THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19866, 14 June 1927, Page 4

THE TURF

fixtures. June IR—Napier Park R-C. June 22—Hawke s Bay Hunt CUm. June 24, 2>—Hawke s Bay J.C. June 25—Oamaru J.C. July 2—Ashburton County K-C. July 12, 14, 16—Wellington R.C. July 21—Wahnate District Hunt Club. July 23—South Canterbury Hunt Club. July SO—Christchurch Hunt Club. July 28, 30—Gisborne R.C. August 6—Poverty Bay Hunt Club. August 9, 11. 13— Canterbury J.C. Grand National. August 20— Pakuranga Hunt Club. September 3—North Taranaki H.C. September 7. B—Marton J-C. September 10—Otago Hunt Club. September 14—Dannevirke R-C. September 15—Dannevirke Hunt Club September anganui Hunt Club. September 24—Ashburton County R-C. September 24. 26—Napier Park R.C. September 24. 26—Avondale J-G. r 29, »o—Geraldine R-C.

AUCKLAND COMMENT ceeat northern campaign notes on performances r Special “ Chronicle ” Service- ] [ Special AL - cKLAND> June 13. i W Donaldson’s team at Eluded m The Tha Tsnal had any racing f” a Tham^ g trainer has also Miss meeting. X X a eourse. Tu-a won the Grand National ifi. He carried 9.11 on Wednesday. thrW^ e «r g Steep’chaX y on wXesdg. l S 3?^ o \r n a reallv important jnmpxfrth?m S Hedies and Steeplechase and 'the Grand National Steeplechase. Pe h-ins he mav make amends when the Grand National comes round again, for • likelv that the owner and next fnenth. ■srsrisrs-sssa irss‘s.s“ “‘-if™ having a chance of winning as dM all the Xr runner, except Beau Cavahe. Zircon had his chanee in the lamaKi Steeplechase on the concluding day and well. Pendavies, who had won the Hunt Cup on the Saturday, proved the most formidable opponent and the fought finwh ance, for obviously better horse over country than was thought. Zircon should win good races over the big fences this winter.

pendavies Just Fails Pendavies tried to w-.n the Ta™»“ Steeplechase all the way and only just failed to see it out. He jumped cleverly but over the hill the last time Zircon outjumped him at every fence Nevertheless they were together all the wav up the straight, Bowden s stronger finishing powers landing his mount a winner. The quartette, horses and riders, were a tired lot at end Zircon carried Pendavies out a bit unde, pressure. Weight Stops Waiau Lad After winning so nicely on the opening dav of the Great Northern meeting it was expected that Waiau Lad would make a race of it on the concluding day but he failed badly. He hit the fence near the six furlongs the second time and that was the end of him, for after this he was right out of the race. The rise in weight of 181 b with the higher scale told its tale. Nevertheless Waiau Dad will win some jumping ■ *•' '-s before the winter is over. Rayo and Prince Rufus Two horses who failed badly at, Ellerslie and who should have done better were Rayo and Prince Rufus. The former was the winner of the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui three furlongs from home, but since he arrived at Ellerslie has fenced badly and obviously didn't like the country. Prince Rufus schooled well prior to the gathering and in his races could not muster up a great deal of pace, failing badly. A Promising Hurdler Anchor found conditions at Ellerslie not much to his liking and he failed to do himself justice in his three starts, third on the middle day being his best effort. He has pace and jumping ability. and, considering that he is only a four-year-old, it will be recognised that he has a long way to go before being classed as an experienced performer over the sticks. Anchor is the first of the Acre tribe to be tried over the battens and they look as if they will be able to jump. One of the best of them is the ‘‘lron Horse,” First Acre, and he is just the cut of a jumper. Tall Timber Nearly Surprises At one stage of the Orakei Hurtles on Wednesday it appeared as if Tall Timber would bring off a big surprise. He went to the front passing the

