. . NOTES. . .

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 834, 1 March 1906, Page 7

. . NOTES. . .

(By

“The Judge.")

St. Peter (full brother to St. Paul) is in work at Ellerslie, and is under the care of J. Chaafe, jun. ■** * * Mark Ryan did not make the trip to Wanganui, and is still at headquarters.

are to be allowed at the Ohinemuri J.C. meeting on March 17 and 19.

C. Weal has proken in a very promising colt by Hotchkiss—Aleger, full brother to Quickfire, a winner at the recent Dunedin meeting.

The gentleman who races under the name of H. Bernard has placed Lady Farrington, half-sister to Kitchenmaid, a dual winner at the Poverty Bay meeting, under C. Weal’s charge to receive her preparation.

We extend our sympathy to Mr. J. F. Hartland, secretary of the A.R.C., who had the misfortune to have his house and furniture totally destroyed by fire on Monday last.

The Otahuhu Trotting Club’s Summer Meeting was to have been brought to a conclusion on Saturday last, but owing to the inclemency of the weather the stewards had no option but to postpone the fixture until Wednesday, 28th inst.

The racehorses Polycaste and The Lark did not make the return trip to Ellerslie after the Egmont meeting. It is reported that the latter has gone into F. Tilley’s charge.

The Waihi Jockey Club will hold their race meeting this year on the Paeroa racecourse on April 7, the improvements to the Waihi racecourse not having been completed.

The New Zealand-bred mare Gladsome accounted for the Futurity Stakes on Saturday last, and started at the remunerative odds of 10 to 1. A match between this brilliant mare and the flying Machine Gun, which is reported likely to take place, would cause an immense amount of interest.

Rongoa, the winner of the three hurdle races at Dunedin, was bred by Mr. Donald McKinnon on his farm at Ohinewai.

Owing to the postponement until Wednesday of the Otahuhu Trotting Club’s concluding day, Mr. C. O’Connor will be unable to officiate as starter, he having an engagement with the Rotorua J.C. on that day. Mr. F. Edwards will officiate in Mr. O’Connor’s absence.

At a sale, of bloodstock held at Hawera last Thursday, the following were the principal prices obtained: — B f by St. Clements—Raurau, Mr. A. Alexander, 26 guineas; b g, Land o’ Cakes, by Lochnagar—Avenessa, Mr. J. W. Hurst, 26 guineas; b g, Bishop, by Westmere —Prioress, Mr. H. Vine, 12 guineas; b g, 4yrs, by Daystar— Irena, Mr. R. E. Mcßae, 16% guineas; b f, 2yrs, by aystar—lrene, Mr. J. O’Shea, 10 guineas; b c, 2yrs, by Daystar —Bella Agnus, Mr. D. Barry, 12 guineas.

The racehorses Nightfall and a chestnut filly by Finland left for Sydney on, Friday evening by the s.s. Wimmera,, in charge of G. Morris. Nightfall has been purchased by Mr. G. G. Kiss, and the filly by Mr. I. Earnshaw.

The departure from New Zealand of two such high-class animals as the brother and sister, Nightfall and Noctuiform, is a matter for considerable regret, if only from a breeding point of view. So far as racing is concerned, however, they were of comparatively little value in this colony, as, outside of handicaps, there are very few oportunities for horses like this pair to race in this colony. In Australia it is otherwise, weight-for-age races over a distance finding a place at all the leading meetings.

Ben Deeley left on Sunday last to fulfil an engagement to ride Melodeon in the Wanganui Cup.

The well-known jockey, F. D. Jones, left Lyttelton on Wednesday, and on the following day joined the Turakina, by which vessel he is now journeying to England.

A general exodus of sporting men has taken place this week, Wanganui and Rotorua each claiming their quota of patronage.

South Auckland (Hamilton) race meeting on Saturday next is always a favourite fixture with Aucklanders, and this year promises to be no exception to the rule. Given fine weather the success of the meeting is assured. Most of the local horses will journey there on the day of the meeting.

Bert Rae, who met with such an unfortunate accident in returning from the last South Auckland meeting, by which he lost his foot, was in the saddle at the Otahuhu Trotting Meeting on Wednesday last, when he rode Valma in the Suburban Pony Handicap.

The racecourse “ burglar” is a person who may be variously described, but the robbery reported from a club in West Australia recently was evidently perpetrated by one of the common order of midnight thieves. The Helena Vale meeting took place on Saturday, and a lot of money, about £450, was locked up where it was supposed to be safe. This proved a delusion, for the money was stolen, and the club is so much poorer. It is a long time since anything of the kind was reported. The loss will absorb the profits of racing temporarily, and coming on the top of recent reductions of dates will be considered very bad luck. Speaking of Helena Vale reminds me (says “ Umpire”) that there was a “ scene” there on Saturday. The winning performance of Gerardy, owned by Mr. Connelly, was deemed so inconsistent that the crowd rioted, and made a demonstration which one correspondent says “ beggared description.” Two items like these within twenty-four hours seem rather rough on the proprietors of Helena Vale.

Lady Clements, 3yrs, by St. Clements—Maria, has been purchased by Mr. W. A. Scott, and is now in her new quarters at Mangere.

