SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7778, 10 May 1886, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

(By Martini.) (J From the New Zealand Mail , May 7.) Laertes, by Maribyrnong—Magic, who won the Wairarapa Cup in 1878 1879—1880, died recently in Otago. I have to acknowledge receipt of a nicely bound copy of the New Zealand rules of racing, from Messrs Simpson and Williams, publishers, of Christchurch. In a cursory glance over the rules, I notice one that applies to the Okato dispute at the Hutt the other day. It is rule 88, and reads as follows If alhorae carry more than 21b overweight, which has not been duly declared, be is disqualified unless the stewards be satisfied that such excess of weight has been caused by an error, wet weather, or other unavoidable cause. It is said to be probable that Guy Fawkes, the winuer.pf the Auckland Steeplechase the other day, will go to Australia. The following appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald of the 17th : —‘ Nelson, the New Zealand crack, has been backed persistently for the Cup by a select few who appear to know something. The public, however, are curious to learn where the horse is. One of the leading Melbourne newspaperss gave it out that he is located in Sydney, and the Sydney folk think he is in Melbourne. Some say he is on his way here from New Zealand, but no one seems to know definitely where the horse is. To say the least, the mystery surrounding this truly great hcrse is perplexing. If he has not yet come over from New Zealand he is a marvel if he can win the Cup with so short a time to recover from the effects of the voyage and become acclimatised.’ The Fielding meeting (says Flaneur) was marred by the weather, which was wet and disagreeable, and the course slippy and heavy. In the Fielding Handicap Bayard slipped going round the turn, but recovered himself, and was going along the back stretch at an improving pace when Belcher heard a crack and felt the horse stagger in another stride or two. The horse fell with Belcher's leg under him, but the latter got free quickly, and saw that poor Bayard had -run his last race, as both hind legs were broken, and the cannon bones protruding through the skin. An end was mercifully put to the game old fellow’s sufferings, and the son of Tubal Cain and Boyal Heart removed off of the track. Bayard, during the time Mr Paul owned him, ran and won many good races, and, had his foreleg not given way in the Wanganui Cup of 1885, he would no doubt have added that to his list of winnings, as on three legs be ran Speculation to a head. He was not a brilliant horse, but a gamer or honester animal never carried a saddle. His death is a big loss'to Mr Paul, as Bayard’s breeding would have made him a favorite at the stud after his racing career had ended, had he lived.

‘ Hippo ’ says that the Natives who own The Laird have taken the horse out of Gooseman’s hands and intend to train him themselves.

Tom Osborne, the English Jockey, has been interviewed by a representative of the Witness. Speaking of race-meetings in the Colony (it the time of the Christchurch Autumn) : ‘ Oh, but,’ says Mr Osborne, ‘ there are even improvements on the English system. For instance, there are generally mistakes made in posting up the numbers and weights, he. ; but here everything worked like clockwork, and the races were all run to exact time.’ In fact, Mr Osborne assured me that he was not at all romancing when he said that he had not been to any race meeting in the world where the arrangements were so perfect in proportion to the size of the population and the youth of the colony. He suggested that the only thing he saw that wanted improvement was the widening of the course, as no starter could get a large field away as well as he should on so limited a space. It is stated that Sir Hercules Robinson purposes taking up his residence permanently in New Zealand, If this is true, no doubt sporting circles will make a great acquisition, and we shall again see the Zetland spots in the van at many a hard-fought race. The Musket blood is gaining a popularity which, under other circumstances, would be wonderful, Mr Dskin has taken three Muskets over to Australia, where, no doubt, we shall shortly hear of them doing big things.

Concerning the bank manager, Mr Holt, who was recently arrested in Brisbane, the Melbourne Sportsman has the following “ Most of my readers will remember the Sir Modred scandal atHawkesburysomeeighteen months back. The New Zealander was backed to win between £20,000 and £30,000, at a very short price—eight to one if I remember aright—by a Sydney bank manager, who discovered, a few hours afterwards, that the all-powerful scratching nen had been utilised, and Sir Modred was struck out of the Hawkesbury Handicap. Well, the bank manager is identical with the notorious Mr Holt, who is said to have robbed the bank or its customers of £50,000, and who, after masquerading about Queensland in the garb of a priest, was arrested on Monday. I remember that although Mr Holt dropped between £3OOO and £4OOO as a result of Sir Modred's withdrawal, he was absolutely the first at the rooms on settling day, and payed over the amount the moment his creditors turned up. Sir Modred is in America, Holt is in gaol, and those who knew how to work the oracle are in—well, affluence. Thus do the paths of virtue lead occasionally to wealth 1"