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GOSSIP OF THE TURF. Fred Taral Is back from Austria, where he has had a good season, heading- the winning jockeys with 101 mounts in 3G5, nearly equaling his old best record here, and has i many good words to say of Austrian sport. He says: "The jockeys have to be heavy and strong to keep their mounts together over the turf tracks. The horses are much larger and heavier than American horses. A lightweight boy has very little chance, and I doubt if the best lightweight in America could win in Austria. The starting is wonderful in its perfection. The horses walk up in perfect line, and if a boy goes out of line he is set down. If it is afterward found that it was the fault of the horse, then the trainer catches it. There is scarcely a chance of a horse being at fault, for the trainers spend more time schooling than in any other training. A man will take the most valuable horses in his stable and school them for hours, and the consequence is that they form a perfect line for every start. There is one thing I like in that country, there are only four days racing each week. They race on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and on the other afternoons we can do what we like, so long as we stay in good company; but let a jockey once be seen in a questionable resort, and everything is off with him. They keep a strict eye on both the jockeys and trainers, and it is a good thing, too." Of course, he is "glad to get back!" it would be sudden death to him if that was not italicized! "William Gerst, the Nashville brewer-turfman, owner of Brancas, Fore and Aft and other fast horses, has decided to race a stable at the coming winter meeting at New Orleans, which will be the initial appearance of this turfmans colors at the Crescent City track; or, for that matter: the first time they have ever been in competition during the cold months. The string, numbering about fifteen head, will be shipped in charge of trainer George Ham. Among the collection are several very shifty two-year-olds and four yearlings. In the former lot are Tal-houet, Town Moor, Launay and Port Warden. Talhouet, winner of the Avondale Stakes at Nashville in the spring, is counted the best in the string. He will .be especially prepared for the Crescent City Derby, and Mr. Gerst hopes to finish his campaign at New Orleans with a Derby victory to his credit. The yearlings, which have already been broken and tried, are promising. Each has turned a quarter as good as 0:24.
