IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 54

IN A NUTSHELL.

— Siepenfelclt is being treated to a spe'.l. The Aualiahar-bred Hidalgo (Sir Tristnam—'Mplaga) is b=ing used as a hack — lhe Waimate Racing Club have issued a very attractive programme for their annual meeting The Core Racing Club hos granted a bonus of .£ls to its secretary, Mr J. Latham, for pa-t services r Richard Ciokcr has distributed the winmrps of his crack colt Orby amongst the Dublin hospitals. Since he fir=t rode in England in 1904, the Australian jockey. Frank Bullock, has ridden 59 winners in that country. Grafton Lich is at piesent being treated to a spell, and Gr«fton Laddie, a two-year-o'd, also in Ruttledge's stable, has been, turned out.

— The Tahuna, Park Trotting Club will commence its autunin meeting «on Friday, end it will be concluded on the following Wednesday.

— Curiosity ha 9 been broken to harness, and is undei stood to have borne the indignity very well. At present he is being treated to a spell

— Mr W. K. Vanderbilt, the American millionaire, has 51 horses in his stables for

next year's lacing in France, of which 31 became two-vear-oids on Janiuiv 1. — A profit of J57500 was ni-cde over the >• late Perth Cup meeting. Satisfactory as > this total read=. it is nearly £4000 ,ess than that made at the tame gatheung two jears ago. -£he South Car.teibmy Club nave issued a \eiv attiuctixe programme for their autumn meeting. Tne Tiinsin Cup, of 150sovs. one mile and a-quaiter, will be the principal attiacticn — The veteran horseman, James Cotton, •vi as sencus.y ill last week, and required the attendance of two doctois. It is understood that the pai taking of some bad 03-sters was the cause of the trouble — The well-known Yictoiian trameT Mt Ike Foulsham returned to Melbourne by this week's boat. His health has greatly lmplo^ed during the few weeks he hab been liohdaymg in the Dominion. — The turnover of the paii-mutuels on the closing day of the Auteuil meeting on a recent Sunday was £96,416. The percentage deducted for expenses, breedeis' piemiums, and charities was over £7700. — The Hon. &. M'Leaa's brood tnare La Berne, who nas shipped to New South Wales «2i a visit to Trussirg Cup, produced a colt to the son of Orrne. and is now believed to "be in foal to the St. Simon horse Simile. — All the hopes and expectations that the Derby winner Oiby would be able to return to the lace track next season would seem •to be dispelled by the announcement that the -colt has been scratched out of ill engagements in England. — Often wlien horses are poor m flesh and not doing well the trouble is worms. If euch is the case, give a tonic— powdered sulphate of iron and gentian root m equal Give six dfcachins twice a week till ins condition improves. — The South Canterbury Jockey Club have ■placed a couple of handicaps for two-jear-o'ds on their autumn programme. They consist of the Nursery Handicap (of 60=ove) and the Juvenile Handicap (of 60sovs) Both are to be decided over four furlongs. — Something hkc 3000 foals were produced last sea-son in England and there is evidently not much chance of the numerical strength of the English thoroughbied falling off, although some -critics claim, that quality is not being maintained Belgium is making considerable headway as far as racing is concerned Last year there were 160 days, or 12 more than the previous year, and the amount of the added money cjvnie to £99 884. increased by the entries and forfeits to £113,432. — Nominations for the Waimate Racing Club's annual meeting are due on Monday. March 2 The Waimate Cup, of 120eovs (including cup valued at 20sovs), one mile, is the chief event on the programme. Ihere is also a six-furlong race worth lOOsovs, and several other good stakes worthy of the attention of horse-owners. — S Waddell is handling four yearlings for the Hon. J. D. Ormond's stable They conEist of three geldings from Elflock. Ideal, and Eoie, and a filly from Mcntdread All are by Birkenhead. A colt oni of Chsmt broke one of his legs and had to. be