SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 51

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt Ravexswosth.

MELBOURNE, August 12. RACING IN MELBOURNE. The Findon Harriers’ Hunt Uiub Jield a meeting on the Sundown Park Racecourse last Wednesday, but the racing was of no particular interest. The New Zealander, Maple Leaf, showed plenty of pace in the five-furlong race, the Kororoit Handicap, but died out before the home turn was reached. Noogah, by Drum Major, won two steeplechases—the Maiden Hunters’ Steeplechase and the Findon Amateur Steeplechase,—Mr N. F. Highett having the mount on each occasion, in his two races Noogah covered four miles and a quarter. It is not often that a horse wins two jumping races in the one day, but there have been a few instances in Australia of such an occurrence. A rank outsider in Toinette 6.7, was successful in the Kororoit Handicap. There were 16 starters, and several of them were backed, the top-weight, Apiarist 9.13, going out favourite. He made no show. Toinette ran out wide at the straight entrance, but was still able to win a length and a-haif to spare from Georgette. Toinette is in J. Fielder’s stable, and is a four-year-old filly by Riding Master (imp.) from Thalia, by Dorchester from Charis (dam by Call Boy), by Havoc from Buttercup, by Panic. She brought 60gs as a yearling. The other winners were Daka (by Penance), Kaze (by Alva), and Mintstone (by Blackstone). The V.A.T.G jumping meeting was concluded at Caulfield on Saturday. This was the last of the season's jumping fixtures in Melbourne, and chief attention will now be turned to flat-racing. The Australian Steeplechase, the chief event on Saturday’s card, was run over four miles, and the stake was ISOOsovs. During the course of the race 24 obstacles had to be jumped. There were 13 starters, and five of them. failed to finish. Leah Kleshna 12.1 went out in most demand, with United Kingdom 11.1 and Bullavvarra 12.11 the most-fancied of the others. Accidents in the race started early, Kornang coming down at the initial obstacle, the post-and-rail fence comprising the. first of the stand treble, and Clontaft at the second of the treble; the first fence out of the straight brought down Emiroo; The Miser hit the sod wall and lost Irs rider; while Statecraft, who was attempting to jump with Leah Kleshna, fell at the middle fence of the stand treble the second time. Th sc were the only mishaps in the race; but Big Bob hit the third of the treble the last time round very hard, and knocked his rider out of the saddle. Mr Highett, however, takes a good deal of shifting, and as ho got back Alto his seat lie was loudly applauded. As the field entered the last round Leah Kleshna, who had always been well up, and was jumping in her usual dashing style, was out in front. Vanguard was quickly after her. and was with her at the buck, but Leah Kleshna outjumped the grey, and was showing with a good lead at the far turn. She was headed by Vanguard approaching the sod wall, but Leah Klrshna again outjumped him. and kept her place until the last, fence was reached, soon after crossing which Bullawarra had her measure. Bulla warm, who had been ridden patiently throughout by M‘Cabo, had the race won at the bottom of the straight and eventually ran in an easy winner bv four lengths from Vanguard, with Leah Kleshna six lengths further back. Big Bob was some distance away fourth, and the others to finish were Rddas. Rogue’s March, Pinpress, and United Kingdom in that order. United Kingdom was so sore that he could scarcely raise a gallop, and occupied the rearmost )K>sition throughout. The win of Bu’lawnrra was Well received. Ho is owned by Mr N. Falkincr, a wealthy land-owner, and is trained at F’cmington by IT. Harrison. The time. 7min 58is.ee, was good, considering that after the overnight rain the going was dead', but it had twice previously been beaten It was an excellent performance on the part of Bullawarra to carry ton weight. 12.11, and wijn in such brilliant style. There was certainly nothing fluky about the victory, and it can bo truthfully asserted that the best horse won. F. W. M‘Caho. who rode Bullawarra, handled him with great skill. Six other horses have carried higher weights to victory in this event—viz.. Red Leap 13.12. Domino 13.5. Diamio 13.3. Colonel PhdLnskl 13.2. Game 12.12 and Grafnax 12.12. Bullawarra was bred at the Norlev Station, in Queensland hy Mr Sidney Kidman, the “ cattle king,”

