IN A NUTSHELL.

— Nor'-East has been scratched for the Caulfield Cup. — The Nelson Club desires to control the Greymouth Club. Multiform fetched 215gs* as a yearling, and to date has won £4906 in stakes. — Nihilist remains in the St. Leger to be run at Wellington next autumn. — Rangipuhi has been thrown out of work, and will bo used for stud purposes. — It is now definitely stated that Alix, 2.35, has been bred to Sablo Wilkes, 2.18. — M'Ginness has tpken \ip Sfc Bris, the threc-yeav-old filly by St. Clarr from Mistral. — Mahaki is to be the leading stallion at Mr J. Douglas's stud farm in Hawke's Bay. — Mr Martin Taylor has failed in his appeals and is now serving his two months in prison. — Philistine fell and broke his fetlock while racing at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's meeting. — Mr M. H. Dawson, of Cromwell, has had to shoot Mirror, whose leg was broken by an accident. — A Y/anganui writer predicts that The Hcmpie will turn out a New Zealand Cup horse. — Royal Admiral and Furore arc scratched for the Melbourne Cup. Left in, presumably, by mistake. — During the progress of the Ballarat Winter meeting, snow fell heavily, and interrupted the proceedings considerably. — Merry Maid, by Hotchkiss, is said to be shaping well over hurdles, and may be put to the jumping game next season. — The C.J.C.'s programme book for 1808-99 '" takes the cake " for clean printing, good paper, and .smartness of get-up. — In 21 consultations in 1807 " Tattersall " holds £7162 unclaimed, and in 19 in 18D8 the amount unclaimed came to JE5251. — The New Zealand hoise Rex made his first appearance at Rosehill on July 23 in the ikying Handicap, but he ran out of place. — Atlanta, dam of Alix, 2.3J, is to be bred to Patronage, and the produce will ba a iull brother or sister to the queen of the turf. — His Grace, carrying 12.9, was second in the j.urdle Race at Cauliield ou July 23, Iron - uke, a son of Algerian, winning with 10.7. — £5000 has been taken each way about Bobadil and Majestic and Bobadil and Manfred for the Derby and Melbourne Cup double. —It is staled that " Tattersall " intends drawing one of his minor consultations on the Melbourne Cup at 10 a.m. on the day of the race. — In the House of Commons Mr LuUrell has brought in a bill to prohibit the hunting, shooting, and coursing of animals kept m confinement. — Auruxn was safely landed in England on the 23rd June, and the same day St. (Jatien returned to his native land after a spoil in Germany. — At a sale of American horses in London on May 13 the trotting gelding The Captain, 6yrs, sold for 300gs, and the mare Laura T, 6yis, 210gs. — The legal expenses of the Feildmg Club in connection w'th the bookmakers' case came to £157, towards which other clubs contributed £90 2s. — Reindeer, who gave Pat such a hard tusslo for the V.R.C. Grand National Iliu-dles, has becj purchased by a patron of G. P. Brewer's stable. — An old mare died mysteriously ia Nova Scotia recently. A post mortem revealed a pair of bicycle stockings marked J. S. in her stomach. — The deal]] is announced of Peter Bowden, professionally known as Peter St. Albans, who steered Briscis to victory in the Melbourne Cup of 1876. — The winnings of tho English bookmaker Fry over Jeddah's Derby would have amounted to £37,000 if all the punters had paid up. But they didn't. — Le Var, Lochiel's speedy son, heads the list for the Coolgardie Cup (run on the 13th) with 10.10 ; Onslow and Euglow are next on the list with 9.6 apiece. — Scots Grey (Musket— Maid of Athol) has only had three thoroughbred mares acnt to him since he has bee/i the property of Mr M'Carthy, of New South Wales. — - The Soarer has undergone an operation for polypus in the nostril. The growth had seriously interfered of late with the breathing oi the Grand National winner of 1896. — Joe Thompson bet a level JSIO,OOO against two horses for the Ascot Gold Cup. The backer was the owner of Marius 11. He selected his own horse and Elf 11, the winner. — Form, ridden by Mr S. Gollau, finished nowhere in a two-mile welter race at Lewes on June 10. The chestnut's weight was 12.0, including 51b over, the winner, Maltravers, carrying 12.3. — Ted Hankins has gone back to Forbury Lodge, and Jack Baumber is with him. The NVw Zealand Cup filly Refugee is one of the members in this stable, the others are Linkshot and P.P.C. — Musketry has been bought by Mr J. B. Rei.l and taken to Christchurch, and there is some talk of shipping him to England for sale. This is a horse that should command a fair price anywhere. — It is stated that Lo Var is unlikely to visit Melbourne for the Spring meetings, which is unpleasant news for that backer who took £5000 to £150 about L'obadil and Lo Var for the Derby and Cup double. — The yearling brother to Portsea, who has been at Morphettville for the past lev/ months, has been taken in hand by Steam. The youngster, who has been called Nitrous, is the property of Mr B. Thomson. — The death of Lord of the Isles is attributed to the effects of a fall several months ago. Roscius came to his end by sticking in a Log. No one knew of the mishap, and the unfortunate horse stuck there till he died. — Levanter has been bought in Sydney to go to Ireland, the headquarters of stecplechasing talent. A big testimonial this for the Captivator gelding. He will probably stay in Sydney for the A.J.C. meeting next month. — The Duke of Portland's change from Newmarket to Kingsclere is not the result of any rupture with George Dawson, but simply because training at Newmarket is, in his Grace's opinion, overdone, and he wants a change. — Mr F. M'Manemin, the Auckland trainer, is a great believer in St. Leger's progeny, according to a local writer, and they ever have an ardent advocate in him. He says they are no trouble to train, and 90 per cent, are good. — The position of the question about the Dunedin Jockey Club's course up to Tuesday was that the Laud Company had appointed delegates to meet the club's representatives, but the parties had not up to then come together. — A recent shipment of horses from Melbourne to India included Daian, who won nearly every race she started for in Gippsland. She is by Newniinster from Naiad, by Traducer from Mermaid, by King Tom. Naiad is a full sister to Lurline. — The English trainer John Porter does not believe in plaiting the mane of a horse a few days befoie a race, because after this has been repeated a few times the animal knows that something unusual is going to happen, and becomes nervous and excited. — An English writer says Trenton's stock will ultimately do well in England. His Sxnmgsters at the Cobhaan stud are well grown

