Notes by the Way.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 266, 29 August 1895, Page 4

Notes by the Way.

[by

BORDERER.]

Around the Racing Track.

There was some fair work performed at Ellerslie last Saturday and another gallop by the hope of Wapiti lent zest to the proceedings. Chaafe led off, the members of his string doing long slow work. They look well and Antares has improved considerably, while the Hotchkiss— Fairy Queen three-year-old, Norna, promises to gallop in stake shaking style by Second. Spring and Christmastide. H. Howe sent First Nelson (Taylor up) round three laps of the tan. Mr Forth’s late representative has furnished very nicely and should justify his trainer’s confidence of winning. I fancy he will be seen to good advantage at the second meeting of the year. This horse is in robust health and takes hold of his work in very willing farhion. Mr S. G. Caulton’s pair, The Sharper and Deadsbot, are doing nicely. The latter looks well and with a light weight can scamper along in very hearty manner, but when you look at Katipo’s son and then at the Cup acceptance list you recognise what a clinking advance the colt will have to show to justify the support accorded him. However, he is doing all that is being asked and in condition both he and Sharper reflect credit upon their trainer (A. S. Caulton). l understand Duff has been engaged to do the light weight riding of this stable. E. Kelly has only Clarion in hand at present, but he will doubtless possess a decent string when the season fairly opens. Kelly knows his business and deserves stronger representation than he has at present. J. B. Williamson’s string were let loose on the grass gallop, the three best workers being the three-year-old St. Leger —Jessie gelding, Rex, Oruba Cuirassier—Welcome two-year-old colt), and Lord Dunluce who has filled out in surprising fashion. Rex is a decidedly promising racer and I shall expect him to more than justify that Criterion Handicap win of his before the curtain falls on 1895-96. Old Despised was given slow extension on the tan with A. Williams in. the saddle. In appearance the son of Cap-a-pie is much the same as ever —he was never a beauty—but his understandings give no sign of failure. Frank Macmanemin’s string did strong work and John Rae gave the Ingomar—Bessemer ’chaser, Kingswood, a turn over the water, double, and stone wall. This horse jumps and appears to have fair pace when galloped on the tan in company with Levanter. By the way the more one sees of the last named horse the more one is inclined to credit the reports brought back from Christchurch by Aucklanders present at the National meeting to the effect that he would have given Donald McKinnon a hard tussle to gain the Na* ional Hurdle race. The coming season should prove Levanter to be an excellent small fence performer. While mentioning Bae’s string I may say he has received an addition to his stable, viz , Sabretache the two-year-old Cuirassier—Roie colt which, until last week, was a member of Geo. Wright’s establishment. Sabre? tache is the property of Osculator’s owner, sq with both horses removed from Wright’s charge there appears to be a big split between the Van Dieman Lodge trainer and D. A. McLeod.

An Improving Gallop by Pegasus. Visitors to the training ground last Saturday saw Major George’s Cup candidate spun once round in earnest, and I may say at the outset that Pegasus gave us a prettier showing thani was the case the previous Saturday. The gallop was nothing to rave about, but Pegasus stuck to his work in a gritty style that chased away much of the disfavour caused by his burst seven day’s earlier. As usual, old Workman accompanied him in the spin When the pair were released the Cup horse struck the ground first and cut round the top bend in very strong fashion, keeping about half a length ahead of his stable mate. From the seven to the five-furlong pole the pace was maintained at a lively gait, Pegasus retaining his half length advantage. At this stage Nep? tune, the three-year-old brother to Pegasus, joined in. Up to now The Workman had been bowling along in a satisfactdry fashion; but once clear of the cutting he shortened in stride and fell back gradually, the turn for home finding him several lengths astern. From' this out Pegasus strode along a trifle behind his three-year-old brother, but when the post was reached it was seen the former was galloping under a fairish pull. Right through the circuit PegaSuS . shapedin a style several notches^ahbad of hifc

