Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD Thursday, March 26, 1903. Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 681, 26 March 1903, Page 12

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD Thursday, March 26, 1903. Sporting Topics.

(By

“The Judge.”)

Sir Austral, a son of St. Leger and Ouida, and one of Mr Morrin’s breeding at Wellington Park, met with fatal injuries at Port Adelaide on Saturday week.

The grave of Bend Or has been planted with crocus bulbs so arranged as to spell his name, and the spot where he dropped dead in Eaton Park is to be marked by an oak post.

Maid of Honour was by no means a bad name for Mr Teague’s mare, so that it is not easily apparent why it should be changed to Melba. Having done so, however, it does seem rather absurd to make another change almost immediately to Dolores. Neither of these new names are particularly apt for a mare claiming Freedom and Scotch Mist as parents.

Owners must not forget that nominations for the Avondale, Autumn, Steeplechase, and Railway Handicaps, to be run at the approaching Autumn Meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club, are due to close with Mr H. H. Hayr, the secretary, at the club’s offices to-morrow, Friday, the 27th inst., at 9 p.m.

Having some time ago suggested in these columns that Melodeon would be a very suitable name for the Medallion—Melodia colt, I am very pleased to see that the winner of the Juvenile Handicap at Hawke’s Bay has been christened so by Mr Watts.

While having a chat with E. H. Ames some time ago, the American horseman told me that he intended to try his luck in India. That he has beensuccessful may be gauged from the fact that he recently refused a retaining fee of 4000 rupees in that country.

Mr Mainwaring, handicapper for the Liverpool Jockey Club, gave Seahorse top weight (Ost) in. the Liverpool Spring Cup. On seeing the handicap Mr Gollan promptly scratched the ex-Aucklander for the event.

A very unfortunate incident happened at the Papakura Races on Saturday, at least, unfortunate for on© person. Th© club sold the rights for the entrance gates, and the buyer, owing to the well-filled excursion train, had every chance of recouping himself for his outlay. These hopes were rudely dispersed on the arrival of the train at Papakura, which by some oversight passed the proper entrance and pulled up alongside a black 1 !-erry ditch, surmounted with a barbed wire fence, which enclosed the racecourse. Naturally the passengers, seeing no other way of entrance, essayed to climb over, through, Or under the barbed wire fence, much to the damage of coats, dresses, etc., never, of course, dreaming to look for the man at the gate waiting tor his shilling. One can imagine the feelings of the enterprising gentleman who paid for the privilege of collecting the said shillings when ho saw several hundred people scaling the boundaries of the race enclosure. Th® purchaser is now anxiously waiting to see the outcome of the little episode, as to which of the two, the railway officials or the club, do the right thing. •O. • 4 * Mr S. H. Gullan's Seahorse was mad© favourite at 3 to 1 for the Maiden Hurdle Race at Kempton Park on January 30, but was interfered with when Mount Judkin fell, and finished a . long way behind the placed horses. The race went to Lord Carnarvon's Preen, who was the second favourite. Major George’s old favourite made amends at the Gatwick March meeting, where he won the Brook Maiden Hurdle Race, oher two miles. Such a pronounced stayer as the son of Nelson and Moonga has proved himself to be should certainly pay his way at the illegitimate game. <r . * ♦ * °Mr A. J. Gibbs writes from Gore as follows: —“Your Wellington correspondent, in writing re Otago handicapping, says : ‘ At the present time the whole of the inland clubs are merely dependent on amateur handicappers.’ Your correspondent also advocates the ‘ employment of Mr J. H. Pollock.’ For the information of your readers, I have been handicapping for the inland clubs for eight years, and I am not an amateur, and further, have given satisfaction to clubs and horseowners. Your correspondent’s friend, Mr J. H. Pollock, may be a good man, but I claim to know more of Otago and Southland horses, and perhaps have had a longer experience on the turf in all its departments than he has.”

Evidently from Mr Gibbs’ letter it would appear that our Wellington correspondent has been misinformed in the matter of the Otago handicapping, although it is most unusual for him to make any such assertion without verifying his facts in some reliable quarter. The question of appointing a new handicapper for some of the clubs is, I understand, to be shortly gone into, but this should not affect Mr Gibbs in any way, and I am pleased to publish his letter.

