RAW AND TROTTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16360, 24 February 1921, Page 3

RAW AND TROTTING.

(By

"ARGUS")

FIXTURES. February 23, 25—Wanganui Trotting Club. I February '24 , 26—Wanganui Jockey Club. February 26—Tologa Bay Jockey Club. J J - ebruarr 26 k 2b —Tliarue3 Jockey Club. j March *2, 3—Dannevirke Racing Club. March 2* 3—Gore Racing Club March 3, S—Nelson Jockey Club. March 4—Nelson Trotting Club. March 5, 7—Tc Aroba Jockey Club. March 9. I.l—Marlborough Racing Club. March 10—Marlborough Trotting Club. March 11, 12—Napier Park Racing Club. -March 17—Opunake Racing Club. March 17—Waimate Racinsr Club. March 26. 29 Canterbury \Tockev Club. 1 March 28. 29—Feilding Jockev C’.ub. April 7—Timaru Trotting Club NOMINATIONS. February 24 —Opunake Racing Club. February 25—Carlerburv looker Club. February *2s—Napier Park Racing Club, h'ebniarv 28—Feihling Jockey Club. March 11—Canterbury Jockey Club. March 27—Timaru Trotting Club. HANDICAPS. .February 26 —Marlborough Racing Club, i February 28—Marlboroucrh Trotting Club. 1 February 26— Waimate Racing Club. ; February 28—Te Aroba Jockey Club. • March 3—Opunake Racing Club. .March 4—Napier Park Racing Club. March 7—Canterbury Jockey Club. March J 4 Peilcli r,g \f ocJcev' Club, j March 18—Canterbury Jockey Club. March 31—Timaru Trotting Club. ACCEPTANCES. 1 .February 25—Nelson Jocke-.* Club, j .k ebruary 25—Nelson Trotting ClubI February 25 Danncrtrke Racing Club. February 25—Gore Racing Club. March 2 Marlborough Racing Chib. March 2—Marlborough Trotting Club. March 2—Te Aroh*. -locker Club. March 7—W* irup.tr Racing Club. Match b—N'apiejt Tark Racing Club. i A NOTABLE SALE. i An unu3ual amount of interest aitnches to the sale of yearlings to lie teld at Yvanganui to-morrow, when Mr AT. Currie will dispose of a number of yungsters bred at his Koatanui iStud, mopt of them by .Absurd. A year ago Mr Currie disposed of a down • Absurd yearliugs at. Wanganui. and they have done so well in Iwo-venr-old events this season that there is certain l«> bo a. rush for the present: draft. Mermin wap the top-priced yearling last y’eai , Mr W. G. .Stead paying CTJogs for him. hut he has been a great. ' bargain, as he has already won £*4290 I in stakes Rational has also done exceptionally well, ho he cost loOgs. and has won £2305- Others sold on the same day were Capping Day. who cost 60g« and has woo £24.5; Mockery, cost lOOgs, winnings £295; Tommy Rot. cost 37ogs, winnings £645; Grotesque, copt 400 gs, winning* £170; Lo.val Irish, cost 200 gs. winnings £505; and Ab•.urdiim, cost. SOgb. winnings £35. There ; were four other low-priced youngstors \ i a. year ago. lr.it they have not earned f distinction yet. Mr Currie will offer Absurd yearlings for sale to--morrow. and in view of the wonderful record of the imported sire this season. especially in two-year-old races, the 1 prices are likely t.o be much higher j than those realised a year ago. Among 5 to-morrow’s draft are sisters to Merj tuin. Rational, Loyal Irish, Humbug, Capping Day and Grotesque, so that (-buyers will have winning strains to compete for. So far Absurd has not •■ired a stayer, but even should he fail in that respect, he endows his progeny with great pace, and the fact that > they como to hand early is another t strong lecommendation. Nominations for the Canterbury ’ Jockey Club’s Great Faster Handicap sind Great Autumn Handicap will close sit eight o’clock to-morrow night. ! Acceptances for the Akaroa County Racing Club’s meeting will close at- nine » o’clock to-morrow night. The schooling fences at Riecarton are bpiug put in order, for the benefit of trainers who are preparing horses for < ross-couu'i-ry racing at the late autumn and winter meetings. » S. TriJfoid Ims put Gamecock into T-ork again, after a rest, and the San Francisco gelding will he got ready for hurdle, races to be decided later iu the Puzifllcforn\ by Xautiform—Monkey "Puzzle, has been a frequent visitor to I’iccarton lately and has shown useful galloping ability. He is engaged in minor events at the Akaroa County Racing Club’s meeting. Tim Waimate Racing Club has permed a particularly good list of nominations for the meeting to be held next month. The fields should be large, while .the horses engaged represent better class than is usually to he found at. tlio club’s fixtures. Riecarton stables are strongly in evidence in ail tlio Cashmere. Radial and Royal Stag, w,to filled the places in the Hazlett Memorial Plate, the. weight-for-age event at the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting, claim engagements in the Waimate Cup, and with Kilrush and Uleus t.o keep them company, there will be no lack of quality at the top of the handicap. A couple of Riecarton ‘two-year-olds, .Humboldt and Purple- Spur, both useful gallopers, figure in the Trial Plate at- Wnimate. Humboldt is engaged in a similar event, at the Akaroa County meeting the previous week. "With a. nomination oi fourteen for the hurdle rqce at Waimate, it is evident i hat there is no shortage of junipers in commission. They are a very mixed lot. but several of them have useful form to their credit over the battens. Tim Southland owner, Mr W. Stone, has Elens. Silver Peak. Roseday and I'rimtim engaged at Waimate. After racing there they will continue their journey further north. The first named pair figure in the chief events at the Auckland meeting, and probably they will he nominated for the Canterbury Jockey Club’s fixture, leaving a final decision regarding the Faster programme until after the. handicaps have made their appearanceThe Canterbury contingent were not successful in winning a race on the w: < ml day of the Otaliuliu Trotting t Tub's meeting. Gold Bud, who is by Gold Bell, was second on «*aeh day at tlio Otahuhu Trotting Club’s meeting, finishing behind Peter Scott on the gfirst day, whilst Louvinia beat him yesterday. On the first dav of the Otahuhu T»’ottin<r Cluli - meeting the tlirec-y:p--o Id t-rii. A.-rial Bin-mi. re Ocivin,; 72jd- I’ioni Tim bell, won a

