IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 54

IN A NUTSHELL.

The Auckland National meeting starts on Saturday.

St. Felix 'is now a member of J. Ruttledge's team.

—lt is underst&cd that Obsono may be raced m -Austral'ia*

-7- Redmond made a promising debut as a hurdiler last w©ek.

Paisano is reported to bo doing. excellent work at Ellerslie.

There is a horse racing in Australia named 84, who is by Prior. Pollutes struck himself when racing at Oamaru, ard pulled up lame.

The first race at the D.J.C. winter meeting will start at 12.30 each day. Sir Frisco, who has been off the scene for some time, is again in work.

Boanerges, Kilosteri, and Myland are booked to race at the A.R.C. National meeting.

L. The Obligado mare Liza, who was 'turned out at Berwick, died a few days ago.

The Multiform—Otterden colt owned by Mr W. Brown (N.S.W.) will race as True Form. «

There is a probability that Los Angelo." will be rao;d in Australia in the coming spring.

—EI Dorado has been shipped north in order to fulfil engagements at the A.R.C. meeting. —J. Hercock rode the double, the Wangia.nui Steeplechase and the Century Hurdles.

The two-year-old Muirco-ck has been sold by Sir George Clifford to a patron of R. M'Kay's stable.

—Te Arai pulled up lame at the Wanganui Steeplechase as a result of striking himself during the race.

Nomination's for the Ashburtou Trotting Club's meetine. elated for June 15 and 16, are due on Friday of this week. A bay gelding by Canteen from Pleasant Dreams, by Dreamland, has been placed in work at Ca-ulfield. The death is reported of the well-known brood mare Lady Moth., the oam of Hohoro. Hex foal by Pukaki is also dead. Countermine, Sharpshooter, and Flitaway will be Sir George Clifford's representatives at the D.J.C. winter meeting.

Redmond was priced during the currency of the Oamaru meeting, but the figure quoted, 400sovs, proved a bar to business.

—An ulter turf failure in Knastikoff was responsible for one of the best gallops of the morning put up at Wingatui on Tuesday. Winchester, who was running a good race until he fell in the Wanganui Steeplechase, is regarded as likely to make a good 'chaser.

'• —The Cornet was always there or thereabouts in hi 3 races at Oamaru, but failed to get right there at the business end of his tasks-.

W. 8. Hickenbotham has resumed work at FlemliiTgton with the New Zealand mn.re Lady Lucy, who, it is reported, looks well after her ispell. The Canterbury Jockey Club made a profit of £2485 8s Pd over the season's racing, and paid Government tax to the amount, of £5612. Baron North bum, who was recently

