SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 7927, 2 August 1886, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES.

The Geraldine Racing Club's Spring meeting is the first really important one of the season, and will this year take place on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Entries for the Geraldine . Cup, R.C. Handicap, Flying Handicap, and Handicap Hurdles, are due to-day. Qualifications for hunters for the Christchurch Hunt Club Steeplechase Meeting, on August 11, must be obtained especially for that meeting. Past qualificationfi will not be accepted. The poor entry for the principal event at the Waimate Steeplechase meeting is to be explained by the present paucity of horses that can be trusted to get over a fairly big steeplechase country. Faugh-a-Ballagh, after his Grand National running, is perhaps a bit sore. Victor (list 61b) beat The Lad (12st) in the Hurdle Race at the Grand National meeting, and he is now called on to meet Mr Rutherford's chestnut at level weights. He is sound, will get over the country, the distance will suit him, and, if anything happens to The Lad, ought to win. Of the others, Sultan (10at) might be dangerous if he would negotiate the. fences, but this is doubtful. Altogether, on paper, commend us to The Lad. Mr F. Cotton submitted Mr A. Hathorn's racehorses for sale on July 23, but only succeeded in disposing of Spad» Guinea, who was knocked down to Mr James Stark for the sum of 225g5. Last week, however, the mare has returned to her old quarters at Yaldhursfc, R. Mason having purchased her at an increased price. At Mr Cotton's Bale, Faugh-a-Ballagh was also put up to auction, and fell to Mr R. Rutherford's nod at 145 gs. Faugh-a-Ballagh is one of the slow and sure division, and may earn his purchase money over a stiff country, but will always be outpaced if meeting an equally good jumper with a bit more breeding about him than the North Island nag can boast of. For the present Fog remains at P. Butler's stables, but he will probably show up at Waimate. On Wednesday the hurdle race and steeplechase horse Secretary was sold by auction, at Mr F. Cotton's repository. He was knocked down at eighty-five guineas to Mr R. Mason, who, it is believed, was acting for one of his former owners. The betting market in Christchurch, and at every other centre of operations in New Zealand, has been very dull during the past week, the only operations to be recorded are 100 to 5 agst Spade Guinea having been laid to a small amount, but the backer was anxious to obtain 1000 to 40. St Ives has been nibbled at, when 100 to 4 was proffered; and 100's to 3 was taken once or twice about Torori. The other quotations remain unchanged. From an advertisement in another column it will be seen that Mr L. Markey wishes to dispose of his well-known stallion Hibernian, and his other horse, Python, is to let for the season. Both these horses, with butfew opportunities afforded to them, have proved themselves capable of begetting winners, and Python is directly connected with the most famous stallion—Yattendon—that N.S.W. ever possessed. He also has a strain of Arab in him, and the performances of his half-brother Dagworth were such as to lead breeders to value the hardiness given to stock by an infusion of modern Eastern blood. Either of the nags would suit many horse-breeders wholreside at a distance from a district in which they could find suitable stallions, and either of Mr Markey's horses would be sure to be well patronised, as coming from the stables of such a well-known judge of thoroughbred animals. We have received a very neat and conveniently sized book containing the V.R. Club's programme for 1886-87, which also contains a complete list of nominations for all events closed up to date. This is a thoroughly useful reference for any owners or buyers of young racehorses to possess, as entries from New Zealand for the good things of the V.R.C. are year by year increasing in number. Nothing shows the change that has come over racing in Canterbury during the last fifteen years more than the number of young two-year-old thoroughbred stock that are to be seen every morning exercising on the Riccartoa course. Two years old they are by racing law on August 1, but many of them will not really attain that age for some months, and it may be that amongst those who carry silk in the flutter at the Plumpton Park meeting on Sept. 15 will be some of the most juvenile of the contingent now working at Riccarton. Last year Galatea and Vinaigrette were amongst the competitors, and both fillies went through a hard season's work, the former especially having done a lot of travelling. This year the contingent of young ones is even more forward than last season, and this in spite of broken weather, which has unavoidably rendered the training tracks bad going, and the constant crossing and re-crossing of the' course has cub it up in several places. If more scraping-boxes are erected, it would not be a bad idea to have some on the inside of the tracks, as they would be handy for the nags when pulled up after a sweat or fast gallop. Dan O'Brien has three juveniles in work, and of these Sextant, the Robinson Crusoe—Sunshine colt, is perhaps the pick at present. He is a good mover and a remarkably even tempered, quiet gentleman, and in which respect he is imitated by his stable companion Authentic, by Hornby—Deceit. The third of the string is Black and Rose, by Apremont En Avant, and this rare-bred one must be valuable if she never races a yard, though it. is to be hoped with such blood as she possesses that she may have the gift of going. Ted Cutts has the largest number of young ones under his charge, and prominent amongst them are the two Drummer colts, Captain Wheeler and Wakatipu. They are both of fair size, but the smaller of the two has most friends, but they should both pay their way. Neither Crutchfield, by Cadogan —Puriki, nor Golden Crest, by Apremont— Aurifera, appear to be anything out of the common, and Mr Clifford has hardly got a Stoneyhurst in either of them. The Martyr colt is a good looking one, and the Sb George—Red Rose youngster moves in rare, style, but the sister to Galatea is cursed with a most wayward temper, and it is to be hoped will quiet down a bib before she faces a starter. The Anteros— My Idea colt, now called Bronte, gave his trainer a great deal of trouble when first brought down from Auckland, as he suffered persistently from scouring. He has apparently got over this trouble, and as far as can be seen, gets over the ground in good style, and may be termed promising, even if not likely to rival the deeds of his half brother Nelson. Perhaps like the latter, he may not come to hand early, and it should lie remembered that the Anteros stock wear remarkably well, and improve with age. Another inmate of a box at Chokebore Lodge is Lorraine, and this aptly named son of Apremont and Maria Theresa was the first of the batch to receive the rudiments of his education. There are others in the stable, however, that show more promise, and he does not at present look like furnishing into a high-class racehorse. Of Mr P. Butler's trio, Artemis, by Albany—Luna, is very small, but appears as quick as a rabbit, but the Bundooia—Miss Sykes colt, Northcote by name, is a lengthy fair-boned gentleman, and albeit he might be a little more fashionably bred he may yet make some of the patricians gallop. The ApremontHammock filly, Repose, is light and poor in her lower thighs, but it must not be forgotten that Somnus was a rare good two-year-old, though he was a bit on [the leg j when he made his bow to the publia,

