SPORTING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 5320, 25 March 1880, Page 1

SPORTING NOTES.

Some time having elapsed since the Dun* edin annual meeting and the excitement consequent thereon having subsided, its salient points may well be touched upon with a view of comparing the results of the various races W T ith the anticipations previously fanned concerning them. With that object it will be advisable to go straight through the programme for the three days, and I therefore commence with the Free Handicap, of 60 sovs, one mile, the opening event of the meeting. This race now takes the place of the Maiden Plate, which seems to have been totally abolished by the Club—a step of very doubtful wisdom in my opinion, though in this instance the substitute furnished an excellent race. There were six starters, of whom the greater part were threc-year-olda of undoubted good breeding, and two of them, Marie Antoinette and On Dit, were most Itked by backers, The winner however turned up in Mr P. Butler’s five-year-old mare Luna (7et 31b), who will be remembered ay running well at the Forbury on previous occasions in Mr D. O'Brien’s colors. The non. W. Robinson’s handsome filly, On Dit, (Ost lib), made a great fight of it with the winner, suffering defeat by only a short head, Mr J. H. Lunn’s highly-bred filly Marie Antoinette, by Traducer out of the English mare Maria Theresa—who was perhaps backed for most money of the lot, having been tried very highly before leaving Canterbury—was not in the hunt after the first half-mile, being beaten for third place by Messrs Mason and Vallance’s filly Tera, a rather plain but useful daughter of Totara and Constance. The other starters were Voltigeur, a three-year-old colt by Cassivelaunus—Amuri, very far removed from the class of horse which the Hon, Mr M'Lean should acquire if he wishes to make any mark on the turf; and Mr Corsan’s Giendyne, who is sometimes entered as by Traduce*— Virginia, and sometimes as by Stormbird— Virginia, Which is correct I am unable to say, and there is also some doubt about his age, for while he is called a five-year-old the ‘Stud Book’ shows that Virginia’s foal of 1874 was a filly. The Champagne Stakes, of 100 sovs, was contested by five youngsters out of the thirty-nine originally entered, and of these the commanding-looking Waimea colt and the more compact and even-made Sir Modred were most admired. Both are colts of whom Otago may well be proud, but the latter had things all his own way in the race, the former evidently requiring time before he will recompense Mr Hutching for the 500 guineas given for him when a few weeks old. Sir Modred promises to more than rival his elder brother Betrayer, being of a stamp more adapted to carrying weight and staying over long courses. The Otago pair were ia the race split by Mr Webb’s colt The Governor, by Anter o.s Revoke, and therefore half-brother to Trump Card, This good-looking chestnut found sufficient favor in the eyes of a good judge like Mr R. Hay to induce him to buy him, and he will be worth watching for next season’s Derby. Mr G. Coombe’s little colt Benvolio did not show to as much advantage as might have been expected of a sou of Flying Dutchman and Swindle; and Mr T. Dodson’s filly by Cassivelannua—Flat Iron, was also evidently in too good company. The next race was the event of the year, the seventh Dunedin Cup, for which the fair proportion of ten horses started out of the forty originally nominated. It is unnecessary to again describe the race ; it ia enough to say that, as had been universally felt ever since the weights appeared, there was nothing in it but Mata and Titania, Foul Play certainly made a bit cf a race of it near the finish ; but while without his penalty for w’inning the Wellington Cup he might have beaten Titania, I do not for a moment think that he could have done more than extend Mata, who wen with lots in hand. After always looking on the Cup as a gift to either Mata or Titania, I gave the preference at "he last moment to the latter, and, as she had in her trials done the Cup distance in main oOsec, there is little doubt that she would have won but for her nervous temperament getting affected shortly before the race. Mr Ray states that in the forenoon the mare was in the best possible condition ; but the music of the brass band that went cut to the course, ia passing near the stable completely upset her. The owner went into the box a few mimW'-s afterwards and found her trembling all over and the perspiration si reaming off her from fright. In the paddeck again she was little better, and just before the race Mr Ray decided that it would be better for Wattle to ride her instead of Webster, and the mounts on her and Hornby were changed accordingly. Titania did not get elf particularly weil, but after covering three-quarters of a mi. l ’ she had gone through her horses and taken first place, and this position she held till well into the straight run home. Here For.! Play was called upon, the stable’s other stung, Grip, being found wanting ; and there app.-aring a possibility of Titania’s being collared Matthews brought Mata—who had been lying close handy since the first mile—to the front, unci ho won his second consecutive Dunedin Cup by little more than a Lead, but to my idea very comfortably. Titania beat Foul Piay by half a length for seccuJ place, and then c. me Grip and Betrayer, both of whom had thus performed respectably. Cam hallo was sixth, and if he had not been trodden on in the race he mi ht have been m.-arc? too front at the fh The dkairp-iint’ug L : boiler was seventh, and he has abundantly proved the eenu • nets cf my snnuhe w/um he arrived her;.—that he had hi cn run off his feet in the la. i-.-r pare of the season. Hornby, who finish.it • grhtb, vas cviucutly a bit off when be a iv-.cd at the Forl-uiy, and Mr Ray did not s ...xt him rgaii. during the meeting. Atlar rd ame in, -*. c 1. pgLt 1. vo been expected, •.mind; but t..e abxdu'e last was LcngL r who vus imt ;k to go r. yard. The tlnm— Soria sd-.oc —or tots quickest by l.’s- c r this r;.e., but; "VLing like what it vOO .1 have ta'ii Lad TLtania been at her Lx . The dieL:vw v. ith which Mata’s vixe y was reC'ivc.i. v. s cvixcod ’ey the dx ' silence which pox, ,:l.;d while Lit rider v,xh„ ;cd in. Oao individual did try to give vc; t to a fr.hit ohocr, e a: iu in his thr-'-.tp and no o;.o s.mvdd tbs slightest in.filiation x.it Tim. The next race was the L:. l . IV.-.- r, of 50 srva, welter '.-.-•.rights, f. ' .i' -.V .’IV T US ,'Vod Voluilt'? ' vo the v■; 1 .- :u . and as tlie latter 1 ; only b.- . hr p for about three w. Lx, Mr idr.-eda 1 .. v-ycur-oid could hardly lie held Lack to him. Hilarious was bred in Xew Suut’i War. ~ ixil by Galdobroixxi —Mari* v. ihis >0 being cue of the gran ; x: perf j.-uee< a the Australian turd The ycrwg-Vr vxx brought over here W' ’ate to bo uxr>iex rod for xur Champagne Stakes, Derby.r, ,v.xl Sc. L get? —and very fortunately, b for our local hroedvra and owners, judging from the pe:forme- ws of iTii civ.m.. Hem trained by Met*, vs; Mason r.nd Vffhu'c,, wiio are owners of V- iuuteer. This i-ver- -■ will be remembered as .ho cols rbut ran M-trayer to a nose in the CanterIx.vy dlxiur cgo-i Sxikos last season. He v. l;.rx: shortly afterwards, but . as got (,vx- that, and I shall expect to ;ce him rg.hn ; wring with credit bV re long. It.j 1-c.xi? xumb'X of three horses went to the pew. or 1 ho IVbiicans’Handicap of 80 xovsand M 1 lose tin- Mon. W. Robinson’s grand horse bxvxt.-.v IHb), wiener of the Canterbury Chart.pagut Stakes and Derby, was made a warm fav;.rite; but he was never in the In;ut, and there were general remarks that he was not sent for it. The winner turned up in Luna (7st), who thus earned winning brackets twice in the same day;

