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TURF AFFAIRS IN ENGLAND JUMPING RACING IN PROGRESS NOW UNDER SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. Excellent Performances By Templedowny and Ar- chiestown — Trouble About Transporting Horses — Racing in 1917 on Lines of 1910. London, December 2L — Quite naturally matters to talk about anions turfmen, have been sparse ■IBM our restricted flat racing season came to an end with the final race of the Newmarket Houghton meeting. It is true that followers of the "lep-pers" will have the pleasure of witnessing their favorite sport at a limited number of cross country meetings, occuring now and then through the winter. Itut the great body of patrons of racing do not attend the "illegitimate" meetings and most of them, are difficult of access, owing to military exigencies and n striotions. It follows that they will be conducted with small prospect of any nota-l le profit and in some cases there is forcki owledge of a certain loss. Even so. the pressing necessity of providing employment for men and horses overshadows other considerations and the officials of the courses, where the winter form of racing is permitted, take their chances manfully, confident of better days after the enil of the war. In such of these meetings as have been dispatched there has been capital jumping and some. excellent performances have been recorded. At the Windsor meeting, which opened the National Hunt season. iHcember 1. Temple, lowney carried the steadying impost of 173 pounds to an easily achieved victory over Abakur. l.ime Bock, and nine others in the main event, the Windsor Handicap Steeplechase. Afterwards it was said that Templedowney would have a good chance in the Liverpool Grand National, if that great race should be permitted next March. It is worth noting that ninety-six horses 1 started in the six races of that day. The old American gelding Menlo. by Meddler — Mauznna. was second in one of them and did still better later on at Newbury. On the second day at Windsor. December -. the four-year-old colt Archies-town, by Sir Archibald — Craigellachie. recorded a fine feat indeed, when carrying 171! pounds he won the December Handicap Hurdle Race at Two miles, from the favorites Shaccabae. I Say and nine others He was ridden by the noted French .jockey Parfre-ment. who is now in the army. Templedowney and An hiestown are both trained in Percy Whittakers Royston Stable, which thus had the good fortune of taking the two main events of the meeting. No less than 1SS horses started in the two days of racing. The success of young horses at this meeting and at Newbury later on. was a distinct feature and future fame, as jumpers, is freely predicted for Slch as Archiestown Yankee Pro. Waterbred and some other graduates from flat racing. Humor, how well founded cannot lie said, has it that they will be afforded a wider and more profitable field of operations at Liverpool, next spring. Trouble in Getting to Tracks. One difficulty that besets English owners and trainers in these distressful days, is in the matter of transportation. The government monopolizes all railway facilities for troop and war munitions transport, so that horse cars are almost an impossibility. It was this feature that largely influenced the authorities in restricting racing to N w market and a few other easily accessible tracks while the war is in progress. Concerning this phase :n general a well known writer says in a recent publication: "Hitherto horse-boxes have been attached to passenger trains, but owing to a shortage, or, perhaps, an unequal distribution of manpower. I learned in all probability the railways will be unable to continue the practice. at all events for a time. The various companies have lost the services of many of their younger men. and until adequate arrangements are made for men of over military age to fill their places, difficulties pre bound to arise witli regard to traffic questions. Doubtless, however, the new President of the Board of Trade, Sir Albert Stanley, one of the most practical and successful railway managers in England, will in ilue course succeed in solving the manpower question as regards the railway services. In the Meanwhile, if the worst comes to the worst. owners will either have to send their hsrw I in boxes attached to merchandise trains, which will probably lead to considerable delay at times not to mention the hazards due to possible rough shunting -or revert to the old plan at walking them by road to the meetings. as WUJ done in tin days prior to the introduction of railways." Before tlio days of George Stephenson and for some time afterwards it was a common sight, to quote from "The Druid." to sec- "a slieetcd regiment of racers. with their saddle-bags on their backs and their tiny grooms at their heads, marching in Indian file on their way to a meeting." A few owners may be happy in the possession of motor-vans in which their horses can ride to the meetings instead of valkiug these, or at a pinch hitch a fitted-up furniture van on to a motor-car. Naturally it is to be trusted, if the passenger train service is not t» be used for the conveyance of horse-boxes, that tl is will be only a temporary measure, especially as in these days of petrol, walking thoroughbreds along the roads is not so simple ■ matter as it was ii the ohhn time. It is astonishing, however, how horses adapt themselves to modern conditions, and. provid d that passing motorists slow down, there is i omparatively little risk, although accidents can l.ot always be avoided." Stakes Closing As Usual. As to what may be enacted in the way of Eng lisli racing in 1917. the most that can be said i-that, at any rate, we will have ;is much and at the same courses as we did this year. Whether more will be vouchi il us or not remains in the laps of the gods. In the meantime the various racing organizations have put forth the usual stake proposals for future year*, just as if nothing out of the line of normality was impending. It must be said that owners respond nobly and many well-known events have closed with arrays of nominations, that compare well with those of the days of peace. Our Punch allies and neighbors are par-suing much the same course, with such events as the Grand Prix de Paris. Prix du Cadran anil other events of like character and importance. All of which goes to show thai when the present devastation ceases, the racing authorities will In-ready in both countries, to resume the greater events of the turf, as soon as it becomes expedient and appropriate. Tile horses composing the racing and breeding establishments of the Duke of Westminster. Mr. L. Neumann and Mr. James Buchanan, are to be sold by Messrs. Tattersall at Newmarket. January 17. Mr. Bu Kalian reserves his great colt Hurry On. Hnce many animals of great note will be offered, it is to inferred that the sale will be quite n distinguished affair. Possibly other owners ma] conclude to join in this not altogether welcome movement. Mr. C. Bower Ismay. who has been serving as a second lieutenant attached to the twelfth Lancers, is appointed first assistant superintendent in the Remount Service, with rank of captain while as employed. Mr. Ismay. who is well known on the turf, was the aw act of Craganour. which finish! d first in the si nsalional Derby of 1913. The colt was, however, disqualified, and the spoils awarded to the loo to l chance, Abeyeur. The field for the Staines Steeplechase at Hawthorn Hill December 14. was made up of Sunloch the Grand National winner of 1914, Rory OMoore mow fifteen years old, Minster Yale. Grithorpe. and Simon the Lepper. Sunloch was not in the first eight to Carrig Park at Windsor recently, and now figured as the outsider of the field. The favorite was Minster Vale, hut in a most exciting race Cundells horse was beaten a head by Sunloch.
