TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 29

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEFPA. *** The bf st proof that the Dunedio Jockey Club is right in sticking to hurdle races is the fact that 11 have accepted for the event which heads the Birthday programme. This is really a fine field, and quilily is fairly repr sinted. It is rather early to try to pick 1h.3 w.uner in on?, sinco no fewer than cis have recently got tho bracktti, and the?e presumably come togeth"r on fair terms; but I may poihaps be gomewhera near the mark in naming A'iroa, Strephon, and Osmau as a likely three, and at prtsiut I like them in that crdcr. If Marino is stnfc for the Maiden he must surely be bard to beat. He is, however, engaged also in each of tho handicaps, and no ono can y*t say how he will be aenb. I therefore fix up the difficulty in this way : Marino in one with a start ; in Lia absence, Toxe, Lady Spencer, or Back Pearl, and that io the precedence I give tbe-n. Concerning the Birthday Handicap, I hive tried to figure cut the probabilities acto.ding to form, but raDnol in that way coma to anj thing like a satisfactory rotation of the problem, and must therefore rely on the news that comes from tho training tracks by next week. Meanwhile I may observe that Outpoft and Casket a-e pleating tbe touts at the l''orbury, wbjJe D-parlo seems to move rather slu^gsbly. My preßfcnt pick is Outpost, but the race is an open me, even though only five are engnged, aiid ifc will be no great surprise whatever wine. E-parto only wani-s to do his best to be nrghty dangerona under the li^ht weight he has to carry. For the Selling RjC3 I have an idea we shall see Cactus run a gocd horse, and next to him Swivel is as gcod an investment as an j thing else. Rothamstet-d aud Black Pearl have a show as well. The Tradesmen's Handicap is sure to provide a good betting race, ana in naming Goodwood* Captive, and Maremma to supply the winner it is quite on tbe cards that I have missed the good thing tint the result will disclose. A 6 for the Trot, ib may be as well to •ay nothing in the meantime. My Dual selection for this and the other even's will appear ncxl w«ek.

letters came en. by steamer, arriving in Dunedin the d*y aft« the acceptances cosed. This is vtry much to le regretted, both for Mr J. B. Reid's sike and tbe club's ts well. Why owrcr- and trainers will persist in dm ing over Ihtse matters lo the last moment is a puzz'e. WtuW it not blip to prevent such provokjug occurrence if the suggestion made some time a g O by a northern writer weie adopted, of appoints g a spec fied d*y of tbe week for all Bomin&uous throughout the colony, aud one other day for all acceptaccea. To me this seems a very sensible and business-like pro•posal—say Monday for nomiu&tions, Friday for acceptances. Owners would then have only these two daj« to watch, and it appears likoly Itbat the plan proposed would certainly be a 'help agsiuftt fovgetfulncfs. Another alteration ! th»t might be made with advantage would be 'the fixiDg of tha time for closing nomination?, &c, at noon infrte%d of in the evening. That ■would htlp in this way : owners would post as formerly, and any oveis : ght could be corrected by wire. As it is, the telegraph tffices are chut 'at the time nominations and accr»t*nce,i cose. ilhe old 83 stem grew up under the arrangement by which races were managed from publtchousfs, and wben it was of importance to bring to the bars as many •• thcuters aa poesib'e. Nowadays we are discountenancing »ll that sort of thing, and very properly, and the arrangement which keeps men hanging about town *ft-r business hours i 3 out of date Will Home member of Hie conference move m the direction of reform ia the direction indicated The suggest ions are not mine— l forget whose they are. It is enough that they are reasonable and practical and called for.

