SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9173, 5 August 1890, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES.

■Buddicomba had the mount on Blizzard when that colt won the Winter Handicap at the recent V.E.C. Meeting. “ Augar” thinks Donald could not have lost the V.E.C. Grand National Hurdle Eaco, had he been handled more judiciously. During the fourteen years preceding his death, Mr James White won 252 races of the total value of £121.738. Latest advices from Sydney state that James Kean, the well-known trainer, is rapidly approaching convalescence. Apropos is, according to the Australasian, to he schooled over hurdles. Engagement has been sent to Middlepark on a visit to Apremont. The St Albans’ stallions, including Eiridspord, First King and Trenton, are advertised to stand this season at 50gs each. During his recent visit to Melbourne Mr D. O'Brien sold hia colts Helmsman and Town Moor to Mr E. Weeks, the Indian buyer. Somraeil, described by “Augur” as one of the best looking horses that ever left New Zealand, has been leased to Mr A. Smith, of Gippsland, for stud purposes. The complimentary race meeting, tendered _ to Mr William Filgate, by the Adelaide Eacing Club was a marked success. Mr D. O’Brien did not forget his old master, and subscribed £5 to the fund. We notice Escapade, whose term of disqualification has just expired, was nominated for the principal handicaps run at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s Meeting on Saturday. The owner of Sir Garnet, the winner of the Wanganui Steeplechase, may be interested to learn that a report to the effect that his horse is no other than the disqualified Problem, is being circulated. At Messrs Yuille and Co.’s sale in Melbourne, on July 21, at which Donald and Titokowaru were sold as already reported, Soudan was purchased by Mr S. Griffiths for 27jgs, and Satan by Mr A. Miller for 160 gs. It has been a popular fallacy that the late Mr James White never betted to any extent on his horses. A writer in a Sydney paper recalls one occasion, when Carlyon started an untried horse at Eandwiok, that the deceased gentleman, whilst leaning quietly against a post, accepted all the five to two hundreds the books cared about laying. And then the very public style in which Mr Joe Thompson elected to pay over the £IO,OOO he lost over Chester’s double victory ought to have established Mr White as a not only big but fortunate speculator in turfwagers.

Pull accounts of tlie trotting meeting held at Mooneo Valley on July 15 and 18 reached us by Tuesday’s mail. Tommy 111,, ridden by his owner Mr A. J. Keith, won the National Distance Trot, of 100 Bovs, and the Distance Handicap Trot, of 50 sots. In the 13h 2in Pony Trot, Kitty (150yds behind) was favourite at 5 to 4 against, while 7 to 4 was laid about the New Zealand pony Trixie (200yds behind). Kittie led at the end of the first mile, hut Trixie appeared much faster than the leader, and after breaking a number of times was only beaten by about ten yards. Trixie was pulled out again in the 14h Pony Trot but failed to get a place. Darnley, Leonardo, and Sir Maurice were shipped North by the steamer Penguin on Tuesday evening. A local sportsman was prepared to purchase Darnley, but the price asked, sOOgs, was considered too high. There was also a good offer for Sir Maurice, but the owner was not disposed to deal. We gather from fuller accounts of the racing on the second day of the V.E.C. Grand National Meeting that Donald started at 3 to 1 in the Second Hurdle Eace, and was beaten very easily by Vanish. Blizzard (Bst 71b), and La Eose (Bst 71b) were among the starters for the Lawn Handicap, but neither of the New Zealanders could get near the leaders at the finish. Titokowaru closed up first favourite for the Grand National Steeplechase, and appears to have occupied a good position throughout the race, but Fearless 11. had a lot in hand and ultimately won in a canter by at least 100 yards. Waitangi, who was ridden by Poole, and ran pretty well forward for the first half of the distance, finished ninth. The New Zealanders that started in the Final Handicap were Eussley (Bst 121 b), Blizzard (Bsb 61b), Escutcheon (7st 101 b), and Precedence (7st 91b). The last-named was made favourite at 3 to 1, but could only get second to Q’Naroo, an Bto 1 chance, while Blizzard was fourth. Orangeman carried top weight, 12st lib, in the Flemington Steeplechase, and finished only a couple pf lengths behind Eenmark (list 41b). Mr H. Goodman’s cheque at tne settling amounted to £525, while Mr J. Eae took £720 as the syndicate’s share of the spoil. The report that T. Hales has purchased Lochiel is confirmed. The well-known jockey is forming a select breeding stud, and the son of Prince Charlie is to be lord of the harem.

