NOTES

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 844, 10 May 1906, Page 5

NOTES

(By

“The Judge.”)

Messrs. Price and Nettlefold have purchased Melodeon from Mr. Watt.

Old Cannongate is bowling along in good style at Ellerslie.

The Ashburton County Racing Club commence their autumn meeting today.

The Bill of Portland horse Treadmill, who has been doing duty as a stallion, is to be put into work again with a view to spring engagements.

The Takapuna Jockey Club will have the double totalisator at work during the forthcoming meeting. The events on which it will be operated are the Empire and Royal Handicaps on the opening day, and the Steeplechase and Britannia Handicaps on the second day.

Leonator has been awarded top weight of 9st 21b in the Empire Handicap, giving 21b to Landlock and 41b to Gladstone. In the Easter Handicap he received 231 b and 171 b respectively from these two horses.

Hautapu has been scratched for all engagements at the Takapuna meeting. Probably 12st 121 b in the Maiden Steeplechase and 12st 21b in the Takapuna Steeplechase was thought too sultry for a novice over country. * * * *

Our Canterbury correspondent speaks very highly of the Yaldhurst yearling Bonoform (Multiform —Otterden). He considers Sungod’s younger brother the pick of Mr. Stead’s lot.

The South Australian St. Leger was won by Mr. G. Anderson’s bay colt Torah, a son of Koran and Tarloch. There were only four runners,. and the winner started a warm favourite.

News comes of the death of Mr. Jonn Gubbins, a -well-known Irish sportsman. He bred and owned Galtee More and Ard Patrick, both of whom won the Derby, and were subsequently sold for 20,000 guineas.

Roger de Belesme, created Earl of Salisbury by William the Conqueror, is the first upon record who introduced Spanish stallions into his estate in Pow’stand, from which that district of Wales was celebrated for its fine breed of horses. Giraldus Cambrensis, who lived in the reign of Henry 11., takes note of it, and their excellence was extolled by Drayton, a contemporary of Shakespere. It was this breed of horses which was destined to mount the nobles and knights for feats of chivalry in the tilt yard. Latei’ on, the gentlemen began to try the fleetness of their horses against one another, but that date rode without measuring the horses, or even weighing.

Master Delaval has been added to the list of geldings.

* * * * The Wellington rider, C. Jenkins, has ridden 61 winners this season.

* * » » Entries for the Melbourne Cup are due on June 5.

Handicaps for the Great Northern Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase are due to appear to-morrow.

General entries for the Auckland Racing Club’s Winter Meeting close to-morrow week.

Handicaps for the first day’s races at the Wanganui meeting will be made public to-morrow.

The second day of the A.R.C. Great Northern meeting will be on Monday, June 4, instead of Wednesday, June 6.

The winter meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club will commence on Saturday week.

The English Derby will be run on May 30, and the Oaks on June 1.

The C.J.C. have increased the stake for the Grand National Steeplechase to one thousand guineas.

A yearling brother to Achilles was sold in Sydney at the recent sales for 525 guineas.

The late George Wright’s horses are shortly to be submitted to auction.

The present crop of yearlings just handled and broken in seem a great improvement on last year’s lot.

The plucky little horseman, Frank Burns, had two rather nasty falls off old Hippowai last week, one on the flat and the other over the stone wall. Frank’s usual luck stuck to him, and he escaped scathless.

Takaro has been scratched for all engagements at the Takapuna meeting.

A number of horses are being galloped the reverse way at Ellerslie with a view of getting ready for the Takapuna meeting.

The ex-Aucklander Beau Seaton started favourite for the Christchurch Autumn Handicap, but he got a two lengths’ beating from Makaroff.

Lally is a pronounced favourite for the English Derby, as short a price as 7to 4 being taken about him. Flair is at 9 to 2, but Gorgos’ Two Thousand victory cannot have been very impressive, as he is quoted at 12 to 1 against.

