RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3818, 17 May 1927, Page 56

RACING.

FIXTURES. May 19, 21—Wanganui meeting. .June 1,3, 4—Dunedin meeting. June 3, 4 —Otaki Maori meeting. June 3,4, 6—Auckland meeting. June 18—Napier Park meeting. June 22—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club meeting. June 24, 25—Hawke’s Bay meeting. June 25-—Oamaru meeting. July 2—Ashburton County meeting. July 12, 14, 16—Wellington meeting. July 21—Waimate District Hunt Club meeting. July 23—South Canterbury Hunt Club meeting. July 28, 30—Gisborne meeting. July 30 —Christchurch Hunt Club meeting.

TALK OF THE DAY.

By

Sentinel.

BRED TO STAY. Until Limerick proved himself an out-and-out stayer some of the leading critiqs in Australia kept entertaining doubts as to his stamina. There are many good reasons why Limerick should be able to stay. In the first place, he is a fairly light-fleshed gelding, and one of the first things he ever did in his life -was to outstay Commendation when they met over seven furlongs as two-year-olds in the C.J.C. Challenge Stakes. When a two-year-old can run on at the end of seven furlongs there’s small reason to doubt his stamina. Limerick is not only built as a stayer, but he also inherits a wealth of stamina on both sides of his pedigree. Limerick belongs to the Mermaid taproot. Mermaid was got by King Tom, the sire of St. Simon’s dam, from a mare got by The Flying Dutchman, a stayer and -originator of a line of stayers in France. Mermaid produced Lurline, a winner of the Australian Cup, Dunedin Cup, and two Canterbury Cups. Le Loup, a brother to Lurline, won the C.J.C. Handicap, and ■was backed to win a Melbourne Cup and 80,000sovs in bets, so that he must have given evidence of stamina. Le Loup incidentally won a Canterbury Cup, and, like his famous sister Lurline, gave ample evidence of stamina. Amongst their relations is Malice, who threw St. Swithin, who forced himself to the front as a sire in Australia. Another daughter of Mermaid in Waterwitch threw Natator —who won the C.J.C. Derby, Wellington Cup (two miles), D.J.C. Handicap (one mile and three-quarters), C.J.C. Champagne Stakes, and the Metropolitan Handicap. Waterwitch also threw Cynisca, a winner of three consecutive Wellington Cups. Limerick ranks as a half brother to Ballymena, whose form proved that Medley could produce a stayer, so that was another reason why a stout relation should- do. the same. Limerick’s sire is one of the stoutest-bred horses that ever left England. His sire, Limond, comes from a good staying line in tail male represented by St. Simon, and on the dam’s side traces back to Sunshine, and so belongs to the same family as Martian and Positano, two of the greatest sires of stayers known in this part of the world. Martian sired five N.Z. Cup winners and a dead-heater in Warstep, who also won the Auckland Cup. Mascot and Rapine were two more Auckland Cup winners got bv Martian and, of course, he claims a Melbourne Cup’ winner in Sasanof. A half-brother to Martian in Boniform got two N.Z. Cup winners and two Auckland Cup winners and Gienapp, the sire of Fiery Cross, belonged to the same family as Martian, the same female is represented by Positano, who got four Melbourne Cup winners and the dams of two more, so that there is every reason to find Limerick a stayer, and he gave evidence of it in his first season by the manner in which he won the Dunedin Champagne Stakes and C.J.C. Challenge Stakes. In fact, all things considered, Limerick should be able to stav as long as any other man’s horse.

