SPORTING TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 697, 16 July 1903, Page 5

SPORTING TOPICS.

(By

“The Judge.”)

Mr Sievier has calculated that his famous mare Sceptre showed him a clear P rO “ fit Of £43,000.

* * * * Starting at 20 to 1, Seahorse finished fifth in a field of six for the Coronation Cup at Epsom on May 28 The race was won by Valenza.

The French people dearly love a horse race, and are not afraid to bet. The takings at the gates at the Auteuil Meeting -on a recent Sunday constituted a record, the amount being £10,748. The PariMutuel took £112,000.

The Commission appointed by the New Zealand Trotting Association, consisting of Messrs Howell, Roflitt and Garrard, will commence their enquiry into the management of the Auckland Trotting Club on Monday next.

The Auckland contingent were very successful at the Gisborne Meeting. Mr HCrowther’s Kaitere won both the Hunters’ Steeplechases, Mr F. L. Armitage’s Marine pulled off the Te Hapara Steeplechase, and Mr O’Sullivan’s Straybird captured the big event, the Gisborne Park Steeplechase.

Comfort was generally considered to 'have been well treated in the opening Hurdle Race at Gisborne with lost 71b, and he won hard held. OnJ the second day, with a rise of 171 b, the son of Quilt was again made favourite, and once more pulled his backers through.

A report has been received in Christchurch from San Francisco stating that L. H. HMvitt is still suffering from the injury to his leg, and that it will be necessary for him to undergo a serious operation, possibly amputation. The numerous admirers of the New Zealand Tod Sloan will trust that matters have been -somewhat exaggerated.

The winter meeting of the Gisborne Racing Club proved perhaps the greatest success the club has ever experienced with its cross country fixture. The attendance on each day was large, and betting proved brisk, as was shown by the fact that £7342 went through the machine, an advance of £llO9 on the corresponding total last year. This is a result with which Mr Nasmith and his committee may well feel pleased.

There has been very little alteration in the quotations for the New Zealand Cup. Wairiki is still favourite at 8 to 1 against, Shrapnel being at two points longer. Lady Lillian is quoted at 12 to 1 against, and Orloff at 14 to 1. Achilles, Halberdier, Pallas, Kelburn, Canteen, Pampero, Golden Rose and Heroism are next in demand at 20 to 1 .against.

I have to acknowledge receipt from Mr W. H. E. Wanklyn, of the full order paper to be dealt with at the meeting of the Racing Conference which commenced sitting at Wellington yesterday. There are no less than fifty motions to be dealt with besides the consideration of Totalisator permits, dates for meetings, etc. Altogether the amount of business to be got through seems somewhat formidable.

According to my Canterbury correspondent, Mr G. G, Stead has already signified his intention of taking Cruciform over to Sydney to compete at the Spring Meeting of the Australian Jockey Club, while it is also stated that in all probability Orloff will accompany our champion mare. Three of the last five Epsom Handicaps have been won by mares, so New Zealand sportsmen will be glad to see another one in Cruciform pull off the event this season. Australian turf writers appear to think that there are several engaged in the race capable of beating her.

The Winter Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club will be • commenced today and concluded on Saturday. A great deal of rain has fallen lately in the Empire City, and consequently the track promises to be very heavy, at all events, for the opening day. The contingent from Auckland is a fairly good one, and the Northern representatives promise to be very dangerous in some of the races for which they are engaged. Old Nor - West, on his latest. Auckland form, should just about win the Wellington Steeplechase, although my Canterbury correspondent favours Sultana. I should not be surprised to see St. Olga first home in the Stewards’ Handicap, while Haydn should prove the hardest horse to beat in the big Hurdle Race. The meeting promises to be a very successful one, ■ the acceptances are large.

The French colt Vinicius is about 37 hands high, and in the English Derby was at the disadvantage of being ridden by a lad weighing 6st 91b. The rider was unable to do ustice to Vinicius, and at the end of the' first half-mile that colt was fully 50 yards behind Rock Sand and Mead. After the race many good judges were of opinion that, with a stronger rider up, Vinicius would have made matters very unsettled for Rock Sand, and if they meet in the St. Leger the former will not lack backers.

