SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12284, 5 April 1918, Page 2

SPORTING GOSSIP.

HADING AND TROTTING.

(By “ARGUS.")

The Yaldhursfc two-year-old, Almoner, is unlikely to do any more racing this season. He was strung tip early in the spring, for his trip to Australia, where lie iron two good wees. Since his return to the Dominion ho has contested four events, winning the Middle Park Plate, hut failing badly in two of his other outings, though he shaped fairly well in the Challenge Stakes. The Boniform colt will probably bo given a short spell before being taken in hand for spring engagements. It is too early yet to discuss Ids three-yenr-old programme, but if all goes well'with him he may make a trip to Sydney to take part in the Australian Jockey Club's Derby. That, at any rate, was the intention of Mr G. L. Stead a short time ago. Mr 6. L. Stead will have a fair sized, team to represent him at the Manawntu Racing Club’s meeting. Wishful and Koesinn are hooked to make the trip under the care of R. D, O’Donnell, who will also take the two-year-olds, Kilmoon and Cyresian, and possibly Melee.

R-. J. Mason is keeping Biplane busy, and the Comedy King colt will he sent north to contest the Awapuni Gold Oup fit the Mauawatu Racing Chib’s meeting. Mr T. H. Lowry has Desert Gold and Estland engaged, and if only these three go to the post it should be the star event of the season.

The Hawke’s Bay trainer, G. Jones, has broken in five yearlings for Mr W. G. Stead. They are a chestnut colt by All Black—Dreamer, dam of Formless and Bon Revev brown filly by Demosthenes—Los Vegas, half sister to Los Angelos: brown fillv by Demosthenes—Sunlight, dam of Good Day; brown filly by Foramens—Class, dam of Bon Ton, Eligible and The Toff; and bay colt by Feramorz—Ringdove, dam of Ringfovm and Cooing. The Class filly is reported to be a particularly fine looking youngster.

Tfie South Canterbury Jockey Club has secured a fine list of nominations for its autumn meeting, to be held next week. Riccarton stables are well represented, while a particularly pleasing feature of the lists is the presence of a strong contingent of horses from Southland, among them being several who have shown good form at recent meetings.

Biplane, Collector, Punka, Mortham and Gay Lad, five horses who won races at Riccarton this week, were not started at the meeting except in their successful efforts.

On the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting North Island owners were successful in four races, while Riccarton-trained horses won two and South Canterbury and North Otago one each. The Riccarton contingent did much better on the second day, winning six races on end. after which Southland had a turn, while the final event went to the North Island.

A sale of horses, in the estate of the late Donald Fraser, was held at Fejlding this week. The brood mare, Miss Leighton, by Leighton—Potcro, with July foal by Advance and in foal to Advance, was secured by Mr Morse for lOgs; Seagull, by St Leger Gannet, with foal at foot and in foal io Advance, Mr G. Stewart, 21gs; Sou’wester mare (dam of Prosper), with foal at foot and in foal to Advance, Mr Fletcher, Tigs; yearling gelding (brother to Expect), by Advance—Endeavour, Mr Fenwick, 50gs; yearling, geldjug by Advance—Ballarat' Mr W. M'Kenzic, digs; and yearling gelding by Advance—Phemie, Mr Fenwick, sogs.

Bedford Bodge, one of the great training establishments in England, has been sold by the executors of the late Colonel M’Calmont to Sir W. J. Tatem- He ■will not be able to enter into possession for some time, ‘ however, as the stables are in the occupation ol the Royal Fusiliers. M. Hobbs will soon be' back in New Zealand, after a lengthy residence in Australia. Kilflinn and Kiifoyle, whom he trained for the Rajah of Pudukota, are to remain in Sydney, but who is to be their new trainer has not transpired. Unfortunately for Hobbs, Kilboy failed to stand a preparation, and with the other members of his team only moderate, he has failed to make his mark in Australia, in the same fashion as in 1916, when Kill von the A.J.C. Derby and Sasanof the Melbourne Cup.

Redfern. who was one of the winners at the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting on Wednesday, is the highest-priced English racehorse ever imported to the Commonwealth. As a two-year-old lie was in the top class, winning the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Molecomb Stakes and Champagne Stakes, while lie was narrowly beaten by Friar Marcus in the Middle Park Plate and by Let Fly in the Dewhurst Plate. The death of his nominator. Lord Cadogan, caused his three-year-old engagements to he cancelled, but even in face of this drawback there was keen competition when he was submitted to auction, Sir Wiliam Cooper having to pay 5300 guineas to secure the colt. He made his first Australian appearance about two years ago, in the Caulhold Stakes, but failed to show up. A few days later ho met with an accident on his way to a meeting, and did not race again till January of last year. Since then he has run fairly well at times, but until this week he had not won a race in Australia, his form being a long way short of that shown by other imported horses, who were not m the same class with Redfern whmi they were racing in England.