Trotting seems to be making great strides in Victoria. Several nbw meetings are announced, and the old ones are being improved, while the sporting press is giving considerable prominence to the various fixtures. In the steeplechase run at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting last Saturday, Titokowaru was allotted top weight, 12at 101 b, while Studley received 12st 71b, Orangeman 12st 41b, Secretary 10st 101 b, Ariel 10st 91b, Waitangi XOst 71b, Civls 10st 31b, Messenger 9st llib, and Peter Flat 9st 71b. A commission was put into the market during the Grand National week to back Jet d’Eau for the New Zealand Cap, and £BOO or £9OO was obtained at prices varying from 100 to sto 100 to 10. The horse is now firm at 100 to 14 (offered), and a point or two less would be taken to a considerable amount. Crackshot has also been supported, and is now quoted at 100 to 12, while the following prices are obtainable about others s—loo to 10 each agst Merria England, Medallion, Dudu, Wolverine, Queen of Trumps, Meta, St Andrew, or Occident, 100 to 9 each agst Tirailleur or Scots Grey, 100 to 8 agst each agst Hazel, Thackeray, Mariner, Eecluse, Eeprisal, Leonardo, or Moraine, 100 to 7 each agst St James, Chatfield, Eichlake, Whisper or Cynisca, 100 to 6 each agst Master George or Catamount, 100 to 4 agst others. On Tuesday morning Mr Patrick Campbell, the well-known starter to the Canterbury Jockey Club, and a good allround sportsman, and Miss Emily Eobinson, the youngest daughter of the late Hou W. Eobinson, were married at St Michael’s Church, in the presence of a large number of friends. ” The happy couple left for the South by the express en route for England, and will probably be absent from the Colony for some time. A special cablegram from London to the Sydney Evening News records that at the sale of Her Majesty’s yearlings at Hampton Court on June 29, Baron de Hirsch gave 5500ga for a yearling sister to the Oaks winner, Memoir. This is the highest price ever paid for a yearling in England. It is reported that one of the members of the Auckland Eacing Club intends to propose that two handicaps, one to be run over three and the other over four miles, shall bo introduced into the Club’s programme for the forthcoming season. The Waikato Hunt Club will hold a Steeplechase Meeting at Hautapu, on Sept. 30. “Phaeton” revives the rumour that Merrie England is still the property of a member of the late Hon W. Eobinson’s family. Wo are in a position to state that this rumour is without foundation.

The draft programme of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club for the forthcoming season proposes to offer stakes amounting to £3795, or £65 more than the amount paid away during the season just closed. The payments required from owners will be considerably reduced. The absence of Darnley and Leonardo from tbe Christchurch Hunt Club Meeting was due to the recent alteration in the hour of closing, and no announcement beiug made in the morning papers. The Canterbury Jockey Club has requested tha Conference of Delegatee to

decide which owner is entitled to use tha colours now employed by the Hon W. Eeeves and Mr S. H. Gollan. . - The Hon James White was sixty-two years of age at the time of his death. , , It is estimated that, the Grand National Meeting will yield a profit of about £2OO to the funds of the Canterbury Jockey Club, The Hunt Club Meeting shows a similar surplus. At Monday’s meeting of the Committee ( of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Mr T. Sheenau complained that a lad had left , his service without giving the necessary notice. It transpired that Mr Sheeaaa had only a verbal agreement with the lad, . and the Committee could take no action; . It was resolved, however, to recommend that all agreements should be in writing. On Friday, the day between the Grand National and Hunt Club meetings, a .couple . of pigeon-shooting sweepstakes were, got, off at Hc-athcote. A full report appears in t another part of this issue. , , ■ . . It is reported that the trotting mare > Anneaux d’Or took her departure for . Australia last week. Hibernian, the sire of Irish King, was drowned at Captain Fisher’s station some time ago. This horse enjoyed the distino- . tion of being the ugliest thoroughbred , ever imported to the Colony. , The Committee of the Dunedin Jockey ( Club wilLmeet this evening to adopt pro- . grammes for the forthcoming season. It is probable that Mr H. Goodman,will . remain in Australia for some months. Alpine Eose was shipped for the West Coast by the Mahinapua on Tuesday. It is rumoured that Lord Durham, un- , deterred by his unpleasant experience in the Chetwynd affair, will shortly make another exposure of turf abuses. ■' < Our readers must by this time have heard quite enough of the Dunedin handicapping difficulty, but the following remarks on . the subject by “ Augur,” who is beyond the imputation of partisanship, will bear repetition. “I have” says the veteran . scribe “ come to the conclusion that the . handicapper comes out of the contest with - the best of the argument. Mr Stead is a real good sportsman, but, like many other „ owners, he chafes under defeat, and as is . customary with all who suffer from the same cause, he has denounced the poor .