a member of W. Jarvis's team, was. at his recommendation, put. out of work and treated to a mild blister. Buff Gauntlet ran a couole of fair rac es a* Oamaru, but is a bit" light, and c f 3 , not A" the eye as being in the best ct shape at present. w — v i i. e i. dc ? th is ic 'Vortvd of Frisco, the son of Eatwiw. who, with v i , -« B m , tho saddle, won the New Zealand Cup of ISO 7. M l 7 S Mn e rn Celk ' nt Sport waa Provided by Snh, Si? • P* 0 ?"™"". and there was anlj one winner whose previous form at the meeting was open to doubt. Otakaho, who won a double at Oamaru cost about 50»;>v a at the last Tuapeka mg. i±© has improved considerably sinco going nito- M'ComWa -stable. Honsea of speed who ran but did net Ret mto the danger zone at Oamaru were Kostroma Cute, Gold Sail, Pilgrim's Way Czar Kplohol, and Officious.. Mahuri has improved a good deal since coming to Wingatui. He has furnished into a useful looking sort, and displays a fair amount of pace on the track. Sir Patrick carried a good deal of money m his races at Oamaru. but onlv Rave _ ftaah in the pan" shows of speed. liis sire was one of the same order. The Government tax 'on the North Otago meeting amounted to £45-1 12s 6d as against £220 last year. The club expects to make a profit of about £2OO over the meeting. The Auckland Star says that Cruesot, which won the C.J.C. Grand National Hurdle Kaoe of 1805, was disposed of at Messrs A. Auckland and Sons' yards on Friday for 16 .guineas. The Adelaide City Handicap, run on fcaturcwiy, was won by Mala by a length, Ayrlock being second, and Lord Kilcheran third. Thoie wore 25 starters. Time, lniin 27^seo. The St. Ambrose—Ambush winch was passed in at the Sydney sales has b-3-en placed by Mr J. B. Riid in F. M'Grath's stable to be prepared for future engagements. —lt is understood that Wedge, who won the Bail way Handicap at Oamaru, after running oat of a place in the Trial Plate, caught the tapes in the latter race and spoiled his chance. A Sydney cablo states that the Moreton. Handicap was won by Persian Jewel, by half a length, with Bright Laddie second, and My Gavonni third. There wore 16 starters. Time, 2min 7isec. Auratus ran a good race in the Century Hurdles despite the fact that he was somewhat backward :'n condition. Should he tram on safely, the son of Gold Beef should win a good raoe over hurdles. Lupulite retains his speed, but seems to be just speedy enough to pilot a field until the business end of a race, and then fade out. Earlier in his turf career he could clearly runi a good mile. —Mr J. B. Reid has purchased Mazurka, and the filly will join his stud. Mazurka was got by Martian from Two Step, by Stepmak from Far Away, by Bill of Portland—Happy Land, by Musket—Atlantis. . The Ashburton horse Corona bumped his rider cut of the saddle at the first fence in the Wauganui Steeplechase, but was remounted. He, however, ,had no chance, and was pulled up before completing the course. Pilgrim's Way is usually a very smart beginner, but at Oamaru he failed to get out with the leaders in either of his races. On both occasions the colt got boxed in his fields, and failed to* get a clear passage.

