RACING FIXTURES.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 707, 16 July 1892, Page 12

RACING FIXTURES.

July 14— Gisborne Park Steeplechase August 11 & 13— N. Z. Grand' National and (..hristchureh Hunt Club's Steeplechase.

Fob the sake of racing generally, I hope we have heard the last of the unseemly squabbling which has taken place between the committee of the Auckland Racing Club and Mr B. Mitchelson. It is a great pity that the matter ever took the shape it did, and I cannot help thinking that Mr Mitchelson made a very serious blunder when he handed his first letter to the representative of the Press for publication, for the Club certainly comes out of it much better than the individual, Mr M.'s reply, as published, being a very lame one, and, in fact, to the most serious charges, he has not replied at all. This excuse of not knowing of the P.H.C having held a mpeting earler in the season is, I think, quite enough to put him out of count in that instance, as any member of the committee who does not enquire more closely than this into such an important matter is not in a position to vote on the question, the more particularly as this was at the end of the season, and that he, Mr M., had a previous season been averse to passing a second programme for the same club.

Then he mentions having voted on every occasion against the increase of the number of race meetings, and gives one solitary instance, viz , the Papakura Eacing Club. The programme for the Babylon meeting he ignores completely. Surely, if Mr M. was so anxious to prevent the increase of racing, which be says has taken place, he might have had something to say on the subjpct of the three extra days in the A.R.C.'s own .programme last season, more particularly the Onslow Farewell Meeting, which he has been accused of promoting. Evidently there was no refutation possible, so Mr M. ignored that alsc. On the whole, it would have been better if the subject had never come before the public, but, as it has, the Club have certainly done right in sitting on the gentleman as they have.

Raven paid his supporters the nice little dividend of £31 in the Trial Steeplechase at Wellington, and won very easily.

Miss Letty has gone out to George Wright's place. I hear she has grown very little since she was a yearling, and is therefore very small. Small or big, I predict she will be a powerful card in George's hand during , the coming season.

Eedleap, the winner of the Y.B. 0. Grand National Hurdles*, is by Dante — Pandaro. This is the second occasion on ■which he has been hailed the winner of the race in question. It is rather unfortunate that the Auckland- owned representative fell, as from accounts to hand it would seem as though he was not by any means out of it when he came down. Donald, the favourite, could not get any nearer than third. Bedleap started second favourite at 8 to 1.

' Sterling,' in the Melbourne Sportsman, says : — At first sight the horses I like best in the Melbourne Cup are Stratbmore, Malvolio, Zalinski, Oxide, Pigeontoe, Pilot Boy, John S. Steadfast, Malola, Opera, The Rebel, The Captain, Culloden, Di norow, and Polly Mohr. And in the Caulfield Cup, Zalinski, Bungebat, Malvolio, Stromboli, Oxide, Correze, Paris, Florrie, The Workman, Pigeontoe, Forty Wink?, Penance, Steadfast, Fortunatus, Sainfoin, Tiraillerie, Malola, Bel Giorno, Dundas, and Courteous look best to my view.

3 Major George has returned from his prolonged trip. Ingornia has started twice in Sydney, running unplaced each time. • Mr B. Thomson had a bit of bad lnok last week, his Musket mare, Phantom, slipping twin foals to Nelson. Malolo is quoted favourite" for the Caulfield Cap in Melbourne. He is much fancied for the double— Melbourne and Cautfield. McManemin has turned Hopeful Kate out. He has a nice yearling by Nordenfeldt-Bosalie "undergoing the early part of his education. Stenning has Cloth of Gold and the Sharper in work at Kohimarama. The old horse looks bigger and better than he has ever done in Auckland. Pir T William has been scratched for the Melbourne Cup. This is a pifcy, as many thought lap had more than an outside show of winning the big event. The Ingomar-Titania filly in Stenning's stable has been named Cobweb. She is a grand looking, upstanding chestnut mare, having more the appearance of the Sfc Leger than the Ingomar stock. Martindale selects Strathmore, Forty Winks, Penance, Candour, Honor Bright, G'Naroo, Little Bernie, Mcli Euenalf,' Ducrow, Althota, Malo, Azim, Suudeal and Daredevil, for the Melbourne Cup. The Lancaster Park Trotting Club put up a record for New Zealand in the numbers of entries received ; they have had no less than ISO nominations for seven races, yet they cannot give mor* than £250 in stakes. Humour has it that Jack B,ae is going to the other side with Morion and Quadrant. If he doe«, I think Mr Bobbett will make a mistake, as I feel sure both these horses will pay their way well this season in New Zealand. The "Workman remains in Monaghan's hands to be prepared for his Spring engagements on the other side. It is a pity he did not come back to New Zealand, as he would have added considerably to the interest in the important New Zealand Handicap next season. George Wright has a nice little string of a dozen horses in work, among , them being The Dancer, St Hippo, Miss Letty, Fishmonger, Fabulous, Bataplan, Louie, Nordenfeidt, Onyx colt, St Leger, Lovebird colt, and the Aconite colt. St Hippo is growing into a splendid looking horse. Mr J. B. Williamson has added another to his long list of triumphs over country by winning the Wellington Steeplechase with Ingoranga. This makes the third big steeplechase for him this winter, viz., the Egmont, GreatNorchem and the Wellington, and to show that in the eyes of the public he has had none the best of it from the handicappers, his horses have on each occasion paid a good price. At the same meeting Waterbuiy won the Hurdles in a very easy manner. Altogether, the racing is spoken of as being very uninteresting. Mr O'Eorke rode Betina into second place in the Lsdies Trophy, being beaten by Gondolier, who is evidently not a bad one, as he won the double — Ladies' Trophy, 2 miles, and Highweight Welter, 1J mile, within an hour and a half, meeting a good many fresh horses the second time. The Earl and Countess of Glasgow were present ' during the day.