FALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 39

FALK OF THE DAY.

By Seniinel. HANDICAPPING THE HANDICAPPER. The introduction of cast-iron rules into handicapping is very apt to carry more disaster than success in its wake. A handicap ia based on opinion of form or a shrewd guess at possibilities and capabilities of a horse, and where opinion, or, in other words, strong brains, are supposed to dominate the situation it is nothing short of absurd to lay down a sot of rules for the guidance of what is supposed to bo the master mind. One never hears, for instance, of the Royal Academy authorities laying down set rules which lead to the creation, of a world-famous canvas. In a minor degree handicapping is, or should be, a clever creation, and not an automatic slinging together of fixtures; hence the desire expressed a't ' the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club that special weights should bo allotted in the New Zealand Cup according to a homo's age rather than its racing merit, expresses' an opinion not based on a very profound study of handicapping. It has apparently in tho first place been overlooked that such a suggestion is completely antagonistic to the spirit of handicap racing, and, secondly, would necessitate an alteration in the_ Rules of Racing if carried into effect. This fact alone suggests tho gentleman who brought forward the idea and those who supported him had not devoted much thought to the subject. A handicap, according to the Rules of Racing, means a race in which the weights to be carried by the horses are adjusted by the handicappcr for the purpose of equalising their chances of winning. Under tho proposed amendment to the conditions attached to the New Zealand Cup a handicappcr would find it absolutely impossible to give some horses anything like the chance to which they are entitled on paper at least, and which tempts owners into the fray. If a horse was allotted, say, 211 b more than form justified, the handicap could without any great stretch of imagination be declared illegal under the Rules of Racing. The proposed amendment would sometimes force a horse to meet another on a stone or more worse terms than what would be warranted on form. And form in this country is not a particularly great or unfathomable secret as far as handicapping is concerned. Menelaus won the last New Zealand Cup with 8.1 by a short head from Johnny Walker 6.9. Tho latter under the proposed conditions would have to automatically carry 91b more, whilst amongso the well-beaten division were several who would have carried a stone or more above tli" wpijyhts under which they were admin stored a severe castigation by the winner. Such a rule would defeat the very obiect for which it is suggested—that is, to ~ give the better horses a chance of suosuccess, because the handicapper would be tempted to load v:p the few well-performed horses in order to natch a field made an by ambitiously-owned horses from the rank-and-file runners. When tho existing penalty conditions were first attached to 'the New Zealand Cup some years ago the writer claimed, and has always maintained, that they distinctly favoured three-year-olds. It 'has long been recgomsed by students of form that thi> weight-for-ago favours three-year-oids. and if the proposed rule was carried into effect we would find somo horses that could not win a hack race "handicapped" to give weight 'to a Biplane or a Noctuiform. Three-year-olds arc very seldom handicanped to carry over weight-for-age in a two-mile handicap run in the spring, and they cannot be penalised to carry bevond tho regulation burden; hence Kilboy and Biplane could win tho A.J.C. Derby as Noctuiform did, and 'then come back to make hacks of a Cup field, whilst others on age; but not on form, would be forced to concede such colts weight, even though their running was not within measurable distance of the classic winners.

AN ACCOMPLISHED HORSEMAN. \. notable success scored in the saddle by tho late W. Clarke in the days of the old Forbury Park meeting's took place when he landed Olanranald a winner of the Marshall Memorial .Stakes. Daydream and Whakawatca. wore the crack two-year-olds of the meeting, the pair beating Stepniak and others in Pno Champagne Stakes. Five saddled up for tho Marshall Memorial, and Hunguenot, Whakawatca, and Daydream each carried far moro than Clanranakl. Clarke got him through on tho rails, and beat Whakawatea a neck in a strong finish. At the same meeting Clarke won over hurdles on Norton. Another proof of his versatility ',in the saddle was exhibited at the New Zealand Cup meeting of the samo season, when he won tho Spring li-urdl.es on Norton and the (Stewards Handicap and Juvenile- Stakes on Olanranald. Earlier in the year lie bad won the Grand National Steeples on Freeman, and rode Kulnins into second place behind

Couranto in tho Grand National Hurdles. It was at the following Grand National meeting (1892) that Clarke was right under tho spot light and enjoying the full glamour of success, as he won the Maiden Hurdles on Cajolery, the Grand National Steeples on Ahua, the Maiden Steeples on Norton, and the Grand National Hurdles on Kulninc. Success, however, made no difference in Clarke's demeanour. He always comported himself in a quiet, gentlemanly way, and in that respect was a real ornament to his profession. He had a line seat and good hands, and invariably rode a well-judged, patient race, sitting nicely balanced and quietly on his mounts, and so niado their load as light as possible. Ho received remarkably few falls. and this was attributable to his excellent horsemanship. He, however, did not have too pleasant a ride when he rode Record Reign on the occasion of his memorable win in the Grand National Hurdles, a.» the' Castor—Winnie gelding was rather green at his timber when lie landed the Maiden Hurdles as well as the first-named race at the National meeting of 1900. Poor Clarke had been in a bad state of health for some years past, and the news of his death will create regret amongst all those who- knew him. A CLASSIC**COLT. Tho success of Gainsborough in this season's Two Thousand Guineas and the " New" Derby gives a further boost to the Hampton line, and as the latest hero of the " .Blue Ribbon " is a fine upstanding colt, showing power and quality allied to a stout pedigree, he should command plenty of opportunity when in the fulness of time ho is retired to the stud.'' His success is of particular interest to breeders and sportsmen at this side of the world, as -his dam was got by St. Frusquin, who is a full brother to the Canterbury stallion San Francisco, whilst Ins second dam is a daughter of Trenton, one of Musket's most famous sons. Gainsborough was got by Bayardo from Rosedrop, by iSt. Frusquin (son of St. Simon) from Rosaline, by Trenton from Rosalys. by Bend Or. Bayardo, the sire of Gainsborough, was got by Bay Ronald (son of Hampton) from Galicia, by Galopin from Isoletta. Gainsborough is thus inbred to Galopin on a MusketBend Or foundation, and carries three strains of Galopin in the first four generations- of his pedigree. Gainsborough belongs to the No. 2 family, of which tho bast-known representatives on the turf and at the stud v include Carbine, Cremornc, Voltigour, Surplice. Sainfoin. Lord Clifdenj The Marquis. Petronel, Gang Forward, Dutch Oven, Fishhook. Crucifix, Blacklock, Sir Hercules, St. Albans, Harkaway, Whisky, Selim. arid Oastrel. With such names to forcibly punctuate the merit of Lis family Gainsborough (who, by the way. has been described as one of the best-look-ing colts seen in Phngiand for many a day) should make good in tho future. THE ASHBURTON MEETING. Largo fields promise to bo the order of the day at the Ashburton Trotting Club's ■winter meeting, which takes place on Thursday of this week, and such an attractive card should draw a large attendance. With such fields the luck of tho run following a good break away at tho start will naturally form an important factor contributing towards the results. A field of 24 stand their ground in the Ashburton Cup, and all tho likely runners arc wellknown performers in public. Such an excellent response should certainly please the club, which really deserves success-, as ithas always strived to cater for tho sport on progressive lines.