SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 5

SPORTING.

- Zealand is iu work again at Caulfield. Hoax h«s run her last rare. She will bu mated with Alawa. ■Tho many friends of the old-thuo New Zenland bookmaker, Mr W. Lyons, will be sorrv to hear that he is kid U p w ith a serious illn«S3 m Sydney, It is estimated that .£10,000,000 would go through the totallaator annually if the meC u lr ~ fielder received legal recognition en the Melbourne racecourses. *"• sumniing up Comedy King, " Terlingn," Of tho Australasian," says: -Comedy King ia.no woight-for-age horse of the everyday kind, such as Carbins- and Wakeful were, but go : nd on his day." In commenting on Midnight Sun's running at Eaudwick, "Pilot," of tho Sydney " lleSHid tllni < tttlti "S his fonn in the Ttiil! StafcflS as a guide, it is improbable he v/ili i"e equal to winning tho Darby at Biccartcm r «*t3? tllß o PP°9iti'>r. is rather weak. Mr J. Bond's" mare, Eton's Lady, a New Zealand-bred daughter of Eton—GuiE&vre, has been retired from the turf and vent, on a visit to her owner's station, Logic Plains, Dalby, where she will be mated wi'/a the imported Cyllene stallion. Ahab. In addition to being kicked at the post. Broadsword wrenched himself in the- rare for the Epsom Handicap at Randwick. and is not likely to race again for some time. Another member of the team A. Skirving took to Sydney—Salvator Rosa—is also amiss. Ilmi, the dam of Obsono, who demonstrated his quality by winning on the first day of tha Caulfield. Cup meeting-, will be represented at the-Elderslie yearling sale by a coit got by Vasco, who was got by Velasquez (son of Donovan) from the Isonomy mare Seabreeze, winner of the Oaks and St Leger. At City Tattersall's meeting on October 14 Kairoma appeared to bo winning the nurd'° raea when he struck the last fence heavily and ■was beaten as a result in the run home oy Treat. . The New Zealand-bred Fugue,, by Sir Laddc—•Orchestra,, won the Flying Handicap, and Merrie Zealand ran unplaced in tho City Tattersall's Handicap. 1 Mr Jamea M'Gill-tells the "Sydney Mail" +Mt his brood mare. Olive Leaf 0), (sister >o Pitas Grafton), by Grafton (3)— Olive "Branch, dropped a brown colt fcal on Saturday, October 7, to, the imported SV Simon horse En Garde (13), whose dam is the New Zealandbred Engagement, by Musket (3)— Sylvia, by Fisherman (imp. 11) Juliet, by Touchstone (14) out of Lancashire Witoh (.who was a halflister to Orlando's dam, Vulture). Fugue, who won the Flying Handicap at Tattersall's . moeting on October .14, went to Sydney from New Zealand as a two-year-old laafc year. He is by Sir Laddo (3), an imported horse by Sir Hugo, and a grand-bred one out of Golden Moments, by Sheen, son tl Hampton,■ from Memoir, by St Simon from <Jnlver, by Toxopholite, Fugue's dam, Orchestra (3), is a Tocal-bred mare, and a sister to ffle dam'of Wallace, by Goldsborongh from Melody, by the Barb. Orchestra was sold to ,g? to New Zealand, when the old Tocal stud ■was sold off after the death of Mrs Charles Keyno'lda. Salt aire, who won the Xolo Welter at the Y.A.T.O. meeting, is a very inbred horse. Both hie sir© and dam are members of the No. 5 family, and, in addition to the inbreeding to the family, thero is close inbreeding to. Musket through Nordenfeldt. Saltaire is by Stepniak (son of Nordenfeldt) from Heel, by Medallion from Pibroch, by Lochiel from Mlaoy) by Sledmere. Both Stepniak and were aired by Nordenfeldt. Saltaire ia alio closely related, to tho Victorian dire Menschiltoff, both being by Stepniak, and Keel, the dam of Saltaire, is a half-sister to •Mensahikoff.

At'Haydock Park (England) last month two snocessive races were won by representatives of Australian sires. The first winner was a two-year-old filly named Particle, who pulled off a five-furlong selling race, and was bought in for IGSgs. She is by the Grand Flanenr horso Parthian, who. according to " Ruff's Guide," was not credited with even ono winner last season. The other sire represented.by a winner was The Victory, who3e three-year-old daughter, First Kiss, accounted for the Wigan Welter Handicap. In proportion to the number that have raced, so many of the The Victory's progeny have proved useful that his death last year is to be regretted.

A: mooting of the. committee of the Grey Jockey Club was held, to consider the condition of the ground and aa to getting the programme run off. A report received stated that'the whole course had been under water, and the track was . covered with a thick sediment. Under no possible circumstances could racing take place this week. After discussion it was agreed to hold the meeting about a month before Christmas, and the following motion was passed :'— "That the. present programme be cancelled and a fresh, one issued for the end of November' or beginning of December," the secretary of the Conference agreeing . to these arrangements.

