TURF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XIX, 8 November 1902, Page 1169

TURF NOTES.

A full sister to Achilles was foaled i-is month in Australia. T. McKay has decided to give Military as well as Cavalry a good spell. A final payment of Bsovs is due for the New Zealand Cup on Wednesday. Amahantas jpmps very nicely for a beginner. It is time she won a race. Mr J. F. Crane has been re-elected chairman of the Victorian Club. Some people think that Flagship ought to have won the Caulfield Cup. Mr Dan O’Brien did not leave New Flymouth on tris intended trip to Melbourne last w’eek as expected. The victories of so many of that horse’s progeny must bring Pilgrim’s Progress into the front rank of sires in Australia. Mr T. Morrin is still far from well, but has been in town three times since last Sunday. The first pony measured by Mr C. O’Connor for the Auckland Racing Club was Vulpine. Welbeck was reported a little sore after racing at Ashburton, but has been doing good work since. Kamo looks likely to prove a decidedly Cheap 90 guineas’ worth to Mr H. Friedlander. This filly is doing nice work. The Hon. E. Mltchelson and Mr F. La wry, M.H.R., have been elected life members of the Takapuna Jockey Club. Mr E. Sandall recently sold his trotting gelding Comet 11, to a local buyer, who intends using mm. for utility purposes. Halberdier and Welbeck are the only two Cup horses that have earned penalties this season in the New Zealand Cup. Nominations of yearlings close for a number of the Auckland Racing Club s classic races on Friday next. Mrs Chamberlain’s brood mare Orcstlssimo, by Orestes—Presstissimo, has produced a filly to Ben Godfrey. The following foalings are announced from Sylvia Park: Sunbeam, a filly to Seaton Delaval; Leocant, a colt to Explosion. Mars and Winsome. Dingo and west are amongst the jumping division that are doing good woik, and so also is Cannongate. * There are 10 colt foals at Sylvia Park and nine fillies, and two mares have yet to foal. They are Waitemata and Keepsake. Hohoro, Camille, and Matua. from Mr Lovett’s team, have been nominated for the Wellington Racing Club’s Spring Meeting. W. Higgins arrived from the South during tho week to ride Inchcapo and Swimmer in their engagements at the A.R.C. Bpring Meeting.

Beddington has not been in evidence for some time past on the training track, as he is being spelled. A little road work has been given him lately. Kilt, a Melbourne Cud candidate, out up a mile track record for this season on Tuesday of last week at Flemington. getfin'* over the distance in Im 4445. Latest foaling announcements from Wellington Park are fillies by.Phoebus Apollo from Crescent, by Castor from Pungawerewere, and Cissy, by Musket from Fiailty. Welbeck is reported to have run the last half-mile in the Ashburton Cun f n 49 2-ssec, and Nonette to have run the last mile in that race in Imin 40sec. Mr T. King has been once more appointed caterer for the Auckland Racing Club, and will act for the four- meetings dnr’ug the season which commences next Saturday. * Ghoorka and Pallas are th most request for the -Stewards’ Handicap, coupled with Siege Gun. Welbeck, and Nonette, as short as 20 to 1 has been taken about the double. There are 10 colts and eight filly foals at Wellington Park, and about eight more mares to foal. Hilda, by Musket— ' Ouida, has foaled a colt to Phoebus Apollo. Sojourner, who did such a good gallop yesterday at Flemington, is a three-year-old son of Pilgrim’s Progress, who did nothing of note last season. Admiral Hawke finished well in front of Rufus and Tim over a circuit on the grass on Tuesday at Ellerslie, the distance being covered by the first-named in 2m 9;sec. Victor, the Australian gelding who won the hurdle race at the Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s Spring Meeting is reported to have been purchased by a New Zealand owner named McKenzie. Cordon Rouge got cast in his box one night du/ing the week, and was absent from the track on Thursday morning; but his owner says he is* little the worse for the contretemps. He was not worked this morning.

Mr H. Piper was a passenger by*’ the Te Anau from the South to Gisborne, where he acted on Thursday and Friday as starter at the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s Spring Meeting. Ruapehu, a horse of considerable promise until he became affected in the wind, is now what in America would be called "a tuber," for he has undergone the process of tracheotomy. Though the acceptances for the 2 _»w Zealand Cup and Stewards’ Handicaps were not up to expectations, nominations for all other events constitute a record for the C.J.C. Spring Meeting. Recently by the steamer Kent an Australian shipper sent six thoroughbreds and four trotting horses as well as 30 light harness horses and 20 powerful draught horses to South Africa. At Wellington Pe. r k Forme, dam of Cruciform, nas a lovely colt, and Field Rose, sister to Royal Artillerv, a reat. smart-looking filly at foot. Both are by imported Phoebus Apollo. An Adelaide sport accepted 1000 to 80 Lieutenant Bill for the Melbourne Cup on the Monday after he won the Caulfield Cup. but later in the evening 100 to 7 was the price on There were nine colts and nine fillies at Sylvia Park on Tuesday, as the result of this season’s foalings. A few mares have yet to foal. Last year the Messrs Nathan had more fillies than colts at their stud. Bobs has never been going so well as he is just now, and he may this season win a race or two for his trainer, who has given him every chance. J. B. deserves a win with this colt for his perseverance. The Otahuhu Trotting Club have fixed upon the 10th and 13th of December for their first meeting of the season. The programme, which will be issued at an early date, will be almost the same as last year. The "N.Z. Referee” states that after Nonette and Welbeck had dead-heatcu’. in the Tlnwald Handicap at the Ashburton R.C. meeting an offer was made to back Nonette in the N.Z. Cup for £lOO against the colt. . Amahanthas. by Regel—Vasal or, is jumping nicely in schooling work at Ellerslie, and has been accompanied by a big chestnut mare named Vic. also under J. B. Williamson’s tuition, on several occasions lately. Paul Seaton, in Kos Heaton’s stable, did a serviceable mile gallop on Tuesday morning, picked up by Lavadel over the last five and a-half. The last six furlongs short on the grass took Im 20sec. and Lavadel finished with hliv

The uew For bury Park Chib will give £3OO ia stakes for their first day’s raci«< on the old Forbury Park Course, near Dunedin. Bookmakers are to be licensed, and ft is expected that the meeting wilt prove a success. -

Should Sans Peur get beaten in the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton next Saturday there need be no surprise as the daughter of Soult and Forme has not quite got over the accident she met with in shipping to Lyttelton.

The work of widening the tan track at Ellerslie is now fairly under weigh, b t it will take some months to complete ‘ at the present rate of progress all the sc. e. When completed it should be a good job. TLc plough will be improved also.

