THE CLUBMAN

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1363, 8 June 1916, Page 8

THE CLUBMAN

The Derby, of which the two last have been merely substitutes for the big Epsom classic event and which have been run at Newmarket, was first run for in 1780, and in 1801 Eleanor was the first filly to succeed. It was not until 1857, when Blink Bonny triumphed, that another of the sex proved successful, and nearly as long an interval followed before Signoretta made the third. Four years later came the first grey, Tagalie, and after a similar interval the Polymelus filly Fifinella, who makes the fifth in the history of the great race, which is now 136 yeari old. The average is thus cne in 37 years. This average may appear somewhat remarkable, but the number of fillies that have been raced in the Derby is comparatively small for the fields, and in the spring the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks are the chief races for which gv ners of good fillies have them prenaied. Interest attaches to the meetings of the best of their respective sexes in the St. Leger, and in that race, which is some years older than the Derby, fillies have scored more often. Blink Bonny, the second filly Derby wh ner in 118 years, was described as the best of modern times, if not in the history of the Turf. Following on her Derby success, Fifinella won the Oaks, as must have been generally expected, as she must be a decidedly useful filly.

Steeplechase courses are being macle less formidable than they were at one time. The horses race faster over the fences now that they are made more inviting and the going between them is so much improved. This condition of affairs obtains on nearly every course in the Dominion. The fences have perhaps undergone less change at Ellerslie and at Riccarton than elsewhere, but the ground in between the obstacles at Ellerslie has had much more attention, and perhaps needed it more than that in the New Zealand Grand National course, which is almost on a dead level the whole way. Brush has taken possession on most courses to the almost complete exclusion of gorse on nearly all courses where steeplechase events are a feature. The made fences on many courses are quite unlike anything that hunters meet with in the field when hounds are running. To jump a line of made fences for the first time must be an experience for our ’chasers, whether they are merely beginners or made horses, so unlike are some of the fences met with.| At Randwick brush fences have long since displaced the chock and log and other jumps. At Wanganui changes have been many since we first saw steeplechasing there. The big gorse hedges, the ricker or spar fences, the water and the iron-bark hurdles are things of the past. The hen-coop and ti-tree brushed hurdles are the vogue. This year there was nothing in the shape of a formidable fence there. The Trentham course has a water jump and the brush and hen-coops are there too, but there are no live fences. Ellerslie offers variety. There is a hill to climb and descend. There is a brush fence and a hurdle now in place of the fences that stood so long on the hill. There are brushed hurdles, stone walls, capped with sods, a sod wall with ditches on either side, a couple of water jumps, one with a willow hedge in front and the other with a wattled brush fence, and the double

In front of the stand, one fence of which is a wattled one and the second a three-railer. There is not a really unsightly or difficult jump in the course, and the excellent view people get of the races run over it from end to end has made the course as popular as it is pretty. The newlymade ground along the top of the hill, which, ere another meeting rolls round will be in perfect condition was on the sticky side this week. The dragging effect it had on all the runners would not, however, bring the course within measurable distance of what the country was like over 35 years ago in the summer seasons when it w’as a veritable horse killer and a trying ordeal for the riders of the time. Some of the veterans are still with us and can occasionally be induced to relate their experiences for the benefit of interested and less experienced followers of the same line of business to-day.

In order to meet the interests of the bulk of breeders and purchasers of yearlings in Australia the Auckland Racing Club altered the date of closing nominations for their classic races to the month of June. This is an arrangement that has met with approval, and the Canterbury Jockey Club is now also in line. In time we may expect to find other clubs adopting the same course, thus al-

lowing purchasers who intend racing their young stock the privilege of nominating for whatever races they deem best, instead of having to take over their purchases with engagements and liabilities that they would never have incurred themselves. The practice should become general. There are so many races df the classic order nowadays for which the entries are taken a long time in advance, that to enter for them all would be beyond the purses of a majority of those who include in their stables a young one or two. Youngsters heavily loaded with liabilities when they turn out well are all right, but when found to be very mediocre before being long in work the expense of preparing them is bad enough without being faced with very long accounts for forfeits. This year a fair number of yearlings without engagements have been purchased in Australia by New Zealanders. They will no doubt find their way into races still open to them, and, which under the earlier closing system would have been sealed against them. The nominations for nine classic

races of the Auckland Racing Club alone, which are due on or before June 16, should receive attention. No other club in the Dominion offers a more attractive bill-of-fare of that kind for now yearlings, the 23rd Royal Stakes being open also for now two-year-olds.

