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I may devolve upon the judge to award them the leading positions. The inmates of W. McConkey's stable at Palm erston r. ;Je a anare by 'line Officer —Eos, another by Gipsy King—Slip by Natator, Mussel, and the Captain Webb gelding Hydrosoope. McConkey has also broken in and is now riding aboat a couple of youngsters by Seaton Delaval —'Certificate and Earoclydon. The 1 latter is an exceptionally well grown relative of Aeolus and English Channel. h Rosewood is also in the paddock and will be sent home at an early date. ' (After the race for the Grand Prix de Paris iM. Fallieres went to see Spearmint- in his box, and Major Eustace Locler, who looked radiant, was presented to the President, who congratulat- ', ed him warmly, and spoke with him for several minutes. To give an idea of the interest taken in. this years Prix by the letting puflblic, " £40,000 more was paid into the "mutuel" booths on the 'big race alone than last year. Eng- " backers made a mint of money. 1 The correspondent of the Miarlborough Herald in a reference to the proposal before the recent 'racing conference v with regard to the compulsory payment of racing fees prior to starting, says :—^'ln the course of the discussion it was mentioned that a well known cross-country rider recently had to 1 leavo the Taranaki district and go to 1 Hawke's (Bay 'because he was unable 1 to get payment for the great proportion of hie losing mounts. Nearly a hundred pounds was owing to him from one horse-owner alone." The Welling- ' ton writer, font faintly conceals the :dentity cf the rider referred to. On Thursday Phaetonitis and Eurtis were sent over no less than twelve of tho Riccarton big fences. Both jumped well, especially Eurus, ■ who fenced much faster than his oom-pan- ' ion. It' Eurus can stay he should be hard to beat in the Grand National Stcepl-echaco. On Saturday,. The Guetsser and Rangitata separately covered a round over the hurdles, jumping in good stylo. Pipi, which arrived from Dunedin on Tuesday, looking brighter and mc-ro muscular than he has looked ' on tho occasion of any previous visit, ; covered two .rounds over the big fences, ; negotiating tho obstacles in his customary accomplished sytyle. - It is surely ■ tea much to expect the son of Natator Ito win his Grand National Steepie- ' chuvso at 15 years of age, but if condi- ! tion and jumping can do it, ho will take no end of boating. '■ In her coming campaign on Austra- * lian courses Solution's first engago- ! rneht i ; s in the Epsom Handicap ''one 1 mile), in which event she is weighed ~.. a^..,.Bst 71b; the Metropolitan Handicap ■v- j^ifo&miie:; .and y.aj-ligi|f),^fpllo^s^" and . «m--- ---% t&t ' nSce: she isjyalso at' Sat '■ 7fb. The Oaulfield Cup, which'is run 1 over a similar distance to that of the Metropolitan Handicap, is Solution's J third engagement, and in race she is - handicapped at'Bst 51-b. Then follows t the Melbourne Cup (two miles), in j which she figures with the handy burden of 7st Blb. Experience shows that 5 any of the foregoing races are difficult - to win, no imatter liow favourably a . horse may ;be weighted; and it will va 1 as well to keep a cool head with regard to Solution. One thing bearing on So- - lution (says a Northern writer), on > T which there appears to i>e a pretty gon- ? era! agreement amongst those who s usually know what they are talking about, is that the Soult mare has yet - to play her best card. t I have to acknowledge receipt of a • copy of the thirty-first edition of J.J. 1 Miller's Annual Sporting Phamphlet just iiitied, and as usual, it contains [1 a merit interesting fund of up-to-date - information gathered from all depart- > ments of the world of sport. To those * who only take even a passing interest t in sport it is invaluable, whilst to the active enthusiast it should prove a most 5 reliable guide. Included in its 224 - pages are to be found all the performr ances of every horse nominated for the ' A.J.C. (Metropolitan, and Caulfield ■ and Melbourne Cups, along with their weights, pedigrees, colours to be worn, ' and owners' and trainers' names. Full > pedigrees of horses nominated for the i A.J.C. and V.R.C. Derbys, as well as 1 the leading two-year-old events of next - season are given. Winners of all the important handicaps and