Sporting Items

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 56, 20 August 1891, Page 7

Sporting Items

Berlin has constructed a mile trotting track on the American plan, /.<?., kite-shaped.

There are over one hundred trotting tracks in France. Kite-shaped courses are found to be more suitable for trotting than oval ones.

England produced one short of 3,000 thoroughbred foals last season —1,222 being colts and 1,777 fillies.

Ingorina. a brown horse, by Ingomar—-Hip-porina, 5 years, has gone into W. McMinamin’s stable.

The New Zealand Trotting Association has removed disqualification from all horses that were disqualified for taking part at unregistered meetings. We have been requested to call the attention of our readers to the fact that there appears a mistake in the date on which Venus Transit was bred. The New Zealand Stud Book gives it as 1870, whereas 1874 is the correct date. A reference to the pedigree of her dam, Peeress, will show this.

On reference to our advertising columns our readers will find the Auckland Racing Club’s first Spring meeting programme, comprising seven events, which takes piece on Saturday, the 19th September—the principal events being the September Handicap of 120 sovs. and a Handicap Steeplechase of 100 sovs. Since the programme was printed we have received instructions from the secretary, Mr. William Percival, to make the following alterations : — The Maiden Plate to be altered to Trial Stakes ; the Juvenile Plate to be for two-year-olds ; and the Hunters’ Welter Race for gentlemen riders.

A correspondent forwards the following pleasant chatty letter “ Sporting matters in Sydney at present are brisk, there being a race meeting two or three times a week and trotting and athletic meetings galore, but owing to the vile weather the attendances have been smaller than usual. It is an easy matter to back one’s fancy, as almost every other tobacconist runs a totalisator, on rather a different system to that in vogue in New Zealand—fifty percent, going to the winner, thirty to second and twenty to third—the placed horses generally paying bigger dividends than the winner. Each shop has its own printing plant, and issues weights, cards, total car is and result cards ; the law, which is very hard on the totalisator, being evaded in a barefaced manner, as the receiver of money is not to be found in the shop, but on the kerbstone opposite To give you some idea of the business done, I may tell you that one of the best known had investors on the Autumn Handicap, at Warwick Farm, at 1 os. each, besides two other races and a Sheffield Handicap the same day, all well filled. Things theatrical are brisker still—the Divine Sara having just finished a booming season at the Theatre Royal, and Brough and Boucicault’s Criterion is more than packed every night for the second season of “ Dr. Bill,” with Marie Kemble as leading lady. I think G. W. Anson’s performance in this piece the funniest and best low comedy acting I have seen for years. I hear the company starts on a New Zealand tour in about two months’ time, when you will have a real treat. J. L. Sullivan’s season was the biggest frost experienced in Sydney since the flood, the papers generally giving him credit for being the world’s worst actor. lam afraid MacMahon Bros, are not quite so sweet on their bargain as they were when they opened here. The other imported show of theirs — “ Evangeline ” —has done tremendous business, though it is a mixture of wild absurdity and utter nonsense, the chief draw being a lone fisherman and a fighting kangaroo, neither of which have anything whatever to do with the piece. Aucklanders swarm in Sydney streets, and to judge by appearances it seems that they are not all finding Sydney a paradise, though several really energetic ones I have met are doing far better than they ever hoped to do in Auckland.”

The Wanganui Racing Club propose holding a two days’ spring meeting instead of one. Scots Grey has been sold to a patron of Raynor’s stable in Melbourne for 750 guineas. They race ponies 12.2 and under in Victoria with 9st odd up over a mile course. One hundred and ninety-three meetings have been provided for in the list of racing fixtures by the Victoria Racing Club. Maud S. shows seconds in front of her nearest competitor for “The World’s Mile Trotting Record,” but quite a numerous company are crowding close to the queen’s heels. In our advertising columns it will be seen that the Onslow Trotting Club have fixed on the 10th October as the date of their first meeting, which will be held at Potter’s Paddock.

The Canterbury Jockey Club will give £5,080 as added money for their Spring meeting, being an increase of £195 over the last Spring meeting. Miss Russell, the dam of America’s famous trotting mare, Maud S., is now twenty-six years old and has produced nineteen foals. The dam of Princeps has given birth to twenty foals, and is well and hearty at the same age.

Ted Kelly keeps giving Cuirassier plenty of long half-pace work on the Caulfield racecourse. Wetrust this big son of Musket will be “ripe” in time for his spring engagements.

We learn that Mr. Donald Wallace has vyagered several thousands with Mr. Blackwood that Carbine will beat Vengeance in any part of the race for the great spring event. From Australian files we learn that Daye Munn is keeping his team — consisting of, Jupiter, The Peer, Kapo, and Montrose II — moving along ever since the V.R.O. Grand National Meeting. The other member of his team, Chemist, is still in “ queer-street.” We beg to call the attention of our readers to the Auckland Trotting Club’s programme,, which appears in our advertising columns for their spring meeting, which takes place at Potter’s Paddock, on Saturday, September 26.

They boast of a carniverous stallion in Dakota that eats five pounds of raw beef at a feed, and he is said to be able to maintain a harem of quite double the number of mares of, any of his brethren in consequence. We have been compelled to hold over a number of interesting items, including a letter from “ Lord William ” on Trotting and Pony races until our next issue, on account of want, of space. Now that the racing season is closed upon us, we shall be glad if communications reach us before noon every Tuesday, as in that case their publication would be ensured for the same week’s issue.

