FIXTURES.

Jvovember 6—Birchwood Hunt. November 8, 10—Hamilton E.C. November 8, 10, 12, 15-Canterbury J.C. November 15, 17—Thames J.C. November 10—Ashhurst-Pohangina E C.

At 8 p.m. on Monday final payments are due for the New. Zealand Cup, Stewards' Handicap, Welcome Stakes, Derby, and Oaks, and acceptances for the first day of the C.J.C. Metropolitan Meeting.

Purser established a weight-carrying record in the Caulfield Cup, his 9.5 being lib better than the previous best, that of Paris in 1894. The pictures by mail show the very decidedly easy manner in which Purser won, suggesting that at least several pounds extra would not have bothered him.

The Hawk was a great disappointment in the Caulfield Cup. He was tacked down to a short price for a race of this description, and his rider, .J. Pike, waa very confident of success. The Hawk was in a handy position nearly all the way, but failed over the last three furlongs, not being in the first fourteen at the. finish. . ' The death took place at Newmarket (England), last month of Mr. Robert Rodrigo, who for many years was at the head of" a staff which supplied Newmarket gallops to various papers in England. At one period some owners who were inclined to be secretive as to their horses' private doings objected to track work being reported, and, relative to this^ the Manchester "Sporting Chronicle says: "At one time in his career he was at variance with the Jockey Club over the question of public rights of way, and before the matter was definitaly settled he erected, in one of the top rooms of his house in Newmarket an observatory equipped with a longrange telescope. Through this it was possible to obtain a view of the horses at exercise on the Heath, and quite a number of notable personages in the racing world saw the morning's work in this way." . * . Cherry Ripe made an exhibition of his opponents in both the Hunters' Hurdles and the Hunters' Flat Handicap at the Waikato Hunt Meeting, and won both by. big margins, writes "Archer." It is a long time since two such easy victories have been obtained round these parts, and it will be interesting to see Cherry Ripe tackle a better class hurdle event, He is a dashing jumper and has a gpod turn of speed. ■ . • A correspondent of the Sydney "Referee writes complaining of the "lack of supervision on Sydney courses in regard to rouch riding. He suggests that the stipendiary stewards should view the racing from a handier position than the official stand, and that the officials should be reminded that there are other things to look for in a race than non-triers Considering what we read of the stipendiary control in Sydney, it can be only: surmised what the correspondent would think if he saw some of the rodeo-races in New Zealand.

In England next year Papyrus is to be limited to 25 strictly approved foalinc mares, at a fee of 300 guineas, ° The subscriptions for the memorial in England to the late Captain G. H. Bennet, who was so prominent as a rider over the jumps, totalled £1522. ' The money has been used to endow two beds m St. Thomas' Hospital, and these will always be at the disposal of the National Hunt Trustees, free of charge. The beds are for the use of riders suffering from accidents caused either by riding in races or schooling horses. The Hororata stud-master, Mr. H. M Reeves has experienced very bad luck with his recent purchase, Esperance by Martian-Mary of Argyle. She foaled a dead filly to Kilbroney and suffered so much that.the Waikanae stud manager, Mr. T. Hsndley, v of, opinion that she, may never breed again. This was her nrst foal. Another of Mr. Reeves's recent purchases, April Folly, by AbsurdMartian Princess, has foaled a colt (her first foal) to Paladin and will visit Paper Money. v. The Associated Racing Clubs (Sydney) are advertising for a stipendiary steward at £600 a year, states the Sydney "Referee." The pity is that a few of those people who (unofficially) see so many nontriers cannot be given a trial spin in the position. It would be absurd to contend there are no non-triers, but, uninfluenced by betting, it is not improbable that some racegoers who now see "dead 'uus" in so many beaten horses they back, would possibly be forced to admit that things were scarcely as bad as they previously believed. Before leaving Sydney, Mr. G. D. Greenwood announced through the Press his appreciation ,of the spirit in which wie victories of Gloaming and his other USTm 68 ere received at Randwick, writes ht £ li was Bcarcely necessary for •Mr. Greenwood to do so. Sydney racegoers appreciate good horses. Those English and French racing men who prophesied that Epinard would not strike his best form in America were absolutely correct. Beaten" in each of *he three races specially put on for him, he had a run in an open race, the Laurel Stakes, on Saturday, 18th October. He did worse than at his previous efforts, as, though he was favourite, he only finished fourth. The winner was Wise Counsellor, who beat Epinard in the first of the series of races in America. Top Gallant, the four-year-old Swynford—Galante colt, has been bought in England for the Australian owner Mr A. P. Wade. There is no doubt Mr. Wade would have to pay a big price for this well-performed horse, but a cable to an Australian exchange states that on English values Top Gallant was the cheapest horse sold during the season in England. He is credited in "Ruff's Guide" and "Racing Up-to-Date" with covering the ten furlongs of the Newmarket Three-year-old Stakes in 2 min-. utes, the course being a perfectly, straight mile and a quarter. Early in October Top Gallant won at Newmarket with 9.11, at the time of which he was under offer to Mr. Wade. It is possible Top Gallant may race in Australia before being retired to the stud.

An exchange says that the penalty conditions of a weight-for-age hurdle race at Dieppe was responsible for an amusing position. The penalties were cumulative, and when they were worked out it was found that Jules M. Joseph's horse, Maghzen, had the steadier of 19.9. Maghzen was the winner of several races, and his owner had not studied the conditions when he nominated'him.

Discussing the Melbourne Cup after the Caulfield Meeting had been concluded, "Pilot" expressed a preference for Heroic, but the latter is now ineligible. Tho New South Wales representative, Wallace Mortlake, who is to be.ridden by_ J. Toohey at a few pounds overweight, is another that is expected to run well. He is one ■of Mr. John Brown's horses, and is considered in some quarters a "rod-in-pickjo" for the Cuj>.. Other-iiell-fangjesl wadidatea ax*

Backwood, Lilypond, Spearfelt, Standby, Polycletan, and San Antonio. Borietter and Martian Miss should do good service for Mr. W. R, Kemball at Riccarton. It will be surprising if they miss scoring at the fixture.