IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 40

IN A NUTSHELL.

Moonglow continues to sir.nd up to his work. Settler dropped dead after racing at Dannevirke. Rangi Thompson has been granted a jockey's license. Sir Malt skipped over half a mile on Saturday in good style. The speedy Wrestler is again moving along well over short sprints. Sleight of Hand scored easily in the Jumpers Flat at Dannevirke. —■ Nominations for the New Zealand Cup are due on Friday of this week. There are 23 New Zealand-owned horses in training on the Sydney tracks. The Dunedin Guineas candidate Gamecock is shaping well in his work. The progeny of the Carbine horse Wallace have won 216,00030 vs in stakes. The Pallas mare Kesione is in foal to Soldiers' Chorus, and visits Kilbroney. Fiery Cross will probably start favourite for the Ashburton Handicap. Over 20,000 trotting horses are registered in the Orloff Stud Book in Russia* Wingform pulled up very lame after working at Wingatui on Saturday morning. Tim Doolan ran second in the August Steeplechase, run at Flemington on August 38. The White King and Ogier are both looking in good health after their winter spell. The Ashburton spring meeting takes place on Thursday and Friday of this week. The Gore Trotting Club has decided in favour of the yards system of handicapping. Replete, the dam of Clynelieh, has thrown a bay colt to Markhope, and visits him again. The death is reported of the Stepniak horse Diabolo, who won the Canterbury Cup in 1910. The Various events on the Geraldine programme attracted excellent patronage from horse-owners. The All Red gelding Placid is looking big and healthy and in good order for some of the spring meetings. The New Zealand Cup winner Frisco has had two recent winners in the shape of Colorado ;and Detroit. Gay Crusader, who has proved himself the crack three-year-old of the present season in England, is a first foal. The Victorian Racmg Club dismissed appeals lodged against the disqualifications imposed in the Luperino case. Kilkee is doing well on the track, and it would not be surprising to find him showing improved form this season. —Multoe never runs to any great bulk, but she is looking a shade bigger than usual, and is moving nicely in her work. Killala, the two-year-old sister to Kilrea, is shaping promisingly in her work. She claims engagement in the M'Lean Stakes. —J. E. Fitzgerald and J. M'Williams have been committed for trial in connection with the alleged betting frauds in Wellington. —G. Hepburn, private trainer to Mr L. C. .Hazlett's stable, failed) to pass the medical test in his examimal ion for military service. - Polynesian, a half-sister by Maniopoto to Tree Lucerne, scored easily in the Trial Plate after getting badly away at the start. The R.okeby Jessie Lewa.rs filly Miehaela is getting through regular tasks at Wingatui. Sine ist a half sister to Thadd«?us. The New Zealand-bred Cherubini, brother to Soldiers' Chorus and Tannhauser, commences stud life in South Australia this season. Shower and Melita have both thrown fillies to Markhope. This is the first filly Melita has thrown since going to the stud in 1905. Daytime, Fiery Cross, Ascalaphus, Matty. Zuland, Jeannot, Snub, King Star, and Fleetham all galloped well at Riccarton on Saturday. The Winton Jockey Club has been informed by the Trotting Association that optional races could not be allowed on its programme. Palamon docs not seem to have suffered any damage to his racing merit by being added to the list, as he moves along nicely in his work. The acceptances for Ashburton are very satisfactory, and. suggest that the club will have a. really good card for each day of their fixture. Comely has apparently oome on well since being reconnuissioned,' as she recently led home the improving Euripos at the end of six furlongs. Marsa, Multiplication, and Thaddeua were given easy tasks on Saturday morning. The trio are in good shape after their spell during the winter The committee of the New Zealand Trotting Club has decided to adhere to the system of handicapping and starting by seconds for their November meetinsr. The Martian—Nantes filly Nanna. that has been attracting attention at • Riccarton. has been engaged in the Trial Plate and Maiden Hack at Ashburton. The King of Spain won the Spanish Derby with a colt named Souvenir d'Exil, who was picked up for sgs at the Newmarket blood-stock sales of 1915. Golden Rupee has been allowed to drop out of his engagement in the first day's hurdles at Ashburton, but may be started over the shorter distance on the second day. The promising filly Winter Cherry has been engaged in the minor events at the Ashburton meeting. She only requires to leave the barrier to pay her way this season. The Melbourne Cup winner Sasanof has again struck winning form, and should play a prominent part in some of the important events to be run at the A.J.C. spring meeting. —At a meeting of the Canterbury Owners and Breeders' Association, held in Christchurch, a motion in favour of the yards svst em of starting was defeated by 15 votes to 11. Clavcvhou.se and Sisyphus, who both claim engacements in the Duned.'n Guineas, are doins useful work. The stable may, however, rely on Gamecock for the Wingatui elnssie. ' From a programme to hand it is learnt that the Auckland Tro'Hncr Club has increased th« stakes attached to th<s Great Northern Trotting Derby from 250 soys to 350sovs. Zealand-b'-ed sire Ribboiiwoocl that he has got 54 horse* that have done 2.25 or better, and that his stock have won considerably over (W) races. Althourrh it was announced some weeks n:ro that the Ashburton Club had removed the disqualification from Mr R. J. Tavlor. his name still figures in the list of those under the ban.