Wimmera, went amiss in. one of iii<? hocks, and is regarded as ualikely to fulfil his Auckland engagements. The mishap was given out as th.a reason for his. abserioe from tho list; of starters -At the "Wanganui meeting'.

Since January 1 Mr J. El Anthony, who piloted to victory in the Grand National, has had 56 mounts in crosscountry events and 14 successes. F. Mason has been Legged up on 120 occasions, an! baa Avon 33.

During the currency of the N.O.J.C. meeting several visiters took the opportunity of paying a visit to the box of All Red, and on all sides it was agreed that the son of Madder has developed into- an exceptionally fine type of a stallion.

One of the features of the recent Wanganui meeting (says "The Judge") was the excellence of the starting. On the conclusion of the meeting Mr Skipworth was invited into the stewards' room and warmly congratulated on his good work. • Lovell made the pace a cracker in the early part of the Wanganui Steeplechase, and Corazon established a race record when he won in 6.3. The previous best was the 6.4 1-5, hung out .when Filson won in. 1908. Jack Pot won in 6.7 2-5 last year. Thistledown ran a ccuple of good racea at Oamaru. She appeared to be running out of her distance, as speed kept her to the fore in the eatrly part of her races, but lack of stamina, perhaps for the time being, found her wanting at the end of them. A lthough his appearance distinctly suggests that be is lagging superfluous on the turf, old Ringman ran a rather good race on the second day at Oa.maru. On jbhe first day he apparently declined to gallop, ar.ict put in a refusal after crossing a hurdle. The first round of the Liverpool Grand National course was completed in. 4min SSteec. Considering that the going was very heavy, and that the distance traversed was two miles a.nd 435 yards, the pace set was fairly sound. The last circuit wss completed in smin 45sec. up lame after racing at Oamaru. On tho first, day he was a well fancied oandidate, but ran badly. On the second day he put up a much better display, that was more it! keeping with his form at the Riccartoa autumn meeting. . Joseph Trenoweth, one of the leading West Australian horsemen, is reported _ to have accepted a handsome retainer to ride for Mr D. Doolette, of ."Bullfinch" fame. Mr Doolette is going into racing rather extensively, and recently purchased several horses in England. Corazon, the winner of the Yv anganui Steeplechase, is regarded as a sure starter in tho A.R.C Great Northern Steeplechase. * _ Dorando appears to be, training on under the care of D. Morasrhan, whose forte appears to be the development of horses runLing betvrewi the flags. ■ --Forest ran a baa race on the second day at Oamaru, and his poor display is accounted for by an attack of kidney troubles. At Wingatui on Tuesday morning Jie strode over a circuit in good style, and n ovetl in marked contrast to the lack of dash exhibited last week. ing Tenterhook was purchased from Sir George Clifford by a local owner, who gavo 150 gs for the Clanranald filly. As a two-year-old Tenterhook won the W.R.C. Hopeful Stakes, the Plunket Nursery Handicap, and the 'Pacific Handicap. Lord Ullin's daughter, Play-away, and the New Zealand-bred Ellen Terry are amongst the 13 mares that Mr Francis Foy is sending to Challenger, the sire of Gillamatong, the half-brother to Trafalgar, who

