SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 57

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bi Ravenswobth,

MELBOURNE, September 26. RACING IN SYDNEY. Just now the interest of racing people is centred in Sydney, where the A.J.C. spring meeting will be commenced' next Saturday. A few interesting horses were seen out at the old-established Hawkesbury Race Club meeting on Saturday. Twenty years ago this was an important fixture, but with the spread of suburban racing it has been somewhat pushed- aside. Last year the Hawkesbuiry Guineas, a three-yedr-old event at special weights, was revived, and .this has helped somewhat to bring the old club to the fore again. The Randlwick trainer, T. Payten, continues to be unlucky,. as at this fixture two of his representatives were placed without winning, Popinjay iand Mashtun being beaten into second place in their respective races. Pentane beat Popinjay, with a little to spare, in the Hawkesbury Guineas, and Borambil (7.7) accounted for. Mashtun (7.4) in the . Flying Handicap. Pontano is by Positano, from Mora (*a fine mare that used 1 to bo raced by Mr W. Murray and Mr E. H. Knight in Melbourne), by Malua from White Star, ihy Atlantic, and is engaged in the A.J.C. Derby and V.R.C. Derby. Borambil is a four-year-old gelding by Flavus (imp.) from Topsy Turvy, by Autonomy from Pirouette, by Goldsbrough, and is in the Epsom % Handicap iat 7.3, Metropolitan at 7.0, and Caulfield Cup at 6.13. T. F. Scully trains him. The Metropolitan and Caulfield 1 Cup candidate imported Sandbath (8.0) was backed 1 at ia short price for the Hawkesbury' Spring Handicap * (one mile and a-quarter and 100 yards), hut. had to play second fiddle to 'Britain (9.0), who ran third in the last Caulfield Cup, Bri- • tain is a Grafton horse, trained by P. Nolan, and is engaged in the Epsom Handicap felt 8.10, Metropolitan at 8.7, Caulfield Cup at 8.5. and Melbourne Cup at 8.1. Flaxen (8.7) was third 1 . The Park Stakes wont bo Monie 18:2), bv imported Goya, W. H. M'Lacthlan, .who returned from England some weeks I‘ater,'' rode Lager (9.10) to victory. in the High weight Handicap. Lager is in the Epsom Handicap at 8.0, and Toorak Handicap at 8.5. RACING IN MELBOURNE.

* The Epsom Racing Club held a meeting last Wednesday, when the New Zealander Obsono, carrying 10.7 (6.7 mimiimum) was made a hot favourite for the Flying Handicap, five furlongs. He had the services of N„. D. Godby,' but was never really dangerous in the race, and. eventually finished ' sixth. Beechworth looked the winner at the bottom of the straight, but he failed to stay, and Haut Bus (8.3), by. Coil, finishing well, won by a length from Maltronus Ageron and George Goulet were the favourites for the Jumpers' Flat Race, and they ran first and second,. N. D. Godby landing Ageron (9.13), who is brother to Gxafnax, the winner ; George Goulet was for a loner time in the rear of the field, and he finished very, ftist, E. A. Connolly won the Epsom Handicap, with Lorn. (8.13), hy Phtol, who ran last on the occasion of his previous meeting at Caulfield. Loru is engaged in the Tporak Handicap at 7.7, and OaulfieJdv C"P a* 6 ;7: After running unluckily for some time Sir Froude managed to win a race here, the Second Division H»ancßcap fallina: to him. Smart waited with him to the half-distance, and then came to the front, and won by three-quaaters of a length from the fastfinishing Tornea. The pony Espenelge was third. A rank outsider in Lord Grey (8.11), by imported Fribr Tuok, took the T mr< i Division Handicap, while Mountain Heather (7.11), by Ruenalf, beat the favourite Scottish Chief (6.9), and Kerlie (9.3), in the Epsom Handicap, one mile. Mountain Heather is a very big gelding, hailing from Queensland. '"■-.. , „ . The meeting of the Findon Harriers Hunt Club at Saudown Park on Saturday attracted a large crowd, but the racing was not of general interest. The chief, event, the Rupertswood Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, went to the erratic New Zealander. Chauvelin (by Soult—lmamorata.), who had' 7st up, and won by three-quarters of a length from the Caulfield Cup candidate Gay Bob 8.3, by Bobadil. Chauvelin ran Gay Bob out in the final stage of the race, and there was a protest- for interference, but it was dismissed. Gay Bob sprang a curb some little time back, but it dees not now trouble him. He is, however, still "biff- This horse is a likely one to run a good race in the Caulfield Cup. The Eppine; Plate, six furlongs, was won » easily by the Sir Tristram mare Honeywood, -JJ.S, who hod very litlSe. to beat, the Ascot Height Class Tboueand winner Don't Forget, following her home. Honeywood is in the Caulfield Cup and' Melbourne Cup at light weights. Domus, 10.3, by Eminence (son of Bill of Portland) took the Hurdle Race, and- H. Cairns rode Huka to victory in the Steeplechase. Huka is by Portsea, and won on the saine course the. previous Saturday. The Corinthian Handicap proved a p;ood thing for the odds-on favourite Lord Illinois, while i'he Findon Amateur Cup, a steeplechase for hunters, the distance being three miles and a furlong, was won by Lord Ernnus. 11.13. by Penance. Benedictine, 7.5, by Friar Tuck (imp.), beat the hot favourite Sir Froude, 8.5, in the Epping Purse. RACING IN ADELAIDE. "

The .principal flat race at the Adelaide Hunt Club meeting on Snturdav, the President's Handicap, one mile and a-quarter, was won bt- T. KeSy's Kadlunga, 7.11, by import-ad Aryan. He was not much fancied, but won ea-silv from BuirrTVhive, 8.0, and Lady Frederick, 7.6. There were three events for aimateurs. Mr B. O'Connor riding Crown Bar to viotorv : (he Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase. Mr R. V. M'Guineas (who rdde four win-n'P-ris ait the last Warrnambcol Amateur Turf Club meeting in this State) landing Jack Adams, winner of th<* Four Miles Hunt Club Cup, and Mr L. H. Aldridge taking the Bracelet Handicap with Byton, by Grafton. The other winners during the day were the. Amendment -(by Eminence), Lancelot (by Portsea), and Lord Staffa: (by Staffa). MISCELLANEOUS.

