IN A NUTSHELL.

— The Idler has won six races in succession. — Sprig o' Myrtle has arrived safe and sound in India.

— Mr J. M'Kewan has sold the trotter Old Judge.

— Cremorne and Paris are doing good work at Randwick.

— Ormonde arrived in New York on the Bth of last month.

— Malolo is said to be moving very nicely at Flemington

— Berlin Abdallah trotted in a sulky in Saturday's race.

— The yearling filly by St. Glair— Gitano is in Waddell's hands.

— Mousquetaire (by Nordenfeldt— Frailty) is to be at the stud this season.

— The unbeaten Isinglass was foaled on March 24 ; Oimonde on March 18.

— The Belgian authorities have decided to expel all foreign bookmakers. — • In Hawke's Bay they have already started licensing jockeys and trainers.

— Pounamu and Sternchaser have been well backed in doubles for the two Cups. — After winning the Disposal Stakes at Ashburton, Lady Styles was sold to Mr T. Holmes at 21gs.

— Ballater, winner of the Hawkesbury Handicap, is not engaged in the big Australian handicaps.

— Mr Hungerford's British Lion, La Rose, and Lord Hornet leave for Sydney to-day in charge of Hull.

— Darnley (by Both well), sent to Victoria by Mr Gollan, won the Maribyrnong Hunters' Steeplechase.

— Johnny Faulkner's daughter Jess was bought in at £18 after winning the Novel at Ashburton.

— Some of the Sydney sweep-promoters, if driven out of Brisbane, will operate from Noumea.

— Mverybody may not know that a sister to Musket was third in the Oaks in Spinawav's year, 1875.

— The veteran trainer John Kent has, with one exception, attended Goodwood races 68 years in succession.

— Meddler arrived safely in America. He may possibly race after all, but if so it will not be till next season.

— The stallion Ernani, by Napoleon — Miss Jacksod, has been purchased in Australia by Mr Tompsitt, of Onehunga. — Carnage recently met with, a mishap which must affect his Derby chance. See our Melbourne correspondent's letter.

— Lady Ida, a daughter of Sir Modred's brother Idalium, won the Hurdle Race at Moorefield (N.S.W.)onthe26thult.

— The New South Wales mare Tridentine has left the post for the paddock, and will be mated with First Water shortly. — Meg, one of the early twc-year-old cracks of last season in Australia, has already descended to the company of selling platers. t- Another of Thunderbolt's stock has scored a win in South Australia, the Morphettville Plate falling to a filly got by this son of Musket.

— Rumours of a screw loose with Light Artillery are explained and dissipated by "Hori Poene." This is the colt that will about win the Derby. — Skirmisher, Erriugton, Geraint, and Busybody were tho only four to make final payments for the Timaru Guineas, run today (rhursday). — Still a falling off in totalizator investments. At Ashburton, during two dajs, the sum put through was £2494, or £850 below last year's sum.

— The American mare Huldah, on August 3, at Buffalo, trotted the three fastest consecutive heats ever trotted in a race— viz., 2.12}, 2.10J, and 2.8 V

— A new sand-track, seven furlongs and four chains round and a chain in width, has been formed on the inpide of the Randwick training track.

— What has become of the scarlet coat and black cap of the clerk of the course? The D.J.O. ought to set an example in keeping up appear ances.

— Rosehill, winner of the Ashburton Cup, is by Liverpool out of Rosedale, a mare bred in 1881, got by JPerkin Warbeck from Lady Ann, by Golden Grape.

— The New Zealand Aquarius, ridden by White, carried a lot of money for the Welter at Sandown Park (Vie.) on the 20th ult., and put his backers in a hole.

—At Canterbury (Sydney) Jeweller, second favourite for the Caulfield Cup, went out for the Canterbury Handicap at 5 to 4, and was beaten by Barnaby Rudge. —At the commencement of last year the V.A.T.C. had an overdraft of £378, which liability has been wiped off, and rej.laced by a credit balance of £544.

— The Birchwood Hunt Club has fixed Wednesday, October 11, for the annual race meeting, upon the Southland Racing Club's course and under their management. — Justice did some hard work at the end of last week. She was racing at Ashbnrton on Wednesday, travelling in the train on Friday, and on Saturday won the double at Dunedin. — A letter signed by over 70 jockeys and trainers has been sent to the Buenos Ay res Jockey Club, asking that the rule which compels jockeys to shave clean should be revoked. — Captive's time in the Kensington Handicap ■was the same as Everton Lad's in 1885, It waa in