gallop of the 17th inst., and on pulling up showed no signs of distress. The Workman showed up in a very different light. As soon as his jockey -dismounted it was seen the horse was in a bad way, and on being led off the track he displayed a “ dottiness ” that had a very serious aspect before the boxes were reached. After being rubbed down the horse was led away home and it certainly looked mighty like a break-down, but to our surprise on Tuesday morning The Workman was, at all events, walking sound. I did not see him worked, but there he was, without a trace of his Saturday morning experience. Reverting to the gallop it has to be said that Pegasus accomplished his task in a very satisfactory fashion, and though one would naturally expect him to cut down Neptune in the last five furlongs it has to be remembered he had a tight vein at the finish and doubtless had many pounds in hand.. The colt is improving, and his next gallop will be watched with interest. The other inmates of Major George’s stable did good work, notably the Carbine—Hestia filly, Quickfire, who is a very taking kind of galloper. This daughter of Carbine is a plucked one and promises to hold her end up in the matter of courage when the silks are up and whips are out. Her pace also is more than satisfactory, and though the two-year-old division is unusually strong at Ellerslie this season Quickfire is going to keep well up in the line of leaders. On Saturday last she was bustled over three furlongs on the tan, having for ■companion the Nelson —Vendetta two-year-old gelding, Admiral Hawke, who is oy no means a slow youngster. The Carbine filly gave a length advantage off the mark and then beat him badly, reaching the post a length and a half to the good and her jockey reining in. The sprint was fairly fast considering it was done on the tan, and affords good ground for the belief that Carbine’s daughter will, get off some satisfactory quickfiring at the Welcome, Musket, and Nursery shields when they are hung out this Spring. Two-year olds and the Starting Machine. Considerable interest attached to Tuesday morning’s proceedings at Ellerslie, as Mr G. Cutts had arranged to be on hand at nine a.m. and introduce the two-year-olds to the starting gate. The barrier was worked at the mile post, and the releases were effected in a surprisingly successful manner. At the first attempt twelve youngsters were lined up, and kept close to the barrier while Mr Cutts worked the tape up and down the guys so that they might become accustomed to it. When he had them bred to an almost contemptuous indifference for the webbing up went the tape and away went the field, only ■one of the dozen being left at the post. A second and third attempt met with even greater success. •Of course when colours are on and the riders are niggling for a clear passage there will always be a certain amount of flustering at the opening ■two-year-old starts, but judging by the experience -of last Tuesday there will be a surprising amount of steadiness evinced by this season’s youngsters when the barrier is released for “ keeps.” The Carbine filly, Quickfire, is lively off the mark, and so are Armilia, Daystar, and Antares (three Castors), although at the second release Armilia, one of the (if not the) best youngsters of her year appeared to hang a trifle, But there is little use trying to size up the quick-starting powers of any two-year-old in particular. Like the fair sex, they are very kittle cattle. The leading item of news to be gathered from the trial is the fact that the •whole of the fifteen youngsters experimented with showed great readiness to accept the barrier ;as a proper method of starting a racing field. We have heard a lot of English criticism respecting the starting machine, and the few instances of Australian horses playing up on Australian courses have been seized upon by Old World writers as sufficient reason for doubting the wisdom of the innovation. But if racehorses are introduced to the barrier at the. opening of their racing careers there will be considerably less disturbance at the post than has been the -case in the past with the flag system. If “Ranger,” of the London Sporting and Dramatic News, who has consistently opposed the intro•duction of the “gate” on the English tracks, could have witnessed the Ellerslie trial his eyes would have been opened and his knowledge of the starting machine very much improved.

Two-year-olds of 1895-96. As there is an qnusually long two-year-old -string at Ellerslie this season I have compiled a list of the youngsters, with their names where titles have already been bestowed. With the exception of the two St. Legers and the Cuiras•eier youngster at the bottom of the list the two-year-olds mentioned are all Ellerslie trained. The three alluded to are located at Devonport.

