NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 23

NOTES BY BEACON.

Trenton's purchaser proves to be Mr W. Cooper, of New South Wales, aud the Australasian states that he is bought for racing purposes. He has been strongly supported for the Melbourne Cup in both Sydney and Melbourne, in addition to a large amount of money that has been put on him in New Zealand, and is now as good a favorite as anything at 100 to 5. " Augur " says that although Trenton, before being purchased by Mr Coopei', passed through a very careful veterinary examination and came out of the ordeal satisfactorily, he (" Augur ") is dubious about his standing a preparation for another Melbourno Cup. He also says that " Trenton, though a good animal, is quite 101b below Malua or Commotion when at their best." Why " Augur," who has not seen Trenton for nearly a twelvemonth, should know more about his condition thau the two veterinary surgeons who examined him two or three weeks ago passes all understanding. Also, I imagine there will be considerable diver.^ity of opinion among racing people as to whether Trenton is 101b below either Malua or Commotion in whatever form they may be. Acceptances close on Saturday, 7th iust., for the N.Z. Cup, Derby, and Welcome Stakes ; and at the same time nominations are due for the Canterbury Cup (weight for age).

During the last few days some business has been transacted on the N.Z. Cup, but backers as a rule are holding off till the appearance of the acceptors. Apropos was backed by her owner to wiu £500 at 100 to 2, and a few hundreds more were laid about her at,loo to 3. Beresford came in for a good deal of support, about 1000 being booked about him at 100 to 4 and 100 to 5. Spade Guinea also found friends at those figures : while St. Ives was supported in two or three quarters at 100 to 4. Some of the Hon. W. Robinson's lot would have staunch supporters if it were known positively that they will not go to Melbourne ; as it is, they are not asked for. Of the other candidates, small amounts are occasionally booked about Nelson, Pasha, Waitiri, Terori, First Lord, and Brigadier. I notice that in different parts of the colony the quotations vary considerably ; those ruling here at present are as under : — NEW ZEALAND CUP. 100 to 0 agst Nelson 100 — g Lochiel 100 — 7 Brigadier liiO — 7 Pns'.a 100 — 6 Artillery 100 — 0 l.'nvsl L 6 d 100 — 0 Waitiri 100 — , r i Beresford 100 _ 5 Spade Guinoa 100 - 5 Fusillade 100 — S Administrator ICO — 5 La Kosa 100 — a i{,,i)y 100 — 4 t. I vps 100 — 4 Quibble 100-4 Necklace 100 — 4 July 100 — 4 Stonvhur.it 100 — 4 Derringer 300-3 Apropos 100 - 8 'ferori.

For Cromwell spring races on October 8 a bill of fare has been drawn up giving £115 to six events, the principal of which are the Orom•\\ell Handicap, of 25sovs ; Spring Handicap, of 20iovs; Hurdle Handicap, of 20sovs; and Trotting Handicap, of 20.soys.

Atlantic, the well-known son of Traducer and Atalanta, has found his way to Melbourne and is on sale by Mr Yuille.

A trotting meeting will be held at Laucaster Park on the 2Sth iust, and encouraged by the success of the opening meeting last season, the club now offer £155 in sUkor,. The best prize is the Three-mile Handicap, of 50sovs.

The Ashburton programme is> out, and it presents a somewhat .strong contrast to those of many other clubs in these days of the totalisator, for there are only half-a-dozen races set down for each day. The principal events on the first day are the Cup, of 125sovs ; Spring Handicap, of 50sovs ; Welter Handicap, of 45sovs ; Couuty Hurdle Race, of 30sov» ; and County Handicap, of 40sovs ; while on tho second day there are the R. C. Handicap, of lOOsovs; Hurdle Handicap, of 50aovs; and Flying Handicap, of 40sovs.

At a meeting of the committee of tho Ashburton Racing Club, held on Saturday evening, Mr R. Richardoon was appointed starter for the forthcoming spring race meeting, and Messrs Mason and Roberts' tender for working the totalisator was accepted.

The programme for the Town and Suburban Racing Club's spring meeting shows that £185 will be given in stakes, including the Taradale Handicap of 60sovs, Hurdle Handicap of 40sovs, and Flying Handicap of 20sovs.

