NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Hotspur.

Mr Max Friedlander has not bestowed a name on the Calma mare purchased by him in Victoria, and which has produced Double Event, by Boz, and Single Event, a yearling by Apremont. Both of these, who are reported to be fine youngsters, have been engaged in several classic events. The mare is by Calma from Essie by St. Albans. Boston, by Boz, followed up victory in the Trial Stakes at Wyndham on May ?lsb by easily appropriating the Two-year-old Handicap at the V.R.C. Meeting on May 25th. Boston is out of a Calma triare, so is closely related to Mr Friedlander's Double Event. Mr Gollan's grey hunter Dhurringie was sent up for - sale at Albert Gate by Mr Arthur Yates, along with other hunters, on April 23rd, and brought 80gs. This reads a good price, and it would appear colonial hunters could with profit be sent to England. ' Particulars of the Sydney Turf Club's "Meeting show that Akarini went out favourite for the Royal Stakes, and won easily in a field of sixteen. The Trenton mare, Lady Agnes, was just beaten in the Amateur Welter in endeavouring to concede 2st 31b to Vagabond. Wakawatea ,was among the runners and was prominent for five furlongs. In the Steeplechase, won by the New Zealand bred Othello,, by Emm Bey, seven of the ten starters made mistakes. One of these was Ballyhooley, who stopped at the first fence. Royal Rose, top weight, Bst 51b, and Cartridge, 6st 121b, took part in the Turf Club Handicap, but ' neither had a quotation in the betting, nor did they finish near the winner Coo-ec, who i led all the way.' Ladybird. did not start in either of the Hurdle races, Ballyhooley having the distinction of getting third in the one on the second day. The May Stakes fell to Mr Hordern's Cravat by who beat a better favourite -in San Marco. Indeed,- the good price of-10,t0.1 was on offer against Cravat. Twenty-three was the strength of the field for the Birthday Cup, the subsequent winner, The Captain, being favourite at 7to 2 against. Response's price in the market was 12 to 1. At the distance Mr O'Brien's mare, seemed to have the race in hand, but The Captain wore her down, the verdict being a head.' Ruenalf, The Trier, and Royal Rose were included in the starters. Starting favourite ihe Manton colt Combwood scored a meritorious victory in the Nursery Handicap, and the Farewell Handicap fell to Little Agnes, Wakawatea finishing last of the half dozen runners. The success" of Destiny in the Adelaide Birthday Cup was chronicled in last issue. .It appears he was not at- all fancied and returned a dividend of £19 lis. Mr Wilson's Trehtham, 7stlllb, was favourite, j Hova, despite his huge weight of lOst 31b, I being next in demand. Hova on the first day of the meeting had won the weight-for-age Parkside Stakes, for which he naturally went out in great demand. He pulled up lame and it was not until the last moment that it was decided to start him in the Cup, !in which he finished last. Besides securing 1 the Cup Mr Barr-Smith won the principal event, the City Handicap, on the first day with Mostyn, who. carried 9st 71b. The Adelaide Stakes was won by Mr D. James's Princess of Wales, by Robinson Crusoe, the same filly getting home in the .five furlongs race on the second day. Mr W. R. Wilson had a winin the Trial Stakes with Koran, who is by the English horse Hagioscope from the imported Barcaldine mare Bonnie Rosette; The mail which arrived from London last week brought news of another, the third; victory for Ebor since he landed in England. His latest success was at Ludlow on April 23rd in the County Steeplechase, a handicap of 250 soys, three miles. There were thirteen starters, Ebor with list 51b being second in point of weight to Van der Berg, list 91b, who' has been so highly thought of as to have been supported for several of ' the most important cross country events. . Ebor shared with Exodus- the-position of favourite; the starting price of each being 3to 1. Mr Gollan's horse, who was piloted by Hickey, led all the way, the co-favourite following lijm home. It seems very evident, as his jockey used to contend, that Ebor is more in place steeplechasing than hurdle racing; at all ' events when the country is not very formidable. Our future king has attained to what is ', considered the summit of a sportsman's ambition. - That there would be a scene of , wild