RACING AND TROTTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 18, 26 February 1914, Page 8

RACING AND TROTTING.

STOP PRESS NEWS ON PAGE 10.

Racing- fixtures. Feb. 26 and 28—vTanganui J.C. Autumn. March 4 and s—Dannevirke5 —Dannevirke B.C. Autumn. March s—Akaroa County R.C. Annual. March 11 and 12—Nelson. J.C. Annual. March 13 and 14—Napier Park R.C. Autumn. March 19 —Waimate B.C. Annual. TROTTING FIXTimES. Feb. 25 and 28—Otahuhu T.O. Summer. Feb. 27 and March 2 —Wanganui T.O. Annual March s—Poverty Bay T.O. Annual. March 11—Manawatu T.O. Annual. INCONSISTENCY IN TROTTING. tHE CHANGE OF RIDER SCHEME. During a rather lengtHy visit to Canterbury, the Auckland horse Craibwood showed remarkably poor form, so much so in fact as to give him no sort of chance in any of the many events in which he was started. On returning north he exhibited a similar sort of "gait in his first race at the Otahuhu meeting yesterday, but in the very next event, gave a taste of his, real capabilities. So remarkable was the change that the stewards held an enquiry, the explanation tendered being that the horse would not try when ridden by his owner in the first event, but went kindly in his second venture for Julian. TAKING A EISK. While accepting the explanation* the stewards decided to warn the horse's owner that in future they would hold him or <any other rider responsible for a horse's performances if lie took the risk of putting up an inferior horseman-. It is a well known fact that some horses will do better for one horseman than another, but.stewards will have to use every discrimination in order to prevent the public being victimised, by owners who take advantage of the loophole thus provided for inconsistent running. In a case such as that under notice it would be a good plan to compel owners to notify any change' in riders, and give some reason why the change should be made. TO PREVENT SHAEP PRACTICES. If something of this sort is not done the, door will be open to all sorts of sharp practice. As matters at present stand there is nothing to prevent a horse being shockingly, ridden either by inability or design in one race, and naturally enough his backers, accepting that, as his true form, give him no sort of chance in his next engagement at that meeting. A change of horseman is made, probably unknown to the majority of the onlookers, and if the horse wins, the owner has a valid excuse when askecL for an explanation. It is a practice that is becoming all too common on New Zealand tracks, and in the interest of backers those in authority will have to take some drastic measure for its suppression. If a competent horseman cannot be secured for the first race, it would be only fair to the public that the horse be withdrawn, failing which his two displays should be judged on their merit, irrespective of the question of horsemanship. TURF TOPICS. Veritas, who got badly galloped on at the Dunedin ineeting, will be an unlikely starter for the Peninsula Cup, at the Akaroa fixture. G. Scobie's team will shortly be strengthened by the addition of a couple of three-year-old geldings. One is by Menschikoff from Sagovia, and the other by Delaware —Polly Prim. They are expected to arrive from "Mr Harvey Patterson's Meadowbanlc stud by the end of the week. Sunbeam has not quite recovered from the effects of a jarred fetlock, and it is doubtful if he will have sufficiently recovered to enable him to fulfil his Akaroa engagement. 1 The Soult gelding Aimwell, who has the reputation of being a rank quitter, may not be further persevered with, bis owner having decided to turn him out. ~* Firmhold will not be taken to Little River, as it has been decided not to race him again until, the autumn. Snowralter, one of F. Smith's charges, has been responsible for some attractive gallops at Ricearton during the past couple of weeks, and should keep her opponents busy in the.~Welter at Little River. Old Taskmaster, whose name appears among the entries for the Waimate C!up, has nof sported silk for over a year, and it will be interesting to see hosv the Treadmill gelding will shape after his long enforced retirement. A good deal of interest is being taken locally in the doings of the several Canterbury-owned horses that claim engagement at the Wanganui Trotting Club's Meeting to-morrow. The valuable silver cup that forms part of the prize attached to the Peninsula Cup has been attracting a good deal of attention during the past few days in Petersen's window. The New Zealand-bred gelding Wild West changed hands in Sydney recently at 300 guineas, and a few days afterwards ran second in the Flying Handicap at Moorfield. Twelve months ago Eccentric gave every promise of taking a particularly high place amongst the Dominion's trotting horses. On being taken to Auckland, however, he quite failed to reproduce his southern form, and in the chief event at Otajiuhu yesterday gave a most disappointing display. Amongst the most fancied candidates for the Napier Cup is Passadena, who will be ridden by R. Berry. By the way, if the San Fran mare is called after the Californian town of similar name, it should be spelt with only one '' s." Hardly a meeting takes place in Australia without some of the many New Zealand horses racing over there making their presence felt. Amongst the latest to earn distinction are Uralsk, by Royal Artillery-r-Ural; Dunalastair, by Royal Fusilier —Lady Progress; Charleville, by Charlemagne II. —La Gloria; and Fordell, by Sir Laddo — Orchestra. At the last meeting of the Australian Trotting Club, the evergreen St. Simon, who raced for many years in Canterbury, demonstrated that he is not yet a back number by winning the Flying Mile in 2min 19$ sec. It is estimated that bookmakers doing business within the metropolitan area of Sydney contribute £BO,OOO annually in fees to the various clubs. In'view of this, it would be interesting to know, what Sydney's annual betting turnover amounts to. The evergreen gelding Dick Fly

showed that age has not -impaired his speed by his showing in the" principal event at Otahuhu yesterday. Notwithstanding that he had a good-sized field of harness horses to pass, tho big fellow only suffered defeat by half a length, and left tho two miles behind in .the creditable time of 4.41. A batch of twelve English-bred horses arrived in Sydney recently. After serving the necessary period in quarantine the newcomers will be offered for sale at Randwick. Word is to hand from Sydney of the death of the well-known Englishbred "stallion Haut Brion. The son of St.. Simon . and Bonny Lassie was imported to Australia by Mr S. Horden in 1896, and since being at the stud has sired quite a number of useful sprinters, notably: Sweet Nell, Hautvilliers, Hautboy, Haulette, Bee Bee, Istria, and Collarit. The Prince Harold gelding Brooklyn, who showed such brilliant form-'at the last meeting of the N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club, is to be shipped to Australia in the course of a few days to compete in the Sydney Thousand. On the conclusion of that fixture, Brooktyn will probably retjyrn to C. Piper's stable. The well-known Australian' performer, Fitz Grafton, who, after racing in India, found his way to England, was recently acquired there by Mr I. H. Wheateroft. It is quite ,on the cards that the son of Grafton, and Olive Branch, now 13 years' qld, will find his way . back to the land of his birth. The death occurred recently at Sydney of an old-time racing identity in the person of T. C. Stanley, who in his day was. one of the most accomplished' jockeys associated with the Australian Turf. Amongst his remarkable performances in the saddle was the unique one of winning two VictO; rian Derbies in the year 186S on Fireworks, a feat rendered possible on account of an extra Derby meeting being held on New Year's Day in honour cJ: the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh. In the same year he also won the Victorian St. Leger on the same horse, the Sydney Cup and the A.J.C. Metropolitan Stakes on The Barb; and woundup a remarkable, season by ginning the Melbourne Cup, on Gleneoe. During the •'seventies Charlie. Stanley and "Brickey" Colley had a dispute while riding in a race at Randwick, and after exhausting their arguments in-a vain attempt to settle it, indulged in a flogging match over the greater part of the straight. The combatants were good friends again immediately after the whipping, but it was an offence that the racing authorities could not well wink at, and both horsemen had to undergo slight punishment. TEMPLAR.