SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6667, 31 March 1883, Page 6

SPORTING.

RACING- FIXTURES. XEW ZEALAND. April 3 and 4—Taranakl J. C. Meeting April 5 and 6 South Canterbury J. O. Meeting. April 21 and 23—Auckland U.C. Autumn Mooting. May :I and 3. —Cambrid.e Jockey Club Meeting. May 24.—Grand National Steeplechase Meeting at Timaru. ilav 24—Takapuna J.C. Autumn Meeting. AUSTRALIA. May 5, 10, and 12—South Australian Jockey Club Au.umn Meeting. DATES OF ENTRIES. NOMINATIONS, AND ACCEPTANCES. i April IT. —Nominations for Cambridge Jockey Club's Races. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Nonce writes : " Which of the two horses First Kin;: or Chester—won the greatest amount of money during th*ir racing career?"—l beliero the former. SrOßTw.itcs: "To decide a bet, will yon please slate whether Petrea's time for tho Sydney Cup in ISSO was faster than that of Progress in the year following ?"—Petr a*3 time waa oinin. 37}aecs ; Progress', 3min. 36 S-lOsec.?. In answering a query last week, Custance was given ast the r»dcr ui .Seftf-n, i: should hare been Constable. NOTKS BV PHOTON. Tiik Tarauaki Jockey Club's .Autumn Meeting takes place ou Tuesday and Wednesday 1 next. For the big event of the meeting only eleven have paid up, which is not a veiy high compliment to Mr. Hately. The Poet will, I understand, be present to represent Mr. Bate, and with only 7st 131bs to carry, he should have a big sa}' in the finish. Fishwomm, with "at 51bs, if dressed in her best, should iun well forward, and Wilberforce, if in fcrin, is in it up to his cars with 7st. Of the light-weighted division, Normanby (Gst and Armourer (Gst lOlbs) look to be tho niO;t dangerous, but it appears to me that the finish will be fought out between the three first named, and to declare in favour of one my vote is given in favour of Tua Fokt.

