Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 231, 27 December 1894, Page 6

Turf Topics.

[By

Reviewer.]

Rita, who ran away with the two-mile Harness Race at Potter’s in smin 12sec, last Thursday, is the dandiest trotter ever seen in this island. ■ Nominations for the second meeting of the Normanby Trotting Club close with the secretary, at Normanby, at 9 p.m., on Wednesday, January 2nd. The starting machine has been adopted by the Takapuna Jockey Club authorities, and the apparatus will be erected at six releasing points in connection with the club’s forthcoming ingThe Southern owner, Mr Sheehan, has christened the yearling by Burlington — Psyche “ Bogengang.” It is said this was the name intended for Vogengang, the latter being the result of a misprint. Nominations for the hack meeting of the Stratford Racing Club, to be held on Tuesday, January 17th, 1895, appear in another column. Weights are declared on January 3rd, and a acceptances are due on Friday, January 11th. Owners of youngsters engaged in the Royal Stakes of 1895-96, may be reminded that yearlings (foals of 1892), may be struck out upon payment of 2 sovs by the second Friday in January, 1895. Foals of 1893 may be struck out under similar conditions. jRe the definition of a hack. Irish Twist wine the treble at Manawatu, and in one event, the mile and a quarter President’s Handicap, takes only 61b from Rosefeldt (a N.Z. Cup winner), and beats her in a fierce fight up the straight. A nice kind of hack truly. All the horses in training at Caulfield by the Hon. Geo. Davis and his eon John were recently offered at auction at Kirk’s Bazaar, Melbourne, with the result that Fortunatus and Tim Swiveller were passed in at 400 gs. . The former could only attract 350 gs and the latter 825 gs. The new conditions attaching to .the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup provide, that the prize for the "former-will in future* be 750 sovs and the distance; as usual, six furlongs.' The Australian Cup stake isof similar value,; the distance being two miles and a quarter.' Bruin, the horse that showed such promise at the end ofthfe last and during this season, has been sold to Tarcoola’s owner, and will probably leave for America next month. If Bruin goes to the States lie will be accompanied by Templestowe, who is by Chesterfield from Ringarooma, whq Cain from Lurline, the dam of

