SPORTING NOTES.

By Senex

I went to Middle Park on Tuesday morning to have a look at the yearlings and two-vear-Qlds that are advertised for sale on the 24th inst. _he yearling fillies from Hammock, Watersprite, and Fleuran.ce, as also the two-year-old fillies Flatter and Charming were away grazing at a farm on the Hare _ ood Road, so I did not see them, but Mr Nosworthy very kindly took mc round to view the other nine lots in the sale list. In a nice sized paddock to the south of the house were the four yearling colts from Flattery, Miss Flat, Red Rose a__l Charm, the two former by Apremont and the other two by St. George, the Charm colt being wrongly described in the cataiop-ue as by Apremont. I may premise by saying th it they appeared to have been allowed plenty of exercise and were all in very nice fettle with well-covered frames, bat not overloaded with beef, in about as useful condition in fact as a trainer could desire to start on. The Sfc. George—Charm colt, a bay with four white heels, is of fair length and average size.of the short-legged, thickset type, by no means deficient in quality and with plenty of room on his quarters for muscular development. The other St. George yearling, a chestnut colt ■from Red' Rose, "is of a very different stamp, he is tlie highest standing one ot the lot, being a bit on the leg, aiid does not look like furnishing so early as any of the others. The one I take to be the pick of the bunch is a brown colt by Apremont—Flattery, always supposing that a slight enlargement inside the near foreleg does not trouble him, aud Mr Nosworfchv assured mc it would not, and was fast disappearing. He is a powerful, large-bodied colt, with great thighs and quarters, big, well-shaped joints, and plenty of bone both before and behind. He is about as different in all points, make, shape, and colour, to his full sister Adulation as one horse could well be to another, and, moreover, he has a goodsized sensible head, nicely set on to his Ineck, and not into it, as is so often the case with the Apremonts. The Apremont—Miss Flat yearling is a round-barrelled compact little celt, one of the early furnishing sort that should be useful in early spring engagements, and his well-shaped legs look as if they would not suffer by it either. Then returning to the stables I saw. Water Baby, who is recovering from the scorching she and Isaac got in the railway box at Hornby, and although her injuries were nothing like so severe as those of tbe hurdle racer, who had to be destroyed through them, they show very plainly on her fetlocks and on the inside of the "forearm. She was Qipged also "about the head and face, but' has apparently incurred no permanent injury and should.be fit to put into work again in another month or so. Since I saw the Telltale Ally, Tit, strip afc North Canterbury in the spring she seems to have grown a little and lengthened a good deal, but she has had to battle against a severe attack of influenza and in spite of her good looks, and she is a good looking filly of her inches, she appears to disadvantage imtnetll. teJy after seeing such ,a well grown one as Water Baby. The two-year-old filly Cypriote, by S_ George—ldalia, itlengthy and of good substance, and has a nicely shaped fore-end, with exceptionally good arms and cannons. Take her all over, however, she is not a handsome filly, and is entirely unlike any of the Idalia stock that I have seen before. The ; two-year-old gelding by Apremont—Red Rose is a big one all over. He stands, I should think, fully 16 hands and is well proportioned at that, and if not fast enough for the flat, although I see no reason why he should not be, cannot fail to be valuable as a chaser, for I am informed that the Apremonts are all natural jumpers, and weight will certainly nob stop him. Total Eclipse, by St. GeorgeMrs Rawdon, has not the best shaped understandings and a depression on one side of his face does not add to his good looks. This colt will.be the sire of Ravens wing's first foal. Before leaving I had a look afc Apremont and he seemed very hearty and on particularly good terms with himself in his'fine roomy box. It was St. George's morning out in the paddock and he also looked very handsome as he trotted up at his master' 9 call to be looked afc. We learn by telegram from Wellington that Manton has left there for Australia in charge of his owner and Derrett to fulfil his Sydney engagements, which adds another to the strong team of New Zealand bred horses battling on the Australian turf this season. But whether he will add to the lengthy lisfc of laurels placed to our -island's credit is. in my humble opinion a matter of great doubt. That he is, when at his best, second to none of them, not even Carbine, is my firm belief; but to win in the cpmpany he will meet there a horse must not only be a real good one but must be in his very best form, and I very much doubt if that is the case with .Manton. He was cherry ripe in the spring, and it was his grand condition as much as his greafcnatural gallopin . powers that carried him with such unexampled success through our Metropolitan meeting. But after that he contracted a mild form of influenza and before recovery; from it was sent to Auckland and ran there some desperate races, and I believe that his exertions there when out of condition, had an effect on his "constitution, from which he has hot yet recovered. At Dunedin he ran a very moderate horse, his condition failing him in races over any distance of ground, but there was this redeeming point to be remembered with satisfaction that in the six furlong spin for the Marshall Memorial Stakes he just got home .in front, and put in at the finish some of those big strides of his, and. this was clear proof that although out of condition he was still a thoroughly sound horse so far. as his legs : were concerned. Almost immediately after the Dunedin campaign he was sent to Wanganuiand won the Derby there, but only just got home in.front of Recluse, and Derrett told mc that had the latter had the services of an experienced horseman he must have won. "After this Manton continued in work at Wanganui, until he left,. as stated above, On Saturday last, and we have since heard by telegram of his being backed for £2000 to win the Sydney. Gold Cup. While at Wanganui he was reported to have done satisfactory work, and he may perhaps be in a fair way to recover his* lost condition ; but, although very nicely treated indeed with Bst 41b in the Gold Cup, I cannot stand him at present for so long a journey, nor do I think that he will return to his best form until he has. been treated to a sufficient spell to set iip his constitution afresh. But although not fancying him for the Gold Cup, I think it quite possible that Derrett may squeeze a win out of him in some of 'the shorter events of the A. J.C. meeting. I hear that our Metropolitan clubs have been again conferencing at Napier over the totalisator trouble, but conference they never so wisely I am still of opinion that the Legislature will have to step in before the nnisance can be abated. The nominations for the Ellesmere race-. are to hind, and so far promise good sport, the six events cumbering as many as sixty-one horses, an average of ten each. The weights are due on Friday, April 12th. The worth Canterbury nominations are also to hand, and are favoured with a better average ' than the Ellesmere Club, .the six. events having seventy-two horses. In quality, also, North Canterbury scores -a point over _he southern club. ' , The Geraldine acceptances, although overdue, are not to hand at' the time of writing this, audit is'consequently with much _v__idence that I suggest, the following as likely to run .forward in the different events. The Hurdle Handicap Should t&U to Torrentra__ Fickle may not unlikely win the Novel Race. Of the thirteeniin the Autumn Handicap I prefer the chances of .Zealot and Snapshot. Sir Julius may be about at the finish of the Flying Handicap, and Zealot in the Squatters' District Race. .Ted Cutts bought from Wanganui a very promising colt by The Dauphin—Cissy, a mare imported from England by Mr William Wilsonof Wanganou

