IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 51

IN A NUTSHELL.

General entries for the New Zealand Cup meeting are due on October 24.

1’ elony is well named. He robs those who back him.

Iraho was backed and well beaten in both his races at the Kurow meeting.

Mr J. Lindsay has repurchased Rosewood, who will remain in J. Ross’s stable. The ex-Riccarton trainer R. O’Donnell trains. Air Balloon, who won this year's Rosehill Guineas.

The weights for the C.J.C. Stewards’ Handicap are due on the 21st inst. Acceptances for the South Canterbury spring meeting are due on Friday next, the 10th inst.

Rosewood was made a good favourite for the Publican's Handicap at Kurow, but petered out badly in the run home.

Starshooter continues to prove a bargain at the 300gns paid for him at the Christchurch Easter sales.

It is understood that Rascal was struck out of the Kurow Cup because the going was too hard to suit him.

Mr S. Green, who went to England to see Strephon race, is on his way back to Australia.

The nominations for the Wellington spring meeting include Rin Tin Tin and Assemble from Wingatui. „ B C - Reid brought his team back to Wingatui at the conclusion of the Kurow meeting after wintering in Oamaru. Master Anomaly ran two races at the Kurow meeting, which suggest that he should soon enter the ranks of winners. The Rosenor filly Standard Rose showed pace at the Kurow meeting, but was not forward enough to see out her race. I'irst Sight started, seventh favourite anil at a good price when he won the Camelia Stakes, run at Rosehill on September 20.

ihe Elderelie stallions Tea Tray and eathervane sired between them all the placed horses in the Auckland Welcome o takes.

Rojal Limond was off colour when racing last week, and showed signs of it before going out to race. Under the circumstances he did remarkably well to run second.

, Gie Cathmar, who won ’i’- -p-J-C- Epsom Handicap, was got by lippier from Clair Obscure, by Abundance, who won the Victoria Derby of 1902.

Manufacturers have introduced some wonderful machinery, but bookmakers are not interested. They have for generations been reaping their harvest and bagging it in one operation.

Geraldine therq was a pool of £<ol 10s on one race, and deducting the ??J2i Ul 'inP ou t ’ n dividends a charge of £l r 2 19s stood against punters for the privilege of betting.

The entries received for several of the principal events to be decided at the New Zealand Cup meeting form a very pleasing -list with plenty of material to supply good fields throughout the fixture.

La Poupee who won th e Auckland Welcome Stakes, was got by Tea Tray from Dancing Doll,' by Black Jester— My Dolly, by Sundridge. She is trained by Mrs A. M'Donald. At Randwick a lady wished to invest two shillings with a bookmaker on Bradman. The fielder informed her that a horse named Bradman was not in the race. She said: “Oh, I must have stuck a pin through the wrong column.” There was more indifferent riding shown at Geraldine in some of the races than has been seen for many days, says an exchange, and if the stipendiary steward in attendance was satisfied he is a shockingly bad judge of racing. Dumblane is at last commencing to show torni, and came within an ace of landing a X tlle , meeting. He won the High Weight Handicap in good style, and with a better run would have beaten Mount Boa in the Hakataramea Handicap.

The Rosehill Guineas has been described as one of the roughest races seen at a Sydney meeting for some considerable time. It appeared as if Veilmond, the favourite, suffered very serious interference.

It is reported that Glare’s track work is rapidly improving. He has been galloping with a relish lately. One recent morning he ran a mile in 1.44, and subsecovered a mile and a-quarter ift

Water Power was travelling well in the early stages of her race at the Kurow meeting, but apparently was decisively beaten at the finish. On her form she holds a remote chance in the Dunedin Guineas.

Jock o’ Hazeldean did not get too good a run in the early stages of his race at Kurow, but once in line for home he made a dash, and got up in time to pin Master Anomaly on the post. The Gay Lad geld ing requires a big track.

