TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 29

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA.

*#* J. Cotton has begun training again, having taken a couple of boxes at tho Bay View Hotel, in one of which Victim is quartered. This son of Betrayer is being trained for flat racing. Chatting with J.C. the other day, he mentioned that while iv New South Wales ho saw his old charge, Adamant, who was looking remarkably well, ajld was making a bit of a name for himself as the sire of galloping ponies.

*#* Otago sportsmen generally will hear with regret of the death of Mr George Coombe, of Tokomairiro. He was a straight sporting man in the fullest sense of the word, as those who knew him in the capacity of an owner will gladly testify. In the early days of Otago he "struck it rich" at the diggings, and afterwards settled down as a publican, bestowing then both time and money in pursuit of his hobby, horse racing. He brought from Victoria both.Barwon and Right Bower, purchased Swindle from Mr Webb, and with these and Stormbird he soon got a number of racers about him. One of the best he ever owned was Right Bower, who ran second to Templeton in the Cup of 1875, second to Puuga in the Cup of 1876, and fell, breaking his shoulder, after going a mile in the Cup won by l< ishhook He was ridden in ithat race by George Smith, son of Arthur Smith. Another winner belonging to this stable was Catapult. . It will be remembered also tha]t Mr Coombe's Barwon sired Garibaldi, the hurdle racer. In his later years the deceased gentleman practically gave up racing, bis last venture with a horse being when he bought Wild Rake, with whom ho won a race at the Forbury. "Mr Coombe was 62 years of age. '.

*** The news that Latlas has been scratched for all engagements can hardly be interpreted as meaning anything else than that the colt is amiss or showing symptoms of unsoundness. It would bo too absurd to imagine that the Nonconformist conscience, of which the Rev. Mark Price Hughes professes to be the sculptor aud the custodian, ' has in its recent manifestation struck such terror into the heart of the racing Prime Minister.' as to cause in him a repentance concerning horse-racing and a renouncement of its pleasures, profits, and honours Reasons of a less ecstatic character are probably the cause of Ladas's retirement. He has struck his leg, or strained a • tendon, or come within the influence of some other of the many ills to which horseflesh is liable. As yet we do not know for certain that the message is to be literally construed or whether the colt is merely knocked out of immediate engagements, but the chances are that the scratching is a complete order, which would mean, principally, that Ladas will not run for the Leger. Such a result would be generally deplored, Lord Rosebery being personally popular and his colt a very hot favourite. Most likely it was the fact of Ladas being rushed for the Leger that caused the owner to make his announcement early, and thus save the public from falling deeper into the pit. The compensation to the turf generally, presuming Ladas is knocked out of the Leger, is that that race will be considerably more open during the summer.

* # * The question of the interpretation of the rule regarding the naming of horses recently occupied the attention of the V.R.C Committee for some eons' derable time. The rule sets out that "no entry shall be accepted in respect of any horse over one year old for any race un'ess such horse be described by name," and the V.R.C. officials last week refused to accept the entry of any yearling for the classical events unless described by name. Several entries were, however, taken on behalf of the V R.C. in Sydney without the yearlings being described by name. The committee had to decide whether these entries should be accepted, and in view of the fact that no intermediate age is recognised in horses, and that a horse, according to racing custom, is regarded as one year old until he reaches the ago of two years, ecided to accept tho Sydney entries. This d

decision, adds tho Argus, may be taken to mean that until a horse is two years old ho need not in being nominated necessarily be described by name.

*** The owner of Norton and Kulnino has already signified that those horses will not be taken across for the V.R C. Nationals. Apparently he is dissatisfied with the weights apportioned. What those weights were will be seen by reference to another column. Eulnine was piit into the Hurdles at 12.7, on the mark with Tim Swiveller, giving half a stone to Couranto, while Norton had two above him in the Steeplechase, Knight of the Garter conceding 41b. Mr Rutherford is of course tho best judge of what is fair treatment for his horses ; but everyone else may have an opinion, and for my part I should say that so far as Norton was concerned ho would have had a reasonable chance at the weights. Some think him tho best; chaser we have ever had. But then, of course, Norton here aud Norton there may be two different horses, and possibly it was not intended to take him and Kulnine across unless special inducements were held out by tho handicappur. That of course is only a guess, and not of much value. The main fact is that both are scratched, and will c nsequcntly be at our own National meeting if tho weights suit.

