RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 56

RACING.

FIXTURES. May 17, 19.—Wanganui J'.C. May 26. —Ashburton County R.C. June 2, 4. —Otaki-Maori R.C. June 2,4, 6.—Dunedin J.C. June 2,4, G.—Auckland R.C. June 16.—Napier Park R.C. June 20.—Hawke's Bay Hunt Club. June 22, 23.—Hawke's Bay J.C. July 7.—Ashburton County R.C. July 10, 12, 14.—Wellington R.C. July 19.—Waimate District Hunt Club. July 21.—S. Canterbury Hunt Club. July 28.—Christchurch Hunt Club. July 26, 28.—Gisborne R.C. TALK OF THE DAY. By Sentinel. THE DUNEDIN WINTER MEETING. The Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting has become thoroughly established with many people as one of the most enjoyable fixtures held at our racing headquarters. The general run of sportsmen love to see some racing over hurdles and fences, and they can satisfy their appetite in that direction by patronising Wingatui during the three days of the winter meeting. There is no doubt that the Wingatui winter meeting, with favourable weather, ranks as a most enjoyable outing for a sportsman, and that being so, it is very pleasing to be able to record the fact that the nominations for this year’s meeting contain plenty of material to supply a god card for each day and maintain the popularity of the gathering. Of course everyone would like the nominations carrying more numerical strength, but it should not be forgotten that big fields do not necessarily mean good sport. Rather is it the quality of the runners and the manner in which form has been balanced which makes the sport. Of course chief interest in the meeting centres in the crosscountry racing, and there is a good prospect of satisfactory fields being sent out for battle between the flags. The Otago Steeples attracted 12 nominations, and the same number has been engaged in the Otago Hurdles. It cannot be said that a strong field has been engaged in either race, and in fact the response in that direction is a bit disappointing. Still, as previously remarked, there is sufficient material engaged to furnish good sport. A striking feature of the nominations is, as usual, found in the fact that the short distance races attracted much greater patronage than those decided over a longer course. Owners thus supply a strong hint to the club that they much prefer the short distance races, and make it obvious that some of the races could be shortened with advantage to the treasury department. A NEGLECTED CHANCE. It seems as if some of our owners and trainers miss an opportunity in not bestowing more attention and patronage on the Birthday Handicap. No doubt it is the distance attached to the race which is the stumbling block, but even so it will probably be the easiest race to win at the meeting. Those who are scared by the distance really show bad judgment, because, as a rule, a race over a mile and rr-half may not be ncarljas strenuous a task as one over eight or ten furlongs. Races decided over any distance from seven to ten furlongs are generally hard to win, because the pressure is on from end to end. Over a longer journey a false pace is not infrequently set, and the field becomes steadied by the fact that the journey dominates riding instructions, which very rarely send a horse out to win all the way. The New Zealand Cup field generally comes over the first half-mile under a strong pull, and thus the first part of the journey is the slowest portion of the race. The same remark applies to most races over distances, unless some of the riders lose control of their mounts, or ride them into the ground. Judging by the way they nominate their horses the majority of the present-day trainers do not believe that a mile and a-half race is easier to win than one over a mile, and whilst that is so the club would be wise w curtail the distance to meet the wishes of owners and trainers. From the writer’s point of view the Birthday Handicap represents a lost opportunity, particularly larly for horses which have been raced right through the season, and hence should be fit and ready to go any journey at the back end of the racing year. Such a race has also the dual value of supplying a line as to whether it would be worth while nominating for journey races during the now season. A COMMON FAULT. Trainers at this time of the year are generally busy in breaking and handling youngsters, and it is very interesting to make the acquaintance of the young thoroughbred who may possibly develop into the champion of the future. Breaking and handling youngsters and preparing to race them as two-year-olds requires’ far more knowledge than training a readymade horse that has been racing for two or j.hree seasons. The general run of horses are trained on a routine of slow and fast work, but many people who could train an old horse would ruin a young one. The common fault in handling and training youngsters is hurry. As soon as a youngster shows an inclination to gallop some trainers are anxious to try them for speed over a couple of furlongs. It is not the writer’s desire to teach trainers their business, but one cannot fail to note a common error and the apparently incurable anxiety to try a youngster. It may be laid down as a golden rule that the first extended gallop should be delayed as long as possible, and the longer it is delayed the better for

