NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 953, 11 June 1908, Page 6

NOTES.

(By

The Judge.)

The Hon. E. Mitchelson and Mr M. McLean will be the A.R.C. delegates at the Racing Conference. 4. 4: * x >* Mr A. F. Douglas bought the geding Bulworth during the A.R.C. meeting and the little fellow was shipped south on Sunday. The Takapuna J.C. have adjourned the enquiry into the breeding of Tauriki. The owner of Cyrenial has entered a protest against Tauriki, and in the meantime the stakes have been impounded. * « * « E. Cotton rode three winners at the recent Dunedin meeting. •• r * * Ben Deeley’s application for reinstatement has been refused by the committee of the Auckland Racing Club. * * 9 Noteorini was shipped to Gisborne by the s.s. Moana on Tuesday. The jumper Pierre went south by the same boat. I understand that Mr W. Lyons, the well known penciller, leaves for Sydney on Monday next. * * * * The Hastings jockey, D. Price, will probably visit Australia after the Napier Park meeting. m # * — J. Chaffe, junr., was the most successful trainer at the A.R.C. meeting, sending out three winners. W. Mobberley, R. Hannon, and F. Davis turned out two each. * * * • The Christchurch trainers, C. Piper and H. Kerr have gone for a trip to Austraia. =* * * TThe pony Lady Zoin (by Benjoin) was sent to Sydney last Friday by the Ulimaroa.

Frank Burns, who has been riding in jumping races since 1880, is giving the game best. One of our best cross-country riders, he has a very long list of victories to his credit. Among the most noted victories over jumps were the G.N. Steeplechase on Voltigeur 11. (1900), and the Napier Steeplechase on Papatu (1904). Probably Spalpeen was the best hurdler he ever TP4e-

Handicaps for the Gisborne R. 6. meeting are due on June 20. * * « * The sum of £15,910 was put through the totalisator at the . Otaki Maori Meeting, which is £1723 more than was handled at the Dunedin J.C. Meeting. * * * ♦ Acceptances for the first day of the Hawke’s Bay J.C. winter meeting are due to-day. * . * * * A jockey named Thomas was killed in a steeplechase at Belmont Park (Perth) a few days ago. A * * * The English jockey W. Higgs rode four winners on the opening day of the Epsom meeting. ® * * * Demetrio, who recently won the Italian Derby, has yet to be beaten. His winnings amount to nearly £4500, and he has this year one or two more valuable engagements, inclusive of the Grand Ambroisius Prize. * * * * Divham, winner of last year’s V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, broke one of his legs when being schooled at Femington last week, and was subsequently destroyed. * * * * The once famous jockey, H. Custance, who died in England recently at the age of 67, is said to have ridden in no less than 20 Derbys, of which he won three. He retired from the saddle in 1879, his last win being on Lollypop in the All-aged Stakes at the Newmarket Houghton meeting of that year. He never rode the winner of an Oaks nor of the Two Thousand Guineas, and his only St. Leger win was on Lord Lyon.

From information collected by the Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington, it is shown that the number of registered horses of all the recognised breeds in the United States is about 308,000. Of this number no less than 195,000 are trotters, the light harness horses for outnumbering other breeds. When it is remembered that probably not one standard bred trotter in five is ever registered, the full significance of the Government statistics is apparent, and it seems a fair estimate to say there are at least 1,000,000 trotting-bred horses in the country.

Kiatere’s entry for the Grand National Steeplechase and Australian Steeplechase was cabled across too late. Judging by the Castor gelding’s latest performances no great harm has been done.

Acolyte, who won the Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Randwick so easily on Monday, is a three-year-old bay gelding by Fortunatus from Incense, and belongs to Mr. H. D. O’Brien. He recently put down a big field in the Moorefield Handicap.

The Adelaide Birthday Cup, run over a distance of a mile and a-half, resulted in a win for Mr. J. Rowen’s True Scot (9st 3’b), with Destinist (9st 81b) second, and Red Streak (Bst 31b) third. The winner is a four-year-old chestnut son of Wallace and Fides, and he won by a length from the top weight.

Quite a number of New Zealanders have been entered at the A.J. C.’s spring meeting, included in the list being Soultline, Waipuna, Tamainupo, Frisco, Cross Battery, Sea King, Rose Noble, Golden Slipper, Ringdove, Idyll, and Apa.

