NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Volume 15, Issue 1562, 15 October 1881, Page 19

NOTES BY BEACON.

Although Alexandra races were held on Friday last no particulars are yet to hand. '

Among the sires looated in this provinoe one of the best is undoubtedly King Philip; full particulars concerning whom are advertised in our columns by Mr D. Kirby, Eari Bush. The horse ia stationed at Mosgiel, but visits the Green Island, Cavenham, and Taieri dietriota also. King Philip's raoing career in this conntry is tolerably well known, some of his performances having been of a very high, order, bat nothing like as good as they would have been had he only fallen into oapable hands for the whole of the time, that he was in training. As a youngster he was a good performer in Yiotoria, and when he was imported over here the Melbourne papers spoke of him as being about the ptok of the season's colts. He won some good races here, but mismanagement spoiled him for raoiug. He has, however, sinoe quitting the turf settled down into a grand-looking stallion, as everyone knows that has sees him at our annual shows, and he has already got some excellent stock, though he has not had many chances in the way of high-bred mares. A glance at King Philip's tabulaed pedigree shows that he cornea of true racing families on each side, which are in turn descended from, tho representatives of the stoutest strains of blood to be found in the English stud-book.

Another sire at the disposal of Otago breeders is Fiotion, now the property of Messrs J. Cook and Co., and stationed in the Kyeburn district. This horse is a son of the great Traduoer, who may be termed the Emperor of New Zealand stallions, as Stock well was of English sires. Fiction's dam is Deception, among whose pre. vious foals were Traitor, Tattler, and Fallacy, nil of whom were good performers on the turf until aooidents stopped their turf career. Fiotion never raced himself, but Mr P. Butler, who was training him when he broke down through wrenching a fetlock, affirms that he was the fastest horse that ever went into his hands.

I hear from Christchuroh that both Mata and .Chancellor are doing very well, and |hat both may pretty well be relied on to run prominently at the approaching meeting. At a meeting of the Committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club h^ld on Tuesday evening Ifc was resolved that tne disqualification put in force on the 10th M-jy, 1881, be removed, from J. Harding and the mare Miss Domett, the amount due oa the dishonoured oheque haying been paid.

In reply to a question at hii Lyttelton meeting, Mr Riohardton said he hesitated for wme time as to which way he should vote on the Lotteries BilL He deprecated any attempt on the part of Parliament to interfere in snob, a way with the privileges of the people. He had pledged himself to vote for several clauses in the bill, and finally voted fot it. He, however, believed the Aot would be a dead letter, and never work.

A Chrifltchuroh paper aotually has the audaoity to state that the Dunedin Jooky Clnb undoubtedly did their duty in bringing Mr Lance to book over the Natator business !

"Sir Lancelot" writes in the Canterbury Times as follows :— " 1 Dunedin telegram informs us that great surprise is felt there at the absenoe from the list of Messrs Lanoe and Stead's names. The determination of these gentlemen never to nominate again for the events of the D.J.C. meeting is, I believe, owing to the continued animadversions upon them made by certain Duuediu newspapers, and to the treatment their animals last year received at the tender bands of that brilliant triumvirate of handicapping geniuses — Messrs Do wee, Jobberns, and Taggart."

Now I do not know who sent the telegram referred to, but whoever it was would have been muoh nearer the truth had he written "pleasure" instead of "surprise." The reasons now given for Messrs Lance and Stead's determination never to nominate again for Dunedin races are rather too "thin." We all know why they scratched most of their horses last year— not on account of bad handicapping, bnfc simply because they were not fit to race. We also know that they looked on our Cup as a moral for On Dit, and baoked her well for it. However, the whole matter is not worth going thoroughly into again. The absurdity of the " animadversions " plea is that if it be correct, Mr Lanoe cannot raoe outside Christ* ohurch, for about every paper in the oolony— except of course the Ohriatchuroh ones— had particularly strong " animadversions " on the Natator affair. I shall take pains to notioe if he sends horses to any such places ; then we can teßt the truth of this plea. As to our "brilliant" handioappers, we would not give one of them for a gross of Griffiths or Lances, highly satisfactory as those gentlemen's handicapping efforts have been to some stables.

