RACING AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20057, 21 September 1920, Page 3

RACING AND TROTTING.

(By “ARGUS.' 3 )

, • • SIXTUSES. September 23, 24-Aehburtoii County Baoiag Septembar 23-35—WtUgmui Jockey Club. September 25, 29—Avondale Jockey Club. September 27, 28-Otaki Maori Bacing Club. September SO, October I—Geraldine Bacing Club, October 3—Napier Bark Bacing Club. October 9, 4, 6, o—Australian Jockey Club. October 6—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 25—North Canterbury and Oxford' Jockey Club. , . October 25—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 28, 29—Poverty Bay Tur£ Club. NOMINATIONS. October 8-Oamaru Trotting Club. October B—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 11—North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club. .HANDICAPS. September 25—Geraldine Bacing Club. September 27—Napier Park Bacing Club. October 4—Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. October 11—Oamaru Trotting Club. October IS—Poverty Bay Turf Club, October .18—North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club. ACCEPTANCES. September 27—Geraldine Bacing Club. September 29—Napier Park Bacing Club,; October s—Hawke’s Bay Jockey ClubOctober 19—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 20—North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club. ' ‘ . Oetobcr 23—Poverty Bay Turf OluW GLASS RAGING. When, the Wanganui 'Jockey .Club decided to include a weigh t-fqr-ago, race, to he called the Eclipse Stakes, on the spring programme this season, tl# general opinion was that the club , had picked a good time to inaugurate the change, Amythas and Arrowsmith Wert on the scene, apd with th© phance of- fo couple of ■three-year-olds taking path;,' there was material for a notable contest. Since then there has been a great change in, the situation. Arrowsmith has gone wrong, an ineideitii which has robbed the race of its chief interest, andi with Humbug also described. as’ an unlikely starter, ithe •uliief opposition to Amythas will come from Raceful, Demand, Little River .and Askari, who will need! to improve . '3. lot if they {so, to have a chance; with' 'the crack three-year-old of last season. It ia a bad start for th© wejglit-fot-age contests, this and it is to he Hoped that! this is not an omen! . of what is to com© in other similar -events later oh* The Wanganui Guineas will he decided on the first day of the -meeting, and there is a prospect of a good field. Humbug was the, biggest two-yesitold winner of last season,' but !b© failed, in ithe autumn, and it remains to>, be seen whether he \ stayj' Little River, on the ©then iJband/ big, two beat efforts Jor the end of the season, and he is a horse to run on. Raceful won. vtwioe in th© autumn, but on the second '-occasion he was receiving nearly two \etonofrom Humbug, who finished! second, ’ Demand also allowed useful form rsn the ilutumn, while Askari appears |to have pleased his trainer, as he still j claims a New Zealand Cup engagement* Altogether there seems every L chance .of the Guineas l providing a good v -• tt» hj ■, '■ L. A J? ay^-fo ? Zealand Urotting Oup is due 'at noqn to-morrow. Nominations for other events at the . j •Metropolitan Trotting Club’s November |.meeting will clpse* in about four 1 weeks, and ,frotn Resent indications it j looks he if there would be plenty of - competitors for all the events on this , 'richly endowed programme. There was a light shower, of rain morning, and the conditions threatened to be bad for training operations. Fortunately, however, the fain cleared off Quickly, and the weather .remained fine till th© trainers had got through their wtok, when th© drizalo , recommenced, All the fast, work was clone on the number seven gfass track. Tyne had Te Aaau Maid *s a mate over the last five of six furlongs, which! occupied Imm 4s<to, while Link Up covered five furlongs . alone in Imin a l-osec. , ConnterstrokV led Nightraider all through a. spin oven six furlongs, which ■occupied Imin 17sec. Winter Wind and Brackenfield reeled five furlongs m Imin 8 4-ssee, tlfe lormer going’very pleasingly. Timepiece and Royal. Stag were tocher after sprinting half a, mile in 01} J-ssec, while Volkovo and a mate occupied Imm 6 4-Sseo over five furlongs. (H. Coker) and Southerner (a. \Vttlls) gave a good exhibition: of jumping in a school over the steeplechase fences. j Triboulet, Samovar and TWtrix, [sepai'ately, were given useful tasks, 1 finishing at a sound pace down the | straight. I Fabrinade covered Six furlongs nfec- ? n Aid'll 1 It, 2-ssec, and Greckson (beat Nautical m a sprint on the plough. - ; •• Mannish heat Good_ Hope over a 1 mil© 111 Imin 52seo, while Demades was a little better than Rada after sprinljing.half a mile in 51 2-ssec.