Sporting Notes.

(Canterlury Times.) The Caulfield correspondent of the Australasian wrote on Feb. 6, sa follows > Of the Cup horses three are Mr Gollan's The Possible, Martin saya, braised one of his feet when, as I reported, he fell lame i and having been physicked, has not been I since seen upon the training tracks. The injury need not necessarily prove fatal to success, however, because he waa in excellent condition when it occurred. Sternchaser is improving, and having a month for work before the fixture, may yet ba prepared to his careful trainer's satisfaction. Bonnie Scotland goes a trifle freer, but cannot yet be said to have resumed hia old style. The others are i Straightfire . and Strahan. The latter accompanied Sternchaser in long, tueful gallops on Saturday and yesterday, whilst Bonnie Scotland had on the last occasion the assistance of Bessie M'Carthy in a working circle of the watered Band track. A few weekß ago a fight between two stallions waa recorded, in which, the com.batauts (Forward and Selim) managed to ;do each other a good deal of injury. A similar encounter took place recently (eaya the Portland Cfoardvm)between Buf us and Tranquil, belonging to Mr Alex. Hart, of Glenburnie, bat as it occurred in the dark,ness, nothing was seen of it. On looking round early nest morning Mr Hart noticed something waß amiss with the horses, which had been placed in different yards or paddocks. A closer inspection revealed the fact that a determined encounter had taken place, the ground in places being literally ploughed up, and the horses looking the picture of misery. Both were much knocked about, but Tranquil suffered j most. He was much cut and Jiruised, and j so sore and weak that he could oaly stand by leaning against a fence. Bnfua (who it will be remembered, won the Victorian Derby in 1884) had evidently come off victor. He was also much injured, bub not ; to the same extent as his opponent. . | Melbourne racegoers of a few years baok will (aays the Melbourne Sportsman) recollect the chestnut son of Apremont, Aglaos, who, when trained by Mr F. F. Dakin, carried E. Power into third place in Trident's V.B.C. Derby. Aglaoß was afterwards quartered at Caulfield, where he was gelded. He broke down badly early j in. bis career, and waa sold to go up-country, where he waa re-named Ginger. Since acquiring the new title the Maorilander has had some considerable experience of of the rough side of life. During the last three or four years he has been used as a shearer's pack-horse, and he mixed this , lowly occupation with an occasional-turn of racecourse duty. Aa honest as the sun, the old fellow, although his legs have been bunged up all round, generally managed -to more than earn enough, one way and another, to pay for his keep. When there is no wool to remove Ginger's owner generally seta about giving the ancient one something like fair treatment, and at these times Ginger invariably exhibits a glimpse of his former brilliancy. Becently he has been quietly located at Wagga, and is once more getting into rare form. That there is nothing much wrong with him, and that he has not forgotten how to gallop, Ginger proved at Yerong Creek (New South Waleß) a while ago, I when, with list in the saddle, be made i toys of those that opposed him in the Open Welter Handicap, and ran the eleven furlongs in 2min 32sec. Should his " pins " j stand by him — and they "seem »olid enough —this remarkable old slave is sore to be often heard of again. The following are some of the mares at the Duke ot Portland's Btud to which. Carbine is to be sent :-— Slowerina (dam of! 'Donovan and Raeburn), by Scottish Chief from Stockings; Atalanta (dam of Ayr- ; shire), by Galopin from Feronia; Satchel (dam of The ' Prize and Schoolbook), by Galopin from Quiver; Tact (dam of | Amiable), by "Wisdom from Enigma ; , i Flying Footstep, by Doncaster from Atalanta; Battle wings, by Galopin from Mavis ; Wheel 1 of Fortune, by Adventurer | from Queen Bertha; Dorothea, by Sterling from Cherry Duchess; Mias Middlewick (dam of Mrs Butterwick, winner of the j Oaks), by Scottish Chief from Violet; Dodona, by Springfield from Wheel of Fortune; Golden Eye, by General Peel from Pintail; Semolina (winner of the One Thousand Guineas), by St Simon from Mowerina; and Memoir (winner of the Oaks and St Leger), by St Simon from Quiver, dam oE La Fleche. With reference to Lord Eoeebery's challenge to Mr Henry M'Calmont to run Isinglass against Ladas Across the Flat, acceptance (writes "Rapkr" in the Illustratecl Sporting and Dramatic News) would have proved nothing— aupposing, indeed, that such a challenge was ever delivered ; ! for I cannot help thinking I Bhouldhave heard of Buch an event, and not read it for the firafc time in the papers, had it taken j place. No reasonable man can doubt the great superiority of Isinglass in afield of horses. It was shown in the Princess of Wales's Stakes, when Isinglass was not