SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2279, 4 November 1897, Page 38

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Br Hori Poene.

Melbourne, October 19.

VICTORIA AMATEUR TURF CLUB SPRING MEETING.Second (Caulfxeld Cop) Day.

Heigho ! Likewise vanitas vanitatum — all is indeed- vauifcy and vexation of spirit. To be so near and yet so far. And yet, were the Caulfield Cup to be run again to-morrow, I should plump for the five-year-old son of Splendour and Atalanta yclept Parthenopseus. His last gallop on Thursday morning, when he swept round the 11 furlongs of the sand track at Flemington in 2min 29£-ec, finally resolved me that whatever beat him would win, and as some of my New South Wales friends whispered me that in jheir opinion Gaulus was quite on an equality with Partheoopseus over a mile and a-half, and as the Gozo— lndustry horse had a pull of 71b in the weights (7.5 as against 7.12), I coupled him* with the . Fielders' hor B e to provide the winnet'.;- OiTFridiy, howeVer, x 'Gauluß > didu'eJaeem to hove^ quite recovered from the ' .effects of the r overlanQ journey (after winning a 'race at Rosehill on- the , preceding Saturday), and iif xfc morniDg, prior to ■ the <koi«ioa >6f the big eyenti-Mr Forrester informed his' intimates 'that' he wasn't 'enamoured of the chances of .either- of pair, and' that; "he The GrfcfjLer wouia rilnbet-ter than Gauhis under th» circumstances. " Which he did. However, to begin at the beginning. Saturday morning broke with everj appearance of the afternoon turning -out an. ideal ooe, but about 10 o'clock there were a few drops of rain, after which the' atmosphere assumed a sort of " nugginess " — though "'not sufficient to be uncomfortable. The attendance was something phenomenal, the vice-regal p*rty including Mr Thomas Brassey, brother, to the Governor. -The ladies' toilettes imparted additional brilliancy to the scene, and - (rs there ■"were no less than seven events on the-pro-gramme it will pass without saying that there was- any, amount of sport for your money. Seven events are altogether too many, though, when a- start is not made until half-past 1 o'clock and a luncheon hour is cut out of the afternoon ; and to make matters more unsatisfactory still in this connection, the elcc'rfe fluid which controls the starting machine at the mile post went "on »trifef," the consequence being that the start for the last event — the Windsor Handicap — was delayed nearly half an hour. However, the train arrangements were again excellent, and as the CftulfMd Cup had proved an exceptionally great race, the "general" were a good deal more satisfied than could reasonably bave been expected. A Maiden Plate, of one mile, firstongaged attention, the field consisting of half a 7 score'— a Very fair number, seeing that the majority of owners fight sj^y of such .ventures, as the winner Jja^uf'uaJl/ b'eeV'erlfemeiy-wtll looted after,by >'• the handicappers" in^ the past— one notable jnatapceieingth'e b|ghly-:pncedLord Randolph.. 'A?' 'soon" as "the ? Hetting" 'opened " a Balf : ' brother ti>.QaJ^er7^-Eucu ; lu6lby~-n»md,"in Mr ''Jais'e«;.W.ils<)n'«' stable— - wbs installed favourite 7 : at»4lto -17;. Wis^Ke «* rigiTt. .sorb l'"didn'i;se«m : /to^be.'taking^any^'Lueullus in ;theits J «'»jn<>ther~ favoutite;wßS*eßtablish'ed iu'Pif.fire (by Carbine * —Needle),- who* also advanced to 4 to 1, whilst -a movement on the part of 'the followers ; of .Walter Hickenbpthatn's stable in favour of Carbinier caused Mr Mat O'Shanassy's colt to pose on equal terms with Lucullus.at 5 to 1; Mr S. Miller's Trenton— Orotava five-year-old Snap- ■ •hot meeting with limited supported at,6's. Aj soon as the' barrier lifted, picky Walker on Alva (Neckersgat— Thteref a) dashed to the front, . ioljpwed by_yaldrous (Abercorn^-Lftdy Vivian), Snapshot, and Ailsa Craig (Smr'dius— Ad*), whilst Carbinier, ' who was very alow off themark, was. last. When half a' mile had' been traversed Alva -had 'a lead of some eight or ten lengths,' Ailsa Craig and Snapshot next, and Carbinier threading bit way throngh the other half-dozen.