TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 55

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel.

WINGATUI NOTES. Training operations at Wingatui were not particularly brisk on Tuesday morning. despite the fact that the D.J.C. Spring meeting is booked on next week. This is principally dne to the fact that the majority of the locally trained horses are trained at Mosgiei Park, where the writer was informed something like 30 horses are worked. On Tuesday morning Daringdale, who has filled out into a handsome colt, was cantered twice round. He looks backward, and this is due to the burst foot which- resulted from his racing at the last Dunedin Cnp meeting. At present the colt seems sound enough, and is bright and hoalthy-iooking. The Charlemagne II filly, trained by J. Ruttledge. has also had her share of trouble, as she threw a splint, got a kick from Mahuri, and now is slightly troubled with shin soreness. Despite these drawbacks, the filly has developed into a racy-looking youngster, that should win races. She might not look so forward as some booked to race next week, but it would not be surprising to find her able to gallop fast. Tawhaki, despite the. fact, that he has not been long in commission, was too wood for Playboy and Lithia over five furlongs, run in Imin llsec. Officious, full of running, beat Obi over the same ground in Imin Bsec, and Muircock and Otakeho went a shade better by doing Imin 7scc without being fully extended. ' A few others were out but they were only set unimportant tasks. Some interesting work should take place on Saturday morning, as by that time some of the visitors will probably be on the scene of action. THE D.J.C. MEETING. The acceptances received in connection with the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting, which is eet down to usher in our local racing season, compare well with the nominations, and those still retaining their engagements furnish amnio material for the provision of some, good sport. Large fields do not necessarily mean good sport, because they are sometimes robbed of their spectacular value by being won at the rise of the barrier, or may carry one good horse amongst a jot of bad ones. The fields-engaged at Wingatui next week are much of the same class, and of a „ fairly good numerical strength. One would like to see a few "more engaged in the principal event, but the half dozen • still in may provide a good battle. A trio in Oiyoi, Czar Kolohol, and Adjudge were the only horses of any note to drop out, of the Mosgiei Handicap, and My Lawyer is the only notable absentee in the list of nominations for the Electric Handicap. The minor events carry much better fields than the chief event. It is pleasing to note that. 10 attractively-bred' two-year-olds stand their ground in the Dunedin Stakes, which is the most richly-endowed event on the programme. It seems strange to have a juvenile race carrying the biggest stake on a programme, and as some of them may . represent at present undeveloped giants of ’ tho turf, a glance at their breeding may be of interest. Art, wlk> figures at the top of the list, is the first of Sarto’s stock to appear m public. He ran at Ashburton, en.d with that eye-opener in his favour may give a truer run to private form than

those making their debut. Art is a halfbrother to a first-class performer in Vladi- ; mir, and although Mist has not been a I uniformly good producer, an alliance with such a well-bred horse as Sarto may restore her to the high favour she earned when Vladimir was on the turf. Allan Water is a son of Deerstalker, the brother to Canide Ghiel. His da-m, Grasne, was got by Gipsy Grand from Iris, "the dam of the brilliant horse Bloodshot, and also the producer of Retina and Searchlight. Autumnus is said to be able to gallop. He was got by Treadmill from GoMleaf. the -lam of Applegarih and Saxifrage. Both of these could gallop, but went amiss in the Tesoiratory organs. Pawkie Lass is a daughter of Dannie Chiei, ajid Star-hot, a winner of the Dunedin Cup. Starshot was got by Chainshot from Veno, by Cadogan from Wave. Sister Radius is a daughter of Charlemagne -II (sire of Culprit) and St. Regis, by Hotohkiss from St. Evelyn, by St. Leger from Lady Evelyn, By Perkin Warbeck from Pulchra, and hence, a member of one of our best racing families. Taffeta is another Charlemagne 11, 'and her dam, Silk Gown, was got bv Pilgrim's Progress from Portia, by Bill o' Portland—Happy Land, by Musket from Atlantis, the dam of St. Leger. Both these Charlemagne IPs, it will be seen, are | beautifully-bred younasters. May Dal- ] rymple was got by Stepniak from Miss Da.Lrymple, by Pilgrim's Progress from Kate Dalrymple and Childeric. Northern Light is another Stepniak, and her da<m, Bell* Clair, who was a well-knowiT performer in her day, has produced a smart performer ! in Gipsy Belle.. Scottish Star was got by - Clanranald from Safeguard, th«* dam of Stronghold, Fleetfoot, Broadsword (a trio got by Clanranaldl, and Countermine, whom Safeguard threw to Treadmill. The last on the list is St. Robcra, by Canrobert (son of Soult) from St. Bridget, a mare got by St. Andrew (brother to Clanranald) from Martyr, by Daniel O'Rourke from Raupo, the dam of the famous Matv Martyr also produced Nantes (darn of Prim and Huguenot, the dam of Marguerite). THE APPRENTICE ALLOWANCE. Owners and' trainers have not yet made particularly great use of the apprentice's allowance rule, but if a capable ooy looms up he should; command a nigh fee for an important ride if there is anything in ! hand'icapping. ■ It has. 