TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 53

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel.

THE WELLINGTON CUP

Some very notable names in turf history have been linked up in connection with the Wellington Cup, which has just been run for the fifty-second time. The atmosphere of racing romance has, however, surrounded the race in the same manner as that of the New Zealand Cup, but the fact remains that as a test of sporting merit it is just as hard to win as any other decided in the Dominion. > It may be mentioned in passing that it is a great pity that another furlong had not been added to the circumference of the 'I rentham track, and so- assist in materially easing the sharp turn out of the straight, where many a race decided over 10 furlongs or a mile and a-half may be settled by failure to secure a good position. It is rather interesting to note that an old-time Dunedinite in James Cotton rode the winner of the first Wellington Cup when he saluted the judge on Castaway in 1874. No betterknown name in racing history can be found than that of Dan O’Brien, who rode Tambourini when he won in 1875. He had many great horses in his day, but it will be always best known as tne name linked with the man who selected Carbine as a yearling. Dan O Brien won in later years with Tasman who was steered by Bob Derrett, one

of the best horsemen ever seen in a saddle. Tasman also prominently stamped his name on racing history as the first winner of the New Zealand Cup. Derrett put up a great record in connection with the Wellington Cup, as he won on Tasman, Foul Play, Natator, Cynisea, Vogengang, and Uniform. All these wins were, of course, scored on the old Hutt Park racecourse, but it is a record that will take some equalling. Cynisea achieved the very unique record of winning three Wellington Cups in succession, and as far as handicaps are concerned Nelson is the only other horse to record a similar success, and he did so in connection with the Auckland Cup. The two best horses that have ever won the Wellington Cup were Advance, who scored under the apparent anchorage of 10.4, and Achilles, who won with 9.4. Both were great horses, who could go fast and stay. The best horse to win in recent years is Rapine, who won as a three-year-old with 7.12 or 121 b less than Renown scored under away back in 1901. The Kilbroney gelding Loughrea looked unbeatable by the way in which he won in 1924, and this season Rapine has been deprived of the chance of winning the New Zealand Cup, Auckland Cup, and Wellington Cup in the same season. It is a pity that he was not allowed to take his chance this year, and so add considerably more interest to the race. When Nelson won in 1886 he also swept up the Auckland Cup, Dunedin Cup, and Island Bay Cup in the same season, and he established a performance that stands alone, as he also ran second in the New Zealand Cup when giving away to Spade Guinea an elephant's burden in the race. Two dead-heats have been recorded in connection with the race, and one of the most regrettable incidents'in its history consists in the fact that Gladsome carrying her allotted weight won “ fair and square,” but her owner, Mr J. B. Reid, was deprived of the fruits of victory because her rider did not hold a license, and the mare became automatically disqualified as the result of a protest. The rider was F. D. Jones, who is now better known to fame as the trainer of Limerick, Ballymena, and other good winners. ACCIDENTS. One of the which must, sooner or later, engage the serious attention of the racing authorities is the frequency with which accidents have been occurring. In fact, the writer goes so far as to say that a special commission should be set up to consider the matter. The point to consider is whether the frequency of accidents could be reduced. Evidence should be sought from the leading trainers and riders and others qualified to gives an opinion as to whether such accidents are avoidable, and if they are in any way due to the general style of seat which has come into vogue during recent years. Crowding, bumping, and boring seem to be inevitable on circular tracks, through a natural desire on the part of riders to get as near the "rails a s possible, so as to cover a minimum of ground. It is a fact that we have far too many accidents in connection with racing in New Zealand. Falls are frequent, and investigation generally results in the Ending that the mishap was purely accidental, and perhaps due to one horse galloping on to the heels of another. Accidents are far too frequent for one to be satisfied with such unsatisfactory verdicts. Investigation of a deeper nature is required in order to find out if any possible remedy exists which would render tiding much safer than it has been in recent years. There is no doubt in the writer’s mind that the extreme, crouch seat is to no small extent responsible for the trouble. The seat adopted by some young riders is a source of danger to themselves and others riding in the s ame race. They crouch down and cannot see the danger they are creating by getting on to the heels of another horse or whether they are crowding and boring and. unconsciously forcing others into direct or indirect trouble. Danger is inseparable from racing, and a strong element of risk must always remain, but when accident after accident occurs without any satisfactory solution of tne real cause of the trouble being found, then it is high time to take a firm stand when the lives and limbs of rider s seem to be unnecessarily jeopardised. GREAT HURDLE RACE RIDER. We have had many great hurdle-race and steeplechase jockeys in Australia in the last 50 years (says the Australasian), but J..E. Brewer is generally considered the greatest artist seen over the battens here. J. E., who has always had a great love of jumpers, is a native of Victoria, as he was born at Lillimur, near the border of South Australia, on July 13, 1868. July is a fitting month for cross-country men to see the light. At the early age of nine years he was willing to mount buck jumpers. He rode his first mount, as an amateur, at Hay, N.S.W., when aged )2 years. In his early days as a rider the genial “Jack” once swept the boards at an amateur meeting held at Wagga. He wpn the Bracelet on Desmond, Flying Handicap on Billygoe. Hurdle Race and Steeplechase on Tricket, and the Consolation Stakes on Memento. Not long after that he came back to Melbourne, and at once made his mark. Many were the hurdle races he won, but at steeplechasing he was not so fortunate. Some very bad falls happened to him, those off Frantic hrid Reckless • (ominous names). in Sydney, being perhaps the worst. His best staying hurdler was his Grand National Hurdle winner Emmalea. She - was small and lightly built, but carried weight and stayed well. Brewer got her from her breeder, the late George Davis (father of the V.R.C. handicapper), and won five races in succession with her. the fifth being the Grand National Hurdles of 1895 (with 11.6). Her previous start had been the V.A.T.C. Hurdle Race (now known as the Toolambool Hurdles), at the Caulfield June meeting.

