Turf Topic

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 143, 28 March 1903, Page 25

Turf Topic

By 'Krect-Card.

Amongst the list of horses engaged in the Metropolitan Handicap, run at .kpsom, on April 21st, appears the name ot the ex-New Zealander, Seahorse. When the son of Nelson won, the November Handicap, at Warwick, at the end ot last season, he received a good advertisement at the hands of the English turf scribes, v.ho wrote very highly ot his performance, and the opinion was very generally expressed that he would be 'capable of annexing: one of the big handicap events when he became thoroughly acclimatised. That Seahorse, is being made to pay the penalty for the laudation he received is. shown by the fact that he figures third topweight m the Metropolitan, with Bst 111b. Mis performance will be awaited with interest by all sportsmen, and his victory would be specially welcome in Auckland, where he was bied. As was generally anticipated, the Pornua champion sprinter, Achilles, had no difficulty in silencing the opposition, in the Hawke's Bay Stakes the race proving merely an exercise canter tor the chestnut son of Medallion. Ine race was robbed of all interest on account of the absence of Machine bun. Achilles ran the six and a-half furlongs in lmm 23sec, his nearest attendants being Gold Dust and Bandmaster. The Nursery Handicap, at the same meeting, was annexed by Gold Crown, who is a Gold Reef— Nymph geldmg, m Prosser's stable. He led from start to finish and won with ridiculous, ease by three lengths. His success points to his being a bit above the ordinary, and his subsequent essays will be watched with interest. The result of the Ha,w kes Bay Cup came as somewhat of a surprise packet for the majority of punters about town. The layers had all the best of the argument, as hei was not supported to any extent, his ability to score being not seriously considered. The race was supposed to he between Battlease and Ostiak, while Oingo had also several admirers. Ostiak made most of the running, but, when tackled by Eingman, he shut up, and the latter went, on and won by three lengths. The winner is a three-year-old chestnut geldinig belonging to a local metallician, and was bred at Wellington Park, being got by Castor from Bangle, and is consequently full-brother to Casket, Orion's Belt, Ringlet, and Regiment. Ringman has lately been racing successfully in hack company, but the good time registered in the race in question suggests he is improving with age, and that he will not disgrace his parentage. The Voltigeur mare, Volley, by her success in the St Patrick's Handicap at the Masterton meeting, gives evident proof that she is still capable of holding her own with the best of them. It was generaLly thought that she was a light of other days, but her trainer was very confident that she would run well, and her easy victory shows that he w as not fai astray in his judgment. Some of the Australian papers make rather sarcastic comments on the actions of the newly-appointed stipendiary stewards. So far the punishment meted out by them has not gone beyond severe cautioning, and it is asserted that several glaring cases of suspicious riding have been overlooked. If this state of things is correct, then it behoves the men occupying these responsible positions to watch proceedings more closely, for the system is noAA on trial, and if it is proved a success 1* New South Wales, then there is a reasonable hope of its being; adopted in this colony as well as in the other States. If the stipendiary stewards wish to retain the confidence of the public, they must come down heavily on offenders, for in most cases the administration of a> caution is about as efficacious as pouring w ater on a duck's back. Nominations for all handicap events to be decided at the autumn meeting of the Wellington Racing Club which takes place on April 23 and 25, will close with the secretary (Mr. J. F. Clark), on Monday next, March 30. The English sire, Pilgrim's Progress, who is at the head of the list of winning stallions this season in Australia, was submitted to auction at Melbourne on the 6th inst. The bidding went up to 1500 guineas, but as this did not reach the reserve placed on him he was passed in. Subsequently, an offer was made by cablegram from New Zealand,

