NOTES BY BEACON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1844, 25 March 1887, Page 22

NOTES BY BEACON.

- Our tablegrams show that 'Nelson- is in strong; favour for the Sydney Cup, and fas> his most" formidable opponent in Tridenfrhas been^with.drawn, Major George's horse should cut abettor figure in the race" than -he did last year. He 'should also be again successful in some of the other events, for which,he has/been'entered pretty freely. ■\ •' ''[ ,4 r I, hear on : very good/ authority that the Napier stewards, at their inquiry into th' 6' running of Spade_Guinea,did noi'ude towards" Derret^ the word's that were telegraphed down here as'being used. They did not tell Derrett that he would be .watched in future, but expressed themselves thoroughly satisfied with the .mare's runrfing—merely remarking in an explanatory way .that they were put in office to seel,that their races were carried oat properly, and that they therefore had to watch everything carefully. The word "watch" was evidently .misapplied by the individual who telegraphed the report. The Waidouaiti annual gathering is reported in another^ column, and it appears to have been a pretty successful affair, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. Mayboy failed in the Hurdle Race to follow up his Palmerston success, and Jimmy Cotton scored a win on Dunluce. A fair^field started for the Maiden Fla|e, which resulted in an unexpected victory for 1 a mare of Mr Orbell's, and the payment of a snug dividend. -The winner is. said to be a 'daughter of Foretop, and she ran away with the District Handicap also, but having gone inside a poet was necessarily, disqualified., This mishap let jn Marjory Moore,' who placed the stake,to. Mr Kenyon's credit., The Cup race was cdn.tested by a field of six. and a good fight between Garibaldi' and" Jealousy* ended in the hurdler' racer getting home first. Trapper ran into' a place, but .Pauline again showed her- want of staying-poVer.-"In the Trotting-Race $ Jack, who shaped <"so well at Falmerston, -looked like having a; big chance of securing the stake, till the last'; few' hundred yards, when he started breaking'and enable I Kh» biter to win as he liked. Mr George got i> s?nall but well-deserved turn with Shamrock in - tbe ■ Ladies' Purse, and Jealousy rather .unexpectedly, upset ;Garibaldi, Trapper, and.Pauline in the Hawkesbury Handicap. Pauline was pulled out once, more for. the Consolation Handicap, but could.do no more than run into third place,, behind Dutchman andThe^Proyerj^ltwill be noticed.that every race on the card-was won by a different owner. Messrs /Mason and Roberts worked the totalisator, an<l put through between £700 and £800. At Heathcote races,' on the 17th inst., the weather was no hotter than we had down this way, 1 andlthe~c6nsequehce was a sparse attendance ; still speculation must <have been lively, for £2000.went-through,the totalisator.. The Hack Hurdle Race of 20sovs was won by Mr' H. Murfitt'SiDefaraer in a field.of eight, and.the Open Hurd||e 4 Handicap of 4psdvs by Mr W. Rutherford's "Mainboom' from'nearly the same number off starters'. " This hitherto somewhat disappointing daughter of AnteroV and Spritsail carried-1 Oat 2lb, j and only just got home by &jhead: fronr-Mr, W.'"Russell's tGunpowder (lOst 81b)p while Mr Sheenan's Azim (lpst 81b); was thirds '^?-Trpfting Handicap of 45sovs was carriedoff by Mr F.'Richardson's Jack (45sec) with much ease.frOm eight others. The principal event] the StJ/Patrick's Handicap of 55sovs went to Mr S. Higgott with the aid of Patrician, ;whtr carried Bst 121bj and 'defeated rather easily Mirella*tßst llb)^Derwenter (Bs'tl2lb); and twoothers. ? Ai'second Trotting Handicap of 30sovs was secufedr.byjdr W. Howe's Dick-(lOsec) from Mr Bj'Bdward's Madcap (scratch) and fourmore. • After;a,Pony, Race had beep annexed by Mr. J. Jgn^tli's Mr Pilbrow's Gaiety^(.7st^puf r down;four. opponents in the 'Flyin^Handicap of 30sovs. A Hack Race was won by'Mi!j> Hawkins' Miranda, and a Harry Scurry Jjy. Fickle. .From across tjae water I learn that * Major George is-r>pQrtett|p be anxious to match Nelson against -Tride»t r foi' £1000 a-side to run any dis- 1 tance'upto tHree-miles at weight for age. There • is probab^ nothing but rumour in it, but such' a matoK-'-^buld-'-De -■ surrounded with'" a : large' amdunt'^f interest^ and worth going a long way

