SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7217, 12 July 1884, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

(From the New Zealand Mail.) Following are tho latest betting quotations from Christchurch :—New Zealand Cup : 100 to 14 agst Sou’-Wester ; 100 to 8 agst Vanguard, Oudeia ; 100 to 7 against Iko, Johnny Faulkner; 100 to 0 agst Welcome Jack* Tasman, July : 100 to 5 agst Taiaroa, Turquoise ; 100 to 4 agst Nonsenie, Duptaiu Webster, Siesta, Rublna, Salvage; 101 to 3 to 1 any other. The Ashburton Racing Club will place £750 on its prize list for the next Spring Meeting. This is an increase of £175 on the programme of last year’.-' Spring Meeting. The Club has determined to spend £9O in repairs and improvements at the racecourse. The following items arc from the Melbourne Sportsman Dorrett, who may bo dubbed ‘ the Hales of is now in Melbourne, and is prepared to take a mount or two while ho remains here.—Corrigan made his first appearance on a Melbourne racecourse since his recent illness, on Saturday at Caulfield, when ho rode Fame in the Steeplechase. —Sting, the winner of the Adelaide Cup of ’S3, will shortly leave for India with his owner, who tells us that, in the ovent of the chestnut performing well, ho shall forward him to England.—Power, who is now quite recovered from the effects of the Martini-Morpolh accident at Randwick, rode Primus in the Bracelet and Richmond Handicap at the Y.A. 1 T.C. meeting. Another coincidence connected with the race for the Bracelet during the last two years is that Power and O’Brien rode the second and third horses respectively last year and again finished in the same order on Saturday, When it is remembered that 42 horses started in ’B3, and 31 on Saturday this coincidence is all the more remarkable. — Acting under instructions from the executors of the late Mr. J. MTvor, Messrs Campbell, Pratt, & Co., disposed of the impoited American trotter, Oliver, to Mr Kitchen, a New Zealand gentleman, at 75 guineas. It is understood that Oliver will bo taken over to Maoriland, where trotting is now a recognised sport.—lke, who was purchased by Mr George Stead, and dispatched to New Zealand six months back, has been handicapped for the New Zealand Cup at 7at 9lb, which weignt should certainly not trouble tho winner of the Criterion and the Railway Stakes. This is what The Leader’s sporting writer has to say about Sweet William -I hare received a card containing a record of tho public performances of tho racehorse Sweet William einco his first appearance as ft three-year-old on the turf. From this I glean that ho has started 35 times, out of which ho has been first on one occasion only—viz, as a three-year-old in tho Brunswick stakes of a mile and a quarter in tho Y.R.C. Autumn Meeting of 1882. In this race ho carried 7*t 31b, and with tho assistance of Halea he 1 * won easily by a couple of lengths, Pollio (fist 121 b) three parts of a length before Star of the West (7st 61b), Result fourth, Zambesi fifth, Bar One sixth, and Napper Tandy next with KingLud. Time, 2 min. 10ff sec.” Tho quotation is not taken from tho card, but is a part of Tho Leader description of tho race. Since then ho has started 29 times, the nearest ho ever got being second on six occasions, third on a similar number, and 17 times unplaced. Now, 1 consider this a very bad record indeed—as well as a most costly one for bis owner, and the only explanation I can offer for hand!cappers persistently overrating Sweet William ia tho fact that —rightly or wrongly—he has received the credit, after his excellent performanee in the Brunswick Stakes, of not ulways playing for keeps. From his running atPlumnton Park (writes Scncx), it appears that Pilgrimage (late Jack) has recovered from tho rough treatment ho received on tho West Coast, where bo was turned out in tho wet for some days without clothing, and on very short commons as regards oats. Ho started a bit stiff in tho Templeton Plato, but warming up to hia work ho made a good race of it with tho veteran Supple Jack, and later in tho day ran clean away from his field in the mile and a half race, though whether Holderncss would not have troubled him at tho finish had ho not run wido round tho homo turn is open to doubt, Tho price of tho Roforeo has been reduced to 3d. At a meeting of the members of tho Canterbury Jockey Club held recently, the draft programme for the enduing season was brought up and adopted. As X (Sir Launcolot), mentioned a week or two back, there is an increase on tho added money of last season of nearly £ISOO, the Spring Meeting having £970 of this os its share. Tho items are as follows : First Day—Free Handicap of 200 sovs, 1 mile ; Welcome Stakes of 250 sovs, 4 furlongs; New Zealand Cup of 1000 sovs, 2 miles; Hurdle Race Handicap of 100 sovs, once round and a distance, minimum weight 9st j Riccarton Welter Handicap of 100 sovs, 6 furlongs, minimum weight, Sat; Scratch Selling Race of 20 sovs, 6 furlongs. Second Day—Helling Race of 100 sovs, one mile and a quarter ; Derby Stakes of 500 sovs, one mile and a half; Spring Hurdlo Raco Handicap of 150 eovs, 2 miles, minimum weight 9st ; Stewards Stakes Handicap of 300 sovs, G furlongs; Epsom High Weight Handicap of 150 sovs, one mile and a quarter ; Juvenile Plato of 250 sovs, 6 furlongs; and Post Stakes of 50 sovs, 4 furlongs. Third Day—Spring Nursery Handicap of 200 eovs, 4 furlongs ; Ladies’ Purse Handicap of 100 sovs, 2 miles, minimum weight 10st, gentlemen riders 5 Canterbury Crip of 500 sovs, weight for ago, two miles and a quarter; Metropolitan Handicap of SCO sovs, one