classical races j should provo extremely useful in set- » t-ling the many disputes that arise in 1 turf discussion. iAt the recent V.A.T.C. meeting L. : H. -Hewitt had the mount on Palindrome in the July (Handicap, over which [ says the Sydney "Referee," there was trouble. Palindrome, with. L. H. He- ■ witt up, won by half a length from Re- ' trencher, with Red Streak, who had ■ been saddled-up again, third. There . was, however, a protest on the ground tho Palindrome interferred with Re- ■ trencher, and the stewards disqualified L Palindrome and gave the race to Re--1 trencher. There were some heart-burn-ing over" the decision. The supposed ' interference tcok place under the steward's eye>, and on their elevated stand they probably had a better view ' of what took place than anybody else on the ground. At the same time any ' number cf cases of what locked worse interference have in the past l>een overlooked. There would have been no ground for a protest had not Hewitt been guilty of flash riding. He had the race won easily on PalincTromc ibut start"kidding," and when Retrencher came alongside ho sat up to ride, and in doing so Palindrome came out towards Retrencher. NOMENCLATURE. ; During the last few years an objec- > tionable practice has obtained in the 1 naming of 'horses, and, unfortunately, 1 it seems to 'be spreading (remarks " Ribl "bleden," of the Australasian). Some i owners, 'by lopping off a syllable or two at tho-southern end of the sire's name, . and piecing it en to a mutilation of } the claim's name, imagine that they 5 have achieved something clever, somei thing brilliant, in the way of turf nomenclature. The result is that we find 1 the race-card and- the Stud Book dis- \ figured iby such a bo-mi nations as "Siege I -Moi," by Siege Gun Pensey-a->Mci; "Malstordclle," by Maltstor from I Hirondello; "Haut (Most," by Haut , Brian from Mis?; iMostyn ; " Welcome I Twist," iby Sir Tristram from Welcome Queen ie; "iSkoperra," by Skopos from • Carber-ra; "-.Bongara," by Niagara from IBcnnetto; "Carlveary," 'by Ciarlyon from Alveary; "iCamlocks," by Cam--5 ibocy-a.from. Golden Loalts ; "Chaleuna," 3 l>y Chaldean from iLeura ; "Cloth-moor," by iScdgemoor from iClothilde; " Comprimil," 'by iComedian or Priam from [ Milkmaid; "Oramant," 'by Cravat from v Mantlet; "Cramari," 'by Cravat from s Miariania; "Dalpura," by Dalmeny from 3 Apua !Pura. With the 'Kirkham year- | lings, bred 'by iMr. James' White x the plan r,vas to adopt a name the initi- -, al letter cf which corresponded to the [■ 'initial letter of the dam's name, and if 1 the names were not always .appropriate j- they were well-sounding names; and

SPORTING. <9» —, FIXTURES. August 14. 16, 18.—C.J.C. National " Meeting. iNOTEsIb Y^mLTIFOEiM. Cuiragno lias won three hurdle races in succession. Trephine (Auric —Ocean) ha'j gone to the stud at Auckland. 'Sol's winnings dn stakes during the season just ended amount to £1077, Sol and Baritone have arrived at Ricoarton for the C.J.C National steeples. Sol got cast in his box during the present week, but fortunately. got off without serious injury. Ailsa will remain in work until after the Grand 'National Meeting, and then retire to the stud. (Mr. Hood, of Palmerston, lias disposed of his Anstrali-atubred sire Patronus to (Mr. Greaves, of Hawera. The Mahaki—Mel.nite mare Armistices is doing good work and rapidly coming back to racing, condition. Acceptances for the C.J.C. Grand National Hurdles arid Steeplechase will bo found in another column. The "Referee" states that Melodeon has been backed for the Caulfield Cup and (Melbourne Cup to win £15,000 in each race. JMr. Monk's total winnings extending over five years amount to £12,820. Mr. Prosser's record for eight years shows £72-86. ißanania is on his way to Riccarton in order to have his Grand National preparation finishded off on the C.J.C. convincing ground. Returned visitors from Wellington state that Shrapnel r.an over a lot more ground than anything else in the Winter Hurdle Race. It is reported that Mr. Stead has sold Cuneiform-to a Victorian racing man, and that the son of Multiform is to join West's team .at Gaulfield. Fontenoy, wlio was . very prominent at the cicse of last season's racing, has been blistered and turned out.. Fontenoy has been off the scene for a long time past. For the Great Northern Steeplechase Mr. Morse awarded Hautapu list 31b; while Mr. 