MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 54, 5 March 1898, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

In running second in the Wanganui Cup with the thumping impost of 9st 131b Waiuku probably recorded the best performance of his career. According- to bhe bime telegraphed, the one and three-quar-ter mile was compassed in the remarkably fast time of 3niin 4 l-sth sec, and then the West Coast horse was only beaten a length by Swordfish. Prom some cause or other Waiuku was not fancied to any great extent on Thursday, and if he had got home he would havo rewarded his supporters with a dividend of £15 JSs. On the other hand St. Paul would only have paid £4 3s.

St. Simon and Levanter, bhe bwo local jumping champions of last year, are both going on well ab Ellerslie.

The two-year-old lilly Hcrmosa demonstrated at the Wanganui meeting thab she is equal to anything of her sex in this colony. Tigress certainly gave her live pounds in the Two Year-old Stakes, but the Aucklander appears to have defeated her opponent easily enough. To carry 9_t 10lb successfully yesterday was a good feat for one built on such small lines and it went to show whab a first-class juvenile can do wibh second^ raters. As the two stakes won by lleriuosa tot up to somethimig like £250 -the trip with the filly has proved a profitable one.

Owing to the weights being declared so early, the. Wanganui Jockey Club had two events of their programme on the first day completely spoiled. I refer to the McGregor stakes, in which Vedftte had Tst 121b, and the. Hurdle Race, the consistent Plain Bill being assessed ab lisb. Each event proved very one-sided. From all sides bhe money was sent to Wanganui for the pair, with the result bhat each only paid a dividend of £1 ss. The running of these events should prove a warning to racing clubs nob to have weights declared boo soon.

A horse named Hikomai has been brought up here from Napier to race at unregistered meeting's.

The Otahuhu Trotting Club had a supper at the Criterion Hotel on Tuesday night last, on the occasion of payment of stakes. Mr R. L. Absolum (chairman of committee) presided. The Club paid away in Government tax over the meeting the sum of £80 16s Bd.

Swordfish is not nominated for the two leading races of the Auckland Racing Club Autumn Meeting. It appears his owner overlooked the date of nomination

St. Paul's win in the Wanganui Stakes yesterday mulcts him in a 51b penalty for the Dunedin Cup. Tin's brings his weight for the Southern race up to-lOstSlb. This year the V.R.C Champion Stakes only attracted a brace of starters, viz., Amberite ami Bmidook. According to! the conditions of the race the distance has' to be completed in omin 45sec or under or the stake will be reduced. Amberite, however, had no difficulty in getting over the three miles in iimih 27-^sec. This was a creditable performance and.goes to show that Carbine's son is a great stayer.. He was withdrawn from the Australian Cup, his owner thus reserving him for the Champion Stakes. The Takapuna .Jockey Club Winter Meeting takes place on 21st and 24th May. The added money amounts to £1,00:1 Among the events are the Birthday Handicap of 123sovs(l_; mile), and Steeplechase of loOsovs (about 'Ah miles). A Press Association cablegram says: Messrs Gibson Brothers have scratched ('•j Australian-bred steeplechaser Diamio for the Grand National Steeplechase, believing that its chance is hopeless, and that the climate is unsuitable. He will be re-shipped to Australia immediately.