mile and a half race by four lengths. Yesterday they both started from the same mark, being handicapped Byds behind, and finished within a nock of each otner, tho time being 3min 54 3-ssec. The three-year-old was just beaten, but he accomplished a capital performance.

Marble Hall, who finished second to Amberite in the two-mile saddle race for trotters, at tho Otahuhu meeting yesterday, was bred by Mr W. GBright, at Westport-, and is by the defunct American stallion Elkton Hall, borne time ago Mr Bright removed to Auckland, but he sold his trotter to a northern sportsman- Marble Hall was a line throe-year-old, but unfortunately was not at his best when contesting the first classic event at Fortin ry Park, Avon by Swift wood, in 19 J • . Marble llall now seems to be coming back to his best form, as lie- covered the two miles in 3min 57 l-ssec. Amberite, who beat Marble Hall at the Otahuhu Trotting Club’s meeting yesterday, has been racing in the Auckland district for some time past. He is one of the useful, honest sort, by < astaway, and is owned by Mr J. Gee. 'This is Amberite'-s ficLst success this season, but he has been in the money on three previous occasions. Gold Girl, who was successful in. the chief event at Otahuhu yesterday, is h\ Gobi Bell, and was bred bv her owner. .Mr T. Roe. who is now a. resident in Auckland. Gold Girl is a lightly built mare, with a good turn of speed. She was raced at Addington last November, but met with an accident on tho first day, and did not compete again at file meeting. She has been a good stake winner lor her owner. Dean Dillon put up some good performances when racing in the south, hut his bad habit of boring was frequently against him showing his best speed. At Auckland, where the racing is right-handed, the conditions are much more suitable for him. and he should show some fast time there. He finished third in the. chief event vest-erdav, at Otaliuhu, covering two miles in' 4min 30 l-ssec. The King Mark gelding Marquetem has won £2235 in stakes ihis wasen. Fie started off hndly. and up to the commencement ot the Christmas meetings he had .secured only £205. ihe result of being four times placed. Two •more placed performances preceded a win at Stratford, and since then his record is made up of a third in the Taranaki ( up. and wins in the Paul Memorial Handicap and Egmont Cup. Birkie. who won a.race on each day of t>lie Woodvillo meeting last week, is a three-year-old gelding by Birkenhead —-Martlet. There was :i good deal of merit- about his successes, as he has not done much work lately, owing to trouble with his feel. Provided lie goes on. however, he. is expected to develop into a very useful, performer. Mr W. O Stead *is sending over to Svducfy for disposal at the Luster sales there five Yearlings, all of whom are hv his English bred sire Feramorz. They consist of a filly out of Dunlight- (dam of Deligh’t l. a gelding out of Las Yogas fdam of Fluency), a gelding out of Dreamer (dam of Ron Revel. a colt out of Lily White (dam of Truthful), and a colt out of the English bred Bayonne.

