SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10870, 10 September 1913, Page 3

SPORTING GOSSIP.

[Fkom Oue Correspondents.] AUCKLAND.

The Hon 11. Mitchelson, who went on a visit to Queensland after his recent severe accident at Tnkapuna,. is said to have quito recovered his health. All being well, Mr Mitchelson will return to Auckland at the end of the present month. The nominations received for tho ■Auckland Racing Club's classic events, which closed last night, are stated to be' quite satisfactory. Tho exact figures a re ? not available, owing to nominations having been lodged in- other centres. Much curiosity was evinced .as to now breeders and owners would view the .Great: Northern St Leger. The total 'number of entries lodged . locally Jor the new classic event ran out to•120. At Ellerslie this week Rosea (Gluten —Lady Hose) and Lady Alicia (Obhgado —Lady Alys.), a couple of fillies engaged in the Avondaloi Guineas, skipped over six furlongs merrily. Rosea held an advantage of two lengths at the close of the gallop. • . ' ' ' . , , ~, Prince Mernwee was exercised at Ellerslie twice during the past week. Iho Merriwee horse lias filled out somewhat since last season, and is striding along freely in his work. ' . Toreador, as playful and frisky as a two-year-old, strode along in useful work on'the sand yesterday, when his owner, Mr L. B. Hams, vras present to see the big gelding in action. • Waimangu is rounding into., shape nicely, but ■liei may' not be seen under silk before November. ; '■...:■. Soultikoff continues to make, good progress in his preparation at ■MlereUe, and he should play his part well m the Avondale Guineas. . . Mullingar (Marble Arch—Romola) is in full training with a view, to, contesting the Avondale Stakes. ; The little fellow,is a quick beginner, but it remains to be seen whether he mil quite 6 ee out the four furlongs over which the race in question is run- ■ First Wairiki is being got ready tor spring Hurdle racing by 1, M'Hugh, and when given some schooling work he fe Sj"Shall's Necklet filly, Golden Necklet, continues to -ake good progress under that careful young -.mentor. J. iun She has been sprinted, smartly on j several occasions of late, but will, not be required tf carry silk until November ro Mr ro j n i). Kemp has. struck quite a deal of'trouble ali-eady this .spring -First of all his fine mare Jolie lille was smitten with abscess in the throat and her chance of competing at Avondale vanished. Kemp shifted quarters ■from Awhrta to .OneWiga last w<*k, I bringing whih him Prince the commanding two-year-old by Stepniak-Electra. . Last Call, who was engaged in the Avondale Stakes is now hors de combat, as of a similar attack to that oT Jolie Fille, a complaint which also afflicted Toreador and Antiphone. Goldsize, the game and speedy little chestnut gelding by Gluten-Gold Web has rejoined the active brigade at headquarters. Mr J. H. Walters representative .is still under J. Chaafes care. ~ _ . , T Kremlin, the old Stepmak—lrene gelding, is now attached to I*. B. Ross s stable at North Shore, and has been placed in work again. Tins gelding is one of the oldest in commission. . J. Williamson, had Graduate, Lady Penury and another pair of two-year-olds one bv Mimer from a Grafton mare, looking well and skipping along nicely in their exercise spins on Thurs- ] day. They were educated at the barrier The'name Applause was claimed for 'the Mimer filly, but it was disallowed. Prince Soult is coming along nicely, but will not bo at his best at Avondale. - i j. •Kakama is moving along in an attractive manner, and promises to be. in tho best of fettle to take on her spring engagements. Advocate, with W. M'Kimion as pilot, was sent over the big hurdles at .Ellerslie on Thursday morning, but his display was of the crude order. The old sot) of Hotchkiss and Nellio just scrambled over the last fence. E. J. Rao has taken in hand a wellgrown seven-year-old mare by .Soult from Minola. She is owned by Mr.A. Duder. and so far has not raced. The New Zealand Cup candidates, Bleriot and La Reina, continue to carry a blooming appearance. They were to be nominated last night for the Avondale Cup, which event will come on for decision on September 17. Tho stake is worth 400 sovs to the winner, which means additional poundage for the New Zealand Cup, should either win. HAWKE'S BAY. NAPIER, September 6. Private advices, confirmed by a London correspondent, state that during his visit to the Old Country Mr G.'P. Donnelly has purchased the thorough-, bred sire Demosthenes, by Desmond— Carlin, to take the place of Gold Reef