'Henrys put him in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase at lOst 71b. Melodeon lias changed hands, and h now owned by Mr. J. ißrennan, the price paid being stated at oOOgns. He Avill be trained at Kogarah by It. O'Connor. v^-.Ciiira^JW^aTid^lr^h'^w^Qis^lp^cd;;.^!] fe'^ri&tMmKyb:' aj| !^^^U;^usi ;oTKcfi'|hJ Welliinton ;Meetirig7«the former: hi charge of W. Wilson and the latter ir chargo of B. Towers. For eight seasons (including the one just ended) Mr. G. G. Stead's total winnings amount to £63,382. His largesi winnings in .one season were in 1901-2 when the amount was £12,325. At a 'sale of racehorses by Messr.: Tuille and Co. (Sydney) recently, Windy was sold to H. Torr for 380 gns. and Nonette to Mr. F. W. Fnirbun for 450 gns. Riccarton people who attended tht Wellington meeting have returned yen much impressed with Wirral. The? think that the son of Birkenhead i likely to achieve high honours. Realm, the ' V.A.T.C. Steeplechase winner, was sold at auction a fortnighi ago to the Flemington Trainer W. S Cox for 650 gs. The purchase was or behalf of Mr. L. K. S. McKinnon. Prior to appropriating the Grant Prix, Spearmint headed the lijsj: of win ning horses in England this season with £6540. The French prize woulc bo sufficient to nearly double thai amount. Martello and Apa are each dohi£ good work at Fordell. [Martello is re ceiving his Cup preparation. Lad.> French. Delamero and Nova, othei members of Tilley's team, are also looking well. (Mussel, who has been spelling since the Otaki meeting, has been taken ur again. His spell has pushed him ii[ wonderfully, and he is now very lit t< commence work. He will be kept at the jumping game. There is not the sligher-il doubt in m.y mind that General Kuroki has had toe much racing. And as his performances since the last Feilding meeting show, he is suffering from .stateness. Sis months sp~ell k what he wants. Tho Hon. J. D. Ormond is-credited •with having .a particularly nice lot of two-year-olds in work at Karamu. The youngsters are 'all descendants of the imported sire Birkenhead. and the fillies are especially well spoken of. The exact date for the publication ci the New Zealand Cup weights has not yet ibeen decided ujxon ; but it is .stated that they are to be held up for some time in order that the handicapper may have the benefit of the running at the early spring meetings. The French people did not in any way begrudge the 'English colt Spearmint his success in the Grand Prix. Advices state that the victory was welcomed with delirious enthusiasm and effusiveness (by tho French spectators, and Spearmint was kissed by several ladies. It is probable J. Hall will ride the Feilding team of jumpers in their southern engagements. Hall is a brother of A. Hall, the mentor of the team. It appears Lull and Apiti did not go with the team yesterday, but Kremlin did. Mr. Hood of Palmerston North, suffered a 'heavy loss a few days ago in the accidental death of a yearling colt by Pilgrim's Progress—Cornea. The colt who was full of promise came tc an untimely end by falling "into -a ditch during the recent wet weather and from which 'he was rescued only t: die. The- steeplechaser Hutana and tht hurdler Peruvian looking very well art ibeing trained at 'Feilding. iHutana if being prepared for steeplechase event' at the iMarton and Rangitikei meetings and Peruvian for hurdle races at tht same- meetings. Hutana, it will be re membered, Avon both steeplechases a1 tho Rangitikei meeting last year. Stronghold, of whose sale I inf'ormcc yon in my previoin letter, is now the property of Mr. D. Rutherford, anc is being; converted into a jumper. He in company with Graduated Tax, wa> schooled ovrtr tho sma'l Imrdlos on Saturday merning, and jumped most creditably. The story that his connection! contemplate running him over liurdln* at tho coming Grand National meeting is hard to believe. In discussing the Grand Nationa weights, a well-known Auckland write says : If one were to select three horse: hailing from Auckland to fill the whol< of the places in the impending Grant National Steeplechase there might be •< tendency in certain quarters to sum uj such a finding as that of one of nar-rov views, but with Hautapu, Irish, ant Ranana all fit and well on the day i