RACING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19810, 29 November 1919, Page 11

RACING AND TROTTING.

(By "ARGUS.") FIXTURES. ITorantxa 29, Deoiwiber I—Feilding Jockey Club. December 4—Methven Racing Olub. December 13, IS-New Brighton Trotting Club. " November 23, 26—Tnkapuna Jooksy Club. November 25, 26—Winton JwJcey Club. December 10—Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. December 10, 11—Wobdville Jockey Club. December 17—Taumarunui Racing Club. HANDICAPS. Dfoemlet 1 New Brighton Trotting Club. November 27—Woodvillo Jockey Club. December 2—Taumarumii Raoing Club. ACCEPTANCES.. Decembet ft—New Brighton Trotting Club. November 20—Winton Jockav Club. December S—Woodville Jockey Club. December o—Taumaxunui Racing Club. The meeting of the premier trotting club in Australasia, which was held at Addington this month, must be accounted the most successful ever held by the club. Most of the best horses in commission were competing, the weather was fine, and the track in good order. Had there been no wind blowing I am convinced that some very fast times would have been recorded. The popularity of the sport was shown by the great attendances and tho keen interest evinced in the proceedings. "Whilst the racing on the first and last days was most .interesting, the contests on the second day provided the best racing of the week, nearly every event culminating in a desperate finish. Those who remember the sport in the long ago find it hard to realise the rapid growth that has been' made in popular favour, and the keen hold it now has on the public. It seems that the time has arrived for those who control the destinies of tho sport to keep pace with the changed conditions and endeavour to lift it to an even higher level. One of the regrets of the recent meeting wub that there were so few young horses racing, most of the contests being confined to animals who have been .racing for some considerable tinie. This, to some extent, is to be expected, by reason of the fact that the classes are being tightened up each year, thus only providing races for horses who have good performances to their credit. /Hie stakes given by the club at its November meeting are easily the best of the season, and it would be well if the club considered a proposal to encourage the younger horses by providing some stakes for which they could compote. Naturally, at the conclusion of the meeting, there was a good deal of discussion by those in a position to weigh up all matters, and tho fact that few young horses were found racing was : picked upon as the only blot on the j club's most successful (fixture. Various -opinions were given as to ways and means of improvement. One well. j known breeder, trainer and owner, who has been in the sport long enough to know his subject in all its phases, suggested that the club Bhould give a good stake for maiden horses. He pointed out that plenty of good horses are now bred each .year; in fact, more than there are suitable races in which they can compete, and buyers are somewhat shy in embarking' into a sport unless they can see some reasonable chance of a satisfactory return for an outlay of money necessary to purchase good young stock- Under the present system of racing these young horses are usually compelled to race on indifferent tracks, at country clubs' meetings, for small stakes, and in addition often get fast times recorded against them without winning mucn in stake money. All this could be obviated if some of . the larger clubs, whioh are in a position to give good stakes, devoted a portion of their prize money to,this object. A few good stakes on these lines would bring more patrons into the sport, and would enable breeders, who are really the backbone of tho sport, to be encouraged, as they would obtain higher prices for their stock. The Metropolitan Club might • well consider the question, and at its August, November and Easter meetings provide races for maiden horses, each endowed with a good stake. There is little doubt that.such races would bo well patronised by owners, and they would be tho means of introducing many young horses who nowadays are not Been (jxcept on outside courses. If the races were run in harness, over a mile and five furlongs, or a mile and a quarter, for, say £3OO or £4OO, with a liberal allowance for second and third horses, and without any handicap, they ; would provide something out of the common, and thus be the means ot bringing more, popularity to the fast i growing sport. The same horses are raced far too often at