AUSTRALIAN AND FOREIGN SPORTING.

Mr George Van Gordon, who founded the breeding establishment of the late Senator Hearst at San Simeon, California, intends to start a similar establishment near the City of Mexico, Mex. He owns the Santa Lucia ranch, nineteen miles from Mexico, and it is there his thoroughbred nursery will be established. The Australian-bred horse Del Mar, by imp. Somnus, darn Maid of the Hills, by The Drummer, is to be placed at and itthehead of the stud. Del Mar is a slashing looking chestnut, and proved himself a good racehorse by capturing the Mile Stakes at Saoramento m lmin 41} sec with Bst 101 b up. Among the brood mares to be shipped to Mexico are Motto, chestnut mare, 7yrs,by Sir Modred— Mottle ; Evelita, chestnut mare, Byrs, by Hock Hocking — Vixen ; Playful, chestnut mare, 4yrs, by Jim Brown — Fan. and Tennessee.. " The chief feature of the two days at Windsor," says "Boris," m the London Referee, "was the fine form shown by the colonial horses Ebor and Norton. The former had only lately given us to know that lie had schooled into a finished 'chaser. Norton, too, has now certainly learned his business. We have been too prone to underrate colonial leppers, and not made enough allowance for the difference m con- , dition between their old field of action and ours. Apropos I may call attention to the change of front by the mobile vulgis, ' who a day or two ago were guying Hickey, and when he won went quite the other way. There can be no doubt that Escott, by a judicious course of schooling, has given the imported 'chasers a proper idea of what is required of them, and the British public will not be slow to rate them on their proper merits." Particulars of the first day's racing at the Calcutta second meeting show that the Tally-Ho Plate, two miles, to which 2000 rupees was attached, was carried off by the South Australian horse Syllabus, two old Victorian identities m Muscovite and Woorayl being second and third respectively. Screen added to his long list of victories m India by accounting for the 2000 rupees Belvedere Pony Stakes. The Victorian rider, Eobinson, rode the winners of two events, winning the New Stakes, also worth 2000 rupees, with Cornewell, and the Metropolitan Stakes, of 7000 rupees, six furlongs, with Idolator, who won the Australian Cup last year. The son of Newminster and Nina, who was purchased very shortly after his Cup victory by Mr C. F. Glasscock, carried Bst 91b and was 6to 1 against m the betting. Courallie 9st lllb, the Doncaster Handicap winner, was second (starting at 6 to 4 against), while the English-bred mare, Moth Bst 21b, filled third position. Amongst the starters were Fortunatus, Our Jack, Amadeus, the English mare Seaview, and the Donovan horse Donegal. Kisber, who won the Derby of 1876, heads the list of winning sires m Germany, his offspring having won amongst them during the season of 1896 as nearly as possible .£15,778. This success seems to prove that some stallions improve with age, for before Kisber was sold to go to Germany he had served as a stallion m Austria-Hungary for a good number of years, and, although the choicest brood mares were sent to him, he had never succeeded m getting anything at all out of the common, most of his stock proving very moderate. It was. on account of his continued non-success that his owner was at last .induced to sell him. Arrived m Germany^— by one of those singular changes of fortune which have caused the breedingof thoroughbreds toberegaided .by many people as nothing more or less than a lottery — Kisber's stud fortunes began to mend, his children constantly winning races, and no fewer than three of them eventually became winners of the German Derby, m addition to which m 1896, the very year of his death, the son of Buccaneer and Mineral was, as mentioned above, placed at the head of the list of winning sires. Austrian sporting writers, commenting on these facts, explain the want of success that attended his efforts at the Kisber Stud (where he was born and from which he took his name) on the ground that he had not then had time to recover from the fatigue arising from an exceptionally arduous turf career. Considering that 3000 soys m specie is now added to the Ascot Goli Cup, value lOOOsovs, an entry of thirty-three for this time-honoured race cannot be deemed satisfactory, but most of the b3st longdistance horses hold engagements. Foremost among them is Persimmon, who, it is understood, is to be specially