proved one of the best, two-year-olds Been out in Australia this season. —At Epsom on Tuesday, April 18, the Great Metropolitan Stakes, of 936sovs, two. miles and a-quarter, went to Kilbroney, who lost fully 20 lengths at the start. Kilbroney gradually ma.de up ground, and finally won by half a length in 4.2. Kilbroney is a four-year-old got by The Wag (son of Ornie) from a granddaughter of Bend Or. —ln England, the "clerk of the course is a far more important personage than is the .case in New Zealand. No one fills the eye in that respect better than Mr J. W. Freeman., of Waimate, who acts in that capacity for the North Otago Jockey Club. He is invariably well horsed, and the beatdressed man whom the writer has noted

filling the role. Appin, the winner of the- Century Hurdles, run at Wanganui last week, is bred on attractive lines, as he was got by The Possible (Nordenfeldt—Realisation, the cam of Maxim) from Miss Beckwith, by Captain Webb (son of Nat-ator) from Princess Helen, who was got by Leolinus from Nelly Moore, the dam of Lochiel. Amongst the,non-successful brigade that attracted the writer's attention at Oatnaru was .L'Aiglon, a four-vear-old gelding by Eoyal Artillery from Nantes, who competed in a of minor events at the nueeting. He i 3 a raking big gelding that displayed pa-ce,' and as he is a brother to Aitillerie. and half-brother to Prim, may be heard of as a winner in the future. Countermine ran a fair race in the Oama.ru Cup, but only just good enougn to call to mind that My Lawyer should: have beaten both her and Mumura m the Yaldhurst Welter run at the last C.J.G. Autumn, just the same as when meeting them under mere favourable terms he should have proved their master last week. One of the most impressive wins of the fast-concluding season was that scored by Cheddar in the Great Autumn Handicap. Evidently the colt has trained.-off, as hie subsequent form does not appear to confirm the good opinions formed an his success at Riccarton. However, he is still a young horse, and may do better next seaaon. —lt would appear that Gunboat has trained on considerably since going to the Norths Island. As a result of recent form he is handicapped to give Iranui lib in +he Raukawa Cup. This ia in marked contrast to when the pair met at Wingatui last season. On that occasion the mare was conoeeding 30lb to Gunboat. \vho beat her into third place in the Anniversary Handicap. A racing club is particularly fortunate in possessing amongst its officials one whose colours are deservedly popular with the sporting folk. Such is the case with the N.0.J.C., whose president, Mr St. J-. Buckley, is clearly a highly-esteemed personage in the racing world. When Dorando scored on the second day of the meeting the success called forth the only applause heard on the course.

