TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XVII, 25 October 1902, Page 1041

TURF NOTES.

Royal Conqueror is running at grass at Reniuera,

There are five paid and a number of amateur handicappers in Tasmania. The Hotchkiss—Crescent colt Starshoot is spoken of as a promising horse.

Mr Dau O’Brien intends going to Melbourne to see the V.R.C. spring meeting.

It is not improbable that Gladisla may be sent to Canterbury to compete in the Oaks.

Two horses were killed recently while competing at a meeting of the Adelaide .Hunt Club.

The Masterton Racing Club spring meeting ha«s attracted a splendid nomination.

M. Carmody is training Seaport, who may be a good outsider for the Melbourne Cup. *

It is intended to start St, Michael in the New Zealand Cup if he stanus after the Ashburton meeting.

J. Gainsford intends residing permanently in Auckland, and is bringing Ins family from Sydney.

A writer in an English paper looks • upon Seahorse 11. as a horse likely to win a big race ere long.

Canteen has earned a 51b penalty in the C.j.C. Stewards’ Handicap, and Achilles has a lulb penalty in that race.

There are inquiries still for Pampero from Dunedin, and for Kelpy from -Napier, tor the New Zealand Cup.

■ I’Ntoi March 17th to August 22nd, the English jockey, \V. Lane, had 508 mounts, wLuiUK HU races.

Strata Florida has firmed for. the Melbourne Cup, as a result of his win in tne October Stakes.

Miscalculation, by St. Hippo from liquidation, has foaled a con io Explosion at Sylvia Park.

Australian papers state that Brakpan has ricked his buck. It will take some time perhaps before he is himself again if this is the case.

r« C r?£ lf 2 nn not 'Compete in the C-«*-C. Stewards’ Stakes, and Romany Queen will not start in the New Zealand Cup.

..3 lle death is reported from Australia of Jhe Carbine horse Bundook, half brother to Seahorse. Bundook was a very good performer.

Southern says that Cannongate may carry the colours of his owner, Mr J. Marshall, when next he appears in public.

r-T. he P a / me nt for the New Zealand cup will be due on the 24th Inst. I expcct from twenty to twenty-four to remain in after that date.

.J"', va ? tte . and Grey Seaton are expectl n " uclt lttnd from Hawke's Bay on and consequently will not fuliil southern spring engagements.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond’s colt. Bandmaster, the half brother to Renown, by The -Officer, is said to be the making of a useful horse.

The Otahuhu Trotting Club will issue their programme for their Spring Meeting shortly. It will be much the same as last year’s bill-of-fare.

Seahorse 11. started at 33 to 1 in the Great Ebor Handicap, in which he opened at 20 to 1. Evidently he was i.ot ready. There were seventeen runners.

It only costs 15 guineas to become a member of Tattersalts in London, according to an English authority of recent date.

Ibex and Gleaner collided at Flemington while working on the 4th iust., and Andrews, who win riding the latter, had a leg broken. Ibex was apparently none the worse for the mishap.

Formula was more favourably treated in the City Handicap than she usually is in her races, but her owner declined the contest, and has nominated her fur somo of the shorter races.

Curfew Belle, who won the Moonga Handicap at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club's spring meeting, is by Bill of Portland from Wild Rose, who won the Newmarket Handicap in 1892.

The Auckland Trotting Club have received fair nominations for their Spring Meeting. Several of the trotting races, but the pony fi.it races in particular, have titled well.

Starting price merchants laid a lot of money about Sans Peur for the Napier Stakes. Mr Friedlander’s filly did not start. A few Auckland punters backed the selected of Mr Friedlander’s, and had a fair win.

A number of Auckland riders were present at the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club and Napier Park Racing Club's Spring Meetings, but the only ones that rode winners were Buchanan, Satman and Cotton.

