RACING.

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 53

RACING.

FIXTURES. June 19, 20.—Hawke’s Bay. June 23.—Egmont-Wanganui Hunt CluD. June 26, 27-—Napier Park. June 27. —Ashburton. July 4.—Oamaru. July 14, 16, 18.—Wellington. ' July 18.-—Waimate District Hunt Club. July 23 25.—Gisborne. July 25.—South Canterbury Hunt Club. TALK-OF THE DAY. By Sentinel. AN IMPORTANT MOVE. Mr J. M. Samson’s decision to make Wingatui his training headquarters is the most important news that has ever occurred in the history of our racing headquarters. It means the establishment of the biggest team ever trained for one owner at the course, and will. in consequence infuse a great deal of interest into training operations and local racing affairs. The team, or the largest part of it, will arrive early next week and go into C. Gieseler’s stables, which can accommodate 14 horses. Outside accommodation will be necessary. The. horses coming down next week will just about fill Gieseler’s present accommodation, as some few ready to race at the Timaru meeting will still remain .in F. Trilfords stable. Tuki will remain in P. T. Hogan s stable. Mr Samson’s team that will go into training at Wingatui will be principally comprised of the following lot:— Filly by Weathervane —Lake Uru, filly by Weathervane —Arch Lassie, filly by Paper Money—Lava, filly by Paper Money-—Sky Dream, gelding by East Tor —Bellfern, gelding by East Tor —Bluefern, filly by Weathervane—Cotillion, Princess Argosy (imp.) by Haki —Little Spitfire, Anne Shakespeare (imp.) by Spearwort—Encouragement, Lord Buchan (imp.) by Buchan —Thracid, Lord Argosy (imp.) by Argosy—Miss Hazelbrook, b.e. (imp.) by Cygnus —Kish-le-shee,—Miss Tembaron, by Weathervane —Temba, filly by Hunting Song—Etoile d’Or, Solmuri, by Solferino — Murihiku. Those that may remain in Timaru are Jock o’ Hazledean, Royai Limond, Silver Salver, Colonel Quez, and Traylavah, but no final decision has yet been reached as to what will in the meantime remain in F. Trilford’s stable, but in course of time all the horses in training will join C. Gieseler’s stable. BALBOA. The number of winners Balboa had at the Dunedin winter meeting drew attention to his merit as a sire, and what he might have achieved with better opportunities at the stud. Balboa was foaled in 1911, and during his turf career won the Auckland Cup and New Zealand Derby. He was bred by Mr J. G. Dunean, and got by Varco from Nerve, by Birkenhead from Spot, by Albany—Zelica, by The Peer —Crumbs, by Mar ibyrnong. Varco was imported by the late Mr J. B. Reid and got by Marco (son of the unbeaten Barcaldine) from Vard, by St. Angelo (son of Galopin) from Cheap Loaf, by Isonomy—Breadfinder, by Brown Bread, and belongs to the No. 8 family. Birkenhead was got by Orme, the sire of Flying Fox. Albany was got by Thormanby, the tail male ancestor of The Tetrarch. Albany sired a lot of good winners, including First Lord, Oudeis, Disowned, Nonsense, Ruby, and Day Dream. Albany and Traducer both represented the Herod line, and the latter stamped his name freely in the records as a great sire. There is some strong strains on the dam’s side of Balboa’s pedigree, including that of Maribyrnong, who was one of the best sires of his day in Australia. The Barcaldine line through Marco and Marcovil is now well in the front rank in England through Hurry On, the sire of Captain Cuttie and other high class horses, St. Angelo, the sire of Varco’s dam, was got by Galopin, the sire of the world-famous St. Simon. Cheap Loaf was got by Isonomy, the sire of Isinglass, one of the best winners on the English turf. Isonomy also got Arcadia, the dam of Cyllene, the sire of Cicero. It will be seen from the above brief glance at Balboa’s pedigree that in addition. to his racing merit, he can boast of strains that have produced some very high class performers, stallions, and good producing mares. Balboa's fame comes a bit too late in life to bring him on the boom, but he may yet have several years of useful work at the stud. Black Duke is about the best got by Balboa, but Baldowa and others show that with opportunity the eon of Marco might have taken rank as a high class sire.

