TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1464, 16 May 1918, Page 16

TURF GOSSIP.

Waimatao, who annexed both open sprint events at the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s autumn meeting, has proved a profitable bargain to his owner, Mr. M. Williams, who secured him for 25 guineas. During the present season Waimatao has won 1270 sovs in stakes, making a total of 2000sovs for the past two seasons, while he claims engagements in the principal sprint events at the forthcoming Wanganui meeting. * * * ♦ The most successful jumpers during the present season have been Sleight of Hand, with three wins and 125550 vs in stakes, and Master Strowan, with two wins and 1250sovs in stakes. * * * * The Provocation mare Comment, who has displayed much pace in the races which she has contested this season, is to be given a chance to earn distinction over the hurdles. Comment is trained at Tauherenikau, and should she show ability in negotiating the fences she can be ticked off as likely to prove a useful stake earner at the lepping game. * * * The imported horse All Black (sire of Desert Gold), who has been leased for three years to Mr. Chaffey, a wellknown Victorian breeder, is shortly tc be shipped to Melbourne, and will be accompanied by the brood mares Red Plume (dam of Bunting), Musketry and Eona (dam of Eocene and Hymeona). R. McSeveney was offered the riding on Mr. W. R. Kemball’s jumpers for the coming meetings, but he had to decline, as he has accepted a retainer to steer Master Strowan and Gang Awa’ for Mr. F. S. Easton. Mr. W. E. Bidwill, the well-known Wairarapa owner, is temporarily retiring from racing, and the horses that have been carrying his colours this season are in the private sale list. Devotion has been purchased by a patron of H. Telford’s stable, and has been sent to Waikanae for a spell. Association and Probation will be spelled at their owner’s station at Rototawai.

The Feilding trainer A. Attwood has been discharged from the Cl Camp, and intends again taking his old stables.

Favourable reports are being received from Trentham regarding Coalition’s schooling essays, and the son of Patronus promises to be in big demand for the steeplechase events at Wanganui and Auckland.

Egypt, full brother to Desert Gold, has been retired to the stud on one of Mr. T. H. Lowry’s stations. During the 1915-16 season Egypt proved the leading two-year-old in the Dominion, when the chestnut son of All Black won the Juvenile Handicap (four furlongs) at the Napier Park Racing Club’s spring meeting, the Tenth Feilding Stakes (five furlongs), the Nursery Handicap (five furlongs) and the Kelburn Plate (four furlongs) at the Wellington Racing Club’s summer meeting. Egypt’s only two successes during the 1916-17 season were the Egmont Cup (one mile and ahalf) and the Hawera Stakes (one mile), both victories being registered at the Egmont Racing Club’s summer meeting. Egypt was only seen out under silk on one occasion during the present season, when he failed to gain a place in the Masterton Cup, in which he started one of the outsiders of the field. The full brother to Desert Gold displayed no prospect of achieving anything like the success attained by his illustrious relative on the race track, but may, nevertheless, prove a valuable acquisition to the stud. He would have done better no doubt had he been free from bleeding troubles, which at times came against him.

During the course of a gallop at Trentham last week, the Boris gelding Thoughtful fell and broke a leg, in consequence of which he had to be destroyed. The day previous to the mishap Thoughtful had been nominated for several events at the Otaki meeting.

A meeting of the Auckland District Committee was held on Thursday. T. J. A. Carmont’s jockey’s license was cancelled at his own request; C. L. Everson’s jockey’s license was suspended. Licenses were granted as under: —Trainers: C. Hodder. Jockeys: H. J. A. Hawkins, R. J. Kelly, A. McCurdy. Apprentice Jockey: J. Nicholson.

At a meeting of the Auckland Racing Club Committee on Thursday, one new member was elected. Accounts totalling £277 were passed for payment. It was decided to start the first race at the winter meeting at 11.30 a.m. The transfer, I. G. Duncan to R. Acton Adams, of b f Desmine, was approved.

Applications for dates for next season were approved as follows: —Auckland R.C.: Spring, November 9; summer, December 26 and 28 and January 1; autumn, April 19 and 21; winter, May 31 and June 3. Avondale J.C.: Spring, November 2 and 6; autumn, April 26. Bay of Plenty J.C.: December 7; Northern Wairoa R.C., January 11; Ohinemuri J.C., March 15; Rotorua J.C., February 26; Hamilton R.C., February 22; Takapuna J.C., spring, November 30; summer, January 29 and February 1; Te Aroha J.C., March 8; Te Kuiti R.C., February 15; Thames J.C., December 26; Waipa R.C., December 14; Whangarei R.C., January 15.

Seadown is improving as a hurdler and though he does not claim engagements at Wanganui or at Auckland it is expected that the son of Downshire will be given a run at the Napier Park and Hawke’s Bay winter fixtures.

