SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11872, 25 January 1902, Page 7

SPORTING.

•• RACING FIXTURES. ' January 25— Wellington Racing Club. . t' jISSw 25r 29; and February I—Takapuna ii'l Jockey Club. * _ , „ . ; ' February 26—Rotorua Jockey Clutj. Tomiarv <9—Kawakawa Racing; Club. t -' - January 09 and 30—Pahiatua, Racing Club. jMS&S January " 50 and Tapanui Racing Club. January 31—Amuri Turf Club. \y ; February 6 and 7—Maiuatoto Jockey Club. '■?&s&r February B—Papakura Racing Club. '■ February 12 and 13—Taranaki Jockey Club. - V"V.V February 12 and 13—Oisborne Racing Club. ■ ' i: February 13, 14—Coromandel Racing Club. ■ February 14, 15—Te Aroka Jockey Club ' February 13 and I&—Canterbury Jockey Club. 4 f February 19 and Eeraont Racing Cmb. February 22, 26, and March Otahuhu TrotFebruary 20 and 2i—Poverty Bay .Turf Clnb. ; February 20 and 21—Poverty Bay Turf Club. • C February VVaiki Jockey Club. : i .February 26, 28, and March I—Dunedin Jockey j . Club. and 18—Obinemuri Jockey Club. > March 17 and 18—Oliinemuri Jockey Club, r — ' " •" DATES OF COMING EVENTS. - NEW ZEALAND. January 25—Takapuna Cup. February Taranaki Cup. • February Eginont Cup. " February 26—Dunedin Cup. March fr~Wanganui Cap. March 16--Hr.\vke's Bay Cup. March Northern Champagne Stakes. March 29—A.R.C. Faster Handicap. March 31—A.R.C. Century Stakes. March 31—C.J.C. Great Easter Handicap. , . April I—C.J.C. Groat Autumn Handicap. April I—A.R.C. Autumn Handicap. Jane 3—Great Northern Steeplechase. Juno 4—A.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. . ; AUSTRALIAN. March Newmarket Handicap. March Australian Cup. March. Champion Stakes. March 29—A.J.C. St. Leger. March 29—Doneastei Handicap. March Sydney Cup. iil-J".'---- — \b --- ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A.K., Tokatoka.—Markinch won several races. ... ■ '' 1 ■•••' MANXMAN, Thames.—l. King Quail was got by Yattendon. 2.-He won the Auckland Cup y i in tho colours of Mr. S. T. Horsfall. 3. Young Sledmere won the first steeplechase • at the North Shore when the Takapuna , Jockey Club came into existence. LTJRMNE, Patriarch, who was got by . Yattendon from Bays of Old, was imported ' to New Zealand from Australia. In tlie New Zealand Stud Book bo is returned as a " brown in colour. Patriarch died about three • years ago. - . SPORT, Onchunga.—Volodyovski was nominated for the Derby in the name of Mr. Theobalds." The colt was subsequently leased to the American sportsman, Mr. W. C. Whitney, and he won the Derby in that gentleman's name. According to late papers Volodyovski was still in training in England. ■! ■ NOTES BY PHAETON. . The Wellington Cup proved to bo the " good thing" for St. Michael that so many contended it was. With but a trio of opponents to dispose of in Canine Chiol, The : Shannon, and Melwood, it was quite in order '• to find St. Michael an odds-on favourite, a i shade over 2 to 1* being laid on his ability • to win. The big fellow was found in front 'shortly after the start, and, sailing along in good style, be did not give his followers any cause for anxiety throughout tho contest, and eventually romped home four lengths in front of The Shannon. Though -r. St. Michael was really never seriously challenged, there is evidence that the son of St. Leger was setting a strong pace, as he was ■ credited with completing the 12 furlongs in , 2m. 381s. The surpriso of the rae> was the ■ inability of Cannio Cliiel to gain a situation. From the tenor of information that came to hand, the son of Clanranald was by some : thought to be a powerful opponent to St*. -V Miohael, and his poor display would appear to point to a strongly-run 12 furlongs being beyond bis tether. Staying has never been characteristic of Clanranald's de- ■ scendants, and the poor showing of Cannio Chiel in the Wellington Cup. it iu .at be admitted, furnishes further evidence on that • point. The unfavourable experience of the Wellington Racing Club with .their big event this year will, I should think, cause the authorities of that body to abandon the absurd course they have so persistently pursued for several seasons- in having the weights for their Cup declared in December. .1 must ' confess that I have never been able' to grasp wherein the advantage to the W.R.O. lay in fixing ,the date for the declaration of the weights in front of a deal of important racing. Neither provision made for rehandicapping winners, or the inclusion of a 'scale of penaltk.v (let them be as stiff as they may), would combat tho difficulties, and I fancy the committee must now be well convinced on that point. The W.R.C. aave certainly had to -pay for ike privilege of an ■ early declaration of the Cup weights, and unless they are;a great deal more obstinate than I take them to be, a December declar- • ation of Cup weights can be regarded as a -' matter of the past. . ! .: O Mr. Evett treated St. Michael to the stiff burden of 9st 91b when he came to weight him for the Wellington Racing Club Handi- , cap, which event was run over a mile and a--1 quarter on tho second day of tho Hutt ' gathering, / but though that represented an increase of a stone and 41! on the weight which he carried to victory in the Cup, and that he was required to run bis ' ' race in going that was dead against him, his followers were in such strong force that he was made a . strong favourite. That clever little mare Tho • Shannon, who was nicely treated with 7st 71b, proved herself equal to the