IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3117, 10 December 1913, Page 50

IN A NUTSHELL.

Nightwatcli is again in commission. Gunfiash was priced at ITSsovs a few days ago. Cherubini is reported to be doing well on the track. The Rothschild horse, St. Swithin, is doing a light season at the stud. Mr J. B. Reid has sold Ngatapa and Crib to Mr R. Henry, of Melbourne. Nominations ior the Ciomwell meeting are due on Saturday, December 13. Nominations for the Ashburton Trotting Club’s summer meeting close on Friday, December 12. Handicaps for the Waikouaiti meeting are duo on December 15, and acceptances on December 19. ■*. The N.Z. Cup winner, Sinapis, has been engaged in some of the events to be decided at tlio Auckland Cup meeting. Undecided was priced a few days ago on behalf of an Australian owner, but the quotation, 700 gs, blocked business. America has produced some wonders. They have now a, blind trotter named Redlac Junior, who holds a mark of 2min Bisec. Postillion, the Advance colt, who is evidently smart over a short course, is a half-brother to the one-time well-known mare Ballarat. There was advice sent abroad concerning Respond s chance at Hororata, but she got left in a straggling start, and could only get third. The English-zred mare Madama, who is trained by K. Derrett, got amongst the winners at Hororata. She is a stable mate of Flower of the West and Martins. W. M'Donald has received an addition to his team in the shape of Lady Marcia. This makes three of Mr J. Griggs horses in the erstwhile Wingatui trainer s stable. Owl, Veritas, Briar Patch, and Snap Dragon will represent Sir George Clifford at the Manawatu meeting. Mowbray, Salzburg, Charmilla, Rinaldo, Peg, and an English-bred hily by Mintagon will probably comprise M. Hobbs s team for the Auckland Cup meeting. The St. Ambrose mare Chrysotis, that got amongst the winners at the cup meeting, was sent out favourite for the Hororata Cup, but failed to gain a place. Honesty, the Martian—Sucess filly, that figures as topweight in the Dunedin Handicap, has not yet won a race, but finished third in the Welcome Stakes. The Australian two-year-old filly Traquette has won £3230 in stakes, and has still her autumn engagenmenta to provide a chance for a further increase in the total. The Boniform—Parere colt in Mr “Highden’s” stable is a reputed possessor of speed, and likely to get amongst the winners. He is a half-brother to Nyland and Boanerges. Penury, Mr Fred Hall's valuable brood mare, Eicy Roe, died. The youngster, however, survives, and ia being brought up by a foster mother. The ex-New Zealander Full Sail has been given 9.0 in the Perth Cup, and allowed 7lb fiom the topweight. In the Railway Stakes Ireland is topweight with 9.8 and allows slh to Full Sail. Umeraboy, who figures as topweight in the D.J.C. Summer Hurdles, has a4so been engaged at the Auckland Cup meeting, where the stakes (and the class) stand higher than they do at Wingatui. Acceptances for the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Summer meeting close on Monday, December 15. On the same date nominations for the Trial Stakes and Farewell Handicap are also clue. Query has been purchased by a patron of A. M'Aulay's stable. M'Auluy has been* doing well with Coroniform, Oxenhope, and one or two others, and is proving himself a very capable young trainer. There are 120 clubs registered with the Victorian Trotting Association, and 1208 drivers or riders holding licenses Since the association was foimed about six years ago, 2105 horses have been registered. The Course Committee of the Riverton Racing Chib will confer once a month with the Riverton Owners and Trainers’ Association. This should result in the Riverton tracks being kept in first-class order. - The Rock Sand horse Tracery; for whom 40,000 gs were refused, has boon retired to the stud. He ran third in the Derby, won. the St. Leger, Eclipse Slakes, etc., and is considered the “best horse in the world.” Tympan. the brother to The Cornet, ran second in a 11.2 handicap decided at Richmond last month. On the same day King’s Reign, by Castaahore, from a Vanguard mare, won the Richmond Purse for horses and galloways: Mr J. Chambers, owner of the Melbourne Cup winner Posinatus, who was unable to go to Flemington, has presented the trophy attached to the race to Mrs J. Cobcroft. Mr Cobcroft had charge of the cup winner during the cup meeting. At the Ballarat Police Court Frederick O’Neill was fined £35. and costs £1(1 2s Gd, for using a box in the local post office for the purpose of hotting. The magistrate