SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 25

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

(By Our Australian Sporting Correspondent " Warrior.")

Melboukne, August 15. MpONEE VALLEY RACE MEETING. This popular racing reserve, notwithstanding the threatening state of the weather, was fairly attended en Saturday last. Treason, by Slanderer — Foam Bell, and Sir Launcelot (Scobie) having scooped the pool in their respective races — First Metropolitan Stakes and Selling ; Hurdle Race — the event of the afternoon came on for consideration. The betting was very brisk, {surprise and Newmarket dividing the honours. Appended are the particulars : — AUGUST HANDICAP, Of 75bdvb ; second horse lOsovs out of the stakes. Five furlongs. Mr J T Carslake's eh g Surprise, aged, 7.13 • (Moore) 1 Mr J Hamilton's eh h Newmarket, 4yra, 7.11 (Tomlin) 2 Mr A L Johmon'sJ b f Fancy Free, 4yrs, 6.7. [carried 7.2] ... ... ... (Howe) 3 The other starters were : Umbra (8.5), Peter Burns (B.3), Hogmanay (8.3), Chronograph (8.1), Anita (7.12), Sambour (7.ll), Casuist (7.10), Nectarine (7.7), Jean (7.6), Quicklighb (7.6), Wantega(7.l), Cestus (6 12), Boadicea (6.11), Sydney (6.9) First Arthur (6.9, carried 6.10).

Betting : 4 to 1 agst Surprise, 5 to 1 Newmarket, 6 to 1 Umbra, 8 to 1 Anita, 10 to 1 Nectarine.

A wretched start. Newmarket cut out the running for the first furlong. At the back of the course Fancy Free came up into first place, followed by Newmarket, First Arthur, Surprise, and Boadicea. The field swept round the far turn in much the same order, and Fancy Free led by half a length nlong the side, Newmarket next, closely attended by Chronograph. At the home turn Surprise made his effort, and quickly established a lead of a length, which he increased in the straight, winning comfortably by four lengths. Newmarket won a clever race for second place from Fancy Free by a short head. Chronograph was fourth, Umbra fifth, Boadicea sixth, and First Arthur and Cestus brought up the rear. Time, lmin 3|sec.

After many disappointments to his owner and the followers of the stable, The Irishman managed to score a "win. For the Handicap Steeplechase, of 120sovs, two miles, Mr S. Miller's aged grey gelding, with 12.6 (Watson up;, managed to get home in front of Daswell (10.0), Trooper (9.10), and eight others. The following interesting race terminated the afternoon's sport : ESSBNDON STAKES, Of 7580V8. Second horse lOOsovs out of the stakes. Eight furlongs. Mr S Nathan's eh m Straight Shot, by Newminster— Bull's Kye, aged, 7.10 ... (Fiddes) 1 Mr H Haines' b h Raoul, syrs, 7.11 ... (Moore) 2 Mr D Fountain's br h Rouge-et-Noir, syrs, 6.10 (Fountain) 3 The other starters were : The Forsaken (8.0), Elti (7 6, carried 7.7), Bonnie Chester (7.6). Wairarapa (7 4), Casuist (7 2, carried 7.6), Bolingbroke (7.2), Quicklight (7.2), Crown Brand (6.12, carried 7.1); Boadicea (6 9), Cinderella (6,8), and lone (6.6, carried 6 8). Betting : 5 to 2 agst Rioul, 5 to 1 Rouge-et-Noir, 7 to 1 Wairarapa and Straight Shot, 10 to 1 Quickligbt. Raoul and Boadicea led to the stand, where Raoul fell hack to third place. Boadicea kept her advantage to the back of the course, with Raoul close up, and Rouge-et-Noir, Quicklight, and Elti some distance off. At the side of the course Raoul came up and led into the straight half a length in front of Rouge-et-Noir. In the straight Straight Shot was set going, and outpaced the field, winning easily by three lengths from Raoul. Rouge-et-Noir was a good third, Wairarapa fourth, and Casuist last. GEELONG RACING CLUB AUGUST MEETING. On Thursday last the special train leaving the Metropolitan (Flinders street) railway station for the "Pivot" (Geelong) was comfortably filled by racing folks anxious to pass a day's outing on the banks of the Barwon. The Geeloug people, as a rule, don't go in for racing compared with the followers of the Salvation and Blue Ribbon Armies but appeared to have risen from a Rip Van Winkle sleep, for they donned their Sunday clothing, drank wine, and were merry. In the absence of Mr George Watson, his son Thomas wielded the flag, with credit to himself and his worthy sire. Tha first race was started shortly after the last of the visitors had arrived from Melbourne, Ballaval, Colac, anil Queeuscliff. Boolka, who had beeu allotted the thumping weight of 11.4, started very firm at 6 to 4 against in the Handicap Hurdle Race, of lOOsovs, one and threequarter miles. Mr Miller's horse was never in the hunt, Autichoke, a five-year-old (9.7), catching the judge's eye first, followed by Fiddler and the Sydney horse Cracksman. An important race for youngsters followed— The First Two-year-old Stakes — in which the sires St. Albans, Somnus, Savanaka, Richmond, and Btas-de-ter were represented. Mr J. Scobie, in whose name the St. Albans — Sea Spray colt Savanak ran, won rather easily from the 2 to 1 agaiust favourite Somnolence, a filly by Savanaka out of Lady Disdain, named Juno, running third. The distance, three furlongs, occupied 38Jsec. For years past a great deal of interest has been centred in the Geelong Winter Handicap, on account of it being a line to the Caulfield ' Cup and other events. This race two years ago' brought to the post a number of the best racehorses to be found in Victoria, conspicuous among them the winner (Little John), Meteor, Impulse, Recall, Duration, Acolyte, Coriolanus, Kttawa, the Tasmanian-bred Pocahontas, Lesbia, Plausible, and First Prince." On Thursday last the field was reduced to nine, the majority being in my opinion properly classed as second-raters. The winner turned up in Leroy, by the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase winner Sussex. Further particulars of the WINTER HANDICAP, Of lOOsovs, with a sweep of 3sovs each to go to second horse. One mile and a-half. Mr J B Gill's b h Leroy, by Sussex^- Matilda, 6yrs, 8.5 [including 71b penalty] (M O'Brien) 1 Mr H M Stansraore's b t Cerise, 4yrs. 6.9 (W Osborne) 2 Mr J Barnard's b h E.D., 6yrs, 7.7 [carried 7.8] (Cox) 3 Mr M S Mackenzie's b ra The Nun, syr 3, 810 (Moore) 0 Mr E Coffey's br m Mizpah, syra, 7.6 (JM'Gowan) 0 Mr M S Mackenzie's cr b Ambition. 4yrs, 7.3 ' (Waller) 0 Mr S Rainsbury'a b g Carrick, 7.2 [carried 7.3] ; • ' (Martin O'Brieu) 0

