SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 33

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

J By Hori Poene.

Melbouiine, April 7. OLLA PODRIDA. By the time this appears in the pages of the Otago Witness the Sydney sports will be in the throes of their A.'J.C. troubles at Raudwick, whiht over in South Australia the Onkaparinga meeting will be a thing of the past. However, I hops to be able to descant on the various perfofm- , ances in my. next" letter (a fortnight hence), and meanwhile shall content myself with jotting down a. few items of interest which, if they do not pretend to point out any particular " moral" (albeit even that is as it may be), will, I hope, at least serve to adorn a, tale. Last Saturday the V.R.C. held one of their so-called " off" meetings at Flemlngtou, and the weather being propitious in the extreme and the racing promising to be first-class there was an excellent attendance, the outcome being a financial success, there being a slight profit to the club Out of the 17 coloured on the card for the opening event (starting at 2 o'clock)— a tvvo-_mile Hurdle Race— the Measra Miller had the felicity of possessing the three 'opwcights — Bjrderer 12.9 and Hive and Eirlston 12 5 each. Before the wagering opened, however, they withdrew Hive and Karkton, despite whicli fact the remunerative odds of 4 to 1 were to be procured about Borderer for some time after the inetallicians opened out. Borderer, who ia an aged gelding by Albury from Polly, certainly looked the fittest of the 11 contestant?, albeit, in this connectiou, there wasn't much ia his favour when compared with an aged black geldinf* in Joe Cripps's stable, named Kangaroo 1 1, who whs handicapped at 9 12. About * quarter of an hour before the start there was a tremendous rush to get ou to Borderer, and at one time he actually touched " evens," albeit at the starr f\ to 4 was to ba procured agains-t him, Eular 11 8 being at s's and Kangaroo ll and First Ascot 10.0 at ti'a. Young Herbert Cripps rode Kangaroo If, and rode him with great judgment; but although he nursed his mount splendidly for a final effort, the favourite just got home by half ahead in 'tain 511sec, First Ascot finishing third two lengths away, with The Hero 10.0 fourth, Eular seventh. I liked the way in which Fiivt. Af<cot performed towards the conclusion of the eveni, and when be has had a bit more schooling • he will undoubtedly atone for any shortcomings iv hi» orevious peregriaatioua on the ilat, prior to being lelegatcl to hurdle-racing. First Ancofc is ii four-year-old horse, by Ascot (Ohcster-Charity, the dam of Donation), from Dalliance (by Mer-fury-Doretta, by The Gondolier), and under the capable tuition of Mr J. H. Davis I will confidently predict hU accomplishing a big thing over the little sticks one of thesu tine day*. Although a, round dozen v, ithdrew from the Hill Handicap of s x furlougs, a field of 15 contested the evem, Bacchus 8 3 starting favourite at 7 to 2, while the followers of Mr W. R. Wilson's stable backed Pilatus 7.13 down to sto 1. This enabled yourg JAmes WHsod and his party to secure a fair stake about Key 8.6 at a nice price, the closing quotation of the Padlock-Governess two-year-old being 6to 1. For vmit njMccountable reason or other, though, the rank and file of backers had Sot it iuto thfir heads that Key, th'-ugh a pher.oiuenally fa*t filly, was a pronounced >iou-stayer; but she completely uppei that theory by battling out a moit determined rinish with Pilatus, eventually defeatiugthe Chester- ILtna gelding by a long 1 neck ; Campaign (AbPicora-Oaiueo) being only half a length away third, followed by Sacchus an J The Don, the time being returned as 1 win 14jsec Owing to the svarter, Mr Godfrey Watson, having ejaculated Go ! " before the barrier was released there w»r a buugle at the Btart, in consequence of which Moonlyong, Bcverley, and Homespun took no p»rt in the race. The I >qn had only 7.12 up, and being under the impression that he should bave figured morepiominently than he did, the stewards hiled his rider, G. Murray, up before them, and inflicted the orthodox "caution." The correctness of the otticia l time is decidedly open to question, as the "docker" took from the time the gong sounded, and the gong was undoubtedly laggard ou thi-? special occasion ; out, all the same for that, Key proved herself to be a remarkably good filly, seeing that Patrick was in the event at 8.3 and failed to finish closer than ninth. Padlock, the sire of Key (as also