The well-known trainer D. Roberts appears to be acquiring quite a habit of annexing the minoT Cups, with members of his team. With Tikitere he twice won the Timaru Cup (including a dead heat), and also captured the same race with Lapland. Tikitere and Mumura have both won him the Oa-maru Cup, Cronstadt the Waimate. Cup, and no doubt he will become like Alexander, sighing for more worlds to

conquer. * —At the committee of the Australian Jockey Club, V.R.C, S.A.J.C, and W.A. T.C. have decided to formulate one code of rules- of nacin# ' for the Commonwealth. These will be submitted at a conference of delegates from the clubs named, to be- held at • Melbourne during Cup week. The result will be that one code of rules will be ia operation throughout the States, and thus will be removed a- number of difficulties under which •efficia's, horse-ownena, and others now labour.

—Mr Justice Avory, charging the grand jury ait Liverpool (England), referring to a charge of manslaughter at- a recent boxing match, said that- if the persons met intending to fight -until one gave in from exhaustion or injury, it was unlawful. In that case all present- aiding and abetting werel guilty, whether the fighting was with gloves or not. A sparring match, fairly conducted and intended as an exhibition of skill or a true sporting contest, was not unlawful, and a fatal result was misadventure only. Australia was much in evidence on the city and suburban the Epsom April meeting. The Australian light-weight \V. " Huzley rode four winners (including a dead heat), and F. Wooton rode two other winners during the day. Huxley is apprenticed to B. Wooton, and is achieving a considerable amount of success during the present season. His wins for the'day included the valuable City and Suburban Handicap, of 1675-sova, one mile and a-quarter, which he won on Mushroom, who ran the distance . in 2.5 8-5. Just before the last mail to hand left England, the French colt Shetland, owned by 14. Edmond Blanc, stood as favourite for the ' Derby, which is to be run this week. Shetland did not raoo as a two-year-old owing to going amiss in the autumn. He ■was got. by Zinfandel from Shellduck, by Gralliuule from Brilliand, by Sheen from Atalarita, by Galopin. The colt was* bred in England, but foaled in France. The- cable has. however, recently stated that Sunstar, who won the Two Thousand Guineas, is favourite for the Blue "Ribbon. —My Lawyer was the uuluckiest horse that ran at- Oairiaru. His bad passage on the first day wrecked a good chance of scoring .in the Cup. His bad luck on the second day killed his chance in the Victoria Handicap, but he displayed real merit in cominsr out later in the day and putting ■up one of the best sprint performances ever sss«n on the course. In the writer's opinion it was not lack of merit on the horse's pact thai was the oause of a failure to be returned a winner of either of the two principal events on the programme.

Calibre was represented in the Trial Plate at Oiamaru by Mere, who finished in a place behind Otakeho and Muircock. He is a raking" big two-year-old that looks cil sort likely te develop into something useful. His dam (Jadestone) was pot by Sword Dance from Onyx, and threw Explosion, and Hipstone, who threatened to become a highclass 'chaser. Hipstone was looking all over a winner when he ca.me down at the second last fence in tfi* Grand National Steepletchase won bv Awahuri. He. however, never showed anything eojial to the form in his subsequent races. An interasting' anecdote in connection "wtith 'the late. Mr %li Jellett is being revived. Hales had tfee mount on Richmond in the Australian Cup, and Mr Jellett weighed him out rather fine. Joe Thompson, the Leviathan bookm-aier, was aware of this, and, being one of Richmond's big backers, he, unobserved, slipped several half-crowns into' 'Halea's boots, to be sure of a correct weigh-in. After the rac® Hales got a greatf surprise to find l nearly fi. pounds worth of half-crowns in his boots, and until matters were afterwards explained was in a quandary to account for tba find. —I The black gelding; Wedge, who got amongst the winners at Oamaru, carried Mr «T Buckley's colours, and he will probably he found' carrying the eame banner over

T obstacles. "Wedge is a raking big gelding, ! and is by Finland from Amiabelle, who was ' got by Lionel (half-brother to Hotchkiss) ..from Anna, by Musket—Florin, by Traj duosr from Rupee, the dam of Spade ; Guinea, Merrie England, and Co. Finland is not a noted sire of stayers, but Wedge; has ample staying blcod on the dam's side, and sprinters on the flat are not infrequently found to be stayers over fences. It is, as the old saw has it, the pace that kills.