By Spectator. Garibaldi was scratched after we went to press last Thursday at 10 a.m. for the Cnristchurch Hurdle Handicap. The Porirua (Wellington) meeting is announced for May 24th. Small Change goes fast —a horse of this name has been entered for the Wairau (Marl borough) races.

Mr J. S. Gollan, the Napier sportsman, has not had much luck for some time. When his colt, Jet DEan, won the Waverly Stakes at the Napier Park meeting last week, the victory was received with groans. What can it all mean? I should have thought that the win would have been a most popular one. "Fetlock" in the Haicke's Bay Trfnqraph picked 5 out of 7 winners on the second day of the Napier Park meeting. Akatea, the Wanganui hack, ifc is reported was sold just before the Napier Park meeting for £100. There seems to be no question that Raveuswing is in foal to Total Eclipse. Those who backed Rubina when she won the Great Autumn Handicap, should remember this, as she was carrying Vandal. Believers in coincidences will note that since Bribery won, mares have had a win every four years. Bribery in 1e77, Lady Ernraa lc_l, Rubina 1835; but whether it is to be Ravenswing, Dudu, or Lady Florin iv ISSi), time will tell. Then we must not forget that the three-year-old colt Springston, who ran second in tlie Dunedin Cup last year, afterward won the Autumn, and ifc may be that Vandal will do the same this year. Now what do you make of it, my credulous readers . Peter Osbeck has been nominated at Hawkesbury, N.S. W., Autumn Meeting. The recent disqualifications of Mr R. Phillips, his trainer Winters, the N. Z. bred pony Mayflower, and the jockey Keating, for suspicious running ac Mbrdialloc, v ictoria, have been removed. I should say that Abercorn has a big show of winning the Sydney Cup. Report sfiys he was not quite cherry ripe at the V.R.C. Meeting, and has' improved since. Mr Haye's tender at 5 per cent, for working the totalisator at the Upper Wairau (Marlborough) Races has been accepted. A northern writer pirates no less than four paragraphs from the Weekly Prkss without acknowledgement. Original matter must be scarce with him. I have always held a high opinion of the Now Zealand Stud and Pedigree Company's horse Cap-a-pie as a sire, and I think it would pay them to give him a show this season. From what I have heard quite a number of his gets will be performing over sticks in the Wanganui district next season.

In another column appears an advertisement from the Wanganui Jockey Club, calling attention to the closing of nominations for the Wanganui Derby of 1891, and the Two-year-old Stakes of 1890. If owners throughout New Zealand would pay more attention to nomiuatious for stakes of this class, ifc would be to their advantage. The nomination fee in each instance is one soy., and the entries are to be in the hands of the secretary, Mr Freeman R. Jackson, on or before April 16th. The attention of breeders and recent purchasers is particularly directed to this fact.

