SPORTING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7886, 18 December 1903, Page 1

SPORTING NOTES.

_^ G'lenallon, by Escutcheon, won «■ double at Bendigo last month. „ , Patihigton, * two-y«ir-old' by Paiteon, was a winner vi Newmarket on October 29. The Tsianalri Jockey Club has deoidod to liconso bookmakers for ite Christinas raeet"it is stated that Mr Donald Praser entertains a hope of Advance standing another pieDuration* Foundling, by Trenton, vron » maiden two-year-old race at Ntmmariwt on Canibndgosharo l Pretty Polly, the -unbeaten English two-year-old, won the Mouttoa S-takw afe Newmarket on October 28. _„ , Terrapin appeared to bo sore at Plimpton on Saturday. The hard going was evidently not to his liking. , .. When Muskburn was purohaeed by his present owner the price paid w»a £200, with winning contingencies. ■ . Some of the trainers, who had horses at the Woodville meeting complained bitterly of the state of the track. A lady bookmaker was present a* Plumpton on Saturday, and did a big business, but with what eucoess iB not known. The Carbine colt Groaitorex, who was a. successful two-ydar-old in Engiand last season, has been sent to South Afrioa. Kingsolere, the famous English training establishment, pre&xded over by John. Porter, ha,s been floated into a company. Foul riding h>as been rampant of late at Sydney .pony meetings, and half « doaen jockeys were disqualified in » fortnight. Th-& Ohoko. and Eyreion Jookey Club taw decided to pay out <the stakes of the Humtera' Flat Race 4o 4h* «eoond horse, Playtair. . Th« Auckland-bred pony Sonica is making a name as a sprinter in "Victoria. She earned 9at 61b and won the Grandstand Handicap at Bendigo. The two-year-old iilly Quickfirs finished up well in the Nursery Handicap at Plumpton on Saturday. She should be worth watching later on. An Indian paper, speaking of Great Scot, eaya "he is absolutely the finest model of a '(thoroughbred racehorse that has ev«r oome to the country." • D. Roberts, Mr H. A. Knight's trainer, was carrying his left arm in a sling at Plumpton on Saturday, as the result of a kiok received earlier in the week. The Pilgrim's Progress mare, Vanity Fair, has been sold to go to Singapore, and was lo be shipped from Melbourne a f&w days after the last mail left. The English two-year-old Pretty Polly went into winter quarters with a reoord of nine wdna, worth £18,802. She iron «U her races with the greatest ease. Boyal Crown, who won the Maiden Plato at Plumpton on Saturday, has shown promising form in one or ,two of his previous races. He looks like being a useful colt. Hifl Majesty King Edward VTL's 'chaser Ambush 11., who broke down whilst competing ins the last Liverpool Grand National Steepl«oh»s«, is in •training again. Quarryman may be looked on as a nonstarter for the Auckland Cup, in the event of Treadmill going on all right. A similar remark probably applies to the Derby. Dublin " Sport " says "that the starting machine has worked so well in Ireland that ■the bare idea of a return to the flag would he ridiouled. Kenny's machine is the one in general use there. Mr J. B. Haggin'e crack Waterboy, who so greatly distinguished himself in America this season, broke down in October, -which put an end to the probability of- a meeting between him &ncL M*Ghesney m a match. Among the thirteen acceptors for the December Stakes, for two-year-olds, to be run at Ra-ndwick on December 26, are Mr J. Marshall's P«ari Necklet, by Hau£ Brion—Necklet, and- Mr W. B.i Hall's Florette, by Medallion — Florrie. Malfearn, who was killed at Woodville last week, was a beautifully-bred filly by Malvolio —lodine, by Gr&nd Flaneur— Seaweed, the dam. of Merman. She had good looks to recommend her, and promised to develop into a big stake earner. The "three-year-old Ardchattan, by Clanranald — Terediwa, and tLe two-year-old Lady Wayward, by Bill of - Portland — Elusive, have arrived at Chokebore Lodge from Stonyhurat. Lady Wayward is built on bigger lines than her eietex, To-morrow. A Tasmania^ correspondent writes 1 that, thanks to the huge cheap advertisement given him by (the anti-gambling party,- "Tattersall" did »• greater business than, ever on the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, his numerous sweeps on the latter event filling with astounding rapidity, An American paper says that one of the most interesting features in connection, with the Bedmorat Park racecourse now in course of oonfttruotion is the immense covered ring -which will shelter 30,000 people from the elements. The course, when completed', is expeated! to b&. the most perfect in the world. One or two of the Westraii&n jookeys who went to South Africa some •time ago have re^ turned to Perth. They ©peak in anything but glowing term 9of the aport over there. The beat meetings in every respeot are held ab Durban and Johannesburg, but there are more jookeys than horses, and the Westralians say that Australia is a much better place for the profeasionai horseman. When the last mail left England the start-ing-price bookmaker* ware combining for the purpose of preparing to teat the legality of the recent by-daw paeEfid by th* London County Council with, reference to ; street betting and frequenting. They also proposed 6o ask backers 'lo join and take » lively interest in 'the London County Council elections, and proposed to hold a mass meeting with that end in view. ! As a result of the circular sent out 'by the recently-formed Bookmakers' Association, the following clubs have decided to license bookmakers to bet a-t their meetings: — Hororate Racing Club, Taranaki Jockey Club, Southland 1 Haoing dub, Palmereton Baoing Club, Waikouaiti Racing Olub, North Otago Jookey Club, Geraldine Racing Olub, Ashburton County Raoing Club, St Bathans Jockey Club, Arrow Racing Club and Gore Trotting Club. An important piece of information was recently forthcoming at the Waterloo (England) railway station "through the authorities there. Although having nothing to do with the Derby, it is interesting to those that <take an interest in 'racing matters. Asked whether racing traffic generally had increased or fallen off, the answer was that it grew yearly. This may be taken as a barometer of the times, and that 'the sport of kings is becoming more popular in England. The following are the drawers of -placed horsea in T»tt*rsall'« No. 1 consultation on the Sandhurst Cup, run <ab Bendigo, Victoria, on November 25, 1903; closed with 50,000 subscribers at 5s tiach: — First, Nimbus, Syndicate, -care of J. English, 149, Alfred Streetnorth, Sydney, N.&.W., .£4000; dead heat, Avalon;, C. M* Donald, care of statioamaater, Kamballie, W.A., and .Rhapsody, Mrs J. A. Oddy, 19, Rookett Street, Bathur&t, N.S.W., £1000 each. These amounts are net. The jockey Lucien Lyne, who has been riding for Mr Keene at a big fe& in England this season, returned to Anierioe, last month. A New York paper says the latest indications are that Lyne will be allowed to remain in America next year, and ride the Keene horses in that country. It ia supposed that Mt Keene's operations on, the American turf next year ■wild be on w much larger scale, and it i* likely he -will only aend over the sea in 1904 colts and fillies th*t have classic engagements abroad. • Mr J. M'Whirter, who has been for some time associated with the sporting staff of the "Referee," and is leaving for Sydney, was entertained on Friday by his colleagues at the Clarendon Hotel. There was a thoroughly representative gathering of local journalists, and Mr T. H. Davey, M.H.R., presided. Appropriate speeches were made by Mr Davey, Mr D. Hamber ("Referee"), Mr F. Thomas and Mr A. Dickson (" Canterbury Times "). Mr M'Whirter was presented by his newspaper friends with * purse of sovereigns, and sped on his way with ail good wishes. The English-bred horse Presbyterian, who ■was recently added to the list, has 'Somehow or other gained the name of being one of the vorst-tenipered ■animals in training in India. Referring to this, the " Indian Planters' Cazetbe" says: — "He is ridden in a buokjumping saddle, but as he is as quiet as a '.sheep the moment a roan gets on his back it seems to be scarcely necessary. We saw him being wisped down after his work, with a- coupi'e of syces armed with sticks -at his head, and evwy time he winked en eye or moved an ear, lie was threatened with chastisement, when ir> he went on his hind legs and offered to str at his attendants. Whether quieter method •would- succeed better his connections 'are possibly the beet judges, but it certainly seemed to us that if there had -been no stick and no bkek man hauling on to the end of a rope there would 'Have been less battle." The withdrawal of the license of Jockey Buchanan at Harlem passes almost unnoticed (says the Kew York " Sport? of the Time* ")• Yet here is a boy who in this country could scarcely get out of his own way as a rider,