THE DUNEDIN WINTER MEETING Although the nominations for the Birthday Handicap are somewhat disappointing the general entries for the Dunedin winter meeting are quite satisfactory and sufficiently ample to supply the basis of a good meeting. Judging by the nominations for the principal flat race on the programme it appears as if the distance attached tc it is too long. The shorter distances attracted very much better nominations than the principal event. It is t.us a matter worthy of consideration to see if the club can afford to retain a distance race that is apparently not wanted by the general run of owners. It really seems as if - * nlub s efforts to encourage stayers spells

disaster. The Birthday Handicap has been run over various distances ranging from one mile to a mile and three-quarters. In the days when important race meetings were few and far between, owners set their horses for long-distance races, but there is so much racing nowadays that they want their horses raced far more frequently, and hence the partiality for short races. In some quarters it may be held that the paucity of the nominations for the Birthday Handicap is due to a dearth of stayers, but there are several horses with claims to stamina engaged in other races at the meeting but who have been left out of the principal flat race. Take, for instance, Overdrawn, who was placed in the New Zealand Cup and Metropolitan Handicap. He figures in the Winter Handicap, but not in the Birthday Handicap, and the same applies to Mountain Lion and others. Still the fact should not be overlooked that big fields do not automatically supply good racing, and six or seven starters in the Birthday Handicap may make it the best race of the meeting. After considering what may be termed the worst feature of the nominations for the Wingatui winter meeting, it is pleasing to refer to the satisfactory lists engaged in the cross-country and hurdle events. The jumping races are generally considered the star attractions of the meeting, and there is plenty of material engaged to make the three days’ programme- carry all its usual magnetism to lovers of sport between the flags and over hurdles.

REDUCING STAKES. The fact that the Canterbury Jockey Club has found it necessary to make a substantial reduction in the stakes to be run for at Riccarton, is a matter which must cause the greatest concern to all interested in the welfare of sport. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s meetings rank amongst the popular fixtures on the New Zealand Racing Calendar. The Riccarton racecourse is one of the best in the world. Race meetings held there have been history makers in our world of sport, but despite their widespread popularity, the club has been forced to go in for retrenchment. The club has had to face heavy expenditure in the way of a new grandstand and other improvements, but even so, the cost would not press too heavily on revenue if racing was not so heavily handicapped by taxation. The Canterbury Jockey Club has been racing since 1860, when the first New Zealand Derby was run. In 1865 the C.J.C. Handicap was established, and since 1883 has been known as the New Zealand Cup, and ranks as one of the most important events decided in the Dominion. The .Canterbury Cup -Was first run in 1866, and, in conjunction with the Derby, has been kept -oing, and has helped very materially the tone of racing in New Zealand. The Canterbury Jockey Club also established several other important events which have greatly enhanced the v.alue of bloodstock, and so lent valuable assistance to the breeding industry, which has produced some of° the best known horses in the world. New Zea-land-bred stock have been responsible for winners of the English Derby. Grand Prix de Paris and the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, three of the greatest races in the world, and tho thanks u- , doing s ? 13 a crippling tax which compels the leading racing ’I 71 N€ - W Zealand to seriously c ir.tail the prize money for next season’s racing at Riccarton. The curtailment may be attributed in some quarters to a general shortage in totalisator returns but the reduction in stakes is almost entirely due to the fact that the Government has been taking too much money out of racing and giving nothing i n return. °

