RACING FIXTURES.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 333, 25 April 1885, Page 11

RACING FIXTURES.

NEW ZEALAND. April 25. — Auckland Polo Club Meeting. May 1 and 2. — Wellington B-.C. Autumn. May 2. — Otahuhu Autumn Meeting. May 25.— Takapuna J.O. Winter. May 25. — N.Z Grand National Steeplechases, May 25. — Dunedin J.O. Winter Meeting. May 25. — Wanganui J.C. Steeplechases. June 6. — Auckland E.O. Steeplechases. June 25. — Uawkes Bay J.O. Steeplechases.

If. the weather is fine there shoxild be a good afternoon's amusement at Ellerslie, as the Polo Club hold their meeting there today (Saturday). The programme is an amusing one, comprising Bare-back Hurdle Race, Tandem Race, Steeplechase, Cigar and Umbrella Race, Hurdle Race, Calcutta Race, and Pony Race. The Cigar and Umbr ella Race, Tandem Race, and Calcutta Race will be sure to afford a great deal of fun. As none of the riders have practised, bungles are sure to be numerous. The Cambridge Races came off last Wednesday and Thursday. The most noticeable event was -&he flogging' contest that took place between the riders of Claude and Alaric in the Hurdle Race on the first day. Coming up the straight the rider of Claude, either intentionally or accidentally, struck Alaric with his whip, whereupon his jockey immediately retaliated. The boys then commenced to nog each other instead of their horses, until the post was passed. A protest was of course entered, and the sapient stewards disqualified Claude and awarded the race to Alaric, the owner of the third horse looking on with astonishment during the delivery of this novel decision. By all /the rules of racing both the flogging jockies foul, and therefore ought to have been \ •disqualified and the race awarded to the horse that came in third. These secondclass meetings, as I have repeatedly pointed put, are acting in a way that is adverse to genuine racing. When will steps be taken "by the principal clubs to bring them under control ? A similar case, it will be remern- . bered, occurred at Ohaupo some years ago, when the affair was what is commonly called "squared," the offenders being popular Waikato settlers, while at Cambridge they were professional jockies. The racing calls for no comment, bar the flogging match and the iadt that Claude's clever party failed to ■work the oracle ; their little arrangement did not come off. " Old New Year's " legs Appear as if they were going to stand after - being fired, as he won the Steeplechase, this making the second time he has passed the post first recently, not to mention his good second at Eilerslie. ' Looking back at the past racing season, it strikes one as a rather remarkable thing that the greatest handicap winners have been either imported horses or served out of the . . colony. Rubina, Wapiti, Tasman, Nelson, Pearl, Marion, and Turquoise have all alien blood in their veins ; while Tasmania, Derwentwater, Bonderman, Sou'wester, Captain Webster, and Taiaroa (fair performers) hail from Tasmania or Australia. New Zealand can produce as good horses as any of the other colonies, as Martini-Henry, Sir Modred, Mata, and Welcome Jack amply prove, but they have been unlucky in haudicaps during the past season. Auckland horses have for many years been in the background, and the bulk of the money has gone to the Southern division ; but lately a change has taken place, and now there are more good horses at Ellerslie than in any other part of this colony, and with luck they should not only keep the Auckland money here but bring a lot back from the South that has been taken from us. Mr Marshall has a particularly strong team in Chaafe's hands. Turquoise is sure to gain some more winning brackets before he finally retires. Necklace is also a good \ mare when really fit, which, in my opinion, "she has not been this season. Thunderbolt is a colt far above the average ; in fact, I do not tnink they know how good he is, as ■' he has never been fairly extended in public. Derringer is also a useful animal, and if I am not much mistaken will turn out a stayer. Mr Marshall has also a useful yonng one or two, so next year he should have a good time ; but it must be regretted that he showed his hand so plainly by running both Thunderbolt and Derringer in the same races, and also . Necklace, as if she had been kept, till next year she could have • landed a big coup ; but now handicapiDers are sure to have their eye on her. He could, I think, have won just as many races with two instead of pulling out four horses. - Messrs Stockton and Balmain have also nice yearlings, and Mr Lushington has a capital lot of young ones ; while Lioness and Lionel, -if properly "trained, will repay the money ; lost on them. "This year they have been terribly knocked about. There are also other

good young ones scattered about that, if properly trained, will make the Auckland contingent very powerful. At the present time there are very few men here that understand their business, and some good gallops are greatly wanted, as it does not do to be always training horses on the same ground they have to race upon. Since Glencoe won the A.J.C. St. Leger, in 1861, the time occupied in traversing the distance was the slowest by five seconds when Silver King won the last St. Leger. — ■ Sportsman. Goldsmith Maid, the celebrated American trotting mare, has won 124 races, in 332 heats, under 2min. 30sec. She has trotted altogether 450 heats. For this she must have travelled upwards of 130,000 miles. Her winnings amount to £50,000, and up to the present time she is perfactly sound. •Idalium, own brother to Sir Modred, has been shipped to Sydney; Messrs Brown Bros, and Co. have him for sale. He was rather a failure on the turf, but may prove a success at the stud, as his blood is undeniable. H. Thompson has been engaged by Mr H. Eedwood as trainer, and has left Christchurch for Spring Creek. Unfortunately, this might prevent him getting much riding, as ho is one of the few jockies that has both head and hands. A curious thing occurred at Newmarket a short time ago. Scot Free got loose while at exercise on the Warren Hill Gallop, causing several of Chaloner's team to throw their jockies, and the escaped horses raced about the heath. Scot Free singled one of these out, and a fierce conflict ensued, in which the Two Thousand winner met more than his match, and had several of his teeth knocked out, besides being otherwise injured. The field of thirty that started for the Doncaster Handicap is the largest that there ever was at Randwick. The starting at the late A.J.C. Autumn Meeting was very bad, and, as ' ' Vigilant " remarks, "starters are born, not made." Therefore, though the Club has one of the best handicappers in the world, his efforts are often spoilt by the start. I strongly advocate the employment of a well-paid, competent man. By a late file of Bells Life, the death of Mr McGeorge, familiarly known as Tom McGeorge, is announced. He was the premier starter in the world. He died after a lingering illness at the Dalland's Park Hotel, Weybridge. For tie last two years he has been in failing health, but stuck to his duties until last Autumn, though on one or two occasions he had to employ a substitute. He was, as a last resort, ordered to go abroad ; but he was unable to undertake the journey, so he went to "Weybridge instead. No starter ever enjoyed the confidence of the Jockey Club or the public to the same extent as Mr McGeorge. He seldom had a complaint to make, the jockeys having implicit confidence in him always obeyed his orders, and with the largest fields he had little difficulty. He commenced his official life as deputy starter in 1862, and soon succeeded his father. He died at the early age of 45, and leaves a widow and a daughter to meurn his loss. He was a native of Newark-upon-Trent, and was a wine and spirit merchant until he obtained the lucrative employment of starter to the Newmarket Jockey Club, when his brother took his business over. No one who knew poor Tom had ever any complaint to make with the way in which he carried out his duties. His place will be hard, indeed, to fill, and we may say that the best starter that has ever been known has at last made his final start.