*#* Mr Dan O'Brien informs the Sydney Referee that he will not carry his case against the Canterbury Jockey Club to tho Privy Council. He is satisfied that law is a moro expensive game even than horse-racing, although he says he acted on -the best possible advice he could obtain in going to law over the Challenge Stakes. lam sure that everyone in New Zealand will be pleased at this bit of news. O'Brien y. Stead threatened to drag along for months, if not years, to achieve a notoriety of which it was not worthy, to further vex the tempers of men who as followers of one sport should be fast friends, and to dig holes in the estates of both parties for no possible advantage to any but the lawyers engaged. The general opinion of New Zealanders, so far as I can gather it, is that the judgment of Mr Justice Denniston supplied a fair exposition of the merits of the case, and that the decision was a just one. If Mr O'Brien had really appealed to the Privy Council ho might possibly have wrested a verdict— no layman can pretend to say that such a result was absolutely beyond the bounds of possibility— but he would 'have run tho risk of loss— even a win would have landed him in a frightful outlay, and by adopting the course now announced he will retain some measure of the sympathy, whatever that may bo worth, of those who hold that he has been unlucky in failing to establish his claim before the law courts.

*#* The precocity of the colonial youbh was strikingly exemplified in the City Court, says the Melbourne Arguß, daring the hearing of a charge of larceny preferred against Daniel Jamieson, bookmaker and jockey, by George Kennedy, a schoolboy, whose thirteenth birthday fell on the following day. The charge of larceny arose oat of a flve-shilliug wager which the boy made with Jamieson about Nimblcfoot's chance for an event afc the Saridown Park races. The horse won, and when Kennedy applied for his winnings at odds of •• three to one," Jamieson refused to pay outbfcauae he did not remember the ticket. The diminutive punter straightaway set the law in motion, and placed the bookmaker in tho dock. When giving his evidence the youngster displayed accurate and extensive knowledge of the vernacular and practices of the ring. He had been betting for some months for his mother, who got the •' straight griffin," and •• plunged a bit on goers." Luck had been against them for a week or two, as they •♦ had struck wrong 'uns like Jake, Sweep, and a few others." He had backed over 100 horses during the .last two months, and had several times patronised Jamieson. "But," he added, "Ned Walsh used to be my bookie till he got caught running a tote." It was claimed for the defence that a mistake had been made about the ticket, but the Bench committed the accused for trial.

*** Lone Hand, whose death .is reported from the Auckland district, was one' of the sensational horses of his day. I am speaking of 16 or 17 years ago. He was bred in Victoria, 1869, by Mr A Bromficld, of Warms mbool, being the second foal produced by Berth * to that celebrity Panic. liertha was by Boiardo from Alice, by Don Juan — Alice Grey. In the course of time the grey rose to the proud position of the champion steeplechaser of Australia. There were no Grand Nationals in those days, but Lone Hand had won the V R.C. Steeplechase at the Spring meeting of 1877 with 12.§ on his back, beating A ll Fours 11.8 ; in a year from that he repeated the trick with 12 10, defeating a large field ; and he got home first on the same course at the succeeding New Year's Day meeting with no less than 13 6 as a burden. These were his leading credentials *hen Mr W. F. Neilson bought him for this colony. Before he - left a challenge appeared for him to meet Goulburn for £1000 a-side at 12.0 each over the steeplechase course ; but the offer coming after the sale was concluded savoured of insincerity, and when tho horses left Australia, Goulburn to go to India and Lone Hand to come to New Zealand, the latter was unquestionably the champion of the colonies at his own particular game. He came across in the Rotorua, with Rangatira, the latter bought by Stuart Waddell, and was landed at Ohristchurch, arriving too late for the National meeting at Awamoa, in the chief race of which (won by The Agent, ridden at" 12 7 by Billy Hankins) he h- d been handicapped by Mr lance at 13.7. On getting ashore Lone Hand was placed with Bob Ray, a and it was in the veteran's nomination that ho made his first appearance in Maoriland with the colours up. This was in the Maiden Plate at Geraldine in September of 1879, when old Bob rode him. His first win across country on this side of the Tasman Sea was at Auckland on New Year's Day 1880. A rummy race it proved to be Every horse that started baulked or fell, some sticking up their rider* repeatedly. It is a tradition that Lone Hand's little joke was to take an occasional interlude by browsing on the field crops in the paddocks through which the course lay A nyhow it took him 21min 45sec to complete the course, and the only point of merit in the performance was that he carried the stiffi&h weight of 13.0. Coming south again, he had a go in the Grand National won the second time by The .Agent, carrying Mr C. Tumbull's colours and being ridden by Sir Cullen, and on this occasion the big horse stuck up at the second fence. Jn the next season Lone Hand won nine races, and was only spoiled from the tenth by a protest. '1 his was in the Hurdle Race at the Auckland Summer meeting. He carried 12 10, and just got home by half a length, after a desperate finish with Harry Mount 97. Hodson, who rode the latter, protested that Lone Hand's rider struck Harry Mount, and the stewards upholding the objection, the latter was adjudged the winner. Lone

