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LATEST NEWS OF AUSTRALASIAN TURF Additional Time Records Supplied Racing Prospers Attendance and Totalizator Figures Sydney X S W Australia August 25 A new Australasian steeplechase record was made August 10 at Canterbury Park when Cuffs won the Aus ¬ tralian Steeplechase of 8750 value and at four miles in 749 The course is a stiff one with twenty four jumps and its best previous record was the 75054 in 1910 of Ungala with 133 pounds up Cuffs under 141 pounds and ridden by P Robinson won easily by four lengths from Jack Rice 117 pounds nnd Westendale 160 pounds There were twelve starters and Cuffs was second choice at 7 to 1 with Cobram favorite at 5 to 1 Cobram finished eighth Cuffs is by Collar and virtually an English horse being foaled a few days after his dam Mnrcia by Martagon landed in Australia from England He is a big bay gelding and quite a clever general performer OVT obstacles By an examination of the records of the various Australasian racing organizations 1 am able to add to the collection of Australian and New Zealand time records contained in the American Racing Manual received some weeks ago These records are mostly among the time performances of stayers in such races as the Auckland New Zealand and Williamston Cup races Here are the new figures with the dates and courses at which the perform ¬ ances were accomplished accomplishedNew New Records at All Distances 1 mile Broadsword 120 Randwick Sydney N S W April 15 1911 13514 1 mile Hyman 111 Randwick Sydney N NS S W April 10 1909 138 1 Mile Storey ICO Randwick Sydney N S SW W March 2G 1910 138 1 mile Sleeper 103 Randwick Sydney N S W September 9 1905 139 1 38 miles Carlita 129 Williamstown Vic ¬ toria November 8 1915 218 1 38 miles Sea Prince 121 Williamstown Victoria November 10 1912 21914 1 12 miles St Spasa 105 Randwick Syd ¬ ney N S W October 5 1914 233 1 12 miles Bobrikoff 112 Randwick Syd ¬ ney N S W March 26 1910 233 2 miles Canteen 110 Christchurch New Zea ¬ land November 12 1903 327 2 miles Midnight Son 112 Christchurch ChristchurchNew New Zealand November 2 1912 327 2 miles Balboa 117 Auckland New Zealand ZealandDecember December 27 1915 327 2 miles Warstep 121 Auckland New Zea ¬ land December 26 1914 326 2 miles Sihapis 103 Christchurch New Zea ¬ land November S 1913 326 2 miles Depredation 103 Auckland New NewZealand Zealand December 26 1916 327 327Two Two new steeplechase records should be added to tothe the list one of some age and the second the new newmark mark of Cuffs 1 miles Steeplechase over 24 jumps Cuffs 141 Canterbury Park N S W August 10 1918 749 2 miles Steeplechase Rayon dOr 156 Caul field Melbourne Victoria August 8 1914 346 346AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN RACING PROSPERS PROSPERSIt It was anticipated that the war would play havoc with racecourse attendances and betting in Aus ¬ tralia but though during the first year there was a falling off in both respects there lias since been a marked upward tendency especially during the last twelve months In Sydney race meetings are being better patronized than at any previous tmc and at the suburban registered fixtures the increased speculation has astonished bookmakers who have been betting here for years In the capitals of other states racegoers were never speculating with greater fredom and totalizator investments have been particularly heavy in New Zealand during the past year yearNor Nor do we stand alone in this respect It is the same in Indian and South Africa In the latter country for instance the Durban Turf Club had a totalizator turnover of 565850 for its three days meeting in Inly This was a record1 for the club at whose meetings the bookmakers also operate A lot of money was crowded out of the totalizator which is somewhat out of date The principal dividends for 5 during the three days were 187 163 116 135 and 215 the latter being on iiie place for a third horse horseDurban Durban it is scarcely necessary for me to write is a small city and the bookmakers operating are few It is mentioned that only twenty five were betting in the main enclosure and twelve in the other but as the fees they paid to the club for the three days totalled over 10000 it will be gleaned that in Durban bookmakers do not get betting privi ¬ leges for nothing nothingRANDWICK RANDWICK S RACING RECEIPTS RECEIPTSAs As showing how keen is the interest now displayed in the racing it may be mentioned that admission money at the Sydney Randwick course was never greater than for the recent season the amount re ¬ ceived being over 477000 which exceeded that for 191617 by over 11500 and was an advance of about 2200 on the previous record that of 191314 As It will be of interest I append the admission money received for each of the past eight seasons seasonsYear Year Receipts Year Receipts 190910 202431 191314 475604 191011 317650 191516 419SS2 191112 416559 191617 381315 191213 423072 191718 497014 497014Money Money for racing is particularly plentiful just now some of our bookmakers stating that specula ¬ tion at Sydney registered meetings is much heavier than prior to the commencement of the war This especially applies ta cash investments and at War ¬ wick the volume of this class of business done by some of the layers was astonishing Totalizator opposition is certainly not giving bookmakers who operate in the paddock at Sydney meetings any cause for concern concernThe The contributions of the Australian Jockey Club to patriotic funds since the commencement of the war had totalled about 500 short of 400000 and if the committee had noted the nearness of the round figures in time it would have been made up Last year the clubs profit of 163730 omitting the totalizator revenue was donated to patriotic funds and a resolution to the effect that tills years net profits should be similarly treated was unanimously carried carriedNEW NEW ZEALANDS WINNING OWNERS OWNERSOf Of the winning owners in New Zealand T H Lowry the owner of Desert Gold once again heads the list with 51600 apart from Australian win ¬ nings which are 10000 more This falls a long way short of his total of two years ago namely 88600 but it must be remembered Mr Lpwry would undoubtedly have brought his total higher had he raced Desert Gold in Australia throughout the season Also it must not be overlooked that during the last season racing in New Zealand had been reduced by a third as compared with the season when Mr Lowry put up his l est record Next to Mr Lpwry comes Riddiford Bros who gathered 29395 in stakes which was largely accounted for by Menelaus and Johnny Walker who ran first and second in the New Zealand Cup Next in order comes W It Kemball with 25075 This sports ¬ man only entered this list during the season now closed His best winners were Hymestra 12625 Nanna 7200 Gladful 2825 and Snub 2000 2000At At least one prominent New Zealand jockey is lin likley to do any more riding in flat races on his return from the war That is A Oliver who at latest advices from France weighed 154 pounds As a result of being able to give their appetites a little play many jockeys quickly run to weight after giving up riding In Sydney a few years ago Christmas dinner used to be a deferred feast in the house of one wellknown jockey As he invari ¬ ably had a mount in the December Stakes at Rand ¬ wick on Boxing Day and consequently had to go to scale at 122 pounds or less he generally spent a good portion of Christmas day in a sweat box in his oyn home and for fear the smell of cooking might prove too strong1 a temntation he saw to it that no appetizing odors should tantalize him When a few days later all danger was past that postponed Christmas dinner was duly eaten and enjoyed On retirement from riding the jockey referred to was not long in traveling up towards the 180 pound mark Kangaroo
