SPORTING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11294, 14 June 1897, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

[By Castor i,v “ Canterbury Times.”] Although the nominations received last week for the New Zealand Cup are, in point of numbers below the average, they are rather larger than the majority of people anticipated. The following table will show how they compare with those cf former years;— 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1995 1890 1887 00 t i (J 9 70 «s(i t»i 59 One thing apparent is the number of unsound horses entered. For instance, Douglas is again reported to be lame, and during the season Searchlight, Lord Eosslyn, Wakelin, Euroclydon, Day Star, Dauntless, Defiance, Mars, St Ouida, Oma, Leda, Woodstock, Culverin, Marquis of Zetland, Chaos, Manser, Epaulet and Lord Zetland have at one time or another been amiss. Addington and Britomarte, too, have been on the retired list for so long that the prospect of their standing a preparation is problematical, and therefore we have twenty-one horses, all of whom may be said to be under suspicion. 1 do not wish to infer that some'of them will not see the post. Day Star, Lord Eosslyn, Mauser, Defiance, Dauntless, Mars, Leda, Chaos, Epaulet, Marquis of Zetland, Lord Zetland, and a few more are probably all sound horses now. At the same time they have been amiss, and this, when summing up their prospects for a race like the New Zealand Cup, must be remembered against them. Another striking feature in connection with the entries for the New Zealand Cup, is the absence of no less than forty-seven horses who were nominated for the race last year. Naturally it was anticipated that Gipsy Grand and Lady Zetland would not be entered, and Brooklet, The Possible, Bombshell, Ngatuere, Bessie Maearthy, Irish Twist, Bonnie Scotland, Bellicent, Anita, Armilla, Captive, Nioolo, False Impression, Wehikoe, Hippodrome, Esau. Brigand, Kerimatuki, Osmanie and Edith Curoton were, as I pointed out last week, pretty certain to he absentees, but there was just a chance that Saracen would be nominated, and certainly a probability that Lorelei, Quiltiri, Casket,Golden Plover,The Shrew, Man o’ War, Pinrose, Penrose, Marino, Maximus, Aldershot, Black and Eed, Jane Eyre, Lord of Misrule, Popgun, Sabreur and Voltigeuv would be entered, while I am surjjrised that the names of Pompom, Lotion, Vandyke and one or two others do not appear in the list. The principal absentees are, of course. Gold Medallist and Multiform, and those people who supported Mr Stead’s two colts before the entries closed will doubtless “ swear off ” transactions of a similar character until this time next year, when they will, in all probability, again be unable to resist the temptation of attempting to back the winner of the Cup at a long price. Five of the Yaldhurst yearlings were ridden out to the meet of the Christchurch hounds on Saturday. Kissmiss, by Hotchkiss, from Bridal Eose, has grown up a great deal behind, while he has not developed so quickly in front, and he presents, therefore, a rather curious appearance. He will never be strictly good looking, but probably ho will be useful. Signet, by Medallion—Auray, is a good deal like Mauser, but he possesses a more refined head than his elder relative and possibly he will be easier to train. He is decidedly a nice-looking colt. Legerity, by St Leger, from Hazel, is as unlike St Cyr at a similar age as it is possible for two full-brothers to be. He is a round-barrelled chubby little fellow, and I shall not be surprised if, when he has finished growing, ho is not very like St Clements. Hippoereno, by St Hippo from Waitemata, is like Legerity and Kissmiss, small; but he is a powerful, well-turned colt, who may, if he commences to grow, develop into a big horse. Motto, by Medallion from Marion, is a lengthy, blood-like filly, who, if she does not, as her full-brother Grand Cross did, contract the habit of striking herself, is sure to gallop fast. I do not for a moment think that among the five there is a Gold Medallist or a Multiform, but they all look useful, and I hear that Conqueror, by Medallion from Siesta, is a very nice colt indeed. As the state of the betting market foretold, Galtee More not only won the Derby, but won it easily. After all, the odds of 4i to 1 laid on the Irish-bred colt the day before the race were not really extravagant. From the time be won the Middlepark Plate it was recognised that he had only two dangerous opponents, and when Vesuvian, who, when the last mail left England, was reported to be suffering from a description of skin disease, was scratched, and Velasquez was beaten by him in the Two Thousand Guineas, all opposition to the son of Kendal was practically at an end. As matters eventuated the race was a repetition of the Middlepark Plate and the Two Thousand Guineas. Galtee More won easily, and Velasquez was second. After the decision of the Two Thousand Guineas I wrote at some length concerning the past performances of both colts, and it is not necessary, therefore, to enter into elaborate details of their running. About History, who finished third, however, very little- is known. He is a bay colt by Hampton, from Isabelle by Isonomy from Isabel by Eataplan, and was bred by his owner, Mr J. Simons Harrison. By the way, his granddam must not be confounded