SPORTING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 860, 24 August 1888, Page 13

SPORTING.

racing.

(By Martini.)

fixtures. October 25 —North Canterbury Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting. November 0,7, and B—Canterbury Jockey Club s Metropolitan meo ing. November 22 aud 23—Ashburton Hieing Club’s Spring Meeting. December 31—Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting. April 22 and 23—Canterbury Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting. ' DECLARATION OF WEIGHTS. October 27—C. J.C. Spring Hurdles. Criterion Stakes, Selling Plate, andßiccarton Welter Handicap. Nominations, Acceptances, &c. September I—Nominations Canterbury Cup. October IS—Nominations O.J.C. Spring Hurdle Race, Stewards’ Stakes, Middle Park Stakes, and Challenge Stakes. October 20—General entries C. J.C. SpriDg Meeting and further payments Welcome, Derby, Oaks, and Canterbury Cup.

At the Coney Island (America) races in June last, the big event of the first day, the Suburban Handicap, a mile and a quarter, was won by Elkwood, by Kolus—Minnie Andrews, Bst 71b, who covered the distance in 2min or only half a second behind the record. Looking over the report of the meeting I observe that soma wonderfully smart records are given of six three quarter mile races. Two were won in lmin 14fsecs, Eolian, another son of Eolus, being one of the winners, with 9st 21b up ; and the other records were lmin 15Jsec, lmin 15£sec, lmin 17isec, and lmin 19sec. A mile and a half race was won in 2min 37secs, and a five furlong race in lmin 2§secs. Later on in the meeting a record was broken by a colt named Terra Cotta, by Harry O’Fallon (by Australian) —Laura B, who carried Bst 121 b and covered a mile and a furlong in lmin 53secs. The Derby, a mile and a half, was won by Prince Royal, out of Princess by Kingfisher, in 2min The American Derby at Chicago, was won by Emperor of Norfolk, by Norfolk—Marian, in 2.40 J. Of the result of Wood’s libel notion against the Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, an American correspondent cabled from London : The verdict on the Wood libel case may be taken as an expression of opinion by the jury that they do not approve of the- existing stats of things on the turf. Lord Cole, ridge sided strongly against Wood, and summed up against him, and now says that he would deprive him of his costs if he had the power. A verdict with a farthing damages is of course more injurious to Wood than if it had been for the defendant. There was evidence to justify a verdict on either side. Many men of high position swore that Wood’s reputation as a jockey was bad, and many others swore that though they had heard things said they did not believe them and continued to employ him. Equally con. flicting was the evidence as to pulling the horse Success, the only one about which a specific charge was made. But what seems clear enough is that if Wood has sinned, he has sinned in company with others, ‘ All jockeys,’said the Duke of Portland in his letter to Lord Durham, ‘ are damned thieves.’ Wood’s offence, if offence there be, consists in breaking the Eleventh Commandment. The trial has been full of sensational incidents, and the court full of famous people. If the reputation of the Prime Minister had been at stake, the interest could hardly have been more intense. While the Duke of Portland was in the box the following letter, written by him to Lord Durham was read : * Dear Jack, I must write you a line to congratulate you on the most" excellent speech you made at the Gimcrack Club at York. Ido like to hear a fellow speak out straight, and I don’t envy Cbetwynd & Co.’s feelings. If they say anything and you want a pal you can rely upon me to do anything I can. Jockey 3 no doubt are d d thieves, but in my opinion gentlemen who aid and abet them and make money through their misdeeds are a great deal worse. I should like to know what is the result of the Success inquiry. But how often do we hear the people say that such and such a race w.as a fearful ramp, and then wind up their tirade with * but for God’s sake don’t quote me 1’ Cross examined; however, his Grace denied that he alluded specially to Wood, against whom ho said he knew nothing. American aoribea think Maud S. is going to beat her record of 2min B£secs when she is fit.' Seven thousand six hundred guineas is a long price fora yearling colt bred by MrJ. B. Haggin, and sold at his sale of stock ip New "York recently! A comparison of the winnings of Malua and Commotion gives 1 the benefit to Malua, who has won altogether £8522, while Commotion’s earnings amount to £7706. The well known Auckland sportsman, Mr John Marshall, writes a letter toalocal paper in which he hauls the Auckland Racing Club over the coals for bad management. The reason why the Committee were so anxious to push the accounts through at the recent meeting was, he suggests, that the club ‘ holds a bill of sale for between £3OO and £4OO over certain horses for totalisator moneys, nominations, and other fees,’ because the amount standing in the bank to the credit of the distressed jockeys' fund had been taken' out and paid to the credit of the A.R.C. ; and because there was a difference of £llO between the club and Mr Adams, totalisator proprietor, which had been referred to arbitration, the verdict being against the club. Be suggests that applica. tions should be invited for the post of handi capper, and that if retrenchment is aimed a i the secretary’s salary (now £350) should b fc ] reduced. He also charges the Club with | having badjasb season's programmes so care-

lessly made out that horses carried in some races more and in others less weight than they were entitled to. Major Walmsley succeeded in buying about 120 horses on the West Coast of this island for the Indian market* Craubrook is considered unlikely to rade again, and will in any case -Want a long spell to get over his “leg,” Tetford will go to the stud in Queensland, if negotiations now proceeding in Sydney are concluded. Mr Butler informs “Senex ” that Artillery is doing as well as could be wished, though, he has not been stretched yet this season.

