Sporting Intelligence.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 19

Sporting Intelligence.

RACING FIXTURES. 1880. September 11.— Otago Hunt Club Steeplechases. October s.— Hawke's Bay J.C. Spring Meeting. October 29th.— Wanganui Spring Meeting. November 9, 11, 12. — Canterbury Spring Meeting. Acceptances for J.C. Handicap, August 2. Nominations for Canterbury Cup, August 2. November 9th. — Hawke's Bay Steeplechases. Australia. August 25, 27.— Hawkesbury Racing Club Spring Meeting. Sept. 4, 7, 9, 11. — Australian Jockey Club Meeting; Oct. 30, Nov. 2, 4, 6.— Victoria Racing Club Spring Meeting. Answers to Correspondents. i W., Invercargill.— Please not to give us any more such jobs. After considerable trouble we have discovered that Zenobia, in the season 1875-6, ran at Reidston, second in the Maiden Plate of 15 soys to Wild Rose. In 1876-7 at Kakanui, won the Consolation Handicap of 30 soys. At Palmerston | won the Hack Race and the Hurry Scurry. At Kartijji won the Moeraki Cup of 20 soys. At Oamaru ran unplaced (sst 121b) in the Tradesmen's Handicap of 60 soys, won by Titania (6st 81b). In 1877-8 at Whare Kuri ran second initheCup, won by Exile ; t third in the Ladies' Purse to Stormbird and Stay of the West; second in the Consolation Handicap, won by Star of the West. At Palmerston won the Hack Race. At Oamaru ran second in the Hack Race, won by Malabar. In 1878-9 at Oamaru, ran third in the Selling Race to Rosemary and Seven Bells ; won the Hospital Race of 20 soys. At Dunedin won the Hack Race of 20 soys. At Winton ran second (6st 101b) in the Birthday Handicap, won by Hornpipe (7st 71b) ; second (6st 121b) in the Flying Handicap, won liy May Day (93t). In 1879-80 at Alexandra, ran third (Bst) to Playboy (7st), and Sir Vincent (6st 71b) in the Alexandra Handicap. At Riverton ran third in the Handicap to Hornpipe and Atlas ; unplaced iv the Consolation Handicap to Darkey, Waiau, and Atlas. P. G., Dunedin.— Rosy Cross ran a mile last year at Shrewsbury in 1 ruin. 36 sec, but the English papers do not as a rule quote handicap, times in their returns of "best on record." D. M., Timaru. — Daniel O'Rourke is an instance of winning the one double ; Trump Card and Natator both won the other double. NOTES BY BEACON. I recently stated that Mr J. Stephenson's horse Messingham was put up at publio auotion and returned unsold. Since then I learn that he haa bean sold privately for £125 to Mr Ross, of Qaeenstown. This gentleman intends using him for stud purposes, for which Messingham is eminently adapted from hiß breeding, for his sire Oassivelaunua is by the English Derby winner Oaraotacus ; while his dam Envy is by Traduoer out of Azuoena, and was when on the turf one of the speediest mares New Zealand has seen. The fact of Messinghim'B having broken down when bebg trained f orhis^ three-year old races does not of course impuir his usefulness as s stud horse, it having been caused by an injury to a leg; and I need scarcely mention that many of the most successful sires — Maribyrnong, for instance— broke down in the earliest part of their racing oareer. The annual meeting of members of the Palmerston Jockey Club was held a few days ago ;Mr M. Pagan in the chair. The receipts for the year were stated to be L 202, and the expenditure L 18 5; altogether the Club have a balance to the good of about L2l. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr James Little, that the disqualification on Mr D. M'Donald's mare Bluebell and on himself be removed, and that a copy of the resolution be sent to the Dunedin Jockey Club, asking them to endorse it, No application from the jookey of the mare Bluebell having been received, it was decided to take no action as to removing his disqualification. It will be remembered that this triple disqualification was inflicted at the March meeting of 1879, when Nicholson deliberately pulled Bluebell into a canter in the Novel Race, and lot Boomerang win it— 'the boy telling the stewards after the raoe that Mr M'Donald instructed him to pull the ware,

JEW Play has not accepted for the Mcl« bourne Cup, Nominations for the Otago Hunt Club Steeplechases close this (Saturday) evening at 8 o'clock, and the management anttici'pae that they will be numerous— say an average of 10 for each of the three principal races. There should bs plenty of variety in the jumps, for a contract has been let for the construction of sod and stone walls, water-jumpa, and made fences. The programmes for the Dunedin Spring and Summer meetings have passed before the eagle eye of " Hermit," and in the Canterbury Times that writer, with that exceeding good taste which is always to be expected from him, pro. ceeds sneeringly to comment on them, jtfc ia scarcely creditable — and it is certainly not creditable to him— that his idea of giving hia readers a correct impression of the stakes to be run for during the five days is to mention absolutely only six of them, and in this order s Trotting Race, Benevolent Scurry, Dunedin Cap, Champagne Stakes, City Stakes Handicap, and Queen's