It is very pleasing to note that His Majesty’s filly Mimosa, a daughter of Gallinule and Ecila, won the Great Surrey Foal Stakes of lOOOsovs on Saturday last. The King has not had the best of luck on the turf for some time, and a victory for the purple and gold colours would be very popular.

An English racehorse named Banker 111., had an uncommonly uncomfortable experience recently at the Southwell meeting. Having disposed of his jockey early in a race, he went on riderless and finished like a lion, and was evidently so pleased with himself he left the course, plunged into the river Trent, and swam down the mill race and under the archway of the mill. Then he got jammed in the floats of the mill-wheel and there he stuck. Next a gang of rescuers, by way of “lamin’ ’im better” no doubt, got a rope round his head, pulled him out on the other side, actually dragging him under the wheel, and got him to the bank in safety!

Wailethe, who won the Raukura Cup at the Otaki meeting, is an aged bay mare by Lethe from Wairoa. Last year she started seven times without getting a win.

Mr. C. Thede, owner of Lock Fyne, headed the list of winning owners at the A.R.C. meeting, his cheque amounting to £B5O. Mr. A. F. Douglas was second with £515, Mr. W. Douglas third with £350, and Mr. W. Morgan fourth with £3OO. In all £4695 was paid away. 4 4 4 4 Very good nominations have been received for the Gisborne R.C. Steeplechase Meeting. Among the Aucklanders entered are Noteorini, Cinque, Omati, Franklin, Tui, Lady Crispin, Pierre, Kapakapa, and Loch Fyne, Creusot and Cyrettus. * . U • Mr. Robert Blaikie, who for the past thirty years has been one of the bestknown and most popular of Auckland’s metallicians, left by the s.s. Talune yesterday, bound for Suva. Mr. Blaikie, who was accompanied by his wife, intends making a tour of the South Sea Islands. SS * * » The sale of the late Mr. G. G. Stead's horses will take place on Wednesday, August 12. * ♦ • ■ • Mr. Donald McLeod’s gelding Tamainupo seems to be a bit overrated. In his two efforts at Ellerslie he was very solidly backed, but a fifth and a third was the best he could do. It is possible the gelding has not quite recovered from his former trouble, and may show to more advantage in the spring. T * * 9 Although Guidwife scored a win in the Farewell Handicap, it was a somewhat lucky one, as had Foremost got away on anything like even terms he must have beaten her. Forme’s son was right among the back division as they reached the straight, and made a wonderful run to get within a length of the winner. * * * - Lady Hune seems to have regained her old form, which means that she is one of the best hurdlers in New Zealand. In the Campbell Hurdles on Saturday she was giving weight to everything but Shrapnel, and fairly made a .show of them. By the way, why was Shrapnel asked to concede Hune’s daughter weight ? She could have given him a stone and a beating. * * * • Loch Fyne’s efforts at Takapuna and Ellerslie were in very sharp contrast considering only a few days separated the meetings. He is a greatly improved gelding, and if not overloaded should win again before the winter is over. He has been nominated for the Gisborne meting. ♦ 4 * 4> Maharanui showed somewhat inconsistent form at the Ellerslie meeting. In the Cornwall Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, with Bst 71b, he finished at the back of the field. In the Prince of Wales’ Handicap, seven furlongs, with 9st 31b, he was not in the first seven, while on the concluding day he carried 9st in the York Welter, one mile, he won easily, although meeting the same horses. The gallops must have done him good. * * * * One of the worst exhibitions of jumping I remember to have seen at Ellerslie was that given by Te Kainui in the Tamaki Steeplechase. At the post and rails at the top of the hill he baulked three times, but Gray at last got him over. For the next three jumps his efforts were so ludicrous as to bring forth ironical cheers from the spectators who seemed to prefer watching his efforts to climb the fences rather than look, at the others some half-a-mile ahead. Ultimately the Tasman gelding ran into the stone wall and stopped. * 4C • « Is Kiatere a back number, or was it want of condition that failed him at Ellerslie ? He looked all right to the eye, but in both the big steeplechases came home at the tail of the field. * * * * Ahei ran a much-improved horse on the concluding day of the A.R.C. meeting, his win in the Ladies" Bracelet being a very easy one. The Possible’s three-year-old son has not been up very long, and was probably short of work. He should be heard from again later on. * * * * Hautapu was very leniently treated in the Tamaki Steeplechase, being placed within 71b of a gelding like Te Kainui. Of course, the little son of Mitiora won easily enough, but if the going had been sound he would probably have lost the field. The totalisator receipts for the Great Northern Meeting amounted to £33,551, a decrease of £17,769 on the similar meeting last year. Although this seems a tremendous drop, the fees received from the bookmakers will nearly counterbalance the loss of revenue from the machine. It seems

that the small punters prefer the bookmakers, as it does away with the trouble of making up a ticket. An “ inside” ten shilling machine would swell the figures.