the horse and its future prospects. It is the common practice nowadays for trainers ou give youngsters their first gallop by sprinting them over two furlongs. That idea may be right or wrong, ana it is the latter if one is prepared to accept the opinion of such a world-wide authority as the date Air W. Day, whose “ Racehorse in training” ranks second to none as- a book on the handling of thoroughbreds. We are constantly bewailing the dearth of stayers, and the evil will continue to grow so long as trainers prepare horses on sprint preparations which teach them to go last but not very far. “ As a rule,” says W. Day, “ the training of the yearling 18 commenced by steadily cantering two oi three times daily short distances up to halt a mile. At this age horses should be allowed in exercise not to exceed, nor m trial go less, than this distance.” The gieat English authority trained his yearlings in a totallj' different manner to many °f the present-day trainers, who test taeir youngsters over a couple of furlongs. The latter method is apt to send a youngster speed crazv. and to ruin it as a racehorse. It may'be said that one of Lae fastest two-year-olds seen out during the season has failed to win a race, and the fact is very probably due to over and too early indulgence in' brief sprints. Sending a youngster at a nice striding gallop over half a mile until ready to be tried is a much better and saxef raetnod of training than watchbreaking sprints. In fact, the youngster that is tried too often and too soon is general]} found wanting unless he has a heart of steel and legs like iron. W. Day, ot course, was a strong believer in giving a horse plenty of work when it was ready tor it, and keeping it well tuned up with fast work in the final part of its preparation. * A CHRONIC COMPLAINT. It is doubtful if anyone can participate in or read a report of a race meeting w’t.iout noting that more or less inteiierence has taken place during the running. Frequent charges are made in connection with careless riding and crossing. and their constant repetition suggests that there lacking in the control of racing. This undesirable trequency of the same complaints should be made next door to impossible There is a frequent infliction of fines, cautions, or suspensions, but it is quite clear that punishment does not effect a cure. It is much the same in Australia as in this country, and it seems high time that a remedy should be found. It is quite safe to say that a majority of the cases of interference are unintentional. There is alp. ays a risk that the horse causin'/ interference may suffer more than the one interfered with, and as no rider wishes to court unnecessary trouble and a possible fall, the mishap may be attributed to a wrong method in ridiiw. there is no doubt that interference has considerably increased since the coniine of the crouch seat, and it is here that the remedy must be found at the seat of the trouble. It passes comprehension why young riders and even some with years of experience should be allowed to iiae two or three holes shorter than the best horsemen that can be found. It is quite common to see riders who can only fibke a winner, as it were, adopting a seat that is two or three holes shorter than die length used by such first-class Norsemen as F. E. Jones and C. Emerson. What is good enough for the best and most successful riders in the land should be eagerly copied by those who are learni'i g to xi lde ’ i 1118 tr ainers are more to blame than the novices in the saddle, but they seem to be as hopeless as the stipendiary stewards, who have allowed the rule giving them special authority to comP Bl ,. a r ! der . to lengthen his stirrup leathers to become practically a dead letter. If proper attention was paid to the matter riders would have more control over their mounts, and be able to steer a safer course instead of imparting an unnecessary risk to racing. THE SYDNEY SALES. This year there was not such a demand for yearlings, as regards numbers, as in n e 2f ht P revio ’J B years. Even before 1919 there were four occasions on which the 511 sold this year was eclipsed, but the average this Easter is better than any previous year, the 511 aggregating £137 345 as or an average of £269, which is £3O per lot better than any previous average. The greatest number of yearlings sold in , ■’’"„ ney \ n any P rev ious season was 696 in 1923, and since that year the 600 mark has always been well passed; so it is difficult to account for. the lesser demand this Easter, unless it can be ascribed to the tact that very few yearlings came here from the other states and New Zealand ‘ compared with previous years. However [ the number to reach four figures was larger this Easter than in anv other year and the 6750gns paid for the Saltash—- ” el tea colt will make the 1928 sales the most outstanding, for that is a record which is not likely to be beaten for some time. As usual, the Victorians were liberal buyers, the record-priced colt going to that State; but of the 21 four-figure lots 13 will remain here, while six go to X ictoria and two to Queensland The yearlings to bring lOOOgns and over are: — Ch c by * Saltash—Weltea : R E H ® n3Hope (S A.), J. Fell, F. Robinson; and E. M. Pearce (Vic.) . . 6750 Dr c by ‘Magpie—Charlcvflle: "J Baron," Sydney 4000 B c by ‘Valais—Black Battery : Mrs A. B. Nagel (Q.) 2 250 B c by ‘Caravel—‘Vicella : J. Scobie (Vic.) Q OOO B c by ‘Spearhead—‘Lady Victoria: W. Kelso, Sydney 2000 B c by ‘Magpie—Lacerta: C. T. Godby f Vic.) 2000 Br c by ‘Rossendale—‘Desna: G. Price, Sydney jeoo Br c by ‘Rossendale—‘Tregony : J. ISnright, Maitland 1600 Br c by ‘Caravel—Challenge: I. H. Andrews, Warwick Fann .. .. 1600

