SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7707, 15 February 1886, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

[By Martixz.] (From the New Zealand Mail , February 12.) It may not be generally known that a large number of Wellington and Wairarapa racecourse frequenters are in the habit of backing Mr Hill's horse, Pasha, whenever he starts, who look upon it, in fact, as a custom to be religiously followed, to ** put a pound on him ” under any circumstance. As-the Wairarapa crack very often wins, and generally pays good dividends, more than one investor hay to thank Mr Hill's luck for the redemption of apparently lost monev.

The Administrator, I am told, has completely and literally broken down, his legs being so bad that lie can hardly stand. This is hard luck for Mr Tancred, who has had, in tho roan, as game a little animal as ever -went to the front at the start and was there at the finish. Let us hope that the horse will be himself again at the finish. One of the features of the Hutt meeting was the form showed by old Salvage. Lately the chestnut has not been doing very good work, but on Saturday he ran very determinedly, and in the R.C. Handicap came very near winning. The publication by the Wellington papers of the rumor that the Major George had been offered £4OOO for Nelson, seems to have excited the ire of Southern writers, who very decidedly take up the cause of the bookmakers. Now ; whatever the bookmaker may be, it is incumbent upon us, of course, to give him fair play, and really, I should like to know whether anybody can honestly say he has not had it in this case. The rumor, as an interesting and widely spread rumor, was published as a matter of news. But at any rate, so far as tho New Zealand Times was concerned, Major George’s denial, the bookmakers’ denial, and MrPilbrow’sdemal, werepublished as frankly, and as promptly, as the original rumor had been in the first instance.

"Weights for the Australian Cup, a handicap sweepstakes of 20 sovs each, with 500 added. Two miles and a quarter ;

immop ... i -i Asmodeus says that Tempo's victory in the Anniversary Handicap under the weighty impost of Bst 01b clearly proves her to be the most improved mare of the season. She has set up a brilliant record by winning the A. J.O. Summer Cup, Tattersall’s Cup and the Anniversary Handicap in consecutive order, and it must have been something of a disappointment to her owner to lose the rich Carrington Slakes by a head, probably the most coveted event of the lot. In Tompe a strong rival has sprung into existence, challenging Grace Darling's claims to be still considered the champion mare of Australia. What genuine excitement there would be were tile pair matched to run a mile and half at the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting, weight for age, Grace Darling 9st and Tempo Bst 111 b. A mistake was made in not nominating Tempe for the Australian Cup, as even with a penalty she must have an excellent chance of supplementing her victories on Yietpriari soil. 1 It is a singular fact that the five best mares pow on the turf are chestnuts, niz., Grace Darling, Te'mpS, Slink Bonny, Madcap and Brown and Rose. Possibly there may not be much to choose between the last named pair and Minerva, Camerine and Cerise and Blue.

Although numerous books have been opeped on the autumn double, Newmarket Haiidi'caiV, and Australian Cup, backers (says an Australian eiolVange) are very shy,' preferring to' wait for a stable lead'rather than 'support their individual fancies. In the' few lines' which have' been written, the names of prallai Qakleigh, The Ghost Mistskp fraya poppled' with 1 those llmenra, Nordeiifeldt, Sardius n,. Gup, 100 td 3is the for in- . ‘ Newmar.

standing offer on the field loi .. ket Handicap. Nelson (says “Beacon”) is still the rage for the Dunedin Cup, and betting is almost paralysed by the demand for him, and almost him alone, that I can do little more than supply the quotations that are ruling. Derringer is occasionally asked for, and if anything went wrong with the crack he would become a warm favorite. Trenton is rather weaker than before, consequent on reports that his feet are troubling him. Loohiel is pretty well knocked out, and Warbeck has since his poor performance at Tokomairiro been relegated to the outside division. A good deal of business is being done in doubles on the Cup and Publicans’ Handicap, Nelson and anything for the shorter race being laid at 100 to 4 : other goods at longer prices. Prices are as follow on the DUNEDIN OUP. 4 1 agst Nelson 100—12 Derringer 100 —l4 Fusilado 100—10 Lady Emma 100— 9 Trenton 100— B——Hermitage 100— S Leon 100— 8- Necklace 100— 7 Turquoise 100— 7 Rusaley 100— 7 Patrician 100— 6 Captain Webster 100— 6 EvertonLad 100— 5 Tasman 100— 5 Spade Guinea 100 — 3——Loohiel 100— 3 Rubezahl 100— 1 Warbeck 100— 1 Scraps filly 100— 1 Jupiter

st. lb. st. lb. Malua 9 9 The Israelite 7 4 Sheet Anchor 9 2 Velocipede 7 2 Reginald 9 2 Euroolydon ... 7 0 Sardius 8 13 Cerisoaud Blue a 13 Grace Darling 8 11 Remus 0 11 Duration 8 9 Comet 8 11 Welcome Jack 8 7 Ben Bolt 0 10 Mozart 8 5 Jewel G 10 Nordenfeldt ... 8 5 Mentmore G 10 Off Color 8 4 New York C 10 Coronet 8 4 Oakleigh 0 8 Moonshee 8 3 Affluence G 8 Kit Nubbles ... 8 2 Kohai 0 8 Honey dew ... 8 1 Childe Harold G 8 Silver King ... S 0 Metal 6 8 Britisher 8 0 Merman G G Liverpool 7 13 Anglesey G 5 Don Quixote ... 7 12 Burrilda 0 4 Monte Christo 7 12 Abner G 4 Prince Imperial 7 11 First Prince ... G 2 Minerva 7 11 Ditto G 2 Thunderbolt... 7 11 Duke of Athol G 0 Matchlock ... 7 9 Clarendon 0 0 Plausible 7 7 Yellow Hammer 6 0 Sandal 7 7 Hunter G 0 Winchester ... 7 6 Verbena 6 0 Stornaway ... 7 5 Maydew G 0 Uralla Dunlon 7 7 5 Maori Chief ... 4 G 0