Sporting.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1888, Page 4

Sporting.

Turf Notkh by " Vigilant." I think I am justly entitled to claim little oredit for my auccoasful Caulfleld Cu| selection. There wore 110 horses weigh to for the raoo, and when tho handicap fire appeared, I put my finger on Chicago 7Bt 41b, and exprossed my opinion to sovera friends that he was the best troated horso i the race. This conviction I recorded soonaf te in my notes.andlhave never swerved from m; allegiance. My reason for picking him wa' principally the form ho displayed at tho las' V.R.O. Autumn Meeting. With 7st 61b ii the Newmarket Handicap, he was backed foi pounds, shillings and penco, and he finishec close np with the third horse. On the seoom day, in the Branswick Stakes, with 7st 1011 and the distance an extra, furlong, he Btartec at 2 to 1 in a field of 14, and won by a heac from Aome, 9st 7lb (then in great form), anc Esoutoheon, 7st 51b, in lmin 29seo. On the fourth day, in the Place Handioap, 1£ mile he carried Bst 41b into fourth place (close up) behind Ben Bolt, Bst 121b ; The Yeoman Bst 51b ; and Mentor, Bat 101b ; time. 2mii Btseo; and as Mentor, with 7st 111b, had oi the first day won the Brunswiok Stakes, 1! mile, in the wonderful time of 2min 8i«oo this performance was perhaps the best of the lot. Since that Chicago has done littlo, his only two appearances in public baing when he ran third, with Bst 101b ia the Moonee Valloy Winter Handioap, S] furlongs, to Vermont, syrs, 7st 131b, anc Damocles, Get 7lb, and nowhere with Bst oil ia the Richmond Handicap, one mile, at the V A.T.C. June Meeting, in whioh the placed h?rses were Sir William, syrs, 7at 3lb, Dividend, Bst 71b, and Pakeha, Bst 41b. For tine last raoe he started first favourite, and on Mb previous form he undoubtedly oug" 1 tt have won, but he ran very badly, and it was no doubt very fortunate for his owner that he did so, for the handioapper evidently assessed me Caulfield Cup weight on that form. Mr. M. O'Shannaßsy, his owner, is reputed one of theßtraightest-going men on the Victorian turf, so I do not for an instant hehevo that any dark running was perpetrated in order to bring off a coup. Chioago, by his running last Saturday, shows that a mistake has been made all along in supposing him to be a non-stayer. He appears to have worn down ail his opponents at the finish by sheer gameness, and I do not doubt for a moment that he will be able to compass the extra half mile in the Melbourne Cup. The presumption that he was but a iniler led to Mr. Barnard giving him only 6st 131b in the great Victorian race, and consequently the lilb penalty, whioh would have effectually ¦topped almost any other horse from winning the double, simply gives him the nioo racing weight (for a five-year-old) of 7st 131b for the Melbourne Cup, for which I consider him as dangerous as anything. I may mention that the time for the Caulfield Cup this year, 2min 381 sec, is the fastest on record. Oakleigh's time last year was 2min 41 jaec, and tho fastest next to Chicago's was Grace Darling's 2min 40seo in 1885. The fact that Chioago is a full brother to that indifferent performer, Wakatipu, prevented several good judges in New Zealand from backing him. The coquetting with Oakleigh a fow days before the raoe was evidently only a feint to cover tho introduction of his stable companion, the long bottled-up Bravo. Tho good thing, however— woll kept as it was— did not oome off. The result of tho Caulfield Cup led, of course, to important ohangos in tho Molbonrne Cup betting. Very few quotations have since been sent through by oable, but these show us that the three placed horses are all well up in the betting. Although Mentor still keepß the proud position of first favourite, Chioago, Tradition, and Bravo share with Wakawai second honours at about 10 to 1 eaoh, and when we remember that last year the third horse in the Caulfield Cup, Dunlop, won the Melbourne Cup, we cannot be surprised at the support awarded to Tradition and Bravo. On paper Mr. West's Bon of Richmond and Bridal Wreath looks to have the best of it under the Flemington conditions, but as it is quite possible Chioatro had a bit in hand, judging from tho way he won, I shall expect to Beo Mr. O'Shannaasy's horse on Tuesday week again beat all those whom he beat at Caulfield. The final payments for the Melbourne Cup are due on Tuesday, and until these are declared it ia of no use expatiating on the