A very interesting turn is to be seen every evening at Dix’si City Hall, which is well worth seeing by lovers of boxing. This is an exhibition between Snowy Sturgeon, of Australia, and Turvey, of London, who box six very willing rounds. Both men are clever with their hands, and there is no shami about the go, which is a scientific display of the art of self-de-fence. I understand it is Sturgeon’s intention to start classes where boxing and physical culture will be taught. If so, they should soon become popular.

Evening Wonder was shipped across to South Australia the other day to fulfil. his engagements at the Onkaparinga Meeting 1 . The Wonderland gelding was placed in the care of one of the ship s hands for the voyage across, and will not have much time to get into fighting trim.

Easter is close at hand, and with it the big Autumn Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club. There are few more attractive gatherings anywhere than this re-union at head-quarters, for the extreme heat of the summer is gone, and the weather is generally very pleasant. The bill-of-fare to be discussed is, too, one of great merit, containing such powerful draw cards as the Northern Champagne Stakes, the Easter Handicap, the Century Stakes', the St. George’s and the Autumn Handicaps. In addition to these richly-endowed races, there are nineteen other events, and owners will do well to bear in mind that, all entries mufet be lodged with Mr Percival, the secretary, by 9 p.m. to-morrow, Friday, evening. Acceptances for the Easter Handicap and Handicap Hurdles are due at the same time. The full programme is advertised on the front page of this issue, together with particulars of nomination fees, etc.

Owing to Council elections taking place On April 29, it is extremely probable that the Avondale Jockey Club will alter the date of their second day of the Autumn Meeting, originally fixed for the 29th, to Saturday, May 2. On the Wednesday all th© cabs and other vehicles will be engaged on electioneering business, and a very large number of people will be disinclined to leave the city who would otherwise be certain to attend the meeting. Under the circumstances, the committee of the club will certainly be serving their patrons' interests, as well as their own, if the concluding day is altered to Saturday, and this is anlmost certain to be done.

Mr J. A. Buckland’s team of trotters, which arrived from Sydney last week, included the following -Veronica, Viva, Franz, and Quincey, all of which are by VancleveHarkaway and Velvet, by Burlington Junior; and the Champion Fritz, who is matched to trot against the New Zealand champion Ribbonwood. Fritz is in grand form, and his owner is very confident. It is Mr Buckland’s intention to dispose of most of the team in New Zealand if buyers can be found. He will, however, retain Viva and Fritz. If the others are not sold, they will probably be left in New Zealand under the care of the trainer S. Piper.

It certainly appears strange (says a writer in “ Sport ”) that, in the case of Galopin and Bend Or, two sires which conferred such benefits on the stud, not alone in England, but, indeed, the world over, should both have had their pedigrees called in question as not being accurate. After Bend Or had won his sensational Derby, an objection was laid against him on the ground that he was not the horse he was represented to be, but one called Tadcaster, who, like Bend Or, was a son Of Doncaster, but out of Clemence, by Newminster, whereas the dam of Bend Or was Rouge Rose, by Thormanby. The objection engaged the attention of the Jockey Club, who overruled it. Galopin, too, was alleged to have been a different horse from what he was represented. The allegation in the case of the renowned son of Vedette and Flying Duchess was that he was not by Vedette, but by another sire, which was located at the Diss Stud, tjo which Flying Duchess had been sent to be mated with Vedette. However, John Dawson, who trained Galopin for Prince Batthyanny, never entertained the slightest doubt as to the correctness of his pedigree. It may be added that at the time Vedette got Galopin he was seventeen yegrs of age, and Flying Duchess two years older. ▼

The bay horse Good Spec, by Goodbye from Spec, was sold for a very low figure at the Dunedin J.C. Summer Meeting. He has been picking up quite a number of races on the West Coast lately, so that his new owner must have recouped the purchase mioney several times over—and yet they say “ there’s nothing in a Hame.”