and good looking, and one in particular, a colt out of the Beaudeserfc mare Polly Ecclcs, is mentioned as likely to turn out well. — A Frenchman recently made himself ridiculous by demanding an apology from Paris Sport for the statement that he had been warned off for "ringing in." Ho was asked to wait for the publication of the official calendar, and therein lie read his sentence. — Inspiration, by Goldsbrough — Happy, Thought, who was taken to Singapore and returned to New South Wales about the beginning of the year, won the Welter Mile at Rosehill. His trip to the East does not appear to liavo interfered with his galloping abilities. — At South Australian 'i'attersall's meeting, on July 16 Birksgate, by Gang ForwardTheresa, won Tattersall's Handicap, of 125sovs, ouo mile and a-quarier, in 2mm 1G " siz; and Cigarette brought off a surprise m the July, Handicap, the " moral," Gnullo, being third. — When Lord George Bcntinck gave £4000 for Bay Middleton such a thing had never beea heard of, and his friends thought ho was mad. What would they have thought of giving upwards of £20,000 for Galtce More, after he had won for somebody else all the coveted classic xaccs? — At the inquest on John O'Grady, who was killed by being thrown from a horse at Tirnaru, it was stated that Little Tim, from which tho boy was thrown, was wild and a buck-jumper, not to be depended on, and lequiring on experienced rider. Deceased had, however, ridden him constantly. — "The Fly" states that owing to the temporary indisposition of Mr James Cowan, whom it is the desire of mo3t of the members of tho Crcmwcll Club to see return to the club as ita president, no meeting was held on the appointed date. So soon as Mr Cowan is recovered a meeting will be called. — Uniform made his first appearance in England in the Summer Handicap at Gatwick, on. June 23, running in the nomination of Mr Jersey. He had top weight, 10.5, and wa3 ridden by C. Wood. There were eight runners, and Uniform was quoted in the betting at 100 to 8 offered. Pie finished sixth. — Tinwald and Ashburton seem to have come to terms about everything but the naino. Tinwald stands out for " Tinwald," Ashbmton for "-^bliburton," and the proposal for amalgamation hangs up over this trivial question. I suggest that either " Ashwald " or " Tinbuiton " be taken as a compromise. — The high-priced Carbine colt Battle Abbey was among the runners in the two-year-old lace at Rosehtll, and as the going was soft and theiefore suitable to his feet he was backed in a moderate way, and finished well up behind the placed three, but his form was not in any way suggestive of a likely Derby winner. — Charge, son of Carbine, and winner of the Sydney Derby, carried 8.6 in the July Handicap at Rosehill on the 23rd, and was strongly fancied, but he shaped badly on the soft going, and finished nearly 'ast, the race being won. b^ Splendour's son Bona Fide G. 7, who two days previou3ly had been beaten by Charge in a private gallop. — Duiiug the race foT the Maiden Handicap at Rosehill the unlucky Marathon, who was a hot favourite, was badly galloped upon, and his oil foielcji was stripped from inside the knee joint to the fetlock. An ugly gash was also inflicted above the knee, and Ristenpart despairs of getting ths son of Goiinth to the post for several waelrs. — During the four days of the Ascot meeting 23 races were run, and the prize money taken by the winners amounted to £36,092 10s. This doe 3 not take into calculation the money wen by second and third horses, and it can be safely stated that it '8 the richest progiarume decided in Englaud throughout the season. Every race is open to the world. — Maluma let the