SPORTING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 907, 19 July 1889, Page 13

SPORTING.

BAOIN G-.

(By Martini.) FIXTURES. MEETINGS. July 25 Kew Zealand Grand National Steeplechase August 10—Rannitikei Steeplechases August 12—Feilding Hunt Club Steeplechases Nominations, Acceptances. &c. August 3 —Nominations Canterbury Cup, acceptances N.Z. Cup, and further payments We.come, Derby, and Oak's Stakes August 3 Nominations N.Z. Exhibition Cup, Carnival. President’s, and St Andrew s Handicaps. D.J.C. Exhibition Meeting . August 17 —Nominations Otago Hunt Club Steeple Dunedin Stakes, Commissioners’ Purse, Welter Handicap, Tally-ho Handicap, Odslow Plate, Pacific Hurdle Race, and Jubilee Plate, D.J.C. Exhibition Meeting t Sporting writers devoted themselves last week to discussing the New Zealand Cup Handicap. ‘ Spectator ’ picks Cuirassier, Dudu, Sultan, Hilda, Lady Nocah, Jet d’Eau. Scots Grey, Meirie England, Corunna and Stephen, in that order. ‘Mazeppa’ selects Dudu, Sultan, Hilda,_Springston, Wolverine, Lady Norah, Scots u-rey and Hose Argent, with Occident and Vandal the next best. His Canterbury confrere (‘Rata’), however,. says that fit and well Lorraine can win the Melbourne Cup ‘ or any other handicap that was ever framed,’ and walk home. * Sir Launcelot ’ thinks ‘ the winner will be found in the following : Manton, Dudu, Son-of-a-Gun, Hilda, British Lion, Lady Norah, Scots Grey, Lady Florin, Quilt, Wakatipu, and if I thought it likely that Springston and St Clair would stand 1 would add their names to make up a dozen.’ The Canterbury Times picks Cuirassier, Son-of-a-Gun, Exchange, .Vlerrie England, Corunna, Lorraine, Scots Grey, Engagement, Hose Argent, Cissy, Quilt, and Wakatipu; and ‘ Phaeton ’ selects Cuirassier, Dudu, Hilda, \ Corunna, Jet d’Eau, Strephon and Quilt. Opinions differ as to the justness of Recluse’s weight. 1 Sir Launcelot ’ thinks it is fair, • Spectator ’. thinks the horse is harshly treated, and ’ Mazeppa’ discourses thus on the subject: —‘Recluse Is harshly treated. He owes his position probably to the fact that he ran Manton so closely in the Wanganui Derby. But Manton was at that time not near the terror he was in November. The only win Recluse had at two miles this season was in the Egmont Handicap, in which, he was run to a nose by Leopold, who was in receipt of 2lb. Hi 3 most meritorious performance, .1 take, it, was winning the Hawkes Bay Cup with 7st olb, in which he gave Leopold 151 b and a. doing over a mile and three-quarters. I admit that Recluse is a good colt, but it does r.ot seem right to place him on a par with Sultan, who is at his best a great performer, a weight carrier, and a year older. I am sure, at any rate, that those who were so eager to back Recluse at 100 to 8 before the weights came out would now be content to let someone else have the benefit of their bargains.’ . Vanguard will serve in the Oamaru district n< Wapiti has been bought by Mr Ben McCaul, of Wanganui (owner of Izak Walton). Mr H. Westmacott informs spectator’ that his whole stud is for sale, or any of them will be leased on terms. They comprise Wai-iti, Towton —Waimea, the brood mare, dam of Eusilade and now stinted to LeLoup. Mignon, by Korari, dam Malice, stinted to Apremont; Waimakariri, by Apremont, dam Wai-iti, stinted to Le Loup; two three-year-olds, Savoy, Cadogan—Waiiti gelding, and Carina. Apremont—Mignon, a two-year-old by Hornby Waimakariri. All are very quiet. Two yearling colts, by Le Loup—Waiiti and July— Mignon. All are right to go into work. ‘ Helmsman, by Navigator—Charity, who has got 6st 71b in the New Zealand Cup, is said to be meant for Australian events in the spring. Negotiations lately going on for the lease by the Middle Park Stud Company of the stallion Le Loup have fallen through. Fallacy, it may be remarked, has just slipped a filly foal to Le Loup. Ahua, who I think, may be fairly styled the best hurdler of the North Island, barring perhaps Chemist, was in Wellington at the end of last week on his way to Christchurch for his Grand National engagements. The horse looked well enough for anything, and was under the care of T. Scott. . He. has only been tried privately over the big sticks, I hear, and did not give the greatest satisfaction, but all the same, if he can be schooled, he will want a very great deal of beating in the Grand National. Russley, Bst 101 b. is considered a very good thing in the Caulfield Cup Handicap. Mr Stead states that at present he has no intention of sending Maxim to Australia, but has not made up his mind yet. The W.R.C. Steeplechase meeting at the Hutt last Saturday was about the best and most enjoyable the club has held. The fields were large, and the quality of the horses engaged good; and the racing, generally speaking, was keen. The big event resulted in a boil over for which I can hardly account. Criticising the weights on Saturday last I could see nothing in the Handicap to beat Rossiter. who is a very fast horse—a stayer, and, as evinced by his win at Egmont the other day, a good fencer. Moreover, he was let in with the light weight of 9st olb. Although I don’t fancy he could carry weight over heavy country, he is a very well made horse, clean built and hard, and even if all the others had stood up I believe he would have won just the same. Defamer was in a good position when he fell, and was undoubtedly likely to beat Kangaroo, but the rush with which Rossiter finished would have been a cut above him, I fancy. A horse that was greatly fancied was Louis, a son of Louis d’Or who won the Hurdle race (in which he was beautifully ridden by O’Connor) pretty easily. Louis was certainly the best conditioned horse on the course, and might have made a big show at the finish, but to my thinking Ariel was the most likely to have foueht it out with Rossiter. The big Steeplechase - might also have resulted differently if Doctor had not started in the Trial or Panic in the Hurdles. Doctor’s running in the Trial Steeplechase showed that he had good condition and plenty of foot, and Panic ran a very big horse in the Hurdles, On heavy ground like

