SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 51

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt lU.VKKBWOETH

MELBOURNE. October 21

Y.A.T.C. SPRING MEETING

Tile Victoria Amateur Turf Club spring meeting was continued last Wednesday in •'unfavourable weather, heavy rain falling during the afternoon. The principal event was the Eclipse Stakes, one mile and thz-ee furlongs, weight for age, with penalties and allowances. There were only seven starters, and E. A. Connolly’s pair. Sea Prince 8.8 and Anna Carlovna 7.13, were equal favourites. Heavy rain was falling as the horses came out for the start, and Sea Prince was very “dirty.” He refused for some time to move away from the gate leading on to the course. He would not even budge when his trainer threw an open umbrella at hitn. Golden Goblet and Enbulus made the running; but at the distance Anna Carlovna and. Sea Prince ran to the front, and, Anna Carlovna coming away, •won as she liked by five lengths from her gtable companion, while Eubulus beat the ethers. Andelosia did not appear to relish the rain, and always appeared in trouble.

He may, however have got a place but for being badly interfered with in the straight. The Ooongy Handicap, one mile a:*! three furlongs, brought out only a email field, and the favourite, Effervescence 7,5, by Simmer (>mp.), won easily from Offa 8.1 and Yeulda 7.4 i Reigle 11.7, by Majestic, had an easy win in the Hurdle Race, while the Traquair filly Traquette 8.3, - trained by P. T. Heywood, won the Mona Nursery, four and a-half furlongs, by a head from Maharajah 7.10 (by Positano). Traquette ran third in the Breeders’ Plate in Sydney. Sbottish Chief 10.13, by Wallace, took the Corinthian Handicap, and Quan Burn 7.7, by Traquair, the Moonga Handicap. OONCLUDXKG DAT. Fine cool weatner was experienced for the conclusion oi tne meeting on Saturday, The Caulfield Cup is a great draw, and the attendance was almost if not a record, there were probably close on 40,000 people present. This seemed small to the 00,UiXl tnat saw the big lootbail match in Melbourne recently; but football ia much cheaper to see tlian racing. There were ltd acceptors for the Caulfield Cup the Monday belore the race, but there were at least a dozen that Had no ngnr to be m sucn a field. It was quite expected that there would be on the course, out tne whole of the went to the post. Broadsword, as usual, was troublesome, and he hit out with his heels more than once. At the first favourable opportunity Mr J. O. Inglia sent them away to a good start. Aleconner quickly shot out, ana led the field past the stands and out of the straignt. He was not really displaced until the straight entrance was reached. There the leaders closed up, and below the distance half a dozen ol them were well together, with Anna Carlovna in the lead. Mountain Princess secured her favourite run on the rails; but she could not come on, and Aunier 8.1, cutting Anna Carlovna 7.9 down before the hall-distance was reached, won a line race by three-quarters of a length from Anna Carlovna. Wassail 7.5 was badly placed half a mile from home; but he finished fast, and was only beaten half a iengta for second place. XJnclc Sam 8.7 was lourth, and the nearest of the others were Mountain Princess 7.13, Sea 'Prince 7.1, Gladwyn, Greek Fire, Belove, and Flaith. The time, 2min 34sec, was a record for the race, the previous best being 2tnin 34£sec by Uncle Sam last year. Considering the size of the field, the race was remarkably free from interference. The poor horses fortunately dropped out early, and. were not able to get in the way ol the better ones, and halt a mile from home nearly every horse that had been regarded as having a good chance was in the fighting line. Sea Prince looked very dangerous at the bottom of the straight, but h;s rider, E. Turner, stated after the race that the English horse stopped in a stride or two. Uncle Sam also failed to see out the race after looking