TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3097, 23 July 1913, Page 49

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel.

THE ‘'CURSE’' OF RACING. Judging by the tone of his remarks in connection with the motion proposing to make it a breach of racing law to bet with a bookmaker, Sir George Clifford was evidently greatly disappointed because his suggestion to that effect did not find general favour. Sir George evidently holds the opinion that all the ills to which the turf is heir finds origin with the bookmaker. He claimed that double-betting with bookmakers is the curse of the New Zealand turf. This is rather a sweeping assertion to make, and whilst it cannot be claimed that bookmakers in general are the _ guardian angels of the turf, it must be said that the devil is not so black as ho is sometimes painted. No doubt Sir George had in his mind whilst speaking on the motion the unfortunate affair in connection with the late scratching of a well-hacked horse in the last National Hurdles. and he may also possess knowledge of other cases of a similar nature. Still, on the other hand, it might bo claimed that some of the greatest ramps and robberies ever perpetrated on the New Zealand turf had the exploiting of the bookmakers' coffers as their object. Kew Zealand bookmakers must be a particularly had lot if they arc the curse of racing in this country, and, if that is so, one must extend sympathy to Australia and England, where racing also flourishes and the bookmaker stands as a very big factor in the game. In "Now Zealand the bookmaker now stands as a mere side issue, and if in his diminished power he is still strong enough to be a curse to racing, such a fact must furnish a monument of evidence of the incompetence or supinencss, or even connivancy, of those who have control of flic snort in this country. Possibly the bookmakers are occasionally the cause of a good deal of trouble. Let it be granted that such is the case, but at the same time let it be- remembered that the shots fired by the bookmakers must invariably find their target on a racecourse, and that target is right under the nose of the 10 or 12 or more stewards generally in evidence at the various race meetings. .Surely that target cannot be so frequently shattered as Sir George believes, and the evil missiles fail to attract the notice of racing officials, who are supposed to bo on the alert for such things. There is >lO denying the fact that the bookmaker is not the only opponent of racing. The incompetent steward is the greatest of all dangers. Such people allow the guilty to escape, and sometimes punish The comparatively innocent; in fact, the writer could quote a case or two where the aftsolutcly innocent have been carpeted and punished. 'Then, again, the biassed steward is not an mdmown personage, whilst others are not above giving iiie.r horse a gallop or two in public without having the excuse of racing them into form. If the bookmaker is such a menace to the turf as Sir George Clifford evidently believes, out with them by all moans; but there are such things as straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. How many of the people on the disqualified list found their way there per medium of the bookmakers? Quite a large percentage of owners are evidently more prepared to owe than pay, and this is not meant to include those whom the misfortune of war has ?cnr to the wall. The lengthy list seems to suggest that some started into the game with a small sense of honour, and did not require the bookmaker to point the way to trouble of a more or less serious nature. The principal thing, however, to remember in connection with any effort to purify and elevate the tone of the turf is that whilst the caii-e may not be known the effect is seen on the race track. The stewards arc there to specially note effects of the wrong hue and _ shade, and if the colour scheme offends it is their duty to make a correction. If racing ; s not so mire as some would like to se ( . it. then on ‘the heads of the stewards he the blame. The stewards have unlimited power at their disposal to purify the turf, anti if it continues to produce rotter, fruit the blame is on those who do not or cannot (ii-tingir.-h the good from the bad. THE G.'HTit OLD BLOOD. The Renown mare Ncdna. who won tiefee steeples at Trentham. snnf-d three times at the lan Grand National meeting without gaining a place. Fhe finished filth in the Trial IBnlms won by Beue,!. and was Se: -rat d from Urn v rn-r bv Si. Kevin. Nc-'-ot. and C’oronctted. In the S;. evdon 1 Jack Hurdles, won by Tv aeon, she did not get among,;- the ftr-t five; and in the Stvx Hurdle.' won by Sr. Kevin, she fire-h'-.! fifin. Ib-ii-on did not -fart, bin on that occasion was fiandieamvd to her 531 b. Tb r dam is probably id-nfi a! with the Wonderland mate of that name, and. if so. is a daughter < f Mv-t. tv. who was got by Javelin from Bay Duchess, by

Totara from Marchioness, by Herald from Blink Bunny, by Porus from Dudu, a mare of unknown pedigree. Dudn raced :n Auckland, and is supposed to be a daughter of the mare of the same name that vr«s imported ro Xew South Wales in 1839. It will be seen that Xedra owes nothing of her merit that might come in ta.il female to any “fashionable” blood that figures amongst recent importations. Her sire, Renown, was a good horse in his day, and won the Great Northern Foal Stakes, Great Nort.iern Derby, Royal Stakes, C.-T.C. Derby. Wanganui Guineas, Hawke’s Bay Guineas, and Wclhngton—a series of wins that stamped him as one of the best three-year-olds ever soon in New Zealand. He was got by Dreadnought from Lyrebird, br _St. Leer or from Lyre, by Patriarch (son of A attention) from Lyra, by Thormanby. Lyra ■was foaled in 1868. and produced Gorton m 1878. Gorton sired Euroclydon and other good horses. Dreadnought was one of the best of his time when on the turf. He won the Victoria Derby. V.R.C. St. Roger, A.J.C. St. Roger, and Australian Cup. He was got by Chester (son of Vat ten don) from Trafalgar, by "Blair Athol from Alosquito (a sis tor to Musket). On both suim of the house Ncdra descends from good stout bViod of the olil-fashionod brand, and her ned'gree suggests that she could stay a National journey.