Turf Topics.

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

Turf Topics.

“ Sir Launcelot.”J Mr. Stead’s two-year-old filly by St. George out of Sir Modred’s half-sister been named Ich Dien. - — The Hon. G. McLean’s two-year-old colt by Gorton — Mountain Lily, has been christened Errington. Mr. H. Redwood, the “ Father of the New Zealand Turf,” was among the visitors to the C.J.C. Grand National Meeting. There are in all 51 acceptors for the New Zealand Cup. Mr. W. Douglas’ three-year-old filly Ua, who has 6.7, was omitted from the list telegraphed up here.

James Hayes maintained the lead in the list of winning jockeys for Victoria until July 30th, when the last day’s racing of the season took place. For the 12 months he gained no less than 73 victories, finished second on 49 occasions, and 50 thirds, an average which is considerably in advance of any other jockey. His nearest opponent is A. Griffiths, who had the misfortune to be suspended for some time during the season, or he would undoubtedly have been very close to Hayes. A. Griffiths left Melbourne the other day on a trip through New Zealand. Griffiths also rode 36 seconds and 17 thirds. Since P. McGowan’s services were called upon by the St. Albans’ stable he has b en very successful, and wound up the season with 30 wins to his credit, 21 seconds and 15 thirds, or in all 66 times placed. C. Lewis has also gained the same number of winning brackets, and had he not met with a serious accident at Randwick during the autumn meeting, would have added many more wins to his name. V. Fountain has gained 26 wins out of a possible 154, and also claims 19 seconds and the same number of thirds. Barbour, who only rides in jumping events, steered 24 winners. Barbour has been 71 times placed, 22 of which were seconds and 25 thirds. Notwithstanding Cusdin’s dismissal from Mr. AV. R. AVilson’s stable, he has been well to the fore on many occasions since that time, his record showing 23 successes. He only rode 11 seconds and 10 thirds. R. Howie, H. Underwood, and G. Robson have each gained 21 victories, whilst Keating and Myers won 19 events. This is not a bad record for some old New Zealand boys.

The Duke of AVestminster has decided to establish a new stud farm, near Churton, a -village about five miles from Eaton Hall. The farm is to cover seventy acres, and the plans for the necessary buildings have been drawn out and approved. This farm will be a supplementary establishment to the original Eaton Stud Farm, where Bend Or, Ormonde, and Orme were foaled. By the way, I notice in the last files of the London Sportsman to hand, that the following stallions are standing at Eaton Hall this season : Bend Or, at 200 gs. a mare (subscription full) ; Ormonde’s brother Arklow, at lOOgs. for fifteen approved foaling mares, in addition to his owner’s ; Blue Green by Coeruleus —Angelica at lOOgs. for 10 approved mares, in addition to his owner’s ; and Pepper and Salt, by The Rake—Oxford Mixture at lOgs. In the House of Commons on the evening before the day on which the Derby was run, Major Rasch moved the adjournment of the House over Derby Day, and his motion was seconded by Captain Grice Hutchinson. Sir AVilfred Lawson, however, opposed the motion on the ground that previous to 1847 the House did not adjourn for the Derby Day, and, therefore, it was not a very ancient custom He further stated that during the present session the House had passed two Acts against gambling—viz., the Infants’ Betting Act and the Gaming Act —and if the adjournment was decided upon it would be hypocritical on the part of the members. After speeches from Lord Elcho, who seconded the amendment, and Mr. Gedge, who spoke of the bad example that would certainly be set to the community, the House divided, with the result that the motion was lost by fourteen votes.

The annual meeting of the members of the Onslow Trotting Club which was to be held at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel on Friday last has been postponed till to-morrow. At Sandown Park (Melbourne) on July 30th, Mikado 11., 10.3, and Kapo, qst, were a couple of old New Zealanders that were unplaced in the Hurdle Handicap of 70 sovs., one mile and five furlongs, won by Linwood, 9.13. Linwood is a five-year old ol real thoroughbred breeding, for he is by Progress (son of Angler and Coquette, and runner-up to Grand Flaneur in the V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup, and winner of the Sydney Gold Cup and other big races as a three-year-old) out of lima, by Irish King—Cantatrice (imp.), by Laneret. In the July Handicap of 50 sovs., five furlongs and a half, run at the same meeting, Ilium, who was recently sent from Christchurch, made her first appearance in Australia with the colours up. She carried 7. 11, and was ridden by the ex-New Zealand boy Leeson, but she was unplaced behind Yarinon 7.12. Yarmon is a five-year-old gelding, belonging to Mr. J. AVilson, junr., and is by St. Albans (imp.) out of Duenna, who is a half-sister to Cardigan, being by Lecturer out of the imported Newcastle mare Signora. Waiter, li.o, ridden by Underwood, and Whiteman, 10.12, ridden by Cameron, were both unplaced behind Fatback, 11.0, in the Open Steeplechase of 80 sovs., two miles and a half. Both Underwood and Cameron are New Zealand horsemen, and Waiter and Whiteman were both bred in this colony. Old Rewi ran last in a field of four in the Selling Race, five furlongs, and Ilium, 7.4, again failed in getting a situation in the Sandown Park Handicap, one mile, in which Yarmon easily brought off the second leg of a double.

