MEETINGS TO COME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 136, 10 June 1891, Page 3

MEETINGS TO COME.

Juno 25—Hawke's Ray Winter Meeting July 11—Wellington Steeplechase Meeting August 13— N.Z. Grand National Meeting

AUSTRALIA. July 11—V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Kaee. July IS—V.it.C. Grand National Steeplechase.

Papers to hand show thab the total nominations received for fche Melbourne Cup tot. up to 164, which has only once been beaten, namely, in 1835, when tho total was 1(35. The fact thafc Marvel was nob entered for the Melbourne Cup or any of the obher bi<? events was somewhat of a shock to a section of Australian punters who had backed the son of Marvellou3 ab long prices for the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, in tho belief thab he was sure to be entered for both ; but on the turf "man proposes and racehorse owners dispose." There are two Freedoms entered for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup?. One is Mr R. Chirnside's horse, trained ab Ballarat, and the other is Mr 1). O'Brien's colt. The total of 154 entries received for the Caulfield Cup L-< one more than lasb year, and is tholargesb number ever received. Owners also appear to have taken kindly to bhe new condibions ot bho V.A.T.C. Toorak Handicap, as bhe toted number of entries received is 145, againsb 76 lasb year. Mr J. 0. Evebfc, the A.B.C. handicapper, leaves for Napier bo-morrow. I hear thab Criminal has been purchased by a local sportsman for £100. "j.och Ness has been taken up to his owner's place in the Waikato to be winterer!. 1 was glad bo see Adam Byers have a win with Orakei in bhe Winber Welter Handicap afc Ellerslie lasb Saturday. He rode the son of Biilingsgabe in a mosb masterly manner, and bhe way bhe young horseman finished home secured him many congrabulations. The condition of Orakei and justice reflected credit on Byers, who is a rising trainer. Scots Grey and Palliser aro among the entries for fche Winter Stakes, run afc Randwick on Saturday next. The pair were safely landed in Sydney. Satyr so far has not started in the hurdle races he has been entered for in Sydney. Aliss Alice (by Leolinus —Petroleuse) was sold in Sydney the other day for 100 guineas to MrS. Reynolds, of Tocal. Man ton is now being brained by Foulebam, of Malua fame. The Fiemington bracks are always bad during fche winter months, and trainers are at their wits' end where to work their charges. W. Hickenbotham proposes to remove Carbine and Megaphone to Sydney ab an early date. Mr W. R. Wilson, the Victorian studmaster, has been clearing out some of his old mares by auction. Three of his Sylvia Park purchases were among the number. Moonlight;, served by Nordenfeldt, broughb Mr M'Arthur being the purchaser. Mata's dam, Raupo, now 22 years old, and served by Nordenfeldt, only broughb sgns, Mr John Whittingham securing her. Envious, in foal to Nordenfeldt, was also sold for to Mr Whittingham. Idalia, a lister to Briseis, apparently in foal bo Eiridspord, was given away to Mr Archie McLcod for Juno, by Savanaka from The Englishman's sister, Lady Disdain, and served by Trenton, wenb to Mr Alex. Smibh for 60gns. Maid of all Work, served by Eiridspord, went for 17igns bo Mr Robertson. Seaspray, now 21 years old, by The Peer—Musidora, and served by Robinson Crusoe, only broughb 7£gns from fche same purchaser. Venus, by Lucifer, served by Eiridspord, waa similarly presented to the former buyer. For the third time in succession have the management of tho V.R.C. allowed the Melbourne Cup to become an advertising medium for enterprising business people. In 1889, a popular actress managed to keep her name before the public ab bhe slight cosfc of nomination for bhe big evenb ; laßt year a similar course was adopted by a patent medicine man; and the list of entrants for the coming race is headed by a mosb palpable advertisement in the name of " Artesiari'sX.-L.C.R."

Harry Tothill, the South Australian trainer, is dead. The Committee of the Australian Jockey Club havo increased tiie training fee for a horse at Randwick from £4 to £3 per annum. It is said that at the present time the training- fees do not pay for the tan placed on the tracks. It was rumoured that the Victoria RacingClub intended doing away with the office of stipendiary steward, rendered vacant by Mr Harry Smith, who is now filling the position of secretary to the Victoria Amateur Turf Club. This is not the case, and the Committee are advertising for applications for the position, which will be received up to the end of tho present monih. M. O'Brien, one of Australia's best horsemen, who lias been for a trip to Colombo to benefit hi.-? health, has returned to Melbourne looking little better. The famous rider is a terrible sufferer from aßthrna, and has entirely lost his voice. Lady Rose, a filly by Musket's son out of The We3t (dam of Occident), won the Maiden Plate ab the Adelaide Racing Club Meeting on the 2Gth May. "Kaiser" Myers rode Mr S. G. Cooks colt The Magistrate to victory at tho last Williamstowti (Melbourne) races. The exNew Zealand horseman is in future to have all the light-weio-hb riding of Mr Cook and Mr W. R. Wilson. Maud S., the queen of the trotting track In America, ia 17 year 3 old, and has never had a foal. RamagQ got his leg broken through Bendigo falling ab the home turn at Flemington. According to last accounts the favourite horseman was progressing favourably, but it will be many weeks ere be is about again. Three rising 2-year-olds werebroughtover from Kohimai ama to Elleralie on Saturday, and were being- walked about the paddock. They comprised Brown Alice, by Nordenfeldt —Ouida (dam of Hilda); Adelaide, by Noruenfeidt—Victoria ; and St. Hippo, by St. Leger—Hippona. Just previous to the race for the Great Northern Steoplechase, tho trio were indulged in a mild canter on the course proper, and shaped Well.

