TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 3, 22 July 1905, Page 20

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. After a work of wet weather, the rain cleared away on Thursday, and yesterday was bright and springlike. The temperature right through the week has been unusually warm for this time of the year, am! unless a marked change takes place, we shall have an early spring. Trainers, however. would be grat dul for a spell of dry weather, even at the expense of heavy frosts. The roads are now a sea of mud, ami the tracks at Riecarton are not much better. We art' now within a month of the Grand National Meeting, and some of the local candidates are in need of more than a month’s fast work. Riecarton has been very quiet during the week, and is not likely to become really busy until the Wellington contingent returns, and brings with it the first of tin? North Island visitors. What with our delegates to the Racing Conference, our trainers and jockeys with business at the meeting, and a large body of unattached pleasure seekers, we have this year sent an unusually large contingent to Wellington. Convoy continues to make a slow recovery, but it can hardly be expected that he can be got ready to do himself justice at the Gram I National Meeting. The weights for the Grand National Steeplechase. Grand National Hurdle Race, and Winter Cup will be due on Monday. Mr IT. Friedlander has sold two more of bis brood mares, Alumini, by Patron — Agate, ami Tapuwai, by Seaton Delava 1 — Waitoniata. The former is in foal to Pilgrim’s Progress, am! the latter Io Finland. Golden Vein’s brother, Golden Cairn, has again joined Putts’ team. After showing promise as a youngster, he went amiss in front, ami had to he tired. His legs now loo!: sound. I'. Jones, who has ridden successfully for Mr Stead, ami who was associated with some of Gladsome's vjetories in this colony, has conelmlid a six years" apprenticeship with R. J. Mrtson. Mr <O't’onifor his been appointed starter to the South Canterbury Jockey Club, and Mr Heirrys has been reappointed hamiie.'ippri’ to the same body. Mr 11. Goodman has sold the Workman gelding Apprentice to Mr W. Phelan, of Dunedin. The Castor Bangle horse Regiment is for sale In Dunedin. (By Telegraph. Special to “Graphic.”) CIIRISTCIH R( TI, Monday. The hitmlicaps for the principal events to l><» decided at the Canterbury Joekey Club's Grand National Meding mad,e their appearance <m Monday (to-day), on which date tlM’.v were due. Those for the Winter Cup mid Grand National Hurdle Race are most flattering. In neither race has Mr Henry had to begin higher than at 11.0. Exmnor. who heads the list in the Winter Cup, has carried his weight, but Pallns,

