NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 993, 18 March 1909, Page 6

NOTES.

General entries for the A-R.C. Autumn Meeting are due on March 26.

Acceptances for the opening day of the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting must be made to Mr. C. F. Mark by 9 p.m. to-morrow evening.

Nominations for the principal events on the programe of the Avondale Jockey Club are due on April 2.

Handicaps for the Wellington Pony and Galloway Club’s April meeting are due on Monday. * * * *

The appeals of M. Ryan, S. G Lindsay and G- Pell against the disqualifications imposed by the Avondale Jockey Club will be heard by the Appeal Board in Wellington on Saturday week.

The bay colt Master Soult (Soult — Lady Hester) has been sold to a Melbourne sportsman, the price, it is said, being 2200 guineas. If the figure stated is correct the seller would appear to have by no means the worst of the deal.

The ex-Auckland pony Forth (Lebel —Sleevelink) won the Galloway Handicap at Richmond, Melbourne, the other day.

The Mahinga inquiry has been adjourned by the Otahuhu Trotting Club until Friday, the 26th inst-

Okaihau annexed both jumping events at the Thames meeting on Saturday. The son of Salvadan is paying his way this season.

The first six furlongs of the Australian Cup took Imin 24sec to run. the last s’x furlongs 1.18%, and the concluding half-mile 52% sec. The full time. 4min o%sec, was exactly the same as last year-

The New Zealand steeplechaser Pilot was knocked down last week at Messrs. Yuille and Co.’s sale to J. Scobie for 350 gs. He was sold conditionally on the owner approving of the price. The sale has been completed.

The Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase will be run at Aintree on Friday week. jjc

James Gibson. America’s oldest jockey, has just died at the age of 106.

The Dublin correspondent of the London “ Sportsman ” has it that Lord Dunraven recently refused an offei- from the German Government of £40,000 for the St. Simon horse Desmond, who is now in his thirteenth year. Next year Desmond’s fee is to be 250 gs.

There- are eleven acceptances for the Papakura Cup to be run next Saturday and as nearly all have shown recent winning form a fine race is anticipated.

The Wellington Racing Club has received a fine entry for the Thompson Handicap. 51 being engaged. Master Delaval, and Master Soult are the only Auckland nominations..

The sum of £12,508 was passed through the totalisatoi 1 at the recent D'annevirke Meeting.

The Auckland Trotting Club has received excellent nominations for the meeting which commences on Saturday, March 27.

At the Miramar Pony Races on Saturday the stewards were so dissat'sfied with the running of Sweet Leaf that the nominator, Mrs. Troy, Tim Troy, and the jockey, Burns, were disqualified for life.

Soultline has been struck out of all his engagements at the Easter Meeting of the Australian Jockey Club, which looks as though the Newmarket Handicap winner has gone amiss.

The true pedigree of the Wanganui Cup winner, Kilmarnock, is said to be as follows: —By St. Paul from a mare by Australian, out of a mare by Python—Kate O’Shane, by Coledon out of an Emigrant mare.

Even Time, the winner of the V.R.CSt. Leger is a black colt by the Bill of Portland horse Malster from Egale, by Goldsborough from Equation, by Grand Flanem from Fair Duchess (imp), by Blair Athol.

J. Chaafe rode three winners at the Mauku Meeting, and made a dead heat of it on a fourth.

The yearling by Obligado out of Gweniad has been given to F. Hill to get ready for two-year-old engagements. The youngster was one of the finest looking of the Cambria Park batch, and if he can gallop like his dam ought most certainly to win races later on.

Handicaps for the Brighton Hurdles, Easter Handicap, and Autumn Steeplechase, to be run at the A.R.C. Easter Meeting are due to appear to-morrow.

Both the Warrengate Jockey Club and the Waimate Racing Club are holding meetings to-day.

In Melbourne last week the stallion Aurum, who was foaled in 1894, was put into the sale ring with a reserve of 1500 guineas, but did not find a buyer.

Mr- S. P. Mackay, owner of Soultline, presented W. McLachlan with £5OO for winning the Newmarket on that horse, and the jockey’s three winning races brought him in £750.

A Calcutta exchange says there are indication that, failing Australia’s removal of the present senseless embargo, Japan may prove to be a good customer for blood stock, as the Island Kingdom is taking horse-breeding for military purposes very seriously, and her agents have already found their way to India.

In order to prevent the possibility of the transmission of any skin disease from one horse to another, and in the interests of cleanliness, the V.R.C- authorities have decided that no numbered saddle-cloth shall be used more than once. The new system came into vogue at Flemington at the last meeting. Each saddle-cloth, on being removed from a horse after a race, was thrown aside. The cost of a cloth is insignificant.

