IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 40

IN A NUTSHELL.

Biplane is unlikely -to race again until next season. Merrie Boe is reported to have broken down at Auckland. All Serene fills the eye as a likely sort to make a hurdler. Disdainful got a bad passage in the Templeton Handicap. Mr H. Or. Taylor took six horses up to the Wellington meeting,. Crib did not look quite up to concert pitch when racing at Riccarton. Bee, Zuland, and Matty are included in R. King's team for Trentham. Handicaps for Oamaru are due on Monday, and acceptances on the following day. United Service has been shaping promisingly in his schooling work over hurdles. Nominations for the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting are due on "Wednesday of tb.l3 week. All going well, Rongahere may be found figuring in the field contesting the Wanganui Steeplechase. . . , Bimeter was shaping well m his work prior to being shipped north in company with Thames. When Winter Cherry behaves herself at the barrier she should soon gather the fruits of victory. The well-known trotting stallion Albertorious died a few days ago through getting bogged in a paddock. Gunicst, Mohawk, and Buller went

through last week to fulfil engage men ts at the Wellington meeting. The first race at the Forbury Trotting Club's meeting will start at 12 o'clock each day, and the last at 4.55. Maro Antony has been striding alonjj nicely in hia work since running at thd G-reat Autumn meeting. Maro Antony was short of work when raced at Riccarton, and should show improved form at Tinraru. The South Canterbury Jockey Club'a autumn meeting takes place on Thursday and Saturday of this week. The Petereta colt Peter Mac has been steadily improving, and appears to hava scored nicely in the Champion Stakes. Good Hope walked back lame after winning at Riccarton, but has since been responsible for useful work on the track. A. J. M'Flinn fractured a knee-cap whilst riding at Avondale, and will, as a result, be out of the saddle- for some time. The one-time Wingatui gelding Arthur George ran a good race when he finished close up to the placed lot in the Templeton Handicap. A North Island paper states that Balboa has never contested a hurdle, and it might have added with perfect safety that he never will. i The Kilbroney—Siberia gelding Eulard shows excellent work on the irack, but up to the present is a bit slow to move from a flat-foot stars. Sasanof is regarded as an unlikely starter in the Thompson Handicap, as ho claims an engagement in the St. Leger, run on the same day. Varnish ran such a good race under difficulties in the Great Autumn that he clearly showed his previous wins to be anything but a fluke. The Victorian Trotting Record was recently requested to reply to the query— What do some handicappers handicap—man, horse, friend, or foe? Since being sold under the hammer at Christchurch the Danube gelding Tyne has been resold at an advanced figure, and goes into R. Ellis's stable. A total of 314 yearlings was. sold at the Sydney bloodstock. sales, and they realised 43,567g5. The industry of breeding continues to live even in war .time. i Mr A. G. Wood will be able to act a 3 starter at the North Otago meeting owing to the Gfeymouth Jockey Club releasing him for his engagement at their meeting. Dr A. W. Beveridge presented Princess Bee to the Soldiers' Fund after she won the two-year-old race at Avondale, and when she was auctioned bought her back at 50gs. Recent additions to H, Coker's team at Inveroargill are Clynelish, Kauwhero, Redshiro, and Magdala. The two last-named were taken over after the Riverton meeting. Some people say that racehorses can"not be expected to run like machinery. 'Desert Gold, however, wins with clockwork regularity, and has struck 19 consecutive wins. Messrs H. Andrews, L. 0. Hazlett,- J. A. Sligo, B. S. Irwin, and W. J, Gore have been appointed to act as the Judicial Committee at the Forbury Park Trotting Club'* meeting. The Bill o' Portland horse Finland has achieved the remarkable performance of siring three out of the last four winners of the Great Easter. The trio are Nystadi, Reval, and Chudic. Wardancer should soon be able to reproduce something like his best form. He did not look quite ready when stripped at the Great Autumn, but looks healthy and well if not fit and well. After his win in the Templeton Handicap the owner of Gazique made a threat to run his horse against Desert Gold in the North Island Challenge Stakes run at Trentham this week. BJccarton is not a happy hunting ground for Bee, as she has never won a race there. Prior to the meeting she put up one of the best gallops she has ever accomplished on the training tracks. Murray Hobbs took 11 horses up to Wellington on Friday last. It is not yet definitely decided as to whether he will continue to train Kilboy, Sasanof, and Co., or pass them on to somebody else, Panmure will not be raced at Trentham, and was taken on to Manawatu, whilst Nystad and Mediator were left at Wellington. Mediator is a handsome colt, but is unfortunately tapped in the wind. . Apropos of the fact that spme people are desirous of seeing agricultural shows discontinued during the war, it is interesting to note that the National Horse Show is to be held as usual this year in London. Fiery Cross did not suffer any damage as the result of his two races at Riccarton, and prior to being shipped to Wellington was bowling along freely in his work. Tete-a-tete ran a fine race under a.ll in the Templeton Handicap, and is such a splendid type of mare that it is a pleasure to recall the fact that ber owner refused to sell her to an Australian would-be pur*Margerine has been racing over a bit of ground this season, running up to a mile and a-half, and she never seemed to get fair on her legs in the speedy dash identified with the Templeton Handicap, run in 1 12 4-5. Nominations close on Friday, April 20. for the Ashburton meeting, at which th» principal events will be the Ashburton Cupof 300sovs, and Autumn Handicap, of 200sovb. No stake on the programme is worth les." than lOOsovs. —Admiral Wood is a great actor in deep going, and many were waiting to support him on Saturday at Addington, but the craek pacer did not figure Jn the field. He contracted a cold during the week, and had to be kept in his box. Author Dillon has accomplished what very few pacers have aohieved. and that is, to win the two principal events at the one meeting. He won in deep going on Saturday, and showed that he can go on under bad track conditiona, The North Otago Jockey Club has _ received excellent entries for their meeting, which takes place next week. All going well the meeting should be a very successful one if the prospect of good fields counts for anything in that direction, Desert Gold is said to haver latterly been worked over a distance in order to train her for the journev in the Trentham Gold Cup. When she wins ove? two miles at w.f.a. she will set seal to her fame as a racer, if any further proof of her merit is required. .> A. Pringle has taken Lady Haldane and Olive Palm north to fulfil engagements at the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting. Lady Haldane was very well treated when .last taken to Auckland, but spoilt her chance by standing on the mark. She is again handicapped on a 4.43 mark. According to the Paris _ correspondent of the London Sportsman, racing is likely to be resumed at Chantilly this_ season. The common opinion held some time ago was, however, that racing would not be in full swing again in Franco until the Germans were driven out of the country. _ Mr G-. Fulton, the owner of Art, Banian, and others, is the gentleman who made th« last bid for Sarto when the son of St, Simon was passed at 375g5. It is under, stood that Sarto had a reserve of 500 gs, and