'been said that Uhere is not the length of a walking-stick between the best jockey and a stable boy in horsemanship, or perhaps one should say race riding, which is a somewhat different matter. This statement was madie and gained «a certain amount of weight because it was littered by ia person whose opinions on racing obviously carried utterly false value, otherwise the remark would have died at birth. Instead- of that we find, an opinion in. some quarters: being accepted as a fact, whereas opinions and facts are frequently ias "wide apart as the poles. Racing men who are owners and who know the game take particularly fine care to give the seat, or iri these Tod Sloan disciple days we should say the elevation, to the . most capable man can find—particularly when there is money in the iatmosphere. The apprentice gets his chance at times, no doubt, but until he is of proved or imagined capability he is .merely put up for educational purposes both on the part of the horse and the horsetman in embyro. With the creation of iihe apprentice rule allowing 51b to jiders that more attention will have to be paid to the apprentice seems very clear. At Geraldine last week accidents were of far too common occurrences, and from what the writer could learn they were due to somo one taking (probably through ignorance) unnecessary risks during the running of a race. One rider who came down said his mount fell through being crossed, but the stewards held no inquiry into the accident, or if they did, failed to convey any intimation to the press room. It becomes a serious matter if owners and tiiainers grasp the opportunity to avail themselves of the apprentice allowance more On the question of poundage than on the merit of riding, and unless some attention is. called to the matter we will have more accidents ttfan ever. No boy should he allowed 1 to take a ride in public unless there is good reason to believe he can do so without endangering the common safety of the field. At both Ashburton and Geraldine—particularly at the latter place, falls occurred, but they did no appear to excite particular attention. This is not at all as it should be, as no serious accident should occur in- a race without the stewards thoroughly ventilating the matter, with the object if possible, of providing against recurrence on avoidable grounds. | THE GERALDINE MEETING. j Despite the fact that the weather was not particularly favourable, a fairly large attendance gathered on the Orari racecourse on each day of the Geraldine meeting. The bulk of the people had evidently travelled some distance, as the motor cars lined up each day totalled about 4G. land vehicles of all descriptions were very ! numerous, and all carrying travel stains. I It is quite clear that the Geraldine meetj ing, although not holding the standing of" ' many years ago, when the best Cup horses were given a run there, still holds a good deal of prosperity. Geraldine is liberally supported from Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, and the surrounding district, whilst a sprinkling from Okmaru and Dunedin were noticed in the enclosures. The track was firm, and in fairly good order, but the running of the horses strongly suggested that the majority were a moderate lot. Some interesting racing was provided by the programme, but at times the writer had a grave suspicion that non-triers were not entirely absent from the scene. In fact, the supervision of the running was somewhat flax, not because the stewards connived at anything wrong, but simply because they apnarently did not see (anything wronsc. On the other band the experts who know most were more anxious to find l one that was trying rather than j what.could win. An atmosphere of doubt was in evidence, and judging by the mani ner in which at least a couple of good j " public" fkney's were handled they rpceivod a bad run for their money. The public back horses on form, esntiment. or any reason except the straight tip from those best able' to supplT the rijrht information, Sometimes they get a pood i run for their money, and? frequently they ! don't. The public has p cloim to be re gardod with admiration, because it I Btepnina: up find nra.nciallv homr.brdimr thr totalizator wifh such that NeitZealand is full! of well-appointed racecourses, and stewainds have no nnxiety about the financial success of their meet-

ings. Seldom indeed can it bo found that a l'ace meeting is a financial failure, and that being so, tho clubs should not leave any stone 'unturned in order to give those to whom they owe their existence sport which would 1 disarm criticism. It is not inferred that the running at Geraldine was i bad lock, stock, and barrel. On the contrary, the majority of the races were run on apparently the absolute merit, of the . contesting fields, but tho riders of wellbacked horses should have been interrogated as to the method in which they bandied then: horses. Possibly the riders could , have supplied tho stereotyped " satisfactory answer." but even so, a big doubt would have remained 1 as "to their honesty of intention when in the saddle. The barrier was under the control of Mr B. R. Macdonald, who was recently selected to act for the West Coast clubs. Mr Mbcdonald