TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3103, 3 September 1913, Page 49

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel

THE OTAGO HUNT CLUB. What should prove an interesting curtainraiser to the local racing season is a programme issued by the Otago Hunt Chib for their meeting, set down to take place at Wingatui on Saturday, September 20 A seven-item card has boon drawn up, and five of the races will carry trophies to both the first and second horses, whilst two caslv stakes are attached to the loading events on the programme. The Hunter's’ Steeplechase Handicap carries a 50sov stake. It is to be run over about two miles, and open to qualified hufiters that have never won an advertised steeplechase of more than 50sovs in value at time of nomination. Next in monetary importance comes the Open Hack Han(l cap, of 30sovs, six furlongs, hack conditions. with a 9.0 minimum. The balance of ihe card is made up by the Hunters’ Hurdles, one mile and a-ha!f. first prize a trophy presented bv Mr B. S. Irwin, second prize trophy presented by Mr Goo. Pise; Hurdle Race, one mile and a-half, open to members of the sth Regiment, N.Z.M.R. Otago Hussars, minimum weight 11.0. first prize trophy presented by Mr A. Ilastie. second prize cup presented by Mr J. W. Thomson; Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase, two miles (for qualified hunters), first prize trophy persented by Mr J. W. Thomson, second prize trophv presented by Mr J. A. Jordon , Ladies’ Braelet, one mile and a-quartc-r (for qualified hunters), first prize trophy presented by Mr A. Ouidaille. second prize trophy presented by Mr J. Murphy. Nominations for all races are due on Saturday. September 6: hand'cans are due on September 10, and acceptances close on September 16. A NEW ERA. At present the racing clubs in Otago and Southland are enjoying a period of prosperity. which has been growing and gathering more and more during the past few soasens. ant! it is pleasing to note that there seems < very prospect of a continuance of such a happy state of affairs. Op nil side' one reads and hears that clubs have increased, or are increasing, their nnze-lists, making solid improvements on their racecourses. and generally doing good work towards elevating the sport and making it and its surroundings as attractive as poa-

eible to the public. The financial side of the sport is in a particularly robust condition, and this is very pleasing indeed; but it is even more pleasing to note that racing is decidedly healthier in tone than it was only a few years ago. It is not all that it might be even at present, but at least the brazen operations that- wore once common are now almost things of rhe past. More finesse has to be brought into phyy nowadays if there is a desire to engineer affairs that are not in accordance with the Rules of Racing and sportsmanship. With so much achieved it does not necessarily follow that those who control racing and have its welfare at heart can relax their vigilance. Far from if. Indeed any somnanbulancy on the ivart of the authorities would at once see evildoers at work with all their old energy to gather spoils by book or crook—in fact, even under the improved conditions of control things have happened which would not boar telling in cold print. That may be taken as a fact, and it goes to show that racing stewards have to be continually on the alert, and must always remain so as lona- as there is a proportion of the population that can only bo kept in the straight path by fear of punishment. Tho compulsory establishment of iwTcial committees should prove a great assistance to stipendiary stewards as the actual control and supervision of the sport will no longer he in the hands of an unwieldy body of 'towards, whose numerical strength is undoubtedly the cause of weakness Perhaps some chibs would experience difficulty in finding as many as five persons among their stewards who are thoroughly roniiv-tent to sit on a indicia! committee. Eligibility for such a position seems to demand a sound knowledge of racing that is somewhat r-'ve •; but no doubt clubs will They should not. however, overlook the desirabihtv of inviting stewards of other clubs to come to their assistance if there any doubt about getting the required number from! their own ranks. There is. perilans, a .slight! danger that n dominating steward mav get too nuK;h_ of liis own wav when the numerical opposition on which he may try to force Ins views and desires is small, but anv such danger is. it is to be honed, more imaginary than real. Racing in the Dominion ; s oresporous and flourishing. It stands on a higher plane than it has ever previously reached, and it can go still higher. The conditions unoer which the nresent season commei'ieeiii seem to carry a!! the elements for further improvemrit in the sport. There is expert control, having assistance of stewards condensed to their best strength ; there is nr'/o money galore, plenty of horses in training to fill ah the clubs’ orogrammes wi‘h fa>‘rsized fields. Everything seenv bright and momisng. and it is to he honed that when (he future becomes (be nast the very o'easing prospects tint new loom ahead will not nrove a mere mirage.