frank buckle. According to “ The Druid ” and other authorities, Frank Buckle was the greatest of all jockeys—he was superior to his celebrated predecessors, Sam Chifney, sen., and Will Arnull, and outshone his most eminent contemporaries, Robinson, Chifney, jun., and Harry Edwards. It is even claimed that Frank Buckle was a finer rider than Fred Archer, but that, of course, can only be pure conjecture for very few people could have seen both jockeys ride, their respective periods were so far apart, b red Archer, on Silvio, won his first Derby in 1877—nearly half a century after Buckle had ridden his last winner. But it seems beyond all argument that the club wits were not wide of the mark when they said of Frank Buckle, in 1823: — For, trained to the Turf, he still stands quite alone, And a pair of such buckles was never yet known. A faultless build for horseback, and 40 years of incessant practice had combined to make him perfection. When at the solicitation of the German sportsmen Buckle sent oyer his whip by the hands of Mr Tattersall in 1826 to become a challenge prize in Germany, he was enabled to add, by way of commentary, that he had “ won five Derbies, two St. Legers, nine Oaks, and nearly all the good things at Newmarket.” Names and owners of all those classical winners were engraved on the silver plating with which Buckle’s whip was mounted, and the unique trophy was highly prized by the Germans. In his 61st year Buckle wasted to ride 7.8 for his favourite, Rough Robin, but though he required no “ walks,” he kept himself in such fine form by constantly riding from Peterborq to Newmarket and back every day, a distance of 92 miles, to say nothing of trials, that he was quite the first fourmile man of his day. After a busy and honorable career extending over 48 years, Buckle weighed in for the last time on November 5, 1831, and died, somewhat suddenly, three months later. Buckle frequently rode for Colonel Mcllish, and a sketch by Dighton in 1806 shows that celebrated racing dandy of the period giving his final instructions to Buckle. This drawing is said to be an excellent likeness both of the great jockey and his patron. In a period when jockeys were very slovenly in their attire, Buckle’s turnout ever showed the greatest neatness. The picture shows that a jockey’s costume has not changed to any very marked extent in the last 120 years. The bunches of ribbon at the boot tops have been discarded, the shape of the tops slightly altered, and silk instead of buckskin used in the breeches; that is about all. Colonel Mellish was a heavy bettor in the days when George IV was Prince of Wales, and high play the fashion. At one sitting in a London club he is said to have risen a loser of £97,000. When leaving the club house, he met the Duke of Sussex, who, hearing what had happened, persuaded him to return and try his hand once more, which he did, and in three hours he had won £lOO,OOO from the Duke, who paid him the best part of this large sum. and promised to settle the rest by a life annuity. Mellish had enormous expenses in connection with his establishment, and at one period owned 38 racehorses in training, besides innumerable coach horses, hunters, chargers, and hacks. His arrival on the course at Newmarket was very spectacular. Driving five beautiful white horses, he was preceded by two crimson-livercd outriders, also on white horses; (jehind those rode another groom leading a thorough'bred hack; while yet another waited at the rubbing post with a spare mount. In addition to all this pageantry, Mellish made it his pride never to make a bet of less than £500; since, unfortunately, he did not often win, the result, as may be conjectured, was comnleto ruin. He died at the early age of 37 years.