that, however, two stiff races in one day Was too much to ask of a horse. The Hawkes Bay big gun, Chemist, disappointed his numerous admirers grievously in the Hurdle race. He simply refused to race a yard, and was flogged along by Ellingham for the first mile. Either the horse was off colour or there was something in it more than greets the eye. Defamer’s win in the Trial Steeplechase was a very easy one, for although Doctor came very fast,- and made up a lot of ground after his fall, he only did so on sufferance. 'I he gorse hedge at the top of the course is said to have a bar in it, which brought nearly all the horses to grief. Certainly, nearly all the falls happened In the Selling Hurdle race that gay deceiver, Reputation, turned up trumps, and beat Clarice easily. Orlando’s running, however, was very unsatisfactory, and greatly displeased the horses’ backers. Of the flat races, the Winter Handicap, fell to Rewarewa, a speedy little mare, by Hippocampus—Escape. I am informed that Mr Holmes has both this mare and Rossiter in hand, and if so, he deserves the greatest credit for the perfect condition in which he brought them to the post. The Flying Handicap fell to Mr Butler’s mare, Repose, by Apremont— Hammock ; and the Ladies’ Bracelet was won very easily by Kahu.

Totalisator Investments.— The sum of £3318 was passed through the totalisators at the Steeplechase meeting at the Hutt on Monday.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Melbourne, July 14. The "V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase Meeting opened yesterday. Grand National Hurdles, sweepstake of 20 sovs, with 1000 sova added ; about three miles.—Redleap, 9st 81b, 1 ; Corythus, list 2lb, 2; The Rhymer, lOst 71b, 3. Seventeen horse 3 started. Time, smin 54sec.'

Sydney, July 13. Chicago has been scratched for the Metropolitan Stakes. Brisbane, July 13, The Totalisator Restriction Bill has passed the Lower House. It is modelled on lines similar to the Act in force in New Zealand. Christchurch, July 14.

Final payments for the Grand National Steeplechase were made on Saturday night: —Chemist, 12st 71b ; Irish King, 12st lib ; Orient, list 81b ; Torrent and Ahua, list 51b ; Orangeman and Secretary, 10st 51b ; Presto, Monteagle, Daddy LoDglega, and Banic (including penalty), 9st 121b;-Gun-powder, 9st 101 b ; Louise and Waitangi, 9st 51b.

Maiden Steeplechase. —Daddy Longlegs, The Mount, Octopus, Louis, Playboy, Squib, Torrent, and Monteagle. Hunters’ Hurdles (acceptances).—Maligner, 12st 101 b ; Reuben. 12st 51b ; Squib, 12st 91b; Doubtful, list 71b; Little Artful, Hollywood, and Ivanhoe, lOst 121 b ; Tramp, All Fours, and Southern Chief, lOst 71b ; Batohelor, 9st 71b ; Rex and Swamp Hen, 9st.