SPORTING ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 7, 13 September 1890, Page 3

SPORTING ITEMS.

George Bell, the jockey, who received a fall while schooling Apropos; has since died. - . ! . Mr. Martin Taylor has been appointed handicapper for the Ashburton Trotting Club. It is stated that Mr. Henry Redwood has a splendid lot of yearlings by King Cole, the sire of Nelson. ’ It is stated the Chinese lottery banks in Australia make an average daily profit of amongst them. The Taranaki Jockey Club have decided to hold a small meeting on Boxing Day, the stakes not to exceed Joseph French, who will be remembered by many English racegoers in the .Colony as £he trainer of Bendigo and other good horses, died at Newmarket on July 15. Backers y.tyo attended the Rosehill pony and gallovyay races “had rather a bad time of it. There were . fifty-three starters for the four handicaps o.it of sixtyrjthree entries, and out-, siders won every time. The finishes were particularly close. It will be some time before such a thing as this occurs at a legitimate, meeting- ' The following foalings are announced :— N.Z. Stud Co.’s Sister Agnes by Rosicrucian— Penance, brown filly tp Ingomar. N.Z. Stud Co.’s Mersey, a chesnut colt by Nordenfeldt. Major Mair’s Sweet Alice (The Dreamer’s Dam) *■ a bay filly to Ingomar. 7 Major George’s Florence, colt by Nelson, < Rosarina, filly by Nordenfeldt. This filly if she has any lack should do the Stud great service, she is well enough bred for anything. Rosarina being by Traducer from Yatterina by Yattendon from Kohinoor. Stud News bn September 4; —Mr. C. C, Gordon’s be w bitch Spruce by Welcome Jack— Myrtle, 9 whelps to Mr. T. Macready’s blk w d Rocket by Tumult (imp)—Marchioness (imp). 5 dogs (2 blk andw, 1 fawn, 1 blue and w, 1 white, blue spots), 1 slut (blue and w) kept.

Mr. W. R. Wilson’s mare, Linda, died in foaling at Sylvia Park, the foal was by St. Leger. The Stakes won at the late Auckland Trotting Club’s Meeting will be paid over on Tuesday next, at Wattie’s Hotel, Epsom at 8 p.m. At Sylvia Park, Realisation has dropped a colt foal to Nordenfeldt, Amohia, filly to Ingomar, and Envious a colt to St. Leger. .’. The racehorse Cranbrook has been found hidden in a cave about twenty miles from where he was stolen. It is believed that he was taken for stud purposes. Mr. W. Elliot, of Waitara, informs us that he has disposed of his stallion Flintlock (by Musket —Georgie) to Mr. D. Scott of Rangitikei for Lochiel is to stand at Widden, in New South Wales, his owners Messrs. J. and A. Thompson, having determined to take a few approved mares in addition to their own. — -Australasian. A Yankee horseman says there is as much in the breeding of jockeys as in that .of horses. He says the cross should be : Sire Irish, dam English, granddam Jew. The Irish are devils, the English are bulldogs, and for hanging on Providence he favours the Jews. According to the Napier correspondent of the Referee, Burd Helen has broken down badly and has had to be turned out. W. Profiit has purchased the gelding Lopez by Vasco de Gamma —Louie, from Mr. Bennett, and he has gone into D. Palmer’s hands to be trained. Cuirassier will run to-day for his first weight-for-age race in Australia. He is not quite so forward in condition as his stable would wish, and is started more to get a line than anything else. Should he run forward his price for the Melbourne Cup will undoubtedly shorten. The betting on the New Zealand Cup has undergone a slight change during the past week owing to Dudu having been backed to win a few hundred. The mare is now quoted at 100 to 20, the same price as Tirailleur. Jet D’Eau is easier in the market. Merrie England still remaining favorite. — Referee. A clever Flemington trainer, who lately paid a visit to Sydney, informs “ Cranbrook,’’ of the Sportsman, that one of the finest yearlings he has ever seen was a filly bv Trenton out of Lord Exeter’s dam Tiara. 'She is so forward that he would hardly believe that she was only ten months old. The mare Eileen, by the Dauphin out of Duchess, owned by Mr. Standish, has wintered well.- She is five years old and has shown a little form, but has been messed about. However, it is the intention of her owner to put her into work, and he hopes to bring off a good thing with her. Mr. H. H. Hayr has sold his 4 year-old colt Sovereign by Guinea from Hippona to Mr. W. Elliot, the well-known breeder, of Waitara. He leaves on Monday for his new home. He is intended to be used for stud purposes, and as he has never been trained he should make his mark there as his constitution must be unimpaired. ' The Auckland Racing Club have not yet passed the programme of the Onehunga Racing Club which is advertised to be run on the 4th October, the nominations were originally fixed for September 12th, and in consequence of the delay the date has been postponed till Sept. 19th. This uncertainty makes it very inconvenient for the Committee of the Onehunga Club and for owners of horses.

