SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11843, 21 December 1901, Page 6

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. December 20—Alexandra Jockey Club. if/December 26— Porangahau Raomis Club. ?„ December 26, 27—Beef ton Jockey Club. |@ite^eceinber|263:2Vr^ WM^^lle^J^ e Club. "December -26, 27~~M&n£iv»itu OIIIuu : % December ; 26, 27-Cromwell i Jockey Club. »'W. x Decembers 26, 27— Jockey Club. 1 liilDecember 26, 27—Thames Jockey Club. gjggg . December 26. 27. January Northern Wairoa B§®pSS%si ; ?»Kaciii6r :: Club. v-vj*.- ■<"; ■ December 26, 28, January 1, 2—Auckland Racing: Club. r December 28—Ashhurst-Pohangina, Easing: •>. Club. "■■>■'"■ :- ■ ' December 31, January yndham Jockey Club. DATES OF COMING EVENTS. Jocember 26— Great Northern Foal Stakes. December 26—Auckland Cup. December A.R.C. Summer Cup. January I—Great Northern Derby, January I—A.R.C. Handicap. , January 2—A.R.C. Royal Stakes. January 2—Auckland Steeplechase. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ' T.W., Ohaupo.—Pacing to harness (with a . runner), Star Pointer's record for a rale was lm. 5915. In the stallion class he i-ut up exactly the name record. 'W. 8.; Mokau —1. Purvoke won a pony hany:y dicap on the second , and third days of the A.B.C. Summer Meeting in 1897, the respective dividends paid being £21 143 and £9 17s. _ Z. : ' ' • Hautonga was got by Son'-wester from Ivomni. ,'t*. -3. Straybird is in training at Ellerslie. TABANTABA, Opwnake.—' winners of the I V.R.O. Derby bred in ' Auckland are as fol- ;%?. 1 " lows:— Martini-Henry, Nordenfeldt. Strath- £<* more, Carnage. Carbine and Osculator, who were also bred m this district, wore each v.. .'defeated'a short head for the Victorian race by Ensign and Wallace respectively. - 2. Auraria was defeated in the Derby prior to winning the Melbourne Cup. 3. Musket .was bought at the ring-side. - NOTES BY PHAETON. . Mr. Evktt declared the weights for the (Wellington Cup on Monday last. Whorein the advantage lie 3 of bringing these weights out in the middle of December, and right in front of a lot of important races, I must confess I am quito at a loss to discern. The fact of provision being made in the conditions of the race for tho rchandicapping of winners, it might bo said, acts as a safety valve to the club, but there is another way ! to look at tho question. How about horses j that may in the interval prove unable to win j under more favourable terms? Viewing the question all round, I cannot help thinking that the Wellington Racing Club would find it more to their advantage were they to postpone having the weights for their Cup declared until after the conclusion of the : A.R.C. and Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's , Summer Meetings. It can, I think, be taken as quite certain that the handicappcr would hail tho change with .much satisfaction if such were made. ■ " '■ As was stated. some weeks back, tho last has not been heard of the Austerlitz disqualification case. "Mr. A. Morgan" recently forwarded a communication to Sir George Clifford, as chairman of the Racing Conference, appealing against tho finding; of tho A.R.C. stewards, and from tho tenor, of. a telegram received by tho metropolitan " authorities from the secretary of tho conference such has been granted, the A.R.C. . authorities being notified that tho case will be heard at Auckland on the 30th inst. I fancy ; that tho communication came as a bit of a surprise to' the A.R.C. Committee, as it it they wore under the belief that the question was one of fact, which under the rules docs not allow -of appeal. In tho Lobo' case, V which . cropped ;up in Dunedin some years ago, and which was, I think, pretty much on the same lines as tho Austerlitz case, Sir • " George Clifford ruled that the owner had / tho right of appeal, and the case was , re- ■ opened. With- that recollection before one, , the refusal of the right of appeal would have .' , constituted tho surprise, , - '■ ' In referring. to tho case of I. Derrett, the • Weekly Press says:—Although tho term of disqualification -in connection with - the ■ g.Vanilla < case < has now expired, the veteran rider, 11. Derrett, rests uneasily undo,, tho 'slur cast upon his character. When the "Vanilla affair was being investigated, Dcr- ' ' rett is said to have expressed tho opinion K V , that the mare had been "dosed" by.some- --, one, and this, cqupled.with:. the slight acci- , dent ho mot with during the progress of tho race in tho shape of a'blow in the oye with .a, lump of mud thrown :up by one : of the loading ' horses, accounted for the failure _of the mare to'run prominently, at' the finish ,of . the first day's race. , Since, that timo • .Derrett has been keeping his eyes and ears it : open for anything likely to bear out his opinion, and during tho C.J.C. meeting last month ho alighted upon a piece of evidence fglg - which he regards as of considerable value. According to a sworn declaration, which he has placed before us for perusal, one of the witnesses in the Vanilla case admitted to Walter / Buddicmobe, jockey, that Vanilla was " fixed up" for the race in which Derrett rode her. This sworn declaration was made by Buddi- " coriibe, and the particular passage in it re's ferred to reads as follows, names being Omiti|#|s|Stcd: —"I was present at the last May meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and I. saw • there. . . .1 asked him what chance of winning she (Vanilla) , had • in • tho : Selling c ;* .Raco in which she was engaged that day. He said 'None; don't back hor; she won't win to-day. I've got her fixed .up. She ought to win tho second day.' Ho gave me to ?' - understand she was not in a condition to win that day." This is tho ; sworn state- ; 1 ment of Buddicombe, and relates to a conversation which took place some time before the 1 Selling Race