TURF GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 25

TURF GOSSIP.

An Australian merchant, who not long ago paid his creditors a percentage in the £, drew first prize in a recent big sweep. He gave the owner of the winning horse £SOO and the jockey £IOO. The send-off which was accorded to Mr Oxenham, the well-known Australian bookmaker, on leaving Sydney for England the other day, was marked by ■$ sensational incident which was not in {he programme. A small steamer had been) chartered to accompany the s s. Australien to the heads She got too close to the big steamer,"and received such serious damage ,that there was a panic among Mr Oxenham's friends on board, and many of them jumped on to the Australien.

It is rumoured in sporting circles that MiMr 8. H. Gollan, theHawke'sßay sportsman, is negotiating for the lease of Redleap, the famous Australian steeplechaser, with the view of taking him to England to measure strides with, the Home cracks. If successful he will also take Kimberley, the dun-coloured gelding that he picked up on the West Coast. It is stated that the whole of Mr Douglas' horses, in training at Hastings by J. Maher, aro to be transferred to the station about the middle of July. 1 Mazeppa,' the well-known Dunedin sporting scribe, returned to that city by the Talunelast Week, after a month's visit to Australia, during which he visited the principal racing establishments, including courses, stables and stud farms in and near Melbourne and Sydney. The patron of Mr J. Loughlin's stable, feeling dissatisfied with Mr Dowse's treatment of his horses, informs a southern cor. respondent that he intends to retire from the turf,' and that Don Pedro, Galtee, Rothamstead and the trotter Jane are for private sale. The New Zealand-bred Sir.Modred, who is now in America, was last season represented by no less than 43 winning representatives on the turf in that country, whose winnings arobunted to 90,377 dollars. : The oldest Derby winuer alive (the next being Galopin, who is a year younger) is

George Frederick. George Frederick is 22 years of age. . What a trio of goldmines the Duke or Portland possesses in St Simon, Ayrshire, and Donovan. A circular recently issued states that St Simon's list is full for 1894. '95, and '96, at 300 guineas per mare, and that those of Donovan and Ayrshire at 200 guineas and 150 guineas respectively, are also full for the same time. Hamptonis another instance of a He cost his owner, Lord Ellesmere, £7OOO, and his Lordship's receipts for the horse's services have totalled £40,000 ; and Hampton is good for many years yet. Word comes from Australia that Percy Martin has Medjidie, tbe son of St Leger and Rosette, doing splendid work, and that there is a possibility of his distinguishing himself at an early date. When well he is a very speedy horse, as .he should be considering his breeding, bs?'. It is generally believed that Crackshot has been sold to Mr Carrington, of Gisborne,for 300 guineas. His new owner is said to intend him ioti stud duties. The New Zealand-bred'-filly Day Dream started first favourite at 7 to i for the Lenten Firs Plate at Nottingham, but was beaten out of a place. Day Dream .carried top-weight, 9st9lb, including 101 b penalty. . At the South Australian Jockey Club Autumn Meeting the amount put through the totalisator was £1Q,935, or £3Bl less than last year. .£3752 was-invested on the Cup. The returns were considered very satisfactory, for a great falling off was expected in view of the depression. ■ The Auckland Racing Club committee in accepting Mr J. Ktrkw§od s resignation of the office of judge elected him a life member of the club'in recognition of his past services.

Many of my readers may not know or may have forgotten that the late Hon J. Ballance bred the Dunedin Cup winner, Fishhook, who, in his,.younger days, was named Lough-Neagh. Mr Ballance, though not a racing man, was very fond of horses.