- , ; Cambrai sprinted ilVe furlongs nicely ,m 1 inm 4 2-osec, and Will Prosper was going easily at th© end of a similar 1 task, which Imiij. ssec. Bondage was'worked over seven fuilongs, the last six taking Imin 19sec, and Bon Spec boat Sunny Loch comfortably over five furlongs in Imin 5 4-ssec. . I War Tax and Bothina sprinted half a mile in 61 2-3 sec, finishing together, Cbfieroma beating High Heels over the same ground in 50sec. ! Listening Post ran five furlongs smartly, with Some Kid ns a mate over itpart of the journey. j Warlove covered a mile in Imin 45 - j I -usee,. Reproachful accompanying her ; over the last six furlongs and a half, | while Glentanner occupied 2min 0 2-5 sec in a gallop over nine furlongs. ootrush and Going Up sprinted half p mile in 50y4.-sseo, Counter Attack , | running oVcrhho sfamo ground alone. . ! Forty Winks got to the end of half .a mile in 50 2-ssec, and Will Oakland occupied 62 2-ssec, going very comfortably all through. The four-yea r-old marc Cliacronia, by Demosthenes—Formality, was sold by Mr G. Fulton after'her defeat at Amherley on Saturday. She has gone into R. Lohglev’s stable, to bo trained for Mr J; R, Wallace, the owner of High

Mr G. ;L. Stead was a visiter to the Amberlsy; meeting on-.Saturday. He stated that hisne> stables at T© Awa-' nmtu were well bn the way to completion, and that his trainer, R. O’Donnel!, would take all the Yaldhurst team north at the beginning ■of December. Mr Stead will return to his home in the Waikato after the Ashburton meeting, where several of His horses, including Right and Left and : Starlaud, are engaged. According to present arrangements, Right and Left will not be raced after this week until the Wellington meeting, at the end of next month, which means that he will -not be ( a competitor in . the Dunedin Guineas. . Among the horses with engagements at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting flext month the following New-Zea-land Cup candidates:—’Jack Symons, Silent King, Bengeroop, Counter Attack, Kilrush, Jock, Nightraider, Radial and Rose Pink. F. D., Jones left for the north last night, taking Amythas, Smoke and the two-year-old Humboldt, who are engaged at the Wanganui meeting. Smoke has incurred a 71b penalty for his win at Amberley. The Otago-owned pacer Stockade, who went amiss some time ago, is making slow progress', and according 'to. southern reports his chance of fulfilling racing engagements' does not look hopeful. at present. It is ‘ stated that the Otago pace“»j Cello Sydney Wilkes is causing Jjis trainer a lot of trouble, and in some quarters he is considered a doubtful starter for the New Zealand Trotting j' x . Matchlight has entered freely /into recent discussions on the New Zealand Trotting Cup, and it is generally recognised that if ho lands at. the post in his best form ho will be a very dangerous candidate. The Four Chimes gelding has not raced since last November, and it may tax all J. Bryce’s skill to get him through the necessaiy preparation. It may.be as well, therefore,:, to leavo him alone until nearer ‘ the race day, when his prospects can be more accurately judged. H. Frost has made another start with the pacers Sympathy and Ariadne,who have been on the easy list fd.r a few weeks. The young New Brighton trainer', also has_ several maidens under his care at present, v The Wyndham Racing (jlub will give LloOO in stakes for its meeting on New ITear’s Day, an increase, of £3OO over last season. The principal event will be the Wyndham Cup, of. £6OO and a. silver cup. ■ Other galloping events will be the Trial Plate £l2O. Minihan, Handicap £l5O. President’s Handicap £2OO Visitors’ Handicap. £160,. New Year Handicap £220, while one of the trotting events will bo worth £2OO and the other £160.. Thq uew Gaming Act is now law, the measure having received the assent of the Administrator within the last; few days. . , There has been an all-round increase in-, the stakes at the Feilding Jockey .Qlfib’s spring meeting. The principal event, St Andrew’s Handicap, has been raised’ from 500 to 700-Wvs, and the I lying Stakes and Manchester Handicap each from 300 to 400 sots. There is no race 6H the'programme of less value than 200 sots. Etiropa, the aged half-sister by King Mark; to 'Audasj has had to ho eased: in her work at Hastings, owing to developing’ soreness, V. Colello thought very highly of Mr F. Ormonde’s mare. 