TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1583, 26 August 1920, Page 16

TURF GOSSIP.

The aged gelding, Sedd-el-Bahr, by Varco —Showano, was recently offered for sale in Christchurch, hut was ■T passed in at 140 guineas. The well-known ’chaser, Cuffs, who won the V.A.T.C. Australian Steeplechase in 1918, recently succumbed to an attack of pneumonia at Epsom, Victoria. That Gloaming is in excellent fettle for his forthcoming engagements he clearly demonstrated soon after his arrival in Sydney, when, in a gallop at Randwick, he easily ran four furlongs on the middle grass track in 511 sec. The New Zealand horsemen, H. Thompson and Stan. Reid, came out at the head of the list of successful cross-country jockeys in Victoria for the 1919-20 season, the former scoring 15 wins, while Reid was runner-up for riding honours with 11 successes. Among the two-year-olds in work at Caulfield is a promising brown colt by the Persimmon horse Sea Prince- from that successful mare, Anna Carlovna. The youngster was bred by Mr. E. A. Connelly, the wellknown Victorian owner and breeder. The ex-New Zealander, Silent Way, while contesting the Gellibrand Hurdle Race at the Moonee Valley meeting in Melbourne recently, opened up an old cut on one of his knees, and he may not be able to run again for some time. The six-year-old gelding, Kilowat (Martian —Forked Lightning) was a starter in the Australian Hurdle Race (about 31 miles) at Caulfield on August 7, and after being in a handy position throughout the race finished fourth, the place-getters being Silver Heart, Pistolier, and Bright Plume. The winning jockeys’ list for the 1919-2 Q racing season in New South Wales was headed by W. Lilyman, with 56 wins to his credit. P. Maher came next with 41 successes, while L. A. Walker secured 38 wins, G. Meddick 31, and K. Braken 28.

The Victorian lightweight rider, W. Duncan, headed the list of winning Victorian jockeys for last season, with 38 victories. F. Dempsey was second with 26 wins, and G. Harrison was credited with 23. J. Holt is at the top of the winning trainers’ list with 291 wins. Word from Sydney states that R. J. Mason’s trio, Gloaming, Dewdrop, and Vespucci (a half brother to Dick Meagher), are at present located at Messrs. H. Chisholm and Company’s stables at Randwick. Among the forthcoming events in which Vespucci, who has not raced, is engaged is the A.J.C. Derby.

As a result of his mount falling at Goodna races, recently held at Brisbane, Eric Wood, the leading unregistered jockey in Queensland, met with injuries which caused his death. Wood was at the head of the list of successful jockeys at the unregistered courses last ’ season, and only recently won the Kedron Park Five Hundred on Miss Melodian.

Kauri King has proved very successful at Riccarton, where he has started five times, winning four ,of his engagements. Two years ago he annexed the Grand National Hurdles, and on the concluding day won the Sydenham Hurdles, an event which he scored in again at the recent meeting, at which in his other two starts he captured the Jumpers’ Flat Race, and ran unplaced in the Grand National Hurdle Race.

The annual balance-sheet and auditors’ report presented at the annual meeting of the Dannevirke Racing Club yesterday (Wednesday) revealed a highly satisfactory state of affairs. After writing off 10 per cent, depreciation on buildings, and 20 per cent, off plant, involving a sum of £426 75., and also making some very necessary repairs to buildings, the year’s operations show a profit of £938 16s. 4d. The club’s balance sheet shows a credit balance of £lB2B 17s. 2d., as against £461 Is. lOd. at date of last balance. Totalisator receipts, notwithstanding the bad weather experienced at the spring meeting, showed an increase of £lBl7 17s. 3d., stakes rose from £3545 to £5200, and the amount paid by way of Government taxes amounted to £4162 19s. 9d.

