TURF GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 263, 10 November 1906, Page 11

TURF GOSSIP

Dnn t>. record 2.11, died "with, his boots on" at Plttsburg, U.S.A., last July. He had been worked a mile in 2.11, the last quarter in 2!) is, when he dropped dead. Dan R. was by a pacing stallion out of a thoroughbred mare, rather queer breeding .for a horse of his class, and in appearance he was as queer as his breeding—a washy chestnut, looking like a weedy thoroughbred sprinter. Hβ had a wonderful career, winning SO heats below 2.10, 27 below 2.7, 10 below 2.5, and two in 2.2, and 1!.1J. He won in stakes £4300. Says an English exchange, in referring to the young Australian rider F. Woytton: That a star of the first magnitude had arisen amongst our light-weights was clear when Wootton, under the disadvantage of having to force uu opening on the rails, won the Portland Plate at Doncaster on Nero, and this impression was intensified by his able handling of Aurina. "Frank ,, has three strong points—great confidence Iα himself, without semblance of cheekiness or self-assertion, exceptionally good hands, and, patience almost unexampled in one so young. And the greatest of these is the last, for he knows how to sit still, and his discretion in this respect is wonderful.

The Continental correspondent of the London "Sportsman" says that statistics taken at the Danville yearling sales cast a light on the future of racing In France, where the "mutuals," or Government lottery, has replaced the open Turf market. In former times and under other conditions rhe average of 6 or 7 per cent of unsold yearlings w£S considered very high, but an analysis of the recent sales proves that only 37 per cent of the youngsters sent up to auction found purchasers. With such a number of blanks in the lottery of breeding, there is less and less encouragement for private enterprise, and those who have established studs refrain from making any further purchases with a view to introducing fresh blood.

Exit Cicero! (writes "Rapier- ) . I do not know in what quaint fashion Lord Rosebery would answer if asked whether the son of Cyllene and Gas was to be regarded as lncky or un'ucky. a success or a disappointment; I think he was more or less all these. Probably the hope of seeing the King's colours victorious made Rosemarket a better favourite than Cicero when both came out for the first time in the Fitzwilliam Stakes at the Newmarket Craven Meeting. Cicero won, and when next they met, iv the Woodeote. it was evens Cicero, Rosemarket being among the "10 to 1 others." Then followed hie fight with Vedas, whom lie beat two lengths In the Coventry Stakes at Ascot; the July, 20 to 1 on: and a notable performance with 9.9 on his back in the big two-year-old race at Snndown. Five stakes worth .£BOSO, and undefeated; still, he could not fulfil his autumn engagements. Next season the Newmarket Stakes, the Derby—lucky here, at any rate, for .Tardy would have beaten him had he been anything like himself — second to Val d"Or in the Eclipse, and then another long disappearance. He had just topped bis previous year's total, the two three-year-old races coming to £8501. Percy Peck got him ready to win a Biennial at Newmarket with £6nn last spring; he failed to stay In the Ascot Cup. and so retires. Ho won £17,250 in stakes, or £17.750, counting £500 for his second to Val dOr at Sandown.

A well-known writer, speaking of the great success on the turf of the late Lord Falmouth. said: "Oh, that his Lordship would write n book, and for the benefit: of future generations explain the method whereby he lias achieved ihis success!"

"Method!" exclaimed Dr. Rborthouse; "he has no method, or he would not have sent the same mare to six different horses, all of i.liein differently bred, in six different years!" One theory of Lord Falmouth's can fairly be put forward as part of his methods, and that was, that if you wish to breed a good horse, the dam must not be kept long on the turf, but sent to the stud before she has become jaded by constant training. This was the reason why Splnawiiy was sent to the stud at the end of her L-hree-year-old career, and when she had nil Che grunt Cup races of the following season at tor merry. However correct Lord Falnvvth may have been, we have the fart before ns that of two mares kept in training until they were 10 years old, aud during that time were constantly running in gvent races, one gove birth to Tiiormanby aud the ether to Newminster. The mare started 24 times at six years of age, windIng up with Bis successive wins, was sent to the stud in 1878. and produced a colt by Vulcan. hTe following season she slipped foal, and was put In training again, with the extraordinary results set forth above. The races she rs'n in were mostly of the Tally 110 character, the last one boing in 38Sl, when F.lie was aged. Pho was brr<l by the Duke of Devonshire, and furnishes another instanre of the ill-fortune that has attended bis turf career.