It is conisdered that had no rain,fallen between the first and second days of the Ashburton meeting the mile and a quarter handicap in which Nonette and Welbeck dead-heated would have been run in even faster time than 2m 10 4-ss.

Battlesong is the name bestowed upon a colt in England from Engagement, probably the Musket mare Mr P. Campbell sent there some years back, and whose first produce in tne Old Country by Ben Batt’*' was called Sandhurst who proved a failure in New Zealand.

During tho settling on the Monday following tho V.A.T.C. Meeting, tho health of the owner of Lieutenant Bill was honoured. It was stated during the speeches that only at the earnest solicitation of the tratnc- was Lieutenant Bill allowed to remain in tho race on acceptance day.

A Southern friend informs me that Siege Gun will go out a red-hot favourite for the Nev,’ Zealand Cup. and Ghoorka probably as strong a favourite for the Stewards’ Stakes. The double has been backed down to 16 to 1 in Christchurch.

One ol* the biggest winners over Lieutenant Bill amongst backers was a French sportsman at present visiting ’ Australia 4 e backed bjm. it is stated, for a fair stake, and also had a good win over Killua, who was successful in the Windsor Handicap.

Last Monday a start was made at the school for lads working in training stables, and there were no fewer than 17 present. The number has since been increased, and the boys -are getting on fine, from what I can learn, under the tuition of a specially appointed master.

Mr Buchanan, of whisky fame, is one of the lucky men of the turf. Black Sand, the winntr of the Cesare witch Stakes, put another big stake to his credit. Epsom Lad. who won the Princess of Wales Stakes (£10.000) and the Eclipse Stakes (£10.000) last year, were owned by that gentleman.

Mr T. McKay intends to spell Military. Who went sore while working on Saturday morning, and neither he nor Cavalry, his erst stable companion, will be seen out again for some time. Military got cast in his box some time ago. ami weakened one of his hind legs, and it is that one that has gone wrong. On the opening /lay of the Poverty Bay Turf‘Club’s Spring Meeting not only did a long-Maori-named horse in Ilinetapaurika win the Trial Handicap, but paid the big dividend for a small field of £lO 2/; and on the same afternoon Mangamahaki won a hack hurdle race, while Pinepinetekura was unplaced in a field of five in the Spring Handicap.

As indicating what r. forlorn hope Lieutenant Bill, the winner of the Caulfield Cup, was looked upon for that race at tho eleventh hour, a confrere sa; s:— There were no inquiries during the week preceding, and up to the time, of starting the race 100 to 2 or even 100 to l could actually have been obtained.

The V.R.C. Committee arc reported to have decided that in future jockeys must weigh themselves in the jockeys' room before coining to the scales. An official will be present in the room to assist In the weighing ou?. The committee hopes by this means that delay at the official scales will in future be obviated. Some New Zealand racing clubs have followed this plan for a long time past.

On one of his visits to Auckland. P. Johnstone leased from Mrs J. Lennard a useful looking gelding, now 4yrs old, by St. Hippo from Marjorie, by Penrose from Miss Sly. During the week Johnstone was in Auckland, but has nothing to run at the big meetings just now. He will, however, be at some of the minor meetings down the coast with members of his team this spring.

Surely the wary "Tati.” must have some cunning omissarii s masquerading in the ranks of the cranks who would mind everybody’s business but their own. Hardly a week passes hut a letter appears in the columns of the ‘‘religious’’ weeklies, drawing attention to tho easiest and promptest method of sending to Hobart for tickets. Even the usually astute Pastor Fitchett pl in ted. as a footnote to his cori' . pn.ulonts’ walls (?), a long yarn embodying the essentials of “Tatt’s" circulars—just the thing tho consultationpromoter wants. —‘‘Bulletin." The profit on the Caulfield Cun meeting this year has dwindled down to about £7OO. This is a great falling off compared to £2055 last year, and £2700 the previous year, but the stakes this year have been increased by £750. The returns on Caulfield Cup day showed a shortage of close upon £4OO. the falling off 1 ring principally noticeable, strange to say. on th? fiat. Another factor In the reduced profit was the more liberal terms given to owners In’connection with tho Debutante Stakes and other events. from which the club received over £3OO les* than last year.

In a 81 x-furlong gallop on the outside of the cou! e proper on Tuesday morning Grey Be ..ton finished In frort of Northumberland and R la, and the lastnamed was being ridden along over the last furlong and apparently would not exert heruelf. She may have had more weight than was visible, but the gallop was quite bad enough for anything from a spectator’s point of view, and had a stranger seeing It been told that the little mare had top weight In the City Handicap and was first favourite for that event he would have been surprised. Referring to recent achievements of the progeny of “Old Jack,” a writer In “The People’’ says: The Duke of Portland must be delighted with the continuous success of Carbine's progeny, not the least noteworthy of which was that of Greatorex in the Foal Stakes, in which Rondeau, who had done so well In a trial as to be thought capable of winning outright, ran disappointingly. Jockeys always do ride well when they win, but Morny Cannon was at his best on the winner, and was loudly cheered on returning to weigh In.

At the settling over the Caulfield meeting at the Victorian Club the health of Mr C. C. McCulloch, the owner of the Cup winner, who was absent, was roasted in wine. Mr J. Jacobs responded for Mr McCulloch, who he stated had won nothing over the race, though the victory had been one of great satisfaction to him and his friends. Mr Jacobs also stated that on the Monday before the race Mr McCulloch had serious thoughts of scratching the gelding, and it was onlv at the earnest solicitation of his trainer D. Harris, that he allowed Lieutenant Bill to take his chance. He thought great credit was due to the trainer and jockey, who were responsible for the win. Acceptances for the President’s, Flying, Shorts, Pony, Hunt Club Hurdles, and Steeplechase Handicaps to be ruif for at the Spring Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, which commences on Saturday next, are of a satisfactory character. There are 11 in the President’s Handicap, 14 in the Flying Handicap, 16 In the Shorts, 10 In the Pony Handicap, 10 In the Hunt Club Hurdle Race, and 8 In the Hunt Club Cup, so that we may be sure of very good fields, as in both the City and Hurdle Handicaps there are sufficient horses to provide Interesting contests, and in both the Welcomes Stakes and the Auckland Guineas It Is more than likely that there will be fair numbers to line up at the barrier.

The tracks were in good order and the racing of a highly Interesting character on the opening day of the V.A.T.C. Caulfield meeting. Several mishaps occurred In the jumping events, the most serious of which happened to Dickenson, who rode Kalmate, and Waller, who had the mount on Fiddlestring In the Wyuna Steeplechase,each rider sustaining a fracture nf one of his collarbones; while J. Chevally, who piloted Ring Pin when he came down In the Oby Hurdle Race, recovered sufficiently from the shock to his system to ride Rising Fund In the Steeplechase, but after the latter race he had a collapse, and with the aforementioned pair was accommodated In the casualty room under the care of trained nurses.

