SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7221, 22 April 1884, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES.

[By Action.] Several wagers have already been booked on next season’s Derby and New Zealand Cup. Trenton and Liverpool have received most support for the former event at 100 to 20, while July has been backed at 100 to 7 for the Cup. The two Liverpool’s were pencilled during the week in one wager at 500 to 10 for the Derby and Cup. Messrs Houghton and Sheenan I hear have disposed of their steeplechaser Hercules. The price, it is whispered, was over 300 guineas.

An offer of 70 sovs was made for Mr Lukey’s Fawn previous to his starting for the Hunt Cup at the late meeting. This offer was accompanied with the proviso that if he won the race Mr Lukey should have the stakes, bar the Cup, but no deal was made. Dan O’Brien, who bid up to 750 guineas for Trenton at the sale of Mr G. G. Stead’s racehorses on Wednesday, afterwards became the purchaser of this colt. The price, it is stated, was either 800 or 850 guineas. The following were the amounts paid over in connection with the late Taranaki meeting:—Mr Tancred, .£363 17s ; Mr Standish, .£289 15s ; Mr Hoskin, £lO4 10s; Mr Stewart, .£47 10s; Mr Panetti, .£3B; Mr Brady, £43 Is; Mr Chadwick, £2B 10s; Mr Bussell, £9 10s ; total, £924 13s. A meeting of the members of the Nelson Jockey Club took place on April 9. Some correspondence was read regarding the disqualification of Mr M'Coll, but after consideration the previous decision was left unaltered. It was resolved that a race meeting be held on the Queen’s Birthday, and that £IOO bo devoted from the funds of the Club towards prizes. The followng programme was drawn up:—l. Handicap Hurdle Race of £25. 2. The match between Forest King and Lady Grey. 3. Hack Eace of £5. 4. Handicap Park Stakes of £3O. 5. Hack Eace of £5. 6. District Waimea Plate, of £2O. 7. Ladies’ Purse of £2O. Dcrrett and Wattie had each three winning mounts at the late Autumn meeting and Lunn, Cotton, Simpson, White, Pui'dham, and Smith, are credited with one each.

The weights for the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s Autumn meeting reflect credit on the handicapper, Mr Griffiths, and can bo pronounced a flattering compilation. For the Welter Handicap I like Minerva, Kingask, Holderness, Youth, Molly Bawn, and Hinorua, but Minerva and Hinorua for choice. Hercules, Black Doctor, or Fawn should win the Timaru Steeplechase. Tasman, Nonsense, Salvage, Ike, The Poet, Rubina, Hippodamia, and Spiuaker look about best for the Cup, but to select throe I should take Tasman or Rubina, Salvage, and Hippodamia, while The Poet has a say should the going bo heavy. Either Mermaid, Hinorua, or Viuco should pull off the District Plato, and the Flying Handicap should bo won by either Rubina, Spinaker, Ike, or Hippodamia. Entries for the N.Z. Grand National Steeplechases close on May 2. The Canterbury Jockey Club netted between £7OO and £BOO over the Autumn meeting, which now places the Club out of debt. The New Zealand Stud Company have been compelled to destroy their stallion

Sterlingworth, as of late ho has been suffering so much from rheumatism that when once- down, he could not rise without assistance. Ho was by out of Chillianwallah, and was only in his ninth year. Mr P. Martin proceeded north, on Friday with Mischief and Forerunner. I regret to say that Mischief broke down while running in the Great Autumn Handicap, and she will not be able to take part in any races for some time to come, but Mr Martin hopes to get her round before the spring. It is seldom, even at a country meeting (says a northern contemporary), that wo hear of a jockey sweeping the board in such a complete manner as did Johnny Farrell at the Helensville meeting on April 1 and 2, for he won the whole nine races in which he started. His first win was on Shotover in the Maiden Plate, and the Bushmen’s Puree, which followed, saw him again home first on Bryan O’Lynn, while the " big money ” was secured by the aid of Woodpecker. The Maiden Hurdles again saw him out on Shotover, and again success was his lot, while he wound up the day's proceedings by snapping the Novel Handicap out of the fire with Hermione. The second day opened with the Publicans’ Pnrse, and this Farrell won with Eewi; while the Hurdle Race, which followed, saw him again home first with Shotover; and the Ladies’ Purse, on Otira, and the Stewards’ Handicap, on Eewi, also fell to the invincible “ Johnny.”