TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 17 February 1906, Page 19

TURF NOTES.

Answers to Correspondents. Wager. —- Auckland Trotting Cup: Rebel •Boy. Specialist. Rushlight. Croat Northern Trotting Handicap: Specialist The -Moorer. 'Ballot; L.T. Takaroa won his first race, the I’ttpiiki Handicap, on the second day < Wednesday. May 24th) of the Takapuua Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting. Maniapoto has been scratched for the Newmarket Handicap. Frank Dodd has proved untrainable, and has been returned io his owner. ‘ The New Zealand hurdler Tcnakoe (‘ate Tupara) has been purchased by Mr E. Kelly. Loch .Erne has resumed work again at Elkrslie. lie is still an inmate of C. Weal’s stable. The two year old Prince Roy has gone amiss, and' has been returned to his owner. He will probably be broken to harness. Weights for the South Auckland Racing Chib’s Annual Meeting are due next Friday. the 16th ir.st. Tattorsali’s f’hih have given up their old quarters, and expect to be comfortably installed in their new rooms at a very eariy date. The hard going is beginning to tell «ts talc on a number of horses nt Eih rslie, and a large contingent are regular visitors to the salt water. Mr W. Lyons did not take long to tiro of his new steeplechase**. The Swimmer, and be disposed of him during the week to Mr J. Beckett, a brother pencil lor. Provided he gets anything like a reasonable weight, there is every probability of Master Delava! being taken to Wanganui tv compete hi the Wanganui Cup. AVaipa, the half sister to Leona tor, by St. Hippo, was tried over the small fences at Ellerslie yesterday morning and shaped in a promising manner. in steering Takaro to victory in the Borough Handicap last Saturday. A. Parratnora. who is an apprentice uf G. YV right’s. scored his first winning ride. Annette is still Icing led about the roads. 3 he daughter of Sou it seems to have made a good recovery, and walks apparently quite sound. * The Waihi Jockey Club’s Annual Meet Ing is pow fixed for April 7th As the Club’s con ••sc is at piesent not tit to race on, permission has- h»en granted - to race at Mr 11. 11. Ilayr, secretary of the Avondale Jockey Chib, is amongst the passengers on the Ngapuhi. which’ left last week for her annual summer cruise of 11m Northern coast. I he gelding Bacchus changed hands week, bring purchased by Mr T. Ward for Wigs. Ward has now lametta. Fortification, ami Bacchus under nis charge to tour the country meetings. JJ° ra K* ,ail h‘ft for Gisborne yesterday ‘ t Tooiu « ,, ’s mare Bouomimia. Mora* gnan is usually very successful at Gisborne, and probably he wilt succeed in picking up a race or two on tiiis occasion. Although not officially notified. I have It •n very gcxsl authority that there is a •irong probability of the Auckland Racing Club wiping pony events oft’ their programmes. The rain which has fallen during the past couple of days has had a most bcuiefica! •ffeet on the tpgj-ks at Ellerslie, which, •wing to the continued dry weather, were getting very hard amt dusty.