of West Australian Yale Lock), was 1 imported into Victoria (via India) by the 1 irrepressible "Teddy" Weekes in 1891, aud subssqueutly found his way up to New South Wales. He is a bay horse, breH in England in 1883, by Wenlock from Trcbbia, her dam Kiglboche, by Rataplan from Skirmisher's dam. Wenlock was \ by Lord Olifdeu from Mineral (by Rataplan — < Manganese, by Birdcatcher). The Victories of Yale Lock and Key are likely to bring Padlock into pronvnence as a sire. Governess, the dam of Key, was by Lecturer from Grecian Bend (by Troubadour from lielhari, by Indian Warrior), and in her day accounted for a. good many races up-country. Last month, , at the yearling sales, a grey colt named J ■ Moonshee, by Sunlocks (son of Mu*k Rose) from Governess, was sold to Mr F. Musgrove for 160gB. I His breeder, Dr W. H. Lane, of Corowa. N.5.W... l

only sent two down to the sales, the other being a bny colt named Westward Ho by Sunrise from Queen Eliza (dam of Security and Hosnia). who was secured by Air Phil Tleywood forl7sg«. Queen Eliza's breeding lines bring to mind old-timo memories, seeing that she was by Vasco di Gania (brother to Peto Oomcz) from Peerless (dam of Lesbia), by The Marquis from Mist Constance, by Athos from Lady (Jonstance, by High Sheriff from .Teanette (rUm of Barwon and Banker), by Littla John from Wilhp.lmina (dam of The Flying Buck), by Romeo fiom Moss Roso, by Rous's Emigrant. But heigho ! here lam again— off at the same old tangent, instead nf sticking closely to my "muttons." Well, to " resoona. the whole of Hie eight acceptors lined up for the Steeplechase, of two inilo3, Tremolo 11.12 being bo well backed chat 7 to 4 was the best offer against him at the close, Triangle 11.10 coming next at on, with Mercury 9 6 at 7'». ami Will-o'-the-wisp 9 12 and Doctor 10.10 at Bs. Will-o'-the-wisp, the property of Mr R. AI Turner, is an aged gelding (by Swiveller from a Don Giovauni mare) who has been on the shelf for some months, after a stumble at Williarnatown ; and, favoured by a blunder on tha part of the favourite at tlie last obstacle, J. S. Edge succeeded in landing him uneasy winner by two lengths from O X 10.2, who in turn held a 10 lengrhs 1 advantage over Tremolo, the time being •Iruin llj-sec Whether Tremolo would have won but for clouting the last fence so heavily is a matter of conjecture ; certain it is that his rider, J. J. Allan, made a truly marvellous recovery into the saddle after being tilted on to the horse's neck. The exploit stamps Will-o'-the-wisp as being " not half a. bad 'un " — in fact I should not be at all surprised to find him turning out to ba a clinking good one in the course of time. The same people that brought out Daimio first un« earthe" thit* igniv /atttifs. The April Handicap, of a mile and a-quarfcei-, brought out the mystic " 13," and, as a natural consequence, proved disastrous to backers, who accepted 7 to 2 a rout Excel 7.12, 4 to 1 Pilatus 7.4, 7'fl each Flintlock 612 and Warpaint, 10's each Cinder Kllen 8.3 and Miss Gladstone, 12's about (jlive, and allowed Mr James Wilson senior's four-year-old brown gelding Blackwoud (by Vecßeauca — Benzine) to "nmlooae" (offers of 100 to 5 being allowed to pass unnoticed) with the feather of 6.7 on his back. Certes, the brown gelding Blackwood had no previous performances to recommend him, 'ait then his breeding was undeniable, and another thing, hin owner, the on«inal proprietor of St. Albans, was sutoly not such a back number" as to be altogether unworthy of consideration. However, there the matter stood, until— hey, piesto!— six furlongs from homo Blarkwood sailed up to the leader. Pilatus, and settling 'his pretensions below the distance. It. Trainor shook off a final effort on the part of H. Holmes on Excel, and wweptpast thn post a clever winner by a length and a-half from the laitnarned, who defeated Warpaint by a length and a-quarter for second money ; Hiatus being a head away fourth, followed by Damcen, Mies Gladstone, The Chevalier, and Cinder Ellen ; the time being remarkably good— to wit. 2rnin Ojsee. In a field of five for the_ l'wo-year-old Handicap, of five furlong?, Nudity (Newminsier— Chloe) 7.0 wa« supported down tofi to 4, White Veil 7.!2 figuring at 3'«, aud Djin-Djin 9.4 at s's. The lastnamed is only a pony (by Forest Iving— Cumino), but getting a good "break" in, nespite a stutnblo in the lust few strides, shn put the favourite down by half a length, White Veil being three-quarters of n, length away third. Time, lmin 3sec. Only three days