Change of Stables For Indolent

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 596, 23 February 1929, Page 10

Change of Stables For Indolent

CROWN ARCH’S SUCCESS TEA TIME ON THE TRACK (Special to THE SUN) TE AROHA, Friday. A big offer was made the other day for the Lucullus horse, Maori Boy, on behalf of an Auckland sportsman, but Mr. T. Davison expressed no desire to sell. In the meantime the horse remains in the same ownership. Ruffles was spiritedly backed for his engagements here at the recent meetj ing, but again failed to materialise. For some time his track work has not been convincing. He is speedy for a few furlongs, but fails to finish on strongly. However, he may improve sufficiently to win a race within the next few weeks. Tea Time was sent to the post for the Waihou Handicap in tip-top condition. Fie was unfortunate in being in the mishap that befel Jolly Money.

and for a couple of days after was decidedly sore. He has now resumed track work and looks none the worse for his fall. It is feared that it may be a considerable time before Glen idle will be able to race again, as he broke down badly while running in the Manawaru Hurdles. Flis owner, Mr. J. Hanks, is keeping Thanks and Flitter in commission. The latter ran well enough at Te- Aroha to give hopes that she may run prominently before the season has much further advanced. Smart Sprinter Back Marble King has again commenced track work. He looks more solid in condition than previously, and has certainly quietened down very satisfactorily. 1-Ie is being privately trained by his owner, Mr. A. j. Monds. Trainer G. A. Reid intends taking Glenstar and Lucy Rose to Bulls to race at the Rangitikei meeting. Both have been eased off in their work for a few days. Lucy Rose ran well in the Champion Hack Cup, considering her welter weight, and the best has not yet been seen of Glenstar. The Te Aroha Jockey Club will show a good profit over its meeting. It is expected that it will not be long before a further portion of the proposed new course will be put in hand. Indolent got away slowly in the Elstow Handicap, but finished very fast and ran third. If he had been ridden by the stable horseman and got away on even terms he might have won. However, luck was not with the General Latour gelding on this occasion. Indolent has been transferred to R. A. Edwards’s stable at Frankton. The latter mentor is fortunate in getting a horse just about ready to win. Not Hurt by Escapade

On the Thursday previous to the Te Aroha meeting Crown Arch got away from his stable and galloped off to his owner’s farm at Waihou, some miles away. By the time he was brought home he was unmistakably lame, and

or a time he was considered a likel;. non-starter. On Friday evening an improvement set in and on Saturday he won the Waitoa Handicap in good style.

Mr. W. Lockver’s Hunga.hunga has joined M. L. Lipsey’s stable, and has commenced his track work. This horse is a good jumper and will probably join the ranks of the hurdlers. C. Mallowes is effecting improvement in the two-year-old filly by General Latour from Lady Luck, which is shaping up very satisfactorily. Lady Luck was trained here about four years ago by FI. Eva, when she showed plenty of speed. Track work on Thursday morning was not of a fast nature, as many of the horses were physicked after the Te Aroha meeting. Marble King went a round in good style, and Sir Russell was allotted half-pace work over six furlongs. Every Day gaV—twice round on the plough. The Marble Arch gelding and Hungahunga each traversed a round freely, and Tea Time moved soundly over five furlongs. Love Call and William of Orange slipped over five furlongs nicely. A. E. Cox’s charges were merely given walking exercise.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY ENDEAVOURED TO BEAT THE BAND

Mention of Machine Gun reminds me of an amusing episode which happened when the New Zealander, in charge of D. J. Price, was located at the Royal Flotel, Lower Rand wick, during an A.J.C. spring meeting, says a writer in the “Australasian.”

Now, like many other racehorses, Machine Gun detested music, and on this occasion he had a stable companion of similar antipathies in Medallist, a horse trained by “Bill” Gerrard. Consequently, when an itinerant German band made its appearance in front of the hotel one day, Price and Gerrard were greatly perturbed to find their horses prancing around their loose-boxes in great excitement. Rising to the occasion, Gerrard, with solemn mien and a catch in his voice that would have softened the heart of Hindenburg, informed the bandmaster that he had been requested by the landlady to ask the musicians to refrain from playing in the vicinity of the hotel that day us a dear friend of hers was lying inside dead. Much Concerned

The tender-hearted bandsmen were greatly concerned at the sad news, and Gerrard had hard work to prevent him rushing into the hotel to personally condole with the lundlady.

As the bandsmen were moving off curious neighbours asked them why they had so suddenly discontinued playing and. of course, were greatly astonished on hearing the reason. But not half as surprised as the landlady when later in the day a continuous stream of acquaintances called to offer condolences and learn the identity of the dead friend. By some means the bandsmen discovered they had been “spoofed,” and when they paid the hotel a visit several days later the “brasses” blew their loudest and the man with the big drum banged away as if it were Gerrard’s head he was hammering. Machine Gun and Medallist were excitedly walking around their boxes in lathers of sweat, so, making the best of a bad job, Gerrard and Price offered the bandsmen 10s to “cry quits” and close tho performance, an offer they accepted rather ungraciously.

