TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1474, 25 July 1918, Page 16

TURF GOSSIP.

The Victoria Racing Club committee has appointed Capt. C. E. Hobson to the position of stipendiary steward rendered vacant by the death of Mr. J. O’Loughlin. Capt. Hobson is a well-known hunting man and amateur rider. He returned from the front in February, after three and a-half years’ service. He was at Gallipoli from the landing to the evacuation, and later served in France. His brother-in-law is Brigadier-General Johnston. * » * ♦ Sylva, who filled the position of runner-up to Stone Ginger and Palladio when that pair dead-heated in the Otago Steeplechase last month, is regarded as a certain starter in the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s Steeplechase on Thursday of this week. The Sylvanite gelding is expected to run prominently, and special will be attached to his performance in view of his inclusion in the field for the Grand National Steeplechase, in which event he has been awarded the minimum (9.7). ♦ » * * Should he make satisfactory progress during the next few weeks the imported horse Fleetham is likely to -be well fancied for the Winter Cup, • in which he has been weighted at 9.0. The son of Picton gave evidence of his galloping powers both on the track and in his contests at Trentham, and it may not be wise to leave him out of calculations when the Winter Cup comes up for decision. * * * * The Queensland Minister of Justice (Mr. Gillies) has forwarded a letter to the Queensland Turf Club expressing the opinion that where enquiries are held into the conduct of owners or jockeys, such enquiries should be open to the press and to a representative of the Government. * * * * The Renown—Mystic gelding, Mistic, who has been donated by Mr. G. Gillett, of Gisborne, to the Red Cross Fund in that town, was offered for sale at the Matawhero saleyards the other day, but was passed in at 12 guineas. $ S * The days of racing available next season to racing clubs in the Dominion, taking into account the reduction of one-third for the duration of .the war, total 148. *■* * * Our Canterbury correspondent writes: —That great pacing mare Soda, who met with a bad accident some weeks ago, has made a good recovery, and is now running out in a paddock. In a few weeks’ time she will re-enter Bryce’s stable to be got ready for the Trotting Cup. » * * * The well-known Australian-bred trotter Paul Huon changed hands in Christchurch recently, and will in future be an inmate of C. James stable. « * * * At Riccarton the trotting mentor A. Fleming has a team of seven in preparation for the August meeting, comprising Our Thorpe, Hardy Wilkes, Willie Lincoln, Pitaroa, Lady Patricia, Erin’s Queen, and Nihilist. The lastnamed is a recent addition to the stable, and though most of his past efforts have been registered under saddle, he gives equal promise as a harness horse. Peter Mac is gradually building up, but it will be some time before he can be conditioned for a severe preparation. * » * * Investors on the two Nationals were hit hard by the success of Narahquong, for his name was rarely coupled with anything for the Steeplechase. It was a great race for the books, according to all accounts. * ♦ * * The operations of the Military Service Act have brought to light some unexpected information, and celebrities have been located where least expected (says a Wairarapa paper). The last celebrity to come to light is Tod Sloan, the famous jockey, who has produced documentary proof of his identity to the authorities in Wellington. Tod Sloan is still of military age, and has been classed as fit for service. * * * * Sunny Park, the idol of Coonamble racegoers, won his 61st race at the recent Gulargambone meeting, says “Pilot,” who adds that he has a long way to go to equal the performance of old Wexford, who some years ago won over 120 races throughout the West and South.

“Malt Flag given to Defence Department” is the mystifying heading to a newspaper announcement. Malt Flag, explains “Woomera” in the “Australasian,” is not a misprint for Malt Flagon, but happens to be the name of a racehorse. Just for a moment it seemed to be a case of another red flag—with the customary white froth on the top of it.

Narahquong’s jockey, H. Eames, in the Grand National Hurdles, was formerly connected with the pony courses, and last year rode successfully in Java.

