IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 50

IN A NUTSHELL.

Nominations for the Wellington Winter meeting are due oil 3 une 18. The South Canterbury Hunt Steeplechase meeting takes place on July 21. The Otago Hunt Club’s race meeting is set down, to take place on September 8. The Kilbroney—Rosyth gelding Kilroy was amongst the winners at Canterbury Park on May 26. . Town Guard, who was the ruling favourite for the Derby, is out of a granddaughter of Carbine. It is said that Mandrake was picked up by his present owner for the price of an ordinary hack Mirza is making a good recovery from the injuries he received whilst racing at the Daman; meeting. Kauri Park, the winner of the rrunt Club Hurdles at Ellerslie, is a three-quarter brother to Kauri King. Emperor paid a substantial price when he won the principal event at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting. When the last mail to hand left England Papyrus was favourite for the Derby at a point shorter than Town Guard. D. P. Wilson has sold his farm, and in consequence is selling some of his horsee in training and some brood mares. Town Guard, who was one of the winter favourites for the English Derby, failed to finish in the first 12 past the post. The fourth annual meeting of the Otago and Southland Breeders’ Association will be held on Thursday, June 14, at 7.45 p.m. There was a touch of originality about the Piccaninny Handicap for two-year-olds run at a recent meeting held at Moonee Valley, Te Kara, who got amongst the -winners at the Auckland Winter meeting, is a half brother by General Latour to Queen March. The Kurow Jockey Club's meeting and the Oama-m Spring meeting are set down to take on three consecutive dave, October 4,5, and 6. Loughrea was galloping well in his work prior to the Dunedin meeting, but the heavy going was responsible for keeping him in his box. Mr V. Riddiford’s Kilbroney—Afterglow gelding has been named Quiescent. He has been engaged in the A.J.C. Derby and V.R.C. Derby. The Kilbroney gelding Happy Warrior was bought by Air T. Russell during the Dunedin Winter meeting at a price said to be 500 guineas. Mr D. -Donovan, the owner of Kohu, won the Great- Autumn Handicap on Merganser in 1893, and the Hawke’s Bay" Cup during the same season. General Advaneee made a poor show in his races at Auckland, but he may yet prove a better horse - over hurdles than his latest form suggests.The brood mare La- Not to- was destroyed a few days ago: • She was the dam of Nightfall, Noctuiform,- Midnight Sun, and other good performers. The 'South Canterbury Steeplechase, of 200sovs, will be the principal event to be decided at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s steeplechase meeting. Nominations- for the New Zealand Derby Stakes, of “OOOsovs, for 1924, and other classic events to be decided at Riccarton, are due on Friday. June 15, at 5 p.m. -Mr E. J. Watt won the Stradbroke Handicap, of lOOObovs, at a recent Queensland meeting with Lady Aura, a three-year-old by St. Anton from Princess Aura. Kilbroney comes in for some reflected glory over the win of Papyrus in the English Derby. Topiary, the dam of Tracery, is a sister to The Wag, the sire of Kilbroney. Taurekareka, the winner of this years’ Sapling Stakes, was got by’ Cathedral Chimes or Matchlight from Mountain Rose, by Rothschild fro-m Wild Rose, by Boston. The Wellington Winter meeting will Ire spread out from July 7 to July 14. According to the Rules of Racing, a three-day meeting cannot extend beyond six consecutive days. Four yearlings by Tracery recently arrived in England from South America. One of them is described as a beautiful filly, and is a youngster bred on the same lines as Archcry. With the exception of the Hunters’ Hurdles, of 200sovs, and the Longbeaeli High Weight Handicap, of ‘lOOsovs, all the stakes on the Grand National programme are worth 300sovs or more. Hector Gray brought off a surprise at Leicester on April 5 when he rode Aleteoric and downed an odds-on fancy in America’s Boy. Gray’s mount was fourth favourite in a field of fifteen. After the success of a son of Tracery in the English Derby Mr J. B. Reid has reason to be doubly pleaded that he bred the three mares which he sent to England to Archery, a son of Tracery. After his win in the Great Northern Hurdles Kohu was regarded as holding a royal chance