Band was at that time being looked alter by Mr'L'uin, who had the mount when the grey won his second and last steeplechase iv New Zealand— that, namely, which was won at the Cambridge meeting of January 1881» when he squeezed home, by a head from Sportsman after a desperate finish But in his subsequent career, which lasted altogether, so far as this colony is concerned, for nine seasons, he passed into several hands— Mr Ellis, Mr Stock, Mr Wheeler, Mr Lushington, and Mr Laxon being the last order of ownership. It was in Mrs Laxon's nomination that he ran his last race, so far as my memory serves— the Ladies' Bracelet at the Pakoranga Hunt Club meeting, a race that he had won in each of the two previous years. Lone Hand's New Zealand record between the periods mentioned may be thus expressed ;—; —

Lone Hand secured several decent races on the flat, including the Ashburton Racing Club Handicap and the Turanga Stakes at Poverty Bay, while his match with Levant at Temuka, conceding the mare a stone at three miles, will be remembered by numbers of South Canterbury men. But though this horse had gained his reputation as a steeplechaser, he won no more than two such races in all the years he kept going in New Zealand . They used to say that he was an uncommonly difficult horse to ride over country, owing largely to his habit of running down his fences ; but this can hardly be accepted as the final explanation of his failure in that particular line, since we had riders here who could do as much with any ordinary horse as Corrigan or other crack jockeys of the other side. More feasible is it, I should think, to suppose that Lone Hand had really seen the best of his d-.ys before he sailed from Australia, as it is by no means strange to suppose, seeing that he was then nine off, and that his tricks in New Zealand, when asked to leap, were merely the shirking devices of old age.

*** Jockeys <X the present day are much less given to flogging than their predecessors of half a century back The late Fred Archer, however, was a martinet in the administration of punishment, and more than one animal which he rode and flogged did not forget the flailing One horse in particular, says Licensed Victuallers' Gazette, we remember seeing- Archer deal out a tremendous dose of whalebone to : an animal, the property of the Duke of Westminster, whose actual fault was probably a display of greenness It occurred at Newmarket, and the horse was never worth the whip he was beaten with afterwards. Fordham, on the other hand, was gentle to a degree, and tender in the manner in which he rode his mounts We can see him taking both whip and spurs away from Edwin Martin on the afternoon Don Juan won the Cesarewitch ' ' You don't want spurs, my lad ; take them off, and give me your whip. When it comes to a finish you will find two hands of more use to you than a whip," was the good advice he gave the youngster. But the heavy punishment in which some of the old school of jockeys— notably Cliff— indulged has happily passed out of fashion, and we are not likely again to hear, in this country at anyrate, of such orders as the following, which were once given by a scoundrel of an owner to William Barnes:— "Make him win, or cut his entrails out If you don't give him his bellyful of whip you shall never ride for me again. I'll find horse if you'll find whip and spur " Fortunately, for the credit of the sport in England, time and manners,, too, have changed since this brutal speech was made, and many of our present-day jockeys even look on the whip and spurs as dangerous instruments. " Keep your whip still " is an old adage Which trainers cannot too strongly impress on their apprentices,' for more races are lost by ignoring this truth than by any other means. As already premised, no one was more alive to this fact than the late George Fordham, while Tom Cannon, John Watts, and John Osborne would n jverhave dreamt of applying the whip when their horse was holding a substantial lead Yet over and over again we see the whip applied to horses which are winning in a canter, but in such instances it is safe to bet tbat the artist in the saddle is bred a butcher boy and not a jockey.

