SPORTING NOTES FROM NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1866, 26 August 1887, Page 24

SPORTING NOTES FROM NEW SOUTH WALES.

(By Our Australian Sporting Correspondent "Warrior.")

Sydney, Aagust 17. RANDWICK TRAINING NOTES. In consequence of the heavy rain and the easterly gale blowing, for nearly five days, training has been suspended on Randwick racecourse, and the horses have been exercised in the middle of the course aud the tan. The weather has been beautiful for the last three days, and yesterday morning the training track was thrown open to owners and trainers. Shortly after daylight, this morning, Milne, with Drake's string of' horses put in an appearance. Spade ' Guinea, as fresh as a two-year-old, with White in the saddle, and the two stable boys on Teddy Yuille arid Pasha, started for a souud mile and a-half gallop. Pasha ran very strong, pulling the boy nearly out of the saddle, the mare warming up as the distance increased. Teddy Yuille was left in the rear as they brushed down the straight, Pasha beating Spade Guinea by a head. They ran once round in 2min 12sec, the last five furlongs being covered in lmin Bsec. The mare appeared to be fit to galop three miles, and should she continue well will certainly show some of our cracks her heels in two mile races. Rocket and Vinaigrette cantered onceround, winding up six furlongs in lmin 20sec, the old horse having the best of the run home.

Cutts and Derrett then gave Silver Prince and Thunderbolt a spin bf four times round, the last circuit registering 2min 23seo. The chestnut ran very well, but nob satisfactory enough to wisi a Melbourne Cup. Enfilade and Disowned cantered half a mile, and then came home a' fast mile, the Derby colt having all the best •fit.

The Hon. James White's string did serviceable work. Trident ran rings round Abercorn, and Cmnbrook beat Perfume and Carlyon. Volcano had the best of Morok in a mile and a-half gallop, Plutarch and Pontifex bringing them home the last fivo furlongs, which was completed in lmin 8si j c. Among the other horses who performed creditably I might mention Matador, Rosebud, Cairo, Rupert the Second, Kingfish, Bothwell, Golden Crown, The Knave, Frisco, First Chester, Arsenal, Keith", Peabody, Soldier's Wind, Acme, Hobart Town, Glen Elgin, Hexham, Aristocrat, Enfield, Willeroo, and Scamp. REVIEW OF THE MELBOURNE CUP. No. 11. Loed Wilton, Bst 41b, by Countryman, from Instep. This aged chestnut horse made his debut as a two-year-old at the Adelaide Autumn meeting, when he started twice and failed to run into a place. In the followiug spring he appropriated the Adelaide Mares' Produce Stakes, Farewell Handicap, one mile, 6st 101b, defeating Totalisator and The Israelite. After these two victories he visited Melbourne, and notwithstanding he started nine times, could only secure a place twice. He opened his four-year-old season by running second to Blink Bonny (7st 31b) in the Caulfield Cup of 1884, with" 6st 111b up, in perhaps one of the best fields of horses that has ever started, for among the starters I find Malua, ' Martini-Henry, Fryingpan, Ringwood, Britisher, Despot, Vergy (who started first favourite at 2 and 3 *o 1 against), Claptrap, Hastings, Rapid, and Boolka. A length separated Lord Wilton from Blink Bonny, Vergy beating Malua by half a length for third place; time, 2min 40§sec. After failing to gain a position in the Moonee Valley Cup, Melbourne Cup, and Sandhurst Cup, Lord Wilton took a tnru, and at thp S.A. J.C Autumn meeting, held iv Melbourne (Fleming-* ton racecourse), with 7st 51b, ran second to the five-yoar-old Lantern (6st 121b) in the Goodwood Handicap, distance one mile, in a field of 20, The Ghost, Ringwood,, Middlemarch,

Topaz, and St. Lawrence ; time, lmin 44sec The following day hip started at 8 to 1 in the Adelaide Cup,' carrying 7sfc, and ' romped home in front of Anchorite, Sardius, the N&w Zealand Welcome Jack, Madcap, Camerine, Prometheus, Grace Darling, Plausible, Anglesey, and Britisher, the mile and a-half being covered in2min 53j3ec. Since this event (1885) Lord Wilton has done nothing worth mentioning. I oousider the distance and weight too much for him, and must accordingly vote against his chance in the Melbourne Cup.

Fbtingpan, aged, Bst 41b, by Bethnal Green, out of Saucepan, by. his doable win in the Victoria Club Cup and the Bookmakers' Purse, carrying Bst 91b and lOst lib, on the same day, entitles him to some respect. Fryingpan has now been' treated to a long rest, and word comes from headquarters that his feet are all serene. Fryingpan won his maiden race at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club Spring meeting in 1881, defeating a field of 18 in the Great foal Stakes. Failed to sedure a place in Segcnhoe's Maribyrn.on Plate or the Flying Stakes, won by Navigator, at the Melbourne Cup meeting. He began to pick himself up as the season drew to a ciose, for I find him running third to Gaesswerk in the V.R.C Sires' Produce- Sfcakos, aud the same day racing the Robinson Crusoe filly to a neck in the First Nursery Handicap, five fur* longs, beating Boolka and 27 others, in limn ssec. Fryingpan cominpnced his three-year-old career by winning the Caulaeld Guineas. Ran second to Navigator in Melbourne Derby, second in the Geelong Mnret> J Produce Stakes, third in V.R.C., St. Leget won the Gippsland Derby and Sale AlUaged Stakes, one mile, Bsfc Blb, 1 rain 4sec, In addition to the meritorious performance of appropriating the Victorian Gold Cup and Bookmakers' Purse, he won the Sale Handicap, 1| mile, 9st 91b, defeating Camerino and Iron Hand, in 2min 4O.sec. > '

