SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3035, 15 May 1912, Page 51

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt Ravbnsworth.

MELBOURNE, May 7. RACING IX MELBOURNE. "Last Thursday a race mooting' was hold at Caulfield in aid of the funds of St. Vincent's Hospital. Tliere was a good attendance.' and a profit of ovor £7OO was made. The racing was not taken seriously by some of the owners, and the stewards.; seeing that it was a charity meeting, winked .the other eye. The Hurdle Race went to ho favourite. Sea Beach. the second favourite, stopped at the first hurdle after loavinc the straight. He was kicked at the post by one of the other starters, and his shoulder was fractured when he suddenly stopped at the hurdle. Oalrossie was subsequently destroyed. He was an aged Q-eldinjr by Bloodshot (who ran second in Newhaven's Melbourne Cup) from Dakota, by Commotion, and was owned by Mr D. T. Latter. Ritradoon. who won the Maiden Plate, formerly ran in the colours of Mr J. N. M'Arthur. who gave 380 es for him as a yearling. Rigadoon is a four-year-old gelding bv Maltster from Gavotte, by Splendour from Minuet, by

Goldsbrough, and is a full brother to Perkto. He only beat Speak Out by a neck. Earl's Court 7.3, by Ibex, was mad© a strong favourite for Mi© St. Vincent's Plate. There were 17 starters, but nothing ever got near Earl's Court, who won, pulling up, by five lengths, Optimism 6.13 and Gleneaman 7.7 filling the other places. In a field of four the outsider of the party, Tamburello 9.13, won the Steeplechase very easily. He hails from Tasmania, and is by 'timbrel. The hurdle-racer Arquebuse 7.13, who is getting into form' again, was a starter for the March Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, and went out second favourite. He was in rather a bad position coming to the home turn, and his rider pulled up right outside th© field. He looked like coming on and winning, but as soon as the straight was entered' cut into tine rails, and Belfast 6.9 beat him home by three-quarters of a length. The favourite. Lord Dudley, 8.3, found the distance too far. Paislie, who recently won at Epsom, scored an easy win in the St. V incent's Purse. There was a field of 16, and a short price was accepted about Paislie, who hails from New Zealand. She practically led all the way, Lost Chord who is decidedly unlucky, following her homo. Paislie is a four-year-old, and her brooding is given as Glenapp—Nenuphar. There was no meeting under V.R.C rules on Saturday. Mr John Wren, who runs the Fitzroy, Richmond, and Ascot Courses under his own rules, is, by arrangement with four of the suburban clubs, running under V.R.C. rules (Aspendale Park, Sandon Park. Mentone, and Epsom), allowed two Saturdays per year. This, in lieu of Mr Wren running Saturday meetings in opposition to those clubs, and he raced at ivichmond last Saturday. There has been a transformation since the last meeting here some months ago, and regular patrons hardly knew their Richmond. The only faidt that can be found with it is that the track is small; but this is not a great drawback where ponies are concerned, and it is remarkable how the little horses can slip around the turns. Fields were large throughout th© day, but there was not the semblance of an accident. Richmond, as improved, has been referred to as a miniature Flemington, and this truthfully describes it. Nothing is now wanting in the way of appointments, and the grand stand enclosure, with, its lawn and flower-beds, is quite a picture. While the improvements were going on the running track was not neglected, and the going on Saturday was perfect. Dashed as the track is at the turns, there is very little danger of accidents, providing the jockeys take reasonable care, and jockeys at Mr Wren's courses are well under control. Mr Wren gave £IOOO in stakes for the day, and he was amply rewarded, as the attendance was the largest that ever patronised a pony meeting in Melbourne, and was estimated at over 11,000 Half of the full stake money was divided between the Richmond Plate and Purse,, for 14- 2 hands ponies. The Purse went to a rank outsider in the ton-weight Battlefray (by Winchester), who carried 9.9, and won in fine stylo from Smoodger 9.7. The latter gave th© winner a long start over the last furlong and a-half, and the jockey was asked to interview the stewards after the race. His explanation was deemed satisfactory. Laughtaene. who started a strong favourite for th© race, showed plenty of pace, but failed to see it out. Warida 9.9. a very nice filly, by Poseidon, started favourite for the Plate. She and Palseittia 7.12 both gave trouble at the post. Warrida ran fairly well to the home turn, but took no part "in the finish. The race proved a good thing for the wellbacked Lady Argyle, who has run amongst horses on V.R.C. courses. She is bv Argyle, and carried 8.0. She is only 14 hands high. The acceptors for two of the events —the Saturday Purse and Saturday Plate—were so large that each race was run in divisions. Glen Belle and Bow Arrow, the Plate winners, divided th© Stake, but Una and Bobbv. the respective winners of th© Purse divisions, ran off after the last race, when the light was bad. They appeared to be well matched, but Una was left 20 lengths, and Bobby, who is by Bobadil, won as he liked. The other races were for horses, Lady de Vere, bv Penance, winning one, and Mint, by Alva, the other. RACING IN SYDNEY.

