SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2663, 29 March 1905, Page 52

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

By Horn Poeke.

MELBOURNE, March 15. TURF TOPICS.

The third day of the V.R.C. autumn meeting w»3 beautifully fine; but the attendance at Flemington was only moderate. The scratching pen was greatly in evidence during the day, and although those "coloured on the card" were numerous .enough, the fields that started were very attenuated. The ancient Trent (Trenton— Sumatra) 11.9 again turned up trumps in the Two-mile Pines Hurdle Race (3 50£) the two Tasmanians-Orlando 11.0 and Black Spider 9.2— finishing second and third. Browulock fell and broke his neck; D. Allan (his rider) fracturing his collarbone. Canteen, Dangai, Red Streak, and Lord Pitzroy were the only ones brought out to oppose Gladsome in the All-aged Stakes, of a. mile, the bookmakers being obliging enough to accept odds of 3 to 1 about the chestnut daughter of Seaton Delaval and Miss Gladys, whilst 7's were accepted by some infatuated people about Dangai and Id's about Canteen. It certainly looked 300 to 1 on Gladsome after her Futurity Stakes exploit and her performance under 9.13 in the Newmarket Handicap, and it is next door to a certainty that in England backers would have laid 100 to 3 about ber with avidity. As a matter of fact, it was 3,000,000 to 1 as soon as it came to racing in earnest; for although Barden indulged Lord Fitzroy with the lead until the home turn was reached, he let out an extra reef or two there, and the beautiful chestnut, moving along with the precision of well-oiled machinery, romped away and won in a canter by a couple of lengths from Canteen, who secured second money by a neck from Dangai, next to whom came Red Streak, whilst the eight furlongs were compassed in lrnin 41J&ec.

With nine starters for the Autumn Handicap, of a mile and five furlongs, the three-year-old Ballard (Wallace — Dante) 7.10 was at 3's and the four-year-old mare Elvo (Malvolio — Treason) &. 6 at 4's. Tom Payten's charge moved very sorely the first portion of the journey, and along the river stretch was fully 16 lengths behind the others ; but as she wanned up she made up her leeway, albeit it was not till the half-distance that she got within striking distance of Baliark (who had headed Kifler 7.5 at the fiist&noejj a gallant sttilgale between th§

pair eventuating in Elvo wearing young Jind Wilson's colt down, and winning by a neck, with Rifler throe lengths farther back ; time, 2min oOJ&ec.

The Loch Plate, of lOsovs each, with 500sova added, w.f.a., two miles, found three lined up at the barrier — Emir (7 to 4 on), Koopan (5 to 2), Marmont (7 to 2) ; the riders being R. Lewis, E. Huxley, and J. Barden respectivelyl It panned out all right for the backers of Emir ; but it was a desperately close thing for all that, as Huxley (who had lost two or three lengths by a futile attempt to creep up under the rails) made a vigorous effort a. few strides from the post — jvist when Bobby Lewis thought he had all opposition settled — a-nd was only beaten by a short head, whilst a stride past the post he was in front. Marmont finished two lengths behind the pair ; the time being somewhat "funereal," to wit, 3min 43sec. Koopan bids fair to develop into a good horse with age.

Decolette (Haut Brion — Necklet) 8.0 and Mani States (Ranfurly— l2l mare) 6.10 made a dead-heat of it in the Nursery Handicap (11 starters), Decolette starting at s's and Sir Rupert Clark's colt at 15's. Bon Grafton 8.4 was third and Relish 8.1 fourth, then com-, ing Japhet 8.8 and The Amazon 8.9; the six furlongs occupying lmin 17sec.

Another representative of the recently-de-funct Malvolio scored in the River Handicap, of a mile and a-quarter, the St. Leger winner Munderah, who appeared to be so favourably handicapped at 8.5 that he was backed down to 2 to 1 against six others. The event proved to be a cake-walk for him, as he took command at the distance and ran home an easy winner by three lengths from W. L. and J. T. Field's Tasmanian colt Romeo 6.10, Mattie 7.3 fourth, Green Mountain 7.13 fifth; and the time, 2.9|.

A more perfect day than Saturday could not have been desired for the enjoyment of the one-time "sport of kings," and yet there was only a fair attendance of the lords of creation, albeit the fair sex — as throughout the four clays of the meeting— mustered bravely. Racing started at 1 o'clock with the Elms Handicap, for two-year-olds and three-year-olds; 13 facing the barrier. Troytown 7.3 was quickest away, and looked a certain winner till the half-distance, when Step Out 9.0 closed with him, and gained the victory by half a neck; Dangai 9.9 being four lengths away third, and the time for the seven furlongs, lmin 27|sec. Step Out started at 4's, and was well backed.