who follows in company with Convoy, might surely have been let off with a leu pounds less. Neither Regulation nor Giioorka appear to me to be badly treated. Shrapnel Shell, by his recent victories, lias fully earned the 10.12 that is against his name. If he goes to the post dressed in his best. Red Gauntlet will make u sorry exhibition of most of his opponents, and Golden Vein. Savoury, Golden Knight, Tirole, and Fontenoy all stand out as likely to prove dangerous. It has long been apparent that the colony’s hurdle racers are a poor lot, and nothing has tendered more to expose their mediocrity than the appearance of two untried horses at the head of the handicap for the Grand National Steeplechase if Romeo is as smart over hurdles as he’is on the fiat, he should take a good deal of beating, but Convoy can hardly be ready to do himself justice i>y the middle of next month. 1 like The Mohican the best of the tried division, but Handsome Rose is bound to run well, and if Cavalry can he induced to put his best foot foremost, and Waiwera to reproduce his form of a couple of years ago, they will bent more than beat them. Regulation has only to jump correctly to run prominently, and Exmoor is very well treated in contrast to the two top weights. If Durable has learned to jump well, ho will be worth watching. Kiat ere has fully earned his position at the head of the handicap for the Grand National Steeplechase. In view of his later performances, he is not harshly treated with 12.5. In spite of his victory last year, Slow Tom is a disappointing animal. He seldom runs two .aces alive, and he is just as likely to fall as to stand up. Moreover, his prepanAion has been interrupted, and although he is now working regularly, some people profess to think that he is lame. Pliaetonitis is bound to be improved by his race at Wellington, and to make considerable progress between now and next mouth. Haydn I have a great respect for. and, as recent winners, Nadador and Nor’west are both entitled to respect. Waitnrere may be expected to improve as he becomes more seasoned. I should not be surprised if he won another Grand National for Prosser. Old Pipi, if himself, must not be overlooked, and Defoe may be worth a modest investment, but I cannot say that I have a particular liking for any of those further down on the list. The weather has cleared again, and looks settled. Local farmers would welcome a spell of bright weather. Owing to the wet state of the tracks, and the absence of a number of horses in Wellington. Riecarton is still very quiet. Slow Tom did a useful gallop on Saturday morning. Taggart declares that the son of St. Ives is perfectly sound, but certain shrewd judges assert that he Is slightly lame behind. Until Monday, Convoy had not been out of a walk, but ho is now allowed to do trotting exercise, preparatory to resuming steady work. He has naturally built up on his enforced idleness. Secret Society and Noxious Weed were schooled over the hurdles one day last week. The former fenced clumsily gn.d fell, but Noxious Weed gave a capital exhibition. Mr Stead’s team is booked to leave for Sydney on Friday week. Mason was on the course on Monday with Nightfall. Golden Knight. Savoury, Sungod. Noctuiforni, Isolt. Porcelain, ami Munjeet. All did steady work except Porcelain and Savoury, who covered half a mile at three quarter speed. F. Jones has resumed his engagement with the Yaldhurst stable. He will still play second fiddle to Hewitt, but not quite so. much as in the past. A three year old filly by Stepniak —Firecross, rhe property of Mr J. C. W. Grigg, has joined Hobbs team. Glenowlet has thrown a curb, and has been given a mild blistering. It is not expected that she will be idle for more than a few days. The following business has been done during the week: Grand National Steeplechase ami Grand National Hurdle Race—7<N) to 2 against Slow Tom and Magnificent, 500 to 5 against Comfort and Rungarawa, 500 to 2 against Nor’west and Bagpipes. 500 to A against Lurcher and Taxpayer, 400 tn 3 against Kiatere and Tupara, 400 to 2 against Haydn and Outer. 200 to 3 against Waitnrere and Trumpery. 200 to 2 against Kiatere and Regulation. 200 to 2 against Haydn and Regulation. 200 to 1 against Wnitarere and Outer. 1300 to 32 against Phavtonitis and Trumpery, llOu to 4 against Manazona and Won-

derful, 1000 to 2 against Manazona Golden Comb, 10UO to 1 against Nar<*tssug and Wee McGregor, 900 to 3 against lunifkiilen and Rungarawa, 800 ru 4 against Kintere and Outer, Si a) to 2 against Mans* zona and W.titarere, 700 to 4 against Wat tarere and Convoy, 700 to 2 against Doroe and Levant, 600 to 12 against Pbaatonitis and Romeo, 1)00 to 8 against I lay da and Trumpery. 600 to 3 against Slow Tom and Magnificent. 7o*t to 2 against Innlskille* and Lady Hnne. 600 to 2 against Tupara and Convoy. 500 to 1«» against Kiatere and Trumpery, 500 to 6 against Kiatere and Cavalry, _soo to 5 against Waitan re and Tupara, 500 to 2 against Creusot amt Huku, 5(Xi to 1 against. Manazona and Cavalry.

N.Z. RACING CONFERENCE.

WEI. LIN GT ON, Thu rsd a y

flic Now Zealand Racing Conference z’iY lUM , 1 sittings to-day. The chairman (Sir <»eo. Clifford), in the course of his address, acknowledged the services of the Hon. E. Mitchelson and Messrs Alison, O. Samuel, and I lorries, amongst others, as judges on various appeals submitted during the year.

In submitting the annual report the chairman said that most of the clubs had during the year shown a healthy rivalry in making provision for good sport while there was no deterioration in the class of horses attracted. There was a great laxity on the part of some clubs in issuing jockeys’ licenses, anil there were no loss than 162 jockeys licensed who had less than six mounts during the season, and of these 56 did not ride at all. while 40 unlicensed jockeys rode unchallenged. The accident fund was stated to have stood the strain of increased demands made upon its funds. Allegations of a bunts on the turf were persistently and recklessly made by anonymous slanderers, and occasionally by ill-nformed or prejudiced men in responsible positions, but these charges were mainly the outcome of imaginative ignorance, but nevertheless it was Hie duty of the Conference to correct whatever abuses that arose and try to render corrupt practices too difficult and dangerous to be attempted with impunity. In this (connection he urged the Conference to consider whether the ownership of horses by bookmakers was consistent, and whether it assisted towards the maintenace of public confidence in the sport. . Correspondence was received from the Australian Jockey Club and the joeke.l clubs of South Africa, agreeing to reciprocate with the New Zealand Conference as rcgai ds disqualifications. • The Conference proceeded to the consideration of a new draft of rules. The motion relating to the monthly publication of the official calendar, which was brought forward by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, was withdrawn «>u the chairman stating that he would make inquiries with the view of having the calendar made available for sale at a suitable time. There was some discussion on t lie question whether the conference could terminate the present arrangement for the publication of the official calendar by resolution of the present conference, or whether it would be necessary to bring forward such a resolution as a notice of motion at the next conference. In answer to Mr Ilerries and Mr Samuel, the chairman said he thought that notice of motion would have to be given, seeing that the present arrangement was a longstanding one.