was run. ' Buddicombe states further, probably to account for his action in not 'disclosing the information at tho time the; case was being investigated, that he did not know the nature of the evidence given at ; the inquiry until after it had - appeared in the papers: Ho is quito positive as to the statement made to him by the person mentioned in-the'.document, and lias no doubt as to its meaning. Had Buddicombe been available as a witness when the ' ,' Dunedin stewards were inquiring into tho running of the mare Vanilla the decision arrived at might have been of a different na•,"j ture. * ' Derrett asserts that his mount acted -- ' as though something was tho matter with i her, and nearing the finish of tho race lie thought she must have burst a blood-vessel, but, on examination, found that this was not so. It was this strango behaviour on tho maro's part which first caused him to • suspect that she had been , tampered with, and that ho had been given the mount upon ahorse which had been "dosed" in some way to prevent it winning. Further light may yet be thrown upon the matter. Most racegoers would bo glad to see Derrett free himfse'f from all suspicion in this unpleasant ' rasing scandal, for tho veteran is still ono , of tho most popular riders we have in tho colony. . The horses belonging to Mr. Stead are to be easily picked out even at exercise, for the »'i~/ • popular Southern sportsman never docs any- ' " thing by halves, and each horse's forehead 55; strap is ; found interlaced with the stable colours— and black. On a recent j '\ - visit to the training-ground the first ono of r the Yaldhurst team that I caught sight of '• was Cruciform, and even had she been minus the stable badge, 1 think J. could have guess- . Ed; her identity straight away from a recolW' lection of . the photographs that liavo appeared of her, for the daughter of St. Lcgcr carS•f~~. ries her ears always pricked. Cruciform is : only of medium size, but she •is of pretty solid build, and that she is game to a high degree when the final pinch comes she has given plenty of proof. A ' friend of mine in Canterbury, who has probably, seen as much racing in New Zealand as any man, and who is therefore .in every way qualified to pass an opinion, in recently summing up Cruciform, pronounced -7i j' the daughter of St. Lccer and Pormo to be i~-: . the best filly the New Zealand turf has seen. •'That is no doubt;a big tiling to say, but I fancy that, there are move than my Canterbury friend holding such an opinion. Menschifeoff has not grown or thickened to any markv •*.l extent; .in fact, 1 don't know that 1 i.ound him any different from the Menschikcff iif last December in the matter of developiaent. There was no mistaking Royal Artillery when lie hove in sight, for there are not many such as the son of Hotc-hkiss and ** Rose of Wellington alxmt. When sold as ijiysg % .J a yearling, Royal Artillery was of very much ; T | ■' : t more commanding appcaranco than either of bis two full brothers. True Blue • and Screw Gun, and;he; certainly fills the bill now as ~?1'• - a "very, fine stamp of the thoroughbred horse. Eoyal 'Artillery had both his forelegs encased m guards v when -I saw him, and I thought he 1 was a ,' little tender on one. It is to be hoped _ that Eoyal Artillery will go on all I right in '> his - traiuing, . for he is a colt .*•' from - . S! 10 "', a great feat may be expected. Mr. p ho8e » St. Michael, is not one *' . CWtiSi np »> * argo amount of enthusiasm. y * c sou of ZSt. Leapt is of comi; ' ' wtep a i P i? e i ro V cc '- but a P lain head anc H |ft ii Mlehaci■ l^l j, glv ? >m «way. That St, P&ii"M"^'^*tylesh i v-mDi" ' e himself in really good Rinoo ho i, more than on« <»nvinciJwork on the A.R.C & fancy th'vt Mv . 'a? Z o '.? ew keen judge! Auckland Cup with £!_ U v:n . b L s seconc Piffa and Id, Dicn. b thc >'« son of St. Legei

Writing me from Durban, Natal, Mr. H. A. "Dickinson, a South ; African colonist, ; says:—"Dear Sir, • see;in your notes m Auckland Weekly News of September 19 reference was - made to the horse , Strategist winning the Merchants', Handicap' here. I 2 Had beard that tho horse •. was New Zealandbred, but was not sure, for, as. you say, our I papers ' are 'no: help iin finding pedigree, etc.,; in their racing reports; in fact, they are very ': slip-shod, and it is a treat to get hold o, yours and Australian papers, in which the re- , ports are as near perfection as possible, especially'; to one fond of anything pertaining to the thoroughbred You will ha glad ;* to hear, if you have hot before,, that Strategist went on from the race meeting here to Pietermaritzburg, and won the big event there in very good time. The chief res son, the Auckland-bred horse : had not distinguished himself ; before ; was that he was terribly bad at the post, being almost always left there. I hope for the credit of Australia and New Zealand horses you will send over somehorses of a good stamp. We are here full up of Argentine horses; in fact, an ordinary field is generally composed of three-quarters South Americans, especially in the biggest . events, though, strange to say, .in the pony events, here -at all events, the Australians . are carrying. all before them. I will say this,' that not one-tenth the money has been spent in bloodstock from Australia that has and is being spent on Argentine stock. Why, only two or three days ago 18 were landed in ' Capetown, and they will fetch from £250 to ' £1500. Now, I should like to see this money go to an, English colony, and lam tain that for the same money equal quality, if i not better class, could be got. Yarran, For- • ward, iind Arquebus represent' the best • class Australians . that have so far run in South Africa, and I must say they were good 1 horses, the firstnamed being a very : good ! performer. I believe in Australia, but