. . NOTES. . .

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 833, 22 February 1906, Page 7

. . NOTES. . .

(By

“ The Judge.”)

THE WANGANUI CUP.

There are few more popular fixtures than the autumn meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club, which will take place on March 1 and 2. The handicaps for the first day have made their appearance promptly to time, and give evidence of careful study. The principal event is, of course, the Wanganui Cup, to be run over one mile and three-quarters. Nightfall is in pride of place with 9st lib, but she will be an absentee, having gone to Australia. Mahutonga, if started, must have a great chance with 9 st, for he is a very fine stayer and quite master of the weight. There is a doubt about Martian being accepted for, as his connections think he has been given too much weight. Paritutu should prove very hard to beat with Bst 51b if dressed in anything like his best. If Landlock is sent to the post his weight of Bst 51b will not stop him, but the length of the journey may possibly find out a weak spot. He likes to make his own running, but fourteen furlongs is further than anything he has yet shown us. Vladimir (Bst 51b) will probably be an absentee, as he has been slightly amiss since the Trentham meeting. Putty (7st 131 b) will probably also be a non-starter. A good word must be said for Savoury (7st 121 b), although he would doubtless do better over a shorter journey. Still, it is said that his connections rather fancy the son of Simmer, and a win is fully due. Multifid (7st 121 b) has effectively demonstrated that he is a very speedy customer, and one who will have to be reckoned with. Nonette (7st 111 b) has shown us that “ there is life in the old dog yet.” True, he was not in the first flight at Egmont, but it is said that he was badly ridden while the old fellow was going great guns at the finish. The weight is nothing to him, and it will be no surprise if he comes home in the van. Bourrasque (7st 91b) has just a pound less than he won the Egmont Cup with. On that form he will take a lot of beating. The distance should be too far for Solution (7st 81b), but the Porirua candidates, Ghoorka and Boris, on the same mark (7st 71b), have likely prospects, and whichever starts will be worth watching; Ropa’s form in the Wellington Cup entitles him to respect, while Letherin and Gladstone have both shown recent winning form. Boomerang, Armistice and Master Delaval have also been given winning chances. From this it will be seen that the race is singularly open, and he will be a lucky man who correctly solves the conundrum propounded by the handicapper. The acceptances are due to-morrow, and this should throw some sort of light upon owners’ intentions. At the present time those which seem to possess the best chances are Mahutonga, Paritutu, Multifid, Nonette, Bourrasque, Ghoorka, Ropa, Armistice, and Master Delaval, and of these Paritutu, Multifid, and Bourrasque read the best.

Glenullin has been scratched for the Wanganui Cup.

The well-known New Zealand horseman Jones is now on his way to England. Everyone will wish him good luck in the Old Country.

Nightfall has been sold to an Australian buyer, but it is rumoured the crack mare may go further afield.

The Mauku Racing Club intends holding a meeting on March 15.

Owners should not overlook the fact that acceptances for the annual meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club close with Mr H. B. Massey, High-street, Auckland,, or with Mr Gwynne, the secretary, at Hamilton, to-morrow, Friday, evening at 9 p.m.

I have to acknowledge receipt from Mr. Edgar Wylie, hon. sec. N.Z. Rugby Union, Wellington, of a card of invitation for the complimentary dinner and official reception to the New Zealand football team. This is to take place at the Drill Hall, Wel-lesley-street East, on Tuesday, March 6th.

Noctuiform has been nominated for the Ascot Gold Cup, in which he will be opposed by a red-hot lot in Pretty Polly, Jardy, Vai O’Or, and Cicero, and a number of other cracks. It is very doubtful whether the New Zealander will be sufficiently acclimatised by June to run a strong two miles and a-half at weight-for-age.

Mr. C. Philpot, the well-known penciller, is at present on his farm building a cottage, cowsheds, etc., and preparing for the next season’s output of butter. He has had the best wishes of the sporting community in his new venture.

Mr. F. Moffatt, secretary of the Wanganui Jockey Club, courteously forwards me complimentary tickets for the autumn meeting. This takes place on March 1 and 2, and promises to be one of the most succesful in the long history of the club.

The privileges in connection with the Papakura meeting will be sold on Friday next at noon by Messrs. Gabriel Lewis and Co., at their rooms. The privileges include publican’s booth, gates, cards, grandstand and saddling paddock, and refreshment stalls.

