RACING AND TROTTING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17343, 16 July 1924, Page 2

RACING AND TROTTING

NOTES BY *

FIXTURES. July 13—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July 24—Waimate District Hunt Club. July 24, 26—Gisborne Racing Clxjb. August 2—Christchurch Hunt Club. August 2—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. August 9, 13, 15—Metropolitan Trotting Club. August 12, 14, 16—Canterbury Jcokey Club. NOMINATIONS. July 17 —Metropolitan Trotting Club. July 18—Canterbury Jockey Club. July 18—Christchurch Hunt Club. HANDICAPS. July 22—Metropolitan Trotting Club. July 28—Canterbury Jockey Club. July 28—Christchurch Hunt Club. July 23—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. ACCEPTANCES. July 23—Canterbury Jockey Club. July id—Gisborne Racing Club. July 29—Poverty Bay Hunt Clnb. July Si>—Christchurch Hunt Club. August 6—Metropolitan Trotting Club. August 6—Canterbury Jockey Club.

JOCKEYS AND BETTING

A great stir has been created in Melbourne by the disqualification for six months of the jockey E. Webster, who is one of the leading cross country performers in V ictoria. Webster rode Kuttabul in a hurdle race at Epsom recently, and, during an inquiry into the running of the horse, one of the witnesses for Webster said that he had backed Kuttabul on the advice of the rider. The stipendiary stewards therefore decided to take no further action so far as the running of Kuttabul was concerned, but a few days later they announced that Webster had been disqualified for nix months for "putting a person on to back his mount without tne knowledge or consent of the ovaA good deal of sympathy was expressed in many quarters with Webs ter, as it was claimed that he merely did something that many other riders have been doing for a very long time. He had the misfortune to be convicted of the offence, but others have escaped punishment. Webstes was really the victim of his friends, as had not the friend attended the inquiry into the running of Kuttabul and given evidence the stewards would have had no knowledge of the alleged offence And it is more than likely Webster would have been rompletelv exonerated so far as the riding of Kuttabul was concerned. In clearing himself of one trouble, however, he had placed in the hands of the stewards the necessary evidence to convict him of another of fence. The oenaltv is a severe one. an it means that Webster will miss the big meetings of the winter season, which is the most profitable period of the year for riders of jumpers. The disqualification of Webster raises the question of betting with or for jockevs There are two Australian rules dealing with the matter. The first- Fays :—"A jockev mav be suspended, fined or disqualified if he shall have any interest directly or indirectly in any wager or bet on any race,” and the other that ‘‘any perribn betting with or for any jockey may be fined, or disqunli fied, or warned off the course.” The subject is of interest in ‘New Zealand, where the position is covered by two rules as follows:—"No jockey shall bet on anv horse in any race in which he rides except on the horse ridden bv himself, and then only through or with permission of the owner. Anv person betting with or for any jockey in contravention of this rule may be fined, suspended or disqualified. No jockey shill give arrv information re specting a trial, or regarding anv ho*he may be engaged to ride in any race or in work, to anv person other than the owner or trained of the horse.” T+ is not only in Australia that there are breaches of the rules regarding betting with or for jockeys. There is little doubt that the spirit or the letter of the rule is broken very frequently in this' connection in New Zealand, and the fate of the Victorian jockey, E. Webster, should be taken to heart by the riders of the Dominion and their friends, as one of these days the authorities mav set out on a campaign to clean the trouble up.

Forfeits for the New Zealand Sapling Stakes, to be decided at the Ashburton Trotting Oub’R meeting next June, wil« close at fire o’clock this evening. Nominations for the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s August meeting will close at noon to-morrow. ♦ < * Acceptances and general entries for the Grand National meeting will be taken by the Canterbury Jockey Club until eight o’clock on Friday night. Nominations for the Christchurch Hunt Cl lib’s meeting will close at the Canterbury Jockey Chib’s office at eight o’clock on Friday night. By permission of the Canterbury Jockey Club the electric total is ator will be used at the Christchurch Hunt Steeplechase meeting, to be held at Riccarton on Saturday, August 2. Winning Hit is very badly Handicapped in the Winter Cup in being allowed only three pounds for the easy beating inflicted on him by Arch Salute at Trentham last Saturn**./ uvep the same distance. The Autumnus horse was a good three-year-old and the handioappers seem unable to forges that fact, notwithstanding his moderate form since then Viewed through Omahu, the Otago horse Pamplona is very harshly treated in the Grand National Steeplechase He meets his North Island rival only a pound better than in the Wellington Steeplechase. Many of those who saw the race are agreed that Pamplona was a trifle unlucky at Trentham. The fact, remains, however, that Omahu got the money, and Pamplona is surely entitled to a bigger allowance than a pound for the beating. Sir Rosebery is well treated in tho Grand National Steeplechase in comparison with the Wellington Steeplechase. He meets Omahu 131 b better Pamplona 121 b better. Oakleigh 71b better, and Lochella 81b better.

