THE CLUBMAN

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1574, 24 June 1920, Page 8

THE CLUBMAN

English racing maintains —and always will do —a strong interest for us all. By reasons of his great brilliancy and two-year-old form Tetratema, the crack of last season, was looked upon as likely to win the

Derby, and though he was beaten early in the present season, in the - Greenham Stakes, at Newbury, he came out and won the Two Thousand Guineas so nicely that he was reinstated in public estimation for the second “leg” of the triple crown, the greatest of all the classic events in the world. He failed to stay out the mile and a-half, and was beaten at Tattenham Corner, so ran the cable, and the good old Musket blood through Spearmint (son of Carbine) made its presence felt, as the winner (Spion Kop) and the third colt (Spearwort) were both got by that sire, himself a Derby winner. There is always hope for a very brilliant two and three-year-old colt to stay with age, provided he is of good constitution, and remains sound, but the conclusion must have been arrived at before now that the three-year-olds in England are a very good lot, or that Tetratema is not up to the average standard of Derby contestants. He went out. of favour when Silvern (by Polymelus) brought about his first defeat, though by his running in the Two Thousand Guineas it really looked as if he had no business to have been beaten by that colt.’ In the Two Thousand Guineas, Allenby made the best showing against the grey son of The Tetrarch, who was a disappointment as a classic proposition after the highest hopes had been raised of him through his great brilliancy and two-year-old achievements. Tetratema has apparently lost none of his dash through having been trained for the Derby. He won at Ascot last week in a shorter distance event, but perhaps in less solid company. * * * ♦

The Ascot Gold Cup is one of the much-coveted races in England, and was first established in 1807. From 1845 to 1853, it had its name changed to the Emperor’s Plate, but thereafter the former title was renewed. The race was abandoned in 1915 and 1916. In the two successive seasons it was called the Newmarket Gold Cup, and the three-year-olds’ Gay Crusader and Gainsborough won in these seasons. Then the old title was again reverted to, and By Jingo won it last year. Last week, the Sunstar four-year-old Buchan came in first, but was disqualified on an objection for crossing Tangiers, who was awarded the race, Juveigneur being placed second, and Keysoe third. As long back as 1823 a horse called Netherfield, who came in first, was disqualified on the same grounds, and the race awarded to Marcellus. At an earlier period. Smallhopes was disqualified because his owner omitted to make stakes, and Jannette was placed first. The custom in England is still to disqualify a horse that crosses another from taking first or any other prize money.

If the Ascot Gold Cup had been run in New Zealand, the probability is that Buchan, who was disqualified for crossing Tangiers, would have been placed second, unless he also interfered with those placed second and third. Buchan ran some good races last season, winning the Craven Plate, being second in the Two Thousand Guineas to The Panther (who was a Derby failure like Tetratema has been this year). Buchan had the bad luck to go down before Grand Parade in the Derby, in which he was second favourite, and his conqueror at 33-to-l chance. The Princess of Wales’ Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes went to his credit in turn, and he got third in the St. Leger to Keysoe and Dominion. He next won the Champion Stakes, and two days later the Lowther Stakes, his last race last season, and he showed good staying form and consistency. He had beaten Tangiers each time they met, but the lastnamed, who is by Cylgad from Orange Girl, daughter of William the Third, won twice, and was placed twice, his chief win last season being the Chesterfield Cup, and another good race he ran was second in the Liverpool

Plate, proving good over a distance of ground. He is described as a strong good looking horse.- The caDie says the race was very exciting from the entrance to the straight. Buchan, ridden by Frank Bullock, the Australian horseman, and Tangiers, ridden by Hulme, fought out a strenuous battle. Buchan swerved, and Tangiers partly pulled up to come on the outside, and Buchan eventually won by a neck. The objection against crossing, which was upheld, caused the greatest sensation since 1907, when Elder Deadhead was disqualified in the same year that the Gold Cup was stolen.

The mysterious disappearance of the valuable cup referred to caused a great deal of comment at the time. On the eve of a sale at Glenora Park, Auckland, some time afterwards, a number of visitors were partaking of refreshments in the room in which the late Mr. W. Walters displayed the large silver cup which was part of the prize when his horse, Swordfish 11., won the Wanganui Cup, and

the stealing of the Ascot Cup incident was brought up. The late Mr. G. G. Stead, who was one. of those present, rather surprised the little audience by mentioning that only a minute or two before it was missed he had been looking at it. The late Mr. Stead had probably donated more cups to clubs than anyone Ise in New Zealand, and his horses had got away with a number at one time and another. When some one present asked if a New Zealander had been suspected over the Ascot affair there was some merriment.

It was a bit of hard luck for Frank Bullock to lose the Ascot Cup race on Buchan, as, according to a prominent writer, the Australian horseman appeared at the time the last mail was received to possess a chance of disputing championship honours with the ex-Australian B. Carslake, and Donoghue, as he is such a handy weight, and was getting plenty of riding. His horsemanship was apparently not questioned, but his inability to keep his mount straight at the end of the long journey was unfortunate. * * * * . The Royal Hunt Cup, which carries with it a piece of plate worth 250sovs and a stake of 1500sovs in specie,

was won by Square Measure, a five-year-old son of the successful sire, Simon Square, of the Galopin, King Tom, and Hermit line, who had 18 winners of 34 races in England last season. Last year this long-establish-ed race, which dates back to 1843, was won by Irish Elegance, carrying 9.11, the highest weight ever carried to victory in the race, and he a four-year-old. The remarkable thing about the victory of Irish Elegance was that his pedigree has not been fully traced on his dam’s side. His sire, Sir Archibald, is the sire of Archiestown, one of the Associated Waikato Racing Clubs’ importations. It is a rare thing in these days in the Old Land for any very important race to be won by a horse with a numberloss pedigree.

