TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 54

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel

THE CUP MEETING. Next Saturday will see the commencement of the New Zealand Cup meeting, and the gathering promises to be one of the most successful ever held at Riccarton. The horses claiming engagements in the principal events have all arrived at the soene of action, but their latest efforts on the training track have not given much

assistance to backers in their desire to solve the problems before them. The Cup is regarded as being unusually open, and at the present lime, although Bridbe holds the position of favourite, it is by no means cert-tin that he will retain his place in the market when the horses are at the post. In fact, it is not an easy thing to pick the favourite on the day. Diabolo, who was made favourite on the appearance of the weights and held the honour until quite recently, may again be restored to favour, as Bridge shaped disappointingly in a gallop on Saturday If Los Angeles had any credentials for staying he would be carrying a fheapr o r money, if not elected actual favourite on the day. Up to the present he has nut up some attractive work up to a mile and a-half, and should he go a fair gallop over a bit more ground before being linally saddled for the race he is just as likely to be made favourite as anything in the field. One can hardly get a good line from the track work at Riecarton unless it is assumed that the horse which gallops well over 10 furlongs will bo equally at home over two miles. The old-fashioned method of sending horses the full rout? is apparently dead and gone, but it was preferable to the gallops which leave so much to conjecture. At no time more than the present are horses required to run solid races, but. strange to eay, they appear to do comparatively easy taste on the tracks. Perhaps the present-day trainer cm achieve the same results as the old-time mentors, although they work on different systems; but if the writer was a big bettor nothing would satisfy him except seeing a horse tried, and tried well, with the element of .guessing reduced to a minimum. The crack sprinters which form the field engaged in the Stewards' Handicap present an even greater problem than the Cup. because the element of luck enters more into the running of a short race than it does in a Cup journey. There is not much time to retrieve an error made during the Stewards' Handicap, but. there is a chance of doing so in a two-mile race. Perhaps on the day something will stand out prominently before the betting closes, but at present both races look particularly open, and, that being so, some excellent sport should be provided.

THE DUNEDIN SUMMER MEETING. The Dunedin Jockey Club have issued the programme for their summer meeting, dated December 26 and 27. The chief events aire the Otago Handicap, of 300sovs, om mile and a-quaxter; the St. Andrew's Handicap, of 2CO-ovs. one mile; the Federal Handicap, of ]sQscvs. six furlongs; the Dunedin Handicap (for two-year-olds), of 1501-ovs. five furlongs; the Grand Stand Handicap, of 130sovs, six fur'oniys; and the Juvenile Handicap, of 125sovs. four furlongs. Both welter events on the programme have been increased to 125=0v each, and the balance of the items on the list are worth lOOsovs each. Nominations are due on Friday, November 18, handicaps for the first day are due on Monday, December 12, and acceptances have to be declared on Friday, December 16. THE GORE MEETING. The spring meeting of the Gore Racing Club was one of the most successful ever held on the course. The weather on the first day was somewhat hostile, and no doubt the indications of rain and the gale in evidence had a deterring effect on some of the club's patrons. Nevertheless, there was so excellent attendance, and those who were brave enough to put in an appearance had. the satisfaction of experiencing fine weather for the concluding part of the afternoon. Since last season the club has been going in for improvements on their course. A caretaker's cottage has been erected near the main gate, and a new means of entrance ha-s been provided for horses and vehicles going into the paddock enclosure. The saddling paddock has been enlarged to more than double its former size, and not only has the accommodation been vastly increased, but a picturesque air has baen achieved by the inclusion of a clump of macracaupa. which formerly stood outside the old boundary. The addition to the paddock is divided from the old ground bv a couple of small ponds. and trainers have now a quiet place to walk their horses between races. In a little time the new saddling: paddock should grow into a very pleasant place to loiter between the races. The club still retains + ho same old impossible grand stand, but jf all goes well under the proposed amendments to the Gaming Act. the building is to be presented to the outside patrons, and n. new one erected in its place. It is to be hoped the club will widen the straight when the change takes place, and if possible enlarge their track at the south end. so as to make a better run from the home turn to the winning post. At present matters get a bit cramped when a field is running in cloje order round the home turn, and an improvement would give the club an excellent track. In fact, the suggested alteration would' become an imperative necessity if such large fields a* those which contested both the chief events last week were seen out with greater frequency. Last week's programme provided several von' interesting races, although the sport was considerably marred by the bad starting on the first day. In fact, several races were absolutely siwilt. unless one regarded thorn from a successful punter's point of •-•'few. Oblong was made favourite in the Wainaoa Hack Handicap, but a bad start wrecked whatever chance she had. and Magdalen, who got wl.l' away, beat her bv close on two lengths. Abo and Port Fire got wcl l away in another bad start. which saw the despatch of the District Hack fir-Id. and the former just lasted lona«>nough to win from the fast-finishing Royal Step. A fair start took place in the Spring Handicap, for which Warsaw was made favourite, whilst Adage ranked as second choice. Adage took up the running and had Warsaw handy as thoy ran past tho stand, but the latter got crowded hackas they ran out of the straight. Here Waiju ranged alongside Adage, and with tho dxception of the tailing off of Field Fun, tho field ran in fairly close order along the back. Approaching tho home turn Warsaw joined the lenders, and as Adage was being ridden and Ronaldshay and Waiju were in trouble (in addition to -he others being beaten) a win seemed assured for the Lady Lorraine horse. Adage, however, was not to be denied, and under punishment he came on again *o wipe off the advantage which Warsaw had gained, and made a dead heat. Waiju finished over two lengths away, and then came Stratagem in fourth place. As usual in such cases soYcral of the spectators were inclined to question the accuracy of the judge's decision, but needless to say only one man can tell the actual result in such a dose finish* 4t. few jfaidqa from the

