SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY CUP WEIGHTS.,

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 25

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY CUP WEIGHTS.,

(BY OUB AUSTEALIAN SPOBTING COBBESPONDBNT "WaBBIOR.") Melboubne, March 26. RACING AT OAULFIELD. Notwithstanding that the wind blew cold and winter-like on Saturday a good attendance, among them his Excellency Acting-Governor Robinson, put in an appearance at Caulfield to witness a first-class programme, consisting of four flat and two jumping races. Scores of sporting men were prevented from witnessing the struggle for the fourth St. Kilda Cup in consequence of the great respect due to Mr John Hennings, the well-known theatrica scenic artist and manager. In consequence of the lengthy illness of Mr Hennings, his friends— nearly every respectable playgoer in Melbourne j —decided to tender him a testimonial benefit at the Theatre Royal and Princess Theatre on Saturday last, which places, I am glad to say we:e filled from floor to ceiling. Baron of Rupertswood was all smiles as his pretty little chestnut filly Vera romped home in front of the 6 to 4 St. Ives and four other two-year-olds in the Federal Stakes. The daughter of St. Albans— Gladys appears to be all at home at Caulfield, and so far has been one of the most useful racehorses that Sir William Clarke has had in his possession since the Sydney Cup Fetrea. She carried 8.5, and covered the six furlongs in lmin 17sec. The Hurdle Race was a one-horse affair ; Whalebone cantered home in front of Weather* cock and Glaucus. Masters, as usual, brought Beadsman II and himself down a cropper, a contused coliar-bone and a lame horse being the result of the fall. Blue Bell was served up a firm favourite for the Selling Race at 2to 1 on. Little Dick put him down. The books cheered and the public " got the needle," and consequently backed Pakeha down to even money for the St. Kilda Cup and got their revenge, but in the Handicap Steeplechase the takers of odds wept bitterly as Game failed to raise a gallop, and the rank outsider Hector led over the last obstacle five lengths in advance of Mineral and Coolart. True, a full sister so Pakeha, proved a worthy daughter of the Englishman, as far as the bookmakers were concerned, by winning the South Yarra Handicap, for which Stafford and Bridegroom were heavily backed, True's name having hardly been written. Following are the particulars of THE ST. KILDA. .OUP, Of 3sovs each, .with 250sovs added ; second, 25bovb. One mile and a-qunrfcer and a distance. Mr A Davies' eh c Pakeha, by The Englishman — True Blue, 4yr«, 9.3 ... (Campbell) 1 Mr T Sanders' b h Recall, 6yrs, 9.7 (Owner) 2 Sir W. 3 Clarke's b g Jasper, 4yrs, 6.7 [Including 71bpenalty] ... ... ...(Gaitskill) 3 Sir WJ Clarke's br h Menotti, 6yrs, 7.10 (Osbome; 0 Mr F Lamborn ns br h Skipper, aged, 7.8 (M O'Brien) 0 Mr W Pearson's b c Whitworbh, 3yrs, 7.3 [carried 7.5] ... ... ... ... (Moffatt) 0 Mr Gt Davis' b o Dexter, syrs, 7.0 fEdlington) 0 Sir W J Clarke's br o Baron's Court, 3yrB, 6.10 (Maybin) 0 Betting : 11 to 10 against Pakeha, 4to 1 Recall, 6 to 1 Menotti, 7 to 1 Whitworth, 8 to 1 3kipper, 10 to 1 Jasper. Mr Watson got them away to a good start, of which Baron's Court had a slight advantage. Sir W. J. Clarke's red and white colours led round the turn alongside the saddling paddock, followed by Skipper and Recall ; Pakeha last. Approaching the half-mile post Baron's Court had a lead of 20 lengths, but was beginning to hold outjsignals of distress ; at the same timeJßecall, Skipper/andPakehawere running well within themselves. Menotti, as they gave the half-mile post good-bye, came up alongside Recall, Pakeha and Jasper also closing up. At the turn Baron's Court shut up, and Jasper took his place," Pakeha and Recall [lay in close attendance, Pakeha rushed to the front at tho distance, followed by Recall. Sanders did his best, to wear Campbell down in the run home, but failed, be favourite gaining th.9 winning post a length ■

and a-half in front of Pakeha; Menotti fourth, Baron's Court fifth. Time, 2min 28£sbg.