It was very amusing, says “ Martindale,” of the Town and Country, on Tuesday, August 26, to hear the various accounts of how Titan had broken down. At one corner the report yrould be that the horse was badly beaten in a gallop by Prince Consort, and when he pulled up it was found that he had completely broken down ; another told how he had broken a blood-vessel, - and various other causes were given. One bookmaker, supposed to be shrewd, offered 2 to 1 against the gelding for the Derby, and many thought he was a “ goner.” The fact, however, that the horse was out cantering during the afternoon set matters right. It appears there was some slight “ stoppage,” but Mr. Day, the celebrated vet., set matters right, and states that he was as sound as the day he was foaled.

At Tattersall’s meeting at Rand wick the geldings more than held their own. The gelding Paddy, won the Tramway Handicap, two mares being second and third ; two fillies and a gelding were the placed animals in the Two-year-old Stakes, and two geldings ran first and second for the Spring Handicap. The only entire to show up prominently was Pugilist, who won the Selling Race.

The Adelaide Grand National Steeplechase of 300 sovs. took place on August 16, and was won by Emilie, a b m by Emulation -Kylie ! Bann, 6yrs„ lost. 61b., Punter, gst. ylb., second, and Tyro, aged, list., third. Madhi, i2St. 81b., Gossip, lost, gib., also started. Madhi was made the favorite at 2 to 1. In the second round he fell and broke his leg. Emilie started at 4 to 1, and won in a canter.

There are about 120 horses in training in the Napier district. Among them are half brothers to Clogs, Waitiri, and Piscatorious and half sisters to Tirailleur, Manton, Pasha, Katinka, Welcome Jack, Chancellor, and Precedence. Hawke’s Bay will be well represented with juveniles this season, and Auckland will have to look to its laurels this season or they will take some of the Ellerslie plums.

We learn from “Augur” that Mr. James Wilson has disposed of his “ Queenscliffe estate to Mr. Donald Wallace, and has authorised Messrs- Robinson, Burns and Sparrow to dispose of his stock, etc., including several thoroughbreds that should be worthy of the attention of breeders. Among them are Young Dinah, by King of the Ring—Sea Spray, sister to Tradition; Erie, by Maribyrnong—Stella ; and two two-year-olds, a colt by Malua out of Young Dinah, and a filly out of Progressive, also a yearling colt, by Off Colour —Lady Vernon.

In-another column will be found an advertisement informing owners of racehorses that Tommy Hodson can ride 6st. i2lb. at four days notice. Some years ago he was the most popular jockey at Ellerslie Racecourse, but like many others he had a run of bad luck, the public then said he' could not ride. At the present time there are many called jockeys that are really only butcher boys and would not be allowed to ride a decent horse a strong gallop in England. Tommy Hodson is a good judge of pace and can ride a horse home with his hands not flourshing his whip about like the sails of a windmill. If he only-gets a fair chance he will show the racing public that he has neither lost his head or his nerve.

A little variety was caused at last week’s Trotting Meeting by G. Wright having his string of two-year-olds on the course, and between the trotting races he had them all saddled, and with the colours up, and himself on Cissy, treated them to a small race on his own account. They all appeared quiet and used to the crowd. Constant lessons of this sort to Cissy will go far to cure her of that excitability and nervousness which she has hitherto exhibited when in a crowd. The string was composed of lulloch by Sword DanceWelcome Katie, Sybil by Leolinus —Atlantis, Roie by St. Leger—Hippona, and Brigand by Brigadier, who appeared the most forward in condition, although he has not so much grown as one might have expected to see. Roie, on the contrary, and for a filly especially, has plenty of size, and appears as if she would do her young sire, St. Leger, credit. “ Freelance,” of the Sportsman, states that a member of the V.R.C., who was in the habit of giving or bartering away his grooms tickets, was expelled a short time ago from the Club; but this did not act as a deterrent to others as a fortnight ago another gentleman holding a good position was also expelled from the ranks of the V.R.C. members, certain groom tickets supplied to him having been given away to “ other gentlemen of position.” The same writer says that the beautifully.bred Vengeance, by Newminster out of Vindex, a five-year-old, with the feather weight of 6st. J2lb. in the Caulfield Cup and a couple of pounds less in the Melbourne Cup, stands a capital chance of appropriating the double from the way he ran in the Victorian Club Handicap, and on the Saturday night and Monday morning after the race he’was backed freely for the double, and his name was coupled with almost everything likely to start in the Melbourne Cup.

