TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA.

*#* James Allan has Trimolite looking very well in his preparation for the Otago Hunt Club meeting, but the leg that caused this horse's retirement some time back is not as sound as could be wished, and there is no certainty thab he will stand a thorough prepara-

tion. Iroquois is looking Al, and should win something either at Sockburn or Ashburton even if he misses everything at the Grand National meetjng. P. M'Grath is to ride him in the National Hurdles. Le Roi II is just taken up again after a spell since last Easter. He seems to be sound and well. So is Crescent ; and Glencairn has apparently recovered from the attack of strangles which nearly cooked his goose. Maori Jack was added to the strimg this week, and will h*ve for a mate an untried Berlin horse recently sent to the stable. Allan has also in hand a nica pony, bred by himself, got by Young Diomedes. I understand that this little chap will be trained as a galloper. If looks go for anything, he should be pretty slippery. He will probably be tried first at the Tahuna Park meeting in October.

*** While the House of Representatives was discussing Mr Fish's proposals to allow Dunedin and her suburbs to make for themielres a sightly watering-place at the Ocean Beach, one of the members made a remark to the effect that the owners of Forbury Park and Tahuna Park should be specially taxed, seeing that they had helped to spoil the sandhills. It ie hardly to be supposed that such a suggestion was made otherwise than as a bit of pleasantry, and as such it might hare been allowed to pass into obscurity but for the possibility that in considering the conservation question in all its bearings an odd considerer may ignorantly conclude that there is some justice in the notion. I therefore beg to explain that the jockey club did not steal the sand and carry it away clandestinely to make up the racecourse. They, or someone for them, bought and paid for the freehold on which the sand stood, the object of the purchase being to have a right to the material. If in the present craze for taxing everything and everybody it is made lawful to impose a special charge on somebody for shifting that sand, I would with' great humility suggest that the persons liable are those who sold the sand. Then as to Tahuna Park, it is far rerupved from any breach by the sea, and is well inside the outer barrier of sandhills, and no one who knows the spot as it was and as it is can for a moment think -that the trustees have done aught to provoke Nature to an outbreak. On the other hand, they have turned a waste into a pleasure ground, and spent so much money in doing so that it would have paid them better to have bought a freehold at once. There is no equity in specially taxing either oE these bodies. If the member of whom I am speaking honestly believes that he must tax somebody or "bust," let him have a go at the Government for upsetting Nature's work in the building of the Central Battery.

*#* It is unluckily a necessity to give my tip this week for the New Zealand Grand National. That means that I must prophesy eight days in advance. Never mind. My mind is quite made up, as previously indicated, to go straight for FlintssTONe, and I should certainly do so even onj the day of the race unless advised in the meantime that the horse had gone wrong. Next to this horse I like the chances of Worth and Whalebone. It is hard to say which of these two is the most dangerous at the weights. Whalebone is brilliant and clever, but as a setoff ho has to concede two stone and a-half to the other one. Pick it for yourselves, kuowing reader, a 5 between this pair. My fancy is — well, I need not say it again. For tho Grand National Hurdles I go "nap" on Cai'tain Webb, and really I hardly know what to select as next best. They are so much of a'muchness. But I should say that Kaimanawa is nicely handicapped for a recent winner. What about Mrs Mullaney for the Maiden Hurdles ? Seems to me that she must have a show if it was not very bad judgment that caused some folks to plunge on her last Easter at Christchurch. Norton must be a really good thing for the Maiden Steeplechase if he stands up. If he comes to grief, or does not start, Worth or Caloola may be about. The Ladies' Bracelet looks on paper a soft thing for Captain Webb ; and of the Winter Handicap candidates I would as soon have Bay King and Galtee as any other pair engaged. The remaining events are best left alone, at anyrate for the present. If I hear anything worth printing, I shall speak later on in the Daily Times.

