TURF TOPICS BY."TARANAKI."

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12290, 24 June 1903, Page 5

TURF TOPICS BY."TARANAKI."

" Javelin/ in- the "Pepper &a.d, Salt," topics in th,e Melbourne Leader writes : — The proprietor of , a restaurant in a sporting centre was in a constant trouble with servants. Cooks,^ waiters, and even scullery maids, were continually wasting time talking "hjor--se," studying handicaps, and endekvouring to pick winners. Having be casion to advertise for a cook, Ihe mentioned his, grievance to one of ihe; applicants, who said, " Oh, don't trouble me ! ' I never go to! a meeting, and don't know one horse, from another ! , You needn't "voirry about. me on that score, boss." That being satisfactory, the man was jjngaged, and all went well for a week or so. One day the proprietor, beingshort handed, was taking some of the." orders for meals himself, and going to the speaking- tube which communicated with the kitchen, he called out, "Calves' head- one 1" The voice of the ; new cook promptly came back — "D—;it !i That's just my usual luck ! ' What was second and third ?" | The world's record for five furlongs ., was broken during the course of tho Epsom Spring Meeting last month. In the ~ Great Surrey" Handicap Master Willie, with 9st 71b in the saddle, ran the distance, in _ 56 2-ssec— marvellous time, even , admitting that the course is one of the easiest in England. Prior to this race the five furlongs re- j cord was held by the Americans. At i Morris Park, New York, on a straight track, partly downhill,. Maid Marian' ran five furlongs in 56£ sec on October Oth, 1894. A handicafp, not published by the official handicapper, is now being circulated for ihe New Zealand Cup. 1 The compiler is a well-kno,wn Wellingtofi sporting writer and handicapßer., Without condemning his work I think' liho practice of anticipating the official hanHioa^per is bad. ' For instance on the card in notice three horses are terribly well treated in my opinion on* past and recent perform,ances; and again of tke 53 handicapiped no less than 32 are hartdiirappetfi .under the -7.0 mark, which can hardly be called han-~ dicappkig. ,