SPORTING- NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 42

SPORTING- NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

By Ravenswortii. MELBOURNE, Feluuary 7. SEAHORSE'S ARRIVAL. The situatior as regards the V.R.C. Autumn ineeting has undergone a change by the arrival of Seahorse from New Zealand. The <crack three-year-old is now in the stable oi James Monaghan, in Sydney, and will come .ever to Melbourne in due course. He is stated to have had a good x>assige over, and to fee in the best of health. Sydney critics have been favourably impressed with the son of Nelson, and there is no doubt his presence .will add considerably to the interest in the

V.R.C. nieeting. It has been stated that Seahorse may not start in the Australipn Cup, but will be reserved for the we.ight-for-age events of the meeting. I cannot believe this, and prefer to think that the Auckland man who took £1000 to JE7O about Seahorse for the Cup, before the weigths came out, knew " somedings. ' A good deal of money could be won on Seahorse in bets on a race like the Australian Cup, and Majoi Geoige, who is said to be a very shrewd racing man, might thereby recoup himself, but it would hardly pay him to go for the weight-for-age events alone, more especially as Seahorse is noD engaged in the St. Leger Stakes or Champion Stakes. No, all being well, Seahorse is, I think, sure to go for the Cup, and though, to my mind, he will find Merriwee his master, he may catch the Melbourne Cup winner off and beat him. To my way of thinking the only animals standing in the way of Seahorse winning the Australian Cup are Merriwee and Parthian. COMING EVENTS. We are in for some splendid racing this autumn, judging by appearances. As I have previously mentioned in my letters, the V.A.T.C. Autumn meeting will extend over three Saturdays, and the first — Oakleigh Plate and Purse Day — will be over by the time this letter is in print. There has been an unusually fine response from Sydney trainers, and between 30 and 40 horses from Sydney will be running. The Saturday following the end of the Caulfield meeting will see the commencement of tlie V.R.C. meeting, so that there will be a continuous run of good lacing and some nch prizes to be won. * Some of the trainers will no doubt only use the V.A.T.C. meeting lo get their horses ready for the Flemington meeting, but there are plenty of good prizes to be wo.i at Caulfield, and with so many horses to be paid for there will no doubt be keen competition. The Sydney brigade seems much stronger than the Melbourne one, and some of our trainers are afraid that all the big prizes will go out of the colony. We shall see. We have, at any rate, two rattling twc-year-olds m Finland and Kenley, while Mr W. R. Wilson has a very strong team. His two-year-old Debenture, after beating Finland at Caulfield early in the season, could not be raced again, but I now hear that he is doing well. He will, if all right, worthily repiesent us, and Mr "Wilson is, I hear, likely to win races with Symmetry, Eminence, Songbird, and other members of lis string. Bobadil is standing hi 3 preparation so far, Uu he is a delicate » hor.se,- and it^is too soon to express any opinion : about his prospects. It is a pity that'Seahorso was not engaged afc C? infield. On the concluding day of the meeting, February 24, there is a weighi-for-age event run over a mile, which would have provided a fine opportunity of seeing what his form was like. There has really been no betting to speak of on the Newma '-ket Handicap since I last wrote. Silversticam and Tarquin are the nominal favourites 100 to 5 bring offered on the field. Foret and Dandy have been backed at 100 to 4. Henry, a Sydney horse, is highly spoken of. He is by Lennox (son of Maribyrnong), and is a member of Ike Earnshaw's dangerous stable. Merriwee and Seahorse are equal favourites for the Australian Cup at Bto 1. Local horses have not been doing much on the tracks, but the arrival of the -Sydney horses is livening things up. The Newmarket Handicap candidates, Veioce, Carrara, and Foret, are all doing well. Silverstroam is said to be sore, anr 1 so it Merriv/ee. WILLIAMSTOWN RACES. January 26 is the