SPORTING NOTES FRROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 41

SPORTING NOTES FRROM AUSTRALIA.

By Ravens-worth.

MELBOURNE, July 16.

V.E.C. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

Since I last wrote the V.R.G. Grand National meeting has been mimbered with the events of the past. The opening day was on July 7, and a grand day it was — foggy in the morning, but beautifully fine in the afternoon. It was ideal racing weather, and the public, who are fond of jumping events, with their spice of danger, were present in strong force. The noble army of- backeis were badly routed by their traditional enemies, the books, over the Grand National Hurdle Race, the first leg of the big double, Aquarius, the winner, being s rank outsider. He was one of" the "write your own ticket" division, as 0 bookmaker described him — needless to say, after, not before, the race. To start at the beginning, I must first deal with the Maiden Hurdle Race, which went to Wail-a-Bit, one of the most poisular horses in Australia, I think. Not that he has ever won the public much money, but there is the knowledge that he is always run straight, and that if he does not win he is usually on. the premises. The best race he ever ran was, of couise, in The Grafter's -Melbourne Cup, in which he was unluckily beaten by half a length. In his schooling Wait-a-Bit jumped a bit "big," and it was not thought good enough tc pay up for him in the Grand National Hurdle Race, where his weight was 12.7. It was quite a different thing with only 10.3 to carry in tlllj

Maiden Hurdle Race, and a few moderates to beat. He went out at evens, and won easily from Delusion, a fair cut of a horse from Sydney, leased for the Melboiirne trip by the Hon. J . H. Jiassall, a member of the New South Wales Ministry. Backers altogether failed in their attempts to pick the two-year-old event. It went to Griselda 0.7, who is by the Nordenfeldt horse, Zalinski, from Paisana. (dam of Model), by the Cr.ulfield Clip winner, Calni<i. Almost any price could have been obtained for the asking about Giiselda, who is not in a fashionable stable, the moat fancied being Examiner 7.7, who ran badly. The Caulfield winner, Sand Boy 7.5, after making most 'of the running, was second. He is piobably better than was thought, but the two-3'ear-olds in Australia this year appear to be much of a muchness. They are evenly bad. iWe have a fresh winner eveiy time there is a two-year-old rac« in Melbourne. The Grand National Hurdle Race came next, and this, as I have said, went to the little-ihought-of Aquarius, who was in at the minimum weight — viz., 9.0. He is by the New Zealand bred Niagara from Rosary^ by Monxaouth (brother to Chester) from Vesper, by Panic. This is an excellent pedigree for a jumper — good enough, in fact, for a classic ■winner. Niagava hitnseif was a very fast •horse, and" Aquarius gets .nis pace from him and his jumping ability from Panic. Aquarius, it may be remembered, was the overnight iavourite for Carnage's Derby] James Redfearn then had him, and it was found on the "morning of the race that he had been cast in his bos during the night. Since then Aqiiatius has had rather a chequered career. For some time he was "used as a hsck in the Warrnambool district, v/here his present , owner resides, and though apparently in a hopeless state as regards his legs, he managed to stand training, and previo\isly picked up a few races ibut all in the country, and of no importance. Backotiaw 9.7 and Goldnnder 9.8 followed Aqua-

■xius home. Rackstraw is by Tormentor {eon of St. Albans), and owned and trained by ".Billy" Yeomans, a famous jockey a few years ago. He a,nd his friends backed the iiorse for a big stake, but the public would not have iim, as it was constantly b^ing reported from the tracks that Eacltstraw was showing signs of lameness. It now appears that this was only soreness, and indicated that the gelding had done any acmount of work. Goldfinder ■was favourite right up to -the rise of the barrier, and he ran a- good, honest race, biic the other pair carried too many guns for him at the finish. Mort Avis 9.8 was placed lour --a -"by the judge. Arcadia 9.10 .a, stable companion of Valdis (who was scratched after his ignominious display a\ Moonee jValley), was a strong order for the race, but after making most of the numing, he died away at the home turn, and Borderer 10.10, the -elect "of the Messrs Miller,. was a disappointment. The xmluckiest horse in the race was Insult 10.13. 'He took command just as the last hurdle was ■approached, ana was going so strongly that I think he would have won, but he blundered at the obstacle and came <lown. Two other events were run on the first oay of the meeting— the Kensington Steeplechase, jfcwo miles, and the Winter Handicap, one mue and a-quarter. The jumping Tace went to iWooral 9.7, trained at Caulfield by J. 3. Allan, ••who has quite recovered from his recent fall 'off Apsley, and the flat race to Chit Chat 7.6, drained at Ballarat by James Seobie. Chit ''Chat is a full brother to Newstead (a Maribyrnong Plate winner), by Neckersgat from Ada, &ut hitherto his victories have been connned "4o the country. There were 21 starters for the race, including a few JCup candidates, none of whom, however, appeared to be in commission. So "x>pen did the race appear, that 7 to 1 was offered on the field, Chit Chat being one of the favourites, and Orla 7.9, who finished second, .another.