MY NOTE BOOK,

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 68, 31 December 1881, Page 245

MY NOTE BOOK,

By "Saul."

"Is Saul also amongst the prophets ?" — The Peeress colt ran last in the Cup. — Wheatslicaf, dam of Wheatenv, is dead. — Scgenhoe has been scratched for the Normanby Stakes at the Cliarupion Meeting 1 . — Sardonyx met -with an accident the other day, and has been thrown out of work. —It is said Mr llorsfall wins £800 over the Cup. — Joe G-allagher won £500 over Bawenata in tlie Hurdle Race. — Kawcnata has only to stand up to win the Steeplechase. — Lord Falmoiitla has sold Silvio, winner of the 1876 Derby, to a French nobleman for 7000 guineas. — Lone Hand van a great horse under his hearv weight in the Hurdles. — The victory o£ Rawenata in the Hurdles though unexpected by the multitude, was most popular. Mick had his hands nearly shaken off . —Mr Snider laid Mr Horsf all £1000 to £2 that he couldn't win the Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin Cups with King Quail. —Mr Kcane, the owner of the world-famed Poxhall, only gave £120 for him as a yearling.

— No mistake should be made about Matau. He ran a grand horse in the Hurdle Race, despite his heavy weight, and jumped superbly. — Lyons and Blaikic "saved" King Q.uail to run for their books, and so won a bit ; but the South cr tiers are mostly losers. — Mr Lcniiard had backed Kcnilworth 12 3 for a good stake, and, with Othello's victory, didn't do . at all badly on Jup day. — Walton, the American plunger, now giving now giving the English King a turn, netted £75,000 over the Leger, Cesarewiteh, and Cambridgeshire. — It was "whispered on Saturday evening that Mr Vallance had been endeavouring to negotiate the purchase of the Quail, but failed. — Richmond, winner of the A.J.C. Derby 1875, Champion Stakes 1877, and Australian Cup 1876, is for sale. — Silver Chronograph Hunting Watches for timing races, to be purchased from I\ H. Lewisson, Jeweller, Queen-street. — [Advt.] — Joe Thompson goes to England via America, after the Sydney Cup. He intends to buy a lot of blood stock at Home, in the hope, perhaps, of breeding another Zulu. —I notice that at the Wagga (jN t .S.W.) meeting, the Two-year-old Handicap fell to Jessie, who is by Kelpie out of Parachute, and is therefore half-brother to Tim Whiffler, the pi-operfcy of Mr John Smith, of Auckland. — A prejudice set in against the Peeress colt directly he started on his preliminary canter for she Cup. The brute went short and proppy, and the minds of those who had backed him seriously misgave them. — Mr Pardy, whose experience extends over a large number of years, say.s he never saw such a crowd on the Auckland racecourse as assembled there on Monday last. — -The misfortune Mr Smith experienced with his handsome two-year-old filly, Lady, iv the Maiden Plate, was somewhat returned by the victories of Tim Whiffier and Maid of Honour. ■ — It is possible Lone Hand will get over the Steeplechase course this year, and if he does he will win. I hear the jockey who is to ride him took him ten times over the jump at the top of the hill the other day without a baulk. — Miiori ran fast for a mile and a half in the Cup, and Lara surprised people by getting a good fourth. Hilda looked as if she was going to win when entering the straight, but succumbed when challenged by the Quail. — The favourite for the Cup " cut. up" wretchedly. He was, to use a common phrase, " never in it," and Mr Weston and others, who from the first scouted the idea of his being able to win, must have made a nice little sum on their books. — Mr Horsfall, the owner of the winner of the Auckland Cup, is said to have retired from the business of storekeeping on the East Coast four years ago with £12,000, a fair portion of which he has devoted to racing and other sports. — Great satisfaction was expressed in Christchurch, when it was known that Messrs Hobbs and Goodwin had been victorious in the late totalisator case. It is said that Mr Prank will apply to the judge oE the Christchurch Court for leave to appeal to the Privy Council. This, with costs up to the present, means a mint of mony for whoever loses. — Mr Whihiker was rather rough on Tattersail's last Friday when lie said " the plaintiff oughtn't to go to such places if he couldn't defend himself." The only possible inference to be drawn from such a speech is that the Club is a kind of modern Alsatia, where cracks