TALKOFTHE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1906, 21 August 1890, Page 24

TALK OFTHE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA.

*** Seven or eight months ago I mentioned that Mr S, Mercer had threatened to sue Ohristohurch Tattersall's in the Supreme Court for declaring him a defaulter, and procuring his ejectment from the Forbury at the Exhibition meeting. The trouble ia now settled. Since Sam's return from England the D. J.O. baa removed the ban, and given him the freedom of the course again, and last week he received intimation through Messrs Fraser and Stilling that Tattersall's bad annulled the dis qualification. The ground on which objection was taken to Tatteraall's disqualification was that that body had no authority over any but its own memberß. I may add that Mercer ia building n new bouse and Bix loose boxes close to the racecourse, and intends to make another start aa a publio trainer. * # * The first and most important batch of statistics for the racing season ending with the 31st of July last appear in this week's number, and I take the opportunity of returning my sincere thanks to those secretaries and other gentlemen who have responded to my request for neoessary information. Concerning Table I, I may mention that the figureß include all meetings of which I have information save three or four of the very smallest, somewhat of the picnic order, presumably, such as Broadfield in Canterbury and Whitford Park in Auokland. It will be seen that the total is given as 265, as against 268 for the previous season. The falling-off in number is, I think, Blightly groater than these figures md icate, for I am tolerably Bure that theae latest statistics include every meeting worthy of the name, whereas in making up the figures for 1888 89 there were, I am disposed to tbiDk, a few meetings about the North of Auckland of which no mention was made in such prints as find their way to these parts of the colony. I was, indeed, unaware a year ago that thore wero so many little meetings in the Auckland province, but have takep speoial painß^ this year to get word concerning them. This explanation will partly account for the fact that this time 62 Auckland meetings aro set down as against 48 for the previous season. Ofcngo haß 54 meetings aa against 56 for 1888 89, and Canterbury shows a reduction of 13 in the later returns, this being chiefly attributable to the lessening of the number of suburban fixtures in the neighbourhood of Ohristchurch. Wellington and Hawke's Bay each Bhows a loss of two meetings, and the minor districts are somewhere about where they were a year ago. As to the amounts of added money, the order of the districts remains the same as a year ago, with tbe very important difference that Otago leaps up from third into first place, this being due to two causes : (1) tho reduction in number of the Christchurch suburban meetings, and (2) the increases of stakes given by tho D.J.C. There is a total increase in added money, a<3 compared with 1888 89, of £9132. Undor this heading Auckland's improved position is partly chargeable to the forward move made by the CK&borne Club, which now rank* wall up among the aocond-rate clubs. V Table II shows the number of meetings promoted by each of the prinoipal clubs and the amount of added money given by each. Here, as might be expeoted, we find the Dunedin Club an 6asy first, thanks to her Erhibition meeting. For the season of 1888-89 tho D J.C. was £1465 behind the O.J.C.^ia that rospeot, but the figures for 1880-90 Bhow an advance by the one club and a retirement by the other, leaving the D.J.O. ahead by no lees » eutn than £4845. Thia difference id of

oonrse dne to extraordinary ciroumatances, and will not be maintained. The Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Napier Park, South Canterbury, Egmonfc, Greymouth, Reefton, and Watjganui Clubs have all made a move ahead in the year's interval, but Wellington shows a decline, and so does Takapuna, while Heathcoto and Lancaster Park have dropped out of the four figure division altogether, and the Canterbury Trotting Club has come down from £930 to £560. On the whole, there are for the 1889-90 season 49 clubs each of whioh has given £400 and over in added money, as against 39 for the previous season. Of that 49, Canterbury provincial district olaimß 9, Wellington, Auckland and Otago 8 each, Hawke's Bay 6, Westland 4, Taranaki and Nelson eaoh 2. and Marlborough 1. ♦„♦ A statement of the trotting records for tbe past season, as published in the Canterbury Times, appears in another column. It will be observed that the best record at two miles was made by Orion, who did the distance in 8.32, while Annoaux dOr and Princess aro a tie at 533. These three performances are well ahead of last season's best, which, according to tbe same authority, was Anneaux dOrs 5 36£. At the three-mile distance there iR this year- a marked falling away, the best boing Gipßy's 8.25. In the previous season there were four performances ahead of this— viz , Fidget 8.9|, Shamrock 8.19, Moonlight 8.23, and Wait-awhile 8,24; and during tbe 1887*88 season, Victor, Maniac, and Maid of Munster were all ahead of Gipsy's record now referred to. A new record now appears in Princess' 2,88$ for a mile. Only Beven performances are P"t down at that distance ; but the tendency is to shorten these trotting races, and sometime inside of the next 20 years we shall Bee as many milo races as races at all other distances. %* John Porter has been having his say on the 6ubjeot of turf reform. Ho takes up the practical side of the question, and is entitled to be heard. Having, he says, got the best blood in the world, the question ia how to produce the best class of animal