It is reported by the Melbourne “Age” that one bookmaker laid a wager of £l5OO to £lO against the Grand National Hurdle Race winner, Narahquong, while several bets of £lOO to £1 were taken about the chestnut prior to and on Saturday. Some backers, however, accepted 33 to 1 and 40 to 1 on the course, but the majority of the paddock ringmen were offering 50 to 1 prior to the start. The bookmakers generally have never scored so heavily for many a day. Besides his time-making record Narahquong established a record for prices which has never been approached in the cross-country event in the past, and will take a lot of beating. One lucky punter is said to have secured £2OO to 10s.

Mr. J. F. Monten (official timekeeper on the metropolitan racecourses in South Australia) has received the following interesting letter from the lightweight rider W. Marshall: —“Pension Entrenom, Malang, Java, May 8, 1918. Dear Fred, —At last I have made a start at Java. The opening meeting of the season took place at Batavia last Saturday and Sunday. I had three rides the first day, and rode two thirds and one second, but on the second day I went one better, and rode a winner, a second and two thirds. The next meeting will be held here at Malang on May 19 and 20. The horses entered here are not nearly as good as at Batavia, so my string looks like winning four or five races. I am training and riding for Mr. Ong Shjung Sam, a very wealthy Chinaman. He has six horses in work, and I am trying to get him to buy three more, and should I manage to win 10 or 12 races for him I will have a pretty good time financially. Well, Java is indeed a strange and wealthy country. Just fancy an island only half the size of Victoria with a population of 33,000,000, and over 40 volcanoes. Everybody seems to have plenty of money, and motor cars are everywhere. There

are four oilfields here, so petrol is very cheap compared to Australia. We called at Borneo on our way to Java, and at Balik Papan I saw one of the largest oilfields in the world. It is really a fine sight. Racing in Java is absolutely the opposite to South Australia in almost every respect. To begin with the big day of a meeting is always on a Sunday morning. There are 10 races in a day. The first is run at 8.30 a.m., and the last about 12.30 or 1 o’clock. Everybody sleeps in the afternoon, and at night they gamble at roulette or ecarte. The races are run righthanded, as at Randwick. The first race is for amateur riders, and there are generally one or two for native riders. The latter are very funny. They ride without boots, and grasp the stirrups with their toes. They ride very good work, but the majority of them lose their heads altogether in a race. They do not have a clerk of course here, and when you win a race you come back on your own. You get a great reception from the stand, pull up in front of the winning post to be photographed, and receive congratulations. A native takes off your saddle, everybody shakes hands with you, and pats you on the back, and then you weigh in. Everything is happy go lucky. In fact it is a huge picnic. When a jockey gets on the scale to weigh out he is asked

what horse he is riding and what race it is in. You can weigh out four or five races ahead if you like. There is no set time for any race to be run, except the first. They just run them off when they are ready, but there is not much time wasted, as it is too hot to do anything after midday.” **. ❖ * Probably those who enjoyed the opening day of the winter race meeting at Flemington were the returned soldiers and sailors who had only that morning landed in Melbourne after long service on land and sea. The interest and variety they added to the scene are difficult to describe, writes "Queen Bee” in the “Australasian.” We stay-at-home folk, who were out in thousands, appeared so different by contrast. Our facial expressions are somewhat careworn, and generally not a little anxious. And have we not all aged in these past few years? They, on the contrary, were bright and cheerful, even gay, and appreciated the smallest attentions paid them. Especially was this so with the bluejackets, each of whom wore a tuft of wattle in his white cap, and carried a spray in his hand .which he flourished wh£n trying to attract the attention of a friend.

The continued absence of rain in Sydney, while not at present affecting courses to any extent, is not viewed with equanimity in certain quarters, and a break of the “drought” would no doubt be welcomed by all concerned, says “Pilot.” In New Zealand we have been getting a double share of wet.

In the House of Commons recently, Mr. Prothero moved the second reading of the Horse Breeding Bill, the object of which, he explained, was to regulate the stallions which travelled for hire or were exhibited in public places or markets or shows. The Army had recently bought a number of light and heavy horses, and the reports from the remount officers disclosed a very serious state of affairs. A letter from thd War Office was quoted in the report of the committee appointed by the President of the Board of Agriculture in regard to the supply of horses for military purposes. In that report, which was published in 1915, the War Office stated that owing to the inferiority of many of the sires a large number of these horses were of so poor a stamp as to be of no military value. The committee to which he had referred recommended the compulsory registration of stallions, and that would be carried out under the Bill. It would embrace not only pedigree stallions, but all other stallions. The Bill would also apply to Scotland and Ireland. It was read a second time.

