SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7143, 3 September 1888, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

[By " Hermit."] On Tuesday next. September 4th, nominations for the Spring Handicap, First Handicap Hurdles, and Flying Handicap, at the llawke's Bay J.C. Spring Meeting, must be made. The handicaps for the Otago Hunt Club races came to hand last week, but only in time for our late news column, and too late for comment. The programme is a mixed one, and the five events for which Mr Dowse has issued the weights consist of two flat races, a race for ponies,a steeplechaseand a three mile trot. Sultan headsthe list in the Kensington Handicap of a mile and_ a quarter, with9stslb, a weight under which his owner declined the engagement, and I think with good reason, for although the black son of Apremont has proved himself a vastly superior horse to the rubbishy lot of crocks he has beaten so often and so easily at our suburban meetings, he has not yet highly distinguished himself amongst race-horses, certainly, not to my thinking, to place him within 31b of weight for age with so good a performer as Sommeil. I see, however, that he also has been scratched, but whether on account of dissatisfaction with the handicap or for other reasons I am unable to say. On last year's running Sommeil appeared to be favourably enough handicapped, except it may be with Chic who might have had another pound or so on her back without spoiling her chance, or perhaps Snapshot may have frightened him out, and there can certainly be little doubt that if the latter has regained the form he showed this time last year the race is at his mercy. But then he went off after scoring the double at Geraldine and has never done anything since to enable him to respect. Nowthat Sultan is outof it, the race is left entirely amongst Otago horses, and as we know next to nothing about their condition, it is inexpedient to say more than that Snapshot, and Mr Stephenson's pair. La Rose and Chic appear the best treated horses in the Kensington Handicap. Silvermark has been scratched for the Shorts Handicap of six furlongs, leaving Sommeil at the head of the list, with Bst 51b, the same weight as he carried to victory in the Welcome Stakes last November, and I see nothing in the race whose chance I prefer to his. But although unrepresented in the flat races, Canterbury is well to the fore in the Tally-Ho Steeplechase, in which, out of the ten horses engaged, seven hail from Gantertwiry and only throe from Otago. GSf thctee latter, Secretary, if the Secretary of old, should be dangerous at list olb, and Wardrobe must be respected, as a horse thathad foot enough to beat Tres Sec over hurdles on this same course, although certainly at a great difference in weights. However the Canterbury entries being this year only an indifferent lot, Isaac and Daddy Longlegs about the best of them and neither of these within three stone of a "ood steeplechaser, it would not surprise mc at all if a Dunedin horse pulled off the Tally-Ho as well as all the other races on the first day of the Hunt Club Meeting. Acceptances are due on September Bth. „. Very little if any news from Kiccartqn this week. The tracks are reported in better order, and fairly good work has been indulged in by all the teams. No gallops beyond average exercise ones, and no break downs are to be reported. None of the most fancied of the candidates for the New Zealand Cup are alarming their backers; but then they have never been "at top" as yet. The young ones do occasional sprints, and I hear that when Leinster has a man on his back he performs creditably, but is no boy's horse at present. Dunkeld ought to go fast when extended, and several other young ones show signs of promise. Carbine, Manton, and others of the older division, of the ilat racers, are looking well. My Timaru correspondent writes: —" At the. Committee Meeting of the S. C. J. C. last week, the question of handicapping came up, on the motion to appoint the handicapper for the October Meeting. Like others in the colony, this committee is pulling double for retrenchment. It was suggested that a sub-committee should do the work—decidedly opposed. " Well," said one member, "can't we get a local man ; I suggest Mr for the job" (mentioning the name of a well known sport who handicaps for clubs up Mount Cook way). At this there was a hearty laugh for his qualifications were ao well known to all. I give but one incident quoted by a member present. Mr attended one of the up-country meetings he had acted as handicapper for. Race after race was won in the most hollow fashion, and the poor handicapper was roundly abused by an excited crowd, each time the numbers were hoisted. At last came the Consolation, and the handicapper flattered himself that he had brought the five horses in it far better together than ever could Erett, Dowse, or the Committee of the C..T.C. The race was a neck, half a length only separating the second and third horses ; the other pair, however, were a quarter of a mile away. The handicapper was beside himself with joy at producing ,such a good finish," and rushing round among the crush 1 he excitedly said : " "What d'Jfc think of my handicapping now ?" " Very little," said a stable follower, " t&e winner carried three stone over, and the second hoss 161b over!" Collapse of the man of figures, who was so utterly crushed that he had a nip of whisky sbhis, a thing he was never known to do before in his life. This yarn apparently so made the S.C.J. C. Committee distiust the Jpcal article that they unanimously reapppinted Geordie Dowse their handicapper at a fee of twenty guineas a meeting. The tracks were pretty sloppy on Tuesday morning but fair work was got through. On Wednesday the grass track was thrown open, and good work was done by most-pf the teams. O'Brien sweated Vandal, his two I ■ Young osea" tixjgvvswifch *Jaka Latest repbr«£eay that \ Artillery is a little 1 t>nv : bat ther* seems notKiiig r soserlpiis,'asf>alai-m bs&kers as theiiarse is out fnM&e-daytime, ;=sl?robably •thenHysic heiias JaiflybeentreateU to has indfiee4 Ms owner w> treat him jfenientiy. Ma&tpn.