1886 that the distance was made a mile and aquarter. and it stopped at that till this year. — Sinecure, purchased at the late Hon. J. White's sale of racehorses for 700gs by Mr C. M. Lloyd oied on the steamer while bding taken to Melbourne. He was by Martini-Henry fro m the Solent. . . , ... — Mr G. Noone is appointed secretary of the Ida Valley Club in the place of Mr R. Love, who has resigned. The annual meeting being poorly attended, an adjournment was made for three — The New Zealand-bred Hollowback, with his owner and his rider (H. Moore), in the Maribyrnong Selling Hurdle Kace were disqualified for three months on the 30th ult. for suspicious running. — The Christchurch Press is informed that a cable message has been received from the owner of Saracen, at present on a visit to the old country, instructing the horse to be scratched for the New Zealand Cup. — Daydream ran in the Chichester Handicap, five furlongs, on the last day of the Goodwood meeting and finished fourth. She carried 8. The race was won by a three-year-old named Falmoutb, carrying 7.10. — The double of Newton and Newman has received attention for the two Cups, Caulfield and Melbourne. "Freelance" says that £56 put on at 500 to 1 exhausted the Australian double- event market for the time being. — The syndicate's colt Pulvil. by Chester—Perfume, won the Stewards' Mile at Moorefield (Sydney) carrying 87. Torpedo 9.11 was second. There was a large field, and Peyton's colt won comfortably in Imin 46sec. —It seems a contradiction that the A. J.0., which is striving so hard in other respects to make pony-racing illegitimate, looks calmly on at its starter, Mr " Tom " Watson, wielding the red flag at meetings of the little 'uns. — Bulletin. —At the Moorefield (Sydney) meeting last month the Kogarah Handicap, six furlong 3 and 50 yards, was won by Ophir, a son of Goldsbrough and Sea Swallow, carrying 7.9. The cup colt Dickens 7.2, was third. But Dickens was big. — Mr S. Hordern has named the following two-year-olds :— Chestnut filly by Castor— Necklace, Collarette ; filly by Nordenfeldt— Yattacy, Maori Belle ; filly by Nordenfeldt— Pungaweiewere, Entangle; and filly by Nordenfeldt— Ouidd., Novelette. — The V.R.C. Derby colt Solanum, by Somnus Blue and White, gained the stakes in the Moorefield Handicap on the 26th August. He was beaten a head by Barnaby Rudge, a six-year-old, giving him 111b, but won on a protest alleging interfere'nee. . , . — The trotting horse Osterley is developing pace lately in Victoria, and is reported trotted two miles at Richmond in smin 3.cc. He started 36sec behind scratch, Dear Boy (Msec behind) being second, and Statesman (Ib'sec behind) third. — Th».y say in Melbourne that Light Artillery, like most of Musket's descendants, has tender feet, which have alway-3 given his trainer some trouble. If it is only the ordinary fault of Musket's descendants that troubles Light Artillery, well and good. — Football, one of the starters in the Hunters Hurdles last Saturday, was making his first appearance on a racecourse, having been promoted from the duty of drawing a grocer's cart. He was bred by MrStudholme from GuyFawkes, and is trained by Mr Arthur Smith. — Ballater, a four-year-old by Monmouth from Sapphire, weighted at 7.4, won the Hawkesbury Handicap, the first of the season's big events in Australia, run Jaafc Saturday. There were 18 starters, and Ballater won by a neck from Pharamond 7.11 in 2min 23} sec for the eleven furlongs. Lullaby was third. — E'ghty-one nominations have been received for the Fourth Challenge Stakes. Only three come from Otago— viz., Mr R. Brown's filly by St. Clair — Gitana ; Mr Stephenson's Duckenfield, by The Australian Peer — Tornado ; and Mr M'Master's yearling colt by Maxim — Sincerity, named True Aim.

— To disqualify any horse or owner, no matter how gross the roping, under the -present state of racing about Sydney, savours of " kick him hard, he's got no friends." So says the Bulletin. There is a horse running weekly, owned by a "big" man, who everyone knows can " walk in," first time his head is let go It will be interesting to note if his reversal of form will be inquired into when he romps home some fine day. — Speaking at the Southland Club's annual meeting, Mr G. M. Bell said that communication had been made with the Dunedin Club suggesting the advisableness of the various racing clubs contributing pro rata, for the services of the metropolitan club's handicapper. The reply received was unfavourable ; but he thought the suggestion & good one. At present the Dunedin Club paid the handicapper a fair sum and in other places he made his own terms. — A great deal of talk is heard just now about Titan, who is said to have returned to his two-year-old form in the hands of Jim Scobie at Ballarat. The same go?sip was going round concerning the son of Tempe for the last Melbourne Cup, and the vendors of it are good friends to the ring. Titan may regain the brilliancy of his youth, but backers who are taking the tempting odds of 100 to 1 about him for the Caulfield Cup are only throwing their money away. — Sporting Standard. — " Ajax" writes to Sydney Referee : I hear that Tridentate is doing all that has been asked of him at Mordiallic, and this well-performed son of Trident is being quietly but steadily backed for the Melbourne Cup, for which Sternchaser is also being consistently supported. Sternchaser is in appearance a greatly improved horse, but he is in an unlucky stable, and I would not be surprised to hear of his break down any day. Portsea and .Swordbearer are also in good favour for the big Flemington Handicap.