for racing purposes. Is early foaling conduoive to this ? I maintain not, for tbe following amongst other reasons The three worst months in the whole year in whioh foals oat) be born are January, February, and March, and those that are born in these months have to contend with the very worst weather whioh we experience during the whole course of the year in this country. The mares and foals must be housed, and oan only be turned out during rare intervals of sunshine ; then the foal naturally gallops about, gets very hot, afterwards stands shivering by its mother's side, gets a chill, and bowb the Beads of roaring and other diseases, from which it afterwards suffers through life. Again, during these three months tbe mares must be fed on dry food, with a linseed mash and a few carrots occasionally for a change, I question whether this feeding en admit of the mare nourishing her foal as she aould when feeding upon the young uatural grasses to be obtained in April and May. I believe that early foaling will not be found amongst horses running wild and in their natural state, and in an attempt to breed good early foals we are fighting against Nature, and getting the worst of it. In the whole of my experience, extending now over a period of 57 years, I do not think I have ever known a May foal a roarer. ***" Further, far too much encouragement is given to two-year-old raoing by adding such large sums of money. It would be much better if these sums were given to older hoises, and for laces of greater length than five and Biz fcrlonga. I do not suggest that such races should be done away with altogether, but that they should not be encouraged as at present,' I am bonvinced that horses would last quite as long on the turf running racns from one up to two miles as they do now, continually running five furlongs. lam quite sure if we had later foals, lees 'two-year-old racing, and longer races, ■we should have better horses, better trainers, and better jookeye. %* There is an important budget of English racing by the last mail. Condensed reports of the chief events are printed in this issue. At Sandown Park June meeting the most valuable prize was the Eleotrio Stakes, from whioh Signorina frightened away all exoept Laotantius, Lightfoot, Grand Prior, and Heckberry. Odds of 9to 4 were at the start laid on Signorina, but the plungers paid dearly for their temerity, as the daughter of St. Simon suffered a head defeat from tho much improved Laotantius. And on the following day there was another boil over, the Lady Charlie filly, who started at 20 to 1, beating the favourite. ♦ + * At Ascot Surefoot was made first favourite for tbe Prince of Wales' Stakes, but he ran roguishly, and like anon stayer, and was actualfy beaten out of a place. Commenting on this performance, one writer says : — Surefoot was adorned with blinkers, and. though he did not savage any of the other competitors, he ran ungenerously after flattoriog his backers half a mile from the finish. He can have no obanoe for the St. Leger, and his owner was most fortunate in not bainpr accommodated with the bet of 3 to 1 to a monkey, whioh be asked for about the Doncaster races. It will be seen that Lord Lome, winner of the Ascot Stakes, started first favourite, thus, giving punters a required turn of fortune, though they must have been glad when he got home safely from the outsider Harfleur. Tyrant had only four to beat in the race for the Gold Vase, Prior to this event the Prince of Wales purchased from Mr Noel Fenwiok the chestnut filly by Bend Or out of Labyrinth for £2500, and she started first favourite, but could only finish third, Tyrant winning easily, and L'Abbesae do Jouarra obtaining second honours. There were 13 starters for the High-weight Plate, one mile and a-quarter, araoni? thorn Lady Betty (8.10), who was ridden by Robinson into third place, behind Guisoard (7.5) and Mirror (8 12), after starting at 20 to 1. In this race Kingspear trod on Lady Betty's heels and fell, dislocating his rider's knee. Two Australians started in the Hunt Cvp — viz,,Ringmaßter (7 13) and Lady Betty (7.3), but neither bad any say in the finish, tho race being wou by the first favourite. Sir James Miller was doubly represented in the Hardwioke Stakes, Sainfoin being acoompanied to the post by Hayraddin, who was purchased for the purpose of making the running for the Derby winner. As will be seen, Amphion won the race in a canter, in 2min 38 3 53ec. The value of the race was in £2524 111.0 1. Last year Mr Rose'B Gulliver won 2min 42 2 s^ec, when the race was worth £2404, and in 1888 Mr R C. Vyner'B Minting occupied 3min 7 2 s=ec, and the stakes amounted to £2570. In 1887 the Duke of Westminster's Ormonde took 2min 44 2 53ec, and tho value wa9 £2395 103, while in 1886 the same colt was successful in 2nain 43aec, and secured for his owner £2438. During the four days 28 raoes were decided, for which the runners numbered 212. There were 214 in 1889. and the value of tho stakes amounted to £26,147, but for the present year there was an increase of nearly £2000 upon that Bum, the amount for division between the a different winning owners being £28,004 without taking into aocount the money received as aeoond and third prizos. Prince Soltykoff, with Gold and Mephisto, won three races worth together £2315, and Mr J. H. Houldsworth's two races with Alloway and. Otvieto amounted to 434029,