Chief Light. Cricket Bat, Irish Chieftain, Song Box, Grecian Prince, and Flower, who are engaged in the M'Lean

(Stakes, also remain in the Wellesley {Stakes to be run at the Wellington spring meeting. Karapoti, who supplied a surprise by downing Cylinder in the Great Northern Guineas, was got by General Latour from Kilbeggan. by Kilbroney—Rouge, by Charlemagne II from Madder, the dam of AU Red and grandam of Sasanof. Bo;os o|>e. who ran second to La Poupee in tlie Ai 'kland Welcome Stakes, was got by ry:y.ie from Fortrix,. the dam ol Cat ■ i>il ar, and Lady Vane, who finished third, was got by Weathervane from I’anama.

Hand tears for the South Canterbury meeting are due to appear before the Dunedin spring meeting. This may lead to a handicap to be decided at Timaru having a totally different “ complexion ” after the running at Wingatui. « Compensation set a solid pace in the Gillies Handicap, and meeting First Raid at 741 b better than the handicap beat him a head with nothing to spare. First Raid ran a heap better than he did at Geraldine.

Mount Boa was more judiciously handled at Kurow than at the Geraldine tneeting, and last week ran out seven furlongs with 9.2 in 1.28 4-5. It was a good gallop, and served to show that Dumblane, who ran him to a head, is on the improve.

An American sportsman, who wishes to remain anonymous, read in the Sporting Life in the States of the fund organised for the widow of the bookmaker Milled by lightning at Ascot. On visiting Goodwood, the American handed in a cheque for £25 for the fund. The Treclare colt Tregilla, who won the A.J.C. Derby, failed to gain a place in h:s races last season. He was got by Treclare from Maltgilla, by Malt King— Noogilla, by Machine Gun—Maximise, by II avoe. Tregilla is engaged in the Melbourne Cup. Some outsiders came to light at Ellerslie < :i Saturday, and amongst them was Refresher, who won the Flying handicap from a good field. Refresher is a four-year-old gelding by Tea Tray from Hula Girl, by Demosthenes—Rangiao, by Gold Reef.

Hi ■ Psychology gelding Chrysology, who w; ,i at Ellerslie on Saturday, is a son ci' th: famous Desert Gold. He put up rom:> good placed -.performances last seas in—notably in the North Island <'ha 11 ng • Stakes when he finished third to Cylinder and Paganelli. Al Jo;-on followed up his success at Gerahlinj by scoring again at the Kurow meeting. He got badly away, but won well at the finish. The Limond gelding giver; indications of staying, but still requirics to show improvement in getting away from the barrier.

Australia has sustained a severe loss in the death of Gothic, who died of complications arising after a severe attack of pneumonia. Gothic won 20,42750 vs in stakes, and was expected to prove a valuable sire. Another serious loss -is the death of Top Gallant, who was also a high-class performer.

When produced at Kurow, Meadow Rank looked rather big in condition, and the fact did not help him to see out his race. He was beaten a long way from home, but the race should smarten him up considerably. Still, the Songbird gelding may not be quite at his best on the first day of the Dunedin spring meeting.

In England in 1929 there were 4602 racehorses trained for flat racing. Of these 1562 were two-year-olds, 1295 three-year-olds, 762 four-year-olds, and 993 five-year-olds and upwards. There have been over 4600 horses in training for the flat each year since 1925, and stakes advanced from £306,958 in 1874 to £729.006 last year.

The offer of 10,000 guineas for the erack gelding Phar Lap recalls the deal made by the Marquis of Hastings when he paid 13,000 guineas for Kangaroo on the strength of a faked trial. Kangaroo proved useless for racing, and one day when the Marquis alighted from a hansom and was paying the fare, the driver pointed to the horse between the shafts and said, “He is still costing you money.” Kangaroo was between the shafts. Once again it has been proved that a horse can give away weight but not disstance. About three furlongs from home in the Kurow Cup Black Duke was giving tarshooter about four or five lengths’ «■ tart. He then commenced to make a run up the rise, and after momentarily heading Starshooter in the straight tlie latter came again and won by a head. Minus the start Black Duke would have won.

