IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 40

IN A NUTSHELL.

Placid was on© of the unlucky runners at the Oamaru meeting, Acceptances for the Wellington Cup meeting are due on January 14. Acceptances for the Wairio Jockey Club's annual meeting are due on January 10. Phil May had nothing much to spare at the finish of his winning effort last week. Compulsion was taken to Oamaru, but went sore, and did not start at the meeting. Estland has enrolled his name as a winner of the New Zealand Derby and Great Northern Derby. - The going was a bit greasy on the first day at Oamaru, and did not suit the bigstriding Euripo*. Wrestler is engaged in the Trial Plate, to be run at the Wellington Cup meeting, over seven furlongs. Marc Antony's ' t win at Invercargill was the first he had scored since winning the Great Autumn of 1916. Vioe Regal, the half-brother to Procarried a good deal of money at Oamaru, but got lost in the orowd. Prior to the holiday meetings nothing was galloping better on the tracks than Marsa; but she failed to catoh a race. Hyraestra now stands, as a cheap horse at 2050g5, as with ordinary luck his winning record should be still far from completion. Sir Thomas Dewar, who has been shipping blood stock to Australia! will probably unfurl his colours in the Commonwealth. A yearling sister to Desert Gold recently met with sn accident, and it is feared that the mishap will prevent her -sporting silk.

Post Haste waa badly left in his race* at Oamaru, and would nave been a sure wlrmor had he got out on terms with the others.

The Pallas gelding Porter played up a good deal at the start of hia recent races, and caused a lot of trouble when at the barrier. —Mr A G. Wood had some troublesome horses to handle at Oamaru, but invariably had his field in good line when releasing the barrier.

King I/upin has won 622550 vs in stakes. He has started In 87 races, winning 15, and second Beven times and third on three occasions.

Spangle, the winner of the Wyndham Cup, is a sister to Nanna, Matty, 'Marsa, and Mar tyro, and a half-sister to Prim and Artillerio.

, Kilbrogan looked an improved horse when stripped at Oamaru, and he strode out and shaped better than anything he has shown up to date. Leaping Bum Surack himself whilst working a few days before the Oamaru meet-

ing, and was not quite at his best when ho ran. at tho fixture.

I/. H, Hewitt was apparently in good form at the holiday meetings up north, and had the pleasure of saluting the judge on a couple of winners.

Handicaps for the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting are due on the 15th, and acceptances for the first day of the meeting on the 23rd. Money eeeins to flow like water in connection with racing in the North Island, whereas in the South it merely creeps and creeps slow and) carefully. Subterfuge has been particularly unlucky since winning at the Ashburton spring meeting. She has started in 10 races, and finished second six times.

—Mr W. Brown's Segenhoe Stud realised 38,217g5. The sale of the late Mr G. G. Stead's stud realised 41,815g5, and Mr J. B. Reid's Elderslie Stud 19,020g5. Nominations for the Lhmedin Cup of lOOOsovs and other events to bo decided at tho Dunedin Jockey Club's autumn meeting are due on Friday, January 18. All Pink was left behind after raoing at Oamaru to be bred to the Docliiel horso Crichton. She will probably run a few race 3 before being retired Ao the paddock. The Boniform gelding Bon was • sold during the course of the Southland meetings, and will probably join J, Hymer'o stable. The price was around iIOO. Despite tho prominence born of success which has been achieved by Demagogue, his dan; continues to be erroneously returned as Gold Bound instead of Gold Bond. —lt is reported that a profit of about £IOOO was made over tho Southland Raoing Club's meeting. The Government gathers in about twice as much in the way of taxation. ' The Hymettus gelding Hyiatis spoilt an excellent chance of a win by hanging in at the finish of the Parkside Welter. Had he come straight on he • must have beaten Helicon.

Triple Entente is not altogether a boys' horse, the troible'ho got into on the .second day at; Oamaru appeared to be due to ihe fact that he had taken charge of his rider.

The second day of the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting clashes with the C.J.C. Midsummer meeting, and may prevent a few northern racegoers Irom attending our local fixture.

