SPORTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9544, 16 July 1909, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACINGAustralian Jockeys. Under the above heading the "Australasian" has a leading article, from which the following ex* cerpt is made:—"ln England a few years ago jockeys made very large incomes, principally through owners iof the millionaire class being prepared to give them tremendous retaining fees. A rider of consequence still commands a large fee, bu i we do not hear of the heavy retainers of the late 'lid's. In Australia the profession is not so profitable as in the Old Country, and going by statistics there is more risk of accident. Why, as regards the act, should accidents be more common in Austral:* than in older countries? Does it mean incompetency or reckless riding on the part of our jokeys? The crosscountry rider certainly has not much to look forward to in Australia._ In most cases he only makes a living, and stands every chance of meeting with a fatal accident. For a closing mount over fences he gets £3 when the stake is not £IOO, and £5 when the stake is worth more than £2OO aud less than £3OO. When the stake exceeds £3OO he gets £lO. These seem fair fees, but there is only a few ot the £IOO races, and the cross-country jockey gets very little for schooling horses three or four times a week in the jumping season. Probably the men who rode for the Ballarat stables in the 80's did well. The stables with which they were connected monopolised - the most important races for a time. In the days of J. Corrigan, James Scobie, A. Ferguson, and one or two others, the Ballarat racing folks were all friends, and jockeys i were allowed to bet. When T. Wilson, R. Howie, or A. Taylor, as the case might be, had a good thing, all Ballarat was welcome to be on it at the finish. And these good things were backed by their riders. Probably J. Corrigan did not do much good in he end. He kept on backing them after Ballarat was on the decline. James Scobie was more prudent. He had £I,OOO on his own mount, Blue Mountain, for the first hurdle race that horse won at Flemington, but gave up that kind of betting long since. He also gave up riding at the right time. Corrigan, Mooney, Burke, , and J. Barbour all stuck, to it until they were killed. It is a fascinating pursuit, no doubt. Very few men like to relinquish riding over fences, but, as far as money making is concerned, it is not a very remunerative profession, and you never know when 1 you are going to be sent to the hospital. With steeplechasing as it is ' now, a jockey must go all the way, and let the horse get over the fences . as best he can. There is not the scope for skill there was when fences were higner, and judgment could be shown in riding. Rising Two-Year-Olds at Elierslie. It now only requires some 15 days to run their course ere the equine birthday is once again reached on August Ist; and in the following month the first two-year-old race of the season is fixed to rake place at Avondale. At the present stage it is interesting to survey the situation bearing on the two-year-uld division. Totting up the list of youngsters in training in the various stables at Elierslie, it is found that 30 are distributed over 14 stables, and that must be deemed to furnish a satisfactory picture. Frank McMauemin is once again found with the strongest hand, a quintette of juveniles being located in his establishment. The following i 3 a list of the youngsters in training at rJllersiie: F. McManemin Colt, by Gljtan-Gol.l Web. Gelding, by Obligaclo-Tourna-ment. Colt, by Monoform-Latona. Filly, by Spalpeen-Waimangu. Colt, by Sou It-Lady B F. HillFilly, by Soult-Miss Annie. Gelding, bv Obhgado-Gweniad. Gelding, by Obligado—Kiteroa. F. Stenning— Gelding, by Gluten—Catchfly. Coltl by Oblteadu-Peucp. ! Colt, by W.ainki-Miss Drury. K. Heaton — Filly, by Eton-The Dell. Filly, by Wairiki— Fishfag. Filly, by Seaton Delaval Bother. , A. Robertson — Filly, by Soult— Winsome. Filly, by Gluten—Avalanche. Filly by Soult—Princess Alice. W. Tozer—Filly, by Seaton Delaval— - Jewellery. Filly, by Seaton Djlaval-The Slave. Filly, by Seaton Delaval—Gladys Soult. D. Morraghan— Colt, by Soult—Gladys May. Colt, by Soul t—Komaol. W. GallColt, by Salvadan—Solitary. Filly, by Soult—Golden Sand. J. B. Williamson— i Filly, by Soult—Vexation. S. Hode— Filly, by Scult-AMnga. H. GibbFilly by Obligado—Cyeusatt. E. StewartGelding, by Seaton Delaval— Cocoa. D. Bannatyne Filly, by Monoform—Antelope. ' Cunningham— ' Filly, by Soult—Postmistess. Remembering the Breeder. With admirable courage the committee of the Wellington Racing Club have decided on an increase of . 10 per cent, prize money tD weight- i for-age events nominatons for which have already closed, which addition ] amounts to £250, and which will be / disposed of as follows:—Seventy-five i per cent, to go to t .e breeder of the j winner if bred in New Zealand, and i 25 per cent, to be distributed to | certain A. and P Shows to supple- i merit prizes for events calculated to encourage the breeding of horses, such events not to be confined to thoroughbreds. The breeding of blood stock, it can truly be said is made up of many disappointments, and that the breeder does not always receive a commensurate return h a fact that has many times to be recorded. That a breeder should participate in a eubtsantial manner when a horse he has bred wins a classic race has long since been recognised in many placos outside New Zealand, ) and ibe action of the Wellington

Kacing Club is to be warmly commended, says a writer in an Auckland paper. There is, however, just a little thing about this new departure that I should like to see expunged, and that is the words, "if bred in New Zealand." Of course, if people wish to be parochial in spirit the condition must be accounted to entirely fill the bill. In sporting matters, however, the broad-minded view is the thing to be cultivated, and in that connection I would just draw the attention of the W.R.C. authorities to the interesting fact that the Australian Jockey Club have not tacked on "if bred in Australia" to the conditions governing the Derby of 1910, and which provides for the payment of £250 to the breeder of the winner of that race. The relating of this little fact may, perhaps, cause the committee of the Wellington Racing Club to strike out the words which give a narrow reading, where we can well afford to be broad. Let the glorious fact never be forgotten that New Zealand bred Carbine. That should be some sort of encouragement to keep the door wide open.