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Here and There on the Turf Steeplechase Stakes. I An Unaccountable Condition. W. A. Reads Plans. English Riders Coming. It is a little difficult to understand why the steeplechase stakes of the Queens County Jockey Club, which closed recently, showed a decrease from last years figures in number of nominations. The international steeplechase subscription arrivals of last fal and a number of individual importations of made jumpers might naturally have been expected to bring about a sharp increase in entries for these events. Another factor in the situation which might have been expected to assist in swelling the entries is the increasing number of good flat racers which have been turned to jumping. Just what caused this disappointing showing so far as the Aqueduct jumping fixtures are concerned must remain something of a mystery. The Winfield Steeplechase, which attracted sixty-four entries in 1923, has only fifty-two for 1924. The Glendale Steeplechase shows a decrease from fifty-three in 1923 to forty-six for 1924. The Bayside Steeplechase, a claiming race, is the only one that shows an increase. This race jumps from forty-two entries in 1923 to forty-six in 1924. In spite of the fact that these steeplechase stakes did not attract as many entries as might have been hoped, the coming racing season should bring a decided improvement in the cross-country sport in this country. One encouraging bit of news in this regard is the announcement of W. A. Read that he is bringing two of the best English crosscountry riders over here to ride his horses during the campaign. There has been a decided dearth of good steeplechase jockeys in the United States for a number of years. The opportunities for a cross-country rider have not been sufficiently numerous to attract any great number of youngsters to that branch of sport and the older riders over the jumps have been forced into retirement one by one. Mr. Read plans to add other expert foreign riders to his stables jockey roster before long, F. C. Espin and A. Escott, the two which lu has already signed, will leave England early hi April for this country and will have a cliance to become acclimated before the jumping sea son here begins. Mr. Reads announced plans for a training center in England may serve as an example foi othsr importers of steeplechase horses. Thi: owner has acquired a tract in England or which he will construct a steeplechase coursi modelled after the American cross-country courses. This is for the purpose of schooling made jumpers which he acquires abroad befon shipping them to this country. English and French steeplechase courses an quite different in many ways from those uset in this country. A horse accumstomed U English hurdle and steeplechase courses wil find some difficulty in becoming accustomet those of this country. Much time anc labor will be saved by Mr. Reads plan, as the horses schooled at his English training ground will have much less to learn and unlearn after arrival in the United States. Mr. Reads first season of campaigning in this country was successful. With his comparatively small string of imported jumpers trained by Major Frank W. White, he won a number of races and succeeded in selling several of his horses for good prices to American owners. A number of other jumpers will be brought over to carry his colors through the field in this country during the coming meetings. I 9 What Mr. Read has done in the steeplechase 1 field might serve as an example for English owners of flat race horses. There are great i opportunities in this country for flat racers of . good class, and some of the larger English : and French stables might find it extremely i profitable to send divisions of their strings to : the United States each year to campaign. If a stable of foreign steeplechasers can be brought here and campaigned with profit in spite of the comparative dearth of opportuni-; tics offered cross-country horses here a staV.e r of foreign flat racers with so many more 3 chances should meet with even greater success.
