SPORTING ITEMS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 46, 11 June 1891, Page 5

SPORTING ITEMS.

Escutcheon is enjoying a spell at Mordialloc. A. Ellingham will have the mount on Chemist in the Victorian Grand National. Recruit won the Tattersall’s Grand National Steeplechase run on Saturday last. Mr. Dan O’Brien’s Rubina has missed to Tasman. It has been decided to form a Jockey Club at Pahiatua. H. Curtis, the English walking champion, did two miles on damp grass in 14m. 495. At a recent coursing meeting in Melbourne, out of 47 courses only five hares met their fate. Ruapehu, a 3 to 1 chance, failed to gain a situation in the Adelaide Birthday Hurdles. A match for £5 a side, between Alf. Capper and Geo. S. Moody, was to be run at Opotiki on Saturday last, the distance being 200 yards. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club have fixed their Spring meeting to take place on the sth and 6th October. Bushman won the Sydney Turf Club Steeplechase on Queen’s Birthday, with Paddy Nolan in the saddle. Mr. S. H. Gollan has become the owner of Kimberley, by Armourer—Milksop, the price being £lOO. Several purchasers of tickets on Carmo intend proceeding against the stewards of the Town and Suburban Racing Club for the recovery of the dividend on that horse.

The Dunedin Jockey Club have removed the disqualification from Thomas Chapman. The tender of Mr. Jamieson has been accepted by the Canterbury Jockey Club for the erection of the totalisator house. The English sire Isonomy was insured for £lO,OOO. Rather rough on the insurance company, as only one premium had been paid. Maud S., the queen of the American trotting tracks, is seventeen years’ old, and has never had a foal. Messrs. Patterson and Nathan, of Christchurch, have entered into partnership, and are making a book on the New Zealand Cup. Theorem, Yardman, and Sentinel, are likely to be taken to Napier to fulfil their engagements at the Hawke’s Bay J.C. Winter Meeting. Fair Ellen, by Somnus—from Lady Ellen, is said to be taking kindly to her initiatory lessons over the schooling jumps at Flemington. i We have to acknowledge from Mr. P. G. Douslin, honorary secretary of the Marlborough Hunt Club, a card containing a list of fixtures of the club’s runs for the season. j Owners of jumping horses should bear in mind that entries for the Christchurch Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race are due on the 20th inst. Mr. Stead has sold the Swordance—Necklace two-year-old gelding Sword Belt, and he was to be shipped to Wellington last week, and will go into Mr. T. H. Hill’s stables. Nominations for the Wellington Racing Club’s Steeplechase meeting will close with the secretary, Mr. H. M. Lyon, on Monday, 15th June. On the Kennington Oval (London). J. Kibblethwaite ran five miles in 26m. 14 4-ss. at the annual sports held by»the South London Harriers. ; The Beaumont Jockey Club (Otago) have disqualified the horse Vici, and the owner (R. Aitcheson), during the pleasure of the club, and the Dunedin Jockey Club < have also endorsed the disqualification. . r . Tupaki, with lOst 71b in the saddle, ran second in the Disposal Stakes, six furlongs, to Lady Richmond at the Adelaide Racing Club’s meeting on 28th May, his price at the post being 10 to 1. At the same meeting Ruapehu ran third in the second Hurdle Race, carrying lOst 71b. . : ..

Another good light weight jockey, Thomas, has left New Zealand for Australia. He rode Wolverine when he won the New Zealand Cup. It speaks badly for racehorse owners in New Zealand allowing all the best light weights, who are scarce enough, as everyone knows, to emigrate to the other side. The following amounts were won at the Auckland Racing Club’s Winter Meeting : — Mr. J. Maitland, xos; Mr. C. R. Hewett, j£Bs ios; Mr. A. E. Byers, 10s; Mr. J. St.Clair, 10s; Mr. Koss Heaton, Mr. M. S. Laurie, ; Mr. McMillan, £2B los ; Mr. C. A. Caulton, £9 10s; Mr. Bradley, £g 10s; Mr. W. Robertson, £9 10s; total, The protest entered at the late Helensville meeting by J. B. Williamson, the trainer of Begorrah, against Cloth of Gold not being entitled to the stakes for the Maiden Hurdle Race, on account of his not being qualified to run, was not entertained by the stewards owing to the protest being informal—also that the objection should have been made before the conclusion of the meeting. The entries for the V.R.C. Spring Meeting which closed on June Ist, are exceedingly good. Last year the Melbourne Cup, of 10,000 sovs, one of the richest stakes in the world, had an entry of 149; now it has the really magnificent one of 164. Marvel is the only horse of note that is missing from the list, so one may come to the conclusion that his owner is satisfied that he cannot stay the distance, and that his forte is speed. The Maribyrnong nominations are in excess of last year, there being 94 as against 87. The Norman by Stakes also shows an increase, as there are 75 as against 57. There are 99 in the Ascot Vale to 93 last year; and the Champion Stakes has 67 entered. The Derby of 1892 has the same entry as 1891, viz., 117. The Oaks has 61 instead of 55. The.St. Leger shows a slight falling off, there being 100 as against 108 nominations last year.