Nowadays we hear very little of the •'doping' - that was alleged to bo rampant In America a few years ago. and was to 6ome extent practised in England. Still, in some countries, "rloprs" continue in use, and tap, following from the pen of "Kapler" in the London "Illustrated S. and U. News" shows they would lie more freely used If they couid l>e obtained: — A well-known English linn, famous for a preparation of great value to men and horses alike, lately received from Charkow, in Kiissla, a mild request for the best recipe "to nialie doppiug for rr.eehorsps," or for the address of manufacturers from whom what the writer termed "dopplng" could he obtained. "XUe preparation which you call 'dopping,' " tne arm replied, "we suppose is something to excite r.icchoreps anrl to make them very livolj- for the time ne.U.g; but there is always ft reaction nftorwarfls, which, is bad for the horse: in this country that is known as 'doping.' which, if continued many tlmos, ruins (be horse'R constitution. AYe must bo excused from giving any informatfon jibont the for tho above nurposp, or frem assisting you in any way to procure such medicines, as it is discreditable -to everybody 1o be associated with such ft practice." Someone -from VladlvostoeJj wrote to the same firm for "a quarter dozen bottles of dope," and he was told that doping is a preparation which no respectable firm will have anything to do with; the use of such a preparation is associated with, frmjd in racing, and the persons who employ it are cruel to the animal as well as dishonourable. "The only other countries in the world that appear "to have the courage to write to us for doping,'" the firm say, "are fifth-rate South American States, and, of course, to all of them wo send the enme reply. We ask you not to publish our name in connection with this 'discreditable buslnees. We should take it to be an insult to have such applications made to us if they (lid not arrive frc.in places where low morality in regard to rucing matters is evidently prevalent."

following i lie example of Ernest Benzon, the "Jubilee Jugjjlns," who gave his experi-ciu-fs in a book entitled "How I Lost £250.----000 in two years," Kobei't Sivier ("Bob Sutton," as he was called In Australia) has written his autobiography, describing tbe ups and downs of a sporting life. Sievler has on at least three occasions, he tells his readers, made his fortune, the vague term Implying that be -has won some £200,000, and he also says w|&. lie hns be«n in constant difficulties. ifjifiS two years after which Sievk-r from pceunary tightness were those in which he won over £11,000 and over £23,000 'in stakes, in addition to what he won by backing the winners. The slakes were indeed p synall proportion of the auioTiDts made, and yet both ends did not uieet.V Sievler was "broke to the world" when be caino Iα Australia to make a book, and hi= Ursi year's work brought him in the tidy sura of £70,000, which at the '"not particularly'mimire age of 22 he promptly lost: At the Epsom meetIng of ISSS lie rail a 'pony into ±16,000, and soon afterwards be was making a book njtain in Australia, losing all he had. in addition to aLI he could borrow, and then throwing the few coins his pocket contained, with the satchel to follovr. into the miflst of the disappointed backers. Thp time be won over £11.000 in stakes was such a bad year that he was forced to soli Duke of We'stmiustcr, obtaining 21,000 guineas for a colt not worth half as much. In 1001! Sieviar headed the list of winning owners with over £23,137, Sceptre having made her

(By WHALEBONE.)

