IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 53

IN A NUTSHELL.

Master Clarence is being hunted with the Bfrackenfield hounds. Tractarian has been on the easy list since his return from Invercargill. In the Shade broke down so badly that it was decided to destroy him. Craigmore is occasionally brought to Wingatui, but merely to be led about on a halter. Fabriano and The Babe, who both figure in the Otago Steeplechase, rank as previous winners of the race. Greenaway seems to be on the improve, and shaped well when he ran second to Red Boa at Invercargill. Radiac gave a brilliant display of schooling in a round of the Wingatui Steeplechase course last week. Overhaul is in work again, and it will take some time to fine him down into racing shape. All Smiles rolls in to her w'ork as if she _ meant business, but fails to show up in a race. Sailing Home and Wingatui both appear to put more vim into a gallop than when asked to race. Inevitable is expected to shape well in his engagements at the Auckland meeting. A light scale of weights has been framed in connection with the Tradesmen’s Handicap. Matu and Antrim Boy leave for the north this week to run at the Auckland winter meeting. Nominations for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting are due on Friday of this week. Acceptances for the first day of the Dunedin winter meeting are due on Friday next. The Oam am Jockey Club has made a wise move in reducing the charge for admission from 7s 6d to ss. The attempt to train Rabbi has been abandoned, and he is to be retired to the stud. There is a doubt about Pink Note standing another preparation, and he may be retired to the paddock. It is estimated that 200,000 people witnessed the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase. The Dunedin Jockey Club’s winter meeting takes place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday of next week. F. Voight is riding a good deal of schooling work over hurdles and fences, R. Beale is another shaping well in the eaddle over fences.

Glenrowan scored a popular win at the Ashburton meeting. He has been a somewhat disappointing horse since winning the Invercargill Cup. High Court has been a very disappointing horse since trained at Wingatui. He has been galloping fairly well and may spring a surprise.

Reports of several steeplechasers going amiss were partly responsible for Matu being taken up to the Auckland meeting. ' - - .

Ballance gets a fairly large amount of work during the week, and as he stays well, may be found going on when others are stopping. Kerbside continues to go quietly in her work, but it is a matter of guesswork as to how she would act if stirred up in a gallop or two. Salmo Salar has been kept fairly busy since he won at the Invercargill meeting, and will not fail at W’ingatui through lack of racing condition. Consono won a double at the Southland Racing Club’s meeting, and at a casual glance looks well in at 21b above the minimum in the St. Clair Handicap. Brown'Jack, one of the best stayers in England, was hunted as a three-year-old. He raced over hurdles before winning good races on the flat. It is stated by an English authority that every thoroughbred horse in the world contains Eclipse blood either on the side of the dam or sire. Hector Gray considers Sasanof the best horse he ever rode. The Martian gelding could both sprint and stay, a combination of racing merit that is very rare. Deportment is regarded as well treated in the Otago Steeplechase at 9.3. If he stands training, the Masterpiece gelding would develop into a good cross-country horse. After the declaration of second forfeit in March 103 horses were left in the English Derby, 84 in The Oaks, and 122 in the St. Leger. The liability for each now remaining in is £5O. Aspiring gets through useful half-pace work, and seems to be keeping sound on what is really a nursing preparation. A race or a couple of gallops might sharpen her up to winning form. Some likely novices figure amongst the hurdlers engaged at the Wingatui winter meeting. Amongst them is the well-bred Aladdin, a Hunting Song—Etoile d'or gelding, who ran fourth in the Tekapo Hurdles at Timaru. The Wingatui-traincd Camisader, High Gear, Ramesis, and Captain’s Gift are all showing promise in their schooling over > hurdles. They would have a better chance of gaining proficiency if they had a complete course to school over. ; The lightning totalisator is expected , to be in operation at Mentone on June . 10, and at Epsom a week later. The books , are not worrying. Experience has taught s those who visit Sydney for the big meet--3 ings (says “ Pilot ”) that machine betting > does not cut deeply into paddock busi--5 ness. • Heather Lad had to be eased in. his s work last week owing to one of his 'legs filling up rather badly. When opened, s 1 lot of pus came out, and in a few days s time he may be right again. It was ba< - luck that Heather Lad had to be easei

up, as he was showing promise over fences.

