TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 3, 20 January 1909, Page 61

TURF NOTES.

The ex-Auckland po&y Herculean has been shipped to Sydney. Mr. C. O’Connor has been appointed Starter for the Wanganui J.C. cup meeting. The Soult marc Silent has changed hands, but still remains in D. Bannatyne s charge. Mr Murphy’s ponies Quadroon and Octoroon are both now under W. Tozer’s charge at Ellerslie. Wellington writers appear to have doubts about Husbandman being a starter in the .Wellington Cup. Mr. C. O’Connor has. been appointed to nc*t as a starter at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s autumn meeting. R. J. Mason left Armlet at Trentham, and and returned there to superintend her preparation for the Wellington meeting. The Auckland-owned gelding Cachuea has been taken in hand again by F. McGrath, after a somewhat lengthy spell. Mr John Corlett sees no reason why F. Wootton should not develop into a Fred. Archer. The cross-country mare Nadader will go into work again shortly, wrrh a view to racing at the winter meetings. G. Absolum has treated Santa Rosa and Carl Rosa to a dose of physic, and the pair .will be indulged in a short spell. The totalizator investments in South Australia last year amounted to £353.726, as compared with £240,370 in 1907. All the Auckland horses nominated for the Wellington Racing Club's summer meeting have been allowed to drop out of their engagements. Mr. T. H. Lowry has not accepted. with either Bobrikoff or Downfall in the Wellington Cup, but has left in Chanteuse, which lias only 7st. to carry. All Red is stated to be a certain starter, all going well, for the Wellington Cup. and ■after the race he may be taken to Australia. Mr C. O’Connor has loft for the Smith to fulfil the starting duties at the forthcoming Wellington Racing Club’s B ummer m ee t i n g. W. G. Irwin received ar addition to his team recently, in the shape of a gelding by Regel from a Traducer mare, which looks a likely-looking sort. The two-year-old Elegance, which h is b?en enjoying a short spell, has resumed work again at Ellerslie. She is still under D. Bannatyne’s care. Nominations for all events at the Otahuhu Trotting Chib’s summer meeting close with the secretary (Mr. F. D. Yonge) on Friday next, 'the 22nd inst., at 9 p.m. Penates has been engaged in the Newmarket Handicap, ami also in the Caulfield Futurity Stakes, the late entry in which entails an expenditure of sOzoyz. The leading N.Z. jockeys so far this Beason are:—R. Hatch 40 wins. C. Jenkins 25, B. Deeley 25, A. OHiver 22. J. Buchanan 20, E. Lowe 18, and S. Reid 16. The St. Cyr gelding Mtdcyr. whi-'h won the hurdle race on the second day of the Whangaiel meeting, was the biggest outsider of the field, and paid a big dividend. The Grafton horse Grenade is reported to be showing proficiency in his schooling work, and good judges predict a successful career for him over the small fences. Acceptances for all events on tJw* opening day of the Taknpuna J.CJ. summer meeting close with the secretary (Mr. R. Wynyard; On Friday next, the 22nd last., at p p.m.

No time was lost by Mr F. I!. Ross in claiming a name for the Soult — Lady Musket colt, bought nt the recent Gienora Park sale, and the title bestowed upon him is King Soult.

Golden Slipper is said to be doing useful work at Rand wick. Some of the touts are inclined to regard this co t.y filly as a trifle sore, but Finn says that is merely her action in her slow paces. £30.286 was passed through the totalizator at the one-day meeting of the Germiston (Transvaal) Racing Chib’s November Meeting, in addition co which twenty bookmakers were licensed to bet.

The Wellington Cup is run for on Wednesday next, the 20th inst. The time record for the race is 2.33, which was registered by Ropa when he won the first Cup run for on the new course at Trentham in 1906.