The apprentice, J. A. Wood, w’ho had one of his legs amputated above the ankle some months ago, consequent on a tram accident in Sydney, has recently been riding Pavo in his work on the Randwick tracks, and is reported to be getting along satisfactorily. He is still with Mr. W. Kelso, and now has an artificial foot. He is as keen on following the calling of a jockey as prior to his mishap. Shortly after the amputation he reminded his employer that there was a jockey riding over the jumps in New Zealand who was minus a foot, and expressed the hope that he would be given similar opportunity on the flat.

In view of his much-fancied prospects for the Epsom Handicap, considerable interest was centred in the appearance and running of Chrysolaus in the Auburn Handicap (seven furlongs) at the Rosehill meeting, Sydney, on August 7. He appeared a lot above himself in condition, and was rather excitable in going • out. His trainer kept him last to go into the saddling enclosure, but he played up at the post, and was left side on when the barrier rose, and was left several lengths last. Pike did not unduly punish him to make up his ground, and let him run his own race. He made up a lot of ground, and finished in the middle of the field, so his Epsom admirers have no cause to feel disappointed at his showing.

“During the year,” says the annual report of the committee of the Manawatu Racing Club, “we have made considerable improvements and extensions at Awapuni. The members’ lawn has been considerably extended, and a tea kiosk erected, costing the club in the neighbourhood of £3500. A new road has been put in in the members’ lawn, and a new semaphore erected on the inside of the course opposite the stands. Owing to the scarcity of cement and other causes, we have been unable to erect. the new totalisator house, though plans are being got ready. The proposal by the Government to remove the railway line has brought contemplated improvements in connection with the entrance to the course to a standstill, pending definite information as to the Government’s intentions.”

Kauri King and Carmine were the only double winners at the C.J.C. Grand National meeting.

“It is with deep regret we have to record,” says the annual report of the Manawatu Racing Club, “that during the year we lost through death Messrs. J. R. Forster Pratt, Samuel Greer, and Thomas Knight, the two former having been presidents of the club and active members for many years. The late Mr. Thomas Knight was an active member of the committee, and held the position of honorary judge for some years. “People who have had children and have neglected to educate them on the field of sport have neglected a great part of their education,” said Mr. ’W. S. Mitchell at the reunion of the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association in Christchurch. “The very fact that children get knocks and bumps in boisterous and clean games, and the fact that they learn lessons of discipline from their captains, help very greatly to make them fit for the battle of life. It is the field of sport that very largely has made the British nation what it is to-day.”

The annual report of the committee of the Manawatu Racing Club for the year ending June 30, 1920, states that after a reduction of racing to four days in consequence of the war, the club this year returned to their complement of five days—Christmas three days’ racing, autumn two days. The amount put through the totalisator for both meetings shows a satisfactory increase, and all the club’s other receipts have shown satisfactory increases. The total amount given in stakes was £12,175, being an increase of £2340 over the previous year (four days). This was the largest amount the club has yet given in stakes. The balance of net profit was £2291 45., after allowing for depreciation. The ordinary taxation paid by the club to the Government this year was £12,736, in addition to which the club has had to pay income tax for the past four years amounting to £3775 10s. 3d., making a final total of £16,512 paid this year. Some remission in connection with the income tax is anticipated as the club is really paying double taxation in paying income tax as well as special taxation.

