RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3958, 21 January 1930, Page 52

RACING.

FIXTURES. January 18, 20, 22. —Wellington. January 22. —Asbhurst-Pohangina. January 25. —Wairio. January 25. —Waipapakauri. January 28, 30. —Wairoa. January 29.—Clifden. January 29, February I.—Takapuna. January 29, 30.—Pahiatuu. February 5. —Tapanui. February 6, S. —Gisborne. February 6, B.—Taranaki. February B.—Matainata. February 13, 15.—Wanganui. February 13. 15.—Poverty Bay. February 13, 15.—Dunedin. February 15, 17.—Rotorua. February 19, 20.—Woodville. February 20.—Tologa February 22.—Canterbury. February 22, 24.—Dargaville. February 26, 27.—Gore. February 26, 27.—Dannevirke. February 27. —Waiapu. February 28, March I.—Marlborough. March 1, 3.—Te Aroha. March B.—Franklin.® March 15, 17.—Ohinemuri. March 22.—Bay of Plenty. March 26. —Opotikl. April 19, 21.—Auckland. April 26, 30.—Avondale. TALK OF THE DAY. By Sentinel, THE WELLINGTON CUP. Some great records have been accomplished in connection with the Wellington Cup, but that achieved by Advance in 1903 will probably stand supreme for all time, as handicaps are not won nowadays in good company with 10.4 on the back. Advance carried 10.4 and won in 2.34 1-5 on the old Hutt course, which was not as fast as Trentham. Advance started favourite with 11.3 later in the season, but failed to justify the great compliment paid by the handicapper and punters. Orloff won the Dunedin Cup that year, and was then taken up to Wanganui. The great respect entertained about him resulted in Hewit being instructed by the late Mr G .G. Stead to keep Orloff with the son of Vanguard. This cost Orloff the race as when sent after Mars he failed to catch him. Another great compliment was paid to Advance at the same meeting. Ide was giving 321 b to Machine Gun in the Jackson Stakes and carried about twice the support accorded the colt, who had just won Dunedin Champagne Stakes. The youngster, who afterwards won distinction as one of the fastest horses ever seen on this side of the world, won by a length. Another very remarkable record achieved in connection with the Wellington Cup was that put up by Cynisca. who won in three consecutive years at three, four, and five. It is interesting to note that she has practically vanished from the Stud Book. That great horse Achilles won with 9.4, but lie failed most lamentably to sire anything within gunshot of his own racing merits. Goldsborough and Locket, line horses, became known as sires of brood mares, but not as sires of sires. The same remark applies to such a famous horse as Trentham, who now is only known as a sire of brood mares. The winners of the Wellington Cup since the W.R.3. transferred its racing headquarters from the Hutt to Trenthqm have not contributed much, if any, great interest to racing history. Most of the winners at Trentham were merely horses who wou at a favourable handicap at a stage when they were developing into better racing material. Rapine and Rapier are two gases in point, as they both proved really good-class horses after they won the Wellington Cup under light weights. The most notable winner in recent years is Oratress, as she also won the N.Z. Cup and produced such good winners as Oratrix and Concentrate.

OBTAINING POSITION. A slow beginner is at a great disadvantage over any distance on any course, because it means that such a horse has to give others a start. The handicap in that direction becomes accentuated when starts are made near a turn, as it becomes doubly difficult to retrieve lost ground when a packed field is fighting its way to keep near the rails. A slaw beginner at Trentham in a race run over 16 furlongs or more is almost sure to get badly placed at the turn out of the straight, and this means giving others in a field a more or less serious start over a final mile. If the leaders in the Wellington Cup ran a 5* na J ’ n it would really mean that Glare or Silver Paper, who were at the tail of. the field a mile from home, would require to run the same distance in 1.37 or so to get up and win. They M'ere still at the tail of the strung-out field half a mile from home, and this would require a phenomenal sprint at the end of a mile and a-half for either of them to get up and win, and the three half-miles of the race were run in approximately 51sec. The last is usually the fastest, as the pace becomes increased if there is anything capable of doing so Assuming that the last half was run in 50, it would mean that Glare would have to pull out a sprint of better than 48 to win. This will convey some idea of the imperative necessity of riding for a position in the early part of a race over a

