COURSING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 35

COURSING.

FIXTURES. June 3, 4, B— National C.C.'s meeting. June 8, 9, 10 — Waterloo Cup meeting. August 5, 6, 7~National C.O.'b meeting.

NOTES BY MASTER M'trRATH.

On the first day of last week's meeting the coursing was of a poor quality, Lszzie Godfrey, Doris, Bloomer, Shyiock, and other dogs that were capable ef displaying form being lucky in escaping severe trials, while some of the beaten crowd sbapsd very badly, and it is hard to undei sband how they oame to ba entered. Port Fairy absolutely ref aeed to face the hare. On the second day, the weather being milder, thus patting heart iuta the hares as well as the doga, some very fair sport was seen, acd Friday's card produced a lot of very iiiterestiag flnis-hfcs.

Dutails ara so fully supplied in the annexed report thvb very little comment is wanted from me. The downfall of Shyiock, though brought about by a good dog, waa not true form by, loDg chalks. The Auckland dog wrenched out hi 6 dew claw while ruauing with Harvester on the aecond day — the same cUw that he lost last ; year, in the Challenge Stakes, and when he defeated Nightlock he was under that serious disadvantage. On the third day, in bis course with Kingdom, Shyiock also broke one of his toes — the one that went in last year's Waterloo — and. this sett'ed hia chance. Personally I .thought he had won the course wh'ch was declared undecided ; but he waa plainly beaten in the run-tff, tha accident fairly crippling him towards the end of the most gruelling course of the meeting. It was just as .veil, fox all the show he then had of winning, that he was beaten by Kingdom, as.'he could never have faced the finals. The .owners fear that this m'sbap means the end'of Shrlock'6 career.

Kingdom also lost a dew-claw in this go, and hocee i*as handicapped in his aonrae with Lizz'e Godfrey. This was bad luck for young Murdoch, who had ths dog very well, though I fancy he relied more on Castorinv a g*me and fast bitch bred by himself.

Shylook's defeat was not, I think, the occision of any very heavy losses or wins. His party did not back him till tho night of Wednesday, whsn tbey took short odds to small amounts.

Lizzie Godfrey ran well, but had no chance at all against Bloomer, who showed phenomenal speed and murderous quickness with her teeth. Many said she was not clover enough at working to live through the stake, but others, whose judgment proved the sounder, could not see how such a fast slut was to be licked if she kept well, seeing that she wa> able, to drive the hare away from all opponents. Mr Bladon's Victory was well received. It was plucky of htm to come from Sydney and land his slut only three days before tke meeting, after a spell of ten days on the vessel. He brought with him a Livingston pup, which had a go with Bloomer in her bye, aud led her. Such a pup ought to be cheap at the price asked, which is, I believe, £50. Mr G. Williams, the secretary, to the club, and Mr Harry James, representing the D.'J.Ol, had the arrangements well in hand right through, and most of the judge's decisions were well received. The only complaints of any consequence were as to the roughness of the enclosure.

Mr F. P. Wilkinson, of Hobarfc, writes me that he is sending three greyhounds for gale in Dunedin. Two of them are sluts that have appeared once, both lasting into the last four of » twenty-four dog stake.