in the Great Northern Steeplechase, hut ho fell when going strongly on top of the hill the second time round. Backer 3 of Steve Donoghue in English faces recently had a very costly experince, for the crack jockey rode no fewer than 38 consecutive losers before he ‘‘broke it” at NVwmarket in a selling race. Kohu, the winner of the Great Northern Hurdles, was got by Eispartero from Te Puia, by San Fran—Black Ella, by Quilt — Waiau, by Torpedo—Cascade. Espartero was got by Torpedo—Espaniola, by Sheen. The Tasman Racing Club decided on Friday, May 25, to disqualify A. E. Eley, trainer, Georgetown, and Byron Lord, trainer, Hobart, for life for administering “dope” to Coolpa and Walworth Bright at the Hobart Cup meeting. Mr J. Grigg did not sport his colours at iiie Dunedin Winter meeting, but was nevertheless a keen participant in the three days’ sport. He had the pleasure of seeing one of his breeding in Guncase capture a double at the meeting. The crack English jockey, S. Donoghue, is of opinion that the electric bath cabinet is preferable to the Turkish bath for wasting. He says a man’s head is out of the cabinet, and that he consequently breathes air and not hot steam. The. Australian jockey W. H. M'Lachlan re-opened his winning account in England at the Newmarket Craven meeting in April by riding Mr Sol. Joel’s Polydipsia to victory in the Cfawfurd Plate. Another Australian in De Mestro trains Polydipsia. Writing in the London Sportsman in reference to Tracery being brought back to England, he “Special Commissioner” said Tracery is probably the best stallion in the wdrld at the present time.” The victory of Papyrus in the Derby would be a great boost far Tracery. At Newmarket on Wednesday, April 18, the Wood Ditt-on Stakes was won by Portsoy, a three-year-old chestnut brother to Eldersli© stud stallion Archery. Portsoy beat 12 others, and is described as a beauti-fully-turned colt, conspicuously well developed behind the saddle. The Daily Berlin American states that the Easter Monday meeting at Karlshorst found all available accommodation packed to capacity by a hard betting following. The bookmakers were busier than the totalisator, and comparatively big bets, outstripping all records, were the general order. Prior to the Dunedin Winter meeting Mr W. R. Kemball’s team, consisting of Gladful, Vagabond, Bonnetter, Birker.ella, and Martian Miss, looked sure to pick up a stake or two between them, but did not succeed in winning a single race, although place money would help along the expenses. Old time Otago sports will regret to hear of the death of Mr Tom Dempsey, who was once a well-known figure in Dunedin sporting circles. He left Dunedin for Victoria about 30 years ago, and has resided there ever since. The late Mr Dempsey is the father of the successful rider Frank Dempsey. New Zealand owners have bestowed liberal patronage on the A.J.C. Spring programme. Amongst the entries for the principal events are Kick Off, Loyal Irish, Cupidon, Pluto, Royal B-ox, Rapine, King’s Trumpeter, Urgency, Ballymena, Murihaupo, Mireuscnta, and several youngsters are also engaged in’ the juvenile events. Tracery, the sire of the Derby winner Papyrus, is to he brought from South America-, and will join the Cobham stud. Tracery, who cost his present owner, Senor Unzue, 53,00050v5, will stand at a fee of 400gns or 500gns. Tracery is the sire of archery, who recently joined! the Elderslie stud at North Otago. The New Zealand Grand National meeting will take pla-ce on August 14, 16, and IS. The Grand National Steeplechase will carry a stake of 220050v3 (including a cup valued at lOOsovs); the Grand National Hurdles, of 1750SOVS; and the Winter Cup, of lOOOsovs. support the principal event. Nominations are due on June 29. It. King, who won the Greenfield Hurdles with Red G-own, has previously played important parts on the Wingatui Racecourse. He won the Dunedin Cup on Armamento and Prim, two Birthday Handicaps on Terrapin, the U‘ Lean Stakes* on Werstep, Forbury Handicap on Sea King