TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPFA.

* # * A rather alarming rumour was in circulation on Monday morning, to the effect that M'Comb, the jockey who fell with Stonehenge in the Consolation, had relapsed into unconsciousness. Inquiring about the matter I learned that he and Pine were duly discharged from the hospital as cured on Saturday morning and went home, Pine to Messrs Stephenson and Hazlett's place and M'Comb to Mr Goodman's, where he is an apprentice, and that during the afternoon M'Comb lost his senses again. His employer at once called in Dr Brown, and by Monday at nooa the lad was all right and out of danger. Pine has not had a relapse. Hendrick and Connop are also, I hear, quite right again. They have all had a lucky escape.

*#* According to the list as cabled across, there are 128 nominations for the Melbourne Cup of 1893. If this is the right number, which can hardly be expected, for there are generally some corrections to be made when the papers come, the total is the same as in 1882 and 1887. The greatest number ever received was 165, in 1885, and there were 163 in 1891. We shall get the correct figure later on. Meanwhile I note that Aquarius, who was never deemed class enough for a New Zealand Cup, is in the list, also Ilium, another of the moderate crowd who would be better served in a mile welter, so far as we know this mare, while the only entries of horses now in New Zealand are Mr O'Brien's pair, Launceston and Loyalty, unless some of the indistinguishable spellings are misprints for some of our lot, which Ido not think is likely. It will be observed that Mr Wilson's "nice pair of buggy horses," Strathmore and Zalinski, have been put in ; that last season's winner, Glenloth, is also of the number ; and that Mr Gollan is well represented by Sternchaser, Cullodeu, The Possible, and perhaps another.- As soon as the weights appear I will try to give a full and reliable list of these Cup horse?.

*** One of the many available proofs of the influence betting has on horse-racing is to be found in the fact that the C.J.C. Derby, though relatively to its Cup a richer prize than the V.R.C. Derby, is utterly neglected by backers, and seldom commands any attention from the sporting public, while Melbourne's three-year-old stake is disousßed all the winter, Aus-

tralians, and not a few New Zealanders, are already busy calculating the chances of this and that Derby colt in the hope of getting on to a useful double, and our Derby is absolutely a dead letter. Still there are among racing men some to whom the sport has a higher value than that of money, and to such a j word or two about Derby prospects may bo readable. It may be remarked in the first place that several of the prominent performers among last season's two-year-olds are not j engaged in the race. Eve, is one of these ; Response another ; Zanella a third ; and Anna- j bel a fourth ; and more regrettable still is the absence of such upstanding colts as Royal Rose, j Gitano, and Viscount. I saw Royal Rose in Auckland, and was immensely impressed with his commanding appearance, while, as we all know, Gitano is just the sort of colt that should find his best chance in a Derby, and Viscount is no slouch. Of the 75 that are entered the great majority have done either nothing or so little as to leave us in the dark as to their real form ; and according to present information the choice of a winner may be made from about a dozen of the remainder, unless we : proceed on pure speculation, which would not be a wise thing to do. ,One of the possibles beyond question is Solano. This son of St. ' Clair and Lady Gertrude is at present in the paddock, and he has never raced at all, therefore his does not seem to be a very promising chance just now ; but he is good looking enough for anything, has already proved, in private, to be fast, and if the spell he is now enjoying gives him such soundness as to stand a preparation he will have a look in, I am sure. Beadonwell (by St. Clair— Dione) is fast and honest, and if well will most likely pay up for some time to come. It i 3 an open secret that his running at the Dunedia Cup meeting caused his owner to regret that he did not make the final payment for the Champagne Stakes. Major George's Pegasus is a slashing substantial chestnut that was certainly not at his best as a two-year-old. He was growing too fast. Perhaps he will not be ready even next season. His sire, Nelson, was only a fairish performer at that age. But sooner or later this Pegasus will come to be one of the most useful horses in the country, and if he makes a fair beginning in this Derby his opponents will not have time to stop by the way for refreshments. The next on the list whose name attracts notice is Skirmisher, a really good cplt, one of the best of his age the colony could boa*t of last season, and better than the bare record of his performances would make him out to be. As a colfc that furnished early he may have hardly so much room for improvement as some others of his age ; but as against this theory we have the fact that his chief feat was accomplished at the back end of the season, when not quite cherry ripe. A youngster that can race as he did in the Challenge Stakes i must be worthy of high respect.