During the South African war and the war against Germany colonial soldiers riding horses bred in the colonies learned to regard them with great satisfaction and affection, so well did they come through their hard tasks. We know that many

of our soldiers found it very hard to leave behind them on the veldt horses that had carried them right through the South African campaign through the various States, and it was the same with those who had shared with their steeds the hardships of the desert sapds of Egypt. The fate of their four-footed friends was not pleasing to contemplate, but bringing them back to New Zealand or to Australia was out of the question. By the Westmeath, which reached Auckland on Saturday morning, General Russell’s mare Dolly and three other chargers belonging to officers who served with the New Zealand Division in France were brought to the Dominion, of course at the expense of their owners.

At the Australian Jockey Club’s winter meeting a New Zealand-bred gelding, Silent Way (by Calibre from Golden Way), who has been in Australia several seasons, won the leading hurdle event carrying 11.2, and he has a further engagement in the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. Silent Wav was a useful performer on the flat in New Zealand before he was taken to Australia, where he was raced by Mr. H. Chisholm, the wellknown auctioneer. Compromise, win-

ner of the Steeplechase at the same meeting, was once offered to Mr- W. J. Ralph, of Auckland, by his then lady owner, who had had him made a present ’to her. The young lady had visited Auckland and had seen El Gallo, and having no use for Compromise suggested that he was a wellbred and likely horse for ’chasing, and put the modest sum of £5O on her steed without resulting in business. Compromise has won a number of steeplechase events since, but the young lady, not long after returning from New Zealand, contracted influenza, to which she succumbed. Compromise, it is understood, has been racing in the interests of a relative, and with successful results between the flags.

The racing situation has not changed since last week, that is so far as the transporting of horses from one New Zealand port to another or from New Zealand to Australia is concerned, but that in itself is a serious blow which the Seamen’s Union have dealt it in showing their sympathy for the members of the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association who, they have been led to believe, have not been getting a fail’ deal. Such a state of affairs would not. have been brought about had not the executive of the Jockeys’ Association acquiesced in their secretary calling to their aid the assistance of organised labour, which welcomed the jockeys as an addition to their strength. Attempts to break up the association by those who are adverse to its present constitution or control have been made, and are still being prosecuted with that, object in view, and the strength of the association has been weakened, and many are predicting its extinction and that some other association will take its place. One of trainers and jockeys is being suggested by Sir George Clifford, head of the Racing Conference, as contained in a circular, a copy of which appears in another column, and which has been addressed to every horseman —and, we presume, every trainer —in the Dominion. We have a Breeders, Owners and Trainers’ Association with headquarters in Auckland, and which represents the North Island, but it cannot be said that it has made its presence greatly felt since it was formed, though of late it might reasonably have' been expected, with so many interests at stake, that whatever influence it possesses should have been used to try and bring about better conditions. What is being done in that direction? To the circular letter sent out by Sir George Clifford replies are invited, and it is to be hoped that those concerned will not neglect to give their views. We have already heard some expressed, and the horsemen on their side say that they fail to see what use can come of their being associated with the trainers, some of whom are owners.

It is clear that some trainers are adverse to Sir George Clifford’s suggestion. and in their opinion consider it would be better to have separate associations. One suggestion already made is that there should be associations of horsemen in each of the four chief centres —Auckland. Wellington, Canterbury and Otago—two to each island. It seems to be largely held that one Jockeys’ Association fo.r the whole of New Zealand, with headquarters in Auckland, will not now meet with the support that at first promised. We fear that the North against South spirit has got abroad, and that the jumping-race and welterweight riders were a disturbing element when it came to a question of striking. One prominent jumpingrace rider was credited with remarking. “It’s all very well for you flatrace riders, but you are wanting to hold up meetings where we get our best chances of earning money.” It is well that on that point there was want of unanimity. The strike method, after the first protest of that kind was dealt with, did not appeal to some, and linking up with labour to get support in that way was considered unwise. Advantage was taken of the disagreement amongst mem-

bers, who did not hold a meeting or

meetings to thrash the matter out, to encourage a number to desert the association when it would have been better to try and weld it together on more acceptable lines. It has come to this: one of the allies of the jockeys, and a very powerful one, the Seamen’s Union, has declared all racehorses “black” so far as they are concerned, and has gone further and held up some horsemen, preventing them as well as horses travelling by sea. The jockeys say they have gone too far —at least so much is conveyed from the fact that the executive sent a telegram to the head of the Seamen’s Union asking that the embargo should be lifted from horses which were ready to be shipped out of the Dominion. The Seamen’s Union executive were not going to make fish of one and fowl of the other, and would not hear of any distinctions until satisfied that what they hold to be a necessary square deal is forthcoming. That is, recognition from the Racing Conference and owners of the Jockeys’ Association. This will not come about until after the Racing Conference has met, if it does then. In the meantime the racing situation is growing worse, and some people are paying very dearly for their experience of it. It is not the seamen who are suffering, but more than any, perhaps, the very ones they are out trying to help, for the reason that their cause is being jeopardised and sympathy for them is being lost. They want —sadly want — saving from their friends.