It is said that James Hayes, the clever Australian horseman who has so long lain under the ban of the V.RC.’s disqualification, will probably follow Chris. Moore to the land of the Stars and Stripes, where his undoubted powers as a horseman should quickly gain him a large connection. I don’t suppose the Yankees will visit his Melbourne sins on him very heavily, provided they are content with his riding. You now see lady trainers at Melbourne suburban pony meetings, writes the Bulletin. There are only two at present, but more are to follow.. They superintend the preparation of the ponies, saddle them up, see that the boy weighs out, give him a leg-up, and, after the race, rub the pony down, allesame as a man. There are very few-he-trainers who can give them a pound in training, a pony —or in “ talk ” either. It appears that the Duke of Beaufort is determined to push forward the blood of Musket in ’the Old Country, for he has decided that Musket’s son, Petronel, will stand the season for such a good purpose at the very moderate fee of 25 guineas. The subscription list is filling fast, and amongst others, Lord Rosebery has secured twonominations. As Sydney Truth very truly remarks, this is the proper way in which to popularise a sire. Some Australian stock-owners might follow suit. Blood stock sales will be held next week as follows Messrs Hordern and Palfrey’s trotting: stock, at Potter’s Paddock, on Monday, December 31st; Whitford Park and Glenora Park drafts at Sylvia Park on the same date; and Wellington Park on Thursday, January 3rd. L ; The St. Leger—-Satanella yearling (full brother to St. Clements), that was to have been Potter’s Paddock yesterday will be offered at Wellington Park on Thursday next after Mr Morrin’s stock has been auctioned. ' - The principal events in the Reefton Midsummer Meeting resulted : —Hurdles —Thorpe 1, Regalia 2, Raven 3; President’s Handicap— Banner 1, Duchess of Norfolk 2, Silver Rose 3 ; Inangahua Cup—Goodwood 1, Geraint 2, Doubtful 3; High Weight—Doubtful walked over; Midland Railway Handicap—Doubtful 1, Banner 2 ; Miners’ Handicap —Doubtful 1, Beau Nash 2; Hurdles —Regalia 1, Minerva 2; Memorial Stakes—Geraint 1, Goodwood 2; Boatman’s Handicap—Goodwood 1, Doubtful 2, England'sPride 3 ; Consolation— Silver Rose 1. . ‘ Ticket No. 6 in the A.R.C. Nursery Handicap meant £135 to the lucky holder, so when a prominent citizen noticed when looking through his totalisator tokens on the night of the 26th that one piece of pasteboard read No. 6 NurseryHandicap he wondered greatly. He had not backed Deadshot, so why the ticket ? An interview with Mr W. Adams, however, soon settled things. Backers of Forma (No. 6 in the Foal Stakes) had been served with Nursery No. 6 tickets, so anyone who finds a supposed Deadshot token in his possession need not apply for the £135 dividend. The North German Breeder’s Union which imports English and French mares for breeding purposes appears to be charmingly indifferent as to whether its purchases are sold at a profit or a loss. The latter case generally results as may bejudged from the following “ satisfactory ” deal recently made by it. Five mares costing £5855 in England were cheerfully sold for £4205, and the promoters saw no reason for discouragement. Luciennes who cost £710; brought £760, but Hyeres costing £2BOO only brought £1360, Florrie, who cost a thousand brought £Bl5, and the others realised a similar fall in price. Butthe Union wants good blood; not profit. The Wellington sporting writer “ Gipsy King”" has the following in last N.Z. Mail' : —“ A local punter, who generally sends an Auckland friend occasional “ tips” for events to be decided in the Taranaki and Wanganui districts, has received a. letter not to send anything that is likely to pay a dividend, as the Auckland inetallicians wifi not quote much more than 3 to 1 about any horse that has a possible chance of getting round the course. ‘ Send,’ says the Auckland . man, ‘ any odds on chance, and I can do business with them.’" That reminds me that another local sport has received a wire in reply to a query as to the oddsbeing offered in Auckland on a certain horse in the Wellington Cup, viz., that the bookmakers up there do hot intend opening a book on our Cup until after the acceptances. Gee-ru-salem!” A north London mother was recently hauled over the coals by the National Society for prevention of cruelty to children because she desired to bring her boy up in a path that would lead him to future jockeyship. She fed the youngster on boiled bread and pepper and salt in order that hislimbs might be properly attuned to the light weight’s dimensions, and when he was growing in the direction which her matronly ideas desired, aLondon Court stepped in at the wish of the Society and fined her. The mother claimed he “ was growing beautifully,” but as the youngster was so thin that he failed to throw a shadow when placed in the sun, the court checked her horsey ambition by removing the boy from her charge. A future Derby jockey may thus have been spoiled. The death is announced of Mr Reid’s mare Titania, who succumbed at Ellerslie to an attack ,of inflammation which set in after foalingTitania was got by imported Malton out of imported Mountain Nymph, by Sir Tatton Sykes— Giselle, by Stockport—Stays, by Whalebone. Titania made her first appearance as a three-year-old, when she ran eleven times, her only .winning meeting being at Oamaru, where she won a treble against Guy Fawkes, Punga, Fishhook, :and.other good ones. In the year following she Wdnadoubleat Wellington and then ran second to 'Templeton in the Dunedin Cup. In her six-year-,old career she glso ran a second, this time to Mata, who beat.her by ahead. Shortly after she went to thestud,and amongst others the mare gave Fairy Maid, Ambusli, Outpost, and Royal Salute--The’ foaling-that, proved-fataL to her "was the result?of'‘fi-mating.with Artillery, and the pro<geny\ (a filly); is being brought up by hand- . Titania’s tui f ; record . is—39 starts,. 10: wins, H seconds, 6 tliirds, and 14 unplaced attempts.