and Mr Walters’s colt Billingsgate (7st UVb) finished second. In the Selling Race of 40 nova Mr W. C. Webb’s colt Adamant, a handsome brother to Dinebury, easily bowled over the commoners Glendyne, Glengarry, Maud, and Concrete. The last-named is a colt bred at Cromwell by Mr I. Laughnan, and is by the Tasmanian horse Architect, who accompanied his son to Dunedin and competed in the Hurdle Race. As this pair could do very little at meetings in their own district, I think Mr Loughnan, while deserving credit for his pluck, was ill-advised in bringing them to a gathering at which they would meet the best company. bids Hurdle Race, of Go so vs, was the first event on the second day and a capital field of eight competed in it. It was looked upon as a very opsn affair and at the current odds of 5 to 2 on the field Black Trince, Lone Hand, and Scamp were freely backed ; while Thilo, Robin. Hood, Alice Grey, Architect, and Antoinette found friends to a smaller extent. As usual here a capital race ensued, but Mr M‘Masters’s little horse Scamp jumped beautifully, and had the foot of his opponents all the way, though Alice Grey came with a great rush at the finish and took second place from Thilo. The Australian great gun, Lone Hand, was nothing like fi* - , and after baulking at a hurdle early in the race he jumped very awkwardly and could never make up hia lost ground. Robin Hood fell at the second jump, but all the rest cleared the .obstacles in good style. The field for the St. Leger of 250 sovs was small but select, comprising Grip, Betrayer, Marie Antoinette, and Volunteer; and of the quartette the first-named had a alight call over Betrayer. The start was a wretched one, but as Volunteer was the one that suffered most it probably did not affect the result. Grip led throughout, but in the last half-mile Botrayer and Marie Antoinette came up hand over hand and made a bit of a vace home ; still the pace was very slow, the time being aa bad as 3min SOsec. The Hon. iYi Robinson’s hl«ck son of Slanderer and Awatea thus confirmed his Derby winning with Betrayer ; but it seems strange that the latter colt could not make better time after winalng the Canterbury Cup in tmin 6sec (and more especially still as he has since won the Wanganui Cup in 4min lojec). Marie Antoinette was of ccurse not fancied after her poor running in the Free Handicap, while Volunteer was quite friendless. The interest attaching to this race, although there wore only four starters, will, I trust, induce the Club to reconsider their decision toabolish the St. Leger from our programme. The Jockey Club Handicap, ot 200 sova, for the first time in eighteen years resulted in a walkover, for Foul Play at Sit 101b was more than the owners of the other horses could stand; and, every competitor being withdrawn, the Hon. Mr Robinson’s horse had a ■bloodless victory. Of course he received only half the stakes, and the other 100 sovs the" Club wisely devoted to an improvised race termed the Stewards’ Free Handicap, of 100 boys, one mile and a-half. For this there were five starters, and Titania (Bst), being in better trim than on the Cup day, won easily. Luna (7st 6lb) was second, Atlantic (6st 51b) a bad third, On Dit (7st) and Longlands (Bst 31b) almost beaten off. The time was 2min 45isec, and showed what the mare can do when in form. For the Novel Handicap, of 80 sovs, four went to the post, and there was a great fight between Mr J. H, Lunn’s Robin Hood (7st 41b) and Mr A. M‘Kay’s Duntroon, ending in the former getting a shade the best of it t>n the post. Duntroon had a bandage on his near fore-leg, and this limb gave way in the race, the half-brother to Trump Card limping off the course. Glendyne and Concrete again ran badly. A select field of three contested the Railway Plate, of 60 sovs (w.f.a.), and this gift of Mr D, Proudfoot was won comfortably by Mata. Hilarious (carrying 41b overweight) was second, Templeton last. A Hack Race, of 20 sovs, won by Mr Taggart’s Spey, concluded the second day’s sport. The third day opened with the Handicap Steeplechase, of SO sovs, for which there were four starters, and Lone Hand—notwithstanding his crushing impost of 13st 41b and his poor show in the Hurdle Race —had the call in the betting. The Australian however could not be got to face the gorse hedge leading to the sand-hills, and as Robin Hood (lost 31b) and Thilo (Oat) fell once Scamp (9st 7lb) had another easy win. This clever little horse is by Roebuck and was bred by Mr Fraser, of Messrs Strode and Fraser. He ran at some of the minor upcountry meetings, principally in hack races, and at last came into the hands of the late Mr J. Duncan, of Palmerston. He subsequently was purchased by Mr D. M'Masters, and in that gentleman’s colors won the Hurdle Race of 50 sovs at our last spring meeting, beating a field including Kildare and Te Whetumarama. J. Allan deserves great credit for the condition in which he brought his charge to the post and . the manner in which he rode him. '• he Forbury Handicap of 150 sovs attracted five runners, and Foul Play having, with Bst 111b, a weight of which he is a perfect master, started a warm favorite. He cut out the running all the way, and won in the most hollow manner in the exceptionally good time of 2min 44sec—a second quicker than he won the same race in last year with 7st 101b up. Mr Goodman started Chancellor (7,it 51b), and he cannot be said to have shaped badly, for he finished within a length of the winner. Libeller (Gst Sib) was a fair third, Atlantic (sst 101b) fourth, and Templeton (9st) in the unwonted situation of actual last. The Queen’s Plate, of SO sovs (w.f.a., with penalties) promised to be as good as a walk-over for Mata (9st lib), Volunteer (7st 71b) being his only opponent; but the Victorian jockey Nolan by a splendid bit of riding made it the most exciting race of the meeting, for he caught Matthews napping a couple of hundred yards from home and fairly lifting the colt along made a dead heat of it. Volunteer was however so far from fit that he had no earthly show of winning the rnn-ofT, when of course Mata v/culd have been sent at racing pace all the way, so Messrs Mason and Vallauce withdrew him. The Flying Handicap, of SO sove, was the next event, and of the six that weighed out for it nothing wc at down so well as Foul Play, notwithstanding that his 51b penalty fonvniaing the Forbury Handicap brought hia weight up to 9st 51b. He started with odds of 2 to 1 bet on him, and never caused his backers the slightest anxiety, holding a good position till entering the straight and then shooting out and winning hands down. Tera (Gat 51b) astonished those who did not know tier well by running second, Luna (Tat 21b) was third ; Templeton (Sat 121b), Chancellor (7sfc 7lb), and Eillingspate <(j ->u 12ll>) unplaced. .Spey pi u:ed the Bjm.-vol.-ut Scurry to Mr TV-gg *.rt’s credit, and three competitors thou v.uit to the post for tho Consolation ifanuicxp of GO sovs. These w.; r « L; boiler (7us Jib), M ario Antoinette (Ist), and Chancellor (Bst 7fb), rad the Auckland colt had most friends. Mr Walters had at last a turn of luck, the favorite justifying the confidence ’ heed in him by winning comfortably. Tho weather was beautifully fiuo throughout the meeting and the attendance of the public was fully up to the usual standard. The Southland, meeting on the 4th inst, was the first held under the auspices of the newly-formed Jockey Club, and ever L4OO war spun in Tea ken. The result was undoubtedly a success, though some of too local owners of horses wire disgusted :vs the cream of the sH.k-s ccL.-g taken by Dunedin and Christchurch worses, and at their own nags getting such, a flmwing up a;, limy did. The Cbb, however, mould net be disheartened by tins fact, but should determine to Loop no tho tone of their meeting by de.di Mug to reduce their stakes ; then tho Southland racing men would be encouraged to buy better horses, and a thvs-olass annual gathering could be rdied ou. As it was, it was fop r.u that there was a respectable cwh b Jimcc in hard after paying all liabilities. I notice that the club ceem inclined to take my view of their future course, for the Derby Slakes will :>:ext-y--.v be incrcns'-ul to 75 sove, added to a sweepstake of 10 rovs. When they have finally decided on their permanent racecourse i v/ouid mlthem ro have it properly measured olf, as it certainly is a novel idea for the stewards to calculate the distances of tho different races by pacing. Palmerston annual races, on the 12th inst., i were spoiled by the rough ground on which ' they were held, but as this was given for the ■ occasion by Mr F. D. Rich, I presume the i stewards went on the principle of not looking * * gift horse in the mouth. However, they 1

