Cap and Jacket.

Observer, 24 July 1909, Page 15

Cap and Jacket.

By BOZ

Racing Fixtures. August 10, 12 and 14— C. J.C. Grand National Meeting.

The Eclipse Stakes, of 10,000 soys., run at Sandown Park last Saturday, was won by Bayardo, a three-year-old colt, by Bay Ronald — Galioia. The annual report of the Committee of the Feilding Jockey Club stated that totalisator receipts for the year, as compared with the previous season, showed a falling off of £19,000. Just over £9900 was passed through the totalisators at Trentham on the opening day of the Wellington AVinter Meeting, as against £7758 last year. There were nineteen bookmakers operating. The going was heavy, but the weather was fine. The chances of the game in hurdling were forcibly illustrated in Tauira's run in the Wellington Hurdles. At the_ finish he was an easy winner, but it was touch and go with him at the beginning, when he made a bad jump and nearly threw out. Irish was a >strong fancy in Auckland for the Wellington Winter Hurdles in some quarters, and in double betting he was supported for both Hurdles and Steeplechase. In the Hurdles he does not appear to have been prominent at any time, and finished unplaced. Polymorphous, the Multiform colt, is (says a Palmerston North writer) a daily attendant on the track. His public career will commence next season, when he claims an engagement in the New Zealand cup. He is looking bright and brisk, and generally is most promising.

Kuku has gone wrong, and has been turned out. v The Wellington Winter Meeting oonchides on Saturday. The Victorian Trotting Association hae agreed to the suggestion to hold a conference in New Zealand. Fossil, it is said, was backed for over £10,000 a few days prior to the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles. Ability is stated to be improving rapidly at Riccarton, and so far has stood well up to his tasks. His jumping k perfect. Golden Slipper has grown very considerably since she came from New Zealand. Her trainer, J. Finn, measured her the other day, and her height is 16.0 J. When the latest files to hand left England Carbine was fourth in this season's winning sires' list, with £4635 15s. Four of his progeny had won six races. The Manawatu Racing Club have decided not to support the stipendiary stewards proposal unless these officials are appointed by the Racing Conference, and the practice is made unversal. A Riccarton writer says that for novices Contender and Stepenfeld are shaping wonderfully well at the jumping business, and all going well with them they should soon earn distinction over hurdles. A Melbourne writer sums up Seddon's- performances on the first two days of the V.R.C. Grand National Meeting in this terse fashion : "Seddon ran like a crack on Saturday and like a crock yesterday." Irish has been accepted for in both G.N. Steeplechase and G.N. Hurdles ; Ben Jonson and Scotty remain in for the G.N. Hurdles, and Capitol and Le Beau have continued their engagements in the G.N. Steeplechase. Capitol (says a Wellington exchange) surprised the Trentham people by his clever jumping at Trentham the other morning. He ran within a foot of the stone wall, and then cleared it safely, while at the next fence he took off about 15 feet. The Mahaki gelding Tattira apparently had a very easy win in the Wellington Winter Hurdles, Scotty, who was second, being twelve lengths behind him at the finish. The going was heavy, and Tauira would have all tne advantage with only 9st. to carry. Linacre, the English-bred 2000---guinea importation, is attracting a good deal of interest on the other side, and the prophets are foreshadowing his success at Randwick next Spring, either in w.f.a. events or leading handicaps. At present he is first favourite for the Epsom Handicap.

The New Zealand Cup candidate Blue Ribbon (says a Wellington ■writer) was brought in from her owner's place lasb week, and Garrettwill oommence to prepare her for her Cup engagement at once. She still shows signs of weakness in one of her tendons, and it is thoughtthat she may not stand, a preparation. There are six imported horses in. the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup this year, viz., Son of the Marsh (Wildflower— Loo's Pride). Featherstitch (Ayrshire — Thimble), Petrilio (Gallinlue— Float), Red Knight (William Rufus — Eloping Lady), and Grey Plume (Greyleg — Thalestris). They are all trained in Sydney. Louviers, second in the English Derby, was scratched for the Grand Prix de Paris, but if Lord Michelham adhered to his original intention, William the Fourth was a runner for that race. The "Winning Post" stated that W. Higgs would not be on the colt, as though aeked to ride, he declined, on account of scruples against appearing in the saddle on a Sunday. Higgs is well-placed financially, otherwise! he might not have let his scruples stand in the way of accepting a chance of being on a possible winner of such a valuable stake as the „ . .. ;.;.: ^: :y :-^}-.-iri.^M§i

Golden "Way has been scratched for the New Zealand Cup, Slaney, schooling at Riecarton, is a slow jumper, though apparently a safe one. Maidi's withdrawal from her Trentham engagements was caused caused by a breakdown. Pikopo, who has been jumping well, is stated to be a certain starter for the N.Z. Grand National Hurdles. Stormont the jumper (says an exchange) blows as soon sa he is sent along at any pace, and it iB not likely "that he would see out a race over country. The French rules of Racing prohibit a trainer from racing a horse his own property against any other' horse in his stable belonging 1 to one of his patrons. Mahutonga, who was reported as permanently retired from the racing track, is shortly to be sent to Melbourne from Sydney, to be given another chance to stand a preparation. A proposal to appoint check starters was discussed at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club in Christtchurch. The idea did not meet with favour, and the matter was allowed to drop. The trotting stallion Prince Alert, by Prince Imperial-Patchwork, was sold by auction at Christchurch the other day to close a partnership between Messrs Wilson and McMillan. Mr "Wilson purchased the horse, at 300gs. Armlet, Formeden, Areina and Lady Reina have been scratched for their engagements at Randwick. Armlet was entered for the Epsom Handicap, and the others in the Breeders' . Plate and Gimcrack Stakes. There is a good acceptance for the leading events of the N.Z. Grand National Meeting. The G.N. Hurdles and Winter Cup promise to have large fields, there being over thirty acceptors in each. Eighteen have accepted for the G.N. Steeplechase. A proposed addition to the English Rules of Racing reads as follows : — "No weight shall be allotted to a horse in a handicap until he has run three times in the "United Kingdom." It was to have been brought forward at a meeting of the Jockey Club at the commencement of this month. A Sydney writer, referring to bookmakers' fees in New Zealand, says : " What_ surprises me is that, with the totalisator in competition, so many can afford to pay £20 a day for the privilege of betting. It gives an idea of what a good wicket Sydney men are on in having to pay at the rate of £3 15s a day in the paddock at Randwick, without machine opposition.