THE CLUBMAN

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1540, 30 October 1919, Page 8

THE CLUBMAN

Double event betting is popular all over the world, and some enormous books were open in England in prewar times. During the war the leading pencillers had to curtail their books; indeed, some of the races over which their operations were formerly very extensive were cut out. One man advertised a £50,000 double on the Cesarewitch, run on October -15, and Cambridgeshire, run on Wednesday, and many in the same line were advertising that they had unlimited books the same way, ■“no ways barred.” This is what will happen if we get the double totalisator. The tote odds layer, as distinct from the bookmaker, will go on laying with a limit to his liability. The bookmaker, who has been doing business to set figures, will take only such business as will suit his book. It has been said that somewhere about £lO,OOO or perhaps a little-more can be won over the New Zealand Cup and Stewards’ Handicap double from the whole force of bookmakers in the • Dominion worth considering from the backers’ point of view. At one time that amount could have been won straight-out over the New Zealand Cup, and nearly, if-not quite so much, over the Dunedin Cup when that race was the chief betting one in New Zealand. The many totalisator workers who have taken the place of the few pencillers who took weeks and weeks getting their betting volumes filled, handle in a few minutes larger and nearly as large sums on the same and other races, on some of which only a comparatively little money goes on, at tote odds.

In England where there are £50,000 books at the end of a racing season, there are some people trying all they ■can to get the totalisator in, and various ways are being suggested whereby the bookmakers may be “beaten by betting, while the racing authorities are slow to take up the cry for the introduction of the automaton, which it was said was introduced into New Zealand to kill the bookmaker stone dead. One of the •staunchest advocates of the introduction of the totalisator in New South Wales to the exclusion of the penciller has lately been less pronounced in his views on the question, and has discovered that there is no prospect of the pencillers being excluded at Randwick, because there is no room to erect sufficient totalisator accommodation there for all the people. It is a wonder that the bookmaker and tote odds layer has not gone under long ago were one thinks of all the hard heads that are at work to beat him, most of them by fair means, some with doubtful systems, and a lew by trickery and despicable methods, which rarely succeed. It is not every man that can make a hook, but anyone can lay the same odds that the co operative system provides, and there is a big temptation with such a large percentage taken out of each pound for people, to lay machine odds and limit their risk to paying out up to a stipulated amount only.

The surprise felt in the colonies at the extraordinary prices realised for best of the yearlings, or the presumed best, at the Doncaster sales, has not been confined to the colonies. In England the papers have been commenting on the fact. One writer asks: Were the prices really so very when one considers the 'comparative value of the pound to--day and in pre-war times? That is certainly one way of looking at the -matter. The beef grower gets between two and three times as much as he did for his bullocks, but while the war was on the sales at Home were seriously affected, and now it would seem that there is a lot of money for sport, wherever it comes from. Many people are coming into the racing area with lots of wealth behind them, and are determined to spend some of it freely oyer the favourite pastime.

The English racing season will be over next month, but all the big races will be done with this week. The long established Cambridgeshire Stakes was fixed for Wednesday, the distance being nine furlongs and the weights ranging from 9.13 on Irish Elegance (top weight) down to 6.0 on some ten, including three, four, five and six-year-olds. When the mail left, Zinovia (last year’s winner) was being backed. A correspondent, who is having a spell in the Old Land on his native heath after being a regular traveller between England and New Zealand for some years and who takes a keen interest in English racing, has mentioned the names of several of the fancied ones: Snow Maiden (7.7), a three-year-old, My Dear (9.2), second top weight, four years, and Zinovia (8.11). Day Comet’s brother, Planet, who picked up a race on August 29, ran second on September 2 in another and won again on September 13, figures in the list with 8.0. Mention of Day Comet . and his

brother, Planet, reminds us that their three-year-old half brother, Violincello, who has won about £2600 in stakes, won the Pevril of the Peak Handicap, over a mile, at Derby, on September 4, the race being worth £897. Violincello, who is by Valens (some of whose progeny have reached the colonies), was a 25 to 1 chance, and won by three-parts of a length. He beat the five-year-old Brigand and the four-year-oljl Quadrille,. from each of which he received 51b., and had My Dear (top weight) and four others behind him. Allowing he keeps sound Violincello may still further add to the reputation of his dam (Catgut) as a winner producer.

Bore has rejoined F. D. Jones’ team at Riccartpn, and will be prepared for hurdle races later in the season.

H. Mouldey, who was formerly associated with the training of Mr. G. Craw’s horses at Linton, has set up as a public trainer at Palmerston North. He has taken the stables formerly occupied by J. Hathaway, and already he has a couple of very promising trotters in training, including Master Richmond, a bay colt by Havoc from Lady Richmond, which on breeding should turn out useful.