The second instalment of the Auckland Trotting Club’s Summer Meeting will be given at ' Potter’s Paddock this afternoon. .. I Indulging in some reminiscences bearing on his life as a jockey, Taral, the leading horseman of the American tracks, spoke as follows to a New York Sportsman representative : —“ I had my first mount out in the bushes in Kansas, where I lived, and even there I made some little ■ reputation. When about sixt-en 1 ran away * from home to become a professional jockey, and here I am to-day after a lot of experience in the saddle. While I have made plenty of money, I can say that were I worth $10,000,000 you would find me doing just what I am to day-—ridipg horses. It is a fascination, a’passion with me, and there is no telling when I will quit it. As “ to'iny immediate engagements I have signed with Messrs. J. R. & F. P. Keene for two years, at'slB,ooD the season, and I suppose I will have plenty of chances for outside mounts.” Writing're the starting machine, the New York Spirit of the Times has the following: —“We have already borrowed clever devices from Australia, such, for instance, as the jockey numbers on the saddle cloth, and if these machines are so decided an improvement as they appear to be it might he a desirable innovation if some jockey club were to secure the right to use them in tins country. One or two starting machines have already been constructed here, but there seemed to be a prejudice against them and it is doubtful if they had a thorough trial. Prejudice in Australia, however, appears to be rapidly giving way to the practical advantages and benefits of the ' machines.” Gray’s starting machine will shortly unfold its beauties to the Yankee sportsmen, who will adopt it and then probably improve it out - of sight. ’”o Theagitatipn g'Ot up by Mr O. B. Wise with a view of -inducing the Npw Zealand Bailway Commissioners to return free from race meetings ■-horses railed thereto, has comedo, naught. The Commissioners have answered the petition pre- ■ sented by Mr Wise, by saying they regret they do not see their way to reduce the charges for racehorses on the railways, and in reply to the petitioners’ argument re Australian racers being •■'returned free from racecourses if unsold, they point out that the single rates are much higher C than in New Zealand, being in soine cases more than double. “In such a case (the authorities point out) the charge for one way only is actually g eater than that-for the out and home- ' ward journey in New Zealand.” This may be so; but I fancy the N.Z. owners have a greater ~ claim on the indulgence of the Government than say their Victorian brethren, for Maorilanders contribute some £lO,OOO to the revenue through the totalisator tax, while the Victorian Government do not reap a penny from the holding of race meetings, except in the matter of railway traffic. . • . . Cis. Parker, the well-known Australian jockey, was recently haled before the . A-J-C. Committee to answer for having violated regulation 4 of the racin'! rules, which -says 'no. licensed jockey shall have any interest in any wager on any race.” njßbgulation 6 provides that, the violator of regu - lation 4 shall have his license cancelled or be suspended from riding, and as Parker was known to have taken 1000 to 1 Paris and Patron for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cup double, he was placed on trial. Under the rules his suspension to be inevitable. But the stewards contented themselves with warning him, which was a piece of luck for Parker; but what was not a slice of luck for the jockey was the faet that, acting on advice, he unfortunately laid his thousand of Patron off. On the question of a jockey betting, I altogether fail to see why he should not be allowed to have say his losing mount.or a fiver .on |he horse he is piloting in a race. ' Or if -the Bet is on another horse in the race, what then ? Do not stewards frequently adjudicate upon events in which they are often interested to the extent of a “ pony ” ? I understand that on most Australian race tracks the club authorities have’power to refuse admission to anyone whom they wish to exclude, except perhaps in the case of Flemington Flat, on which the club have no control —or had not a '■ year or so back—as regards admission fee or exclusion. .But I gather from late American files that iu the U.S.Adthe case stands on a different footing. A Hebrew turfite named Henry Simons ‘"Was found guilty of gross turf fraud and ruled off, but when the Harlem Racing Association tried to bar him from their track, Simons obtained an injunction from Judge Stein restraining the association from denying him the entre to the race track on the presenting of a ticket. The judge, a countryman of Simons’, went further and ■’issued an order that the horses belonging to v Simons should not be debarred from starting. Simons thereupon forced himself upon the r ’'ground, proclaiming his countryman “ a Daniel "come to judgment.” The decision of the judge ! is to be appealed against by the race-track people who will doubtless score in the end, for there was ■once a test case brought before the Chicago Courts by a ruled-off Mr Louis Cohn against the - y Washington Park Club, because they refused to allow him on their grounds. The court then Cdecided that the management had the right to deny admission to objectionable characters, and . that, the plaintiff had no cause of action. “Flaneur” writes in the Melbourne Sportsman—“ It was at an up-country race-meeting recently. The judge, the principal store-keeper ‘ in .the township, had never acted before in that capacity. The favorite, a bay mare; was chasing a grey gelding, and got to his girths, as the post was reached. “ The bay,” shouted an influential visitor! “'The grey/’.shouted everyone else. The owner of the favorite was satisfied he’d lost, and said so, when the judge announced a “ dead • : heat.” As he got down from the box he met the owner of the grey, who said —“ Well, I never question a judge’s decision, but, if my fellow ! didn’t win by half a length, I’m d—d.” “ Weel, mon,” said the judge, “ he micht, for I just got flurried wit’ a’ the shoutin’ and claver, and I got my een aft.them; _and as one said the bay and ithe ? folk iii.e grey,- I thocht a dead heat was 1 —just the fairest thing I could gie them.” .