IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3867, 24 April 1928, Page 55

IN A NUTSHELL.

Star Stranger has won about 16,000povs in stakes.

There are about 20 rising two-year-olds at Trentham.

. The Martian gelding ' Grand National is being qualified as a hunter.

. The Martian gelding Star Ranger is m work again after a lengthy spell. L. H. Hewitt continues to do very well with his training stable in India. The South _ Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting takes place on Friday and Saturday next.

Like many other long-striding horses, it is doubtful if Hynanna could act right up to his merit on the Manawatu track. Vertigern, who. continues to showwinning form in the north, was got in Australia by Rossendale from Pansy, by Polymelus.

The English mare Dilly Dale, who was ac T OSS America on a visit to the 1000-guinea stallion Man o’ War died snortiy after her arrival. ’ , 'U» e ’ a r£ T >or f €< l from Wellington of Ali 8. Nettlefold, w’ho was once a wellknown figure in racing circles, both here and in Australia.'

Sun Morn, who recently won the Williamstown Easter Cup, was got by The Australian Sun from Jessie Lewars, the dam of Michaela.

Mollison created a fresh record by winding over 15,000sovs in stakes this season. Royal Feast held the previous record at 13,11950v5. •;

Wonders will never cease. A “tubed” horse has just won the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, which is decided over the stiffest country in the world. King Balboa beat Overhaul at even weights in the Buckley Memorial, and meets him on 8;b better terms in the limaru Cup;

In the Flying’ Handicap at Timaru Solrose has been asked to meet Booster on 21b worse terms than when he beat her in the Templeton Handicap. A horse drawing an outside number at th e seven-furlong post at Timaru has all the worst of the deal, and this becomes accentuated when a big field lines to the barrier.

Reports from South Australia show that the school for imparting lessons in horsemanship to young riders and apprentices has proved an unqualified success.

F. Shew has pm chased n Bir’.-n" re’dA. W. Douglass, the owner ot bolrose. The gelding is out of Crvt,Laibne, a mare by Halbred, a son of William the Third.

Thorndale was responsible .for some good weight-carrying performances at the Timaru spring meeting. He won the Otaio Handicap with 10.10 in 2min 9 l-i>see and the Levels Handicap with 11.10 in Innil 43 l-sscc.

Money Order wen at the Timaru spring meeting with 9.6 in lmin 12 l-sscc when he was not nearly ready to show his best form. He has an extra 71b to carry if sent out on the same track this week.

Fields engaged at the South Canterbury meeting are of the full-and-plenty order, but quite a large number of horses are engaged in more than one race, so that the acceptances may cause a fairly big shrinkage in some of the events.

Rotor was finishing on well in the lapanui Handicap, and even with 71b more should help to make it interesting in the Gladstone Hack Handicap. Camisader and Amor are engaged in the same race > but the latter may be reserved for the Rosewill Handicap.

Royal Tea is credited with putting up a good performance when he won at A'ondale, as he seemed to be in a hopeless position at the home turn. He is bred on interesting lines, as he traces back to My Love, a sister to Lady Emma, who won tiie Dunedin Cup on two occasions.

The difficulty in placing some boises is shown by the fact taht Gold Brick beat Money Mine at Waimate, and the latter has been invited to come in on x 2lb worse terms in the b lying Handicap at Timaru Money Mine seems to hold a very sma'i chance on paper, particularly as Gold Bri.-k shaped well amongst good company at Riccarton,

Gohl Brick showed no lack of his usual speed at Riccarton, where the distance was a bit beyond him. It may be worthy uf note that in the Smithfield Handicap he meets Black Duke on 1211 a better terms than when he ran him to a 'ength at Waimate, where Gold Brick made all the running until touched off at the finish in lmin 14sec.

In the Shade has proved a really good winner for J. T. Jamieson’s stable. He’ was got by The Australian Sun from Violet H, by Charlemagne II from Lovelorn, by Grafton—Lovelock, by Lochiel from My Love, a sister to Lady Emma, who won two Dunedin Cups and the Great Autumn in the late Sir George M'Lean’s colours.