Bantock, who ran third In this year’s Viceroy’s Cup, is a New Zealand-bred horse, by Cyrenian from Hiuemoa. He never raced in the Dominion, but was tried unsuccessfully on the other side, and then sold to go to India. The Bluelight — Seamstress ge’ding. owned by J. Muir, is now an inmate of W. Gall’s stable. The name of Knottingley, which was claimed for the gelding has been disallowed, and a fresh name will have to be secured. Four well-known horses were submitted to auction in Dunedin last week, but only one of their number, in Steplink, changed hands, his figure being £25. Grosvenor, Moudjik, and Rubelete did not reach the reserve placed on them. W. Mobberley has taken up Loch Fyne again, after a spell of several months. The Great Northern Steeplechase winner looks big and well after his rest. Mobberley has also made a stait with Aqua Fortis, while Marangai has also joined his team. The Wellington Racing Club have decided to strictly enforce the Rules of Racing as affecting disqualified persons, at their forthcoming meeting, and those who rental e to put in an appearance at Trentham can rely upon getting shoot shrift. Mr H. R. McKenzie lost the English-bred colt, by Ilackensehmidt — Merry Nif. last week. The colt, which was disposed of at the recent Glenora Park sale, was being shifted to Mangere when ho succumbed on the road. The price paid for Metry Nif’s son was 60gs. Two owners were “chipping” each ether at Ellerslie xecently. Said one: “Your stable is full of screws and you know it.” “That is where I am better off than you,” was the triumphant repty <.n trie other. “Yours is full of screws and you don’t know’ it.” Mr. J. B. Harcourt, president of the Wellington Racing Club, who returned from a trip to England recently, did not forget 'that institution w’hile abroad. He brought back with him a splendid IGOoz silver cup of unique design for presentation to the club. The St. Leger gelding Scotty, which met with an injury during the ruhning of the last. C.J.C. National Hurdle Race, and which for some time was in a bad way, has made a wonderful recovery, and has resumed work again at Ellerslie. The veteran looks to have taken a new lease of life. The Auckland horseman B. Deeley has been engaged to ride Moloch in the Wellington Cup and Mon Ami in the Telegraph Handicap at the Wellington Meeting. Au effort w r as also made to secure Deeley s services for Chanteuse in the Wellington Cup, but he h<d previously engaged to ride Moloch. The winning riders and drivers at the recent A.T.C. Summer Meeting weie: -- W. Orange (4), W. A. Scott (3). 11. I lendriksen (3), E. Crotty (2), H. Gladding (2), A. Hamilton (2). and L. Wilson, W. Perrin, p. Brady, R. Millen. J. T. Paul, A. McMillan, W. J. Greenwood, and G. Herbert one each. At the recent mooting of the Wellington Pony and Galloway Club the stewards were not satisfied with the manner in whith one of the candidates in the Pony Cup traveled ifi the betting, and the jockey retained by the Club was substituted for the owner’s rider. The pony eventually ran second. The stipendiary steward movement is gaining ground in the most unexpected quarters. The Calcutta Turf Club, one of the most exclusive racing institutions, has appointed a paid steward. We have paid judges, handicappers, starters; what conclusive argument can possibly be adduced against paid stewards? The bay mare by Cuirassier Queen Anne; Gianny, by Cuirassier Anita; and St. Olga, by St. Leger Satanollii, purchased at the recent salps by Mr J, Burton, of Sydney, were shipped to Sydney last week by the ns. Victoria. The two-year-old Etna was also shipped by the same steamer. The crack South Australian sprinler Lord Carlyon recently won n five-furlong race wit.k 11.3 In the saddle, cutting out the distance in lai In 1 4-ssecs. It is said that if n match was arranged between Lord Car lyom and SoultHne over lifllf-a-milp there would be heaps of support forthcoming for the former, some of whose track gallops are quite exceptional-