ho may possibly become tho property of Mr Fulton, and if no will stand somewhere in Canterbury. —'The luck of the start seems to be tno great deciding factor in the Great Easter, as well as, of course, in other sprint races. Ventura slipped through her .field from the word "Go" when she won in 1913, Chudic was always, in the van in 1914, and Reval was first out and led all the way in 1016, and in 1917 Nystad was one of the very few thai had a chance from the start.

Adjutant was one of the fittest-looking horses that stripped at the Groat Autumn mooting. Ho is generally classed, as a nonstayer; but despite Lis penalty ho was finishing on, and" got third over a mile and a-half in record time. When a horse is finishing on under a big weight in an exceptionally fast run of 12 furlongs ho has some .solid claims to bo considered a stayer. Gazique carried slb overweight in the Templeton Handicap, but that fact was not generally known, and some reports of the race did not mention tho matter. This forms another reason why every pressroom should contain a notice-board giving information .as to overweights, allowances, names of riders, results of inquiries, and other official matters that should be published in the newspapers. Nystad, tho winner of the'Great Easter, comes from the same family as Merganser, who won the Great Autumn as a four-year-old with 9.8. Nystad was got by Finland (grandson of St. Simon) from Pas Soul, by Soi.lt (son of St. Simon) from Parera, by » Cuirassier from Albatross. Kystad was a very speedy two-year-old, but winning chances in his first season by being fractious at the post. Top price for a yearling under the hammer at the Sydney sales was the 1500 gs paid for the Treasedy—Desert Rose colt bred by Mr Wm. Thompson. Desert Row ,was got by Malster from Mangos teen, by Lochicl from Chutney, by Gossoon. Tressedy is a tail male descendant of St. Simon, and the 1500-guinea youngster has thu3- three strains of Galopin, two of which come through his best son in St. Simon. —The National Show was to be opened in London on February 27, and extended over five days. On the first three days the thor- >•■■- ■! i-» <t ar>H hunter class was to be the feature of the programme. Sixty King's Pferniuras for thoroughbred stallions and f2 fJ'n-ir.7- P'erninms were to be on offer. The thoroughbred stallions entered total 175, or <«ie more than last year and 44 more than in 1915. The total amount of money offered in premiums will run to about £20,000. Egypt was bleeding after running in the Great Autumn, and as he is said to