and Terrapin and the D'.J.C. Handicap on Terrapin. A Randwick trainer recently circularised his patrons to the effect that ho would have tq raise his fees from £3 to £3 10s a horse. From a Victorian supporter of his stable he received a reply approving of the step he had taken, and adding that in Melbourne there were trainers who were getting £4 a week for each horse, and making nothing out of it except when they had a win. The New Zealand Trotting Cup has been tightened up to a 4.30 class, and the following are eligible for nomination: —Albert Cling, Agathos, Box Seat, Dean Dillon. First Carbine, Paul Dufault, Great Hope, General Link, Locando Dillon, Man o’ War, Onyx, Ret-a Peter, Realm, Sherwood, Snowshoe, Trix. Pointer. Tatsy Dillon, Yilo, Whispering Willie. Willie Lincoln, and Alto Chimes. Mr Harry Beasley, a member of a family famous in Irish racing and hunting history, rode his own mare, Pride of Arras, to victory in the Maiden Steeplechase at Punchestown in April. Mr Beasley, who is 71 years of age, and who rode his first winner at Punchestown in 1878, was given a great reception. His admirers “chaired” him to the Governor-General (Mr “Tim” Healy), who complimented the veteran on his performance. An Auckland writer states it was the general opinion in the south that- Penury Rose was the best treated horse in the Great Northern Hurdles, but the son of Penury was beaten out of a place, and did not appear to jump- Ellerslie fences with any confidence. He ran better in the Remuera Hurdle Race on Monday, hut was kept too far out of it in the early stages, and, though he finished very fast, the best he could do was to run third. There is a growing tendency amongst present day weight adjusters to keep down tlie weights in comparison to what was formerly the ease. When Bay King won the first Winter Cup ho cerried 11.9, and The Idler won with lib less the following year. The grey gelding Musket won with 11.9, and St. Kilda scored with 11.7. In those days the race was run over a mile and a-quarter, and tae distance was reduced to a mile in 1898, when Female Franchise scored. One of the proposals in the comprehensive scheme of alterations being carried out at Flemington is to enlarge the racing track, and if this he done (says the Australasian) it is likely that there will he a new starting point for the Melbourne Cup. At present the Cup start is in the straight above the home turn, and it is thought that some way may be found of altering the course in order to obviate this overlapping. Good progress is being made with the erection of the new stand, and the plans for the re-arrange-ment of the enclosures are well in hand. En Route was schooling well at Trentham before Wanganui, and fenced so well in both his races at Wanganui that it was thought the big hurdles at Ellerslie would not trouble him. However (says Whalebone) the son of Advance did not fence as well as ex-

pected, and came down six furlongs from home, while on the second day, in the ltemuera Hurdles, after making a faulty jump at the fence by the mile and a-half post, he came to grief at the last. The reverse way round may have bothered En Route, and he. might do better on the southern tracks. t Tli9 conditions attached to the Grand National Steeplechase state that the winner of any steeplechase, after declaration of weights of the value of 250sovs, to carry 61b; of any race or races of the collective value of SOOsovs, 12lb extra, provided that any horses handicapped at list or over shall carry one half of such extra weight, and provided that no hors© shall be handicapped or penalised to carry more than 12.7. Simi--r conditions are attached to the Grand National Hurdles, in which only half penalties will be carried by horses handicapped at 10.7 or over, and the same applies to the Winter Cup. The New Zealand trainer, S. Waddell, who is now in Sydney, had not previously visited this city for about 44 years. The last race of importance he saw at Randwick was the 1879 Sydney Cup, in which the favourite S-ava-naka, comfortably beat the second favourite, Chester. Chatting about the race at Randwick the other morning', it seemed to me (says “Pilot”) that the New Zealander had