*#* Plenty of interesting stuff from the old world by this last mail. First we have recorded the success of one of ' ' the furniture man's " horses in the Manchester Cup. There were 14 runners, or one in excels of last year, and of the seven four-year-olds that competed four supplied the front rank at the finish. Mina, who became a firm favourite after bhe success of her stable companion Alice earlier in the day, ran a fair race, but did not justify the confidence of her friends, and the result of a most interesting tussle between Balmoral and Yorkshire's representative The Hudson, was that the former won by a neck in the fair time of a tick under 3min 6sec. The Whitsuntide Plate field was the smallest in the history of the race, and Lady Bob was about as warm a favourite as Philosophy in 1885. This race has been won by such good cattle as Briar Root, Chitabob, Signorina, and Reverend, while last year Rueil won. This season, just about a year after his success in England, Rueil managed to win the most valuable breederb' stake in the world. I refer of course to the Grand Prix, run at the Paris Summer meeting. There were 10 starters, all of them colts, and all owned in France. It is not often that England fails to send a representative to take part in this contest, but, as the Sportsman remarks, the Epsom week showed English form in such a bad light that the final forfeit was paid for horses which at one time appeared to have a fair chance of success. The event was thus robbed of its international character. Favoured as the occasion was with the pleasantest weather, there was an enormous company present to witness the decision of tho race, and it is doubtful whether the crowd was so dense in any previous year. Fra Angelico firmly maintained the position of favourite he had held for some days previously, but in the race was beaten by his stable companion Chene Royal, who finished behind Courlis and Rueil, the latter passing the post a somewhat easy winner by a neck. Rueil was the mount of T. Lane, who rode Clamart in 1891, and as he was also on the back of Fitz-Roya in 1890 and of Stuart in 1888, he has now ridden the winner of the Grand Prize four years out of five. The distance, one mile and seven furlongs, was covered in 3min 2-ssec, and the value of the stakes was L 10,044. As showing the strength of the attendance, wnich was no --.doubt the best on record, it may be mentioned that over L 14.000 was paid in gate-money, while the bum of 3,000,000fr (L12O,00O) was invested at the mutuals. The Grand Prix was established in 1863, and has been won several times by English horses. Mr Saville's Ranger in 1863", the Duke of Beaufort's Ceylon in 1866, the Marquis of Hastings' Earl in 1868, Mr Saville's Cremorne in 1872, Mr Marshall's Trent in 1874, Mr Brewer's Robert the Devil in 1880, Mr Rymill's Bruce in 1882, Mr Brodrick-Cloete's Paradox in 1885, and Mr Vyner's Minting in 1886 are cases in

point, while in 1881 the American horse Foxhall won ; and if we take off Mr Baltazzi's win with Kisber and Prince Soltykoff's with Thurio, these gentlemen being not Frenchmen, we find that out of 29 times the race has been run (it was interrupted in 1871 by tho war) Frenchmen have won 17 times, and foreigners the rest.

*** After Paris came Royal Ascot. The weather was unseasonably cold on the opening day. There were 10 runners for the Ascot Stakes, the field being of the same strength as last year ; and, to quote the Sportsman, as was the case a twelvemonth ago, the Manton stable supplied the favourite and, as on that occasion also, had two representatives. Tho parallel extends further, for while last year Ragimunde lost the race through his saddle slipping round, Harflour this year had to suffer defeat at the hands of the lightly-weighted Billow, who won by a length. That filly had_ been sold privately to Mr E. Loder before winning the Salford Hurdle Race at Manchester, and her success in the " Stakes " calls to mind the victory of Dan Dancer in 1888. Like Billow, that horse had previously run under National Hunt Rules (had specially distinguished himself, in fact, over hurdles), and was of the same age and carried the same weight as Mr Loder's filly, while in the year he won there were also 10 runners. Among the juveniles, Milford in the Coventry Stakes fully sustained the reputation he made when he beat Minting Queen on his first appearance in public, and there was a sort of poetical • fitness in Mr Douglas Baird's success in the Gold Vase, seeing that "Mr Jersey " has scored in the previous event. It is always said, you know, that Mr Baird came after "Mr Jersey" in another sense. This Vase was the race that the Australian-bred Mons Meg won last year. Watercress' form in winning the Prince of Wales' Stakes furnished the surprise of the afternoon, and still further confuses the three-year-old form of the season. He only ran once as a two-j'ear-old, when he came out with a good Home reputation for the, Rous Memorial Stakes at the Newmarket First October meeting, but failed to run into the first three, and when tried with a view to ascertaining his chance for the Grand Prize of Paris, failed to answer the question put to him. By Springfield out of Wharfedale, Watercress was bred by the late Lord Falmouth, and at the sale of his stud at Newmarket in December 1889 he was knocked down as a foal to John Porter for 460gs. On the second day three outsiders filled the places in the Royal Hunt Cup. On the third day Orvieto landed the odds betted on him in the Rous Memorial ; the New Stakes (established, by the way, in 1843) resulted in the decisive defeat of the favourite ; the Cup was merely a match ; and the Derby winner was beaten at level weights over the mile of the St. James' Palace Stakes by both St. Angelo and Watercress. Public form thus seems to indicate that St. Angelo was really uulucky in ths Derby, as was suggested at the time.