with Isabel, the dam of St Frusquin, who is by Plebeian. He started five times as a two-year-old and won one race, the Criterion Nursery Handicap, decided at the Newmarket October Meeting. There was not very much merit in his victory, as he carried only fist 91b, and in each of his remaining engagements he finished unplaced. But if the victory of Galtee More in the Derby was generally anticipated, the result of the Oaks was a complete surprise Eight through the winter the majority of competent critics never wavered in their allegiance to Chekndry, and when the daughter of Goldfinch won the One Thousand Guineas her path to victory in the Oaks seemed clear. However, she could only finish second, md she was beateu by Limasol, a filly wlo last season was regarded as something worse than secondrate. Limasol, who is a daughter of Poulet and Queen of Cyprus, and is therefore a half-sister to CyprLi, who finished a dead heat with Eed Eyes for the Cesarewitch of 1893, belongs to that very astute old gentleman, T, Jennings, in whose stable, by-the-way, Apremont once was. She started on three occasions last season without winning a single race. She was unplaced behind Fortalice in the Acorn Stakes at Epsom, but she managed to finish second to the flying Omladina in the Fernhill Stakes at Ascot, and second to All Moonshine ii the Prince of Wales’s Nursery Handicap at Doncaster. I gave a history of Chelanory’a performances after she won the One Thousand Guineas, and need only remark that Lord Rosebery has now provided the runner-up for the Derby and Oaks, as well as for the Middlepark Plate. Fortalice, who finished third, is by Fitzsimon from Ziriba, by Hampton from Zee, and, as in tie case of the first and second fillies, she ran in the name of her breeder. Lord Elbsraere. She was a decidedly cood performer last season, as in addition to her victory in the Acorn Stakes, she won the Hyce Park Plate at Epsom, the Exeter Stakes at Newmarket and the Prince of Wales's Plate at York, while she finished second in one of her two other attempts. According to tie Auckland correspondent of this paper, wlo in another column has reviewed the North New Zealand Grand National Meeting at some length, St Simon accomplished a great performance in the North New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Eace. Notwithstanding that the ground was holding and the opposition particularly strong, the son of St Leger carried his 12st 121 b to victory in fine style. Annabelle has the reputation of being a really good mare, but St Simon gave l.er 291bs and defeated her by a length. But perhaps the position which Ilex occupied at the finish will serve to bring home to southerners the great excellence of Sfc Simon. Ilex is certainly not first class, but he is a wonderfully good second rate horse. Nevertheless St Simon gave him 231bs and a three lengths beating, while Dummy in receipt of 241 b, could only finish fourth Perhaps, however, the last-named will do

better later on. Prince Charlie, who was I heavily supported by his connections, ran badly, and possibly he was not at his best, but really nothing appears to have had much chance of beating the first and second horses, of whom Annabelle materially interfered with her chance of success by jumping the last fence badly. Still, it is doubtful if, under any circumstances, she could have beaten St Simon, who, although his running during the past twelve months has been most inconsistent, is evidently a hurdle race horse of exceptional merit, and certainly worthy to be ranked with the best of former years. But groat horse as he is over hurdles, St Simon has evidently not yet acquired the art of jumping big fences. He was made a strong favourite for the Great is or them Steeplechase, decided on Monday, and although he did not actually fall he was beaten some distance from home, and he “ walked in. with the crowd.” It was anticipated in this paper last week that Levanter and Miss Nelson would run well, and the pair finished first and third respectively. ■ Levanter’s display was in every way a complete contrast to his running in the Wanganui Steeplechase, decided on the Queen’s Birthday. In the latter event with list 71b on his back he was never prominent, but in the Great Northern Steeplechase he had no difficulty, with 12st 11b in the saddle, in defeating a much stronger field. Tally-ho, who finished second, likewise displayed a remarkable improvement on her previous form. In her case the improvement was made even mere quickly. On Saturday the daughter of Forerunner was unplaced in the Maiden Steeplechase, while fortyeight hours later she was able to finish second in a race like the Great Northern Steeplechase. Certainly there was a considerable difference in the weights which she carried, but there was just as great a difference in the class of the horses which she met. Levanter has now won the Great Northern Steeplechase twice in succession, and I hope he will be sent south to run in the Grand National Steeplechase. Kingswood appears to have run prominently and to have been in close attendance on his stable companion for a,considerable distance, and Rhino and Mozel were in the leading division when they fell, while Dromedary actually finished fourth. Curiously enough the top weight, and his two immediate successors in the Kingsck.re Handicap, a race decided