IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 41

IN A NUTSHELL.

— Jane Eyre is in work once more. — The Greymouth Club's invitation is acknowledged with thanks.

— Fulmen's new owner proposes to give him a run at Lawrence and Gore.

— The Auckland Racing Club endorsed the disqualification of Pokomoko. \ — Fulmen has changed hands, Messrs Ellis having bought him at 300gs.

— Arline's owner is dissatisfied with the •weights given her down south.

— Argyle, by Loohiel, is proving himself a good hurdleiaeer in New South Wales.

— St. Denis is being spelled in preference to taking him round the country meetings.

—Mr Jo© Thompson talks of visiting Australia at tho end of next year. He is now in

Amor, winner of the Queensland Cup, is by Anteros, who was sent to Australia from New Zealand.

— Fulmen has so far won only two handicaps, and for both of them he was handicapped by Mr Dowse.

— Tuapeka nominations appear in this issue. The quality of the horses engaged is quite up to tho standard.

— "He couldn't carry his big feet" waa the explanation thai was given for the running of Oban in the Cambridgeshire.

— That speedy. New South Wales filly Cryolite, who has one win and three seconds to her credit, is to be treated to a nine months' spell.

— The committee of the A.J.C. has in&tructed its surveyor to draw up a. now plan of the • U^ndwick racecourse, with a view to improvement.

—Mr W. Weston, formerly of New Zealand, now in business in West Australia, was recently married. The notice appears in this issue. /

— S. Loatcs, who headed tho list of winning jockeys in England last season, has accepted an engagement to ride for Sir J. B. Maplo for three years, at & salary of £2000 a year.

— Multiform ran in tho Stewards' Plate at Liverpool in November. The son of Hotchkiss carried 9.0, and finished last, but he was in no condition, and went out at "any price."

—P. Lunisden, who sustained a bad fail whilst riding Tholma in the "Warrnamboo! (Vie.) Steeplechase, is a little lad of 16 <mnimors. About 50ib of lead was used to bring him to the required weight.

—At a recent meeting at Hurst Park (Eng.) five of the six events on the card were won by American jockeys, and, strange to say, tho other race was taken by an apprentice who Ims adopted the Tod Sloan style.

— .Having to write before the acceptances appear, it is impossible to pretend to forecast t'-.o Ashburton races, but if Huku starts for the Cup ho ought to win after a fight with Suzanne'l.

— At Auckland on the 19th December Alexant'or Phillips and Robert Cleland wero each fined £5 for laying tote odds and 50s for street betting. Tobias Tobias was fined 20s for street batting (two charges). Several cases were withdrawn.

— Massinissa, who is spelling, had an escapade last month at CaulfielGt The chestnut •was found missing from the paddock in which he is turned out, and. at first it was thought he had been stolen, but he was found next day near Brighton, nono the worse for his outing. v — At the Temuka Trotting Club's annual meeting there was a fair attendance a^d fairly gooA fields, end, with one exception, the whole of the events were closely contested. The r.baonce of the totalisator was supplied by two or three bookmakers who did a fair business in small amounts.

—Mr if. Oxenham's horse, Syerla, started j>> 5 to 2 favourite for the Winter "Welter Handicap at Lingfieid Park (Eng.) on November 2. 'l he son of Gozo ran pounds below his Australian form, for though carrying only 8.5 over Iris favourite distance — six furlongs — he ccu'd get no nearer than fifth in a field of 11. Syerln, was ridden by Hicken, at one time employed by Mr S. G. Cook.

— Ideal was backed for a race at Sandown Park (Vie.) on 9th December, only to give hiv Bupporters another fall. If anybody realises tho lottery of buying yearlings it should bo Isaac Foul&liaai, says Melbourne Sportsman. Not one of the three high-priced youngsters he purchased in New Zealaud— viz., Lancaster, Lord Curetoa, and Ideal, have yet paid for their passage money, to say nothing of their cost.

— The West Australian Legislature has decided that the Treasurer have power to grant licenses to suitable persons to conduct lotteries in regard to horse-racing exclusively. The regulations provide that the license shall deposit £10,000 with the Treasurer, bearing interest at 3 per cent., and that the drawing ot the lottery shall be under the supervision of tho Government, and that all the accounts of the licensee bo subject to the Audit Act.

— Oban has never run in public over hurdles, but we (London Sportsman) believe he has been schooled over them in Australia, and jumps well, so that an Anteuil hurdle race might come in. his way next ye -) .r. It is a curious thing that, great stallion as Lochiel is in Australia, liis stock when sent hero have hitherto been •unlucky — Survivor, Oban, Amiable, and Old Clo' to wit — but wo make no doubt that this state of affairs will be altered in due time.

— Says Melbourne Sportsman : If Finland and Kenley were seat out to-morrow over six furlongs, with 8.10 apiece, and both at their best, ono would probably have ju&t as many friends as the other amongst tho public. If Finland did thoroughly all that was asked of Tiim in the Maribyrnong Plate, there could certainly be no fault found with tho woy Kenley replied to his questions in the same week, so that, as far as their most recent form is concerned, honours are pretty well equal between them.

— Pursuing its answers on the subject of "tho best steeplechaser," the Australasian Bays: We think there can be little doubt about Bedleap being the best steeplechaser Australia has known. In his trial on the flat before he •won his first Grand National Hurdle Race, Redlcap carried 9.8, and ran three miles (with fairly heavy shoes on) in smin 48sec. He beat a pretty smart squib over the last cix furlongs, and ran the last furlong of the three miles in 13sec! Owing to bis bad feet Redleap could never be thoroughly trained after this. Consequently he was not nearly at his best when he won his steeplechases, carrying 13.3 and 13.12.