During both days of the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting the opportunity was availed of to give a number of two-year-olds a sprint down the straight at Trentham. On the first day one of Mr. H. Whitney’s juveniles, by Autumnus — Aema, sprinted in company with Sunburst (Boniform—Rose Petal), one of J. McLoughlin’s promising pupils, the pair hitting out freely. On the concluding day, a quartette of youngsters hailing from J. Lowe’s training establishment were given a sprint in between the races. The juveniles consisted of a colt by Martian—lntelligence, a filly by Demosthenes— Formality, a King Rufus' colt and a colt by Solferino—Rosalind. The quartette all displayed galloping ability. * * w # Mr. J. H. Finney, president of the Nelson Racing Club, and vice-presi-dent of the Country Racing Clubs’ Association, has joined the Forces Camp iS at present in Featherston * * * * It is stated that Cathedral Chimes, Admira! Wood, Author Dillon and Adelaide Direct-may meet on the con,o.f the N - z - Metropolitan Trotting Club s August fixture. * * * * winner Century Hurdles winner, Sir Fisher, who since carrv .ng Mr. M. Hurley’s colons to vic-’ iti™ ’of hat 6Vent haS fl " ed the POSkr \ f runner ‘ u P in both the Great at Ellerslie and the w2u- er , Hurdles at Trentham, left Dg h t?n laSt Week for R iccarton, where his owner will put the finish tng touches on the Maniapoto X iofal Hurffle Ra n ce £Or ““ Grand Nat ‘ ~o R oX nn s therhx the most successful owner in Anek ~ getiier Mr. Hannon’s horses won for him during that period the substantial sum of £4107 ® uusi anuai seventh on the list of bemg er a us . t , of winning ownc^ditahm h o , Domini °n, a distinctly creditable achievement. The most ers CC were U 1 Ot J er Auckland owners were. Messrs. Jas. Hand (£13551 «ll» a w n « 1265 L W - V. Casey lHson ) ’ (£ ? O20 C ) aSey (£ll20 > “"'J B. W. * * * * The leading stake earners in New S 3 £ 8 F pi F G ™" Bon S’ So‘ er c U S e^ O6 n®: £17?5 P 1965 ’ V< S° £1770 ’ Nobleman tr 725, Parisian Diamond £1679 10s Tekf £i n s e .. £l6 M 4 °’ Red Ribbon £1460 tM’ anna £1507 * Coalition £1460, Ladogeur £1460, Nystad £1415 «220 an Heathereote tle £ms°’ Bintane £l2OO, Form Up £l2OO, Multipl,? £l2OO Demagogue £ll9O, Waimatao £iigo’ Rorke s Drift £1155, King Lunin £iisn’ Collector £12,40, Bonnie Maid £llls’ Bo Peep £lO9O, Lingerie £inKs Wrestler £lO2O, Sir iSffier £ioon’ Wai-mai £lOOO. £looo ’

The South Canterbury Hunt Club’s meeting on Thursday brings the 191718 racing season in New Zealand to a close. As the list of winning owners is unlikely to be altered to any extent by Thursday’s meeting at Timaru, the following record of the amounts won by the most successful owners in New Zealand during the past season will prove of special interest: —T. H. Lowry £10,185, V. and E. Riddiford £5724, W. R. Kemball £5405, D. H. Roberts £4914, Sir Geo. Clifford £4706, W. Duncan £4160, R. Hannon £4107 10s., G. L. Stead £3057 10s., F. S. Easton £3041, H. A. Knight £2870, H. E. Troutbeck £2645, F. Sellwood £2600, F. J. Lysnar £2412 10s., H. Neagle £2320, J. Goring Johnston £2205, E. H. Baracq £2020, A. McDonald £1865, W. E. Bidwill £1745, W. J. Phillips £1725. P. Hart £1715, E. Short £l7lO, G. D. Beatson £1697 10s., G. D. Greenwood £l6BB, W. H. Gaisford £1615, F. Dorset £l6lO, L. McKenzie £1585, A. B. Williams £1490, P. Soames £1475, C. W. Richmond £1455, C. J. Bennett £1360, Jas. Hand £1355, T. E. Whelch £1340, M. Williams £1330, K. S. Williams £1315, H. Whitney £1312, A. J. Shearsby £1255, A. L. Raven £1255, F. Preston £1245, Jas. Bull, junr., £1245, G. F. Hardy £1220, W. E. Herbert £1215, R. A. McKenzie £l2lO, F. A. and V. N. Price £1155, J. B. Reid £1139, W. and V. Casey £ll3O, W. Casey £ll2O, S, Sale £lllO, J. Hurley £lO9O, D. Morton £1056, E. W. Alison, junr. £lO2O. V * Jje * Mr. Alfred E. T. Watson, who has been in charge of the sporting columns of “The Times” for some years,