Our Napier correspondent wires that Mr Watt’s horses Melodeon. Si.arshwt. Boomerang ami Merriwai were shipped from there on Saturday to Haxvera to fulfil their engagements at the Egmont Raving Chib’s Summer Meeting. By the Rarawa on Sunday Lady Annie, Khama, Dear Dolly. Jewellery. Lovelink, Vexation. Le Beau. Polycast ♦*, and 'l’he I.ark were shipped South to fulfil their eugageincuts at the Egmont Raving Club’s Summer Meeting. A foot-race for £5O a-side. over a distance of 50yds. has been arranged between J. Beckett,the well known penviller. and an ex-member <f the Amateur Athletic Club. The match will be decided in about a mouth's time. A cable has been received stating that the offer of a retainer of £5OO a year which was received by the Christchurch horseman. F. D. Jones, was made on account of Major Edwa-nls" stable. Jones leaves for England on Saturday. Messrs A. Buckland ami Sons offered a Humber of blood stock al their yards on Friday, when the following were disposed of: Br g Cuiraguo. by Cuiraxsier Lady Agnes, lOOgs. Mr VV. Foss; ami a yearling brown colt by Hotchkiss -First Love, 10gs, Mr B. Armitage. A lot of money was Inv sted o;i Mahutonga In Auckland in th? Summer Handicap on the opening day of the Gisborne Racing Club’s meeting. Mahutonga could only run second to Heroism, his supporters losing 11/on every pound invested. The following local horses appear amopgst the nominations for the Wanganui Racing Club’s summer meet ing:—Apologue. Master Deiaval. Ironmould, i.-aiidlock. Gladstone, Putty. Jewellery' Lady Annie, Polycaste, Khama. The Lurk, Discoverer, Dear Dolly, and Aqua Regia. Mr (’. O’Connor let for Gisborne last week to perform starting duties at the Gisborne Racing Club’s meeting, which commences to-morrow. After officiating at Gisborne, Mr O’l’onnnr is engaged at th* Egmont Racing Club’s m •eting the following week. The full programme of the. Rotorua Jockey Club’s annual meeting appears in another portion of this' issue. Nominations, which r.ut he made cither with the secretary. Rotorua, or Messrs H. 11. Ilayr ami Co.. Auckland, close ou Friday next, the Oth inst , at I) p.m. King Pau! is the latest aspirant for jumping honours. Ho was given a turn over the small sticks .at Ellerslie yesterday morning, and although he did not shape brilliantly, still his display was good enough to encourage his trainer to go on with him at the illegitimate game. Leolantis was the most successful sire at the recent Takapuna meeting, with four winning representatives; Seaton Delavai. Pastor, and Souit had three each; Cyrenian two; ami Freedom. Phoebus. Apollo, The Workman. Sabretache, Tasman, St. Leger, L'ebcl, Nestor’, and Eton, one each. A meeting of the North Island Uors?owners’ Association was held at the Me’r > IKditan Hotel yesterday after o n. Jfier the proposed objects of th? association w?re read and discussed, a resolution was passed rhat ’the horseowr.ers of Auckland appreciate the excellent objects of rss ciition and acquiesce in their adoption. At a meeting, of the New Zealand Tn t ting Association held in <’hristchurch last Wednesday, the disqualification- by-South-land Racing Club of If. S. Hunter (own°r». W. Keniimly (riden. and the horse R‘ngwood for 12 mouths was confirmed. W. G. Rae. of Drury, was for life i.t connection with the mare Dolly, alias Otara. The following weights have been d dared by Mr Henrys’for the Woodville Cup: Nonet te Ropa S.lO, Let her! n 5.5, Rosea I 8.5, Melodeon 5.5, Boomerang 8.5. Douche 8.2, W’fiitc Ribbon 7.11. Jolly Friar 7.7, Barra 6J2. Capuk t 6.11, Lovelink G.l”, Cyrano 6.10, Hoity-Toity 6.7. The Messrs Nathan have disposed of the Rtullloh Explosion to Mr A. \Valker. of Feilding. Mr W'alker had the hors* und‘*r lease last season, and-as fie met with good support in the district, he evidently de in ed it advisable to secure possession of him right out. The price paid for the horse did not transpire. M. Balzan. one of the best amateur riders in France last year, was an officer In the army, hut being of opinion that his prospects <«f advancement were not bright, resigned i»f.» rommifslon and joined the ranks of the profesMionai h***kt*y<4. iimong whom lie is holding his own.