Tim race for the Waikn'to Handicap on Thursday was one of the roughest witnessed for some time, and ihis made a considerable difference in the running (writes “ Whalebone ”) Not that Gold Kip would not have won under any condition = . bu'r M'Flinn got him clear much earlier than he would have done under other conditions, and this greatly assisted hirn to victory. Windornh struck a lot of the trouble, aiul iri ’lrving to recover himself from one knock, broke a girth, and his rider had an uncomfortable scat, over the concluding stages.

Colonel-Wilkinson, who is on a visit to A usti alia at the direction of the English Jockey Club, with a view to ieporting on the control and management of racing, has made full use of his time both in Victoria and New South Wales. He expressed himself most favourably impressed by what lie had seon of racing in Australia- Colonel Wilkinson favours the introduction of the totalisator in England.

When ihe last mail to baud left England Sir H. Bird s colt .Monarch ruled favourite for the Derby, and there is a consensus ot opinion that tho equine in question is -well entitled to the distinction. During last season Monarch contested seven races, and lie won five of his engagements, while a second and a third make up his full record. Monarch was got by the American-bred sire Traceiry (son of Rock Sand) from Teofam". t ho is a daughter of Black Duck (sou ot GalopinE so that it will be seen he has some rare blood in his veins. Tracery won the St Leger, but his sire, Rock Sand, did better, for lie won tlio triple crown. Two Thousand Guineas, Derbv and St Leger. Galopin’s name G also included among winners of the Derby, so that on breeding lines alone there is a great deal to favour the chance of Monarch attaining the blue ribbon honours. Defence. Hie veteran son of Carbine, and who represents the last descendant of the great Musket horse to carry silk, figures among tho entrants for the coming Australian Cup, in which race ho has the handy impost of. Tst 21b. Ju the decision of the long-distance handicap at Fleming foil in the autumn of 19.18 Defence led the field home, but, having now reached his tenth year, matters cannot be regarded as hopeful for him to win again. Though Salitres takes rank as a dual Derby winner, there is no tendency to exalt .the son of Limelight to a high pinnacle, the pronounced defeat he met with in the Melbourne Cup when a warm playing a strong port in preventing his claims being sung in a high key. Erasmus is the particular one ticked off as likely to prove a thorn in the side of SaliYros when the fit Lexers come to he decided. in the decision of the Melbourne Cup Erasmus made a game bid for victory, and in beating; all his field save the doughty Poitrel he demonstrated that he could stay properly. The meeting between Salitros and Erasmus at Flemington in the autumn will be rendered highly interesting in that the question of three-year-old supremacy is at stake. The committee recently appointed to frame a new betting code has drawn up a set of iiiles, and the lists have been made available to members of the ring. Tho committee will meet again this week,, by which time the betting clubs will no doubt have accepted the proposals. Tn the meantime the Victoria Racing Club will he asked to agree to certain changes, which arc considered to be important. One Victoria Racing Club rule provides that “ bets made after a race that a horse will he disqualified stand, even if no objection be made.” This the committee proposes to alter so as to read : ” Bets made after a r ace that a horse will be disqualified are veil if no objection ho entered ” Another Victorian Racing Club rule sets out that bets made on the course on the day of the race shall not be “ play or pay.”’ The alteration proposed provides that bets made on the day of a race must include a start.

