IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 32

IN A NUTSHELL.

— The late Sir William Clarke was born in Tasmania.

— The Sydney horse Loch Leigh (by Lochiel) has been bought by Mr D. O'Brien. — Euroclydon seems to be tbe only New Zealand horse nominated for the Melbourne Cup. — A jockey named Gordon put up a record at the Marong races, Victoria. He rode the winner in every event. — It turns out that there was no truth in tho reported death of Mr Morris's Victorian show jumper, I'airfield. — It has been decided by the N.S.W. Supreme Court that a-publit lane is " a place" within the meaning of the Betting Act. — There is said to be a full sister to the trotting horse Osterley in Sydney, and that she caa trot a mile under 2min 20sec.

—At the Kilraany Park sale in Melbourne prices were disappointing, the highest figure being 42g3 for a yearling filly by Commotion from Lady Teazle.

— Mr Dan O'Brien has fixed on Malatua as a name for his colt by Malua from The Faithful, and he hii3 named bis colt by The Australian Peer from Naomi, Peerage. — From South Australia comes news of the death of the well-known gelding Rudolph. The son of Martini- Henry, who was a brilliant two-year-old, died from /thirst. — Eleusiniati, who paid £26 18s in the Adelaide Birthday Cup, cost Mr David James 45gs, and had only won once previously — namely the S A.J.C. Spring Hmdicap last year. — A smart 'chaser named Furnace displayed a lot of speeil at the recent Mentone (Vie.) meeting ; but it is reported by cable that he was fatally injured at exercise last week. — The famous old sire Hampton is said to have made a marvellous recovery, and will, it is believed, rr'sume stud work, lie is responsible for an excellent filly foal from None tbe Wiser.

— A cable message from Hobart states that Mr Mitchell, of the Bank of New Zealand nt Port Chalmers, wins tbe third prize of £414 in Tattersail's sweep on the Ellesineie Stakes at Randwick.

— Included amongst some of the big prices paid for horses by the late Sir William Clarke are 1550,5s for Petrea, lOOOgs for Angler's Gem, 950gs for Bordeaux, 720gs for Defoe, and 600gs for Avernus.

— On the second day of the Adelaide Birthday meeting the Cup *vas run in a blinding stoim of rain— just such another day a.<t when Jack Williams won with the New Zealander Mata, beating Progress. — Two jockeys from India, named J. Robinßou and J. <3ibbs respectively, are paying Melbourne a short visit. Gibbs rode the English horse Sprightly on each of the two occasions he won the Viceroy'K Cup. — P. Hußsey, the Adelaide jockey who got an ugly fall when Regent came down with him in the First Hurdles at tho S.A.J.C. meeting, died at the hospital. Hussoy was a splendid rider over the sticks or hiz fence;-.

— Launcestoii, by Tasmau from Rubiua, aud consequently full brother to Elorvie, has been leased by Mr Dan O'Brien to Mr W. C. R. Roberts, of Currawang station, King's Vale, where he will <io duty at the stud.

— A i>rivate message from India says that Quiver i* a perfect wreck. She was supposed to have been poisoned some time ago, and her continued dulneas and lack of condition ko a long way towards confiriaing.the suspicion of foul play. — La Fleche. about whose sale to Sir Tatton Sykes there was a dispute, has foaled a colt which will probably bring back a good deal of the 12,600gs given for the mare. At the time of the sale there was a doubt about La Fleche being in foil.

— Tha Wanganui-bred hack Carrick, carrying 7.0, finished second to Victoria (5.11 in the Flying Handicap', decided at tho Mentone (Victoria) meeting on May 12. Three days later the son of Tim Whiffler, with 8 5 on his bark, won the Welter Handicap at the Maribyrnong meeting. — On -the opening day of the Adelaide Racing Club's meeting, New Zsaland-bred Golrtea Fleece partially repaid Jim Scobie for former disappointments by annexing the Auction Stakes The mare won from Kase only by a nose, but Holmes took things very easily. She was sold for 70sovs. — The Bandmaster gelding Blucber, who was among the winuerß at the last Queensland T.C. races, fa Eaid to equal for ugliness anything in the thoroughbred lin«. One description say* he is a monstrous, long-backed, thick necked bleary-eyed specimen of the noble animal, with, feet like soup plates. But he can galfop. — Canterbury Times gays :— " It is considered by many people that Red Lancer finished first in the Farewell Handicap at the Uunedin Jockey Club's Birthday meeting, but was overlooked by the judge." That is the fu - 3t I have heard of this matter. The report is without the least foundation. It was an easily-judged race.