prepared for the contest, and the Prince has also nominated Oakdene, who, by winning the Criterion from Goletta last October gave proof of stamina. Last years winner, Love Wisely, is again among the entries, and other liorses that have already been seen to special advantage at Ascot may be mentioned m Clorane, Pride and Dinna Forget, of whom the last-named appears for the first time as the property of Mr W. M. Clarke. Eamapo, the sensational American, for whom Sir James Duke gave 400gs after his break-down last autumn, has been entered, as has the Cesarewitch winner, St Bris, the Kingsclere contingent also including Shaddock, Eegret and Labrador. The Cambridgeshire winner, Winkfield's Pride, the Liverpool Cup winner, Count Schoniberg, and the Chester Cup winner, The Eush, likewise figure among the entries, but the names of x Laodamia and Canterbury Pilgrim are searched for m vain, while the only foreign owners represented are M. Abeille and M. E. de St Alary. Mr Leopold de Bothschild has entered nothing. According to a correspondent of the Australasian who has recently been on a visit to the Havilah Stud, Mr H. C. White's greatest trouble with the breeding of the thoroughbred is the saturation influence on the mare he is breeding from. He holds that there is no surety about any foal whose mother has visited more than one sire. For instance, he gave a big price for Sierra andl her Carbine foal — she was also stinted to Carbine— and as the, foal grew he unmistakably favoured Mentor, whom the mare visited the season before she first went to Carbine. When an observer like Mr White points out the undoubted Mentor resemblance m Sierra's first Carbine foal, of course we can all see it at a glance, but Sierra's second foal to Carbine is the living image of the great son cf Musket, with all the manners, markings, and colour of his sire. He is, perhap3, better behind than Carbine, and seems to be better footed. This colt is bred on lines very popular with figure men, the same as Auraria, The Admiral, True Blue, and Carbine; that is, 2 on a 3, and vice versa. His dam, Sierra, is by Apremont (3) out of Hammock (2). Carbine is by Musket (3) out of Mersey (2). The Admiral is by Eichmond (3) out of Footstep (2). True Blue is by Hotchkiss (2), son of Musket (3), out of Eose of Wellington (2), by St Leger (3). Mr White is very sweet on this Sierra colt, and it is not unlikely that he may yet find his way to England. Sierra was stinted by Cranbook to English time, but unfornately, her grand chesnut colt foal came three weeks too soon. The foal is one of Cranbrook's best efforts. The death is announced of George Frederick, the Derby winner of 1874, who was sold for 300 guineas and sent to Canada ;in March, 1893. He had previously been bought for sixty-five guineas at Mr Hume Webster's sale at the Marden Deer Park Stud m June, 1892. At the time of his death he was the property of an American breeder, Mr Bryon Obear, of the Goodrock Stud, Mo., where the horse died of tuberculosis. " He was only sick two days," writes his owner, "and as the veterinarians could afford him no relief, being unable to reveal his malady, I chloroformed him rather than see him suffer longer. The autopsy disclosed an advanced stage of tuberculosis, of which he showed none of the usual symptoms m life." George Frederick was bred m 1871 by Mr W. S. Cartwright, at Fairwater, Newport, Monniouth. He was by Marsyas (son of Orlando) out of the Princess of Wales, by Stpckwell, her dam The Bloomer, by •Melbourne out of .Miss Sarah, by Velocipede, Arc., arid m the first edition of the "Horse Breeders' Handbook," published m 1881, and long out of print, there is a full account of his performances, from which we extract the following : "He ran his first

race at York m 1873 for the North of England Biennial, won by Sir William Wallace, with Apology second, and m which he was unplaced ; but at Doncaster he turned the tables on Apology for the Municipal Stakes, beating her by a length. At Newmarket he won the Boscawen Stakes, beating Tripaway and Juvenis, and, same meeting, the Triennial Produce Stakes, beating Lord Falmouth's Folingo and eight others, including Leolinus and Eegal. For the Middle Park Plate he ran unplaced to Newry, and for the Criterion he finished third to Miss Toto and Aquilo. George Frederick commenced his three-year-old season by running close up with Miss Toto and Reverberation, who ran a dead heat for the Newmarket Biennial, and next meeting