ARGUS

General Advance and Siient King were scratched for the Grand National Hurdle Handicap at 9 a.m. tc-day. Pavo and Pompey were scratched for all engagements at ihe Grand National meeting at 9.45 a.rn. tc-day. Mahurl ia handicapped much more leniently in the Grand National Steeplechase than she was in the Wellington Steeplechase- She meete Oma hu on 211 b, Pamplona on 201 b, and Carawock on 13ib better terms. In ihe Wellington Steeplechaso Carawock beat First Line by a neck for third place. In the Graxsd National Carawock meets First Line on 41b better terms. -First Line, in receipt of 41b, beat Dick by about a length in the Wellington Steeplechase. Apparently Mr J. E Henrys has a poor opinion of Dick over the Riccarton country, as in the Grand National he makes First Line concede olb to Dick. Marenga, who won a steeplechase in Southland this season, must be one of the few remaining horses racing sired by Multifid, who died ten years ago. Bonnie Winkie cotinues to stand up to his work at Wingatui, and 71 is probable that he will be racing at the Grand National meeting next month. Oakleigh’s poor form this winter has not impressed the Canterbury Jockey Club’s handicapper, who has rated him in the Grand National Steeplechase on his best form. In view of his two wins in the big cross-country' race, however, there is good reason for treating him as relatively better at Riccarton than seme of his rivals. Despite the fact that Carawock was third and Oakleigh nearly' last in the Wellington Steeplechase, Oakleigh meets the Trentham horse on two pounds worse terms in the Grand National. Apparently Master Peter is training on well, as he figures as an acceptor for the South Canterbury Steeplechase. His form at Washdyke on Saturday will be watched with interest, as he only has to be at his best to play a leading part in the Grand National Steeplechase. Prior to the Wanganui meeting in May, the hurdler Nukumai was priced and his owner asked 1500 guineas for him. Since then he has won £1695 in stakes, so that Mf S. G. Davidson was lucky that he did not sell the gelding. Mr Davidson purchased an unnamed St. Clements mare, dam of Nukumai, for £l2. She had at foot Ngakanui, by Bandsman (son of Hotchkiss). The St. Clements mare is also the dam of Carbiness (by Campfire), also of a brother and sister t-o Nukuniai. The mare was destroyed some time ago, as it was thought she was barren, but it was afterwards found that she was carrying a foal. Nukumai is by Manchineel (Maniapoto — Eduam), a full brother to Fisher and half-brother to Alteration. San Forte, Le Forte and other members of the Guianforte tribe, to which Income belongs, have done well at the. jumping business, and it would not be surprising if the Parliamentary Handicap winner, who has been nominated for the Grand National Hurdles, did well at the game. He is trained by P. Johnson, who has probably had as much experience with jumpers, both as a rider and trainer, ao anyone now in the game. Income is not a fashion-ably-bred horse. His dam, Pornmerv also produced Interest and Play Off, j both useful performers, also Zion, a mare by St. Clements that could go fast and won several races. Pommery was a daughter of Johnny Faa (Trefoil—La Bohemienne), a good performer that went to the North Island from Otago way, from a daughter oi Ascot, a New South Wales-bred horse by Kelpie.

Recent English papers show that last year’s Derby winner, Papyrus, made his first appearance this season on May 20, when he was saddled up t-o contest the Burwell Plate, a race run at Newmarket over the last mile ana a-half of the Cesarewitch course. The son of Tracery suffered defeat, but he went close to upsetting the odds laid on a strong favourite in the shape of Poisoned Arrow. In a great finish Papyrus was beaten a head. Both horses carried 9.12, and, as Poisoned Arrow is considered a horse cf class, Papyrus is held to have quite reinstated himself, even though a defeat went down against his name.

