SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. December 27 and Janunry I and 3—Auckland .Summer -Meeting. December 27—Thaniec ,Jockey t.'lnb Races. December 27 —Mangewai Itaces. January 1!) and 2o- Hawses' ISav liacing Club's Summer .Meeting. January :i anil 4—Mercury liay Annual .Meeting. January 12 anil I'J Cambridge Jockey Club Summer Meeting. January 2S and 2!i -Taunnga Jockev Club Races. January 1 -V.lt.C. .Meeting. January 211- I'apakura Annual Maces. February :i anil 4 —Wellington Annual Races. February 21, 2"., and 2(1 Dunedin .1.0. Summer Meeting March 2 and :i -North Auckland District Races. March 17 and 13- llaukcs' Day Jockey Club Knees. AI-STI'.AI.I A. December 27—A.J.c. Summer Meeting. ArcKI.AXli KACIM. fl.l-lis jikktixi; : Friday, January 7. lssl -Nominations for Derby, lssisa, and Mare's Produce Stakes, ISSI. TO COt'XTItY ItACI.NC CM"US. I Secretaries of country racing clubs would confer a great favour bv forwarding a correct return of their races- also, an'early intimation of dates of nominations, weights, acceptances, and all other matters which may assist their sports, such communications to lie addressed to the Sporting Kditor of the Wkkki.v N'KWs. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Wit. writes :-" What horse won the A.K.C Handicap on New Year's I lav. ISSO, and did Ariel get a place?" Won by Lara. ' Ariel did not place himself. "

NOTES 15V I'ILETON.

