TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XXII, 31 May 1902, Page 1073

TURF NOTES.

Mr H. Oxenham, the well-known Syd-ney-penciller.viaits England again shortly. Tidal Wave, a colt by Splendor from Storm, is to join W. Moberley’s team this week. Reclaimer Is now being looked after by W. Gall at Green Lane. his owner being on a visit to Taranaki. Tolstoi’s full brother, Ivan, won the 14.2 Handicap at Brighton, New South Wales, on May 9th, starting at 6 to 1. The V.R.C. will hold a meeting on Coronation Day, Jure 26, when the sum of £lOOO w”i ue g.’ven In added money. J. Rae is getting about again and attending to the training of hls jumping charges, but is far from himself yet. One Auckland penciller is “round” on a live-hundred pound book—the first for years. A trophy of the value of £lOO has been promised by Mr Frank Foy to the Forbes (New South Wales) J.C. Of 39 mares that visited Galtee More in Russia, 28 had live foals last year, three of which died, leaving 12 colts and 13 fillies. Amongst recent winners in England by Carbine is an unnamed gelding from Festa, who wet the Rendleshan Two-year-eld Plate at Kempton Park. Hector has a decided objection to jump the sod wall and the centre water jump on the Eiiersiie steeplechase course, though he has negotiated the other fences very well. At a sale of racing stock in Melbourne on the 11th a horse called Novus was sold on account of Mr H. Hawkins to thetNew Zealand Doan and Mercantile Agency for 80 guineas. The following arc the principal winning owners of stakes at the May meeting of the D.u.C.:—A. Moss, £185; McLean, £140; Murray-Aynesley, £110; Cdfford, £9O. Smaller amounts bring the total up to £lOlO. On the Adelaide Cup of £BOO there was a totalisator turnover of £4930 10/. On quite a number of the races the receipts from the totalisator would more than pay the stakes. The Ben Godfrey—Satanella colt, threequarter brother to St. Paul, St. Clements, St. Peter, and those useful mares St. Ursula and St. Olga, has gone into J. Cliaaie’s, sen., stable. Mr J. G. Ralph left for Sydney on Thursday by the Sonoma, intending to catch a boat there for South Africa. He had a large number of friends to wish him bon voyage. Wabun, a four-year-old by that good periormer Sheen from Wenonah, therefore half-brother to Carbine's son Pistol, won the Queen’s Plate of 132550 vs at Kempton Park last month for Sir Edgar Vincent. The Gozo—Cerise and Blue gelding Syerla won the Bromsgrove Selling Plate of lOOsovs, and was sold afterwards for GO so vs, from which it may be concluded that his time of usefulness is not highly esteem*, d. Messrs A. Buckland and Sons will sell on June 6th, in the estate of the late Mr W. Ryan, the fine-grown yearling full sister to Nonette, and the three-year-old filly Crecy, by Hotchkiss from Crescent, with their engagements. Mr O. Waymouth, long time auditor to the Auckland Racing Club, whose somewhat sudden death is announced, was fond of sport and raced a few horses under the assumed name of Mr O. Bryant, Maskerdale, for whom he paid 510 gs as a yearling, being the last to appear in his colours. For some time past the deceased had been troubled with asthma, the result of a severe cold contracted while on a Visit to Sydney.