Among the purchases at the Sydney yearling sales for New Zealand were two youngsters by Treclare, an English-bred horse by Tredennis from Clare, by Desmond. One was for J. Williamson, of Ellerslie, and the other for F. D. Jones, the trainer of Limerick. Treclare was a good performer in his day, and was at the stud in England prioy to being shipped to Australia. The Otipua Steeplechase should provide an interesting contest on the first day of the Timaru meeting. Some of those engaged have been off the scene for some little time, and those at the meeting will pay a great deal of attention to the condition in which the horses arc sent to the post. Adjutor, The Babe, and Sir Wai would be supported if they please the eye with their condition.

A. Driscoll, who has ridden a fair share of winners, left Wellington by the Manuka for Melbourne, on his way to Western

Australia. Driscoll, who served his time with the Ellerslie trainer W" .Garrett, is a capable rider who should itfc well in his new surroundings. D. J. Burgess, the Auckland hurdle horseman, has also arranged to go to Australia in company with Driscoll, and will follow his calling whenever opportunity offers. There is no question about Limerick’s great galloping ability, and it does not seem to matter to the New Zealander whether the going is- hard or soft, -whether the race is long or short, fast or slow, he just keps on winning. I know it is the fashion (says “ Cardigan ”) to put the present star on the pedestal, but Limerick is certainly a wonderful galloper, and the pity of it is that he is a gelding. Perhaps if he had remained entire he would not have gained fame. Simeon’s Fort, who won the Doncastle Handicap at Rand.vick on the 7th inst., is an English-bred horse by Hianhault from Lady Simeon. He was raced in England at two and three yqjrs old, and when submitted to auction in December, 1926, he fell to the bid of Mr Clarence Hailey at 3000gns. Simeon’s Fort was, however, bought on account of the Melbourne sportsman, Mr G. L. Scott, and with the capture off the Doncaster Handicap Simeon’s Fort has proved a good speculation.

The A.J.C. St. Leger has often supplied a surprise, notably Millieme’s defeat of the Great Artilleryman; but I doubt (says a Sydney scribe) if even the defeat of that great horse equalled the surprise that was expresed when Winalot and Jocelyn defeated Trivalve by 20 lengths in the Leger recently. Trivalve had worked well since his arrival from Melbourne, and looked well, although his trainer, James Scobie, expressed the opinion that Trivalve was not at home in the going.

B. Rosen was an easy first among the winning jockeys at the Nuwara Ellya Xyexlon) February meeting. He won nine, of the 31 races in which he rode, no other jockeys scoring more than three wins. - Rosen’s victories included the Governor’s Plate, one mile and a-quarter, on Mr Patrick’s Dark Spee. The Ceylon Observer’s turf contributor -says he has never seen a better rider there than Rosen, and, looks to him to rival the best in India. D. Rosen, another of the family, left for Ceylon about three weeks ago, and. another brother (J.) has been in India for some time.

Tho Archery-Warlove gelding Amor showed . improved form in the Addington Handicap, and in finishing a length behind the ridden-out Starflight he was wice that distance in front of Philippic. Amor meets Philippic on 31b better terms at Timaru in the Rosewill Handicap, and with a furlong less ground to cover should certainly be able to account for the Demosthenes gelding. Camisadcr niay prove most troublesome to Amor. Camisader meets Money Mine on no less than 161 b better terms than when they met in the Myross Handicap, at Invercargill. The Duned’n winter programme marks the proximity of the end of the present racing season, and also indicates the fact that owners will not have many more opportunities to gather the winter oats for their stable. The principal events on the Dunedin winter programme are as follows: —Otago Steeplechase of 510sovs, Birthday Handicap of 385sovs ? Otago Hurdles of 385sovs, Winjjatui Steeples of 340sovs, Provincial Handicap of 340snvs, Dunedin Steeples of 340sovs, Greenfield Hurdles of 300sovs, and King George Handicap of 300sovs. Nominations for all events are due on Friday, May 11.