Br c ‘Rossendale—Smash : C. H. J. Schmidt (Q.) 1309 B c by ‘Saltash—Lute String: C. Denison, Sydney 1300 Ch c by ‘Top Gallant—‘Tandalc : C. Rudd, Sydney 1250 B f by ‘Top Gallant—Conceit: A. and •J. B. Sharpe and J. Taylor (Vic.) 1200 Blk c by ‘Rossendale—‘Scintilla : R. Walder, Sydney 1200 B c by ‘Valais—Three Cheers: E. M'Grath, Syuney 1200 Ch c by ‘Valais—Lady Egale: J. M‘Coy, Sydney 1200 Blk f by ‘Magpie—Winsome Queen : "A. T. Creswick (Vic.) 1200 Ch c by ‘Valais—Pamphlet: E. J. Watt, Sydney 1100 Ch c by ‘Orby's Pride—‘Helianthus : F. J. Marsden, Sydney 1000 Br f by ‘Caravel—Galtee Queen : D. Lewis, Sydney 1000 Ch £ by ‘Valais—Lady Capertee : G. T. Godby (Vic.)1000 ‘lmported. A GREAT GELDING. Limerick is, in our opinion, the greatest gelding that has come from the Dominion since Sasanof came across as a three-year-old in the spring of 1916. We are not forgetting (says the Australasian) Pilliewinkie and Gloaming (who, by • the way, was not New Zealand-bred), but in the case of the great son of The Welkin it will always stand against him that he never raced beyond a mile and a-half and never took part in a handicap. He was trained by a great mentor, whose task it was to race the gelding with the least possibility of defeat. Therefore Gloaming can be classed only within the ambit of the limitations placed upon him by those who knew him best. At weight for age up to a mile and a-half he was supreme—beyond that or in handicaps over any distance 110 marks can be scored in his favour. On the other hand, Limerick has emerged with honours in each kind of first-class flat race, over all distances, and in all conditions. Wet or fine, short or long distance, handicap, weight for age, or pseudo weight for age terms, all are alike to the son of Liinond. It was the same with Sasanof, who won the Melbourne Cup, which was postponed from the first Tuesday to the following Sn.turday, in November, 1916, owing to the heavy drenching Flemington had suffered. In his later years Sasanof measured strides with the best from six furlongs to two miles, under all conditions, and added lustre to his already brilliant record. Another great Now Zealand gelding in recent years is The Hawk, but only up to a middle distance. On the other hand, Limerick’s halfbrother Ballymena needed a distance to exhibit his sterling powers. With Gloaming will always be recalled his worthy rival Beauford, alsq a gelding. Like Gloaming. Beauford was one of the mighty up to a mile and a-half —but beyond that blank enigma. THE MORAL ISSUE. "With regard to the moral issue, there is what is called the doctrine of ‘ the unelean thing? That is the doctrine which has become dominant with regard to liquor legislation in the United States of America, that the State must in no way touch ‘ the unclean thing? but should prohibit it by measures of police, and in no circumstances derive any advantage from it. It is a very important and respectable body of doctrine. In practice, we have no reason to suppose,” said Air Churchill, in the debate on the Betting Act. “ that it has worked out better than the view which has prevailed in this island, that you should tax and not prohibit, that you should regulate this form of luxury consumption and not hesitate to take a profit to the State if in so doing you are also able to diminish the evil. The result certainly has been here that we have an immense though steadily-diminishing revenue from liquor, and that we have respect for the law, and an immense diminution of crimes and diseases due to drunkenness.” On the whole, he believed that modern opinion was in favour of the second of these two views. If they left that main issue on one side, they came to the question of method, the question whether there was any distinction between a gang of bookmakers shouting in a ring and this totalisator electrically worked. There was no moral distinction between the two. After all, everyone did not agree with capital punishment. Some might think it right, and some might think it wrong, but if they decided in favour of capital punishment, it was a very minor question as to whether you should chop a man’s head off with an axe or use the machinery of the guillotine. In this case, as in others, he was in favour of the machine. . When he was told that this was a horrible method which is to be introduced, he was bound to say, if it was so very horrible, he was astonished that it was already in operation in every important country in Europe and in the dominions of the British Crown, including India. A NEW TOTE. The following extract from the London Daily A'lirror should be of interest to the New Zealand Racing Association and the sporting public:—“An almost human totalisator that cannot make mistakes, is fraud-proof and fool-proof, can deliver tickets at the rate of one a second, and is portable, has been invented by Air R. Wallace, of British Automatic Totalisators. Ltd., of Wardour street, W. This wonderful machine, which has been inspected and commended by officials of the Jockey Club, is the result of many years’ experiments by Air Wallace in his search for the totalisator which ‘ cannot go wrong? On a racecourse the headquarters of this tote will be a huge indicator showing the number of bets made on each horse, while as many registers as are necessary can be placed around the course, where bets can be made. The registers are all electrically connected with the indicator, and immediately a bet is made it is automatically recorded on the indicator... Witn this system it is possible to handle 40,000 or more bets for each race, while the apparatus is so simple that it can be dismantled and carted from one course to another. An ingenious scheme has been adopted to foil swindlers. Each ticket is printed in four colours, which can be altered by the pressure of a lever at the operator’s keyboard. These colours can therefore be varied at will for each race,

thus eliminating the possibility of forgery. Immediately the race is over the di, ,u- mis payable to backers can be announced on the board, no estimation by any human agency being necessary. In fact, the only part of the machine which can go wrong or make mistakes is the operator himself, and as his job is merely to press keyg like those on a typewriter, it is unlikely that there will be many mistakes even ip this quarter.” There does not appear from the reading that there is a great deal of difference in principle between this English machine and that at present in use on up-to-date New Zealand courses, with the exception that it is portable. The change of colour (comments an exchange) in the ticket at the will of the operator strikes one as an important 'advance, as 1 •^ ew Zealand machine the ticket rolls have to be printed beforehand, and there have been occasions upon which fraudulent use has been made of these tickets. With ‘a colour scheme that can be altered in an instant, it would be possible to delay the colour combination until the last moment, and fraud under such circumstances would appear almost impossible. The estimation of the dividends without human agency, which must include the subtraction of the betting tax, is a claim unon which a little more information would be interesting.

IN A NUTSHELL.