*#* "Rapier" was specially persistent in arguing that way. A considerable proportion of racegoers, he says, appear to believe firmly thab races are rarely won by the right horses — that is to say, same remarkable accident continually occurs to prevent the success of the best animal. The theory is overdone ; but still we must all admit that if races were always run twice over the results would by no means be invariably the same. Would Sir Hugo win again if the 13 starters for the Derby were to go to the post once more next week ? lam by no means convinced that he would, though I do not intend to say that I should oppose him with any confidence ; but in a repetition of the race I firmly believe that St. Augolo \nould have a great chance. There is no doubt that the colt had all the bad luck of the race. It may not be generally known that Ruoil savaged St. Angelo badly, seized hold of Mr Milner's colt with his teeth as St. Angolo was galloping just in front of him, and hung on for a good hundred yards. When St. Angelo had shaken off Rueil, his jockey, Webb, was, as he declares, prevented from taking his place by Robinson, who violently with his elbow jogged St. Augelo's jockey in the ribs, provoking from Webb the remark, "Look here! you're not rowing ; you're riding ! " A complaint to the stewards of the Jockey Club, on the grounds of foul riding, followed. St. Angelo was, beyond all doubt,, interfered with twice, and at critical moments ; 'he surely lost something in consequence — was it two lengths ? For he was beaten a bare two lengths, and if the interferences on the part of Rueil and Robinson cost him this (and probably they cost him more), St. Angelo would obviously have won the Derby. T^'uly Mr Milner's luck has been cruelly bad, for he certainly ought to have won the Newmarket Stakes, and with just a scrap of good fortune he might have won the Derby, as also not improbably the Two Thousand.

* # * Blue-green, who made his first appearance this season in the Alexandra Plate, looked full of bloom. Although running untried he was considered fit to run for his life, and with only Houndsditch and Bracken to beat, the odds of 9 to 4 were in every way justifiable, granted that this was his maiden attempt to stay a long course. In cantering to the post Blue-green moved with much greater freedom than the other two, and after a fairly-run race, the wfiarer of the "yellow and black "was easily triumphant. In the Hardwicko Stakes a couple of maiden three-year-olds, King Charles and Medaillon dOr, were alone pulled out against Gouvemeur and St. Damien. So well had Gouverueur been doing on his own side of the water that in spite of the 101b disadvantage in the weights, he claimed quite as many friends in the ring as St. Damien, and for that matter left off with a very fractional call. He pulled tremendously hard in the early stages of the race, and when Medaillon dOr was tiring five furlongs from home he simply swept to the front. This ' ' tearaway " game told a tale, as when challenged soon after entering the straight by St. Damieu he shut up like a knife, and the three-year-old came gallantly to the rescue of Jarvis' stable.