The following special cable from Paris to the “New York World,” gives some interesting particulars of Record Reign (since dead). His Highness the Maharajah of Pajialas’ entry, Record Reign 11., will be the most interesting horse contesting the Grand Steeplechase at Auteuil to-morrow. The horse was brought from India, and has won the two races he was entered in. He is the most carefully watched horse in France. Whiteturbaned sikhs guard him constantly, two sleeping in his stall. The Maharajah is a native Indian prince with a revenue of '2,000,000 dollars a year.

There was one very special “ dead snap” on the opening, day at Gisborne, and that was Croupier, who had been fairly thrown into the Flying Handicap with. 9st 91b. How he came to receive that low weight I am at a loss to conceive. Auckland sportsmen, who saw the brown! son of Monaco performing at Ellerslie, were on him to a man, and I am told a very fair amount of money was won. That the ability of Mr Clark’s gelding was 1 underestimated by the hartdicapper was amply proved, for Croupier not only won the Flying Handicap with the utmost ease by three lengths, but on being pulled out again in the Wintter Oats fairly lost the field.

At the Trotting Conference which commenced sitting in Wellington on Tuesday, the Chairman, in his opening address, said there had been 32 trotting, meetings held during the past year, covering 58 days’ racing. Stake money totalled £18,378, and the amount passed through the totalisator’ was £159,147. North Island clubs seemed to have gone back somewhat, but’South Island clubs had increased their turnover. If the sport of trotting was to prosper clubs would have to be conducted in a manner that left not the slightest ground ’for suspicion.

Not quite so many as usual turned up at the meet of the Pakuranga Hunt Club on Saturday, which was at “Puhimui” (Papatoetoe) the residence of the actingmaster, Mr. McLaughlin. One capital run of over three miles was enjoyed, puss ultimately escaping. Among those present were the Misses Kelly, Stribley, Want, Rae, Grey, Mrs Moody, Messis Lewis, Pittar, Bullock-Webster, Carminer, Lloyd, Samuers (Wellington), Meredith, Purchas, Myers, Crawford, Wallace (2), Wood (a visitor from England), Grey, Motion (2), and Held, che four latter being from Waiuku. Those driving were Miss Smales and party, Mr Wynne-Grey and party, and Mr A. R. Harris, of East Tamaki.

Particulars! of. the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase are given in another column. Grafnell, the winner, is a four-year-old grey gelding by Grafton from Little Nell, and belongs to Mr T. Blunt. He carried lost 41b, and was ridden by Mooney, but his chance was not'greatly fancied, going out at 14 to 1 against. Freedom, who filled second place, is an aged chestnut gelding bv Postmaster from Kathleen. Although awarded the big weight of i2st 21b, he was backed down to 9 to 2 against, starting second favourite. Plunger, who finished third, four lengths behind Freedom, was not quoted in the betting. He is an aged bay gelding by Skipper from Elsie. The Clan Stuart gelding Sir Harry, who started a warm favourite for the big cross-country event, came to grief during the concluding round.

The War Office, replying to representations which had been made by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in London regarding obtaining remounts for mihtary purposes from Australia, said that the' distance which separated Australia from Great Britain precluded the former country from being regarded as the source of supply of horses ; even if the Government, in conjunction with the Governments of the Australia States, were, to form remount breeding establishments in Australia. The War Office has never been distinguished for much brain power, and the above -resolution seems about on a par with some of its other idiotic doings. It was proved during the late Boer war that one Colonial horse was worth a dozen soft English chargers, but no doubt, jf a war broke out to-morrow, over Manchuria the intelligent executive in England would still continue to send the latter useless type.

De Witt (by St. Simon—Polynesia), a three-year-old full-brother to the Wellington Park sire Phoebus Apollo, is amongst those in active service on the English Turf this season, and, what i& more, has shown good form.