H. Lorigan, the well-known hurdle and cross-country rider, has decided to forsake his calling as a jockey and enter into farming pursuits. • An announcement that a miniature race meeting w'as to be held at one of the local racecourses the other day (says a Gisborne paper), when various horses would be given a try-out, was brought under the notice of the authorities, and as a result it was decided that the gates of the course should be locked, and that nothing in the nature of racing should be allowed to take place. Sub-Inspector Cassells and the secretary of the club went out to the course to see that this decision was enforced. It was stated by the Inspector that the club was in no way concerned with the announcement, and that to have permitted such an unregistered meeting as suggested was not only illegal, but would have brought the possibility of forfeiture of license. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club at Hastings, Sir James Carroll expressed a desire to see the sport extended in the North Island. He would like to see it there as an adjunct of the sport of kings, and he thought it would become so if the Bill before Parliament were put through providing the extra twenty or so permits. He urged, however, that the South Island should not ask for all those permits, but should give the north a chance. If the standard in the south could be extended to the north the time would come when Maoriland would produce quality and ability and would show trotting that would prove an example even to the home of trotting—America. The Chokebore candidate Checkmate (Antagonist — Winning Way), who won a race at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s recent meeting, and acted as runner-up to Carmine in the Avonhead Handicap on the opening day of the C.J.C. Grand National fixture, has been sold by Sir George Clifford to Mr. W. Stone, the wellknown Invercargill owner. A. Wormaid (Bombproof, Bill Terry, and Crib), and J. T. Humphries (Golden Prince, Hylans, and General Petain) headed the list of successful horsemen at the New Zealand Grand National meeting with three wins apiece. W.- Rowe (Kauri King twice), J. Campbell (Carmine twice), and M. McCarten (Walton and Arch Salute) each rode two winners, while J. R. Cochrane (Six Cylinder), H. McSweeney (Coalition), J. Deerey (Signysian), J. Olsen (Killowen), A. Ellis (Greekson), E. Warner (Oakleigh), G. Young (Clean Sweep), Li. Hagerty (Tatimi), B. Deeley (Royal Star), G. Fielding (Lawsuit), R. S. Bagby (Will Oakland), and Mr. J. Barr (Blazeaway) each was responsible for a victory apiece. The jockey boys in South Australia went on strike at Gawler recently, and won almost without a fight (says the Adelaide correspondent of the “Sydney Referee”). During the week they announced that unless the field in the Welter was reduced to 25, or that the race was run in divisions, they would decline to ride. No one seems to have taken the threat very seriously until the race came on for decision, and then when it was announced that there would be 27 starters, the jockeys notified the chairman of the club that they would not go to scale. For the next few minutes there was a bit of a hubbub, but the committee of the club decided to stand to their original resolve and not to run the race in heats, and waited for the jockeys’ next move. This consisted of the lads putting on their civilian clothes and walking off the course, so that when the starting time actually arrived not a single jockey had presented himself at the scales to ride. The situation, of course, was humorous. Just fancy jockeys ruling racing anywhere! But this is exactly what occurred, and now everybody is asking what are the stipendiary stewards for, and why didn’t they exercise their authority instead of allowing the jockeys to force the abandonment. This is not the first time the jockeys have taken matters into their own hands, and the position certainly becomes all the more aggravated when it is realised that in this State special provision is included in the rules to deal with jockeys, trainers, and owners. in fact, anybody who attempts to arrange matters so as to bring about the abandonment of a race meeting or a race. In the light of recent happenings in New Zealand, it will be interesting to see what action the S.A.J.C., the ruling power in the State, takes over the matter.

The first annual report of the Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club presented by the president (Mr. M. Johnson) to members is a tribute to the enthusiasm and wide support forthcoming in regard to light harness racing in that province. “It is only a few months ago,” states the report, “that a few enthusiasts attended a meeting called for the purpose of forming a trotting club in Hawke’s Bay, and the outcome of such meeting was the holding of an inaugural meeting, w r hen the club gave the largest stakes for any one day (nontotalisator) meeting in the Dominion, and finished the first year with a credit balance of £l2. Surely this result spells success, and can we not look forward with confidence to the future, seeing our efforts have been so loyally supported. by all sections of the community. We have a financial membership of 293, which is really excellent for a first year’s effort. We received in donations the sum of £147, and a beautiful fiftyguinea gold cup presented by D. E. Davis, Ltd., to go to the winner of the first Hawke’s Bay Trotting Cup. Our meeting was unfortunate in taking place during the railway strike, otherwise we would undoubtedly have achieved an even greater success.”