A very critical stage has been reached in the horse supply of Enginsufficient supply is available for the insuffiiient supply is available for the Territorial Army, and of the 3000 horses whirh the War Office purchase annually, an increasing number must come from abroad. Farmers are ceasing to breed horses. The absolute number of capable horses steadily decreases, and the supply of money for purchasing horses is below the limit of safety. All this was recognised in the scheme of co-operation arrived at a year or more ago between the War Office and the Board of Agriculture and the Treasury. By that arrangement the Board of Agriculture were to organise the horse-breeding industry among farmers, and it was generally understood that their plan of campaign was to have been perfected many months ago- The leading horse societies were promised information, and their arrangements have been hampered by the continued postponement of any official action.

Some people contend there is no such thing as luck, 'but C. Wheeler can have no doubt as to the existence of “ bad luck ’’ says the “ Referee.” Last year he scored second in the Australian. Caulfield, and Melbourne Cups with Tulkeroo, and this year he has led off with a third in the Launceston Cup, and second in the Australian Cup with Deien da.

Ben Jonson, who at the last meeting at Takapuna gave us a taste of his quality over hurdles, yesterday won the Ohinemuri Cup after a good battle with Noteorini, Azoffff being third.

Necktie accounted for the Karangahake Handicap at Paeroa yesterday. It is sometime since she last caught the judge’s eye although undoubtedly smart.

It is stated that Mr Duncan Rutherford will appeal to the. Racing Conference against the decision of the Canterbury Jockey Club in awarding the Lyttelton Plate to the second horse, Ploughshare.

Amongst the field that contested the Wanganui Cup were winners of the New Zealand Cup, Wellington Cup, Auckland Cup, Wanganui Cup, Manawata Cup, Taranaki Cup, Rangitikei Cup, Pahiatua Cup, Waitara Cup, Waverley Cup, and Horowhenua Cup. * * * *

A. Oliver, the well-known jockey, went across to Sydney last week to ride at the coming A.J.O. meeting.

The New Zealand-bred Hughie has won another race in India, his most recent success being in the Clyde Plate on the second day of the Calcutto Second Meeting, on January 19.

Most people are probably aware that during St. Simon’s remarkably successful stud career he never sired anything except black-browns, browns, and bays, but after his decease one or another colour was born to him, as in Posthumus, foaled on April 29th, 1908, the Duke of Portland owns a grey son of St- Simon from Pontoon, by Orvieto out of Pontillon. The original idea was to have the body of St. Simon preserved, but Rowland Ward, finding it would not be satisfactory, only the skeleton of the great horse has been kept, and it is now being set up at Welbeck Abbey.

Weka, who won a double at the Mauku Meeting, was got by the Soult horse Pukaki from a Hotchkiss mare. 5K * * *

The meeting of the Ohinemu i J C. will be brought to a conclusion to-day.

An English paper says:—lt was remarked when the totalisator was introduced into France that racing would be ruined. What is the result? The receipts rose from £4,100,000 in 1891 to £12,800,000 in 1907, and promised to be even larger last year. The poor have benefited greatly, for in charity £3,600,000 of this sum was expended in 1907, while breeders received £1,500,000.

An American paper states that good trotters continue to come in all colours. Among the new 2min. lOsec. trotters in America during the past season, 20 are bay, 12 are brown, 6 are black. 5 are chestnut, and one grey. The grey, Locust Jack (2min. 6 % sec.). was one of the best of the year.

The Royal Graditz Stud, which retains as first jockey the Australian horseman, Frank Bullock, will commence the German racing season in April w.th 52 horses, all of whom are under the control of Reginald Day. The team embraces 2 7 two-year-olds and 21 three-year-olds, so that Bullock’s prospects of again heading the winning jockeys’ list in Germany are decidedly rosy.

Reviewing the race for the Newmarket Hand cap, the “S. and R. News” says:—lt was not difficult to the top-weight in that desperate encounter, and when the judge declared tor Soultline there was a general outburst of cheering. The enthusiasm was born of a sporting spirit, for it was noticed that a great number of those who took off their hats to the gallant New Zealander were amongst those who had lost heir money on he race. I is a good sign when people thus so far forget their troubles as to go out of their way co show their appreciation of a good, honest horse, and it will be generally agreed that Soultiine deserved it all.

They are not very keen on horseracing in Scotland. During last season the total amount of first prizes in that country was only £8448. In Ireland, the first prizes for the year reached a total of £24,09 5.

There has been a good deal of discussion in Melbourne as to how much Soultline beat Dunolly by in the Newmarket Handicap. The judge said the distance was a neck, but a photograph of the finish makes it appear that if anything Dunolly was in front, so close was it. Soultline finished on the rails and the second horse in the mi 1dle of the course- * * * $

The metropolitan committee have granted a three months’ license to FSpeakman, who has been standing down for some time.