Aluminium shoes for horses have been tested in the Russian cavalry. Each test was made with one aluminium shoe and three of iron. In every case the former outlasted the latter.

George Redfearn, who rode Malvolio when he won the Melbourne Cup, will shortly leave Melbourne for Singapore, having been engaged as private trainer to the Sultan of Johore. He will take away several of the horses recently purchased by the Sultan in Australia.

A good English performer, and the only son of St.,. Frusquin in Australia is Fortunatus. He won. the Liverpool and Goodwood Cups, and is bred something on the same lines as Chan tress, inasmuch as he is by afirst-class St. Simon horse out of a Royal Hampton mare.

Ex Voto, who started at 66 to 1 for the French Derby, which he won, is; by the famous French stallion Le Sancy, a son of Atlantic, brother to Atlantis, dam of the defunct Wellington Park sire St. Leger.

At Doncaster, on May 22, Caro, a son of Carbine, won the Chesterfield Handicap of 500 sovs, and Kairo, a 3-year-old by Trenton, won the Norbury Plate, 1A mile, at Epsom four days later.

It appears, from a mail just to hand, that the accident to Record Reign in the Prix de Or ago at the Auteil Meeting, was worse than it was thought at first. The;son of Castor and Winnie injured his shoulder so severely that he had to be destroyed. I greatly doubt whether wc have ever seen a better hurdler in the Colony than Record Reign, and am quite sure his death will be regretted by all admirers of a good horse.

“Smiler” Hales, 1 erstwhile of the Sydney “Referee” and later a lurid South African war correspondent, was sent by the “Daily News” to write “down” the Derby. Hales always had a picturesque but frequently inaccurate style of describing events, and he seems ■to have let himself go in characteristic fashion. The “Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette” rather rubs it info him with the following “All readers of grotesque and comic matter will rejoice exceedingly at an article written by a gentleman of the name of Hales. For real, downright “thick and slab” gruel it would be difficult to outdo this. Its wildness and its irresponsibility are no less striking than its humour and its cheery want of lespect for facts. Mr Hales claims to know a great deal about American and Australian racing, but his powers of observation seem extremely crooked, when he deals with the English variety. He saw “thousands of coarse, brutal fellows thrashing horses and donkeys along. They were going to Epsom to have a gamble, to make money, and probably to get drunk. All they wanted was an orgie. It was both a disappointment and a revelation to me, because I had expected to see a fiber touch of feeling. ’ There is a good deal about eye-glassed “Johnnies” who mistook impertinence for wit—Mr Hales himself could never make such a mistake—and the holiday is denounced as lacking dignity and decency, qualifications which the author obviously possesses in a pre-eminent degree. “Out on the course all the rag-t.ig and bobtail of the kingdom seemed to have settled, and half the fools. The noblest animals were the gallant thoroughbreds, concerning whom not one in 500 in all that great array knew anything. It was not a sporting fixture, it was a carnival of folly, a forcing ground for fools, a feeding ground for sharks. I was sickened by it, and did not remain long.” It will be hard for the “News” to excel this latest outburst of humorous frenzy, and the comic intensity of the mirthful Hales is worthy the highest encouragement.”

At a meeting of the stewards of the Auckland Racing Club the disqualifications imposed on Romeo, The Imp, and Landlock were thoroughly gone into, the result being that the following resolutions were passed in connection therewith : “That the disqualification be removed from the horse Romeo ; that P. Jones (trainer) be disqualified for two years from the date of disqualification, and that T. Edwards (jockey) be disqualified for 12 months. That P. Quinlivan (owner) be disqualified for life, and P. McNamara (jockey) for 12 months from date of disqualification, and that the pony The Imp be disqualified for 12 months from date of disqualification. That the disqualification of George Tuck (owner) be for life, and that the horse Landlock be disqualified for two years from Mav 29, 1903, and that J. Ellisdon be disqualified for two years from, the date of disqualification.”

