Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 183, 25 January 1894, Page 6

Turf Topics.

By

Borderer.

Tamar, the four-year-old daughter of Tasman Waterwitch, has gone the way of all horseflesh. Speculum, the well-known stallion, has been bought by an American breeder. Strath Braan, who was given a spell a few weeks back, has been put into work again. The Workman has been scratched for all engagements in connection with the D.J.C. Autumn Meeting. Five years disqualification was passed upon a Victorian jockey named Illsley for foul riding at Balranald. Saturday’s race meeting at Potter’s Paddock was productive of some glaringly inartistic ‘ stiff ’ running. People who merely ride horses for an airing should dissemble more. Myra, who won the last Caulfield Grand National Hurdle Race and who was recently shipped to India, met with an accident on the voyage which makes her worthless on the racing track. The gelding Nile (by Nelson—Florence), who was bought for at the last Wapiti sale, was not long in winning a race for his new owner. He won the Maiden Plate at Stratford, and paid a dividend of/3. True of course ! A London paper writes :— < A friend lately returned from Wellington, New Zealand, tells us that the most flourishing betting office there is conducted by a couple of almondeyed Chinamen. Civilisation is advancing.’ And so is the art of telling cool lies. The privileges for the Summer Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club brought the following prices Outside booth, and grandstand bar, Z5l, Mr W. F. Purcell; refreshment stalls, /’io, Mrs. Mclntosh; gates, £l5O, Mr C. Marter; cards, Scott Printing Co. Mascotte and Charlie had matters to themselves in the Otahuhu Trotting Cup and Electric Trot at Potter’s Paddock last Saturday. Charlie I, Mascotte 2 in the Cup, and Mascotte 1, Charlie 2 in the Electric. Neither of the wins were popular, there being a strong suspicion of groaning at the finish of both events. The races at the Stratford meeting were won as under: —Handicap Hack Hurdle Race, Dick ; Toko Stakes Handicap, Twilight; Maiden Plate, Nile; Stratford Cup Handicap, Cyrus; Avon Stakes, Crest; Flying Handicap, Nuggett; Forced Handicap, Shiela. The report of the mreting will appear in the next issue of the Review. At the inquest held into the death of John Kelly who was crushed to death by the racer My Jack at Hororarata, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had been accidentally killed, no blame being attachable to any person. A recommendation was made that the fence bounding the straight running on the course should be extended some distance towards the white (distance) post. The Southern mail brings news of the death from blood poisoning of Mr E. T. Rhodes, a prominent sportsman in the South Canterbury district. Mr Rhodes, who was only 29 years of age, underwent an operation for quinsy, and blood poisoning set in with fatal results. The deceased gentleman held, amongst other positions, that of President of the South Canterbury Jockey Club.

Major George’s colt Pegasus, who failed so ingloriously in the Wellington Cup, was made second favourite, the winner, Vogengang, being the best backed. When the news of the win came through it was confidently expected that Burlington’s son would pay a big dividend, as very little mention had been made of his name prior to the opening of the meeting. The news of his excellence must have been whispered around at the last moment. It certainly reached very few Aucklanders. Something unique in the way of a totalisator record was established at the Ngaruawahia races last Saturday. In the last race the flag was dropped a few seconds after the machine agents had finished paying on the preceding race, the result being there was only time to issue two tickets before the totalisator was closed. One ticket was on the winner, Mavourneen, and the other was on J. Rae’s Decoy, so that the holder of the Mavourneen ticket received a dividend of 18s (on a 10s ticket). It is evident they don’t wait upon the totalisator at Ngaruawahia, and if some clubs nearer home were to follow, in a measure, the example set by the N.R.C. starter, our race meetings would not be an hour and a half late in finishing as is too often the case. The result of the protest lodged against Mr Buick’s horse Silent Friend, who won the Woodville District Jockey Handicap at the recent meeting of the Woodville District J.C., is being looked forward to with great interest. The protest is under the consideration of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. As will be remembered the owner of the second horse protested against the race being awarded to Silent Friend on the ground that his owner who trains him does not hold a trainer’s license. Whatever the decision of the H.B.J.C. may be I think fair-minded people will agree that to require an owner who wishes to train his own horses to register himself as a trainer is a most unnecessary requirement. ‘ Nunquam Dormio ’ of the Melbourne Punch ' has an article in the last issue of his journal on racing in Victoria, in the course of which he maintains that the game of racing is on the wane in * the Queen City of the South.’ After pointing out that there is an alarming exodus of owners and trainers from the Victorian metropolis, the writer affirms that the only way to restore the vigour of the racing body is to adopt the totalisator. To use his own words— ‘ There is only one way I see of putting a stop to the exodus, and that is by legalising the totalisator. The V. R.C. could give owners big enough stakes to compete for then without annexing their nomination and . acceptance fees. . . . The racing public to a man are in favour of the totalisator, and even a number of trainers and owners who were at first averse to its introduction are now earnest in their desire to see it afforded a trial. That the legislation of the totalisator (under the joint control of the Victoria Racing Club and the Victoria Amateur Turf Club) would prove beneficial, not * alone to the turf but to the colony, I am convinced ; and being so convinced I sincerely trust the members of the two clubs I have named will use every effort to induce Parliament to give it a fair and impartial trial/

