TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 53

TALK OF THE DAY.

By

Sentinel.

A RECORD FEE. When St. Simon’s remarkable success at the stud resulted in his fee being raised to 590gns it was thought that the limit had been reached in that direction. It is still considered a big figure, but in Enp-land 40CgH3 is freely paid for the services of some of the leading sires, and mares are booked to them for two or three seasons ahead. The value of stock is what it will bring in the open market, and when up to 10,000gns, and occasionally more, is paid for a well-bred and shapely yearling with a winning pedigree behind it a charge of 40’ugns or 500gns is not an exorbitant charge for sires when their stock can command such big prices. It is frequently said that too many of the big-priced yea lings prove failures on the turf, but that will not stop long-pursed owners, from buying them provided the youngsters "look the goods ” as shapely yearlings bred on winning lines. They are being educated up to big stallion fees in Australia, but a comparatively modest fee is still the rule in this country. A guaranteed foal by any of the leading sires in New Zealand w’ould be cheap at anything from lOOgns to 200gns, but stallion owners are gener ally content to take less if they are seeking patronage from outside mares. There is not much doubt that higher stallions’ fees could be obtained if the service meant “no foal, no fee.” This would be a very good rule to introduce, as it would surely encourage owners of brood mares to patronise the very best horses instead of being rather too much influenced by the size of the fee. It is, of course, quite possible to obtain good results by patronising a smallfee stallion, but as a general rule the best and most desirable stock must always com mand a good price. The latest mail to

hand, from England brings word that an English mare has been sent to America on a visit to Man-o’-War, and that the fee will be lOOOgns. all previous fees completely in the shade, and it has also. been stated that Man o’-War could obtain a full list for several seasons ahead at the same price if his owner elected to make a bid for outside patronage. Man-o’-War has, however, been reserved for his owner’s stud and the mare sent across from England is the first outsider that has been taken to the horse. Man o’-War : s a chestnut horse, claimed to be the best ever seen on the American Continent. Some go further, and claim that he is the besthorse the world has ever known. It was at least freely admitted during Man-o’-War’s racing career that he ranked as an absolute marvel. His records read as follows:—One mile, 1.35 45; nine furlongs, 1.491-5; 11 furlongs, 2.141-5; 12 furlongs, 2.23 -4-5; and 13 furlongs, 2.40 4-5. The figures do not show the full limit of prowess, as he was seldom fully extended in his races. Man-o’-War won £49,893 in two seasons on the turf, and was then retired to the stud. He cost lOOOsovs as a yearling, and at different times offers up to £BO,OOO are said to have been refused for him. Man-o’-War was got by Fair Play from Mahubah, by Rock Sand from Merry Token, by Merry H-ampton from Mizpah, by Macgregor. Fair Play was got by Hastings (son of Spendthrift, a grandson of West Australian) from Fairy Gold, by Bend Or from Dame Masham. Fairy Gold is also the dam of Golden Measure, a good performer in England, where he is now at the stud. West Aus tralian won the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger in 1850, and we also know him as the sire of Musket’s dam. West Australian got Solon, the sire of the unbeaten Barcaldine. who in turn got Marco, the sire of Mnrcovil, who in turn got Hurry On, a sire on top of the tree in England to-day.