destroyed; vhilst a eimilar fate has overtaken the Birkenhead— Legacy filly Tocher. — The horse that is educated to go without •winkers is much the safer horse. It is not •nhat the horse sees usually that he scares at but that which he imagines he hears or fee« Bad eyesight is the cauge of shying very often, or merely getting a glimpse of things which startle him. when if he cou-d ccc them he would not think of getting — Nominations for all races on the South Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn programme are due on Tuesday, March 10. The Timaru Cup (of ISOsovs, one mile and a-qutarter) and the Autumn Handicap (of linsovs, one mile) form the most valuable stakes on the proeramnie. and. in addition, several other weil-e-.idowed races invite the patronage of horse"_lAt a committee meeting of the Gore Eacing Club the state of the training track came in for some discussion, several members statin^ that in its present state it was impossible to train gal'opers on it. It was suggested that ploughing the outer half and making the track wider might be the best policy. It was at length decided .hat the Grounds Committee report to a committee ffi°eting on February 29 on the matter. — The death is reported from Tasmania of tlio Lochiel— Enid hor?e Geraint, who was bred and raced by Mr G-. G. Stead. Geramj, was foaled in 1890, and as a two-year-old won the H B. Welcome Stakes and the C.J C Autumn Nursery. He was a two-year-old m Strowan's "time, and as a three-year-old he was sold out of the Yaldhuret stable to go to the West Coast,, where he won several —H. W. Holmes, one of the oldest ard still uiost prominent of cross-country jockeys in S A., does not enthu=e over the recent innovation of padding steeplechase fences. He contends (states an Exchange) that the rapping of a fence always made a hor=e, especially a young one. more careful ot succeedin^ obstacles, and thoucrh the padding of fences will mean a great saving to horn's legs, it is more likely to be gained ' at the co°t of more risk to riders. — Some of the northern trainers hold the opinion that Astrakhan would have been hard to belt in the Cup if the son of Stepma': had trained on satisfactorily. Lnfcriunately. he has not recovered from the eoreness he displayed a* Gore, ard it is very probable he may not be a starter at the mostin<* if the going lemains hard. AstiakUan was on the track on Monday morning, but whilst the wnter was present did nothing beyond trotting once round. — The Ashburton Trotting Club have issued a l attractive programme for a meeting to be held on the 2nd and 3rd of April, and the prize list shows that a much bolder bid for patronage ha 3 been made than has been the case in the past. There will be seven events on each day's caid. and the principil stakes are us follows — Longbeach Handicap of SOsovs; Lagmlcr Handicap of 60sovs ; A T.C Handicap of 80so>-s: Autumn Handicap, of Goscvs: and Stewards' Handictp, of SOsovs — A woman's view of tcuuma is to c ay u>e leist of it. very funry. "Why the clowns literally swarmed with touts this morning," irately exclaimed an an=tocialic owner, who had just returned.* from seeing his horses doing their gallops "Yes " the trainer's wife agreed smilingly, "and right glad I am to know it, my lord" "And why." queried the owner "B?cause touts don't swaim round tiainmg pctablishrnents where there are bad hoise=. It's a bad look-out for a stable when they deeert it." — Thus a facetious writer in a London paper:— -"Six hundred trotters have just realised £76,179 at Madison square, yet NewYork is popularly supposed to be bioke It is jus-t 60 years ago. by the -way. since Lord George Benlmck offered to sell the whole of his racing stud, including horses in training, stallions, brcod mares, yearling", foal c , horse clothing buckets — everything, m sort, from old Bay Middlcton to little Kitchener— fo- tf.i -f 'nil'""' pi little more than an eighth of thi"> sum." — This stor\ c . „ stipendiary steward comes from Au-tiaha A\"iien the owner cf a certain horse whose .-mining had created --v pi-