«lbesgood work every "morning f as does Lejnster. Butler's string has been increased by the addition of a Bandoora — Bribery filly which shows a fair amount of o.uatity. Adulation is doing well as is Repose. Ray,'e horses are doing well, though Son-ofa-Gun tumbled down on the road'a few days <i£o and lost some hair offhis knees. Exchange and Chain Shot are both doing good work, but though the former shows a bit of temper at tinie-s he will come to hand earliest. Cults' all did good work on Wednesday, Lorraine apparently sound, doinc a good sweat. British Lion is lightening a bit. Sc Clair is going well, but Maligner is restricted to slowish work. The young ones work in the afternoon. The Maria Theresa filly is gro.-. ing into a nice mare. Hi* Oaks candidates are pretty well, and Ravenswing is growing into a nice mare, as. by the way. is Half Guinea, though ihe latter is noc the sweetest tempered one in the world Sultan is healthy after a done of physic, and of Piper's others Norman by take.-* kindly to jumpiiijr. The young one. Catamount, shapes nicely, and is growing fast. George Cutis is on the course of a morning with

Alpine Rose, who might yet win a race, as he is hearty and well. The veteran iockey rides his charge himself, but he is hardly now the horseman of the Wetsail era. Patrician and Vinco are doing well, and probably Geraldine will be their first dart. The Middle Park young ones, under J. Webster's care, [are all looking well and cantering freely when asked, two or three moving in good form. There was a good attendance at the North Canterbury Steeplechases' last week and the events were decided as usual over the beautiful estate of Mr F. Courage, he with his usual liberality having placed his paddocks at the disposal of the stewards. A very good day's sport was enjoyed, and the notieeablefeaturesof it were the wonderful form shown by T. Sheenan and his pupil Mr G. Murray-Aynsley. The former in addition to starting well by winning the Great Northern Steeplechase on Presto, being successful in a double with Premier, and the latter riding Kathleen twice to victory ; the pair thus scoring five out of six events between them. The big race of the day, however, was rather a flukey one and was run exactly to suit the speedy but non-staying Presto, the pace being so bad for a great part of the journey, that Sheenau was almost compelled to let his mount slide along in front, though he naturally would have preferred to ride a waiting race considering Prestos peculiarities. If anything had made a pace I fancy Daddy Longlegs would have won,as Isaac was oil' colour and; Icenian would not underanvcircumstaucoH ha vegot home. In the first race this horse behaved exactly as I expected, raking away to the front when the flag fell, and then baulking. In the Consolation he did manage to get over the country, but succumbed to Daddy Longlegs, who was in real good condition, and who I fancy should have won the big race of the day had a bit in ore use l«en made of him, as "there could be no question as to his abilities as a fencer. Premier, the long waited for. won his two races with comparative ease, though he tried to stop more than once, but was in the hands of a man who was his master. This son of Anteros is a very powerful horse, and up to any weight in reason, but he has liot got a good reputation as v biy; hearted animal, and is accused of showing the white feather when called upon to race. Still he was a ciU. above his opponents on this occasion, and if persevered with may yet win a bigger race than any of the events decided at Amberley. Judged by his running at Riccarton, Laudsborough was a real good thing for the Tally-lio Plate, and it was a surprise when he failed to beat Kathleen at w. f. a. more especially as the mare had already a race in her having won the Hunter's Plate earlier in the afternoon and she must be a very much improved animnl.Possibly Landsborou«h lacks pace, as he looked thoroughly well in the paddock before the race, and did not pull up badly distressed, though ridden rignt out. In the Hunter's Plate I thought Bolero was shockingly ridden, as the roan appeared to be able to go faster than the v. inner Kathleen and in addition the mare was knocked over at the far low fence. Mr Aynsley tells mc that so far from the fall doing her any harm, it seemed to liven her up and she ran her second race in better style than her first. Squib ran honestly enough and fot second place in both the Seadown and armers' Steeplechases, in the latter of which she was made favourite, probably from the reason that her owner stood down and gave the mount on his mare to Tommy Stewart, but Premier at the same relative difference in weight as in the previous contest again proved too much for her, and the professional got her no closer to the brown than had the amateur. The