SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 56

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

* By Ravbksworth. A.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING. A start was made with the A.J.C. autumn meeting at Randwick on Saturday, when the weather was fine and the attendance a record for the opening day of the meeting. The programme was full of interest, and results were eagerly awaited all over Australia. The leading event, the Doncaster Handicap, attracted 25 starters, with the Now Zealander, Lady Medallist, who carried top weight, 9.7, a pronounced favourite, while others solidly backed were Volsloane 8.11, Pontano 8.8, Popinjay 8.11, Bright Laddie 8.12, Lager 8.13, and Soquarious 7.2. Alas! All calculations were upset (as they often are in a Doncaster Handicap) by the success of a rank outsider. It was in this case Lochano, who only had 6.10 to carry. It was a good start, but there was a scrimmage, and True Spec lost his rider, while Kuringai was knocked back last. Sunlike was the first to show out, »&d, with Popinjay almost level, he made play from Desert Rose right into the straight. Soon afterwards Popinjay and Desert Rose retired, and at the Leger stand Lady Medallist, who had come round her.field, cut down Sunlike. At the beginning of the stand the race seemed a certainty for Lady Medallist, but when Lochano challenged, the 391 b difference in weight told, and the outsider scrambled homo half a length in front. Lochano is *fcy Positano from the Caulfield Cup winner Marvel Loch, by Lochiel from Marvelette by Marvellous. This is' nice breeding. Lochano is owned by Mr J. M'Master, who lias Marvel Loch. Hitherto Positano "fillies have not done particularly well on the turf. hut, Nynan has recently shown some form, and Lochano, like her, is a filly. The riderless True Spec kept with the field, and caused some interference. Pontano was never seen. Golden Point must have made up a lot of ground, as he was a long way. bad; in the first part of the race. Several horse* showed by splashinps of white paint on their sides that they had been on the rails. Lager was white from shoulder to tail. Bright Laddie, usually a very smart "beginner, was slow in getting off thL*. time. An event looked forward to with great interest \vas the Autumn Stakes, w.f.a., one mile and a-half. It was anticipated by many (rood judges that Malt King might heat Trafalgar over this distance, but though he put up a good race Trafalgar carried too many truns for him. Trafalgar simply galloped Malt King down as he has of late galloped all his other opponents down. It was. however, only bv a neck that, ho beat Malt King, the excellent time of 2.34 being recorded. This made Trafalgar's 21st win. and he has won in stakes £18.746. The Victorian champion YVolawa had been doing so well in his work that |w» was made a hot favourite for ihe Sires* Produce Stakes, while Symet.ris and Sheriff Muir were the best backed of thf> others. It- was a one-horso race, Wolawa poinir to the front soon after the start and winning, pulling up, by three length*. 110 came out rather wido at the home turn, but Lewis pot him straight again. Ciclor finished well, so did Golden Hon. but Sheriff Muir made a poor sJiow. Wolawa rtas now won five races out of seven starts. Like Trafalgar, ho wa s sired by Wallace.