in the eye and nose-pullings are ordinary amusements. — " Sir Launcelot," of the Canterlturi/ Times, considers Mr Weston "the most popular of all the bookmakers." This remark will probably excite the wrath of Messrs Harris, Drake and Co., who may perhaps take into their heads to pull •' Sir Launcelot's" nose. Certainly the statement is quite as invidious as the absurd par. we suffered for. ■ — Mr John Smith made a characteristic remark about the accident which occurred to his filly, Lady, during Cup day. On arriving at the scene of disaster he asked whether the boy was hurt, and on being assured " No," replied, "I'm glad of that; I can buy plenty of horses, but one can't get a good boy every day." — The Champion Stakes will be run at Flemington on Monday next, and from the Sportsman of the 1-J-th, which came to hand on Tuesday last, 1 fancy that the finish will lie between Wellington and Wheateau. On the lith Wheatear, who had suddenly come in the market, was favourite at 3 to 1, Wellington's price being fours, Progress and Commotion sixes, Martindale sevens, and Santa Claus tens to one. — Othello proved to be the good thing I anticipated for the Maiden Plate. Tbe Envy filly opened favourite at even money, but on its being rumoured she was suffering (or had been suffering) from the strangles, her price lengthened to 3 to 1, and Mr Walters' Yatterina filly had the call in the betting. Only those who had seen his race at Ohaupo fancied Othello, and these put down their money tolerably freely. The colt won as he liked, and in remarkably good time. — King Quail was undoubtedly a good thing on paper (one can always see these sort of things afterwards) for the Gup. Last year he carried 6st 101 b, and was running very forward when he fell. At the Autumn meet the Quail carried 7st 51b, and won the Easter Handicap, beating Foul Play (9st 51b), Sir George (Bst), and Maori (7st 71b). On Monday he had lib less to carry than at Easter, or 7st 41b, and much the same cattle to beat. — Billingsgate is evidently not the horse he used to be. 1 was quite prepared to see him knock under to either Hilda or Tim Whiffier in the Free Handicap, but when he failed to concede weigh t-for-age to Maid of Honour in the Railway Plate, it was indeed a surprise. The Southerners put down their money on him like men, and even wliezi Maid of Honour was loading in the straight by nearly three lengths they stuck niaufull\ to the old 'un, and piled up the agony. One " sport " must have lost nearly £80 as the Maid was passing the post. — Our Thames correspondent writes : There must have been no less than three thousand persons on the racecourse at Parawai on Monday. Old Sol was at his brightest, and poured forth his rays too fiercely for the comfort of the pleasure seekers. The day's sports were excellent. The various events were well contested and little or no dissatisfaction was expressed as to the handling of any of the animals. The race which excited the most interest was the steeplechase (2.V miles), for which there was a field of seven. Atalanta was to have started, but her owner could not induce any suitable person to ride her, consequently she did not run. Awahou was the last to get away, but soon pulled up and passed the other animals. He led until the last round-and-a-hiilf, when Loafer, who was carrying top weight, passed her and maintained the lead until the finish, coming in a winner by a very few lengths. Awahou never refused a jump, and ran beautifully. His action was perfect, whereas Loafer appeared to lose a little after each leap. The knowing ones made a pot on Dewdrop for the Publican's Purse. She was hard pushed by Redeemer, the winner of the Flying Stakes (a Wanganui horse.) The principal event of the second day was the Goldfiold's Handicap of 100 soys., for which four started. Eocket, owned by Mr Qninlivan, of "Wanganui, proved the victor, Dewdrop being only a length behind. The giound proved too heavy for Derby. The hurdle race proved a considerable " boil over." Uncle Tom passed the post first, Awahou, (ridden by Whewell) second, and Totnra third. The two former jumped one of the steeplechase hurdles used the previous day and were consequently disqualified, Totara receiving the stakes. Loafer baulked at the first hurdle, which lost him all chance in the race. The course was too heavy for Awahou, who would otherwise have won. A considerable amount of money was lost over Loafer.