brilliant contribution to the total by Scouring four of Uio live classic races. Before that Sievicr won £33,000 over The Grafter's victory iv the City ami Snburban. and after Sceptre's St. Leger he had to sell her to keep things going. In all Sievlev spent £22.590 in horse-flesh, out of which, by resale anil stakes, tie cleaved £70,12 ii, or a profit of £56,235; and ret he retired from r the turf the opposite of a millionaire. According to the "Indian Planteis' Gazette" racing there Just now Iβ at a low, ebb, and several "nshy" cases have recently been brought before the authorities. Speaking on the subject a writer in tuat Journal says: "These are alternatives which suggest themselves to the old stager who Us rattler staggered by the frequent reports of "incidents. . In the old days one 'illdnight' or "Salainbo , ease was enough to keep tue gossips employed for a year, but nowadays there is seldom a meeting without an •incident.' We h.aro had already, since tue present season began, the "Applause Casr.' 'The Chump Case,' and now the 'Small Scotch Case.' A pretty Juxtaposition, isn't it? The average would do oven Australia credit, and be voted a record In England. The activity of the W.I.T.C. may. or m;iy not, have been provoked by the ions standing accusation that their eupineness w:is snch that the turf on the other side of tne ! border was as rotten as pears. The persona I who are under a cloud just now at I'oona I are Mr I'erey Fischer, one of the best goutleman riders the mercantile community of Bombay has ever produced; ,and Bond, a professional well known on this eide of India. The story of their eecapade would make a splendid plot for one of Nat Gould's sporting sketches, and I only know one to beat it. Mr Fischer started Key West, a well-known pony steeplechaser, for the Champion Pony Chase, and as her opponents were micli small fry as Lucretia and Small Scotch, the mare naturally opened favourite In the lists. Then came a euddoa rush on Small Scotch by a party of outsiders who hart no connection with tue stable. It is stated In fact that Mr Roynard. of the Uith Lancers, the owner, could not get a rupee on. Small Scotch was rubbed out. At the end of an eventful race ia which Lucretia parted with her rider, liond. on Srr.ail Scotch, was leading, a good way from .Key West, who lay much out ol her ground. He eased up a few yards from home, and Mr Fischer accepted the signal for a great run in. Bond succeeded in getting his pony going again, and just won. What more would you have? The unsentimental stewards, however, refused to regard it as a logical denouement, and have carpeted the actors."

The "Australasian , " is responsible for tlia following: The chief event of last week was the purchase of Solution by Mr P. H. Reynolds. We had no irtea that iv Mr Reynolds Victoria possessed a man Willi (lie pluck to give four thousand guineas for a racehorse. Some years ago Mr Reynolds used to present a whip to the rider of Ihe Melbourne Cup winner, but we uever heard of him as an owner until he appeared as a witness in a case against "The Australasian" some ten years ago. Mr Purees then. as£ed Mr Reynolds what he was, and was tgptl a horseowner. "Wliat iiorse did you ever own?" que'ror] Mr Purves, and tbpre was no answer. ■ We certainly could not call to mind any horse that Mr Reynolia had owned at this time, but we believe be claims to hare once been the proud pn;*----s-ossor of liogmanay. In his time tats old selling-plater had many owners, and \i seems Mr Reynolds was one of them. But from a three-legged selling-plater, lite Hogmanay, to Solution, is a big jump. Sir Rupert Clarke, Mr A. S. Chfrnside, and Mr K. S. Macleod are the kind of men that might have bought Solution without any one being surprised. But Mr P. U. Reynolds! Who would liave guessed him as likely to invest four thousand guineas in. one horse! However, he himself has said that he has bought Solution, and his doing so Is proof that desire to ov/n a great horse may sometimes be possessed by a man whose tastes in that direction were not previously suspected. Mr Iteynolds apparently contracted his lust for the possession of Solution mer.?ly through reading of her brilliant doings in Sydney. It is stated that Mr John Wren was in Sydney when Solution beat Lady Wallace, and that Mr Reynolds then Instructed him to buy the Xow Zealnnder on his behalf. Now lie le in the proud position of being the owner of tuii favourite for both Cup.<=. We never tliougnt when we heard h'.m claiming to be a borerowner in the witness box that be would ev.er rise to this distinction. But, after all, any man with four nr five thousand pouuaa to spare can buy a Solution. Mr P. H. Reynolds may do well out of Solution. Should she win either of the Cups, Ik> will get back more than her purchase money. and still have the m.ire. Bnt Mr Reynoioa must be giwen credit for more pluck thaa the average man possesses. Sir Kupc-rt Clarke and Mr Andrew Chlrnside are usually willing to take any fair risk in obtaining good horses, and they both wanted Solution, bnt were persnnded to do without her. Mr P. H. Reynolds was so enamoured of her that, without even seelnjr her, ha accepted the risks the others would not take, and is now sole owner of Solution.