For the first time during 60 years the Goodwood Cup has proved a walk-over, Tho Bard having no opponents to fa?e him on Thursday last. Among tha nominations were such cracks ar Melton, St. Gatien, Althorp, Bird of Freedom, and Chislehurst. Fields of half-a-dozen have been the average of late years, and we have to go back to the year 1826 to find the race walked over for — the bloodless winner ou that occasion being Lord Egremont's four-year-old Stumps.

The Goodwood Stakes Handicap, of 300sovs, was won by the Duke of Beaufort's eh f Winter Cherry, by Albert Victor — Red Berry, with Lord Hartington's Sir Kenneth second, Mr T. Cramond's Postscript third.

Moana's name appears among tho list of scratchings for the Melbourne Cup, so that MiStead has no representative left in that race.

The Dunedin Jockey Club's experiment of holding a small race meeting in the middle of the winter, though a rather risky one, was attended with success. This was entirely due to tho mildness of the weather ou tho day in question, and the club ar^to be congratulated on the ran of good luck in that respect which thej ? have experienced for some time past. Messrs Mason and Roberts put through the totaiisator a triflis over £1400, which is quite as much as could bo expected when the quality of the meeting ii taken into consideration. For the Hurdle Raw there were five starters, of whom Peter Flat and Mayboy were about equal favourites, but tho firstnamed came down at the very first hurdlo and the other was beaten for pace by Warepa (.i stranger here) and Fishhook. The winner was quite an outsider on the lotalisator until just before the flag fell, when so much was clappeJ on him that he paid only a£4 dividend. A protest was subsequently entered against him, and of this more anon. The Flat Handicap provided a capital race, but Miss Cook won rather easih at the finish. Possibly if Hermitage had been kept on closer terms with the leaders for the first mile he might have won — some people thinli so, but I doubt it, for Cotton took every ounce out of him in the last quarter at all events, and was then heaten with a bit to spare. Foul Play ran well to the finish, but had not quite foot enough ; while Mokarakara, on whom the majority of the talent put their money, had shot his bolt at the home turn. The Trot was au easy thing for Coacher, though had Tommy and Silver Bell not broken repeatedly, there would have been an exciting finish. In the Sidling Hurdle Race the two horses that passed the winning post first should have done so last, but Kino and Andy running round the stand hurdle, put themselves ont of the race, and left the finish to Cockey and Bungareo, of whom the; former won very easily. The Galloway Race supplied the greatest turn-up of the day, Stepper unexpectedly showing a great amount of pace, and after running last for half the journey, shooting past his five opponents like a flash, and winning hands down. He paid his backers the best dividend of the day, £13 odd. The finish came with the Hack Race, in which Kino made some amends for her mistake in the Selling Race. The whole of the races were put through in three hours' time, and the club thereby earned the blessings of all who were present.

During the afternoon it was rumoured that a protest was to be entered against Warepa on the ground of informal nomination, but nothing was done until Monday, when a formal protest was made against the payment of the stakes to his owner, for the reason that Warepa is believed to have run under another name. The protest is lodged by Robertson, the rider of Fishhook, and an investigation into the matter was requested by him. The stewards had the matter before them on Monday evening, but adjourned full consideration of it till next Monday. On the course it was at first rumoured that Warepa is identical with a North Island cross-country horse called Harkaway; but subsequently it was spread about that the stranger is a receut arrival from Melbourne. At all events it is to be hoped that the club will make a searching inquiry into the matter, and there is no reason to doubt that they will do so.

The annual meeting of the Lowburn Sporting Club was held on 25th inst., Mr H. Partridge in the chair. The Treasurer's report and balancesheet showed a substantial credit balance in avor of the Club. The following members were elected as a committee for the ensuing year :—: — Messrs H. Partridge, Millar, Bethune, Colelougb, G. Partridge, Wood, Thomson, Heaney, Perriam, Chapman, Tillman, and Williamson. Officebearers were elected as follows: — President, Mr H. Partridge; vice-president, Mr Wood; treasurer, Mr Heaney ; secretary, Mr Perriam. After a brief discussion, it was resolved that tho club accept the Dunedin rules. A letter from Messrs Solomon and Murrell was read, offering terms to work totalisator at next race-meeting and it was accepted. The date of the annual race-meeting was fixed for the 15th October, the amount of stakes to be given not to be giveii not to exceed £100. At the committee meeting of the Timaru Racing Olub on Wednesday, the programme for the club's spring meeting on October 26 and 28 was adopted. The principal race on tho first flay is the Squatters' Stakes, of 45sovs, 1J mile; and on the second day the Racing Club Handicap, of 50sovs, 1^ mile. Altogether (reckoning in both (lays) there are 14 events, the amount of prize money being £310. The licensed victuallers of Timaru have given a special prize of 25gs for a race to be called the Publicans' Handicap. F. 0, Cooke, commission agent here, and for

