TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 57

TALK OF THE DAY.

By

Sentinel.

A GLANCE AT HISTORY. The ' publication of the nominations for the Dunedin Cup awakes many memories of bygone battles in the race. - Lurline, •who won in 1874 with Dick Mason on her back, gained further fame by the 'Australian Cup, but unfortunately she did not become a stud success. Templeton, who won the first Auckland Cup in 1874, also won the Dunedin Cup in 1875 and 1878. Pungawherewhere, who won the Dunedin Cup of 1876, has descendants in Pink Note and Pink Terrace, showing the value of the line, and they promise to be two of its best respresentatives. Mata won the Dunedin Cup of 1879 and 1880, and had to run off a dead heat with Sinking Fund on the first occasion. He afterwards suffered disqualification in Australia. Sir Modred, who won in 1881, fell over a greyhound when galloping at Forbury Park on the eve of the meeting, and afterwards became a famous sire in America. It is, by the way, very interesting to note that Lurline. Templeton, Sir Modred, Adamant, Vanguard, and Gipsy King, who won seven out of the first 18 Dunedin Cups in the Turf Register, were all got by Traducer or one of his sons. Traducer represented the Herod line, which has been again revived through The Tetrarch. Vanguard won the Dunedin Cup of 1885, when he beat the afterwards famous Trenton. Nelson won in 1886, and so added to his remarkable success in winning three Auckland Cups and the Wellington Cup. It is interesting to recall the fact that R. J. Mason, who won the first Dunedin Cup in 1874, afterwards trained’ Vanguard, Spade Guinea, and Gipsy King, and in later years also saddled up Orloff as a Dunedin Cup winner. Djin Djin won the’ first Dunedin Cup run at Wingatui, and if asked a question as to the best that scored in our principal handicap the answer would be Amythas, Loughrea, Warstep, Roseday, Advance, and Gipsy Grand, since 1896.

A POPULAR FIXTURE Sporting men all over the world have their pet fancies and superstitions as to which is the race meeting they are always anxious to patronise. Many sports in England are keen on Newmarket, but do not care a- great deal foi Epsom or Doncaster, whilst thousands make Epsom their only race meeting in the year; but in this case the classic heath is patronised more as a holiday trip than a sportman’s outing. Many in Australia stand strongly for Flemington, but will not go to Randwick, with its reverse way of racing that is apt to unbalance a horse. Many object to Riccarton because it is too big, but t«»ey overlook the very important fact that it is a track which supplies a horse with a better chance of winning than any other in the Dominion. Wingatui is one of the best tracks in the world to get a good view of a race, but all the more or less historic tracks drop into the background when the'Otago Central sports see the Vincent Jockey Club’s fixture on the calendar. The Vincent meeting is a most remarkable one in many respects. It attracts people from far and near and many whom one never sees at the most important fixtures or Ihe calendar. At this year’s meeting one could see hundreds of motor cars hailing from every point of the compass in Otago and Southland. . The social side of the Vincent meeting is its chief attraction, and there seems to be no. limit to the hos pitality which the president and stewards are prepared to bestow on visitors. The great ambition of the president is *o give everyone a day’s outing worth remembering; and he succeeds so well that all who come in contact with him make a . mental vow that they will be there again next year. The club made a very wise move in opening up their programme, which in consequence attracted far more outside patronage than formerly, and so made the meeting a success. If any advice could be proffered towards future success it is in the direction that the card should start earlier, and so give many patrons from a distance a chance to return home for a riot-too-belated dinner. HALF JUSTICE. The compiler of the catalogue issued in connection with the big yearling sale to he held at Teen th am this week does less than half justice to New Zealand-bred

