Racing and Trotting

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16815, 18 August 1922, Page 2

Racing and Trotting

Notes and Comments by "Argus"

FIXTURES. August 23—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. September 2—North Taranaki Hunt. September 9—Marton Jockey Chib. September 34. 16—Wanganui Jockey Club. September *22. 23—Ashburton County Rae* ins Club. September 3S. 29—Geraldine Racing Club. October 21, 23—Greymouth Trotting Club. November 4—New Zealand Cup. November 7—New Zealand Trotting Club. NOMINATIONS. August 18—New Zealand Cup. August 18—Marton Jockey Club. August 24—New Zealand Trotting Cup. August 25 —Wanganui Jockey Club. September. (J—Ashburton County Racing Club. September 'l—Geraldine Racing Club. September 21—Metropolitan Trotting Club (Champion Stakes 1923. 1924, 1925). September 28 —Greymouth Trotting Club. HANDICAPS. August 18—North Taranaki Hunt. August 24—Marton Jockey Club. August '2s — New Zealand Cup. September 4—Wanganui Jockey Club. September 11—Ashburton County Racing Club. September :>s—Geraldine Raping Club. October J—Greymouth Trotting Club. ACCEPTANCES. August 18—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt. August 35 —North Taranaki Hunt. August 30—Marton Jockey Club. September I—New Zealapd Cup. September B—Wanganui Jockey Club. September 14—Ashburton County Racing Club. September 36—Geraldine Racing Club. October 16—Greymouth Trotting Club. PAYMENTS AND FORFEITS. September 14—Wanganui Guineas. October 20—New Zealand Cup. November I—New Zealand Cup. December I—New1 —New Brighton Trotting Club (Trotting Derby). December 16—Ashburton Trotting Club (Sapling Stakes). AUCKLAND STAKES. The committee of the Auckland Racing Club lias passed tlie programmes for the four meetings which the club will hold at Ellerslie phis season. The total sum allotted in prize money for eleven days’ racing is £70,550. This'

represents a sum several thousands in advance of that which the club is compelled to give in accordance with the Rules of Racing. Tn some cases redactions in the prize money have been made, but certain increases have also to be noted, a particularly pleasing feature being that- the liberal stakes devoted by the chib to hack events have been left untouched. The most noteworthy addition in the spring programme is in conection with the Great Northern Guineas, the value of which has been i net-eased from £IOOO to £1.500. A sum of £29,000' has been allotted in prize money to the summer meeting. The value of the Auckland Cup has been reduced from £3500 to £3OOO, and

that for the Railway Handicap from £2OOO to £I4OO, while the Islington Plate and Auckland Plate have been lowered from £IOOO to £750 each. Against these decisions an addition of £SOO to the Great Northern Derby has to he noted, which increases the value of that race from £2OOO to £2500, and the value of the Royal Stakes is now £I3OO instead of £IOOO. An alteration has been made in regard to the Ferguson Handicap, set down for decision on the third day. Originally this race was fixed for three-year-olds and upwards, but it is now to be confined to two and three-year-olds. The autumn programme finds an increase of £SOO tacked on to the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, which raises the value of that event to £ISOO. The value of the Raster Handicap has been left at £2OOO, but the prize for the Autumn Handicap is reduced from £ISOO to £I2OO. The Autumn Steeplechase, which was run under hack conditions last season, goes back to its old status as an open event, and the prize money is fixed at £6OO. Tn the winter programme the value of the Great Northern Hurdle Race has been reduced from £2500 to £2OOO. but tlie Great Northern Steeple-

chase remains at £2500. The King George Handicap and the York Handicap, each of which figured at £IOOO in last season’s programme, have been lowered to £B-50. The following is n comparative statement of prize money allotted to the various meetings of the Auckland Racing Club for the last three ■seasons, and for the season which has just opened :

Nominations for teh New Zealand Gup will he taken by the Canterbury Jockey Club up till eight o’clock tonight The brush fences on the steeplechase course at Riccarton have been dismantled. and all the outward evidences of the cross-country season will soon have disappeared. F. D. Jones has recommissioned Mustard Pot. The General Da top r gelding looks fresh and well after his rest, and he will he got ready to race at some 'of the late spring meetings. The four-vear-old gelding hr Husbandman from Gowrie La&a. dam of The Reaver, in F. D. Jones’s stable, has been working along quietly for some time past. So far, however, he has done no racing, owing to various ailments. *.* P. V. Mason is keeping his team busy, in view of the spring meetings. He has engaged boxes for two horses at Wanganui, and Veil may be one of his lot to make the trip. She has been » disappointment in her racing, while she has gone hack instead of improving in appearance. Parody (Absurd—Mimique) will probably be the first of the two-year-olds to carry Mr Greenwood’s colours this season. W. .J Tomkmson contemplates remaining in New Zealand with his team till well on in the present season, but he may return to Sydney before the winter becomes too severe. He will probably race his horses at the prinapal meetings in the Dominion, ami bv way ot a start he niav take some -8 them to Auckland in October

