SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11025, 13 March 1914, Page 5

SPORTING.

RACING ATOTROTTING. NOTES BY "ARGUS." FIXTURES. March U—Napior Park R-0-March 14, 17—Ohinbmuvi J.O. March 17—Opunako E.G. March 19-Waimato 80. , March 25, 2(>—Rangitikoi J. C. April 1, 2—Southland R.O. April 2, 3—Masterton R.O. April 11—Tuapoka J.O. April 13—Beaumont J.C. April 11, 13—Auckland E.G. April 11,, 13—Wairarapa R.O. April 13—"Waipukurau J.O. April 13—Kumara R.C. April 13, 14—Rivcrton R-O. April 13, 14—Canterbury J.O. ■ April 13. 14—FeildingJ.O. April 15—Westland R.C. April 15, 18—Metropolitan T.O. April 22—Reefton .7.0. April 23, 25—Wellington R.C April 29, 30—South Canterbury J.O, April 29, 30—Manawatu R.O.

Vocation was scratched for the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps at 9 a.m. to-day.

Tho Wellington Racing Club has de- ( finitely decided to lay out entirely now courses for short distance events, and 'the necessary work will be taken in hand forthwith, so that uty should be in readiness for next season. ine courses will follow the lines of those now in use at Riccarton, the only difference' being that six and five-furlong races will be decided on the elbow or boomerang track, which is used furlong races only at Riccarton, where four and five-furlong events are decided on the straight, whereas at .Trentharn the straight will be made use of solely for four-furlong sprints. A copy of the Trentharn plans was published m the " Post" on' Thursday, and the newarrangements were described by ' Sir Bedivero" as follows:—When going into this matter it was found that if the straight were, as at Floraiugton, extended back in a direct line for six furlongs its head would be right alongside the Hutt railway line. It was also noted that tho angles at which the stands are situated would preclude the majority of their occupants from seeing anything of tho horses until they had traversed at least two furlongs. A perfectly straight course was thus out of the question,'and the club has adopted, as an alternative,, a scheme which will surely give the uttermost satisfaction to owners, trainers and ail followers of racing, who like to feel that, irrespective of the position at the post drawn by his rider, the best horse at I tho weights will have every opportunity to score. In six-furlong events the contestants will be faced with a dead l straight rim of about two furlongs and ! a half, and after making the gentlest of bends they will get a straight rim in of almost similar length. And. in order that even the slight elbow in the course shall give no ■ advantage to the horse in No. i position, the barrier will be placed at such an angle that his opponent, drawn on the extreme outside, will,-provided he never leaves the outside rail, have precisely the same distance to traverse. ..The same tiling will apply at the special starting place for four furlong races. Now > this is _ altogether admirable, and the club is deserving of the" heartiest 1 congratulation on its determination to eliminate, so far as is practicable, the obnoxious element of luck which invariably enters into short-distance contests on round courses. Its new six-furlong race track will be far ahead of any other, not excepting that at Riccarton, to be found in < the dominion, and second only in .Australasia to the famous course over which the Newmarket Handicap is annually decided.

The feature of the Nelson Jockey Club's meeting this week was the form shown by the sisters, Peroneal and Peronilla. They havo both proved themselves smart gallopei-s over short courses in good company,-while Peroneal has, in addition, shaped well tip to a mile and a quarter. Most of her efforts over longer courses have been accomplished against moderate opposition, but she seems up to. any weight, and.she has a few very attractive performances to her credit. So far Peronilla has been restricted to sprinting, but probably the programme followed with her elder sister "will he given, a trial later hi the "year. These two mares are members of a family which." has been very much in evidence this season. They are by Achilles, who has not been an unqualified success as a siro. Their dam, Prelude, is a half-sister to Sinapis, being by Merrie England (£>t George—Rupee) from Prologue, by Catesby (Musket —Prunella) from Rosalind, by Albany—Red Rose, by Traducer—Moss Rose. This is one of the very successful old New Zealand families, hosts of good winners haying sprung from it, but it is doubtful if it was ever more prominent than it is at present, while Siuapis, Peroneal and Peronilla look like keeping it in the limelight for some time yet.