task of clipping the wings of the St. Leger gelding, and the Torpedo mare won her.race in most convincing style. With anything under Bst. The Shannon, is pretty hard to beat. j: On the opening day of the - .Wellington ( Meeting the consistent Blazer demonstrated beyond a. doubt that he retains his pace and brilliancy in a marked degree. Tho race selected for the son of St. Clair to furnish evidence of this was the Telegraph Handicap (six furlongs), in .which event he was requited to carry he steadier of lOst 41b. . Blazer war, out in front making 'the pace directly tho barrier shot up,' and he eventually ran home a winner by a length from Canteen in lm. 15 o-ss. An interesting fact in connection with Blazer's victory ■ in the Telegraph Handicap on Tuesday is that it marked his third successive victory in that race, and, in considering his trio of winning performances in the, wlington . race, it will be recognised that he has run very true In 1900 he won the Telegraph • Handicap under 9st 81b, beating a field of 10 in lm 165.; the following year, under 9st 121t, found him home in front or a Held of nine in lm. 155.; while in the race of Tuesday last he- defeated a field of seven in lm. 15 3-ss. _ Blazer, who is now in his seventh year, is certainly entitled to a place , amongst the mos' noteworthy sprinters that have figured on tho New Zealand turf. Achilles, the two-year-old son of Medallion fend Nereid, who won the. Nursery Handicap on the opening day of the Wellington Racing . Club s meeting, and who capped that performance on the second day at the Hutt by lowering the colours of Mr. Stead's hithertounbeaten crack, Orloff, in the Juvenile Han- . ' cheap, wae picked up cheaply as a yearling ■ 'at the New South Wales sales last -autumn by hie trainer J.-Prosser, acting for Mr. J. Monk, for 160 guineas. Achilles is a nicelybred colt. His sire, Medallion, was got by Nordenfeldt (son of Musket), while his dam, Nereid, is a daughter of tho stouthearted Goldsbrough and Sea Swallow, the latter being got by See-saw. . Achilles having easily defeated Orloff at the email difference or 41b in his favour, it may be expeoted that a claim will be put forth in his favour for the leading position • among the two-year-olds. If Orloff was / Jflly himself when,, he met Achilles on Thursday at the Hutt, it would certainly • seem as though the son of Stepniak had good luck not to encounter him in the Wellcsley Stakes run on the opening day. As Achilles did _ not come into the hands of Mr. Monk - until the nominations for the classic events at two and three years old had closed, the son 'of Medallion i? without any valuable New /Zealand engagements, and that being so his • owner will, I should say, have some little - . difficulty in placing him advantageously in ■ .. i tho juvenile events at"least. . The respective list of nominations lodged I for the Groat Northern Foal Stakes and • Royal Stakes, which events are to be run '. at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting of 1903-1904. made their appearance during the i -esent V week, and their lengthy character < ice again , ; furnishes pointed proof of -he ' ig i'rides made by the turf in this part of Maori'-nd, , and of the popularity enjoyed l"y the A.R.C. ' ~-i The Foal Stakes claims an entry of 133, while the nr.mber engaged in the Royal . i. Stakes foots out to 201. This is a result on which the A.R.C. have every reason to , be proud. wmmmm. M

|i The weights for the Newmarket Handicap and Australian ; Cup made their appearance 'on Monday last. New Zealand being unrepresented . this year Maoriland interest in the big autumn events of the Victorian turf will be at a very much lower ebb than was the i case 5 last ; year, when : jve , had Advanco to battle for us. As v.as only to be expected, _ Wakeful heads the list in the Newmarket .Handicap adjustment, 10st 31l> being the im- / post, apportioned" to her. This represents an J? increase of 2st 121b on the impost which she triumphed under in last year's race. The daughter of Trenton has proved herself to be a, great marc, and though the impost allotted to her is a thumping one it would be highly dangerous to say that it puts' her out of court. Sir Leonard (9st 81b) is given credit for a brilliant performance in the Carrington > Stakes, under a like impost to that which ho has received in. the Flemington race, and he may have to bo reckoned with. Isa, a mare hailing from the Sydney side, who has been 7 awarded Bst 71b; is ticked a likely Newmarket winner; and by all accounts she is endowed with a brilliant dash of pace. Amongst the" light-weight division Aurous (7st 101b) and The Victory (7st 71b) stand out as a likely pair to earn distinction. In the Australian Cup La Carabine heads the list with 9st 131b. Fit and well, the daughter of Carbine will beat more than beat her, for in addition to her weight-carrying ability, she has proved herself one of the truest stayers in the land. With 9sfc 71b opposite his name Revenue has been called upon to pay the full penalty for his Melbourne Cup victory. United States, who has yet' to ~ make his debut as a three-year-old, has been awarded Bst 51b, and that means that Mr. Dakiu has chanced nothing with the son of Bill of Portland. The Haymaker (Sat 21b) is statod to be a genuine little fellow that stays well. Under difficulties The Haymaker managed to get fourth in the Melbourne Gun, and the performance was voted distinctly meritorious. A three-year-old