John Rue was not lack very long from Western Australia before getting into harness agair. am: during th** week Mr W. Lyons’ horses. Lady Creasy The Swimmer, anil Kilderkin were placed in his charge. The trio wil probably have for Syduev shortly, :n»d it is «juito ui» the 4a that Rae will take then. oxer. It is a long tine* since a b*.dy of stewards have been so remiss in th ir duties as th? Takapuna body at their recent meeting. 'l’he reversals of form throughout the gathering were numerous, but in only one instance - that of Kanaiia in the Hurdle* Race—d!«l Ho govci nlftg body deem the matter worthy ef inquiry We take the f t’/owing from the “Wo: hl” —“The Irish steeplechaser, lt:vk Watch, haa now eight races i:i succession, thlast being at Leicester a few days ago. It is said that an offer was made to purchase him 0:1 U** Majesty, hut as his owner af!:e«l five thousand guineas for him nothing came <>f it.” The New market (England) salts, xvhich were concluded last month, were a great success, blood stock to the va!u<- of IdlMttlS gs being disposed of. Among the highest figures reacl’.etl were 4560 gs for Roquebrune (in foal t‘» Sainfoin), who goes to Belgium; •”<Wgs for Grand Prix (10 years old); and 2500 gs for La Sagesse (14 years). Koqircbrune is 12 years eld. Lord Rosebery’.-* Derby xviuner. Cicero, is seldom brought 0:1 to the Hcatl: at New market for exercise purposes now. ID* is described as being a playful and high spirited animal, and is kept to Is.rd Durham’s private field, xvhert* along with Neyland. lie Is given trotting and cantering exercise. He is thickening out, and doing well up to the present. There is not a great deal of racing in Holland, ai:d the standard of the coiupet:n,, i high. M. F. Bultmann. with 22.365 florins.- bends the register of winning owners. It is rather interesting to note the number of old English racei:<»rses that have si’bred over there Stargazer (who heads the list, with 5720 florins). Limpsfield Lassie. Twin Cherry, Halluchiatioit. au.d Cherry Park. A meeting of horseoxvtiers was held in Wellington last week, when a lot of business was get through. It was decided to ••all meetings in the various ventres, and a meeting will be, held in Auckland at an early dale. For tie* present the proceedings are nut available to the Press, but pro bably when the nssociafioti is on n sound footing the objects uf the association wilt be mad • public. The foil programme of the W.iiukii Racing Club’s itituual in. cling, which is fixed for March 10. appears in another portion of this issue. 'I he ••lob are giving away in stakes the sum of £1:h». th» ptiacipal event IrHng too Waiukti Cup «»f .’’.Usovs. Nomination close with the secretary, Mr J. T. McNamara, at Waiuku. 0:1 Saturday. 24t It February, and the weights arc due ou or about March 3rd. Tl:e secretary ef t’.i» Horseowncrs’ Association’ s tat is the objecs of the A;s ci t tfon have stimulated owners ii other centres to combine arid unito eo that all matters’connected w th racing chai! ii C o future be brought direct before the iiors*owners. • It-is expected that the largest mee:ing of horseoxvners ever lit 11 in New Z »aland will take place at th.? Rut Lind. Wan ganui. on the Ist of Mirch. when the As social ion will elect its officers. M. F. Erugiraiiii. the gciiHenian who hTs been such an assiduous purchaser of bloodstock al Newismrket this week, again tops tue list of winning owners in Belgium, his representatives having carried off races of the value of 372.226 francs. 12JJ75 francs won at Maisons-Laffit tv. making his aggregate for the year 385.201 francs. 'I h recon! includes Mr T. Southwell, the Bit mingham sportsman, who is credited with 9.501 francs won at Oster.de. 'l’he Papai.ura Racing Cbb are out with the programme for their annual meeting, which is fixed to take place on Saturday. March 10th. The pii’icipal events are the? Papaknra Cup of 40sovs at: I the Railway Handicap 255» vs. One noticeable feature <f the programme is that the Pony Race has been struck out ami a Trot substituted. The added money totals £135. Nomina Ijoiis close next Friday, the Itii h hist., nt, 9 p.m.. with the 'secretary. Mr F. D. Yonge. John Gsburm*. the veteran jockey, thinks George Fordham the best jockey he ever rode against, not excepting Fred. Archer.* and that, thoroughbred raciJg cattle of the present day are not up to those of the past, either in bone or stamina. He bcHevcs that horses should be treated kird ly, and not ••rncly punished, after the st vic of Archer, to squeeze the last ounce out of them. AXihougli thousands of racers have passed tlnf ugh bis hands, he has never once been •‘savaged.’’ The late meeting of the Otauialea Racing Chib proved a sm , < , »*ss in every way. The stake money was double tlie amount as given I he prevl<»us year. When all nionevs are fs»||e<*4ed ami a<*<‘ounts paid there will he a ■‘redit balance of ElOpr more. It has lieen decided to hold I lie Annual meting on March 10, notice of which wilt be advertised in .1