*** A trotting expert, interviewed by a man from the New York Hera'd staff, has given his opinions about the world's records ' ' I think, " he said, "that the record of 2min B|sec, made by Maud S on an oval track to an old-style sulky, is a harder record to beat than any record that has been made to a new-style sulky. I would rather bet money that Nancy Hanks could not beat her • old record of 2miu 9sec to a highwheel sulky thau to bet that she could not beat her 2min 4sec to a new sulky But if in considering conditions you also take into account the age of the performer, I regard the two-year-old record of Arion, made on a kite track, but to an old-style sulky, when he trotted in 2min lOJsec, as the greatest mile ever trotted I think that the average two-year-old trotter capable of beating 2min 20sec would be safely 6sec better off hitched to the new sulky than to such a sulky as he drew. If my estimate is correct, 2min 4Jsec would be his equivalent in a two-year-old as now hitched. Our horses have not suddenly become so much greater. Arion has nominally improved 3sec in record, but I do not think that on the day he took his reeeut record of 2min 7Jsec he could have taken up the old conditions and equalled his two-year-o d record. At Cleveland, Directum (now2min sisec) tried against the conditions of Maud S 7 s record, and only trotted in 2min 14sec, and Alix recently tried the same task at Racine, and landed twice in 2min 15sec, which is 7^sec lower than her best mark to new sulky. It is true the conditions were not as favourable as when either made their best record to the new sulky, but with a wide margin for difference the gap is still wide. For seven years the whole horse world fired at the record of Maud S. and failed to equal it, until at last the kite-shaped track was invented, on which one horse equalled it and another beat it half a second. Then a new style of sulky was invented, and within two seasons — nay, almost within a year -out jump 11 hoi-'es and equal or beat it, while scores more closely press.it Which of the trotters that has beaten c'miu B^scc dares take up an old sulky and show that he can come anywhere near the mark with it ? "

*#* The Ashburton Trotfng Club's races last week, held on the Tinwald course, came luckily between the spells of wet weather, and the glorious day tempted a number of people to attend. Mason and Roberts passed £691 through the machine. Molly led for a mile in

the Maiden Handicap, and was then smothered for pace by Victoria 11, the latter actually distancing all competitors in slow time Moultan, who was well backed, made no show. Molly can hardly have been worth the confidence reposed in her by the local sports, inasmuch as she was beaten afterwards in the District Race by Forester, tho two starting on level terms aud failing to do even time, while Miss Poole, who was third though distanced, was trying to give the pair 30sec in the two miles. There was, by the way, a protest in this District Race entered against Forester for crossing, but the stewards ruled that no wronghadbeen proved Te Wanahu scored a double. Blina, one of the limit horses, looked for a while like bringing off a surprise in tho Ashburton Handicap, but, breaking badly at half the distance, she was passed by a couple, of whom Te Wanahu won, with a junk in hand, being over 50yds to the good as the post was passed Later on this horse had a more difficult task, and one that was reckoned beyond his powers, for when he got home in the Dash Handicap after a capital finish— the best of the day, his supporters scooped £13 odd for every soy. invested. A protest in this race, alledging thnt Te 'Wanahu started before his time, was dismissed. Fleethound won the Novel Race very easily, and Chris Harold had no difficulty in piloting Duncan Abdallah to victory in the Lagmhor Handicap, the stalliou trotting with great style and marked steadiness, though it took him smin 56isec to encompass the two miles. Fair fields competed in all the races, and the meeting was altogether a success.

*** Questions occasionally arise as to time records on various courses, and as this is, a slack week with general matter I propose to show how the figures stand with respect to the Forbury course A catalogue of records prepared for the purpose is printed in another column. Nobody will be surprised to find that Forbury is the champion at half a mile. The performance that placed him in that position was his race in the Musselburgh Plate last November, when he beat Pompom, Francotte, and five others, including three of the smartest two-year-olds, at weight for age. He won easily by a length and a-quarter ; and though he was lucky in getting the best of the start there is little doubt that he fairly earned his win It was no fluke. The time he made was exactly one second slower than the fastest record for the colonies— the 47|sec of Sextant, in the Nursery Handicap at Ohristehurch on November 12, 1886 It is said that the latter had a gale of wind behind him when he put up his performance, and this, with the long straight there is at Ghristchurch, may be taken as advantages compensating for the fact that he carried a stone and a-half over weight for age I should say therefore that in a comparison of Sextant's and Forbury's records there was about the same merit in each The difference of a second is fairly attributable to the comparative slowness of the Forbury course — a circumstance which may be to some extent explained, so far as long races are concerned, by the fact that the mile here measures 11yds extra This piece over is, I understand, in the furlong from the winning post to the seven-fur-long mark. Wakawatea, who comes second on the list of our four-furlong racers, made his best record in the Railway Plate on that wet day when Flinders won the Domain Handicap and Cruchfield the D J.O. Handicap ; and there was more than average merit in the performance, seeing that on" the same afternoon Wakawatea ran the smartest five furlongs ever seen at Dunedin, when he beat Daydream in the City Stakes. It was Daydream also that he triumphed over in the Railway Plate, the pair oarrying level weights and having behind them such clippers as Saracen, Hippomenes, and Mistral. Third on our list is that smart mare Huguenot, who. when she defeated Florrie in the Railway Plate, had other rare good company astern in Reprisal, Quadrant, and Crackshot. Reprisal, < however, was at a disadvantage in that he had run in and won the previous race, the Domain Handicap Under such circumstances he could scarcely expect to survive in the presence of a record breaker. For on that day Huguenot did break a record, the previous best time for a half mile on the Forbury being 50sec, made by Florrie when she won the Musselburgh Plate' earlier in the same season, and by Cinderella when that really good mare— now, perhaps, half forgotten by some of the sporting youngsters — downed Apropos, Russley, and others so decisively (she won by three lengths) in the Railway 'Plate of 1888, on the day that Gipsy King won 1 the Jockey Club Handicap as a ■three-year-old, with 9.2 on his back Bar Rocket's Slsec, made in 1887, this run of . Cinderella's is the oldest performance quoted in the list appearing elsewhere, of horses that have done 51sec or bettor.

