SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8009, 14 February 1887, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

(By Martini.) /From the Now Zealand Mail, Feb. 11J The Auckland people are backing Mitrailleuse for the Newmarket Handicap. Mr Smart’s mare. Brown and Rose, will visit Martini-Henry. Last night the Press Association agent at New Plymouth wired ns the nominations for the Taranaki races, received by the secretary on Monday night. We had previously extracted the Hat from Wednesday’s Taranaki Herald.—Wanganui Chronicle, February 2. Victoria is said to have played her best card when she won the Takapnna doable in November. Tetford, I (Phseton) regret to hear, still continues unsound, and he has scarcely even once been out of a walk for the last month. Kelly last week took him down to Kohimararna to indulge him in swimming exercise, but’the son of Musket showed a great distaste'for the briny, and could not be persuaded to undertake a dip, He was therefore brought home again. Matchlock would seem to have been a bad purchase, for the Indian Planter's Gazette states that he is comparatively out of everything, and if not entirely, is all but broken down, the back sinew being decidedly bowed. The English horse Metal was doing good work when the mail left, and was out twice a day, his countryman Fitzwilliam leading him in his work. One of these two was expected to win the Viceroy’s Cup. Mercury (late Despot) was held next in esteem. Mistral had met with an accident, and was an unlikely starter. Sting and Ringwood were both reported to have improved, and if the latter were in his Australian form I’m sure he would be very hard to beat. The weights for the Viceroy’s Cup were : —Sting 9st, Nnlgnine 9st, Metal Sst Illb, Fitzwilliam Bst Illb, Sir Groville Sst Illb, Ringwood Sst Illb, Matchlock Sst 21b, Orphan Sst, Mercury (late Despot) Sst, Isonomy 7st 81b, Sorcerer 7st 81b, Bon Accord 7st 21b, Mistral Gst. Had Matchlock retained his lorm, it would have been a good thing for Lira, but with a back tendon like a boomerang and short of work the son of Musket can have but little show of success. Against Metal 9,000 to 6,000 and 5,000 to 4,000 rupees had been laid. Mercury was next at 3to 1, then Fitzwilliam at 5 to 1, Orphan at 8 to 1, and from 8 to 1 to 200 to 1 against others. A totalisator had been opened in Calcutta a week before the race, and it was well patronised.

The Yatterina colt purchased by. Mr Thomas Chirnside was (according to Augur) a long way the highest-prieed yearling sold at Mrs Walters’ Glenora stud farm. He is a very late foal, having been born on the 27th November, and is said to be very much on the small side, but Matchlock was not a big one, A filly by Musket from Hipporina was knocked down to Mr Peroival for 250 guineas, but none of the others realised big prices. • Vigilant,’ in the Sportsman, thus explains the difficulty which led to Trenton and Silvermine being taken from Lamond’s care :—‘ Prom the purport of a Sydney wire which I have received it would appear that a rupture occurred between owner and trainer—Messrs W. Cooper and T. Lamond —and that Lamond brought matters to a oliniax by requesting Mr Cooper to hand his horses over to somebody else to train. To this request Mr Cooper appears to have acceded at once. I hear that Foulsham was wired to, straight away, and that trainer now brings over to Victoria the whole or the bigger portion of Mr W. Cooper’s team. (For the present Mr Dan Cooper’s horses remain under the care of their old mentor.) Lamond’s loss will subsequently be Foulsham’s gain. Whether the trfrf or Mr Cooper will benefit by the change remains to be proved. There are few individuals in Australia who understand their business better than Foulsham, who shines in many respects as a trainer of horses, but is particularly prominent where patience is concerned. With Silvermine (whose ownership, or, say, lesseeship, is very generally credited to a couple of bookmakers) as a stable companion of the great Trenton, who is also engaged in the Australian Cup, the stable ” should get a good line as to the probable winner of that race, which, however, I do not think will be won by cither horse. Still, the public will naturally believe that there’s a right 'un and a wrong ’un in the stable, and will fight shy of touching either for a while.

The following telegram from Melbourne waa posted at Tattersall's on the 27th 1 2000 to 10 v. loohiel and Nelson taken this (Thursday) afternoon for the double on the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup ; a150,.,1Q00 to 10. were laid against the two Loohiels, and the latter was inquired for straight out for the Australian Cup. Mitrailleuse has been scratched, it is supposed by error, at the V.K.C office. He waa backed on Thursday for 2000 to SO for the Newmarket Handicap. The Victorian Club realised £4OO profit on Saturday’s meeting. The following prices were quoted on the Geelong Cup :—3 to 1 against Sheet Anchor (off); 4 to 1 against Camerine taken. 1 The betting in Sydney on the same date on the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup was very fair, and Newmarket prices were as follows 10 to Iv. William Tell (off.), 12 to 1 (wtd. :)14 to 16 to 1 v. loohiel (tk.); 20 to 1 bar two. For the double : 1000 to 10 the two loohiels; 1000 to 7v, William Tell and Nelson (wtd.); and 10 to 1 on the field, for the Australian Cup, The MaSterton • Opaki Jockey Club’s Autumn Meeting will be held on the 17th March. The principal events are—St. Patrick’s Day Handicap, SOsovs., a mile and a half; Flying Stakes, 50 sovs., six furlongs; Grand Stand Handicap, 30 sovs., a mile; and hurdle race 30 sovs. The Otaki Maoris .hold a race meeting on the 18th inst,

Commotion, at latest advices, was still in slings, and. Mr Dakin thought the horse would be a cripple for life, Egmont races take place on Tuesday week.