SPORTING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5267, 10 July 1888, Page 4

SPORTING.

NOTES BY "CALLER OIL" Tho appearance of tho weights for tho N.Z. Cnp resulted in the pon being run through tho names of Silence and Lady Florin, about whom there was considerable unanimity on the part of Bportinjr writers that they had been very badly treated. Since the weights appeared, there has . been a deal of double event betting over the N.Z. Cnp and Melbourne Cup, at the very remunerative price—to tho bookmakers—of 100 to 1. Now, as, with one exception, 100 to 3 can bo obtained about any horse in the Melbourne Cup—on the appearance of the weighta hundreds to ono could be obtained about any number of likely animals—the backer of the double is accopting 3 to 1 about his N.Z. Cup fancy, which is certainly not betting to figures. Those are the correct odds, so what a good thing a backer roust have if ho selects an outsider! I mean, of course, as regards price. Double event ■* bettiner is always at ridiculous odds, but for real good shelling peas—to tho books—tho two Cups at the quoted prices are not to bo surpassed. Opinions differ ns to tho merits or othorwiae of the N.Z. Cup, but the public havo ■ made up thir minds, and havu installed Lochiel as a firm favorite, except at Christohuroh, where Artillery has been backed at 100 to 15. Both aro ridiculously well in, but to take 0 to 1 about a horee that has been as soro as Artillery, four mouths bofore tho race, is still more ridiculous. Six to one about a sound horse, who had never been nick or eorry, wpuld not be more than " a fair price, if csirrying a postuge stamp, with all hia training before hiia, but sush. odds are quite a different mutter about : Artillery. Public opinion, however, h;m picked out tho two best-weighted horses in tho N.Z. Cup. The iiocidont to Mr Wnrbrick is a very serious one, for it prohibits him pl.iymg during the remainder of the colonial tour. For a team to losi a good man in always a source of weakness, but it may bo said of the Maori captain that ho woe the head and front of the contingent. He was not only a magnificent back player, and their enptuiu, but ho directed all their movements. Tho proposal to strengthen the combination by taking Homo one or two Europeans is a mistake. If tho team bo not first-class, people iv . England would willingly pay to see tho Maoris play, but they decidedly would not pay to see a mixed team frequently beaten. It will be better for tho team to bo h little weak than that it should be strengthened by-the presence of European exponents of the game. Sporting writers generally look upon Chemist as very well treated in tho Grand National. Fit and well, ho should just about win. ■. The weighta for tho Caulfield Cup do not interest New Zeahwders much. On tho other (tide it i« different, becanso there a favorite double is the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, for which the. nice odds of 1000 to 2 can bo got. Even at those prices tho figures aro muohinfavorofthemetailicians. Spade Guinea, fit and well, should have a mcc look iii at Caulfield with Bst 7lb, while Pasha, at tho same weight, is not badly used. After tho weights for tho Melbourne Cup wero declared tho following wagerss were booked in Melbourne :—IOO to i agst Cardigan, 1000 to 30 Cranbrook, 1000 to 10 Frisco, 1000 to 10 Maggie, 1000 to 10 Diok Swiveller, 1000 to 10 Pakeha, 1000 to 10 The Jewel, 1000 to 10 Aristocrat. Among tho entries for the Grand National Hurdle Race will be found the name of Malua. It will be remembered, after winning the Melbourne Cup, Sheet Anchor ran for this race and started a warm favorite, but failed at thp jumping business. Nowadays the horses that win stick races must bo fast on the flat,'and if Malua can only be got to jump, another coup could easily be brought off. At tho Caulfield meeting Ooean won the Hurdlo Race, Inoident, another Ballitrut horse, being favorite. In tho Corinthian Mr Inglis got home firet on the ancient Stafford, while Jean won tho Bracelet in a field of twenty-two. The Tasmaninn horse Beadsman 11. easily won tho Steeplechase, for which he started favorite. The Richmond Handicap was won by Sir "William. Referring to tho race for tho Ladies' Trophy, won by Jean at Caulfield recently, tho Argus said: —A curious accident happened as the horses were pulling up. .Richmond, the rider of Jean, came off through one of his stirrup leathers breaking ; but the lockey clung most determinedly to tho saddle, and was dragged some distance, one of tho other jockeys, Campbell, ■with some presence of mind, pulliug his horse right across tho winnor, so as to block and stop her. Richmond was so much hurt that ho had to Ho down until the clerk of tho course came round, and was then assisted back to tho enclosure to weigh in. In face of such an exceptional occurrence the crowd which gathered about the jockey hardly knew what to do, each imagining that any assistance given to tho jockey ■would causo his mount to loso tho race. While rules of this kind are necessarily stringent, they do not, of course, apply to accidents, in oaso of which the stewards havo a discretionary power, and may, if they choose, dispense altogether with the ■weighiug-iu of the jockey. The Grand National Meeting in Melbourne is growing in iniportanco with each recurring year. The entries this year aro very good. In tho Maiden Hurdlo Eaoo there are no fewer than -17 nominations, including some well-bred hornet), such us St. Louie, .Silverton, Recall, Boolku, Newmaster, and Frolic. New South Wales was unrepresented at the last meeting ; but this time there will be several likely candidates from Sydney. Tho Maiden Steeplechase was a great failure lart year; and the entries do not contain any very promising , candidates for cros-i-country honors. Thu Grand National Hurdle Raeo has filled well, and contains the imines of many notod jumpers, among which may bo mentioned Bluo Mountain, Sir Lauuoelot, Dragon, Leporelio, Ocean, Ellernlie, Quicidisrht, Yarraman, Tho Yeoman, and Voltaire. ~ It neems rather a <l come down " to find Malua in the list. Tho Grand National Steeplechase comprises all the loapers of note, including Blue Mountain, Dragon, liuby, Flashlight, Lizette, Foresster, Kangaroo, Beadstnau 11., Royal Oak, Mernder. and Studley. Ths race will bo worth going a long way to see. Tho Flat Race, for which a name imght to bo found, has a large entry, and altogether there is every promise of a grand day's'sport. The Melbourne Cup Pigeon Shooting Handicap, to be shot for in November next, under the auspices of the Melbourne Gun Club, will be of the value of 1500 soya., of which tho winner will receive 1000 soys. This is tho greatest affair of tho kind ever attempted iv Australia. Against Wnrwickshiso Ferris secured 10 wickets for 81 runs.—Against Surrey, in tho second innings, Jones got .'i wickets for I runs.—ln tho County Purse at "rfuwkesbury Paaha is weighted at Ost.—Rosebud, a Now Zealandor, won the Rosehill Handicap. Tho winner curried Get 21b. Tho milo and v quarter ond ono hundred yards is stated to nave been run in 2min lOseo ; something wrong (somewhere. —Against South Molbourno the Englishmen, though losing the jnateb, , got the first goal.—The Melbourne

i . ■~ •' football team nt'Sydney beat a : combined team. —It is said that in consequenco of the good form shown by Aristocrat, a full brother of his, at present doing duty between the shafts of a buggy in Wagga Wagga, is to be i-ut into training. -Those who havo a fancy for Lady Betty's chance in the Derby will be glad to hear that she has recovered from nri attack of congestion of tHo lungs.—The Duke of Portland -won nothing beyond the stake by Ayrshire's win in the Two Thousand Guineas, but he had £500 on his colt for the Derby, which he also won.—Sloth, who won tbe Ladies' Mile at Rosehill a f rtnight ago, will bo eleven years of age on August 1.-—The Goodwood Cup winner, Friday, was put up for sale fit Newmarket recently, and changed hands at 40 guineas.