SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1653, 7 June 1879, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

By SINBAB. The programme for the Metropolitan etiite to be held in November next, SJSSelsewhere, and I should think cannot be considered other than a most liberal one. It has been altered in several respects from that of last year, and in comparing the programme before me with that of 1878,1 think the contrast is all in favor of the former It commences as last year with the Free Handicap of 100 sovs. ; then comes the Derby which this year for the first time has 250 sovs. of added money, making it a really valuable stake. The Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap is, aa usual, a 500 sovs. stake and instead of the Railway Plate of 100 sovs., which has been shifted to the first event of the seconl day, we have an entirely new one in the Welcome Stakes, which is a sweepstake of 15 sovs. each for two-year-olds with 200 sovs. added. In instituting a two ' y ear-old race at the commencement of the season, the Jockey Club have acted with the very best judgment, for not only will the public look forward to this event with interest, but it will increase the number of running horses, which, it cannot be denied, is at present, to say the least of it, limited. Looking at it from an owners point of view, this race will induce racing men to bring on their youngsters earlier. This they can do the mere confidence, as a good two-year-old has another chance of scoring a win at the same meeting in the Railway Plate, which is over the same distance as the Welcome Stakes. I am glad to notice that the Club intend making th's two-year-old race a standing event on the Spring Programme, as nominations for this stake next year are advertised to close at the same time as the Derby of 1881, on the Monday after the Metropolitan meeting in 'November next. Apropos of the two-year-old I understand that there is every probability of the Dunedin Jockey Club Spring Programme, which is, I hear, likely to be a very liberal one, containing a race of a similar kind to the Welcome Stakes. Reverting once more to the Metropolitan programme, the second day commences with the Railway Plate before mentioned. The Maiden Plate has been dispensed with altogether, and although one is sorry te see a good weight for age race cut out of the programme, there can be no doubt that the race for several seasons past has not been of a kind to induce the Club to keep it on the programme, and I certainly think the Welcome Stakes, which virtually takes its place, will be fonnd a welcome substitute. This is followed by the great weight for age race of the year, the Canterbury Cup for 500 sovs. The Spring Steeplechase, which come& next, has, I see, been reduced to 100 rovs., which, considering the small fields we are usually favoured with, cannot be wondered at. The Handicap of 100 jovs. and a Selling Hack Pace finish up the day. The order of the events on the third day has been altered somewhat. The Metropolitan Handicap of 100 sovs., which last year commenced the day'B proceedings, has been relegated to third place in the order of events. The Cbristchurch Plate of 150 sovs. being now the first item on the day's bill of fare, this is followed by the Publicans' Steeplechase Handicap of 75 sovs. The Flying Handicap, which was inserted for the first time last year, has been excised, and I think very wisely, for five events on the third < day is quite enough to satisfy anv one, particularly with the limited number of animals engaged. The Selling Race and Consolation are the same as usual. Nominations for the Canterbury Cup, Canterbury Jockey Handicap, and Welcome Stakes close on August Ist. The weights for the Waimate Steeplechase Handicap appear elsewhere. On paper I should say there is nothing likely to prove very formidable to the top weight except Loch Lomond. Mr Sherwin very naturally, in framing his handicap, was influenced by the feeling that if a horse be good enough to carry 12st 71b to victory, he deserves to win ; bnt I'm afraid, after The Agent's Grand National performances, the owners of the other animals engaged will be a bit diffident about meeting him on the terms proposed. It is true the distance is a mile shorter, which may, and probably will give Eversley a say in the matter ; while, if Te Whetu makes no mistake, ho also may bo numbered amongst the possibilities, but I must confess to a very decided preference to The Agent, who, fit and well, ought to win all the way. Acceptances for this event are due on Friday, June 6th. I see by the English Suez files that F. Archer's first mount of the season was a winning one, the lucky jockey being on Fiddlestring. the Trial Plate hero. Fordham was also successful the first t'me of asking, and in Colonel Peyton's colourß he landed a 100 to 7 chance on Coquette in the Brocklesby Stakes. The friends of the younger Messrs. Chirnside (says "Augur" in the "Australasian") will be glad to hear that although Sailor has lost all form, one other member of the team promises to turn out a moderately good animal. It is Skyscraper, who is no clinker certainly, but he is big enough and bred well enough to make a good cross-country horse. At the Derby and Grand National Hunt meeting, Mr A. Chirnside started Ballarat and Skyscraper for the Grand National Hunt Steeplechase, weight for age. Ballarat, who was ridden by Mr A. Chirnside, fell early in the race, and Skyscraper, who was ridden by Mr C. J. Cunningham, also came down three-quarters of a mile from home, up to which point he was going as well as anything. On the succeeding day Skyscraper was again ridden by Mr C. J. Cunningham in the Grand National Maiden Hunters' Race, weight for age, three miles. Minotaur, who had finished third on the previous day in the Grand National Hunt Steeplechase, was the favourite, but the Australian was also in strong demand, and I'm glad to say he beat Minotaur by a head. The "Sportsman," in referring to the race, says: — " Minotaur showed the way until about half way from home, when Skyscraper joined issue, and looked like winning in a canter; but he lost a lot of ground through going out of his course after jumping the fast fence, and it was only in the last stride that he was enabled to reach Minotaur again, and win by a head, the rider probably being more tired than the horse, who is one of the very useful sort, as also is his travelling com panion Ballarat." Skyscraper is the horse that a writer in the "Sporting Gazette" ridiculed when Martin Bourke took him out with the hounds. After his victory at Derby, he was handicapped at top weight, 12st 121 b, for the Full Cry Steeplechase at Lincoln, but nevertheless started first favourite. When gomg remarkably well, he slipped and blundered, thereby losing a lot of ground, yet finished second. I don't think Skyscraper ever ran in a steeplechase in Australia, but he won a couple of small races at Warrnambool, and as he has been groperly schooled to jump, he may yet do etter things in England than I have to chronicle this week. Skyscraper is by the imported horse The Thames from the imported mare Dewdrop, by Turnus from Catherine by Don John, and is half brother to Porthos and Lanercoßt, the sires of a few useful jumpers. At last (says the "Town and Country") the crucial test has been made of the legality of the totalisator, and a queer decision arrived at by the Bench of Magistrates, before whom the question aa to its being a common nuisance under Terry's Act for the suppression of Betting Houses has been argued, and they decided to commit Siegmund Franck to take his trial for being the keeper of a common nuisance under Terry's Act. The magistrates who adjudicated on the case were Messrs. H. H. Brown and Jeanneret, the former being for an acquittal, and the latter for a committal. The totaliaator has now become a matter for the legal profession to deal with, and, no doubt, it will be the cause of a considerable (utlay in costs ; for if Mr Franck is found guilty by a jury of keeping a common nuifance, he assuredly will appeal, and most probably the Privy Council will eventually have to decide the matter. Little Mousetrap must either have gone to pieces altogether, or his present trainer c-vnnot bring him out in decent form, for by the last Tasmanian files I see that Talley rand, who was not only giving him ten pounds, but fell during the race, beat him easily. The little horse could do better over here. At Tapanni on the Queen's Birthday the racing seems to have gone off well. The chief event of the day, the Birthday Handicap, was won by Little Poll, who defeated •even others, including the Maiden Plate winner, Camden Lad. "Pegasus" informs as that the Cromwell Derby of 1879 has attracted twenty entries, th« greater portion of whom are by Architect,