The A.J.C. handicapper instead of waiting for to-morrow very properly, published the weights for the Sydney Cup &' week in advance. Abebcoen and Australian PSBft head the list at 9.4. Mr Scarr did right in allotting these horses the same weight, for there is not an onnce between them. In the face of Australian Peer winning the Sydney Cap of last year %itlr 8.6 and Abercorn's running third with 0.3 in the Sydney Metropolitan and his late performances at the V.R.O. meeting. I mnch prefer Lochiel, 9.2, should Mr Stead see bis. way to start him. He will meet Carbine on 21b better terms than when he ran the three-year-old a desperate race in the Loch Plate. Lochiel won the Auckland Cap with 8.10, and I feel confident that he holds safe Abercom, Peer, Carbine, and Carlyon, but I donbt very much whether he can concede 61b to , Cardigan, one of the best of Goldsbrough's sons. This hdrse can go two miles, having won a Sydney Metropolitan. His last effort in the A. J.C. Saminer Cap (one mile and a-half) crowns everything. Carrying 9.0 he won easily in 2min 41£ sec. At the weights and present conditions of the horses I can't stand either Cbanbeook (8.8) or Tbadition (8.6), and, as to Manton, yon, my readers are the best judges, having the three-year-old's doings in your "mind's eye." 3!his brings me down to a very old favourite Recall, 8.4. Judging by the way this sou Of The Drummer humped 0 7 in the St. Kilda Cap, he is in splendid fettle* and good enough to yin the Sydney Cup "if wanted?' Recall with 811 ran a good horse to Lochiel (8.7) and Carbine (8.6) in the Australian Cup. Recall meets then in the Sydney Cup on 161b and 151b better terms, and therefore should acquit himselt fairly should Sanders back him. Tbantbe and The Yeoman have each 8.2, about as much as they can carry. Tranter is not himself, and The Yeoman has had too much work for the last 18 months. Tee Queen, 8.0, is scarcely class enough for two miles, and I would much prefer the chances of Oakleigh, at the same weight. This horse looked well enough at our late meeting. I couldn't say for certain whether " Captain Armstrong " was engaged to ride him, but appeared to my ° magnifying" glasses to run very so-so. Mozabt and Chaldean won't accept, so 1 pass on to Industry, a beautifully built daughter of Musket— Pearl Ash, who has been called upon to carry 7.12. My first acquaintance with the New Zealand bred mare was when she carried 7.3 in the Sydney Handicap, two years last spring, and galloped the head off The Jewel, Ringmaster, Brown and Rose, Lancer, Dagobert, Corday, Highland Mary, and 11 others. The mile and a-half was covered in 2min 39sec. Plutabch and Honetdbw with 7.10 should have a say. The first-named cannot be considered a two-miler, but for all that the stable put their money on him for the S.T.C. Anniversary Handicap (two miles) won by Carlyon (9 3). Plutarch is a Chester, who produces racehorse, not weeds, therefore I consider. Plutarch and' Honeydew to have the best outside show in the Sydney Cup. Mr Jack Mayo wouldn't keep Honeydew one hour unless he was going to knock some dollars out of the aged son of Goldsbrongh — Queen Bee. Lonsdale is well in at 7.5, and so is Theorist, and I prefer either of their chances to that of Keith (7.9), Lady Betty, M«los, Yabba (7.7), and Wycombe (7.4). Of the 6st division, with the exception of Centaur (6.12), Pearl Shell (6.10), Bsperance (6.6), who ran second to Carlyon in the Anniversary Handicap, and Snowfoot (6.2), there is nothing worth mentioning. The Cup will be. run on Wednesday, April 24, and the following dozen should furnish the winner: Lochiel, Carbine, Carlyon, Cardigan, Manton, Recall, The Queen, Honeydew, Lons'dale, Theorist, Pearl Shell, or Esperance. NOTES IN BRIEF. Nothing but 'ome visits is the talk about this 'ere time of the year. Davies, the Tasmanian cricketer, intends doing the grand at the Paris Exhibition, and may look up some of the sur- j vivors of the good ship Duke of