• handicapper. * * * The Club, gave Messrs Stead and Co. an opportunity to appear before the Committee at an inquiry held at Dunedin in May, hut they refused to' ' do so, because they were desirous of the , matter being tried by another tribunal, com- ,i posed principally of Christchurch men. The Committee of the D.J.C. very properly i refused to sanction any such course, and the members thereof are to be commended for standing by their handicapper, who should not be sacrificed unless good and sufficient reasons were advanced by those who had made the charges against him.” . We will only add in justice fco Mr Stead that there was no proposal, so far as we know, to refer the dispute to a tribunal “ composed principally of Christchurch men.” On that point “ Augur ” has been misinformed, but his conclusions agree . with those of every other unbiased critic. During his visit to the Grand National Meeting, Mr Laing of Napier, purchased the brood mare Maria Theresa from the Middle Park Stud Company. Maria Theresa is by Eataplan from Marie Louise . by Gunboat, and was imported to Canterbury by the late Mr E. G. Griffith in 1876. Since her first foal Marie Antoinette (the dam of Silence) she has produced The Dauphin, a C.J.C. Derby winner. Quibble, a Great Autumn Handicap winner. Archduke, Lorraine and Alsace. Three years ago the mare had a very bad foaling, and ' has since remained barren. The stud ' manager thinks it very improbable that she will breed again, but Mr Laing de- ' termined to take this risk, and should he •• obtain a single foal,will be very well repaid for his outlay. The Grand National Meeting hai been so fully dealt with that our comments here may be of the briefest description; The opinions we expressed of the handicaps directly they appeared were pretty well borne out, as Ahua should have won the Grand National Steeplechase in the commonest of canters, while Izion actually did win the Hurdle Eaoe with plenty to spare. However, the racing was very much better than we expected, and as > the handicappers cannot, it seems, - be cured, they must be endured. The closest finish of the day was in the Hunters* Hurdle Eace, and everyone was pleased to see the veteran Victor get home in the hands of a clever horseman, hut, if Murfitt had shown half the ability displayed by Mr •• Cox, Waipapa would have won, and paid her backers the nice dividend their judg- < ment deserved. The Ladies' Bracelet, a race which should be remodelled before another meeting comes round, resulted in a great fiasco. Leonardo was winning by fully two hundred yards, when he ran off at the - top of the straight and allowed Chain Shot to score his maiden victory. ' We fancy Mr - O’Eorke was just as surprised as any of the spectators when his mount whipped inside the tails, but ha would have received a very stormy* reception from the public bad be not been protected by the title of “amateur.” The winner was all to pieces, and in his present condition would be ' beaten by an ordinary hack over any die- : tance. He retires, we understand, to the stud, where his fashionable blood and good looks should earn more than they have ever done on the turf. The publio tumbled over one another in their anxiety to lay a shade of odds on Ahua, for the big Steeplechase, and from • the very first it looked only a question of . the favourite standing up, but the South Canterbury people rallied around Daddy Longlegs, and Little Arthur and Squib' ■ were both quietly supported. Half a mile ■ from home it waa any odde on Ahua—B3 to 10 was offered in a dozen places—bat at - the ditch and bank, a paltry fence which ■ a child’s pony would jump in the hunting field, the little horse toppled over and a shout of delight went up from the brazenmouthed throng that had taken liberties with the favourite or backed something else. This left Daddy Longlegs well in front of Darnley, and the former making no mistake at the last two fences von comfortably by seven or eight lengths. It is very easy to stand on the ground and criticise a race, but we cannot help thinking Ahua would have done better if he had ; been allowed to stride along in front, as . he evidently wished to from the very start, . and make his own pace. But Lunn probably knows bis own business best, and is sure to have had enough advice, site* , the event, to last him for the .rest, of the season. It goes