THE TURF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2428, 17 February 1909, Page 2

THE TURF.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Bally Heigli, who has run with such success at the Gisborne and Poverty Bay Summer meetings,. is a •three-year-old"“'son of Hotchkiss and •Crescent ,and he thus ranks as a full brother to Starslioot. At the- sale of vhe Wellington Park stud in 1905, Crescent arid her Hotchkiss foal (Bally- Heigh) was knocked down at •150 guineas to Mr C. J. Parker. Mr Parker was offered £750 for him at the Gisborne meeting, but lie stated that nothing less than £IOOO would buv the son of Hotchkiss. Borne idea of the magnitude of the •English bloodstock sales may be gathered from- the fact that at Newmarket in December in the course of •five days no fewer than 586 lots were sold under the hammer' for 125,119 guineas, the average per lot being 211 guineas. Financially -Ibe British turf was never in a sounder condition (says an English writer), and during the season some half a million pounds havebeen won in stakes alone, jnaldng a grand total for the past 27 years of over 13 million sterling. In addition to this mammoth sum, it has been computed by a well-known authority that upwards of seven millions sterling is spent annually on the upkeep of the turf (wages, training expenses, etc.). Te Arai, winner of three hurdle races at the Gisborne and Poverty Bay summer meetings, stands over 16 hands. Hickey has him very •well, and be is probably, fit to win in any company. Me ought (says a \\ ellington writer) to make a fine ’chaser when the winter season comes round. The fact that the American jockey Maher, who rides with a short stirrup on the flat, adopted a long stirrup in ■his first essay over fences gave rise to some discussion in the English papers regarding old methods and new. Mr S. H. Gollan, writing to the Eondon “Sportsman” on the subject, says that ho and Hickey, when riding over big country in New Zealand, used to employ a stirrup and hold of the reins that gave them a seat about half-way between the American, position and the old English “tongs-on-a-wali” seat. This method he still thinks gives a maximum of power combined with delicacy in controlling the stride and leap of a ’chaser. It appears, however, that when Hickey first- went to the Old Country lie adopted the same, style as the English jockeys, so as not to appear peculiar when riding in a race. I heard (says an English scribe) a very funny monologue recently which described how a celebrity in horseflesh, having come down in the world, and being employed as a “tug” on a canal, ran away -with the barge. He was not stopped until the bargee’s wife —weight eighteen stone —revived a circus turn she had done in her youth, and, taking an oar as a balancing polo, sallied out along the tow-rope and finished the mad career of the ex-Derby animal by plumping herself in the hollow of his back. J think I have told you about riding in a cab behind the horse which ran fifth for a Grand Prix. Artists have always been very fond of depicting horses starting off on a mad gallop when they heard the old battle cry. Of course, while the after-careers of some horses which have been raced may have been derogatory to the dignity of certain animals, others, have had a rare good time, especially if becoming park hacks or driven in a buggy. It is told (says “Sir Mod red” in the Southland “Times”) that Abusive, a Stepniak horse at one _ time thought something of in Dunedin, was. partly disposed of the other evening at Arrowtown in a unique- manner. llis two owners and several friends were talking over racing matters generally, as sportsmen will, when the senior partner offered his share in the animal under notice to the- junior shareholder, conditional on the latter treating the circlo to refreshments. This sporting offer was immediately accepted and at a cost of four and sixpence Abusive became the sole property of his previous part proprietor. The horse has days of usefulness in store and it would not be surprising to find him winning in his turn at a future date.

The Derby and Oaks were won by an Italian, the Two Thousand Guineas by a Yankee, the One Thousands Guineas by an Irish-American, the Ascot Cup by an Irishman, whilst the St. Leger, Eclipse. Stakes, Jockey Club Stakes, City and Suburban, Liverpool Cup, Stewards’ Cup, and Goodwood and Doncaster Cups were borne off by sons of the ancient race. AYc have, an idea that if we went far enough back we should find a strain of French bipod in Lady de Bathe, who won the Ccsarewitch, and if me ever saw a “broth of a boy” it is Air George Edwardes, who won tho Liverpool Autumn Cup. A Scotchman, too, Lore away the Great Yorkshire Handicap. —“Sporting Times.”