The two-year-old filly Canamana is a speedy galloper, but at present dofcs not stay on too well. She was got by Mensohikoff from Khamsin, by Quarryman—Mist, by St. Clair. —As a result of her accident at Wingatui Kilrea is to be retired to the stud of her owner, Mr J. B. Reid, and joins the seleot band of matrons at the Elderslie and "Windsor Stud paddocks. The death is reported of Captain Parefoy, a prominent Irish breeder and sportsman. He had been shooting alone, and it is presumed that the gun went off whilst he was climbing a gate. inside of one of her hocks whilst racing at Oamaru, and that fact did not help her to run to the promise she displayed in her earlier engagements this season. —An American rider named "W. Miller ia now in Sydney, and has applied to the A.J.O. for a license. Miller ia said to have ridden 10X4 winners in 85 months, despite the faet that he scales about 8.12. Battle Eve was kicked on the hook whilst at the post for the North Otago Cup. He still looks as if ho required a procession of physio balls through him before showing thtf'full extent of his racing ability. The death is reported from Wellington of Q. M. Reid, the well-known Trentnam trainer, and who in bygone years was a capable horseman. He was the father of the well-known ridei-s Ashley, Roy, and Con Heed.

King Star, despite the fact that he had been shaping well on the track, failed to exhibit any dash In his races at Oamaru. He has been kept going since scoring in the Winter Cup, and, perhaps, has temporarily lost his punch. The JBoniform—Cassock colt Almoner is booked to meet Hymestra tod others in the Wellington Stakes. Almoner displayed good form in Australia, and it will be interesting to note how he shapes with tW opposition at Trentham.

A visitor to the Invercargill meeting informed the writer that Belaud chance on the second day was absolutely wrecked by the faot that she was!, held several lengths back and tail on to the barrier when the others broke away. Barley Rigs showed a' good turn of speed in the Trial Plate at Oamaru, but did better on tho second day, and practically won the Maiden Plate from end to end. He is a small-si&ed gelding, got by Sarto from Afer. by Stepniak. Robert Bell beat a weak field in the Flying Handicap at Oamaru, and made a bold show in the prinoipal event on the second day. On this occasion, however, he was made rather much use of, and faded into third place at the business end.

The Rokeby gelding Mortham showed a good turn of speed at Oamaru, where he scored a first and a second. He looked all over a winner in the Waitaki Handicap; but Thestius, to whom he was conceding 221 b, got up to beat him a short head. When Desert Gold won the Islington Plate in lmin 37 3-sseo she was credited with running the first furlong in 14seo, two furlongs in 25seo, four furlongs hi 48sec, and five furlongs in 59«e0. Her second furlong, if correctly caught, represented a race flight of speed of Usee. —Mr W. Hall, secretary of the Wanganui Jockey Club, has been on a brief visit to Dunedin, and journeyed further south to make a stay at Queenstown. Mr Hall is an old " Dunedin boy," and his many friends here were plsased to sea him looking in robust health.

—lt is understod that Margerine did not fulfil her engagements at Oamaru! owing to the difficulty in obtaining a suitable rider. When the North Otago Cup was being run one of the test horsemen at the meeting, in the person of W. O'Halloran, was standing on the ground, Killard received a bad passage in the Belfield Welter, and, judging by the manner in which he afterwards came on to get second, All Ready was lucky to beat him in the race. On the second day be put up a fair performance by running second to Winter Cherry in the_ principal event. Killala was distinctly lame Jn front when walking in the saddling paddock prior to her racs at Oamaru. It appears that she got cast in her box during the previous night; but it waa decided to allow her to run.- Under the circumstances, it was not surprising that she did not race up to her form.

Comely, the winner of the North Otago Cup, was bred by Mr W. Walters, and got by Gluten from Soilt Hos ■, by Soult from rljose-and-White Warn of Wairiki), by Nordcnfeldt —Rosarrna. by Traducer. Gluten was got by Thnrio —Bran Bread, by Seesaw, and came to Now Zealand via India and Victoria.

. Racing clubs continue to supply ammunition to the opponents of racing byclashing with their fixtures instead of coming to an arrangement of mutual satisfaction to thorn selves and horse-owners. Oppo-

nents of racing note tho rush of meetings, and gather tho impression that wo etill have too much racing. At the Auckland yearling sales top prices were mad© by a filly by Marble Arch— Gw-sriad (sold at 250 gs), a- rolt by Bczonian —Winsome (250 gs), and a filly by Lucullus —Recoup (245g5). A filly by Elysian— Kowercwere made HOgs; and a colt by Moiioform—Lira, sold at lOOgs, completed the list of yearlings making the century or more.

The imported Sant-ry marc, Love Token, brought out from England with Winter Cherry, is slow to develop anything liko winning form. She, however, made a fair show at Oamaru, and niay train on to a winner. At present she does not seem to possess much speed- but that may indicate that, when seasoned, she will bo at home over a journey. • Desert Gold experienced one of her rare defeats when running at tho Auckland Cup meeting; but if defeated, she was anything but disgraced, as full accounts of the race state that she lost three of her pla.teß. Such a mishap would be bad enough* on the best of going, but as rain was falling prior to the race, she obviously ran a great gallop under difficulties.

