> handling of St. Aiden end Octave at Oiamaru and Dunedin would certainly agree that that th. length of the stick contention should be called in and put cut of circulation. In both his raoos at Oamaru St. Aidan was allowed to get in a bad position each day, so much so that he looked hopelessly out of it at half a mile, but even so he managed to finish fourth on both occasions, after making up a good deal of ground. At Dunedin he was always well placed, and practically had his Birthday Handicap won at a mile. In Octave's caso she was badly left on the first day, and then raced through the field in a manner that settled her chance a furlong from home, and on the second day she was allowed to run out from the rails and loss second place to Rock Ferry. A change of horsemen saw both St. Aidan and Octave land the two principal events on the first day at Wingatui. No doubt it is more than possible they bith trained on a bit, but it was more than that which helped them to victory. Leniberg, the winner of this year's Derby, is a half-brother to last year's St. Leger winner. Payardo. According to recent English files, Lemberg was to be ridden by B. Dillon. As a two-year old there seemed to be every likelihood that Lernberg. like Bayardo, would have an unbeaten record, and it was an encouraging coincidence that the son of Cylkne should make a winning debut in the New Stakes, a race chosen for the -first appearance of Bayardo a twelvemonth previously. All went well till the Champagne at Dor.cr.ster, when he finished behind Neil Gow ond Admiral Hawke; but a slight indisposition might have been a warrantable excuse for his defeat, for he won next time out, and though having no Neil Gow to tackle in the Middle Park Plate, decisively turned the .tables on Admiral Hawke, and placed that coveted stake to the credit of bis cwr.er. H?s other victories included Chesterfield Stakes, Rous Memorial Stakes, and Dewhurst Plate. This season Lemberg was defeated by a head in the Two Thousand Guineas by Neil Gow, but, as many predicted, he has turned the tables on his rival in the longer race. Being in-bred to Iscnomy, staying is naturally the Derby winner's forte, and the terrific pace set would be all. in his favour. Opinions differ as to whether the Liverpool Grand National course is stiffer now than in the past, but most of the old-time crcss-country jeekeys will not have that it is more formidable than in theiT day. The late King Edward's trainer, R. Marsh, is of opinion that the task of getting a horse safely round is not as difficult as when he rode ove.r it about. 30 years ago, and recently replied as follows to an inquiry from Mr A. F. Meyrick on the subject:—"Dear Mr Meyrick,—The Liverpool fances, in my opinion, are safer to jump now than they were when I used to ride. For one reason, any part of the fer.ee now is jumpable, but in my day in njiny places the old growths of years' standing we.re left in them, and it was impossible to jump them, so one had to pick his way to several of the fences. Again, at that period most of the course was ploughed land, making it much more difficult for the horsen to get out of. Of the present course, however, I io think that the first ■and last fence should be altered by cutting them to lean away from the horses. My reason for that is that old horses, having had a stiff preparation for the race, do not get warmed to their work until they have gone about a, quarter of a mile; besides which they rattle along to the first fence. It is that which gets horses out of their balance, and that naturally does not give them time to get un to jump at the big fences to start with. Then, as to the final fence, that, I think, should be the same, for after going more than four miles and pumping 32 fences, it is indeed hard lines on owner, trainer, and jockey to come to grief at the final obstacle, simply not because the horse had not jumped at it, but because he simply brushed it.—Yours truly, R. Marsh." On the same subject T. Cannon wrote to Mr Meyrick that he thought the fences are now too high, especially the first two or three.