Mr Slevier offers to race hls Persimmon filly Sceptre against any horse !ii England at weight-tor-age and any sex, for £IO,OOO, distance a mile and a-quarter <»r a mile and three-quarters. In July or August, at Newmarket or Goodwood. Mr J. T. Ryan during the week received information from Sydney that there being now no Birthday Handicap run for at Randwick, hls instructions to nominate Nonette for that event could not be carried out. The scratching of Dundas, Skobeleff. Calibre, Abydos, and Magnificent for the Dunedin Jockey Club’s • meeting would rob that gathering of some i'.iierest. The bad weather in the South has had to d<» with the withdrawal of the Canterbury horses. Tatter Wallop, a half brother to that good mare Old Cio’. while working at Rand wick recently, fell and injured himself so that his hind quarters were paralysed, and he had to be. destroyed. Mr W. S. Cox, at one time a first-class amateur, recently won a steeplechase at Mentone, near Melbourne, on a horse called Forty Winks. Mr Cox had not won a race for some years, but handled his mount in something like his old form. Paddy Nolan was a good waster himself when race riding. His feelings can be imagined when a jockey named Brooks, who was to have ridden a horse called T.C. for him at Rosehill, went to the scales 17ibs too heavy, leaving Nolan no other course than to scratch his horse at the last moment. Verne, by Bill of Portland from She. full sister to Stepniak, won the Flying Stakes at Warrnambuol, Vic., early this month, carrying 9.12, top weight, and beating eight outers with four lengths to spare from her nearest attendant. Native Bee, who carried 7.3. The well-known jumper, Peter Simple, by Billingsgate from Crazy Kate, wii" be sold on Friday by Messrs A. Buckland and Sons at the Haymarket. At Takapuna, in the summer, he ran third in tl.e Steeplechase to Rufus and Dingo, and made a creditable display. There are just on fifty yearlings at work or being broken by Auckland trainers residing within easy distance of the* Ellerslie racecourse. So many youngsters have never been in hand at tne racing headquarters of Auckland at any one time previously. J. Thorpe and F. Maemanemin have the largest teams. Epsom Lily is the name given to Mr A. Tooman’s Soult —Eileen Borne yearling filly, which joined J- Chaafe’s (sen.) tezin last week. This filly and the Ben Godfrey—Satanella colt. three-quarter brother to St. Paul, -nd Middy, the Torpedo—Antelope colt, are to bo seen at exercise daily. St. Paul was not taken h; hand until the month of June, and he won his first race in September. Hls half-brother looks n precocious little fc.'c-w, and may come earlv. though most ot the yearlings have had a good start of him in learning the rudiments of their education. On Tuesday. Tresham and Royal Conqueror went a mile and a half in company over hurdles on me ccurte proper at Ellerslie, both go’ng v/o'.i Tney jumped live hurdles. Gipsy, Tarragon, and Lady Dash were companions over the steeplechase course, and all tjirec went well, Gipsy particularly and Lady Dash both doing niceiy tor beginners at the crosscountry game. All last weo.k the Takapuna Jockey Club kept their training ground closed in consequence of the bad weather and in order to prevent the course proper from being cut up that was also closed. Trainers at the North Shore fortunately have the ocean beach to fall back on, and can get some work done when trainers at Ellerslie find the tracks there in a sloppy condition. Waiwera, by winning the Century Stakes at the vVanganui meeting, nas incurred a penalty of 3ibs for tne Grand National Hurdle Race, bringing his weight up to 11.7. Frose, wno won the. May Hurdle Race at the Wanganui meeting, has also incurred a similar penaltv, and his weight is now 10.9. The Guard, winner of the Wanganui Steeplechase Handicap, has made two previous attempts to win the same race, unsuccessfu’ly. The third time is lucky, tis said. By winning this race The Guard has incurred a penalty for the Great Northern Steeplechase of 51bs, which brings his weight up to 12.3. On Monday last the veteran trainer and jockey, Jack Tnorpe, returned from New South Wales, after an absence of over eleven years. Thorpe went to India nearly fourteen years ago with the late Major Walmsley, assisting in the charge of a trial shipment of horses by the New Zealand Stud and Pedigree Stock Company to Calcutta, but soon after returning to New Zealand, left again for Aus-