Mr J B Clarke's bl o Bolldgbroke, 4yrs, 6.13 [carried 6.13J ... • ... ... -(Howard) 0 Mr W Mackenzie's b g William Tell, aged, 6.10 [carried 7.0]... ... ... (Mateer) 0 Betting : 6to 4 agst Leroy, 6to 1 E.D ,7to 1 each Bolingbroke and Cerise, 20 to 1 (at first 4 to 1) The Nun. The flag was lowered to a good 6tart, the first to take advantage of which were Bolingbroke and Cerise, who were closely followed by Mizpah, and Carrick, the last two being Leroy and The Nun. Going along by the swamp the order was much the same, but at the river turn the field closed up, and Ambition was seen at the head of affairs, his nearest attendants being Bolingbroke and The Nun. Approaching the bushes Leroy began to work his way to the front, and half a mile from home he was lying third, Carrick in the meantime having bolted off the course. Running along the side Leroy deposed Ambition, who was succeeded by Cerise, E.D., and The Nun. Leroy headed for home clear of Ambition and Cerise, and holding his own to the end, won by threa-parts of a length ; half a length divided | second and third ; then came Ambition, Blizpah, Bolingbroke, The NuD.aad William Tell. Time, 2orin 42|sec. Stafford (by Lord Lytton — Peri), Teuton, by Neekersgat — Etta), and Janet having in turn won for their stables the Selling Flat Race, Railway Handicap, ;and Time Handicap Trot, the audience quietly dispersed, and thus ended the Geeloug Winter meeting of the Centennial Exhibition year. NEWS IN BRIEF. The Maori football players, with their " war pants on," made a " holy show " of the Melbourne Rugby Club, on the East Melbourne cricket ground, on Saturday last — Maoris three points to Melbourne's nil. Australian Peer and Abercorn have been backed at twenties to one, and Malua, LonsHale, and Tranter thirty-threes to one for the Melbourne Cup. Tradition, a four-year-old representative of Richmond-Bridalwrcath, has been freely spoken of as a dangerous horse for the Caulfield Cup (7-4). The Assyrian will have a helpmate, Mr C. S. Agnew having leased Mozart, the son of Napoleon. Frauk Hewitt, the once famous pedestrian, has certainly been taking a " pull at himself," for I find him yesterday receiving five yards in fifty from C. Samuels, for £50. The old veteran managed to breast the tape a couple of feet in' advance of his adversary. Messrs Boyle and Scott, 41 Bourke Street, are responsible for the batting averages of 17 matches played by the Australian Eleven up to 4th July :— Messrs P. M'Donnell : 23 innings, 728 runs, most in an innings 105, not out 1, average 33 2 ; G. Bonnor : 27 innings, 765 runs, 119 in an innings, not out 3 times, average 30 13 ; Sammy Jones : 11 innings, 274 runs, 61 in an innings, once not out, average 274. Then follow H. Trott, A. Bannerman, J. Worrall, C. Turner, J. Ferris, J. Edwards, J. Blackham, A. Jarvis, H. Boyle, and J. Lyons, the last two having played in 16 and 12 innings, with the result that they average each 9 2 and 7. REWIEW OF THE MELBOURNE CUP, WEIGHTS. No. 111. To continue my remarks on the handicap and probable starters for the Centennial Melbourne Cup, of 25sovs each, 10 forfeit, and ssovs (if owners declared forfeit on Monday, August 6) with 3000sovs and a trophy of the value of lOOsovs ; GOOsovs the second, and 300sovs the third horse, I must still adhere to my table published in the Witness of the 13th July, and take the next horse jon that list : — Dick Swiveller, a bay colt, four years old, by Swiveller, who, my readers may remember, successfully carried the black, yellow sleeves, and white cap of Mr C. M. Lloyd to victory in the Tasmanian Cup, value lOOOsovs, in 1887, and the Launceston Cup of 1879 and 1880, the T.R C. Weld Stakes of 1880, the Wagga Derby, Murrunabidgee T.C. Maiden Plate, and second to First King in the Australian Cup of 1878, and other important races, defeating the best horses of that day. Swiveller's son, judging from his past performances, looks very much like following in the footsteps of his sire, who was a worthy representative of Snowdeu and Little Nell. The Caulfield and Melbourne Cup candidate was bred among the wool kings of the Murrumbidgee, and is the property of Messrs Husband and Nicholls. With 7.10 on his back in the Melbourne Oup, well and fit, Dick Swiveller should play a prominent part at Flemington on the afternoon of Tuesday, 6th November. Passing by his running as a two-year-old, we find him last season winning the Ararat Cup, one mile and a-half, 8.5, tima 2min 45sec; Ararat Settlers' Purse, one mile and a-quarter, 9.3, 2min 17sec ; Horsham Cup, one-mile and a-half, 8.8, 2min 47sec ; Horsham Publicans' Purse ; third in Australian Cup, two miles and a-quarter, 6.13, won by Carlyon, beatiDg Nelson, Malua, The Australian Peer, Niagara, Ben Bolt, Moorhouse, Enfilade, Cyclops, Abuse, and ED. Af terthis the bay son of Swiveller — Brigantine journeyed to Onkaparinga, where, with 8.9, and 9 7 on his back, he romped home in front of his field in both tho Cup (one mile and a-qaarter, 2min 44f see) and License! Victuallers' Handicap (one mile and aquarter, time 2min 14see). Dick Swiveller, without doubt, can travel two miles, as evidenced in his Australian Cup running, Carlyon, Arsenal, and Dick, being bunched up together at the finish, Carlyon beiag half a length in front of Arsenal, who only beat the colt under notice by a short neck. Having disposed of a sure starter I pick up one of my first - named favourites.

