Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 166, 28 September 1893, Page 7

Turf Topics.

Isinglass, by Isonomy—Deadlock, the winne* of the Doncaster St. Leger, has up to the preseti* not suffered defeat. Isinglass is engaged in the Lancashire Plate, Newmarket St. Leger and Lowther Stakes. Next season he has engagements for the Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes, Champion Stakes at Newmarket, Hardwick Stakes at Ascot, and Eclipse Stakes.

According to the American correspondent of the Sydney Referee, Bruce Low, who took Stromboli and Cleveden over to the Yankee side, has not made much of a deal out of the venture. The racing men are stated to be prejudiced against Australian stock on the ground that they are no good until acclimatised, and very little even then. This is rough and rather idiotic. What about Sir Modred ?

In addition to Carnage, about whom such disquieting reports have been received from the other side, Mr W. R. Wilson has Havoc (Zalinski’s brother), Pilatus (Stromboli’s brother), and Argent (Hortense’s brother) entered for the V.R.C Derby. Notwithstanding the assurance given to the Australian Press by the owner of Jeweller that he has not backed Ins horse for the Caulfield Cup, and that Jeweller may not fulfil his engagement, turf speculators are disregarding the unsolicited tip and continue to place their money on the horse. Steady backing is keeping Jeweller well up in the market, and he will probably remain well to the top of quotations as long as his name remains in the race.

The South Australian Jockey Club has taken a firm stand regarding the bookmakers, who hang upon the fringe of racing, to the great detriment of the sport. Acting under the advice of the police authorities, the club has abolished the outer ring at Morphettville, and as betting at Adelaide is illegal, unless done inside an authorised ring, the welshing “ boookies ” will in future find themselves without a home.

The mishap to Carnage, news of which was received last week, was caused through the colt rearing in his box and spraining the muscles of his shoulder in falling. Five days after the accident he was sufficiently recovered to take swimming and cantering exercise, but on being put at half pace work he pulled up lame. This is affecting his Derby prospects considerably, and the fact that he is just now affected with teething troubles may, in conjunction with the lameness, induce his owner not to send him for the Derby. This will not affect backers much, as it is believed there is very little money booked against him.

Johnny Huxtable, who has been out of the saddle professionally for some time, intends riding again this season, and is open for engagements. He will ride at eight stone.

Recent foalings:—A filly by St. Leger— Operatic ; a bay colt by Cuirassier—Sybil. Sundial was scratched on the 21st instant for the Caulfield Cup. The New Zealand representatives at the Australian Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting in Sydney have upheld the honour of their Colony in great style. With Mr Stead’s filly Ich Dien second in the Trial Stakes, Messrs O'Brien’s and Stead’s Loyalty and Stepniak first and second in Spring Stakes and Craven Plate, Mr Gallan’s filly Bessie McCarthy first in the A.J C. Oaks, Ich Dien first in the Spring Maiden Stakes, and Mr O’Brien’s Launceston second in the Sydney Handicap, Maoriland did not do so badly. Enuc has been scratched for the Caulfield Cup and Saracen for the New Zealand Cup. Mr T. Morrin’s Ouida (dam of Strathmoor) has dropped a colt foal to Cuirassier. Jimmy Hayes, the well - known Australian jockey who steered Fortunatus to victory in the Newmarket Handicap and Portsea in the Australian Cup last year, is suing the Australasian for /5,000 damages. The journal commented on the V R.C.’s refusal to renew Hayes’ license in a very caustic fashion, and hence the action. A curious race has been arranged in connection with the Chicago World’s Fair. This will be a milch cow race for 5000 dollars. Each person on entering a cow for the race will be furnished a two-wheeled gig, set of cow harness, one chum, 100 pounds of meal, 50 pounds of bacon, IO pounds of coffee, and cooking utensils with which to prepare their food. Drivers will be allowed to consume all the milk and butter they desire for their own personal wants en route. The cows are to be driven 12 hours a day, allowing one hour for dinner, and churning is to be permitted while travelling or at a stop. The cow arriving at the World’s Fair first with not less than fifty pounds of butter to her credit, made en route, will receive first money. Mr Sam Wilson arrived from Christchurch on Monday last with the imported trotting stallion Imperious, who is advertised to stand the season at the Tramway Stables, Epsom. Imperious was bred in 1885 by Mr J. B. Haggin at the Californian Ranch del Paso Stud, a place famous for good blood, and is by Director out of Mandane, by Hambletonian—Young Vernon, by David Hill; Director, by Dictator—Dolly, by Hambletonian. His sire Director is the most fashionab’e trotting sire in America at present, having sired more winners in the States last season than any other stallion. Imperious is proving himself a worthy son, having left several very promising yearlings behind him in America.