The Gisborne Racing Club has issued the programme for the Steeplechase Meeting, which will take place on July 5 and 6. The events are the First Hurdles of 60sovs, one mile and three-juarters; the Flying Handicap of 50sovs, six furlongs; the Gisborne Park Steeplechase of lOOsovs, three miles; Winter Oats of 50sovs, one mile and a distance; Second Hurdles of 60sovs, two miles; Waikanae Handicap of 50sovs, seven furlongs; Te Hapara Steeplechase of 80sovs, two and a-half miles; Final Handicap of 50sovs, one mile. There are also a number of hack events. Nominations for the above events close with the secretary, Mr. M. G. Nasmith, on Saturday, June 2. The handicaps are due on the 22nd prox., and acceptances close on June 29, on which date entries for the hack events must also be made. The meeting at Gisborne is always a very interesting one, and is well worth the attention of owners.

A buyer from the Argentine has purchased the French colt Vai d’Or at a big price. The horse was got by Flying Fox from Wandora, and made a sensation in England last year when he defeated the Derby winner Cicero in the Eclipse Stakes.

In the centre of a field at Waverhill, Suffolk, England, is a large stone covering the grave of a mare which died in 1852, inscribed as follows: — “ Polka. She never made a false step. Ecclesiastes iii., 19th verse.” The quotation referred to is: “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts, even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other.” This is probably the only instance of a text from the Scripture appearing as an epitaph on a horse. !

Savoury is reported to be showing signs of knee lameness. He was a great disappointment to his last owner, and may be to his present one.

Solution has a very runaway victory in the Hawke’s Bay Cup yesterday the four-year-old daughter of Soult and Problem winning by six lengths from Rose Madder, with Mobility third.

Cadence, the exceedingly handsome filly which “Mr. Arnold” bought for a hundred guineas at the last sale of the Cambria Park yearlings, is now being broken in by French. If appearances go for anything, she was one of the bargains of the sale.

Another filly just taken in hand by French is the one by Eton from Guinevere. She belongs to the gentleman who races under the name of Mr. Morgan.

The cross-country rider S. Howie is back again from Sydney.

Mr. H. T. Gorrie has been appointed master of the Pakuranga Hunt Club.

It must not be overlooked that all notices of motion to be dealt with at the Racing Conference must be sent to Mr. Wanklyn by the 31st inst.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club held the first meet of the season on Saturday. A luncheon was held at the Otahuhu Hotel, after which a move was made to Mr. Gray’s farm at Papatoetoe, where a good run was obtained.

Gladstone has been scratched from the T.J.C. Empire Handicap, and Lady Hune from the Maiden Hurdles.

B. Carter and T. Cole sued H. H. Hayr at the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday for 28s, beng the amount of dvidend payable on the winner of the Handicap Steeplechase at Avondale. It was proved in the evidence that the ticket was unstamped, and the plaintiffs were non-suited.

While in Sydney, Mr. Bent stated that Mr. S. O. Wood, who is going to England, has been given authority to spend £3OOO in horses for the Victorian Government.

The English horse Velasquez, the sire of the Maribyrnong Plate winner, Murillo, was recently destroyed on account of blindness. Valesquez was by Donovan, and was a good performer.

The Rev. J. Campbell, the breeder of the smart Australian two-year old Antonius, has got a yearling filly sister to the colt, which he considers more promising than Antonius was at the age.

Gladsome is being treated to a short but well-deserved spell, and she will not race in Sydney in the spring.

The Johannesburg Turf Club gave away £38,000 in stakes last year, and in entrance fees alone received a re turn of £12,400. This seems rather severe on the owners.

Our photographer made a special trip up to Papakura to obtain the portrait of Cambrian, which appears on another page, and a glance at it will show that he managed to obtain a particularly good likeness of Auckland’s crack two-year-old, and of his rider, Mark Ryan. Although Cambrian was defeated by Kirriemuir and Huascar in the G.N. Foal Stakes, his subsequent running has shown that he has improved out of all recognition, and he is probably the best two-year-old colt in the colony to-day.

With so much wet weather it is very doubtful if the new course at the five furlongs’ post at Takapuna will be ready for use. This is a pity, as it would have been a big improaement on the old order of things, but the delay will greatly benefit the new track.

