RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 54

RACING.

By

FIXTURES. 1929. March 6, 7.—Rangitikei. March 8, 9.—Napier. March 9.—Franklin. March 14.—Waimate. March 16.—Opunake. March 16, 18.—Wellington. March 16.—Otautau. March 16, 18.—Ohinemuri. March 19, 20.—Southland. TALK OF THE DAY.

Sentinel.

“MAKING A STAYER.” At different times during past years the writer has claimed that- the alleged dearth of stayers is more apparent than real. The so-called dearth, is due, in the writer’s opinion, to the great lack of opportunity to display stamina and, more important still, to the present-day method which the average trainer adopts when, on a rare occasion, he is preparing a horse for the New Zealand Cup. In fact, there seems to be a danger that the right way to prepare a horse for a journey will become a lost art. To find a reason for that statement, it is necessary to go to the base of the situation. Without the slightest desire to disparage the intelligence of the average trainer of today it can safely be said that many of them are lacking. in education because, unfortunately for them, they had not the opportunity, through becoming connected with racing from early boyhood, to learn, and they were riding horses instead of being at a desk at school. Hence, we find some' of them more cunning than clever, and training by rule of thumb and getting horses fit by a fluke rather than by a premeditated course of training. So much so is that the case that it is quite common to read or hear a statement by sporting scribes that such—and such a horse requires a race or two to get him fit. Seemingly it has become an accepted idea that a horse cannot be got thoroughly fit without being raced into condition. The fact remains, however, that some of the best horses the world has ever known proved .themselves on the very first occasion on which they were asked to carry silk. Some few weeks ago the writer drew attention to the different methods adopted by trainers in getting a horse ready to race over three or four miles of country and the opposite ideas used in training a horse for the more severe task of winning a New Zealand Cup. It was pointed out that if good striding work at, say, threequarter pace could make a non-stayer on the flat win a long distance race over hurdles ’ and fences, then the same methods should be re-adopted with training horses that are required to race over a distance on the flat. The writer is

far from being alone in that opinion. In England many of the principal trainers are men who have had the cobwebs

Swept out of their brains by the college or high school education necessary to develop the logical mind. If anyone is sufficiently interested, he will find by a study of the training notes in the English sporting papers that horses with engagements in races decided over a distance

are worked over the distance of the race, even if it travels as far as the Grand National Steeplechase. ' It is quite common to read that a horse engaged in the Derby or St. Leger “ came a nice striding gallop” over the distance of the race. By doing so they teach a horse to stay. They train a horse in England, but in this part of the world they merely gallop them. I am, in point of fact, a disciple of William Day, who realised that a fat horse will never go very far. In England horses are trained and seldom sent a “ stripped gallop ” until they are tried. In this part of the world they are galloped three times or more a week as fast as they can 'travel,' or raced from meeting to meeting until all the world knows the form to an ounce instead of it being the sole property of the owner and trainer. It is quite possible that in the rush around, necessary in reporting racing and trotting meetings that take place between Southland and Wellington the writer has not had the time to polish opinions and express them with sufficient clarity to penetrate some minds. The writer, however, stands solid to the . opinion that, the alleged dearth of stayers is due to lack of opportunity, too much racing over short distances, and, primari ily, to the fact that the “old school” .who knew that a fat horse would not go far has very few. and a diminishing list of disciples. It is not altogether the writer’s fault if some readers misinterpret and fail to grasp the general idea of a note, and build up a case on a totally different idea from what the writer intended to convey. “Warrawee/’ who holds the very important position of conducting the breeding column of the Sydney Referee, fails to grasp the writer’s meaning, and proves it by saying that. “ with all due respect to the writer (“Sentinel”) quoted, we submit that the analogy drawn is fallacious.” What on earth is fallacious about drawing attention to thte fact that apparent non-stayers on the flat can be trained to win over hurdles and fences, and, inciden-

