Sporting and Dramatics REVIEW .. AND ... LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, November 10, 1898. SPORTING TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 433, 10 November 1898, Page 10

Sporting and Dramatics REVIEW .. AND . .. LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, November 10, 1898. SPORTING TOPICS.

The full programme of the Gisborne Racing Club is published in our advertising columns. The meeting will be held on the Poverty Bay Park Company’s course on December 26 and 27, and a neat programme, consisting of sixteen events, has been provided for the occasion. The added money amounts to £425. The principal event on the first day is the Boxing Day Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile and a quarter, and on the second day the Grandstand Handicap of 45 sovs, one mile and a distance. Full particulars as to the date of nominations, etc., will be found in the advertisement. One of the oldest stock questions that is addressed to the editors of sporting newspapers —and most frequently to the editor of the London L. V. Gazette— 111 Nfh&t was Kitchener’s lowest weight ? ” When Little Kitchener steered" General Wyndham’s filly, by Nonsense out of Gaberlunzie, in the Wokingham Stakes at Ascot; 1840, the filly was weighted at 3st 121 b, and Kitchener went to scale at 2st 71b. This was his first mount, and although he did not get into the first three, the lad soon gave proofs of bis ability to ride; and he looked more like a monkey than a mannikin when he rode Red Deer to victory in the Chester Cup four years later. Kitchener’s parents, who were hard-working cottagers, had intended to apprentice their boy to a neighbouring sweeep , but the lad attracted the attention of Captain Beecher, the father of the great steeplechase rider, who took ’ him into his stables at stables at the age of ten. ’ Beadsman as a two-year-old was worth nothing (writes “ The Guv’nor ”), and gave absolutely no promise of recouping the plucky baronet any of his serious losses on the dam’s account, and, in the early part of his three-year-old career, the idea never crossed him that he might be entertaining an angel unawares. Sir Joseph’s Fitz-Roland had won the Two Thousand Guineas, and he had backed him to win about £40,000 for the Derby. It was true the despised Beadsman was also in the Derby; bdt neither owner nor trainer, nor any other human being dreamt of his having the most remote chance for it. One day, however, he met the flying Eclipse, and by some extraordinary fluke, as was thought, he ran a dead-heat with him. Up to this he had never been backed for a shilling for the big race. It was, of course, a bit of an eye opener for Sir Joseph. Still, he could not think it possible his Derby favorite ran any risk from his own second string; nevertheless, as a prudent man, with large investments on the favorite, he thought it might be as well to put them together. The trial was arranged with great secrecy, and, lo ! the outsider won easily. This was something more than a week before the race. Sir Joseph could not believe his eyes, neither could the trainer. Another trial must be had. This second trial dispelled all illusions ; consequently a big commission was sent into the market. This and some inkling of the trials getting abroad, some of the public backers naturally began to help themselves; but the great body of the B.P. and the talent stood true to public form, and, in spite of mysterious heavy outlays for Beadsman, which brought him to 10 to 1, Fitz-Roland, up to nearly the day of the race, retained his place at the head of the quotations. The defeat of Jean Beraud, the crack two-year-old of the year, in the Flatbush Stakes; the hancy victory of Martimas, the Futurity winner, in the same and his disqualification on a sustained charge of foul, which served to award the stake to Autumn, were among the surprises at Sheepshead Bay, on September 3. Martimas was the prominent contender throughout. He showed in front at every pole, and won handsomely by a length. Autumn beat Frohsin half a length, while the Madden colt finished only a neck in front of Ethelbert. It was a stirring finish between this quartette, with Kingdon, Filigrane, and Manuel also pretty close in line. There had been some bumping on the back stretch, and also in the run home, and some of the beaten jockeys protested. The result was the disqualification of Martimas. His owner, who stoodjby the Judge’s enclosure, accepted the ruling in most sportsmanlike fashion, and contented himself with the remark, “ 1 won the Futurity; I won again today, and lam satisfied. I don’t care a blank for the money.” Meanwhile the confident backers of Jean Beraud were wondering what had happened to the crack. If he had ever been a factor they would have been satisfied, but he never seemed to have speed enough to go up to his field. He went to the post looking fat, out he is of such stocky conformation that few of his admirers weakened. Sloan apparently worked hard on him, and the collapse of the colt can only be set down as one of the uncertainties to be looked for in horse racing. It is current paddock talk that he had been tried out recently as better than High Degree, and the rumor is supported by the significant fact that Sydney Paget bought the latter filly since she ran second to Martimas for the Futurity. Horsemen accept the situation philosophically as a para Lei case to the failure of Hamburg in the Belmont Stakes at Morris Park last Spring. The three year-old has redeemed his reputation gloriously since, and the chances are that Jean Beraud will yet reward those who think he is the best two-year-old in training.— Neiv York Sun.