had better select a better course next year, or they will get very few entries. Readers of our report 'will remember that Chancellor, York, Concrete, and several other horses got into holes, and it is a wonder that some

serious accidents did not occur. Whether Chancellor and York would have secured

the Cup and Shag Valley Handicap respectively but for their mishaps is doubtful, for Blue Peter was so favorably handicapped that it as hard to see how he could lose.

The annual Tapanui meeting was held on the 11th and 12th inst., and some L2OO was divided amongst ten events. Here Mr J. Chaafe’s Atlantic found himself in company better suited to his capabilities than he met at the Forbury, and he had little difficulty in winning the Tapanui Handicap of 30 sovs (Bst lib); District Handicap of 20 sovs (9st 31b); and Jockey Club Handicap of 30 sovs (9st 101b), Mr Johns’s Toryboy won the Novel Handicap, of 30 sovs, and then appears to have been sold to Mr David Murray, tor in that gentleman’s name he won the Hurdle Handicap, of 20 sovs. The Maiden Plate, of 15 sovs, was secured by Mr Lunny’s Brunette ; the Hack Race by MrT, Dwyer’s

Fenian ; the Selling Race and Hospital Race by Mr Dwyer’s Glengarry ; the Commercial Travellers’ Purse by Mr Lunny’s Merrybird; and the Consolation Handicap by Mr T, Pollock’s B jthwell. Good fields contested moat of the events. Previous to ths meeting the Club removed the disqualification which has long hung over Thomas Monaghan, and also decided to warn one T. Wilson off the c ourse and post him as a defaulter, if he went to Tapanui, for failing to pay up at Invercargill.

