SPORTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6870, 7 March 1883, Page 3

SPORTING.

SPORTING NOTES FROM ENGLAND. [Br Hraios.] loraoH, Jan. 12,1855. The new year, so far, has not augured well lor the national pastime at “ Bfeme,” for scarcely had it dawned upon us, than the papers announced the death of one of ite staunchest supporters in Lord Stamford, while a day or two later a great sire in Oremorne was recorded os dead. Lord Stamford, I have said, was a staunch patron of racing ; ay, at the present moment I cannot call to mind a sportsman who has spent such princely sums apon a sport he loved so well. Like most men, whether great or small, he was not without his faults, but in his early career perhaps he had grounds for growing suspicious, rad this was one of the causes of his constantly changing his trainers. Still, his ambition was to own good hortes, and if he never succeeded in carrying off the most coveted prixe at Epsom, the Oaks and Two and One Thousand Guineas had fallen to his •hare. His chance in the St Leger was never so great as lost season, whan Gcheimnies had odds laid upon her. All the world, however/ knows how public form was then upset, rad of the easy manner in which she succumbed to Dutch Oven. Still, during the period that the pretty light-blue rad blackfaelted jacket was sported on our racecourses, never hod such a blow been dealt to the Lord of Bradgato than when Geheimniss struck her flog at Doncaster. Connected with his lordship’s early career were some good horses, and Diopbantus, when he won the Two Thousand, was credited with ruining the Rowley mile in the fastest time on recordImin 43seo. In the Derby, like Archimedes, ho failed, bat Lady Augusta o« wellaaGeheimniss credited the now deceased lord with the Oaks. Rupee, winner of the Ascot Gap, Gemma, an Eastern Counties Handicap winner, Gbibisa, a New Stokes hero, Walloon, Oombuscan, King of Hearts, Oerintho, Little Lady, Emily, Brick, Goosander, Citadel, Laysedes, Imsne, and Limosina were among the numerous horses that had sported bis colours, rad his death is much to be regretted, for he had, to his own thinking at least, found a trainer to bis liking in John Porter. Lord Stamford did not alono confine himself to the turf, and may bo described as an " all round ” sportsman. He was a very fair cricketer in his early days, and a staunch preserver of both game rad foxes, indeed, at one time, he was master of the Quora Hunt rad spent a considerable sum of moneyinbuilding stabling and kennels at Bradgate. The game on the last-named estate was enormous, rad only ft season ago, when the Prince of Walee woe his lordship's guest, the bag was something tremendous. Still it did not come up to the greatest bag on record some years previously. Lord Stamford was a good shot, and at Enville in one day his gun was credited with no fewer than 176 k brace of partridges. In conclusion, I may add that hie lordship wae a descendant from Lady Jane Grey, and was one of the most wealthy peers extent At a rough compilation hie estates in Leicestershire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, Yorkshire and Worcestershire, amount in the aggregate to the largo total of 31,000 acres of land, all of which come to the revered Earl, his successor. And next to deal with Gremorne. I was not surprised to hear of his death, for if my memory servo me right a very good judge who bad seen him sold after Mr Henry Barilo’s death told me that the swollen leg and humour that it possessed would doubtless shorten hie career at the stud. Mr Barilo’s successor to the Bufford estates, however, then gave 6400g5, and it was only natural that Mr Lumlcy should like to retain a horse that had done so much service for his late owner, I am not going to say that Gremorne was the best horse that ever looked through a bridle, but bis performance* stamp him a* one of the best of his age. His two-year-old career was brilliant, and he only twice suffered defeat. The greatest Wow was when the slashing chestnut Prince Ohivrlio finished in front of him in the Criterion, and again managed to confirm the form in the Two Thousand, but the Derby saw Oremorne tu« the tables. Prince Charlie was here beaten far enough. The extra diptenoe wss all against his roaring propensities, rad what is more, toe “ hill" was against one with such ra immense stride. Still, with the veritable Frinoe out of the way, Oremorne did not have such an easy task of it. From the Bell I shall ce?sr forgot tho oxoitoroowt whon be was steadily challenged by the almost unknown Fell Moll. Stride after stride did the latter close with the bearer ol the yellow end red cap, rad In the opinion of the judge, the outsider would have gained the verdict bad the pair bad another few yard* to go. In such » dose tiling, it was • relief to see the favourite's number hoisted. Although here ho appeared to be stopping, Oremorne was an excellent stayer, ft* will as being possessed with speed. He wu not engaged in the bt Leger, and, perhaps, his best performance was in the City and Suburban, when bo failed to give Mornington 171 b, and the latter the next day beat afield of good horns in the MetropoUtan. The Gup and Alexandra Plata at Aioot be pulled off tha same week, and he was never the same after* ward* i indeed, it was a pify tojet him (cripple as he was) compete with Flageolet rad another Derby winner in Favonlns for the Goodwood Gup. which terminated his oareer. After bis defeat here Mr William Blenkiron offered IO.OOOgs for him for Middle Park, but Mr flavile preferred to keep him for Bufford. Kerroewa is undoubtedly the best racer of Comoro*’* offspring, rad I may add that he was the sire of Oadogra, a horse now located in New Zealand, aad onettat I always thought ought to have won the Two Thousand

Guineas. Idle Me father, however, he got no nearer than second.

Writing of Oremerne calls my attention to the feat thst his old opponent Prince Charlie w*« lately offered for sale at TattersaU's. It is true that he is a roarer, but even with this, 6Sogs seemed a small figure for a horse that woe once called " Prince oi the 0.0,” Whispers, however, were abroad that something further was wrong with the chestnut, and after the blinks and nods in the yard it was not surprising that Mr Tiitterssli should have obtained bntfißOgs for him. The horse goes into Norfolk, Mr T. h. Used, well known in the coursing world, being his purchaser. The sale of Prince Charlie was nothing like so exciting or interesting as the disposal of Isonoray, the week previous, at the same mart. This groat ana sterling horse came up with the late Ur F. Oration's horses in training and, as times go, OOOOgs was a very good price. A more boneefc home never put foot to turf, hut ae a eire he was untried, and on tine ground the partiec that went in for him were simply epooulating. John Porter, (he ,late trainer, bid for him, it was laid, on behalf of the Duke of Weetminster, but the final bid came from Alec, Taylor, who had a oommiiibn on behalf of Mr W. 8. Crawford, wbo, with the Duohei* of Montrose, is sojourning In the " sunny South.” More than once of late years have 1 sung the praiioe ol leonomy, end, to my thinking, he was the beet hone , over a distance of ground that I ever saw. Still in appearance ue was not to be compared with Oremorne, Petrarch, or the Newminster hones generally. It woe not that he pocaoetod a deal of bone like the Sjookwell* either, leonomy, when in the box or walking paces, was not a taking horse to the eye, but when in action he was a lion, and his beet points lay behind the saddle. Preetonprae, I thought, at an exposed horse, was a desr purchase at IBOOgs, bat I was not surprised to find the throe-year-old Acrostic realise 1400 et. This colt goes into good hand*, and I hope he may win many races for Mr Briscoe, hie new owner, At this period of the year, folks saunter in and out of the olubs, and the nsnal greeting seems to bo, “ What do you kr-ow ?” Every now and again you get a little group together that will talk about the Derby, because they have little else to occupy their minds. The betting that has taken place upon the Derby has so far been of a forced nature, and favouritism is divided between Maoheath, Beau Brummel, and Falmen, 10 to 1 being the beet ofl'er against each. Lodislse has been supported at 100 to 7, and Prince to win at least £6OOO at the same odds.