SPORTING ITEMS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9019, 4 February 1895, Page 2

SPORTING ITEMS.

" Weekly Press end Referee." NOTES AND COMMENTS,. [B_ Hotspur.] The Taranaki champion, Waiuku, was taken to the Stratford Meeting, and the assumption was, as be figured on the card for the Ngaire Stakes, he would take part therein. As a consequence tho creator number of the thirty-two engaged were vctfthdrawn, the owners recognising the futility of chasing the son of Sb. Leger. Having consideration, however, for the rough state of the course, it was decided, and withsound wisdom, not torun Waiuku; hut if, as the local report statca, the horse was left ia the race until within lomin of the advertised hour for starting, other owners having horses engaged had certainly cause for complaint. As a matter of fact, the liability to a heavy fine is incurred in failing to withdraw within half an hour of starting time.

Mr G. A. Towton, by far the most successful racing man in Western Australia, would appear to be Mr O'Brien's understudy in the matter of naming hia thoroughbreds. Last eeason hia Carbine won the Derby in the Western colony, and at the meeting held at Perth on the Ist and 3rd of the month he again annexed the classic priza, this tiiae with the aid of a filly named Florrie. Taruna, which sounds uncommonly like the cognomen under which Flinders' brother was known, was Mr Towton'a winning representative In the Nursery Stakes. The Derby winner secured the principal handicap on the eecond day, beating Welcome Jack's son Happy Jack. Carbine ran two seconds, besides securing one stake. Mi , Towton'e colours were triumphant in the Perth Cup, the winner being Durable, who beat Scarpie, Happy Jack, and eight others. Torpedo, formerly cue property of Mr M'Rae, Hawera, was running at the meeting and scored in the Consolation.

" O'Brien's luck " that we were wont to hear such a lot about a few years back is not what owners would now care about. Response, heavily supported, and presumably by her owner, appears to have run a good race when she last sported silk, which was at Warwick Farm, but this only enabled her to play second fiddle to Newman, a winner of several big handicaps, but who has been running indifferently this season. A mile and a quarter, the distance of the race, is a trine f&r for Response, yet in any case the brilliant daughter of Bis Bis seems fated to get no nearer than second. At the Warwick Farm meeting both Philson and Globetrotter also ran unsuccessfully. Since setting up his Rand wick establishment Mr O'Brien has only annexed two small' stakes, one with Bob Ray and the other with Phileon, and the latter, whose success was at Williamstown at Melbourne Cup time, ran unbacked.

Should Mr O'Brien get anything like a decant offer for Tasman he is almost sure to part with his old favourite, who has been receiving bub scant patronage from breeders in this colony. It was mentioned in last week's issue that a Taeraanian stud master was after the horse, it being intended that he should fill the place of The Assyrian, the Melbourne Cup winner of '82, who died last jear. It was only after St. Albana, Tasman's sire, went to the " tight little island " that he made his name famous. If Tasman goes back to his birthplace, however,* he goes with capital credentials as a stud horse, for Florrie ia undoubtedly one of the best mares that at present graces the Australian turf.

The fact that; Merganser's name ia absent from the entry lists for.the autumn events that have closed, augurs that the champion mare nan not trained on as expected. Had she done'eo, it was thought; she would have been engaged in Australia. But If, wo are not'td have the pleasure of seeing Merganser carrying silk, *at all events this season, there eppears to be a reasonable chance of that other champion, Sfc. Hippo, beinff seen out. It is to be hoped he will stand the necessary wind* ing up to be seen to advautage; indeed, it may bo taken for granted that Mr Nathan would not allow the fame of the great son of St. Legcr to be tarnished by allowing him to race unless he were in a thoroughly fit state to compete.

In the English papers-to hand by the mail that arrived last week, particulars of the Newmarket December sales are given. Some long prices were obtained, going to show that the horse market Iα the Old Country is in a fairly good way. The feature of the sales was the disposal of the stock the property of the late Duchess of Montrose. Twenty lots were in the catalogue, and realised a total of 27,655jz5, showing an average of 1382fgs. Tiie highest price was obtained for the wellperformed three-year-old filly None the "Wiser, by Wisdom—Corrle Roy, who, after eliciting spirited bidding, fell to Lord Ellesmere for 7200g«. Another three-year-old filly, Mecca by Isonomy, reached 2800gs, while the French sportsman £T. E. Blanc gave 2500,5a for the five-year-old Hermit mare Adoration, Lord Bereaford being content to receive the Isonomy colt Contract in exchange for 230Dgs. These were the ones that brought over 2000gs, though several others made four fleares.