held that the box was a place within the meaning of the Police Offences Act. The Vaucleve gelding Vaunt, who is now or. the threshold of attaining Ills majority, and is about 20 years old, got amongst, the winners at a recent trotting meeting held in Melbourne, where he won two races and showed a 2min 25sec gait. Horseowners have extended a more liberal patronage than usual to the Lake County meeting, which takes place on Thursday and Friday of next week' Acceptances for the first day are duo on Wednesday of next week. Hops and Mi°s Kolmar were a couple of winners at the Hororata meeting that are engaged at the Dunedin Summer meeting. The former is au Australian-bred gelding, by Sir Tristram, from Yeast, by Hova (lugomar —Happy Land), from Yashmak, by Pilgrim’s Progress. Mr J. B. Reid has several youngsters waiting for room in Murray Hobbs’s stables, and henco the desire to reduce the present team in training. During the past few days Speedometer, Ogier. and Crib have found new owneis, and others in the- market are Martel and Jeamiot. When Uhlan trotted his mil© In Imin 54tsec with running mate at Lexington he turned his head and bit the runner in the neck just as they were coming into the home stretch. Evidently the runner wasn’t hurrying up enough, and the crack trotter wanted to speed him up a bit Outsiders practically swept off all the principal events decided during the past season in England. The Two Thousand Guineas, Derby. St, Legor. Cesarewitch. Stewards’ Cup, Chester Cup, Jubilee Stakes,

and Newbury Spring Cup were all captured by horses starting at longshot prices. Mr C. K. G. Billings has decided to retire the champion trotter Uhlan, whose marks are Imin oSsec and Imin 5-11 sec with a running mate, and will in future use him as a saddle horse. Mr Billings has half a dozen horses with marks of 2min lOsec or better, which ho uses as park hacks. Mr Harvey Patterson, one of the most important and valuable acquisitions to the ranks of New Zealand sportsmen will bo represented by Sir Malt, Fabrikoff and Silver Shield at the Auckland Cup meeting. Mr Patterson has several likely-looking sorts in his stable, which, when fit and well should bring some grist to the mill. Troon, who is amongst those engaged in the Otago Handicap, put up a fairly attractive performance when she won the President's Handicap at the North Otago Summer meeting with fist 91 b, and ran the mile and a-quarter in 2min 9 l-ssec. She also won a couple of mile welters at Wingatui, and has some creditable performances. Marsa. the winner of the Dunedin Stakes, who is credited with running half a mile a few days ago in 47sec, and IVarstep reeled off six furlongs in Imin 13 4-ssec. Both fillies and Stardanccr are booked to. race at the Auckland Cup meeting. Stardanccr was allowed to drop out of the Railway Handicap, but is engaged in other events. The principal events to be decided at the Gore Racing Club’s summer meeting will be the Gore Cup, of 250sovs, the R.C. Handicap, of 203sovs, and four others carrying stakes of lOOsovs or more. In addition to these the programme has two trots of 130sovs and HOsovs, and two others at OOsovs and SOsovs. Nominations are due on January 6. “Positano is 20 years old, but he is looking so well that he should be good for several more years at the stud.” writes “Pilot” in the Sydney Referee. “Comedy King has furnished into a splendid horse, and his foals are a fine lot and very like him. One in particular took my fancy—a filly out of Cross Battery. The colt by Positano, from Tragedy Queen (Comedy King's dam) is also a beauty.” According to an exchange, the stipendiary stewards in the metropolitan area of Queensland are taking precautions to see that no horse with doubtful legs is permitted to race. In this connection they have instructed metropolitan clubs not to accept the nomination of any horse unless accompanied by a certificate from the Q.T.C. veterinary surgeon to the effect that the horse nominated is sound for racing purposes. The Southland Racing Club ha.s been favoured with excellent nominations for its summer meeting, and there seems every prospect of the fixture proving highly successful. The list of nominations includes several horses from Canterbury, and that fact proves that good stakes can always command plenty of patronage. Handicaps for the first day are due on Saturday, December 20, and acceptances must bo declared on Tuesday, December 23. Mr W. Oiossan has purchased Ogier from Mr J. B. Reid, and the son of Charlamagne II and Nantiloid will fulfil his coming engagements under the colours of one