Some of the yearlings sold at Doncaster (Eng.) last month realised big prices, and a cotwle of breeders, in Mr J. E. Platt and Sir Tatton Sykes, had reason to be well satisfied with results. The lastmentioned only sent up seven, and they realised a total of 12,000g5., a colt by Isinglass from La Fleche, and a filly by Orme from Plalsanterle, each going at 3000 gs, while a filly by St. Simon from Marchioness brought 2400g5. Five of the ten sent up by Mr Platt reached four figures, a colt by Kendal from Surprise Me Not going at 3000 gs, and the filly by Florlzel 11. at 2600g5. Mr Simons Harrison’s filly by Persimmon from Phantassle topped the sale at 5600g5, and the same breeder got rid of a colt by Melton from Silver Sea at 3100 gs, and a filly by Royal Hampton from Stirrup Cup at 3000 guineas.

Vai Rosa went rather pleasingly on Tuesday morning In a gallop with Llngard and Idas over a mile on the course proper at Ellerslie. Walrlkl gallooed six furlongs on the course, going right array from Despatch, being ridden right out to the end. Spalpeen registered the same distance, beating Tresham and Irish, '»nd Cygnet beat Girton Girl over the same ground. Brought home by Powerful, Formula and Muskerdale galloped about a mile. Gladisla easily held St. Loanda. Hohoro left Lady Soult in a five-furlong spin. Bobs and Maroon and Gold kept together In a strongly-run six furlongs. Amongst others to do more or less ™'”id work were The Needle, assisted by Raper; St. Olga, Geologist. Landlock. Matamataharakeke, Lavalette, Golden Rose, Lavallere, Marine and Haydn, Orange and Blue and First Whisper. Mechanic, Camille, Mahuta, and St. Pet assisted by Stlbblngton.

Of the 15 horses engaged 1 i the New Zealand Cup, Nonette, Tortullv, Pampero, Halberdier, Canteen, Melwood. Welbeck, Fakir, Bombardo, and Punamu have won this season. Halberdier and Welbeck being the only pair each to earn a penalty. Curiously enough, they are the only two that have won over a mile and a half. The system of penalising winners for the New Zealand Cup is one that many think might well be altered. Most owners like to give their horses a run in public before the day or to race them into form, but ony those with horses with verv light weights care to risk penalties, which are vlmply out of the question so far as horses weighted as Nonette and Tortulla and some others were. To a colt like Welbeck, for Instance, the racing has no doubt done him good, and winning has cnly meant an Increase of weight which Is not likely to affect his chance greatly.

The Walhl Racing Club’s meeting was held on Wednesday evening at the Sterling Hotel. Mr Pilling (president) in the chair. A discussion took place re calling tenders for the working or the totalizator. It was ultimately decided to give an option to the same party as last year, providing similar terms are accepted. A race meeting Is to be held on the last Saturday in February. ..Owing to the club not obtaining Miners’ Union Day, it was decided to hold only one day’s meeting. The amount of stakes is £2OO. The . election of officials resulted as follows:— Handicapper, Mr Knight; judge, Mr R. Newdlck; clerk of scales, Mr W. Corbett; assistant clerk, Mr C. J. Graham; starter, Mr E. Walker; clerk of course, Mr C. Neave; stewards, Messrs Doane, Johnson, Crimmons, Flett, Phillips, Power, Ryburn, Hume and Miller. The following committee were appointed to draw up the programme: Messrs Walker, Neave, Johnson, Flett, Pilling, and Grant. An application was received from the Walhl Hack Club asking for perimsslon to use the course for the race meeting, and for the use of the hurdles. Permission was granted.

If the totalizator is ever legalised in N.S.W. or Victoria, a limit should be fixed to the percentage deducted by racing clubs, says the "Bulletin.” There's no such limit In the Q. Act, and when Government first imposed a totallsator tax of 2i per cent, the clubs calmly added It on to their 10 per cent and made the investor pay I This year the Philp-Leahy Ministry, in Its efforts to stop the bole in th^,State pocket. Increased the tax to 5 per cent, and race clubs now take 13J per cent, from the total amount invested in the machine. With the fractions added this means that the deduction from one day’s Investments frequently averages as high as 17 per cent, (no fractions of a shilling are paid in Kanakaland, except where 5/ tickets are Issued), but the clubs grab this extra imposition, Result, appreciable increase In tote investments and corresponding Increase In bookmakers’ profits. The small Investorgrowled at the 12J per cent., but the additional li per cent, has made him rebel outright, besides making it Igirder for him to figure-out what his dividend will be.

The Caulfield Cup winner, Lieutenant Bill, was bred near Denlllquin, In New South Wales, by Mr C. C. McCulloch, whose colours he carried to victory. The gelding acquired his name through the late war In South Africa, In which his owner’s brother was engaged and on whose promotion to a lieutenancy the son of Pilgrim’s Progress was invested with a similar title. An exchange says that after the appearance of the weights for the spring handicaps he was one of the best fancied, and was backed in doubles, his owner securing a wager of £5OOO to £lO with Strata Florida, the other leg of the combination, but the gelding afterwards dropped out of public notice, and at the reading of the card the night before the race was not marketable at 100 to 2i. while 100 to 3 could be had at the rise of the barrier to any amount, and at the former price his owner backed the gelding to win a few hundreds In the naddock. Until a few weeks back Lieutenant Bill was very aldermanlc in his appearance, but In the meantime his trainer ran him in public on every possible occasion, end slipped plenty of track work Into him as well, with the result that he was fit as a fiddle on the day of the race. His displays in the Toorak and Coongy Handicaps, however, were not encouraging for Investment, and he was left severely alone by the great body oi Investors. He is engaged In the Melbourne Cup with 7st 61b, and has earned a 101 b penalty.