The victory of Lord Durham’s Osbeoh at Hurst Park on June 1, was made the occasion of a remarkable demonstration by the occupants of the enclosures, in recognition of the part his lordship took*, in the recent debate on the Betting Bill, Lord Durham was against the Bill. ■ ft

Twenty-eight horses still remain in the Great Northern Guineas, fifty-two in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, forty-one in the Great Northern Derby, and eighty-two in the Royal Stakes. These are the Auckland Racing Club’s classic races, to be decided during the coming season at Ellerslie. j

In America even the cross-counftry 'jockeys go in for the forward seat, and a New York writer says that this; accouuts for nine of the fifteen runners in the New York Steeplechase at Morris Park losing thteir riders. If a horse made the least blunder, hia rider was sure to go.

Three bookmakers were fined £l5O each or six months’ hard labour for shop betting in Capetown recently. When previously remanded they were let out on bail of £lOOO. It would seem that the law 'comes down with an unfusually heavy hand even on first offenders, which these were, in that part of the world.

A new English record for seven furlongs was made by Child’s Guide (Worcester— Knowledge) in a selling race at Epsom on May 29. With 9st 51b he cut out the distance named in imin 22 4-ssec, and on subsequently being submitted to auction was bought in for 500 guineas. It is almost needless to add that the track is very much downhill. m

In the way of quick work the following is hard to beat. The race for the English Derby was shown at Earle’s Court Exhibition, London, by the Biograph the night of its decision. The start and finish from Tattenham’s 1 Corner to the judge’s box were registered by three machines. Then the negatives were rushed back to London, developed, positives printed, and the whole scene displayed in the Summer Theatre at 9.30 p.m.

Record Reign, who a few months ago was taken from India to France, started second favourite at 8 to 1 for the Grand Steeplechase de Paris, run at the Auteuil Meeting on May 31. The Castor horse was carried off by another horse soon after the start, and fell, owing to colliding with a flag-post. The winner turned up in VeinF ard, a 16 to 1 chance, the 9 to 4 favourite, Vaillant 1,11., finishin’g fourth. The value of the stake was £4960.

The racehorses owned by Mrs J. Lennard were submitted to auction at the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile \gency Company’s yards on Friday, the following prices being realised : —Maroon and Gold (by St. Hippo—lda), 90 guineas, Mr W. Thomson; Lavadel (by Seaton Delaval —Dorothy), 31 guineas, Mr J. D. Flexman ; Idasa (by Seaton* Delaval —Ida), 50 guineas, Mr T. Armitage ; Vai Rosa (by Deaton Delaval —Vieux Rose), 175 guineas, Mr J. Davidson (on behalf of Mr Friedlander) j Alba Rose (by Seaton Delaval— Vieux Rose), 62 guineas, Mr W. Mcberley.

In the course of a letter on the New Zealand racehorse in the “ Weekly. Press,” Mr G. G. Stead publishes a most interesting table, setting forth the number of times certain horses have started in races in this colony. The horses at the head of the list are Daphne, 180 ; Vandyke, 169; Belligerent, 126 ; Wilson, 125 ; Mongonui, 119 ; Haria, 118 ; Skirmisher, 117 ; First Shot, 115 ; Sedgebroqk, 110 ; Whitirea, 107 ; Hotu, 107 ; Derringcotte, 105 ; Admiral Hawke, 101; Indian Shot, 100. Mr Stead is of opinion that Daphne’s record of 180 races is unparalleled in the history of racing.

Mr J. H. Pollock, of Wellington, forwards a pamphlet on the subject of handicapping, giving many reasons why a chakge should be made in the present system. Perhaps the strongest is the one wherein it is stated that onto handicapper acts for over forty-five clubs, and receives as fees not less than £l6OO per annum, a sum quite sufficient to handsomely remunerate two or three experienced men. As Mr Pollock is somewhat of an authority on the subject of handicapping, I am not disposed to question his figures, and the average racegoer will certainly agree with him in thinking that it is an utter impossibility for one man, no matter how competent he may be, to act for sp many clubs, and yet do justice to them all.