'A further attempt will be made to get a race out of Johu Barleycorn. Lately he was operated on for wind troubles, and will shortly go into training again.. The. annua! report of, the Gisbonie Racing Club states that, owing to the action of the transport workers in refusing to ship horses or to allow jockeys’ to travel, the June meeting of the club resulted in a loss of £415 9s sd. V' \ The Taranaki Jockey Club’s programme for the new season is a splendid testimonial to the go-ahead policy that hag marked the progress lof the club during recent years. The stakes offered show an increase of £2600 on those of hist season, and the Taranaki Cup, of 1000 sovs, and Plying Handicap, of 50(i sovs, should ’attract groat fields in the autumn. Nobleman looked bright and well at Awa.puni; and the racing th&re and at Wanganui should help to land him at the post for the New Zealand Cup in line fettle, says a northern writer. He was going well last year in the same race when he broke a’blood vessel, and, all going well, he will give this year’s Cup a big shake with 7st 91b in the saddle. # Thrace has made an excellent recovery from the attack of strangles which laid him aside on Ilk return to Auckland after the Grand National meeting, and he will be ready to resume work very soon. Slowcoach has entirely thrown off the ailment which _ prevented him starting at the Grand National meeting, and hemay be put in work again at Ellerslie shortly, being rather too' fresh in the paddock. It_ is stated on pretty reliable authority, says aip-Auckland writer, that too committee of the; Auckland Racing Club has endorsed the suggestion of tho North Island Owners’ Association lliftt dubs holding a totalisator jh*v* compelled to provide training tracks on their courses, and has forwarded tho suggestion with its endorsement on to the president of the New" Zealand Racing Conference. In view of the heavy damages’ awarded Mr A. P. Wade against ih e Rosehill Club for the loss of Estland} who broke a leg through putting his foot in a hole while galloping on one of thei club’s tracks, some racing clubs where a number of horses are trained are now taking steps" to protect themselves. Recently the Australian. Jockey Club notified owners and trainers that the club would not be responsible for accidents to horses while training, and this lead is being followed by the committee of the Auckland Racing ClubJ which, ib is understood, has instructed its solicitor to put in a clause in the conditions of tho permit issued to trainers which will .relieve the club from any liability owing to an accident on the training ‘tracks at Ellerslie. A jumpers’ flat race, as defined in tho Rules of Racing, isa flat race confined to horses and jockeys who have, at time of entry, completed three times a steeplechase of hurdle race.” At tho Otago Hunt meeting tho Jump, ers’ Handicap is for qualified hunters “’ that have completed a steeplechase or hurdle race in New Zealand to the satisfaction* of the stewards at time of starting.” As the programme includes four jumping events, there was no need to put on a jumpers’ flat race in order to comply with the Rules of Racing. The conditions as laid down should certainly assist to.-secure at larger field' than would be Vaikbls with tho tighter definition. ; .

Beporte from Wanganui state that trespass has gone sore and may not r?ice at the coming meeting G - •Price is dissatisfied vrith the recent form of Hurt* Up, and h© intends trying the black over hurdles. The Rules of Racing, as amended last July, provide that the programing of every meeting shall include “at* least one flat race of not less than one inile and a quarter (such race to he one ol the principal events on the progiariime). At the Otago Hunt, meeting next, month there are eight races on the programme, three of £l6O and five of £IOO. The mile and a quarter flat event is the Jumpers’ Handicap, which is one of the £IOO lot. The three events endowed with £l5O area steeplechases, so that the mile,and a quarter stake is as big as for any flat race on the programme. The ' only way in which the strict letter of the rule could be complied witfi would be by increasing the prize for the jumpers’ flat race to £l5O. Chrysolaus can led Ost 111b when he won the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick last Saturday, while Sydney DamEel who, finished third, was burdened with Bst 131b. _ Last Easter Sydney Damsel was receiving only lib when she scored _ a lucky win over the English, horse in the Doncaster Handicap. In the Irani way Handicap, a. seven furlong race on last Saturday’s proy£?.,nnm; Chrysolaus was awarded Ost Uih and Sydney Damsel 9st lib. .. Brom an unofficial source I gather that the committee of the Auckland Kacing Club at their Istsfc monthly meeting decided to abolish the gate charge of la 6d on all complimentary and ladies’ tickets. This decision wilt be very popular, not so much from the financial consideration involved, but it has been generally' felt that the imposing of the charge savoured! a bit of the grab all.. The excuse offered when the amount was first put on was that it was in order to keep a check on the turnstiles 1 , but most people did not quite understand why this was necessary when, certain tickets, in.addition to the members’ were issued which did not carry " the charge. However, the committee is to be congratulated on removing one of the very few reproaches on its management. STIPENDIARY SYSTEM, ' HAS IMPROVED RACING. 