SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9292, 22 December 1890, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

Tho hurdle-racer Tres Sec is in work again, and Lunn hopes to get another race or two out of this brilliant gelding. Escapade has arrived safely ia India, but it must be some time before the New Zealander can become acclimatised.

. The Wellington Racing Club made a profit of £430 over its Spring meeting, and the Committee has decided to at once undertake tho formation of a training track. Mr J. Kean, the well known trainer, returned to Auckland from Sydney last Thursday. : , Onr Wanganui correspondent telegraphs that ..Weka bent Jenny in their match over, sis furlqngs, decided on.the Hawora course on Friday afternoon.- ■ . A correspondent calls attention to an error that crept into our report of tho recent Dunedin Meeting. It was Mailboy and not Coinage that ran second to Doubtful in tho Post Stakes.

It is understood that the two-year-old Florrie will accompany Mr D. O'Brien on his next trip to Australia. Tho Southland Stud Company’s recent purchase, Ike, secured first prize iu the class for thoroughbred entires at the Gore Agricultural Show. Enchanter was second and Falsehood third.

Mr Joseph Thompson, the well-known Australian bookmaker, left London for America on Oct. 29, and will probably visit Australia before returning to the Metropolis. Colonel North, the Nitrate King, who seems to have fairly established himself on the English turf, fell from his horse six or seven weeks ago and broke the bone of one of his arms. We learn that Senator Hearst has sold tho New Zealand-bred Cheviot, the brother to Sir Modred, to Mr Charles Eeed, of Fairview Stud, Tenn. Midas, by Oudeis from Countess, a colt that showed capital form in Australia last season, has succumbed to the injuries we described a few weeks ago. It is reported that Lord William Beresford, who has recently been such a good customer .for Australian thoroughbreds, will shortly, retirefrom the Indian turf. Mr Joseph Thompson during, his visit to America, will thoroughly examine the proposal to establish a .racecourse on Australian links aF San Francisco; ■' 1 :' 1 Mi H. Goodman returned to Dunedin on Tuesday, accompanied by Blizzard, who is sound and well after his trip. Don Caesar, another of Mr Goodman’s team, has not derived much benefit from his spell, and it is doubtful if he will ever stand a preparation. It appears that Messrs Price Brothers are nob yet out of their troubles with regard to Joe 1., the winner of the Threemile Trot at the Dunedin Meeting. The Stewards hove not paid over the stakes, and are examining a report that Joe I. is a horse of another name tbat has performed with success in Victoria.

The Middlepark Company has decided to send Bros (by St George—ldalia), the yearling colt by St George—Fair Nell, and the yearling colt by Apremoht—Flattery, up to Auckland to be submitted to auction at the Wellington Park sale. We notice that the owner of a hack, engaged at the Eakaia sports cannot think of a more original name than Carbine for his favourite. We now have a trotter Carbine, a pony racer Carbine and a hack Carbine. Whatever the fate of a prophet, a great racehorse is evidently not ■without honour in his own country. The following were the scores of the principal winning jockeys in England on Oct. 81: —T. Loates 134, G. Barrett 101, J. Watts 80, S, Loates 71, F. Eickaby 71, J. Pagan 66, T. Cannon 63, T. J. Calder 62, J. Woodburn 46, T. Weldon 43, A. White 41, P. Barrett 38, M. Cannon 37. Piles received by the San Francisco mail bring accounts of further successes by the progeny of colonial-bred sires. At the New York Meeting, on Oct. 11, Tournament, by Sir Modred—Plaything, won tbe Eochelle Stakes, and at Gloucester City Marie Lavell, by the same sire, secured a Purse. At New York, on Oct. 15, Parramatta, by Cheviot from Scraps, a horse imported from Australia, took a Sweepstakes, and at- Now Jersey, bn Oct. 22, Mephisto, by Darebin—Flora, won a Selling Plate. Owing to a dissolution of partnership the thoroughbreds belonging to Messrs Dwyer Brothers, the widely-known American sportsmen, were sold by auction on Nov. 4. Sir John, a three-year-old colt by Sir Modred from Marian, a fair performer, brought £IOOO, and Mr P. Dwyer paid £6OOO for the stud horse Kingston, by Spendthrift from Kapanga, and MrF.'G. O’Eeilly, £3IOO for Hanover, by Hindoo from Bourbon Belle.

A colt named Freedom, by Sable Wilkes, has reduced the American yearling trotting record for a mile to 2min 29Jsec. Three days after the performance of this great feat Nelson brought the stallion record to 2min 10:|sec.

A great deal of interest attached to the meeting of Sheen, the winner of the Cesarewitcb, and Amphion, the winner of the Champion Stakes in a thousand pound plate, at Newmarket, on Oct. 24, The race was run over two miles and at weight-for-age, with certain penalties. Sheen (syrs) carrying 9st Blb and Amphion (4yrs) 9st 41b. This pair were equal favourites at 11 to 8, while long odds could be obtained about the other starters. Sheen took up tho running at the half. distance, and having the whole of his opponents beaten at the end of the next six furlongs, won very easily by three or four lengths from the champion, whose title and reputation have been earned over shorter courses.