stands but a couple of furlongs further on he was in the rear and only scrambled over the last hurdle to complete the course. Tall Timber is very erratic in his jumping but when he gets more ex.perienced he can be ticked off as a likely winner of a race or two. He has more than the average pace for hurdling. Missed a Good Chance The fact that Kamehameha won the Hack Hurdles at Ellerslie on Wednesday bore out the contention that his owner missed a chance of a good win by sending him for the Great Northern Hurtles instead of the minor event on the opening day. On Wednesday he and Potoanui cleared out from the op position at the six furlongs and they had to fall to stand any chance of defeat. Kamehameha won like a good one and his success was very popular. Next year Mr Moraghan will have a much better prospect of winning the Great Northern Hurdles with Kamehameha than he did on this occasion Catmint Gelding Prominent Delightment was one of the fittest horses at the Great Northern meeting and his owner was a bit unfortunate in that he was not able to collect the thick end of three stakes. He won in most convincing style the sprint on the first day and on the Saturday was drawn off the course, even then running a good race. On Wednesday he was beaten by Hoariri, but had a stronger boy been in the saddle able td drive the Catmint gelding along he would probably have won. Mr John Tierney, a popular Whangarei sportsman, has done well with Delightment, who is suited for winter racing. Consistent Master Doon Master Doon was expected to run forward in the York Handicap at Elloralio but the fact that the successful jockey (S. Henderson) was in the Muddle was responsible for his being made the second favourite. Master Doon was always handy to the home turn when he left the field and then peered with ridiculous ease. Master Doon is a pretty useful sort when caught right and the going at this time of tie year does not bother him. True Blood-True Blue True Blood started twice at the Great Northern meeting and afterl finishing close up on Friday he did even better in the York Handicap, beating all but Master Doon. He finished in the middle of the track and covered a fair bit of ground, although he never had a chance of beating the winner. When True Blood is taken to Australia in the spring he should perform fairly well for he is a good galloper up to a mile, which appears to be his best distance. It will be remembered that he ran Lysander to a neck in the last Great Northern Guineas—a fine performance, even if he did lose second money for interference, for he was the second best in that race.

NOTES AND COMMENTS (By ‘Kestrel”) Acceptances for the Napier Park oneday fixture next Saturday close at 8 o’clock to-night. Wellington Meeting Nominations for the Wellington winter fixture ore due by Monday next. Printers’ Holiday There will bo no racing at Wanganui until September 17, when the Eg-niont-Wanganui Hunt Club mooting is to be held. The first fixture in tho district is the Marton Jockey Club spring gathering on September 7 and 8. Crown Coin for Napier Wallace Young loaves Wanganui tonight for Napier Park with Crown Coin and Break o’Dav, both of whom am engaged at next Saturday’s fixture. The former was sent over eight foneos the other morning with C. Butler in the saddle and he shaped well, Tn the steeplechase events on tho Hawke’s Bay circuit Crown Coin should give n good account of himself. If Breako ’Day doos not got into tho money on tho trip he may not be persevered with. R. E, Thomson will ndo Crown Coin and C, Butler will bo on Break o’Day in their engagements, A Busy Trainer Since going into W. H. Dwyer’s stable Bank Note (Paper MoncyEquitas) appears to havo quietened down a lot. He is now owned in Wanganui The trainer named has five others on the roads—Kiosk, Star Area, Limosa, Paleta and the Humbng-Cour-ante eolt. Cash for Cashier? What should be a speedy juvenile is the Paper Money-Isabel rising two year-old in F. Tilley’s stable at Fordell. The youngster is to raco as Cashier and as Isabel won some good races, including the New Plymouth Oaks, her progeny should win some races for Mr T. A. Duncan. Fordell Team for Trentham When the "Wellington winter fixture at Trentham comes round next month F. Tilley’s Fordell stable may be represented by Glenross, Shining Armour and Avro. Those who remember the stable’s success at the Trentham gath ering many years back with Kaniki, Kilrain and Kew will wish this trio similar luck. The three “K’s” started in six events and secured five firsts and a second. Cynic Arrives Last evening the Henry the FirstCynane horse Cynic arrived in Wanganui from Gisborne. After a couple of weeks he goes on to Hawera where he is to stand the season. Mr W. Ballam has leased the English-bred horse, winner of the Great Northern Hurdles in 1919, from Mr Gaine Carrington.

Off to Sydney On Friday R. Reed was to leave New Zealand for Sydney where, it is probable, he will remain until after the A.J.C. spring campaign. Prominent. Breeder Dies A Sydney cablegram announces the death of Mr H. Chisholm, a prominent sporting man, racehorse owner and breeder, aged 61, and founder of the firm of H. Chisholm and Company. Cherry Ripe Amiss The trainer of Cherry Ripe says that the horse is still in a bad way and will not be taken to Melbourne to start in