The fact that Sans Peur is nJt nominated for the Auckland Racing Clubs Spring Meeting is significant, but there need be no surprise thtit Keiburn has not been engaged. That colt has run so badly that he may be said to have trained right off.

Mr F. Edwards has been appointed handicapper to the Otahuhu Trotting Club, and Mr W. Absolum starter. Mr Edwards will now have all the handicapping of trotting horses in his hands, as well as of the ponies competing at Alexandra Park.

Mongonui, hafr-sister to Seahorse, showed fair form by winning the Grandstand Handicap at Napier Park, after running a dead heat in the Caledonian Handicap. Her name did not appear amongst the acceptors for the first' mentioned event.

Greatorex, a son of Carbine, owned by his breeder, the Duke of Portland, is looked upon as about the best two-year-old in England, and this colt may win the Derby next year. Let us wish that it may be so, as “Old Jack” has but one representative in the race of 1904.

Nominations for the Auckland Racing Club’s Spring Meeting are very satisfactory. With the exception of Durable, Maro and Shylock, all the horses are trained within the old provincial boundary of Auckland, and nearly all within easy distance of Ellerslie racing headquarters.

The champion galloway Minerva, at one time raced in Auckland, early in the present month, though somewhat sore and unsound, was nevertheless capable of putting up a big performance at Kensington Park, where she won the furlong handicap in Im carrying 9.lth

Orloff was, I believe, the--first horse Mr G. G. Stead has ever raced upon the Napier Park course. It was the classic event that proved the attraction. Orloff, who started favourite, had the bad luck to be left, but he would have had to run a good race to concede three stone to Kamo.

The programme of the Taka puna Jockey Club for their spring meeting has been issued. It is the same as last year, only the Cambria Handicap has been altered to four furlongs instead of live, which is a right move, taking into account the course and time of year.

Some of the finishes in the hurdle races at Napier Park were particularly fine. On the second day The Gryphon beat Master Model by a head, Eclair, who won both jumping races on the first day, being close up. This gelding later in the afternoon beat Pearlshot by the same narrow margin. Altogether the finishes were such as should have satisfied the handicapper (Mr llenrys), who adjusted the weights for the Napier Park Racing Club for the first time.

It is expected that the work of preparing the piece of ground over which the course is to run between the seven furlong barrier and the new starting place for the mile will be completed in time for the next meeting at Ellerslie, but it will not then be used, as the grass is to be given a clkance to grow, and the ground will be consolidated.

Wednesday was not a favourable day for tho measuring of ponies, and a good many owners did not have their ponies taken to Alexandra Park in consequence. About half a dozen were passed, and a few were thrown out as being over height. The official measurers of the Auckland Trotting Club will be in attendance again next Wednesday.

Air Motor is referred to in an Australian paper as a very fine mare. As a yearling the daughter of Ayr Laddie could have been purchased cheap. It a bit of bad luck Mr J. B. Williamson did not get her when he purchased her dam Windmill.

The St. Crispin colt from Keepsake by St. Leger broke a leg-during the week at Sylvia Park. This makes the second the Messrs Nathan have lost this season, for it was only a short time back that the yearling colt from Ellerslie met with an acident and died. These are instances of the occasional misfortunes of breeders.

The West Australia T.C. will celebrate its jubilee this month, when a meeting is to be held at headquarters. Fifty years ago, according to the correspondent of the “Australasian.” the leading club was a very small affair, and its meetings were of the “picnic” order. The committee has decided to entertain the old sportsmen—those associated with the club before the gold discovery—at luncheon on the course at the meeting referred to.

The vigorous action of the police authorities has considerably affected shopbetting in Adelaide, and the betting is now being done in the streets (says “Pegasus.”) There being no municipal regulation under which the police can force people to “move on," the Government will probably bring in a short bld to meet the difficulty. It is, however, by no means certain that the bill will be passed, with the probability of an early dissolution threatening.