NEW ZEU. ANDERS ABROAD. Someone with a penchant for saying things cnee remarked that when good Americans die they go to Paris. That may bo a happy fate. but ir'i* only a fit punish* rnont, for wealthy son - of the stars, stripes, • and eagle. The fare of Americans, however. is not the subject of discourse, but the ooesibiliiv of someone going anywhere in the fabled future has created a. thought g.s to where some of the best N* v Zea> land-bred horses will or have ended their existence. The hist mail to hand brings word that the Austrah’an-brod Great Scot haa been bought, by Russia. Some little time back the writer received a rece book posted by a friend in Ceylon or route to Ceylon was then partly inhabited by a New Zealand-bred home or two that were mcing in that far-off country. Record Reign lift/ New Zealand for Australia, thence on to India, arid so to France, where bo broket bis neck. The New Zea kind-bred Carnaj j found his way to Germany. Seahorse wei.m to England and thence to America, wheroi Sir Modred. Artillery, Cheviot. July, and Dnrebin had already preceded him. Master? Delava! and others found their wav to India, the land of rajahs and rice. Others' again, have travelled to far-off Argentine, which, bv the way, supplied us with oWistful o. who came out via England King Log. Evelvn Wood went to South Africa, so also did Hniform. England we supplied with Bombshell. Gold Medallist. Noctuiforni, Mdifaa. and the world-famous Carbine. Others that travelled afar cannot he called to nrnd, but the above names by no means complete the list that have advertised New Zealand as a great nursery of the thoroughbred. With the improving facilities of transport, possibilities for the future ought to be good : f we can only produce the goods, and there seems a, chance of that coming about, as the country is richer in high-class stallions and mares than at any time since the first thoroughbred landed hero in 1343. THE ASHBURTON MEETING. The flat-racing season for the South Island will be ushered in by the Ashburton County Racing Club’s spring meeting, which takes place on the 11th and 12th inst. The programme has •attracted a liberal patronage from horse-owners, although the entry for the chief event is a trifle disappointing. The balance of the events on the programme have all attracted a very satisfactory entry, and a fairly good class is well represented bv such as Tunnhauser. Thrax, Pilgrim’s Way, Oxonhope, The Cornet, Specialform, and other well-known performers, whilst several well-bred young horses also figure in the list. Thrax, who developed fairly good form last season, heads the list in the Ashburton County Handicap, of 150sovs, one mile and a-quarter. He appeared 15 times last season, and won six races, in addition. 1 to gaining a place in two other races. He scored his first win at the Oamaru summer* meeting, where he beat Kimona half a head in the Parkside Welter, when in receipt, of a stone from the latter; whilst Martian Maid, who ran third, was giving 4!»> to the winner. The unplaced lot included £t. Petersburg (a winner on the first day), Ki’ts, and others. Thrax missed a place in his race at the C.J.C. summer meeting, and also in the Gladbrook Handicap, run at tb© Dunedin Cup meeting. A second to Britain Crown in the Outran) Handicap, when giving- 6'h to the winner, led to a win in tint —- Waihola Handicap, under 8.10. Pleasure Bent 7.13 second, and Britain Crown 8.11 third. Thrax then went on to show improving form by winning the Kinloeh Weber at Akaroa and the Courtenay Welter at the C..T.G, autumn meeting. In* the latter race, with 9.0. be beat Kilmeny two lengths when in receipt of 7!b: Mumura 9 4 third,-' and the unplaced lot were Thistledown 10.1, K’lts 93. Gnome 8.12 Eocene 8.9 Genius 8.9. and Mere 8.9. Thrax finished out of the money in the Valdhurst Welter, and then came south to w’n the Timaru Cun and Autumn TTard’enn. the principal event, run on tho second day of the same nioeth'ff. In the Tim am Cup Thrax 8.2 gave KiL<