A wrestling match. (Cumberland style) took place at Opotiki on the 29th May last, between James Walker and Louis Agassis. Mr. J. P. Parkinson acted as referee. The match was won easily by Agassis. ' Mr. J. McAlister, the owner of Ingorangi, arrived in town last week for the purpose of attending the A.R.O. Steeplechase Meeting, and we are informed that he intends taking Ingorangi back with him to Opotiki. At a meeting of the Australian Jockey Club Committee it was unanimously agreed to give the tise of the Randwick course, free of charge, for the complimentary race meeting tendered to Mr. De Mestre. ' 1 We are pleased to see that Mr. E. Dawes is able’ to get about again after the serious accident he met with while riding the pony Minnie Grey on the Ellerslie race-course. Mr. Dawes has been confined to the Hospital for six Weeks. The Adelaide Pacing Club realised a substantial’ profit over their last meeting. Over £37,000 passed through the totalisator in three

days/’ Theattendance 6n Saturday, the last day of the meeting,'was about ten thousand. ” Coral’s vicfoi?y in the' Steeplechase at the Adelaide 'meeting was a great performance tor a fifteen hands pony. Messenger ran in the colours of his new owner, Mr. W. R. Wilson. — Sportsman. “ Mr. E. T. Barnard will bring his labours to a close as handicapper to the V.R.C. after he has got the Melbourne Cup off his hands. Therd are already between twenty and thirty applications for the position, but the V.R.C. , committee will consider none of them until after June 30, the last day for receiving applications. The V.R.C. will be lucky if they get as good a man as Mr. Barnard. J am es Hickey leaves by the s.s. “Wairarapa ” to-day for Napier, taking with him Mr. S. H. Gollan’s gelding Ival. It was unfortunate both for Mr. Gollan and also, for “ Jimmy ” that this horse went wrong, as if he had been brought to the post fit and well he must have had a say at the finish for the Great Northern Steeplechase. We wish them better luck the next time they pay a visit to Auckland. The Canterbury Times has the following :— “It will be noticed that the filly by The Dauphin—Bragalia has been twice nominated fbr the Northern Champagne Stakes.” This is a blunder either of the secretary or the Official Gazette. There are two fillies entered by The Dauphin—the first Mr. L. D. Nathan’s br f by The Dauphin —Brassolia and. the other Mrs. TCanard’s b f by The Dauphin—Bragalia. A correct list was published in our issue of 28th May. The track of the Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club is nearly finished. The work has been carried out in a first-class manner,' and reflects credit on Mr. Stock, who superintended it. Every convenience will be provided, for the public, and the coming meeting is sure to attract a large number of people from all parts of the province. The. totalisator ‘ will bp used, so that the lucky ones may reckon on pocketing good dividends. — Evening News. ‘ In our advertising columns will be found an advertisement from Mr. W. H ; Dawson, chemist, Wellesley-strept, announcing that he has patented his horse blisters and medicine, including condition and worm powders; also his celebrated liniment for strains, etc. Ftpm all we can learn, they are very beneficial,'and no horse-ower should be without them. The prices are very moderate, therefore every one should give them a trial. His patent blister is a capital one, and far ' supersedes James’ or Stevens’ ointment. The following are the winning payments for the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting : —Messsrs. B. Thompson, Ist Birthday Handicap, £57.; Ist Selling Race/ £23 15s: A. Ray'nes, Ist Handicap Steeplechase, £57 ; R. Burke, Ist Victoria Handicap, £42 15s ; F. Kavanagh, Ist Handicap Hurdles, £42 15s; W. Robertson, Tst Welter'Handicap, £2B 10s;' H. Hickthn, 1 1st Maiden Plate, £23 15s; L. Harris/ Ist Pony Handicap. £23 15s; D. McKinnon, 2nd Birthday Handicap, £9 10s; H. O. Tofiks, 2nd Handicap Steeplechase, £9 10s; W. Howard, 2nd Maiden Plate, £4 15s ; S’ Dickey,’ 2nd Handicap Hurdles, £4 15s; J. cHugh, 2nd Victoria Handicap, £4 15s; J. G? Booth, 2nd Pony; Handicap, £4 15s; M. S. 2nd Welter' Handicap, £4 15s; total, £342. ■' ; ‘ ‘

“ Spectator ” writes : — “ Beaconfield’s time for the Two-mile Trot at Dunedin last week is returned as smin. 15secs., but I have it on good authority that it took smin. 45secs. to cover the distance. He is by the imported American sire Walter Scott,

We notice that Robert Kurtz, bookmaker, who was arrested on a charge of “ welshing’ at the last Melbourne Cup, and was remanded on a extradition warrant from Auckland to Melbourne, was found guilty, and sentenced by the Chief Justice to twelve months* imprisonment with hard labour, the first five days passed in gaol, and the first five days of each succeeding alternate month of the term to be passed in solitary confinement. Mr. Furlonge, who appeared for the prisoner, pleaded for a lenient sentence, as this was the first offence. Tfiis sentence is the heaviest we ever remember being given for “ welshing,” far exceeding the celebrated case that caused so much excitement in England when the French Government sentenced four Euglish bookmakers to twelve months’ imprisonment for “ welshing” at La Marche race-course.