A remarkable feature of the North Otago meeting was the fact that quite a large .number of l<he .events wfcre particularly good betting races. There was no great amount of money in the market; but. in several cases a>'remarkably evenly-backed lot faced the barrier, and in some cases, tho punters seemed unable to find anything like a. pronounced favourite. During the course of the Oamaru meeting Mr G. L. Stead purchased a two-year-old colt by Kilbroney from St. Sophia from Mr J. B. Reid. St. Sophia was got by Menschikoff from Mauveen, by Tostig— Cypriote, by St. George from Idalia, the dam of Sir Modred and Co. The youngster is a bit on the small side, and has been in work on Mr Reid's private.' track. —P. D. Jones saddled up Comely, the winner of the North Qtago Cup, and Harlequin, the winner of tne Windsor Handicap. He was unlucky that Post Haste did not score, and enother of his team in Euripos i Was not at home in the going. The accident to Ivilrea at -Wingatui was a big piece of bad luck, as she could not have lost a couple of races between the Oamaru and Wingatui meetings. All Ready, one of the winners at Oamaru, and Hot Air, a winner at Invercargill, are full brother and sister, and were bred by the late Mr J. Buckley. They were got by All Red from Aerina, by Soult— Hotcherina, by Hotchkiss. All Ready was at one time regarded as likely to make a New Zealand Cup horse; but so far he has failed to live up io the expectations formed about him in the early part of his racing career.

The Shipley Stud is to go under the hammer on January 9, and it will, be intereating to note what figure Comedy King! makes when under the rostrum. It would not be surprising to find him the highestpriced stallion ever sold under the hammer in Australasia. Carbine sold at 13,000 gs when privately purchased by the Duke of Portland, The imported stallion Txessa,dy, who sold ai 6000 gs at the dispersal of the Segenhoe Stud, is a son of Persimmon, who is also the sire of Comedy King.

Judging by his form at Auckland some folk were lucky that riymestra was out of the way when tha C J 0. Stewards' Handicap waa being run. In tho Newmarket Handicap he carried 9.6, and gave 271 b and a beating to Wrestler,, who ran third in the raoe at Riccarton. Hymestra would have carried about a stone less in November last, and on recent fozm must have an exceptionally hard horso to beat. Some private accounts state that .jtiymestra should have won outright in t.he Railway Handicap instead of dead-heating with King Lupin. —Mr H. I\ Nicoll, who won the Invercargill .Cup. with Ascalaphus, has figured on a larger scale as an owner or txottera and pacers than in connection with the thoroughbreds. He has, however, owned a few amart gallopers, notably Sea King and Cross Battery, and sold the latter to Mr Sol. Green when he invaded Australia with those horses some few years ago._ Ascalaphus waa got by Martian from Gipsy Girl, by Gipsy Grand from Marion, by Maribyrnong—Peeress. Some smai - t gallopers belong to the family, including Strowan, the sire of Pink 'Un and Paisano. "

Punka, the winner of both the two-year-old events on the North Otago programme, was purchased in Australia by Sir J. B. Reid, and is a shapely, wellbred) sort worthy of inclusion in any stud. She was got by Cooltrim from Drowsy, by Ayr Laddie from Slumber, by Trenton from Nightmare, and hence .belongs to the same tribe as Wakeful, Eligible, Nightfall, The Toff, Noctuiform, Bon Reve, and other good performers. Cooltrim was got by Flying Fox from Gallinaria, by Gafiinuk—Pierina, by Morgan (son of Springfield) from Balornock, by Galopin—Sonsie Queen, by Musket. The disqualification of Cast Iron and his rider and) trainer, E. Redmond: for alleged corrupt praotioes at the North Otago Jockey Club's meeting was a much-discussed topio on the second day of the fixture. The nature of the evidence on which the disqualification was based did not become publio, but apparently it was sufficiently convincing to justify a fairly severe punishment. _ Be that as it may, it must at least be said that a strong case could be stated on behalf of Redmond and) his horse. It is, however, understood that an appeal is to be lodged against the club's decision, and further comment is withheld in the meantime. Koesian, Wishful, and Bon d Or carried Mr C. L. Stead's colours at Oamaru. Wishful, looking a shade round and lusty, finished second in the Flying Handicap, and this marked his first appearance in publio for close on 12 month*. Koesian was one of tho first to show out in the North Otago Cup, but went back early in the race. He also has been off the scene for some few months, but looks fairly forward in condition, and may go better at some -of the meetings in the near future. Bon d'Or haa been a moderate performer up to date, and, by the way, some of Bon's performances are included in his index to races in the Turf Register. The- musical brigade were strong.y represented in the final event at the Oamaru meeting, where three in a field of seven had - joined the band." One of them, in Donnata, went out a strong favourite, and two others in Speedometer and Thestius were also strongly supported. A gale of wind blowing against them could be safely calcur lated to lessen their chance; but, nevertheless, one of the band, in Thestius, provided the winner. His win was, no doubt, materially assisted by the fact that he lay m behind the others until the last few strides, when, favoured by a feather-weight burden, lie drew out to score by a narrow margitf from Mortham. Donnata and Speedometer both faded out in the run home. " Kiccarton trainer some little time back offered 700 gs for Bondage ; but on_ Oamaru from she would not prove a bargain at the figure. Bondage was strongly supported for her races. On the first day she got bumped at the start, and afterwards made up a good deal of ground. On the second day eha got nicely away, but failed to gather anji

