IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 63

IN A NUTSHELL.

—A. K*Kay lode four winners at' Tua?peka. ■ _ " - - - — Nominaiions' for.-- the- TepanuL meeting close on the-23rd inst. . - — Noininationa. for .the Maniototo meetmg *re due onr Eriday next.. - — Soni«. and: Mangonel- may find new owners during "the' present *eek. — Nominations far 1 the Tahuna Park. meet-, ing are due on .Saturdayf Februtfryr 1. — St. Jtoa and. Leesfde; arrived safeJy- atl -Hobart, end_ are now in. steady- exercise there. - . - * — The Hobart Cup. ofl500sovs ; which St. Joe his, beent sent fe" capture, i»"to' be run on February 12, ; ; - \. 4 1 — Both .Curiosily 'andt-Tbney? caused o^good deal -of trouble-" when: 'at', the post, for their. xaces at Tuapeka. - . • '," i — 'Culmination, a sister to Elevation, was amongst-" the -snnners on the fiist day of tile Wellington meeting: - '•>• — a race worth £100 in England waa recently abandoned because not a single horee ■was sent -to -run for it. — Nominations -for the minor events' to be decided' air. tbe Dunedin Cap meetingclose on Friday next. — Petrovna- was* "well Tancied- for her race, en the .first, day at Wellington, but she failed- tdr^get-in the> money. , — Gold- Crest evidently" ran a- good race". ,in; thi-.-WalingtoM. Cue, itf which he tadE 8.0, and wasi beaten in 2.33-4^5. - - — Master Delaval, -Apologue, ilelodeon, Puttyv^Seddon, and; Delaware fignre amongst the entries^ for-tbe Austnaiian. Cup. j ■=— Mbntcalin, » -. three--yeaJMsld- by. Siege ! Gun^ recently; won the- -New Year's Gift, one" mdl«; at- the- TattersaQ'sf, Ciub- meeting, in 1.39Ji - ' - — Finery showed »- fine burst of. speed by Tanning file Eleetri?' Handicap at Wellington jn- 1-1 after easing up_- Before reaching the p^>st-: -" -- , w ' . — At; the meeting of tKe Auckland Eacmg. Club Committee- on theilsth a profit of £4636' 16s 4d on the recent summer;- meeting- wae reported* . — The time put up in the WellingtonCup reads fast, but the quality of the field was ' not?- of a very T"gh order — apart from Gold Crest. ~ ' ' - — The- well-known Australian fencer York, ■ who, -was-, sent "hornet to racer -between the £ags, was sold at- the December sales for '510 guineas.* '_< j . -^The Lord Rosslyn- filly Mangonel won ' "the Maiden, Plate at Tuapeka-, but did not continue in -a~ winning, groove- Jn- her. next attempt.under silk.;_~ '~1 ' : " . - — $h>. veteran- trahier James JMbnoghan •was rersently 6efr^x.with a ; ' stroke- of_par«3y1 sis. and is now confined to ibis zoom in a rather- 'serious- , condition."""" ' "— The "welF-lmown Australian horse Aas- - tralian .Colours^ the son of Australian Peer and 'Colours, f was ' recerrHy 60I& under Qie.. iamrner- at 7(f guineasr- . _ — Another pony and>* galloway course- is to be opened. in--Sydney.- It itf^&nown as -Victoria--Park ? and 1 - i» said/.to -be the moßt . ■up-to-dete traci c dutsifiV Randwick —A^ total- of £65,862 "10* war invested inth» totalisator at the Perth Cup meeting.]