Tho Canterbury Park Racing Club hold a meeting on Saturday, when the chief event, the Leger Stand Handicap, went to Flava 8.6, a little mare by imported Floras, who went out second favourite. She was ridden by M. Connell. who also sot the Simmer gelding Kambrook home in the Welter Handicap, the winner going out at a loner price. The New Zealand-bred Pukau 10.2. by Conqueror, won the Hurdle Race for -Sir R. W. Clancy, while George Gunn 7.8, by Machine Gun, won the X«w Course Handicap, six furlongs, bv a head from the favourite Yarrum 8.5. with Vencta 6.12 only a neck further back. The Nursery Handicap wont to Mr S. Whitworth's Black and Gold 8.0. by imported Ladurlad. and the Park Stakes, one mile, to Jedburgh 8.1, by Maltster. RACING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Tlio S.A.J.C. autumn meeting was commenced in favourable weather at Morphettville on Saturdav. and there .was a splendid attendance-. The chief event was the Goodwood Handicap, of 600sovs. six furlongs, for which five horses from Melbourne competed—viz., Captain White. Takipono, Berry Consols, Obsono, and Blankney 11. None succeeded in even getting a place. Mr F. Morton sent over Kuringai, Borrosov, and Precious from Sydney to compete at the meeting, and started both Borrosov. who was well in at 8.3. and Precious. It remained for the Pistol marc Musket Belie- to repeat her performance of the previous year and win easily. She carried 8.5 on that occasion, and her time was lmin 16scc, while on Saturday her weight was 8.11, and she cut out the six furlongs in lmin 15£see. Borrosov finished second, First Shot 8.7 third, and Takipono 8.7 fourth. Obsono, who had 9.3 up. was sixth, Tadanga. who was the only one burdened with a penalty, was favourite for the South Australian Stakes, and when she got to the front as the straight was entered it was thought that it would be no race, as staying is reckoned to be her forte. However, Puringa. with a brilliant run, ran past her, and beat her quite easily. Like his sister, the Goodwood Handicap winner. Puringa seems to be better at home than abroad. Neither did any good when racing in Melbourne. Banffshire, by Aryan, was favourite for the St. Leger, and, although he was last into the straight, he readily cut down the leaders, and somewhat easily beat Sanskrit at the finish. Eyeglass was favourite for tho Elder Stakes, a weight-for-age event, and ho duly pulled his backers through. However, it was only after a stirring struggle. The

Sydney mare, Kurangai, actually • headed him a furlong from home, but instead of keeping a straight track she bore across to the outer rails, and Lewis, riding Eyej glass hard, managed to win by a length. | The Hurdle iiace went to Horsley 9.5, ridden by F. Burn, who has been out of luck for a long time. Uncle Sam won the Maiden Plate. Tne meeting was continued on Monday, when the Adelaide Cup, of 1500sovs one mile and five furlongs, was run. It attracted a field of 17, and was won by the imported Isinglass horse Eyeglass (trained at Flemington by James Soobie) from Banffshire 7.12 and Kuringai 9.0. It is rather a coincidence that the S.A.J.C. double —Goodwood Handicap andi Adelaide Cup—was taken this year by the same horses as last year—viz., Musket Belle and Eyeglass, and what is more, Eyeglass put up exactly the same time in tne Cup as last year—viz., 2min 50isec. He won very easily, and is evidently a better horse at Morphetville than on any other course. Considering that Eyeglass is small, and had to carry 9.9 over a mile five furlongs, his performance was certainly a brilliant one. The other Victorian representative, Obi, cut up badly, and - his stable companion, Captain White, who was favourite for the Baker Handicap, ran another disappointing race. Undo Sam 9.0, who is in the same stable as Obi and Captain White, came to the rescue, however, by taking the Welter Handicap. As Eyeglass's stable companion, Uncle Matt 9.0, won