IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 50

IN A NUTSHELL.

The Gore Racing Club is advertising for a. starter. The Southland Racing Club has a membership of over 220. -It is announced that A. Oliver will probably settle in Australia, Nominations for th« Geraldine meeting are due on September 4. —A. Oliver will have the ride on Soltano if the colt starts in the A.J.C. Derby. The Wanganui Jockey Club will distribute 924Ssovs in stakes this season.

The Australian Trotting Club intends hanging up a lOOOsovs stake m December. Desmond sired, winners of 359 races worth £138,277 Tip to the time of his death. The annual meeting of the Southland Kaoing Club will bo held on Friday, August 29.

Machino Gun aired 11 winners last season that captured 33 races, worth 3015a0v».

The Australian Jockey Club are giving 27,60050v3 in added money at their spring meeting. The executor® in the estate of the late Mr J. 0. 'Williamson have decided to sell off his stud. The New Zealand-bred mare Solution recently clipped twins to the imported hors© Earlston. —lt is understood that Mr J. B. Reid vill arrive back in New Zealand within eoj. next couple of weeks. . A Bropj© reported, to have wintered •/Ml, and is expected to make her appearance at the Marton meeting. A cablegram from London states that Shogun has injured his leg, and has been scratched for the St. Leger. The How Zealand Cup winder bridge is again amongst the active sr.txrtctr.e cf Ik J. Trice’s team at Caulfield,

—lt '« reported thet Brou»t, hi* y.lpoudy been befriended to a oonEid-sra.te amount over the Now Zealand Oup. —L. Kegirty, who hoc been Master Paul in his raoos, contemplates making a permanent stay is. Australia. Coronettecf changed ownership at IFtys at tonclueion of the National meet it g. and will loin a Riccartou stable.

Willowwood, the brother to Wildwood, .Tun., has been shipped to Sydney, and will take up stud work in New South Wales. When the whole of the stands at Randwick are completed there will bo seating accommodation for about 25,000 people. Craganour. iho disqualified winner of the Derby, wfco was svld for f3'),oof’, has been .’hipped to b;a new home ia the Argentina.

The cue-two o/stem of payivi? out •■■as beetx introduced by one or two of the Solders operating at the Sydney suburban meetings. 'O. Fries, who was steed down for 13 months ia sormewtiem with Th* NstivePaisano affair, has again been granted a license. The. well-known ’chaser Wot, who te one o? tba beat jumper® ever se<ru e.t iuscarton, was sold a tew weeks back in Sydney at lags. Master Paul Ttr-aa Vfc»; P.nov/olary Steeples run at the VA.T.C. meeting h-jM ibis month. He weed wav "fcvsvriie, and win all the-' way. —Mr A. C. Harden, who has been appointed a steward of the .Dunedin Jockey Club, occupied a similar position scone tew years ago. Downfall won the Now Zealand Cup in tho largest field that has sver started iu tho race. 2*e scored ngr.lnst £0 other® that were in the fieliE. last Got'Si* 15(“,crter, i? raid to base built up and fi.Tnisbrd in a spite adtei manner since last seen In public.

Ben to fave-aiio for Iks Ntw Zealand. L» rW:ns, ranks as seoat-i obffice, end on sqnss wrtic ever-ss AlasWvpV.ce.. ite.srkayne, and 'Slrxsrr.at ina. N«rniiHkA»»ss‘ as» due hi 3 •'<X7 4b v OjKSftihi Jcsvve" ChaVe Dun«dl;a .stakes -a? !&»•! (tha 'r:> ".'tele f fta l i«s c-f 19IS, mA :Dn a*.ih te-Tt.’ne-c'as c-f 1013.

Fis if/ajsriy ivio Zlbig has 51. hersvn in bruin Leg, and If wars an the point of being tllrc-sf. lx o:rct,Rltslon woen ihe Jwt msu fo hone. Uf; S'r- 'r.nd.

