SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11596, 14 January 1916, Page 5

SPORTING.

' ♦" ■ " • lACRG AND TROTHI 1 , lOIK BY "ARGUSb" ' RXTBBES. J January 14—"Wla.iiga.rei Racing Club. ' January IS)—Wairio Jockey Club. January 20, 22, '34—Wellington Racing: Club. January 22—North >rn Wairoa Racing Club. fawwAry 23, 24—Foxton Jockey Club. ■ JawuAjy 35, 27—Wairoc. County Racing Cm>>. Jar***y 2C, K) —Takaptma Jockey Club. January 27, 29—Forbury Park Trotting CIUD. February 2, B—Egmont Raoing Club. February 8, 6—Giaborna Racing Club. February s—Canterbury Jockey Club. '! A special meeting of the New Ze.v i land Trotting Conference will be held in Wellington on Wednesday, to disJ cuts the report of tho executive regarding the appointment of stipendiary stewards. 1 One of the most noticeable features ; In connection mth the sport of trotting ; in New Zealand is tho improvement I which & taking place in the times rof corded in races. With the conditions \ favourable, it is always certain, at each meeting, that, nearly-all the placed horses will reduce their own records, while New Zealand, race records are /being materially improved each year. The committee of the Metropolitan Trotting Club has had this subject under consideration, and a trophy valued at 50 guineas will be awarded to any horse breaking a track record in a race at any of the club's meotings. • P. J>. Jones has made arrangements to leave for the north with Week End and Comely, who will carry the colours of Mr G. B. Starky at the Wellington Racing Club's summer meeting. Daytime has been on the easy list since his return from the holiday meetings in the south, fit which ho failed to show the form that was expected. He has done a fair amount of racing this season, and a short spell may do him good. j A few weeks ago Encore showed " signs of lameness, and it seemed doubtful if he would be able to fulfil his holiday engagements in the south. He was well enough, however, to make the trip, and he competed at Wingatui and Oamaru. though without capturing a stake at either fixture. His) weak leg has since given M'Aulay further cause for anxiety, and the big Maniapoto gelding will probably require a long spell, if, indeed, he is ever able to race ' again. Encore was a very smart galloper, who was never thoroughly wound up. and if he had been quite sound it is hard to say how good he might have . proved. At the meeting of the Gore Racing Club, to be held m March, the programme" will include a steeplechase each day. Crocs country events have been tried at the club's spring meeting, and have proved decidedly popular with owners. A race meeting—the first with a totalisator permit was held at Karamea lately. The patronage of local residents was disappointing, only some £SOO beting put through the machine. In one raco the winner was not backed and the machine paid out on the second horse. The Gore Racing Onb made a . forward step which will no doubt ere Jong he followed by other Southland clubs. At the autumn meeting, in March, the principal trot on the programme; the Riversdale Trot, two miles, will be confined to harness horses only, instead of .being optional, as in the' past, and the class has been made , 0.4. , It '-will not be very long from all accounts, says "Starter" in the " Mataura Ensign," before the Trot- . .ting Association will insist on all trots being either for harness or saddle horses, and the support recorded the Gore Club in its latest move will be keenly watched. Mr W.' E. Bidwill'g crack, Reputation, who has had a rest since he competed at the Melbourne Cup meeting, has* resumed work at Randwiok, under the care of F. M'Grath. Eligible, Wishful and Blackall, all of whom raced well at the summer meeting of Auckland Racing Club, have been nominated for the Sydney Cut*. Reputation, Sea Pink and Football, three other New Zealand-bred horses in the list, have been in Australia for , somo time. It is said that during the coming re- . crusting campaign in Victoria Mr J. ■ Wren will " slhut down " on all his racecourses. Somo time ago the secretary of the Cheviot Racing Club wrote to tho Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon G. W. Russell) requesting that the permit for his club's meeting should be held over for a year on account' of the war. The Minister has replied that ho highly approved of the action of the club in seeking ft postponement of their meeting, and he pointed cut that such fiction would in no war prejudicially affect the issue of a totalizator permit for next year. Canute, by Charlemagne ll.