that may repay watching for the two mile and a-quarter race is lloek Gun, who has been put in with the nice racing weight of 7st 111b. This son of i Gibraltar won a good race on tho fourth day of the _ V.R.C. _ Spring , Meeting, when he triumphed in tho 1 Fisher Plato. Rock Gun was credited with running the mile and a-half that afternoon 1 in 2m. 36i?5., and on such form he cannot bo ' voted otherwise than considerately treated in the Australian Cup with 7st 111b. Owing chiefly to sticking persistently to Clanranald, Sir George Clifford has not been 1 able to claim a staying representative since Stonyhurst won for him the C.J.C. ■ Derby and Canterbury Cup of 1885. At the dispersal of the St. Albans Stud in the spring of 1900 Sir George purchased Madowla, in ; foal to Bill of Portland, and tuo result of that union was a oolt foal by the St. Simon sire. Everyone would delight to find Kir George with a. real " tip-topper" at his command, and I' am sure my readers will join with mo in expressing the wish that the Bill of Portland—Madowla ';olt may ' prove himself equal to taking on the best in the land. Sii George has conferred the name of King's Guest on the Bill of Portland colt. After the date of the second forfeit in connection with the Hawke's Bay Stakes of 1902, which event is to be run in March next, 35 horses remained in. I cannot help thinking, however, that a good percentage of owners overlooked the date fixed for the payment of forfeit. For instance, Shell • back, Rattler, and Despatch are a trio that I should be surprised to find at the post. Mr. i Stead has paid forfeit for nine out of the 11 which figured in his name. . The pair the Southern sportsman has still at his command for the Hawke's Bay race is Royal Artillery and Evelyn Wood. The last-named is a two-year-old colt by Hotchlciss from St. Evelyn, who, it may be remarked, has yet to make his dobut on the racecourse. • It is quito certain that the Wellington Racing Club's Summer Meeting this year will show a very pronounced shrinkage in totalisator investments as compared v.ith the corresponding gathering held last season. On the Cap day this year tho investments only reached £9043, as against £16,743 last year, and on the second day the . sum handled was £9093, as gainst £10,437. During the three days of lrst season's summer gathering the totalisator investments amounted to £34,183. From present appearances it looks as though the shrinkage will bo nearly £10,000._ St. Michael lutvirrg won the Auckland and Wellington Cups, a remark has been heard that the St. Leger 'gelding will probably j achieve like notoriety to that of Nelson in 1885, by landing the Dunedin Cup. Unfortunately for the interesting record cited, the son of St. Leger was not nominated for the Dunedin Cup. Mr. Stead's sole representative in tho Southern raco is San .Re-mo, the' three-year-old son or St. Leger and Cissy. .■ Mr. Tom Whewell, secretary of the Oliinemuri Jockey Club sends me a copy of the programme that has been framed by that body in connection with the annual race meeting, which is fixed to bo brought off at Paeroa on March 17 and 18. From this I gather that +he Oliinemuri Cup will again be of the value of lOOsovs, and two steeplechases of the respective value of 50sovs and 60sovs figure on the bill of fare. From England comes news of the death of tho Earl of Sefton at the early age of 34. Better known in racing eirdes as Lord Molyneux, before lie succocded in 1897 to the family title, ho was passionately fond of hunting and steeplechase riding, _ and in the early nineties he rode many a winner yearly. At the Liverpool Spring Meeting of 1894, however, he got a very bad fall, and, sad to relate, 'was mentally affected ever after, and three years ago tho Courts made an order for the management of his estates. At the time of his deplorable accident Lord Molyneux was engaged to Lady Mary Willcughby, daughter of Lord Ancaster, and it is noteworthy that that young lady is still unmarried. George Robson, who' steered Glenlotli to victory in the Melbourne Cup of 1892. has, it transpires, been fighting for the King and Empire in South Africa, and it, will be hoard with regret with serious results to himself. Robson writes the Melbourne Sportsman from the General Hospital, Standerton, where he was when the letter left, lying pulling through the effects of a bullet wound under the heart. His left lung was penetrated, but, according to Robson's own showing, there was every chance of recovery. Robson, when lie struck the trouble, was a member of Waldron's Horse, and they were evidently right in the thick of i-e lead. In his letter Robson talks of returning to Australia when strong enough to travel. As a rule, it is a bit difficult to find anything wrong in the Canterbury Jockey Club's bock programme, but'a "slip" that has been allowed to go uncorrected two seasons running in the list of winners' 'of the Champagne Stakes am! Challenge Stakes is the placing of Hotcbkiss as the sire of Formosan instead of St. Leger. With all tho keen eyes about Canterbury, it is not a little remarkable that tlio mistake should have gono unchallenged for such a length of time. . " Milroy" pens a very good word for the three-year-old Sir Leonard. "In my opinion Sir' Leonard's Carrington Stakes performance was the best we have seen a three-year-old do over tho distance; 9st 51b on a three-year-old is a big weight always, but at midsummer it- is a welter. Coil's second with 9st in the Newmarket, or ■ Cranbrook's first in the same race, with Bst 121b, were good performances, but not to be compared to Sir Leonard's." Sir Leonard, it may be remarked, was defeated by Cast Iron, to whom he was conceding 3yrs and 121b. The past racing season in England lias been a wondorintl on (J (remariks a well-known writer). Despite the war, commercial stagnation, and other drawbacks, never was the passion for the turf more general or more ardent since tho palmy days of 1800-1850. Indeed, horse racing as it exists and is conducted to-day in tho Old Country is unquestionably the noblest and most unexceptionable pastime of this or any other ago. Thoughtful men in every class of life, who may themselves havo never owned a racehorso or been present at a race meeting, aro uncommonly chary of accepting attacks on the turf. They realise it is a positive necessity that Englishmen should have a national pastime, capable of affording amusement to all classes engaged in the open air, devoid of all cruelty, and conducted (as far as possible) in accordanco with the rules of fair play. . • •Tames R. Keeno and Son havo secured the services of the jockey Shaw, and he—-like Wonderly, who is to ride for J. B. Haggin— is to receive a salary of £3000. • It is an oou coincidence that only two years ago both of these boys, Wonderly . and Shaw, were riding on tho Canadian circuit, unknown to fame, and little thought of by the' Canadian raco followers. They were taken to New York by men who looked upon them much in the light of superior exercise boys, who might be put up for an occasional rido. Both were essentially hand-ridersindeed, neither boy is an adept with his whipand they rode alike. They had the knack of making horses run for them better than they would for others, so good work in the saddle, coupled with pleasing" manners and behaviour, has earned them 1 the reward of | the highest salaries paid.

li'l 'lirwm mmi imi\ in i» i—« ' BREVITIES. Fulmen managed to win the Goro Cup on [: Wednesday last. r Bcddington is again in steady exercise at Ellerslie. ■ ■ ■ _ t The English Derby will this year be run on June 4. . . ! " Mr. D. McLeod sold Regalia 11. during ' the present week. \ ; Scotty has. been shaping satisfactorily m i: his work at -Ellerslie. , Regalia 11. has never been going better than at the present time. Minerve, like her full brother Shellback, is now located, at'Hawke's Bay. The Kawakawa Racing Club hold their annual race meeting on Wednesday next. Tho Wellington Racing Club bring-their summer meeting to a. conclusion to-day. I Evening Wonder is regarded as a very probable winner of the Takapuna Steeplechase. A filly by Carbine from Golden Monument was sold in England recently for 600 guineas. Isa, a four-year-old daughter of Gozo and • Kathleen, is stated, to be good enough to win a Newmarket Handicap. Bluejacket will, I understand, have the services of his old pilot, J. Sceats, in the Takapuna Cup. The totalisator investments on Wellington Cup day this year were £7700 below the sum handled last year. Cavaliero has been nominated for the hurdle races to be run at the Taranaki Jockey Club's Summer Meeting. The highly-bred Cure (by St. Leger—Lady Cureton) managed to win the second Hack Handicap at the Wellington meeting. Mr. J. B. Williamson's son, Hugh, volunteered and was accepted as a member of the Eighth New Zealand Contingent for South Africa. 'It would seem as though Sir George Clifford's representative, Glenogle, had bad luck to lose the Metropolitan Handicap at Wellington. ' The new owners of Landlock are considered to have a good chance of winning back the horse's purchase money at the first attempt to-day. .... The Californian courser, Mr. J. H. Rossetcr, has lost through disease his stud.greyhound For Freedom, whose value was estimated at £2000. The American sportsman, Mr. Foxhall Keene, proposes sending over a powerful American polo team next year to meet the best teams in the Old Country. The field of four which went to the post for the Wellington Cup is the smallest that | has ever contested, a big handicap in this colony. - -An interesting fact in connection with the Wellington Cup field this year is that the whole of the contestants were four-year-olds. Laureate, the three-year-old half-brother to Advance, managed to lose his maidenhood on the opening clay of tho Wellington Racing Club's meeting. The Slave was offered by auction yesterday 1 by the New Zealand .Loan and Mercantile ! Agency Company, and at 21 guineas she was ! knocked down to Mr. W. Absolum. "'I never before saw such a real prizefighter on four legs,',' is how an American writer describes Abercorn, whom ho recently . inspected at the Cobham Stud in England. In times past the weights for the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup were •awaited with keen interest by Aucklanders, This year they are , practically a dead letter. Descendants of -Brigadier have not for some seasons appeared in classic races. The old son of Musket, however, claims a representative in the Great Northern Foal Stakes . of 1903. , The entries for tho Great. Northern Foal Stakes and Royal Stakes find descendants of Phoebus Apollo, Multiform, The Officer, Sir Lancelot, and Daystar nominated for the first time. i Mr. G. G. Stead has conferred the name of Royal Plumes on the foal half-sister to the Auckland and Wellington Cup winner, St Michael. The young lady in question was got by Hotcbkiss from leh Dien. At