tofieer^Theoddsihoweverrwonldbe so much'- - ' in' f avbur oL thehthree-year*bld it the .pair met. , . '- over the Champion Race distance, that; the Hon.;=>.t James White would perhaps.be only too ready to accept a challenge, of that .nature. ,- . .-, ;- .; .. The Invercargill nominations .are not, very numerous, but some of the events have attracted . 4 a'fair number, of entries, the class'of. *wluch Mi* . ' hdw^everi "not very' hifeh." ■'„, "* ', \ ■"' > " IJC \'<' -■ ' /Old? Libeller * is 'still * about,' for <it will be v • noticed "that aV 3 'Henderson's - Mill' races, on ! Thursday, l ' he 'ran a' dead heat with Cremofn'e' "I for the principal event. This ten-year-old i son ->•.■• of Tradncer and" Yatterina' has had a long and' < ' . arduous career on the turf.i- r ';_.-;■-; t ".„-.• ;',■:•< . j'A Napier. telegram states thatrthe total money! ■:*, ,in connection with the Hawke's-Bay Autumn, : meeting, paid on .Saturday was £2622,. , Bir Bobbett takes' £s(#iJ3%k,and Oonroy, £3701 •." .Curing the last' ten'dw?, .there have been six " .days">aoing, and .over; *22,000: passed through the (totalisation y Ten, per cent, deduction shows ■ what the people' paid for the use of the' machine. -' The delegates from the 1 "several metropolitan ; racing clubs held two meetings re the totalisator, ■ ■ but the result is not f disclosed. ■ • '■ lJ * -~' 1 .""Ait the Opaki races on Thursday, Oribbagc,, . .during a preliminary .canter, fell and broke th'a"**" back. His jockey (Allah Herd), was. severely shaken., • . , ; % , . - ... 7,.- .'. . Mr Drake is reported ,to\ haye > purchased •; Pasha, the price being £1000. . If this be true, 1 .'. should say that the horse has fetched, his full , , value. " '','" /',' -„ \V. ,„ "_'"* l A Router's, telegram reports that . Nelson and Mitrailleuse have arrived in Sydney; 'The latest r betting on the Cup is :— Nelson 4 to 1; Arsenal 7to 1, Tom Brown 10 to l. : ; ' n '-'•<" A Renter's telegram reports that Arsenal is ' now slightly easier in the betting for the Sydney , Gold Cup. Betting- is dull and quotations un- . altered.- _.* -.. : ._ .-' . - y. „, i.r., - - : The Oamaru Times says that ,Rubina. ; was\. - scratched for all her engagements at the local - race meeting "by her owner, she having, been, , ' entered without his authority. ' " *'. _ An Auckland .telegram" states' that the twor „_. year-old colt' Niagara ". has been purchased on "" behalf of the Hon. Mr Pearson, of Victoria, foV ') .1750 guineas. ' This half-brother to' Trenton i*P r our' crack" two-year-old 'of; 'the season, as he '<■ showed by his performances at Auckland, and ' he should ' Sustain the family reputation if hi crosses ihe water. ' . , ; . 1 The third day's* racing at the Hawke's Bay meeting will be found detailed in another column. It will be noticed that Spade Guinea managed to pull through in the Handicap, but could only get second to Salisbury in the big event of the day, the Tradesmen's Handicap. J ' The 'winner had certainly' bub a light weight, still his victory must- have been 'a considerable 'surprise,' especially as the - time was very fast. • Another upset, -was -the victory of . the British' Lion ■ over Rivulet in- the . Sb. Leger.. '. lt r < . ■;-, '.. - ..., T Pleasant Point races were well attended, .and - . , a little over' £400 was passed through the totalisator. , The , Hurdle Race of SOsoW was won rather'- easily by" Mr ,W. L. Armitage'e ' Juggler, (list 61b) with Mr Osborne's 'Panic ,(12st, Sib) second, Mr | 'Jefferson's' ,'Sawdust (lOst, , ' 71b) third.' In the'MaidenrPlatia of lOsovs, the : ' Messrs Hobb's' four-year-old [Effigy beat - seven •"'• opponents," but was disqualified for running in* side a post. _ The stakes then went to Mr -Hunt's Derby, who had finished, second, with Mr Rhode's Foreman third. The Cup of 25sovs had . but