Mr M. S. Laurie’s br m Priscilla and Mr D. Stewart’s ch m Tingara are booked to visit Mr T. Morrin’s St. Leger this season. The defeat of Mr H. McCalmont’s Isinglass in the Lancashire Plate of Sooosovs, news of which was received by cable on Monday, must have came as a surprise to the English racing public. The son of Isonomy had never before suffered defeat, and was looked upon as a certain winner. Raeburn, the winner, is by St. Simon—Mowerina, and finished third to Isinglass in the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby.

A mistake which does not often occur at a wellmanaged race meeting happened on the ope ?ing day of the South Canterbury Jockey C’ub’s Spring Meeting last week. The Flying Handicap, which is a seven furlong event, was star.ed from the six furlong post, and curiously enough the mistake was not noticed until the race had been competed and the time taken. Then, of course, ii was patent an error had been made. The only tirng le't for the stewards under the rules was to run the race over again. But it was very hard on Mr Harris, whose mare Busybody, who had already run in the Timaru Guineas, won hands down over the six furlongs. From her easy win it was plain she would have won over the correct distance, but to go the race over again after the false one, and the run for the Timaru Guineas was another thing altogether, and the consequence was she was beaten by Rosehill.

A report is current down South that Mr D. O’Brien is about to sell Loyalty. I incline to the belief that he will make a terrible mistake if he does part with this splendid three-year-old son of St. George and Fair Nell. By the victory of Skirmisher in the Timaru Guineas he has incurred a penalty of jibs for the New Zealand Cup, and Ich Dien by her victory in the Spring Maiden Stakes at the A.J.C.’s Spring Meeting has incurred a penalty of Slbs. We have received the Dunedin Jockey Club’s programme for the ensuing season, which shows that will be given away in stakes at the Spring Meeting, at the Autumn Meeting, Z 450 at the Anniversary Meeting, and /1215 at the May Meeting. The programme shows a falling off of f7so as compared with that of last year.

A noble plunger, Lord Roselyn, the owner of Buccaneer, has had to request grace from the English Ring. At the Newmarket Second July Meeting the noble lord was on the wrong side of his book.

According to a Saginaw (Michigan) despatch to the New York Spirit of the Times, the famous Californian pacer Flying Jib has accomplished one mile over a bad track in 2min s|sec. The first quarter was covered in 0.3 if, the second in i.2f, the third in 1.34 J, and the mile in the time mentioned above.

The London Sporting Life says in a recent issue : —‘There are very few more generous supporters of rowing than Mr Gollan, the New Zealand sportsman. This gentleman presented young Tom Green with a beautiful sculling boat. John Clasper was given carte blanche in the matter of its construction. The only stipulation made was that the craft should be stiff and serviceable, and at the same time light. Clasper filled the bill to perfection.’ At the last monthly meeting of the A.J.C. Committee in Sydney it was decided to put a stopper on the gentle tout. It was resolved that on all days other than race days no persons except members and their friends accompanying them, the officials, employees of the club, or other persons having business with horses in training? snail be allowed on the course at express permission. A very wise rule, too, and one greatly needed at Randwick, * ’

The bookies must have had a skinner at Caulfield on the 9th inst., when Strahan won the Armadale Handicap. Only one of the fielders had the name in his book, and he laid /’SO to . An English exchange states that Mr S. H, Gollan rowed No. 4 in the Thames Rowing Club which wou the Challenge Cup for eights at Henley. Apropos of the mishandling the Duke of Beaufort’s colt Strathrose received in the race for the American Derby, an account of which appeared in our last issue, G. H. B. Manser, the trainer of Strathrose, has written the following letter to the London Sporting Times in support of an article written in that paper on the treatment received by the Duke of Beaufort’s representative :—“ Your article is fairly correct about our treatment at Chicago. The people hissed the English colours, but that is a trifle. I expected better treatment from the starter. The course was not wide enough to start us all upsides, so we had to form a double row for fifteen horses. The starter could have sent us off the first try to a good start, but he had an audience of a thousand odd folks at the post, so he took on a stump speech like a clown at a circus instead, and got applause for wbat would over here have excited disgust, and thought he was doing something grand, the weak-brained fellow. Whenever some of the horses broke away he slanged, jumped over the rails with a long whip, and lashed horses and jockeys alike. No one knew what the idiot wanted to do. It was he who struck Strathrose in the eye and nearly blinded him. I wish I could have got at him, but Strathrose laid him out fair and square with his heels. The start was a mere kicking and swearing match for over two hours. I got well away, but, being badly kicked and nearly blind, my horse could not face the. crowd and dust. The ‘racecourse’ was only eighteen yards wide. Think of that. No one came from the Stewards’ Stand to remonstrate with the starter, or to put and end to the fiasco at the start. Of course, they didn’t mean letting the money go to England, and there is none of the fair play there which they get here. I refused offers to settle there. There are, of course, some good people racing, and the best owners treated me royally. But home is good enough.”