We are In the habit of wondering at the performances of Australian horses who run four or even five times at a fobrday meeting, but what Sceptre did in going for Derby, Oaks, Grand Prix, and two races at Ascot was really more remarkable, for she was wound up for the Derby, to commence with. Now, It Is the custom In Australia to train a horse for a meeting, rather than for any one race, and on the first day he goes to the post in the condition which he should describe as short of a gallop or two. That first day Is a Saturday, and the second day of the meeting Is not until the following Tuesday, when he runs again. Then there Is a day’s interval, and on Thursday comes his third effort, the concluding day of the meeting being on the Saturday. Thus his first two, or possibly even three, races, are nothing more than what we should describe as windlng-up gallops, and It was a matter of frequent experience that Carbine used to Improve each day of a meeting. I have frequently been told the same of Aurum, who ran five times at the Flemington meeting, and great as his performance was on the second day of it, when carrying the un-heard-of weight (for a 3-year-old) of Bst 6 lb for the Melbourne Cup, It Is generally believed by those who saw him win three times off the reel on the two last days of the meeting, that he would actually have won the Cup had he started for it tn the condition Into which he ran himself. Of course, It would be a very different matter If the Australian meetings were brought off on four successive days; but with the Intervening days for easy work there is really nothing more In running four times under their system than In doing three strong gallops on, say. Wednesday, Friday, and Monday, and then running for the Derby or some other race on the Wednesday. The one thing that Is a sine qua non with the Australian trainers is preparing a horse for a fourday meeting Is that he should be a bit above himself on the opening day, so as to train on with his races and not to grow stale. Sometimes, no doubt, a mistake Is made in having the horse too short of work to have a fair chance In his first race, but it is an error on the right side, and the improvement as the week progresses Is all the more marked.”

Sir George Clifford is not a believer tn the bookmaker, and has often stated so. The New Zealand sportsman is reported in an Australian exchange as having written as follows to a Melbourne man:— *1 used to enter for Australian races occasiorally in hope that the totallsator might be introduced, but it seems as far off as ever. It is even threatened here through a combined attack of the ignorantly good and the absolutely bad, and the »*eturn of the bookmaker to his former power is a terrible prospect.’* There Is no doubt Sir George Clifford has done a great deal fcr racing in New Zealand, and so has the totallsator; but those who remember wfcer we had no totallsator, end meol'ngs at which bookmakers were seldom seen, w?il admit that we used to have really good sport. Sir George Clifford was not In evidence In the pre-tota-llsator days as a horse-owner. His advent was about the time the bookmakers were fighting against the totallsator, and his experiences of the pencillers and their ways has not been such as to cause him to have any fine feelings towards them. Our racing may possibly be straighter than it was when there was no totaUsator, but In proportion to the population we must nave more bookmakers now-a-days than ever we had before, and a great army of starting-price bettors as well—creations of the totallsator. But for the large amount of betting and the bookmakers the New Zealand Cup, In whicn I quite e>iect Sir George Clifford’s gelding Gi n.aladale to show a bold front, would only be a small affair, and the C.J.C. Spring Meeting would lose its chief attraction.

When a representative of Tattersail’s passed through Auckland recently I heard a suggestion made in a casual way that a sweep should be got up on the Auckland Cup. The idea seemed to strike the visitor as one that might be acted upon, and I have since heard that a request has been made to Tattersall’s from an Influential quarter to hold a consultation upon our big summer event, if time will permit. Tattersall’s has held sweeps upon leading races In all our sister colonies, and It has often been asked why New Zealand has been overlooked. So far as Investors are concerned. It matters not what races these consultations are pn, but many a meeting has received a big lift through the fact that a sweep has been got up on the chief race thereat. At one time the entries for such races were largely influenced by the announcements that sweeps would be run in connection with them, and fields too were increased in size as an indirect result, and frequently candidates were started simply because their owners had received special Inducements from 'persons who had drawn their horses in these sweeps. The influence upon racing may not always have been of the best, and there are sure to be different opinions upon the question as to whether sweeps upon our big races should encouraged or not. Certain it is that the sweep medium Is a big advertising one, and If any of our racing recently needed any booming In that way Tattersall’s could do it. A big sweep on an Auckland or a Wellington or a New Zealand Cup, or sweeps on all such races, would serve to keep up and increase the public Interest in them, even though the sweeps were got up in Tasmania. I am doubtful, however, whether there is sufficient time for Tattersall’s to hold a consultation on the Auckland Cup of 1902 and give it necessary prominence.

Seeing that pony racing Is being carried by all clubs in Auckland, and all ponies can run on all courses, it would be well were the metropolitan club of the district to .keep a register of all measurements, not only of the ponies measured by their own official but also of those measured by officials of other clubs. In countries where pony racing is encouraged, certificates are issued according to the ages of the ponies, their names, colour, sex, distinguishing marks, and breeding and ownership being recorded. When a pony is aged a certificate is issued for life. Those from three to five years get certificates only for terms ranging from three months to a racing season. A lot of time and unnecessary trouble would be saved if this plan were adopted. The certificates would hold good on all courses. The measuring of ponies is a matter attended with a lot of difficulties, but there should

be only one standard used, and the -’xee of measuring it would be an advantage to have away from a racecourse, as moet ponies that have raced become excited when taken near or on racecourses, and don't start fairly either for the measurers or their owners. At one time the pony standard was fixed at 14 bands, but the height was raised until 14.3 is the maximum, and we occasionally see as much as three and four Inches difference In the height of some of the competitors on our courses, though the smaller ponies are not much In evidence. Frequently buyers come Into the market In search of ponies. They want to learn the height of certain ones without having to go through the form of measuring them, which would often mean the stripping off of their shoes and cutting away of feet. Were a register kept and the height of each pony kept therein the Information could at once be obtained by persons in search of information. At the present time there are a number of clubs that have official measurers, and as matters stand the ponies racing will have to be measured by each of these at different times and at different places, which will be very Inconvenient for owners. The measurements of one club If accompanied by certificates should be sufficient for another, provided that an owner by depositing a fee should be allowed to ask for a pony to be remeasured before two or more stewards a reasonable time before a race In which such pony is entered, say 48 hours’ clear notice to be given. At a special general meeting of the Australian Jockey Club members, which was fixed for Thursday last, the following resolutions were to be submitted in reference to the question of stipendiary stewards:—(a) The committee 01 the club may from time to time appoint any number of persons not exceeding three, not being members of the committee of the club, to act as stipendiary stewards at any registered race meeting held within a radius of forty miles from the General Post Office, Sydney, and may, by resolution, define the term of office, powers, Including the power to disqualify,' duties, and remuneiatlon of such stewards, and shall determine by what clubs, and In what proportions, such remuneration shall be paid or provided for. Provided that at any race meeting held under the management of the club,the powers of such stewards shall be confined to Investigating any matter which, in their opinion, requires investigation, and to reporting thereon to the stewards of the day appointed under rule Ila, and recommending what penalty, if any, should be imposed either by way of disqualification or otherwise, (b) At any registered race meeting held within a radius of forty miles from the General Post Office, Sydney, not being a meeting held under the management of the club, the stewards appointed under the rule shall have, and may exercise, the powers conferred upon them In the same way as the committee or stewards of such meeting could have or exercise the same, and every decision given by the stewards appointed under this rule. In respect of any matter occurring at any such meeting, as to which they shall have power to give a decision, shall for all purposes be deemed to have been given by the committee or stewards of such meeting, and Shall be subject to appeal to the committee of the clnb, in like manner as a decision of the committee or stewards of • registered race meeting, (c) The committee of the club may _by resolution determine who shall aet ~as stewards under this rule, In the event of all or any of the stewards appointed under this rule not being present at any registered race meeting. (d) One or more of the stewards appointed under this rule may, if requested by the committee of the club, be present at any Investigation or inquiry held by the committee of the club, or by the stewards appointed under rule Ila. By the above, it will be seen, says the “Town and Country Journal,” that the A.J.C. do not propose to give up the control of their meetings to the stipendiary stewards, but will allow them to act as advisors to the acting stewards of the day, who are selected from their own members of committee.