At Moa Flat, on the 17 th and 18 bh, Atlantic won the Domain Handicap, of 25 sovs (10st), and ran second to his stable companion Oberon in the Farmer’s Plate, of 25 sovs. Mr Chaafe also won the Miners’ Purse and the Ebtrick Town Plate with Glengarry. Mr J. Taylor’s Dolly beat six others in the Maiden Plate ; Mr Beresford’s Sir Vincent won the Hack Race and Hospital Race; Mr M'Pherson’s Tom King the Ladies’ Purse and Handicap Flat Race ; and Mr Wab ace’s Mountain Maid the Consola-tion-Stakes.

A small meeting, the first in the district, I believe, was held at Hyde on the 17 th inst. Mr Foster’s Sailor Bey won the Hurdle Handicap and the Hyde Cup ; Mr Beck’s Peeping Tom the Maiden Plate ; Mr Mathias’s Jerry the Trot; Mr Trotter’s Molly Musk the Strath Taieri Handicap; Mr Murison’s Rocket the Consolation Hand - cap; and Mr Cameron’s White Stockings tho Hurry Scurry. So successful was the annual meeting of the reconstructed Oamaru Jockey Club held in December last that it was decided to hold an autumn meeting, and the committee did not scruple to appropriate the date long previously fixed upon by the Palmerston and Southland Clubs. Their greediness and want of consideration, however, recoiled upon themselves, for though the weather was as fine as could have been desired, the attendance of the public was very poor and the fields of horses were wretchedly small. In the ten principal races the starters were in four cases two horses, in five cases three horses, and in one case four horser. Both the Oamaru papers admit the fact that the gathering was not a success, and one of them makes a suggestion which will be generally approved of—namely, that the club hold one good meeting annually instead of two small ones occupying two days each. The committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club met on Monday evening to consider a disputed wager brought under their notice by one Goodison, who claims that the bookmaker Alfred Drake laid him last year L 2,000 to L9O against Mata for this year’s Dunedin Cup ; that the bet was never declored off by mutual consent; but that Drake refuses to pay it. The committee decided not to hear Goodison’s evidence at present, but to write to Drake at Christchurch, through the secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, intimating that the matter will be gone into by them on April G, and that hia presence at the meeting will be desirable.

Mr H. Goodman has made another addition to his string of horses, having purchased Tera from Messrs Mason and Vallance. This filly won the Maiden Plate, Darby, and Commercial Handicap at the recent Invercargill races. Messrs Mason and Vallance have bought Ksndwick from Mr S. Horsfall, giving L 250, it is said, for this hitherto rather unfortunate brother to Gipsy Cooper. The privileges at the Timaru meeting realised at auction L 523, or L2OO more than last year. Several race meetings were held last week in different parts of the Colony, and reports of the same have appeared in these columns. The only remaining one that requires auy comment is that of the Wanganui Jockey Club. The sum of L 1,720 was there given in stakes, but a great mistake was made in LI,OOO of that amount being devoted to one event, the Cup. The effect of this was that only L 720 was left to be divided amongst the eleven other races, none of which exceeded LIGO in value ; and I think the Club would in future be wise to divide the Cup money amongst three races—givingLsoo to the Cup, L3OO to a medium distance handicap, and L2OO to a still shorter handicap or to a weight-i’or-age race with penalties for previous winners of weight-for-age races. As it is the LI,OOO Cup is a high-sounding fraud, for L2OO is given to the second horse, LIOO to the third, and when the winner’s entry and the Club’s discount are taken oft the winner actually gets only LG 10. Now, if the Cup were made LSOO with a sweep of 10 sovs added it would be just as valuable, and even better entries would be receive-! by the Club for their meeting; for u e chance of winning one out of three go >d races would prove attractive to more owners than would the limited chance in tho LI,OOO race. The field in this instance numbered fifteen, as many as have twice contested the Dunedin Cup ; but owing to the ridiculous handicap framed for it tho race lay between the four horses that had at a glance been almost universally pronounced to be throv-n in. These were Betrayer, Hornby, Libeller, and Hippocampus, who finished first, recced, fourth, and fifth respectively; houkar managing to finish before Mr Walters’s pair owing to the latter being out of all condition. The useful Vampire, parting with whom Mr J. Stephenson must much lament, secured tho Wanganui Stakes and the Flying Handicap ; and the fact that not a solitary race was carried off by local owners, save those expressly reserved for them, will probably create some discontent amongst thus;, gentlemen and cause au alteration iu uexe year’s programme. The race-meetings of the rival I Fawkes Bay Clubs were held last week, but aa full particulars have not yet come to baud 1 shall not now notice them.