has now had some little .experience, and last week effected some very goods starts. On other occasions vexatious delays took place at the post, and this delav appeared to be due more to lack of firmness on the part of the starter rather than fraetiousnests on the piart of the horses. Mr Maedonald' will have to improve a trifle m order *o retain the confidence of the racing public. He is one who ,should make a good starter, but until he exorcises more control over his fields he will not ffive complete satisfaction. One other thing must be said fchout the programme, and that is tho stakes read verv small, and the margin of profit over expanses cannot read very attractive to owners. For this reason tho club should make a stromr endeavour to build up their stakes. Stakes not worth •winning are the greatest inducement in the world to make racing profitable—by other means than honest sport. TROTTING AT GERALDINE. The trotting events on the Geraldine programme provided some fairly interesting sport, and attracted fair fields. A regrettable incidei-t occurred at the outset, as j Bav Patchen was disqualified for crossing Crown Prince, when be appeared to have the latter hopelessly beaten. The cross, as far as could be seen, made no difference to the result, but, of course, if Crown Prince couki have come on again, he was helped to victory by the other horse taking up.his line of running. The second trot on tho second day's card • served to . introduce a likely-looking sort in Lord Dillon, a four-vear-old colt by Harold, Dillon and by Electioneer from j H.R.H., by Berlin from a Prickwillow mare. Lord Dillon did not show anything sensational, but always appeared to have. his field measured off, and, in getting well placed at one stage, displayed a patch of pace that suggested his winning mark does not give the real limit to his speed. Under the reinsmansbip of a driver like R. M'Millan, a horse is not likely to be needlessly exposed, and it wall not be surprising to ; see the colt taking a better record than that achieved at Geraldine. On the. second day Glendalough, a four-year-old sister to the orack pacer Dan Patch, won in 3min 38 l-ssec, and had to undergo a protest for alleged inconsistent running before finally gaining the monev. Glendalough ran third on the first day to Bay Patchen, who, in receipt of 3sec*from Glendalough, won in 2min o3sec. Glendalough won in 3min 38 j l-ssec, which is a shade better than 2min I 26sec. A discrepancy in time, however, is cot a proof of inconsistency—otherwise fraudulent running,—and the stewards dismissed the objection. School Girl was made a strong order after making a good show in Glendalough's race, but she dallied on the mark, and spoilt her chance. The winner (Dollar Princess) was another objected to on the grounds of inconsistency. Dollar Princess was in the first four in the Orari Trot, and subsequently won in 2min 27&9C. In this race Innisfaii, a three-year-old sister to Glendalough and Dan Patch, finished fourth. IMPROVEMENTS AT WINGATUI. The improvements on the point of completion at Wingatui clearly indicate that tfeere are some progressive spirits amongst the working force of the club, and patrons of next week's meeting cannot fail to appreciate the work which has been carried out with the" object of extending the accommodation provided en the oouirse. The tea rooms have been, shifted from their former position-, and are now placed nearer the main entrance .and slightly beyond the mark of the old boundary fence to the saddling paddock. The paddock now practically commenoss at the main entrance, and the inside enclcsure. under the improvements efiected, takes in all the ground between the Main (road' and the stands, but the continuity is broken by the boxes. Beyond tbe boxes the ground has been laid out in a.n attractive manner, and under the new order of things one can get " far from the maddening crowd"- in order to enjoy temporary solitude and think the matter over—perhaps in congenial company. The new totalisator house is quite a commanding structure, andl although utility is its principal feature tho building is not an architectural blot on the scene. A glance at the inside of the building demonstrates that every facility has been provided for the expeditious handling of investments, and in achieving this desirable object it is understood that valuable assistance was rendered by Mr W. F. James, who controls the running of the machines. Altogether Wingatui has quite leapt into a considerably more attractive course than t heretofore, and this should materially em- I hance the pleasure of attending our race meetings'. Another improvement that has [ been carried but is an extension of the j lawn terrace towards the stewards' enclosure. The wooden front to the grand stand has been replaced by concrete, and tbe lawn terrace extended more towa.rds_ the stewards' enclosure. All the improvements have been expeditiously carried out,but despite the invasion of a small host of workmen the caretaker has managed' to keep the place pleasing to the eyes. The one regret about the improvemente consists of the fact that as a combination they do no work towards building a course more in keeping with, those of modern ideas. Still, Wmgatui has had its beauty and | comfort greatly enhanced by tho altera- | tiona, and despite any drawback must take rank as one of the piettiest racecourses in the Dominion. j