The Select Stakes, a handicap for two-year-olds, over seven furlongs of ground, was looked upon as such a good thing for Charles Stuart — the Ascot Vale Stakes winner — with 9.0 that the son of Wallace and Sweet Alice went out at 5 to 4 against nine others. For all that, the Queenscliff contingent "put it in" on young Jimmy Wilson's colt Scotland (Walla-ce — Key) 8.9 with such effect that 5 to 1 was the best offer against him at the close of the wagering. Pursuing the same tactics as when he rode Troytown, R. W. Brennan took Scotland to the front, and remained there till half a furlong from home, when R. Lewis made his effort with the favourite, a ding-dong, neck-and-neck struggle to the post being declared by Mr J. O. Inglis as a dead-heat, though 99 out of every 100 imagined that Scotland had just pipped the Messrs Clarke Bros/ colt. The Amazon 7.6 finished third, two lengths off the dead-heaters, Kildean 8.10 fourth and The Infanta 8.12 fifth; the time being 1.29. The owners agreed to divide. As I informed you in my last, Charles Stuart is nearly certain to pose as the winter favourite for the next V.R.C. Derby.

Nine contestants once more constituted the field for the Place Handicap, of a. mile and a-half; Baliark 8.0 being installed favourite at 9 to 4, whilst the St. ""Lieger winner Munderah (Malvolio — Grand Canary) was solidlysupported down to 4's, Rifler 7.3 finding favour at G's, and Elvo 9.1 and Aval on 8.7 at 7's. A four-year-old named Alert Dream carved out the running at a bat that appeared to settla the chances of Baliark, but which most decidedly favoured those of Munderah, who asserted his supremacy at the distance, and fairly romped home by two lengths and a-half from the top-weight, Elvo, a length behind whom cam© the consistent Rifler (Havoc Tuberose) ; time, 2f3B£. This third victory of Munderah at the meeting stamped him as being an exceptionally good three-year-old, and a grand stayer to boot.

The Autumn Steeplechase, of about three miles, fell to a good old Western District representative named Poster (Postmaster Biunette) 10.5, who started at the remunerative odds of Jto 1, and who, artistically liandled by J. S. Cos:, defeated Forty Winks 9.8 by six lengths and the rnuch-talked-of Snowstorm by 14, in 6.33 J. Young Creswick (by Creswick out of a, Torchlight mare) was carrying his 11.7 like a thorough tradesman, and jumping like a stag till he had the misfortune to stumble over a prostrate horse ; but Abdallah's 11.5 wretched exhibition was of such * whipping-in description right through, the hunt that one will hardly expect Mr S. Miller to despatch him over to Onkaparinga for the Great Eastern Steeplechase, unless his showing was altogether too bad to be Correct.

The wagering on the Champion Stakes was most peculiar. At times Dividend would be at evens, with 2 to 1 offered against Emir and 4's Koopan. Then the books would make a, set against the Simmer — Lady Trenton colt and lay 5 to 4 and 6to 4 against him. The reason for this thusness was the impression that got abroad that Dividend would be handicapped through having to make his own running, and so sure were the metallicians thereanent that at barrier-rise 6 to 4 was freely laid against him; Emir being at 7 to 4, Koopan at 4's, and Marmont at 15's. As soon as they were despatched on their journey, however, it was palpable that Barden, on Marmont, was determined to set a pace, as he took the son of Wellington to the front, and along the riverside was half a dozen lengths ahead of Dividend, who in turn held a threelengfchs' advantage over Emir. Marmont covered the first mile and a-half in 2min 54Jsec, and then the pace improved, the next four furlongs being accounted for in 52|sec, whilst the succeeding one was traversed a second faster than that even. Five furlongs from home Dividend ran up to Marmont, and approaching the home turn he assumed a. length's lead, which he increased to four lengths without any apparent effort by the time the winning post was reached; Emir being six lengths farther back third and Koopan a length behind Mr E. D. Clark's horse ; the time being 5.31^. It was a really good performance on the part of Dividend, and there were immediate inquiries as to the price Mr J. B. Whitehead would take for linn ; that gentleman vouchsafing the information that he would not accept less than. 5000gs. To some extent the race was marred by a serious and painful accident which happened to Emir's jockey, R. Lewis. Going along the river side, and when nearly opposite the mile and a-quarter post, Emir swerved in on to the rails, the impact being so severe that Lewis sustained % compound fracture of the left leg a few inches above the ankle. Despite the fact that both bones were protruding through the skin, and causing excruciating pain, Lewis not only pluckily retained his seat, but ifide bis mount as if naught -were amias,

thawing his whip at the home turn, and endeavouring to get up under the rails in order to catch up with Dividend and Marmont. On being lifted out of the saddle, Lewis was attended to by Dr J. P. Flanagan, and was subsequently removed to Sir Thomas Fitzgerald's private hospital, where, according to latest accounts, lie is progressing satisfactorily, albeit it is not expected that he will be able to ride again for four months at the least.

The meeting closed with the Farewell Handicap, a. mile dash, for which a baker's dozen started. Mr H. Avery's bay colt Daigai (St. Svi-ithin — Black Rose) 8.13 was made favourite at 4's, Purser 8.4 and Mark 7.8 being at s's, and Step Out 8.11 at 7's; and the wagering ■was a very fair reflex of the result, Dangai assuming command at the distance and winning by four lengths from Step Out, who defeated. Purser for second money by three lengths; the time being lmin 41sec. Dangai was subsequently sold to Mr A. A. Ancar, of Calcutta, the owner of Great Scot "The receipts during the four days were £700 more than last year, when the V.X.C. lost £3000 over their aTitumn fixture.