Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 715, 19 November 1903, Page 7

Sporting Topics.

(By

"The Judge.”)

Acceptances for the various even;'? to be run on the first day of the And:land Trotting Club’s Summer Meeting dose on the 23rd of December instead of the 28th insi.. as owing to a typographical error, is stated in the advertisement. Acceptances for the third day close on Tuesday, January 5, instead of Thursday.

The great American trotter Cresceus has reduced the world’s mile record to Imin 59ysec. Details of this wonderful performance will be found in another column.

The Otahuhu Trotting Club certainly had hard luck in the matter of weather, for'no sooner was a postponement decided on than the rain cleared off and the sim shone out more brightly than it has done for several days past.

The following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s No. i Consultation on the Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington, Victoria, November 3rd, 1903. 100,000 i@i ss. Fully subscribed:— Ist, Lord Cardigan, Mrs M. Curtois, Hemingford, Berwick, Vic., £6OOO >; 2nd, Wakeful, J. Bennett, Painter, Sydney Road, Granville, N.S.W., £2OOO ; 3rd, Seaport, A. Hunft, 790, Lygon Street, North Carlton, Vic., £lOOO.

Tt is said that an offer of 2000 guineas for Wairiki was refused during Cup week. Although a great admirer of the son of Soult I should have thought the amount mentioned was the horse’s full value, that is to say if the offer was ever made.

A meeting of the stewards of the Auckland Racing Club has been called for this afternoon to hold an enquiry into the alleged inconsistent running of Rosella at the recent Spring Meeting. The enquiry is being held at the request of Mr L. D. Nathan, one of the owners of the mare in question. So much comment has been made on Rosella’s marked reversal of form that in fairness to the owners an enquiry should be held, and it is therefore gratifying to know that this is to be done.

The Sylvia Park stallion Seaton Delaval had a great innings at the recent Auckland Racing Club’s meeting. His descendants scored seven firsts, nine seconds, and one third in twenty-four races, the victories including the Welcome Stakes (Beau Seaton) Shorts Handicap (Delania), City Handicap (Idas), Flying Handicap (Delania), Birthday Handicap (Nonette), Pony Handicap (Sonoma), and Ascot Handicap (Rosella). Altogether horses bred at Sylvia Park scored nine firsts, ten seconds, and three thirds, securing £] 680 out of the. total prize-money of £3670.

The Granville resident who drew Wakeful in one of “Tattersall’s” sweeps offered Mr Leslie Macdonald £3OOO to nothing .in order to secure a run (says the Sydney “Refereej’). Mr Macdonald declined the offer, at the same time assuring the ticket-holder that the mare was,a sure- runner, and would nearly win. It was a most sportsmanlike action on the part of Wakeful's owner, but so contrary to custom in there matters that one or two Sydney owners are of opinion, that Mr Macdonald is deserving of censure. If they had teen offered £3OOO they would certainly have stood out for another thousand.

The weights for the Auckland Cup, which are due to make their appearance to-morrow, will be eagerly critised by racegoers. Even now quite a number of good things have been whispered about, while doubles have also been taken. The punter who can with a light heart attempt to pick a double before even the publication of the handicaps, must be either a very sanguine individual or else a fitting, candidate for the Asylum.

The Trenton horse Aururn has already •been represented by a winner in England. Thik was a filly named Golden Castle, who won a two-year-old selling plate at Hurst Park on October 5. On the of her previous running she started second favourite at 3 to 1 in a field of fourteen, and after the race was sold for 260 iguineas.

The Cup winner (Lord Cardigan), Sarto (who scored two ' wins), and Position placed the imported horse Positano at the head of the winning list of sires in connection with the V.R.C. Spring Meeting. Wallace, Haut Brion and Pilgrim’s Progress had three wins each placed to their credit ; while Bargo, Carnage and Grafton were each represented by two winners. The sires represented by one winner were : —Ayr Laddie, Destiny, Middlemarch, Trenton, St. Swithin, Leroy, The Admiral, Glorious and Thunderbolt.

The name of Rambler has been given to the two-year-old full brother to Battleaxe.

