SPORTING

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6263, 26 September 1891, Page 2

SPORTING

[NOTES BY " BUFF AND BLACK."] FIXTUBES. October 5 and 6, Hawke's Bay Jookey Club's spring meeting. October 9, Trotting Club's meeting. October 13 and 14, Napier Park Club's Bpring meeting. October 17, Caulfield Cup. October 20, Poverty Bay Turf Club's meeting. October 22, and 23, Wanganui J.O. meeting. October 31, V.R.C. Derby. November 3, Melbourne Cup. November 9, N.Z; Cup. November 9—Town and Suburban Club's meeting. November 9, Gisborne Racing Club.

" Gollan has brought a pretty clever jockey with him from New Zealand," was the remark heard on all sides on the opening day of the A. J.C. meeting, as Billy White shot up on the outside in the Trial Stakes on Affiance, and won on the post by a head. A private letter from a gentleman who saw the race informs ma that the finish he rode was superb ; his last effort waa a well-timed one, and he just got home. The contest, so he says, was the beat he has ever seen. The chestnut horse Killaloe, who has been a rod in pickle for a long time, and who is reckoned by his stable connections to have a say in tho Melbourne Cup, led near home, and it looked odds on him winning, but at a most critical moment Colley, who was riling Mitre, brought his mount up with a rush, and when they were almost together near the post it was thought one of them must win. But the public had reckoned without their host, however, for Billy White came on Affiance, and , snatched a victory on the post before one could say "Jack Robinson." Killalloe and Mitre ran a dead hoa.t for second plaoe. "' Just imagine what a beautiful finish it must have been," says my correspondent, " only a short head aeparating three horaes." There was considerable applause, not on account of Affiance's win, but as a tribute to the judgment diaplayed by the New Zealand jockey. Curious to relate, .the two dead heaters are of the same age, and carried the same weight. Affiance, who is by Cheater's brother Clevedon, out of Affection, left the paddock without scarcely a cent on him. tie is engaged in the V.R.C. Derby. My informant thinks White will be equal to any of his profession acroaa the water, if not better, if he has the luck to have any olose finishes on Gollan's horses. Clanranald, St. Andrew's full biother, is very well just now, I believe, and will have a cut in for the Hawke's Bay Guineas next month. Lunn has bim at present, and will bring him up if he keeps well. The son of St. Leger got home comfortably in the big event at Timaru the other day. Hippomenea ia spoken of as a likely horse from Mr Ormond's stable. Rosefeldt may be a hard nut to crack if in condition. Hakimana I have not heard much about. Cretonne, the Wanganui representative, has not been as.well as he might be, but Fraternite will probably be all there on the day, for he haa been training on nicely, and if nothing goeß wrong will go on to Chriat.church to compete in the New Zealand Cup if he shows form here. ' Dishonor, Freedom's full-brother, did not show up at Auckland last Saturday, but possibly he is not yet wound up. If Swordbelt (by Sword Dance) answers the question satisfactorily, we will have a Wellington representative in the race. Mr Gollan's atring have been doing easy work since their arrival in Australia. Every animal is in good health, and they will all be fit for their engagements. I believe it was very funny when they first made their appearance on the course. The touts were sorely puzzled as to which was which, and mistook poor old Mediji for Tirailleur, and mixed all the other animala up in the same way. They will probably know to their cost which is which after they have sported silk.