the running days of the horses ' named aro long since over. My reason in writing this is to try and let you know that there is, and wil be, a still better market for bloodstock here, and I should like to see our fellow-colonists get a share of it, but it will be no u;e in 1 sending anything but ■ good, as otherwise a - bad name will bo got that will be hard to overcome." While at Ellerslie.one afternoon during the present week I remarked to an associate, , while doing a ramble over the convincingground, the number of Cup horses' that were present, eight of the 13 horse's engaged being present. " Yes," remarked my friend, " and ■ you haven't seen the winner." Tho remark carried my mind back to an early morning in 1881. After the work had been got through, threo of us wero on tho _ grands,land —Mr. George Ellis, Mr. R. Blaikic, and myself—and there were only three horses left on tho track King Quail, Hilda, and The Poet. Attention was directed to this fact, and each of us began to ask ourselves what we wore waiting for. "I'll back one to win the Cup,; anyway," said Mr. Ellis, ancl Mr. , Blaikie thereupon accommodated him with £500 about Hilda at a Ions; price. Hilda ran a good race, but King Quail carried too many guns for the daughter of Albany, and , tho Yattendon horse got home in front. ell, this little incident is simply recited to show that - though only thrco horses wero on the course when the wager was made, the backer missed thv winner, and two of the three horses .named above finished first and second in tho Cup. Rarely has Ellerslio carried such a. profusion of green in tho month of Decem as ■ is tho case this year. Tho rccont rains which have extended, at short intervals, pretty well ' over a fortnight, havo freshened up the grass .and trees, and the course and its picturesque surroundings may be said to wear an aspect more in keeping with the autumn rather than the summer season. Though thc rain has had the effect of improving the grass tracks, tho ploughed gallop has been rendered unworkable, and tho tan has also beou made heavy in some places. Judging frqm the very satisfactory nominations received by v tho Auckland Trotting Club in connection with their approaching sumrrfcr meeting, matters would appear to be well in train for that body to bring off a-record gathering. The trotting events of the programme havo drawn a good sprinkling of entries from the other centres of the colony,, while a quartette hail from New i South 'Wales. The Australian • owners re- j presented are Mr. C. H. Fitzgerald and Mr. llensler. Tho first-named has a trio in his name in , tho shape .of Peri, Carl, and Vericb. while the latter claims Auctioneer. Mr. McClatcbio, of Christchurch, has four in his name, viz., What, Vaunt, Velox, and Frederick, while Ocean Wave, Beppo, Thorndean, Officer, and Balfour hail from other quarters. Mr. Edwards' adjustments for the first day ; will be found in. ■ nother column. " ' Although Volodyovski may bo-tho best of this season's English three-year-olds he is certainly no wonder. At Kempt on Park lie could only run third to Epsom Lad and Santoi at. weight-for-age, and at Sandowit Parle subsequently only won the Foal Stakes (for three-year-olds) by a head from the filly Transparency, to whom he was conceding 121b. The Carbino coin Dundonald was only another head further away, and finished so well that it, seemed as if he would havo won if there had been another few yards to travel. Selling races aro a prominent feature in connection- with most English programmes, three a day being nothing unusual, and at a recent meeting of the, Jockey; Club it was proposed that tho number of races of this class «limild be limited to two a day. The motion met with a lot of opposition, and Mr. L. do Rothschild said that though ho was of opinion no selling 'raco should be held on p. Derby or Cesarewitch day he did not bolicve in restricting them on other occasions. < Other members delivered themselves in much the same strain, and it was finally decided to let the matter stand over,, which probably means that tho number of selling races will not bo interfered with. Full details of tho lots to be offered by Messrs. Alfred Buckland and Sons on account of Major Georgo at "Wapiti," on i January 4-, are now published, and will be ; found set out in an advertisement appearing in another column. Tho horses in training include the chestnut filly Zealous, 4yrs, by . Nelson—Moonga; chestnut filly Drudge, - 3yrs, by Nelson The Maid; chestnut geldShellback, ;3yrs, by Nelson Hestia; chestnut filly Rattler, 3yrs, by .Nelson— Moonga; chestnut filly Ragabrash, Byrs, by i Strathmorc—Fragment; brown colt Poweri ful, 2yrs, by Nelson—Moonga (full brother to Seahorse). There arc a triol of yearlings in the collcction. who are ! bred as follows:—Chestnut filly I'lag, by , Nelson — The Maid (dam of The i Workman); bay ' gelding Hardy, by Nelson—Hestia; chestnut filly Sealark (full : sister to Seahorse), by Nelson—Moonga. i Amongst the brood marcs aro tho following: i —lite Maid (dam of The Workman), by King , of the Ring from Maid, of all Work; St. Mari garotta, by Nelson—Sister Agnes; Hestia, by Grandmaster Wildfire; iloonga. (dam of ' Seahorse), by Goldsbrough—-Kernel. After • the'disposal of Major George's horses those ■ belonging to Mi. Donald McKinnon will be ; offered. The; stallions. Flintlock (by. Mus- > —Agate) and Loch Ness, (by Ingomar— > Albatross), and tho brood mare Dreamland (by C-adoganSiesta), aro tho principal lots. ( i In Australasia racing stewards do not take i much notice of tho horse being ridden with . spurs in one race and without in another, I but in America they are keener on that j point. At a recent Saratoga meeting a filly fc named Educate won one raco so easily that f when she started again a couple of days { later she was made an odds-on favourite. 