grey mare, I believe, does not always do well when away from home. Of the other horses figuring at the Meeting, Mexico was in very creditable form, but the big leggy grey could hardly be expected to act with the ground sodden. The Master of the Brackeulield hounds showed us a couple of jumpers in Hornpipe and Fire works of which the former is more likely to turn out a good one than the latter. Mainboora ran fairly well for a good part of the journey in "the Seadown Steeplechase. Sawdust showed us he has got a bit of foot, but, is, I am afraid, rather on the small side. Industry is not, at present at all events, a reliable jumper. Deiiance was the clever man's tip for the Hunter's Plate, but though he can both gallop aud jump amongst a certain class, he could not get home. As usual the company was a sporting one aud the races were patronised by many of the fair sex. Hospitality was rife and every visitor came away well pleased with the way in which the day's programme had been, carried out. The trotting meeting of the Lower Heathcote Trotting Club on Monday last was hardly a success either financially or as to the sport provided. There is little or nothing to aad to the details published in another column save that the totalisator odds system of betting for ready money appeared to be in full swing outside the paddock. I hear that Alcinous,the Ingomar Corcyra colt, is promising well. He certainly was one of the coarsest looking young gentlemen I ever saw, but I am told by a good judge that he is a rare mover and is fining down considerably. He is big boned enough in all conscience, and may yet be a credit to his sire Ingomar. An error or two has crept into the account of the Hunt Club's Point to Point Steeplechase which appears in another column- Industry finished third, not Ringwood, and one of the riders in the contest has furnished mc with the following particulars of the race :—" Romeo and Home Rule lost about three hundred yards by going the wrong way, and Glen got a good leaJS before they could be started again, -whalebone, Industry and Ringwood fell at the fourth fence from home, holding very prominent positions, and thus losing all further chance in. the face." My Napier correspondent writes:—"The annual meeting of the Napier Park Racing Club was held last Monday. The President, Mr J. Close, occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of members present who must have felt pleased with the satisfactory financial condition of affairs displayed by the balance sheet, there being a small profit on the year's transactions. The club have paid away during the past season the sum of £2391 10s in stakes ; the total receipts have been £3564 2s 9d : and the expenditure in connection with the meeting, including stakes, has been £3520 los, showing a profit of £43 7s 9d. During the past season the committee have expended the sum of £326' 13s 2d on improvements to the buildings and course, also draining the ground; ana a farther sum of £14'J Is has been expended in the purchase of a draft horse, harness, and other plant. The course has been top dressed.and several artesian wells sunk. The training track has also been put into good working order for the cominz season. A few weeks ago I gave an account of the improvements effected on the course and it appears from the Chairman's remarks that a great part of the sum expended in this direction will be refunded in terms of the lease with the Park Company. The following office-bearers were elected for the eu-suing season :—President, Mr Jno. Close ; vice-president, Mr J. Heslop ; treasurer, Mr Knowles ; committee, Messrs J. Irvine, D. Glendinning, J. McVay, A. McCartnev, W. Heslop, J. Bennett, G. Tait, R. Smith, H. Williams junr. The committee tendered jtheir thanks to Dr De Lisle, and Dr. Innes for their services as honorary surgeons of the Club; and to Mr i ohen for gratuitously conducting the auction sales of the Club. A number of new members were elected and the usual vote of thanks to the chair brought the proceedings to a close. At the meeting of the new committee the programme for the Spring Meeting to be held on Wednesday, 10th October, was drawn out, and the following are the amounts awarded to each race: —Free Handicap, 50 soys; Handicap Hurdles, 75 soys ; Park Stakes, 200 soys ; Pony JJ .'-Race,- 25 soys; Tramway a lo soys; Handicap Hack Race, 40 se.vs; Grand Stand Handicap,, 40 soys; total, 500 soys. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club have thought it prudent, in face o"f the depression, to reduce the value of their stakes, and the programme for the season shows a reduction of £700 us compared with the one issued last year. On Boxing Day the. principal event will be the Summer Hami-t----cap of £175, and the value of the stakes will total £500. Twenty-live been knocked off the Two-year-old Plate, which I now stands at £50. For the two days i racing in the Autumn £1150 will be given, : i>-20 for the first day and £030 *yr thjs &oon»»&« , $$&fr The Cup is. af/'ihe: S valued £400, and a Sellm.a: Race of £t»has i been substituted for the Welter Handicap. The St. Leger has b;.-eu abolished, and a Selling Handicap of ±£0 takes its place. A Juvenile Handicap for two and three-year-olds of £400 finds a place in the" programme ; one soy goes to the fund, and a sweep of five soys to the acceptors. The stakes for the steeplechase meeting totals £.")50 ; the Bracelet is reduced from £30 to 2.11), and the second money is a thing of the past." - --- - -