SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 57

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA

By Hobi Poene.

MELBOURNE, September 20. THE A.J.C. SPRING- MEETING.

Wednesday and Saturday were but a repetition of the previous Saturday and Monday — a triumph*! march for your New Zealanders right through. Of course it was regrettable that Noctuiform should have knocked himself out by stripping his leg against the fender rail of the course, but luckily the mishap was not serious, and with Sungod, Isolt, and Nightfall Mr G. G. Stead held such a strong hand that Noctuiform"s defection was not felt. Mr Stead topped the list of winning owners during the meeting with a sum total of £3570 out of ths £14,766 distributed in the four days, and it is noteworthy that on only one occasion — in the Spring Stakes, when Nighfall finished third — did his representative in an event fail to win. Of the four horses he had running Isolt won thrice, Nightfall and Sungod twice each, and Noctuifonn once. Only on one occasion did Mr Stead run two horses in the same race — in the A.J.C Derby, — when they finished first and second. The New Zealand sportsman certainly put up a unique record, and one that carries with it something more than a reflected honour on Maoriland and Maorilanders.

Taking the four days en globo, it was a meeting of unique records. Noctuiforni'a 2min 32Jsec for the Derby was rivalled by Mamayoto in the Metropolitan, whilst the "clean sweep of the card" by New Zealaaidbred horses on the second day was almost paralleled on Saturday, when New Zealandbred horses accounted for half- the programme, whilst the other events were captured by Handsome (a granddaughter of Lochiel), Scot Free (a son of Lochiel), and Lucknow (a son of Russley) respectively.

Out of the 24 races on ths four days oi the meeting no less th_an a baker's dozen went to New Zealand-bred animals, included in the <: bag" being the Derby, Metropolitan, New Stakes, Craven Plate, Chatham Stakes, Wycombe Stakes, and the two Steeplechases — in fact, the only two races of any importance that they failed to land was the Epsom Handicap and the Spring Stakes. Mentioning the Steeplechases reminds me that there, was another "hostile demonstration" against one of ycur neddies at the termination of the Dowling Steeplechase, of about three miles on Saturday. The "general" had supported Haydn 12.1 (S. Fergus) down to 3's therefor, but still there was sufficient patronage bestowed on S. Howie's mount, Up to Dale 12.3, to place him on the 4 to 1 mark. Haydn ran off at the logs, a performance which was not relished by a section of the public, who hooted as he was ridden back to the enclosure.

Isolt put up a very taking performance in the Members' Handicap, in which the three-year-old daughter of Multiform and Bellicent was imposted with the steadier of 9.5. Backers laid 2 to 1 ou her, although ther&.were nine opposers; and after half a mile had been traversed they felt "as safe as a church 1 ' (us the saying goes), and she swung home an easy winner from Roycroft 6.12 and Bluster 7.2, whilst covering the nine furlongs in lmm 55sec.

Mr Agar Wynne's Lochiel — Scotch Mary four-year-old Scot Free 6.12 cut out the mile and three-quarters of the Waverley Handicap in 3min 2seo, but as he only secured a neck advantage over Bromine 6.9, whilst Elvo 8.3 (like Scot Free, in Tom Payten's stable) lost second money by half a length, there doesn t appear to be any very great merit in the performance. Natheless his party sent him out at 2 to 1, so that perhaps after all, the ancient Bromine only got within a neck of him on sufferance. Scot Free has incurred a 51b penalty in the Caulfield Cup, bringing his weight up to 7.6 therefor. Elvo is handicapped at 7.13 in the same event.

Owing to some bungling over the time of starting for the Randwick Plate, James Scobie's pair-*-Emir (9.0, R. Lewis), and F. J. A. (9.0, W. H. Ross), together with Marvel Loch (9.3, J. .Barden), were prancing about near the starting barrier for 20 minutes, the while Mr G-. G. Stead's Nightfall (8.9, L. H. Hewitt) was enjoying her otium cum dignitate in the calm seclusion of the saddling paddock. And backers had laid 7 to 4 on Emir, odds of 5 to 2 bei?ig offered againsf the four-year-old Multiform — La Notte mare. The tiring dawdling about at the starting post must have ruffled Emir's temper, as he ran a perfect brute in the race, even although his stable companion F. J. A. mad-e the pac3 exceedingly solid for the first mile and aquarter. Then he dropped out, and Nightfall took up the running. Six furlongs from home Lewis appealed to be trying all he knew on Emir, but the favourite refused to respond, and Nightfall going on won as she liked by a score of lengths in 3min 57isec for the two miles and a-quarter; Marvel Loch defeating Emir for second money by half a dozen lengths, whilst F. J. A. was fully 30 lengths behind the favourite. Considering that she had 9.3 on her back, finishing even a mediocre second to such time, stamps the Lochiel — Marvelette mare Marvel Loch as a bit above the ordinary, and as she will carry 101b less in the Caulfield Cup (B.y> and has proved herself particularly partial to a mile and a-haH — as witness her Metropolitan Stakes victory last year in 2mm 35soc, — it is small cause for wonderment that she should have come into some prominence on the betting bourse m connection with the event to be decided next month on the "classic heath" of Caulfield.