- At; the distance Carbinier lookedhopelessly out of it; but, finishing" very raso--lucely, he came at Alva in th'elast half-furloDg, and iron pretty- comfortably by half a length; Valorous being third three lengths away, with Pinfite and Lucullus the last pair, the time being lmin 46sec, or half a second faster than Aurum'e Guiciesa performance. Gaebinier is by Carbine from Barley (dam of O'Trigger), an imported mare by Barcaldine — Lonely, by - Hermit from Anonyma, by Stockwell. Carbinier did not i-hape very well as a two-year-old 'on the training -track when- under B. Power's control, and, although a colt with plenty of lnbstance, on passing, into -Walter Hickenbotham's'care he took some lime to develop his latent, talent, that persevering trainer having • t nearly given. him" up as a hopeless task when he - ludd^rilybegah to/show-.a-bitrbf form. / Ther6,. "seems to be tome sott of' glamour abottfr-riny fep'resentaiiv'e of Mr W. H. -Wilson's '^t: f Ajbans estiblieh'tneht ; which 'causes it to ■ - assume the role, of -first'favourite in an event on^ .Qie'very flimsiest- grounds,- land ofttimes without the. 'slightest grounds' a¥ all. It couldn't' possibly' have. 'been- the, support accorded- -to Manfred -7.7 by' his stable connections which caused him 'to "become' fuch a "hotpot"-for the Mbonga Handicap, of one mile, that at one time he actually touched 2 to 1, albeit at ttie termination of the wagering half a point longer was to be obtained against him , for he had so disappointed his p»rly on several occasions , during the last few weeks that some of them were beginning to incline to tbe opinion that the Robinson Crusoe— Bellissinoa colt .was a bit of 'a rogue. However, the public still kept hi«-vici>Gry over Key in the Nureery Handicap at - Fiemington last March green in their memories, and they were evidently under the impression that he would make amends for any previous shortcomings. The Eugene people also fancied they had a good " look in," and put up 51b overweight, 6 12, so as to tecure the, services of R. Lewis, besides backing the son of Neckersgat and Josephine down to 5 to 1. ~- This suited the book of Teddw Power "down to the ground j" as it enabled him and his\pala to secure good odds about the four-year-old Jlly Moonlyong'(Mentor — Sierra) 8 0, who "finished up at 6's, Miss Gladstone 7.6 being at 10's and Devoted 7.7 at 12's. Manfred was last away, and only ' once improved . his position by -making a bit .'of a run at the 'half-mile post.' ' It^ was' a ' -great finish; Moonlyong .Becurißg £he " judge's . verdict by ' a head from Devoted, who ' in- turn held a similar ' advantage over Miss Gladstone, Eugene being fourth,' with 'Majestic 'ninth", and Canal last ; time, lmin 47scc; handicapped for the Melbourne Cup at 7.9, and has not incurred a penalty therefor. She is the pro•■perty of the Hon. D. S. Wallace, and it is hardly 'necessary 'to state that her victory was enthusiastically received. Tbe brothers Brewer divided f avourite*hip in the Second Hurdle Race (one* mile and 'thrpe- ■ quarters), J. E. being up on Hirundo (4 to 1) 11.4, while G. F. bad the mount on Wild Bird (5-to 1) 11.0, 12 others constituting the field, amongst them being Mr C ~F. Glosscock's .Murdoch 11.12, or 231b more than he carried j the previous Saturday. Saddle Up 10.0 was