Once again the statviucot fs made tliat, in view of the American invasion of Turf men which extends to France as well as to England, the French Jockey Club has, hh a self-protective measure, decided to grant licenses only to those Americans who have resided for three consecutive years in France. The Intervention of the 5 mari.cn i Embassy Is to be solicited. D. Morughun has made an early start with the handling of the Soult -- Roiuola youngster purchased at the re ent Glennr.i Park sale, and he was on the course nt Ellers:le the other morning with the gear on. Romolu’s son. which was undoubtedly one of the bargains of the sale, looks a sensible sort, and appeared to take kindly to bis education. Messrs Weinberg are the leading winners In Germany this sea son. with the Royal Graditz Stud second and Baron Oppenheim third. K. Day, sou of F. W. Day, who only took over the control of the Royal Stud la-»t winter, has made a great success, for the sum won by his horses, nearly £3O.<MK>, is the biggest ever secured by the Gradltz stud in a single season. Mr G. F. Moore'e pair, Signor and Carissima, were shipped to Sydney last week by the Moeraki, in charge of their trainer, J. Hay. The horses, which will be ridden in their Australian engagements by R. Cameron, are to be trained at Caulfield, and will race at the outside meetings In Victoria pi lor to making an appearance at Flemington. In connection with the stipendiary stewards in West Australia, a statement was recently published that the goldfields clubs favoured a return to the honorary steward system. The secretary of the Boulder club has informed the Pi ess that h’s club, in conjunction with the other goldfields clubs, have always been, and still are. •strongly in favour of the system of stiI>eudiary stewards. The purchase of bloodstock was ever a lottery, but Mr C. A. Hartley, a well known patron of racing, has doubtless achieved a record. On Sunday last he bought a fouryea r-old mare out of an Oaks winner for a penny, which is a record for a thoroughbred, and hopes to win races with her. This gentleman gave only ten shillings for Punch, who won a lot of small races, and •it will be interesting to see if the cheaply acquired mare does win. With 19 horses still left in the Wellington Cup, there seems every probability of an interesting race resulting. The defection of Bobrikoff will rob the ev’en'c of some interest, but the meeting of All Red and Husbandman shou'd be worth going a long way to see. In addition to the big race, the acceptances for the other events are large, and altogether the southern club look like having a record gathering. A number of jockeys and horses had lined up for the start of a steeplechase, but a delay occurred because a tall, rawboned beast obstinately refused to yield to ’the importunities of the starter. The patience of that worthy was nearly exhausted. “Bring up that horse!” he shouted; “bring him up! You’ll get. into trouble pretty soon if you don’t!” The rider of the stupid animal, a youthful Irishman, yelled back: ”1 can’t help -it! This here’s been a cab horse, and he won’t start till the door shuts, an’ I ain’t go't no door!” The wc’i-known West Australian owner. Mr P. A. Conolly, had to run the gauntlet of an inquiry into the running of one of his horses, Huibrac. at. the recent Perth meeting. The explanation was accepted, but the imputation of questionable practices so hurt his feelings that he has announced that he will not race any more in West Australia after this month. He is of opinion that the stipendiary stewards have him “set,” ami, notwithstanding that his horses invariably run to win, he is always more or less in danger. Financially the British Turf was never in a sounder condition, says an English writ er, and during the season some half a million pounds have been won in stakes alone, making a grand aggregate for the past 27 years of over, thirteen millions sterling. In addition to this mammoth sum It has been computed by a well known authority that upwards of seven millions sterling is spent annually on the upkeep of the Turf < wages, training expenses, etc.), a fact which should give pause to those who would “plough up” racecourses. The annual meeting of the Waiau Racing Club, held on the 9th inst... was largely attended, and some interesting sport was witnessed The principal events were decided. with the following results: Waiau Cup:’ Cast Out, 10.9, 1; Parole, 11.3, 2. Maiden race: llikatoa 1, Tom Rags 2. Ladies’ Bracelet: Tom Rags 1, Kippein 2. Flying Handicap:Cast Out, 10.4, 1: Amokurn 10.7, 2. Farewell Handicap:-Parole. 10.7, 1; Lepanto 9.10 2. Cast Out. which won both the leading events, is a promlsiuS daughter of Cast Ashore and Highland Mary, owned by Mr. T. King. The meeting of the Metropolitan Committee to consider the finding of the Avondale Jockey Club in connection with their recent inquiry is being awaited with considerable interest. It is Understood th it fresh evidence is to be produced, but this is only hearsay, and, as racing iuquiiies are always conducted with closed doors, nothing can be learned but the finding. The Avonda’e Club are fairly sanguine of ’he result and the view the Metropolitan Committee take of the matter is arousing a lot of interest. An English sporting writer who claims to be a strong partisan and a film believer in the Mutuel form of betting, on the grounds that cash is required for it. and extravagance and debts are prevented, states that its only drawback Is that it minimises the excitement during each race, and that Its VO-

