TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2315, 14 July 1898, Page 35

TALK OF THE DAY.

By MAZEPPA.

* # * Resuming from last week our notice cf the New Zealand Cup weights, we come first to Cannonshob. This strapping geldiDg has co far made his reputation, such as it is, over short distances. He was supposed to have been highly tried for last year's Cup, but did not start, and I doubt whether the reported trial was correct. His great race this season was in the Easter Handicap, seven furlongs, his time being lmin 29§sec 'with 8 5 up. This was a good performance, bub not the sort oE one to give much of. a guide as to his chance for the Cup. We may, however, say of Canuonshofc that his speed is proved, and that ft six-year-old ftb 7.8 has bo reason to grumb!e afc bis treatment by the handicapper. Tirant d'E*u has been showing up prominently from the early part of the seaßon to the finish. I may mention two of his best performances. One was to win the President* Handicap &fc Hawke's Bay in January, doing the mile and a-half with 6.10 np in 2min 38sec, beatiDg Golden Plover 7.8 and Cosur de Lion 33. Then with 7.3 he ran second in the Napier Park Cup, heating Primula 8.9, Douglas 9.0, and Tarsefc 7.0. Tb&6 was nothing wonderful, seeing that Dpuglas aud Primula were giving him bo moch weight. Bub it was a fair performance that Tirant d'Eau showed when with 7.11 he dead-heafced with Woodstock 7.7 for the City Stakes on the second day of Napier Park, doing the mile and a-quarter in 2nain 12sec. And we musb nob forget his run in bhe Great Autumn Handicap. In that race he had 7.3, and got third place behind Goldleaf 70 and Sfcarshot 7.10; and what niakea the performance noteworthy is the facb that at the finish he was travelling faster than any of the others, displaying, indeed, » fair degree of staying power. For being beaten,

too, Tirant d'Eau has now a very fair allovrftncK. Reckoning through the w.f.a. scale, Goldieaf is'raised lib, Starshob ia raited 61b, and Tiraut d'Eau is lowered 71b. In other woida. Goldleaf; allovrs h ; m 81b and Starshct allows him 13!b foe the Great Autumn Handicap result, and oa these terms ho looks very likely to beab the pair. Moßt undoubtedly Tirant d'Eau has, atany rate, a fair show. *#* Heritas is one of Mr Dan O'Brien's repre« seutttives, and, so far as I know, the owner " himseH cannot as yet say what; the colt can do. Of St. Cyr, owned by Mr Sfcer.d, the same remark may ba m»df. They may prove racehorsea acd they may not. In either event, 80 far as present knowledge goes, they are well treated in being pat in at 221b under weight for age. It; is arguable thab horses cught not to receive such & substantial allowance as this uutil they p-ove that they ar& entitled to it. For aught I can pay Heribas may develop intea Trenton and St. Cyr into a. Multiform. Such a thing is not likely, but there is the possibility, and handic&ppvra, whose first maxim ought to be caution, should guard sgaiusfc & f urprisefrom the unknown division, who havo plenty of opportunities in lesser races to tthow what they are made of. Dundas has, I should say, received all fcheweighfc he is entitled to, yet ho had to be looked alter. Altair, (is winner of the Champagne Stakes, could not be very well pub in at less than 7.0, and a place above him had to be found For Dundee, seeing that he beat Altair in the Welcome Stakes, in tha Dunedin Champague, &nd in the City Stake?, the last-named performance being noteworthy, since Dundas carried 9.0 aud Altair 8.7 watt unplaced. I have an idea that Dundas is a good celt ; on the other band he needs to be when handicapped at 2b above weight, for age, and thus assessed as superior intrinsically to everything in the race excepting Waiuku, Multiform, and i-t. Paul. The handicappingof Ilex must have been a mere matter of guesswork. Though the Le Loup gelding has raced on the flat, he is chitfly known of late as a hurdle racer. In that line he fairly claims respeefc. What he can do on the flat in a race of this class I cannot pretend to say, and backers must argue for themselves as to whether Mr Wise has a chance. Ia saying this I would add that, in all likelihood, Ilex will sco a fair price ab the post if he starts.