Plate. After making thta honest selection, he not only omits to state the money given to them, but also proceeds to tell, ignorantly or wilfully, an untruth about five out of the six. He says that the " Benevolent Scurry, with a look of generosity about it, does not induce the owner of a racehorse to go.in for it." Considering that the prize is simply a saddle and bridle, no one ever dreamed that racehorses would be entered for it ; if " Her. Mit" knew anything, he would know that ifc has far more than a "look of generosity" about it, for it results in sums varying from L4O to L9O being handed over to the Benevolent Institution annually. But Canterbury people cannot understand anyone racing for anything but to fill thefr own pockets Next he says, of the Cup, that "one by one the Southern nags will drop out, let them be ever so leniently treated by the han. dicapper, and we shall probably again witness Canterbury stables running against each other for the big Southern prize." I really don't know what grounds " Hermit" has for indulging in this prophetic strain. His knowledge of racing must be limited indeed when he insinuates that no Otago horses ever run for the Dunedin Cup, for, strange to Bay, purely Otago horses have ran in every Dunedin Cup ; and it will be slightly astonishing to him to learn that out of the seventy-seven horses that have run, in the seven Dunedin Cups, no less than twenty-eight were Otago ones. Well, after this he really does draw owners' attention to something ; and what is that something ? "To the absurd conditions under which the Queen's Plate is ran." If weight for age, with penalties, is so absurd, how is it that the Canterbury Jockey Club have such a race ? And really it is very kind of " Hermit " to draw owners' attention to the conditions of a race for wbioh they have been in the habit of contesting foe years past, and which they have been glad enough to win. If our Club like to call the race the Queen's Plate, they surely have a right to do bo. The conditions immediately following the name show that it is not meant to resemble the Queen's Plates run for in tho Old Country. Following this comes some deep joke, duly emphasised with » plentiful sprinkling of italics ; but as this is without the usual footnote requisite for the comprehension of "Hermit's" witticisms, I can make nothing of it. Of the City Stakes, he says ifc "is an old friend with a new name." This ia news indeed—a handicap for two and three year olds an old friend ! For the life of me I cannot recall any race af the sort in our programme. This must be another mysterious joke, so there I'll leave it. "Hermit" next kindly wishes, his " Dunedin friends every luck this year, and only trusts they will in time find a sportsman or two more than they already possess who i» ready to run some really good nag or nags." We are obliged for this hypocritical expression of goodwill, for such only ifc can be termed after the article I have been commenting on ■ and we thank " Hermit " for nothing, for if we have not owners with horses good enough to keep our stakes in the province, we do not grudge outsiders carrying them off. In conclusion, "Hermit," apropos of nothing, submits a comparative statement of last year's expenditure by the Canterbury and Otago Jockey Clubs, which he quaintly considers " demonstrates their respective positions." 1 What an accountant he would make — to think that receipts and expenditure make up a. balance-sheet ! However, to please him I looked at these figures of his submitting, and find that according to his own account, ob» tamed "goodness knows" where, there is indeed a vast difference between the two Clubs' "positions." Canterbury actually received L 177, and expended Ll9O, more than Dunedin. The Temuka Race Club have isaued the programme for their races, which shows that Ll3O will be given in stakes, including the Cup Handicap of 40 soys and Hurdle Handicap of 30 soys ; the remainder are for county horses only. The date of the meeting is not definitely settled, but it will be fixed at a committee meeting next week. Information concerning the New Zealand horses now in Australia is always of interest, so I will give what I can gather from the Australian files. Bob Ray has arrived and taken charge of Mata, who is now owned jointly by him and Vallance. Mata had 9at put on him for the L 75 Handicap to be run at Caulfield last Saturday, while Camballo had 7st 111b. Woodlands was top weight with 9st 31b. Both these New Zealanders have been entered for the Wagga Cup and other events at the Murrumbidgee meeting. H. Prince and the Hon; R. Campbell have entered Hilarious and Sir Modred for the Adelaide St. Leger of 100 soys, to be run in May next j also Idalram and Somnus for the Nursery Stakes of 200 soys at the same meeting. This looks like scouring thecontinent with a vengeance, and as if w© were, going to lose a lot of our best horses. H. Prince and P. M'Coy (the well-knowm crosscountry rider) left for Sydney by the s.a, Wakatipu on Tuesday. I hear that Mt H. Goodman's mare Titania is