of our most popular local owners. A pleasing feature of the purchase is the fact that the colt will go under the care of Mr H. Goodman. and, consequently, if care and knowledge can turn out winners, Ogier. with ordinary luck, should win races for his new owner. _. , Owners are reminded that on Thursday of this week nominations for all events to he decided at the No-rtli Otago Jockey Club s summer meeting fall due. S'everal liberallyendowed events, such as the North Otago Cup, of 400sovs; Redcastle Handicap, of 2'JOsovs; Flying Handicap, of 200sovs; Waitaki Handicap, of loOsovs. • together with races for two-year-olds, huidlers, etc., figure on the programme, and should, attract plenty of patronage from owners. A notable feature of the Korth Otago summer programme consists in the allocation of the prize-money. Second hors© in the Cup receives SOsovs, which is quite a race value in itself, and the third horse receives 40sovs. Place money is also very liberal in the other events on the programme, so that owners who are not lucky enough to score a straight-out win may receive a substantial consolation in the way of place money. I hey may. in fact, have a fairly good win without scoring a win. popularity of the Wingatui Christma-s meeting if the names of gome of the races on the programme were suggestive of the festive season. For instance, a Yuleiide Handicap would -be rather appropriate, the Mistletoe Stakes might appeal to quite a large circle, and so also would a P.P. Handicap I he last-named is not a contraction of the old sporting phrase, “play or pay,” but the Phan Pudding Handicap. Every owner with a sentimental appetite would probably have a Owen Roe, tlie winner of the Queensland Summer Cup, who is r.no of the best horses in training in that part of Australia, is rich in Now Zealand blood. He was got by Nonelte from Gretchcn. a mare by Mejidio from Franlein. bv King Cole, the sire of Nelson. Mejidie is a son of St. Leger and Rosette, the dam of Scottish Lassie (dam o 1 Clanranald). Musk Rose, Escutcheon, and Rose d'Argent. Owen Roe is credited with covering a mile and three-quarters in 3_JJ., which is about on a pur with ihe New Zealand record held by Milan uf 3.1 1-5. Uhlan as a basis, some idea will be gathered between the speed of a half-mile track and one with a mile circumference. Uhlan has trotted 1.58 on a mile track, and his best mark on a half-mile track in 2.2 3-5. Approxiraately the smaller track is ssec slow, and on that basis Emmeline and King Cole would be about 2.3 horses in America. Ribhonwood would have gone close to the same mark; hence it will be seen that the best of the New Zealanders are not far behind the 2min gait which co few reach in the land of Stars and Stripes. The southern marc Seckashore has received a better chance in the Otago Handicap to distinguish herself at Wingatui than on any previous occasion. Last season she won the Riverton Cup with 7.3, and gave a length and 11b to Daringdale, whom she now meets on 1-tlb better terms. On the second day, at Riverton, Soekashoro won with 7.13 over a mile and a distance, and beat Parable out of a place when the latter was conceding 41 b. Parable now comes in on 101 b worse terms, and if the Riverton form is correct Seckashore must stand as one of the dangerous division in the Otago Handicap. There is not much to enthuse about as far as the nominations for the principal events to be decided at the Waikouaiti meeting are concerned; but as small fields frequently provide good sport, the club may have the satisfaction of seeing their patrons furnished with interesting racing. The minor events and the trots have filled very well indeed, and the big fields in the latter show that the meeting appeals to those concerned in that branch of sport. There is a good deal of competition abroad at Christmas and New Year, and this no doubt has something to do with the lack of patronage bestowed on the Waikouaiti Cup. Savs the Sydney Referee; “It surprised manv to read in the Age recently that Mr • J. Baron,’ owner of Duke Foote, favoured the introduction of the totalisator. An impression prevailed that Mr ‘Baron’ had an