*** Seabreok is another of the rough 'uns, or, rather, he has recently graduated out of that class. He won the Farmers' Plate and the Novel Race, ab Hororata in February last, and was then sold to Mr Victor Harris for £30. The new owner rather pluckily entered the gelding for the Maiden Plate at DunediD, and won it, giving 41b and a beating to Fulmeu and doing the teven furlongs in lmin 29 3-53ec. Going back as far as Timaru, Seabrook ran second to Paladin and second to Lady Lear, giving weight to each, and he then rrou the Consolation, in which he had 7 12, did the mile in lmin 44eec, and beat Cannon?hob 9.5. Thab gallop, if correctly reported, is worth taking notice of. Racing ab Oamai-u in April, Seabrook won ab a mile and a-quarter, carrying 7.4 and beating Skirmisher 8.13 and Epaulet; 8.12, the time being 2oain 12§5tc. This looks well, bub the beaten pair have nob been consistent enough to make their defeat particularly significant. Better, perhaps, was Seabrook's run in the Grove Fa urn Handicap at. Ashbnrfcon in May, when, with 87, he gob to the end o£ seven furlongs in lnsin 32sce, and Double Event 9.5 failed to geb a place. After, this Seabrook ran second to Rangeflnder in the Racing Club Handicap ab Ashburton, and won on a protest. I cannot recommend Keabrook on these performances. They are the history of a fairish second-claseer. Of course Seabrook may improve, bub we are not jusfc now speculating on possibilities. Altair reads ever so much better. He proved his speed when he compassed the four furlong? of the C.J.C. Nursery in 47sec, and beat all bub BUzer in the Hopeful Stakes ; and his weight-carrying ability was di"payed in the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes, 8.10 up, and doiDg six furlongs in lmin 17£ sec. The Cup is not strong in three-year-olds this year, bub ao far as we know them Altair is 'distinctly one of the best, and as such a customer for whom backers ought to entertain high respect if Mr Stead keeps him in the rsca up to the starb. In the meanwhile, however, the colt is not a good medium for a plunge, because Mr Stead does not lay himself cub foe handicaps, and possibly before the day he may have seme other mission for Alfcsir.

*** Sequin's claim to respect reads like a sound one. In November lasb she finished second to Vedette in the Farewell Handicap ab Christchurch, and we all know what a good cne Vedette proved himself to be. Sequiu wai travelling very fast in the straight, doing her beat, in faot, when her rider came ab her with a further call, with the consequence that »he swerved and was beaten by three-quarters of a length. After that she won the Taieri Handicap by four lengths from Red Lancer, who was conceding a stone and a-Tialf ; then she won the Sfc. Kilda Welter, a mile, receiving only 51b from Red Lancer ; at Christchurch she was said to have been second in the Midsummer Handicap, . though placed third ; then she Bobbed third in the Duuedin Cup, and won the President's Handicap ab the Taieri with 8.8 on her back. I do not pretend to find a winning prospect in these performances alone. Some horces in the list thab I intend to vote against for the present could make as brave a display on paper as Sequin does. Bnt, having watched this mare pretty clcsely, I have come to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, that she will before long ripsu into a second Spade Guinea, and Uke a higher place than that occupied in her three-year-old seasen. It is generally understood that she is a sound mare, and a bit of. a stayer, and I feel satisfied thab she has never shown her besb form afc the Forbury. Time will tell whether my estimate of Sequin is or is not borne out. Meantime, while acknowledging that she has nob earned much if any more than the weight parcelled out to her, ib must be conceded that in this re»pe.ct also she is not badly off, aud she shall certainly be one of my picks. Versailles is an elderly marden, his sole recoinmendabion being thab he is related to Sfcarshot, bub inasmuch as the family is nob a distinguished one th 9 relationship itself does nofe cocnb for much. His chance cannob possibly ba assessed. Sir Henry has, however, given him every possible consideration in appraising him as worth only 7.0, which means 3*lb less than weight for ago. Target has some very fair performances to her credit. I remember parbiculady her second in the C.J.C. Jockey Club. Handicap, a mile, when she split Uniform and Euroolydon ab the finish, under a light weight, certainly, bub she has a light weight again now. Again, she has won a couple of times ab a milet and a-quarter— the Wellington Handicap itt November and the Autumn Handicap on tha same course. In this last-named event sha carried 7.0 and beat Waiuku 10.7 and GoldleaJ 7.4 for places, doing a record of 2min 9sec. Sha is evident!* a very fast mare, and if she cannot

play I don't understand why 6he was entered, belonging to the same stable, is on the fa"me mark, acd 1 fail to see anything in his l>erfornißt)ces to justify one in supposing that te can gallop with Target.