•J*. Three fresh horses have entered Mr U'-Ginnis'* stable. Two of the p»vty, from the BfcodfarmatWarriDgtoD, are the yearlings by St. CUir from Mistral and Lady Emma that were passed in at the auction. The Hon. G. M'Le&n fancied both, and elected to keep tfeem for racing in hifi own name in preference to lettmg them go at bujera' values. They axe certainly veiy handfome jc&ritDgs, Lady Emmas colt especially bearing every premiss of developing into a lacehorae of merit. It concerns the public that this promise should b& fulfilled in his case, for the Hon. G. M'Lcan hus had no luck Bince Lady Emma's time, and, good sportsman though the Equire of W*rrington ia fcnown to b?, he can hardly be expecttd to keep racing for ever atacont ; nuousloss. We cantot spare owners of his type — they are far too few in pioportion to the mere moneyhuntets—and the racing public throughout the colony would, I feel Bute, rejoice to ace tue Zetland spots have a share of success, if only as an encouragement. The thii d arrival at the Sfc. Clair stable ib the veteran jumper Trimolite, vho has two rum-looking legs, but nevertheless seems to be Eonnd on them, and to all »ppe&r'ances wiil stand a preparation if it is not too [severe. M'Gitin's is an old hand with leapere, Jbut he has not bad one till now since Isiac's 'death. That g>ed horse, it will be rememibered, died from <he effects of injuries received 'when bis box in a train caught fire. Trimolite was at his befct one of tho fastest hurdlers Otago ever had up to a mile and a-half, and it will not be forgotten how he flew the bigger jumps of the Taltj-ho Sttepleobase at the Hunt Club meeting two years and a-h*lf ago, fwhen Campbell had ' tho mount, nor how he got knocked about wbea burdened with top weight of 12.10 in tho Cup at the same meeting ►*-the race won by Rebel. Good judges have always said tbat Trimolite fhonld have won that race if he had been ridden to the best advantage. We shall probably see in a week or bo whether the old horse retains any of his form, For he is engaged at the Birthday meeting. I bard}y expc ci> much of a performance from him, but sometimes these old warriors come out of their shell aid surprise one.

* # * There seems to be as much •• glorious ancertainty" about the law in its relation to the turf as tbere is about the results of racing. It is impossible to say beforehand what penalty will follow a conviction for laying machine odds. Henry Cbalker, of Wellington, wa», it may be irupfosed, surprised wbea the magistrate sentenced him to a month's impmoument. He probably expected nothing more serious than a fine, since previous penalties have taken that form. Whether he was or was not disappointed in his expectation 0 , however, we have before us the facb that bis punishment ie a term of imprisonment, aad herein we find a Bubject for general comidtrat'on throughout the colony, since it may be mppojed to be quite possible that other magistrates will follow Mr Htfarlin'u lead and elect to send a convicted person to prison in preference to itflicting a fine. In view of tbis poisibiiity, fielders may be more generality inclined to accept the inevitable to the extent of giving up the task of fighting clubs on their own courses. Clubs have a dcuble protection egainst Bucb troubles : they may order tote bt tfcori off a course or have them prosecuted for an infringement of the statute, and 1 count a man foolUh who attempts to battle against such odds. He may carry on for a while and escape, and then of a sadden come a cropper over some very sm-'l transaction. I shtuld, however, like to see ti laker charged with every field* r in these iro3eculions. It is a solid iV '■ that many plan gars actually tempt the bto'<iej to break the law, and the latter will sometimes run the risk rather than lose a good cus' 1 *n» r. The small fry among backers who qv.u'.ate their half-crowns are not the sort <>i game (hit the clubs and tbe police mcd bother about. I am referring to the men who plauk down fivers and tenners at a time. If one or two of these were associated with bookmakers and charged jointly the example would probably have a good effect.

* # * "Which was the worst horee sired by Blu«ket in the colonies ? " is the nature of a unique question tt at hes come into my hands for solution, writes "Ph*6ton"; and Ei.field and A.B. are mentioned as the two fitted to bold the cett ficate in that respect. I should, perhap», include the illustrious Boomerang in the litt, but. hav"ng «g*rd for tbe feelings of "A. Trump, E«q ," I will elect to leave that equine cut ot the category lest I should be led into aa »ugry warfare with my esteemed rambl'ng confrere, who cut rtaiis a great affection frr his faithful old 6tced. It would be difficult to siy wbich was tbe wor»t, Euficld or AB. Enfield, who was out of the Diomedes mare Toi, was a perfect little rab, standiDg, 1 should say, scarcely 14hds ; that cculd not gallop, as the s*yi»g goes, "as fart as you could kick your bat." AB. was out of the Ttrerga rcare Lady JUiizitbeth, and though I think be once {cored in a back race, he was certainly a disgrace to the great Tcxopholite horse. I don't know whether these two unworthy descendants of Musktfc are still in tbe land of the living, but with all tecderu&s, I would say, let as hope not. Boomerang, however, I h;.ve reason to believe, is etill alive.

