COURSING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1681, 18 May 1904, Page 30

COURSING.

OFFICIAL CALENDAR. The “New Zealand Mail” is the “Official Calendar” of the New Zealand Coursing Association, and notices appearing under this heading are published for the information of affiliated coursing clubs. FIXTURES', 1904. Wairarapa 0.C.,' Wairarapa Cup Meeting—May 24th, 25th, and 26th. Wellington and Suburban O.C. Cup and St Leger Meeting—June 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Dunedin C.C. Bracelet Meeting—Juno 15th, 16th, and 17th; and S'apling and Maiden Meeting—August 3rd, 4th. and sth. Leeston C.C. —May 17th, July 19th. Wairarapa C.C.—August 10th, 11th. and 12th. Oamaru C.C. Maiden and Open Stakes — July 28th and 29t.h, NOTES(By “Go-Bye.”)

The Dunedin Club finished its Cup meeting on Satiu’day under very unpleasant conditions. The concluding day’s siport opened with the first round of the Waterloo Plate for 14 dogs beaten in the second round of the Cup. Owing to the judge, Mr L. Rutledge, being confined to his room through an attack of influenza the committee of the club appointed Mr A. CUrry to act in his place, and at one o’clock that gentleman appeared. in the saddle on tlie enclosure. The first round of the Plate and the second of the Purse were run and no fault could be found with the jugde’s decision, but with the commencement of the fourth round of the Waterloo Cup the judge made several decisions _ that appeared from the grandstand ridiculous. In the first course of the fourth round of the Cup King Dick easily led Faugk-a-Bal 1 agh and appeared to be an easy winner when the hare escaped but the decision went to Faugh-a-Ballagh. The next course between Narrow Escape and Rowlock was, I think, the worst decision that it has ever been my lot to witness. According to my observation of the course the bitch led by about four lengths, turned twice', letting the dog in for one, the bitch then wrenched several times until the dog ended the course by a cross-kill in which there was no merit. Narrow Escape won easily was the opinion of ninety-nine out of a hundred on the grohnd, but the onehundredth happened to be the judge who raised the flag for Rowlock. The judging of this course was the sole topic of conversation amongst tlie. coursing men during the afternoon, and Mr P. F. Kelly, of Victoria, the owner of Narrow Escape, had many sympathisers. The club were extremely unlucky to lose the services of Mr Len Rutledge for the last day as there is no doubt that .ncidents like the above will give any club - a decided setback.

The supply of hares gave out before the meeting was finished and consequently a compulsory division was necessary in the Plate and Purse. The winner of the Cup, Faugh-a-Ballagh by Hex —'Frisky Lass, is owned by Mr J. W. Price, of Dunedin, who also trained him. Faugh-a-Ballagh is a second season dog, and had been in several hands before his present owner secured him. He was bought for <£2o and a <£2s to nothing contingency should he win either the Oamaru Challenge or the Waterloo Cup. The runner-up, Jewel Gun by Maxim—• Star Jewel, is owned in Hawke's Bay by Messrs Baker and Annand. He ran very slovenly right throughout the stake and his promise as a puppy has not been fulfilled. On form he should have easily led Faugh-a-Ballagh in the final, and when they got going about 150 yards Jewel was two lengths to the good, but he appeared to shut up like a box and never tried a yard afterwards. His owners had him backed for a gond stake and his downfall was a great disappointment to his supporters. In the final punters were laying S to 1 on his chance. The Wellington and Suburban Coursing Club will commence its Wellington Cup and St. Leger meeting on June 2nd next. Mr H. W. Davies, the hon. sec., informs me that the nominations are ooming in pretty well, and as this is the last big open stake of the season

owners that have not nominated should be sharj) and secure one. The winners end is £IOO and in value is only second to the O'amaru Challenge of £l2O (already decided). The St. Leger, for dog aud bitch puppies, should also be well patronised to encoruage the club to cater for the puppies events. The Wellington Club is the only one in the colons 1- to run puppy stakes, and unless they are well patronised I am informed that maiden stakes will in future be substituted for puppy events which would be a great pity as I believe that puppy stakes go a long way towards encouraging breeders to improve their stock. The Wairarapa Coursing Club’s opening meeting takes place on the 24tli inst. when tho Wairarapa Cup will be decided. The value to the winner is £SO. Mr F. Dupree, the lion, sec., writes that the club have engaged Mr J. Mitchell, of Oamaru, to act as judge, and Mr J. Cochrane, of Masterton, will have charge of the slips. Mr P. F, Kelly, of Victoria, passed through Wellington last week on his way to Masterton with The Hermit and Narrow Escape. I believe that the Vicar of Wakefield will also be competing at the meeting, and a strong contingent from that abode of coursing winners (Hawke’s Bay). Mr E. Hopple (Sydney) and Mr Martin Taylor inform me that it is their intention to be present at the meeting which, I believe, will be an unqualified success.