A cable message received this week stated that F. Holmes had purchased three horses in America, and they are now on their way to New Zealand. So lar no particulars are available concerning them. Mr G. Charming has purchased a property on Russley Road. Uper Riccarton. where his team, including Agatlips and some promising young horses, will in future be trained by N. C. Price. Mr AY. H. Norton has leased the five-year-old pacer. Sir Henry, by O.Y.M.— Te Kuini. and he has gone into F. Holmes’s stable. Miss Gold was unable to fulfil her engagements at the Grand National meeting, as she broke down badly, and she is not likely to race again. Gladful was in great heart when ho returned home after the Grand National meeting, but it is stated that Mr \Y. R. Kemball may pension the veteran off. L’Amour, who raced so well in hack events at the Grand National meeting, was sore after competing bis engagements. and he is to be spelled. The. Grand National Steeplechase winner, Oakleigh, is back at Ellerslie. He will be kept going and raced at Avondale next month. R. Reed cabled his relatives in Wellington that he had won two races on Saturday last at Rosehill. Presumably one of them would be on Loyal Irish, who scored in the Dundas Handicap. The news will be pleasing to Reed’s friends, as the Trent ham horseman had done a lot of riding in Sydney without success. It is reported that Aureate, the sister to Desert Gold, has run her last race,-and is to be retired to the stud. She was a big. over-grown three-year-old. of whom nothing like the best was seen, but at times she showed glimpses of form which suggested that age would do a lot for her. "V Donovan took Kick-off and Dudley to Rand wick on his arrival at Sydney. but later lie shifted to Rosehill. and Mr Al’Leod’s horses will in future be trained there. Stanley Reid is making good as a trainer in Melbourne. On top of his successes with Chrysostom comes word, that one of his charges m Worrowing ran a dead heat with the Australian hurdle race winner Pistolier in the hurdle race at Moon.ee Valley last month. So far as I can see at present (says the Special Commissioner of the Lon don “ Sportsman ”), the Lavington Park Stud will have to be enlarged not a little, for Hurry On will draw as many subscriptions as can bh accepted, and when Captain Cuttle retires—what then ? Lord AA'oolavington is not likely to act in the eccentric fashion of the late Duke of Westminster. who, after Bend Or had won the Derby for him, proceeded to sell his sire. Doncaster, for no valid reason whatever. But that was the Duke’s way. and. in pursuance of it. he sold all the fillies ho bred our of Ornament (sister tc Ormonde) and out of Angelica (sister to St Simon). Tt was the most phenomenal sacrifice of priceless blood that has ever occurred in my experience. At Gatwirk. England, early in May, Lord Glane.ly had his first win with one of the horses for which lie gave ft high price at the 192 Q yearling soles. This wa.s Great Star (Sun star—Miss Malty), who cost olOOgs, and the value of the race, which was for three-year-olds. was £197. The unplaced runners included The Tetrarch Honora colt Noblesse Oblige (his first public appearance), who made 9600 gs as a vear-

ling. and Charlie Chaplin (Tracery— Port Sunlight), who realised 9-lOOgs at the same sale Tt would be safe to lay long odds against Great Star, Noblesse Obi’go and Charlie Cha.pliii between them ever totalling ip prize money the £25,305 they jointly cost yearlings.

Some of tlie street bookmakers in England take a deal of catching, an«:l the police have to resort to all sorts of dodges to effect an arrest. At Stock ton a policeman, hidden in a hamper on a laundry van, was driven up to where one man was doing business, and managed to trap him. The bookmaker, after being fined £4O, complimented the policeman on his smartness, saying it was the first time he had been caught in eight years. About two months ago the prominent English trainer, Atfcy Persse, received 4 most insulting letter relative to the running of his horses, South Croftv and Crescendo. The writer was traced, and an action for criminal libel resulted. When threatened with legal proceedings the offender expressed regret that he had written the letter, and on apologising in Court the case was withdrawn. The defendant promised not to repeat the offence, and said to the magistrate that he was thankful for the opportunity afforded him of withdrawing his statements. Fast times were recorded in the long distance races at Ascot in June. hut. the following comment by the Special Commissioner of the London “ Sports man ” suggests it would he inadvisable to accept them too seriously:—“The time of the long distance races at Ascot during the last twenty years cannot properly be compared with that of an earlier period, for in 1902 tlie course had been very materially altered and to some extent., made shorter. It was in the new ground that Ard Patrick nearly stuck fast, with the consequence that he could not run again that year. So far a* I know, the course has never been measured since the alterations and Pradella’s time, so far from being a two miles record, proves the distance to he incorrect, for that time, which was properly taken, is a, simply impossible record for two miles.” An observation po6t, in telephonic communication with the weighing loom, has been erected in the centre of the racecourse at Manchester for the accommodation of r medical man and a veterinary surgeon, also messenger for all emergencies. The little building is in no way a. disfigurement, and provides protection to the officials on duty m bad weather. The idea is an excelIcni