tralia with The Cat and some other racing stock. It is Mr Thorpe's intention to remain in the land of the Moa. which lie says it is a treat to once more behold, as he had just come through a drought - stricken country, where hardly a blade of grass was to be seen for hundreds of miles, and where the squatters were being ruined by their loos of stock. Says the ** Special Commissioner '* in the “London Sportsman The first Merman foal I have seen is a remarkably line chestnut filly, very typical of the old horse, with plenty of size and bone. It is out of Meg Klssock. by Rightaway, out of Draw Lass, and is the first foal of its dam. Eldothea, own sister to Merman, and as like him as a inure can be to a horse, has been mated this year to 81-l it Portland, a very cicver cross. it a luir piupviLiou a stock should only turn out as good as he himself has proved, there will bo some sound and sterling performers on the turf soon. An exciting Incident is thus recorded in a Sydney exchange:—At the conclusion of the day’s programme at Kosehlll. 'and jlust as the rlngmen werjo paying out to the successful backers of Orphan Boy, and those who had nothing to draw Were making for the trains, the chestnut gelding Cecil Rhodes broke away, with the cross beam to which he was attached, swinging at hls heels. The horse bolted madly through the weighing in enclosure, round the judge’s box. and out again into the saddling paddock, then round the grandstand, up and down the lawn, and over tho flower beds. This caused a great scatter, especially among the ladies, of whom there was a large number, but fortunately no one was injured, the horse being caught when he had exhausted himself. Those who love to see horses well named, and who have no sympathy with owners who are fond of duplication, should do ail they can to discourage the practice. The secretaiies and programme committees of racing clubs shoulu in the same way remember that in drawing u,» their racing programmes tney might get away from a common practice In the naming of their races. The number of races called after important events decided in other colonies or in other paHs of the world must ba numerous. Surely, instead of calling so many events after big races run elsewhere, and describing others as first, second and third welter handicaps, and first, second and third n.aiden welters, or maiden hurdle or maiden steeplechase handicaps as the. case might be. appropriate nam& could be given to such races. 'The Wanganui Jockey Club’s meeting has probably shed a little light on the coming meeting of the Auckland Racing Club The running of Waiwera shows that gelding was In good form at least on the opening day, and the performances of The Guard are evidences of thorough fitness. Frost was in winning form. Probably he and Waiwera will be found in the Great Northern Steeplechase, for which no penalties have been incurred. Mcifaa, If short of work, should be just about ready when he has his Auckland engagement to undertake. Betting over the meeting hag been going on steadily since i recorded transactions up Wednesday. My early fancies for the different events hold good still. A writer in the Sydney “Town and J ? u s iai 'l t , l ? us rel ? rs to a recent meeting nt Rosehill;— ‘With one exception, the cases of shunting were well managed, as tney could very well in big fields, but the stewards did not even see the exception, or, if they did, did not let It worry them. Needless to say, it was not on the part of a comparatively unknown country trainer on whom,if he does not nappen to be one of their friends the stewards like to play to the gallery, but a J >i t° minen J . Ita:i< - lwick trainer, with Si ! ‘.l rse str !"B, save the public a pi 1 that they could not swallow without wav i I L l< i Ulty - Jud S ia K by the Y ? is . being conducted throughout the State it si only a matter of time when the paid steward will come and come lie must if the sport of kings is to A^ra'iaJs." 06 aS th<? ,Ca<lin K sport ' of Our London correspondent, under .hi.. April 18 writes:—The chief event of Urn Bar Poiii-to-Polnt Steeplechases -ut over open country near Uxbridge la-‘t Saturday was the Inns of Court open five S?^rter es ™ei es ' for wllieh there wT-i n.c starters. lhe two most fancied were i- !C 's| a n oo ’.. ownt '£ l and ridden by Mr W a h a h- septuagenarian. and le.iii, a high-spirited mare owned bv Mi M - P ‘ and ridde “ by Mr It. a > • vouriff Tasmanian at the Vf h ro -,. wh 2. 18 a prominent member of the Devils Own Mounted Infan-rv wlth a sood laad - but ai Ibrsw s ls i2 ne ” Over-jumped herself and thiew her rider. Both showed admirable presence of mind, the mare standi "g ldH to lot her -jock” remount, and then gamely chasing the rest of the Held. An txciting race ensued, and Pearl was ■ roneunced by Mr Justice Grantham (who dispensed justice from a farmer's w x” gen) to have won by a neck. ’ When I learned during last week that Ilohoro had received S.B in the Flving Handicap at the Sydney Tattersail's meeting I assumed that that would renre‘h? iop weight, but Sydney papers to hand show that Ferryman with 10.0 was ill the post of honour, Hohoro being second on the list, which comprised 26 horses. Sulvre, one of the best two-year-Olds in New South Wales, was awarded <•8 At weight for age Hohoro would have to carry 8.9, Sulvre 7.1. so that Hohoro was classed .at 131 b better on the scale calculation than the two-year-old. The same scale is observed in New Zealand, only that geldings receive Bibs allowance throughout the year in Australia, and but 31bs in New Zealand. Our best two-year-

