TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1520, 12 June 1919, Page 18

TURF GOSSIP.

W. Orange has Norah Creina engaged in the Ashburton Trotting Cup. Harold Devon also figures among the entries for the two-mile event. At the conclusion of the racing at Oamaru, Mr. J. Biggins, owner of Kilbrogan, purchased Kilkee, who won a double at the North Otago fixture, and the gelding raced in his interests at the Dunedin meeting. Comment, who claimed an engagement in the Taipua Handicap on the opening day of the Otaki meeting, was not a starter at the fixture in consequence of having broken a blood vessel whilst competing at Carterton, the previous week. J. Olsen, who underwent a severe operation at Invercargill immediately after the Gore autumn meeting, is sufficiently recovered to have returned to his home at Riccarton. He intends to spend a few months recuperating in the warmer climate of the North Island before doing any more riding. “The rule of racing regarding bracketing horses needs amendment, and this, I hope, will be brought about at the next conference,” said Mr. A. Boyle, president of the Canterbury Jockey Club, in his annual report. “Instead of putting difficulties in the way of breeders leasing horses, every encouragement should be given, so as to induce new owners to take up the sport, and the leasing, principally of fillies, is the most convenient for many owners and breeders who like to retain special lines of blood.” Paddington Green must be considered an unlucky horse at the Great Northern meeting at Ellerslie. After getting away badly in the King George Handicap on the second day he finished within a head of the placed trio. On form he appeared to have excellent prospects in the York Welter on the concluding day, but the barrier again saw him in trouble, for he became entangled in the tapes when they lifted, his rider (Sinclair) being dislodged from the saddle.

In the course of his address to the members of the Canterbury Jockey Club at the annual meeting, the president (Mr. Alex. Boyle) stated that Christchurch suffers very grave disabilities from want of accommodation for visitors. It is quite impossible to obtain accommodation for the spring and national meetings, and hundreds are prevented from visiting our races for this reason. In 1906 the population of Christchurch was estimated at 76,700. It is now over 90,000, and it is therefore safe to say that the best class of accomodation for visitors is less now than it was in 1906. This not only affects the Canterbury Jockey Club, but it is bad for the trade of the city. Taking a line through the Hotel and Restaurant Workers’ Union, Auckland, with about 24 per cent, more population, can accommodate six times more visitors.

The day after the declaration of first forfeit for the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup the double Hem and lan ’Or figured at 2500 to 1 in a list issued by a firm of Sydney bookmakers, says the “Referee.” At that time Hem and lan ’Or were quoted at 50 to 1 each for their respective races. In another list issued just after the declaration of the weights Hem and lan ’Or were at 100 to 1 straight-out and 5000 to 1 the double. Nearly to the last 700 to 1 was available about the Hem and lan ’Or double, and it is safe to say very few of the double event merchants laid that particular combina tion to any extent.

The well-known R. S. Sievier was beaten when he tried for Parliamentary honours in England a few months back, but as if to compensate for that failure, he has since experienced specially good racing luck. His horse Royal Bucks won the Lincolnshire Handicap recently, and followed that up with the City and Suburban Handicap. Royal Bucks is by Buckwheat, whose stock have given him good advertisements in various countries since he came to New South Wales. Messrs. Thompson Bros, displayed excellent judgment in buying Buckwheat, the appearance of whose

yearlings in the sale ring at Randwick will be awaited with considerable interest.

A correspondent writes to “Pilot,” in the “Referee,” as follows relative to nomenclature: “Australian owners when bestowing Maori names on their equines do not appear to trouble about the correct spelling thereof. Take, for instance, the Victorian jumper Tenarqui. Is this a wild attempt to spell Tenako (greetings) ? On this side I call to mind one or two others. Whyariki should be Wairiki, and Kapai (very good) instead of Kaipai (pretty good) is probably intended. By the way, how would Korero (speechifying) suit the Martian — Flowery Speech colt?” Kaipai means good food. The Flowery Speech colt is by Kilbroney and the name would suit, but as Korero might be disallowed Blarney Stone would be suggestive.

