ODDS AND ENDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6051, 9 April 1881, Page 6

ODDS AND ENDS.

Lara and Vampire have been turned loose. Scobell is still first favourite for the English Derby at 9 to 1. The Queensland Turf Club cleared £550 by the totalisator during the season. £10,950 was the amount of the prizes given at the late Victorian Race Club meeting. The Auckland Stud Company have purchased the thoroughbred stallion Anteros. Grand Flaneur's winnings in stakes up to the present time are a little under £10,000. Sir Thomas Elder, the well-known South Australian sportsman, is going on a visit to England. E. T. Jones, of the Lambeth Baths, swam 100 yards in lmin. Shaecs., the fastest on record. — Matau has beeii installed first favourite for the Easter Handicap, and has tyeen backed for a good stake. First Water's time (4mins. ljsecs.) for the Australian Cup, 2J miles, is the fastest on record for Australia. ■ Bal Gal has recommenced work again, and has been backed as low as 5 to 1 for the Two Thousand Guineas. Wellington is doing good work at Randwick. He is much fancied by his party for the Sydney Gold Cup. ; Captain Bogardus and Dr. Carver will shoot a pigeon match for £500 a-side, near London, in May; 100 birds each. ■ Horse-owners are reminded that nominations for the Taranaki Jockey Club's Derby, 18S4, and Champagne Stakes, ISS2, cleae today. ' . . Mr. Woodhouse has painted a portrait of Grand Flaneur for Mr. Long. It is said to be a beautiful picture of " the stroUer." I The Sportsman says that old Richmond is iii grand buckle just now, and it will take a clipper to beat him for the Sydney Gold Cup. i Eighteen subscriptions of £130 each have been taken this season for the stud horse Sterling, sire of that grand performer Isonomy. j The nominations for the Victorian Coursing Club Derby and Oaks have closed—the former with 59 and the latter with 71 entries. Mr. John Smith has decided to name his youngsters—Maribymong (by Maribyrnong), Yattendon (by Yattendon), The Auk (out of The Auk). A full brother to Grand Flaneur is to be sold during the forthcoming Ranawick meeting, also two of his progeny. He has never been trained or ridden. . The latest accounts from Triekefct are, that he purposes leaving for America, immediately, in order to. have a boat constructed on the same principle as Hanlan's. Mr. Walters'Peeress —Yattendon colt will most likely make his dibut on the turf at the C.J.C. Autumn Meeting. The colt is engaged in the Champagne Stakes. ' : , A match for 500sovs. a-side takeß place at the Newmarket Second October Meeting between Lord Bradford's colt Zealot (Oat.) and the Duke of Westminster's colt Muncaster (Bst. lOlbs.).

: Mr. J. R. Keene, who, it will be remembered purchased Blue Gown, but had the misfortune to lose him on the passage from London to America, has offered 10,000 dollars for Isonomy. The offer was refused. Messrs. E. E. Jones, Miller, and O'Brien, the well-known Victorian metallicans, who have combined, are now willing to lay to the extent of £25,000 on the V.R.C. Derby and Cup. Hanlan's backers made £12,000 on him in England ; and they didn't have to go into training to do it, either. He did the handling of tho oars, and they did the Hanlan of the money. A Grafton patron of aquatic sports will back Rush for £150 out of £200 agaiust Laycock. There appears every chance of a match being arranged between these two grand oarsmen. Captain Bogardus and W. Tell Mitchell shot a match at pigeons, 65 birds each, 30 yards rise, five ground traps, English rules, at Richmond, Va., on January 19. Mitchell killed 60, and Bogardus 57. Waxy, who was third for the Melbourne Cup in Calamia's year, was recently running in a race ih Victoria, when he ran against a post, and injured himself so severely that ho died a short time afterwards. Sir Thomas Elder has sent two of his highly bred youngsters to England to fulfil their engagements. Their names are Roy's Wife and Bomba. The former is by Scottish Chief, and the latter by Dutch Skater. The sliding scat was first used in England in a four-oared race between professionals representing the North and South of England. The idea is old, but the Americans were first to utilise it in its present mechanical form. A dog recently got on to the course at Randwick while the horses were doing exercise. Primrose and Spinningdale, who were racing in company, narrowly escaped serious injury, through the cur getting in their path. The New York Spirit of the Times says : —" There i 3 little probability that English scullers will regain world-wide supremacy until the present generation are all dead, and their places filled by better and more teachable men." The Victorian Racing Club's programme for the Winter Steeplechase Meeting contains six races, with added money amounting to £1250, including a Grand National Hurdle Race of 300sovs, and a Grand National Steeplechase of 400sovs. The pigeon shooting contest between Dr. Carver (of America) and Mr. Scott (of England) came off recently at Middlesex. A closely-contested match resulted in Dr. Carver winning by four birds, killing 66, against Air. Scott's 02, each shooting at 100 birds. The following names have been decided upon by the directors of the Auckland Stud Company for the Mnalcet progeny :—Bay colt, by Musket from Sylvia, Martini-Henri; bay colt, by Musket from All Steel, Besscmeer ; brown filly, by Musket from Crycina, Fusillade. A Victorian turf and commission agent recently disappeared from one of the country race meetings held in Tasmania, not only forgetting to pay his liabilities, but also with the money of his dupes in his pocket. The police were put on his track, and he was speedily run down. He was brought up on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences and committed for trial. The Sydney Bulletin has the following :— It is said there was some disgraceful swindling between bookmakers and owners of horses at the late Dunedin meeting. Our New Zealand correspondent informs us that it is not safe now-a-days for the outside public to back a horse, notwithstanding what may be said to the contrary by owners. He adds it is true that there are some straightforward owners, but unfortunately very few." At a recent sale in England, ten greyhounds brought 711 guineas, the highest being sold for 400 guineas and the lowest for 10 guineas. This is not in excess of former sales, Bedlamite and Peasant Boy, two well-kuown hounds, each having brought 3000 guineas, and for Master M'Grath, probably the most famous dog ever bred in Ireland, his owner, Lord Lurnan, was offered the sum of £4000.