| Monday next will usher in the first day's racing of the Auckland Racing Club's Summer meeting, and it may not prove uninteresting to go through the list of holies engaged in the Cup once more. I shall commence by kuocking out those who I think have no chance in the race. They are : — Vampire, Rewi. Gilderoy Badsworth, Tim Whitller, Adamant, Lone Hand, Mataua, and Ciolden Crown. This leaves eleven in.it, but as Mr, Walters has three engaged, there will probably only be ten starters. Foul Play (Sst. 121b5.) is to my mind the pick of the Handicap, and should be strip fit. I shall look to him to furnish the winner. Ariel (7a. P-'lbs ), game horse though he is. will find the pace too warm for him. Betrayer (Sst. lib.) there can be no doubt is a grand animal, but I cannot fancy bin. to carry that weight to victory over two and a-quarter miles, at least with a Foul Play in at Sst. PJlbs. Libeller (Tst. 21bs.) is at the best a most uncertain horse, and the stable will no doubt rely on one of the others. Lara (Tst. "-'lbs.) is decidedly we'l in, and if his trainer can have him as lit as he had him last year he ought to make a good light for it. Maid of Honour (7st. 21hs.) will lind the distance too far. Grand Duchess (Tst. lib.) will. I believe, be the selection of the I'apakura stable on the day. If the daughter of Peeress has furnished as she should have done, she should be well in it, but as I have not seen her since the autumn I cannot recommend her for first honours on this occasion. King Quail (list. l'2lbs.) is very lit but I doubt bis being able to get into the front division when the final question is asked. Kenilworth (list. Slbs.) will, I believe, be sent for the Maiden Plate. If so. I must pass him over, as it could not be expected that the colt would have a show with a race in him. Vatapa (list. Tibs.) is looking remarkably well, and should he be in the right humour lie may give some of the flyers their work to do !.c beat him, but I cannot recommend him as lie is a most uncertain horse. Rosarina (list. olbs ) will no doubt represent the stable in the Maiden Plate, therefore she will most likely be a non-starter. Reserving to myself the right of alteration before the day, the following is my selection : — Fori. Flay ... I Grand DrciiKss 2 Lara .'< Of course there may be a '"lioil over;" if so. 1 shall name King Quail to accomplish it. My tips on the remaining events will appear in the Hf.kai.o of Monday next. Before the publica - ion of the acceptances for the Auckland Cup. Foul Play and Betrayer were backed in Dunediu down to 4 to 1, the amounts being Foul I'lav, £400 to .L' 100: Betrayer, .£OOO to I'l.'iO. The backer expressed his willingness to go on at the same price, but could lind no one to take him up. Entries for the Cambridge Jockey Club .Summer Meeting close on Friday, the ."Ist instant. The above races are wi-11 woithy the attention of horse owners, as there are several good stakes oll'ereil, among them the Cambridge Cup of lOOsovs. I have no doubt but that the club will receive large entries for the various events. The entries for the JlawUe's Bay Jockey Club races are to hand, and are really excellent. There are forty engaged in the Napier Handicap. The Auckland horses are Kenilworth. Libeller. (Irani! Duchess, Venus Transit, and Ariel. For the Railway Stakes there is an entry of forty-one, the Auckland horses Kenilworth. Billingsgate, (fraud Duchess. Libeller, and Venus transit being engaged. There are also excellent entries f->r the Hawkes Bav Guineas of ISS2. Mr. Walters has his lilly by Hippocampus, out of Yatterina. engaged. Le Loup and Sir Mod red are still quoted at 100 to l,"i each for the Dunedin Cup. while Virginia Water's price is about 101) to 1:2. Since the late meeting at the Forbury. Volunteer and Ranwiek have been enquired for. Several wa.ers have been laid about the former at 10 to 1, while Ranwiek has received a little support at 100 too. Titania has been also backed for a trilleat 100 to 4. In the Upper House, Melbourne, on the •2nd December, the report of the committee on the Totalisator Bill was brought up. It was recommended that the totalisator be tried, as likely to lessen the evils of betting, especially credit bettiiiu', and to reduce the number of small bookmakers. [The bill has since been rejected.) The following record of the prices at which winners of the .Melbourne Cup have started may be of interest : —KSlili, The Barb, (> to l;'lS07, Toryboy, 100 to 4; ISOS. Tim Whitller, ;"> to 2; ISO!), Warrior, 10 to I ; ISTO. Nimblefoot, 12 to I : ISTI, The Pearl, 100 to 1; IST'2, The Quack. 100 to IS: 1873, Don Juan, .? to 1 ; 1874, Haricot, Hi to 1 ; 1875, Woollami, 100 to (i ; IS7O, Briseis, 100 to lf> ; 1577, Chester, 100 to 20 ; IS7S, Calamia, 100 to 10: 1870, Darriwell, 100 to 3 : ISSO, Orand Flaneur, 5 to t. ODDS AND ENDS. Mr. J S. Buckland's mare Auckland Katehas dropped a lilly foal to .Musket. Vatapa has been backed to win a good stake in the Auckland Cup. The Panmure boys alone stand to win about L'loOO on him. Libeller and Piscatorious arrived from the South on Monday last, and were taken up to Papakura on Tuesihry. Sinking Fund was shot on Saturday last, it being found that he had broken one of the small bones in his leg. It appears that Mr. R. Mason leased Libeller from Mr. Walters for the Dunedin and Oamarii Spring Meetings. Lara has gone up to Mr. Walters'stables at I'apakura, to undergo his preparation. A trial between him and Grand Duchess takes place to-day. "Martingale" says:—"lt is rumoured that Captain Russell, M.H.R., Napier, purposes going in for racing, and intends sending to Canterbury for horses." Luke Blackburn, this year's king of the American turf, has already won nineteen out of twenty races this season, ami has earned upwards of 35,000 dollars. The Agent arrived on Monday last, and is looking as well as ever. When will we have another Perfume to light him for first honours in our Auckland Steeplechase? The Papakura annual races are fixed for January 2il. Nominations for the Railway Handicap, Hurdle Race, and Papakura Handicap, close on Tuesday, December 31.

"Sinbad" says:—"Messrs. Hobbs and Goodwin proceed shortly with their instruments to Auckland, where their services with the ))itri-iaulur.U have been engaged by the Auckland Jockey Club."

Mr. R. H. Vallance, who, it will be remembered, took the New Zealand horse Mata to Melbourne, arrived per P.ingaroonia on Monday last. Hi. brought Lara with him.

Amongst the double-event bets on the Cesarewiteh and Cambridgeshire was one of 10,000 to SO against Robert the Devil and Lueetta, this being taken by Count Jaraczewski. '1 his was a big haul for the Count.

The Melbourne Weekly Times understands that the stewards of the Bendigo Jockey Club have declined to endorse the ruling of the Victoria Racing Club, as regards the disqualification of the New Zealand horse Mata.