have bled on previous occasions the brother io Desert Gold unfortunately appears to have developed a family failing for which

tho Gallinule tribe are noted. Egypt's racing career may thus be terminated through of circumstances, and not because ho is hoc able to gallop when fit and well. Gallinule, tho grandsire of Egypt, is out of a Hermit mare, and inherits the trouble through Seclusion, who has been ono of the greatest ' taproots" of breeders in the Stud Books. Kilboy ran a particularly game and solid race when he won the Great Autumn, and is obvioasly a sound stayer, as he was. finishing on- full of resolution. The Kilbroney colt was not too well placed as they ran towards and round the turn out of the

straight, and in order to get and hold a position he was kept fairly baisy from end to end. In the run from the home turn Kilboy had to sustain .a long l run, and his performance was full of merit and attractiveness. Deeley was forced to make a good deal of nse of his mount, and at the finish drove the colt home with one of. the most vigorous displays of horsemanship he has ever shown in tha saddle. The entry for the Champagne Stakes, contested by Gamecock and Estland, totalled about 88. Only two, in biplane and Hy-

mestra, out of those originally engaged would have had a chance with Gamecock, despite the fact that many others for which engagement had been made had shown winning form, but not good enough to meet the above-named duo The case of the Champagne Stakes is the case of many other races, and yet somo people say that racing is not necessary to tost the merit of the thoroughbred. It was the racing test which discovered the strength of the entry for the Champagne Stakes, and without the only test supplied by racing we would be in the dark as to the merit of the thoroughbred. —Mr Danvers Hamber, who was until recently sporting editor of the New Zealand Referee, is producing a Breeders' Handbook, which should be highly appreciated and very useful to breeders of bloodstock. The book will contajn the tabulated pedigree of almost every thoroughbred stallion in New Zealand en one half of a page, while the other half is left blank for the insertion of a mare's pedigree. Each leaf is cut in two, and by simply running- over the leaves the mare's breeding can be placed in line with that of any stallion, and thus at a glance sh.>w>: the merit of any particular mating. The book, it is understood, will contain other infiumation of a useful nature, and should prove a very valuable addition to the breeder and sportsman's library. —No one was more confident than Mr J. O. Bennett, the_ owner of Gazique, that the Gazeley gelding would make a bold show at Riccarton. He made anything but a secret of his opinion, which was justified by the Tonrpleton Handicap win, and Mr Bennett informed the writer that he recently lost a ful 1 brother to Gazique through an accident, which resulted in a broken leg. Pauleen, the dam of Gazique, threw three foals to Gazeley, and in 1915 was bred to Multiple, and in 1916 to tho imported horse Heather Mixture. A mating' with Heather Mixture should produce something speedy, a 3 that sire is inbred to Thormanby, a great sire of speed. Heather Mixture was got by St. Serf (son of St. Simon) from Sprig of Heather, by Macbeath (son of Macaroni) from Panache, by Morion (son of Barcaldiue) from Horteuse, by Hampton.

Tlio fiasco start which marred the race for the Great Easter Handicap should give racing clubs cause to consider tlie introduction of a recall flag-. The- mishap at Riccarton was, it is understood, due to Zuland catching the barrier, and so prevented several horses from getting off the mark. The start clearly spoilt the sport, and had a recall flat*- been in use tho few that got away could have bee.i pulled up before they bad travelled any great distance. A start ehonld bo on a par with a handicap that is supposed to give at least the majority of & field a fair cnance of siiceess at the outset. A thoroughly competent steward and assistant should be at the. start of each important sprint race, and • in such cases as tho Great Easter start could recall the field before the horses had traversed half a furlong. Under the existing system a good Start rests entirely in the hands oi one man, and to the writer it seenis too much power for any one man to wield. The Kilbroney youngsters made comparatively good prices at the Sydney sales, one being sold at GOOgs, another at 400 gs. and six others at prices ranging from 150 gs to ?.70g3. Tho principal figures do not read extravagant in face of the fact that the Kilbroney colt Kilboy proved himself one of the best, if not tho best, three-year-olds of tho year in Australasia. The top-figure colt,