Mr Beddington, who purchased Seaton Delaval in England for the Sylvia Park Stud, is on a visit to the colony.

The New Zealand Cup winner first saw the light at Wellington Park, being the twelfth foal to old Vivandiere.

Ties Belle, the dam of Beau Seaton, is a full sister to Multiform. The youngster has nothing to complain of on the score of breeding.

It was hard luck for Mr Stead losing the services of Cruciform just prior to the C.J.C,. Meeting. The brilliant daughter of St. Leger had to be scratched for her engagements owing to going lame.

Mr W. H. E. Wanklyn, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club and Racing Conference, who has not enjoyed good health lately, contemplates a trip to England earlv next month.

Mr Fred. Duval, the well-known theatrical agent, is reported to have won £llOO over Canteen in the Cup, and doubles with Machine Gun in the Stewards 1 ’ Handicap.

Mr Walters informs me that at Papakura Mr Bradley’s mare Volee has produced a filly to Soult and the same owner’s mare Botfly a filly to the same sire. Mr George’s mare Durous has a colt to the son of St. Simon.

Tt is rumoured that the real reason why Dr. Reid resigned his position as steward to the A.R.C. was because he insisted that some action should be taken in a case of inconsistent running at the meeting, and that his fellow stewards refused to act.

It should not be forgotten that entries for all events to be run at the Summer Meeting of the Thames Jockey Club close with Mr W. H. Potts, the secretary, tomorrow (Friday), November 20, at 8 p.m. The fixture is for December 26 and 28.

It is an interesting fact that in the Nursery Handicap, run on the last day of the A.K.C. Meeting, the three placegetters, Gweniad, Kilmarnock and Promotion, first saw the light at Cambria Park.- Furthermore, the dams of two of them viz. , Gwendoline and Princessl Alice, were bred by the same company. Mr Price, the managing director, wore a pleased smile as the numbers went up.

The Great Northern Guineas, the chief classic event of the recent A.R.C. Meeting, goes to the credit of the defunct sire St. Leger. Ropa, who won the event so easily, was bred by Mr T. Morrin, being got by the famous Doncaster horse, from Prown Alice, bv Nordenfeldt, her dam Ouida, by Yatt?ridon out of Gulnare, by Little .John c of Gulnare. This is breeding which speaks for itself.

The decision of the- stewards of the, C.J.C. in connection with the two cases of foul riding in the New Zealand Cup have been very much canvassed. The general opinion seems to be that there has been a want of consistency in the punishment meted out to McCombe and Cameron respectively. Im the case of the former the cross might possibly have been the result of an accident, but go possible excuse can be offered for Cam. eron’s behaviour as he is stated to have deliberately struck Wairiki over the head with his whip.

To Mr Morrin must be given the credit for breeding the winner of the New Zealand. Cup this year. Canteen was got by the defunct Castor, in whom the Well, ington Park studmaster always had the most implicit faith, out of Vivandiere. The latter is a grey mare who was bred just twenty.one years ago, being got by Musket out of Georgi, by Bishop of Osnaburgh out of .Althoea, by Maeonides. Vivandiere was never raced, but she has proved a most .‘extraordinarily prolific mare, nearly every one of her numerous progeny being able to race.

There can be no doubt but that in Machine Gun Mr Stead possesses a very high-class colt, whose performances at the C.J.C. Meeting were of the most brilliant description. Got by Hotchkiss out of Rubina, it looks as though the famous Wellington Park stallion has added yet another champion to' the list already sired by him, and the news of his successes must have formed pleasant reading for Mr Morrin, who bred him. The colt’s victories in the Stewards’ Handicap, Jubilee Plate, and Randolph Handicap put him in a class by himself. His , performance ih the latter event, viz., carrying lost 71b to' victory against a field of lightly-weighted older horses, must be almost a record one-for a three-year-old.

I learn on good authority that there is every probability of a large number of stables outside of Auckland being represented at the A.T.C. Meeting, and there is a strong probability of the fixture proving the best on record, as far as the club is concerned.

