SPORTING NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7699, 3 November 1890, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

By Spectator. , said "that there are now more thoroughbreds in America than there are in England.. The number .has increased enormously during the last ten years. The Martdn-Bangitikei Jockey Club, I am pleased to notice, still keeps up its prize list, and this year gives away in stakes £775.

' Fred Hedge, who several years ago was one of out" leading cross-country riders, and who rode Clarence to victory in the Grand-National in 1881, left Christehurch for the Old Country this week. Mr Pickwick, Hermit—Tomato, a stallion that made a great name for himself in the States, died recently at Gallatin, Term. An offer of £8000 for the horse, who was 12 years old, had been refused a few weeks prior to his death. , It Was reported a short time since that Lord Dudley, had purchased the crack Irish steeplechaser Royal Meath for £5000. •The 'noble lord is not quite satisfied with his bargain, and the vendor of the horse is taking action for the recovery of the purchase money. * Mr Horslord had the misfortune about three weeks ago to lose one of his best yearling fillies, who, on being handled, reared over add fell, injuring ncr spinal column, which caused her destruction. Mystery, a Victorian trotting mare, the other week beat Matilda Lucretia and another at Elsternwick Park, putting up a record of 2min SOsec and 2min 34sec for a mile, the best yet done in Australia, ; The time honoured Portland Plate was this year taken by Lord Randolph Churchill's filly, who carrying 9at (the heaviest weight In the handicap) won by the shortest of heads. I* saw the old stallion Albany on Saturday for the first time for over eighteen months, and I was surprised to find him so full of vitality : indeed, the old fellow seems to have taken a fresh lease of life. It is perhaps a singular coincidence that Mr Ghman's filly, by Nordenfeldt—Tres Deuce, should be referred to by my local confreres as Naomi. While at Yaldhurst the other day, I asked Percy Martin which was correct, the Version that Appeared In the Wkbklt Press, or that in the other papers-* referred to, when he told mc that the name should be spelt Na Moa, which is the name of an Indian gun. At the Doncaster salts a yearling fllly by Hermit, dam by Lord Lyon, and named Far Away, brought 4000 guineas. At the same sale the first of the Ormondes were submitted and 2300 guineas given for Sorcerer, a colts out of Crucion ; another colt by the same sire brought 1700 guineas. The owner of an untried horse entered for the coming C.J.C. Meeting wrote to his trainer the other day to say that he thought thehandicappers had been severe, but hoped that he would only turn out as good as they have estimated. Writing re the appointment of a Stipendary Steward, "Dfomed," in the Standard, says the odds are a million to one on Mr Harry Smith getting the, billet:—" Mr Smith will, however, be essentially the right man in the right place, and the committee could not possibly have found one more competent for such an important post in the length and breadth of Australia. He will be a terror to evil-doers on our race courses, and those stewards who can't or won't do their duty will require to be on sjuard In the future." •Since writing ray notes on the Wanganui Spring Meeting and handicapping therefore, the acceptances have come to hand.. Seraph, I learn from J. Marr, who is training her has had to be spelled owing to an injury she met with some time back, otherwise she would have gone up for both handicaps. The Stakes race is reduced to five, and two of these are in ' Mr'F; Hill's stables, namely, Cheque and Lethe. In the-Trial Stakes there are ten. Tauraikaitai has dropped out of the Hurdle race. I don't know how Gladius is, but he should about win if anything like himself. "Flashlight," a Oftulfield tipster, says •—" Cuirassier has not thriven as well as Leopold, and will, I fancy, be seen ta better advantage in the autumn, although he may prove his excellence sooner." His gallop on Tuesday with Whimbrel is encouraging, but he has not been worked like ahorse expected to win a Melbourne Cup, and it now seems pretty well certain that he will not be seen at his best in November.

