TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1467, 6 June 1918, Page 16

TURF GOSSIP.

Word from Christchurch states that Afterglow, the two-year-old filly by Demosthenes — Sunglow, is running out for the winter. She will be taken up in the spring, and undergo a preparation for the C.J.C. Oaks.

I. Nelson, the Addington trainer, and T. W. Price, at one time interested in trotters, are now both in camp.

The Randwick trainer, F. Marsden, has taken in hand the English-bred horse Negro, by St. Frusquin from Fanager, the dam of Fantarie and Chantarella. Negro, who was foaled in 1914, was brought from England by Mr. A. E. Cockram.

R. Longley, the Riccarton mentor, has recommissioned Phil May and Love Token, both of whom are to be prepared for spring racing.

Staccato, who was affected by a cold during her running at the Wanganui winter meeting, is to be treated to a well-earned spell, and will not sport silk until the spring.

A serious fire recently occurred at “Merrang” Station, Victoria, the property of Mr. R. A. D. Hood, when an extensive bluestone stable, valued at £4OOO, was destroyed, with £l5OO worth of contents. A thoroughbred pony and sporting dog were burned to death. There was only £5OO insurance on the building and contents.

Of the 12 races at the last two registered meetings in Melbourne, viz., Williamstown and Epsom, eight have been won by horses from three stables. J. Holt has trained three winners, T. Scott three, and F. Robinson two. This season 22 races have been won by horses trained by Holt.

Private “Denny” Callinan, who, a few years ago, was amongst the best and most successful horsemen in Australia, has been killed in action in France. ’He rode the winner of almost every principal event in Australia, including several Cups. Private Callinan was 35 years of age, and married. He joined the forces about two years ago.

The handicaps for the Gisborne Racing Club’s steeplechase meeting, which takes place on June 13 and 15, have been interestingly discussed in sporting circles, and the prospects of good acceptances being received for the opening day’s events on Friday evening next, June 7, are el tremely favourable.

W. Robinson, who has been associated with P. T. Hogan’s stable (Rorke’s Drift Lodge), Southland, as first horseman, leaves for the North Island after the Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting to take up service with the Feilding stable of Mr. Ernest Short, from whom he accepted a retainer.

Amongst those prominently associated with trotting in the Canterbury district who were drawn in the most recent ballot were: Mr. J. D. Parker, owner of Erin’s King and Erin’s Queen; R. J. Munro, trainer and owner of Driftwood, Huon Drift, Rorke’s Drift and several others; J. D. McGregor, and R. Humphreys.

According to the Stratford “Post,” the Taranaki District Committee has decided for the coming season to grant the Stratford Racing Club two days, reinstating the second day of the annual meeting; to grant a permit for the North Taranaki Hunt Club’s meeting this year; and to cut out the Opunake meeting.

The American trotting stallion Harold Dillon is certain to be at the head of the winning sires for the current season, as his progeny have won to date £4841. John Dillon, Sungod, Author Dillon, Asturio, Harold Devon, Haroldlander, Soda, Dillon Maid and Derby Dillon have all won £2OO and over, John Dillon heading the list with £761. In all 44 horses have contributed to the winning total, and among them they won 26 races, besides being second 27 times and third 26 times.

J. O’Shea journeyed through to Palmerston North the day before the Wanganui races to see his brother, Dave, who had a leg fractured prior to the last Manawatu meeting while riding work at Awapuni. O’Shea is getting all right, and hopes to be .well enough to return to Auckland in a few weeks’ time.

A good story comes to the Feilding “Star” in connection with the Wanganui races. A Maori from up the river wafted upon the racing club’s secretary in order to enter a horse for one of the events. “What’s the horse’s name?” asked the official. “By corry, I forgot that! I ain’t gotta name for him. What you think a good name for him, eh —wot?” “What about Paddy Webb?” suggested the secretary, firing off the first name that came to mind. “Oh, he no good!” exclaimed the native. “I want my horse to win. Paddy Webb, he no go to the front. I want my horse to go to the front and win!”

The victory registered by the exAucklander, Tararu Jack (Spalpeen— Carlotta), in the Hurdle Race at the Tattersall’s May meeting at Randwick marked the fourth win which Mr. R. M. Carter’s gelding has scored since being taken to Australia. His latest win was of a highly meritorious character, as he beat a number of crack hurdle performers. His rider, Baker, is said to have showed good judgment in letting Basil K., Blue Gull, Bundong and Yurrucmary fight for the lead, for when they had tired each other out he came along with an overpowering run. The exAucklander started at a good price, and his connections must have won a substantial amount over his victory in such select company.