*** Prime Warden is safe to pay up for the New Zealand Cup, and I should think that Merrio England will hang on for a bit longer. Cynisca, also, is ono on whose behalf the engagement may be expected to be prolonged. The Workman will not accept. Crackshotmay or may not — one can hardly form an opinion. Boulanger's name will in all likelihood appear in the revised list, and that of Hippoinenes will for a moral, while Mr Hungerford ought not to be in a hurry to knock oat British Lion. Clanrarßld, also, vill stay j u . Crown Jewel will probably make this payment at least, and I should think that Lebel will too if he is at all sound. Morion is booked for Sydney. Fraternitc, Whisper, and Strephou may be expected to slay in, but it would not surprise me very much to we Blizzard fall out. Looking further do*vn the list, the horses that seem pretty sure to pay up are Itosefeldt, Prestige, Flinders, Don Pedro, Merganser, North Atlantic, Dilemma, Saracen, St. Hippo, Launceston, Captive, Tireur, Spinfeldt, Lord Hornet, and Kotuku, but one can hardly be expected to forecast the acceptance list with any degree of accuracy, seeing that it is impossible to say

which horses if any are going to Melbourne, or how a lot of them are doing. I should not, however, be surprised to see about 40 make this payment.

i.tt* £ k j° fc ty poinfc i " racin g law cropped up at the Mordialloc races held at Aspendale Park recently. In the Richfield Welter Handicap (amateur riders were allowed 71b) Australia and Labour ran a dead heat, with professionals in the saddle. As the owners decided to run off for the stake — and bets, which, by the way, were pretty heavy on Labour, the favouriteMr C. Carter, the trainer of Australia, wanted to substitute Master A. Whitty for Ettridge, and thereby claim the 71b allowance for an amateur rider. The owner of Labour naturally objected, and before the stewards had met and decided the matter, the horses went to the post, and the heat was run off. One section of those present were of opinion that because in the ewe of a horse carrying overweight in a dead heat being allowed .to carry his correct handicap weight in the run-off, Australia, who carried a professional in the actual race, should also have been allowed to claim the 71b allowance in the run-off if his trainer pleased to put up an amateur. To my way of thinking (remarks " Cranbrook") the two cases are widely divergent. In the first place, racing law does not compel a horse to carry more than his handicap, and if a trainer chooses to put up overweight, in the case of a dead heat it is only equitable that in the run-off that horse need not put the overweight up. In the second place, when a trainer has the opportunity of claiming a 71b allowance on his horse's handicap, and fails to take advantage of it, why should he have that privilege because his horse happened to run a dead heat ? Certainly not, I should say, for he carried his handicap weight in the actual race, and no number of dead heats should allow his horse to carry less in the run-off. It's a nice point, however.

*** "Pentagraph," the special statistician of the Weekly Press, has already produced his returns for the past season. They show thateight horses have won over LIOOO. Pride of place is held by British Lion, who among other events captured tho New Zealand Cup. His whack is L 1445. That smart mare Florrie is but L 5 behind, thanks to her spring wins in the Derby and Oaks and her even more meritorious performance in the Otago Cup. Another three-year-old, the Marshall Stakes winner Clanrauald, counts as third with L 1402. If he had quite fulfilled expectations in the Challenge Stako6 he would have been at the head of the list. As it is, he well- deserves his place. Wakawatea's surprising record as a two-year-old briugs him into fourth position with L 1220 ; the much-improved Crown Jewel has received no less than L 117 3; honest old Cruchfield comes next with L 106 1; then we see the name of the Dunedin gelding Hippomenes abreast of L 105 9; and the octave is complete with Cynisca, L 1044. Going further down the list in search of Otagon celebrities we find Day Dream withL 834, Don Pedro with L 799, Occident L 627, Galtee L 403, Miss Mack L 342, Waitangi L 335. Tempest L 334, Huguenot L 272, Assyrian King L 231, Derby 228, and Kangaroo L 206. Among the winning sires Apremont is first with L 4567, St. Leger second with L 3457, Nordenfeldt third with £2910, Albany fourth with L 2643, Leolinus fifth with L 2597, and then follow St. George L 2545, Bundoora L 2331, Natator L 2170, Cadogan L 2157, Tasman L 2097, and Somnus L2OIB. Lo Loup has 19 winners of L 1559, and Gorton 13 winners of L 1099. The owners that have won over LIOOO are Mr Hungerford L 3470, Mr D. O'Brien L 2337, Mr J. Stephonson L 2226, Messrs Hobbs L 2073, Mr G. Hunter L 1951, Hon. Mr Ormond LIBOO, Mr H. Lunn L 1754, Mr M'Rao L 1395, Mr D. M-Kinuon L 1353, Mr J. Paul L 1272, Mr W. Marsh L 1244, Mr W. Bobbstt L 1225, Captain Russell L 1172, Mr W. Douglas LllO7, Mr J. Loughlin L 1079, Mr G. H. Clifford LlO6l, and Mr G. Stead LlOsl. Mr R. M'Master's share is L 624, Mr J. Poole's L 459, and tho Hon. G. M'Lean's L 402.

