RACING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19842, 10 January 1920, Page 11

RACING AND TROTTING.

NOTES 5Y " ARGUS,” During the Christmas and New Year racing some splendid work lias been done in the saddle and sulky by riders and drivers, and not a few victories have been directly due to the special ability of those controlling the horses. Against this it can bo stated that a lot of indifferent form has been shown by drivers, and owners and trainers have been heard commenting on tho inefficient manner in which their horses have been handled. In the bracelet events, confined to amateur riders and drivers, one does not look for exceptional ability in saddle and sulky, as tho' majority of horses racing in these events are usually under the charge of their owners, who, chiefly by reason of insufficient practice and want of experience, fail to get the best out of their horses in races There is at present in Canterbury a dearth of good amateur riders and drivers, and some of tho recent exhibitions were bordering on tho farcical. Especially was this noticeable in the races confined to trotters. Horses are now required to go at a much improved speed to bo successful, aud tho art ot riding and driving plays an important part in the final decision of races. Most of tho races are now confined to harness events, and it requires a good deal more skill to successfully pilot ;v pacer or trotter in harness than under saddle. The old hands who are seen continuously in tho sulky retain their form well, and there is a good number of younger men coming on whose ability to drive successfully is unquestioned. Those who were fortunate enough to see tho chief harness event at the recent mooting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club must have realised tho great skill shown by most of those holding the reins. The field on the second, day was quickly bunched and raced in close order for a mile and a half, yet so carefully and skilfully did the reinsmen do their work that at the end of the race there was no “kick" coming from anyone. In the dressing room at the conclusion of the. event, it was commented upon by those most competent to judge in most satisfactory terms. I got into conversation with a veteran roinsman who has now retired from active participation in races, and bo was loud in his praise of the skill shown in the race. One of his chief regrets was that those who are responsible in no small measure for providing such fine contests are all too poorly paid, ‘"Few people realise," he said, “ the risks our best reinsmen take every time they drive in these good races, especially when the fields are bunched and close contests result, and their skill and nbilitv should bo better recompensed.” With this I quite agree, and although the customary arrangement fi?r training does not lean itself to a fixed charge being made for driving, it is to bo hoped, in the near future, the governing body will inaugurate some scheme whereby reinsmen can claim a reasonable fee for good work done in the sulky. On the other u car^6sa and indifferent work should be punished. I heard that i thej various meetings recently held the stipendiary stewards were busy caiitiomng several ridcr s who, in their omii’nn. did not control their horses satisfactorily. This is as it should bo, and shows that the paid steward is alive to this important part of his work. At the same time, a much closer supervision should bo made by tho Trotting Association of applications for riders’ and drivers’ , licenses. Indiscriminate granting of licenses must he stopped and those on whom tho licensing committee have to rely in manv cases for their information regarding ability should also be quite sure of their ground before recommending or endorsing any applications. , Allison, “ Special Commissioner” of the London "Sportsman,” recently published a very interesting book, entitled "My Kingdom for a Horse.Many pages of the hook are devoted to the author’s school days, and many more to the tempestuous career of the " St Stephen’s Review,” a journal of which he was for some years managing editor. Mr Allison, "discovered ” Phil May. The famous black and white artist was employed on "St Stephen’s Review ” before he came to Australia for the “ Bulletin,” and after his return to England. The pages devoted to racing and breeding will probably claim the widest interest. The) vicissitudes of fortune encountered by tho famous Cobham Stud makes interesting reading. Although £IOO,OOO share capital and £40,000 debentures had 1 not sufficed to profitably carry oh the stud, Mr Allison in after years leased tho concern with practically no capital, and made it pay I After setting forth the principal causes of the failure of the Stud Company, Mr Allison proceeds:—" Tho final touch was given when it vas decided to employ Mr Rhymill as auctioneer for tho yearling sales of 1879. Tho reason for this was curious. Messrs Tattersall had for the past year or two been somewhat victimised by yearling buyers who failed to pay, and they proposed in the future to charge 10 per cent commission on all lots for which they gave delivery orders. This struck tho directors- of the Stud Company as an unreasonable demand, and, as stated above, the business was transferred to Mr Rhyrr.ill, an excellent auctioneer, but unknown in that capacity to blood stock buyers. The result was disastrous, for every likely buyer thought ho would have to pay money down for everything he bought, though, as a matter of f aot7Mv Rhymill! was quite ready to open accounts with any well known man. and had provided £SOOO to enable him to finance, the sale to the satisfaction of everybody. Buyers fought shy, and tho total realised for fifty-six yearlings was only 10,700 guineas, not half the 22,070 guineas Which had been totalled at the sale of the year before. It was later on do- ’ eided that the company should bo liquidated under the supervision of tho court, Mr Rhymill acting as auctioneer at the clearing off sale. Tins time ho was far more successful, for there were many foreign buyers. One hundred blood mares came under the hammer, and forty-seven foals. Blair Athol, then eighteen years old, and Wiki Oats wore among tho stallions. Tho total realised was 63,160 guineas, which sufficed to pay off tho debentures andl all other debts. Tho shareholders got nothing. Perhaps I should not say that, for I, who was tho principal shareholder, had got experience which In lator years proved that tho money lost by mo had not been wasted.” Mr Allison revives the old story that Bend Or was really Tadcaster. Ho says: “Never did I see such an astounding result as when Bend Or beat Robert the Devil for the Derby of that year. It was really almost incredible to anyone who had a good broadside view of them from the hill, for Robert the Devil was like a hare running nwav from a lot of terriers until there came that paralysing finish.” Referring to the Bend Or-Tadcaator objection, he writes:—“ The stewards decided that, objection in favour of Bend Or, but Mr James Lowther in later years told me ho believed their decision was wrong. The truth appears to be that a mistake was really made when tho yearlings were sent to tho late Robert Sherwood to break, and when they went to Robert Peck, at Russley, the mistake was not rectified until Colonel Barlow, the Duke of Westminster’s master of horse, arrived at Russley to see thorn galloped, and he, knowing" tho colts from their foalhood. discovered the error and had them put in their right place. This I know from Gcordie Spencer, the man who assisted Sherwood in the breaking of thorn, and subsequently ‘did’ them at Russlev.’’ Mr Allison struck an auriferous reef

when he started tho International Horse Agency, and it is an oft told story that ho has been instrumental in tho purchase of many noted horses for Australia, and in turn has sold many Australian performers to English clients. He secured Bill of Portland tor Mr W. R. Wilson, and after the son of St Simon had made a gjeat namoior himself at St Albans, -brought him back to England again. Tronton, too, ho bought in Australia for the Cobham Stud. Towards tho end of an interesting volume tho author remarks: “ Space is rapidly contracting, but I cannot pass the purchase of that beautiful Australian raaro Maluma for Mrs Langtry for 1000 guineas. She took a long time to recover from tho voyage, but turned out very good indeed bore, though not so lucky as tho next purchase, Merman, ■whom Mr W. R. Wilson had just olfevcd me by the following cable in November, 1896:—‘Merman won Williamstown Cup. Best horse in Australia to win long distance handicaps in England. Logs like steel; 1600 guineas'—when Mrs Langtry canie into the office in Pall Mall and said she wanted to buy a horse that would win her a good race. I said I could nob for the moment think of one in England, but would buy her a Cesarc witch winner in Australia, if she liked She is a courageous lady, and on being shown the cable, and being assured by me that the sender was a man on whom you could lay your life, she agreed without hesitation to the purchase, and Merman did win the Ccsarcwitoh In 1897, the year of his arrival, besides many and greater races afterwards.”