Mr. J. Gargurevich, the assistant secretary of the V.A.T.C., had the huge flag, 60 feet by 30 feet, carried by returned soldiers in the profession in Melbourne spread out on one of the lawns in the paddock, on to which passers-by were invited to throw in their loose change. And they did, a tidy sum being gained for patriotic purposes.

To keep your spirits free from care, A brisk walk tro’ the winter air, If you in comfy clothes are clad, Will warm your blood and make you glad. jßut just before you venture out, If of the weather you’ve a doubt Mix hot, and drink a nip, be sure, Of warming Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

England, according to a London exchange, has attained at least one unenviable distinction in connection with racing since the commencement of the war. It is the only country where racing is carried on on a large scale that has not held a Red Cross race meeting.

Trenton and Lochiel are mentioned in a Sydney exchange as striking illustrations of the decline in Australian strains. Both were high-class as racehorses and sires, but their sons have failed to carry on the male line of the blood. Perhaps a scientist could solve this problem, but to the ordinary observer it is an anomaly that Australian racehorses should so steadily decline. Lochiel cannot be classed as an Australian strain. He was got in England from imported Nelly Moore.

An alteration in a V.R.C. rule of racing to come into force this week gives the V.R.C. committee power to refer any betting dispute to the stipendiary stewards for settlement, and

their decisions will not be subject to appeal. The V.R.C. committee will doubtless continue to adjudicate in betting disputes in which matters of principle are involved. Another new rule to come into force sets out that an objection that a pony is not of the height required under the conditions of a race shall not, except in the case of fraud, be entertained or allowed after a race. Comedy King narrowly escaped going to Germany (writes “Chiron,” in the “Australasian”). When his dam went up for sale in England in July, 1907, she had Comedy King, then a foal, at foot. Mr. Green was lucky enough to get Tragedy Queen and her foal, who was afterwards to earn fame in Australia as Comedy King, for 1700 guineas. Count Lehndorf, who at that time was the director of the Royal Graditz Stud for the German Government, made an offer of 1100 guineas for Comedy King, but luckily for Australians, and incidentally himself, Mr. Green declined the offer.

The Sydney “Referee” says: Mr. Watt’s temporary retirement is sincerely regretted, and it is understood he will return to New Zealand, where his mother resides. Mr. Watt has horses in training in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, probably nearly 20, so he will be a loss to the game. It is understood most will be leased, though possibly some may be sold, and others sent to his stud at Molong. Mr. Watt has made a present of Football and the promising two-year-old Pontoon to the veteran Randwick trainer H. Rayner. Bunting and Red Pennant were intended to compete at the Queensland Turf Club’s meeting, but, though they may still do so, they will run in interests other than those of Mr. Watt. Red Pennant won since the above was written. * ♦ « * The Southland racing season resulted, according to statistics supplied by “Comet,” of the Southland “News,” in the Ashburton sportsman, Mr. H. F. Nicoll, heading the list of winning owners with a total of £750, won by Ascalaphus, and the Martian gelding, with that amount to his credit, also topped the list of winning horses. Martian was the most successful sire with £1527|, and All Red next on the list with £lOOO. Riding honours were won by R. C. Reed, with 13 wins out of 38 mounts—a very good percentage indeed as far as that part of the world is concerned, and patrons of the Southland turf would soon regard him as a mascot if he continued in such a winning vein. The total amount of stakes distributed amounted to £16,091, totalisator investments to £187,988 10s., and tax to £9416. * ♦ ♦ * It is a curious fact that few Australian racehorses make successful sires, says “Musket” in Sydney “Referee.” When you mention this matter to some horse owners they say it is because the Australian horse does not get a chance in any fashionable stud. But surely they would get a chance if they were good enough. Of latter day champions, take Poseidon. He has had good chances, but beyond Old Mungindi his stock is very poor. Then look at the great strains of blood we had 40 years ago. Excepting the Musket strain, they have so declined as to be almost extinct as a sire line. Yattendon sired two really great horses in Chester and Grand Flaneur, and they in turn sired good ones; but to-day the blood is only remembered through brood mares. Ruenalf, although he has produced winners, gave us nothing high-class. Abercorn would have been the best representative of the Chester branch had he stayed here, for his stock won classic races; but each succeeding generation show’s a marked decline, compared with the progeny of imported stallions in our classic races.