The Christchurch correspondent of a Melbourne paper of a recent date says:-— "We have in-and-out running at oar meetings, as you do in Australia. The fact is, some!owners 'cut up' the stakes and the totallsator money, hence we frequently see the unbacked outsider of to-day ihe red'hot favourite of tomorrow. Amateur ownership has a poor chance against professional cunning, and in the South we have, perhaps, a preponderance of che professional element? . From accounts to hand it would appear that Memoir scored an easy win in the Leger. Blue Green, being only able to come within a couple oi lengths of her. Owing to the filly having been stopped liLher work prior to khe race she had gone back to 10 to 1 in the betting, and that odds was obtainable at the fall of the flag. Sainfoin, the Derby winner, end Surefoot, the Two Thousand winner, were beaten out of place. Daring the race the happily named Bight Away (dam Vanish), broke down badly and finished his career on the turf. ■ Says a Northern contemporary:—Freedom of speech is a right that every Britisher claims, but it must be admitted that many persons who attend race meetings make too full a use of the privilege, by ascribing corrupt motives to owners and jockeys when matters do not come off to their liking. What appears to have been a most groundless charge in this respect was directed at Mr S. H. Gollan, after riding Melrose in the Corinthian i Bace at Napier last week. The horse who I wm a strong favourite, performed Very badly, and on coming back to the weighing enclosure one of the disappointed members of the crowd threw oat the inuendo in Mr. Gollan s hearing that " the horse wonld have won had the rider not bad such a strong pair of reins." As might be expected such an insulting remark raised Mr. Gollan s ire, and he struck the man over the head with bis whip. Ife-esemed as if a fight would result, bat the parties were separated by mutual Mends, On the following daj Mr. Gollan apologised to the stewards for his part in the affair, and the latter recognising that there had been gross provocation, determined to take no further action. Mr Fred Gentry, so long known as 8 trainer and rider, is, I understand, in Chrietchorchtliftvina come this way however, not as an owner or trainer, but as advance agent for Professor lutchwarfc the horselsreaker, whose system of eabduihg theiuntamed, has been adopted by m«ay of bis pupils, and of the merits qj which 1 can myself give the highest tSttmony. Mr Alexander, of WWh'eWild West Show, hearing'of the Intended vjsle of Mr Litchw&rk, has expressed a desire to meet him in order if possible to arrange lor a public exhibition, andXinay say that I hare not the slightest doubt tnatacoatest between theFroleasor »nd the Cow-

boys can be fixed up, as I hare seen the formjskdemonafcrate hi* form very frequenHyin each wraleets. While at Ruaaley on Saturday morning I had a look ftt Ms Wilde colt by Apremont, ftom Beeswing fa being worked oa Mc ; Hereford's fcaek; Hβ is apparently ft wj nice-temperidcoit Jue* aow, and ahould make & tlmber-feoppar tf nut to that game. The worst o* it if that so many of the breed are disposed to enow excitability when they hams been raoed oreetada Bfciffish Question or two on the track. Berond ft alight indentation oa $he aown of the aoedTtatW U» eyes, and marks on each of the hocks, the first natural, but the latter clearly the result of accident, and not likely to interfere with hie preparation, this <K)lt is very clean and stands Ted Cutte getsto bed f' said a tout who was xrat 4uet before the moon wenSdown tke other morning, but jusVtoo late to see the burly trainer fromChokebore Lodge sendhisCup mare Dado a pipe opener. "I don t know, ealo one of the earty birds, "but he gets up deuced early in the morning, and then chipped in Bob Gooseman from Napier, *' Oh, he does go to bed then; I was reckoning on coming; out about supper time to look for him," and this and some good-natured chaff was indulged • in, within earshot of the only trainer I have seen who could come within 71bsof our old friend Jack Cbaafe, as an early bird. Cutts invariably has the first of the tracks, and keeps up the name which he got for early rising while at Flemlngton. _ A recent -visitor to J. Cripp'sr stables, " Sterling;" in the Sportsman, speaks highly of Manton, and remarks what a great muscular horse he is. Strange is it not that nature should be so uneven in her distribution, for whereas size and substance is met with in the colts from Tres Deuce, and the fillies as foals have always exhibited ft great deal of promise when they have reached the age at which the career of most racers commence, they have been altogether undersized, as per examples in Louise, Qdeenie, and Na Moa. Talking of this family reminds mc that I made enquiries after the bisc, banging chestnut colt by Leolinus from .Tres Deuce, purchased by Mr (Jollan at Sylvia Park, and now four years old. Hβ was a bit of, a fancy of mine, but I learn that he injured his back while being schooled on the station some time ago, and as he was "added to the.list" he will probably never be heard of on the turf. One of my confreres In dealing with the coming meeting of. the C.J.C. says: "The Derby has dwindled down -to five, but what the field lacks in quantity is made up in quality," and he then goes on to enumerate the chief winnings of the quintette engaged. When reviewing the chances of the Gup candidates in another part of the paper he sums up in favour of Crackshot and Dudu, between which pair he expects a'good race, and then cays, " Eotuku has a show I think. She has stayed a mile and a-half before now, and with such a light impost at> 6st 31b she may get the the extra half mile. She doesn't come of a real staying family though, but she hasn't got a particularly brilliant field opposed to ncr; and she may once more take the " thousand pounder" to Napier." These paragraph placed side.by side with the one in which he says of Crackshot " it will take a good one to lower hie colours 111 both the Cup and Derby," are very contradictory indeed, for one would infer from the writer that Crackshot in himself is likely to prove anything but "a weak field " for Kotuku to do battle with.