THE WAIMATE MEETING. Fields for the Waimate Racing Club’s meeting, which is to take place on Thursday of this week, will not run to any great numerical strength, but the racing may be all the more enjoyable on that account, because the sharpest turns are apt to create trouble when a large number of horses are fighting, for position and a run as near as possible to the rails. The shape of the Waimate track gives horsemanship a chance, particularly in the Cup, and on more than one occasion the race has been “ stolen ” by clever tactics in the saddle. In other words, the best horse on the day has not always proved successful, and there is always a chance of the same thing occurring again. Knowledge of the track is a big factor in a horse’s favour, and so is the draw for position at the six and seven furlong posts. Nincompoop has won some little distinction as a stayer, and one of the best performances he put up this season was accomplished when he ran second to Set Sail in the Invercargill Cup. One is, however, a bit chary about standing by his pedigree to get a sound mile and a-quarter, particularly under 8.13. Heather Lad should strip a better horse at Waimate than he has saddled up earlier in the season, and he should beat the topweight. Wayward, without going into an analysis of form, looks a bit flattered in being asked to give weight to Battle Colours, who should have won the Wyndham Cup. Bettie Colours has not been seen out since the Invercargill summer meeting, but is now reported to be galloping well in his work, and he should give a good account of himself in the Waimate Cup. Carnot is a rather doubtful proposition over the distance, but Lucy Locket is now galloping as if she may redeem the promise displayed in her races last season. Earlier in the season she did a good deal of work with Set Sail, and the latter’s superiority may have been rather too great a tax on a young mare. She shaped well in a gallop over a mile with Wingatui on Saturday, and seemed to be going on at the end. Money Peer will be coupled with Wayward, so Mr Samson will have two strings to his bow, as he did in last year’s race. Battle Colours, Heather Lad, and Wayward may be the order of favouritism at the close of the business transacted on the totalisator. The President’s Handicap is next in importance from a monetary next in importance from a monetary point point of view, but a small field will go to the post. Gold Brick is a good beginner, and will probably start favourite, although support will also come for Polydfcctes, who ran well at the Wellington Cup meeting. Gay Sonnet and John Bradbury may be the popular picks for the Stewards’ Handicap. There is a good deal of the unknown quantity about the field engaged in the Trial Plate, and the totalisator may supply the best line to follow. Honeycomb is credited with doing a good gallop last week, and that is something in his favour. Goldtown at his best would be fancied for the Studholme Hurdles, but as Koauau' will probably be the most seasoned horse in the field, he will probably start a good favourite. THE MOVING START. It is rather interesting to note thaf” a number of owners and trainers have been expressing themselves in favour of the walk-up start. During the present season the .walk-up start has been occasionally adopted at both Riccarton and Trentham. At both places it was used only when small fields were at the post, and apparently because something or other had displayed a disinclination to face the barrier. . Some of those who expressed opinions in favour of the moving start seemed to be under the impression that it was a new idea, whereas it was the common method -of- starting before the barrier came into vogue. The barrier came into use because very few starters could. be found capable of flag starting, and it grew in popularity, because it became a great time-saver. Prior to its introduction its was quite Common to see

a field kept at the post for 15 or 20 minutes, and then finally sent away on anything but even terms. A card was generally an hour or so behind time at the end of the day. Starting in New Zealand was in a particularly unsatisfactory state of affairs when the late Mr S. Powell came on the scene and revolutionised matter by adopting the walkup start. He rode up with the field, and even if the horses were spread right across, and taxed the capacity of the track, he invariably got them into their first stride from a dead line. He proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the walk-in start could be brought to the pitch of perfection, but unfortunately starters are apparently born and not manufactured. So much seems evident by the fact that- some of our present starters, after years of work, are still open to severe criticism. The late Mr Harry Piper assumed the mantle of the late Mr S. Powell, and wore it with conspicuous honour. He was equally at home with both the walk-up start and flat-foot despatch at the barrier, and his services were in strong request from one end of the Dominion to the other. There is not the slightest shadow of a doubt that the walk-up start is the best method of starting a field, but the difficulty seems to be in finding a man capable of controlling a field unless it is held by a barrier. It is the fairest method because it gives every horse a chance to get well away, whilst the barrier start strongly favours the few horses who can shoot into the top of their speed in a couple of strides. It is the most natural method of starting a horse, because a quadruped, unless in the case of a scalded, cat. can gather speed much quicker when each leg is in action at a walk than when standing flat-foot. There is much less swerving and bumping from a walk-up start than from a flat-foot one, as very few horses jump out straight when hustled from a stand. At the Timaru spring meeting the most perfect start seen during the two days of the fixture was effected from a walk-up despatch, and it could be more generally adopted with satisfaction to all concerned. It may surprise some people to learn that the standing start lends itself to fraudulent tactics far more easily and with much greater success than when a field is walked up in perfect line. A moment’s thought will, however, convince anyone that a horse with a slight movement in its favour has a tremendous advantage over others who are standing absolutely flat-foot. A field can be standing apparently in perfect line, but if one has a move in its favour it may r..ean lengths’ advantage. The fact has been noticed on hundreds of occasions that a quick beginner becomes doubly hard to catch if he can beat the barrier with very little in his favour except a slight flexing of the knees whilst others are kept “ peg-legged.” Some of the greatest “ jokes ” ever brought off in this country have been effected bygiving a horse a move in his favour whilst/the rest of a field were kept flatfoot at the rise of the barrier. FORTUNE’S FAVOURITES. The non-success of horses carrying his Majesty’s colours provides material for a lot of thought on that interesting little word of four letters—“ luck.” No one in touch with racing requires to be told that there is no royal road to success on the turf. A man may be able to command a great stud and yet be unqble to win an important race, while reverses of a searching Character may be a feature. Then comes along the lucky man, who (says “Phaeton”), with possibly only a single horse, captures a great race. How luck will at . times suddenly desert a racing stable is strikingly exemplified in the ease of the Duke of Portland. In the ’eighties and ’nineties horses carrying the colours of his Grace put up great records, and in one year alone they captured no Jess a sum than £73,858. Those were the days when Dame Fortune smiled on the “white jacket, black sleeves and cap.” Then came frowns from the fickle jade, and, despite the fact that the Duke of Portland owned one of the finest studs in the world at Welbeck, few winners were produced. Many incidents bearing on luck at the, sale ring could be cited—how one bidder dropped out at the crucial stage and the successful bidder made a good speculation, and how in other instances the reverse had to be recorded. At the Doncaster sales of 1920 Lord Glanely carried the bidding for a yearling colt by The Tetrarch irom Blue Tit to 14,500gn5. That colt, registered as Blue Ensign, only carried silk in one race, and he failed to earn a single shilling of the sum expended in his purchase. Well, to come back to a reference to the King’s horses, the colts engaged in this year’s Derby are Savonarola (by Friar Marcus— Yolande) and Gauntlet (by Swynford— Neuve Chapelle). It has already been stated that his Majesty has leased a quartet of colts from the National Stud, and maybe the present year will witness the success of the royal colours in some of the important races set down for decision. THE WELLINGTON MEETING. There is sure to be very interesting racing at Trentham this week, when some of-the best horses in training will be sporting silk at the Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting, which takes place on Thursday and Saturday of this week. A strong field has been paid up for in the Thompson Handicap, in which the draw