The Calibre gelding Guncase seems to have taken a fresh lease of life, and at present looks in bright, healthy condition. He also strides over the schooling hurdles with plenty of dash, and is apparently not yet a- back number in the racing world. Guncase is now rising 14 years old.

Easter Hero, W’bo finished his racing career when he dead-heated Coup de Chateau for the Champion Stakes at Aintree the day following the Liverpool Grand National, cost Mr J. H. Whitney £7OOO early last year. The gelding’s wins did not make him a profitable investment, and in America he is to be used as a hack by Mrs Whitney. After a lapse of 20 years, bookmakers are to reappear on the racecourse of the Bombay Presidency, according to a Bill, which has Government support, now before the Legislative Council. It has been found impossible (says Sporting Life) to suppress “ bucket shops,” and it is hoped that bookmakers will succeed where the less versatile “ tote ” has failed.

. From January 1 to April 11 the pool in the various totalisators in England has amounted to £650,000, as compared with £409,000 last year—an increase of over 6° per cent. The gross income of the Racecourse Betting Control Board in the same period is more than 100 per cent, above the income this time last year.

Grey racehorses are numerous in England nowadays, but Miss Prior’s “History of the Racing Calendar and Stud Book ’ shows they nearly became extinct in that country. It is paid that but for the importation of Roi Herode in 1910 fiy ~e fi'te Mr Kennedy, of Ireland, there would have been very few grey brood mares left. Roi Herode’s progeny popularised the colour.

-5 n unusual incident occurred at the Wirral Harriers’ Point-to-Point meeting <it Ledsham, Cheshire, in March, which resulted in a dead horse being declared the -winner of a race. Mr Cadman’s Ginanit won the Nomination Open Race from Golden Knot, who fell dead before returning to the paddock. Subsequently Ginanit W’as disqualified for going the wrong side of a flag, and the race was awarded to Golden Knot. From all accounts just to hand from y iperica, Mike Hall, -who (says Sporting Lite) was so disappointing in this country, won the Agua Caliente Handicap, which is run for over a mile and a quarter and worth £20,540 to the winner, in a common canter in 2min 2sec, thus setting up a new record for the track. The Choctaw was second and Plucky Play third, while Sun Beau, who started favourite, could get no nearer than fifth. The Fordell trainer, F. Tilley, has returned to New Zealand after an extended absence in England. He will resume training at Fordell shortly, where he will supervise a small team for Mr W. M'A. Duncan, who has several young horses coming on. L. G. Morris, who is moving to Marton, will continue to"'train for Mr T. A. Duncan and others who formerly patronised the Fordell establishment. Lovers of the thoroughbred horse comprise a kind of cosmopolitan club, with members in every country in the world, except perhaps at the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. If a man is genuinely fond of thoroughbreds, and can talk in any way intelligently about them (says an ex-