At Aehburton Hunt Club steeplechases on Thursday laat the Cup was won by Mr W. Saundora' Why Not (12at 71b), beating Mr Ross' Lone Hand (list 7lb), Mr T. Cofcton'a Mungo Park (list 71b), Tarn O'Shanter, and Outside. Mr Saunders also carried off the Maiden Steeplechase with Cload, who defeated Glengarry, Butterfly, and Lathalleu. The Farmers' Steeplechase fell to Mr J. Corbett's Maid of the Mill, and Tommy Cotton won tho Consolation Stakes with Mungo Park, all the other starters coming to grief before half the distance was covered.

Amberley raoefl on December 16fch will have £160 of added money. Ohoka-Eyreton races will be held on Boxing Day.

" Sir Lancelot's" latest training notes are as under :— Wednesday was not a very pleasant morning for a visit to the course, but I waa there before 5 o'clock, and was rewarded by seeiug the beginning of the work, Chancellor Rtripped, and Mataku (in clothing), being the first in motion, and going once round at top, the youug one pulling over the veteran all the way, although the son of Traduoer moved by uo means ill. Dueasa did a mile and a halt with the sweaters on, as did also Nautilus ; then I was compensated for my early rising by seeing Mata go once round at half speed, moving in hia old style. He was stripped at the top of the course, ac was also Lady Emma, who did a faat mile and a-half sweat, aad was then joined by Gitana, the pair completing another mile and a-half together. The Dauphin and the Poet did a smart t.hree miles, the Maroro— Malvina gelding, Nardoo, going the samQ

distuoe slow. The Total Gain— Aoe of Hearts oolt was accompanied by Matanaka once round slow, the Australian-bred youngster's style or Te Ata performed a fast mile and a-half journey, M did also also Luna, and then, as it came on to rain, the track was deserted for the nonoe, and I was glad to drop into Sam Powell s, just in time to see old Mata undergoing his toilet. Though still a bit light, the veteran has picked np wonderfully sinoe he arrived here, and after teeing him move aa he did this morning, I really think he must hold everything m the Cnp safe. After a brief glance at the other Inmates of Powell's boxes, on whom I shall dilate further on a future occasion, I returned to the course, where the Bush Inn team and Ironn'fl lot had appeared. Farewell went a three-mile sweat, but Lunn's bunoh and the rest of Webb's were restricted to walking exercise, and the morning's work was concluded fey the two Chokebore Lodgs youngsters, Digby Grand and the Traduoer— Toi Toi filly, going once round at half speed. Betting quotations on the Canterbury meeting are as follow :—

DERBY. 8 to 1 agst The Dauphin 3 — 1 -— Amulet. 5 _ 2 Peeress colt 6 — 1 Louis dOr 5 — 1 Mataku J.C. HANDICAP. s tol aßßtGrip 6—l — -Lady Emma 7—l —Volunteer 7— 1 — The Governor 100 — 12 Libeller 100 — 12 Luna 100—10 — 8 any other. WELCOME STAKES. 6 to 1 agst Idalia colt 4 — X Siesta 6 — 1 any other. CUP, 2 to 1 agst Mata 4 _ 1 Grip 6 — 1 Amulet 5 — 1 The Dauphin 6 — 1 Peeress colt.