There seems to be an almost unlimited supply of money for racing purposes in South America. Only the other day an Argentine turfite gave £30,000 for Diamond Jubilee, and one of his compatriots has now bought Pietermaritzburg for exactly half that sum. It cannot be denied that these animals have been remarkably well sold, and it is difficult to say which is the dearer horse of the two. Pietermaritzburg has not even the glamour which surrounds a classic victory to recommend him, and that he was a first-class performer on the turf no one will care to argue. Moreover, the fact that he has been standing at a 25 guineas fee proves that the son of St. Simon and Sea Air is not held in particularly high esteem by English breeders.

It is reported that during the last five years the West Australian Turf Club- committee have spent £50,000 in improvements to their racecourse.

Menschikoff is now at Caulfield, in charge of A. West, and will be put into steady work for the A.R.C. Autumn meeting, as he is quite sound.

In 1905 racing stakes and prices to the value of 6,000,000 dollars were distributed in the United States and Canada. There were 8110 races, and 1700 winning owners, 200 taking 5000 dollars and upwards.

The steeplechaser Moifaa, for whom King Edward gave a big price, was entered to be sold for £5O in a steeplechase, which was to have taken place at Hooton last month.

In Hungary and Austria last year the progeny of the English-bred stallion Bona Vista won £41,493, and in three years that sire has been credited with a total just short of £lOO,000. Gaga (Galopin—Red Hot) was second on the list last year with £18,798, his representatives doing well over the jumps as well as on the flat.

The handicaps for the Rotorua and S'outh Auckland meetings have made their appearance. Those that seem the most favoured for the former meeting are Omati, Lady Clements, bud Seatonia, and for the latter meeting Haeramai, Seatonia, Bonomiana, Omati, and Aristocrat.

Mr. R. McMiken has returned from the Egmont meeting with Le Beau. The winner of the Hawera Welter seems none the worse for his trip.

Bonomiana, who was greatly fancied and supported for the Hack Race on the first day of the Poverty Bay b.C. meeting, did not get a place.

Mr. H. T. Gorrie has added a rather good-looking three-year-old Dayntree gelding (who has not yet been handled) to his stable. The gelding comes from Pukekohe.

Pukekohe has gone into Frank Macmanemin’s stable at Ellerslie. The gelding has not yet shown much promise, but still the handicappers keep the poundage up.

Alf. Coleman, who came over from Sydney some time ago, returned to that city when he found the A.R.C. had decided to allow no bookmakers at Ellerslie.

Seaton Delaval is back again at his old home at Sylvia Park.

Ninety-three entries have been received for the six events to be run at the Papakura meeting, which is a record for the club.

During his visit to England Sir Rupert Clarke, the well-known Victorian sportsman, purchased the brood mares Andalmite, by Orme from Hueloa, and Bordina, by Persimmon from Spezzia.

Business at the corner (the sporting rendezvous) since Christmas has been in a very stagnant state. Some of the pencillers contemplated trying a change, and others speak of going away, but the majority agree that business has not been so quiet for the last few years. No doubt the City Council’s new by-law (“ cease loitering and move on”) has something to do with the matter.

The first portion of the New Zealand Trotting Stud Book, which will be issued shortly, is composed of the particulars of imported and standardbred stallions and mares, their breeding and progeny. The second part includes all the colonial-bred mares, and their progeny, containing trotting credentials that have been traced. With this work will be published the extended pedigrees of such wellknown horses as Blackwood Abdallah, Berlin, Irvington, and many other notable stallions, both locally and Ameri-can-bred. There will also be a table of New Zealand records to date, and the definition of the American standards. This edition of the New Zealand Trotting Stud Book will supply a most valuable means of reference whereby the back lines of brood mares and sires, both colonial-bred and imported, can be traced to their fountain-heads. As only a limited number of copies of the Stud Book will be published, it would be advisable for all those desirous of obtaining copies to make early application to Mr. Norris, secretary of the association.