quite a winner. The distance, as was feared, proved a little far for Mountain Princess, and it was the same with Aleconner. Midnight Sun was a long way back in the first half-mile, and t'houg.he was running ori at the finish, he never once threatened danger. He was unlucky in being nearly' brought down at the sixfurlongs poet. The winner and Wassail were certainly going stronger than anything else at the finish. Aurifer is owned by Mr F. Merton, who made a lot of money as a mining speculator in West Australia, and Merton’s Reward mine is named after him. Mr Merton won the race in 1910 with Flavinrus, who, like Aurifer, is by Flavus (imp.), and carried 8.1. The win was a popular one, Aurifer going out equal favourite at the last moment with Anna Carlovna, while Sea Prince, Uncle Sam, and Mountain Princess were the most fancied of the others. Aurifer was bred by' Mr J. Brennan (at one time a bookmaker) in New South Wales. Mr Brennan sold off his stud in May, 1910, the lots disposed of including the marcs Pendant, Istria, Bercsina, and Queonbird, and the stallions Linaore and Scotland. Both Pendant and Scotland wore Newmarket Handicap winners in Mr Brennan’s coloms. Queenbird had n foul at foot by Flavus, and had been served by Scotland. Queonbird and her foal (now known as Aurifer) were secured by Mr E. B. Bell, the well-known Flemington owner, for 170 gs. Mr Bell purchased some other brood marcs in Sydney at this time for Mr W. W. Warren, of the Blair Athol stud, South Australia, and passed the mare and her foal on to Mr Warren at the price he paid. Mr Warren still has the marc at his stud; but, Aurifer was sold by auction as a yearling in Sydney, Mr Merton getting him for 3Qogs. and a very profitable deal it has turned out for the buyer. J. Siely trains for Mr Merton, and he is a most skilful trainer. The condition in which Aurifer was turned out certainly did him credit. W. H. Smith, who rode Aurifer, has had a retainer from Mr Merton for’ some years. Slmith is probably the oldest jockey regularly riding in Australia to-day. This was h’s first Caulfield. Cup success, though it was his twelfth ride in the event. Aurifer is engaged in the Melbourne Cup. a penalty of 101 b bringing his weight up to 9.2. which is 15!b more than ho carried to victory on Saturday. The- other events were in point of interest quite overshadowed by the Cud. The ' V.R.C. Grand National winner Wingara, well in at 10.7, carried J. O’Connell to easy victory in the Oby Hurdle Race, while Traquette gave another taste of her quality by easily taking the Gwyn Nursery with 8.13 up. Maharajah was ’ again 'second, but he was beaten by half a dozen lengths. Dnnloc 10.13. by Security, took the Steeplechase, in which top weight, Jack Windsor, fell. and. having broken a shoulder, was destroyed. Lord Walla 7.13, trained by J. Scobic for Mr H. Falkincr. owner of Bullawarra. won the Windsor Handicao with a little to spare from Ireland 8.7. The racing concluded with the Moora Welter, Avance 8.5. by Sir Tristram, winning from Mintsauce 7.7. SIJMMAKT. The meeting was a successful one from the standpoint of the public patronage, and the club made a good profit. The class of horses competing was only fairly good. Inter-State competition was restricted, but still two of the principal events, the Toorak Handicap (Valido) and Caulfield Cup (Aurifer) went to Sydney stables. Two or throe unpleasant incidents took place. One was the inquiry into the riding of Sir Rupert Clarke’s mare Mafic after she had run in the Hurdle Race. The stipendiary stewards severely cautioned the rider, E. Carter, and advised him to throw more vigour into his riding in future. Mafie had never started in any race before. She ran very green, and was nearly down at one point. The general opinion amongst racegoers was that the inquiry was uncalled for. Another incident of note was the fining of the wellknown amateur, Mr N. F. Highett, £5 for being found in the precincts of the jockeys’