The Australian Jockey Club Committee have approved of the alterations of the rules of racing drafted to cover the delegation of powers to stipendiary stewards. They will be submitted to a special meeting of members very shortly, which will probably be very much a matter of form, fo 1 ’ there is not likely to be any dissent. After this is accomplished the appointments will be proceeded with. viz., the selection of three stewards, each to receive £'»po. per annum for their services.

An interesting item of stud news is the birth of a colt by Cyrenian from the Cambria Park Stud Company’s Goldsbrough mare Windmill, dam of Air Motor. This reminds me that the two-year-old colt full brother, who was extremely nervous, and with whom his trainer, J. B. Williamson, has had to exercise plenty of patience, is a regular visitor to the tracks. This colt is rather shapely, and a hardy looking sort, and with ordinary luck may repay his owner and his mentor for their perseverance. Black Sand, a son of Melanion, who won the Cesarewitch Stakes on Wednesday, ran second last year to Balsarrock, a three-year-old son of Retreat or Martagori. Black Sand is evidently a stayer. H:s only win last year, however, was over a mile and a half part of rhe same course. Congratulation, who ran second, was one o' the also started in the Great Ebor Handicap, in which she was favourite. Iler position was good right up to the distance in that event, when she fell back beaten, finishing fifth. Scotty was beaten in his last gallop before leaving tor Christchurch, and did not shape over well. The horse that bear him was in receipt of a bit of weight, but so far has done nothing of moment in the way of racing. This was Geordie, who accompanied Nonette and Scotty in the Rotoiti on Thursday. Dodono, who beat Geordie in Wellington, has not raced well this season. Geurdie’s narrow margin win at Avondale last month over Marshal Soult is that colt’s only win. He is, however, on the improve. The “Spirit of the Times ” says there was a genuine panic at the Harlem, Chicago, track recently, and never was such ft wild stampede? seen on a racecourse before. Men actually trampled on each other in the betting ring in a mad effort to get out, and some of lav women in the grandstand were hysterical for a time. It all came about from the chief of detectives’ drawing his pistol while chasing a crook on the outskirts of the betting enclosure. Even with a police chief or otherwise, brandishing a revolver in such a locality might very well have been dispensed with. Old\ Sailor Boy IL. the Taranaki bred trotting pony has seen some travelling and racing, but his age and the number of his wins have not been correctly given. Recently he ran two races at the Duhbo Trotting Club’s Meeting, finishing second in each, when It was reported that be was said to be about twenty eight years old, and had won sixty seven

races in New Zeal and and elae where. Hoi sea can trot although they are old. It la about 12 years staev Sailor Boy 11. flroc trotted, and ten years in December since he won his first raw.

Referring to the entries for the V.R.C. Spring Meeting. “Poseidon” says:— After all the croakings indulged in by pessimists hs to the future outlook of racing as gauged through the number of 2-year-olds in training, or likely to be nominated for the early “juvenile” events, it Is very satisfactory to note that although below the numbers for 1901. the Mona Nurterv and Gwyn Nursery have attracted 41 and 39 entrants respectively. The slight falling off ‘s easily accounted for. as owing to the drought and the exceedingly high price of feed only the most promising of the y » i »;sters were taken up.

An Aiickbind who frequently gets good information from Australia, received :i letter by the last mail telling him to back Ohl Salt for Ihe Caulfield Cup. as that hmse had been kept for this particular event for some time. During the time the letter was In transit. Old Sait broke u leg. Fortunately for the receiver of the letter, be did nut receive it earlier, or ho would most certainly have gone down on Mr Wliitty’s gelding, who 1 nope it will not be considered levity on my part, to stfy was “a rod in pickle” for Saturday's event.