According to the Australasian the width of the track at the barrier for sixfurlong races at Flemington is 119 ft. The width of the course at the winning line is 78ft 3in. The inside rail (on the near side of the horses) from the barrier to the wining-post is 3960 ft (exactly six furlongs). The outside rail from the barrier to the judge’s line is 3960 ft 6in. A horse starting from No. 1 position (inside rail), and travelling diagonally in a straight line to the outside of the winning-line (under the judge’s box) would travel 3960 ft Bin. A horse starting from the extreme outside position and travelling diagonally in a straight line to the -winning post would cover 3961 ft 7in. Mr Ellis Davies XL. Denbigh) recently asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he would state under what authority the sum of £1563 was annually voted by the House of Commons for the King’s Plate for racing in the Irish Free State, and ■whether he would, in the interest of economy, have the vote removed from the Civil Estimates for the next year. Mr A. M. Samuel (secretary to the Treasury) replied: The payment referred to has been voted annually by this House for nearly a 100 years. In view of the specia] nature of the payment, and the comparatively small amount involved, it was decided to continue the payment after the establishment of the Irish Free State and the -Northern Ireland Government. Mr R. T. Patterson tells this racing story he heard the other day from General Stanley, a wel-known raconteur: A wealthy owner, who spent a. great deal of money on horse racing, was continuously unsuccessful. He persisted always in giving his horses classical names, such as Euripides, Demosthenes, etc. At length he had a very promising unnamed youngster, and a friend of his said, “ Why not drop those unlucky names, and give this colt a sporting chance, with a good old English name? Call him Ironsides.” Eventually the colt was so named, and, as h'e was kept for a certain race, he was practically the favourite. Judge of the surprise of the owner and his friend when the bookmakers on the course called' out “ 3 to 1 I-ron-si-des ”!

It is almost incomprehensible that in such a country as this, supreme in the breeding and raising of pedigree stock of all kinds, the Royal Veterinary College should find itself compelled to send out an S.O.S. appeal for financial assistance. Such a message is only broadcast in times of imminent danger and distress, and we regret to say (says the Field) that in this case the appeal is justified by facts, and will, we sincerely trust, meet with prompt and efficient response. A long and honourable record lies behind the Royal Veterinary College. Founded in 1791, its .first president was the Duke of Northumberland, and the first principal of the col*

lege was M. Vial de St. Bel, who had Seen for some years Professor of Veteriaary Medicine in the Royal School at Lyons, and of Comparative Anatomy at Montpelier, in the year following his appointment M. de St. Bel died of disease sontracted in the course of his work.

Lorient If, who made his first appearance in the Dominion at the Avondale meeting, is an English horse imported to Now Zealand by Dr W. C Ring. As a two year-old he started on five occasions for three wins. At the Leopardstown meeting he was third in the Foxtrot Two-year-old Plate, ami won the Paddock Two-year-oil Plate at The Curragh. He won the Blake Plate of similar distance at Phoenix Park. He was unplaced in his next start, but prnexed the Elevation Castle Plate, five fur longs at Derby, with 9.0, and ran the dis tance in Imin 22-cc. As a three-year-old Lorient II failed to get into the money in hi, first five* starts, but then won the Londesborough Welter Handicap, five furlongs, at York, carrying 7.8 running imin Isec. He was third tn the urinstead Welter, live furlongs, at Lingfield. but won the Harewood Handicap, five furlongs and 152 yards, at Doncaster, and the Croxtecth Plate, five fiiihwigs, at Liverpool, with 7.3, in Imin 4 4-sscc.

Mr J. E. Henrys frequently presents some difficult problems to punters with his handicaps, but even he sometimes seems slow to grasp class at times. For instance, it is doubtful if Koauau and Tarleton are anything like speedy enough over hurdles to give weight to Red Heather, Bonatic, Hard Prince, and Goldtown in a bout over a mile and ahalf hurdle race. Koauau could not get near Goldtown and Red Heather over 13 furlongs at Waimate, and they are booked to meet over a furlong less ground at Timaru. Koauau meets Goldtown at 91b and Red Heather at 81b better terms over the shorter distance, and it is doubtful if the poundage will be sufficient to balance their form. Hard Prince did not allow Red Heather to get near him in the Autumn Hurdles run at the Oamaru meeting, and Bonatic, who started favourite at Waimate, must be worthy of consideration with a big poundage in his favour. It will be interesting to note how Koauau and Tarleton shape with their speedy' rivals.