A GOOD STAYER. Limerick, by his easily-achieved vicVA e A /- C a‘ T St ’ Le ® er ’ Cumberland Stakes and A.J.C. Plate, and his rattling good performance in carrying 8 0 nd hnt tbree l year ‘ old back and defeating ? d n but c tl J e fo ” r -year-old Piastoon (7.12) nnt«tnmr dney C r P ’ stam Ped himself as the outstanding performer and stayer at the recent Randwick meeting. His .’lire Limond begat a few' winners before his nnd o^^ 11 Eug,and t 0 New Zealand, and m his first season in the Dominion made a splendid start, as it is a moot point so far as to which is the greateJ (sav-s S tl S ° n A 3 i lm l eri . ck or Commendation (says the Australasian). Very few’ stalaS* S/f! ‘'’"l as the r° sucb n °table classic winners geldings mentioned. Limerick is not by any means the first three-year-old at an° AJ C champion sta >: er of all ages at an A.J.C. autumn meeting nor \ bn S’ tor b ,nS "are ‘to wait toi another season or two before ns place in the ranks of the nfighty can be surely selected. He has a lon- wav to go before he can be put on the 5 same footing with that other great New'S land product, Carbine, who, as a thrZe-year-old, won the Sydney Cup with 9 0 whereas Limerick ‘ failed, though with much honour in his failure, with 8.4 And, going purely on the book, he has not done better, if so well, as Windbag two seasons ago. Windbag. remarl-aWy mare 8 ’ New Zealand-bred A-J-C. sautumn meeting in by a nool,- U< hx° n .17° day ’ was kea ten Autumn Aberc ° rn > 4yrs, for the won n Stakes; on the second day he A JC th t S T dney C ? p witb 90 from the Leger winner Melos, 3yrs, 8 2 and Abercorn, 9.4; on the third day Carfrom t he A!l ' a sed Stakes by I neck from the two-year-old Rudolph, the two unplaced starters being Lochiel and Melos d s y Carbine defeated Lochiei y half a head, with Abercorn two lengths X a T’ t Or i the Herland Stakes > and on fnriJi 7 a th * e i meetiug Carbine comfortably defeated Abercorn, Melos, Lochiel and two others for the A.J.C. Plate. In Ins first Sydney Cup win Carbine was interfered with half a mile from home and dropped back to last. His four wins and a second at that meeting netted his owner only £4185. _

A PROPHET OF EVIL. In the course of a trenchant and interesting article on ’’Bloodstock,” which appeared in the London Times, his Highness, the Aga Khan claims that in a tew years the supremacy held by tho English thoroughbred will be acquired by France and America. His reason for saying so is based on the fact that English horse owners practically race for their own money, whilst iii France the totalisator provides the slakes, and so greatly reduces the cost of racing compared to what is the case in England. It is estimated that the English owners subscribe the best part of a million of money towards stakes, and that it costs an important owner from £5OOO to £lO,OOO a year in entries and forfeits. “What do we find in England to-day? with one or two exceptions the old aristocracy has disappeared from the Turf. Even the new plutocracy is not as numerous as it was during the days of Edward vll. Other owners have certainly appeared, but they are mostly owners on a. small scale. A few non-British owners have bought some horses, but none of them has established an important stud on a scale that can be compared with those of men like Mr Vanderbilt, Mr Macomber, and many others in France. There is also the small owner who, like some mid-Victorian aristocrats, hopes to make his racing pav by a coup jn betting. Let us take the posi-

tion of the owners in England. They subscribe £BOO,OOO or £900,000 a year in stakes for- which their horses compete, i be y practically run for their own money. In the Eclipse Stakes the added money to the winner is £1500; in the Derby the owner of the winner gets the ridiculous amount of £lBOO in added money. The sport is provided for the bookmakers, for the. public, and for race-meeting companies by a few ‘mugs,’ who are owners on a large scale, and by some scores of people who live in the vain hope of a profitable r?c P ’ Gn tac t°P of this (says the Aga Khan) comes the betting tax, by which the .a ate is to make several millions out of the race-oer and the patrons of the sport generally. The bookmakers, whose prices are worse than anything that the totalisator gives in any part of the world, take more than the totalisator’s 10 or 11 per cent, for living a comfortable and prosperous life. I do not often bet, but I will have a good wager that if nothing tundamental is done to put matters right, then in our lifetime France and America certainly—and perhaps other countries too —will not only be independent of England, but will actually dominate the world market m thoroughbreds. Already French thoroughbreds have a vogue of their own in India. American buyers are turning towards French brood mares and stallions. How can we meet this terrible menace and competition? How can British supremacy in the bloodstock industry be assured? By one method only—the method to which the British thorougbred owes it supremacy and by which it was first estabhshed by the maintenance of a variety of- dosages; that is to say, as many strains- of good horses as possible in Great Britain. That end can only be leached, and its permanence assured, bv makins racmj — : ‘hnnt no c=;j>in owners and by giving large and small cwner breeders a chance to niaiie both ends meet and not suffer disastrous loss on their capital, provided that they arc ready to give thought and attention to their busi-