THE RULES OF RACING. At the close of each racing season it has been the regular thing for the various clubs to supply a more or less lengthy list of proposed alterations and amendments to the Rules of Racing. This year a new set of rules will come up for consideration, as those at present in use have been thrown into the melting pot and come out in a revised and condensed form. The Rules of Racing have been altered and amended at the tail-end of each season for many years past, and yet

leave room for improvement in some very important matters. It would, for instance, be quite within the law to run a horse on the first and second days of a meeting provided the officials are notified, but it would also be quite within the law to run the same horse on the third day of a meeting without any notification of the change being necessary. A horse could, under some pretext or other, run at two or three meetings m shoes, and at a succeeding one race in plates. The difference between shoes and plates may amount to two seconds, and it will be seen that the existing rules leave the door wide open to fraudulent running if anyone cared to take advantage of the situation. Another rule that requires attention is the one bearing on the question of overweight. A horse that carries more than 21b undeclared overweight in a flat race is liable to disqualification, but 141 b overweight can be put up -without question. The amount of overweight should be limited to small figures, except in such cases as the stewards may specially approve, such as putting up a man instead of a boy. or a fractious or green horse. The rules bearing on the above points should be altered and brought in line with a commonsense knowledge of racing.

THE NINE-STONE MINIMUM. There are some antiquated ideas tolerated in connection with racing in New Zealand, and one most repugnant to common sense consists in the retention of the nine-stone minimum. It -would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a logical reason ■why the nine-stone minimum should be retained. In the days when gentlemen riders played a prominent part in winter racing a high scale of weights was quite in order, but now there is only one or two clubs in New Zealand that feature races for amateurs. It is beyond doubt or question wrong to have rules automatically loading up a horse when in the winter months track conditions make weight more difficult to carry than during the_ lacing season, when weather conditions usually supply firm going. During the winter months it would be unreasonable to expect riders to -waste and reduce their riding weight, but an eighVstone minimum would be quite low enough to five both riders and horses a fair chance, n the winter season the tracks are usually slow and holding, and yet under such adverse conditions the rules automatically provide for increase of the minimum from seven stone to nine stone. It is high time that such an extraordinary state of affairs occupied the consideration of the Racing Conference, but so far no one seems to have realised the fact that a horse’s load should not be increased when track conditions already accentuate the burden.

THE SOUTH CANTERBURY MEETING. The excellent fields engaged at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting should provide some good sport, as there will no doubt be plenty of material left after the declaration of acceptances. The scale of weights does not read too inviting, and some may drop out for that reason. Still, there will be plenty left to “ face the music.’’ Camisader shaped so promisingly in his debut over hurdles at Wingatui that he should provide a strenuous opposition to Aladdin, but the latter may start favourite. Sleipner may be the popular pick for the Novice Handicap, arid Ilkley will have friends if the track is firm. Tea Urn, Crash, and What Not may also figure in the field, but Sleipner may find most support. Starshooter had track conditions against him at Wingatui, and he comes in on better terms in the Prince Edward Handicap as if beaten on his merits. At present Starshooter, Inevitable, and Town Major read as most likely to supply the favourite. Aberfeldy has been . schooling so well that he is sure to be in demand for the Cnaigmore Steeplechase, and of the others West Dome, Umtali. and Heather Lad read as most likely to be in favour. Taragona has been training on since he won at the Ashburton meeting, and he may start a better fancy than Jock o’ Hazeldean and Punchestown in the Temuka Handicap. Several of those found in the Seadown Handicap also claim engagements earlier in the day. Master Anomaly will probably be a fresh horse, and the same remark applies to Waving Corn. This may make their chance appeal, and Limited will also find favour with those who endeavour to anticipate the judge’s figures.