the Nursery Handicap, three of the five flat races came to Victoria. Uncle Sam is a three-year-old colt by United States (son of Bill of Portland) from Melly dam of Knox and Somnambulist), by Newminster from Melodious (dam of Wallace), by Goldsbrough, so is bred on attractive linos. Ho is trained by M. P. Whitty at Flemington, and has on several occasions shown promising form in Melbourne. Uncle Matt is by imported Curtain Lecture from the Caul field Cup winner Sweet Nell. Victorian jockeys did well—J. Ettershank riding Uncle Sarn to victory in the Welter Handicap, R. Lewis Eyeglass in the Adelaide Cup and Uncle Matt in the Nursery Handicap, and G. Lambert Valia in the Baker Handicap. Valia, who is by the Malua horse Valala, started at a nice price, and won easily. First Shot 9.2, by Pi6tol (imp.) won the Accession Handicap, five furlongs, from Borrosov 9.3, and tne Steeplechase went to 84, by Prior. RACING IN QUEENSLAND. The Q.T.C. held a meeting on Monday, when the principal event, the May Day Cup, of 25(Jsovs, one mile and a-half, was won by Fred Fcote 8.1, by imported Sir Foote, after an interesting struggle with King Fals 8.9, who was only Deafen a neck. The New Zealand-bred Evelyn Soult, by Soult—St. Evelyn, went out at a long price, and won the Flying Handicap from Noblelike and Pittsworth Gun. The other winners were Blue Lilly (by Blue Jacket), I Patricia (by The Relic), Simla (bv Simmer), and Halley's Comet (by Ruenalf). TROTTING. The trotting meeting arranged under the auspices of the Australian Trotting Club, \ to be held last week in Sydney, in aid of I the suffering poor of Great Britain from the j reecmt coal strike, was postponed indei finitely, on account of the inclemency of I the weather. The opening meeting of the Kyneton I Trotting Club in this State was held last j Tuesday, and appears to have been fairly successful. Four trots and a pony race ! (galloping) were brought off. Tiiere were I only two starters for the pony race, and I the stewards declared it no race. The win- | ners of the trotting events were Cassey 1 (by The Draper), Lady Direct (by DirectI tory), Miss Huon (by Prince Huon), and I Von Ostorley (by Osterley). At the last meeting of the New South. ; Wales Trotting Club at Epning, the Trial i Handicap was run in two divisions, GoodI wood (by Ribbonwood) winning the first ! division, and Zita (by Tuxedo) the second | division. The stakes were divided. The I Flying Handicap, nine furlongs, w<snt to I RibbJe (by Ribonwood), the Tramway j Handicap, nine furlongs, to Huon Boccaccio (by Huon Junior), the Trotting- Club Handicap, one mile and a-half, to Strathbar (by Huon Junior), and the Bpping Handicap, one mile and a-half, to Lady Burlington (by Ariel). At the mooting of t(he committee of ! the Victorian Trotting Assoeaition last j week it was decided that disqualifications i incurred by any registered owner, r.'dcr. I driver, or horse competing at unregistered meetings, after May 30 next, will not under i any circumstances be removed'. The following horses were admitted into the list of " standard "-bred horses: —Honest Harry, sire Honesty, dam Miss Stock ham; Patience, sire Osterley, dam Maggie; Boldrewood, sire General Traoey, dam Mermaid; Grattan Wilkes, sire Marvin Wilkes, dam Blonde Grattan ; Grattan Abbey. sire I Abbey Bells, (Jam Blonde Grattan; Dan j Patch, sire Rothschild, dam Ruahine. I The Melbourne Trotting Club held a suc- ■ meeting at Richmond on Monday. i The feature of the day's sport was the ; form of the ancient Osterle-- stallion Emulator, who Started off the back mark, in the Flying Mile (2.33 and better), and, overhauling the limit favourite. Annie Cleve, in irreat style, won with a little to spare. I The winner trotted at a 2.P6 gait to the i mile. He reappeared for the concluding mile and a-nuarter event, the Richmond Hundred (2.35 and better), and. osrain trotting consistently, overhauled Molly V in i rare style, after