Manfred, wonder horse of a few years ago, ganed his first success as a sire when Usurper recently led home a smart field of juveniles at Cheltenham (S.A.). Usurper, a strongly built and good looking youngster, is out of Little Joan (dam of King of Mirth and the hurdler Shavian), by Pistol from the Melbourne Cup winner Auraria, and he was bred and is owned by Mr R. E. H. Hope, for whom he is trained at Morpethville by Harrv Butler.

Many stallions are brought into prominence by one or two good horses, but though in the three-year-old Gallant Fox Sir Gallahad 111 has the world’s greatest earner—£63,soo —he has other good representatives. Two are the two-year-olds Betty Derr and Insco, who, up to the middle of last month, had respectively won £4482 and £4680. Betty Derr was the winner of six races and Insco of four. Plucky Liege, dam of Gallahad 111, is by Spearmint (son of Carbine).

When Dominant was sold at Ranawick as a yearling for 6750 guineas his remarkable stoutness came in for cofnment. Those who saw him that day would not now recognise him in the tall, highwithered, light-fleshed customer into which he has developed. “He seemed as if he were never going to stop growing,” remarked his trainer, C. T. Godby, the other morning, “ and that,” he continued, “ made Him difficult to train., but lie is now pjoinjx on the right way.”

Mr Jack Low, stud groom for Mr G. M. Currie at Koatanui, supplies the following additional foalings: Jewel of Asia chestnut filly to Limond, September 18; Homage, bay filly to Limond, September 20, thus sister to Honour, Episode and Courtesy; Episode, chestnut colt to Pombal, September 23; Waterwings, bay colt to Limond. September 28, thus brother

to Agrion and Zetes. Inlaid, By Invincible, slipped a bay colt to Pombal on September 24.

At Wingatui yesterday morning the tan track was open for the first time for on? a^er being closed for a few weeks The gallop of the morning was put up by lippier, and Hula Belle. They are both Australian bred and likely sorts, and were responsible for 4 furlongs in 51. Tippler is a well-grown three-year-old oy tippler—Sweet Form, by Multiform— Sweet Thorn, by Medallion. Hula Belle was . got by Beau Fils—Maxwellton — Annie Laurie, by Charlemagne 11. Hula Belle was showing pace some little while back, but had to be eased owing to suffering from a poisoned leg. .With a thick belt of trees on either side, which must make a very effective breakw’ind, the Allees des Lions at Chantilly, France, is the principle track used for training the best English stayers. It is two miles and a-half dead straight, and is slightly undulating. It is drained on either side, has water laid on every 100 yards, while the surface being a mixture of sand and leaf mould, it is ready in practically any weather. The Allee is maintained by the French Jockey Club, partly by fees charged and partly by the proceeds from the totalisator.

At Wingatui yesterday morning the tan track and the inside grass were open. Inere was not a great deal of fast work. Evening galloped four furlongs on the tan in 54sec. Hot Tea and Auster covered the same ground in 52 1-5 sec. Rin Tin Tin and Assembly sprinted two furlongs in 24 4-5. High Court worked over two circuits and ran over the final five furlongs in 1.9 3-5. Wme Choice sprinted half a mile in o 3 3-5. Tippler and Hula Belle put up a smart gallop by covering four furlongs in 51sec. Star Tractor was schooled over two hurdles and Antrim Boy over one flight. Black Duke got through a useful task.

L. H. Watson, a jockey formerly of Auckland, has arrived from Sydney. Watson is on holiday from Ceylon, where he has just finished a most successful season, and he leaves for Christchurch. While holidaying in New Zealand he mav take out a license and ride in the South Island. Watson . was associated with Cherry Ripe in his wins in Sydney and has ridden in almost every State in the Commonwealth and also in India. He can go to scale at 7.7, so if he decides to ride here he should be in demand. He will return to Ceylon for the new season commencing in December.