without saying . that Daddy Longlegs’ victory was extremely popular. The old horse had twice rua . second for the same race, was ridden by a . jockey who is again deserving success, and was trained by an amateur whose horsemanship has more than once done the public a good turn. Darnley was tha , surprise of the race. It was confidently predicted that he would fall or run off at. the first convenient opportunity, but as a matter of fact he jumped the country better than anything else, and waa right in it up to the very last fence. , The handicap for the Welter Flat Eace, was fearfully and wonderfully made, arid , with Yon Tempsky withdrawn Hathaway was able to win in a canter from Catamount and Count d’Orsay. Eeally it,is no wonder the Committee declines to give any explanation of its work; the only matter for surprise is the patience of the owners. Ixion was, as we predicted, made a level* money favourite for the Hurdle Eace, and notwithstanding a blunder which brought him to his knees at the top turn he won comfortably by a couple pf* lengths from Eomulus, who was about the. same distance in front of the Dunedin horse Trimolite. Erin-go-Bragh ran very prominently for a mile and a half, but dis-, appeared as they came into the straight,, and will probably be seen to greater ad- • vantage over shorter courses. Leonardo,; who went out second favourite, blundered at the first flight of hurdles and god rid bf. hia rider, but, strangely enough, forgot all about the opening in the rails this time, and kept on the course until well post the. stand. The Maiden Steeplechase looked, the best of good things for Ahua, and the public, undaunted by the little horse'e previous mishap, laid 2 to 1 on, and won. their money. Sir Maurice ran a good, horse, and was extremely unfortunate in having to meet such an opponent os Ahua. The prodnceA>«*pifc»l

race, Trimolite, Victor, and Sir Maurice being all in. lino as they jumped the Inst fence, while the first-named was only a neck to the good as they passed the post. The racing at the Hunt Club Meeting was not of a very high order, hut ■ome of the finishes were interesting, and the Hunt Cup provided what everyone but the active participants would describe aa good fun. Trimolite had all the best of the handicap in the Hunters’ Hurdle Race, and Mr O’Eorke had only to sit still on the Dunedin horse to win by a couple of lengths. The Hunt Cup was a series of accidents. Enterprise was the first down, and he was soon followed by Trooper and Picton, while Why Not lost his rider half a mile further on, leaving Encore and Morok a long way in front of the remounted* Picton. Morbk was first home, but it was discovered that they had missed the last fence, and while they were repairing the error Picton got up and won just as he pleased. Trooper’s fall proved to be a rather serious affair, aa the horse was badly injured, and Mr Cox received a ■eVere shaking. The Open Steeplechase—another wretched handicap—was a gift to Ahua, but the Hurdle Eace produced a fine race to the last hurdle, where Ixiou and Erin-go-Bragh had a bit of a scramble, and allowed Little Arthur to win. If Erin-go-Bragh had got a straight run home he would probably have won, and Sheeuau Was inclined to resent the interference, but we do no* - - think Lunn intended to jostle his opponent. Enterprise had little difficulty in winning the Tally-ho Plate, and Launcelot had too much pace for his opponents in the Ladies’ Bracelet. Mr S. Mercer, a gentleman well known In Dunedin sporting circles, has just returned from a trip to England, and has given “Mazeppa” his impressions of racing in the Old Country. He thinks Kirkham a king among such animals as Barefoot, Sainfoin, and Le Nord, and that" nothing else would have won the Derby if an Australian had trained him after the Colonial fashion.” Speaking generally, he considers the New Zealand horses distinctly superior to the English ones, and, to quote his own words, “ Harry Goodman or Stuart Waddell would give most of thair trainers a start.” Eeally, this sort of thing is becoming too common even to be amusing. Colonials are rapidly acquiring a reputation for “blowing” which threatens to eclipse the fame of their .American cousins, and it is quite time some one spoke out and assured our English critics that nine-tenths of the sportsmen of this Colony laugh at the suggestion that our horses, trainers, and jockeys could, if they only had fair play, “ lick creation " every time. The nonsense that has been spoken and written on this question will not give the people at Home a very favourable impression of our modesty, or generosity. The, printer, by the way, could not forego the opportunity to perpetrate a little joke of his own with “ Mazeppa’a ” account of his interview with Mr Mercer. By the substitution of on for or ho made the returned traveller say that “ Harry Goodman on Stuart Waddell would give most of their trainers a start.” The trainer of Occident does like,a.great weight we fear the lucky owner of