5 She ran badly, but at tho inquiry which fol- - lowed nothing : could ;bo proved against those concerned. However, not to be . beaten, the stewards fined tho owner £10 for - having the jockey wear spurs in tho race the s filly won and not in the race in. which she f was beaten. u ' > •' s Circe, the full sister to Daystar and Altair, 0 started favourite for the Queensland Cup, s run last week,.but failed to gain a situation, s The daughter of Castor and Cissy ,is engaged n in thc Summer Cup (one mile "and five furn longs), to bo run at Randwick on Boxing J Day, with 7st 31b, and in Tattersall's Cup e (two niiles), to bo run on the same course i. on New Year's Day, she also appears with 1 7st lib opposite her name. i- Tho National Hunt r Committee ' have re- :» cently held a meeting, ono of their ideas beI ing that cross-country jockeys have been ff overpaid, and must,' in future,,' accent less i- remuneration. Though they aro constantly > being knocked about, and are o»ten seriously e hurt, if not killed, they are to receive a d lower wage while they are alive. "If a man ,s were not - a fool," said an old Newmarket h trainer, . "he would. not be a steeplechase if jockey; and if, therefore, he is a steepleiv chase jockey wo know what to call him when ,s. ho 'is bandaged up ,again and partly dcliri- ;. ous." . d :;.... v,— — it A glance-through the advertising columns e of the London Sportsman devoted to stal II lions shows that the Australian-bred article n is held in high esteem by breeders. Tren- ["• ton and Merman are standing at Cobban: e Siud at ■ a fee of 100 guineas, and Aurum >• and y Abcrcorn at 50 guineas. -.■»> Patron, is al i- the service of breeders for 50 guineas al d Howbury Hall, near Bedford; , and the in t- comparable Carbine's fee is also 50 guinea: d - at the Duke of Portland's stud. The onlj •f ; English-bred stallion to command a fee o ■>■ ■ 100 guineas is St. Serf, a son of St. Simon *s Donovan, Martagon, and Ayrshire ; are al d 75 guineas, but the majority of the other; 5 . l J at the services of breeders can be had fo; Jl from J.O guineas to 49 guineas. fl

I I[ :' .- BREVITIES.S§§||| Nonotbs continues in great heart. 1 Auckland Trotting Club open their summer ' meeting on Friday next. : Mr. G. G. Stead is expected to; arrive in Auckland by to-morrow's steamer. ; Laetitia is coming on nicely,., and should , bo heard of at:the,A.R.C. Summer Meeting. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club have de- • cided to introduce the starting gate at Hastings. ■ ■ We have not 'had; such a wet and ■ boisterous December as the present one; since I 1830.- „ , „ , , Kelburne, th two-year-old son of Hotcli- ' kiss and Lady Augusta, continues to im- / prove. , . .* , . . ' si The King, it is Eaid, intends to have his ■ horses trained at Ascot instead of New- ' market. 1 . Khama, the aged son of Castor and Lady : Wellington, is a new candidate for jumping honours. ■ ■ ■ A big backer in England laid £18,000 to ! £3000 on Revenue for the race in which Royal ; Simmons beat him. ; # Cannongate, who has not started in a flat raco for a long time past, has been nominated for the Welter Handicap to be run on the second- day of the A.R.C. Summer Meet- ■ ing.; ' Tho Taranaki. horse Tukapa figures ! amongst the acceptances for tho two principal handicaps to bo decided on the opening 1 day of the Thames Jockey Club's Summer . Meeting. ~ " It :is predicted that there will be some ■ strong competition for the possession of the yearling filly by Soult from Forme when she . goes up for sale at Wellington Park on the 3rd prox. ■'. " . When Bluejacket captured the Auckland Cup, lun respectively in 1899 and. 1900, ho i was steered by J. Sceats.' The brown horse ! will, I understand, bo ridden this year by , S. Lindsay. - ; ■' Seahorse's sister, Zealous, lias made considerable improvement since she wont into J. Rao's hands, and should she continue to go on the right way she may win a race at Ellerslie shortly. ' Lady Avon must havo made a good recovery from the accident that befell her 'at the T.J.C. Spring Meeting, as Mr. Ralph has nominated her for several events at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting., , , , . - Wo havo not so far heard muoh of- the " good thing" strain in connection with the Auckland . Cup this. year. I found a keen man yesterday, however, preaching that doctrine, and his selection was St. Michael. A light-weight Canadian jockey . named Redfcrn, who can ride at a iittle over sst, so greatly distinguished himself at Morris Park (New York) that the boy's father was offored £3600 for a two years' engagement. The offer was declined. ' - In England they are commencing to agitato against the gelding allowance, and in support of tho contention that unscxing a horse does not affect him for racing purposes it is pointed out that Epsom Lad, who has so greatly distinguished himself this season, is a gelding. At the beginning of tho present week it was- being argued that any of ' the contestants in the Auckland Cup would pay a dividend of £5. That tune is now changed, however, though opinion appears to be a little divided as to whether St. Michael or • Nonetto will start favourite.