The results of the different events decided at the meeting of the Canterbury Trotting Club, appear elsewhere, and a perusal will show that the fields were good, and some of the events closely contested, indeed afc the finishes of more than one of the contests there was as much excitment as if they had been between horses of more value going for big stakes. The harness races were most interesting to the spectators, and the last race of the day was one of the finest I have ever witnessed.

Mr F. R. Jackson, secretary to the Wanganui Jockey Club, has sent mc some programmes of the annual Winter Steeplechase Meeting, which consist of Maiden Steeplechase of 60sovs; Flying Stakes (on the flat) of oOsovs; Hack Flat Handicap of 2030v5; Wanganui Handicap Steeplechafe 200sovs; Winter Oats Handicap (on flat) lOOsovs, IJ. miles; Hack Handicap Steeplechase of 20sovs; Consolation Handicap Steeplechase of 2osovs. Nominations close April 16th. The Canterbury Trotting Club in the face of many disadvantages brought off their seventh meeting at the Agricultural and Pastoral Grounds on Friday last satisfactorily, and I am pleased to note that it was a success financially. The day chosen, Friday, was not a good one, and this, added to the threatening weather, deterred many from putting in an' appearance, and the attendance was not so large as would otherwise have been the case. Speculation was busy enough, however, and between £1400. and £1500 was put through the totalisator by Messrs Hobps and Goodwin. The Hutt (Wellington) Hack Racing Club will hold their second meeting on Spfcurday, April 13fch, on the Hutt Park course.

The amended programme of the Wellington Racing Club h-S been issued. Two hurdle races of GOsovs each: Autumn Handicap of lOOsovs; Easter Handicap of 70sovs, and minor events, making fourteen in all, complete the bill of fare. Nominations on April loth. Referring to the recent Napier Park Meeting, the local News says :—Tradespeople "are beginning to realise the fact that there is too much racing in this district altogether, and that the. multiplicity of race gatherings is ruining the place. We have heard not a few complain of being obliged to shut up one day last week when the Jockey Club's meeting took place and again to-day for the Park, and to-morrow they will be expected to observe half a day when tha second day's racing eventuates. However, this, is a grievance which they must settle between themselves, and to their own satisfaction. New Zealanders, taken as a whole seem to be a regular " horsey " crowd, and their sporting appetite must •be satisfied at all hazards. That is our experience. If there are race gatherings handy people will, go to them on the off chance of making a few notes, and if-they desire to go nothing whatever will stop them. Of course tradespeople, who conduct business on the •credit system, are undoubtedly the people who suffer, for everybody cannot win at the races, and somebody's bill must go unsettled/for an indefinite period. I do not know who tho solitary investor was who ventured_£l on Silversfcream. in the two mile Handicap Harness. Time Trot on Friday last; at the Canterbury Trotting Club's Meeting, but this I do know. Whoever it was had real bad luck not - to take out of, the totalisator the biggest ■dividend ever paid oh a trotting race in New Zealand. There was £204 in themachine, which with the per centage offwouldhave left £183 12s, and as-Silver-stream cut himself badly with one of his shoes, a few hundred yards from home, when he had this race to all appearances in hand, it may bo considered a bit of hard luck that he did not get home first. Silverstream was mentioned as likely, to win by the tipster in the Pbjess la.9t and I am sorry for his sake, as nearly all his other selections that started put backers in a bole. Picking winners of trotting race* is not the easy task some imagine. Mr E. W. Roper.and .wifo returned from their Melbourne trip last Monday. Mr Roper looks well and speaks in glowing terms of the treatment he receivedat the hands of Australian friends. Mr Dan O'Brien and wife'arrived at the Bluff on their return journey on Tuesday and came on to Christchurch yesterday. Mr O'Brien contemplates-returning to Melbourne to take up his' abode there, and report says he has already purchased a place. Australia presents a better field for racing men than New - Zealand, a condition of affairs for which the totalisator is responsible. I am afraid the totalisator advocates will soon have New Zealand racing to themselves.