few days. Messrs G. f’oafen and II M. Metcalfe have stand their hit *ut:on of retiring from the committee and will m»t seek re-elect ’.on. In referring to telegraph c<»mmiiiiicali »a on rn<‘oeour>vs. a gentleman, speaking a? the North Island 11« rseowivi s’ Ass ci itiua meeting, said: “An owner who is cumpclicS to employ his own money as Hi? rating chibs dictate cm Im» notliinu iimre or less tiian a bond servant.” ami sf»eak:»ig ftir tifer saiy the majoiitv <1 the otlaids <n our lacing Hubs are not h«.r<r« wm r-% : s a rule, and they did not seem t » him to study the owners’ welfare. They no rely paid their annual subscriptions, xvliivh entitled them to pariici|.:ite ia the many privi , .?g«-’t which are denied to the Iv.rseowncr ” <’. Weal head- Hi - list of winning train ors at ih'? recent T:ik.ipun:i meeting. wi;‘.< four winners; R. Ilaniam hid three; It. Hall. R. McMikcn. ami K. llcnlvii two each: and Hughes. P. t’onway. |». Moraghan. F. Macmancniiii. J. B. Williamson. W. Smith. <’. (\»lem:nt. J. Thorpe, J. Gainsford, W. Tuzer. and Mr \V. Ring 0:10 each. 11. Gray was tin* most sitvccssrul horst-ms", with three winitig rides; <‘r-s>. B. Deelev, M. Rvau. A. Erivsoii. W. Wilson, and R* Hall had two va.-h; an I 11. Kelly. E. Grown. B. Towers. P. Brady. J. McGregor, J. Sceats. 11. Sparkes, A. Paramorc, and J. Pinker, one each. 'l’he usual monthly inerting of the A R.C. committer was held <»:i Thursday. Th .- Waitd Jcckey Cub’s date of meeting was altered from March 31 to April 7. permission being given to held the meeting al Farion. Tl:r following programmes were passed: Raglan Racing Club, !’»•*»: t:ary 21; Waioeka Raving <*hih. March 13; Mauku Racing Club, Mr.rvh 15; Northern Wairoa Racing Club. March 17; Ohineinuii Jvckcjr Chib. March 17 and If); Waipa Raring Club. March 28 (su.bjcrt to certain amendments in the programme: Whangarci Racing Club. Apiil 26. A train, r’s license was granted, to 11. J. I. Rae and apprentices’ licenses to J. 11. J. Percival and E. C. l?ae. Word from the South states that the startiug prh-e merchants tin re arc giving up doing business on Auckland p'»ny races, ami are also seriously considering wiping the Takapuua n::d Avondale meetings off their list. As regards the former. 110 one will be at all surprised at I lit ir act ion in Hie light of recent, events, and how matters have been alJoxvcd to g.» on the way they have for so long is wonderful. OF course, start lug-price betting is illegal, mid It i« hardly likely the clubs will, be displeased that in future all invest muni s on these races will have t > be made through the totall satur; but sli:! it retbits anything bui credit 011 the inznagcment of the local racing Hub v/hen Ihe ‘.»’*st intlm: l ion they reci iv ? of matters being arranged beforehand it when bookmakers refuse to do htisinescs. It has now been finally decided t.» hold 1 meeting if hersrowners in connection with the I lors'*owners’ AssoHm tiuiu ant! .-tn advertisement hi our r.uvertising columns will be’ found calling :i meeting for Friday r.-ext at 3 p.m.. at the Metropoiitan Hotel. Aithougii nt present the objects of th? Association are not mad? public, from a reliable* source 1 gatiier that a couple of the proposals arc as follows To promote the introduction of a rule into raring that the behaviour and riding of jockeys sluih* ho treated with great**r t*.rm:|*ss thar. hitherto;..to take steps to curuii! ami limit the number of tutalisator permits now being granted, and to secure Ihr refusal ' bf permits to any progranim? having uh it any race below the value of Siisovs. There is also some talk of going into the quc.stio t i f telegraphic camniuiiientlcn oh th.* courses, but 011 t his que.si ion I have nr* dell niu? informal ion. As regards i.jo two fo. mor clauses, if l!ir Association vif.-ivl. it. getting these passed, they 'wi i be tToing racing a lot of good. Mr. J. It. Norris wilt s me as f t| »v s 'l’lu* following j:re particulars con. erning th publication of the new trotting stud b w»k 'l’he first portion of the book is c>nipos?d of the particulars of imported mil stnn i ar<’bred stallions and irarcs, their b:et*<l ing ami progeny. The second put inrlud 5 all the colonial bred mures, and th ir • r » geny, containing trotting credenti'ls th-’ have been traced. With this w< 1 k will l»published the extended pedigrees of sic well known Imrsvs as Blackxvco I Atd’l’.ab. Berlin, Irvington, an I many oilier no Lin • stallions, both locally ami American bu» There will also be a table of New Zoaiat. rccoiuls to date, and the definition of t. - American standards. This edition of th Now Zealand Trotting Stud Book will »>.• ply a most valuable means of refer™ whereby the back lines of br.rod mates a sires, both colonial bred find impoitcd, <c:» be traced to their fountain heads. As o ' a limite«l number of copies <»f Hie Si: Book will b.» piiidislwd, it would b? ::<l»2able for all those desirous of ob'.tini ; copies to make early application. The English bedstead w.ts a forniidtib affair in the old days, and a good story 1told of little Biily Fierce, the famous ligh w?igbt jockey, xvh > thought there was 1 • woman in the world like bis good wife (xxb could puli down her end of the sraies wi • her Billy and list of d«*ad weight in 1 lithe;), and no raceho.-sv like on.-. Borodi; > which he often rode to victory, (hie nigh Billy went over to dine ami sleep at !. house of his best patron, a Mi- Joliff. an I