"A PRINCE OF THE PIGSKIN.” One of the secrets of Archer’s success was the way he would take risks that no other jockey dared to do. And he seemed able to endow his mounts with his own courage and daring. Wonderful stories have been told of the feats he performed at Epsom, says the Field, where fi'is method of coming round Tattenham Corner won him innumerable races. It may or may not be true, though it used often to be asserted, that he would sometimes take the Corner with his left leg actually over the rails. It is, at any rate, a fact that when, in the Derby of 1880, he was driven into the rails, he rode for fifty' yards or so with his left leg on Bend Or’s neck. And this, moreover, when he was handicapped by a bad arm, the result of the savaging he had

got from Muley Edris some weeks before. This was the occasion on which he consulted Sir James Paget, the most fashionable surgeon of that day. Sir James having attended to the wound, Archer inquired how long it would be before he could use his arm. “Oh a matter of a few weeks,” Sir James thought. “ But," insisted Archer, “ shall I be fit for the Derby? ” Yes, Sir James was of opinion that his patient might safely go to the Derby. “ But you don’t understand me, Sir James.” pretested Archer. “ Shall I be fit to ride? ” “ Better drive—better drive,” advised the surgeon. And it was not until Archer delicately explained the position he occupied in the sporting world that it dawned on Sir James that the “Mr Archer” he had been doctoring was the famous Fred Archer who was even more of a celebrity than himself, and who was certainly earning, as Sir James admitted, twice the great surgeon’s income. One quality he possessed must have helped him enormously in winning his races. This was his uncanny knowledge of everything that was happening in a race, and an ability to take lightning decisions on the spur of the moment. This was well exemplified in the Derby of 1880 when he won on Bend Or, beating Robert the Devil. Rossiter, on the lastnamed, was leading by a length when he looked round at the Bell. In a second Archer was riding for all he was worth, and in those few seconds had won the race.

In estimating Archer’s ability, it must not be forgotten that the standard of jockeyship during his ten successful years was exceptionally high.. Among his contemporaries, in addition to Fordham, were such famous jockeys as Tom Cannon, Sam Loates, C. Wood, John Watts, and John Osborne. It may be true that the mere terror of his name won him races against timid and inexperienced jockeys, but that would not count for much against Fordham, Tom Cannon, or any of the others mentioned. Archer may not have been the equal of other, great jockeys in every respect, but his record remains. to prove that he must have possessed racing qualities which entitle him to rank as one of the greatest jockeys who ever rode at Epsom.

A BOTTLE FOR DIGBY. Sir George Ghetwynd, in his reminiscences, tells an excellent story of Fordham, who was regarded as one of England’s greatest horsemen. At . the Epsom spring meeting in 1872 Digby Grand, a horse of uncertain temper, had won the City and Suburban. The next day Fordham was to ride him in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes, and Digby Grand’s owner believed that a stimulant before the race would do the horse good. Fordham was adjusting his saddle preparatory to mounting, when he observed Harry Woolcott, the trainer, with a black bottle in his hand. “What’s that, Harry?” he atked. “A bottle of old port Mr Graham has sent to give Digby,” Woolcott replied. “ Let’s have a look at it,” said Fordham, and holding put his hand for the bottle, he meditatively took a long pull at its contents. Silently he handed the bottle back to Woolcott, who followed his example; and then Fordham regained his possession of it, observing, “ I don’t believe it would do him any. good!’’ saying which, he raised it again to his lips, and tilted it considerably before he put it down. “ I believe it is generally bad for them! ” rejoined Woolcott, who very nearly emptied it, and Fordham, looking to see if any was left, found that there was a little, and quietly finished that. Digby Grand looked on, and it is impossible to guess what he would have said.if he could have spoken. However, the horse won his race, Fordham lying off on him and bringing him up at the Bell.

A WORD ABOUT CULLS. In searching for the reason for the alleged falling away in the staying quality in Australian-bred horses, some of the critics hold that too many culls—in other words, horses without the necessary stamina —have been imported from England. However, it cannot be disputed that some horses of high pedigree, of true masculine physique, who cost many thousands, have been included among the failures. One that comes to mind (says “Phaeton”) is Bronzino, who was bought by Sir Samuel Hordern for 10,000gns. Horses that are termed culls may be railed against, but the Stud Book reveals that some horses that were dubbed such put up remarkable records, much to the discomfiture of their critics. The mighty' Musket would not, perhaps, have been summed up a cull, but it is a historic fact that he was bought for exportation to New Zealand Co be used ostensibly as a carriage sire, and the sum involved in his purchase was only 550gns. Such is the little history surrounding a sire who travelled from the northern to the southern hemisphere and who founded a great line. Then take the case of Soult. The son of St. Simon certainly did not impress when he came to New Zealand —indeed, not a few condemned him straightaway.

