SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 55

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

By Ravensworth. ; MELBOURNE, March l. : THE V.R.C. AUTUMN MEETING. First Day. The autumn racing campaign in Melbourne was continued last Saturday with the opening of the V.R.C. meeting at Flemington. It was a bright cool day, ana there was a good attendance. The pro-i gramme was,, bftweyer, rather a tame one^

as two of the events, the St. Leger and Essendon Stakes, looked and proved certain; yss, while the Newmarket- Handicap, with fee horees running towards the spectators up a six-furlong straight, is one of the least interesting of the important races of Australia There were 31 starters this year, the biggest field for 14 years, 'but at least a dozen had not even .remote claims to be included in the field for the champion sprint race of the Common.wealth. Comedy King, though he met the 'horses he beat in the Caulfield Futurity Stakes on much worse terms, was expected ito win again, but he still lacks racing experience, and ran rather a disappointing trace, though he managed to get fifth. The .-winner ■ turned up in Mala 8.1, who practically led all the way, though some of the spectators ■thought that the New '■Zealander Ngauruhoe held command for the first furlong. Ngauruhoe had only ibean trained on three furlong spurts and swimming, and ran just as one would expect a horse to do on such a preparation. *He lasted for about three furlongs, and then dropped out. Malt King 8.12 and ■Flavinius 8.9 finished second and third respectively. Each was slow to begin, but ,was running on, and so were Daisy Chain and Pretty Peg. Plush, who was fourth, was well up all the way. When the weights came out it was generally agreed that Mala was, at 8.1, well handicapped. His performance in the (Futurity Stakes was, however,, disappointing, and the public went right off him. Comedy King, Conge d'Eshre, and Flavinius appeared to hold the remainder of the Futurity Stakes field safe, with the exception, perhaps, of Malt King, whose form could not be accurately gauged, as he lost so much ground at'the start. The fact was overlooked that Mala is a mere pony, and the weight off his back meant a good deal more to him than to the other horses that finished behind Comedy King at Caulfield. This year's Newmarket Handicap winner is, like the second horse, Malt King, a son of the Bill of Portland horse, Maltster, who was bred in this State, but has been located in New South Wales since the commencement of his stud caree.' Mala's dam, La France, is by Carnage from Wild Rose (who won the Newmarket Handicap in 1892), by Newminster from Primrose, by Goldsbrcugh—a family noted for smartness. The Messrs Baillieu, of Victoria, bred Mala, who, as a yearling, was sold by auction in Sydney, Mr H Alan Currie, a member of the V.A.T.C. Committee, securing him for 610 guineas. Mala won the first race in whioh -lie started, the rich Debutant Stakes at Caulfield, and was also successful the same season in the V.R.C. Sires' Produce Stakes and Select Stakes, but his career as a three-year-old was, until Saturday, disappointing. He is a shapely colt, and very handy. His sharpness in getting out of the barrier helped him considerably on Saturday. The veteran Flemington trainer, '"Walter Hickenbosham, prepared Mala, as ie did Ebullition, the winner three years ago. Very few important races in Australi ' has Hickenbotham missed winning at least once. When about a furlong from home' Monodist came down, . owing, it is

thought, to gallop' ng on to the heels / of .'another horse. She broke her elbow in two places, and was subsequently destroyed iby Mr S. 0. Woon, V.S. Her rider, W. V. Burn, a nephew of F. Burn, had his lip out, and also eust lined a shock. Monodist w*f a lull sister to Monody, by Harmonist fron; Lonely, by Lonsdale, and was owned by Mr S. A. Rawdon, whose luck on the turf has not been grear. Fred Burn rode Silyery Post 9.6, by Portland Bill, to victory in the Pines Handicap, in which Yield 11.2, the Caulfifeid winner, ran a very poor race. Prince Foote had a very easy task in the St. Leger,

as he only had Moruga and Flavian to beat, and he did it with 15 lengths to spare. He was ; kept going to the finish, with' the idea, no doubt, of getting a good

gallop' on the grass foi his future engagements, and cut out the mile and threequarters in 3min sisec, which is record time foi this -particular' event. Thv're were only five starters * foi the Birds' Produce* Stakes, for two-year-olds, run up the stiaight. six furlongs, and the big Ibex colt Gigandra was expected to win, but the A.J.C. December Stakes' winner Beverage beat him very easily. Gigandra ran green, being all over the

cour.-.% and Lager quite failed to shape up to expectations, Bobade.„ beating him for third place. Mala and Beverage were sired ■by Maltster, and so was Alawa, who won f, the weight for age event, the Essendon ' Stake©, one mile and a-half. He had only fb*ur opponents, and Pendil proved the best of them. He was ridden right out, and ran Alawa to a length, but the big horse was not properly extended. Lord Nola.n, who was in the field, ran last.

The Sydney division won the last race, the. Brunswick . Stakes, one mile and with the imported mare Wedding Present 7.3, who is "trained by I. Earnshaw. She is by Trenton from Penny Wedding, by Best Man, and was imported in 1907 by Messrs F. M'Donald and R. Allen, who still own her. Edenholme looked to have the race won at the distance, but Wedding Present gradually wore him down, and won by a length and a-quarter. RACING IN WEST AUSTRALIA.