Mr D. Cooper, the Anglo-Aastralian sportsman, is, it appears, retiring from the turf, and his horses were disposed of at Newmarket on December 12th. There was naturally a keen demand for the tried and proved good two-year-old, Kirkconell, whose prospect for the Epsom Dorby is highly regarded. ' Sir Blundell Maple became hfs owner, going to 50l)0gs for the colt. A yearling by Ayrshire brought the next highest price of his lot, 930gs being the figure at which be went. The same day that Mr Cooler's stock were dispersed, another retiring sportsman, Lord Bradfji"d, disposed of his racing stud. The nine lots brought 3305ga, the best price obtained for a single animal being ISOOga.

It was on December 12th that Seaton Delaval, purchased, as announced last week, by Mr L. D. Nathan, of Auckland, went np for sale. He was among those submitted on behalf of Lord Cadogan, and waft included in "horses in training.' Describsd as a five-year-old bay horse, Seaton Delaval fell to the bid of Mr Beddlngton at 260gs.

Melton, the sire of Seaton Delaval, was ninth in the winning stallion list in England for the season just closed, his total being £9000. Hie stock have been coming to the front In such marked fashion that regret ia expressed that he should have been aold out of England, and many tempting offers have been held out to the Italian Government, who secured him, for hia re-purchase. An English atudmaster is, so it Is stated, prepared to give £20,000 to own Melton. As, & matter of fact Melton should be placed fourth in the winning list, inasmuch as he is not credited with Best, Man's victories, for the reason that he is returned as by OrmoDde or Melton, though in reality there is no question that he is by the latter.

The racing ctabs in South Australia are beginning to feel the opposition ol the macbine-odda bookmaker. When the totallaator was re-established and the eappression of open betting drore the ring from Adelaide, the totalisaior for a time monopolized speculation. It is otherwise now, for the machine-odds man is in full force among the wheatlanders, and the dabs are beginning to realise that the old style of bookmaking did not effect them no seriously as does the walking totalieator. A* a writer in the Adelaide Observer pats it: —f* Tlie clubs are placed in a somewhat awkward position. They want the Ring, and jet they don't.

They recognise that it must be to their interests for double event or straight out books for substantial amounts to be opened on their principal meetings some time before these take place in order that horses ■may be attracted from the other side and elsewhere, bat they object to their reserves being poached upou.on race days. This is really the true light to look at the matter in, and of course it requires a deal of careful consideration. Parliament has ordained

that there shall not bo auy betting in public, but the fielders are dying hard. Which of the clubs will strike the next blow remains to bo seen, and the result of its action will be awaited with interest."

Favoured with delightful weather the Gisborne RC'a Meeting on tho 17th and 18th inst. passed off most successfully, the sport on both days being full of interest, and some of the finishes were very close. Most of the favourites went dotvn, and on the first day a couple of rank outsiders got home, big dividends being the result. Though speculation was brisk, the sum handled ac the totalisator fell short of last year's total by £433.

If rather late in the day to offer any comments of my own in resard to the Muskec Stakes, it will be of interest to readers to hear what the Yaldhursc trainer has to say in rejrard to the much discussed race. It may be premised that up to the day of the race it was not intended to start Blue Fire; all connected with the filly were bitterly disappointed with her display in the Derby. True it was that, J owing to Mason himself being indisposed and not caring to trust Blue Fire to other hand9, she had next to no oxsrc&e previous to going out for the blue riband ; still the opposition was such as to not batoken fear, and the utmost confidence was felt in the daughter of Sapphire. When after her downfall Darrett explained he had ridden the filly with hands and heels between certain furlong posts, and Mr Stead was able t» Bhow\thab the furlong Indicated was actually the slowest of tho journey, it seemed as if there was something radically wrong with Blue Fire. As Mason says, it was galling to loso a prize which appeared as If ic only required saddling up for to win. Ho was against starting Blue Fire again, but Mr Stead on the morning of the Musket Stakes resolved to gtvo her a run just to soe if her form was as bad as the Derby indicated. There was no sort of hesitation on Dorretl's part as to which was the better, she or Bloodshot; the two-year-old he reckoned would easily vanquish the three-year-old. It is a well known fact that only on rare occasions are those wearing the yellow livery allowed a whip, and whoa Wilson came to receive his orders before mounting Blue Fire, he did not carry one. On Mr Stead telling the jockey he had better sccuro a whip and use it if the filly showed any disposition to shirk her work, Wilson with great alacrity procured one.and a stinger at that. The trainer went to the post) with his charges, and.as ho was instructing Wilson not to punish Blue Fire it be found he had . no hope of winning, Darrett remarked that, as he (Wilson) had a whip he should let the filly feel it and that a good hiding was what she wanted. With such re- ! marks tingling in tho jockey's ears the race started. Urging Blue Fire on with hands and heels Wilson found she was doing about as well but no batter than her opponents; it was then the whip was drawn, and with a couple of applications the filly almost shot from under her rider, and tearing paafc the poet the Musket Stakes was loit end won. That the Darby callop after her inactivity did Blue Fire a lot of good there if hardly reaeon to doubt, bub flrhat the race for the Musket Stakes proved is that the .filly had become an indolent one, and will not put forth her best effort until thoroughly roused.