the Grand National Hurdles, states a Sydney cablegram. The owner Dr. Murphy, who camd from New Zealand specially to see the horse run in the Australian Jockey Club’s Hurdles, will return home on Friday. Upset Punters and. Books The last minute scratchings of the horse Castles from a hurdle race at Randwick on Saturday caused an angry ferment among the public ami bookmakers. The horse had been strongly supported and his withdrawal upset ail ; the betting. Just before the time to start the owner asked to be allowed to amend his entry on the ground that the pedigree was wrongly described. The stewards decided that the application was too late and there was no alternative but to reject the entry. French Challenge. Much interest was aroused in London in April by the announcement that Frenchmen have issued a direct challenge to English racing prestige by setting their crack stayer, Biribi, for the Ascot Gold Cup. While French horses have during the past few years won important handicaps in England—four or five weeks ago, they filled the first three places in the 2| miles Chester Cup—English sportsmen have urged with as much complacency as they could assume that the invaders did not often tackle w.f.a. races. However, their Massine did win the Gold Cup in 1924. A meeting between Biribi and Coronach, last season’s crack three-year-old, in England, will arouse tremendous interest on both sides of the Channel. Biribi is of Galopin descent, by Rabelais, now 27 years of age, who won the Goodwood Cup, of two miles five furlongs, as a three-year-old. He finished second, a neck away, in last year’s Grand Prix, but won other races, which have caused his countrymen to regard him as the best horse foaled in France since the war. Biribi is a powerful horse, and last season stood 16.2. He has a greyish coat, derived from his great grand dam, Semendria, who won the French Oaks. Son of Polymelus. The South Canterbury studmaster, Mr A. F. Roberts, who imported the Radium horse Nightraid a few years ago, has purchased another horse fn England, for immediate shipment to the Dominion, and he should arrive here in the first week of August, if not earlier. Mr Roberts’ latest purchase is Polazel, by Polymelus (son of Cyllene) from Ardazel, by John o’ Gaunt (son of Islingiass) from Ardrogena, by Flonzel II (brother to Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee) from Ardmore, by Ga.llinul3. It is a pedi gree full of stout staying blood. There are three strains of Isooomy, the greatest stayer of hi-* Jay, two of them introduced through his best sons, Isinglass and Gallinule, while two infusions of St. Simon are backed up by Hampton. Polazel, now a six-year-old, was a winner in England, and he has the credit of being a fine individual, so he should be a welcome addition to the bloodstock of New Zealand.

WEDDING MARCH’S WIN OWES CONGRATULATED. CAMBRIDGE MEMBERS FOREGATHER. [ Special “ Chronicle ” Service. ] AUCKLAND, June 13. The Quin Abbey mare Memsahib, regarding the running of which its owner, Mr Mervyn Wells, of Cambridge, was disqualified and subsequently exonerated, has been sold to Mr A. Brown, president of the Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. The Cambridge Club presented a festive appearance on Saturday evening when members entertained Mr Mervyn Wells, owner . of Wedding March, and celebrated his victory in the Great Northern Hurdles. The brilliantly illuminated clubhouse was liberally festooned and draped with the winning colours, old gold and black. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather there was a representative attendance of members from all parts of the district and, following congratulatory speeches, Mr Wells was presented with an enlarged photograph of Wedding March. PERCHANCE THEY SLEEP CRITICISM OF STEWARDS. SYDNEY WRITER’S COMPLAINT. That matters in racing circles in New South Wales are not all that could be wished for would seem apparent from the following article by “Turfite” in the Sydney Sun of May 23: When a’ big ocean liner nears her berth, tugs, pressing hard against her sides at right angles, nose her into position. Evidently horses at Randwick will have to perform the same interesting operation before they will be officially judged guilty of interference. The flying Micronesia landed over the last hurdle on Saturday, and found Castles right on his quarters with obvious intention of trying to pass him, and the black horse affectionately turned away from the short cut for the winning post, and ran Castles well over to the far fence. It may have been that Castles’ rider grabbed Micronesia by mane and tail and pulled him across, but nobody noticed this if he did. What we all saw was a big horse hamper a smaller horse, from which moment the latter had no chance of conquering. A protest was properly lodged. David and Goliath. Almost in the twinkling of an eye it was dismissed. Explanation given by apologists for tho stewards was that the interference did not effect the result. But if that be the accurate interpretation of the decision, then was racing cruelly wounded in the house of its guardians. For interference is a specific term with a definite meaning, and none will be prepared to accord the stewards the gift of prophecy. It may be that Castles would have prevailed. Goliath would have given the Philistines a nasty half-hour if David had not thrown that stone. But David did

