NOTES BY HIPPONA.

OuT : of tho thirty-one horses that wero nominated for tho Chii-tchurch Midsummer

Handicap, only nine have accepted, and it would seem that tho contest will not attract a larger field than last year, when

six wont to the post. On recent form, Taiaroa is decidedly well in with 7st, and should be very interesting, but I will not be surprised to see it Cheviot's day out, who has lib less than he carried in the New Zealand Cup.

MrG.G. Stead's colt Sir Bodevere, who has come into some prominence this week in connection with tho Auckland Cup, has some real good blood coursing through his veins, and if worthy of his breeding, fist 91b should not prevent him from playing an important part in the contest. He was got by Albany (imp.) out of Tres Deuce (sister to the famous Calumny), by Traduccr out of Gitana, by Sir Hercules out of Gipsy Queen/ During the time his sire Albany has been at the stud he has got some real good 'uns, notable amongst whom are Mischief, Nonsense, Hilda, Nemo, and On Dit.

While at Ellerslie one day this week, I had a look at Soukar in his box. The old fellow is looking surprisingly well, and all the hard work that he has been doing for his young friends of late has evidently done his legs no harm. With his feather weight, his trainer Chaafe thinks he has an outside show in the Cup second to none, but for my own part I look with little favour on his chance. His party have backed him to win a large stake at long prices, while a long pop has also been accepted that he gains a situation. It should not be forgotten by horse' ownersthatnominationsfortheT.J.C.Handi^ capof 1 lOsovs, Steeplechase of 7550 vs, Hurdle Race of 40sovs, and Ferry Plato Handicap of 25sovS( run at the Takapuna Jockey Club Summer Meeting on the 29th January, close next Friday night.

The face of Mr J. K. Poole, so well-known in local sporting circles, is once more amongst us, ho having arrived from Sydney in the mail steamer on Tuesday. He is looking pounds better, and a chat' with ■him on recent Australian turf events is •quite interesting. Mr Poole has already got into harness, and is being " shot nt" on the principal events of our Summer Meeting. The Onehunga Racing Club have issued the programme for their Summer Meeting, which takes place on the 19th January. There are seven events to bo contested, the principal of which ore the Onehunga Cup of 60sovs, 1J mile, and Hurdle Race of 30sovs, 14 mile Nominations for all handicaps are due on Friday, 2Sth December, at Bp.m. Don Juan, the hero of this year's sensational Cesarowitch, was not a horse any one could follow from his public form, but his trainer and owner knew his worth, and through his victory the ring received one of the hardest knocks they have experienced for some time past, his party winning £70,000. The papers consider the coup to be the biggest since Roseberry won a fortune: for Mr James Smith in 1876. Up to theday of the Cesarewitch the colt had never been asked to gallop mow than five furlongs in public, so; that, practically, ho was as "dark"., as was Martini-Henry until he won the, Derby.

. Wildboy s accident in the Hurdle Race at the Dunedin Spring Meeting was a very, singular affair. It seems that after clearing the hurdle in front of the stand, ho fell on to his belly, with his legs stretched out boforo and t behind, arid thus slid along on the slippery ground for some distance, and when he rose it was seen that he had dislocated his near hind fetlock. He then started kicking, and it is supposed that by the violence of the action he kicked the joint1 in again; anyway he was led off the course without much difficulty, and his owner hopes to be able to' race him again next Beason',

MrR. Vallance informs " Beacon " that he and Mr: R. Mason are about to dissolve partnership, and that the former will in all probability shortly proceed to Australia: Under the circumstances, the few horses they' have left and the Yaldhurst traininirestablishmont will beopenedfor sale privately. Th.y have already disposed i f Epicure, the three-year-old son of Yattendoriarid Ghiva, to Mr D. H. Mervvn, of Otago. Mr W, A. Long, the Australian sportsman, is meeting with disappointment after disappointment in his attempts to_ win important races in England. His Tonans just missed , a place in the Cesirewitch,- and then ran second for the CambridgeshireandLiverpoolCup. Condor, another bearer of the Grand Flaneur colours, was only beaten by a head by Harvester for the Clear well Stakes; and at Sandown, with odds on him and Archer in the saddle, hefailed to get even a place in the Great Sapling Stake's. Against these defeats tHere is only one victory, recorded, a!nd that Is the Brabraharh Stakes, which Tonans carried off early in the season when not backed for a shilling. If these reverses should sicken Mr Long of the English turf and induce him to return to Australia, the colonial turf will regain a staunch supporter,

but it is stated that Mr Long is so incensed at the way his action in re Grand Flaneur and First Water's Australian Cup was commented upon by the press that he will never moro race in Australia,

On the second day of the Wagga Meeting Countryman (late Cetewayo) carried dOst., and won the Ladies' Bracelet from nine opponents. The unreliable son of Countryman and Queen of Scots started'at il to 4 on,' and won in a common canter by three lengths. Messrs Smart and'Forrester were in good form throughout the threo days of the Wagga meeting, as Bohemian, Brown and Rose, and Soldior Boy each won a race Tom Brown also had a turn, as Stockdale won the Town Plate, for which lfe was backed down to 7 to 4.

The other week hews'was received by cable of tho death of Count? Le Grange, a French sportsman, who for many years past has been a prominent supporter of tho turf, both in England and France. As every one knows, tho Count made his greatest bit when in 1865 he carried off the Two Thousand, Derby, St, Leger, and Grand Prix deParis,withthatworidorfulcoltGladiatour. Up to this time the foreigners had never been able to win a Derby, and Gladiatour's victory created a great sensation : and we still read that by Winning this Derby Count Le Orange "avenged Waterloo." Although a constant subscriber to the Blue Riband during the years that have intervened sincb Gladiateur's time, tho tricolour was never again seen to the fore in the great race at Epsom : but with Fillo do lAir, Camelia Rayon dOr, and Chnmant, won other " classic " races, and he was connected as owner with such good winners as Consul, Nougat, ! Vernueil, Clonientive, Insulaire, Dutch Skater, IMc Nic, Monnrque, Zut, Albion, St. Christopho, and Inval.