STIPENDIARISM*

STRICTER MEASURES NECESSARY.

The stipendiary steward, system has come in for a good deal of criticism since it was introduced in the Dominion, and the work of the paid stewards has frequently been harshly criticised. In this connection, it is interesting to note that the system does not give universal satisfaction in Australia. Recently the subject was discussed in the Melbourne “Leader” as follows: —

Admittedly a most difficult office to fulfil, that of stipendiary steward has come in for much criticism since the system was inaugurated in the metropolitan racing area, just on eight years’ ago. Opinions differ to whether racing is any cleaner generally than it was when the committee and stewards of the Victoria Racing Club, Victoria Amateur Turf Club and various other clubs carried out the duties in an honorary capacity. Few people expect, the three paid officers to detect every case of malpractice, hut after nearly every race meeting some of the •’experts ” have picked out at least one horse whose rider, probably acting under instructions, was not over anxious to pass the judge first. The identical cases may hare been ” noted " by the stipendiaries, unknown, of course, to the critics, who are not sparing in their remarks, cryptic or otherwise, on occasions. At several of the south of the Yarra meetings of Jate, the favourites have been equal to

winning with remarkable frequency in the largest fields of a day, and though everything may have been m perfect order, there is generally a suspicion, supported in some instances by the elasticity of the betting market, that more than one of tlio others was not expected to give of their best on the

occasion In comprehensive terms, they were ‘‘ not fancied.” It is significant that the winner is usually tlio candidate selected by the biggest, punters. who frequently score heavily in such races. Id the eight years that stipendiarism has been existent, there have been several disqualifications, but iu the majority of cases the stereotyped “explanation accepted” is the decision arrived at. The parties are given the l>enefit of the doubt, but as the Press is not admitted to the inquiries, the public lias no opportunity of knowing anything of the evidence submitted. Those whose actions have been challenged may have had a perfect answer to ihe charge, but under the present system of conducting inquiries in camera, more or less suspicion attaches to those who are unlucky enough to he asked a question. Iu Queensland recently, the Minister of Justice signified his intention of authorising all racing clubs in the State, to throw open all their inquiries to representatives of the Press. This would not necessarily mean that every sporting editor or reporter would flood the inquiry room, but that one of the number would bo admitted alternately to such investigations by the stipendiaries. Extensive powers are conferred on the stipendiary stewards, and as preventive action is preferable to punitive, it would be a wise expedient if the officials were—ori occasions—to exercise their right, ‘to

‘ order down any jockey or rider engaged to ride any horse in a. race for any reason that may appear to them to ho sufficient, and to prohibit from starting in such race, and to line or disqualify the owner or trainer of such horse*: unless their directions be observ-

ed.” A. warning to a rider whose mount has drifted suspiciously in the betting lias often had the desired effect of making the particular candidate a. “ live wire,” for a jockey is not likely to take too much risk when he is fully aware that he is to be carefully watched right throughout the progress of a, race. There are, however, a few adepts at the. “pulling” game that much .smarter men than our present stewards would be unable to detect. These

“boys”—as they are called only do what is requested of them, and never disappoint an owner or trainer or liis connections, though on more than one occasion they have been known to win simply because they could not help it. 'The risk, they averred, was too great. Rumours of “stiff” running are, indeed. as prevalent as ever, and it is felt that stricter measures are necessary in order to improve matters in the near future. Tf 'the stipendiaries were* to separate frequently instead of remaining together m an elevated stand a long way from the start of a race.