sling it, and Castles did suffer interference. The rules of racing are clear, and this is whaj makes the public anxious about the game when headquarters fails it. And this same Castles furnished food for reflection. At Wagga he competed in two hurdle races. In the first there was money for him in the ring—not big money, but somebody entertained hopes. On the second day it was difficult to find many wagers written under his name, but ho ran valiantly. Until the turn for home he seemed to be a sure winner. But as on the first day he faded out. Then ho comes to Randwick and is only by a bit over a length af*r interference in world’s record time. And there is no whisper of any inquiry as to the surprising improvement in form. Watching the race, Calderwood made too much of his mount five furlongs from the finish. could have pulled in behind the cut-throat leaders sooner than he did; and have had just that little extra bit of vitality for the last struggle. Which only emphasises what has been written. Horses that fail in the country and then equal world records are fit subjects for a few questions without any accusation of bad practices. Poor Horsemanship. And talking of riding, how did the Hurdle Race become a farce, and how did at least two other races provide a stage for poor horsemanship. The falls in the jumping race were not wholly attributable to inefficient schooling but were also due to incompetent riding—not that of the poor fellows who cair/ down —but of others who did not seem to know how to take their horses at an obstacle. If the gentle public only knew what these falls sometimes mean to the men in the saddle they would join in compelling the A.J.C. committee to bestir itself so that only properly trained horses and qualified cross country jumpers would be permitted to figure on the tracks. Anyone closely identified with racing can reel off a list of names of poor chaps who turned to drink to get Dutch courage before swinging into the saddle. Think what that means and whether we have really advanced so very far from the gladiators of old. All Over the Place. There was the customary all-over-the-place display of the apprentices, but to them something may be forgiven. It is when one comes to jockeys like Toohey, Adams and D. Munro that a word of advice by the committee would not come amiss. “He went to sleep” was the description of Toohey’s riding of honest Tibbie until the distance was reached. It was correct* but not entirely accurate. “He did not wake up” was nearer the truth. Balanced and strongly ridden sooner, Tibbie should have prevailed. Toohey did get into a tantalising place, but Wedding Eve, with all her sparkling early pace, was never really in the hunt. Only when the prize-money was hopelessly out of reach did Adams get to work. The owner spoke to his jockey as he dismounted. He could fairly have employed scorching terms. D. Munro did no better. The tremendous finish of Karuma recalled Macpherson’s March win, but races are not run for flashing finishes. Young Munro needs the few well-spoken words which ought to prevent an intelligent lad falling into faulty riding habits. These are matters which closely concern racing, but does the A.J.C. Committee ever take some of these youths aside and help them with constructive criticism? Echo answers “No.’’

THE TOTALISATOR ATTITUDE AT HOME ARGUMENTS AGAINST INTRODUC- > TION Keen turf followers in New Zealand, with their long experience of the operations of the totalisator in the Dominion, will read with interest the following contribution to “The Sporting Life and Sportsman” in the campaign in Britain against the Betting Tax:— Sporting Life and Sportsman has received the following interesting communication concerning the totalisator from Mr Marcus J. Chapman, chairman of the Betting Duty Reform Association : One would imagine, from the articles appearing in the Press, stimulated by pamphlets purporting to emanate from experts, that the totalisator is a panacea for all the so-called evils born of betting. Having seen the machine at work on the Continent of Europe, as well as in South Africa, South America, and India, I am in a position to state de-| finitely that the totalisator is built on the most perfect lines for abstracting the maximum amount from the backers’ pockets whenever they are willing to be exploited. A ac< action of at least 10 per cent, is made on every stake invested ;n the machine, which cannot possibly lose. Indisputable Fact. The Board of Customs and Excise, in their memorandum to the Select Committee on the Betting Duty (October, 1923) stated that the average rate of gross profits on turnover made by all bookmakers is from 2| per cent, to 3 per cent. The Chancellor accepted the official figure of 3 per cent. It is, therefore, an indisputable fact that the backer cannot, on an average, obtain as good a return for his investment on the machine as compared with his investment with a bookmaker. I will now quote extracts from the Select Committee’s Report on Betting, with reference to the totalisator;— “The Committee find, inter Alia, that ‘this prohibition of bookmakers and limitation of betting to the racecourse may be possible in new countries, or in countries like France, where the habit of betting away from the course is not widespread, and is, indeed, little practised.’ ” Note.—Approximately 90 per cent of the betting in Britain takes place at starting-price offices away from the racecourse. “But without making a minute investigation, or having full evidence of the working of these prohibitions in the

various countries where they exist, your Committee have heard enough evidence to satisfy them that the prohibition of bookmakers is ineffective, and has only led—to take as example, France, Ontario, and New South Wales—to the rapid and extensive growth of illicit bookmaking both in offices and in the street. “The practical working of the totalisator shows that the large bets gradually cease to be made on it. Tn Ontario the ordinary bet is two dollars, and in New South Wales ten shillings, and the pigeon-holes or ticket offices for bets of £5 and over are being closed. “This is due to the fact that as each bet made is added to the total stake on a particular horse the public is aware of the extent to which it is being backed and rush in to back it, with the result that in some cases where the favourite wins the- winners do not even get the amount of their stakes back. Breaking the Market. “Persons connected with a horse likely to win, and those who have information or who have really worked out the horse’s form and wish to back it for a substantial sum, know that if they use the totalisator they will, in effect, be breaking the market against themselves; they therefore make their bets off the course and with bookmakers. “Your Committee are satisfied that by no statutory sanction of the totalisator in this country could betting off the course be prevented, or bookmakers prohibited.” I would also like to call your attention to the fact that in some of our Colonies a royalty is paid to private individuals for the exploitation of the totalisator, and this important fact should be borne in mind when analysing the reports made by the ardent advocates of this machine. In dealing with this controversy, I have endeavoured to place before your readers actual facts, aS the subject matter appears to be so little understood by the layman.