TURF GOSSIP

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 25, 22 June 1910, Page 10

TURF GOSSIP

By

WHALEBONE.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Constant Reader. — General Soult won the Welcome Stakes and Musket Stakes as a two-year-old, at the A.R.C. Spring Meeting of 1907. The N.Z. Racing Conference opens its deliberations at Wellington on July 21. The weights for the N.Z. Cup are due on Aug. 20. The Regel gelding Maioon and Black is now under the charge of R. Hall, at Ellerslie. The veteran son of St. Hippo, Up-to-date, ran second in both the Steeplechases at the recent A.J.C. Winter Meeting. T. Quinlivan, jr., Is reported to have a couple of very smart youngsters amongst his two-year-olds at Hastings. Latest information from Napier states that the jockey Luke Wilson is making a good recovery from his receut accident. Mr A. Peters left for Sydney by the Maheno on Monday, with Waiata and Mahinga. The Menschikoff — Castorlace, filly is to be retired to the stud, and will be mated with Bezonian. No less than five first favourites were successful on the second day of the Hawke's Bay Winter Meeting. The winner of the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, Audax, was nearly down at one stage of the journey, but made a good recovery. If Mr G. D. Greenwood’s horses make the Australian trip, the southern rider R. Hatch will go across and ride them in their engagements. Prophet is not the first Auckland horse to win the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles, the late Mr J. B.' Williamson winning the event in 1906 with Irish. T. A. Williams has had an addition to his string in a rising four-year-old gelding by Cuirassier — Reproach, which looks a likely-looking sort. The rising three-year-old Vivace, by Obligado — Gweniad. which has been spelling for some time, has been put into work again, and is now an inmate of John Rae’s stable.

The Auckland-owned King Hippo .was a disappointment at the recent Hawke’s. Bay Meeting, and, according to Southern writers, was greatly bothered by the big country.

Mr. A. F. Douglas evidently contemplates another trip to Australia, for Woolloomooloo has been nominated for the Australian Hurdle Race.

The Martinboio’-trained mare Fighting Maid, by Saracen, is showing plejity of pace, and gives promise of being fairly fast over six furlongs.

Although the ranks have been greatly thinned, there, are still a fair number of horses working at Ellerslie, principally rising three-year-olds and jumpers.

The hurdle horse Wellcast has been purchased by a patron of P. Conway’s stable, and the son of .Castor is now under the charge of that trainer at Ellerslie.

F. Macmanemin has no less than seven rising three-year olds in work at Ellerslie, viz.: Apelion, Ashby, Royal News, Poictiers, Wenonah, His .Highness, and Echo.

Mr G. Leitch, of Clareville, has purchased the well-known Wairarapa pacer Fairfield 111. from Mr J. Montgomery, of Masterton.

The rising two-year-olds at Ellerslie aire anything but a promising lot, and present indications point to Auckland being very weak in this department this season.

The ex-Auckland gelding Snowfoot was sent out favourite for two races at the A.J.C. Winter Meeting, but the best lie could do was to run a second and a third.

Although Wooloomooloo - finished up favourite on the machine in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles, the Auckland horse Prophet was always ut a shorter price with the bookmakers.

The latest addition to Wairarapa’s string of racehorses is a five-year-old mare by Chainlink — Turquoise mare, which is being broken preparatory to being put on the training track.

N.Z. horses have been freely nominated for the leading Australian spring events, and everything points to the Dominion being well repi esen ted at the Randwick and Flemington carnivals. The Multiform filly Roselike was to have been shipped to Sydney by the Wimmera, but was taken "bad with her kidneys, and her departure was postponed until Monday, when she was shipped by the Maheno. The Spalpeen filly Wenonah has filled out into a handsome, well-grown filly, and as she gave evidence of great staying power in her two-year-old engagements, should, be decidedly useful next season. The Monoform colt Ape. lon is getting through a lot of work at Ellerslie, and it is the intention of his owner, providing that he goes on satisfactorily, to give him a chance to earn distinction in the A.J.C. Derby. The Obligado gelding Ashby is particularly unfortunate, and after recovering from his recent severe accident, picked up a nail the other day, and had to be given a rest. He has made a quick recovery, and is now in work again.