In a comment on the cont st for the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree on the 30th ult., the turf expert of the London Daily Telegraph penned the following:—“ When nearly 50 horses are allowed to start in a Grand National race the event is robbed of its sporting character through the enormous risks of interference. These are, he adds, avoidable if the field is limited to a score of the world's best steeplechasers. It was childish to argue that Tipperary Tim. purchased for £4OO, is entitled to the blue ribbon of the stee’plechasing world merely because he was lucky enough to profit by the misfortunes of others. The writer states that the rider of the winner saw the debacle coming at the canal turn, where the field was practically decimated, and through prudently riding wide outside on the outside of the course, where the going had not been depreciated by the hoof-prints of other horses, he got his mount through Jt is admitted, after all this, that the winning horse did not make one mistake throughout the long and trying journey.”

The Aga Khan is one of the most fearless buyers of yearlings (says an English writer), and in R. C. Dawson’s stable he has beridoon (own brother to Diligence) whom he bought privately out of i7 e non a ° nal Stnd two years a g o for 17.000 guineas. Feridoon has yet to make his first appearance on a racecourse, whereas two of the Aga Khan's other three-year-olds in Buland and Ranjit Singh showed good form last season. Among the Aga Khan’s two-year-olds are for the first time some bred by himself ot which Dara Sukoh is by that good stayer Son-in-Law, out of the tremendously speedy Mumtaz Mahal, who ?Ll her A W °' yC 2. r^ ld , days ’ was a popular a "Vi Bara Shukoh is her first foal Another promising youngster is Costaki _ asha, who is by Gainsborough out of that other speedy marc Cos. Another two-year-old, bought at public auction at hot e - ° f A!l le i la i te ? ir Robert Jardine’s horses is Aftab by Papyrus out of Sundart The Aga Khan gave 14,000 guineas ior him last season. Coming back to the three-year-olds, I must not omit to mention Parwiz, for this own brother to Manna (winner of ttie Derby) showed smart form last season.

th £ Awapuni Gold Cup Vedette said:—Star Stranger was iaxourite of course, but backers did not have to lay odds on. Mask, Star Stranger, and Satrap led the other pair down the straight but Satrap was in charge at the end of four furlongs clear of Mask and Star Stranger, with Hvnanna and Laughing Prince handy. Hvnanna moved up four furlongs from home, and a little further on Star Stranger commenced his run, which took him up to Satrap’s girths The five were in close order at the turn viz., oatrap. Star Stranger, Mask. Hvnanna. and Laughing Prince. When called on Star Stranger strode to the front to beat Satrap by a length. Mask was half a length away third, with Hvnanna another three-quarters of a length back fourth. It was another triumph for Star Stranger, who really won decisively, and judged on »New Zealand standards’, he is’ the best available weight-for-age performer beyond any shadow of doubt, Limerick, of course, omitted. Satrap proved hnnse.f a worthy opponent, and, as he has always been, quite superior to Laughing I rince. who whinped in the field. Mask was not disgraced, nor was Hvnanna. but horse ** they are just good handicap

