SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 31

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

By Hori Poene.

Melbourne, February 3. THE TURF.

The defection of 35 from the Newmarket Handicap and 26 from the Australian Cup Btill leaves 73 in the six-furloug dash and 36 in the two miles and a-quarter event. The notable absentee from the list of acceptors for the Newmarket Handicap is, of course, Loyalty, about whom I had heard the best of accounts direct from Randwick, and accounts which tended to prove that the sprint event was likely to be his mission. The Admiral is certainly the bright particular star out of the Australian Cup, albeit one misses the names of Camoola, Cullodeu, Sainfoin, Pounamu, and Nightingale— to say nothing at all about Merganser, Stepniak, Eureka, Havoc, and Gaillardia — amongst the list of acceptors. Culloden and Pounamu are no doubt giving way to Sternchaser, Bessie Macarthy, and The Possible, and as the former has been giving us a taste of his quality of late at Sandown Park and Epsom, public attention has been very forcibly directed to the fact that the five-year-old son of Nordenfeldt and Crinoline is very Dicely handicapped in the Australian Cup at 8 9 — very nicely indeed. I wasn't very mucU <otprised to discover The Admiral an absentc r be has been gettißg rather light on his trame -,i

late ; and as Sam Cook has got a pretty fair substitution" in The Sailor Prince, there was no urgent necessity to persevere with The Admiral. Whilst scratching Camoola and Pulvil, Mr J. B. Clark has left Donation in the .Australian Cup, and as he has already arrived in Victoria there can be little doubt about business being meant with the speedy son of MartiniHenry aud Charity, who is nob overburdened with weight at 7. 13. AloDg with Donation the Hon. W. A. Long's team — Marvel, Shamrock, Gloria, Girard, Rose Noble, Patroness, Burton, and Salutation — have also put in an appearance, so that the work on the training tracks iB bound to get interesting forthwith.

For winning the Challenge Stakeß at the Sydney Turf Club meeting last week Mr F. F. Dakin has penalised Gloria 51b, bringing her weight for the Newmarket Handicap up to 8.3. Now Gloria only defeated Cannon (who was coming great guns at the finish) by half a length in the Challenge Stakes, carrying 7.8 to his 7.4-. In the original handicap for the Newmarket Mr Dakin apportioned Gloria 7.12, Cannon 7.4. But the advance of another 51b on Gloria certainly makes Cannon's show particularly rosy. Some people will persist in maintaining that Sternchaser has a second to none chance in the Newmarket Handicap, wherein he has been allotted 9.2. Last Tuesday, carrying 9.12 in the Mordialloc Handicap, of one mile, he started an even money favourite, jumped off with the lead, made the running all the way, and won by two lengths from Driffield 8.7, Porteea 10.4, and three others, in lmin 46£ sec. So that it is quite on the cards that the " some people" before-mentioned are a bit wiser in their generation than the general run of racing folk, who consider Sternchaser to be a very slow beginner.

It has got bruited around of late that the Messrs Miller have got hold of a veritable "flier" in Wilton, a fine upstanding gelding by Lord Wilton from Brown Gipsy (by Panic). He is a four-year-old, with only 6.12 on his back in the Newmarket Handicap, and his solitary winning performance was achieved (as a three-year-old) at Maribyrnong, where he won the Maribyrnong Maiden Plate, of five furlongs and a-quarber, carrying 7.7, in lmin 6£sec. He has been fairly well supported at long odds.

Albeit as far as legitimate straight-out betting is concerned, there has been very little transpired. On Wednesday the "reading of the card " was proceeded with at the Victorian Club, but the majority of the members of the senior association appeared to be dead against the Ry a tern, and not a single wager was made. At Bowes's Tattersall's, however, every effort was made to push business, and under the able guidance of Mr S. Grimwood (who acted as chairman) several fair linos were executed, 500 to 20 being accepted about Foituuatus aud 300 to 12 Lord Hopetoun. Tempting offers of 200 to 2 and 200 to 3 about Labour in Vain were accepted with avidity, and as both sides were willing to go on some £3000 was got on at those figures. After this 500 to 20 was laid twice over about Parramatta, whilst £1500 was secured about Repudiation at 100 to 2. The same odds were offered against Hova, but as soon as one "century "had been secured his price hardened immediately. The Dauphine had a friend who accepted 1000 to 20 about her chance, 500 to 10 being laid against Baby, and 200 to 2 Barefoot. An offer of 100 to 1 against Wilton quidkly found an acceptor, who afterwards took 200 to 4, and expressed his willingness to still do business at the last-named quotation; but "dread silence reigned around." The "fancy wager" was likewise in evidence, £1000 to a fiver being laid against Tyras. The Australian Cup was a dead letter, Carnage being the nominal favourite at 100 to 12, with Sternchaser next at 100 to 10.

