SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 51

SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA.

Bt Ravenswoeth

not unlike Mullingar. He shows pace, but did not stay too well when in training previously. W. Toozor is to give Apellon another chance, and the son of Monoform —Latona is one of the busy bees on the track. The Spalpeen marc Vestal, who has been absent from the track since the northern meeting, resumed work again this week. A mare by Glenullin arrived from Now Plymouth last week, and has gone into P. Conway’s stable. Haku, who has been having an easy time of it lately, was put into work again this week. He struck himself a couple of weeks ago when out at the hunt, hut is now all right. The general impression is that Jack Delaval will \make the trip to Australia. At present his owner-trainer, F. Stenning, .has not arrived at a decision. The sister to Mon Emma in D. Moraghan’s stable, shows signs of pace, and will be ready to race early. Mr F. Preston has a fine-looking filly by Soult—Ouirosctte, which ho intends to put into work in a few weeks. Holdfast, who has been spelling all the w *nter, 'will be put into work again shortly. Old Dunborve, who carried Mr Geo. Dannett s colours with success, is now being used as a hack by F. Stenning. W Mohberley has taken ‘Phosphorus in hand again. The son of Wairiki looks particularly well, and ft is possible ho will be tried over hurdles later on. Hie Achilles—Pcarlie filly at Ellerslie will race as Sliprail,

MELBOURNE, July 13. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. The \ .R.C. Grand National meeting was continued at Flemington on July 8. There was no event of particular importance on the programme. A New Zealand-bred horse was successful. This was Golden n,ock, who, with 8.4 up, won the seven-furlong Welter-Handicap with half a length to spare from Onega 8.4, who is also a New ZeaHndrbred. Golden Rock is a member of C. \\ heeler’s team, and is by imported Gold Reef (son of Bend Or) from Eaith Cureton (dam of the Williamstown Cup. winner Ellis), by Castor (imp.) from Frailty (dam of Trenton), by Goldsbrough, so is attractively bred. Arquebuse, who ran a bad race in the Grand National Hurdles, carried 11.12, and easily won the Keilor Hurdles, two miles, from Wididen 11.5. A rank outsider in Iloscvale 10.7, by Warpaint, got homo in the Steeplechasers’ Flat Race by a neck from Rogue’s March, who won last year. The Braybrook Handicap, one mile and a-half, went to Sylvanrnore, by Sylvanite. He carried 9.5, and beat the favourite, Marculfus 8.3, easily. Sylmanmore failed to see out the Winter Handicap with 9.3 up on the first day of the meeting, and. that race was only a mile and a-quartor. The run must have improved him. The other winners were Pladda (by Donald) and Lord Grey (by Friar Tuck). Lard Grey, who finished second in the Grand National Hurdle Race, scored easily in the Amateur Flat Race, in which he was ridden by Mr B. Price, son of the exNew Zealander D. J. Price. Tho meeting concluded on Saturday, July 11, when the weather was cold but fine. There was a tremendous crowd present. The Grand National Steeplechase, with 1750sovs added, brought out 16 runners, and Coradjill, who with a 71b penalty Pad only 8.10 to carry, was a strong favourite. Guncap 10.13 was next in demand. The field, with the exception of Wadden (who comes from Sydney), was confined to Victorian horses. Zophuron 10.1 went to the front after crossing the-sccond fence, and, jumping superbly throughout, and establishing a good break, he defied all efforts to 'be caught. He had everything in trouble seven furlongs from home, and'- never afterwards looke'd like being caught, though United Kingdom 12.1. who went . in hot pursuit from the sheds, gradually reduced the gap. Zcphuron eventually won comfortably by a length or more. Coradjill could never go the pace set by Zephuron, and his chance was not improved by hitting a fence hard. He plodded on to the end, and got third., but was four lengths behind the second horse. Guncap, who finished better dian anything in the race, and made up a lot of ground in the last half-mile, was four lengths further back. The others were spread out over a distance of more than a furlong. Vanguard, when making a good run near the sheds, broke down, but was still able to finish fifth. Icon, after a dash at the start, hit a fence or two, and was never again prominent. and Statecraft, who ran such a good race last vear, was always in a backward position. He struck two or three times early, and this knocked, all the steam out of him. Rogue’s March. Wadden. and Minato came down. ■ No serious injuries were reported to either the riders or horses in these onsets. United Kingdom has now two seconds to his credit, as ho was the runnerun to Guncap two years ago, while Corad- ' iill h”as run third in two successive years. Zenhuron was a- rank outsider. He was known to be a good jumper, but had never previously attempted such a long journey. Zephuron is by Westerley, a son of the Escutcheon horse West-more. Westerlev ran third in Marmont’s Grand Nafonal Hurdle Race. Zcphnron’s dam is vlalenore, bv Balue from Lenor“. a mare by Leo, that the late Robert .Howie won races with Malenorc was onlv 14.2 hands high. She won a two-yoar-old race at Epsom in 1895, when T. Dernpsev had her. and she afterwards went to Sydney, where she proved herself th« .champion galloway of her day. J P. Edwards vodo Zephuron a dashing race Ho knew he was a iro'od jumper, and hv making a solid pace all tho wav bo placed tb« indifferent jumpers at a disadvantage. Edwards was probably the okFst iockev „.hn rode in the’race. It was his first Grand National success. ... A somewhat remarkable coincidence in connection with tlm Douttn Galla Hurdle Race, two miles and was tn°t it was the first success of fbo winner (Rabmara). the first of Ids rder T. Pearson, nnd the first of his trainer (R. B. Ferguson). Pearson is an English jockey, brought out to Australia by E or guson._ who 'was former!* a well-known rider, and is the son of A. Ferguson. Voting Ferguson for some years had a lucrative riding engagement in Austria, where be rode for Baron Springer. He has only lately taken to training horses. No fault could be found with the way Pearson rode Raima ra,. He was inst as good, as the more evnerlene.od Hawkins on the favourite Dust G'mid : n a close finish. As a matter of fact. Dust P'-vu/t chon IP he vo wo» easily. Hawkins showed the field to get too fe* a\n>v. and then made up the ground rapidly. Ralmara

