Totalisator Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 221, 24 September 1904, Page 21

Totalisator Turf Topics.

By the ' Old 'Un."

MR. Geo. Moise hao issued his fiist batch ot handicaps foi open events at Wanganui. The adjustments bear a striking resemblance to those declared for the Rangitikei Racing Club's spring meeting. Both handicappeis teem to deal harshly with Regulation, who is paying dearly for her Easter Handicap win at the Auckland autumn meeting The Wanganui handicapper hastieated the veteran Blazei a& a "has been. Regulation is asked to concede him 101b. Blazer, in his 1 best foim, could easily have conceded Regulation a stone, and then showed her his> heels. Shrapnel receives 141b more weight m the Spring Handicap than the Wellington handicapper gave him for the Thompson Handicap. The general opinion then was that he was thrown into that race, and that his owner was exceedingly unlucky, inasmuch as, on the eve of the race, Shrapnel conti acted influenza, and was unable to face the starter. Ostiak, now owned by a popular steward of the Wanganui J.C., is nicely treated in both the Spring and Flying Handicaps. Kremlin is asked to con cede Ostiak 171b ovei six furlongs. 1 would advise backers to have their investments on Ostiak in preference to backing Mr. Thomson's horse. [Kremlin has been scratched for all his Wanganui engagements.] Taking previous form into consideration, the two best-treated horses in Mr. Morse's Wanganui handicaps ai c Blazer and Ostiak. If both oi either of the pair should happen to strike form, the rest of the field will have a deal „* trouble to pace it with them. Ballarat may prove their most formidable opponent. The racing at Wanganui will be interesting because so many horses i unnmg there olaim engagements in the New Zealand Cup. Convoy, Halberdier, Inglewood, Regulation, Shrapnel, Black Reynard, Full Cry, and General Aveiage are engaged at Wanganui, and are all New Zealand Cup representatives. Their form will, no doubt, be closely scrutinised. Taking the Wanganui handicaps as a whole they should bring about good acceptances, and interesting i acing should ensue. Owners of racehorses seem detei mined to have a voice in the selection of handicappers. As they are the poisons most concerned, it us only natui al that they should protest agairuyt the slipshod mannei in which some handicapping is being done. The racing members of the Wanganui Jockey Uub insisted upon their stewards selecting a handicapper who was able to witness the racing of those horses whose weightshe had to adjust, the result being that Mi. Morse supplanted Mi. Evett. Taranaki racing men also agitated for a change of handicappers. The claim of Mr. Pardy, who frames the hack handicaps for the T.JC, was solidly supported! by New; Plymouth racing men. The chairman (Mr. Samuel) and a few of the leading stewards, however, managd to prsuade the malcontents to give their present handicapper another year's lease of office. Consequently. Mr. Evett will again adjust the weights for the Taranaki Jockey Club. The Napier Park stewards, although they were instructed by the membeis of the olub to engage the services of a handicapper who could attend their meetings, have published their programme with their absentee official's name appended. Owners have not responded very freely, as only a paltry dozen horses are nominated for the principal event, the Park Stakes Handicap, and, with the exception of the Wanganui pair, Shrapnel and Armistice, those engaged are Napier-owned. A number of horses are in active training; on the Taranaki race tracks Heroism, Paratutu, Maro, Cavalry, and Tukapa are fairly forward in condition Mr. J O'Driscoll, the owner of the veteian hurdlei Waiwera, has his old fnvouute in work for the Wanganui hurdle events. Waiwera is reported to be looking well. The same' owner nas al<=o taken Pharos in hand, with the view of preparing; him for the Auckland Steeplecha.se and other jumping races.

Of Mr. Stead's team raced at the A.J.C. meeting, ail except Ciucitorm have kcoied, and, m consequence, have incurred penalties foi the New Zealand Gup Ciuciiorm, the only one of the team which failed to win d race, is not s engaged m oui Oup. The Yaldhurst- { tiained hoises' weights will now read. Martian Bst 121b, Grand Rapidis Bst 51b, Nightfall 7st 21b. At these weights n the best of the tno should take a power J oi beating. ) Martian's peiformance in beating such hoises as Loid Cardigan, a Melbournei Cup winner, and Emu, winner of the Champion Stakes, stamps him as a i acehorse of high calibre, and Bst 121b should not pi event him lunmng prominently in the Ne.w Zealand Cup. As Cti and Rapids and Nightfall have also put up good' performances, the follower- of the stablei will, no doubt, wait for a lead befoie backing either of the tl 10. It is a mattei foi i egret to learn that Crucifoim received 1 a nasty mjuiy \Ahilst competing in the Craven Plate. It is reported she was kicked by another competitor, and this appeals so serious that it may pi event her racing again. Sportsmen am 11 join in hoping that the injury has been exaggerated, as a race at weight-for-age between Ciuciform and Achilles is still looked foi ward to with great interest. R. Kingan has a nice team of horses in work at the Hutt. Jeannie D'Alhi et displayed pace and cleverness when silie ran second in the hurdle race at the Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting. Error is a useful cut of a horse, and should pay his way m hack company. Catnce, by Catesby, a filly by Lethe, out of Monehu, and the old Grand National Huidle winner, Um«lopogaas, complete the team. Jeannie D'Albret and Eiror are engaged at Marlborough spring meeting. Umslopogaas was not accepted with for the Rangitikei Steeplechase, but his owner intended sending him up for the second day's steeplechase. His> pilot, H. Kingan, has not yet received his riding license, and, undei the circumstances, the owner may probably elect to keep the old 'chaser at home. I note> that a leading firm of Southern bookmakeis quote Achilles's price as 10 tn 1. If backers accept such short odds they are not lacking in enterprise. I warned backers against supporting the same horse last year, when his weight was 9st 61b. Why they pick him to wm this year with lOst is beyond my comprehension. The old adage about "fools and their money" seems applicable. The Wellington Racing Club Committee have had a busy time lately considering applications and issuing jockeys' licenses. A number have been refused on the grounds that they aie "carpettag jockeys," and only make use of their licenses to gain admission to racecourses, and seldom accept a mount. As c matter of fact, a number aie suspected of following the calling of "guessers." This class of "ridems" the club are very properly desnous of suppressing. Writing of jockeys, I learn on good authority that the Conference Committee that a.re entrusted with the revision of the rules of racing intend to consider the advisability of framing a rule enabling riders to demand their riding fee when being weighed out by the clerk of the scales. Such a rule would impose no hardship on owners, while it would protect riders, especially youing lads from those owners who habitually neglect to pay their jockeys for their services 1 .