Stormy is to be given a chance to make a name as a hurdler. They are very modern in England. The Betting Act of 1853 still rules. About 20 rising two-year-olds are being handled by Wingatui trainers. The recently defunct Linacre sired winners of 268,00050 vs in stakes. Alalster is considered one of the greatest sires Australia has ever known. He sired winners of 290,16350v5. A Kilrain gelding in J. B. Pearson’s stable has been responsible for some particularly good schooling over fences. J. Feilder will shortly take possession of a new range of stabling supplying eight boxes and the usual accommodation. Tintoretto, who ran second to Thorndaje at Ashburton, may be raced over jurnps" during the winter meetings. A vote taken at Newmarket on the totalisator resulted in 1719 against, and only 59 in favour of- the machine. W hat are the races which have dominated England since the invasion of the Romans?—The Derby and Grand National. Banjuke, who was one of the most promising, ’chasers seen out last season, is now said to be “ tupped in the wind.” Battlement has rejoined C. Gieseler’s stable, with the object of getting him ready for another campaign on the turf. A rather likely looking sort in work at M ingatui is a gelding by Solferino from Aliss Camouflage. He should be named Disguise. Lochella continues to school well and stand up to nice striding work. It is understood that he will be shipped to Australia early next month. An effort made by the Waimate Hunt Club to revive hunting in the North Otago district has been tried, and considered a failure. Dunblane has furnished out since he was.last seen in public. He seems to be netting less pea cocky with age. and should develop into a rather useful threc-vear-old. Booster has built up a little since lie ran at the Timaru meeting. He is now so high un in the weights over a short course that his best chance seems to be a try- over a distance. Fares on some of the excursion trains to race meetinns and football matches in England work out at a little over thrre miles for a penny. A t ain ride of 1136 miles can be obtained for 30s. One of the latest importations to Australia is a horse named Gay Shield, who was not bv Gay Crusader from Cinna. by Polymelias from Baroness La Fleche. by Ladas—La Fleche. One or the most promising youngsters sold at the Sydney sales is said to be a filly ta- Magni'e from Ecstasy, a mare by Jhe Welkin from Brassolette, the dam of Krmrßr, W-'-nl.-ie. Lochella, Black Duke, ami Lilt are booked for shipment to Melbourne in June. Wharncliffo would have been ineh’dod. but negotiations for his purchase fell through. Several names could Im suggested for the Sunny Comer filly—Duplicate. Warmth (used in the sense of bmng eomfortablv.sunnHcd with the world’s riches and sit in (he sun), Sunnyside. Equator, and Cosy Corner.

One of the best-named horses racing in Fno-Und is this year’s winner of the Brocklesbv Stakes, one of th" first two-year-old recre of the season. He jc a colt irnmoj Alurphy. and was got by Pomnie de Terre. Tim Farewell Handican at Ashburton loolr-id to ho next door to a gift on nanar for Gay Sonnet, and she won. b”t onlv hv a narow marcin from Gold Mint who has been running some good but unlucky races. The Liverpool Grand National winner Tinnorai-v Tim was rot bv Cinaimo, a son of St. Frusouin. Dav Comet (at present in Auckland), who sired Double Chance the winner of 1925, was also got by St. Frusquin. Flamingo, the winner of this vear’a Two Thousand Guineas, was <mt hv Flamboyant front Ladv Perecrine. by White Earle Lisma, bv Persimmon. Flarnino-n noct 1800erns as a yearling, and is deserib°d as a very likely candidate for the Derby.

One of the barrains sold under the hammer this year is likely to be provided 111 the shape of a Paper Monev—Sunny Comer fillv nicked nn at the November sales. She has joined C. Gieseler’s stable, and looi-« like a galloper. The Sunny Comer filly is the surviver of twins. Black Duke is anioncst the entries for some of the six-furlong races on the Auckland winter programme. He is a slow beginner, and in a big fie’d running over a short course is thus eonmd''rnhlv below what some might deem his chance on paper.