who went to Franco mid blossomed as a world's wonder, while we at home read the accounts and rubbod our eyes and read again to make suro there wns no liristtiko! Then — for some cause or another — he returned to this country, struggled around the winter tracks and the Went with littlo .success, and, coining East, rode at Buffalo and on the northern circuit, riding very little, which is "probably tho roasou of his license being recalled. He now passes, with tho Eeifis. Henry and Sloan, into the list of " has beetis," who would have done so much better in tho long run. if they hud remained in their own country, and not been unduly transformed into equestrian comets which went iiazliag — out — into space. Tho " Indian Planters' Gazette," referring to ;tho severe methods adopted by Australian trainers in preparing horaes, says: — Very few will stand a bucketing, racing-paced gallop twice a week, and even oftenei? — which va what, a very large percentage oi "theni are asked to do "through the Calcutta cold weather racing season — and it may be taken as certain that if horsea were asked to- race leas in. private they would win twice as many races in public as they at present do. We never see a horse tried three or four 'times to fled ou-fc whoiher the clock was right the first " go," hui we say, "Another 7lb on his bask for next Sa*ur- j day, when he will have to fry and do tfaat in i public." How often have we noi seen the i valuable prizes of the Calcutta meeting hope- j lessly left behind '"on the training track"? Therefore, though Great Scot's friends from Australia may advocate his being ' " galloped to •death," . A3 they put it, we shall be much surprised if a man of Watson's experience j does not run his own line, and decline to j rißk the almoat certain result of sending him to the post sore a3 a cat on walnut shells. We know .what the horse's form, ia; it only remains, therefore, to have him in health and ihard to calculate upon there being a reason■able possibility of hia repeating it.