Tbs D.J.C CviT.i'v.,; ujivc aso'slef; the Ttago Hud dab v i”h e, donation x bSsoxa towards tbs prize-1 is < iwr iho hunt mexoting 4<j b* held ai W)r.gatui on Fet-tetobe* 20.

Ben, ca.tao 'nio tho Cup, market at the tail eraf of la*-* work, arte :e understood to have been backed at s. fairly shore price for a corsiderable amount cJ money. The Now Seal and-bred in rue ArbTkiio hoa protlu ;ed a- nro\rj fii y to ike Mslteoato Cup winner, Como&y King. Tnle is A.r,fllerie’a first contribution tc the Stud Bock. Alio:- winning tio Grand s'rfie of Teris on BrUieror, &. c’iern, v'dir of that Ivr/se, was suspended for a A/r;u..ghl ci slightly interfering with nr.j'hoc hoise in tho race.

Tho Otaki Maori Racing Club have a ’''handicap condition attached to their pro-

gramme, but have a limit of 101 b for a. win in one race uud 6lb for every additional win.

Masterpiece started favourite in the last Cup, when he was short-headed by Midnight Sun. Vice-Admiral ranked next in demand, and then came Undecided and Soldiers’ Chorus. Two New Zealand-bred mares in Bose Dream {by Charlemagne 11, from Rosella), and Lady Lawyer (by Stepniak—Portia), were recently purchased in Sydney for a Queensland stud.

The Oamaru Trotting Club will hang up SOOsovs in stakes at tiieir annual meeting, which is dated for Labour Day, October 27. The principal event will carry a stake of 140scvs.

Blackstone had a winning representative at the i'indon Harriers’ meeting, which was held in Melbourne on August 8. Ho sired Minstone, who won a mile Welter from 13 others.

A Brisbane (Q.) sportsman has offered, to subscribe £250 to local charities if the Queensland Turf Club will do the same with the money it derives from retaining the totalisator fractions.

—W. Smyth, a young jockey attached to R. Wootton’s stable, recently won a race; but subsequently horse and rider were disqualified for crossing, and, in addition, the man was fined 25sovs, The New Zealand Cup candidate Emperador, who is now at Randwick, recently shaped well in a six-furlong gallop. On another cccasion Cherubini and Emperador worked a strong mile in company. A “dark room’’ for photographers is included amongst the improvements being carried out at Randwick. In New Zealand the “dark room” is generally used for the purpose of holding stewards’ inquiries. —At the annual meeting of the Australian Jockey Club the chairman stated that the general receipts for the club for 20 years totalled £1,140,000, the working expenses £248,000. and the added money £649,000. Midnight Sun met with a slight accident some little time back by coming in contact with a fence a? a result of shying at a motor car. He, however, quickly recovered, and is again in easy exercise. Soltano is to be shipped to Sydney this week, in charge of F. Davis, in.order to fulfil his engagements at the A.J.C. spring meeting. No other horse in Mr T. H. Dowry’s team will accompany the colt. —Mr H. T. Nic-oIJ has been reappointed president of the Ashburton Trotting Club. At the annual meeting, which was held last week, Mr Nicoll stated that the present system of starting was decidedly unsatisfactory, and should be rejected.

Advices from Sydney state that Nightwatch, Briar Patch, Stevedore, and ownstroke have been struck out of the A.J.C. Derby. This strongly suggests that Sir George Clifford’s colours will not be seen out at the A.J.C, spring meeting. —Mr J. Jeffs, who has been a conspicuous figure at Wingatui and Forbury Park as' clerk of the course for several years past, has resigned. Mr Jeffs, unfortunately, lias not enjoyed the best of health lately, but now seems to be coming back to his old self again. The Spaniard was sold ns a yearling at logs, and purchased by Stuart Waddell. He was subsequently sold to Ur F. Armstrong, and then., after being passed on to B. Gooseman at 30gs, had another change of owners, and finally came back again to his present owner’s stable. According to the report to bo presented at the annual meeting of the Southland Racing Club, 90 horses were trained on the track during the busy part of the year. A nqw plough track has been laid down, and, when required, the club will have room for a couple of extra grass gallops. Vice-Admiral may not bo seen under sfik again. He has been an unlucky purchase for Mr F. H. Pyno, as fax as a racing proposition is concerned, but such a beauti-fully-bred and brilliant performer holds a stud value that should make some recompense to his owner, even if he never races again.

