TURF GOSSIP

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 4, 27 July 1910, Page 12

TURF GOSSIP

By

WHALEBONE.

FIXTURES. Aug. 9, 11 and 13—C.J.C. Grand National Oct. 12, 15 — Auckland Trotting Club Spring Sept. 17, 21, and 24—Avondale J. C. Spring. Nov. 19, 23—Otahuhu T.C. Spring. Dec. 27, 31, Jan. 7 — A.T.C. Summer Mr John Rowe, of Auckland, has been re-elected president of the N.Z. Trotting Conference. The Trainers and Jockeys’ Provident Fund of the Auckland Racing Club is in credit £1493 15/11. In riding Dogger Bank to victory at Trentham on Wednesday, Mark Ryan rode his first winner on the course. The Wellington Racing '* Club conclude their Winter Meeting to-day, the gathering closing * the season of 1909-10. F. Stenning has just started on the rising three-year-old Holdfast, by Gluten — Cobweb. C. Cress has been engaged to ride Prophet in his engagements at the C.J.C. Winter Meeting. Four first favourites were successful on the opening day of the Wellington Racing Club's Winter Meeting. The Finland geldiuig Bobrikoff, which has been enjoying a sbor< spell, was to have resumed work again this week. A motion to grant the Wellington Racing Club an extra day for their Summer Meeting was rejected by the Conference. Tota lisa tor receipts amounted to £1444, and the revenue from bookmakers' licenses came to £465. The amount received by the Auckland Racing Club from their gates and grand stand during the past season amounted to £876 11/6. The victories of White Cockade at Wellington have had the effect of btinging the son of Finland into prominence for the C.J.C. National Hurdles, and he is now one of the favourites for that event. The following names have been claimed for Auckland-owned rising tw r o-year-olds: — Royal Irish, br c. by Soult — Asthore; Eady Gluten, br f. by Gluten — Soult Rose: and Oboe, b f, by Obligado — Cytherea. The Menschikoff —Armilia colt Tawhaki, which ran second to Morecambe in the Trial Plate at Trentham, has yet to win a lace. The winner is a full-brother to Kairoma, and was sent out a very hot favourite. The Auckland-owned horse Ngapuka was sent out in the position of third favourite for the Parliamentary Handicap at Trentham on Saturday, but was never prominent at any stage of the race, and finished a. long way back. The feature of the racing on tie opening day of the Wellington Racing Club's Winter Meeting was the success of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's colours, which were carried Io victory in three events. All the winners were ridden by F. D. Jones. Out of the last eight Wellington Steeplechases run, horses hailing from the Auckland Province have won on five occasions: Nor’-west won in 1903. Kia tore in .1904 and 1905. Haydn in 1907, and Capitol this season. H. Gray and A. Julian are at the head of winning horsemen on the flat and over fences respectively for the 1909-10 racing season. Each receives a gold watch and gold-mounted whip, presented by Wellington tradesmen. An effort was made to secure H. Gray's services for Master Soult in his Australian engagements, but it is understood that the New Plymouth horseman has accepted a retainer from Mr G. D. Greenwood, and is therefore unable to make the trip. ’ A good word comes from the South for White Cockade, which won the Peninsula Hurdle Handicap, on the opening day of the Wellington meeting. White Cockade is engaged in the C.J.C. National Hurdles, in which he will have to carry 9.5. The Awapuni trainer, G. Price, has just received an interesting letter from D. 11. Hewitt, who has been riding in Austria for the past couple of seasons. At the time the letter was written, Hewitt was at the head of the list of winning jockeys in Aus-

tria, having two wins more than the Victorian, B. Carslake. Hewitt’s victories included five of the principal races in that country. If he can spare the necessary time, he intends to pay a visit to Sydney next Christmas. He planned a trip last year, but was unable to carry it out.