objection to conic in at the same price as the public where his horses were concerned, but with speculation confined to the machine he would always find himself in that position. However, Mr ‘Baron’ probably looks at it that the increased prize-money resultant on the use of the machine would more than compensate owners for anything they might possibly lose in the way of a long-priced bet from the ‘books.’ No doubt it would, too.” The Hororata Cup was won by the Vasco—Silk Gown three-year-old gelding Counsel, who was sold at the same sale as Helen Portland, and. considered a rather likelylooking yearling. He registered his first win last week, and was evidently a fancied article, as the betting returned him as third pick with the punters. Counsel ran at the Ashburton spring meeting, and also at the New Zealand* Cup meeting. He was bred by Mr J. B. Reid, and sold at 450 gs as a yearling, when, he made top figure for the Elderslie youngsters. Counsel boasts an attractive pedigree, as he was got by Vasco from Silk Gown, by Pilgrim's Progress from Portia, by Bill of Portland—Happy Land, by Musket, but whether he will live to it remains to be seen. A Wellingtoniau who- saw the big race meetings at Flemington and Randwick, informs “Glencoe” that there was nothing in the track form of either Traquctte or Carlita to indicate that either of them was much good, yet people now assert that she is the greatest filly which has raced in recent years. She beat Carlita just as easily as Carlita beat the others; so the latter must be good. too. The visitor slnewdly suspects that -both youngsters were never allowed to do their best in their track work. Further information gleaned was that C. Emerson only “fluked” the ride on Beragoon in the C. B. Fisher Plate, as Owner J. E. O’Brien and Jockey M'Lachlan had an argument after the colt had failed in the Melbourne Cup. Had Emerson decided to remain in Melbourne lie would have been assured of a lot of riding as he was fairly rushed with mounts at Flemington. The fact that he can still go to the scale at 7st tells largely in his favour At Bacchus Marsh, on November QO, the North Otago-bred Royal Banner, won the pony race on the programme, and ran five furlongs in Imin 2sec, which was a second faster than the horses travelled the same journey’ during the same afternoon. Royal Banner’s dam is Molly Riley, by Stcpniak, from Molly Darling, * by Vanguard, from Molly Bawn, a well-known sprinter in her day, who won, amongst other races, the D.J.C. Publicans’ Handicap of ISS6, which marked tire first occasion the race was run over six furlongs. Mount Royal, the sire of Royal Banner, was got by St. George (brother to Chester) from Sierra, by Apremont, from Hammock, the dam of Sommis. Sommeil, Morpheus, and Reverie, who produced Bnccleucli, Welbeck. Dnndas, Lady Dundas, and Marquis of Zetland. Those who had reason to know claimed that Mount Royal was a faster horse than Goldspnr. who proved himself one of tlie speediest horses that ever raced ip this country. Some idea of how a horse can show more form, or. (rather, better form, in ore race than others can during an entire career, is gathered by noting that Reval has been allotted topweight in both his races on the first day of the D.J.C. Summer meeting. It is quite a common thing to hear of a horse being considered badly treated, because it “ has only won one or two races,” and, on the other hand, some are considered very leniently treated if they have scored several times and do not go up in the figures. Tire value of tire form is what makes the handicap, and the mere fact of a win counts for very little unless the success carries merit. Then, again, horses that run into places without ever scoring a win sometimes look badly treated on a superficial glance at the handicaps. No opinion on a handicap is worth a straw unless knowledge of form forms its basis. Still, there is no doubt that some horses have the happy knack of being favourably treated, whilst others seem to hold their weight up after they have lost the prowess which won them the good opinions of the weight-adjusters. Reval has started in three races and scored two wins and a second. “The fact seems to be that Night Hawk has only one speed, but stays for ever, and when he has been driven to keep on terms with his field in shorter races ho has got all abroad. At Derby, for instance, for the first time, ho was held well together, and allowed to settle down into his stride, and though the distance was not sufficient for him to win, he was getting so very busy at the finish that Robinson believes he would have won very easily in another furlong. For the St. Leger he was ridden in tho° same way. and, after being outpaced in the early stages, kept slogging on, and the others came back to him, so that lie won very cleverly. It was a fine exhibition of sheer stamina, and as the race was run in record time, we may fairly assume that Night Hawk will be even better suited by the Cesarewitch course. He lias not the r<" K.tost