Annabelle is under a cloud, having shown the possession of that irritating ailment known as ‘ a leg.’ Vogengang’s owner was very lavish with ‘ gold top ’ when his candidate got home in the Wellington Cup. From a wire received fiom Wellington I gather that Secretary Lyon earned great kudos for the way he managed the meeting. I hear that the Otahuhu Trotting Club intend enquiring into the form which certain horses displayed on Saturday last. Quite right! Prioress and Chatterbox arrived in Auckland yesterday, and have been located at North Shore. The first named is favoured on the Coast as a probable Takapuna Cup winner. Crazy Kate, Rabelais, Otakeho and Cleveland were shown over the Takapuna steeplechase course, during the week, and all showed clean jumping. . The Dunedin penciller, Mr W. Finlmson, intends taking up his residence in Christchurch after the Autumn Meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club has been held.

Mr R. Gooseman has sold the Hotchkiss — Victoria filly which he purchased at the last Wellington Park sale. He has also sold a half share in the trotter he bought here. It is said that Geo. Budge intends training Albert Victor for forthcoming trotting meetings. If the horse is to be handicapped out of sight, as was Yum Yum, he might as well remain at stud work. Mr E. D. Halstead will be unable to act as starter at the Takapuna meeting owing to an attack of rheumatic fever. In the absence of Mr Halstead, Mr George Cutts will be asked to handle the flag. The Manawatu Racing Club have adopted the following resolution in connection with their Autumn Meeting : — ‘ No person on the Manawatu Racing Club’s course shall lay or take totalisator odds or make any bet, straightout or otherwise, except through the totalisator machines on the course. Any person committing a breach hereof may, by order of any steward of the Manawatu Racing Club, be removed from the course.’ A large attendance is confidently expected at the always popular Summer Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club, which will be commenced on Saturday next. The secretary, Mr Robert Wynyard, has been working energetically to secure the success of the gathering, and there is every reason to believe that his efforts will be crowned with complete success. The first race on Saturday is advertised for one o’clock, and on the second day of the meeting, Monday, operations will start at noon. . The results of the Wellington Trotting Club s Summer Meeting were as follows Maiden Handicap—Jenny 1, Whitefoot 2, Ned Kelly 3. Dividend, 15s. Miramar Park Trot—Madge I, Invictus 2, Cotherstone 3. Dividend, 15s. Pony Trot—Billy Buttons 1, Tuesday 2, Hokomai 3. Dividend, 3s. Wellington Trotting Club Handicap—Jumbo 1, Invictus 2, Peppermint 3. Dividend (£1 tickets), /s ss. Selling Handicap —Buckley 1, Mabel 2, May 3. Dividend, 15s. Electric Handicap — Jumbo 1, Buttercup 2. Dividend, £1 2s. Pony Trot—Billy Buttons 1, Tonga 2, Slowness 3. Dividend, £1 18s. Kilbirnie Stakes—Whitefoot 1, Invictus 2. Dividend, 16s. Except in the case of the Wellington Trotting Club Handicap the machine tickets were 10s. The programme of the Autumn Meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club has been compiled as follows:—First Day — Flying Handicap of 30 sovs, six furlongs; Trial Hack Hurdle Race of 20 sovs, one mile and a half; First Hack Flat Handicap of 35 sot s, one mile and a quarter; Manawatu Racing Club Handicap of 200 sovs, one mile and a quarter;J First Hack Hurdle Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile and three quarters ; Borough Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile and a distance ; Scurry Hack Handicap of 20 sovs, six furlongs. Second Day — Fitzherbert Handicap of 60 sovs, one mile; Second Hack Hurdle Handicap of 35 sovs, one mile and a half; Newmarket Handicap of 100 sovs, six furlongs ; Second Hack Flat Handicap of 30 sovs, one mile and a distance ; Welter Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile and a furlong; Welter Hack Handicap of 25 sovs, one mile and a quarter; Consolation Handicap of 25 sovs. Particulars respecting entries, weights and acceptances will be found in the advertising columns of the Review. The recent Stratford meeting appears to have been anything but a pleasant gathering. The rain poured down relentlessly all day, the result being that the course and paddock became converted into a perfect quagmire. The were of a decidedly lively disposition, as the following clipping from a local paper indicates :— “ It could not truthfully be said that ‘ drunkeness was conspicuous by its absence,’ for it is doubtful if so many ‘ drunks ’ were ever seen on a Taranaki course before. Apparently the idea was that as they were wet externally the process of saturation should also be carried on internally ; and as the ground was in a terribly slippery state some ludicrous figures were cut. A free fight enlivened proceedings somewhat; " Maori and European joined in the melee, and blood flowed freely.” Our Waitara correspondent sends the following —‘ At the invitation of Mr W. G. Glassford I recently visited his beautiful estate, Sea View Downs, situated about seven miles from Waitara, for the purpose of inspecting some youngsters which Mr Glassford’s mares have recently produced. On arriving at the estate I found my friend waiting my arrival, and after a good substantial dinner, we proceeded to the paddocks. The first to come under my notice was a beautiful dark bay mare, Maid of Athens (by Flintlock Maid of Honor), which had a very handsome filly foal by The Australian at her side. The foal shows great quality, and from her present appearance I think she will do credit to her . owner. Running in the same paddock was a yearling colt full brother to the last-named filly, but built on very different lines. He is a very plain customer, inclined to be coarse, but no doubt with age he will furnish into a useful horse. I next inspected a very nice evenly built dark brown filly rising three years by the Australian, and full sister to that very consistent little horse Torpedo. The filly will ere long be on the track getting put through her first lessons, and if I mistake not she will soon gay back her popular owner the money that as been spent on ms highly prized filly Evening Star. In the adjoining paddock there is a splendid track laid down which would do credit to any dub.

The results for the Foxton Racing Club’s Hack Meeting were as follows : — Flying Stakes— Princess Cole 1, Pumau 2, Magazine 3. Dividend, /4 qs. Trial Hurdles, one mile and a distance — Karamea 1, Crinsken 2, The Dancer 3Dividend, £2 2s. Handicap Hurdles—Narrate 1, Lonely 2, Karamea 3. Dividend, £2 9s. Foxton Handicap of 100 sovs, one mile and a half.— Princess Cole I, Eothen 2, Hark 3- Dividend, Z2 9s. Electric Handicap, six furlongs.—Magazine 1, Gold Cap 2, Roll Call 3. Dividend, £2 4s. Stewards’ Stakes Handicap, one mile and a quarter. —Steady Shot I, Pumau 2, Princess Cole 3. Dividend,/9 18s. Anniversary Stakes, one mile.—Trickery I, Beeswing 2, Maenga 3. Dividend, /■ 1 I2S.