SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4204, 18 January 1879, Page 5 (Supplement)

SPORTING NOTES.

BySinbad. I am glad to welcome the sixth volume of the "New Zealand Stud Book," which I have just receixed from Mr Elliott. It is satisfactory to notice from a table in the preface the marked increase in the number of pure bred mares now in the different studs in this colony. Since the publication of volume 5 there has been ah increase of fifteen mares imported from England, and nineteen coloniauy bred 1 animals, all with perfect pedigrees. Mr Elliott is of opinion that there must be many more in the colony of this latter class of which returns have not been forwarded, and I quite coincide with the editor in his opinion. It seems curious that breeders shpuld be so far forgetful of their own interests as toineglect taking the trouble to send the necessary information to Mr Elliott.,? This gentleman requests owners to forward after every foaling season declarations of the foaling .or the failure of their mares, and owners' of entries to keep him informed of any changes in ownership, importations, deaths, &c. By attending to these points, this valuable work would be kept in an advanced state, and require but slight addition, when the time should arrive for the of a, fresh The f present one is'every respect most" creditably" got up, and it is to be hoped the compiler will meet with sufficient support to render it worth his .while to issue a volume

Mr Samuel Gardiner held his annual sale of blood stock lately. Several lots were purchased for New Zealand, amongst them being a colt named Serenader's Double, who was thought good looking enough to be pictured' in the catalogue. Amongst the tho roughbreds the highest priced were obtained for the colts from Calumny and Lurline. The former of these fell to Mr Pearson's nod for 400 guineas, while the cheanufc son of the Peer and Lurline went into Mr De Mesfete's stable at twenty-five pounds less. A brown colt by Angler from Coquette brought 225 guineas, and all these lots were decidedly sold far beneath their value.

At the lata Champion Meeting in Melbourne, Wellington conclusively proved that his Derby victory was no fluke, as he won the Champion Bace in . the easiest manner possible when opposed by such good animals of his own age as Warlock, Bosworth, Roodee, Vulcan, and Nerissa. Vulcan was the favorite at starting, but from the account in the " Australasian" appears to have been running in the interests of his stable comCioos, Calamia and Roodee. Mr Paterson evidently an honest and reliable colt in Warlock, who, however, had been a trifle amiss beforo the race. I shall expect, however, that the cheshWson of Kelpie, who has been consistently, run ont, to win a good race for his ownerl The time for the Champion Race is reported aa Smin, and considering that Wellington' won easily by ten lengths, it must be-considered an exceptionally good performance. The dangerous St. Albans stable was to the fore in the Two-year-old Stakes, in which South Hamilton, a son of King of the Ring, and that good mare Musidora, disposed of thirteen others. His victory, however, was only obtained by a head from Mr Miller's Gelde Olgothach, who is a son of the unlucky Irish King and the imported mare Mobile. King of the Ring is evidently going to make a name for bimeelf as a sire, and. will shortly dispute stud honor supremacy with Yattendon and Maribyrnong. King of the Ring, it will be remembered, was more than an average performer himself, and as he is by the Ace of Oliirw {mm flrwa r!« tjlofehce, his breeding i addition to this, he meat and truest xoada, C, The. Steeplefha;a wonderful amount .of acs horse at this game

can concede even t-> fair performers. Lone Hand carried the steadier of thirteen stone «ix, and giving from three to four stone six pounds away to every thing else in the race, won in a common "canter. He and Wellington are both sons of the lately defunct Panic, and the death of the old Alarm hone is a serious loss to Australian breeders.

For the following particulars of several of the recent Southern meetings, I am indebted to " Pegasus" :—

At the Arrow, Mr Tuohy's Boy won the Maiden Plate against four others ; Fairy =Queen beat Nabochlish, Schoolboy, aad Tiraberton, in the Grandstand Handicap ; Flying Beauty won the.Miners' Bace ; Speculation the Ladies' Purse and the District Bace ; Port Philip Buck the Selling Race ; Little Dick the Hurry Scurry; Nabochlish (once a Dunedin Cup dark horse) the Arrow Handicap ; aud Schoolboy wound up the meeting by landing the Consolation Handicap and the Hospital Bace, Good fields of horses and exoiting contests marked the Cromwell meeting. The first item was the Maiden Plate of 25 soya, iv which Dr. Leahy's Dandy beat. the Cassivelaunus colt Cymbeline and two others. Mr M'Kenna's May Queen won the Hack Race of 10 soys, and then came the Grand Stand Handicap of 40 sovb. This was carried off {by Mr W- Taylor's Haricot (Sat IHb), beating Gamecock (Bst 81b), Bungaree, Capper, Cymbeline, and Sir Vincent. The Architect Produce Stakes of '50 soys furnished a good race, between five youngsters, the winner being found in Mr T. Wood's filly Perline. Mr W. Barry's Foam won the Selling Stakes of 20 soya. On the succeeding day Mr W. Taylor's Boughleen Dhoun put Gamecock, Sir Vinoent, and Cymbeline through in the Flying Handicap of 20 soys. Mr Loughnan's Spay won the Shorts of 10 soys, and Haricot (Bst 121b) was again victorious in the J.C. Handicap of 40 soys, Freestone and Gamecock being unable to touch him. Foam scored another win in the County Plate of 20 soys, beating five others; and old Clyde won the Consolation Handicap of 15 soys for Mr M-'Kenna.

A small but enjoyable meeting was held at Clinton on the Ist inst., and at it Sapphira rather unexpectedly won the J.C. Handicap, beating Patch and Lucy. The Maiden Plate felTtoMr Moffatt's SirLauncelot; the Selling Baca to Mr Pollock's Telemachus; the Ladies' Purse to Mr Kidd's Patch; the Trotting Match to Mr Pollock's Kate; the District Handicap to Mr Swan's Lucy; the Consolation Stakes to Mr Pollock's Native ; and the Hurry Scurry to Mr Pollock's Camelia.

Tbe number of acceptances for the Dunedin Cup is complimentary to the handicapper. All the principal favourites still remain on the list, but Insolvent and TSaiad are' conspicuous by their absence. Of the top-weights Templeton still continues to be the publio fancy, and, after him, Mata, Titania, and Camballo are all in request. Maritana surely can bare no show, with the penalties she has inourred, but neither Camballo or York have any too much to carry, as both have been undergoing a good preparation. Fallacy, too, is looking very well, and, remembering that she once ran into a place in this event, her chance must not be overlooked. Janvier has, lam afraid, a little too much, and Danebury can hardly get two miles and a distance with eight-three up. Mata is in work, and on his public form would win ia a canter, but I am afraid his suspicious leg will trouble him before the day. I cannot fancy Maroro, neither do I incline to the chances of Lara or Natator. Chancellor, however, if he is in the humour, will run a good horse ; but old King Philip has] had his day. Venus Transit, and $emo Ido not Uke for and Qloth of Gold is too uncertain to trust., Luna and Sinking l?und I cannot stand, but Mufti at 6stlOlb is looking very well, and might have an outside show,-TObugh I fancy the'distance, is ioo-fkr' for him. * 1 prefer wie'chances of his stable bompanion—Camballo V Blue, Peter is putclassed, Benjiroo too old,,and Dead Heat, I am afraid, a bad one. Orange Lightning is an imposter, while Vampire could never win. Of the remainder, the well-bred Oberon is the only one that needs any comment, and he will find the journey too far. Tbe Publicans' Handicap should, I think, bo fought out by the: four top weights, and supposing they all start, I should pick Fishhook. In this fourteen out of thirty-one original entries have accepted. .