SPORTING.
Our late Australian files give us the full report of the Bendigo Jockey Club Spring Meeting, at which Lurline and Calumny both figured, and we regret to say with no credit to themselves. Lurline appears to have lost every vestige of form, and though favoured with the lenient impost of 7st 121 b, a mere nothing to a mare like her if fit and well, she never once showed prominently in the race for the Sandhurst Cup. Calumny too was served up hot for the Epsom Handicap, and over a mile, with only 7st to carry, it looks good enough on paper to have stood her for ever against a couple of moderates, but though starting with odds on her, she finished last of the three competitors—and she also cannot be anything like the animal she was. I fancy that Lurline was a good deal over done in her preparation for the Cup race, and that it may be some months yet before she returns to her proper form, though, I am afraid, it is not unlikely that she will never be the animal she was over here, and will leave the impression on the minds of the Australian racing men that our best cattle in New Zealand are a terrible lot of crocks. I extract an account of the different events in which Lurline and Calumny appeared from the Australasian : SANDHURST CVP. A sweepstakes of 7 sovs each, with 200 . added. Second horse to receive 20 sovs, third to save his sweep. One mile and a quarter and a distance. Mr C. S. King’s ch g Imperial, by Maribymong—Eugenie, 5 yrs, fist 101 b (Huey) 1 Dr J. Bathe’s b c Stockridge, 3 yrs, 7st (Hales) 2 Mr E, Jellett’s hr c The Hook, 3 yrs, fist 31b (Candy) 3 Mr P. Lewis’s br h King Tom, 5 yrs, Bst
31b (Rawlings) Mr J. Wilson’s hr m Miss Jessie, 6 yrs. Bst (W. Wilson) Mr J. Watts’s b m Lurline, 5 yrs, 7st 121 b (Lyford) Mr T. Craven’s b h Marmion, 5 yrs, 6 st
£lb (Murphy) _ Mr JE. Warby’s br c Polidori, 8 yrs, 6st
4 lb (Cracknell) 0 Mr Fanlight's b m Flora, 5 yrs, 6st (Bancroft) 0
Betting—6 to 4 a g st Stockridge, sto 2 and *3 to I agst Imperial, , 6 a £ l V° t I Km S Tom, 8 to 1 agst Tu.°- Hook, 10 to 1 agst Flora.
Polidori was the first to sb' ow ia advance, and Avas at the head of affairs as* passed the stand. Imperial and Stockbridge going on second and third, Avith Lurline n ex " * he rails, and the Hook on the whip ham; loAving close in their wake, Miss Jessie wlL u ‘ ping in. At the turn Marmion bolted. PolTdori Avas still in command. Imperial, Stockbridge, and Flora running in the order named, the last-named just heading the favorite as they passed the old stand, Avhere Polidori began to hang out signals of distress, and Imperial took his place. In the bend Flora was beaten, and Stockbridge essayed to catch Imperial, who led into the straight, the Hook lying a length behind the favorite; but, despite a determined effort on the part of the two three-year-olds, the chcsnut son of Maribyruong held bis own to the end, and Avon easily by four lengths, Stockbridge beating the Hook by a neck for a second place, King Tom being a couple of lengths behind the pair, Lurline was fifth, and Flora and Polidori came next, Avith Miss Jessie following them home. Time, 2min 23sec j
Epsom Handicap, of 50 sovs, with a sweep - stakes of 5 sovs each added. One mile. Mr P. Smith’s br m Countess, aged, 6st (Bancroft) 1 MrP. Lewis’s b f Maid of Hawthorn. 3yrs, 6st 21b (Ivem) 2 Mr J. Watts’s ch m Calumny, 5 yrs, 7at (Lyford) 3 Betting—2 to 1 and sto 2 on Calumny. The favorite and Countess ran together for a hundred yards, when Maid of Hawthorn took up the running, and carried it on to the bend. Here Countess headed her, and after a brief struggle came away and won easily by six lengths, the boy on Calumny casing up when he found that pursuit was hopeless, HERMIT.
Log in