A PERFECT STEEPLECHASER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 102, 30 April 1892, Page 3

A PERFECT STEEPLECHASER.

The London "Sporting Times " has tho following with reference to a perfect •steeplechaser: —" Ho should not appear to iump at al, « bnh slionld race l 1!' lo tl,O obstacle and clear it by almost imperceptibly enlarging the scope of his stride. We have in our mind's eye Emblem as eno came up to the water at Liverpool, in the year she was sacrificed to her Btable companion Emblematic. Four horse*, of which she was one, wore in the air in line, but on landing and getting away Emblem was two lengths in front. When a horse gains a length or two at every jump it means a lob when there are, perhaps thirty jumps to bb negotiated. The famous 1 Africaiiie was quits as good a jumper as Emblem. Uβ *vaa as grand-lookinj* as Emblem was moan Ho was a inotlel of wha£ fl powerful horse' should bo-very handsome, with perfect symmetry, and with such a back and loins ! When tho sun shone on his rich brown, well-polished coat we thought that wo had scarcoly ever seen such a hor-e L'Africaino. like Embiem, took nothing out of himself in jumping. It is the horse who runs up to the fence, steadies himself, and then with one splondid bound clears it, who tires to nothing over a course like Liverpool; and it is this that brings the high-class, longdistance flat racer, who on being trained for sceeplechasins often jumps in this manner to the level, or more probably below it, of the sprint runner, who jumps with ease."

I MISCELLANEOUS. Mr S. 11. Uollan came on from Sydney this week. Brown Alice was taken to Wellington Park this week, where ehe is to be wintered. The Nolson Trotting Club will hold its Annual Trotting Meeting on May 24. £125 will bs given away in stakes. Nominations for tho whole of the events of the Takapuna Jockey Club Winter Meeting are due on Friday night next.

In Sydney, the other day, Achilles, by Agamemnon (imp.) from My Idea, the property of Mr Joseph Bennett, was sold to Mv John Stephenson at 65gs. Yowi failed Do find a purchaser. The list of winning sires at the C.J.C. Autumn Meeting was headed by Sr. Leger with £727, chiefly gained by the victories of Hippomenes in the Great Easter Handicap and Challenge Stakes. Ingorina was shipped to Sydney on Tuesday last. II some of the trainers on the other side get this horse thoroughly wound up, lie should win a good race over a mile or milo and a-quarter course. Mr H. Oxenham, the Sj'dney bookmaker,

has decided to dispose of his horses in training. The wlioio of the strinjr, which includes Forty Winks, Hero, Tho Gift, Fallon, Utter, and The Player, have been placed in Mr Clibborn's hands for snle. George Hope takes Chance down to Egmonfc to fulfil hia engagement in the Sgmont Steeplechase, run cm tho ]]th May. The horse is handicapped nfc t)st 91b. In the Wangranui Steeplechase Mr Evett has awarded the Aucklander 10st 91b. There hr.s boen some talk of getting Cuirassier back hero to take up stud duties this forthcoming season. I had a ohab with Mr R. Burke anont tho matter this week, and he told me that unless some substantial arrangements wore made, the son of Muskeb would bo kept where ho is. Cablegrams sbato that Baron do Hirsoh'a bay filly La Flechc (by St. Simon—Queen) has advanced to the position of favourite for tho Epsom Derby. Tho siater to Memoir has an unbeaten record, and owing to her sex she has a 31b allowance. La Fleelie is trained by John Porter. A Victorian jockey, D. Brazil, recently sued John Hart, owner of Saturn, for certain fees said to be due to him for riding , . Among the items claimed was £5 for a winning mount, as well qs 15 Der cent, on the stake, but. upon other jockeys stating that tho demand was most unreasonable, inoro especially as the stakes won by Safcnin never amounted to more than 50sovs, and sometimes wcro as low as

1550v3, tho case was dismissed. The following rule lias boon finally adopted and confirmed by the English Jockey Club :—•• A dead heat for the first place shall be run oft'on the same day at a time to be appointed by tho stewards, union* the owners agree to divide ; bub if any one of tho horses running a dead heab bo two years old, the dead heat shall not bo run oil', and the owners shall divide. The othor horses shall be deemed to have been beaten, bub they shall bo entitled to their places (if any) as if tlio raco hud been finally determined the (irst time." From Taranaki comes news of the death | of the brood mare Atlantis. It will bo romemberod that she was purchased fib tho dispersal of the Sylvia Park stud by Mr F. Watson, and the mare had ac her side a colt foal by Itigomar, and was stinted to Nordenfeld t. Atlantis was a chestnut mare, and was bred by Lord Fulmouth, She was purchased in England by Sir

Hercules Robinson on bebalt of the Auckland Stud Company, and was inporfed here in 1881, and \v;is got by Thormanby out of Hurricane, by Wild Dayrell out of Midia, by Scutari. Atlantis was the dam of Sr. Lcger and Leolnntis. I learn from a Sydney paper that an in- j teres ting record of the late Hon. James White's winning horses during the 12 years he was connected witji the turf ha« been completed and issued by Mr William y. Carroll, and show r s at a glnuco the weights carried, value- of bho stake", and j the time recorded for the events won by j the occupants of the famous stabio during i the period under review. Tho information, which has boon accurately compiled, is clearly set forth, and, summarised, shows that during his turf career l>o horses, carrying the popular " blue and white," won 240 races, the stakes aggregating £121,335 17s.

The annual meeting of members of tho Pakuranga Hunt Club yesterday was fairly attended, but those present, are keon j supporters of the sport. It is intended to j open tho season on Wednesday, 18th ! May, and Colonel Dawson has invited tho members to partake of his hospitality on tho occasion at lii'b residence. Mr W. Percival was re-elected Master, Mr H. IT. Hayr secretary, and Mr Robert Garrett treasurer. The last-named was voted thanks for his services to the Club,which wore thoroughly deserved. Messrs Dunnett, Dawson, Harris, McLaughlin, Gorrio, Hanria, and Tayler were oiocted the Committee for tho year. Rule 2 of tho Club was altered, ami in future all members who hunb will pay a subscription of three guineas per annum. ft was further resolved at the meeting that only bona fide members of the Club can qualify horses for the Hunt Club racemeeting, j