A motion moved by Mr Ormond. “To detach Poverty Bay from the Hawke's Bay district, and to form it into a separate metropolitan district,’’ was lost, as was also a similar motion in regard to dividing the Otago district into two districts. The argument against these motions was that it was desirable to reduce rather than to increase the number of metropolitan districts. The feeling of the conference, however, for the reason stated, was against the proposal. The following motion was moved by Mr Mcßae (Taranaki), **That rule 2 be struck out and the following substituted, ‘Each metropolitan club small appoint a visiting steward, who shall attend all race meetings held within its district, and shall report upon such meetings to his metropolitan club. The visiting steward may demand that the stewards of any Hub at whose meeting he is officially present shall take evidence on any case or cases he may think fit. and when requested shall give his advice to the stewards of the club, but shall have no vote at stewards’ meetings. At the end of each season he shall report to the metropolitan Hub upon the conduct of all riders

and trainers, licensed by or applying for licenses from his club, lie shall be paid by each club whose meeting be attends at the rate of 1J per cent, of the stakes with a minimum of £7 10/ and a maximum of £ls per day's racing.’ ” After a brief discussion this motion was lust. It was resolved, on the motion of the Hawke’s Bay (’Tub, “That rule 3 be struck out ami the following substituted, ‘Two-year-olds shall not run prior to October 1 in any race exceeding four furlongs, nor prior to December 1 in any race exceeding live furlongs, nor prior to March 1 in any race exceeding six furlongs, nor either before or after that date in any handicap for which a horse over three years old is eligible.’ ” It was resolved that the rules he numbered consecutively, and not as sent out. A proposal thut unpaid entries and acceptance fees should not be collected through the unpaid forfeit list was negatived. Considerable discussion took place on the motion to give the country club representatives the same voting power at the conference as the metropolitan club representatives. The motion was negatived. It was agreed that the maximum number of race meetings held by any club in one season shall be four, instead of live as at present. Motions to increase the stakes which horses eligible to compete in hack events may win before being debarred from such events were withdrawn in some cases ami negatived in others. The rule, therefore, remains unaltered. It was agreed that the minimum topweight of Ost In handicaps should not apply to two-ytar-old events, and that the penalty for employing an unlicensed trainer should be compulsory instead of optional. The following new rule relating to licensed jockeys was carried on the voices:— “No jockey’s license shall bo granted to any person under the age of 21 years unless he be in regular employment of a racehorse owner or licensed trainer, or who has not riihien in 20 races in the previous year or is In employment of a licensed trainer.’’ WE LLING TON. Friday. The Racing Conference continued its sittings today. On the motion of Mr Samuel, rule 15, part 30. was amended to provide that commission from totalisator investments should go to the club instead of to the race fund. Rule 17 was amended to provide that in the event of a race being ordered to be run again the totalisator be closed so far as the first attempt was concerned, and may be reopened on the second attempt. It was decided that disqualifications have immediate effect, but, if not approved by the Metropolitan Club within 14 days, shall cease to have effect until approved. It was resolved that the date of receipt of notification by the secretary of the Racing Conference that moneys owing on unpaid forfeit list have been paid shall be the date of the removal of disqualification. The rules of racing as amended come into operation on August 1. WELLI NGTON, Thursday. RACING BOOKMAKER-OWNERS. Sir George Clifford, president of the Rao fug Conference, in the course of his opening speech to-day. speaking on the question of the purity of sport, said: “In this connection I would again urge upon this Conference to consider whether the ownership of racehorses by bookmakers is consistent with the maintenance of public confidence in the sport. It is useless to quote the integrity of individual bookmakers. As a body they have complex interests opposed to those of other horseowners, and of the general public. Even apart from ownership they are. as a speculating medium, lew desirable than the totalisator, which offers no inducement to excess, and which canot fail to meet its engagements, and which has ho power to mislead and no motive for deception, but if the proprietor of the totalisator owned racehorses (from which he is debarred by our rules) his position would be manifestly unfair and intolerable to his clients. Why. then, permit bookmakers who. in these days are practically layers of less liberal totalisator odds, to play two parts, the combination of which must give tempting opportunities for fraud, and must expose them in any case to ser-