national holiday in Australia, and there is racing on that day throughout the length and breadth of the land. The leading meeting in Victoria waa at Williamstown, where the principal race was the Anniversary Stakes, run over a mile. There were only nine starters, but the bookmakers were m a surprisingly generous mood, and offered 5 to 1 o:i bhe field ; the Niagara gelding Ascot 7.6 being most in demand. He did not run up to his Geelong form, and failed to get a place. The winner, Landscape 7.0, is trained by E. Power, who since he gave up riding has prepared many winners. Landscape was got by the Richmond horse Richelieu, who was almost at the top of the tree as a two-year-old. Landscape had run badly at Geelong and Caulfield, and was not in much favour here. She :s an erratic sort of mare. Her weight in the Newmarket Handicap is 6.10. Sinecurist 10.13, by Manton, took the Hurdle Race; but made favourite for the Jumpers' Flat Race later on, ran badly, the race falling to Colonel Shilinski, who is : by Zalinski, and was ridden by J. Anwin, who rpde Bravo to victory in the Melbourne Cup in 1889. The Sydney mare Vade 8.4 was a strong favourite for the A. N. A. Handicap, five fin-longs and a-quarter, but she met more than ! her match in the consistent Bold Boy 6.12, who : was thrown into the race by the handicapper. Kobe, by Goldreef (son of Goldsbrough) accoun- ! ted for the Maiden Plate and the Newmarket ; Handicap candidate Jadoo 7.10 was successful ! in the Welter, for which she started a, warm favourite. Jadoo is smart, but hardly up to Newmarket Handicap form. EPSOM RACES. The meeting in Melbourne on Saturday, January 27. was at Epsom. The fixture was of no particular importance, but one of the winners, j Tabilk, is in the Aiistralian Clip. This is the ■ erratic Malvolio colt, whose name has frequently ; appeared in my notes of late. He does great work on the track, but seldom reproduces the form in public. Here he went out at 8 to 1 : in a field which was not too good, but cairied j 7.10 to victory in resolute ' style, beating Ben- 1 volio 7.1, the favourite, by a head. The race was the Mordialloc Handicap, and it was run over a mile. Benvolio is also by Malvolio, who is doing fairly well at the stud ; but ] his horses appear to take time to mature. Mai- ] volio wps a gross horse himself. I never knew ' an animal that could stand as much work, j James Redfearn, who had him, is just the man j to slip the work in. His want of success since j Malvolio won the Cup is by many people as- j cribed to this fact. Veiy few horses will stand I the work that Malvolio got, but the genial James makes them all stand up to tKe collar, xlc matter what their constitutions are. Tabilk' s I »toble companion, Duello 9.9, a son of Tim ' Swivollcv, was successful in the Hurdle Race, ' and Rothwell had an easy win in the Eaiden j Plate, for which there was a good field. Roth- j well is a two-year-old brother to the Maribyr- ! nong Plate winner, Lady Mostyn, by Neckersgat from Miss Mostyn, and, I thought, would have won a race long before this. He is a good- ! looking one, but apparently not as smart as many thought him. Skysail (by Mainsail), who ran second to Rothwell afterwards came out and won the Epsom Purse, five furlongs tin d ahalf, starting a good favourite. Mainsail is the sire of Mainstay and a few other good horses. Gcvosr (by Zalmski) carried 7.9 to victory in the | Epsom Plate, five furlongs and a-half. There were only 'five starters, and Harpist 6.8 and Vencda 9.3 wore favourites. Both are in the i Newmarket Handicap. Veneda was only beaten ] by a neck. He is getting into form acjain, and | should win a race bcfoie Newmarket Handicap I Day. Mineral 8.9 (by Sunrise) accounted for tho Y.'elter Handicap, six furlongs, for which Alabaculia 8.3, who ran second, was favourite. SYDNEY TURF CLUB MEETING. A two dny^' meeting, under the ausniccs of thj Sydney Turf Club, was commenced on Jaiuiai-y ?G. and concluded on the following dny. Tho leading event on the oponir>g da was the Challenge Stakes, .«'x furlongs, which went to a rank outsider in P. hie Cap II 7.5, by Sunrise. There was a big field and \ Seouence 8.8, who has been freely spoken of