The stewards of the C.J.C. have ordered that the stakes attaching to the New Zealand Cup be paid over to Mi- A. Moss, the owner of Canteen, which, of course, means, that all doubts as to how wagers would go are now settled.

It is reported that Mr L. C. Macdonald’s famous mare Wakeful has run her last race and been retired from the turf. She was foaled in 1896, being got by Trenton from Insomnia, by Robinson Crusoe from Nightmare, by Panic. Although she did not run till she was four years old her record is as follows :— Started in 44 races, won 25, second in 12, third in 4, and unp laced in 3. Value of stakes won, £16,580. It is probable she will be mated with Grafton.

The following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s No. 2 Consultation on the Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington, Victoria, November 3rd, 1903. 100,000 >@ ss. Fully subscribed:— Ist, Lord Cardigan, B. Brady, care of A. L. Wilson, Mavenswood, Queensland, £6OOO ; 2nd, Wakeful, P. McGuire, Edinburg Castle Hotel, Via Goulburn, N.S.W., £2OOO ; 3rd, Seaport, J. Welham, Blacksmith, Watt Street, Newcastle, N.S.W., £lOOO.

Achilles had a very soft thing on in the Jubilee Cup on the concluding day at Riccarton, having only Red Gauntlet to oppose him in the £5OO race. The son of Medallion ran the mile in the slow time, as times went at the meeting, of imin 44 i-ssec. Red Gauntlet was hopelessly beaten in much slower time than he was said to have won the Jockey Club Handicap in.

The Wakeful of France is La Camargo, a rive-year-old mare by Childwick from Belle et Bonne. At Paris last month she carried 9st 121 b and won the Prix du Conseil Municipal, of 4000 sovs, i| mile, from ten others, the good English uerformer Wavelet’s Pride, Bst 91b, rilling second place. This season La Camargo has won £10,280, and her total stake winnings are £34,000.

The death of Mr Vincent Dowlinig, of Lue, removes one of the most prominent figures in the sporting world of New South Wales, and the news of his decease will be heard with deep regret by sportsmen throughout the State, and, indeed, far beyond its borders (says the Sydney “Mail”). Mr Dowling was for many years an active member of the A.J.C. committee, and his extensive experience in horse-breeding and matters connected with the turf caused his opinions, which were at all times fearlessly expressed, to be listened to with the utmost respect.

When the English mail left Sir James Miller headed the list of winning owners with £22,492 won by five horses, that captured to races. Thanks; chiefly to Ard Patrick Mr John Gubbins, the Irish owner, had £17,017 to his credit for five races won with four representatives. Up to the time mentioned Mr Leopold de Rothchild’s stable had turned out 12 winners and had gathered in 28 races worth £15,254, but as regards the number of races won Sir J. Blundell Maple is well ahead of his rivals with 51, worth £l3, Bio, which were won by 26 representatives. The South African owner, J. B. Joel, had nine winners of 18 races worth (£11,462, -and thanks to Pretty Polly, who since the mail left has considerably increased her score, Major Eustace Loder is on the list with £8633.

The attention of our readers l is called to the announcement in another column of the dispersal sale of the Sylvia Park yearlings, brood In ares and foals, and stallions, the property of Messrs Nathan. The stud is to be sold by nublic auction, without reserve, on December 31, by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. There are eighteen yearlings, eleven sired by Seaton Delaval, and five by Explosion, thirty-three brood mares, and four stallions. The last-named are St. Hippo, Seaton Delaval, Explosion', and San Francisco, three of whom have been very successful at stud. Among the better-known mares are Inisfail, Liquidation, Campania, Sybil. Sunbeam, Ellerslie, Miss Gladys, Cantatrice, Orchestra, Keepsake, and Miss Rose. Most of them come from irreproachable stock, and breeders would do well to keep the date of the sale in mind. I fancy when Seaton Delaval is lead into the- ring there will be some red-hot competition for the well-known stallion, who this season looks like topping his previous great successes. San Francisco, full-brother to England’s champion sire St. Frusauin. should also command a lot of attention.