# # * I count Noyade also as having a show. She was at the time the best of the saplings that raced at the Auckland Easter meeting, though she did not get the stake for which she competed and really won with something in hand. As for Strowan, no one need sing his praises. He is a good one. In my opinion we have seen the best of him, and he is not altogether my idea of a Derby winner, but a colt of his quality must always be dangerous. Reflector, in the same stable, may perhaps represent Mr Stead on the day. On this point, however, we shall not be able to form an opinion for months to come. There is a possibility that both the colts named may be shelved in favour of the one by Trenton— Sapphire, who has not yet raced, butof whose appearance I have heard high praises. Loyalty, the Challenge winner, is said to be under marching orders for Australia. If he remains he will most likely be a favourite by the day, for he comes from a dangerous stable that has only the moderate Tarannaasa second string. Lakeshell, though so far a disappointment, is a gentleman, and shall be counted in my dozen, as lam sure he is capable of better things than he has yet shown ; and Outpost fills the eye as the very sort of colt that the Derby conditions ought to suit; while Westmere has not yet quite lost his character for speed and strength ; and Tussock must be worthy of respect if it be true, as some suppose, that he is the pick of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's crowd. Ia the above lot I have named a dozen and one. The extra one is Mr Stead's colt from Sapphire. All the others have raced, and on the form shown, together with other information, I am led to think that Loyalty, Outpost, Skirmisher, and Pegasus are the most likely four that could be selected at present. The winter work may reveal reasons for thinking otherwise. We have in the past seen Sb. Hippo and Tirailleur coming from the rear rank of the two-year-olds to the very front of the three-year-olds, and on the other hand there are numbers of cases in our local history of two-year-olds like Vogengang andWakawatea and North Atlantic, who could do pretty nearly all they were asked as two-year-olds and then faded away in the following season. In view of these and similar cases a writer naturally speaks with caution in making early recommendations with regard to a Derby ; but, bar surprises, there is really ground for believing that the quartet mentioned are a superior lot, and if they come to the post it will be an interesting race between them even should there be no others in the field. Otago has a capital chance this next season of securing this valuable stake, which, by the way, has only once come to the south so far— viz , when Sir Modred won for the Hon. R. Campbell in 1880.

*#* Napier sports spent the Queen's Birthday at Taradale, where the Town and Suburban Racing Club had its final meeting of the season. It was a favourites' day, there being only one dividend over £3. This sort of thing tends to a big machine revenue — when the public win they keep on playing it up— and the sum of £3720 was passed through by Messrs Cohen and Stock. The winner of the Maiden was a gelding by that sterling sire St. Leger, from the ancient Fanny Fisher. His name iB St. Anthony. Later in the day he was making a desperate run in the Welter, and would probably have got home but for the accident of slipping down. I have a special liking for horses that win on a muddy course, and therefore I shall watch this St. Anthony, especially seeing that he is so well bred. Mr Page's Jack— this is the nineteenth horse, more or less, now carrying this name ! — won the Queen's Birthday and Meanee Handicaps, each time beatiDg a fair lot. Ho ia by Foul Play from Queen of Hearts. Warrigal accounted for the Hurdle Race ; and the two principal events— the Taradalo Handicap of HOsovs, a mile and a half, and the Flying of GOsovs, six furlongs—went to Scot Free, who had no difficulty on either occasion. In the Taradale Handicap he carried 8.4- and won in a canter from Eclipse 6.7, the latter just beating Freelance 8.2 for second place. The popular Donald M'K. would be in great form on seeing his old pet performing such a feat. Huia won the Welter in which St. Anthony fell. She is another of Foul Play's get, and probably a useful sort, aB she ran up in the Maiden. The course was so heavy as to make it useless to take any official time records,