Lirh s' bft in itu* dark/* At the saiur time,he uignea that the French Government U silly not to adopt the Maine means th:*t are in force la Austria amt Belgium, where the bookmakerz aie licensed, ami made a contribute a fixed percentage on th»‘lr operations to the State, the racecourses, and to breeding. In mentioning that the once prominent English jockey. F. Webb, who is now train ing in Hungary, paid a visit to Newmarket last month, a London writer says: “From all accounts the trainer’s lot iu Iluugarj. like that of the policeman at home, is not a happy one. and their trouble* for the most part arise from the revengeful character of the native stablemen, who do m t hesitate to have recourse to the knife when they have a grievance, real or Imaginary. Webb himself but narrowly escaped being stabbed not long since, and out* of his year lings was dangerously Wounded in that manner by a scoundrel who drove bis knife luto the skull directly between the ears.” Every mall that arrives (says a London scribe) brings more and more proof of the really desperate condition to which the business of bloodstock-breeding . Um the U.S.A, has been reduced, and there iz no doubt that, such an average as HMgus eicli. even for the bes’t of their yearlings, would be more than welcome, though the coit of getting them to England and into the sale ring were deducted from it. Such a situation Is serious in the extreme, unless we are to view with equanimity the absolute swamping of the market here, ami console ourselves with the blessed thought that after all our buyers will ho abp 'to buy cheap, and is not that the touchstme of economic orthodoxy Instructions to an Irish jockey over heard in a railway carriage on the way to a jumping meeting: “Now, me son, mind what I’m saying to yez. Let th’ oulii harse run bis own race for the first 'two and a-half miles. Don’t lave a finger on him. He'll Rape ■wid his 'Jiarses. Whin you’re half a i ui long from the big double pull the bit through his mouth fair and alsy; thin lave him alone. The minute you’re over the last fince take boult of his head, and all 'the divils jn Sheol won’t ketch him.” There Is a deal of sound advice contained in the above. If aged horses were oftener allowed to run their own races in their own way there might be fewer disappointments to many of us. Horse owners in North Yorkshire arc ail at present dreading a peculiarly fatal disease which has broken out amongst horses In the Riding. One or two large studs have caught the contagion, several valuable horses have died, and others which have recovered are said to be practically valueless. The greatest, precautions have been, ami are being, taken to prevent the spread of the contagion, which seems to be most easily caught. The remarkable thing i' that no decided diagnosis of the case seems to have been forthcoming. Commencing with deep respiration, horses seem l<» lose their strength al once. It is not “[•ink eye,” and seems most to resemble s.*ptie pneumonia of anything. 9i!e of die l> * known hunter breeders in Hie Rithng Ln?a had his stables infected, ami. though he r * moved most of his horses to other stabling, very considerable loss has resulted. Since coining across from Now Ze.iluml to ride Pilot in his eross-emmtry engage merits at the A.J.C. spring meeting. T. Cahill has put up a wonderful r«*cord. s.iys a Sydney paper. He rc.de the winners of th * whole four jumping events at tin* meeting referred to. when he successfully steered Aeolus in both hurdle races, and similarly handled Pilot in both steeplechases. He afterwards rode Pilot to victory in the Cup Steeplechase at tin- V.R.C. spring meeting. On returning to Sydney he was granted a license to ride and train jumpers, ami at T.nttPrsaH’s meeting, he won tin- hurdle rr.e * on each <lay on Minister ami Main<t ring In addition to his achievements In the saddle. Cahill deserves greftt credit for tin* m inner in which he landed old Mainspring :•• • lhe post, it being considered somewhat in ’he light of a joke when lie first put -him into work. The American jockey. I’.-hli • I;ng;.u s.ivs that lie is not making any effort • I'* reinstated by the American .J< ■ k *\ < lub. and that when his period of s e '.