* A Hawke's Bay writer says:—Mr. Leslie Wilson, of Woodville, who is at present on a visit to England, writes that tho first man ho met on the Goodwood racecourse was Mr. Piatt, who used to raco Caslashoro and First Blood in New Zealand., Mr. Piatt has now a .large racing stable at Eastbourne. Mr. Piatt is well known in Auckland. Carbine's descendants in the Old Country havo been performing so well at tho back end of the season as to place the son of Musket in a very fair position : in the list of winning stallions. Pistol, a three-year-old son of Carbine, recently won three races right off the reel for Sir Edgar Vincent, and he is voted a really good colt, According to tho Sporting Times the American invasion on - the English turf is practically at an end. Wo shall see no more of Wishard at Newmarket after this year, but whether Mr. Crokcr will run anything or not we do not know. Ho is not a persona grata to the Jockey Club, and we do not expect to see his colours again. In speaking on; the question of remounts General Sir Hector :Macdonald ; sounded a note of warning regarding the exportation of mares to India and other places. The General said it was a monstrous ; thing to see good mares shot on the field of .battle in South Africa, and a great mistake has been mado in exporting such a number of mares. Lavalette, the two-year-old full brother to Beddington, is not to bo raced till the back end of tho season. It is -pleasing to find the Seaton Delaval colt being the recipient of considerate treatment, for he is • in every way worthy of it. When Lavalette is brought out to carry silk we shall, I feel pretty, sure, witness him get off .slashinn: performance! -* • Watershed, who won the Cambridgeshire Stakes in October last for tho American • sportsman, Mr. W. C. Whitney, was ono of tho outsiders for tho Newmarket race, starting at 25 to 1. Outsiders have won tho , Cambridgeshire now lor five years in succession, viz., Comfrey (25 to 1). Georgic (40 to 1), Irish Ivy (20 to 1), Berril (20 to 1), and Water Shed (25 to 1). The Avondale Jockey Club have every reason to be satisfied with tho answer re- ; turned by owners to tho call for entries in | connection with the Avondale Stakes and ; Avondale Guineas, which events aro to bo respectively run in tho spring of 1903. For the first-named event. _ which is confined to • the two-year-old division,; the nominations I number 82, and for tho latter, which is set ; apart for tho three-year-olds, 84 horses figure in the list. , One does not often read anything like tho • following in the columns of the Australasian: , To respect the dead is the correct thing . in a general way, but when applied to ahorse race the sentiment is all wrong. I felt more inclined at Bendigo to lift my hat in acknowledgement of thc daring of the rider who rode the particular " dead" one referred to. He deserves the Victoria Cross." | This was -"Goodwood's", summing up of a , delicate situation. 1 ,Mr. S. Griffiths, who has been connected with horseraeing for some years in Victoria, and who;was a most popular contributor to the columns of the Melbourne Sportsman, left Melbourno recently for South Africa with a team of horses, which comprises Gunga . Din, Platinum, Orange Lass, Eurimbla, Habct, and several ponies. If inducement of- . fers, Mr. Griffiths will make a prolonged stay r in South Africa. It dons'not often fall to the lot of a race- , horse to carry three different names in the courso of a few months. That, however, is J the fate of the three-year-old filly by Wateri fall from Parlourmaid. ■ The filly was first known as Rerc, which was subsequently changed to Tali eke, and now wo learn that sho is to known as Torowai. Tho latter ' will bo recognised as quito appropriate by those who havo a knowledge of ' the" Maori j. language, as it represents a subterranean ' stream. ' As matters turned out, it was a fortunate ' tiling for Mr. Stead's team that they made ' the voyago North by such a good sea boat as the Warrimoo, for some heavy weather " was encountered on the way up, and everything had to bo battened down. Further ' than that, Royal Artillery got a bit of skin knocked off his nose in several places, the 3 horses got through the trip without injury. 1 It is stated that H. Moore mil have the '' mount oil Nor'-west in tho Auckland Steeplet chase. : if When Battleaxe was recently backed for 1 the Auckland Cup to win £1200, the move--8 meat in favour of the son of Hotchkiss was '• credited to the stable from which lie hails. • A Taranaki paper reached sme this week in which Mr. F. Watson, tho owner of Battlec _ axe, repudiates that he was responsible for 1 the money that went on the horse. 0 The statement that J. Gallaghei -would 6 ride Battleaxe in tho Auckland Cup is contradicted. The popular horseman will don the blue jacket black sash of tho Messrs. '• Nathan, and steer Beddington in the Auck- '» land race. i. , J . STUD NEWS. j The present foaling season has closed at p Wellington Park. Tho two last mares tc e foal were .Gamut (by CastorGanuet) and h Antelope (by Apremont— Kate), and 1 learn from Mr. Morrin they are responsible for a filly and colt respectively to thc Musket horse Hotchkiss. It is a great foal record j. that Mr. Motrin's estate can this year boast u of, 21 colts and eight fillies being "the stateiS . ment. y At tho One-treo Hill Stud Ncringla (by y Goldsbrough) has produced a filly to , the St, a Simon horse Simmer. n Mr. W. Hoggard, of Hawko's Bay, reit centiy lost his brood mare Waima, 'by Tore pedo—Rivulet. Waima was grazing in a paddock, and was kicked on one of her legs n by a companion. The leg. was badly bro- [. ken, and it was found necessary to destroy her. y '; ' , , - • Carbine's stock is looking up in the Old is' Country (says an English writer). There I-- aro but few young Carbines in training, yet e not a week passes but they win races. Rei- cord for week, October 1 to 7: At Newii . market, Semper Vigilant?, (four years) won n . the 52nd Triennial Stakes, and Pistol (two it years) won tho Hopeful Stakes. In die it Boscawen Stakes, Fowlittgpieco (two years) l- was beaten by a neck by Glass Jug, finishing is lengths in front of Royal Lancer, the secondly best two-year-old colt ■of V the season. At Nottingham, Carabine : won the Nottingham i. Handicap of 500sovs, beating a big field of it ; good--uns. A year ngo there were no buyers rs of; the young Carbines, ■ now there ; are no )r sellers. And the old horse's stud fee for I next ecascn has boeu doubled.