*#* "Sir Modred"is authority for the appended items from Southland. Camerine has changed hands and will be trained by W. M'Rae. G. Johnson, who has for several seasons been very successful as a rider both on the flat and over hurdles in Southland, is going to Sydney in the course of a lew weeks, where he hopes to get employment. He served his time in Mr Stead's stable, and accompanied Maxim on his descent upon the Victorian turf. Professor, who ran the dead heat with Report in the Maiden Plate on the 24-th ult., is an aged son of Alluvium from a Stormbird mare, and was bred by Mr James Thomson, of Winton Plains. He came by his name owing to the finished style in which he got rid of those who essayed to ride him in his early years. I hear that there is a brother to him in the Winton district who can gallop faster, and if this be true his appearance on a racecourse will be looked forward to with some curiosity. Mr Bunton has in hand a very promising filly from Aurora. She is, if I remember right, by Hastings, and, all going well, she is to make her first appearance in public in the Winton Guineas of '93. C. Meredith is rapidly improving as a hurdle race rider, and his finish on Fairy Queen was an excellently timed one. F. M'Kay had bad luck in his attempt to prepare Patchwork for his D.J.C. Birthday engagements. The horse had got through a satisfactory preparation, a horse box had been engaged to convey him to Forbury, when he went lame in his last canter at home. The lameness was the result of a bandage coming loose.

*y* Extraordinary consistency is being dis- j played in the running of the English three-year-old cracks. Isinglass first, Bavensbury second, and Raeburn third was the order of the placed horses in the Two Thousand, and in the Newmarket Stakes ißinglass was first and Ravensbury third, the pair being split by Phocion; and now we have the Derby result, showing Isinglass first, Rayensbury second, and Raeburn third. As Isinglass was quoted for the Derby the day before the race at 9 to 4 on, we shall probably learn when the files come to hand that other circumstances, as yet unknown to us, pointed to the undoubted superiority of the defunct Dead Lock's son over all others of his age. Any way, even on the facbs cabled, this conclusion is abundantly justified, and the season of 1893 will long be remembered as one in which the winter bettiDg turned out to be exactly right. Also, be ife remarked, the idol of the day is a colt that was backed on his two-year-old form. Therein he differs from Common, the Derby favourite and winner of two years ago, who did not race at all till a three-year-old. By IsiDglass's victory Mr M'Calmont's name appears for the first time among the owners who have won or come near winning the Derby. Mr Rose, owner of Ravensbury, is also closer up than before, the nearest he ever got to the coveted stake on previous occasions being when his Van Dieman's Land ran third to Ayrshire and Crowberry. The Duke of Portland, who now takes third money, has had good turns in the race with Ayrshire and Donovan. This year's Derby is the 114-th of I the series, and present results make the 13th ( occasion on which the double of Two Thousand and Derby has been collared by the one horse. \ In the Oaks the winner was Mrs Butterwick, a t daughter of St. Simon and Miss Middlewick, owned by the Duke of Portland, whose previous success in this race was when Memoir beat the more-fancied Signorina in 1890. Mrs Butterwick was a fair performer last season, having ; won three races, and she will be remembered as the filly that was expected to be nominated if the much-talked-of match between a horse and a greyhound had come to decision.

*#* Many years ago, so runs an old story, a boy 'was sent to Ireland with a horse called Oakstick for Punchestown races. The nighb before the race the lad was to sleep in the loose box of the stable with his horse, which was tied up. The boy had brought a bushel of oats from England with him, and he fetched in a pail of water overnight for use in the morning. Being very tired, he lay down on a sack for a nap, and he was soon fast asleep. The horse managed to slip his head-stall ; and being awake and loose, and with nothing to do, occupied his time in eating almost all the oats, and in drinking the whole of the water. When the lad awoke at 4 am. Oakstick was swelled out like a beer barrel. The boy was in a sad way when he found out what had happened, and did not know what to do. Bat he took the horse out, and walked him about; gently for two or three hours. Then, as the people were coming about, he brought the horse into the stable, and put a muzzle on him. He was afraid to tell the trainer what had happened ; and, at 2 p.m., the horse was taken to the saddling paddock. The flag fell, and Oakstick sailed away, never running better in his life, and woo the race (a four-mile steeplechase) in a common canter, against 16 others. Neither that lad nor the trainer has ever since that day sent out horses hungry, for a hard job.