] post Warsaw put a good head in front I of Adage, but the latter was coming again I in the last couple of strides, and no doubt | recorded the verdict given. Voter was a I strong order in the Mataura Trot, but it i went to Myrtle Bell after the former spoilt his chance by breaking. Ngawere finished fast in the Visitor's Hack, and wiped out I the advantage Seagar obtained in a bad ' start. San Severo was made a strong I odds chance in the Flying Handicap, and I the others, comparatively speaking, were j at very long odds in such a small field. { The start saw each of the quartet get I well away, and they ran in line along the I back, but approaching the turn San | Severo drew out and finally won by two i lengths. The opposition to the winner did ! not appeaT to be particularly strenuous. I Enchanter easily accounted for the Dash I Trot, in which Reuben was favourite, and i the day's card was concluded by King ! Post capturing the Charlton Handicap in ; good style. There was a decided improvement in the j weather for the second day, and fairly i geed fields again figured on the card. Pro- : cecdings opened badly with the Dominion ! Handicap, in which the start presented | Lady Margaret with the stakes. Seagar was favourite, and Magdalen ranked next; ■ whilst the others were not seriously con- | ridered in the betting. The horses were ■ fairly well in line, but there was a good ! deal of fiddling about, and something | caught the barrier as it rose. Ladv Mar : i caret dashed away, an Seagar and Magi dalen followed, but were pulled up after going a few strides, and then sent after the leader, who by this time had a break which made pursuit hopeless. Lady Margaret won all right, and SeagaT and Magdalen fought out a finish for second place, which went to the former by a narrow j margin. The spectators held the opinion that it was a false start, but the horses I were placed, and the starter could be seen j removing the tapes and taking them on to the starting-post for the next race. As | soon as the crowd realised it was a "race" they commenced to demonstrate their hostility to things in geaeral but o.ltogether the 'affair was accepted in remarkably good spirit. Mr M'lntyre returned to the paddock, and asked to be relieved of the duties of starter, and the stewards appointed one of their number in Mr J. B. Xicoll to act Mr Nicoll's despatches were cf a more satisfactory nature, and on one or two occasions were as good as one could wish to see. When it was seen that Royal Step had M'Comb in the saddle, the Stepniak horse was sent out favourite, despite the fact- of being very sore, and moving groggily in his mild preliminary. Royal Step was slow to move, and -Obolous won from King Torrent and Port Fire. took up the running in the Waikaka Handicap, and Adjudge, the favourite, got a shade the worst of tne despatch. The first-named was joined by Astrakhan., but the latter dropped . out three furlongs from home. Turning into the straight, Warsaw and Adjudge were both fairly handy, but, whilst the latter was brought up on the oueside of the leaders the former was taken on the rail, and got hopelessly blocked. Erskine was out. in front at the distance, and Adjudge finishing fast, put in a strong challenge, but the Tiara gelding kept on, and* won 'by a neck. Warsaw was close up on the rails third, end Ronaldehay fourth. Waiju again faded out when the straight . was reached, and Stratagem was fairly prominent until the home turn. As far as the writer'' could judge it appeared T.hat Warsaw would have bee'n a Sure winner, with a clear run, and Beale did not display the best of horsemanship in getting into a pocket which have been dodged if more use had been made of his mount at the home tarn. Knapdale had an easy win iri the Otama Trot, which he woju in 3m in 40 l-ssec. Voter was second, and then came Monsoon, Myrtle Bell, Enchanter, and Tory. Maira fell at the end of the first half mile, but fortunately E. M'Kewen, who had the mount, eecaped without injury. Simon Pure won the Railway Hock in good style, and the neglect-, shown Obsono in the Flying was contrasted by his marked favouritism for the Shorts Handicap; whilst on the other hand San Severo was not held in high estimation, atf her price was blways fairly liberal. A good deal of delay took plaoa at the post, but eventually the field got away on fairly even terms. Red Morn Momentarily showed out in front, but was quickly supplanted by San Severo, and a few strides alter also by Oblong. Obsono did not get teo well away, and after going a couple of furlongs Oblong and Sam Severo were racing together over three lengths clear of the others. Before) reaching the straight San Severo, who appaared to be bumped, lost her place, and! fell back, and Oblong landed in the straight, three lengths clear of Obsono, who was now in hot pursuit. Obsono finished/ well, and got xip in time to win by a head. San Severo was about three lengths away. Lady Montifiore won the Balfour Trot without being ridden out in 2min 40s.;c. A hot favourite in Reuben was third, being separated from the winner by Evening Star, and Enchanter was called off by the starter owing to beating the clock. Seekashore was smartest out in the Murihiku Handicap, but was almost immediately joined by Officious and Cuirosottia. The lost place shortly : after entering the back stretch, and. Offi- j oious tban, drew clean away, to win com- < fortably by five lengths Erskine and. j Adage (who was last going along the back) \ fougnt out a good finish for second money, j and the latter won by a head, .'ackaohore I beat the others. The meeting- was con- j eluded well up to time, and should result : in a handsome addition to lhe club's I coffers.

THE WINTON MEETING. The handicaps for the VVinton meeting made their appearance promptly on the conclusion of the racing at Gore. In th*> Hurdles Riflo Range holds the post of honour with 11.9. and is bv no means harshly treated in being asked to meet Royal Shell and Ngawera on 51b worse terms than he defeated them at Wingatui. Ngawera has won on the flat in the meantime, and may improve over hurdles with more experience. Kaikomako ran Coy to a neck at Wingatui last summer when in receipt of 31b. In the Winton Gup Waiju and Warsaw Ivead the lisr with 9.5 apiece. In the Gora Cup Waiju was conceding Warsaw s!b, and not only failed to concede tho poundage, but finished about three lengths away. Tho pair met at evens on the second day at Gore, and Waiju was beaten out of a place, whilst Warsaw, after getting into a, bad position, finished a close third. Evi- , dently Waiju is expected to improve on his ! Gore form. Ho was a good performer at j tho back end of la*t season, but appears j to have none the )aa« at it &». }&&& pmk'g ,

form. Warsaw is looking l very well at present, and on the second day at Gore would in all probability have won outright if Beale had brought him up on the outside. Office Girl looks to have a chance with 8.8. She won the last Winton Cup with 9.4-, and gave Warsaw 91b. The latter, however, turned the tables when in receipt of 171 b in the imile race on the second day of the meeting, and at, the finish of the season there was not much between them Field Gun ran badly at Gore, but was not ready. On his best form he ! 6 very well treated. Astrakhan runs like two horses, and Stratagem may do> better than at'Gore ! or Wingatui, as she appears to be on the improve. Last season Linda won tnc Wyndiham Cup, one mile and a distance, with 7.6 up, and the Southland Handicap with 7.9. On this form she should help to keep things busy at Winton. Queen's Prize is a recent winner in the south, but Somaroff gave a poor display at Gore. Royal Step is such a bad-legged horse that he may crack up at any time, but thei-e is no doubt that he can gallop when the going is in his favour. THE SHAPE OF THE STAYER. The question of staying power and stamina in the thoroughbred naturally becomes a prominent question when we are on the eve of a battle for supremacy in such a race as the New Zealand Cup, which forms the chief event in the Dominion for testing the capabilities of our racehorses. Each Cup candidate is scanned in order to find if he "looks like a stayer." and his action critically followed to note if the stride lias the smooth and easy sweep generally identified with the successful journey horse. Horses with fighting action, climbers, or extravagant movement seldom go far, although thev may show speed over a short course. An occasional exception crops up, but the best stayers are generally a trifle lazv or "kind" horses, that are easily handled, although handy and smart enough to take advantage of openings as they occur. The puller wears himself out. and the lightmouthed hoTse that " takes hold," but without reefing for his head, is generally the right racer when a journey proposition has to be solved. Some good stayers pull over the first portion of a journev, but move kindly when they have settled down into their stride. Take, for instance, three of the best horses that have ever met in the New Zealand Cup: Achilles spoilt his chance because he fought with Jenkins, who at that time was just recovering