NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 855, 26 July 1906, Page 5

NOTES.

(By “ The Judge.”) Mr. Fairburn is the new owner of the ex-Aucklander Nonette. * * * The Caulfield Grand National will be run on August 4 and 11. * * * * Next Wednesday will see the commencement of another season. It should prove a very successful one. J. B. Williamson left for Riccarton on Tuesday with Aqua Regia. Irish is already at the Southern racecourse. * * * * By the Ngapuhi Sol and Baritone were shipped South on Tuesday. D. Morraghan went in charge. * * * * Nominations for the seats on the committee of the Auckland Racing Club must be handed in to the secretary by Monday next. * * * * Hohoro's disappointing brother Tahutu was shipped to the Islands on Tuesday by the Navua. Writing of the Islands reminds me that Bacchus won a race at Suva just before the mail left. * * * * The last day or two having been fine, the tracks at Ellerslie have rapidly dried. They were in a fearfully heavy state before. * * * * The fifteenth annual show of the Auckland Kennel Club will take place on August 3 and 4. * * * * The well-known stallion, Seaton Delaval, whose stock this season have won thirty-two races of the value of £5932, is standing at Sylvia Park at a fee of 20 guineas for single mares. * * * * La Gloria (St. Leger—Charante), the half-sister to Nonette, has foaled twins to Finland. This is a piece of bad luck for the owner of the Waikanae Stud.

Kremlin is a strong fancy for the G.N. Hurdle Race at Ricarton, for which event he has been well backed.

The N.S.W. breeder, Mr. S. Reynolds, has purchased from Sir Edward Cassel the stallion Prudent King, by Love Wisely from St. Reine, by St. Simon.

The Avondale Jockey Club will bring off their spring meeting on September 22, 26, and 29. It is to be hoped the vernal equinox does not make itself unpleasantly felt just then, but there is a big risk of it.

From Maitland (N.S.W.) comes word of the death of the well-known trainer, James Mayo. Among many successes he won the Royal Stakes and Birthday Handicap with Honeydew, the Hawkesbury Handicap, Metropolitan, and Anniversary Handicaps with Cardigan, the Epsom Handicap and Summer Cup with Stockwell, and many good raecs with Invader, Dagmar, Hypatia and others.

In answer to “ Subscriber” (Tauranga) if the horse scratched is the first leg of the double, you are entitled to get your money back, but if it is the second horse which drops out, the wager stands and you lose.

Mahutonga left for Sydney by the Union liner Mokoia on Monday evening. • * * *

Acceptances for the G.N. Steeplechase, Hurdle Race, and Winter Cup are due to-morrow evening.

Cuneform has arrived in Melbourne, Mr. Stead having sold the son of Multiform to a Caulfield owner.

The Auckland National contingent, viz., Irish, Swimmer, Cuiragno, Ranana, and Cavalry, are in steady work at Riccarton. Cuiragno is said to have greatly pleased the touts.

Signalman and Zetland have been scratched for the Winter Cup.

Convoy has dropped out of the G.N. Hurdle race and the New Zealand Cup.

The C.J.C. National meeting will take place on August 14, 16 and 18.

The Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club Steeplechase meeting will be held next Wednesday.

One of the first spring fixtures will be the meeting of the Marton Jockey Club, on September 5 and 6. ♦ * * <

Nonette has gone to take up stud duties in Queensland. If given anything like a chance the game son of Seaton De'aval and Charente should do well. Mr. Stevenson received 450 guineas for the ex-Aucklander.

Mr. G. G. Stead, during the past fourteen seasons, has won the respectable sum of £90,602 in stakes alone.

Solution looks like carrying a lot of New Zealand money in the Epsom Handicap. It is reported that Hewitt is to ride the daughter of Sonlt.

The Waikato Hunt Club will hold a meeting on September 5.

Up-to-Date, lost. i2lb., finished out of a place in the Steeplechasers’ Flat race at Flemmington on the nth inst.