*** Forty-nine starters weighed out at the Gore meetiug last week, or an average of sxtc'ly seven for each race ; and as Mason and Roberts pssstd £1123 through the totalisator, it may be suppesed that the club is fairly well s&thGed with the experiment of holding a late

autumn meeting. Stockfish went down from Dunedjn— "went down," indeed, in a double sense, inasmuch as he was decisively beaten by the Mouot Ida representative, Lr>bo, in the Autumn Handicap, and had to be ontent with the seven-furlongs welter, the profits of wbich, however, would probably cover the expenses of the trip and a little to spare. Stockfish ii a good horse of his clißS—houest, reliable, and up to weight in his own comp;my to the distance of, s&y, a mile, but I am inclined to think that Lobo Ciii give him weight as oFten at th^y meet on equal terms as to condition. That is what Ihe results at Gore prcc'aimed, and the deduction is probably cci'ieot. L«bo won the Autumn Handicap so easily that ha wgs reckoned to have a pay, an hour later, in the aix-fuilong contest, wherein he had to concede 231b to such a good spiiuter as Langley. The Utter won, and won eas'ly at the finish, but Lobo made him gallop, and tlat rends like a fair pfrformanC'?, tiace there are very few third-raters who could prtsenb Langley with th»t allo vance over his own distance. Lobj'a relative and stable companion Lupus started only once, and did no good. Ai a matter offact, he was left at the post, but even if he had jumped off wilh_tbelead he could nob have won. The horse is not well, and will have to be sp'l'ed. Another fai'ure at the meeting was Brewa»t WaWell's ca6t-cff, Napier. He made no show at all ia either of his rices. So igster seema to be a useful sort, and I shall not be surp iied if he hs»s a go in batter company next teason. Bob Allan got a liffe in the Maiden Trot, Jack, trained aud ridden by him, winning easily from what seemed to be a poor lot. Native showed capital form. He won the twomile r*ce very easily, paying a fair dividend, and though beaten by the handicap in the threemile ereut he went the distance in Bmin, Jim Allan rding him.

* # * Discussing the prospects of the A.J.C. Derby, " Umpire" says: The most promincut of bhoae engaged on performances are Bluecap, Mannltcher, Creme dOr, Codalta, Vivian, B.b R»y, Waterfall, Locb Ltigb, Tiue Bine, and FtecU, bat such as Gale, Beauseant, Sir George, aud R ; fle have shown pace in public. ' Then there are other eleg:blrs in Surge, the big Gf braltn 1 coll;, who nasty train on into a good tbree-yearo'.d ; Prince Chester, the immense colt by Chewier from Cianbrook'a dam, now in training at K'rkhum ; Fearnought, a good-looking relative of Dreadnought's, trained at the same place ; whilst Mr S. Hordern ha? several with fair prospects of developing iato useful gallopers. The Tempe gelding Toreador ought to turn out all right if he fct&ods training, and Frailty's cjlb, Astronomer, belongs to a family that race. He Lua a liki-ly-looking appearance. Mr Dan O'Brien has Ilchester, a broker to lalan'has, also a fine colt that the question has not yet been put to severely. Fort lcoka likemakiDga Derby colt, and on breeding is well qualified, whilst Mr H. C "White has also Form engaged. The latter did nctVing particular at rhe late meeting, bat was net in aiy way disgraced, and his owner has another C.anbrook colb related to Autonomy in the list. Wollomuoibi is a good representative of Splendour, and perhaps St. David, Mr W. T. Jones's C*»lyon colt, or Carbine's representative, Cartridge, now in the possession of Mr D. O'Brien, may develop the nece«s»ry pace later on. Georgic is not in the Derby, and therefore late form leaves Bob Ray with a distinct It ad. The Welcome Jack gelding is not very massive,«rbub is big enough. He has perfect action, an advantage which should enable him to stay, although his finish in the Champagne Stakes, when Wallace was rapidly overhauling him, seemed to indcate he could not stand a p'neh. That may bo so, but it will need somi-'hiug very much out of the common to pinch Bob Ray, whose pace is remarkable, and he is rot so cranky as the fillies by his sire generally are. At present, therefore, Mr O'Brien'a gelding looks worth following. Vivian, Binecap. or Creme dOr may be found worthy opponents, and it may be that one of Mr Mackeltar's nominal ions from Ejrkham, or Toreador, Fort, True Blue, or Wollomumbi, will develop into prominent candidates .when Derby Day at Rand wick looms closer to us.