Mr. D. O’Brien’s cast-off Survivor ran unplaced with 7.9 in the Two-year-old Race, four furlongs and a half, run at Moonee Valley (Melbourne) on the 27th ult. The Gorton—lndolence gelding Dormeur occupied a similar position with a stone less in the Fairfield Handicap, 5 furlongs and a quarter, which went to Mulligan (8.4). Waiter, 10.13, ridden by Underwood, failed to get “ a drum ” in the Steeplechase, 2 miles. Messrs. S. Allen and J. Wall, two well-known Melbourne bookmakers, recently visited England and America, and Mr. AVall on returning to Victoria was interviewed by a representative of the Melbourne Sporting Standard as to his impressions of American racing. He said:—“To have the privilege of betting on the leading courses it is necessary to be in attendance official at a certain time, when he puts all appl^, ing into a list, and they draw for places in the betting boxes. A sum of 100 dol. a day has also to be paid for each of five days for the week, and if an extra day is run the 100 dol. is increased to 112 dol. for that day. Bookmakers do not stand with cash bags, as on Australian courses. They are provided with boxes, constructed so as to accommodate the layer and three or four clerks who include ticket-writer, sheet-writer, cashier, etc. The layer is a man acting as the paid agent of a company, and gets 15 dol. a day for the work done, while each of the clerks gets 10 dol. a day. At the end of the box is a board on which are the names of the horses and the odds being laid. The American style did not at all suit me, and so I struck an innovation by starting with open satchel in the Australian way. The American system of laying and paying differs considerably trom the Australian. All betting on a race ceases a quarter of an hour before that race ; and during that quarter they proceed to bet on the succeeding race. At the conclusion of a race a club official calls out the winning names and numbers, I, 2, 3, and orders the pay off. The Yanks in betting end off with the figure five or some figures divisable by it. This gives the quotations a different ring to the Anglo-Australian style, which ends off with an even number ” In reply to interrogations of his interviewer as to the starting system in vogue in America, Mr. AVall said: —“They give all flying starts. The starter stands on a chair in line with the starting post, whilst another official—the assistant starter you might call him—stands a few yards ahead with the flag. The starter orders the boys behind the line and to range up in regular fashion at a canter. If they are in close company when they arrive at the mark, the word “ go ” is given and the flag drops, and off they go. If they are not well together he orders them back, and so on till they come properly up. As a rule very little time is lost at the post. The longest delay I observed was one of a quarter of an hour, and that was caused by a couple of specially fractious two-year-olds. The tracks they race on are mostly made tracks—not Nature’s grass clad courses such as Flemington and other of our Australian arenas. They make fast times on the American tracks; but these result in some measure from the flying starts, no doubt.”

Mr. Sam Powell, having made satisfactory arrangements for someone starting instead of him at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s May Meeting, will be able to wield the flag at the Dunedm Jockey Club’s May gathering. On the 30th ult. the V.R.C. Derby favourite Autonomy fell head over heels while doing a gallop at Randwick, but he quickly righted himself and was found to have sustained no injury. The light-weight, F. Kingan, who went to Melbourne to ride the gelding Cocksfoot in his engagements, returned to Riccarton last week. “Hotspur,” who interviewed him, says. “that Kingan saw most of the New Zealand jockeys who now have their home in Victoria. Cusdin is the most flourishing of the lot; he gets any amount of ridiug, and is highly thought of by his employers. Thomas has got somewhat lumpy, and cannot go to scale at anything under 8.0 ; in fact, can only with difficulty ride that weight. He has not been over fortunate of late, and spoke of going to the back blocks for a season. Myers has been doing very little riding of late, and is complaining of the dilatory manner in which riding fees are paid. AVisby’s term of disqualification is almost out, and as he has been keeping his hand in with the ponies, he expects to get a fair share of riding when he emerges from retirement. The Victorians have a great set on P. White, who is kept in the background, the only riding he gets being on Mr. Gollan’s horses, and as Martin has had bad luck with Tirailleur and his companions, the first jockey of the stable has had no opportunity of distinguishing himself. AVhite is talking of returning to New Zealand. Leeson, who went over with Stratford, had a winning ride on old Rewi a few days after landing. He rode Tom Field in his opening engagement. Stratford’s horse was apparently winning easily at three-quarters of a mile, but he went back to his horses in the last two furlongs. Macdonald, who went in charge of Sycophant, is engaged in a Ballarat stable.”