Tiis amount" is. over. £6000, less' than, the:' figures for. the corresponding meeting in. 1906. — ►Soltykoft was. bleeding at the noseafter his races at the- Tuapeka meeting, He cost 42S guineas as a yearling, and through his- infirmity- has been, a- rank failure- on tne tuif.. . - . " " — If Armlet .cannot stay she- -can speed, along, a. bit over », short j'ouxney. At. Wellington:- jaKa carried 9.6 5 and won easily over four furlongs, which -were, traversed in 48f 4-51 ; . — Hr. G. Cork, the owner of Moloch, the.winner of the. Wellington Gup, put a. stopper, on the rest of the field br producing: a. horse capable- of* running- the' journey in 2.3S 4-5. — Red- Bainl apparently put up an. attractive performance^ at Wellington, by carrying S.O and running, seven furlongs in, 1.29 2-5--The half brother to Treadmill is evidently auseful sort. . —The objection against Lupulite lodged in connection .with his- winning at the Wyndham meeting' wilt be dealt with at a 1 meeting I'oFJXJ.C. Committee- to be held in Thursday of this week. —A* Taylor's; -with £26^947 10s; was credited . with most, in - stakes in Eitgland last season, but as", regards "number of raceswon. W.- E. Elfiey- and-J. F.- Hallick. headed the- list with .46 eaclu — Amongst the entries ' for the -VIB.CNewmarket. Handicap-, are: the .'New Zealartdb'red horses*. .Elevation, Pink. 'TTn, -Mnnjeet^. Seddbiv . Grenadier; Equiforrri r C«pta.in Shannon -and Maranuir. ~ _ — The French Government has purchased, the' thoroughbred" stallions Prince William/ by Bill -of Portland" from. -La Vierge ; Ramrodi ,by Carbine-, from .*Esk4 «nd Veronese^ By Donovan, from.- Maize, in England. — Included amongst- the events-, in the. Tahuna Park. Trotting Club'a autumn, meet^ ingt are four' handicaps' carrying 100sov-s- each, in prize money, eight- events- of. BOsovbj including two .races, for- trotters onlyi ~-=-Nb- fewer than- 10- of"- the- 15 runners" fell in the Grand" SefttnT- Steeplechase-, run over the\Aintree- (Liverpool) course on .the Bth of" 'last month. Luckily- only oit» jockey; was injured! and" he sustained- a buoksn arm; ~ ~ — Nominations .are* due on' BliriSxy^ next lor. ■fine-- minor events on the D, J.C." autumn programrnej.l and, aa there are* sonw wellendowed welters- and hack events on the bill of- faxe* owner* should' give" the 1 matter con'siderotiotn. " — Sir- Percival^ obtained, 'about * threelengths' advaart&ge at= the start, of" thy Flying; Handicap at Tuspek*, ana-this^ practically made inie? horse< a- present' of. the race? as he apparently had very little to spare at the finish. —It is" rumoured that a- bookmaker operating ett a recently-decided- meeting. Bad ar horse- in his- bag. H got out" on the second- day and- won easily,' but- -whether it, was. in the bay on 'this- occasion* has not been disclosed. - - ~ - — The Eclipse- Stakes winner^ tally; whomMr Sol Green- was: anxious to- acquire- for; JSk: sfcndlin; Australia,- wss- sen p> vnto 'Jthe' sale* th*.-D.ecamber Woodstock sales; but £ri!e"^to''raach-~the- reßerye of "8000" guineas; '-wEicH^-wa's-pliiced : -jipoiC'hinr. '■■' --' ' - —It; is- s^fed.- ffia* flic En^Ksh'-RjwxscoursV Association has- apprdaorred'. the' various- -rail- * meg, . companiee with^a view/ to*' stamping- out" ther g»ng» off- cwrcVi sharpers -wfer- fo*^ so long ~ have, been a source of "great annoyance, prin- . -crpally j; on metropolitan-'Knear -.^. — - Fast time®*;waere £ the- order- of the day „a>V the- onening of. the, Wellington Cup meet-, ingr This- was probaßly ' due- to the- exoePlent formation^ of -the track;-" and- no doubt the" going, was fairly: solid -aad helped^ to assist matters in making speed: ' ' • — During last season in- England, the young; Australian, rider Frank Wqotton bad' 282 mounts. He was successful in 89, rurr-. ning 37 ' eec'onde and 37 third's — a very czeditable performance for a boy who is . only now. a month 1 - over 14. years. '•j — The Japs haye taken on" horse-Tacing as" .one? of "their- pastimes; Recently there was- a feur-days* ' : meeting:, at Nippon,, > and 10 : events- constituted'- each afterhooa's pro- , gramme. Several, Austmlian-bred racerr ' were' competitors, at the meeting. • — Munjeefr carried her new owner 7 s j colours^ for "the first time at Wellington, and, carrying: 9.5, is reported icr have, finished a; fair.third' in- 1.14 2^5: Her Kandicapv for the second day was evidently a. bit flattering, but, the pen was put through her name-: . — San Julie, who proved the", winner' of the: Anniversary- Handicap- -at Wellington: comes of- a- good family, as she-waa got' by, San Fran from. Julie, by' Sir.. I»eg«r from. 