SPORTING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 4942, 4 January 1879, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

During the holidays a number of small racemeetings have been held in the country districts. At Cromwell the Maiden Plate of 25 sovs was won by Dr Leahy's Dandy, beating Cymbeline and two others. Mr W. Taylor's Haricot (Bst 111b) won the Grand Stand Handicap of 30 sova, beating five others; and the J.C. Handicap (Bst 121b) of 40 sovs. Gamecock ran in both races. Mr T. Wood's Perline won the Architect Produce Stakes of 50 sovs, against four other two - year - olds. Mr Taylor's Boughleen Dhoun carried off the Flying Handicap of 20 sovs ; while Mr W. Barry's Foam won the Selling Stakes of 20 sovs and the County Plate of 30 sova. Mr M'Kenna's Clyde secured the Consolation Stakes of 15 sovs.

Merry Monarch, who will be remembered as a dark horse for the Dunedin Cup two or three years ago, won the Wainui Plate at the Head of the Bay races last week.

At Gore Mr T. Pollock's Sapphira scored her first victory, winning the Maiden Plate against three others. Camellia, conceding a stone, was defeated by Romance in the Hurdle Race. Mr Ayson's Benjiroo (9st 41b) scored his first win in this country in the Gore Handicap of 30 sovs ; Patch (9st), Lucy (Bst 61b), and Little Dan (Bst 61b) finishing behind him. Little Dan won the Consolation Stakes.

On the first day of the Lumsden meeting Mr Maloney's Arien won the District Handicap and Mr Howarth's Devonshire Lass the Ladies' Purse.

The veteran Backbiter scored a victory at the Hamilton races, carrying off the Sowburn Cup.

After the Tuapeka meeting Mr J. Cox purchased Glengarry 'r m Mr Dw y :r. Tapanui annual races will bu held on February 15 and 16. The programme will appear in a few days' time. Entries for the Frankton Handicap, of 35 sovs.. close on Wednesday next, while general < ntriesjincluuing those for the J.C. Handicap, i.f 40 sovs., must be in by the 9th inst. The Wakatip Club altogether gives about L 220 in prizes, so that the meeting should be a success.

The weights for the handicaps at Mount Ida have already appeared. General entries and acceptances close on Tuesday. The ' Cromwell Argus' says that neither Haricot nor Freestone is likely to be sent there, owing to the heavy weights put on them by the Mount Ida handicapper. At Clinton Sapphira won the principal haudicap by a neck, beating Patch and Lucy. Patch won the Ladie 3 ' Purse and Lucy the District Handicap. Mataura Jockey Club races were held at Wyndham on the Ist inst. The principal races were the Wyndham Handicap, which was won by Mr T. Ayson's Benjiroo (Bst 121b), beating Border Lad (7st 111b), and Merrybird (7st 71b); and the Mataura Handicap, which was also won by Benjiroo (Sst 121b), beating Dolly Varden (6st 111b) and Dandy (7st). Mr T. Ayson's Stella beat Romance and Dandy in the Hurdle Race. Owners of horses are reminded that acceptances for the Dunedin Cup, of 500 sovs., and for the Publicans' Handicap, of 100 sovs close on the 11th inst. "'

Owing to the absence of a number of the book-making fraternity, who have been attending the Auckland meeting, betting on the Dunedin Cup has been rather slack for the past week or two. The following are the latest quotations : 8 to 1 agst Fishhook 8 „ 1 „ Titania 9 „ 1 „ Mata 9 „ 1 „ Templeton 100 „ 8 „ Camballo 100 „ 8 „ Fallacy 100 „ 7 „ Mufti 100 „ 7 „ Chancellor 100 „ 7 „ Natator 100 „ 6 „ Insolvent i°°"« » Sinking Fund' 100 )i 0 n Neino 100 „ 5 „ Danebury 100 „ 5 „ Cloth of Gold 100 ~ 5 ~ Janvier 100 „ 5 „ Longlauds 100 „ 5 „ Laertea 100 „ 5 „ York 100 „ 4 to 1 the rest.

A though Pmfire carried off six races at Auckland, the stakes of which amounted to £ ?iriv ha ? inc J* ri ' ed only a 51b penalty for the Wellington Cup, the only race he won of the net value of over LIOO being the Racing Club Handicap of 200 sovs, the sweep in which went to the second horse. Pinfire s weight for the Wellington race will now be 7st 71b.

By Ariel s victory in the Auckland Cup he has incurred a 71b penalty for the Dunedin Cup, bringing his weight up to 9st 51b. At a meeting of the stewards of the Waimate Jockey Club on Thursday last L 221 was paid to the winners of stakes at the jrdvious day's races, leaving the Club with a cash balance of L7O. The protests lodged against the winners of the Hurdle Race and Mack Race were dismissed. As will be seen by a telegram in another column the manner in which Lady Ellen was ridden in the two handicaps was strongly commented on. The programme for the Canterbury autumn meeting provides the usual rich stakes, with the exception, of course, of the St. Leger, which is now run at Dunedin. On the first day will be run the Free Handicap of 50 sovs, Great Autumn Handicap of 300 sovs. Champagne Stakes of 150 sovs, fcpsom Stake* (a new race) of 100 sovs weightfor-age, with penalties, and Hack Race of 10 sovs. On the second day there are the Flying Stakes (w.f.a.) of 100 sovs, Handicap Steeplechase of 100 sovs, Easter Handicap of 100 sovs, Selling Race of 50 sovs, and Consolation Handicap of 40 sovs Entries for the Great Autumn Handicap close on February 5 ; general entries on April 5 The Canterbury Jockey Club have 'increased the added money for the Champagne Stakes, dating f om that of ISBO, to 250 bovb. Entries close on April 16 of this year. " Sinbad " reports that for the Canterbury Champagne Stakes Mr Mallock has in work at Horsley Downs three verv high-bred yourgs'iers, namely Marie AnUl lette, a bay filly, by Traducer out of Maria Theresa • Argentine, a bay filly, by Traducer out of Aunfera; and On Dit, a brown filly, by Albany out of Gossip. They are aU three big well-growa fillies, and the two former having been up now some considerable time, will, no doubt, come out very fit by April .The English sire Musket, purchased by Mr Russell, of Waikato, sailed for Melbourne in the s.s. Kent on November 5. At the Christmas meeting of the Tasmanian Racing Club the name of a former Dunedin turfiteappeara as running a horse. This is Mr H. Yeend, whose horse Benham (Sst 111b) competed m the Spring Handicap but was unplaced. Benham carried top weight. e .____ Pegasus.

An old lady said she never could imagine where all the Smiths come from until she saw in a town a large sign, " Smith Manu. factunng Company." An irrepressible American tourist who recently visited an Italian convent and was shown by a monk a consecrated lamp which had never gone out during five centuries, bant over and gave the flame a decisive puff) and remarked with cool complacency "Well' I guess it's out now," ' '