CURRENT TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1110, 20 July 1911, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

The Racing Conference-

As this goes to press the Racing Conference is sitting in Wellington,

and it is therefore not inappropriate to ask whether that august body is fulfilling in a satisfactory measure the purposes for which it was created. Chief of these purposes is the promulgation of.a set of rules for the government of the sport. It is of prime importance that these rules shall 'he of the cast-iron variety, hard and fast and so explicit in terms that there shall be no doubt either of the meaning or of the method of their application. Has this been achieved? There is not one follower of the racing game who is. familiar in the remotest degree with contemporary turf history who would dare to answer that question in the affirmative. The stewards of clubs striving to keep the greatest of all sports free from all shadow of suspicion, read the rules in the light of their commonsense and of their turf acumen, only to find that some nice legal mind on the conference, ignoring entirely the spirit of true sport, and not seeking to get into touch with the local circumstances reads a rule upon which a flimsy appeal has been lodged in such a way as to upset, upon a technical definition a carefully considered and perfectly just decision, because the wording of the particular rule is not sufficiently straightforward to prevent the possibility of error in its interpretation. In this very essential detail the Conference has entirely failed of its object, and so far from helping in every possible degree to keep the sport clean and high in tone, it has by some of its decisions, done all in its power to assist the sharper and the crook. What, for instance, could be of more help to the owner, who seeks to “work a point” than Sir George Clifford’s decision, which stiP holds good, that cases of inconsistent running must be brought up on the loss, and not on the win? Thus a. horse may, with the kind assistance of “.Johnny Armstrong” finish in the unnoticed ruck amid a big field today. To-morrow, no better placed in the handicap, he may romp home at a fancy price, and yet the stewards can take no action because they did not ask his owner for an explanation the day before. Surely a better scheme to help the “stumer” could not be designed. In the matter of stipendiary stewards, the Conference has lamentably failed to interpret pub’ic opinion, which is absolutely convinced of the necessity for the observation of train-

ed and intelligent men on every course metropolitan or rural. Yet year after year the Conference shelves the question and fails to give the racing public that protection which it has so long demanded. The reason is not far to seek, but is better, perhaps, left unwritten. Again the Conference proved its hostility—a strong word, but justifiable—to the interests ofisport,-when the celebrated “Bookie” Act was passed. At the passing of that Act, as everyone knows the A. R.C., carefully scrutinised every application for a license to bet, and required a deposit of £5OO from each fielder to prove his bona tides and his fitness to carry a bag. That was right and a measure which offered a fair protection to the customers of the Club, the racing public. But the word came up from Christchurch that this would not do, they must smash the Act by discrediting a decent, honourable, and sportsmanlike calling. This was done by withdrawing the guarantee and licensing every thug and spieler who cared to put up the £2O. Thus the door was opened for the “scaler” and “balancer” upon the advice of those who should have known better. Of course, it is not suggested that the Racing Conference had any hand in the issue of such instructions, but it is only fair to ask, why they did not take some immediate and drastic action in a contrary direction. The ineptitude of the governing 'body having been thoroughly established, the Government took from it its one really useful prerogative, the issue of tote permits, and put these in the hands of a Commission, whose work has been the subject of a little comment, but who, despite some lack of consistency and even-handed justice, can compare a little more than favourably with the Racing Conference. The time is ripe, and over-ripe for a change in the governance of racing in New Zealand. Just what form that change should take is a matter for discussion. A New Zealand Jockey ClulJ, its membership so arranged that the big clubs should not have a commanding majority, might solve the problem, or perhaps a satisfactory svstem might be evolved from a division of the Dominion into, say half a dozen metropolitan districts, each governing the sport in its own territory, and each, by a readily devised reciprocity, falling into line with a majority of the others on any proposed change in the rules.

Sale of Sceptre. The halo that Persimmon’s daughter gained in the racing arena did not follow her in the brood mares department, for there is no getting away from the bed-rock fact that her productions to the ranks of the thoroughbreds in the “ Old Land, were not within measureable distance from a racing point of view of her self, her first addition to the stud, Maid of the Mist, being an equine of only ordinary calibre, while Maid of Corinth, who followed, has never done anything of a meritorious nature on the convincing grounds. That this reality was recognised by breeders was evinced last week, when Sceptre was submitted for sale and only brought 7,000 guineas. For a mare who had won the One Thousand, Two Thousand, Oaks, and St. Leger, it does seem a very poor price, still breeders had before them the fact that she had failed to transmit to her progeny the talent and powers 1 that she possessed, and they were apparently taking no chance that an improvement in her productive powers would ensue. That star performers on the running path fail to make good in the breeding paddocks, has before been proved up to the hi't, and on the other hand, mares who have retired to matronly duties with no turf credentials to sneak of, have had their names embel'ished in pages of the turf history by the deeds of their offsprings. Sceptre in the former category must be classed as a failure, and her late owner Sir William Bass, may be said to have got out of her well, for he lately sold three of her daughters for 10,4 50gs., and with the 7,000 guineas obtained for her, totals 17,450g5., besides which he has still got Maid of the Mist, and a yearling colt out of Persimmon’s