<i n expires, .Linuarv 1. he will iuitmd aieiy resume riding for s. C. Hildreth, to wlmm he is engaged until March 1. I'.rrn \\ li i a he will sail for England in time '<> ride Mr. August Belmont's Priseillian m Cue Lincolnshire Handicap. This will • e hi, first mount in England, where Air. 1 larry Payne Whitney will have first call <»n li ; services for one year, beginning March LA Il may be- news to Mr. Belmont to know that Priseillian is to bo mitered in the Lincolnshire Handicap and that the animal will be ridden by Dugan. The st.i ihupat. however, is made by the Now \ urk ■'Morning Telegraph.” In a letter to his mother, .h.- veil known Australian jockey C. Praii, wh» had almost concluded a season’s riding m Austria, recounts his experiences H was the de<ire of Baron Rothschild, for whom lie has tn'cn riding in that coun:ry. that Pratt should re-engage for next season; but the Australian, who had a retainer of £IO9O, in addition to an extra £7 a week, besides payments for mounts, refused t" re-engage on the same terms, ai d (l.e.e the matter endetL He reports the cost of living nn.l general expenses as something enormous, and states that a big salary in addition to a fair share of success are required 'to show a credit balance Pratt met with a fair share of success iu Austria, and whilst on a visit to Germany rode In one race* for the Emperor. He wis offered a substantial retainer to ride in

that country next season, bu’t declined. lie expects shortly to return to Australia, and has no present intention of going abroad again. He has received offers of large retainers not only from English owners, but from France and Germany. But money counts for so little with his father, compared with the boy’s welfare, that even much larger sums than the princely retainers oiieied would n<»t induce him to sacrifice the good influence of home Ilf** for ills boy. Frank will, therefore; again ride next season for the* home stable in which shelter only his lather’s horses and those of Mr. Bytham, who bought several highly-promis-ing year ings at the Doncaster sales. Frank’s younger brother, (<»<», will ride on Ids occasional off days from school, which will probably become more frequent next season, for he shapes well, can go to the scale at sst 131 b, and ho has yet to ride 37 winners before in* loses ids allowance Another capable apprentice in the stable is W. Lea, who has acquired some'thing of Frank’s sty.<» and methods. lie. however, wll not be able to scale less than about 7.1 next year. He, too, will be entitled to the 51b allowance until he has ridden other 34 winners. Frank’s weight next season will, probably, be fist 31b. Last, month it struck sonic enterprising Victorian that there was money to be made out <>f horses. His plan was simple. A colt sired by a «hampt<hi stallion is a valuable asset if he could secure a champion stallion for a few hours for st <1 purposes, that asset might be h'is. The horse iscioHe'l w.is Dividend, be onging to Air. J. H. Whitehead. Dividend’s box at. Moonee Ponds was. reports the “Argu t . broken open none night, and in the morning Mr. Whitehead’s son was informed that the stallion was missing, Mr. WhiteheaH himself being on a visit to Queensland. After a short search the missing hois< was found, and taken bark to ids box, the only injury bring a slight scratch on his Hank. There < an In* little doubt that there was no intention of stealing the horse, a horse so well known as Dividend being as unmarketable to thieves as a white elephant. Yet a famous stallion was stolen in Qurens’and about twenty years ago. Duke of Athol disappeared from his owner’s station as completely as If the earth had swallowed him. It was supposed that, after siring several colts out in the backblorks, ne was killed, ami <•(•10111- is lent to (he theory by the fact that horses arc even now racing whose appearance resembles “Duke's. ’ and whose pedigree shows an unaccountable hiatus corresponding with The time of the stallions disappearance. That. Dividend’s b’ood would be valuable is shown by his performance of winning the V.U.