The St. Legor was regarded as very open. Wilari had the call in the betting at first but she was not liked when seen, and at the start Jacamar was in as much demand. It was-a muddling run race, there being no pace on until Cisco got the better of his rider. From that out Cisco led Wilari into the straight, but Jacamar had their measure before the Leger stand, and won nicely from the outsider, Ocean. Blue, who stays' well. Wilari was a bad last. The owners onlv had a trifle on Jacamar. He fought while the pace was slow, but went very smoothly after Cisco went out. The Harmonist gelding Fiddlestring 10.4 won the First Hurdle Race, with a couple of lengths to spare, from Zoeholme 10.12, with Pakau 10.10 a bad third. The High-weight Handicap proved a good thing for the outsider, Ya.rra.rn 8.12, a five-year-old gelding by imported Flavus. The favourite, Havocorn, and Lorn both ran disappointingly, but Lorn met with interference. MELBOURNE, April 9. RACING IN MELBOURNE. The Epsom Racing Club held a meeting last Saturday. The early part of the afternoon was fine, and there was a large attendance, but during the running of the fifth race there was a perfect deluge.. The occupants of the outer reserve had very little shelter, so they broke through into the grand stand reserve a-nd took possession of the place. The leading event, the Epsom Handicap, one mile, was run during the heaviest of the rain, and for a time the horses were quite lost to view. Monody put up a good performance by carrying top weight (9.7) to victory, but it was only by a neck that he beat the outsider, Wirregah 7.1. Merry Zealand 9.5 was a starter, but made no' show, and neither did the favourites Shackleton 8.4 and Optimism 7.8 They evidently did not like the conditions. There was a three-division handicap on the programme. These events are popular with owners, but backers usually come to grief over them However, they did well here, as the respective winners Jemlah 79, by ■ Ibex (first division), Glen: earnan 7.9. by. Ilaut Most (second division;, and Melgar 9.5, by imported Amherst (third division) each received solid _ support. Jemlah scored a very easy win in his race He has been gelded since he ran as a two-year-old, at which stage of his career he was rather unlucky, running second on three successive occasions to Durdane. The Steeplechase went to f'lovelly 10.9, who was lame before and after the race, while Tantalla 8.9, by Bloodshot (son of Maxim) scored an easy win in tho Jumpers' Flat Race. The rainy conditions continued in v listeria on Easier Monday, and considerably interfered with all outdoor sports. There was, however, a good attendance at the WilHamston Racing Cub meeting. The stakes amounted to £1250, the leading item on tho programme being the Easter Cup, of • 500sovs, one mile and a-quarter. It attracted 11 starters. A rank outsider in Avenger 6.7 was successful. He was nearly always in front, but was headed along tho back by the favourite Nangar 8.11, whose attempt to race down tihe light-weight proved a failure. Avenger led into the straight, and though challenged by Swagger 7.9 and Riffiadi 7.7 in the last 50 yards, easily held his own, and won by a length Avenger is by imported Challenger and is trained at Williamstown. Braw Scot was one of the starters, but with 9.0 up made no show. The Hurdle Race proved a very good tiling for Merry Monarch 9.11, who lias improved a good deal of rate. He jumr.cd slovenly at. one or two of the obstacles, but was always going easily in front, and he eventually won by 10 lengths. Merry Mnarch is New Zealand-bred. He is by the Melburne Cup winner Merriwee. Despite the fact that he had a 71b penalty, Jemlah was made a hot favourite for tho Federal Handicap. Heavy rain fell before the race, and it was still raining when the race started. Valfodr got off first, with Jemlah quickly in pursuit. The favourite was in the lead three furlongs from home, but, he lost ground through running out at the homo turn. He was passed at the distance by Peccadillo 7.9, who won by a length from tho fast-finishing Abdicator 8.1. Peccadillo has been running unluckily, and she was due for a win. She is by imported Prudent King, and is trained at Caulfiold for Mr Agar Wynne by M. J. Carmody. There were only fivo runners for tho Steeplechase, and but two or three stood up, Acute Angle winning easily from Don Q. The finish for the Juvenile Handicap was very exciting. The favourite Molbay 7.11, quickly worked her way to tho front, and disposing of Flask 9.0 ,at the home turn looked to have the race won. but from the half distance Peck o* Maut, 7.5 camo. very fast, and until the judge's decision was given nobody could say what, had won. Mr Tnglis decided in favour of Malbay by a short neck. The winner is by Multiform (son of Hotchkiss) from Clare (dam of Clarion) bv Richmond from Lady Wilton by Countryman* and i< he'd on lease by the FleminHon trainer J. Fielder from her breeder. Mr Hunter White. The Werriber Plate went to W-u-iM 3.7. In- Coil, with tho New Zealander Sharpshooter 8.1 in second place. Second Day. The meeting was continued on Monday, when there were about 50.000 people present, which is a record for Randwick. The chief event of the meeting was the Sydney Cup, of 20sovs each, with 4000sovs and a t>o!d cup, valued at 100 guineas, presented by Mr Francis Foy, added. There woe 26 starters. The New Zealander Gunboat, 8.0, owned and trained by E. A Connolly, started a warm favourite. W. 11. M'Lachlan had to keep his engagement to ride Oadonia, so Lewis had the mount on Malt King, who kept hia place in the betting, and Saxonite's finish in tho Autumn Stakes caused him to be heavily backed. Next to these three, Jacamar. Ocean Blue, and Lady Medallist wen: the best backed, but it was a- great betting race. Mr Wood got thorn off to a splendid start. Danaus at once went to the front and made a nice pace. Goir;« along the back. Mashtun wont vp to Danaus, but the latter kept hie place. Lady Medallist was well un, but Malt King seemed to be in trouble, and was pulled out Danaus led until the half distance, where half a dozen were almost abreast. Lady Medallist was the first to give way, leaving Jewel Stone, Jacamar. Ocean Blue, and* Aurofodina almost in a line, with •Saxonitc coming fast. After a groat finish Saxonite caught and beat Jewel Stone by throo quarters of a length, with Aurofodina, Karr.attan. and Jacamar very c!o?e together. Gunboat was never dangerous ocvor tho last mile, and it was the same with Malt King. Gadonia was well up at the finish. The leaders were all very tired save the winner and Karnattan, who was going strongly and well.

