SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 56

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt Hori Poene.

MELBOURNE, March 1. V.A.T.C. AUTUMN MEETING. Tlie Victoria Amateur Turf Club's autumn meeting was brought to a conclusion on Saturday, the afternoon being an ideal one for racing, but the attendance was only limited. Proceedings commenced with the Alma Stakes, a handicap for two-year-olds, which attracted a field oT ■S^iJ^zen, Roycroft (G-rafton— EtraWeenie) 7.7 opening favourite, but being subsequently deposed by Mr W. Leeming's Haut Bnon— Necklet filly Decollette 7.9, who started at sto 2. She failed to get a position, however, the event going to an 8 to 1 chanceBon Graf ton (Graf ton— Patronia) 7.9, in Wal- *"■ Hickenbotham's stable, who was piloted J If' Godbv > and finished a length in advance of Roycroft, the six furlongs occupying 1.17. Lamrook 7.13 and Green Mountain 7.13 divided favouriteship for the Woodcliff Handicap, of 11 furlongs; but Bright Beauty (Pilgrims Progress— Bright Eyes) 7.7 proved to be the corect pea, as she landed the 7's to 1 procurable about her by half a length from Lamrock in 2.24J, Ballark 7.9 knocking Green Mountain out of third money. The Futurity ' Stakes was the principal item on the programme, but there were only nine starters, the wagering finishing up 2 to 1 on Gladsome 9.7, B's Billingsgate 8.12, 10's Emir 9.5, 14' a Altitude 6.12, 16's The Infanta 6.11, 20's Red Streak 8.9, 50's each Demas 9.1, Dangai 8.5, and The Amazon 6.7. Gladsome kept in the middle of the field till approaching the home turn, when she rushed to the front, and landed the thou. soys without the slightest apparent effort by a couple of lengths; a good set-to between Emir, Dangai, and Billingsgate eventuating in the judge being unable to separate them; the seven furlongs being traversed in 1.29 J. Gladsome received a tremendous ovation on being brought back to the paddock, and punters were ver* anxious to secure some money about her for the Newmarket Handicap alter her brilliant performance. The Lochiel — Critic gelding Lamoncl 12.7 won the Stanley Steeplechase by a head from P. M. G. 10.9, the two miles three furlongs and 80yds being negotiated in 4.455, after which backers experienced a rebuff in the St. Hj£li e rj3 Stakes, si mile an& g-halfj wjLa*. fiY£&ik

with penalties and allowances. There were only three starters, Canteen 9.3 being made favourite at 6 to 4, whilst Lord Fitzroy 8.8 was supported down to 7 to 4 and Dividend 7.8 at 2 to 1. Dividend is a half-brother to Lord Cardigan, being by Simmer from Lady Trenton, and has been located in Walter Hickenbotham's training establishment for some months now. He ran a real good colt on Saturday, completely wearing Canteen down, and covering the mile and a-half in 2.38 J. It was a good tussle between the pair up the straight; but the gallant grey had to succumb by half a length, whilst Lord Fitzroy was a terribly bad third. Of course, there were not wanting croakers who maintained that Canteen had unmistakably "chucked it up" when Dividend continued to pace alongside him ; but it would be quite as safe to accuse Lord Fitzroy of having a soft spot, considering how ingloriously he finished. Personally Ido not think Canteen is thoroughly acclimatised yet. He looks well enough to the eye; but not "as hard as nails," as the saying goes. The concluding event — the Hawksburn Handicap — was a miniature Newmarket — so far as quality was concerned, whilst the quantity fell one short of a score. Even with the steadier of 9.7 Sam Fielder's Dunlop — Nada gelding Abington was made favourite, 5 to 1 being ihe best price procurable about him at barrier-rise. A five-year-old mare named Miss Peggy 7.8 was next in demand at 6's, whilst Step Out 8.2 and Rustaff 7.3 were each backed down to 7's. From the home turn the race was really a match between Abington and Step Out; out Abington — who had the advantage of the inside running — proved too superior for his rival, and beat him home easily by a length and a-ha]f in 1.14|; Ki'arelle finishing third, two lengths farther back, with Mark 7.7 a good fourth and Ivytown fifth. This made Abington'a third win in succession, and as he will meet all the horses he defeated in this race on much better terms in the Newmarket Handicap, the supporters of Fielder's stable will not listen to such a word as defeat. S. Green took the biggest winning cheque at the meeting, £1115 all told; S. Fielder coming second with £885, £700 of which was annexed by his Oakleigh Plate victory. Mr J. A. Turnbull landed £330 for the St. George Stakes and £133 for the division for second in the Eighth Futurity Stakes; whilst Dividend's success in the St. Helier Stakes represented £330 to his owner, Mr J. B. Whitehead. Horses trained in New South Wales did not win as much at this fixture as at the last autumn meeting. The amount on that occasion was £1850 for three days. For two days this year they have won £1080, so that, after all, they have not fared so badly. La3t V.A.T.C. autumn meeting, Scobie's stable did not secure a single place, whilst his record for the 1905 fixture just passed is only four minor positions. The total amount of stake money was £4425 — £50 of which goes to the breeder of Gladsome in New Zealand. Last year the stakes amounted to £5840. According to Mr F. H. Heath, the official timekeeper, the last half-mile of the Futurity Stakes was traversed in 50|sec, and the last half-mile of the St. Helier Stakes in 50Jsec. There appears to be a plentiful lack of firstclass horsemen in Victoria at present. Four out of the five winners of the flat races at Caulfield on Saturday were ridden by Sydney jockeys — N. D. Godby winning on Bon Grafton and Dividend, J. Barden on Gladsome, and J. J. M'Gee on Abington. On the first day of the meeting three of the four flat race 3 were secured by Sydney jockeys. Yesterday (Tuesday) morning Lord Fitzroy galloped a clinking mile and a-half on the sand at Flemington, defeating Green Mountain by 10 lengths and Elvo by double that distance in 2.433, the concluding circuit of the sand track (11 furlongs) being registered in 2.30.