SPORTING NOTES.

Florin, who won over hurdles on the last day of the Grand National Meeting, i_ a son of St Swifchin.

Maniapoto is now- a firm favourite for tho New Zealand Cup, 8 to 1 being the best price on offer.

Heracles, a half-brother io Mr G. Palmer's colt Handel, won the principal event at Eosehill, Sydney, this month.

Up-to-Date was the most admired horse in the field for the Victoria Eacing Club's Grand K&tional Steeplechase. Oblivion gave a very poor display over hurdles on -.the last day of the Victoria Eacing Club's "Grand National Meeting. ' The best two-year-old seen out in America so far this season is First Water, a son of the English sire Watercress, by Springfield. R. Lewis, who had his leg broken when riding Emir in the Champion Stakes, has so far recovered as to be able to resume riding. The two-year-old Highland Fling, by Multiform — Marion, has been sold by Mr P. Campbell, and it ia understood that ho wili go south. Caius, after his defeat by Pretty "Polly and Zinfan del in the Coronation Cup at Epsom scored an easy win at weight-for-age in Paris a. few days later. ;

Gouvernan t, by Flying Fox, -ydth odds of 5 to 2 laid on him, beat Eataplan by a head in the Prix de Satory, two miles and a half, at Paris on June 5. The committee of the Victoria Racing Club is arranging a deputation to the Premier in reference to the prevalence of betting shops a_d bogus betting clubs. A few days before the last mail left England Pretty Polly strained some of her muscles, which accounts for her being a nonstarter in the Ascot Gold Cup. Trentbridge, by Phaeton— Throne, has hsen. shipped to Melbourne from Dunedin. Prior to being sent away he gave a creditable showing over the small sticks. In proposing the re-election of Mr C. W. Reid as president of the North Otago Jockey Club, Mr A. Potter expressed a hop© that Mr Reid would continue to hold tho office till tho club could give a dESOO stake.

Mrs Langtry, or, to give her her proper title, Mrs, H. de Bathe, who did much to popularise Australian horses in England by her purchase of Merman, Aurum and Maluma, contemplates retiring from the turf. Machine Gun cut up badly in the sixfurlong Lawn Handicap at the Grand National meeting at Flemington. According to one critic his record-breaking gallops will probably receive less attention in future in view of his failure. Some English writers axe of opinion that Cicero was lucky in not having to meet the Oaks winner, Cherry Lass, in the Derby.

A good race is now looked for in the St Leger, for which Cherry Lass is almost as good a favourite as Cicero. Writing prior to the decision of tho Oaks, a London critic expressed the opinion that there was not a filly in the field within 211 b of a really good one. Tn view of the good performances of Cherry Lass he has probably modified' his opinion now. One effect of the strike of Sydney bookmakers is that Mr Humphrey Oxenhani made an offer to tho Rosehill Club for a betting monopoly on its course. A syndicate- hasapproached the Australian Jockey Club with an offer of £10,000 a year for tho bettingprivileges at Randwick. The scarcity of good hors_3 in Australia is shown by the lista for the big spring handicaps. In tho Melbourne Cup, out of 14 4 horses handicapped, sixty-eight have been ■weighted' at under Tst, and in the Caulfield Cup only 'twenty-one horses out of 146 are asked to carry over 7st 13lb. Mr Robert Doale, an Epsom tradesman, who still superintends his business, though he is eighty-seven years of age, witnessed his seventy-ninth race for the Derby last month. Ho is well and hearty, and has, it is stated, an immense fund of reminiscences in connection with the great race. Maxmont put up a good performance in finishing second, under 12st olb, in the _ outta Gadla Hurdle Race, on the third day of tho G-ra_d National Meeting at Flemington. York, the winner of the Grand National Hurdle Race, confirmed his . form by finishing half a neck behind Marmont under list lib. " Vigilant," of the London " Sportsman^" says that though Zinfandel and Caius are two of the best horses at present in training, Pretty Polly made hacks of them in the Coronation Cup. The writer further adds that during his turf experience of upwards of forty years he has never seen a better mare. The Gallinule horso Condor, who is full-

brother io the Do-caster St Leger winner Wildfowler, won a welfc&r handicap at Iloaehill, Sydney, this month. Condor, who was sold in England as a- yearling for 2500g5, ia troubled with bad feet, or he would probably be a hard "horse to heat in some of the big spring raceIn commenting on Tod Sloan's reappearance in the .saddle thia season, a New York paper saya that the once great artist has not created much of a sensation in his riding renaissance of 1905. He did fairly well generally, and very well ai times. But on account of advancing age, and other impediments, he is not the Tod Sloan of a decade ago.

While galloping at Caulfield one morning, Kilmarnock fell and broke his forearm and dislocated one of his hind legs, necessitating his being: . destroyed. Kilmarnock, who was by Simmer — Kilmorey, was «t one time owned by Mr Friedlander, from whom ho was purchased by Mt F. Leslie, an Australian bookmaker, not unoknwn on some New Zealand courses.

•An E-nglieh paper says that $_. Blanc means to have a try for the Eclipse Stakes and the St Leger with Jardy. It further adds that though the jockey of the second is always blamed, it is very certain that Stern was not at his best when riding Jardy in the Derby, and though Maher got in a bit of a tangle on the favourite at one time, he did not muddle things half so much as did his opponent.

Although the Victoria Racing Club is regarded as one of tho most xip-to-date clubs in Australia, it did not institute the parade before important races until the recent National meeting, when the field engaged in the National Hurdles paraded before the ■stands after leaving the saddling .paddock. The spectacle is described as being novel and interesting. The English ring would probably be badly hit over the success of Airship in the Manchester Cup, as Mr E. H.. Hcnning- is credited with betting heavily when Brewer fancies one of his hoTses. Brewer evidently had more than a sneaking regard for Airship, as in a field of eleven the colt started at 3 to 1. He was in the hands of the Australian horseman F. Bullock, and won by a length. Papers to hand by the last mail showthat Val dOr, one of M. Blanc's Flying Fox colts, was a runner in the Grand Prix de Paris, won by Finasseur. Val dOr was favourite at 7 to 4, but could only get fourth, and was evidently suffering from the effects of the cold which attacked him some days before the race was run. The English colts Shah Jehan and Plum Centre performed disappointingly. An extraordinary scene waa witnessed at tho South Brisbans Jockey Club's recent meeting in connection with the concluding event, the Club H&ndicap. The finish "between Sowerby, Gamester and Diadem, was a very close one, but the judge posted No. 6— Myster_s number— as the winner.. At this there was a yell of indignation, and one regular racegoer rushed up to the judge, and while infonniner him of his error took down the No. 6 ajid posted No. 7 (Sowerby) as the winner. The official did not demur, and with this decision most of those presont agreed, ai though not a few were of opinion that Gamester won. ..7

Although it does not necessarily mean that the greatest favourite which has won the English Derby is also the greatest horso to win the Epsom prize, as a horse may he sent out a hot favourite principally because he is • meeting 6ompa.ra_ve'ly weak onoosition, still it is interesting to note that Ladas, who went out at 9 to 2 on, is the biergest favourite who has ntarted and succeeded in winning the Blue Riband of the turf. Next to him comes . Galtee More. ,who "tarted .nt 4to 1 on when he scored ih 1807. This year's winner started at 11 to 4 on. Flying For at 5 to 9 on, s-d Jeddfth/ who takes rank as the biygWfc outsider to score, went out at 100 to 1