SPORTING.

THE A.J.C. MEETING.

The Australian Jockey Club's Spring meeting will be continued to-day at Randwick. The Metropolitan Stakes is the principal event on the programme, in which the following horses are engaged : — st lb Mr. O. Hill's bl h Marvel, flyrs 10 6 Mr. J. Northern's ch g Bungebah, aged .. 9 7 Mr. A. N. Bander's br m Tridentine, aged .. 8 8 Major F. N. George's b h The Workman, 4yrs 8 e Mr. K. F. Sand-man's br h Realm, syrs ..8 4 Mr. J. B. Clark's b c Autonomy, 3yrs .. .. 8 2 Mr. P. O'Brien'sb in Florrie, 4yra .. ..8 2 Mr. W. Forrester ns ch g Forty Winks, syrs ..80 Mr. C. T. Roberts' br g The Swell, 4yrs .. 7 12 Mr. S. Bradley's borbr g Impulse, syrs .. 7 12 Mr. W. L. Smith ns b h Althota?, syrs .. 7 10 Mr. J. Phillips ch c Candour. 3yrs .. ..7 8 Mr. J. Baronet's b h Alexander, syrs ... ... 7 8 Mr. W. Foulsham ns br h Pippin, 4yrs ..77 Mr. John Stone ns br h Klyuias, 6yrs ... ..7 0 Mr. W. RWby ns b b Magnus, aged .. ..7 5 Mr. W. Rouse's bin Vespasia, aged .„ ..7 5 Mr. E. Mavo'sbg Hop Bitters, aged .. ..7 4 Mr. J. Burton m breDaredevil,l3yrst(including penalty) .. .. ■■ ■■ ..7 3 Mr. John i iough nschc Dan O'Connor, 3yrs.. 7 3 Mr. K. Key's Rueiialf, 3yrs .. ..7 3 Mr. E. Key's bg K.K., .. .. „7 2 Mr. J. B. '.lark's b c Arquebus, 3yrs .. ..7 0 .Mr. T. Lame-nd's ch h Cardoness, syrs (including 51b penalty) .... 7 0 Mr. W. Miller's b h Selkirk, 4yrs (including 71b penalty) 6 12 Hon. H. C. Hangar's b c Attalus, 3yrs .. .. 612 Mr. J. Chaafe na br in Yowi,6yrs .. .. 611 Mr. T. Daly's br Playmate, 4jts .. .. 610 Mr. W. (iannon's brh Ethelbert, oyr9.. .. 010 Mr. J. F. O'Brien's clic Criohton, 3yrs.. ..6 7 Mr. J. Burton's b g Mario, syrs .. ..6 0 Press Association.—Electric 'Telegraph.—Copyright. Sydney, September 12. The latest quotations on the race are : 100 to 18 against Arquebus, 100 to 17 against Selkirk. The other prices are unchanged, with the exception of Autonomy, who has receded to .100 to 5. Bungebul: and "Vespasia are greatly fancied, and it is thought chat one of the pair will furnish the inner. Pilot Boy las been scratched for the Metropolitan Handicap. DUNEDIN HUNT CLUB. [Br TKLKUKAPU. —PKESS ASSOCIATION.] Ditnedin, Monday. Mr.D. Mahoney, with £95, was the largest winner at the Hunt Club Meeting; James Allen taking £90 5s ; H. Gourley, £75 ; J. K. Reid, £66 10s ; S. Waddell, and the Hon. G. McLean, £57 each. The total liabilities were £655 Is. SALE OF RACEHORSES. Christchurcu, Monday. At a sale of racehorses to-day, Merrie England was bought by Mr. D. Musgrave for 200 guineas. The steeplechaser Morok was withdrawn at 55 guineas. Springston, winner of the Great Autumn Handicap, 1888, changed hands at 9 guineas. " How entirely the Australian racer has driven the Arab and country-bred off the chief racecourses of India!" exclaims the Indian Planters' Gazette. " Forty years ago the New South Wales horse was in most instances a fiddle - headed, bad-tempered, bucking, coarse beast, unfit for anything save nogs-meat, and he could no more hold his own with decent Arabs and country-breds than he could certainly he was not within stones, the same horse as M elbourne now sends as ; and the first really consistent Waler who stood the wear and tear of India's climate and courses for any length of time was that sound and gallant little brown entire, Kingcraft; and after him the best allround one was Panic's game son, the bright bay, Palmerston. Since then we have, of course, had heaps of far better-bred horses, from the colonies, but none whose names will go down to posterity and be quoted by after generations in equal ratio with these two stars. '