No one in this quarter of the Dominion requires to be told the position to which Soult advanced when he got a proper chance, which, it has to be stated, was not for several years after his importation from England. Soult was acquired in the Old Country for a small sum, and his winning descendants captured stakes estimated at over £160,000.

Lucullus, who was bought in England for 25gns, was looked upon with something akin to scorn when he was paraded at Newmarket in July, 1914. The German-bred sire has, however, an attractive list, his progeny sired in Auckland having won stakes to the value of over £125,000. Night Raid was allowed to go at 120gns when sold at the end of his three-year-old career. Little did the keen men standing at the ringside at Newmarket when Night Raid was submitted think that they had seen a horse destined to win marked distinction as a sire and to have included among his progeny a champion of the highest class in the shape of Phar Lap. The culls may be flouted, but, all the same, great prizes are at times to be found even within their ranks. BREEDING. The effect of the prevailing depression on the breeding of thoroughbreds was referred to by Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon, chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, in an interview with the Melbourne Argus at the end of last month. “ Naturally one does not like the depression,” said Mr Mackinnon, “ but I have a distinct feelin" that it will eventually be for the good of the horse breeding industry. Our stakes have been so good and the prices of yearlings have consequently soared so high that anyone with a mare would send her to what was termed a ‘ fashionable stallion,’ in the hope of breeding something that he could sell, not something that he could race himself. Consequently that care which should be given to the mating of mares with horses has been largely overlooked. It is early yet to give one’s views on the effect of the exclusion of geldings from the Derbies, but my opinion is that this is going to be of immense benefit from the breeding point of view, which, after all, is the proper view. We have read in the papers of protests, but when you analyse these protests you find that they come principally from breeders —breeders who do not breed to race, but who want to avail themselves of the market. Examine the catalogues of the last 10 or 20 years, and see how many of the colts offered by these breeders were ever put into the ring as geldings. No, they will not take the risk of gelding their colts — they leave that to the poor buyer if he feels inclined to do so. No doubt it. is hard for the breeder to have to provide paddocks for unsold colts, but that is his look-out.” IN A NUTSHELL.

The Southland Racing Club intends using a drain plough on its track. White Fang is reported to be shaping well in his schooling lessons over hurdles.

The Arausio filly Pakitere has been sold by Mr F. Ormond to a South Island owner Camisader will join F. Trilford’s stable at the conclusion of the Timaru meeting.

The West Australian Turf Club lost 677550 vs over the present season’s racing. Handicaps for the Oamaru winter meeting are due to appear on Monday next. June 22.

The annual meeting of members of the Southland Racing Club will be held or. July 30. C. Gieseler left for Timaru last week to make arrangements for the transport of Mr J. M. Samson’s team to Wingatui. The death is reported of the Hallowmas horse Stork, who won over 7000sovs in stakes.

The two-year-old filly Cautious (Paper Money—Pussyfoot) has been sold to go to Australia.

West Dome plays a versatile part in racing, as he mixes it over fences and hurdles.

The South Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter meeting will be held on Saturday next. Nominations for the Grand National Steeplechase meeting are due on Friday, June 26.

Crown Area is apparently not regarded as a back number, as he figures in the nominations for the Epsom Handicap.

The double totalisator in South Australia has grown in popularity by results obtained at a small risks to punters.

It is stated that grey horses live longer than those of any other colour. Those that follow the horses of any colour go grey quicker than any other people. The compiler of the Stud Book is sending out requests to owners of brood mares for returns of foalings to be included in the next issue.

The ex-Wingatui trainer C. Christie has been experiencing a run of luck with Jarlath in Western Australia, who has been a good winner over hurdles.

The nine-stone minimum may not contribute towards the success of the South

Canterbury meeting, as it makes a horse carry a rather forbidding load. Matu was fairly well up in the early stages of his race on the final day at Auckland, but faded into sixth place at the finish.

The Martian mare Bee was recently represented by a winner at a Sydney meeting. Bee won the Wellington Cup of 1916.

The Wellington Racing Club’s winter programme will carry 733550 v in stakes. Last season the same programme carried 930050 v in stakes.

There is a lull at present in the racing world, and the next important fixture will be the Wellington winter meeting, which takes place next month. The English-bred horse Posterity, recently purchased for New Zealand, was got by Son-in-Law from Hemlock, by Spearmint—Keystone 11, by Persimmon.