ness. World experience has proved that there, is one method only of meeting this impossible situation, and that is that the hundreds of thousands of people who bet and who do not contribute one penny to racing; the - many bookmakers who lead lives of luxury, leaving perhaps not large, but substantial, fortunes to their families, must contribute to the common fund which renders racing possible—namely, the prizes for which owners and breeders compete. How this contribution is to come can casi.y be settled. In no country in the world is -it possible now for bookmakers to practise without contributing a sub stantial sum towards the race money—not a few pounds of their entrance money along the rails, but several hundreds of pounds a year besides entrance fees. Now, too. most countries have the totalisator. I

have no doubt that, unless serious attempt is made to make the position of owners— I do not say safe, but at least nbt an impossible one as at present and unless the breeders are given a fair possibility of holding their own by contribution of, say, £lOO 000 to start with from the betting public, who profit bv all this, the supremacy dle thoroughbred industry will pass from England to America and the Continent within our lifetime ”

IN A NUTSHELL. 1' i’om 1915 to 1926 Sunstar sired winners of £209,245 10s. - Handicaps for the Dunedin winter meeting are due on May 20. Acceptances for the Auckland winter meeting are due on May 27. J. T. Jamieson has left for Sydney with Le Choucas and Prince Otto. Desert Gold is said to be safe in foal to the Tracery horse Psychology. Master Peter is getting through useful work under J. B. Pearson’s charge. Young Lochinvar has been purchased with the object of racing him in Java. Jolly Glad and Scion are two of the latest recruits to the ranks of hurdlers. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference will take place on July 13.

Tuki has been sent north to fulfil engagements at the Wanganui and Auckland meetings.

The King John gelding Magna Charta has been purchased by a patron of T. H. Gillet’s stable.

About a third of the races decided in England are run over five furlongs and less than six.

Limerick is being treated to a ■well-earned spell, but will be got ready for early spring engagements.

The St. Leger winner Salmon Trout (son of The Tetfarch) is almost full at 200gns up to 1930.

Pamplona has not figured in public since he ran second to Charlatan in the Wingatui Steeplechase o f 1926. Grosvenor,- the sire of Roscnpr, is to go to the stud in New South Wales next season at a 100-guinea fee.

Ihe Australian Jockey Club gave 03,45950 vs in stakes, premiums, and trophies at its autumn meeting. The Archery colt, Jericho, is now able to walk again, but it is very doubtful if he will stand another preparation. The attendance at Randwick during the recent autumn meeting was 194,000 as compared with 236,000 last year. a Vri '"L .Higgins, the chairman of the A.J.C. Stipendiary Stewards, intends retn mg at the end of the present season. Sir Rosebery, who won the Grand Northern double of 1924, has failed to stand a preparation, and has been sent to tlte paddock.

There is a very remote chance of the betting tax being altered in England until it ha s received a fair trial during the present season." '

Mrs F. Partndge, who won the Grand Steeplechase with Sprig, decided that the Marco gelding should be treated a lengthy holiday.

It is interesting to recall that Medlcv, t io dam of two good stayers in Ballvmena and Limerick, was only a, speedy sprinter in her racing days. 1

A Birmingham man landed £24,500 to T;^T C k- the TT dou J’ le Biioiy Park for the „ i x- 11 ?- lland ‘cap, and Sprig in the Grapd National Steeplechase.

nof h S Mark ? cldln = Eonmark did ot rank as a good stayer when racing ?'®s„ blU j. d , e , s ’ b A ,fc he managed to win over fences at the Egmont meeting. It was reported some few weeks ago that Rapier had been turned out for a spell. He however, figures amongst the nomiations for the Dunedin winter meeting. The Melbourne Leader is advocating an age limit on steeplechasers. It is claimed that many horses are kept in training until they are dangerous mounts.

A field of 37 went to the post for this years Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, and it is interesting to note that the first favourite ruled at eight’s to one. Ihe Marco gelding Sprig, who won this year s Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, finished fourth in 1925 and 1926 Jhis year he carried the No. four saddle cloth.