There has been quite a large number of fatalities amongst the blood stock at Mr Gollan’s Napier estate during the past few weeks. In a note to “Spectator” Mr de Pelichet says— Florence McCarthy died in foal to Apremont. Tiraillerie’s bay colt foal by St Leger is dead. Denbigh’s half-sister by Puriri also died foaling. The foal is also dead. Miss Dargon foaled a fine colt, but a sad cripple, and it was deemed advis able to destroy him. Escalade, who had proved barren for five seasons, foaled twins, both of which died. A bad start, truly, for this season.

In last issue I (“ Silverspur” in the N.Z. Mail) stated that the committee of thej Wellington Racing Club had, in accordance with a recommendation made at the annual meeting of members, licensed bookmakers to ply their calling at the club’s meetings at the Hutt, but they made the fee a prohibitive one—£2o a day. Their action has been subjected to a considerable amount of criticism, and I now learn that, although the annual meeting pronounced in favor of the idea, the committee intend taking a plebiscite of members on the subject, each one being asked to record bis vote before November 10. If they all vote it is reckoned that the metallicians will not be allowed to bet. This question has proved what may be termed a vexed one among members during tne last year or so, and the result of the ballot —-a singular proceeding in the circumstances —will be awaited with interest.

The sporting writers in Australia repeat the past victory of the Melbourne Cup, but it is not often they can rake up anything fresh. However, this year “ Martindale ” has given us something more interesting than usual concerning racing in the good old days. Writing on Cup day he remarks : —“ Hill, flat, and paddock are all crowded, but many well-known faces are missing from the paddock, and popular men of not long ago are absent. Many have bedn claimed by death, some are away on the other side of the frorld, while some are absent from the simple fact that they are ‘ broke.’ h o doubt there are many here who wit nessed Archer win the first Melbourne Cup in 1861, but there are hardly any of those here to-day who attended at the first race meeting held on the site of the present Flemington course. That was on March 3, 1840, when according to an old authority the grandstand was a rough platform without seats, and the fortunate ones were quite willing to stand, in order to get a good view of the race. It was round by the river side, and the straight, which commenced at the present turn near the saddling paddock, was marked by ti-tree stakes, and roped off. There were three booths, which did very well during the the three days. The publicans had to pay special license fees which were devoted to the payment of special constables sworn in for the maintainence of good order. A favourite way of getting to the course ‘was in boats up the Saltwater River, no doubt then a much clearer stream thau now. There were three races run in heats, the richest stake being £5O, and it is worthy of note that in one race a horse threw his rider, who sustained a broken arm. So good was the sport that in the following December the Port Phillip Club was formed as it was then said ‘ for the purpose of holding annual races in the county of Bourke, with a view to the improvement of the horses of the colony of New South Wales generally.’ Judging by last Saturday’s events, they acted up to it. The entry fee to the club was five guineas. With a club and racecourse in full swing, a settlement quickly sprung up. One of the first settlers was a butcher named Mr Robert Fleming, and from Fleming’s town we have in nowadays got the popular suburb and world-famed Flemington, That is a brief history of the place upon which the thousands are congregated to-day.

It is remarked by an English writer that it was a new feature in the Doncaster programme, when, in 1776, a three-year-old sweepstake over two mi les of ground was founded, and it excited some hostile comment on the ground that they were going to the nursery for their horses, and such short distance races (?) would tell against the breed for stamina. Until then there were few races of a shorter distance than four miles. At York meeting 1777, nearly all the races —and there were a great number of them —were run over four miles of ground. One day, however, a contest of two miles was introduced into the programme; but in order to make amends for such frivolity as that, there was another of practically sixteen miles, there being four heats of four miles each for a stake of £5O. The third and fourth heats, we are told, were severely contested, and were won with great difficulty. A famous four mile winner at this meeting was Miss Nightingale, of whom it was said that she was entered for a £5O plate at Boroughbridge, but unfortunately died on the Sunday preceding the race. Suspicions having arisen that she was poisoned, she was opened, when there were found in her stomach 21b of duck shot, made up with putty into two balls.

