OUR JOCKEYS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1991, 12 July 1880, Page 3

OUR JOCKEYS.

[By Sinbad.]

Following out the plan pursued by me last year, I purpose giving a record of the mounts of the leading New Zealand jockeys during the season of 1879-80. And before commencing my task I would, remark that a great deal of labor would be saved, not only to myself, but to those of my confreres who during the winter months endeavor to fill their columns with sporting statistics, it the gentlemen of the press entrusted with racing reports throughout the colony could be induced to furnish their readers with not only the weights of the horses competing, but also the riders. Let me hope that this sweet boon may be granted to us during the ensuing season.

Commencing (as I did last year) with Bob Bay I have only to say that the veteran has been but seldom seen in the saddle during the past season. Strange to say, every one of his losing mounts was on old Templeton, the eon of Belle of the Isle having been unplaced in the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap, third in the Canterbury Cup, second in the Auckland Plate, unplaced in the Auckland Bacing Club Handicap, third in the Dunedin Eailway Plate, and unplaced in the Forbury Handicap. Bay’s winning record has been as follows : Lone Hand, in Geraldine Maiden Plate ; Templeton, in Christchurch Plate; and Maritana in Auckland Publican’s Purse. As will be seen from the above, Bay has only figured nine times in the saddle, and though, from the fact that he has disposed of his training establishment and team to the gentleman who will race under the name of Mr “ Hereford,’’ it is to he presumed that the familiar French grey and cerise will be absent from our racecourses, still I trust that in the cherry jacket of his new patron the veteran jockey may still maintain the position he has held for many years. The next to claim attention is Bob Derrett, whose list is a long one. He has ridden altogether thirty-two races, out of which ho baa been first past the post sixteen times. It will be remembered that last season Derrett sustained an injury to his knee, which for some time incapacitated him from riding, but he made his reappearance in the saddle at the Canterbury Metropolitan Meeting, where, strange to say, his first mount was a winning one. This was Foul Play in the Free Handicap, which he won on the post with one of those rushes at the finish for which Derrett is so noted. On Dit gave him no chance in the Derby; on Sir George ho was beaten a head in the Welcome Stakes; and on Foul Play ho was second in the Tradesmen’s Handicap, but with the flying son of Fancy was hailed a winner in the Metropolitan Handicap. We next find him at Ashburton, where, although he won the Forced Handicap with Te Whetu, he was, during the rest of the meeting, put up on such cattle as Longbeach (unplaced in the Maiden Plate) and Cassandra (third in Tradesmen’s Handicap). At the Dunedin Spring Meeting ho ran third with Chancellor in the President’s Handicap, and won the Selling Baee with Numa, the coaohy-looking son of Master Bowe furnishing him later in the season with winning mounts in the Amberley Cup, Oamaru Cup and J.C. Handicap, and Waimate Handicap. Derrett commenced the year 1880 by making his dehut in the white jacket and black sash of the Hon. Wm. Eobinson, in whose colours, carried for the first time by Foul Play, ho won the Wellington Cup, which will bo long remembered as conclusively showing that the son of Fancy could get two miles, which was further evidenced by the bold front he showed during the last hundred yards of the Dunedin Cup, in which race Derrett was again his pilot, but had to be content with third place, a position which he also occupied on Natator in the Publicans* Handicap, though next day ho scored two wins with Mr Mallock’s old favorite in the Forbury and Flying Handicaps, in addition to walking over for the D.J.O. Handicap, and winning the Leger on Grip. He re-visited the North Island with Betrayer, appropriating with the handsome son of Idalia the Wanganui Oup of 1000 sovs. Eeturning to Christchurch in time for the Autumn Meeting, he was unplaced in the Autumn Handicap, and third in the Easter Handicap with Foul Play, and second with Lure in the Champagne, while on Luna he placed the Consolation to Mr Butler's credit. At Timaru, it was owing to