" Snowden,” the well-versed contri butor of stud notes to the “ Austral asian,” is included among those who are highly sceptical in regard to Heroic, tho crack two-vear-old of 1923-24. winning Derby honours next season, in a recent issue of the "Australasian” " Snowden ” penned the following anent the brilliant chestnut, who put up a fresh stake-winning record at two years old by capturing £11.826: — " Heroic has proved himself a very bril liant colt, a very game colt and a splen did handler of weight. His sire.' Valais has al reedy worked himself into the premier position on the winning sires list. Well, and has not Valais alreadv proved he can beget stayers? Admit tedly, but tho proved Valais stayers are not out of mares bred like the dam of Heroic. Just run over in your mind’s eye these Valais stayers. I cannot thin;t of any better performers by him over a distance than Lady Valais and Vai wyne, the first named out of a Positano mare, and Valwyn’s dam by St Alwyne. Heroic’s dam is absolutely devoid of such staying St Simon blood, but she brings in a double cross cf Bend Oi, which blood Valais has in like full mea sure. With the material assistance o! Fred Archer, Bend Or scrambled - honv' in the Derby of 1880. but he was not a genuine stayer, and such intense in breeding to the Doncaster horse is no going to help Heroic to stay. Three dashes of Hampton and two each </ Isonomy and Rosicrucian should make for stoutness, but it is hard to believe the flood of Bend Or has not 1 drowne ' the miller.* Heroic might win a Derb' in a field of indifferent stayers, but it seems that the coming year is goin to be as strong in first-class stayin three-year-olds as the last has been practically barren—so Heroic ic dis carded.'*

The young American trotting stallion Guy Parish has improved a great deal since his arrival here. J. N. Clarke is merely giving him slow -exercise and the trotter has built up very fast. He will do a light season this year

H. Frost is working a useful pacex by Calm, who should race well in saddle events.

Although G. F. Robinson has only had Ouimet in work a few weeks, the pacer is pacing in his best form already.

J. H. Wilson has Harold Burwood well forward. It remains to be seen if the pacer will show any improvement during the coming season.

It is very doubtful if Onyx was ever better than at present. She is carrying much more condition than usual and is full of life, pacing brilliantly in her work.

Pieter Timmerman is well forward and the trotter will be racing at Addington next month. J. Messervey has King Dillon looking very well. If the big pacer re mains sound, he will show some improvement during the coming season.

Nelson Price’s team has been considerably reduced during the week. He sent Box Seat, Echo. Blue Star and Oratorio to Mr Channing’s stud farm, having decided in the meantime not to persevere any further with them

Nancy Stair looks very well. She appears to have become sound again and ao far is standing up to her train ing work.

The pacer Chid looks big and well He has not done much fast work since he went into Nelson Price’s stable at New Brighton.

Havseed continues to train on satis factorily nt New Brighton, and he will be racing at Addington next month.

Auguste Dillon is a regular atten nrmt at New Brighton, and the fast miler is keeping well.

The half-sister to Onvx, bv Nelson Bingen, is an oncer, but she is on small side. She is progressing satisfactorily in her training.