[ *#* English sporting papers fairly teem with incidents relating to the career of the late Mr Abington, The Licensed Victuallers' Gazette says : Inheriting an enormous fortune when little more than a boy in years, no wonder poor "Abington's" head was turned. He was the mark of sharps and j bloodsuckers from the beginning. A tale is told that, before he became pf age, he was seriously ia want of £5000. He explained his difficulty to a supposed friend, a man older than himself. After a little thought the man helped him to draw bills for the I amount, " the squire " promising his friend £500 if he could get them discounted. The latter asked Mr Baird to give him an open cheque for the "monkey" then. "But," returned Baird, " I have no money at Coutts's." "Never mind," remarked the friend, "there soon will be." The next day the latter started for Glasgow, where, in an interview with "the squire's " trustees, he represented to them the folly of allowing their charge to deal with the 60 per cent. Jews, when they could with so much more ease lend him the money themselves at a less rate of interest. Finally they agreed to telegraph to Messrs Coutts to place the amount to Mr Baird's credit. The go-between leftthe bills with the trustees, hurried back to London, and when the bank opened next morning, walked in and cashed his open cheque. Mr Abington thus had the pleasure of paying £500 for the privilege of lending himself his own money.

*** It is not the totalisator, but the bookmaker, that is declared to be the objectionable feature of racing in some parts of India. This new phase of the matter is thus referred to by an exchange: Tho lot of the "bookie" in India iB not a happy one at this moment—indeed, his vocation is likely to be a thing of the past. Some turf scandals have recently cropped, as they always do, more or less, and the bookie is denounced as tbe/ons et arigo all the trouble. Consequently at a meeting of the stewards of the Lucknow Spring races strong protests were made against allowing bookies on up-country racecourses. Lord William Beresf ord is said to be adverse to them. The matter is not finally settled yet, the whole thing being referred, to the Calcutta Turf Club. Many pre-

fer the old lottery system, dear to the old Anglo-Indian sportsmen. Officers wagered then with each other and civil servants, and the money only went from one soldier's or official's bank balance to another's. Ib did leave the service or help to keep outsiders.

*** London Sporting Times remarks that Geheimniss is a practical commentary on the many learned dissertations that are written on the science of breeding. If by resorting to certain taproots and crossings of Blacklock on Waxy, and Stockwell on Touchstone, &c, a good winner is to be practically guaranteed, how does it come about that certain mares produce one nailing good horse and nothing else worth owning ? Take Nameless, for instance. To Rosicrucian she threw Geheimnisa, who was admittedly a first-class animal. To the same horse she threw Black Dean and the filly Symbol. Why were they worthless if there was really any " science "in the matter ? Cast Off produced Robert the Devil. The dam was again sent to Bertram, and what wretches she threw. Robert the Devil was a horse of the century. So was Musket, whose dam was a frequent breeder ; but though she was several times covered by Musket's sire, the remainder of her progeny was worthless. The same was the case with the dam of that grand horse Tim Whiffler, and we cannot call to mind that the dam of Fisherman threw anything else that is remembered. Don Juan'd dam was at the stud till she was over 20, and gave birth to only one winner. Did "scienco" breed these horses, and if so, why did not " science," with the same material to work with, produco others equally good. Occasionally we have mares that, in the language of the Duke of Portland, would throw a racehorse, even if covered by a shorthorn bull. Pocahontas was one of these, and Salamanca, Queen Bertha, and Mowerina were others. The late Lord Falmouth was supposed to be the most deeply versed of any man in the science of breeding and crossing. But "Where does the science come in ?" scornfully asked Dr Shorthouse, as he gave the Stud Book return, and pointed out that year after year bi3 mares were covered by sires of totally different breeding.