circuit or more at Trentham. Concentrate, despite the fact that he had a big weight, was ridden for a position, and so became one of the leaders out of the straight and into the back stretch. He was then patiently handled but kept in a good position near the leaders until reaching the straight, and he generously responded when called upon to come on and win. The Invercargill track is just as tricky as Trentham, and when Emerson won on Glare at the recent meeting he was hard at his mount to get and keen a position out of the straight and round to the turn going to the six-furlong post. From that on Glare was allowed a chance in much the same manner as Concentrate at Trentham. Glare’s chance in the Wellington Cup had become hopeless before the field had left the straight at the end of the first two and a-quarter furlongs, because it meant that Glare had to concede a next to impossible start over a mile. Many a race is lost in the first few strides, and Glare’s only chance in the Wellington Cup was for him to be taken to the outside when in the back stretch and ridden with an effort to gain a winning position, if possible, before the field reached the straight. Instead of doing so, Glare was attempting to poke his way up near the rails, where there is only the remotest chance in the world of getting through. The great importance of gaining a position m a race does not seem to be sufficiently drilled into some of our riders, and hence we see a continuation of mistakes. The same remarks apply with equal force even on such a fine big track as Riccarton. If a horse has a good position there may be an opportunity to give him a breather, but when the extra handicap of a bad one conies along the lost ground lias to be made up, and the longer the task is delayed the chance of winning becomes more and more reduced, simply because it is doubly difficult to retrieve ground in the hardest part of a race. SHORT PEDIGREES. Concentrate’s success in the Wellington Cup and Auckland Cup once again proves the great producing merit possessed by some of the short pedigreed mares in the Stud Book. Concentrate looks every inch a thoroughbred, and his form proves him to be a real racehorse, but yet he traces to a taproot of unknown source. There is not the slightest shadow of a doubt that Concentrate’s taproot is thoroughbred, ami it is surely a case of lost pedigree, because figs do not grow on thistles Concentrate traces back to a New South Wales rnare of unknown blood. There seems, however, to have been every coniideuce held by the owner of the mare and some of her descendants that she was thoroughbred, because they were bred to thoroughbred stallions of high standin" lhe sires in the distaff side of Concentrates pedigree include Aether. Riddlesworth, Peter, Flat Torpedo, and Advance, tlie mighty son of Vanguard, who was also a short pedigreed horse. Advance got Kquitas, who won the Stewards’ Handicap of 1910 and proved herself an exceptionally good performer. She produced ? von , tbe New Zealand Cun of 1920, and the latter in her turn produced Oratrix, the New Zealand Cup winner of 1928, and Concentrate, winner of the Auckland and Wellington Cups this year. Cine could not wish to achieve better results than those just mentioned, and under such circumstances it is quite safe to assume that although a part of Concentrate s pedigree may be wrapped in mystery it contains the blood and confirmation that produce the real racehorse. Kquitas also produced Murihaupo, and fortunately fillies to Martian. Paper -Aloney, and Chief Ruler that in course of time should prove of great value for the stud Oratrix and her half-sister Oral, by Chief Ruler, should be decided acuuisitions to any stud, because after all many pedigrees that read well on paper do not produce with anything like the great success of Equitas, who has a missing link mnvo r D an rr t,y ;i The Stud Book h;ls to I ,lo 'e ’tself on the racecourse. Unless we lad that test its pages and records would a gieat waste of time and trouble, and the compilation of a Stud Book is no easy- matter. MEADOW LARK. During the course of the Wellington Cup meeting the writer heard it remarked that Meadow Lark was not a well-bred horse It may be taken for granted that the person who voiced the remark does not rank as a student of breeding or that his library is devoid of the Stud Book. Songbird, the sire of Meadow Lark was a really good horse on the turf. He was got by Kilbroney from Grey Linnet, by Thrush (one of the fastest of his day in England) from Marie Legraye, by Diamond Jubilee, brother to Persimmon, and a successful sire and classic winner. White Lilac, the third dam of Songbird, was got by Springheld, a Stockwell line horse who got Sain*®ln - .'" hose daughter Bromus threw 1 n al ar is, one of the most successful sires in .England during recent years. As a matter of fact Bromus is inbred to Springfield, as he also got Sunrise, the grandani of Limond; Spring Morn, the dam of Otterden. to whom we owe Martian Sierra, the dam of Sundridge, sire of Sunstar, as well as otherwise proving of Rreat value in a pedigree. Unawed, the dam of Meadow Lark, or his grandam Unawares did nothing of note on the turf. Blood will tell is an old say’ing and a