change) he can go anywheer in the world i and make more friends than any non- < horseman, even though the latter may be 1 armed with the most influential letters of ] introduction. . Aurora Borealis, the bright star of ; last year’s steeplechase campaign, shaped moderately in her early efforts this winter, 1 and in the Wanganui Steeplechase she 1 pulled up lame (says an exchange). The I trouble may, of course, be of a minor 1 description, but it is disappointing to find the little mare amiss at this period of the campaign, and it may be that she > will be missing for some time. With a ’ shortage of good cross-country performers, Aurora Borealis can ill be spared. The question must very seriously be asked, Is the totalisator fulfilling the role for which it was cast of fairy godmother to racing (says a writer in the Field), or is it a burden which may be difficult to dislodge? Have the parts been reversed, and is racing to be sacrificed to save the totalisator? So long as present methode are persisted in the latter seems the more probable, and racing may be made the object of further experiments to recover the large sums that have been thrown away. ’New .Zealand is such a strong supporter of sweeps on big races that it is a wonder the Government does not permit a company to run them. It would keep a lot of money there. Art unions are numerous in the Dominion, showing that people who put down a brick in the hope of picking up a house are numerous over there. Early last month the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (says a Sydney paper) considered over 100 applications for permits for art unions and granted very few. Four of the initial progeny of Windbag who were raced this season (says an exchange) have been returned winners, and as, like their parent, they are expected to improve w’ith age. Several are considered likely to be prominent in classic events next season. When Windbag w’as sold as a stallion it was stated that the | sum paid was in excess of that involved in any previous purchase of a colonialbred horse. The amount paid for Carbine was 13,000 guineas, so that big. figures were connected with Windbag’s sale. A London writer understands that the King will take an increased interest in racing this year. His prospecte as an owner are considered to be brighter than they were last season, when he had exceedingly bad luck. He has about 30 ; thoroughbreds in training, among them ■ a number of two-year-olds, with regard ; to which hopes run high. Ashridge is ■ the King’s nominee for the Derby and the St. Leger. The colt by Gainsborough —Stained Glass did not race last season. 3 In the One Thousand Guineas the King 3 was to have been represented by Lilibit, i by Friar Marcus from Vain Air.' ■ 1 The Queensland Turf Club stipendiary 1 stewards have caused a deal of comment

in Brisbane by their extraordinary attitude in fining the starter because, in thei r opinion, he had allowed the horses to leave the barrier for the Final Handicap at Ascot when they were on the move. The starter has given notice of appeal. In Victoria all races are started when the field is on the move, and it is something new to learn that a starter can be fined because every horse was not flat-footed when the barrier was released. It is stated that the starter Was under strict instructions to make “ flat-foot ” starts.

The reduction of the New Zealand Cup stake this year to £l3OO brings the value below £2OOO for the second time since 1903. The stake in 1903, when Canteen won was £l5OO. For 17 years the value stood at £2OOO, and in 1921 an increase was made to £2500, including a cup valued at £lOO. The stake was reduced to £2lOO in 1924 and to £1750 in 1927, since when it has remained at £2OOO. The cup, which has formed part of the stake since 1921, is to be abolished. It is 37 years since the stake was lower than this year’s value, but in the year in question—lB94— there was a sweepstake of £2O each besides the added money, £lOOO. For some reason the double totalisator does not appeal to racing authorities in this State (says a Sydney writer), because of the fact that the money invested is “tied up” until the second “ leg ” of the double has been run. In South Africa this form of investing is very popular, and several of the race clubs encourage it, for every now and again a big dividend attracts to the course people who would not otherwise attend. Double betting on the machine is also popular in South Australia, judging by the dividends paid to the four investors who coupled St. Bernadette and Suzumi. There were 7540 tickets issued, and the four lucky ones each received £4ll 3s 3d for their outlay of ss.

V ery few horses go through their careers without defeat, and in" England only Barealdine. Bay Middleton, Clairvaux, Eclipse, Flying Childers, Highflyer, Hurry On, Meddler, Ormonde, Quintessence, Sailor, St. Simon, Suspender, The Tetrarch, Tiffin, and Tolgus escaped (says “Pilot"’). In Australia the only horses of account that I can recall as winners of all their races were Grand Flaneur and Malt Queen. The latter, who was by Maltster from Her Majesty, died shortly after winning the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes at her Jast two starts. She won six races. New Zealand has produced two unbeaten horses in Boniform and Antagonist, but the latter started in only one race.

An English paper, in discussing Easter Hero, who started favourite for the recent Liverpool Grand National, ami fell, says that one year there was some thought of running him in the Gold Vase at Ascot, but only if he was known to have a fairly good chance of winning. In order to test him, R. C. Dawson W'as asked to lend a horse, and in sending one over, the Whatcombe trainer said that if Easter Hero could, beat the visitor he would be worth starting at Ascot. The visitor won the trial by three lengths, and Easter Hero did not keep the engagement. But the trial horse was Athford, who won three Cup races and was only beaten a short head for the Coronation Cup that same year. It certainly was asking a lot of a steeplechaser to beat him.