a long time secretary to the South Canterbury Jockey Club, has been missed from town for the last few weeks. I learn now on goodauthority that, after au iiive->iiga{.ij.i of accounts, the money of the club is h irdly in a satisfactory condition. However, no loss is likely to ensue, as the club is covered by a fidelity bond in the Victorian Insurance Office.

At last weeks sitting of the RM. Court, Riverlon, His Worship (H. M'Culloch, Esq ,) delivered the following judgment in the case of P. O'Connor v. Riverton Racing Club claim £20, amount of stakes won by Civis at the Club's last meeting: — This race was run on the condition that all claims and objections should be decided by a majority of the stewards present, by which I understand present afc the investigation. The plaintiff's hoi'so came in first, and an objection was lodged by Mr Saunders, the owner of Preemptive Right, on the ground that plaintiff was not a duly qualified member of the club at the time his horse (Civis) was entered. A majority of the stewards present at the race met at the Globe Hotel in the evening, and there decided, by a majority, " That at the time that Civis was entered for the race his owner was not a duly qualified member of the club, and that the stakes be paid to Preemptive Right." It appeared to me the strongest part of plaintiff's case was that he was not present when tho stewards heard the case — not having been invited or summoned to attend — while "Mr Saunders did attend, explained hi* case, a'ld retired." But Mr Bridge, one of the stewards, says he met the plaintiff as he was going tho meeting, and told him the question would bo decided at the Globe, Mr Burns, another steward, says he saw plaintiff in the vestibule of the Globe as ho was going to the meeting and conversed with him about the protest, and that plaintiff was well aware from conversation that he, Mr Burns, was going to attend the meeting. Mr Phipps bays plaintiff was outside at the corner of the street, and the plaintiff himself says — " There was a meeting of the stewards at the Globe the night of the race; I was at the Globe, but was not called " ; so that I think he had an opportunity to attend if he wished to do so, and it has not boon shown that Mr Saunders was summoned or invited to attend ; but it would no doubt have been much more satisfactory if both parties had been formally made aware of the time and place at which it was intended to hold the enquiry. In Colo v. Chirnside, 6, Viet. L.R., 71, the Victorian case quoted by Mr Finn, Judge Barry is reported to have said — "If there is reason to suppose that the rules of racing have been interfered with, the stewards should summon the parties and hear both sides and all the evidence that can be given. All their decisions must be founded on nearly the same principles i>s decisions in courts of justice — there inu.st be au actor and a rcus, a plaintiff and defendant." On the other hand, in an English case, Benbow v. Jones, 1-i, M. and W., 103— which is very like this case — Alderson B. said — " It would be very strange to say that it is to be held that all the proceedings before the stewards of races to bo according to the strict rules op law; that there is to be a point regularly raised before them, and parties heard upon it — I suppose by counsel — and a foimal decision after the hearing. It would next be aiid that the evidence must bo given upon oath. The truth is the parties mean that the matter shall be snbject to the decision of the .stewards, and that, if they decide in fact, that shall be final." In Benbow v. Jones, which is very like this ense, the plaintiff entered his horse for a steeplechase, oue of the conditions being that no groom or professional jockey would be allowed to ride ; and another that all disputes and other matters should be decided by the stewards whose decision should be final. The plaintiff intended that his hor.se should be ridden -by one W, but before the day of tho race was informed by the steward that he considered W. a professional jockey, and that the horse, if ridden by him, would be no horse in the race. Tho plaintiff insisted that W. was qualified, and on the race day, notwithstanding a similar intimation from the steward to the plaintiff, W.rorle the horse, which came in first. On the f oUowing day the steward pronounced the second horse to be the winner, and by his directions the stakes were paid over to the owner of that horse. He held that the steward had decided the question within the meaning of the condition, that his decision was final (although it was not made after hearing both parties), and that the plaintiff could notrecoverthe stakesfrom thehtakeholder. In tho Exchequer below, Atcherley J., in summing up, intimated his opinion that there could be no valid decision without hearing bothpnr ties. In the present ease tho protest was made, the stewards heard the case and gave a decision, and that in my opinion the evidence given here has fully justified that decision. It isclear that when Civis was entered for the race his owner was not a duly qualified member of the club, and the election of the plaintiff an hour after the entry had been made could not have had a retrospective effect, so as to make the entry good, ns reqnired by the rules. It was a condition of the race that all claims and objections should be decided by a majority of the stewards present, and their decision on all points connected with the carrying out of the programme should bo final. The majority of the stewards present have decided, and their decision is final. — Judgment for defendant : costs, £1 6's.