*#* Tbe five-year-old Kilgalixghan, by Brown Prince — Gipsy, handicapped at 7.9, won the Chester Cup on Wednesday of last week. So the cableß say. The winner ia trained by Jewitt for Captain Machpll, who likely enough has brought off another of those well -managed coups in which he has made himself faoaous. I notice, by tbe way, tbat an Australian writer recently referred to Mr Stead as the Captain Macuell of New Zealand. Tbe expremioa was dcuV.tltgß intended as a compliment, bub ib was not a happy idea, as Mr Stead has of lite years devoted bis attention clan fly to weigh t-for-age raciDg. For tbe last New Zealand Oup he entered only two, and neither of these was one of his crack). In by go re days he often bad a cnt in at these races, and occasionally he made himislf felt, ai with LoDglandt, and Mat*, and Le Loup, and I.ocbiel- names which the aarvivozs of the old Ring will not readily forget — but for years past we have ceased to look for Yaldhursb sensations ia handicap! 1 , Mr Stead b&viog his heart set oh such races as Challenge S'akes and Champagnes, and fo forth. Captain Machell, on the other hand, is chiefly known as a winter of handicaps and a puaisker of the Ring, and Eilsallaghan may have been a rod in pickle for some of the boy«, though, a? a horse whose form was exposed in the Goodwood Cup last year, there would be no out«de prices oa offer. Second place in the Chester Cup was filled by Musket's grar.djon Son-of-a-Guo, five years old, handicapped afc 8 10; and Lord Penrhyn'a Theseus 6.4 filled third place. The course is nearly two miles and a-quarter, and the stake this year was raised to 200Qjovs with tho hope of reviving interest in this old-estab-lished race. Ib has been a continuous fixture since 1824 ; and is the race often referred to as the one in wbich K'tchener, when a midget of 3)t 41b, rode Red Deer at 4st and won. That was in 1844. At Ascot, four years previously, Kitchemr's bodily weighb was 2sb 71b.

■ *** Resul's of the two chief races at the Ketiipfcon Park meeting also reich us by cable. Ou Friday latt'h-i Royal Two-ytar-old Plate, of 3000iovs, was run. It is a fire-furlong race on a (straight course, colts (o carry 9 0, fillies and geldings 8 11, with penalties and allowances. Mr Leopold d > Rothschild was tha lucky winuer with his brown colt St. Fruiquin, by St. Simon— lsabel, and his bay colt Gulistan (by Br*g— Guinevra), ran eecond, third place being filled by Captain Fife's ohestnub colt Fauny Boat, by Ferta- d-z— Canoe. On Saturday, at the same meetiDg, the Great Jubilee Stakes was run. This is a handicap of 3000iov«, over a mile course. There were 60 nominations and 13 declared the flrefe forfeit. Mr T. Worton'a Victor Wild, syrs, handicapped at 8.4, proved the winner, with the Duke of Westminster's foor-year-old Grey Leg 8 2 second, and Colonel North's El Diablo, 6yrs, 7.12, third. The winner is trained by Hornsby. The American hone Stonenell was an acceptor with 8.6. Previous winners of the Jubilee are Beadigo 9.7, MintiDg 10.0, Ampbion 7.1, The Imp 6.1, Nunthorpe 9.0, Euclid 7.4, Orvieto 9 5, and Avirjgton 8.1.

*** For some little time pasb a rumour has been in circulation bhab Mr E. T. Barnard, the veterau handicapper of the Victorian Amateur Tujf Clab, inteuds resigning, and already the name of hi? successor hia bosn mentioned. As far as I can find out, wrife* the corresfondenfc of Syc?ney Referee, noth'ti^ ia officie.'ly known of Mr B&ruard's mfceulion to rtsign, bat, depend upon it, where there is em >ke there is fire. Mr Barnard I have always had an Rd Miration for as a handicappe^r. He does not, in the fi sb place, take prejudices, and owners can always depend upon conscientious treatment. He has undoubtedly ntadem'stakes — what handicapper hue not ?— but his handicaps aa a rule are scientifically framed, and they usually take a lob of pickiog. He is not ss energetic as he used to be, and is seldom ssen at a suburban meeting, and the form of several of the horses he is called upon to handicap is, therefore, only known to him by repute, or through the newspapers, which is not altogether a satisfactory stale of affairs Mr Barnard may be reckoned one of tbe lockiest men con netted with the turf in this colony. The V R.C. members gave him a retiring allowance of £500 per year, and he gets f omething like £300 per year for handicapping at C&ulfield, which, added together, brings in a nice little income for work which, while being re'pon'ible, is not arduous.