Blizzard would have some difficulty in getting hia .strange mount home in front of some of the English experts. We. notice that Mr Alfred Joseph, an Australian sportsman now on a visit to England, expressed, in an interview with a Sportsman reporter, views rather different to those entertained by Mr Mercer. He said such jockeys as Hales, O’Brien, and Power were not to be compared with Cannon, Eickaby, Barrett, Watts and a few other English horsemen. He thought, however, that Scobie, Corrigan, and Ferguson would more than hold their own over country with their English contemporaries, Kirkham was described as greatly ■ below the form of the best Australian horses, and Mr Joseph thought Colonial trainers might follow some of the English methods with considerable advantage.- This looks like a much fairer statement, of our claims. Pne of our contemporaries after quoting <the handicapper’s excuse, as published in these columns, for the outrageous weight placed upon Dog Eose in the New Zealand Cup, suggests that the owners interested in the race might be asked to allow tbe colt to be re-bandioapped. This is hardly likely to be done, but we would point out that the owners are not the only people concerned. Layers and backers, whom the Club has considered, on somewhat similar occasions, have transacted business on the very natural assumption that the present handicap would stand. If it were amended in any particular—and the rehandicapping of a horse would be a most important particular wagers would certainly require confirmation before they could be binding on either side. Tbe Club should, however,, refund the entrance fee, such as it is, to Mr Eedwood, for although that gentleman made a mistake in not forwarding the age of the colt, the Club made a much greater one in accepting tbe entry and attempting to frame a handicap on insufficient information. The London correspondent of the Leader writing on May 29, says:—-Chicagois doing really well and will take a race at the back end. Our Melbourne correspondent’s letter, dated July 16, which, owing to delay in the 'delivery of the mail, reached us too late for publication last week, is now three or four days’ older than our exchanges, but the following extracts will still be of interest Waiter fell in tbe Maiden Steeplechase at the Y.B.C. Grand National Meeting, and his jockey (Laing) broke both his collar-bones and received a severe shaking. * * * Donald started at 20 to 1 in the Grand National Hurdle Eace and wasriddenby Heaton. Donald and Corythus were the first to anticipate the fall of the flag, but before going far, Heaton on Donald, according to orders, dashed out with a strong lead, and when nearing the bridge, about six furlongs from the start, he was fully tea lengths in front of Porcius, Freedom, STatapa, Ulysses, Pmgara and Priscilla, with Tradition at the head of the rest, who were whipped along- by Young Horatio, who must have been at least fifty yards at the rear of everything. Passing tbe judge’s box in the second round, Donald was still going

great guns, pulling two double and jumping beautifully. Six lengths away came Porcius, freedom, Pingara, Ulysses, Yatapa, Priscilla, Chandler, Tradition and Priscilla, the last two, not counting Young Horatio, being Bllerslie, who had been eased up, and Crusoe. Racing towards the abattoirs,' Donald was only a couple of lengths in front of Porcius, who was going strongand well. The latter atthe next obstacle went smash through the hurdle and then retired, leaving Priscilla as lady-in-waiting on the leader, closely followed by Pingara and Tradition. When the abattoirs were reached, it seemed for a moment as if the' four leaders were going to come home alone, but travelling down towards the training ground, near the sheds Priscilla got on terms with Donald, with Pingara next and very handy. Cory thus, Who had put oh a spurt got up fourth, with freedom. General Gordon and Chandler next, and Elleislie rapidly making up his leeway. Travelling down in the same order and round into the straight, Donald’s rider seemed to take a pull (a thing he should have done when half a mile further from home) at his horse, which allowed Priscilla to lead into the ; straight. Bllerslie ran through his hold at the iurn and came next into the home stretch, with Corythus, Tradition, General Gordon, Pingara, Freedom and King Billy next, and the remainder tailing oil'. Ac the.distance Priscilla looked to have the race won, but as the final obstacle was reached she, Bllerslie and Donald charged it together. The old horse was the cleverer at getting over, and despite the. gallant fight made by Donald the latter Was defeated by a neck, Priscilla, all out, three-parts of a length away, next. Then followed Tradition, whose owner won £SO by defeating King Billy, who was fifth, freedom, Pingara, General Gordon, Corythaß and Chandler next in order. So little did the stable think of Ellerslie’s chance that J. An win would not ride him, preferring the mount on The First, and P. Keating, who usually rides for Mr Phillips, in fact trained the horse last year, would not accept the ride on the old gelding, Mr