hearing a u«»!se in Billy c bedroom about 2 a in., the hunt went in and found a queer little ligur • in a long nightgrown that trailed on the floor for yards behind him. while the wearer vainly tried to •■limb up into the great towerlug wooden bed, which Hilly swore wax mere like a grandstand on a ravi-uurse than a bed. ’What’s all the trouble about. Billy?” asked Mr •b»!iff. ••Oh,” replied Billy, "my wife put up one of h« r six furlong nightdresses for me by mistake, as a half a furlong one does for me. and you've* got su h deo-rdly high bed»t**ads here I'm hanged 1 ran ”*‘ f this uh. Give me a leg up, please! This was done with as much solemnity as though ihe L-ger bril was ringing, and when Billy was linked in safe and snug, lie said: "Mr Jo! iff. you're been very kind to me. s«s by way of making a sootable return i ll put you up to two dead certain-ties-but. mind, they gors no further—my wife is the l»e.st woman i:i the world, ami Borodino** the b st horse. ‘Good night, sir!’ ” The case of Dueble. the rider of Pierre in the Kangitoto Steeplechase last week, when h” was cautioned by the stewards for continuing in the race after his mount refused a fem e, has a parallel in England, as according to "Rapier,” the popular writer of tin* London "Dramatic News,” the question has cropped up in England over a hor.*“ named Koliaw. who refused to jump n fence in a steeplechase. According to the London s.-ribc. the rider sent him repeatedly at the fence, he won hl not have it. and the jockey waited till the other two luid been round the course, and came to the jump a second time. Was he justified, or ought he to have taken the horse back when he found that he could not get it over? One opinion was to the effect that a jockey so placed ought to have gone back. His chance was destroyed, it was urged, and he had no business to be blocking up the course. Supposing the rider had another go at tile obstacle just as the two again approached it? Kolia u would, in all likelihood, have refused again, anti, bad examples being contagious, upset the others, perhaps inducing them to refuse also. But as was argued on the other aide, his chance was not absolutely destroyed. It was possible that, he would get over if the others gave him a lead, and that in the mile ami a half which remained to be covered, both ihes“ might run out, fall, or refuse, so that he might catch them up as they had caught him, and then win after all? This last view seems to me sound. Races ami games are continually lost because riders and players give up too soon. A notable case in point occurred not long since. Mr George Lambton had linefeed his mare. Bellona, both ways for the. big hurdle race at Croydon, and was going so badly a mile from home that he felt temped to pul! up. It occurred to him. however, that he had better stick to it; something might fall, or get knocked over, and so enable him to struggle into third place; and so. persevering hard, he gradually overhauled the third, passed the second. and. the leader tiring and swerving, Bellona got up and won by a head. An English exchange says: —Only the first eight winning sires in the list for the past season have more than £19.000 to their credit, and, as mentioned last week, Isinglass and Gallinule, both by Isonomy. are first and second, the first two plates thus being filled by horses of the Oxford line of Birdcatcher. Third, fifth, sixth and seventh places have been wn bv horses of Blacklock descent, fourth place bv a horse of the Bend Or. Doncaster. Stockwell line of Birdcatcher, and eighth place by a direct descendant of Newminster. this being Ladas, who is the only representative of Touchstone b’ood who lias run into five figures. The four Bia. blocks arc St. Simon and three of his sons St. Erusquin, Persimmon, and Florizel 11.. to wit and the Stockwell horse Is Cyllene: but if w<* go a little low. r down another Stockwell horse Flying Fox is in ninth place, two more Rla.