Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 210, 2 August 1894, Page 5

Turf Topics.

By Reviewer.

The Taieri jockey, R. George, has gone blind. Tetford was 13 years of age at the time of his death.

Final payments for the C.J.C. Grand National Hurdles and Steeplechase are due on the 6thinst. First acceptance for the New Zealand Cup falls due to-morrow (Friday). H. Pell has been again appointed starter by the Marton Jockey Club. W. Keith is trying to purchase Bradshaw for inclusion in his Australian team.

Roscius, the jumper, stands 18 hands I inch high. Ultimatum’s name comes from the Australian side as the winner of a pony 14. i race. Mr S. H. Gollan has not definitely decided to ride Norton in the Christchurch Steeplechase. The stallion Izaak Walton has been sold to Mr W. McOaul of Otakeho. Sam Fergus rode Mutiny in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase. It is said that Melinite’s style of fencing, does not please the Riccarton critics. They must be very hard to please. The death is announced of Sir Geo. Maude, the superintendent of the Royal Stud at Hampton Court, at the ripe age of seventy-seven. Some Wanganui people were negotiating for the use of Brigadier for the forthcoming season, but the deal did not come off. The Referee writes that Mrs Morrigan, mother of the jockey brothers of that name, is lying dangerously ill in the Christchurch Hospital. Scotsman, the five-year-old son of AscotVera, has joined the majority. He was found in a paddock with his neck broken. The N.Z. Mail writes that the trotter Will o’ the Wisp died of inflammation at Palmerston North a few days ago. Mr F. Simmons has been appointed starter for the South Canterbury Jockey Club. Mr Geo. Dowse is handicapper. Owing to the lute delivery of the Southern mail our Taranaki and Wellington letters are held over until next week. Dunedin advices state that Jacob Faithful is doing excellent work. My opinion is he will win the Maiden Hurdles at Christchurch. Son of a Gun, the four-year-old son of Petronel —lthona, won the Liverpool Cup on July 25th. The Hampton horse, Bushey Park, was second. A Wanganui dreamer is haunted with repeated midnight visions of Mostyn and Rangipuhi winning the Caulfield and New Zealand Cup double. I have to acknowledge receipt from Mr S. M. Baker of a copy of the judgment in his suit against the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association. From something I have heard respecting the A.R.C. Derby in which Pegasus followed Loyalty home, I am inclined to name Nelson’s son as a very dangerous New Zealand Cup horse. Dan O’Brien has sold Ultimatum, who has joined the pony ranks in Sydney. O’Brien did not like Ultimatum’s defeat by Acone. He had the horse then. The last ’Frisco mail brings news that Rey Santa Anita, a son of Cheviot, has won the nth American Derby at Washington Park in 2min 36sec for the mile and a half. “ Spectator ” names Norton and Bombard|r“ as the best in the Christchurch National Steeplechase and of the hurdlers, Melinite, Magazine, and Barnardo are named as the best. Capt. Russell admits that gambling “ is the great crime and craze of New Zealand.” lam not aware that we are such fearful gamblers. If we are, what about the people on the other side ? Capt. Russell speaking on the gaming question —“ Men are fools, woman are not always wise, and children are naturally foolish.” Exactly, we are all fools. “ The bookmakers in Auckland, in comparison with those who ply their trade in Australia, are as superior to the generality of those in Australia as an angel is to a fiend.” —(Mr Lawry, M.H R.). The stallion Eros, by St. George—ldalia, will be standing during the forthcoming season at the Epsom Hotel. The advertisement and some notes on the horse will appear in next week’s Review. Skirmisher, Hippomenes, Salvo and Prime Warden are being consistently supported down South for the N.Z. Cup. The last named has been backed for all the available money in Dunedin. Mr Thompson, M.H.R., explains Captain Russell’s support of Sir R. Stout’s Gaming Bill on the ground that Clause 5 really means the establishment of a racing monopoly for the large centres of the colony. « The instant you abolish the totalisator, by the very next steamer there will be troops of these gentlemen (bookmakers) coming from Australia t© ply their trade here, and the temptation to gamble will be presented to an extent much greater than it is at present.”—(Capt. Russell). The draught stallion, Nugget 11., advertised for sale in this issue, is well known by his stock on the West Coast. His owner is offering to sell as he is going out of the stallion keeping line. Nugget 11. should prove a profitable horse to anyone desiring a good draught stallion. Sir Robert Stout thus showed his hand when moving his Gaming Bill:—“I ask those who wish to see the totalisator in the end put an end to, to help me to get a this amendment first, and perhaps m time we shall be able to get a Bill passed to abolish it altogether;” Exactly, the present measure is only the thin edge of the wedge. Mr Kidd is among the candidates for election of the committee of the Auckland Racing Club. A better man could not have been nominated. He gives the most, careful attention to the various trusts reposed in him, he is a man who is intimately connected with racing and being thoroughly conversant with the sport would make an admirable committee man. The sport would be /Well served were he electedMr Gorrie is another new candidate and like Mr Kidd he fills the bill admirably.