*** At five furlongs, as .'above remarked, Wakawatea is the local champion, with a record of lmin 2£sec, or l^sec" bolow, the best for the colony made by Forester in 1086, at the same meeting, by the way, that Sextant put up his record. Kiccarton must have been very fast that day. There is a tie for second place between three racers that unquestionably deserve the honour — viz , Daydream, who at the Spring meeting of 1891 gaVe Wakawatea a stone and beat him easily by a length and a-half ; Strowan, who as a t\yo-year-old, carrying 6 9, beat Wakawatea (3yrs, 8 1) by a head in the Glasgow Plate, Forbury beaten off ; and Searchlight, who ran through her field in the two-year-old Selling Race at last Dunedin Cup meeting in a most remarkable manner, defeating King Wai and a number of others. The quartet that are a tie at JLmin 3£sec made their records at comparatively recent periods, Hippomenes making' his mark in that batch by the ridiculous ease with which he ran past his opponents in the Glasgow Plate. This horse, it will bo seen, is not quite to the fore at any distance, but had ho been pressed on that particular day, he must have equalled or beaten the colony's record Hyacinth, 'who occupies a place among the lmin 4sec crowd, made that time so long ago as the Cup meeting of 1883, when, ridden by "Willie Butler, he made the pace such a cracker from the fall of the flag as to take Water Nymph and Barnaby off their legs in the City Stakes I have always thought that this was one of the best colts ever raced in the country. Seldom, indeed, does a record stand as long as the one mentioned. It was equalled by Francotte in 1889, but not beaten till Daydream came on the scene a couple of years ago, and this filly resigned in turn to Wakawatea. Ravenswmg's performance in February of 1888, when she gave Wolverine 1 lb and a beating in the City Stakes, was, however, a cood one in her day. There are a crowd on the lmin ssec mark, among them Sierra, dam o£ Daydream, who in the City Stakes of 1886 beat St. Ives after an interesting race by less than a length, Artillery vainly essaying to give this pair the weight which his Champagne victory had brought on his back.

*** At six furlongs a very fast record was made so long ago as 1879, when Fishhook did lmin 15£ sec in beating Maritana for the Railway Plate. Bar that performance, lmin 18sec was the best till Molly Bawn's Publicans' Handicap, in which this mare, then a six-year-old, carrying 6.5, and ridden by Cochrane, slipped her field at the s tart and led all the way, both Titbit and