resemblance to his sire, G'aliinule, but lie may well prove to be the best of the old horse’s sons, and we shall perhaps come to realise that this year s St. Leger field was not so moderate as is generally imagined.” makers again being allowed to ply their calling in German'.’, the Continental correspondent of the London Sportsman states that, in regard to licensing, former _ bookmakers have been consulted, as the privilege of betting will only lie accorded men of substance and undoubted integrity. One of the obligations imposed will be a thorough system of bookkeeping and the deposit of a certain sum of money to guarantee tlie payment of the Government tax as well as t]ie settlement of bets made. Further pains and penalties will be edicted against unlicensed bookmakers, and great hopes are entertained that holders of concessions will do all 111 their power to defend the privileges tney enjoy against any encroachment from outsiders. A reduction will be made in the tax of Ifi 2-3 per cent, now taken on the turnover at the machine. In Austria and Hungary the Finance Committee has increased the impost on the takings of the totalisator from 12 to 11 per cent., and is elaborating a scheme for levying the same toll on the operations of the bookmakers holding licenses from the respective jockey clubs. came out of his action against Percy Bono, a solicitor, and Thomas Dey, a bookmaker,with flying colours. The defendants were charged with circulating a typewritten sheet alleging that Robert Sievier had blackmailed Dey to the amount of FTOOO in connection with an advertisement in the Winning Post. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, London, and during the course of his evidence Dey stated that Sievier showed him a proof of an article which he intended to publish in the Winning Post, reflecting on his (Dey’s) past life. However, after receiving .£7OO from Dey, Sievier inserted a complimentary editorial instead of the article referred to. A hank clerk gave evidence that Dey cashed a cheque for £7OO in sovereigns, and the latter stated it was in gold he paid Sievier. During the course of cross-exami-nation, Sievier stated that his betting account for eight months amounted to FI Oft, 000, and also admitted that Dey had lent’him money on several occasions. Tlie finding of the jury was not flattering to Sievier, as they decided that the charge of

blackmailing made against the latter was justified, and merely fined the defendants £2 each for a- minor libel to the effect tha.t Sievier had not paid a betting debt. .No order was made as to costs. The defendants were cheered on leaving' the court, and it cannot be said that the result of the case has improved Sieviex’s prospects of being returned as member for Hoxton, for which seat he is a candidate. Of course, it was inevitable that some people should stigmatise the paying of the prices for yearlings which were given at Doncaster as preposterous, and that others should defend the purchases. Those of us, says “Rapier,” who care for racing must, however, be grateful to the bold bidders, who would not be denied, for their action affords us a new source of interest. We shall want to know what will happen to the young ones for whom GlOOgs, GOCOgs, 5700g5, and so on, were given, and we shall carefully follow their careers. It looks as if yearlings bought at auction were going to have their share of the classic races. One of them came in first for the Derby this season, to be dispossessed by the home-bred Aboyeur. Wo have to go back to Spearmint to find a Defiuy winner acquired by a nod to Mr Tattersal!—and when the bidding had reached 300 gs! Before him, I really do not know where we have to look. Sainfoin, 1890, was bought, but not at a regular sale. I have not time to search Mr Moorhouse’s book about the Derby. Possibly, some Derby winner passed through the ring, but I cannot detect him. At the present time it seems probable that a purchased yearling will win next year, considering that a short price is being taken about The Tetrarch, for unless Aldford comes up, the likeliest Derby colts after the son of Roi Hercde will apparently be from the Doncaster sales. One wonders how the takers of the price about the grey colt have succeeded in convincing themselves that nothing good can possibly be sent from France to dispute the prize; and there is always the question whether a two-year-old will stay. I read that F. Wootton entertains doubts in the case of The Tetrarch. Nominations aro duo this evening for the Waikouaiti Racing Club’s annual meeting. The Advance colt Expect has