When a cablegram arrived early on the ■ day on which tho Sydney Cup was to be run 1 announcing that Mistakenand Willeroo were j equal favourites at 5 to 1, the race was en ■ all hands voted to be a very open one, but there were few indeed who considered it of such an open character, as to give Dc.rebin a chance of winning. His performance on the lirst Jay of the meeting was not first-class, for ho finished third in the Autnmu Stakes, which is run over a distance at which the son of the l'eer is said to have few equals. Add to this that he was to carry the crushing impost of 9at. Slbs., and being reported "not himself," it was therefore not at all to bo wondered at that the son of the should be almost of as a likely wiuner. The gallant son of the Peer, however, proved himself well fitted for the great task Bet him, and he carried tho Hon. Mr Cox's colours home in front of a field of fifteen, in the splendid time of Umin. 33.Uecs. The performance of Darebin is indeed a most rem;.?kable one, and never, I think, since the days of the Barb has one of equal merit been recorded. Although tho -'black demon" carried exactly a stone more when he v,on this same event in 1800, it must be borne in mind 1 hat he was a fivo year old and that the journey occupied 3min. or longer than that accomplished by Oarebiu on vVednesday last. The victory of D '.rebin again brings the name of Traducer int.o prom:n ;nce, for Lurline, the dam of the Sydney Cup winner, was got by the noe 01 The j Lii el out of Mermaid, by King To.~n out of Watcrwitch, by til.: flying Dutchman out of ICveniug Star, by Touchstone. Although his two and three-year-old performance', v.ere nothing like equal to Navigator's, still Darebin proved himself a horso of more than I average merit ; but it is as a fouryear - old that he has proved himself such a great horse. Darebin made hl3 first appta'ance in public at. the V.R C. meeting in ISSI, when ho ran third to Royal Maid for the Ascot Vale Stakes, and at tho same meeting got second to Cooreena for the Nursery Handicap. At Adelaide he ra:.\ nowhere in the Nursery Stakes, but on the second day he showed this running to be altogelhei wrong, for with Sst lOlbs up he romped i.ome in front for the Two-year-old . Handicap, beating Result (8-it fil'bs) and others. As a three-y- ar old Darebin commenced his career by winning the V.RC. Derby in the fastest time on record, beating Santa Claus, Commotion, and others. fn tho Melbourne Cup, with 7st he rau nowhere, but in the Mares' Produce Stakes he achieved an easy victory over both Monmouth and Commotion. At the Y.R.C. Midsummer Meeting he only started once, which was in the Tarraville Stakes, in wh'ch event, with flat up, he finished just behind Respite (9st Tibs). At the Y.R.C. Autumn Meeting lie was a bit off, and finished third to Commotion in the St. Leger, second to Bathurst in the Grand Stand Stakes, and ran nowhere in the Town Plate, won by Commotion. Journeying to Adelaide, Derebin had no difiieutly in winning tl.e St. L ger, and on the second day of the meeting carried Sst Slbs to victory in the Birthday Cup of lOOOsovs. This was his last performance as a three-year-old, and lie was no more eeen in public till the V.R O. Spring Meeting, when he commenced his four-year-old carLer, by winning the MelbourHO Stakes fiom a good field. Contrary to the wish of his trainer, his owner started him for the Cup, and the wonderful good horse lie ran in that race, with the steadier of 9st 9lbs, is too well known to need repetition, for after going two miles in slush and mud, he finished a good fourth. The Royal Park Stakes, run at the same meeting, fell an easy prey to him, but in the Canterbury Plate, w.f.a., he had his colours lowered by his old rival Commotion, who rau the 21 miles iu tho wonderful time of 4;nins. isecs., and finished two lengths in front of the son of The Peer. At the conclusion of the meetin" he was put up to auction, and was purchased by the Hon. E. K. Cox for something like 1200 guineas. It was Mr. Cox's intention to at once put Darebin to tbe Btud, but, altering his niind, he placed him in T. Lamoml's hands. Not training on well, he was indulged in a rest until the A.J.C. Meeting, which commeuced on Monday last. His first essay was in the Autumn Stakes, in which Assyrian conceded him 61bs., and running a great race with The Plunger, the former secured a win by a head, Darebin being third. After this performance it was indeed hard to believe that he had a 100 to 1 show of winning the Cup, for in that raco he had to carry Slbs more thau when he was defeated in tho Autumn Stakes. The victory of Darebin there can be no doubt, will be very welcome to the members of the ring, for his name wo scarcely mentioned in connection with the race. As I expected, the Great autumn Handicap resulted in a victory for Welcome Jack, Tasman being second, and that game little bit of stub. Lady Emma, third The race appears to have been ruu at a ding-dong pace all through, and from the excellent description furnished, must have been a very brilliant sight. The account of the race states that Tasmnn led into tho straight, when Welcome Jack, who was lying third, was set going, and directly his head was loosed he dished to the front, and it was then seen to be all over, for everything e'se was hard at it, while Rudiugs, on the favourite, was looking riuhi and left. It was generally thought that the son of Miss Flat would run a great race, but tie was said tn be too far backward to allow of him getting to tho front wi'ih Sst 41 hs in the saddle, but seeing thai he rau the mile and a half in the excellent time of 3"Jiin. 3S.Ssccs. he would appear to have been "as fit" as a fiddle." In the Easter Hand-cap, run on the second day of tho meeting, Welcome Jack had 9*t 21b3 allotted to him, which apparently found him out, for lie finished last in a field of three. Gitaua (Gat 9lbs) being the winuer.

lii the Christchurch Steeplechase, ran on Tuesday last, those two great horses Canard and Clarence, were for the first time sent against each other in real earnest, when the son of Anteros completely settled the pretensions of his gallant old rival by winning easily. considering that Clarence was oiilv conceding the winner l'Jlbs, the performance of Canard is a most meritorious one, and would go to show that with care he should blossom into (.no of the finest crosscountry horses that ever trr.d the colonies. As in all his r.ices, Canard had the services of iiis ownc.r. Mr. ll.Lunn, which, there can be little doubt, was a qreat deal in his favour, for a more accomplished crosscountry rider is not to be found in the colonies.

A glance at the list of winners at the recent Autumn Meetings, shows in a very bold maimer that the New Zealand Stud Company is likely at no distant date to neoupy a very prominent position in the b-ceding of fashionable strains of blood, for tiie company not only possesses many of their closc relatives, but also their sires and dams. Taking the most important first, we of course come to Navigator, who claims Robinson

