SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9790, 5 March 1910, Page 5

SPORTING.

Lord Soult has a first-class record for this season—five starts, five t Waitapu lias been p ur ch<.-.ed y - ■ O'Driscolt, who will probably put him i riur s i. c„ rl .o .«.* tw.ii is not well with the Hon J. crack two-year-old Formby. The two-year-old Uearest ful ' slst ® r ,° Master Soult, will probably sport Mr J. Buckley's colours at Wanganui tins we: .s Corroboree, by Harmonist—Grand Canary, w 10 won the Salisbury Welter Handicap at C iulfield last month, is a mne-year-old haitb) other to Trafalgar. " In the two-year-old handicap, six furlongs, on the second day of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club's meeting, Martyre was awarded Bst " slb, Gigandra being top weight with 9ft 121b. , 1A , , • Tho- Seaton Dclaval colt purchased in AucslMd last month by the South Australian ajocrtaman, Dr A. H. Bennett, is dead. do succumbed to an affection of one of the smaller intestines, which was found to be P "hou?h l, the time registered bv Prince Foote in the Victoria St Leger (3mm s*sec) is a record for tho race, it falls far short of tha Australasian record, as Dumont covered the distanco in 3min Oiseo at Hardwick in September, 1904. The meets# between Alawa and Maltme tn the St <?6orga Stakes, the nine-furlong weight-for-age race at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club's meeting, was expected to provide a stirring contest, but it wrs a tame affair, Alawa giving bis rival no chance. Mr Hugo Friedluuuer ban given a handlome silver cup for jho Ashburton Cup race, to be decided on the first day of the Ashburton County Eacing Club's autumn meeting. Permission has beoo crranted to the club to Biter the date 3 from May 11 and 12 to May 12 and 13. , One of All Red's legs has filled, and he will not be seen out at Wanpanm this week. It is possible, in fact, that he has run his last race, as it was announced recently that he would shortly be sent to Oamaru, with the v:cw to taking up stud duties at his owner s place next season. Mr John Wren is going to shake things up in racing circles in Brisbane. He has recently taken over Albion Park, and is racing under the banner of the Queensland Turf Club. He is completely putting in the shade any race previously run in the State by offering £2OOO for a seven-furlong handicap in June. Malster, who is easily the most successful eire in Australia this season, continued Jhis victorious career on the first day of the Victoria Racing Club's meeting on Saturday. His progeny won the three principal events, Alawa accounting for tho Essendon Stakes, Beverage for the Sire's Produco Stakes and Slala for the Newmarket Handicap, in which another of the family, Malt King, finished 6econd.

A conference of delegates of West Coast racing clubs was held in Greyniouth last •week, when thirty-one applications for the position of starter for the autumn meetings •were received. Ei>*ht deleates were prsent. Several ballots were taken, resulting in the fiaal being reduced to two candidates, Mr H. Thompson, Christchurch, and Mr Anpus Keith, WangantK. The final ballot decided in favour of Mr Keith.

Substantial prices for first-class hunters ere readily forthcoming in England. Late in December there was a hunter sale in Leicester, the property of Viscount Castlerea-gh, M.P., eight out of ten of which were sold «t an averago of £332. The following were the principal prices: —Cremorne 300g8, Cromartie 350gs, Crookstick 350gs, Cromlech 280gs, Charles Edward 300gs, Cecily 320gs, Cavendish 360gs, Cornflower 270gs. Sportsmen all over New Zealand will rend ivith regret of the death pf "Wakaw.atea, •which occurred in New South Wales recently. He was foaled in 1889, being by Apreinont —Beckv Sharp. As a two-year-old, when he did his racing in New Zealand, he started in twenty-one races, of which he won nine, but his early exertions did not prevent him from having • a lengthy career on the turf, as he raced in Australia until he was jiovwiteen years.old. An interesting feature in connection with the first day of the Victoria Racing Club's meeting on' Saturday was the evidence it provided that Alawa, the best of the old horses in Australia last spring, and Prince Foote, the champiou three-year-old, still retain their form. One result is that considerable interest will be infused into the weight-for-age laces later in the meeting, and also in similar events at Randwiek at Easter, where tho presence of Bobrikoff will prove an additional attraction. After being absent from the racecourse for nearly two years, his Majesty's steeplechaser' Flaxman made his reappearance in the Sutton Plate, run over three miles, at Baldoyle recently. He v/as on the big side, and was heavily bandaged in front, but was looking veil in himself. Want of condition told ■when a couple of miles had been covered, and he finished last, but Mr Lushington is hopeful that the son of Hackler and Circe may stand another preparation for the Grand .National. .

There was some unusual speculation over the result of a steeplechase run in England early in January. There were six starters, and Wychwood, one of the competitors, was allowed to start at the supposed hopeless odds of 20 to 1; indeed, so remote was his chance considered by the well-known metallician, Mr Ike White, that in running he not only laid a fellow fiolder £IOO to 13 6d against tho horse, but he supplemented it by betting another fielder the same amount to a cigar. Yet Wychwond won by ten lengths. Fancy wagers of this kind are common with Mr White.

