Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 767, 17 November 1904, Page 7

Sporting Topics.

(By

“The Judge.”)

L. H. Hewitt rode fourteen winners at the recent meeting at Riccarton. * * * * Te Aroha races will take place on Saturday and Monday next. Mr G. G. Stead won £5595 in stakes at the C.J.C. Meeting. Aura, dam of Auraria and Aurum, has foaled a colt to Multiform, who, later on should prove a smasher. * * * * The twenty-three Elderslie yearlings brought 3355 guineas, an average of 145 guineas each. The Stepniak-Coronal colt topped the list with 725 guineas, a record for the stud. * ♦ ♦ ♦ The result of the Wairarapa County Cup came as a surprise, the outsider, Sunfish, beating Lass o’ Gowrie by a neck, and paying the nice dividend of £l6 12s. * * * * Sirius, the chestnut sen of Dreadnought and Planet, won both the principal races at the Winton Meeting, these being the Winton Cup and Birthday Stakes. * * * * The Thames Meeting will need the attention of owners, to-morrow, Friday. Mr Potts taking nominations up till 8 p.m. * * ♦ The amount of the dividends paid in the Randolph Handicap at Riccarton was not telegraphed, but they work put as follows Machine Gun (coupled with Asteria) £2 Is ; Tessera, £1 19s. * * * The Annual Show of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association takes place on November 25 and 25, and it is anticipated that all previous records will be beaten. I have to thank Mr Edwin Hall, the secretary, for an invitation to be present. X ' iji * Now that the A.R.C. Meeting is over, attention will be turned to the approaching Spring Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club. Saturday week is the opening ‘day, and present indications point to another successful reunion. Owners should bear in mind that forfeits for the First Manawatu Stakes, run in April, 1905, fall due on December 3, and all horses remaining in after that date are liable for the total subscription of five sovereigns. ♦ *. * * I am afraid the recent meeting at Ellerslie furnishes yet another argument in favour of the appointment of stipendiary stewards. One or two rather glaring things were done, but little or no notice was taken of them by’ the powers that be. * * * * Verv promptly to time Mr Knight declared his adjustments for the first day of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting, and he has set punters some knotty problems to exercise their ingenuity upon. Acceptances close with Mr Wynyard to-morrow* evening. The Cambria Park-bred Savoury is evidently 7 a particularly smart colt. On the third day he ran a dead-heat with Red Gauntlet in the Jockey Club Handicap, the mile being cut out in the fast time of Imin 40 2-ssec, while on the fourth day the son of Simmer and Melodia captured the Members’ Handicap, ruling off the seven furlongs in Imin 26 2.ssec, which latter time constitutes a New Zealand record. * * * * Some people consider Mr Knight has taken rather a liberty with Forth in the Pony Handicap at Takapuna- In his last race in public Forth carried 9st 51b, the top-weight in a big field, and was made a hot favourite, but finished outside the placed division, alongside Girton Girl, Bst 71b. Now the latter has to give the son of Lebel four pounds. * * * ♦ It is not often that we have a sailor riding in a jumping event at Ellerslie, and when Commander Wilkin came out on Flower of Gold many of the cognoscenti scouted the idea of the mare being handled properly. Like the groom in Patterson’s “Amateur Rider,’’ these soon altered their tune, for the gallant skipper of the little Clio speedily demonstrated that he was no novice in the pigskin, and proved that he could hold his own with our best amateurs. It seemed a pity that he had not a better mount, for neither a Hewitt or a Burns could have got the Flower home.