enthusiasm on Epsom Downs on the i decision of the Derby - with Persimmon; landing the Royal colours in front, does not j require to be mentioned by cable message. Such was foretold. - Ever since -it was discovered that in Persimmon the Prince of Wales had ft edit- of classic pretensions, sport lovers at once pictured to themselves the race for the bine riband', and fondly hoped Persimmon- would prove good enough to j prevaiL And- while at one stage of his two-year-old career Persimmon appeared _nite as good as any of his contemporaries, t the back end saw St. Frusqtiin standing I well ahead of the others. The pronounced * manner, too, in which the latter won his , jpening three-year-old engagement, and , went on and added to his credit the Two < t ■

' Thousand Guineas—for whioh Persimmoi was unready to compete—pointed to hi being more than able to hold his own a Epsom. The news of the success of Per simmon was therefore doubly welcome fron its unexpectedness. It would appear, fron , the closeness of the finish, that the race wai r a severe and exciting ono, and the fact tha' \ the rider of St. Frusquin broke one of hii stirrup leathers may have accounted for th< , defeat of the favourite. In this case, however, one is prompted to remark —all's wel that ends well. Persimmon made his dtbu. in the Coventry Stakes at Ascot, in which, starting favourite, he won easily ; the Ricu- . mond Stakes at Goodwood he also annexed without any difficulty, he starting at odds on. His third and only other start as n two-year-old was in the Middle Park Plate won by St. Fiusquin, Omladina separating Persimmon from the winner. On Wednesday of last week it may be presumed was his first essay this season. The deeds of St. Frusquin have already been chronicled; his Derby overthrow Was the second occasion on which. he has tasted defeat. Earwig, who followed Persimmon and St. Frusquin home, started five times as a twoyearrold,. being victorious twice—in the Prince of Wales's Nursery Plate at Doncaster, and in the Ciearwell Stakes at Newmarket. Winnera of the Derby for the last ten years have been :— Year. Winner. , Time. 1887 Merry Hampton, by Hampton .. 2.43 1888 Ayrshire, by Hampton.. .. 2.43 1889 Donovan, by Galopin .. .. 2.449. 1890 Sainfoin, by Springfield .. 2.49* 1891 Common, by Isonomy .. .. 2.56$ 1892 Sir Hugo, by Wisdom .. .. 2.44 1893 Isinglass, by isonomy .. ~ 2.43, 1894 Ladas, by Hampton - .. ..2.45* 1895 Sir Visto, by Barcaldine .. 2.43f 1896 Persimmon, by St. Simon .. 2.42$ J. Watts has ridden Persimmon in all his engagements, and the colt assisted him to his fourth Derby success, he having previously scored on Merry Hampton, Sainfoin, and Ladas. And by the triumph of the Prince's colt the reproach against St, Simon of not having begotten a Derby winner is now removed. In fact, the.Duke of. Portland's sire may be said to have gained double first honours this time with St. Frusquin making such a close thing of it. After, success at Newmarket in the One Thousand Guineas, the Prince's filly Thais was naturally made favourite for the Oaks. Fortune, however, did not favour His Royal Highness on this occasion, Thais having to be content with second place to Canterbury Pilgrim, whose opening 1 season's record was not encouraging of ability to gaiu classic distinction, seeing that the nearest she got in four starts was third in a Nursery Handicap at Liverpool. But having secured the most valuable 'prize, as well as the One' Thousand, the Prince of Wales must be deemed to have done remarkably well this season, while there is a bright prospect of both Persimmon and Thais capturing other of their important engage- j ments. On Thursday, in their quarters on board the Wakatipu, I had a look at Mr Gollan's j horses.that are en route for England. They I all seem to be in excellent trim for the voyage, carrying' plenty of flesh without being in high condition. Mousquetaire, I. had not seen before; heis'somewhat straight.in front, hut wonderfullyrgood to follow; his round barrel and strong quarters are very suggestiv-s oi Trenton, and his head and the way it is set on also remind one of his distinguis'.ed three-parts brother. Although the younger horse has not the size of Trenton, he is a fine individual, and altogether an attractive animal. Culloden, who won the V.R.C. St. Leger, and is half-brother to Lochiel, is a nice sized brown; a shapely horse he