true one, and another glance in that direction may prove interesting. Unawed was got by Mark Hope, who was a sister to Persimmon by Marcovil, the sire of Hurry On. Hence Meadow Lark is inbred to St. Simon through Persimmon and his brother Diamond Jubilee. Unawares, the grandani of Meadow Lark, was got by Gipsy Grand (a really’ great horse) ironi Ambush, by Vanguard from FairyMaid, by Albany—Titania, by Melton. One could go much deeper into the matter, but quite sufficient has been mentioned to show that Meadow Lark is not a freak, but a horse bred on lines that are apt to produce a racehorse. It may be a fluke that the sire and dam of Meadow Laik

ever met. and not the result of deep planning and profound thought on the part of the breeder, but it. certainly- shows that Songbird has established claims for more consideration from breeders than what has been the case in the past. Songbird was foaled in 1918. so that he is still quite young enough to prove useful and successful for some years to come. COMPARISONS. The death of Childsplay removes one of the speediest youngsters ever seen in New Zealand. She was an exceptionally brilliant filly, and her loss as a possible stud success is by no means small. Until she won the M'Lean Stakes and so publically displayed her brilliancy, nothing much had been heard of her. She had been trained without being asked to do anv watch-smashing efforts on the track. She had great natural speed, and was conditioned and trained to carry it. whereas others are ruined by being sent speed crazy. When Childsplay ran in the Wellesley Stakes, the writer climbed to the far end of the grand stand at Trentham and so obtained a splendid view of the early part of the race. Over the first three furlongs she and others were led by- about four or five lengths by Endorse, who must have been a veritable equin? flying machine to open up such a gap in the early part of a live-furlongs run in 60?. Childsplay caught Endorse at the entrance to the straight, and went on to win. Endorse had previously been placed in the Breeders’ Plate at Randwick, but has since failed to win a race. When doing her preliminary for the Wellesley Stakes Endorse fought and reefed for her head, and gave ample evidence of speedcraziness, although when seen at Elderslie as a young three-year-old she was in work and as quiet as a lamb when handled by Low, who is now in charge of the stud. Ihe comparison between Childsplay and Endorse is made in order to show that a horse with great natural speed does not always win unless trained with patience and care so that it is not taxed until fully conditioned to carry it. Sometimes the boys who ride work can do a tremendous lot of damage, despite great care on the part of a trainer, who has his most difficult task when confronted with the handling of rising two-year-olds with a tendency to develop a high-strung temperament. Endorse was got by Paper Money from Epitaph, by Absurd from Eulogy, the dam of Humbug, Fulsome, Homage, Commendation, Eulalie, and Pennon. The fl alll of _Motley and Lysander, Homage, produced Episode and Honour, consequently there was never a horse stepped on to a track that had a greater speed inheritance than Endorse, who. nevertheless, failed to Car l‘ y ISF ? pecd first P ast the winning post. All this goes to show that a horse should have its temper trained as well as the muscular development, which is the power carrying the framework of an equine racing machine.

“ ROARING.’’ « J n ■ a , ns "’£ r to a correspondent the Special Commissioner” of London Sporting Life, who is a qualified veterinary- surgeon, details his views in regard to a sire troubled with roarin" as to whether the offspring would suffer from the same defect. J’ 1 , 6 a,lswer to this question, he says could be given at once, but there is a school definitely opposed to my opinions so, before giving them. I want to. in as simple language as is possible, explain the giounds . upon which they are based, to begin with, one must understand that the basis of every- living entity is a cell or minute, microscopical body composed of a semi-translucent material known as protoplasm, containing, in its interior, a governing body, called tbe nucleus, and surrounded by a limiting membrane which, so to speak, holds tbe whole thing together. In the more primitive forms of life—for example, the amoeba—this single cell is the sole, and only, constituent of the animal, which is. therefore, termed unicellular, but as the tree of living things is ascended this one cell is replaced by hundreds and, then, thousands of cells, until in man, or the horse, the organism is multi-cellular. Here the whole organism is made up of a multitudinous collection of cells, of which there are two distinct varieties. The first, comprisin" the muscle cells, the bone cells, the connective tissue cells, the blood cells, the interstitial cells, and the nerve cells' are grouped together, for the sake of simplicity as much as anything else, under the term of the somatic, or body, cells, while the others are know-n as the reproductive, or germinal, cells. Between the two there are certain vital differences The germinal cells are the result of the union, or fertilisation, of a