Rocket being foiled in their efforts to reach her. She got to the post in lmin 16jjsec. Five years later that stout colt Cajolery ran the Champagne Stakes in lmin 16|sec, the performance being incomparably better than the mare's, seeing that he, a two-year-old, was carrying 8.10. Cajolpry ran a really great race that day, after playing up so badly that many who were backing him feared he would be left. It was a day of fast times, for a little later on Pique ran seven furlongs in lmin 29sec, and in the Stewards' Purse that speedy if not reliable colt Dormeur tied Cajolery's record, though honours remained with the Canterbury colt, who, a year younger, had the heavier weight by 101b Another lmin 16£ sec was recorded in the following season, when Daydream dished the penalised Wakawatea, Stepniak, and Saracen in the Champagne Stakes, and before the same meeting was over Clanranald knocked off the fraction, climbing to within half a second of Fishhook's record by a peculiarly meritorious performance in the Marshall Memorial. With penalties his burdun came to 93 ; but he was in great buckle that day, and outstayed a strong field, beating the unlucky Wakawatea 7.7 by a head, and having Huguenot, Daydream, and Saracen also behind him Dunedin backers weut clown all of a heap by the defeat of Huguenot. Nothing faster was done all the following season, the best attempt at lowering the record being that of Lady Zetland in the Domain Handicap (lmin 16^sec) ; but early iv the racing year now closing this mare leaped to the top of the tree by her performance in the Federal Handicap last November. She made no demonstration till reaching the home turn, where she and Forbuiy settled down for a battle royal, creditable to both, but ending decisively in the marc's favour. What makes her time, lmin 15sec, the more remarkable is the fact that the day was by no means favourable for record-breaking. A shower fell after the second race, and before the Federal Handicap came on for decision the crowd had donned their macintoshes Since then the fastest goes at six furlongs on this | course have been by Cactus and Beadonwell, who tie at lmin 16sec. Cactus's position in the list may cause some surprise, but this horse is nicely served by tho distance, and in the previous season had hopped over it pretty fast when ho defeated half a dozen others in the Consolation at tho March meeting and paid £25 odd dividend. The record for the colonies is lmin 14sec.

*»* Up to 1887 the fastest seven furlongs on the Forbury was that made by La Rose in the Stewards' Welter on the day that Spade Guinea won the Cup. Mr Stephenson's mare, then a three-year-old, carried 9 0 and won by a couple of lengths from Talebearer (syrs, 9.6) in the fairish time of lmin 32$ sec. In the" following year, at the same meeting, the Publicans' Handicap was made the seven-furlong race, and Silvermark knocked the record down to lmin 30£ sec, La Rose being unable to concede the colt 21b for the year's difference in age. No further shortening of the record took place till the Publicans' Handicap of 1891, when Pique, happening to be in the humour, raced Reprisal to a finish and beat him in lmin 29sec, at which the local championship stands for the present, this being ljsec slower than Ruby's best for the colony. Second place, taken N by Huguenot, was also accomplished in the Publicans' under a light weight. Since then four have tied at lmm 30sec, the most meritorious of the last-men-tioned batch of performances, on a comparison of weight and age, being that of the unfortunate My Jack, killed not long ago while racing Ruby's best time At seven furlongs on the Forbury is lmin 3lisec, at which he is on the mark with Merrio England. The best of the old records at a mile is that made by Volunteer, who as far back as 1881 won the Consolation at the Spring meeting, with 8 12 up, being then five years old, in lmin 45min. HiPbcat Talent (syrs, 78) by a length, King Quail did lmin 46sec when he beat Luna in the Consolation at the following Cup meeting, and the next best time for many years was the lmin 47sec registered by Captain Webster, Everton Lad, and Rocket in races won by them. In 1888, however, that fast horse St Ives, who ought to have won the race with which Ruby even now hold's the colony's seven-furlong championship, tied Volunteer's lmin 45sec in the Consolation at the meeting whereat Gipsy King won the Cup, and this, though tied by Heather Bell in 1890, was not beaten till Morpheus took the record down a peg in the Spring Handicap of 1891, when, as a three-year-old, carrying 8 7, he beat* Johnny Faa (syrs, 74) and scored lmin 44£ sec. Free Lance showed a gait of lmin 44jjsec in the Flying Handicap at the Autumn meeting of the same season, and the shortest record to date —viz., lmin 44sec," was made by Au Revoir in the Flying Handicap of 1893, when Saracen, essaying to give away 191b, was beaten by half a length. This season, however, this lmin 44sec was tied by a horse not usually supposed to be in the first flight I refer to Exile, whose nicely-timed rush in the Spring Handicap iv November was a fair eye-opener to the majority of the crowd This Imm 44sec is, however, a record that I do not expect to last very long. It is 2J>sec slower than Merganser's best for the colony.