befoie Djiu-Djin 9.6' had run "absolutely" in a half-mile flutter at Aspendule Park, but although the Ag« tciibe was very pronounced ar.ent " this palpable reversal of form," there was nothing came of it, the, A P. stewards evidently considering thafif the action of the French soldiery— the " bold gensdaroieH"--when "running them in" to givo them ''gin" wa3 justifiable, there Could be no very ?riw» offence on the part of Victorian " gunners" when "lunv.itig them out" to «iv* them Djin-Djiu. , A 71b peualty (l>:iuging his weight up to 9.5) failed to stop Blaukwood in the Welter Handicap, of one mile, 'for which he started farouriie at 2 t<; 1 against a dozen others, Deposit (late Exchange! I 8.0 being the only other supported for money, h>'s friends accepting 5 to 2 about his chanc«. fie was never in it, though, Blaekwood winning easily by a length »nd a-qimrter from First Ascot in lmin 431 sec, Embrasure 8.0 being third a length and a-ha'f away, with Cobalt 9.8 fourth, Deposit finishing sixth, -.ordon Trainor (brother to It. frainor) rode BUckwoori, who promises to bn qt'ite as successful as ever his rhree-qu&rter brother, Nawton. was— perchance a little inora so. Thcie'B one thing about Blaekwood :he is equally as big a gluttou as his sire, Vengeance, who " blew me out" of a couple of " tbou" (£2OOO to 1 from J. li Gile3 on the double with Carbine for the Melbourne Cup) when he pipped Loycis^one by half a head for tho Caulfield Cup of I8i)0. When Walter Hickenbotham left Flomicgton with Nawhaveu it was in the full and certain faith that the champion would start in the Sydney Cup with all his 9.5. Mr Cooper, however, did not seem to relish the burden. Heuca his withdrawal. : '1 hey appear to have a pretty fair hurdlo racer up Kandwick way in Irish Stew, by Moorlad from The Nun (Kelpie— Prioress), who started at 6 to 4 against 11 others in a two-mile Hurdle Race at Rose-hill on Saturday, and won by live lengths m iimin 55$ sec. Certainly ho only had 9.4 on hia back ; but th* fact that hiß party refused £300 for htm immediately after the event proves concltisivftly that th«>y must consider him some " punkias." It is reported that he will shortly be under ortlers for Melbourne. New Zealand sportsmen will remember tho Apn'mont-Idalia mare Raveuswinc, who pledged ihd flying Ich. Dien to St. Georue. She was bouphfc at, a six-year-old by Mr D. S. Wallace, anri in 189* producod & filly foal to Carbine. This was named Raven's Plume, and last Saturday at Ro3ehill tho batting on the Two-year-old Stakes, of five furlongs, contested there was as follows,:— 2 to 1 against Bathilda, 7 to 1 each Lochuanita, Nor'Ki?t, and Sweet Marie, 8 to 1 each BurleigU and Cm, and 10 to 1 each Dead Shot and Ravens Plume. There were 21 starters. Raven's Plume 6.7 winning easily by three length? in lniiu 4Jiec ; Influenza 7.0 beiag second, a neck ia advance of Lochuanita 7.10. Mr George Hill, who expired in Sydney in hi* sixty-third year, held the ppaition of treasure;* to Tattersall's Club for a con»iderable period, besides being associated with Mr W. A. Long, M.L.C., in the Hobartville stud. Amongst the hordes owned by Mr Hill mar be mentioned Javelin (who won the A J C. Derby in 1871) <u\i Marvel (who once downed the mighty Carbine over a. mile «t weight-for-age) * * On the kfc. Kildu, cricket ground, on Monday, Oon J. W.»lker succeeded i« lowering the quarter, half-mile, and mile cycling records of Australasia. Previous to this Zimmerman held the belt for a quarter of a mile with 31 3-ssec, but this Walker clipped down to 293ec. Walne's half-mile record of GOsec was reduced tooS-sec; uu.l the mile gait f 'Oiu lmin 583 ec to lmin oSjhec. The following Queensland team have been ••elected to :epredent BananaUnd agiiust New S-.uth Wa'es in the intercolonial cricket match; W 3i.idy, T. Hvrnes, R. O'Brien, »S. i J . Jones, S. Donahnol W. Hoare, W. M'Glinchey, Dr Macdonald. T. Ljnt', R. Wilson, and J. Blackstock. South Melbourne succeeded in defoating Mel'uouri.e on Saturday by 26 runs, and this bciugtha metropolitan's second defeat, places them on even tc-rms with * 'arlton and North Melbourne as regards the premiership, the Carltonians at present having slightly the best of the position on average?. Harry Trott, M'Kibbin, Graham. Gregory, and Kelly left Melbourne by theR.M.S. Parramatta on Saturday for Adelaide en route to West Australia, where, in conjunction with a ?outh Australia contingent, they will play a series of matches under arrangement with the West Australian Cricket Assaciation.