Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

MISCELLANEOUS.

. While most racing clubs in the Auckland district make progress there is one that does not advance, and that is the Avondale Jockey Club. What with poor fields and bad weather the recently concluded autumn meeting of the Club proved the tamest gathering that has been held Here since the regime of the totalisator. On both days some of the racing too'1 was such that it called for the attention of the stewards, but they did not move. The sum passed through the totalisator only totalled £2,618 10s. It will, therefore, take the Club all their time to come out over the meeting without loss. Mr W. Percival, the secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, drove the Hon. J. Carroll to the Eflerslie race course one day this week and he also showed him the yearling brother to St. Paul and the other celebrities oi the Lonsdale Lodge stud at Epsom. The Minister was delighted with the head-quarters of racing, ana states the A.R.C. have made more improvements on their course of late than any other club in this colony. A face once well known in local racjng circles has been removed from the busy throng. I refer to Mr W. Bobbett, who passed away this week. Deceased had not taken an active part in turf pursuits for some few years past, but while his once well-known "black and amber sash and ■white cap " was unfurled it was always to •win. .Mr Bobbett must have raced horses for a period of something like 25 years, and he had his ups and downs. It is related that he might have been possessed of the great Trenton in his youthful days, l?ut he selected Tetford (by Musket— Pungawerewere) instead. With this uncertain customer he won the Wanganui Cup and Stakes of 1886.. In 1887, Lady Norah annexed the Hawke's Bay Cup for the deceased sportsman, and with Marion he won the Great Northern Derby of 1892. Other horses that Mr Bobbett owned were Libeller, Quadrant, Patchwork and Macaroni. Lady Norah he disposed of to Mr Samuel Hordern, of Sydney. ThatspeedymareArmillahas bidden goodbye to the turf, and for the future she will grace the paddocks of the Wellington Park Stiid. During the time she was on the turf she won the Canterbury Oaks and Wellington Exbibition Handicap besides the A.R.C. Musket Stakes, Wanganui Two-year-old Stakes and other events. . The Auckland Coursing Club are making a success of the sport in this district. They start the new season which opens on the last Saturday in May with a balance of £72. Mr F. Coombes, lately of Sydney, has been appointed judge this year. The Ohinemuri Jockey Club Meeting, I am informed, was a splendid all-round success. On the first day the Club had to contend against the Ngaruawahia Regatta and bad weather, but nevertheless the sum of £2,259 was passed through the totalisator. On the second day the weather took up, and the attendance was very large. The sum of £2,90210s went through the machine in 10s tickets, making a grand totV of £5,161 10s for the two days. lam

informed that the race track is greatly improved since last year, when it will be remembered a great number of horses felt. This year not one horse came down in the flat races. Further improvements to the course are to be effected before the next meeting.' Mr Fred Vercoe, the secretary, is described as the right man in the right place. He is deservedly popular',, and he worked hard for the successor the meeting.

Mr J. G. Green, who won the Auckland Cup with An tares, is shaking the dust of New Zealand off his feet. He returns to London in about one week's time.

Nominations for all events of the Auckland Trotting Club Autumn Meeting close with Mr 0. F. Mark on Friday night next. I gather from a Sydney paper that Mr J. Gough has leased from Mr 1). O'Brien his Mount Vernon training stables and residence at Kandwick. Mr O'Brien is expected to leave Sydney for Christchurch at the end of the month.

The Victorian gentleman who races as Mr " J. B. Clark " is again crossing blades with the V.R.C. handicapper. Mr Clarke was dissatisfied with the weight allotted to his horse Jack .Hanwell at the late V.R.C. meeting, and has asked Mr Dakin, through the Committee, for an explanation.

The death is announced from Melbourne of Mr C. C. Murray, of Messrs John Sanderson and Co., wool merchants, of William-street. Mr Murray formerly resided at Napier, and during his career ho raced Mischief, Mavis and others. Ho acted as Australian representative for Mr S. H. Gollan, and purchased for that gentleman Erl King and Galway to race in England. In Melbourne he owned Klswick, a brother to Merganser, and he was part owner with Mr lilackwpod of Vengeance, winner of the Australian Cnp. Mr Stead baa made another addition to his string, having purchased from Messrs Stephenson and Hazlett a yearling colt by Stopniak out of Illusion by Apremont for •200 guineas. .Referring to the late V.R.C. Autumn gathering "Terlinga" writes:—"t don't suppose there has ever been a meeting at Flemington with so many bad horses running." The North Island hurdle racehorse Plain Bill will probably be taken to Australia shortly.

In selling Ebor in London for 1,200 guineas to Captain Lambton Mr S. H. Gollan has been fortunate. Tim sou of Robert the Devil, who was bred in New South Wales, won several hurdle races in Victoria, but was not regarded as the equal of a mare like Emmalea, who has not enjoyed anything like his success in England. Mr Gollan got Ebor at a very reasonable figure, and, rapidly acclimatising in Great Britain, he soon by his victories gained the reputation of being the best two-mile horse over hurdles in England, and last season it was found % difheu.lt matter to weight him out of races of that distance. Mr Gollan has been paid a dozen times over what Ebor cost him, and the horse is still young enough and in the necessary health to continue to win races or render valuable services in the hunting-field for the gentleman who has paid such a liberal price for him. Vedette has been well backed both in Sydney and Melbourne for the Doncaster Handicap at 100 to 8, and lias also been taken in doubles with all the good horses for the Sydney Cup. Mr Ben Richards, at one time a wellknown supporter of the turf in New South Wales, died last week. He was the breeder of Cap-a-pie, Sir William, and Antteus. Mr Richards was 80 years of age when he died. Mr G. P. Donnelly, of Hawke's Bay, has leased for two years the imported English stallion Goldreef. It is stated that Hawke's Bay breeders are partial to the son of Bend Or, for there are a couple of his youngsters already in that district, one at Mr \Y. Rath bone's farm at Waipawa, from that-good mare Merganser. During 1897 (says a contemporary) the totalisator was at work in New Zealand on 2<50 days in the year. The revenue received by the Government was £12,079 Is Sd, representing, at Ik per cent., the Government tax, over £800,000 passed through the machine. It is estimated that the people of New Zealand spend a million per annum on horse racing.

At the Wanganui Police Court recently, before the Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr C. C. Kettle, John Conway was charged with betting with an "infant," and was convicted and sentenced to three months' hard labour.

Manifesto,, who won last year's Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, promises to make another big bid for that race this year. Shortly- before the last mail left England he carried I2st 101b to the front in a two-mile steeplechase at the Gatwiek Meeting, which' came as a surprise to the generality of backers, who thought he was nothing near well enough to accomplish such a feat. Consequent on his good form he hardened to 10 to I for the Grand National, in which his weight is I2st 71b, or 181b more than ho carried last year. Next in demand to Manifesto are Baicalwhev and Timon at 100 to 7, while Filbert andVord of Fyne, who finished second and third respectively last year, are each at 25 tol.

An English cablegram states the New Zealand-bred horse Norton has been scratched for the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase. The primary feature of this year's series of yearling sales in A rictor'ia was the splendid prices realised by the Newminstor Park collection, solely attributable to the increasing popularityof the Auckland bred Zalinski. The prime lots commanded vigorous competition throughout. Boiled down, the comparative returns for the last three years are as follows : — Number Average of Lots. Total. Per Lot. 1896 137 639) 46J 1897 96 8279 81. IS9B .. .. .. .. 79 C 077 82

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18980323.2.4.4

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 69, 23 March 1898, Page 2

Word Count
1,480

MISCELLANEOUS. Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 69, 23 March 1898, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS. Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 69, 23 March 1898, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert