VICTORIA RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 85, 10 March 1892, Page 6

VICTORIA RACING CLUB.

The second day’s racing of the V.R.C. Meeting, with the exception of the Australian Cup, was not of much interest. Strathmore was made a great favourite for the Cup, starting at the odds of sto 4 on him. He ran a good colt, but at the finish was easily beaten by Highborn, who was a known stayer and a good performer, therefore it is rather astonishing that he was allowed to start at the remunerative price of 10 to 1. Forty Winks was heavily backed by his party at the finish, starting second favourite, and finishing third. Mr. J. B. Clarke was as usual to the front with his two-year olds, and at the price he paid for all the Hon. J. White’s, which he took in a lot, is likely to turn out a remunerative purchase. Sultan appears to have taken kindly to the illegitimate game, as he won the Hurdle Race with i2St 31b up. The Workman has evidently improved by his trip to the Australian colonies, as his running in the Bourke Handicap with Stromboli, who was only giving him 81b, while on the other hand he was conceding The Seine 141 b, three heads only separating them. This is vastly superior form to any he has shown on the Ellerslie course. It is reported that Gough, the rider of Highborn, was called before the stewards to explain the running in the Essendon Stakes, when he said Freedom seriously interfered with him at a critical part of the race. The stewards, considering the explanation satisfactory, Burns, the rider of Freedom, was cautioned. It is also said that Mr. Wilson was dissatisfied with Cusden’s riding of Strathmore in the Cup. This is not at all to be wondered at, as few men, never mind how rich they may be, are good losers, and the unfortunate jockey generally comes in for the blame, but one will know more about it when the Australian files are to hand.

The racing commenced with the Maiden Plate, one mile and a-quarter. Arquebus, by Martini-Henri —Acme, won easily by two lengths from Attains, Silver Knight being a wretched third. Three others started. Betting : Even on Attains, 3 to 1 Thought, 5 to 1 Arquebus. The Sires Produce Stakes only produced three runners. Autonomy, by Chester—Aveline, with odds on him, won by half a length from Azim and The Captain. The Hurdle Race produced nine runners. Sultan, i2St 31b, 1 ; Wairua, gst i2lb, 2 ; Prosperity, lost ilb, 3. Betting: 3to 1 Fire King, 4to 1 Wairua, 7 to 1 Sultan. Sultan won by three-quarters of a length, Prosperity a bad third

The Australian Cup, of 25SOVS each, with i,soosovs added; two miles and a-quarter. Highborn, gst 41b, 1 ; Strathmore, Bst lolb, 2 : Forty Winks, 751 gib, 3. Megaphone, gst sib ; Freedom, gst 21b; Tirailleur, gst ilb; Oxide, Bst 41b ; Portsea, Bst 31b ; Singapore, yst 71b ; Swordbearer, 7s! sib ; Ronald, 7st; Dramatist, 6st 131 b, and Little Maid, 6st ylb, also ran.

Betting : 5 to 4 on Strathmore, 8 to 1 Forty Winks, 10 to Highborn'and Tirailleur, 12 to 1 Swordbearer. 20 to 1 Dramatist, Oxide, Portsea, Freedom, Little Maid, and 50 to 1 Singapore and Ronald. At the fall of the flag Forty Winks was first away, followed by Dramatist, Megaphone, Oxide, Swordbearer, and Ronald, Freedom acting as whipper-in. The leader was soon pulled back about sixth, and at the abattoirs Dramatist led. Passing the stand Oxide ran up to him, the two racing together, Strathmore being fourth and Forty Winks fifth ; Highborn close up ; Freedom still last. By the riverside, turning out of the straight, Strathmore got into a scrimmage, and passing the mile and a-quarter post fell back, but just before the abattiors was reached he made up some of his lost ground. Along the back stretch Dramatist and Oxide still led, Megaphone, Forty Winks, Tirailleur, Swordbearer, and Strathmore following in that order. At the scraping sheds Strathmore was third. Highborn and Freedom then began to come. At the home turn Dramatist was done with, Oxide leading into the straight, with Forty Winks, Strathmore, and Freedom next. Soon after Freedom made his effort, and died away. Strathmore then went to the front, leading by two lengths. About a furlong and a-half from home Highborn came, and settling the favourite in a few strides came away winning easily by two lengths and a-half, Forty Winks a good third. Freedom fourth, Megaphone fifth, Portsea sixth, and Tirailleur seventh. Time, 4mm Twenty-two horses started for the Junior Handicap, five furlongs. Birinji, Bst 71b, winning easily by a length; Fronde, Bst lolb, 2; and Mascara, 7 st lolb, 3. Betting: 2to 1 Uric, 5 to 1 Happy Jack, 7 to 1 Birinji. Twenty-five faced the starter for the Bourke Handicap; seven furlongs. Stromboli, Bst jolb, 1 ; The Seine, 7st 21b, 2 : The Workman, Bst 21b, 3. A head between each of them. Betting: 4 to 1 Stromboli, 6 to 1 Harbour Light, 12 to 1 The Workman.