THE AUCKLAND CUP, '' [BY ' phaeton.] ' Up till Wednesday last it seemed as though there would bo the same state of Q matters /to' ; report '.in connection with * the , Auckland Cup as those which had ruled since 1 the weights made their appearance. / How- • ever, a mild run. on Mr. Stead's representa- ' tive, St. Michael, had the effect of causing, " the son of St. Leger _to supplant Nonette | in the leading position in the quotations, and ' the Canterbury horse shortened to 5 to 2. 5 The move in favour of St. Michael was not due to ' anything of a noteworthy character " that ho had accomplished . on the track,' * though, of course, the fact of the sou of St. Leger striding along well, and being in good 5 buckle, is something for backers to go upon. With only a bracelet to his credit, St. Michael may be said to bo very much of an unknown 1 quantity in Cup company, but the fact of his ' being the elect of a powerful stable must, I suppose, be thrown into the balance in con- ! sidering his case. With only 7st 411> to carry, 1 the son of St. Leger is undoubtedly given agreat chance to distinguish himself, and when , we bear in mind that ho is a four-year-old, and is bred on the lines or a stayer, it will ! bo quite in order to find him in a prominent ' place when the final question comes to be decided. Bluejacket has been a regular at--3 tendant on the track during the week, and " on each occasion that ho has been slackened I out has got through his work without any r ill effects. . The brown horse can bo trusted to run a good race, but the general impros- : sion at the race3ido seems to be that ho has J a task a little beyond his powers to win. ! When Battleaxo was introduced into the mar- ! ket last week, and supported to win somei thing like £1200, it was understood that the ; stable from which he hails were responsible 3 for the move, but according to a Taranaki 3 paper Mr. F. Watson, the owner of the r : horse, repudiates tho movement in favour of Battleaxe. If someono outside the stable *■ has taken it upon himself to back Battleaxe, then, of course, tho support accorded the . son of Hotchkiss is not entitled to the same amount of weight as if his immediate connections were : responsible. Battleaxe has ' not yet put in an appoaranca at Ellerslie, so that we do not know anything about his 1 condition. Beddington continues to obtain 3 a word of commendation from a number of keen judges, but the fact of the stable not 5 having made the mildest move in favour of 5 the Seaton Delaval gelding is somewhat cf a 1 set-off. Certainly, the ring liavo never been in what could bo termed a very liberal mood . regarding Beddington, and the stable have ' no geat reason to rush in and back him, for ' with the prospect of at least four horses be--3 ing mon strongly backed on mo day, they 3 are pretty sure of obtaining a better price" ' from the machine than the pencillers are prepared to lay. In previous references to Beddington I have noted that the son of 1 Seafcon Delaval is carrying more condition 1 than at any previous juncture of his career. That remark can be repeated, and from ob- ? serrations I should say • that the stable are 1 of opinion ; that Beddington will beat a lot , more than beat him in this Cup errand. Coronet continues to get along in decent style in his work, but though tho hand--1 some littlo bay rliows .some im -' ' prcvement on . his spring form, I do not 1 think anyone is prepared to venture the r opinion that he is a better horse this year than he was last, and from that it may be 3 assumed ihat bis Cup prospects are not re--1 garded as bright. Nonette has been going I on the right way in his work, and though • tho chestnut colt lias not been asked to take II on what could be termed a strong test over ' tlio Cup journey under weight, what has been • exacted from him .up to , a mile and fivo furlongs ho has accomp- [ lished in racehorse-like style. ' All be- £ ing well with Nonette on Boxing Day, *the * chestnut colt will, I think, play his part well. Ideal arrived by Thursday's steamer, • and ' is stated to look all right. Should the little 3 daughter of Dreadnought be dressed in her ' best, she must 'bo voted dangerous, for she can get tho distance. As I remarked in my " notes last week, when a mare loses her form ' in tho spring sho rarely recovers it in the sum- ' mer. Well, no doubt that is a pretty safe ' line of argument to V take in most seasons, but it must be said that the present summer 1 season has had many of tho qualities of au- ' tumn, and that may tell in favour of Ideal. I don't think- I need go outside those horses 5 mentioned; above in searoh of the Cup winP ner, so that I shall dig no deeper at present. That the Cup issue is pretty open i appears to ,be a general , opinion, and I -must say, that I am not at present quite prepared to 1 eomo to any hard and fast conclusion on the ' question at stake. That Nonette con bo depended upon to run a good race ; I am ' firmly convinced, but the question that is ' troubling mo in summing up matters is, Can ho conccdo 101b and a year to St. Michael?. J THE BETTING MARKET. j ; Further than that a mild run on St. Michael . had tho effect of bringing the son of St; Leger to the head of tho quotations,-there > havo been no noteworthy movements in L tho betting on the Auckland Cup. Tbo [ following may bo paid to be the slate of the . odds on the Cup: — j 5 to Z agst St. Michael 7 to 2 Nonetto , 7 to 1 Bluejacket , 7tol —— Beddington 1 7tol —— Battleaxe Btol —— Ideal ' 10 to 1 Coronet 20 to 1 Djin-Djin ! 