Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 199, 17 May 1894, Page 7

Turf Topics.

By

Reviewer.

The steeplechaser Sir Garnet is in the market. The Taranaki Jockey Club have received 26 nominations for the Second Hack Derby of 1895. The dividend on Buckler at the Egmont Meeting was £l4. 13s, not j<i4 18s as previously stated. “ Verax,” of tbe Sydney Referee, does not give any of George Wright’s quartette a chance in the Sydney races. Ot the horses which George Wright has taken over to the Australian side I shall not at all be surprised to see Acone figure prominently. Since the result of the Ta Fleche meeting competition, what sort -of a price would a foal by Carnage out of La Fleche fetch ? The Press says that St. Clement’s has been sold to a Victorian. Wrong, St. Leger’s son, will not be sold. “ Rata ” in the Witness writes that he does not believe Liberator will be sent to Auckland to compete in the Grand National Hurdle Race. Although the reserve placed on the Takapuna gates was not reached, I understand they have since been sold privately. The price paid, I believe, was £ 115. Acceptances for the Hunter’s Steeplechase and the Hack Flat in connection with the Wanganui Steeplechase Meeting will be found in another column. The death of the Duckenfield Park studmaster, Mr John Eales, does not mean that the stud will be dispersed. All his sons take an interest in horses, so in all probability it will be carried on. The two yearlings bought by Mr Mossman here have been named as follows :—Hotchkiss— Tasmania colt Blitzen and Nelson—Tres Deuce filly Quatozze. The Beaumont (Otago) Jockey Club has so much money owing it for nominations that the Committee have to decide upon posting those who don’t pay before May 15th as defaulters. In summing up the horses that have chances in the Sydney Royal Stakes, “ Verax,” of the Referee, says the best lot are Loyalty, Autonomy, Donizetti, Moorefield, Milkmaid, and Collarette. To take three he fancies Collarette, Loyalty, and Moorefield.

Brown Bess worthily represented the St. Leger blood at Moorefield Park (Sydney) races on the sth inst. by easily winning the Moorefield Handicap of roosovs, one mile and a quarter. She took 2min nsec to do the distance in. An Australian racing man at Home has been going near winning a couple of important races this spring. He ran second in the Lincoln Handicap to Baron Rothschild’s Le Nicham with Juvenal, and third in the Royal Park Stakes with his filly Saintly to Choice. It’s a coincidence that as happened in connection with the last Melbourne Cup, the name of the winner of the Egmont Steeplechase was not published in the Auckland papers. Neither Union Jack’s nor Broken Hill’s names were published. Several members of the Canterbury Jockey Club are said to be in favour of the club working their totalisator instead of giving the work to contractors. Quite right. If this step be carried out the.C. J.C. will take the lead in a reform which should be undertaken by every club. The letter which “ Spectator” wrote concerning the Takapuna course in last week’s Review has drawn a point blank letter from Mr Wynyard, the secretary of the T.J.C., who apparently makes short work of “ Spectator’s” allegation. Mr Wynyard’s letter appears in another column, and may be commended to “ Spectator’s” attention. Mr T. Morrin’s imported stallion Castor’s pedigree (writes Truth} shows the names of no less than 12 English Derby winners, 6 St. Leger, 4 Oaklands, and 4 2ooogns winners. Out of 26 starts Castor scored 17 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, and only twice unplaced. He won in stakes. Mr Morrin’s choice seems to have been a judicious one, and Castor’s yearlings are said to be a fine lot. So quietly has Mr Dewsburn gone about his business in making known the claims of Carwall’s Horse Embrocation, that although the Review is a sporting paper, I was unaware that Carwall’s Reliable Embrocation was in the running till it burst upon me with such a list of fust-class names as backers that I was fairly staggered. I had looked upon Elliman’s as the Al and only embrocation that the world would use, but on inquiry I find that the largest horseowners in Auckland are quite willing to admit that this local production is frilly equal to anything imported ; several indeed claiming that it is better than anything of the kind they have yet come across. The testimonials from the gentlemen whose names appear in the advt. on the front page of this issue, are evidently sincere. All speak in the highest terms of the Auckland manufactured article. We surely have now as good brains in the colony as in the Old Country, and I don’t therefore see why an article of this description cannot be turned out here just as good as an imported thing. At the prices he advertises Mr Dewsbuiy deserves to be well patronised—apart from patronising a local industry. I wish him all success, and trust Review readers will at least give Carnall’s Embrocation a fair trial, ■ - ■