the early part of the week it seemed to be a very popular opinion that Bluejacket would start favourite for the Takapuna Cup, ; but an alteration has come about, and tho position is now assigned to R-osella. On the second day of the Wellington meeting, Sir. E. «7. Watt colours were seen homo in. front in the two principal handicaps, while the Hack Handicap Was also secured by tho Napier sportsman. The St. Simon sire . Simmer has ciuite a number of descendants in the One-tree Hill and Sylvia. Park Studs. The first-named establishment claims two colts and two h.aes, while Sylvia Park boasts of two colts and a filly. . , ' The first one of Multiform descendants to have a name conferred upon it is a colt out of Ouida, who has had the title of Ouidaform conferred upon him. I don t, as a rule, favour this class of nomenclature, j but Ouidaform, it must bo said, is ■ a happy ; bit- , ■, i Halberdier (by Cuirassier—Missi Stead), j who went amiss when three years old, auc! | who was sold to a West Coast racing man for something like £30 considerably over a year ago, managed to win the Summer Handicap at the Foxt-on meeting on Thursday j last. . | - The weights for the Taranaki Cup, Stewards' Handicap, First Hurdle Race, and Fly : ing Handicap, to be run at the Taranaki Jockey Club's Summer Meeting, are due to appear on Monday next. Acceptances for same become due on the Monday following at nine p.m. . Roselia has' been shaping nicely in her training work at Ellerslie during tho present week, and a good few of tho keen habitues of the track appear to bo quito convinced that the chestnut mare will get to the end of a mile, and a-half sufficiently well to enable her to score in the Takapuna Cup The Papakura Racing Club have received capital nominations for their annual race meeting, which is to be held on February 8, and in the event of the weather proving fine a large number of townites may be expected to pay a visit to the old trystingpip Mr. Evctt will declare the weights next Monday week. As was anticipated, the Wellington Stakes fell an easy prey to Cruciform. Though the course was in a heavy state, and far from conducive to a fast record, the daughter of St. Leger galloped down the five furlongs under 9st 21b easily in lm. 2is. A great galloper is little Cruciform. Carabine.- who takes rank as Carbine's best son in the Old Country, was bred by Lord Londonderry, and sold for 100 guineas at the Newmarket sales to Mr. T. Simpson Jay. In his ownership he only ran once, but was then successful, and was purchased after the raco by his present owner for 170 guineas. Apropos of Sir J. B. Maple's appearance at the head of the list of winning owners in England last season, it appears that since ho started racing in 1883 he has won 418 races, worth £152,115. Sir John has never won the Derby. Oaks,, or St. Leger. but he scored in both" Two Thousand and One Thousand Guineas. The Rotoru?. Jockey Club intend holding their annual raco meeting on February 27, and from the liberality displayed in ' the framing of the programme the gathering should prove one'of the best held in the district. The Rotorua Cup is endowed with stake money to the extent of Msovs, and that should in itself draw a capital entry. The late Hon. James White was most successful with his fillies at two and four years old. When they finished racing as two-year-olds in tho autumn they used to go out on grass for at least a year, during which time the natural feed and fresh air would resuscitate them, and they would return to the stable batter animals by 100 per cent, than when they left. Three descendants of Carbine's best son, Wallace, figure amongst the entrants for the Great Northern Foal Stakes of 1903. Messrs. L. D. and N. A. Nathan's stud is responsible for a filly out of Lissadurn; Mr. G. G. Stead claims a colt out of Aura; while Mr. J. F. Reid's stud has a colt out of Faraway. The colt of which Mr. Stead is the fortunate possessor, it may be remarked, is a halfbrother to Aunim. Gunfire, a four-year-old soil of Hotcbkiss and Pandora, who was previously. known as Pandarus, has been shaping very well in his initial studies at jumping, and I shall be quite prepared to find him earning distinction at an early, date at the illegitimate game. Gunfire hails from J. E. Thorpe's establishment, where, it may. be remarked, those two smashers, Record Reign and Cavalicro, roceived their education. The American trainer, John Huggins, has figured so prominently in tlio winning list during the few years that he has been in England—having finished fourth best' in 1898,. and Second in 1899 and again last year —that it is not altogether surprising to find him at the head of tho poll for the season. The following is a list of the principal trainers in order of value of races won:—J. Huggins, £29,142; J. Porter, £25,062; S. Darling. £'?.2.599: W. Waugh, £21,364; Alvarez, £18,953; G. , Black-well, £15.457. They do things much bettor ill America than in Australia (writes "Reginald" in tho Melbourne Sportsman). They have a way thero of guarding as far as possible against backers losing money on horses addicted to dwelling at the post. After a couple of performances ,of the kind such animals are barred in the betting, the stewards having power to issue the order whenever they think it necessary. Of course, if the horse mends his manners, and jumps of smartly once or twice, lie is again readmitted into' the wagering, taking his place there with the rest.