olds would likely hav* a chance with Hee boro at title time ot year on similar termo to thooe allowed by the handicapper tor Tattersall's Club to Sulvre. Ferryman does not represent quite the beat oprintIng form In Australia, and If that borne Is in hls right place Hoboro'a owner bad nothing to complain of. The list ot leading sires in Australia, for the third quarter, ending April 30ih, has been compiled from the "Australasian Turt Heglster.” and is most Instructive. New Zealand figures conspicuously, as out of 180 sires represented, twenty six were bred in this colony, and Trenton, now In England, bred at Wellington Park by Mr T. Mon-in, heads off the list, tour of hls progeny having won 17 races of tho value ot £11.688. Gozo •comes next with 37 winners of 48} races, and £9387 to their credit. Grafton figures third with IB winners of 29 races ? nd epposlte their names. Lochlei has 29 winners of 53 races, with £sßot as their total earnings. Bill of Portland comes next, and then Metal. Wallace, son of Carbine, figures seventh in the list, a creditable position Indeed for a young sire. Sunrise and Padlock are Rn«L>.7 , ’'Ta < ’ nt K d ,. b < plonty ot winners. Russley. tho halt brother to Stepniak, ‘M ep i re m nt “ l l ves ' who have ear,le *' 13 winner of 4.2069. Carbine. Mana. Zallnekl. Escutcheon, Niagara. Martini Henry. Loyalty. thunderbolt, Strathmore, Tartar Enfhade Nordenfeldt, Oudies, Fusilier. St Swlthin. torpedo. Castor, Hova. Town Moor, and True Blue are familiar names that occur In the winning sire list. °Y ner of Shannon Lass, , H a d ?.“/*?,w'noer. according to h M S Ha 0- . Kav ® a luncheon, at which some SO of hls personal friends sat down, including neighbouring farmers and soine of the stable lads. Occupying a prominent position at the head of the table was the handsome cup, which was greatly admired. After the King’s health had been drunk with musical honours, the Rev. J. F. I»oole. the Vicar of Telscombe, proposed the health of Mr A. Gornarn, and said it was Impossible to convey to that gentleman how glad they v f!) en heard the news in their little village, and knew that he had gained the summit of hig ambition. He was very pleased indeed to congratulate Mr Gorham; no doubt it would seem very strange that such a toast should be placed in tne hands of a clergyman, but he. a Yorkshireman, considered that no one should hold aloof from such a task when racing was conducted on such lines as were followed by Mr Gorham. Racing was not bad in itself, as it gave encouragement to trade in the country, and it was only when malpractices were indulged in that he should hold aloof. The toast was enthusiastically received. Mr Gorham, in responding, thanked them all for the very kind reception they had given him.” Sportsmen reading the above wEi conclude that racing has a good friend in the Vicar of Teiscombe. There has been some* wagering over the Great Northern Steeplechase and Grand ’ National Hurdle Race. Some members of the local ring have favoured me with chief lines of business they have transacted, from which it is evident that CavaHero has been much more extensively supported for lhe Groat Northern Stssplechase than any other horse, and that Mars, Tresham, Royal Conqueror, aud Tirea are much fancied for the Grand National Hurdle Race. One thousand to 80 has been accepted about the big son of Cuirassier by the right people ior both events. Coupled with Mars. 1100 to 36 was accepted, with Tirea UOO to 20, with Frost 1050 to 22, with Royal Conqueror 950 to 22, with Tresham lUOO to 14J, with Waiwera SOJ to 7J, and with other horses smaller amounts. Next comes Gobo, who has been supported with Mars for 1350 to 17i, with 'Urea for 800 to 134. with Tresham 600 to 12, with Royal Conqueror SCO to 16, w’ith Cavaliero 500 to 5. Next comes Molfaa, who has been coupled with Cavaii.'ro at «>OO io 9. with Tresham at 500 io 10, vvith Waiwera at 500 to 10. with Tirea at 500 to 10. Evening Wonder has also been well befriended. With Mars at 900 to 25. with Royal Conqueror 61’0 to 10, with Tirea 500 to 8, and w‘rh Rufus 500 to NJ. Waiwera has been supported for the double at 10VU to 21, with Evening Wend -r. Royal Conqueror and Frost each for 5 >0 at 100 to 1. Rufus haa received support, also coupled with Royal Conqueror, Tresham and Mars. Other horses backed in the Steeplechase are The Guard, with Mars, Frost and Tirea; Dingo, with Tresham anil Mirs; Princess of Thule, with Cavaliero and Waiwera; Sudden, with Tresham. Waiwera and f’avallero; Frost, with Tresham and Mirs. Alter the Wanganui and Takapuna meetings we may see a considerable change. During the week Captain Hogg, of Durban, South Africa, has been in Auckland, and has lost no time in making a number of purchases of racing stock, which are Intended to be sent on to Johannesburg as soon as the war is ended. Tney will be shipped to Sydney on Monday by the Zealandia. The first la that urisloi ratically-ored tlliy San