SPORTING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6130, 17 March 1898, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

[By Castor in "Canterbury Times."] The Wanganui Jockey Club's Jubilee meeting appears to have been in every way worthy of the event which it celebrated The weather on both days was fine, the attendance was extremely large, and the character of the speculation indulged in may be estimated from the fact that the sum of .£18,790, which was passed through the totalisator, is £4775 more than was handled at the corresponding meeting last year. Many things were done to mark the occasion. Among others, after the decision of the Cup, Mrs Earle, the wife of the president of the club, planted an oak tree behind the stand. The majority of the various races were named after men and horses which took part in the first race meeting held at Wanganui, and the race cards contained an account of this gathering, from which I extract the following: — "There are not many alive now that took a prominent part in the 1848 meeting. Major Turner, of Patea, was a young subaltern then in the 65th Regiment. He and his party of soldiers cleared the manuka, toi-toi and flax off the racecourse, and prepared the way for the races. The late Mr Charles Eobinson, who died in Wanganui a few months ago, was one of the soldiers acting under Major Turner at the time. There were stationed here two companies of the 65th Regiment and a detachment of Artillery under Lieutenant Smith. Lieutenant M'Gregor's Slipper is supposed to have been bred by the late Mr Peter Imlay, of Balgownie, when he resided at Twofold Bay, New South Wales, and imported to this colony with other thoroughbred horses. Slipper was trained in a raupo stable of Major Turner's, situated in Wilson Street." Swordfish continues to improve, and, by winning the Wanganui Cup last week with Bst 91b on his back and establishing a record for New Zealand over a mile and three quarters, he accomplished the best performance of his career. The son of Hotchkiss was, perhaps, fortunate to win. Waiuku was again ridden shockingly by Russell, who made a great deal too much use of his mount. Presumably the lad rode to orders, and is therefore not so much to blame as the person who gave those orders. Surely if the connections of Waiuku wanted a strongly-run race they might have started another horse to ensure this, instead of ordering their representative to be ridden to the front and kept there with 9st 13lb on his backi St Paul appears to have been a trifle unfortunate. The number of races he and Waiuku have lost through, bad luck — and bad riding — is increasing at an alarming rate. The pair have between them lost two Cups this season, and we may now, I think, reasonably conclude that Waiuku's victory over St Paul in the New Zealand Cup was due, in a measure, to White's scientific riding. Not many months ago, Swordfish was regarded as a horse who could not stay more than a mile and a quarter. Last week it was his ability to stay which enabled him to win the Wanganui Cup. This shows how much a horse may improve in certain respects in a comparatively, short time. That the son of Hotchkiss did not run better in the Taranaki Cup and Autumn Handicap is, at this distance from the scene, puzzling. Probably Vedette, by suddenly developing an ability to stay, upset many calculations. Tire, who started second favourite, ran better than he has previously run in New Zealand, but he discounted the merit of the performance by his moderate display in the Wanganui Stakes Handicap. Leda disappointed the Wellington folk, but Douglas ran fairly well, and Voltigeur, who was galloped on, did not disgrace himself. Golden Plover started merely to act as pacemaker for Douglas, and he fulfilled his mission satisfactorily, but Crusoe and Antares ran moderately, and Sedgebrook fell. Lorelei and Day Star were, perhaps, the greatest disappointments of the race. The former has, probably, had a little too much racing lately, and it appears very much as if soreness had converted the latter into a rogue. Ayrshire, the winner of the Australian Cup, is a five-year-old horse by Dunlop from Hinnomungie. Hitherto he has been regarded as a brilliant " miler," but he has evidently learned to stay. His sire, if I remember rightly, was noted for his ability over short courses until, by winning the Melbourne Cup, he suddenly sprang into prominence as a stayer. Hinnomungie, his dam, is by Bhnkoolie from Patchwork by Young Melbourne. Many years ago she made her mark at the stud when she produced that good horse Duration. Eesolute made some amends for his defeat in the Newmarket Handicap by winning the Bourke Handicap with the greatest ease. Amiable was made favourite, but was unplaced, and as she finished last in the All-aged Stakes on Saturday it may be concluded that for some reason or another she failed entirely to reproduce the form she displayed in the Newmarket Handicap. Moonlyong, who is a daughter of Mentor and Mount Eoyal's dam Sierra, finished second to Resolute, and by winning the Eiver Handicap on Thursday she materially enhanced the form of Mr Wilson's brilliant horse. On Saturday Moonlyong started for the Place Handicap, but although she ran well she was easily beaten by Armilla's elder brother Cravat, who covered 1 the distance (one mile and a half) in 2miu 35£ sec, -which is the fastest time in which it has been negotiated at Flemington.