SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA. By Hore Poene. MELBOURNE, December 21. THE TURF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 51

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA. By Hore Poene. MELBOURNE, December 21. THE TURF.

Moonee Valley was the irysting-place on Saturday, but although, the weather was extremely favourable, there was only a moderate attendance. Find Out 9.8 was made a, 2to 1 favourite in a. field of 11 for the Two-mile Hurdle Race, with Larrikin 10.0' second in demand at s's. The favourite couldn't get nearer than third, Larrikin — who is by Rcuge-et-Noir from Musk — defeating Brpwnlock 9.3 by three lengths in Urnin 51sec. , Glare . 10.7 finished: fourth. Half a score contested the Trial Handicap, of five furlongs, W. S. Cox's five-year-old Haiit Brion — Princess Olga gelding King Billy 7.8 going out at sto 2. It proved to be a' perfect Cakewalk for him, as fie romped home fiv lengths in advance of Pharos 7.5 and Chiss 8:4 in lmin 4sec. Backers were not so happy in their, selection for the succeeding event, a- Welter Handicap' sprint, of six furlongs and a-half,- for which they sent Mollusc 7.13 out at 5 to 2, KatafiaB:o being at 7 to 2, and. Rawdon 8.11 at 4 to ; 1. Bawdon is a five-year-old horse by Trident from Selina, and is the property of Mi L. Devlin. After-a great finish lie got lionid by a neck from Eatafia-, only a neck behind -whom came the hurdle racer. T>7. .P. 7.11, . Mc-lius& being -fourth. Time, lmin 23sec. As 'at Williamstown the preceding week, the Jumpers' Flat Race, over 11 furlongs of ground, supplied a rare turn-up for the "books." There were five starters, the closingprice quolations being 2 to 1 each Stopwatch 10.0 and Matong 11.0, 5 to 2 Short Gown 9.6>v 10's Joe's Ruby 8.1, 20's G-lenore 8.10. Glen> coe is an aged gelding by Earl of Redmond from Currency, and he brought joy to the hearts and spondulix to the pockets of the • wielders of the metallic pencil by euchring Stopwatch by a length, Matong being third j three lengths away, and the time 2min 28£ sec. Seven was 'the main for the Pascoe Handicap, of six furlongs, and although Merriang was top weight — 9.8 — the punters swooped on. to him, as good goods, and eventually acepted 7to 4 about his chance. As I have advised you of late, Merriang has been putting in very, servicable preparatory work on tb* Flemington training track for some time past, but he is still far too aldermanically-proDOrtioned to do himself full justice, in addition to which i he was palpably sore. As a consequence,. he fcailed to get a place, The Golden West (Stamboul — Gloaming) 7.3 — who divided second favouriteship with Precocious 6.13, at 5"s — winning by a length from Abbey 8.6, with Prospect 8.12 third ; the time being pretty fair, to wit, 1.17. For the Valley Handicap, Bail 7.9 finished up at 6 to 4, whilst 2 to 1 was the best offer against the Mentor— lsis gelding Telemachus 7.5, there being five other starters-. Aided by the skilful horsemanship- of W. Trnscott (wha has b*een displaying high class form in the pigskin of late), Telemachus ran home a threelengths' winner from Bail, Circlet" 6.13 being" -.close up third, whilst the eight furlongs and A-half were traversed in lmin 50sec In N.S.W. on Saturday, Moorefield races took place during showery weather, despite which there was a good attendance. There .were 20 starters in the Kogarah Stakes, won by F. S. Fielder's Isos^ (Sainfoin — Fortesse) 6.9, in I.lߣ for the six furlongs ; Waikato 6.12 second (three lengths away) and Bowylie 6.12 third. Australian Gem 8.1 was favourite at s's, Waikato, Isos, and Rangiora 7.5 being ai 6*s. Lucknow (Eussley — Kingston mare) 8.3 won the Flying Handicap, of a mile, from Gerardy 8.3, Parting Glass 6.10, and a couple more, in lmin 45sec, his starting prace being 2's. Dick Lilley 8.12 started at evens against seven others for the Stewards' Mile, but Glenara (Beauchamp — Delia) 9.7 — who figured at 3's — beat him by a head in 1.45 J. For the Two-year-old Handicap, of half a mile there was a baker's dozen of starters', betting being very spirited, and finishing up as; follows: — 5 to 2 Yamagatta 7.11, 4's each. Gauze 7.7 and Aloft 7.9, s's eacu Relish 9.5 and Grafton Lad S.lO. At the finish, M. P. Christian's Alolt and Ike Earnshaw's Relish were four lengths ahead of the field, but Aloft was half a length in advance of Relish, the four furlongs bsing covered in 52g. The winner is a chestnut filly by imported Orzil from Aline, a Grandmaster niave whose dam was by Yattendon from Hilda. There were only five started for the Moorefield Handicap, and of these Lord Boyne (by imp. Nobleman from Pasty) 7.3 held half a point advantage in the wagering over Loredano (the latter starting at 3's). The favourite won easily by four lengths from P. Foy's No Shenanagan 7.13, and as he accounted . for tha mile and a-quarter in 2min lQJjsec, the exploit should be kept in remembrance. The ancient Lucknow was saddled up again, for the concluding event — a six-furlong Welte? Handicap — but 10.7 prevented the veteran get* ting nearer thaai fourth in a field of nine, th^ 2 to 1 favourite Handsome (Holbrook — TJgly) 9.2 winning by three lengths from Bulli 9.8, in lmin 19sec; Horologist 8.10 being third. N. Godby, who has been riding with marked success on the Victorian side of the Murray, enjoyed a gala day at Moorefield, no less than, three events— the Kogaiah Stakes, the Two-year-old Handicaip, and the Moorefield Handicap— falling to his shai«.