Mr. Isitt, M.P., has been writing to some of the daily papers in reference to the words he gave utterance to in the heat of debate in the House, which were generally accepted as a condemnation Of the race going public of the Dominion. The Christi ’lurch member has had time to reflect, and has asked us to believe that he expressed himself clumsily, ana, in other words, did not intend his remarks to have an all-round application. He, indeed, now goes so far as to say that he has no doubt scores of better men than himself patronise the racecourse, and he goes on to say that he knows there are many honest owners, trainers and jockeys who are superior to “the special and fierce temptations” inseparable from racing as at present conducted. The racecourse, then, is not “the nest of" blackguards” it was painted, and, indeed, while “scores of better men than Mr. Isitt—to use his own words —continue to lend it their support and countenance, there is some hope for its patrons. If Mr. Isitt would only

take a day off now and then and attend such meetings as the Canterbury Jockey Club and New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club will he bringing off during the first fortnight in the coming month, he would find himself in very good company indeed, and perhaps become a little broaderminded and more kindly disposed to a very large section of the community who get a very great deal of real enjoyment out of seeing horses race and riders excelling in horsemanship and winning distinction for themselves and their employers and receiving the credit from appreciative audiences. There may be some blackguards on our racecourses, but the sport does not make them such. They are to be found everywhere, as are black sheep in almost every big flock. It is only a few years ago that our horses were decried by Mr. Isitt in terms which showed how ignorant he was of his subject. The horses we sent to South Africa and those which were taken from New Zealand to be used in the more recent war proved their worth, as our boys who used them have been able to testify. In one of his replies to comments in a contemporary on his unjust attack upon racegoers. Mr. Isitt suggests that the Government should give the Farmers’ Associaton £50,000 a year

for the purchase of imported sires and dams, “thereby doing more for the improvement of roadsters and cavalry remounts than millions spent in racing.” We hope he will be found urging this v.’ew on the Government, who have some £20,000, voted since 1914'for the purpose. Of course he won’t mind.

The Auckland Trotting Club opened the nfew season with a splendid meeting financially, and one on both days of which there were some very keen contests, a dead-heat, half a head, a head and a neck were amongst the judge’s verdicts. As long as there is trotting, pacing and racing Of any kind we shall have people on and off the courses giving expression to opinions that this or that race was not run on its merits, and occasionally we notice horses being driven or ridden in such a way as to suggest that we have not seen the best of them and that we may not have long to wait for the change. The adverse opinions are very often very wrong ones, and do an injustice to innocent people. It is fortunate that there are so many good judges amongst the people who enjoy trotting and pacing who know when they are fairly and sauarely dealt with. There was only one jarring note in connection with the meeting referred to so far as the public were concerned. A pure accident occurred in the straight, or at the end of the straight, right in front of the stewards’ stand, and most people following the race could see this. When the race was over and the horses were coming back to the saddling paddock sections of the crowd commenced a demonstration against McKendrick, the driver of Kewpie, the third favourite. It was clearly the money on the better backed one that followed immediately behind McKendrick’s mare that was causing the feeling. It was such a clear case to those who were close to the spot that it was certain that the stewards would deal with the matter without any suggestion from the crowd. It was quite expected that Kewpie would lose the race, although it was possible, indeed probable, that she might have beaten Te Awa had the interference not occurred at all. Still, there was a doubt, and the stewards did the right thing to award the race to Te Awa. The question as to whether they did the right thing by McKendrick and his mare and the public who backed Kewpie in placing that mare last can be legitimately asked. She "did not interfere or cause interference, with anything else in the race, and in our opinion should have been placed second. The public in this instance suffered through the mare Kewpie being hard to keep straight. It is fortunate the interference did not take a more serious form. But the thinking public will acquit McKendrick of any intention of doing wrong ahd give him credit for trying to avoid the accident that occurred. He is to be sympathised with over his bad luck, it is well that some of the people who witnessed the occurrence were not stipendiary stewards, as, judging from what they had to say about the matter, if they had had to deal with the case McKendrick -would have been disqualified for a term. Before to-day we have seen horses bore in and cause the wheels of the sulkies they have been pulling to Strike the rails at or near the same place with no horses near them. The drivers have not been admonished for carelessness under such circumstances. They avoid such happenings as far as possible and well know the attendant dangers they run of injury to themselves or causing injuries to others by not observing the rules of the track.

The New Zealand Trotting Cup candidate, Willie Lincoln, has developed an enlarged knee, and doubts are entertained as to his prospeqts of starting in the big two-mile. race at Addington on November 11. His stable mate- Erin’s Queen, is reported to be going particularly well, and should make a bold bid for victory in the New Zealand Trotting Cup.

Though the fields were of a good average on the first day of the Wellington Racing Club’s spring meeting they. fell very far short of those for the corresponding day last year. The club cut out the jumping races last year because they were not patronised as they expected, but they did not do as well with the seven flat races each day as they had done before. The totalisator turnover, however, showed a very large increase indeed on both days, and that, from the club point of view, counts. From £35.160 on the first day last year to £51,230 on Saturday was a big advance. but from £46,896 on Labour Day to £72,570 10s. was greater. The new totalisator arrangements no doubt were responsible to some extent for the big business done on both days and the great increase of £41,878 over the meeting of 1918. In the racing itself we are more concerned. It would seem that the course was in very fast condition indeed for the time of year—seldom faster at any time. As to the class represented it was much the same as last year.

