SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5526, 2 August 1879, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES.

There is very little doing at present on the Melbourne Cup, and it will be BO until the acceptances are declared. The fading horses still remain at the quoted odds Secundus is anxiously inquired after but from his performances he will moat likely turn out a market horse. The Adelaide people are very sweet on Wandering Jew, ind taking into consideration that he is an unbraten horse, the handicapper has dealL mo-.t leniently with him. . . " I have to thank Mr. Miller for his kindness in forwarding me his little, book". It is a most useful work, containing the last year's performances of all the horses engaged in the Melbourne Cup, together with ihe entrances and weights for the principal races. It is a handy work of reference, and I strongly recommend all persons interested in racing to lose no time in procuring one. They can be obtained from Mr. H. N. Abbott, United Service Hotel, Auckland. to the death of Baron Lionel de Rothschild, who raced under the name of Mr. "Acton," Sir Bevys is disqualified for all races in Mr. ■' Actou's" name, but he is still en I et:d in some good stakes in Lord Nc-wry's name, who bred him; those of course hold good. J The 12th Austrian Derby was won by Mr. Hainan's Amaranfchus, by Kettledrum oat of Amara, ridden by Smart, Mr. Blascowifcch's Purdi being second. Tho celebrated Hungarian mare, Kinxsen, at the tame meeting added two mare wins to her already long score, thns making 42, withont suffering a defeat. EPSOM RACES. Tho past Epsom Meeting was one of the most unpleasant that has taken place for many years. Bain continued to fall heavily till breakfast time on the opening day, making the course very heavy aud bad going. Tne attendance was the smallest ever known for the opening day, aud little interest was shown in the racing. The ohleitablisbed Woodcote Stakes was won by Mr. Beddington's Sabella—heating Prestonpaus, The Abbott, and 10 others. The Epsom Summer Haudicap fell to the lot of Lord Bradford's Chippendale, who beat Ridotto, Rhidorroch, and four others. THE DERBY. The 100 th Derby has been run for. Great are tho changes since the days when Sir Charles Bunbury won with Diomed. The rail has superseded the road, and the attendance of the rough element now predominates. Many will remember the drive by road, the amount of fun and chaff that used to take place when the various blocks occurred at the turnpikes, aud the numbers who never even got as far as the c.urse, and only learnt the name of the winner from those returning home. The celebrated Cock at Sutton is a thing of the past, and the gardens now are only frequented by some of the lowest. The attendance, considering the weather, was large, aud the grand stand was well filled. The coarse was more holding than on the first day, and never has it been worse-going since Daniel O'Rorke's ysar (1552), which was commonly called the "mud-larking Derby," when Frank Butler took the upper side of the course, where the people had been walking, and Bent the little chesnut pony to the front, defeating two other outsiders. To the state of the course must be attributed the defeat of all the favourites, as, with the exception of Victor Chief, none of them showed in the race. Palmbearer and Visconti started at the outside prices of 100 to 1 and 60 to 1. The latter seemed to have the race in hand 200 yards from home, when Fordham, on Sir Bevys, came with oue of his old rushes, and he immediately curled up, allowing both to pass him. This is the first Derby that Fordham has ever won, though he was near landing it with Lord Clifden, when Maccaroni, with Chaloner up, beat him only by a head, a decision that gave the greatest dissatisfaction, as many good judges (the late Admiral Rous included) who were on Mr. Todd Heatley's private stand exactly opposite the judge's box, thought he had won. Ever since Charibert's easy victory in the Two Thousand, it was a question among good judges whether he was a roarer or not, still the public stuck to Archer and the Magpie colours; he therefore started as good a favourita as anything, but their hopes of victory were soon dispelled, as he was beaten before coming to Tattenham Corner; Cadogan, who started favourite, never once prominently showed in the race. It will now remain for the St. Leger to prove if the best horse won the (Jne Hundredth Derby, or whether the heavy ground upset all calculations, but at the same time it does not appear likely any colt will bo able to clip the wings of the flying filly Wheel of Fortuue iu the great Northern race, if she keeps well. Sir Leopold De Rothschild iB reported to have won £40,000 ; but the ring in general are large winners, and the Leviathan, it is said, netted over £100,000, and would have won double that if Palmbearer had come in first. The Derby Stakes of 50sovs each, h ft., for 3-year-olds ; colts, Bst. lOibs.; fillies, Sst. 51b. miles. 281 subscribers. Mr. Acton's Sir Bevys (Fordham) ... ... 1 Mr. J. Trotter's Palmbearer (J. Osborne) ... 2 Lord Roseberry's Visconti (Constable) ... 