Addington, and a race on lines similar to those suggested would provide a decided change for the better. ,To take an example from the November meeting, there were three saddle races over two milos, foi trotters. Seventeen horses started on the first day. ten on tho second and fourteen on the last day. Six of the horses started on each day, whilst Bix others were seen out on two occasions. Much the same thing was noticeable in the chief two-mile harness races each day. The club and the 6port have now reached such-a standard that those' in authority should be on the look-out lor improvements in every direction, and I feel certain that if due consideration be given to tho proposal to inaugurate maiden races, they will soon be found holding a permanent place on the club's programmes. There is a disposition, in some quarters, to instal Dusky Eve as favourite tor the Auckland Cup. The Signor gelding won the "Wanganui Cup last .season, so that he can be classed among the candidates. for the Ellerslio race 'with some staying credentials. _ The throe-year-old colt Affectation is being freely discussed as an Auckland Cup possibility. In view of his effort in the Canterbury Cup a few weeks ago, it cannot be said that the going is beyond him, and in the matter of weight he is very liberally treated, with only 6st 131b to carry. The members of the Wanganui Jockey Club have under consideration at present a proposal to purchase anew course. A local buyer was negotiating for the purchase of the Chokebore tlire£-year-old Macduff, says a "Wellington writer, but he did not make up his mind quickly enough, and the offer was withdrawn on Wednesday. Macduff would be a useful horse for middle-distance events away from the metropolitan courses. Messrs Itiddiford Bros, are having bad luck with their breeding ventures. Besides losing Cycle, it is reported that Innocence (Downshire—Purity) died foaling to Absurd; also that Chakcolt foal by Absurd may lose the sight of an eyo iu consequence of a kick from his dam. Since his return from Australia Mr W. It. Kemball has found it necessary to put up ten more boxes at the stables at Lansdowne. The new quarters will be ready for the horses that compete at Feilding and Auckland on ; their return. -he youngsters that finished in the places behind Landslide in the Cambria Handicap at Takapuna were Jaffna (Absurd—Condomino) and Lovelight (Lucullus—To Aroha). The latter reversed positions with Landslide in the Kakino Handicap on the second day. Illumination's withdrawal from his engagements at Takapuna was due to his owner being unable to get the ne- ■ cessary registration papers _ from the Racing Conference, illumination was bought as a yearling at the autu&n sales in. Sydney, and in the auctioneer's note was described as such. It was I

some time before Mr Alison could get I mm across from Australia, and he was i 4wo years old when he arrived- This led the acting secretory of the Conference to demand further particulars, and as These.-have to be secured from Australia the youngster cannot ha raced in the meantime. A special meeting of the committee of the Auckland Racing Club was held this week, to discuss matters in connection with the totalisator. The Hon E. Mitchelson, the chairman, who has recently returned from Australia, gave particulars concerning a new issuing machine, which is used in connection with the totalisator at Randwick for 'taking investments early in the day on the leading event. The issuer is closed down when the particular race comes due, and the investments made, which are not shown previously, are transferred to the various horses on the main machine. Two of these issuers have been ordered .by the Auckland Racing Olub, and, if delivered in time, will be installed for the coming summer meeting.- The public will thus have an opportunity, if they desire, of making their investments on, say. the Auckland Cup, an hour two before that race is ruu, and avoid the crush through waiting until the main machine opens. In addition to these two machines there will be four additional ticket-issuing machines opened on each race, and in order to minimise the time in dealing with the public, change boxes will be provided, where tho public Can obtain the correct amount of change they wish to invest, and ,avoid tho necessity of getting same from the selling windows. Tho committee is quite alive to the possible record demands that will require to he met at the summer gathering, and every effort will be made to meet the public requirements in all departments. At the Auckland