CONSERVATIVE RULE I

EFFECT OF OWNER’S DEATH FAR-REACHING DECISION SUING FOR UNPAID FORFEITS Perhaps the obsolete English rule that lays down that a nomination for a classic such as the Derby or any other race is void upon the death of the owner will be altered now. Court proceedings have shown that forfeits, which go to make up the major portion of the prize for such great events, are recoverable at law. It was the main reason for the existence of the rule that racing authorities believed they could not recover forfeits, and therefore considered it better that a horse should drop out of a race rather than run for it in the interests of

a new owner, upon whom racing rules might not be binding. Looked at from any angle, it was queer logic. In fact, there was nobody who could ever give a sound and lucid reason why engagements should become void upon the death of an owner. Those in authority, with customary English conservative reticence on such things, refused to discuss the rule.

What their fathers had drawn up was no doubt good enough for them, be it unfair, obsolete or even ridiculous. And so the rule remained for over a hundred years. Good Old Conservatism

It might still remain, although the supposed reason for its presence in the rule book lias disappeared. Of such is the conservatism of good old England. But it does seem absurd that on some occasion the best three-year-old of liis year might not be able to run in his Derby and win it, simply because of the death, since his nomination, of the man who originally owned him. It could easily upset all form values of such races. It could cause a huge stir in betting, too, or in those other immense gambling affairs such as the Stock Exchange or Calcutta sweeps, worth £IOO 000 each to the drawer of the winner. Imagine someone holding the ticket on a horse who was a big Derby certainty, only to find, a few days before the race, that his owner had died, and the entry was void and he couldn’t run. Yet that is possible, and two years

ago almost happened. Granted a Respite

Mr. Frank Curzon, owner of Call Boy, was almost at death’s door a week before the Derby race. Fortunes representing half a million were at stake, and newspapers speculated upon his owner’s chance of living, until the day of the race, so that the colt would not automatically have to be scratched.

He did live. In fact, the excitement of owning a colt with a strong chance buoyed him up to such an extent that he rose from his bed to see the race.

But the reaction killed him. He died less than a fortnight after the Derby.

Upon Curzon’s death all Call Boy’s subsequent classic engagements, such as the St. Leger and Ascot Gold Cup, became void, and he could not run in them.

The famous detective-novelist Edgar Wallace is responsible for the prospect of the English Jockey Club altering this absurd rule, so that a Derby horse can pass into fresh hands, and still run for the race if the owner

who nominated him dies. He was involved in an action at law, the result of which proves that racing forfeits are recoverable. A big principle is involved. In other words, racing has a standing at law that it was not thought to possess previously. A Try-Out

“I’ve got a big action coming on that will revolutionise the., whole racing world,” Edgar Wallace told a newspaper representative some six months ago, when he was preparing the ground to bring this matter to law.

He entered a. horse named Master Michael for two races, did not run, and subsequently refused to pay the forfeits.

They amounted to £4 in all. And Mr. Wallace did it, not because he couldn’t afford it, but to test the matter at law. He is a millionaire, whose novel writing alone brings him in £I,OOO a week.

A friendly action was instituted by the English Jockey Club, suing for the recovery of the £4. It lost the case. A newspaper representative congratulated Mr. Wallace with some irony upon his winning the case. He had escaped paying the £4. But he was a disappointed litigant. “All my trouble has been in vain,” he said. He wanted the Jockey Club to win, so that at law English racing authority would be set upon a sound basis. “But never mind,” he added. "There will be an appeal, and I’ll carry the case through the courts as far as it. will go.” Decision Upset

The appeal court upset the previious decision, ruling that the matter of the forfeits did not constitute a chance or gambling transaction, but a sound contract which the law could enforce. Consequently judges ruled that Mr. Wallace had to pa.y the £4. His previous disappointment turned to great joy.

At law he had- set the Turf and all its transactions upon a footing of soundness that cannot be questioned in future. This does not. of course, involve betting, but the actual contracts of racing such as entries, acceptance fees, and liabilities for other moneys that become due when an owner or any other responsible person makes a contract and fails to meet the obligation.

Whether the Jockey Club will now follow up the discovery by deleting the obsolete law voiding entries on the death of an owner remains to be seen, but it is believed that there are revolutionary agencies at work which will enforce it.

The result of the case will have some iffect in other countries, too.

There is no law such as in England voiding entries upon death. But hitherto clubs had not sued for unpaid forfeits, believing that they could not be recovered.