Professors Hickton and Lichtwark were matched last week in Wanganui in a horse taming contest for £20 -aside and the championship of New Zealand. Mr Budge, of the firm Of Budge and Good, auctioneers of Manaia, acted on the first night for Lichtwark, and Mr W. H- Nicholson, of Waitotara, for Hickton. As . the contest occupied evenings, and Mr.Badge had to leave the town on business, Mr Thos.' Jones acted in hi 3 stead. From a local paper I take the following particulars :— "Professor" Hickton appearedflrst in the ring, and succeeded in thoroughly breaking in a horse in 37 minutes; and a second one he made perfectly docile in 17 minutes. Professor Lichtwark then tackled the work, and after some 65 minutes handling subjugated hi 3 horse. A second one "he had no trouble with whatever, managing to saddle and ride him in something like 12 minutes. Professor Lichtwark then gave some useful hints as to the manner of teaching' a horse to follow at the touch of a whip. At the close of the contest Professor Hickton gave an exhibition of rough riding, the animal he tackled being a fiery chestnut," On resuming operations on the second evening, "Professor Hickton entered the ring first, and gave an exhibition of some rough riding, in which he displayed some excellent horsemanship, sitting his animals as if ha was part and parcel of them. Professor Lichtwark then took a lively colt in hand, and soon reduced him to a thoroughly tractable animal, and received much applause for the patience and tact belbad shown. Processor Hickton then

put through two. horses, and though his method of treatment was different from that of Lichtwark, soon brought them into subiuK-*-ion. Professor Litchwaxk then tookled a black three-year-old colt which Saved apa.bit, making several attempts to jomp the fences of the enclosure, but aiter a good deal of patient handhngvthe tamed and allowed the jPrefessor to pat a halter on him, and to Sdle himas if he had hgm brokeninif or a month. The jadges, Messrs Nicholson and W. T_Jones, then conferred, and after some deliberation, the stakes championship were awarded to.Professor Lichtwark, as they considered his system of taming the more humane of the two. T can speak personally as to Professor Lichtwark's method, and I consider it fat before that adopted by Professors of recent times, as there is no cruelty in it. Last week I noticed the victory of Paddy in the Warwick. Farni (Sydney) Opening Handicap. On the second day he won the Foresters Handicap of 100 soys, carrying Ost to the end of 6 furlongs in Imm. li 4 sees. This is what mv confrere * Martmdale" save of him :-"The hero of the Warwick Farm meeting was the New Zealand horse Paddy, which won the Opening Handicap on the first, .and the gorwater Handicap on the second day. Since his Arrival from New Zealand Paddy has. dove well, inasmuch as he has started five times. O i three occasions he has been returned the winner, and in the, other two events ran well." -, G The Bundoora studmaster, Mr s. Gardiner, has sustaiued a heavy loss in the death of the colt by Suwarrow, from the New Zealand bred stud matron Lurline. The youngster was being removed with some mares from Bundoora park to another paddock, and sustained the injuries which caused his death. A correspondent of a Sydney paper writes thus anenfc a country meeting :-— "It requires a lot of energy to enter into racing with a zest when there is a knowledge that the drought is gruelling everything and everybody ; bub spoiling instincts are so strongly developed in the denizens of the west that races must take place if there is the remotest chance of bringing horses to. the post in anything like a lit condition." News has been received from Melbourne that one of the disputes on which the Victoria Club Committee are engaged concerns a Melbourne medico and a ringman. The latter laid the doctor, it is sa-, £1300 to £20 that he could not produce a 13 h 2in pony capable of ruunipg thre furlongs on the Elsternwick Park track in 41sec. After signing the conditions the doctor wished to be relieved and ask that the bet be declared oft", but the ringman declined and tau,nted him with being afraid to lose his money. The doctor then determined to proceed with the match and named a date for its decision, appointing Mr T. Garnet timekeeper, and Mr K. S. Wakely judge; but though the bookmaker was duly notified of the date aud circumstances he didn'tatfcend. The pony Vicenza was the one selected and she accomplished the task set her in The performance was testified to by the surveyor, starter, timekeeper and judge, but the bookmaker would not pay, hence the reference made to the V.C. The sporting skipper of the s.s. Alameda, Captain Morse, was the recipient on Wednesday of a purse of sovereigns as a mark of esteem he is held in by a few of the Sydney " sports " who have come in contact with him. The presentation was made on board the Alameda in a neat little speech by Mr Lawrence Foley, and over a bottle or two of "fiz " the jolly captain was wished bon-voyage.— Sydney Telegraph. A couple of Victorian ringmen left yesterday, says the Daily Telegraph, on a trip through America and England, and yet it is said " the game is played out." " Laying " must be more remunerative than " backing" horses, for even the oldest inhabitant has to ask for something easier when questioned as to when a backer was enabled to " do " the old country on what he had succeeded in annexing from the ring. Of all the horses which competed,at Warwick; Farm, the animal took my fancy most, says " Marfcindale," was Little Burnie, winner of the Nursery Handicap. He is a right good shaped 'un. He is not big; but he has plenty of power whenever it is wanted. He is bred the right way.too —by Cheviot, full brother to Sir Modred from Myrtle, by Gemma di Vergy from Countess, by Warwick from Amy Kobsart, by Calendar, &c. He is only a two-year-old ; and both in the Opening Handicap, in which he finished like a good one, and was well up, and in the Nursery Handicap, which he won, he ran very green. Under joe Cook's able tuition he will, I fancy, turn out a clinker.