%♦ A condensed report of the race for the Grand Prize of Paris, the chief event of the French turf, appears in this issue. There were 12 starters, or one less than laßt year, and, as was the caae then, an outsider won, Fitz Roya's starting price being 20 to 1. This colt is by the English sire Atlantic (winner of the Two Thousand Guineas in 1874) out of Perplexite, by Perplexe from a daughter of King Tom and Mincemeat, by Sweetmeat j Perplexe being by Vermouth out of Peripetie, by Sting. Fitz Roya had previously finished third to Heaume and Mirabeau in the French Derby. A roport of the race for the Grand Prize saya that; until half a mile from home the oompeti- j tora were well together, but Boon after this it was seen that the favourite was in difficulties, and, in company with Alioanta, Le Nord dropped baok beaten. Oddfellow then flattered his supporters, but was closely attended by Fitz-Hampton, Mirabeau, Le Glorieux, and Fitz Roya to the distance, and to the five named tbe raoe was now confined. Fitz-Roya then challenged Fita-Hampton and Oddfellow, and getting the better of the pair, secured the verdict by a length and a-half, with Oddfellow beaten a length for third money. Some enthusiasm waß displayed when the winner's number went up, although of course the victory of either of the favourites would have been better received. %♦ The backing of Jet d'Bau for the New Zealand Oup, though no doubt a genuine commission proceeding from the stable, has never from the first been regarded by tbe general sporting public as conclusive proof tnat the son of Waterwitch will be the best of Mr Gollan'a lot on the day ; and no one would be surprised to see this favourite deposed before the flag falls. What will come about during the two months aud more between this and Oup Day is more than even the owner can foretell, but it may be worth mentioning that Tirailleur is wintering well, and that some of those who ought to know affect to think that this horse will after all oarry the confidence of the stable in the big handicap. This report is, 1 fancy, more significant than mere idla hearsay. If Tirailleur does prove to be the best of the team he will be very hard to beat. %* More record-breaking from America, but as it ia filtered to us as yet through cablegrams to England, a source that is not absolutely reliable, it may be as well to wait for confirmation before making freßh entries in our memorandum books. The news I refer to is to the effect that the six-furlong record of I.IOJ, established by Fidea so recently as May of this year in the Toboggan Slide Handicap, at New York, has been beaten by Scott's Bolero, a eon of Rayon dOr, who got to the end of the Zephyr Stakes, run, I think, at Ooney Island, in the wonderful time of 1.10. We are also informed bhat Salvator, winner of the Suburban Handicap, has snipped lssec off the world's mile and a- quarter by beating Tenny at Sheepshead Bay in 2,5, tbe previous best time at the distance being Kingston's 2 6A. In the race won by Salvator he is said to have done the mile in 1.89|, a tie with Ten Broeck's great performance against time made so long ago as 1877- *<* Judge Moleflworth was the only opponent to the motion tabled at the V.R.O. meeting in favour of introducing the totaliaator. MrJ. Gavan Duffy, M.L.A., replied to the judge in a smart speech, which is worth reproducing. He hoped Judge Molesworth was not opposing tbe totalieator from interested motives. It might be that its introduction would leßßen the number of insolvents, and the business of hia court would fall away. — (Laughter.) Now, the totalisator had many advantages over the ordinary bookmaker, for it did not get drunk, it did not wear a flaming blue tie, or sport dazzling diamonds. It could not swear, and it must pay its debts.—(Renewed laughter,) Judge Molesworth notwithstanding, the public like to have their debtß paid. - (Laughter,) He must confess that when he went to the races he spent a pound or two, and if he lost he was sorry. If he won and was not paid he waß Btill more Borry.— (Laughter.) There should be no humbug or hypocmy over a question of this kind. It was well known that there was a large amount of gambling on every racecourse, and it was as well that it should proceed under such satisfactory conditions as were obtained by the use of the total iaator. %* An old fable is humorously alluded to by " Pendrazon " in a recent number of bis paper. - That flying Ohildera ran a mile in a minute, he says, we know from written and printed authority— at least, we ought to know, beoause there it is in black and white. I used to believe the fairy tale, as did pretty nearly everyone else of my acquaintance interested in horse-racing. No doubt the majority of people nowadays sit down quietly under this fearful whopper, and wonder whether in these degenerate days such a prodigy will be produced in Europe, Asia, Africa, Amerioa, Australia, or Polynesia as this Flying Obilders, who ran a mile a minute, 60 miles per hour, or faster. If you allow that he probably tired a little in the second half, he muat have been equal to, say, 28seo for 880 yds. Ten years ago I bad more leisure than is left me now, and, being of rather an inquiring sort of mind, humoured a fancy I bad for following up this Lying Childers yarn. I found it was not put forth altogether as a set statement that he did absolutely run 1760 yds in 60880, but was a kind of corollary appended to a return of his time in covering the Round Oourse at Newmarket, a traok with which very few sportsmen are acquainted, jaß it lies on the far side of the ! Ditch, and is not in view from the stand. Next I ferreted out my George Tattersall's book on courses and old Racing Calendars. I took the measurements given there, and made a little rule of three Bum of the full time, the full distance, a mile and our dear old friend se. %♦ The wily co, being discovered, was not j at all like the ohronioler'B. It showed that if Flying Ohildera in racing on the Round Oourse did do one mile in* a minute he must have gone the rest of the distance at a very slow rate indeed. Look