Recall, 7.7, who will be called upon to carry 101b penalty for his win at Flemington on Saturday week, is at present in the pink of condition, his racing capabilities being thoroughly tested by his running a dead heat, and then winning the run off easily by some dozens of lengths. Recall, who is by The Drummer out of Crochetfce, made his debut at the Ballarat Turf Club Autumn meeting (April 6, 1885), when he ran second to Antelope in the Trial Stakes, forwhich Beven horses started. As a three-year-old, in a field of six, he managed to run into a place in the Bracelet Stakes (one mile), and next day ran second to Sea Horse in the Ballarat Handicap (one mile), defeating Britisher, Irralee, and seven others. On Guineas day, at the V.A.T.C. Spring meeting, Recall commenced his racing career by appropriating the Maiden Plate from Jocular, Egbert, and 15 others, ac- | complishing the mile in lmin 46§sec. On this occasion Jocular started first favourite at 6 to 4 against, 6 to 1 Lucky Hit and Parody, 8 to 1 Recall. Carried 6.11 (Gorry) in Arsenal's Melbourne Cup, but failed to run anywhere ; bub i made amends by winning the Ballarat Cup (one mile and a-half) with 7.8, in 2min 48sec. On New Year's Day ran second to All Gold in Bagot Handicap (one mile and five furlongs). Last season Recall, being a little " off-colour," could get no nearer than sixth in the Melbourne Cup, carrying 7.5. After running two seconds and five times unplaced, Mr Kobert Orr's fivn-year-old repeated' his previous performance by winning the' Ballarat Cup (one mile and a-half) with the respectable weight of 8.9— (61b more than he will carry in the Centennial Melbourne Cup)-— in 2min 48see;: He has only raced twice since then, one of which he wfon atthe late V.R.C. Winter meeting. The morning alter