germinal cell from the female, termed ' the ovum, with, or by, a germinal cell i irom the male, designated the spermatazoon. By division these cells form similar germinal cells which are, in their turn, either as ova or spermatazooa, fertilised' and divided to form further germinal cells which grow, under the stimilus of nourishment, and are continuous from one generation to another. I'he somatic, or body cells are, on the other hand, different. They are. in reality, nothing more or less than protective or covering cells for the germinal cells. They develop under the stimuli.s of usage or disease, and begin and end their lives with the one life of the germinal cell that they- protect. There is no continuity of their plasm; they are merely temporary coverings for what one may- call their host. This may read very long-winded, but we are getting to the point. All diseases, whether human or equine, are either inborn or acquired. The one, the inborn, is a disease that affects the germinal ceil, and so passes on from generation to generation, or is, in a word, hereditable. 'l'he other, the acquired, is a disease that affects the somatic cells during the lifetime of the individual, so ends with his death; has no continuity and cannot be passed on to a future generation. An example will! explain this better. A chib! born with a hare-lip or a cleft palate is liable to transmit this to his or her offspring because it is an inborn fault, due to a retardation of development caused by- some inertia upon the part of the germinal cells or the stimuli, to development, emitted by- them. On the other hand, a child that cuts its lip or splits its palate during its lifetime, cannot pass that cut or split on to future generations, simply- and solely because either is an acquired accident to the somatic cells, which have no continuity

It is merely an accident to the covering cells. The contained and important cel's are not affected. Now apply this reasoning to the subject of “ Roaring.” In the first place, this is not a disease, but merely a symptom of a disease, and in the second place, it is essentially an affection of the somatic cells. Briefly put. the “ roaring ” of horses is analagous to the condition which, in human being, is know n as “ abducens paralysis,” and which is due to a paralysis of the muscles of the larynx, caused by some pressure on, or affection of. the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. The nerve upon th<_ left side has a particularly- tortuous course. First of all it winds under the concavity of the aortic arch, and so may easily- be pressed upon by a dilitation, oi aneurism, of the arch. Next, it is in close touch with lymph glands, so will be involved in any- disease affecting them Then it is in apposition to the gullet, so may find further trouble if that is diseased. While lastly, at its very source, it is in close proximity to the bronchial glands, and at ohe stage li-s only- a finger's breadth above the thyroid gland. Obviously- the causes of paialysis of this nerve, giving rise to the symptom of “ roaring.” are numerous, but neither they- nor the parts that they affect have anything to do with the germinal cells. They are affections of. and the cause of symptoms in, the somatic cells, and so are no more likely to be transmitted to a future generation than is a man who has lost a leg likely to have one-legged children. The sire of Carbine roared. His dam had bronchial, as well as other trouble. We could do with more Carbines, and a great many more of his d •scendants, like Spearmint. Spion Kop, and Co. ‘‘ Roaring may bq, and must, be, deleted from the list of hereditable diseases.

CREMORNE. One of the famous lazy- horses of England, as he was one of the greatest, was Cremorne. He would sleep peacefully while waiting for an important race. No temperamental fussiness about him. Like the Fat Boy in “ Pickwick,” he never missed an opportunity- for a nap—but they rarely caught him “ napping ” on the course with the colours up. It is recorded of Cremorne that he used to go to sleep while walking from the stable to the heath in the morning. On Derby Day at Epsom he had been given a gallop in the morning and was then placed in his box in charge of an attendant. An hour or so before the race the man could not be found in the stable yard, but the sound of singing led the searchers to Cremorne’s box. The horse was stretched on the floor sound asleep, with the attendant sitting on his shoulder singing a music-hall ditty. Two hours later Cremorne won the Derby by- a head in a desperate finish. The energy he conserved by- sleeping when and where he could served him well in great races over a distance. Among the races won by Cremorne (says an English writer), in addition to the Derby, was the Ascot Cup in 1873. He carried 8.10 as a four-year-old. He carried 9.5 and won the Alexandra Stakes (two and three-quarter miles) at the same age—a remarkable performance. As a three-y-ear-old he won the Great Yorkshire Stakes (one mile and a-half). He was a son of Parmesan, son of Parma, third dam of St. Frusquin. The writer quoted above overlooked the fact that Cremorne also won the Grand Prix de Paris as well as the Derby— a double rarely landed in racing history. Cadogan was. as far as memory serves, the only- son of Cremorne imported to

