SPORTING ITEMS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8729, 27 February 1894, Page 6

SPORTING ITEMS.

""Weekly Press and Keferee."

Stromboli has come out in winning form in America, for, according to " Hidalgo," he scored in a six-furlong race on January 10th. He carried 7st 101b, and ran the distance in lmin 13£ sec. Previous to this Stromboli had won at seven furlongs, but was beaten over a mile. 1 don't think Stromboli could have nearly equalled the time he is recorded to have made io the •States when running in Australia, which favours the assumption that horses get faster in America, or else their system of timing is different from ours. The prize for the Adelaide Cup has been reduced from £1000 to £800, and the total amount of the stakes for tho S.A.J.C. Autumn Meeting has been made £450 less than that of last year. -This step has been taken on account of the improvements to be made shortly to the totalisator and totaliaator stand, which are estimated to cost over £500.

TbeLaunceston Cup, run for on February Bth, was won by Amadeus, a three-year-old by Mozart, carrying Ist 51b,; Bischoff, 9«t 21b, second; Petrarch, 7st 51b, third. There were twelve starters. Pathfinder, 7st' 71b, wan favourite at two to one against, the winner being next in demand. The principle event oa the second day was woo by The Wolf, Pathfinder being second.

"Plunger" Walton, the American who duriog tbe racing season of 1881, when the Derby and St. Leger ™ere won by the horse from across the Atlantic, Iroquois, had such an extraordinary run of luck, has come to financial grief. The announcement of his failure when made on January 2nd caused some stir in New York. After returning from England with winnings, it is said, of £100,000. he acquired the ownership of the Grand Hotel, and was supposed to have been doing pretty well. The Liverpool Grand National, which is to be run, for ou March 30th, secured a nomination of sixty two, eight less than last year. It was supposed tbat the hero of last season. Cloister, who heat all records iv the race by carrying 12st 71b to victory, was to be retired and not again risk defeat. His name, however, appears among the nominations, and other previous winners engaged are Father O'Fiynn and Ilex. Not a single four-year-old has been entered.

/The nominations for the English spring handicaps are well up to the average of recent years. The Liuco) ushire Handicap, the opening event of the flat raciog season, has filled tbe best, and with seventy-one nominations ie equals the record entry. The Ascot Cup, entries for which close at the same time as the handicaps, has received thirty-five subscriber*, La Flecbe and Isinglass being among those whose names have been sent io. At the Verona: Rices last week, says the Sportsman tot February 6th, Ginger, by Apremont troui Aglaia, won the Selling R_ce. He was formerly known as Atdao-. The Tasmanian correspondent of the JSportsman writes:—The New Zealand bred horse,* Maori Chief, a big upstanding chestnut by Fitz Hercules out cf Jennie, scored his maiden victory on the Tasmanian tnrf by winning the Trial Stake*, a bare half length separating him from Mermaid at the finish. Alcinous, starting at 5 to 1 against, won the Rochester flanaicap at Rochester on January Hint. Gaiilardia. by Trenton, easily secured the Stewards' Purse at Geeloog on February 3rd.