Parsing on to Mr Stead's lot, the Apremont —Miss Flat filly cannot be' found fault with in the matter of looks, and she is really as nice a filly as her brother Chantilly is a colt. Whether she can gallop or not time will prove, but she ought to be a bit faster than her brother was last year, if she is to bring grist to the mill. The sister to Fair Nell, Enid, is like her on the small side, but what there is of her is full of quality. The Hornby—La Mode youngster, Count D'Orsay, has not yet joined the string, bat he is not a bad looking one, and does not lack size. The Musket-Realiza-tion colt is another big one, and he has a sweet temper, but when moving his action is high in front and a bit clambering. He has not yet learned to gallop. W. Milne has the Apremont—Miss Kate colt, Sultan, in hand. He is a grand topped one, not very large, but his forelegs are deficient, he is a bit pinched in at the elbows, and has very light arms. His loins and back generally, and his thighs and hocks are, good, and he comes of rare speedy blood on the dam's side. He is an improvement on Antelope, his elder brother, who is but very moderate. Harry Thompson has a filly of Mr Westmacott's by Albany—Mignon as good-looking as anything on the ground; but she is decidedly backward and will not be dressed in her best in the spring, and she is the sort that will not stand hurrying. T. Stewart has a chestnut filly by Bundoora—Mireille in hand, and she, too, is not half a bad sort, having been well done when youngs but she has a touch of the old mare's temper, and is not so kind 1 as her elder half-sister Mirella. Webb's brother to Ruby promises to be a bigger animal than the Champagne winner, and, if he is as good, the Bush Inn stables will turn out another winner before the season is far through, as the veteran has not lost his cunning when he has any decent material to work with, though the stable has not been in great form during the' last few years. Last on the list for the present are the Hon W. Robinson's pair, Enfilade (brother to Nordenfeldt) and Engagement (sister to Martini-Henry). The first is a soberlooking fellow, fills the eye well, and appears to have good understandings, but it is doubtful if he is an early sprinter. He looks more like going on and doing a good thing later in life than shining in Welcomes or Nursery Stakes. The filly is smart, but she had a lot of flesh on her, and even now carries plenty of beef. They i both appear to be blessed with the evenest ! of temperaments, and it is needless to say backers will have nothing to find fault j with in the matter of condition when Ray [ delivers them at the post. Of all the lot mentioned the most likely-looking for ] stakes decided early in the spring may be found in Sextant, one of the two Drummer colts, Captain Wheeler or Wakatipu, and i Artemis or Northcote; but it is at present merely guessing in the dark, and they must do more on the track before any real opinion as to their merits can-be formed. . INTERPROVINCIAL GOSSIP. [PBOM OUB OWN COBBBSPOKDENTS.] Auckland, July 28. The Auckland Derby winner, Foul Shot, is making an excellent recovery from the firing which he recently underwent. Every chance is to be given the fine son of Musket to again stand a severe preparation, and he will not be taken up until very late in the season. The Anteros^— Sylvia colt, Silver Prince, has, I understand, been leased by some of the patrons of Kelly's stable, and the colt ha 3 departed from Sylvia Park to receive his education. Should he show enough promise the chances are that he will be sent down to fulfil his engagements in the Hawke's Bay Guineas in October. From the Sydney papers by to-day's steamer, I gather that Trenton has gone into Lamond's stable, and -the Messrs Cooper are freely mentioned as his owners. Since he arrived, the son of Musket has been freely supported by the public for the Melbourne Cup, and he is now equal favourite with Silvermine for that race at 100 to 5. The last-named has been further supported for the Caulfield Cup to win about .£IO,OOO, taken at 1000's to 40 and 50. Dunbdin, July 26. Mr Wright has, I believe, determined to put Cassowary into training again to give him another chance to show whether he can race. James Cotton thinks that Peter Osbeck would have nearly won the Grand National but for his accident, which occurred at a particularly easy jump, and was caused simply by the horse slipping his footing in attempting to take off from the bank of a ditch. Mr Sydney. James has issued the new rules of racing in book form, and comprised within the covers are the Club's independent constitution, totalisator rules, and betting rules. The work should be particularly easy of reference, seeing that Mr James, assisted by his son, have compiled a new index, whioh is more perfect than that appended to the book as issued by the C.J.C. July 28. The programmes officially passed by the Dunedin Jockey Club for the week are those of the Lake County meeting, held Sept. 25, where the total stakes are j 680; and the Alexandra meeting on Oct. 1, stakes £9O. The Cromwell Club, in acknowledging Mr Sydney James' circular, state that they cheerfully acquiesce with the requirements of the new rules of racing, but would respectfully suggest " that some provision be made for the representation of country Clubs' interests." It is not easy to understand what this suggestion means, unless representation on the D.J.C. Committee is requested. The interests of country Clubs are identical with those of town. Clubs, and all bodies are equally looked after by the new rules. Nelson is virtually first favourite herefor the New Zealand Cup, at tens, though Lochiel seems firmer than last week.