It is said there was a reserve of 800 guineas on Machine Gun when he was submitted for sale the other day. * * * * in sending his selections for the N.Z. Cup, our Wellington correspondent correctly placed the first three horses, a performance which I do not think was equalled by any other sporting scribe in the Colony. » ♦ » * A southern correspondent states that Yaldhurst will probably be represented by no less than seventeen horses at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting. Although Mr Stead’s team is likely to be large, I hardly imagine it will run to the number suggested. * * * * Savoury, who ran so brilliantly at Riccarton last week, was purchased by Mr G. G. Stead at the Cambria Park sale of 1902, for 300 guineas. Already he has returned nearly 7 double this amount in stakes. ♦ * ♦ ♦ The stock of the Wellington Park stallion Seaton Delaval did best at the A.R.C. Meeting, four and a-half victories going to their credit. * * * * A meeting will be held by the Waihi Hack Racing Club on Saturday, the 26th inst., nominations for which close on November 19th. A number of improvements been made to the course, and the meeting is expected to be a good one. The sale last Friday of Mr William Lovett’s horses was only a fairly successful one, Desdemona fetching the highest price. The particulars were as follows :—Eay colt by Eton —Alb’uera, 2yrs, Mr T. Bray, 25gs‘. ; Bay colt by Soult—lanakau, 2yrs, Mr C. Weal, 29gs ; Bay yearling colt by Phoebus Apollo—Tanak.au, Mr H. McKenzie, 12gs ; Bay 7 yearling filly by Phoebus Apollo —Lena, Mr F. Kavanagh, 44gs ; Brood mare Tanakau, with colt foal (five days old) by Soult at foot, Mr A. Watkins, Vtaiuku, 24gs ; Waimangu, byExplosion—Stepfast, Mr D. Kavanagh, 27gs ; Solo, by Blairgowrie—Dolly, Mr A. Coleman, 43gs ; Desdemona, byHotchkiss —Dunoon, Mr C. Weal, lOUgs. * * * * Mr C. O’Coanor is doing the starting at Takapuna at the coming meeting. He has been so consistently successful that it will be good news to everyone to know that the dispatching of the fields will be in such capable hands. At the same time, the office of starter at Takapuna is no sinecure, for the course is a most difficult one on which to get fields evenly 7 away. The five furlong post is the worst spot in this respect, aud here, if the field is a large one, the matter is almost an impossibility. It is a great pity that the club was blocked in their erdeavour io enlarge the course. The following are the drawers of placed horses in Tattersall’s consultations on the Melbourne Cup, run at Flemington, Victoria, Ist November, 1904 10s. Sweep.—Acrasia, Butterfly Syndicate, care of Janies Telford, Rutherglen, Victoria, £I2,OCG'; Lord Cardigan, Bannon and J. Rooks, to J. Rooks, care of J. H. Young and Co., 8, Spring Street, Sydney, £4OOO ; Blinker, W. B. Brock, greaser, Port Darwin, to Pine Creek Railway, Northern Territory 7, S.A., £2OOO. No. 1 ss. consultation on the Melbourne Cup.—Acrasia, W. E. Burnnand, Wilton Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, £6OOO ; Lord Cardigan, K. D’Arcey, Railway Hotel, Orepuki, Southland, New 7 Zealand, £2OOO ; Blinker, G. Young, P.O. Mt. Perry, Queensland, £lOOO. No. 2 Consultation. —Acrasia, Ada Schmutter, care of C. Fitzgerald, Armidale, N.S.W., £6OOO ; Lord Cardigan, W. N. Bowen, to H. Heilmann, Grand Hotel, Broken Hill, N.S.W., '£2ooo ; Blinker, A. S. Marshall, Dunnolly, Victoria, £lOOO. No. 3 Consultation. —Acrasia, Syndicate, to George Maine, 425, Brunswic’ 7 Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, £6OOO ; Lord Cardigan, Globe Syndicate, care of F. Read, Wilmington, S.A., £2OOO ; Blinker, South British- Syndicate, care of E. Scott, South British Insurance Co., Queen Street, Brisbane, Q., £lOOO. No. 4 Consultation. —Acrasia, W. Rosenbloom, Corowa, N.S.W., £6OOO ; Lord Cardigan*, Jack Richmond, 350, Kent Street, Sydney. N.S.W., £2OOO ; Blinker, W. J. Shuttlew 7 orth, P.O. Boulder, W.A., £lOOO. Special.—Acrasia, W. Kennedy, 11, White Street, Footscray, Victoria, £6lOO ; Lord Cardigan, Tatterdemalion, L. Shrimpton, Berwick Street, North Brighton, Victoria, £2OOO ; Blinker, Greasers’ Syndicate, care of C. E. Mould, Burlington, Elliott Street, Balmain, N.S.W., £lOOO.