in Mr Donnelly's stud." The'price'paid is said to have been 1200 guineas, and. if so, Mr Donnelly has got a cheap horse, for Demosthenes was a good performer while oji thd turf, having' annexed the Doncaster Spring Handicap, Stewards' Handicap at Epsom,' Highweight Handicap at Ascot and Old Newton Cup at Haydock Park, beside?-run-ning second in tho City and Suburban and third in tho Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot. His dam, Carlin, is by. bob—Lauretta, by: Petrarch—Ambuscade, by Camerino—Crossfire, by Vodetto, sire of Galopin, 30 xliat he has Vedetto blood on lx>th.sides of his pedigree. Carlin has already nrodiicqd Carousel, a winner of the Goodwood Cup, and she ib half-sister. to Lady Doris, dam'of the Derby winner Sunstar. Demosthenes will be "the first Desmond to be imported into this country. Ho will be limited to six,mares this season, as lie is not to arrive here until about the middle.of this month. It is a coincidence 'that both of Mr imported' 6ires. Gold Reef and Demosthenes, should trace back to horses who played a prominent part in one of the most sensational Derbies that lias been-run.-;-I allude to that in which Bend Or, riddeu by the late F. Archer, just beat Robert the Devil, ridden by Rossiter, by, a head, after being jammed on the rails, Archer-getting the heel'torn off his riding-boot in trying to squeeze through. And then, after the verdict, came the famous protest put in .by Blanton, Robert the Devil s. trainer, and. C. Brewer, his owner, against Bend Or, on the ground that he was 1 not Bend Or, but a changeling'. Whether Bend Or was by Doncaster—Rouge « Rose, as he was supposed l to be, or whether he. was by Doncaster from Carbine's ancestress,. Cl'emence, as was asserted, he was unquestionably a good horse, and he became a-great sire, But over any distance beyond a, mil© .and.a half Robert the Devil, who turned the tables on Bend Or in the'St-Legery" arid who afterwards won the. Oesarowitch, was .probably equally as good, "'if "not better. However, at tho stud "Robert , the Devil never got anywhere near Bend Or's record, and Chittabob, sire of Lauretta, and therefore grandsire" of Demosthenes's dam, Carlin, was probably ono of tho best of the ■ descendants of> the eon of Bertram—Cast Off. 1 ' Gold' Iteef is tho best known of Bend;Or'* sons on tins side of the lino; thoughBirkenhead, of course,'through. his,'sixo, 1 Orme., claims descent from -Bend :Or . also. ' .....:

Labour Day is galloping freely-.and well at Napier Park, and she is in-nice forward condition for the time of ve'ar. • The All Black—Tupono" 'filly in" W. Kirk's stable is shaping nicely ~iu,'her work. ' '-

Mr G. Hunter, M.P., has selected . theuiame of Indigo for Mystification—Mungista gelding; which R. Gooseman is training for him. Qooseman has just taken' in hand for Mr Hunter a four-year-old maro' by Mystification—Eland.. ' Bravest has joined J. 31. Cameron's string at Hastings. - The full brother to Corazon is still owned .'by C. Trickle, bank, and will probably be given another chance to distinguish himself across country next winter. l Mummer is being given a month's - spell at Hastings and will scarcely'tie seen under silk again. until the summer. F. D. Jones, the well-known, horseman, left for Sydney last week. J. M'Laughhn, with Prince Eddie and Loch Mabin; was to leave Wellington for Sydney to-day. Ho will probably be away for a couple'of months. Prior to leaving, M'Laughlin disposed, of the Birkenhead—Eos mare Daybreak to a West Coast (South Island) sportsman.

F. Davis has disposed of the Varcq— Verve colt purchased by him at the Waikanae yearling sales.' to Mr T. H. Lowry. It will be remembered that Mr Lowry purchased his champion, Bqbrikoff, from Davis. Will history repeat itself in this instance? The two-year-old half-brother to Danube, in Davis's stable, was recently emasculated and has again joined Davis's band of workers. " t Witched, who won the Trial Hurdles at the Marton meeting, was well supported here, having shown his trainei somo good gallops prior to leaving for Marton.

It is rumoured that a Wellington owner has acquired the ■ imported sire Birkenhead Although getting .on - years, the son of Onne—Tragedy ijhould still be good for some years to come. . "Landrail has bidden good-bye to the turf-and; will this season be mated with Finland.

Mi: C. E, Twist is getting Pursefiller into nice form again.. Should, this filly have completely recovered" ! . ironi \ :tb> knocking about she' received when sent to.the last autumn meeting"at R-i.ccar-ton, she should be a useful stake-earner this season. Mr Twist has ,a rather nice-looking two-year-old. King's..Boy; by King's Guest—Gold Top," that he ip putting through hirt facings. The Signalraan—Cartouche four-year-old gelding, High Pressure j .is getting through some good work at Greenmeadows. ■.; '.'. ."'."..:'..'' ;'i\K

Golden Glade, by Sylviß Park— Damp Fortune," gave J. M. Cameron a- ■goo'd lift by winning the Electric: Hack; Handicap at Marton. There were nbtniany here outside of the stable who supported Golden Glade. ' ... : ' " -

The Hon J. D.'Ormond has choseii the name of Mandoline for the' two-year-old bay filly by Hymettus—Maridola, and Hoy for the : two-year-old filly by Birkenhead—Links. •' H. Hickey may "remain in Australia for some time. If The Rover goes'on the right way in the interim; Hickey may return in a couple of months' time and take him back with him. It was scarcely expected that Sir Daniel would have been taken across, but his owner, Mr J. Robsoh, of Poverty Bay, who is at present' on a. visit to Australia, cabled for Hickey to bring ifu: Multifid—Mamrcuk-) geldr:.... D. Wilkinson, who trains Mr P. .P. Neagle's horses, and who has been laid aside with a severe attack of rheumatism for some two months.' has again taken charge of Diavolo, • Sir Moseley and Co. .■".'..• The Hastings training track is' -in rather a heavy state at present. " Braeburn. who was formerly trained by Atlas White, now forms one of: J. M. Cameron's string at Hastings. There was support'"forthcoming hero for Altcar iii the Railway Handicap at Marton, but lie failed to get near the leaders. - .