tally, two or three times more than the distances over which they could score on the flat. Such horses may be stayers trained by army methods. “ Warrawee ” wanders into side issues about stock horses, etc., and so gets away or loses the main point under consideration. He quotes cases and horses that have absolutely nothing to do with the theme in the writer’s mind. Posinatus, for instance, the slowest Melbourne Cup winner in the last quarter of a century, and apparently a fluke win because the field adopted the pace set by the leader. Does “ Warrauoe” „ one . m °ment ever think that " Sentinel claimed Posinatus to be a stayer? I could tell him why he should be a stayer under a light weight. In the note on which “Warrawee” picks up the writer about making a stayer it is said: When a horse is being converted trom a flat racer to a jumper, the modern methods of training are to a great ex* tent completely changed. Nowadays they gallop a horse required for the N.Z. Cup about a mile and a-quarter in his fast work, but a jumper is sent over far more ground at half to strong three-quarter Pace. Hence trainers adopt two methods ot making and training a stayer.” Read that again. There is nothing to say there that a non-stayer can be converted into a stayer, but simply that the methods of helping to make a stayer stav are generally wrong. Dr Stewart M‘Kay, who is said to be the authority of racing and breeding in Australia, falls into the same error made by “Warrawee,” and writes most interestingly about the subject in ir.-r/latest Sydney Referee to hand. Dr M Kay enlarges on side issues in much the same manner as “Warrawee.” and in lus theoretical arrogance states that the Otago writer has fallen into the error of supposing that because a horse can run two miles in 3.40 he has become a stayer. He does not really understand the meaning of the word stayer.” In a lengthy article published on July 12, 1928, Dr M‘Kay really supports the writer’s opinion about training making the stayer and being necessary.to the stayer’s developnient. He wrote on that occasion: “ There is an insane _ notion that still remains firmly rooted in the minds of some trainers that they can make a non-stayer into a stayer by giving him a large amount of long-distance work.” In that sentence Dr M‘Kay accuses the average trainer of an utter lack of intelligence by claiming that, in effect, they attempt to make an ivory billiard ball out of a block of wood. They are at least on the right track, and surely Dr M‘Kay does not insanely ” suggest that a horse can be got ready to win a Melbourne Cup on a short-distance preparation. Dr M‘Kay writes in a lofty tone suggesting that he is the only man who knows anything about a horse. Can he tell us what is the only reliable and practical indication that a horse, from his two-year-old career upwards, can stay? If the doctor cannot supply the answer, then it savours qf colossal impudence on his part to state that “ the Otago writer does not really know the meaning of the word staj'er.”

FAIR ODDS. The introduction of the totalisator in England has naturally aroused widespread and frequent discussion. The London Sporting Life has been particularly hostile to its introduction, and also to the betting tax. The London Field recently said that in theory the system is sound, for it seems to ensure that the gambler shall receive an absolutely fair rate of odds, and can above all rely on being paid whatever may be due to him. If, for example, 100 punters invest £1 each according to their fancy in dealing with a given race, and two have been fortunate enough to select the -winning horse, they would divide the pool between them, subject to such deduction as might be made for working expenses and other matters with which we are not dealing just now. Similar arrangements prevail with regard to investments in connection with place betting. The first claim made, therefore, by sup-' porters of the pari mutuel or totalisator machines is that they ensure the absolute fairness of the prices returned, and the claim is allowed.

The writer is not at all inclined to agree with the opinion expressed in the Field, which claims that the totalisator pays a fair rate odds. The question arises as to what constitutes a fair rate of odds about a horse’s chance in a race. The totalisator does not supply a fair rate of odds, as instances are on record where the backer of a winner received less than J"? amount of le money invested. In the Middle Park Plate, won by Pink Coat, both the winner and the second horse started at odds on. Such a state of affairs could not be regarded as fair odds. The °dds about a horse’s chance in a race should represent something near or equivalent to the prospects of success. It is quite possible that a horse may have a three-to-one chance—that is to say, two others hold a better chance, and yet his supporters may be forced to accept an even money dividend. It is the weight of money which makes the dividend and not the horse s chance of winning. It is much the same with bookmakers. Weight of money makes the starting price. Of course, a horse may be on the opening market with bookmakers at tens to one, but finish by weight of money at evens, but it is not the support or weight of money that decides the race. It is the merit of the various horses in a field. If it were otherwise the favourites would always win.