The death of Richborough, one of the season's .most promising two-year-olds, is reported from Featherston. Richborough met with an accident recently, and all efforts to save him failed. He was a brother to Tenterden, being by Chief Ruler from the Kilbroney mare Rosellate, who also left another fair performer to Archery in Archeria. He was bred at the Westmere Stud by Mr J. Donald, and was purchased at last year’s yearling sales on behalf of the late Mr C. Elgar for 1300 guineas, being subsequently raced by Mrs C, Elgar, for whom he had won £327 10s in stakes prior to his death. In his last two starts, at Tauherenikau at Easter, and at the recent Hawke’s Bay meeting at Trentham, he had been successful, and his future looked very bright. It always seems to me it is too much to expect jockeys to entirely refrain from betting, though it is very proper that ruling bodies should, by means of rules and regulations, prevent them from doing it too openly. Some Australian jockeys bet heavily,, rules to the contrary, and it is the same in England. Few jockeys are really good judges, and I always feel sympathetic (says “ Pilot ”) towards these individuals who are carried away by a jockey’s assurance of “ Mine will win,” especially when he has never previously been on it in a race, or even a gallop. If ever an English jockey should have made money by betting, it was Fred Archer, and yet in the year he killed himself while in delirium, brought on by typhoid fever, he lost over £30,000. The foundation of the Liverpool Grand National was, according to an English writer, a steeplechase run at Liverpool in 1836. The conditions were as follows: “A sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, with 80 sovs added, for horses of all denominations, 12 stone each; gentlemen riders; second horse receives back his stake; winner to be sold for 200 sovs if demanded.” There were 10 runners, and Captain Becher won on The Duke. In the following year The Duke was again successful. The original Becher’s Brook was a fence 3ft high, about a yard from the bank on the take-off side, with a brook over 3ft wide on the landing side. In 1843 the word “National” was first used in connection with the race, and the 1884 race was remarkable for the fact that not one of the 19 runners fell. Her victory in the South Australian

Stakes gives Lady Primrose some claim to rank as the best of the South Australian two-year-olds. It at least indicated (says the-Globe) that she possesses

a share of stamina, as the race was run over seven furlongs and she won decisively, and Lady Primrose’s success draw-s further attention to the prospects at the stud of her . beautifully-bred young sire, Dignity, who I has been at Khancoban, on the Upper ‘ Murray, since his owmer, Captain Chisholm, imported him. It was there that ‘ Lady Primrose was bred. She w’as sold ’ in Sydney as a yearling. Her dam, ’ Desiree, traces to the Musket mare Happy Land (dam of Hova and United States), r Desiree was got by (son of f The Wag) from Angelina, by Downshire

(son of Ayrshire) from Angele, by Multiform from Happy Valley by Bill of Portland from Happy Land. F. Herbert, who rode in Australia some years ago, is doing well in England. In referring to his horsemanship when he won on Swift Marten at Nottingham in March, a sporting writer says:—“ Herbert rode Sw’ift Marten when he won at Wolverhampton. He is a much-travelled jockey, and has ridden more Derby winners in various countries than any jockey now riding, having won the .Cuban, Mexican, Canadian, and Kentucky Derbys. Herbert has ” now settled down in England and taken up his residence at Wal-ton-on-Thames. He made it plain that he has retained all his riding ability, and he should not W’ant for mounts from now to the end of the present season. The impression that Herbert is old is a mistaken one. He has only just turned 40 years of age, and, like Frank Wootton, he rode his first winner when he was but 10 years of age and weighed under four stone.”