Training methods in England have seen marked alteration of late, and some of the things done thirty or forty years ago would amuse present-day trainers, but not nearly bo much as the means adopted to get a racehorse fit about a century and a half ago. At that time horse, as well as man, was reckoned entitled to a fair share of stimulant, and a pint of good sack daily was -considered necessary for the former. One month was considered quite long enough in which to prepare a horse, or perhaps two if it were 'very fat or foul;" while amon» numerous alleged nourishing mixtures administered to the animal was one composed of the whites cf eggs and wine. NOTES ON NEWS. Sportsmen _ all over New Zealand •would note with more than usual pleaBure the success of the Dunedin Jockey Club's meeting last week. After an uphill fight for many years, the premier Otago club is now firmly established again as one of the leading racing institutions of the dominion. There was a time when it held the first position, and when horses were sent to Forbury from all parts of Now Zealand to contest the Dunedin Cup, which at that time held the place now occupied oy tbe New Zealand Cup, as the leading long-distance race of the season. These were the days when anti-post betting flourished, and some great stories could be told of the heavy wagering which took place, starting months before the race was decided. More than one oldtime sportsman has selected the Dunedin Cup for a bold dash for fortune, ind one or two instances could be named of the good thing duly materialising, though there have been other cases when a cruel fate interposed to spoil the schemes. In these days, when most of the betting is done on the day, either on the course or in " another place," it would be impossible to back a horse for any race in New Zealand to win the fortune which a Canterbury owner, since deceased, stood to win had he been so fortunate as to capture the Dunedin Cup a matter of thirty odd years ago. For many years the Dunedin Jockey Club was literally ttruggling for existence, but, despite the grumblings of the pessimists, the shift to "Wingatui has been quite justified. The programme for this season is easily the most attractive the club has issued in recent years, and the result of last week's meeting should spur ihe officials on to offering even stronger inducements in the future to visiting owners to patronise their gatherings. In the meantime, however, it is cheeking to find the Dunedin Jockey Club on the high road to prosperity. Some time ago I referred to the scarcity of competent starters in New Zealand, and touched briefly on me opening that offered for smart men to make a name. The various clubs on the West Coast of this island made a wise move when, recognising the need for Improvement, they combined to secure one starter for their circuit of meetings. They received plenty of applications for the position, showing that there is no lacit of aspirants in the dominion for the starter's duties, the only trouble, in most cases, being that the men have probably had little or no experience, and would, therefore, have to learn the fine points of the game at the expense of the owners racing under them in early efforts. Nearer home, I notice that the South Canterbury Jockey Club is inviting applications for the posjtion of starter. There

appears to be an excellent opening in this part of tlie dominion for a good man at present, and - cannot help thinking that it is a pity the South Canterbury, North Otago, Ashburton, Geraldine'and Waimate Clubs do not combine, on the lines adopted by the clubs on the West Coast, in order to secure one man to act at all their meetings Possibly some step in this direction may yet be made. In the meantime, if'the man selected by the South Canterbury Jockey Club proves a success, it would be a strong argument in his favour when any of the other clubs were considering a fresh appointment, as some of them will have to do before long. T notice that Mr H. Thompson, of Christchurch, was in the final ballot for the West Coast starting, and if Mr Keith is a better hand at" the barrier the clubs on the other side of the ranges have secured a firstclass official. I have seen Mr Thompson operating at several meetings, and have been greatlv impressed. He appoars to have the riders well under control, and he gets his fields away smartly and in good line. All he needs is opportunity, and I feel sure he will make a name for himself in this department of the racing game.