With reference to the size of horses, the following letters appear in the Melbourne Sportsman: — "Noticing in your issue of the 23ixl an article 'by ' Vigilant' on the height of thoroughbred horses, I take the liberty of informing you that there is a stallion in New Zealand who stands 17 hands two inches. He is the property of Mr Lewis Evans, of Ilawke's Bay, of Now Zealand, and is named Sator, was bred in France, and is by Fort-a-bras out of Siinonttte. — Yours, &c, Saturj; "" — "1 sco by the Sportsman of, I think." 22nd June you give Merndar the credit of being the largest thoroughbred horse iv the world in training. Well, I will not contradict that statement, but we have a good bit bigger nag here in Otago nearly or quite thoroughbred. He is by Stormy Petrel out of a nearly thoroughbred mare, bred at Waitna'e— Stormy Pitre', by Storm Bird out of Zitella, by Morris Dancer of a Peer maro (Peer, sire of Darebin), so the pedigree is good enongh. Last Oamaru Annual Race meeting a Mr J. Barr, Mr Robertson, and myself got a tape and square, and standard, and measured him in the Northern stables in Oamaru, and found him to measure as follows : — Height, 72Mn, or 18h hands; round ibe muscle of fore.inn, 26-jrin"; lower thigh, 25irin ; cannon, 9\m ah the smallest place; girth, 82iin, or 6f r, 10.} in ; length I did not think of measuring, it being to settle a bet which I lost, having backed 18 hands against his height. You may be sure I had him measured properly. He is a red roan, five years old , and for his stamp a very short-legged and compact horse; and, when you are a couple of chains away from him, does not look out of the way big, You only see his size when you are close to him, or he is near another horse. He has never been put in work, but I am told he is a slippery gentlemnn when started, but a bad beginner. He is now in Dunedin, and can be seen by any person

daily. — Yours, &c, William Bl'Kay, Horsetrainer and Hotelkeeper, Clyde Hotel, Hampden, Otago, New Zealand, 10th Juno." At Captain Cotton's sale of horses last week. Mr Hathorne's Take Miss and Archduke were withdrawn at HOgs and 135gs respectively, but after some keen competition, Spade Guinea was knocked down to Mr J. Stark for 235g5. Since then, however, themarehas again changed hands, Mr Mason, her late trainer, having secured her, although at a considerable advance on the figure named above. Mr Butler's Faugh-a-Ballagh was knocked down to Mr R. Rutherford for 145gs. The following are the nominations for the Geraldine Racing Club's Spring meeting : —