In a private letter to a friend in Auckland, Mr A. Phillips states that he had Effulgence practically sold for 350 gs, but the daughter of Menschikoff getting away from her attendant, cut herself about badly,, and the sale was declared off.

The gelding Obsidian, which has been, off the scene since last December, has made his re-appearance on the tracks at Ellerslie. The son of Obligado, which is at present very much in the rough, does not seem to have grown a great deal during his retirement.

R. McMiken left for the South on Saturday, with Le Beau and Explosive, both of which are engaged at the Napier Park Winter Meeting. Owing to the accident to Jones, there is a probability, that the southern horseman T. Pritchard will ride the pair in their engagements.

Although Prophet’s time. 3.49, for the Hawke’s 1 Bay Hurdles, is a good performance for two miles at this time of the year, it only takes place as the second fastest-time for the race, the record belonging to Moifaa, •which, with 12.0 in the saddle, covered the journey in 1901 in 3.45.

The winner of the Hawke's Bay Bracelet, Cullinan, is a full brother to Kohinoor, and is one of the first of Royal Fusilier's stock. If I am not mistaken, Cullinan was making his maiden effort on the turf, and, according to report, is a horse that is likely to see a much better day.

While schooling over the pony hurdles at Ellerslie last week, both Maroon and Black and Explosive fell. The latter came down sideways, and skidded along the. ground for .a distance of 54ft before stopping. His rider, J. Jones, had his shoulder broken.

lhe N.Z.-bred filly Martyre was sent out a warm favourite for the Bonnj' Vale Handicap at the recent V.R.C. • Birthday Meeting, but the best she could do was to run second to Gold Cord, another N Z -bred one, by Kilcheran—Spun Gold, which, starting at a very outside price, won by threequarters of a length.

The injuries received by J. Jones when schooling Explosive at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning, turn out to be more serious than at first anticipated, and It transpires that tile shoulder is broken instead of being dislocated. The mishap is bad luck for Jones, as it will keep him out of the saddle for some months, just at the busiest time of the year for cross-country horsemen.

The Gold Reef gelding Golden Water, which won the Hack Hurdles on the opentag day, and ran second to Oxton on the second day of the Hawke’s Bay meeting, is only a three-yenr-old. Horses of this age are not usually seen out in hurdle races but Spectre, which won the Maiden Hurdles on the second day of the recent Takapuua meeting, is a three-year-old.

Mr W. T. Jones, who won the Melbourne Cup with Bravo, and bad a half-share in Newhaven, another Melbourne Cup winner, has not been much heard of in recent years In England as a racehorse owner, but his colours were carried to victory in the Visitors’ Handicap at Newmarket on April 26, by an unnamed colt by William HL from Brilliantc, who started second favourite.

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Winter ■Meeting was responsible for the death of two cross-country torses, one of which. Jack Pot, was an exceptionally good performer. According to the report of the running of the race. Jack Pot was running

Just behind Audax, and just when spectators weie settling down to witness a good finish, Jack' Pot- came down, breaking hfs neck. The mishap is a serious loss to his owner, Mr A. Blllnghaxn, for the son of Chain!lnk looked like adding this season to his already good record, which includes last year’s., Hawke’s Bay .Steeplechase and the Wanganui Steeplechase last May.

The old English jockey Giles, who died recently, was the actual hero of a story that has been fathered on scores of later horsemen. There was a sad season when, impoverished by too much wasting, he went on his head and was temporarily put away. Nevertheless, on one bright spring morning, a male attendant privily produced the day’s Chester racecard, and asked, “What’s your fancy for the Cup, Mr. G.?” Giles, who was rapidly mending, stared at the man in his own queer way and said: “Here, gimme those keys off your belt; it’s time we changed places!”