Patricia, by Hotchkiss from Thirty Evejyn, by Perkin Warbeck (imp.) from ru'chra (imp.). Pulchru is the maternal <nccstress of that great horse Multi form, pr.d of such flyers as Cruciform, Uniform (already in South Africa). Forma, Foriricsan, Field Battery, and other flrs?c.ass performers. Low in front, San Patricia will be able to run in galloway events. Her performances Inst season were such as to stamp her as one of tho best of her year, and one race in particular that she has to her credit that f.howed what a goad sprinter she is was that for the Pacific Handicap, in Wellington, in which she beat Nonette over six furlongs in tho fast time of 1.14 J. Another that is being taken is Sealark, a shapely, rising two-year-old full-sister to Seahorse, the champion of his time In New Zealand, who is now’ in England. Sealark is by tho old champion Nelson

Moon<a. by Gold ebro ugh from Kwratl, by Any!er from Cocoa nut. dam of Trident and Navigator. Moonga raeed with success, and In addition to Beahorae haa left winning performers la Bundook, Mongonut and Zealous, while Powerful, a two-year-old brother to Bealark, fetched over 800 guineas at Major Gecrge'a sale. Jewel, a pony by Boult, le also one of those selected. She Is three years old and promising. Blue Paul will go by the same boat. Long-distance rides have always been a favourite subject with poets and writers of romance, and the telling of the story Is nearly always the same. The gallant, lion-hearted steed gallops at full speed, on and on, with no slackening of pace for a hunddred miles or so, after which he naturally begins to show some signs of distress. Insted of •'easing off, however, the rider makes a passionate appeal to the animal's better feelings, and blds him remember the girl with the tear-laden eyes that awaits his (the rider's) coming, or the succour he is to bring to a besieged city, or the like, and that acts on the noble animal like a hot bran mash lined with a bottle of “Old Scotch,” even though it might be a Flanders-bred horse and the appeal was made in English, Scotch, or even pure Irish. We all know how Dick Turpin rode his gallant Black Bess from London to small matter of >Ol miles In 12 hours —at east, the learned editor of that delightfully moral and improving work, “Lives of Highwaymen,” says he did, and his statement is trumped by Harrison Ainsworth as well. I don’t take much stock of the Turpin yarn myself, unless Richard spat on his hands and gave Bess what Wallace Brownlow calls “a good old rosiner” before he started; In fact, the Turpin tale was formerly tacked on to a highwayman named John Nevison, better known by his friends and admirers as “Nicks,” who was duly tried and “stretched'' before ever Turpin was born or Bess was foaled. Having robbed a traveller at Gad's Hill one morning, Master “Nicks,” who rode a splendid bay mare, determined to prove a “hallbi,” and so he started at 4 a.m. for Gravesend, where he refreshed his nag while waiting an hour for a boat. Then he started full speed, and never drew rein till he reached the bowling green at York, where the Lord Mayor was enjoying a game, and asked that worthy’ if he could “oblige him with the time r” He was told it was just a quarter to 8, so Mr “Nicks'' had ridden 190 miles in 15 hours, which proves he must have been in pretty good “nick” himself,and his mare also. When “Nicks” was tried for the Gad's Hill job, he brought the York Mayor along to clear him, and was duly acquitted. Macaulay declares the Turpin tale to be 300 years old at least, and it has been applied to fully a dozen “Knights of the Road who have risen to fame—and the gallows. An amusing account of a time trial which took place many years ago is told by an American correspondent in his n«. tes on the veteran English trainer, Anthony Taylor. He says: "Anthony Taylor, a veteran English trainer, was sent home recently by the American Jockey Club. He has lately been in hosp Lal, and was in reduced circumstances. He was a brother of the late Alec TayIcr, and thought his brother would have willed him something, but was disappointed when he found himself left nigh und dry. He first came over here as a trainer for H. M. Sanford, who ran Mate and other horses in England. Later lie trained for the late August Belmont aiso for Pierre Loriliard. Of recent years he had found out that all the training berths are conferred on the rising taient, and America has no place for an o'd-rimer. He could get no employment ■A orth having, and had a hard time to get along. It was a charitable act on the part of the Jockey Club to send ilm home to his relatives, who will doubtless l)i.d him a comfortable home. When he llrst came over and was taking contr >1 of Mr Sanford’s stable, that owner sa,d to him: Now, Taylor, 1 know your countrymen are much opposed to the use of the watch in training. But I want my horses trained like the other Americans, by the watch, and I shah bring vVu a timer the next time I come down s 0 that you will have one to use.’