Percy Johnston will probably ride Union Jack in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Report has it that Strephon will not carry silk again. Southern papers throw doubts on Liberator journeying up here for the A.R.C. Winter Meeting. The scratchings in connection with the A.R.C. Grand National meeting are as follows, and the times given are official, and may therefore be relied upon in betting cases —Couranto, Mutiny and Kapua, 12.45 on the 11 a - m - on the 11 th. “ George Hope, who comes over here as jumping jockey to Mr W. Douglas’ invading team, is one of the soundest cross-country horsemen in Maoriland (where they don’t breed bad ’uns), and is, moreover, a most reputable man, in whom an owner can place implicit confidence. Sam Fergus, the second coming jockey of the team, is a really smart light weight, who has had a lot of experience during a career of some ten years at the game.”—Sydney Truth. The Australian-bred filly Candid, sister to Candour, by Splendor—Canary, won a six-fur-long race at San Francisco on March 29. There were 10 starters, and Candid was favourite at 5 to 4 on. She won easily by two lengths. On the following day she won a mile and a-quarter race. The time was fast in each event. On March 17 Stromboli won another race at San Francisco, but pulled up lame. The V.R.C. committee (writes the Bulletin) is said to be considering the question of penalties to be carried by Derby and Leger winners in the Champion Stakes. Once more the Bulletin implores these magnates to remember that they ought to allow for the possibility of a filly winning the A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derby. Under present conditions, victory in either event entails a fixed weight for- Melbourne Cup, so that in the case of a colt and filly running a Derby deadheat, and dividing the stakes, they would meet on equal terms in the Cup, instead of at a 51b difference in the young lady’s favour. Writing of Stromboli after he carried 8.4 and won a mile and a half and a furlong handicap in lmin4BJsec, an American writer thus speaks of him :—“ Probably no other first-class horse has ever been subjected to such treatment as has the speedy son of Chester. There is as much difference between Stromboli of yesterday and Stromboli that was disgracefully beaten a week ago as between day and night. Yesterday he was a stake horse of high degree, fit to run for a man’s life; a week ago he went to the post no better than a third-rate Selling Plater, and he has not improved one whit, so far as condition and speed are concerned, in the meanwhile. The sole cause of his defeat was too much work.”

“ Sydney Pony Association asks that the A.J.C. will co-operate in reducing the amount of local racing. But the horse is already stolen ! It has long been patent to a blind man that even in prosperous times every racing day in the week is far more than the population can reasonably stand. Why more people don’t get into gaol under the circs, is simply marvellous. Now, if there were a genuine desire to check the evil, horse racing could well be cut down to one meeting per month. Vested interests would, of course, receive a severe shock, but it would only be hastening the collapse which is certain if the present system be continued. Unless some reform be soon agreed upon gee-gee racing will stink—it stinks now—as did sculling and footrunning and boxing matches, and thoroughbreds will find their way to the Zoo.”— Bulletin.