It was bad luck for the Vleming-ton

trainer James Lynch that Prizefighter was ] galloped on and Lfr.dly cut in the Autumn Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, as the gelding was unable to run in the Sydney j Cup. The race as stated went to Saxonite, I who mode a dead heat with Prizefighter in the Australian Cup last month. On that occasion Prizefighter carried 8.0 and Saxonite 7.8. For the Sydney Cup Prizefighter was handicapped! at 8.9, and Saxonite at 8.7. On Saxonite's racing Prizefighter must have gone very clcse to taking | the big race, as he stavs quite as well as j Saxonite does. After "the V.R.C. meet- j inur. Saxonite was purchased by the Indian trainer " Tom" Scott, who has thus been fijnply rewarded for his enterprise. Another Sydney Cup winner purchased: for India by Scott was Realm, but he did not secure him until after he had won the Mr K. S. MacLeod. Vavasor, another Sydney Cup winner, was sent to India, whither Saxonite will find his way in due course. He was bred 1 by Mr "Joe" Brown. He [ has not much brilliancy, but is a rare j "sticker." By imported Sir Tristram (son j of Bend Or) from C'arronade (dam of Mono- I bel). bv Grand Flaneur from Crossfire (dam of Alawa). by Goldsbrough from imported Powder (dam of Arsenal), by Blinkhcolie, Saxonite is very stoutly bred. The Victorian jockey G. Lambert had the mount ! on Saxonite. Jewel Stone, 7.0, who put up such a good race against Saxonito, is a four-year-old colt, by the A.J.C. Summer Cup winner Jeweller (son of Splendor). One of the features of the day's rac'ng was the defeat of Wolawa by Cider in the Champagne Stakes, but the Victorian crack carried a 101 b penalty, and does not seem to have run as kindly as on Saturday. Cider is not the equal of Wolawa, but he is a good colt, and his backers for the Gibson-Carmichael Stakes on the last day of the V.R.C. meeting were decidedly unlucky to lose their money. Cider missed a place, but finished' very fast P. J. Foley rede Cider at Randwick. Gunboat's owner, E. A. Connolly, won the Flying Handicap, six furlongs, with the Pistol gelding Low, rode by G. Lambert, while the First Steeplechase went to the outsider Seldom, 10.9* bv Freedom. Confide, the favourite, fell. The Mile Nursery usually produces a good field. There were 17 runners on this occasion. Early Hope, from Earnshaw's stable, beinsr a slightly better favourite than Leba. There was an accident in this race. Uncle Matt, Eary Hope, and Mayrah fell three furlongs from home. Bootan made most of the running, but Elystan, 7.2, came out in the straight ] and'won comfortably from Barios, 7.4. The winner is bv imported St. Alwync, sire of Lady Medallist. The accident was precipitated by Mayrah. (C. Bolton) facing. Then Uncle Matt (R. Lewis), Early Ho re (A. Shanahan), and Martha B. (G. Mathews) came down. Mathews. _an apprentice in JCelso's stable, had his skull fractured, and received other injuries. Bolton had four ribs broken, and Shanahan had his leg badly hurt. Bolton and Mathews were taken to St.Vincent's Hospital. Mathews is in a very critical condition. [The cable subsequently sent new? of his death.— Sp. Ed.]. Mayrah's injuries were so bad that a friendly bullet was used to end her sufferings. None of the other horses wore injured. An inquiry into the cause of the accidents was opened by the A.J.C. stewards, and after- some evidence had been taken, was adjourned' till Wednesday. The Tocal Handicap was won by Mr J. C. Williamson's True Spec, 7.6, by True Blue (son of Hotchk'ss).