SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7486, 26 May 1885, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

(From the New Zealand Mail, May 22.) “Mr B. D Bradley (says Sir Launcelot). requests me to contradict the statement that bos appeared in several papers that lie has sold Hermitage to Mr D, O'Brien. Several parties have been in treaty for the purchase of iho colt, but he still remains the property of Mr Bradley." A s the statement originated in the New Zealand Times, I may soy that the gentleman who at that time owned Hermitage gave mo the information. I did not know “Mr H. D. Bradley” in the matter at all ; and it is quite possible, therefore, that the statement was incorrect. The acceptances for the Grand National Steeplechase events are anything but numerous, and, in fact, are anything but satisfactory. Whether this is due to the somewhat eccentric method of handicapping or not, I cannot say. For the Grand National Handicap, Ravenswood. King Arthur, Scrutineer, Linwood, Moody, and Bonington have accepted. Scrutineer, on his Wellington form, would never fee the finish, but it is only fair to assume that he will be a lot fitter than he was at the Hutt. Linwood is a good stager, and a reliable finisher, and there seems to me to be nothing better in it than him, unless it be Berrington (who is thrown in with 10st ll'-b), or King Arthur. In the Hurdle Handicap Master Agues and Ravenswood are top weights with 12st each, and they are called upon to give Secretary two stone and seven pounds. This I do not think, they can do, although Master Agnes has been doing great things over sticks lately. For the Grand National, then I tip Linwood to win, with King Arthur as the next best. For the Hurdles Secretary It is said to be probable that the Auckland Facing Club will appoint a paid handicapper next season.

Mr D. O’Brien has gone on a holiday trip to Australia. A southern contemporary soys that Mr O’Brien will " visit the birth place of Tasman.” Gratitude is a charming virtue. I notice that “ Aemodeus" in the Melbourne Leader tipped Lord Wilton straight out for the Adelaide Cup. I have received from Mr R. R. Armstrong* the balance sheet of the Wairarapa Jockey Club for 1884. I take the following extract from the report J—“ Your Stewards have again the pleasure of presenting a satisfactory balance sheet at the termination of the season's operation. At both meetings there was an increase in the value of the stakes given j the Spring programme exceeded that of the previous year by £6O, being £360 against £3OO for 1883, L 204 for 1882, and L 139 for 1881 ;■ for the Autumn Meeting tbe Stakes amounted to 1707 against £O2l for 1883, L 583 for 1882, and LBO2 for 1881, being an increase of L 221 for the Spring, and L 265 for the Autumn, aince 1881-82. Together the prizes paid away at the Spring and Autumn meetings amount to L 1127 ; last year’s total was L 921. For both meetings the receipts from all sources were, Spring 1350 7s 7d, Autumn, L 869 8s 4d. The expenditure for both meetings, LI2S4 Is 2d. The deficiency upon the Spring Meeting, LlO4, ex* eeds the profit upon the Autumn by about L 64. In consequence of inclement weather, the Spring Meeting was postponed three times. The balance sheet contains fall particulars of the receipts and expenditure, the income (including LXBI balance from Imt year) being L 1722, and there is now a cash balance to the credit of the Club of L7O 55.” I notice idibe balance sheet an item of £9 12s 6d “ subsidies to coaches.’ 5 If the Club , subsidises coaches to carry passengers to tbe course at a slated price per head, the Secretary will probably excuse my suggesting that he should see that that price, and no more, U charged. The success of St. Albans’ blood in Tasmania is little short of phenomenal. At the Tasmanian Racing Club’s Autumn Meeting, a week or two ago, three out of five events were won by St. Albans’ progeny—the Maiden Plate by Western j and the Autumn Handicap by Vision, a four-year old horse, dam Beeswing * who also appropriated the Flying Handicap. The latter was Vision’s fourth successive win.

I regret to tear (says “ Pbzeton”) that Colonel Fraser’s promising yearling colt Tupara (by Apremont or Musket—Florence Maoarthy) has iojared himself so severely as to almost ruin him for racing purposes. From what I could gather it would appear as if his clothing got loose, and in trying to get free, he kicked and bruised bimeelf in a frightful manner. It was feared at first that the colt’s back was broken, but this was fortunately not the case. His injuries, however, were so bad that it was found necessary to at once place him in alingr, and I fear that it will be some time ere he will get out of them, VICTORIAN AMATEUR TURF CLUB, The Melbourne Leader gives the following account of the Steeplechase in which Clarence ran;— Handicap Steeplechase, of 125 sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 3 sovs. each, 15 eovs. to go to the second and 10 aovs, to the third horse out of the stake. Two miles. B, Phillips’s br h Granville, 6 yre., lOab 41b, by Ebor ... ... (Huht) 1 B. Martin’s b' g Native, aged, lOst 71b (Bird) 2 J. Pilbrow’s b g Clarence, aged, 12st (Cree) 3 G. Glasscock’s br g Blackthorn, aged, 12st 111 b 0 G. Glasscock’s b g Kingston, 6 yrs., list 41b 0 T. Jones 1 br g Tandstickor, oged, lOst 81b 0 W. Pearson’s b g Beresford, aged, lOst 71b 0 J, Cripps’s br g Pride of the Hills, aged, ICet 0 G. G!a?a oek’a b g Dollar, 9sfc 121 b 0 H. Conolly’sns chgTopsail,aged, 9stl2 b 0 A. W. Webb’s ch g Chester, 6 yrs., 9st 101 b 0 Betting : 3 to 1 against Clarence, 4 to 1 Native. 5 to X Dollar, 6 to 1 Granville and Beresford, 10 to 1 others. The whole of the field went the wrong course in the first instance, and the stewards ordered the race to bo ran over again. On the second occasion Dollar and Native were the fi.st away, followed by Topsail, Clarence and Beresford, Tandstickor bringing uptherear. Thcrewasno materia) alteration till they jumped the sod wall, when Clarence went to the front and led over the fences facing the stand, followed by Native, Dollar, Topsail, Granville, Beresford, Blackthorn and Kingston in that order. Rising the hill Native closed on the leader, and the pair jumped the next fence just in front of Granville, who had run up third, the others being close up. At the fen e at the back Topsail ran off and Kingston fell, and then Native was left in front. He cleared the sod wall just in front of Clarence, with Beres* ford. Tandglickjr, Gracville, Dollar and Blackthorn handy. At the railway fence Beresford and Tandstickor fell, and Native led on to the straight. At the lasfc fence Granville, who had been very patiently ridden, came with a wet sill, and passing Native won rather easily by alength, with Clarence, whom the weight had stopped in the last half mile, an indifferent third ; Blackthorn was fourth, followed by Dollar, Pride of the Hills, Chester and Topsail in that order. Time, 4 min. 26 sec. Martini.