lous suspicion, and also must tend to produce occasional scandals? Surely, tlr’s is a direction in which we should set our house In order.” © © © DERBY DAY. SCENES ON THE ENGLISH DOWNS. LONDON. June 2. How many colonial visitors were at the Derby this year there is no means of knowing, but you may be sure they attended in strong force. The famous race meeting on the Epsom Downs is a magnet which draws a multitude representing every portion of a world-wide empire. After.all, then? is but one Derby. As a race, as a spectacle, as an historic institution, it is unique. No other racecourse in the world offers such an astonishing study in contrasts as Epsom on Derby Day. Almost everything connected with the scene might be expressed in superlatives. You see there the greatest of all horse races and the largest of all race crowds. You see the highest in the land and the lowest, the richest and the poorest, the gayest frocks and the foulest rags, the prettiest faces and the worst collection of evil-looking blackguards that ever mustered out of gaol. You see one of the fairest landscapes that even fair Surrey can show in the spring of the year made hideous witli Haring placards and gaudy booths, malodorous tents of sackcloth and filthy canvas, and all the litter, untidiness, and disorder that a motley swarm , of humanit y can effect in the course of a day. Just over the way, in the grandstand and the saddling paddock, are royalty, wealth, fashion, and beauty, in decorous and luxurious ease; but these are not the elements which give the keynote to the surroundings. The crowd on the central hill dominates the picture, and untidiness and squalor are the features of the seething mass that first arrest attention. The beauty of the rolling Downs, and the glorious summer sky overhead, olend strangely with the human element. “Where every prospect pleases, and’’—well, we need not go to Ceylon’s isle for the rest of the quotation. The colonial visitor finds much that Is novel in the scene. Epsom, for one thing, is a free course, open without payment io all and sundry. That is why the undesirable element, the riff-raff that lives on the fringe of the Turf, can assemble in such numbers without let or hindrance.- There is a curiously haphazard, casual, go-as-you-please air about the whole vast concourse that cannot fail to impress the newcomer. The stands, again, will strike him as singularly inadequate ’or a meeting of such magnitude. The accommodation is poor and rhe structures are Insignificant and unsightly. But the features of all others which attracts the stranger's eye Is the famous hill on the inside of the track. Here is to be seen the extraordinary concourse that has made “Derby Day” a household phrase. It is Bunyan’s Vanity Fair brought up to date. The scene has altered* greatly in externals since Frith painted it in 1856, but the essential elements remain unchanged. Half the crowd is still relieved of its cash by the other half. The days of thimblerigging.. prick-in-the-garter, and the threecard trick may bo over, but the fool and his money are not the less easily parted. The sharper who is headed off in one direction soon finds another, and the game goes merrily on. And tlie seem* is still rich in contrasts and in incident. Vehicles of every possible description- coaches, ’buses, brakes, motor cars, traps, cabs, costercarts are drawn up in seemingly inextricable confusion. Booths, tents, shooting galleries, cocoanut-shies, side-shows, block the way at every turn. Tipsters and bookmakers raise their hideous placards all <»v< r the hill, and rend the air with their raucous cries. Clowns crack their sorry jokes, and-acrobats go through their feats on hustings perilously insecure. Preachers. Bible In hand, mingle? with the garish crowd, and leering showmen, brazen-faced, brazen tongued, invite a gaping audience to come inside and see “pictures from real life,” or “a strange lady” with a minimum of clothes. Evil-looking ragamuffins bang round the coaches and wolfish ly devour the fragments thrown to them, as to so many dogs, by the picnickers inside. Beggars hold out horrid stumps of limbs, and cringe before the visitor with whining voice and dirty upturned palm. Wrecks of humanity, lost In drunken stupor, lie scattered about

