SPORTING.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 367, 16 August 1875, Page 3

SPORTING.

[From the “ Press.”] The resolution passed on Wednesday by the Jockey Club in reference to the dates of the coming Metropolitan, will certainly give very general satisfaction. The arguments adduced by members of the club in favour of the change of days have been fully reported in your columns, so there is no occasion to dwell further on the subject, except to say that in my humble opinion the Jockey Club have acted most wisely. Owners of horses will also be glad to learn that the club have decided to erect some scraping sheds. This will, like a new journal, supply a want which has been long felt. The purse presented by the licensed victuallers has, with their consent, been substituted for the Lottery Plato. The stakes will be £7O, but the conditions are in the main almost identical with the Lottery Plate. To conclude my notice of the horses at present in work, I may say that the Bush Inn stable is very strong this season, and it requires a long visit to do justice to the various inmates of the well-known quadrangle. In the first box is Castilian, the brown colt who ran at the last Autumn meeting : he is by Sledmcre out of Azucena, thus being half-brother to Envy and Talisman. His Champagne performance was not a very first-class one, as he was not anything like fit, but while ho lasted showed a fair amount of foot. He has furnished into a very fine colt, with plenty of power, and no small amount of quality to boot. He is engaged in the Derby, and is well on in his preparation, having been up almost ever since the Autumn meeting. He moves very well, and ought to run a good horse. In the next box is Richmond, by Maribyrnong, out of Miss Warrior, a very neat looking horse, three years old, but I don’t like him, and never did from a youngster, as well as Castilian. He has not been long up, and as my inspection of him was a very hurried one, I shall holdover any further remarks on him The next in rotation are Mr Shand’s pair of chesnuts, both of whom are engaged in the coming Derby. One is by Ravens worth out of Sweet Briar, standing about 15h 2 in. lie shows plenty of quality, and is a nice colt all over, but I prefer the other, who is also by Ravensworth out of Moss Rose, the dam of Sweet Briar. This is really a great colt. He stands quite 1G bands with rare quarters and back and good legs. I hear he is a very good goer, and I fancy him for the Derby quite as much as any colt I have yet seen. In the next box is Gilda, who has greatly improved since I last saw her. She has been a long time getting over the effects of the strangles, but there’s plenty of time to spare, and fit and well she will be very awkward to beat at sprinting, if not over a long distance. She is engaged in the coming Derby, as is also the occupant of the next box, a brown filly by Sledmerc out of Gitana. This young lady has only just commenced her education. She has very racing looking quarters, but indifferent fore legs ; I fancy her though, because old Ghana's stock have always been good. One may credit Traducer with the good qualities of Backbiter, Gossip and Calumny, but little Remnant, out the same dam by Caledon, was a very fast mare at anything under a mile, and I shall be surprised if this one can’t go a bit too. The Tantrums colt is another Sledmere, and a. Derby candidate. He is a very powerful colt, but he went amiss before the Autumn Meeting, and has never yet performed. He seems likely to make a good horse over hurdles, if he should not prove fast enough for the flat. The Phoebe colt looked very well, and has been doing good work. He has lengthened a good deal, and if he keeps well ought to carry the black and gold jacket to more than one victory in the approaching campaign. His performance at the Autumn Meeting was a very good one, for though he had condition his feet were very bad. It remains to be seen if he can stay, Should he be able to do so, his Cup chance ought to be very good, but in any case he will from the form he has already shown be very hard to beat in the short flutters. Castaway was looking remarkably well. He has evidently wintered to his satisfaction, and if looks go for anything he deserves the support he has received in the doubles up to the present. The Cu this year ought to be a fine race, with Tern pieton, Castaway,Tamburini, Papapa, and a host of three-year-olds, amongst whom it is at least probable wc may find one or two clinkers.