C. Cress was evidently injured when Sir Lethe fell with him In the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, on the opening day of the H.B.J.C. Winter Meeting, for according to the telegraphed report, R. Percival had the mount on Prophet on the second day. while J. Hercock rode Sir Lethe, both horses winning their engagements. If he was kept out of the saddle through an accident, it was hard luck for Cress, but it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good, for the mishap enabled R. Percival, who has been out of luck for a long while, to score a winning ride.

When J. Chaafe. junr., left Auckland for Hastings with Prophet he was very sanguine of winning both hurdle races at the Hawke’s Bay Meeting, and his predictions have been verified. On the first day the son of St. Paul won fairly easily, but, in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles, on the second day, he was evidently lucky to win, as the following report from “The Dominion” shows. According to that report Prophet was in front with Showman over the first twelve furlongs, but then Woolloomooloo went to the front and appeared to have the race in hand. However, Pine apparently took things too easily, and Prophet came again, and wore him down. Forest was close up.

Writing of the success of New Zealand horses in Australia, an Exchange says:— Since I£oo the triumphs secured by Maori-land-bred animals in Australia include the following big races: —Melbourne Cup, with Apologue; Toorak Handicap and Newmarket Handicap, with Soultline; Caulfield Cup, with Maranui; Oakleigh Plate, with Beresina; and the latest winner, Celerity; and A.J.C. Derby, with Noctuiform. Besides this brilliant group Nightfall, Sun God, Kerlie, Ellis, Machine Gun, Isolt, Delaware, Golden Slipper, Advance, Signot, Munjeet, Ngauruhoe, Pink Un, Seaton Dale, Seddon, Piiot and innumerable others have shown winning form in other Australian events.

Mr A. Cox. who has won the English Derby with Lemberg (racing under the name of “Mr Faire”), was well known in Melbourne at the end of the eighties, when Broken Hill had just come to the. front, as he settled down temporarily at the Melbourne Club. He was lucky enough to be engaged on the Mount Gipps Station, of which the late Mr George McCulloch was then manager, and it was from Mr McCulloch that Mr Cox obtained his interest. The popular story goes that Mr McCulloch offered to reduce his price for the interest to he parted with if Mr Cox should prove the victor best out of three games, at euchre. Mr Cox won, and, by the time he left Melbourne, it was estimated that his share had risen to the value of £350,000, as he neverparted with any of his interest, even when the price of Broken Hill Proprietary shares rose to a phenomenal height, just before the* declaration of the first dividend. Mr Cox has lived quietly in London since then.

A most remarkable occurrence is reported from Mundabullagaiia Station, in the north-west of West Australia, the property of Mr. Sam. P. Mackay. In a communication addressed to Mr. J. Morton Craig, of Perth, Mr. Mackay states: “A valuable mare on the station gave birth to a foal, and four months later to a mule. The circumstances under which this occurrence has to be recorded are in themselves unusual. The mare was visited by the well-known stallion The Corsican. Four months later, as there did not appear to be any likelihood of issue, I determined that Don Quixote, a valuable jack donkey which I had previously sent to the station, should be mated with the mare. The outcome was, ‘to say the least of it, unexpected. The mare first gave birth to the foal, and exactly four months later the mule appeared, both having been dropped to time. The twain are living, and the mule particularly is a very fine specimen of his kind.” Mr. Mackay adds that the evidence is 'to be seen on the station, and the dates can be vouched for by the station authorities.

Now that the hunting season Is well under way, there are a number of young fellows making their first, appearance with the Pakuranga hounds this season, and i feel sure they will not mind receiving a few hints as to the proper etiquette for the hunting field. Most of them seem to be good sportsmen and riders to hounds, and I ret think would do anything to spoil *?je sport. There are rules governing cricket, polo, football, and most other games and sport, but eaLy unwritten Taws govern hunting, arw “or breaking any of them one gets a good dressing down from the master or huntsman, and often from both, in England. Old sportsmen always impress on the younger members the following: — (1) If last through a gate, be sure and shut It safely. (2) If hounds are hunting towards you, stand still; If on horseback, keep your horse as still as possible, and be sure not to make any noise. (3) When hounds are nt fault, 1.e., have lost the scent, give the huntsman plenty of

