NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9138, 24 June 1895, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Hotspur.] The Hon. J. D. Ormond is the only North Island nominator for the classic events of the Dunedin J.C. which closed last week, che fall list appearing in oar previous issue. With a quintette he holds the strongest hand in the Champagne Stakes, Mr Stead with four, and Messrs Stephenson and Hazlett, and Sir George Clifford with three apiece being those nominating over a brace. The Hawke's Bay sportsman has entered nothing for this year's Dunedin Stakes, so that southern owners will have it all to themselves. The race has never drawn a big entry, and the twenty-three nominated this time is well up to the average in numerical strength ; of the number Mr Stead claims four, Sir George Clifford", Hon. G. M'Lean, Messrs Stepbcnson and Hazlett, Mr Goodman, and Mr Kett two each. I hardly think the Musket boom is responsible for the fact, but the proportion of youngsters of Musket blood engaged is very great— twenty-two out; of thirty-one in the Champagne Stakes, and nineteen oat of twenty-three in the Dunedin Stakes.

Ballyhooley has found his way to the front over the Rand wick country twice in quick succession. The last occasion was on June l«fc, at T&ttersall's Meeting, in what is styled the Grand National Steeplechase, the stake for which is worth £130 to the winner. The Auckland-owned gelding had not such a bloodless victory as on the week previous, seeing that the pony Reckless stuck to him the whole way and finished only a length and a half behind* When Ballyhooley's New Zealand form is taken into account, his winning does not say much f> r the character of the opposition, for with lOdt he was conceding weight to all of the last field he beat.

St. Hippo 93t 121b and Wakawatea9st 51b led off the Handicap for the Ducken field Stakes at the A.J.C. meeting on June Bth. Iα the Randvrick Stakes, one mile three furlongs, St. Hippo was estimated 51b better than the next following him, R??pon«e getting In at 7sllolb. Osculator was engaged in the Nursery Handicap at 7st 21b.

The dark candidate trained by John Porter did not, it appears, start for the Derby, having been incapacitated by a peculiar accident some days prior to the race. A cable message to the Australian papers states that while Le Var was being exercised on the training track a bieycliet on crossing the ground at a racing pace came into collision with the Darby horse. The concussion was so great that the cyclist was thrown from his machine, and when picked up both his legs were found to be broken. Ls Var's injuries were also so serious that Mr Milner was obliged to scratch him for tbe Derby. The colt was thought to be hardly forward enough on the Two Thousand Guineas day, so was withdrawn from that racs.

The Americans again drew blood on the English turf at the Newmarket First Spring Meeting, when Banquet 11, «rho had gone across the Atlantic with tbe record of having taken part in some 100 encounters, easily put down half a dozen others in the Two Thousand Guineas Trial Plate of 195 aov«, weight-for-age, with selling allowances. Banquet 11. was entered to be sold for £200 and was bought in at 760#s. The winner was heavily backed by his party and started at 5 to i against. Ho is by the English Sγ. Leger winner Rayon d'Or. The coloured jockey, W. Simms, had the mount.

With the Guineas over, the English season might be said to have been welladvanced when the last mail left London. So far, with the exception of the City and Suburban Handicap, the favourites have been beaten in the principal races, and I'm afraid the Derby would not bring much consolation to the b.ulk of backers; in fact the ringtuen up to the present; must have had a most profitable time. Referring to the first classic encounter the Sportsmans&j*: — At the Bushes Sir Visto pulled to the front, and pioneered from Raconteur and Laveno, with Kirkconnel lying fourth, to the Abingdon Mile Botton:, where T. Loatee called upon Raconteur. For one or two strides he seemed inclined Go answer the call, but a moment later it was all over, and amidst a shout from the ring of " The favourite's beaten 1" Mr M'Calmont's champion dropped out of it. Sir Yisto now resigned to Laveno, who on ascending the hill looked all over a winner, but he was unable to resist Watts' challenge on Kirkconnel, and the last-named drawing past him Iα fine style won a beaut iful rase rather cleverly at the finish, but with nothing to spare, by a length, in the fasc time of lmin 42 2-sth sec. Sir Vhto was two lengths behind Mr Houldsworth's debutant for third place, and then came The Lombard, Speedwell and Baconteur, with} Fossicker last. To say that the result was a surprise would but inadequately express the general opinion, The winner's success was decidedly popular, but to the majority it came as a turn-up, almost old-fashioned In style, and with the other placing co wide of calculations it may in round words be said that public form was knocked Into a cocked hat."' The rider of the winner was cautious in his opinions regarding the race, for, said he, *' the best-trained horse won. One of the others might do better next time." The prediction of Watts was very correct. •

The Americans took, it is estimated, some £4000 from the ring over their second victory on English soiL The idea, said one writer, of entering such a horse as Banquet IL to be sold for 200*ovs meant that his winning would be a certainty, and that he would be bought in almost at any price. People here are singularly dullwitted, for surely it must have dawned on them that the hero of over 100 races in America could not by any poss ! ' J Hty lose a Selling Race, claiming as he did the full

32ib allowance. . . , . Of course, he

won; he could hare tumbled dowa and won. Sim mc did not get away well with him, but this gave the chance to secure a few more bets, and it was not missed. Banquet 11. cantered in without being extended, and yet even then people seemed to lack perception of what the horse was, for he was bought in for 780ge, though I am assured that not at 2000gs would he have been allowed to go.