The Auckland steeplechaser Waikartu broke down in both forelegrs while compering in the Grand National Steeplechase last week. It is intended to fire him and treat him tc a few months’ rest in the hope that he will come back all right for next winter’s jumping campaign. Royal Box is enjoying a spell at present, but T. F. Quinlivan will have him in work at Trentham very soon, starting his preparation for the New Zealand Cup. Humbug, by Absurd—Eulogy, purchased recently lor shipment to New South Wales, will commence stud life this season at a fee of 50 guineaß. Once more the question arises about void nominations. Why, oh why (says the “Special Commissioner”) do the Jockey Club stewards persist obstinately in this obsolete folly? There is absolutely no other country where the assets in bloodstock of a deceased nominator are thus deliberately depreciated. The supposed difficulty is got over in various ways, but everywhere, except in England, it is got over. Of course, the simplest and best way of all is tc have the money pair! down on entrance, and at each succeeding forfeit date—the animal to be automatically struck out as a non-acceptor if the money is not paid. Under that scheme there are no liabilities on any horse, no forfeit list possible, and a nominator’s horses can pass on with their engagements to his executors absolutely free to carry on or not, as they may choose. There is no just reason why men should enter horses on the credit system for races while they cannot do the same for a horse show : nor, so far as I am aware, can you enter for any other competition without paying your stake down. The existing system appears to have been based on the idea that improvident persons will enter horses more freely if they have not to pay money down, and that they will —as. in fact, they very often do—forget, all about the forfeit periods and become liable for full stakes in respect of hopeless animals.

BETTING BY CHEQUE. LAW AMENDED IN ENGLAND. Last year the House of Lords passed a Bill repealing the. Act which made it possible to recover money for betting debt* paid by cheque. In June last the Bill also passed the House of Commons the text being as follows: Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with tlie advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follower

1. Section two of the Gaming Act, 1835 (which jnakes money paid to the indorsee, holder or assignee of securities given Tor consideration arising out of certain gaming transactions recoverable from the persona to whom the securities were originally given), is hereby repealed. No action for the recovery of money under the said section shall be entertained in any court. “2. This Act may be cited as the Gaming Act, 1922.” This disposes of any future trouble in connection with the payment of bets by cheque in England. After the Bill passed it was pointed out that it did not make any definite provision for dealing with actions then pending, or commenced, but it was contended that these were disposed of by the provision: “No action for the recovery of money under the said section shall be entertained in any court.” This,point may give the barristers and solicitors something to fight over.

During the discussion of the Bill in the House of Commons one member, Mr Simm, advocated the registration of bookmakers. He said that when dealing with this subject some real effort ought to he made to clean the racecourses of England, It could be easily done. All racecourses now were enclosed places for betting, and every racecourse company ought to be compelled to see to it that every man engaged in taking bets on the racecourse was registered for that purpose. Gambling was done to-day not. only among men. hut among women and children in all Rorts of places, and all sorts of holes and corners were being used by bookmakers for this purpose. The honest bookmaker wanted the job made as clean as possible. VICTORIAN BILL. Tn the Victorian Legislative Council a Bill hare been introduced to amend the law- relating to contracts or agreements by way of gaming or wagering. Tlie clauses of principal interest to bookmakers and backers read as follows: 2. For section 111 of the Principal Act there shall bo substituted the follow, ing section: —“111. All bills, notes, cheques, or mortgages drawn, accepted, made, given, granted, or entered into or executed by any person or persons whomsoever, whore the whole or any part of the consideration is for any money, or other valuable thing whatsoever won by gaming or playing at cards, dice, tables, tennis. bowls, or other game or games whatsoever. or bv betting on the sides or hands of such as do game at any of the games aforesaid, or for the reimbursing or repaying any money knowingly lent or advanced for such gaming or betting as aforesaid, or lent or advanced at the time and place of such play to any person or persons so gaming or betting as aforesaid, or that during such play so play or bet shall he doomed and taken to have been drawn, accepted, made, given, granted or entered into or executed for an illegal consideration.” 3 (1) Section 112 of the Principal Act is hereby repealed ; and no action or other legal proceeding whatsoever shall he instituted in any court oflaw for the recovery of any money under the said section or any corresponding previous enactment; and if any such proceeding has been instituted (whether before or after the commencement of this Act) it shall be discharged and made void, subject in the case of a proceeding instituted before the 11th day of July, 1922, to such order as to costfc as the count OF a judge thereof may think fit, to make. , (2) Nothing in this (section shall prejudice or prevent the institution or prosecution of proceedings for giving effect to a final judgment given before the commencement of this Act by any court where the judgment at the commencement of this Act is not then the subi.ecL of u ttendinc: aon&a7.

1919-2( ). 1920-21 . 1921-22. 1922-23- £ £ £ £ 8.175 9.900 12.050 12,200 Summer . 21.000 25,600 30.750 29,000 Antrim n 9.025 10,850 13.009 12.950 Winter . 11.350 15.100 17.300 16.400 £49.550 £61,450 £73.100 £70,550