thoroughly wound up; and though it is Baidthat Ladaa was Buffering from Borne dental troubles, it will be very hard to convince men who know much about racing that such a much-disc üß^ed Newmarket horse as Ladas would have started at 2 to 1 on if there had been anything serious the matter with him. Both were at their best at Sandown, in the Eclipse Stakes, a fortnight later, and Isinglass won com-, fortably. It haß always been much against ; leinglaßß that, with over lOst to carry, he should have been ridden by a little short--1 legged jockey who had always to put up something like Bst of dead weight. A i big free-striding horse like Isinglass wants ; a long-legged powerful jockey like Webb to [ Bhow him off and do him justice; but T. I Loates was quite good enough for all practical purposes. It is well-known, however, I that Isinglass is one of those horses that I will not go. in front, and a match in which 1 he had to make his own running would be no eort of test of his real capacity. It haafor a long time past been known that ; lain glass is to ran at Ascot; in the Gold Cup, and if Lord Bosebery believes, in i spite of all he has Been, that Ladas haa 1 any chance of beating Isinglasß, he can make quite sure of a meeting next June. Twelve months ago l&Bt October Lord Gerard's horses in training were brought to the hammer, the highest-priced one of the lot being Metallic, who realised ISOOgs at the nod of Mr Ellis. At the time, says an English writer,' the well-bred and grand-looking daughter of Sweetbread and Bell Metal was generally considered to have fetched quite full value, but the purchaser was well satisfied with his bargain, and the sequel showed that his judgment waß not at fault. It is a curiouß f aotthatshe alone of the fifteen sold proved any good, and during her sojourn at Bedford Lodge Joßeph Cannon had the satisfaction of leading her back a winner several times, while upon more than one occasion she gave John Watts an opportunity of displaying that artistic style of jockeyßhip of which he is such a perfect master. Metallic could hardly have been considered a thorough stayer, and yet, strange to say, she was better at a mile and a quarter than at a mile, and beat of all at a mile and a half. She failed to get nearer than fourth in the greatest coup of all she attempted— viz., the Cambridgeshire, won by Molly Morgan, who carried her off her legs, but for all that she was no drug in the sale market, and a purchaser came along in the person of Captain Orr Swing, who was content to take her at just double - the money she had cost Mr Ellis. Bought with the express purpose of winning the Viceroy's Cup at Calcutta, she was forthwith shipped to India, and the news which came to hand a few days since would hardly foil to be as gratifying to Mr Ellis as. was her victory to her present owner. Had The Bari overthrown Ormonde, says a writer in au Engliah exchange, he would have counted amongst the smallest of Derby winners. As it is, nothing of so few inches has carried off the Blue Biband since Hermit— small, compact, and rough as a Shetland pony— came home through the snowfall in 1867. More than one horse standing fifteen hands or under has triumphed in the great race. Spaniel was certainly not above this standard. Mr Robertson's Little Wonder (by Muley) the winner in 1840, was scarcely fourteen hands three inches; and yet, in a field of seventeen runners, . he literally

won from beginning to end. Daniel O'Eourke (by Irish Birdcatcher), who was successful in the same event in 1852, stood a little under fifteen hands, yet he managed to beat twenty-eix competitors. The renowned Whalebone, who_ won the Derby in 1810, waa only considered a pony. Sancebor, the Legei hero of 1855, waa only fourteen hands two inches, and Underhand, the great North country crack, who was three times eucceisfnl m the Pitmen's Derby; was well under fifteen hands. The Newmarket correspondent of the London Sportsman wrote on Deo. 30, as follows : — All our olaesio three year olds are going on the right way, and those wko got up the ecare about Raconteur can now.daily hare ocular demonstration of how groundless were the rumours they circulated about his recent trivial accident. The crack, with Islinglaßß, Eavensbury, and several others of Jewitfa older horses, comeß out with the second lot, which is the reason they are not reported in the daily work from here. iMy readers can take it from me that Raconteur has wintered well, and so far gives every promise of growing into' a veritable champion. Sir Visto, too, who can be eeen every morning in company with Ladas and several others of Mat. Dawson's team at work on the Brickfields close to their training quarters, has grown and gone on quite satisfactorily, and I believe Lord Eosebery was quite pleased with the appearance of the colt when down here the other day. Ladas, it need hardly be said, etill retains his massive splendour, being undoubtedly