The Winter Meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club will take place on May 21 and 22, and on looking through the programme advertised in this issue it will be found to contain several very attractive items. On the opening day the most liberally endowed event is the Century Hurdle Race, of 300 sovs, to be run over two miles and a distance. On the second day is the Wanganui Steeplechase, one of the richest stakes in the colony for jumpers. It carries with it 400 sovs, and is run over the Wanganui Steeplechase course, about three miles. These two ©vents should attract the very cream of the “ lepping ” brigade. There are seven events to be discussed on each day. Nominations must be forwarded to .Mr F. Moffatt on or before Monday, April 20, and it is to be expected that Northern owners will enter freely.

Particulars of the Wanganui Guineas, to be run at the Spring Meeting, 1904, and of the Jackson Stakes, which will be competed for at the Autumn Meeting, 1905, are fully advertised in this issue. Entries for theee two rich stakes must be sent in to Mr F. Moffatt, the secretary of the Wanganui Jockey Club, by Monday, April 20.

Nothing would go down locally for the Napier Cup but Ringman, who was popularly supposed to be a really good thing for the race in question. When, therefore, a telegram came through to say that Mr Paterson’s gelding had only managed to get second place, no one was greatly surprised to find that the dividend was only fourteen shillings. The winner, Tradewind, is l a four-year-old chestnut gelding, by Sou’-wester from Liniment, and belongs to Mr E. J. Watt, who also owns that smart colt Melodeon. This son of Medallion picked up the Saplings Stake on the same afternoon.

The Papakura Meeting proved, as I anticipated, a very pleasant function, and the afternoon’s outing] in the country was much enjoyed by all. The weather proved brilliantly fine, and as a natural consequence the special train to the course was crowded with racegoers. Winners proved fairly easy to find, pronounsed favourites getting home in most instances. Mr E. S. Cole and the committee are deserving of much praise for their efforts to make everything go off successfully.

The Castor—Vivandiere family are a good deal in evidence from time to time in various parts of the colony. On Saturday Bacchus won the big event of the day at Papakura, coming home three lengths ahead of the field. On Tuesday another of the clan in Tauhei won the Hurdle Race at Napier Park. It would be interesting to know how much the numerous descendants of the old grey mare have won in stakes. It must run into a pretty big figure. * O O O Sunnios, who scored in both the Hack Hurdle Handicaps at Napier Park, is a five-year-old bay gelding belonging to Mr N. H. Jeffreys. His name is derived from the somewhat silly method of spelling the sire’s vame backwards, he being by Somnus from Waitotara. * * * * Tradewind reeled off the mile and a-half at a rare bat at Napier Park in the big race on Tuesday, running the distance in 2min 35 2-ssec. This is a record for the course. The son of Sou’-wester carried the minimum weight, however,' which may have had something to do with it. * * * * C. Jenkins, whose portrait appeared in our last issue, had a good time on the opening day at Napier Park, as he scored in no less than five occasions. This was on' Taura, Cruesot, Melodeon, Optimist, and Madrigal. o o * Backers of Ringman in the Napier Park Cup had not long to wait before recovering tneir losses, ,as the Castor gelding name home at tlhe head of the field in the Bennett Memorial Stakes, the big event of the second day. » • • • Mr. R. Beckett’s The Member trotted a match against Mummell Boy, at Kensington, Sydney, last week, the stake being £5O a side. The New Zealander was allowing four seconds handicap. the betting on the first heat, Mummell Boy was favourite, and he won cleverly in 2min. 36sec. So satisfied were his backers that they laid 5 to 4 on in the second heat, in which he lost ground by breaking, and was beaten quiet three lengths in 2min 31-isec. This result brought about an alteration in the wagering on the final, in which 6to 4 was laid on The Member, who easily disposed of his opponent in 2min 34| sec.