'Freda, by Maxim from-- Fair. Nell, the dam-of-Loyalty;. Saracen,, and Bonnie Scotland. —"All Red'a win at Wellington, where" heran, six' furlongs in. T..l* 2-5, gives further value* to Madder's produce. She- has- been a. fountain of speed in " producing All Red' f Mungista, Munje©t," ;Rubi*, Rose Madder, and 'Madrigal in six consecutive, seasons. — St. Denis landed a, double at Tuopeka in c style' that was 1 - reminiscent of' his boldr galloping in the; days-, of his- power. It ia well over four seasons back since St. Denis won a race, and it is worthy of -note that the St. Clair .gelding made his debut on the turf in 1898. — Moloch^ -the winner of the Wellington! Cup in the smart time of 2.33-4-5,. is "a eon oi' Maxteerr (Maxim— Aunty) and ther Mute mare. listener. Moloch i» one of the. "Sharkie tribe, end.. consequently claims relationship to Rosefeldt, Tortullaj Pasha, Adand other good performers. r = — TEre- disqualification of. "Mr and Mrs B, I J. Hedley for six months,- and the- horse Ribmsey "" Jack, otherwise Rawmore, well known here, for two", years- inflicted by. the. stewards- of the Eomsey- Amateur Turf Clubon "December 10" for wrongful nomination, has been oonfirmed. hy the V.R'.C. —A sensation has- been, caused in Irish racing circles by tn& mjwsr tHat Dr P. El.E 1 . M"(3abe has resigned the position, of racing manager to Mr- Hiehwrd Groker: During, the short period that he heJci' the; office he^ won SS races, worth some £14,000, and including the Derby with Orby. - — The Wellington Racing Club put £17,378 through their- totaliaator on Wellington Cup as against the £25.255 registered on the corresponding, day of last year's meetings Thee shortage* in, the- figures would be about balanced by the £720 which the, club received in* license- fees from the bookmakers. _"-- -\, . - — The^ victory of .Back Answer at Newmarket (England) once- more illustrates the lottery fd breeding.- She- is a daughter: of" Ladas — Flower of the Wit. .and. cost 670guineua as .a yearling- Her-, half- brother. _Merry Fox, made 5000 guineiaa. and proveduseless. for - -racing -.purposes. _ Put_ up for sale recently' to dissolve a partnership Merry .Fox fetehe'd -100 guineas. - - _ — A profit ot something like £6000 was made of the Berth Cup meeting, just ' concluded. The .large .attendances- were maintained.- to the^ end,, and the- interest in therafcing - never ceased. The l club -distributedin stakes, and Str-P. A. .Connolly captured^ 8330g<jvs- of it, and not one of theoiheir 89 owners who participated got into* four figures, the nearest of ' the- others being. Mr P. J. Ward, who won 600sovs. - —T. Tilson, the well-known Southland

trainer and rider of troiters, produced, a '. likely sort- of & green, performer in- Comipanderite at Tua-peka, whex-e- be won the Final Trot in 2.52. The-, time reads, slow, but' Commanderite with ordinary luck, wzll ,go to a- much better mark. His sire was .got by General Tracey from B: 8., th« dam. ,of the well-known pacer. Fichu, but un- , fortunately Commander had a.- brief, career ■at the stud. - — The cranky-pated Toney rare in a new ownership at Tuapeka. ~ He went: to the post • three? times and got- away ' with his 7 field once. On the successful occasion he-.was- ' chased off the mark by- * man armed with a huge tamp" of" wood that looked, from » short distance;* like? » prehistoric war-club. It was*not ; a very dignified' way to- m«£e *■ nobler thoroughbred speed to victory or* defeat, but it had! the- merit of at least making -the. g«llant eteed leave the vicinity of the aforesaidr club. . j „ — »A- Sydney'pßper states, that the GamingAct ha* given fresh- impetus to the- welshing; I ■ industry. At Gunnedah the fraternity "were muck in- evidence; Several had_ to be removed j frora the ground: Under- the protection of- the new- Betting- Act some off them- } boldly- refused -to .refund the mnney irrvesteff ,oh the winning horse,, and were it not" for the • police protection they" would' probably have ,'been seriously- -assaulted-. W»Bchinjp is be 4" , coming common- at country race- meetings, - and laws for. its. restriction should be- brought' ;into operation. —An EngUsh scriber- saysr tHst: an owner j whit runa hia hxyrses, right -out rarely has. lucfe The late Sir J. Blundell Maple found, this. out. despite the- fact that it is ' recorded that he once expressed, himself as being., "tired, of- winning.". Mr , Geoxger Faber, . . the owner ot MiXua, has not had UuV unique experience, for hia luck on th& turf, in the . Old Country