at an advance on the pnco bid m the ring, but the answer leturned was to the effect that 2000 guineas was the lowest price that would be accepted. When one considers that Pilgmn's Progress has demonstrated his ability to get high-class racehorses, and that he is the only son of that great horse Isonomy in the colonies, it cannot be said that the price asked is an exorbitant one. It is to be hoped that efforts will be made 1 to keep this successful sire in these lands and not allow him to be tiansferred back to England, as was done with Bill of Portland. All the Victorian writers have a good word to say for Emir, the two-year-old son of Wallace, who wo.i the AscotvaJe Stakes at Flemmgton recently. A glancei over Emir's pedigree shows that there is ai wealth of Fisherman blood in it. He gets two dashes through Wallace and three more from his clam. Emmie. As a, yearling, he was purchased bv Mr. E. Clarke of Victoria, for 1000 guineas, and an offer of 4000 guineas after his recent win was declined. Word comes from Napier that the Hon,. J. D. Ormond's erstwhile champion, Renown is standing up to his work in satisfactory style. About twelve months ago he wasi fired in the foreleigs, and according to the opinion of those qualified to iudge, there is every reason to hope that the chestnut son of Dreadnought will again carry the "all-cerise" in the racing arena. G. Price, the popular horseman connected with, Mr. W. Davies stable at the Hutt, was right out of luck at the Dannevirke meeting. He had twelve mounts for the tw o days, and was unsuccessful on every occasion. Favourable weather was experienced for the 1 annual meeting of the Horowhenua Racing Club, winch took place on St. Patrick's Day, on the club's re-cently-acquired new course, situated about a mile from the Wereroa station. The course is prettily arranged, being in a nice>, sheltered position. The track was m capital condition, and good times were recorded. Two stands, one inside, and the other outside, provide ample accommodation . Choice selections of music were discoursed during the day by the Levin Brass Band, w hich were highly appreciated by patrons. The officials were indefatigable in looking after the comfort of visitors. During the day the sum of £5316 was passed through the totahsator, -\\hich is> an increase of £1786 on last year's turn-over. A feature of the racing was the success of Fletcher's stable, repre^ sentatives from which captured six out of the eight events on the programme. Of the successful horsemen at the meeting, honours: rested with young Douglas, connected with Fletcher'si stable, who rode four winners, T. Y/ilson, Carmont, McConiion, and W. Price, having one w inning mount each. In America there are professional dyers of horses whose natural colour their owners wash to change from esthetic or other reasons. In a New York paper, one, G. F. Richards, advertises himself as am "artist m running colours." "I can make a chestnut-col-oured horse in twenty-four hoursi, no matter what the colour of the animal brought to me. To make a black or a brown horse requires from six to ten days. I have made a white horse out of a black one, but I don't like doing it, as the experiment is attended with danger to the horse." Word comes from Dunedin that Pampero is in active commission again. a,nd has apparently fully recovered from the mishap whioh caused his retirement from the last New Zealand Chip a day or two before that event was run. A Melbourne writer says "There is no business afloat calculated to drawmore wrinkles in a, shorter space of time on the physiognomy of any man than that of trying to pick winners." A King's premium of £100 was awarded to Gold Medallist, the New Zealandbred stallion, which was shown at, the Hunter's Improvement Society's Show , at the Agricultural Hall, London, last week.

Believers in dreams will be interested in the latest example. A Sydney man dreamt that he would die, and that Chanfcress would win the Newmarket Handicap. He died a day or two before the race, and a large number of people backed the Bill of Portland mare in consequence. Needless to say, they are well pleased with themselves in consequence. In the wav of innovations, America is hard to beat, aoid one of the latest m connection with racing in that, country is the registration in the State of New York of a limited liability company called "The Steeplechase Insurance 1 Company." Its object will be to insure amounts wagered on jumping races from loss occasioned by a horse falling during the race. For instance, if a man takes £200 to 20 about a horse, and insures his own stake for, say, £5, he has a chance of winning £200, less the £5 insurance, if the horse stands up ; while, if the horse falls, he would only lose the £o. The insurance will only be paid when the horse actually falls, the fact of a horse hitting and losing his jockey counting for nothing.