at tbe real figures as near as you can get at them, and recollect that all the while Flying Ohilders is only said to have run the Round Oourse iB 6min 40eeo, oarrying 9.2. This track is given as 3m 6fu 93yds, 3m 4fu 93yds, and 3m 4fu 187 yds. Mr George Tattersall says 3m 4fu 187 yds, but tbat waß in 1840. Assuming that Ohilders did go the 3m 6fu 93yds, or a quarter of a mile further than I believe he did, in 6min 40seo, where is your 82$ ft per second, or a mile a minute ? The distance in 6min 40sec does not represent 82£ ft per Becond, and if it did you do not get a mile per minute, It gives 50ft and . a fraction per second, and about 1005 yds per minute instead of 1760yde. If you carry out Ihe calculation you get lmin 45aeo and a fraction for the mile instead of lmin, and I do not believe a word of the lmin 45seo. Taking Tattereall's measurement, tbe time is lmin 50sec— which I do not believe either, widely as it exceeds the fancy 60soo. ■%♦ Ifc is understood that the Lake County Jockey Olub has deoided not to hold a Spring meeting this year. Thie. tesolve, however, may not, I am glad to say, be taken as a oign of lapsing vitality, for as a matter of fact the olub is prepared to launch out into new expenditure, a Qaeenßtown Derby to be run for at the January meeting being already announced. This is to be a sweepstake of 3sovs eaoh for

starters, with 50sovs added by the clnb t and it is open to three-year-olds foaled in Lake, Vincent, Maniototo, Southland, and Wallaoe counties. The radius being thuß made pretty wide, there is reason to expeot that the race will be something better than a soft thing for the winner of tho Cromwell Derby, and it saya something for the sportsman-like character of the proposal that there is no provision for a penalty to be carried by the hero of Cromwell. He may go there and perhaps be licked by a fresh horse ; and if he Bbould win they won t begrudge him the stake. Among Dunedin sports who oan afford a trip to the lakes in January the Queenstown Olub is held up as a pattern and has the name of doing everything royally. *«* The Geraldine Olub has moderately good entries for the minor events at the Spring meeting, but the chief races have not filled at all well, there being but four nominations for the Oup, and tl^e striotly inferior in regard to olasa, although there is a Oup horse among them, while the jumping raoes promise to be oontested by very small fields. The South Canterbury Club's invitation has been responded to with a little more spirit, but the nominations are not so good aa the club had a right to ezpeot. The faot is that all these country clubs, and the town onea too, must feel more or less the effects of the wholesale exportation tbat have recently taken place. The lists of entries at both these meetings appear in another column. %* The entries for the Otago Hunt Olub meeting are entirely satisfactory, representatives being engaged from the North and South to swell the limited number of locally trained horseß available. And in point of numbers the record is a good one, being on the whole 20 ahead of last year's lot, as appears by the fallowing figures :—

I fear, however, that some of the horses entered can have no possible show, having been only just taken up— Milord, Apres Moi, and Windsor are oases in point ; while at least two otherß, Waitangi and Sir Julius, are booked "to arrive," as the importers say, being away from the oountry at the tifte of nomination. With such an early meeting, however, we must be satisfied to take the entries aB we find them. There is this oonsolation for the unfit horses: that not one in half a dozen of the others will be properly ready to race at the meeting. The handicaps aB prepared by Mr Dowse came out yesterday, and will be referred to next week. %* Three months ago everybody was saying to everybody elee that it was dashed hard luck for the Hon. J. White to have to pit his colta against such a particularly good lot of three-year-oldß, the inferenoe being that in an ordinary year Kirkhara would have had a show, whioh was out of the question when auoh oraoka aB Le Nord and Surefoot were about. To-day all that sort of talk its changed. In the Hardwicke Stakes, run at Ascot over the Derby distanoe, Amphion gave away 181b to the Derby winner, and simply played with him and the great Surefoot ; and one of the leading soribes thus describes the situation: After what >c have [seen of Amphion in 1890, we cannot believe that he may be an instanoe of an unexpectedly developed stayer, and the obviouß conclusion is that thiß brilliant miler was able to beat the Derby horses at a mile and a-half beoause they are bad. In f aot, you can safely put all the threes down on the old rule as poor beoause they beat eaob other, *t* The Racing Conference has had its session. The delegates pegged into the work, and got it all through, or aB much of it was presented. to their notice, in three days, So far as oan be gathered from the summary of the proceedings Bent through by telegram, the two chief subjects of dißonssion were the West Coast metropolitan dispute and the desirability of establishing a New Zealand Jockey Olub. The first of these two matters resulted in Greymouth being declared the metropolitan club for the West Coast— a just and fair decision so far as my judgment serves me, though after reading the report of the proceedings some half dozen times I must confess inability to understand the process by whioh that conclusion was arrived at. If, as stated, all clubs in the Weatland district are to be transferred to the 0.J.0.'b jurisdiction, how the misohief can Greymouth esoape? And, if it does escape, what is left for it to rule over ? However, we may let that pass, It will doubtless become