NOTES BY HIPPONA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4513, 15 November 1884, Page 4

NOTES BY HIPPONA.

The New Zealand Cup, which was decided on Tuesday last, drew together the largest and most select field that has been saddled up in this Colony for some years past. Owing to the miserable state of the course, however, the race was a very hollow onei for the particulars to hand inform ua that Vanguard won hard held by three lengths from Leonora, the other place-getter, Ike, being ten lengths away. The victory of the Hon. W. Robinson's representative is extremely palatable to-me, for it will be remembered that I predicted his success in my notes last weok. Looking over Vanguard's past performances, I find that as a two-year-old he ran second to Siesta in the Canterbury Welcome Stakes, won by Siesta ; second in the Dunedin Champagne Stakes, won by that mare's then stable companion, Nonsense; third in the Canterbury Champagne Stakes, won by Nonsonse, with Iris second; second in the Canterbury Nursery Handicap, won by Siesta j and won the Timaru Winter Oats Handicap. At three years, with 7st in the saddle, he got third in the C.J.C. Handicap, won by Welcome Jack (6at 4lb), Bundoora (7st 41b). being second, and the two miloa were got over in 3min. 34sec. In the Canterbury Cup, w.f.a., won by Sir Modred, he was third, his stable comjianion Cheviot occupying second place, and at the Christchurch Summer he failed to get a situation in tho Cup. Last season Vanguard made his first appearance in the Wellington Cup.for which he was reckoned a "moral," but he went down before The Poet and Nermanby, and in the Dunedin Cup a few weeks later, was unplaced. He got second in the D.J.C. Handicap, and won both the Forbury and Great Autumn Handicaps, beating a field of 14 in the last-named event, while at the Timaru Autumn he secured the Flying Handicap, and ran unplaoed in the big race on the second day. At Ceraldino this season, ho secured both tho Handioap and Cup. Vanguard's tabulated pedigree reads as follows:—

Although the Grip Lodge stable had it all their own way in tho New Zealand Cup, the Derby "pot" failed to come off, their great gun Liverpool going down before Black Rose, who is owned by Mr H. Redwood, the " father of the New Zealand turf." The winner was got by Ariteros from Red Rose, so that the N.Z. Stud Company will be in great glee over the result. Had the second horse Fusilier, however, been successful, it would have been received with -. much more favour here, as Mr Butler's colt first saw the light of day in Mr W. Walters's paddocks at Papakura, and was got by Musket from that game old mare Yatterina. Old Sylvia dropped a filly foal to Musket early on Tuesday morning last. For the Stud Company's sake, it is a great pity the result- ot her union with the son of Toxophalito is not- a colt, for so far not one of Sylvia's fillies have shown form at the racing game. When the news of Trenton's withdrawal from all of his C.J.C. engagements reached here, there were many unkind' remarks made, but from particulars to hand this week, it would seem they were uncalled for. The Christchurch scribes state that from the knee down to the fetlock the son of Musket's leg has swollen to a'great size, and it is with difficulty he.moves-abont in his box. -, .'■■■

During the week, 500 to 12 was accepted about Badames and Sunray for the Auckland Cup and Steeplechase, and 500 to 12 Badames and King. Both wagers were taken by the stable. The fancy wager of 100 to 1 has also been taken about the two Alarics for the same events.

Mr G. Clifford's Stoneyhurst, the winner of the Christchurch Welcome Stakes, is a full brother to Water King, being got by King of Clubs from Watersprite. He is bred very similarly to Darebm, being by a son of The Peer's full sister from a maro by Traducer out of Lurline's half sister, while Darebin is by The Peer from Lurline. Water-sprite (the dam of Stoneyhurst) is a full sister to Natatrir.

Leeds, who is by Doncastor out of the New Zealand Stud Company's matron, Steppe, won the Portland Plate at the Doncaster Meeting, He carried the good impost of Sat 4lb, and beat a field of eight. • , " Ada Mantua" has forwarded me a printed list containing the names and addresses of holders of starters and winners of the £81 prizes in his Melbourne Cup consultation. It can be inspected at any time by those interested. Mat _ was one of the heroes of the hour on the first day of CI J.C. Meeting, the erstwhile New Zealand champion provingthat lie has a little of his old form left in him. He secured both the Riccarton Welter and Free Handicaps, so that Mr Pilbrow did not secure a bad bargain when he bought him in May-last for £41.