The following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s No. 1. 100,000 ios, Consultation on the Melbourne Cup, run at ■ Flemington, Victoria, November 3rd, 1903. Fully subscribed : —lst, Lord Cardigan, Jno. McAlister, care of E. Browne, Bayswater W.A., £12,000 ; 2nd, Wakeful, E. H. Rumsey, 10, The Avenue, Ashfield, Sydney, N.S.W., £4OOO ; 3rd, Seaport, P. Corcoran, Corcoran Plains, Burrowa N.S.W., £2OOO. ’

On Saturday week the Spring Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club will be commenced. Splendid entries have been received by Mr Wynyard, the full strength of the racing establishments in the Auckland province being, engaged. The fixtures at North Shore seem to possess a fascination peculiarly their own, and the coming meeting bids fair to prove as successful as any which have preceded it. The handicaps for the various events will be found in another column.

The New Zealand Cup winner Canteen was bred at Wellington Park, and was purchased as a yearling by Mr Moss for 105 guineas. As a two-year-old Canteen scored three times out of twelve starts, his winnings amounting to £3ll. At three years of age he scored three times out of twenty starts, his winnings amounting to £530. Last season he won on four occasions out of twelve starts, his record amounting to £870.. This season he ran twice second at Wingatui last month, securing £l5 in place money. The Cup stake was worth £l2OO, making £2926 to date.

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of that good mare St. Ursula, who succumbed to blood poisoning last week, when on a visit to Cuirassier. As her foal by Hotchkiss only survived a few hours after birth Mr Percival has sustained a double loss, for if the youngster had survived I feel sure it would have later on carried the popular cerise jacket and white cap as bravely as did the game little daughter of St. Leger and Satanella in days gone by.

The times taken by Mr G. G. Stead for the different distances of the Cup race were as follows :—Four furlongs, 50sec ; six furlongs, Imin 15sec ; one mile, Imin 424-se’c ; ten furlongs 2min ; one mile and a-half, 2min .36 3-ssec ; two miles, 3min 27 l-sgec. I may be alone in the conviction, but that the grey son of old Vivandiere ever ran the two miles in the time recorded I very greatly doubt. He certainly prior to the race never gave even a suggestion of his ability to get within anything approaching it. '

One of the best and most enjoyable trotting meetings in the colony is the Summer Meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club, which is to be held on December 28, 30, and January 9. Of the twenty two events provided, sixteen are for trotting horses, the balance being confined to ponies. The Auckland Cup, of 200 <n.-s, holds pride of place, and should attract attract some high-class performers; Amongst the other well-endowed events are the Great Northern Trotting Handicap of 200 sovs, run in three heats over a mile, the Summer Trotting Cup ol 100 sovs. Class Handicap Trot of 50 sovs, President’s Handicap Trot of 100 sovs, High-class Trot of 75 sovs, and Telegraph Handicap of 50 sovs. It is exceedingly probable that in addition t.o the many horses hailing from the Auckland Province there will be quite a galaxy of talent from other centres. There is; no stronger club in the colony, and indications at present seem to point to a record meeting. The full programme is advertised in this issue. Nominations close with Mr C. F. Mark on December 11.

There is no better known firm in the Auckland Province than Messrs Wallis'and Galey, whose reputation as manufacturers of first-class saddlery stands very high indeed. It appears that the firm h-.ve sold the lease of their business premises in Queen-street and are therefore holding a big clearance sale of harness, saddlery, bags, etc. As every article must be sold the occasion is a unique one for purchasing the very best class of goods at an immense reduction. It is safe to assume that Messrs Wallis and Galey’s establishment will be fairly rushed with visitors for the Agricultural Show, for the public are generally very keen to recognise, a bargain when they see it.

The following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s No. 3 Consultation on the Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington, Victoria, November 3rd, 1903. 100,000 @ ss. Fully subscribe!:— Ist, Lord Cardigan, Mrs R. Binkley, Brown Street, Newcastle, N.S.W.. £6000; 2nd, Wakeful, K. Mason, 18, Queen Victoria Markets, George Street, Sydney, N.S.W., £2OOO ; 3rd, Seaport, Louis Hye, care of E. Hill, Loco, Auburn, Sydney, N.S.W., £lOOO.