R. C. HANDICAP

Mr II Rutherford's Derwenter Mi 1 J B Pilbrow's Tar<mtalus Mr G G Stead's Marion Mr (J G Stead's Beresford Mr W C Webb's Ruby Mr H Lunn'a Kingask Mr M Shtrwin's Quibble Mr H Hammonds Madonna Mr If L> Bradley a Atliol Daisy Mr II t) U rail ley's Ko=.e and Gold J'r Ji J MasoVs Spade Guinea Mr J Cotton's Hermitage Mr S Higgof's Patrician Mr S Higtjot h's Mignonette Mr P Butler's Titbit Mr P Butler's Talebearer. HANDICAP HURDLE RACE. Mr G Hawke's Nancy Lee Mr W Kiissell'h Gunpowder Mr Sander's Teinuka Mr Sander's Marquis Mr I) Rutherford's liish King Mr J Pilbrow's B.iusliot Mr H D Bradley 's Sultan Mr B.urj-"s Secretary Mr -J Cotton's Mokarakara. GI3HALDINE CUP. Mr It Kul.hprlord's Derwenter Mr Stead's Bereslord Mr W C Webb's Ruby Mr Lunn's Kiugask Sir M Sherwiu'D Quibble M* Hammond's Madonna Mr Bradlcy's Rose and Gold Mr Ma=on"s Spade Guinea Sir Cotton's Hermitage Mrlliggott'a "atncifin Mr Higgot 's Mignonette Mr Butler's Tit Bit Mr Butler's Talebearer. PLYING HANDICAP. MrWßussel.'s rg Erin-go-Bragli Mr R Rutherti rd'u Derwontor >ir J E Pilbrow's Tarantnhib Mr Stead's Marion Mr Stead s Beresford Mr Hammond's Tioelcet Mr Br.idley's Athol Daisy Mr Mason's Spade Guinea Mr Higgins' (Jonuudmm Mr Butler's Titbit

Mr Butler's TaUbeare.

Of the youngsters in training at Christchurch a local paper says: — O'Brien has throe juveniles in work, and of these Sextant, the Robinson Crusoe — Sunshine colt, is perhaps the pick at present. He is a good mover and a remarkably even-tempered, quiet gentleman, and in which respect ho is imitated by his stable companion Authentic, by Hornby — Deceit. The third of the string is Black and Rose, by Apremont — En Avant, and this rare-bred oue must be valuable if she never races a yard, though it is to bo h oped with such blood as she possesses that she may have the gift of going. Ted Cutts has the largest number of young ones under his charge, and prominent amongst them are the two Drummer colts, Captain Wheeler and Wakatipu. They are both of fair &ize, but the smaller of the two has most friends, but they should both pay their v/ay. Neither Orutchfield, by Cadogrin — Puriki, nor Golden Crest, by Apremont — Aurifera, appear to be anything out of the common, and Mr Clifford has hardly got a Stoneyhurst in either of them. The Martyr colt is a good looking one, and the St George — Red Rose youngster moves in rare &tjlo, but the sister to Galatea is cursed with a : % i'is>- wayward temper, aiul it is to bs hoped ivili q iiet down a bit before she faces a starter. Tii'i A'tteros — My Idea colt, now called Bronte, gave his trainer a great deal of of trouble when first brought down from Auckland, as he suffered persistently from scouriug. Ho has aparently got over this trouble, and as far as can be seen, gets over the ground in good style, and may be termed promising, even if not likely to rival tho deeds of his half-brother Nelson. Perhaps like the latter, he may not come to hand early, and it should be remembered that the Anteros stock wear remarkably well, and improve with age. Another inmate of a box at Cliokebore Lodge is Lorraine, and this aptly named son of Apremont and Maria Theresa was the first of the batch to receive the rudiments of his education. There are others in the stable, however, that show more promise, and he docs not at present look like furnishing into a highclass racehorso. Of Mr P Butler's trio, Artemis, by Albany — Luna, is very small, but appears as quick as a rabbit, but tho Bundoora — Miss Sykes colt, Northcote by name, is a lengthy fair-boned gentleman, and albeit he might be a little more fashionably bred he may yet make some of the patricians gnllop. The Apremont-Hammock filly, Repose, is light and poor in her lower thighs, but it must not be forgotten that Somnus was a rare good two-year-old, though he was a bit on the leg when he made his bow to the public. Passing on to Mr Stead's lot, tho Apremont — Miss Flat filly cannot be found fault with in the matter of looks, and she is really as nice a filly as her brother Chantilly is a colt. Whether she can gallop or not time will prove, but she ought to be a bit faster than her brother was last year, if she is to bring gri.it to the mill. The sister to Fair Nell, Enid, is like her on the small side, but what there is of her is full of quality. The Hornby — La Mode youngster, Count D'Orsay, has not yet joined the string, but he is not a bad looking one, and does not lack size. The Musket — Realisation colt is another big ono, and he has a sweet temper, but when moving his action is high in front, and a bit clambering. He has not yet learned to gallop. W. Milne has tho Apremont — MissKafce colt, Sultan, in hand. He is a grand topped onejDotverylarge^uthisforelegs are deficient; hejis a bit pinched in at the elbows, and has very light arms. His loins and back generally, and his thighs and hocks are good, and becomes of rare speedy blood on tho dam's side. He is an improvement on Antelope, his elder brother, who is but very moderate. Harry Thompson has a filly of Mr Westmacott's by Albany — Mignou as good-looking as anything on the ground ; but slip is decidedly backward, and will not be dressed in her best iv the spring, and she is the sort that will not stand hurrying. T. Stewart has a chestnut filly by Bundoora — Mirelle in hand, and she, too, is not half a bad sort, having been well done when young; but she has a touch of the old mare's temper, and is not so kind as her elder half-sister — Mirelle. Webb's brother to l'uby promises to be a bigger animal than the Champagne winner, and, if he is as good, the Bush Inn stables will turn out another winner before the season is far through, as the veteran has not lost his cunning when he has any decent material to work with, though the stable has not been in great form during the last few years. Last on the list for the present are the Hon. W. Robinson's pair, Enfilade (brother to Norden-