his horsemanship that such moderates as Hunnington and Thilo finished second in Trial Stakes and Maiden Plate respectively, and his season’s record was completed at Kowai Pass, where bo was second on Randwick for the Springfield Plate and won the Consolation with Orange Peel. Fred Matthews, though the number of his mounts is small, has been credited with such big wins as Ariel in the Auckland Cup and Mata in the Dunedin Cup, while on the latter horse he also won the Dunedin Railway Plate and Queen’s Plato. His losing mounts have been : —Auckland Summer—Omega third in Publicans’ Purse, Ariel unplaced in Racing Olub Handicap and third in Auckland Plate; Dunedin Summer—Betrayer second inLeger ; Canterbury Autumn—Mata second in Great Autumn Handicap ; and The Lad third in the Hurdle Race at the Ellesmere meeting. Nolan has again, as in the previous season, done battle for Messrs Mason and Yallance, and his record is, like Derrett’s, a long one. His first mount was at the Canterbury Metropolitan meeting, where he finished second on Grip in the Derby. Later in the day he was third on Pinfire in the 0.J.0. Handicap, and in the Welcome Stakes, wearing the colors of the Hon. B. Campbell, then for the first time carried on a racecourse, was unplaced on Sir Modred. On the second day of the same meeting ho appeared in the rose and white of Mr Walters, appropriating the Tradesmen’s Handicap with Billingsgate, and being third in the Railway Plate with the same colt. With the son of Izaak Walton and Slander he ran second in the Selling Rico next day, and third in the Metropolitan Handicap with Libeller. At Ashburton he won the Cup on Lara, and was second on the same horse in the Racing Olub Handicap. The white-legged eon of Towton furnished him with two winning mounts at the Dunedin Spring Meeting in the President’s and Grand Stand Handicaps, and with a losing one in the St. Andrew’s Handicap, in which he ran third, while Oamballo won the Spring Handicap. Journeying to the Auckland Summer Meeting, he was not once returned a winner, being unplaced on Maritana in the Railway Plate, third on Sinking Fund in the Sailing Race, and second with Lara in the Stewards’ Handicap. At Wellington he was second for the Cup on the last-named horse, who, at Wairarapa, with Nolan again in the saddle, placed the Wairarapa Stakes and Railway Plato to the credit of his owners. At the Dunedin Summer Meeting his best performance was when riding Volunteer in the Queen’s Plate he made a dead heat of it with Mata, With the same colt he was unplaced in the Legcr; with Oamballo in the Cup and Concrete in the Soiling Race he occupied a similar position, and on Hilarious was second in the Railway Plate. Re-visiting the North Island, at the Wanganui Meeting he added to his winning record with Vampire in the Flying Handicap, but was unplaced with the son of The Barb in the Wanganui Cup. At the Hawke’s Bay Racing Olub Meeting he won the Maiden Plato with Saunterer, and the District Plate with Mavis, while with Namu he was second in the Consolation. At the Jockey Club Meeting on the following day he could only get second in the Maiden on Saunterer, though the son of Sator started with 2 to 1 on him. It was principally owing to his horsemanship that Spindrift ran a dead heat in the Provincial Produce Stakes with Paramena, the latter, however, winning in the run off, and Nolan had again to be content with second place on Saunterer in the Consolation. Once more donning the colors of the Yaldhurst confederacy at the Canterbury Autumn Meeting, Volunteer, his mount in the Great Autumn Handicap, was too backward in condition to have any chance of success, but The Governor afforded him a better opportunity in the Nursery Handicap, in which he was only beaten a short half length by Lure. It was in this race that Nolan’s usual anxiety to get away first, again brought him into trouble, as ho was fined by the starter for disobedience of orders, and cautioned as to his future behaviour. He concluded his season’s labours at the Timaru Meeting, where he won the Maiden with Volunteer, and the Winter Oats Handicap with Oamballo, being also third in the Timaru Cup with the latter horse. Shortly after this Nolan left for Australia; but he will, I presume, return here at the commencement of the season of 1880-81, and again wear the colors of Messrs Mason and Vallance, in whose crimson and yellow hoops he made his debut in this colony.

When reviewing the doings of our jockeys last season I had occasion to speak of Bob Bay’s right hand man, Wattie, as "unfortunate,” a name which may with some truth be again applied to him, seeing that in such leading events as the 0.J.0. Handicap (with Maritana), the Metropolitan Handicap and Wanganui Cup (with Hornby), and the Dunedin Cup (with Titania), ho has had the thankless task of riding the second horse. In addition to these ho has been unplaced on Lonehand in the Geraldine Cup, on Maritana in the Waitaki Cup, and on Rosemary in the Selling race at the same meeting ; and on Titania in the Canterbury Metropolitan Free Handicap; was left at the post on Miss Flat in the Welcome Stakes, and was unplaced on Maritana in the Tradesmens’ Handicap at the same meeting. At the Dunedin Spring was second on Titania in the President’s Handicap. At Wellington was unplaced on Templeton in the Cup; third on Lonehand in the Hurdle race; and second on York in the Flying Stakes. At the Dunedin Summer Meeting earned the distinction of having piloted old Templeton in the Flying Handicap, the last race for which the grandest performer on the New Zealand turf ever started, and in which (inglorious finish to a grand career) the son of Belle of the Isle could only get fourth. At Wanganui was second with Saunterer in the Derby. At the Auckland Autumn Meeting was unplaced on Yampire in the Tradesmen’s Handicap, and on Saunterer in the Flying Stakes, and concluded the season at the small meeting held on the new course in Bllerslie Gardens on the Queen’sßirthday.when he again failed to secure a place onYampire in the BlleraHe Cup. His winning mounts have been, Maritana in the Geraldine Publicans' and J.C. Handicaps, and Julia in the County Plate, Hornby in the Canterbury Derby, Maritana in the Railway Plate, and York in the Consolation; Titania in the St. Andrew’s Handicap; Sit-me-down in the Heathcote Hack Race (in which those who saw Wattie in the saddle will allow that he did “Sit-me-down ” in real earnest) ; Titania in the Dunedin Steward’s Handicap (inserted by the stewards to fill up the gap caused by there being no contest for the D. J.C. Handicap); Saunterer in the Wanganui Maiden Plate, and Hornby in the Town Plate; Hilarious in the Bllerslie Plate at the Auckland Autumn Meeting, Saunterer in the Selling Race, and Soukar in the Shorts; while his last winning mount was at the Bllerslie Meeting alluded to above, where he won the Maiden Plate with Flora. As will be seen from the foregoing, Wattie did not appear in the saddle at the Canterbury Autumn Meeting. He only arrived from Wellington on the morning of the first day’s racing, but I fancy that had Templeton lived to see the post for the great Autumn Handicap, Wattie would, as in the same race and on the same horse in 1876, have been the first to catch the judge’s eye.