ohances of the probable competitors. During tho next few days some important commissions are sure to be worked, and it is highly probable that soveral candidates may oome to the front who are little thought of at present, while others that are now in favour will gracefully retire into the dark shades of oblivion. During next week I shall endeavour to follow np my successful predictions in the Metropolitan Stakes and Caulfield Cup, by indicating the winner of the great Australian race of the year. It will be sufficient for the nonoe if I say that I expect to see the winner furnished by Mr. O'Shannossy Mr. G. S. Cook, Mr. Mitohelson, or Mr. Gannon, and that Aristocrat, The Yeoman, Arsenal, Enfilade, and Dick Swiveller are the moat likely to furnish sensational movements in the market during the interval before the raoe. One sporting writer, I notice, thinks thai Mr. Wallace did not mean to expoae Mentoi in the Caulfield Stakes, but that, like nearly all the rest, he went for Ensign, who was really the only horse backed, and whei Cyolops put in such a bold olaim Mentoi had to oome to the rescue. Carbine is now undisputed first favourite .for the V.R.O. Derby, and should he keep well he ia likely to Btart at level money, For my own part, at present, I prefer Halos, whose three-year-old form has beon publiolv displayed to suoh advantage. Volley, J cannot stand, as I am convinced she is nc good in firat-olasa company beyond a mile. Ensign, since his inglorious de< feat in the Caulfield Stakes is out oi favour with myself as with others. Aldi. vallook, the new importation into the betting, is a bay oolt by Gang Forward, oui of Roy's Wifo. He wan nominatod by Sir T. Elder, but now belongs to Mr. W. Cooper. As a 2-year-old, he ran three times withoni success, viz., in the Nursery Handioap at the A.J.C. Summer Meeting, won by The Gift ; in the Nursery Handicap at the Roaehill Centennial Meeting, won bj Amina; and in the Nursery Handicap at the Rosehill February meeting, won by Bernado. Suoh credentials are anything but a recommendation. An outsider that might have a Bhow is Mr. Henty'a gr c Snowfoot, by Suwarrow— Norma, who won tho Maiden Plate lost Satnrday at Caulfield, boating Lord Allen, Ilex, and fonr others, and cuting out tho milo in lmin 46^seo. But, as I have said, my present fancy is Meloa, The New Zealand Cup i* run this year on the same day as the Melbourne Cup. It ie rather a pity that two such bonnet bouchei in the raoing fare of the year should oome together, for it makes a surfeit of good thingß, and, moreover, many a good "sport" who likes to have his pound on a big race cannot afford to speonlate on two on the same day. But the fact is ho and we must make the best of it. What splendid books the betting fraternity have on the race ! With such dead money as that left by Carbino, Artillery, Springston, and Sextant, not to mention Sommeil and Hifco, it will be their own fault if any of them get into a mesa this time. I fanoy, however, the Loohiel busineas last year haa been a useful lesson both to baokera and layers. Tho past week has seen some animated betting. While Loohiel steadily keeps his position at the top of the tree, Lorraine haa gone baok in consequence of ugly rumours in connection with his suspicions leg. Whether thero is fire behind the smoke I know not, but the old adage must have its weight. From what I have heard, . my impression is that something is wrong, though from the horse continuing in work it ia evidently not muoh at present. Strenuons, whose chance I have spoken favourably of on one or two occasions some time back, has been "come for " by his astute owners, and to all appearances they mean genuine business! I understand that the horse gave them a capital trial before leaving Wanganui, and they believe that if he keeps well to the day he stands a big show. There are many good judges iwho deory Strenuous as not olass enough, With these I cannot agree. He was quite in the first flight of the two-year-olds of his day, and although he lost formal a threo-yeartold, last year he did some very meritorious performances under heavy weights. Hia breeding, too, oould not well be mnoh improved upon. He is by a full brother to Chester, while his dam is a daughter of The Duke (a son of the illustrious Stookwell) and the Teddington mare Mellona. If this breeding is not good enough, what is f They say the St. George's cannot stay, but it seems to me that Marlborough and Tho Shah aro not bad