is by ilia Vice Admiral icon ot me AUr mirai). There were two other jumping races during tile day, the Footscray oteepieciiase, two miles, going to Tladcla 11.5, and the Trial Hurdle ±tace to Lady Langulac. Tladda was in the Grandi National Steeplechase at 1U.3, and would probably have won had he boon reserved tor it. He is trained by F. Burn (who has given up riding over big fences), and is greatly improved. The Lawn Handicap, six furlongs, brought out 15 runners, and was won by Onega 6.12, owned by S. A. Rawdon. Onega beat Oaimane, in the smart time of Train 14sec. She is a New four-year-old, by the Williamstown Cup winner St. Ambrose (son of St. Simon) from Neva, by Stepniak from Whirlpool, by St. George, and cost 900 gs in Sydney as a yearling. The Tasmanian Hugh 8.0, by Coil, easily won the last race of the meeting, the July Handicap, one mile. He was ridden by R. Lewis, and was favourite. The proportion of falls in relation to the number of starters in the Grand National Steeplechase was smaller than usual. Only three of theT6 runners failed to get round. Last year - , when the same number of horses contested the event, five did not finish. But seven out of the 17 starters got round in 1912. There are 23 jumps to be negotiated in the Grand National Steeplechase, and 13 horses took them all, which made a total of 299 individual jumps, without counting the few fences that Minato got over before he came down, and the opening one that Rogue’s March and Wadden jumped. During the three days there were nine everts over fences or hurdles, and the total maividual jumns by the horses tnat successfully negotiated the obstacles was upward of 20J9. The jumping record all round was good. One horse, Celt, was killed, out no jockey sustained very serious injury. R. Gray, a broken arm, and C. O’Neill, a broken nose, were the worst sufferers. Only two iockeys won more than one race during the three days. J. P. Edwards was successful on Rosevale in the ■steeplechasers Flat Race and on Zophuron m the Grand National Steeplechase; while b. Ncary was twice successful on Pladda. RACING IN SYDNEY. f Bibbe.nluke, formerly in Hickcubotham s ■stable and Trafalgar s assistant when in training, won the Hurdle Race at the Warwick Farm meeting in Sydney on Saturday, July 11. Bibbenluke, who is now owned by Mr W. P. Donoghue was a rank outsider. The principal event- at the meet in.o-, the Warwick Handicap, one mile and, a-quartor, went to Mr H. Denison s smart imported . marc \\ mora 7.3, bj • j Guncar, a colt by Machine Gun, can ed 8.9 to victory in the Pace vVc tei bs fmlongs. The other winners were LaHorn Chief (by Persian Knight imp.), (by Prudent King, imp.), and Nombi (by Maltstcr)‘ trotting.The Sires Produce Stakes meeting of tuo Melbourne Trotting Club took P » ‘J t Richmond course on July 9 m mcl. znwnz weather. The track was vei> heavy. ifio =t n°nd ! arv stewards acting at the meeting had an exceptionally busy tunc investigating cases of alleged suspicious trotting. As a result of their investigations the byunoy pacuio- colt Lord Elmo, together with his Si ami D. Riddlo, his M; to disoualified for a period ot two years i ccrmection with Lo/d Elmo’s running m the Sires’ Produce Stakes lor pacers. Notice o appeal has been given Other mq«« opened and .adjourned. Countess Chimes, won the pacing section of the bue duce Stakes at Richmond yesLtday atte failing badly in the first heat. She is a bay filly by ‘Delavan Chimes from Countess She hails from Sydney, and was foaled at Tomora, being bred by her present owner, Mr A. Tewkesbury. Belmont Chimes, who won the trotting section, isi a bay colt y Abbey Bells from Blonde Grattan and is therefore a full brother to Grattan Bells, who holds the Australasian record fox two-year-old trotters—viz., 2mm . Belmont Chimes is now owned by tne of the Belmont Stud Farm, of B.n D o. The £IOO 'Trot, one mile and a-lialt, attracted nine high-class trotters and pacers The Almont mare Alhe 8., who had failed in the Flying Handicap through interference, started favourite, and won with ridiculous ease from the fancied pair Cathedral Chimes and Jim Cleve The Tradesmen s ’Trot attracted 27 starters, Jessie R. (by Silver Boy) winning by a yard from La Moa The other winners were Ribbon Bells (by Abbey Bells), Cleve Bells (by Abbey Bells), and Fancy Gantle (by Tregantle). MISCELLANEOUS. , Jack London (by Lord Delaval) has been sold by auction in Melbourne to I . How-ell for 130 guineas, and will probably find h;s way to India. Nangar (by Newbaven) was sold to Mr S. Greeir on the same occasion for 150 guineas. Fortune Hunter (who used to race on tne V.R.C. courses as Kurrcah) easily won the First Division Handicap at Ascot on July 6. Fortune Hunter is by Caiman (imp.). Cider who W'as purchased by the Indian trader, ’Mr T. Scott, some little time back, was sent to India on July 8 by the French mail steamer Nora. Mr Scott himself will follow in September next. , Though ho had his nose broken througn Tamburello falling with him in the Footscray Steeplechase at Flcrnmgton on July 11, C. O’Neill subsequently rode Goldvale in the Trial Hurdle Race. For allowing a.n unauthorised person to make bets for him fin the hill at Flemington on July 8. a bookmaker was fined £25 by the V.R.C. Committee. At the Albion Park races on July 11 F. Quill, the rider of Trade Boy in the Second Division, was disqualified for six months for interference with Rosalind, and six months longer for threatening another jockey on leaving the stewards’ room. The stakes won at the V.R.C. Grand National meeting totalled, including owners’ sweepstakes. £9209. as against £8262 last year. The Grand National Steeplechase credited Mr M. J. Farrell with £1629, and Mr A- Matheson took £1425 with Clontaft, the Grand National Hurdle Race winner The Wallace—La Carabme gelding Papuan, who was bred by Sir Rupert Clarke and was once an inmate of James Scobie’s stables w'hon known as Paul Valmar, took part in the nine-furlong event for horses at Fitzroy (Melbourne) on July 10. ~He was indulged with the lead early, but took no part in the strenuous finish. The race went to the New Zealand-bred Idealist 9.10 (by Birkenhead). The only other race for horses at the meeting was won by Odometer, who is by Perambulator (imp.). The trouble between the New South Wales Pony and Galloway Owners’ and Trainers’ Association and the’Associated Racing Clubs with regard to the amount of prize money to be distributed at the race meetings controlled by the latter body still continues.