A cable message from Melbourne a few days ago announced that Cider had been sold and that he would be sent to India. The price was withheld, but it was probably about 3000 guineas, that being the sum quoted .to Mr S. P. Mackay, tho "West Australian sportsman, owner of Jolly Beggar, when he tried to buy Cider a few days earlier.

Negotiations are' at present m tram for the sale of tho four-year-old gelding Haskayne, by Birkenhead—Outer. Tho prospective buyer is an Australian sportsman and the price is in the neighbourhood of 600 guineas.

Ethne, a two-year-old filly by Antonio—Sonoma, sold in.Melbourne this month for 200 guineas, is a half sister to Mr E. J- "Watt's speedy Traquair mare Ventura. When sold as a yearlino- i u Sydney last Easter, Ethne realised 530 guineas.

The ex-Austmhan jookoy, Frank Bullock, v-iio has been one of the leading horsemen in Germany for a few years, will rido in England this year, having received a retainer of £2500 for the season.

A brother of Ruialdo, by Charlemagne ll.—Demeter, realised 150 guineas at the Melbourne yearling sales this month.

The success of New Zealand-bred performers is still ono of the features of Sydnev pony meetings. At Rosebery on March 4 the Rosebery Mile was won by Miss Ethel, by St Clements from a Foulshot mare.

The race won by the New Zealandbred trotter Olive L, who was sent across to compete in the Victorian Derbv, was the Terong Trotting Clip, of £SO, one mile and a half. The hlly, who was handicapped 45yds behind scratch, started favourite and was driven by her breeder, M. Edwards. In referring to the race a Melbourne writer says :-—olive L won the Cup very easily. The race was insTCd'to a certain extent by an accident at the start. Olta Ami reared up and came over backwards on top of her driver. Sho got away with the sulky and interfered with Jim Cleve. The winner, Olive L, however, would have been first in any case, as she simply bolted and won very easily. It was a poor race for a good stake, the time being 3min 57sec. M. Edwards also drove the winner of tho pony trot at the same meeting.

With a view to still further popularising the light harness sport in Western Australia, an effort is being made to secure tho presence of Denver Huon, to give speed exhibitions. Tho programme

mapped out for him, however including the Sydney Thousand at Easter, probably followed by another Visit to New Zealand, may prevent a visit to Western Australia.

The pacers Dillon Bell and Denver Huon have been entered for the Sydney Thousand, which will he decided on April 16.' As far as can bo ascertained Hal Zolock will ho the only Now Zealand representative in the race.

In future there will not ho a.ny trotting races °f a ]cBS distance than nmo furlongs at Richmond (Melbourne) meetings. .

The pacer Prims, hy Valiant from Fritz's dam, Fraulein, well, known on Canterbury tracks, is now racing m Melbourne.

Tho pacer Dillon Bell is reported as having paced a mile in 2min 13sec at tho Torang (Victoria) meeting. In the report of tho meeting there is no record of Dillon Bell winning any of the events,, and therefore it must bo presumed that it was against time that he put up his best effort to date, ine track is a grass one, and some Melbourne writers asserted that it was an Australasian record for the mile on grass, hut Dan Patch covered the distance in Brisbano in 2min 10sec t and on the Epping Court he did 2nnn 11 sec. Dillon Bell did his first furlong in 17sec, two furlongs in 83 3-fisec, three in SOseo, four in Imm .6 2-sseo, five in lmin 28sec, srx m Imm 8b rf-0 sec, seven in limn 64 4-ssec, and the mile in 2min 13sec

TJki, who acted as pacemaker nearly all the way in the Australian Cup. will probably he seen out in some of the important jumping events in Victoria during the coming winter. He has been nominated for the Hurdle Handicap, to be decided, at Onkapannga, South .Australia, on Easter Monday. The New Zealand bred geldings,. John and Waipuna, are also engaged in the same event.