Crosoe as his sire, the company's mare being a full sister to thia very success) ul sire. Then again wo have Sardonyx, a son of Onyx, winning the Doncaa'.er Handicap, and Gloucester, who finished second to him, is a, son of Sylvia, ■while Morpeth, who ran second for the St. Leger is by Sylvia's son, Gohisborough. The great victory achieved by Darebin m the Sydney Cup will also be especially gratifying to the company, for iu Lure and Nai.id they possess two fall waters to Lurliue, the dam of Darebin. Coming nearer h in-, to the C.J.C. Mei-ting, we find Sir Bedivere (a Eon of Tres Deuce) winning the Nursery Handicap, and getting seeojd for t''e C ampigne Stakes, while Leon {a son of !'ftrileuse) won the Epsom Welter Handicap, and Canard (a son of Anteros) nppropri.it d the Steeplechase at th<j sain.- meeting. At the Thames Meeting Lyric (a daughter of Lyra) won the big handicap, and 1 suppose 1 must not omit Moonstone's (?. t. 11 uf Muonbeam) win in the Dargavdle Cup. That lucky turfite Mr. J. l'llbrow was again at the top of the Ist r.s a wi.ning owner at the C.J.C. meeting la = t week, his cheque for stakes 3lone being worth cooething like £1400. That ilr. P-lhron <!<>es not intend to hoard it up. rr ay li - gauged from the fact that at the Middle P-.rk tale he paid 640 guineas for a ytarii g cclt by King of Clubs out of Idalia, who wiil be a fitting companion to that euMtie wonder. Welcome Jack, for this young gentleman claims as half brother those good horse.-, Sir Modred, Betrayer, and Cheviot

The Thames Jockey Cm!) mu.-it now, I think, see the error of its waj s. lor nut of an entry of six fur their big ■■vent, nay two faced the starter. As I before ttied, liad the club selected a date other t. an that on which tbe Takapuna Jockey Ci.ib meeting was to be held, they would have :: itot likely had a large number of entries for their ra s, but as it was the meeting was bhoit of a Jiunco.

The Takapuna Jockey Club int. ml lioldi g a meeting on the Queen's Birthday, when it is proposed to give away iu added mooty something like £210. The pre iininary pro gramme is as follows :—Trial .Stake-, of 25sovs.; Novel Race, of 40sovs.; B 'tnday Ctip, of 75sovs.; Sssep'cchase, of SOsovs.; Local Raoe, of lOsovs.; and Cons-, lation, oi lOsovs.

It was generally understood that horses intended for the Dargaville races wave to be carried free of charge by th': Kdpara steamers, but this proved a fallacy, and consequently there was a good deal of grumbling by owners and trainers when p. charge of a gum' a a-head was announced, which with the " blackmail" levied by th« accommodation houses does not by any means make the Dargsvillo meeting c. favourite topic for c nversation.

All kinds of cruel and ill-natured remarks have been uttered against racehorse owners and trainers, (says "Newmarket") and cynical people have jeered at the diamoml-cut-diamond policy of those coniiecte 1 with horse-racing ; but an incident has come to light in connection with the late N' wmarket Handicap, which will serve to show how üßjust these aspersions have been, ami how Damon-and-Py thias-like is the confidence and friend.-hip which exist between one owner and another. Two weliknown horses, whom I shall call Removal and Colbrick, were engaged in the oreat shortdistance handicap of the V.lt.C., and both underwent their preparations, and ilid then daily gallops m company, not a hundred miles from Malvern. Each horse acquitted himself splendidly on the training gr nnd, though Golbrick always had a t'ill' the best ol his companion. Ono day a conference was held between the owners and trainers of the pair, and an understanding arrived at ilict Kemoval and Colbrick ah old have a trial on the following morning over tlie Newmarket, distance «ith their resp c'ive weights up, and that the combined party should back the best horse. Accordingly, that evening the jockeys and saddles we,re weighed, and everything was prepared for the spin | at daybreak the nxt morning. Jh ■ trial was run in due cour.-e, Golbrick auaui winning by a head ; but the Removal party were nothing daunted, as their jockev had surreptitiously worn a lead waistcoat, ami carried 71b. overweight. they reasoned |to themselves, would more than counterbalance Removal's head defeat, and make him hold his companion c|-.ite safe in the race. Theewnerof Colirick was in blissful ignorance of the fraud that was being practised upon him ; but with that cli u:<cteristic instinct of self-preservation with wl.icti racing men are always • udov/ed, he had secretly taken tho precaution to se that his horse carried lllb.overweisht. That evening the owner of Removal could have ht;en hear i otTering to take 2 to 1 that his horse b at Lolbrick, who was now favourite. Neither horse won, tliougli both ran weli f rwaH in the race. On settling day the owner of Rmoval let the cat out of the bao, bus was chagrined to nnd that ho had beco; checkmated. I might mention, in <0' c'usio , that this trifling incident has in r.o way atlocted the friendship of the parties concerned ; but, on the contrary, each entertaining a much higher opinion of the other now ihan previously. Judge Williams, summing up in the Do Mestre-Leader libel cose, said : " M . Do Mestre was a public man. a.id his horses competsd at Flemington for p :lil e :-taUes, and his actions were liable to fair criticism. ' He also pointed out that "the public pain for the <uts of r.iuthoraea, th'*y suliscribed the stakes which formed the prizes."

