AUSTRALIAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1780, 2 January 1886, Page 20

AUSTRALIAN.

Mr Benzon, who will be remembered as going in for various branches of sport while on a visit here, has turned up again in Melbourne. The'Sportsman says that he has during his short stay in Australia thoroughly identified himself with sport, and lately presented a handsome trophy to be included in the programme of the Elsternwick Park races, which took place on the 19th ult. The event was named the New Chum Trophy, and was a Welter Handicap for amateurs ; distance, one mile and a distance. A sweep of 2 soys each for acceptors was given to the second horse. The race was won by Mr T. Aitken's Roderick Dhu out of a fiel4 of eight. Mr Benzon rode Mr J. Whittingham's Parwan, but came in last. Mr Benzon is said to have laid a hundred to two that he would not fall off in the race, and as a matter of fact he succeeded in sticking on until after he had passed the post, when, in pulling up Parwan rather abruptly, the dashing young horseman (it was a flat race !) glided gracefully off over -his head, but coming down lightly fortunately escaped injury. The Sportsman hears that we shall have the pleasure of again witnessing Mr Benzon's exploits in the pigskin at Caulfield, where a match for £100 a-side, over a mile, will be run off between Stafford (carrying 12st) and Roderick Dhu (list). Mr Benzon will ride Stafford, and Mr A. L. Johnson Roderick Dhu, and the match,* which is bound to be exceedingly interesting, and productive of a good deal of wagering, adds an additional feature to the day's sport.

Nimblefoot, the hero of many a bard-fought battle, has, writes "Augur,'' gone the way of all horseflesh. The old fellow had been pensioned by Mr Thomas Henty, and was turned out at Pakenham, but being short of horses the manager had allowed a man working on the estate to have a ride on the old horse. After walking a short distance he started a canter, but had not proceeded far when he stopped short, staggered, and fell dead. This little incident created quite a «ensation in the quiet village of Pakenham. Nimblefoot was bred in Tasmania by the Hon. John Lord in the year 1863, and was by Panic from Quickstep, who was once a famous mare on the Tasmanian turf. Nimblefoot ran as a two-year-old at the Launceston meeting, but was beaten by Mr T. W. Field's Mayflower, by Boiardo. In the following year he met the Victorian crack three-year-old Fishhook in the Launceston St. Leger, and was only beaten after a capital race. In the Queen's Plate he was second to Volunteer, but would have won had it not been for Ashworth's " jockeyship." These performances made a favourable impression upon the Victorians present, and Mr Joseph Thompson, who was present, gave 300 guineas for him. He was then brought to Victoria, and won the Trial Stakes at the V.R.C. autumn meeting, at which Mr Walter Craig, of Ballarat, purchased him, and ho retired into winter quarters. As a four-year-old he ran in tho Melbourne Cup, but was nowhere and he ran second to Exile for the Ballarat Cup upon that memorable occasion when the winner dropped dead after passing the post. Mr Walter Craig entered a protest against Mr Keighran receiving the stakes, on the ground that his jockey had not conformed to the rulu in dismounting, but tho stewards very properly dismissed it. Nimblefoot was beaten easily by L.L. in the Town Plate. In the following season he was more successful, for he won the District Plate and Flying Handicap at Ballarat, and was second to Blondin in the ftuttou Handicap. At Smythesrlale he won the principal handicap, Joe Carter having the mount, but during the remainder of the season he failed fco get antitfoer .winulog br'obke't. As the hbrete dian't

seem to do well at Ballarat, Mr Craig thought a return to his native pastures would have a beneficial effect, so he sent him across the Straits to enjoy a long spell in the island colony. The horse came back with his constitution quite restored, and as he, had been thrown in at 6st. for the Melbourne Cup' his owner thought he had a real good thing. However, before the Tace was decided Mr Craig, who had been a terrible martyr to gout, died, but previous to his death he dreamt that Nimblefoot won the Melbourne Cup and the jockey wore crape upon his arm. Months before his death Mr Craig had backed his horse, but at his death, of course, all wagerswere off. There was one wager, however, which he took from old Slack, £1000 to eight drinks and cigars against Croydon for the Metropolitan and Nimblefoot for the Melbourne Cup. Mr Stephen Holgate was one of the party, and, if I mistake not, he took half the bet. Slack received credit for having paid the £1000 to the widow, of Mr Craig, but as a matter of fact he paid only £500. Nimblefoot won the Hotham Handicap and the Melbourne Cup, the latter after a very close thing with Lapdog, the judge's verdict being only a nose in favour / of the Tasmanian gelding. He subsequently became the property of Mr H. Hoskins, in whose name he won several races, including the Australian Cup. Some time afterwards he became the property of his trainer, Mr W. Lang, who won more races with him ; and finally the old fellow was relegated to harness, but I don't think he was a success, and in his old ago Mr Thomas Henty found him a home at Pakenham. „ A.J.O. SUMMER MEETING. Sydney, December 26. The Boxing Day meeting of the A.JiC. was held to-day, in the presence of a large attendance. The principal event was the- Summer Cup, whichdresulted as follows : — Tempe, 6sfc 101b ... ... — 1 Cerise-and-blue, 7st 101b ... ... 2 Ben Bolt, 6sfc Blb ... ... ... 3 Eighteen horses .started. Tempe won easily by three lengths. Time, 2 mm. 39 sec.