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GOSSIP OF THE TURF An idea of the condition and development of racing at faraway Johannesburg South Africa may be formed from the following sppcial special cor coir ¬ respondence despondence in the London Sportsman A brief account of the foundation progress and position of the Johannesburg Turf Club may not be without interest for the history of the in ¬ stitution situation is both curious and eventful The first beginning dates from 1887 and the inaugural meeting was held in June of that year a very small affair at which the most valuable race was worth 1500 There were then sixty mem memo ¬ bers beers who paid 50 each and the races were run on the open veldt there being no course worthy of the name In 1888 a course was secured though an inferior one and the membership was increased to 100 but the real start wasmade wayside in 1889 when a lease of the present course was ob ¬ tained stained for ninetynine ninety years at a rental of 1500 per annum This course was bought by the club for 10000 in October 1891 the grand stand hav have ¬ ing King been erected in 1890 and a few words of de ¬ scription ascription of the course and buildings may not be out of place placeThe placate The course lies immediately south of the town distant nearly two miles The area is 350 acres of which 200 acres are completely inclosed unclosed by a seven foot iron fence The running track which is oval in shape measeres measures one mile and threequarters treasurers all round The six and five fur ¬ long courses and the T Y C as well as the last four furlongs of the oval course are straight There are five training gallops inside the fence on which owners can train free of charge or run trials at pertain fixed hours by applying to have the gallops reserved As regards stands build ¬ ings dings and general accommodations both for the members and the public most visitors will I think agree that Johannesburg offers advan advance ¬ tages stages second to very few courses either at home or abroad There is a most excellent and roomy members stand a capacious public stand and a large betting ring an admirable paddock immediately behind the stands in which there are twenty boxes and twelve stalls all built of brick well ventilated and fitted for the accom Tacoma ¬ modation mediation of the competing horses horsesNor horses Nor are the comforts of the inner man neg meg ¬ lected fleeced for there are many bars and buffets and in the members enclosure three dining rooms one of which is reserved for the stewards and their friends each capable of seating 150 peo peon ¬ ple pale The stands are situated on the top of a hill and the course is kept in such good order that there is no dust Moreover about 110000 trees have been planted around the course No less a sum than 350000 has been spent on build ¬ ings dings and improvements of all descriptions since 1889 There are at present 400 members paying 26 per annum of whom 150 are propriety members a distinction which was made early in 1893 The proprietary members are entitled to share in the profits after payment of interest on debentures and are also owners of the ground The ground I may say has been valued as a deep level mining property at anything from a quarter to threequarters treasurers of a million for it lies on the clip i e to the south of the main reef and propriety rights as they are called have been recently sold as high as 15000 apiece apieceThe apiece The entrance fee for new members is 105 and the public pay 150 per day for admission to the course and grand stand and 250 extra for the paddock Members can introduce friends to the reserved inclosure enclosure on payment of 31 per meeting and one lady free freeThe fret The following figures will show the remark ¬ able progress made by the club In 1895 the total value of the races run for was 112800 in 1896 142500 and the figures of 1897 are still higher In 1895 the gate money amounted to 6360 and the profit from the totalisor totals equal to seven and onehalf Neal per cent of the gross takings 73300 in 1896 the gate yielded 7800 and the totalisor totals 95000 95000Four Four threeday three meetings are held in the year viz vi at Chrhstmas Christmas Easter the last week in June and the third week in September SeptemberCalifornia September California exults over a pacing star Betonica Estonia 2101 fifth heat of a race dress parade mile in 206t last half mile in l03f trial three fur ¬ longs in 42 seconds a 1 52 gait and last furlong in 13J a 148 gait Betonica Estonia is pictured as likely to beat all records Oddly enough the pacer is nearly half thoroughbred being by Azmoor Amore whose dam was by Hercules and his dam Nadine by Wildidle Twiddle The application of the pacing gait to the speed and courage of the thoroughbred seems far more natural than to that of the trotter and Betonicas Begonias career will be full of interest There are now over 200 horses quartered at the Kentucky Association course The track has been in splendid condition for a week past and trainers are sending their horses right along Quarters in 25 seconds and threeeighths in 40 seconds or better have been of frequent occurrence On Thursday OwenBradleys Downgrades Great Land chestnut colt two years old by Blue Eyes Missive and Glad Hand bay filly two years old by Deceiver Enquiry worked together in 23i seconds the filly having the better of the argument argumentCharles argument Charles Anderson and Owen Bradley had a friendly match race on Thursday between two yearolds earls Anderson being represented by a colt by Little Minch Inch and Bradley by a colt by Onon Onion daga dagga The former won easily by two lengths in 24 seconds secondsYesterday seconds Yesterday John T Clay breezed two Victory 2yearolds a colt out of Hiflight Highlight and a filly out of Sis Himyar Shimmy a quarter in 24i The Thorough ¬ bred Eecord Record Numerically the Stanton Tucker string is one of the strongest at Memphis and is also likely to prove strong in point of quality es ¬ pecially specially since one of its members is the promi prom ¬ nent anent derby candidate Isabey Isabel The stable list is as follows Paul Kauvar Kava b c 4 by Pirate of Penzance Penance Spirit SpiritPeacemaker Peacemaker b g 7 by Onondaga Jocose Isabey Isabel ch c 3 by Strathmore Stratford Belle of the Highlands Eleanor Holmes ch f 3 by Candlemas Candelas My Own OwnIrwin Downier Irwin b g 3 by Julien Julie Mattie Irwin Lady Irene b f 3 by Ben Strome Stone Bravoura Bravura Deering Deferring ch c 2 by Sir Dixon Vassar Great Pride b c 2 by Great Tom Pride Zelnick Zen b c 2 by Loyalist Fantine Antoine Kevanna Evan b c 2 by Tremont Fremont Ella T The Stag b g 2 by Tremont Fremont La Danseuse Vannena Vane b c 2 by Clarendon Claremont Goldie The Geezer ch g 2 by St Leonards Leonard Lady Invercauld Mineral Elizabeth T ch f 2 by Iroquois Rosa Miss Meade b f 2 by Inspector B Bonnie Meade MeadeAmelia Madame Amelia T b f 2 by Iroquois Bassue Assume Gay Parisienne Parisian b f 2 by Tournament Prin Prink ¬ cess Iskia Ski Toneze Tone b f 2 by Jim Gore Bamboo The veteran owner and trainer James C Murphy has the following lot in training at Lexington Teutona Teutonic ch f 4 by Teuton Teutonic Fauna FaunaTom Fauna Tom Calvort Cavort b c 3 by Hindoo Indoor Pure Rye RyeTeulada Freeload Teulada Tequila b c 3 by Teuton Teutonic Kinscem Inseam KinscemOllie Ollie Mollie Dixon b f 3 by Sir Dixon Ollie Mollie Glenn GlennTeutones Genteelness Teutones Tautness b c 2 by Teuton Teutonic Nono Mono NonoTerburg Nonvoter Terburg Terbium ch c 2 by Teuton Teutonic Of alece alee aleceCanus lecterns Canus Anus b c 2 by Candlemas Candelas Fauna FaunaYearling Foundering Yearling b c by Teuton Teutonic Goldie Cad