The Victoria Premier stated recently that the sitting of the Legislative Assembly would continue -until tlHe Gaming Bill is passed. There are, he states, only two important points to be dealt with—the limitation of the days of racing and the 'fixing of the license fees. At present there are 343 days of ra-eing in the year, Iα addition to 150 for pony races. The yremier has decided not to grant the reqocst of the Kooyong Polo Club that the days of poio matches on the Moonee Valley course should not be counted &s race days, hir Bent says this would mean extending thg number of days, and as in the past the polo clubs have. neon content with the days allotted by the V.R.C.. they mnst now be content with tne days aUottPd by the Government - A letter from Mr John Wren was Jald before the Cabinet. Mr Wren wrote:—.

I can plainly see by your latest atnenclmrnts to the Gaming Bill that it is the intention of your Government to close thp racecourses at present under ,my management. One course—Richmond—yoa nave already condemned by the Insertion of a circumference limit, and Ascot and Fltzroy by the restriction of dates. This being bu, would you kindly go a step further and allow iue to retire from the management altogether by the insertion of a clause m your bill cancelling the leases that will blna mc for years to a business that is belnr so unreasonably attacked. Relieve mc liabilities in connection with these courses and I will gladly hand them over to :ne fr.ee holders, and sincerely thank you for the opportunity of so doing. 1 do not thluK I am trespassing upon your generosity Inproposing anything offensive to your sense of justice in making this suggestion, aua I do not want it to'be inferred that I am co-wardly enough to desire to shift the hnrden from my own shoulders to the shoulders of others less able to bear it. 1 am a loser. When I lose I pay cheerfully. But In these racecourse investments, which by law were legitimate transactions, I barf no chance. My cush is up, but you say I cannot win, and I have to plead for thY re-turn of my money, with but a remote chance of obtaining even that. t cauuot believe that it Is the individual John Wren that is being aimed at in this matter, ir that is so, 1 feel deeply being tho unwilling cause of the suffering that will fall on hundreds who live by and through the existence* of the pony courses, and as a practical prour of my sympathy for them, and as evidence of my desire to relieve.them, I am willing tn transfer my interest in the courses, absent myself from them, aud cease connection with them, leaving them to bo run under a properly constituted board of I'sperrs. I will take no proiits, and guarantee ;ill liabilities. I kuow the sport. It Is clean, and will prosper It' kept I aui n-Uliiiir to make this sacrifice on account of in-, trouble that is aheart of hundred.-; who Ino'c to mc for fair treatment, find whori ivy presence is evidently Injuring, i wll, v< tire. Sir, but I will do so hoiio-.ir.ii>'- anrl with due regard to the rank and t:;e. vrun cannot louder reslft the influences vrhlcli hnvp been levelled, 1 sincerely liopc, ;igain"=t nj° alouo.

A letter was also received from Mr K. VT. S. Dickson, 6olloitor for Messrs Tve aact Co., protesting against their scUcmo of property distribution being singled out and. made illegal, and asking that if the tio verntnent persisted In the proposal it should not corns into force till 16th January la order that the present distribution affectIng 15,000 customers, should not be etonnert When asked what decisions aa d been/ arrived at on these letters, tho PremleJ said, "We have tecidtjd * 0 stltfj to the WU-S