THE TURF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143782, 4 May 1912, Page 8

THE TURF.

(By Field Glass.)

FIXTURES.

May 8 and 9—Egmont R.C. Winter May 9 and 10—Ashburton County R.C, Autumn. June 1 and 3—Dunedin J.C. Winter.

It is hardly necessary for me to remind local sportsmen of the winter meeting of the Egmont Racing Club, which takes place at Hawera on Wednesday ami 'Thursday of next week. All the an alignments are well forward for the fixture, and the course and appointments, I am told, will bo in their usual tip-top order. Largo fields are assured, and given fine weather—and there is every indication of an improvement now—the meeting should he one of the most successful that has ever been held at Hawera. Crown Pearl scored the only double at the Avondale meeting. Glenfern was still unlucky, and had to bo content with a second and a third at the meeting. Autumnns has won stakes to the value of .£3070. This is a record for a two-year-old in New Zealand, the previous best being Multiform’s £2701 in 1896-97.

Malt King has won over £7OOO in stakes during the present season. Fourteen jockeys secured a place on the winning jockeys’ list at the Avondale Autumn .Meeting. J, O’Shea, who scored respectively on Tiresome, lied Lupin, and Ngaiimiiru; and F. D. Jones, who won a double on Crown Pearl, were the only rides to score more than one win. The other successful riders were: C. Brown, A. Ellerin, J. Moore, J; Buchanan, L. Morris, B. Deelcy, J. Tntclien, F. Howard, P. Brady, H. Stockloy, C. Poulgram, A young Australian lady, writing to a friend in Wellington, makes interesting comments concerning Trafalgar. “I went,” she says, “to the Bandwick races each day, but, all through the meeting, that one race (Autumn Stakes), between Trafalgar and Malt King, was the only exciting one. It made me think of some of the races you read about in Xat Gould’s books. On the other days Trafalgar won the rveight-for-age races all the way. I think ho is the most popular horse racing at the present time. The crowds go simply mad over him. He is such a “shoddy” looking animal to look at, too, and goes along with his head down. All the Melbourne people call him ‘Ginger.’ ” C. Emerson was the most successful horseman at the Manawatu fixture, riding four winners. F. E. Jones, C. Price, and B. Deeley each rode two winners, and H. Weller, M. M'Donald, C. Tricklebank, W. Ryan, W. Adams, and A. Oliver, one each. “Red Lupin,” says “Phaeton,” “fairly romped away with the Dominion Handicap at Avondale on Saturday last.” Writing of the steeplechase run at tire same meeting, reference is made to another locally-trained horse. He says: The steeplechase run at Avondale on Saturday last betook somewhat of the sensational order. The initial fence was the point at which the event

wua wu* at v. im u vuv nrnu became tinged with the remarkable. The grey Mildura was first to roneh the obstacle; but lie got in a little too close, stepped into the ditch, ami fell. Ben Jenson ran down his fence, and he carried JTunakaha, Tui Cakobau and Rebel with him, while Commander baulked. In a flash, therefore, the contestants were practically reduced to Ttuaha, First Barrel, Hautere, and Pleiades. The jumping of the quartette in question was very proficient, and in the concluding stage was in some coses quite of the dashing order. Pleiades was the one to especially distinguish himself in tins respect. 'Muson of Daystnr went up to win his race six furlongs from home, and when the favourite, Hautere, challenged a little further on,’ it seemed as though Pleiades might suffer for Ins early run. Before they reached the head of the straight those who were standing the halfbrother to Haydn wore able to look complacently on the situation, for Hautcre was tiring perceptibly, and Taiaha’s jockey was riding to keep up. Pleiades finished up his task most attractively, and matters may be said to be in a hopeful vein for his racing well during the approaching winter meetings. Sandy Paul, a stable companion of Pleiades, is said to have run very disappointingly in the Hurdle Race, finishing absolutely last. Hector Gray, who was disqualified for twelve months at the Dannevirko meeting, has had his term extended by four months. It is a rule with general application that disqualification by racing authorities entails exclusion from racecourses, and this is the practice followed in New Zealand, where, in addition, there is a provision for the extension of the term of disqualification in the event of this rule being disregarded. The clause referring to the matter runs: “Every .such person (disqualified person) shall bo excluded from all olaees under the control of any club.

an places uncier me roiu-rox c»i any emit, and any such person disobeying this rule by entering on a racecourse, nr , otherwise, shall thereby incur an addition to his sentence of one-third of its original duration, and shall pay a fine of not less than £5 for every such act of disobedience, before such sentence shall be considered to have expired.” Subsequent to the proper notification of his disqualification in ; the official calendar. Hector Gray was present on the Feilding racecourse at tho Faster meeting. That fact was officially reported to the New Zealand Racing Conference, and according to the rules Gray’s term of disqualification has been extended by four months, and he has also been fined £5. The Rules of Racing allow no option in the matter, and perhaps now that such pointed attention has been drawn to the provisions, the case may serve as a warning to others. “ Milroy,” of the Sydney Mail, writes as follows: “The story of Trafalgar’s breeding will stand repeating. Ho was bred by his owners at Bringenbrong, on the" Upper Murray, almost within sight of the source of that historic stream'. Bringenbrong is on the New South Wales side, and within a stone’s throw of Victorian territory. Trafalgar’s dam was bred at Tocal by Mr. Frank Reynolds, and was sold as a yearling to Mr. James Mitchell, of Tabletop, uncle of Trafalgar’s owners. Allsop tried to win a race with Grand Canary, but she was a failure, and he sent her home. Subsequently Mr. Mitchell packed her off to Melbourne to be sold, and she was bought for about 35 guineas for Bringenbrong Her first mate was Padlock, and , she threw a smart horse in Parvo. Then came a real good one in Corroboroe (by Harmonist), who was followed by Munderab, a weigbt-for-age horse, by Mai-

volio. Then came throe lean years, for her next three foals by Cory thus and Harmonist wore very moderate. Wallace was selected next as a mate for the mare, and Trafalgar was the produce. Prior to that Mr. Archie Ynille sent Messrs. Mitchell a postcard, which is preserved as a valuable relic in the archives of Bringenbrong. It read; ‘How to breed a Derby winner: You buy Wallace, or sell Jack Smith (owner of Wallace) . Searchlight and Grand Canary.’ Searchlight was a valued mare at Bringenbrong. Mr. Ynille’s tip did not come oil in respect of a Derby, but a great longdistance champion resulted. All racing writers emphasise the fact of Trafalgar being of Musket descent through Carbine. That is certainly true, but Trafalgar is as much like the average Musket ns a pig is like a pikestaff. He is a Stockwcll from nose to tail, and is very inbred to that horse.”