New Zealand. His line ii» tail male baa died out. Cadogan sired Lady Gertrude, the dam of Euroclydon, ami his name through that source still lingers in pedigrees, but without any great force. Cadogan also got St. Swithin and Everton Lad, ami although St. Swithin sired several good winners in Australia the Cremorne line is practically extinct in tail male, although he was one of the greatest performers in racing history. A GOOD HORSEMAN. It is indeed a pleasure to find a longservice jockey like Fox over the century mark. He was always a brainy rider, and. like Donoghue, cheery when out of luck, and it is only two or three seasons ago that winning mounts came at intervals. Nature haa been kind to Fox, to the extent that he scales. I suppose (says “ Augur ” in Sporting Life, in referring to last season’s racing in England I very little more than when he reached his prime, so that he continues at a very convenient weight. lienee his services have been freely’ sought, while, attached as he was in the season just closed to a stable which has sent out a large number of winning horses, he shows a high percentage. And when one recalls John Osborne and Fordham there should be years of success ahead of Fox. There certainly would have been, at his age. many years, had he been living in the times of those two departed worthies. It waa a good school in which Fox i was brought up. In his young days he had the opportunity of riding much in the company of that prodigy of the time, Frank Wootton, and the late ‘’Danny” Maher. These two were jockeys before they came to this country, even though Wootton was only just in his ’teens. I doubt whether they learned anything from the English style of riding, which, at that time, was a cross between the old and the new. the latter first shown by the

“ darkie,” Simms, and subsequently demonstrated in almost uncanny fashion by Sloan. Maher once told me that he fashioned his poise in the saddle after having seen a music-hall turn at some town in his native Connecticut. An artist standing on one leg. and holding a stick with both hands in front of him. tilted his body- forward at such an angle that he defied anyone to take hold of the stick and thrust him back. Anyhow, we saw in the American jockey, when he first came over and rode on the old course at Manchester, one who was well versed in his craft, and although he was overshadowed for a time by Sloan, who was well established, he showed his worth with the right kind of mount. And he was in no fear of Sloan when it came to a fin’sh. Nor. for the matter of that, was Sam Loates. Nor. in more recent times, would Smirke have been. Maher and Wootton, already jockeys when they appeared here, had a style different to Sloan's, and easier to copy, for it was more natural. As I say (continues

“ Augur ”) Fox rode in good company in his young days, and now and again it was his pleasure, in an important race, to beat the Australian, as when he won two Liverpool Autumn Cups on Santeve. Another well-judged effort, on a twisting course, was when he got Mondamin a winner of the Derby Cup. and at that time he had come under the favourable notice of the late “ Sam ” Darling, for whom he rode when Higgs could not do the weight. One of his mounts, 1 remember. was on Willonyx when that smart horse, then a three-year-old, was third in the Newbury Autumn Cup. Nearly two decades after that period Fox is found in more successful association with the Beckhampton stable, and no one knows the jockeys of the time better than does the present master of that establishment.

THE ENGLISH THOROUGHBRED.

It is only- when one comes to analyse figures in cold print (says Sporting Life) that one realises the stupendous ramifications of the bloodstock breeding industry. Just a few examples. Last year 1618 thoroughbred inares, foals, yearlings, horses in training, and stallions changed hands in either the Park Paddocks at Newmarket or the Glasgow Paddocks at Doncaster for 1.132.359gn5. During that same period 4621 horses of various ages ran in 1947 races of differing lengths for stake money to the value of £744.511. There were 379 stallions registered for service in the 1928 season, and 6683 mares are accounted for in the current issue of the General Stud Book. Compare these figures with those of 10 years ago. In 1919 1268 thoroughbreds, of one sort or another, were sold by Messrs Tattersall for 776.472gn5. In the same year 1293 horses competed for 1627 races valued at £500.595. There were just over 250 stallions registered for service, and Messrs Weatherby accounted for 5780 mares in the General, Stud Book. Obviously, in every branch there has been an advance, and there is every- reason to suppose that the advance will continue. There are many factors in support of this belief. First of all, more and more breeders are establishing studs or enlarg’ng those that already exist. The supremacy of our bloodstock is proved by the fact that in the 56 pedigrees of the leading horses in the Argentine. Australasia, Austria, Belgium. Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Poland. Rumania. South Africa. Sparit, and the United States of America that were published as an abstract by the

Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in June there is not one that has not the name of a well-known British horse or mare in the first three generations. A SUCCESSFUL LINE. New Zealand breeders have been extraprdinarily fortunate in their choice of sires, most of whom come from England nowadays. Enterprise and judgment are to some extent responsible for the introduction of so many successful stallions to the Dominion, but that mysterious thing which we call luck (says “ Fernhill ”) must also give some assistance. Be that as it may, New Zealand, from the days of Traducer, if not before, has never been without high-class stallions capable of begetting gallopers of the best type. One of the latent claimants to distinction in this line is Paladin, a son of Polymelus, now so much in mind, through the turf doings of his son. Chide, considered by many _a foeman worthy even of Nightmarch’s steel. It may be remarked that Paladin and Night Baid (who begot Nightmarch) are of the Bend Or breed, though the great blood comes to them through different channels. Nightmarch goes to Bend Or through Badium, while Paladin traces to the same source through Polymelus and Cyllene. All the Polymelus horses brought to Australasia have not been a conspicuous success at the stud. That would be too much to expect, but it may be said that the influence of the blood is being felt, and there are great future possibilities for it. In a measure Paladin had proved himself before the coming of Chide, but even if he had to depend entirely upon that horse he would have a right to be remembered. It is of interest to note that Polymelus, on the maternal side, owes something to Toxopholite. the sire of Musket, who did so much for New Zealand. St. Simon also comes into the pedigree of Paladin, whose dam, Cestus, was got by the Derbywinner, St. Amant, grandson of St. Simon. Any pedigree is enriched by a helping pf Galopin, especially through St. Simon, and in the case of Paladin there is just sufficient of the strain to give added (strength without being overdone. Galopin m not the dominant note in the table of Chide, but there seems to be enough and to spare of Stockwell, whose name occurs peveral times.

IN A NUTSHELL.

Tuleta is again in work at Wanganui. The Wellesley Stakes winner, Watch Officer, is now amongst the horses in training at Caulfield. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club recently purchased 25 two-year-olds in England for shipment to India. It is reported that Mr J. D. Hertz recently refused an offer of 1,000,000d0l for his famous horse Heigh Count. A rule giving power to stewards to change riders at the last moment would help to clear the racing atmosphere. Pomp will not be raced again this season. Ceremony, Mack, and Thaw are to be placed in work again after the Wellington meeting. F. Davis is reported to be retiring from his position as private trainer to Mr T. 11. Lowry at the conclusion of the Wellington Cup meeting. J. F. Herring’s portrait of Don John, owned by the Earl of Chesterfield, and winner of the St. Leger, 1838, was sold for 480gns. R. Alexander. who did so well with Rabbi. Make Up, and Mateagirl for Mr J. J. Corry, has severed his connection with the stable.

In the Shade and Vertigern both failed to run up to the expectations of their supporters in the Wellington Cup, although their track work led one to expect a better fight from them.

Lucky Light did not prove so fractious »t Trentham as she did at. Invercargill, but she got badly away- and was last to leave at the rise of the barrier in the Anniversary Handicap. Richfield put in a very brilliant run at the finish of the Telegraph Handicap, and Meadow Lark, who had been winning comfortably, had to be vigorously handled to stall off defeat.

Mervette was unlucky in the Telegraph Handicap, as she got badly away ami then finished an excellent third under the circumstances. She is a half-sister to Bonnettcr, Tarleton, Affirm, and HLtorie.

Latin Quarter ran an excellent race in the Wellington Cup, and so did Amor. They- both should catch a race over a fanamount of ground when, as thev say. the opposition is not so rich as that in a Wellington Cup field. Silver Paper played up a bit when at the post for the Wellington Cup, and after starting from an outside position ran over a lot of ground when leaving the straight. This landed him in a hopeless position.

Star Stranger looked a much-improved horse when saddled for the Wellington Cup to what he did at the Trentham spring meeting. He made a bold bi<l under his big weight, but was much overtaxed when attempting to give 111 b to Concentrate.

Unpardonable toleration of fractious horses continues to be allowed at Trentham. Stanchion gave a lot of trouble when at the nost for the Wellington Cup, and he should be allowed far less consideration and is, in fact, very lucky to escape inclusion on the schooling list.

Aspiring ran an excellent race in the Wellington Stakes, and if Bert Ellis had dropped his pronounced leg-swinging style of* finish and squeezed her home the halfsister to Silver Paper would have just about won instead of suffering defeat by a narrow margin.

