SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 50

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt FUvkkjwoeth **

V MELBOURNE, July 6. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. The V.R.C. Grahd National meeting was opened at Flemington last Saturday, July 4, in fine weather, and the attendance was a record. It ihas been the same with all meetings at headquarters in Melbourne for the past year or so. More people than ever appear to take an interest in racing. The attraction of the day was the Grand National Hurdle Race, with ISOOsovs added, the distance being three miles. There were 17 starters, including the winners of the event in the previous four years—viz., Obi (1910 and 1913), Arquebuse (1911) and Wingarara (1912). Fr W. M'Cabe, who rode Obi to victory last year, came over from New Zealand specially to ride Obi, whose weight was 11.13; but, like the next top weight, Arquebuse 11.9, Obi made a poor show. - Obi was unlucky. He was kicked at the post, twisted a plate, and his forelegs were badly cut. In the circumstances it is no wonder he made a poor show. He was in the rear throughout, and another past winner of the event in Wingarara did no better. Arquebuse was always running nearer the leaders than Obi or Wingarara, but never really threatened danger, Beccassine. Sir Prim, and Flash Jack all failed to see out the journey, and Dust Cloud was also done with some distance from home. The race was won easily by Clontaft 11.4 from Lord Grey 9.12, with Bill Brandon 9.4 third. The time, smln 47sec, was equal to the record for the race put up by Wingarara two years ago. The winner started favourite, while Obi and Arquebuse were next in demand. Clontaft waited on the leaders until approaching the last hurdle, when he took command, and won by five lengths. Lord Grey, who is a bad jumper, made up a tremendous lot of ground in the last mile. H. Cairns rode Olontaft. He rides as well on the flat as over hurdles. He handled Clontaft with skill; but it must be admitted he had an easy_ contract, as Clontaft won with a lot in hand. The only accident in the race was when the South Australian Celt fell at a hurdle in the straight before entering on the last round. He broke his neck. His rider, T. J Finlay, escaped with minor injuries. Clontaft is a seven-year-old gelding by {Godwin (son of imported Tostig, who died in South Australia a few days ago) from

Coogee, by Glorious from Mangana, by Talk o’ the Kill from _ Nancy, by South Australian from Apparation, by Jersey from Lady Villiers (imp.), by Bay Middleton. Mangana was the dam of Patecna (a good hurdle racer in her day), Edith, Joyful, Spiffen, and Lysia. The winner was bred in Gippsland by Mr W. Counihan, and he sold him to Mr A. Matheson last March for £4OO and £IOO out of the first win. Clontaft has since won the five races (including two in Sydney) an which he has started. Mr Matheson comes from New • Zealand, where, it is understood, he was interested in jumpers. He is associated witii Mr E. A. Connolly, who ran second with Lord Grey. It is an interesting fact that Clontaft, when seven days old walked at his mother’s side from Orbost to Bainesdale—about 60 miles. He sired three foak as a two-year-old, and was afterwards gelded. He w r as nearly killed by getting mixed up in a wire fence when two years old, and sometime afterwards had his stifle ripped up by a boar. There were two other jumping races on Saturday—the Maiden Hurdles, which went to the South Australian representative, Lady Pistol (by the imported horse Pistol, son of Carbine); and the Maiden Steeplechase, which was won by Sapper, by B undock (son of Carbine). Sapper comes from Wagga. The principal of the three flat races was the Winter Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter. It went to Two Ales 7.11, by Maltster, after a good finish with Sylvanmore 9.3. Grand Marshal carried the colours of Mr S. A. Rawdon, who does not win out of his turn, and won the Trainers’ Welter, one mile. By Soult (imp.) from Lady Hester (dam of Master Soult), by (St. Leger from Musket Maid, by Musket, Grand Marshall is a New Zealand-bed three-year-old, and this was his maiden win. He was a fine-looking colt when offered as a yearling in Sydney, and Mr Rawdon had to go to SOOgs before he got him. The two-year-old event was won by Aristaens, by Innemon (imp.) fom Oracular (imp.), by Orme. „ RACING IN SYDNEY At the meeting of the Moorefield Ch'-b in Sydney on July 4 J. Reynolds rode two winners, taking the Flying Handicap on Spurn, ' and the Moorefield Handicap on Royal Time. Spurn is by Ayr Laddie (imp.) from Scornful, and Royal Time is by the New Zealand-bred Multiform from Totolo (imp.). Another New Zealand sire represented by a winner was Cunieform, Kirkee, a gelding by him, taking the Juvenile Handicap. Winqra, who won the Welter Handicap for Mr H. R. Denison, is an imported mare by Winkfield (son of Barcaldine) from Annora, by Goldfinch from Anne Page, by Tibthdrpe. Zoeholme (by Leeholme) and Mescal (by Ibex) were the other winners. BOXING. The disqualification of Eddie M‘Goorty for hitting below the belt abruptly ended a contest of importance between himself and Jimmy Clabby at the Sydney Stadium on July 4 at a stage when the ultimate issue WQS still hard to determine. Tile occurrence was unfortunate, hut the foul was palpable and few people «n the Stadium dissented when Clabby was given the verdict. The result was Joss unsatisfactory than it would otherwise have been, inasmuch as Clabby was winning on points, as far as the contest v had gone, though there was but a small margin. Clabby was certainly making a wonderful showing against physical odds that at first seemed insuperable. M'Goorty looked so big and strong beside his slim opponent tn&t it seemed as if Clabby must succumb to one who, apart from his exceptional strength, is among the most skilled boxers in the world at his weight. M'Goorty only just made the prescribed weight limit °f list 61b at 2 o’clock, and doubtless scaled a few pounds above the middleweight class by the time the contest started CLabbv weighed list l-Jlb. . Seddorn has a more strenuous contest been witnessed in Melbourne than that which took 'place at the West Melbourne Stadium on July 4 between Fred Kay, the Australian who recently outpointed Milburn Saylor, the noted American boxer, and Sapper ’ O’Neill, the well-known English hght-weight. There was hardly a dull moment throughout the encounter, and at the close of the twentieth round the referee (Mr V ictor Newhouse) declared the combat, a , draw. Kay weighed 9st 10|lb, and U .Neill was only 4oz heavier. MISCELLANEOUS. . Notwithstanding that there was a meeting at Rosehill on the same day the official estimate of the attendance at the Ascot meeting in Sydney on June .29 was 20,000. No fewer than 17 races, including divisions! ’,7’’ T* th , p , r "' r >gramme was finished by half-past 4 o clock. i'or tao Geelong Racing Club meeting on July 1 tftere were 79 starters for six events, but no horses of class competed Iho leading event, the Wellington Handicnn. of lOOsovs, one mile, went to Gold Gift 7.1, by Grafton (imp.). Forest Prince, who won at Rosehill on • ’” j " 9 next day by Mr R. W. Clancy for lOCgs. The V..R.C. Committee on July 3 dealt with two important appeals. A number of witnesses were examined in the appeal of F. Clarke against the disqualification of three years, inflicted on the ground of “a dishonest action in connection wtib the running of Dumfries,” who was ridden by Clarke in the Point Cook Handicap at Willianistown last Saturday. The appeal was dismissed, and the action of the stewards confirmed. In the appeal of T. Cahill against the 12. months’ -disqualification inflicted on him, on the ground “that he had been guilty of dishonourable action in connection with the Steeplechasers’ Flat Race, run at the Melbourne Hunt Club meeting! at Moonoe Valley, on June 24. the committee decided to varv the finding of the stewards. They altered the term of Cahill’s disqualification to six months, and decided not to endorse the 12 months’ disqualification inflicted on Kuda.

Tostig, who was destroyed at Tort Pirie (HA.) recently, was bred in 1887 in Emr--land, and was by Edward the Confessor (son of Hermit) from Zil Zellah. bv SeeSaw. Tostig was imported to Australia via India bv Mr S. Margetts in 1895, He did stud dutv in Victoria for two or three seasons, and was then purchased bv the In to Mr C. R. Goode, of South Australia. Tostig was a useful sire, especially of jumpers, and in successive years Snrasati and York, both bv him, carried off the Flemington Grand National Hurdle Race.

The New South Wales-bred trotting stallion Epic, holder of the Richmond (Victoria! race record of dm in 19seo, has been purchased by Mr H. Bambridge. of Northcote. Epic has been as successful in showrings as in races. He will endeavour to lower Dillon Boll’s speed record.

J. N. M'Grcgor rode Glontaft in his win

ning races at, Randwick, and also at Caulfield, and had been engaged to ride him in the Grand National Hurdle Race, but he unfortunately had his leg broken a few weeks ago, and has not yet fully recovered. Mr J. Brock, owner of Rock Temple, was not satisfied with the way Ins colt was handled, by G. Harrison in the Myross Handicap at .Flemington on July 4, and accordingly laid a charge against the rider, ihe stipendiary stewards, after hearing evidence, dismissed the charge, and exonerated Harrison. Sure Step, a full brother to Clontaft, was a runner in the Maiden Hurdle Race at Flemington on July 4. Ho showed no form. The winners at the Canning Park meeting in Perth on July 4 included the New Zea-land-bred Volition (by Swordfish II —Y alkyrie).