It is to be deplored there are regular racegoers who. never rising above that smattering of knowledge which is so dangerous in everything, are always ready to besmirch the game. What they cannot understand they attribute to crookedness, that is often a reflex of their own character, and one cannot help wonderin" (says “Pilot”) what they would do if, in their own line of business, they were forced into a corner. Even if not entirely successful, there is no other business in Australia controlled in the same fashion as racing with the idea of keeping it clean. Bearing on this, the following excerpt from an American paper points to the position being the same in that country: .Five years a g o the Wellington Racing Club held a race ball, upon which the loss was over £7OO, and there has not been one held since. At the annual meeting of the club this week a member asked the stewards to consider the reintroduction of the race ball, which he considered would be a function greatly appreciated by visitors. Mr J. G. Duncan, in pointing out the loss sustained on the last ball, said that there was only fifty members in the whole club who gave it support and the attendance numbered only 250, includes the officers of the American Fleet. Cabarets were a stronger and cheaper attraction, but the matter would be considered.

The Australian horse Strephon II ran his last race for the season in England at Kempton Park on August 13, when he was beaten by Baytown in the August Plate. Strephon 11, as at Lingfield and in most ot his races in Australia, endeavoured to make every post a winning one, but Baytown moved up to him on a tight rein when half the journey had been covered. The grey had to close on his five-year-old rival on the outside in the straight, but he sailed past him without the suspicion of an effort. . When the ground is soft, and when it is possible to have Baytown trained to his best, the son of Achtoi is an exceptionally smart performer. It was’ no disgrace for Strephon II to fail to give him 101 b. S. Darling hopes to have Strephon II thoroughly acclimatised for his cup engagements next year. “ The fact that an occasional incident be unworthy, an untrue race be run, or a just reproach be possible against any clement in the sport is indeed regrettable, but not unforgivable, for these cases are rare indeed, and it must in fairness be remembered that the turf has no monopoly of saints or sinners. Every occupation has its renegades and black sheep, the turf perhaps less than any. because no other sport, trade, or profession is so sternly ruled or so open to public approval. Well-founded condemnation of corrupt practices is right, but allegations, often bassed on erroneous conclusions, should be avoided. They lead people not associated with the business to regard racing and its followers as a menace to the morals of any community.

The feature of the Goodwood meeting in England in July-August was -tlie, success achieved by Fred Darling, of Beckhampton. He won eight races outright, and dead-heated for first in another. His winners were Four Course (Richmond Stakes), Lemnarchus (Levant Stakes), Brother-in-Law (Trundle Handicap), Runaway Match (Prince, of Wales Stakes), lhe Recorder (Drayton Handicap), Press Gang (dead-heat with Utmajeur in Gordon Stakes), The Macnab (Chesterfield Cup), Quinine (Nassau Stakes), and Pasca (Findon Stakes). In stakes Darling’s horses won nearly £ll,OOO, and that put him a good second to R. Dawson on the winning trainers’ list. All but one of the winners were ridden by F. Foa, who was several points ahead of G. Richards in the winning jockeys’ list. The New Zealand trainer A. D. Webster is winning his share of races this spring (says the Sydney Morning Herald of Friday last). Yesterday First Acre recorded a nice win in the Men angle Park Three Hundred. On his previous trip to Sydney First Acre did exceptionally well for his joint owners, but m his earlier races on his present trip he found the distances and conditions against him. At