feldt), and Engagement (sister to Martini-Hen-ry). The firstis asober-lookiug fellow, fills theeye well, and appears to have good understandings, but it is doubtful if he is au early sprinter. He looks more liku going on and doing a good thing later ou iv life than shining in Welcomes or Nursery Stakes. The filly is smart, but she had a lot of flesh on her, and even now carries plenty of beef. They both appear to be blessed with the evenest of temperaments, and it is needless to say backers will have nothing to find fault with in the matter of condition when Ray delivers them at the post. Of all the lot mentioned the most likely-looking for stakes decided early in the spring may be found in Sextant, one of the two Drummer colts, Captain Wheeler or Wakatipu, and Artemis or Northcote ; but it is at present merely guessing in the dark, and they must do more on the track before any real opinion as to their merits can be formed. " Senex " hears that the Grand National meeting was |}a pecuniary success, the Club netting about £100 after paying all expenses. The following weights have been declared for the Christchurch Hunt Club Steeplechases: — HUNT Ci.UB HANDICAP. st lb st lb Sultan... ... 12 12 Daddy L nglegs ... 10 8 Aroha ... ... 12 9 Sir William ... 10 7 Mich-iel Scott ... 11 10 No Mistake ... 10 0 Bredonhiil ... 10 12 Larrikin ... 10 0 'J he Mount ...10 12 F<-x ... ...10 0 St. Clair ... 10 10 Ivanhoe ... 10 0 Madge ... 10 10 OPEN HANDICAP. Canary... ... 12 10 Aroha ... ... 11 0 Su tan ... . ... 12 1 Michael Scott ... 10 4 King Arthur ... 12 0 Berrington ... 10 2 The tad ... II 7 Wool King ... 10 0 Faugli-a-ballagh ... 11 2 Home Itule ... 10 0 Victor ... ... 11 2 Mammoc ... 10 0 Secret ai y ... 11 0 Warlock ... 1« • A meeting of the Committee of the Marlborough Racing Club was held last week. Present : Messrs W. B. Girling (in the chair), T Redwood, W. H. Lambert, and H. A. W. M'Kenzie (Secretary.) The meeting was held for the purpose of appointing trustees of the new cour&e at Riverlauds. The new course is being rapidly got into order. The track is being ploughed, and grass seed is to be sown directly. It is intended to have it ready for a meeting on Boxing day. The Egmont Racing Club held its annual meeting last week at Hawera, when the report ami balance-sheet were read. The past season has been a prosperous one with the club, its net profit being £182, as against £157 the previous year. Mr Alexander Higgie, the handicapper, gets a well-earned meed of praise, his adjustment of weights having brought large fields together and first-ek-is finishes. The worthy hon. sec, Mr R. 11. Nolan, is also deservedly praised for bis valuable services, which have placed the club in so favourable a position. The club having a good balance to its credit, Mr Wanklyn thought cheaper rates of entry and acceptances should be adopted. In this he will be agreed with by owners and all who have to pay up to start horses at up-country meetings, where the fees and deductions are often outrageously high in comparison with the stakes offered. Mr Alexander Higgie was again appointed handicapper ; Mr J. Paul, of New Plymouth, judge; Mr Mcikle, starter; Mr Pitcher, timekeeper; Mr Budge, cU-rk of the course; and Mr Yorke, clerk of tht>. scales. Messrs Meikle, M'Rae, Tonks, Crccker, Heslop, Cobham, Yorke, Mitchell, and Wilson were elected as the committee, and Mrssrs, Knight, Tonks, Mason, M'Rae, Baird, Heslop, and Mitchell as stewards. Mr Nolan, hon. sec, expressed a desire to resign but the members would not listen to any such proposal. The success of the club was admitted to be chiefly due to his energy and determination to make each meeting more successful than the last, and the satisfactory financial position was held to be almost entirely due to his efforts.