been purchased by M. “ Ilighden,” who paid 500sovs for him. Boragoon, who cost 700 gs as a yearling, has won in stakes £11,720; Radnor (400 gs), £5618 15s; and Andelosia (900 gs), £5076 10s. A. Shannahan, who rode me winners of the Melbourne Cap and Fisher Plate, secured £4Ol 15s in riding foes over the two mounts. Mr E. 11. Taylor has purchased the two-year-old filly Bco, by Martian —Lady Disdain, and she will in future be trained by A. M’Aulay. Mr R. Harley has been appointed starter for the Riverton Racing Club's meeting, and Mr A. J. Gibbs has been reappointed handicapper out of the five applications received tor the position. Mr E. JS. D. Clarke’s two-year-old filly Hathor, by The Welkin (imp.), from Capo Hatteras, has been purchased by Mr S. P. Mackay, owner of Radnor. The price paid is reported to be 1500 guineas. A ridiculous rumour has been circulating in Melbourne that Posinatus was a “ rungin ” horse when ho won the Melbourne Cup. It has gone so far that Victorian turf writers have had to point out its absurdity. First Spear, by Spearmint (son of Carbine) won the Bretby Stakes, of £llOO, for two-year-olds, at Newmarket (England) on October 16. She started at odds on, and won as she liked. D. Maher rode First Spear. Single Trigger, a colt by Carbine, won the Newton Nursery Handicap at Haydock (England), on October 10. Ho was trained by E. G. do Mestre, son of Mr Etienne Do Mestre, the famous old-time Australian sportsman. The German newspapers announce that the Inspector-general of pavalry (Lieut.general von dor Marwit) has forbidden, “ en principle,” German officers to ride Frenchowned horses m races. This interdiction does not apply to those belonging to owners of other nationalities. There is not much doubt that the American horseman, D. Maher, is one of the greatest riders ever seen in -England. Ho lias been riding in England for 14 seasons, and only four times has ho failed to reach the century. His winning mounts have been as follow, dating from the year I 860: 27, 94. 106, 56. 115, 101, 105, 114, 139, 116, 127. 99, 109. and 103,—a total of 1409. '1 he Riverton Racing Club has made some important alterations in its programme. The Riverton Cup, of 300-,-ovb, lias boon increased in distance from 10 to 12 furlongs, and the Easter Handicap, of 200sovs, from a mile and a distance to a mile and a-quar-ter. Several of the stakes have been increased, but tile club lias cut froth hurdle races from the programme, which now contains two steeplechases on each day’s card. The North Otago Jockey Club has arranged for special train services in connection with its meeting on January 2 and 3. A special will leave Christchurch prior to the ordinary express, and will roach Oamaru (stopping at the course) at noon. A return special will leave Oamaru about 7 p.m. on January 3, taking passengers and horses for stations north of Timani. .Special trains will also run from Dunedin to Oamaru on each day of the 'meeting. About" an hour before the comm'encement of the V.A.T.C. November meeting at Caulfield the farriers engaged for the day, about a dozen altogether, made a peremptory demand for free tickets of admission to the course. They have in past years paid for their own admission, and their demand for free tickets came to the club officials in the nature- of a surprise. The chib found itself in an awkward position, but eventually it was decided that rather than inconvenience owners and trainers to grant the farriers free tickets for the day. The latest mail to hand brings particulars of the Cesarewiteh Stakes, of 1165sovs, two miles and aquarter, the time-honoured event which forms one of the principal handicaps decided during the English rac-ng season.—As the cable lias previously announced, it was won by the four-ycar-old gelding Fiz Yama, who started amongst the long shot division in the market. The St. Loger winner (Night Hawk) started equal favourite with WagstalT, and was amongst the unplaced'lot. Night Hawk, in fact, was beaten a long way from homo. The winner ran the distance in 3min 51 3-ssec, and made a now English record. He just heat Grave Greek, a four-year-old son of the Carbine horse Wargrave. The winner was got by Santoi, a representative of the .Speculum lino of Vedette (grandsiro of Kt. Simon), and is out of a mare by Kendal. One of tho most important races decided towards the back-end of the English racing season is the Jockey Club Stakes, of 743550v5, one mile and three-quarters, w.f.a., with penalties and allowances. The Rock Sand horse Tracery, for whom 40,000 guineas wore offered prior to the race.