A char-a-banc full of wounded Australian “Tommies” out sight-seeing in Holborn the other day (writes “Flaneur,” in the London “Sporting Times”) recalled memories of a wealthy Melbourne woolbroker and squatters’ agent, known as “Old Dick Goldsbrough,” who, on visiting London close on four decades or so ago, organised a party of Australians for the Derby. The party drove down in great style, with a flag displaying a huge emu on top of the coach. Refreshments were plentiful, and the visitors to the coach during the afternoon were numerous. Among them was a naval officer who had served on the Australian station, and who had previously met most of the Goldsbrough party. “Why on earth didn’t you come to us at a lunch time?” said Old Dick, handing the officer a tumblerful of champagne. “Well, to tell you the truth, old man,” said the son of Neptune, glancing uneasily at the flag, “I thought, at a distance, that you were a lot of damned tailors, and that you had brought your, goose with you.” That emu flag was not displayed on the way home.

Luke Wilson, who is now training in the Hawke’s Bay district, has been granted leave from military service until July 4.

The leading racing clubs in the Commonwealth, such as the Australian Jockey Club, the Victorian Racing Club and the Victorian Amateur Turf Club, have not reduced stakes compared with last season. The 1917 Melbourne Cup * was cut down from £7OOO in 1916 to £6OOO, while in the same year the Metropolitan and Sydney Cup dropped to the extent of £lOOO. Five hundred pounds were taken off the Doncaster and the Epsom, but all the classic events and many of the handicaps have retained their pre-war values. Racing, so far as its prosperity is concerned, has not been affected by the war, and the reductions in the big stakes referred to were not made as the result of any loss of revenue on the part of the clubs concerned, but with the idea of increasing the profits being devoted to patriotic purposes.

Finmark’s £3165, representing the earnings of the champion two-year-old in New Zealand for the present season, does not compare favourably with Outlook’s winnings. Outlook won £7141 (remarks “Troquois,” in the Sydney “Sun”). The prospect of winning big sums in New Zealand are not so good as in Australia, however, and the comparison between Outlook

and Finmark affords a case in point. Stakes in the Dominion are much smaller, and it is computed by some turf authorities that if Desert Gold had done all her racing at Randwick, Flemington and Caulfield she would have exceeded Carbine’s record winnings (£29,476) long ago. Because of his visit to Australia Biplane, with only two seasons’ racing, has won almost two-thirds of the amount credited to Desert Gold in four seasons.

Stipendiary stewards in the country, like handicappers, are always coming in for abuse. Rarely, however, do they get maltreated (says a writer in the “Australasian”). Such recently happened to Mr. H. W. Hogan, the Western district’s official, at Dubbo. It appears that officially he advised the secretary that the nomination of a horse named Tigeroo was to be refused. The trainer, Henry Williams, asked for the reason. Acting up to the rules, the stipendiary refused to state the reason. Williams then became abusive, and later on assaulted Mr. Hogan so severely that he was knocked down,

lip split, and three teeth loosened. Williams was summoned for assault, fined £5 and costs, and in addition, he, together with the horse, was disqualified for life.

The New Zealand-bred mare Petruvia (Stepniak—Ranee Nuna) claimed a winning representative at the South Australian Jockey Club’s meeting, when her two-year-old daughter Stage Girl won the leading juvenile event on the programme in the South Australian Stakes of 400sovs. Stage Girl, who was got by Comedy King, was bought cheaply as a yearling for 190 guineas. Petruvia is a full sister to Indian Queen, dam of Maori King, King Billy, Aborigine and Our King.

The list of successful owners at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s recent meeting is as follows: —E. J. White £5OO, F. Sellwood £495, F. E. Easton £490, J. Hurley £350, F. Lysnar £250, A. A. Cameron £2OO, A. E. Symes £2OO, J. Barrett £l3O, J. Brice £135, B. C. McCormack £ll5, Goodwin and Alexander £ll5, W. Duncan £llO, W. Raleigh £B5, C. Mumby £BO, J. Bull £6O, Mrs. Buckman £55, Morris and Hammond £5O, E. Sale £5O, A. N. Gibbons £45, H. A. Knight £3O, P. V. Norman £4O, T. Higgins £25, L. H. Collinson £25, W. Richmond £25, P. Pope £2O, H. J. Cameron £2O, W. G. Emeny £2O, G. Appleyard £l5, A. McDonald £l5, J. F. Fenwick £l5, A. L. Raven £l5, J. McKean £l5, P. Johnson £l5; total, £3830.

Mrs. Lumley Hill, who is racing all Mr. E. J. Watt’s horses in Australia, had a disappointing experience in the recent May Day Cup in Brisbane (says a correspondent). Red Pennant, who carried her colours, ran second to Laidley, and subsequently the jockey openly stated that riding to orders caused him to lose the race. Mrs. Hill thereupon wrote to the press contradicting this report, and pointing out that when a change of jockeys was made in the Rockton Handicap on the second day of the meeting, Red Pennant “cantered in” a winner. Mrs. Hill added that the horse’s rider in the Cup totally disregarded the instructions he received.