The American jockey evidently rules the roost in France, if the following excerpt from the Paris correspondent of London “ Truth ” be not a trifle exaggerated “ Owners of racing studs bowlow before him and put up with all his whims and (as it seems to them) eccentricities and exactions. The poor English jockey who understands so well his proper station is out in the cold. A Chantilly trainer tells me the American jockey lives fast and dies early. American drinks to suit his taste are now finding their way into all the bars near racecourses. Whisky is the foundation of most of them. If the owner of a stud calls at the cafe of an American jockey to talk to him about a coming race, he may be told that the jockey is playing a game of billiards or otherwise engaged. The visitor has to wait on his convenience. Should the waiter reflect the visitor’s impatience, he may be told, ‘ I want none of that blague. Just let me be, and when I’ve played my game I’ll go to see what he wants.’ The game played, the jockey goes to the cafe, says ‘ How do you do ? ’ sits down at the marble table with him, strikes it with a coin, and calls out, ‘ I say, waiter, bring a whisky and soda.’ He then asks the owner of the racing stable how he can oblige him. 11 the latter beats about the bush before coming to the point, the American jockey pulls him up with something to this effect . ‘ Just to save time, I had better tell you that I never bargain, and that my retaining fee is 75,000 francs. Whether you withdraw your horses before the race or not, you pay that fee, and, if you withdraw, I remain free to ride for anyone else. If you are not satisfied, good-day.’ The racing man sees that the American jockey has made up his mind, and that it would be useless to attempt to secure his services on lower terms.”

It is doubtful if we had a more wide y known jockey in the Australian States than Frank Kuhn, who lost his life on Mareh 12 through the acci dental discharge of a rifle, says The town and Country Journal On the morning of .hat date Kuhn had been doing business in Sidney, and while in the city was made a present of one o the small rifles which have become so popular, and can be s en in the hands of the youth pretty well all over our State. Kuhn, it appears, was desirous of shooting rats, which were troublesome in his private stable. On the afternoon of the accident the ill fated jockey had been out for a drive with Mrs. Kuhn, and had to d the boy ho looked after the pony to give it a bran mash. With the rifle in hand, loaded, he was out in the yard, and when in the act of giving the boy some instructions on the mixing of the mash, the weapon slipped, and, striking the ground, exploded the cartridge The ball struck Kahn just about the navel, and travelling upward itflicted such injury that he died in about two hours afterwards, never having regained conciousness. A native of the State, he was only about 22 years of age, and graduated as a jockey from the ranks of the pony riders Adopting the crouching, or Tod Sloan, seat, Kuhn became an adept at that style of riding and speedily got to the head of the jockey’s liet> his services, when not required by his own stable, being in request by all leading owners. Thds he was up in every race of importance, and for the late Mr William Forrester won the Newmarket Handicap on Watchdog, and scored no end of minor handicap wins In the classic events, he was also very successful, as he won the V.R.O St Legrr on Grasspan; V.R.O. Oaks, Beanba; Ascot Vale S akes, Brakpan ; A. J O Champagne Stakes, Brakpan; V.A.TO. Debutant Stakes, Hautain; Duff Memorial Stakes,. Great Scott; Maribyrnong Plate, Duke of Grafton ; and Metropolitan Stakes on San Fran.

An Australian Exchange gives the follow ng ami sing account of a hard-up punter’s method of betting “on the nod”; —A leading bookmaker was approached a few days ago by an acquaintance, many of whote wagers remained in his beok unpaid Accordingly, he told the ambitious backer that even the medest wager of £2 to 10a would have to be on a cash basis. Pleas and promises were alike unavailing. The bookmaker was obdurate, and at last the backer left with the intimation that “ anyhow, he'd get the money.” Some minutes later the backer returned, wearing the bell-topper that invariably set off his natty costume, but in his shirt sleeves. “Where’s youT coat?” demanded the bookmaker, as the backer triumphantly proffered a half-sovereign. “ Where do you think ?” retorted the backer. “ You would’nt give me time to pay, and this is such a dead bird”—he grew earnest —“ that I had to pawn it.” Hardened though he was to scenes of suffring this was more than the bookmaker could bear, and returning the man his half-sovereign, he booked the wager, and told the man to get his coat. A fewdays later he was mueh annoyed wnen a mutual friend spoie about the backer, and said : “ He did a very funny thing the other day. Came into my office and borrowed half-a-sovereign. Then asked me if he could leave his coat there for ten minutes.