*#* Nihilist lies raced fairly well as a two-year-old, but when he won he bad verj lHtlb to beat, and on form, while fairly placed »b a matter of weight, I should not jusfc vow pick him as a dai.gerous colt, though he is a youngi*t(:r that may improva a lot. Tire" has proved a grievous disappointment, and I cauMot remtmbev anything better of late iv his record than the winning of a seven-furlong race t.t Hive's B/.y iv January. Ho may win, but afc present 1 cannot rscomuiend him even at 6.13. Double Event is more promising. He lias won, I think, seven racrs this seaBOU, the longest at a mile and a-quarter. Though not popularly esteemed a Cup horse, I believe him to te a fair animal of whom tho best has not fceen Been, end he certainly reads better thaD Irs neighbour Tire\ Firearm, Malatua, and l'etrage have not yet raced, aud Mr Henry has very properly declined <.o differentiate as between them. On breedirg they ara a hopeful trio. Explosion has raced, and somewhat compeusated for fcis second to Hylas in the Musket Stakes by finishing nowhere in the AueklaDd Champagne S'akes won by HerKosa. It will he generally admitted that he ,ia properly placed. No good purpose would ba seived by analysing Fuimr-n's performances. Ho ha 3 rua badly on ,lhe whole, generally shaping in such a way as to eive the idea that ho had notions of his own. It is in hit favour that his latest performances are the more promising, aud I hops he may in the coming t eason prove worthy of his pedigree, Meantime, all we can say is that he has a liberal allowance for his defeats. Chaseeur bas befn runniug in short races, getting tons of weight irom Boreae, who hus beafen him once while Cbasseuf has twice prevailed. It would have entailed no r;> k to have shoved this horse as well as Fulmen a trifle higher in the handicap, fcut no one can argue (hat this is sustainable from the records. The same remark applies to the next four-year-old, Doneraile, who has a ■ Maiden Plate to his credit and ran two seconds on the s-ame course, Takapuna, Next we come to thrte fillies, and I have no cause for com- i plaint in that Mr Heury disregards Scotia's and Refugee's failures and places these youngsters | ou a par with Ideal. Glenelg is tbe Winton fcur-j ear-old, and on his own rourse has won a handicap and run second to his btable-mate Greaba in tha Guineas. No one knows what j he can do in open company. Golden Legend won the Maideu at Amuri, and has siuce been a dif-appointmert. Abercrombie bas run only once, v.htn half fit, and on this record I harnly tee that he is entitled to the minimum of 6.7.

%* Having now gone right Irrongh tbe list, I give tbe handicap as it app-ars wuen turned inside out and compared with the weight-tor-age f cole. This is how it. reads :—: —

Put either as above or in its original ?hape the handicap is, so tar as my judgment gotw, a firsfcckss compilation — one of th^> very best that Mr Henry has ever tnrned out. I Ihink he has been a little l*nient to Multiform by comparison with the ettifcr horses near the head of the handicap, and in my judgment he might with advantage have put Seabrouk and Target into each other's places and lifted up hj a lr'fl> s ich four-year-olds as Chasseur and Doi:era:le, Bau I may be wrong in my fcuggestnns and any w.\y, whether right or wrong, tru j re is not a horee in ILe rate that I would like to see raided or lowered by more tuan 51b. / have hoe n through mary handicaps critically — el ziiis of them — end never found one stand su.^iysia bultoi than Ibis one does. On weight, indt-iid, it is very hard I > ra»ke a selec! ion. At tbe very outset there is a j difficulty about. Multiform. "Spu^ttor" writes: j " The colt's c-wuer informs u.e that it is most j improbable tbat Lo will euiit Multiform. Mr Stead says thai it may ii 6 truo that, theorstieally, 9.8 i« not too much compared with come Df the ethers c-utyged, but ho contends that, as far as he is twaic, j.o four-year-old in England. America, ot Now Zeslatid has in modem times ever wop an imports. l h&udicap tun over a dis- i t&nce.oi two wiles i;* thy spring of the year' when carrying sucUan impost. Ho is !iot sanguiDe eiKug?i io tLimk lliut Multifotm can do •what has nevec been accomplished bel ore, and i therel'o.-e will not try what he considers an j impossible ft ah, but will reserve hia horse for weight-for-ige races." Concerning which I would ask wbat sort of weight did Mr Stead expect when he entered Multiform ? In the Melbourne Cur. the handicapper bas given Amberife, the samu age as Multiform, 9.11, and half tho writers are picking Ambcrite, who was Jusky to *sn most of his races, as one of tbo good things of the Cup. I should do tho same with Multiform if he were reasot&blj sure to star!-, but Mr Stead's statement choice? me tff, and backers will let the j crack pass in the meantime. Looking to Ihe j member 1 * eoncemirg whem t\e have no owners' announcements, I take St. Paul Rubin Bob Kay Goldleaf Day fTAR TIRA^T d'Eatj Stabshot Altair Zanella Sequin Douglas Target as the dozen thai; commend themselves most to ray judgment, ard of these my greatest iancy ia for fjtftrahofc, Rirfcin, Tiratit d'Eau, and Seepiin, while if asked to make a dab at a pair to provide (he winner I should go for Tihant d'Eau and &£quin. ■ ; V* Though Jeddah won the Derby, and though it wa<j at once discovered, as usual, that he is something wonderful according to the figure ejelpra, thft English experts are not in raptures nboub the colt. They say it was a poorfi"ld. Th'kl is the opinion of the Sportsnan's special, who writes: "I think there will be few to dt,ny tha assertion that a worselooking lot oJ Derby horses, take them altogether, wns never seen in the paddock at Epsom. Not fiince Bend Or's year had there keen co many starters, but of all tho 18 how Few were worth even passing attention." Going on to particularise, this writer says : The ramping, long-legged, peacoeky Wantage impressed toe. if anything, less favourably than ever, '