The following interesting article on past and present horses, together with a comparison of the methods of training them

vnriand and Australia, from the pen the EngMah scribe “Vigilant,’’ should prove Interesting to readers:— It is a matter of common knowledge that John Scott was of opinion that a St. Leger horse could not possibly be fit to run at Goodwood with any idea of winning; but nobody seems to hold any such view now, and our best three-year-olds are expected to be kept going all the season round. What is more, not a few of them, such as Isinglass. Galtee More, Flying Fox. „nd Diamond Jubilee, have of late years that it can be done. Yet we are persistently and ad extremam nauseam told that the British thoroughbred is degenerate, no other proof being given than to reel oft a list of names of bygone celebrities with an inquiry as to—Where now ran we And the like of these? Of course, the whole thing is a transparent fallacy. When those celebrities, who have become such in the halo of antiquity and turf history were actually racing, the laudator temporls acti of that day Was, lust as now engaged in comparing them unfavourably with horses of the past. No good can ever come out of such comparisons, which are due simply to the weakness of human nature, all of us as we grow older having a tendency to magnify our youthful experiences and to minimise the present, when for us, but not for the world at large, the sport is growing stale and ths wheels are running down. Of course, there are exceptional men who can grow old and yet keep abreast of the times—Mathew Dawson was one of them —but they are very few and far between, and, as an almost Invariable rule, what they tell you of the past, whether it concerns horses or anything else, is largely influenced by the well-known truth that •distance lends enchantment to the view. For my part, I believe most firmly that the British thoroughbred has Improved in the last 50 years, is improving, and will continue to improve, as must any breed of animal that is regularly and carefully bred and subjected to trials which result in the survival of the fittest. It does not follow that in every way we are expediting the improvement of the breed, but the general trend is forward. It is urged that horses are not so hardy as they were, but I think they are very much what trainers make them, and in the old days they would have galloped for ‘the brass’ many times in public without doing more work than they now do by way of preparation for one race. Huggins has the sensible old-fashioned view in this matter, for he says: 'My employers don’t bet anything to speak of, and when I want to give a horse a strong gallop I let him do it in a race. If he wins, it is so much to the good, and if he is beaten he has still had his gallop.’ It is the greatest mistake in the world to ascribe any apparent deficiency in our horses to deterioration ef the breed. The same horses differently handled would have been absolutely different animals. Who does not know the man with one hunter who gets three days a fortnight out of him right through the season? On the other hand, the man who has a big stable and two out ? aca » *l ay bas almost invariably a lot of lame ones. The other man’s one hunter would probably have been lame in u j ?J abe ' 1 never so thoroughly realised the truth of what I am trying to explain os when I found that a little lilly by Springfield, bought as a yearling at one of the last Hampton Court sales, had gone to California, and run forty-two times as a two-year-old, winning a good proportion of these races, and, as her owner assured me, never being oft her feed the whole time; but then, as he explained, all her strong work was done in her races. Now, Springfield fillies in England have been of a sort which no one would call hardy, yet here is a record of What a Springfield filly did under different conditions. There is many a horse, no doubt, at the present day who would be vastly better for walking from meeting to meeting in the oia-tlme fashion, and doing his gallop in a race when he got there. Cheers is just the sort to improve under such treatment.

The support accorded to Siege Gun irom the South for the New Zealand vup has kept the son of Hotchkiss and riailty in the position of first favourite &ood and bad report. The fact that the colt maintains such a firm place is not due to any encouragement his owner has given. Siege Gun is trained in Private, and comes of a high class famy * Hotchkiss, his sire, has left us some flne horses, and Frailty, his i,L m ’ J 1 as Produced so many that have to . st „ class that a natural conclusion IS that Siege Gun is not likely to be orBt ’, . His own brother Lancaster , „ thought good enough to win, but aued rather badly, in a Melbourne Cup i. r .,°.. yerars a *°- Trenton, a threequarter nna v r ’ wbo is seventeen years older, as red 80 many racehorses, !n- - that great mare Wakeful, was st c ’ ass racehorse himself, and his Ulr e as ‘ er ’ s,steT Clssy ' and his tha n half brothers Zallnski and V <?s' ~a nd half sis ter Mary, were provo?h£ od “.I® 8 ’ and Cureton, anbrmher«°xT? Sanop fast; while his half goci erS hhagara and Astronomer were Ina a P o . rf u rmers ’ Niagara especially beto n r st ®f lln s horse. Siege Gun belongs both f great winners, and taking Flora M„T nCheS th ® 18 family—the tainit " clvor .and the Ellerdale-we cerrecent v. aVe J he « reat est racehorses of tifn™ y fars to point to from them. MuiNlaearo C rJ I< i ,fon ?’ Euroclydon, Trenton, scor« ra /r C “ f“ sler ’ Havoc, Zallnski, and this f ° thera could be mentioned in Gun in ne ° t l on ’. Tt 18 certain that Siege done continuing well. What he has We I am: unable to say. ouvht m o? t >. tak ?, blm on trust, but he No^nettn 0 ab l?«. to hold hls own with Both iLi* a d *®s r *nce of two stone, they Me the same a *®’ and «y are most in favour, Nonette also