“ The leaders of the anti-totalisator agitation—the bookmakers.” (Mr Camcross, M.H.R.) The Ellerslie trainers are commencing to push along their charges now in view 6f the Spring racing. Mr J. F. Cruickshank’s New Zealand Cup quotations appear in another column. Three Star is first favourite,at 100 to 10. The totalisator is the most innocent, the most honest, and the most harmless kind of gambling you can possibly conceive.” (Mr Lawry, M.H.R.) During the debate on the totalisator in the House, Captain Russell denied that he ever said racing improved the breed of horses. “ Castor” writes that trainer McGrath had a narrow escape recently of being savaged by Jacob Faithful. The Marlborough Times considers that the grey gelding Despised is the best treated horse in the Christchurch Steeplechase. I have to acknowledge receipt of Harry Ellison’s price list with every horse’s price quoted for the three Cups —Caulfield, Melbourne, and New Zealand. Government should not accept revenue from the evil of gambling, say parliamentarians. Then it should not receive revenue from the evil of drinking. “ Take away the totalisator,” says Mr Camcross, “and there will be races all oyer the country for the smallest imaginable stakes.” And he’s dead right. Clause 5 of the Stout - Gaming Bill is a stealthy attempt, says Mr Thompson, M.H.R., to create a racing monopoly for the large centres of the colony to prevent the use of the totalisator except by the wealthy jockey clubs. Speaking against the abolition of thejtotalisator. Mr G. W. Russell, M.H.R., contended"that the abolition of the machine would result in the establishment of gambling hells in every town of New Zealand. Parliamentary sages say that gambling is the crime and craze of New Zealand. Capt. Russell retorts by stating that the spirit of gambling is instilled into young New Zealanders by the land ballot system of his hon. friend the Minister of Lands. Mr Mitchelson asserted in Parliament that if a vote were taken throughout the whole colony a very large majority would be found against the totalisator. Which simply shows the hon. gentleman does not know what he is talking about. ■ Sir Robert Stout said in the House that Parliament will pass no bill to abolish the machine, and that therefore it should be regulated. But before he resumed his seat the hon. gentleman said : “ In time we shall be able to get a bill passed to abolish it altogether.’’ _ ’* * “He was assured that legislation in South Australia, if it had not killed gambling, had, at least, effectually scotched it.” Mr Hutchison, M.H.R., speaking against the totalisator. But my Parliamentary friend evidently forgets that South Australian legislation has scotched the bookmaker simply by legalising the machine. , The owner of Bragelahas got a most promising ! St. Leger colt growing at One Tree Hill. The youngster is a splendidly built and compact one, and gives every promise of growing into a regular racehorse. The union of Bragela with St. Leger has proved so successful that the mare is to be put again to Doncaster’s son. . j Those members of Parliament who advocate the abolition, not the regulation, of gambling have now a plain course to pursue if they wish to be considered consistent. They must go in for prohibition. To abolish gaming and virtuously refuse to derive revenue from it and to regulate drinking and accept revenue from it certainly savours of inconsistency. . ,v The August Meeting of the Auckland Coursing Club will be held ’on Saturday and Wednesday, August 18th and 22nd. The events are Champion Collar Stakes for an unlimited number of all-aged dogs at each; Puppy Stakes for an unlimited number of puppies at £2 each; and open Maiden Stakes for an unlimited number of all-aged dogs (that have never won money) at £2 each. In considering their programme for the forth- ; coming campaign the Auckland. TrottingOlpb., have taken a leaf out of the V.R.C.’s book, and have reduced the value of their Trotting Cup by one half. In future the cup will be worth 2'30 sovs. In the past it was 400S0VS. When they decided to give that stake the club thought owners of Southemjtrotters would be tempted to compete, but our Southern friends religiously stood off. They no doubt thought we had something good bottled up to secure the prize. Yet it was captured by a butcher’s horse! The committee of the Auckland Trotting Club have arranged the programme for their Spring* Meeting. The prize money has been allocated as ■ follows:—Maiden Trot of josovs, miles; Spring Trot of 75sovs, 2 miles; Electric Trot of 35SOVS, one mile; Harness Trot of 40SOVS, 2 miles; Flying Handicap of 25SOVS. 5 furlongs; Tramway Handicap of 4OSOVS, 6 J furlongs ; and ", Handicap Hurdles of josovs, miles. The best argument against the abolition of the - totalisator made in the House was advanced by Mr Camcross. Speaking re the statement that it wa« the machine that made racing so general in New Zealand, the hon. member undoubtedly scored when he asked, “ What about Victoria ? It was the sporting country par excellence —they had race meetings everyday in the year-—but there was no totalisator there.” Nearly every member of Parliament who spoke on Sir Robert Stout’s Gaming Bill was “ happy to say ” he had no knowledge of racing or'gaming. What a wonderfully moral House I Yet the same men stated that gambling was the great craze of New Zealander's. That being so, how is it that the legislative representatives of New Zealanders know so little of the prevailing craze ? A man is never so aggressively moral as when he has command of the floor of the House. Then a white-robed, winged angel is not a circumstance to him. Listen, friend Robert Blaikie 1 Mr Lawiy, M.H.R., speaking on the Gaming Bill :—r“ I have the privilege of knowing a bookmaker in Auck- • land, who is a personal friend of mine. . . He is a man who has never gone back on his word, whose personal honour is above reproach; whose word would be taken by every man, woman and child in the provincial district of Auckland. I appeal to the hon. member for Eden, when I say that the man I am speaking of is Robert Blaikie, and ask him if he does not deserve all I say of him.” To which “Reviewer” says emphatically Hear, Hear,

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