A number of thoroughbreds were put under the hammer the day before the Melbourne Cup was run. The Terrara yearlings brought 3,630 guineas', or an average of 180 guineas. , The highest-priced lots were for .he brother to Navigator, bought by the Hon. J. White for 800 guineas. Of Mr Branch's lot. Silver King was sold to Mr J. Wilson, sen., for 500 guineas; Off Colour to Mr J; Wilson, jun., for 1,000 guineas; and Second King to Mr A. Yuille for 50 guineas. - . ■ • ' No less than 20,613 coupons were forwarded to the ..Melbourne Sportsman" essaying to tip the winners of the Caulfield .Gup y.R.C. Derby,' and Melbourne Cup; but npt o'npflf them proved successful. Outpf the largp number sent in, only 110 contained the name of Blirj£ Bonny, £tid not a single coupon contained the name gf Rufus for the Derby in conjunction with theCaulfiold Cup wfnnai?. * Ojie.-Ijalf gi the 110 who pinned their faith on the Tasißanian mare selected the favourite, Bargo, for the Derby, and with him wore several Cup favourites, '. •_■ ■ ;

The ,"Field";alludes to an innovation that has grown to too great lengths of late years—the plan of having an assistant to the starfer at the post with a long whip to use to frighten or to strike the horses. In some few' e_Be_— ypry few—good may be done (remarks our contemporary); but, generally speaking, and with all irritable rfnd nervous horses, the contrary is the case, ai^d the sooner; such an assistant is suppressed, the I better ownersioihorseß will like it. V ._A,. .A"'"'' I '-'^'"A'1 v "'"*:;'- ,'■•■":';--: -'-:"■ ■■■■..:

Just as tho flag wont down for tho V.R.C. Derby, something hit against Barge heavily, and nearly brought him down, but Hales recovered the colt quickly, and ho got off in the centre of tho crowd. Bnrgo _ dofeati.. thus referred to by "Nemo":— The result caused great astonishment, not in so much that Bargo was beaten, but that his downfall "was brought about by Rufus and David, two colts that could not gallop as fast as you could kick your hat in the race for tho Caulficld Guineas. When the excitement had somewhat cooled down one had to listen to the usual wearisome' excuses : " It was tho knock that Bargo received before the start which put him out of it." "It was all Hales'a fault—ho made his run too soon." "Bargo was short of work, and ought never have been so steady a favourite," &c. Let such remarks pass, racing mon are used to them, and take them at their value. The real fact of the matter is that Hales rode him as well as anyone living could do, and the colt was simply beaten on his merits, and because he was not good enough for either Rufus or David. No one is to blame for it, and no man in his senses could have hackod Rufus, or held the belief that he was even dangerous, after the wretched figure he cut at CaulfieU, when he was genuinely backed for a ton of money by the stable, and was never in it from start to finish. lam in a position to know that no two persons wore moro completely staggered by his victory than his owner and his trainer, for tho colt, who had been doing wonders in his work before Caulfield, had gone very badly since, and was only started for the-" blue ribbon " on tho off chanco, upon the principle that there is always a forlorn hopo in racing. The Christchurch Middle Park Stud Company have purchased Mr Delamain's mares, Flattery (full sister to Welcome Jack) and Folle Ferine, by Golden Grape out of Belle of the Islo, dam of Templeton. The Hon. W. Robinson has named tho chestnut filly by Ca_ogan—Malice, Charity. It ia atated that Captain Webster's injury is only likely to bo of a temporary character. .

Lo Grand is not permanently injured,and Mr Donald Wallace has hopes of getting him round in sufficient time for the autumn campaign. The woights for the Auckland Cup and Stoeplechaso may bo expected to appear about the end of next week.

An Adelaide auctioneer is stated to have won close on five figures by Newstead's win In the Maribyrnong Plate. His owner has refused £'2000 for the colt.

Castrcl Buzzard Alexander mare Peruvian Musidora Pantaloon Malta 1 3 _ P a a q u 1nado Camel Banter Whalobono Selim maro Master Henry Boadloea I a | Klis Langar Selim Walton mare Sir Oliver' Scotilia £ 3 Olympia - i ' Languid Cain Lydia Paulowitz Paynator maro Poulton Yarietr The Baron II. Blrdcat Echidna o itockwell Pocahont's Gloncoe Marpessa P PI [Paradigm Parajcono Touchstone Hoyden Rodshahk Delhi s a Ellon - Home _ OS s ,3 Orlando Touchst'ne Vulture Camel Bantor ___igar Kito Bedlamite Eliza Leeds Splitvoto St. Luke Eloctress Election iStaniford mare