THE TOTALISATOR Under this heading, ‘Mazeppa ’ publishes a list of totalisator dividends paid in New Zealand, of which the highest are as follow : £3o6—Crummy, February 1, 1886, Fire Brigade Handicap, Town and Suburban, Napier. £259 Louie, March 16, ISS2, Napier Handicap. £251 14s—Kalo, April 6, 1575, Short’s Handicap, Auckland. £223 4s—Mavis, March 17, 1881, Tradesmen’s Handicap. Hawke’s Bay J. C. £174 12s—Lavender, April 8, 18SG, Ashley County Plate, Now Brighton. £159 6s and £72 13s 6d—Polly, May 24, 1883, Trotting Handicap, Dunedin. £153 9.3 and £lO3 10s—Liberty, October 6, 1886, Hurdle Handicap, Hawke’s Bay. £139 10s—Tristan, December 28. 1885, County Plate, Cromwell. £l2O 17s, £BS 16s and £62 16s 6d—Adamant, February 21, 1883, Dunedin Cup. £ll4 6s —Malvina, March 4, 1887, Peninsula District Handicap. £ll3 Ss - Sly Sam, May 7, 1885, Trotting Handicap, New Brighton. £lO3 10s and £75 18s—Catesby, June 9, 1888, Auckland Winter Handicap. £95 Ss—Corrie Vic, May 24, 1888, Greymouth Consolation. £96—lsaac, May 24, 1881, Hurdle Handicap, Dunedin. £92—Frolic, May 24, 1888, Westport Selling Hack Race. £93 2s—Finance, October 26, ISS6, Flying Handicap, Timaru R. C. £B9 12s—Sir Garnet, March 17, ISBS, Parmer’s Race, Sandon.

Odds and .Ends. Professor Miller recently beat Muidoon the wrestler in a boxing match. < in the 15th Jane, C. H. Sherrill broke the amateur record for 250 yards by doing the distance in 25 4-sth secs, the next best being Myer’s 263e0s ; and he covered 140 yards in 15secs, beating Baker’s 15Jsecs, hitherto the best. Conneff, the celebrated Irish long distance runner, won the four mile Irish, champion, ship easily last June, in 20min 48sec. The last mile took him smin Ssecs. Did Kemp outrow Hanlan ? This is what the London Referee thinks abont it : ‘ Accounts just to hand of the HanlauKemp sculling match do not read to me just as if that affair was so very straight and genuine. I may be wrong, but I conceived the same opinion directly after an outline of the affair was telegraphed to England, and see reason for not altering. One point which confirms my idea on the subject is the way in which Hanlan just failed to foul Kemp on several occasions. If one-half of what is sent here is true, he could have done so several times if he really meaLt to collide with Kemp while the latter was out of his water. Peter is, I was assured by the best of good judges in Australia, a marvellously improved sculler and athlete. I accept their information on this head as correct. At the same time I doubt his vast superiority to the Canadian, because, if the race was square, it took Peter all his time to beat the exchampion, although he held a great advantage in getting the station. With the wind as it was, the Australian gained an immense advantage in winning the toss. Some years ago Tricket assured me that, under such conditions, choice was worth at leaßt four lengths, and I saw no reason to doubt hia estimate’s correctness when I went over the course with the old ’un. A writer in- the Canadian Sportsman, on the other hand, says :— * I don’t suppose that there is a man on earth fonder of winning than Ed. Hanlan, and I’d bet my last cent that he would win every time by as many yards as possible. In fact, he was a good deal too much given to making a holy show of bis opponents in his palmy days, which, by the way, some people seem unable to realise have passed away for all time. Hanlan got beaten simply because he met a better man than him--8 rlf.

On July 12, Teemer beat Hamm and Hosmer easily for a purse of lOOOdols. ; and at Gloucester, N. Y.' on June 16, he beat the samd two and John McKay for a similar stake. Hoarder rowed a plucky second id each race; but the big man had a little tod much foot for him. ' ‘ “

Kennedy and Lee, two of old opponents,’ rowed a race in America in July. The distande was a quarter of a mile, and Kennedy rail away from Lee, whom I remember being spoken of sothe years ago-as the man who was going to take Hanlan down! A draughts match for £IOO a-side has been arranged between Smith,'the English Cham: pion, and Barker, an American player. > Peter Boland was to fight YV. Smith, a crack list man, eight rounds, last Saturday at Melbourne.'

At Foley’s, on Saturday night (says the Sportsman of the Bth inst.), YV. Hudson, the New Zealand champion Cumberland wrestler, and J. Keating, a Sydney collar-aud elbow man, met in a three-style match fora small stake. Hudson weighed a little pver list and was out of condition, while Keating scaled over 14st. The latter won the toss, and picked on his favourite style, collar and elbow. He secured two falls, one in lmini, and the other in lmin Sosec. In the Cumberland style Hudson returned the compli- ; ment by throwing his man in 35sec and 10 sec respectively. In the Cornish style, they wrestled for 45 minutes, and although both i went down several times no fall was scored, / the match ending in a draw. After wrest- i ling Blackburn, Hudson will again try his hand at Keating, A match has beea made between Franl? •

Hewitt, ex-champion of the World, and Charlie S :nuels, the Queensland Aboriginal anrinter. The latter gives the ‘ WhitefeloPw“ 5y- rda in 50 and lays him £3O to £2O. *