hasr been, sirmply cruel. His norses are always hMSdieapped up. 1 to the hilt, and, were Be- not- a downright good sportsman 'he- would, have got tiredr of-- ihegame long ago. —At « recent inquiry ~ into the running *of a horse,, a? Sydney pony bookmaker stated that in a business way Xe r handled, a^ quarter, of a million- «f-yettr.' Presunrab^y (sayß' the ' Referee) he- does', not'- confine Ins" openctionr >ta. pony meetings, but, has, set books_on- bigr "hore-e" events. JBven^ then, tbat; £250,01£)0 — i about dB^SOO 1 - a, week— talced a* deal of. gulpiing; and" if things ,were*EO good; at' the- pony game i£ ia. surprising that' some- of the leading, bookmakers^ at the? unregistered? courses should 5 have- .been so: anxious- to throw in their- lot witfc the "horsey." - > — Ontr. of- the ' wihnera- on the second 1 dny of the- Tpapeka meeting- was,- "according- to opinion: of the owner, not" correctly, placed by the judge wHen the- latter deal* with the- horse^s number on the frrst day. To- mark his drsavpprov&l of J the matter- the owner entered the stewards'' room." and verbally 'requested that the horse ahauia be "scratched' for all engagements." Reflection evidently brought a change of mind, and . the- written notice of the- withdrawal was- not ' given in; with. - the- result- that a win. was on> th& second/ d«y; "'" ' "_ - ~ _'- ' -. '— In- registering; a. d^«d heat with, Specu-' AsAe in thef Handicap Sbnis ian what was- her " best raoe^up-- tov'dateC' The -filly is- -endowed/^ with -a" fair- amount d£ • pace,-- but decline* to* use it -with- sufficient consistency to< make- -good - «a- bur - American : friends say. • -The common impression - about her- wa» that she must- race- irt frontof her field- "to -show to advantage; _ but atTuapeka- she" came-fronr behind- and"- finished^ w/ith l a. oonSidsraßW- anSount-' of -courwge. Whilst" on- thw- -road - to -the course- oonn n .the -second day Sonia.. cut & «rdall v-eirr in her off fore- fetlock'; and* was bleeding freely she arrived" on the? ground. " ,\ — An Adelaide exchange 8 saya- that- while the G«aning-Act has had' a- •wifoJesoms'- "effect 'in making the r business of- the bookmaker , a_ tremendously risky one, it has- at- the- sametime benefited: the* racing clubs, inusmiuch as the- "fotalis»tOT- receipts: have been-materi-ally increased: This" wa» so at the- Boxing .Day meeting of; -the Port Adelaide', Racing- ' Club, and' the impnovement was even more market^ »t- Morphetville, as- is shown by a • coraparison of . the. figures ■ for- the- HFew- Yeur'a Day gatherings- for the last' threes yeara, . In (1906 the amount which rmssed- through the" ■machine, was- £5995,' las* year- it was £7031t ss; and on. January 1, 1308,- it was; JKIIT 10a, ;or-an increase of- more than £2000 over the* figures for 1907. - - - —No official time: was taken, in St. Deni3?" -race oh -the first day of the* Tuapeka meeting, but the- writer made- the- four furlongsoccupy 59 2^5 from w -walking t up start. The geiding- ran five furlongs in the mud~on- the" second day in- 1.5 <t-5 with ?s.l3;~ and won. ■ from, the- moderate opposition in a very easy manner. Judging by his form at' the meeting: it would appear that" tha old fellow is- m_- something like hia old shape; and had' he been reserved^ for- en even more valuable race would have made-a- good-fight. St. Denis has been' doing " light harnesswork, and this no doubt Kelpedr to condition him for his-'races. He nwey not; last long, I a& hard going- would ; probably send him. toretirement. ■ — Tie Melbourne Sporting and Dramatic Hews reports that- the proprietors, of theAllendale Stud" Farm, * Menione, recently rerceived; a private cable from America from their- representative^ Mr. Andrew Robertson,informing them ihat he" was^ leaving, gan 'Francisoo at" once in charge- of; a large consignment of trotting^ horses, 18" in all, which he has recently purchased on 'their behalf in America. The name- of. the: steamer- is -not -mentioned- in tne advice, but it is a special, boat coming out here 1 izjr ballast in order- to fill a. special charter from. Sydney to .'Frisco. Mr JEtobertson wa« veryfortunate in-, being able to get biff consignment'- shipped, considering we have at pre-i sent no regnl*ar line trading here.