*** Johnny Faa had a rare lot of good ones behind him when ho put up the record at a mile and a furlong in November last. Rangipubi 8 9 and Clanranald 8 12 were the placed pair, each conceding nearly a couple of stone to the winner The race was the President's Handicap, and Johnny Faa won by a clear length The course was somewhat heavy at the time. It was in the President's Handicap of the previous year that Clauranald made his lmin 59sec, giving weight to everything but Prime Warden ; and Frivolity's race was the Suburban Welter at the following Autumn meeting, when, with the minimum of 83, he got the best of The Lumper B.IC Fancy old Derby being the "dab" at a mile and a distance, when we have had .such cattle as Foul Play, Tasman, and Wolverine winning over that course. Yet such is the fact. The best of the old records was Chancellor's 2min 3|sec, in the Flying of 1879 Lady Ellen registered 2min 3£sec in the Spring Handicap of 1879, and Foul Play made the same time in 1880. Amulet, in the Selling Race which followed A damant's Cup, did 2min 3sec The son of Traducer, ridden by Londonelly, got smartly away and, stalling o*f a rush by Vio'in, won with the greatest ease by half a dozen lengths. Tasman ran the distance in 1882 in 2min 3-^sec when competing as a four-year-old (8.5 up) in the Spring Handicap, giving weight to Gitana and Somnus, who headed the rest of the field. But Amulet's record stood till Leinster, in the Selling Race at the meeting when Freedom won the Cup, did the distance in 2min 3sec. Then came Derby's performance. It was in the Telegraph Handicap on the second day of the Hunt meeting in 1891. The old fellow had 8 3, was ridden by T. Buddicombe, and he got home by half a length from Emmarson 7.8. There 'is no doubt as to the correctness of the time as recorded. After him, in the following season, came Stonehenge, who in the Selling Race at Tempest's Cup meeting defeated two previous record holders in Derby and Leinster, and ran the distance in 2min 3sec ; and this was tied by Derby in his last race for

his old masters— the Selling Race which camo after Liberator's Cup.

*»* Among the ancient records at a mile and a-quarter, one of the fastest was that of tho Miss King filly, when she won the Publicans' Handicap with 5.7 at the meeting of 1883. She was ridden by Sharp, and made a runaway race of- it; Nonsense, the favourite, finishing last of the trio, behind Luna. Ihe filly's time was 2min 14 jsec. Silver Prince and Hermitage got very near to that record, each registering 2mm 14f sec, but it was never beaten or tied till Occident put up the record which stands to this day. The son of Lapidist and Tho West was a three-year-old at the time, but he had only 6.7 to carry, and this helped him to worry down Vandal 7.5 in a fine run along the straight, the end of which was a win for the Dunedin colt by a couple of lengths, Vandal tiring at the finish. From then till now nothing has been able to do faster time over tho distance, though Prime Warden tied it in the Onslow Plato last November, when he scored his victory over Response and Ich Dien. The Forbury record at this distance is 3scc behind the best for the colony. Tho best of the early records at a mile and ahalf was that of Tasmau, who in 1881 did 2min 43sec This was tied by Taiaroa in 1883, aud in 1894 Johnny Faulkner knocked a second off by his win in the St Andrew's Handicap, when he was ridden at 7.0 by Stratford ; he sneaked up on the inside just in time to pip Taiaroa 7.9 by a nose. Necklace also put up 2min 42sec in the Forbury Handicap, after running second to Nelson in tho Cup She carried 9.3 and beat Hermitage 7 5 aud five others. The next cut at the ' record was when Quibble won the St. Andrew's Handicap in 2min 41sec, giving Beresford half-a-stonc and a beating, and Gipsy King came on the same mark through that splendid performance of his as a three-year-old in winning the D.J.C. Handicap with 9.2 up. Sultan further reduced the record by doing the St. Andrew's Handicap in 2min 40^sec, defeating Wolverine, Hermitage and sevoral others, and we saw nothing faster till Florrie brought the record down to its present measuro when she fought out that desperate battle with Boulanger in the Otago Cup of 1891. As to the other distances, it will be seen that King Quail .keeps on top with an old performance in the D.J.C. Handicap, and of course nothing has yet touched Occident's time for tho Cup.

*** Sporting Review gives a full account of the National Hurdles at Auckland Ika Vuka went away with the lead, and Skittles was next off, with Chatterbox a bad last Skittles was going well, and it was soon evident the Kohimarama mare was not going to disgrace Stcnnings's tuition. Coming into the straight for the fijrst time Melinite was in the third position, and the way she was flying over the jumps soon showed there was no reason for doubting her fencing powers Half-way up the straight Fright caught Melinite and raced with her up the hill, when a bump took place, and Fright, our Auckland mainstay and hope, dropped out of the contest hopelessly. Before the stand was reached down went Belle, and Taranaki's hope flickered and died. At the seven-furlong post Skittles had beaten Ika Vuka, and Melinite was racing second and pulling double. Opposite the stand Skittles was battling as bravely as a lion. Melinite was fighting for her head, and old Belmont was reviving Auckland's drooping hopes by stretching after the leader in a manner that showed he would give us as good a fight as he gave last year. At the Leger post he was racing like a Briton, but when Melinite entered the straight pulling double, we all knew the Grand National had once again gone from us. A brave fight was given by Belmont up the straight, and Skittles raced as game as a pebble, but second and third places were the best honours destined for our horses.