Political matters claim little attention in thia column, but two racing men Were summing up prospects of the expected contestants for a city election “at the corner” the other day, when one of them remarked that there was not a Nonette in the lot. “A Nonette.” replied the other, “why. It’s only a hack race, and it would take a lot of weight to bring the best of the bunch and the tag—rag and bob-tall together. Joe Evett couldn’t handicap them. Home would want a big allowance in Weight, and a long start as well.” Just then the conversation was interrupted by a poiice- . man, with p request to the sp irting politicians to “move on.”

Mr W. C. Whitney’s gift to the Turf, to be known as the “Beresford Trust” for the relief of unfortunate Turfites, amounts it is roughly estimated to about £lO,OOO. No greater honour than this offered to the late T.ord William Beresford’s memory can be paid to a departed sportsman. This posthumous di tinction was conft rred on two of the greatest Turf worthies of a past generation—Admiral Rous and Lord George Benthwk. The admiration felt for the Integrity anti sportsmanlike conduct pf these two great sportsmen has been translated into the establishment of the Rous Memorial Hospital at Newmarket, and numerous Rons Memorial Stakes at Ascot. Goodwood, and the head-quarters of the Turf, whilst Lord George Bentinck’s name should be daily blessed by the recipients of pensions from the Bcntinek Fund. Yorkshire Gazette.”

The ease of James Hayes, of Melbourne, versus the Tasmanian Raring <’lub, was concluded in Hobart early this month, after a four days' trial. The Chief Justice held that under Rule LSI the stewards had the power to disqualify any person guilty of any offence set out in it. One of tbe.se offences was offering a bribe to n jockey engaged in a rare, and of that offence the plaintiff. Hayes, had been found guilty by the stewards upon evidence which. In his opinion, left them no option whatever. They were bound to find as they did upon the evidence before them, ami their decision was within their Jurisdiction, and so must stand unchallenged. As far as this court was concerned, no .judge had power to interfere* with it. The stewards had found Hayes guilty of an offence which they had full power to try. Judgment would go for the defendant club, with costs.

In the correspondence columns of the London “Sportsman” appears the following letter: “Sir.—What has happened to our horses? Some years ago I used to go racing, and horses seemed able to gallop on the tint without falling head over heels and crushing their jockeys; but things seem altered now, and I seem rarely to read your racing reports without seeing that some ‘gee’ took a roll. 1 confess I raced entirely in the pre-Ameri-can jockey days, when such contemptible amateurs as Archer, Wood. Watts. Fordham. Cannon. Webb, and others used to deceive us into thinking they could go a bit, and I have never seen tiie real, tiptop Ameri’an swells of die profession, in their performances; so, of course, my opinion must be valueless, but it seems to me, as an old hunting man, that the forward seat, except in the teeth of a gale, is useless, and is probably dangerous as lessening control over a horse. Can this be the meaning of the repeated falls on the flat? And can any of your readers supply the average of falls to mounts in the lust five .years and the pi .-ling live years? I the return might be interesting?” We frequently hear Hie parsons In the colonies slating the sporting people, sayw 0 Sydney writer, especially those parUal xlo raring. That the Church receives material benefit from racing is n fact well km wn, and Hie following paragraph from an English exchange furnishes an instance;—“Mr James Sutton, the honorary secretary and treasurer of th.- Yarmouth Race Meeting, has just issued the balance

sheet !■ connection with Inst year’s race meeting. from which we gather that several Yarmouth churches and a number of charitable institutions have again received very substantial pecuniary aid. The total Income for the two days was £3511 2/3, wh*ch left a balance, after payment of expenses, of about £I7OO. Out of this sum four local churches have received £Bl, the hospital £502 2/6, a training home for girls and the building fund of the new Mission to Seamen Church £25 each, and several other societies »and Institutions £lO 10/ each. In this way, during recent years, the Yarmouth Meeting has been Instrumental In benefiting churches and charities to the tune of many hundreds of pounds."