went out an odds-on favourite in a field of •even. He had to run under the steadier of 10.7, and to beaten by the three-year-old oolt Cantilever, whom the favourite was conceding' 341 b. Cantilever ran the distance in 3min ssec and won nicely at the finish. He was got by Bridge of Canny, from a mare by Zealot, the sire of Castor. Bridge cf Canny was got by Love Wisely {son of Wisdom), from the St. Simon mare Santa Brigida, a daughter of Bridget, who is a sister to Melton, the sire of Seaton Delaval, and also Mias Mildred, the dam of Sarto, the sultan of the Warrington stud. Few practical racing men are prepared to lack a horse without legitimate reason, but instances of their doing so occasionally occur-, and whilst at Feilding a prominent owner in the Manawatu district told me (says “Sir Bedivere ”) of how he had come to have a nice little win over Sinapis. “ I em, he said, “almost ashamed to tell you the circumstances. The facts are, however, that I went out to Riccarton by tram and on casually reading the number on my ticket I was rather astonished to see it was number 12. Now one usually gets a ticket the number of which runs into five figures, and, when I saw what mine was, this, I said to myself, is surely a good enough ‘ office ’ for the Cup. When the race came on I looked up my card and found that number 12 was Sinapis. That was enough: I had a sneaking regard for the mare, so I promptly went over to the totalisator and put a tenner on her.’ A cable message to the Sydney Sun gives further particulars as to the recently closed season in England. The winning owners are:—Mr J. B. Joel, £25,420; Mr E. Hnlton, £24.674; Lord Derby, £18,273; Mr W. Hall-Walker, £11,734; Mr J. M. M‘Calmont, £11,513; and Mr S. B. Joel. £11.338. Mr F. W ootton topped the trainer’s record, which roads: Mr Wootton —66 races, £27,919; Mr Morton-32 races, £25,755; Hon. G. Lambton —55 races, £25,102; Mr Perse—4o. races, £25,657; Mr W. B. Robineon —27 races, £16,793; Mr Watson —10 races, £14,812. Maher was the most successful jockey, with 115 wins. Wootton came next with 91, and other records are: Whallcy 86, Wheatley 79, D'onoghue 78, E. Huxley 47, W. Huxley 37, ,and Trout 31. Although Maher rode more winners than Wootton, the latter's percentage of 28.17 was the highest, having had less mounts. The most successful winning sires were: Desmond—--31 races, £30,555; Sundridgc—29 races, £24,501; Santos —47 races, £13,876; St. Frusquin -31 races, £13,157; Rocksand—9 races £12,£42; Spearmint, Chaucer, William 111, and Gallinule totals were all over £I2OO Widespread dissatisfaction has been expressed over the method of starting, which is considered bad. It is claimed that, the starting gate scares timid horses, and it has been suggested that the horses walk up to the barrier—the old style. The Jockey Club is probably considering the matter. It will bo remembered that after Bend Or won the Derby he had to run the gauntlet of an objection lodged against him on the ground that his breeding was erroneously returned. The objection was lodged by the owner of Robert the Devil, who ran second, and, although thrown out, was then, and since, the subject of a vast -amount of controversy. The matter has agaip. cropped up in connection with Florist’s win in the Duke of York Stakes, run on October 11. In referring to the matter “ Vigilant,’’ of the Siiortsman, wrote: —“Florist is one of the last lot of foals sired by Florizel 11. who dropped dead - the summer before Mr Dresden’s colt oamo to town. He was cheaply bought as a yearling out of the Sledmere string for 810 guineas, for although he failed to earn brackets in his four juvenile essays, he has already won over 3500sovs in stakes this season He is an elder half-brother of Mr Hulton’s smart two-year-old Longtown. Their dam, Ladytown, is by Gallinule, out of Downey, by Hagioscope, out of Lenity. The latter was by Bend Or, out of Clemonce, who by many people was believed to bo Bend Or’s own dam, and although the Duke of Westminster showed by mating them that be was firmly of opinion that his 1880 Derby winner really was a son of his accepted dam. Rouge Rose, the fact remains that Lenity was almost an idiot. That might easily arise from her being so inccstuously bred. Again, incestuous breeding very often results in phenomenal racehorses a couple of generations further away, and in the circumstances the future careers of Florist and Longtown will bo watched with much interest.”