A noviee hurdler sometimes shows brilliancy over two or three flights in schooling lessons, but when it comes to business under the colours is apt to tire towards the end of a race when required to cover about twice as many hurdles as they have been schooled over. They beat themselves by being accustomed to cross only two or three hurdles. One or two horses are showing promise over hurdles at Wingatui, but their schooling is restricted to three flights along the back stretch of the course proper. The crosscountry horses are much better catered for, as they are provided with a complete schooling course, and if desired can be sent over the steeplechase course. As the winter meeting is the star attraction of the Wingatui season the hurdlers should, if possible, be provided with an equal chance of education as the ’chasers, so as to teach them to jump on and stav on in a preparation.

At least 10 of the horses sold in the estate of the late Mr J. Brown last June have won races. The greatest bargain of all was the seven-year-old mare Crystallised Glass (Wallace Isinglass—Smart Walk), who was bought by the Darbalara Stud manager. Les. Bower, for lOgns, but now races in the ownership of J. T. Ryan, who subsequently bought her for 20gns. Since then Crystallised Glass has started 10 times in N.S.W. for seven wins, and three times in Victoria for two. Her latest success (says the Sydney Referee) was in the Wangoom Handicap, of £4OO, at Warnambool. Unsuccessful at two years, Crystallised Glass won twice at three, but then ran nowhere in the Adrian Knox Stakes, for which she was greatly fancied. Retired to the stud after an unsuccessful ruu at Randwick in October, 1927, she did not reappear until she Won a six furlongs handicap at Wagga last October.

Lord Knutsford, chairman of the London Hospital, says he would like to see sweepstakes in England legalised in favour of the hospitals. “ I cannot believe,” he remarked, “ that sweepstakes are likely to develop the gambling spirit to the extent of, say, ready money and credit gambling. It is a great pity to see all this money going to Ireland when we need it so badly ourselves—not only the" London, but also every other hospital. Sir Arthur Stanley, chairman of St. Thomas’ Hospital, said the time had come when the hospitals would have to go into the whole matter thoroughly. Lord Gorell, chairman of King’s College Hospital, said he would be glad to see the law changed. At St. George’s Hospital the view expressed was: “We should like to see the law changed so that a sweepstake for the hospital’s benefit would become legal. The hospitals as a whole are becoming very uneasy at all this money going to Ireland.” The London Sunday Times says:—“ Scale in these things cannot be left out of account, and the scale of the Irish sweepstakes has become portentous. It is this that makes the subject one that will have to be faced. Already tickets for the next Irish lottery—on the Derby—are being sold, and the total of money subscribed is likely to be double that realised by the draw which has just taken place. What is the law going to do. about it? At the moment it can do nothing. It is powerless. The winners in the late draw are technically criminals, but nothing will be done to them. Nor will the utmost vigilance prevent huge sums from being subscribed to the next venture; an army of special police would be required to make the attempt, and even so it would fail. As the law stands it makes the worst of both worlds. It is powerless to prevent the evils of gambling, but it is successful in preventing the good which these hospital sweepstakes do in subsidising good causes from operating in our own country. So English money goes abroad, while English hospitals look on with envious eyes.” "Who knows anything about racing or breeding? ” queries a recognised American authority on matters associated with the turf. “ Some know’ more than others,” he continues, “ and they only know how little is known. Severl years ago some of the breeders in Kentucky claimed that too ’ many yearlings were being bred for the i good of the business of the sales. They Formed a company and after buying all 1 the cheap marcs they could find, sold 1 them to non-racing people for the breed- ’ ing of mules or anything to ‘ get them out J of the way.’ Soon after the speedy colt, £ Garry Herrmann, appeared. Then there J was a scramble to locate his dam. She ! had been one of the ‘condemned’ mares J sent into exile. A similar case was that of c Fitz Herbert. After he had beaten all the best horses in America and won the i Surburban, there was a wild hunt to find d his dam. She, like Garry Herrmann’s .. dam, was one of the exiled mares. No

trace of her could be found. The wiseacres had condemned her and sent her into obscurity. Thus, after all, the wiseest know but little when the subject concerns the production of the best racehorses. And therein lies its charm. The Tyro is often able to attain success which is denied the expert—the sport is a great leveller.”