THE TURF.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 11, 11 October 1890, Page 2

THE TURF.

[by old turfite.]

Last week, when I challenged “Spectator” to pick fifteen mares from the Sylvia Park Stud against those I chose from Wellington Park, I overlooked the important words “of their age,” that “ Spectator ” inserted. I will agree with him that in no stud will you find “so many grand old mares.” Ido not think that “ Spectator’s” experience in breeding is as long as mine, but I will ask him if, with rare exceptions, he ever knew a mare over seventeen years of age throw a good racehorse. I have not the stud books at hand, so I shall only go by memory, but he may go through all the books if he likes, and I venture to say that he will not find twenty mares during the last thirty years that have done so. Burlesque had Buckstone after she was twenty, but she is the only one I remember. All Pocohantas’ stock deteriorated after she foaled Ayacanora, while Paradigm, the dam of Lord Lyon, Achievement and many other good winners, was the same. Then come nearer home and take Sylvia. She was sixteen when she threw ; what have her stock been like since ? You can find any amount of cases like this. If “ Spectator” looks through his pet mares at Sylvia Park he will find a difficulty in selecting fifteen mares under sixteen that have bred a winner, the majority being over that, and the best two — Sylvia and Onyx — being twenty-six and eighteen years respectively.

To-day is the commencement of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club meeting at Caulfield. The first race to take notice of is the Caulfield Stakes of 500 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each, w.f.a.; the winner of any race, not a handicap, value 500 sovs., 51b extra, of more than that amount 71b. extra. There are twentyeight horses entered, including Pygmallion, Singapore, Dunkeld, The Admiral, Churchill, Gibraltar, Megaphone, and Marvel. The conditions of the Caulfield Cup, which are absurdly worded, read thus: —“The winner of any handicap flat race of the value of 100

sovs. (the Toorak Handicap excepted) after the declaration of the weights to carry 51b. extra.; of two such flat races ot any flat race of the value of 200 sovs. 71b. extra; or of any such race of the value of 500 sovs., 141 b extra.” This part of the conditions would puzzle even a sea lawyer. If it really means that the winner of the Caulfield Stakes has to carry a 141 b. penalty in the Cup, we may expect to see a good many of the cracks engaged in the Cup drop out. The race will probably rest between Gibraltar and Megaphone, and as the former has to concede 71b. to the latter it looks a good thing for Mr. Wallace’s recent purchase. The only other race to touch upon is the Caulfield Guineas. The acceptances were declared last Thursday. Nine are left in. Of these oiily Titan, Whimberel and Prelude are worthy of notice. Titan has never been a favourite of mine, for not only is he a gelding, but from what I can learn he has stilty forelegs. In the A.J.C. Derby it was said he was not fit, being deficient in muscle, and looked soft, still he ran a good horse for the greater part of the way. The Guineas course is only a mile, but at the same time if a gelding was deficient in muscle and soft a fortnight ago. I fail to see how a trainer can improve him, as a gelding requires less work than an entire, and from my experience I have found that the only chance of getting them up is to cease work for a time. This, considering the large amount of money he has been backed for, is impossible. Geldings, as I have mentioned before, often make brilliant two-year-olds, but at three —when their teething time comes —they take a much longer time to get over it than entires, as their constitutions are not so strong, and they are generally four-year-olds before they thoroughly recover from the operation. So much as he is fancied by the general public, and I believe also by his owner, I cannot stand him. Whimberel has proved himself at Randwick a thoroughly good colt over all distances, and from what I can learn his owner’s money is on for the great events at the V.R.C. Meeting at Flemington, so this gallop will not affect him in the market. Prelude has this year proved herself a good filly in more than one race, but as she has to put up a penalty of ylb, I think she may be placed third, as the distance is only a mile. I expect the result will be a slashing race between Whimberel and Titan. Of the two I give the preference to the former, as I believe him to be a thoroughly game sound colt. For the Caulfield Cup, several of the favourites as I expected are travelling badly in the market, and at this distance away from the scene of action lucky will be the man who can spot the winner. My own opinion is that it will turn up in some rank outsider, but which is the one I am unable to pick. Little Bernie is at present the favourite, and if all is on the square he will take a good deal of beating, but from information lately received I think my readers will have no reason to regret having a little on Vengeance and Redfern’s selected, which one it is I leave them to judge. I however prefer either Ivy or Mellonian, the former for choice.

The first day of the Hawkes’ Bay Jockey Club meeting resulted in a great many surprises, and backers had a bad time of it, not a single favourite winning. Boulanger, 4yrs. old, with 7st 21b, won the October Handicap pretty easily, but this was not a very great performance as he was receiving lumps of weight from all but one in the race. Tauraekaitai, 9St iolb., had little difficulty in disposing of seven others in the Hurdle Race. The Hawkes Bay Guineas was the principal race of the day, and resulted in a regular boil over, Medallion starting a tremendous favourite, with odds of 3 to 1 being laid on him. He finished absolutely last, the winner turning up in Mr. Ormond’s colt St. Andrew, by St. Leger out of Scottish Lassie, who had little difficulty in disposing of Crackshot, the rest never being dangerous. This running is hard to understand, as Medallion was the best of his age last season, and it is hardly likely that Mr. Stead would have sent him to Napier unless he considered the race a moral for him. The particulars to hand- are rather brief, so news may come later on explaining the cause of his defeat. I hear from good authority that the starting at Napier has been previously of the very worst description, and it is just possible he may have been left at the post. On the other hand

St. Andrew last year won every race he started for, with the exception of the Sapling Stakes, in which he was trying to concede 181 b. to Aronoel and 351 b. to Seraph; at the same tiAe he got a very bad start, so St. Andrew mapie a better colt than is anticipated, and I am informed he has wintered well. The only other race that requires notice is the Welcome Stakes, for which only three started, Mr. Douglas’ Rosefeldt by Nordenfeldt out of Rose d’Amour winning a good race by a neck from Cretonne, bv Ascot out of Leonessa.

The second day of the meeting was almost as disastrous to backers as the first. The first race that calls for any comment is the Spring Handicap. Crackshot, yst 71b, after a good race, won cleverly by a length from Strephon, 7St 11 lb, and Pearl Powder, 7st; Cynisca Bst 91b, Karinka yst ulb, Boulanger 7st sib, and Tit 6st iolb, being behind the placed horses. This running stamps the winner as being a good colt. Those who believe in the time test will find that 2min 39|sec is the record for this race. For the Nursery Handicap Rosefeldt and Cretonne ran a dead heat, with Salva close up. This running goes far to prove that none of the two-year-olds that appeared at the meeting will turn out of much account, as they all appear to be of much about the same form. Whisper, gst iolb, won the Consolation pretty easily, giving lumps of weight away to everything in the race. This running proves that Whisper is a very smart mare over her own distance, and it is a great pity that she was left at the post in the October Handicap. I will now review the running with regard to its effect on the C.J.C. Derby and the New Zealand Cup. I will first of all take the crack of last season, Medallion. His running in the Guineas was inexplicable, as one would have thought that his owner would never have gone to the expense of sending him to Napier unless he thought he had a certainty. His running last is too bad to be true, and either he got away badly, was not fit, or the course did not suit. I have had no opportunity of learning the facts of the case, but for the present I shall ignore this running altogether. I will now take the running of the two three-year-olds, St. Andrew and Crackshot. The former won the Guineas and the latter the Handicap. These two meet in the Cup at a difference of 81b in favour of Crackshot. This I think will enable him to turn the tables on St. Andrew, though in this colt Mr. Ormond has undoubtedly a good one. If you can believe the southern reports it appears that Crackshot was not thoroughly wound up, and the gallop in the Guineas may have done him good ; at the same time he is not out of the gamest of mares. Cynisca I think may be put down as a nonstarter, as her running here points to her having no show. The same remarks apply to Queen of Trumps, who at one time received some support. The only other horse that calls for any remarks is Strephon, who meets Crackshot on iolb better terms. The distance for the Cup is two miles, and the Riccarton course requires a stayer, so I should not be surprised to see the four-year-old turn the tables, but I shall have more to say on the Cup next week. So far I do not think the winner of the Cup appeared at Napier, unless it was Medallion.

In another column will be found an advertisement that Grip—by Slanderer out of Awatea—will stand this season at Mr. E. B. Laxon’s farm at East Tamaki. Grip is a powerful black horse bred by Mr. H. Redwood in 1876, while on the turf he won the C.J.C. Handicap, Canterbury Cup and Christchurch Plate. He was a good weight carrier, and could also stay well. For some seasons he has been standing in the northern part of this Province, where he has left some first-class stock. His moderate fee places him within reach of all the settlers, therefore he should be extensively patronised, as with good roomy mares he should get some fine upstanding horses.

The Caulfield Cup, until the final acceptances which are due on October 14th are made, appears to be a very open race. The more you read the different training reports the more you are puzzled, as so many are fancied “if” they are not reserved for the Melbourne Cup. Some good judges think that this will be Marvel’s journey, as it is said that he prefers a mile and a half to the longer distance. Red-

fern has a strong team, consisting of Churchill, Meltonian, Benzon, Marco and Ivy, all of whom are going well, the first three being particularly landed. At the present time there is no proncßnced favourite. Dunkeld has perhaps been bac .ed for as much money as anything, but he does not travel well in the market, so he may be considered an absentee. My favourite outsider, Vengeance, has been backed to win a good stake. Of Redfern s team Churchill and Benzon have all along been most fancied, and Ivy has been nibbled at, so his selected one must have a great show. Little Bernie, since his running at Randwick, has come in for a great deal of support, but he belongs to a bookmaker, and may therefore have the pencil fever before the day. There are several others more or less backed, but I will adhere to my first selections, and of these I prefer Singapore and Vengeance, though Redfern’s best will be dangerous- Ivy for choice. The acceptances are due on Tuesday next, when backers will know what they are about. ♦ There is very little doing in the Melbourne Cup, and it is not likely there will be until after the Caulfield meeting. Carbine and Melos still head the quotations, and both of them are about equal favourites, but I think there is more monev forthcoming about Carbine than there is about Melos. Little Bernie and The Queen have also been backed for a good deal of money, apparently from good quarters, but unless the former had a good deal in hand for the Metropolitan, the mare is sure to beat him. Gibraltar, since his running in the A.J C. Derby and Second Foal Stakes, has come into'a prominent position in the market, and 100 to 5 is taken and offered. Sir William is another about whom 100 to 3 has been booked, but I think he will not like the two miles in a strong run race. Of the ten 1 first selected I prefer at the present time the chances of Melos, The Admiral, Dunkeld, Gresford and Whimberel. Singapore, I fancy, is meant for the Caulfield Cup, and from the tone of the market Dunkeld will probably be reserved for the Melbourne event. The acceptances are due on the Tuesday before the race, and it is better to take a short price when you know something than a long one when you don’t.