Eingmaster carried 7st lllb, and started second favourite at 8 to 1, when be ran second to Garrick, Cat 31b, in the Great Tom Stakes at Lincoln, on Oct. 28. It seems that most of the American Jockey Clubs leave forfeits to be collected by the winners cf stakes, and owners arc beginning to complain that they seldom receive the full nominal value of prizes. “ Hidalgo ” (Mr T. Merry) writing to the Breeder and Sportsman, says :—■ “ The Futurity Stake war. first run in 18SS, and won by Mr S. Bryant’s chestnut gelding Proctor Knott, a son of the great Luke Blackburn. The stake was nominally 44,500d01a, but I learn that of this amount leas than 32,000d01s has been collected. Last year it wan won by tho Hon W. L. Scott,” of Erie, Pa., and its face value was close cn Go,Coodols, tho greater part of which remains unpaid to this day. This year its alleged value is in excess of 70,0C0doIs, but Mr Belmont, who ran first and second for it, has received, ho far, less than half that amount, although the re.ee was run two months ago.” Under such circumstances as these, it ia little wonder the leading owners in the States arc agitating for a return to tho cash system of forfeits.

St Malo has been purchased by Mr T. H. Hill, of Wellington, and nominated for the Wairarapaand other northern meetings. He has been scratched f or all his Auckland engagements. The Australasian says it would rather sea Carbine’s skeleton in the Museum than his statue at Plemington. This is hardly, we think, what our contemporary means. No one can wish for many years to come to see tbe bones of tho great horse, hut we certainly hope that some steps will bo taken to preserve such an interesting and instructive memento of a brilliant career. We have watched with a good deal of interest the progress cf an attempt which haa been made ia America during the past few months to establish a National Jockey Club Co take over the control of racing in all parte of the States. Had it been c. success we might very well have pointed to the result as a model for the organisation of sport in this country; but it has not been a success; in fact it has made no practical progress at all, and American racing is now in. much tho same position as it was left by the collapse of tho American Jockey Club three or four years ago. Mr Pierre Lorillard appears to have been tho leading spirit of tho new movement, and, remembering bis pleasant experiences on the English turf, it was not unnatural, perhaps, that he should endeavour to provide his countrymen, with .some, of ,tho institutions which flourish at Home. But the Americans are not attracted by Mr