cion m the mind of the official, was asked to explain a reveisal of form he couldn't do it satisfactorily "Is youi horse hardmouthed > " asked the stipendiaiy '"No," said the owner, innocently, "not that I am awaic cf." "Do you kuow any reason (hen. why the bndle rein .va« coated with giound resin ' ' asked the suspicious ste-waid Hit o was evidently a puller somewheie ill tne business

—To the January number of Frj'? Magazine John Porter, the old KmgsclcTe trrmer, contributes an article on iNewbury rac-e-course, the idea of which was concened by him, and which, he says, is piobably the most perfect racing \enue in the word The 300 acres of lard comprising the estate only cost JKO.OiK). and about iIOO.'XIO has been spent on the undertaking. The course is situated in the heart of a great tia.mng country, something like 1700 horsec being trained in the 60 establishments within a radius of a few miles.

—It has been rumoured lately (sa>s the Engh»h Sporting Clironc'e) that theie will be a dangeious lush candidate toi next yeai's I>erby This is Mr J Lowrj's Ba-cheioi's Lodije by Tredeimis out of Milady, darn of Bachelor's Button Bachelor's Lodge is eu-Ocii-uy »ii o hly tnoughi ot b} h.« owner, who bred him. a« it was stated the othei day that he values the cc-k at £15 000, oi 12 000 guineas with contingencies Bachelor's Lodge is also engaged iv the St Lsger, and he is entered for next year's Jockey Club Stakes, in which race he has the benefit of a breeding allowance of 91 b.

— Recently, one Dum-ell, a prominent American trainer, was suspended' for having used "dope" on his horses, and the American Jockey Club refused all entries from his stable, which means di<-qua ification eveiywhere. This action has caused an immense sensation in America. AnotLer hors-e-man, i pnaed Joe Marione. was adjudged guilty of dabbling in dope, but as a leply to his judgc= he issued a writ claiming 50,030d0l against them. A couple of jockeys, who are popularly supposed to be in with some big betting men, were at the same time struck off the registered rolls.

— The recently-published supplement to the English Stud Book accounts for 5018 brood mares during 1907, and gives a list of the foaliugs for the same period. During that season the colt foals totalled 1403, and the fillies 1525, whilst 1221 mares proved barien Slipped foa'.s aggregated 124, and 230 males were not served duung the previous season. Since the preceding season 229 mares had died, and 243 were sent abroad, principally to France, Germany, and Austria. Of 188 mares there is no record, and 55 were put to halfbied sires in the previous season. — The jockey, B. Caisktke, who evidently lia.il a comßaission to secure an _A.«straJisJi lioraeman for one of the leading racing stables ie Austria, has received a cable confirming his engagement of C. Pratt, who did the Hon. Agar Wynne's light-weight riding at the last A.J.C. spring meeting. Pratt will ride during the approaching season for Baron RothschiJd, from whom he will receive a retainer of £1000, in addition to the usual riding fees. Pratt is to be congratulated (t,ays the Sydney Referee) upon his good fortune in obtaining an engagement of this description, especially as a similar opportunity would never be likely to piesemt its-elf in his own country, and it is to be hoped he makes the best of it. How long will it be before Australian owners will be abe to pay retainers of this magnitude? Carslake and Pratt have decided to leave for Europe on the 25th inst.

— St. Simon, who is now in his Iwentyeighth year, has a unique record at the stud, inasmuch as during the past 19 reasons his immediate descendants have credited him with stakes aggregating over half a million of money , or, to be exact, £518.953, while the progeny of his sons who have gone to the stud have earned over £600.000. St. Simon's best season ivas his third — that of 1892— when he was credited with £56,139 In 1900 his sons and daughters earned £'54,460 ; and in 1835 £50,740; while his lowest season was that of 1906, when Jns piogeny won £4569. When the famous son of Galopm first went to the stud his fee> was 50gs ; in his second season it was doubled; and the third it was raised to 150gs, with another rise of 50gs in 1892. It was 250gs in 1894, 300gs in 1895, 400gs in 1897, and 500gs in 1899. His fees during the period after his subscription had been fixed at 500gs amounted to over £20,000 a year

— A remarkable incident (says an English writer) attended the meet of the Heythrop at Stow-on-the-Wold, at Christmas. A fox found at a covert on the outs-kirts led the pack into the town, ar.d secreted itself in a photographer's back garden. The huntsman's 'horn attracted the attention of the photographer, who opened his door, but the fcx rushed inside his studio, and was with difficulty dislodged. When forced back into the garden, the fox sprang upon the roof of some low out-lnuldings, and thence gained the roof of the kouse. then slid down the other side and e Q caped into the street Crossing the road he entered a dwellinghouse, and the occupier, in endeavouring to prevent the fox fiom going up=taiis, drove him into the kitchen, where he sprang upon the table and smashed a quantity of crockery before escaping into the garden Hounds then made their appearance, and pursued their quarry over several gaiden walls, but the contest was too unequal to last, and the fox was pulled down

