SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9124, 4 August 1888, Page 6

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. September 8 and Hawkesbury Spring. September 22, 25, 27, 29—Australian Jockey Club. November B, 7, B—Canterbury Jockey Club. November 3, t>, 8, 10—Victoria Racing Club. November 0, 10—Auckland Racine Club. December 20, January 1, Auckland Racing Club. DATES OF COMING EVENTS. August 4—V R.C. Grand National Steeplechase September 13—Hawkesbury Cuineas. September 15—Hawkesbury Handicap. September 22—A.J.C. Derby. September 25—Great Metropolitan Stakes. September 12—Doncaxt-er St. Legac October 9—Cesarewitch Stakes. October 13—Caulfiold Guineas. October 20— Caullield Cup. October 22—Cambridgeshire Stakes. November 3—V.R.C. Derby. November o—Melbourne Cup. November (s—New Zealand Cup. November 7—Canterbury Derby. December 26—Auckland Cup. DATES OF CLOSING OF STAGES. August 4.—Further payments in connection with the Welcome Stakes, Derby Stakes, and Oaks Stakes, and acceptances for the New Zealand Cup, to be run at the C.J.C. Spring Meeting, 1888. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. M.— Trident won two races as a two-year-old. He was beaten once as a three-year-old, and twice as a four-year-old. 2. Grand Flaneur won nine races, Martini-Henry four. Waikato.-Realisation (dam of Maxim) was got by Vespasian from Hopeful Duchess, by The Flying Dutchman —Espoir, by Liverpool. Mersey (dam of Carbine), was imported from England by the Auckland Stud Company. Carbine has been scratched for the Melbourne Clip, but so far as we know at present, lie still remains in the V.R.C. Derby. SUBSCiuiiKß,—worth's two best performances were his third, with «.st gib, to King Quail (7st 4lb) and Hilda (Oat 31b) for the Auckland Cup of 1881, anil his victory in the Henderson's Mill Cup, with list nibs, beating: Yatapa (9st 61b), Tim WhirFler (7st lib), and Maori (Bst 91b). We cannot say what was the highest fee charged for Kelpie's services. Frailty was got by Goldsborough). NOTES BY PHAETON. From a short letter which Major George has penned, and which will be found in another column, that gentleman is evidently inclined to splinter a lance with the A.R.C. over the proposal to appoint a committee to perform the handicapping in future. The major takes as the basis of his objection to the proposed change, that handicapping by committee rarely gives satisfaction to horseowners, and that when the committee system was in force here some three years back it failed in that respect. I am well aware that so far as Auckland is concerned Major George has always been a most uncompromising opponent of handicapping by committee, and had he stated that it was personally unsatisfactory to himself, then I should (though still unable to fathom the cause of his great hostility) have had nothing to say ; but, as I take it that he means his remarks to be interpreted in a general sense, I must demur to the statement. Unfortunately the Major does not state on what grounds the committee's work was unsatisfactory, but I infer that he is inclined to level the charge of incompetency, and if I am right in so assuming, then I have no hesitation in saying that the charge is not borne out by facts. Ido not by any means say that the committee system has not its drawbacks, but I assert with much confidence that therewasinfiuitely less grumbling over handicaps in Auckland when the committee performed the duties than under the "one man" system, of which Major George is apparently so ardent an admirer ; and of this I am also equally sure that we had a far less percentage of " morals." When Mr. Stead struck Gipsy King out of the New Zealand Cup last month, not a few jumped to the conclusion that it was with a view to sending the son of Le Loup over to fulfil his engagement in the Melbourne Cup ; but a telegram from Christchurch states that the horse has now been scratched for the great Flemington race, and it, therefore, looks as if he was to be treated to a rest.

