SPORTING ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 33, 14 March 1891, Page 5

SPORTING ITEMS.

The meeting of the Dargaville Jockey Club, which was to have been held, on the 20th and 21st of March, has been postponed until the 17th and 18th of April. Nominations are due on the 28th. According to “ Spectator ” Mr. Stead secured the best of the Warrington yearlings—achesthut colt by Le Loup —Lady Emma—for 275 ghs. ' He is a loose made one, with plenty of room to fill out. Mr. Stead offered 200 sovs. fdf him as a foal. Wairua by Somnus —Waiwareka, who has been winning all the hack hurdles races along the West • Coast, has been sold to Mr. F. Panetti for £lBO, and goes to Australia. A patron of one of our Auckland stables endeavoured to secure Wairua, but could not come to terms with lus owner.

Dudu has been scratched for the Great Autumn Handicap. Gibraltar, the A.J.C. Derby and V.R.C. St. Leger winner, broke down badly in his off fore leg when running in the Australian Cup. He will remain in Mr. Allan’s hands until fit to travel to Sydney. * Wolverine’s break down is not as bad as expected, but he is a horse that requires a good deal of work, therefore it is doubtful if he ever stands a severe preparation again. Pique, who won the Publicans’ Handicap at Dunedin is said to have done the best and worst of trials at Forbury. She, however, did the bookmakers a turn, by giving those who had a double book a “ skinner.”

Little Arthur was sold to Messrs. M. and C. Hobbs for £l5O after the Dunedin Meeting. As Dan O’Brien scored a win and two seconds with the son of Jangler it must be admitted that his luck still sticks to him.

Orlando, the steeplechaser, who was exported to Melbourne a short time ago, died at Caulfield on February 28th from the injuries sustained while being schooled over fences. It will be remembered that while jumping with Tyro he took too far off from one of his fences, and coming down heavily, he injured his stifles and the muscles of his neck and was also internally injured, while his rider Anderson had his arm broken.

The highest weight ever previously carried to riding in the Ascot Vale Stakes was 9st 71b by that beautiful filly Hortense, who ran the distance in Imin 17sec or faster than Penance did with 31b more on his back. — Sportsman. According to the N.Z. Referee the Christchurch bookmakers did not fare so well over the Newmarket, as Bungebah was backed from the commencement, both straight-out and in doubles, and when Vengeance was reported to be heavily backed for the Cup the backers followed the money.

Cusden who had two winning mounts at Dunedin and was four times, second leaves for Australia by the next boat to try his luck on the other side. He is a decent lad, and is about as good a light weight as we have seen in New Zealand, and should have no trouble in getting into a good stable over there.— Weekly Press. The finest two-year-old we have ever seen was stripped on Saturday in the Hopeful Stakes, this being Zalinski, by Nordenfeldt from Fraility, the dam of Trenton, Niagara, Cuirassier, Cissy. Mary, and others. He is of magnificent proportions, and with extraordinary bone, just the very colt to furnish into a Derby horse, and we shall be very much surprised if he do not start a hot favourite next Spring. At present he is very gross in condition, and quite green to racing, but nevertheless he showed capital galloping ability. ‘ Mr. W •_ R. Wilson will undoubtedly never regret the time he decided on purchasing this handsome colt, who has all Cuirassier’s size, combined with Trenton’s beautiful quality.— Melbourne Sportsman.

The Grand Sheffield Handicap, that takes at Potter’s Paddock on Friday, March 27th, will be a great success, as all the preliminaries have been arranged. Mr. 0. Kohn has consented to act as judge, Mr. W. F. Winch starter, Mr. E. O’Hare handicapper, and Mr. Mountain will act as referee if occasion should require it. In addition to this, Mr. Mountain, as mentioned before in last week’s issue, has lodged the amount of stakes in Mr. Kohn’s hands, so there can be no doubt as to its genuineness. There should be a good number of entries, and if Mr. Mountain finds sufficient patronage at this meeting, it his is intention to continue them. This is a stimulus for the youth of Auckland. Who knows that there may not be a future man equal to Lang, Deerfoot, or Nuttall. Mr. Mountain, to make this meeting more attractive to the public, has decided to give seven medals for two races, to be competed for by members of the Fire Brigades. The conditions are : Five medals to be given to the winning team at hose practise, and two medals tb be given to the winners of the Baby Rescue Race. Nominations for the Sheffield Handicap close to-day (Saturday), March 14th. Acceptances for the Sheffield Handicap and entries for the Fire Brigade races on Wednesday, March 24th, close with Mr. Winch, secretary, at the Waverley Hotel.