NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 956, 2 July 1908, Page 6

NOTES.

(By

The Judge.)

Entries for the Fleet Week Race Meeting at Ellerslie are due on July 17. The Gisborne R.C. Steeplechase Meeting takes place on the 9th and 10th inst. Mr “ Bob ” Wynyard has been appointed handicapper for the Fleet Meeting. £ Hi ' * Lady Hune, Scotty and Shrapnel, represent the Auckland contingent in the Grand National Hurdles, and Loch Fyne, Le Beau, Pierre, Kapakapa and Kaitere in the G.N. Steeplechase. * * * * We see some very bad handicapping from time to time by Australian weight adjusters. The latest is giving Waipuna Bst 111 b in the Melbourne Cup. When it is remembered that the son of Soult could not win the Auckland Cup under 7st 51b, the farcical nature of his Melbourne Cup allotment is the more apparent. One would like to hear Bill Lyon’s opinion of the matter. No doubt it would be terse and to the point. « • » e The death was reported recently of that great jumper Red Leap, who, in 1892, won the V.R.C. National Hurdle Race, Grand National Steeplechase, and Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase, in each case under tremendous imposts. ♦ * * * , The V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race takes place on Saturday. Waipu, lOst 31b, will be New Zealand’s chief representative and - he ought to have a chance. * * * • That once speedy little mare Avalanche has a promising filly by Gluten. If the youngster is as good as her dam she will do. * # * The Messrs Duders’ bay filly by Soult, from Queen Anne, has been named La Reina, not Loraine or Le Reine as given elsewhere. * * * * The acceptances for the Avondale Stakes and Avondale Guineas to be run at the Spring Meeting were published in out last issue and are quite satisfactory. Seventeen remain in the former and twelve in the latter. • * * • Kremlin has been retired from the track owing to rheumatism, and after a spell will be used as a buggy horse. * * * * The Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting will take place on June 18, 22 and 25. Shrapnel has list 101 b and Lady Hune list 51b in the Wellington Hurdle Race. When they last met at Ellerslie on the concluding day of the winter meeting, there was only 2 lbs between them and the mare fairly lost the Workman gelding. • * » M Kiatere will have to show better form than he did recently at Ellerslie to win the Wellington Steeplechase under 12st 111 b. In the Winter Steeplechase, with a pound more in the -saddle, he ran absolutely last. • * * * Kapakapa has been entered for the Grand National Steeplechase. This seems a trifle ambitious. Handicaps for the big events of the C.J.C. National Meeting are due on the 10th inst. • * * ♦ Mr R. S. Sievier is in trouble again. This time he is accused of attempting to levy blackmail on Mr Joel. Bob Sutton’s career has been a remarkable one, and it will be interesting to note how he meets the latest allegations against him. The prosecution is apparently the outcome of an article which appeared in Siever’s paper “ The Winning Post.” Aorangi, who appeared to have oad luck to lose the G.N. Hurdle Race at Ellerslie, has been entered for the big Riccarton events. Evidently he lias got over his fall.

The smart light-weight A. Whittaker sailed, for Sydney on Monday. The Aucklander Matakokiri broke a fetlock the other day at Randwick and was destroyed. * • • * The Anglo-Welsh Football team easily defeated Hawke’s Bay yesterday by 25 to 3. * * * * I hear that the well-known horseman Mark Ryan w T as married during the- week. Let me offer congratulations. ® * * * Marangi and Cinque leave for Gisborne on Saturday in charge of W. G. Irwin. * * * » Scotty had a go over the hurdles on Tuesday morning, his companions being Dogger Bank and Mark Time. The veteran shaped pleasingly . v « « s I have to thank Messrs Pyne and Co., the well-known Christchurch auctioneers, for the catalogue of the big stock sale, which is to take place on August 12, when the whole of the late Mr G. G. Stead’s racing and breeding stock is to come under the hammer. Very full particulars are given of the seventy-two lots to be submitted, and the catalogue contains a wealth of information as to breeding, engagements, etc., which will make it invaluable to intending buyers. * * * * Keen judges gave the King’s horse Perrier no chance in the Derby owing to the course being down hill. He may run better in the St. Leger. * * * * I understand a number of Auckland sportsmen intend going down to Gisborne to assist at the Steeplechase Meeting there on July 9 and 10. The fixture is a well managed one and should prove a great success. 4 JU * * - “ Javelin,” of the Melbourne “ Leader ” writes as follows: —His Majesty the King, in naming a colt by his famous stallion Persimmon after the maker of a celebrated brand of champagne, has put the hall mark in a system of trade advertising, which owners of horses, encouraged by the Royal example, will no doubt freely follow. It will be remembered that for several years the first horse nominated for the Melbourne Cup was Leeming’s Boots. If Perrier had won the Derby the only hope of the other French makers of champagne would have been to have secured, by purchase or otherwise, nominations for the Grand Prix of future seasons. If once the big manufacturers and traders of the world get on to this system of advertising—which, by the way, is worth consideration—we may expect some day to see in the cabled news from England something like the following: “The Derby was run at Epsom to-day, and resulted as follows:—Pear’s Soap, 1; Beecham’s Pills, 2; Lipton’s Tea, 3. Clark’s Cotton and Horrock’s Longcloth were equal favourites, and Keen’s Mustard, Sunlight Soap and Guinness’ Stout were also well supported.” “ Javelin ” falls into the error of supposing that the King’s horse Perrier was named after a brand of champagne. As was pointed out some time ago in these columns, a perrier was a soldier who worked a sort of huge sling for hurling rocks at the enemy. “Javelin” should have made sure of his facts before waxing sarcastic.