Orloff was unlucky in missing the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. He was interfered with, but finished faster than Golden Vein and Porlrua. Mr Stead has furnished a number of favourites for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, and has sent quite a number of good horses to compete for the event that have suffered defeat; Indeed has been a most consistent supporter of the race since Maxim won tn 1887. Scots Grey was second to Tirailleur in 1389. Medallion was a strong favourite, and ridden by the late W. Clifford /ailed to gain a place in St. Andrew’s year. In Clanranald’s year he was unrepresented, though he sold the winner to Mr H. Lunn. Stepniak was second favourite in 1892, when St. Hippo won. In 1895 the outsider Quiltirl beat Bloodshot; and next year Day Star beat Uniform. Multiform in 1897 accounted for the race. In 1898 Altair was third. In 1900 Renown beat Formosan, and last year Menschikoff won. Altogether Mr Stead has been well represented in the race. Sir George Clifford has not sent horses to compete so often, but has frequently sent horses to represent him, and his win on the last occasion was a popular one.

Looking back at old racing times once more (says “Bondi”), all who know anything of the English Turf of former days will remember that one of the devout jockeys of old was Jem Snowden, who in one year steered the winner of the Derby, Two Thousand, and St. Leger. Unfortunately, however, poor Jem, like many another great and good man. used to "bend his arm” so often that it affected his head most disastrously, and our readers may remember the tale I once told concerning the day Jem w T ent to mount his horse for a big race at Newmarket and round the brute was so tricky that his trainer had a pair of winkers on him. Poor Jem was so “tanked” that when he got a "leg up” from a friend he fell clean over on the other side of the horse altogether, but previous to that Jem. seeing the winkers, exclaimed: "Hello, lad! This wunna do at all. A blind jockey and a blind horse’ll never see where they’re goin*. Take them things off, an’ give th’ norse a chance to see anyway.” A new bridle had to be found, and “blind” and ail as Snowden was, he won his race cleverly.

Another Snowden story tells of the time he went to ride a horse for the late Harry Bragg, a well known Newcastle bookmaker. Jem had the usual trouble in scrambling into the saddle, for he had been “on the pot” all the morning, but Bragg felt confident, and backed his horse to win him a very big stake. When the horses went out, Bragg adjourned to the stand to watch the flutter, after telling Snowden not to give his mount the whip at all. as the horse would be sure to stop dead at the first cut. As the field thundered into the straight, led by Snowden, however, Bragg was horrified on seeing Jem’s whip go up in the air. All the same Snowden again secured a clever win, but after he had weighed in Bragg went over and said: “Jemmy, old man. what were you about with your whip as you came up the straight? You gave me a devil of a fright by using it there.” “Whip be d d!” said Snowden. “That was my balancin’ pole, and I was doin' Blondin with -it. Why, I nearly tumbled off at th’ turn, and w’ould have dune it only for th’ whip.” I don’t think Snowden ever fell, although always in a state of chronic “corn,” but he was a half-bred Gipsy, and had the luck of the Romany rovers with him.

Messrs L. D. and N. A. Nathan as breeders believe in encouraging the classic races, but it is quite evident that they have nothing in training just now up to classic form. Grey Seaton is a rare shaped horse, and may make a fair little handicap candidate, but is not up to Derby weight. Lavalette has failed to run up to expectations, though he may do better later on, while Northumberland has been unlucky with one of his feet, which got pricked and caused him to be retarded in his training, so that it will be some time before he will be seen at his best, and Lavaliere, the full sister to Nonette, is not displaying any grelt bri liancy just now. The loss by fire of tv ? beautiful fillies, in daughters of Roi and Miss Rose, left the brothers wltho t anything to represent them in two-y< tr-old contests, Onewa having grown too big to race early. Beddington has r. »t been doing anything of late, and I: >sella, the evergreen, continues to do pleasing work, and is still the pride of the stable. In some of her ways she ia a peculiar mare. To see her of a morning being ridden by a light boy. using his hands and heels persuasively, in order to keep her cantering. reminds me of the way Carbine used to act. He took a great lot of kicking along in slow work. Rosella acts just in the same w£y, until she has done one circuit of the course, and then she goes to the opposite extreme, for she takes hold of the bit and wants to go, and if •he does not get her own way at once, bounds In the air and fights for her head. Rosella the first round, and Rosella the second time round, is a different mare altogether.