Mr Hammond has placed his horses Sultan, Catamount, and Taniwha in.the, hands of W. White, the well known jockey, and they have left Mr Harry Piper's stables. News of the death of Policy, the grandam of Ahua, reached us last week. She was bred by Mr Weld in Queensland in 1862, and was therefore 27 years old. She raced very successfully in the Wanganui district and Wellington as a three and four-year-old, and was raced in Auckland and Napier by the brothers Day as far back as 1867. A 9 a sfcud matron she has been most prolific. Cornelia by Traducer (dam of Gamelia, Notice of Motion, Ahua, Omaha, Parvenu, and others), Minnefcfce, Forest King, Forest Queen (dam of The Bard, &c), Pirate, Mignonette, Maid of FJcclesfcon. In 1579 Policy was reported dead, but in 1880 she : produced Lady Artist next year Protest and then Goth and Tornado, and she has left several youngsters to other sires since, which will be heard of in due course. Her daughters Cornelia and Forest Queen are leaving good stock. Mr D. Scally, of Wanganui, writes to mc. .about a grievance he has with the Feilding, Jockey Club, and asks my opinion thereon. He says "Re the Corsair case at the Feilding. Jockey Club races on the. 27th .December '88. The particulars of the case are : — A horse called Te.Whiti ran in the Flying Handicap, a race for hacks only. He was not entitled to start, but he won. I entered a protest on the .grounds that, he had won public money and also for crossing my horse twice in front of the stewards' eyes. Now this horse Te Whifci won a selling race in Wellington, which I could not give particulars to the stewards of at the time of the meeting so I asked them to adjourn the case until I could, get evidence, which they would not do, but paid the horse the stakes that night. Now, Sir, I want you to let mc know what to do, a3 they have disqualified horse and owner for life since the meeting, vvhich shows that they were in the wrong. They have refused to pay mc the . stakes on the ground that tbe owner of Te Whiti would not refund the money paid to him. Can I compel the Feilding Club to pay mc?" If the facts are as stated by Mr Scally he has not been well treated in this matter, as it appears he made an objection before the. stakes .vera paid over. He does hot, however, state Whether the objection was in writing and the necessary deposit lodged.On this point the question.hinges. If such was. done Mr Scally should, have beenailowed reasonable time to procure evidence, and the club should have delayed paying over the stakes. If Mr Scally a objection was not properly lodged, however, _bisi -remedy is against the owner of Te Whiti, through the stewards, who, according to rule. 135 "shall not be held responsible unless they' recover the amoiint of stakes from the person disqualified." If the owner of Te Whiti is worth powder and sbofc, the stewards should endeavour to obtain, the money, more especially as it appears they acted hastify in paying over the stakes. Stewards of Racing Clubs have discretionary powers in matters of this kind, and in the interest of racing, would do well to move in cases where the least shadow of suspicion is raised. Mr Scally, if he did object in a formal manner, let the club know that the horse had raced and won public money, and it would have saved a. lot of unpleasant feeling had they withheld the stakes and made enquiries of their own account.

Bob. Derrett.it was expected, would have had the mount on Ruby in the Great Autumn Handicap, but 'his engagement with Mr Butler to ride Manton in Australia prevents thl3. At the Canterbury Trotting .Meeting last week the owner of. Kitty was brought up before the stewards, and cautioned for suspicious riding. Looking at the way this mare trotted at Heathcote when she looked like winning the two mile trot wou by Plunger, she waa expected. np better than she did at the meeting last Friday, and her form certainly looked too bad to be true. However the distance was a mile further at the Canterbury* Trotting Club's Meeting, .and it may -be that she is a nou stayer, and' not a "waifcia .". we shall see. It may be mentioned that this mare has one tote leg shorter than the other.

Mr J. Harris* Red Ensign has been scratched for all engagements at the Geraldine Racing Club's Autumn Meeting. An effort is being made in the Missouri Legislature to abolish all pool-rooms throughout the State, and put a atop ta all book-making and pool-selling. Derrett, who left Christchurch on March 28fch, met Mr Butler in Wellington oh Sunday, and has decided to go to Sydney, apad ride Manton through his autumn engagements.