daughter, and mayhap this youngster will help to Uphold the prestige obtained by his “ Ma,” when she was carrying all before her in the colours of the one-time Colonial penciller, Mr. “ Bob ” Sutton. I am of the opinion that there is a chance for the colt, which I base on these grounds, that as the opposite sex has failed it may just be possible that the masculine line may be imbued with those sterling qualities of pace and determination that marked the progress of his dam. These things have occurred before in relation to matters connected with the breeding of • the racehorse from time immemorial, and what has taken place previously can assuredly be anticipated to occur again. The pages of the stud books verify these contentions for they show that rarely do brothers and sisters display talents and capabilities of the same order on the racing path—if the male line prove nearly invincible on the fields of battle, the female members of the family do likewise, or vice versa. The records of the turf in every land, in nearly every instance say conclusively and emphatically no. The sale of Sceptre, so the cables informed us was looked forward to with some amount of interest, for it was a matter of speeu’ation if she would realise as much as was obtained for the brood mare Flair, who a couple of years ago brought 15,000 (with colt foal at foot by Gallinule), when the late Sir Daniel Cooper’s stud was dispersed. As will be noted Sceptre did not come near the notch registered by Flair, who holds the mark for the best figure obtained for a stud dame, the next on the list from a financial disbursement point of vision being La Fleche, who cost Sir Tatton Sykes 12,600 guineas to acquire possession of. Mr. Stern directly after he had become the owner of Flair, reduced his liability in connection with her as he sold her son, new known by ‘the name of Porphyron for 3,000 guineas. He has not so far done anything to recoup his new owner for the sum he ventured, as last season he never placed a score to his account, and up to the time of the last mail leaving England he had missed making good during this, his three-year-old term —just anotherinstance iof a successful performer not having endowed her progeny with the power and force that was apparent in herself. La Fleche, who used to carry the colours of the late Baron Hirsch so prominently, for she won amongst other events the Oaks and St. Leger, for the Austrian sportsman proved a rather good investment for the Yorkshire Baronet, her youngsters invariably fetching remunerative prices. Still her productions were not what might be called first class performers, the best of the lot being John o’Gaunt, a very fine horse who ran second in the Derby, and who has sired some good winners, amongst them being Swynford, the capturer of the last English St. Leger, and who lately vdon the Princess of Wales’ Stakes. Other notable instances of the default of renowned mares with shortcomings in the matter of producing anything as good as they were, are Memoir (a full sister to La Fleche), Marie Stuart, Apology, Achievement, Cafier Ou, Wheel of Fortune and. Shotover. Tn contradiction to the hall stamped turf heroines, I may draw attention to some mares who were not of great account uron the running path, but whose productions are gold lettered items in the annals of the world of sport. Especially can I refer to Pocahontas, dam of Stockwell, who was a poor performer and a roarer into the bargain, and so. was Morganette, the dam of two Derby winners, Ard Patrick and Galtee More. Perdita 11., who bred Florizel IL, Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, was only moderate, and Admiration, who has had her name handed down as the dam of the champion Pretty Polly, was a steeplechaser, and a very indifferent one at that. Deadlock was an ordinary sort of mare with no claim whatever to be denominated as classy, and yet when she was mated with Isonomy, Jthe pledge of affection that came to light was Isinglass, probab'y one of the best horses that ever carried leather in Eng'and, winner of the triple crown (Derby, Two Thousand and St. Leger) in 1893.

A Universal Date for receiving Nominations, Declaration of Weights, and Making Acceptances.

In the interests of those who own racehorses, and those who train them, it would appear that if the various Clubs in the Dominion would arrange matters so that nominations, weights and acceptances should be made on a universal day of the week throughout the land, it would simplify business in connection with these important matters in regard to racing pursuits. And not only would it save annoyance to the various clubs, who very often receive nominations and acceptances too late for reception, but it would also lighten the labours of those connected with the entering and accepting of their charges.. If a special day of the week was set apart for the receipt of entries and the making of acceptances, owners and trainers would know that upon a certain day in the week some specific work in regard to their business would have to be attended to, and it would obviate a useless waste of time as is now experienced by their having to hunt about for papers and intimations from racing club secretaries as to when they had to attend to engage the equines controlled by them. Presuming that say Monday was made the general day for the subject, when that day came round, everyone interested in the affairs would know that paramount above all work claiming their attention, was the consideration if they had any horse or horses under their control who required to be contracted for as regards admission to events, or whether acceptances had to be made, on their behalf. The question of ascertaining the poundage allotted would also be easy to locate, for if a special day was set apart for the declaration of avoirdupois the information would be more conveniently ascertainable. There is not the slightest doubt if the innovation was made, that it would certainly come as a benefit to all of those whose business groves are cast in the lines appertaining to the racing industry, for running the gamut of the whole of the working days o: the week as is now done appears to be an unmethodical way of conducting the subject of nominations, declaration of weights and the making of acceptances.