25 to 1 Defender i 33 to 1 St. Ursula 33 to 1 Formula 33 to 1-— Wars r 50 to 1 Voice • ' • 3 In the double (Cup and Railway Handicap) l no better price than 10 to 1 is obtainable about Mr. Stead's pair, St. Michael and 3 Cruciform. 5 NOTES BY OUR CANTERBURY > CORRESPONDENT. > [BY TELEGRAPH.] 3 If there is one happy man in New Zear laud that one is the veteran trainer, E. Cutts. - Major George has asked him to accept old ' Nelson as a gift, and it is unnecessary to say 1 that tlio son of King Colo will shortly bo an , inmate of the Chokeboro stables. - Cutts has always had a warm attachment to Nelson, '' affirming that he was one of the best horses 3 that ever he trained. Nelson is sure of a ' good homo at Riccarton, whero he will bo x treated well. Cutts has always said that 1 Seahorse, Nelson's son, was tho better of the pair, but the horse that won three Auckland Cups was not a bad xin. I shall bo pleased to renew acquaintance with the gallant chestnut. In all probability Nelson will be mated with some good local mares next sea--3 son. : l:' V s A glance at tho Wellington Cup weights ; suggests that Cannio Chiel, Canteen, and Okoari aro nicely treated in tho Wellington J Cup. £ Messrs. G. 11. McHaffio and J. F. Grierson r have resigned their scats on the board of the X New Zealand Trotting Association. The 1 remaining members have power to fill tho 1 positions. Mr. "V. Harris' LakeshellFatigue gelding ® is going very well, and, all .going right with ® him, he should develop into a stake-earner. Mr. D. O'Brien's "Lonsdale Lodge" esr tabli9hr.ient has been leased to S. C. Piper, who will _ shortly take possession, and tho J trotter will bo sheltered where flat-racers used to stable. 3 Mr. C. G. Dalgetl.y's mare Gipsy Maid (by Gipsy Grand) became frightened at the heavy thunderstorm which visited us last week, and l " whilst galloping about got foul of some plain _ wire, her struggles to relieve herself resulting in one of her hind legs being severely '' laeerate'd. A veterinary surgeon sewed up . the gaping wound, and it is hoped sho will get all right again. Strathnairn will not be taken to tho coastal ' r meetings, it is said, but will be raced in tho North. However, I notice the horse's name , appears in the list of nominations of coastal meetings. n M. Hobbs will be a visitor to the coastal i meetings, and Cora Linn should win a few races for him. After the —Emmeline filly Yseult . had won the Selling Race at the Christchureh Racing Club's meeting : to-day she was sold : to Sir eorgo Clifford for £24. The filly, I it may remark, was .purchased at Auckland 0 somo two years back by the president of the d Racing Conference 1 The Master was taken to tho West Coast e to-day. " it ,Greek Maid, who is in' work after her d spell, • looks really well. , f y ; - it At the Christchureh summer 'meeting to- •- day the Nursery Handicap was won by G'.adisla (by Seaton Delaval—Miss Gladys), y who was in ' receipt of 201b from the Yaldt. hurst cast-off, King Stork. - Gladisla defeated the latter in the last 100 yds, Dewnldo (by i. Pekrin Warbeck 11. from Chiara). being third. -' . ' a Good Spec, recently purchased for £200, ;s won tho Maiden Plate by a short head from - Wepener, the half-sister to Pampero, Kotoy koto filling third place. Scottish Minstrel just managed to shako off d Huku in the Windsor Handicap, tho Ashc burton mare Aquatus being third, it Gambler galloped past "die post in tho .. Hornby Trot, but the stewards disqualified - him, and gave the race to YanclifTe, who was n second, but who also broke right on the post, o Battle Cry came with a great run in the e straight in the Flying Handicap, and snatch- ;) ed the race from Lady Medallist, who was g well in advance of Antigone. [- A capital finish in the Avon Trot saw Hamt lin victorious by a bare margin from Mcn Kinley. • if Nance O'Neil wound up tho day's sport s by easily annexing tho High-weight Handicap o from Huku, who had tho services of Mr. E. r D. O'Rorke, and consequently claimed a 7lb allowance.

AUCKLAND PACING CLUB'S SUMMER , A meeting. The following acceptances were received 4 last night for the minor events of the first day's programme:- ? TKIAL HANDICAP of'lCOsovs. Seven . furlongs.

' AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB'S ' • SUMMER MEETING. > . The following acceptances 'have boon re- , ceived for tho trotting events of tho above i meeting, which open,'?, on Friday next at Alexi andra Park: — , ; AUCKLAND TROTTING CUP HANDICAP of : 20C1SOVS. Two miles.