Sultan, who developed a curb last week, was not long out of work, as Harry Piper crave him a dose of physic, and had him out three days after J_ie lameness first presented itself, and tbe gelding has been at exercise every day. Whether he will go to Australia is still an open question, but the chances are against such a course. To go to Australia with a horse at all queer, is a risky game to play, When such a trip is made an owner wants to have 10 to 1 the best ofj it. According to the latest private advices, backers are accepting 100 to 5 and 6 in Wanganui, about Recluse for the New Zealand Cup. m __• ... . •_ The Canterbury Trotting Club paid over on Tuesday the following amounts in connection with their late meeting :—Mr J Farrar, £42 15s; Mr D. Rodaers, £35 T>s* Air E.Ford, £23 15s; Mr J. Ferguson, £14 5s ; Mr J. Hill, £11 17a Gd ;Mr G. Warburton, £5 4s 6d; Mr A. J. Keith, £_ 15s; Mr T. Cliff, £4 15s; Mr T. Free, £2 7s 6d; Mr E. Howes, £2 7s 6d. The ordinary monthly meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club was held on Monday afternoon when the recommendation of the delegates of tho Metropolitan Clubs at the conference held at Napier were brought forward. The recommendations are as follows:—(1) Not more than one Club shall be allowed to hold meetings on any racecourse, except by special license from the Metropolitan Club. (2) That the word "at" in tho fifth line of Rule 19 be struck out and the following words inserted: " and the owner, .nominator, trainer, and jockey of any such horse from owning, nominating, trainiug or riding at or for?' (3) That the rules as amended shall come into force on August lst next. (4) That this Conference is of opinion that the Rules of Racing should ba revised, and that a meeting of delegates for that purpose be held during the next Hawke's Bay Steeplechase Meeting. Tlie Committee approved of these recommendations, but suggested that the proposed meeting of delegates should be held in Wellington during tbe next session of Parliament, when all the Metropolitan Clubs could be conveniently represented. Recommendation No. 1 is in the right direction, as it gives power to the metropolitan clubs to stop small clubs from holding meetings without special license. I sucgested lii my notes last week that our liacing Liyws would stand revising, and this seemed to be the opinion of the Conference, as indicated in recommendation 4, and it will be something achieved If clubs go so far as to carry out the.c recommendations but if what is contained in the passing of theirfour recommendations is all that was done, the meetings of delegates of our august racing institutions might well be abolished altogether. It appears that few, if auy. of tlie delegates go down with any fixed ideas of what is required to bring about an improvement. The framing of new laws, and ther improvement of our old ones, is a matter which requires the most careful consideration, and not the careless indifference which is too plainly sticking out.in the actions of some o_ the clubs, which were represented by delegates with no other instructions than to act as they might think best in the interest of racing. Let members of racing clubs give the matter the attention it deserves, gettiug information from practical racing men. Let them go to the committee meetings and discuss their experiences one with the other, and then let them send their representatives forth, prepared to make suggestions which would be of value in framing or altering our present unsatisfactory laws. The finances of the Canterbury Trotting Club improved to the extent of £35 oyer their meeting. Loch Lomond wp,s one of the most brilliant hurdle horses we ever had in New Zealand. Olga, His half sister,, has had three successful wins in hack hurdle races, in the Y/aneanui and Taranaki districts, and seems likely to turn out more than useful.

Mr Harrison Davis intends nominating hia three yearling fillies, Dreamland, Chicanery, and Burlesque, for the Wanganui Derby and Two Year Old Stakes.

Nominations for tbe South Canterbury Jockey Club Races close on April 12th. A friend who called on Mr Sherwin at .the Empire Hotel,Waimate.last week,says that that gentleman has iv hand his filly Miss Lucy, Dy St. George—Miss Fla,t, and therefore half sister to Welcome Jack, also a colt by Vasco di Gama . from Toi. Both are looking well. The racehorse Manton."was shipped for Sydney _pn Saturday in the steamer Wakatipu. Mr P. Butler, the owner, and R. Derrett, jockey, were passengers by the same steamer. The latest betting on the Sydney Cup in which Manton is epgaged, according to telegrams to hand, was 7 to 1. Two thousand pounds at that price was booked on Monday in Sydney and. he is now first favourite.

It is a great pity that the N.Z. Stud and Pedigree Company's spirited venture in shipping 80Q horses to- India last August has not proved a success. New Zealand and Australian shippers appear to have had a bad time altogether. Mr John Stevens, who Las been away since Jfuly not had a happy experience, and it will be interesting to learn how the last shipment by the Bucephalus has fared. New Zealand horse* are highly spoken of in the land of the Rajahs, and as. we. .have plenty of surplus stock, it is to bedeplored that there is no margin for profit at ruling prices. • I understand that the work of improving the gallop known as the tan gallop at Riccarton is to be proceeded with almost immediately. The outside half of the track will be _ laid down with a fair coating of tan, and several additional hands are to be employed to expedite the work. The New Brighton Club's programme was before the committee of the C.J.C. this week, but it was referred ba*_k.' to allow of some minor details being inserted. The ; Metropolitan (pliib, through their secretary, however, gave the .secretary of the N.B.C. to understand that there was an objection to so many programmes with, trotting races in, and mentioned that the Metropolitan Clubs will object to recognise these trotting fixtures. How about the Dunedin and ■Taranaki-Jockey Clubs? The former has for many years recognised trotting and ihf.de it a,feature, and thei' ; Ta_.aiiafci Club has just brought off its first event of this kind. The' Club had trotting races' last year. Verily things sporting are getting a bit mixed.