third favourite »fc 5 "to 1, Insurance 12.4 and Murdoch figuring at 10's. When they had gone about; half a mile Hirundo pat his off foreleg through a hurdle, scoring ib down from the knee to the fetlock ; but although he came ou to his knees and actually slid aloDg for some distance, Brewer retained his Beat and made a marvellously brilliant recovery, albeit the contretemps completely spoilt whatever chance of victory he possessed. G»y Lad 9.2 also came to grief through taking-off too far from a hurdle, hii rider, A. Allen,- having the misfortune to have the scalp nearly torn off his head,' besides sustaining a fracture of two of hia ribs. To complete the chapter of accidents, Reeponeell.9 came down ab^the last obstacle, but her rider (P. Kennedy) "escaped with a Bevere shaking. La ReinelO 13, Saddle Up, and Insurance had the iesue between them after Hirundo met with his accident until La Reine fell, and entering the straight it looked as if Saddle-up would win, as he led over the last hurdle, but in the run home Murdoch caught him and defeated him by half a length, Insurance three-quarters of a length away third, Wild B rd fourth, and Exchange last. -Time, 3min 18£*ec — rather "slick" travelling if the distance was correct. j Then the excitement culminated as the mystic ! hour, a qntuter to 4,. arrived for the decision of J the , • " 'v ! CAULFIEM) CUP," Of 250030vs ;. 'second 350sovs, .third 3SO joys. ' One mile, and a-half , *' : . , ■Mr"W. . Duggan's b.c "Amberite, ' by Carbine— * ■ , Duenna, 3yrs, 7-7 [inc. lib penalty] ".• - '-.j"-~ •- .. •. ■ (M.Harris) 1 Mr' P. -Feilder"s c>i h Parthenopseiu£by Splendour—Atalanta. syrs,' 7.l2' ... (F. Fielder) 2' Mr W. H. Davidson's br h Ayrshire, by Dunlop — Hinnoniungie, syrs, 8.9 ... (.T. Stevenson) 3 Mr E 6. S. Hare's b g Paul Pry, by Lochiel— ' Busybody, syi-8, 8 7 Line. 71b penalty] (W. Powell) 4 Mr A. A. Samuel's br h The Chevalier, syr«, 8.6 (H. G. Dawes) 0 Mr T. F. .Wigley's br g Foliage, syrs, 8.3 (W. Lake) 0 Mr W. T-. Jones's eh g Acton, syrs, 8 2 (P. Guinane) 0 Mr J. N. M'Arthur's b m Canoona, aged, 8.1 (A* Brown) 0 Mr J. B.' Pearson's b m Mischief, 6yrs, 8.1 (A. Luckman) 0 Mr J. Paterson's b or br h Devon, aged. 8 0 (T. Swan) 0 Mr I. T. Carslake's br h Straightfire, aged, 7.11 . (U.Murray) 0 Mr J. O'LougfcUn's blk^ Trent, 6yrs, 7.10 * v (I 1 . Pegrum) 0 Messrs Bailey and Orr's br h Dreamland, 6yrs, 79 (H..Hohnes) 0 Mr W. C. Bain's b h Bonnnie Heather, 6yrs, 7.9 , (H. J. Gardiner) 0 Mr J. Wilson's (jun.) br f Key, 3yrs. 7.8 (W. Walker) 6 Mr M. Carmody's blk g Sunbury, aged, 7.6 v (J. Cunningham) 0 Mr W. Forrester's eh h Gnulus, 6yrs, 7.5 (S. Callinan) 0 Mr W. Forrester's br g The Grafter, 4yw, 7.4 • (C. Power) 0 MrS. G. Cook's br c The Hynotist, 3yrs, 7.3 ' (N. Leek) 0 Mr S. Miller's b c Bundook,.4yrs, 7.2 " i t - \ .(J. Carson) 0 Mr J.- Percy -Chirnside's.b h Malto, 1 5yrs. 7.2 , "^ -• '• - : ■ -. ".■<>'• -«- - .(11. Walker) ,«0 Mr T. Kiely'a b g BirksgateJ syrs, 7.2 ''■ *• i . • " ; - - .',.,,', (J. M'Grath) 0 "Jttr-L. A.Cd,oj»er's b-£ Water Colour,' 4yrs^7:o ' - I • " .*•■*-'s-. '(W/tredfeahO-O, Mr W.,Bftiley's eh c Metford, 3yrs, 6.11 . j •;. :«■ - , ■-■:.;• v. _ . v ,(J sixsmith) , ; 0 j 'Mr J.'E}Brewefßrb I mß,oselK6yrs, 6. 