Wilson had a lad in his stable, C. Stanley by name, who half a dozen months agowas working for a butcher, and he was given the leg up, to enable him, Mr Wilson tells me, to earn a few pounds for a losing mount. Stanley rode his horse like a general, and received £3OO as a present. Heaton had the bad luck to drop his whip at the home turn, and was therefore unable to squeeze the last ounce out of Donald, who ran a wonderfully good horse. * * In the final race the New Zealanders went one better, for H. Goodman’s gelding Blizzard, 7st 51b, carried off the Winter Handicap, one mile and a quarter, by a couple of lengths from Stanley Bat 61b, Dividend Bst Gb, and thirteen others, including Apropos 7et 9lb, Russley Bst 9lb, Precedence 7st lOib and Helmsman Gat 111 b. Jebusite B.=t 51b and G’Naroo Bst were favourites at 3 to 1 each, whilst the winner was at S’s. By-the-bye, Mr Dan O’Brien’s colt Town Moor Sat 71b ran in the Two-year-old Handicap, bub was not in the first eight. * * Owing to the recent rains the tracks at headquarters are in a very bad state, and consequently tho work done there is of a very mild description. Carbine, Titan, Whakawai, Singapore, Don Giovan, Prince Consort, Dunkeld, Sultan (I bear privately) and the remainder of the horses trained both at Flemington and Caulfield engaged in the two Cups are doing well. * * Mr J. Chadwick, the sporting editor of tho Press, Christchurch, paid me a visit on Monday. Mr Chadwick was much impressed with the improvement made in the city since his previous visit. Like myself, he had the bad luck to back Donald for the Grand National Hurdle Bace, and lost his money. The good old English parson who believes that people may enjoy themselves without going to perdition headlong as the Chadbands would have us believe, is happily extant. Speaking at the presentation of prizes at the Malton Horse Procession recently, the Eev E. A. B. Pitman, vicar of Old Malton, who was Chairman, said that if ill wishes and enemies’ curses could have prevented him from being there, no doubt they would have succeeded. When presiding over the presentation last year, he said “he wished they could have seen the winner of the Derby again at Malton.” Now, that seemed to have been a very unfortunate remark indeed, because some “ miserable wretch at Manchester” had sent post cards abusing him aa a clergyman for making such a remark. Ho thought his uncharitable correspondent must be some disappointed backer of Chittabob. He understood there were three horses now going from Malton to Manchester to run, and he certainly greatly hoped they would find a winner amongst them. He must say that he considered it was a most scurrilous thing for anyone to cast aspersions on those who employed labour as the trainers of England did. It so happened that he had a pretty accurate knowledge of the way in which tho large training establishments at Newmarket and at Malton were managed, and he could only say that the employers of labour in establishments where horses are trained took more care of those employed in them than did the majority of the employers .. of agricultural ■ • labourers throughout the country. The rev gentleman’s remarks were received with hearty applause by the audience, which included members of the chief families in tho town and district.

At a recent meeting of tbe English Jockey Club some amendments were made in the rules with a view to encourage long distance races, and so—in the opinion of some of the members—improve the breed of horses. Such good judges as Sir John Astley and Lord Suffolk dissented from the doctrine that long races improved the breed of horses; and it is certainly true that many of the long distance races at present in existence are little more than farces, owing to the way in which they are run. As Sir John Astley pointed out," very often for the Goodwood Cup they (the horses) used to trot about half-way, then canter, then do about half a mile fastand that, the genial baronet asserted, “ did not improve the breed of horses.” There will be a general agreement with this expression of opinion; but the case may possibly be somewhat altered now that tbe longer races will be the better worth winning, and that the increase in their numbers will be attended by a slight dimunition in the list of short cuts, as they have been designated.