Stepmeter has trained on well since he came out in the spring at Timaru. It will bo remembered he got amongst the winners at the Wyndhani meeting, and his latest form clearly stamps him .as being above tha ordinary. On the second day a.i Oomaru ha won with BOinething to spare when carrying 0.12 over five furlongs in lmin 2 3-ssec, which compares favourably with any sprint put up at the meeting. He is a well-bred horse, and was got by Stepniak from the Wallace mare Demeter, a daughter of Eleusis, who threw Elusive (da.ni of Flitaway, To-morrow. Thistledown.) and Delusive, the dam of Counterfeit, who displayed such excellent form that she is easily one of the beet two-year-olds of the season. Corazon, the winner of the Wanganui Steeplechase, was bred by Sir William Russell, whose colours he carried to success last week. Corazon -was got by Coeur de Lion from Rasulka, by Vasoo de Gam a from Lorelei, by Leolinus from Naiad, by Traducer from Mermaid, one of the best of not the bast, taproot in the New Zealand Stud Book. Ccede Lion was got l ' by Dreadnought from Leonora, by Leolinus from Gossip, by Tradueer. Ccem" de lion was a good performer over hurdles. He won the Great Northern Hurdles of 1901, but had the bad luck to meet and twice run second to Record Reign when the crack son of Castor won the Maiden Hurdles and Grand National at Riccarton. One of the suggestions made to the V.R.C. Committee by the Victoria Breeders, Owners, and Trainers' Association Executive is that the allowances to apprentices should be extended. At present in certain races an apprentice reoeives an allowance of slb, but after he has ridden five winners he loses the privilege. In England an apprentice has an allowance in all races until he has ridden 40 winners. The Breeders, •Owners-, and Trainers' Association suggests that races confined tc apprentices ohould be instituted. This seems a good-idea (says the Argus). Another suggestion is that the allowances to apprentices should be on a sliding scale, the allowance to be reduced after a specified number of winners have been ridden. The North Otago Jockey Club's winter meeting was the most successful held on the course during the past couple of seasons. Prior to that the club's affairs were raised from a state of stagnation to a flood of success, and it is pleasing to note that the club has return.ed to a successful groove, as it not only elevated its own fortunes, but provided a stimulating example which was successfully followed by other club 3. Much of the success attained by the N.0.J.0. is "due to' the personality *nd ! business diplomacy exercised by Mr G. M. Procter, wiiom the writer baa heard dubbed as the best racing secretary in New Zealand. There is no doubt the club is fortunato in possessing the services of such a capable and popular man as Mir Proctor, who, it may be oaid, works hard to make things run smoothly. Gold Coin, who won the principal event on the second day of the 00-maru meeting, was returned in the race books- as being got by Golden Knight. The Stud Book, however, states that Alumini, her dam, was also bred to Calibre in the_ same year. If Gold Coin is a Golden Knight she is the first of his stock to win a, good stake Golden Knight was* got by Wallace from Aura (dam of Auruni, Golden Slipper, and Aurairia), and with such a pedigree it would not be astonishing to find some of his stock able to gallop. Gold Coin has a distinctly Australian pedigree, as' her dam was got by Patron (winner of the M'tiiboura© Cup and ©on -of Grand Flaneur) from Agate, by Newniaster: She ia a half-sister to Canada, who displayed ability to gallop prior to meeting with an accident which terminated his turf career. While on a visit to Melbourne in March, a leading Sydney racing man, an. owner who always aims h ; gh with his horses, expressed dissatisfa.ctioii at the poor policy oonsistently pursued by the V.R.C. in connection with the " Champion." He pointed out that only horses of the best class are any use in such an event, and besides, a special preparation is demanded for it. Yet. when the right stamp of animal is .secured, and the course of training got through, what is the reward held, out? For answer we can only say that Victorians are not very proud cf the " Champion" policy of the V .li.C. By its title it should be the leading weight for age race of the Commonwealth; but so far as prize money is concerned, it has been allowed to stand still for more years' almost than the " oldest inhabitant" can remember. It is gratifying to know (says a Melbourne paper) that no effort is to be spared to keep the Melbourne Cup in the lead as the greatest handicap of the year; but the extra money laid out on the " Newmarket" might well have been used to encourage the breeding and training of horses, of more genuine type than the sprinter. Mr Eli Jollett, whose death lias been reported, used Ifco say that Exile was the best 'all-round performer ever known in Australia. Originally a bullock-driver's hack («o it was said), Eixile ran second to The Barb in Melbourne Cup in 1666, and a year later ran third to Tim Whiffler and Queen of Hearts. Exile won other races, including Balkirat Cup twice, and fell dead after, the seco&d one. It was suspected that Exile was poisoned, but though a reward was offered by his owner, the late Mr "Pat"' Keighran, no one claimed it. The Thompsons —"Jack," "Joe," and "Barney"—when right a* the top_ of their career as bookmakers in Victoria, were closely associated with the late Eli Jellott a.nd gallant little Richmond. That was in 1876, a year which saw a bitter quarrel between the "King itff the Ring" and the then master of Sit.... Albans. It was perhaps at its worst on the day that Richmond met Feu d'Artifice and others in Australian Cup. Joe Thompson was oneg&iaf the chief supporters of Richmond oqS&'tflat occasion, while the St. Albanitea (w?:~ Branch and others) were \behind Feu d'Artifice, and many of to-day's racegoers will remember seeing Joe Thompson after the race throw his arms around the winner, Richmond, and kiss him again and -again in the most dramatic fashion, The Melbourne Sporting and Dramatic News remarks in a recent issue that there is no better known or more succesfsul trainer in Australia than Jame 3 Scobie, who scored his second Adelaide Cup success with the aid of Eye Glass. A native of Ararat, where he was. born on July 18, 1860, Scobie has been for over 30 years a' leading figure on the Australian turf. As a cross-country rider he had few equals, and his riding triumphs included the V.R.C. Grand National fiuirdle on Rhesus, Grand National Steeplechase on Ruby, Caulfield Gramd National Hurdle on Rhesus, and Steeple on Euchre and Blue Mountain, and Onkaparinga Great Eastern, on Shanks. Scobie has trained the winners of almost every big race in Australia, Ho