Four shoes of famous horses were recently sold at Christie’s. London. They were with a picture by H. B. Chalon, and had been worn by- Newminster. Daniel O'Rourke. West Australian, and Songstress. winners of the Derby and the St. Leger. The lot realised 40gns.

Since the totalisator became established in England some big dividends have been declared. A Mrs Unsworth invested 2s on.Coole at Haydock Park and received £341. representing a dividend at the rate of 3410 to 1. Other big dividends paid

during the season were 1238 15s for fl and £ 123 for £l.

Importations of English-bred bloodstock to Australia continue in fairly large volume. Recent shipments that arrived at Melbourne comprise 18 head, among which were 16 mares. The only stallion among the collection was a horse named Bullhead (by I’halaris—Cartona). who is to go to the stud in New South Wales. Commenting upon leading performances by jockeys in Australia during the recent holiday period, the Sydney Referee says that M. M’Carten. formerly of the Forded put together a percentage cheque of £217 3s, apart from losing rides, so that he has no reason to feel dissatisfied with the Christmas results. This refers to the first three days’ racing. On the fourth day- M’Carten rode two further winners, making eight for the period. When Steve Donoghue was in his heyday, his retainer from two of the most important English stables conjointlyamounted to something like £lO,OOO. and Danny- Maher had a retainer of £5OOO from one owner on more than one occasion (says an English paper). Nowadays, however, the usual fee given leading jockeys ranges up to £2OOO for first call, with a bonus of 10 per cent, on winnings in exceptional cases. It is rather interesting to note that both the first and second in the 'Wellington Cup trace to mares of an unknown pedigree. Red Dolly, the dam of Bright Glow -, was got by All Red from Dolly, by Seaton Delaval—Dorothy, by The Dauphin—Bragela, by Panic, and so back to a bay Camerton mare of unknown pedigree. Bright Glow- stayed on well in the Wellington Cup, although she had no chance of beating Concentrate at the weights. The Hon Aga Khan (head of the winning owners of England last year) is a spirited buyer, and frequently pays very high prices for yearlings. Now he is concentrating more on breeding good ones. Some of his purchases have not turned out bargains, but he has had wonderful success on the turf, especially with young horses. In the past season he has won just on £40.000, but this is not his best year. In 1924 he won £44,000. In the course of eight years on the English turf he has_ won £220,000, or an average of over £27,000 per year. Several of the horses bought by the Aga Khan at high figures have proved pronounced disappointments. However, one colt bought by the Indian noble at the yearling stage of his career for 4100gns that has raced attractively is Blenheim, son of Blandford. In the seven races Blenheim was called upon to contest as a two-yenr-old he won four of his engagement, and has filled the role of runner-up in three other events. Blenheim is engaged in the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger (according to an English paper), and he is looked upon as a colt likely to have a good record at three yeare old. Prior to his departure to Germany J. Munro said that his greatest ambition in life was to ride the winner of the English Derby, an experience which no Australian jockey has had. During the week preceding his departure the popular jockey was widely entertained by groups consisting of owners, trainers, riders, and business men, and in the addresses of all the speakers, including that of Mr Colin Stephen, chairman of the A.J.C., confidence in Munro's ability to uphold Australia’s prestige as a jockey and a man in England and on the Continent was expressed. Air Stephen also stressed the fact that Munro was easily the bestcredentialled rider to leave Australia to follow his calling on European tracks, and his belief was that Baron Oppenheim would have no cause to regret his decision to retain his services. Prior to sailing for Germany, where he is under engagement to Baron Oppenheim, J. Munro, one of Australia's crack riders, in a farewell message to the racing men of Australia through the columns of the Sydney Referee, said: " Befoie leaving Sydney to take up my engagement on the Continent, I wish to express my thanks for the goodwill messages I have received from all over the Commonwealth. I deeply appreciate them, and now that the time is getting close I am a little regretful that I am going. This country has treated me well—so well that it will be extremely hard to say good-bye. even for a year. Ail going well, I will be back again inside 12 months. While away I will do my level best to uphold the honour of Australian sport abroad, as many good jockeys have done before me.”