room to cast his hounds, and be sure not to make any noise, to cause the hounds to get heads up. for it is only by keeping their noses to the ground they get a chance to hit off the line quickly. (4) Always give the huntsman plenty of room when hounds are hunting on a road. If hounds Should be coming towards you, don’t stand right in their way, but move off to ope side; be sure and keep quiet; if more than one person, all 1 should get on one side of the road. By observing the above rules, I am sure better sport would often follow, for what might have been a good run. has aften been spoilt by the crowd getting in the way of hounds, and the noise made distracting them from steady bunting. When one is playing cricket, they are not allowed to get in the way of the umpire, or to walk between wickets, and so get in the way of bowler or batsman, or at a football match, what a howl there would be if a lot of fellows were to get on the playing ground and interfere with the players, but in the hunting field, these unsportsmanlike actions often happen, and upset hounds, and spoil the sport; but unfortunately no penalty is provided. I often wonder if those spectators who hunt on wheels remember that it costs money to keep a pack of hounds, for very few of them are members. 4 4 4

TURF TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. After the Ashburton County Racing Club’s meeting next week there will be no racing in the South Island until the Grand National Meeting takes place at Riccarton, in the second week of August. A southern writer says that there is reason to believe that at the Racing Conference an attempt will be made by at least one leading club to annex dates belonging to a minor club which has a prior right to them. It has to be borne in mind, he says, that the changing about of dates has not a purely local significance, and he points out that if the Wellington Club clashed with the Dunedin Club there might be ■trouble, as both draw a good deal of support from Canterbury. He adds that the Wellington Club possibly may imagine they are only interfering with one of the minor clubs near the Parliamentary city, but the matter is more far-reaching. It would be very injurious for metropolitan clubs to start annexing dates belonging to country clubs, if only for the reason that the representatives in the House of Parliament could be outvoted by about three to one if it became a question of tewn versus country on such a matter as the retention of the totalisator. Sir George Clifford has engaged half-a-dozen of his youngsters in the A.J.C. Derby. Ameng them is Masterpiece, the last of Clanranald’s sons. Very high opinions have already been formed of this colt, which is a full brother to Glenowlet, Kirriemuir, Glenculloch and Madam Madcap, the dam being Madowla. It is stated that bookmakers had a bad time at the recent meeting of the South Canterbury Trotting Club. One lost £7O, another £240, and another £300; and altogether the pencilling fraternity were about £l2OO out over the meeting. The Ladurlad —Ozone colt, in Ruttledge’s stable at Dunedin, has been named Biarritz. He is evidently Well though of, as he claims engagements in the Australian Jockey Club's Derby and Champagne Stakes. The first 'New’ Zealand Cup candidate to score a win since nomination day is Cullinan, who was successful in the Ladies’ Bracelet at ’the Hawke's Bay Meeting. Cullinan is a good-looking three-year-old brother to Kohinoor, by Royal Fusilier—Bijou. The extremely wintry weather yesterday compelled the Ashburton Trotting Club to abandon the second day of its meeting. The firsft day’s racing was exceptionally good, and the meeting, as a whole, promised to ’be highly successful. It is expected that the Wingatui trainer and eross-coun’iry horseman 11. Carr will take up his residence in Invercargill at the conclusion of the C.J.C. Grand National fixture. Carr will probably train for a local sportsman. „ It is anticipated in trotting circles that the Metropolian Trotting Club will place on their November programme a stake of lOOOsovs. Should this course be decided upon, a public announcement to this effect will be made within the next week or two. The recent successes of Australian trotters in the Dominion have caused the eyes of owners in the Commonwealth to turn in this direction, and a thousand pound stake at Addington would mean the presence of a number of oversea visitors. At a sale of trotters held at Ashburton to-day the Prince Imperial mare Lady Clare was bought by Mr. W. Clinton for 165gns. •She has a two-year-old record of 4.40 2-5. Piecework, a four-year-old, by Prince Imperial— Patchwork, realised lOOgns. 4 4 4 HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB’S WINTER MEETING. FIRST DAY. NAPIER, Wednesday. The first day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting was held to-day at Hastings, when there was only a fair attendance. The weather kept fine until late in the afternoon, when the wind became piercingly cold and rain set in. The last two races were run In showers. The course was in good order and the racing generally of an Interesting nature. Several accidents occurred during the afternoon. In the Maiden Steeplechase the riders of The Pebble and Diplomatic (O’Connell and 11. Campbell) were thrown, and had each a collarbone broken; while in the big steeplechase Jack Pot hit the sod wall and came down heavily, breaking his neck. His rhler (Paramore) luckily escaped unhurt. The sum of £5635 passed through the totalisator, an compared with £6015 on the