at the Kempton Park meeting on Easter M onday, wore colonial-bred horses. Paris, who was handicapped at 10st 2lb, however, did not start, but Merman 9st 71b and Bombshell 9st went to the post. Merman . had made remarkable progress during the comparatively short time ho had been in England, and was looking bright and well. Nevertheless neither he nor Bombshell was mentioned in the betting, and it may, therefore, be taken for granted that the fact that they finished unplaced, did not disappoint their respective connections. Before the race Vigilant,” of the London Sportsman, wrote of Merman as follows : “ Merman only reached England about the end of January, but he had thriven so on the voyage round by the Cape and has done so well since that he is, I believe, expected to run forward. Readers of The Sportsman are already familiar with his pedigree, which, on the figures, is one of the very best in the world, and it is noticeable that lie is a tail male descendant of Whisker through that horse’s best son, The Colonel, while at the same time Merman’s dam descends at precisely the same degree as his sire, from , a son of Whisker. Economist to wit, and what makes the matter more curious is that The Colonel and Economist were of the same age, and both ran in the St Leger of 1828, The Colonel being first and Economist third. Belinda, grand-dam of Sweetmeat, was second in that race, so they were a pretty strong lot from a Stud Book point of view. Merman is of the famous No. 11 family, the same as St' Simon and Birdcatcher, and be his form what it may in this country, he will make a stud horse later. His last performances in Australia were his best. and these were of so recent a ; date as November, 1896.” The race was run over a mile and a half and as Merman finished fifth he must have become acclimatised rather more quickly than is usually the case with colonial horses who go to England. Probably he will win an important race during the autumn. Of Bombshell 1 am not so sanguine. The son of Chainshot was certainly one of the best two-year-olds of his season, but it was a year of moderate two-year-olds, and I think I am correct when I state that he was considered by those who were in the best position to judge, to be nothing more than an honest second-rate colt. However, lie may show later on that he has been under - estimated.' Meanwhile this is what the ” Special Commissioner” of the Sportsman had to say ; about the two horses after the race : ; “The Australian horse. Merman, pleased ; me well at Kempton, and he will, no doubt, win races when haudicappers take a less exalted view of his merits. He is a deepgirthed, bloodlike chestnut, standing sixteen hands, and it would be impossible to improve on his legs and feet. At all 1 points he is a racehorse, and good-looking 1 enough to command stud patronage later i on. Nine stone seven pounds was, of i course, too much for him, but he will find i his handicap level in due course. Roman Chief, the winner of the race in which - Merman ran, is an American-bred chest-

nut son of Hanover, and, therefore, • direct descendant of Glencoe. BombsbsJ 11. also put in an appearance. This Is C New Zealander, and a good sort, too, by the Musket horse Chainshot. By-the-way, when “ Vigilant ” wrofe about Merman and Bombshell he had s good deal to say concerning Chainshot, th* greater portion of which is so ’ ccunpli-. mentary that I cannot do better than re** publish it; —" Bombshell 11. is by Chaii.shot, the extraordinarily good-looking Musket horse which Lord Marcus Beresford has been fortunate enough to secure for the Heath Stud Farm. If there was a show of all the finast stallions in England I do not say that Chainshot would taiuly win, but I should be very sorry tp back anything to beat him. His son, Bombshell 11., was one of the best two-year-olds in New Zealand last year, and of course, only became a three-year-old according to their time, in August. Three-year-old career he has consequently had none, for he was brought to England, and, hey, presto ! in January, lS97„he is a four-year-old. Under the circumstances, he is surely overburdened'with 9st; and X think that not only haudicappers, but the Jockey Club authorities, should take age dates into consideration. The Victoria Racing Club, in its weigbt-for-age rules, makes special allowance for horses bred on this side of the line. Surely we might extend a similar courtesy. Of one thing I am well Satisfied, and it is that if Bombshell 11. should prove to be a good horse there will be a great career for his sire Chainshot, whom every capable judge admired immensely both at Doncaster and Newmarket last year. The only thing wanting to insure so grand a horse a position at one of the most important studs was the uncertainty as to his antecedents. He had won one small race and only one, and though eleven years old he did not figure in the list of winning stallions of Australasia until Bombshell 11. came. Such points may always be capable of explanation, but there was no one at hand ready to explain, and so Chainshot was not sold, but I know Mr Robert Peck would have dearly liked to have him at Howbnry, and I have little doubt would have bought him for that stud had full information about the horse been forthcoming. ‘ There is no finer horse in England,’ said Mr Peck, ‘You can’t find such horses nowadays.”*