Sporting Review. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1894.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 218, 27 September 1894, Page 4

Sporting Review. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1894.

The success scored by New Zealand blood at the opening of the Australian Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting was well sustained during the concluding days of the gathering. Following on the victories gained by Bonnie Scotland, Whakawatea, The Possible and Mutiny on the 15th and 18th insts., comes the welcome news that Mutiny, who won the First Steeplechase of 2£ miles in 5.44 after a great fight with Helios, beat a field of eight runners in the Second Steeplechase of about three miles in 7.17. In his opening score Mutiny carried a 10 to 1 estimation, and the fact that on Saturday last he was sent out fourth favourite at 7 to 1 shows that the Sydney people were far from believing him capable of again challenging the judge’s eye. After a clever waiting race the New Zealander went to the front just before the dash for the home turn, and after a great race to the last fence with the favourite. Grandwing, -the aged Mute gelding was given an easy victory by his opponent baulking the deciding obstacle. Royal Rose showed a glimpse of something like New Zealand Cup form by romping home in front of a strong field in the Sydney Handicap, one mile and a half, in 2.39. And it should be remembered ghat behind the King Cole colt were Uabba, the hero of the Metropolitan, The Possible, and that fine mare Florrie' Yet Mrs Fraser’s nomination came on the outside at the distance, and won with the greatest of ease. His condition must be tip-top, in view of the fine performance given by him in that event and in the Waverley Handicap, run on the last day of the meeting. In the race mentioned (one mile and three-quarters) he carried 8.4 over his New

Zealand Cup weight—and with a firstclass field against him ran in a manner that must convince one that the horse is a better galloper than most of us gave him credit for. It is true Nightingale, the aged daughter of imported Somnus, gained the judge’s eye first, but Royal Rose, with a late beginning (judging by the cabled report of the race) made such a rush at the finish that only a head divided him from the second finisher Florrie, to whom he was giving away izlb, and who was almost neck and neck with the winner. The distance, a mile and three-quarters was left behind in | just 2| seconds longer than the New Zealand records gained by Waitiri in the Auckland Racing Club Handicap of 1887 and St. Katherine in the Wanganui Cup of 1893. Those two runs of Royal Rose —the Sydney and Waverley Handicaps—are quite enough to satisfy anyone that if he be landed at the Cup post in anything

like his. Sydney condition his chance must be a decidedly important onejw lt is apparent that 8.1 will not trouble him over a distance, and that he can stay two miles is certain.

The Danger proved a decided disappointment in connection with the string of horses taken over to Australia by George Wright. In the Epsom Mile the big grey could only obtain sixth places and on the third day a bad third was the best he could manage in the Suburban Handicap, won by the Trenton horse Musketoon in 1.28|. Loyalty, although not successful during the meeting, is running into form, and when the big Cups come on St. George’s son, who, quite recently, was called “ as slow as a man ” by the Sydneysiders, may show galloping of a very different order. The fine opening made by Bonnie Scotland in the Derby was not sustained later in the meeting when the Biennial Stakes came up for decision, but if one allowed Loyalty’s full brother’s indifferent display in the Stakes to weigh too much in judging the future .possibilities of this performer he would probably make a slight mistake. The form shown by the Chester —Episode colt, Chesterman, wag most consistent right through the meeting. A big second in both the Derby and Biennial followed by a comfortable win in the Randwick 1 late shows that the “J. B. Clark” combination have a most promising equine in their hands in the shape of this racer. After his efforts earlier in the meeting it was no small achievement for the three-year-old to come out in the second last race of Saturday’s card and beat a pair like Patron and Light Artillery over three miles. The time was 5m 255, and, mark you, Chesterman won comfortably. So that this three-year-old ran his three miles in only a second longer than the great Drake Carter took -to cover a similar distance at Sheepshead Bay (U.S.A) on September 16th, 1884, and a second and a half over the time credited to the mighty Portsea when he ran that famous Champion Race of his in March of 1894. Chesterman is engaged in the two big Victorian Cups, and attention on the part of backers to- x wards his future movements should repay trouble.

Now that the galloping of coastal and Southern horses is awaking in punters’ breasts a desire to bridge the distance separating Queen-street from the Southern spots consecrated to the racer through the medium of the betting agent, a careful perusal of the Gaming Bill, which our legislative well-wishers have drawn up will be of service. Backer and layer are alike interested in this matter, as will be seen from the text of the Bill published in another column. Clause 4 stands out with ominous clearness and the italicised legend re three months’ “hard” and a £2O fine may well be pondered over by both layer and backer. This little clause reads as follows . —“ Any person making or entering into a bet upon the result of a horse race whereby he agrees to pay to the other party to the same bet if 1 the latter should win the same a sum of money, the amount of which shall be dependant upon the result of the working of the totalisator on the said horse race, and any person not being a person lawfully conducting or employed in the working of a totalisator who sells or offers for sale, and any person who purchases from him any ticket, card, or thing entitling or- purporting to entitle the purchaser or holder thereof to any interest in the result of the working of the totalisator on any horse race, or makes any contract or bargain of any kind to pay and receive money upon any event determined or to be determined by the result of the working of the totalisator on any horse race, shall be guilty of an offence, and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or to both imprisonment and fine.” Such a clause is very much to the point, and both backers and layers may be recommended to cut it out and paste it in their hats. The new clauses added to the measure through the deliberations of the - the Upper and Lower House “ managers” touch upon the N.Z.J.C. question, and the lesson taught by the . O’Brien appeal case. The addition referring to the Jockey Club (which remains for the present —like Australian Federation —“ in the air ”) provides that if it be shown to the satisfaction of the Colonial Secretary that a representative racing club for the colony has been established by the vote of at least one-half of the recognised

clulSk the president of such club shall have the powers and duties relating to the issue of licenses imposed and conferred upon the Governor-in-Council by section 46 of the principal act. The last clause of the Bill sets forth that no action shall be brought in any court of law for the recovery of any stake or prize in a horse race “or other race, game, sport, or exercise.” The section referring to the “ three months and j£zo ” liability incurred by bookmakers who bet with infants must commend itself to every thorough sportsman. But if a penciller in the hurry of his trade bets vith a youth of 17 who bears the aspect of 23 — racecourses are the homes of owners of prematurely graduated countenances —the punishment to which he is liable cannot be considered a very mild one.

