SPORTING BREVITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5757, 29 December 1896, Page 3

SPORTING BREVITIES.

A. Quinn went Homo in charge of Merman. Maremma has been taken up again, and M'Guiuness has now ten horses in work. The South Canterbury Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting will be held on April 29 and 30. The Masterton Racing Club made a profit of about .£IOO over its summer meeting. Mr E. H. "Waddington has resigned his position as secretary to the Masterton Racing Club. The jumpers Prince Charlie and Rangipunehu will shortly recommence work at Hastings. The jumping horses Marechal Neil and Ballyhooley have returned to Auckland from Sydney. The Christchurch Racing Club made a profit of rather more than .£3O over its annual race meeting. Tho Duke of Westminster has sold his three-year-old filly Helm, by Morion, to the German Government. Mr W. Lyons, a well-known Auckland bookmaker, who has been in Sydney for some years, is returning to New Zealand. The well-known horse Young Cheviot died at Ashburton on Friday. The cause of death was inflammation of the bowels. ' The hurdle racehorse Touch-it, while being schooled at Hawera on Friday, fell, and, breaking his leg, had to be destroyed. Sir George Clifford has sold his share in Seashell, and the daughter of Chainshot now belongs exclusively to Mr J. B. Reid. / Sabretache finished second, beateri by a head, in the Summer Handicap, decided at the Rosehill (N.S.W.) Meeting on Saturday week. Dante will be put into work again shortly. If the son of Sou-wester stands a strong preparation, he will probably be sent to Australia. The Quack, by Anteros, won the Park Stakes of 60 soys, six furlongs, decided at the Canterbury Park (New South Wales) meeting on Dec. 5. Ocean, the two-year-old half-brother by Eiridspord to Newhaven, is in training at Bulls. He is not expected to be ready to race until the autumn. The case against a bookmaker for trespassing on the Feilding Jockey Club's course was given against the defendant. Notice of appeal has* been given. The death is announced of the stallion Tattler, sire of Rumour and other good horses. Mr Boyle last week received a cablegram to the effect that Chainshot has not been sold to the Russian Government. The son of Musket will probably stand at Newmarket next season. Bombshell made his first appearance in England in the Thunderfield Plate, of 100 soys, one mile, decided at the Gatwick meeting on Nov. 6, but, with Bst 131 b in the saddle, finished last. Paris,, carrying 9st 61b, started favourite at 3 to 1 for the Castle*Ashby Handicap, of 271 soys, one mile and a half, decided at the Northampton and Pytchley Hunt Meeting on Nov. 4, but finished sixth. i Fiely, the lad who rode Chitchat into second position in the Cambridgeshire, hails from Ireland. He can go to scale under 6st, and yet he often rides his father's steeplechasers in schooling work. Alpine, 7st 81b, by St George— Escalade, won the Ballarat Cup of 110 soys, one mile and a quarter, decided on "Dec. 4. He defeated Wolf, 7st 71b, Straightfire Bst 81b, and five other horses in a canter by three lengths. Kirkconnel, who won the Two Thousand Guineas of 1895, and Le Justicier, the French horse, who appropriated the Eclipse Stakes the same year, have both been purchased by the German Government for stud purposes. u?he Dowling- Forest Handicap, of 73 soys, one mile, the principal event on the second day of the Ballarat Turf Club's meeting on Dec. 5, was won by the New Zealand-bred Vagrant 7st 2lb, by Gipsy ; King — Barbara. A protest was entered against Rustic, who finished first in the Maiden Plate and the Hack Race, decided at the Christchurch : Racing Club's Meeting, on the grounds that his trainer was not licensed. The objection was, however, subsequently withdrawn.