—Althougih Mx Crick was offered 2500gTiineaa for Collarit some few months- ago nothing- near- thttt* figure nob fozthooming. on January 2, when he was- offered' by" Messrs"W^ Ikglis and Son, and -he retired from fchermg .when bidding-, had ceased at. 1350 guineas; which was- offered by tbe well-known V°torian bookmaker, Mr Sol. Green, but it was' afterwards given out that it would take 1700 guineas to secure the brilliant son of. ■ Haut Brion- and Gollaretta. Another of Mr Crick'a horses, the two-year-old Borodino, elicited a bid : of 1300 guineas, which was refused, but the disappointing Ossian, who' was" backed to win a- mint of money for different races, changed hands- at' tbe low. -sum of £105. —In his speech at- .the famous Gimcrack-' Club "dinner at .York, Lord Stanley, in dis-^ -cussing .the proposal to introduce the walk-* up start, pointed out that during the past season; in England" exactly 15". (§56 -horses ran, and of that- huge number only- 136 were- left -at. the post and 807 -got -badly .away: He , therefore strongly- opposed the walk-up- start, which he, thought would mean* a repetition.. .of the continua-1 false starts of the. old days, ' and; -judgrhg^ by- the figures- given, he did not. think that the standing- start could 1 becalled!" an "absolute- - failure." lord Stanley stated* that- the Jockey' Club intended- to anpoint an inspector of raoeeoursesj- and in- - future if a-. racecourse 1 - did not get-. » satis factory certificate its" next- meetings w'oula^ be cancelled-

— Commando, the; 1-eading stallion in America, had 274,008d0i to < his credit- in the list' ot winning sires ,in , fch«>- country early in. November. This- is* eauivsieni, to £57,0^, whidh. shows a> vast increase, on- tß© £23,383 with which. Gallinxtle top* tbe list in England. Command^ is; credited, with more* than double iitß amount', won by- the- proweny, of his nearest opponent^ Sain. (imp.),, by Sfe Serf— The Task, by^BaxcaldineT-104-,665d«l r . Or approximately £21,726-.- Commando (dead) was got by Domino from- Etam* C, by the Australian-bred Darebin. Daxabin waa. * son. of the- Uew Zealand max« Xairline-, who was. got by- Traducer from Mermaid; The-- Tiaducer- blood' has been allowed' to "drop into semi-obscurity- here, but. through* Sir Modxed and Darebin it Mas bzed on in America.- ' — "This steeplechase fell is one of the best assetr ofr a- rider througH the field. It isnot necessary for the> hors* to- felli at all — .. the- jockey can do all thewosk- at the critical i moment, and. does it- in plain; view of thepnrbrind stewards, who- look on a»' stolidly wisely- asr a: treeful. of owls^. while- the 20,000 people, perhaps, who, have^ come, toseer straighi-. sport: "gaze-, in -wonder or> shriek with, iaugj&ter, at th» purer; nerve of the exhibition. Usually., the.' ridet ta«- the> deoeacy- ta matte "his' fan ons. the>^ far side of the r field>an6s pick's out/ a_nicetsoft-spot^Mand. "There is -really little danger^. Long; practice enables 'the? cheerful tumbW to- do," that wHoh^ap-' pears dangerous- with "each. . And the critic gives the names of the ( Tiders./ he" considers 'clever at the- game.'-"* - ' - • ' _, —Th*'^«nßsti«nalx Steeplechase aCFleming- "" tonu onr New Tear's -Day;- when.- every starter met with. a. mishap, recalls* a simil«r.Happert-, ing os- the same course- at the V:R:C. April' meeting"of 1836., On that" occasion (says an exchange) Abbotsford' (J: S-. E^e>, Barratta (J. Barbour), Triangle (O. Bobertson), and Flat Iron. (J. Smith)', were the runners,- in' the two-mile Steeplechase, and each, "came to grief, Bajratta, falling^ twioee and »Ibo run- , ning off. Abbotßford eventually" cantered'- in some>. distance-- ahead of Barratt*, whose persistency in completing^ the' "course second money for has owner: At Broken TTiirsomet years" ago each- of- four runners failed' to complete- tfie: course- in- « steeple,- and the raceOfelL. through*, wbilev- a*t similar ooourreirce took place- im « Hurdles Bace-at "Bnnbury , quitec rece«tly; T , —There h«B. been. a. remark-able 1 changes of- ', opinion, among- breeders^ since- trie; d&ys- -when ;M. Hupinv -whxr- was: tax, authority on the .subject;, steadfastly- declined 1 to avail himself for stud purposes of* a- young and untried" siTe; preferring m well-seasoned staJKon- whtt &ad: proved- Ms ability to get" winners. In— , oonteafeably. Mt Impin bred good/horses- (saystb»- Erench correspondenir of: the - Meld), andformed what sportsmen in- France-, denominated, the "Lupin breed"; but. Flying-Fox-•has. shown- that' his theory- ,a»^, to- 20year-old' sires- was simply « fad. Mbre patronage •would ber acoorcfed many: a. young ,sire if thefeea were- not generally higher in. France than, in England,, where- tb» fee? seems" to be. based, on' tbe pTin"eipl« % that the subscription should be equal to one-hundredth part} of the; -wtlue placed ort, tbe sixe, tttna" ■ ainortising- bis- cost witHins tiaree seasons.