STUD NEWS. ' When chronicling the death of the brood mare Anita in. my notes last week I omitted to state that the daughter of King Quail left behind her a fiily by Cuirassier. In a conversation; with Mr, Robert Duder I ! 'earned that the youngster lias taken very L kindly to hand-feeing-, and that there is every reason to hope she will ■ pull through without her dam. It is understood that the stallions San Francisco: and Birkenhead, purchased respectively in ./England on behalf ' of Messrs. L. D. and N. A. Nathan and the Hon. J.'., D. Ormond, will be ■ brought to New Zealand by the s.s. Karamea, due to arrive a.' Wellington about February 6. Martini-Henry's beautiful sister, Wood- ; nymph. has not proved anything like the successful matron that was predicted. The ! daughter of Musket and Sylvia is,-however, i the dam cf The Sirdar, who ran a dead-heat for first honours in the Launocston Cup tins week. News from South Africa, states that the Auckland-bred Uniform and seven thoroughbred brood mares, purchased in England, have arrived. They were safely landed, and are being kept at Capetown for a time, 1 pending the end of the war, or, at any rate, until the neighbourhood of Colesberg (twice raided by Boers) is more peaceful. When the South African war is over it is anticipated that there will be a big market for Australian bloodstock. The following horses are booked to leave Sydney next month: The Weir, Justice, ISiyrang, Eedavni, 0.K., Spring Hill, Circus Boy, Repeater, brown filly by Amberite, chestnut filly by Trident, bay gelding by Hawthorn, gray • gelding by The Sinner, and a gray gelding by Wanderer. ' The Auckland-bred Cravat; (by Castor—. Necklace) is located at the Dorchester Stud, in New South Wales. A-mare located a-tthe same establishment who first saw the light in Auckland is Wood Nymph (by Musket — Sylvia). ~ , The 400-guinea subscribers to Flying Fox next season are up in arms owing to the latter being called on, out of season, to serve South Australian mares . whose dates are opposed to the earlier period. It has always been a weakness with breeders to rush after sires belonging to lines that are the success . of the hour (writes Mil- • roy," of the Sydney Mail). . Wo all remember one memorable yearling sale when a number of Lochiels and Gozos were coldly received, and how unanimously trainers and owners left their seats to take a drink when these lots were in possession of the ring. The prices they brought were ridiculous, ; something under 20 guineas a head all round. Now these same trainers would forfeit a finger for possession of a shapely, one ol cither breeds. The Beauchainps our trainers have never taken seriously, but the , Beauchainps are fast goers and very shapely animals. All the same, Beauchamp is a remarkably handsome blood-like horse 01 great power and quality; he has been stand- ; ing within 40 minutes' journey from the city at five guineas per mare, but very few good marcs have come his way. Every year ho stands well up among the winning sires, and will be higher up this season after the success of Cast Iron, Bonnibel, Insect, Coolabah, and others. As owners of good mares would not use Beauchamp at five guineas Mr. Gosper raised his fco to 10 ■ guineas and limited him to 10 approved mares last 'season, and he filled his list. When a theatre j is full hundreds fight to get in, but if tho benches are empty nobody hankers after a seat.' Truly mankind is a puzzle. A million men will pass by a bottle lying in" the gutter unnoticed, but if the same bottle is stuck up on a post 900,000 of them ( Wul shy stones at it. Once upon a time -i ra " ducer, though a sire of winners, travelled a district in New Zealand at any fee the groom could get, and he took mares as low as 5s each, but after the horse bad sired acrack or two, and got into a fashionable stud, 150 guineas was charged for his services, and at this figure his owners could pick and choose mares for him. The breeders of Buenos Ayres, whither the Australian-bred Hautvillers has been despatched, are evidently determined to" 1 carry out affairs properly, for tho French sporting papers announce that a South American agent in France has purchased; for kII.WJU Mr. J. E. Piatt's well-known thoroughbred stallion Kendal, for exportation to Buenos Ayres. Kendal is a son - of Bond Or and Windermere. While in . training at Kings clere, Kendal was credited with having been tried to be as good a racehorse as his