stable down heavily at Gatwick (Eng.) on June 23. In the Diamond Slakes, a mile and a-half w.f.a. race, 100 to 30 was laid on her beating her solitary opponent, a three-year-old named Ultimatum, but the latter upset the odds, as, establishing a useful lead in the early part of the race, he beat the Australian mare home by a length and a-half. — It is commonly supposed that the American who gave £30,000 for Ormonde topped the record for price in the thoroughbred line. The lowest figure at which the joys of ownership have been tastod is surely that just reported from Mount Gambier (S.A.) The jumper Minstrel Boy was auctioned for £8, and bought by, : a syndicate of 15, which means 10s Sd per head. i — Lee Metford, who started second favourite j for the Two-year-old Handicap at Caulfield on ! July 23, was so hopelessly out of it in the first | two furlongs that 50 to 1 was offered against [ him, but he got up in the straight and won by, I a length and a-half. Lee Metford is by Car- | bine (son of Musket) out of Felicitas, by Calma i (son of Yattendon) from Fancy Free, by Carbine's sire, Musket. — This year the French three-year-old trotiers eligible t" compete for purses and stakes offered by the Government or the Society d'Encouragement have all names that begin with R. i La&t year the three-year-olds' names began with Q, and owners were hard pushed to lind euphonious titles. This system makes it comparatively easy to determine the age of any prominent French trotter. The victory of Perthshire in the recent Derby was looked upon by his owner as such a foregone conclusion that no fewer than 5000 jugs, commemorating the anticipated triumph, and advertising the virtues of a certain well-. | known brand of Scotch whisky were manufacI tured and prepared for distribution to the 1 trade. But, alas' Perthshire came in only just ! in front of '" tho crowd." j —At the first of the Rancho del Paso sales [ of yeailinga, the piopsrty of J. B. Haggin, commenced on June 17, the highest price was 2600d01, paid by J. M'Laughlin for the chestnut colt by imp. Golden Garter out of Florida. The 63 sold for 3i,175c101, an average of ! 503.39d01. Seven by Sir Modred averaged 705d01, seven by Artillery 375d01, seven by July 325d01, and two by Darebin 150dol. — When David James, of South Australia, removed Auraria from the two Cups, and scratched Eleusinian at the same time from' the Caulfield Cup, this was the signal for some ono to step in and take £15,000 aboist the double Princess of Wales and Eleusinian. It is supposed this was an inspired wager. Princess of Wales has 7.7 at Caulfield, and Eleii3inian 8.0 in the Flemington two-mile race. — Hirundo, it appears, did not fall in the V.R.C. National Hurdle Race. He was heavily cannoned against as he was jumping a huidle, and Barbour was shot out of tho saddle. The rider had a very narrow escape of serious injury. Be was in the front division at the time, and the majority of the horses went over him as he was on tho ground. He was, in the circumstances, lucky to escape with a broken rib and a few bruises. — A neat swindle was perpetrated on the Canning Park (W.A.) Turf Club on June 11. I* seems that some individual gained access to the printing offico in which the totalisator tickets are printed and secured a ticket for each of the events on the programme. These were presented and dividends amounting to £24 paid oa them. It was decided to hold the printer responsible for the amount, but eventually he was released on payment of £12. — The Latonia Derby, Kentucky, which ia worth nearly 800dols, was run for on June 9, and resulted in the overthrow of the crack colt » Plaudit in a single-handed ettcovmtej with