meny 31b and a two lengths beating over 10 furlongs, in 2min 3 3-seec. Sunbeam □./ ran thud, and the unplaced lot included Seekashoro 8.6, Mumura 7.11, Gold Com 7.11 Russo 7.10, and St. Kevin 7.7. xii the Autumn Handicap Thrax 9.2 beat Specialform 8.3 bv two lengths in Imm 42 l-o?ec Kilmcnv 8.8 a neck away, and the unplaced lot included Medallist 8.13. Russo 7.13. urolus 7.12, Mumura 7.12, Sunbeam 7.4, and John Bunyan 7.0. Thrax thus wound up this season with five wins out of tae .act aix. starts, and Specialform’s subsequent running, second in the Ashburton Cun, with 711 to Glenfinnan 8.5, and second to iha Cornet in the Autumn Handicap at even weights, and winning the Victoria Handicap comfortably wtih 8.6 from Carolus Lll and Kilmeny 8.9. draws attention to the merit of Thrax'e form at Timaru. The Cornet, who was handicapped to give Kilmenv 41b in the M inter Cup, has proved himself a fairly useful hoiso up to a mile and a-quarter. He scored .ns first win last season m the Final Hamlican at the C.J.C autumn meeting, with 7.11, Troon 6.13 and Glenfinnan 7.11 m the places with a close finish, Medallist 8.1 and Gapon 7.11 being The Cornet did not finish in a pace in the Ashburton Cup, but won next day as mentioned above. Ho then won the Oamaru Cup with 8.11 from Rock Ferry 6.10 and Gold Coin 7.5, heads between the trio; Mumura 7.3 unplaced. The Cornet tab third in the Birthday Handicap with 8.11, when giving Gapon 171 b, the nan- Jp c ” ? split by Daringdalo 78. The Cornet 9.0 was fourth in the Provincial Handicap won bv Mosgiel 6.10. with Gapon 8 10 and Martian Ma : d 6.9 in the places. Scottish Star raced more resolutely in her engagemmi o at the recent National meeting than what has sometimes been the case with her on several other occasions. She met Gold Cup at even weights in the Avonhcad, in ’-vnieii the latter finished third and the fi ly hltti. On the second day Scottish Star won the Sumner, when in receipt of 81b from Ladrone, who now comes in on 91b bettor terms. Scottish Star was giving Gold Cup 71b when the latter was beaten a narrowmargin by Achilledes in the Rcdclifre, and is now in receipt of Sib. This suggests that Scottish Star is f) better stayer than God Cup. Her form, however, is based on a matter of humour rather than handicap, and, as Ueolv got a couple of good races out of the filly at Riccarton. he may succeed in making her what the Americans call “a dangerous contender” if she starts at Ashburton. Mumura has been a most disappointing horse of late. He won the Mhlsummer Handicap of 1912 with 7.5 ran third with 8.5 in the St. Albans and displayed other form which makes him read nicely at 7.0 if one cannot ignore the fact of his latest attempts. He was giving ' rax 41b when ho finished tlvrd in flu* Comitoncy Welter, and now- reads well at 321 b better terms, but oven so the former may. and no doubt will, move the more rebab'e ot the pair. Martel’s bent recommendation is the fact that he is a ha'f-brother to Danube, but his form reads eight starts without a place. Gold Coin has not run up to the promise she displayed at T'maru when she worn the double, but she ran a verv good third in the Oamnni Cup last when heads separated the placed lots.