Seeing that hie horses have been in the sale ring more than once during the past few months, it is evident Mr O'Brien is getting somewhat full of his Australian experiences, or at all events of his team as at present constituted.'' - Cabled news from Sydney tellsl as tbafc the beab offer for Loyalty was a paltry for Launceston (whose recent absence from the racing, track and from nomination lists favours tho assumption that he is amiss), but 50/8; while Philaon he has 'let go at GOgs. Quite apart from the fact that the market for thoroughbred stock on the other sido is about as bad as ic oan.be, the auras offered for Mr- O'Brien'a horses indicate that Loyalty and Co. arc not so highly thought of as was onco the ease.

Fred Barrett, one of the family of wellknown and respected English horsemen, whose death is announced by cable, has bat seldom been seen in the saddle during the past few years, for the reason that increased weight has necessitated his almost entire withdrawal from the profession. It was in 1835,- the year Fred Archer made his record score of 240 wins for the season, that the other Fred . took his highest place in the winning list, he having Oβ successes out of 505 rides. He was then fourth on the. list, and-the following year ho occupied a like position with Si wins. He was also well up in 18S7, being fifth and having had 72 winning rides. Barrett rode Ayrshire to victory in the Derby and was associated with Donovan in many of his victories, including the St. Legcr.

Notwithstanding that f the . Fox ton Summer Meeting takes place on the e&eae day on which the Wellington Cup is run, the town that once promised to become famous through the ilax industry is the centre of attraction ta the dwellers 'twixfc Palmerston and Otaki on the provincial anniversary. Good sport can always be fairly reckoned-on at Foxton, but ibis perhaps the fact that the gathering is confined to hacks in a district where hacks are looked upon whip more favour than the other olats of racehorse that makes the meeting of paramount importance in the Manawatu district. A remarkable family sequence was brought off when Lorelei got homo in the chief handicap, seeing tliat Cruiser, the sire of the filly, and Laurel, her dam, are the roll,of winners of the prize.- Lorelei'won very easily, and should be heard of again before long. One of the popular successes of the day was when Mr Darie's Jaanita, & half sister to grey Musket, captured the last event on the card. The Artist and Flying Shot ran disappointingly each time they started, but Hotspur, though beaten, gave a good showing. The sum handled at the totalisator was about £100 short* of last season's total. '' "

Id was generally conceded that Mahaki was overburdened in the Y.R.C. events for which tie was nominated, and his withdrawal, which was announced in Monday morning's papers, was not at oil surprising.. Mahaki has been taken to his home quarters at Giaborne.

Eosefeldt hae.not come out Iα a winning character• this season so far; still the Rood brown mare has boeaoa the premise* more then once; and she ia not ont of place in being asked to pat up top weight in the Taranakl Jockey. Clno Handicap, the moie especially as that impost Is bat Bsfc 101b. Eosefeldfc, when beaten by Irish Twist on the second day at Manawata, was conceding the ex-hack 61b, and the difference of 31b now placed between them should about equalise, matters. Golden Plover rather tarnished his reputation by bis running at Wellington the other day. Let me remark, however, that, although his public record .is a decidedly good one, it has been more the rumoars of big tasks performed In pri rate that has made Golden Plover come to be regarded as a smasher. In the Wellington Cap he was meeting with opposition the character of which he had hot met before, and it is in such encounter* that real merit is discovered. At S3t 81b Golden Plover has rece ved quite plenty in the T. J.C. Handicap* ?be Dancer will 'find the distance' beyond him, and so X should Bay wi|l Ben Godfrey, who, apart from each consideration, does not read well through the two—Weefcmer* and