olear enough when the full report is to hand. In regard to the forming of a New Zealand Jockey Olub, the delegates seem to have come to the conclusion that auoh a body is desirable, but that its constitution requires careful working out, and that for that purpose the details are to be submitted to a future meeting. At the outset I for one take strong objection to the proposal that the membership is to be restricted to the metropolitan clubs. Our oountry oousins have a right to have a say in the matter, and if, for instance, Otago is to send up three delegates, one of the three should be returned by the country olubs, which would be a fair thing on the basis of representation according to the amount of added money as shown in this week's tables. lam not quite sure whether this particular proposal is actually agreed to, or whether it forms part of the business to again come up for final settlement j bat in either case I seriously and solemnly urge reconsideration of thiß important matter, **• I am very pleased to be able to announce tbat Jack Poole haß at last won a rsos in Victoria with Waitangi, It was the Steeplechase, of 76sovs, about two miles, run at the Wyndham meeting on the 9th inst. There were 11 starters, including Seoretary 11.3 and Oivis 10.0, the favourite being Dingo (10.6) at 2 tol, while Waitangi (10.10) started at the nice price of 6to 1. Jack Poole of couise rode bis own horse, who was in a good position all the way, He was joined by Dingo half a mile from home, a.nd a fine race ensued, Waitangi eventually winning by a head, Mulwalla a poor third, Oiviß fourth, Secretary fifth. Blister, Happy Jack, and Vashti fell, and Monarch and Strathmore baulked. Time 4min 49seo» %* Continuing my remarks on the most prominent performers during the past Beason, Mr Outts' mare Dudu must come in somewhere in the front rank. I hold a somewhat lower opinion 'of her after >eeing hor ;doubly defeated at Ohristohurohinthe autumn— lower, that is, than the opinion I last formed of her on witnessing her race in the Dunedin Jockey Olub Handicap; but there is no doubt that she iB a good mare, better [by far than some that during the past season beat her in respeot to money won, Dudu began the season by being beaeen out of a place in the New Zealand Oup, in whioh she carried 90 ; then she was last of the three starters in the Canterbury Oup— a defeat, the like of which would have awaited any "other horse that dared to challenge Tirailleur and Scots'.Grey ; and being pulled out for the very next event, the Motro-

politan, Bhe carried 9.2 into third place, beating only Recluse 8.6. It was this threefold defeat that induced the handicapper to give her but 8,10 in the Wellington Oup. For that event she went out favourite at about even money, and was put down by Oynisoa after a great finish. With 41b more to oarry, or 9.2, and a quarter of a 'tnile further to?<?o, Dudn won the Wanganui Oup rather easily from a select field in the respectable time of 3min 9sec, but next day failed to give Hilda 261b in the Wanganui Stakes. The mare's only other raoss were those in Ohristohuroh, being beaten by Merrie England in the Great Autumn, and running unplaced in the Easter Handioap. My present notion about Dudu is that she is unoertain even when apparently at her baßt. %* Whisper has been a very useful and, I may add, well placed mare during the season. She scored a couple of profitable winß in the Stewards' Stakeß and the Metropolitan at the 0 J.O. meeting in November, the second of these two performances being peculiarly oreditable, seeing that with 8.2 up she ran the mile and a half in 2.40, beating British Lion and Dudu, to say nothing of the half fit Reoluse. The Christmas Handicap at Hawke's Bay was a soft tbing for her with 9.0 up ; and with 9.4 she waltzed over a field of moderates in the Free Handicap at Wellington ; while the tale of her victories was completed with the Free Handicap at Hawke's Bay in Maroh, in which she and Antelope, the latter conceding 31b, fought out a great finish. *** Thus, Antelope was seen to -be just about a match for Whisper, though the winning reoord in regard to the number of races won is in favour of the sister to Sultan, She opened her winning aooount by defeating Raglan at weight for age in the Trial Stakes at the Auokland Summer meeting, and at the same fixture with 8,10 up she ran the mile and a quarter of tbe Christmas Handioap in 2min 15aeo, An easy victory over Oynisoa and others in the Flying Handioap at Wanganui hardly prepared her followers for the bad beating she got in the Autumn Handicap, in which she could only gain third plaoe behind Montrose II and Patchwork. At Hawke's Bay Maroh she accounted for the Grand Stand Handioap and the Railway Stakeß, and on going baok to Auckland she ran the mile in the Stewards' Stakes, wHh 8.10 up, in lmin 47seo. So far as we know Antelope she is a really good miler up to about 9.0. Under these conditions Bhe oan hold her own in any company. Over that distance Bhe ia not to be trusted, though one of these days if let in with a very light weight Bhe may open our eyes. * # * Oynisca has more than paid her way, and yet she may be reckoned one of the saddest disappointments of the season, for she won nothing but tbe Oaks, in which she bad nothing wonderful behind her, and the Wellington Oup was only, I have reasen to think, a stroke of luck. That is not a very good record for a mare which a year earlier was good enough to put up penalties and win olasßio races. No doubt she was a very fine filly when she won the D. J.O. Champagne; and I think there is room to hope that she may yet return to tbat form. If she does she will make it warm for the best of them. %♦ St. James is one of the luckiest horses of the season. If Tirailleur had started and Soots Grey had been at his best, this son of Pungawerewere would never have filled second place in the Exhibition Oup, and in a decent field he could not have won a plaoe in the Dunedin Cup, which he ought never to have won even as it waß. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see the Zetland Bpots again to the front, but I do not think St. James is the boy to get them there if called on to meet first- class horses. Hia only win besides the Dunedin Oup was in the Taieri Handicap, when he beat what we must regard as a hack %* Blizzard is a horse that has shown very fair form under a light scale of weights, and he will, I think, yet prove that Gorton can sire a stayer. I may claim to have been one of the first to discover Blizzard's ability to live over a distance. One morning while the horses were training for the Dunedin Cup meeting I saw Blizzard in difficulties at tbe end of a mile with a nine-stone rider up, and next morning, 1 think it was, I Baw the colt go all the way twice round with Don Caesar and Occident, and hold his own without difficulty. That was a hint to me tbat Blizzard might miss the Publicans', for which tbe stable had fancied hu ohanoe, and land one of the larger events under a light weight, and I said as much to a friend of the owner's who was standing by. Blizzard's performance at the meeting verified that prediction, as he was done in the Fubhoans' and won the D. J.O. Handicap in good time. Later, at the May meeting, Blizzard won both the chief eventß, and on going to Victoria he pulled off the Winter Handioap. %* Bar Eaglan, who showed good form m the spring, I do not know that any other of the all-aged contingent of fiat racers demand special notice ; and oonoerning the two-year-olds, the conclusion forced upon me is that Pygmalion and Medallion were streets ahead of all the others. Some folk profeas to believe that the Hawke's Bay representative St. Andrew is as good as either of them, but I shall decline to believe that until it is proved. Of the jumpers, there is one all by himself — little Ahua, a horse that oan race on the flat as well, as was once again proved by bis performance in the Timaru Oup. Ixion is, however, something more than a promising candidate over the little sticks— he has proved his worth, and in Erin-go- Bragh and onG or two others there are indications that the prestige of tbe oolony in this lino will not suffer by the advent of the ooming generation. *„• D. Boase, who went to England with tbe Hon. James White's first batch of Derby candidates, has returned to Melbourne. In an interesting interview with one of the Sportai man's representatives Boase explodes the generally acoepted theory put forward in Aubtralia to account for Kirkham's poor display in the Derby. The impression out here was that Kirkham and Narellan did not get enough work, but Boase states that on tho other hand they were trained to death. Mathew Dawson had it so constantly dinned into his ears by Australians in England that all the Chester horses require a lot of work that he put them through very severe preparations, with the result that Narellan broke down and Kirkham waa stale before the Derby waß run. Narallan, Boase considers, iB irretrievably ruined, while Kirkham sprung his fetlock whilst doinp a gallop after the Derby, and at the time of Boaee's departure they were talking about putting the colt in slings. Kirkham is said by D, Boaae to be a far better horse than he is generally considered in England. If be gets well and is trained on a different principle, Boase considers that be will yet win it big race. The Duke of Portland is anxious to buy him for the purpose of mating him with Mowerina, the dam of Donovan. %* Several New Zealand horses were in the auction list of Yuille and Co, at Melbourne on the 6th inßt. Tmnter, tbe six-year-'nld son of Musket and Pungawarewere, was secured by Mr Glasscock at 650g8," the top price realised at the sale. Nordenfeldt's brother Jacinth, who was a highly priced yearlings found anew owner in Mr Griffiths for 145gs. The gentleman who races under the aseume name of Mr J. B. Clarke bought the New Zealand-bred *

Mona, by Musket from L'Orient, and there- 1 fore brother to Franootte, for 155g8. Tartar, J who was recently Bold for something like 500gs, was knooked_ down for 60ga, the purchaser being Mr Neilor ; and Disowned, a brother to Oudeia, the sire of Midas, was bought by Mr J. O. Ware for 120gs. At the same sale Mr A. Chalk secured Fryingpan for SOOgs; Wellington, who haß sired a large number of winners, fell to the nod of Messrs T. O. and J. Manifold for 200gs ; the highly-bred Albury, by Yattendon from the imported mare Stockdove, dam of The Australian Peer, was purchased by the South Australian atudmaater Mr Hutohinaon for 190gB j Mr S, Gardiner, of Bundoora Park, gave 140gs for Guinea by Fireworks — Rose of Denmark j Mr Elworthy paid 125gs for an unnamed colt by King Tom from Pandora, and consequently full brother to Mernder ; and Warlook.'