Argyle. Teddy West and Charlie Westbrook, two well-known and highly respected .cash bookmakers, shortly take a trip across the briny, and of course won't forget the "old boys" in Petticoat lane and Whitechapel. On the departure of these gentlemen from Australia the committee of the Benevolent Asylum will do their best to provide food and shelter for two backers of horses who have at last gone "stone broke." In the press, and shortly to be published, " Bookmakers and Their Victims," by Onb on 'hbm. The forthcoming Victorian coursing season should prove the most interesting ever known in this country. Nominations for the Moonee Valley Coursing Cup .to be run on the 30th and 31st May and the 3rd and 4th June, for 128 dogs of all ages, must be made to Mr A. H. Cox, hon. secretary, before 4 p.m. on Thursday, 4th April. The winner will receive £600 ; ruanerup,£2oo; two dogs, £50 each; four dogs, £24 each; and eight. dog, £10. each. The Moonee Valley Plumpton season of 1889 will comprise an Australian Champioa Stakes, the winner to receive £1000, and the runner-up £340 ; Derby and Oaks, Goodwood Cup, and Ladies' Bracelet. Nominations for the Champion Stakes to be made on the 6th June. A bowling tournament, Victoria versus The World, has been arranged to take place on Saterday, 6th April, on the Victorian green, Messrs Knight, May, * Burrell, Birrell, Needham, Munroe, Hunter* Meakin Cockram, Martin, Clarke, Cuddon/Howieson, Lentill, Fisher, Stewart, Holyer, Hodgkiss, Nelson, Lewis, Adamson, Parves, Fretwell, .Henry, Outran, Marsh, Bowers, Brown, Newman, Worthinglon, P. Tyrer, and Grayson will represent The World; and Messrs Cohen, Nation, Reity, Lewis, Fritsch, Farmer, A. Aitken, Birtwistle, junr., Waugh, Baker, M'Donald, Hughes, Crooke, Hardham, A. T. Clarke, Collett, Flood, Borrodale, Rennie, Mitchell, R. K. Montgomerie, Tribe, Rogers, Hansen, Williams, Dean, Mum, Prohasky, Haslam, Prout," Baxter, and Jessup, will do battle for Victoria. A lively interest is being taken among bowling men in this match, and a large attendance may be expected- Most of the players are well-known to New Zealand bowlers. Judging from the large attendance on the South- Melbourne cricket ground on Saturday last, the game of cricket, at its lowest ebb, is about to revive again. The fifth days' match for the Metropolitan Challenge Cup between i Melbourne and South Melbourne was brought within 84 runs of its completion on Saturday. My last letter conveyed the intelligence that ' South Melbourne had scored 488 runs in their first innings, and that Melbourne having scored only 268 had to follow on, and at the end of the day's play had put together 101 tuds for the loss of two wickets, the not out men being M'llwraith (46) and Swift (57). When the game resumed M'llwraith put on the timber, assisted by Swift, who added to their previous scores 86 and 54 rnns before retiring to the pavilion. With the exception of Bruce (44) and Rosa (19) the rest of the team failed to contribute more than 25 runs against 24 sundries. At present the game looks a gift to South Melbourne, having only 84 runs $o win, But yon never can tell.

, The football clubs have issued their programmes for the season of 1889. Several matches will be played neit Jmonth, but the ' football premiership will not commence until the 4th May. On that day the following clubs ' meet:— South Melbourne V. , Richmond, Mcl- ; bourne v. Footscray,' Carlton v. Port Melbourne, 1 Geelong v. St. If ''lda, Essendon v. Williamstown, 1 and Fitzroy v. North Melbourne. Altogether | from the 4th May up to the 28th September j there will be 136 matches played, among them contests with New South Wales, New Zealand ' (Maoris), South Australia, and Tasmania. 1 Mr Dan O'Brien leaves by the boat this after- . noon for home. He has left his newly-purchased \ colt in the hands of Ike Foulsham. He speaks : well of Manton, who he tells me will in all pro- ' bability start a good favourite for the Sydney I Cup.