Mr. J. Chadwick courteously forwards me a copy of his new book, entitled “ Men of Mark in the World of Sport in New Zealand.” This very handsomely-bound work runs into no less than 512 pages, and contains biographical sketches of all the colony’s representative men in the world of sport, notably in the racing arena. It need hardly be said that this means an infinity of work for the editor, with whom, however, it has been a labour of love. The magnitude of the task may better be realised when it is seen that no less than 226 biographies appear in the volume, each accompanied by a portrait. It need hardly be said that there is some particularly interesting reading, an enormous amount of information about our leading sportsmen having been collected. This is given in a very pithy style, and it is safe to assert the volume will find its way on to the bookshelves of every sportman’s library. As a book of reference it should prove simply invaluable.

The New Zealand horse Maniapoto, who has been located at Randwick for some time, will not go to Melbourne for the Autumn meetings; and he has been withdrawn from the Newmarket Handicap.

The Caulfield Futurity Stakes will be run for next Saturday. If he can stay out the seven furlongs at his best, Machine Gun has a fair chance to score with 9st 81b, or 211 b less than he is asked to carry in the Newmarket Handicap.

The “ Special Commissioner” of the London “ Sportsman” has again been applying the “ Figure System” to the selection of this season’s classic winners in England, and gives the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger to Admirable Crichton, the One Thousand Guineas to Flair or Ulalume, and the Oaks to Sweet Mary. Almost needless to say, his selections have plenty of good public form as well as “ figures” to recommend them. He gives the Carbine colt Gingal second place in the Derby and St. Leger.

The nominations for the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase total 62 —a slight decrease on those of last year, and with the exception of Kirkland, there is an absence of previous winners of the great cross-country event at Aintree. His Majesty has been rather unfortunate in his purchase of Moifaa, who failed to land the blue ribbon of cross-country sport last year, and, owing to throat troubles, the son of Natator is missing from this year’s list of nominations. Last year’s winner, Kirkland, a son of Kirkham, of course, appears upon the list, and his owner, Mr. F. Bibby, is also represented by Comfit, Wild Boer, and Bogo. Prince Hatzfeledt has also nominated four, France is represented on the list by Count de Sougeon’s Bucheron, and the American sportsman, Mr. Foxhall Keene, has sent in a nomination.

In England last month entries closed for several of the principal races of the coming flat-racing season, and the Australasian champion three-year-old, Noctuiform, was nominated for the Ascot Gold Cup, twoand a-half miles, at special weights. In this race Noctuiform will be at a disadvantage, as he will have tocarry a four-year-old’s weight, though some months short of that age. Still, if he strips as well as he did at either Sydney or Christchurch, he will give a good account of himself, even with the weights against him. Great Scot is in the Ascot race, end he also figures in the Manchester Cup, one mile and a-half. Taking the chestnut’s recent Calcutta form for it, he will have but little chance of winning at Ascot when meeting such horses as Pretty Polly, Cicero, Bachelor’s. Button, Chanacombe, and Noctuiform, but in the Manchester Cup, which isa handicap, he may have a chance. Great Scot was shipped to England towards the latter end of last month, and on arrival there was to have gone into Mr. P. Gilpin’s stable, so that he will be a stable companion of Pretty Polly. ELLERSLIE TRAINING NOTES. On Tuesday, although bleak and showery, some useful work was indulged in, mostly on the tan, in view of the Rotorua and South Auckland meetings. Putty was the early bird (with Deeley in the saddle), and put in two useful rounds, spurting home the last four furlongs in 54sec. Dardanus, moving a trifle short, trotted in the centre of the course and subsequently sprinted in company with two others. Ben Blair broke away from the four furlongs’ post and completed the distance in 52 2-ssec, well out. Carl Rosa finished up a like task in 51sec, moving freely. Sonoma galloped six furlongs at top, the last three furlongs in 44 3-5 sec.

Noteorini, moving nicely, finished up a mile in Imin 44 2-ssec.

Forth and another were all out in a four-furlongs’ spin.

Kola Nip, with a bit of weight up, seemed to tire at the end of nine furlongs in 3min 0 3-ssec. Hohoro did two half-pace rounds, and the old fellow looks blooming. Macmanemin’s numerous string were content with medium-pace work. Celtic spurted with a couple of stable mates, and Monoform moved very short and seemed sore.