Mr. S. P. Mackay, the owner of Soultline, is leaving for a trip to England very shortly. * * ♦ ♦

Woodhey and Sandstream fought their battle over again in the Napier Cup yesterday, but the result was a foregone conclusion a long way from home, Woodhey fairly romping in. Chanteuse was third. * * ♦

Okaihau followed up his double at the Thames by accounting for the Hurdle Handicap at Paeroa yesterday. The son of Salvadan was very lightly treated on the score of weight.

No fewer than 430 thoroughbred yearlings are already catalogued for the April sales at Randwick.

On the subject of the bookmaking trouble, a writer in the “ Evening Post’’ says:—The racing clubs disclaim any responsibility whenever bookmakers repudiate their liabilites. This is merely a quibble, and the clubs would be studying their own interests by insisting upon some evdence of financial stability before issuing licenses to each and every applicant. It is astonishing how quickly a punter sickens of the racing game if he is balanced once or twice, and this, in the long run, means loss of revenue to the clubs. It is not suggested that the safeguards should be so autocratic as to prevent new fielders coming into the game. Competition is an excellent thing in bookmaking, and anything approaching a trust regulatng the odds is to be strongly deprecated. Not that there is much fear of that, as the totalisator is always an active competitor for business. The Dannevirke incident, where a bookmaker apparently took undue risks with Vi, ought to cause the whole question of the licensing of bookmakers to be taken up by the Racing Conference, with a view to the framing of suitable regulations, both in the interest of the betting public and the decent section of bookmakers.

A socalled “ Marathon ” race was run yesterday in connection with the St. Patrick’s sports. The distance was only eleven miles and the event was won by A- Rogers with Heron second, and Shanahan third.

Kendal, by Bend Or from Windemere, by Macaroni, who died a few months ago in the Argentine, hnd the distinction of being the only horse that ever defeated the mighty Ormonde. John Porter, in his reminiscences entitled “ Kingsclere,” tells how on the only occasion when Ormonde was tried he failed to finish in front of Kendal. The latter was a dark chestnut ticked with the black Birdcatcher spots, and possessed a tremendous frame. He achieved fame at the stud as the sire of Galtee More. Kendal was sold by the Duke of Westminster for a comparatively small sum to the Irish studmaster, Mr John Gubbins, who made a handsome profit when he transferred Bend Or’s son to Mr Platt, of the Bruntwood stud, Cheshire, for £lB,OOO, the latter in his turn selling to a South American buyer at £lO,OOO.

Pendil, the hero of the V.R-C. autumn meeting, is a son of Bobadil and the imported mare Penitence, a daughter of Gulliver and the Hermit mare Penitent. Gulliver was got by Galliard (son of Galopin) from the Hermit mare Distant Shore, and Bobadil was got by Bill of Portland (son of St. Simon- from She (sister to Stepniak), by Nordenfeldt from Steppe, by Saunterer from Hermitt’s dam.

From Ireland comes word of the death of Kirkham who was sent Home by the late Hon. Jas. White to win the English Derby of 1890. He failed badly, but later on went to the stud in Ireland, where he got some good jumpers. One of his sons. Kirkland, won the Liverpool Grand National, while another, Kirko, accounted for the Irish Grand National. Kirkham was by Chester from La Princesse (imp.), by Cathedral from Princess of Wales, by Stockwell.

That good, but unlucky, horse Antonious has been retired from the turf in Australia. He ran in seventeen races of which he won four and was second in four, included in the latter being the VR.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup,

In referring to the death at Madeira of Mr. Joseph Thompson, the Sydney “Referee” says that he arrived ?n Australia from America in the “ 50’s. ' and at first worked on the goldfields. He the.i turned his attention to bookmaking, and in a few years was recognised as the leader of the Australian ring. However, Mr- Thompson did not confine himself entirely to bookmaking, as he also figured as a horse-owner. In 1871 he won the Champion Race with Romula, who, however, was beaten in the Melbourne Cup of that year by The Pearl. A couple of years later, Mr Thompson won the Melbourne Cup with Don Juan, and his fellow bookmakers suffered severely. It was Mr Thompson who laid £lO,OOO to the stable commissioner against the double of “ two Cheaters” for the Melbourne Derby and Cup, and that sum was paid over in Collins-street. Some years ago Mr Thompson went to England, and though at first he found bookmaking in

that country anything but profitable, he eventually made himself as prominent as he was out here. His operations in England included the laying of “ big doubles,” and during the past two or three years he had same good wins in that connection. Mr. Thompson, who was about 74 years of age, was predeceased by his brothers Phineas, Harry and John, but his brother Barney is still alive and well and recently visited Sydney.