Decision has developed into an excellent fencer, but unfortunately is a “ roarer,” so that his chance of success over a long course is hopeless unless a truniph of the veterinary art is achieved, such as that which enabled Tipperary Tim to win this year’s Grand National Steeplechase. Tlie London Stock Exchange sweep on the English Derby has already been dosed, notwithstanding the race will not be run until Wednesday, June 6. Over £500.000 was subscribed, and it-'ffs probable first prize this year will be over £lOO,OOO, against £50.000 last year. Ten per cent, goes to charities. The first Stock Exchange sweep was run in 1902, and its value was £lOO. Alalmsey was running on at the end of both her races at Tiniam, and hence it was not a surprise to find her winning over a mile at Ashburton. Alalmsey may, and very likely will, develop better form. She was got by Clarenceux from Charinilla, by Charlemagne II from Armilla, by Castor—Necklace, by Alusket— Locket. Bred on such lines Alalmsey should stay and win a good race decided over a distance. Alore than £500,000, it is anticipated, will have been subscribed into the Stock Exchange Afptual Subscription Fund in connection with the Derby. This is double last year’s total, which was then said to be a record. It is expected that the first prize this year will be increased from last year’s figure of £75,000 to over £lOO,OOO, and that the second, third, and fourth prizes of £35.000, £20.000, and £lO.OOO will be raised proportionately. The controlling powers of the Auckland Racing Club do not sem to be swayed by sentiment. There is only one race on the winter programme run over a mile and aquarter. The next journey is only a mile. ±he Dunedin J.C., with considerably less financial attraction, asks owners to run horses over a mile and a-half and also a mile and a quarter. This is one of the obvious facts which shows the necessity of some new blood on the D.J.C. Committee. A club must be run on common-sense lines. We agree (says the Field) that the hunter should not be too short in the back, our experience being that the very short backed horse, no matter how clever he may be, is at times too much of an up and down jumper, and does not spread himself sufficiently. We had a long expel ience ot two such horses, who were wonderlul at high timber and walls, but both screwed as they jumped, and both had to make an extra effort to get over a wide obstacle. It is stated that Mr G. A. Reid mav take his objection to the owner of White <<.'V' S Peee i v ing the stakes for the Onslow Stakes at the last Auckland meeting to the New Zealand Racing Conference. It will be. remembered that Lucy Rose ran second in the event, and the objection is based on the ground that it is alleged the owner of White VJings did not supervise the training of the filly in order to qualify as owner-trainer. Air Reid lost his appeal before the District Committee. The Kentucky Derbv. which is the richest race on the American turf will it is assessed, this year be worth £13,000, of which sum £ll,OOO will go to the owner ot the winner. An interesting feature in connection with the Kentuckv Derby is that nominations do not close until three months before the date of the 4.1 e^ect of this procedure is that toe three-year-olds have something to recommend them on form, or are garded as promising enough to encourage nomination. Races like the A. J.C. Hurdles or Steeplechase in June would tickle the fancy of English owners. The added money for each is £2OOO. and the only charge associated with entry is £l, which is treated as a forfeit if a hors/ 1 is scratched, and goes to the stake, as does the £lO sweepstakes for starters. Last year (says “Pilot”) first money for the hurdle race, for which there were onlv seven starters, was £1362, which was a nice bet to a “ tenner.” especially as there was also £5OO for second and £250 for third. The presence of Air Howard Bruce's American steeplechaser Billy Barton in this 5 ear s .Grand National was responsible for a big influx of visitors to England from the United. States and from Canada. Accommodation in Liverpool was limited, and the various steamship companies made arramzerrnntg for their passengers to stay ?> n .fi° a £> d -> the 11 - n<?r3 ' T[le Canadian 1 dcific CJonipanv niadv? arranireinents for passengers who so desired "to be accommodated on board the Alontcalm .on the Thursday night before the Grand National was run. Lord Woolavington. the well-known English owner, has offered the Ontario -Jockey Club a cun of the value of 100 cumeas for competition. It is to bo won three times by the same owner before becoming his property, and is to be raced for by horses foaled in Canada. It is not an offer over which Canadian owners can. well entajisp. Under the conditions mentioned. Moolavinston Cups will not become too common, but. if that is what is boiiur guarded asrainst. a sHmilatinn of two wins bv one owner would probably have been better apnreciatarl. The cost of racing in England’ is. as a rule, a heavy drag on owners, but those who rare jumpers had a taste of comparatively cheap snort for good prizes at Cheltenham in Alarch. The afl/tad monev for the three da vs was £lO.OOO. and the cost of running in anv race did not orered 2 per cent. The management had no cause to regret launching out, as there were heai-y entries for every race, and it retained nomination ami acceptance fees. There was a. big return in that direction, but even then the position was much better for owners than usual. The other day when an apprentice was having his first ride he iubilantly mentioned the fact (says a Sydney paner), and was highly nleased when one of the experienced jockeys said. “ Don’t be nervous; I’ll look after vou.” The youngster duly rode, and after ffle race remarked to his employer: “You know that chan who said he’d look after me. Well, he did. As soon as the barrier went up he ran his mount under the neck of my horse, and T had to almost null tin.” /That ' VOIITICTRi'.AV IS TIOW flip r'’vr»vpccj'OTi “ T 11 look after you ” can be taken more tvays than one.

Some « horses, though continuously raced, last in surprising fashion. One of these is Swiftshot, winner of the second division of the Kensington Handicap on Saturday last. He was foaled in 1916, being the first foal thrown by Cibarious. As a two-year-old Swiftshot started 12 times, winning twice. The following season he had 21 runs, but notwithstanding he did not have exactly an easy time in his youthful days, and is rising 12, he is still able to pay expenses. Among the important races in which Swiftshot ran at “ horse ” meetings were two Doncaster Handicaps. In the second one he carried 8.12. Red Jazz, who won at Ashburton, shaped promisingly in the earlier part of the season. She finished third to Childsplay and Noteworthy in the M'Lcan Stakes, with 15 others behind her. Red Jazz was second to Nightmarch in the Juvenile Handicap, and at the Timaru autumn meeting was noticed to be running through the field after getting badly away in the Electric Stakes. She was got by Soiferino from Tango, by Vasco —Stepka, by St. Leger—Stepfeldt, a sister to Stepniak, and the dam of Bobadil. Like most of her sire’s stock, Red Jazz should improve, as they generally benefit by time, and she holds a good prospective value for the stud. At a jumping meeting at Hawthorn Hill (England) in March, the rider of the second horse, Galateen, weighed in 71b over, after a steeplechase, and was disqualified. The race was won by the odds-on favourite Sans Blague. The excuse of the amateur who rode Galateen was that he inadvertently picked up the wrong saddle when leaving the weighing room. The stewards accepted the explanation, but told him to be more careful in future. That rider must have been fearfully excited, or must have had no sense of weight, when he could not tell the difference on picking up a saddle -weighing 71b more than the one with which he weighed out. An English paper published the reasons why various members of the House of Commons were opposing the Bill to legalise the totalisator in England: “That it is class legislation, discriminating against the poor man. That it creates a huge monopoly in a few private hands, without any adequate Government control or regulation. That it provides for the deduction of a large percentage of the backings before the distribution of the winnings. That it will sidetrack altogether the more important question of the legalisation of all ready-money betting. That it will dislocate racing—at least, during the transitional period, if not permanently.” There can be no greater nonsense than to represent British horse racing as the sport of the rich and British greyhound racing as the sport of the poor, nor can a Labour representative do more disservice to the working men of this country than by any chance observation thrown out in the course of the debate by wishing to see the extension of these animated roulette boards which working men and all classes in some of the poorest districts would be tempted to attend not in daylight hours but night after night, what is nothing less than a casino. We consider that horse racing (said a member of the House of Commons in the debate on the Betting Act) by long custom and tradition, stands in a different position to other forms of sport, and it is one in which all portions of the country participate. A move in the right direction was made by the A.J.C. at its recent monthly meeting, when it was decided “that in future apprentices applying for permission to ride in races will be required to ride to the satisfaction of the stipendiary stewards in at least two trials from a barrier start in fields of not less than six horses.” The stewards should also be empowered (says “ Musket ”) to make the apprentices ride wtih longer stirrups than some of them adopt. That style of riding is all very well with experienced horsemen, but with young apprentices it often leads to their having no control over their mounts, with the result that every now and then some of them are suspended from riding for ’allowing their mounts to interfere with other competitors. No doubt the “crouch seat” allows a horse to travel faster than did the old method: but it can be overdone, and so become dangerous.