The list of English winning sires for last season shows that the progeny of Galopln hare won £43,516, while Hampton comes second with £35,091. Both these stallions occupied almos i> similar proud positions the previous year. Isonomy hu gpne up a step or two, and now comes third with £25,079. The fourth on the list is St. Simon, £24,280, a unique position for a young sire, and only previously, approached by Bend Or when Ormonde carried everything before him. St. Simon had mfOrraonde, but he had more than half a doeen tip top representatives who did him good service. The St. Simons all bear a strong resemblance to their unbeaten eire; all are gallopers, and it is not too much to predict a larger total next year for this successful eon of Yedetta. Old Hermit's stock annexed £16,271, and it is the first time for many years that so little has been placed to his credit. Barcaldine had no fewer than twenty-two winners, with a total of £9914. The stock of the erstwhilst doushty opponents, Robert the Devil and Bend Or won respectively £9639 and £3299. From Mr Davie Mdnn, who is ddwn here with Mr William Douglas' horses Strephonand Waterfall, I learn that the squire of the Temahanga station has a fine lot; of yearlings this season— some eleven in number—ten of which have been nominated for the Hawke's Bay Guineas. It is Mr Douglas , intention to nominate freely in all classic events this season. The four that are nominated in the Challenge Stakes of 1893 are the Mute—Christina, Mute—TJira, and Mate—Bonny Blink colts, and the Mute—Waitiri filly. The two-year-olds entered are Rosefeldt (Nordenfeldt—Rose D'Amour), Creeper, a gelding by Crawford Priory—Honeysuckle, and colt Mute—Uira. The yearling colts by Mute, from Lady Maxwell, Swiveline, Scratch, and Maid of All Work, and the fillies by the same sire from Myatery (daughter of Dainty—Ariel), and the colt and the filly by Hiko from Primrose and Black Bell respectively comprise the list, and those most highly thought of at present are the Christina, Waitiri, Uiri, and the two by the young sire Hiko, own brother to the last named mare. . Torpedo and Hiko. now do stud duties on the station, having baken the place of The Mute, who was purchased by Mr Donald Frazer, of Parawanui, Lower RangitikeL .••.-".

The defeat of two such favourites a Megaphone and Titan at Caulfleld says the Argus, will cause a very considerable sum of money to be handed over to the the ring at the settling to day- With regard to Magaphone, his marvellously good performances, not only at Hawkeaoury and Randwick recently, but during his whole career, made backers confident that he could win a weight-ior-age race over a mile and a furlong, and Els "defeat is ascribed to the fact that hie new trainer .Walter Hickenbofcham, believing that ie had been raced too much prior to coming into his hands, eased him in his work, and that as a consequence the horse was not so fib as he might be made, and failed when the pinch came. It is reported thac Megaphone's former owner, Mr Brown, of Queensland, 'was prepared to put a lot of money on the colt, but that he refrained from doing so after seeinghtTo, as he did not like his with regard to the second hot favourite who went down, Titan, the popular impression now i<* that Titan is not ao good as he wu eight or nine months ago, while some of his contemporaries who were not then at their top. as he was, have Improved contiderably. --• ' ■■ «■■•■..■