The steeplechaser Grafraa.x died in Sydney last week from of the intestines, caused indirectly by his fa.ll in the Australian Steeplechase at Caulfield last month. He was not himself when he ran in either the V.R.C. Gf.ra.nd National Steeplechase or Australian Steeplechase. He was a dashing jumper, despite his fall in the last-named event, and it. was a treat

to watch him flying his fences. He prac- j tioally jumped the field down in the Australian Steeplechase last year, only two, Workmaster and Seymour, of his 14 opponents finishing. He carried 12.12 on that occasion, and this year had 13.2 up. He ran in the last three Grand National Steeplechases, falling near home, when looking all over a, winner in 1909, carrying 11.12 to victory in 1910, and finishing third with 13.5 up, and handicapped by an injured leg, m this year's event, which was won by Confide. F. Burn was associated with Grafnax in his principal victories, and F. M'Grath trained him. A Light-fleshed gelding, Grafnaoc never required a great deai of work. He may not have been the equal of past champions of the Redleap stamp, but he was all the same a very good steeplechaser. He was foaled in 1901, and was.-thoroughbred, being by Grafton froan Xantippe, by Loohiel from. Critic, by Roodee. Mr J. P. Cox, of Wagga, owned Grafnaoc

On the ground of suspicious practices Larry, his owner, trainer, and jockey, wore disqualified for two years at the Castlemaine (Victoria) meeting last Wednesday. The fixture was an unregistered one. Aurofodina's chance for the Caulfield Oup is being very freely discussed, and he is now favourite, with Jolly Beggar and Sandbath.

At the amateur boxing tournament on Tuesday, iat South Broken Hill, Martin defeated Payne on a fowl. When the referee had disqualified Payne for holding and other breaches of the rules, Payne rushed and struck the referee. The crowd also rushed the ring, and a riot seemed imminent, but two policemen took charge of the proceedings and quickbjl restored order.

J. W. Hustler, rider of Dalesman in the Jumpers' Flat Race iat Epsom'last Wednesday, was suspended for six months for careless riding. His mount badly interfered with Domus and Mundiaba.

A ■ very liberal programme has been arranged for the Moonee Valley Cup meeting, to ibe held <■ on Saturday, Ootpber 28. The stakes for the • oc: oasion will amount to no less a km than £2OOO, the largest for one cSay's racing ever given on the course. The Moonee Valley Cup will be worth £7so* the distance being a mile and la-quarter. -The Cup candidate, Jolly Beggar, looking very well, was in the- paddock at the Epsom meeting in Melbourne last week. At a weight-lifting demonstration at the Adelaide Fire Brigade gymnasium liast Thursday, R. G. Shorthose,. a well-known athlete, was successful in establishing a world's lOst weight-lifting record for a Clean double-hand lift by placing 2371 b above his head. The feat was witnessed by five justices of the peace and «e large number of well-known athletes. Shorthose scaled 9st 121 b.. The V.R..C. Committee hold a special -meeting on Friday to consider the applications received for the positions of stipendiary stewards. Messrs A. H. Cox and A. Vowles have for soime years held these position ait. a salary of £450 per annum' eboh, but a few weeks ago it was decided, to call for fresh applications for the position at a salary of. £SOO per annum. No fewer, than 75 applications- were received, and the V committee spent' about three ■hours, and a-half ~in goinor through them, each one being, opnsidered separately. ' ', Messrs Cox and Vowles were again applicants for the position, and they were reappointed? Styria has been scratched for the Caulfield Cup, and. Styria and Guinness for the Melbourne Cup. Saxonite, by Sir Tristram (imp.), starting favourite at 6 to 4, won the Town Plate, of lOOsovs, one mile and a-quarter at the Wallsend meeting in New South Wales last Wednesday. A number of thoroughbred horses intended for New South Wales are on board 1 the s.s. Cevio, which arrived' in Melbourne on Friday from Liverpool, and have sin>e resumed' their journey to Sydney. The majority of the horses were purohiased in England on different accounts by the Sydney trainer, I. Earashaw. They include the stallions Tressady (by Persimmon from Simplify, bv Arklow), . for Mr William B'-own, and Knightliebjt (by Sir Vitos from Allnmeuse, bv St. Simon) for Mr Frank Revnolds. and the following stock for Mr H." R. Deniscn-.—Brown filly Bhanavar three years, by John o' Gaunt, from Royal Ward, bv Prisoner; bay filly Dndu, two years, by Wolfs Craig from Cythera. by Cyllene; chestnut mare Far Away (1906), by Easrer from Mousme, bv St. Simon; and chestnut rake, Forfa.r Ga.l (1907). by Forfarshire from South Edinburgh, by Pepper and Salt.