Sporting Review. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1890.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 3, 16 August 1890, Page 1

Sporting Review. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1890.

This week we beg to place the Sporting Review before our subscribers and the general public in an enlarged form. Few persons, especially our Southern contemporaries, have any idea of the difficulties we have had to contend with in bringing out this paper. Not only have we had obstacles thrown in our way in getting information, but the daily papers refuse to let their runners sell any publication except their own. Another drawback we have had to contend with is getting our different correspondents to fall in with the ways of the paper. From the commencement we determined to pander to no one, and only publish facts, giving the best information obtainable on all subjects. The papers in Auckland are more or less under the control of some party, either political or otherwise. The writers of many articles are colonials, with no experience of the world; they either use scissors and paste or write about subjects they do not properly understand. Some of them greatly remind us of poor old Whieldon, who for many years was the popular writer on fishing subjects in Bell's Life. He invariably commenced his articles with a description of his breakfast. In the spring of the year it was lamb and asparagus, or grilled chops and plovers’ eggs; in the winter, kippered herrings and devilled kidneys, winding up with a description of the inn and the quality of the beer. Our anticipations have been realized, and from the support we have received we are enabled to bring out the paper in its present form. We also hope in time to make it still larger. With our extended space we intend devoting a portion of it to the musical world, chess, and other amusements, not strictly confining ourselves to outdoor sports, and shall be glad at all times to receive particulars of anything worthy of note. We particularly hopethat the musical world will give us their support, as at present the reports and critiques on concerts, etc., are not always of the highest order. Correspondence on sporting matters, etc., will always find room in our columns; all we will ask our correspondents to do is to be as concise as possible, as space is an object. All queries will be replied to on the most reliable information ; if there is none obtainable we will say so.

There is a great controversy going on in Australia regarding the minimum weight in handicaps. Letters appear in the different sporting papers for and against a limit being fixed as to the lowest weight a horse shall carry in a race—some arguing that if a lower limit is not made good horses will be crushed with weight for the sake of third-rate horses ; other s

say that if it is reduced many jockeys’ lives will be endangered through a five-stone boy having no control of his horse, crossing, and bring down not only himself, but perhaps several others. There are many that will remember the frightful accidents at Goodwood, Chester, Caulfield, and other places, all of which were caused by incompetent jockeys. Looking back to the old days of racing in England, when featherweights were allowed, such jockeys as Kitchener, who rode Red Deer for the Chester Cup, 4st. 41b., and Goater, who steered Joe Miller, 4st. 101 b., to victory for the same race, are proofs that you may get a featherweight occasionally that can ride and manage a horse in a big field. When featherweights were done away with, and the lowest weight fixed at sst. 71b., boys like Carroll, H. Grimshaw, Ohaloner, Loates, Jimmy Grimshaw, Sam Kenyon, and a few others, distinguished themselves in big handicaps, and made small fortunes for the stables to which they were apprenticed. We have known as much as £2OOO given for the call of one of these crack jockeys, with a further sum if he won, thus giving stables who had these prodigies the pull over others who had inferior boys in big handicaps. The terms in those days with the apprentices were that they should be bound until twentyone years of age, their masters having to clothe, educate, and keep them, and at the end of their apprenticeship they were entitled to half of what they had earned by riding. The abovementioned jockeys, at the end of their time, received from £lO,OOO to £15,000, Jimmy . Grimshaw and Kenyon heading the list. John Osborne and Tom Cliff were the most successful trainers in bringing out light weights—they even did not get one of twenty of their articled boys that made jockeys. If the difficulty of getting light weights that can ride in England is so great, what must it be in the Colonies, where indentures are a farce, and there are not a hundredth part of the number of boys employed in racing stables as there are in England. With regard to handicappers having to crush good horses to give the scrubbers a chance, if they do so they alone are to blame. We have acted as one, both at Home and in the Colonies, and have never done so, always following Admiral Rous’ (the King of Handicappers) principle, which was to start at a fair racing weight and then handicap all the horses that have any pretensions to win the race. He would then fake the inferior horses, adjust their impost, and place them in their proper place. Owners and trainers soon found out that it was waste of money and time trying to win a big handicap with an inferior animal, therefore they placed them in races adapted to their capabili ties. We never remember Admiral Rous exceeding 10st., with the exception of some half-mile and five furlong races, when he had such flyers as Miss Julia, Little Lady, and Nutbush to weight. He used to give them lOst. 71b. and list.—failing even with these welter weights to stop their winning. The idea of still further reducing the minimum in steeplechases and hurdle races is absurd; they ought sooner to raise them. We heard one of the best steeplechase handicappers in the old country say that if 2st. 71b. would not bring horses together over a country they had better be put into harness. If by any chance the rule should pass that the minimum weight for races be reduced we shall hear of some terrible accidents, caused by the reckless riding of children. The older jockeys had better insure their lives against accidents for a large amount, as they will be the first to suffer.

At a meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Association, held this week, a letter was read from the Northern Trotting and Pony Club (Auckland), asking for affiliation. This, we are informed by the Secretary, was accepted, and Mr. J. S. Williams was nominated and appointed as delegate. The Club was ap-

pointed senior club in the Auckland district for passing programmes, &c., as provided by Rule 7. Horse owners should bear in mina that any horse running at a meeting whose programme is not duly passed by the Northern Trotting and Pony Club (now the recognised Metropolitan Trotting Club in Auckland) are rendered liable to disqualification.

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Donne’s circular re the totalisator. In some small points we agree with him. The Sporting Review is at present against the use of the totalisator, or if used at all, it must be in a very limited manner. The indiscriminate use of the totalisator is ruining racing and the breed of horses in New Zealand, and the day is not far distant when a decent horse will not be procurable. _________