- "- - — The"-Belgia!n4 JockeyT dub -has -inaugurated a very 1 meritorious idea., for- the*- ameSo- • ration, of tbe^Mppic* race.' SuSscriptionsr aar© .o£fered---free of- all cost to~ owners of suet sixes'ab.lieh Sagittairev^3se>--Saanarifanj Saint Bris,, SaintFOJamien, Magistral; Trazegnies', and Ta&on,. as ateo- to Soi^. o'- Mine-, in all 12 subscriptionsv •to-bet s tak4n upjin^the- fol-" -lowing^ orderijr-For the -first- seven; named mare*. Joaledl not , prwrious to 1888; orus of , whose producer shall t -.h»v»- won> at least 2000soviv orliave proved. Hie- winner ofr a race-- at weight" for.-age* of 480sovs; for; the--last fivei marea. foaled: ■ in 1898 " oe subeequently, Having, won a» weig'bt-forj.age' race, of 4flosovs, or at leiaet a sunn of 2000aovs; It is furtKer stipulated, that- tKe- mare- must throw Ear foaT in Belgium, and, that; if her.producei»- offered- at auction 015 sold abroad, hex owner will be^ required to .pay ther fulL price of the subscription -to the- sire' the marei may have visited. \ ■ -- " ' . ; — "Sir Modred" once' "more returns to th» j charge, and once ' more- proves^ himself in an. /untenable position. He-- assumes 7 that- tbe ."most, glaring casei' referred Jbb, by "Sentinel" was "in connection with a Southland horse. The- case- was- not hwlf as mild as" » one- horse affair. It> w»fr,«- case "off all going for one^.JE "Sir- Modred" 'hnneatly beKewxr ,that . "Sentinel"- was- referring; to one- Senthland. horse only, then the southern scribe-- , did not 1 ; recognise what, was?-- going- on. at trie- meeting, and there iss. nothing- more; to ,be said. " In the original note on the- matter the 1 statement made- was «l«sar.sy in; effect that all the> horses; wihiehr had- & chance in the particular race referred to were running.; in. tbe-'saanei interest. "Sir Modred" & then goes on to attack? the* racing on!, -Dtago' .courses, but' as he ha* seldom or never at- ' tended at "Wingatui, or any of the meetings in. the neighbourhood of/ Dunedin,- his statements ere based on irresponsible hearsay" evidence. ' - ," — The* - starting. «t tEe Tiiapeka- meeting .undoubtedly left something -to be desired, aiul. the gentleman who wielded: .the "flag was not so happy in his- despatches. as% was the' case last year. He. Kad two bad. tempered, horses in. Toney and Curiosity to deo>l r with occasionally, but. any official should be sufficiently- conversant with, racing matters to hare given, this pair scant latitude. The starter did - not exercise sufficient ~ authority over the riders, and some of' the fields when, at the pjost were mixing about a» if . they were attempting an. inirioate movement in a country dance. In- the Flying Handioenp on the. aeconi day tK» winnftr -mas fulljr three length's in." front of. Sis field, as they moved up and got the. word. to., go. It is. quite, possible the margin, "owing to the angle, may have looked; worse from the hill, than was- actually the- case.- but- tbe club should purchase one of the cheap and movable barriers- which axe in. the market. The writer, by the way, is.- not an agent for • starting- barriers. , — It did not take" .the: recently^ imported' horse Playbill long to find, his. way into thewinning, sires' list, as 1 Edna- May., the- first; i ,of' his< progeny, to r»ee. .won tae- Nurserjr . S^ak-eff at' Roaehill. BlaybHl- is «.. young- ; horse, a» he. w«r only bred- in 1900", and is by Galtee- More's sire, Kendal, whose yearlingß hasre been bringingt wonderful prices in South America. " PlaybiE is out of Lady Yaidley, by Sterling (son of Oxford) from Leda, by Weatherbit from "Wish, by Touchstone. He.- is. « "half "brother: to- pastor, wfio for many, years was in the. "Wellington Park." Stud in Kew Zealand. He- was- bred. a± SJedjneie by-- Sir. Tatton- Sykes; and' is relatecT to Buckingham, «, good horeel. who did well for ike late Captain Macbell «nd Drsraeli, who won the Two Thousand Guineas- in 1898.- Edna May is out of Puri---tan. by Fositeno from Woodnymph, by Musket from- Sylvia, by- Fisherman, end. was- bred by Messrs Allen and- M'DonaHfc -the owners 1 of Playbill, at Wambo Stud. - — In. "the? course: of c, speech ■ delivered in the' South Australian .Legislative Assembly, -the Hon. J;-Ji Duncan: said? "The .confeni ' tion* was- advanced 7 that -great disadvantages-fed-resulted- from- th«-use^ *df * the' totalisator"' in Parisr as-_against t the" old English method oh streightout betting: - Tne T # "chlef areumeirt^ '^ueed Jn favour of tne^ machine- was. thaf= it" would improve- •tne bree3 i -of Horse*. - If''Eewas not an authority on racing, Tie claimed