* # * On the firs'; day pf the South Australian Jockey Club's metfciog, the 4th mat., there was a succession of splendid dividends. Fi tit Bolt, a four-jear-old son of tha Musket horse Thunderbolt, led off bypiying £56 2s in the Rkilway Handicap, after which he was bought at 75gs. In the Steeplechase Mr Perry's represent xtive, Simulator, got home and paid £14- 7s; but tbat was a mere fleabite to what th-; dividend would have bten if the tecend bor^e, Bumbastic, had gob home. Hi* price iv the machine was £536, and he suff red defeat by only a neck. The Goodwood Handicap also furnished a surprise, Moatjn 8.10 coming with a rattle at the finish and defeating Malua 7 5, who seemed to have tbe race in hand, by half a leigbh. Dividend, £35 12s. Mosfcyu was gob in England by the Hermit horse CUirvaux, and foaled in South Aw-tralia, his d»m, Miss Mcs yn (by the Stock well horse Uuoaa), being imported by Sir Thomas Elder ia 1889, he having secured her in England for 400gs from Mr Arthur Yates, of steeple^ hasing fame. Mottyu is Mi^s Mogtyn's second foal; her first, Sea Silt, has won several races* in Ei.gland. Mr Gollan got a turn in the South Austrilian Stakes, seven furlongs, bis filly, Fred*, by Maxim — Fair Nell, winning by half a length from the Tien ton mara Auraria, and causing a dividend of £9 15s. For the St. Leger, the favourite, Mouattery, was pub down by Haughtiness (Trenttn— Lady Disdain), a dividend of £6 5s resulting; and when the two-year-old Auraria ran home in front of The Possible ia the Elder Stakes (a mile and ft furlong) baikera rece'ved£Ll7<J. The machine has teldom got such a fine advertisement ia Australia as it has ia this day's work. Melbourne backers took 7 to 1 about Mostyn on the Friday previous to the race. Two bookmakers who were laying totsli«ator odds at Morphettville were ejected by the club's officUls. The club explain that in taking tbis action they are not actuated by any desire to force the public to bet with the totalisator, but that owing to the Government refusing to allow thtm to Hcecs3 reputable men bookmakers of no rt-puhe ply their avocation on racecourses, and tbat in the interests of the public they think it necessaty to itop all betting. So runs a me«sage to the Argus, but it adds :— The Government lies refused to assifct the club by ejecting bookmakers, and it is understood that tbe Acel&ide Ricing Club will not fctop bojkmaktrs from bettiDg toalis&tor odds on thtic course.

* # * The Ad-liide Cup, of lOOOeovs, a nvle and five furlorgs, was tun on the Bth and woa by Elfwick, oue of the Victorian c ntingent, owued by Me Cbirnside, Tbis horse is a fiveyear old by Nordeafeldt — Alb»tro«p, >h-.refor« brother to Merganser, and bred, as she was, by Mr Morrin in Aucklsuod. As a yptuling he was knocked down at the Wellington Park sale to Mr P. B>itlet's bid of 330.48, and in the following April, when Mr Butler btld his sile, the youngster was taken at 450gs by Mr C. C. Murray, aclingjoo behalf of Mr Blackwood, of South Australia. The colt was entered for h's engagements by the name of AUleis\iot, bub never raw d as such, making his first; appearance oa the turf, in the Maribjruong PUte won by Etraweenie, as Elswick, late Aldei>hot. Ia that race he was riddea by P. White and fini'had no nearer than seventh. His only subsequent appearance as a two-year-old was in tne Normanby Slakes won by The Captain, end run on the day that Poit«e* got home in tho Bagot Handicap. As a three-year-old ho was unplaced in the Caul6old Guineas won by Autonomy, the V.X.C. Derby won by C*m r ola, and tbe V.R.C. Foal Stakes won by Azitn, and theo retired for the season. As a four-year-old he ran second to Pcunamu in the Maiden at Caullield, won a race at Williams! 07/n (hi« first success), and also Bcored in tbe Hopetoun Cup, cirrying 7.12 and doing ths 11 furlong< in 2min 27 ii< c. For ths Cop he has now won he was handicapped at 7.11, The Pis«ble bemj top weight among the acceptors at 90. The cable tells us that he gob home by a head from Monastery 7.4, with Maroon, who would have a 51b penally, making his weight 8.0, third, and the time was 2min b3scc. Havoc did nob Btart, having shown signs of lameness.