At Messrs. A. Buckland and Sons’ saleyards on Friday last the pony Inspiration, by Freedom — Happy Thought, was knocked down to Mr. W. Turner at 65 guineas.

Humphrey O’Leary, who was found drowned in the Waipoua River, near Masterton, on Wednesday last, was a well-known hurdle rider, and had for the past seven years been employed by Mr. James Cress. He was of a quiet, unassuming disposition, and was generally liked by all those who knew him. At the inquest a verdict was returned that' deceased was found drowned, but there was no evidence to show how he got in the river. The funeral took place on Friday, and was largely attended.

March is a favourite month for country race meetings in the Auckland district, the following clubs holding fixtures: —South Auckland, March 3; Papakura, March 10;. Waiuku, March 12; Mauku, March 15; Paeroa, March 17 and 19; Thames, March 24; Te Awamutu, March 28.

In the course of a betting case at the Supreme Court, Christchurch, last week, Mr. Justice Denniston drew attention to the heading on what was apparently a betting paper, put in by the police as an exhibit. The paper had been seized on the bookmakers’ premises. At the top of it, His Honor explained, was a representative of the wooden horse, which was given by the Greeks to the Trojans, and brought about their destruction. Beneath it was the motto, “ Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes,” which, he might roughly translate, for the purposes of the present case, as “ Avoid your friends when they make tips.” Another motto which was attached might be translated —“ Put not your trust in horses.” He did not know who the ingenious person was who had designed the heading, but it certainly gave good advice. “ Which nobody takes,” commented the Crown Prosecutor. “ Which nobody takes,” repeated His Honor, ‘ ‘ otherwise,” he added, “it would not be there.”

A feature of the Otahuhu Trotting Club’s meeting on Wednesday last, 21st inst., was the grand exhibition given by Mint, the five-year-old mare, by Wilkie —Mistletoe, in the Highclass Trot, distance, one mile and ahalf. Mint rapidly overtook her field and won the event in the good time of 3min 39% sec, equal to 2min 26sec to the mile. An exciting finish was also witnessed in the Tramway Trot, one mile and a-half, when Miss Huon rewarded her owner with a win after a close set-to with Verve.

It has not been an uncommon circumstance for Newmarket winners to show form at Caulfield just before (says “ The Referee.”) William Tell, for instance, who won easily at Flemington, gave a distinct line to his prospects in that way. In later years Sir Foote, Chantress, and Playaway performed well at Caulfield prior to capturing the Newmarket. It will probably be a prominent performer on the heath who will win on Saturday, but the precise one is what people are speculating about. If Mr. C. L. Macdonald, who won a Newmarket with Wakeful, could be located as making a definite move in favour of Wandin, that horse would promptly get a public following, but though a fair price is on offer there is no demand at present. One reason for Wandin not getting support is, doubtless, that Lachlan, in the same stable, is a fancied horse, and is likely to strip in fit condition. He will be seen in the Futurity Stakes, and if he wins will have his Newmarket chance at 7st, no penalty being involved. Lachlan should be more fitted for the fray than he was last year, when he ran about seventh in the sprint at Flemington. Someone has got money about Lachlan, but no one could have secured any very considerable amount, and now he would be a difficult horse to back at a fair price to any extent, for the reason that Mr. C. L. Macdonald’s judgment would be followed if he declared for this horse in preference to Wandin.

A peculiar case came before the Victorian Club recently. A backer was asked to nut on £l5O for a patron of R. O’Connor’s stable in the Western Handicap. The money was put on St. Henry instead of Sir Roland. Before the race the error was discovered, and £l5O put on Sir Roland. The question was who should lose the £l5O put on St. Henry, the backer, or the man who instructed him? The committee decided that the man who gave the instructions must pay. The other man was his agent, and the principal must abide by the mistakes of his agent.

WAIPA RACING CLUB.

The Waipa Racing Club’s registered meeting will be held on the Te Awamutu racecourse on Wednesday, March 28. The programme, which consists of six events, is published in full in another column. Nominations will be received by the secretary for all events,, at Te Awamutu, on Wednesday, March 7, by 9 p.m. Handicaps will appear on March 12, and acceptances March 21, 1906. Mr: H. B. Massey will receive nominations and acceptances in Auckland.

THE WAIUKU MEETING.

The Waiuku Racing Club’s annual meeting is to be held on the Waiuku racecourse on Tuesday, March 13. There are seven events on the programme, and £lOO in stakes. An advertisement setting forth excursions, etc., will be found in another column. The meeting is to be held under the Auckland Racing Club’s rules.

WANGANUI RACING CLUB.

The Wanganui Cup, for decision today, has thirteen horses left in, and it is safe to predict that a stirring contest will take place over the mile and three-quarters course. The top weight, Paritutu, ran second in last year’s race, and as this horse has been training on satisfactorily, he must take a lot of beating. Multifid, the winner of the Great Northern Derby at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, has many admirers, and the supporters of Nonette are confident that he will render a great account of himself. The followers of Master Alix give him more than an “outside chance of securing the coveted prize. With such a flattering handicap it is a hard matter to pick the winner, but without further comment I will give my vote to Paritutu, and name Multifid and Nonette to fill the places. My selections for the other events are as follows: — Stewards’ Handicap: Apa or Jewellery. Juvenile Handicap: Gazeley or Merriwai. Hurdles: Comfort or Vexation. Tayforth Hurdles: Geologist or Dalky. Petre Welter: Apa or Cyrano. Wiritoa Handicap: The Lark or Pretty Maid.