though he ran prominently enough for a considerable distance. Nothing looked better than Perthshire, who has grown amazingly 6ince last seen in public, and is now a commanding colt, with splendid reach and liberty, almost in the Ladas style. Batt had improved almost out of recognition since the Two Thousand Guineas day, when hs steipped so lamentably light of middlepiece. The "wasp waist" wtis more or less gone, and the colt was altogether filtor and more robust. Hawfinch was light »nd weak ; altogether overdone in face, with no muscle or substance to pull him through a severe struggle. The beauti-fully-turned Pheon was well liked ou all sides. Ho is a thoroughly typio.il Hampton, and may be good enough to mnke a stud horse for' Lord El^smere. On the other hand, the white-footed Heir Male is a leggy, helplefs looking besst. Tbe blinkered Elfin waa voted vet y deficient of forehand. Dunlop many objecfeu to on account of beiug on the leg, but with all due deference I submit that there io all tbe difference in the world between beiDg " leggy " and "on tho leg." Pchcuberg was well enough, but not fancied by Lord Stanley, and a* for Cherry Heart, he was only started to satisfy the owner of his sire. The Virginian, on the other haad, is a distinctly good sort, a lengthy brown, with liberty and good lines throughout. Then there was Bridegroom 11, who, though not a typical Derby borse, is one of the finest" individuals thal> ran in the race. Arch -Juke II skipped light and overdone, to my mind. No doubt the effort to get hiui ready for the Derby has been rather too much for him. The Wjvern is good-looking enough, but nol worth serious consideration ior a Derby. Iv the race Elfin played a leading part for a long way. Batt was always conspicuous, aud took up tbe running before Tottenham Corner. Sticking well to hia work he came right on with th« lead, and at one time only Wantage looked like troubling him Nearer home, however, Jeddah was the obvious danger, and instead oi turning it up thia time the eon of Janissary and Pilgrims ge stuck well to bis work, with the result - that he fairly outstrode his rival and won very cleverly indeed, with Dunlcp third. Disraeli ran unaccountably badly, but Dieudonne ■ showed good speed, as anyone might have i expected, and fatied to stay, as I hava always expected. The winner is a really grand horse j — on the leg as most people will object, but all i tho better for it, in my opinion. The recent j rains have helped him a great deal, and should j there come a long spell of dty weather he will j go right off form, bvA he should be all there by i the Sfc. Lfgnr day should bo j»tl-.-a^s be mad?, j to run him at Atcofc. I

*#* Frcm the «tme authority I take some remaiks about the Oaks candidates. Alt Mark, he ea>B, was really tbe beet-looking of them all, low, lengthy, wide, and a perfect modf 1 for a brood mare, bub fillies of more varmiirty type I were to Fcore to-day. Sioaylla is a gte&r. fia« mare, ■with plenty of quality, bu'i very uiicer» tain, and there has been nothing iv this year's running to make one fancy Mauchline, though thii lengthy daughter of Corstorphine stripped as fit as any of them, and made not a few friend*. Down by the saddling sheds I saw F. W. Day putting Airs and Graces to rights and knew at a glance that what he bad told me w&s s &O"pt! truth he far as her condition, was concerned. J-orae rUciared her to be Hght and overdone, but the bloum of perfect health was ou her, anrt that being so, the fact of her being fine drawn was all to the good. A wiry, greyhoundy mare, with plenty of size ar d scope, she also shows clean limbs aad'nice quality, sncl she; wes really traicod to the hour. Iho best of judges make niistii'^-s now and agcin, arji' tbe Dake of Portland is, I think, too good a sportsman to sesioußit tike to he%ri> having parted with Airs and Graces last year, the idea then being that she was touched in her wind, whereas 6he is absolutely aouiK?, In selling The Smew > few yearß ago his Grace very nearly came in for i another experience like that of the O»k*, for { The Smew was only just beattn by Ha Fleche for the O^ks of her year. Nothing looked bpfctcs in the paddock than Ayah, and St. la was elso very well, though she is somewhat too much in the air and light' of middlepiecf. Vestalin is a fine, lengthy filly that should win ; races, but Petty France, though she has grown I all right, is far from what she promised to be {as a yearling. Canliflosrer was sweating and I nervous. She is quits a good sorb otherwise ; a deep-girthed bay, with immense length from hip to neck. She went »3 well as anything iv the preliminary canter, others that gained ap* proval being Alt Mark, St. la, and Ayah. As for the race, there really was but one in it, for Bradford, well assured of the stamina of Airs and Graces, was ahla to take a place fcmong the leaders from the first, and keeping in the van righ% through hs stalled off all possible opposition in the raoat uncompromising fashion. It is to bo said for Nun Nicer that she does not show at her beat on hard ground, but her challenge was a very feeble one, and she certainly disappointed me, but the winuer scored so easily that it was really futile to struggle after her.