The larrikin jockey appearsto be becominga confirmed nuisance in Sydney. On this subject Truth writes :—“ On the trams these foul - mouthed, reeking, abusive, and aggressive larrikins, are becoming an unbearable nuisance, and at certain spots in Surrey Hills, Moore Park, and Randwick their gatherings are a disgrace and a menace. A disgrace to the authorities, who do not utterly and completely disperse them under the provisions of the Vagrant Act; and a menace to all respectable people, who are compeUed by circumstances to pass their haunts. In certain portions of Surrey Hills no decent,.self-respecting female dare be out after dark, for the brutish impudence of these excresences on the fair face of nature adds to and emboldens their criminality.” The journal quoted proceeds to advise the A.J.C. to consider the private as well as the public character of jockeys in issuing licenses. The Waipukurau Jockey Club have reversed their decision (writes the N.Z. Mail) about the Maid of Lome—Tontine protest which resulted at their last meeting. Maid of Lome was protested against in the hurdles, on the ground that she was not eligible, but the stewards dismissed the protest and paid out on the mare. The matter was referred by the owner of Tontine to the Metropolitan Club officials, who referred the question back to the Waipukurau people. The latter have now gone back on what they did before, and are going to pay the stakes to the second horse. I know any amount of people who backed Tontine in the machine, believing that Maid of Lome would not get the money if she won. They have consequently lost their money and won’t feel very bright over it. To pay out on one horse and give the stakes to another is not quite the thing. The Sydney representative of the Australasian writes as toHows in his last letter “ Since my last the starting-machine has not been making itself popular, especiaHy with the riders. At Warwick Farm last Saturday a mishap occurred in starting the Warwick Farm Handicap, the barrier only going up a little way on one side. The majority of the horses started, and Zingara, who was ridden by Cis. Parker, went right through it. The band of webbing caught Parker across the face, bruising him a good deal. It was, however, speedily mended and a capital start effected. This, with the mistake made at Canterbury Park, which, by the way, is not yet settled, as Avemore’s owner is taking the matter before the Australian Jockey Club committee, has given the opponents of the machine a lot to talk about. Many oi the jockeys don’t care for it, but others, and amongst them is E. Huxley, approve of it. Huxley says:— ‘ He can’t understand how the riders don’t like it. With the machine there will be no more fines, and when they get accustomed to it they will find no trouble in getting away.”*

The jumper Belle arrived from New Plymouth yesterday, with a view of fulfilling her engageat the Takapuna meeting. The sale of privileges in connection with the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting resulted as follows:— Publican’s booth (inside), S. C. Caulton, ; outside, P. F. Purcel, /54 » re * freshment stalls, Mrs Mclntosh ; cards, Scott Printing Co., £44, The Club bought in the gates as the reserve of was not reached. 1 There is promise of good fields at Takapuna, judging by the acceptances for the first day’s racing of the North Shore Club’s Winter Meeting.; Fourteen horses have accepted for the First Hurdle Race, twelve for the Pony Handicap, ten for the Steeplechase, seven for-the Maiden Plate, eleven for the Royal Handicap, and five for the Brittania Handicap. A Sydney paper states that Mr Dan O’Brien’s handsome racing stable at Randwick, nearing completion, will be one of the finest structures of its kind in Sydney. The building is treated in the plain Queen Anne style in red double pressed bricks and freestone dressings, with external hollow walls and roof covered with French tiles. Internally the building is very lofty and well ventilated, and the boxes, harness, feed, boys’ rooms and hay loft will be fitted up in elaborate style. . The death of the dual V.R.C. Champion winner, First King, is announced (writes the .Post). He was brought over by Mr Robert Stevens from Australia nearly two years ago, and recently sold to a resident of Woodville, where he died .on Tuesday. First King was by King of the Ring out of Mischief, and besides winning the V.R.C. Champion Race twice and a number of other important events, he sired several notable winners, namely, The Nun, Ringmaster, Silver King, etc. Stromboli is making his name in the U.S.A. But his trainer appears to be in different odour. A ’Francisca writer thus speaks of him :■— “ There are some mighty poor trainers at the Bay district track, but if a prize were offered for one with the worst showing, the trophy would be easily carried off by the man who has Stromboli in charge. He is said to be an Australian excoachman, and if that be true he got away out of his class when he advanced above the rank of a groom.” Captain Mach ell will be able to come back like a lion refreshed and witness the Derby (says an English exchange). The gallant whose name is a household word, has greatly benefited by his short sojourn in the Sunny South, and it is quite on the cards that he will return to England at the end of May in a complete state of convalescence. That this may be so is the heartfelt wish of . every good sportsman in the land. There is no better judge of a racehorse in the world than Captain Machell.

The opening meet of the Waikato hounds augurs well for the success of the season. The hounds, although a little too soft, worked fairly well, and in a few weeks are bound to give fine fast sport. Amongst those present were Messrs H. Bullock Webster (the Master) on Blue Peter, A. R. Hine (whip) on Happy Jack, W. M. Douglas on Pawa, T. Weatherill on Fisherboy, W. Thornton on Fidget, E. Cussen on Opawa, A. Bach on Manxman, C. Shaw on Waverley, E. Souter on his Anteros mare, C. Kusabs on a bay, John McCaw on Rubin, C. Lake on Dandy Dick, M. H. Pickering on a bay, Thos. Wise on Kingfish, R. Hannon on Duchess, N. I. Hunt on a Parthenopaeus gelding, R. Dodd on an Ingomar,; Willie Douglas on his pony, W. Windsor, A. J. Storey, R. Speake, B. Martyn, and a number ot others.