—In conversation recently with an Anieiican sporting journalist, Mr John IMackay, the turf guide and councilor of Mr J. --43. Haggm, lemarked upon the likeness Colin, the crack Yankee two-year-old, bears to one of hi= paternal grandsires, the Austialianbred Darebin "In one of Mr Haggin's rooms," said Mackay, " there hangs b picture of Darebin which, in a year or so, might easily pass for one of Amenta's equine prides of the present day. I never s-iw a more pionounced case of atavism in horsebreeding than this ca-e of Cohn's Ar.d the longer Colin h\es the lvoie like Daiebm v-ill he become. I was at Sheepshead the othei day, ai.d saw Colin running about the lot in fiont of the Kcere &tab ! e He was a picture of D.ireb.n in conformation and mpikings and when I faunted my handkeichief at him he trotted away to a cornet of the lot. and reea-ded me with m=t =uc_h on expression as I used to see on the face of Darebin when ho wa« at Rancho del Pa^o His walk is Darebiu's walk, and his tiot i= Darebm's dot "

— Eveiy man mteiested in racing knows, the name of Mi John Porter, who a season oi two ago ga'-e up training to look aftei the interests of the new cour=p at NevOnny but the record of his principal wins a = given in Fry's Magazine for Januaiy. will probably surprise the olde&t amongst them In the mouth of July, 1543, and at the age of 25, he took up hi" residence at Kingsclere (a place since giown famous the world over), and beoame private trainer to that celebrated sportsman, Sir Joseph Haw ley (" the lucky baronet," as he wa« then called) Since this beginning Mr Porter ha« tiamed for his Majesty the King, Duke of Westminster. Duke of Portland, Earl of Crewe. Earl of Portsmouth. Ear! Spencer. B*n- O n Hirsch, Loid Alington. Sir F John=tore, Colonel Alexander Mr F Alexander Mi J Gretton. Mr F Gretion and Mr W Lowe He >■*.*. wou for them i« ctete the enormous

sum of £704,017, and the pi c fits on the sale of hordes he has had under his charge would bring the total up to o\er a million pounds sterling— an amount which bus never been exceeded by any other trainci living or dead.

—It is stated that Sceptre's fuh', which is now a two-year-old and is bping tunned at Manton (England*, slicpes very well, and takes after her dam m appearance Referring to this youngster and her cljiu. the Special Commissioner says ' Many people used to piedict that Sceptre wou d be a failure as a brood maie, because she was so hard worked on the turi, but I entertained a piecisely contrary opinion after seeing her lusty condition v hen she had been turned out only a month or two in the Egerton House paddocks, when slie" was on her first visit to Cyllene. I am glad to learn that she is in fdal a'l right to I=mglas=, though it will be a latish foal This niafirg was chosen in oui competition when Sceptre was first turned out of training, and the result will naturally mteiest a large number of readers of the Sport=man ir> «11 parts of the woild Sceptic has but one iea 1 fault, and that was that her knees .ro'ibled her on hard giound. Foitunately the -> was nothing m the nature of di ought in her tbiee and four \eai old seasons, but m her five-year-old season she cou'd not do herself any sort of ju-tice It is to be hoped that her foals will not irheirt this infirmity an-1 that some of them. «t any rale, will 1 s m othei ie=pects as good as their dam."

— English papers and nnnieion; correspondancs are much concerned over the serious accident nhih be-fell his Majesty the King's famous stallion Peisimnion, just before the mail left. The horse fractured one of the bones of his pelvis. Being a great horse and the pioperty of the King. the newspapers encouraged the publication of expert opinion or the subject of pelvis fractmes, and one prominent vetenuary surgeon, foi the benefit of the unn.itiated. described the structure of the pelvis as under: "Certainly many fractures of the pelvis are not of very «enous import but there aie others the gravity of vhich demands only one form of treatment — namely, a ball with cordite behind it. The majority of 'horsey' men are uuder the impression that the pelvis is a single bone, and, theiefore, do not understand way a fracture cannot be treated with as much ease in this region 89 elsewhere. The 1 pelvis is. the name given to a structure consisting of three pairs of bones — the lhumischium and pubis, united in a cup-shaped cavit> called the acetabulum, into which the head of the femur (thigh bone) fits, forming a ball and socket joint. Each 6ide of the pelvis meets and unites with its fellow in what is called the ichio pubis symphysis. or m plain Language joia each other a.t ti*e top aspect of tlie upside of tne region of the thigh "