The Committee of the Wellington Racing Club have drawn up for approval by a general meeting of members a very good programme for the next raceß, several of the stakes showing an inorease in value over last season. The Committee resolved to allow no games of chance or pretended games of chance on the racecourse, a determination whioh the local Express thinks the community at large will heartily conour in. I take leave to think exactly the opposite, it being an undoubted faot that a large proportion of race-goers find half their amusement in trying their luck or skill at the games usually to be found on the grounds. How do the Racing Club propose to fill up the intervals between the different races P People will Boon get tired of standing and looking at eaoh other, and if this "goody-goody" style of oonduoting raoes is to be perpetuated, it will not be long before the eofferd of the Marlborough Racing Club suffer from lack of visitors to their races. The N Z. Times has- the following .— " Mr Stephens™, the recent purchaser of the diaqualified raoehoree Mata, has written to the Wellington Raoing Clnb praying that, so far M the Club is concerned, the disability may be removed) The Club, after carefully considering the matter, and taking into consideration that Mr Stephenson must have been perfectly well aware, at the time he bought the horse, of his having been disqualified, arrived at the determination that they could not reverse their recent deoia'on." Now that Wellington paper is not particularly strong on any point, but it is specially weak on sporting matters j otherwise it might have pointed out to the Wellington Club, if the latter wait* iv ignorance of the fact, that Messrs Stepb<>n.<on and Haulett did not purohase Mata till after the Canterbury Jockey Clnb, one of the leading clubß in the Colony, had decided not to disqualify the horse. This was probably quite enough to warrant the purchasers in thinking that the other clubs wonld follow suit. On the Bame eubjeot "Spectator" has the following {—" 'Beacon,' in the Witness, indulges in another sneer at Wauganni. After referring to a paragraph whioh appeared in the Herald, recommending the Wanganui Club to endorse the action of the V.R C- in the Mata disqualification case, he says: 'Mata's new owner does not intend to deprive Wanganni of its Spring Stakes- If I remember rightly, * Beaoon ' expressed himself pretty strongly against the ' olevsr party ' who were the cause of the BUBpioious running of Mata. and endorsed the view taken by the T.R.C Does he think that, now the horse has changed hands, he should be allowed to rnnp Or why the sneer?" The foregoing can be answered in very few words. I certainly do think that, now Mata has got into the hands of. men of undoubted integrity, he should be allowed to run, and so does everybody else who has a grain of common sense or the most vagne idea of justice- • " Spectator " then goes on to prove that he should be classed with " Saul " (of the Auckland Observer) as the moat untruthful of sporting writers in the Colony. He says :— " ' Beacon ' has been pirating my notes again lately, bnt it is evidently his opßtom only to acknowledge the source from which he receives his information when he cannot conveniently do otherwise. I have noticed the same thing htely iv other papers." Anyone who reads these columns knows that I invariably acknowledge "Spectator's" notes when I extract anything from them that I fancy may be of a little general interest. This is indeed not often, " Spectator's " columns being generally made up of unmitigated twaddle and fearful, blunders, whioh latter have to be oorreoted by "Sonkar" in the opposition Ohroniole, or the public of Wanganui wonld get queer racing notions i< their heads- "Spec tator's" vague charge a,ir.iast this and "other papers " is almost beneath notice, but I quote it for the purpose of stating that I shall not acknowledge anything from him in future. I may as well " pirate " his precious notes as Ret the credit of doinp bo when not doing it. The only time that " Spectator's " name will again appear in these columns will be when he is making a greater donkey of himself than usual. The Marton Ranpitikei programme for the races to be held on January 2nd and 3rd is out, &nd though not quite up to former ones, it is a very creditable production. The money given amounts to £660, the principal stakes being the J.C. Handicap of 200 soys, Railway Handicap ef 100 BOVB, St. Leger of 100 soya, Maiden Plate of 50 boys, Hurdle Handicap of 50 soys, and Hurdle Race (w.f.a.) of 40 soys. Nominations for the handioaps olose on November Bth. A Derby and St. Leger for 1884, with 100 bovb added to each, have been established Nominations of aires for the Wairarapa Sires' produce Stakes of 1886 close this day (Friday). Members of the Lower Valley (Wairarapa) Jockey Club were to meet on Saturday to arrange for their annual raoes. For the principal raoe at the Wanganni Trotting meeting on the 22nd inst. the following handicap has been deolared :— Marmion, scratch Darkle (Richards'), 60 flee Our PoDy, scratch Robert de Bruce, 75 sec Millie, 16 sec Gipsy, 80 sec Eed Lead, 26 sec Miss Kate, 80 sec CockUil, 35 sec Lydia Ilowarde, 80 sec Darkie (Kirkwood's), 40 sec Lucy, 80 sec Wttle Nell, 45 we Xoucfe-and-Go, 80 ccc.