Hamilton Pony and Trotting Club Handicaps. —Maiden Trot: Mickey Jarvis scr, Cyclone scr, Gylenia losec, Moses losec, Blaze losec, Yuba Bill issec, Darkie 25sec, Mystery 25sec, The Maid 3osec, Ruby 35sec, Grey Laddie 35sec. Hurdles: Blackjack 10.7, Liberal 10.7, Maori Boy 10.5, Grace Lynn 10.5, Kingston 10.0, Bob 9.7, Revenge 9.7, Come Away 9.7. Hamilton Cup : Hurricane scr, Flirt issec, Shoe-clip losec, Yuba Bill 35sec, Fuschia 4osec, Jennie 45sec,. Mystery sosec, Ruby 6osec, The Maid 6osec. Pony Trot: Shoe-clip scr, Mickey Jarvis losec,, Cyclone losec, Blaze issec, Gylenia issec Moses iSsec, Fannie issec, Manuku 2osec, Mystery 2Ssec, Juno 3osec, The Maid 3osec, Grey Laddie 3Ssec, Ruby 3 ssec, Barcoo 4osec. Coates’ Handicap : Shoeclip scr, Flirt Ssec, Mickey Jarvis Ssec, Yuba Bill issec, Fuschia 2osec, Darkie 3osec, The Maid 3osec. Pony Race : Rata 9.12, Grace Lynn 9.9, Bob 9.7, Manuka 9.5, Kingston 9.5, Fragility 8.10, Revenge 8.5, Countess 8.3, Shadow 8.0, Mercedes 7.12, Come Away 7.12. Electric Trot : Hurricane scr, Shoeclip Ssec, Flirt Ssec, Micky Jarvis Bsec, Yuba Bill I2sec, Moses issec, Fannie issec, Fuschia issec, Grey Laddie 2osec.

Respecting the choosing of Carnage as the best mate for La Fleche, Mr Herman Goos, of Ham-' burg, who is recognised as a great authority on the science of breeding, wrote as follows in forwarding his selection:—“My selection is Carnage, the Australian Derby winner in 1893, and I choose this horse not only because you have written in the Sportsman what a horse this (Carnage) or Carbine would be to cross with La Fleche, but also the mating of Carnage and La Fleche being quite corresponding to the method I constructed for myself to mate horses and mares. This method I have described in ah article entitled ‘ The Breeding of Ladas,’ in that number of the Sport Welt which I took the liberty to send you at the end of last year. The presumptive produce of Camage and La - Fleche would be bred on the model of Musket. Musket is by Toxophilite out of a graddd daughter of Brown Bess, and the presumptive produce by a great grandson of Toxophilite out of a great grand daughter of Brown Bess. Moreover,' this great grandson of Tox is through his two grandfathers, Musket and Knowsley, also great great grandson of Brown Bess,' and we will have that famous mare three times through her three nameless daughters by Orlando, West Australian and Y. Melbourne, and we shall have also your friend Tramp six times and Tramp’s dam three times in the pedigree. I enclose the pedigrees of Carnage and. La, Fleche, in which I have marked the most interesting points with colours, and also a table showing the Tramp family.” ....... . .