who sold him to a syndicate of local racing men. The Flemington trainer, H. Harrison, leased Bu'lawarra from the owners. Bullawarra won in Harrison's colours at Bacchus Marsh, .Geelong, Caulfield (twice), and Flemington. At the expiration of the lease the gelding was raced by Messrs Colin and Rupert, in whose colours he won the Doutta Galla Hurdle Race last year. Subsequently Mr Norman Falkiner purchased Bullawarra, and Harrison started to systematically school the gelding for steeplcchasing. He has only started in six steeplechases, and, as he has won three of these, 1m record is good. S. Neary, who had the mount on Kornang, had his left leg fractured. Emiroo broke his back, and was destroyed.

The chief flat race of interest was the Malakoff Stakes, run over a mile. There was a field of a dozen, with the imported horse Sea Prince 8.5 always a hot favourite. He met with an accident a little time back, but made a quick recovery, and has been going well on the tracks for some days. He, however, put up a very bad race. He was always amongst the rear lot, and eventually finished second last. Mala looked like the winner at the distance, but he is unlucky, and had again to be content with a minor place, Two Ales 8.1 beating him by a length and a-half, w-hile Aleconner was third. The three placed horses were sired by Maltster. Two Ales shaped poorly in the Moon-dah Plato on this course the previous Saturday. She is engaged in the Caulfield Cup at &.13, The New Zealander, Master Paul 11.3 (L. Hagerty), made a great exhibition of his field in the Knowslcy Steeplechase, run over two miles. He went off with the load, and that was the end of the others. He opened up a big gap, and had the fio'd in hopeless trouble after half the journey had been covered. He' eventually won, pulling up, by any number of lengths. Ho was the favourite. Tinto, the second favourite, fell, and Norley, Pengener, and Spook followed suit. Spook broke his back and was destroyed, while liis, rider, C. O’Reil’y, sustained a broken collar-bone. Poomnh 10.1 (by Mercantile) was successful in the Hurdle Race, Effervescence 10.5 (by Simmer, imp.) in the Corinthian Handicap, and Culma 8.11 (by Amlria. imp.) in the St. Aiibin Welter. O. Andrews, whose first win it was since hie reinstatement, had the mount on Culma, TROTTING. The Melbourne Trotting Club held a meeting at Richmond last Thursday. The six events attracted 80 starters. The fastest wining mile was accomplished by the New Zealand pacer, Dillon Bell (M. Edwards), who was successful in the Flying Handicap after attaining a speed of 2.19 to the mile. He reappeared in the concluding mile and a-ha!f trot, and finished fourth, after starting 165 yards behind the front-markers. Backers had an unprofitable outing, as four events fell to comparative outsiders. An inquiry into the trotting of Wedding Veil (C. Priddeth) resulted in the driver being censured for his faulty exhibition of driving. The mile and a-half trot already referred to was worth £IOO, the amount being distributed among first, second, third, and fourth. Robert Alto, scratch by Dixie Alto, won by five yards from lan Cleve, 10 yards behind The big Van Cleve gelding, Vaunt, put up a smart performance in the Ladies’ Bracelet Trot, which ho cleverly annexed, after starting 180 yards behind the limit horse. Lady S. was a warm favourite, and she w T as leading two furlongs from home. Vaunt headed her, and then broke badly. Shortly afterwards the favourite also broke. Vaunt got into action again, and won easily from the outsiders, Rcxie and Ben Ostcrloy. The other winners wore Ruby’s Wonder (by Little Wonder), Nervio (by Peri Huon), and Jack C. (by Emulator). A trotting match for £SO a side between T. Gleoson’s Iky and P. Gillander’s Valmond took place on Saturday over two miles on one of the public roads near Ballarat. The pair covered the same course a month ago for a £2O wager, and Iky won by 100 yards. Ho repeated the performance on Saturday, winning by about 400 yards. Iky, though he performs all the work on the owner’s farm, is of aristocratic breeding, being sired by Young Osterloy, son of the celebrated trotter Osterlcy.