one of the grandestlooking horses that ever stood on iron. Percy Peck is, I am told, very gratified with the progress of Kirkconell, whose owner will certainly see no deterioration— at least as far as appearance is concerned —when he look shim over. Evan's coming three year old cracks are all in the pink of condition. I may make special mention of Solaro, an old favourite of mine. I had a look over him the other day, and waa pleased to see that the bay son of Galopin and Capri is growing into a very handsome horse, and will not unlikely do my readers several good turns in tb c coming year. Among those well - known people connected with the English Turf whose death in 1894 has been recorded, mention may be made of the following : T. Mullen, lightweight rider, who died Jan. 1, aged 27 j Mr E. S. Evanß, owner of racehorses, March 27 j Peter Price, trainer, of Newmarket, April 23, aged 77 ; Mr John Powney, owner of racehorses, May 30, aged 86 ; Aleo Taylor, trainer, of Manton, Sept. 13, aged 70 ; Sir J. D. Astley, Oct. 10; E. Sherwood, trainer, of Newmarket, Oct. 12, aged 59 ; "Mr Manton" (Dowager Duchess of Montrose), Nov. 16; E. Elliott, trainer, Nov. 25, aged 78 ; Mr James Weatherby, Keeper of the Match Book, Dec. 2, aged 83 ; William' Sensier, cross-country rider, Deo. 16, aged 36. Statistics concerning the English crosscountry riders of 1894 appeared in the London Sportsman, Jan. 1. Four gentlemen riders won more than twenty races. Mr G. S. Davies had 115 mounts and won on 28 occasions, Captain Bewicke with only 89 mounts was first in an equal number of races, Mr H. M. Ripley follows with 24 wins out of 150 mounts, and next comes Mr. J. C. Cheney with 23 successes, having been up 62 times. Mr Davies was easily first in 1893 with 42 firsts. Of the titled ! gentlemen jockeys, Lord Molyneux is first withßixwins, Lord Willoughby de Broke and Lord Cholmondeley are nest with four each (the former having the better record), | and Lord Dungan fourth with two wins. Among the professional riders Arthur Nightingall is easily first with 47 wioß (including the Grand National) out of 173 mounts, and then follow W. Halsey with 36, P. Hassall with 32, G. Williamson with 26, E. Woodland and E. Nightingall with 25, W. Dollery with 23, F. Lawton with I 21 and H. Brown and J. Knox with 20 wins respectively. At the Calcutta Turf Club's Meeting on Dec. 29, the Durbhunga Cup, one mile and three quarters and 132 yds., was secured by the Australian bred Norbert, Bst 41b, who waa followed home by Drummer Boy, Bat 31b, Comedian, 7ot 131 b, Hopetoun 93t, and Newton, 7st 41b, the trip having occupied 3min 18$Bec. Norbert who was an even money favourite, and won with the greatest ease, was bred at Tocal, and is by Goldsborough from Lady Laura. During the early part of his turf career the was not a pronounced success. As a f oar-year-old he annexed the Gaelong Cup, one mile and three quarters, with 7at 71b in the saddle, and the following season he annexed the Victoria Amateur Turf Club's Hopetoun Cup, one mile three furlongs, with 7at 51b up, in 2min 23£aec. At the same meeting (Calcutta Turf Club) the Sydney pony Comewell carried lOat to victory, in the Innovation Handicap, one mile, and starting favourite at 2 to 1 he won easily by threa lengths in lmin 46fsec. . Qalignani gives the following particulars of, the "/warning off, "of Baton de Larouilliere a well-known French raoing man. Sporting circles in France have been agitated by a most regrettable scandal, which haß resulted in the well-known racing man. Baron de Laronilliere being " warned off," besides being obliged to find the sum of 123,400fr, restitution money. The facts of the case are as follow :— On September 24 laßt, at the International meeting held at Maisons-Laffitte, the Handicap de la Tamiie was won by Ma Souveraine, a mare described by the owner, Baron de Larouilliere, as a half-bred. The owner, however, of the horse that ran second, M. Achilla Fould, objected to the winner, on the ground of " wrong description," maintaining that Ma Souveraine, instead of being half-bred, is thoroughbred. The same gentleman went still further and did sot hesitate to give it as hiß opinion that . all the races in which this mare was successful were won by the aid of fraudulunt misrepresentation, and that consequently all the stakes, amounting to the sum above mentioned, viz., 128,400fr. should be refunded. The reiiult of the inquiry by the Societe d'Encouragement was, after Baron de Larouilliere had been interrogated and the papers respecting the breeding of fila Souvetame bad been submitted to experts, that the winner was disqualified, the race given to M. Achilla Fould'a Boulaq, and Baron de Laronilliere waß warned off all courses over which they have jurisdiction. It is publicly stated that the result of the examination of the papers by the experts is a unanimous declaration on their part that they believe them to be forgriees. ... . .