1 Southern papers to hand state betting on the New Zealand Cup is in a stagnant condition. On several occasions, however, there has been a tendency to support St. Clair, but 100 to 10 being the best price quoted about him, no business resulted. The writer of Course. Gossip in the Referee says : —" St. Clair is fancied about Riccarton far the New Zealand Cup, and, but for his lack of size, he would, undoubtedly, have a very big show. He is an excellent constituiioned horse, and his legs have stood better than those of any of the Muskets hitherto. Bar his split hoof, which is now quite sound, ha has shown no ailment in the understandings since his arrival at Riccarton." Lochiel and Artillery are each quoted at 7 to 1. The annual meeting of members of the Auckland Racing Club takes place on Monday next, and after disposing of the report and balance-sheet, trie new rules having reference to the use of the totalizator and country racing will be submitted for adoption. Major Walmsley is expected back from Wanganui on Thursday next, with a large draft of horses secured in that district for the New Zealand Stud Company's shipment to the Indian market. Old Nelson was down at Ellerslie on Thursday last, and in company with the Ingomar —Florence filly, Fit-sola, went a fast half-mile on the trial gallop. The old horse is wonderfully well, and appears to be as sound as a bell. The A.R.C. programmes have not yet made their appearance, but they will no doubt see the light of day during the coming week. I understand that the added money shows a decrease of close upon £1000 on that of last year. These having horses engaged at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Spring meeting should bear in mind that further payments in connection with the Welcome Stakes, Derby Stakes, Oaks, and acceptances for the New Zealand Cup are due to-night (Saturday). The report presented to the members of the Wanganui Jockey Club on Tuesday last, shows that during the last season the club paid away in stakes £2634 15s 4d, an increase of £1-37 '2s fid over that of the previous' year. The general expenses were about £20 in excess of those for 18S7, and the total expenditure exceeded the receipts by £'23 78 Id. The debit balance after providing for the Derbys and two-vear-old nominations, amounts to £257 i>s Sd, as against £'233 18s 7d for 1887. In order to liquidate this balance, the committee recommended a reduction in stakes. In a letter to "Sir Lancelot," of the New Zealand Referee, Major George says:— " There are some horses I consider so lightly weighted in the New Zealand Cup that I think it will not be worth while sending Nelson down to compete, so I will most likely keep him at home, and put my four mares to him, and four or five more if suitable mares offer. I have already had more than enough offered me, but declined them as not being of high enough quality. The horse is very well, and doing good useful work, and 1 do not state positively that he will not compete, though I consider it very improbable." The Anteros-Vivandiere colt, Son-of-a-Gun, made his debut in the Flying Handicap, run at Plump ton Park last week. He had hard luck, however, for he got badly away, and at the half distance ran inside a post. He finished half-a-length behind the favourite, but was of course disqualified. The Canterbury Times is inclined to think the colt, though no wonder, a good deal better than has been generally supposed. Commenting recently on the cutting remarks of the Canterbury Times regarding the moderate looks of the Auckland chaser, Artist, I said : —" Scarecrow and all as he looks, however, Artist can give many of his more handsome rivals a bit of a start, and then beat them over six furlongs." The Times returns to the charge with the following : —•" We believe it. He gave our i representative a terrible start the other morning, when, after a gallop, his attenuated form walked clean out of his clothing. This is a fact, and it reflects very little credit on the nutritive qualities of Auckland oats." That is terribly rough ; but how does my friend know that Artist's emaciated looks are due to Auckland oats? It might after all be due to " the best Canterbury !" An agitation is going on in the South for the taxing of stallions. " A Breeder " writes a very sensible letter on the subject, from which I extract the following :—" I do not advocate taxing anything other than stallions used for stud purposes, and to have the desired effect I think it would be necessary to place a tax of £20 or £25 each upon them —excepting English horses. These I would exempt as an inducement to import. But while being strongly in favour of placing a tax (ana a substantial one) upon stallions as a means of doing away with a lot of the useless brutes now doing duty as sires, and preventing others being kept and brought forward for the same purpose, I know from experience that the cause

of the country being so overran with scrubbers arises in great measure from so many weeds of mares, as weU as sires, being used for breeding purposes. I have had to do with stallions for several years, and I can assure you, sir, it « surprising to see the quantity of rubbish in the shape of mares whioh are sent to the horse every year, long-legged, spindleshanked, narrow brutes that, put to the best sire in the colony, would not produce anything beyond the class of a donkey—brokendown old cripples that are hardly able to crawl about and get their own living, much less to breed and rear a foal. But Because they are old favourites owners do not care to destroy them, so they are Bent to some crock of a stallion because his owner gives him a long and flaming pedigree, ana his service is to be had cheap. If breeders would only use a stouter class of mares (for I am convinced that the size and substance of the offspring must come mainly from the dam and the quality from the sire) and a purer breed, compact, short--1 egged, and sound sire, with smart action ana good carriage, and then feed the foal liberally, instead of starving the thing, as is too often the case now (it is an old saying, and no doubt a very true one, that a deal of the breeding goes down the foal's throat), we should soon see a great improvement in the breed of our horses." Ossory, the full brother to the mighty Ormond, is turning out a much better horse than many predicted. In the Prince of Wales' Stakes, run at Ascot, he went out almost neglected, a 10 to 1 chance, and won easily, while at the same meeting he ran a dead heat with Galore for the St. James' Palace Stakes. This week we learn by cable that the son of Bend Or secured the Sandown Park Eclipse Stakes of 10,000 sovs. for the Duke of Westminster, his stable companion Orbit (who is also a son of Bend Or), being his nearest attendant. With the prospect of Ayrshire being out of the road, the Duke of Westminster should have a very powerful hand with these two colts when the St. Leger comes up for. decision next, month. Only a few years ago one of the wealthiest and best-known members of the Victorian betting-ring was Mr. J. B. Wal'is. He died a few days back in Brisbane in the reverse of affluent circumstances. During his connection with the Victorian ring he owned many horses, and one of them was the New Zealand mare, Calumny, with whom he won several races, but the turn of the tide came, and he rapidly lost the fortune he had made. Commenting on the above, "Senex"of the Canterbury Press, contributes the following, which shows how very careful jockeys should be as to the company they keep:—l recollect well that Walli3 had rather an unenviable reputation, as the following story told me by E. Cutts will testify : Just before the meeting at which Calumny won the Newmarket Handicap, and Lurline the Australian Cup, the late Mr. Winch, owner of Croydon, Loup Garou, Circassian, and other good horses, died. Cutts and F. Matthews, the jockey, intended being present at the funeral,, and accepted Wallis' offer of a seat in his trap, to follow the procession. Now, Matthews was to have ridden Calumny for the Newmarket Handicap, as, in fact, he did, and Lurline for the Australian Cup, but Mr. Gardiner, the then owner of Lurline, seeing the jockey in Bach as he deemed questionable company, declined to allow him to ride, and secured the services of lucky Tom Hales, who had a very easy ride on the brown mare. In responding to the toast of his health at the annual dinner of the Sydney Hunt Club, Lord Carrington, Governor of New South Wales, said : " He could assure them that he never knew what ' big timber' was until he came to Australia, where the fences are fully a foot higher than are to be met with in the old country. The most difficult country that ever he met with in England was on one occasion when having a run with the Cotsmore hounds, and the fox crossed the railway line twice, but only four horsemen successfully negotiated the fences for the second time, and one of the four was a Mr. Russell, an Australian, who was mounted on an Australian horse which he had brought to England with him."

