SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8195, 14 June 1887, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

By ringing"the changes with the jockeys on Friendship and Tamora in tho Birthday Cup at Takapuna on Mav 24 (says “ Phaeton,” in the Auckland Weekly News) tho public were considerably mystified. When the horses took their preliminary, Taylor was seen on Tamora, while Williams was up on Friendship, the colours of course being reversed to those figuring on the card. At the hack of the course, however, just previous to the start, Taylor and Williams were seen to dismount, and change horses. As Friendship swept into tho straight, the backers of Tamora thought they were “in it,” "and were considerably chagrined when they found they had been “ put away.” Such tricks as these should not bo-allowed, and it is a‘matter for regret that George Wright should have resorted to such an act in order to blind the public. Takapuna races are, as a rule, free from this kind of thing, and it is to bo hoped that the next time such acts as the above are indulged in the Stewards will promptly bring the offenders to book, for their bounden duty is to stand by the public. So great has the rage become in India for pony races that the Calcutta Club has a race included in their January programme called the Eclipse Pony Stakes, for ponies under 13 hands 2 inches, equally as rich as the Viceroy’s Cup, viz., 7000 rupees. There need no longer be any surprise at the eagerness with which Indian traders and agents in the Colonies snap up anything good ir. tho shape of a pony. The imported stallion Fcve, perhaps best known in this part of the Colony as the sire of the consistent little Patrician, died at Foxtou on May 31. Fevo, who was first imported to South Australia by Sir James Fergusson, was by Lord Clifdcn, a St Leger winner, out of Haricot, half-sister to Blink Bonny. The veteran Lifebuoy, after winning the Novel Race at the Taranaki meeting, was sold for £l3 10s.

From American files we gather further particulars of the race for the Two Thou-

sand. The starters were Enterprise, Phil, Eglamore, Florentine, Hugo, Qrandison, Lovegold, and Eiridspord. The betting at the post was—2 to 1 agst Enterprise, 6to 1 agst Eglamore, 7 to 1 each agst Lovegold and Grandison, 10 to 1 each agst Phil and Florentine, 20 to 1 agst Hugo, and 40 to 1 agst Eiridspord. Enterprise won rather easily by half a length, and Phil beat Eglamore by the same distance for second place. Time—lmin 45|sec. The Grand Prize of Paris, run on Juno 4, was won by Tenebreuse, a filly by Mourle or Saxifrage out of New Stax-. Tenebreuse was only out once last season, when she was beaten out of place at Chantilly in a small race for two-year-old fillies ; but this season she was more successful at the Paris Spring meeting on April 24, where she won the Poule d’Essai for three-year-old fillies. The defeated Derby favourite. The Baron, was second for the Grand Prize, and Baron Schicler’s Krakatoa, by Thunderbolt—Little Sister, who performed very indifferently on the Continent as a two-year-old, was third. The nominations for the Melbourne Cup fourteen less than the number received.last year. Enfilade, Silver Prince, Disowned, Spade Guinea, Thunderbolt, Pasha, Tranter, Mana, Escutcheon, Whakawai, Trenton, Niagara, Krupp, Industry, Nelson, Too Soon, Bangle and Sextant are some of the nominations that will arrest the attention of New Zealanders. The Caulfield Cup has received 11 Gentries, and the Champion Race fifty-two, and from Sydney we learn that sixty-four entries, including Spade Guinea, Pasha, Teddy Tuille, Too Soon, Queenie, Escutcheon, Mana, Rosebud, Industry, and Trenton, have been received for the A.J.C. Metropolitan Stakes. A telegram from Wellington states that the charge against H. J. Rogers under the Gaming and Lotteries Act for being concerned in promoting race consultations, was dismissed on the ground that it was not proved that the accused had received any money. The Lower Heathcote Racing Club has issued theprogramme of its Jubilee Trotting meeting, to be held on June 22, There will be seven events, with added money amountin gto£ 15 5, and j übilee prizes, valued at .£7O, will bo presented to the riders of first, second, and third horses. The handicaps will be due on June 14, so the results must, to some extent, be anticipated by the trotting at Lancaster Part, but penalties have been provided for winners. A somewhat arbitrary condition of the programme is that all deposits made with protests shall go to the Disabled Jockeys’ Fund.