Not many of Paper Money’s stock have been tried over hurdles, but he had a winner over the small sticks when Monetize won at the Waikato meeting. The slump in the price of yearlings has brought down stallion fees in England, except those of throroughly well-proved sires.

A two-year-old colt named Illustrious and got by Heroic from the New Zealand mare Pot Pourri defeated a big field at Aspendale on May 27. Aberfeldy will probably make his debut over fences this week, and with his pace on the flat should toon prove more than useful at the game. Reports from Australia state that Phar Lap has been placed in training again, and looks in bright healthy condition to begin another preparation. Geldings were eligible to run in the Derby until 1902, when the stewards agreed to confine the race to entire colts and fillies.

The starting-gate was first used in connection with the Derby in 1900—Diamond Jubilee’s year. Previously the system of starting was by means of a flag. S. G. Ware has been experiencing a modest run of luck with Antrim Boy and Matu in the north. Both horses have managed to fill a place, and so contribute something towards expenses.

With more favourable weather to assist success, the Dunedin winter meeting would have brought the Wingatui racing season to a most satisfactory conclusion.

The Danilof gelding Corneroff, who ran second in the Grand National Steeples in August last, is again in work after being treated to some outings with the Manawatu hounds.

Although taxation in New South Wales is now a most important matter in connection with racing, reports state that several New Zealand horses are to be sent over for the spring meetings. Antrim Boy has just been doing well enough to keep hiniself up in the weights. On the first day at Waikato he just failed to give 291 b to Monetize, and, incidentally, gave 61b and a beating to Success. May 4, 1780, was the date of the first Derby, run over one mile. Attracting 36 subscribers, the value of the stakes was 1125gns. The winner, Sir C. Bunbury’s Diomed, defeated eight opponents. Paris dwelt at some of his fences, but put in good jumps at others, when he won at Ellerslie. The northern critics predict that he will make a good ’chaser when he measures his fences correctly’. The Australasian recently pointed out that the cost of stallion services have doubled in the last 20 years, but the quality of stock has not improved in the same ratio.

Some of the northern critics have expressed the opinion that Carinthia is not such a good horse at present as he was this time last year. The handicappers made him a 141 b to 211 b better horse than some that he ran against last season. The Wellington Steeplechase will carry a stake of 75050 v, and the Winter Hurdles will be equal in value. The principal stakes at the meeting have all been cut down, but still represent something well worth winning.

It has been going the rounds of sporting paragraphs that The Smuggler is owned by Mr T. L. Price, a son of the Drift. That is not so. The Smuggler is owned by Mr T. L. Price, a son of the owner of Rorke’s Drift.

A supplement to Volume 14 of the American Stud shows that the foals registered in 1929 —now two years old—totalled 4875. Of these, 2429 were colts and 2446 fillies. The sires with best juvenile representation numerically are Campfire and Supremus, with 34 each. An English writer estimates that it cost the Sledmere stud 900sov to send a yearling under the hammer. The Sledmere stud does not keep a stallion, but sends the mares to the best that can be procured. In one year 21 mares were bred to 19 different sires.

Star Comet, who won the Waikato Steeplechase run last week, is another of the Day Comet tribe to make good over fences. His dam, The Whin, was got by Field Battery—Moira Machree, by

Cyrenian—Cuirasette, by Cuirassier, the brother to Trenton.

The Rules of Racing define a hack as a horse which has not won a race worth £250 to the winner, or races aggregating £5OO to the winner. If the reduced level of stakes operates for any length of time, it will take the average horse a long time to run out of the hack class, and may later on lead to a shortage of horses for open races.

A. D. Webster has again taken a team over to Australia. His success in taat part of the world means the difference between the bookmaker and the total isator. Webster has run into a lot of money by his campaigns in Australia, and it goes beyond question that he could not have achieved the same results in New Zealand.

The Dublin High Court granted an application that the fund trustees should be empowered to pay Mr Arthur Bendir three-quarters of the first prize in tr.e Grand National Sweepstake—£266,o4.°.. Affidavits by Mr Scala and Messrs Apicella and Constantino, who are contesting Mr Scala’s right to the prize, were read consenting to the money being paid to Mr Bendir.

