SPORTING NOTES.

SALE OF YEARLINGS.

To racing men next in interest to the ijreat three-year-old races of the year, is the sale of yearlings by the great breeders for the turf. Tl.e first lot of yearlings brought to the hammer are generally those bred by Her Majesty, and the sale at Hampton Court came off this year on the 17th of June. Twenty- four animals were submitted to the hammer, the produce of Ely, Savcrnnkc, Asteroid, St. Albans, Trumpeter, Rataplan, ami Lord Clifdcn — the St. Albans being in the greatest force. The total sum realised was 4G30 guineas, or close upon an average of 193 guineas each. The highest price given was for a colt by Trumpeter, out of Ayacanora, by Birdcatcber, purchased by tbe Marquis of Anglesea for 950 guineas ; the next, a filly by the same horse, out of Hcptacia, by "V oltiguer, brought 630 guineas ; a colt by Rataplan, out of Theodora, by Orlando, brought 530 guineas ; and a colt by St. Albans, out of Garnish, by Faugh-a-Ballah, brought 510 guineas. The prices of the remainder were more moderate, eight selling for less than 65 guineas each. The sale of SirLydston Newmans yearlings, bred at Mnmhcad, in the West of England, followed on Hampton Green. Sixteen were put up, but only ten were sold, and these brought 1815 guineas, or au average of 182 guineas each. These were chiefly by Crater and Tom King— thice out of the list going below 100 guinea?, the highest price obtained being 400 guineas, for a filly by Cratex*, out of Start Point, by Weathcrbir.

The next great sale was the first batch of Middle Park yearlings, bred by Mr Blenkiron, who is the largest breeder of thoroughbred* England has ever s=crn. Mr Blenkiron does not stop at price to furnish his stud with the hest stallions and mares to be purchased in England, and he ha* his reward in the long prices he s-ccurcs for his yearlings. At his first sale this year, held on the 18th of June, fifty-two lots were catalogued, and of these forty-nine were sold, ibr the gross sum of 16,405 guineas, beiuj: an average of 335 guineas each. SaunUrer, Marsayas, Blair Athol, Gladiatcur, Trumpeter, Thormunby, King John, High Treason, and Wcathcrbit, were the principal lords of the harem, and the highest price obtained was 1800 guineas, for a colt by Gladiatcur out of Battaglia, by Rataplan — a mare formerly owned by Mr W. Robinson, of Cheviot Hills. The next highest in prices were a colt by Trumpeter, out of Isilia, by Newminster, IGSO guineas ; a colt by Blair Athol, out of Terrific, by Touchstone, 1500 guineas; a filly by Mar>avis, out of Hermit's dam, 1500 guineas ; a filly by King John, out of Elspcth, by Birdcatchcr, 720 guineas ; a filly by the same horse, out of Ajirn, b}' Birdcatcher, GGO coineas ; a colt by Thormanby, out of Woodbine, by Stockivell, 650 guinea.". These were the pick of the lot, 570 guineas being the next highest price obtained, then 430, two at 400, and so declining in price — nine out of the lot bringing less thin 100 guineas each. At the sale at Albert Gate of the Hurstbourne Park yearlings, and those bred by Mr T. T. Parker, very satisfactory prices were also obtained. Ei^ht of the former sold for 2980 guineas, giving an average of 373 each ; while the four of the latter brought 1510 guineas, averaging above 377 guineas each. The highest price brought by the Hurstlourne Park animals was 755

guineas for a colt by Trumpeter, out of Chase, by Venison; the next wai 500 guineas, for a colt by Sydmonton, out of Mazclla, by Old Port. Mr Parker's highest price yearling was 800 guineas, for a colt by Mdccaroni. out of Songstress ; and the next, 500 guineas, for a colt by the same horse, «.ut of Supeistition, by IJirdcatcher. At the sale of the Cobham stud, on the 25th of June, the prices obtained for twelve yearlings were more moderate. A filly, by Wild Darrell, out of Swallow, by Co herstone, brought 700 guineas ; and a filly, by Gladiatcur, out of Infanta, by Orlando, 380 guineas ; the next highest being 210 guineas for a edit, by Lord j Clifdcn; two colts sold at 200" guJheas each, and the remainder at low figures'. The brood mare Swallow, with a foal by St. AlbanY, was purchased by Mr Blenkiron for 1000 guineas ; and Kcginella, by King Tom, with a foal by Maccarom, .vent to the same stud for 820 guineas ; but the remaining marcs went at prices 105 guineas down to 60. Several other yearling dales took place in the month of July, and the following arc a few of the best prices obtained !—! — filly by Cambu<can, out of Penance, bred by the late Mr Stephcnson, 410 guineas ; colt by Cha'tcnooga, out of Araucaria, ' bred by Mr Naylor, 560 ; filly by Newcastle, out of Donna del Lago, belonging to Lord Stamford, 430 ; colt by Newcastle, out of Lady Augusta, 600 ; colt by Cambuscan, out of Dulcihclla, 400 — both of the-c being also from Lord Stamford's sttld. A two-year old filly by King Tom, also belonging to his lordship, sold for 750 guimos ; and his horse Norman by, which nt one time stood well in the betting for the late Derby, hi ought 2000 guinea!*. Those high-priced animals Blue Gown, purchased to go to France for £5000, and the great steeplechase horse Colonel, purchased for £2500 to go to Germany, have both been beaten in their first races on the Continent. Blue Gown was defeated at Lyons in n handicap, in which he was I jeavily weighted, by a son of Flying Dutchman ; and the Colonel, in a steeplechase at Berlin, by Jurymau, at even weights. The entries for the great tbrco-ycsr-old races of 1872 show a falling off in number, which may easily be accounted for by the recent death or retirement of several prominent patrons of the turf, such as Earl Derby, Lord Glasgow, the Duke of Newcastle, nnd others. The entries for the Derby number only 191, against 214 for 1871, and 252 for 1870 ; for the Oaks, 175, against 187 for IK7I, and 187 for 1 870 ; for the Legcr, 196, against 216 for 1871, and 234 for 1870. The entries for the Derby arc the lowest since 1855, Wild Dayiell's year. The maximum number- of entries was made in 1866, Lord Lyon's year, when they reached 274. ''he entries for these races fluctuate greatly from year to year ; as for instance, in 1848, the Flying Dutchman's year, they numbered 237, while thiec years later, whin Daniel O'Rourke carried off the blue ribbon, they were only 181.