The American-bred fillies sent over to England by Mr B. Haggin were submitted to auction on September 28. The forty two lots were disposed of for a total of 7250g5, j ielding an average of 172|gs. The best price was made by a filly by Sir Modred out of Plaything, knocked for 810 gs to Mr Bruce Seton. A filly by Artillery brought 460 gs, and another by the same sire 300 gs. The Sir Modred —Daniella filly found a purchaser at 550 gs, and the one out of Gondole by the same sire changed hands at 510 gs. Another of the Sir Modreds reached 60Ogs, and the only Darebin offered reached lOOgs, and was bought by Mr F. Day, who also purchased three Sir Modred fillies.

Although Alee. Caul ton naa the good fortune to train 'the winner of the principal event at Ellerslie on Saturday, he had a bit of bad luck in the last race of the day, in which his mare Porangi Potae was a starter. A furlong had not been traversed before the mare burst a blood vessel in the head, and Duff at once pulled her up. Caulton had succeeded in getting the mare very well, and was in hopes of her appropriating the Flying Handicap.

The full programme of a meeting to be held on Thursday, December 22nd, under the auspices of the Waiuku Racing Club, appears in our advertising columns. Nominations for most of the events close at 8 p.m. on December 10th Mr John T. McNamara is the hon. secretary. The victory of Tirant d’Eau in the New Zealand Cup came as a big surprise to punters in Auckland. There was nothing in his recent performances to indicate the great form he displayed on Monday. His final preparation was under Garnet at Yaldhurst. and the excellence that he may have displayed in his work there probably had the effect of driving Multiform out of the race. During the past week several commissions from the South have been worked in Tirant d’Kau’s favour, and altogether he was a bad horse for the “ ring,” as well as for local punters. It is reported that a business partner of the Squire of Yaldhurst was a substantial winner over the race. The Squire of Yaldhurst, as has often been stated, does not bet, but that is no reason why his friends should not indulge in the luxury. After all that has appeared in print concerning the running of Mr Stead’s horses, and the insinuations that the horse on which the public pinned their faith was frequeuntly defeated by an unbacked stable companion, the running of Tolstoi and Screw (Tun in the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton on Monday must have been extremely annoying to that chivalrous sportsman, the Squire of Yaldhurst. There were 242 investments on Tolstoi, and 806 on Screw Gun, yet the former beat the public’s fancy by a neck. It is fair to Mr Stead to remark that the reports of the race indicate that it was a ding-dong finish between the pair. The result, nevertheless, indicates more than ever the necessity of bracketting the representatives of one stable on the machine. J f we are to believe the statements of leaders of the ring in Australia the bookmakers have lately had a most extraordinary bad of time of it, but, surely, if matters were as bad as painted we would have found some of them throwing away their empty bag. Mr Alfred Josephs reckons, according to one interviewer, that he had lost close upon £25,000 over the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, while “ The Count ” (Mr Oxenham’s partner) says that had Longford or Syerla won the Melbourne Cup, it would have meant a difference of £60,000 to them. The fact is that many saved Massinissa in their books. The biggest dividend of the day on Saturday last, at the luckland Racing Club’s Spring Meeting, was paid on St. Gordon. The victory of this good looking son of St. 1 eger (or Brigadier) was no surprise to his trainer, Alec. Caulton, who had given the horse a sound preparation. On the Thursday prior to the races he did a most satisfactory trial at Kohimaramara. If the gallop had been done in the presence of the Ellerslie touts he would not have gone out at the remunerative price he did. At one time there appeared to be a doubt about St. Gordon’s gameness, but the way he finished with Lillie at Avondale, and galloped at the proper end of the City Handicap, should settle all doubts in that respect. St. Gordon is now owned by Mr F. W. Telfer, of the Waikato. The news that the late Spring Meeting of th® V.R.C. resulted in a profit of £11,500 shows that it is possible to successfully hold a race meeting, and give big prizes, too, without the aid of the totalisator. It is estimated that the attendance at Flemington on Cup day was 70,000. The railway revenue for the carriage of passengers between the City and Flemington was £8,963. Some clergymen in Victoria fairly revelled in the Caulfield Cup accident. It gave them an opportunity of railing at horse racing and everything connected with it. The Sportsman reports : —“ At the sitting of the Congregational Union the Rev. Dr. Bevan moved —‘ That this council of the Congregitional Union and Mission are deeply impressed with the inadequacy of the finding of the coroner’s inquest on the youth James Benedict Flanagan, recently killed at the Caulfield racecourse, and protest in the name of humanity and moral interest of the community against the cruel sacrifice of life and limb to the vulgar greed of gain associated by gambling with the recreation of the people.’ The rev. gentleman then went on to describe Caulfield as ‘ the dumping ground of the gamblers of the community. . . . The sport had become vulgar and gross in the extreme. . . . The verdict of the jury was wholly inadequate.’ Other rev. gentlemen spoke in the same strain, and finally Mr Kerr moved as an amendment— 1 That this council deeply deplores and draws public attention to the frequency of fatal and other accidents on the racecourses of the colony, and urges the Government to introduce such legislation as will be calculated to minimise the danger to life and limb which seems inseparable from races as at present conducted.’ And the amendment was carried.”

