SPORTING NEWS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 370, 12 July 1897, Page 2

SPORTING NEWS.

[By Gipsy Grand.] The Grand National Steeplechase at Melbourne on Saturday was won by Hayseed, Vigil second and Confidence third. Twelve started. Confusion and Woonoke fell, the latter being killed. The protest entered against Swordfish at Wellington last Saturday on the ground that the owner was on the forfeit list has brought forth a strange decision. The Stewards decided not to entertain the protest and awarded the stakes to Swordfish. Davies, owner and trainer of Swordfish, figures on the forfeit list no less than in four places, and the ruling of the Wellington Club appears to be in the direction of discarding the value of the " black page." There is evidently something wrong that requires to be righted. WELLINGTON STEEPLECHASE MEETING. The following results arrived after press hour on Saturday and were published as an extra : Winter Oats, 1 mile. Voltaire (McTaggart) .. 1 Mauser ... ... ... 2 Ivalmea ... ... ... 8 All started. W&n by a neck. Time, lmin 56secs. Div., £l3 7s. Trial Steeple, 2 miles. Redberry (Hall) ... 1 Huntington ... ... 2 Barman and Rhodenc Dhu also started, but both fell with Huntington. Cochrane, rider of the latter, was hurt. Huntington was caught and ridden by McMorrin, one of the spectators, but the horse again fell and remounted and finished second. Time, Smina 50secs. Div., £2 lis. Bracelet, 2 miles. King of the Downs ... 1 Tricky Jack ... ... 2 Coastguard ... ... 3 Only starters. Time, 4mins 15secs. Div., £1 18s. Final Hack, 6 furlongs. Swordfish ... ... 1 Guardsman ...' Vaseline... ... *~B All started but Sundial, Awatere, and Raupo. Won easily. Time, lmin 22secs. Div. £5 9s. A protest waa lodged on the ground that winner waa on the forfeit list. The protest was not sustained.