The hitherto unlucky Llangibby won the Sandown Park Eclipse Stakes of 10,000 sovs. last Friday, and thus made amends for his many placed performances in big events. As the son of Wildfowler and Concussion carried 9.13, the victory was not without merit.

The New Zealand horse Windy, recently sent to Melbourne, has been sold for 380 guineas, and goes to India.

The progeny of Stepniak have so far w °n in stakes, not a bad record for the son of Nordenfeldt.

A meeting of the Metropolitan Committee took place on Thursday, the Hon. E. Mitchelson presiding. The programme of the Waikato Hunt Club for the meeting on September 5 was passed. Licenses for the ensuing year were granted as fo'lows :—Trainers : T. A. Williams, J. B. Williamson, F. J. Macmanemin, J. E. Thorpe, R. Thorpe, and D. P. Morraghan. Jockeys: S. W. Hay, J. Mclntosh, M. Ryan, J. N. Buchanan, J; Willson, W. Wilson, W. O’Connell, F. Howard’ and J. O’Connell. IS. J. Bowers was granted a probation jockey’s license for three months. Gentlemen riders’ certificates were granted to Mervyn Wells and M. H. Tims.

A meeting of the committee of the Auckland Racing Club was he d on Thursday. The figures for the balancesheet for the past year’s operations, to be submitted at the annual meeting on August 6, were submitted to the committee and approved. Accounts amounting to /J 3 oo were passed for pavment. At. * * *

Th- Sou’-Wester gelding Teretonga, while training at Hemmington a few days ago, fell and broke his shoulder, and was Subsequently shot. He wa entered for both the New Bealand and Melbourne Cups.

Brisecoeur, who ran Spearmint to half a length in the Grand Prix de Pans started at 106 to i against, and 16 to I against for a place. The Carbine colt had to be hard ridden to beat him.

The annual meeting of the members of the Wanganui Jockey Club was to have taken place last night. The report to be submitted stated that during the vear a handsome and up-to-date grandstand has been erected; the totaiisator house has been added to, so that we can now supply six machines against four. The expenditure in permanent improvements amounts to £45 8 6> which absor ' ed our invested funds shown in last balance sheet, with the exception of. £7s° on fixed deposit, which at maturity in August will practically extinguish the overdraft.” The balance sheet shows, a very healthy state of affairs. The ex cellent custom of printing! last year s figures in red for the sake of camparison with this season’s statement of acc ° un is still continued, and might we copied by other clubs. * * * *

The following officers have been elected by the committee of the Thames Jockey Club President, the Hon. Jas. McGowan; vice-president, Mr. Alfred Smith; treasurer, Mr. C. Winder; judge, Dr. Aubin; handicapper, Mr. R. Wynyard; starter, Mr. C. Hanken; clerk of scales, Mr. W. Taylor; clerk of the course, Mr. A. Bateman; timekeeper, Mr. D. Two-hill; stewards', Messrs. Bruce, Winder, Stewart, Buckland, In S li s, Tw f“ hill, and Loughlin; chairman, Mr. A. Bruce.

“Advance, Australia! was the cry (says the London “Sporting Life ) in the Bromsgrove Selling Plate, and ng nobly did that Continent respond, for The Swagman “humped his swag and, undeterred by innumerable difficulties!, reached the post ahead of the potted St. Bernard IL, and, incidentally, everything else. Mr. Henning (his owner) Ferguson (his trainer), and Carslake (his jockey), a’l hail from “down under. '** * *

Up to the time the last mail left England (writes “Pilot”), B. Carslake had not done much riding, but had made good use of his few opportunities. His first win was at Birmingham, when he scored on Mr. R. Henning’s three-year-old gelding, The Swagman, who started at io to i. It was only m the last stride that The Swagman beat Freckled Face, ridden by Wheatley. At Brighton a few days later Carslake was successful on Mr. F. W. Day’s Glenbreck a 100 to 8 chance in a field of eleven ; while he also won on Mr. Henning’s filly Strife at the same fixture.