The Canterbury Society for the Preveution of Cruelty to Animals made themselves supremely ridiculous by, at a meeting they held a few days before the decision of the C.J.C. Grand National Meeting, giving instructions to their Inspector to proceed to the Grand National Meeting, in order to “ detect if any of the horses were unduly punished.”

It was not long before AV. Duggan, the Sydney trainer, got tired of Mr. Stead’s cast-off Moraine. A Sydney paper reports that Duggan has sold the son of Apremont and Miss Flat “ profitably,” and that he will now be trained at Moorefield, near Sydney.

At a sale held by Messrs. W. C. Yuille and Co. in Melbourne, on the 3rd inst., Tetford’s brother Tranter by Musket—Pungawerewere, was sold to Mr. A. McLeod, of Merino Downs, for 3 logs. Mr. S. V. Cooke bought Tradition, who in 1888 ran second in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, for 22OgS.

As a sort of memento of the dual victory of Redleap in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race and Steeplechase, the Messrs. Miller have presented Redleap’s rider, Mr. AV. S. Cox, jun., with the well-known steeplechaser Deburg, who is a son of Slanderer (sire of Grip and brother to Calumny). The death is announced in Sydney of Mr. J. Silberberg, who owned Woodlands when he was a three-year-old in that famous season when he, Chester, Cap-a-pie, First King, &c., were giants in the land. For some years Mr. Silberberg had been dead out of luck, and a lingering illness ended in a merciful release by death.

At the annual meeting of the members of the Victoria Racing Club, held on the Ist inst., an election was held of four members of committee, which resulted thus :—Hon. D. S. Wallace, 271 ; Mr. A. Yuille, 253 ; Mr. M. O’Shannassy, 207 ; Mr. A. W. Robertson, 191 ; Mr. W. T. Jones, 172; Hon. W. Pearson, 168; Mr. J. C. Bowden, 148; Mr C. D. O’Halloran, 118; Mr. S Gardiner, 40. The first four, Messrs. Wallace, Yuille, O’Shannassey, and Robertson, were declared elected. The 'rSTTring members were Messrs. AVallace, Robertson, Pearson, and Gardiner,-and—. *it will be seen that the two latter were rejected. The prize money for the four days’ racing at Ascot this year totalled £30,009. The prize money distributed by the Victoria Amateur Turf Club since its inception totals £128,525. During the yearjust closed the stakes amounted to £19,450. The Melbourne Sportsman of the 2nd instant contains a portrait of P. Nolan, the well-known ex-Auckland cross-country jockey, which, however, does not very much resemble him. In an appended biography our contemporary remarks : “P. Nolan is a native of New Zealand, having been born at Papakura, just outside the city of Auckland. Nolan served his apprenticeship to Messrs. Williamson and Kean, and early evinced a marked aptitude for the profession which he had decided to adopt. Both on the flat and over sticks Nolan won many races, a detailed account of which would fill a column. Ihe last victories of Nolan, in the land of his birth, were on Don at the Takapuna meeting, when he won both the Hurdle Race and Steeplechase on the one afternoon on the same gelding. Strange to say Nolan’s first win in New South Wales was also on the back of the son of Ariel, who defeated Peter Osbeck by a neck at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting of 1889, in the Steeplechase. Suffice it to say that on his deciding to settle dowu in Sydney he has been eagerly sought after by owners and trainers, and for them has proved very successful, hurdle races on Killarney and steeplechases on Grandwing being his most recent victories, two of them being on one day. At the last V.R.C. Autumn Meeting Nolan steered Satyr in the Second Hurdle Race, and won very easily on the son of Naiad, and on old Mannion he won a V.R.C. Steeplechase. He was, however, unfortunate at the recent V.R.C. Grand National Meeting, as Satyr came down in the Hurdle Race, and Beggar Boy did likewise in the Steeplechase. His bad luck still sticks to him, for he was beaten by a head on Killarney in the Hurdle Race at Sandovn Park on Saturday. On the previous week he had a nasty fall off the same gelding. Nolan is a capital horseman, and being a most unassuming young fellow is deservedly popular. May he have better luck in the next Grand National he takes part in.”