' course Sanford came to Monmouth Park, where Taylor had tb > horses, bringing with him the timiawatch as promised. • Now, Taylor ’ he said, • these horses are going to work and want you to take this unling wat--i “t alike® ‘ em th me ’ See if we luat<e

All rate, sir,’ said Tony, giving the hoys on their horses the neceslsry st ructions to work me horses a mile back to the winning post where th -v stood. It was a mile oval track. k hors . es / tarted 111 due course, and Sanford and Taylor both clicked their we tones on them as they broke. After they had finished the gallop, Sanford hi ked at his watch to see the time. Then, turning to Taylor, said: ’How fast did you make it. Taylor?’

lony looked down at his watch but uracmcomed to using it, had forgo*ten, in watching the finish of the wortc. to stop it. He looked up' at his patron, with a broad grin, and said: * I started ur ? a H ra * e - But. by gum, 1 forgot to pul. the bloomin’ trigger.’ ”

. T h „ e ‘' Au etralarian” of the 17th has an interesting ar’lcle on ’’Racing In New Zealand, from the pen of ’’H„” who it will be a«mi,ted has summed up the situation in such a way that very little exVU >t , lon „ be t ? kpri to his conclusions. '* t,le out ; however, In the stateS?. e "‘ t . hat ’ excepting on big Cup days at Rlccarton and Ellerslie, a large assemblage Is seldom drawn to our racecourses. This 1» probably so in the South Island, but here in Auckland the attendance*} keep up aurprlalngly at nearly all our meetings. Here is the article referred to:

—* Wke» one !s in the hurly-burly of a sporting life, he is inclined, whatever his misgivings may be, to look with the kindliest eye on the pastime which is at once his recreation and pursuit. In coming In contact with all that Is best in the life, he is apt to minimise the reading on the reverse side of the shield. We dwellers under the Southern Cross are marked all the world over as great lovers of the aport of horse-racing; It is obvious the distinction has been fully earned. But how would our devotion stand if the accompaniments of the sport were taken away? The waning Interest in sport, for the sake of sport, has been deplored from time to time by those that take heed of the tastes of the people, yet it is very Questionable if a proper realisation of the state of things has been come to. Those living in an atmosphere that has been gradually vitiated do not discern the foulness in the air. Returning to New Zealand after the lapse of more than a year, and being now only an Interested spectator, it has come home to me that instead of being a nation of horse-lovers we are merely a nation of gamblers. The noble animal, then, U only tolerated by the bulk of the supporters of the turf as a means of speculation. As all the specula Lion is regulated by the totalisator—which is regarded as the fairest possible means of arriving at the equitable chances of the horses—the gradually increasing turnover at the machines accounts for the apparent fiourisblng state of racing. But tiie sums put into <ne totaiisators at the racecourses do not adequately represent the amount gambled on turf events. Indeed, with deci eased attendances at the racecourse sices, the money Invested with those willing to face the risk of paying totalisator puces is ever mounting up. Most of the iuves«.ors nowadays never see, nor have they any desire to see. a race run. they are quite content to speculate upon information received. and if the intormauoa tends to their enrichment are wen satisfied; if, on the contrary, they back the wrong one, they confound their luck, more often than not ascribing their undoing to the machinations of unscrupulous racing men. It is these stay-at-home backers that know ail about the illicit means by which scouiiQr<*ll\ owners, trainers, aaid jockeys and all that ilk, take down the confiding public. On their good days, in the fieeiy-spoken opinion of these peop.e, the vurf is a giand institution. Wuen tiie fates are against them, racing is eondHinned as a sink of iniquity. “ The ‘ Austi'alaslan ’ has pointedly called attention to the decadenco of tne ring in Victoria. J imagine tne reason of this is that there is so little ante post bering now indulged In that bookmakers cannot stand to b*. »ih't at oyer a few iiorses when they have really no cover. The advent of the totalisator meant the kr.ock-out of bookmakers betting to tig ures in this State; still up tb the last few years the New Zealand Cup, wit'.i the weights issued months before its decision, created a petting market, and an owner could probably get £lo,uoo about his horse. With decreasing business, it Is now a bad look-out for those with Cup books. Starting-price betting is the rage, and the rush to get on only com.