An uncommon wager is reported by the Sydney Town and Country Journal. It appears that when the card was read over one day last week at Bowes’s Tattersall’s for the Caulfield Cup, an offer of /‘too to half-a-crown was made against the Tasmanian bred Strahan, by Musk Rose, from Claudia, who won the Tasmanian Derby. The wager was taken. Strahan, who is a grandson of Musket, won the Armadale Handicap at Caulfield with 6.10, easily by two lengths from Division, 8.11, Taurus, 7.5, finishing third. The individual who thus invested his half-a-crown on the Caulfield Cup has a very nice wager, though Division will carry close on a stone less in the Caulfield Cup. Still when a horse wins an important race like this it is hard to say what he may do. Strahan is in the hands of Mr J. Carmody, who has Glenloth. The field for the Armidale Handicap numbered 25, amongst them being Sternchaser, Jonathan, Correze, Tarcoola, Light Artillery, and Pounamu, so that Strahan’s victory was a decidedly good performance.

Referring to the great falling off in the totalisator turnover during the past season in New Zealand the Sydney Town arid Country Journal considers there are several feasible reasons which can be advanced to show that several influences were at work to produce these results. The increase of betting through other agencies than the totalisator itself is held to be one, and the fact that the Government taking nearly by. way of taxation from the racing public in two' seasons is another. When the tax was first introduced the journal in question stated its belief that each succeeding year would show a falling off in the amount of money put through by the various clubs, and that the Government would not be able to calculate upon the tax producing so much revenue each season as was anticipated. The bulk of the profits of racing have hitherto been distributed amongst horse owners in the way of stakes, but when one of the chief sources of revenue from which the stake money is derived is so heavily drawn upon by the Government—they have taken nearly one-fifth of the net totalisator money of the whole of the clubs during the past season—it must be clear to all that the majority of racing clubs will not be in a position to increase their prize money. Though there has been a marked decrease in the number of clubs and number of meetings and days of racing, it may appear strange that the number of events has not shown an appreciable falling off, from which it must be understood that the clubs have in a number of instances increased the total of their races ; indeed some that were formerly content with seven races a day have gone in for eight, and others that held eight races have increased the number to nine, while some have actually managed to get as many as ten races through in one afternoon.

The following are the winning payments in connection with the Avondale Jockey Club’s Pony Meeting :—Mr A. Greenwood, 15s ; Mr W. Moore, Mr J. Lennard, ; Mr E. Gunning, £l2 7s ; Mr J. B. Davis, £9 10s ; Mr John Capper,/j. 15s ;Mr W. Greenwood, 15s; Mr T. Bray,/"i 18s— £93. The Avondale Jockey Club intend holding another pony meeting without the aid of the totalisator on an early date, the full particulars of which will be published in our advertising columns shortly. Mr R. Thorpe, of Ellerslie, intimates that the following thoroughbreds are in the market for sale .- Ch m by Billingsgate, dam Katapo, stinted to Brigadier; br m Mary by Musket, dam Lalla Rookh, and stinted to Dishonour; br m Jessica by Billingsgate, dam Derby mare (winner of several races last season); br g, 4yrs, by Billingsgate, dam Mary, just broken; br g, 3yrs, by Cap-a-pie, dam Mary, unbroken; ch c, 2 yrs by St. Leger, dam Mary, just broken; b m St. Ella, 3yrs, by St. Leger, dam Satanella. According to ‘Cranbrook,’ of the Melbourne Sportsman, J 5, who is fancied by many for the Melbourne Cup, was badly spur-marked after his run for the Armadale Handicap. This looks as though he was fairly going in the race, and if so his chance for the big V.R.C. event is decidedly shady.* < : :