The report of the Wanganui Jockey Club submitted at its annual meeting was as follows : — The receipts for the year show a surplus over expenditure of £200, which, after accounting for the previous indebtedness and making provision for the Derby nominations, leaves a credit balance of £12. The committee have paid away in stakes .82230 as against £2086 for last year, whilst they only received by way of entries £S4S as against £1034 for 1884-85. Subscriptions show a falling off of £24, but the receipts for privileges have an increase of £280, the totalisator commission producing £989 for the year. The committee have much pleasure in congratulating the Club on its sound financial position. It is now quite free of debt with no liability of any kind ; and when members considei that the total cost of improvements, &c, amounting to £4000 has been paid up, they must acknowledge that the interests of the Club have been carefully conserved. The course and ground are in first-class order, but some oxpendture will bo required iv repairs to the stand and fences.

I take the following from "Hippo's " notes: — I am informed that next month Pearl, Soudan, Gordan,^ Kahu, nnd General Thornton will be offered for sale by public auction. Pearl is too well known to need much description. She will next season only be in her fifth year, and, as she is perfectly sound, she should bo well worth keeping on the turf for another season or so. Soudan has on several occasions proved himself to be a fast horse over a short course, and, with age, I believe he will be able to stay over longer journeys. He is a Musket, and most of them are stayers. Gordon has not shown to advantage yet, but age may improve him. Kahn is another that should be worth another trial. He is only rising three years old, and is by Merlin out of Ropo. General Thornton is a very handsome colt, rising three ; he is by Apremont out of Nelly Moore, and is engaged in the Great Northern St. Leger and Derby, the Canterbury Derby, and the Hawke's Bay Guineas. . . . Amongst the fresh young horses training on the track is a nice-looking brown filly, belonging to Mr Stock. She is by Totnra ont of Pauline, a daughter of Maid of the Mist by Sator. She is rising three, and is a compactjy-made, stronglooking youngster, and one, if I mistake not, who will, when four or five years old, make a good hurdle or cross-country mare. Mr E. Gilpin has Arab Child, out of Matau's dam, in work ; he is not a likely-looking one, but is fastpr than he looks to be. Mr H. O. Caulton, who has Mr Newman training for him, has a Jav'lin-Swiverliue and a Gladiator- Marie Antoiunette, both rising three. The first named is a strong thick-set black gelding, showing plenty of power, but not much quality ; with age he should make a jumper. _ The Gladiator one is a chestnut filly; she is a big-boned, long-quartered one, and looks as though she could stride over the ground. I think she will grow into a big mare ; she is half-sister to Silence, and is engaged in our Guineas. J. Munn has a big geldiiig by Jav'Un-Phcenix, and a Merlin-Miss M'lvor filly, both of whom are engaged in the Guinea*. Gcoseman has a bay filly by MusketMiss Laura ; she was only backed this week, and soum& to take kindly to her work. She is only rising three, and is still babyish-looking; she is an upstanding rakish-looking one, and when in form should give a good account of her-