<’. ('hampion brakes in 1905 and 1(M»7. - rhe Auckland Trotting Club concluded their Summer Meeting on the 9th Dec, the gathering being a most su <-cs<ful one. Taken on the whole, the racing was interesting and clean, but unfortunately in nome of the events there were palpable nonIrlers, while inconsistency was also noticeable on at least one occasion, when a horse which finished a long way down the couise on one day, when a stable companion won, <‘amc out later In the meeting and made a holy show of the field. I hes< reversals may be easily explainable by those comerned. and what may appear a glaring case to the ordinary onlooker, may be nothing at all; but I vtrmigly contend that hi the interests of all concoraed, and especially the public, an opportunity should be given for the explanation to be made: nnd had this been done on Saturday, it Would have given general s itisfaction. In an interview with a ‘‘Dominion - ’ representative, the Sydney trainer, J. Burton, in referring to the Auckland ('up meeting, sai<l the management of the fixture struck him as particularly good, but the system of ♦sending the horses out twenty minutes before the start of each race was nor in tne best interests of ov\*ners, trainers, amt the heirses themselves. Twenty’minutes on me track would often ruin the chances of highly-strung horses, and when there was any delay at the start the trouble was accentuated. At the winter meetings, the rule must be very hard on the jockeys, (specially those riding a few pounds below ■their ordinary walking weight. The whole question seemed to hinge on the matter of totalisator investments -on the theory that the public would not bet until they had seen the preliminary gallops, and owners of valuable horses had to suffer on this account. He thought that the public could be educated to make their investments In good time, even If the horses were sent out ten minutes later, provided the accommodation at the totalisator house was sufficient. In Australia the horses went ou<, galloped straight to the starting point, and were sent off with very, little delay. It Is understood that an address. Intended to be an impressive one will be delivered a't Trent bam before hostilities commence at the forthcoming meeting (says Augur, the Wellington writer). The audience will consist of the jockeys who Intend weighing out 'luring the fixture. Some very plain talk will be Indu’ged in. Many Will doubtless concur in such a new departure being made, and exclaim; “It is high time something was dqne/’ l util a lew seasons ago Australian breeders practically had the Indian market to themselves; but of recent years the . Waler has been replaced to a certain extent by English importations. The change has been brought about partly by the Australian restrictive • legislation, which prohibits a horse i ('turning to Die hind of his birth for stud duly, ami partly to the fget that horse values have advanced In Australia. Naturally Indian owners prefer Australian bred hot- cs to those raised in England, because the former are raiseci in a climate more closely approximating that hi whh h they will be called upon to race, thnn the English bred ones. With the advance r.f pri.es hero Indian buyers turned their attention to England, and they found they < ould purchase fair sprinters there capable of holding their ‘dwn against anything w<‘ could sell them at a, good deal less than n horse* of • orrespunding class would cost hi Australia. Still It Is to Australia Indian owners' must. .kifik fotf their Viceroy’s Cup horses Good are a .comparative rarity In England. ami, great as Is the an-

bition uf some of the wealthy Indian princes to win the Viceroy's (’up it would not justify them paying the price a good English horse would cost. The uses to which a good horse can be put in India are limited. After running in the Viceroy’s Cup, there is practically nothing for him to do but wait for the Cup to come round again. So long as Australian-bred horses keep winning the Viceroy’s (’up there will always be a good market for them in India. Various computations have been m.<le as to the 'financial loss entailed upon Frank Wootton by the sentence of a month suspension passed upon him by the stewards of the Jockey <’lub (says an Engdsh writer). Whatever that amount may be— and there are not. of course, any means of accurately estimating it- it counts as nothing compared with the loss of the jockey premiership, which the standing down entailed, and, above all, with the boy’s wounded feelings. Discussion of ‘the merits of the ease or argument about the severity of the punishment would be useless. Nor, the evidence having, as usual, been taken in camera, can the value of it be gauged. Suffice it, therefore, that the stewards acted honestly on what was put before them, and that Frank took his punishment like a lift e man. When, after walking over in the colours of Lord Durham on Fiivhale for’the last race at Newmaiket on September 29, ho went before the stewards to receive the sentence they had already decided upon, he came out with a stiff upper lip, which did not relax in