Flying Handicap: Achilles or Lady Annie.

SOUTH AUCKLAND RACING CLUB.

The above annual meeting will take place on the Claudelands course, Hamilton, on Saturday next, March 3. With every promise of good fields and fine weather this popular meeting is sure to attract a large attendance, as the facilities for reaching the course and returning on the same day induce numbers to take the journey who otherwise could not attend. Since the last annual meeting the club has gone in extensively for improvements, the saddling paddock and enclosure having been enlarged, and the alterations to the grandstand and totalisator house afford more accommodation and convenience to patrons of the club. A special train will leave Auckland at 6.45 a.m., the return special leaving Kirikiriroa at 6.10 p.m., arriving Auckland at 10.55 p.m. The following are my selections for the various events: — Trial Handicap: Freehold or Matahura. Hurdles: Seabird. Cup: Nervine or Bonomiana. Pony Race: Hurihuri. Steeplechase: Hylas or Sudden. Tradesman’s: Bonomiana or Kola Nip. Flying: Certainty or Lucrece.

Twin. foals (writes tire Queensland correspondent of the “ Sydney Mail ) are not too common; triplets are quite uncommon; and four at a birth are almost unprecedented; but Mr. A. J. Cotton, of Hiddon Vale, Grandehester, states that his imported mare, Swag, ,by Macbeth (13 Booty (4), by Sterling (12), from the Oaks winner, Brigantine, by Buccaneer (14), slipped four filly foals last week to the English horse Sir Hugo, with whom she was mated before leaving England for Queensland The loss and disappointment are serious and bitter. When there are more tnan one at a birth they usually die or but one survives, though I see that Mr. Virgoe vouches for the following striking exception:—His thoroughbred mare Nymph was mated with a Welsh pony, Arabi Pasha, and next season threw to him a grey filly on September 12, a creamv colt cn October 6, and a creamy colt on October 21 (a case of extra uterino gestation), and the triplets all survived their foalhood. A twin, Nike, by Alexander, won the Oaks, 1797. An addition has been made to the list of high-priced horses in England by. the sale of Mr. G. Faber’s stallion Pietermaritzburg, by St. Simon from Bea Air, by Isonomy from Re-echo, ty Reverberation from- Mabille, by Parmesan, who has changed hands at 15,000 guineas. Pietermaritzburg raced three seasons,- but only in his third year did he earn a winning bracket, his best performances in that season including the Tudor Plate at Sandown Park, second to Yysilanti In the May Plate at Kempton Park, won the Durham County Plate at Stockton, won the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket, beating Epsom Lad, Diamond Jubilee, and five others, and ran second to Osboch in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket. - On his retirement from the turf in 1903 he was put to stud duty at the Heath Stud, Newmarket, at the moderate fee of 25 guineas.

The annual meeting of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club, to be held on March 17 and 19, is expected to be a record one, both in point of entries and attendance. The course, which has been considerably altered and enlarged since the last meeting, is now a right-hand one, being also just under a mile in length. A fine and commodious stand, designed by Mr. E. Bartley, of Auckland, is now almost completed, and will be finished in readiness for the meeting. Special trains are to be run from Frankton and Waihi, and, given fine weather, a most successful meeting should result.

We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a complimentary ticket for the South Auckland Racing Club’s annual meeting, which takes place on Saturday, March 10.

The new fence that has been built around the Ellerslie course, and which is now nearing completion, is an immense improvement, and gives the place a trim and neat appearance.

Lord Howard de Walden is reported to have refused £30,000 for Zinfandel, Senor Correas, the South American breeder, having made an offer of that amount for him. Senor Correas will be remembered as the purchaser of Diamond Jubilee, for whom he paid a similar price.

According to the “ Sporting Chronicle,” the statement that Velasquez, the well-known sire belonging to Lord Rosebery, had been destroyed, is incorrect. The “ Chronicle” avers to having good authority for the statement.

The popular and well-known trainer, Mr. F. Macmanemin, left on Tuesday last for Wanganui on a holiday visit.

The match between Gladsome and Machine Gun has been practically arranged, according to advices from Melbourne. The match is over seven furlongs, weight-for-age, for 500sovs. The race is certain to arouse an enormous amount of interest.

THE BETTING MARKET.

Messrs. Barnett and Grant report as AUTUMN HANDICAPS. 1000 to 2—Zetland and Thunderer 600 to 4— Solution and Makaroff 600 to 4—Solution and Auratus 600 to 2—Martian and Martian, and Martian and Petrovna 800 t 6 2—Pas Seul and Master Alix 600 to 2—Achilles and s^?Pd^. nce „ r __ 500 to 2 —Petrovna and Stepdancer