Tattersall’s spring meeting, however, he was backed to favouritism at the last minute for the mile and a-quarter Spring Handicap, and although he did not win his display was very encouraging, and pointed to his being in need of another r . un - Yesterday he was all the rage for the Cup. He was allowed to get balanced while Promara and then Vertoy made the running, and in the straight he came with a well-timed run to beat Cathmar, always prominent, by half a length, Arikiwai finishing in front of the remainder. Recent criticisms of the totallisator are not causing anxiety to those responsible for the destinies of the machine method of betting. Sir Clement Hindley, the chairman of the Racecourse Betting Control Board, interviewed, declined to comment upon the suggestion that the totalisator is not progressing so well financially as had been anticipated. Asked if he favoured the proposal that the bookmakers should be offered a commission to place covering money with the tote, Sir Clement said the board had no desire to quarrel with the bookmakers; on the other hand, it would certainly not bribe them. From another official of the Betting Control Board it was learned that rapid progress has been made .in recent weeks in completing installations in permanent positions on racecourses up and down tlie country. There are now 47 complete installations, and good progress is being made at racecourses like Kempton Park, Nottingham, Hurst Park, Birmingham, and Brighton.

Advance has been made regarding the installation of the totalisator on Melbourne racecourses. Sir George Julius, accompanied by Mr Theo. Marks, architect, of Sydney, and Mr Albert Dunn, acting secretary of the V.R.C., recently paid a visit to Flemington. Sir George Julius and Mr Marks, while in Melbourne, will confer with the committees of the V.A.T.C., Williamstown Racing Club, and the Moonee Valley Racing Club. Negotiations are proceeding with a view to minimising the cost of totalisator installations, while ensuring efficiency. Instead of going on the loan market, the V.R.C. intends to use money, amounting to £56,324, which has accumulated in the Accident Insurance Fund and Benevolent Fund, paying interest thereon. Williamstown Racine Club has £35,000 available, while the V?A.T.C. and Moonee Valley Racing Clubs also will draw on their reserves. None of the clubs could have financed the scheme on the basis of the quotation originally submitted by Sir George Julius, who is endeavouring to meet their desire for economy.

At the annual meeting of members of the Wellington Racing Club Mr H. P. F. Blundell, in speaking to the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, brought up the question of payments for classic events. He considered that there was rather a long interval between the payment of forfeit and the day of the race. In Australia there were two payments, whereas in New Zealand, with one or two exceptions, owners became liable for the full amount after the first forfeit of £l. The early seasons in the Dominion did not tend to reveal whether a horse was good enough for classics or not, but in order to avoid being left owners had to become liable for the full amount on general entry day. Mr Blundell considered that two payments, one of £1 and another of £2 or £3 in a few days prior to the race, would meet with general approval. He criticised the action of the Canterbury Jockey Club in calling for payments prior to the Wellington meeting, and suggested that consideration should be given to the opinions he expressed and that the C.J.C. should be approached in the matter.

When a friend of Mr C. Boyle, of Wellington (N.Z.), suggested that he should buy the hurdler Conjurer in Melbourne some time ago, he readily agreed, and was prepared to go to 700gns for him —a good price for a hurdler. Mr Boyle eventually had to pay 625gns for the gelding (says the Melbourne Herald of September 11). He was apparently in no hurry to get his money back, as, after racing Conjurer once in Melbourne early last season, he had him sent to New Zealand for an extended spell. The long rest has done Conjurer a lot of good. He had a race over hurdles in New Zealand late last season, and ran second, and he was not" produced again until lie scored at Sandown recently. There was every opportunity for his owner immediately to recoup himself for his substancial outlay, as double figures were freely wagered when betting had settled down. The gelding looked so well that many good judges supported him until half those odds was the best offer. Conjurer’s performance was'a good one, and he should be worth following at his next few outings. He covered a fair amount of extra ground, and yet scored with plenty to spare. He is by St. Alwyne from Poniard, and is therefore a full brother to the Melbourne Cup winner Poitrel, and a half-brother to the Newmarket winner Valiard. Wonderful breeding for a hurdler. Conjurer returned to Melbourne from New Zealand during the winter, and his trainer, T. J. Hayes, has him in capital condition.