Antares, br c (Castor —Hilda) Armilia, b f (Castor —Necklace) Daystar, b c (Castor—Cissy)| Edith Cureton, b f (Castor —Frailty) Porangi Potae, b f (Castor —Madcap) ■St. Elmo, b c (Castor —Welcome Katie) •Cuirass, br c (Cuirassier —Dolosa) Oruba, b c (Cuirassier —Welcome) Sabretache, br c (Cuirassier —Roie) Uhlan, br c (Cuirassier —Aida) , br c (Cuirassier —Katipo) , br c (Cuirassier —La Dauphine) Lady Anna, b f (St. Leger—Anna) St. Gordon, b c (St. Leger—Bragela) ;St. Paul, br c (St. Leger—Satanella) Woodstock, b c (St. Leger—Cantiniere) —, ch c (St. Leger—Tamora) , b c (St. Leger—Orini Nikau, ch f, (Hotchkiss —Yattaghan) — 7 —, br f (Hotchkiss —Mantilla) Admiral Hawke, b g (Nelson —Vendetta) 'The Master, b g (Nelson —The Maid) Quickfire, br f (Carbine —Hestia) Rubin, ch c (Tasman —Rubina) , br c (Brigadier—Ma Petite Fille) , ch f (Howitzer —Queen Rose)

Some Stray Notes. Forma has been doing very consistent work and Three Star shows up in good condition although fast work has not been his portion during any of my visits to the track. The members of Frank Macmanemin’s string are all in great fettle and when Bonovoree and old Fishmonger are slipped round the grass gallop with light weights up the pair show very strong gaiting. The ponies Quail and the Dove are doing big work, and the Tasman—Hazel three-year-old, Hazelmere, is the same slippery little parcel we knew last season. She was passed under the 14 2 standard last Monday and may be expected to again prove a sharp thorn in the sides of our miniature racers. St. Clements is in the very best of condition. Chaafe’s charges are all doing well and as I pointed out. last week the MaximBurlesque three-year-old, Popgun, will take a lot of beating this season. He and Norna (Hotchkiss —Fairy Queen) generally work together and must give Chaafe a good three-year-old hand. Antares is his leading youngster and is doing better work in each succeeding gallop. On Tuesday before breakfast he cut out a strong and merry round of the grass gallop finishing up strongly. The Brigadier —Jilt mare, Eve, that received such a bad burning at Williamson’s fire has been taken up. Slow work is given her and though sadly disfigured the mare moves all right. The report respecting Kathleen and Fidget going to Sydney has not so far been realised and both ponies are doing steady work. During the starting machine trial held on Tuesday Mr R. Duder visited the track ha-ing the Devonport string of youngsters in attendance. D. Morrigan was riding the Cuirassier —Dol"sa colt, Cuirass, and a very sensible youngster he is. Accompanying the

string was a finely built chestnut two-year-old colt by St. Leger from Tamora. This fellow fills the eye handsomely and may be expected to do good service this racing year. By the way Hearn that Major George has placed The Workman in the private sale list and particulars may be obtained at Buckland’s or at “ Wapiti.” The old horse was sound enough in his striding yesterday and should command a good price as a sire. Before leaving track notes I may say that Grenadier is still doing as good work as anything at Ellerslie. Taylor and the horse appear to be on the best of terms with each other, and barring a healthy desire to get into strong galloping the colt has not a trace of unruliness. Breeding by the “ Figure System.” New Zealand and Australian breeders will remember that the late Mr Bruce Lowe, the wellknown Australian authority on t.he breeding of the thoroughbred horses, who died in London last year, had in preparation at the time of his death a work on breeding racehorses by the “ Figure System.” The completion of the work was entrusted to Mr W. L. Allison of the International Horse Exchange and Agency, London, and that gentleman has lately issued a prospectus of the book. In Mr Lowe’s system winning families, compiled from winners of the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger, non-winning families, sire families, etc. are indicated by i.umbers, and in the prospectus written just prior to his decease the compiler claims for the system : — “ That it is based on the sound principles of ‘ judging.by results j ’ that it is being successfully worked by two of the cleverest horsebreeders in Australia, Messrs Frank Reynolds, of