T to have some knowledge concerning tlHEbreeding of horEes, , with" which, ha bad been > associated all his life: The fotalisator had ' in no way improved- racing.: horses. On toe contrary, the breeds had deteriorated of late years. Years, ago horses were- bred that conld gallop, long distances with substantialweights .on their." heeki.. Nf»w they teed? weeds- to. cany onljr ay boy over ft few fur* longs, and" He attributed the result to thf toiaiisatbr." Mr Duncan proposed a motioa' thmt the- .totaHsator- should* ba abolished, but on this being submitted it was thrown out on the voices. —I: is whan. a. hury author, starts to tell ft tale- of the turf that' strange 'things, occur. M. story published; not long- ago is an Eng« lish magazine* fold' how the heroine bad rcianaged- to- avoid. ■;, hateful marriage: 9K« -went ta a. race, meeting,, hearkened": to the - voice of . tha tempfter*. in> tlie ring-, who offered- "Even* The Mumper,. 29- to 1 an Bennison," strange- betting,' to s»y the leasb of it. Tha heroine planked* £100 car Beni- > son, and won; not the modest fiver one> would have, expected, but £2000; A London bookmaker, who did not- wish* io * see hi» publio led astray, -wrote to the editor point,ing out the mistake, and received" a chilling reply "that any "fool ""might 'have"" realised. a misprint, And' tblat': it sHoald. lravfr read' "2? to 1 Against Benison." It was quite useleßSf for the layer to protest that evene one hors^ and " 20 to. 1 against the- other was jußt at ludicrous betting- 89= the 'other- 1 'way - about. He - was- curtly told- tintt" a % Knowledge of" bookmaking 'did, not necessarily-* quafffy % .'stupid- man- to Be, £- literary critic- ■ J — The following: reasons- ■why 1 salt should' -lie* regularly sugplied "tor farm* stock er« "given, by Professor A. P.' Aitken-; D.Sc.:— Because "in* the. Blood of an&rwlr there is-* six or seven times "more sodium than 1 potassium, and-, that? the composition of the) r blood 1 - is constants 2. To keep animals ire. good health a- definite amount of- "common salt must be assimilated. 3. The excess of potassium, salts, in vegeta-Ble- foods; causes" by chemical exchange ait abnormal loss of common salt: This is* proved bjc ther fact that the craving.- of* an animal for common;, salt is most noticeable , when the 1 - food con« tains- a» Ucrge; proportion of potassium salts, t »uch as wheats barley, oats- potatoes, beans* and peas. 4. The: addition of salt- to animal .food increases the* augetfte, promotes: tberrepair.- of tissue', by its eearching; diffusion through, the body, and stimulates- the rapid . usingr up- civ itr waste- product*. "5. Bous"singault'« ""•experiments-, showed^ that' salt increases muscular vigour, and activity and improves.- their, general" appearance and condition; '" " . " >. — 'Tn«- Sporting: Chroniole has the following: — After Polar ( Star 1 had been cheered home" at 'Warwick* 'an- Australian sportsman,, who Kad^spent soraa tirae in South Africa, said to-nws: 'Tve been to about' 80 meetings in England, but this little plaoec'ia~ the onljf one "at- whieht the people know how to cheer.'*Amazed; I -asked, him if s*o had" been t<r } Epsom or Doncaster. "Yes;" he said, "but . the volume of .cheering front sock enorinou* ' crowda.- wheat a-Uer by or a.- St. Leger winne* was -passing.- ther post, was neithficso spon« jtafaeous nan 'co urianimbua— tbotigh the.volume?- could"- not, of' course, -be-^ jompaared— • aa that I< have.-just heard."- He' went on ta say that although he'.had'inof been' present ' when Earsinrmon i won, the. Derby- or" the" St. I»sgeri' ox. when Sceptre won," the- last -of the classics, br,~ again, ■ wheat Ambush "".II won the -Grand- National, lie could* not, imagine such another scene of enthusiasm was that He toad witnessed" when Carbine won the Melbournec Cup. -AIL this w-ofr- interesting to t me, and I trunk it worth' re^eaiting, as alsor I jthe " "gen'tlemens -_rerr«Hrk, which nrach sur< prised.' me, • tHat the SoutE African racinal public camnot-iaiae "a cheer at all. — The Kisber StudT the premier breeding, establishment . of. Ausfro-Hungary, is- maintained by- the. Government, which encourages! Hungarian breeders with low stallion feeav to breed' -thoroug&bredsi firstly for racing, and. of course; secondly, to beget' cavalry horfieff- when they/ leav^ the -turf; The stud contains- 16 stallions; 12 of whom are Highpriced' English- purchases. The fittest acquisition is- Slieve Gallibn, who is' restricted! to Hungaariarcowned jftares at £48, aa is , the beautifully-Bred! WillianaL Rufus et £Ot. Bona- Vista, (Bend' Or— Vista)' who- cos* something- likfc. JEIO,OOO. in England, stand* ,at £A& for: Hungarians mares) but "foreigners"are chATged £80.