and had been editor of the “Sporting and Dramatic News” for many years previously and of the “Babminton Magazine” from its inception, and who has written several books dealing with hunting the turf, and some of the leaders connected therewith, has given the world another interesting volume entitled “A Sporting and Dramatic career.” The reminiscences of this interesting writer, best known as “Rapier,” are always looked for. Mr. Watson thus explains the reason for his latest work: “I am not pretending that the demand has been by any means strong or general, and I am inclined to think that my excuse is a much better one. For now not far short of half a century it has been my business to supply articles, criti- ' cisms, stories, for all sorts of daily, weekly, and monthly publications. I have written several books, and this addition to the number is produced simply in the exercise of my profession, because I was offered terms which I thought satisfactory. Experts, therefore, have thought that the book would appeal to readers. It remains to be seen whether they are correct, but I humbly beg to be acquitted of vanity in sitting down to write it, The task is undertaken for the sake of the cheque on delivery of 'copy,’ and such royalties as may follow.” This is candid. * # * * Here is one interesting extract from the volume: “King Edward was one of the few owners who have found racing remunerative. Lord Marcus Beresford told me that when he was entrusted with the management of the King’s horses he received a cheque for £lOOO to open an account with

Messrs. Weatherby. The Royal owner was never called upon for another shilling, and drew large sums upon several occasions. At one time something like £50,000 was standing to His Majesty’s credit. The vicissitudes of ownership are strikingly illustrated in a comparison of the amount won in stakes from year to year by bearers of the Royal purple and scarlet jacket. In 1896, Persimmon’s year, His Majesty was credited with a sum of £28,733 10s. In 1899 the total was only £3082 18s. 6d., and this rose the following season to £31,744 ss. The fees earned by Persimmon as a sire are divided, in a handsome little volume, especially published, into public and private, and add up respectively to £107,370 and £19,530. Persimmon’s brothers, Florzell 11. and Diamond Jubilee —the latter of whom was sold for £30,000 — -liberally contributed, the grand total of the fees earned by the three amounting to £269,495 55.” * * * » At various times Mr. Watson has discussed the question of betting systems and the totalisator, and was one who was always against the suggestions that machine betting would be introduced into England, which some writers now seem to think not at all improbable. He has ever been a backer of his fancies, judging from his writings, always in a mild way. One little story in his latest book in dealing with betting may be quoted. It is as follows:—“A dignitary of the church once did me the honour of expressing a wish to meet me. He was incumbent of a church at Ken-

sington, and, amongst other positions, chaplain to the House of Commons. I asked him to lunch at my club, and was rather apprehensive that he would have a dull meal. Though I went to church when I could, as so many men do who are not generally suspected of the habit, I was very little acquainted with the ecclesiastical subjects which I thought my guest might be likely to discuss. We seated ourselves, and his reverence began with the question, ‘Did you back Lourdes yesterday for the Nursery?’ I regretted that I had not done so. ‘I did,’ he replied. ‘As soon as I saw the handicap it struck me that he had from 71b. to 101 b. too little, so I had a good race.’ Here was something about which I could talk, and the personage of whom I am speaking is by no means the only cleric I have known to take the odds.”