Noctuiform (8.9) ran nowhere m the Holiday Handicap, one mile and a quarter, at Hurst Park (England) on June 4. The winner was Given Up (7-n). whi’e Noctuiform was seventh, there being ten runners.

Realm’s ex-owner purchased him for £75, won, among other races, a Grand National Hurdle Race of £mB with him, and subsequently sold him for 650 guineas. Not bad business, this.

According to the Sydnev “Referee” it has been definitely decided to mate Pendant with Machine Gun during the coming season. If like could be relied upon to beget like, the result of such a union should be a sensational sprinter.

The English Oaks, inaugurated iri the year 1779, was, won that year by Bridget, the property of the then Lord Derby. The filly was by Herod, out of a mare named Jemima. She subsequently proved a valuable brood mare, and died at Knowsley when 22 yearg of age. For the first Oaks there were 17 subscribers and 12 starters. In 1794 the race again fell to Lord Derbv by the aid of Hermione, a filly by Sir Peter out of Paulina. Then, after a long lapse of over a century, the present Lord Derby appropriated the race in 1896 with Canterbury Pilgrim, by Tristan, and for the second time by the aid of Keystone 11., this year. All these winners have been bred by their respective owners. The largest field for the Oaks was in 1848, when 26 ran.

The Thames Jockey Club made a profit of £636 on the season s transactions.

The death occurred a few days ago of the Victorian jockey F. Du?n, ™ °p 1 several races on Wakeful and the Cau field Futurity Stakes on Aurous.

The ex-Australian horse Parthian is standing the present season in England at Mr. T. Leader’s stud, Newmarket, His fee is 18 guineas. Merman and Aurum’s respetive fees are advertised as 45 and 9 guineas.

The South Australian horse Mont Pelee was backed for the Melbourne Cup to win about £15.000 before the weights were declared.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond has a particularly nice lot of two-year-olds in work at Karamu by Birkenhead, the fillies especially being well spoken of.

J. Howard is to ride Kiatere in the C.J.C. big steeplechase.

I learn that the brood mare Aleger has slipped a dead foal by Seaton e ava. A piece of bad luck, this.

During the settling over the first day of the V.R.C. National meeting, the New Zealand candidate Melodeon was backed for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups; £15,000 was secured at 100 to 2 and 3 for both races.

Mr. T. W. Ponsonby has been appointed secretary of the Greymouth J oc _^. e y Club (says the “Weekly Press”), vice Mr. J. L. Doogan, who has resigned after holding the office for twelve years. Previous to Mr. Doogan taking charge of the secretarial duties, Mr. F. W. Lahman was secretary, and he succeeded Mr. Payne, who filled the position twenty years ago. *

A glance at Miller’s Guide discloses that no fewer than 237 different horses are nominated for the big Spring Handicaps. The list this year is very representative. the best handicap performers from each of the Australian States as well as eleven New Zealanders and one Eng-lish-bred horse, Fair Wind, are nominated. Avalon, who is in both Cups, has taken part in 166 races; The Sami in 126 races; Lucknow in no races, and lhe Bairn in 78 races.

Several notable alterations have- been made in the horse racing records* during the. past year. At Flemington last March Step Out covered 7 furlongs in imin. 26 3-z|sec., which equals the previous Australian record for the same distance held by Ibex. For 9 furlongs, that consistent mare Marvel Loch broke all Australasian figures by negotiating the journey in imin. 52|sec., whilst the mile and a halt record was reduced to 2min. 3 2|sec. by Noctuiform in the A.J.C. Derby, and two days later the same figures were equalled by Maniapoto in the Metropolitan. At Liverpool, England, last July, Chaucer got a mile and 3 furlongs in the phenomenal time of 2min. 17 3-5 se . c - B,ue s P ec . s Melbourne Cup time, 3 min. 27>sec., is the fastest to date for that race, and in May last Abdallah won a two mile steeplechase at Williamstown in 3 min. 54 sec -> a record.