maintaining hls ground in the South Island, though hardly so firm in Auckland. If the betting market gives Indication of a winner, it is Siege Gun. Welbeck, who comes third In favour on public form, at Ashburton, should really be at a shorter price than Nonette. Though he does not possess any of the fighting blood of Musket, he Is nevertheless an exceedingly well bred colt, and there have been plenty of good winners on both sides of hls family. Perkin Warbeck 11. got Lady Zetland, one of the best mares we have had, and she proved equal to winning, while hls dam. Reverie, left good horses In Marquis of Zetland and Dundas, and his grandam, Hammock, was from a daughter of the famous Buccaneer, and left suoh horses as Somnus, Siesta, Somnell, Morpheus, and quite a number of other winners, and most of Hammock's progeny In turn have produced winners over all distances. Welbeck’s chance looks really an excellent one, seeing he has been raced Into form, and has successfully traversed a distance of a mile and a half. I like good three year old winning form, and seeing that Porlrua has been befriended from the right quarter, I am strongly inclined, as I was when the weights appeared, to favour hls chance. There is no doubt he is a very useful colt, and he shaped like a stayer at two years old. The market now points to him in preference to Tortulla, but the stable have most money about the old mare, and at a good price, and should she be all right on the day, right aS* her best, she should be somewhere handy to Nonette. The stake is a Boo’d one, and the stable may rely on their brace. I have never looked upon Pampero quite in the light of a stayer, though I don’t forget he is by a Musket horse from Euroclydon’s sister Mistral. Like Welbeck, he may show Improvement upon running on the Wlngatui course. Halberdier would, in my opinion, have been a nailing good horse had he remained sound, but having been amiss there is always a fear that the son of Cuirassier may not stand out the final gallops, and the Musket tribe want plenty of work. The Musket blood is much in evidence in the pedigrees of horses engaged. Whatever Canteen's chance, he did not shqw his best form at Ashburton. A son of Castor, in Fulmen, won, and was placed three times. Sons of Castor in Daystar, Altair and Record Reign, might have won New Zealand Cups had they not each been unfortunate on the eve of the race. Canteen is from a Musket mare, and may break the spell of bad luck experienced by Castor’s progeny, but he is not greatly fancied. A grey has not won this race since it was established, and people are prejudiced against the colour. There have been plenty of grey horses good enough, however, to win Important races. St. Leger horses have got to the front on occasions. St. Hippo, Waiuku and Impulse bear testimony. We have the blood in Cannie Chlel and Melwood, with a dash of Musket thrown in in both, and Melwood we know can stay; and there is Punamu, a daughter of St. Hippo, one of the St. Leger’s, who won from no less a celebrity than Jadestone, the dam of that good horse Explosion, and half sister to Nordenfeldt. The filly has no public form of note, certainly nothing to recommend her. Glenaladale is another with a dash of St. Leger, but no Musket. Apremont is, however, present, and Apremont mares have left Auckland Cup and New Zealand Cup winners, and Glenaladale, like St. Michael, has the Stf Leger and Apremont blood in sire and dam. Alsace was a fast mare, and her family is one that has given us some good handicap horses. The Dauphin, Lorraine, Silence, Douglas, St. Hippo, Sextant and numerous others descend from the same tanroot. Glenaladale at - his weight is a fancy of mine—my first Cup selection—in tact I like nim better than Cannie Chiel, who. however, has a wet day chance. Fakir will, If right at his best, run fairly, perhaps; but he does not look a Cup horse. Sirius is a grandson of old Victoria, twice placed in the Auckland Cup, but he lacks brilliancy, though a good stayer. Bombardo is probably not furnished and class enough, though he has good blood. There may be a surprise in store in the race. To me it certainly looks very open, and I am looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to seeing the contest.

ELLERSLIE TRAINING NOTES.

EllorsSle, Saturday. A fine morning saw a good many visitors on the course watching the work which was of an interesting kind. Vulpine moved steadily alone. Marine, Admiral Hawke and Economist ran a sound once round, Marine leading the Admiral home. Rufus and Tim covered two rounds at a useful pace. Kelburn and St. Loanda galloped six furlongs, the firstnamed going very lazily. Jewellery and Mary Seaton and the Hotchkiss— Reproach filly traversed six furlangs fast on the course proper, Jewellery tiring in the home run. Putty went nicely over five furlongs alone, and Avalanche spurted four furlongs. Gladisla went seven furlongs, spurting home. Lady Dash did long, strong work. Formu l a, assisted by Muskerdale and Powerful, went eight furlongs at her best pace. Lingard and Cannongate ran a mile and a-quarter on the. course proper, the jumper going very well. Northumberland beat Lavalette and Lavallere over a mile on the course proper. Ben Blair spurted over four furlongs on the grass. Golden Rose ran seven on the tan. Rosella beat Grey Seaton over a short mile and a-quarter on the tan in 2.13. the grey taking two seconds longer. Bluejacket beat Matamataharakeko a couple of lengths easily over the same ground In 2.12. Seatonia spurted five furlongs. BL Olga went fast over elx furlongs on the tan, moving freely and well. Paul Seaton easily accounted

for L&vadel over seven furlongs on ths tan. Bluecap and Mias Drury put In medium pace work. Hohoro easily beat Mechanic over six furlongs short on the tan In LlB. Kola Nip sprinted three furlongs on the course proper alone. Wherekin o pulled up sore after working on the tan. Klatere put in two circuits at a sound pace, and Tip galloped a mile strongly. Annoyed beat Jenny Jones over four fur kings on the oiurse proper. Boult fish sprinted. Vai Roa. Idas and Spalpeen ran six furlongs o i the course proper, the last named going away from the other pair until a furlong from home, when Vai Rosa closed on him, finishing three lengths away; the time was good, 1.21. Wairiki beat off Despatch and Landlock over six furlongs on the tan in 1.18 J. Sly MJss beat Hippowal over six furlongs on the course proper In 1.254. Lady Soult and a number of others worked before breakfast. After breakfast Kamo ran flee furlongs on the tan in 1.6 alone, and Shield Rose cantered. Sophia went once round the tan in 2.11%. Cyrus went four furlongs onthe course proper In 56sec. Dingo finished in front of Nor-’west over a two mile gallop on the course proper, Rangipunehu, who started with them, being well beaten off. Bobs and Amhantas covered 6 furlongs in the course proper in 1.23%. Gypsy Girl covered two circuits on the tan alone. Middy, Woodmount, and Miss Annie galloped four furlongs on the course in 55% secs. Delania and Te Arona went from post to post, four furlongs, short, on tho inside grass in 50%sec. Idassa finished In front of Alba Rose over four furlongs on the course proper in 53% sec. St. Peter covered a mile and a-quarter, assisted by Stibbington over the last five furlongs. Mr. Ben Myers rode Murawai in a workmanlike manner once round the steeplechase course, and there was no loitering on the way, Murawai jumping and galloping freely. Tho Needle ran a short mile and a-quarter on the tan in 2.12%, assisted by Jimmy the Saint. Maroon and Gold neat Gunfire ten lengths in a six furlong gallop on tho course proper, covering the distance in 1.22%. A number of others worked. © ® ©