Th< Kalgoorlie Racing Club commenced their summer meeting last Wednesday, when the leading event was the Kalgoorlie Handicap, of 250sovs, one mile and aquarter. It went to that good performer Hatteras, who carried 9.10, Quibble 6.8 feeing second and Nocifera 8.8 third. Hatteras is by Chesterman, and was bred •in Tasmania. The New Zealand-bred Azurine 7.U, by. Seaton Delaval—Real Blue, was successful in the Stewards' Plate, seven furlongs. Azurine was formerlv owned by Mr H. R. Oenison, owner of Poseidon, and. was trained in Sydney by I. Earnshaw. E. Sutherland rode Hatteras in his race, and he also got Artesian home in the Kalgoorlie Guineas, a mile race for three-year-olds. The Hurdle Race went to Vareena 12.9, by Lei Var; -the Mullingar Plate to Phonograph 7.11 (by Grafton), and the Mullingar Purse to Tristalee 7.10 (by Sir Tristram).' 4 * The meeting was concluded on Saturday, when the Summer Cup, 350sovs, one imile and a-half, was run. There were only five starters, and Quibble 8.7, by Projectile, •won easily from Nucifera 8-5 and Artesian 613. lii the Kalgoorlie Hurdle Race Vareena carried 13.3 and won easily, while Levuka, by the receintly defunct Bloodshot, captured the Trial Stakes. The Welter Plate went to Gaelic 9.9, by Gaulus /with Ellis 10.0 second), aad the Welter

Pursa *o Sir George 8.1, by Invermay, while Eiiis (by Hotchkiss) carried 9.6 to victory in the Final Handicap.

MENTONE RACES

The feature of the racing at Mentone last Wednesday was the success of the stable of A. Skirving, three races_ being taken. —viz., the Hurdle Race' with The Gaul 9.3 (by Gaulus), the Newmarket Trial Stakes with Monodist (by Harmonist), and the Welter Plate with Wai-ila 7.11 (by Grafton). C. Bolton rode Monodist and Wai-ila.' The victory of Monodist over Knox caused a great surprise. The race was at special weights, and there was only 121 b between the pair, while in the Newmarket Handicap Knox was weighted to give Monodist no less than 301 b. So much for handicapping! In the race won by Wai-ila the Sydney mare Plush 9.8 was expected to win, but Wai-ila, who is touched' in the wind, won easily, while Belle Sebreicht 7.3 made a 'dead heat for second place with Plush. The Sydney division Won the Mentone Handicap, one mile, with that useful horse The Climax, who had 9.13 up and scored easily from Jolly Kate 7.13 and Seven Oaks 6.7. W. H. M'Lachlan had the winning mount. Graftonette 8.11 (by Grafton) was ridden to victory in the Trial Handicap by R, Cameron, while J. E. Pike got Graftonette's stable companion Battlesmoke 7.12 horn© in the Welter Purse. RACING IN SYDNEY.

The Warwick Farm Club raced on Saturday. There were only two starters for the Livsspool Mile, and Flavigny 9.5, who has been doing well of late, was returned an easy winner from Margo. While Mala, Beverage, and Alawa were upholding the credit of their sire at Flemington, the three-year-old filly Little Lill acted successfully on Maltster's behalf by annexing the Farm Stakes at this meeting. There were 18 starters. This opened the winning account of the filly. She was bred at the Widderi Stud, and cost her owner, Mr W. T. Now! an, 210 gs as -a yearling. The Flying- Welter, six furlongs, went to Lady Hasty 8.10 ,(bj Grafton), while in a field of 14 the New Zealand-bred Blackpool 7.4 (bj Birkenhead—ldea) won the Nursery Handicap by a Read from Still 6.10. The winner was purchased for lOOgs ae a yearling. Newport 7.8 (by Holbrook) took the Warwick Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, and Conductor 8.3 (by Sir Tristram) the Stewards' Mile. MISCELLANEOUS.

At the CoJao (Victoria) races last Wednesday W. M'G-uimess wlas disqualified for six months for foul riding in the run off of a dead baat.

The ancient Pilgrim Progress gelding Viator was last week shipped to West Australia.

Pace, and not stamina, has all along been considered Celerity's forte, but the Oakleigh Plate winner has been entered for the St. Kilda' Cup, to be run at Caulfield on March. 12. The distance is a mile and three furlongs. At the Morphett Vale (S.A.) races there was a fatal accident. In the Flying Handicap Mr J. H. M'Curran's Orry fell three furlongs from home, and Eoy Hillj who was mounted on the gelding, seemed to fall under him, and was killed almost instantaneously. He was not near the rest of the field. The Hurdle Race as .well as the principal flat race at the meeting went to Mr P. H. O'Nfell's Warrior.

Mr S. Emanuel, of Western Australia, one of the owners of Annapolis and King's Cross, became the owner of Conge d'Eslire last week. Conge d'Eslire was submitted to auction on behalf of the owner (Mr J. F. W. Payne) by Messrs William C. Youille and Co., and there was keen competition for him. He eventually fell to Mr Emanuel's bid for 825 gs. As Conge d'Eslire ran badly in the Newmarket Handicap he was dear at this price. Mr J. H. Hindhaugh's colt Posito, who broke a fetlock when running in the Colao Handicap on Wednesday, dropped dead in his box at Colac during the night. Mr Hindhaugh paid £BOO for Posito some months ago. He was by Poeitano' —Wilton Queen. Poseidon is moving along nicely at Randwick, and will probably take his place in the field for the Rawson Stakes at Rcsehill on March 12. D. J. Price has just put Mafui into work at Caulfield, and he intends to take up Bribery again shortly. Mr T. S. Clibborn, secretary of the A.J.C, who has been ill for many weeks, was so far Improved iast week as to be able to come into Sydney.