* # * That fl.uri;hing charity, the Bentinck Fund, waa origiuated by, aud notmcraly named after, as many doub less imagine, Lord Geirge Bentinck. Shortly after bis appearance with th* flag at Di.ncaster CBaC 8a y B an exchange) a public testimonial wai got up for bis lca-Jishtp, and all forts and cosdit oas of sportumen literally hurried up to h^nd in their contribu'ions. It was a testimjni*! cd lee ted on a 6cale of which aeyoue might have been proud, and there is nob the least doubt but that it was a source of intense gratification to its noble recipient. Tbe sum subscribed amounted to leveral thousands of pounds sterling ; and how nobly be acted when he received ib. From bis own private fortune he added a Urge donation to the amount presented to him by tho unanimous vote of gratitude and esteem on the parb of the motley community over whom he exerted such a lordly sway. Aud then he placed the whole sum in tbe hands of permanent trustees for the aid »nd maintenance of diatte-sed jockojs and trainers' families, to ie denominated for ever the Bentinck Benevolent Fund. It is, we believe, to this fund that the guinea each jockey pays anuually for his license to ride is devoted, while a further source of sustenance is furnished by sundry fiacs exacted by the stewards of race mettings aud the Jockey Club.

*** At the Kowai Pass races last week, backers made Warrinjjfcon favourite for the s;xfurloDg handicap with which the procedings commenced, and their choice was justified, for the son of Mountain Li.'y waited on Sunspot to the home turn and then smothered him, winning with something tospsra. On the strength of this performance, it was reckoned good business to back Warrington also for the Midland Railway Handicap, a mile, bub this time

he was very decisively downed by the hurdler Clarerce, who earlier in the cUy had outlasted Cha sin the mi'e aud a-quarter of tha Cup. If Chats was at all fit, this was rather good form on the pirb of Clarence, for he was receiving only 2ib from Mr Br*bnzon'a horse, who is counted worthy of reppecb in metropolitan flat racing. I obseive, aho, that Clarence was mctt'ng Warringtou at oaly a difference of 4 b in the mile race. The original Clarence could gallop a bit, and his namesake seems to have the same gift. Kaiti, a son of Moana who won a race at this meeting last seaion, wa9 twice left at the post last week. Report, the ex-S-uthlnnder, won the Novel very easily, aud had a two lengths' lead rouud the top turn ia the Farmers' Plate when he fell, allowing Frenchy to stroll home at his leisure. The last-mentioned, a brother to St. Ron*l(?, i 3 still owued by Mr Casjidy. Tbe sum of £665 wafl passed through the tobalisator, or £47 more than Usb year.

* # * The handicaps are out for the principal events of the Auckland jumping meeting in Juce. Couranto, who has top weighb in the Hurdles, has been on the shelf, and is therefore ticklish property till nearer the day. [This horse has siuce been scratched.] Libsraor is unsound, and as he appears to hare lost fo-m on tbe flat I am doubtful aboub him over hurdles. Ebor therefore may be the best of tho twelve-sfconers. He is more like a weightcarrier than Melinite, and by June may have settled down to bis true form. They say his fault is tbat be over- jumps at the burdhs. Nexb bo him I should take Coala on the weight?, but he has left the country, and I therefore take Fright in preference. These, then, stand as my first selections for the Hurola Race — Ebor and Flight. The Ditccer has alight enough weight, and if he jurop9 well ought to win in a walk, bat oa general principles I discard raw recruits. For tbe Steeplechase one cannot afford bo overlook Norton at 12.10. He will likely beat all the other high weights. Lower down the name of Cingalee. attracts attention, and, giving Fishmonger a show, I would also mention the name of Egmonb, thus taking f cur sg*imt the field for a commencement.

*** The stewardi of the Auckland Trotting Club mcc on Friday night to consider a letter sent in by Gtorge JVTBride comj>l*inirg of the conduct of the starter in regard to his horfei at Saturday's racf s The Utter reached the secretary on Friday morniDg. The substance of it was that in the Easter Handicap M'Bride's horse Duke C. was on the 36^ec mvrk, 16 ec behind the liioit horee, but was not permuted to starb till 25sec bthind the limit horse, aud that in the Harrises Trot the limit horse was 48sec ; lub Three Cheers, the scratch hone, was started 36<ec after the limit horse. Mr A. R. Harris presided at the meeting. M'Bride was asked to substantiate his charges, which it was agreed should be takt-n separately. Evidence was then given by M'Bi-lde, S. C. Oauiton (the starter), and others. Abbo'.fc corroborated Cault n's statement as to the fme recorded on tbe stop watch in the Harness Trot. After some discussion it was resolved that the accusations made by M Bride against the starter (Mr Caulton) had been entirely disproved, and ou account of these t-tateoccuts being so completely disproved M B ide be disqualified daring the pleasure of the stewards. A« a result of the decision M'BmVtj horses did not run on Saturday. A later mes-ege says that M'Brde has instructed his solicitor to take proceedings sgiinit the club for defamation of character, and says he intends claiming damages for loss incurred through the disqualification of hia howefl. He has given ihe Trotting Club notice not to pay first money to Mr Edwards, owner of Three Cheers, iv the Easter Handicap, on the ground that Edwarda is alleged to have been dipqusl'fied for one mouth from Ist May by the Canterbury Metropolitan Trotting Association. Mr M 'Bride claims that the money should be paid to him as owner of Duke C , which was second.