Orloff is making a good recovery from his mishap, which caused his retiremenrt, from the racecourse (says the Canterbury “Times”). His leg is filling down well, and there are reasonable grounds for expecting .that he will be fit to go into work again in a few months.

At the Gawler races, South Australia, the committee intends to ask patrons as they pass through the gates t,o register their opinions regarding the system of paying out on first and second horse, for the future guidance of the club’s officials.

About the most important business transacted at the Racing Conference, in Melbourne, which met at the V.R.C. Office, presided over by Mr S.Miller, chairman of the V.R.C., was the resolution regarding the legalisation of the totalisator (says “ The Leader ”). Without exception, every one of the delegates representing those States of the Commonwealth in which the machine is in use spoke in eulogistic terms of the great assistance it was to the turf in every way, and with such expert testimony to its advantages little wonder that the conference unanimously decided that “ the legalisation of the totalisator under proper restrictions would be to the best tidzaimng* of racing as a sport.” Of course, h did not require a number of delegates “in solemn conclave assembled ” to tell us that, and it is to be hoped that the V.R.C. committee will lose no time in hastening the necessary legislation for the introduction of the totalisator into Victoria. Hitherto, though everyone —except the books and the clergy —are agreed as to the benefits of the legislation cf the tote, the matter has not been curried beyond the talking stage.

He was philosophising in melancholy mood. He’d invested in “Tat’s,” and drew blanks everyone, and they were many. “For thirty years,” said he, “I’ve had shots at the Melbourne Cup, and never saw the colour of my money again.” “Cheer up,” said a consoler. “Keep on long enough and you’ll strike it lucky. Every dog has his day, you know.” “Hang your proverbr,” said the melancholy one. “The fellow that invented proverbial philosophy should have! been hung, swinging* high, as a warning to all men. Every dog may have his day, but the dog generally dies before the day comes. There are only 365 days in a year, and if each of 365 dogsl vets a day of luck where do the rest come in ? Where do I come in, or you, or anvbod else ? It’s like one of Tat’s tickets, one chance in ten thousand or twenty thousand, more or less.” “But put it the other way,” said the comforter. “Suppose 365 dogs, or 365,000 dogs, vet a lucky show all on one day, how does the proverb then pan out ?” “Bah,’’said the melancholy one, “What’s the use of supposing ? jWhat's. the, worth of anything beyond the money it will bring ? Comanavadrink, and talk sense.”

A singular accident occurred during the race for the Prix d’Enghein at Colombes Steeplechases. Nearing the winning post Dondola and Gera were leading, when suddenly Dandola swerved and collided with one of the stakes alongside the course. The stake snapped, one piece burying itself in the animal’s body ; while that which remained upright somehow tore Geta’si flank very badly. Notwithstanding his painful condition, Geta finished, and won the race by six lengths. It was the horse's dying effort, however, for he had to be put out of his misery five minutes after reaching the winning pest.

A London paper states that a wellknown ex-jockey and automobilist, named Charron, is credited with making an extraordinary lucky series of bets at Colombes one day last month. He was called away just before the first race, and asked a friend to put a louis! <l6s) on Leigh’s stable for the first race, and should a horse trained by Leigh come in first to back the same stable with the winnings in the other races. There were six races on the card, and Leigh’s stable won the five in which his horses ran, so that when his friend met him in Paris, Charron was astonished and delighted to receive the comfortable sum of 11, 247 f., or 2s 6d short of £450, for his investment of 16s.

* * * According to London “Truth,” Sir J. Blundell Mapleh has made arrangements for his large and valuable breeding stud to become public property at a future period, and to pass into the hands of the Government, in order to establish a system of horse breeding on a large scale by the State as has long been carried out in France, Austria, Germany, and Russia with excellent results.

When fhe mail left London thd crack jockeys, Lane ahd Madden, were fighting out an interesting finish for the jockey premiership of this season. The scores stood Lane 116 and Madden 112. Halsey followed the leading pair with 85 wins. These figures pale before some of the records put up by the incomparable Fred Archer in the days ol his prime.