*** Particulars respecting the case of the man Robinson are sent to the Sporting Review from Hawke's Bay. It was at the Town and Suburban races that this man, otherwise known as " Murrambidgee," was laying totalisator odds. The secretary of the club (Mr Louis Binnie) asked him to desist, but the request was not complied with. Constables Harveyand Kennedy were near at the time, and Mr Binnie asked them to do their duty and shift the man from the course, at the Bame time putting a shilling in the man's pocket — the amount he paid for admission to the course. Constable Harvey said, "What will we do with him?" Binnie replied : " I don't care what you do with him so long as you take him out of here," or words of similar purport. Then the constables took the man off the course, and went further than that. They locked him up in the Taradale cells for laying totalisator odds. Inspector Emerson, who was on the course, had not been consulted, and when he was informed of the matter he went to the secretary and wanted to know what charge had been preferred against Robinson. He received a reply that he had not told Harvey to arrest him. Harvey says he did, and that is where the point of the matter apparently is. There was a misunderstanding. The inspector said if there waß no charge against the man he should not be locked up. Even if there was a charge of laying totalisator odds preferred that was no legal offence. The inspector then gob Mr W. Heslop, J.P., and who happens to be president of the T. and S. Club, to ride dowa between the races and release the man. If a J.P. had not been there the inspector says he would hare taken the responsibility of releasing Robinson himself. Anyhow, the upshot is this : that the club is called upon to pay £500 damages for illegal arrest, and that Robinson has instructed his lawyer to take proceedings in the Supreme Court. Twenty-three writs have been issued.

*** Welcome Jack, whose death was recently reported from New South Wales, came of a racing family, being by the great Traducer, the emperor of stallions in this colony till Musket proved his worth, from the Sydney-bred Miss Flat, a daughter of Peter Flat and Mountain Nymph, by Sir Tatton Sykes. Welcome Jack was Miss Flat's fifth foal, the order of her produce being Becky Sharp, Flattery (both by Traducer;, Yaldhurst (by Blueboy), Hilda (by Albany), and then the subject of this notice, who was bred by the MiddleparkStud Company in 1879. At the company's sale in April 1881 the yearling was sold to Mr R. Ray for lOOgs. This was the sale at which Cheviot fetched top price of 525g5, while Vanguard went at 475g5, Digby Grand and Siesta each brought 375g5, and Florin 275g5, while The Jilt was knocked down at 80gs, all being yearlings at the time. Welcome Jack became the property of Mr John Lunn, and it was in that gentleman's nomination that he made his first appearance on the turf. It was in the Welcome Stakes, for which he started equal favourite with Siesta at 4 to I.} It was well known that he was' fast, and but for a doubt whether his obstinacy would not detain him at the post he would have been first favourite. As it happened he gob badly away and finished fourth, astern of Siesta, Vanguard, and Amazon. Wally Clifford was his rider. On the third day of the meeting Welcome Jack carried 7.7 and was badly beaten in the Nursery Handicap won by Nonsense 7.9, with Amazon 7.9 second, and Trinket 7.3 third. This was the meeting at which Grip won the treble of C.J.C. Handicap, Canterbury Cup, and Christchurch Plate. Welcome Jack's next and only other appearance a3 a two-year-old was afc the Canterbury Autumn races, when with 7.7 he was beaten out of a place in the Nursery Handicap, won by Siesta 8.12, Vanguard 8.7 second, and Leonora 7.2 third ; but the race gave no test of his speed, inasmuch as he played up at the post and was ultimately left.