j .i«uigipnni~nmt precede him in the U.g J The last named having shown that he I. coming back to form must be held to hJ! i a good chance with Bst 61b. The exh v Waiuku, is Riven ashow of provim? I- lV worth; he has hitherto done all that Wβ* ' required of him so easily that there eanu - > little doubt he is a cut above the ordinal> : The Great Norfcheru Derby winner Stall feldt, is surely not badly treated with 7a : 81b, and Prioress is leniently ' last season's performances. St. L&nra \ the same weight, 7st 71b, has also eJcaßea ' lightly enough, The Shrew at 1A i\t~ : should bold most bf the light WoW*'* sate, but I have more liking for the same weight. Hβ should beat* all *' comes after him in the handicap, of those more heavily assessed. w^.'* I am inclined to thiuk St. Clements wm" : " somewhat -' off colour " at tho Auckland Summer Meeting. Anyway, I would be '§ prepared to stand him in Dancer away from EllersHe and At tha*' -' difference, 3ib, made botweoa thorn in tb«'Flying Handicap at Taranak \. And, I am greatly mistaken, St. Loner's fa ' carries too many guus for Golden Plovk" and Irish Twiat ever nix furlong) »' ground at 7!b and 101b respective]* " Johnuy Faa fcj, mahifestly and so I opine Godfrey. Waluko' who was well en6\ish in, ' hat f ecratched. Prioress and St. Laura do nbfc read badly. Stopfoldt we know to %« ' particularly smart, and with 7ab ' stands an excellent chance. Eve dU tinguishod herself at the Tarambi Autumn Meeting last season, and 1% certainly given a chance to do bo again {{ she cau be sent to do battle in the same trim she then was. Dorle and The Shrawaro the only other two Iα th« race that I have any fancy for. Kbor mat have a chance in the Corinthian HatadteaiK though Cyrus reads to me the pick of the lot. There is not much likelihood of Eboc "facing the music " with list' 71b,in the Hurdle Race. Strephon, i£ he comes out In the same form an ho was in last season i9 the pick of the heavier weights, and* Saditiou, Bouovoreo and Molly Hawk may be found tho beat of those under IOaC.

A record for New Zealand Iα the shape of handicapping has, I venture to eay, been reached with the assessment of liab 71b given Ebor in the Hurdle Race at Taraaaki. When it ia considered that the - r&ngo of the handicap is Sab Tib, and that Mr Gollan's horse Is Invited to concede the next to him in weiglic junfc on Ssfe,- the nature of the task set the Australia! can be imagined. It is out of all reason to «o crush a horse, good as Ebor has proved' himself to be. It may be remembered that ia the V.R.C. Grand National Httrdle Rice the respective weights of Kulnino attd Ebor wera.l2at 71b and 12*t 41b, and if , tho latter lias earned the right pechipt " by being more highly assessed tb&n' Kulnine, ouch an impost as Ebor'sTtta- - nakl weight would be considered an uajaeft and prohibitive burden for Mr ButherfordJe ' eheetnufc. And eo it would be, and- io tt is as regards Ebor. , Mention of Ebor leads me to say that 1b is with satisfaction J learn chat his Auckland pilot, James Rickey, has almost quite -?• recovered from the effVeta of hta fill, Sinco he received a terrible crushing when '. Mangaohane came to grief with him aft , Riccarton, nickey has boon roost unfortuante with his mounts. In no ainglsaeason has he had an immunity from a serious fall, and most men would have forsaken the pigskin altogether for half what he '? has gone through. His last laying up was \ brought abortt by the rebound ot a hurdle; ,> ib was that that caused Ebor to come/' down. Tho accident thus deprived ,! Hickey of a very good chance £t winning tho Steeplechase on for ib is conceded that, had the winner started, Rose!us would bare accomplish something bottor than he"did'C* to have his number hoisted. It be generally known'that,'but for engqpv'' ,'" to ride Booties some coneiderableHmev, berore mo l»at> Grand Katioiiej, Hfckey would have been on the back of Norton, b that event. Let ib be hoped the ftccoW, - v plisheil horseman has at last (got to the' end of hie ill fortune. :v. )l The stake money offored for fche J burton Autumn Meeting is consider-.A ably more than at firnt annouttced,; reaching as it docs, £510. The Aahburton Stakes absorbs£loo of this, bat it Iβ nob *t \ -' all probable that the item will again appear 7 ! on the programme. If tho handicaps are , of decreased value the reason- thatfthb P£\ club has had far from a successful tlfte of ~-i\ ib during the past couple of seasons U, >d likely to induce owners to nominate juefe J,:j as freely as ever—if not more so. • * u Xj