-klocks Desmond and St. Serf are numbered ten and eleven, while Ayrshire, vho. like Ladas, is of the line of Touchtdonr. is in twelfth place. Between the first and the twelfth sire there is a difference of some £16.000. Isinglass having won over £24,0X» and Ayrshire over i’siHKi; and. if we analyse the breeding, or, rather, the descent, of the leading twelve, we fin<! that Blaeklock is rhe winner, exactly half of the first dozen being of that line, while four come from Birdcatcher and two from Touchstone. As regards figures. Blaeklock is also in the ascendant, the six horses descended from him having won £82,5u1. against £7:‘.4X5 secured by the Birdcatchers and £IS.9S2 credited to the two Touchstones. From this it may be argued tliat the Blaeklo. ks, though they have been beaten for first place during last season and that of lIMH. ci re still imbmd with great vitality, ami are quite likely to go to the top again at any moment. During the past season St. Frusquin has been the most successful representative of the family, ami it is a curious fa. t in connection with this horse that he held a very low place until the beginning of October; but since then he lias <*onie to the front by leaps and bounds* and so fast were his sons ami .laughters scoring during the last few weeks of the heasmi that he would probably have been In first place had he nad a little longer time, \ writer in "The Field" pens the foiiow<mg Interesting article: The question as to whether there is or is not too much racing has again cropped up. and on this point mulling was said by any of the speakers at the Gimcrack Club dinner, though it had In some quarters been expe.qed that opinions of weight wopld have been forthcoming. The fact is that during the Inst ihirty years the conditions of racing hav* been entirely changed. Previous to the advent of the gate-money Jnclosure some few lessens of racecourses doubtless made some money by their meetings, but a great bulk •f the fixture* barely paid their way, and

dozens of little country meetings wer * only maintained by sending the cap round. Local magnates, members of Parliament, railway companies .after they came into existence, and very often the licensed victuallers of the district were al- expected to subs«-rib •, and a conisderabie sum was thus raised. The stands and Im-loeures on the nxir-’-’ made further contribution, but the crowd on the rails paid nothing, though carriages were generally charged fur standing room. At Newmarket the Jockey Club managed their own business, and always cent rived to make both ends meet: hut no individual of the club was ever a halfpenny the richer, whatever the revenues of the might be. At Ascot the money received was always spent oa the racing, and. in fact, befor- the invlosurc came in there was little attempt to make money out of the holding of races. Indeed, it is almost certain that the feeling of those in authority was that it was unsportsmanlike for individuals to profit largely by racing, except by winning money with their horses. Then came the inclosures, ami since then the old meetings have dropped away, and there are all over the country people who hold shares in race companies, and who in most eases receive big dividends. They may or may not lie racing folk: they may. indeed, never go near a raceniurs" or spend a penny on racing; but. still, if they hold shares in a lucrative race company, they are making money out of sport without having earned it in any professional capacity. That is the present state of affairs as regards a huge majority of the existing racecourses. and how certain racing men are clamouring that racing is being overdone, that the fixture list is far too crowded, and that, as a natural result, all sorts of almost worthless screws are kept In training. It is further argued, too. that the thoroughbred is deteriorating, and that this deterioration is in a great meaiiro due to the fact that there is still too mu-h two-year-old racing. The two subjects—alleged plethora of racing, and deterioration of the thoroughbred—are so much involved that they may in some degree be treated together: but. dealing with the excessive number of meetings first, it is suggested that there is so much competition among the race companies that some meetings are run at a loss, the idea being that successful meetings will pay for the bad ones, and that under no circumstances would it be policy to do away with any fixture for which a date has been obtained, as that would be practically admitting that the particular fixture did not pay. In this connection we are w of course, writing very broadly, merely repeating the remarks of rhe man in the street, and we have no real knowledge as to wn< -.her any particular meeting has ever failed to pay its expenses. But it is quite a common opinion amongst pe<»pl« who go racing that at some of the inc!osiir*s the good meetings pay for the bad ones, and, if this is so, it merely shows that the first object of each race company is to obtain as many fixtures as possible—fixtures being absolutely the h°st advertisement a race meeting could have. What, however, is not problematical is that racing at the inclosed courses is carried on chiefly in the interests of shareholders, and that