TUB? TALK FROM THE SOUTH.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Among the bloo'd stock to be offered for sale at the ■ Canterbury Jockey Club’s.. Spring Meeting is Master Alix, a yearling full-brotber to Tzaritsa. Mention of Tzaritsh reminds me that the enquiry into her running at the North Otago Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting resulted in the owner being exonerated of any intention to defraud the public. The mare was amiss at the time, and her trainer omitted to mention the fact to her owner. Stud News: Jewel, a colt to Multiform; Adulation,, a colt to Curranow; Strum s Prey, a colt to Stepniak; Brisa, a colt to Phoebus Apollo. Mr J. Buckley, president of the North Otago Jockey Club, has resigned owing to dissatisfaction with the running at the club's Spring Meeting. This decision was come to before the Inquiry into the running of Tsaritza, and irrespective of the finding of the stewards. It Is said that there was a lot of suspicious running at the North Otago Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. All the New Zealand Cup candidates have arrived. Tortulla and Porirua only got down this morning, however, so I haven’t had any opportunity of seeing them yet. Of the others, Nonette is less in favour with the Riccarton folk than he was a few days ago; the touts declare that he is dull, listless, and overdone, and that he cannot possibly win. His trainer, on the other hand, asserts that this listlessness is simply the outcome of hls sombre temperament, and that far from being overdone he is just as he would like, to have him, and that he will take no end of beating. When experts differ, a layman, no matter how long hls experience, may be pardoned for hesitating to express an opinion. For my part, I think that in nine cases out of ten it is generally safest to trust to the trainer; he knows his horse, and the touts don’t. Tortulla, I understand, is inferior to Porirua; and Cannie Chiel, I have the best reason for knowing, is inferior to Glenaladale. The last-named is bound to run a good horse If he keeps well and the going remains hard; If soft, he is quite helpless, and as to his keeping well, his backers will not be pleased to learn that Cutts has influenza in hls stable. Pamero is looking wonderfully well; he is credited with having done a good twomile gallop at Wingatui last week, and he moved freely over a mile and a-half at Riccarton yesterday (Monday) morning; still, I don’t fancy* him for the reason that I can’t believe that he will get two miles. Nothing at Riccarton has done better work than Halberdier, and did I have to take his staying powers on trust I should feel disposed to recommend him for a place. About Siege Gun I can tell you nothing more than I wrote on Saturday. He maintains hls position in the betting, has been the medium of no public scares, and is well enough to win if he is good enough. Canteen remains in fine fettle, and may be surely trusted to run better than he has ever run In hls life; whether that will be well enough to win is another matter. Here again that great question of staying has to be taken into consideration. Bombardo and Melwood may not go to the post. The remainder, however, may all be labelled certain starters. Welbeck continues to progress satisfactorily, and will surely have to be reckoned with; and I have a sneaking regard for Sirius, who is reported to have done a good gallop before he left Hastings, and in the light of last year's running must certainly possess a

plodder’s chanca However, he is said to be vastly improved. Fakir may also have an outside chance; but 1 have no fancy tor Punamu, although she is doing excellent work. If 1 had to pick the winner to-day I should probably select Siege Gun. not because of what 1 know but because of what I don't know about him. J shall have an opportunity before the eud of the week to say a final word on the Cup. I am only too grateful to be able to postpone my task till then. The horses engaged in the Cup, together with their prospective riders, are as follow:—Nonette (M. Ryan), 9.9; Tortulla (T. Wilson), 9.3; Pampero (J. McCombe), 8.3: Halberdier (F. Davis), 8.1; Cannie Chiel (J. Bine), 7.11; Siege Gun (L. Hewitt), 7.»; Canteen (L. King), 7.9; Porirua (C. Jenkins), 7.7; GlentHadale (J. McCuskey), 7.4; Welbeck (R. King). 7.4; Fakir (G. Price), 6.10; Sirius (T. King). 6.8; Bombardo (T. Cameron), 6.7; Punamu (L. Thompson), 6.7.

The following are the local betting quotations:—New Zealand Cup: 5 to 1 against Nonette. 12 to 1 Tortulla. 8 to 1 Pampero, 15 to 1 Cannie Chiel. 8 to 1 Halberdier, 3 to 1 Siege Gun, 6 to 1 Porirua, 8 to 1 Glenaladale. 7 to 1 Welbeck, 20 to 1 Fakir, 26 to 1 Sirius, 33 to 1 Punamu, 50 to 1 Bombardo. The following are the principal lines during the week on the New Zealand Cup and Stewards’ Handicap:—lsoo to 2 against Punamu and Whirlwind, 800 to 5 Sirius and Blazer, 800 to 10 Sirius and Ghoorka, 600 to 8 Welbeck and Oingo, 600 to 10 Tortulla and Westguard. 500 to 7* Pampero and Scylla, 500 to 6 Cannie Chiel and Blazer. 500 to 14 Halberdier and Ghoorka, 500 to 10 Tortulla and Ghoorka. 400 to 8 Welbeck and Vladimir, 400 to 8 Nonette and Red Gauntlet, 500 to 6 Porirua and Orloff. 400 to 10 Melwood and Ghoorka, 400 to 2 Sirius and Vladimir, 200 to 15 Siesre Gun and Ghoorka. Owing to influenza having made its appearance in Cults’ stable. Sir G C< JW Clifford will lose the services oft hisi best two-year-old To-morrow at the meetino- ’ The daughter of Bill of 1■ ‘promised to rQn well In the Welcome S A k local writer declares that Siege has been backed tor twice as much money as any other horse engaged In the New Zealand Cup. Mr R. Allen, the former owner of Sara cen, returned on Friday from a visit to England. . Blazer, who was amiss for a couple or days last week, is sound again now; be looks bright, although his trainer de Clares that he has not been doing wel . Anns Ppur’s injury is in the knee, an it is unlikely that the filly will run a he Cup ‘meeting. She will probably be shinned back to Auckland this week. Blazer did gentle exercise on Saturday, and is pulling round. It is expected that Porirua and Tortulla will leave Wellington for Riccarton on Monday night. The report is circulated here that they will he accompanied by Achilles. Starshoot and Tradewind got down on Saturday.

V.R.C. SPRING MEETING.