—Lady Helen, won the Erina Welter Handicap, one mile, at Gosford, New South Wales, this month. 111,1 _ i The death occurred at Randwick this month of Mi* W. Duggau, who, a few' years ago, was one of the most prominent trainers in New South Wales. He prepared many good winners, the best being the Carbine horse Amberite, whom he raced on his own account , and with whom he won the Australian Jockey Club's D&'rby and St Leger, Caulfield Cup, Victoria Derby, Cham?ion Stakes, Cumberland Stakes, A. J.C. 'late and Randwick Plate. For some years past English horses have been freely imported into Western Australia, where they have done exceptionally well. Scarcely a meeting goes past without some of the importations being successful, but at the big summer fixture at Perth, extending over four days during tho recent holidays. they did particularly well, scoring first place in eleven events. The English crack Pommern finished laat season thoroughly sound, and, unless there is further JnterMrence with racing, he will again be raced this year. It is improbable, in any case, that his turf career will extend beyond this season. SomoSEnglish critics f=y a knack of discovering the " horse or uic oentury " about every ten years, but the opinion is rather general that Pommern is tho best seen on racecourses of the Old Country for several years. New Zealand recruits for the war in- . elude many jockeys and stable hands, nnd it is worth noting, in connection with the annual boxing tournament for - • stable lads at Newmarket, England,that th,© classes over 7st 71b fell through owing to nearly all the boys : above that weight having joined the ( colours. "Various English jockeys have «lso enlisted, while other ineligible for service, or who do not caro about ■ it, think so little of next year's racing prospects in the Old Country that they accepted engagements for India, ,600 th Africa and America, while C. 'Foy, a prominent member oi" Hs culling, has eontyacted to ride u>r M-h ] . Laieroff in Rufeiia. From th-:- it ur?u!d

appear that next year racing is to goj on in Russia as usual, French owners are assured of racing thia year, and a beginning will bo made at Nice, which is in fcho south of Francs. The added money for distribution at cross-country meetings to be held this month and next in the town named is £6OOO, of which £IOOO is contributed by the City Council. Mr Henj nessy, who visited Australia some years ago, and bought a couple of mares there, has been one of the prime movers in bringing about a re-commence-ment of racing in France. The Parkinsons, father and son, had a great innings as trainer and jockey respectively in Ireland last year. Parkinson, sen., trained 53 winners of ,102 races, and of these 51 races were won by 28_of his own horses; whilo Parkinson, jun., who rides as an amateur, accounted for 71 and dcad-hoatod for two other of the 186 races in which he had mounts. His average works out just short of two wins for every five mounts. Though he was easily first in respect of number of winners, Parkinson, sen.'s, 102 races only returned £B-587, while J. Hunter, with 23 races, was credited with £9265, aid M. Dawson's total for 52_ was £BBB7. Among the professional riders, C. 0. Hawkins did best with 30 wins for 162 mounts. Let Fly (White Eagle—Gondolette), who finished second to Pommeru in the Now Derby and .pot ,tlie, Champion Stakes from Silver Tag on protest, was among the horses sold r>r ; vately at the close of the recent English season. He is now in Brazil, while lledfern, with whom ho had various stiff tussles, is in Sydney, and is being trained by I. | Joulsham at Randtvick. lledfern, who is a very taking mover, has a bare patch on the off hip as the result of a slight mishap a couple of months ! a S°) but otherwise looks really well. As he will be iho highest-priced English racehorse that has ever competed on an Australian '• racecourse, considerable interest _ will attach to his domes at i 6 c ? nr ' n ? a-u tumn meetings. Redfern, who has been in Australia about six month 1 ?, has not raced since October ■ 29, 1914, when Let Fly beat him a head in the Dewhurst Plate at Newmarket. It is remarkable that while numerous country clubs throughout Australia and New Zealand have held benefit race meetings for patriotic funds, and the leading clubs in our principal cities are devoting their season's profits to that purpose, there was not a