Girton Girl left five furlongs behind

in lmin 9 sec. Master Delaval did a circle at half-pace, and then finished up with a short spurt, moving nicely. Lord Seaton, who seems on the improve, again did half-pace and sprinting work. Most of the members of Coleman’s team worked, with the exception of Omati, who put up a taking four furlongs on the sand (which was very heavy) in 51 2-ssec. King Paul jumped the schooling hurdles after breakfast, shaping exceedingly well. The following should run well at the Rotorua annual meeting: — Hurdles: Cuiragno or Sophia. Electric: Takaroa, Omati, Lucrece. Rotorua Cup: Kola Nip or Seatonia. Waimangu: Discoverer or Kola Nip. Second Hurdles: Lady Clare or Lady May. Railway: Discoverer or Lucrece. Shorts: Omati or Ben Blair. District Hack: Maggie Papakura. The South Auckland Racing Club’s annual meeting will be held at Claudelands on Saturday week. * * * * Nominations for the meeting close on Saturday evening next at nine o’clock. The programme, which is a particularly good one, has already been referred to in these columns. * * * * It is rumoured that L. H. Hewitt may try his luck in England during the coming season. ft it -x- * The favourite for the Newmarket Handicap is Pompous, who has been backed down to 6 to 1. He is on the 7st mark. » * * The Poverty Bay Turf Club handled the sum of £12,886 during the two days, which is a considerable advance on last year’s figures. * * * * Glenullin, who won the Atkinson Memorial Stakes, is a three-year-old son of Lochiel and Consistence. He did not earn a winning bracket last year in eight starts. * * « % Mahutonga ran a dead heat with Kaipetipeti in the Turanga Stakes at Poverty Bay. He was conceding the Monaco gelding no less than 491 b. * * * * The “ London Sporting Times” has the following about what jockeys can tell us of a race after it is over: —

The Stratford meeting needs the attention of owners on Saturday next, when nominations close with Mr. J. R. Mackay, the secretary.

The summer meeting of the Otahuhu Trotting Club will be brought to a conclusion on Saturday next at Alexandra Park.

The Rotorua annual meeting will be held on February 28 and March 1. A highly successful gathering is confidently anticipated.

“ We read somewhere of jockeys who could not only ride a winner, but could tell you all that had taken place in the course of the running. Fordham and Archer were mentioned as examples. The writer of those lines surely never had to report a race from a description given of it by Fordham! We have, and it generally was expressed in this manner — ‘ Well, don’t you see, there was that thing Tom Freach was on, and me and thingumy, and there we were, don’t you see, till we got to the hill, when thing-a-bob came up, and then I had my go, and won, don’t you see!’ Morbey missed nothing, nor did Archer, but perhaps the keenest judge of all was Custance. Fordham’s knowledge was confined to his own horse, and in that he never made a mistake.”

The finish of the Flying Stakes on Saturday at Alexandra Park was very exciting. Orange and Blue led into the straight, when the field closed rip and a desperate race home followed, Parramore just getting the Soult mare Rapid home from Orange and Blue by a short head.

With 9st lib in the saddle Fashionable looked to have a great chance in. the Otahuhu Pony Cup, yet for some reason or other she went to the post the greatest Outsider in' the field. The daughter of Soult carried •too many guns for the opposition when it came to finishing, and she won handily.

Mahutonga and Armistice will not start in the Wanganui Cup.

Owners should bear in mind that nominations for the Easter Handicap, Brighton Hurdles, St. George’s Handicap and Autumn Handicap, to be run at the autumn meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, close with Mr. J. F. Hartland, the secretary, to-morrow evening, at nine o’clock.

The revised weights for the Wanganui Cup (if necessary) will appear on Saturday. The final payment for the Cup is due on Monday evening.

