"HTPPONA'S" NOTE BOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 196, 19 August 1899, Page 3

"HTPPONA'S" NOTE BOOK.

During the w|ek many of the equines at Ellerslie have been strongly j exercised when weather permitted. St. i Peter and Seahorse have been doing I the best work of the three-year-olds. J Major George's colt is improving i every week. George Wright has confined the training of his large team to Ellerslie this week. Kosella, Woodstock, and the two-year-old filly Stepfast have accomplished satisfactory tasks. The last-named is a free mover and she will strip very fit at Avondale. Explosion continues to do as well as j his best friends could wish. St. Paul has been worked regularly with St. ' Peter, and both are going on really I well. Bluejacket and St. Elmo have ! been doing strong work in company. j St. Crispin is gradually fining down, I and Waiorongomai is going on all right. St. Elyn, the St. Leger—Lady Evelyn filly, looks bright and well, and so does her juvenile stable companion, Golden Rose, by St. Leger—Bangle. Coronet is looking in great heart. Albert Colley is apportioning The Afghan fast work, and his juveniles continue to go on all right. Horseowners and others interested should bear in mind that nominations for the Avondale Cup, Hunt Club Steeplechase, Plumpton Handicap, and Hunt Club Hurdles close on Fridaynext with Mr H. H. Hayr by 9 p.m. I hope to chronicle a big- entry list. | I have to thank Mr W. H. E. Wank- • lyn for forwarding me a copy of the official minutes of the recent conference of New Zealand Jockey Clubs held at Wellington. Attached to the report is a valuable memorandum for the use of the committees of Racing Clubs in which Sir Geo. Clifford in a masterly and pithy manner points out the practical bearing of some of the alterations made in the rules of racing. It is announced that breaches of the rules relating to the naming of horses and the use of unregistered assumed names will be punishable by fine as provided. i Domino recorded a herculean feat at Caulfield racecourse on Saturday lastwhen he won the Grand National Steeplechase under an impost of 13.5. It take rank with that recorded in the same race in 1892 by Kedleap who won with 13.12 and with that of Daimio who three years later triumphed with 13.3. Domino is grey in colour, and he is described by a Victorian writer as a good game and generous horse with plenty of size. It was only a few weeks back that with the luck all against him he was defeated half a head for 'the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase with a 12.10 impost. •Mr George Eussell is one of i Melbourne's best sporstmen, and no ; doubt Domino met with a tremendous reception after his great win on Saturday. Good acceptances have been received for the A.J.C. Epsom Handicap and Metropolitan Handicap, run at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting at Eandwick next month. The Queenslander Boreas 11. is in good favour for the mile race, and so is The Watchdog, trained at Warwick Farm. The Hon. W. A. Long's Maecenas, a brother to Patron and Euenalf, who won the Stewards' Mile at Warwich Farm races recently, has also been befriended. Lancaster and Lord Cureton figure among the acceptors for both races. | I have to thank the Christchurch Press Company, for forwarding me a copy of the "New Zealand Turf Register" for the season of 1898-99. As usual, the book gives evidence of being well and carefully compiled. The contents include a full report of the past season's racing, including trotting, in the colony, also a valuable index. Entries for all classic events and rules of racing* up to date are given, besides sales of blood stock and winning- statistics. A list of owners' registered colours is also published in the volume, which should be in the hands of all who follow racing affairs. The published price is 10/6, and copies may be obtained from Auckland booksellers. The "Turf Eegister" is ever a welcome addition to turf literature, and it forms a most complete record of the season's doings both in the racing and trotting world. Beyond the writing of a line 500 to 20 Jupiter, wagering on the New Zealand Cup has been dull this week. Explosion and Douglas remain local favourites. Quotations are as under: 12 to 1 v. Explosion, 14 to 1 v. Douglas, 16 to 1 M iss Delaval and Battle axe, 20 to 1 v. Seahorse and Uhlan. Late files show that Flying Fox, carrying 9.5, won the Princess of Wales' Stakes, of 10,000 soys., easily from Eoyal Emblem (8.2), Minus (9.11), and six others, which included Dieudoune and Musa. The winner was favourite at 6 to 4 on. Flying Fox's share of the stake was £7190, £1700 went to the second horse, and £1000 to third, and as the subscriptions to the race amounted to £9586, the Newmarket Executive had to supply but £414. Strong commissions came here this week for Dummy and Defiance for National events. One of the local pencillers was fortunate enough to land a good-sized double, Blackberry and Defiance. According to information supplied by Mr J. J. Miller, compiler of the valuable sporting book of reference, the "Australian Racing Chronicle," there were during the past season 1425 registered race meetings in Australia, 603 being held in Victoria, 435 in New South Wales, 238 in Queensland, 117 in West Australia, 76 in South Australia, and 56 in Tasmania. In the first half of the season 670 meetings were held, and in the second half 755. The total value of stakes, exclusive of a few meetings for which the exact values of stakes were not to hand, and pony and unregistered meetings, amounted to £294,428, made up as follows:—Victoria, £111,280; New South Wales, £81,567; Queensland,£37,9s4; West Australia, £32,192; South Australia, £22,538; and Tasmania, £8897. In the first half of the season the stakes totalled £154,747, and in the second half £139,681.