-s when the emissaries on the course send the very latest sood thing. The greed ot clubs for totalisator revenue is one of the things that tend to the demoralisat:oi. of the sport. Every' little tin-pot racing institution that can get a license, not content with a single nay’s racing, spreads out its meagre stakes over two days, and into as many events as wiiL be sanctioned. The clubs more often than not defeat their own ends In this way, for the better-class horses are not attracted. a,nd the public stay away. The long-drawn-out system, however, suits the gambler at a distance, for he has more chances to indulge in his propensity, ana one race is as good as another lor him to speculate on. The big clubs even are not above the avarice of seeKIng to dram their patrons through the machine, for summer and winter they -tj down eight events per diem for decision, such being the maximum allowed by the rules. This is playing to depraved tastes. The horse-lover likes to see the contestants for a coveted prize both before and after running; and what time is there for doing so on a Grand National afternoon, with eight events to be got through? It Is all hurry’ and bustle enjoyment gives place to irritation. Except on the big Cup days at Rlccarton and Ellerslie, which have become fasaionable functions, a large assemblage is seldom drawn to our .racecourses. The zest for seeing equine contests would seem to be evaporating among the present generation, and when this is admitted it must be held that the sport is tar from being in a good way.” The practice of giving a prize Cheshire cheese of the value of ssovs to each of the owners of placed horses in the Chester Cup is still mtaintalned. In noticing tn*' victory in this race of Carabine, bv Carbine from Saintfied, the own sister to Mr Leonard Marshall’s Cyrenian, a confrere thus refers to this 'old established event:— “Racing is said to have been carried on when Castra, as the plaee was then called, was occupied by the Twentieth Legion of the Roman Army, but this is only legendary. What is certain, however, is that records of racing on the Roodee in 1511 are still in existence. Prebendary Robert Rogers, of the Cathedral, who died in 1595, tells of a • silver bell, which was ordavned to do the reward of that horse which, with speedy runninge, then should runne before all others.’ There i B an order of the Corporation of Chester, dated the IGth day of January, in the third year of Henry VIII., directing that this bed, of the annual value of three shillings and fourpence, the reward of * speedy runninge,’ should in future be always run for on a course on the Roodee. The Chester Cup, however, as at present known, was first run for in 1824. when Doge of Venire, 6yrs, carried 9.2 to victory. Since then many famous horses have been among the winners, notably

Hymettus, General Chasser, King Cole, Alice Hawthorn, Joe Miller, Leamington (twice), St. Albans, Tim Whiffier, Daibv (twice), Beeswing, Paul Jones, Knight of the Garter, Freeman, Pageant (twice), Carlton, Dare Devil (twice), Kilsallaghan, and Count Schomberg. Last year the race was won by Mr P. Lorilard’s b c David Garrick, by Hanover—Peg Woffington, 4yrs, k]o, the race being worth £2530. Sir E. Vincent's Australian-bred horse Stoicado, by Cranbrook—Tiwoona, Byrs, 7.13, was third, five lengths behind. This year’s winner was bred by Lord Londonderry, and was pure ha sea as a yearling by Mr Jay for 100 guineas. He run five times as a two-year-old, winning in his first essay the Juvenile Selling Plate of £lOO, at Salisbury, and being purchased directly after by his present owner for 170 guineas. He afterwards ran third in the Hollybush Plate at Gat wick, second in the Clumber Nursery at Nottingham, and second in the Fryston Nursery Handicap Plate at Pontefract; and wound up the season by being unplaced at Manchester. Last year he won on five out of seven essays, the Thlrsk Handicap Plate of £ll4, at Thirsk; the Warwickshire Plate of £lB3, at Birmingham; tin August Handicap of £273, at Haydock Park; tne Nottingham Handicap Plate of £435, and the Manchester November Handicap of £1375.” ® «