A few mistakes crept iptp the cablecl list of entries for the Melbourne Cap. The total number nominated was 149, which is one less than appeared here, Pilot being the name that should have been omitted. Mr Gollau'a contribution to the isc is fire; Sternchaser is not one of and the name to substitute for the son of Nordenfeldt in the correct list is. Sternanchor, a three year-old belonging to Mr F. Musgrove. MrW.B. Wilson with nine has the strongest fleet engaged, the biggest half being now two-jear-alds. Not only has the Melbourne Cap filled better than when the stake was for a much larger sum, bnt the entries for the other V.R.C. events dosing at the same time show an increase over the last; two yoara, indicating that ld«»pite the depression in Victoria there

are "till as many throroughbreds being bred and taken in hand.

For the Champion Stakes sixty have been nominated. Past winners in Portsea and Tbe Harvester are engaged, and besides St. Hippo there are Saracen, Oaculator, and Mr Gollan*e pair, Culloden and Bonnie Scotland, to represent New Zealand. Those old antagonists Patron and Carnage are again entered, and it is to be hoped both have or will ged over their ailments so as to be matched on equal terms* The letter's stable companions, Havoc and Wallace, who will no longer it may be presumed be housed together when the race is run, are also, as might be expected, in the select list, and so is Elswick.

The entries takea by the V.A.T.O. on the first Tuesday of June were, as in the case of the leading institution, better than for several previous years. Though the 154 for the Caul field Cup was half a dozan below the entry for Paris' race, and the Toorak Handicap drew 114 as against 115 a twelvemonth ago, there was an Increase ia the number of youngsters named for the various stakes then closed.

The nominations for the leading events at the New Zealand Grand National Meeting are perhaps not so numerous as many looked for, yet a pernsal of the lists shows there are few names absent that could have been expected to appear. There are hardly as many aspirants for the big steeplechase as usual, but on the other hand the lesser cross-country event has more entrants than heretofore, while there is more than an average nomination for the Hurdle Race. The table of entries tor the last four years read as follows :—

"92 *9S -94 "95 G.N. Steeplechase.. ..21 28 25 19 G.N. Hurdles .. .. 25 34 24 27 Beaufort Steeplechase -. 16 12 33 23 In respect to the Grand National itself the North Island supplies nearly the whole of the candidates, bub whereas the South has lost Norton as one of its representatives it has a worthy substitute in Liberator, while another that has proved himself a champion over hurdles is Norton's erstwhile stable companion, Kulnine, who is also engaged, and he, like Mr Butler's great horte, is essentially a southerner, having been bred in Canterbury. The nomination of Kulnine was not decided on until a few days prior to the closing date, bat in the little tuition the sturdy son of Cadogan has had at jumping mixed fences he has shown himself an apt pupil, and there is no reason to suppose he will find the Riecarton walls insurmountable. The other two South Island representatives come from the hunter class; an uncommonly good one is The Joker. I do not think so highly of Sandy, who is the property of the Southland sportsman, the owner of Robin. Mr Tenaant having tasted success at the gn a crosscountry carnival likes to continue the association. Sandy, however, is below the standard of Ihe sensational jumper, R >bin, and I had supposed he was done with a long time since. I remember him running half a dozen years ago, and he afterwards retired perforce from the exigencies of training. Hawke's Bay has a particularly strong hand with Norton, Mutiny, Roscius, and Tiritea. I leave Busaco and Ebor out of count, inasmuch as I am persuaded neither of these Australians will face the music should last year's winner come on all right. Busaco, though he never won over the Fiemington country, did not find it at times too big for him, so cannot be dismissed as wanting in ability; still, he is at best a good deal inferior to Norton, besides which he is getting infirm. The fact that Ebor exhibits want of confidence at hurdle jumping, is not inspiring when formidable fences are placed in the way. A pair of old warriors, Despised and Shillelagh, and Bombardier are the representatives of sunny Auckland. A favourite of mine is the "one eyed gunner,' bub I now despair of ever seeing either him or Shillelagh succeed over the Riccarton walls—they are both lights of other days. Bombardier made an astonishingly good display in the race last year; it will, however, be futile to ask him to again take part in the contest should he not have become a more proficient fencer than he was. Donald M'Kinnou is a promising recruit hailing from the North. The Wellington and Taranaki provincial districts claim Booties, The Dromedary, Crystal, Awarua, and Austral. Despite the Wellington victory of the last named, 1 would class the Wairarapa mare and Awarua, a son of Ahua, before him, while Booties is now a well-known National aspirant. N arly the whole of the nominations for the Grand National are duplicated in the Beaufort Steeplechase, additional names being two winning hack hurdle horses from the Wellington-Taranaki coast— Spreydon and Conscript, and Rags from the same locality new to jumping, but a likely horse; Marechal Neil, who has failed to fulfil bis early promise; The Bishop, a stout hunter and great jumper from Gi-.borne; Minerva, Riccarton trained; and Wharfdale, ft very mediocre Otago performer.