There is a capital acceptance for the A.J.C. Metropolitan Stakes, 55 being left m out of 66 originally weighted by Mr Scarr. The New Zealanders Tirailleur, Flome, Impulse, Sternchaser and Culloden are in the list, but Silver Knight has been eliminated. The whole of the other nominators for the Dunedin Champagne Stakes of 1893 have now consented to the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s and Mr. J. Marshall’s nominations for that event being received.

An Irish-bred hunting stallion named Paddy’s Land, who is sired by Ascetic (a son of Hermit), was imported here from Australia at the end of last week by Mr. Holgate, of Kawau. Redleap, the Victorian Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race winner, capped all his previous achievements by winning the Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase last Saturday with 13.11 up. Dan O’Brien was third with Freeman.

The Bundoora gelding Peerswick, formerly the property of Mr. W. C. Webb, was second with 8.13 to Bolton, 8.13, in the Welter Handicap, a mile and a furlong, at Maribymong (Melbourne) on the 22 nd ult.

The Ascot Gold Cup was only competed for by two nags this year !—Lord Roslyn’s four-year-old Buccaneer, by Privateer —Primula, and Mons, de Monbel’s four-year-old Ermak, by Farfadel — Energetic. Both carried 9.0, G. Barrett being on Buccaneer and Webb on Ermak. Odds of 2to I were laid on Buccaneer, who cantered along in front until entering the straight when he came away and won easily by half a dozen lengths. The fields all through the Cup day with one exception were small. The Rous Memorial Stakes, weight-for-age, brought out but five runners, and was won by the favourite. Orvieto, who started with odds of II to 8 laid on him. The New Stakes of 1000 sovs., T.Y.C. (5 furlongs and 136 yards) which is one of the most important two-year-old races of the season, brought out IO runners, and was won by M. H. McCalmont’s colt Isinglass, by Isonomy—Deadlock. Sir R. Jardine’s colt Fealar, by Prism — Queen of Beauty was second, and Mr. C. D. Rose’s colt Ravenswing, by Isonomy—Penitent, third. Fealar started a rank outsider, being at 50 to I at flag fall, but Isinglass was favourite. On the concluding day of the Ascot Meeting Mr. Daniel Cooper, the Australian sportsman, won the Wokingham Stakes Handicap with the four-year-old Hildebert, who with only 6.6 to carry showed a clean pair of heels to 21 opponents. The race meeting recently held at Caulfield in aid of the unemployed of Melbourne realised a goodly sum. The receipts after paying stakes amounted to ,£1278 19s 4d, while the expenses were only It was resolved at a meeting of the promoters that the sum raised be distributed by means of the ladies’ benevolent societies. An amendment. “ That /hoo be given to the Mayor’s Relief Fund, half the balance to the clerks and mercantile fund, and half to the ladies’ relief committees,” was negatived by but one vote.

St. Giles, the three-year-old son of St. Leger and Satanella, was on Monday scratched for all his classic engagements of the Auckland Racing Club’s programme. ' The V.R.C. calendar for August shows a falling off in the number of bookmakers registered by the V.R.C. this season. In June last, the paddock registrations numbered 114, and 124 had paid the fees for the Hill. This year there are only 96 registered for the paddock and 81 for the Hill—a total of 177 against 238. According to “Vigilant,” Milksop, the dam of Mr. Gollan’s hurdler Kimberley, is now the Eroperty of Mr. James Robinson, of Foxton, who as also two of her progeny, one a four-year-old mare by Remington and the other a five-year-old mare by Danebury. Mr. Purcell, of Foxton, has a cream filly out of Milksop by Tim Whiffler. Mr. Robinson also owns Barmaid, the dam of Waiter, who has won several steeplechases in Australia, and a three-year-old filly, who is his full sister. . — _ - ——

J&nders are, by advertisement, invited up to September Ist for the purchase of the racing pony Sir Walter Scott, by Sir Walter, out of Prima Donna. He has wintered well, and is in good racing condition. Tenders are to be addressed to Mr. J. McNeish, Pokeno. The committee of the Pakuranga Hunt Club met on Friday, and agreed on the programme for their Spring Meeting, the date fixed being Saturday, September 22nd. The programme is advertised in the current issue of the Sporting Review, and shows a total of An advertisement in another column directs attention to the fact that trespassers on the Otahuhu racecourse and a paddock adjoining will be prosecuted.