Realm, who is eleven.ye,ars old, and won the V.B.C. Grand National Hurdle Race and Australian Hurdle Race five years- ago, has again been put to hurdling and is paying his way at that business, in India, At Poona recently Sequent beat him in one hurdle'race, but In tha Poona Grand Annual of 3000rs, two miles, Renlm turned the tables on his conqueror. Eealm, who had lOst 81b, nearly came doflfn at a jump, but eventually scored by three-quarters of a length from Sequent (list 21b) in Bmin 60 4-sseo. On the same day Hilarity (7at 101b) accounted for the Aga Khan Cup, of 8!250r5., one mile and a half, Blank Douglas, with tho same weight, mailing second, Ccat of Arms (7st 13lb) third, andMayfowl (9st ?lb) fourth. Aborigine, who carried 9st, was backed at an outside price, ■while there was a lot of money for Black Buck (But 31b), but neither appears to have g(*eu any trouble at the finish. "Why people profess to despise a horse because it has flfrmed in a selling race is difficult to understand. Meny topnotch stallions and racers have run in "sellers," among them Hambton and Lord'Eonald. Galopin's t'am and th« dam of the last English Derby ■winner, Sunetar. Last month the London " Sportsman " mentioned: —" Very useful horses are often picked up out of selling races, and 0. Wood, the trainer, doubtless secured a bargain when he gave 350gs for Chaeuble after he had won the Henfieid Plate nt Brighton last month, though he had not i much to beat at the time. The verdict was then, however, half a, dozen lengths, and the judgment of the purchaser was confirmed on Saturday at Kempton Park, when the son of Cherry Tree and Bauble easily accounted for, the Earlsfield Handicap. The merit oi the performance was enhanced by the fact that Red Shah, to whom he presented 10!b arid- a half-length beating, had the previous day.won the Stiasex Handicap at Lewes, over the same distance (one mile) and was supported to Tepeat the performance at Sunfcury."

NOTES ON NEWS. Sir George Clifford met with a severe loss last week when the brood mare Lady Arrnie died from tho effects of an accident. She had been sent to South Canterburv to be mated with Cannie Chiel, and* by some mischance was staked. Lady Annie, who was by Soult ' —Miss Annie, was a good performer in ! Auckland, but was believed to be too I unsound to stand further training when she was purchased by Sir George Clifford, in whose colours, however, she won several races before being retired to the stud. The result of her first mating with Clanranald was a dead foal!, but a year later she produced Glenfinnan tothe same sire. She is represented at Stoneyhurst by a yearling colt by Gravitation. The two-year-old Glenfinnan shows considerable promise, and it was this fact that induced Sir George Clifford to send Lady Annie this season on a visit to Cbinranald's ton, Cannie Chiel. As Lady Annie was only a young mare, having been foaled in 1900, her early death is regrettable. (' In discussing the form at the recent ' Australian Jockey Club's meeting, a Melbourne writer says that no great significance should be attached to figures when they run closely. Tho Metropolitan and Craven Plato running furnishes hii eloquent, objectjAsson jn this connection. After the two lengths' beating Malt King inflicted on Lady Medallist in the firstnamed race at a difference of bib, it looked a sure thing for him to repeat that defeat of the niaro when meeting her at a pound better over a mile and a quarter in the Craven Plate; yet the Maorilaader turned tho tables 'with a length to spare. Malt King's 141b penalty placed him outside calculations in the CWfield Cup, and as he is also not engaged in the Melbourne Cup, tis efforts during the impending campaign in. Victoria will be restricted to the weight-for-age races. The changed order of running from right to lefthanded may have an effect on .some of the horses, such as Comedy King, Prince Foote and Trafalgar, who do not appear to have shown their true form at Kandwick, and in this connection thore may be somo startling •changes when hostilities are renewed fat Caulfield and Flnmington. I Commenting on the fourth day's racilng at tho V.A.T.C. meeting, " Milroy" writes:—"D. J. Price, who trains the winner of tho Toorak Handijicttßi Motoa, deserves a meed of praise