Mr H. W. Davies advertises at the head of this column liis. stud greyhound, Oliver Goldsmith. The brindle son of Goldsmith and The Witch was secured from his breeder, Mr P. F. Kelly, of Victoria, for stud purposes and is' classed by Mr Kelly as one of the best and fastest greyhounds that he ever owned or bred. During Oliver Goldsmith’s career he has beaten Aqua Fortis (Australia’s champion), whom ho led on, two occasions; Pure Gold (another great dog), the celebrated bitches Planet and Verse, and many others. Oliver’s performances on the coursing field included the following —Won Pearson Bracelet £25 and Stakes £SO, at Moonee Valley, beating in the final the celebrated bitch Verse. Won Australian Plate, beating Beeline in the final. Divided Bracelet Stakes (thirty-two dogs) with his kennel mate, Megaphone, and run into the last four in the Australian Waterloo Cup, being beaten by Transit, the ultimate winner. Mr Davies also advertises for sale a red dog puppy (December 1902) by Kilmainham —'Lozenge. He is unnamed and weighs 701bs, and guaranteed in perfect health and without a blemish. This puppy’s litter sister Lanoline won the New South Wales Oaks Stakes' on April 28th last, beating Best Bleu by Braddon’s 810t —Uloome in the final. The Leeston Coursing Club’s open meeting is run at Leeston to-day. _ The value of the stake is £ls to tlie winner. Mi O. R. Wise, of Oamaru, will be in the saddle.- Results will lit published in next issue.

The New South Wales National Coursing Association held their opening j letting of 1004 at Rooty Hill on April 27th and 28th last. The bill of fare was the New South-Wales - Derby and Oaks and the Woodstock Stakes. The results were as follows:—• New South Wales Derby Stakes, for <6 dog puppies at £2 2s. Winner, £lB and trophy; runner-up £9; and two dogs at £3 5s each. First Round. Demos beat Abundance. Rookwood beat Petroleum. Edward VII. beat Clarendon. Chronograph beat ll aroldene. Braggadocio beat Major Nelson. Master Procyon beat Blair Hill. President beat Bedrock. Desmond a bye. Countersign drawn. First Ties. Demos beat Rookwood. Chronograph beat Edward VII. Braggodocio beat Master Procyon. Desmond beat President. Sfecond Ties. Demos beat Chronograph. Braggadocio beat Desmond.. Final. Mr R. Devlin’s blk and w d Demos by Ringarah— Westeria 11. (July 1902) beat Mr S. Bladon’s blk d Braggadocio by Braddon’s Blot—Bloomee, and won. New South Wales Oaks Stakes, for 16 bitch puppies at £2 2s each. Winner, £lB and trophy; runnerup, £9; and two dogs at £3 5s each. First Round. Claudia beat Whippet. Best Blend beat P'layaway. Barcelona beat Royal Crown. Air Motor bear Beulah. Meg Merrilees beat Vivienne. Lanoline beat Toovana. Radium beat White Socks. Young Rodda beat Dutch Oven. First Ties. Best Blend beat Claudia. Air Motor beat Barcelona. Radium beat Meg Merrilees. Lanoline beat oung Rodda. Second Ties, Best Blend beat Air Motor. Lanoline beat Radium. Final. Mr P. A. Lamb’s blk and wvb. Lanoline by Kilmainham— Lozenge (December 1902) beat Mr S. Bladon’s r.b. Best Blend by Braddon’s Blot—Bloomee (January 1903) and won, Woodstock Stakes, for 16 all ages, at £2 2s. Winner, £lB and trophy; run-ner-up, £9; aud two dogs at £3 ss. First Round. Maydew beat Idle Boy. Liedertafel beat Chamberlain. Melesian beat Wee Maid. Young Marlow beat Loyalstone. Bathurst Burr beat White and Blue. Breelong beat Epithet. Wocdpecked beat Corbett. Welcome Nugget beat Master Cecil. First Ties. Liedertafel beat Maydew Melesiau Lftht Young Marlow. Bathurst Burr beat Brig CD- Woodpecker beat Welcome Nugget, Second Ties. Melesian beat Liedertafel, Woodpecker beat Bat-hurst Burr. Fihal. Mr T. Clarendon’s blk. d. Melesian by Muokrose— Hibernia beat Mr Jas. Weir’s blk d. Woodpecker by Black Douglas — Goldsmith’s Maid, and won,