Oar contemporary, the Asian, has the following:—lt is not generally known that Buckstone, the Ascot Cap winner of 1863, died in China. Buckstone and North Pole were both sent oat at the same time, and both were landed at Hong Kong in the care of Robert Sherwood, the present Newm&rket trainer, who went oat to succeed Tommy Lye in the management of Jardine Matheson and Go's racing stables. Backstone died at East Point the name year. North Pole ran and won the Challenge Cup from Messrs Dent and Co's Haddington, 1 ■Who was trained by Sherrard, recently of Cbetwynd House fame. North Pole was ridden by a clerk in Jardiaa Matheaon'e ; house. Thereby bangs a tale. Mr W. Mackenzie, who subsequently bad a share i in iSycee* the Lincolnshire Handicap! winner of 1869, was in China at that time, ■ and ased not only to ride for, but to manage Jardine Malheson's racing stable. He had a grudge against a sporting and leading barrister at Hong Kong. The year before Buckatone was ooushfc Haddisgton had been sent oat, end had swept the field of the principal trophies. The clerk In question, mentioned above, either a Dane or German, who had never ridden in a race, " waa " put in " by Mackenzie to take a bet of 20,000d01s to a thousand from the sporting lawyer that he would ride the winner of next year's Challenge Cup. The bet was laid, and Mackenzie went home. Mr, now Sir, Bobert Jardine bought, and sent out Buckstone and North Pole to extinguish Messrs Dent's Haddiogtoa. Mackenzie returned to train and teach the clerk how to ride, and chough the crack died, the second string was good enough to win the Challenge Cap and pull off the big bet. Mr Hately isaaed Mβ handicaps for She Wanganui Spring Meeting last week, and seeing that they are the first productions he has been called upon to make for many years, I do not feel pleased at the task of having to criticise them, as I mnstdo, adversely. Retina last January at Foxton certainly, beat Boulangar over a mile and a half, and gave him weight, bat on recent form at Napier this mare would appear to be very badly used at being placed so far up the list. She had no right to be called upon to concede Montrose XL 9ib in the Trial Handicap, ! and 61b in the WaoganulStakes, nor has, Bonl&ager on' Ms form of last; season been too well treated u> being set to give Montrose EL 9ib In the Trial' and 111b in the Wanganui Stakes. Up to the lass tune they met Montrose IL had rather €he best of Boolacger who, however, beat him?

atFeildlng over ft mile at level weights, after Montroee IL had done a lob of travelling and racing during the few preceding weeks. Cyclone on level terms with Montroee IL in toe short t&m, and within lib of him in the mile and a-halL reads had enough too, and both Vendor ana Weka appear to bo on rather unfavourable terms with the son of Vaaeo di Qama in both events. Lethe seems very well treated at Bat on his two-year-old form, and on his running over six lodonsra in January last, when he beat Cruiser at level weights, and Boulangor at a difference of 131b*. Josephine has too much in the Trial Handicap, and is simply slaughtered at Bat in the Stakes. Rufus on his beat form has all he is entitled to. Fleta is fairly well treated on Napier form, and Jenny has enough, bat in comparison vki & Josephine has nothing to complain of. Eileen (the Taranaki mare) is nicely wel hted.and La Petite Fllle on her last performance in public, gave promise of proving useful, and at 7at cannot be considered badly treated,; She gave Fleta 91bs then, and is now in receipt of 61bs. Seraph at 6at 101b reads exceedingly well in the Trial, but how Mr Hately arrives at his adjustments I cannot understand, for he places her al7st 51b in the Stakes, thus making her carry 91b more in the longer race than in the short one; Comet has 31b more, and Boulanger is at the same weight in both. What these three horses have ; done to cause them to be so (.ifferently treated to the others I cannot see, but Seraph's case is the one that strikes mc as most surprising, as she, to start with is a three-year-old, and we will take the way she has been handicapped with Lethe for instance. Over a six-furlong course next month at weight for age, Lethe's weight would be 9»t; Seraph's weight 7st 91bs, or 191bs difference; over a mile and a half 9st and 7st 41b, or 211b difference; thus Seraph would on such conditions, meet Lethe on Elba better terms over the longer distance; but what do we find, Lethe receives 41bs less over the longer distance than in the short one, and Seraph 91b more, thus making a 181b worse handicap for the filly. Allowing that their performance* have been on a par, and accepting Mr Hately's handicapping of the pair in the six furlong race as correct, then Seraph really on the graduating welght-for-age scale would nave no less than 181b the worst of the handicap with Lethe. There is no conceivable ground on which to defend such work, and the same remarks apply also as between Seraph and .Retina, only that Seraph is asked to meet Retina on 191b worse terms in the mile and a half, a distance that she has not yet traversed. Lonely, like Josephine, would appear badly used in the Stakes at 8»t. In the Hurdle Race I should say thac Pizarro has been asked to meet Tauraekaitai on unfavourable terms. Jenny and Silvio each have big weights, •and the latter has hitherto not been seen to any great advantage over hurdles. Gladlus, in his best form, would not have been badly in at lOet, and The Dream by now should be showing better form than last year.. Without knowing anything of the £ resent form of the horses I should take ethe, Seraph, Montrose 11., and La Petite Fllle as about the best treated in the Trial, with Montrose IL, Lethe, and Cheque tie the best in the Stakes, and In the Hurdle Race Tfturaekaitai will probably take most beating, as he has been doing some racing lately that should assist him in the negotiation of a twomile journey. These notes were penned before the acceptances.