One of the racecourse jokes of Derby Day was over the Maiden Plate. “ What do you fancy ?” says one enquiring backer. “ Oh, stand off !” replies the other, and they separate. After the race, when No. 2 has decided to look on and not bet, he meets No. 1, who enquires : “ Back him?” Then it dawns on No. 2 that instead of being advised to stand off the race, he was getting a tip for the best thing of the day—Stand Off. Who wouldn’t be a successful filly ? A rat' er humourous scene occurred after the popular victory of a well-known filly on Wednesday at Ellerslie. In the first place, the trainer was so intoxicated with the excitement of the win that he was hardly able to bridle her to take her away, and, when he had finally got matters fixed up satisfactorily, the bewildered animal was pounced upon by two enthusiastic ladies, who tickled her under the chin, and kissed her on the nose, much to the envy of the bystanders of the male persuasion. Unfortunately our snapshot artist had just left.

A feature of yesterday’s racing was the performance of Miss Delaval in the Musket Stakes. She has now appeared three times in public, and on each occasion she has been credited with an easy victory. Yesterday she was called upon to give everything else in the race weight, her handicap being 9st 21b. This was a big weight to ask a filly to carry against the colts, Hastings and St. Peter being required to carry 9st each. She was beautifully ridden by the Queenslander, Mark Ryan, who only called upon her to make her effort when nearly opposite the Derby Stand. She responded splendidly and won by two lengths, thus clearly establishing her claim to be the champion two-year-old of the season. On returning to the scale there was a demonstration in her favor, which reflected credit on her owner for having run her out under the big weight. Her owner, by the way, is a bookmaker, and it is not discreditable to the Ring to note the fact that she has won on each occasion that she has been started, while the performances of Lady Marion and Knight of Athol credit two other members of Tattersall’s—Messrs James Beckett and A. P. Phillips—with being straight goers. The defeat of St. Paul in the N.Z. Cup was a severe blow to Auckland punters. The little bounder, notwithstanding his great weight, finished well up in the Cup, but private telegrams announce the fact that he bad broken down during the race. We do not suppose that the injury is of a permanent or serious nature, but, all the same, it probably accounts for the fact that he was not one of the placed horses in the race.

Mr Dan McLeod, the owner of Miss Delaval, is a patient and long-suffering bookmaker, but there are times when he feels it incumbent upen himself to forget his profession as a metallician and remember that as an owner patience has its limits. On both Tuesday and Wednesday he was worried and bothered by everyone who could claim acquaintance with him, button-holing him and asking confidentially whether his filly was “on the job./’ Now this sort of thing would be irritating to the Angel Gabriel if he were running a celestial “ sure thing,” and to a Scotchman just recovering from the effects of a broken arm it was —well, we draw the curtain, for with a cry of “ Hoots, mon ! dinna ye ken your own mind ?” he closed up his book, and refused to wager further or answer any more questions.

One of the prominent bookmakers of other days is in a lunatic asylum‘(states Melbourne PuncH), where he amuses himself by laying the attendants fabulous odds on imaginary events. Mr Forrester held a levee when he got out of the protest ordeal, after the Melbourne Cup, and The Grafter held another. He was photographed and admired before being led off to his stable. It is great scoring for the Warwick Farm squire to win two Melbourne Cups in succession, and the Sydney people at Flemington were very enthusiastic about another victory for their colony.