Seventy years ago takes one (says a writer in the Australasian) back to the youth and immaturity of sport in Victoria. Some comments upon the sport of the period appear in the memoirs of Wheelwright, the bush naturalist and game shooter. Tn 1858, he says, the Melbourne Jockey Chib had its four davs’ spring meeting—2l races, public money ot about £2OOO and gate money amounting to about £lOOO. In the previous year the “Ming trainer, Anthony Green, of Emerald Hill, won 61 races, worth about £B7OO. there was also a Melbourne Turf Club and a 'Government” course at Dandenong, where they had a con nip of days’ racing; also a course at Emerald Hill for private matches and. steeplechasing;. “ it

is little wonder,” he remarks, “ that steeple-chasing should be a favourite sport in this land of post and rails, and Abbott and Walkover will live long in the recollection of all who have seen this game little nag and rider leading the van in a good field. A small, but remarkably neat, pack of hounds,” says Wheelwright, “ is hunted by Mr George Watson, of steeplechase celebrity, and their doings are chronicled in ‘Bell’s Life’ by ‘Nimrod’s Ghost.* . . . The wild dog and kangaroo are now rare about Melbourne, so a ‘ bagman ’ is generally the order of the day. Take it all in all, Melbourne bids fair to become one of the most sporting towns out of England.”

Tom Keily is still going strong in Adelaide as a trainer, and he holds indisputable claim to be labelled the doyen, for he has been going practically without a break since 1876, when he worked for Steve Mahon in Melbourne. Keily was also associated with Billy Yeomans and W. E. Dakin before he came to South Australia, and he can recall the days (says an exchange) when he rode Darriwell in his preparation for the Melbourne Cup which that horse won. Though Keily cannot get hold of horses of the calibre of Kirn, Miraclum, Kooringa, Lovelocks. Quality, Mostyn. Bipksgate, and Thunder Queen, or even Ferrignite, he invariably has a stableful, and it is a treat to pay a visit to the establishment, with its scrupulous cleanlines. Like the late John Hill, Keily is a strict disciplinarian with the stable boys, and bars and forks have to be polished each day. He has turned out some accomplished lads out of‘his stable, such as “Sonny” Buxton, who won an Australian Cup on Broken Hill, Fred and Walter Burn, J. D. Campbell, J. Liddle, and W. Marshall. It is not difficult to tell horses trained by Keily, for he is one of the few men in Adelaide who adhere to the style of banging the tails. J. Eden Savill was about the only other man in South Australia who adopted the practice.

Mr E. K. White, owner of Winalot, is used to giving big amounts for thoroughbreds It was he who secured Minterne le ree , ord P ri ce for a jumper of 3000gns on the eve of the gelding’s engagement in the A.J.C. Steeplechase at Randwick. The sale caused something of a sensation at the time, and a further sensation when Minterne lost his rider earlv in the big event. Mr White also gave a Inga figure for the New Zealander. Danger Zone. He is a merchant in Sussex street, and is not afraid (says a Melbourne paper) to bet in huge sums when he fancies one of his horses. When raced by Mr Chisholm, and subsequently' by the executors of his estate, Winalot was trained by George Price, who had the trouble of ‘ making ” him. Price always had a high opinion of Winalot, and he was greatly disappointed when the colt did not some up to expectations in Melbourne last spring. At that time Winalot was not doinj well, having suffered from toot trouble. Sympathy was extended to Irice alter Winalot had won the rich double—St.- Leger and Cup—for it is seldom a trainer secures a good three-year-old. ,It was the first time a three-year-old intd won the Sydney Cup since 1911 when the late Mr John Moore captured the event with Moorilia, who was a rank outsider. If memory serves me Ii + \ T ’ t 'ro S a ’ so on a very heavy track that Moonlla won. Not since 1896, when Wallace won the St. Leger and Cup, has the big double gone to the same horse and it was left to Winalot to add his name to the select few in the Cup. Winalot was always going nicely.