"Javelin” has been running the “Pepper and Sait * column of the “Leader” for seven years. A five, much-quoted column it Is too. One of the latest items from his pen reads: Eight of the ten riders in the second race at Moonee Valley on Saturday experienced a bit of luck. They would all have been fined for being late at the post but for the fact of the starter not arriving himself in time to report any of the other delinquents! It was after time before either the starter or any of the horses left the enclosure. Two of the riders had the bad luck to arrive even later than the late starter, who promptly made up for lost time by fining those two for being later than himself at the post These hunt clubs ought to make a little more effort to keep faith with the racing public, on whom they appear to depend for the support of their favourite and economically enjoyed sport! Another from the same source: The ringman who got all the money about Simile for the Caulfield Cup fell in heavily. It is not the first time that an adventurous metallician has had a similar experience. During the early winter of 1889 a then prominent -bookmaker, since deceased, took all the money he could obtain about “the two Dreadnoughfe” for the Derby and-Cup. The colt's owner, Mr James \\ uite, upset the little scheme for filtering out the double money to the public at a profit by not entering Dreadnought for the Cup. The Hon. Jas. White used to bet heavily himself, and liked to get the cream of the market. An Auckland backer lost £45 over Simile on information received.

Writing on October 4, the Editor of the ‘(Australasian” had the "following on the decline of ante-post betting:—The spring campaign opens in Victoria to-day under very different circumstances from those which prevailed a few years back. We are within a fortnight of the Caulfield Cup, and still there is no settled market on the race. There is some betting going on. if course, but most of it is done by telegram or letter, or on the quiet. Fifteen years ago there would have keen a good attendance at the Victorian Club every night at this time of the year, and betting would have been going on briskly. Last week Simile was unexpectedly scratched for both Cups without any stir being caused by the announcement. And yet Simile was first favourite for the Caulfield Cup. Probably the money taken about him was not for anyone connected with the stable, and it is more than probable that there was not the slightest justification for the backing of the horse, but he was backed for a few thousands by venturesome speculators, and this wa* s enough to make him favourite, How different from the time when several months before the race First XV ater was backed to win the Melbourne Cup for at least £50,000 without altering his price. The increase in the number o£ meetings j rebably accounts in a measure for the lack of betting before the day, out also backers have no inducement to come m early now. The case of Simile proves this. Simile was a rank failure in Ensland. He was sold for 100 guineas to KO to Australia, and althougn notoriously hard to train, the investment of a little money on his behalf sent Simile to u o 1 for a race like the Caulfield Cud