It seems only the other day (says “Pilot”) we were extolling Trivaive as the Derby and Melbourne Cun winner, and already we are less than five weeks away from the closing of entries for the big handicaps of next spring. They will scarcely have closed before some enterprising pressman will be giving us the order in which the horses are fancied in the betting. This always strikes me as unfair procedure, as it directs the attention of handicappers to certain horses. It is all very well to say handicappers do not take any notice of these alleged fancies. They are quite aware they are. in most instances. bookmakers’ selections, and the Im- ses do not owe their places in the lists to •■ml business done on their behalf. >’”ve. 'lieless. a candidate wired to various States the popular pick before the anpearm -e of the weights will, when they a--' i-’uod. ra’-ely be found to have received ices than it could possibly have been anport. med.

Our London correspondent, writing on March 20, mentions that Mr B. Davis (a former re,»i«mt of Auckland) won the Canwiek Maiden Plate, on the first day of the flat-racing season at Lincoln, with Dark Lantern IT. hr. c. by Dark Legend— Shining Way. by Oppressor. Mr Davis, who lives at Frampton, near Tunbridge Wells, purchased the son of Dark Legend iii France, and his outing at Lincoln was his first acquaintance with a racecourse. The Canwick Maiden Plate is a mile event, for which there were 16 runners. The Sporting Life remarks: " W. Balding, who used to be attached to the late Bert Lines’s stable, now looks like having the chance he deserves to regain his old position amongst present-day jockeys, as it is understood that Mr Davis intends to increase his patronage by buying some more horses.” Another quondam Auckland resident, Mr H. C. Miller, ran five horses during the three-days’ Lincoln meeting—Hatamen, Nidit Bell filly (by Bridge of Earn). Subduer, June Clover, and Maoriland.

Discussing the attitude of the law towards betting, Mr Churchill said betting was not illegal in itself, but Parliament had made it illegal in certain conditions. Betting was not illegal on a racecourse, either for cash or on credit, unless it was carried on in sucli a way as to involve the creation of a house, an office, a room, or “ another place " within the meaning of the Betting Act, 1853.' The courts had decided that if a bookmaker had a post driven into the ground where he could hang his sachel he was acting in an illegal manner, but if he had a post that was not driven into the ground he was acting in a perfectly legal manner. That looked rather like gambling. In no other country in the world were the betting laws in such a fantastic and ridiculous condition as in this country. The recognised authorities asked Parliament to help them to bring order out of chaos, and control to a situation that was now out of control. There ould be places alloted on the racecourses to the bookmakers, who would continue to °l ,e . r ®t e a s at present, only under far more satisfactory conditions to themselves. Captain J. Crawford told an Adelaide interviewer that he regarded Win.'Jot as the best colt in Australia. On what Captain Crawford saw at the A.J.C. autumn meeting his opinion is quite correct, but I fancy (says “Pilot”) that if he had been present at the Melbourne Cup meeting, Trivalve would have impressed hun even more favourably. Winalot won the Sydney Cup with weight-for-age. and. while Trivalve was only similarly weighted in the Melbourne Cup, he met a much stronger field. When questioned as to how he thought Trivaive would shape in an Ascot Gold Cup, Captain Crawford said it would be difficult to make a comparison oety een English and Australian horses, owing to, racing conditions and courses being entirely different. Apart from its cii cumfei eiice being slightly over three and a-half furlongs greater, and the straight mu home in long races three furlongs, the Ascot course more resembles Randwick in shape than any other track of importance in England. The run home, however, is very trying, being uphill, and in order to win a long race at A a horse has to be a genuine stayer. Under the new system of granting permits to apprentices it is necessary that aspirants submit themselves to two tests from the barrier in the presence of the stipendiary stewards. While the new system of granting permits to apprentices'is a distinct improvement on the system previously in vogue, the question has cropped up (says the Sydney Referee) whether a further advance could not be effected. It has been suggested that a board, consisting of three trainers, could be saddled with the responsibility of granting permits. These trainers would be advised to keep their eye on an applicant for a period of a month. At the end of that time the board would be fullv conversant with the ability of the boy. and a permit would then be granted or refused according to the circumstances. Advocates th this system maintain that thiee leading trainers would be more conversant with a boy's ability after he had been under observation for a month than the stipendiary stewards after witnessing rwo despatches from the barrier. By tluZ system it is contended that a mishap that might well happen a rider in Pike's classlie may be on a fractious horse or he maybe left—would not militate against the prospects of a young rider.