for position at the barrier may mean the difference between success and defeat if such a large list of acceptors are sent to the post. Hynanna and Star Stranger may not begin smartly enough to have a good chance over such a distance, but this will not apply to Rapier, The Hawk, and Set Sai], who complete the 9st division. Rapier seems to be very well at present, and he may prove the pick of the topweights, although Set Sail is sure to run a good race, as she has never been better than at the preesnt time. After being placed in the Wellington Cup and winning the W’.R.C. Handicap, Set Sail was Tuning like a possible winner in the Summer Handicap, when she suffered interference. She now meets Goshawk, who won, on 141 b, Joy King, who was second, on 71b, and the figures give the daughter of Solferino a good chance on paper so far as they lire concerned. Still, she looks a bit close to Rapier at a difference of 21b. The writer is fairly positive that Rapier should have beaten the mare in the Geraldine Cup when she ran in receipt of 101 b, and he has displayed just as much, if not a great deal more, improvement since they met on that occasion. If that is so, Rapier should be able to account for Set Sail and incidentally Goshawk and Joy King. Laughing Prince looked dangerous when he was racing in line at the dinstance with Set Sail and Pink Note in the W.R.C, Handicap, and will be favoured by the shorter distance attached to the Thompson Handicap. He meets Set Sail on only lib better terms, and here on collateral form Rapier again comes into the picture. Le Choucas can gallop a really good mile, and it will be remembered that he won the Winter Cup as a four-year-old with 9.0 in 1.40 and established a record for the race. He won decisively with 8.5 in 1.39 4-5 at the Wellington Cup meeting, and meets Hynanna on 31b better terms in the Thompson Handicap. The Magpie gelding should run a solid mile with 7.11 on his back. Two of the lightweights in Sudden Storm and Lady Limond should make the topweights carry their burdens, but the former does not begin too well, and this may prove a serious handicap in a big field. Sudden Storm has always been running on at the end of her races, and if she can get away on anything like fair terms should not be far from the money at the finish. When punters are summing up the situation they may be inclined to fancy Rapier, Set Sail, Laughing Prince, Le Choucas. and Sudden Storm, and may concentrate their final attention to Rapier and Sudden Storm. The second problem that most people will be inclined to tackle with the hope of successful solution is the Railway Handicap. On the final day of the Wellington Cup meeting Money Order beat Cimabue at even weights and The Hawk at a concession of 121 b from the last named. He has been asked to pay fairly heavily for his win, as the Paper Money gelding has now to allow Cimabue 51b for a half-length defeat, and The Hawk 71b for less than two lengths. Money Order will saddle up a more seasoned horse this week, and he should take some beating, and, in fact, will probably start favourite. Limited ran a fair third to The Hawk and Aussie in the Metropolitan Handicap, and he now meets the Martian gelding on 131 b and Money Order at 111 b better terms. He may be one most likely to trouble Money Order. Others who may be backed in the minor events are Lancer, Flying Hero, Miss Ransom, Kindle, Wild Work, Court Jester, Tripaway, and Amorist.