The New York Sporting World of July 13, has the following:—" Kingston has made a new record for the cracks tc try and knock out. Seven furlongs around the circular course in lm. 265. is a race that should stand for a while. It was about the best race the ' brown whirlwind' ever ran, and it does not look as if he were ' going back' yet a while." The race was run at Monmouth Park, and there were seven other starters. Gloaming, by Sir Modred, being one of them, but he did not get a place. Kingston, who won by two lengths, was got by Spendthrift.

One of the largest breeding studs in France has just changed hands, M. Lefevre, who bred Chamant, Verneuil, Insulaire, St. Christophe, Zut, Le Nord.audso many other good horses at Chamant, near Chantilly, having sold nearly the whole of his mares, 25 in number, and the stallion Archiduc, to M. Lebaudy, who is forming a very large stud at Villebon, not far from Paris. Among the 25 mares which M. Lefevre has sold is Placida, by Lord Lyon, who won the Oaks in 1877, but who has been a great failure at the stud, nearly all her produce having been either still-bom or having been worthless for racing purposes. M. Lefevre retains the stallions Trayles, by Restless (a son of Breadalbane), whom he purchased after that horse had won the Ascot Cup and Alexandra Plate, to take the place of Tristan when the latter was purchased tor the Sefton Lodge stud at Newmarket.

The Live Stock Journal has an interesting article on " Our Ponies," in which the writer points out the increased demand for highclass ponies. The Prince of Wales has recently taken to riding and driving ponies, and they are becoming fashionable. Four polo ponies were lately sold for £800. The writer of the article saw four ponies sold at Tattersall's for £1000, and the other fetched £300. He commends these facts to the notice of fanciers and' breeders, and to the user he points out that the pony costs less to keep than a big horse, will often tire one for work in the streets, is usually more surefooted, and is less subject to lameness, sickness, infection, or disease; that a pony is seldom known to become a roarer, and generally lives to a great age. Mr. C. Dean Pitt has been elected vicepresident of the Giaborne Turf Club, vice Mr. G. L. Sunderland, resigned, and leaving the district. The opening of the billiard tournament at the Auckland Billiard Saloon, Queen-street, took place last night. There were a large number of spectators present, and the first set of games were played off.

Early in June the National Unite \ Order of Free Gardeners commenced their annual meeting, under the presidency of Grand Master Wilson, who, in the course of his address, said that during the year there had been 6353 members initiated, but 656 had died, and 4592 had seceded, from various causes, including the juveniles and honorary members. There were now 57,676 members in the order, and the funds were £147,000, an increase of £5000. He expressed the opinion that compulsory insurance was not yet sufficiently understood to be satisfactorily dealt with, but the Friendly Societies would not tolerate any State system which did not desire their co operation and help. There was a generally expressed hope that during the year convalescent homes would be established for members of the order. " In 60 days 1 will be in Spain," said Captain William Andrews, answering the cheers of several thousand people who had gathered on July 20 at Atlantic City, New Jersey, to see him start on his perilous trip across the Atlantic in his tiny yacht, the Flying Dutchman, less than 15 feet in length. .All the afternoon people thronged the pier and crowded about the captain, watching him as he directed the launching of his craft. After seeing that everything was snug and tout, Captain Andrews proceeded to raise sail at precisely a quarter to six o'clock, and the canvas immediately filled and the voyage was begun with a fair and steady breeze. &very day during the voyage a bottle will be thrown overboard noting location, weather, conditions, and other information: about the trip. The captain will sail due east, and expects to first sight land within 30 days at one of the Azores, which he says is directly iu his path. •''■'.