On the third day the only race of interest to those away from Flemington was the Champion Stakes, Mr. Wilson’s pair, Strathmore and Zalinski. finishing first and second, Highborn being third. The time was slow. However, it shows that the interference Strathmore met with in the Cup must have been of a serious nature. It is also worthy of notice that Cusden had the mount on neither of them, W. McGowan riding the winner, and Lewis the second; but the accounts to hand are more meagre than usual. Satyr appears to have been in a good humour, as he landed the Hurdle Race pretty easily from Kimberly, another New Zealander. Florrie proved herself a smart mare by appropriating the Free Handicap from a field of eighteen with a good weight up. The Second Hurdle Race brought out a field of twelve. Satyr, 11st 21b, 1; Kimberly, 11st rib, 2 ; Wairua, lost rib, 3. Betting: 3to 1 Wairua, 9 to 2 Sultan, 5 to 1 Satyr. Won easily by a length. The Nursery Handicap ; seven furlongs, produced fifteen starters, Autonomy, gst 71b, winning by a length from Palo Alto, 7St i2lb; Insomnia, Bst 61b, 3. Betting: sto 1 Ducrow, 4 to i Autonomy, 10 to 1 Palo Alto. For the Autumn Handicap, one mile five furlongs, sixteen started. Forty Winks, 7St nib, 1 • Portsea, Bst 31b, 2; Annesley, Bst 41b, 3. Betting: 7 to 4 Forty Winks, 4 to 1 Oxide, 10 to 1 Portsea. Won by a neck, a head between second and third.

The Champion Stakes of 25SOVS each, with 2ooosovs added ; three miles. Strathmore, 7st 121 b, 1 ; Zalinski, 7st i2lb, 2; Highborn, gst, 3. Megaphone, Freedom and Stromboli also ran. Betting: Even on Strathmore, 3 to 1 Highborn, 8 to 1 against any of the others. The favourite won easily ; three lengths between second and third, Stromboli fourth. Freedom sixth, and Megaphone last. Time, 6min 53sec. The Special Juvenile Stakes, weight for age, brought out three runners. The Captain, 7St 7Tb, and 141 b penalty, won by a length. Fallon tailed off. There were nineteen runners for the Free Handicap of gsovs each, with 400S0VS added ; one mile and a-quarter. Florrie, Bst jib, 1 ; Sportsman, Bst rib, 2; Penance, 7St 11 lb, 3. Betting : 3 to 1 Pygmalion, 5 to 1 The Seine and Reprisal, 6 to 1 Penance, 10 to 1 Florrie.

Won easily by a length and a-half. Cusden rode the winner.

The last day of the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting was full of interest, especially to New Zealanders, as horses bred in this colony had a regular field-day. Strathmore and Zalinski proved themselves by far the best three-year olds of the season, beating Bungebah and some crack two-year olds for the All Aged Stakes, one mile, while the latter, at only a difference of 51b, beat Highborn for the Loch Plate, one mile and three-quarters. The running ot Highborn at this meeting has been of a very in and out character. In the Essendon Stakes he was only third to Zalinski, while in the Australian Cup he beat Strathmore easily at a difference of gib, while in the Loch Plate Zalinski beat him at a difference of only sib. This will give the readers of book form a puzzle for the next Melbourne Cup. Either Zalinski is a wonderful colt, or Highborn is a horse difficult to train and catch fit, or that he has been running “curious,” the problem I leave to my readers to solve. Major George paid the expenses of his trip to Australia, and should have a profit in hand. Reprisal winning the Placed Handicap, miles, beating a good field, is more than one can understand. He was always looked upon as a pretty smart horse over a sprint course, but no one who had seen him run over the Ellerslie course would ever have given him the credit of getting this distance in an Australian field of horses. The air must have done him a great deal of good. The Workman has also wonderfully improved, and by his running, especially in the Farewell Handicap, has proved that he can beat a good field with none the best of the weights. He was always considered a good colt when fit, but he was continually amiss, and pulled out for races when he should have been in his stable. He must be a wonderfully game colt, with a good constitution. Freeman ran well in the Steeplechase, but he was too heavily handicapped, being asked to give another New Zealand horse, Jack’s the Lad, 281 b. The Australian handicappers appear to have a great dread of New Zealand horses, especially the jumpers, as they take care of them the first time of asking. The time given for some of the races take a great deal of believing, so I have left them out until authentic files are to hand. The All Aged Stakes brought out a field of eight. Strathmore, Bst 61b, 1 ; Bungebah, Bst io]b, 2 ; the Captain, 6st 61b, 3. Titan, Azim, Camoola, Donation, and Lady Edda were the other runners. Betting : 2to 1 Strathmore and Camoola, 3to 1 Bungebah. The winner waited until entering the straight, when he came away and won easily by a length ; a bad third.

Urith won the Unplaced Two-year Old Stakes, five and a-half furlongs, easily by three and a-half lengths from Premier and Willyama, six others being behind them. The Placed Handicap, one mile and a-half, brought out twelve runners. Reprisal, 7st 41b, winning by a length from La Tosca, 7St 81b ; Norbert 7st 61b, third. Betting : sto 2 Portsea, 4 to 1 Annesley, 5 to 1 Yarran, 6 to 1 Forty Winks, 8 to 1 Reprisal. The Steeplechase brought out the good field of fourteen, and was won by Jack’s the Lad, lost 31b; Shanks, 11st lolb, 2; Freeman, i2st 21b, 3. Betting: 7 to 2 Freeman, 4 to 1 Sir Wilfred, 10 to 1 Jack’s the Lad, Egyptian led to the last fence, when he fell, Jack’s the Lad winning easily by ten lengths; half that distance between second and third.

Only three started for the Loch Plate. Zalinski, Bst 71b, 1; Highborn, Bst i2lb, 2; Titan, gst gib, .3. Betting : 6t04 on Zalinski, 6 to 4 Highborn, 10 to 1 Titan. Won by three-quarters of a length : fifteen lengths between second and third.

The Farewell Handicap resulted in a good race. Sixteen horses started for it. The Workman, Bst 1 lb, winning by half a length from Harbour Light, 7st 31b, who was the same distance from Fortunatus, 7st rolb. Betting: 3 to 1 Pygmalion, 5 to 1 Fortunatus, 8 to 1 The Workman, on whom Cusden rode a splendid race.

Bob Wright, the well-known cross-country-jockey, left for Sydney last night, where he intends to reside permanently if he can get into a good stable. On a previous occasion he worked Marvel for over two years.