American files to hand show that the the sons of Hambletonian, the trotting stallion who has left such a mark in the history of U.S.A, trotting, are rapidly going the way of all flesh (horse or human), and in a very short time the last will be seen of this famous family. Anyone conversant with the history of American trotting knows of what value the Hambletonian blood is, and local lovers of the sport may remember with interest that the enterprise of an Auckland buyer has given to our trotting world a stallion whose pedigree shows three croses of this notable blood. We

refer to the Campaign —Clara D. horse Laßue, for whom Mr Abbott paid 400 sovereigns to Mr Lopez. Commenting on the dwindling away of Hambletonian’s sons the New York trotting journal, The Spirit of the Times writes :—“ The latest to go to the happy hunting ground is the bay stallion Jay Gould, 2.2i£, who with Artillery divided the honour of being the fastest entire son of their mighty sire. Jay Gould was foaled in 1864, so that he had attained the ripe age of thirty when he died.” The deceased stallion was one of the fastest of his time, for the American • records of trotting show that he held the ’ stallion championship from 1872101874. In August of 1871 he trotted at Buffalo, N.Y., in 2.22, thus tieing the record of George Wilks, who held the championship from 1868/ In the year following his 2.22 gait Jay Gould trotted in 2-2i|. ' His fame rested, however, on his stud achievements, he being the sire of no less than 24 trotters and two pacers in the list, including the 2.08| Pixley. With a stallion so closely related in blood to this family as Laßue is Mr Abbott may fairly pride himself upon his purchase. Writing of noted families of trotters the Breeder and Sportsman remarks that the Hambletonian is the only one that can now be regarded as extremely fashionable, and “ of that great family (continues the journal quoted) this is true of only the Electioneer and the George Wilks.

Electioneer still holds the place of highest rank but his career was ended several years ago. Great as was Electioneer individually, by breeding and as a sire, it is already certain that several of his sons surpass him in nearly every particular.” One of his sons, Campaign, is the sire of Laßue. The achievments with which the names of Hambletonian’s descendants are associated should result in local breeders paying marked attention to the sire left behind by Mr Lopez in response to the guineas of Mr Abbott, whose enterprise in purchasing Laßue should be well rewarded if there be - any knowledge of trotting blood or disposition to improve local stock amongst those sportsmen whose fancy inclines towards the form of racing so popular on the American side. This grandson of Electioneer, is said to greatly resemble that noted sire, and horse lovers who have seen his action must admit that his gait bespeaks rare quality. His full pedigree shows that he was sired by Campaign, son of Electioneer, who has sired 145 trotters in the 2.30 list, including Arion 2.07 f, Sunol 2.08|, and Palo Alto 2.08 J. His first dam, Clara D., record 2.49 (when with foal), is sister to Honesty and Mocking Bird, 2yrs old record 2.28. Clara D. is also dam to Dewdrop (by Elect) that trotted a mile over the Sacramento track in 2.28 while owned by P. C. Hale, of Hale & Co. Priam, the sire of Clara D., is the sire of Frank M. 2.17, Honesty 2.25 f, Harry M. 2.24£, &c. Laßue’s second dam, Westera Girl, was by Chieftain, sire of Defiance (trotting, 2.24 ; pacing, 2.17 f), Caro 2.26, and sire of the dams of Mount Vernon 2.15 J, Crown Prince 2.17|, Tempest 2.19, Chief Thorn 2.20, and many others known to U.S.A, trotting fame. ' Such blood should advertise Mr Abbott’s purchase in most eloquent fashion. The progeny left by him in the

States commands marked attention in that home of the pacer and trotter, one of his yearling 'fillies being considered class enough to justify the owner in refusing a thousand dollar bid.

The wording of Rule i67Aof the Racing* Regulations has, in the opinion of the Dunedin Jockey Club, failed to adequately meet the circumstances surrounding the protest which was lodged against Victim being awarded the stakes for the Kensington and Shorts Handicaps run in connection with the recent Dunedin Hunt Club Meeting. The complaint in the case quoted was that James Cotton, the trainer of Victim, was not the holder of a trainer’s license. After ample consideration had been given the case, the D.J.C. authorities dismissed the protest entered against Victim, but fined Cotton fs for •not being in possession of the required license. The reason advanced for the dismissal of the iprotest was that the complaint could not be entertained, as under Rule 130 the objection should have been made before the conclusion of the meeting, whereas it was not lodged until the/neeting had, under Rule 18, concluded. In deciding to fine Cotton the committee expressed the opinion that the wording of Rule 167 a (which deals with the registration of trainers, jockeys and apprentices) is unsatisfactory, there being no provision for penalising a trainer who acts without a license. Sub-section 6 only.provides for the fining of an owner or trainer who knowingly employs an unlicensed jockey. The D.J.C. authorities have therefore decided to endeavour at the next Conference to have the rule amended in a manner that will provide guidance for clubs in the matter of fining trainers who neglect to obtain a license. It is quite true that no sum or penalty is fixed by the rules, but the D.J.C. may be reminded that the third line of Rule 167 A contains the sentence, “ Only holders of such licenses shall be qualified to train or ride under the Rules of Racing.” Why was Cotton allowed to train without such license ?