The winner of the Plumpton Handicap, The Author, at the S.A.J.C.’s meeting on the 10th inst., paid his backers the nice dividend of/"7i 18s on the totalisator. The patent automatic starting and finishing clock, invented and patented by Mr A. Bartlett, of Auckland, has attracted favourable notice on the Australian side. Nominations for the principal handicaps in connection with the A.R.C. Spring and Summer meetings were due on Friday night last. The number received were :—Prince of Wales Handicap 14, Hurdle Race 13, City Handicap 19, Auckland Cup 27, A.R.C. Handicap 34, Steeplechase 13. This shows a falling off compared with the nominations of last year. It is stated that a cable has been received from London intimating that Isinglass, who ran second to Raeburn in the race for the Lancashire Plate, has been scratched for all engagements this year. The South Auckland Racing Club have compiled their programme for their Summer meeting, to be held on the Claudelands racecourse, Hamilton, on Saturday, December 30th. Eight events carrying 300 sovs prize money have been arranged as follows Maiden Plate Handicap of 20 sovs, i mile; Handicap Hurdles of 25 sovs, miles; Waikato Sires Produce Stakes (1893-94) of 65 sovs: South Auckland Cup Handicap of 70 sovs, 1J miles ; McNicol Memorial Stakes Handicap of 25 sovs, I mile and a distance; Handicap Steeplechase of 50 sovs, about three miles ; Ladies’ Bracelet Handicap of 25 sovs, one mile; Flying Stakes Handicap of 20 sovs, six furlongs. Nominations for all races must be made to thehon. sec., Mr Barton, at Hamilton, before 9 p.m. on Friday, December Ist. Weights will appear on or about Saturday, December 9th, and acceptances must be declared before 9 p.m. on Friday, December 15th. Bob Wright has joined Frank Macmanemin’s stable.

W. Moberly, who has been looking after the pony Topsy for the last few months, joins Stenning’s stable at Kohimarama. The programme for the Spring Meeting of the Gisborne Racing Club, to be held on the Poverty Bay Park Company’s course on the Prince of Wales’ Birthday, has been approved by the Metropolitan Club. The card is made up of eight events, carrying 255 sovs prize money, and is as follows Flying Handicap of 40 sovs, three-quarters of a mile ; Maiden Hack Scurry of xo sovs, half a mile ; Grandstand Handicap of 40 sovs, one mile ; Handicap Hurdle Race of 50 sovs, about two miles; Handicap Hack Hurdle Race of 10 sovs, one mile ; Park Handicap of 75 sovs, one mile and a quarter; Handicap Hack Race of 10 sovs, one mile ; and Forced Handicap of 20 sovs, one mile. Nominations for the Flying, Hurdle, Grandstand and Park Handicaps must be made on Saturday, October 14th, at 9 p.m., and acceptances for the same events are due on Wednesday, November xst, at 9 p.m. Weights will be declared on Monday, October 23rd. The programme will be found in our advertising columns.

A Dunedin bookmaker, Mr. Finlayson, was sued last week by a station hand named Locke for the recovery of £9 16s 6d. Locke sent the bookmaker £1 to invest on Waterbury in the Grand National. The horse won and Finlayson forwarded his client Lockie claimed the full dividend of 6s 6d, but the penciller declined to pay, on the ground that his cards stated he did not do business outside a limit. The judge found for the bookmaker.

The Australian record put up for the high jump by Spondulix (6ft. gfin.) has been lowered by Lubra who is out of a half-bred mare by Duke of Wellington, son of King of the Ring. With 10.7 up she cleared 6ft. loin, at the Victorian Show Grounds.

Skirmisher’s win in the Timaru Guineas is making people talk of his chance in the New Zealand Cup. We have to acknowledge receipt of the first number of the Dunedin Licensed Victuallers Gazette and Hotel Guide, a brightly written paper dealing with matters affecting the trade. The Gazette has been specially brought into, being to oppose The Prohibitionist, a journal which the new paper holds is sowing broadcast ‘ the principles of tyranny and confiscation.’