At the third annual meeting of the Horowhenua Racing Club, held the other evening, and at which Mr. T. Bevan presided, the annual report stated that since the last annual meeting the club had been deprived of its permit to race, but a hope had been expressed that as soon as the war was over it would be found advisable for a permit to be issued. Mr. Field, M.P., and Mr. James McLearey were appointed patron and president respectively, while all other officers were re-elected, with the exception that Mr. J. McDonald was elected a steward in place of Mr. R. W. Fleming (on active service).

Mr. J. J. Corry was so disgusted with the displays of Good Hope at Blenheim that he has decided to put this horse to jumping—a quick declassing for the winner of the Dunedin Champagne Stakes.

Elsdon, who won the Adelaide Cup last month, was bred in England by Mr. L. Neumann, in May, 1914, so he is just four years old. He is by the Ayrshire horse Symington from Electra, who was by Eager from Sirenia (Gallinule —Concussion). Electra was a smart filly in her day, and won the One Thousand Guineas of 1909. When Mr. L. Neumann’s horses came into the ring, Messrs. Clark and Robinson secured Elsdon for 400 guineas, and he has proved a capital venture. It was suggested from Home that he was a sprinter, and Bradfield trained him accordingly, and the gelding sprinted so well that he was heavily supported in a couple of short distance events at the Victorian autumn meetings. He failed, but finally took a mile welter at Caulfield, and then came his sterling performances at Randwick. Those gave him a good hold on the Adelaide Cup, and Bradfield took him straight across for the big event. Elsdon may not be a stylish customer, but there can be no doubt as to his courage. He fairly worried Shacko out of the stake. The victory was a popular one. Elsdon was ridden by the well - known Australian horseman, F. Bullock, and went out little better than an oddson favourite.

The present racing season has been a most remarkable one, because where many looked for disaster and a dead slump in racing, quite the contrary has proved the case (writes “Sentinel,” in the Otago “Daily Times”). Fields throughout the season have been maintained to such a numerical strength that it is obvious quite as many, if not more,' horses are in training as in any other previous racing year, and this notwithstanding the high price of horse feed and the increase in the cost -of running. Money is plentiful, despite the high cost of living and the extra calls on the pocket which have to be heard as a plain duty, which it is pleasing to record is, as a general rule, liberally responded to by sportsmen, of whom quite a number have made substantial donations to the various patriotic funds. Several have donated handsome stakes won by their horses, and no doubt others will continue to follow such a sportsmanlike lead. It must be said, however, in passing, that owners of trotters and pacers do not seem to have made themselves very conspicuous with donations of stakes won by their horses. Perhaps they do their good work without drawing public attention to the matter, but in the interests of the sport a little publicity would be quite permissible and pardonable. As far as light harness racing is concerned, evidence is growing stronger and stronger as to its undoubted popularity with the public, and like the parent sport, has become recognised as not only a national pastime, but also a great national industry.

The imported horse Early Morn, who has won at Sydney in his last three starts, has been purchased by the Australian sportsman, Mr. J. Timms. It will be remembered that Mr. Timms bought the Martian horse Cherubini for 120 guineas and afterwards won the Australian Cup with Mr. G. D. Greenwood’s cast-off. Another profitable purchase of Mr. Timms’ was Green Cap, who won, among other races, the Adelaide Cup, Cumberland Stakes, and A.J.C. Plate at Randwick. Mr. Timms also bought the New Zealand-bred De Gama for 2000 guineas.

As we have in New Zealand some of the stock, the following from “Pilot’s” pen in the “Referee” will interest readers and breeders alike: The sale of Tressady in Australia for 6000 guineas in January was productive of a good deal of comment by English writers, and it is of interest to know that the “Special Commissioner” of the “London Sportsman” believes he was the best English three-year-old of 1910. As a yearling Tressady was sold for 2900 guineas to Mr. Buchanan, and won three of the four races in which he ran as a two-year-old. At his first start as a three-year-old Tressady was beaten in the Greenham Stakes by Bfonzino, to whom he was conceding 131 b., and Lanawand. “That race,” writes the “Special Commissioner,” “sharpened Tressady up properly, and when he ran for the Craven Stakes at the Newmarket Craven meeting over the Rowley Mile, he opposed Neil Gow, Whisk Broom and three others.

Three to one was his starting price, and his backers were overjoyed when he came down Bushes Hill into the Dip fairly running away with the race. He was, in fact, out by himself half way up the ascent, until for some reason, which has never been satisfactorily explained, he swerved abruptly off to the right, and Higgs with difficulty prevented him from going over the rails. Neil Gow was fully three lengths behind him when this happened, and it was not more than half a furlong to the winning post. In the peculiar circumstances Neil Gow caught and passed Tressady before Higgs could get him straightened, and Whisk Broom also got his neck in front of Mr. Buchanan’s colt for second place. No one who saw that race, however, doubt that Tressady would have won it very easily indeed had he ran on straight until past the post.” Sam. Darling, who trained Tressady, also prepared Galtee More and Ard Patrick, and after their time said Tres* sady was the best he ever had trained.