The totalisator pays anything from false odds to ridiculous odds, but rarely those coinciding with a horse’s chance in a race. It is quite. possible for a few nundred people to be watching the totalisator in action. Fifty or one hundred of the crowd may see a horse showing tens to one, and with one thought consider it a good price. They all go to accept the odds, but their support brings the dividend down to say half the price. That is to say, they are forced to accept 5s to Is about a horse they backed because it looked to be a 10 to 1 chance. .Weight of money makes the dividend on the totalisator, and not a horse’s chance in a race. Smith has to accept even money for his £1 because richman Jones puts £lOO on the same horse, and so swamps the odds. By no stretch of imagination can the odds be considered fair under such circumstances. It is immaterial whether the horse wins or loses. It has been said that an odds-on chance should always win easily, but the totalisator not infrequently shows that price about a horse incapable of winning. Goblin Market, for instance, -was defeated by another oddson chance in Pink Coat. .The totalisator has not only the great fault of paying false odds, but it also tempts people to bet who know little or nothing about racing or about a horse's chance in a race. The big dividend tempts people to invest in much the same manner as the big prize in a sweep. It is unrivalled as a taxgatherer, and richly supports racing at a cheaper cost to the horseowner than would otherwise be the case.

THE WAIMATE CUP. The field engaged in the Waimate Cup is not a strong one; hence the topweight in such a case must always be worthy of respect. Battle Colours failed badly in the Midsummer Handicap, and, in fact, he appeared to quit business just when he looked like a winner. Perhaps too much use was made with the Solferino gelding, as he raced ,on the outside of Prickles and Pride, who set a solid pace from the rise of the barrier, and if Battle Colours could have dropped in behind them there might have been -a better response from him at the finish. As it was Beau Geste, who by accident or design was ridden a patient race behind, came up at the finish, and worried Rapier out of it by a very narrow margin. Beau Geete proved that the race was not a fluke by winning again last week. Beau Geste meet Battle Colours in the Waimate Cup on 71b worse terms than in the Midsummer Handicap, and no doubt may incur an increase of weight for his iecent win. This means that he will be paying a considerable poundage for defeating Battle Colours when the latter certamlv did not run up to anything like his best form. Thorndale looked too big and beefy when produced at the midsummer meeting to show anything like form. He may be trimmed into racing shape with two or three weeks’ more work, but he requires a softish track. In the spring of the year he won at Geraldine, and . 'low 1 by landing the Kurow Cup. On : s be-+ form he would be entitled to strong consideration. In fact, the Waimate . Cup would be almost a certainty on his best form last season. He won eight races last season, and continued on by winning the Peninsula Cup with 8.11 from Satrap 8.7, Magna Charta.7.l2, and others. . Then came a win in the Hororata Cup with 9.9 from Battle Colours 8.2, and others, and another with 9.1 over a mile and a-quarter at Ashburton. He now meets Battle Colours on 261 b better terms than in the Hororata Cup, and this means that a return to form would completely wipe out the topweight’s chance. Overhaul has been a disappointment, but now seems to be training on satisfactorily, although he may not yet be ready to run out'a mile and a-quarter. On his beet form of last season he would be labelled as dangerous. Meadow Lark might be, and really could be, wisely reserved for a shorter task, as his speed is hie best asset at the present time. He was finishing on at the end of the Craven Plate, and the fact suggests that the distance would not prove beyond his powers. Tardy looks .the - real danger in the field. She won twice at Gore, and this, on top of her form at the Dunedin Cup meeting, marks her down as hard to beat under a feather-weight. Tardy is an improving marc, and likely to show improved form. At Gore she won over a mile and a distance in 1.55 3-5, and looked like being able to carry on. She should hold Town Bank absolutely safeunless the track is in the latter’i favour, as she meets him on the same terms as at Gore. An opinion of the others at the minimum is deferred until after the declaration of acceptances. In the meantime, F. P. Claridge, with Beau Geste and Thorndale, appears to hold the key of the situation, and Tardy reads the most difficult obstacle in the way.