A peculiar case of “ welshing a constable ” came before the Melbourne City Court. Thomas A. James, a policeman off duty went down to Aspendale racecourse to enjoy sport on that pleasant heath. He backed Macquarie for the race which that horse won, putting on £2 at 2 to 1 against. When he came for his money he became aware that the gin case, or other pedestal which formerly supported the bookie whom he had favoured with his. patronage, supported that bookie no longer. So he (James) made hasty movements towards the train, which was on the point of returning to town, and, coming up with the missing one, kept watch and ward, according to his professional and private instincts. When he arrived in the city , he took his man into custody, and entered him in the charge sheet as Richard H. Fitzgerald, accused of stealing £2. The funny part of it is that the man arrested was said not to be he who had laid the wager. In Court another bookie appeared, giving voluntary evidence that it was he, Peter Ainsworth by name, who had laid the odds to James. There was evi- j dence, however, supporting James’ allegations, ; and Fitzgerald was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment. Mr. S. Lyons appeared as legal defender of the accused, and endeavoured to press home the case of mistaken identity ; but not succeeding in impressing the magistrates favourably, he, gave notice of appeal. It was explained by Ainsworth, who expressed his willingness to settle the wager in full, that he had not left his post with the view of welshing, but simply to catch the train for Melbourne.— Spotting Standard. Saturday, March 28th, saw the finish of the remarkable billiard match between John Roberts,, jun. v. W. J. Peal, for £lOOO aside, ; the former conceeding the latter 12,000 out ofl 24,000. The conditions were to play a thousand in the afternoon and another in the evening, the match thus taking twelve days to ; complete. That Roberts failed did not surprise j those that really knew the stupendous task i that he had set himself Only once during the twelve days the match lasted was Roberts in front of the handicap, yet he played in marvellous fashion. On the eleventh afternoon the total of his points exceeded those of Peal’s by 1400. On the concluding day Roberts made in one effort 551, which though 138 short of. the best record, 690, and 33 less than the next in order, both Roberts’, is the third highest spot-barred break ever made, and, altogether, the champion scored seventy-eight; threefigured breaks 521, two over 400, five over, 300, and the remainder exceeding 200. Could Roberts have maintained the form he showed on the ninth and eleventh days, victory would have been his on easy terms ; but it was quite evident that to sustain the effort was too much even for the finest exponent of . billiards this or any other age has seen. Peal was never called upon to do anything extraordinary, and. while there were times when he scored; more rapidly than Roberts, and exhibited considerable ability, other periods of his play was of a very moderate kind.) Peal made 32 breaks of three figures, only two being over 200. Roberts’ break of 521 was made in forty-five minutes. Considering the spot-stroke was barred this is something wonderful. Peal eventually won by 2590 points.

Mr. R. G.' Pardy, the local handicapper for the Taranaki Jockey Club, is at present in town on a holiday, having come up to attend the late A.R.C. Winter meeting. Carbine and Megaphone are said to bo looking the picture of health after having gone through their course of physic. They will begin their preparation for the Spring events at once. “ Spectator ” writes: — “ Hazel and Tasmania are, I believe, likely to leave for Auckland during the present week, the former having finished her racing career, and she will when at Wellington Park probably be mated with Tasman.

Mr. J. C. Booth left for Sydney on Tuesday last, taking with him the ponies Hercules and Too Soon and the two-year-old Brown Bee?. Jack Thorpe also left by the same steamer with Forget-me-not, Cocoon, and the trotter Rambuster.

It appears that the V.R.C. Committee do not intend to do away with the stipendiary steward, as at their meeting held on June 2nd, they decided to invite applications up to June 30th for the post, which has been rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Harrie Smith. They also decided that in future all race, meetings, including the Melbourne Hunt Club fixture, on the Flemington race-course, must be held under the management of the V.R.Q. stewards and officials

The decision of the English Derby last week has brought the following little yarn to the mind of a gentleman in Hobart, who has kindly forwarded it to me : —Contemporaneous with Merry, who owned Macgregor, who started a hot favourite for the Derby, was a certain ironmaster, also rich, and also a James, whose surname was Baird. This Baird gave £250,000, more or less, to the Kirk, and one day soon after met Merry at a Glasgow hotel, and was greeted with —“ Weel, James, they say ye’ve given a quarter of a million tae to the Kirk.” “ Oh, ay,” replied Baird, “ that have I.” “ Weel, weel! But I’ll bet ye ye dinna ken the Lord’s prayer. I’ll bet ye a ‘ tenner. ” “ Done wi’ ye,” said Baird. “ Oh, Lord, have mercy on us ” “ Stop, man,” quoth Merry, “ here’s ye’r ‘ tenner. I didn’t think ye’d, ken it.” This story is told gleefully by the Baird family, even unto now, though I think it open to question whether they would take so much delight in it had their man been “ had.”— Sportsman. [This story has often, been told, but it took place before Macgregor’s year. If memory serves one right it occurred when Thormanby won the Derby.—Ed. A l ./?.]