Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 199, 23 April 1904, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the 'Old 'Un."

THE New Zealand St. Leger Stakes, which will be run for on the Hutt Park racecourse to-morrow (Saturday), should prove an exciting race. Starihoot. since his defeat of Wairiki, at Auckland, in the Century Stakes, has made a host of friends, and good iudges are selecting him to beat Sir George Clifford's colt, Treadmill. Melodeon will probably be the only other starter. He is bred, however, on staying lines, and, in a strong-run race, might wear the more-highly-thought-of pair down. The Autumn Handicap oueht to -provide another good race. There are a lot of horses engaged that can run a real good mile and a-quarter. Cannie Chiel, Canteen, Bulowayo, Ghoorka, Regulation, and Jewellery are a halfdozen horses who, if suitably weighted, would produce a good race. It is safe to predict that a capital day's racing will be provided. A large number of horses are located at the Hutt, and good fields should face the starter. Some members of the Wellington Racing Club decry classic racing, for the reason that it is unprofitable to the club, and does not bring about as big a gamble as an ordinary hack race. For their edification, I might point out that horse-owners/ have contributed, by way of fees, to the North Island Challenge Stakes of 1904 no less 1 a sum than £286, whilst for the New Zealand St. Leger owners have subscribed £126. The added money given by the club is: Challenge Stakes, 400 soys; St. Leger, 300 soys. If we deduct the horses-own-ers' contributions, viz., £362, it will be found that the club has only to find £338. Against this sum has to be placed revenue derived from the totalieator and other sources. The scratching of all Sir Geo. Clifford's horses for their handicap engagements on the first day of the Wellington meeting must be taken as an indication that their owner was displeased with the handicaps declared by the Wellington Club's weight-ad-juster. Sir George had Cannie Chiel (Bst) and Quarryman (7st 81b) engaged in the Thompson Handicap . There could not have been very much wrong with the respective imposts of these horses. Cannie Chiel could not have been allotted more than 31b less. At the C.J.C. meeting, with the same impost, he finished just out of a place in the Easter Handicap. Vladimir, the winner, was raised 81b, Kremlin, the runner-up, was not engaged in the Thompson Handicap, and Lady Lilian, who defeated Cannie Chiel by a nock, had her weight increased by 21b. Eight pounds is not sufficient allowance for the beating Vladimir gave Cannie Chiel. Two pounds, however, should be sufficient allowance for a neck defeat. Cannie Chiel misrht well have been dropped two or three pounds without the handicap being in any way jeopardised. Quarryman had a concession made in his favour of 61b. and thus would meet the winner on 141b better terms. That was perfectly equitable. It is probable that it was more the lenient treatment meted out to a number of other horses that displeased the owner of Cannie Chiel than the imposts his own horses were asked to carry. Bulowayo, Grand Rapids, Shrapnel, and Martian are all brilliant performers, and, on recent form, seemed much too leniently treated as compared with nearly every other horse engaged, and it would not have been surprising had a number of others been withdrawn when

the weights appeared, as it was obvious that, on recent form, they had not the remotest chance of winning. Sir George Clifford's other nominations. Ragabrash and Brave Heart, had nothing much to complain of as regards weight, but, in the case of the latter, a number of good performers, notably Lass o' Gowrie, Kremlin, and Machine Gun, 1 seemed to hold Brave Heart fairly safe at the weights. The unanimous opinion expressed in racing circles since the appearance of the Wellington hndicaps was that the lenient treatment of Shrapnel and Mr. Stead's pair in the Thompson Handicap would have the effect of frightening a number of owners into withdrawing their horses. Mr. Stead's trainer, however, to a certain extent, saved the situation by intimating that he would not accept with either of his pair, Grand Rapids and Martian. Shrapnel was still a bogey, but, as _ his recent form was not of such a brilliant description as Mr. Stead's pair, and there was a possibility of his not appearing at the post dressed in his very best form, several owners accepted in the hope of catching last year's winner off-colour. Mr. J. B. Reids filly. Gladsome, hae found a home in Australia. Her owner probably realised that few horses with good credentials are permitted to win handicaps in this colony, and he wisely decided not to refuse the good offer made for her by a Melbourne meta'lician. Gladsome's winnings, when added to the proceed® of her sale, should assist to make her late owner's racing account a record one. Few owners with one representative are so successful in such a short space of time. Mention of Gladsome reminds me that Mr. Reid has still to run the gauntlet of an appeal to the Racing Conference. Should the final decision be against him, it will make a serious inroad into his racing account. His filly was ridden at Auckland (when she won the Derby and Auckland Plate) by F. Jones, who is identical with the rider to whom exception was taken by the owner of Convoy. All genuine sportsmen will hear with regret that the Porirua champion, Achilles, has contracted an affection of the throat, which, it is uossible, may prevent his again showing his best form on the racecourse. Quite a number of our best horses have succumbed to the same fell disease, notably Formosan, Multiform, Gold Medalist, and numerous others of lesser note. Machine Gun is slightly affected, and has been so since early m his two-year-old career. For this reason he has been trained for distances longer than six furlongs. After Achilles' brilliant performance in the last New Zealand up, it will be a thousand pities should his* breathing become so impaired as to prevent him being raced over all distances. Much has been made of the fact that Martian and Grand Rapids were made warm favourites for the Great Easter and Autumn Handicaps immediately the weights were declared. Owing to Mr. Stead having an astute trainer, and nothing but highly-bred horses in his stable, his representatives may be expected to run prominently when they are started. Mr. Stead's horses are also trained on a private course, and their true merits are, more often than not, exaggerated, while it sometimes happens that his horses are rushed into the position of favourite when those associated with them are anything but enamoured of their prospects. Siege Gun was an example. Notwithstanding warnings from the owner that the horse had displayed only moderate form in private, he was heavily backed throughout the colony for the New Zealand Cup of 1902, and yet, when he ran up to his owner's expectations, the public howled because he had not realised the exalted opinion they had formed of his abilities. Martian, whose merits were also unknown to persons both inside and outside the stable, was selected as a good thing for the Easter Handicap, and for no other reason than that a Christchurch bookmaker, who relied upon the gullibility of a section of backers, had stepped in and, for an outlay of some £20, secured all the long odds on offer, probably knowing full well that he could retail them at a profit later on

Martian ran just as a young, green horse might he expected to run in a hig field. Next day, when he was opposed by a small field, he ran much more kindly, and secured the Challenge Stakes. No douht his first day's experience had benefited him, and had the Challenge Stakes been run on the first day, and the Easter Handicap on the second day, Martian would have won both races.