After a hasty glance at two very promising Traducer yearlings out of Revoke and Tantrums, the latter with the shortest back and as good hocks as I ever saw, I started for a peep at Bob Ray’s team. On arriving at hob’s location, I saw first old Tommy Dodd desporting himself in the paddock and enjoying a well-deserved spell after an unusually long turn of work even for him. The game old horse was looking gay enough, and I suppose will shortly be taken up again for the Spring Meeting. Bob’s team is at present a quartette, The first I saw was a useful looking five-year-old bay mare by Traducer out of Termagant (the dam of Knottingley). This mare has only been a fortnight up, and though anything but a bad shaped ’un, it is too early

yet even for her trainer to form much idea of what she may be Idee. The next interviewed was a brown rob hy Raveusworth out of Deception, and engaged in the Derby. He is not, a big colt, but there are many worse to look at in work at the present time. He has great hocks and thighs, good quarters, and a rare set of legs under him. Bob seems pleased with him up to the present, and lliave little doubt he will pay his oat bill before the season is over, Daniel O’Rourke has not grown up much, but be has lengthened a good deal and furnished. He looks healthy and well, and from what I saw of his running last season I shall look upon him as likely to be very handy at the Derby finish and still more likely to be first past the judge’s chair in some of the short races. I’admor has not improved nearly so much as I thought. He seems to have never thoroughly recovered the strangles, and altogether I was disappointed in him. He has improved since I last saw him, which is not saying much, but it’s about all I can say. Sonnambula is not yet in work, but will, I believe, shortly he taken up. Coming homo I meant to look in at John Lunn’s, where Dan O’Brien’s pair, Tamburini and Lough Neagh, are located, but it was too late. Dan tells me, however, that the old horse is sound and well, and that both are doing serviceable work. Mr Lunn has at present only Nectar in training, but Alice Grey will, I hear, shortly be taken up. The Geraldine Meeting will open the ball this year on the 7th and Bth October with a two days’programme. The principal events arc a Maiden Plate of 25 sovs, a Hurdle Race of 30 sovs, a Publicans’ Handicap of 25 sovs, and the Geraldine Gup, a handicap of 50 sovs (2 miles). Nominations for the Cup, Hurdle Race, and Publicans’ Handicap close on 11th September, The meeting promises to be a very successful one, and the improvement in the programme says much in favor of the increasing inteiest in racing taken by the Geraldine Club.

Our Dunedin neighbors have come out with a very liberal programme. The St Andrew’s meeting is now extended to two days, the principal items of the bill of fare being the St Leger Handicap of 100 sovs, If miles ; the Spring Handicap of 50 sovs, If miles ; a Maiden Plate of 40 sovs ; a Handicap Hurdle race of 40 sovs; a President’s Handicap of 80 sovs (2 miles) ; and a Grand Stand Handicap of 40 sovs (If miles) ; and a very liberal programme it is. The meeting comes off on November 30th and December Ist.

The annual Dunedin meeting is fixed for 23rd, 24th, and 25th March next. The pro gramme is as usual first-class, and even more liberal than usual. The Cup is raised to £4OO, and the “ Ladies’ Purse of CO sovs, Gentleman Riders,” is a new feature in the programme, which will no doubt prove popular. Our Southern neighbours also appear to hold out greater inducements for owners of cross-country horses than we do, for in addition to a Hurdle race of 80 sovs, a Steeplechase of 100 sovs is a leading feature on the programme. Apropos of Dunedin, I hear that Mr George Dodson, of Dunedin, has lately purchased a number of brood mares, and intends going in for breeding blood stock. I hope this plucky sportsman will have all the success he deserves. His purchases consist of four of Mr Redwood’s mares, one being the grand old Wetsail, and three from Mr Nosworthy, viz, Amuri, Azucena, and Flat Iron. Mr Dodson has also purchased a very promising youngster from Mr B. G. Griffith. Most of them are by this lime safely delivered.

Your readers will be glad to learn that Mermaid has dropped a fine filly foal to Traducer. As the young lady is full sister to Lurline and Castaway, it is probable we shall bear more about her in time to come.

In the doubles for the Cup and Derby, the most in favor are Kauri (the Waimea colt), and Kauri at 100 to 12; Kauri and Castaway. 100 to 10 taken freely; 100 to 8 anything else offered. The most in call for the Derby are, Kauri, Castilian, and the Chief, at from 5 to 10 to 1 taken and offered, and for the Cup, Castaway, Phoebe colt, Kauri, and Templeton, at from 6 to 10 to 1 taken and offered. For the Melbourne Cup, several horses have received support, the local talent all being open to lay the current Melbourne odds. The following horses appear at present to be most in favor, Imperial, Goldsborough, Kingsborough, Echo, Dilke, Haricot, and Break of Day. iSiuce writing the above, I see by a telegram that Papapa has gone to Napier for stud purposes. SINBAD.