Carlton, by Pell Mell—Bonny Spec, who started first favourite for the last Cambridgeshire Stakes and finished third, and ran second for the City and Suburban Handicap on April 20, won the Manchester Cup on June 2. At a meeting of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club, held on Tuesday evening, the programme of the Steeplechase meeting to be held on J uly 9 underwent considerable revision. It was decided to strike out the local Hurdle Handicap and the Selling Hack Hurdles from the lirogramme already advertised, and substitute two flat races, viz.. Flying Handicap of 40 sovs, three quarters of a mile, and Welter Handicap of 60 sovs, one mile and a quarter. The date of all nominations was extended to June 23.

At the annual meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club held on May 30, a balancesheet showing the assets of the Club to be ■£l34 5s 6d, and the liabilities £7O Is 6d, was submitted and adopted. The recommendations of the Napier Conference in connection with the totalieator were adopted, and the following officers were appointed for the ensuing year Stewards ; Messrs Standish, Samuel, Cutfield, Davis, Govett, Berry, N. King, and R. G. Bauchope, Captain Mace, and Dr O'Carroll. Committee : Messrs Ellis, Berry, Paul. R. G. Bauchcpe, N. King, C. W. Govett, J. B. Roy, G. J. Newman, W. L. Newman, J, T. Davis, R. Cock, W. F. Downes, and A. Bayly. Judge; Mr J, Paul. Starter: Captain Mace. Hon Secretary and Treasurer : Mr J. Paul. Clerk of the Course: Mr C. Messenger. After a lengthy discussion it was resolved that £IOOO should bo raised upon debentures at 8 per cent for the purpose of building a new grand stand and effecting other necessary improvements. Ac the Inangahua Queen’s Birthday races, a local jockey named Williams piloted every winner during the day’s sport. The Paris correspondent of the Field, referring to the suppression of betting in France and the introduction of the parimutuel, says : —Although it has been arranged that betting by the pari-mutuel shall be allowed in future, some time must elapse before the machinery for this form of speculation can be ready; and, until thou, the receipts at the various meetings will continue to exhibit a lamentable decrease, for the general public will not attend the races unless they can enjoy a little betting. It is true that at the last two or three meetings at Auteuil and Lon gch amps the police have been much less severe in their interpretation of the ministerial circular, . or, to be exact, have almost ignored the existence of betting to the book; but those who speculate in small sums and with ready money do not derive any benefit from this, and there is therefore no inducement for them to incur the expense of coming out to Auteuil and the Bois de Boulogne, until some method is adopted by which they can enjoy a little harmless gambling. The pari mutual system of betting affects too many vested interests not to excite considerable hostility ; but, if properly conducted, there is no reason why it should not answer. It has been objected that it may become the medium of fraud upen the public, but I do not quite see how, even when worked by private individuals, while the possibility of any fraud being committed by the French Jockey Club and the Society of Steeplechases,- who will have the working of it at Longchamps and Auteuil, is not suggested even by the bookmakers and listuien, whom it deprives of many clients. The profit derived from the totaliscrs is to be divided in equal shares between the race fund and the poor of the city, and a similar arrangement will be enforced at meetings in the provinces. Nothing can be fairer than this ; and if a special betting ring is formed for those who speculate in large sums and book their bets, it seems to me that no one will have any cause for complaint. Bub the sooner the settlement is carried oiit the better it will bo for the interests of breeders, as the deficiency in the receipts each day must eventually be so much loss for them in the form of added money. The training tracks at Riccarton have much improved during the recent fine weather, and the tan is again fit for fast work.

The Plumpton Park Coursing Club is at present in communication with the Grand National Steeplechase Club, with a view to arranging that the Waterloo and Grand National meetings shall be held in the same week. Such an arrangement, we feel sure, would be to-.the advantage of both institutions, and we tiiut the negotiation*’ will bo brough to a successful issue. /• Since the establishment of the Derby in 1780 (says an exchange), there have been several occasions on which the odds have been laid on the favourite at the start, aud it is worthy of note that in only throe cases have they been floored. Last year 9 to 4 was laid on Ormonde; in 18(>(», 0 to 3 on Lord Lyon, and the other cases wore ; —I7BS, Sir Thomas, (1 to 5 on ; 1759, Skyscraper, 7 to 4 on ; 1792, John Bull, 6 to 5 on ; 1831, Itiddlcsworth, C to 4 on ; and 1870, Macgregor, 0 to 4 on. Jliddlesworth, Macgregor, and The Baron are therefore the only ones that have been beaten in the “ blue riband ” when the odds were “ on.”