The two-year-olds, The Duke and Welcome Jack, who ran so well at the late V.R.C. meeting were bought at last year's sale of the Glenormiston yearlings, the former for 65 and the latter for 40 guineas. Welcome Jack (nays "Beacon " in the Leader), is looked upon with great favour for next year's Derby.

Concerning the V.R.C.'s champion race on New Year's Day, "Atuur" says that Flaneur looks such a certainty for the big prize that the fielders do not care to lay against him. First King would have friends were he a certain starter, but Mr. Wilson may have to fall back on Progress, who looks like one that could stay for a week, though judging from (iraiul Flaneur's Cup victory, he too can go a long journey. " Mazcppa,''writing on the handicap for the Dunedin Cup. says of (iraiul Duchess (Tst. Olbs.): "On her public performances this mare is certainly overrated, as I said before ; but to all appearances she has never yet stripped in good condition, and as she is said, by those who profess to know, to be a regular llyer when in anything like trim, perhaps the handicappers are right after all. However, I have very little fa"ith in horses or mares who do all their wonders ill secret. I'uhlie form is the truest guide, and while this aristocratic lach's liuht is hid under a bushel T won't believe in-her."

Mr. Ivory (says "Beacon ") seems to possess a jimcliant for Wagga cups, and during the last few years he has farmed the i/nnul I'i-i.r of the Murrnmbid.e Turf Club most successfully. After failing to secure the big plum in lST.'i, with West Australian, he easily landed the 1000 guineas and Cup attached the following year with the aid of Sterling. In 1577 he started a hot favourite with Ciovanni, but the filly failed to fulfil expectations; neither was Ma?caroni equal to the task in the year following. In KSTi), however, Sweetmeat repeated his brothel's coup of 1871), and now his recent purchase of Lord Burglilcy again lays successful claim to the gold cup. Thus Mr. Ivory has won three Wagga cups out of five—a very excellent performance. The Australasian warmly advocates the institution of a erand annual steeplechase meeting at Flemington. and says that as the V.K.C. committee have a very large surplus in hand there would be no difficulty on the score of funds. It goes in tor the formation of a first-class steeplechase course, and says that the added money to the principal race should be IOOOsoVs. at least, with proportionate amounts for second and third. Such an event (says the Australian) would induce owners to breed horses specially, and would soon attain a prestive second only to a Melbourne Cup. The editor concludes by remarking that some of the funds should be spent oi:"a winter steeplechase with one grand stake worthy of the colony and the reputation it enjoys for possessing the best jumping horses in the world. " ISeacou" in the Melbourne Leader says :