The American jockey W. Miller, whose weight precluded him getting any riding opportunities in Sydney or Melbourne, has gone to Brisbane, where he is expected to fare better, says the “Referee.” A few years ago Miller was undoubtedly America’s premier jockey, and as he is still a young man, and one who keeps physically fit, there is no reason why he should not show something of his old form. He rode a deal of work at Randwick, but though he made a good impression, failed to obtain mounts in races. * * * * The South African Jockey Club have added the following to their rules: Horses imported after July 31, 1918, shall not run in any race confined to hordes 14.2 and under. This alteration had a two fold object, one being to make matters •easier for galloways and ponies bred in South Africa, and the other to lessen the importation of diminutive thoroughbreds from England, a practice that must, in the long run, tend to the deterioration of South African blood stock. I have not heard how the motion fared, says a writer in an exchange, but no doubt it met with strong opposition, and it was probably pointed out that if, in the interests of the country’s stock, the Jockey Club deemed such a step as that quoted advisable, it should go further, and totally discountenance all pony and galloway racing at meetings under its control.

City Tattersail’s Club, Sydney, held a most successful picnic recently, and 1 the feature of the dinner was the speech made by the chairman, Mr. J. Clarke, upon racing matters. Mr. Clarke commented unfavourably upon the outcome of the restrictions placed on pacing, pointing out that they had failed to improve recruiting, increased the number of racegoers, brought in new bookmakers and cost the Governments (State and Federal) a deal of revenue. The Government would make a mistake if it abolished the bookmakers in favour of the totalisator, as the revenue the former contributed to the State was very large. He went on to point out that the bookmakers had donated large sums to the various war funds, and that City Tattersall’s Club had actually gone in for a bank overdraft in connection with its contributions. The books and the totalisator operating side by side gave backers their choice, and there was, consequently no cause to alter the present position. * ♦ * • Sid. Reid, who is now acting as trainer at the Highden establishment, which position was relinquished by George Price to take up military duties, has the following promising youngsters to start upon: — Rising three-year-old by Advance —Mouette, rising two-year-olds, brown filly by Solferino — Miss Dalrymple; brown filly, Martian — Bee Bee; bay colt, Martian —Adelicia; brown colt, Hallowmas —Pas Seul; chestnut filly, Hallowmas —Overaul; bay filly, Mar-

tian —Ermengarde; bay filly, Hallowmas —Parera. The dual Great Easter Handicap winner Nystad and the three-year-old gelding Birkenvale are being treated to a spell until the commencement of the new season. * ♦ * F. Bullock, who is now at the top of the winning jockeys’ list in Victoria,* was fortunate •in leaving Germany just before war broke out. He was being pressed by the proprietors of a prominent German stable to enter into a contract to ride for the approaching season at a retainer of £5OOO, but he was keen on getting back to England, and he turned down the German offer. It was not long after his return to England that war was declared on Germany. If he had accepted the offer to remain there he would have been a prisoner of war now, instead of one of the leading jockeys riding in Australia. Although Bullock is an Australian, he gained his reputation as a jockey in England. J. E. Brewer sent for him to go to that country while he was riding round the provinces in Victoria, and he worked his way up until he ranked among the good horsemen there. In 1905 he returned to Australia, and won the Melbourne Cup on Blue Spec — a chance ride, picked up on the day of the race — and after winning other important races, returned to England in 1907. Soon afterwards he settled in Germany, and for the succeeding six years collected no less than £lO,OOO in retaining fees, apart from the £2 10s. for losing and £5 for winning

mounts which he received for riding for the Royal Stud. On his return to England he was second in the winning list in 1915, and fifth the following year. In 1917 he came back to Australia, and although he has been riding for a little over a year, it was not until the end of last year that he took up his old calling seriously. With 28 firsts for the year he has now displaced F. Dempsey in first place in the Victorian jockeys’ winning list. :J: :Jt :Jt Care has been exercised by the Victoria Racing Club in the framing of the Melbourne Cup conditions this year, and there will be no penalties where penalties should not be carried. Last year the penalty clause began: “The winner, after August 31, 1917, of any race of the value, etc.” It should have been: “The winner, after August 31, 1917, of any handicap of the value . . .” The substitution of “race” for “handicap” inflicted penalties upon weight-for-age winners. The Victoria Amateur Turf Club and Victoria Racing Club altered the allotment of place money in races of this kind on their pro-

grammes immediately preceding the Cup meeting, so that the winners would not get £5OO, and would thus escape penalties for the Melbourne Cup. But this was not done by the Australian Jockey Club, with the result that while Lanius and other Victorians escaped extra weight, the New South Wales brigade was not so fortunate, and Thana and Wallace Isinglass, besides others who did not run, earned penalties for their successes in weight-for-age races. The disadvantage so far as New South' Wales horses were concerned was overcome by their good form, however, for Sydney representatives filled the three places. The matter has been amended this year, and only the winners of handicaps of over £5OO, or of the Derbies, if they are weighted at less than the weight-for-age scale provided, shall be penalised. The winner of a handicap of £5OO after August 31 will have to put up 71b, and of £lOOO and upwards 10lb extra.