SPORTING

Southland Times, Issue 18972, 20 June 1923, Page 3

SPORTING

NOTES BY SIR MODRED.

Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Winter meeting opens to-day.

The Victorian two-year-old, The Monk, » in the Melbourne Cup.

Christchurch Hunt Club will race at Rictearton on Saturday, August 4.

The useful Admiral Codrington has re Burned work in Hawke’s Bay.

It is claimed that the yearlings at Waikanae Stud are the best ever produced there.

Bitters has won the Masterton, Wairarapa and Raukawa Cups during the present seasob.

Penury Rose and Sir Wai failed at Elleralie. but are expected to do better at Trentham fixture.

Napier reports credit Battle Knight and Barrier with being in high-grade form at the present time.

Lightweight jockey, M. Conway, who won twice over hurdles on First Born at Otaki, goes to the scales at 7.7.

Further batten experience at Hastings this week should help to season Vagabond for big experiences ahead of him.

Imported sire Luculius is expected to find growing favour with North Island breeders during the incoming season.

Reported that Mireusonta was greatly fancied by his connections when he lost Taipua Handicap at Otaki, as the result of ilb short weight.

Messrs R. J. Timpany and A. Driscoll, who left on a holiday visit to Australia on Monday, will probably assist at the VJLC. Grand National meeting.

West Coast backers are reported to have lost big money when the home-trained horses ran at Ashburton, Oamaru and Dunedin meetings.

Schooling reports from Auckland state that there ia very little between King Abbey and Royal Abbey over battens, but the former has not raced well in public so far.

It was recently claimed that Birkenella was loaded up with weight at Wingatui, but it is noticeable that another handicapper has taken care of him at Hastings.

E. Preston had to forego the mount on Mary Bruce in the Great Northern Steeplechase owing to injuries, and this fact accounts for S. Henderson getting a valuable winning ride.

Despite his defeat at Ellerslie Doleful Ditty, by Kilboy—Mandola, is claimed to be a promising galloper in view of early spring meetings of the new season opening in August.

There will be racing on three consecutive days in North Otago in the spring, as the Kurow Jockey Club’s meeting will be held on October 4, while the Oamaru Jockey Club will follow on October 5 and 6.

Always a lover of racing from his youth upwards, Mr J. E. Winsloe will be pleased that his gold-mounted whip for the most successful cross-country horseman in Southland during the current season, has fallen into the capable hands of T. W. O’Connell, of Winton. The trophy will be presented at the annual gathering of members of the Vi verton Racing Club.

The Victorian trainer, C. T. Godby, has feo fewer than 14 representatives in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and Cantala Stakes. His team includes: The Monk, Iceland, Jollity, Recluse, Sultry, Irish Rythm, Gladfly, Sand Lily, Jlaviol, Otaria, Elbrick, Purser, All Gold and Kelmarsh. All .Gold will race in the nomination of the owner of that good horse Purser. Kelmarsh is a well-bred imported English four-year-old by Lemberg—Balnacoil, by Gallinule.

The latest cables received in Sydney before the English Derby was decided gave Papyrus (first) as favourite, with Town Guard inclined to drift in the market. Evidently Town Guard came back into favour, as he started Favourite, and Lord Derby’s colt, Pharos, (second) also finished in slightly better favour on the day than the winner.

When the last mail to hand left Australia, Berrinbo was most in demand for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race, while Jackstaff, Bounding Wave, Mneuelar, Eulyard, Argory Box and Sandule were also in favour. The ex-New Zealander, Chrysostom, was not mentioned, but if fit and well on the day, he will assuredly find a host of supporters.

The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club’s Winter meeting opens to-day and extends over Thursday. The horses engaged in the leading jumping events are few in number, but several of the acceptors will have valuable engagements later on. In days gone by this jumping fixture at Hastings was one of the most important gatherings of the winter season, but the tendency with owners of good horses nowadays is to keep them in reserve for the Wellington R.C’s. Winter meeting, with the N.Z. Grand National fixture at Riccarton to follow shortly afterwards.

Cable messages to Australia from London give some interesting details of investments in connection with the result of the Epsom Derby won by Papyrus from Pharos and Parth —a race that will be classed in future years as having been a triumph for the three ‘P*s.”—The winner of the Stock Exchange sweepstake on the Derby is said to be a titled member of Parliament. He gets £25,000. —-Mrs Ford, a Yorkshire mill worker, won the £32,000 Otley Unionist Club Derby sweepstakes.—Two women won £lO,OOO and £BOOO respectively in other sweeps—The winner of about £13,000 in the Smithfield sweepstakes in aid of Bartholomew’s Hospital is Charles Knowland. He bought a lucky ticket for £1 after it had been refused by scores of people. It is reported that he has decided to hand over £4OOO to the hospital.

