NOTES BY PHAETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 6

NOTES BY PHAETON

Although we are but a fortnight from the deciding day of the Dunedin Gap, the big Southern event so'far has received very little attention from Auckland turfites. This state of things is certainly very different from former years, wherein the Dunedin Cup was looked upon as " the race of New Zealand," and was talked about for months prior. It cannot surely bo on account of the O. J.O. having inaugurated a New Zealand Cup, for the approaching race to be fought ont at Forbnry promises to be a raoe more worthy of the name than that which took plaoe at Riccarton in November last. However, I suppose matters will look up a bit as'wer get nearer the day, and the training gallops looked forward to with aa much interest as on former ocoasions. . The following are the names of the horses still left in the race :— st.lb. stlb. Welcome Jack -06 Taiaroa W "-. 7 3 Tflsman .. —95 The Poet .. -.73 Cheriot .. _ fl 5 Minerva ... -.7 2 Salvage .. « 812 Adamant .. ... 0.12 llata .. .. 8 12 Sou'wester ... ..6 10 Vanguard .. ... 8 8 The Jilt .. -. « 9 Nonsense .. .. 8 6 Blgby Grand .. 6 7 Lady Emma ... 8 6 Hazard _ ..6 8 Turquoise.. ..8 3 Toko.. .. .. 6 0 Oudies .. .. S 2' Oulda .. ..5 10 Tim Whiffler .u 7 13 CapUin Webster'.. 5-8 81esta _ .. 710 Stock Flower _ 5 8 July.. .. ..7 4 Naer»(?> „ «. 6 8. Hippodainia ..' 7, 2 , . . Which will be the selected one of the Robinson stable is a. question that will take a great deal of consideration, for in Nonsense, Cheviot, Ondeis, and Vanguard, they have certainly got a real good team.. The market certainly points to Nonsense, bat then it will be that Cheviot was just as "hot" for the New Zealand Cup, but backers found out to their cost that after all they were on the wrong horse ; and how do we know but that the same thing may not again come off in this event ? On her performance in the New Zealand Cup,' Nonsense is certainly, entitled to great respect, for she has only 81bs. more to carry than when she fought out her battle with Tasman, and the season of the year being more in her favour, she is bound to run a great mare if thoroughly wound up, and the stable support on her side, but I think on the whole it would be just as well for backers to wait a bit longer, in caseOudeis should turnup trumps. The betting has been very languid during the week, and the only business of any note that has come to my knowledge was 150 to 30 taken about Nonsense, and 1000 to 20 taken about Mata. Lady Emma has been supported for small amounts, and the same remark will apply to July. The following may be said to be the.state of the odds:— . . ; ~.__.w ^-^,l

4 to 1 agst Nonsense ■ • ••-- r-io-l—-Jnly ; ■ Btol The Poet ■ v. lOtol Lady Emms -. 10 to 1 Vanguard lOtol Oudeis 10 to 1 Taiaroa 12 te 1 —— Welcome Jack The Champion Stakes—the great vreight-for-age race of the Australasian turf—is beginning to receive some attention, and looking at the date of the fixture, I find that this day three weeks the great race is set down for decision. , Already signs of preparation are being made hy those trainers having horses engaged in the great three-miles race, and Morrison has awakened to the, necessity of treating Commotion to something more than exercise, cantering. The son of Panic is big and healthy, and as he is a veritable glutton at his work, if all goes well with him, he will be turned out in the pink of condition on this day. In the Melbourne Cup he conceded Martini-Henry 2st lOlbs, but in the Champion there will only be Ist 71bs between them, whioh should bring the pair much' closer ' together. The son of Musket and Sylvia; however, acquitted himself so satisfactorily at the late V.K.C. Spring Meeting, and won hit; races so easily, that there is no telling how good he really is. From the eager manner in which Mr. Branch laid 3000 to 1000 against Commotion recently, it .is. thought, that Off Colour has shown his trainer something satisfactory in his morning-gallons at St. Albans, so that he, too, may be relied on as a starter. When Navigator was offered for sale at.the Pastoral Hotel in November last, an opinion prevailed that the son of Robinson Crusoe would not stand another preparation. It is now stated, however, that the little black is doing good work at Terrara, and if nothing happens in the meantime, he will be amongst those who face Mr. Watson on the Bth March. After Sting's victory in the Adelaide Cup last season, £6000 to £400 was accepted about the the son of Grand' Master, which would point to tho conclusion that he' will be amongst the starters. The injury to The Plunger happily was not so serious as .was at rirst anticipated, and he bas improved so immensely of late that he may also be amongst those who go to the post. That he can get the distance is assured' by hie Australian Jockey Club Plate victory,'for it will be remembered that on that occasion he ran the distance in Stnins 30se.cs,' beating Mistaken easily, by four lengths. Mr. Wallace, it is said, intends sending Calms, and Mr. A. F. Smart has hopes of bringing Warwick to the post, and if so, the son of Maribyrnong will probably prove a more reliable champion than Archie, who from recent performances doesn't seem to care s.bout a distance. The A.J.C. Derby winner Lβ Grand and the Caulfield Guineas hero Sardius, will also be likely contestants, and in addition to the last-named, South Australia will also be represented by that consistent performer Dirk Hatteraiok. . .Eight of the above-named would' prove a contest" worth going 10,000 miles to see, and already. I hear of several Aucklanders putting' their houses in order preparatory to taking their way to, Melbourne to see the great race fought out on the banks of the Saltwater River on tho Sth of next month, A cablegram received. on Wednesday last states that Martini-Henry, is favourite at 6- to. 4, Commotion coming next at 3 to 1. ' The following are the weights allotted for the Australian Cup, 2 milesi and a-quarter, to be run at the Autumn Meeting of the Victoria Raoing Club next month :— ■ . st. Ib. et.lb. Commotion .. 10 5 Sardius .. ",.7 12 The Drummer ~0 4 Archio .. .. 7 11 Navigator.. ..9 2 Firet Demon .. 7 10 Guesswork ..9 2 King of the Vale 7 6 Calma .. ..SIS Santa Claus .. 7 6 Martini-Henry .. 8 12 Whoatmeat „ 7 E Coriolanus .. 8 10 Merman .. ... 7 6 Stookwell.. .. 8 9 Boscawen.. .. 7 4 Sweet William .. 8 9 Needle* ... ..7 4 Magnet .. ..8 9 Grosvenor .. 7 0 •PellMell* ..8 7 Astronomer .. 0 13 Segenhoo .. .. 8 7 Old Gold .. .. 6 12 Nioholas .. ..8 6 LesWa .. .. 0 12 Chuckster.. ..8 6 Doncaster.. .. 6 10 Morpeth .. ..8 5 . Conjecture — 6 10 Warwick _ ..8 4 Fercyman.. „ 6 10 Oft* Colour.. .. 8 S Camerine... .. 6 8 Euclid .. ..8 2 Verßy ... ..6 S Pollio .. -.8 0 Victress ... ..6 8 Ringwood,. ~ 7 13 Attache .. .. 6 7 L'e Grand.. .. 7 12 Hobwrt .. .. 6 ? Aldo-do-Camp .. 7 12 Agitation .. ..6 7 Glencoe .. .. 7 12 Omelotte .. ... 6 7 * Scratched. With the Anniversary Handicap, run afc' the late Sydney Turf Club's Meeting, in which event he. again finished second, that model of pluck, Sardonyx, wound up hie turf career. The record of the performances of the English horse Yellow Jaok, wfio finished second for the Two Thousand Guineaß, Derby, and Chester Cup, would, if tabulated, form an interesting history, and so would the deeds of the gallant t-.

