SPORTING ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 16, 15 November 1890, Page 6

SPORTING ITEMS.

But few of the leading sporting writers on the Australian press went for Carbine straight-out, though the majority had him for a place. Mr. E. D. Halstead has been appointed handicapper to the South Auckland Racing Club and Avondale Jockey Club. Titan’s suspicious leg has given way, and it is doubtful if he will ever race again. He has proved an expensive purchase for Mr. Brodribb, as he must have cost him from first to last, over Owing to the rain on the night of the 29th ult., there were a number of accidents the following morning at Flemington. First of all, Rich Ruby, while doing a gallop with Richelieu, wrenched his near fore-leg and shattered the bone so bady that he had to be destroyed. Then Titan pulled up very lame, and Melos trod upon a stone and bruised one of his feet. —Australasian,

\The Baron’s performance at the Spring Meeting remind us of a little episode that occured recently. The horse was nominated in the Maiden Plate at the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s Meeting, amongst a field of rubbish, and was handicapped with gst., the top weight. Mr. Walters, however, wrote to the Herald, saying that the horse had been unduly crushed and had no show, and therefore would not fulfil his engagement. This method of hoodwinking the handicappers may be considered “ clever” by the parties behind the colt, but it is certainly unsportsmanlike. At any rate, local handicappers will take good care that the “ unduly crushed ” colt, who was equal to stretching Cissy’s neck, will be well looked after in the future.

The following foalings are announced: — N.Z. Stud Company’s Happy Land, by St. Leger—Hipporina, colt to Ingomar; Mr. N. McGruen’s Black Bess, by Gillie Callum Traducer mare, filly to Tetford; Mr. N. Dickey’s Virgenie, by Resolution —Confident, filly to Tetford. The issuing of the weights for the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting have been postponed" until the 24th instant, owing to the Pakuranga Racing Club’s meeting taking place on the 22nd inst. Acceptances, and entries for the Race close on the 26th. Mr. W. Knight has been appointed handicapper for the Spring Meeting of the Club, At the Gisborne Racing Club’s Spring Meeting on Monday the weather was fine, but the attendance small. Papakura won the Flying Handicap, Panama the Grandstand Handicap, Bit of Blue the Hurdle Race, and Crimnal the Forced Handicap. In the principal event, the Park Handicap, one mile and a half, seven horses started, Wakatipu, Bst. 21b. getting home in front of Panic, gst. ylb., and Misfortune, 6st. jib., in zmin. 43secs. At the Doncaster yearling sales, some sensational prices were given. Mr. Blundell Maple gave 4,000 gns. for a filly by Hermit, dam by Lord Lyon, out of Sadie. This is the third highest price ever given in England for a yearling. Rent Payer, by Esterling—Rent Day, brought 2,500 gns., Sorcerer, by OrmondeCrucible, 2,300 gns ; Middleman, by Roseberry —Mintdrop, 1,900 gns.; colt by Bend D’or — Tiger Lily, 1,700 gns.; filly by St. Simon —Wee Lassie, 3,500. It appears that the fillies have fetched the highest prices this season. There were several other animals that fetched from a thousand to fifteen hundred guineas.

There is an intelligent boy who calls himself “ Light-weight,” that writes, or more properly speaking “ cribs,” the sporting notes in the Manukau Gazette. In a lecent issue of that journal, he says that “ Old Turfite ” has been giving “ Phantom " — (whoever that may be) and Hippona a rough time. “ Light-weight ” also asks why our contributor did not tip Carbine for the Melbourne Cup ? Simply this, he didn’t think he could win.. To select the absolute winner of a race in a field of 39 horses, requires some picking, even when there is a red-hot favourite sticking out. But surely our confrere, who was not able to spot the winner of the Auckland Guineas, for which only three local horses started, should be one of the last to ask impertinent questions 1

The following trotting records are taken from the Horse Review, Chicago:—Axtell, 2m. 12s. is the fastest trotting stallion ; Roy Wilkes, 2m. B|s. the fastest pacing stallion; Regal Wilkes, 2m. zofs. the fastest two-year-old trotting stallion, and Manager, zm. i6Js. is the fastest two-year-old pacing stallion. All of these have the blood of the celebrated George Wilkes, the three former being by his sons, the latter out of a daughter, thus proving that trotting blood lies in certain families. Americans evidently make the most use of their horses as the following will show —Alabaster has won the record as a four-year-old trotting stallion, as at Independance, la, when in the second heat, he distanced the field in zm. 15 s. Alabaster belongs to Messrs. Myers and Wayner of Dayton, 0., and was broken in as a two-year-old, but did not do much work. He was then put to the Stud and served twenty-four mares. The following summer he came out, winning several races and making the record.