HAWKESBCR.Y RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEKTIN'G. The following is an accjunt of the running for Tub Rawkk-bury Aothms Handicap, a handicap sweepstr.kes of lOsovs. each, with 300aova. added. The winner to rec -ive 7*> per cent., second hors= 15 per cent., and third horse 10 per cent. of tho gru-s amount. Mile and a half. Mr. S. W. Knight's b c Ad Valorem, by Captivator—Azalia, 3 years, 7st (v\ illiamson) ... ... ... 1 Mr. J. Monaghan's br h Sardonyx, 1 years, Bat 81bs (Colley) 2 Mr. W. Kelso's be, Willeroo, 1 years, Sst 41b3 (Nicholson) ... ... ••• ° Pell Mell (4vre, sst), Balmoral (oyrs, Sat), Soldier Boy "(3yrs, 7st 41bs), Koyal Blend (aged, 6st 61bs), also ran. Betting : sto 4 t. Willeroo, 3 to 1 v. Soldier Hoy, 5 to 1 v. Ad Valorem, 6 to 1 r. Sardonyx, 7 to 1 v. Balmoral, 25 to 1 v. Pell Mell. Proceedings were commenced by a capital start, J\oyal Blend and Willeroo getting heat oil, and the first-named led Woldier Boy thr> e lengths past the stand, Balmoral and Willeroo following closely. Carrying on tho running, Royal Blend had four lengths advantage of Soldier Boy when passing the old milo post, when Balmoral was third, a couple of lengths away, closely followed by \V illei 00. Ad Valorem, and Sardonyx, while Pell Mel!'a condition had already told sgainst bun. Willeroo then joined Soldier Boy, and the pair were within a couple of lengths of tho leader aa they sailed along the back of the course, with the others, except Pell Mei', on terms, two lengths away. As they made for the far corner Ad Valorem joined Wiberoo and Soldier Boy, and the racing in a cluster reached the leader s girtln. Royal Blend soon got into trouble, and Sardonyx drawing ur*on his horses, the six e.une round ■ the bend* in very close company, Wilicroo'a head just showing in front of Ad Valorem, while Sardonyx to come in earnest. Willeroo—who had bo ti p-illed about a good deal at the back of the couise —jnst led Ad Valorem into tho straight; but the latter was not half done with, and challenging the favourite resolutely at the distance, cut him down and >hot to the front. Sardonyx then put in hi-; claim, and the favourite being unable to answer a tin d call, he fell back third, leaving Sardonyx to chase Ad Valorem ; but the effort wa- fruitless, and the son of Captivator holding his own, won comfortably by nearly two lengths. Willeroo was about the same distmce Horn Sardonyx, and four lengths from the defeated favourite came Royal Blend, three leng' hs in float of the others. Time : imin. ;f'.Usees.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Jimmy Wattie rode sir winners at th* Hawke s Bay meeting. The total amount put through the totallsator at the Takapuna Meeting was £1750 I is again rumoured in Victoria that Mr. Do Mestre will shortly retire from the tnrf. Tom Cannon has no .rly 100 horse 3 in training. Mure than other man in England. It is said that Navigator split one of hit hoofs badly while running in the Australian) Cup. Gudarz, who ran third for the last ilelbou'ne Cup, has been sold for the India* market. Mr. \\\ ]branch has sold Belmont to Mr. Forrester for £100, and Le Bean to Mr. Smart f..r £:il'o. Sir. G. Bate.i' filly Minerva has a!ie.wl» arrived in Auckland, for the purpose ®! taking part iu our Autumn Meeting. At the \ let>ria Amateur Turf Club'.* Meeting, on 17, Boolka won the St. Patrick's Handicap from a god field. It is tho-'ght that had Col.stouu received a couide m .ro gallops prior to the race h« w.-uld ha.e won the Newmarket Handicap. v.-ill, I understand, leave tht Papakura stable shortly to spend the wiutei s ason at her owner's phco at the NcrlkSoore. l.'arebin carried Slbs above weight for ag« =c do in the Sydney Cup, while Mistaken, who finished second to him, carried .Slot below. Mr. Vallauce exchanged Louie for Mr. McLean's two-year-old colt Epicure, who wos the Nur=ery Plate at the Hawke'a Bay Meeting -Mr. Staudish's horse Normanby won the dou le (veot —Flying and Autumn Handicap—'»t the Waverley-Waiototara meeting last week.

