SPORTING ITEMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9835, 18 September 1897, Page 4

SPORTING ITEMS.

* Weekly Press and Referee."

NEWS OF THE WEEK,

Mr Gale 3 has sold Prime Warden,

We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of Mr R. Blakie's handy " Sporting Guide." Lochiel's half brother, Steadfast, won a couple of races at the last Kalgoorlie meeting. There are several of Carbine's stock engaged in the Sandown Park Eclipse Stakes of 1900. The New Zealand Cup candidate, Chasseur, won the Flying Handicap at Marton very easily. A half share in Paul Pry, who is fancied for the Cuulfield Cup, waa recently secured for £300. The conditions of the C. J.C.s new weightrace, the Champion Plate, appears in the Calendar. An amateur rider'e certificate was withdrawn at the last meeting of the C.J.C. committee. Lady Carbine, by Xordenfeldt — Mersey (dam of Carbine) v/ill again visit Bill of Portland. Doncaster, by St. Leger — Vivat, waa scratched for the Wanganui Derby at 10 a.m. on Saturday. His Excellency the Governor will reside at Elm wood during the Christchurch carnival week. The dates o! the Canterbury J.C.s Bummer Meeting have been altered to February 18th and 19th. v A batch of licenses wero iseued by the Auckland R.C. The list appears in our Auckland " Special." The name of Mr H. Thomson's colt by Bt. George—Fieldpiece, entered for the Derby, is Cashmore, not Cashmere. We have to acknowledge receipt of copies of the Hawke's Bay and Wanganui J.C.s book programme for the season. The owner of Loyalty has decided not to persevere with the preparation of the horse lor his Spring engagements. The prograramo for the Rcefton Jockey Club's Midsummer Meeting has been drawn up with stakes amounting to £515. Tho name "Lightning" for the filly by Quilt —Waitiri being already in use in New Zealand, the approval is withdrawn. Waterlily (dam of The Sailor Prince and Challenger) will again visit Wallace. She is due to foal to the V.R.C. Derby winner. The colt foal by Hotchkiss from Bridal Rose, the property of Mr H. A. Liardet, Taranaki, was drowned on August 30th. St. Cecilia, tho two-year-old daughter of St. Legor anrl Satanella, who has not yet been raced, has been re-named St. Ursula. James Young still lies in a rather precarious state in the Chrietchurch hospital. There has been no turn for the better within the last fow days. The Taratahi-Carterton P..C. stewards have decided not to allow bookmakers or their agents on their course at the club's November meeting. The annual reunion of the Woodlands Hunt Club takos place, as stated last week, it Danevirke on tho 29th inst. The programme of events is to be found in the Calendar this week.

It is reported tbat the select committee set up by the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly to consider Mr Heath's Totalisator Bill will recommend its adoption. Both Mr K. B. Harley's tides wore successful ones at Dunedin. On the other hand Mr B. Wynn-Williams added another to his sequence of falls. All the debentures issued by the Westland Racing Club have been taken up, and the improvements for which the money was raised are being proceeded with. Some New Zealand Cup candidates will bo competing on Saturday in the Avondale Cup, the principal item on the opening programme of the eeason in Auckland. The programme for the Feilding J. Cβ Spring Meeting, November 30th and December Ist, is to be found in the Calendar this week. It hva/ac simile of that of last season, and no doubt the good things that attracted each excellent competition then will not be wanting this time. Over £800 IB set down in stake offerings. At the eale of Mr Jowitt'a horses in Dunedin on Saturday, Fuhnen fetched 218ge, the buyer beini Mr J. MoKewan; Refugee 43gs, Mr P. Toomey; Musketry, 62c,a, Mr J. McGinneaa; Slatin Bey, 9gs, Mr W. Marshall; Felina, 21gs, Mr' J. McKewen; St. Gothard, 17gs, Mr G. Smith; Diablerie, 6gs, yearling colt and filly 2yrs iy Apremont, sgs each, Mr W. Marshall; »earhng filly by Apremont—Charity, 4gs, Mr W. Miller; and yearling filly by Apreinont—Whhn, 6gs, Mr W. Crossan. The Poverty Bay Turf Club is out with the programme for its Spring Meeting, which is eefc down for the 19th and 20th of next month. The catalogue of events is very much the same as that of last season. The hack events are but poorly subsidised, and the club might study, we fancy, the interests of its local patrons a little more with good results. The Spring Handicap, on the first day, and the Makaraka Handicap, on the second, are the leading lines and make up a goodly part of the close on £500 offered.

The Town and Suburban Racing Club is having a two days' meeting this spring, and the programme for the same is to be found in the Calendar this week. Last season the Prince's birthday was the date of the gathering, and this time the natal day of H.R.H. and the one following are the dates. Over £500 is' set down for distribution, which is nearly as much again as was given away last November. The Jubilee Handicap, one mile and a quarter, is the principal feature on the first day, and Taradale Handicap, ene mile, on tho secoDfl. The programme for the Greymouth Jockey Club's Midsummer meeting is advertised in the Calendar this week. The closing day of the old, and first day of the new year, as heretofore, are the days on which the gathering is to take place. The leadrng event, the Qreymouth Cup, has been raised in value to £250, and there is littlo doubt that tho additional attraction thereof will cause tho foreign competition to be stronger than ever. Besides the Cup, the stakes for the Omotumotu and Flying handicaps have been slightly raised, and altogether a capital bill of fare has been prepared.

At a meeting of the committee of the Mariborough R. 0., held on the4th inst., the following officials were appointed :—Secretary, Mr C J. W. Griffiths; handicapper, Mr J. E. floury ; starter, Mr H. Piper; clerk of the scales, Mr T. O'Loary; clerk of the course, Mr A. McAlister ; timekeeper, Mr A. Rayner. The offer made by Mr J. H. Redwood, who waited on the committee on behalf of the owner of the Riverlands , Racecourse for the sale of the course, the price being £1025, on the following tonne :—£l2s cash, and the balance of £900, bearing interest at 5 por cent., to remain for five years, and then that sum, or part of it, to be paid off, it being understood that no member of the club is to be personally liable, was, after discussion, accepted. It was resolved to have a two daye' meeting in November with stakes £350.

Tho annual meeting of the Palmerston Racing Club was held on September 6th. The balance sheet showed that there had been a deficit on the year's transactions of £16 10s Bd. Tho report and balance sheet, having been adopted, the following office bearers were elected :—President, Mr E. R. Ewing (re-elected); vice-president, Mr H. O'Neill ; auditor, Mr R. M. Robertson; committee, Messrs M. Allan, E. 11. Clark, D. M. Findlay, P. A. Keddell, J. Knight, E. Lefovro, J. M. MoKenzie, W. Kay, G. and. J. Sloan. At a meeting of the committee the following appointments were made :—Treasurer, Mr W. Robertson; secretary, Mr J. T. Gwynne; starter, Mr W. McKay; Judge, Mr R. Ewrag; clerk of course, Mr W. Johnston ; clerk of scales, Mr J, Sloan ; timekeeper, Mr iL. Riddle; handicapper, Mr G. Dowse. The programme was drawn up with stakes amounting to £165.