* # * This unpromising beginning was but the prelude to a profitable season, for as a three-year-old Welcome Jack scored no fewer than nine wins out of 14 starts, and actually climbed right up to the top of the tree as regards the amount won in stakes, beating Tasman, the next in order, by about £1000. Welcome Jack's first race as a three-year-old was the Maiden at Geraldine, which he won after a big set-to with the more fancied Turquoise. W. Butler rode the winner, and the late George Williams was up on Mason and Vallance's colfc. Next day, in the Cup, then run over a course of two and a-quarter miles, he carried 6 8, and got within a length of King Quail 7.13, beating Tasman 80 by three lengths. The public then began to see what a good one this colt was, and that he had a liking for a distance, and accordingly they backed him with such spirit for the C J.C. Handicap, iv which he was handicapped at 6.5, that in a field of 10 he was quoted at 5 to 2, though the dividend out of the totalisator was 4 to 1. For he did win by a length from Bundoora 7.4, though his chance was greatly imperilled by playing old gooseberry at the post, and there ia no certainty that he would

have got home but for the advantage he held when the flag fell. In the Canterbury Cup at the game meeting he once again refused to behave decently when taken in hand by the starter, and was at last left, with the result that he was never in the hunt, finishing a bad fourth behind Sir Modred, Cheviot, and Vanguard. At the Ashburton Spring meeting he appeared for the first time in the colours of Mr Pilbrow, and having 8 12 in the Cup Wattie was engaged to ride him ; but Jimmy couldn't keep him quiet at the post, and it was more by accident than good judgment that he got away. Bub he was galloping as soon as the flag fell, and, though he had serious trouble with Turquoise 8.5, he managed to get home a length and a-half in front, doing the mile and a-half in 2min 4-ssec. It was then he was taken to Auckland for the holiday at midsummer, and there he accomplished the feat of capturing the five events he started m. These were the Cup, in which he carried 7.8 and beat Tim Whiffler 8.0 and The Poet 7.7 for places, rompiDg home hard held; the Railway Plate,^ another easy win from Minerva, Piscatorius, and Mitrailleuse (one of the first of the Muskets to race) ; the Derby, in which Kingask was his only antagonist ; the Racing Club Handicap, weighted at; 8.7, which could not prevent him from getting in front of The Poet 7.10 and Libeller 8.0 ; and the Auckland Plate, which was reckoned such a moral for him that he was barred on one of the \ totalisators, the machine paying oufc on Minerva, who finished second. Coming to Danedin for the February meeting, Welcome Jack carried 8.4 and finished sixth in the Cup won by Adamant with_ 7.13, and he was again beaten out of a place in the Jockey Club Handicap, won by King Quail 7.5. In March he lowered the record in the C.J.C. Autumn Handicap to 2min 38-^sec, winning with 8.4 by a length from Tasman 8.5, Lady Emma 8.9 third ; and he wound up the season by failing to get home in the Easier Handicap, his weight being 9.2 for the mile. The race was won by Gitana 6.12 (dam of Girsy King). *** As a four-year-old Mr Pilbrow's horse raced only five times, but on four occasions he caught the judge's eye. His first essay was in the Canterbury Cup, which he won hard held by four lengths from Sir Bedevere, the only other starter being Leodogran. Then he went to Auckland, and with- 9.10 made no Bhow in the Cup won by Salvage ; bub he beat Wapiti, Mitrailleuse, Musketeer, and the now famous St. Leger in the Railway Plate, dished Mitrailleuse in a canter in the Publicans' Purse, and beat Nelson easily in the Auckland Plate. As a five-year-old they gave Welcome Jack the steadier of 9.11 in the New Zealand Cup, and he was ridden by James Cotton, finishing unplaced. The race was won by Vanguard 8.9. The next five appearances that season were a series of successes. To begin with he won the Canterbury Cup after an interesting set-to with Black Rose; and then, once more journeying to Auckland, he there annexed the Railway Plate, beating Derringer and ; the Racing Club Handicap 9.10, beating Carbineer 6.4 and two others ; the Publicans' Purse, beating Mitrailleuse and Minerva, though carrying 71b penalty ; and the Auckland Plate, in which Ugly Buck was his chief opponent. Clifford rode him in these Auckland races. . It was after these performances that this great horse was taken ta Australia, where he carried 9.7 