The annual meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Chib will take place on Friday next. There will be an election contest between Mr G. Hodges and Mr R. Rutherford for the presidential chair, and Messrs W. .1. Gore, L. C. Hazlett, R. Rutherford, and T. T. Ritchie are in the field for seats on the committee.

The programme for the V.R.C. spring meeting, extending over four days, includes no race of a leas added value than 500sovs. This year’s Melbourne Cup is a sweepstake of 3C&ovs each, with 8000sova added, out of w'hich the second horse receives ICOOsova (or .lOOsovs more than the winner of the New Zealand Cup), and the third horse SOOsovs. weights for the New Zealand Cup prior to the publication of the Turf Register, and the figures were thus officially given iu the book. A change lias taken place iu recent years, and the handicap is not included. It is an excellent idea to past-e the handicap in the book, and thus have the figures always ready to hand, The Ashburton Trotting Club has a cedi* bt.lance of £2oi 13s 3d, assets amounting W 8T719 18a Bd, and nothing in the way of liabilities. The altib decided t <? donate AiOO to the Ashburton. County Racing Club in recognition of the assistance to the club te tie past, and of the benefit that would bo derived through the improvement that is being canted out tu the racecourse. the first lot past the post in tho last New Zealand Cup were Midnight Sun 8.0, Masterpiece 7.13, Sinapsis 7.0, Soldier’s Chorus 7.5, Haskayno 0.13, Odessa 6.9, Goldfinder 7.0, and Allegory 7.0, in the order given. The others unplaced were Vice-Admiral 9.1, Bronze 8.8, TTndecided 3.4. Lady Lucy 8.1, Domino 8.0, and Obligant 6.7. Time, 3mln 27 l-ssec. The smallpox scare has probably caused people to confuse things a bit. In any cars there has been a slight rush for Quarantine, in the Cup, and he now ranks second choice for tho rate. Quarantine is evidently a suspeet, and this is probably due to the symptoms (of possible success) he displayed last November when he won the Spring Plate in 1.42 3-3 after running a very veevitorious race for a first time under S * y>y. T. Hazlett has been re-sleeted as preside it of the S-t/athlanii Racing C.ub. The to will oo on election for sen ts on the committee, and the band Idates in the field a ve Mes-ivi A. 3. Haggilt. H. S. Lrrfng, A. jfocMifcy. TF. 2L MtU. 3L Ntefe.l. T. Th'Sco, -i- Russ«p, J. £. Thompson,, G. B. TPVbo, 6-is Dr fei-vw. Seven of., the suec cssful ctwSZdates will sit for two years, and t'iv n-vxt c** the list will held office for one year. Tha> famous sire Desmond, whose death was reported a little while ago, succumbed io enlarc emeut o' tlio heart. Lord Dunraven had him insured for £IO,OOO. At tho stud Dsarmond, wha was by St. Simon from L'Abbesse do Jouerrw, was a great success. Since 1903, inclusive, ho sired winners of 35£ races, of the value of £733,277 ss. At the time of his death, Desmond (who got Aboyour, Craganour, Stornoway, Lomond, and others) was at the head or the winning sires’ list in England, with x17,0G9 10s. Tho Ashburton County Racing Club have been carrying out extensive improvc-