It was always thought that the brilliant Silvermine (Napoleon—Silver Hair) was unlucky, but I think the palm.ought to be given to Yowi, who although she started nearly thirty times, only got home first on one occasion, and that was the other day in the Metropolitan Stakes at the A.J.O. meeting. A leading article in a Westport paper of a recent date atated that it was a reproach to the people of that place that they didn't have a racecourse. I was rather surprised on reading thiH, for I didn't know there was a place iv New Zealand that didn't have at leant half-a-dozen racecourses. When writing recently, I gave vent to the opinion that White, who will ride Tirailleur in the Melbourne Cup will not be outdone in jockey ship and will get a good position when the flag falls, cost what it may. Those who have seen him ride in New Zealand know that he dosen't mind being fined a pound or twofor breakingaway, so long as he can beat the starter. Those who assisted at the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's gathering, when Pearl beat Spadfe Guinea in the first Burke Memorial Stakes run here, will remember how many false starts there were, how anxious White waa to get away on the mare, and how he got a good position, despite the fines that were inflicted all round, and kept it to the finiah. My laat letter from Sydney atates that he was determined to make a favorable first appearance in the saddle in Auatralia when he rode a despised outsider in Affiance in the Trial Stakes, and made up his mind to get away. The starter had his eye on him, however, ana after ascertaining that his name was White, said "Very well, MS White, I shall fine you £10 for disobediewCe at the post." The New Zealander managed to win the race, however, aud didn't much mind "parting." There were fifteen riders in the race, and he waa the only one fined. There seems to be very few men in the present House of Representatives who care a twopenny stamp whether the Gaming and Lotteries Act is amended or not. Another session has passed, and nothing has been done in this direction. The present Act is a disgrace to the Statute Book. Let us have the whole sheep or none at all. The maxim " Half a loaf ia better than no bread" does not apply in this case. Hero, who won a number of races at the recent Sydney meeting, ia by the same sire as Wakatipu, formerly owned by Mr Dennett, of Hastings, and, at present located in Gisborne. I believe that after Hero won on the first day he was bought by Mr Oxenham, the bookmaker, for £500. He started him in the Grand Stand Plate (a selling race) on the second day, which the son of the Drummer won in a walk, aud his new owner thus got his money back, but he had to pay £600 to retain poaaession of him when the horse was auctioned. As he was entered for £50; there was consequently a surplus of £550 to be divided between the club and the second horse, which resulted very well for the owner of the latter. An amendment is to be propoaed to the rules of the Wellington Racing Club at its next meeting, altering the entrance fee of members to £5 ss, and an annual subscription of £3 3s. Tho winner of the September Handicap at Auckland last Saturday (The Dreamer) ia by Somnus—Sweet Alice. During the last twelve months it is computed that 357,317 registered lettera alone passed through the Sydney Post Office addressed to promoters of sweeps, which meaua a revenue of about £8000 per annum to the postal authoritiea. The following are the nominations for the Auckland Cup :—Pinfire, Freelance, Queen of Trumps, Thane, Leorina, Freedom, Flinders, Lebel, Pallioer, Hilda, Cissy, Crackahot, Strephon. Rosefeldt, Lady's Maid, Captain Webb, Namoa, Pearl Powder, Fraternite, Cruchfield, Merrie England, Hakimana, Turehu, Patchwork, Morion, The Dreamer, Brigand, British Lion, Coalscuttle, The Workman. A well-informed Sydney aport writes me as folio sva :—" If Marvel waa an entrant for tbe Melbourne Cup, he would now be a red-hot favorite. My opinion is that he can gallop any distance, and dght any race out to \he bitter end. The public swear by him. Fancy him with lOst 21b in the Epsom Handicap, in which there were no less than twenty-eight starters, the betting being five to four against him, and jjettiug home when it was thought Muriel had the race won, and the son of Marvellous hadn't a thousand to one show. Why I say he did not appear to have a thousand to one show is that he was eighth when a short distance from the post, ana not only that, but he was hugging the rails, and it was a big bit of luck he got through. He ia a wonder. Megaphone will be a hard nut to crack in the Melbourne Cup. He is a veritable bull-doer at the finish of a race, and ia very well juat now, but will improve during the next mouth. Meios didn't get a place behind him in the.Spring Stakes, but don't you take that as any criterion of what the latter can do. There are a lot of horaes sent out to get a little freah air in races at this time of the year, just to accustom them to tho crowd, so to apeak. When the straight was reuohed I noticed his rider wasn't very euergotic in chasing the leaders. Stromboli just beat Oxide in the straight in the Derby. If the two pace-makers, Sulphide and Bengal, bad made the pace faster j at the start, Oxide could have kept further in the rear, and then he would have won by sheer gamenesa if nothing else. I hope your Napier horse Sternchaaer ia a chalk or two above the New Zealander that ran in the race under notico (Lebel), for your sake. If he isn't he won't have much show for the V.R.C. Lebel was never in it. He looks a nice horse, but that isn't everything. Bengal nor Brasenose (the latter is a picture) are not yet wound up. If Carbine starts in the Cup Ramage will pilot him, and Brewer, an amateur (but a good one) will steer Megaphone. Vengeance is getting along famously, and a letter I got yoaterday states that Cuirasßier is filling hia trainer's heart with joy. I know you will be glad to heac this, but it doseii't interest me m tbe least, as I don't fancy the brute. The only goed outsider that haa been whispered me for the hi* handicap is Oobham. Ho is well-bred, and ia said to hayo done good work privately. More anou." I havo to acknowledge receipt of the Wellington Raoing Club's and the Napier Park Racing Club's programmes for the ensuing year. The following entries are due with the Canterbury Jookey Club at 10 p.m. on Fridtty next:—Spring Hurdles, Middleton

Hurdles, Stewards' Stakes, Juvenile StakeP, Metropolitan Stakes, Jockey Club Handicap, Middle Park Plate (summer meeting), and Challenge Stakes (autumn meeting), all 1 soy. each.

' Mr J. Poole, the well-known metallioian, is now on a visit to Napier.