AUCKLAND SPORTING LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 24

AUCKLAND SPORTING LETTER.

(Fbom OtTB Special Sporting Correspondent.)

Auckland, June 7.

Our Winter Steeplechase meeting on Saturday last passed off very pleasantly, and the sport throughout was of a good character. For the big event' of the day — the Great Northern 1 Steeplechase— a good-looking field of eight faced the starter, and it was on all hands voted very open. Though three of the candidates hailed from Kean's stable it was well known that they would all be sent oh their merits. Silvio, when brought into the paddock, made a great impression on every one,' his' quarters literally atanding'out with muscle, but many declined to atand him in' Russell's hands. When the flag went ' down and they straightened themselves ' out for the first obstacle Silvio began to' tear away as usual for his head, but Russell soon: had him composed and running kindly. When the last post and rail was negotiated the excitement on the stand" was intense, as it was eeen that Kean's pair — Magnesia and Silvio — were- running almost locked together. The stone -wall on the course saw no alteration in ■tatters, but as they rounded into the straight Magnesia appeared to have the foot of her opponent, and her victory was loudly proclaimed. Atthe last hurdle, however, Silvio came with one grand run, and, leaping the obstacle in his' stride, was over two lengths in front of h\i opponent, who funked at the critical moment. The race after this was no longer in doubt, for though the mare began to draw slightly on her stable mate, she could not, however, get up to the latter, and suffered defeat by a length. The cheering .was _ loud and ' long at the conclusion, and Jimmy Kean must have had the arms nearly wrung off him through the congratulations he received. The winner is one of the gamest horses that ever carried a saddle, and throughout the whole of the journey he never shifted a hair's breath at any of his fences. Though Kean's stable furnished the winner of the Hurdle Race and first and second in the Great Northern, they did not win much coin. They backed Victory to win the double fer about £500. He and Magnesia carried most of their money in the Great Northern Handicap, and the latter beat her stable campanion, Silvio, in that race. Almost the whole of the totalisator money would have gone to her party, for after her poor performance in the Maiden Steeplechase early in the day, when she baulked repeatedy, few would stand her.

Auck'anders are weeping and wailing over Nelson's absence from the entries for the Melbourne Cup. The stallion Fitz-Hercules, whom Southerners well remember as the runner-up to the Dauphin, in the Canterbury Derby in 1881, is now being ridden to hounds by Mr Percival, master of the Fakuranga pack. Notwithstanding the 71b penalty which Silvio has incurred for the Hawke's Bay Steepchase, Keen intends to have a cut in at that race, and will, I understand, leave with the son of Isaak Walton in a few days. Belle will also go down. The latter was going very strong in the Great Northern when she fell; and the country at Hawke's Bay will be right into her hands. She will, I fancy, be very hard to beat.

A draft of yearlings, the property of Mr H James, were submitted to auction yesterday at Silvia Park. They were all sold, good prices being realised. The following were the lots : — Brown colt, by Musket— Lady Ravensworth, 220gs, Mr J. Enko ; chestnut colt, by Leolinus— Lovebird, 310gs, MrGramond; chestnut filly, by Leolinus— Miss Laura, 60gs, Mr D. L. Hunt; brown colt by Piscator— Patch, 80gs, Mr W. Bobbett; brown colt by Cap-a-pie— Jenny Lind, 35gs, Mr O. C. M'Gee. The amount realised by the sale was 705gs. Jack Rae, the well-known cross-country jockey, had a wonderful escape from death on Saturday. He was riding Belle in *the Great Northern Steeplehcase, and when jumping his horse at the first hurdle of the double in front of the stand she cannoned against Silvio, and came down, rolling completely over Rae. The poor fellow was picked up apparently lifeless, but, though badly shaken, he came to in about an hour, and after being examined by the doctors it was found that no bones were broken. He still complains of pain in his chest which was, I may remark, injured about two years ago, when Chandler fell with him at the Thames.

Silvio, the winner of the Great Northern Steeplechase, is owned by two warders in the Mount Eden Gaol.

I understand that Mr Lyons intends to take over to Australia the Anteros— Tres Deuce filly Queenie in addition to Too Soon. The total amount of money passed through the totalisator at the Ellerslie meeting on Saturday was £4300.

FOOTBALL.

The principal match played on Saturday last was that between the Grafton and North Shore Clubs, when th=>, best game of the season was witnessed. The play in the first term was very even, and when time was called neither side had scored. On play being resumed the game be 7 came vßrv fn«t, Grafton playing splendidly together P>.) .t f.ipital piece of dribbling Mountfort got a try for Grafton. No goal resulted, but a little while after Johnston took a pot shot and lauded a goal for Grafton. North Shore now pulled themselves together, and Marshall scored a try, which Swinnerton converted into a goal. No further score was made on either side, Graftou winning by 6 points to 5. Gobdon v. Waitemata. — This match resulted in a win for Gordon by 7 points to nil.

Ponsonby v. Albert. — The former had an easy victory, scoring 18 points, while their opponents failed to score at all. The positions for the Senior Cup show that Grafton has played three matches and won them all, while Ponsonby and North Shore have one defeat, and Gordon (the present holders) two defeats opposite their names. Fistiana. — The boxing contest between Richard Matthews and Charles Richardson, of Victoria, for the Championship of New Zealand and a stake of £50 took place on Saturday night in the City Hall before a large audience. James Martin acted as second to Matthews, while Pettengell, of Wellington, acted in a like capacity to Richardson. After several skirmishes between local boxers, Matthews and Richardson made their appearance on the stage amid applause. The former seemed rather fine in condition, while Richardson appeared if anything, a trifle soft. Five rounds were fought, and Richardson failing to come to time the ma.tch was declared in favour of Matthews by the referee. In the first round the visitor had the advantage, giving Matthews some very

severe blows about the neck and chin, but in the second the latter retaliated and gave Richardson some heavy ' punishment about the body. In the remaining round Matthews had the best of it, Richardson getting all the blows which he tried to prevent by persistently hugging, having to be called repeatedly before he would break. In the fifth round he went down on, his hands and knees, and did not rise when time was called, and Matthews was declared the winner. Considerable discussion, almost amounting to uproar, took place at the end of the match, as the backers of Richardson' said that they were' not satisfied with the result, and they are still confident that their man is a' better' boxer, Matthews intimated his willingness to meet Richardßon again in Auckland, or any part of the colony, at any time during the next six weeks, and box to a finish. f ■ '