AN ECHO. They are still talking, and no doubt will continue to talk, about the Limerick and Aussie battle. All sorts of opinions have peen expressed, and some are rather wide of the facts. To sum up the situation briefly, it may be said that Limerick was not really ready to race, whilst Aussie was as clean and hard as a billiard ball, A slow pace suited Aussie, and Limerick wanted a strong one, but when the former •went to the front and held it up the

latter was not forward enough to force matters. A gale of wind did not help Limerick, but in any case the tactics adopted by Bagley reduced the match to a sharp burst of speed. When Limerick arrived at Wingatui he sported a b'ggcr middle piece than one expected to see, and after his gallop on Dunedin Cup Dav he clearly showed that he would benefit by the run. In other words, he was just on the verge of being ready, but not really fit for a real battle. Under the circumstances Aussie would probably have beaten him, no matter how the race was run, but a slow-run race naturally helped the speedier horse of the two. Rapier could not go with the field in the 1 übneans Handicap because they beat him tor speed,' but in the match he was close up with Limerick and Aussie just outside the distance, and the fact sho’ws what pace was on. When Limerick challenged Aussie the speed improved and they came away from Rapier, but Bagby never appeared to be particularly anxious m the run home. The real fact of the matter is that Limerick lias never been a particularly sound horse, and latterly has been troubled with “ a bit of a joint,” and hence his trainer could not tune his horse up to concert pitch. As a matter of fact Jones stated to the writer prior to the lac ®, that Limerick would have to be pretty lame before Mr Knight scratched him. Everyone was pleased to see Aussie win, but without any desire to detract in the slightest degree from the merit of the performance it must be said that the that met Aussie was not the Limerick they knew in Australia.

THE VORONOFF OPERATION. I have no hesitation (says the special commissioner of the London Sportin" Life) in returning to the subject o? gland-grafting ” again. I have it on the best authority that the stewards of the Jockey Club are inquiring into the matter, and their decision, one way or the other, must have vast and far-reaching effects’ lhe Voronoff operation means the advancement of science, the cure of disease, and the prolongation of life. There is nothing miraculous or supernatural about this graft. Through its hormone it exercises a stimulating effect —via the nervous and circulatory systems—upon the generative organs and bodytissues of the engrafted animal. It is merely a stimulant, and can have no aftereffect upon succeeding progeny. Everyone knows that the germ cells are continuous from one generation to another, but the graft has nothing to do with them, except that it rejuvenates their owner and stimulates him or her to further and increased production. Supposing the JockeyClub prohibits the operation of glandgrafting. What are. they going to do about the fostering of thoroughbred foals upon halfbred mares or the weaning of thoroughbred foals on cow’s milk? You may say that there is no analogy between the two, but, as a matter of fact, there is. By engrafting the interstitial substaiiice of the ovarian gland the ovaries are incited to refunction, and by their functioning the mammary glands are stimulated to produce milk. That milk is the milk of the producer, and if it, through the graft, can. influence the character of the offspring, how much more likely is the offspring to be affected by the milk produced by a cart-horse mare or that of a cow? Horse’s milk—whether thoroughbred or otherwise —does not vary much in its essential constituents. The milk of the cow is entirely different, but both—horse’s and sow’s—are the natural response to an ovarian stimulus activated by a hormone. This hormone is a natural one, but if gland-grafting is condemned, so must be artificial fostering and weaning, in case, or perchance, the foals grow up with long hair around their fetlocks or horns upon their heads. Then, again, there is the question of artificial insemmination. Here there is a subject that might w’ell have been taken up by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association. In many ' studs it has become a routine measure. The mare is mated with the horse, and is then insemminated by means of an instrument resembling a hypodermic syringe. In a private stud, with a home sire, and mares, there is nothing to be said against an owner who attempts to make a. certainty of his matings, but with outside mares coming from other studs the position is different. What is to prevent two mares being insemminated from one service by one horse? The one may be mated, the other may be merely injected. This will, before long, be a matter for the consideration of the Jockey Club, but at the moment I leave it, feeling, as I do, th'at they have ample to think about in connection with gland-grafting. The “ anti ” spirit—seen in this country in those who oppose vaccination, vivisection, and other necessary but important evils —has never been a feature of their rulings and I look with some confidence to their consigning the resolution that was passed at the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association to the waste-paper basket.