The South Island owner, Mr. H. A. Knight, who met with considerable success with his horses at the Egmont Steeplechase meeting, and followed this up by heading the list of successful owners at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s winter meeting, where Euripos accounted for the two principal hurdle races, experienced no luck at the Great Northern meeting at Ellerslie. Bore was a starter in the Maiden Steeplechase, Great Northern Steeplechase and Winter Steeplechase, but evidently the country did not suit him, for the best he could do was to run third in the first-named event. The company in the open steeplechases proved too strong, and with ’chasers of the calibre of Master Lupin and Waimai he was never dangerous, being pulled up in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Post Haste also carried Mr. Knight’s colours in three events at the meeting, but failed to run into a place. The San Francisco gelding was out in front as the field negotiated the bend into the straight in the King George Handicap (seven furlongs), but found the distance too far, tiring badly over the last furlong. The services of B. Deeley were secured for Post Haste in the Visitors’ Handicap (five furlongs) on the concluding day, but he spoilt whatever chance he possessed by being badly left when the tapes lifted, though he ran a creditable race. Mr. Knight’s other candidate, Euripos, only contested one event, the Great Northern Hurdle Race, at the meeting.

The win recorded by Greenstead in the All Aged Stakes at the Australian J.C.’s recent meeting gave Myles Connell, the well-known horseman, his 999th winning ride. During a period of his successful career Connell was a leading jockey at the Sydney pony course, and whilst thus engaged put up the brilliant achievement of winning 105 races in twelve months.

A couple of leading Irish bookmakers in Messrs. P. L. Smyth and R. J. Duggan, have not been going out of their way to make themselves popular with their fellow layers in Ireland. Mr. Smyth advocates a tax of £lOO per annum on each bookmaker and £5O on each clerk; while Mr. Duggan is of opinion that the bookmakers should contribute the amount of stake money run for in Ireland. Last year the prize money distributed in that country was nearly £84,000, so that if that idea were carried out, the ring’s contribution would certainly be substantial.

“The trainer’s position has always, to my way of thinking, been a curious one, says an English writer. He has the care of a horse and the responsibility for its well being for months and all attendant anxiety, yet the big presents go to the jockey who wins a big race on a horse after being in the saddle from the time he leaves for the starting post until he returns to weighing. If a trainer bets and is lucky in his speculations he can make money, and many of the profession have done so, but I have always held the view that of all who earn their living by racing, the trainer is the worst paid having regard to his responsibilities.” “Pilot,” in the Sydney “Referee,” referring to the above, adds: It is the same in Australia, and many a trainer has seen his work of months go for nothing, consequent on the rider not being nearly as fit as the horse. I can recall an occasion at Randwick some years ago when a horse that should have won an important race only finished third. It was handled wretchedly, which was not surprising when it subsequently transpired that the jockey had not gone to bed the same morning until an hour approaching that at which racing stable employees general’y commence the day's duties.

Merry Roe’s sister, Cherry Roe, has been sent on a visit to Nassau by her owner, Mr. W. Ryan, of Auckland. She is in foal to Potoa. Poitrel, who won the three weight-for-age events at the Australian J.C.’s autumn meeting, is the property of Messrs. W. and F. A. Moses, breeders, of Arrowfield Stud, Hunter River, and he is trained by H. J. Robinson, at Randwick. He has been a profitable proposition, though he began his career most inauspiciously. He started badly by failing to win a race as a two-year-old, but last season, at three years, he captured the Summer and Tattersail’s Cups at Randwick. In the spring he beat Desert Gold at weight for age, and probably he would have given the last Melbourne Cup a great battle, but he partially broke down in the Metropolitan, and did not run again until recently at Rosehill, when he was unplaced in a couple of middle-distance races, which proved too short for him.