Totalisator Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 213, 30 July 1904, Page 21

Totalisator Turf Topics.

By the 'Old 'Un."

THK local metallicians found business fauly busk l*>t week Membeis of "the trade" felt so satisfied with the result of their mteinew with theEiemiei, that they devoted then spare time to picking Giand National doubles, one enthusiastic Bomfate offering to back the treble, Aka AIS, Tahoe^andSeddon When asked which race he wished to back the latter for, he replied ' Oh, the icensed victualler' plate cm any race he btarts toi will do me 1 " Arepoit is current m town that Kremlin has been supported foi al* available money to win the ■ doub e, Wintei Cup and Grand National Huune*. As the Wintei Cup is run 011 August the lbth, and the Grand NatioiKurdle Race on the 18th, theie should be no difficulty in a horse securme the double if he is good enough. As no more double money about the above combination is obtainable, backeis are picking the two Kremlins with the Favountes fo, the Steeplechase. The price offered agamst naming the th cc Liners is 400 to 1, and plenty of business is being done at that price. Aka Aka is a strong favourite foi the Steeplechase with sporUng PiuhjJ^ tanans, and their immediate associates. This may be accounted for owing to his owner's "Guvnor" (a popular member of the lower House) having great confidence m his son's gee-gee's ability to capture the Grand National Steeplechase of 1904. Mr J Hogsr's hmd-le mare Levant, has resumed work, and may taken South for the minor hurdle events at the CJ C National meeting. me same owner's horse, Defoe is having an easy time since he ai rived from Hastings and is filling out nicely. L. Pntohard, who has charge of the pair, has his boxes all full at present Matuku and Black Squall, who also ieceive attention at this trainer's hands, aie in good fettle. The hbeial odds offeied by a Southern fum of bookmakers against any combination foi the National double, commencing with Plain Bill, has induced an umbel of local sports to support Mr Scott s veto an 'closer. Plain Bill and Spa - peen 1000 tol, and Plain Bill andWawera -300 to 1. have been supported Plain Bill and Pure Silvei , 2500 to 1 is still on offei . It is evident that the C J.C.s double tote has influenced the metalhcians. to lengthen their odds, as such prices were never previously offeied. The death of the New Zealand-bied Sir Modied recalls to "Teihnga, ol the •'Australasian," the fact that ten Modred was the passive instrumeait that brought about the final crash m the affaars of a Sydney spotting banker who was beting veiy heavily in the early eighties. ' Nat Gould built up his story "Banker and the Broker/ on the incident. Sn Modred was a certainty for the Hawkesbury Handicap ol IWJ4, and the banker knew it. He backed him heavily, but the owner of bir Modred did not love the backer, and he scratched Sir Modred. Not long afterwards the banket flitted, and the story goes that, disguised as a priest, he was making his way thiough to Queensland, when he forgot his part so fai as to eat meat on a Friday, and brought down upon him the suspicion of the waiter, when his identity w as revealed Sir Modred was foaled in New Zealand in 1877, and, after winning a number of the best i aces in this colony was with So m mis, sent to Melbourne m 1881 Both weie fine specimens of the thoroughbred, Sir Modied especially beincr a most beautiful horse. Somnus s mission was to win the, V.R C. De.by and he started first favoui ite, but could not set a place the lace being won by Darebm, a son of the Now Zeal a,nd-b ted mare Lurline. Sir Modred was the pioneer Australasian sue to go to America, and from his fiist season he was a success, heading the hst of winning sires one year. His importer (Mr. J. B Haggin) afterwards imported Darebin fi om Australia, and other srres from England, but none proved the success that Sir Modred was The trotting authorities, after a "Rip Van Winkle" sleep, have awakened to the fact that five totalisator permits to which they were apparently entitled when the reduction of permits was demanded bv Parliament some nine year* ago have been placed at the disposal of the racing authorities.

The Tiotting Conteien.ce deputationlsed the Colonial Secretary, and very fully placed the position before him. The chanman of the late Comfeience (Mi P. Sehg) was unable to be present, but forwarded full details, showing that a,ftei the reduction tiottmg clubs weie allotted tkuty-thiee peimats. These weie giadualh lessened until at present only twenty-eight aie available for tiotting clubs. Tlie position appears to be that the missing five permits have been given to small 1 acing clubs, a considei - able number of which only put through the totabsa.tor about £.100 pen meeting, borne of the meetings exte iding ovei two days As the commission fr-om such a turnover amounts to about £o0; and the Go\einment tax to about a five-pound note it is obvious that tiotting clubs uould do moie for the impiovement of the bieed of hoise^ than such clubs are doing. -Figures uere produced show ing that the eight leading fotting clubs put th.iouqrh the totalizator last year £179 312 10s this being a,n average of £22,418 pei club. The depaituie on Saturday last of Mr. Thomson's horses, Kremlin and The Guessiei , for Ricoaiton, leaves the local contingent the only occupants of the Hutt boxes Kremlin gave a good exhibition of hurdling before he went 3outh, and should make "a Fold bid for the Grand National Huidle Race The Guesser is also very well, a-nd, if the pan stait, they will carry a lot of Wellington money as they will be bracketed 1 on the totalisator. The Hutt horses Shi apnel Shell, Ma. tuku, Pure Silver, Lissa, and others, engaged at the C.J.C. winter meeting, are doing well, and those named will piobably continue their engagements. The Porirua stable will also be represented, probably by Porirua and Waita^ lere. Exmooi was reported to have picked up a nail in his foot, and, as a stoppage in his work would ensue, it is unlikely that he will be forward enough to show to advantage under his heavy impost. It is pleasing to record that. — despite the inclement weather and other circumstances against -which the Wellington Racing Club had to contend— the meeting will show a balance om the right side. = Mr. Whyte, the secretary, has had a,n up-hill fight since he assumed seoretaiiaf control, and it is to be hoped that next season his'dub will stuke better weather for their meetings.

Much troubled in mind, the Cynic reclined, His star was not in ascendant ; He deigned not to scoff fOl he had a bad cough And a tear from his nose was pendant. " I'll away ! " siid Diog, "To Delphi I'll jog, And consult that oracle sure." He went, and it said, "Foi a cold in the head Take Woods' Grevt Peppermint Cure."