A FAMOUS SPORTSWOMAN. The death at Monte Carlo of Lady de Bathe—better known, perhaps as Lillie Langtry, “ the Jersey Lily ” —recalls several racing incidents of the last century in which the beautiful daughter of the Dean of Jersey played important parts.. Of Mrs Langtry’s triumphs on the "stage in England and the United States there is no need to say anything here;

it is as the owner of Maluma, Merman and Aurum that " the beauty actress ’- will be remembered by Australians. These and other horses ran in the nomination of Mr Jersey,” a pseudonym she adopted in honour of her birthplace, the Island of Jersey. After doing so well with Merman and Maluma, naturallj- Mrs Langtry became partial to Australian racehorses (says “Touchstone”), consequently she did not hesitate when Aurum was offered to her at 5000gns, by Mr William Allison on behalf of Mr W. R. Wilson. Aurum was a better performer in Australia than Merman, and you will remember that this golden-skinned son of Grand Flaneur won the Cesarewitch, the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Goodwood Plate, and other good races for “Mr Jersey.” Unfortunately, however, shortly after his arrival in England Aurum developed a joint, and could never afterwards be properly trained. His trainer, W. T. Robinson, asserted that Aurum was the best horse he ever had in his stable. Though Aurum never started on English racecourses. Mrs Langtry could have sold him at a high price to go to the stud in Austria-Hungary, but she wanted too much, and thereby lost a great deal. The would-be buyers, Count Ivan Szapary anil his associates, were delighted with Aurum, and offered £5BOO for him.- They explained that this was all the money they had to spend on a stallion for' their government, and that they were not trying to bargain. But Mrs Langtry held out for 7000gns, and so the negotiations failed. It was a tragic failure, too, for Aurum. during the two years he stood at the Cobham stud proved to be almost sterile, and. later, when he went to Mrs Langtry’s own stud, the results obtained were still worse. Finally Mr J. O’Keefe bought Aurum from Mrs Langtry for 500gns, and brought him back to Victoria, but the son of Trenton was again a dire failure. The most tantalising experience of Aurum’s stud career in England was that when he did beget anything it was pretty good. Aurina may be mentioned in tbis connection, for she was probably the best three-year-old filly of her year, and she beat Polymelus in the Prince Edward Handicap. Among the few foals he got in Australia there was nothing nearly as good as Aurina.

IN A NUTSHELL. Mask will not be- raced again until next season. Nominations for the Beaumont meeting are due on Friday, March 8. Paquito and Catkin may both prove more than useful when raced in Australia. White Fang will be taken to Sydney next month by the Hastings trainer, W. Griffith. Solgele appears to be badly placed in being nominated in a mile race at the Waimate meeting. Town Bank would hold a good chance in the Waimate Cup if the race were run on a soft track.

The broken-winded Attract seems to be a bit out of place in a mile race at the Waimate meeting. The well-known lightweight horseman, W. S. Bagby, is at present in India, attached to L.’H. Hewitt’s stable.

Mr J. M. Samson has only Money Peer and Tea Girl for sale, and he is willing to sell them on pay-when-they-win terms.

C. Christie returned from West Australia last week after a sojourn of several months in that part of the world. It is pleasing to note that Mr B. S. Irwin’s enterprise in sending Nedda to Australia has been rewarded with a good stake.

The Waimate track has so many turns that a horse out in the front and making the shortest way home has a lot in his favour.

Beau Geste’s defeat of Rapier at the Banks Peninsula meeing suggests that the Midsummer Handicap result was not due to a fluke.

Strephon put up a new race record when he won the V.R.C. St. Leger in 2.59 L The New Zealand record is held by Commendation at 2.57 J.