three competitors, and of these' Mr Ham-. rTaovfUfLhocbnttw (Gsi IGib) ran'offf the course . at the first turn. This left Messrs Hobbs' Jackal (Bst 101b) with only Mr Crocker's Nelly (9st) to dispose of, and it caused him little trouble. Mr Gibson's. Hollywood, who had run unplaced in 1 .the Maiden Plate, carried off the .District Race . after a good contest with Mr Ralston's Arundel at welter weights Three others started. Nextcame the St. Patrick's Handicap of 15sovs, in which Jackal (9st 31b) scored another easy victory, Nelly (9st Sib) again running' second, while Mr Einahan's Murty Hines (Bst 121b) and Mr Murphy's Scaltheen (9st 51b) were beaten off. In the Selling Race of lOsovs Mr J. Whelan'* Kitty beat seven others, and in the Consolation Stakes Lochnaw (9st4lb), which included nolesß than 2st 91b overweight) beat three others with extremeease. The result of this race can scarcely be taken as a,, triumph for the haridicapper. . ■ "■ . ' Comforting dividends were quite the rule at the Mas-ton races on the 12th inst., the smallest being £3 ss. Reform beat Doctor, Andrea and two others in the Hurdle Handicap of 20soys, and paid a dividend of £3 16s. A second jumping race, of lOsovs, was secured by Doctor, who defeated five otherp, and paid his backers £7 19s each.. In the Flying. Handicap of 20sovb, Little John proved victorious out of 14 competitors, j and paid a dividend of £20 145. This was followed *up by Portia securing ■ the Maiden Plate, putting through a dozen opponents, and paying a dividend of £8 Bs. Next came the York Farm Handicap, in. which an- .. other baker's dozen started, and .Falsehood get- ' ting home first, her supporters .netted the handsome dividend of £31 10s., yMyosotes won the Novel Race of 20sovs, with, a dividend of £3, 55; while in the Forced Handicap Merrylega - beat eight others and paid a £5 dividend. The fields were so large that anyone backing all the. horses would have won no more than £13 odd. ' " ';'..'■ In a letter to the Daily Times a correspondent, signing himself " Scratch," thns comments on some recent handicapping:-^ Sic, — On ri perusing the Sporting Notes' contained in your weekly paper, I see by an answer ' to a correspondent that " Beacon" (States that Axe .has trotted three miles in Bmin 45seo (winning from scratch in that time), and I dare say He has good authority for so stating. ; Now, .while not complaining for one moment of Mr Dowses abilities as a handicapper generally,, I think he must have dealt rather leniently in this case. What* encouragement .is there for an owner of a good mare, such as Duchess is, contesting such an event while conceding such a start to a horse that has clearly shown both the speed and endurance that Axe must undoubtedly have ? If my memory serves me aright, on the last occasion the "abovementioned.pair.met they -.were put on level terms, and although the mare won, I think the difference made now (namely, 35sec) is altogether unreasonable for that beating. However, I think to-day's "results will bear me out in what I have written. ' ', '-- , ' ', No totalisator . was run at the Orepuki races last -week and, speculators devoted their, attention to the once popular ."sweeps,'' ' The racing ' opened with the .Railway Stakes, of llsovs (it will be noticed that all the stakes were of queer amounts), in which Mr Wilson's Civis (9st 41b) beat Mr Hirst's Ardross (7st 101b), Mr, Fraser's Lady Ellen (9st 71b), and a couple., more. The Trotting Race, of £8 153 proved a good thing for Mr Eraser's Betty (scr), f Mr Wilson's Comet (scr) finishing a poor second, Mr Bridge's Bobby (lOsec) third.; The Orepuki. Cup, of. £13, 155, was another^benefit for Ciyis (9st), Mr Steel's Aparima'(Bsfc 71bj finishing second, and Lady Ellen ( (9#t.4lb) -third. "A Hack Race, of £4 10s, . was.carried off by Mr Tielle's Flirt after an exciting fiuiaU witH" Mr Ftzgerald's Topsyi an 4