The Field in an admirable article referring to this subject says : —lt has long been the fashion to assert that the horses of the present day cannot stay like those of an earlier generation; but, while not pretending to contradict the statement, it may be pointed out that no conclusive proof of it has been forthcoming. That they are not required to stay to the same extent is true enough, because of the prevalence of short races; and it is also true in a degree, as the Duke of Beaufort remarked, that a horse cannot be made into a stayer by training. Not altogether, perhaps ; but just as five furlong races require one sort of preparation, so races over a mile and upwards require another. If we cannot absolutely make a horse go faster than nature intended, by training him with a view to short races, we can at any rate bring out to the fullest extent such powers as he possesses. The same argument would apply to long distance races. If training cannot convert a non-stayer into a stayer, it can at least enable a horse to run up to his best powers, whatever they may be; and possibly not even trainers themselves know in how many cases a supposed want of stamina is due to a lack of condition; or how often a horse wears down others by reason of superior condition. Were anyone, who took it into his head to abjure all races under a mile, to buy the beet reputed stayers he could find, and to have them all trained for long races, we might then find out what a continuous preparation for one object could effect. The charge that our horses cannot stay may be true for all we can tell, but it has never been proved to be true; and no one has ever stated clearly what be means by staying, nor has anyone attempted to show how far speed and stamina are connected. Pew will quarrel, possibly, with the statement that the horse which can for the greatest distance gallop at his best pace, or something approaching thereto, is a better stayer than one who at equal pressure can gallop a less distance. Yet the stayer may be a slow horse when tried against the clock, whereas the other may be a fast one ; he may in fact be cantering when his opponent is galloping, and may thus be enabled to defeat a horse who is really a far better stayer than himself. If training cannot make a non-stayer into a stayer, it can, at any rate, bring about the result that a horse can run two or more miles in quick time. When horses after leaving the flat are put to steeplechase work, they carry heavy weights over three miles, or more, of country; but then they have no preparation for short cuts. Without attempting to dogmatise on the subject, we cannot see that any proof has been adduced in favour of the statement that there is any perceptible falling off in the stamina of the British thoroughbred, when be is trained to enable him to do his best over a long distance of ground. The racing season which closes to-day is in many ways the most remarkable in the history of the New Zealand turf, and in venrs to come, when our successors look back for some landmark from which to trace the growth of their own importance in the sporting world, they will find plenty to occupy their attention in the records of the past twelve months. To begin with, there is the revision of the rules of racing, the work of delegates from the various Metropolitan Clubs, which if nob altogether satisfactory, is at least the outward and visible sign of a growing desire for batter government and purer sport. Then there is the Exhibition meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club, the biggest undertaking of the kind we have yet attempted in the Colony, which conveyed to a large number of visitors a very fair idea of the progress the national sport has made in the Britain of the South. We can hardly mention the “ handicapping difficulty " as one of the great events of the year, hut no one knows at present what may be the outcome of this unfortunate dispute, and it may develop features and establish precedents which will be worth remembering in the future. But the exodus of horses of all descriptions—flatracers, steeplechasers and

trotters—to Australia, is certainly one of the features of the season. Many people profess to regard this as a catastrophe—an indication of the decadence of local sport; but we look at it from an entirely different standpoint. We have, it is true, sent away during the year a number of good performers in all departments of the sport, but our young stock are more numerous and better than ever, and the fact that we are able to supply our neighbours with racehorses should cause no uneasiness. We produce more wheat and wool than we require, and no one says the agricultural and pastoral interests are going to the bad. Why, then, should anyone, except the breeders, regret that we have a surplus of thoroughbred horses ? The recognition of the totalisator regulations by the Colonial Secretary must also be numbered among the significant signs of the time, and if this should do no more than secure the position of the totalisator, it will deserve to be remembered among the events of the year. But there are already proofs that Captain Bussell has considerably strengthened the hands of Metropolitan Clubs, and this strength, judiciously used, will be the safeguard of the sport. Tho inauguration of such a race as the Challenge Stakes of 1893, if not tha happiest move of the season, is sure to earn the Canterbury Jockey Club some kudos with the future historian of the turf. No one can say what the condition of racing will be a hundred years hence, hut the attention of the casual observer of that day will be arrested by the appearance of the first .112000 stake in the Colony. Then this is the period which will be credited with the establishment of trotting as a popular sport. In previous years public opinion has wavered from one side to another, but within the last twelve months the public haye made up their minds that trotting shall go ahead and prosper. Certain people may deride the sport, and place what obstacles they can in the way of its followers, but the ultimate triumph of the recently formed Association ia assured. There is another event which is scarcely so pleasant to contemplate. We allude to the suspension, so to speak, of the New Zealand Stud Company, an institution which has been intimately mixed up with the best interests and highest aims of Colonial sport. It would, indeed, be a catastrophe if the establishment at Sylvia Park, the birthplace of the greatest performers on the Australian and New Zealand turf, should cease to exist, and many people who care lees than one straw for the excitement of racing will join the sportsmen of Australasia in wishing that a better fate may be ia store for the premier stud of the Colonies.

