SPORTING NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2328, 17 January 1893, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

f Tbident. 1 Nominations of colts and fillies for Sires Hack Produce Stakes, to be run at Hawera in February, 1896, close on Saturday, 25th February, 1893, at 9 p.m. Weights for the Waimate Handicap, Hawera Welter, Flying Handicap and Egmont Handicap will be deolarbd on 25th January.

As the time is drawing near, it is perhaps as well to remind nominators that the first acdeptanoe of 10s for the Egrcont Sires' Hack Produce Stakes, to be run at Hawera in February, 1895, becomes due on Saturday, 11th February, 1893.

In connection with the Summer Meeting of the Egmont Racing Club, owners are reminded that nominations and general entries for the following events are to be made on Tuesday, 24th January, 1893, at 9 p.m. :— Sapling Stakes (2 soys), Nursery Handicap (1 soy), First Handicap Hack Hurdles (1 soy), Second Handicap Hack Hurdles (1 soy), First Handicap Hack Flat (1 soy), Second Handicap Hack Flat (1 soy).

Members of the Stratford Eaoing Club are in high glee at the prospect of a successful, meeting on Thursday next. There are good acceptances and entries for the various events. The privileges fetched a good figure—a total of £153 having been realised, the gates realising £61. The races are creating a good deal of interest, and given a fine day there is sure to be a good attendance.

Taranaki Jockey Club is going to offer 150 soys. for a Hack Derby, to be run on Boxin? Day, 1894. The conditions will be published shortly. The same club has decided to erect some more loose boxes in the saddling paddook for the further accommodation of horses.

lonic has gone into Mr. D. Teed's stable, and it is said that be will make his re- appearance on the turf later in the season.

Waverlev and Waitotara Eaoing Club has an attractive programme for the 17th March. A sum of £300 will be given in prizes, spread over eight events. This is a very popular gathering, and no doubt there will be good entries.

Calvi, by Nelson— The Maid, was recently purchased in Auokland by a Taranaki sporting man for 50 guineas. She is a three-year-old ohestnut filly, and performed unsuccessfully at the late Auokland meeting. She ran eeoond in the County Handicap, and third in the Keoovery Stakes.

Mr. W. Douglas, of Napier, is retiring from racing, but it is said he will devote bis attention to breeding.

The barring of St. Hippo on the totalisator in the raoe for the Auckland Derby baß been adversely criticised. I have a distinct recollection of the same practice having been resorted to on the Egmonfc racecourse.

The reserve on Craokahot was 500 guineas. He has been taken back to Christohuroh. An offer of 450 guineas was refused for him before he left Auck« land.

St. Hippo has won £2809 in stakes this season.

Mangere, who won the last Auckland Steeplechase, is by the Isaac Walton horse Billingsgate. He was bred by Mr. Spratt, now a resident of Hawera, and having met with an accident while a foal was disposed of at a very low figure. The time oi the race is the slowest for seven years past, but that may be accounted for by the unpropitious state of the weather. Alter he won the race it is reported that £500 was offered for him, but a modest £1000 was asked for the son of Billings, gate, and this put a stop to business. I should rather fancy it did. It is said that the gelding was sold for i-11 a short time since.

The performances of the colt St. Hippo in the New Zealand Gup and Auckland Cap fully entitles him (saya "Hippona" in the Auckland Star) to be ranked as the greatest three-year- old that has raced in this colony, and it farther justifies him in being placed on equal terms with Carbine when a three-year-old. At that time Carbine's best performance over a distance of ground was in the Sydney Cup of two miles, run in the autumn of 1889, Mr. Wallace's grand old champion carried 9st, and ran the distance in 3min. 31sec. In the month of Deoember St. Hippo carries Bst 91b, and runs the same distance in Bmin. 3Ojßec., which time, no doubt, the colt could have reduced l£sec. Farther it must be remembered that on the weignt-for-age scale a threeyear-old ia set down to improve 71b from the month of December to April, ao that altogether St. Hippo's great Auckland Cap feat stands out as a remarkable equine feat. St. Hippo was raised in the Sylvia Park paddock, and at the sale of the stud on January 6th, 1891, he waß bought by Mr. Alfred Kidd, bnt before many days had lapsed he beoame the joint property of Mr. L. D. Nathan ana Mr. T. Mortin, at 100 guineas. The

latter afterwards parted with hie interest, and Mr. Nathan became the sole owner. St. Hippo did not perform successfully as a two-yaar-old, Altogether be has started in thirteen racee, having. .won eight, twice eeoond, and twice unplaced. He was to be shipped yesterday (Monday) for Sydney, and bis racing career on the other Bide will be watched with interest by New Zealand sporting. men. Tbe correspondent of the Auokland Weekly News, writing irom Tokaanu, Taupo, says: — At the Christmas sports held here on Deoember 26tb, a deaf and dumb native named Wharerangi Matuahu accomplished tbe feat of covering 46ft lAin in the hop, step, and jump, correctly measured with a tape by Europeans present. It is such a feat that I think it worth sending yon for publication. If any person doubt it, he oan be accommodated to the tune of £50 that tbe same boy (about 19 years of age), properly trained, wiil cover 47ft. His bop is 191t.