On Thursday again the card was read over at the Victorian Club, but the only wager of importance was one of 1000 to 30 against Wakawatea, which was quite sufficient to advance him a point. The following were the odds on offer at the close of proceedings :—: — Newmarket Handicap. 100 to 4 agst Parramatta, Fortunatus, Shamrock, Lord Hopetoun, Wakawatea, Cannon, and Sternchaser. 100 to 3 agst Marvel, Hero, Repudiation, Donizetti, Hova, The Dauphine, Lily, Wilton, Bruin, Selim, Chand Bee Bee, Bung Bung, Sainfoin, Alpine, Grand Brig, and Gloria. 100 to 2 agst Titan, Jeweller, Ascotvale, Milkmaid, Defiance, War Dance, and Warfare. Australian Cup. 100 to 12 agst Carnage 100 — 10 Sternchaser 100— 8 Loyalty 100— 8 Portsea 100— 8 Patron 100— 8 Elswick. A two-days' meeting commenced at Geelong yesterday, and, as usual, the attendance of sportsmen from the metropolis quite outnumbered that from the Port itselt. Tellns pulled off the Trial Stakes, of one mile, from Ruth, Votress, and two others, in moderate time, though had it not been for Ruth getting bumped in the last furlong the son of Pell Mell and Evening Star would undoubtedly have had to play second fiddle. Ruth is a three-year-old (by Boolka from Rachel) in the Messrs Miller's stable, and is evidently possessed of plenty of pace. Her dam Rachel is by Patriarch from Nameless (by Pamo), and is also the dam of E.K. Walter Hickenbotham likewise had a throw-in over the Geelong Sires' Produce Stakes, in which Eiridsforde started at 5 to 1 in a field of five. The pac9 was wretchedly slow, and on Preston joining Eirid&forde at the home turn the grey colt shot away from the 7 to 4 favourite, and won by a length, Rink fiuishing two lengths behind Prestou. Time, lmin 34sec. After his two consecutive victories, the punters swooped on to Walter's colt Comedian for the next event, the Geelong Cup, of a mile and a-half, for which seven started, Comedian's price being 3to 1. The local brigade supported a neddy named The Clown, however, on whom Chris Moore had the mount, and as the 9.0 burden on Comedian effectually settled him at a mile, The Clown experienced no difficulty in landing the 7's to 2 for his backers by a length from Cressy 8.2, a head behind whom came Ayah 6.10. Time, 2min 45sec. The Clown is a five-year-old gelding by Off Colour from Equestrienne (sister to Ringmaster), and carried his 8.5 like a tradesman. The St. Albans Handicap proved a good thing for Mr W. R. Wilson's Pathia (a four-year-old daughter of Grandmaster and Crystal), who carried 7.8 and defeated Taupo 7.8, Lady Crusoe 7.0, and seven others, covering the five furlongs in lmin ssec. Votress, who ran third in the Trial Stakes, is by Off Colour from The Nun. It is any odds in the world that th*e starting machine will supersede the " human " ere long in Victoria. Last Tuesday the success of the Epsom meeting was completely marred by the wretched starting of Mr George Watson, who was terribly out of form. Mr J. B. Scott's Excelsior starting machine has given the most satisfaction of any invented as yet, albeit an expert could no doubt make a great deal of improvement with regard to the fixings for working the "drop scene," so to speak, which are rather cumbrous.

'I'j- Westport Coal CompaDy exported 3352 cci.-ir «■»£ coal last week.