RACING IN THE ARGENTINE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1171, 5 July 1911, Page 9

RACING IN THE ARGENTINE.

SOME STRIKING VIEWS.. MR. J. L. HENRYS'IN WELLINGTON. Mr. J. L. Henrys, son of the wellknown handicapper, Jlr. J. E. Henrys, arrived in Wellington yesterday morning from Buenos Ayres. Mr. Henrys left the South American city on May 2, and proceeded, via Durban, to join the Tongariro nt Cape Town. Some ( sixteen months ago he left New Zealand for the Argentine, and, on his arrival there, was engaged by Mr. I?. Leys, a wealthy sportsman, to manage tho Stud Sceptre, which comprised some fifteen hor=os. in training, these including a number of jumpers. Up till thy' lima that Mr. Henrys left tho Argentine-for Wellington, he had turned out nineteen winners, a number of which he raio himself. The New ?,?alamler held on amateur rider's license (being able to ride about lOst. 91b.), and, in addition to steering nine winners, filled second place about fifteen times.

After remaining three or four weeks in the Dominion,-Mr. Henrys will return to the Argentine, and hopes to be ■ back there in time for the start of the classics at Palermo in Septcrnbei. Speaking effacing and racehorse,? in tho Argentine. Jlr." Henrys said:—"l never felt so small in 'all my life as on the first day 1 arrived at Palermo w:ith the yearlings I tc-ok from here. With their long manss and tails, and long coats, they looked very ragged alongside the Argentine yearlings, which had been in the box sines the day they 'were foaled, and which looked as big -as our thrce-vear-oldS- The trainers all laughed very broadly, and the English- members of the fraternity told me that the Spaniards reckoned that-I had somehow got. the horses mixed up with the sheep. ,Thev said that I 'had tho wron? stuff in the right place.' The only time that I had a. chance of getting the laugh back was in March last, when Pure Lass (own sister to True Knight) came out in a big field of two-year-olds, and romped homo nn easy winner over )000 metres in Imin. Sho paid a bi». price, and the party had i wod win."

The cause of the Argentine two-year-olds being so well forward at the'time of sale is easily explained by the New Zealander. Over in that country there are no stallions at the service of l.hc public. Each breeder has his own stallion and mares, and the foals are stabled and handled from birth. It is not an uncommon thing at a stud-to see as many as twenty or thirty foals in bandages being -led round with tho dam..". '' : ' '

:-i In February the two-year-old race's start. The colts and fillies-run in separate races, and each juvenile has to compete in what is known as the "losers' class" nrttil such time as he wins. Altogether there.are 280 losers' races in the. year, but some of tho youngsters never get out of the class,' as there are over■'.4oo yearlings bred in-tho.-countrv each season. The average ' horse finishes his racing career as a fonr-year-old. There is no travelling for the horses— they all race at Palermo and Belgrano,which are within half a mile of' each other, and the stables are all situated close round, opening out on to the tenets. .The "work", is Tidden bare-backed.

After the horses do their preliminaries on race days they come back to the paddock. The jockeys dismount, and those who are riding in the following race weigh out for that event, each trainer .having to keep on the course three,sets of gear, which are looked after by', the jockey' club. -•.■•.'. ' The horses go out again about ten minutes before the race and have another sprint to warm up before the start. After witnessing racing in New Zealand, Africa, Australia, and England, Mr. Henrys gives it as his opinion; that the starting in Buenos Ayres is quite tho finest anywhere. The horses are trained to stand at the gate, find bad starters and jockeys arc disqualified and ordered, to appear on tho track on certain days for practic* at tho gate, until they are proficient. A horse that is really bad ,ncvcr gets back again.

In a general remark on racing. Mr. Leys's trainer considers that Buenos Ay res is the place, for. good horses, and good horSSmen. Bavin? such stallions as Cyllene, Diamond Jnbilee, Flotsam, .Tardy, Kcndal (now dead), and Neapolis, they naturally breed the best stock, and they have practically prohibited the importation of anything but the best so far as racing is concerned. And then the stakes are excellent.. Entrance fees arc 1 per cent., and the smallest stakes are the ec(uivalent of ,£3OO. Of other sports. Association football is "on the boom," but the visit of 'the English team rather' disheartened followers of Rugby.

FIXTURES. Jiily G and 7—Gisborne R.C. Winter July 15, 19, and 22-Wellington H.C. Win-

ter. August 8, 10, and 12~Canterbury J.C.'s Gra'ud National.

FIRES IN THE CITY. « Two calls to (ires were received by the City Brigade Inst evening. The ■ first came a few minutes after 8 o'clock, and was to a three-story building off Ingestre Street- -a workshop used by Sanders Bros., building contractors. It appears that the switch of the dynamo had been left off, and this fired the dynamo and heated the surrounding woodwork until it caught .fire. The flames were extinguished after slight damage had bton done. The building and contents are insured in the A tins Office, but the amount could not be afciu'tniued last night. At 10.43 p.m. the brigade was called to ila Wingfielrl Street—a five-roomed dwelling occupied by Mrs. Eliza Jenkins. Before the fire was got under the Buildin» and contents, which were not insured, .were badly damaged. The cause of the fire is unknown. . .