The stallion Marble Arch, imported from Australia by Mr W. Walters, was not allowed to land, but was taken to Motuibi, where he will have to stay for the necessary time to place him outside the quarantine regulations in connection with horses hailing from Brisbane. A statement appears in a southern paper to the effect that C. Brown is to ride Master Soult . in his Australian engagements, but this is not correct. Negotiations are in progress for the services of one of the leading Australian horsemen, but nothing definite has yet been decided on. The Masterton Racing Club has had a very bad year, principally owing to bookmakers, who seriously interfere with the totalisator revenue, and wet weather. There is a fairly heavy debit balance. The sum of £2500 was spent in stakes during the past year. It now transpires that A. .Julian had his collar-bone fractured when Audax fell with him in the Wellington Steeplechase. The mishap is a bit of bad luck for the Auckland horseman, as it will probably keep him out of the saddle at the C.J.C. National Meeting. The rising two-year-old filly, by Obligado — Cytherea, in F. Stenning’s stable, while being led yesterday, broke away and galloped about on the roads for some time before she was caught again. Although she had one or two narrow escapes, she got off without any serious damage. The N.Z. Racing Conference decided to ask for a permit from the Papakura Racing Club, the Auckland district being entitled to one more permit. Applications by Strath-Taieri, Stratford, Taranaki, Marton, Waverley, Waitotara, Horowhenua, Taratahi-Carterton, and Wairarapa Clubs were refused. The N.Z. Tiotting Conference have decided that wherever it is necessary, owing to the number of horses engaged, to run a race in heats, the first three in each heat are to start in the final. The totalisator would only be opened as on the one race, and would be closed before the start of the first heat. It has been definitely decided that, all going well in the meantime, Master Soult will be shipped to Australia on August 8. The biilliant son of Soult will probably be taken over by his trainer, Denis Moraghan, who will remain with the horse and prepare him for his Australian engagements. Mr H. R. McKenzie arrived back from Australia by the Maheno on Sunday, with the stallion Penury, which is now located at Ascot Stud Farm, Mangere. ' Experts who examined Penury, pronounce him as one of the finest horses yet imported into this country, and Mr McKenzie should have no reason to regret the money expended on his purchase. The many friends of Mr W. Lyons will be pleased to hear that he has so far recovered as to be able to leave the private hospital of which he has been an inmate for some time, and return to his home at Parramatta. Mr Lyons has had rather a critical time of it, but now that he is on the mend, it is to be hoped that he will soon be his old self again. The Auckland horse Electrakoff was sent out a warm favourite for the Stewards’ Handicap, which he won, at Trentham on Saturday, and getting into a winning position at the end of the second furlong, never let the field near him, having three lengths advantage when they passed the past. Electra koff has earned a 71b penalty for the Winter Cup, which will bring his weight up to 10.0. After all the flourishing of trumpets anil drawing-up of regulations for the appointment of stipendiary stewards, the question lias been shelved for another twelve months by the Racing Conference. The attitude of some of the members of the Conference towards the stipendiary steward seems hard to understand, for there is not the slightest doubt he is wanted, and especially at the smaller meetings. However, a dead set is made against his introduction by a certain section who seem to have sufficient influence and support to keep the question shelved. When the appeal of L. B. Harris for the removal of his life disqualification was before the N.Z. Racing Conference, the judges appointed to consider the case reported that they were not unanimous as to wlifr

ther the rules gave them power to deal with the case. At the recent conference power was given to the president to appoint judges to hear this appeal, and also that of Norman Cunningham, who is applying for the removal of the life sentence imposed by the Avondale J.C.

The report of the committee of the N.Z. Racing Conference upon the number of days' racing showed no Increase in the number of totalizator meetings, during a period in which the population of the Dominion had risen from under 750,000 to an estimated 950,000 ; so that, even allowing for some additional days added to the larger meetings, there had been no proportionate increase. There had been an actual decrease in the number of days’ rating held by registered non-totalisator clubs.

In moving at the recent Conference that the following be added to the rules : “The programme of every meeting held on any day from June 1 to September 1. inclusive, shall include at least one maiden or hack steeplechase,”' the mover, Mr. G. Hunter, said: "This is a sporting proposal, and therefore I can hardly expect this conference to favour it.” He thought the conference usually showed more interest in £ s. d. than in sporting questions. The motion, however, was carried.

The annual meeting of the Auckland Racing Club is fixed for Monday, August I. The whole of the retiring members of committee are seeking re-election, while Mr Davies, a former member, Is also seeking election. The attendances of committee at meetings during the year are: Messrs. 11. T. Gorrie 20, W. C. Somers 18, E. A. Price 17, Hon. E. Mitchelson 16, G. W. S. Patterson 15, R. W. Duder 15, P. Dunnet 14, H. O. Nolan 12, N. A. Nathan 10, S. Bradley 10, .F. Earl 7, O. Nicholson 7. Twenty meetings were held during the year, Messrs. Nolan and Nathan being granted leave of absence.

Our Masterton correspondent wires:— How important the totalisator and bookmakers’ licensing are to a racing club is shown in the annual report of the Wafrarapa Racing Club. During the past years £3541 was received from these two sources alone by the club, and when it is noted that the stakes amounted to £3560, it will be seen that the receipts from the totalisator and bookmaker just about equal the stakes. The club have spent £587 on the race track and improving the course, and the debit balance amounts to £lOll. Though some may deplore racing, a racing club spends a lot of money locally. For instance, the Wairarapa Racing Club spent £1455 in the past year in wages alone, and another £6O in material, all of which, money is spent locally.