THE YEf&RLIXG I paid visits to the Middle Park and Kussley paddocks the other day, and a careful look over the yearlings at both places, time not permitting of my farther extending my attentions. lam not going to enthuse over the luxuriance of the pastures I wandered through, bur ,1 way cay that considering the dry season we have had, I found the,paddocks at both places well coated, and though there is less shelter at Bussley than at Middle Park there was more growth of clovers and grasses there. The Middle Park lots, or most of them, are perhaps the most forward, bat those from Ruwley are losing their old coats fast, and will come Into the sale ring in a stronger and healthier condition than the last lot from that quarter, and I think when I say that better all round quality will be found from both establishments, those who witnessed the sales of last autumn will agree with mc. In dealing with these youngsters I would have my readers remember that this is the spring of the year, and that in this part of New Zealand the growth of tenderlings is not so marked as In the north where climatic influences have the effect of sending young stock ahead fast. It is in the second year I find that stock bred in the south do best, bub not? withstanding this buyers will find in the ring next Thursday a fairly well grown lot taking them all round, but more particularly is this noticeable with the fillies from both places. I look forward to the sale, however, with feelings of misgiving, and I fear than the demand for this description of stock is growing less every year locally. We have so. many breeders now throughout the length and breadth of the country, and the number of owners does not appear to be increasing so rapidly as could be wished. However, I only hope that those whe have embarked in this enterprise may find that "there is still a demand and remunerative prices to be obtained for their wares. First let mc deal with the