I took a run out as far as me port of Onehunga on Thursday to see A ooet.e. Scotty and Geoniie shipped for the South, and caught the train by wmch Air Stead was a passenger, and had an opportunity of asking the Southern visitor about the Yaldhurst horses. Mr Stead uaa been to Rotorua for a fortnight, suffering from rheumatism, and was returning a little better for his trip. He was despite his absence from- home, well posted in the doings of his horses, and I inferred from his conversation that Orloff had been unfortunate in missing the Hawke’s Bay Guineas through being galloped upon. The reports to hand confirm this view. Mr Stead does not look upon Siege Gun as a first ciass colt by any means, and while I told him that quotations from the South showed tnat he was a stronger favourite than ever, and had received support at 5 to 1 there, he stated that the following the colt nad was not justified by form. The weight was certainly a consideration as compared with Monette’s impost, both colts being of the same age. He recognised that the Auckland-owned colt had been set a very severe task, and was not confident about his own. Conversation turned upon previous Cup events, and I referred to a report that appeared in the •‘Australasian” on the death of Lochiel to the effect that the bookmakers who took liberties with Lochiel when he won the New Zealand Cup were unaware that Mr Stead and his friends had all their money. To this Mr Stead replied that he did not have a shilling aj»ut Lochiel. The only time that he had felt confident at flag fall about winning the race since Lochiel won fifteen years ago. was when Scots Grey was beaten by a horse a little better than himself ' in Tirailleur. He had not fancied any others that he had started, though the public made such as Epaulet and Skobeieff favourites. Altair and San Ilario were a pair whose chances In their respective years he did fancy, but both were unfortunate near to the day and had to be withdrawn. He was surprised to hear that there was a probability of Sans Pear not going South, and he bad hoped the C.J.C. Meeting would attract more horses from Auckland. Romany Queen wounot be raced in the New Zealand Cup. At her best she was only moderate, and anything fair would beat her in the Oaks. Mr Stead is never a sanguine man, and his judgment is less likely to be at fault on that account. If Siege Gun wins I infer that no records will be broken. As for Nonette, he will be reckoned a marvel should be win and put up a time performance under 9.9. His owner la very sanguine, and bls trainer and

rldnr are full of hope. F. Macmanemin has never trained a better, and M. Ryan has ridden a horse like Megaphone, and might not place Nonette second to that horse if asked to declare for one. Tortulla and Glenaladale are reported to be doing well, and, as may be from recent form, so are a number of others engaged, and the prospects of a good race look really excellent. There are yet three weeks to the day, and much Interest will be taken in the doings of the horses from now forward. Siege Gun and Nonette are the favourites still, Siege Gun being to-day most in favour in Auckland.

The victory of Lieutenant Bill in the Caulfield Cup came in the nature of a surprise in Auckland, as indeed elsewhere, for the son of Pilgrim’s Progress and Rin gar oom a was. not mentioned In the betting quotations cabled to New Zealand, and none of his performances last season indicated that he would be class enough to win such a race, though he waw certainly one of the first horses supported. At two years old he was plaqed second on two occasions, twice third, and once unplaced at country meetings. At three years old, after running unplaced in three races last autumn, he finished second in a six furlong race at Sandown, Victoria, and at both Aspendale and Corowa, two suburban meetings, won the six furlong races, finishing up the season at the V.R.C. April meeting by winning the High Weight Welter, one mile, carrying Bst, in L43Js, beating Mairv, 8-11. Speculation, 9.6, and others. This was really his only performance over a mile, and it would seem that staying is one of his qualifications, though the performance was not looked upon as anything. Lieutenant Bill is a four year old gelding and 7.7 was the impost he carried. He was engaged in the Toorak Handicap, in which race he finished sixth. By his win. he incurs a penalty of 101 b in the Melbourne Cup, which brings his weight .to 8.2 for that event. He was trained by his owner, Mr D. Harris. An Australian paper to hand, recording the Caulfield gallop on Tuesday, the 14th, says that Lieutenant Bill went steadily, but it was rumoured that he had put up an attractive gallop on the previous evening, when regular watchers were absent. The Admiral’s five year old son, Flagship, who ran second, was one of the fancied division, and on his best form, indeed on his running in June last, when he won the V.R.C. Birthday Cup, with 8.12, which was nib more than he carried on Saturday, he looked to have a good chance. Mr Maitland had assessed him at 8.1 in the Caulfield, but Mr Dakin gave him 8.5 in the Melbourne Cup. He will thus meet the winner on 51b better terms in the Melbourne Cup. Last year he finished third, 6.7. in the Caulfield Cup to Hvmettus, 8.12, and Wakeful, 9.0, the race being run in 2.25|. This year it took 2.36, a big performance, seeing that “the weather was cloudy and showery, with a heavy atmosphere.” Vanity Fair, who ran third, is a five year old daughter of Pilgrim’s Progress, and carried the same weight as her relative, the winner. This mare has shown the possession of lots of pace, and her best previous displays were running a mile, carrying 7.0, and winning the Farewell Handicap at Epsom. Victoria, in 1.41 i. and carrying 9.7 into third place behind Air Moior,- 8.3, and Glenore, 11.2, at the Australian Jockey Club’s autumn meeting in the Third Welter Handicap, run in 1.41?. Vanity Vair. like Flagship, received support locally, but there were a number that found backers as well. Felicitous, another daughter of Pilgrim's Progress, being an eleventh hour medium of speculation. This mare ran seventh, but another by the same sire in Progredior ran fourth.

