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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 108, 18 August 1892, Page 6

In previous issues in dealing with the vexed totalisator question we have pointed out that there was no unanimity among the Metropolitan Clubs in the of the commission charged to the on. in vestments, clubs deducting the per cent. Government tax | from their receipts, and others adding it ’ on to the 10 per cent, commission allowed by law, and thus making the gentle public pay 11A per cent, for the privilege of investing on the totalisator. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s committee, although they have erred in the past by charging per cent., are now to be congratulated on taking the initiative move in the direction of bringing about uniformity in the matter, for they have _decided to give notice of motion at the next Racing Conference to alter Rule 13 of the Totalisator Rules so as to read that 10 per cent, commission, less the amount of the State tax shall be charged on all money invested. This is as it . ■‘Should be, and we hope the other MetroI oolitan Clubs will agree to the O.J.C.’s | proposal-.

In our issue of a fortnight back our Napier correspondent was the first to furnish the New Zealand sporting world with the intelligence that Dreadnought had been bought by the Hon'. J D. Ormond, of Napier, for 1500 gs. Thus one of the biggest studs of New Zealand will receive an accession of fresh blood —one that cannot fail to have a most beneficial influence on breeding throughout the Colony. Bar Abercorn and First Chester, Dreadnought is the first son of Chester that has been put to stud duties, and as he was indubitably a great racehorse it is reasonable to suppose that he will acquit himself with credit at the stud. Chester has proved himself one of the greatest sires Australia ever produced. His full brother St. George is now in the Middle Park Stud, Christchurch, and though he has not been used very extensively there (Apremontbeing chief lord of the harem) he has nevertheless left some fair average performers. Trafalgar, the dam of Dreadnought, was bought in England by the late Hon. J. White, and is by Blair A th ol( winner of the Derby and Leger) out of Mosquito, a full sister to Musket. Chester crossed on such a close relative to Musket with a double strain of Stockwell thrown in through Blair Athol and through Chester’s dam Lady Chester (who is a daughter of the “ Emperor of Stallions”) is a pedigree that at once arrests the eye of a student of breeding and causes him to study it deeply. Dreadnought was foaled in 1886, and

his first appearance under silk was made as a two year-old at the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting, when he ran third in the Nursery Handicap, won by Richelieu, and at the A.J.C. Autumn Meeting in the following month he won the Maiden Stakes, of one mile and a quarter, with 7st up, beating a field of five. As a three-year-old he first came out at the A.J.C. Spring, where with 7st 121 b he was second to Novice—to whom he was conceding 201 b—in the Epsom Handicap, one mile, and with 7st 51b up, he annexed the Wycombe Stakes, of one mile and three-quarters. At the Victorian Amateur Turf Club’s Spring Meeting he won the Caulfield Stakes, one mile and a furlong, carrying 7st 111 b, and beating some first-class cattle, the great Carbine being second, and Bravo and Dunkeld a dead heat for third place. He followed this up by winning the V.R.C. Derbs and Foal Stakes and running second to Carbine in the Flying Stakes, 7 furlongs. At the V.R.C. Autumn he had only his stable companion Singapore to beat in the Leger, and with Bst 61b—a goo lly weight for a thiee-yea-’-old in such a long-distance handicap —he won the Australian Cup, two miles and a quarter. Melos with 9st 21b and Sir William, with 7st 111 b, being second and third respectively, and having a large field behind them. In this race Dreadnought cut the Colonial record for the distance, for he ran it in 3min 59£sec. Ho had to put up with second place to Melos in the Champion Stakes, and then journeying on to Randwick he ran a dead heat for second place with Melos in the Autumn Stakes, w.f.a., one mile and a half, won by Carbine ; occupied a similar position in the weightf or-age Cumberland Stakes, 2 miles, won by Carbine ; won the A.J.C. Leger, and was third in the A.J.C. Plate, w f.a., 3 miles, won by Carbine. He has never run since, and it is safe to say that on the majority of the occasions when he sported silk he was not thoroughly wound up, which only goes to show further what a great racehorse he must have been. When the Hon. J. White’s horses were sold Lord Kesteven was the highest bidder for Dreadnought at 2200 gs., but Mr. W. T. Jones, the owner of Bravo, made him an offer of 500 gs. advance, and secured him thereat. But Dreadnought never recouped Mr. Jones a penny of his big outlay, for he could never be brought to the post. A young horse with his credentials of sterling performances and good breeding is, to our mind, not dear at 1500 gs., and Mr. Ormond is entitled to the thanks of all true sportsmen for having been the main instrument in securing such a horse for New Zealand. By the time these lines are in the hands of our readers Dreadnought will have reached his new home, where, we hope, many prosperous years of stud life await him.