Ihe field of 37 which ran in the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase is a record for the race. The prize money amounted to £940O t and the winner received £Bl4O.

Ten thousand guineas was refused by gilver Somme, who declined to jump Beechers Brook when going at it for the first time in the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase.

Demosthenes did not leave many foals in either New Zealand or Australia. He ■"'as. however, represented by a winner at Kandwick recently in the shape of a two-year-old chestnut colt named Statesman.

Thiacian, who ranks as a three-year-old brother to Heroic, won his first race at a meeting held recently at Caulfield. iiacian was a foal at foot when his dam sold at 5100gns.

Rapine will not be asked to race again unt!! next spring. He was foal.ed in 1919, but stil! seems to be “as good as new.” Ihe brilliant galloper Shirley is being treated to a spell. ' °

Kawini who ran second to Peter Maxwell iii- the Grand National Steeplechase "hen giving the latter 81b, has been asked to give his victor 71b in the Great Northern Steeplechase.

It is reported that the majority of yearlings passed in at the Sydney sales have been sold privately. W. Inglis and Son, under Die hammer or privately, sold yearlings of the total value of over 100,000sovs.

Comical won the Grand National Hurdles with 11.4, and has been sent up to 11 13 in the Century Hurdles and 11.12 in the Great Northern Hurdles. lie won at Riccarton by a good margin. Cresta Run. who Avon this year’s One Thousand Guineas, is .a bay filly got by Hurry On, from Bridgemont, by Bridge of Earn, from Mountain Mint, by Spearmint from Adula, a sister of Pretty Polly.

During the four days of the A.J.C. meeting the St. Simon line was responsible for nearly half the 26 races on the programme, and the dams of 14 winners were got by representatives of tl*e same line.

Mount Marta, who ran second to Brigadier Bill in the Tongahoe Hurdles, has more pace than the average hurdler. It will be remembered that he made most of the running in the Great Autumn Handicap run lust season. One of F. S. Jones’s team for next season will include a half-brother by Rossendale to Limerick. Rossendale is a St. Simon line horse by St. Frisquin, so that the youngster by him ranks closer than a half to Limerick.

The Canterbury Owners and Breeders’ Association seems to be always trying to do something in the interests of sport. It is now at work in an effort to secure the lowest possible rates in horse trains for trotting meetings. What are the racing clubs doing? Llewellyn beat a useful field when he Avon the Egmont Steeplechase run last week. The field included Dick, the winner of the Great Northern Steeplechase, Birkenella, the Avinner of the Wellington Steeplechase, Passin’ Through, Kendal, Lady Comet, and Charlatan. The English Derby candidate Call Boy, who ran second in the Tavo Thousand Guineas, has since put up an excellent trial in public for the Epsom classic by winning the Newmarket Stakes. Call Boy is a chestnut colt got by Hurry On from Comedienne, by Bachelor’s Double from Altonscar, by Donovan, a son of Galopin. Lords Woolavington and DeAvar have been appointed members of the English Jockey Club, the membership of Avhich is limited to 60. They fill the vacancies caused by recent deaths. Lord Woolavington is a prominent OAvner, and has already had two Derby winners—Captain Cuttie and Hurry On. The Brocklesby Stakes, which is the first important race for two-year-olds in England, resulted in a dead heat between two fillies. One is named Twinkling, and Avas got by Galloper Light from Cat’s Eye. She is inbred to St. Frusquin, the grandsire of Paper Money. The other is

a filly named Tempting, by Pomme da Terre from Madam Adam. Tempting is also inbred to St. Simon.

It is said that the imported horse Verbius had a reserve of 5000gns on him when offered at the Sydney bloodstock sales.- He Avas got by Swynford,from a half-sister to Abbot’s Trace, and cost 2600gns as a yearling in England. Verbius Avas sent out of the ring when bidding reached 4250gns. It is quite possible for a horse to slioav better form in a defeat than others may do by Avinning. For instance, if a horse Avas beaten by a nose in the Ncav Zealand Cup by a champion it Avould be better form than a Avin at some small country meeting. Nevertheless there are some authorities Avho desire to hpve a horse considered a “maiden” until he has avou a race.