*#* The committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club has declined the request of the Ashburton Ciub to re-cpen the Cu scent case. That closes the matter fiually, I suppose, unless the Ashburton folk should carry the case to appeal. This, I presume, could be done, since inconsistent running was one of the allegations against Crescent, and it was a charge of that kind which was made against Lobo, whose owner was allowed to appeal. Whether an appeal is likely or not I have not heard. Until somebody speaks about such a thing, we may iv gard the Crescent s.ff».ir as at an end. Ou the merits of the case I have nothing to say in addition to my previous remark that on the bare report of the races inconsistency on the part of Crescent was not clearly established . The stewards may havo seen something, but tbe naked facts, as reported in the papers, did not p*-ove anythn.g crooked. That is what I eaid at the time, and I Lave nothing to add. It is a ease that outsiders do not fully understand, and the leas said the better. I should like, however, to make tbi« observation, that the manner in which the CJ.C. has dealt with the ditputc! differs widely from tho Duuedin Jockey Club's huudltng of the. Lobo and other recent cases. The D.J.C. worked in tbe open ; tha CJ.C on the quiet. Thia has been the custom. There can be no doubt a« to which ia the easier system for the clubs. To hold stewards' meetings in public means that close aud sometimes fierce criticism is brought to b>ar on the proceedings. That has been the Duiudia Joekby Club's experience. Its procedure and its decisions have been reviewed in an unfriendly spirit, sometimes with bobtility, and occasionally a totally-unwarranted construction has been read out of the members' actions even by persons professing to be friends. Small wonder, then, that the D.J.C. has abandoned this thorny road for the sheltered byp»th selected by tho CJ.C. and other metropolitans, wherein the travelling is comparatively easy, or at any r^to secure from the annoyance of highway "barrackers." But lam i.ot at all sure that this umbrageous track is tbo natU assigned by duty. A raqug club is

in tbe position of a trustee for the public. It has a responsibility to owners and to tho community at large. And I tnks it that that responsibility is not properly discharged if stewards cud committees are allowed to manngo their affairs in secret. It i 3 public business that they arc transacting, aud the public have a claim to their confidence — not, perhaps, to thft extent of knowing all the minutia of the? proceedings at an inquiry, but certainly as to the bread lines oE the business. I judga from the wording of the CJ.C.'s resolution in the Crescent case that that principle is in b degree acknowledged, even by (be) CJ.C, as tbe grounds of tho finding are now disclosed. We learn that inconsistent runniug was not proved smd that Mr Harris was not the owner of tho horse. Tbi«, however, is merely a per! ion of what I think ought to be brought nut. There v surely some middle course which clubs might pursue between pleuary publicity on the one hand and monkish secrecy on the oilier, and it would be iv the iatere&ts of the turf tv find such a course and lay it down as v genet a i principle to be adopted by all clubs instead c>' i^avii'g each club to follow its own devices. Uadfr present arrangenaeot? Ac owner "."bo meditates a swindle c*n be reasonably sure against what he dreads most— namely, full exposure — if he is artful enough to select wi^h judgment the theatre of his operations.

riding the horse out. This verdict gave rise to disiatisf action amongst the public. For the Steeplechase there were 14 starters, and they seem to have got in ono another's way, as the race was responsible for sever*! accidents. Baritone, an aged gelding by Old Soul, broke a blood-vffßel n*sar hisi kidneys, and was destroyed ; Vigil, who was likely to have been spiritedly backed for the Grand National Hurdle Race, broke a bone in his stifta ; Doondiah fell and pulled up slightly lame ; and Blua Peter broke down. Floater was the winner, and hs came home in a style reminiscent of his beat days. It; was generally thought, observes " Ajax," thai Fioatsr had reached the riere and yellow stage, bub there is life in the old dog yet. The way \a settled dotm after the last fence aud ba«,t Ferobank home was quite a treat to witness. Fernbank ia very fast, but Floater never gave him a chance in a long run home. Djaudi&h was going well when he fell, and must, have given Floater a good race ; but what is the good of a steeplechaser if he can't get over the jumps ?