Last season Thorndale gave Battle Colours 211 b and a beating in the Hororata Cup,, and has been handicapped to meet the latter on 261 b better terms in the Waimate Cup. Martis and Rosenor are handicapped at even terms over six furlongs at Waimate, and the latter is in receipt of 51b over an extra furlong. Rosenor is just as likely to stay as -well as Martis. St. Ardent, the winner of the Newmarket Handicap, is a three-year-old gelding by St. Anton, a son of St. Frusquin. Nedda, the winner of the Sires’ Produce Stakes, was got by Paper Money, a grandson of St. Frusquin. A. E. Didham had a rather bad time with a fractured shoulder blade and damaged arm as a result of his fall at the Dunedin Cup meeting, but he is now gettting along satisfactorily towards complete recovery.

Tardy has been handicapped to meet Town Bank on the same- terms as when she beat him handsomely over a mile and a distance at Gore. Town Bank’s chance

is nil at the handicap, and rests on the possibility of a soft track rather than hard figures. Two high-class Australian gallopers, Amounis and Statesinan, will not be

racing at the autuYnn meetings. The former has been blistered, and will not be raced again until the spring. Statesman strained a tendon whilst working recently, and this may necessitate a lengthy spell.. There does not seem to be much' wrong with Paper Money’s stock when Gold Tinge can clean them in the spring and Nedda in the autumn. The most remarkable thing about Paper Money’s stock is the fact that buyers did not properly appreciate their presence in the ring at the January sales. Under the circumstances Mr I. G. Duncan did the right thing in sending some of them out of the ring.

Mr B. S, Irwin’s win with Nedda at Flemington last week, and incidentally landing a big stake, was well received in Dunedin, as he is the best type of sportsman that can be found. Nedda, who was successful < n her native heath, was got by Paper Money from Miehaela. by Rokeby—Jessie Leware, by Stepniak—Merisette, by Medallion —Huguenot, by Apremont. Jessie Lewars, the granddair of Nedda, was sent to Australia some years ago.

Winsome Boy, who is engaged at Waimate, hails from the Auckland district. Last season he started in 11 races, and scored two wins and two places. He won a division race at Whangarei, and won over seven furlongs at Takapuna with 8.8 in 1.29 2-5. Later in-the season he carried 8.5 into second place six lengths behind Ohinemuri 7.1, who won over a mile in 1.39. Eighteen others finished behind them, and as Ohinemuri afterwards won in much better company. Winsome Boy may be worthy of note. Reigh Count, America’s crack three-year-old of last season, will not be the only good performer from that country racing in England this year. The five-year-old gelding Mike Hall, who is rated the best handicap horse in America, will be another. Mike Hall did not race at two years, but at three and four years he put together nearly £20,000. Basil Jarvis, who took Papyrus to America for the match with Zev, is to train Mike Hall. On the maternal side, Mike Hall runs back to Spearmint.

Sunny trace, who won three races in England last year, and ran nowhere in Felstead’s Derby, for which he was third favourite, was put to hurdling in December. As a jumper he made his first appearance in the Open Hurdle Race at Kempton Park on December 27. He carried 10.3. and, in the belief he would outclass his opponents, he was sent out favourite at 11 to 8 on in a field of 12. Sunny Trace jumped well,- but, though one of the leaders entering the straight, he died away, finishing fourth. One reason of his being put to hurdling was the belief it would improve his stamina. There is a steady increase in the number of yearlings sent up for sale each autumn. It would be difficult to say exactly how many will be offered throughout the Commonwealth this year (says “Fernhill”), but it may roughly be put down at 1200. New South Walels is the chief contributor to this total, with Victoria next. Much smaller catalogues are presented in the other States, but all produce thoroughbreds whetherthey have regular sales or not. The New South Wales lists, and in a lesser degree those in Victoria, are added to by entrants from New Zealand, and our racing men fully recognise the value of the thoroughbreds from the Dominion.

The oldest entrant for this year’s Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase is a 15-year-old gelding named Hawker. He is by Ardoon (sire of the A.J.C. Anniversary Handicap winner- Urney). and, though he did not race in the 1927-8 cross-country, season, won six times in 1926-7. Beggar’s End is only a year younger than Hawker, and other veterans in the National are Carfax, Golden Ashe. Mabestown’s Pride, and Rathory, each 13 years. Of the 120 entrants only eight are less than seven, the youngest being the five-year-old Derrygraph. Previous winners in Tipperary Tim and Sprig are engaged. Last year’s second. Billy Barton, was made favourite as soon as entries closed.