in connection with the Newmarket Handi1 cap, was a strong favourite. Sequence, ran very moderately, and he will have to improve about a ton to win the big sprint race at Fleming ton. The only horses lo get anywhere neai Blue Cap II weie Zoe 7.4 and Rock^of Ages j 6.9, both also rank outsiders. The wifffier is | m the same stable as Mora, a very clever stable, but they appear to have let Blue Cap II mn for the stake only. The Hurdle Race went to Brokeiage 9.4, by The Bioker and the Novice Handicap, seven furlongs, to the wellbred Trinidad, by Gossoon fiom Titan's sister, Trieste. Trinidad was also a rank outsider. Metal, whose name is constantly cropping up as the sire of winners, claimed the winner of the Amateur Plate. This was California, who was well backed. Ace of Diamonds 9.5, by Splendour, scored in the Welter Handicap. This horse was, until recently, owned by the Hon. W. A. Long, but now carries the ever-dangerous colours of Mr JR. ' Wootton. The hurdle-racer Argyle showed that hs has plenty of pace by carrying 8.10 into second place in this race. He was only beaten a head. The Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup candidate, Drama, won Tom Pay- ( ten the Turf Club Handicap, one mile and a- • quarter, carrying 8.2. Drama cost Payten a comparatively small sum, and he ha 3 been a » 7 ery profitable horse. On the second day of the meeting the Anniversary Handicap was decided, and, like the ', majority of the events run during the day, it went to an outsider. This was Inquirer 6.13, i who hails from Maitland (New South Wales), and is by Invader from Marian, and thus full brother to Tom, who won the race three years 1 previously. Mora was amongst the acceptances, but she was taken out at the last moment in favour of her stable companion ■ Royal Purple 7.7, by Nordenfeldt, who was a 1 pronounced favourite and carried a lot of Mr (E. H. Knight's money. Royal Purple ran ; second, but was easily beaten by Inquirer, who ran the mile and a-half in 2min 37scc. i Royal Purple is in the Australian Clip at 7.5. The extra weight put on Brokerage did not pi event him. taking the Second Hurdle Race, ami the Corinthian Handicap went to Fera- , morz I. Earnshaw (who has arrived in Mel- | bourne with Stand Oil, Henry, etc.), ran first i and second in the two-year-old event with j Reel 7.9 and Lyddite 7.5. Reel is by Gigue ! (son of St. Simon) from Spyglass, by "Nordenj feldt, and Lyddite by Zaluiski. The Lochiel j mare Amoiuette carried 10.6 to victory in the ] Cligh-v/eight Handicap, six itirloiigs. She is 1 in the Newmarket Handicap at 8.6, just hay- ' ing escaped a penalty for the Flemington I event, in which I expect her to urn well. The j Farewell Handicap, ole mile, saw uatem 7.10, ' another o." tlio useful Ivletalo successful. Latem , ! was an -i.-id.er. ASPENDALE PARK RACES. LeisL Saturday's meeting in Melbourne was at Aspeiidale Park, where as a rule laige fields of moderate horses are seen out. The principal race, the Aspendale Park Handicap, one mila and 10 yards, went to Altairs 8.4, a five-year-old son of Mistake, the sire of several useful , sprinters. Two of the winners, The Begum ' 9.11 (Hurdles) and Patna 8.0 (Trial Handicap), . were sired by the Chester horse, Bengal. Patna j is in the Newmarket Handicap at 6.12. She is aa up-country mare, and her chance of winning at Flomington is, I should say, very slecder. The Maiden Plate went to Eunice, who is a two-year-old by Ascot Yale (son of St. Albans) from Progressive (dam of Disfigured). She is mP. H. Heywood's stable ' and seems smart. The Jumpers' Flat Race , and "Welter Handicap went to Early Morn 8.6 and Mineral 9.4 respectively. Both were sired I by Sunrise, who since the beginning of the season (just over six months; has been repre- ' i sented by close on 60 winners. Sunrise does I not get weight-for-age performers, but all his j stock can win races. i I WARWICK FARM RACES. ! [ These races took place in Sydney on Saturday, and were intei eating from the fact that two Ne-.'market Handicap candidates in The | Watch Dog and Amourette were succsssful. | The race taken by the former was the Flying t Handicap, six furlongs, in which he cairied 7.10 or Gib moie than his Newmarket impost He ' is owned by Mr W. Forrester, of G-aulus and Ike Gnawer fame. Mr Fouestev as a rule only keeps good ones, and I think The Watch i Dog, who won in a canter, is a good deal above ' the common. The favourite for the race was ! Amourette 9.5. She could only run third but ' subsequently won the Pace Welter, six fur- j longs, carrying 31.2. She is a splendid stamp or a. mare and should cairy her 8.6 into a pro- ' muient position in the Newmarket. She is a Lochiel, while The Watch Dog is by Gibraltar winner of the V.R.C St. Leger. California 8.8 and Undaunted 7.9 ran a dead heat in the Stewards Mile, Ferryman (by Gozo) 8.2 took the Faim Stakes, and Fairy Prince 8.5 the Warwick Handicap, one mile and three fur- i longs. j ODDS AND ENDS. 1 Avalon, one of the few racers got by Strath- ' more, won the Austin Cup in the Queer.scl.ff races on January 27, carrying 9.10. Tramp 8.10, I the Newmarket Handicap candidate, was sue- ! cessful in the Point Lonsdale Handicap, six ' lurlongs. At the same meeting the Camperdown Cup, one mile and three-quarters, run on Anniversary Day, was won by The Armourer, a son of Lord Wilton, who has been running in the country districts for some time, but a few seasons back carried Mr S. J. Cook's colours. Mr Cook, who is known to a good many New j Zealanders, has not been racing with any better ', luck of Late, but I thmk he will win a race with j The Undine before long. This filly is by his ' old favourite, The Admiral. Mr Cook is not j fond of the little lish of the turf. He always ' wants to take Derbys and cups .otherwise his winning lecord would be much better. I Before the weights appeared £1000 to £70 was taken about Seahorse for the Australian Cup. The wager, it is said, was for an Auckland man. j Envoyneas, who was in the Newmarket Han- ' dicap ai; 6.7 (but has been scratched) won a race ' at Deniliquin on January 26. She is of very little account in good compajiy. i The Chief has gone out" of the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup. He has developed soreness, and has been turned out. Vocalist, who was well backed in doubles for the Australian Cup, has been sciatched for all V.R.C. engagements. Blow No! for impetuous backers. In response to a requisition signed by Sir j William Manning, Edward Barton, and other prominent citizens who do' not understand anything about racing, the A.J.C. Committee have ' decided lo re-open the case of Frank Fielder, ! who was disqualified in connection with the running of Mora. Fielder is to be given an opportunity of bringing more evidence' in his own defence. I think it is a bad thing to allow i outsiders, however influential, to have a voice in racing matters. Alfred Joseph, the bookmaker, has recovered fiom a severe illness, and will leave for England by the "R.M.S. Ophir on March 6. Before his departure he is to be presented with aa illuminated addics* by the bookmaking members of the Victorian Club. Lochiel is at the head of the list of winningsires for the fiist half of the season in Victoria; j his progeny having won 49 races to the total , value of ,£9Bi6; Bill of Portland second with j 16?. wins of the value of .CBSS7. Coionot, who won the Newmarket Handicap in lf«s, died in South Australia the other day. lip sired two or three moderately useful horses. Joe Thompson, the bool maker, will be over Jier.e fes the. Melbourne Cup. Ho is at present