Some very surprising conclusions have been arrived at by a contemporary as to the reasons which have induced the combined country clubs of Auckland to advocate an increase in the minimum weight in handicap races. The frequency with which owners have been obliged to put up overweight at meetings throughout the province during this and previous seasons from the sheer impossibility to get riders at the allotted weights has been a source of annoyance to them and has shown the clubs that something is required to bring about a much desired change. The clubs may be told that the matter is in their own hands, and that they can fix the minimum weights to suit themselves, which is true, but to argue that horsemen that are running into weight and a class of undesirable horsemen are behind the proposal or that they have anything to do with it in any way is to display ignorance of the position as it is experienced in the north. At two summer meet-

ings extending over two days over-

weights were carried in over 50 in-

stances at each meeting. At one-day meetings the same thing has happened in a similarly pronounced form. In one race five out of seven starters carried over-weight because there were no riders available at the weights allotted. If good or even passable light weight riders could be put into the racing business as fast as it has been developing there would be some reason for not favouring a change, but half the bumping and accidents in races are due to the youth and incompetency on the part of light weight riders and the perch seat. Some owners take the risk of putting these light weights up because they think it an advantage, more, however, because it is a matter of Hobson’s choice of doing so or putting up a lot of over-weight. With ever increasing fields the difficulty is not going to be lessened. When the notices of motion come before us and the exact shape they are to take is ascertained we can return to the subject again, but we

are not surprised that southern country clubs intend moving in the same direction.

The Whangarei Jockey Club is one of the very few country clubs in New Zealand that have had an unsuccessful year. It is not their first, however; indeed, it has always been a bit of a struggle to run a two-day meeting in the north so as to more than make ends meet and leave something wherewith to effect improvements and increase the stakes as other clubs have been doing. The totalisator investments, and' with them the prize money, gradually increased, however, from meeting to meeting in proportion to profits, but a decrease was made in the stakes in 1915 in consequence of the war, and there was a considerable drop in the totalisator turnover for that meetings, and the fields, which never averaged large at any northern meeting, fell off that year. With the districts of the north largely depleted of so many enthusiastic young followers of the sport, the club made a rather bold effort by putting the stakes up higher than previously, but though the totalisator turnover amounted to £2349 more than the previous year, with two races loss a long way better average in-

vestment per race was made than in any previous year and the nomination and acceptance fees must have constituted nearly a record, the all round receipts for the meeting left the club on the wrong side of the ledger after paying working expenses and stakes. There was an increase in the attendance of ladies, but though it was a patriotic meeting the paying portion of the assemblage could not have been as correspondingly large as the free list patrons. The annual meeting of members was held last week, when the statement of accounts was put before them and a suggestion was made by their retiring president, Mr. L. W. Nelson, that the club should suspend operations until after the war. This did not meet with the views of the majority of the members, however, and it was eventually decided to give notice of motion to move for a postponment at a special meeting to be called later. At the same meeting a proposal will be discussed to vote of £5O to patriotic funds. Abandonment of racing is not desirable. Possibly a postponment of the date of the meeting might assist the club, but with so many more clubs now in existence it is not an easy matter to select days that do not clash with those of other provincial clubs, racing or trotting. The great trouble with clubs in the north is that they have so comparatively few districs - owned horses that are class enough to take a hand in the settlement of other than district races. The meetings must depend very largely on visiting horses from Auckland stables, their owners and followers. With so much competition from clubs situated in more accessible parts of the province necessitating shorter excursions from home quarters, programmes must be made specially attractive by any clubs depending so largely on outside support.