Of the season’s racing wo must say a few words. The Hawke’s Bay Club, as usual, made a commencement among the metropolitan institutions, and it was here we were re-introduced to Tirailleur, the subsequent champion of the season, whose victories in the Guineas and Spring Handicap foreshadowed hia success in more important engagements. The next metropolitan fixture was the Spring Meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, where Tirailleur set the seal on his fame by winning the New Zealand Cup and Canterbury Cup, in a style which left no doubt about his right to be called the horse of the year. Scots Grey secured the Derby, and acted as ruuner-up„ to Tirailleur in both the Cups, but these performances showed Mr Stead’s colt to be a good deal behind the northern crack. The Oaks fell to Cynisca, the Welcome Stakes winner of the previous year, and Pygmalion proved himself a long way the best of the two-year-olds. The Wellington Eaeing Club came next in order, but provided nothing requiring a second notice here, and we may pass on at once to the Exhibition Meeting at Dunedin. The great “ show ” attracted to the southern city what in our small way was an enormous crowd, and the local Jockey Club put forth a programme worthy the occasion. Occident enjoyed tbe distinction of winning the Exhibition Cup, the largest stake given in the Colony, and followed this up by taking the principal race on the second day. Tirailleur again showed his superiority at weight for age, and Pygmalion appeared as a prince among the two-year-olds. Altogether the Exhibition Meeting was a success, but the handicapping, which was certainly not uniformly good, gave rise to some unpleasantness, which has not yet entirely passed away. The Exhibition Meeting was followed by the annual carnival at Auckland, where Pygmalion, whose name stands out prominently in the best records of the year, won the Great Northern Foal Stakes. Leopold followed in the footsteps of much better horses by taking the Cup, and Tirailleur pursued his unbeaten career in the Derby. The Midsummer gathering of the Canterbury Jockey Club was a very small affair, but gave that good horse Sultan an opportunity to take an appropriate farewell of the New Zealand turf. A month later the Wellington Eaeing Club presented a more pretentious programme, and the Cup produced a great race between Cynisca and Dudu —the Oaks winner getting home by the shortest of heads—which did something to redeem the general character of the sport. Moving South a»ain, we had the Autumn Meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and the spectacle of a very moderate quartette contesting the Dunedin Cup, one of the most popular handicaps in the calendar. It was here Thackeray burst upon the racing firmament as a sprinter of the very first order, only to retire into comparative and we trust temporary, obscurity, and Merrie England set people doubting whether he might not, under more favourable circumstances, have been the champion of the year. At the Wanganui meeting Dudu made amends for some previous defeats by taking the Cup, and Pygmalion had the easiest task in the world to beat the youngsters by which he was opposed. Eeturning to Hawke’s Bay we find Hilda winning the Cup, and showing form which tempted her owner to undertake a somewhat disastrous trip to Australia, while Antelope, Whisper, St Andrew and Aronoel justified the good opinions they had previously won. The Canterbury Autumn Meeting showed Merrie England in even better colours, and introduced us to Medallion, a two-year-old that can be very little behind the brilliant Pygmalion. At the same time Aronoel, Hilda and Tirailleur were winning fresh laurels at Auckland, and the curtain fell on high class racing with the best of the year’s performers still to the fore. The net results of the season can only be summarised. Most of the Clubs have more than held their own, improving their financial positions and promising better stakes. A few have succumbed to the pressure of competition, but their collapse is the best proof that they were not required either by owners or tbe public. The totalisator, which we can never afford to disregard, has weathered the interested opposition it encountered two or three years ago, and is steadily growing in popularity. The sum passed through the machine is rather smaller than the totals of some previous years, but looking upon gambling as an evil to be diminished as far as possible, we cannot regard this as a matter for regret. The falling off is not due to an increase in the business of the bookmakers or to greater poverty among the people, but to the simple fact that the totalisator has brought investors face to face with tbe merits and chances of betting, and taught them that the machine must eventually have all the best of the game. Betting on credit and “ consultations ” are the only means by which the delusion that gambling offers an easy road to wealth can be kept up. The horses of the year are quite up to the average. Among the two-year-olds Pygmalion stands out better than Medallion, while the pair are a good deal in front of Moraine, Tempest, Aronoel, Thackeray, St Andrew, Mary and others of the second division. Tirailleur has shown himself the best of the three-year-olds, but is closely followed by Merrie England, while Scots Grey, Cynisca and Cissy are all above mediocrity, and the older horses are creditably represented by Occident, Hilda, Whisper, Sultan, Antelopo, Dudu and a number of others. While the country can produce animals of this description wo need have no fear for the future.