Retired from Active Life.

Alawa. this meritorious performer in the adjacent Colonies, has been retired from active participation in the affairs of the turf, and for the future be wiT take up a place amongst the Sultans of the harem, in Victoria. That he was a good one on the racing tracks may be gauged from the fact that he won the V.R.C. Derby, having behind him as office bearers those brace of redoubtable equines Parsee and Lord Nolan, and the following year ran second with 9.3 up in the Melbourne Cup to Prince Foote, 7.8. These were not the only scalps that were obtained by the gallant son of Malster and Crossfire, for as a two-year-o d he received the award in the Nursery Handicap and Select Stakes at the autumn gathering of the V.R.C- The next term his scores consisted of the Eclipse Stakes, and as above mentioned the V.R.C. Derby, and C. B. Fisher Plate. Two of these stakes were again captured by him as a four-year-old, and in addition he annexed the Melbourne Stakes, St. George Stakes and Essendon Stakes. Alawa was owned during his racing career by Miss Margaret Gordon Robertson, whose nom-de-course was “ M. Gordon.” Her home is at Mount Mitchell, near Ballarat, where her peop'e own big grazing areas. Alawa’s fee has been fixed at 100 guineas a mare, and it can accordingly be said that his owner has not been at all modest in his estimation of the services of Malster’s son.

Grand National Acceptances. The acceptances received last Friday for the three principal events on the Winter menu of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Winter Cup, Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles has attracted a fairly numerous list of would-be contestants, for the added totals for the three races, amount to 91 (there were 142 nominations received). The principal defections were Fort WiPiam and Wlmmera from the Cun, Te Arai, Steeples, and Wimmera, The Reckoning- and Full Rate from the Hurdles. As regards Fort William, I naturally expected to see him dec’ine to go on with his contract as a whisper came to me last week, that all w>as not well with the Gisborne owned and trained son of Soult, but I never anticipated seeing Wimmera’s engagement cancelled, for at the weights he seemed to possess a fair prospect of being well forward in the event —an augury that, is well borne out by his running at Trentham on Saturday in the Parliamentary Handicap. As rumours were in the air that Te Arai had nulled up, showing signs of unsoundness at Awapuni, it came as no arreat surprise to see him in default for the Steeples. Probably the fact that the light weighted Kildonan is a stable chum of Wimmera’s accounts in a measure ? or the non appearance of the son of Merriwee’s name in the hurdle list, and 'by the way, the one-eyed son of Kilcheran has been we 1 ! supported during the past week for the National HurdlesHe must have come on in a very rapid manner of late for him to have a remote chance in the race, judging by the displays that have emanated from him up to quite recently. The Reckoning’s entry for the event must have/only been intended as an inducement to the would-be purchaser for he was put up for. sale in Victoria last week, and I presume that there were not many early backers left in a hole in consequence of his omission from the ranks of acceptors. Full Rate’s defection is no doubt due to the fact that he has been taking too kindly to the “topping” and moreover, his entrance might have only been a side line to see how he would be assessed in a class of race in which he was practically an unknown quantity. At Auck’and, Corazon won with 10.9 from Antarctic 11.12, and now meets the latter on 111 b. worse terms. The revision of the weights on the form in the Great Northern, when put in another wav, reads in favour of Antarctic, as he aroes up 41b., whi’e Corazon is shifted up a stone and a pound, which brings him up among the top shelf contingent., and extra weight will always be depended upon to make a difference, no matter how good a horse is. If such was not the ease, there would he no use for the handicapper. To the credit of Antarctic it must be admitted that he showed improvement as the Great Northern gathering annroached a finality. but. it has also to 'be borne in mind that, when he prevailed in the Winter Steenles. Corazon was an absentee- True Blue’s form at Wingatui suggests that he has got. an opportunity. and if Dorando goes on improving in his fencing, as it is reported that he is doing at Riccarton, when gauged bv True Blue’s performance in the Otago Steeplechase, he also will have to be taken into consideration. At Wingatui he was estimated a 291 b. superior horse to True Blue, whereas, at Riccarton he meets him on 321 b. better terms. A similar remark applies to Honest Tom in regard to the Otago Steeplechase, where he had to allow True Blue a big pull in the poundage: in the Grand National, the latter has to allow him a coup 1 e of pounds. The last year’s performances of Honest Tom are also deserving of mention and consideration, for in the Beaufort Steeplechase he administered a solid trouncing to Lovell. Lovell now meets him on an advantage of 10 pounds, but there is no denying the reality that Lovell does not stay as well as Honest Tom has given proof of doing. Earns’ displays at Wanganui were certainly not of a meritorious nature, but his form there was, I am inclined to think, too bad to 'be true, and an improvement may be looked for from him at Riccarton. Yasmak, Winiata, Hoanga, Pleiades and Rosegrove have late victorious form to recommend them, but their captures were achieved in a different c’ass to that arrayed against them next month. Sjir Lethe jumped splendidly at Hastings last month, with 11 stone in the saddle, in the June Steeplechase, and as he has been over the Riccarton country before—he got third to Te Arai and Lovell in the last Grand National —he must be ticked off

