Sporting Notes.

Lake County Press, Issue 787, 23 December 1897, Page 7

Sporting Notes.

[By Peeping' Tom.] Owners will bear in mind that acceptances for the Grand Stand and Flying Handicaps, also 2J mile trot, to be decided on the first day of C.J.C’s race meeting close with the secretary Mr J. Marshall at S o’clock tomorrow evening. Entries must also be senr in at the same time for the first day’s back races. In commenting on the handicap for the 24 mile trot, in last week’s issue I have to express my regret at having fallen into a serious blunder in regard to The Boy’s performances. I may say that I relied chiefly upon the list of even time trotters or under just published in the i 'tigo Witness, and compiled by that journal’s careful and most reliable sporting writer “ Mazeppa.” Th« Boy’s name does not appear in the list at all, and as I knew him to have been a winner at Tahuna Park last June, I most naturally concluded that his winning performance was above even time, and did not trou. le to look up back files regarding this horse’s trotting at Tahuna Park and elsewhere. Looking up the Weekly Press I find The Boy was S'. cond to Lauderdale in the 2-mile saddle-trot, was beaten 35 yards, the winner’s time being smin. 37sec. The Boy ■was first in the 2-mile harness-trot, tune smin. 4/aec. and 3rd to Kelpie and Stirling Lad in another 2-mile harness-trot. Kelpie winning in omin. Msec, and conceding The Boy IGsec., but as the latter was only third we can hardly clsss himasdoiiit; omin. 36see. in this last named event. Kelpie is reported as beating Stirling Lad by six lengths and The Boy would probably Le some distance behind the latter. Summing up the three, performances herein referred to, 1 should say The Boy is equal to smin. 42.-:ec. for two mile* at his best, a rattling good go too. I ▼ery much regret having underrated this horse’s merits in my notes of last week, and must apologise to Mr H. Partridge the Cromwell handicapper for having made statements derogatory to his work in appor tioning the starts for the 2$ mile trot. I now consider that bis treatment of The Boy is very fair and that the latter has a good enough chance of success if in anything like his best form.

Below will be found the nominations for L.C.J.C. races. They are fairly numerous in all cases, aud a perusal of the list shows that quality is well represented. If a number of the horses engaged perform at Wyndbam aud Invercargill it is hardly likely that they will come to Franktou as the fixtures follow too closely upon one another. Old Prime Warden for instance can hardly be expected to stand three race meetings and railway and boat travelling within a space of eight days, but I expect to see a fair percentage of the younger aud sounder horses paying a visit to Frankton, The handicaps for first day will appear in Otago Daily Times, Southland Times, and Lake County Press on Thursday the 29th of December and Wakatipu Mail of the 30th. Mr Romans will also make arrangements to wire the weights to Cromwell -and Blacks so that owners will be posted up as to how their horses are treated.

Regarding my impressions for the Cromwell events, on the first day, I am very much in accord with what “ The Fly ” tips in the Cromwell Argus. Grand Stand— The Orphan 1, Silrercrown 2. Dei by—Gold Ring. Flying—The Orphan 1, Trixie 2. Mile Trot—Frank 1, The Boy 2, Hit or Miss 3.

Queenstown Handicap.—Decoy, The Orphan, Zephyr, Stockfish, Rosalgier, Wild Wave, Senior Wrangler. Grand Stand Handicap.—Stockmaid, Silvercrown, Emmeline, St. Patrick, Zephyr, Stockfish, Trixie, Wild West, Prime Warden.

Publican's Handicap.—Stockmaid, Decoy, The Orphan. St. Patrick, Zephyr, Stockfish, Rosalgier, Trixie, Wild Wave, Senior Wrangler, Dumlop, Battlefield. Jockey Club Handicap,—Stockmaid, Silvercrowu, Emmeline, The Orphan, Greeba, St. Patrick, Zephyr, Stockfish, Trixie, Wild Wave, Wild West, Prime Warden. Stewards’ Welter.—•‘Stockmaid, Decoy, Getaway, Zephyr, Stockfish, Rosalgier, Wild West, Senior Wrangler, Dumlop. Flying Handicap —Stockmaid, Decoy, The Orphan, Greeba, St. Patrick. Zephyr, Stockfish, Rosalgier, Trixie, Gold Ring, Senior Wrangler, Dumlop, Battlefield. Time Trot l^miles, —Maori Jack, Taipo, Pearson, Frank, Lunacy, Kentucky Maid, Hit or Miss, Stockman, The Boy, Native, Albatross, Little Jane, Miss Palmer, Dick (Wilson’s).