SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 6

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES September Waikato Bunt Club. September C, 7—Marton Jockey Club September 1G 21), 23—Avondale Jockey Club. September 20, 21—Rangitikei Jockey Club September 28, 29—Wangannl Jockey Club September 30—Pakuranga Hunt Club. October 4, s—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club October 10, 11—Napier Park Racing Club October 11, 14—Duncdi.i Jockey Club October 18, 21—Wellington Racing Club November \, 9, 11—Auckland Racing Club November 4, «, 8, 11—Canterbury Jockey Club DATES OF COMING EVENTS. NEW ZEALAND. September Hi—Avondale Cup. September 16—Avondale Stakes. September Avondalo Guineas. September Wangunili Guineas October Hawke's Bay Guineas AUSTRALIA. September O—A.J.O. Derby. September Metropolitan Stakes. September Epsom Handicap. November 4—V.B.C. Derby. i November 7—Melbourne Cup. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. J.l'., Tanpiri.— fell while contesting a hurdle race at Kllerslie, and was killed. , SUBSCRIBE)!, Nelson-street, Auckland.—Spalpeen won a race on the flat at Kllerslie as a two-year-old. U.S., Paeroa.—" Cruciform and Savoury" was the favourite double for the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap up to the time that flic first-named was withdrawn. Africa.— placed horses in the Auckland Steeplechase of 1904 were:—Princess 'of Thule (Wst (ilb), I'ipi (lOst 21b), and Haydn (12st Mb), who finished in thai order. Haydn was favourite. Wager, Kiripaka.—Hnthema was got by Phoebus Apollo from Reproach. She won her first engagement at two-years-old—the Avondale Stakes—but she has not since scored. Altogether she has started in 211 races. She now ranks as a five-year-old.

NOTES BY PHAETON. AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY CLUB'S SPRING MEETING. Judging from tho present aspect of mattors it seems safe to offer the prediction that there will be a stronger New Zealand interest in tiro forthcoming spring meeting of the Australian Jockey Club than on any previous occasion, for in all departments Maoriland can claim to be well represented, In the Derby . Mr. Stead has a brace to do battle for the yellow jacket black cap, in the shape of his two Multiform colts, Snngod and Noctuiiorm; and Nightfall will represent the Southern sportsman in the weight-for-agc events. Maniapoto, who it is predicted will lie a star performer this season, is engaged in (lie Epsom and Metropolitan Handicaps, and also in the Craven Plate, and, with the brilliant Machine Gun also figuring as an acceptor for the first-named handicap and also as an entrant for the Craven Plato, we can claim to hold a strong hand in the flat events. Then in the jumping division we contribute a trio to the list of entrants for cross-country events with Up-to-Date, Haydn, and Dingo, and, unless the New South Walesites are particularly stroii" this spring, the horses hailing from Mr.oriland will probably be heard of to advantage when the battles over the big fences come to be decided. MANIAPOTO.

The actions of tho owners of Maniapoto have invariably been characterised by pluck, and, in sending their horse across to New South Wales in order to try eonelusions with the Australian cracks at Randwick next mouth, they have once again shown themselves to be endowed with that dash of courage which at times counts for so much in enabling a horse to attain a high position in the ranks of equine celebrities. Opportunity for man is necessary, and so it is for the horse. Maniapoto will have his opportunity at Randwick next month of showing whether ho is above the ordinal?-, for the Australian talent, engaged, to say nothing of the. New Zealand-bred heroines, Gladsome and Nightfall,'ami the brilliant Machine Gun, i* on this occasion pretty strong. If Maniapoto is as good a horse as lie is held to Ikand it must he said that some keen judges are found singing his praises—he should have a first-class chance in the Epsom Handicap under Bst 41b, for that race is run over the easy course of a mile. Maniapoto is also engaged in the Metropolitan Handicap, which event is to be run on the second day of the same meeting over a mile and a-half, and in which he figures at Bst. The fact that Maniapoto has been in the hands of that astute trainer, J. 11. Pro.sscr, for some months past adds not a little to the importance of the son of Sotilt's Australian visit, for wo may, I should think, safely assume that he has quite satisfied the Porirua trainer of his brilliancy, or he would probably have advised a stay-at-home policy with the brown horse. With an extensive string to control at Porirua Prosser could not spare the time to journey to Australia with Maniapoto; but as the horse is to have the finishing touches put to his toilet by 11. ,1. Mason it can be said that he will want for nothing on the score of training when he gets to Randwick. hi the event of tile wires telling us that Maniapoto is in a position to do himself full justice when the deciding day of tho Epsom Handicap arrives it can be taken as quite certain that, Ntw Zenlandei's will back tho Soult horse largely for the mile raw.

LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK. It did not lake the owners of Gladstone lons to decide as to the course to pursue with their horse in connection with the NewZealand Cup when the declaration of the C..1.C. lmndieapper was posted on .Monday, and on Wednesday his scratching for the big Southern race was announced. At the first blush Bst 41b does not appear to be a .severe impost to award a. four-year-old that had won a Great Northern Derby, but then we have to bear in mind what, happened to Nightfall in that event, and that neither Boris nor Savoury, who followed, Gladstone home in the Ellerslie race, have achieved anything of note, in the- interval. It must therefore be admitted that no great room exists for extolling Gladstone's Derby feat. Mr. Henrys clearly got astray as to the qualifications of Gladstone and Scotty, and

:.i thai circumstance can, I think, be mainly scribed the early withdrawal of the son of Beaton Delavalfrom the New Zealand Cup. How tho O.J.C. handicapper came to sum it ii)) that the chestnut colt should concede weight to the bay gelding over any distance, let alone two miles, will, I fancy, puzzle not a few people. It is quite evident that Mr. Henrys did not base his estimate on book form when ho weighted Gladstone and Scotty for the Now Zealand Cup, or ho would most certainly have reversed them in the handicap. The fact that Mr. Henrys has never seen Gladstone run a .single race —I think it would be correct to say that lie lias never once seen him—and that ho never witnesses any of the Auckland racing, placed him at a disadvantage in summing up the situation as between Gladstone and Scotty, but without, a journey to ihe most Northern province there was, 1 feel myself perfectly justified in' stating, plenty oi room for his avoiding the mistake of placing Gladsonie's brother above Scotty in the handicap for the New Zealand Cup.

At a meeting of Ihe Auckland Racing Club committee last week it was unanimously resolved to confer life membership on Sir George Clifford, it may be said that no man who has been connected with the turf in New Zealand has done more to elevate it than has Sir George Clifford, -.both as chairman of the Racing Conference and as a horse-owner, and I am sure everyone will join me in the hope that the Squire of " Stonyhurst" may long be. spared to foster the sport that lie loves so well, and in the following of which, it is no flattery to say, lie displays qualities up to its highest traditions. The New Zealand turf is fortunate in being able to claim so strong and evenly-balanced a man as Sir George Clifford _to guide its destinies, and the addition of his name to the life membership list of the A.B.C. is an event that may be termed something more than pleasing reading.

The owners of Machine Gun elected to make hay while the sun shone and on Satd.v lit the son of Hotchkiss was sen out, to contest the Tramway Handicap (mx furlongs) at Randwick, in which he was waited at lOst 61b. Notwithstanding his welter wight, Machine (Jim was made lavffi.tsV2j.ndh? with a well-deserved win. Machine Gun is 1. mist the lot left in the Epsom .Handicap (one mile) to he run on the opening day of tie (W.C Spring Meeting, on Septem?L race lie has 9sfc 121 oppober• te his name.' So far Machine Gun has not won over a longer course than seven In, l O]lS hut the manner in which he sec ec in the Great Buster Handicap, run over that distance at Kircarlou in April lasl, in winch he carried the steadier of 10,t lib, it » will, eft tile room for doubt that he could apparently have -one on for a mile mat day St. Machine Gun has been supported ~ ii Epson. Handicap, and maybe hi party are 'responsible for the move m his favour.

While walking on the road at one day last week the. highly-bred near to mining herself as a lacei. A motor 'bus came rumbling up when the daughter of Hautlblon was at exorc,,e,wh the result that she became started, and oaring up, fell, and injure.Lone of her stifles o badly that her trainer K. Heaton entertamed serious fears thai she would not again be in a condition to race. . It is pleasing to learn that Pearl Necklet's injuries are likely to move less serious than was anticipated. It would be really hard luck it Mr Ma hall were to lose the services of Pearl Necklet as a racer ere she lost her maidenhood, for in purchasing Necklet's daughter as a yearling the Auckland sportsman was largely prompted by feelings of affection for the little bay mare that carried his colours to victory in the Maribyrnong Plate of 1888. However, wen should [Pearl Necklet never again see the racecourse, she can be accounted valuable properly as a brood matron, as her sire was got by" St. Simon, while her dam is by Musket.

The defeat which Lord Rosebery's hitherto unbeaten colt . Cicero suffered in the Eclipse Stakes, run at Sandown Park last month, at the hands of the French colt Val d'Or, was apparently all the big surprise that wo anticipated. A cable to-the Asian shows that Cicero was a raging hot favourite at 13 to 8 on. The son of Cyllene set out to win his race from end to end ; but when the crucial test came in the final stage Val d'Or prevailed, and amid a scene of intense excitement the Derby winner had to strike his colours to the French eolt, who won bv half a length. As Val d'Or was meeting Cicero at a difference of only Mb in his favour, his victory over the English Derby winner was brimful of merit, and causes his St. I.eger prospects to bear a bright aspect.

\ Grand Rapids, ■ who had not been seen out under silk since he was sold by Mr. Stead in November last to a Victorian racing man, was given his first run at Flemington on Saturday last, when he acted as runner-up to Dividend in the August Handicap. . Grand Rapids is stated to be looking- well, and he has already received some support for the .Melbourne Cup, in which race he is weighted at Bst 91b. The fact that Mr. Stead sold Grand Rapids for 500gns. would appear to show that he did not estimate the Gipsy Grand gelding highly, and as he was, no doubt, fully tested at Yaldhtirst there is no great inducement to support him for ;■ more important race in which he has 41b more to carry than when he scored at Riecarton last November. Grand Rapids is engaged in the Metropolitan Handicap (one mile and a-half), to be run at Randwick next month, in which race he is weighted at Est 71b.