"Phaeton " in the Weekly Ns.__. has the following interesting compilation of Car-, bine's winnings :—" Looking up past records, I find, that the amount of Carbine's winnings in 'stakes has been considerably under-estimated. As a t-wo-year-old he won . for Mr O'Brien £1230, ana when racing in the same gentlemen's colours in v the spripg, be £955 to his. total y while the stakes attendant on his victories at the recent V;I_C. meeting amount to £2216. Added together therefore the total winnings, of the son of ,M,usket and Mersey up to date amount t-o £4111*. All going . welL-Wlfch Carbine he is 'sure to be a contestant at the A. J.C. Meeting next month, and with the Autumn-Stakes of fiOOsovs, ±he Cumberland Stakes of oOOsovs, and the Australian Jockey Club's Plate of 650sovs, all being run under weigh, for-age, there s. ein»every prospect of the colt taking 'ibis winning total to over £5000 before the close of the season.

Thp same writer,says :—"There cannot now be a doubt.that tho various sons, and daughters of the defunct Musket will this season agaLuplace his name at the top of the list as a winner-producing parent, for, counting in Ajrst, second, and third moneys, they have up to.date - won between them over £13*000. A reference to last season's statistics shows that the progeny of Musket won £JL2,762; while those of Chester secured £12,605. ; With several meetings yet to come off this season, Muske.s, total will, no doubt, be further considerably added, to before the curtain is rung down." When poor, little George Willjatps died (says "Phaeton ".he left a request that his gold watch should be given to Koss Heaton, who" had ever been his staunch friend. Koss has received the watch,, which is a yery valuable gold one. It was presented to "little George" by 'some admirers, and on one of tne plates is engraved, " To George Williams from a few friends. .Honesty is good policy.' Easter .Motiday, JMTelboqi-ne, 1887." The Lower Heathcote Racing Clnb have submitted, a programme of events, for the 2_th and 25th May, consisting of Queen's , Birthday Handicap of Spsovs, Flying of "30sovs, Three .Mile Saddle Trot of _osovs, Hunter's Flat of 20sovs, Two Mile Handicap Trot of* SOsovs, Selling Trot of 20so*s, and Hack Race of lOsovs. Second day, J.C. Handicap of _osovs, Welter of 30sovs, Handicap Saddle Trot of-40 eova, Maiden Trot of _oaovs, Pony Tr_»t 20sovr, Selling Trot2oaovs. The Manaia hack hurdle gelding, Rob Roy, by Parlri r is one of th& tallest I have seen race over fences, and it is questionable whetherhe has done growing yet. New Zealand bred horses doing good work, In. Australia are Miss Alice, Clogs, Too Booh, ahd Braemar. Australian Peer is to work again, and. moving welL * . . .. Slavin and Burke have met in the ring agabfcbut not the magic circle of fistlcffus. The_y h?_?e adopted a more lucrative bu&iness>**vlz., ready-money betting, and well-conducted men, there Is no reason wi»y thfty. should not succeed 4a

they belong^tt-Fusion to'wfig 1 beensoldatK a ri?fl hafc or ™°nde had go a broad * not turn oatlobe SreS at * tateme "t did that the son of Bend n! ' _ c ?I. now has been disposed of h?-i an _- , Lil y A S™* minbter for exporffinn o „ ake of Tho sum to be P 5j d i. w? UOn ? s Ayreß - -about £14,000 and .h. 7* und , epßt «w. delivered upX the end Sf n * . i* to b ° It is is curio, s coincidence I h»in*' 6 grand sire, DoncastVr »„,, _ at o™°nde0 ™°nde' 9 the duke for &{?s'&£ ■$**> after warning the Alexandra Plate inlß7.' Derby winner ot ISSO and fwL i„H' -V 8 Two thousand pounds have been taken abouD Manton, for the Sydney Cud __ odds down to 7to 1. J up » a 6