*#* After Redleap's recent achievement, observes the Australasian, there will naturally be some discussion as to the place this horse occupies amongst the great racehorses of tho Australian turf, and the majority will class him with Sussex and Game as a stamp of allround horse for which Australians, and the younger generation more particularly, have a deep admiration. Redleap never ran on the flat, but as he was entered and backed for no less important an event than the Melbourne Cup, his owners and trainer must, at one time or other, have had satisfactory proof as to his pace. Taking all things into consideration, however, he has yet, in spite of his meritorious achievement at the winter meeting just closed, to deprive Sussex of his proud place as the best all-round horse that ever raced in Australia. Sussex won his Grand National Steeplechase, carrying 13.1, at the close of a hard-working career upon the turf, for he broke down in winning it, and retired. His hurdle - race victories were, many and brilliant, and on the same day that he won his maiden steeplechase at Caulfield he won also the Victoria Gold Cup, carrying 13.3. On tho flat he carried 9.0 over a mile and a half, running it in 2min 41sec. Game, one of the best of the Panics, won his Grand National Steeplechase too in the sere and yellow. If an Australian owner of steeplechasers is ever inspired with tke worthy ambition of winning the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, it will be with a horse of the stamp of Redleap, Sussex, or Game that the triumph will be accomplished. An Australian-owned horse won the race last year, but that went for nothing beyond showing that some of tho young colonists who have been acclimatised abroad have had the Australian love for this particular branch of sport ingrained. What we should like to see is a firstclass Australian horse in the race, and above all things an Australian rider on his back. It seems to us more in harmony with the spirit Qf the turf in a young rough-riding country that wo should seek to win a Grand National in preference even to a Derby. Such a victory would certainly excite more universal sentiment. Admittedly, there are great difficulties in tho way, but to young and wealthy men with a love of sport they are, or should be, merely trifles. There is no breeding to time in such a case, and no sending of untried colts to meet the proved pick of England.

*#* Some important business was transacted at the monthly meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club's Committee last week. It transpires from the Hon. G. M'Lean's letter with regard to Mr Powell's appointment that the engagement so far relates only to the Spring and Autumn meetings. The Wanganui Club has a claim on Powell's services for Queen's Birthday, and, very properly, he desires to cousult tbut club beforejnaking other arrangements which would clash with tho one hitherto subsisting. The Wangauui Club was one of those bodies that " discovered " Mr Powell, and they have a right to be consulted. But there should not be an> real difficulty in coming to an understanding whereby the champion starter will be at liberty to act on the Birthday for what is

certainly the principal fixture in the colony on that date. A question that will lead to some difference of opinion is the determination of the committee to shut out trotting horses from training at the Forbury. For some time past there has been a certain amount of feeling as to the relative rights of gallopers and trotters to the use of the inner track, and those interested in trotting will doubtless consider themselves aggrieved by the resolution referred to. Ido not see, however, that the committee could do anything else in the meantime. The so-called tan track is to be mended to give the fiat racers a wet weather exercise ground. It would be simply folly to repair this track and then have it cut to pieces straightaway. Trotting horses are very severe on a track, and if they got on to this tan as soon as it is made up they would knock it to the dickens. However good a job the committee make of this repairing, the track will not stand the immediate ploughing up it would get if worked on perpetually. A selection must therefore be made ; and this being the case, it is not strange that the committee should decide in favour of the flat racers. A racecourse without proper training tracks for gallopers is only half a racecourse. We may be sure that the committee have not excluded trotters from sheer wantonness. Trotting has paid the D.J.C. very well, and the trouble that Mr Sydney James is going to on behalf of his club, to get trotting matters placed on a better basis is iv itself proof that the club has no desire to give the cold shoulder to this branch of the sport. There is reason^ therefore, to hope that the present arrangement will not be permanent, but that as soon as the gallopers can get on to the other tracks, and the tan has settled down, we shall see trotcers exercising again at the Forbury. In the meantime the committee have no option in the matter.