jurats on their cottxsa. The improvements vrill consist of a new stewards’ stand, alteration of the gland stand., and other work that will afford greater accommodation to the club’s patrons. The attractiveness of the course will also be considerably enhanced by the installation of a new entrance through ornamental cast-iron gates, and the planting of shrubs and plants to make the surroundings more pleasing to the eye. The Kurow Jockey Club have made a fairly substantial increase in the amount of prize money given at last season's meeting, and for this year’s fixture, dated for Thursday, October 2, the principal events will be the Kurow Handicap, of laOsovs, six furlongs; the Belfield Handicap, of XOOsovs, five furlongs; two hack races, of TOsovs and Tosovs each ; in addition to a couple of races of minor Importance. The programme also contains two trots, which carry stakes of 65sovs and 60sov. Nominations are due on Tuesday, September 9. Uhlan, who holds the world’s trotting record for a mile—viz., 1.58, appears to bo getting back to form again, for on the Cleveland (America) track, he recently worked a mile in 2.7}. The last quarter of another trial mile was got over in 30sec, and (says the Horseman) the final eighth at his top. Uhlan, who is a bay gelding by Bingen, whose death was recently announced, holds the half-mile trotting to waggon record—-viz., oGisec, —and, with Lems Forrest, in a pairs contest, established a record for a mile —2.3}.

The Gore Racing Club have deckled to include a steeplechase on the card for each, day of their spring meeting. The club once catered for hurdlers, but this will bo the first steeplechase ever run in Gore, although some years ago a steeplechase meeting was held at Mandeville. The introduction of a cross-country race at the Gore meeting should lend a great deal of additional interest to the spring fixture. The club has ample room to build a course outside the race track, and if a success sbouM be scored a permanent steeplechase track may be installed.

A lady bookmaker has turned up on English racecourses. As a result of the action recently taken by the racecourse executive prohibiting bookmaking in the chib enclosures, a lady bookmaker attended at San down Park and took up a position among the professionals on the rails in Tatter sail’s. According to the London Sportsman, she attracted much attention, and apparently transacted a not inconsiderable amount of business, representing, it is understood, a well-known London startingprice firm. The '"amateur” bookmakers were also betting on the rails. —L. H. Hewitt, the ex-Ncw Zealand jockey, is still located in England. A returned visitor states that Hewitt maintains a most expensive flat in London, and appears to make a hobby of collecting old sporting relics. Altogether he has about £SOOO worth of furniture, which includes a bed which was previously the property of Fred Archer, the celebrated jockey. Hewitt secured this at auction for £SOO, after outbidding several noblemen who were anxious io secure this old relic. He appears to be doing himself remarkably well considering that he dees not get a good deal of riding, and that wins, in the saddle at least, are very scaice.

Masterpiece is sure to command a lot of attention from punters in connection with the Cup, but a stable companion in Quarantine has been befriended during the past few days. Quarantine is a black four-year-old colt got by Treadmill from Fairhaven, by Pilgrim’s Progress from Elusive, by Trenton. Elusive is the dam of Tomorrow, Lady Wayward, Flitaway, and Thistledown. He did not appear as a two-year-old, and started twice as a three-year-old, when be won the Spring Plate from Potoa and others at the last Cup meeting, and afterwards finished out of a place in the Fendalton. A three-year-old brother in Stevedore is also engaged in the race. The spring meetings are commencing to loom up in the near future, and on September 19 owners are reminded that nominations fall due for the Dunedin Jockey Club’s opening meeting of the local season. The programme issued in connection with the gathering contains some good stakes, of which capture would provide a splendid send-off for the coming season. The chief events are as follows: —Moagiel Handicap, of 300sovs; Dunedin Guineas, of SOOaovs; Dunedin Stakes, of 250=ovs; Ranfurly Handicap, of 200sovs; Electric Handicap, of ISOsovs; Shorts Handicap, of loOsovsj and others carrying stakes of lOOsovs or more. In addition, two hurdle events of USsovs each are on the bill.

—Mr H. I. Wheatcroft, who had a highly successful sale of American-bred horses in Sydney a year or so ago, and who wont to England some months back, was a purchaser at Newmarket sales last month. As Mr Wheatcroft is said to be getting another team together for distribution in Sydney, it will be interesting to know what his purchases were: —Filly, by Arizona— Cyllene mare, £ogs; filly, by Flotsam—• Ilovis, 80gs; filly, by Carpathian—Fairy Lilian, Sags; filly, Lodomirie, by Carpathian—Lady Hunter, HOgs; filly, by Acclaim —Marie Blanche, 35gs; Topsy Turvy, 3yrs, by Morganatic—Noble Martha, 45gs; filly, 2yrs, by Chaucer—Jovial Jane, 95gs; Bubbler, 2yrs, by Speed—Duchess Christine, 185 gs.