The New Zealand steeplechaser Sir Maurice, of whom we spoke last week, as once a member of Bland Holt’s Company, used to come on in the sale act of “New Babylon.” He was, named after Sir Maurice O’Rorke, Speaker of the New Zealand Assembly, was owned by* a cabman and valued as a discarded racehorse at Now that he has forsaken the stage and rehabilitated his racing reputation, his present owner, the boss of a hash foundry, would not take, it is said, f' 500 for him.— Referee.

A London exchange of July 18 states that the donor of the three that have been, given as stakes at Newmarket to encourage long distance racing turns out to be Mr. C. D. Rose, who is a supporter of Jarvis’ stable. This is the gentleman who, as “ Mr. Adrian,” bought The Prince off Charles Blanton to try and win the Derby of 1883, when St. Blaise proved successful. The first of the three races donated to by this gentleman was run at the Newmarket Second July Meeting and was won by Prince Soltykoff’s Sheen, by Hampton—Radiance, beating a field of 21. Lady Betty started, but was unplaced. The distance of the race was a mile and a half.

The Royal Commission on Horse-breeding,; appointed in England, has obtained a lot of; useful information from veterinary surgeons, trainers, etc. Dr. Fleming declares that short distance races are the cause of a great deal of the increase in roaring, because the strain on a horse’s windpipe is much more sudden in five furlong races than longer ones. He also says that no horse should be raced until he is three years old. Matthew Dawson, the famous trainer, differs from the worthy doctor, his opinion being that training and racing two-year-olds in moderation tends to develop them as animals, and improves them. The question as to what constitutes hereditary unsoundness was considered, and it was decided that the following should render sires liable to disqualification for Queen’s premiums: — Roaring, whistling, sidebone, ringbone,navicular disease, curb, bone spavin, bog spavin, grease, shivering,, cataract. ,To these were added, under certain circumstances, splint, stringhalt, weak feet, contracted feet, brissal enlargements, such as thoroughpin and windgalls.—“ Augur,” Australasian.

It is difficult to understand the idiocy which induces people to send their stamps and post office orders to the racing tipster, but the. mental condition of the idiots may be partly judged from the fact that the chaff in Punch. was lately taken quite seriously, and solemn requests for tips, accompanied by stamps, sent to the writer of “ In the know” of Mr. Punch. Mr. Priofee, a new hand on Punch— one who has often brightened these columns and' enlightened readers on racing matters has started a parody of the sporting correspondents of Truth who weekly fire off abusive adjectives and substantives on all and sundry. After all sorts of chaff about the horses the Punch writer wound up with, “ that is all I have to say in the meantime, but anyone desiring further information is requested ,to apply to me by letter, at the office, enclosing stamps for a reply. All who are not in a state of niddy-rtoddying, anserous-asenine, gruel-brained, pumpkin-faced gooseberry-eyed, imbecility, will of course do so.” Will it it be credited, but it is true—that a believer in tipsters searching for information got hold of Punch, and actually wrote to “our prophet” as follows: —W , June 10th, Dear Sir, —In the last issue of your paper, it is said anyone wanting any more information was to send 12 stamps to your office, which L enclose, for your information on the Royal Hunt Cup. Would you please send word for what other races you send information. Yours, Mr. W. B.” Fancy that I The amusing part of the business is that “ Mr. Punch’s Own Prophet ” sent back the clean stamps, with an expression of regret that owing to an unfor-* , tunate delay they had not reached him in timej and thus he was prevented ’ from replying, and begging his correspondent to back Marion, as he was certain it would beat Philomel by three lengths at least, and Dollar, who would be third, by a good deal more. Imagine the agony of Mr. W. B. at learning that he had missed. The racing tipsters seem to be as hard at it in Australia as at home —their pretensions are equally absurd and their assertions no less pre? posterous. — Sporting and Dramatic. ".I

The often attempted feat of swimming across the Straits of Dover has , again been satisfactorily accomplished by Mr. Dalton, who swam from France to Folkestone. The time occupied was 24 hours, and the distance 60 miles. Those who know the great currents which run here, and the high sea generally on, will admit this was a feat of great endurance. One of the sharpest tricks ever played in connection with the disposal of a horse has to he noted. Last week a well-known auctioneer from Gore, was instituting inquiries about a. certain trotting mare which he had sold on behalf of a dlient under very suspicious circumstances. The mare, said to be named Norah and being by Childe Harold, an American sire, was placed in his yard for sale, and on the day a telegram signed “Taggart’’ reached the auctioneer in question authorizing him to go as high as £6O for the mare on his (Taggart’s) account. The mare was duly purchased for some £55 the vendor receiving the amount less commission and expenses, but Mr. Taggart when communicated with denied all knowledge of the mattter, and not having authorized the purchase, the mare, which I understand has been identified as the Virgin, has been left on the auctioneer’s hands, and now the whereabouts of the party who sold the auctioneer is engaging attention. —“Spectator,” Weekly Press.