the grass like fallen Raves. Now and then the men in blue march off a struggling pickpocket or a quarrelsome “drunk.’’ And everywhere streams the perspiring, noisy, jeering, laughing, swcail.-rg. struggling rabble. Everywhere there is beer, and perhaps a little fighting, and a vast deal of clamour, heat, ami general discomfort. They call it. satirically, “the Fun of the Fair.” The medley, the noise, the confusion, ami the smells, are indescribable. Especially the smells. It is a relief to turn from the study of mankind in the mass ami admire the symmetry and grace of the candidates for the Derby. Jardy, the French horse, leads the parade, and gains a round of applause as ho prances down the course, the orange jacket of his i filer showing vividly against the dense black background of the crowd. Jardy is supposed to be more or less an invalid—he has a cough, they say. But the uninitiated would not know that anything was wrong with the graceful, spirited creature as he gallops down the track. And now all eyes turn to the favourite, Cicero. with D. Maher up. in the primrose and rose colours of Laid Rosebery, lie is the hottest of hot favourites, this handsome, unconcerned-looking chestnut. Tin* bookmakers are taking, not giving, odds about him. The crowd opine that Syscero las they call him) is bound to win—ami when tlx* crowd agree their unanimity, as Disraeli remarked, is wonderful. And now all is ready, and the gate is up for the race of the day. Away go the field, galloping round the crest of the hill on the far side of the course. The glasses can pick out the moving figures, but for the mass of the crowd there is little to see until tin? last corner is turned, ami the field in a bunch (‘liters tin* live furlong straight. The orange colours of Liao are ii tin? lead, the favouiite running third, ami Jardy. who had gone early to the front, now lying fifth. Four hundred yards from home the real tussle begins, (’leero has shot ahead, but Jardy. the coiigher. sails after him in hot pursuit, and amidst tin* ’-oar of a hundred thousand voices these two fight it out. The result is an old story now. The unexpected didn’t happen. Gaine fight though the Fieneh horst* made of it. the Blue Riband of the Turf is still on this side of Hie Channel, ami “Cicero’s Derby'’ has passed into history. Nor is it by any means the least memorable in tin* annals of this classic contest. From start to winning post, a mile ami a half away, flu* favourite’s time was 2ni 39 3-ss—anil that is the fastest Derby ever run. 1 have b*ft myself little space wherein to deal with the rest of the racing at Epsom; ami imledc, with the exception of the Coronation Cup and Un* Oaks, which is being decided as I write, there arc no other races of .sufficient importance to demand attention. The Coronation Cup was mainly remarkable for a particularly brilliant performance by Major Eustace Loder’s great filly Pretty Polly. In the Cup race, which is run over the Derby course, the flying daughter of Gallinnle ami Admit at ion, who was making her first aDp-?arance this year, was opposed by her old antagonist, tilt* five-year-old Zinfandel, ami .Lardy’s stable companion. Cains, both of whom were called upon to present Pretty Polly with Gibs., her weight being 9st. The bookmakers were generous in accepting 9 to 4 that the mare did not win, for she looked lit as a fiddle. .-Ind on book form Zinfandel had no earthly chance of beating Polly at the weights if all was well with her. Cains was more or less an unknown quantity, but appaiently his connection were confident that he could go fast enough and stay long enough to beat the English pair. Jumping off at a pace that became a “real cracker” ere a furlong had been covered, flu* Frenchman led th;.? opposition along at a tremendous “bat” till a miarter of a mile from home. Hereabout r. Zt'ifandel moment, irily took the lead, but the next moment Pretty Polly passed him like a Hash, and going on won in a canter by thico lengths from Lord Howard de ’Walden’s horst*. Cains being beaten into third place, a long six lengths away from Zinfandel. Pretty T/o’ly’s victory was won in as handsome a fashion as one could wish to sec. but ft was when the time-keepers came to look at their watches that Hie mare’s performance caused them to open their eyes in amazement. She had covered the full Derby course in 2.33 4-5. thus boating Cicero’s time by no Ips sthan 5 3-ss.

This was Pretty Polly’s seventeenth successive vlctoiy in the Old Country, and only once has she suffered defeat, viz . last year in France, when she suceuiu’..*d to I’resto 11. in the Prix du Const!!.