In England, as well as in other parts of the world there are old-timers wiio assert that the horses of their youth had more stamina than those of the present day. This is an argument that will (says " Musket”') never die, and 1 dare say in another 40 years’ time the Australian youth of to-day, who will be oldiiniers then, will be combating the suggestion that the champions of 1.968 were V? V ie i S! i ,l ? e cJpss us Windbag, Gloaming, I oitrel, Limerick, Manfred. Heroic, Moiison, amt the other equine stars which have graced the turf during the last 10 years. Apparently an argument on this subject has been waging in England recently, tor ‘ Mankato,” the turf scribe ot the Sporting Chronicle, has taken up tic cudgels on behalf of the present-dav thoroughbred, and, by way of rebutta’l they are a degenerate race, points out that ;>0 years ago horses four .years old and upwards were so few anil infirm that of the 25 runners for the Cesarewitch, two miles three furlongs 85 vards. no fewer than 16 were three-year-olds’ and they supplied the three placed horses, this year, on the other hand, 25 of the 30 runners in the Cesarewitch were four years old or more, and they furnished the placed horses.

What gives trickiness, fair or unfair, to the Canal Turn,’ says “ Hotspur ” of the Daily Telegraph, “is that horses have not oniy to make the right sort of leap, but, immediately on landing they must bend sharp,leit-handed. There is no question of a graduated turn. As soon as a horse lands safely he is pulled to the left. 1 suppose it would be regarded as poor sportsmanship to make a serious suggestion that the position of this fence be altered, either by bringing it forward or by doing away with it altogether. If the latter course were to be adopted there might be a graduated bend, instead of the sharp left-angle one which has been in existence througn the ages. How can the size of the field be reduced to reasonable proportions? The victory of Tipperary Tim will not help toward that end, however desirable it may be. Rather may it have a stimulating effect, for what this humble, tubed horse has shown to be possible will be thought possible of other humble inhabitants of the steeplechasing world.” After the race, Mr Dodd said: ‘ Iho only reason why he was entered for the Grand National was that although he has no speed, he never falls’ Last autumn he became affected in his wind, and in January I had him tubed which improved him immensely. I have been training for about 20 years, and it has been the dream of my life to saddle a Grand National winner.”

The death of Mr William Charles Quinton, at West Maitland, recalls an incident unique in racing history (says “Pilot”), when three horses twice dead-heated. It was at the Moorefield meeting on October 17, 1903—Mr Quinton was the handicapper —that Highflyer, Barindi, and Loch Lochie finished level in the mile and a-quarter race. The three owners were not favourable to a division, and there was a runoff. Again the judge whs unable to

separate them, and this time all three owners divided. Mr Quinton issued the weights for the Rosehill (.'up on June 19. 1897, when there was a field of 43, and there were seven other horses for which riders could not be found. Mr Quinton was appointed handicapper to the Wallsend Jockey Club in 1876. and continued in the office until 1924, when he was 81. In 1892 he succeeded Mr Starr as handicapper for the Rosehill, Canterbury Park, Moorfield, Warwick Farm, and Hawkesbury Clubs, resigning from those bodies after 15 years on account of his health. During his career he was engaged as handicapper for 84 different clubs, including all in the Newcastle and Maitland districts, many in other parts of New South Wales, and in Queensland. He was born at Vest Maitland, and was 85 years of age. For six years he was an alderman of West Maitland, and for' 25 years secretary to the Agricultural Association. One of his sons is Mr W. C. Quinton, Northern Area railway commissioner.

In trance the fact of being a breeder of thoroughbreds carries privileges unthought of in England or Australia. In “ Faraway’s ” contribution to Horse and Hound (London) is the following: “ Any breeder who breeds to three or more marcs in this country receives at the beginning of each year a free pass, which entitles him to a maximum of 40 days’ racing free on the principal racecourses. I believe that the maximum number of mares which are necessary to obtain the full concession of 40 free admissions to meetings is 10, but anyone breeding from three mares or upwards obtains 16 days’ racing free, and the card will entitle him (or her) to accommodation in the owners’ stand and enclosure at all meetings. The obvious advantage to the small breeder is that he curtails his racing expenses, and is frequently a useful customer after the claiming and selling races, as he will, on occasion, take a fancy to some wellbred mare in this class of event, and is enabled to follow racing far more closely than if he stayed at home. Moreover, he is enabled to judge the form of animals according to their breeding, and also their conformation, etc. Both the owners’ and breeders’ entrance cards are such small concessions, and yet mean so much in encouraging owners' and breeders, that it is hard to realise that English racing companies have so long remained in the rut and not looked around for fresh means of attracting new owners and also breeders.”