For tho Canterbury autumn meeting, commencing on Tuesday uc- xt, the entries are slightly leas than usual, but there are enough loft in tho principal events to mruis) 1 . plenty of sp'.rfc. The first race will be the Free Handicap, of 50 sovs, whica it v/ruld be absurd to touch upon at present, when it is impossible to guess v/hat h0;,...-,; wi;>. contest it. Next comes tho Croat Autumn Handicap, of 300 save, lor which there are fourteen acceptors ; «■»«>, v; those horses which appeared the beet in have declined the engagement, a veiy open race presents itself. Looked at in the bght of previous performances, Foul Play, IDtr-gyer, Grip, Titania, and Templeton look WcJ, and from these five I just now expect to s-.;o tvwinner come ; Put I oiir.ll giro my dual view later on. If Fishhook should come out in Iris old form lie should not bo overlooked, and, us he is reported, to be going m: well rm ever in his work, I shall make a rc-umvatim: ;n his favor. The Champagne St.-L s, of 250 sovs, threatens to be less interesting this year than usual, there being only five acceptors. .Sir Mourcd .should, hold the rest safe, his mo it d.un,/ur-.-u. ; J enm -nimt appearing to be Mr Ray’s colt Tim Governor, who could scarcely extend th; lion. R. Campbell’s cult in our Champagne Stakes. Romeo and Luro ir.n in IT; Welcome Stakes, but they -will i-uvo hj 'd to improve much on their then (orn to have auy show in this rr.ee, Virginia Water h'.s not run yet, and she is I behove the lllly by Tradu cer—Wave. Tho J'ipsmn Stakes, of 100 sova (w.f.a.), should prove a good race, but I see nothing in it likely to boat Mala or Lo Loup. On tho second day the first race will be the Autumn Nursery Handicap, of 100 sovs, for two-year-old?;, which iu-.s but siv entries, and the weights for which will not appear till Tuesday night. The .Faster Handicap, of 100 sovs, follows, with sixteen nominations, and the weights for this also are due on Tuesday night. For the Selling Race, of 50 boys, Camballo

should be about at the finish. The Flying Stakes of 50 sovs (w.f.a.) has an entry of nine of our best weight-for-ago horses of all ages, but I think either Sir Modred or Mata will be the winner. There is in Dunedin i o betting ou the meeting, and tilings in Christchurch appear equally dull, the local papers containing no list of quotations, Pkcasus. I—WIUT TVI I III! Mft.mlWaw CT<»i.r.mvAY'.s OiNTr.iK.vi' a.\i> Pills. — Chest Preservatives. —At Ml seasons of the year the rate of mortality from diseases of the lungs is very great. Helloway’s Ointment well ruubed upou the cheat, aided by his Pills, arrests all mischief. These cleansing medicaments exercise the most salutary and restorative influence over the entire contents of the pectoral cavity. Airtubes, nerves, blood-vessels, and all ovho. tissues feel their whoiesomely-potent power, more particularly In their thoroughly purifying both venous and arterial blood, hj promoting the free circulation of air through the lungu Neither Oiutmeat nor Pills contain aay noxious Ingredient whatever, but their balsamic nature nourishes rather than irritates the system, and kindly subdues untoward symptoms till all is we 1 once more,