8 Lear 6,122- -f ' >' • " • I • (R, Lewis) 0 i Mr S.'Miller'Bchf Lusted 3yw, 6.7 ; .. . ' * ' .i • , , „ - (S. D. Fisher) 0 ' On the coarse before the race the betting underwent a few changes, P&rthendpseas 1 being such a strong order' that 'he advanced to the position of a) pronounced first 4 favourite. "With the exception of Parthenopseus nothing else was quoted at single figures, 100 to 9 being on offer .'against anything else. Half an hour before the start the James Wilson stable sent in a commission about Kpy (who ran in a bandage) and she advanced in the quotations, whilst Rose! la and Trent receded, Amberite being almost quiescent, albeit now and then a few pounds would be. put ou the A J.C. Derby victor at the (tempting, odds. Mat. Harris, bis rider (who had £1000 laid thim by the: stable about his mount), was; far from sanguine, and on one of his. acquaintances insitting on backing him against his advice, he laid him £50 to £2 himself and wanted to make it £100 rto £4. Mr W. Forrester, too, had - come to the conclusion that he had kept Gaulus too l»ng over the border, and informed his friends that he would not be at all surprised to find The Grafter running the better race of (he pair; Trent, who certainly presented the appearance of being atriflj aldermanic about the •• Darby Kelly," was not in particularly good odour, for although bis , owner, Mr Jack O'Longhlan, was credited with having backed him to win some £17,000, those who professed to be " in the know, you know," kept shaking their heads in a Lord Bucleigh-like fashion whenever his name was mentioned with the air co pithily described, by the .melancholy Dane as •"an ambiguous giving out," as if to infer — ;•« Well, well, we -know" ;" or, *f We could,' an if would S^i" or,. "If we Hat to speak"; or, "There be, and if. they might. 'i However; the. Trenton — {Sumatra horse was -not taken any, great liberties with by the meiallicians, and his retrogression — as also that of Rosella — was quite explicable by the manner in which the i money went' on in hatfuis on Parthenopseui. I 1 According to the recognised " official" autho- J rity, the closing quotations were as follows :—: — ! 6 to 1 agsb Parthenoj obus, ll's Rosella, 12's Key, Gaulus, 14's Ayrshire, 15's Trent, 16's Paul Pry, 100 to 5 Amberite, 100 to 4 Straightsflre, The Chevalier, Dreamland, Metford, Bunfiook,' 100 to 3 Mischief, Sunbury, The Grafter, The Hpynotiet, Canoona, Devon; Foliage, Water Colour, 100 to 2 Malto, Acton, 100 to 1 Birksgate, Luster, and 100 to Bonnie Heather. It was a somewhat curious coincidence that the first horse of the 26 starters who emerged through the gate to do his preliminary canter should be the first to return to scale; but so it was. Amberite was first out and — the irony of Fate ! — Bounie Heather (who finished " absolutely ") second. When they \ took up their positions behind the barrier .Gaulus was inside, next the rails, ■ with' Key, "Met ford, Parthenop&eus, and Amberite next, ■the outside division consisting of Birksgate, The Chevalier, Water Colour, Acton, and Malto. There was a tr fling delay, but when j the barrier was upraised an excellent start was j effected. Ever smart-. st v upon her leg*, Key j - was ' the fi'-st to move, followed by Lutter, Parthenopaeus, The Grafter, .Malto, and Paul 'Pry. Coming down to the grand stand Malto j chopped right across and took -up a- positiou " next to Key, who'w*s"theri ueitthrraib, with Paul' Prf, Luster,' The Grafter, Acton, The Hypnotist,' Pathenopseus,"" Metford, »Hd Atnberite the batid.iest, of tbe.othecei ' AUttle further on, and whilst the, jockeys were yelling' out to one' another in frantic fashion, Amberite collided with Metford and fell back a couple of lengths, whilst a mix-up between Ganlus and -Water Colour eventuated in Mischief and Dreamland bringing up the rear, the escape from 'a stumble on the part of Gaulus being little short of miraculous. After going h«lf a mile Mdlto began to overhaul Key, and at the seveufurlong poet he had dispossessed her of the lead, j When half the distance had been traversed the poeitioof were— BUlfco, The Grafter, J?*ul Fry.