first day of last year’s Winter Meeting, a decrease of £4lO. Malden Steeplechase, of 120 sovs; two miles.—Nero, 9.10, 1; Kauroa, 9.7, 2; King Hippo, 10.6. 3. Scratched: Corazon- and Showman. Won by seven . lengths. Pebble, Rawhiti and Diplomatic fell. Time, 4m 13s. Ixi dies’ Bracelet of lOOsovs, 1J mile. — Cullinan, 10. 7; Mahuta, 2, 12.8; Karakatura, 11.9, 3. Scratched: Ortygia, Stormlight. Won by a length. Time, 2.4 3-5. TURAMOE HANDICAP HURDLE RACE, of 150 sovs. One mile and three-quanters. V. Bolger’s br g Prophet, by St. Paul— Tawhlti, syrs, 11.5 (C. Cress) 1 W. Roberts’ Showman, 9.2 (T. Pine).... 2 G. C. Hamilton’s Forest, 9.7 (Pritchard) 3 Also started: Polyanthus. Prophet and Showman raced most of the distance in close company, and took the last fence together. Prophet then forged ahead and won by three parts of a length. Polyanthus fell at the hurdle in front of the stand. Time, 3m 19s. HAWKE’S BAY STEEPLECHASE, of 400 sovs. About three miles. Hon. J. D. Ormond’s b g Audax, by Birkenhead —Temeraire, aged, 11.5 (A. Julian) 1 D. Simmonds’ Prospector, 9.11 (carried 10.1) (C. O’Neill) 2 Also started: Jack Pot, Earns, Sir Lethe. Eurus got rid of his jockey when passing the stand the first time. Sir Lethe also unseated his rider at the brush, leaving Jack Pot in the lead, with Audax second. Jack Pot fell at the sod wall, and broke his neck. This disaster left Audax, who started a strong favourite, with nothing to beat, and he cantered home a furlong in front of Prospector, these being the only two left in the race. Time, Gm 425. WHAKATU HACK HURDLE RACE, of 100 sovs. One mile and three-quarters. G. P. Donnelly’s ch g Golden Water, by Gold Reef—la, 3yrs, 9.5 (R. Thompson) I F. J. Bassett’s Millennial, 9.0 (F. Willis) 2 J. Hennah’s Captain Jingle, 9.0 (O’Connell) 3 Also started: Pearl Reef, Oxton, Claremont, Douche, Glen, Rosegrove, Dorando. There was a capital struggle between Golden Water and Millennial, which resulted in favour of the former, who won by a neck, a length separating the second and third horses. The favourites, Glen ami Oxton, were never prominent. Time, 3m 19 2-ss. SCURRY HACK HANDICAP, of 100 sovs. Six furlongs. D. Buick’s b g Gold Battery, by Field Battery—Cyanide, 3yrs, 9.0 (11. Gray). 1 J. McLaughlin’s Multiple, 10.13 (Oliver) 2 E. J. Watt’s Kildonan, 9.6 (C. Jenkins).. 3 Also started: Ascalon, Leolanter, Tinatoa, Niwaru, San Pluie, Bercola, Composed, Ruapare, Harekoa, Artie. Gold Battery led all the way and won by about two lengths, the favourite (Kildonan) being only a fair third. Time, Im 17s. HE RET AUNG A HANDICAP, of 150 sovs. Seven furlongs. R. A. McDonald’s b m Hermia, by Birkenhead —Nixie, syrs, 10.2 (C. Jenkins) 1 A. J. Ellingham’s Glissade, 9.3 (Sceates) 2 Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Idealism, 9.0 (F. D. Jones) 3 Also started: Parable, Mundic, King’s Lynn, Marathon. Glissade shot out in front from a good start, but after going two furlongs lost her place to Hermia, who was never afterwards troubled, winning comfortably by a good length and a-half. Idealism was a poor third. Time, Im 31s. SECOND DAY. NAPIER, Thursday. Fine weather favoured the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club to-day for the second day of their winter meeting at Hastings. The attendance was fairly good, and an interesting day’s sport was enjoyed. Several spills occurred during the day, but the only one of a serious nature was a fatal accident to Diplomatic in the Hack Steeplechase. The sum of £5943 passed through the totalisator, making 11,578 for the two days, as compared with £12,065 at the last winter meetlng._a deficiency of £487. Thirteen bookmakers were licensed. Hack Hurdles of lOOsovs. one mile and ahalf.—Oxton, 10.5. 1: Golden Water, 10.3, 2; Glen, 9.10, 3. All started. Won easily. Time, 2.51. Hack Steeplechase of 150aovs, two miles. —Nero, 11.3, 1; Corazon, 11.2, 2; Oakley, 9.7. 3. Scratched: King Hippo, Kauroa. Won easily. Northern Star, Diplomatic, and Pebble fell. Time, 4.13. 11.8. Hurdles of 300sovs.—Prophet, 11.2, 1; Woolloomooloo, 9.11, 2; Forest, 9.3, 3. •Scratched: Polyanthus and Audax. Won by a length and a half. Time, 3.49. Ladies’ Necklace of GOsovs once round. — Faunas, 12.‘A I; Pumoana, 10.7. 2; Mahuta, 13.0, 3. Scratched: Woolloomooloo. Won by half a length. Time, 1.55 4-5. Diplomatic broke his back in the Hark Steeplechase. JUNE STEEPLECHASE HANDICAP of 250sovs. About two miles and a-half. Mr C. E. Brewer’s b g Sir Lethe, aged, by Lethe-Master Agnes mare, 10 0 (.1. liereock) I Mr W. Care’s King Hippo, 9.11 (A. Julian) - Mr D. Rutherford’s Eurus, 11.9 (J.Nolan) 3 Also started: Needlework, 10.1; Senoritu, 9.7. Sir Lethe had things all his own way and romped home a winner by about n dozen lengths, Emus being about the same distance behind King Hippo. Time, 5.9. RAI.’KAWA HACK HANDICAP of lOOsovs. Seven furlongs. Hon. J. D. Ormond’s br g Idealism. 3yrs, by Birkenhead — Ideal, 10.0 (F. D. Jones) I Mr W. Telford’s Bercola, 0.0 (11. Telford) -

Mr A. Helm's Niwaru, 9.4 (C.« Jenkifm) ? Also started: leolanter 9.13, Boyne Wwfet 9.0, Composed 9.0, .Cast les Ide 9.0, Arty 9.0. Idealism shot out from the ruck, and, challenging-Bercola, came on In great style, winning cleverly by half-u-length. About the same distance separated the second ami third horses. Time, 1.31 3-5. FINAL HANDICAP of lOOsovs. Six furlongs. Mr J. McLnuvhlin’s b c Multiple, 3yrs, by Multiform—Soult Girl, 9.7 (A. Oliver) 1 Mr A. J. Ellingham’s Glissade, 9.8 (Sceats) 2 Hon. J. D. Ormond’s Rollin, 11.0 (C. Jenkins) 3 Also started: Hermia 11.0, King's Lynn 9.0. Multiple led all the way, and won comfortably by two lengths, Bollin being a good third. Time, 1.16 3-5.