meeting held in England last year for the benefit of the wounded. There certainly was one in course of preparation when the reduction of racing was announced, but unless circumstances or Conditions with which colonials are unacquainted acted as a bar, there was nothing to prevent a* benefit meeting talcing place at Newmarket. "Vigilant," in the Loiidon Sportsman," says that racing men have certainly subscribed largely to various funds, but the fact remains that English racing has not done its share. Such, it is almost unnecessary for me to write, is not the case in Australia and New Zealand, where olubs, owners, trainers, bookmakers and jockeys, collectively and individually, have responded with commendable, liberality. Ireland, by the way, set England a good example by holding rive Red Cross meetings*. Few jockeys riding tp-day are capable of telling an owner of trainer what actually takes place during a race, says an English writer. Danny Maher was very observant in this respect, and Frank Bullock is a jockey" of the same type, but most of the boys scramble home as best they can, and know little about racing tactics. I wonder what would happen if one of them got into a dangerous position, as Harry ConStable did in Bend Or's Derbv. When coming round Tattenham Coroner on Ercildyune, he, lav immediately in the track of Bend Or. ridden by Archer. Ercildoune, when fairly set going at the top of the hill, made the descent at at great pace, and for & few strides, getting slightly the best of his jockey, was actually galloping with his near foreleg right between the two hind ones of Bend Or. Constable saw this, but, being closely pressed' by other horses behind; him, could not pull back, so he called out to Archer: "Keep your horse as straight as you can, Fred; don't pull him either way, or wo shall both be Archer then put on full steam, and got clear of the other horse. A bad accident must have occurred but for the nerve and' coolness of the two jockeys. According to a South Australian writer, the "fat is in the fire 5 ' in Adelaide concerning stake monev given by the different clubs. The outbreak of war coincided with the worst drought on records aud naturally the officials of the various racing clxibs became nervous, and reduced stakes. However, during the past few months south Australia itself was never more prosperous. There is hay and wheat in abundance ; vignerons have no cause for complaint j tlioro is t&lk of a/n oversimply of apples; and, in fact, the only discordant note in this tuno of plenty is that of the great war. The result is that practically every tiring i$ booming. People still seem to hare plentv of money, and a fair share of itjlias found its wav to the racecourse. The attendances have been almost as good as prior to the outbreak of the European conflict, and! it has been a rare thing in the last twelve months for any metropolitan club to show a loss on" a meeting. At many of the gatherings the balance-sheets have been improved to the extent of hundreds of poundsand yet, in face of this, some of the clubs have allowed the stake monev to remain at the reduced figure. The South Australian Jockey Club," the premier body, for instance, knocked off odd' sums of £SO and £25 from all its stakes for the New Year's Day meeting of 1915, and failed to nut'them hack to their original value this year. The result is that owners who were racing at Cheltenham for sprint races worth £3OO and £loo were asked to go to the premier body's gathering and compete in six-furlong contests, tho winner of which received £IOO. Then, again, owners were asked to start in a woight-for-age race, the added money for the winner of which was 150 sovs* One of the biggest owners in South Australia, is Dr A. H. Bennett. He races purely for sport, breeds his own horses, and has a. private trainer. Dr 'Bennett caused a regular flare up by <ninouncing when the entries for the South Australian Jockey Club's meeting fell due that he did not intend to nominate, "as a protest against the parsimonious cheeseparing down-the-line policy of the chipf club in the State." Of course, all owners are entitled' to their own views; but in this particular instance Dr Bennett has been severely criticised, because he is a committeeman of the rival club. He, however. takes the view that, being in such position, he is not compelled to sink his individuality, and states that he adopted tho coftrse he did because he knows that poorer owners would have been only