A pacer with an .interesting history was Major Mallow, 2.03 J, who died from heart failure at Washington C. H., Ohio, in Juno last, after a workout mile in 2.17, last half in I.OG§. He was a small hoppled pacer, formerly a buggy horse, bred, trained, and raced by W. H. Mallow, of Washington C.II. The horse has been campaigned by Ids owner for seven consecutive seasons, and was expected to race again this year. He has started on the trucks from New England to Texas and back, so that he had friends and admirers in many localities. Major Mallow had the unusual distinction of starting in over 100 races—lo2 is the exact total, and of these lie won 39. Major Mallow was ft 15-yoar-old bay gelding. The victory of Bercola in the New Zealand Grand National Steeples gave to Jerry O’Connell bis first win in that event. His brother Joe won last year on Captain Jingle, and in 1909 William, another brother, wen ill Eurus, and was afterwards killed through Snip jumping on him when Stronghold fell with him at Riccarton. Another brother, Jack, who was an accomplished rider between the flags, shared a similar fate when Corazon came down with him at Napier. It is seldom (says the Sporting and Dramatic News) that we hear of four brothers winning over fences, and more rare to find that three have been successful in such an important steeplechase and a New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race. Sir George Clifford lias been having another tilt at the bookmaker. Sir George blames the bookmaker for alt the shortcomings of the turf. If the New Zealand bookmaker requires more looking after than some professional racing men we have had from the Dominion, there must be justification for Sir George Clifford’s strictures; but the members of tb'o conference do not seem to agree with their president in this matter. The average bookmaker is no simpleton, and he follows racing for what he can make out of it; but so do a great many other people.