Tentcrden, the winner of the Wellington Stakes, did not figure on the racecard, and in consequence there were several complaining that they had thus missed a winner. Tenterdcn had displayed good form in Auckland, and shaped like one capable of better things. The excellent dividend he paid is attributed to his absence from the card. Tentcrden was got by Chief Ruler from Rosellate, by Kilbroney—Rosalia, by Stepniak— Rosella, by Seaton Delaval from a halfsister to St. Hippo. Roseday is one of the best known members of the family. Tenterdcn cost 1300gns as a yearling, and his dam did not show much promise when in training at Wingatui. There is a lament both in New South Wales and Victoria in the fact that so few horses of note are on the scene in Australia at the present time, and pointed reference is made to the fact that, with the number of yearlings that annually go up for sale, there should be more horses of note bred in the Commonwealth. At the present stage Winalot appears entitled to be regarded as Australia’s best stayer, but. though the son of Rossendale has won honours at weight-for-age. he is not accepted as a first-rater. Amounis (by Magpie) and Highland (by Highfield) are both brilliant up to a mile and a half. In regard to the three-year-old performers' Carradale seems to be the best, but on the spring running he was clearly a good way below Phar Lap. A hope was entertained in regard to Comanehe proving a good performer at three years old, but he has proved a disappointment, and very little has been heard of him since he rail unplaced in the Queensland Derby, run last month. It is, of course, quite possible (says an exchange) for Australia to unearth a noteworthy three-year-old in the autumn, for it was in the autumn that Windbag was discovered.

“ Tn my opinion (says a correspondent of a Sydney paper), the short stirrup is all right for the very few jockeys who

can keep down on their mounts. Where a horse is pulling hard the rider must, rise in the saddle, and it does not matter so much then; but in riding a finish it must be a great handicap to the horse to have his rider up in the air—he stops a lot more wind than is necessary. But that is not so bad as being loosely attached to his mount. It would not look well on a racecourse, but if jockeys rode more with a strap round their ankles and thighs, to keep their legs in position, or a bit of cobbler s wax on the saddle, they may learn to ride closer to their mounts in a race. If you saw a photo of a recent Corinthian race finish at Rosehill you would notice the rider of the winner (Mr Ken Austin) and another rider a little further back right down on their horses, as good as any of the professionals. But some of the also-rans! Well, if their legs had been a bit longer they would not have been able to reach the reins. It would be very interesting to see some of the leading jockeys’ criticism of this.”

Man o War. the super racehorse of 1919 and 1920 and the marvellously successful sire since American Flag headed his first crop in 1924. has had only one two-year-old winner this season, and that did not come until Quarter Deck won at Jamaica on October 8. So far as results speak to date his sixth crop has been a dismal failure. Horsemen cannot explain this sudden falling away of the sons and daughters of a stallion which in five straight years never failed to send out one or more of really top class. It was not from lack of representation. All of 20 yearlings of more than average promise came up as two-year-olds to carry on his name and fame. To make the mystery deeper only three or four have been seen under colours. Most of them have not trained well enough to justify being sent out to try even for a maiden race. Some freak of breeding (says an American paper) has interrupted a remarkable sequence from 1924 to 1928. The get of Man o bar are slow to develop. On only- rare occasions have they raced to any marked prominence in their first year. Seapa Flow was an exception in 1926 when he won the Futurity. Clyde Van Dusen was another in 1928. On the whole, however, his sons and daughters do not come to the top of their form until they reach three years. Arising from a conference between a sub-committee of the Victorian Racing Club and representative owners and trainers arranged to discuss means of minimising accidents in races on the flat, the committee of the Victorian Racing Chib has amended Rule 116 of the Rules of Racing dealing with allowances for apprentice riders. An apprentice is allowed 30 winning mounts before he loses his allowance. For his first 10 wins he may claim 71b allowance, for his next 10 wins 51b, and for the last 10 wins 31b. »» inning mounts in the country were counted, and it was found by several trainers that apprentices almost lost their right to claim an allowance of 71b through ruecesses in the country before they were experienced enough to win the confidence of their masters in the metropolitan area Jhe amendment provides that the first 10 winning mounts on the flat in the countij shall not be taken into account in calculating the allowance to be claimed by apprentices in races within the suburban area. Every apprentice and his master must report immediately to the ’ ictorian Racing Club Committee ever” winning mount which the apprentice has ridden ami in future winning mounts must be reported within 24 hours, in default a fine, suspension, or disqualification. Each apprentice rider in a dead-heat for first place shall be deemed to have ridden a winning mount. Any winning mount ridden by an apprentice before his apprenticeship must be included if the fir<t 10 winning mounts were not in the country.