speoimona of game pieces of horseflesh, and their dams bad not suoh blue blood as rnns in the yeina of Stret.ua. Should the commission whioh is said to have been exeonted with regard to Cbainshot turn ont to have emanated from the stable, the ohances of this full brother to Thunderbolt, Neoklaoe, Bangle, and Neoklet, must be held in high esteem. I have not heard muoh on the aubjeot at present, bnt what I have heard, inclines me to think that the money was taken by the right people. Some bets have »Ibo been taken straight out for the Cnp, and for the Cup and Derby about Mr. Redwood's Phormium Tenax. This horw, with his two stablemates Riohmond and Thatobpeg, went down to Chrißtohnroh by the s.s. Ponguin yesterday. Being in olose boxes on deck, the only one I was able to get a good look at was Phormium Tenax, who was outside. This colt impressed me very favourably. He is a bright ohestnut, with a star on his forehead and a white hind heel, He stands about 15.2, and besides being very symmetrical is possessed of good bone and mußole, the latter standing ont well and hearing testimony to the faot that he has done plenty of work. Added to this hia owner tells me the oolt has never been a daj eiok or sorry all the time he has been in training. His breeding— by Korari outol Hooka by Anteros— doos not sound fashionable, but there is no flaw in it, and there is no valid reason, on the soore of pedigree, wbj Phormium Tenax should not be the besl 3-year-old of bis year. Thatobpeg, who v entered for several of the minor races of the meeting, is by Jtarori— Countess by The Peer, while Kiohmond, who has been left in the Canterbury Cup, is by Apremout, from Peggy by Tradncer. These two colts arc both bigger than Phormium Tenax, stand, ing about 16 hands, bnt I did not think "the Gov'nor" seemed so fond of them aa he did of the Derby oolt. At present if I picked seven of the New Zealand Cnp horses I should take Loohiel, Escutcheon, St. Clair, Strenuous, Leopold, Manton, and Phormium Tenax, with a preference for St. Clair and Strenuous, We shall know more about Lorraine, Chainshot, and Cuirassier in a day or two, and as they are all quite within the possibilities, 1 shall not give a definite tip until after the final payments are made next Saturday night. Son-of-o-Gun won the North Canterbury Cnp very easily on Thursday, and he has since been backed for small sums for the New Zealand Cnp. This oolt is not, as would be inferred from his name, a son of Musket, bnt is by Anteros— Vivandiere. It will be remembered that he showed great pace at Geraldine when very green. " The Astrologer," in the Sydney Referee fit the 17th instant, relates the following in

connection with the ponsibility that Wliakawai may walk away (that pun has haunted mo for weeks, and I am p!ad I have cot rid of it at labO with tho Melbourne Cup:— Coming homo from Caulfinld oliaiioc landeel mo in tho smnn carriajjo an llr. W. X Dakin, about whoso horse. Whakawai, the large wager of .£20,000 to £1000 in ono band '•las just been recorded, Iho layer being Mr. Joseph Thompson. Chatting with him incut tho day's doings, wo naturally adverted to Mentor's brilliant display; but whilst giving him every credit for it, there was an numistakablo si>ar!<le iv the veteran trainer'H visual organs as ho remarked. "But it (the "it" being Mentor a performance) is not quite up to ray horho s, und, you see, tho extra distance is all in my favour." I have heard that yesterday three weeks, in tho "wee Bma' hours,' the black -on of Leolinus and Lure showed Mr. Dakin something oxtromoly good for twomilea.and as he has not been, ont of balf-paee aiaee (except on Friday last when he swung over the Cup distance comfortably in 3mm sAeo) and is in perfect condition, ho is bound to bo there or thereabouts at the finish. The same writer adds : -On Saturday s running tho top weights should not have tho Khoflt of a show <«ith Mentor, Cyclops, Iho Yeoman, and YVakawai ; but, there, 1 remind me that Malua is Ruch a peculiar horße-I might even say, Bueh a very peculiar animal —that you never can tell how soon he may roverso hia form. Ho looked well enough— hardly bo round and firm-looking as I have seen him, bat still a " kins? among them a, and as there are btill three weeks left for him to develop in, I will not include him in the beaten division yet awhile. Cardifran'B withdrawal from tho Melbourne Cup is a bad blow to backer.-), as he was one of the first horses fancied by the punters. '