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Mr. R. Blaikie announces that he has books on all forthcoming events. The V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase is to be run to-day at Flemington. The first forfeit in connection with the Melbourne Cup is due on Monday next. The totalisator receipts have already commenced to fall off in Tasmania. Messrs. Buckland and Sons will hold a sale of blood stock to-day at Kelly's late stables, Ellerslie." By last accounts from the South there was a rumour current that something was amiss with Artillery. The Canterbury Jockey Club has fixed the added money to the New Zealand Cup of 1889 at lOOOsovs. Mr. George Cutt's fills the dual position of handicapper and starter to the Plumpton Park Racing Club at Chriatchurch. Four fillies and one colt by the defunct Sword Dance were among the Hampton Court yearlings, sold at an average of 474 guineas last month. The total amount of added money proposed to be given by the Canterbury Jockey Club during the forthcoming season is £7525, against £8100 last season. The Melbourne Cup winner, Malua, is amongst the acceptances for the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race, in which event he has been awarded list 71b. During the present week, Mr. Enko came to terms with the owner of Balista for the leasing of the daughter of Musket for a period of two years. The mare will remain in George Wright's hands. Mr. Bobbett brought Libeller and Maoriland up from the Thames during the present week, and he notifies by advertisement in another column that he is prepared to entertain offers for their purchase. Up to June 2nd the Duke of Portland had already secured £16,113 15s in stakes during the present season. Of this sum, Ayrshire brought in £7625 by winning the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby. A curious bet was made over the Prix de la Venerie at Auteuil. Sir John Willoughby, it is said, laid a French bookmaker 100 louis that Kilworth would refuse, and 100 louis that Kilworth would win. The race was annulled ! Relics of poor Lindsay Gordon, the writer of those soul-stirring lines, "How We Beat the Favourite," are coming to light. A Victorian lady, who is in straitened circumstances, desires to dispose of the top boots worn by the famous poet in all his steeplechases. Speaking of the proposition to limit the use of the totalisator, the Oamaru Mail says that to permit its use in connection with the metropolitan meetings, whilst debarring the country race clubs from using it, would be like stopping up the spigot ana letting run out at the bung. Mr. Maple has purchased Falmouth House, Archer's residence at Newmarket, with its grounds; and "Atlas," in the World, hears that he got the place very cheap, the price being under £5000, whereas it cost Archer upwards of £20,000, but the executors were glad to sell on any terms. Major George has selected the following names for his youngsters :Chestnut filly by Ingomar— Fiesola ; chestnut filly by King Cole—Tenambra, Miss Cole ; chestnut filly by King Cole—Florence, Coal Scuttle ; bay filly by St. Albans—The Maid, Vendetta ; chestnut colt by First King— Memphis, Reprisal. News is received from England of a mishap to the Duke of Portland's colt Ayrshire, who won the Two Thousand and Derby, and it was thought could not lose the St. Leger. There were rumours of the colt's lameness, and confirmatory evidence was forthcoming in the hostile attitude of two or three leaders of the ring, who drove him to 33 to 1 for the great Doncaater race. i

HANDICAPPING BY COMMITTEE. TO THE SPORTING EDITOR.

Sir, noticed in the Herald of Saturday last your remarks re handicapping for the Auckland Racing Club, and cannot allow them to go unchallenged. Without wishing to enter into the question as to the capabilities of the gentlemen at the disposal of the committee of the Racing Club, I affirm that to most horse owners the work of a handicapping committee rarely gives satiation, and I consider it a retrograde step to revert to the system which did not give satisfaction In the past. If it is necessary to save the £150 paid to the handioapper, I believe horse owners would be better pleased to have that amount docked off the stakes. With one paid man only responsible for the allotment of the weights, horse owners and the public know who to blame in case of gross injustice or carelessness.l am, &c., F. NSUSQH GsOfiQß. Epsom, July 30,1881}.