from an illness; Wairiki went much kinder than Achilles, but his rider shifted about a good deal in the saddle whilst taking fresh holds during the. race; on the other hand. M'Oomb sat quietly on Canteen and got the race of his Life out of the queer tempered grey. Roseal was another who ran himself out, and it is a sure, thing that both Achilles and Wairiki would have ran much better races if their riders could have quietly balance-! themselves, in the saddle and thereby conserved some of their horses' power for a final effort. Other instances could be quoted where un- \ doubtedly good horses seriously discounted j their Cup prospects, and were generally I beaten because they pulled too much" to 1 stay a journey. To say that a horse "looks a stayer" embraces a very wide question, because the experience of racing gives solid foundation to the proverb that I horses "run in all shapse." Some stayers are so plain as to border on positive ugliness, whilst ethers are as handsome as paint. One could not select, on mere looks. Lady Zetland to beat the handsome and upstanding Euroclydon, or Halberdier to beat a brace of handsome colts in Welbeck and Canteen; or again the circus horse Downfall to prove victorious because ho filled the eye as an ideal Cup horse. The ponified Miss Delaval was only a neck away from the dead-heaters Fulmen and Ideal, and with a clearer run would have probably beaten the pair in front of her. She clearly outstayed several other good horses in the race, and beat Sant Ilario and Skobeleff in the St. Legcr. She also downed Seahorse in the Great Northern Derby. Yet in point of looks she was quite a weed in comparison to some of her oomelier pony racers. Some horses possess extreme speed and yet can stay. 'For instance. Waiuku won the Electric Plate with 9.1 in 47jsoc, and a couple of seasons later won the New Zealand Cup with 8.6 in 3min 30 2-ssee. Advance was another great speed horse that could also stay, but one rarely finds such a combination; and in seeing the sprinter one is apt to be blind to the stayer when both qualities are carried under the fame skin. Multiform and Achilles belonged to the same category as Waiuku. but one would lose the Bunk of England by blindly supporting horses on their prettiness. or claiming a horse to be a stayer because he had demonstrated the possession of extreme sne/>d. Horses run in all shapes, and j their racing merit in manv cases is renrewmted bv form rather thin formation. The "ugly duckling" of a. family is sometimes a good winner, whilst his handsome relation may be a rank duffer. Many critic- looked at Carbine and failed to discover wherein lay his marvellous galloping powers, and yet the son of Mersey, j one of the greatest racers the world has ever known, would not have taken a prize ] at a beautv show. i

THE LAKE COUNTY MEETING. The Lake County Jockey Club have issued the urogram me for their annua! meeting, which is set down for December 9 and 10. The principal events are the Jockey Club Handicap, of 55sovs (one mile), the Lake County Cup. of 60.«0vs (one mile and a distance), the Flying T-Jandican of 40sovs (six furlongs), and the Shorts Handicap, of 40sovs (four furlongs). The principal trotting events are the Goldfields' Handicap, of 40sovs (two miles), and the Shotover Handicap, of 35-sovs (one mile and a-half). The balance "f tlic programme is made up with useful races, and nominations for the chief events are due on Saturday, November 26.