SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5137, 20 February 1882, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

Wβ remind intending acceptors that the final Dnnedin Cap payments ere due to-day (Monday), February 20th. To morrow evening aooeptanoei for Napier Handioap, Bailway Handicap and Hurdle Handicap must not be overlooked. Those intending nominating for the Wanganui Aatnmn Meeting are at the same time reminded that the general entries close on Thursday, February 23rd, and that nominations for the Oimarn Autumn Meeting are due to-day week, February 27th. The Canterbury contingent for the Dunedin meeting left oa Thursday morting. Hilda and the Poet went on last week. The Taranaki-Oarterton race committee, on winding-up the affairs of the late meeting, find that they have a balanoe of between £20 and £25 to carry forward to next year's meeting. The Henderson , ! Mill Turf Olub hare issued the programme for their annual meeting, to take place on March 17th. It is a most attractive one, and is as follows :— Maiden Plate, of 25sov»j Hurdle Race, of 40iots; Headerson'a Mill Gup, of lOOiovs ; Selling Baoe, of 3Oeovs ; Bailway Handicap, of 30iotsi and Consolation Handioap, of 15iots. Nomination* for Henderson's Mill Cup and Hurdle Bace close on February 25th. • Much surprise is expressed in Auckland owing to the absence of entries by the Middle Park Stud Company in the Auokland Derby of 1884. O'Brien baa, we bear, parted with old Fishhook to Mr J. Oiboroe. The weight* allotted Goodman's faorsei at Wairarapa are a caution, The handioapper— whoever that gentleman may be—appear* determined that the Southerners ahall not run away from the cattle opposed to him. Sir Modred, it will be seen, on referring to the handicaps appearing farther on, heads the list in the three priaoipal events, and is asked to carry the crasher of 12it 41b in the Cup of two miles! By Gemini, how long will they take to oarer the distanoe if thia impost it to bring the lot together? A telegram to a Wellington paper on February 11th, aaya that Bay's Annie is being baoked to win the Wairarapa Cup at the short price of 4 to H} aS to S against Waitangi and Annie for the Oup and District Handicap, and the tame sgsinifc Orphan and Waitangi,are also offer d.

A kind offer of a seat in a buggy to the racecourse to view the work on Tuesday morning was one not to be refused. Shortly after the clock striking five saw us on the road, and a half-hour's enjoyable drive in the cool fresh air, behind a free moving little iron-grey, brought us to the deciding ground of many a hard fought contest. Driving up to the stand, we were very muob pleased with the beautiful fresh, green look of the course proper and the lawn in front of tbe grand stand. Though the latter was not laid down in grass until very late, the showers of the last month have brought it on wonderfully, and the whole of the plot facing the building is now a beautiful green. The hour of start* ing (proposed over night) proved too late to witness the reel event of the morning. Outts* two Danedin Oop candidates, Dauphin and Chancellor, bad already gone through their work, as also Lunn's pair, Welcome Jack and Blueboy, the latter two haying gone twice round steady. We were in time, however, to witness O'Brien's Tasman and Troubadour, the latter, over hurdles, going at a smart pace, the Tasmanian moving freely and well. These were followed by Sam Higgott's ehesnut four-year-old, a daughter of Anteros, out of Pongawerewere's dam Atalants, going twioe round, picking up half-way a two-year-old «olt by Javelin out of Flattery. The latter is, to far as we could see, a remarkably well grown youngster, and looked a nice mover. He will, unless we are greatly mistaken, be heard of some day. Mataku now came out, and cantered twice round. He wu followed by the Antsros— Gossip three-year-old gelding over hurdles, who appeared, however, hardly yet up (o bis task. Next came a surprise in the shape of our old friend Hornbypropping along in bis own peouliar style. The past season's stud work appears to have benefited this son of Songster and Toi-toi, who now appeared to go sound enough. There were numerous others out doing walking exercise, among whom I was introduced to a very nice threeyear old oolt by Tubal Cain, oat,of Ace of Hearts, bred by Mr Sam. Gardner, of Victoria, and now the property of Mr Lee, of Oxford. This colli looks all over a galloper, and should all go well will take a smart one to beat him in his maiden race at Danedin this week. Seeing no likelihood of witnessing any further work, we made our way back to town.

The impending Donedin meeting next week promisee in every reipect to be a otpital and very interfiling meeting. Sport will eommenoe with the Hurdle Handicap, fox which there wQI mott likely be a good field. For this event Clarence's chance appears the best, and we •hell go for him straight out. The OhamP»gM Stakes hat eleven left in to selset from. Sietta for tbii event is sure, from her sprint performance, to beoome a prominent favorite, and judging her from her Weloome Stokes perforaanee, we aee.nothinf to beat her at weight for age. Nonwnte and Turquoise we seleot for placet. Many of the Oop candidates, we greatly fear, mil fail to meet the final payment, but we • Tf*™? kttiedoubta good field (perhaps eight or tea) wdl sport silk. Of the plrobable starters, however, we like the chance best of Daophin, libeller, Chancellor, The Poet and Tasman, v nearly as poiiible in the order named, although Mataku or Lady Emma possibly m»y upset onr calculations. O! Mata's haU brother, •o very little is known, that it v verj baeiraobi to leave him oat altogether. That he ii s> good colt we feel certain, bat his feet »are not all they should be, and have troubled bim throughout the whole of his training care? • j bat for th»t we believe he would have held the Dauphin safe in the Derby. There «c many tilings then more unlikely than the peculiar marked faoed son ot Maroro being the first past the winnirg poet; although, owing to his misfortune, wo pass him by in favor of his stable companion. The Selling Baee of five entries appears to be a ytry open event, but knowing very little of the candidate*, excepting Laeztet, will not venture to predict the winner. The Maiden Plate of eleven entries promises another good field. Oar selection for this event is the Tubal Cain—Aoe of Hearts colt, Billingsgate shoald hold his own over his favorite disUaee in the Tramway Plate, unlets a tjtx turns up in one of the three-jear-olde or the Welcome winner, Siesta. Wβ

are of opinion, however, that the eon of leaco Walton will retain hi. well earned reputation of being the champion sprinter of the colony. Of those not engaged in the Cap and entered for the Publicans' Handicap, we prefer the chanoet of Nautilus, or, if saved for the shorter race, Hilda. There will most probably be numerous .orsAching* for this race from among the Cup hones. The Queen's Plate, run, we think, on the third day, ia a long di.t&nce weight-for-age race of two miles. Of the nine entries for this race, The Poet, Taaman, and Mataku, look the moat promising from which to make a .election, and the finish in the order named will not, we think, be far wrong when it is all over. Talent has gone lame, so is an unlikely starter for his Dunedin engagements.