The same writer says :■— The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's annual meeting of members will be held next Friday, for the purpose of electing a committee for the coming year, and for the adoption of rules of racing passed by the Canterbury and Dunedin Jockey Clubs. I suppose the rules will be adopted, but I am certainly not in favour of them. That there should be a Racing Association or federation between different clubs in the district, and all the Clubs in New Zealand, I perfectly agree to, but I do not think the Canterbury and Dunedin Clubs have hit upon the best mode to bring the desired end about ; in fact, already the rules are creating bad feelings between different clubs. The Lower Heathcote Jockey Club are very bitter at the treatment they have received from the Canterbury Jockey Club and apparently justly so. The annual meeting of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club was held last week. In the absence of the president (Captain Russell), Mr J. H. Coleman was voted to the chair. The secretary (Mr F. D. Luckie) read the report, from which I make the following extracts :— " It is with the deepest regret that your cammifctee have to record the death of Mr'WSniam Ulick Burke, who for many years so ably filled the office of honorary treasurer to the ebib, and who by his ability and foresight contributed so much to the advanced position the club now holds. The committee recommend, as a mark of the esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held, that a race, to be called the 'Burke Memorial Stakes,' be added to the programme at the autumn meeting. The money given away in stakes during the past season amounted to £4796, as against £4237 the previous season, and the sum of £1203 has been expended in improvements on the club's property. Your committee have also paid £1300, the. first instalment of the purchase money of the ground and the legal expenses attending the same, and have executed a mortgage of £GOSO for the balance, bearing interest at 6 per cent. In laying before you the new rules of racing adopted by the Canterbury and Dunedin Jockey Clubs, your committee consider it will be greatly to the advantage of all racing clubs to come under these rules, and thereby virtually form a federation of racing clubs throughout the colony. There are some of these rules that your committee consider might be improved upon, but as they are of minor importance your committee would recommend their adoption as a whole." Mr C. B. Winter moved the adoption of the rules, and in doing so referred to the fact that for years past there had been throughout the colony a general but undefined expression of opinion in favour of a universal sefc of racing rules to be in force from one end of the colony to the other. He had himself brought up the question before the club three years ago, and a series of resolutions in favour of a confederation of racing clubs throughout New Zealand were adopted. Other leading clubs agreed to appoint delegates to meet in Christchurch, but owing to the delegates thinking more of the race-meeting then at Christchurch than of the federation scheme, the proposed gathering never took place. Since then the matter had been again agitated, and the Dunedin and Christchurch clubs having conferred together the result was the set of rules before the meeting, which the committee suggested should be adopted by the club. He had communicated with the Auckland club and with others, and had received a telegram stating that the Auckland club would adopt the rules with slight modifications in the rule as to weights. The Wanganui club had adopted the rules without any alteration, and if the Hawke's Bay club adopted them the Wellington club would be the only important one left to take action. After some strong discussion the motion was carried.

At the Wanganui Jockey Club's annual meeting Dr Connolly moved the adoption of the new rules of the Canterbury Jockey Club, which divide the colony into "provincial" districts, and give the " Metropolitan " Club in each district control of all the smaller clubs within that area. " This (says " Flaneur,") worksall right in most parts of the colony, but will not do so here, as the Wanganui Jockey Club is recognised as one of the leading racing clubs in the colony, and rightly so, as it has done more to foster racing and keep up the sport than many more pretentious bodies. It has been the habit for all the clubs on this coast from Otaki to Hawera and Manaia to advertise their races to be run under the Wanganui Jackey Club rules, and have looked to that club for advice and protection whenever necessary. Under the proposed Metropolitan-Provincial system, the Wanganui Jockey Club would be deposed from the high plape it occupies, and the ground it now covers divided between the Taranaki and Wellington clubs. But there are two clubs in Wellington; which of them is to be deemed the 'Metropolitan' body? We fancy they will agree to differ for a long time on that subject, as it is clearly a fight for life between the Hutfc Park and island Bay bodies, and the survival of the fittest will alone end the difficulty. In talking this matter over with a leading member of the W.J.G. yesterday, my friend sketched out what is about the easiest way out of the difficulty. He propeses that the Hutt Club shall have control of the Wairarapa; the Island Bay of this coast up to the Manawatu river ; the Wangauui of the district between there and the Waingongoro ; and tho Taranaki of the rest up to Waitara. Such a subdivision would work very well, and do away with any petty jealousies. Osio thing quite certain, the Wanganui Club will never consent to be deposed from its hard earned elevation as ,i leaiTJng club, nor consent to play second fiddle to an inferior body. The answer of the Canterbury Jockey Club to the letter of our own, asking what position the Wanganui Jockey Club is supposed to occupy in a provincial district that rejoices in no less than three ' Metropolitan ' clubs will be eagerly looked for, and I shall be curious to see how the Metropolitan Club of the colony will solve this conundrum."

A race meeting under tho auspices of the Waverley-Waitotara Racing Club will be held on October 22. About £100 will be given in stakes.