C ose on £.~>ott will be given away in ad«lcd money at the Dunedin May Meeting, th« princ pal event being '-he Birthday Handicap of lOO.ovs.

At tbe sale in Melbourne of iicjKjrted American stallions, Granger an 1 .Startle brought 205 guineas and 195 guineas respectively

I understand that it is quite likely that old oportsmau'.i name will again figure 'B the list ol comp.-titors iu our Auteniii Steeplechase.

After his victory in the Autumn Handicap ■ t the V.R.C. Meeting, 1000 guineas wa« offered for Stockwell, by a well-known menber of the ring. Navigator, Gasworks, Richmond, and First King, are the only hordes that havs ever appropriated the double—V.R.C. St. Leger and Australian Cup.

l'rodigal, by St. Albans from Zillah, v. i s ran so well in Tasmania, is to be placed it Mr. F. Dakin's charge at Flerrington. Mr. Dakin was tho trainer of Darebia.

Like myself, "Sir Lauucelot" selected Welcome Jack as tho winner of the Great Autumn Handicap. My cunfrcre '-ad also a great liking for Tasman, who got second. The Argus saya that the settling over the late V.R.C. Meeting was tho heaviest ont that has been experienced for many years. Tho amount paid over must exceed £100,000, the bulk of which goes in largo amoants. French left on Thursday for Tarr.naki, taking Fishwoman with him. George Williams, who will ride the tilly in her racet there, was also a passenger by the samr boat.

"Augur" says : "The Second Nursery Handicap introduced us tc Copra, the full sistt-r to Navigator, and a perfect beauty she is, witV a lovely forehand and legs like atee! baiv."

Iu : he ten years which the Newmarket Handicap has been run, the time (linin. Kijsecs.) lias been recorded on four occasions. Hy-eiDth's time in ISS- is the fastest, beinj;. lmiu. ll>isfes.

I understand that the New Ze-daid Stnc'. Company have disposed of R-volver (owr brother to Mitrailleuse), aud the M usket — Una cole at a satisfactory figure. !he name of the purchaser his not transpired, but ! understand that the youngsters will not leave Auckland.

At the late V.R C. meeting, Mr. E. L>* Mestre was the largest winner, he receiving £±231. Mr. A. F. Smart appropriated Li(>oli ss. Sir Thomas Elder, £1357. Mr. SV. Branch, £104*2, and Mr. S. G. Cook, £«340. The total amount paid away in stakes was the lars;e sum of £!)SSS. On the occasion of the marriage of Fred Archt-r, who is without doubt the gieatesi jockey tho wot Id has ever seen, there wert great" rejoicings at Newmarket. In the . veiling there was an elaborate display c! fireworks, wherein Arch-r was represented astride of Beau Brummel, the present favourite for tho Derby. " Augur " says : —During the race for t/it Australian Cup several experienced watch--1 iol■'ci:i timed Navigator for the last milt and a-half. He was one of the last past the intic and a-lialf post, and when he reachec? the goal he had been only 2mius. sees, accomplishing the distance ; in fact, some took his time as ■2mins. oCsees.

Dare; iu'a victory in the Sydney Ctif allows that it does not always turn out profitable fir ;i bookmaker to pepper the top The first wager Mr. I'oole lr.;d ira 101) "to 1 against Jjareliin. The same bicker, a few days prior to the race, accepted £50 ta 50-< a'»out the son of The Peer, and on ths day of the race put another "quid'' on hua: at "JO to 1, so that altogether he won £17G by Lhrebin's unexpected wiu. Abe Hieken, who, as the world knows, ir the pugilist defeated some years ago bj Larry Foley in a well-fought battle ioi th« championship of Australia, has promptly responded to l?rofe«sur Miller's challenge hj intimating his reailiness to box Miller lor any sum from £300 to £1000. Negotiations came about thus : Some time a;jo Miller said ht was going to America to bux Sullxv.*ui. Hiclceu remarked that " there was no neces-j-ity for him to go t > America, for there was man in Victoria (meaning himself) who wonlil accommodate him for any sum he liked frort £,jOO to £1000." Miller then said he could not get the amount mentioned but he eeuid wet £200. Hieken now writes a letter to thf Sportsman, saying that "Miller cannot Icare this colony without a final flourish of trumpets. I shall remain in my adopted homo with the knowledge that I (Weatci! tho gigantic Miller for £'20 (i.e., £10 a side). I weighed 9st., while he was 14st , and t'm contest lasted only —S minutes, 'this is a fact, which he dare not dispute antecedent to which my deeds are recorded."