and was unplaced in the Newmarket Handicap, won by Coronet 7.0, was also unplaced with 9.6 in the Australian Cup, won by Ringwood 7.13, and could do no better in the Adelaide Cup (run at Flemington), in which he had 9.7 and was unplaced behind Lord Wilton 7.0. During the 1885-86 season he ran unplaced in the Sydney Cup won by Wing, was unplaced in the Caulfield Cup won by Grace Darling, and made his last appearance on the 'turf in the Veteran Stakes at Flemington. ,His record during his first four seasons was as follows :— No. of Placed Placed Placed tin- Stakes Races. Ist. 2nd. 3rd. placed, won. £ At2yrs 3 0 0 0 § - At3yrs 14 9 1 1 3 2521 At4vrs 5 4 0 0 1 723 Atlyrs 9 _5 0 0 _4 1230 E 18 1 1 11 £4474 I have sometimes heard men say that Welcome Jack was a lucky horse. Well, perhaps ho was in one Bense— viz., in that he sometimes got a good start when he deserved a bad one ; bub I cannot agree with the implication that he owes his position in turf history to luck. If it was good luck that sent him off with an advantage in some of his races, ib was bad luck that detained him in others, and I hold that without the intervention of any luck at all, good or bad —that is, if he had been a quiet meek-and-mild eort of customer that jusb took his chances as they came— he would have won quite as much, if not more, than he did. He was a real racer, a first-class one among the horses of his day, and he looked it, too. *** Some results of the Newmarket Craven meeting are to hand. For the Crawfurd Plate there were 11 runners, and the field included Woolsthorpe, who was] last year beaten into second place by May Duke. Prince SolfcykofFs horse was made a good second favourite to Bombshell. The latter finished no nearer than fourth, but Woolsthorpe, thanks in a great degree to tho nice handling of F. Webb, obtained a head verdict from President, and thus made amends for his defeat a twelvemonth ago. The Thirty-fifth Biennial was supposed to be a good thing for Ravensbury, The race, however, resulted in one of those surprises which ifc has often previously furnished, and the good thing went down before Watch Tower, who carried the colours of Mr J. Charlton. In tho race last season, remarks the Sportsman, that geatleman was represented by Tanzmeister, who had to put up with second place to Mr C. D. Rose's Bonavhta, the subsequent winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, so that there was this season a complete turning of the tables. The fact that Windgall, owing to the hard state of the ground, did not throw down the gauntlet for the Babraham 1 Plate robbed it of a considerable amount of interest ; and a smaller field than the half dozen that went to the ' post has only twice been seen since the establishment of the handicap 10 years ago. His narrow defeat on the opening afternoon pointed to President's chance, with his light impost, and though he jusb resigned market honours to San Giovanni, he had the best of it in fhe race and won easily, while Mr Wallace Johnstone's colt made an indifferent show. Sir Hugo had an easy task in disposing of his three opponents for the Thirty-fourth Newmarket Biennial. The son of Wisdom and Manoeuvre won in all the style of a good horse. #** "Rata" telegraphed on Wednesday night:— "Besides Lunaire, Charlie O'Connor has now got Roseguard and Inez in charge ; and he also has a yearling colt by Dunlop that will shortly be put into breaking-in tackle. The Dunlop colt is not a bad-looking one, but he has the appearance of a youngster that has been starved. He was recently bought in Dunedin, where he was sold with three other Australian-bred thoroughbreds. There was a good deal of jumping at the course this (Wed,

nesday) morning, and Mr Murray-Aynsley had a narrow escape from severe injury. When riding Chester Lad that horse stuck one of his legs in a hurdle and came down badly with his rider, who was unable to get his foot rid of one of the irons. Only the horse received injury, however, and from the cuts he has got I should think it will be some time ere he can b3 trained again, Cajolery was also schooled over fences to-day, and though he requires a lot of practice yet, he will make a good steeplechaser. Sfc. Barbe also jumps well for a beginner." *** " Onlooker " writes from Wellington :— "Mr G. W. Smart, our sporting auctioneer, whose stables at the Hutt were burnt down the other day, has decided to rebuild on the ruins, and his architect is calling for tenders. Holmes, the trainer, is making progress towards recovery from his recent shooting accident." i ' 1