not yet forgiven himself for backing Chester in preference to Savanaka, whom an excellent judge had advised him was a good thing. Mr Waddell, who owns to 75 lears oi age. is as active as most men over 20 years younger. Says Pilot in the Sydney Referee: “When it was announced that hurdles, harrows upside down, broken bottles, &nd stones were xound on the track at Mentone, and Polytheist narrowly escaped a mishap, it was assumed it was the work of some individual jealous of B. A. Connolly’s success. However, a Melbourne visitor tells me that the detectives’ investigations proved some youngsters were responsible. They did it ‘to see the fun,* and intended getting up early for that purpose. Evidently the possibility of killing men and horses did not enter into their calculations.” Mr J. B. Reid drops a note to say that Lj. H. Hewitt is doing splendidly in India. Hewitt heard that Mr Reid was in Bombay on his way to England, and came down to &ee him off at the steamer, although we had a big meeting in the afternoon, at which he won two good races. Hewitt has quite given up poliltics, and sorry that he e ver touched them. Mr Reid slates that he was very pleased t-o see Hewitt looking so» well and thoroughly satisfied. He is riding in hia very best form, and is highly thought of in that part of the world. Hewitt’s many friends in New Zealand will no doubt be very pleased to hear of his success. Many buyers cf bloodstock today, says an English writer, seem obsessed by size, yet so many of our best racehorses have not been big ones—Polymelus, Cicero. Orby, Rock Sand, St. Amant, Spearmint, etc. —especially judging by weight standard. Small sires generally’ get big stock—Chaucer, for example; and the well-made mares under 16 hands produce the best foals. Doris, the dam of Sunstar, was little bigger than a pony, and was considered of no value, but, being named after Mr Sol Joel’s daughter, was given a. chance by Mr Jack Joel, who persuaded his brother to give her to him, and the result was the Derby winner Sunstar, one of the greatest etcckgetters ever produced. Mr H. 0. Mountney, whose colours Mandrake successfully carried in the Otago Hurdles, is by no means a new-comer in the sporting world. He was, however, formerly more interested in the trotting horso than the galloper. Mr Mountney first came into prominence with The Wizard, who won the Cromwell Derby, but afterwards split a pastern and had to be thrown out of training. He subsequently cam© back as a trotter, and after winning several races for Mr G. Rivers was purchased by Mr Mountney,' who rode and won races on The Wizard. Some years later The Wizard dropped dead when taken north to run at a Canterburv Park meeting. The Wizard is probably the only classic winner in the world who subsequently cam©, out and won as a trotter. An English writer was recently discussing the amounts won by the produce of famous mares, and mentioned Galicia as one of the most famous. Her produce have won £88,124, her sons, Bayardo and Lemberg, contributing £84,734 of the grand total, and Lemberg was hea-ct of the winning sires’ list last yea r. Galicia's record just beats that of Mowerina (by’ Scottish Chief), the dam of Donovan, Semolina, Raeburn, etc. Another Mowerina, sister to the Derby winner, Cotherstone, by Touchstone out of Emma, produced, amongst others, West Australian, the first Triple Crown hero. Illuminata (from Ellen Homo root) only raced as a two-year-old, and was of no account on the turf, for she claimed only one success; yet she bred Ladaa and Chelandry (the dam of Gas, the dam of Cicero, etc.), and had 18 foals. L’Abbesse de Jouarre was an Oaks winner (1889), and also the dam of the great sire Desmond, and of the mare Festa (whose produce have won £84,400, mostly abroad). Fifinella won a War Derby, but the course at Newmarket is nothing like the severe test of Epsom, and it does not carry the same prestige. Her dam, Silver Fowl, won three races in. Ireland, but did not acclimatise very quickly when brought to England, and it was once nearly decided to destroy her, as she got loose and was badly damaged by barbed wire. The trainer who saved her life must often have congratulated himself.