Wo learn from Auckland that it is probable Bello, the champion chaser in the North Island, will journey to Canterbury to take part in the Grand National. News comes from Sydney that it was Lord Dudley who is said to have wagered Lord Carrington .£IO,OOO to £IOO that the Hon James White would not win an English Derby within the next ten years. The tale may be true (says “Olympus” in Melbourne Punch), but it would take as much rock salt as is usually deposited at a station dam to enable me to swallow the yarn. , Thie appearance of the entries for the Melbourne Cup and other events at the

V.R.C. Spring meeting, giving some indication of the probable movements of several horses engaged in the New Zealand Cup and C.J.C. Derby, has led to some wagering in connection with the local events. The omission of Nelson’s name from tbe Victorian list of nominations, caused something like a sensation for an hour or two, but on enquiry at the C.J.C. ollice it was found that the horse had been duly entered for the Cup and Champion, and people who in the meantime had accepted 100 to 6 about the big chestnut for the New Z'ealand Cup were not best pleased with their morning’s work. Sextant, under the same circumstances, was backed for the Cup and Derby, but as soon as backers found that engagements had been made for the colt on the other side they were not disposed to go on. The fact that Lochiel has not been nominated for any of the Flemington events has led to Mr Stead’s horse being made first favourite for the New Zealand Cup, and he is now quoted at 100 to 7. Maxim, whose name is also conspicuous by its absence from tbe V.E.O. nominations, has hardened for the Derby, and is now firm at 2 to 1, while 100 to 5 would be taken about his chances for the Cup. A little money has been laid out on account of Silence during the week, but the transactions have not been of a character to suggest that the party behind the son of Marie Antoinette have any particular fancy for their representative. The reported run on Beresford must have been of the mildest description, as few of the local books have even written his name, and none for anything like a stake. The prospect of Too Soon going to Melbourne has checked enquiries which were made for this colt a fortnight ago, and others with Australian engagements 'are for the time left alone. Ruby, Hermitage, Gipsy King, Tit Bit, Artillery, Derwer.ter, Torrent, Fair Nell, Silvermark, and Lady Norah have been named by small backers, but there have been no transactions of any importance. Our Dunedin correspondent telegraphs: —The Otago Hunt Club hold races at Fortuity on June 21. I understand a totalisator license will not be applied for. The Example set by the Auckland and Wellington Clubs in introducing a couple of open flat races into the programmes of thoir steeplechase meetings, might with advantage be followed by the Grand National Steeplechase Club. There would he no lack of entries, and the additional events would he popular with owners and the public, and undoubtedly profitable to the Club. It is almost time, by the way, that arrangements were made for laying off the steeplechase course at Riecarton ; recent alterations made by the Jockey Club will necessitate the selection of an entirely new line of country. The following New Zealand horses, in addition to those named in the list cabled from Melbourne, have been nominated for the various events at the V.R.C. and V.A.T.C. meetings : , Melbourne Cup.— Sextant, Nelson, Bangle. Champion Stakes. —Sextant, Nelson. V.R.C. Derby, 1888.—Carbine, Manton, Cuirassier, Braemar, Pearl Shell, br c by MusketLady Eavensworth, cb e by Leolinus— Lovebird. V.R.C. St Leger, 1889. Br cby Musket Lady Ravensworth, ch c by Leolinus—Lovebird, Cuirassier, Braemar, Pearl Shell. Ascot Vale Stakes. —Braemar, Pearl Shell, Chain Shot. V.R.C. Foal Stakes, 1889.—8 c by St George— Rupee, blk f by Sb George—ldalia, b c by St George—Mrs Eawdon, cb f by St George —Flattery. Caulfield Guineas. —Chain Shot, Exchange.

