SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Merganser, by Nordenfeldt — Albatross, who was a great performer m her day, and one of the finest gallopers I have seen bar Maxim, died recently when on a visit to E'evation. Her greatest performance was accomplished m the C.J.C. Great Autumn Handicap of 1893, when she carried 9.8 and won.

A very likely mare to win a long-difctance i handicap is Blue Ribbon, says the 'Post.' In the Masterton Cup she was going beautifully five furlongs from home, being just on Skye's girths, but must have been interfered with at this point, for she suddenly lost her place and dropped back fifth or sixth. Carroll got her going again, and the half-sister to JParitutu was making up her lost ground m rare style, and entering the straight was galloping so freely that her chance looked good. The scrimmage that took place at the distance settled her ; nevertheless, she ran a most encouraging fourth.

The well-known sire Lonsdale, who as a two-year-old won the Maribyrnong Plate m 1887, was badly kicked some days ago by a mare, and had to be destroyed. In a letter to a Melbourne friend B. Carslake states that Count Batthyany, the ex-chairman of the Hungarian Jockey Club, is taking a trip for the benefit of his health, and that he will arrive m Australia- at the end of next month. He will be accompanied by M. Pache, a prominent Hungarian owner. Courit Batthyany is a son of Prince Batthya'ny, who won the English Derby m 1875 with Galopin. He has long been one of the leading Hungarian owners, and won the Austrian Derby with Gaga (a son of Galopin), and m 1900 Gaga' 6 son Arulo won the same race. Count Batthyany has always been interested m Australian racing affairs, and one of the objects of his visit to Australia (according to an exchange) 16 to study Australian racecourse management.

The finst Mexican Derby, to be run m 1910, will be endowed with 15,000d0l and half the entrance fees. Imported horses may be entered, but these must remain m Mexico from the date of entering to the time of the race. Colts or fillies born m Mexico will get an advantage of 101 b. In the Derby of 1910 all are eligible, whether imported or native-bred, but m the Derby of 1911 only natixe-bred horses will be allowed to enter.

Malatua, sire of Maranui, was a few months ago sold m Sydney for l lOOgs, his purchaser reselling him the same "day at ar. advance of 20gs to Mr F. Pollock. The horse is located at Grafton, and, as the sire of a Caulfield Cup winner, should now command a fair amount of patronage. The New Zealand steeplechaser Pilot is now m charge of W. Chaafe at Randwick.

No fewer than ten Derbys were run m America tftis year. A colt named Meelick won three of a total value of about £3,500. The most important, that run at Brooklyn, and of the value of £2,675, went to Pair Play, ridden by E. Dugan, who was also on Meelick m two of the races won by the latter colt. Meelick's three victories were achieved early m the year, and he was completely knocked out when he arrived at New York m order to compete for the Brooklyn Derby.

Woolwinder, the Doncaster St. Leger winner of 1907, was recently placed under offer to the Hungarian Government at -525,000. No deal resulted.

The highest price realised on the concluding day of the Newmarket (England) uroual blood stock •■ sales was 2,sGogs, at which price a colt by Ayrshire from Doremi became the property of Lord LonsdHle, who was run to the amount named by Mr W. Clark. , A colt out of Goldseeking Gal, by Carbine, brought 1,800g6, and was purchased by Captain Dewhurst. Lady De Bathe (known to us better as Mrs Langtry) gave 166gjs for a yearling sister to Yentoi, by Santoz — Rot, who won the Ceeaiewitch Stakes this ye.ar. The £10,000 handicap for trotters, the first important harness race ever given m America on the speed handicap system, was decided at Readville track, near Boston, on August 25. Twenty thousand persons saw the race. The first prize went to the bay stallion Align Winter, a horse that had never started m a xace before. He is a son of Ed. Winter, 2.12|, dam Miss Que, by Que Allen. There were thirty-three starters, and these were separated into two divisions of sixteen and seventeen each. Then the first eight m each heat came out for the final heat, and were started m the following order ■■;> — On scratch, Jay Kay; 50ft behind, Ralph Wyck ; lOD.'t, Kirn; 150 ft, Prince C, Peter Balta ; 200 ft, San Francisco, Teasel, The Huntsman ; 250 ft, Allen Winter, Bervaldp, Daniel ; 300 ft, Del Coronado ; 350 ft, Sweet Marie. i Through a system of electric buttons, which ran from each starting judge to a big bell, it was possible for each judge to' signal, when his own horses were on the mark and facing the right direction. All the judges were unanimous the bell rang automatically. Allen Winter's time was 2mm 43sec.

The stewards of the Moonee Valley (Vie.) Club on the 26th October held an inquiry into the accident wluch occurred m the Moonee Valley Cup on the previous Saturday, when Clanchattan and Oral's Daughter were killed and two jockeys injured. The evidence pointed to the fact that Herbert Duggan, the rider of Lady Wilde, caused the accident. Lady Wilde cut sharply across the field at the back of the course, interfering with Belfry, who cannoned against Orzil's Daughter andi knocked her on to the rails. She fell, and Clanchattan came down over her. The stewards did not think that Duggan was guilty of foul tiding, but, on the ground that he had ridden recklessly, they disqualified him for twelve JLOnths.

Mies Gordon's oolt Alawa, winner of the V.R.O. D«rby m record time (if the cable is correct), did not run m the 6pring of last year, but mode his first appearance at Flemiugton on New Year's Day m the Criterion Handicap. In this he ran nowhere, and he also failed badly m two races at the Victorian Club meeting and m ■ the Federal Stakes at Caulfield, Avhilst m the Alma Stakes he got no nearer than fourth. Then lie finished out of a place m the Moonee Maiden Plate. Following this he raced again at Flemington, and carried 7.0 to victory m the Nursery Handicap, six furlongs, Delenda (6.7) being second ; and, carrying 7.1 m the Select Stakes, seven furlongs, at the same meeting, he won easily from Delinda (6.7). The latter was, however, on this occasion left several lengths at the poet. Alawa's first appearance this season was m the Caulfield Guineas, m which he finished remarkably well, but could not overhaul the winner, Parsee. He followed that up by taking the kclipse Stakes, and the performance was a very attractive one, because he got a bad passage, and looked hopelessly out of it before reaching the home turn. There were 22 runners for this year's iotl Cup - The smallest field was m £r~i he , t * lird y ear of the race— Banker, With Chifaey U p, beating six others. ; The largest field was m Carbine's memorable year, 1890, when thirty-nine faced the starter. Lord Nolan, this year's winner, is a^ Sydney colt, and a near relative of Urd Cardigan, the 1903 winner. Lord , JSolans actual reoord prior to the Melbourne Cup was not promising, but he seemed to show some staying ability, and this gave his party hope about the Cup. He ran foiir times as a two-year-old, fail- ! *«g- to recure a place. He opened his win-

ning by taking the Jockey Club Handicap (7.0), one mile and a-quarter, at Wallsend this September. He finished fifth m the A.J.C. Derby, won by Parsee, and on the second day of the meeting easily won the New Stakes from Vavasor and Perkeo. A third to Mooltan and lolaire m the Craven Plate follcwed, and then came his race m the Randwick Plate.