speed, and was comfortably defeated by Punka, who was giving away lolb. Bondago is a lowish set, lengthy sort of a filly, reminding one of Flora Macdonakl. She is racy-looking and fairly forward in condition, so that her lack of brilliancy is not due to lack of training. Bondage, however, has ample time to make good, and is bred on lines suggestive of racing merit. She was got by Boniform from Portland Lass, byBill o' Portland—Aorcre, by Chester—Kaipara, by G oldsbrough. Winter Cherry sserued unlucky in losing. the North Otago Cup. She got Lumped at the start, and was last to move out, and when subsequently making up ground again suffered interference. At the finish she managed to get second. On the second dayshe was again last away, and three furlongs from home looked to be hopelessly out of it, but, nevertheless, won by a length at the finish, without, however, having much to spare. It was a fairly strenuous effort, and she put tip a much better performance than it reads on paper, as her actual time mtist have been a good deal better than the official 1.40 3-5 "Winter Cherry showed, a slight discharge from her offside eye, which is partially dimmed by a film, and it is this disadvantage which, no doubt, makes her inclined to hang when (he barrier rises. From a flag start, or if allowed to stand a bit back from the tapes, she would do much better than when stood close up to a barrier. The one-time crack performer Cruciform was represented' by a winner' at a recent Ballarat meeting in the shape of Eosyth, a six-year-old son of Wallace. Rosyth won over hurdles in a small field, and his success draws further attention to the fact that his dam, although a really good performer, has been anything but a success at the stttd. Since 1909 until the last available records Cruciform has been continuously bred to Wallace, and, perhaps, a serious mistake has been made in sticking to the son of Carbine, who, however successful he may have been with other maros, apparently did not nick with the great daughter of St. Leger. Cruciform was first mated with Multiform without result, and to Martian she threw Lily White, the dam of a promising sort now being trained in Sydney. She was next mated with Charlemagne 11, and the result was a moderate performer named Boulogne. Cruciform is now 19 years old, and she will probably go down to history as another great performer that proved a non-success at the stttd. Perhaps she, like others in the same category, owe their lack of success in the paddock purely and simply to the fact that they were bred to unsuitable sires, and not because of inability to reproduce their own racing merit. Cathedral Chimes rang in the New Year by scoring at the Canterbury Park meeting. He put up a particularly smart go by stepping 4.25 in the Champion Handicap, a race record for New Zealand and Australia. The brilliant form exhibited by Cathedral Chimes stands out as a most remarkable development of speed. When he won at Forbury Park in 1915 he had to be hunted every pinch of the way to go 4.46 under saddle with a good energetic horseman in D. Jones on top. On that occasion Cathedral Chimes gav* no indication of his subsequent brilliancy; ' but there is no doubt about the courage he displayed under hard pressure. He has now reached a 4.25 mark in a race, and has kept on improving sinco going into J. Bryce's stable. At one time Cathedral Chimes- and his sister Louvain Chime 3 could have been picked up at 150 soys the pair, and the former- has proved a' small gold mine:•• They were acquired at about the figure named, and proved the foundation •of their owner's racing fortunes, as, since buying them, Mr Thomson has had a rare run of luck, which, it is to be hoped, will follow him whilst on active service. The racing merit displayed by Cathedral Chimes stands as one of the many tributes to the wisdom of the importation of Abbey Bells to Australia by the Allendale Stock Farm, as he was got by a son of that sire' in Four Chimes from Jean Armour, a marc by imported Lauderdalefrom a King Harold mare.