The Hon J. White, finding-. Kis stable overcrowded, has resolved to dispose of Hexham and Aberdeen. This owner has recently purchased a yearling colt by Robinson Crusoe—-Walruk, of which the critics speak in very high terms. The youngster has been named Tryon. Tom Brown pulled up very lame after running a dead heat with Invader in the Carrington Plate at Newcastle, and it will be some time before he races again. Batty, the Victorian jockey, who recently lost the sight of one of his eyes, is already able to rids exercise.

Mr Chirn'eide has selected the following names for his' New Zealand bred yearlings: —Colt, by Musket—Yatterina, Firelock; filly, by Musket—Onyx, Belle; filly, by Musket—Maid of Honor, Precedence,

Mr J. Pilbrow informs us that the negotiations which were in course for the removal of his 'training establishment to Washdyke have been broken off, and that several important additions will shortly be made to his string. Among the younger school of trainers, Mr Pilbrow has more than held his own, and the attention he devotes to his charges deserves better lu;k than has hitherto fallen to his lot.

Phenomenon, who was injured at the Melbourne Hunt Club meeting, had to be destroyed.

Sydney Tattersall’s proposed to adopt a rule that no more bookmakers shall be registered until the present list be reduced by death or otherwise. At the recent Adelaide races, the betting was carried on in a fenced enclosure, the bookmakers being inside and their clients outside the barrier. A good deal of amusement was occasioned by the appearance of the talent penned up like sheep.

From Australian we learn that the stallion Clan Stuart, by Prince Charlie— Annie, by Tomahawk (a son of King Tom), has been sold to Mr Ross, of Rockhampton, at a high figure. Clan Stuart, who was imported to New South Wales by Mr W. J. Dangar before the season ISSS, cost GOOgs in England. Some surprise was expressed when Moana’s name appeared in the list of nominations for the Melbourne Cup, and on enquiry we find that it is there by a telegraph error. Mr E. Mitchelson’s b o Mana, by Musket—L’Orieut, is the horse the name of which was cabled as Moana. The balance of Mr Stead’s horses were moved from Riccarton to Yald hurst early this week. The Hon W. Robinson’s team has returned to Riccarton.

A bay gelding, brother to Maramoc, has been added to Mr H. Lunn’s team.

Mr P. Butler has presented The Agent to his nephew, W. Butler, and the veteran may be seen daily at exercise at Kiccarton. Stonyburst and Vanguard have so far both stood the faster work to which they have been treated during the week. Fairly good acceptances have been received for the Geraldine Steeplechase meeting, but the winners should be found among the lot we selected last week. Moody and Borderman are both reported well, and Secretary is certainly a few pounds better than the form he showed during the summer. Faugh-a-Ballagh is looking wonderfully well, and did a nice gallop yesterday morning; but if any of the fast ones should be able to get over the country at Orari on Jubilee Day, Mr Rutherford’s game little gelding would hardly be troublesome. Irish King and Kingask will be as fit as anything turned out, and Linwood, whose ownoy has accepted 1 for both steeplechases, lias performed well with the hounds during the season. Johnny, if capable of carrying the weight, is the best in the Maiden • arid Novel Race.* quence of the top weight accepting in the Tally-Ho Handicap being less than Fist 71b, it has been raised to that weight, and the others in proportion. Our final selections will appear next week. The Ascot meeting commenced on June 7, and the cable informs us that th Ascot Stakes was won by Eurasian, o five-year-old by Camballo—Dais, that ran third for Iho Cesarewitch last year. The Jubilee Handicap, particulars of which are not given in “ Hull,” attracted such quality as Minting, St Minn, and Bendigo, tne first two finishing first and second respectively, and the Eclipse Stakes winner dividing third honours with Aintrec, a colt that performed'very indifferently last season. In addition to the placed horses, the following vw.ru starters for the One i'housancT:-*—ilr R. B, Brett’s Agnostic, Lord FalmouthLady Dalmeuy, Sir 11. Jardina's Cordelia. Mr Abington’s St Mary, Lord Bradford's Gaelic. Chevalier Ginistrelli’s Ginistra, Lord Zetland’s Gale, Mr A. Briscoe’s Flower Girl, and Mr J. H. Mouldswoith’s Agave. Rsvc d’Or won by half a length, and the same distance separated Porcelain and Freedom, who were second and third respectively. Time—> Imin 47§sec. The Groat Cheshire Handicap, run on May 5, was won by Colonel Offiey J. CreweKead’s Kinsky. .