* * * * The Caulfield handicapper must feel very confident that there is no chance of Ibex staying a mile and a half, else he would qot have let him into the Caulfield Cup with Bst 91b. The son of Angora won the Suburban Handicap at Randwick with lost 51b in the saddle, and subsequently beat Wakeful in the THying Stakes at Flemington. Cases have been known before of a supposed sprinter seeing out a mile and a half journey, and Ibex is one of the most brilliant milers in Australia to-day, so must prove dangerous.

Most sportsmen will regret to hear that the Messrs Nathan have decided to sell Sylvia Park, - with the stallions, mares, and yearlings, etc. In fact, to use an expressive phrase, everything will he brought to the hammer “ lock, stock, and barrel.” The sale > will take place on' December 31.

Just a hundred years ago there were only six runners in the Derby won by Sir fi>. Williamson's Ditto in 1803, and this was the smallest field in the century. From 1805 to 1885 the runners were always represented by double figures. The ■lump set in when only nine runners faced the starter in Ormonde’s year, the same number when Ayrshire won in 1888. Then two seasons later came a field of eight, when Sainfoin, the sire of . Rock Sand, upset a raging favourite in Surefoot. The seven that ran in Ladas’s year was the smallest field of the century.

I had a look at Nonette a day or two ago, just after he had returned from hia early morning exercise. Although a bit on the rough side, for he is changing his coat, the son of Seaton Delaval and Charento looks the very picture of health, and should easily stand the winding-up process. He is probably the; quietest horse to handle in Macmanemin’s stable at the pre sent time, and is also an exceptionally easy horse to ride, in which respect he resembles old Carbine,! who never used an ounce more steam than was required in a race, and so was always able to defeat the hot-headed, reefing brigade.

When San Francisco ran in the colours of Mr Leoplod de Rothschild in England, he registered some performances decidedly he registered some performances decidedly above the average. One of his victories as a two-year-old was in the Plantation Stakes at the Newmarket First J uly Meeting, when! he won from a large field, beating Little Gert, 'Nahlband, Macintosh, Water Shed, and one or two others that were decidedly smart. The son of St. Simon finished third in the Soltykoff Stakes, and ran Tantalus to a head for the Sweepstakes over the Ditch Mile, at Newmarket. A horse bred on such beautiful lines, and who could race himself, is sure to beget stock who also can gallop.

£ Some curious statistics Lave just been • published upon what an insurance actuary would describe as the “ expectation of life” in animals. Singular, and to all appearances inexplicable, are the contrasts displayed by these figures. Among the larger species of cattle there is somie approach to uniformity. Thus for the horse and the ass; the extreme limit is about 35 years, and for the horned cattle about 30. For the dog it is given as 25, while sheep, goats, pigs, and cats are grouped at 15. But there are stranger disparities among birds. While a goose may live 30 years, a sparrow 25, and a crow as many as 100 J ducks, poultry, and turkeys die of old age at 12 years. The palm of longevity is divided between •elephant and parrot. Both pass the century.

There were only seven runners for the recent English Derby, and only once (Ladas’ year) since 1803 has the field been so small. Touching on this, an English writer says:—“The champion Derby winner, so far as regards the number of opponents that went down before kim, is Caractacus, who beat 33 horses. Exactly a week prior to his great hit in Surrey he carried sst 101 b successfully for the Somersetshire Stakes at Bath, most of his opponents being of poor quality. Few now remember that after Caractacus had won the Derby the lad Parsons, who rode him, was u liable; to draw the weight until the bridle wag brought, Mr. Charles Snewing, owner of the horse, standing by highly excited until the “ All right !” came.

