SPORTING ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 19, 6 December 1890, Page 6

SPORTING ITEMS.

Jenny, the steeplechaser, .is reported to be in great form, and will probably be a starter for the Auckland Steeplechase. It is reported that Benzon, the horse that has for two years in succession been much fancied for the Melbourne Cup, will be trained over hurdles in view of the Grand National Hurdle Race. Errata.—By a mistake Priscilla’s name appeared in the Flying Stakes Handicap, 5 furlongs, at Avondale. The filly was not entered, and was handicapped in mistake for Premier, whose weight has been put down by Mr. Halstead at 6st lolb. It will be noted by reference to another column that Messrs. Digby Tonks & Co. will sell on Friday next, at the Brunswick Mart, the privileges in connection with the Auckland Racing Club’s Summer Meeting which takes place at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and January 2nd. On Monday, September 29th, Mr. Clark of the Game farm, Micheldon, Hampshire (Eng.) and a party of ten guns killed bon rabbits on his farm in the day, They commenced to shoot at 9.45 and continued as long as daylight lasted. This is the largest bag of rabbits ever shot in one day in Great Britain. The largest bag of rabbits on record previous to that date was made on the estate of B. J. Lloyd Price, Esq., at Rhiwias, North Wales, when 5986 rabbits, a grouse, a snipe and a wood pigeon, were killed on October 6th, 1885, by ten guns. “ Centaur” in the Melbourne Age on the day after the Melbourne Cup thus spoke of Cuirassier : —“ As we are about to close our book of many notes, we remember omitting to take down jottings on Cuirassier. Yes, there he is; indeed a racehorse from the land of racehorses. Plenty of size here, like many that have preceded him from the land of the Maori.. As we look him over closely he hardly appears to us so thoroughly prepared as some of the others, but the remark that is passed close to our elbow by a keen judge— ‘ If as good to-day as your famous brother, Trenton, in his prime, then you’ll give it a shake’ —quite coincides with our ideas, and with this we fold up our notes, gratified to find that we left off with a fine specimen of the racehorse in front of us.” Mr. G. G. Stead, the well-known sportsman, who is a candidate for the Avon electorate, has to undergo any amount of chaff from the electors. The following is a fair sample of the questions continually handed up to him by electors: —“Will Mr. Stead, having taken on himself the office of turf reformer, support a Bill to prevent the in-and-out running of racehorses, so as to prevent men winning when they like or losing when it pays them best, and thus robbing the public ? Answer“ I should be most delighted, and would support any man who will bring in a Bill to reform the turf and prevent in-and-out running of racehorses.” (A voice—“ That’s a stiff- ’un”). At the conclusion of one of his meetings three cheers and three groans were lustily given for Mr. Stead.

D. McKinnon, the well-known owner of Loch Ness, was in town during the present week. • • ' -?. The Lancashire Plate of 11,000 sovs. added to a sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each., w.f.a., 7 furlongs. The nominator of the winner received 1000 sovs. out of the stakes. The second received 1000 sovs., the nominator of the second 500 sovs., the owner of the third 300 sovs., and the nominator of the third 200 sovs. out of the stakes. Entrance ss. Only nine came to the post for this valuable race. General Byrne’s ch c Amphion, 4 yrs., lost. 21b., 1 st.; Mr. D. Baird’s b c Martagon, 3 yrs., gst. 21b., 2nd.; Duke of Westminster’s ch c Orion, 2 yrs., yst 61b., 3rd. Amphion was a hot favourite, and won cleverly by a length and a half, a head between second and third. The value of the stakes to winner was 15s.