Writing of the death of the Victorian jockey F. Dunn, “Terlinger,” of the “Australasian,” says that he was only 23 years of age. His death was sudden, and the ending sad. Dunn began his career as a small boy at St. Albans, and was a favourite of Mr. Macdonald’s. The first horse he looked after was Miss Carbine, and as a very little chap he won a race on her at Geelong. Later on Mr. Macdonald gave him nearly all his riding, but, unfortunately, success upset Dunn, and his master felt obliged to part with him. Dunn was a good horseman, and no one could ride Wakeful as well as he did, but, as often happens, he came to the front too early. The head was too young to stand winning big race after big race. He got to think that he knew more than his owner, and lost races through not riding to orders. In the Melbourne Cup which Wakeful ran second for he was told on no account to come to the front before the distance. He took the lead half a mile from home. Up to the time he left the stable Dunn always looked after “old mother, as the boys called Wakeful, and he was most attached to the little mare. Dunn was a brother-in-law of H. Munro, and th last mount he had was on La Siesta at Caulfield. He won the Melbourne Cup, the Sydney Cup, and Newmarket Handicap for Mr. Macdonald.

A fact not generally known that the great Doncaster was originally known as “All Heart and No Peel.” Mr. Merry,

who bought the colt, naturally enough objected to the name and changed it.

Batchelor’s Button won the Manchester Cup, one mile and a half, in the extraordinary time of 2tnin. 32 3 -ssec., and carried top weight of gst. It is therefore not altogether surprising that he beat Pretty Polly in the Gold Cup at Ascot. Batchelor’s< Button has now the somewhat unique record of having won two Liverpool Cups, the Doncaster Cup, the Manchester Cup, the Ascot Gold Cup, and two Ascot Gold Vases. the Americans say, he is evidently “no slouch” of a racehorse.

A famous patron of coursing in Enghas passed away in the person of Sir Thomas Brocklebank, who took an active part in the sport from his early days until he was past 90 years of age, and who has survived by only a few months another nonogenarian and rival courser in the late Lord Masham. Sir Thomas once nominated a winner of the Waterloo Cup—Mr. Jeierson’s. Judge, in t B55 —and twice ran-up with dogs of his own breeding—with Bowfell (to Roaring Meg) in _iB62, and with Bishop (to Princess Dagmar) in 1881.

According to the London correspondent of the “Australasian,” Fred Bates, in his youth a prominent jockey, and later on a hjghly-successful trainer, has just died at the age of 65. He first started training at Thirsk, but afterwards moved to Cheltenham, and thence to Lambourn. Many famous winners passed under his care, including such performers as Vespacian, Blue Jacket, Marmaduke, Tam o’ Shanter, Hilarious, Tibthorpe, Vulcan, Border Minstrel, Reveller, Perkin Warbeck, .Cambuslang, Borneo, Riverside, Teviotdale, Red Ensign, all of whose names may be found recorded as victorious in important races. Bates won the Ascot Stakes for various owners seven times between 1880 and i 89- „ * *

“Carbine has two-year-olds, yearlings, foals, and mares in foal to follow after Spearmint, Gingal, Ramrod, and Co., and It is quite likely that I.e may still become a great stud success (says the Australasian”), while if this does not happen in his lifetime, it is practically certain that his blood will be of great value in the future. Unfortunatey the Derby winner has few really good engagements, having been apparently entered in accordance with the small price he made as a yearling. That Spearmint did not fetch more than he did when a yearling was natural enough, for Carbine had not been an unqualified success since he came to England, and many of his. stock which had given great early promise were disappointments when put into training. Major Loder bought this particular colt on his own judgment, having taken a great fancy to him when he, looked over Sir Tatton’s yearlings; but it is pretty certain that no very great things were expected of him until quite lately, when it was found he could stick so well to Pretty Polly in his home gallops. *

No less a sum than £90,000 went through the totaiisator on the Grand Prix de Paris.

