NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9144, 1 July 1895, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

[By Hotspur.] The North Canterbury Hunt Steepleehue Club has selected August 22nd as the date for its annual gathering and the programme appeared in late week's issue. Ihere la an additional event, shunters' flat race, put on the card this time, otherwise the bill of fare ia identical with that of a twelvemonth back and, as then, the meeting takes place on the Amberley course. The thoroughly sporting character of the gathering is bound to make the reunion be looked forward to with interest. The weights for the V.RC. Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle race hava appeared. Mutiny's spring performances a<) Bandwick we well remembered, and Mr Douglas' gallant little chestnut, placed at 71b front the top weight in the Steeplechase,' has been assessed much too highly, and I should chink it extremely unlikely that be will cross the water to compete. Glren a weight he Is master of, Mutiny would take no end of beating in the best of company, but list 121b is rather a crusher for him. Dart, like Mutiny, Is taken every care of, and for a beginner and a young horse, he has been given, I should cay, more than his deserts. It is seldom that the Steeplechase is started so low as 12»t 51b, but Dondi, last year's winner, who Is In the post of honour, could not well be awarded a higher impost. Hβ had but lOat 111b when ho succeeded in the Caulfield National a year back, and has done Tory little since to sustain the reputation lie then gained* Mikado 11., if he were to

come back to form, ia surely well in at 12?t 31 b, but hia rccsnt running suggests that he is far from being aa good an when he retired from the active list last year. Highborn 11., on the same mark as Mikado 11., bS3 only lately come into prominence. A great jumper and weight carrier, he is a son of lialium. Betrayer's brother.

Iα the Hardle Bice Couranto ha 9 the same weight as he received for last year's event, and 12*t would not be too much for him were he the Couranto of old. Seeing, however, that h« has entirely failed to score this season and for the greater part of it has been in hospital, he nvght reasonably have been let off with a few pounds less. Tim Swiveller occupies a similar position in the handicap to what he did last year. He won under list iv '93, and as he proved himself iv form by winning with I2itßlb a few days bsfore the issue of the weights, he must be said to be well in. and it is not surprising that he has been elected favourite. Apsley had but Ost 91b when he succeeded last season, so that he has advanced very greatly iv favour to be put at only 21b below Tim Swiveller. The V.R.C. handicapper does not believe in throwing in the good recruits, and thus Slue Fire's half-brother, Bal later, and Chesterman have been placed well up in the list division. Keith's ex-hack, Dart, is too highly assessed. Of his stable companions Bush Boy reads more likely to dislinguuh himself than Tue Hero. X ipua's brother, Kapo, has been a failure, aid even with but 9-it 101b his chance of gainIng such a high honour as to win a Grand National Hurdle Race seems remote.

One thoroughly posted in turf matters in the United Stites, writing under date New York, May 23rd, says :—"Tho racing situation is slightly relieved in New York by the passage of a bill which legalises the sport, but prohibits all betting of a public character. People are allowed to bet between, themselves. How long this state of affairs will last it is impossible to say. We hare hopes ol Rood racing on the regular American plan in the neighbourhood of New York next year, when affairs will be yery much as they hare been. Until then it it useless to talk about importing horae3, either from England or Australia. We have had two beautifully bred Sc Simon colts here for sale since last November, and have been unable to dispose of them at any price whatever. In Chicago racing has been suspended altogether, and although we trust that a Bill may be passed by the legislature there in favour of it, there is no certainty of its success. In the meantime, thoroughbreds in America are not worta one third of their value last year."

As an addendum to my correspondent's remarks the following is from San Francisco Breeder and Sportsman of May 24th:—"The tone of the Eastern horse market is improving, and Mr J. B. Haggin of this State show 3 that he has confidence in the ultimate success of the great racing enterprise by shipping nearly 150 head of the choice yearlings, colts and fillies, foaled at the Rancho del Paso Stud. They embrace every colt foaled in 1894, and the purchasers will never have reason to regret their investments, tor racing in New York will be conducted on better lines than ever, and the sport inatoad of degenerating into racing by electric lights or in the middle of snow storms will soon attain the high place every true lover of racing desires to see it."

Already, so I am told, there has been a considerable amount of wageri of? on the New Zealand Cup, and the selections of backers have been wide. Thus the exbaclcv, Irish Twist, Waiuku, and The Artiafc have each had support;; the firstnamed to a considerable extent and at a price as short as 100 to 6, the Thompson Handicap winner being at a point or so longer. Nothing dismayed at his long retirement, St. Hippo has his admirers content to take 20 to 1 that he again succeeds in annexing the big handicap. And I may say that accounts more recently to hand speak hopefully of the hor«e standing a preparation. Last year's winner, Impulse, I also hear good accounts of, and he has bis backers at the same price a« St. Hippo. North Atlantic and Stcirmiiher are popular picks, the latter having had his name written afc as short odds as 100 to 7. Gipsy Grand is, however, nominally favourite, and I hare heard of such a short price aa 100 to 8 being taken about him.

