SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLX, Issue 8163, 15 August 1887, Page 5

SPORTING NOTES.

[By Orlando.] (Freni the New Zealand Mail, August 12. J The first acceptances for the New Zealand Cup closed oa Saturday evening, and out of the 70 nominations 36 are now left in. Nothing of any note went out on Saturday except perhaps Lady Florin, who was from all accounts such a vastly Improved mare, and therefore likely to see the post. Those connected with her, however, evidently know what is hast, and she has been reserved for other events. I was surprised to see Fusilade accept, bat the New Zealand Cap winner of 1886 has, I am told, been on the improve lately, and may yet see the post. Mr Robinson's Disowned, Silver Prince, Thunderbolt and Enfilade, and Mr Drake’s Spade Guinea and Pasha, as everyone knows, have left these shores, and Tetford and Tigredia were hardly sound enough to pay up for. I thought/ however, that Mr Tancred would pay up for Forester. Administrator, Galatea, Itepo, Niagara, Torori, Fardingalo, Rivulet, Marion, Spear, Louis, Too Soon and Hiko no one hardly expected would accept, and Lady Florin I have alluded, to above. The other malcontents have also caused me no surprise at their defection. Farther payments were made at the same time for the Welcome Stakes, and 24 acceptors were registered. This number is identical with last year. The Derby candidates that have paid up are numerically the same as last year, viz., 16. The North Islanders have only one representative. Bangle, but the Otagans have Silvormark, St. Swithin and - Captain Wheeler, the Canterburians claiming the remaining twelve. The following Derby horses are also nominated for the Canterbury Cup Maxim, Sultan, Gipsy King, Sextant, St. Swithin, Lorraine, Bronte, Captain Wheeler, Kimberley, Albany-Wave gelding, Crutchfield, and Baugle. The remaining nine comprise two aged horses, Nelson and Quibble ; two six-year-olds, Lochiel and Leon ; three five-year-olds, Shah, Stonyhurst and Fusilade; and three four year-olds, Artillery, British Lion, and First Lord, making a total of twenty-two engaged, or a deficiency of two compared with lost' year. . It is rather a matter of surprise to me that Silvermark has not been nominated. By information received privately from Dunedin I am informed the col*, has not only filled out and grown upwards, but that he has now a claim to good looks equal to the best of the coming three-year olds. A dozen have made payment for the Oaks, and I quite expect to see 7 or 8 go to the post.' The quality of the fillies engaged is the very best, comprising as it does Enid, sister to Fair Nell and half sister to that good horse Sir Modred; Repose, half sister to Siesta ; Rose and Black,'half sister to Vanguard ; Engagement, full sister to Mar-tini-Henry ; Teredo, full sister to Galatea; and Red Ensign, sister to the Shah, who so wonderfully improved last season. The others are also well-bred enough to win a classic race. Below I give respectively the number of acceptors for the New Zealand Cup, payments for Derby, Welcome and Oaks Stakes, and nominations for Canterbury Cup for 1886 and ISS7 ; ' -

This shows a failing-off * of 9 ! in the New jZealaud Cup and 2 in the Canterbury Cup,

and the Oaks Stakes were notin the calendar last year. The case brought by Messrs O’Brien and Butler against Messrs Quill and Judge, stewards of the Waterloo meeting, was heard on Friday last. The plain tiffs reduced their claim to £IOO, to bring it within the limit of the R.M. Court. It was proved that the dogs had changed sides on the run up, and so got on the wrong flags* thus causing the mistake in the hoisting of the flag. The error was not rectified for some seven or eight minutes, an unusually long interval, but the decision was eventually given against John Druram. The magistrate decided in favor of the defendants, but would not allow costs, on account of the mistake made by one of the officials. Captain Cotton was presented last week with a purse of sovereigns, and a silver cup, in recognition of his splendid performance against Joe Scott in his 24-hour wslk. Captain Cotton has made another match with Scott, with the same handicap of ten miles. The Masterton Racing Club show a profit of £136 for the past year, which should be encouraging. From a private source I learn that the Dunedin colt Silvermark has wonderfully improved, and that if he gets on as well as he is doing now, he will show a bold front in both Derby and New Zealand Cup. His Welcome Stakes performance was a very good one, and was run in the fastest time on record for that race, viz., 48seos., the same time as Oudeis’, who subsequently won the Derby. Silver Prince is still very warm for the Melbourne Cup. Tens aie taken locally by infatuated followers of the stable. The mysterious injury which has occurred to Nelson seems to keep him back in the betting market, and to make backers fight shy of him, but I do not think Major George will risk a trip to Melbourne with him in any case. Since Faugh-a-Ballagh won the Grand National, Artillery has been constantly inquired for, and the stable are said to have supported him with Faugh for a considerable sum. No win would be more popular than Patsy Butler’s, but his bad luck is proverbial. ‘ Mazeppa ’ has an idea that Artillery will go into Dan O’Brien’s stable, but I hardly think such will be the case. Silence and Torrent are both at 100 to 12, and, perhaps, the latter is slightly the firmer of the two, Derwenter has improved in price, and 100 to 6 can hardly be obtained about him. Backers keep on nibbling at Stonyhurst, but I should say it would pay better to back him at the post. Loohiel, after being publicly announced as a nonacceptor, has paid up. It would be just as well if newspaper reporters had made strict inquiries before making the announcement that Mr Stead would not accept with him ; he is now quoted at 100 to 8, but iu my opinion he is as well left alone. The Marlborough contingent can swallow nothing but Regina, and stoutly aver that she will win, but I am afraid she finds few friends outside the district. Mr E. Wilson’s Marmion, who, it will be remembered, won the Hunters Flat Race at the Grand National, seems to be a useful kind of horse. Las week he succeeded in pulling off the Hurdles and Hunters’ Flat Race at the Ashburton Hunt Club Meeting, winning both events in a canter. Old Ravenswood managed to get home a length in front of Panic in the Steeplechase, paying a d 63 5s dividend. The Hon W. Robinson passed , through to Sydney last Friday, and I trust he will have more luck in his venture than he had with Vanguard, Oudeis, and others in Australia I see the Hawkes Bay Jockey Club have followed the lead of other metropolitan clubs in the matter of retrenchment in stakes j they have also reduced their Autumn to a to a two days meeting.- The reduction in stakes, for the season amounts to only £490, sq that owners will still have valuable stakes to compete for. The Napier Handicap has also been renamed ths Hawkes Bay Cup, which I think is a very wise move, all the other chief centres having their principal stake designated as a C up. '

Auckland racehorse owners seem to be dissatisfied with their, handicapper. A requisition has been signed by owners, which will be presented to the stewards, requiring a commit tee Ao pass handicaps. From the New Zealand Herald I learn that the pro testants expect the matter to be dnly considered. .

From a very good source X hear, that Artillery is to be located with Dan O’Brien, in which case, I presume. Sextant will remain in New Zealand and contest the Derby with Maxim. Artillery is now as good a favorite as anything for the N.Z. Cup.

1886 1887 New Zealand Cap Acceptances... 45 36 Canterbury Derby Payments 16 16 (August)... Welcome Stakes Payments 24 24 Oaks Stakes Payments... 24 ,12 Canterbury Cup Nominations ... 22