SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7242, 31 December 1888, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

[By "Sexes."]

Owners are reminded that entries for the Great Northern Derby must be made before 8 o'clock on the night of general entry for the Auckland Races, viz., January lltn, and the Great Northern Foal Stakes closes at the same time. ...•.,. t My Tinwald correspondent writes :—ln spite of the difficulty the Tinwald Racing Club has had to contend with in so far as getting a proper racing track, its NewYear's day fixture has, year after year, grown in popularity, and is now looked forward to as one of the most pleasant race meetings held in the county. Jor the benefit of horse owners, and the convenience of the public, the club has recently been incurring great expense in making a proper course, and this, too, with very marked success. The Tinwald Domain Board met the club, and granted permission for a course to be made round the Domain, and also to charge for admission on certain days. The course has been laid off, properly grassed, and with a continuance of favorable weather it should be in good going order for the meeting on New Year s Day. Iws iust over the mile, is a chain wide all the way round, and while it is as level as any racing man could wish it, there are no undue curves. A stand, judges box, ana other conveniences now in course or erection, will be a little to the left of the entrance to the Domain, the judge s box being so placed as to allow a nice straight run home of about ten chains. There is a belt of well grown trees nearly the whole way round the Domain, affording capital shelter, and the course has been so laid off that a particularly good view of the races can be had from start to finish. In front of the stand, but well away from the racing track, an ornamental lake of some three acres in extent is now being made by the Domain Board. The lake will be stocked with fish, and besides affording sport to anglers, will lend an additional charm to a course that will be second only in natural beauty to the surroundings of the Dunedin racecourse. It is situated just two miles from the town or Ashburton, and the Mount Somers railway can be utilised to land passengers direct on to the course. Both the racecourse and the lake have been laid off from plans drawn by Messrs Fooks and Son, and the work has been carried out under their supervision. Mr Mark Scott, together with other members of the Tinwald Racing Club, has taken an active part in securing the running track, -while Mr Joseph Clark ha* taken special interest in the formation of the lake and providing for its being well stocked with fish. Half a mile on the Tinwald side of the Aehburton bridge there is a capital training track, and here some dozen horses may be daily seen doing their morning s work. Of the three handiaaps which were published on Saturday afternoon for the C. J.C. Midsummer Meeting the weights for the two flat races appear to be vrry justly allotted, but I hold a very different opinion to the handicappinp committee on the relative merits of the hurdle racers. Although (fancying Mainboom atlOst In preference to Mammoc, 10st 71b, and Panic lOst 31b, there is nothing much to _cavil about over their relative merits, but I conaiVer Sockburn harshly treated at level with Mainboom, and that neither Presto C* Wire In have any show --with fhfthreetop weights. The weights for the Craven Stakes have evidently beea carefully thought out, and should produce enlarge acceptance and a-«ood race, and in sTlecting P likely horses Jo furnish the winner, we have to consider that some hatt dozen of the fourteen are also engaged tnfche Middle Park Stakes and Midsummer Handicap, and will consequently meet the fresh horses at a disadvantage. Amongst thwse will be Sultan. Wolverine, and Ruby, all wifely handicapped at weights they are well master of over a seven furlong course. Dudu wtl , however, start freeh. and if fit and well should, on her Criterion Stakes running, oe hard to beat: but Rusriey, even at 9stslb, is sure to as also should Red Ensign be at 6st 31b. The Hornby Welter Handicap has not so good a class of horses engaged as the Craven, and it would not surprise mc if the iudge's verdict was in favour of Kimberley, a fairish good horse under weight in second class company. .„'.„„ With so many meetings Intervening where the same horses are engaged, p seems somewhat rash of the Hororata Club, who hold their meeting on January 4th *o have issued their handicaps already. And for the same *e*aon it is prematnre now to attempt picking winners, but. I may notice that Quibble tooke well m Hororata Cup At Bsfc 41b, »ngJhat Torrent has been chucked w aQF 7st2lb. Mainboom is wel * tre *^ 4 in the Hurdle Race, and, taking the company into consideration, Sierra cannot complain of her list 41b in the Welter H Th? C a?ceptance S fop the Ashburton Tradesmen's Meeting are very good, all the best of the horses having accepted. 1 ■havenot altered the opinion I exprweed last week that Nero shonld win theHurdle race or that Kimberley may win the Ashburton Plate. I Hke The Brewer best in the Flying Handicap, sod consider Sir Julius as well worth euppej* S3 any of the seven in the Ladies' Bracelet, " Hawkeye's Coming Events' has &m* to hand, and the past records are both interesting and aeeurate. It is a marvel of industrious compllatjpn, and should be valued by those who follow the sport of Augur" says " A few days ago I fc«d » look in at Walter HickenbOtham's, just ta see how the Cup winner, Mentor, and the three-year-old Carbine were getting on. Mentor had just got over » dose of physic, but nevertheless hewae loefel«g won< iK r ' fully well, and as he walked rott&d the ring half-an-houT afterwards he moved with his old elasticity. He is just as good a walker as he is a galloper, and it is quite a- treat to see him majestically moving rouod the circle close to his tpsf ncr s neat little cottage. Mentor is one of the soundest horses in training, and he wtfl, I think, prove a worthy successor to his uncle Commotion. If all goes well with him, w« ought tgusee him at his best next season, and it ine Australian Peer and • few others keep upon their legs there wUlb* some rare contests in the weighfr-for-age races. &Tol™ hTa far differently shaped colt ta and his style of walking suffers oreatfyby compariwn, for while the Cup winner efcens out isoldly and free, there is what Key men cail "a kink" in Carbine's hind legs every tira* fee moves them. There ieevidenceof curb, no <2«?bt, and Hickentwtham bas taken the prone*craaution m ffing the heels of his WlshGtej but New*ealander* declare that it was always hu£ustoHJ to walk a» he does now and no serious resuite &t« appse&inded. I never law Enfilade feg hes iajust now, and he ought toww»facei^re the season closes."