A pair of the gets of imported Marble Arch, in Prince Hal and Arch Lassie, were first and second in the opening event, and an Auckland-bred one in Lucullan, in his 'first attempt, won the Taita Handicap by a narrow margin from Caricature and. nine others in the brilliant time of 46 3-ssec. Then Dribble, whose nomination for the A.R.C. spring meeting was missed, came out and beat the outsiders Vagabond and Burrangong and ten others in the Wainui Handicap over a mile course, the Comedy Prince three-year-old Falstaff, one of Mr. Greenwood’s lot, beating the favourite, Bonnie Heather, and four others in the Rimutaka Handicap. Bonnie Heather was unlucky. Kilrush’s effort in the Wellington Handicap was, however, accomplished in such style that he pleased his New Zealand Cup supporters more than ever. If it had not been that he put up such excellent time he would have made the opposition look cheap. However, it was the three-year-old Hetaua that ran second to him, and he was very brilliant last season, though this is the first indication he has given of staying ability. Hetaua was a disappointing two-year-old at times in his track essays, but carried some big weights in some of his races. It seems that he wants racing to get the best out of him. Hetaua was fortunately left in the Great Northern Guineas, and his win on Monday shows that he retains his brilliancy. Had an acceptance been necessary, as in handicap races, he would have been out like the others trained by L. Wilson, who was one of the Hawke’s Bay trainers who overlooked the time of entry and acceptances: for "the A.R.C. spring meeting with Lsome of the horses under their care. Hetaua looked a very likely proposition for the Great Northern Guineas before he ran second in the Wellington Handicap, and seems more so now. Rose Wreath, by her second in the October Handicap, gave another indication that she is in form, and perhaps she may run on a bit further than six furlongs amongst those of her own age. She was, however, not fancied in the October Handicap with her weight.

The running of the two-year-olds was of a most interesting character. Lucullan will be a bit fancied for the A.R.C.

Welcome Stakes when he is returned to Auckland, and Weary Willie should have friends whether he goes south or comes north, and should do better in his next race. He looked like one that racing would improve when at Avondale. Three seconds have now been his portion, as he was second to Humbug on Monday. It is pleasing to note the consistency of form the two-year-olds have been showing. The connections and friends of Saima, who won the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui, evidently did not regard that performance as the fluke some of the writers on the subject assumed it to be. The Finland youngster was favourite for the Wellesley Stakes, and he again had Listowel behind him, although he only got fourth. Mr. T. H. Lowry has evidently a useful colt in Right and Left, who got third in each of his attempts. Moorfowl comes of smart parents. Both sire (Autumnus) and dam (Kirremuir) of Moorfowl were bred by Sir George Clifford, that 'filly’s owner. Kirremuir was good herself, and if any colonialbred sire deserved a chance of meeting good mates it was Autumnus. Horses of his type and constitution would probably do well on imported mares, as imported sires do when mated with colonial-bred mares. . The best of the two-year-olds seen at Trentham were Humbug and Moorfowl.

The race in which very much interest centred was the Champion. Plate on the second day. It was a bit of bad" luck that Desert Gold should be. caught in the tapes and thus spoil her chance, just as Gloaming’s chance was extinguished in the same way at the barrier when he started favourite for the North Island Challenge Stakes, with- the difference, however, that he fell. It would have been very interesting to note whether the All Black mare would have shown the same brilliancy as when she hopped off last spring at Randwick in the Spring Stakes —her first race of the season—and ran Poitrel to a head in record time for the race. Champions can meet with accidents as well as the commoners. Gloaming ran carrying his w.f.a. without the gelding allowance which he received in Australia in each of his races, and as it proved he needed when Poitrel just beat him, as he beat Desert Gold in the same race last year. Desert Gold had won the Champion Plate three times in succession,. was away last year, and the last made her fourth start. Affectation having beaten Kilrush in the Masterton Cup and Kilrush having won the Wellington Handicap, beating the three-year-old Hetaua, this was a. very good line to take showing Affectation to be better than Hetaua and others of his age racing in New Zealand. Most people were prepared to see him run a good race even against Gloaming, and he did, and his performance augurs well for his future at the C.J.C. New Zealand Cup meeting. He is the one of our first fancies for the New Zealand Cup still standing his ground, and we can see nothing better in the race now. At the meeting held at Trentham the New Zealand Cup candidates that took part in the handicaps were Vagabond, Kilrush, Mascot, Bingham, Bonnie Heather, Nobleman, Battle Song, Hurry Up, Rose Pink, Lucid, Warstar, Maioha, and- Volo, and now it seems still a case of “pay your money and take your choice” of them. The case of Affectation is a different one, as he ran in the Champion Plate, and his Wanganui Guineas, Masterton Cup and form in the race referred to

point to him as likely to break the spell since the race was won by one of his age. Bonnie Heather may be more at home in races in which he can be ridden by a strong boy than by a lightweight, but he seems to possess staying form for a distance of ground, and it may be that he, too, will run a good race in the New Zealand Cup.