The following entrances and acceptances have been sent in for the Wanganui Spring meeting :—

MAIDEN PLATE. Wilberforce Taipo Comet Discretion Shillelagh Tartar Satanella Robin Hood Coriaande Tomouri Ely. WANGANUI STAKES. St. lb. St. lb. Mufti .. ..9 3 Mias Emma ..7 2 Dan .. .. 811 Merlin .. ..7 2 Grand Duchess ..8 0 Angler .. ..7 0 Bylong .. ..7 12 Tally-ho.. ..6 7 Blue Gown ..7 9 Slander filly ..6 7 Venture .. ..7 3 RAILWAY PLATE. Grand Duchess Slander filly Venture Mufti Blue Gown Banshee Astronomer Dan Tally-ho. HURDLE RACE. Bt. lb. St. lb. Chancellor .. 11 7 Anglor .. .. 9 6 Rowen .. .. 11 3 Monk .. .. 9 S Morning Star .. 10 10 Hawthorn ..9 0 Wanganui, Ootober 12th. Kirkwood's celebrated trotter Our Pony escaped from the groom at Campbelltpwn thia afternoon. She bolted across the bridge and up Victoria avenue, galloping furiously. Underneath the verandah, on the footpath near the Rutland Hotel, she collided with a heavy furniture dray with great force. She cut both knees badly, and Beriously injured her head, and is not likely to recover in time for the trotting meeting, for which she was the favourit

The handsome amount of £1180 will be given at the Wellington Annual raoes on February 2nd and 3rd, being an inorease of £200 on last season. From the full programme I gather that the Cnp is raised from 400 aovs to 600 soys, the R.C. Handioap remains at 200 soys, the Flying Handicap ie raised to 75 soys, the Hutt Park Stakes to 100 soys, and the Railway Stakes to 1 50 soys. . , . . Details of the Spring meetings of the rival Hawke's Bay Clubs appear in this issue. I reserve all comment on them till next week. # The privileges of the Hawke's Bay Raoing Club's meeting realised £75. A dividend of £11 5s was paid by the Danedin totalisator over Badsworth's viotory m the Jockey Club's Spring Handioap. At the Hawke's Bay Raoing Club's meeting at Pakowhai, on Boxing Day, about £150 will be jjiven to be run for. the principal events being the Novel Race of 40 soys, Christmas Stakes of 30 soya, and Pakowhai Handioap of 25 soys. The programme is drawn up in an unusually slipshod manner. Considerable oorrespondenoe haa taken plaoe in the looal papers over the above-mentioned meeting and the alleged "jumping" of the Havelook Club's usual raoe day. The Petane raoes have been altered from January 2nd to the Thursday preoeding that date, as Woodthorpe raoea are fixed for the At Havel'ook races on Boxing Day about £300 will be siven in ntakes. The Hawke's Bay Jookey Club have granted them the use of their course at Hastings for £75. The aotion of the Raoing Club in proposing to hold a race meeting on the same day as that of the Havelook raoes waa strongly commented upon, and the following resolution was carried unanimously : — " That this meeting strongly disapproves of a club, aspiring to the position of one of the leading olubs of the district, holding meetings in direot opposition to an old-established looal meeting." The Thames Jookey Club are making arrangements for their usual Christmas race-meeting. They have a balance to the good of £125, and purpose giving £320 in stakes at the next meet, ing. * , A correspondent of the Waikato Times writing from Cambridge says :— " The matter of Wilson's riding Sportsman in the Hurdle Kaoe at the late Spring meeting is now^ a general topic of dieoussion amonpt the sporting public especially those personally interested m the raoe. Those who backed Harkaway to carry off tbe race maintain that Wilson ran his horse almost in front of his opponent's, thus patting the latter clean off the hurdle, and that bad be (Wilson) taken hia own side of the hurdle and given Harkaway room, the race wonld have been a certainty for the latter. On the other hand, those who backed Sportsman to win maintain that Wilson waa perfectly nglifc m taking the opportunity whioh the othsr jookey might have availed himself of, if not prevented entirely." There seems every prospect of the linghsh trainer, Mr Edward Day, taking up his abode ia Auckland. He has taken the whole of Mr Bowman's boxes at Green Lane, and will forthwith begin business. The f ollpwiag horses will most likely be placed under hie charge :— King Don, Moonstone, Knottingly filly, and Vampire. Mr M'Donald's two horses, Buudarrah and Highland Flinp, ran a match at Opotiki a few days ago for £20, the result being a viotory for tho latter by three lengths. At Mercury Bay races on December 28th and 29th about £170 will be divided in stakes, the be3fc of which will be the Cup Handicap of 50 soys.