conceding her a start of 95 yards. After failing his many supporters i in the opening trot. Child Alidallah re- ! annoared. and won the fourth ev«nt (for horses 2.45 and better) from Wrigtrlos and | Acrobat, but was promptly disaua-Hfied for i'the race upon the owner of Wriggles pro- • tosfinir against the winner for cralloping ' a considerable portion of the mile, i Wriggles, who srot the race. Is by Honesty. j Rower B#Hs. bv Abbev Bolls/ took the i Trotters' Handican (2.H2 and better): En r»r- ---! nld. bv the dual winner Emulator, the | Ladies' BrJ'coW ; and Decorator bv Direcfci way. the Tradesmen's Trot. There were ! 24 staffers in the last-named event. MISCELLANEOUS. Sharpshooter broke down on the eve of I the S.A.J.C. webmtr in ArlolnhV Th« j New Zealander looked at 7.13 to have had I a splendid chaneo in the six furlongs event, the Goodwood Handicap. i A meeting of the Monagrrncp*) f'onimil '■ tee in connection with the Davis Cup was held in Svdnev la=t Thursday to <\-,n«-''d'-r in what cirv the challentr" t ; - of tn- lot!? contest shall be played. Melbourne. Perth, nrxl Adelaide made application. On a vote l>eir.ar laker. Melbourne was delected. A proviso was, however, attached to this decision that a court approved of by.the committer, and 140 ft iong_ by 80ft wide, shall be available The decision to play in Mel-

bourne is further subject to (he consent of the challenging nation, but there is very little doubt that this will be accorded. Mr S Griffith*', who recently resigned his position as handicapper to the Calcutta Turf Club, is back in Melbourne. There is some speculation as to whose billet he will get. He may be appointed a V.R.C. stipendiary steward or handicapper for one of the clubs. The V.A.T.C. authorities are the first to take action ;n regard to bookmakers' runners. At a meeting of the committee, held last Friday, seven bookmakers were hrougtit up at the instance of the club's detective for employing runners at the meeti. r held at Caulaeld on Thursday. The bookmakers denied that they employed "runners." but admitted that thoy engaged men to "back hoiees back" for them in cases where they had overlaid their books Xhe chairman, on behalf of the committee, ir.formed the bookmakers concerned that the objectionable practice of employing runners flor the purpose of giving information to their employers as to the backing of horses with other bookmakers, would be suppressed, but that the custom of employlnS men Dor the purpose of legitimately backing horses with other bookmakers would bo permitted. The business would, however, have to bo conducted in a seemly manner, and the objectionable rushing, through the ring of bookmakers' employees would not be tolerated. Sam I.angford will make his last appearance in a boxing contest in Australia on Monday, May 13, when he will be opposed by Jim Barry, the American heavy weight. At the Olympic Stadium, Brisbane, on Monday, the boxing match between Arthur Douglas and "Sid" Sullivan attracted an ->x- | collent attendance. Twenty rounds of solid fighting were witnessed, during which Sullivan proved himself the faster and more versatile, boxer. He secured an early lead, and maintained it to the end, despite the diuerencc in weights. The* referee awarded him the fight. The Parisian Bobadex Ardlui, and Cabcuehon, who have been spelling at Bacchus Marsh, have rejoined C. Wheeler's team at Caulfield. Thio Parisian is (o bu prepared for another Melbourne Cup. Mr John Wren has decided to give two stakes of £SOO each at the Belmont Park meetings in West Australia, in July. The first will be the Newmarket Handicap, of £SOO, six furlongs and a-qmuter to be run on July 6; and the second, the Belmont Park Cup, of £SOO, one mile and a-quarter, to be run on July 27. On Mr Wren's course (Albion Park), at Brisbane, last Saturday, there was a stake of £IOOO (the Brisbane Thousand), and another of a similar amount for two-year-olds, will