Honours amongst the sires were extremely well distributed at the C.J.C. \s recent Grand National meeting. There were in all 24 events decided during the three days ovor which the meeting extended, and no less than 20 different sires were represented on the list. Country Boy, Lochiel, Saracen, and St. Hippo were the only sires to claim more than one winner, and, interesting to note, that quartette had a similar record with a double winner. The other sires represented in the winning list were: Stepniak, Duke d'Amour, leolantis, Sou'-wester, New Forest, Guncotton, Reflector, Dreadnought, Jewel Gun, Fraternite, Muskapeer, Clanranald, Torpedo, Grafton, Hotchkiss, and Natator. A consideration of the list shows that the Musket strain has the most honours to its credit. Torpedo, Hotchkiss, and Miiskapeer are by the Toxopholite horse, while Stepniak, Needlegttn, and Gunoottcn are by Nordenfeldt (son of Musket), and New Forest is out of Forest Queen (a daughter of Musket).

By withdrawing Gladstone from the New Zealand Cup straight away the owners of the chestnut coll have saved early backers some money. Though badly treated, the son of Scaton Delaval was in sonic favour in the South, and had he been left in the race for a few weeks the pencillers would have netted a good sum. The owners of Gladstone are to be warmly commended for their promptness in withdrawing their horse from the Cup when it was decided not to have him prepared for it, and. if for no other reason than that, I hope they will experience the pleasure of winning a good race with their horse during the spring campaign.

Charles' Stuart is to be sent ovor to New South Wales to fulfil his engagements at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting. That the son of Wallace is possessed of great brilliancy he demonstrated in a pointed fashion at Bandwick last autumn, and Nightfall and Co. will require to be at their very best to cope with him in the Craven Blare, which event is run over a mile and a-quarter at weight-for-age on the second day of the approaching Randwick meeting.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. According to Lord Davey, there are 30,000 bookmakers in England. Mahutonga is at tin* head of the quotation- at ])i-<vent for the New Zealand Cup. Gladsome has arrived at Randwick in order In fulfil engagements at the A..1.C. Spring Meeting. Prior to winning his race on Saturday last Machine Gun had been supported for the Epsom Handicap. The Soult mare Lyoia is reckoned to have an excellent chance in the Avondalo Cup with 7st 21b. The Wanganui JocVdey Club will give away added money to the extent of £6940 during the present season. It is stated that Maniapoto will be ridden by F. Jones in his New South Wales engagements, Jones is still attached to Mr. Stead's stable.

During the three days of the C.J.C.'s recent Grand National meeting the sum of £144,584 was passed through the totalisator, spread over 24 events.

The Middy, who had to be thrown out of work in April owing to a leg trouble coming ' against him is .11 regular exercise; at Ellerslie, and he is carrying himself well. Fhaetonitis was credited with being quite at home over the big" fences at lliccartou; but in each of the raws that lie contested last week ho failed to complete the course. Acrasia, who brought off a surprise in the last Melbourne Cup, has evidently proved unlrainable, forfeit having been paid for her in connection with this year's Cup at Fleming ton. The winner's portion of the stake money attached to the Tramway Handicap, captured by the New Zealand-owned Machine (lira in New South Wales, on Saturday last, was only /4sovs. The New Zealand jockey. L. Hewitt, steered a brace of winners in New South Wales on Saturday, Machine Gun in the Tramway Handicap and Marvel Lock in the Kawsoii Stakes being his successful mounts. Inniskillen fell at the second fence when contesting the 'Beaufort Steeplechase on the concluding day of the 0.J.0. Grand National Meeting. The horse escaped uninjured, but • his rider (F. Howard) had one of his legs broken. The following foalings are announced from Wellington Park:—Edith Cureton, by Castor-Frailty., filly to Seaton Dolaval;' St. Elyn (by St. Leger—Lady Evelyn), colt to Hotchkissj Armilla (lw Castor—Necklace), filly to Mensehikoll'. In the Rawson Stakes (one mile and a fur- I long), a weigbt-for-age event, with allow- ! auees, run at Rosehill, N.S.W.. on Saturday ■■ last, Marvel Loch (7st 131b) was sent out an 1 odds-011 favourite, and she won by g length I from. Tartan (Bst lib). The Pakuranga Hunt. Club will hold their, animal sports at Alexandra Park on Septem- I her 30. From the programme, which will bo , found published in full in another column, it will be seen thai nominations for all events close on September 15 at nine p.m. The three-year-old colt by Sou It from Lady Musket, owned by Mr. 8. Bradley, is stated to be. striding along in idee style, A lour-year-old gelding by Swordfish 11. from Botfly is also credited with doing well in his' work. Mr. Bradley has three two-year-olds, ! ■but they will not be seen out this season. ' I