In the spring of 1837 Lord Chesterfield’s stud was sold at Tattersail’s, and one lot, comprising a mare twenty-one years old and a lanky, ugly-looking filly foal, excited more laughter than competition, and eventually they were knocked down to Lord George- Bentick for fifty-four guineas. The foal made her first appearance at the Newmarket July meeting of 1839 in the July Stakes, easily defeating half-a-dozen opponents. She then won the Chesterfield Stakes at the June Meeting, carrying a 91b penalty. This was followed by her clearing the board whenever she ran. ’the following season Crucifix —for so had the foal been named—started by winning the Two r l housand Guineas, and followed this by a hol:ow victory in the One Thousand. The Oaks was her nfext journey, and . again she" proved successful. She certainly accomplished a wonderful performance, having won twelve races in as many months -Without being beaten once.

I wonder when we shall see such a number of equine giants as graced the English turf in 1886. There was. The Bard, who ran in sixteen racis’ as> a two-year-old, and won them all. Then came Saraband, who in any other year would have been thought a smasher. Minting was another great horse, and the manner in which he accounted for the Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Goodwood, the Champagne Stakes, at Doncaster, and the Middle Park Plate was an eye opener. Kendal, who ran away an eye-opener. Kendal, who ran away with the July Stakes at Newmarket, was one of the extra special sort, while Miss Jummy, who won the One Thousand and the Oaks, was more than useful, as was St. Mirin. The. star of the collection was, however, the mighty Ormonde, and how good he was will never be really known. Even when he had turned roarer he beat Mintingi with, ease, yet the la/tter was) good enough to win the Grand Prix de Paris, and also with lost on his back to carry off the Jubilee from a field of nineteen. Truly the three-year-olds of 1886 were a rare lot.

Mr J. N. M’Arthur, who owns the Grand National Hurdle winner, Marmont, is a well-known squatter in the western! district of Victoria, an enthusiastic sportsiman, and a staunch supporter of the turf (says the “ Sydney Mail ”). Though he has owned a number of racehorses, Marmont is the first to credit him with a big race, his best wins heretofore being the Tooralk Handicap, won by Alva, and the Bond Cup, which Falkirk secured under the sap-phire-blue and pink banner. On this occasion he had the greater satisfaction of winning the Grand National Hurdle with a horse of his own breeding, and a wellbred one at that, for Marmont is by Wellingto—son of Panic—from Lady Gay, by Neckersgat from Fille de Joie, by Gang Forward from Levity, the dam of the Melbourne Cup winner Don Juan. Marmont was not raced until his fifth year, and his efforts were confined to the western district. He secured a couple of unimportant races at Warrnambool in his first season, and last season he was successful in the Camperdown Cup. During the current season he was tried over country, but on his first attempt at Warrnambool he refused the big fences, though a couple of days later he carried the colours to the front in a hurdle race at the same meeting. Since then he has had an unbroken series of successes, for he won his races over the battens at Caulfield and Williamstown in a manner that foreshadowed success at Flemington, where he easily secured the V.R.C. “ blue ribbon ” over the sticks. He was sent to the post by his trainer, A. J. Quin, as fit as a fiddle ; in fact, the son of Wellington was raced into the superb condition which served him so well at the end of the long, tiring journey, while his rider (P. Coslgrove) deserves great credit for the admirable manner in which he handled the gelding. Matong ran prominently in the first round, but had nothing to say at the finish, and Orlando badly discounted his Tasmanian form, but perhaps he has gone off since his display in the early autumn. Pierrot ran well forward all the way, and Conquest held a forward position for the first couple of miles, while My Mistake, who seems capable of improvement, fought out a good battle until the final question was asked. The rainfall was responsible for the slow time —9-?,sec behind Rawdon’s record—the firgt half of the trip occupying 3min 4sec, while the latter half took 2min 53|sec, and the last mile lmin 54sec.

Another blunder on the part of the totalisator people is reported from Queensland. At the last meeting of the Towers Jockey Club many backers of Heretic were paid a dividend of £8 16s instead of £5 13s, a mistake that cost the club over £3OO.