—" Welshers are mi Hi'' increase. These scoundrels no longer confine their transactions to the outside, but invade the paddock, solicit wagers which they are prepared to book to any amount, and lay a longer price than the legitimate bookmaker. Some of this fraternity dress well, are polite and accommodating, smoke the choicest cigars, and affect an air of nnnehuliinri' which is supposed to indicate an indifference to gain or loss, and which is taking with the unwary. Stewards should be alive to this state of tilings, and at once take means to put a stop to such men entering their paddocks, or expel those who do get in. As the ring proper is in some measure a sufferer it should select three or five of its number to form a committee for the "suppression of welshers,'' whose duty it should be to give notice to the stewards of a meeting when any welshers are seen in the paddock, who would then be only too ready to expel them. The sooner this is done the better, for the ring will only get a bad name through the action of these scoundrels who are injuring their business." Till'. CLT HORSF.S. The following will, [ think, compose the field for the Cup : — Wcitfit. itiiler. St. Hi.,. Foul Plav S 12 — Derritt Ariel... ' '.( 12 — Williams Betrayer S I -- Wattie Libeller 7 2— Mulgrew Lara 7 2 — —— Maid of Honour 7 '-' — Hodson Oram! Duchess ... 7 I — Nolan King Quail (i 12 — Caniugton Vampire ... ... li !2 — Thorpe Kenilworth li N — T. Taylor Yatapa li 7 — Laing 'I'llF. UKKKDIXtI OF ROBERT TIIK DEVIL. Mr. Joseph Osborne, of Newmarket, writing in The Field on the "cracks of ISSO," says:—"ln offering a few remarks on the pedigree of Robert the Devil, I do so with muc'h ditlidence. knowing very well that there are many buyers of blood" stock, if not breeders, who believe breeding, so far as concerns the proper mixing of "the dill'ereiit strains of blood, to be mere chance. Those who hold that opinion have not studied the subject so deeply or practically as I have. ur they would see the necessity of following certain rules if their object is to breed successfully for the turf. Karlv in life, at the Turf Club in Kildare 1 hea'rd many discussions on breeding, in which Lord Slfgo, Lord liossinore, Martin Joseph Blake, the -.Man for (ialway.' Robert Holmes, a famous breeder of shorthorns as well as of running horses, and Mr. Watts, the breeder of The Baron, all now, alas! gone to the happy hunting grounds—took part ; and their unanimous opinion was in favour of inbreeding, particularly in the Waxy line, Lord Sligo going the length of asserting that ' you cannot have too much Waxy.' Following out this advice, the writer of this paper brought I'leiad, by Bob Booty. out of the Huntsman' marc, by' Waxy Pope, and put her to Sir Hercules the same vcar that Mr. Knox put Ouicciolo, by Bob Booty out of Sleight, by Irish Eseape, to the same horse." The "product; of the two best of their year in Ireland. The former was a rare stayer, as her many victories for Queen's Plates testified, while Birdcatcher was. in the opinion of the writer, one of the fastest, if not the fastest, horse that over ran ; but his temper was unhappily broken through running away after winning" the Peel Cup at the Curragh when three years old. Still sticking to the Waxy cross, I'leiad next produced Mercury to Drone, a son of Master Robert out of the famous mare by Sir Walter (son of Waxy), and what. ' this horse might have done had not an accident befallen him, occasioning his breaking down when three years old may be inferred by his having beaten llarkaway for the Madrid stakes, and run him to a head for the last Great Kirman. at the Curragh. Pleiad was subsequently put to Kieney, a horse of rare excellence, quality, and beauty, but in whom there was no Waxy blood, the result being a total failure, and unsuccessful he proved to be to the last hour of his life, there being no mares in the country bred to suit him. Robert the Devil is in-bred to Waxy, of whom there are no fewer than eleven crosses, as many as three of these being derived through Sir Hercules, four through Camel and one through Economist (the son of llarkaway, I'ocohontus, Jericho, I and Hampton). From a careful examination of the pedigrees of the winners of the

" Classic,' as well as other great races won during the last quarter of a century, it is an indisputable fact that the blood of Waxy, Johanna, Kimpata, Whisky, Watton, Sir Paul, Orvil'o, Selim, Tramp, and Blaekloek making a combination of running blood that is not to be found in any blood of the day. . . . Bertram, the sire of Robert the Devil, also possessed very fair form being the winner of several races. . ". The result of the Cambridgeshire stakes in which Cipolata held such a forward place, carrying S stone must for ever set it rest any doubts as to be wonderful racing powers possessed by Robert the Devil, and entitles him to be regarded as the best three-year-old that ever stated for the ''esarewitch. The manner in which his joint owners, Messrs. Brewerand P.lanton acted throughout is deserving of every credit, and has rendered Robert the Devil the most popular horse that has run at Newmarket for many years, not even excepting ' The Prince of the T. Y. C.,' who so often sent 'plunders' home rejoicin/. The measurement of Prince Charlie 1 had the pleasure of taking some few years back : and as Mr. Wanton kindly permitted my running the tape over Robert the Devil, 1 cannot more appropriately conclude this article than by placing them before your readers :—

I'ltlSl K (.'IIAKI.IK. EoI'.KUTTUEIIKVII.. Heiyht. 16 liantls :!|ln. Height, l(i hands Sin. (ilrth, f.ft. 11'.in. (iirtli, lift. ll : lin. Arms,-"in. " Arms, llUin, Legs,B : jin. Legs, Bin 7 Oaskins, Hl[iu. (iaskins, ISAin. Shoulders, :iu;in. Shoulders, 2DJin. Hip to hoek, {Win. Hip to liock, fiuiu. Robert the JJcvil, taking after his siro and grand-sire, is n bay lior.se with black legs. He has a particularly nice and intelligent head, with a very small white speck in his forehead, and a little white near the coronet of his near hind foot. Though, as the dealers say, ' neither good to meet uor to follow,' the above measurement shows that he is good at all points, and as he has excellent sound feet and stands well on his fetlocks, it is not surprising that he stood the severe training which enabled him to distinguish himself beyond any horse of modern times/