Loch Fyne, the winner of the Great Northern and Winter Steeplechases at B lerslie, is an aged bay gelding by the Ingomar horse Lochness from Pikau, a mare bred in 1884 by the N.Z. Stud Co.„ being got by Anteros (imp.) from Amohia, by Towton (imp.) from Anticipation, by Ravensworth (imp.) from Coronaria (imp.) by Sweetmeat. Since going into Mobberley’s charge he has shown considerable improvement.

C. Cress and A. Julian were the most successful horsemen at the Great Northern Meeting, each riding three winners.

Sir George Clifford has sold the disappointing Cockleshell to Mr. G‘. Ruthven. Will she, like that other castoff, Guidwife, show improved form ?

At the last meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, the following transfers were granted:—Mr S. Darragh to Mr D. Lourie, bay gelding Tui; Mr John Kempt to Mr P. Turnbull, bay gelding St. Cyren; Sir G. Clifford to Mr J. C. N. Grigg, bay gelding Millionaire; Manawatu Stud Company to Mr Highden, bay cot Polymorphous; Wanawatu Stud Company to Mr Highden, chestnut filly Celaeno. A rough statement in connection with the winter meeting was submitted, showing a satisfactory result. Accounts amounting to £370 were passed for payment.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Committee it was decided to recommend the registration of the following clubs:—Awanui Racing Club and Waimana Racing Club. The following dates for the season 1908-09 were approved by the committee:— Totalisator clubs: Auckland Racing Club, November 7,9, 11; December 26, 29, January 1 and 2; April 10, 12, 13; June 3,5, 9. Avondale Jockey Club, September, 19, 23, 25; April 24 and 28. Takapuna Jockey Club, November 28 and December 2; January 29, 30, February 3; May 23 and 24. South Auckland Racing Club, February 26 and 27; Whangarei Racing Club, January 8 and 9; Waihi Jockey Club, March 6; Rotorua Jockey Club, February 17 and 18; Thames Jockey Club, December 2 6 and 28 and March 13; Northern Wairoa Racing Club, December 26 and 28; Te Aroha Jockey Club, March 4 and 5; Ohinemuri Jockey Club, March 17 and 18. Non-totalisator clubs: Waikato Hunt Club, September 2; Waihi Hack Racing Club, November 7.

Were are the runners in the Campbel Hurdle Race on Saturday trying? The public made some nasty remarks about it, and I quite expected to have the stewards ask a few pertinent questions. Nothing was done, however.

There is a proposal afoot to hold a race meeting at Ellerslie during the visit of the American fleet. I dont know how this meets the views of the A.R.C. committee, but should have thought the Takapuna course a more suitable one, being, as it were, within a stone's throw of the anchorage.

The A. R. C. stewards on Saturday passed resolutions eu ogising the good work done during the year, of Secretary J. F. Hartland, Judge R. B. Lusk and Starter C. O’Connor. Every racegoer will agree with the resolutions.

Quite a number of horses were shipped south on Sunday by the Rarawa, among these being Pari tutu f George), Showman (Brereton), Nada dor (Collelo), Ahei and Bobrikoff (Davis). Inaha (Cox), Alfalfa (Brough), Bullworth (Howe), Mabaranui (Goddard) and Recreation (O’Driscoll).

It may not be generally know that after Loch Fyne had won the Winter Steeplechase, Julian had some difficulty in drawing the weight. It was only when the bridle was added that the beam went down. After such a great struggle it would have been hard luck to miss it on a point like that.

What a thoroughly game little bit of horseflesh is Sol. Hampered by a very big weight and in terribly heavy going he fought out the Winter Steeplechase to the bitter end and in another twenty yards the head verdict might have been reversed.