- Dunure, «. 6000-guinea Eng- ' liah Qurcbase, "and; ar very; successful stallion, may ba iaofe by -Hungarians for dKO, but" foreigner* must- pay: £48 for bis services. Dunure- (saya- art exchange) is almoat. a brother in blood; to Poaitano and Haufr Brion. He is'-by Sir. Simon from Sunrise (1), by Springfield^ from Sunray,- a granddaughter of^the celebrated' Sunshine. Among other .Eisb'er stallione. is- Eilcock, a. brilliant mile horse ut hisr day, and a near relation to Mountain King? a dam>. , - — "Wnen. ike season 1906 ' ended . in Eng-land,-and" Carbihe?-waa.founds in fourth position on,-.the sire, list,- with » total; of : £l6,o*6. which brought .the-" winnings of his descen~danta= to within- £2OOO of~t£e "sum - creditedt to • the descendants of his great rival- Trenton, , and to within- £6000 of those of hi* famous sire- Musket (say« an exchange),- it seemed pretty safe to "offer the prediction v that Mersey* a" bayr son would-be placed ahead ' of '-his ancestor and relation in the- following year.? T!h»t. event is,, however, still to happen. The^ fact of- his greatest son, Spearmint, having; proved, untrairtable- air fou* years old has- to bei cited, as- the " chief reason. for?th& small record" down -to Oarbine'a" account in, last; season's rxcing, his descen"dariitw tuiving. only-* CB-pturecb prize* money to the extent of £4066_ The. stake -winnings by Carbine's: descendants' axa r now lesv by some-f thing' like. £1060 iian: those credited to J Trenton's prog»ny; - aad- no' doubt next season's? racing.- trili fiad- Mersey's son placetf aiead- of His Auckland rival. Carbine, ifr nnay be- remarisd; ' was foaled in 1885, so that Be completed Ma tweniy=-seooncL ye»r ; — Boeing langfleld" <Bngland) recenrHy, .the colours of- Mr C, J. Merry were- carried' victoriously past the- posir in a* somewhat important welter, handicap. The ». name ofMerry recalls one oi' tbe- most stirring epochs of racing history. The; great Scotch ironmaster, Mr James Merry, will always be identified with such equine celebrities as-. Thormanby, Dundee, Buckstone, Macgregor, Doncaster, Chanticleer, and Mariq Stuart. Almost any one of these* would" provide, material for many' interesting cliap« ters of turf story! In 1873 Mr Merry hwtff ■the remarkable felicity of" winning trie Derbywith Doacaster and the Oak» and St. Leger with 'Marie Stuart; These* were- the crowning triumphs of' a career ' which, had been attended- .with extraordinary, good- fortune. fHbwJie shortly-- ttfferwarda. retired-- and sold Doncaste'r to Robert~Peok' for 10,000" guineas and -Marie-Stuart to: Mr W? Stirling- Crawfurd .for 3500 guineas , ib known to. most people"." A fortnight" later Robert Peck disposed -of." Doncasfer: to . the late IJuke oi' ■Westminster; T for- 14.000 . guineas. f JEJrom. .Ddncaster-- lir9 , sprung up a line of un"exampled splendour; included amongst ni» "descendants being Bend- Or- "Ormonde, Orme, -Flying- Fox; and. Ajaxi. . . ~\ — "WL- O'Canßor,* . the- versatile American jockey-,- has-, npw another - arrow- to his bow. and budded into print. He confesses thai

h+ is proud to see that the famous American Sea-t brought across the Atlantic by Mm and -fc* his colleagues, has become universal. % He declares that the -American seat knits man *n4 horse together, giving hint perfect conifol over his mount, and offering a' contrast id the riding of a few years ago, when a gofifcey was sll over" his saddl«, and whip -up at the finish. "The origin of the new seat 3t« ascribes -to a jockey having watohen a .jtt a circus, which seemed quite at > home perched on the witherß of ft pony. Jftacing he describes as" vastly different in the JStates to what it is in Europe. • The' courses 'are shorter, and the horse is trained over them in sharp bursts, so that every trainer can tell almost to -the fraction of a second ihe time that wiLl be mack. American tiders take tim« to accustom themselves to •the differences which exiet. Across the water most of 'the courses turn to the left, so that the whip comes awkward to the ihand of men "who haVe to turn the reverse %% O'Connor admits that a considerable amount of practice is required y nen ., evell S good American jockey aspires to ride well in Eurcue. He ha* to lengthen hi? .xems, let Sis "irons down., ana for, mentis «nd taouihe. he wiU be unable to show the .«me form as at home.. _ - r