There are 26 yearlings at Trentham. H. Telford has eight, J. W. Lowe five. H. Lorigan three, Capt. Gage Williams three, S. J. Reid tAvo, and the folloAving one each: W. Young, T. Young, H. Pritchard, and A. Goodman. Goodman has just received his youngster, avlio is a half-sister by Winterbourne to Dainty Step. Winterbourne is a brother to Danube, being by Martian—Neva, by Stepniak—Whirlpool.

S. Waddell has a half-sister by Paper Money to Gold Light, Razzle Dazzle, and Beacon Light in preparation for next season’s two-year-old events. Tavo other yearling fillies, also by Paper Money, are in hand from Sprig of Erin and Illume. The three are oivned by Mr W. T. Hazlett. Mr J. D. Ormond has a filly in the stable by Leighton—Frey a, dam of Woden.

The Avinner of this year’s Grand National Steeplechase is a son of Marco, a horse got by the unbeaten Barcaldine. Sprig, Avho carried the first woman owner’s colours to be successful in the historic race. Avas got by Marco from Spry, by Galloping Simon (son of Malton) from Spread Eagle, by Red Eagle (a son of Thurio) from Spreading, by Paul Jones. It is an old-fashioned pedigree on the dam’s side. Sir Percy Miller has not been timid in his purchase of fashionably bred sires for his stud. Magpie, Demosthenes, Saltash, and Sarchedon represent a number of sires of Avhom any studmaster could safely be proud at having imported to this country. And Spelthorne is to be added to tlie list. The amount paid for these horses probably represent an outlay of nearly £40,000. It Avould be difficult (says “Vigilant”) to find greater faith in the industry than this indication of Mr Miller. Charlatan has been allotted 9.5 in tho Great Northern Steeplechase, or 81b less than he carried into third place behind Peter MaxAvell and Kawini in the Grand National Steeplechase. At Riccarton Charlatan was giving Peter Maxwell 121 b and 41b to Kawini. At Auckland Charlatan is meeting Peter Maxwell on 241 b and KaAvini on 231 b better terms. The Riccarton horse has received a very good chance of beating those Avho finished in front of him in the Grand National Steeples.

From 1850 to 1926 there have been 35 different sires at the head of the Avinning list in Great Britain. St. Simon Avas premier sire for nine years, and held that position for seven years in succession. Hermit and Stockwell both headed the list for seA’en years, Polymelus for five years, Blair Athol and Persimmon each four times, and Orlando and Galopin three times each. It is rather interesting to note that the most successful stallion line ever knoAvn in England has been alloAVcd to languish.

OAvners from the other States and Ncav Zealand scored Avell at the A.J.C. autumn meeting. Mr H. A. Knight '’■'’’•av ealand) took £6961 in stakes; Mr W. E. J. Craig (Victoria), £5584; Mr R. H. Edkins (Queensland), £5158; and the Hon. G. M. Davis and W..G. Davis (Victoria), £3827 10s (says the Sydney Referee). They Avere the four highest, and, which is someAvhat unusual, not one of the horses that placed them there Avas sold in Sydney as a yearling.

Sporting Life says that the cause of G. Archibald’s death is thought to have been an injury to, or disorder of, a blood-vessel. After the race for the Crawfurd Plate Archibald said that Gliding Orb had pulled very hard on the way to the post, and the jockey experienced great pain about the shoulders and back of the neck. Advised to rest, Archibald Avas subsequently driven home. A recurrence of the pain Avas treated, and he appeared to be relieved, but collapsed and died a feAV minutes afterAvards.