Acton, Foliage, Key (on the' outside), Sunbury, Amberite, Ayrshire, Gaulus, The Hypnotist, Water Colour, Rosella, and Parthesopsaus, the latter being jambed in on the rails through Fielder steadying him for an instant as the field swung round the turn out of the straight.* The back stretch euabled a number of riders -to improve their positions', Malto and Tbe Grafter racing together iv the van, whilst The Hypnotist's colours were decipherable alongside those of Paul Pry, the general buuch immediately following including Acton, Foliage, Devon, Boiella, Parthenopseaa, Key, Suubury, Amberite, and Ayrshire, the favourite still being penned iv on the inside. Ere another furlong h*d been traversed The Grafter ran past Malto, and at the half-mile post Rosella made a forward movo, holding a splendid position behiud the leading pair, Paul Pry still occupying fourth position in advance of Devon, The Hypnotist, Water Colour, Farthenopseus (on the rails), Amberite, Acton, Metford, Key, and Ayrshire. Approaching the entrance to the straight Water Colour, Amberite, and Ayrshire clapped oa a full head of steam, entering the home stretch just behind The Grafter. As soon as the turn was rounded, however, Amberite gave Water 'Colour and The Grafter a. rating go-bye, 'whilst' Metford, Paul- Pry, Ayrshire, Parthenopseus, and Key all looked like having a wiriiiing .chance. At the distance thougb/.thero- was . only one' in it, for, although Fielder brought the favourtto"aloDg^vei'y^faßb as soon as he got a . clear , run — the 'I»b6 ;■ " attention " he received being 1 from Ayrib'ire— he failed 'tQ.re»ph'Ani-. berite, who passed" the pewt without the 'flail being brought into requisition by a length, Ayrnhire finishing witbiu half a length of Parthenopwuß, with Paul Pry fourth two • lengths farther buck, The Grafter fifth, Key sixth, Devon seventh, Metford eighth, Rjsella (who failed ignotniuiously when the real pinch came) ninth, the last to pass the post being Bonnie' Heather (walking in), while the quartette directly in advance of him were Sunbury, Tbe Hypnotist, Citnoona, and Malto. Thft race was run in 2rnin 37sec, and as the last half mile — from The Grafter to Amberite — was covered in 50sec it stands to reason that Amberite must have spun over the concluding four furlongs under 49« ec, as he was fully a score yards behind the leader at the time the " peter " if as act going.* „ " The victory was not what you may -call a * popular one, although quite a number of people bad supported Amberite for the event at tbe time tbo#e big commissions were worked simultaneously in Melbourne and Sydney on behnlf of Amberite and Fuoile for the " two Cups " double. In the Otago Wilm s* of September 2 1 advised you (under date Melbourne, August 18) that this 'particular double had been backed to win some £40,000 in the two citie-, and at the same time I stated chat Gaulus and Pauthenopsea* were my special fancies for the CaulfieJd Cup up to the timo of writing. It is all over now, and an undoubtedly great colt won ;. but still to 013' mind F. Fielder made a fataL b'under 1 (which losfc him th« Cup) when he eased his horse a little tbef ore' approaching the mile post. Before/he Knew rightly what had happened he was hemmed in by a crowd, and -when' they 'onbe goir him -there — there ,he , had 'to remain. ' ,-.'