In France the racing societies are fighting strongly against the introduction of greyhound racing. A little while ago the Commission of Agriculture attached to the Senate summoned the representatives of the three principal racing companies to appear and state their objections to the proposed legalisation in favour of greyhound racing. Prince Murat said that it should not be allowed to take place at the same time as horse racing, as it would cause enormous injury to the latter. Mr Cavilion, president of the 'Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, called the attention of the commission to the injury which greyhound .racing would not fail to bring to horseracing if the former took place at the same time as horse-racing. In the event of its taking place at any other time, for instance the evening, it would not be any less fatal to the public interest, as it would drain Parisian savings towards the gaming gulf. In fact, greyhound racing taking place in the evening or at night would attract principally a public composed of employees and workmen occupied during the rest of the day. Mr Cavilion demonstrated that the introduction into France of greyhound racing would ruin horse racing, and especially provincial racing societies. The proposed law should be set aside, as breeding and the racing societies were finding themselves in a position already very difficult, and owners running horses were losing regularly sixty niililon francs a year. The appended table from the Bloodstock Review gives the first 12 sires of dams of winners in England for 1927. The horse with by far the best percentage is the American-bred Orby, by Orme — Rhoda 8.. who has 69 brood mares in the Stud Book, and 31 of these produced winners of 49 races. Regarding thp value of stakes, the St. Simon horse Chaucer was the most successful, 15 of his 66 daughters' progeny winning 25 races worth £31,515. Colorado contributed £17.725, Scapa Flow £6390, and Selene £3320, or £27,435 of the total. Dark Ronald, who is second with £28.466 to his credit, has the exceptional filly Book Law to thank for £27,745 of this amount; and the foundation of fourth position, held by Bachelor's Double, was laid by Call Boy, the winner of the Derby, whose earnings amount to £14.685. or about two-thirds of the total of £23,844 10s. William the Thi-d. another son of St. Simon, is fifth with £20,123, more than half of nv. I'auin <1 in when Adam’s Apple won the Two Thousand. The first 12 sires of successful matrons are:—

Whether Mollison will or will not stay continues to provoke a deal of comment. The fact of Mr Pearce having decided he is not to be an entrant for the Melbourne Cup has thrown doubt upon him as a distance horse, but (says an exchange) in that connection the probabilities are that Mr Pearce really does not know much more concerning him than the average close follower of racing. Mollison has won at each start, has displayed more pace than his opponents, and at Randwick came home better than any of his followers in either the Sirc=’ P-om,™ Stakes or Champagne Stakes. I have seen other two-year-olds win at seven furlongs and a mile, and then fail to stay the following season, but there is. really no sound reason for supposing it will be so with Mollison. Although his brilliance is so marked, he is not a tear-away customer, and his rider will not have to pull him about to keep back with the other

runners in the Derby. Mollison may not stay, but how many of his probable opponents have shown they are more likely to do so? The Gay Mutineer was the only youngster able to make a race of it with him in any of his Autumn engagements. Besides, as I have repeatedly written, a horse does not need to be really gi'eat at a mile and a half to win a Derby. I can recall a Derby winner or . a t a .t tour or five years did not shine in mile and a-half handicaps, even when they appeared to be favourably weighted. On Derby terms, however, their P a S e .' tn conjunction with weight-carrying ability, lias given them an advantage over horses of their own age. Furious won a Victoria Derby and V.R.C. St. Leger, but, despite that, she was probably better suited by a mile and a-quarter, or, at most, 11 furlongs, than anything further.

Thoroughbreds were never more valuable in America than at present, and when 69 racehorses in training, yearlings, and brood mares, in the estate of the late J. C. Brady, of New York, were sold last month, the average was £1125. The highest price was £6600. for the eight-year-old mare Audit, by Tracery from Squander. She was in foal to Epinard. and was bought for England, her purchaser being Lord Woolavington. Next in order came a two-year-old Man o’ War colt, named Hard Tack, at £5OOO. He is out of a Rock Sand mare. The mares Petronella (Bachelor's Double— Dancing Dora) and War Feathers (Man o’War-Tuscan Red) each realised £4OOO. War Feathers, who is a four-vear-old, was sold as a yearling for £lO,OOO. The four-year-old racehorse "V alorous (Pennant Courage), for whom Mr Brady was reported to have paid £20.000 last year, was sold for £3200. A two-year-old filly by Eilangowan from Audit (whose sale has already been mentioned) was knocked down to Mrs J. D. Hertz at £3lOO. That lady is the owner of Anna Peabody and Reigh Count, Americas champion two-year-olds of last season. Another two-year-old. Sir Langdon (Langdon Hills— Lady Mother) was sold for £3200. being bought by Mrs Payne Whitney, who also purchased Petronella. Her outlay at the sale was about £9OOO. The five-vear-old brood mare, Helvetia, made £3OOO, and the most for a yearling was £2600. J A Morris giving that for a colt bv St' James. Yearlings should sell well in America, seeing the added money for each ot two three-year-old races alone—the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness —is £lO,OOO (not dollars). They are run shortly after each other. Then there are various other rich three-year-old races as the season progresses.

No. of Mares No. of in WinRaces G.S.B. ners. Won. Value. 1. Chaucer 66 15 25 £31,515 2. Dark Ronald 30 4 10% 28,466 3. Orby .. .. 69 31 49 24,133 4. Bachelor’s Double 45 14 27 23,844% 5. William the Third 76 23 29% 20,123 6. John o' Gaunt 59 16 30% 17,717% 7. Polymelus .. 78 24 30% 17,689% 8. Gallinule 63 14 19% 15,726% 9. Sundrldge .. 46 15 27 15,139 10. Sunstar 107 29 39 15,025 11. Swynford 61 19 30 14,984 12. Tredennls .. 67 21 41% 14,090%