Trotting Club’s spring meeting the question cropped up as to whether H. Barraclough, who trained and drove King Capitalist in the Remuera Handicap, which that horse won, held a license or not, but Barraclougfy, producing a telegram from the secretary of the New Zealand Trotting- Conference that his license had been granted, he was allowed to drive, subject to further inquiry. The question is a peculiar one, for the rules provide that no member of a registered trotting club , can hold a professional license, and as Barraclough was a member of both the AVaimato Plains Trotting Club and the Wanganui _ Trotting Club, his license, applied for on September 29, was refused on those grounds. He i immediately resigned his membership and again applied for a license, whicti was at once granted on October 7. true secretary of the association advising him that if his nominations were otherwise in order he could take part at tn« Auckland Trotting Club meeting. Unfortunately for the connections of King Capitalist, the nominations for the Auckland meeting went in on October 3, and as at that time Barraclough was unlicensed and had King Capitalist under his charge, the stewards ol the Auckland Trotting Club had no option but to disqualify the horse for the race under Rule 226 and award the stake to BrOnze Patch, placing Hint second. _ Rule 226 says:—“Eveiy horse trained for a race by an unlicensed trainer shall be disqualified for the race.” A fine of £2 was also inflicted on Barraclough under Rule 221, which provides for a maximum penalty of £2O for unlicensed trainers training, a horse, tho penalty being made light owing to the circumstances connected with the. case, the stewards recognising that it was purely a misunderstanding. An appeal has been lodged with the Now Zealand Trotting Association, and will probably come before that body at next meeting. VICTORIA DERBY JfND MELBOURNE CUP. Some very interesting reobrds attach to the, performances of Victoria Derby winners in connection with the Melbourne .Cup. The Derby winner has figured amongst the contestants for the Melbourne Cup on thirty-four occasions during the past/ forty-four years, and the race has been won nine times by the colt who secured the blue riband insignia. A few years ago, when Derby and Cup wagering was more popular than it now is, a three-year-old would bo sorted out as likely to win the double, but, dating from Martini-Henry’s year (1883), thirteen years elapsed before Newhaven broke tho spell. The Derby winner often finished close handy to the winner, however, and on one or two occasions a great performance, though not a winning one, went down to the crack three-year-old. One .of the greatest tasks that the Derby winner liad to take on in tho Cup was undoubtedly the race of 1885. Nordenfeldt was required to meet Sheet Anchor, Grace Darling and Trenton at a difference of a few-pounds, and in a great race he was beaten less than a length. In 1893 Carnage, who had landed the Derby, led the Cup field until just inside the distance, when the aged Tarcoola caught him, but the Derby winner was only defeated by the narrow margin of half a length. The following statement shows the position occupied by the Derby winner in tho Cup each year since 1876: 1876 Erisois, 6-4, first. 1877 Chester, 6.12, first1878— Wellington, 5.13, fifth. 1879 Suwarrow, 6.1, third. 1880— Grand Flaneur, 6.10, first. 1881— Darebin, 6.12, twelfth. 1882— Navigator, —, did not run. 1883— Martini Henry, 7.5, first. 1884— Rufus, —, did not run. 1885— Nordenfeldt, 7.5, fourth1880—Trident, 7.7, fourth. 1887— Australian Peer, 7.5, third. 1888— Ensign, 7.5, broke down. 1889— Dreadnought, —, not entered. 1890— The Admiral, 7.9, sixth. 1891— Strathmore, 7.6, third. 1892 Cumoola, 7.6, eleventh. 1893 Carnage, 7.6, eleventh. 1894 The Harvester, —, did not run 1895 Wallace, 7.6, nowhere. 1896 Newhaven, 7.-13, first. 1807—Amherite, 8.4, nxiwhere, 1898—Cocos, 7.10, third. 1809—Merriwee, 7.6, first. 1900— Malster, 7.11, second. 1901— Hautvilliers, —, did not run. 1902 Abundance, 7-0, third. .1903—F.J.A.j 7.10, fifteenth. 1904 Sylvanite, 7.1Q, nowhere. 1905 Lady Wallace, —, did not run 1906 Poseidon, 7.6, first. 1907 Mountain King 7.6, third. 1908— Alawa, 7.6, fifth--1909 Prince Foote, 7.8, first. 1910— Beverage, —, did not run. 1911— Wilari, —■, did not run. 1912 Wolawa, •—, did not run. 1813—Boragoon, 7.6, sixth. 1914 Carlita, 7.4, ninth. 1915 Patrobas, 7-6, first. 1916 Wolaroi, 7.6, fifth. 1917 Biplane, —, did not run. 1918— Eusebius, 7.6, nowhere. 1919 Richmond Main, 7.6, second.