3 Abbott of St. Mary, Alpha, Bine Blood, Cadogan, Caxtonian, Charibert, Exeter, Falmouth, George Albert, Marshall Scott, Muley Edriß, Wutbush, Prologue, Protectioaist, Rayon D' Or, Ruperra, Squirrel, Victor Chief, Whackum, and Zut also ran. Betting: 9 to 2 against Cadogan, 5 to I against Victor Chief, 6 to 1 against Charibert, 8 to 1 against Huperra, 10 to 1 against Zut, 100 to 7 against Falmouth, 100 to 6 each against Caxtonian and Rayon D'Or, 20 to 1 against Sir Bevys, 33 to 1 against Abbot of St. Mary, 50 to 1 each against Muley Edris and George Albert, 60 to 1 against Visconti, 100 to I against Palmbearer. Twenty minutes after the advertised time, Mr. McGeorge took them in hand. After a couplo of failures the flag fell to a good start. Charibert immediately rushed to tho front, but was quickly pulled back, Protectionist, on the upper ground, taking up the running, followed by Marshall Scott and Blue Blood. After going a short distance these fell back, and on the rise of the hill the leading division consisted of Exeter, Victor Chief, Falmouth, Muley Edris, and Squirrel. Sir Bevys, who had begun badly, was several lengths in the rear of everything. Coming through the furze, Protectionist dropped away and Caxtonian went to the front, followed by Exeter and Palmbearer, the trio being just clear of Victor Chief, Marshall Scott, and Rayon D'Or, while Charibert, Cadogan, and Muley Edris were at the head of the next division. On entering the old course, Palmbearer joined issue with Caxtonian, Sir Bevys at the same tima improving his position. There was no material alteration till coming down the hill, when Charibert lost his position ; at the same time, Victor Chief, Cadogan, Falmouth, and Visconti joiued issued with the leaders. On rounding Tattenham Corner, Caxtonian aud Palmbearer still held their leading position ; but on crossing the road the former was beaten, leaving Palmbearer with the lead. When fairly in a lino for home, Victor Chief challenged, aud in a few strides obtained tho lead, but soon after was headed by Visconti, who drew clear of his followers, and seemed to have the race at his mercy. Fordham, however, who had been patiently waiting, came with one of his well-timed rushes, and half way up the stand got the best of him, and, drawing away, won, with something in hand, by three-quarters of a length. Palmbearer, who came again, beat Visconti for second money by a length. Victor Chief was fourth. Time, 3min. 2sec. THE OAKS DAT. This was not at all a ladies' day, it being very cold, and heavy clouds threatened rain at auy moment. Tho Hill was almost deserted, there being only about half-a-dozen drags asd a few broughams with questionable occupants. Great interest was taken in Lord Falmouth's unbeaten filly Wheel of Fortune. Her levee in the paddock with her stable companion Leap Year was largely attended, and seldom has one owner possessed two such splendid fillies. It seems only a question of health for her to win all her races for her popular owner, as nothing as yet appears of having a chance of clipping her wings. The only other two that attracted any attention, were Jessie Agnes, that comes from the celebrated Agnes family that made old John Osborne's fortuue, and Phillipine, who was backed by many who wero unable to get oo the favourite ; but neither, o£ them bad. anything to do with the race, which wasi very slow, owing to tlie heavy sfcito o£ the ground! Ihe favourite, who Archer waited with, won m a canter the moment she was called unon in the same time as the Derby, thus nrov' ing the flyer she must be, as it anythine had raced with her she could have done it iu some seconds less time. The American horße Parole added arother score to his winning list, by landing the Epsom Gold Cup from Alchymist and Primrose, thus proving himself an undeniably good horse over &

certain distance of ground. It" now remains to be seen if his stable-companion, Duke of Magenta, has recovered from hi® illness, and is really the good horse he is represented to be. He is engaged in the Goodwood Cup, and it was Mr. Lorillard's intention to run him for that race alone, and as it took place on Thursday, we may soon expect to hear of it. Englishmen must now look sharp after their laurels, as our cousins on the other side of the Atlantic bid fair to take the best back with them, as they have already beaten us in sculling, walking, and shooting. THE OAKS. The Oaks Stakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft., far three-year-old fillies ; Bst. lOlbs. each. J 4 miles. 179 subscribers. Lord Falmouth's Wheel of Fortune (Archer) 1 Mr. J. B. Cookson's Coromandel 11. (Osborne) 2 Duke of Westminster's Adventurer (Wood) 3 Amice, Jap-mica, Jessie Agnes, Lvap Year, and Philllpine also ran. Betting : 3to 1 on Wh> el of Fortune, 7 to 1 against Philippine, 10 to 1 agiinst Juponica,23 to 1 against Leap Year ; 33 to 1 agiinst Coromandel 11. The fla*! fell at the first attempt, Coromandel 11. taking the lead at a slow pace on the left, followed by Adventurer and Leap Year, Wheel-of-Fortune heading the remainder, with Jessie Agnes bringing up the rear. In these positions they came through the furz-s, but ou entering the old course thi pace improved, aud on coining down the hill tho lot closed, and ran in company into the straight, Coroinaudel still leading. Here Amice died away. The favourite then drew up on the left of her horsrs, her stable companion at the same time coming on the upper ground. Half-way up. Archer brought Wheel of-Fortune to the front, and, taking a decided lead 200 yards from home, won in a canter by three lengths, four 1-ngths between second and third j Leap \ear fourth. Time, 3tnin. 2sec. Old Tokfite.