The Victorian horseman, B. Carslake, has started well in England, as out of four rides he has scored three wins.

His Majesty’s steeplechaser Moifaa has been sold privately, and Is now at H Escott’s stable at Lewes. The New Zealand-bred gelding is not likely to again run in public, but will be used for hunting purposes.

The “ Sportsman’s” first list of winning stallions was published last month. Carbine was at the head of the list, but as Spearmint is not in the St. Leger or any of the ten thousand pound stakes, and Ramrod has gone wrong, Carbine is hardly likely to retain his lead. The value of the Grand Prix de Paris was £lO,OOB, and Major Loder, the owner of Spearmint, is said to have invested £7OOO on his colt.

“ Among the horses belonging to His Majesty (King George II.) at the Great Lodge,” says Mr. Frost in 1807, “is a small Arabian stallion, called the Hampton Court Arabian. This horse is about 13h 3in high, and, notwithstanding the smallness of his size, if put to a large, roomy mare, he gets horses 16h high, and full of bone, capable of carrying 20st a fox-hunt-ing.”

The New Zealander Melodeon (Medallion— Melodia), who arrived in Sydney a few weeks back, has been bought by Mr. J. Brennan for .500 guineas, and will in future be trained by R. O’Connor at Kogarah.

There were 13 starters for the Grand Prix de Paris, which, we iearnt by cable at the time, was won by the Carbine cot, Spearmint, from Brisecoeur and Storm. Another English horse to compete in addition to Spearmint was Mr. L. Heineman’s Malua. Spearmint started at 10 to 9 on, led all the way, and won, all out, by half a length. The time for the mile and seven furlongs (3min 18 l-ssec) has only once been beaten in this particular event during the last ten years.

Another of the New Zealand contingent in Starshoot was seen out on Saturday (says the Sydney “ Referee”) running in the Rosehill Handicap. He was very fractious at the start, and was side-on when the barrier rose. He made up his ground along the back, and coming to the turn momentarily looked dangerous, but failing to run on in the straight, was, with Carolga, just beaten for third place by The Laird.

Pretty Polly’s sire, Gallinule, would not, when his stud life commenced, have been looked at by English breeders, and in Ireland his services were for some years free to approved mares. Bachelor’s Button is by Winkfield, a horse given away by John Hornsby. Such is the luck of breeding.

A well-known identity in turf circles in Victoria has joined the great majority in the person of Mr. George Watson, for many years starter to the V.R.C. Concerning him the “ Town and Country Journal” has the following interesting particulars: — Born at Ballydarton, county of Carlow, Mr. Watson came of a famous hunting family. He arrived in Melbourne in 1851, and in 1852 was in occupation of Kirk’s Bazaar, which from those days has continued a great meeting-place for sporting men. He subsequently went in for the coaching business, in partnership with Mr. Cyrus Hewitt, and their “ Cobb and Co.’s” coaches were known all over the colony. Mr. Watson himself was a very fine driver, and safely brought a coach and team through many a perilous journey. More a hunting man than a racing man, he still owned, trained, and rode several racehorses in the old days. Many years ago a great steeplechase was run annually at Campbelltown, Tasmania, and Mr. Watson won this race with Lottery in a field of seventeen. A good performer which he owned was Shadow, a mare bred in Tasmania. Mr. Watson won the Victorian Derby in 1860 with Flying Colours, and the V.R.C. Oaks and Geelong Produce Stakes the same year with Palestine. He also won many good jumping races with Ballarat, Banker, and other horses. In 1853 Mr. Watson established the Melbourne Hunt Club, and was elected master, a position which he nominally retained at the time of his death. When he came out to Australia Mr. Watson brought with him a few couple of foxhounds from his father’s kennels. These formed the nucleus of the first pack of hounds. The meets in those days used to take place early in the morning, and they were generally at Malvern, then a thick bush, kangaroo being the game. Later on the Messrs. Chirnside, of Werribee Park, imported some red deer, and these in time provided very exciting runs. On one occasion a stag, when pressed by the hounds, took to the waters of Hobson’s Bay, and swam across from Williamstown to St. Kilda. Mr. Watson has left a large grown-up family. Mr. Tom Watson, who is starter in Sydney, and Mr. Godfrey Watson, the V.R.C. smarter, are sons of his. Mr. Robert Watson and Mr. George Watson, two more sons, have had experience with the flag, and still another son, Mr. William Watson, was once a prominent amateur boxer. Both ’of his daughters were until recently well-known followers of the Melbourne hounds.