in India. Those who have recently seen the exMelbovirne leviathian of the ring say that, he is looking very old. Bookmaking ig a wearing game.

Reel, winner of the two-year-old race at the Sydney Turf Club meeting, was sold on the following Monday to Mr S. Fielder for 150gs, and subsequently to Mr Sol Green, a bookmaker, for 200gs. The V.R.C. have arranged a meeting at Flemington for February 14, in aid of the Empire Patriotic and Bushmen's Corps Funds. The committee did not think they could legally vote any money to these funds out of the club's monies,, but they are giving ;£SOO in stakes to this meeting, and the gross takings, less expenses, will be given to the two funds named, so that this practically means a donation of

The following horses have so far arrived in Melbourne from Sydney to take part in the V.A.T.C. and V.R.C. Autumn meetings: — Yendys, Caledonia, Drama, Hobson, Hoop Iron, Scornful, Hautboy, Bluecap 11, Waterloo, Corahe, Cabin Boy, Webbe, Dandy, Mist.Murrabrine, Welfare, and Lord Budolph, Parthian, Stand Off, Henry, Rowdy, Cornquist, Zoe, Prince Carbine, Mora, Royal Purple, Haulette. At the Adelaide Racing Chib meeting last Saturday the chief event, the Licensed Victuallers' handicap, one mile and a-quarter, went to Cclia 7.2, with Tarsus 9.4 in second place. Celia is by Richelieu (son of Richmond), who is the sire of the Wilhamston winner Landscape. Tarsus .is a good horse. He is engaged in the weight-for-age events at Ce.ulfield. Burnside fell and received fatal injuries in the la&t event, the Brown Hill Handicap. He was by Thunderbolt (son of Musket) from De Novo, by Rirhniond, and full brother to Mairyatville. A feature of the meeting Vos that Mr S. Ferry, a wellknown local sport, drove a four-in-hand to the course, the team comprising the jumpers Cromwell (who won the Steeplechase at the previous meeting of the club), Parallax, Ad Valorem, and Soursobs. Antarctic, winner of the last race, paid a dividend in the totalisator of £128 16s Seahorse was scratched on Monday last (Febluary 5) for the Newmarket Handicap, but he remains in the Australian Cup.

War God was slightly injured by falling in the train on the ..oumey to "Warwick Farm on Saturday, and could not ruu at the meeting. This m-ij effect his piospects in the Australian Cup.

On Monday 'ast, after declaration of the first acce-Dtinces, 63 horses were Isft in the Newma--ket Hanoirao, 33 in the Australian Cup, a~:d 13 in the St. Leger. The latter event looks like a match between Merriwee arc! Psrthipn.

Little Tprtsu- (by the New Zc-iland-bie.l Tartar) has armed in Sydney from Brisbane, having been leased by Mr W. Forrester.