Though none of the cracks are engaged, the United Hunt Club has received a most satisfactory list of entries for its meeting next month. The way the events hare filled indeed show that there are quite a number of jumping horses in training in the southern portion of the North Island.

New Zealand has contributed her quota to the A.J.C. events, for now yearlings, that closed at the beginning of the month. The full numbers nominated were: — December Stakes, 85; Champagne Stakes, 117; Derby (1896), 67 ; and St. Leger (1897), 72. The Wellington studmaster has engaged three, Diystar, the Castor—Cissy colt, and the Frailty and Necklace fillies in each of the events; Mr A. Davis' Woodstock, by St. Loger—Cantiniere, and Messrs Cleland and M'Leod's Sabretache, by Cuirassier—Role, are also nominated for all the races. Mr Gollan has omitted to enter anything for the December Stakes, but has in the other events the Dreadnought—Lady Florin gelding, the Medallion—Florence Macarthy gelding, and the filly by Medallion—Fair Nell. Mr O'Brien has the same two, Wingen and Mosaic—the names bestowed on the Abercorns purchased by him a few months back—in all four races. There are a few Carbines and Mantone engaged.

The colonial-bred circs in America are sustaining their preetige. The firsc of the Maxims have sported silk and, though Axiom, a filly by him, heralded as oae in the first flight, failed in her two opening essay b, she afterwards defeated the cream of her age, and thus sustained the high character with which she was credited; Miss Maxim ha* won several times. Cheviot's great eon, Rey el Santa Anita, did not make much of a show in the Brooklyn Handicap; he, however, came out a few days later and easily put down some of those that were in the big handicap field. Another good stake winner by Cheviot is a four-year-old delighting ia the name of Booze. At the big Californian Meeting, still In progress when the la*t mail to hand left 'Frisco, the Cheviot* have been the best winners. The Sir Modreds and Darebins are claiming a fair share of winners, and they are bound to be attain well up among the winning sires at the end of the season.

The«e are the instructions that a Jockey certifies he received from the trainer of the Santa Anita stable:—" * Get off last, pull to the outside and not finish under any circumstances better than third, and, if the judges question you, say the mare ran out,' said orders being given to mc by William Brien. trainer for the Santa Anita stable, and in the presence of W. B. Sink, manager of said stable. , " This is the stable in which Key el Santa Anita is trained in, and uncharitable folk say that similar orders are frequently given to the rider of the Cheviot horse.

Like its companion race, the One Thousand Guineas fell to a> comparative outsider, for Gateottia figured at 100 to 8 in the betting, La Sagesse, the runner-up, being similarly quoted, while Gas, who gained the other prize place, stood at 20 to 1. The favourite. Float, was early beaten, and breasting the hill Utica, who was second choice, fell back. Tb c field for the race was the largest since 1835, and ia the history of the race the number has only been exceeded twice. Not only fn the classic races but in the other chief events of which accounts are to hand the favourites have fared badly. The winner of the Jubilee Stakes and Newmarket Stakes tacit went out with the long odds cgalaat them of SO to L So £** »»»• Kaolish.

season has been a most dnastrouy one to backere. The American invading force has met with more than one sharp reverse, and the confederacy must now be somewhat to the bad over the venture. They had a dash on Sonewall, who ran in a Selling Plate at Newmarket. It was thought ha could not lose, but Retting badly away, he finished outside a place. In appearance the American horse was far superior to the field he met, and being promptly claimed, he changed hands at £SCO. The downfall and lose of Stonewall was as nothing compared with the defeat of lliutauk in the Newmarket Two-year-oLl Plate. Montauk is tho visitors' pet colt, and a grand young horse he ia stid to be,lookiag almost like a four-year-old when stripped in the paddock. The Americans went for a b:g plunge on him, and the colt went, out favourite at even money. He never threatened danger and, Although he finished third, he was separated a g>od distance from the winner. As some compensation for the losses Banquet 11. scored in another selling race. To get him back the owners had to go to the extravagant price of £1570—a record cum.

M. Cannon and T. Loates occupy their accustomed places so far at the head of the winning jockey list at Home, the Danebury horseman, at latest advices, being five in advance of his rival. S. Loates, third, ia not far behind his brother. He was to have had the mount on Sir Viato in the Derby.

The Gisborne Steeplechase Club has obtained capital nominations for its gathering that comes off on the 11th proximo. Among what may be termed the outsiders engaged are the Auckland pair Bombardier and Marechal Neil and Egmonfc. It will be observed that Perkin has been entered ao that the accident he met with some little time back could not havo been so serious as at first; anticipated.

