SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 27, 23 May 1876, Page 2

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

* THE REIDSTON RACES. Our sporting contributor "Phoenix" sends us the following "tips" for the events to come off to-morrow : MAIDEN PLATE. RAMBLE AWAY 1 SELLING HURDLE RACE. BUSHMAN 1 REIDSTON HANDICAP. Sir William is a doubtful starter, therefore HECTOR should be first past the post, with WILD ROSE second, and KATHLEEN third. REIDSTON CUP. SIR WILLIAM 1 "Pegasus," in the Dunedin "Star," writes: —"The entries and acceptances for the Tradesmen's Races are out, and if the present boisterous weather clears up, some interesting sport may be looked forward to next Wednesday, for all races may be considered very open. For the Maiden Plate there are nine horses entered, not one of which has ever appeared in public at the Forbury ; but Miss Elswick and Clontarf ran at the recent Mosgiel meeting. - Mi". Hastie's two-year-old colt Sultan are at present most in favour ; the former on account of the game race she ran for the Maiden Plate at the Taieri, and the latter because rumour says he has been tried with Glengarry, and answered the question satisfactorily. For the trot there are ten entries, including four—Lucy, Magic, Jessie, and Biarkie—that competed at our last spring meeting. The rest are unknown to fame, with the exception of Frost, who won the Trot at Tokomairiro last month, Safety, who appears daily in public, buthas yet to make his debut on the Wf.

Magic and Lucy have the call in the betting, though. Safety has been well backed at rather long odds. The Birthday Handicap has six acceptors, and the general interest centres on this race in particular. Every horse has its partisans, and short odds are the order of the day about them all except Merrybird. Bang Phillip may, perhaps, be considered first favourite, but Glengarry and Right Bower run him close, while 3 Tadmor and Rob Roy have, since their arrival in Dunedin, received a good share of attention. Eight entries have been made for the Selling Race, for which Fox and Euclid, both of wh:.cli ran at the Taieri meeting, are most fancied. The former won the Selling Race there, and the latter showed a good deal of foot for a mile in the Taieri Handicap. The Tradesmen's Handicap includes amongst its nine acceptors all but Merrybird that are in the Birthday Handicap, the ethers being Haphazard, Seabird, Steamer, and Miss Elswick. This race depends so much upon the result of the big handicap that it is a difficult matter to spot the winner, but at present Haphazard and Tadmor receive most support. Backing Mr. Smith's horse appears like going altogether against public favour, for at Mosgiel Glengarry gave liim 81b. and a 51b. beating, while now Haphazard is called upon to give the chesnut 21b. How this was arrived at is a mystery, but Haphazard is supposed by some to be better at a short than a long distance. However, lie did not show very brilliantly in the Consolation Stakes at our March meeting, in which he was not placed; while Right Bower, giving him 21b. and Steamer receiving 201b., ran second and third to Elfin King. Now he has to meet the Bower on level terms and give Steamer—either of which, to say nothing of Glengarry, appears impossible. The betting may be set down approximately as under ; MAIDEN PLATE. 2 to 1 against Miss Elswick (tk) 2to 1 „ Sultan (tk) 4to 1 „ Fair .Puritan colt (off). HANDICAP TROT. 2 to 1 against Magic (tk) 2to 1 "„ Lucy (tk) 4to 1 „ Darkie (off) 6to 1 „ Safety (tk). BIRTHDAY HANDICAP. 3 to 2 against King Philip (off) 2 to 4 to 1 against anything else. SELLING RACE. 2 to 1 against Fox (tk) sto 2 „ Euclid (off) 4to 1 ~ Miss Alfred (off). tradesmen's handicap. 2 to 1 against Tadmor (tk) 3to 1 ~ Haphazard (tk) 4 to S to 1 against anything else. DOUBLE EVENTS. 20 to 2 Maiden and Birthday (tk) 20 to 2 Birthday and Trot (tk) 25 to 2 Birthday and Tradesmen's^k).