*** It will be seen from the report of the meeting above referred to that the Spring meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club will this year extend over only three days. That is quite enough. The fourth day has proved quite unnecessary, and moreover the programme for that day has been altogether unworthy of a leading club. The programme is not yet made up, but I expect that when it appears we shall find at least two trotting races included—perhaps one on the first and another on the third day. So far as I can learn there is no intention on the part of the committee to do away with these races. There is a report about to that effect, but my belief is that it is uufounded. Some who are on the committee, and many who are not on it, do not care for trotting, but everj one must recognise that it is a sport which is doing a vast amouut of good to the country, and one that really deserves every possible eucouragement. The Tahuna Park executive, realising that it comes within their province to afford this encouragement, have, I am glad to hear, resolved to supply trotting men with the accommodation wanted. A meeting was held in Mr Philp's office on Monday evening, when it was agreed to allow trotting horses to train at Tahuna Park on the outside half of the present track. The charge is to be 5s per month, or LI for a half year, or 30s for a year.

*#* There are 112 acceptances for the Melbourne Cup, if we may take the cabled list as correct. Dreadnought, Stromboli, and La Tosca are the most noticeable withdrawals from tho high-weight division, but the two niue-stone-eighters are there, and quite well, thank you — that is, they are very much alive in the estimation of that section of the backing public who are already laying up embarrassment for the race-day. When the last mail left Melbourne Malvolio was quoted at 100 to 7, and Strathmore and Zalinski were on the same mark at 100 to 5 each. Bar these three, 100 to 4 could be obtained anything, and ranging from that price to 100 to 1. It will be observed that Mr O'Brien has paid up with Freedom, Major George with The Workman, and, more significant than either, Mr Sheeuau with Vogengang, while Mr Gollan has what seems to be a fairly strong team with Tirailleur, Sternchaser, Captain Webb, and Culloden. So far, then, New Zealand has a reasonable say iv the determination of the ten thousand pounder. The next forfeit costs lOsovs, and those that are not to time with that payment will be responsible for 50sovs each. Autonomy is still in the Cup, and perhaps may have a say after all. He is at any rate going to be very hot property for the Derby. On the 25th a backer, presumably entrusted with a commission, stepped to the front and took all the 4 to 1 money available (about L 2000) about the sou of Chester and Aveline, and 3to 1 is now the best offer. The Captain's price is 6to 1, and tens can be got about anything else. Malolo is nominally favourite for the Caulfield Cup, but there is no betting on that race worth mentioning.

*** Mr Gollan's Culloden was |jone of the starters in the Two-year-old Handicap that opened the programme at Caulfield on the 23rd ult. He carried 8.0 and was ridden by White, and showed fair pace for a short spurt, but had no hand in the finish. Premier, a son of Marvellous, carrying 8.4, went out a hot favourite and won easily. The Hurdle Race was taken by My Jack 9.12, a son of Roodee, with Tim Swiveller 9.2 second. Bolton 10.11, who went out at the warm price of 2 to 1 on in a field of a baker's dozen, looked like winning till half a mile from home, when he suddenly tired to nothing. Kimberley 12.6 was fifth, and Titokowaru 9.9 went very well for a while. In the Murrumbeena Handicap of 200sovs, a mile and three furlongs, there was a splendid finish between Accident 7.12 and Comedian 67, resulting, thauks in great measure to Cusdin's highly-praised riding, in Accident winning by a head, in the good time of 2min 27J.soe. Charles Rudings dropped on to a real good 'un when he got hold of this Accident. Magic Circle 8.3 was among the unplaced 12. Confidence 11.4 was made an even-money chance for the Steeplechase, and he got home, but only after a close contest with Liberty 10.6, who, though apparently iv trouble in the early stages, hung it out with marked gameness. Englishman's daughter Priory won the Selling Race, and was bought at L2OO by Mr Weekes for export to India. The brothers Hobbs started Lady Zetland in the Kambrook Handicap, s>ix furlongs. She was weighted at 7.10, but Bob Allen rode her at 7.12. The public made a great favourite of Little Cob 8.9, and this son of St. Albans, who has a good reputation up to a mile, won comfortably by three lengths.