The pacer Goodrich was sold durinothe progress of tho Waimate Plains trotting Club’s meeting. He is by Galindo—Marie Corelli, and was bred by Mr u. Kerr, who sold him as a thrce-year-old to an Auckland sportsman. Goodrich has only Avon two i aces, one as a three-year-old and one the following season. As n young horse he was 0110 of the unlucky ones, suitering from continuous ailments, and this may have affected his racing career. His dam ivas a brilliant mare, who never reproduced her best form in public, whilst as a. matron she has not yet produced anything out of the ordinary. After Goodrich came a filly by Pcterota, ivho has not been raced. Her next foal, Gallantry, has yet to win a race. Bred to Bient Locanda the following year, tin progeny died, but her owner has a yearling filly by Logan Pointer. This season Marie Corelli produced a dead foal to the defunct Copa de Ora.

The pacer Celtic came south at the conclusion of the Waimate Plains Trotting Club’s meeting and ivill be trained in future by B. Jarden.

Mr B. Shadbolt’s marc, Fair Puritan, AA’ho was a good average pacer, went Avrong about a week prior to the Waimate Plains Trotting Club’s meeting, and is not likely to be raced again.

The pacer Galindo Belle was nominated by her OAvner for the Waimate Plains, Otahuluj and Mauawatu meetings. After arriving at Hawera she was disposed of to Mr J, B. Corrigan, and raced in his interest in the chief cA r ont of the meeting, in Avhich she performed very indifferently, although finishing in fourth place. ' H, is ’understood she will bo raced at Auckland and Palmerston North. Galindo PeW

appears to bo a mare of moods, as she hns not yet woo a race, although she has been in a place on innumerable occasions. With a change of owners her luck on the turf may undergo improvement. The horse breeding industry continues to receive considerable attention in England, in spite of the war. That there is plenty of patronage for the loading sires is shown hy tho fact that Polymelus and Pommern, each at a 300 guinea fee, have full lists this season. The death occurred in France recently of the successful English-bred sire, Earwig, by Hampton from Wriggle. His racing record included third to Persimmon and St Frusqnin in the English Derby. Frisco, a son of Earwig, won tho New' Zealand Cup, and has since sired a few winners, Colorado being the most successful of his progeny this season. The war notwithstanding, tho 11 Dcutschcr Sport” says that one horse put up a record in the way of stakes in Germany last year. This was Savoyard, who won £4400 in jumping races, heating tho previous German best of £3961, credited to Foreafther (a son of Forfarshire), in 1910. Tho Tetrarch is evidently going to get the opportunity of making as good a name for himself at the' stud as ho did when racing. His fee is 300gns, and ho was so rushed at that figure that shortly before the last mail left England, Mr Peard offered a premium of £IOO for a nomination to the grey. This year the annua] show in England of thoroughbred stallions suitable for siring- half-bred horses was held at Newmarket, instead of Islington. The average earnings of a King’s Premium winner were set down a-t £360, as against £390 in 1917, and there were sixty premiums for competition. In addition there were twelve premiums of tho value of £IOO for stallions of exceptional merit, and there was the Challenge Cup, presented by the King, for the best stallion at tho show, which was to have taken place early this month. In Melbourne this month the Caulfield Cup winner. Shepherd King (Marta gon—St Win deline) was productive of keen competition at the sale of horses in the estate of the late Mr J. Widdis. ami though the New South Wales breeders, Messrs Rouse Bros., went to BlnOgs, they were outstayed by Mr E. G. Blume (3500g5), whose Woodlands Stud is also in New South Wales. Shepherd King is a fine, hig horse, displaying a deal of quality, and it is probable he will be a stud success. Hitherto imported St Savin (St Simon—Aboyne) has been the principal stallion at Woodlands, hut evidently Mr Blume has arrived at the conclusion that an infusion of Marta gon blood is desirable. In this he is well advised.

The totalisator turnover in Sydney on a recent Saturday aggregated £31,128—£11,300 at Kensington and £9828 at Rosehill. The adoption of the place system has given a fillip to totalisator betting in Sydney, says a writer in tho '‘Referee,” and as it has about doubled at the proprietary courses during the past few r weeks, it is reasonable to expect a somewhat similar result at Randwick. One thing certain is, that with three dividends on nearly every race, all the pay-out window's in each enclosure will have to he utilised. The dual system—bookmaker and totalisator—is seemingly satisfactory to most backers, but if ever betting on Sydney racecourses is confined to the machine, the present provision will be totally inadequate, even at Randwick.