mile and a half; Soiling Raco of 100 sovs, G furlongs-5 Flying Handicap of 150 sovs, 5 furlongs ; and Consolation Handicap of 100 bots, 1 mile. The dates selected are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, November 11, 13, and 14. The New Year’s Day programme remains tho same as lost season with £920 added money ; but there is an increase of £SOO in the Autumn bill of fare, two Hurdle Races having boon introduced, in addition to a now race called the Challenge Stakes, to which 300 sovs are added, and which is a weight for ago race, with penalties and allowanced, run over a 6 furlongs course. Barring tho Pest Stakes and Scurry Stakes, there is not a single event on the Spring and Autumn programmes of less value than 100 sovs. After the programme had boon adopted Mr Ross suggested tho establishment of an Oaks Stakes. Tho suggestion gave rise to a little discussion, during the course of which tho Chairman (Mr Stead) remarked that the question of tho Oaks Stakes had been discussed, and tho Committee were generally of opinion that the time had not yet arrived for the introduction of such a stake. However, there would bo no harm done in tho matter being brought before tho Committee. On the motion of Mr Griffith, it was agreed to ask tho Committee to consider whether it would not bo advantageous to impose a penalty or penalties ia the future Champagne Stakes. The Now York World’s London special of May 18, says :—“lb has now transpired that tho real owner of St. Gatien is a builder at Epsom, tho intimate friend of Fred Archer, tho jockey who rode St Modard. Tho popular belief among sporting men is that Harvester was never ill as was reported, and that tho circulation of the report was merely a trick to rig the market and obtain long oddsWhcn Harvester appeared on the track, his perfect soundness was so patent to all beholders that he was very heavily backed, and largo sums of money most have been landed by his owners and backers. It is probable, however. Sir J. Willoughby will have some awkward questions to answer about alleged trickery in tho rej orts of his horse’. 1 * condition ; also about pulling by tho jockey Webb of Queen Adelaide, who would undoubtedly have won had she been allowed.” A nasty accident is said to have occurred to Mr Vullance’s Kingask in llie Templeton Plate, at the Plumpton Park Meeting, and Webster, who was riding him, received a severe shaking. After a punishing finish, Kingask ran straight into tho wire netting, but fortunately escaped with but a few scratches. If a white rail were pub up along the Saddling Paddock fence, it would prevent accidents in future, as horses could see the rail when they cannot tho netting. By his Victory in the Chester Cup, Ilavock credited Mr C. J. Merry with a stake value £767. In IS7B the race (won by Pageant) was worth £1250; in 1879 (won by Reefer), £OO3 ; in ISBO (won by Fashion), £992 ; in ISSI (won by Windsor), £937 ; in ISS3 (won by Prudhormnc), £947 ; and last year (when Biserla was successful), £832, Mr Foy, it is said, did not back Scot Free for a shilling for tho Two Thousand until after the horses had gone down to the start-ing-post, when bo put on £IOOO at a fraction ; over 3 to 1. Fordham had £5 on, this being his maximum. Tho Duchess of Montrose was very nearly buying Scot Free on the Tuesday before tho race. Tho price asked was 10,000 guineas, and looking at the sums paid respectively for Prince, Harvester, and Busybody, it cannot be said that estimate war au excessive one. Tl.. e li-huid Buy Mtudiug on Saturday promises to be a great success iu way way, at- j though the Wuirarupa—Wellington football match will lake a little of the gi.i off the financial giugcrhi cad. The weather up lo ibU d'it? (Ihursdaj) has been all that could be desired, and should the fates still continue amiabbl, t:e‘ course will be in splendid going o-dor. It i- incumbent upon me, dar.blkw, V. ad:ww a f-.w prophetic sc-rgcetiaiu z-:to the j ing this, X am at a considerable d th in net having seen any of the | as fo enable me to form any z » l ut j their capabilities and conditions. However, 1 on nr per, there seems nothing letter “iu” for \ ihc HutUa t-au Sing Arthur? uni :Icme

Rule, although Parnell may lead tho Geld home. From these three tho winner will probably come, and Early Bird should bo well up at the finish. Of Mountain Deer, more especially with 12st 31b up, very little can be expected on the strength of his former running. In tho big event, Black Doctor, the unlucky, certainly looks well in, with Kht lOlbs and Coacher is also treated well with list. Should Early Bird be as good as rumor would have it, lOst 71b, ought not to trouble him. If Clarence can get anywhere near the finish with 14:t 21b, he is a belter horse than his best friends believe. Still, he has been well supported, and no doubt many of the lighter weights will be out of the fun before tire top weight. I look for the winner to come from Coacher, Homo Rule, Early Bird, with King Arthur for the best among ihc remainder. The Selling Steeplechase will probably fall to After Dark, Jumbo, or Blackbird. Tho Sessions Handicap promises to be a good contest. The first I shall expect to bo cither The Field, Gabble, or Shamrock. I have received the following correction from Mr John Heslop, of Hawera : —“ In your sporting notes of tho Gth Juno you state that The Druid is by Day Dawn. I must request you to correct this as ho is by Don Juan (at present owned by me) out of Norma, Vide last volume of the Stud Book. By giving tho correction you will oblige yours truly, John Huslop.” Martini,