and the professional backer, owner, or trainer can hold his own with most bookmakers when it comes to doing things which bring discredit on the turf. Domino has not won a race for over two seasons, and he appears to suffer slightly through association with greatness, but, unfortunately for Iris owners, not sufficiently great in himself to occasionally become really great. Sonsequently he reads to have got his full deserts in the New Zealand Cup; but yet he is not handicapped out of the race. Domino has run a second in the Auckland Cup, a third in the Wanganui Cup, a second in the Canterbury up, second in the Metropolitan, and otherwise shown excellent form, but “ nary ” a win. His luck seems to consist in pursuit of greatness, but so far he has only got to the threshold, knocked at the door, received recognition on the doorstep without getting admittance. age of the starters in the Australian Steeplechase to fall or fail (says a Sydney paper) to complete the course for other reasons, and this is not to be greatly wondered at. seeing that the distance is four miles, and there are 24 jumps. In Britomarte’s year the winner and Zouroff alone got round without a mistake; a dozen of the 15 starters, when Grafnax won, either fell, baulked, or ran off; ten out of 18 finished in Busaco’s year; five out of 13 when Larrikin won; eight out of 17 when Chelsea was first home; and seven out of 18 in Airly's year. When Beilis won there were 12 starters, and 14 ran the next year, yet only six finished. Of 16 runners in 1906. only seven got round, five out of 11 finished in the following year, six out of 11 in 1911, eight out of 16 in 1912, nine out of 15 in 1898, nine out of 16 in 1901, 11 out of 58 in 1903, and seven out of 13 in 1907. “Sir Bedivero” states that it is fairly certain that the Wellington Club, which has now reduced its heavy liabilities to within reasonable limits, is going to launch out very considerably this season. In all, stake values will probably be increased by about £4150, and at least one new w.f.a. event will lie inaugurated. This, it is suggested, will take the shape of a two-mile race of substantial value, to be run at the antnmu meeting. It is proposed to increase me value of the Champion Plate, run on the second day of the spring meeting, to some thing like £IOOO, but that in other respects the spring programme shall be left much as it has been. The value of the Wellington Cup will probably be increased to £I3OO, and that of the Telegraph Handicap, run on the same day, to £750. Other events are to receive due attention, and the programme for the summer meeting promises to be one of which the club will have every right to feel proud. Four-year-olds that hare just missed striking their best form in the previous year, or perhaps have not been quite keyed up without getting into the “rod-in-piokle” class, have latterly played a strong hand in the Cup. They have swept the board ever since 1907. The list reads;—Frisco 7.6, Downfall 7.8, Lady Lucy 7.1. Bridge 7.10, Vice-Admiral 7.8, and Midnight Sun 8.0. Grand Rapids won with 8.5 as a four-year-old, and Tirant d’Eau won at the same age when carrying 7.7. Masterpiece was also a four-year-old; but more notable performers in the race, when running at the eame age, includes Wairiki 9.2 and Achilles 9.6, who filled the places behind Canteen. Euroclydon carried 9.5 on his four-year-old back when he ran second to Lady Zetland 8.9. Other four-year-olds that carried big burdens in the Cup were Nonett© 9.9, Crackshot 9.3, and Daystar 9.0. St. Paul had 8.7 when he ran second to Waiuku, and Signor, Multifid, Mahutonga, Melodeon, Malatua, were all four-year-old when they ran into a place. A study of the handicap for the New Zealand Cup creates the opinion that the weight adjuster has exhibited a tendency to take care of anything that has shown winning form, and nothing seems to be so well treated " as to be conspicuous in the figures. In two or three cases a slightly higher value has been placed on some horses than what might have been expected; but no Admiral Rous liberties or sentiment seem noticeable about the adjustments. Nowadays handicappers do not apparently treat horses as having no chance, and grant a consequent leniency which they may subsequently regret} but, on the other hand, stick fairly solidly to facts and figures. Mr J. E. Henrys has stuck to form, and appears to have concocted an admirable handicap. Everything seems to get full measure, or within reasonable distance of it, and if others have a bit too much it is not an undue harshness. Form throws a summerset occasionally, and unless there is concealed a so far undeveloped Carbine in the list, the New Zealand Cup of 1913 seems a, difficult proposition for punters. A matter of particular interest was discussed at the meeting of the English Jockey Club hold on July 2. and it was in reference to the danger of leading horses all over saddling paddocks. It appears that Lord AVolverton met with an accident through a horse kicking him, and Mr L. do Rothschild asked at the meeting if a ring could not be made at Newmarket in order to protect people from horses inclined to kick and rear, and make horses walk inside the marked-off space. He suggested that something of the kind should lie done on all courses in order to bo a mean® of protecting life and limb on future occasions. It would he too late to take action when somebody hud been killed. Rings are now provided on most of the tracks in New Zealand, and they not only protect people from bad horses, but also permit them to got a good look at them before going out to race. Tin’s is a matter which the Racing Conference might take up, and request that all clubs should have rings wherever there is space to install them. that has recently taken )ilace in respect to racing in New South Wales, outside the metropolitan area, “Milroy ’ comments as follows: —“Country owners and followers of racing under the various provincial associations toll me there is plenty of money to l>e won outside of Sydney, since these responsible Ikkllos have taken over the control of tilings on metropolitan lines. The reaeon is in a nutshell. The stipendiary steward system and district registration of trainers, bookmakers, and Jockeys have created confidence, and the public, which used to stay away so carefully in the past, fearful of being robbed, now pay at the gates and hot with confidence. Momarjay, a son of Maltster won the first metropolitan flat race of the season at Moorefield, and so began a year that bids fair to be bigger in prize money than any we have had since racing started in Australia. It is safe to anticipate that the prize money that will be paid over during the current season throughout the Commonwealth will exceed the biggest of all English returns and those recorded for the past season.” There is perhaps nothing connected with the game which more forcibly impresses itself on the mind of the racegoer (says “The Scout,” in the Sydney Referee) than the regularity with which horses which have had practically no market value for weeks beforehand suddenly develop into short-priced responsibilities before a shilling has been invested on them. At registered and unregisteswsd meetings alike, the position