Killjoy has come into favour for her rnoe at iLshburton, ar.d Daytime has been

receiving at lent ion in connection with the mile race. Beth are nicely treated as fax as handicaps are concerned l . cess in Australia should be associated with an unpleasant reception, but a win that_ is not a matter of fairly general participation always leaves a feeling of annoyance. Gnome has apparently taken a fresh lease of life, as he is credited with leading Winter Cherry at the end of five furlongs from a moving start. This does not fit in with the writer's opinion of Winter Cherry. More than usual interest is being taken in the Kurow meeting, and, all going well, the club's gathering should prove very successful. The change of rendezvous to Camaru will materially assist towards the success of the gathering. —■ Snub has apparently smartened up, as he is credited with showing more brilliancy than Zuland in a dash over six furlongs. It would, however, be from a moving start, as the Martian gelding is not too good from a flat-foot start.

The smart filly Kilrea is amongst the Dunedin Guineas candidates that are showing improvement in their work. Last season the daughter of Kilbroney and Arai-te-TJru won four races and was placed on three other oooasions out of 11 starts.

The Martian—Callaeno two-year-old colt sold recently in Sydney at IOOOgs was auctioned on behalf of the estate of tho late Mr M. Sfttlcahy. The youngster was bred by Mr Highden at Pahmerston North, and sold as a yearling at 410 gs. The Kurow Club has wisely decided to postpone the declaration of the handicaps for their meeting until September 24. Acceptances will olose on September 26. Handicaps for Kuvow will thus not be compiled until after the Ashburton meeting. Fiery Cross has been getting through good, usoful work, and figures amongst tho acceptors for the Ashburton meeting. On his form at the Great Autumn meeting and his second in the Thompson Handicap lie should help to make matters interesting this season. The winner of the M'Lean Stakes for two-year-olds does not incur a penalty for the Welcome Stakes, as there is now no penalty condition attaohed to the latter event. The freedom from risk of penalty should help to fill the fields for two-year-old events decided before the C.J.C. spring meeting. Vagabond scored nicely at Dannevirke. He is a three-year-old brother to Ascalaphus. Last season he ran second to Estland in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes and in tba Manawatu Stakes. As a two-year-old Vagabond ran 18 times, and scored three wins and was placed in, nine other events.

Sixteen horses started in the Hack Hurdles at Dannevirke, Moulu, Manaia Park, Gay Guard, and; Golden / Glade fell at the first fence, Welshman, Gin Sling, and Dunrobin at the second; Austin came down in front of the' stand, and at a later stage My Pal parted company with his rider. —ln a working gallop over a mile on August 30 Biplane beat The Toff in lmin 42£sec, and put up a track record for the season at Randwick. They ran the first half-mile in 49, and the brilliancy of his work no doubt was responsible for Biplane attracting a lot of notice in his early races in public. According to reports from Riccarton Gamecock seems to be able to do as he likes with Good Hope on the track. One morning recenlly Gamecock gave away several lengths sta.rt to his stable companion, and beat him over five furlongs. Gamecock has either come on nicely in his work, or else Good Hope is a bad track horse.

Reports from Sydney state that Kilboy has developed lameness, and as a result was withdrawn from the Metropolitan Handicap. It will be a matter of much regret if the Kilbroney oolt is by unlucky circumstances debarred from giving a further demonstration of his undoubtedly great racing merit. —-One of the winners at FLemington on August 18 is an attractively-bred colt named Kingbier. He was got by Comedy King from Lady Lybia (dam of Lord) Nolan), by Antaeus (eon of Sir Modred) from Lady Trenton (the dam of Lord Cardigan and Dividend). Kingbier claims important engagements at the spring meetings. The death is reported from Victoria of the imported mare Tragedy Queen, the dam of Comedy King r She died whilst foaling to White Star. Tragedy Queen cost Mr Sol. Green 1700 gs in England. Comedy King was a foal at foot at the time of the purchase ; but her subsequent foals have not achieved much success on the turf. *" The hurdler Master Hamilton has been doing useful work in view of his Ashburton engagements. On the first day he figures as top-weight in a not particularly strong field. He meets Glenthorpe 121 b better than on the first day of the Dunedin winter meeting, when both were unplaced. Glenthorpe, however, displayed improved form by winning on the second day. Both Sedd-el-Bahr and Minesweeper are looking in nice order and moving well in their work. On Saturday morning Scdd-el-Bahr galloped six furlongs with John Barleycorn, and had the letter's measure towards the finish. The Sarto geld in o- is not, however, nearly so forward as Sedd-el-Bahr, who looks in good shape for his Ashburton ensrngements. Minesweeper strode out well in his work.