The imported horse, Pantheon has proved himself one of the best stayers seen out in Australia this season, but he had to go under to Limerick in the A.J.C. Plato. Limerick carried 21b overweight, and beat the English horse by three-quarters of a length. Tho result once again draAvs attention to the fact that a good three-year-old is particularly hard to beat at weight-for-age Avhen racing over a distance of ground. Such races are generally a gift to a good three-year-old, and the same remark applies to the Canterbury Cup and Trentham Gold Cup.

I heard a Victorian prominent in the racing Avorld (says “Pilot”) put forAvard the opinion that the rapid change over from sprint to distance racing had a bad effect upon Heroic. “After he Avon the NeAvmarket last year.” he said, “his onlyother race at the V.R.C. meeting Avas at a mile. He then had time to be Avorked up gradually before he tackled distance racing in Sydney. This year he was again trained for the sprint, but his next race after the NeAvmarket Avas against Spearfelt at a mile and a-half, and, though he subsequently won at tAvo miles, it was against horses much beloAv his own class. The quick transition from sprint to distance racing Avas more than he could stand, and that was Avhy he cut up so badly at RandAvick.”

After Bacchus Avon the Dangar Handicap I heard more than one racing man remark, “That Avas better than his Tocal Handicap and Sydney Cup form.” It Avas, and for the best of all reasons (says “Pilot”) that in the Dangar Handicap the going was good, and in the other two races decidedly heavy. Bacchus is not of much account on a soft track, and the reasoning that causes any disappointed punter to suggest an owner wilfully misses a race of over £SOOO for one of about £BOO passes my comprehension. Still,

some followers of racing have such peculiar ideas that they would credit an owner with stopping a horse in a Doncaster in order to have a cut in for a £3O provincial Flying Handicap. One can forgive non-racing people for such ideas, but not those who profess to know quite a lot about the game. Mr Percy Miller, of Kia-Ora Stud, must feel well satisfied with the result achieved by his Sunstar horse, Saltash. In all, 17 lots of this sire were disposed of, and they averaged 626gns. Bearing in mind (says ‘‘Vigilant”)' that these youngsters are the oldest of Saltash’s progeny, the result was especially satisfying. In three cases the lOOOgn mark was reached. For llOOgns F. M'Grath got hold of the Welkin Queen filly, and at a like figure C. T. Godby secured th,e half-brother to Bairn from Reap. The Adelaide sportsman, Mr E. Jolly, had to go to lOOOgns to become possessed of the ch c from Mother Carey. Another untried sire in Claro achieved figures that left little to be desired. By this sire 24 youngsters were disposed of, and they averaged 562gns, a most gratifying result when the number of lots sold is taken into consideration. Claro youngsters realised nearly 14,000gns. Yet another newcomer was Crowdennis, whose fifteen lots averaged 366gns.