th<* least so long as be was, so to speak, before the world. But he was in reality almost heartbroken. Frank is a sensitive boy, and his anguish was all the greater because he had no sense of having intentionally committted any wrong. It hurl him, too, to bo stood down, becau e ho so loves Ids profession that, as he deciares. In* would not give up race-riding if all the money in England were his. As stated, he took his punishment, gracefully, kept himself in full practice while it lasted and came back to ride bet'ior than ever before'. It then seemed impossible that he could wipe out. the lead Maher h <1 obtained during his .absence, and improbable that In* -cuu’d even deprive Higgs of second placi*. But those senior rivals s’truek that “bad time” which comes occasionally to jockeys, boxers, and, indeed, to people in all walks >»f life and when Frank Wooten passed 1 Pigg's <core, Won the last four races at Birmingham on Monday, and reduced Maher's lend to nine, the question “Will lie do it?” was on everybody’s tongue. Then, however his bad time arrived, ami when racing ended on Saturday Maher headed the winning list with a °* 139 and a percentage of 28.30, Wootton was second with an aggregate of 129 wins and a percentage of 21.42, ami Higgs third with 124 wins and a percentage or 18 10 Such a total and percentage is unheard of for a hoy apprentice, for Wootton will not be fifteen until the 14th of December. Eugene l.eigli. whose career as a Trainor on tile English Turf some years ago wilt In. well reniembered. lias arrived m i>ew.yoia from Eranee for a holiday. This is .Leigh a fust trip to America in eight years, tor since ILM.IO he has been training and racing in Eram-e. "I am just over on a little business, m said to a' •‘Telegraph" man, "and a little pleasure as. well. It is the first time smee I wont abroad that 1 have had a ehauee o get. away at all When you have a big stable of horses in training for different owners you don’t get many vacations. Recently I cut down my string of horses in training vei y considerably, and this gave me a chance to come back to America again. We had a very rough trip over, but 1 am feeling line. In answer to a question as to how he liked France, he said: “1 must like it, for I went over to stay eight weeks, and I have stayed eight years. I left in July. 1900, to look over the country, and I have been there ever since*. It is a great country to race in. and 1 have had considerable success over there. “They say that racing is all through here,” he said. •‘Well, the last time I was over here they put me out of business, and I know what it means. This thing has happened before, ami I supose there will be racing again in time. “The French people do not know America and America!'* racing at all. They are poor travellers, for they have everything they want in their own country, and do not care to look outside. “When you tell a Frenchman that you could lose the entire Republic, of France in the State of Texas’so that\you could not find it in three, days he laughs at you. They really do not know at all the extent of the country, and they don’t care. • England is ' not much different,- for after I had had a lot of success-in France/ winning over a huitdrcd races, • and ten or twelve straight with steeplechasers, I started a horse and won with him on Hie flat in England. The.f they asked if Leigh had ever raced or trained anything in America! “Of course, there is no question but that the racing in Fraino is the prettiest in the world. The courses are magnificent, and there is plenty of money, just as much for steeplechasers as for horses on the .Hat. There is only one in Paris, but it is tilling up all the lime with Gr.rmans ami Swiss and Americans. The 1 lei mans are gradually absorbing the business interests of the country. “For an American horseman France is . somewimt -difilcult. because he must either • tritin for himself or find an owner to give him a stable. That is not always so easy, but if they take you on they will sti< k, and give ‘ * “I am-gding down to Lexlngt<'m. Ky., and will look around, and probably purchase some yearlings, stallhms and mures. I expect to return to France December Rth. “The stooplochaslng In France is a lug thing, and my first run of success was iii this Hue: Not long ago I had sixty horses In training, but 1 haye out the string down now to twenty. Tlioie Is a good deal of luck about It, especially In steeplechasing, for you must develop these horsey. If they arc nnsueeoHsful over the jumps you have to let them go back to selling races, and get an •utfrely new lot.”