J. Kean,’ dissatisfied with the way Mr. Morrin had treated him in connection with the training of Brown Alice, gave up charge of Yattaghan the other day.

From Waikato I hear of the death of Mr. J. Turnbull’s gelding Costley, who won a treble at the Waikato Hunt Club’s races a few seasons back.

Messrs. Pullan and Armitage, of the Royal Stables, Albert-street, Auckland, announce by advertisement in the columns of this issue that they have purchased the business lately carried on in Wellesley-street by Mr. D. H. Stewart which stables were for many years associated with the name of Mr. W. Crowther.

The Auckland Racing Club met on Tuesday and agreed on their programme for the current season, full allusion to which is made in the editorial columns of this issue. The programmes submitted by the Waikato Hunt Club and Pakuranga Hunt Club for their respective Spring Meetings were approved of.

After three failures in the C.J.C. Grand National Steeplechase Ahua has at last turned up trumps, as will be seen by the report of the first day’s crosscountry racing at Riccarton appearing under the heading of “ Turf Record ” in another page of this issue. He started favourite, and was attended at the finish by his stable companion Norton and by Magpie; so that Canterburians filled all the places. Ahua’s other stable mate, Kulnine, won the Grand National Hurdle Race on the second day, and as he also was a hot favourite backers had a high old time of it.

Target is the latest elimination from the Caulfield Cup. The local bookmakers were struck pretty heavily over the double of Ahua and Kulnine for the Grand National Steeple and Hurdles, and they would have been struck a bit heavier even had Captain Webb been first instead of third in the Hurdles. After the settling on the Grand National on Monday, a commission came up from the South to back Vogengang for the N.Z. Cup, and £s°° or /Too was got on at 100 to 8. North Atlantic and Clanranald still continue to be nibbled at, and they and Vogengang share favouritism in the market on the N.Z. Cup at too to 10 each. A distinguished equine stranger set foot on the shores of New Zealand for the first time on Tuesday, Dieadnought, the recent purchase of the Hon. J. D. Ormond, having arrived that morning in Auckland from Sydney en route to Napier. Soon after he landed his custodian, Walter Wood, looked me up at the Sporting Review office, and we had a chat over old times, for he and I had met before in Christchurch when he was riding in Canterbury in 1883, and rode Bateman (previously known asKaterfelto) in Mr.D.O’Brien s colours. Wood, who had had a good experience in the old country, subsequently came to Auckland and was employed by Mr. Lushington and when that gentleman went out of racing, Wood journeyed to Australia, where he was in the service of both Messrs. H. Haines and J. T. Carslake. Being given the offer of coming to New Zealand with Dreadnought, be took advantage thereof, and when he met me he invited me to have a look at his charge who, as the boat was not to proceed to Napier till this day, was taken ashore and quartered at Mr. T. D. Halstead’s stables. Here he held quite a levee, everyone interested in racing that happened to be in town seeming desirous of scanning him over. I like to look at a hoise like that quietly, and, thanks to Wood, I had more than one opportunity of doing so. I had heard from some people who had seen him in Austialia that he was by no means an attractive hoise, but I must say I was agreeably disappointed. He is not one of your peacocky, high-strutting gentlemen, brimful of quality and effeminate to a degree, for while he does not make much pietension to high quality as good looks go, he takes a lot of picking to pieces. I expected to see a diffeient stamp of horse altogether, instead of one of the long, low kind he is. He is a nice chestnut in colour, with a small white star in his forehead. He stands over a lot of ground, is well let down with beautiful gaskins, and most magnificent muscular developement behind, and a well rounded barrel and good loin. His feet are rather large, which is to my mind no fault in a thoroughbred, but I must candidly say I don’t like his shoulders, which are rather straight, and he seems inclined to stand over a bit, which, however, may arise from his break down in the near fore leg when in training, and his confinement on shipboard. However, I was altogether very well pleased with New Zealand’s latest acquisition, and wish him and his owner all sorts of good luck.

Mr. J. B. Williamson left here for New Plymouth on Monday, having in charge the stallions The Dauphin and Leolinus. The former has been leased for the season by Mr. W. Wilson, the owner of Fraternite.