Silvermine, 6yrs, Bst 31b, is the next horse on the list Like Malua, Sheet Anchor, Blink Bonny, and other racing celebrities, Silvermine was bred in Tasmania, wher« he ran until rising four year old, when his owner despatched him to Melbourne. His first win was at thu Summer meeting of tho Guelong Racing Clvb — the Stewards Purse, oius mile, 7- 1 71b, m lmin 47sec. Since then, ihe son of Napoleon — Silverhair, has had any aai'iutih of hul luck, such as third in the Oaklfitth Handicap (7-it 91b), won by William Tell ; secmi'l iv Newmarket Handicap (7bt 31b), won by William Tell ; third to Crossfire in the A.J <"'. Dixicaster Handioap, one mile, carrying B,st 2lb; second in the Sydney Cup (7st 3lb)i won by Cerise and Blue, Britisher third ; and third to Arsenal and Trenton in last Melbourne Cup, with 7st 101b up. Since Silvermine arrived in Australia he hag defeated Malua, Commotion, Sheet Anchor, Grace Darling, Trident, Isonomy, Bravo, Lord William, Meteor, Ben Bolt, Kitawa, Boolka, Crossfire, and other first-class performers. As Silvermine is credited with being in excellent condition, Bst 31b suits him very well on the Ist November next.

The Jewel, 6yrs, by Goldsbrough — Ida, who has been allotted Bst 3lb in the Melbourne Cup, very much resembles Mr Drake's Teddy Yuillo. Like Silvermine, The Jewel has had a fair share of bad luck, as shown by his running second to Meteor, with 7st 10lb up, in- the Hawkesbury Grand Handicap. 1| miles, in 2min 37Jsec. ; second in Great Metropolitan Stakes, two miles, 78t 61b, won by Bohemian (7st lib) ; and second in the Sydney Handicap, a distance of a mile and a-half, with Bst 111b up, in 2min 39sec. Mr John Mayo has always had an antipathy to racing, men on the other side of the (border, more especially Melbourne people, so I don't think he will pub in an appearance with The Jewel or any other horse this. spring in Victoria.

Ringmaster, syrs, Bst 31b, by First King out of Yardley,' is the property of Mr James Wilson, junr. In 1884, 12 horses faced Mri George Watson in the Great Foal Stakes at Caulfield j and Ringmaster won hands down. Since then he has started in 18 races, winning six, running six times second, and six thirds. Among Ringl master's wins were the Caulfield Guineas, Els; tern wick Park Handicap, and Hawkesburn (Caul-; field) Handicap. No doubt Ringmaster's performance^ running into a place on 19 occasions must bring him into prominence in the betting market for the Melbourne Cup after the running of the Sydney Metropolitan. Pasha, Cairo, The Jewel, and Ringmaster I consider the best weight carriers over a mile and a-half of ground to be found in Australia, but when they are asked to go another half mile they succumb to the weight, and thus it is I cannot stand Ringmaster. His greatest distauce was- in the Sydney Birthday Cup (one mile and three furlongs) when he ran second to Willeroo, and there is not the least doubt about it a mile and a-quarter is about the length of his tether. The same may be written of (the six-year-old chestnut

Merrimu, by. Argus Scandal out of Chiffonieri,,, which .Mr Barnard has allotted Bst. Mr Whittingham owns Merrimu, and no more straightforward racing man ever resided in Australia, but this fact will not make a horse win a Melbourne Cup. Tho son of Argus' Scandal performed first class as a four-year-old, winning the V.A.T.C. Windsor Handicap, six furlongs, with 7st 21b, in lmin 17sec ; Moonee Valley Cup six and a-half furlongs, 7st 101b, lmin 25sec; V.R.C. Van Yean Stakes, one mile, 7st 101b, lmin 42£ sec; Williamstown Handicap, one mile, 7st 101b, lmin 46§sec ; and the Sandhurst Cup, one and a-quarter mile and a distance, Bst 21b, the late Gipsy's Warning second, Lesbia third, and then followed Camerine, Astronomer, Verbena, and Real Jam ; time, 2min 35 1-5 tk sec, DEATH OF MR MICHAEL FENNELLY.