The Hon. Aubrey Austin, a leading trainer of jumpers in England, is a I brother of the Earl of Huntingdown, and the principal reason —and a good one, too —for his taking up horse training was that he comes from a family not overburdened with wealth. He had to do something, and his bent was towards horses. As a judge of steeplechasers and polo ponies he is said to have few equals. In 1906 he both trained and rode Ascetic’s Silver, winner of the Liverpool Grand National, and his next success in that race as a trainer was in 1915 -with Ally Sloper. During the war the National was run at Gatwick, and he accounted for one with Ballymacad. Long before he left Australia on his return to England it was stated that Frank Bullock had received an offer to train in France. Bullock, however, preferred England, where it was thought he would receive support from some of those owners who gave him a lot of riding. He 'secured training quarters, and his name appeared as a buyer at last year’s English sales. Evidently the outlook was not as bright as he anticipated (says an exchange), as a few days ago it was cabled that he had gone to France to train for Mr Wittouck, owner of Palais Royal, winner of last year’s Cambridgeshire. Mr Wittouck, who has a large team, does not race to any extent in England, only sending horses over occasionally in quest of important races. J. Felder, who is in Melbourne from New Zealand with the smart two-year-old Nedda, gained a good deal of success while training at- Flemington some years ago. Among the best horses he had under his care were Bright Steel and Orline. Bright Steel while in his stable won the Oakleigh Plate and Bourke Handicap, while OrliTie showed the way home in the Australian Cup under the pilotage of George Lambert. Another noted performer trained by Felder -was the big Rice gelding. North Woodleigh, who won races under all sorts of weights. His victory in the Railway Handicap at Flemington was achieved with 11.7, with an 8.0 minimum. Felder went to New Zealand some seasons ago, and there he quicklyproved that he understood his business. Some years ago the Sockburn Handicap tvas the last race on the card for the first day of the Great Autumn meeting,

and rhe writer pointed out that its position could be changed with advantage. It is a race which caters for horses with engagements in the Great Autumn Handicap; hence it was not wise to run a horse a more or- less severe race during the late part of a day when a far more important engagement had to be met early in the following afternoon. The race was shifted to an earlier position on the programme, but has again drifted back to the second last race of the day. The card could again be remodelled with advantage to owners, and particularly the horses with engagements in the Great Autumn Handicap. Would any sane trainer gallop a severe test at 4 p.m. today when at 3 p.m. to-morrow there is a race really worth winning? There was a time, if memory is not false, when the Waimate Cup was the only race in the South Island that carried a sporting sentiment in the shape of a trophy attached to the stakes. Now there are trophies galore, and, in fact, there is a tendency to overdo matters and supply trophies out of all proportion to the value of the stakes. Only rich men can afford to hold valuable trophies, and as racing nowadays is a business as much as a sport, clubs should consider the question of having cups and miniature models so that an owner could take the model and a cheque or the trophy. In recent years trophies have taken the shape of something practical ■as well as ornamental, and a cabinet of cutlery or a stop watch, particularly the latter, makes an ideal accompaniment to a stake worthy of winning. It seems a bit over the odds when a trophy is valued at nearly half of the cash value of a by no means large stake. With such a high-class colt to represent him. it would be surprising if Mr G. D. Greenwood had missed the opportunity of running Honour for the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes, which respectively carried £4BBl and £3226 for first place last year. The possibility of success in either makes the trip worth while, and unless Parkwood is the stumbling block, I think (says “ Pilot ”) Honour should win the Sires’ Produce Stakes. In my opinion, Honour’s defeat of Childsplay at Wellington put him ahead of Australia’s best two-year-olds. Subsequent to her defeat by Honour, Childsplay, who is a three-year-old, beat most of the good older sprinters in-the Metropolitan Handicap at the same meeting. These included Cimabue, who, on the third day, downed Gascony and other smart gallopers in the City Handicap. Pcntheus will be one of Sydney’s best representatives in the Sires’ Produce Stakes, but in the Champagne Stakes I fancy Honour will have one harder to beat, I refer to Holdfast, whose form up to the present is superior to that of Pcntheus.