*** Continuing from last week my remarks on the history of the past season, we make a start - with the November meetings. The most important of these was of course that of the C.J.C. at Riccarton. Here we had three real clippers placed in the opening Hurdle Raceviz., Norton, Freeman, and Couranto. What sort of show would Norton be reckoned to have now in a two-mile little stick race at 9.1, or rather what show would any horse have against him ? Yet that was the weight he had in that event, and still he was not first favourite. I reckon it will be many a day ere he has as soft a job as he had on that occasion. There is no

need to say much more about the New Zealand Cup. The story has often been told. Boiled down, it is simply that the whole field ran themselves to pretty well a standstill, and that old British Lion hung it out a bit better than anything else. Stepuiak's success in the Welcome was a performance that is worth remembering. Wakawatea was in command at the distance, and appeared to have the race won, but the half-brother to Russley came with a rare rattle and woe by a head. Tho pair of them beat Vogengang, Saracen, and North Atlantic. Early spring form is not very reliable, especially in two-year-olds ; but I feel sure that we shall one day see it proved that this particular result was an indication of the relative merits of the colts — another way of saying that I regard Stepuiak as a good one. Clanranald effected a surprise in the Stewards' Stakes, paying a dividend of Lls odd. There were some real clinkers behind him — Boulanger and Florrie among the number; but. the last-mentioned got away badly. Next day Clanranald had another win, in the Juvenile Stakes, in which Saracen ran him to a head, and beat both Vogengang and Wakawatea on level terms. Palliser scored in the Metrop., paying L 26 10s. He had a stylish lot opposed to him — Freedom, Cynisca, Prime Warden, and Cruchfield among others. Florrie won the Derby the same day, beating Lebel (the favourite) by a length and a-half ; and she frightened everything out of the Oaks excepting Ilium, who was presumably started only for second money. Daydream was a firm favourite for each of the events — the Nursery Handicap and the Electric Plate — that she won that day, but Freedom, who won tho Canterbury Cup was not &o much fancied for that event as either Lebel or Crackshot.

* # * At the Auckland meeting, held simultaneously with the gathering at Riccarton, Brown Alice was made favourite for the Welcome Stakes, but^failed to get a shop, the race being won by Adelaide, a daughter of Nordenfeldt and Victoria, who paid a dividend of L 34 odd inside. The Guineas ,also resulted in a surprise, as Brigand managed to defeat The Workman by a length. That this was no fluke was demonstrated later in the day when Brigand captured the Prince of Wales Handicap, defeating such smart cattle as Reprisal, Hilda, and Leorina, and the horse that subsequently won the Auckland Cup, Pinfire. Another of Brigadier's get, the two-year-old colt His Worship, accounted for the Nursery Handicap on the following day, Brown Alice failing to concede him a stone, and that grand mare Hilda won two of the most important handicap. She was no doubt a real good one when quite well. Among the minor fixtures about the beginning of this month Winton deserves mention as the meeting where May King made a name for himself, and the Taieri meeting will be remembered by Johnny Faa's double win, while Assyrian King was doing a stroke in a small way in a number of rapidlyrecurring engagements, and old Quibble was equal to the task of winning the Ashburton Cup.

*** Towards the end of the month we had the Wellington and Dunedin meetings — both on at once, as usual. Is there any other country in the world where this periodic clashing of dates would be possible ? The Wellington meeting found Beggarman and Somnambulist overshadowing the rest of the hurdle-racers, and coming out about a fair match for each other. Beggarman won on the first day when in receipt of 81b from Somnambulist, and the latter won the next day when Beggarman tried to give him 61b. Courauto was racing at the meeting, but only on the flat. That he is at least a decent goer that way may be seen by the results, for he finished second in the chief event of the meeting, giving weight to the New Zealand Cup candidate, Hakimana, and he won the Welter in a canter. First money in the chief race each day was taken by Captain Russell's Krina, one of the best of Foul Play's stock. She skipped over the mile and a-quarter in the Hutt Park Handicap in something undtr 2min 14sec, and with a rise of over a stone had a very easy win on the following day iv the November Handicap, all her opponents being dished at the distance. It may be noted that this mare seems to rather like sticky going.