BREEDING METHODS

FRANCE AND ENGLAND COMPARED. Strange how critical judgments are nearly always coloured by partisanship, but out here, thousands oi miles awa> from the heat and dust of the verbal conflict, the question as to relative superiority easily falls into its true perspective, and it is possible to arrive at a judgment that will not be easily upset on appeal, writes "Beaufort,” in tne Sydney “Referee.” It is, there fore, impossible to view the result of the Ascot Gold Cup, where the French horses ran first, second and fourth, as other than descisive evidence of the marked superiority of the French-bred staying racehorse, and a rare tribute to the principles consistently adhered to for quite half a century by French breeders of the thoroughbred. And, just as emphatically, the Ascot results tells of the weaknesses of the English conventions in breeding. Up to, say, 1907, the year whore the French successfully invaded England, winning the-Lincolnshire with Ob and the Chester Cup with Querido, as well as other important victories, there was always a tendency on the part of English handieappers to underrate the prowess of the horses from across the channel, and to treat them too favourably, much in the same way, perhaps, as we see South Australian and Queensland horses gently treated by Victorian and New South Wales handicappers. There was this always, the excuse that t_he French horses did not actually win handicaps in their merits, but rather because they had been underestimated, and so national pride was satisfied. Even so recently as Sir Gallahati’s win in Lincolnshire, this time-worn excuse was made to serve But when the home champions are swept away at weight-for-age, what can be said? What marks the essential differences in the two systems, one of which has at length so demonstrated its superiority to the otherP It consists, I venture to affirm, in the narrow confines of the male blood in present-day English pedigrees, compared with the variety and vigour, and comparative freshness, so to say. of the French strains. In England of late years there has been the insistent crossing upon itself of the Vedette line. through Galopin, Speculum and St Simon, and of the Stock well—Bend Or line through its various branches. The French, however, harc # by judicious purchases from about 1860 onwards, contrived to keep alive quite a number of tail-mail lines that a.e either extinct, or virtually so, in BnT ain. Hence, to-day, French breeders have at their disposal male representatives of every important branch of the "three great original sire houses, the only outstanding exceptions being Herod—Glencoe and Eclipse—Learnington, which were snapped up by the United States. Just for a few minutes, take stock of some of the stall ion wealth of France, which is practically not represented in any other country, at least not with individauls of equally highclass standard. Of Touchstone they have Lord Clifden—Petrarch—The Bard, the last named a horse that should never have been allowed to leave England, as his action was suoerb, and his staying power amazing , also there is to be found Nev/minstei —Hermit, and Newminster—Flageolet. Of Eclipse—-Tramp they have- several worthy scions through those great sons of Beadsman, Rosicrucion and Pero Gorrnez. King Tom, who only lives through his female descendants in England, is perpetuated in France in the male line through Kingcraft and King Lud. Of Herod, they possess the Wild Day re 11 —See Saw—Bruce branch ; a rare wealth of Bay Middleton—Flying Dutchman—Dollar and Dutch Skater and Thormanby Atlantic Roi Herode. Further, their possession indude the soundest line of Bnrcaldine through his great son Winkfield, and Bend Or through Flvim? Fox and Ajax. Tt is from Ajax that Sir OMlahad defends, and from Dollar, Eoinard. So, very brieflv, one touches upon ome of the hlood available for the '*V.or»ch, but which, with the exception -»f F'lving Fox* has been largely iernored *of recent years by the British breeder.

Consequently, the male infusions in the nearer removes of English presentday pedigrees take on an exceedingly restricted range, and one is struck by the monotonous repetition of the same blood alliances and crosses, all denoting a rather servile obedience to a stereotj'ped formula. Pedigree after pedigree reveals the same tale of return upon retprn of the same strain, until it must, in the nature of things water down for lack of the stimulating out-crosses which it necessarily de mands.

ascent of the French thorough bred o virtual world supremacy since the war has been nothing short oi phenomenal, yet it actually, when closely' examined, merely represents th. logical outcome of more- than half a century of national co-ordinated en deavour, based, no doubt, on miljtar\ exigencies, to secure the absolutely finest type of thoroughbred. And hi would be indeed a very foolish par tiaan who dared deny to the French their meed of praise after their won derful achievement in the Ascot Cup Of course, had England adopted i> selfish policy she would not have al lowed certain stallions of outstanding excellence to leave her shores. It ha? always been difficult for her to resist a bold bid by a foreign buyer. Thu? Ard Patrick, possibly the greatest grandson cf St Simon, was sold to Germany, and Galtee More, an equally great grandson of Bend Or, to' - Russia Melton was sold to Italy, and Kilcock, one of the greatest and most brilliant of Solon’s great-grandsons, to Austria where he was virtually lost to breed ers. Winkfield, a really mighty Bar caldine stallion, crosses tho Channel, as does Flying Fox, the supreme stallion ; while one of Hermit’s best sons, St Blaise, goes to the United States.

Th© Argentine secures Diamond Ju biiee. Rack Sand and Flotsam ; Australia is lucky to get Musket and Fisherman ; while New Zealand obtains no less than St Leger, a son of a full sister to Atlantic, who was earlier bought by the French. Hermit’s best staying son, Tristan, was secured for France, as w r as also The Bard and Bruce, and these examples could be multiplied. It is, however, pretty clear that, just as a nation cannot indefinitely go on shipping away its best men so in the sphere of horse breeding, the loss of some of the most potentstallions is ultimately reflected in a lowered standard, either of stamina or speed, or even both. And this the lesson driven home by the result of the famous Ascot race. It will most certainly be followed by some change'of insular methods, or else the nursery of thoroughbreds will have to be content with a subordinate place in the sun, an intolerable position, one would imaeine, for British breeders to endure with equanimity.