in foal to the same stallion as she had a foal by in 1878. It will be remembered that on that occasion she was got fit enough by March, 1879, to win a couple of races at Timaru j and it is to be hoped that her present owner may be lucky enough to win something with her during the ensuing season. Lady Emma's nomination for th© Canterbury Cup has been considered valid by the OanterJ bury Jockey Club. The Canterbury Times is blessed with two sporting writers (" Hesmit" and " Voltigew") and a local " contributor, 3 ' and between the lot ; most bewildering varieties of opinion on Btated subjects occasionally find expression in its columns. For instance, a fortnight ago wo I saw "Voltigeur" commenting rather severely on Mr Stead's letter on Sir Hercules Robinson's connection with horse racing in this Colony ; this week we find " Hermit " backing !up the letter, and sneering at the idea of a- | man of Sir Hercules Robinson's official Btand« ing being held up as a model owner of horses* " Hermit J> must have some queer ideas when he apparently thinks that a man in the post tion of Governor of a Colony should really not have the temerity to ran his horses straight, and thereby earn a good reputation, " Her mW remarks are so peculiar that I frabjojgf-

them:—"So we are to lose Sir Hercules Robinson after all, and just after he had made up his mind that he would no longer liDger shivering on tlie brink. Well, I for one, and I know I speak the feelings of all sportsmen, am eorry that we are to lose our right worthy Governor. A good judge of a horae, and having the knack of keeping a keen eye to his running, he was, I fancy, seldom on the wrong side of the ledger when a meetiDg was over. Still, I hope I may say without offence that in spite of the fulsome adulation poured on him by a whole host of scribes both m "us Colony and in Australia, that we have in New Zealand many as straight runners as even ma Excellency. I say this with no disrespect to that exalted personage, but I confess it does make me angry when I bear a gentleman ot bir Hercules Robinson's official standing held up as the model of what «. racehorse-owner should be. A? if it was not possible that a squatter farmer, merchant, doctor, what not, could not and did not run his hones as straight as any peer of England's realms (and some _of the a;ter can run a bye with anyone). But this in parenthesis., No doubt Sir Hercules' patronage of the national amusement had great elements of good in it, but I am democratic enough to believe that (barring his position) we have, if not 500, certainly a great number 8 £°SinbHd " has been visiting Dick Mason at Yaldhuwt, and aa a result furnishes the following information :-" Mason is just finishing a mile and a-half training-ground m the paddocks near the house. Pinfire has, smce his last public appearance, been blistered all round and turned out for a lengthened rest. His spell has evidently made a new horse of him, , for he looks well aud Bound. He has only been up a few weeks, and has therefore a good bit of lumber about him— not, however, top much to get off by November, when I hope toia game son of Dead Shot will make a good commencement. Hia neighbour is ' Morpheus, the big son of Castaway and Somnambula. Few colts show more winter improvement than this one. He is pretty forward, and sbowS 4 plenty of muacle, not to say that he has furnished a lot and has wonderfully improved in general style and quality. In the next box is the Sydneybredßandwick, who is just commencing work. This horse, unlike hia younger brother Upsy Cooper, has a fine temper, and as he looks in rare heart and full of life, and is a big upßtandSng horse, I fancy he will earn his oats during the coming seaßon. The last box in tbia range 1b tenanted by a Welcome Stake candidate, in the shape of a small but veiy even compact colt by Albany from Miss Flat's daughter Becky Sharp. His education is only just commencing, but he is not half a bad-shaped youngster, though, like his dam, somewhat on the small eide. In the first box in the next range was Lara, who haa been running out lately, and was looking very big. Next to thia undoubtedly usefed animal is Fleur-de-lys, the Traducer-Fieurange colt, another of the Middle Park purchases, and one likely to make a very grand colt. He is like another ' big little horse ' who once occupied the flame box, decidedly on the small side so far as height goes, but like old Templeton, who in many reßpects he closely resembles, particularly about the head and neck, has a rare back, good flat legs, and that creeping action which mad Templeton so easily recognisable ainoDgst team of horses. Fleur-de-lys is doing excellent work, and, judging from hia present appearance, should strip very pink by November. Volunteer is well on with his preparation, and looks in grand trim. Tho Derby candidate, the colt by Anteros— Fancy, though not showing anything like the quality of his distinguished relative Foul Play, seems a big, useful-looking animal, and as he haa been broken in I suppose will soon be taken up.