i %* Those who take an active interest in the | Mfilbourne and CaulnYld Cups have plenty oc* I mutter to interest them this week. The "lull , lisit of horses, with peiigreas, description, and i osvners' names, is published in another j column ; the first of the commends by •• Hori 1 lroene," tvho is stationed on the spot, is alao I given ; and I nuw append the selecfcioibs of other leading Australian writers, so that Witness leaders have what advantage (here may bo iv a multitude of counsellors. These are the picks for the Melbourne Cup :—: — "Asmodeus" (Leader) :— The Grafter, Brazen Lad, Buudook, The Clansman, Wait-a-Bit, j l<lodden, Zteka, Eiridsdale, War God, Amnesty, • Nevada, Carbinier. ! Melbourne Spoilsman's "Sperial" : -War God, I Merloolas, Aimferuu?, Symmetry, Spencer, The I Grafter, Tne Olanpmaf, Gtorge Frederick, Ne- | vada. Majestic. j " Umpire " (Sydney Referee) : -- Cocos, Manfred, | EinVhdale. Cabin Jioy, Cfaullo, Marusa, George Frederick, Plutus. i "Ajax" (Sydney Referee) :— Merloolas, Moonlyoag, Buadook, Spencer, EuHsdale, Trent, Symu.etry, Patriot. Manfred, Carbinier. " Reginald " (Melbourne Sportsman): — The Grafter, The Ct'ef, Wail-X-Bit, Ke>a, Cordite, Amnesty, War Cr >6, Heretic. ' Gaiter' Mote" (.Syduey Mail) :— Afubtiite.MerI'iolae, Le Var, Fucile, Gnullo, Toreador, Bundook, Cocos, Amnesty, Vigorous, Elusive, Auriferous. For the CaulfM.l Cop tbe scribes mibo thes* selections : — " Asmodeue " (Leader) :— WoonJyong, Bundook, Wait-a-Bit, Majestic, Eiridpdals, lteka, The • Ihevalier, Wa T trod, I'b.i'nlei Quien, The Oliief, ]S"eva>ia, CVrbinier. Melbourne Spnrtsmau'ri " hpf.'ial" :—'ihaClaUSimd, Spencer, Eleusiuidii, Superb, Cardamom, Craigmorc, Bundook, Eiridsdale. War God, Syninietrv, Woodlark, Auriferous. " Umpire" (Sydney Referee) :— Paul Pry, Cocos, Brazen Lad, Locbaber, Dreamland, Manfred, Superb, Longford, Symmetry, Plutus. ".Ajax" (Sydney Referee):— Ma. looias, Wait-a-Bit, The Gbeyaliei, 'J or* aenr. War God, Alabanulia, Stralbjoy, Tiiundw Queen, Plvllip Boscobei, MRnfw-fl, Mai'j&a. "Reginald" (&le3oou»ns Sportsman) :— The Graftei-, TUe Chief, Elusive, Wait-a-Bit, Thunder Queen, JfiJeaßinuu, Hear Hear, Rcka, Moonlyocg. "Gallee More " (Sydney Mail) :— SyerJa, Fucile. Clarion, Vigorous, 'Noi'-li'ist, Rekn, Cucos, April ] Fool, Pictni*. Thunder Qiieen, Auriferous, Superb. j Now, dew 1 rsiAcfw:, vow cs.r. p?g 'v: an th? bes*. i informa-tioii 1 cai: procufs, and ple^e c!on't ■ blame me if you go astray, ac you are pretty I sure to do. I have no fancies for thaid races, j

I *>* Sydney sports found a usei"nl facrsc ah I Ibe Canterbury P*rk meeting on June 18. I refer to the six-year-old gelding Kiteware, who, iaailing from B^thursft, and miking hi* first appearance iv the neighbourhood oi tbe metropolis, was nevertheless selected as favourite for the Park Stak«.s, six furlongs, and settled all his opponents in a decisive manner. A week later Kitewarc pus up a 71b penalty, making his weight 7.5, and got home ia the RoFehill Cup, of 200sov8 ; six furlcngs. Owing to "Tatteraali " having a sweep on this race there were no fewer than 63 acceptors and 39 started. la this connection it may be useful if not edifying to reprint a paragraph from the Sydney Referee on the way these sweeps work :—": — " Most ot the sweep telegrams which came through in connection with the Rosehill Cap stipulated £500 for a win only and nothiug lor second or third. At leaei three owners we know of did not consider these terms good enough, and withdrew their horse 3, while of the owners of the place-getters Ki^e ware's was the only ona to benefit by the sweep, and he got a substantial cut out of it. Nothirg was ifftu'ed about Oban either for a v?m or a place, while Eos's owner was not a gainer by the grej's third, his sweep interest being £500 in the event of a win." Oban was the favourite, with Saylee and Kiteware next in deniai'd. The leading division for the first half mile comprised Ccuntoss Aberdeen, Earl Rosebery, D^zon, Flower King, and Alemeaie ; but as they fumed into the straight, the favourite, "Eos, and Kite ware began to improve their positions Earl Rosebery retired after pissing the distance, wheie the favourite cams through ou the rails, srhile Kite ware was c-ming along, nnd Eos was fi>sl> catching the leader. At the half distance Oban, Flower King, Kitev-'are, Eos, and Gin were battling it out, but a few skiJea fur! tor on Kitsware drew j clear, and romped home an easy winner by three lengths, leaving the favourite to beat Eos j by a head for second pb.ee. Kittwcfe is by Xi- j tawa (son of Manuka) from AtfetncSta, by j Grandmaster out of DMiy Vardea, by Gemma j di Vergy. |