1 The stipendiary istpwards system, though generally adopted throughout Australia, is still productive of discussion says, a Sydney writer. According ifc llas accomplished , i - h , e cleansin S pf racing, a statement which causes upholders of the systo s ' nilo 1 wh(JU they recall happenin the days of the honorary stewfu • . tlie latter carried'out tfieir duties to the best of their ability —which was often not of high standard so Jar as racing -knowledge went—- " him others did their best to turn their position to advantage!- They were not above having a, little in commission when an owner backed his horse and were complacently blind at other times when it, was apparent something or other was not doing its best. In Sydney.prior to the 'days of stipendiary stewards 'some owners idid practically as they pleased at suburban meetings, and there wore occurrences that would bring prompt punishment at l3' one attmpting them nowadays. Jockeys wouldn’t last five minutes now m Sydney if they attempted what we did without any risk in our .day,” is the way I heard a once-proinincnt rider recently sum up the situation, that .opinion is not far from being correct. When honorary stewards reigned almost any owner could rely upon having his wishes carried' out if, at the last moment, he preferred his horse to be ai non-trier- Now any jockey ot prominence does a lot of hard thinking before he accedes to the desire of an owner that his horse should be stopped. No doubt jockeys mil carry out orders jfs far as possible for stables with, which they are closely identified, but in the case of casual mounts I know’ of more than one prompt refusal. " Supposing I was to bo rubbed out,' what, would he do for me! 1 ” queried one jockey relative to an owner who wished him to stop a- horse. The possible reward for the probable risk was pot good enough. , H would, of course, be absurd to contend that the stipendiary system has entirely purged (racing of improper practices. As stewards are not infallible or Argus-eyed, that would be impossible, but at registered meetings in Sydney there is really . little with which to find fault. Through paying particular attention to one or ,tw'o horses, the stewards may occasionally miss an offender in the, same race but nonfriers very rarely include horses which, • on form, have winning prospects. Slew-' ft-rds cannot well be expected to cope with the ‘‘respectable” method of running ‘‘dead Tins’’—that‘of starting horses out of condition or in races in which they are entirely unsuited by the distance. No matter how capable or attentive to their duties they may be, stipendiary stewards will never satisfy people who back beaten horses. Some racing mou have an idea that horses should never vary their form, and make a. deal of, fuss when, something beaten one week wins the next, or cuts' up badly a few' days' after winning. Offenders of this class often include owners and trainers. Despite disappointing experiences with their own horses, seeming inconsistency on the part of the other fellow’s is something riot to be tolerated. Only the other day I heard an owner speak disgustedly of'the form 'Shown‘by a. wellhacked'horso in which,he was interested. He admitted that if it had belonged to anyone'else ho would have said it was a non-trier, and would have found fault with the stewards for not inquiring into its running. ' One thing that must always he kept in mind is that stipendiary stewards do not bet, and, as thev are uninfluenced by monetary interest, they watch n race without- bias. It is not so with fnany others on.any racecourse, and there are men who, when they back a beaten horse, < do not hesitate to excuse, their faulty judgment by stating that they did not got a fair run for their money. When some of these individuals are accepted in their own circle as authorities their opinion is passed on, and owners, trainers and .jockeys are consequently feaddlod bvijtli misdeeds of which they are. not guilty- Many owners and trainers, when going home by train from a race meeting, have had the unpleasant expedience of being almost forced to listen to ■ wav,pi comment on the alleged " deadness ” of one of their own horses on‘which thev had lost more money than they could w r ell afford. - ‘ Long association with racing does not necessarily constitute any man a good judge of it, but it does not prevent any one posing as such. Some of these authorities ■;?« a penchant for the discovery of alleged non-triers, and anyone accepting them seriously could not do otherwise than come to the conclusion that faulty eyesight and lack of racing knowledge were special qualifications for a' stipendiary steward’s ' position. A. rather amusing idea, but to most practical racing men and the public, the stipendiary steward system has given sufficient satisfaction to make it certain that the reversion to honorary stewards* would be as little welcomed fes a return to ’starling by flag instead l is Eidhs;