, MAIDEN TEOT ; HANDICAP of 30sovs. One : mile and a-half.— Irvington 25., Frederick 55., Peri 55.. Miss Rue 135.. Blr4J:k Leg 155., Joe L May 155., The Moorcss 155., Donezette 225., ■ Detective 225., Belladonna 243., K.O. 245., Sir ■ Robert . 255., Look-on 255., Ivanhoo 275. i MIDDLE-CLASS HANDICAP TROT of 40sovs. ; One mile and a-half.—Hollywood 35., Pioke . 33., Comet V. 65., Carl 65., Frederick 65., Fibre . 18s., La Grande 20s. PONY TROT 1 HANDICAP of 25sovs. One ' mile and a-half.—Velox scratch, Eric 225., '* Fibre 265.,- Khaki 303., Negro 305., Little Tom ' 355., Sensation 355., Sandfly 365., Look-on 375., ! Miss Munroe (late Flirt) 375. , ' DECEMBER ; . HANDICAP TROT of 40sovs. One mile and a-quarter.—Joker scratch, Duke C. 55., Lusitania 75.. Rosebud 75., Vaunt 75., Juliette (late Belle) lis., Harold Abdallah. 145., ' Yerice 155., Hard Case 155., Empress 175., 1 Comet V. 195., Taihoa 21s. s ELECTRIC HANDICAP TROT (saddle) of • 50sovs. > One mile.—'Waitekauri scratch, Lusi- , tania Is., Little Doctor la., Peri 10s., Slim Jim , 155., Fibre 18s., La Grande 19s. The privileges ,of , the meeting were submitted to auction yesterday by Mr. E. Pat- ' teson Goldsbro', when the following satisfactory prices wore realised:—Booths, Mr. ■). i Donovan. £133; cards, Mr. A. Cleave, £05; , gates, Mr. L. Adams,' £159; refreshments ; stalls, Mrs. Murphy, £5. • TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB'S , SUMMER MEETING. The following nominations have been re- > coived in connection with the Takapuna Jockey Club's Summer Meeting: — ■ TAKAPUNA CUP, one mile and a-kalf.— . Hesper, Bluejacket, St. Ursula, St. Paul, Golden Rose. Sparkling: Water, Hikinene, 1 lloeella, Beddington, Bed Lancer, Yal Rosa, ' Reclaimer. Regalia 11. Scotty, Formula,, ' Coronet, Nonette, Blue Paul, Tukapa. TAKAPUNA. JOCKEY CLUB'S HANDICAP, i one mile and ac quarter'—Hesper, Blueiaoket, ; St. Ursula. Solo, Sparkling Water, Rosella, , St. Paul, Hikipeno., Golden Rose, Bed Lancer, , Val Rosa, Reclaimer, Scotty, Coronet, Tu- ' kaun. ■ ■ - . ■" ' 1 FIRST STEEPLECHASE, two miles and a--1 half.— Kowiiai,. Nor'-west, Cannongate, » Voltigeur IT., Kanaka, Dingo, Princess of i Thnle, Sudden, Tuirne, Straybird, Leona, Enfus . , . , . Additional nominations may be received at i Devonport. '

" st. lb. ' st. lb. Takapnna ... 9 0 Putty ... ... 7 7 . Tauhei ... ... c 8 12 Golden Rose ... 7 7 ! , Solo ... ... 8 5 Maroon and Gold 7 6 [• Blaircarrig ' ... 8 4 Belfast . ... ... 7 4 ' "Winsome ... 8 2 Jessamine ... 6 10, Reclaimer ... 8 2 Despatch ... 6 7 ; ; Hesper ... . ... 7 9 Ragabrash ... 6 7 HANDICAP HURDLES of 200so vs. Two ; *; : .-\v miles. fit. lb. . - ••• Et. lb. ; Cannongate ... 11 11 Nor'-iv&st ... 10 2 1 Kegalia t II. ... 11 9 Dingo . ... 9 ft); 1 Tim I —' ... 10 5 Khama ... ... 9 5 i Kufus ... : ... 10 . 4 Tresliam " ... 9 0 Eoyal Conqueror 10 3 Master Mahoe 9 0 KUESEST HANDICAP of ICOsots. Five .. furlongs. ;• r st. lb. st. lb. Kolburn * ... 8 7 Swagsman ... 7 7 Spalpeen : ... 8 2 Muskerdale ... 7:7 Mary Seaton ... 7 12 Rondoletia ... 7 0J Loch Fyne ... 7 10 • : CHRISTMAS HANDICAP of 150sovs-, One 1 v, mile. , i 1 / , St. lb. st. lb. ' Val Rosa ... 9 5 Winsome , , . ... 7 9 •. I Hie Needle ... 8 7 Reclaimer ... 7 9 ■ Laetitia ... ... 8 3 Ran Patricia ... 7 8 ' > Materoa 8 0 Sparkling Water 7 3 Golden Mere ... 7 12 Hikipano : ... 6 7 Scotty ... ... 7 10 Despatch ... 6 7 PONY-CUP of lOOsovs. . Seven furlongs. [ ' fit. lb. st. lb. ; Blue Paul ... 9 12 Wherekino ... 7 12 Lady Avon ... 9 8 Pukiori ... ... 7 4 1 Stepaway ... 8 8 .Annoyed ... 7 0 1 pipiwliarauroa 8 6 Gladys Rose ... 6 10 1 St. Loanda, ... 8 6

. What . ... ••• scr. sec. Joker ... ... acr. Beppo ... ... 24 , i;ec. Balfour ... ... 24 ' Duko C. ... ... 8 ■ Verice ... ... 24 s Waitckauri ... 14 Hard Cass ... 25 • Huon. Leigh ... 14 Pioke ... ... 26 Woodbine 16 Thorn do. an . ... 26 Viscount ... ' ... 18 Empress ... ... 28 Juliette (late Bell!)) 18 Miss Huon 23 5 Harold AbdaUah' 22