.a son of Kelpie and Oountess, was sold to Mr Rndd for 90gs. IIC A NUTSHELL. —Mr T. O'Brien is Reoruit's new owner. —Gore races are fixed for the 18th and 19th January. < —I reokon we shall see Trapper ia work again shortly. —The Admiral ia backed for the V.R.O. Derby at 100 to 12. —Sultan will perhaps see a tolerably short price for the Oaulfield Oup. , —The two Titans, Derby and Oup, backed ! at 1000 to 25 in Melbourne. —It is understood that the hurdle-racer Little Arthur is to go to Sydney. — Jaok Poole was expected to leave Melbourne with Waitangi on the 20th inst. — Beenham Houbß yearlings this season, when sold at Ascot, averaged 859&gs each, —A hundred to fi\ c Wolverine for the New Zealand Oup was on offer a few days ago. — Apres Moi has been put in work again by instructions from Jaok Poole, who will Boon be home again. —Sydney Tattersall's has passed a new rule imposing an entrance fee of £250 on all new bookmakers. -Pierre Lorillard, the American sportsman, will henceforth raoe his two-year-olds on straight oonraea only. — The D. J.O. has approved of the Kurow, Taieri, Cromwell Trotting, Palmereton, and Lowburn programmes. —Other olub3 might perhaps find it a wise, step to follow the Napier Park Raoing Olub in appointing honorary surgeons. —Already it is a settled thing in some people's minds that Derrett is to ride Merrie England in the New-Zealand Cup, — Titokowaru was handicapped at 12.2 in the Oaulfield Grand National, four miles, Eaglet being top weight with 12.5, — The Lancaster Park Company made a deficiency of £26 for the year, chiefly owing to a falling off in the receipts for trotting, —In Queensland, during the past season, there were upwards of 150 days' raoing, and more than £3400 was given in stakes. —The großß value of the Melbourne Oup stake is now £11,400, and if 40 horses pay the final instalment it will be worth £13,000. — Mr Gwynne sends the Palmerstori programme for the meeting on October 9. The 15th September is the date of nomination. —Lord Durham haß been presented with a memorial signed by 400 subscribers in recogni- I tion of hia servioes in the cause of turf reform. —The Australian- bred Paladin, an aged horse tbat went to England from India, ran last in the Newoastle Stakes at Newmarket on July 3. —"Nemo" thinks that Papua, Eclipse, Paris, Federation, Prince Consort, and Megaphone are tbe moat likely horses in the Metropolitan. — The season's foalings have begun, Jealousy has a oolt to Fuaileer, Martyr a filly to Apremont, and Puriki a colt (since dead) to Stony hurst. —From New York comes the intelligence that Mr Dwyer's Sir John, by Sir Modred, won the Spendthrift Stakes, one mile and aquarter, in 2min 9 2-saec. —Fabulous and Whimberal are the New Zealand owned acceptors in the Metropolitan. A lark if one of them won, though I should say that Jebusite is more likely. — Surefoot's defeat in the Prince of Waleß Stakes at Ascot seems to Bhow that after all Liddiard waß not bo muoh to blame for the way he rode the colt in the Derby. —The Ashburton Hunt Club's Point-to-point Steeplechase, run last week, was contested by six horses, and was won by Mr Olaridge's Enterprise, ridden by the owner. —A good judge who has lately seen most of the horses in Victoria gives me hia opinion that in a true run race Carbine has not a million to one show in the Melbourne Cup. —According to the Napier Park Racing Club's annual report, improvements and additions to the racecourse buildings and plant during the year have ooßt the olub £484 odd. —Soudan, who has gone into Rex's stable at Flemington, won the Disposal Stakes at Mentone on the sth, starting at an outside price, and waß sold to Mr E. Weekes at £81. . —It is said that a trotter well known at Ohristohurch was last season travelled to the I south and raced under another name. The matter is likely to be inquired into before long. — Waimea Plains Club has. resolved to hold its next meeting at Riversdale, an amendment favouring Mandeville as the site being put and lost. A aub- committee is appointed to select a suitable Bite. —I have to thank Mr Sydney James for a copy of the Dunedin Jockey Olub'B programmes for 1890-91 in book form. The little work is compiled, as usual, in a olear and oomprehenBive manner. —Windsor ia in work again, preparing for another season's raoing. And what a worker he is. Twenty-nine raoes the season bofore last and 22 races last Beason ; and Btill as fresh aa ever. —During the coming season the V.R.O. will give £4000 to hurdle races, £4000 to steeplechases, £23,600 to handicap fiat races, £5800 to weight- for-age races, and £6300 to special weight- for-nge races. — The wall-known English Bportsman Mr J, B. Legh recently refused anofferofl2,oooaovs for a two-year-old colt named The Deemster, whose sire and dam, Arbitrator and Rookery, are, strange to say, dead. —An exohange states that George Foater, a jockey, died in the Ohartera Towera Hospital recently bom cancer in the throat, Hia funeral was attended by 21 jockeys, who appeared in their colours. —The Viotorian rules of racinfir are to be subjeoted to another thorough overhaul, and the V.R.O committee has deputed the task to Messrs D. S. Wallace, S. Miller, W. H. Croker, and Frank Madden. —The death ia announced of Me Stead's horse Sextant, who held tbe four-furlong record for the colony. At hia best this horse was a first-olasser, but he never was at hia bent after his two-year-old season. — Mr C. J. Penfold, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, who left for Melbourne on Tue^day, was presented with a silver loving cup and silver inkstand, of the value of 40gs, by the members of the Canterbury Jockey Club. —The Duke of Portland's Donovan is to find