\* The owner of Natatorial was fioed £5 by the Kgmout stewards for neglecting to scratch his horse until jusb before the Hurdle Race started. Four tickets had been rung en to Natatorial by the tima the scratching was notified. Ebor 13 5 led over the first and second hurdlts, and then, being supplanted by Langley the Dovil, retired for good, tbe latter evtnfcually winning by a couple of lengths from. Narrate. Of tbe six starters in the Hack Hut dies, the first to lead was Leandcr, but Conscript h=>d his measure all tbe time, and in the end the opposition came from Nugget, who gob to wiihin a neck of Conscript at the post. B. William*, the rider of Merman 11, had his collarbone broken by a fall. Iv -the Trial Steeplechase Kiora »nd Egmont fell and Langley the Dtvil refused, and the Auckland mare Alollyhawk (by Natator), owned by Miss Roberts aud ridden by M'Kenna, led all the way, takiDg the fences without a mistake, aud winning by a dozen lengths. Bar Kiora, the winner was the outsider of the party. Tbe Hack Hand : cip on the flat, one mile and a- half, produced a most exciting finish between Nthon'a s n Man o' War (7 8) and the grey mare Ascot Vale (8 5), the former winning by a neck. Tbe Egmonb Steeplechase was a capital belting race, as the inve-tmer.ta show : 93 on Roscia?, 65 Union Jack, 59 Bootlts, 45 Parnell, 40 Austral, 35 Riven. At the outset Urnon Jack raced away with a tremendous lead, bub came to grief at a furze hedge. TLis left Booties in the load, but he t< ppled over a pott and-rail fence, and Raveu followed suit. As the other pair had made no fhow R/scius then had the race at hii mercy. Boobies was ridden ia by j Mr J. J. Rassell, and thus secured eecond , money. Mr A. Lynch, the owner and rider of j Raven, had his shoulder hurt by the accident. Tbe winners of this race have been .-—ln 1887, Orient 11.6 ; then, in order, Allegro 10 0, R'jß»iter 9.9, Auckland 9.7, Takapu 9.10. Saillalegh 10 6, Booties 10.7, Uniou Jick 10.7, and now Roscius 12.8, his ne : ght being the heaviest yeb carried to victory. In the Second Hack Rac9 the crowd made Bowshot 8 10 a hot favourite, but be was beaten at tbe home tarn, and a plashing finish found Lord Vivian (by Flißeolet) a winner by half a length from Man o' War, the latter conceding 211b at six furlongs. As to the Final Steeplechase-, Rambler, ridden by George Lairig, was the only starter to escape mishap. Egmont, who promised to make a finish of ib, teU at the spar jump that cettled Booties' chance, in the big race. The sum of £2215 passed through the machine is £123 more than tbat of last year.

* # * An outline report of the race for the Liverpool Grand National is printed in this issue. On the Monday before the day of the r ice, says the Australasian's correspondent, co nfcernation was spread amongst the ranks of Cloister's supporters by the report tbat he bad gone wrong—^hich wjib conn" mcd by his immediate scratching. As some members of tbe ring had always been willing to lay the short odds eagerly takea by tbe believers in Mr I)uff's horse there was, of course, Eome nasty rumours tbat the horse had been got at. Cloister during last season g)t over his ailment, which w»s stated to be some injury to his back, and las!; back end wen a stecplohase in grand style, so