making 600 gs, is from Mazurka, and as tho youngster marks her first contribution to tho Stud Book, the price seems very satisfaci">ry, and would no doubt bo better if tho dam had been a producer of a winner or two instead of marking a first foal. Mazurka wSs got by Martian from Two Step, by Siepniak—-Faraway, by Bill o' Portland—Happy Land, by Musket. Tho 400-guiaea youngster is from Siberia, a- sister to Two Step, and hence both yearlings are close relations. The other New Zealand-bred youngsters also made fair prices, and altogether the sales will be instrumental in bringing a good few hundred pounds to the Dominion, as well as giving il further advertisement as a nursery for tho thoroughbred.

Gazique is a. particularly smart sprinter, and was unlucky in getting left in the Great Easter, as on hi 3 Templeton Handicap form he must have been very dangerous. Gazique is a tallish, lengthy, light-framed sort, and can develop a great deal of hurry. His breeding wa3 alluded to in these columns prior to the Great Easter, but ho is such a brilliant sort that it will stand repetition. Gazique was bred by hi 3 owner, Mr C. J. Bennett, of Gisborne, and got by Gazeley from Paulecn, by St,. Paul (son of St. Leger) from Cuirassier. (brother to Trenton) from Rubina, the dam of Machine Gun, one of the greatest sprinters that has ever carried a saddle in Australasia, if not, in fact, m all tho world. • Machine Gun was a roarer from foalhood, and that fact prevented him from going over a distance. Rubina, in addition to producing Machine Gun, was also tho dam of a first-class maro in Florrie. She also threw Launccston and Vandal, a pair of useful sorts. Gazeley, tho sire of Gazique, is a good, _ but somewhat unfashioimbly bred sire. He was got by Grey Leg front Lygia, by Ingram (son of Isonomy) from Lady Peggy, by HermitBelle Agnes. Grey Leg was got by Pepper and Salt (son of The Rake) from Quetta, hy Bend Or—Donranee, by Rosicrucian. —lt seems a remarkable thing to say at the present time that the best advices- ever tendered the English Govrnment as to horsing the British army came from a German. In 1812 Mr Rob Bunsow, one of the founders of the Bloodstock Breeders' Review, wrote an interesting and most instructive article on tho matter for the second number of the Review, urging the English Government to adopt the plan adopted by tho Prussian Government, which in 1910 were using no less than 3S "principal stallions" and 8546 country stallions (mostly thoroughbred) with the object of getting remounts. ■ At tho same time Austria-Hungary were using 5048 stallions, and it' was stated that in the event of war Germany would require GOO,OOO horses, and she Was obviously doing her.best to have them at hand. Mr Bunsow lost his connection with the Bloodstock Review as a result of tho war. It is to the Review, the Badminton Magazine, and Mr C. Richardson's "Book of tho Horse" that tho writer is indebted for the various figures published in connection with what the Continental Powers have been expending in horse-breed-ing for military purposes. In Part xiv of his book Mr Richardson devotes a good deal of space to horse-breeding on tho Continent, and quotes figures as to the expenditure of the various Governments. France in 1908 expended over .£BOO,OOO, whilst by way of interesting contrast England is expending about £20,000 this year in stallion premiums, and has, of course, also the National Stud, which was a gift to the country by Colonel Hall-Walker.

Desert Gold registered her nineteenth successive victory when she won the Challenge Stakes at Biccarton on Tuesday (says the Christchurch Press). In the three seasons in which she has been racing she has started in SO races, and has never been unplaced. As a two-year-old she started 12 times, won G races, was second- 5 times, and third once, her winnings for the season amounting to £3665. La«t season she won 14 races off the reel, her earnings totalling £8350. So far this season she has started In four races and won them all, securing £2250 in stakes. This brings her aggregate to £14,265, a much larger sum than has ever before been won by any horse in the dominion.