a new home at' Mat Dawaon'a stud farm at Heath House, where stand already Ayrshire, St. Gatien, and other famous sires. During 1888 and 1889 Donovan won £55,154 10a ia Btakeß. — " Augur " remarks tbat New Zealand has provided Viotoria with a orowd of tbe " cleverest " raoing men that ever congregated together in any one country, " for at turf finesse they oan give most of our artists points." '-"Sterling" says tbat Pygmalion maybe Bafelj[ ranked with our best three-year-olds. If this horae is not a raoehorse of very bigh claas I am a very poor judge, as I fancy he is the best son of Apremont we have yet seen in Viotoria. —The death ia announced of Mr W. J. Dangar, of Neotsfield, N.S.W.,a noted breeder* from whose place have emerged auoh performers as Cardigan, Bonnie Speo, and Lookeley. In 1884 he won the V.R.O. Oaks with Venetia, — Alf Josephs says tbat many bookmakers in England do not open their, books till a quarter of an hour before a big raoe being run, and the oourse betting is on Buoh a gigantio soale that a ■ penoiller oan get round on a £60,000 book in a quarter of an hour, —The Great Eclipse Stakes, three-quarters of a mile, run in tbe States in June, was won by Sallie M'Olelland, daughter of Hindoo, ridden by Anderson. Morris Rubbsll finished seoond. The race was run in lmin 14aec. Value of the stakes, 24,385d01. —Lady Betty, by St. Albans— Pardon, carried 8.1 and won the Elleßmere Stakeß at the Newmarket July meeting, beating the Prince of Wales' Golden Maze (3yrs, 6,4) and Hellifield (3yrs, 6,7). The betting was 9to 2 on tbe royal oolt and 6 to 1 against Lady Betty. —Writing of a visit to Tothill's Btables at Morphetville (Adelaide), " Trumpator " says : " Lady Rose, by Mußk Rose from Occident's dam, has those loqg drooping quarters which generally denote a galloper, but she does not look as forward as some of the other youngsters," — Accounts in bankruptcy filed in London in the estate of Mr Ernest Benzon show liabilities £38,688, of which £19,688 are unsecured; and assets £13,520. Of the latter sum £13,726 is put down aa a good book debt, The deficiency is mainly accountable for by losses on betting transactions (£5000). — At the Greymouth Club'a annual meeting the balance sheet showed that the receipts during the year amounted to £3635 Is 4d, inoludiog a loan of £1200 for the purpoue of. building the new stand, The sum of £1092 •had been paid in stakes, £1502 5a in improvements to the oourse and stand, and £276 2s lOd to loan acoount as sinking fund and interest. — The Referee reports the death of Miss Flat (by Petec Fiat — Mountain Nympb). She waa foaled in 1865, and on retiring from raoing after a moderately successful career beoame the dam of Becky Sharp, Yaldhurst, Hilda, Welcome Jack, Take Miss, Winchester, Ohantilly, Miss Luoy, and Moraine— names the brightest of which will keep the mare's memory green for ever. —Canterbury Times is assured by the secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club' that the report that several acceptances for the New Zealand Oup were received after the. advertised time is without the slightest foundation. While tbe secretary was about it he might have given a similar assurance in regard to the Welcome Stakes, the race concerning which the question was raised. —Some writers say that Morion by winning the Royal Hunt Oup has fairly established his olaim to be the best three-year-old of the year —on publio form. Tbe stable estimate, however, is that Oddfellow is in front of Lord Hartington'a oolt, and if this is really true, the French form must be considerably in advance of the English, as Oddfellow could only finish third for the Grand Prize. —Latest Australian papers (of the 13th) report that Oarbine has hardened for the Melbourne Oup, and 100 to 7 is now wanted about the top weight. Cuirassier is firm at 100 to 6, and Melos has received support at 100 to 5. Other quotations are ;— IOO to 4 Titan and Prinoe Consort, 100 to 3 Dreadnought and Singapore. By cable on Wednesday we were told that Oarbine had advanced to 100 to 8, , and Cuirassier to 100 to 7- ' —The Sportsman tells us that in 1870 V) alter Hiokenbotham took part in one of the longest races ever run in Australia, that from Dubbo to Orange, the distance being 100 miles. He rode Barmaid and Roger David was on The Colonel. The latter won, the journey being carved out in 10 hours and a-half. The match was for £100 a-side, 9 0 apiece, and neither jockey was to dismount during the time of running. The mare caved in after 87, miles bad been covered owing to want of condition. . — Wakatipu Mail says that at the Lake County general meeting some conversation took plaoe with regard to tbe arbitrary nature of the present racing rules, as to the large amounts to be run for at meetings, and it waa stated that last year tbe Cromwell Olnb lost £128 through holding two race meetings. A suggestion was made that the difficulty might be partially overcome by one of the meetings being held on the Frankton oourse by the Arrow Jockey Olub. The Bubjeot then dropped. —At the annual sale of the Hampton Court yearlings the average for the 20 lots was 714£gs; and a consignment of 16 yearlings from the Yardley stud brought a total of 5305g5, or an average of 353§gs eacb. Tbe Sydney sportßman Mr D. Cooper secured the brother to The Rejected, a well-grown colt by King of Trumps out of Acoepted, for 1500gs ; and three lots fetohed 3000ga each, these being a colt by Barcaldine from Junket, a sister to Heresy jby Hermit from Paget'a dam), and a filly by Sterling out of Cherry Duchess. —Combating Judge Molesworth'a argument tbat men, women, and even little boys would become fasoinated with the totaliHator, "Asmodeus " suya :— " The prevailing facilities for 'women and litfcle boya' entrusting their money on horae racing are infinitely greater than would be tne case with tbe totalisator. Oa the flat at Flemington women and little boya can be accommodated with wagers from Is and upwards, while on the bill investments of 2s 6d and 53 are not uncommon ; bo that on the score of ' faaoination,' aa Judge Molesworth putß it, this form and degree of betting is much more likely to allure both tbe feminine and youthful gambling embryo than in tbe case of the totaliaator."

teneington „. 'hree Mile Trofc ... ?ally-Ho Ihorta ... ?ony Handioap ... lurdlea... ... telegraph luiit Olub Haadloap ?wo Mile Trofc Velter ... IBOH. ... 11 ... 20 ... 11 ... 15 ... 20 ... 11 ... 12 ... 15 ... 33 ... 13 16 27 12 24 12 11 19 13 32 21 167 187