I ' : V f The thin attendance at the Danedin Jockey Club's annuai general meeting on Monday night was only what m ; ght have been r-xpeeted after the n-aws spread about that there waa to be no election. Three cf the candid ites withdrew," a»d the remainder juet sufficed to fill their places. Mr Ooughlau and Mr J. Sin-clair-Thomson are n^w mea on the committee. Socially they are eligible in every rtspecfc, aud I have every hope of fiuding them useful in keeping forward the management of the club. The speechifying was short and to the point. Mr Gouriey undoubtedly voiced the opinions of many sportsmen wheu he said that a final effort should b3 made to come to terms with the Frrbury Pdrk Company, but Mr Bliil&r and Mr Solomon made it plain tha l ; should ths attempt be made and result in failure the club will not be to blame in any respect, siuce the position had been forced upon the club. The Lobo csse was referred to by 'all the speakers. Mr Meeuan went so far as to say thnt at first he was almost inclined to refuse to accept tbe appeal decision. He evidently felt very cross about the matter, and not without reason. Mr J Solomon, however, was more convincing, his ! observation that iho stewards who sec a race ] ought naturally to know more about ib than ] mea who have to reJy on written e'/klfnce j being a complete break- up of the position held : by those who advocate our present appsal j system — that is, if any such advocates are • found, for, by the way, I have not discovered any. The tone of the meetiug, ou tho whole, ; was distinctly hopeful aud h&rniooiciiA, and it closed appropriately with a graceful recognition ' of tliQ services rendered to the club bjy tU$ late

vice-president, Mr John Stephen«ion, whose reason for retiring, I regret to heat 1 , is ill-health. The plaus of the Wingntui buildings were laid on tha table, and I had a look at them. # They are not particularly gorgeous or imposing, but the buildings promise to be commodious and comfortable, and in Otago we want comfort rather than show.

*#* "Javelin" says that tbe third inquiry into the running of Hi? Grsre st Epsom (Vie.) accentuates the long-recogmse.i fact that the managemeut of suburban racing is highly unsatisfactory. After Batty and his faorte had been disqualified for six months by the stewards who saw the race, the disqualification was removed on reconsideration and the hearing of additional evidence, some stewards who had not witnessed the horse's runniog adjudicating at the sccoad bearing. As the V.R.C. Committee found that both inquiries had been held informally by tbe Epsom stewards, a third inquiry was ordered, <it which the second finding, exonerating BrU?. was upheld and the original conviction ynsmtoi}. Truly here was a pretty kettle o' fi?h. v tbe first decision was righity arrived at, what r. larce must tbe second oise have been. If, ou the other hand, the Epsom stewards who tried the case on the second aud tb/rd occsh'oub found correctly, what r. serious taiscs-rriige vf -justice mutt have boon involved iv tho ori^maS verdict ! By their final dtcii'cn, ike S}f)?.Jin Btewr.rds hare, in effoci", annou\ccd U)j.t if B-ittr'a case had been left to tbrm a'oiae, he wonltl, v?ith his horse, ba now etrviug a, sentence of disqualification for an offence of which he was not guilty. The case proves nothing definitely except the incompetence of the stewards. That the existing system of managing suburban racing is all wrong anybody can see with half an eye, aud it is only natural that people ask in surprise, How much longas ia it to bo complacently tolerated by tbe hea.<sqn&rt«r? tribunal, which evidently requires shaking up ?