.,-, l' • , -\ >. •_ ,O.d, Alec' Taylor's' hi ok liae not been of the .beit in jumping-twenitp 'for-some. month's bow ; but he^maniged to" bring "off one' of his good . things foe his BVllarftil friends' wifch/.Mr G._ Ru-sell's brown geldng Walter (by Wellington —Lady Marion) in the Seoond Steeplechase, of about two miles' and 740 yards! ' Walter is sjx years old, carried 10.13. started faWurite at 3 to 1 (agaiust 10 others), and won nicely by a length, .and u-half from C^dwc 11.12J who in turn held two lengths' advantage over Ouyeu 11.7, Jhe time beipg 4mjn 49^ee. O.ayeu'fl . starting' price- ,vas 7' to 1, Cedric's 8, • Out of . the- 11 starters five of them— Votary 9 0, The Vicar "9 0, Do'ndi 11.10, "Fftiryhouse 95, and Albany 10.7— "fell. ' "In tne First Steeplechase the positions' \vere secured by Millar (Ouyen), Taylor (Coufti^j-and^fidric-^lAsscock), In^ the / Second ' Steeplechase there' was a kind of " o&«,(««ey-rew«r8ay," to wit — Tajlor- (W»lter),> Glasscoek (Cedric), .and Miller (Ouyen)'. ' It is , about up to. Mr C. F. Glasscock'to carry off .the next jumping event over the big sticks with Cedric. ' ... Faith" is a' great thing, " and— by golly ! — the punters who! had such f*ith in the elect of the St., Albaus otible as to back » niaiden two- j year-old in * Nursery Handicap, over four 1 furlongs and a-half ,-■ agantsfe 24 others down to 2 t& 1 must have possessed -that attribute 1 in an abnormal degree. ' That is what they did with Mr W, R. Wilson's, bay -filly Symmetry (by Trenton from Buttercup), who had 7.9 on her back ip .the person of a coloured lad named J. M'Donald. . Oa Fiemiugton training track form it looked a really good thing for Sir Rupert Clirkfc'* Kb idspord— Nina' colt R'inf'iriy, who had dis"ij<- ed his ability to quite hold his own srh'en' pi'w<--l for, r a privajbtt-'go with^ *Mr' Fi .Fielder's, .celebrity, the. fliihg Vigorous., On "the strength of this" the } metropolitan division thought they were in for a- good time of it; and'- co they eventually acpeptca 4 - to 1 about hinrij the up-country folk aupportjijg Alec. Taylor's beautifuily'na'assiv'e''' filly Florence (by ZAlhiski—Benzme),' at -lO's. -"Haioault was Bominally at 12's, but as it was evident that the South Australian champion w;as still affected with stringhalt or some other kind of "halt." there was vtvy little business at the price. A*< one time 10 to 1 was procurable about Symmetry (who is very aptly named, as she is a model of symmetry), but when it became bruited abroad that a gentleman intimately connected with" the stable had jadvisedan acquaintance that he considered her to be " a*£ood as Aurum" as a two-year-old all doubts. were cast to the wind, and, in tlie words of Polonius, " Thus it remained, and the remainder thus. Perpend • " KimsERY Handicap, of 200sovs ; second, .30sovs ; thiid, 10»pvs. Four furlongs and a half. j Mr W. 11. Wilson's b f Symmetry, by Trenton ' -Buttercup, 7.9 '... - ..'. (J. M'Donald) 11 Mi' A. Taylor's b f Florence, 7.9 (F.. Fiolay)' 2 1 Mr 0. M. Lloyd's b c Roscornmon, 7.8 1 '(J. Cunningham) 3,' Mr. W. Clark's eh c Hainaulfc, 8.9 (C. Quiutr) 0 j Sir Rupert C'arke's br c Ranfurly, 8.0 (T. Brown) 0 1 Mr D. O'Brien's b or br c Peerage, 8.0 j (J. Robinson) 0 Mr D. O'Briea's b c Malatua, 8.0 [carried S.l] j (J7 GoueU) 0 1 Mr F. W. Purches's b f Por tree. 7. 