MrT. H. Hill, the Wellington sportsman, has purchased irom Mr Stead the Sword Dimco -- Necklace two-year-old gelding Sword Bell. H. Cusdin, a jockey who served his apprenticeship with Mr R. Mason (Mr Stead's trainer), is making a name for himself in Melbourne as a capable^horseman. He has been engaged by W. Hickenbotham, and is to get till the riding Ramage Cannot dm,

Mr D. O'Brien is sending up Hazel to Auckland to join his other brood mares located ab Wellingbon Park. She is bo be served nexb season by Tasman.

Zalinski, the colb bought by Mr W. R. Wilson ab bhe Wellington Park yearling sale of 1889, went oub favourite for the Two-year-old Handicap ab bhe V.R.C. Meebing ab Flemingcon on fche Queen's Birthday, bub meb wibh a half lengbh defeat at the hands of Fortunatus, a colb by Frying Pan— Fraulein. Referring bo Zaliuski's running a Melbourne scribe remarks: Zalinski, who has been already supporbed in doubles for the Derby and Melbourne Cup, did nob show any too brilliant form. Thab he is a grand colt there can be no doubb, and many people are of opinion that he is the best fchafc Nordenfeldt has yet gob ; bub he is a colb chat wanbs time to properly develop. He is green yet, and is still growing, so that he cannot be given anything like hard work. Ifc will take Mr W. R. Wilson's private trainer all he knows to get Zalinski in proper febtle by the spring.

Aba sale of bhoroughbred sbock held in Sydney by Mr T. S. Clibborn The Queen, the weli-performed daughter of The Drummer—Black Swan, was the medium of very spirited competition. She was knocked down to the nod of Mr S. Hordern for 300gs, thab genbleman having purchased her for sbud purposes. Ifc is Mr Hordern's infcenfcion to mate The Queen wibh Nordenfeldb, and the union of such a well-bred pair should produce something that can gallop. The Duke of Porbland won fche Brocklesby Stakes, the firsb two-year old evenb of the year in England, with Kafcherine IL, as he did in 1888 and 1889 wibh Donovan and Semolina. Katherine 11., who is by Sb. Simon out of Muirninn, was bred by her owner, and her dam, bred in Belgium by H. Crombez, waa purchased for £700 by the Duke of Porbland ab the Doncaster sales in 1886.

Lebel and Sternchaser are now quoted favourites in the South for bhe nexb New Zealand Cup. the " Canberbury Times," Victory, bhe Auckland-bred gelding now running in Soubhland, is the Champion Consolation horse of the colony. Even Ruby has to play second riddle to the much-con-soled son v of Feve. Kimberley (by Armourer —Milksop), a well-known and consistent back racer on bhe Wesb Coast, has been purchased by Mr S. H. Gollan, of Napier, for £130. He is said to be a rare stamp of a horse for hurdle racing, up to any weight, and is undoubtedly fast.

Dan Godfrey, a son of Musket from a mare called Orchestra, is standing ab Ludwick Hall Sbud Farm, Herts, ab 20gs a mare.

The "Australasian" learn 3 from Tasmania bhab ib is Mr Field's intention to put Arsenal, who served twenby mares during fche season, into training again. The Melbourne Cup winner is reported to be looking splendid, his feeb, which were always a source of brouble, having got all righb.

The owners of the Christchurch Middle Park Stud want £1,000 for bhe stallion Apremont. Isonomy, the English sire that lately died, was insured for £10,000. The insuring office loses heavily, as only one premium had been paid.

From Christchurch I learn thab Mr D. O'Brien has five yearlings in work this season. They comprise, Launceston, a colt by Tasman—Rubina ; Captive, by Capbivator — Maid of Honour (full brobher to Freedom); and the fillies Tamar, by Tasman—Waterwitch ; Egotism, by Tasman— Vanity ; and Reflection, by Tasman— Moon ray. An entry of 97 has been received for the V.R.C. Champion Race, fco be run at Flemington next autumn. Crackshot, Cuirassier, Freedom, and Tirailleur, are fche New Zealand-owned entries. The classic events in connection wibh forthcoming meetings afc Flemington also filled well, as fche following numbers show :—Maribyrnong Plate (1891), 94 ; Normanby Stakes (1892), 75 ; Ascot Vale Stakes (1892), 99; Derby (1892), 117; Oaks (1892), 61; Sb. Leger (1893), 100; Sires' Produce Stakes (1893), 113. The advertised sale of Mr S. Gardiner's Bundoora Park stud, by order of the mortgagees, did nob bake place after all, arrangements having been made whereby bhe necessity for the salo was obviated, and Mr Gardiner enabled to continue in possession of the stud, which has been his hobby for many years.