When replying to a deputation which waited on him in connection with the betting tax, Mr Winston Churchill said: — “One of the modifications which has been ventilated relates to the system which is in force in some of the countries you mentioned—that is, the totalisator. I do not know whether you have formed any definite views on that, but it certainly appears to me that if at any time the totalisator were legalised and became an important feature in racing in this country, that would be the moment for those who are interested in the breeding of bloodstock horses to press their claims for a share in whatever was left over after the Government had taken what, no doubt, would be recognised as its prior, due.” tn concluding, Mr Churcholl said that, though it might not be possible for him to assist the breeding societies in a direct way he would be very glad to see developments taking place which would be to their advantage. By some of his hearers this was taken to mean he was not opposed to the establishment of the totalisator. In the Supreme Court at Hobart a nonsuit was recently entered by Mr Justice Crisp in the case in which L. Rowlands, owner of the trotting horse Giraffe, sought to recover £9l 10s, representing stake and dividends, from T. Arnott (chairman), F. R. Arnott, D. Griffiths, J. W. Foster, H. Buchanan, and K. Clarke (stewards and members of the Hobart Trotting Club). The claim arose out of the decision of the stewards at a trotting meeting at the Ascot course, on January 22, in reversing the positions of the first two horses in the Goodwood Handicap, owing to alleged interference by the winner, Giraffe, with the second horse, Bill Basil. It was claimed that the defendants had wrongfully. improperly, and fraudulently caused plaintiff's horse to be removed from first place. The case was heard before a jury. His Honor said that plaintiff rested his claim on fraud or breach of natural justice, with consequent damage to himself. The stewards held an inquiry, and he thought they had given full consideration to the matter. There was no evidence of misdealing or wrong dealing. He did not see .any for any reflection on Foster or any member of the club. Plaintiff would be nonsuited. Despite his defeat with a 101 b penalty Royal Feast is still the best of the two-year-olds. I am not sure, however (says “Pilot), that he could have conceded even 51b to Cannon in the Champagne Stakes, as the latter, served by his, nippiness on a circular course, was not in danger of defeat at any part of the last furlong. We do not look to St. Anton’s progeny, to stay well, but the Caulfield Guineas is the race that may give Cannon his chance of a good three-year-old win. At the same time, even if he does not strike Royal Feast in that, there arc Trivalve and The Wensum, of those which ran at Randwick, to be reckoned with. Although Trivalvo did not run as well as The Wensum in the Sires’ Produce Stakes or Easter Stakes, he did the better of the two on the firm going in the Champagne Stakes. He was in receipt of 51b from The Wensum in that race, but at seven furlongs or a mile I would take him to beat the latter -on a firm track. Champagne Stakes running proved Melbourne two-year-olds superior to ours. Royal Feast’s size is, by many, counted against him as a potential stayer, but there are always exceptions to the rule, and ’no doubt he will at least be able to run a good mile and a-half next season when opposing horses of his own age.

Whether an age limit should be imposed on horses racing in steeplechases is the subject of a controversy in Melbourne. A leading veterinary surgeon agreed with the suggestion that it was dangerous to race old horses, and that racing clubs should fix a maximum of 10 years for steeplechasers. “Old horses in these races,” said one, “are a danger to other horses and to riders. It is only a small proportion of horses over 10 years that does any good at all. Ten stone to 10.5 should be the maximum weight, Steeplechasing would not neces--sarily be interfered with by a weight limit, and the minimum weight could be reduced. The secretary of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals i(Mr Latham), who stated that some of our horses are ridden almost to death, said that the remedy was with the racing authorities. “We don’t want to see steeplechasing descending to ‘the level of bull-fighting,” he said. Opinions of expert racing men did not agree with these views. Ron Cameron, the well-known trainer of steeplechasers, said that many horses did not reach their top form until they were 10 years of age. It often takes four years to train a jumper, and, providing he is sound, the horse’s best years are from 10 to 15. When a horse gets older it seems to get harder and sounder. The yearling colt by Valais from Glittering Gold only realised expectations when he topped the prices at the Sydney sales at 5000gns. He is a chestnut, bred by Mr Hubert Thompson, at the Oakleigh Stud, and described as a colt of splendid type. A Sydney writer discussed him recently as follows: —“First of all let us throw our minds back to the day when Heroic entered the ring as a yearling. What a fine stamp of youngster he was. No wonder he brought nearly 2000gns—a big price in those days. The Glittering

Gold colt looks the best Valais youngster submitted since Heroic entered the ring. He is of the same type as Mr C. B. Kellow’s champion. It is impossible to fault him. He has the quality and substance, size, bone, and development. If he does not turn out a galloper’ then there is nothing in looks. Glittering Gold is a bay mare by Grafton from Gold Dust, by Niagara from Goldlike, by Trenton, and goes back to Stockwell. She is a sister to Sylvanite, dual Derby winner, and no doubt the purchaser of the Glittering Gold colt will look to this young horse to follow in the footsteps of Sylvanite to the extent of winning the two Derbies. He has everything to be desired in the make-up of a Derby colt. Gold Dust, the dam of Glittering Gold, also threw Langrel, the granddam of Chimera, a distinguished performer in New Zealand.” An interesting feature of the pedigree of Glittering Gold is that the dam, Gold Dust, is by Niagara from a daughter of Trenton. These two horses are halfbrothers, both being sons of the famous mare Frailty.