In discussing- tho importance of racing as bearing on a horse’s subsequent opportunities at the stud, the English writer Vigilant remarks:—“We may take it ns practically certain that had there been no racing during the past two seasons, Hurry On and Gay Crusader would never have been in request as stallions, and yet either of these may bo of almost priceless value to our breed of horses now that we know, from what they have done on the Turf, how worthy of patronage they are. Hurry On, as an unproved son of Marcovil and Toute Suite, would not have commanded a 9gs foe, though now that we know him for what ho is he is .full at 200gs, and mares of very high value have been brought to mate with him. So, too, with Gay Crusader ; his sire, Bayardo, would have died without tho opportunity of demonstrating that he was a. really great stallion,' for Gay Crusader and Gainsborough would not have run. As for his dam, Gay Crusader was her first' foal, and she had not a distinguished career on the Turf, so there would have been really nothing to advance the fortunes of Gay Crusader as a. stud horse, and he would have languished in obscurity, whereas now he would, if put up for sale bv auction, make not less than BO.OOOgs, and be is worth it, too. Imagine how much poorer the breed of our blood stock would have been bad the. class and merit of Hurry On and Gay Crusader never been ascertained, as would, in fact, have happened bad racing been entirely suspended during the last two seasons. Undeniably great horses only come at rare intervals', and wo cannot, afford to miss them when they do come.”

SOUTH CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB.

[Per Press Association.] TIMARU, April 4. The following handicaps havo been declared: — EOSEWILL HACK HANDICAP, of 100 sovs; five furlongs—Charley Ost 31b. Linden 9st 2lb, Bellrock Bst 13lb, Donnafa Sst, 111b, Rosevcar Sst 10lb, Bon d’Or Sst 51b, War Tax Tst 111b, Red River Tst Olb, Clavorhouso Tst Sib, Rokol-aine 7st 81b, Zephland Tst 71b, Matilda 7st 71b, St Cletus 6st Olb, Mystery Maid 6st Olb, Black Mountain Gst Olb. TIMARU CUP HANDICAP, of 300 sovs; one mile—Rorke’s Drift Ost 81b, Ascalaphus Sst Olb, Marsa. Sst 81b, Mohawk Sst 7lb, Michaela Sst Olb, Soddel Bahr Sst 3lb, Thnddeua 7st 121b, Battle Evo 7st lllb, Brambletyo Tst lllb, Comely 7st 10lb, Kilboyne 7st. 10lb, Tremena 7st. 41b, Mortham 7st 41b, Achilledos'7st 3lb, Gay Lad 7st 2lb, Majestikoff Gst 181b, Love Token Ost 121b, Benefit Sst lllb, Bon Ost 10)b, Spanglo Ost 81b, Golden Prince Ost 71b. OTIPPA STEEPLECHASE, of 150 sovs; two miles—Kaupokonui list 13lb, Stone Ginger list Olb, Naupata list Olb, Recharge list Gib, Vascular 10st- 13lb, Hearherica. 10?t Sib, Paremata lOst 51b, Grey Renown Ost Olb, Golden Butterfly Ost Sib, Silver Shield Ost Tib, Somerset Ost 71b.

SMITHFIELD HANDICAP, of 120 sovs; six furlongs—Mohawk Ost Olb, Oxenhope Ost Olb, Michaela Sst 131b, Multiplication Sst Olb, Tremoua Sst 51b, The White King Sst 41b, Hot Air 7st lllb. Benefit 7st 7lb. Golden Prince 7st 7lb, Gay Lad Tst 7lb, Kilmeoiy Gst lllb, Donnata Ost 101b. Bomb 6?t 7lb. GLADSTONE HACK WELTER HANDICAP, of 100 sovs; one mile—Aydiffe Ost lib, Gay Lad Sst 13!b, Burrangeng Sst lllb. Love Token Sst Olb, Marianne Sst Gib, Polonius Sst Sib. Night Alarm Sst 41 b. War Hawk Sst lib, John Reilly Sst Olb, Placid Sst, 21b, .Tack Symons Sst Olb, Tin Soldier Tst 121b, Silver and Black 7st 12lb, Bon Ram 7st 121b, General Polain Tst, lllb. Lady Rupee Tst lllb, St Cle.lus Tst lllb. DONCASTER WELTER HANDICAP, of 150 sovs; seven furlongs—Mohawk Ost, 131b, Comely Sst 131b, All Ready Sst lllb, Helicon Sst 10lb. Hot Air Sst Olb," The White King Fat Sib, King Star Set 71b, Arhilledc? Tst slb, Ma.jestikoff Sst 21b, Gay Lad Tst 131b, Burin n gong Tst. lllb, Pou Pncilico Tr-l lllb, Succlual Tst lllb, Golden Prince Tst lllb Pd-Hm > TH 11 IK 7-' IUK