Writes our London correspondent:— Lord Randolph Churchill ia very popular wifch the best class of turfites, but he tolerates no liberties. At Newmarkeb last week a ready-money bookie greeted him in the Birdcage with much effusion. " 'Ow do, my lord ? glad to see your lordship back again. My name's 'Arris, but I bob you don't remember me," "You have won your bet," said Randy briefly, and turned his back. Colonel North pocketed £8,000 over the City and Suburban. He keeps a special ledger in which all turf transactions are recorded. This shows, he tells bis friends, that he is £14,000 to the good on the present season.

Mr E. T. Barnard will bring his labours to a close aa handicapper to the V.R.C. after he has got the next V.R.C. Spring Meeting off his hands. Already a number of applications — between twenty and thirty have been received for the position, but the V.R.C. Committee will not consider any of them until after the time for receiving applications, June 30th, closes. It is stated the position will be awarded strictly on its merits. The man that shows he is the best fitted to hold it will get it, no matter who he is or where he comes from. Mr Barnard is now engaged making his last Melbourne Cup Handicap.

How Ensign managed to defeat the mighty Carbine in the V.R.C. Derby has ever been a subject of discussion among turfites. In the last number of the Melbourne "Leader to hand, "Asmodeus" writes anent the matter : —" A spotting writer in New Zealand has been explaining recently that Carbine lost the Victoria Derby of 1888 (won by Ensign) solely through lack of condition, and adding that thero was no want of horsemanship, asDerritt rode as well as a man could ride. Why the question has been raised at the present time is difficult to determine, unless the New Zealand scribes find themselves stuck up for pabulum at the back end of the season; but the explanation referred to has certainly thrown no light upon the subject. That Carbine was not wound up to concert pitch may be correct enough, but the New Zealand writer's view of the riding will certainly never bo accepted by any good judge who witnessed the race. Derritt has, and had then, so conclusively proved himself a capable horseman that he can afford to stand just criticism ; and to assert that he was not clearly out-ridden and out-generalled by Tom Hales on that occasion, would be but to fulsomely flatter the New Zealand horseman. Allowing Carbine to have been a bit short, of work, he was on Derby day still able to smother such a second rater as the sexless Ensign, who, as was shown by a post mortem examination within four days, won the Derby with a fractured leg. There will only be one general opinion for all time concerning Carbine's first defeat, and it will assuredly be the correct one, that he was not beaten by Ensign, but that Derritt was as unmistakably beaten by " the paragon" as Clifford had been when Abercorn beat Maxim in the Sires' Produce Stakes, and Brown when Trident snatched the Australian Cut) from Nelson. My New Zealand contemporary may not care to believe that such a good horseman as Derritt coula be outwitted and outridden, bub he may depend upon it that tho same may be said of Carbine's rider on that occasion as of the nigger's famous fighting bull dog, 'He would have won for sure if it hadn t been for the other dawg !'"

Alas, how bhe mighty have fallen ! Thackeray, the winner of the Dunedin Champagne, was among the competitors ab the Springston (Canterbury) racee fche other day, says " Castor." He went to the post for bhe chief handicap, bub bhe erratic son of Becky Sharp refused to join the rest of bhe field ab tho start and was lefb. In the £5 Hurry Scurry, however, the handsome black having the services ot Free Holmes— who knows him better than anyone else— had a fair trial. He actually gob away firsb, bub was nob in the hunb ab the finish, being beaten oub of place. The English correspondent of the " Sydney Evening News " writes with regard to the firsb appearance of bhe Austra-lian-bred colb Wenbworbh in tha Epsom Spring Cup : —" Wenbworfch, which was purchased for a long price by Mr Daniel Cooper ab the sale of the Hon. James White's horses, and for which he refused £1,000 advance on his bargain from Lord Randolph Churchill, mado his debut in the Epsom Spring Cup. and a very inglorious display he made. He has exactly the same fault as Kirkham and Narellan, of nob being able to get his front legs away. He has, in fact, quite as bad action aa either of those fearful frauds. I am very much afraid that Mr Cooper repents his bargain, and I very much doubt if ever he will see a tenth part of his money back, for Nepean has the repute, not undeservedly, I believe, of being absolutely the slowest horse in England. Of Mons Meg, they have greater hopes, for she moves much more freely and seems to cover the ground ab a good pace. I know as a mabber of facb bhab Mab Dawson bhoughb she could have won the Middle Park Plabe lasb year.