The most striking absentees from the Grand National Hurdle Rice are Melinite and Clarence. The non-engagement of the mare, taken in conjunction with her defection at Hawke'e Bay, points to the conclusion that she is not herself, and the intention of the owner in regard to Clarence is to keep him for flat events for some time. Liberator, Kulnine, and Couranto, who have carried off the honours of the race for the past four years, are engaged, and if the first winner of the trio is bound to receive a little concession in weight from the other pair, there is some speculation as to how the handicapner will treat the two top weights. Mr Gollan is represented by his Australian purchases, Ebor and Busaco, and if the former could get over his habit of falling now that he is being appraised at his true worth, he might make some amends for his failures. Besides the cracks training headquarters ha 3 a couple of good on,e» %o fight for the retention of the prize in Barnardo and Empire, in addition to the recruits Sunspot and Goodwood. The latter is not altogether a beginner either, seeing he took part in a couple of the hurdle events at the last Grand National meeting. Lord of Misrule is also training in the. vicinity of Christchurcb. daman 1 expected to find figuring in the cross-country events, but hit owner has been content to engage him In the Hurdle Race only. The remaining Canterbury-owned animal is Social Pest, one that should make guile a useful jumper. Otago sends. Smuggler, Belraant, Victim and Modeste. Victim it has to be remembered was raised in the same district and claims the same tire as Liberator, apart from which he has long been looked on as likely to make a good jumper. Modeste is in the same stable aa the steeplechase candidate Sandy, and like him has, I should suppose,, seen her best day. She is a fine big mare thai has already, if I mistake not, been bred from. Quite an aristocratic debutante will Monte Carlo be, and another from the North that has not yet made a start at J urapine:, but who has paid his way on the flat, is Revolution. The others from the middle districts have all scored over fences. i Warrior, the mnner-np to Liberator the I other day, with Despised, Levanter and i Donald M'Kinnon, are the representatives I from Auckland war.

The acceptances for the (wo chief erents at the Hawke'e Bay J.O.'a Winter Meeting are decidedly satisfactory, and they are bound to excite keen interest np to the time of running on Wednesday next. Three erat coinpanioqs-in,-arm3 now take precedence in the weights for the Hurdle. Race. Were I sure Couranto was free from infirmities I would take him as soon as anything; there is reason to doubt that, howcTer. and should he, Kapua and ijqtlny be all started I fancy the one least burdened w 11 prevail. Somnambulist may have lost all form, and until he

has done something to re-establish confidence people will leave him severely alone. Hopeful I prefer to Revolt, and to Auroa also, for the reason that Kingan's horse has been so lately on the retired list. St. Anthony is not shaping any too well at schooling, yet I take him to be quite the pick of the lot under lOst. In coupling

Mutiny with Hopeful to supply the winner, I have selected a pair that I'm pretty sure will give a good account of themselves should they go to the post.

As I anticipated would be the case, the election has been for Liberator in the Steeplechase. A* Norton and Rosclus are also among the contestants, together with Tiritea and Mutiny, the cream of our steeplechasers are down to compete. Liberator has certainly a crushing impost to bear, bub over the Hastings country will be found, I think, abte to carry it and give the required Sib to Norton, who in turn I quite think is well able to concede the poundage asked to the two that immediately follow him. Kapua is made to give Mutiny no less than 111b over the Hurdles, yet the boot is on the other leg, and rightly so, too, when a country has to be negotiated. For Mutiny I have the very greatest respect, and should he be withdrawn from the Hurdles, and the Steeplechase be his mission, he will take a lot of beating. Booties receives 121b from Tiritea for his Wanganui beating, which seem* equitable, but I do not fancy either Whalebone's old companion or Bombardier, while Austral can only have a jumper's chance in a field of reliable fencers.' The light weights are, to my mind, outclassed. With a stand up—and after his brilliant Auckland feat there seems as little likelihood of his making a mistake as any of the others—l would take Liberator to win, Norton, Mutiny and Tiritea being the order in which I like the others. The entries for the minor events are good. To Unfortunate the Ladies' Bracelet may fall, and in the hands of a strong horseman Kaffir should go near winning the Mtiden Steeplechase. The Welter Handicap weights will not be posted until the gathering Iβ proceeding.

Kulnine and Barnardo were given their first semi-public schooling over steeplechase fences on Saturday. Both shaped well. They were not asked to jump the big fences on the new track, but from the way they performed I do not doubt they would tackle them all right. Although Kulnine refused the sod wall at the top of the straight when first faced at it, he got over with a bit of persuasion. He took off a nice length from all the jumps and fenced so coolly, that the impression he conveyed is that he will make a careful and good 'chaser. Barnardo went very kindly indeed; he did not offer to stop, but jumped big and a trifle wildly compared with his companion. On Wednesday they had their second sohooltng lesson, but did not give co much satisfaction.