Mr Barnard published his handicap I ventured an opinion Jhat he or^ Silver Prince .would win the Melbourne Cup, and notwithstanding -that the son of The Drummer has incurred a penalty of 101b I see no reason for altering my opinion! Perhaps his owner may prefer to save him for the Caulfield Cup. At anyrate; my readers had better bide their time and see which way the cat jumps. Should the stable back h'iin for the short race, he may win again for the Ballarat push. If there is one owner, trainer, or racehorse more than another whose number I would like the judge to post up on the 6lh November, it would be the Hon. E. Mitchelson's New Zealand-bred colt

Whakawai, by Leolinus — Lure, engaged in the Caulfield Cup at 7.11 and Melbourne Cup 7.7. It is needless for me to dwell upon the merits of the sire and dam of this •colt. Leolinns was bred by Sir- Richard Bulkeley in 1871,' and was'got by Caterer (son of the prince of stallions, Stockwell) outof Tasmania, by Melbourne out of a mare by Picaroon, 'out of Bonny Bonnett, by Mnley Molech. The dam of Whakawai is a full sister to Lurliiie (winner of a Dunedin Cup and J.C. Handicap^ two Canterbury Cups, and Australian Cup). Lure was bred in 1877 by Mr S. Nosworthy, got by Traducer (imported) out of the imported mare Mermaid, by King Tom out of Waterwitch,' by The Fljing Dutchman out of Evening Star, by Touchstone. Up to the present the Hon. B. Mitchelson'a four-year-old has started but five times in Victoria, his only win bciug in the Maiden Plate at the V.R.C. Spring meeting. Mr Dakin has great confidence in this horse, and should he be reserved for the Caulfield Cup no doubt he will play a prominent part in the last furlong of the race. If I was asked to name an outsider as the winner of the Melbourne' Cup I would go no further than . MoNtE Ghristo, a six-year-old geldiug by Chester out of Kathleen, the property of the Hon. William A. Long. Monte coriimenced his career' most satisfactorily to his late owner; the Hon. James White, by running second to Newstead in the MaribyrnongPlate,def eating Arsenal. Uralla, Cairo, and 13 others. His next appparance was at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club December (1884) meeting, when he won the Juvenile Stakes, beating 'Dunlop, Arsenal, and several others, the five furlongs occupying lmin 4fsec. On the Ist January 1885 Monte Christo . sported silk at the V.R.C, Summer meeting, appropriating the Normanby Stakes from Lady Claudia, Dunlop, and Melodious. Started in the V.R.C. Ascotvale Stakes at 5 to 1 4 on, but was beaten by hi 3 stable companion, Uralla, Dunlop gaining third honours ; the three quarters of a mile being covered in lmin 21J«ec. The following day Monte Christo romped home in front of Ringmaster, Manchester, First Prince, and Telescope in the V.R.C. Sires' Produce Stakes, three-quarters of a mile; time lmin 19sec. Moute Christo appears to have gone •• off" on his rising a three-year-old, for I find him, notwithstanding his being backed at odds on, failing to secure a situation in the Australian Jockey Club Sires' Produce Stakes, won Uralla,. Cardigan and Cairo filling the other positions. Two days after Monte Christo occupied third place in the A.J.C. Foal Stakes; Uralla first, Manchester second, Cardigan fourth, and Cairo fifth. The following season the grey gelding only appeared in public on five occasions, running nowhere in the Oauldfield Guineas, second to Matchlock (First Prince being the only other starter) in the A.J.C. St. Leger, nowhere in the City Handicap (A.J.0.), and third to Matchlock and Nelson in the Australian Jockey Club Plate, weight for age, three miles ; time smin 52£ sec (Cerise and Blue and Sandal also starting). Since then Monte Christo has run very indifferently, but word comes from Sydney that he is doing good work in company with his stable companion — tho Derby candidate Lousdale— under the care of Tom Brown, Mr Long's trainer. In my next article the performances of Pakeha will be dealt with.

(To be continued).