NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9604, 19 December 1896, Page 4

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

. Auraria is again in work in view of autumn gatherings. Carbonado has been sold at Newmarket for forty guineas. Merman was shipped from Melbourne for London on December 3rd. Mr H. Piper has been appointed starter for the Pahiatua Club. Response and Cartridge are going well in their work at Randwick. Gipsy Grand is in work again in view of the Dunedin Eclipse Stakes. The Otago Hunt Club's fixture next season will probably cover two days. Levanter was scratched on Tuesday for the Hurdle Race at Auckland.. Toxa has been withdrawn from his engagements at the Palmerston R.C.s Meeting. The receipt of a " complimentary ticket" for the Manawatu R.C.s meeting has to be acknowledged. A two-year-old by Carbine from Ravenswing, half sister te Sir Modred, is in training at Randwick. There are two horses of the name of Douglas now running. The North Otago hack is entitled to priority. Among the mares mated with Medallion are Black Swan (dam of Lady Trenton), and Wild Fire (dam of Wild Peer). T. Clarke, who has just returned from England, has gone to Wellington to take charge of Mr G. Banks's team of horses. Mr D. O'Brien's Patriot went out a strong favourite for the Nursery Stakes at Randwick on November 28th, and won easily, .-t Mr J. B. Reid (owner of Skirmisher and Co.) has taken up his residence at Sockburn, near Messrs Nelson Bros.' freezing works. It is likely that the Dunedin J.C.s new course at Wingatui will be ready for the Otago Hunt Club's Meeting in September next. Lady Zetland after all retires at once from the track. She has been withdrawn from her Wellington ahd D. J.C. autumn engagements. The Dunedin Jockey Club are sending circulars to the country clubs of their district cen_exni__g the tactics of certain jookeys. Mr H. L. Johnson's team having been dispersed, L. Birkner is out of employment. He is a steady, painstaking man and should not be long in getting suited.* The Tinwald Racing Club has every reason to be satisfied with the entries for its meeting on New Year's day. Seven for the Cup is the race that has filled to the poorest extent. W. Clarke, in charge of Arquebus, also having with him Solano; T. Stewart, with Clarence; and F. Holmes with Taipari, left Riccarton on Saturday for the West Coast. Investments for the totalisator at the Auckland Club's Summer Meetiog can be sent to the Secretary. On December 26th and January Ist, Sunday hours are observed at the telegraph office. The totalisator investments at the Feilding J.C.s Spring Meeting show an increase of £1121 on the returns of the previous season's corresponding gathering, while compared with the 1894 fixture they are £1678 more. Lady Zetland left her training quarters at Riccarton on Thursday last for tbe Grove Farm Stud, Ashburton, where she will be mated, as previously stated, with the Trenton horse Phaethon. Salvo has been blistered on the upper pastern, where he wrenched himself, and it is thought that he will be sound again therein after * spell. He may come up again late in tbe autumn, and be pat into work for hunters' races. The police gave notice to the betting men at Randwick on November 28th, that if they carried on cash betting they would be liablo to prosecution. As everyone did so no doubt prosecutions will follow. The Waipawa R.C. have granted a bonus of 3ga toward the past season's "N.Z. Turf R-gists.." It might be remarked* for the

benefit of those who have not so far secured their Register, that there are only a few copies left. Several thoroughbreds as well as trotting sires have been bad with influenza of rather a trying kind, and so strongly did it affect several travelling sires in Canterbury that their owners decided to take them from their rounds for a few weeks. Rambler, who has won the respective jumping competitions at the Wellington, Wangauni, and Manawatu Shows this season, is by Volunteer. He has been ridden in all his jumping essays in the different competitions by Mr Nelson Mcßae, and has never been unplaced. In the Calendar this week will be found the programme for the Tapanui Racing Club's annual meeting, which extends over two days, the dates of the gathering being January 28th and 29th. The bill of fare is much the same as last year, the stakes amounting to £315. AU Mr G. P. Donnelly's nominations in connection with the Great Northern Foal Stakes,.Derby, and Royal Stakes, have been struck out: also M r Gates's Battlefield in the Foal Stake 3, Mr McKinnon's in the Royal Stakes, and all Mr Te Kani Pere's nominations in the Royal Stakes. Mr G. A. M. Buckley, accompanied by his wife, leave on an extended visit to the old country this week, and en route intends to spend some little time in the South American state of Patagonia. Needless to say Mr Buckley will be much missed in Canterbury sporting circles, and very particularly in Ashburton. The secretary of the Ashurst-Pohangina writes:—"The filly by Vanguard—Little Vixen should not have beeu included in the last list for this year's Guineas, while the br f by Quilt—Jeuzail has, by error, been left out. By an oversight on my part in copying out the list to wire, I left out the brf by Catesby—Her Ladyship for second payments for 1897 Guineas."