Southern papers to hand bring information of the death of Torpedo, and In recording the death of the son of Musket, “Squire,” in the “Napier Telegraph,” says: At Te Mahanga station . lately, old Torpedo paid the last calls of Nature. Musket's son was foaled in 1881, and was therefore in his 28th year, an age he cairied remarkably well up to a few months ago, when I saw him on the Douglas Bros.’ estate. Just how many winners he sired would take more space than I could reasonably be expected to have allowed mo, but to prove that he could produce stake-earners I may state that his progeny in the last 14 years have won £32,196, and then the fact niust be taken into consideration that he was never mated with so-called fashionable mares. On the contrary the dams who were associated with him were in the majority of Instances only of a fair to medium grade. Dominant and forcible were his chi<*f characteristics, and to his stock he transmitted a great deal of his constitutional properties and appearances, so much so that a close follower of the sport could always distinguish a Torpedo. One feature his productions possessed was that if they proved useless for racing purposes, they made admirable harness horses and hacks, which is more than can be said for some of the thoroughbreds that cumber up the land- at the present time. Not only has Torpedo sired game, honest, speedy turf contestants, but his daughters have proved their worth both In the racing arena and at the stu.d. an argument which is borne out when I refer to Amoureux (a Thompson Handicap winner), Basilisk (dam of Pawn and Ataahua), The Brock, Brooklet, Cordelia, Tortulla (a New Zealand Cup winner and dam of that good colt. Diabolo), Ngaio (dam of Voi'tgang), Kotiri, Ladysmith (dam of Goldsmith), Muriwai, Pearlshot, Primula (dam of Probable, Perhaps, and Waioriki). Waima, Materoa, The Shannon (dam of The Boyne, Bally Shannon, and Shannon Lass), la (dam of Golden Water), Vista (dam of Comfort), Waiwhera (a Winter Cup winner), Waikaha (grand dam of Merriwai), Waingongor<? (dam of Tangimoana), Waiati (dam of Tpmairangi), and several others whose names at the present time I cannot call to mind. Over all courses and under all conditions have his stock proved victorious. A son of his, Waipu, and grandson Merriwai, each ‘-aptnred a Great Northern Hurdle Race. A daughter of his,-Tortulla, annexed a New Zealand Cup; The Brook captured an Egmont (’up; Oingo a Hawke’s Bay Guineas; Diabolo (a grandson) a North Island Challenge Stakes. These are only a few of the contests won by Torpedo’s offspring, but their victories go to show that it Is no romance to aver that Torpedo sired them good and true for all classes of events. During the recent meeting of tne Manawa tn Racing Club Mr. E. J. Watt wiote to the committee complaining of ’the treatment meted oitt to his horses by Mr j. E. .llenrys, the club's handicapper. The complaint was forwarded to Mr HenrySj who replied as follows;:— The President, Maiiawatu Racing Club. Palmerston North. Dear Sir, —Ender instructions from you, I beg to state'that 1 have perused the particulars given me in connection with Mr. Watt’s letter regarding the handicapping of Separator, Moriarty, and Muskerry at the Christmas meeting. In response to my request to niee't Mr. Watt before your committee, I am here to state my reason for weighting the horses named as I have done in the various races, and I think I can prove Oo 'the entire satisfaction of yourself and your committee that my adjustments are those I was entitled to make in regard to those horse«. 1 would like to point out that it is not always a reasonable thing for a handicapper to give every detail of his reasons for adjustments, as it often happens he may be in possession of information, or he may have seen something take place in a race which would cause him, over ami above performances, to make certain adjustments, and I think that this is a material pel nt in the ability of a handicapper. I would like to point out that this IS the fifth occasion on which Mr. Watt has complained of my handicapping, three of them having been in connection with your club, and that altogether only eight or nine written complaints have been made against me that I am aware of during my association with the turf as handicapper for the past twenty years, and during that time I have handicapped for sixtyfour clubs in the Dominion, a list of which I beg to enclose herewith for your information. My desire has always been to. <?<>mp le my adjustments in the best interests of the club and from the dictates of an experience of over twenty years. I .make it a . principle to never endeavour to p’ease the whinut of owners; and simply carry out my adjustments in the interests of all concerned. I have all complete data And weights ready to meet whatever charges Mr. Watt desires to- make regarding the handicapping tonight, and I trust you will give me every opportunity of questioning Mr. Watt in -connection therewith, and I will be very pleased •to answer any questions put to me by Mr. Watt. —I remain, dear sir yours faithfully, J, W HENRYS, Handicapper. An inoulry was held by the dub, fiml after Mr. E. J. Watt and Mr. Henrys had been examined at. length, the comndtteo mianimously carried the following resolution: “That having heard Mr. Henrys’ explanation of the charge brought against his handicapping by Mr. Pl. J. Watt, this coinmilHeo are satisfied that there ai’€ no grounds at al) for the complaint.