Han dOr, a son of Hanover and Fleur dOr, who made the whole of the running and won •with a bit to spare by three lengths. The distance of tho race is said to be a mile and a-half, and was .-uii^by Han dOr in the extraordinarily fast time of 2min 32Jsec. — South Australian. Tattersall's meeting on July 16 saw the end of Grassniere, who came to grief in the Steeplechase, falling after jumping four fences, and injuring himself so severely that he had to be shot. He was a chestnut gelding by Countryman — Break-o'-Day, and was owned by Mr C. H. T. Hart, and he had never won a steeplechase. Complaint is publicly made that some wretched larrikins illused the horse by kicking him before he was shot. — The performance of Count Schomberg in the Grand Steeplechase de Paris was most disappointing. The horse went to the post as fit and well as ever he was in his life, but it was all that Arthur Nightingall could do to get him past the post, and back to the paddock, where he staggered and rolled about like a drunken man, and was found to be very "lame in his near hind leg, the result, obviously, of a blow in the contest, though how it occurred is not known. — Triumph, who is by Abercorn from Dreadnought's dam, Trafalgar, and cost Mr W. R.. Hall 350gs as a yearling, scored his first winning bracket in the Maiden Handicap at Rosehill on the 23rd July. Judging by the price at which he started the stable could not have been particularly sweet on his chance. Triumph, who is a five-year-old, has done very little racing, as, after starting once as a two-year-old, he was turned out, and was only taken up a few months ago by hi 3 trainer, T. Lamond. I — The pride of Mr Cook's team, says ! " Galtee More," is a yearling filly, The Ocean j Queen, by The Sailor Prince from Marie i Louise, by Gang Forward from Josephine (imp.), by The Palmer. This young lady is half-sister to The Officer, who imdcr Mr Cook's colours won the V. R. C. St. Leger, Caulfield Guineas, Debutante Stakes, and other races, and, if looks go for anything, her career should eclipse that of her well-performed relatives. She is a wellgrown, beautifully shaped youngster. — Says " Milroy " : Patsy Kutler has often saicastically congratulated his friend Dan O'Brien on his hick in leaving New Zealand ■with Carbine before Manlon " came good," and many a lively argument the old friends htid as to which was the better horse. Of course O'Brien, with all Carbine's great deeds to help his argument, always prevailed, but when Butler was talked out of time he invariably concluded with, " Well, my horse is the living picture of old Musket, but Carbine is the picture of some other horso. Mine is a Musket; yours isn't."