too pleased to do tho same thing if they lind strength and money behiud them. The doctor adds significantly, ''l am not afraid of the South Australian Jockey Club, but their attitude in keeping down the stakes does not tend' to increase the list of sportsmen_ who wnit to race horses without betting. I '' The following day Dr Ben-, nett's committee met, and issued a programme which the lowest event vr!is worth £150: thp-'-e were several of £2OO, and one of £BOO. FOP BURY PARK TROTTTNG CLUB. The following handicaps have been declared for tie Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting FIRST AMATEUR HANDICAP (in aadelie), of Jof» cov3; one xr.il© ami a half—.'Jessie's IVmn nor, Jluon Child Lscc, Ivory Bflls Iscc\ Yk'toi; Chief 2 sec, Pine Bel) 2sec, Outpost J. ; tomie Campbell 3.« ec, Black-

ball ssec, ' Gay Wilkes ssec, Besswing Esec, b g by Leopold Ssec, Dunvergan Esec, M.B.T. ssac, Trugella ssec, Jummie Gsec, Postillion osec, Red Lancer osec, General Victor osec, Apology ssec, Exmoor 7seo, Livingstone 7seo, Inchcape Bell 7sec, Highland Neotor 7sec, Paerau 7sec, Child Haiclee 7sec, Degree 7sec, Sunrise. 7sec, Ma.steftEbony 7sec, Stage "Whispers 7sec, Chocolate Soldier 7sec. STEWARDS' HANDICAP (in harness), of 130 sovs; ono mile and a half—Seaward Spot scr, Molly M'Kinney 2seo, Galindo Lou 2aec, 'Raeburn 2sec, Black Arrow osec, Royal George 6sec, Jolly Girl 6sec, Prinz 6soc, Comedy Gsec, Captain Stanley 6sec. Stoker 7sec, Perfect Day 7sec, Forest Child Ssec, Tracey Dillon 3°ec, Security Bsec, Willio Linden lOsec, Zara lOsec, Branston lOsec, Cocoaleen 103 ec, St Louis lOsec, Sir Gavin lOsec, Abbey Chimes 12sec, Daintv Dillon 12sec, Jedran 12sec. KENSINGTON HANDICAP (in saddle), of 160 sovs; two miles—Hcctorata scr, Voter 3 see, Vera K. Ssec, Wingatui osec, Flora Tracey (Jscc, Red Prince 6sec, The Limit 7scc, Gee Whiz 7sec, Nordica 7sec, Pax 7sec, Capprocia 7sec, Eroß 7sec, Armateur 7sec, Silver Shoo Osec, Imperial Princess Osec, Wood King lOsec, Clarissa lOsec, M'C'onacliic Usee, Stanley's Pet Usee, Kaweka Usee, Moneybox Usee. ' DUNEDIN CUP HANDICAP (in harness), of 650 sovs; two miles—Emilius scr, St Ursula scr, Jingl« scr, Wallace Wood scr, Manderene scr, Frandocia 3sec, Don Cassar lsec, Sherwood lsec, Erin's King 2sec, Adonis 2sec, St Kevin ' 23ec, Dillon Bell 2sec, Eccentric 2sec, Cathedral Chimes 2sec, Antonio Ssec, Stanley's Child 3sec, Dot Robbins Osec, Tho King's General 3sec, 'Cello Sydney Wilkes 3sec, Prince Akwood 4sec, School Girl 4sec, Succeed 4sec, Evelyn Gsec, Moneymaker Osec, Waitchio Gsec, Ariadne Gsec. TRIAL HANDICAP (in harness)., of 120 sovs; one mile and a half—Galindo Lou scr, Raeburn scr, Nore 2sec, Bloomfield 2sec, Allmount 4sec, Princess Perfection 4sec, Forest Child Gsec, Rose ( Gauntlet Gsec, Tim Doolan Ssec, Willow Vere Bsec, Ethel Donna Bsec, Willie Lincoln Ssec, Zara Bsec, Cocoaleen Ssec, St Louis B,iec, Dolly Rodgerß 9sec, Imvood 9sec, Gladeye 9sec, Goidstream Ssec, Watchman 9sec, Dark Imperial Osec, First Chimo 9sce, b g by Wildmoor Osec, General Gorton Osec, Jedran lOsec, Erleen lOsec, Mvola I2sec, Stella C. 12sec, Bright Child 22sec, Apology 12scc. OTAGO HANDICAP (in saddle), of 160 sovs; two miles—Truganini scr, Annie K. lsec, Paul Huon Gsec, Tika Ssec, Whisht Osec, Balnamoan 9sec, Commander Bell lOsec, Massey lOsec, Parkfield lOsec, James Maddison 12sec, Bowbells 13sec, Albertoria 14sec, Harold Pnso 14sec, Joe M'Kinney 14seo, Harold Wilkes 15? Ec, Allen Dcoue 15sec, I Macwood 15sec, Dan Mac lGsec, Rory lGsec, Paddy Lynd lGsec, Idol 17sec, Ivory Bells 18sec, Tho Dairymaid 18sec, Heriot 183ec. j KING GEORGE HANDICAP (in harness), j of 220 sovs; ono mile and a quarter—Emrac- ! line scr, Princo Berlin lsec, St Ursula 2see, St Kevin Ssec, Eccentric 3sec, Don Cmsar j Ssec, Wallace Wood 3sec, Manderene Ssec, ; Dillon Bell 3scc, Adonis 4sr.c, Frandocia 4eoc, 'Cello Sydney Wilkes 4sec, Sherwood 4sec, The King's General 4sec. Antonio osec. Lovelock Ssec, Dot Robbins 6sec, School Gill Gsec, Franzalena 63ec. ; ELECTRIC HANDICAP (in saddle), of 260 sovs; ono mile—Breeze scr, Bequest lscc, Dahvhinnie lsec, Wilkie lsec, Barmaguie 2iec, Hectorata 3sec, Lodi 3soc, Law Chimes 3sec, Sweet Agnes 4sec, Game Child Gsec, Sir Elmo osec, Dunspey Ssec, Author Dillon ssec, Lodestar ssec, Prince Toronto osec, Masterpiece ssec, Gold Crest. Takio Gsec, Red Princo Gsec, Corbel) Gsec, Baron Franz fisi:c, Sparkling Kol«. Gsec, lwndetta 7sec, Arbiter 7sec, (J ee Whiz 7%cv, I'inewood 7scc. Collcua 7s e®.