stock when referring to their success on the Australian turf. Mention is omitted of such great horses as Sir Modred, Maxim, Carnage, Strathmore, Machine Gun Apologue, Aborigine. Cherubini, Lochiel, Hora, Bloodshot, Calumny, Anna Carlovna, Kilboy, Carlita, Reputation, Finmark, Broadsword, Estland, Le Loup, Mata, and one should also include Nelson, who was foaled in this country and .ran some great races in Australia. Carbine, Noctuiform, Lurline, Advance, Boniform, Bobrikoff, Gladsome, Sasanof, and others of recent years are easily remembered, but we can also claim kudos for others that are omitted from the list. Strains of blood more identified with the N.Z. Stud Book than the Australian Stud Book have also played a very prominent part with racing in Australia. Old-time sports will remember that Le Loup was backed to win 80,000 sovs. in connection with the Melbourne Cup, and lost more through bad luck than lack of merit. When Lurline won the Australian Cup of 1875, another New Zealander in Calumny completed the second leg of the double by winning the Newmarket Handicap. Lochiel was one of the best horses ever seen in Australia, where he won the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, and also the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup. He may be claimed as a New Zealander, as he was foaled in this country. . Sir Modred, Mata, and Maxim were three of the best horses that ever carried a saddle in Australia. Apologue ran sec m<l in the Caulfield Cup, and won the Melbourne Cup. Carnage and Strathmore were amongst the best of their day in Australia, and another important omission is that ot Carlita, who won the Victoria Derby and otherwise displayed high-class form. One has to be at least sufficiently patriotic- to the country to rectify important omissions, and it is only for this reason the above note is penned.

A WELCOME VISITOR. An old-time Dunedinite in Mr R. C. Hungerford has been on a brief vis.it to Dunedin, renewing the many old friendships he had when he left here 40 years ago. Mr Hungerford has, however, made one or two brief .trips to-New Zealand since he left to take up his residence in Sydney. In his young days, “Dick” Hungerford, as he was popularly known, was a good horseman, and won a steeplechase at Forbury Park in 1884. His father, Mr T. W. Hungerford, always had a few horses in training, and won the New Zealand Cup in 1891 with British Lion. At the same time he owned the

famous cast-iron horse Wakawatea, who won seven races out of 21 starts as a two-year-old, and afterwards raced until he was 21 years old. Wakawatea raced as a two-year-old at nearly every important meeting held between Auckland and Dunedin, and scored his last win of his first season with 9.12 on his back. Wakawatea ran second to Daydream in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes, and afterwards beat her in the Railway Plate, but went under to Clanranald in the Marshall Memorial Stakes. The Hungerford “dark gree» and gold jacket, red facings, and red cap” were also carried by La Rose, Modesty, Heather Bell, and other useful performers, but the colours will always be remembered through being conspicuous on top of the all-wire-and-whipeord Wakawatea. Mr R. C. Hungerford -was prominently associated with light-harness racing in New South Wales for over a

quarter of a century, and resigned from ni*t official connection with the sport about three years ago on account of illhealth. Mr Hungerford has been recognised as the man who did more than anyone else to put trptting on a solid basis in New South Wales, and, in fact, in his official capacity his duties carried him all over Australia. He, undoubtedly, did Herculean work in the cleaning of the sport. Mr Hungerford still takes a

keen interest in racing and trotting, and will see at least part of the Wellington Cup meeting prior to his return to Sydney. He holds very strong opinions about the control of trotting, and claims that the official who is considered popular atid a “nice fellow” should be dropped, because a stipendiary steward who really knows the game and rigidly carries out cannot be popular. The control ot sport requires a strong’ and. fearless man, and if he is continually straightening up those who are more or less inclined to use their own rules, it is very obvious that he cannot be popular. Many will agree with Mr Hungerford in-the above opinion, and he also holds that the stipendiary stewards should have full power of control at each meeting, as the ordinary official acting in an honorary capacity is not usually anxious to stir v.p trouble. That is the reason why there are still plenty of people who take “risks” under the stipendiary stewards in New Zealand. Mr Hungerford states that legislation and

oyer-racing is killing light harness in New South Wales, where the Government takes far more than a reasonable taxation in several shapes and forms. Trotting in Victoria is on a better footing, but in New South ~ Wales, apart from the principal meetings held under the Australian Jockey Club, both racing and trotting are now. nothing more nor less than a cold-blooded business. He thinks that there are quite a large number of highclass horses in New South Wales, but’ they are in only a partially developed state, as training and reinsmanship have

gone back since such men as Tomkinson, Kennerley, and Riddle came over to this country. Mr Hungerford, by the way, issued the first license ever held by Peter Riddle. Mr Hungerford was for some time a resident of the West Coast, and attended the recent-holiday, meetings held in that part of the Dominion. He does not apparently feel inclined to express critical opinions of the control of sport in this country, but it was gathered in the course of conversation that it is rather on the supine side, not through a tendency to wink at transgressions, but because the official in control has not as much ability as he should possess. Mr

Hungerford’s health has improved during the few weeks he has been in New Zealand, and his many old friends are pleased that he is on the high road to a complete recovery.