Claremore created the impression at Auckland that he is likely to develop into a good winner over fences. Claremore s breeding in the Turf Register does not coincide" with that in the Stud Book. According to the Stud Book, Waikohu produced Lady Waikohu to Cynic in 1924, and that is the only record of her visiting the son of Henry the First. Claremore is returned as a five-year-old gelding. Auckland reports state that the young Takaninr trainer, J. L. Gray, may leave in August with several horses for a spring campaign in Sydney. Havering and Bronze Eagle have been nominated for the Australian Jockey Club’s spring meeting, along with the following yearlings:— Canusa —Marriage Bell gelding. Tea Tray —Epitaph colt, and Whirlwind —Cione filly.

Competing under the name of Running Rein, a four-year-old colt, Maccabeus, won the Derby in 1844, only to be disqualified and the race awarded to Orlando. The only other disqualification occurred in 1913. when the judge’s placings were revised in favour of Aboyeur, beaten a head by Craganour after a bumping and boring finish. The stewards acted on their own initiative.

The Ascot Gold Cup will be run on the 18th of this month, and France will again be represented. This time by two four-year-old grey mares—Commanderie (winner of the Grand Prix) and La Savoyarde. In 1924 French horses in Massine and Filibert de Savoie ran first and second respectively in the Ascot Gold Cup. That was France’s last victory in the race.

The transference of Mr Samson’s horses s in training means the greatest move that has ever occurred in connection with Wingatui as a training centre. It means the providing of a great deal of e.mployrnent and the incidental costs of maintaining a large team in the way of feed, shoeing, etc., apart from the fact that it will provide the owner with a closer connection than has hitherto existed with his team. • Some discussion has arisen over the Wellington Racing Club spreading its winter meeting over seven days. It is now stated that the club is really holding two meetings, and will do so with the sanction of the Minister of Internal Affairs and in compliance with the Rules of Racing. Tliat is quite all right, but what about the cost to owners and travelling expenses attached to over a week’s stay in Wellington? The Cloghran Stud Farm, Ltd., has been registered as a private company in the Irish Free State with £50,000 capital. Mr R. C. Dawson, the Whatcombe trainer, is governing director. The Cloghran property has been the home of the Dawson family for several generations. The sires there are Blandford, owned by the company, and Trigo, who was sired by Blandford. Trigo was bred at Cloghran. The fee for the service of each stallion is 400 guineas. - k

The Irish sweep on the English Derby closed with £2,789,696, of which £1.900,544 will be distributed in prizes. The remainder goes to the hospitals and payment of working expenses. There will not be a colossal first prize, as in the Liverpool Grand National, each £lOO,OOO constituting a different sweep, with £30,000 for first. £15.000 for second, and £lO,OOO for third. The remainder will be divided between drawers of other horses. This means 19 different sweeps. Only 17 subscriptions were received for the substitute war Derby of 1917, won by Gay Crusader, and one more two years earlier on the occasion of Pommern’s triumph. The smallest field on record was in 1794, when Lord Grosvenor’s Daedalus defeated three others. Record for the number of starters was in 1862, when Mr C. Snewing’s Caractacus was the conqueror of 33 opponents. Eleven years before the race attracted 31 runners. •The biggest field since the war was the 30 of Captain Cuttie’s year—l 922. A Sydney writer states that it costs about 60sovs to send a yearling into the sale ring. That seems a rather modest estimate, as a well-done yearling in Mr J. B. Reid’s time at Elderslie cost about 250sovs to 300sovs to send into the salering. The Australian estimate apparently marks down- a thoroughbred to about cattle value. The keep of a mare, stallion service, and incidental expense of rearing a yearling would make bloodstock breeding very profitable if they could be raised at 60sovs per head. Mr C. C. Stephen, chairman of the A.J.C. recently expressed satisfaction with the change of methods in totalisator betting at Randwick. The drift of investments was arrested, which made the outlook brighter for owners in respect of stakes. The greater the totalisator turnover the better for owners. It would be more costly than at Randwick to make the machine at Warwick Farm usable for straight-out and place betting, but such an alteration was receiving consideration, and might be effected about the end of the year.