It was only to be expected after such a ■week's hard work that the field for the Final Handicap would be small, only eight starting for the mile and a-quarter race, P. X being favourite at 3 to 1 whilst Fashoda 7.12, St. Modan 7.1, and Sir Leonard 8.1.0 disputed second favouril-eship at s's. Lucknow 9.10 was looking as juvenile as ever, but

albeit Barden was up en him he drifted out of consideration, 'way back to 10 to 1 freely offeied, it being the popular opinion! that Haindicapper Daly had been unduly, haish with the ancient of racing days when 1 allotting him s,uc-h a burden When called upon to exert himself, however, the veteran progeny of Russlcy and the Kingston mare responded right gallantly, and won comfortably by thiee-quartcrs of a length from St. Modan, who cleverly beat Fashoda, on \\hos« qaurters came P. X., the time for the 10 furlongs being 2min Stsc. Your L. H. Hewitt was in splendid form during the A.J.C. meeting just closed, annexing no fewer than eight races. He and N. D. Godby (four) scooped half the whole programme between them. After Mr G. G. Stead, with £3570, cama Mr H. E. Good, with £2222 for Maniapoto's victory in the Metropolitan; Mrs J. C. Smith is next with £1177, won by Sleeper in the Epsom; then follow E. E. D. Clarke, £670; S. Green. £619; C. Bariow, £520; A. Wynne, £460; W. Lyons, £396; W. R. Hall, £380; W. E. White. £349; E. Kelly, JS32B; P. Wilshire, £321; J. Samuels, £300; &.> Claike., £297; J. M'Master, £280; J. Keir, £270; T. A. Hams, £277; G. M. Plate, £248; D. J. Price, £268; J. A. Mayo, £200: E. Frazer. £170; J. M'Donald, £160; W, Austin, £150; Sir Rupert Clarke, £140; J, M'Gill, £100; J. T. Saul. £100; W. L. Willcox, £100; H. J. Coleman, £140; G. A', Schneider, £150; E. and V. White, £50; Mrs W. H. Dean, £50; J. Chambers, £50; H. Rearty, £50; T. Lamond, £40; G. G. Cumming, £40; J. W. Troud, £30; A. Knox, £30; J. Paterson, £30; J. A. Beales, £25; E. A. Shiel. £25; A. Foley, £25; L. C. Ward, £25; J. Baron, £25.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

The West Australian representatives—" Fabric, Conclusion, Miss Peggy, and Revolt—arrived at Port Adelaide on Monday, en route to Melbourne.

'"Bertie" Holmes, who has developed into an owner-trainer in the erstwhile "Golden West," came in the same boat.

The West Australiar Turf Club— evidently goaded into some display of liberality by the success achieved by the Kalgoorlie Racing Clvb — has notified its intention of adding 8300sovs to its four-day Perth Cup fixture next Christmas-tide.

In Sydney on Monday Marvel Loch was Installed a firm first favourite for the Caulfield Cup. After being suppoited for good inonuy; at 100's to 8 and 9, 10 to 1 was accepted to win a couple of thousand pounds.

Bar Marvel Loch, 100's to 6 were on offer, Warroo retiring to 100's to i.

The same afternoon, during the settling in Melbourne over the Oaklands Hunt Club meeting, an attempt was made to obtain '• a poultice" about Marvel Loch at 100's to S; but £1500 was all that could be written down at the price.

In the semi-finals for the League Championships at Victorian football on Saturday Carlton scored a most unexpected victory over Collingwood by 76 points to 30 whilst Fitzroy defeated Essendon by 79 to 36.

Carlton and Fitzroy try conchuions next Saturday, after which the victors will be called on to play a final match against Collingwood, who are entitled to another trial cf skill owing to coming out on top in the first round of the premiership contests.

Port Melbourne and Richmond meet in the V. F. Association contests for the premiership, and the winners wiH be called upon ia tackle North Melbourne in a final match on Saturday week.

Despite Collingwood's defeat on Saturday, it is a bit of odds on them for the league premiership (there's a deal of "commerce" in our Australian game of football nowadays), just as it is on North Melbourne for the V. F. Association premiership.

No less than 138 competitors started for the Ten-miles Cross-country Championship on Saturday, the veteran G. Blake again proving successful — this time in record time — to wit, 57min 59sec. A. J. C. Butt (East Melbourne Harriers) was second, in 58min, 52sec. Then followed in order: — J. R. Riddell (Carlton) 59min 13ssc; F. Schofield (Tasmania). 59min 28sec; R. Arkley (Essendon), GOmin IJsec; B. L. Thomson (Tasmania), 60min 2Jsec; and H. Blake (Melbourne), GOmin Usec. G. Blake won by 300 yards. He proved successful first ill 1900, was fourth IK. 1901, fifth in 1902, did not compete in 1903, and proved successful in 1904 and 1905. How is that for high?

The Royal Melbourne Golf Club asserted its \tndoubted supremacy in the final round of the golf pennant matches last Saturday, both its first and second teams having gon« through the season without a defeat.

Up in Sydney the Victorian ba-sebailera won the rubber in the inter-State matches against Jtfew South Wales by the Marrow margin of 2 runs.

Two years ago the Ballhausen Shield was offered fox competition (home and home) between teams representing the A.I.R. (Ballarat), the Scots Guards, the Grenadiers, and the Coldstream Guards. Up to Saturday last, the Scots Guards looked certain winners, but -•. although the weather conditions -were unfavourable the Ballarat men shot splendidly on Saturday, and won the trophy, the aggregate scores being: A.I.R. (Ballarat), 1040 points; Scots Guards, 1036; Grenadiers, 1026; Coldslreams, 965.