that when he waa found to be among tha entries for this year's Grand National, ha onco more hid a host of supporters. Oven when the handicap was framed, and he was found to head the list; with no les* a weight than 13 3, while the lowest weight had been reduced to 9 7 (7lb below the ordinary limit), he had swarms of adherents, and was strongly supported down to 5 to 1. Last Monday, however — exactly as wa» the easa last year — ho was scratched, having unncconutably fallen while doiag a gallop on th* flat. In tho words of his trainer, Escott, he appeared fio gu rather short on starting the gallop, bnt fh*>t was set down to a slight chill. Oa going aoovo a mile, however, Cloister, without warning ol any eorb, fell bo the ground ss if saot, and lay there with his tongue hanging out. On being got on his feet he was found to be lame in hia off forefoot. Of oourso there was a terrible outcry, and lasb year'u iueinuatians were renewed tenfold, and Mr Duff, who, it ia aaiJ, had over £1000 on the horse, says he will leave uo stone untamed to discover if there was any foul play. As to thtra having been always plenty of money to lay against the horse, this does not amouut to much, became bookmaker?, finding people willing to back a horse set • hitheito unaccomplished feat at aa absurdly inadequate price, would natarally grasp tha opportunity offered by the teaipt tig figure. Sbill the extraordinary natura of the mishap calls for the most stiingent inquiry possible, and if foul play there be, ib i« to be must fervently hoped tbat ib be divulged.

*»* R. Adnms, a son of tbe famous Jem Adamp, has left EDglaud to fulfil hi* engagements in Hungary. He ha 3 been well schooled by his father, who was a stern bit of fctaff as a steeplechase jockey, and toik a coc£ide*»ble amouut of knocking about. Upoa ojc o-ca.iioa he had a bad spill when riding at Autcuil, and was attended by a Fivnch surgeon. The libtst waa one of those self-styled practitioners who turn up when there is a call for fc doctor. Adams's rib] were broken, and the "doctor" bound him up. As no more riding could be done Jem determined to starb for England, which he did forthwith, and travelled all aight. Fc-dirggrcab pain when he arrived home, he consulted an English sargeon, who discovered the ribi were broken on the left tide, and the Fienchman bad put the bandages ou the rit/ht.

**# The new rulei of Ameiican racing provide that in purse tac -s six or mote horses muafc start) cr the race may be declared. off ; that no jockey under contract to a particular ttabla shall Le allowed to ride an outside hor^e in a race in which his stablo has an entry ; that it a jockey weighs in at overweight hia horaa shall cob be disqualified, bub the rider shall be fined, suspended, or ruled off ; and that if a horse makes an unavoidable swerve and hits another he shall nob be disqualified if the hone he hits finishes ia front of h'tai, provided he d«us not iuterfere with any hoivo (hit fluitius behind him.

*** Messrs Mo son aud Roberts have been appointed to work the totalizator at, sad reet-ive commissiem for, the Tahana P»rkm?etiog to be held on the 23rd inst. The acceptances are just out, bat I should like a little time to look through them, and will make n>y selections in the Daily Tim e s.

• *** Sid. B'sfaop haa taken up three nice yearlings : the fi ly by Occident— likaion, the filly by Aitillery — Fa'laoy, and the colfe bj Cateaby — Wai. Occident's daughter being a late foal is rather sm»H by compuifton with the oihers, bub that is a fault which erery da; will remedy.

*** "Rata" telegraphed on Wednesday night: The tan track ab Ricesrfcou is now being renovated. It baa had a good coating of eand, and now tan is being laid on rather thickly. The tan procurable here, however, is of very puor quality, but the track will no doubt be an improvement on last winter. To say the l«ast of tbe caretaker here, be is a most practical man at bid business when be bss gafficienfc liberty to operate ia bis own wAy. — Though the accept* anc<s for Skirmisher and Rangi&tea. were too late, Mr Reid means sending Ms horcei to Ounedin for tbe second day. I believe he was on the course yesterday morning. Rangiates did a good gallop to-day (Wednesday).—Sunspot was jumped to-cUy for the firnfc time, and^ he jumped meet beautifully for a novice. — He * is a natural jumper, and no mistake. — Marino and Goodwood will depart from hers to tbe scene of action at Dunedin on Saturday, aud Matinobas a very big show of nettinf the Maiden. That is the race he will tackle on the first day, I understand.— l fancy Liberator v. Auroa for the Hurdle Race on the first day at Duuedio, and if Le fails to give bis opponents any trouble I shall be surprised. Should he go as soundly as he is doing now I tip Liberator, with all his weight, and should be be beafen I fancy Smuggler will be pretty near when the winning post is pasted. Anroa's near hind hg looks masb unplea*iug. — Barraby goes to Danedin on Monday. Win or lose the Tradesman'/*, however, I do not think he is absolutely afc his best.