The C.J.C. Derby and Oaks proved but a couple of exercise canters for .Nightfall, and but little interest was taken in either event. Lualla, who was sold on Friday last, must be considered a bargain for 25 guineas, for on track form she is worth a lot more. * * * * Tip, who won the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase, was nicely handled by his owner Mr H. T oniks. •* * * * Once again has the owner of Dolores and Daffodil changed trainers. This time Denny Morrigan is the lucky man. Change of stables sometimes brings change of luck. # * # # It was rather injudicious to start Hippowai on the second day of the A.R.C. Meeting, that gelding having struck himself prior to the meeting. He was in a bad state after pulling up. * * * F. Macmanemin and R. Hall were the two most successful trainers at the A.R.C. Meeting, the former training Te Aroha, Wellcast, Scotty, and Delania, while Hall turned out Jewellery, Girton Girl, and Lady Annie. * * * * At Riccarton L. H. Hewitt was an easy first amongst the knights of the pigskin with the total of fourteen wins, V. Cotton two and a dead-heat, Jenkins and McAleer two each, L. King two wins and a-dead-heat, Derrett, Pine, Buchanan, and Oliver one each. ■M * •* # Mr Gordon, who rode Swimmer in the Hunt Club Hurdles race, handled his mount most artistically, and was quite enthusiastic about the safe jumping qualities of his mount. # -x * * Minerva won a double on the 9th at the Coromandel Race Meeting, and Hector, a cast-off in J. Chaafe’s, jun., stajble, accounted for the Birthday Cup. The meeting was‘without the totalisator. * * * * One popular win at the A.R.C. Meeting was that of Mr A. H. Lloyd’s Sir Gilead, who g’ot home in the Maiden Plate from a field of eleven others. The winner was steered by A. Jul An. * * « * There is no appreciable shrinkage in the number of race horses in New Zealand. On the King’s Birthday for the three meetings at Christchurch, A.R.C., and Waverley, of twenty-four events, over 209 horses started. * * * * Amongst the two-year-olds the one most likely to gain most prominence as the season progresses is Apologue. He is a very shapely colt and is possessed of pace, but was not hurried in his preparation. * * V * During the progress of the A.R.C. Spring Meeting there were two deadheats for first place and one dead-heat for second place, viz., Scotty and Marshal Soult in the City Handicap, Delania and Lady Annie in the Publicans’ Handicap, and Ben Blair and The Middy in the Shorts Handicap. * * * * Possibly»the best of the local two-year-olds that raced at Ellerslie was Mr A. Lennard’s Carl Rosa, for he finished up both the races he won in a most workmanlike manner. A good many would, however, prefer Kilderkin. Achilles’ defeat in the Electric Plate was the first time the great son of Medallion has ever been beaten in a weight-for-age event. Judged by his other displays the Porirua crack was, however, a long way below his best. * * * Tn the City Handicap most people thought that M. Ryan had just squeezed home on Scotty. The old ’un rode a ding-dong finish for the last two furlongs, but no doubt the amount of track work that Mark gets through each morning stands to the veteran. On one morning recently ho had no less than ten mounts before breakfast. » * * * A couple of friends met after the first Pony Race at Ellerslie, when one invited the other to have some refreshment, remarking that he could afford a bottle of “ the best,” as he had a pound on the first and second (Fashionable and Manoeuvre). After discussing the fluid the gentleman went to collect his dividend and found out his net profit on th- tickets was four shillings, leaving a debit on the refreshment of eleven shillings. Yet people wonder why they lose at racing. * * * * Mahutonga’s decisive defeat of Grand Rapids in the Metropolitan Handicap suggests that the latter’s win ini the Cup was a very lucky one. By the way. most of the pressmen describing the finish sav that Grand Rapids won easily, but a photograph shows Hewitt hard at work on the Yaldhurst horse. Evidently our latest New Zealand Cup winner is several removes from a champion.