donyx. . totting up his performances, I find that altogether the son of Onyx hae been pulled out in no less than 40 races since his dibut, and has been out of a situation in only 13 events, having finished first in six, second in thirteen, and third ia three. The following are the races in which Sardonyx ran second :—Tramway Handicap, won by Surry; Hawkesbury Grand Handicap, won by Trump Yoss; A. J. C. Derby, won by Wheatear; Tattersall's Club Cup, won by Morpeth; Anniversary Handicap, won by Morpeth ; Three and Four-year-old Handicap, won by Belmont; Hawkesbury Autumn Handicap, won by Ad Valorem ; Hawesbury Grand Handicap, won by First Demon; Spring Stakes ; Randwick Plate, won by Le Grand ; V.R.C. Handicap, won by Dukedom ; Tattersall's Cap, won by Coriolanus ; Anniversary Handicap, won by Here's Luck. It ie to be hoped that the Hon. James White will have better luck with SardoDyx , 1250 guineas half brother thin that with which Messrs. "Wentworth and Town had to put up with in the son of Fireworks. My confrere, " Sir Launcelot," of the Melbourne Sportsman, has very kindly sent me a copy of Mr.' V. Woodhouse'a coloured sketch of the finish for the Melbourne Cup, 1883. Martini-Henry is shown sailing home in great' style, with McGrade on First Water making a big effort to get up, while CommotioQ and First Demon may be seen fight" ing ou£ a hard battle for third honours. The picture is altogether exceedingly well got up, and will serve to keep the name of tha eon of Musket and Sylvia green in the memories of those'who were "in it" when he cnt down that brilliant field of twenty-nine on the 6th of November, 1883.

Major Walmsley, the managing director of the Hew Zealand Stud Company, returned from Sydney by the s.e. Waihora on Wednesday last. The Hon. James White forwarded by the same steamer the mare Lady "Vivian, a daughter of Strathconan, for the purpose of her paying a visit to Muskqt.

Hero's Luck; who boiled the pot over in the Anniversary Handicap at the Sydney Turf Club's meeting, was not supported by the stable for a penny. The colt -went to the front soon after starting, with the presumed intention of making the pace for his stable companion Soldier Boy, but made it with such determination that he was never caught, and won all out from Sardonyx, who was ridden with judgment, and came quite early enough, but could not catch tho flying light weight. That the public appreciate a true runner (says the Sydney Herald) was shown by the hearty reception which was accorded Sardonyx when he took his preliminary canter and when he returned to scale, and hod he won hi 3 victory would have been one of the most popular ever welcomed over Randwick.

Two of the yearlings that were passed in at the' New Zealand Stud Company's sale J.t Sydney recently were afterwards sold privately. These were the Mnsket-Bergere colt, who brought 200 guineas, and the MusketRealisatioh, who found a purchaser at 100 guineas. The latter, I understand, fell sick during the voyage, wiaich was indeed a pity, for a finer grown yearling I never saw, and bad he been put np in good health he must certainly have brought at least 500 guineas.