In referring to some riders who are in the forefront in England, a writer alluded to Hewitt, and, continuing said:—“ Mention of He wit reminds me that this colonial is very delighted with England, and has thoroughly settled down. He lives with Bernard Dillon and Lyne at Newmarket; the three of them keep house. Hewitt is well educated and extremely intelligent. He can talk Australian politics, give his ideas about things in general in a most lucid way, and is altogether a mos tamusing travelling companion. Certainly, last year enough criticism was levelled at him to cause him to be much discouraged, but he is one of those natures who fight against all rebuffs, as he was determined to ‘get there.’ Those who have seen Hewit ride admit that they never saw a better jockey at the gate; it is simply wonderful the way he gets away. Certainly some of his finishing displays are not quite ‘orthodox,’ and on more than one occasion last year it was considered that he did not display that artistic style which one is accustomed to in many of our other horsemen. There are two sides, however, to this question. On Nightfall, in the Queen’s Prize last Easter Monday, it struck me that he was not at his best, but it must be remembered that this

very moderate mare ran extremely badly on subsequent occasions,, and that she was alongside a very great horse in Bridge of Canny. With another jockey in the saddle she might not have been where she was. Hewitt will get all the riding he wants, and his ability over sprint distances is extraordinary.”

The London “ Live Stock ournal” gives some figures which English horses have won for their different owners. They are: —For the late Colonel McCalmont, Isinglass secured £57,456, including “the Triple Crown” of classic events —the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby and St. Leger. Donovan, who failed in that accomplishment, winning but the Derby and St. Leger, however, won £55,154 for the Duke of Portland. Lord Lyon (£25,600), Ormonde (£28,465), Galtee More (£27,019), Diamond Jubilee (£31,885), Flying Fox (£40,096), and Rock Sand (£45,618), all won “the Triple Crown,” and carried off the sums mentioned after their names. Sceptre accumulated £38,283, Ayrshire £35,915, Pretty Polly £35,312, and Persimmon £34,706.

One sign of the good times that Australia has been passing through lately is the rush for brood mares (says the “ Town and Country Journal.” New studs are springing up all over the place, and any mare of a fashionable family is worth three figures as a minimum, and probably double as much. Breediny is an expensive amusement, and a return of bad seasons or bad markets will soon damp the enthusiasm of those who are now spending money freely in the purchase of mares. Anyone with mares to sell, therefore, had better get rid of them now, as he will probably be able to buy them back for much less money in a year or two. Stallions, on the other hand, are a regular drug in the market, such a lot having been imported from England lately.

The Trotting Horse-breeders’ Association, Boston, Mass., has announced a trotting handicap, one mile and aquarter, for horses than can go in 2.15 and better. The race will be worth £lO,OOO. First horse receives £6OOO, second £2OOO, third £lOOO, fourth £5OO, fifth £3OO, and sixth £2OO.

Book form, as a rule, works all right. People are apt to think it does not when the horse of their choice gets beaten, but (says the “ Special Commissioner” of the London “Sportsman”) nine times out of ten they have not the form sufficiently in their minds, and the book would supply an adequate reason for their disappointment.

It is doubtful if any important race can show such a number of dead heats as are recorded in connection with the Ascot Gold Cup, as there are five dead heats (recorded, and one that would interest Australians was that of 1863, when Buckstone ran a dead heat with Tim Whiffler, and beat him in the run off. Tim Whiffler afterwards came out to Australia. Another winner of the Gold Cup the second time in succession—was the mighty Fisherman. His wins were made in 1858 and 1859. In 1845 the race in honour of the visit of the Russian Emperor was called the Emperor’s Plate. The previous year it had been won by a horse named The Emperor, and as the same horse won it again the name was appropriate, but it was afterwards changed to the old title.

If some of the Australian trainers were treated the same as Austrian trainers are, the ranks would be thinned to a considerable extent. The Austrian and Hungarian Jockey Clubs have decided to prohibit trainers from backing even their own charges, otherwise than through the agency of the owners of the horse. It appears that a trial between Kristaly (winner of the Przedstwit Handicap) and another horse leaked out, and was traced to the trainer’s son (a jockey), who enabled a backer to obtain £4OOO about him at a better price than the owner. The jockey has been warned off all racecourses under the jurisdiction of the two clubs.

The New Zealand performers Frederick and Hughie were offered for sale last week in Sydney by W. Inglis and Son, but failed to find new owners, when bidding ceased at 200 and 145 guineas respectively.

At one time the V.R.C. invariably lost over all their race meetings held at Flemington except in the spring. Things have changed, as they are reported to have come out with a profit of £7OO over their last Birthday meeting.

The added money, at . Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Warsaw- has been considerably diminished, as also the revenue of the different racing societies. Prior to the war fine weather enabled the Warsaw Race Committee to turn over some £30,000 at the totalisator, but last year a tenth part of that sum was the average, and a Derby was only worth £3OO.