Mr. A. C. Brett, secretary of the Egmont Racing Club has forwarded us the programme drawn up by his Club for the coming season ; but as it did not reach us in time we have been compelled to keep it over until the next issue. Mr. Brett desires to draw special attention to the fact that the second acceptance (xos.) for the Sires Hack Produce Stakes 1895 is due on Saturday, February 10th, 1894, when the name of horse must be given. The First acceptance (1 os) for the Sire’s Hack Produce Stakes, 1896, is due on Friday, February 16th, 1894. The annual report and balance sheet of the Takapuna Jockey Club showed that for the year ending July 31 the club’s operations had resulted in a loss of £2lO 5s 4d. Three race meetings had been held and had been successful enongh from a racing, but not, unfortunately, from a financial point of view. The stakes paid away amounted to £2OOO, and the total expenditure was £3437 15s 4d, against which were receipts amounting to £3227 10s. The State Tax of If per cent, amounted to £219 18s 4d, and the receipts from the totalisator, exclusive of the State Tax came to £1269 Is 2d against £1676 7s 8d for the previous year.

The Waerenga-a-Hika Jockey Club have compiled their programme for their Boxing Day Meeting, to be held on the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s course, Makaraka, on Tuesday, Dec. 26th. The card is of eight events, as follows :—Maiden Plate of 25 sovs, one mile and a quarter ; Halfmile Scurry of 10 sovs, four furlongs ; Boxing Day Handicap of 120 sovs, one mile and a half; Handicap Hurdle Race of 60 sovs, two miles; Hack Hurdles Handicap of 15 sovs, one mile ; Flying Handicap of 60 sovs, six furlongs ; Handicap Hack Flat Race of 15 sovs, one mile ; and Forced Handicap of 20 sovs, one mile. Nominations for the Handicap Hurdles, Boxing Day and Flying Handicaps must be made by Saturday, November 25th, and acceptances for the Handicap Hurdles, Boxing Day and Flying Handicaps, and the Maiden Plate are due on Saturday, Dec. 9th. Weights will be declared on Saturday, Dec. 2nd. The full programme will be advertised in a future issue.

The programme for the Summer Meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club, to be held on the Palmerston North racecourse on Dec. 26 and 27 is to hand, and realises the expectations justified by the previaus card put forward by the Club. The programme is as follows :—First day—Telegraph Stakes of 60 sovs, seven furlongs; First Handicap Hurdles Hurdles of 60 sovs, two miles; First Handicap Hack Hurdles of 35 sovs, one mile and three-quarters; Palmerston Cup of 250 sovs, one and a half miles; First Hack Flat Handicap of 30 sovs, one and a quarter miles; Grandstand Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile ; Ladies Bracelet of 25 sovs, one and a half miles. Second Day—Summer Handicap of 50 sovs, six furlongs; Second Handicap Hurdles of 45 sovs, one mile and three-quarters; Second Handicap Hack Hurdles of 30 sovs, one mile and a half; Flying Hack Handicap of 30 sovs, six furlongs ; Presidents Handicap of 150 sovs, one mile and a quarter; Christmas Hack Handicap of 25 sovs, one mile; and Farewell Handicap of 35 sovs, seven furlongs. Such a card should ensure two good days’ racing, and the excellent way in which the Club conductsjits meeting is sufficient guarantee that the public will be well looked after. Nominations for all races close on Friday, Dec. Ist; weights for the first day races will be declared on or about December sth ; acceptances for the first day’s races close on December 14th at 10 p.m. ; weights for the second day’s racing will be declared about December 26th, and acceptances will close at 10 p.m. on December 26th. Auckland nominations, etc., should be sent to Mr H. H. Hayr, of the Sporting Review, who will act as the club’s local agent.

Respecting the win of Salient in the S.A.J.C. Derby, the Australasian writes : —“ The field was the largest seen at the post since the race was instituted thirty-three years ago. The Ballarat representative, Salient, confirmed his last season’s superiority to the opposition by beating them again. It was a slow puddling race, and the winner romped in by four lengths. Salient is a well-set-up, strong-looking colt, and as his dam, Nancy, is practically a full sister to Archie it is not difficult to account for his pace. It is to be hoped he will prove better beyond a mile than the favourite for Martini-Henry’s Derby was. The New Zealander, Oudeis, died altogether too soon, nearly everything he got having turned out well.”

Nominations (with xsov to go to the funds) for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas of 300S0VS, will close with the secretary at the Criterion Hotel. Napier, on Tuesday, October xoth, at 10 p.m.