SPORTING- INTELLIGENCE.

Shrapnel's omin 44|sec m the New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race has not stood long as a record: It was beaten on the 22nd August, at Moonee Valley (Vie), by Mr M. O'Meara's Waratah, by Invermay — Civility. This horse carried .10.2, and did the two miles m 3min 44-£ sec, beating ten others. Waratah was ridden by J. Chevally, and staVted at -7 to 2. * j The *cham»ion m England this season, The White Knight, carried 9.10 (including penalties) when he won the Goodwood Cup. He started favorite at sto 4 against, and won by eight lengths. There were six runners. Palotta, winner of tho South Australian Derby, is by Port Admiral, from Calirrhoe, who was probably ridden by the West Australian jockey Kaesort. It was allowed beforehand that Palotta would have the pull over Topedi _ and Medaglia on the score of condition ; 'nevertheless " Mostyn " picked Topedi (Tostig — Pedinga), who. was placed second. The first Adelaide Derby was run m 1860, and won by Mr C. B. Fisher's filly Midnight. In referring to the Newmarket July meeting, a London paper has the following: — " Prominent at Newmarket was Mr, Bob Sievier, looking jubilant and happy m consequence of the withdrawal of the Jockey Club's wArning-off notice This was the* first time since May 19, 1904, that the Chief of the Winning Post had been m a position to. race on the classic Heath, and who can wonder at his radiant attitude? There are ; many who think that he has. been very j harshly dealt with by the Jockey Club. ; That there was nothing really dreadful lo I his detriment is shown by 'his early re- : habilitation." It will be interesting to note i the luck that follows Mr Sievier en his rehabilitation. Tlie season 1901 and 1902 : may be termed Mr Sievier's mc6t prosperou? times on the English turf. A statement which he made himself shows that he paid S22.SPO, and received £54,125. On the 26th ult., reports "Pilot'," m

Sydney ' Referee,' Mooltan was backed from the right quarter for the Melbourne Cup, m which, if he should win tho Metropolitan, his impobt would be 7.9, ot 191 b less than weight-for-age. . Maranui, who has also been supported for the Melbourne Cup as well ac the Metropolitan, has not yet been galloped beyond a mile, but he is going along all right, as is Mahutonga, despite the bard tracks. Comely is pleasing her trainer, which is equivalent to saying that her backers should be well satisfied. Noreen goes nicely, though her preparation has been interfered with as a result of the illness of her trainer, T. Scully. English racing men* are looking forward to the meeting m the St. Leger of the Martagon colt Woolwinder and the Derby winner Orby. The former, since running second to Orby, has shown considerable improvement, winning the Lingfield T?ark Plate, one mile and a-quarter, and the Sussex Stakes, one mile, at Goodwood ; while, on' tho other hand, Mr Croker'e colt finished last m a field of four for the Atlantic! Stakes, nine furlongs, at Liverpool. Many who saw the Derby reckoned Orby lucky to win, and one of the number was Mr J. R. Smith, of New South Wales, who says that at one stage of the race Woolwinder got into such an awkward position that to get, out of it his- rider simply had to let him drop right back, and the ground ne lost thereby cost him the race. ' The best horse m America to-day is stated to be Frank Gill. Over a heavy track he won the Coney Island Jockey Club Stakes, one mile and a-half, m a romp m the more than good time of 2min 33^sec. He swept up to the Keene crack entering the stretch, and m two jumps it was all over, and the colt came on and won m handsome style by three lengths. A few days previously Frank Gill won the Equality Stakes, for three-year-olds and upwards. Frank Gill is by Collar, a son of the celebrated St. Simon. The Irish -bred colt" Sir Archibald retained an unbeaten certificate m England at last advices. Sir Archibald's initial appearance m public will long he remembered (says "Robin Hood," the English correspondent of the 'Australasian'). This took place at the' first meeting of the , year at Newmarket, and as nothing was then generally known about the colt's capabilities, and the field was- a large one, he started at a very long price. After his easy victory, however, it transpired that his connections had tried him a certainty, and had backed him very heavily away from the course, the owner's commission amounting to as much as £600. The coup was one of the motsfc successful ones worked at starting price for a long time, for the secret was well kept, and Sir Archibald landcdi a huge stake for his stable at the wonderful price of 20 to 1. Sir Archibald, who is by Desmond, is engaged m the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, and St. Leger of 1908, and he looks like developing into a warm favorite for the blue riband. Tangaroa is to go i from Melbourne to Sydney to run m the A.J.C. Derby. He will be ridden by the cross-country rider F. Burn, aiid thU (remarks '* Aja'x") i 6 nothing against the colt. Burn is a most accomplished hoii?cman, whether on the flat or over obstacles. Tangaroa iq such a wild sort of a colt that it requires a very strong jockey to manage him. Burn is just the sort of rider for him. Tangaroa is very fa6t, but may not last out the A.J.C. Derby journey, though he is bred well enough to last out any journey. In any circumstance, last out * any journey. In any circumstance, Tangaroa is bound to run well at Randwick, as he has come out since he was a two-year-old, and he can be considerably improved during the next few weeks. Nothing has yet been decided as to whether Mazarinf orySeddon will go over. It will all depend as to how they shape m their next run m Melbourne. j The Sandown Park "ten thousand j pounder," the Eclipse Stakes, run on July i 19, brought out seven starters, with Mr W. ' Bars's horse*- Saucy favorite at 5 to 2 on, while sto 1 was available about Lally. The favorite made the running until fairly m th'e straight, and his backers seemed to think the race was over ; but Dillon, who had the mount on Lally j rode a patient race, and the son of Amphion, finishing with wonder- ] fui resolution, just got \ip m time to defeat ; Mr Bass's horse by a bare head. The mile and a-quarter was coyered m 2min 10? sec, and the value of the stake £9,285. Lally's win placed his sire, Amphion, second on the list of winning stallions. There being no sign of improvement m the condition of the gelding ~ Bellis, by Lochiel — Belle of Trent, who was put m I