The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club, in framing the conditions for the next New Zealand Cup, have made two important alterations from those ruling last year. The stake remains at £2,500, but the value of the trophy has been raised from £5O to £lOO, a corresponding reduction being made in the cash prise, which will this year by £2,400. The minimum penalty is 51b, which last year was incurred by the winner of “any race or races of the collective value of £300,” will this year apply only to the winner of “any race of the value of £300.”

The value of skull caps for riders in jumping races was demonstrated in Sydney recently. The cross-country horseman, A. Ferguson, had a narrow escape from serious injury at Randwick, when schooling Fusilk over hurdles. The horse over-jumped the second obstacle, and Ferguson landed on his head with great force. He was dazed for a while, and received a cut behind one of his ears—obviously from the edge of his skull cap. When examined, the cap he was wearing, was seen to be crushed flat just where it protected the base of the rider’s skull. But for this cap Ferguson would certainly have had his skull fractured

Amazing entries are received from time to time for Sydney pony fixtures. For the 14.1 Handicap at a Victoria Park meeting last week, 95 horses were engaged. This would probably result in the race resolving into about five devisions—the racing track is easily suitable for fields up to 22 starters. Five divisions is almost equal to a day's programme,, aa six events often constitute

an afternoon’s sport in N.S.W. For other events at the same meeting the entries were as follows:—14.0 Handicap, 26; Maiden Handicap, 64; Flying Handicap, 64; Trial Handicap, 36; and Victoria Park Handicap ,40. With five races claiming several division events, the meeting would probably start about 10.30 a.m.

The owner of the Derby winner does not race extensively, as he only has two horses in work—Papyrus and another. His jockey, S. Donoghue, has now ridden five winners of the great race, including three in succession, viz.. Humorist, Captain Cuttie and Papyrus, this feat entitling him to be classed himself as a winner of the golden spurs—the turf “hat trick.”

Horses trained in the Auckland district came out well at the Great Northern gathering, for out of the twenty-two races decided at the fixture, they accounted for sixteen, leaving six to be won by competitors hailing from outside the district.

The racehorse owner who won most money ip stakes at the Dunedin Jockey Club's Winter meeting was nominally entitled to £1,160, but the charges for taxation, riding and club fees reduced that total to £770 9s. The local fees are endurable because value is given for them. The taxation by the State is deemed outrageous, and such as to drive all but wealthy men out of the sport.

Seadown, who heads the handicap list in the Woodlands Steeplechase at Hastings to-day, is getting up in years as a racer having been foaled in 1912 as by Dawnshire from Sequin. His half-brother, Zecchino, by Musketry, who was foaled in 1901, was at the stud in Southland about twenty years ago.

No fewer than 348 horses competed on the Perth trotting course at one time or another during the present season. Earl Derby, who is now trained by B. Jarden, at Yaldhurst, Christchurch, claims the best record, having been unbeaten in the five races in which he completed. THE DERBY RACE. AN AUSTRALIAN’S IMPRESSIONS. (Special to Sydney Sun). LONDON, June 8. Mr Colin Stephen, chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, who is on a visit to England, had some interesting remarks to make on the Derby, in an interview after the race was run. “I first visited Epsom in 1888,” said Mr Stephen, “and have seen five Derbies, but Epsom has remained the same, except the crowd, which has grown amazingly. It was a perfectly managed meeting, and I saw no unpleasant incidents. I did not see a single drunk, though the crowd on the hill was enormous. I was amazed at the countless motor vehicles, and the scarcity of horsed vehicles, four-in-hands seeming to be extinct. The traffic control was wonderful, considering the tens of thousands of vehicles on the road. The course was in perfect order and beautifully turfed, but appeared to ride dead. With its downhill run at Tattenham corner, and uphill finish, it provides the greatest test in the world for a good horse, though a good jockey also shines to advantage. “A threatening feature was the weather. When the horses were parading prior to the Derby, heavy rainstorms passed over the start at the five furlongs, but did not reach the stands, though the mist, spreading on the far side of the course, made the visibility bad, and it was extremely difficult to follow the race.

“As a field the Derby colts showed more quality than would be seen in a similar race in Australia. The race appeared to be very fast run, and the time, 2.38, was exceptionally good, in view of the fact that the going was dead. “Knockando lead at a great pace for six furlongs, but I did not sight Town Guard during the race, which appeared to be clean run and without incident. It appeared to me a furlong from home that Pharos would win, but Papyrus went away from him as they came up the hill, and won like a champion. “I was told that Parth was practically left at the post. If that is correct, he must be a rattling good horse, though his appearance did not appeal to me as much as that of Papyrus and Pharos. The Australian, A. Walker, rode Parth, and proved himself a good boy to get his mount so close at the finish.

‘T was amused by the jaunty way in which Papyrus left the weighing enclosure after the race. He was not in the least distressed, and walked like a real winner. Donoghue, before he went to the weighingroom, kissed Papyrus on the nose. Then he himself was hugged and kissed by an ■-enthusiastic old woman. Donoghue was smiling, and was seemingly in his seventh heaven of delight at winning the golden spurs.”