*** Captain Abram led off at the Dunedin fixture by wearing down Christmas in the Hurdle Race and beating him by a length. The Maiden Plate also provided a close finish, Dilemma's pluck enabling him to squeeze in by a neck from Beau Nash. The Ofcago Cup was a memorable race. Cynisca, May, Galtee, and Exile between them made the running for a mile, when Boulauger put in a strong claim, and he looked very like winning till the last stride or two, when Florrie got up and won by a neck. Some think that Mr Paul's horse would have won if he had delayed his run till reaching the straight, but I am not one to lightly impugn a rider's judgment. We know that Florrie is a splendid mare, and perhaps she would have won, however the race was run. Daydream somewhat easily disposed of Saracen and Wakawatea in the Dunedin Stakes ; and Whisper, thanks to Clifford's excellent riding, beat the more fancied Clanranald in the Federal Handicap. Reflection gave weight and a beating to Wolseleyand FinettaintheTwo-year-oldSelling Race; and Tempest got home from the favourite, Bay Kitig, in the St. Kilda Welter. On the second day Waitangi brought oft' one of his well-earned successes by doiug Captain Abram in the Hurdles, and Boulanger beat Cynisca and Occident for places in the President's Handicap, which was run in the capital time for the Forbury of 2miu 12sec for the mile and a-quarter. Derrett rode a capital race on " Bully." In the Criterion Stakes Daydream gave Wakawatea 141b and a beating at five furlongs. Florrie and Boulanger ran a great race in the Onslow Plate, the mare getting home by less than half a length. Then followed the Spring Handicap, in which Morpheus won by half a length from Johnny Faa iv the rattling time of lmin 44£ sec for the mile. Daydream led Pique all the way in the Musselburgh Plate, and Galtee secured a meritorious win from May and British Lion in the Tahuna Park Handicap. On the third day Christmas won the Hurdles, and British Lion beat Dilemma in the St. Andrew's Handicap, while Saracen gained hosts of by the plucky manner in which he came under the stick in the Commemoration Plate and defeated Wakawatea. Crown Jewel snatched the victory from Conjurer in the Grand Stand Handicap, the mare coming a second time after Conjurer had everything apparently settled, and Vogengang brought off the certainty that he was made for the Maiden TwO-year-old Race ; while Derby landed the Consolation, for which he was made asto 4 chance in a field of 11. The features of the trotting on the fourth day were the success of Rata in the three-mile and the defeat of Tommy in the two-mile — both being counted as real good things.

* # * This is from the Sporting Standard. The vagaries "of Dame Fortune are proverbial, and nowhere are they more distinctly peculiar than on the racecourse. An extraordinary instance occurred at the winter meeting of the Tasmanian Racing Club the other day, and

several lucky individuals had cause to congratulate themselves on the big p lice of good luck attending them. A week previously there was a horse being ridden the rounds to orders by a butcher boy, carrying the meat basket in the usual unostentatious manner. No one looking casually at the animal thought of his possessing powers which would enable him to earn winning laurels on such high-class grounds as those of the club mentioned. Yet such was to be his happy honour, with all the attendant joys to owner, traiuer (?), jockey, &c. Tho horse started in a maiden hurdle race under the name of Quilp, and so little was thought of him that he was not mentioned in the betting, and in a totalisator of 352 tickets, of 103 each, only two 10s chances were taken about him. These were taken vp — one by the butcher and his man (5s each) and the other by four Melbourne constables (who went 2s 6d each). Quilp won with flying colours, and you may judge of the ecstacies of the lucky speculators when the machine yielded for each of the two Quilp tickets a dividend of L 79. A correspondent informs us that the constables have applied for a day's leave to recover from the contingent excitement, and, further, that the said butcher contemplates entering his moke for the next Melbourne Cup.