slings after fracturing his stifle m the recent Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase, he was destroyed on the 25th August. " Pilot" writes : Bellis opened his career as a steeplechaser at Randwick on June 3, 1905, when he fell. At his next appearance he Avon the Williamstown Steeplechase, and m less than three weeks after won the V.R.C. Grand Nationa' Steeplechase. He followed this up by carrying top weight (12.3), and annexing the Caulfield Grand National , Steeple at the V.A.T.C. meeting. During the following six months he competed unsuccessfully at various meetings on the flat, but renewed his acquaintance with the fences on June 23 following, when he filled third {dace to Divham and AbdalJah m the Wiliamstown Steeplechase. In the following month he once more started a favorite for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, but on this occasion could only run third to Decoration and Syringa. He also started m the Caulfield Grand National a month later, but fell. He was then put by for the Grand National Steeplechases of this year, and was given his first run m a race of that class at the Williamstown meeting on June 22, on which occasion he ran third to Sprins^Beld and Boisdale. For the third time Bellis was saddled up for the V.R.C. G.N. Steeplechase on July 13, but his tidy load of 13.1 found him out, and he failed to get a place. ' The Caulfield G.N. Steeple, wherein he received the injury which necessitated his* destruction, was his next and last appearance on a racecourse. In the Hurdle Race at Williamstown (Vie.) last month Alexis felL and a splinter from the rail penetrated his heart, causing instant death. Alexis won the Queensland Guineas and Derby, after which Walter Hickenbotham gave 600 guineas for him, but he was such an ill-mannered brute that Hickenbotham was glad to pass him on to Mr Meyers for 190 guineas. " Phaeton " writes : A survey of the New Zealand Cup situation leads me to look with more favor on the horses above 7st than those below that impost, and m ticking off the following seven I may have found the winner: — Master Delaval, Paritutu, . Armistice, . Zimmerman, Trace, Mahutu, and Seal Rock. Gravity, a full brother to Famous (winner of the Don caster Handicap, 1905), won a double — the Hurdle Race and Jumpers' Flat Race — at Williamstown (Vie.) on the 24th ult. Subterranean was recently m good de mand for the Caulfield Cup. This horse has practically been sold to a member of the V.R.C Committee. lolaire has received some attention for the A. J.C. Epsom Handicap, for which event, at latest mail advices, Collarit was favorite. The ex-New South Wales gelding Ldrd Middleton put up a good performance on the concluding day of the Boulder (W.A.) meeting, when he carried 12st 131 b andaccounted for the Great Western Steeplechase, of 600 soys. Lord Middleton is by Gigue from Lady Norah. Dividend has sufficiently recovered to he able to do mild work at Melbourne, but it is still doubtful if. he- will stand a preparation fpr his spring engagements. In England recently Mr Gaistaun offered 5,000 guineas for Bridge of Canny, with a view to taking him to India for the Viceroy's Cup. Lord Derby, however, declined the offer, ' ' * * Though Noetuiform's record m Englaild up to the 27th Jidy was eight starts and eight times unplaced, hi© backers made him favorite at 7 to 2 for the Summer Cup at Newbury. Our London correspondent writes.-— The fact that Mr Stead and Mr Buchanan, the past and present owners of the horse, were together m Mr Buchanan's hox with members of their families gave <.olor to -the prevalent notion that this was to be Noetuiform's day out, and the fact that Hewitt had given way to Danny Malier as Noetuiform's jockey added to people's confidence apparently. Moreover, the horse himself looked harder and more muscular than he has ever done m this, country, hut he has not trained big on his work as* ho used to do m his own country, and those who kn. w him declare that he is not now 60 .heav/ as when he was winning as a three-year-old. , This may be due to climate influences, but, be the cause what it may, it is very disheartening to all concerned m the horse. It is possible that he has got souired m his temper by being asked to Tun when not feeling m the -least like he used to do m his winning days. Certainly there seemed reason to* suspect this on Saturday, for he ran up to the leaders without an effort ac they swept into the straight, and then, m a few strides, dropped right out and finished last but one. The race, which was run at a tremendous pace, ended m a dead heat between the Duke of Devonshire's Fugleman (4 yrs, 9.0) and Mr Singer's Manaton (6 yrs, 8.6), their time being 2min 30|sec. i Noctuiform carried 8.13.