is, too, I and seemingly an equitable tempered cus- ' tamer. Sternchaser out of training is a very d liferent animal, both in appearance and in disposition, to the racecourse performer, as he has more recently been known. He now permits of being handled without the slightest demur, and always a horse thai; stood pulling to pieces, he is much enhanced in appearance in his now fuller condition. The biggest of the quartette is Pounamu, who, if a bit plain, is ft well-formed muscular horse. Pounamu is by. Newminster from r •iater to Nordenfeldt, arid," as may be remembered, ran third to Carnage in the V.R.C. Derby. Pounamu. hei iudeed high creden* j tials as a three-year-old, and although he j and the others are ostensibly geing home for; sale for stud purposes, it is quite on the' cards that the son of Newminister, who is now to all appearance thoroughly, sound, wlil be trained to race. The horses, who were in charge of Fountain Lunn, who makes the entire voyage with them, will joined by Mr Gollan's recent purchase, Erl King, and will be sent from Melbqnrne in the direct steamer Warrigal, which is timed to leave, Port Philip on the,2oth. By going the Cape j route the trying beat of the Red Sea isj avoided. That Mr Gdllan will have the Best of luck with his shipment, will be the wish of colonial sportsmen. It is quite oh the cards that The Possible will also he sent to England after the Spring racing. j Hkbbxrt SrjaHcais defines evolution as a! change from an" indefinite; incoherent homo- j geaeity.to a definite, coherent heterogenlty ]. by various integrations ;and difterantiatio*. ; We don't know about that, hut we.are cer-' tafa about the evolution of the wonderful j new Waterbury Watch called V The { Trump." Obtainable everywhere.—(Anvx. I

» n ROUND ABOUT RICCARTON. - \ is The brickwork of che stand is nfc\i lfc completed, and the contractors, who havi -*-. been specially favoured with weather, are 31 rapidly fulfilling thoir work. 11 The old press stand, removed to over the ■ ; ls scraping sheds, has not yet been putfyto l } position. Before it is the authorities mig&i " 1 ls do well to reconsider whether it is likely to -' 16 be of service in that position. < r " With the tracks in the very best of order, ' ' I trainers have been giving tlieir charges,- ; v j plenty of work, no doubt in the expectation - *■ j that any day may bring such a change in fts- - '" j elements that perforce they will have J» ; V ■* ' remain idle. _f7. s I The change came on Saturday night, nj'. 11 j a wet Sunday caused the tracks to be clo'ld , ej on Monday. The rain, however, took upo& ' 8 j Monday, so there was but little stoppage fa' •*=- J " trainining operations. ■< v ,s Mason was down with his charges from '• Yaidhurst on Saturday and showed us some ' » of his lot galloping. •« " ' * The full brothers Uniform and Multiform ' " were worked in company, and did a little • sprinting. Curassow was sent strong Work. """ - '" and so was Bombshell. 6 On Saturday morning Magazine, who hid ' i T. Stewart in the saddle, made a reacquaint* " | ancewith hurdle jumping. He Wftsaooomfc panied in the school by Ellesmere. Magazine was a little slow at the fertees ' over which he jumped rather big, * bnt he shaped satisfactorily. Kulnine is looking and going well, and I- ' do not think there need be much fear of his standing. , _ V , v As for the other Mlddletoh hurdler, • ] Mainstay, he has shown up well in a few . 1 gallops I have seen him take part in. On , 1 sound going he will give a much - better - account of himself than he did at Dunedia. r, Jewel, the latest addition to Middletoh, -? j ' has been doing a/lot of sound exercise, _ _ When I. saw Loveshot at'the ferrjerfs f *.>] concluded he was to be, put in work again. • | I find this is a mistake, as he was being 4 shod prior to-he'ng sent to his owner's-"""" station, where he now is and will foi* some considerable time. ~ >iw ~vj Riccarton has only contributed four nomi- *_~"i nations to the New Zealand Cup. Small*M xU-j this number is, I did not look for even foorj' . and I do not think the prospective of the number. ' . ';',"= :"j/l The omission of Mr O'Brien to eniei jfif •*?] of his team is looked upon as an | that he does not meantime mediUt*'itCj' '■ return to the colony. *' ' v '? '&!!+ The Yaidhurst team were again'on l ground on Tuesday morning. t '•^lfw The plough track is being re-ploughed.l^^