the money prizes offered are in many cases nothing like so high as they ought to be. The owner has to race far too much for his own money, and the shareholder, who may never go near a racecourse, receives the divitl-nd which should go to the winning owner, who bears the expense of breeding, rearing, and training. And it is ridiculous to assort that, because there are fewer <-entres of racing than there used to be, there is loss racing. Little country meetings generally had two days a year, while the inelosures generally have over a dozen. There are. on the other hand, far more horses bred and trained than than was formerly the ease, and those who think that racing is not. being overdone have a strong argument in the matter of supply and demand. They contend, rightly enough from their point of view, that as long as there are horses to ke«-p such meetings as there are going, no one has a right to complain that there is too much racing. Those who hold the other opinion assert that it is not for the good of the Turf to maintain such a low standard in the thoroughbred as now exists in the bottom class of racehorses, ami that, if the meetings were fewer in number, the standard would bp quickly raised. It is. of course, natural that with so much racing even I he worst of s<lling platers can b-» placed to win occasionally, and this to a great extent proves the assertion of Mr Beddington ami others, who maintain that better horses and bettor sport would be forthcoming if there were fewer meetings. If the fixture list was greatly cut down, tin* lowest class of racehorse, "the horrible crocks with tubes in their throats, and bandages on <me or all of their legs,” would have no i hance of earning a living on th" Turf, and would be sent to join the ranks' of *ab horses much sooner than they now are. Tiie plating ‘dass would, indeed, gradually ris°. But fewer meetings would in no way affect the bri'cding part of the question, and the one really indisputable'fact about the mo«iern racehorse is that only two or three in ( very hundred are really good. Year after year some half dozen or so stand out, and the rank and file are of little value, and thus it would seem that deterioration -ilf it really exists, is chiefly a question for breeders to solve. That less two-year-old racing would help to make things better we have always thought, and we are also of opinion that the distance of the average race is too short, and that speed is far more catered for than stamina. In Frame two-year-o’ds do not race before August, and long distance racing is held in far higher consideration than it Is in this cofintry. and the result Is that the average French racehorse, as a rub*, stays better and lasts longer than the English horse, and we are under the impression that, allowing for the tat that far fewer are bred, there are more fair class hordes in France cv*ry year than there are in England. The French people only began to race in comparatively recent times, ami they began, of course, with English horses, and have constantly been

buyers of fresh supplies. They have employyed English jockeys and English trainers’ ami founded their styl* of raring on ours: but for at least a quarter of a cen ■ tury French racing has been roiHliictrtl on lines of great cwiinmon sense, whereas we hav • drifted away from the old days of groat stayers to a plethora of plating and l«» endhss meetings, at which a really good horse is rarely seen. That the fixture list is too large we are much inelin *<i to think; but what is chiefly wanted is further restriction as to the running of two-year-olds and an increase in the distance of races. Sprint races run at top spe**d are not half so pretty to watch as longer races, and, if the former were decreased and the latter increased in value, owners and trainers would qirn kly discover that their horses could stay. It is excessive speed over a short course which is at present far too much encouraged, and we should like to see a two-niile rac«* in every programme, and not more than one race a day of less than a mile, except for two-year olds. And we quite agree with Mr Beddington that the date of two-year-old racing might w* Il be postponed until the Ascot week <"xcept in selling plate of £BM>). aud should also like to see the value of all two-year-old races cut down. Something has been done in thi; direction of late years, but even now a twe-year-old can win a stake of aliout £4o(K> in July, and this, we think, is quite ridiculous. We think that r) is emnigh for a youngster to win before August, and that £!’>'>> should he the limit value of any two-year-old race after August. This would cause owners to <.»• •• :heir backward youngsters, and would steady the hands of public breeders in the matter cf forcing, and, if som*? such rostrietroDs wore adopted, the tale of costly failures would in ail probability be nothing like so large as it is. + + ♦