MIDDLE PARK LOTS, which comprise ten yearling colts and five yearling fillies, and three two-year-old colts. Taking them as they are advertised .Lot 1 is a chestnut colt with two white hind fetlocks, by St. George from Charm, who is not so forward as most of his companions, and is a rather plain headed angular youngster that will want time. Lot 2 is a big, plain, loose, brown son of Apremont and Gilda, that will hardly take the eyes of those who look for the beautiful; the fact is the colt inherits from the dam some of the characteristics of the Ravensworth family. Hβ has a bad neck, and is not over well ribbed, but he may some day make into a stick horse. No. 3 is a different sort altogether. He is a good bay with an intelligent head, has fair bone, and is well led down with good hocks, has plenty of length of rein, and *o far as can be judged of him this son of Apremont—Becky Sharp, is of ft kindly temperament. No. 4 is a corky, little, bay colt by Total Eclipse, from Ravens wing, and was carried by this mare when she won the Great Autumn Handicap. He has fair quality bone, buc a rather ponyfled Jook altogether. ■•-„„ No. 5—A chestnut colt by St. GeorgeRed Rone, iv on the small aide, but a clean legged, fairly shaped one. ■ No 6 is a level bay colt with a white face, two hind and one fore fetlock white, nice head, and showing some quality, and a colt that should make a useful one. He Iβ by Apremont from Flattery. No. 7—A brown, lightly constructed, lengthy, and a leggy colt by St. George from Fleuransce, that will require to be allowed plenty of time to fill oat as he has been growing too fast the wrong way. No. B—A bay colt by T Si5. George—Take Miss, is a plain medium sized bay with plenty of room to improve. JNo. 9—One of the least taking colts at first sight Is the loose sluraacking bay eon of St. George—Bupee, who has . been growing" fast apprrentlr. He is of lighter colour, and moro on the leg than Merrie England, though he does not promise to be such a thick one. Ho is nofc so coarse, nor so upstanding, as was Silver Knight, purchased by Mr Stead last year. He takes more after Exchange perhaps, but hardly shows the same , length, and will probably stand hieher when matured. Like all the family, he moves in a careless, rollicking style in walking and txotting about the paddock. He does- not look likely to mature early, and is fas from a thick one just now. No. 10—Qaifee a different style of coll altogether, is the nice-coloured, evenly balanced, good looking, good legged and muscular son of St. George—Fair Nell, and here we have what I coaelder the gentleman of the paddock. If St. George is as successful with all Apremont mares, lie: will pufc forward more good advertisements, for this i» ft colt that few will attempt to quarrel with* Hβ ia certain to command a fate figoSe, for buyers of his sort are always to Dβ found. The three colts whose appearance X like best are those of Fair Nell, Becky Sharp and Flattery. No. 11 Is a bay fllly by Apremont, from Mrsßawdon. Not a big one, but with a good head and some quality; hardly showing enough bone below, the knees.. Like alTfche fillies she is fn for ward condition. No. 12—Martyr must be a rare mother, for all her stock are big, but this chestnut filly by Apremont ia not only big but shows a deal of quality. Sha has a nice head, with a white face and white hiod fetlock, and though she has a slight swelling on one of her hind fetlock joints, a recent affair, she should make a useful mare, either for racing or breed* Nα 13—The Apremont—Waterspdte is a very pretty and altogether nicely turned filly with a neat head, but hardly displaying tfte sraede that Kaaes Nona showed at the same age. _ No. Li—By St. Qeosga—Hatmmoßk, Iβ s

whtca are drooping. as «i No 15 —A black, long nlain - fe ftae i * whitefacedflUy byArfctilery from BeS 63 eotnnletes the list. She haa a good A and loins, fair bone, and U the least protnhing of her sex. *"««»

THE RUSSLBT LOTS. No. 1 Is a rather plain chestnut eotf v Cadogan, from Caprice. Hβ has a iX? nent forehead, and two white hind uZZ and one fore fetlock white, which!! noticeable markings. He may useful leather-flapper in time. " *' No. 2 is a bay colt by Cadogan-Mh. Russley, and he takes somewhat afta**? sire, though he has a white face and® 2? head, has fair bone, and is not h,aT follow, being fairly Well let down, fijjj perhaps, a trifle short Iα rein, but loog like making a useful horae. ** No. 3—A brown colt by Albany—H»»«» is rough of hair, with perhaps m^l. ,, behind than in f««,t, ibSffHfStSjS He Is a fair boned and medium eiztd om . No. 4 is a bay colt by Cadogan, f3 Mode, and perhaps the makinir nf\u best In the paddock. He has a fair head, plenty of length, stands wetfSf serviceable legs, and U not deficient t: propelling power. * « No. S~A chestnut colt by CadoeanNonsense, has grown up behind, BttTfeT bit ragged andT a trifle rou«a about ik* hocks, but fairly grown and may maW* goer in time. c * No 6.—The chestnut filly by OMen*. from Maritana is of fair size and bo&ftXr some length, but a peculiarity at thohln* No 7 is a bay, by Cadogan, from Djft with a fair amount of quality andltneg, and some muscular development. Nl * a » No. B.—A brown filly by is not very big of bone, of medium sfeeS better behind than in front of the β^jif* No 9.—Bay filly, by Cadogan— of a light build, and stands on the te&m* much of Cadogan about her, cii: