TURF GOSSIP.

[By HirpoNA.] The cable announcement from England on Monday last stating that Ormonde " the horse of a century," had added one more victory to his long list, in the shape of the rich Hardwicke Stakes ab Ascot, came with the very greatest surprise. Personally, I don't over remember tho result of an English event claiming more general attention at the hands of Auclclanders—not in tho way of speculation I may remark, but in controversy. This of courso has been led to by the fact Of it being taken for granted that Ormonde

having turned " roarer," his racing career, against tho best horses at any rate, would have been at an end. It would appear, though, not to be tho case. To put down two such great giants of the turf as Minting and Bendigo, plainly shows that Ormonde must have made a speedy recovery under tho system of galvanic shocks that were given him. It may bo interesting to note that the modo of applying this treatment was that every morning a battery was applied to Ormonde, one point to his chest, and the other to his throat. At the time the cure was taken in hand by Professor Fleming, he had every confidence that he would eli'eet it, and so far as we can at present judge, so it has turned out. It is worthy of passing remark that in Australia and New Zealand we rarely —if ever — see horses of the calibre of Ormonde, Bendigo, and Minting

saddled up to oppose each other, due of course to the want of wealthy owners ; but we can easily imagine fcho excitbmont over such a meeting , , and the great roar that would go up from tho British throats as Ormonde passed tho winning post for the second year ip succession, as lie also proved victorious in the same race last year. Ormonde's carceron the burf may be summed up as one long series of triumphs, thorc nofc being one single blot to mark his escutcheon, and all English writers agreo that there never was n horso over whoso successful career tho indolinablc clement of " luck" had less influence. Ormonde is a bay colt got by Bend Or out of Lily Agnes, and was bred by his present owner, tho Duke of Westminster. His record of performances and the amount he has won I give below, and they will no doubt be perused with interest :—IBSS. Newmarket Second October Meeting: Tost Sweepstakes, for two-year-olds, LSOO. Newmarket Houghton Meeting : Criterion Stakes, for two-yeiir-olds, L 906 ; Dowhuret Plato, for two-year-olds, L 1,602. 18S6. Newmarket.First Spring Meeting : Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, for three-year-olds, L-1,000, Epsom Summer Meeting : Derby Stakes, for three-year-olds, L 4.700. Ascot Meeting : St. James's Palace Stakes, for three-year-olds, L 1,500 ; Hnrdwicko Stakes, for three - year - olds, L 2.438. Doneastcr September Meeting : St. Leger Stakes, for three - year - olds, L 4,475. Newmarket First October Meeting: Eight Great Foal Stakes, for three-year-olds, LI, 140; Newmarket St. Loger, for three - year - olds, L 475. Nowmarket Second October Meeting: Champion Stakee, for threo-year-olds and upwards, L 1.212 JOs. Newmarket Houghton Meeting: Free Handicap, for three-year-olds, Lo'o'O; Private Sweepstakes, LI,OOO. Total, L 24,598 10s. Ormondo was ridden in all the above races, except tho Two Thousand Guineas and the Hardwicko Stakes at Ascot, by the late Fred Archer. Added to theseraces is the Hardwicko Stakes of 2,000 sovereigns, which makes up a wonderful record. An inspection of Ormonde's pedigree shows that the New Zealand Stud Company possess four animals very closoly related to him. Rouge Roso (dam of Bend Or) is tho dam of Rosette, and tho stallion St. Legor claims being got by Doncaster (the sire of Bend Or). Lilly Agnes, the dam of Ormonde, was sired by Macaroni, and two of his daughters are at Sylvia Park in the shape of Florence McCarthy and Lovebird.

With a fine day, the Onehunga Racing Club Meeting on Tuesday next (Jubilee Day) should attract a big attendance of spectators. The programme is a wellarranged and liberal one, and if the officials of the Club conduct the meeting well, a successful day's sport should be the result. The acceptances and general entries for the meeting will be the heading of " Late Sporting." • Tuesday next is also set down for the decision of the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. The final payment, which falls due to-

night, will see at least Huntsman missing from the list, but altogether the field will bo a most select one. I expressed the opinion last week that Silvio found most

favour in my eyes for the race, and I see no reason to alter it.

It has been decided to ship Too Soon and Queenie over to Sydney by the next steamer, which leaves in a fortnight's time. The pair, I understand, are to bo trained in a well-known stable there. Mr W.

Lyons _ accompanies the pair, so that no doubt it will be some time before he is seen in Auckland again.

Mr J. Lennard tells me that he has had his yearling filly by Leolinus out of Moonlight (Tamora's dam) broken in, and she is now being ridden daily. Like all of Leolinus's progeny, this young lady is one of the big sort, and stands fully sixteen hands- She was one of the youngsters sold, at Sylvia Park last January.

Looking over the entries for the big handicaps to be fought out in Australia next spring, I find the Hon. W. Robinson has only entered his string for the Melbourne Cup. Enfilade (the full brother to , Nordenfeldt), however, figures in the nominations for the Champion Race. It would appear from this that if the Canterbury sportsman intends vieiting Flemington this forthcoming season, he solely intends having a cub in for the V.R.C Derby and Melbourne Cup.

The fact that Loehiel has not been nominated for any of the Australian spring events has led to Mr Stead's horse beinS made first favourite for the New Zealand Cup, and he is now quoted at 100 to 7, Maxim, whose name is also conspicuous by its absence from the'V.R.C. nominations, has hardened for the Canterbury Derby and is no\y firm at 2 to 1, while 100 to 5 would be taken about his chances for the Cup Silence has met with support for the New Zealand Cup in both Christchurch and Duneain. . , ,

t *x£?* ICe , by S y dne y papers that the Hon. J. White has made an addition to his stable in the .purchase of a rising two-year-old colt by Robinson Crusoe out of Walruk, by King of the Ring from Lady Pantaloon, by ™ Kin S from Marchioness (imp.) by Melbourne. He has been named Tryon, in honour of the last admiral of the Australian wayal station. Tryon was placed first in his class at the recent Sydney Agricultural society s show. The numerous string has been further increased by the addition of fchrfievearlmg fillies. Two are by .Chester ™ Jewel and Kaipaxa, the tliirci being by Gloucester frora XJltima, ' ' " Yfi?\

Considering the form lately shown by Honeydew, one would think it a certainty that his name appeared in the Melbourne Cup entries. Such is not the case, however, although the son of Goldsbrough figures among those nominated for the Caulfield Cup. For the first time in the annals of a Melbourne Cup, an English-bred horse has been entered. It will be remembered that this horse distinguished himself in India by winning a Viceroy's Cup, and it is whispered he is already on his way to Australia. ' The nomination reads : " His Highness the Rajah of Durbhumgah's bay horse Metal (imp.), by Sterling—Fair Vestal." Metal is by the same sire as Paradox and Enterprise, who each won the Two Thousand Guineas. Formerly the property of the Duke of Westminster, Metal, as a three-year-old, and ridden by Fred Archer, carried off the Dee Stakes at Chester, and the Goodwood Stakes at Goodwood, but he was subsequently beaten very badly by second-raters in England. The same gentlemen that acted as the handicapping committee last season have been appointed to frame the weights for the New Zealand Cup, viz., Messrs J. Brabazon, P. Campbell, J. B. Grefison, and G. P. Williams. The handicap appears on the Ist July. From Australian papers I gather that fox the V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup, Abercorn and Abercorn, Abercorn and Trident, the two Niagaras, the two Cr&nbrooks, and two Manas have been backed, while 1,000 to 10 has been accepted about Tranter and Mana winning the double. Tlie" Sportsman" states that Mr J. H. Giles has laid L 5,000 to L 25 about some eighty combinations of Derby and Cup horses, Abercorn, Niagara, Sumatra, Tranter and Aberdeen, being the principal picks for the Derby, coupled with a host of Cup horses. Mr J. I. Saqui, amongst other wagers, has laid L 2,000 to LBO Trident, straight out: L 2,000 to L6O Niagara,and Ll,ooo to L2o Fernandez, each, for the Melbourne Cup. There is a very strong- tendency evinced to back Trident, about whom the best price forthcoming is LI,OOO to LSO. Writes the Wanganui scribe " Flaneur" : —" There are a lot of good jumping horses in the district. Could not the schooling steeplechases of former days bo resuscitated '! The stakes need not bo large, as owners would be glad to get their novices brought out and inado known to fame, in the expectation of finding purchasers for them. All those which were brought out at these (schooling meetings formerly were sold to Auckland owners, and all of them paid their way up North." It has beon pointed out by a Sydney scribe that there is a flaw in the Melbourne Cup conditions which ought to be rectified before the weights are declared. One of the clauses in the conditions sets forth that " the handicap weight of the winner of the A.J.C. or V.R.C, Derby of 1887 to bo not less than 7st 51b." Suppose a colt and filly were to run a dead heat in either of tho Derbies, and tho owners agreed to divide, both animals would be returned as winners, and both would be liable to the same penaicy. For example, if handicapped below 7st 51b in the Clip, both horses would have to carry that weight, which would give the colt a 51b advantage. No allowanco has been made for fillios in the conditions, which is manifestly unfair. The clause ought to read—" Tho winner of tho A.J.C. Derby or the V.R.C. Derby of 1887 to carry —if a fillj', 7efc; if a colt, 7st 51b, if handicapped below that weight;" or which is simpler—"The winner of the A. J.C. Derby or tho V.R.C. Derby to carry weight for age." That would obviate matters, and do away with what seems an anomaly. I clip tho following* from " Augurs notes :—"While strolling round Flemington a fow days ago, I saw Mr A. Blackwood'a yearling colt by Apremont from Watersprite, who was purchased a short time ago in Now Zealand. With the exception of being a triflo plain in front, like many great performers I could mention, he is as good-looking a youngster as one need wish to see. Judging from the manner in which ho is ribbed up, I should fancy him to bo a raro stayer, and up to any weight. He shows inoro bone than do the yearlings by Musket, some of whom were in his company, tho most improved, to my fancy, being tho Leila colt and tho Onyx filly, now named Beryl. Tho Watersprite colt descends from successful fahiilies on both sides, his sire, Apremont, being brother to Chamant, who won the Two Thousand Guineas; and his dam, Watersprite, is closely related to Lurline, being by Traducerfrom Waterwitch, by Camden from Mermaid, the dam of Lurline. In a paddock I saw old Commotion enjoying himself, and all lovers of a good horse will be pleased to hoar that he is improving every week." Lovers of pedigree lore will no doubt be interested to know something of the " lines " on which tho English Derby winner's (Merry Hampton's) genealogical tree is made up, and a glance at it reveals a combination of the most fashionable strains told of in the studbook. His sire, Hampton, was got by Lord Clifden, grandson of Touchstone and Melbourne, out of Lady Langden, and her sire, Kettledrum, was a son of Stockwell's brother, Rataplan. Doll Tearsheet, the dam of Merry Hampton, is oven better bred, being a granddaughter of Stockwell's, out of Miss Quigley, and she goes back on one side through Ithuriel to Touchstone, and on the other through Venus to Whalebone and Emilius

The Christchurch correspondent of the " Otago Witness " thus refers to the horses in training at Riccarton:—l have not spent a morning at the racecourse for some time, and on going out this morning Avas fortunate enough to find almost the whole equine population at exercise, more or less easy. G. Cutts had out the Hon. W. Robinson's team, including "Vanguard. E. Cutts had Stonyhurst at easy work, but I doubt his standing a preparation, also Fair Nell, who looks a picture, but thero are fears of her developing a curby hock Butler's Musket — Tres Deuce colt Manton, O'Brien's Musket—Mersey colt Carbine, arid Ray's Anteros—Vivandiere colt Son of a Gun are none of them progressinoas woll as could be wished. Northcote also moves lame at times, though there is no outward and visible sign of the cause. Artillery is apparently all right, bub is being treated very gently. Rocket and Pasha cantered together, behaving very unlike two such distinguished performers. Vinaigrette shot' off her boy—a very usual performance of hers—but was caught without getting hurt. IVloanais a greatly imprdyedhorsel Itepo is furnishing out well. Alpine Rose is still on the sick list, but Hawkins hopes to bririf him to the post yet. His broken-down fetlock is all right, but hehasbeen suffering from eating that fearful pest ergot in his grass. Patrician has just ffeen taken up after being turned out for" two months. :Sam Higgott is great on the success of Patrician's grandsire's grandson and granddaughter in the Derby and Oaks. Mr Stead's horses were not put; they are in course of removal to' Yaldhursb.

For a long time past letters have appeared in London papers relative to the largest sum ever paid for a racehorse, arid it has '* fc tysPh keen generally conceded that the St. Leger winner, Petrarch, is entitled to any honour; attaching to the position. Altogether it is shown that the price which changed hands for the son of Lord Clifden was £14,125, but only £11,000 was paid when the sale was effected, the remainder following in the shape. of contingencies «or winning such races as the Two Thousand, St. Leger, and Prince of Wales Stakes, and as there is no reason to doubt the figures Petrarch claims to have realised a comparatively modest' £125 more than did Doncaster. Larger sums have, however, been offered for the contents of a hide, as witness. £20,000 having been refused each for Maiid §~ Kinpsem and Buccaneer. .'