Mr B. Edward's Plunger and Mr A G Cox s Potatau have been scratched far tC Three Mile Time Trot at the Sdb, Racing Club's autumn meeting waiain « Claremont has been scratched for tha Sydney Gold Cup. inß Another sporting-law suit is on the toi, and is set clown for hearing in March is one brought by M. SurrHhSVll known .Newmarket trainer, against M.G ; _. Baud otherwise known as Mr ASla* ton, for breach of contract. The dam____ are laid at £10,000. and the dien&fS already paid into court £2750. Sir C? r£ soil leads for the plaiutiff, his junior beto_ Mr C. Matthews. Ie is said that Gu«vh__ twelve witnesses. **■■#** " Augur " says that ip consequence of tho sudden and dangerous iftneaT-'S M:_ha.l OBnen's mother the contea. placed marriage of the well known joefcov and Miss lieywood has had to be post, poned. -"*»*- Maud S. has made the fastest time in every part of a mile, as follows :—Provi dence, second quarter, 30|sec; Ghicatro middle half, lmin 2sec ; Cleveland, th.cc. quarters, lmin ; Cleveland, one mile, -tnin.Bifsec. ; American files supply the following On a bet of 500dol„ Albert Cordea rode bis sorrel gelding seventy miles inseveu hours aud thirty-five minutes, over the Parkville Farm track recently. He was given twelve hours to make the trip. Six hundred aud seventy-one (rotting stallions have made records of 2,30 and better. Fve hundred and nine of them placed them to their credit during thepusfc eight years. It is reported that Mr Moore will nob tolerate any more trots at I .ogarah, ahd that the Liverpool Turf Club have resolved on the same, owing to tho recent walkaways in this class of sport. Or, In other words, owing to the want of a gentleman who can handicap trotters. Here is a show for our owu Martin 1

The English Jockey Club has appointed C. E. Robmson the judge, to tho club, since the retireraonfc of J. F. Clark, who filled tho position with honour and credit for thirty-six years. Mr Robinson has been a deputy judge for a long time. Information has just been received of the death of tho celebrated race bourse Ossory, together with Prince 10, who died lon board the s.s. Queen from exhaustion, consequent on the severe weather experienced. Both were thrown overboard. Ossorv wa9 owned by Mr Milton Young. [It will be remembered that the Puke of Westminster's colt, Ossory, by Bend Or out of Lily Agnes, who was trained at Kingsclere, left his quarters the latter fiarfc of J{_nin*>ry in company with Prince o, by Prince Charlie but of Mystory.J--New York correspondent of the Sportsman. Latest betting on the English Derby when the mall left. Donovan 100 to 30, 6 to 1 Chltabob taken.

Frigate, the winner of the Grand National last week, was pot in the betting when the mail left England.

Mr Elston tells rather a tall story — for the truth of which, however, he vouches— as illustrative of the sagacity of his wellknown brown mare. It appears tbat the entrance to her paddock is closed by an iron bolt and nut,'but not withstanding that the latter has been tightly screwed home by a spauner, the oar has been frequently found down and the mare missing. A watch being set It was discovered that the mare deliberately and skilfully unscrewed the nut with her teeth—a feat the difficulty of which*. HI be appreciated when we state that l. takes thirteen turns on the thread of thebOlt to screw it homo, and that it cannot be Unscrewed with the fingers. — 4-WwftM* Guardian.

The Taieri Advocate, referring to th . late Dunedin Anniversary meeting, is down on trotting hard, and on Dunedin sporting writers is very rouch. " The moss remarkable race, on Saturday were the trots, and, without going into details, we .may say that,an unprejudiced observer can only form one. opinion, ?md that ia, that the Forbury course is the safest course inNew Zealand upon which to work a barefaced swindle without any fear of being tripped up by the stewards. It Is time that the public declined to be fleeced by ■ means of '" crooked " trots. If the swindles were artistically performed the public would not know they were being swindled, consequently would not grieve, bui the "roping"-is perfectly s'ppareno to all but the veriest novices, and yet no notice is taken of it. *A. things are now tho man who runs _ is horse honestly on its merits gets penalised in the Jiandicaps and .stands very little chance of winning anything, whiletheman who indulges In "in and out" running, and other dishoh-st practice.v" scoops the pool." ThO'Dunedln Jockey Club should ; either wipe out; the , trotting races t altogether or else adopt stringent regulations, that there may be at least some little fear of disqualtficatton before the eyes of rideraand owners who do not compete fairly. We may add that we, are much surprised that tberDunenin sporting scribes do not speak plainly oa this question ; by remaining -silent they are-doing the public a great injustkeaiid not properly fulfilling their functions." Writin&on tho betting over .the coming English Derby, the ._.<_!_ said: "tJW 9 ago winter books upon the Derby wire plentiful enough, and one w^uld bafO'nAd no dlfl-culty in backing a dark cpl. Up« Monte Christo. The bookmaker of Ihe present day, however, will oiler, about ball the prico forthcoming in former deed, affairs are now cut down so fine that, with a dark colt, an owner,.HM ' intends to speculate, fares better in -waiting until somewhat nearer the day. Tha limited market just novt oa the Derby mqsfc be. very trying to those who have commission-* to execute; at any rate, It would be adtfl-e_l6 matter to invest a sum like £500 on a candidate without taking • false price to finish with." .