Victoria last week lost one of its best racing men in the death of Mr. William Bailey. Though he resided at Ballarat, the best of Mr. Bailey’s horses were trained at Randwick by T. Payten, who won quite a number of classic events for him. The principal winners prepared for the Victorian by T. Payten were Mitford, Cocos, Coil, Haufain, and Hautvillers. With the horses mentioned he won the Caulfield Guineas, Maribyrnong Plate, A.J.C. Champagne Stakes, Derby, V.R.C. Derby, Australian Cup, and a number of other events. During the late years of his life Mr. Bailey was seldom seen on any of the metropolitan race tracks.

The three-year old brown filly Operetta, a daughter of Merriwee and Variety, won the Autumn Handicap at Hastings yesterday. She was well backed for the race.

It is said that Mr. Crick has refused an offer of 3000 guineas for the crack two-year-old Collarit.

An earlier generation attached more importance than we do to trifling characters in the horse. An old writer says: “ The ‘ Roman sword,’ so called from its resemblance to the sword used by the ancient Romans, is, in fact, nothing more than a long feather, or a kind of furrow formed by the hair being inverted, running along the top of the neck near the mane. This mark is very rare, and accounted a great beauty, for which reason those horses which have it are bought up at almost any rate by those who pique themselves on being uncommonly curious in particular about a horse’s coat. The ‘ feather’ —the point where the hair parts as from a centre —on the forehead, breast, or belly was regarded by some experts as a sign of merit. Many Eastern races attach great importance to the position of the whorl or feather on the face.”

F. J. A. was in very poor condition when landed at Colombo, but Nightfall was quite herself. The accommodation given the horses on the big German liner Frederick der Grosse is said to have been very bad, the stalls being not more than 3ft wide.

ELLERSLIE TRAINING NOTES. THURSDAY. Nearly all the work was done on the grass track. Delania gave Lochbue a beating over four furlongs in 48 1-5 sec. Haydn and Sol were mates for a circuit, finishing up the last six furlongs in 1.33. Gladstone and Lady Hune spurted foui' furlongs in 52sec on the sand, finishing together. Discovery gave Apologue a start in four furlongs, but gained very little in 52sec on the sand. Strathavon and Hillflower ran nine furlongs in company. Waitati alone did a taking sprint for three furlongs in 36 4-5 sec on the grass. After breakfast Waipuna slipped over four furlongs in 52 1-5 sec. Tambourine was associated over the same course in 47 4-5 sec; the former led. Girton Girl took 39 2-5 sec to leave three furlongs behind. Bonomiana and Omati jumped seven schooling hurdles nicely. Engraver and Fretwork ran six furlongs on the sand in 1.20 4-5; the former led. Cavalry and King Paul ran about 1£ miles over seven flights of hurdles, shaping well. Mid Cyr, Silicia and Cuiragno did a similar task, but Silicia did not seem to relish his task. Irish and Brigham had a round over the steeplechase country, but the latter tired very much and toppled over the stone wall, his rider (Nesbitt) getting a shaking. Several others worked. SATURDAY. On Saturday morning a good deal of work was got through, principally of a sprinting order, most of the stables being content with short three, four and five furlongs’ sprints on the grass. Tambourina slipped over three furlongs in 37 sec. Cannongate had a couple of rounds on the sand track. The old ’chaser is coming on slowly. Leonator. who looks well, had a fourfurlong flutter in 53 sec. Landlock got over nine furlongs at three-quar-ter pace. Discoverer proved too slippery for Sonoma for four furlongs in 52 sec. Delania and another rattled off the same distance in 48 4-5 sec. Strathavon had the ancient Hillflower settled over the same track in 58 sec. Gladstone and Lady Hune spurted five furlongs in 1.7|, the former in front. Waitati got over the same ground in 1.6 2-5. Forth, Sir Hector, Mechanic, Takaroa and others also worked. After breakfast Girton Girl left four furlongs behind in 55 sec on the sand. Geordie, who gallops short, had a couple of round, but was no use to Sir Gilead. Haydn, Hakaria, Ake Ake and Hippowai were started at the sod wall to negotiate the big country, but the latter disgraced himself by falling at the stone wall (the third jump, and did not go any further. The other three acquitted themselves very well. Cavalry, with King Paul, jumped the batterns the reverse way. and the former led throughout. Bonomiana and Omati followed, and the latter pair bowled along in good style over seven flights of hurdle s. Nervine, Baltimore, Carl Rosa and others did useful work.