The Sou+h Australian jockeys are petitioning against the use of the M'Lachlan starting machine, in which the horses are separated from each other bv stall divisions at the barrier. It is held that the M'Lachlan barrier endangers both horses and riders. Tt is not so very long ago that the stall method of starting was pronounced a suceess. but apparently it did not improve on further acquaintance.

Owing to a misprint, Thames appeared rs Flames in the handicaps for the Ashburton County Handicap. She was doing good work prior 1o the National meeting, but faiWl to show up in her race. Last season Thames won the Horora.ta Cup with 7.10 in 2.10*. At the Wanganui Cup meeting she won the Tavforth Hack Welter with 8.8, and won again on the second day, but was disqualified for weighing in 4lb short weight.

—Mr P. Selis. who has been re-elected president of the New Zealand Trotting Association, has occupied that position for 18 years, and prior to that was for three years on the South Island Trot tine Association. Mr Selig, who has played a very prominent part in the supervision of light harness racing which has raised it to the high plane it now occupies, intends resi<?ning the chairmanship at the end of the present season.

John Barleycorn is looking big and heal'.hv at present, and carries more condition than previously noticed. On Saturday morning h» strode over six furlongs with Sedd-el-Bahi-. and pulled up showing himself to be fairly forward, although not in the racinsr nick of his companion in the gallo-i. The Sayto gelding is both big and hard, and will have to fine down a good bit before he strikes his best form again. He gallons and walks as if thoroughly sound, and seems likely to work his lumber into racing condition without trouble; but that, of course, is for the future to find out.

attached to the Melbourne Cup tha word

handicap " wad omitted, and for the next big race at Flemington winners of anv race worth over SOOsova to the winner will have to carry a 7lb penalty. Hence the A.J.C. Derby winner, as well as those scoring in valuable w.f.a. events, will be penalised. To overcome the difficulty the V.R.C. and the y.A.T.C. are changing the method of allotting the prize-money in events decided before the Cup. The Melbourne Stakes will, for instance, bo cut up so that SOOsovs, SOOsovs, and 200sovs will be. the place money. Bed Book has been striding along well since running at the Grand National meeting.

Gay Crusader, who has proved himself the crack colt of the season in England by winning the Two Thousand Guineas, "Derby," and St. L-eger, was got by Bavardo from Gay Laura, by Beppo (son of Marco) from Galooltia, by Galopin from Agave, by Springfield. Bayardo was got by Bay Ronald (son of Hampton) from G-alicia, by Galopin from Isoleita, by Isonomy. Beppo was got by Marco (sen of Borcaldme) from Pitiii, by St. Frusquin from Florence. It' will be seen that Gay Crusader, although a tail male descendant of Hampton, is strongly inbred to of whom his pedigree oarries four strains in the first few removes, as, in addition to those mentioned above, Black Duchess, the dam of Bay Ronald, is a daughter of the Galopin horse Galliard.

—At the annual meeting of the Gore Trotting Club it was moved—" That it be a recommendation to the committee to instruct the handicapper to handicap a maiden horse in an open trot as a maiden, even though he was nominated for a class trot the same day." The motion was lost. If carried it would have brought about an anomalous state of affairs. If, for instance, an owner elected to nominate a maiden horse in a class trot (say 2.30 or better) and also in an open event, we would have the owner classing his horse on the 2.30 mark and the handicapper expected to put it out to perhaps 2.40 in an . open event. Such a double-barrelled idea of handicapping would caaise a lot of trouble, although acceptable to tho class of owner who desires to keep the merit of his horse hidden until it has paid the Way to a higher class.

A Press Association cable message from Sydney states that Mr H. R. Dxison has purchased Immortelle. Tile price is not stated.

A Press Association cable message from Sydney states that Kilboy has been scratched for the Metropolitan Handicap, owing to lameness.