THE FAVOURITE WINS THE DERBY. MELBOURNE, November 1. The V.R.C. inaugurated their spring meeting at Flemington to-day in fine weather. The attendance was below that of Derby Day last year, a fierce wind that was blowing no doubt being accountable for the falling off in the number present. The Maribyrnong Plate of lOOOsovs. For two-year-olds.—E. Frazer’s Duke or Grafton, by Graf ton—Disgrace, 9.6 (Kuhn), 1; R. Crawford’s Czarovitch, 8.10 (Minter), 2* T. E. Barr-Smith’s Martinique, 8.5 (Turner), 3. Betting: 5 4on Duke of Grafton, 6 to 1 against Czarovitch, 8 to 1 Martinique. Before the half distance was reached Duke of Grafton slipped up on the Inside, and won under pressure by a head. Time. 1.18. The Hotham Handicap of 250sovs, one, mile and a half.—W. H. Frewln’s ch c Sojourner, 3yrs, by Pilgrim's Progress— Winifred, 6.10 (Hall), 1; C. Lenny's Avalon, 6.11 (Hough), ♦; C. Christison’s Lieutenant Bill, 8.10. (.Daniels), ♦. Twelve horses started. Betting: 7 to 4 agst. Sojourner, 3 to 1 Lieut. Bill, 12 to 1 bar two. Sojourner was in command at the half distance, and in a magnificent finish won by a head from Lieutenant Bill and Avalon, who ran a dead heat for second place. Time, 2.36 The Victoria Derby of lOOOsovs. For three-year-olds. Colts, 8.10; fillies, 8.5. One mile and a half.—R. Phillips' ch c Abundance, by Pilgrim’s Progress—Beanfeast (Barden), 1; A. Wynne’s Great Scot (Richardson). 2; Messrs Clark and Robinson’s Rienzi (Ross), 3. Also ran: Strata Florida, Maelgwyn, Brakpan, Oakwood Betting: 11 to 8 against Abundance, 7 to 4 Strata Florida, 9 to 2 Brakpan, 10 to 20 to 1 the others. On the fall of the flag Great Scot forced the pace from Strata Florida and Abundance to the turn, where Great Scot ran out, carrying Abundance with him, and giving Strata Florida and Rienzi a show, but the favourite was soon straightened up, and, battling on, won by a length; Rienzi being four lengths off third, and a head in front of Strata Florida, after whom came Oakwood, Maelgwyn, and Brakpan in that order. Time, 2.36 J (a record for the race). The Melbourne Stakes of 600sovs. Welght-for-age. One mile and a quarter. —C. L. Macdonald's Wakeful, 6yrs, by Trenton—lnsomnia, 8.12 (Dunn), 1; Messrs Clark and. Robinson’s The Victory, 9.0 (Lewis), 2; J. Brown’s Patronage, 9 8 (McCrimmon), 3. Also started: Sir Leonard, Combat, Australian, Blue Metal, Loyal, Merton Steel. Betting: 2 to 1 on Wakeful. The favourite took command at the turn, and won comfortably by a length. TiflßAp

The Coburg Stakes of 2Staovs added. One mile-F. McGrath’s Kinglock, 4yrp. by Lochiel—Lady Kingsborough. 8.7 (Jennings), 1; Sir Rupert Clhrke's Fairy State®, 7.11 (Lewis), 2; W. T. Nowlan’s Rockleigh, 7.0 (Brennan), 3. Twenty horses started. Betting: 4 to 1 against Kinglock, 8 to 1 Andorra and Rockleigh. Won by half a dozen lengths. Time, 1.41.

NOTES ON THE DERBY.

The Victorians hack a foretaste of summer for Derby Day, and the afternoon was very sultry. By common consent, it was allowed that if one was more like a Derby horse than another it was Abundance, who is well up to weight. Hi* trainer was equally as confident as those of Brakpan and Strata Florida, but Brakpan not only did not run well, but behaved like a pig. and he may be dismissed with the remark that he collided with Maelgowyn at starting, was last to leave the straight, and never afterwards could make an attempt to go near his horses. He ran last throughout. Maelgowyn and Strata Florida fretted at the start, and sweated profusely, which was not reassuring to their supporters. Great Scott set out to make the pace fast, it was supposed, in the interest of Brakpan. When half the distance had been fun he led by about eight lengths, but on reaching the home turn Abundance and Strata Florida closed to w’ithin a couple of lengths of him. Still Great Scott kept running on instead of stopping, and just when Strata Florida expected him to dispute his right to the lead he cried a go, after a very weak attempt, at a struggle. It was not so with Abundance, Who, on the outside, drew level with Great Scott, and. though the latter ran our, and twice forced Abundance from his line, the favourite soon straightened, and won comfortably, finishing in the centre of the course. The race was run fast throughout, though the last half was the quickest, and it is the fastest Derby by three-quarters of a second in its long history.

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB’S SPRING MEETING.

The following acceptances have been rereived Ju connection with the above meetlugs:— PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP of lOOsovs. One mile. st lb st lb Romeo 8 10 Sly Miss . 7 10 Strathavon .... 8 4 La Valiere ... . 7 7 8 3 Irish . 7 6 . 7 0 Muskerdale ... 8 0 Lingaril . 6 10 Lavadel 7 11 FLYING HAN DTCAP of lOOsovs. Six f'rlongs. x st ;b st lb ITohoro 11 7 Hesper . ,.7 6 St. Olga 9 0 Landlock .... ..7 6 8 8 Mechanic ..74 Maroon & Gold 8 0 Golden Rose . ,.7 4 Jewellery 7 10 Hillflower ... . 7 0 Tukapa 7 8 Hikipene .. 6 10 Strathavon 7 fi Cygnet . 6 10 SHORTS HAN DTCAP of lOOsoVs. ’Hve furlongs. st lb st lb St. Olga 9 9 Landlock . 7 9 Austerlitz 8 7 Rosiphele 7 7 Maroon & Gold 8 3 Despatch . 7 6 Gladisla 8 0 Nereid . 7 5 Spalpeen 7 12 Lady Sou It ... . 7 3 Tukapa 7 11 Hillflower ... . 7 0 Camille 7 11 Mary Seaton. ..70 Orange & Blue 7 10 Seatona .. 6 10 PONY HANDICAP of 75sovs. Seven furlongs. st lb st lb Orange & Blue 10 9 Girton Girl . Stepaway 9 8 Cuisine .. 7 12 •St. Loanda.... 8 10 Annoyed .... ..7 5 Sentinel 8 9 Soniea — Avalanche .... 8 8 Wherekino .. ..7 3 HUNT CLUB HURDLE-RACE of 50sovs. Two miles. st. lb. st. lb. Miss Drury .. 13 0 Marine . n o Riot 12 5 Vic . 10 7 R a ngipunehu 12 0 Guardvan ... . 10 7 Tip'- . i o r> Hipstone .... 1110 Economist ... . 10 0 HUNT CLUB CUP STEEPLECHASE of 70sovs. About three miles and ahalf. st. lb. st. lb. Tarragon 13 0 Tuni . 11 11 Matarawa .... 12 10 Nevermore .. . 10 7 Tip 11 12 Murewai . 10 7