won the Melbourne Cup with Clean Sweep, and with Sylvanite, Maltster, Ben bow, F J. A, Miltiades, Rienzi, Alawa, and Hautvillers he has won no less than 12 Derbies. Other brilliant performers trained by Scobie include Alawa., Riiigwood, Corythus, La Carabine, Paul Pry, Mother Goose, Hautimer, Brookong, Sweet Nell, Chafes Stuart, Keera, Eleanor, and Emir. Scobie's homws are trained at Bowling Forest, Rallarat, and his chief patrons a«e Sir Rupert Clarke, Mr E. E. D Clarke, Mr 11. G, Casey, Mr W. Brown, Mr J. V. Smith, and Mr H. Patterson.

—Mr J. Corlett, proprietor of the Pink Un, recently took a holiday trip on a Dutch steamer, and was at % disadvantage because lie did not speak the language. Referring to this he ©ays: "We do not profess to bo masters of any language, not even our own, unless it is bad language, which we use seldom, aaad only under extreme provocation. If Sir John Astley were alive he could tell a story on that score.. The Birmingham roughs one Cambridgeshire day had got it into their heads that we were the owner of Flaisanteiria, and .after that mia,re had won her race, on leaving- the stand w© were greeted with chears and pestered for largess. Things were beginning to look a. bit awkward until we put our back to tho wall and addressed them in. a manner earnest and only in part eoolesiastical. A voice at once came from ' the crowd, ' Come on. Bill; he ain't no bloomin' Frenchman.' The crowd melted into thin .air. On one occasion, wliem we were in a like place on the Zuyder Zee, and tried to make the chambermaid comprehend that we wanted a towel, a.n intelligent smile came on hsr face. Away she went, and presently returned with a kettle on embers, a bottle of schnapps, ■ and some sugar, and put them down in the room. We accepted the position, .a.ncl in place of tne non-obt.aina.bie towel took the schnapps." The great feat for which Trafalgar was responsible at Randwick last month, when he ran three miles out in smin 22Js.ec, is an event calculated to make the admirer® cf the Musket tribe once again recite the wonderful record that is down against their names as stsyers. Some of our Australian friends are inclined to think we New Zeelanders carry our admiration of the Muskets quito too far. Personally (says " Phaeton ") I am prepared to continue to hoist the Musket banner to the highest pinnacle; and, what is more, keep it there until persuaded that Australia has ever claimed a horse of equal merit to the brown son of ToxopholLto. I am, however, getting off the line I liad cost for myself. The " staying record" consists of this. Musket won at three miles; his son Carbine achieved like distinction many times over a like searching course; the letter's son Wallace, who ran a dead-beat with Quiver (by Trenton), put a fresh record on the slate in 1896, which continued as the standard performance for Australasia until Trafalgar (a son of Wallace.) reduced the record last month. This is, I fancvj a record standing quito by itself, so far as Australasia is concerned, and if any of my comrades of the pen 011 the other side of the Tasman Sea can furnish its equal by one 'family it will form' the subject of highly interesting reading. ... .

. The three-year-old colt Mushroom, who was a good winner last year, has evidently trained on, as he scored handsomely in the City and Suburban Handicap, of 167550v5, one mile and a-quarter, which was run at Epsom on Wednesday, April 19. Mushroom is an apty-naraed son of Common and Quick, <a granddaughter of Hampton. Mushroom's second dam is a mare got by Donovan from Fuse, - a daughter of Bend Or. The colt is strongly inbred to the No. 12 family, of which his pedigree in the first five "removes shows no less tha-n nine infusions. The colt's -pedigree shows that the Nlo. 3 family is the chief line outside of the strong representation of the No. 12 line, bu>t many would claim that the colt's prowess is due to being got by Common (son of Isonomy) out of a granddaughter of Hampton. The colt does not claim engagement in either the Two Thousand Guineas or Derby, which is regrettable, as he really appears to be a .high-class three-year-old. Sir George M'liean informed the writer that prior to purchasing Sarto he could have obtained Common, the sire of Mushroomi, at a moderate figure. The "Special Commissioner," in referring to the City and Suburban winner, said: "It is not generally known that Common, the sire of Mushroom; was given by Sir Blundell Maple's executors to his present owner, they being unable to make him profitable to the estate, and wishing! only that he should have a good home." Sir Blundell Maple paid 15.000 gs for Common after he won the "Triple Crown" in 1891.

—When the Duke of Portland purchased the Australian champion, Carbine, he made mo secret of tbe fact that it was with the object of introducing a stouter strain of blood into his famous stud thorn it contained at the time. A clear-sighted man. the Duke recognised before perhaps other English breeders that there was something not quite right, so he sent to Australia for a high-class- representative of the sturdy Mueket, tribe to stouten the stock. It is a pity for tbe ©ake of the English racehorse that the Duke's lead was not followed by all other breeders in the Old Country. England ba« since had to pay yery dearly tor not taking his Grace's timely hint. Here ki Australia we are the fortunate possessors of a fair share of the world-prized Musket blood; but. (savs tbe Melbourne Sporting and Dramatic News) on© cannot be sure that we are making tbe best use of it. There certainly bave been times when it was abused. The stoutest and hardest strains must weaken in the course of time if a system of " inbreeding" is persisted in for the sake of increasing speed, and eventually it must deteriorate into a level that the production from it of a horse of the Trafalgar class would be an utter impossibility. And when the calm, hardy Musket blood cannot be trifled with, how much more necessary is it to bave a care where "softer" strains are concerned ? It seems useless to appeal to a certain class of breeders to remember that there are other considerations besides meire producing horses likely to sell well as yearlings; but surelv in the interests of their country they might be expected to refrain from following a course that in reality means a direct blow at the thoroughbred industry of Australia.