— The Newcastle corespondent of Sydney Referee writes: The trotting match between Jenny and Violet ended in a dispute, the ownor of the former warning the stakeholder not to han.l over the stakes. He alleged that Brewstcr, the owner of Violet, interfered with his mare's chaiice, and he lodged a protest. Brewster subsequently went to the stakeholder and withdrew his £25. Spruce called two days later and took down his stake, and thus the last was heard of the big trot. It is very evident that the owners arc not anxious for a straightforward contest.

— The French horse Elf 11, in winning the Ascot Gold Cup, cut out the two miles and ahalf in 4min 30 2-ssec, as against Persimmon's 4niin 34sec for the same race last year. Bay Ronald, who disposed of Newhaven on a couple of occasions, was one of those wbich finished in the ruck in the recent race. Last year Elf II was only a selling plater, costing his present owner £360, and now he is tho best longdistance horse in France, having won up to four miles, while his recent performance shows that he is quite good enough to hold his own with the English cracks.

— At the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club's Steeplechases the Cup fell to Pyramus 12.7, Diver 11.7 being second and Puketoi 14.3 third. There were 11 starters, and the winner got home by a neck. Ruby, by Turquoise out of Denbig, won the Hunters' Ha.idicap and the Ladies' Bracelet; Beaufort got home in the Maiden Hurdles; Tell-tit appiopriated the Scurry 'Race, but a protest entered by the owner of Moonstone was upheld, and the event awarded to Moonstone; and Mr C. H. Arrow's horses, Carnival and Druggist, ran first and second in the Farewell Steeplechase.

— " Ajax " writes : Ditto was lucky in winning the Steeplechase at Caulfield on July 23. Riot had -the race in hand all the way up the straight, but Alf. Williams, usually a very wide-awake rider, went to sleep. When Ditto camo alongside him he fumbled for his whip, and Riot, being a big horse, could not be got giong in a few strides, and both Ditto and Fine View beat him. Ditto only won by a neck. Ho is not the best juniper in the world, but has any amount of pace. The stewards held an inquiry into Tremolo's ruuning, but accepted the rider's explanation.

— At Mount Garnbier (S.A.), on July 20, Allahditla, who is by Pacific — Norma, captured a queer double, the Hurdles and the Mount G-ambier Cup. llodgkins was on the gelding in the Cup, and after winning he got into troiible. He failed to bring Allahditta past the judge until repeatedly told to do so, and the stewards therefore called him before them, reprimanded him, told him that he was nob in a fair condition to ride, and suspended him for the rest of the day. Hodgkins made a statement to the effect that owing to the reins being so slippery he could not hold the horse.

— Mr Jack Cohen writes from England to Melbourne Sportsman: I think there are more triers in the races here than there are in Australia. At the same time I have seen several horses stopped here, and almost on the post. But no one seems to take any notice of it. You never hear any of the public scream out about a horse being " a stumer." They lose their money without a murmur. The fact of the matter is simply this : Half the people who go to the races here never see a race at all. They might stand near the winning post and see them flash past, and that's about all. The crowds are too big and the grand stands too small.

— I have noticed many horses that have wintered in Melbourne have thriven wondcrfuly on a trip to Sydney late in August or early in September, writes " Milroy." Walter Hickenbotham can look back with satisfaction on two bright springs in which he brought Carbine and Newhaven over to breathe the sweet air and revel in the warm September sunshine at Randwick. Both these horses put on the condition at Randwick that fitted them to win a Melbourne Cup each. Dunlop also put in the spring here previous to winning his Cup, and Nicholson often told me the change from the bleak winds that constantly blew across the Flemington wastes to the genial warmth of Randwick did the big son of Neckersgat the world of good.

— "Milroy" writes: One of the most peculiar traits in a breed of horses is the rooted dislike of the Chester tribe to wet ground. Payten, who has trained many sons and grandsons of Chester, asserts that he cannot call to mind one that could gallop well in the mud, yet Chester's brother, Roodee, sired a herse, Oakleigh, that seemed to go better " in dirt " than on dry going. A notable example of the Chester tribe was Camoola. He won the A.J.C. 4 wid V.R.C. Derbies, but on the day of the v.R.C. St Leger the ground was very heavy, and he finished absolutely last behind the very horses he had previously made an exhibition of in the classic, raoea aforesaid.}, but when, the

I course dried up by the third day he won the i Champion Stakes in rare style, beating his . Leger victor pointless.