Sporting Notes.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5205, 11 February 1892, Page 4

Sporting Notes.

[By Zaitko.] The statement that the Earl of Glasgow is to succeed Lord Onslow as Governor of New Zealand has ievived stories of the old Earl who died in 1869 —the _ halfbrother of the sixth Earl, who died last year. It is stated that his eccentricity took the shape of trying all his young horses over a certain distance as two-year-olds, and those who failed to come up to the standard were ordered to be shot. Among the victims of this idiocy doomed to be shot was the celebrated Musket, but his trainer managed to beg the youngster's life, with what result the sporting public hardly require to be told. _ Some local Dunedin Cup bets 'very nearly went to sea down the Waianakarua on Monday along with a certain bookmaker. He was for crossing the flooded river unaided, but the warnings of his companion prevailed, and he permitted himself to be tied with the reins of a trap while he got over by the help of a wire fence. It is the first time he has been in harness, and he prefers the saddle. It is also his first appearance on the slack wire. Nominations for the Dunedin Amateur Trotting Club's meeting appeared in yesterday's Mail. The handicaps will be declared on Saturday next, and acceptances are due on the Saturday following. Galtee had the foot of Don Pedro m a trial the other morning, according to the Daily Times. Occident is going well. The Palmerston and Shag Valley Club have decided to erect a grand stand on their grounds, and tenders are being called for the work. The Committee intend to get the stand up in time for the autumn meeting (March 17). It will be a vast improvement to the ground, and wil! doubtless result in increased patronage for the southern club. I notice that the Palmerston and Waimate autumn meetings fall upon the same date —March loth. This is a great pity, as Oamaru generally supplies a contingent of both horses and visiting sporting men to each meeting, and this year they -will be divided in their allegiance. Is it too late for the two clubs to consider an alteration of date ? A correspondent writes suggesting that the N.O.J.C. might follow the precedent of the Auckland Racing Club, and have the breeding of each competing horse on the official programme. The Sydney Herald reports that Major George's horses The Workman and Reprisal arrived safely. Reprisal is reported to have done a good trial before his departure, and has more than an outside show in the Newmarket Handicap. One of the first horses that struck me (Phaeton) as being well in when the weights for the Newmarket Handicap came to hand was St. Blaise (S.B). and in pursuing my researches for facts concerning him, I find that he is a beautifullybred liorse. He was got by St. Albans from Margaret, who in turn is a daughter of Yattendon and \ oung Gossamer, by Marsyas from Gossamer, by Irish Birdcatcher. St. Blaise is one of the New South Wales division, and figures as the nomination of Mr I. Earnshaw. There is a whisper that Rudolph, the five-year-old son of Martini-Henry and Rusk, who has been awarded 8.10 in the Newmarket Handicap may prove to be the selected one of the St. Albans stable in that race nest month. It is worthy of remark that when three years old this wiry little fellow, with exactly the same weight as he is now asked to carry, started favorite at 4 to 1 for the Newmarket Handicap of IS9O, but he did not gain a place. The Asian reproduces a sketch of the defunct Bravo just before his race for the Cooch Behar Cup in India, and adds in explanation :—"Last season Mr Apcar was far from fortunate with Bravo, and the horse was only started three times, owing to a strain. In the Viceroy's Cup, he ran third to Myall King and Moorhouse, but successfully carried off the Cooch Beliar Cup, then the most valuable prize on the Indian turf, while in the Durblianga Cup the uncertain Recall, for once in an amiable mood, just won by a quarter of a length, Bravo finishing a head in front of Myall King. To lose so valuable a horse without ever having been able to get him thoroughly fit and able to show what his real capabilities were is indeed cruel luck." Bravo's sale price in Melbourne was 1,300 guineas, and it is estimated the horse stood his owner in over 20,000 rupees. The Nelson—Florence colt, purchased by Mr Marshall at Major George's sale for 80 guineas, has had to be destroyed. That the South Australian Jockey Club is progressing by the aid of the totalisator is shown by the fact that they are giving L 4400 in added money to their autumn meeting. Mrs Fibbins has written to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to know if something can be done to prevent horses from being scratched. She is sure it must be very painful, because her husband is quite upset, and she hears him groan in his sleep about a horse being scratched. A sporting writer in the Australasian says:—"The downfall of Pygmalion in the Standish Handicap was a great blow to the followers of public form, but it is entirely due to the slovenly way in which Mr George Watson sent the horses away. I am tolcl I)}- jockeys—and jockeys upon •whose word I can rely—that the start was disgraceful; that the horses were sent away in three divisions ; and that Pygmalion, in the last division, was almost turned round when the word to go was given. Mr George W 7 atson has had a good innings, but nowadays, it seems to me, he takes no pains to make a good start." The Queensland Boomerang says that a big shipment of ponies—racing and others—was sent per Jehuiga to Batavia. There is a champion pony there who can give stones away to everything in the colony, and beat them all in a canter. The Dutchmen have sent agents to Australia to get hold, at any reasonable or unreasonable figure—they gave L4OOO for a trotter at Salt Lake City, the other day —of a pony to take him down. The owner of Pasha has been approached, but he won't sell, and negotiations are said to have been entered into with the owner of Lily S. The well-known -writer "Cranbrook" gives the following amusing item : —On Christmas Day, at a little dinner given out Caulfield way, the cork of a Dottle of wine proved very recalcitrant, and beyond the power of the trainer, who had tugged at it long and hard. "Oh, hand it to exclaimed another member of the profession, indicating a well-known jockey present. "He is strong enough in the arms to pull anything." What a grim smile went round the company when, sure enough, the cork at once yielded to the efforts of the powerful horseman ! Fact' At a meeting of the stewards of the Gisborne Racing Club the horse running as Bookas was proved to be the well-known horse Bacous (late of Auckland) and was disqualified for ever. It is suspected that several parties are connected with the matter, and the meeting was adjourned for additional evidence. Seven hundred guineas have been offered for Wliimbrel, but his owner refuses to part with him at that price. The annual meeting of members of the Oamaru Amateur Athletic Association will be held in the chess-room of the Athenaeum to-morrow night at 8.30. Lord Sheffield, who heads the English • team of cricketers now at Adelaide (says the Sydney Bulletin) is a little podgy man, almost as broad as he is long. The 1

crowd lauglied hugely when he waddled across Adelaide Oval with two or three of his sturdv players. The Earl is cleanshaved with the exception of a straggly half-moon Irish beard under his clun. He spends plenty of money, and threatens to be very popular. Grace's Australian average up to a week ago was 48 for 14 innings, top of the English list. He was, of course, materially assisted by his 159 not out against Victoria. Phillipson, with only six inning, followed with an average of 26. Then came Lohmann, Maurice Read, and Peel with 25, 23, and 23 respectively. Stoddart appeared seventh on the list. At the international tug of war at the Tasmanian Exhibition the New Zealand team beat England and Italy, and were beaten by America, Germany, Sweden, and Scotland, Up to the fifth day—the furthest particulars to hand —Ireland was leading, having an unbeaten record.