The London “Express” recently published the amounts a few of the many societies in France have given away during the past season, and which give an idea of the extent to which racing has developed ii, the Republic during late years. The Parisian courses naturally take the bulk of the money, but provincial meetings, it would seem, have also more than justified by progress the increased money which has been allowed them. The Societe d’En = couragement distributed £132,920 between Longchamp, Chantilly and provincial gatherings, which was £2BO in excess of jOO4. The Societe Sportive d’Encouragement, by dispensing £141,460, went £lB2O better than 1904. Of this amount, £56,880 was given to jumping meetings ; among others, Saint Ouen taking ,£31,640, and Enghien £16,720. Mai-sons-Laffitte was granted the lion’s share of the flat racecourses, as .£66,280 was dealt with there. The meetings under the control of the French Steeplechase Society also materially increased their inducements, as £128,074 was apportioned to Auteuil, etc. Auteuil’s portion was £93.180. It can thus be seen that in the neighborhood of Paris alone £146,316 has been won by cross-country owners, as, in addition to Auteuil, Saint Ouen and Enghien, Colombes bestowed £4776 on ‘ uccessful horses. * * * * The Adelaide “Register” publishes the following letter from C. Cooper, the wellknown Victorian light-weight rider, who is at present in South Africa:—“l cannot advise anyone to come here to live, for after Australia it is a poor place; but if anyone can only do all right at the racing game there is plenty of money to be made. In our team there are about 16 horses and ponies (there are a lot of pony races), but we have not got a really good one among the lot, although the gentleman who races them would not stick at any price to obtain a smart horse. I got here for the big meeting (Johannesburg), which extends over three days of seven races each day. We had something to run in nearly every event, but never caught a race. The entrance money alone for our little lot amounted to £454; so you see it is no game for a poor man to be at. The ‘books’ work the same as it Melbourne and Sydney, and then there is the tote as well. To give you an idea of the magnitude of the betting operations there was just on £90,000 put through the machine during the three days, and out of that I do not think there was a solitary sovereign from a bookmaker. Horses, on the whole, are pretty good, the best of them being a bit better than the handicappers that run in the big races in Australia. They are nearly all Eng-lish-bred, and they show a lot of quality. Racing is carried on in the English style --nearly all short races run on a straight course. In fact, there was only one long tace (a mile and a-half) during the meeting. It was for a stake of £l5OO, and brought out nine runners. There are seldom more than about 12 starters for any race, and yet the stakes are seldom less than £350. That is, of course, at the big meetings. The people have a set against anything Australian.”

“The English racing public is supposed to be an easy-going one,” said a gentleman who has been abroad recently in an American exchange, “but they would tear the fence down and kill the starter and nis assistants in quicker time than it takes to tell it if an assistant was to hold a heavily-played favourite at the start until the field was well on its way. It would never be tried twice there, but since the racing began here last November I’ve seen seven or eight horses played for a killing that were held hard and fast by the ‘Hold-er-Jimmies,’ as they are called. The first time an assistant takes a horse by the head some good shot ought to iop off one of his fingers for him. You could beat Ormonde, Hindoo or any other racing celebrity in the world with a bunch of bow-wows if you, can get a man to hold on long enough to the public idol.” I’m afraid the man who tried such an extraordinary practice in New Zealand would run an even money risk of being lynched.

The Champagne Stakes at the Dunedin meeting fell to that smart filly Lady Landon, who was followed home by Gallantry and Ivanoff.

The handicaps for the Papakura meeting are due to appear on March 10th.

Acceptances for the Rotorua meeting close to-morrow evening either with Mr. H. H. Hayr, Auckland, or with Mr. W. Carr, the secretary, at Rotorua.

Step dancer, who won the Dunedin Cup yesterday, is a six-year-old chestnut mare by Stepniak from Pibroch. She has proved something of a disappointment up to now, winning once in fifteen starts last year. She has been galloping in good style lately.

The Auckland horse Apologue will not go to Wanganui, and has been scratched for all engagements there.

The Hon. J. Carroll is sending up his two-year-olds, Unuku and Aritihurua, to Ellerslie to be placed in J. Rae’s hands.

At last they are to hold a real horse show in England (says an American paper). Not one of the dull- old-fashioned horse fairs, so long popular with the English, but a genuine American horse show, 01, rather, an international one, conducted after the American methods. It is to be held in the vast auditorium of the London Olympia, which, for the occasion, is to be modelled as closely as possible after the Madison Square Garden Horse Show, in the early part of next year, and is to be patronised by the King and Queen and most of all London’s smart set. There will be a picturesque tournament between American and English breeders. At this show, for the first time, the English and American show horses will be brought into direct rivalry. There will be a battle royal between the American standard-bred trotting and coach horses and the famous English hackney, commencing with . exhibiting what is considered the American gentlemen’s trotting horse, known as the speedy roadster, many of which are already owned in Europe.