Says “Freelance”:—Marvel, the Sydney champion miler, who beat Carbine somewhat easily at weight-for-age in the All-Aged Stakes at Randwick last Autumn, is another horse who with Carbine out of the way, would have a strong body of followers eager to support him at weight-for-age, or probably to concede weight against any handicap horse in the Colonies.

From the Melbourne Sportsman just to hand Bungebah is still quoted favourite for the Caulfield Cup at 100 to 10, Megaphone 10Q to 6. Stromboli is favourite for the Derby at 4 to 1, Penance 8 to 1. For the Cup Carbine is 100 to 10, Vengeance 100 to 7, Malvolio 100 to 5, Correze and Melos 100 to 4. j

New Zealand owners should carefully note the following, which we take from the Melbourne Sportsman, asj telephone nominations, acceptances, etc., are not recognised here :—“ Coral, the wonderful pony steeplechaser, has returned to Adelaide. She unfortunately missed her nomination for the Caulfield Grand National' Steeplechase, owing to her owner taking liberties with our telephone system, and fancying that he could manage to enter Coral oy, means of this extraordinary instrument.” By exchanges to hand we learn that a commission has been executed in favour of Tirailleur for the Melbourne Cup and Stemchaser for the V.R.O. Derby, so that Mr. Gollan would appear to be showing his hand. Sternchaser is a bay colt by Nordenfeldt—Crinoline, and there is little doubt from all accounts but that he will shake up Stromboli and Co. when the question comes to be asked. , :

In the Hurdle Race at Caulfield at the latter end of July, Bismark seriously injured his fetlocks, and it is hardly likely that he will race again. * Nepean, by Chester —lolanthe, purchased at the late Hon. James White’s sale at Newmarket by Mr. D. Cooper for 350 guineas, has been relegated to the stud. In the course of a conversation with Mr. R. Duder, he informed us that Cuirassier is doing more work than any other horse in training in Victoria, and is going on remarkably well. Oudeis is at the stud somewhere up country in Victoria, and has developed into a perfect man-eater, and placards are posted on the fence warning persons not to go into the paddock where he is running. At Messrs. Yuille & Co.’s sale, which took place on the 3rd inst. at Melbourne, the N.Z. jumping horses Chemist, Kapo, Jupiter, Montrose U. and The Peer were entered for sale but were withdrawn. ■ Lochiel’s New South Wales subscription list for 1891 is already filled ; so is that of Mr. T. Morfin’s Hotchkiss,, by Musket—Petroleuse, for New Zealand. It is announced that Mr. P. Shillcock has sold his young. St. Bernard dog Sir Hereward to Mr. Heally Champion for £l2OO. This is the largest sum overpaid for a non-sporting dog in England. On Saturday the Ist inst. at Geelong the Nordenfeldt—-Steppe filly She carried Bst 91b to victory in front of some good sprinters, including Sadim, in an easy manner. She and nine others belonging to Mr. W. R. Wilson are eiigaged in the Caulfield Guineas. I Sweetheart was the first two-year-old to trot tfee' mile under 2.30, and great as was her performance. in 1880., it is a. common one now Electioneer alone has sired ten two-year-olds that have lowered 2.30. Wildflower has held ' z the.'^wo-year-old record for seven years, which stands at 2.21. “ Ourown ” from New Plymouth informs us that the, pony Fryingpan was brought up to Auckland the other day, and he thinks she will win a race in, moderate company. The same authority also tells us that Cap-a-pie passed through there the other day on his way back f to Auckland. Owing to the resignation of Mr. R. S. Wakley, who is absent in England, and the appointment of Mr. F. F. Dakin (his deputy) tb the position of handicapper For the V.R.C., the judgeship l of that Club has become vacant. Applications for the vacant position will be received up till the 29th inst. James Cotton, the New Zealand jockey, got an ugly fall while schooling Egyptian over some fences lately at Flemington. The horse is said to have very little idea of jumping, and will have to improve greatly before he can win a Steeplechase. Dunkeld is said to have developed a couple , of very big fetlock joints, and his racing days appear to be over. At Messrs. Yuille’s sale on Tuesday the 28th July, he failed to find a purchaser at 100 guineas. He ought to have been a bargain at that figure for stud purposes, even remembering that he is a fearful savage. The stewards of the Newmarket Jockey Club have again Refused licenses to Alfred White, Thomas Loates, Samuel Loates, and Joseph Calder. They have also warned Samuel Loates off the racecourse and Heath at Newmarket, and all other premises under their control. Last week we were favoured with a visit from Mr. Carter, the secretary of the South Auckland Racing Club, who informs us that the date of their meeting is not yet decided upon, but most probably it will be about the middle of January. Mr. Jas. Macalister, the Whatawhata club’s secretary, also called, but their date is not fixed either. There is one thing the Auckland Racing Club would do well to copy from their Southern colleagues, and that is by having a largely printed list of rules posted in a conspicuous place or places, for the guidance of trainers, jockeys, club officials, and others whose avocations call them to the course, We feel certain this want has. only to be brought before the Committee to have the requirement supplied.