A brother to Achilles is stated by an expert to be one of the finest foals he has ever seen. The Melbourne Cup winner, The Victory, who arrived in England safely, is to do stud duty next season in Ireland, at the Straffan Station Stud, to. Kildare. * •> * * Handicaps for the Auckland Cup, Railway Handicap, and Auckland Steeplechase are due to see the light to-mor-row, and much interest will be taken in Mr Evett’s allotments. The steamer Gracchus, which arrived in Melbourne on Sunday week, had on board Friar Tuck, who ran third in the English Derby. He is said to be a beautiful stallion, and stood the voyage well. His owner, Mi 7 Uphill, had also on board the English mares Actress, Granny, Perfect, and Nanny, who will be used for stud purposes. * * ♦ * The surprise of the A.R.C. Meeting was Jewellery’s easy victory in the Spring Handicap, but considering that she had not carried silk since her accident at Ta'kapuna last May the fact of the St. I.eger mare paying a dividend of £47 4s was not altogether remarkable. The most successful stallions in Australia this season are Gozo, Grafton, Wallace, Lochiel, Arsenal, Clan Ptuart, Seaton Delaval, Medallion, Positano,. Simmer, and Malvolio in that order. The descendants of those mentioned have all won more than £2OOO in stakes this season. The fields at the Auckland Racing Club’s Spring Meeting were much larger than was the case at the big fixture of the Canterbury Jockey Club. At Elh-rs-lie 268 horses started for the Iwentyfour events, the biggest field numbering 21 in the Shorts Handicap, this giving an average of 11 1-6 p< r race At Riccarton 280 horses started in 32 events, the most numerous field being 15 in the Cressy Welter, the average per race coming out at 8-L This is a feather in the Northern club’s cap, especially v hen it is considered that very few visiting horses were seen at the meeting, whereas a great many of those which carried silk at Riccarton came from other parts of Ihe colony. * # * ■* Dr. Earle, the president of the Wanganui Jockey Club, has returned from a trip to the Old Country. Evidently there cannot be anything amiss with Cruciform, for she won the Jubilee Cup, one mile, in the smart time of Imin 41 2-ssec, beating Red Gauntlet by five lengths and Achilles by ten. Two years ago Achilles defeated the crack St. Leger mare in the same race. < * * * The Otahuhu Trotting Club’s Spring Meeting will take place an Saturday and Wednesday, December 3 and 7. Four events will be decided on each day, the best endowed events being the Suburban Trot, of 40 sovs, and the Spring Pony Trot on the opening day, and the Otahuhu Spring Trot, of 50 sovs, the Class Trot, of 35 sovs, and the Panmure Trot, of 35 sovs on the second day. As usual, four events will be given for ponies. Particulars of the events appear in another column. Mr F. D. Yonge, the secretary, will take entries up to 9 p.m. to-morrow (Friday) evening. * * * * The New Zealand Trotting Association has issued the following circular, which should be carefully noted by owners : —“lt having come to the knowledge of the Association that certain persons have tampered with their licenses, it has been decided by the Association to ask all Clubs to note, before allowing trainers, riders or drivers to start in a race, that they hold a license for the CURRENT season. Licences should be produced when, demanded. You are requested to exercise care to enforce a previous resolution of the Association, ‘that all holders of licenses must sign their names in a hook kept for the purpose, before being allowed to take part at a meeting.’ This, the Association determined, was a necessary precaution against others than the proper persons using a license. Clubs are authorised to issue licenses subject to confirmation by the Association, as per Rule 127, Section VII. This Rule was passed to enable Clubs to grant ‘interim’ licenses in case of emergency. The Association grants licenses at its monthly meetings only, and it is advisable always for applications to be sent in promptly direct to the Association. To save inconvenience in many cases it would be advisable, when applications are being made to' register horses, to see that the names applied for are not already claimed. This may be partly checked by reference to the book, ‘Horses Registered prior to August, 1903.’ ”

