SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XXXV, Issue 4958, 4 July 1881, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

Bγ Sifbad. The Lurline colt, sold by Mr Yoille in Adelaide, is to go into Mr Savill's stable. T&e sporting correspondent of the Melbourne "Leader," hu the following:—The number of different Produce Stakes, V.R.O. entries, having been returned, their numbers are as follows—Maribyrnong Plate, 134 j Normanby Stakes, 101 ; Asoot Yale Stakes, 126 ; Victoria Derby, 189 ; the Oaks Stakes, 60; the St. Leger Stakes, 126; the Sires' Produce Stakes, 1883, 142 ; the Mares' Produce Stakes, 1883,170 ; the Mares' Produce Stake*, 1884, 480. There is a grand entry for the Hawkesbury Grand Handicap, which is set at the more easy distance of a mile and a half. It takes piece the last week of August, for it is then and there that our next season , * races are supposed te oommence. Some while ago I quoted in these columns e> paragraph having reference to Mr W. Paroival. The paper that published it, the Auckland "Observer," has since published the following paragraph :—" Wβ very much regret to find that in making the statement about the blackguardly anonymous letter sent to a steward of the Jockey Club ro Mr Percival, we fell into a somewhat serious error. The communication (which is obviously the work of an illiterate and malicious scoundrel) does not accuse Mr Percival of dishonorable dealings as regards gate money, or indeed of any dishonorable conduct; it is, in point of fact, merely a sentence or two of vague insinuation, which miy mean anything or nothing. We suppose the writer wanted to do Mr Percival an injury, but, finding it impossible to rake up anything to his disadvantage, has had to fall back on ambiguous inuendoes. Fortunately the seoretary of the Jockey Club can afford to laugh at this feeble and miserably treacherous attempt to injure him. ' The proof of the pudding is in the eating,' and the fact that under Mr Percival's masagemont the A.B.C. has become a thriving and prosperous ooncern, is a sufficient answer to a mail steamer full of slanderous letters."

A kindly Auckland correspondent sends mc the following:—"You will have heard by this that the Stud Company have disposed of the Sylvia colt for 1250 guineas to the Hon. J. White, of New South Wales. It was a big price, but I think the colt is worth it, as the mare has such a good character, as well as the sire. Two of the mares from home— Glytemnestra and Mercy—are not in foal this I time, and Sister Agnes was not covered before I leaving England. They are three nica merer, and are a great acquisition to our stud. The other four mares leave England this month. Atlantis has a chesnut colt by Doncaster; Rosette a fllly by Scottish Chief. The foals from the other two, Madcap and Bergere, are dead. The last-named is a great loss, from the running of Beauchamp in England, he being out of Bergere. Onyx has slipped her foal this year; Silvia in foal. She cost us 2000 guineas, so we have just got our money back. All our other mares are, I believe, in foal. Indeed, from what I can learn, all the mares put to Mnsket last year are in foal. Cap-a-pie is a very handsome horse, and much admired. He will' suit many of our Auckland mares well. Wai- i tere , Yatterina foal by Musket is a perfect | gentleman, and his owner is indeed proud of him.

Lara and Vampire are in Auckland, looking well, though the former's leg is still big. The Auckland Stud Company have sent home to Mr W. Bevill to select some more mares for them. Mr Bevill hes noted similarly on previous occasions for Mr E. G. Griffith, and the Middle Park Company, in Christchuroh.

Talking of the Auokland Stnd Company reminds mc that at the Anokland Bacing Club's meeting of 1885 the Stnd Compary will give a Sires' Produce Stakes of 200 soys, added to a sweep of 10 soys, for the produce of mares by their sires for the season of 1881. Nominations, accompanied by 2 soys, to close when the animals are yearlings. The distance of the race will be one mile and a half, and colts will carry Bft 101b, fillies Bit 71b.