Having succeeded last year carrying such a substantial burden as 9at 31b, it in not a surprise to find Patron leading off the handicap for this year's Melbourne Cup, and to find him raised 91b over his winning weight. There are many, however, who would not have apprised him so highly. Carnage, it has to be borne in mind, was placed over Patron in weight in the Sydney Cup Handicap; neither ran, but if the A.J.C. handlcapper'a opinion of the two horses is correct last year's winner can havo no chance with Carnage with 71b i he worst of it. My opinion of St. Hippo is that he is—or rather was—such an exceptionally good one that 9st 101b is not, perhaps, too much to put on him ; still he has been so long on the retired list that he has received no leniency in being placed on the same mark with Porteea and Havoc. The latter has certainly jumped to the top of the tree with a regular bound. His season's performances have, however, been of brilliant character, and I would as soon stand him for the coveted prize as any of the 9sc division. Havoc had but 7st 101b in last year's handicap. Porteoa, the top weight in the previous Cup handicap, but who did not take part in the race, has now 21b leas He is said to be some removes- from the Portsea of old. The crack three-year-old of the year has received a like impost to his predecessor who carried that, title, and it can be argued that The Harvester has only to be as good ac Patron to follow in the son of Grand Flaneur's footsteps. Mr Gollan's Culloden reads to be really badly treated in being asked to put up 31b more than assessed at twelve months back with no performances in the interim, and The Possible, though so far an unprorerl stayer, is much better placed, and co is Bessie Macartby. The haudicapper has this time taken every care of the red hot favourite and failure of last season for Ruenalf is made to put up 171b more than his then weight. Els wick seems to mc to have a pull over his countryman, Hova, at equal weights/ Bonnie Scotland receives 101b from the best of his age, and is asked to concede his older brother, Saracen, half that poundage. The latter I etaould say has got quite plenty, and I would prefer Mr Gollan's colt to him over a two mile course. Aquarius, the son of Niagara, is bound to be a fancied candidate should he stand up to his work, for he was one of the most brilliant two-year-olds of his season in Victoria. Nada, who ran third to Patron, hae now 13lb more to put up, which is a much bigger lift than the winner. Still this daughter of Trenton stays well and cannot be accounted ba<ily treated. Challenger is found at the head of the now two-year-olds. Bob Ray being regarded as nexb best of that age, and so little inferior to the St. Albaos crack that but lib is placed between them. Wallace receives from Mr O'Brien'a gelding 21b, and the South Australian flying filly Auraria 41b. Mr O'Brien's unperformed Ilchester has 6st 121b, and his Carbine colt, Cartridge, a pound less. Among the light weights Redcourt, the St. Albans Trenton colt that has already Scored, seeme to have been lee off very lightly.

St. Hippo in the post of distinction in the Caul field Cup seems to mc to stand a better chance there than he does in the lunger race at Flemington. Bessie Macarthy In the judgment of the handicapper is better than The Possible over the mile and a half, Culloden splitting his stable companions in the adjustment. The shattered idol Dreamland is more highly esteemed by the V.A.T.C. official than by the head-quarters' adjuster seeing he Is made to concede Bonnie Scotland 41b. In the absence of The Harvester, however, Atlas is deservedly placed top among those of his age, and on form he is well able to make a concession of 2lbs to Dreamland. Royal Rose Iβ not badly treated at Bst lib, and although Saracen's most recent performance was to win over Caulfield Cup distance, 1 like the appearance of the Aucklander better than Mr Allen's horse. The St. Leger horse, Bradford, ie not overweighted, nor i* Alpine, by St. George. Challenger away, Bob Riy takes precedence among the coming three-year-olds, and if he only proves a stayer he has a rare chance with 7st 81b; Ilcheater, his stable companion, has 101b less. Among the light weights nothing reads better than Mr Gollan's Maxim filly Freda, and she is much tbe best In, I should say, of the Hawke's Bay spartsman'e lot.

We may be very sure that Isinglass received a royal reception after winning the Gold Cup ac Ascot. Englishmen dearly love a good horse, and Mr M'Calraont's "triple crown" hero has conclusively proved hie title to be considered one of the very best. His career has met with only a single reverse, that being in the Lancashire Plate, wherein he finished second to Raeburn, conceding the winner 101b. The Ascot Cup, which Isinglass captured last week, has been won by many famous hones. La Fleche was the winner last season, whiloj Isonomy, the sire of Isinglass, secured the prize two years in succession. Isinglass can now claim to be the biggest stake winner of all time. He was engaged ia the Alexandra Plate at Ascot last week, and in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood in August. Both race* would seem to be at his mercy.