When “ Joe ” Thompson revisited Melbourne in 1903 after settling down in England, he remarked to a friend, “ It is slightly different from the way I landed here in 1854.” He said that he was an apprentice before the mast, but did not like the job; so, when the ship arrived at Sandridge—as Port Melbourne was then called —he hid himself in a water cask. He was sealed up for 36 hours, and when the head of the cask was knocked off he jumped out. He tried his luck at the diggings, but did no good. He went to sea again for three years (says a writer in the Australasian), but was stranded in Em land. He determined to give Australia another try, and worked his passage out at a shilling a month. It was a long time before success came his way. Thompson was a great bettor. Bookmakers of to-day say that had he been fielding at the present time he would have bad to take a back seat. Facts do no justify such ar opinion. He was a clever and far-seeing man, and could adapt himself to circumstances. In England, he said, in four weeks in the autumn he involved himself to the extent of £150.000 on the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire, For the first-named race he laid £25,000 in one bet —£50,000 in all—against the winner. Rangimunde. It the second horse, Penelope, had won he would have had a “ skinner.” “ I would have won enough money to build a cathedral,” he told a friend. The other day I was asked the old Question whether it was ri-'ht that a bookmaker should own horses. I cannot see that exception can be taken to it (says “Pilot”) provided he races them in his own narfte. In ordinary circum- , stances, bookmakers of. any note will not bet against horses they have nominated, and they have to be very circumspect if they give them to anyone else to “ go on ” with. Even if the rules set forth that bookmakers should not own horses, they would do so, and those so inclined could with safety bet against their own when nominated by a dummy. They would be shooting from behind a tree, whereas, with horses racing in their names, they are in the open. The bookmaker who does anything contrary to the Rules of Racing is in a different position from.the average owner. The latter, if disqualified, can carry on his usual business, but disqualification for a bookmaker means the loss of his livelihood. He could, despite regulations to the contrary, have an interest in the book of some other layer, but, as he could not go on the course to see how things were progressing, that would not always be .satisfactory. No owners run straighter than bookmakers who sport their own colours. This may not be due to an unusually developed sense of honour, but is merely common sense. They have too much at stake to take undue risk. Another thing is that among bookmaker-owners there is a certain amount of jealousy as to the possession of the better horse, and there is satisfaction in being able to win a

race when the other fellow cannot. Only once since the late Isaac Earnshaw’s three-year-old Stand Off won the Oakleigh Plate in 1.11 in 1899 has the winner of the principal Caulfield sprint handicap taken more than the 1.9| registered in the mud by Day Dreamer. That exception was in 1904, when Norman Leek’s four-year-old Silenus took 1.14. Veneda took 1.9} when she won for Mr J. H. Davis in 1900, and Pendant occupied similar time when she scored for Mr J. Brennan in 1903. So far back as 1891 Wild Rose set the figures at 1.7, a record which remained unequalled (says the Australasian), let alone broken, until Brattle scored in 1.6} in 1915. Three years later Poitrina set 1.6}, time which was broken by Perspective (1.5 J in 1926, and equalled by Baringhup in 1927. The only other winners in 1.7 or less are Adrift (1.6 J

V 1 1925) and Wish Wynne (1.7 in 1922), Of these seven winners in 1.7 or less all were mares or fillies except Adrift. Of the 45 Oakleigh Plates, inclusive of that run recently, fillies and mares have accounted for 17, a much higher proportion of success than the sex has been credited with in events of a mile or longer. Already 55 Newmarket Handicaps have been run, and mares or fillies have won 19. The Oakleigh Plate just run was described in the race book as the fortysixth. Though there have been 46 seasons from 1884 to 1929 inclusive, only 45 Oakleigh Plates (to give it its best known title) have been run, as the V.A.T.C, autumn meeting of 1921 was abandoned owing to strike troubles.