I have to acknowledge receipt from the J. J. Miller Printing Company, of Melbourne, of that very welcome publication, “J. J. Miller’s Sporting Pamphlet” (31st edition). As usual, it contains a most interesting fund of up-to-date information, gathered from all departments of the world of sport. To those who only take even a passing interest in sport it is invaluable, whilst to the active enthusiast it should prove a most reliable guide. Included in its 224 pages are to be found all the performances of every horse nominated for the A.J.C. Metropolitan, and Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, along with their weights, pedigrees, colours to be worn, and owners’ and trainers’ names. Full pedigrees of horses nominated for the A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbys, as well as the leading two-year-old events of next season are given. Winners of all the important handicaps and classical races should prove extremely useful in settling the many disputes that arise in turf discussion. A list of the yearling and blood stock sales held during the year is a most important new addition to the pamphlet, and should be found of much use to close followers of two-year-old form. In addition, very complete records are given of athletics, cycling, swimming, and the various sports and pastimes, while the numerous illustrations are all of interest. The book should be in every sportsman’s library, and is published for the very moderate charge of one shilling. * * * * Fgures show that the purchase of Flying Fox was an excellent financial speculation for his owner, M. Edmond Blanc, for the produce of the son of Orme and Vampire have already won since 1903 in public money £112,800; Gouvernant was sold for £20,000; Vai d’Or for £28,000; Adam for £16,000; and Jardy for £30,000; without mentioning other sales from time to time by M. Edmond Blanc, who still retains possession of Flying Fox as well as Ajax, who is one of the best among promising sires representing the strains of Dollar and Wellingtonia, so highly prized in France. * * * * The English St. Leger entries do not include either Spearmint or Picton, who ran first and second respectively in the Derby, so it is probable that with those two out of the way, there will be a big field for the Doncaster race. Troutbeck (third in the Derby) is in the list, as is Marco (Malua —Harem), and, all going well with the latter, he may start favourite. He only finished fifth in the Derby, but he is said to have met with more than his share of bad luck, and may fare better in the longer race. • * • • An English writer remarks that the delay in finding a gun reminds him of a story the late Jas. Waugh once told him. He had a horse in a steeplechase, and, falling at a fence, lay apparently lifeless. It seemed clear that he had broken his back. A gun was sent for, and when the messenger, after some time, arrived with it, he saw three men, all out of temper, trying to catch the dead horse, and it was two hours before they succeeded. All the wind for the moment had been knocked out of him, and he won several races afterwards, which he would not have done had there been a gun handy. * * * * Various methods of teaching horses to stand still by themselves are practised in different parts of the world. In South America the natives hobble the animal, and leave the long rawhide rein trailing on the ground; if the horse tries to get away, he treads on the rein, and thus brings himself to a standstill. After a time he learns to stand without hobbles when the rein is simply thrown on the ground before him. In the Western States of America the plan is to tie a length of rope to a sharp Mexican bit in the horse’s mouth, and let it lie; if the horse moves he treads on the rope, and hurts his mouth. Another method is to tie the reins below the knee, so that he can feed, but cannot get his head up. If this does not answer, the rein is tied instead on his hind leg; this, it is claimed, will stop him at once.