*** Particulars of the A. J.O. meeting on the 9th show that Couranto ran in the Hurdle Race. He carried 12.5, and was ridden by Hope, but made no show in the race, Rushlight 11.12 winning by a head from Kilmany 9.5. The June Stakes of 250sovs, six furlongs, went to an outsider, Buccleugh 8.6, who started at 14- to 1 and ran the distance in lmin 14^sec. Response 8.0 was among the beaten division. Another New Zealander, the sapling Three Star, was defeated in the next cvi nfc, the Two-year-old Handicap. He carried 8.9, The race was won by Attachnv nt 7.7, a son of Clieveden — Affection, after a good finish with Checkmate 7 .4. In the Steeplechase, the result of which was cabled across in time for last week, the first fence was negotiated safely by all but Reckless, who came down. Mutiny led over the treble from Waterbury, but the extraordinary pace made by Mutiny brught about his downfall at Oxenham's, and Helios and Waterbury raced together to the sod wall, where the New Zealander toppled over Ontario got on even terms with Helios at the home corner Helios took command, but most una countably crashed through the paling fence and came on to his knees and parted with his rider. Ontario cleared the palings and cantered home 20 lengths in front of Sneaker, who 50 lengths in front of Castlebar. Time, 7min 13sec No fewer than 17 went out for the Winter Stakes, Stanmore 810 being most in demand. Filoj Boy, who won by three-quarters of a length in 2min 10£ sec, started at 8 to 1.

* # * A correspondent sends to the Australasian a sketch of the history of First King's grand-dam In 1°56, he writes, I knew a shearer who had a little bit of a dark brown filly, about 14 3hds high, tha? carried him and his swag from station to station This little brown pony (she was little more than a pony in height, but what a tower of strength was she!— a barrel as round as a water- cask, and she stood over as much ground as a 16hds thoroughbred) became quite a champion among the shearers' hacks, and after having won several bottles of P.B , &c. for her owner, she came under the notice of a York shire racing man (Mr James Wilson), who had a snug little farm on the Grange creek, where he generally kept one or two good enough to win most of the races in that locality, and, being a Yorkshireman, he could ride, ft) r Wilson purchased the little mare from the shearer, and on March 17, 1857," I saw her win a Maiden Plate, beating a fair field of horses pretty easily, and carrying for a jockey on this occasion a neat-looking stockrider chap. There was a race meeting againj in December 1857, at Hamilton The track was about one mile round, and the little mare started for and won the Publicans' Purse, a two-mile race, weight for age. She was then five years old, and her weight 9.10 She beat a field of eight or nine. I thought it a wonderful performance under the circumstances, for when the starter said " Go"' her head was turned in the wrong direction, so that when her jockey pulled her round and got going she was about 70yds or more behind the last horse. Maid of the Mill also won the Forced Handicap at the meeting, carrying 10 5, and the day after the races she beat Tramp in a match for £100 a-side. In the year 1858 Maid of the Mill ran second in the Spring Handicap at Melbourne, won by Wait-a-while, who was a half brother to her. Seventeen horses started. She won the Consolation Stakes (£7O) at the same meeting. Not a bad perfor-

manco, considering that she had to walk all the way from Hamilton, and only arrived two days before the meeting. She gave Mr James Wilson a lot of trouble in her training, but she won a good many races for him beforo he put her to The Premier, when she produced Mischief, dam of First King and Potrea.

Won 1L& Won - S ' c ' d - ™ rd - I'Sed. St&s. 1879-80 ... 15 2 3 2 8 £190 IRBO-81 ... 29 9 6 5 10 400 1881-82 ... lti 4 2 5 5 270 1882-83 ... 21 3 7 3 8 200 JBS3-81 ... 9 2 1 1 5 40 1884-85 ... 5 1 1 1 2 20 1885-SS ... 2 1 0 0 1 15 iaS6-87 ... 2 1 0 0 1 15 3857-88 ... 2 0 0 2 0 - 101 23 19 19 40 JELISO