13 [parried B.o] • (S. Day) 0 ■ Mr B. Cbirnsids's b g Cordite, 7.9 .' , ."_'.' - , " (P. Southeriand) 0 - Mr W. U. Wihon's^ f Majesty, 7.9 ' ' (D. Callinan) 0 Mr S. G. Cook's eh f The Uudine, 7 9 (C. 1 oon) 0 'Mr R. G. -Talbofs br-c The Pirate Kin«r. 7 8 ..... (H. Holmes). 0 i Mr J6hn Crier's br c Sparta, 7.8 ( \W Burn) 0 Mr John Crozior's b c.Cicero,,7S - (R.Lewis) 0{ Mr J. East's b f Lady Mostyn, 7 6 (S Callinan) 0 Mr S.G. Cook's b f The S^iicy Giil, 7, 5 ' ) (N. Leek) 0 , Mr W. A. Long's bri Little Wid^ 7 f Valker) - „ ! Mr H. Brown's eh c Advance, 7.3 \ " ' • • (W. Redfearn) 0 ■ Colonel S. Campbell's br f Monte Rosa, 7.0 < (J. Sixsmith) 0 Mr W. A. Long's b f Sweet Alice, 7.0 (IS. Cleal) 0 Mr S. Miller's br c Egypt, 6.12 . (L. Flowers) 0 Mr J.CookV bfEstaary.Ua (JJ. Traioor) 0

Mr S. Powell's gr c Moonßhee,'6.l2 ((J. Cooper) 0 Mr H. Hawkins's eh f Novus, 6.12 (J. Daniels) 0 MrH. Power's b f Diffidence, 6.10 (P. Dowling) 0 Buttercup, bhe dam of Symmetry, is one of the good old stock, being bred by the Messrs C. and A. Finlay in 1878, her sire the illustrious Panic, and her tflara Lady Sue&u (Lady. Kirk — Lady Dalhouste), who likewise claimed Colsfcoun as a son. Symmetry won in 57-^cc by two lengths and a-half, and as she assumed command <coon after the start, and fairly romped home, the performance was one of much merit. Natheless, as. I have hinted before, there was an aroma of " cemetery " about some of the others. The Windsor Handicap, of sir furlongs, brought the meeting to. a termination, and on training track form if there was a, certain loser in it that defeated one would have been nominated at once, by any of the Fle'mibgton cognoscenti as the five-year-old Staffa (by My Lord — Iona), with 9.4 on his back. Not but what Staffa has proved himself to be a remarkably f sst sprinter (in fact he was greatly fancied at one time for the last Newmarket Handicap), but with 91b less on his back he had finished dead last in the Toorak Handicap the previous Saturday, whilst his early morning performances during the interregnum werejmediocre in the extreme. ' Another!, tbiog, he didn't travel any too' freely m,the betting market, the Argus , quoting his starting ' price at 12 ' to" 1, whareas anyone desirous of obtaining a mouthful 'about .the chestnut would -haye 1 experienced little' difficulty in 'obtaining--' 15's. "There 'were .l2 ■ 'starters,' Mr* S."< Horderu?« ISirella 79'' being* favourite at' 7to 2, Hyinettu* 8.5 coming nekt at sto 1, -followed by Fortunlo 7.2 at 6, t0 1. There was a long delay at the start owing to the electricity going " bung," "and rafter one take start the field were despatched, by flag. Hera 7 9 and Fortunio looked like fighting it out at. the home turn, but at the distance Staffa shot out-,- and although E. Cleal came with * tremendous run with Mirella he had left it too long, Staff* getting home by a head from Fortunio, with the favourite a similar distance behitjjl the Fryingpsn horse, Valorous (brother to Vivian and Vigorous) being fourth and The Hall last. Time, lmin 16sec. Stakjcs Won Durikg thr Meeting 1 . Mr W. Duggan, £2000 ; Mr W. Bailey, £950,; Mr W. R. Wilson, £710 ; Mr E. G. S. H*re, £500 ; Me F. Fielder,' £350 ; Mr C. F. Glasscock, £345; Mr S. Miller, £235»; Mr George Russell, £200. The total was £6280. TUFTS OF TURF. On Dit, that a galloway — Ardcn by name — who started in the Windsor Handicap on.Saturday with 8.10 is a regular •• bobbydazzler," neither Fitzroy nor Water Colour beiog a circumstance alongside him when he is " taking a drink." "Mr J. Lee owns Amberite, having given 220gs fojj his dam Duenna, with him at foot, at the Lerderbsrg sale when the Hon. D. S; WnlUce disposed of his stud. Mr Lee made a present of' him to W. Duggan during his 'racing "career. \' '' " ',' „"• *"' .'„.,- . \ Whea.' they removed, young' Allen" to" the: casualty roomy 'afte^ /picking h'ina'up when ,W fell with' 'Gay,. Lad', tney found' it'lneoessary to put 25. fatitche's in his, , head. f , two.rib« broken as 'well';, and yet'^while "the.'iargepns" were.pjatting in"*he.Bi.itches,heV a 8 r<!l*t i nff'to WillieTFiigafce how the Sepond Hurdle Race^wa^ run- up to" the*tttne'G»y Lid felL Somethiagt like iiecyV-;" was- ifc n§t?. . ',' ' ' ' ."~ , V 1 The . gate receipts -at -. the , V.A.T.C. Springmeeting this year were in excess of thgse of last ye*r. But ..the club cleared £1600, on' the meeting'in 1396, whereas, owing to some £800 more being given away in stakes,' tbe profits over the reunion just closed will only amount to between £1000 and £1100. \ .When Vigil fell in the Ca^lOeld Grand- ' National Steeplechase, about . a couple of - ' months* »go,^ his rider, S&eve H«ndricks, sustained : fearful injuries, the' pelvis- bone Jjeinj*" fractured, betides the internal organs being deranged.* His condition has caused a deal of anx<ety to his friends, but at last he is stated to be on the improving 1 wide, albeit his Cfise still gives his medical attendants much concern.- , A. C- Delaueyand J. Barbour were the only two jockeys tq' score more than one win.' during the Caulfield Cup meeting. ; A pcomising young lad of colour— i.e., J. .l^'Donaldrattiched to the St.: Albans'' establish-ojent — rode Ormaz (second) in the Debutant Stakes' and won the 'Nursery Han'difltp on Symmetry. The other 1 winners were rid<jen by M«t. Harris,. H. J. Morri-on, M. Mooney, W.'Powell, H. J. Gardiner, C. Power, M. C»rey, and T. Rogers. Among«t the winning sires, Amberite and Carbioier scored for Carbine (though Walter S. Hickenbothfttn is rigid ia the /faith that Am-b'-rite is by Mentor and not by Carbine), Coil and Coeos for Abercorn, Murdoch twice for Swivelier, Aurum and Symmetry for Trenton, Ouy*o for Boolka, Walter for Wellington, and Staff* for My Lord. The cfctialoftueof the Marphettville^atud sale, to be conducted by M«s»rs William C ITuille and Co.'-in Adelaide on November 11, -has-been; insued. ' The sale is likely to be a n"otable,one, as some "of the best-known horsefi: in' Australia' '.&te 'to ; b*e* submJttcdj'includiog in stallions L^gh> Att'llery (whose Httrten^e foal is. caid.to . ba" the' finest^ ever seen'invSouth Austraiia),7 Moslyn, Nautilus, Gang Forward; and Aldfc valloch ;'. the brood - iuare« . JlojrteDse, h F*iry Voice, Tyropean, Perhaps, Josephine, "Ij»dy Lovelace, v Tarpeia, PAigle, Mi«s Mostyn, Promise, Meg Mc-rrilees, and Irish Queen.