At half-psat 6 o'clock on Friday night last, after many mouths of intense suffering, Michael Fennelly, one of the most successful trainers in Australasia, passed away from among us, at the early age of 46 years. Before commencing to train for the Hon. James White, and as far back as four-and-twenty years ago, Mr Fennelly was' head coachman to Mr M'Quade, in whose employ he remained until that gentleman went to England. Mr Fennelly then became the proprietor of an hotel at the corner of Sussex and Market streets and did an excellent business in horse deal- , ing, being reckoned in those days an excellent : judge of blood horses, which impression in late , years,as my readers well know, was verified. The , first racehorse Mr Fennelly undertook to train was Reprieve, who many of my readers may remember running a dead heat with Dagworth in the Australian Jockey Club (Queen's) Plate of 1873. After taking Reprieve to Mudgee and Lambing Flat, where he won important races, Mr Fennelly got hold of Mr F. Want's horses, and won an important steeplechase in a big field on the Randwick racecourse. He then went into partnership with Mr T. S Clibborn. the present secretary of the Australian Jockey Club, and carried on business at Fennelly's Bazaar. It was here that the Hon. James White came across his devoted trainer, and purchased Hotspur from him, which horse may be considered j the first the hon. gentleman everraced. In 1877 Mr White purchased from Mr E. K. Cox the celebrated racehorse Chester.' Many people are under the impression that Mr Fennelly trained this horse when he won the Melbourne Derby and - Cup. He did not ; It was Mr DeMestre, the breeder of Navigator and Trident. Mr Fennelly's first win I believe was with Democrat, who won the Sydney Cap and Great Metropolitan

Stakes .of 1878. ..Then followed a, .most successful career: Four Maribyrnobg Plates, with Palmyra, Segenhoe, lolanthe, and Acraej. three Melbourne Derbies, with Martini-Henry, and Nprdenfeldt and Trident; three Sydney Derbies; one Melbourne Clip, with MartiniHenry; two Tattersalls Cups, with Morpeth and Tempe; two Australian Cups with Morpeth and Trident. Besides these events Mr Fennelly' has trained the winners of V.R.C. and A.J.C.St. Legers, A.J.C. Champagne Stake?, Ascot Vale Stakes, Champion races, V.A.T.C. Great Foal Stakes, December Stakes, Canterbury .Plate, A. J.C-. Plates, and other .races. A short time back Mr Fennelly paid a visit to Melbourne to consult Dr Fitzgerald, the eminent surgeon, but that gentleman could do no good for poor Fennelly, who was suffering intense pain from cancer of the liver. On the Saturday previous to his death " Warrior " paid him a visit, which was the last I ever saw of the genial and honest , trainer. To mark the esteem in which Mr Fennelly was held in Sydney, no less than 100 vehicles, containing at least 300 people, followed his remains from the Randwick Roman Catholic Church to the Petersham cemetery, nearly seven miles, in the most boisterous weather. Among the large number that surrounded the last resting place of Mr Michael Fennelly, was the Hon. James White, Mr T. S. Clibborn, several prominent members of the A J.C., Messrs T. Paytou (Mr Fennelly's successor), W. Woodburn (an old and esteemed friend, the ranger and caretaker of Randwick racecourse for over 20 years), the whole of the trainers and- principal jockeys around Randwick, and a large number of private friends. GENERAL SPORTING TOPICS. The New Zealand, contingent are in excellent condition, especially Pasha, Enfilade, Spade Guinea, Silver Prince, Thunderbolt, and Disowned. Mr Drake scratched Teddy Yuille for the Hawkesbury Handicap yesterday, whic i means that, he, intends winning with Pasha, if he can. Mr Milne, the trainer, informs me that if properly treated by. the handicapper of Tattersall's Club meeting, which takes place on Saturday week, he will race Teddy Yuille in the Tramway Handicap', three-quarters of a mile, in which he will' meet First Chester, Aristocrat, Mitrailleuse, Moorhouse, and the pick of New South Wales ; he will also perform in the Spring Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, among the same company, withthe addition of Honeydew, as the Tramway Handicap. Vinaigrette's name appears among the entries tor the Canterbury Park Disposal Stakes (6 furlongs 50 yards) and TattersalPs Club Selling Race.

It is to be hoped my New Zealand friends won't fall out with one another. It's no use of diamond cutting diamond for the edification of Australian bookmakers. Now if what I have heard is true — and I am not a bad racing "mug,"— that a certain party or parties hailing from the South Island of Maoriland has forestalled the owner of Pasha, and taken £10,000 about Pasha for the Caulfield Cup and Silver Prince for the Melbourne Cup, and don't act square to an " old pal " well, readers, don't be surprised if the pen goes through Pasha's name for the Caulfield Cup.

This reminds me very much of an incident that has cropped up in private circles lately. There is a certain black horse, who has a clever owner, but an unfortunate one. Well, this black horse, whose name will appear in the Witness before the Caulfield Cup meeting, has been doing good work unawares to the majority of touts. A well-known backer of horses snapped up all the 100's to 3 he could secure about, him. The owner of the black horse hearing that Mr had backed his horse to the extent of £30,000, politely informed him that unless he laid him half of it, he. would scratch him. The chances are that this horse will go for the Caulfield Cup, and most likely win it, and then become first favourite for the Melbourne Cup, and what the owner got at ICO's to 3 he will dispose of at 100's to 20, knowing that the black horse cannot cover two miles.