— Hitherto the chief rivals or our islaudbred jockeys (says London Sportsman) iifive come from the West, as witness the exploits of Sloan, Maher, J. H. Mai tin, the bi others Reiff, and other riders hailing from U.S.A. It may not be many yeais, however, before Higgs, Madden, Dillon, Halsey. the Gngg=es, and the Templem«ns, or then successors, will be surveying the Eastern horizon with some apprehension of the much talked-of " yellow peril " affecting their letamers and riding fees. At all events, young Japan, not content with naval glory and military renown, seemq bent on earning such fame as accrue? to the successful wearers of the silks pi'd Eatins of the turf, for we learn from the Allgemeine Spoit Zeitung that no fewer 111. 1.1 six young Japanese lads have arrived in Hungaiy to be taught in the racing stables of Herr Nicolas yon Szemere — one of the most prominent of owners m the Dual Monarchy — the art of race-riding. As Janek and other Hungarian boys: from Herr yon Szemeie's establishment have themselves completed their riding education at Kingsclere and, previously, at Newmarket, under the tuition of William Waugh, it may possibly be that m 'ong time we may find subjects of the ruler of Japan studying the art of equitation on the downs upon which no fewer than seven Derby wimeis did their gallops under the eye of John Porter — Just before the mail left England MTM T Abe Bailey, the South African rnillionaiie, told an interviewer something «bout his farming and horsebreedmg operations. Mr Bailey's farms are situated in the north of Cape Colony, near Colesburg, and cover an aiea of about 200,000 acre", of 'which he has about 3000 acres in. cultivation, and is contemplating an extension of the cultiva+ed area to 15,000 acre». "We are doing splendidly with horses," said Mir Bailey. ' I imported English thoroughbreds, and the lesult is amazing. The eroos between the English thoroughbred and the Boer r*'ny is a foal which unites the qualities of L th its parents; it has the wiriness and endurance of its mother, and it has the height and strength of its sire. It is astonishing the height to which horses grow when they are well fed It was the starvation in winter time which dwarfed the South African horses I have a splendid two-year-o'd thoroughbred which stands 17 hands high I intend to biing it over to England. ,rhere I expect it will astonish a good many people. 3Jy farmi is well woith froing s pilgrimage to see It is the agricultural Mecca of South Africa The variety of =tock. the jield of lucerne, the facility with Ahich the land can be cultivated, and the windmills which fetch up the water from below wherever it is wanted aie a revolution to South African agriculturists. It will take me 10 years' time before I have developed the faim to its full extent, but already its influence has been fek far and wide. It has gnen new hope to South Africa." — Recently the Victorian Ownei* and Trainers' Association wrote to the Melbourne racecourse owners asking that body to rra c e suburban stakes to something commensuiate with their profits, but it is exliemoly doubtful if the proprietors will comply. In the tiainers and owneis' letter tbev °ay "For 9ome time past the stakes at piopnetary race meetings have occupied the attention of this. a==ocialion. and I am now requested to a=k you to be> good enough to call a meetiv? of the associated clubs to cnn^idc-r the matter at your eailie«t convenience The effect of the Gaming A(t tins been to laigeh increase" public attendances at roce meetings, and we feel that vr-e do noi obtain thpt propoition of t lie nvone^ contributed by the pubic to which we rue entitled. We do not propose, at. this ■uagp, lo stale what vre consider the stales °hould he, i^ we quite ieco<rr i i=p the unfairp.e==! of the rule of racirg wLich fixes an equn' minimum foi all. In ou. opinion some proprietaries are beticu abe to give .££oo ? meeting in Slakes than others aie £100 We eaauiot. howe\er. too shon°rly impress upon you that, w th hay at £7 (o £% n ton sticw £3 10s a lon, oats 3= 6d and bian 1= 3d a bushel, in a rising market, and all descuptious of foodstuffs, as well as •>ent. wages, keep, etc, propoitionately high it is impossible io lace for the stakes at your meetings with that degree of honesty which the public have c right to expect." The Victonan owner" are fortunate in having the pei vice« of Mr W Reid at the head of Iheir association, for that gentleman is a feaile^s critic, and has got no end to serve except the advancement of sport. Ay a niat-

ter of fact (says an exchange) he is entirely opposed to the principle of proprietary racing and holds that all profits derived irom sport should go m stakes and improvements, and not Le mopped up m dividends by private individual?. There is a similar association in Sydney, which is anything but a live affan, and e\idently /cry much in fa\our of proprietaij principles, for at a recent gathering of the association it was decided to ask the Government to allow Monday to be used as well as Wednesday b\ the pony proprietaries Tn this association are menibeis who" do not own l'orses, but are interested in piopnetary racecourses, end in it their influence i= great. The ownor end of thib body consists mainly of trainers.