The same writer gives his impressions of what he saw at Mr Webb's etables at the Bush Inn as follows :— " The Albany— Miss Flat filly is progressing very well, and Beems likely to train into a good filly. Virginia Water has already shown us that she possesses pace, and since the autumn she has been doing good steady work, and has wonderfuliy improved. I think she will prove quite good enough to ; earn her expenses on tho flat, but Bhould she ever be relegated to the illegitimate businoßS Bhe should, from her make and shape, be a right good one. In the next two boxes are Mr Moorhouse's two colts, Holdemesae and Badsworth. Badaworth is not nearly so compact as his companion, but has better nocks and more length, standing aB ha doeß over a lot of ground. Holdernesse is a much closer-built colt, and looks Hke carrying weight and furniahing to the full in advance of his neighbour. Both are doing and looking well, and Mr Moorhouse's two golden chestnuts will not be the two worst-looking animals that will strip at our nexfc meeting. The two-year-old bay colt by Albany out of Wave is a very powerful youngster, with great hocks and knees and crood quarters— in fact, a promising, serviceable colt in most respects. His education is just commencing. The next is a black colt, alsolby Albany, from Tantrums.Jthe dam of Jangler. He has, though to nothing like the same extent, the back peculiarity of the Lcger winner, while, though scarcely built on the same powerful scale, ho has plenty of Btrength and nice action." The only transactions to report for the week in tfee Christchurch betting market are the laying of 1800 to 72 about Piscatorius, and 500 to 25 about Marie Antoinette, both for the J.C. Handicap. The owner of Leolinua ia bo indignant at anyone having the audacity to think that his horfse ia not bo likely to get as good tstock in thia Colony aa Musket is, that I got a doublebarrelled Bhot at me through the columns of the two Chtfetchurch weekly papers. lam accused of attempting to mislead the public by expressing my preference for Musket ; and yet in the Bame breath we are told that as LeoHnus is to be kept for his owner's mares exclusively, " it matters very little to the public whether Leoliuus be a success or not." Why, then, this outcry about " misleading" tho public 1 We are also treated to a batch of figures from the Eacing Calendar which prove, to their quoter's satisfaction, that Musket's two-year-olds have been very little to boast about ; but although figures are eaid to render one able to prove anything, they cannot be made to wipe out the one preat fact that Musket got Petronel, who won the English Two Thousand Guineas: ran third out of twelve for the Prince of Wales Stakes of L 3400 at Ascot, when giving weights varying from 51b to 171b to dvery borse in *he race ; and won the Biennial Stakes of 880 BOve, Nine out of ten ptiMons vrho take an interest in racing matters prefor a sire who can produce a colt like this*, to a Bire who has yet to make a name ; and until Leolinua produces southing of the sort, it stands to reason that Muskot will Btanrt higher in public estimation. When tho Leolinua Btock prove good I eball be prepared to give them all due credit ; tillthen, pray let me reßt in my lamentable igaoranc9 and want of judgment. At a meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club on Monday, the statement laid before the memberß showed that the total receipts were L 1483, and the expenditure L 1419, including a Bum of L 476 for purchase of a racecourse lease, leaving a balance to the Club of L 64. There was still a liability of L 250 remaining on the JsftSPi which the Committee hoped to clear off

next year. The next annual race meeting is to be held on the 31sfc March and Ist April, 1881 Mr W. Walters arrived by the Te Anau from Sydney last week with the stud mare Fanny Fisher, one yearling by Yattendon, out of Fanny Fisher, and a two-year.old colt by Yattendon, out of Peeress. They arrived in splendid condition. Peeress has gone on a visit to Goldsborough,