contemporary Ormonde, but he failed to stand, and lie went to tho stud early. , As a sire Kendal is bast known to fame as the parent of Gal tee More, who secured the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby,- and St. Leger in 189., and was subsequently sold to the Russian Government for £20,000.: Thanks chiefly to the success of Epsom Lad, who won £19,627 in stakes last season. Bend Or heads the list of successful brood mare sires in England last season. Epsom Lad's dam and the dams of 30 other winners of £33,057 place the' old son • of Doncaster on. top. Galopin is second on the list, and Tsonomy third. Rosicrucian, who has been dead many years, is placed fourth bv his daughters. Then in order come Hampton, Springfield. Barcaldine, Hermit, St. Simon, Wisdom, Merry. Hampton, and Peter. In referring to Trenton's son Aurum a well-known English writer says:—"Aurum, were ho mine, and with hunting judges, i would show against any horse in the wond. Au-rum's foals are stated to carry all tho characteristics which have mado the Musket family so noted, and his stud career is regarded as decidedly promising-, even though in the Old Country he has to compete against the best horses in the world. The American writer "Hidalgo," who recently paid a visit to Cofcham, writes as follows to the Breeder and Sportsman anent the Auckland-bred Trenton: —The first of the sires that greeted our eye was that magnifificent old brown horse, Trenton, now past 20. Tho old hero, who has the prettiest imaginable way of carrying his _ head, would roadily pass for. 14, and has his book filled for the next two years. _ Nothing could bo more beautiful than the kindly glance of his handsome brown eyeS, and his back is swayed but little with his two score years. Though Trenton's stock in the Old Country have failed to develop that dash of brilliancy that' was usually associated with his progeny in Australia, his fee remains at 100 guineas. It is-considered likely that Abercorn (by Chester—Cinnamon), who is now at the Cobham Stud in England, will bo sent to America. PAPAKURA RACING CLUB'S ANNUAL • MEETING. Tho following nominations have been received for the ovents of the above meeting, which takes place on February 8: — Papakura Handicap: Bacchus, Firefly, Belfast, Goetzer. Lady Avon, Despatch, Hipstone, The Needle, Winsome, Paul Seat-on, St. Olga, Golden Rose, Cavalry, Balbirnie, Sly Miss, Matamataharakeke. Hack Race Handicap: Tortoiseshell, Leo Deval, Rocket, Pungarehu, Evert, Dingo, Noble Grand. Fairy house, Miss Lottie, Dingdong, Miss Kate!, Francis Lovejoy, Valedictory, Capford, Gcraldine, Gatelock, vista, Lady Soult. - Railway Plate Handicap: Bacchus, Nereid, Land lock, Gold Web, Belfast, Lady Avon, La Polish;- Despatch, The Slave, Winsome, Hector, Paul Seaton, Yarra, Cavalry, Balbirnie, Sly Miss, Matamatahnrakeke, Ilimalava. _ , . . Maiden Race Handicap: Tortoiseshell, Rocket, Nereid, Evert, Dingo, Favryhou&e, La Polish, Francis Lovejoy, Hipstone, Hinemoa, Lady Desborough, Capford, Hector, Gatoloolc, Sly Miss, Lady Soult. Flying Stakes Handicap: Ukase, Tolstoi, Nereid, Landlock, Lady Dash, Gold Web, Miss Lottie, Lady Avon, La Polish, Despatch, Klondyke, Tho Slave, , Hector, _ St. Olga, Yarra, Sly Miss, Lady Soult* Himalaya. . Pony Race Handicap: Ukase, Polly Perkins, Miss Kate, Fairy, Goetzer, The Slave, First Whisper, Lady Desborough, Yarra. OTAHUHU TROTTING CLUB. The Otahuhu Trotting Club aro out with a capital programme for a three days' meeting, to be held at Alexandra Park on February 22 and 26 and March 1. The principal event of the programme is the Otahuhu Trotting Cup. of lOOsova, the distance, of which is two miles. From the. programme, which will be found published in full in another column, it will be seen that nominations for all events close on Friday next. A Queensland writer, tells tho following story regarding, the proceedings at a recent country meeting:—lt was the " stiffost" gathering I over looked at, and although they were all "gentlemen" riders, they deserved six months a-pieoe and disqualification for ever and over. One chap, instead of starting, stood quietly at tho post,' with a grin on his face like a moonstruck monkey with the measles. Another " stiff-'un" deliberately pulled up dead against tho first hurdle, then turned his gee-gee round for a few hundred yards, in order to get a fresh start, and, of course, romped home at the wrong end. Strange to say, lie won the next race beautifully, and rode into the saddling paddock with his face beaming like the moon cm its fourteenth night. But lie didn't weigh in. The infuriated mob. dragged him oft' his moke, and gave unto him the finest licking ever, ladled out to a knght of the pigskin. ■ •

TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB'S SUMMER MEETING. . " ■" : " ■; ■ ■' : ' V " NOTES AND ANTICIPATIONS. [r,r PHAETON.] The Takapuna Jockey Club will inaugurate their summer meeting to-day, and -will continue the same on Wednesday and Saturday next. The gatherings held at the North Shore enjoy such a wide popularity that it ' can safely be predicted a highly successful record will be attained by the T.J.C. should they be fortunate in the matter of weather on all three days. The handicapper, Mr. Knight, appears to me to have succeeded admirably in concealing the winners in all the events set down for decision on the opening day, and this being so it may be anticipated that the various contests will give rise to spirited speculation. The opening event of the programme is the Maiden Handicap, in which nine horses ■ read a likely pair to fight out the finish, and are engaged. Sly Miss and Gold Web read a likely pair to fight out the finish. The Calliope Handicap, which is confined to the two-year-old division, has an acceptance of half-a-dozen. Northumberland and Austerlitz may be the pair to fight it out, and the first-named may win. With 17 horses engaged in the Zealandia Handicap -tho five-furlong race looks like attracting a big field. St. Olga, Lady Avon, and Jewellery are the trio I like best, and to separate them I will give ray vote-to Jewellery. Tho seven engaged in the Cup are all looked upon as likely starters, so that an interesting race should result. Bluejacket and Rosella will, I think, fight it out, and they may ccme home in that order. The Hack Handicap has the large acceptance of 18, and the task of finding the winner is a most difficult one. Cressy and Lady Soult will, I think, fight it out lor the leading places, and Mechanic may prove the hardest one for them to beat. Tho Hurdle Race may find Evening Wonder and Tim fighting out the final stage; and to separate them I win give my vote to Tim. Tho light weight, Gunfire, may run well. The Stewards' Handicap is to some extent dependent on previous running, but Highlander, Laudlock, and Seotty may be found contesting the position, for leaning places. I will take Scotty to win. THE ACCEPTANCES. The following is a, list of tho acceptances : — Handicap Maiden Plato of 65sovs, one mile: Sly Miss 8.10, Repetition 8.7, Gold Web 8.7, The Frenchman. 8.2, Donnybrook 7.13, Himalaya 7.7, Aurega 7.3, Bob 7.0, Zulieka 7.0. * Calliope Handicap of lOOsovs, six furlongs: Northumberland 8.10, Austerlitz 8.5, Gladisla 8.3, Mary Seaton 7.12, Bastion 6.12, Cygnet 6.7. / . ' Zealandia Handicap of lOOsovs, five furlongs : Takapuna 9.7, Telephone 8.12, Highlander 8.6, Tolstoi 8.5, St. Olga 8.4, Lady Avon 7.12, Reclaimer 7.12, Jewellery 7.12, Cataille 7.9, Gold Web 7.4, Rosiphele 7.4, Golden Rose 7.0, Hikipene 7.0, St. Rowan 7.0, Despatch 7.0, Brilliant 6.10, Cuirasetto - 6.10. Takaptoa Cup of 500sovs. One mile and ... . . ■■ . a-half. ■ ' st lb st lb Bluejacket ... 9 9 Sp'kling Water 7 0 Rosella ... 8.10 Regalia 11. ... 7 0 Coronet ... 713 Defender ... 612 Red Lancer ... 7 5 First Hack Handicap of 60sovs, five furlongs: Rocket , 9.0, Lady Soult 8.4, Cressy 8.4, Mount Zeehan 8.0. La .Polish 7.13, Gatelock 7.12, b m by Seaton Delaval— Queen 7.12, Tortoiseshell 7.12, Miss Lottio 7.10, Fabania 7.9, b m by Seaton DelavalLeocant 7.8, Ding Dong 7.6, Fairyhouse 7.5, Mechanic 7.5, Etona. 7.3, Evert 6.12, Bloodstone 6.12, Francis Lovejoy 6.12. First Handicap Hurdles of lOOsovs, two miles: Evening Wonder 10.12, Tim 10.12, Dingo. 10.9, Rufus 10.2, Royal Conqueror 9.7, Gunfire 9.5, Evermore 9.0, Lightning.9.o. First Pony Handicap of 65sovs, five furlongs: Orange and Blue 10.5, Blue Paul 10.4, Sentinel 8.7, First Whisper 8.0, Ukase 8.0, Princess Perkins 7.5, Sea Spray 7.5, Pukiori 7.4, Bloodstone 7.0, Mimosa 6.10, Mamoa 6.10, Girton Girl 6.7, Motukorea 6.7, Rapid 6.7, Annoyed 6.7. : Stewards' Handicap of.-lOOsovs, six furlongs: Takapuna 9.4, Solo 9.2. Sundial 8.6, "Highlander 8.3, Balbirnie 7.12, Landlock 7.11, Lady Avon 7.9, Defender 7.7, Cavalry 7.5, Gold Wob 7.3, Scotty 7.2, Hikipene 6.12, Donnybrook 6.10, Brilliant 6.7. The first race is timed to bo started punctually at one p.m.