Takapuna races next Saturday. Sportsmen down Stratford way are forming a trotting club. Pumau will be hunted with the Hawke’s Bay hounds. Mr Baird’s Man-o’-War has been scratched for the A.R.C. Guineas of 1894. The advisableness of securing a new course is being considered by the Marlborough Racing Club. Prior to the Egmont Meeting, which ended so disastrously for Pill, £209 was refused for him. The United Hunt Club are said to have made a handsome profit out of their late meeting. I see by an exchange that Mr S. H. Gollan intends returning to New Zealand this month. He will hunt with the Rangitikei hounds. The acceptances in connection with the Winter meeting (first day) of the Takapuna Jockey Club will be found in another column. Swordbelt and Kent are for sale. The former is by Sword Dance out of Necklace, and the latter is by St. George out of Red Rose. A special meeting of members of the Avondale Jockey Club will be held at the Occidental Hotel, at 12 noon on Friday. On Friday next a meeting of the Pakuranga Hunt Club will be held at the office of the A.R.C. for the purpose of arranging details of the season. W. Cook who rode Dick when he got the spill at Egmont is still in the hospital, but is supposed to be well on the road to recovery. ««Mr Sutton” paid /‘ioo for Marechai Neil, and the jumper has consequently been placed in the hands of Mr J. B. Williamson. Union Jack won the Egmont Steeplechase in the fastest time on record for that race. He took 7.5 for the journey. A list of the A.R.C. Grand National Meeting scratchings, with the times when the horses were struck out, appears in another column. It is said that £5OO was recently offered for Waiuku (by St. Leger—Musket Maid). Very unlikely, although he’s a good one for a hack. Bookmakers will be charged £5 5s per diem for betting at the Takapuna meeting. Licenses must be applied for before 4 p.m. on Friday. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club the Chairman stated it was probable that the Club would adopt the recently invented totalisator. What is it ? Trotting men may be reminded that acceptances for the Wellington Trotting Club’s May 24th Meeting are due at the New Zealander Hotel on Monday, 21st inst., by 10.30 p.m. An erroneous idea has got about that holders of the inside licenses issued at the Avondale and Garrett Benefit meetings were privileged to lay totalisator odds. This is entirely incorrect. Two well-known publicans were competing against one another at Saturday’s coursing meeting, and public opinion is decidedly in the direction that the wrong man obtained the award. The victory of Lord Rosebery’s colt Ladas in the Two Thousand Guineas looks promising for his Derby prospects. It also looks well for that ambitious triple desire of the Premier, about which so much has been written of late. The Canterbury Jockey Club received ,£3579 1 9 s in nomination and acceptance money last year, Z 3202 in race receipts, and /’5379 *7 S from the totalisator. The sum of 12s was given away in stakes by the Club. The Rev. Marshall of Victoria, who has been culminating against the Turf from the pulpit, is no believer in compulsion. He would rather see Victoria free to gamble than virtuous by compulsion. Here’s news 1 A southern paper says:—“a returned visitor from Melbourne informs us that St. Clements has been purchased by a Victorian racing man, the sum given for the son of St. Leger being stated to be 350 gns ” I think) this par. will be news for St. Clements’ owner. I am glad to see that the A.R.C. are following the advice tendered in the leading columns of a recent number of the Review, and are endeavouring to get the telegraph laid on to Ellerslie for their Winter Meeting. Our Wellington representative mentions Chatterbox in connection with the A.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race, and asks what price him winning it like his full brothers did last year ? Not an unlikely contingency, I should say. The error of omitting Union Jack’s name from the Egmont Steeplechase, which all the Auckland papers, with the exception of the Review, fell into, was also perpetrated by the Wellington papers. A list of the weights for the Sydney Turf Club’s Royal Stakes, to be run on May 24th, in which the Auckland trio, Quadrant, The Dancer and Acone are engaged, will be found in another column. It’s passing strange how many New Zealand jockeys have lately returned to the scales short of weight after winning a race. The matter is a most mysterious one, and how they lose the lead passes my comprehension. “ Borderer’s ” tips for the first day’s Takapuna racing appears in the Anticipations column of the . Review. To attempt to pick them in one selection per race I would tip thus :—Maiden Plate, St. Patrick; First Hurdles, Killaloe; First Pony, Carbuncle; Britania Handicap, First Nelson ; Steeplechase, Parnell; Royal Handicap, Brown Mantle. I have to acknowledge receipt of the Auckland Rugby Union Annual, a handy compilation. Amongst other things it contains the bye-laws of the Union; the Club’s association to the Union; the laws of the game; programme of Cup matches, and the results of past interprovincial and Cup matches, and the matches played by the English team in New Zealand.

In the appeal case which Patterson, the Welling• ton turf agent, brought against the fine of £25 for keeping a betting room he gained his case, because according to the judge the case against him rested on a mere inference which was met by a plausible explanation. The evidence was too weak for a conviction, and there was a doubt raised to the benefit of which Patterson was entitled.