room without valid reason. Mr Highett recently rode the Governor-gehcral’e horse Topmast to victory in the V.A.T.C. Amateur Challenge Oup. Still a third unpleasant incident arose out of the rumour that W. H. M'Lachlan. the crack Sydney jockey, carried an electric battery under his jacket when he won on Anna Carlovna in the Eclipse Stakes on Wednesday, and that he communicated a shock to the mare through his spurs, which were, it was said, connected by a wire with the battery. As it w?s freely stated that the jockey again intended to use the electric appliance while riding Anna Carlovna in the Caulfield Cup, the stipendiary stewards interviewed M'Lachlan on the point. The interview took place in the jockeys’ room, and there is no truth in the rumour subsequently circulated that that the jockey had been stripped for examination. Not only did M'Lachlan deny that he used an electric appliance, but further stated that he did not carry spurs in the Eclipse Stakes, nor did he intend to use them in the Caulfield Cup. The stipendiary stewards, who did not attach much importance to the rumours circulated, unhesitatingly accepted M'Laelilan’s assurance that he carried no electric appliance while riding. The stakes for the three days of the meeting totalled £15,925. Mr F. Merton started but one horse in a single race during the meeting, but that happened to be the Caulfield Cup winner, Aurifer, so Mr Merton heads the list of winning owners. The first prize in the big event amounts to £3250, and, in addition, there is a trophy. Mr E. E. D. Clarke won £I4OO, Mr E. A. Connolly £ll9O, and Mr A. B. Cooper (Valido’s owner) £lOls. The only other owners to get into “four figures” were Mr J. Mawbey, Mr J. Mills, and Messrs Murphy and Sheldon, with £IOOO each. Traquair, the horse imported 1 from England by Mr J. E. Stanley, was represented by three winners at the meeting, Traquette winning two races and Macduff and Quair Burn one each for him. All the progeny of Traquair show great pace, and it is a great pity that the home died so soon. No other sire was represented by more thp.n one winner at the meeting, but a promising stallion in The Welkin, imported by Mr E. E. D. ClarkeA of this State, was well advertised when Spica and Hathor, who are both by him, ran first and second in the Debutant Stakes. The other winning sires were Hymettus, Windsor, Fortunatus (imp.), Voles (England), Majestic, Soult (imp.), Wallace, Simmer (imp.), Moravian, Flavus (imp.). Security, Sir Tristram (imp.), and Corinth. Flavus, as the sire of Aurifer, was credited with the most 'money in stakes. G. Lambert, who rode Andelosia to Victory in the Caulfield Guineas, and Traquette in her two winning races, was the most successful jockev at the meeting. J. Killorn and A. Hawkins came next, with two wins each—Killorn on Spica in the Debutant 'Stakes and Lord Walla in the Windsor Handicap, and Hawkins on Rcigle in the Emo Hurdle and Dunloc in the Wyuna Steeplechase. The following jockeys rode one winner each—viz. : W. Mmter, G. Harrison, J. N. M'Gregor, W. Lilyman, W. H. M'Lachlan, K. Bracken, G. Leonard, J. O’Connell, W. H. Smith, J. Townsend, and Mr M. H. Dean. As hie percentage of the Oup stake, W. H. Smith took £l6O, and G. Lambert, who rode three winners, earned £97. RACING IN SYDNEY. The Randwick course was again in use on Saturday, when City Tattersalls Club held a meeting. The principal event. City Tattersalls Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, was won by the Melbourne Cup candidate Posinatus 8.12. by Fortunatus (imp.), by two lengths from Firm 7.12 and a fair field. The favourites, Alured 9.6 and N.S.W. 7.2, failed to secure places. Hallmark 9.13, by Herloch, easily beat the New Zealander Loch Maben 9.3 in the Hurdle Race, Piddlestring 11.8 filling third place. All throe were well backed. The other winners were Sweet Malt (by Maltster), Blueberry (by True Blue), Elyetan (by Sr. Alwvne), and Virginie (by Oddfellow). \ irginie is the American-bred mare that used to be trained in Melbourne by “Lou” Robertson. TROTTING. The Melbourne Trotting Club meeting at Richmond last Friday was only fairly well attended. The cinder track was hi good condition. The fastest winning mile was credited to the Judge Huon pacer Spot, who won the Flying Handicap, nine furlongs, cleverly, after starting a warm favourite, and pacing at a 2min gait to the mile. The gelding is engaged in the £IOOO trot, to be decided here next week, as also is the Almont mare. Allie 8., who annexed the concluding £IOO trot, one mile and tt-half, in attractive style from Vaunt, who started 20 yards behind, while Allie B. was on the scratch mark. The 2.40 class trot went to Stop Out, and the Trotters’ Handicap to Horward (by Rothschild). Chieftain Junior (by Chieftain) won the 2.35 class trot after a good race with Quality, while Dick Alte, by Devil Alte, scored in the Tradesmen’s Trot. Final acceptances for the “Thousand Trot.” to bo run at Richmond on Thursday, October 30, under the auspices of the Melbourne Trotting Club, are as followOt!a Ami (N.S.W.) scratch. Medicine (Victoria) scratch, I/ottic M. (Victoria) scratch. Soda (N.Z.) scratch, Warning Chimes (Victoria) scratch. Allie B. (Victoria) scratch. The Maid (Victoria) scratch. Paroles Promise (N.S.W.) 10 yards behind. Sir Ribbonwood (N.S.W.) 15, Goodwood (N.S.W.) 15. Alexander Park (N.S.W.) 20, William C. (Victoria) 30, Play Boy (N.S.W.) 30, Prince Louis (S.A.) 35, Don Alto (Victoria) 40. Nervie (Victoria) 45. Huon Jack (Victoria) 65, Snot (Victoria) 100. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr George Tantrani, a well-known owner and name at Caulfield for some years, died last week. The death is reported of the imported stallion Friar Tuck, which took place in this State a few days ago. Friar Tuck was the sire of Lord Tuck, Lord Grey, Kagi, and a few other useful- horses. FLEMINGTON TRAINING NOTES. MELBOURNE, October 27. At Flemington this morning Cagou beat Ulvas Isle over half a mile in 51sec. Harpist and Ladies’ Man traversed half a mile in 54sec, and Effervescence did the came. DUKE FOOTE. SYDNEY. October 24. The Sydney Sun states, in connection with the scratching of Duke Foote for the Metropolitan Handicap and the subsequent hostile demonstration on the Randwick course, that the owner, anticipating a demonstration, paid four policemen £2O to protect the horse in the event of him being rushed. Their services, happily, were unnecessary.