Lorillard’s proposals, and scoff at the idea of handing over tho management of their turf to an autocratic Club. “ That,” says one of their own writers, ‘ may do well enough for like to be governed by icings and princes and dukes, but we can’t be satisfied in that way, and every Club in the country must have a voice in its own management.” This seems to touch the root of tho difficulty, and without discussing the Englishman’s love for “ a lord,” we may safely say this is the weak spot in the proposed constitution of the New Zealand Jockey Club. We have .attempted to foil w too closely in tbe footsteps of the Englisu Jockey Club, which no one can-describe as a ; popular institution, and the public, regarding is as a matter of sentiment and not of business, e.re inclined to - question tbe ; authority o? tbe nine or ton delegates who meet with closeddoors onceor twiceayeaipandsay you shall do this and you shall not do that. So far there bos been no organised attornne to resent this interference, but there havo been plenty of indications of the weakness of the cords by which oven the Metropolitan Cluhs are bound together, and one day the whole system, will come tumbling about our ears. Tbe only safely will he found m a radical alteration in the constitution of the governing body. The country clubs feel that they owe no loyalty to a government in which they have no voice, and their obedience ia more a of present necessity than deliberate choice. Sooner or later there is sure to be some combination which will strike out a course of its own. This danger was very imminent during the famous handicapping dispute; three or four country clubs hinted that the Dunedin Club might form an Association of its own, and but for the good common sense of the Committee, this would havo been done. Of course under any scheme of proportional representation the Metropolitan Clubs would hold the balance of power, but the Clubs could have no solid objection to this and there is no reason why one interest should be opposed to another. There will bo no permanent combination until all the Cluhs in the Colony are bound together in one council, and when ..this i? accomplished there will be no danger of the dissensions which ’ 'are ; at f present agitating out American friends.. - , lb must not be supposed from what we have jnafc written that we -endorse the Americans’ view of the English Jockey Club, or that we fail to appreciate the services that august body has rendered to the cause of sport. We must admit, however, that the solid old gentlemen who control the turf at Home are very slow in adapting themselves to the ever changing conditions of the present day. If proof of this were wanting, it would be supplied hy the official report of a meeting of the Club held on Oct. 22, which now lies before us. The Duke of St Albans proposed to omit Eule 141. which sanctions declarations to win, and pointed out how the public repeatedly suffered by the operation of a law which facilitates improper practices. “The public,” bis Grace observed, " went to see a race run, and they wished to see the best horse win, and they saw one horse pulled up.” But this is not all. We must put aside the .fallacy that it is possible to separate gambling from the turf, and where declarations are made as the horses go to scale, it ia very easy for a large proportion of the public to remain in ignorance of owners’ intentions, and fall easy victims to unscrupulous people. But after the Duke had advanced all these and many other weighty reasons why the rule should be omitted, Mr Lowther and Lord March, a past and present Steward, rose up in the magnitude of their wisdom and experience, and strongly urged that it should be retained. , They thought the rule had worked uncommonly well, and although one or two details might require amendment there was no necessity for an immediate change. ■ Mr Lowther, who enjoys the reputation of being ono of the moat canablemen on the English turf, saidtbat if the rule were omitted, it would be impossible for an owner to start a seconcf horse to regulate the pace. What delightful nonsense from the pillirs of our national sport! Ultimately Mr Lowther, who‘signally failed to answsw the..arguments employed by tbo Duke of St Albans, said he saw no objection to the declaration being made by six o’clock over-night, and having conceded so much the proposal was postponed unti next _ meeting, “The Stewards undertaking to look into the matter in the meantime.” Good old conservative England has . begun to think about taking a step the Colonies accomplished four or five years ago. Mr John Gorlettfc writes . to . the Times combating toe statement so frequently made at • church' congresses that betting is “alarmingly on the increase,” Taking tbe percentage per head on the population, and the wages earned, I have no doubt, he says, that the betting cf to-day is mild as compared with what it was. The New Zealanders wore to the fore at severe! meetings held around Melbourne early m the month. At Moonea Valley on Dec. 2, Investigator, by Cadogan from Deceit,won the Jimefield Handicap, beating eight opponents, and coveriagtbo live and a half furlongs iii Imia 74secs. At Oakleigh Park next day. Fair Ellen, by Sonmus from Lady Ellen, a mare taken over by Mr F. Bell, won the Trial Stakes of 50 sovs, and EewL secured the Selling llace of 100 sovs. The ancient son of The was subsequently bought in for £63.- At the Bacchus Marsh Meeting on Dec. 4, Alahna, ' by Bnadoora, from Maid of Erin, won the Sailing Race of 50 sovs,'and was purchased by Mr C. Glasscock for £BS. At tho Ballarat Meeting on Dec. G, Hollowback won tho Public Auction Stakes, and returned to his owner at £3O. At the Tasmanian Racing Club’s Meeting on Nov. 29, Tennyson won the All-aged Stakes, and Peter Flat ran second to Ruby in the Steeplechase. Our London correspondent wrote on Oct. 31: By the easy victory of M. Ephrussis’ Alicante, 3yrs, 7st lllb, in tho Cambridgeshire cn Wednesday, the French (who have always been very lucky in this race) more than recover their Czarewitch losses, and take a big stake out of England. Tho ring are not, however, so hard hit as they would havo been had the daughter of Hermit and Madeira scored in the longer handicap. Tostig, Victorious and Morion were all three backed for tons of money for Wednesday’s race, and finished wellnigh equal favourites wkh Alicante. In the Czarewitch the filly was a 2 to 1 chance at the last, whereas at tho start for the Cambridgeshire 9 to 2, and in places 5 to 1, could without difficulty he obtained. Fred Barrett bad an easy ride, as Tostig and Victorious, who made the running, were done with, at tho distance, and coming down tho hill ho had only tho outsider Belmont to reckon; with. It was never even necessary to shake up his mount, find Alicante won very comfortably by a couple of lengths from CaptainMachell’sthree-yeai-oid, with tbe, stopping Tostig a bad third, just in front'd! Victorious."Bslmonfanamenever appeared in the betting till 'Tuesday evening, when a few 1000 s to 5, were taken. Subsequently, however, it transpired that in the final two hours before the race, a large commission had been quietly worked all. over tho country both so win and for a. place, and that the stable actually landed £IO,OOO place money, and would have landed £BO,OOO had Balmont been first instead of second. Sam Loates was -oromised £IOOO if ho won on Tostig, whom the Abington crowd had tvied°very highly. Unfortunately the brute failed to stay. Morion also d; a appointed his backers, iuul Martagon (Ryan’s i-rc-at tip) finished absolute last. The field of twenty-nine runners was the largest since 1882, when Hark ness (after the historic day’s postponement ia consequence of awful weather) won for Robert Peck. M. Blanc started Ctouvcrneur for tbe Criterion Stakes, iu preference to the Dewhurst Plate, in which Reverend did duty for the stable. Neither this colt nor Siphonia, nor the non-staying Mimi had, however, the ghost of a chance with Lord Rosebery’s oddly-named Coratorphine (by Foxhall—Chopett) who won in a canter by two lengths. On Thursday in the Ih-ee Handicap Sweepstakes for throe-year-olds across the fiat, St Serf Bst Sib, just beat Martagon 7st 81b, Blue Green SatSlb, Surefcot 9at 51b, and Sanfoin 9st 51b, who

finished in tho order named. Betting ; 2 to 1 St Serf, 100 to SO Blue Green, 5 ti» 1 Surefoot, 100 to 15 Sainfoin and Martagpn.