Since writing the above, I have received from Mr Luokie the spring programme of the Hawko's Bay Jookey Club. The date is fixed for October 11th. The various items are as follows:—Hawke'eßay Guineas (which is a race similar in its conditions to the English Two Thousand), a Hurdle Handicap Bace of 40 soys, i Hack Hurdle Baoe, a Spring Handicap of 200 save, a Maid an Plate of 50 aov*, another Hack Rice of 15 soys, and a flying Handicap of 75 sots. Nominations for the two Handicaps and the Hurdles are due on Jnly 19&h. In connection with this meeting, I remind owners that the Hawke'e Bay Guineas, 1883 (yearlings August Ist, 1881), oloses with a nomination of two guineas on Tuesday, October 18th, 1881.

Amongst the names of the officials at H&wke's Bay I notice the name of Colonel White as clerk of the scales. The colonel was well-known here in sporting in former years. The secretary is an old Canterbury man, and amongst the stewards I see the name of Mr Fitsroy, who for some time wielded the starter's flag at the Canterbury meetings.

Mr Dick Wheeler (saye "Spectator ") sent his horses Morning Star and My Dream to Napier overland from Auckland. The journey occupied a week, the horses arriving at their destination on the 6th. They will be;wintered at Hawke'e Bay, and remain there until the racing season commences.

" Phaeton," writes "Mazeppa," reports that the filly foal belonging to Mr Walters, by Hippocampus out of Yatterina, got into a ditch a few days ago and died. This is a serious loss to Mr Walters, as he had been offered, and refused, £250 for it. Sportsmen will learn this news with regret, as the owner looked for great things from this grand combination of blood. Apropos of the Papakura sportsman, I may mention that he intends training Grand Duchess for early Spring Handioaps, but should she not stand her preparation she will be sent to Hippocampus, who will in any case be visited by Bosarina, a ally Mr Walters does not think good enough to continue in work. He intends bringing down the yearling colt by Yattendon out of Peeress, very shortly from Sydney, unless he is sold there, which is more than likely, as several have been already after him. Mr Walters writes that he prefers his own Musket colt to the high priced one sold to Mr White, of New South Wales. Of course every man's goose is to him a swan; but more unlikely things have happened than Mr Walters' colt should turn out a real clinker.

By last " Australasian " I learn that special race meetings will be held in honor of the young Princes at Flemington, Band wick, and Adelaide.

Mr F. H. Stubley has telegraphed to Mr A. Yuille to procure him several English thoroughbred brood mares. As MrStubley has determined to expend a large sum in the purchase of English mares, we may shortly expect to tee another ralnable shipment of ■took that will prove an acquisition to the breeding etude of Australia. " Trumpmtor," in the "Adelaide Observer ,,, states that the following is a list of the amounts won in stakes at the late Birthday meeting:—Handicap Hurdles, Mr John Pile's Avalanche, £156; Trie! Handicap, Hon. W. B. Bounsevell's Henrietta, £98 ; Adelaide St. Lsger, Mr W. Branch's Progress, £220 ; Selling Baee, Mr J. Allison's Mountaineer, £62; Park Handicap, Mr H. Tothill's Pawnbroker, £105 ; Maiden Plate, Mr \W. E. Dakin'e Baron yon Mueller, £75; Adelaide Nursery Stakes, Hon. W. B. BounseTell's Henrietta, £510; Queen's Birthday Oup, Mr Haines'a Mata, £620; second, Mr Branch's Progress, £50; flying Stakes, Mr W. Pile's Annie Firmin, £80; Suburban Plate, Mr W. E. Dakin'e Baron yon Mueller, £74 ; Selling Hurdle Race, Mr S. O. Oowling's Jack's the Lad, £63; Two-year-old Handicap, Mr F. F. Dakin'e Darebin, £116; All-Aged Stakes, Mr H. Hainee , Mata, £86; May Handicap, Mr H. Haines' Mats, £90; Two-year-old Selling Race, Mr W. E. Dakin'e Shylock, £58; City Handicap, Mr J. E. Savill'i Miss Harriet, £165; Steeplechase, Mr J. E. Savill'e Lucy, £236; Booths' Parse, Mr W. E. Dakin'e Alethe, £54; Consolation Stakes, Mr B. T. Beid's Aurora, £40. These amounts, together with second moneys and exclusive of cups, oome to £3143.