appears to bo the same. Irrespective of their qualifications or capabilities, competitors may show no form in public for months, and their chances develop into unmarketaole commodities; but once let their connections realise winning prospects, and such knowledge appears to be telepathically conveyed to every battler on the course, bookmakers Included, with the result that anything better than from 2 to 4 to 1 is fre*quently unobtainable about horses that have figured as 10 or 12 to 1 chances for weoks, and sometimes months, previously. This, in addition to the fact that so many alleged good things get beaten “first up,” hardly warrants the keeping of either a horse or a pony for any length of time nowadays in expectation of getting 8 or 10 to 1 about what in reality should be a 2 or 3 to 1 chance.

Bronze started in 13 races last season without scoring a win. She was second to Equitas in the Champion Plato, second to Tiresome in the Wanganui Cup, second to Bon Ton in the Great Autumn, second in the Wellington Autumn Handicap to Mira, third to Autumnus and Mowbray in the North Island Challenge Stakes, and third in the Hawke’s Bay Cup to Lady Moutoa and Arion. It is not uncommon for horses that show fairly good form at two and three years to misaflre ns four-year-olds. Teething troubles and the call of Nature for a rest from early labours sometimes take the steel out of a horse’s stride, and result in a loss of racing form. The following season there may be a return to power, and on three-year-old form Bronze is nicely treated in the Cup. She also gets a chance through the form in the Great Autumn, in which she ran Bon Ton to a head when giving 4lb. On that occasion Bronze was on the rails, for which Oliver shows a penchant, and a pmeu of luck might have won for the mare. There is a small fly in the ointment in the fact that Bronze suffers from a slight stringhalt, and consequently cannot nip off the mark and gain a nice position as well ag some of the opposition; but still on paper she has a fairly good chance. —ln commenting on the recent trotting meeting at Addington, “The Possible” wrote as follows in the Canterbury Times:—“The much-vexed question of starting left a good deal of room for improvement. On the first two days Messrs Kcynolds and Tompkins failed to maintain anything like the standard that was necessary, and there were on several occasions faulty efforts that (should not have been present at such a meeting. On the last day, probably “because the limits were shorter, there was an improvement, and more than one rider and driver were fined for being too anxious at the post; but, taking the whole into consideration, the despatches left a good deal of room for improvement. The trouble appears chiefly to be in evidence in cases where the horses are allowed to come up at too fast a gait, and there does not seem to be enough strict supervision, with the result that many controllers of the horses appear to be content to take risks which should never be allowed. While the assistantstarter is undoubtedly performing his duties in a capable manner, at the same time this important branch of the sport requires to receive more attention and an e\4n closer control will have to bo exercised over the contestants before this feature of the race will be able to be accorded universal credit.” —At a meeting of the English Jockey Club, held on July 2, a lengthy discussion took place in reference to the rule on jostling. It seemed to be a general opinion that short-stirrup leather and the pronounced crouch are a prolific cause of trouble in races. It was pointed out by Mr F. W. Lambton that in 1895, which was before the American style of riding came over to England, there were 1500 races run in England, and there were nine objections. In 1896 there were 1500 races and 20 objections or cases reported for bumping, bormg, bad riding, and so on. In 1906. which was nine years after Sloan started riding in England, the number of races had increased to 1750, and there were 21 cases of that sort; in 1911 there were 33 cases, and in 1912 tnere were 35 cases; eo that they seem to be steadily going up. Those reports of the cases in general did not seem to stop the practice of erratic riding. The stewards thought that the present way in which jockeys rode was conducive to bumping and boring, arid it was thought that it was the duty of owners rather than the stewards to bring about a change. If owners choose to have their horses ridden in that way they must take a risk, as it was quite optional as to whether they should have them ridden in the present generally prevailing stylo, or go back to the old method by which horses ran atraighter courses.