*#* Surely something might be done, says an English scribe, to prevent the confusing and sometimes annoying resuscitation of the names of celebra'ed racers and their conferment en modern thoroughbreds. Tho evil is not of H'CPnl introduction, for in the thirties there was ruurin« oue of tbe best mares of all timeg in Mr Orel's Beeswing, but this did not hinder the late Squire Heatheote conferring tbe name on a mara which won the Chester Cup in 1867. A horse ca'led Hermit won the Two Thousand Guineas of 1854, yet Mr Cbapliu appropriated tho natna for his sf.u»atioual Dsrbj winder o f 1867. Tew re was a ce'ebrated Buccaneor in ths sixtiot, aud another horse of tbe same name baa only recently retirtd to the stud. Now, with the Chester Cup upon ns, a two-year-old named Dalby h likely to run iv a bi^ stake at ths end of the woek ; and who that has' any memory for turf eveoU does not reinfimber Mr Bennett's winner of th* Chester Cups of 1865-66 —first as Hi^Lfljer's item's colt, and fcbisu as D tlby ? Oiy;c a borse has made a name fatoinu. hia ownes fcbould be able, if he chooses, to protect it for a long time to come uuder Jcckey Club rules. What c .uld be more annoying than a lepetitien of Ormonde or even Victor Wild ?

*V Bul'eti» has thib siory. At a West AiV.trfc!iftD country m&ti>r.g tb* ruM'ing di a rfjctivpjiitan horse in one evtat. h*d been so |.bcuhar and the smell so pungent that cyen the stewards looked sericus, »nd the owner was requested to appear before- them. That worthy swung nonchalantly into tbe august firesence, apparently more interested in his cigar than in any other thing on r;erfcb. He was asked a few questions by lbs. cheiiman, a noted heavy bettor, and replied to each with an airy insoknee. " Bad?. Wei!, yes, it did look bad." "Explain? .No, he didn't think so." " Say ? Oh, no ; he'd just leave it to tbera." Jls was told to retire, and did so, but suddenly his head appeared in the doorway as, with outstretched finger pointing menacingly afc the chairman, he exclaimed, in tones pregnanfc with meaning : "Ifl go out he goes out too. Mind that — he goes nub too, and perhaps ori« or two more of you." Next morning's paper stated that Mr Blank's rcplanatioo wa» accepted as satisfactory.

%* Tbe following handicap for Iho New Zse-land Oup was prepared by "Goldspur" juet j.rior to the appearance of tbe weights, and got fqueczed out last wek. It is perusal :— Waiuku 9.13, St. Paul 9 11, Multiform, 9.8, Starshob 8.10, Day Star 8.9, North Atlantic 8 8, Nestor 8.6, Rob Ray 8.6, ZanelU 8 3, Marquis of Zetland 8.2, Sylvia Fark 8.0, Oannonsbot 7.12, Mountebank 7 12, Epanlet 7 11, Goldleaf 7.11, Douglas 7.10, Tirant d'Baa 7.10, Boreaf, 7.9, Defiant 7.9, Cceur deLion 7 9, Rubin 7.9, St. Cyr 7.6, Nansen 7.6. Sequin 7.5, Duudftß 7.5, Altair 7.5, Heritas 75, Autares 7 5, Target 7 4-, Double Event 7.3, Ilex 7.4, Chasseur 7.4, Seabrook 7.3. Tire" 7.2, Nihilist 7.2, Doueraile 7 0, Fulmen 6 12, Malatua 6 12, Peerage 6.12, Abercrombie 6.10, Versailles 6.10, Explosion 6.10, Olecelg 6.9, Firearm 6 9, Golden Legend 6.8, Refugee 6.7, Scotia 6.7, Ideal 6 7.

Wftiuku ... Mb over. Defiant; ... 20R> under, Multiform ... Sib „ "Boreas ... 21th „ St. Paul ... 41b „ Sylvia Park 221b „ Dundas ... 21b „ Autares ... 221b „ Swordfish ... Hit und'r Epaulet ... 221b „ Altavr ... 3)b „ Kubiu ... 221b „ Bob Ray ... 7lb „ St. Cyr ... 221b „ Nestor ... 7lb „ .Hevitas ... 221b „ Nihilist . . 71b „ (.'annonshot 23ib „ Firearm ... Sib „ Sequin ... 231b „ BlalaUu ... 81b „ CceurdeLion24tb „ Peerage ... Blb „ Douglas ... 2Mb „ Scotia ... fib „ N»nsen ... 26' Ib „ Ideal Sib „ Ilex 271b „ Refugee ... Sib „ Seabrook ... 2Slb „ Explosiou ... Mb „ Target ... 28lb „ Starshofc ... JOlb „ Tir6 31!t> „ D.iy Star ...IMb „ lMmen ... :2lb „ Abercrombie J3tb „ Chasseur ... 331b „ Suldleaf ... 151b „ Versailles ... 84tb „ Nth Atlantic 151b „ Doneraile ... o4lb „ Mountebank )s!b „ D'bie Event 351b „ Mof Zetland ] 61b „ Glsnelg ... 351b „ Zanella ... 171b „ Gold. L'gend 851b „ Hiantd'Eau IMb „