The news that Bobrikcff and Downfall have been withdrawn from their engagements at the Victoria Racing Club's meeting need not be taken to mean thnt Mr Lowry's horses are ami-ss. Just before the last mail left Sydney Bobrikoff executed a gallop at Randwick, moving with much greater freedom than at anv previous time since his arrival from New Zealand. Tt was reported, however, that I. Earnshaw, who has the two horses under his care, did not favour the idea of goinr; to Melbourne, prefering that Bobrikoff should have a little more time, as to take him to Melbourne might prejudice his prospects at Randwick at Easter. Golden Cairn, by Clanranald—Golden Crest, has at last broken the spell of bad luck which has followed him since he joined D. J. Price's stable in Victoria. On the first day of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club's meeting he carried 7st 31b and won the Bond Cup, covering a mile and three furlongs in 2min 23} sec. This was his first victory in Australia, though he had been in second place nine times since last October. There was a good deal of bumping in the race, and Golden Cairn crossed two horses in the straight. The opinion was freely expressed that if the owner of the second horse had lodged a protest it would have been upheld. As it was, the stewards administered a severe caution to the rider of Golden Cairn. "Terlinga." of the "Australasian," commented on the incident as follows:—Many will, no doubt, consider that Mr Staughton acted like a sportsman in not protesting, but rules are rules, and in this case, I think, there can be little doubt Matouree would have won if Golden Cairn had not blundered on to him. The question is, where do the public—or rather Matouree's backers —come if.? Some of them made a noise on Saturday, and thought the stewards should take action, but this practice, adopted occasionally in England, is not followed in Australia. Probably when the stewards take tho initiative in England it is when they thiuK the owner of the second has been "persuaded" by the winning party to leave things as they are. Of course, there was no suggestion of anything of that kind on Saturday, a_nd it would, indeed, have been hard lines if, after all his seconds. Golden Cairn had lost this race. Mr Staughton probablj' lost more money over Matouree than anyone else, and this reminds me of a very similar case that occurred at Oaulfield years ago. A hot favourite (Sternchaser) of Mr S. H. Gollan's lost a race through the winner interfering with him. He declined to protest. A well-known owner of today said, "Don't you think you ought to protest in tho interests of backers of your horse?" Mr Gollan's reply was, " I have probably lost a good deal more over the horse than the rest of his backers, and if I am satisfied others will have to be." Take another Caulfield case. Aurum, as a two-year-old, was favourite for the Oakleigh Plate, and was beaten half a head by the outsider So-and-So, who rolled "on to him and lost Aurum the race. Mr Wilson was in England, and Mr Macdouald would not protest, because he knew Mr Wilson would not have done so had he been present. Mr Wilson was at Randwick when Carnage lest the St Leger through being nearly knocked over the rails by the winner (The Sailor Prince), but although he talked a good deal, and thought the stewards should have acted, lie would not protest himself, and those who laid odds on Carnage had to pay. TROTTING. All the local trainers are busy at present getting their charges ready for the Easter meeting at Addington. -ne track is in good order, though I expect it will be even better later on, and some smart performances have been registered during the past week. Prince Randle changed stables recently, and is now under tho care of. J. Tasker, who has converted him into a trotter. He has been showing good form on the track, and I quite expect him to do even better as a trotter than he did when pacing. Te Kooiti stepped along in fine style on Saturday morning. We have not yet seen tho best of this horse, who should be cherry-ripe by Easter. A. Cox has Wild Duck looking very well just now. She moves in great style on the track; in fact, she may bo set down, on the form 6he shows in her work, as. one of the most brilliant milers ever seen here.

Lord Althorpe has joined F. Batt's team, but the grey son of Almont and Lady Thorpe is only doing slow work. Stranger is coming on well. He is a fine stamp of a trotter, and as he has a great turn of speed, it should not be long before he wins a race. Papanui is on the improve again, but he has been a bit of a disappointment so far, as he has not quite fulfilled the high opinions which some of his admirers expressed concerning him. J. Tasker has a big team in work. He is a great worker, and all his horses are in first-class fettle. In this respect Aberfeldy and Barmaguie may be named for special reference. Scottish Mac has gone into M. Edwards's stable at Belfast. According to recent advices from America it locks as if Dan Patch is on his last legs, and Minor Heir is spoken of as his successor. Shortly before the last mail left, Dan Patch was brought out dead lame at Los Angeles, and an attempt was made to warm the lameness out of him, but it failed, and the horse that has paced his mile without hopples in lmin 55-Jsec pulled up dead lame at the end of a mile in 2min 14isec. Minor Heir recently covered a mile in lmin 59£ sec, and did it in good style. It was his first surprising mile for the year, but next year it is expected he will take a much faster record.

Australian papers are hailing with delight the prospect of a match between Sal Tasker and Denver Huon. Some of them strongly urge Melbourne as the venue, while others suggest the Victoria Park track, Sydney, which is claimed by one writer as the finest light harness track south of tbe line.

For trotting sport last season was a great year in Europe as well as America. The lowering of records commenced in Moscow, when the chestnut filly Cack Milla put up a new record for three-year-olds by going 2min 12sec. Then the French-bred horse Jockey trotted his wonderful mile in Italy in 2min 9 1-lOsec. He is the first horse bred in France to trot a mile in 2min lOsec or better. A little later, at the summer meeting in Moscow, the Orloff horse Krepish, put up a new record for

Orloff horses by stepping a mile in 2min 9 I-Bsec, being the first horse of that breed to beat 2min lOsec. He also trotted two miles in 4min SO^sec. It is computed that the veteran American driver of trotters, Edward Geers, has, during his thirty years' racing experience, driven no less than 100 miles per day, which means a total of 127,500 miles. There is not a driver on the Grand Circuit who works harder than tho "Old Man." He is on the job every morning at the same hour, and makes it a practice t-o retire at the same hour every night. Truly, the record of Geers is one that will stand for many years, if not for all time.