The Hon. J. D. Ormond's Roller, winner of the Maiden Hurdle Race at Riccarton on Tuesday, is by Dreadnought—Roll Call. He is described as a mere pony in appearance, but he can evidently gallop. His only race to credit previously was the Trial Hiirdles at the Napier Park Winter Meeting.

Mr W. R. Wilson having withdrawn Majestic, Symmetry, Renown and Eminence from the Alelbourne Cup, the stable is now represented in that event by the top weight, Bobadil, the Derby colts Auric, Revenue and Scorn, La Carabine, Delusive and Regained.

All the candidates for spring honours sojourning at Randwick (Sydney) are being driven along, notably the good looking Holbrook, who is fast recovering the form which enabled him to run three unlucky seconds as a three-year-old—in the Metropolitan, Duff Memorial Stakes and Randwick Plate, in the event of Holbrook doing all the work his trainer requires of him one or other of the two Cups may not be beyond his reach. Cocos is getting on much better in Ms preparation r.hati was at one time expected, and Payten has been making him stand up to the collar, in view of the close proximity of the Eandwick Spring Meeting.

The Trenton colt Long-y's performance in the British Dominion Two-year-old Race, 5 furlongs, at Sandown Park, was a particularly good one, as with 9.9 he was only beaten a neck by Stealaway, 8.10, and according- to j'. Waitte, who had the mount on Longy, positions would have been reversed in another two or three strides. Longy will not do much more racing this season. Our English files stated he was to fulfil an engagement a.t Redcar, and another at Baden Baden, after which he was to be put by for the Grand Prix next year, as, unfortunately, he was not nominated for the ! Derby. The Auckland-bred Carbine, Carnage !and Trenton were represented at the Newmarket (Eng.) yearling sales, and a colt by Trenton from Tabitha (Barcaldine—Satire) was knocked down to S. Darling at GOOg-s, and the following day was passed on to Sir Edward Vincent, owner of Multiform, at an advance of'£lso. The "Special Commissioner" has a good deal to say in praise of the colt, and expects him to turn out as well as anything sold during- the Newmarket week. A bay colt by Carnage from Spring-well brought a higher price than the Trenton colt, o-oing to Mr Wallace Johnstone at 8300-s while Bristonian, a bay colt by Carbine from St. Bees, realised 610gs. Others sold were:—Be by Carbine— Saintneld, lOOgs; colt- by CarbineSanta Palma, 18gs; b f by Carbine— Simonetta, 2Gogs; and eh f by Caibine—Ennerdale, 470gs. ' According to the "Special Commissioner" of the London "Sportsman," Multiform's purchase for England was conditional on the buyer having- the option to refuse him if he did not win the last two races in which he took part in N.Z. in a canter and pa«s the vet. afterwards. He fulfilled these conditions readily enough and shortly afterwards was despatched from New Zealand, to the great regret of all the horse-loving community out there. Mr Stead even offered ■ :£-.>oo -at the last moment to cancel the sale. • ' MISCELLANEOUS. A late Sydney paper states that Cravat has gone lame. A four-year-old gelding by Strenuous—cW bred on the West Coast, has been added to J. B. Williamson s string? Blackberry, the N.Z. Grand National Steeplechase winner, ricked himselt about ten days before the race, and then he won. Mr Leonard Marshall, who sent out the stallion Cyrenian, has arrived in Melbourne. He spends some weeks on the other side before he sets out for Auckland. Mr Chas. Hill, the A.R.C. caretaker, with a body of men under him, are. eno-aged widening the racecourse at the mile starting post at Ellerslie. The London "Sportsman" of July i says that while the N.Z. horse Gold Medallist was being taken from Lyaham's establishment at Ogbourne to Robinson's stable at Foxhall he fell on the road and broke his knees. The stallion Friar's Balsam, by Her-mit-Flower of Dorset was to be destroyed, according to English files of July 6, paralysis being the trouble. He was insured for £5000, but the underwriters compromised by paying £3000. The policy would have run out on July 15. The Victoria Racing Club possesses a tangible asset in a freehold city property in Melbourne, which is valued at cost, £10,332. The freehold land at the racecourse is valued at £2736. The club has expended over £165,000 on the racecourse buildings, improvements, stock and implements. Mr b. Miller has been re-elected chairman ol commitee.