At a meeting of owners concerned a resolution was carried to the effect that no race should be worth less than £IOO, and that all races run in divisions should be treated to a 50 per cent. rise. The owners present decided not to race on any Sydney track which did not give the increased money. The jockeys riding at these meetings to the number of 66 formed themselves into an association, and decided to throw their lot in with the owners and trainers. Seven jockeys went from Melbourne to assist at the "Victoria Park meeting on July 8; but fields were very small. The Racing Club threaten to abandon their meetings if the owners do not nominate. Well, that will hurt the clubs as much as owners. At the smoke concert given in his honour on July 8 Mr E. J. Wright, the V.R.C. detective, estimated that on an ordinary day at Flemington the separate bets made by an average of 300 bookmakers operating in the paddock, on the hill, and on the flat, would total 180,000, and a Melbourne Oup Day 250,000. As some racing men were of the opinion that the estimate was rather high, Mr Wright at Flemington on Grand National Steeplechase Day had a representative at each of the three divisions of the course, who interviewed the bookmakers after each race, and got figures as to the number of transactions. There was, of course, difficulty in getting exact information from all the bookmakers, but Mr Wright is of opinion that the figures he seemed are fairly' accurate. These are as follow: No. of bats. Paddock 95,600 Hill 81.000 Fiat .. .. 56,000 Total 234,600 , Riga, by Mensehikoff, won the Secondclass Plate at the Helena Vale races, Perth, on July 11.