Tocal, N.S. Wales,'and H. C. White, of Havilah, N.B.W. I gave the figures to Mr Reynolds nearly twenty years ago, and with his assistance carefully worked out most of the details; nor would he (or Mr White) attempt to give an opinion about the breeding of any horse, or the mating of same, without referring to the figures. That by its aid the stud master can identify the successful running families from the non-successful at a glance ; that it also identifies, unmistakably, those families which have from the beginning proved themselves the best sire families; and explains in a way that no other theory has ever done why the Eclipse male line is the dominant one over those of Herod and Matchem. It shows so clearly why Gladiator was a notorious stud failure, that a novice in the figure system could not fall into the error of selecting him as a sire of great race-horses. I have also endeavoured to show why a small minority of stallions possess this power of siring high-class stock, while it is denied to the vast majority ; at the same time proving by examples that the fault to a great extent is in not mating them properly—in other words, that the figures are <he only safe key to choosing a sire, or mating him when chosen. The figures also show clearly that all the pedigrees of phenomenal horses of t he past are built upon almost precisely similar lines, and this I have illustrated by numerous pedigrees. I have endeavoured to explain why there is such a wide difference in the racing merits of full brothers, and suggested a remedy for same.” Other matters touched upon in the book include the reason why inbred mares are more successful as dams than outbred ones, while the reverse (as a rule) holds good in sires. Such a work is certain to be a most valuable addition to the literature of racehorse breeding.

Notes from America. in the course of a private letter, dated July 11th, Mr F. R. de Lopez writes me as follows : — The Musket horse, Foul Shot, arrived safely on the 3rd inst., and is located at our Merriwa Stock Farm, Pleasanton. The horse looks splendid, barring a natural lightness of condition consequent on his big journey. We have set a big price on Musket’s son, and hope to do very well with him. Turfmen down your end will remember Ivy (Castor — Veneration). The mare has done well since her arrival. She has won three races in the last two months, three seconds and three thirds. She is a good parcel for anything up to a mile. Judging by Ivy, Castor on Yattendon blood should nick to good results. [Veneration, dam of Ivy, was got by Patriarch (brother to Fitz-Yattendon), got by Yattendon, dam, imp. Days of Old, by Irish Birdcatcher. ] Ivy is a beautiful goer, and people look on her as one of the best out here. [She was a clipper at track trials at Ellerslie, but a very uncertain quantity with the colours up.J You will remember Grand Moor, Junr., the Grand Moor —Corisande trotting stallion purchased by Nolan, Tonks, and Co., of Hawera As he will, no doubt, serve extensively down your way I have looked at his stock round these parts, and can label them clinker-class. They are magnificent legged horses, and if one searched the whole of this State it would be impossibe to get his equal for roadsters, either for endurance or strength. On my return to Australia, I intend importing Grand Moor’s six-year-old eon, out of a Mambrino mare, Exmoor, fo private use. We have purchased for use on the ranch James Madison, the champio i big

horse of the States, sire of Allan Dale, who was sold to the Hawera purchaser of Grand Moor. James Madison is a fine horse, weighing 15001bs. He is sire of a lot of very fast horses now racing in California, amongst them being, Bet Madison, 2.30 as a two-year-old; Lelia C., record 2.19 as a two-year-old ; Emma Nevada, as a two-two-year-old (worked out 2.12 the other day). An inmate of the Merriwa Ranch, well known to Australians is Utter, the daughter of MartiniHenry and Uralla, that was bought some short time back by my father from Humphrey Oxenham, the N.S.W. Ringman.