the Consolation Stakes, of £5 10s, was won by Ardross (Bst 41b), but as he went to the wrong side of the winning post the stakes were awarded to Aparima (Bst4lb) ; Lady Ellen (Bst 61b) again finished third. The end came with the Hurry Scurry, in which Mr Hayes' Sumatra put through eight opponents. Mitrailleuse (Bst 111b) ran unplaced in the South Yarra Handicap at Caulfield on March 12. The race was won by Mr Whitty's Vasepsa (78t), with William Tell (9st 131b) second, Straight Shot (7st 111b) third. At the same meeting Mr Mitohelson's colt Escutcheon (Bst 121b) ran third to Boy (Bst 111b) and Bedouin (Bst 101b). Ifc is rumoured in Sydney that the well-known trotter Leithamstead has changed hands for 200gs, and that he is destined for New Zealand. The victory of Silence in the Wanganui Cup was, I ("Martini") happen to know, what is vulgarly called a "double cross." The bookmakers lost very little indeed over it, and it was just on the cards that something else might have won, in which case the bookmakers would have lost largely. No man knows his business better than Cutts, writes "Augur," no trainer is more respected than he ; but he made one mistake while he was here, and that was occasionally getting up in the middle of the night to exercise his horse before daylight. Nelson is the greatest glutton I ever saw. Morning and evening he often did real good, strong work, yet finished up the meeting a better horse thau he was on the opening day, and those who imagined that Cutts would knock the horso out must confess that the New Zealand trainer knew better than they what Nelson was capable of. I feel satisfied that if Robertson or Clifford had been on him in the Cup he would have won. Neither of these would have come so early as Brown did, and with his wonderful dash of speed the great son of King Cole would probably have reversed places with Trident. Talking of the Napier meeting, says "Martini," Spade Guinea's running there seems to have been extremely funny ; so funny indeed, that the stewards had Derrett up and cautioned him. On the whole it is to be regretted that some more definite action was not taken. Whether Derrett was guilty or not guilty, I cannot say; but, if possible, he should either have been disqualified, if he had pulled the mare, or exonerated if he had not. All the same, it must not be forgotten that the circumstances may have made it impossible for the stewards to da more than they did. Riding nowadays is such a science that your horse may be run as stiff as a poker for you without anybody being able to swear to it. The weights for the principal events at the Auckland Easter meeting appear in auother column. Pasha heads the list in .the Easter Handicap, aud I think he has quite enough weight. I fancy that one of the three mares — .Spade Guinea, Tigridia, aud Pearl — whose names come together in the order of weights should win. Three of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club, Messrs T. G. Macarthy, J. Duthie, and F. Franklyn, have resigned their office, owing, I (Press correspondent) understand, to a difference of opinion upon the advisability of holding the Autumn Race Meeting. The three gentlemen are much respected in sporting circles and the club will have great difficulty in filling their places; The Wellington correspondent of a Christ* ohurch paper says:— "l am given to understand, on most reliable authority, that a private meeting of the shareholders in the Island Bay Park Racing and Coursing Company, Limited, was held on Thursday evening last. It is an open secret that for some time the company have found themselves pecuniarily embarrassed, and therefore the present meeting was convened in order that some means might be devised to meet certain nnsecured and pressing liabilities. It was agreed that the shareholders present should take up an additional number of shares, bo as to endeavour to make the affair a paying concern, and the meeting then adjourned for a week, with a view to enabling the directors to ascertain how the proposal was likely to be received by the majority of the company's shareholders." Among the nominations for the South Canterbury Jockey Club's races are Spade Gninea, Hermitage, St. Clair, Apropos, Titbit, and other good performers. The Ashburton entries are numerous, and of fair quality.