for 11is patience with that horse. Price stuck closely to him for over two years till he at last got him. right, and began by winning a race at Flemington the other day. Then came, another turn in the first race of the day at Caulfield, with Saltare. which gave the stable a nice stake in hand to face the ring with over the Toorak ; and the failure of Motoa in this race last year was amply compensated for by his scoring this time. Among tho runners against Saltare was Flaxen, who was complimented with list lib, and was made favourite, hut gave no trouble in tho race. The Sydney men. doubtless, fell heavily over tho flying Ventura in the Debutant Stakes.; Nine out of ten declared her to be the speediest racer they have seen since Collarit. Tho Victorians were equally confident about the other Traquair filly Deeside, but both, it appears, met with bad luck in the race, and knocked under to Golden Gauntlet." TROTTING. Mr T. G. Fox's well-known mare Adventuress, by Rothschild—Kentucky mare, lias foaled a colt foal to Marvin "Vvilkes. Cissie Wood, the dam of Lord Chancellor, has foaled a colt foal to Harrold Dillon. The Gore Trotting Club has authorised its president and secretary to invest 500 sovs in some security. The club will give a programme on Boxing Day with stakes amounting to 500 sovs. After doing a season at the stud, it is stated that Wilwood Junior will not improbably go into training again, with a view to attempting to reduce the Australasian mile and. two mile records in a race against the watch. A misunderstanding appears to have arisen on the subject, of the foalings of Joy and her dam Dolly. Joy has foaled a colt-foal to Marvin Wilkes', while her dam, who is in foal to 0.Y.M., has been purchased by Mr W. Witte. Tho Oamaru Trotting Club's meeting proved very successful, and tho attendance included a large number of visitors from Dunedin. The sum of £491.0 was put through the totalisator, and this, together with the excellent patronage accorded by the public and horseowners, should set the affairs of tho club on a footing that should make future success assured. With all the racing pretty well confined to hoppled pacers, the coming of a new and promising trotter is not to be lightly passed over, and one answering to the description in Winn-Alto made his debut at Victoria Park in the Unhoppled Handicap last month. That his success was anticipated by the public was shown when betting opened on the race, for a. rush was made to support him, and he went out a favourite. Winn-Alto (says "Rothschild") led throughout, easily stall ing-off a good, effort by Honest' Lad, and winning by six lengths, in 3min olfsec. Winn Alto is a splendidly-bred six-year-old stallion, by Dixie Alto (imp.), from Winona (imp). Dixie Alto is by Mendocino, one of the American fashionable sires, by Electioneer, from Marionette by Palo Alto, by Electioneer. Winona is by. Daly, by General Benton, from Dolly by Electioneer, and Winona's dam Cygnet, is by Steinway, one of. the greatest - American sires. With so many strains of Electioneer running in his veins, it is smnll wonder Winn Alto can trot, but T do not think 1 am far out in stating that had anyone but Mr Frank D. Brown owned Winn Alto he would ere this have been disfigured with the hopples. Mr Brown now on a visit to India, before going, handed Winn Alto over to Mr A. D. Playfair, the owner of Ribbofiwood. in whose colours ho is now racing. The horse is trained and driven by Fred Smith, an old hand at the game, and his win was very popular.

The trotting vents on the Gore programme* attracted fairly good fiolrK The first event went to the George M. Patcben mare Susanna, who appeared to have little to snare at the end of two miles, in 4.51. The Prince Imperial mare lied Diamond was a hotpot for the Labour Day trot, and she won in 3.52 from Heriot, who only appeared to gain second honours from Sweet Child as a result of supine horsemanship on the part of Pringlc. The stewards carpeted Pringle and administered a caution. Fvidentlv they held the opinion that Pringle did not think he could beat Red Diamond, and the caution was administered for the ohvious carelessness he exhibited when Heriot was depriving him of second money. The Otama Trot provided a good race. Brown Empress was a strong order, but she failed to see out the journey, and Ilory supplied the winner. Arbiter ran a fair race, and so did Lucy Dillon, whoso pace, however, was only exhibited in patches. Brown Empress made amends later by annexing the Balfour Trot, which she won in 2min 32 3-ssee, after being kept fairly busy by Sirrah J., a four-year-old by General May. Old Truth, who has been three years in New Zealand without winning a race, got badly away and lost whatever chance he had, but the winner's time clearly suggests that he could not have won under any conditions. Tho writer holds the opinion that two winners at the meeting beat their bells when leaving the mark, but they escaped detection. Uhlan is being prepared for a go at his own record of linin 58Jsec in sulky. In view of all the conversation that has been current in harness racing circles this season, and, to some extent, last season with regard to the probable effect of the gradual elimination of hobbles, the outcome of the moderate experiment in barring the "straps" in one slow class—the 2miu 30sec—for only a pnrse of ofJOdol, at Des Moines, Lincoln, Huron, Sioux City and Hainhne this year is of course, of interest (says the "Horse Review"). These are all strong and representative associations, though the first three named have but half-mile tracks, and, as stated in the programme, the purse at them is not lurge, hence does not attract heavy entries because of its value. However, up to this time the venture certainly looks successful, and to quite an extent refutes the, ott-expressed opinion that there will be an insufficient number of pa-dug horses as the anti-hobble rule becomes more, and more effective. At all of these places from thirteen to seventeen entries were made m this strapless event, and out of the seventeen original entries at Des Moines eleven started. What is more, all except three remained in the race to the finish, those three being distanced. The contest required four heats, and was well fought, and the time was faster than in the average half-mile track 2min 30sec pace—2min 15£ sec, 2mm 2min 14 sec, 2min lujsec. Six or seven of the field performed very consistently, and there was loss breaking and running than'in tho average field of that size and class. Besides, it will be noted that the time in the fourth and last heat was as fast as the first and the middle heats were a trifle faster, showing a. consistency which, is quite rare in big fields of green hobbled pacers, when in the course of four heats or so they usually sprint the first and second fairly fast, then pace the later heats from three to' four seconds slower.