amongst the probables. Red McGregor has got nine pounds less than he contested last year’s race under, but his latest efforts do not lead to the supposition that his outlook bears a rosy hue. The two ancients, Paritutu and Le Beau cannot complain of excessive weight for they are not far away from the minimum, and a good gap separates them from the top weight contingent. As I have before remarked, it is the avoirdupois that tells its story in a long distance race like the Grand National, on that account these two veterans must be allowed to have a chance. The rest of those listed are not remarkable for any brilliant displays previously shown, and taking the book for a guide, cannot’ have winning prospects set against, their names. Paisano won the Grand National Hurdles last season so comfortably with 12.1 that it appears as if bis hope of again being returned the victor this year has an attractive aspect. True, he has not done much of a big order in the meantime, but one of his sort may always be expected to come HarkContinuance, Whakaweira. Esnartero, Appin, Miss Explosion. Windage and The Rover, are amongst the proved division at the lenning business and they must all be given fair prosnects. The latter, T am inclined to think, will be a particularly hard proposition to overthrow. Certainly he will have to carry 10.11, as a result of his score at Trentham, but he is a solid sort whom a bit of extra poundage should not trouble to the degree that it would some of the equines, who have not been so liberally dea’t with by nature as he is. Waiputere (who wiH have the assistance of W. Young), ran a good race behind Appin at Wanganui, and her chance must not be lightly passed by. She comes from an establishment that gauge un the situations very accurately, and her presence in the roll of acceptors must be taken as a sign that they incline to her prospects. Electrakoff’s annexation of the Parliamentary at the Wellington meeting on Saturday has placed him at the top of the fie’d (11.5), in the Winter Cun. He will have 12 pounds more in the saddle than was the case at Trentham, which should make the oath easier for some of those he defeated in the Parliamentary, and who will be lined up against him in the Winter Cup Nvland, the conqueror in last years Winter Cup reads well, as does Dread?ess, who got second berth behind him. She was far from ready at Napier Park last month, and she is sure to improve with the racing that she is having. Merrie Zealand will meet Electrakoff on 121 b —better terms than was the case at Trentham —and his hope must be accorded as possessing a very favourable aspect. Of those below the ten stone mark, Gold Thread, Kopek, Ariom, Undecided, Negative, and Gold Circle appear to have the best pull of the situation. * « « « T rotting.

There was an optimistic tone in the speech of Mr. John Rowe, chairman of the conference of New Zealand Trotting Clubs, in Christchurch, on Monday, which in these, days of the kill-joy and the wowser, made refreshing reading. The sport is undoubtedly in a flourishing condition, it is in clean and capable hands, and bids fair to justify all the hope of its strongest partisans. The wisdom of breeding four furlong sprinters, good for three or four years galloping and then food for powder, may be doubted, but the vast improvement which has been effected in that general utility animal, the light harness horse, during the past few years is more than sufficient justification for the growth of what Mr. Rowe called “a pleasant, harmless amusement.” Time was when the reputation of the trotting track in Auckland was none too savoury, but that day is long dead, and the sport is conducted on lines which have resulted in a return of public confidence and a popularity which spells progress and prosperity. How rapid that progress is has been well displayed by the enterprise of the Auckland Trotting Club last year in hanging up purses which induced the real aristocrats of the harness cult in the Southern hemisphere to come along and lift them. The result was that we saw what fine gentlemen are tied to the trotting game, and interest was aroused in quarters where it had formerly been entirely dormant. In the year just closed no less than £lOO,OOO has been spent in permanent improvements to the trotting courses of the Dominion, and no better certificate than that is needed in proof of the earnestness of those responsible for the conduct of the sport and of the growth in popularity, which has been contemporaneous with the

growth in pace of the flying divisionThe shortening of the limits has been a big factor in the success of trotting, for there can be no doubt that the British sportsman, at Home or overseas, likes to see the fastest horse win, when the handicapping has been such as to make the issue doubtful, even though his ‘ little bit” may have gone on the wrong one.