The V.R.C. Rule of Racing 51 (a) has been amended to provide that “ if the number of acceptors in a race is over 20, the £2 sweepstakes is to be paid only When the race is actually divided.” Before

the alteration of the rule the payment of the sweepstake was compulsory if the acceptors exceeded 20, whether or not the race was divided. The payment of the sweepstake applies only to races in which the stake does not amount to £5OO, and where a sweepstake of £2 or upwards is not included in the conditions.

It has been frequently said (says “Fernhill”) that fashions in breeding are created by the result of the English Derby. There is good reason for the claim, for a Derby winner at Epsom, even if he belong to an obscure family, at once becomes a favoured stud proposition. Success in the Epsom classic is a fine advertisement, and ensures the greatest respect from breeders. Several other races during the season may take more winning, but they do not carry the same prestige. In a word, there is only one Derby.

Riders in the Liverpool Grand National invariably include a fair sprinkling of amateurs. This year 12 had mounts, and two were on horses that finished, though a long way from the place-gettcrs. Mr Urquhart was-tenth on Starbox (100 to 1) and Mr K. Goode twelfth on Harewood (50 to 1), the last of those which finished. Of the amateurs five were army captains, and three rode their own horses. Drintyre, owned and ridden by Captain Brown, was well backed, but stoppcil from sheer exhaustion two fences from home, up to which point he was always one of the leading division. For over three months Vin. O’Neill has adopted peculiar tactics with the training of Our Comet (says the Melbourne Globe), a three-year-old "elding by Day Comet. Two or three times a week Our Comet is schooled over about nine small hurdles at a very fast pace. He does no other galloping, but travels about two miles each time. It is estimated that Our Comet has jumped about 200 hurdles. So far he has not been entered for a jumping race. Perhaps the success of Aurora Borealis, who is also by Day Comet, the champion jumper in New Zealand last season, has inspired O'Neill to thoroughly school Our Comet.

The double tote in England has given some splendid dividends, and these were added to at Cheltenham on April 16, when the combination of Brave Cry (Cirencester Steeplechase) and Merriment IV (National Hunt Steeplechase) paid £330 19s for 10s. The remarkable part was that there were not more than two supporters of the winning double, seeing that the first leg, Brave Cry, was a 5 to 2 favourite for his race. Merriment IV was a 20 to 1 chance with the hooks, but his straight-out tote dividend was at the rate of 103 to 1. Last year the biggest “ daily double ” dividends were £1336 for 10s at Newbury and £995 at Kempton Park. C. Gieseler, who has been appointed private trainer to Mr J. M. Samson’s horses, has achieved a great deal of success since he set up a stable at Wingatui. As private trainer to the late Mr H. Friedlander he won the New Zealand Cup with Ardenvhor, and scored other successes of minor importance. When Mr Friedlander shifted to Auckland and sold his horses in training, Gieseler lost a New Zealand Cup winner in Royal Star. The team now going into Gieseler’s stable will supply him with plenty of opportunity to saddle up winners, and with luck he should do so to the mutual satisfaction of owner and trainer.

The Victorian Racing Club chairman, Mr L. K. S. Mackinnon. is of opinion that racing has been insufficiently reduced in Victoria, and believes a further cut would be beneficial. He says racing has degenerated from a sport to an industry, and that over-racing does not give our horses a chance of improvement. So far as Australia is concerned. Mr Mackinnon would have to go back (says “ Pilot ”) a long way to find the time it was not considered a business. In pursuit of other hobbies men are prepared to spend a fair sum of money annually without return other than the pleasure of them, but over a number of years I can recall very few who have gone in for racing on a fairly large scale without giving possible monetary gain first consideration. One reason is that Australia has comparatively few who can afford to face a probable loss of several thousands a year on racing. In England there are many who can, and do. It is on Epsom Downs that a jockey attains —if he ever does attain —the summit of his ambition. Jockeys are more fortunate than owners in this respect. There have been many wealthy and otherwise successful owners who have never , had the luck to own a Derby winner. Lord George Bentinck is an outstanding instance, and he is by no means the only one. But with a jockey the case is different. Really great" jockeys are not born every day (says the Field), and an exceptional rider is bound, sooner or later, to be given the chance of steering his mount to victory in the most famous of all horse races. Who is the greatest jockey that ever lived? There is no answer to that question. Jockeys, like orators and actors, can only be compared with their contemporaries, and even then opinions may differ as to their merits. But there are some whose fame and success have been so outstanding that there can be no question of their supreme ability. Sir Horace Marshall, stipendiary magistrate of Leeds, recently gave judgment in the case in which a Leeds bank official, Arthur Deacon Hopkinson, had been charged on a summons for illegally selling an Irish Free State lottery ticket contrary to the Lottery Act of 1823. This judgment had been deferred to await the decision of the Court of Appeal in the matter of Mr John Hore. The stipendiary stated that the decision of the Divisional Court had been upheld by the Court of Appeal. He had to confess, however, that the position in the present case was curious and anomalous. “In my opinion,” he added, “ the defendant has not done anything which could have been illegal, except for the Act of 1823, under which he is guilty of an offence, and he, therefore, must be convicted. Unfortunately by so doing I must adjudge him to be a rogue and a vagabond. In my judgment he has committed a very trivial offence, and I will impose a penalty which I think it deserves.” Hopkinson was fined one shilling, or one day’s imprisonment, and the stipendiary made no order as to costs.