it would doubtless have tlio effect of putting fear info the hearts of would-be offenders who are only too willing to chanqo tlieir luck, particularly if they are riding for an owner who does not pay as liberally as expected, for the reason, in many cases, that he is not a heavy bettor. The average jockey looks for more than the bare percentage, and ho usually gets if one wav or the other. The Victoria Racing Club and the metropolitan clubs have expended £17.600 on the stipendiary system since December, 1912. and for an outlay of £2200 per annum-the. status of the turf should be raised. There is plenty of important work for the three officials to accomplish, apart from fining owner si or the use of wrong colours. untidy gear and other trivial offences, which do not tend to impr ore matters from the standpoint of clean racing.

NOMINATIONS. IVATM ATE TiACJNG CLUB The following nominations have been re ceivsd for the Waimate Racing Club’s meet' STUDHOLME HURDLE HANDICAP, of f, Xj bovs: one mile and a half—Bombproof, Vice-Regal, Placid. Red Jack. InmsfaHen, -Tame Symons, War Hawk, Grandee. Warform. Micky Free, Lawsuit, Moong-lovr, Silent £ ort. and Frog. TRIAL PUATE, of 150 sovs; six furlongs— Humbold-t, Happy Captain, Musical Moments. Pussyfoot, Rada, Bedvest. White Tips, Once More, Paddy's Hope, Lomogund.i, Sherlock, Timepiece and Purple Spur. WAIMATE CUP, of 500 sovs; one mile and a quarter--Malaga. Cashmere. Twinkle. Linden, Mtelee, Thaddeus. Foo Chow. Radial, Caverock, Counter-Attack. Kilrush. Filigree’ -Ruddy Gold. Palamcn, Kleus. Miss Muriel. Castellan, Miss Camouflage, Greekson and Boval Stag. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, of 250 sovs; six furlongs—Satisfaction, Bothnia. Pyiama, Killala, Will Oakland. Thestius, Jazz. Going Up, Killowen. Bo.llshire. Silver- Peak, Castellan, Miss Camouflage and Counterstroke. WASTING I HACK WELTER HANDICAP, of 175 sc.vs; seven furlongs—Jester. Bothnia. Happy Captain, Kilbarry, Placid. Sunny Loch, Palladium, Pussyfoot, Bondage, Fabrinade, Orange Bitter 3. Starlike. Rada, Rudd}- Gold, Etta, Roseday. Sherlock, Bonny Mac. Counterstroke and Footlights. STEWARDS’ WHITER HANDICAP, of 203 soys; furlongs—Twinkle, Satisfaction. •Sunny Loch, Pyjama, Killala. Bondage, John Barleycorn, All Ready, Thestius. Royal Star. Counter-Attack. Cvrieian. Killowen, Bellelli re, Palamon. Priumin, Miss Muriel, Bonnv Mac, Mies Camouflage and Greekson. MORTEN TROT HANDICAP fin harness), of 220 sovs: one mile and a. half—Belle Logan, Dusky Dillon, Elsie Gay. MomiaJ Forest, Tickletoe, King Cole Junior. Master Sefton, Seamount. Sal Pointer, Master 8011, Ben "Mac, Meddler. Laddie, Linsom, Big Chief, Authority, Avenue. Harkawav, Stan Wilkes, Perofitn. Ben Wallace. Kami knot, Yeuot, Sunny Yue, Coronet, Irish Whisper, Tatsv Dillon and Corrie 801 - HOOK TROT HANDICAP (in saddle!, of 175 bovs: one mil©—Belle Logan, Kingsmoor, Angel. Mistress, Dusky Dillon, Lewis M’Kinrey. Narcotic, Tickletoe, King Cole Junior, John Bull, Bigamist. Gallantry, Jessie Fraser. Master Sefton. Seamount. Sal I’ointer, Alcyone. Meddler, Laddie Linsom. Lear Dillon. Big Chief. Authority, Avenue. Orari, Kanuknot. Embracer. Glade, Hdic Mac..‘Canadian Club, Irish Whisper and C’orric Bell.