he won the Newmarket Stakes, beating Lord Aylesbury's Beggarman. His next appearance was for the Derby, which he won by two lengths from Couronne-de-Fer, who beat Atlantic by a neck, while among the seventeen beaten horses were Aquilo, Ecossais, Glenalniond, Leolinus, and Eeverberation. .Falling lame he was unable to run for the St Leger; but m 1875 he was sufficiently well to stare for the Claret Stakes, m which, however, Miss Toto again asserted her superiority by beating him by three lengths, which was his last race. George Frederick was then advertised to cover twenty mares at 50 guineas each, between which time and 1881 he was the sire of fifty-two foals, five of which died m their infancy ; and of those put m training six won twenty-three races of the value of .£4160." Subsequently he was the sire of many more winners, but never got anything so good as himself. Tom Oliver, the celebrated steeplechase rider, trained George Frederick for all his engagements. In a short article on the prospects of the two-year-olds now m training at Newmarket, "The Aristocratic Tout" writes m the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette as follows : — Ormathwaite, by Orme, out of Marguerite, is thought highly of by Dick Marsh, and although this swell-bred youngster is doubtless destined to do honour to the racing livery of his royal owner, he is unlikely to be seen out until later m the season. Ayeeza, a half-sister to Florizel 11. and Persimmon, is also promising, and may do more for Surefoot than any others of his progeny have hitherto accomplished; while the Duke of Devonshire has one that should at least show fine speed, viz., a filly by Galopin, out of Queen of the Meadows, and she is already a favourite with her trainer. Hayhoe is likely enough to produce some capable youngsters from the fine lot that came up .froni.the Southcourt Stud laßt autumn, and it will indeed be a disappointment to Mr Leopold if St Frusquin's sister, a charming filly, does not turn out '"'one of the best." She is on a fairly large scale, too, and probably gets this from her dam, for hitherto St Simon fillies have run on small lines. Grig's dam, Merrie Lassie, will be represented by a colt by Lowland Chief, who, it is to be hoped, will uphold the family prestige as Grig, Imposition, and poor little Jest have done before him. Mention of the last named ill-fated filly reminds me that John Watson m a recent spin found one of his Lactantius youngsters to be pretty useful. This is Gay Lothair, out of Gay Lass, who fairly disposed of Chevron Sable who tried Watson's two-year-olds last season, and is down for similar duty this. Gay Lothair evidently inherits his little sire's speed, and if on the small side himself, may yet prove a dangerous competitor m the Bro.cklesby. Behind Chevron Sable m the gallop referred to were the colt by Brag, out of Eondoletia, and the filly by Morglay, out of Queen of the Riding, both beaten a long way, and the last-named is so moderate that she has been sent back to Leighton Buzzard. Her elder sister, Castasegna, was (also speedily got rid of last spring, m fact she was virtually given away, and is now, I believe, m the Temple Bar Stud. The Duke of Portland is said to possess a really good filly yin Elizabeth Hardwick, by Orme, out of Mowerina, and she will be ready for the Brocklesby. Lord Dunraven's colt by Galopin, out of the Oaks winner, L'Abbesse de Jouarre, is nearly certain to be heard of to advantage before the season is much advanced. He, too, is m the Brocklesby, as are likewise the American-bred Beryl, by Sensation out of Belphcebe, Talk Big, by Brag out of Dancing Princess (m whom I hope Mr Arthur StedaU has at length got one that will do credit to his colours), Heir Male, by Ayrshire, out of Rose Maylie, and Fire Arm, by Petronel, out of Sensation. At Greately, Powney m his small team has a youngster or two that should be heard of during the season. Gurnington, by Kendal, out of Lucy Ashton— a Brocklesby winner — is said to go a bit already, while, if pedigree counts for aught, Petty Frame, by St Simon, out of Dart, ought to race as should the half-sister to Len, a filly by Kendal, out of Boadieea. William Fox Stevens has a very promising colt by Amphion, out of Wise Virgin's dam — the One Thousand winner, Elizabeth — and another m the Compton string that is almost bound to earn winning brackets is the colt by Gallinule, out of Miliora, for whom 1850 guineas was paid at Doncaster sales.