— At thß Melbourne Driving Club meet Mr John Robertson's well-known stallion Osterley made an attempt to lower Huon Junior's record for one mile — viz., 2tnin 24& sec, but the track was a trifle holding after tbe rain, and tho best Osterley could do was 2tnin 3Lsec. Later on he ran a good second to A r*b in the 2.45 Trot. — The plan adopted in connection with the Liverpool Gsand National of issuing quartersheets bearing the names of the horses for whom they were provided met with general commendation at the time, and the idea has caught on in France, the president of the Society of Steeplechases having asked for a quarter-cloth to be sent as a sample. — "Aauiodeus" on ths subject of first foal 3 : Ben Bolt's sire was the virgin issue of his dam, who was only a yearling when she conceived the sire of the.Caulfield Cup winner. 'I he mighty Chester and another Melbourne Cup winner in Sheet Anchor were got when their dams were two years old, and Cranbrook when his mamma was 12 months older.

— Tho trio of "Birthday" events in Australia were all unlooked for iv results. At I'lemington the minimum-weighted Trent brought off an 8 to ] chance, Honiton being one of the field. At Sydney the revived Delaware popped up, starting at odds of 15 to 1. Adelaide saw tbe victory of the 25 to 1 chance Eleusinian, whose Leger running should have brought him into notice. — Mr Ridgway, the Franco- American sportsman, whose colours have been so well known in France, sold off his horses last April, and the total amount realised for them wus £16,000 — a satihf ictory bum ia the face of the fact that many of the lots went at very low figures. The highest price obtained was 3210sovs, given by M. Jaquea Lebauay for Canvass Back, son of I ittle Duck. — The Jockey Club, at its meeting at Newmarket in April, adopted Lord Suffolk's motion sanctioning weight-for-age races during the "close" season for four-year olds and upwards over a distance of two miles or more, with a minimum weight of 9.7, and of not less value than £200, such race 3 not to be selling races, and to be under the authority of the National Hunt Committee.

— Bidding was slack at the recent Melbourne sales. The highest price realised was for Cinder I'.ilen, bought by Mr Uphill for 125*s. Her destination is probably India. Bloodshot was also put up, but 270gs was the best bid for him, and this was refused. The stallion Merriman, looking in very poor condition, was allowed to go at 6gs, and the brood mare Maid of Honour, dam of Freedom, went for sgs. She is now over 20 years of age.

— There are a few leviathan bettors to be found in Tattersall'a enclosure at the present day, with Richard Henry Fry at the- head of them, says a London writer ; but I question if any individual in these times makes anything like the monster books of Davis, John Jackson, or even of Steel and Peach in their palmy days. Davis, for instance, regularly made a hundred thousand pound book on the Derby, and on one occasion a hundred and fifty thousand pounder. —As a rule, says "Ajax," the late Sir W. Clarke's luck on the turf was indifferent, and in handicaps hia horsed were usually at the minimum weight. He rather reaented this, and it is said that on one occasion he spoke rather sharply to Mr E. T. Barnai^ for what he considered an unjustifiable reflection on the quality of hi 3 horses. Yet they did not win, except occasionally, even at the lowest weight. How some owners I know would like to be similarly "insulted" by the handicapper. — S. P. Davis, at one time a leading Australian jockey, died last month at Flemingtoa. Ia the

early days he was associated with Mr C. B. Fisher and Mr Hurtle Fisher, and rode a number of winners for them. He wa» twice succ^sful in tho Champion Race, riding Mr C B. Fisher's Fishhook ia 1867 and Mr J. Tait's Fireworks the following year. For Mr Hurtle Fisher he landed the Melbourne Cup on Lantern in 1564 About the latest winner of any note to be ridden by Davis was Gaslight, in tho V.R.C. Oaks of 1874.