The record price paid for a yearling Ul r Austraba and New Zealand was the 6/uOgns for the colt by Saltash from Wei tea Prior to the sale last week, the Sydney scribe “Vigilant” referred in glowing terms to this youngsters in a review of the yearlings from the Kia Ora stud, where Windbag first saw the “ght- He said:—Judges are predicting that not Windbags brother, but the Weltea colt will top the sales. This is a truly beautiful colt. He cannot be faulted in any way. There is the length, substance and all-round attributes essential in a magnificent colt; and a magnificent colt he is. That he will be knocked down at a very high figure there is not the slightest doubt, and I am inclined to think that he will beat Windbag’s brother in the matter of amount realised. On the score of breeding, this Weltea colt leaves nothing mi By Salta sh from a mare bv the Welkin, he is a member of the same family as Silvius, Pretty Polly, Craiganour Spelthorne, etc. His second dam is imported Lutea, a winner in England, and a daughter of Chaucer, from Yellow Peril, a Carbine mare, who in turn is out of the Bend Or mare, Orange. This Saltash colt comes from a great familv, and bred as he is, and boasting his anpearance it is safe .to predict he is going to realise a very high figure. Saltash is on the threshold of his stud career. His oldest progeny are now two-year-olds, and already , responsible for Salzach, winner of the V.A.T.C. Gwyn Nursery Handicap, and second to Mollison in the V.R C Hariby™on<l Trial; Clarion Call, winner of the V.R.C. Flemington Stakes; Ash Queen, beaten a head by a good sort in Narkv in the V.A.T.C. Mona Nursery Handicap; and others. A Sunstar horse Saltash is one of the best propositions at the stud in Australia. And when he can produce such as the Weltea colt. Then he has something tangible to support the contention he is able to sire something decent.

Just 26 years ago next October the Auckland Racing Club appointed Mr C. O Connor starter to the club, and the oecision made has indeed proved a happy one (says the Auckland writer “ Whalebone”). The position js *h-t -s always open to be faulted by people—and no critics can compare with racegoers in this respect, but it can honestly be said that from the day he first sent a held of horses away right through the intervening. 25 years Mr O'Connor has had the confidence of racin'* clubs owners trainers, riders, and the public Strict to the extent that he will stand no nonsense, Mr O’Connor was quickly recognised as a man who was fairness itself, and he himself says that he rarely, if ever, experiences any trouble. 1* ining riders is something fie does not indulge in. because there is no necessity for it. as there is such a complete understanding between himself and the riders. Following his appointment by the Auckland Racing Club, other

clubs selected Mr O’Connor, and to-day he acts for numerous racing and trotting clubs. Just as it is in Auckland, so it is elsewhere, and everyone is perfectly satisfied. The carrying out of his duties for nearly 26 years has necessitated much travelling, but in that long period only on one occasion was he unable to carry out his duties at the barrier. This was at the Wanganui Cup meeting 12 months last February. He officiated on the opening day, but that evening was taken ill, and the medico who was called in emphatically decided against Mr O’Connor being anywhere but in bed on the second day. Thus it happened that the one and only break occurred in his long career as a starter.

Considering bow successful the two-year-olds were in 40 years of the-All-Aged Stakes at Randwick, it appears strange (says “ Randwick ”) that presentday owners of that class fight shy of the mile race. Old-time trainers were not afraid to tackle the elder horses. Breisis was the first successful youngster. She was ridden by Peter St. Albans, who also got home on Bosworth and Avernus. Etna, Archie, Brown and Rose, and Astrea were all successful youngsters, while Matador made a dead-heat of it with Nelson, and beat him in the run off. There are also fewer triers, among the elder brigade to win the double —All-Aged and Cumberland Stakes. The added money to that double is now £5OOO. When Cai-bine accomplished the feat of landing both events in 1889. and again the following year, the added money was only £5OO to each race. That he went out without plates in 1891 for the mile race was in the opinion of the majority who witnessed the race the reason of his defeat by Marvel, who was easily beaten by the old champion in the Cumberland Stakes. However, there is no gainsaying the fact that Marvel was a great horse over a mile, and better over a distance than he got credit for. In 1894 he went close to winning the double, as after beating Loyalty and Carnage in the mile race he was only narrowly beaten by Titan in the Cumberland Stakes. Perhaps the greatest race we have witnessed for the Cumberland Stakes was that of 50 years ago (1875) between the great rivals of their day. Cap-a-pie and Chester. In the St. Leger W. Huxley on Cap-a-pie defeated Chester (Joe Morrison) by a head. Paddy Piggot, who could do the weight, was given the mount on Chester in the Stakes. It was a great set tn, which ended in a dead-heat which, of course, was run off, when Chester won by half a neck.