be run rext Saturday. The Caulfield trainer D. J. Price has now charge of five horses belonging to the New Zeaiand sportsman Mr E. J. Watt—viz., Wimmora, Bridge, Ireland, and a couple of yearlings, one a colt by Royal Artillery, and the (other a filly by Earlston. Bridge is being schooled for hurdle-racing, and with Wimmera will figure in the nominations for the Grand National Hurdle Race. T. Scott will send Gunboat to India by the ss. Janus at the end of this month, i He despatched Saxiomte and Kurnell to India liom Newcastle some little time ' back My Gavonni, who won the Brisbane Thousand on Saturday, ran second to De-. struction in the same event last year. He is a five-year-old gelding, by Buckmaeter (son of imorted Buckthorpe), from Ultimatum, and is owned by Mr H. J. Winten. Pittsworth Gun finished second to My Gavonni. The winners at the West Australian Turf Club meeting at Perth on Saturday were Joker (by Henley), Screen (by Carbineer), Owlet (by Murillo), Miss Beoh (by Maltster), Golden Spier (by Carbineer), and Ejector (by Pistol). At the Newnham meeting in Tasmania on Saturday the principal event was won by Houdini, who is by Wallace. Though the Australian Waterloo Cup does not take place until July 2,4, and 5, nominations have already been received from New Zealand, Adelaide, Sydney, Corowa, Gippsland, Melbourne, Bendigo, and other centres. Mr Sol Green has given £IOO, and the Netherlands Distilleries a 25guinea trophy, fox the Waterloo Cup. The first prize will now bo worth £375, and in all over £7OO will be given as prize money at the Wateroo Cup meeting, which takes place under the auspices of the Victorian Coursing Club on the new Plumpton at Sydney. The Indian trainer T. Ferguson (brother of the Melbourne trainer A. Ferguson) arrived in Melbourne by the mail steamer China. Ferguson, who trains for Mr J. C. Galstaun, had a successful season in India, training the winners of several good races, including Tangaroa. Tangaroa has finished his racing career, and has gone to England, where Air Gak-taun is establishing a stud, and his mare Cretonne, recently shipped from Melbourne, will be one of the horse's first mates there. Ferguson says that Tangaroa improved wonderfully in India, and lost all that propensity to "pull" which characterised him in Australia. At his best he thinks Tangaroa woud have beaten Malt King or any other sprinter in Australia over six furlongs. Tangaroa is a very free sweater, and that sort of horse is particularly suitable to the Indian climate. The W.A.T.C. decided to increase the j prize-money for tho season 1912-13 by I 3500sovs, bringing the total well over j 25.000-ovrt. The events to be decided at I the annual meeting now include the £2oofl I Perth Cun. with a pieoo of plato vnlr-d at lOOsOvs added; a lOOOsovs Derby, a 1000sov s weight-for-age race, a two-year-old race of 750sovs, handicaps of lOOOsovs and 800.-.ovs, and a 500.sovs three-year-old event. In I every instance the prize-money at the minor meetings has been substantially added to. I Tho club have ako decided to inaugurate ' a Champion Stakes (two miles) and a St. Lege,-. Amongst the entries for the principal race at the charity meeting at Caulfield last Thursday was Old Jack. Tho handicapper did not know him, and to bo on the safo side allotted him 7.11. It turned out that Old Jack is a pony that the jockey 11. Lewis rides to the training track in th<; morning. It was merely a complimentary entry. Tho "third quarter of the racing season concluded last week, and, according to the Australasian, Maltster still holds leading position in the list of winning sires. During the nine months he has been represented by 64 winners who amongst them have accounted for 126 races, of the total value of £30,193. Wallace is second, with 22 winners, of 57 races, the total value of £25,740. Then, in order, follow Flavu6 £14,081, Ayr Laddie £12,983, Bobadil £12,264, and Positano £9178.