The history of the English Derby contains many examples of sensational wagering. In the old days many of the leading

I sportsmen backed their horses for very large amounts, and several were credited with winning great sums by their betting operations. On the other hand, several lost heavily, notably the Marquis of Hastings and Lord Glasgow. It is stated that when Hermit won the Derby of 1865 his owner, Mr Henry Chaplin, -was enriched to the amount of £120,000, and that is held to be the greatest coup in connection | with the betting on the Derby. Sir Joseph Hawley, who furnished the winner of the Derby on four occasions with Teddington, Beadsman, Musjid, and Blue Gown, won large stakes on each, and the Scots ironmaster, Mr James Merry, also won large amounts from the bookmakers by the successes of Thormanby and Doncaster. Sir Frederick Johnstone was credited with a great win when St. Blaise beat Lord Ellesmere’s Highland Chief by a head, lhe decline of big wagering on the Derbv. it is generally held, dates from 1884. the year that St. Gatien and Harvester ran a dead-heat, and a great favourite, Queen Adelaide, went down. At one period it would have been regarded as highly questionable to expect noises tracing to the highly-strung Galopin to win honours as jumpers, and the same view was taken in regard to his great son St. Simon, who, like his sire, was of fiery temperament. However, the Galopin and St. Simon families have long since silenced the critics. Take (says “ Phaeton ”) the records in connection with the Great Northerns as an illustration. El Gallo, who won the I double on two occasions, was got by I Spalpeen, son of Gossoon and grandson of Galopin: and Waimai, who won the Great Northern Steeplechase, is also included among the progeny of Spalpeen. Dating from 1921. five winners of the Great Northern Hurdles trace to St. Simon, the quintet comprising Fisher I (by Maniapoto), Landbird (by Finland), I Wedding March (by Quin Abbey). Beau I Cavalier (by Chesterfield), and Prince Lu (by Lucullus). The Great Northern Steeplechase finds four winners tracing to St. Simon, namely. Sol (bv Soult), Beau Cavalier (bj- Chesterfield), Glendowie (by Lucu'lus), and Aurora Borealis ( by Day Comet). A correspondent of the Thoroughbred Record recently stated that, contrary to the popular notion and despite the accepted turf records, Gallant Fox is not the greatest money winner in turf history. Goldsmith Maid, probably the greatest horse ever foaled, won during her lifetime 364,200d0l (£72.840) a record of all time. Her stupendous earnings probably were only half the amount she would have won in modern racing, for this super horse raced in the ’sixties and ’seventies when prizes and purse offerings were a mere pittance compared to the lavish prices paid to-day to winners. This queen of trotters spent the first six years of her life as a farm horse, and did not start racing until eight years old. At twenty, Goldsmith Maid was still winning races, closing her brilliant career by winning several stake events at Toledo, Ohio. Inscribed on a monument over the grave of Goldsmith Maid in the Fashion Stud Farm, of Trenton, N.J., are these words: “Here lies Goldsmith Maid, Queen of Trotters for seven years. Born in Sussex County. 1857, died here September 23, 1885. Best record 2.14, made at Boston in 1874. Earned 364.200 dollars, the world’s record. Driven by Budd Doble, owned by Henry N. Smith.”