The sum of £I9,J 98 was distributed in stakes over the recently concluded meeting of the V.R.C.. and the profit panned out at about £7OOO. The death of Lord Cardigan was a serious loss to his owner, Mr Mayo. The offer to take £4OOO for him had virtually been accepted. What made it worse was there was no insurance on the horse. When taken out it is said his heart weighed within a fraction of 91b. No wonder he was a good game animal. Although St. Ambrose failed in the Melbourne Cup he made some amends by winning the well-endowed Williamstown Cup. The feature of his victory was the fact of his running the mile and three furlongs in record time. The previous figures for Australia were held by Uneasy and Uderim, both having put up 2min 21sec at Randwick, but St. Ambrose got ■under this by half a second. * * * * Mr Blanc’s two-year-old colt, Vai d’Or, has added 1420 sovs to the huge sum won this season bythe stock of Flying ■ Fox, that son of the English sire and Windora carrying off the Grand Criterium, at Paris. At the same meeting, however, the three-year-old Gouvernant met with his match—at 121 b difference in the weights—in M. Caillault’s Kansk, a son of another English sire in Chesterfield. This was in the Prix de Villebon, a race for three-year-olds only. * • • * Since Acrasia won the Cup, there have been various conjectures as to how Mr Oxenham’s mare got her name. The name is derived from a character in Spenser’s “ Faerie Queene,” Acrasia being represented as a lovely and charming woman, whose dwelling is the Bower t>f Bliss, which is situated on an island floating in a lake or gulf, and is adorned with everything in Nature that can delight the senses. * * * * Wairiki is said to be getting on very well. His owner, Mr Bradley, intends to bring him back to New Zealand if he recovers, and put him to the stud. Mr Bradley was asked to put a price on the son of Soult before the Cup, and he named £5OOO. Even now, it is said, he would not take less than £2OOO for him. An ostrich in harness is not a novelty, hut a trotting ostrich, known as I Hack Diamond, and valued at £lOOO, has been establishing new records in America of late. Harnessed to a track waggon, and driven by its owner, W. F. Ford, of -Florida, this bird is doing a mile in 2min -lOsec, and even better. * * -* When the last mail left England the prominent jockey W. Lane was doing as well as could be expected. He was unconscious for a week after his fall, and an operation which a few years ago was unheard of was performed, this being to snake an incision in the spine with a view to drawing off matter in order to relieve the brain. This had the effect desired, for the paralysis, which had previously effected the left side, disappeared. * * • * Particulars are to hand of the defeat of Major Loder’s previously unbeaten Pretty Polly in the Prix du Conseil Municipal, one and a-half miles, at the Paris Autumn Meeting, on October 9. The weather in the Channel was very bad on the day before the filly’s arrival at Folkestone, and her experience on the water may have had a lot to do with her defeat. On the Wednesday night preceding the Sunday on which the race was to be run there had been a violent storm in the Channel, and two fishing smacks had been wrecked within a few yards of Folkestone Harbour. The storm had abated when the special car containing Pretty Polly arrived at Folkestone on r J hursday morning, but the sea was still very rough, and it was a question whether to send the filly or not. Eventually it was decided not to embark her on the afternoon steamer, but to await events. Under the circumstances Pretty Polly could not have reached Paris before Friday night or the day before the race was to be decided, and it seems astounding that, so soon after a sea trip, albeit a short one, she should have been asked to meet horses fresh and ready on the spot. Her detention was the sole topic of conversation in London sporting circles, and everyone was asking why she had not been sent earlier. It is contended by a number of people, however, that when sending horses from England to France, or vice versa, there is less chance of their going amiss if the change is delayed until a day or so before the race. The cabled report states that Presto 11., Bst 51b, won easily, Pretty Polly, 9st lib, being second, and Zinfandel, 9st 91b. third. There were eight starters, the betting being 2 to 1 on Pretty Polly, 5 to lv. Zinfandel,* while 40 to 1 was on offer :n gainst the winner. Presto 11. is by - ! leuil —Mile Prefere, and was a good performer as a two-year-old. Last year the race was won by La Camargo, on which occasion the stake was worth £4478.