The retirement of Mr Arthur Coventry from the position of official starter to the English Jockey Club is thus referred to by an exchange, the writer prefacing his remarks by stating that the turf as an institution will be a loser: “The situation is ever one of strain and stress, making the . heaviest demandsl upon nerve and good temper. A gentleman by birth and a gentleman by nature, Mr Coventry may sometimes have made the mistake of allowing his kindly disposition to be abused. Mr Coventry became starter In

the spring of 1890, an< ilia erubeequent career ie one which may be regarded with satisfaction both by himself and the public. In olden timee horses were despatched by the etar ter uttering the word •Go!’ If he were dissatisfied with the start he had to recall the field in the Lest way he could. It was regarded as a .♦Humph of invention when Mr Lock wood, the progenitor of the late Sir Frank Lockwood, had a flag hoisted at a crossroad to notify ‘no start.’ The juggling, chicanery, and sharp practices arising from the old system were endless. Horses were sent to the post with the sole intention of making false starts in order to Irritate other particular animals, who were frequently ‘left’ when the signal was given. It would be easy to multiply ins ances where the Derby, Oaks and St. Leger have been tampered with and ruined In this way. Lord George Bentinck was responsible for the double flag system, by wliich, when the starter dropped the red flag, signifying that the horses were really off, a man in front with a white flag dropped that as a ratification to the jockeys. The predecessor of Mr Coventry—who is a cousin of that indomitable veteran sportsman and hard rider, the Earl of Coventry—was Lord Marcus Beresford, who relinquished the post in order to manage the Royal Stud. It seems likely that any future starter will be a practical race-rider. Country meetings with second-rate and inefficient star-

ters often produced the most deplorable results. The jockeys were invariably ready 9 to take advantage of the ‘innocent’ holding the flag, and it was no uncommon thing to see a field move off with laterally a hundred yarebi between the first and last. To diagnose the form exhibited on such occasions would have -puzzled the greatest handicapper who ever breathed. Starters have to suffer the indignity of ‘objections?- by dissatisfied owners.' It is within the province of the stewards of a meeting to order a race to be run .again after a flagrantly bad start, and£hat has been often done. A judge, on the other hand, though nc<iinally open to having his decisions questioned, is practically sure of his verdict being accepted. The decision of a judge has been objected to more than once, but without avail. In ancient times there were two men in the box, and it frequently happened ’ that they were unable to agree upon the winner. Races were subject to much finer issues in those days, and ‘Won by a nose’ was the judicial decree in several instances. Mr Coventry has enjoyed the distinction of wearing the present King s colours on the racecourse So far back as 1874 he made his debut in the saddle at Oroxton Park, and scored his earliest* victory at Worcester on a horse named Baby three months later. As a steeplechase rider he shone to high advantage. In 1879 he won that ‘moveable* event, the National Hunt Steeplechase, over a course at Derby. Since he became official starter iris opportunities of public riding have been necessarily fewer, though he has taken a ‘ ’busman’s holiday’ by appearing in the old-fashioned stakes, open to gentlemen jockeys, at Stockbridge, Lewes, Croxton Park, and the Bibury Club. The retiring starter is forty years of age. and is a famil rr figure at dramatic premieres. He will go down in turf history as the official during whose reign the starting-gate became a permanency.”