As a result of agitation on the part of owners, the Melbourne suburban clubs liavo agreed to an increase m stakes, and in future tbey mil give £6OO on Saturdays and £SOO on Wednesdays. Doubts have been expressed whether., the clubs can stand the strain. It is pointed out that the suburban meetings'in Melbourne labour under serious disabilities compared with thoso of Sydnev, and itia feared that owners may 'be called on, to pay heavy charges in the matter of entrance and acceptance fees. In the meantime, however, the owners will be well pleased at the prospect of better prizes. At present the. clubs give £SOO on Saturdays and £350 on Wednesdays.

A valuable shipment of English bred horses arrived in Sydney last. week. John o' Lome (1908), by Gallinule— Fair Jean, by Ayrshire—Black Cawrryji and therefore brother in blood to .Night Hawk, winner of the St Leger last year, has been imported by Mr Hunter White for rise as a sire. Leal, a four-year-old mare by Featherbed— Laila, has been sent out,by R. Wootton, to" be raced by" J. Tomlmson, The other two horses are consigned to the Randwick trainer,-. L Earnshaw. They are St Spasa (1911), by St AmantOarita, by Gallinule---Moira; and John o' Dreams (1912), l? John o 1 GauntLittle Goose, by Little John—Lady Carden. John o' Lome is described as a magnificent -brown horse, standing about sixteen hands, on perfect legs and feet, and showing a tremendous lot of substance, combined with the highest thoroughbred quality.

The agitation for the introduction of the totalisator has been warmly taken up in many quarters in New South Wales and Victoria. So far a good deal of the opposition has come from interested parties, but, though many prominent racing men are ardent advocates of the machine, there are others who are just as strong in their opposition to it. Among these latter is Mr E. R. White, a leading breeder and owner in New South Wales, and he recently delivered himself as follows on the subject: "The installation of the totalisatw seems to attract some of our racing community. They use as arguments—(l) That racing would be boneirted by it, and also that charities would gam by the percentages allotted for that purpose. With the latter Ido not propose to argue; but as far as racing is concerned I would like to bring out a few points I have gathered. First, it is contended that more money could be given for racing. This, in my opinion, is no argument, seeing that nearly all racing clubs throughout the States have fairly large surpluses, and, as the population increases, will have still larger surpluses to allot for prizes, all based on steady and legitimate encouragement of racing. The totalisator-tends to encourage Tymg (to put. it plainly) and the lowest cunning in the needy racing men, so as to prevent the public toting on their horses. Whereas, with the bookmakers, once they have their money on at decent odds, they do notcare who knows that their horse has a chance of winning. The tote incurs a heavy tax upon the racing public, and ultimately starves them of their racing money by reducing their £1 by the amount of percentages taken off every dividend, and these percentages never circulate again with the racing public, whereas the bookmaker at times loses heavily, and so the public get a large amount of their money back again; and, in any case, the bookmakers •money is in the racing business, and the profit they make is" nothing like the amount the tote would take out of the business and distribute elsewhere. It would doubtless be a fine thing for some proprietary clubs, who would make nice profits out of the tote, and which they could pocket. Racing _in Queensland. South Australia and New Zealand, where the tote is a long way bohmd New South Wales and Victoria. England, the home .or horse-racing and of the thoroughbred, has led the world, and still leads, all without the aid (so called) of the tote. Those who watch events carefully will know that in France and Germany ther-e is a strong fcelinj? against the tote. Many of the prizes given in France are heavily subsidised by the City- of Paris, and in Germany the Government assist racing and blood etock breeding considerably, knowing full well the neoessitv of the blood horse for war purposes. A day will come when Australia will want all the cavalry horses she can muster, and the logical inference is that Governments should hesitate to do anything that may injure racing, and consequently high-class horse-breeding."