Foreign Items.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 150, 8 June 1893, Page 6

Foreign Items.

The Epsom Spring Meeting commenced on May 11, when Carbinier walked over for the Trial Stakes. This horse is a son of Petronel, who won the Two Thousand Guineas of 1880, and Petronel was one of the good horses sired by Musket before he left England for the Colonies. There were 9 runners for the long-distance Great Metropolitan Stakes, which in old time used .to have a lot of popularity, but which has rapidly declined in the scale. These 9 starters comprised three of last season’s field in White Feather, Colorado, and Madame Neruda 11., of whom Colorado and Madame Neruda 11. finished first and second respectively in the same race last year. On this occasion Madame Neruda 11. showed that she had materially improved by winning by a head from Seaton Delaval, Colorado not gaining a situation. Madame Neruda 11. is by Fiddler out of Alucha, and her sire won the same race in 1892. Following on this event came the Great Surrey Handicap of soosovs, five furlongs, in which the New Zealand-bred Day Dream, by Albany—Siesta, was only beaten a head by Floss. She was giving 61b to the winner.

King Charles won the City and Suburban Handicap at the Epsom Spring Meeting when running in a hood and blinkers. The extent and importance of the nominations made void under English Jockey Club’s rules by the death of Mr “ Abington ” Baird may be judged by the fact that the list of horses whose nominations are thus rendered void makes a column and a half of small type in the leading English sporting journals. The brood mare Jamaica, who will ever remain on the scroll of fame as the dam of Foxhall, died in March at the Woodburn stud in Kentucky. A daughter of Lexington and Fanny Ludlow by imported Eclipse, she was foaled in 1871 and produced her first foal in 1878, which was the redoubtable Foxhall, winner of the Grand Prix, Cesarewitch, and Cambridgeshire in 1881. Jamaica was apparently satisfied with having given to the turf world one Foxhall, for none of her other produce could rank as racehorses. Potosi was probably the only other of her sons and daughters who could claim any pretensions to being a racehorse, and he was only able to land a few selling races in England. King Charles, who won the City and Suburban Handicap, started at the remunerative price of 33 to 1 agst, and even with the astute Taylor behind him it is said that his stable connections allowed him to run almost unbacked. He got home by a head only from Baron de Hirsch’s Windgall, who was carrying 8.9 to King Charles’ 6.6. Windgall was favourite at 4 to 1. Colonel North’s Lady Hermit, who ran third in last year’s Oaks, carried 7.3 into third place, and among the 11 behind her was The Smew, who occupied second place in last year’s Oaks. Mr D. Cooper, the Australian sportsman, won the Epsom Spring Cup of 245 sovs. on April 12th with his three-year-old colt Belted Earl, by Lowland Chief— Belimperia. A raised granite slab has been placed on the spot where Captain “ Bay” Middleton received his fatal fall while contesting in the Midland Sportsmen’s Point-to-point Race, held near Kineton (England) on April 9th last year. The slab bears the following inscription : — “ W.G.M., April 9th, 1892. In memory of Captain W. G. Middleton, who was killed on this spot when riding in the Midland Sportsmen’s Point -to - Point Races.”

Mr E. P. Wilson, the famous English amateur rider, having been reported by the stewards of the Kempton Park March Meeting to the stewards of the National Hunt to explain the running of Hugger Mugger, ridden by him in the Selling National Hunt Flat Race at Hurst Park February Meeting, the case was investigated, and although Mr Wilson’s riding was considered to be open to grave sus-

picion, his explanation was accepted. At the same time, as the attention of the stewards had been directed to the fact that Mr Wilson had admitted in a recent action at law that he was a trainer, he was informed that he would not in future be entitled to ride as a farmer, under the qualification provided by Rule 97. A decision has been given by the stewards of the English Jockey Club bearing on late entries, by which it is indicated that a horse entered for a race after the advertised time of closing cannot be considered a starter even though he may run in that race. The question arose from the running of a horse called Yarm, who won a selling race at Leicester. A protest was entered on the ground that the entry had not been received in time, and the stewards upheld the objection, and awarded the race to the second horse (Fox). On an appeal the stewards of the leading authority supported the action taken, and also fined the responsible parties in connection with the Leicester course £5O for accepting the entry after time, and having it printed on the race card. All bets in connection with Yarm were, of course, void. The Bulletin Official, which corresponds in France to the English Racing Calender in England, has published a full list of the thoroughbreds foaled there last year, and the total is 1287, the stallions which are most numerously represented in the list being Peregrine (winner of the Two Thousand of 1881) with 34 and Vernet, by Kingcraft, has 30. Grandmaster, another son of Kingcraft, has 30 ; Vignemale 24, and Claymore, who formerly belonged to Lord Howe and was imported into France by Mons Menier, 22. Other English sires, such as Bay Archer with 21, Bruce with 18, Border Minstrel and The Bard with 14 appear in a prominent place, but it is curious to note that while Fra Angelico and Chene Royal were doing so well, their respective sires, Perplexe and Narcisse had only three or four foals between them. Very few French mares have been sent over to England, as the only foals by sires in that country were three each by Bendigo and Minting, two by Barcaldine and one by Enterprise. According to an Indian paper it is not the totalisator, but the bookmaker that is declared to be the objectionable feature of racing in some parts of India. This is a new phase of the matter, and is thus referred to by the writer:—“The lot of the ‘ bookie ’ in India is not a happy one at this moment. Indeed, his calling and vocation is likely soon to be a thing of the past. Some turf scandals have recently cropped up, as they always do, more or less, and the bookie is denounced as the fous et origo of all the trouble. Consequently, at a meeting of the stewards of the Lucknow Spring races strong protests were made against allowing bookies on up-country racecourses. Lord William Beresford is said to be adverse to them. The matter is not finally settled yet, the whole thing being referred to the Calcutta Turf Club. Many prefer the old lottery system, dear to the old Anglo-Indian sportsmen. Officers wagered then with each other and Civil Servants, and the money only went from one soldier’s or official’s bank balance to another’s. It didn't leave the services, or help to keep outsiders.” The Duke, however, was not bo lucky in the Epsom Grand Prize, in which his representative Raeburn was second to Tanderage, by Morgan —Balornock. Mr Douglas Baird ran third with Harbinger. Mr ‘ Abington ’ Baird’s will is said to be in strict accordance with the family principle, which has always been that not a shilling should be diverted away to strangers, but that a member of it who leaves no issue should so bequeath his fortune that it ultimately goes back to his relations. This has always been the Baird system, and “ Mr Abington ” profited largely by it. A cursory examination of Mr Baird’s papers has led to startling results. The number of people (of all stations and of both sexes) who borrowed money from him or tried to borrow money is simply fabulous, and he seems, as a rule, to have responded generously to the applications with which he was beset. A list of Mr Baird’s debtors, with their respective am junta, would be a truly sensational revelation. His Scotch estates were disentailed a short time ago, so they will be held under the trusts of his will.

The Duke of Portland’s luck again stuck to him in the Oaks, Mrs Butterwick, who is by his sire St. Simon out of Miss Middlewick, winning from Treasure, who carried Lord Roseberry’s colours into third place in the One Thousand Guineas.

Dollery, the Alresford jockey, who rode Cloister to victory in the Grand National, was once a shepherd boy (writes an English exchange). He was in the employ of Mr W. Higgens, of Cheriton, Alresford, Hants, at Clanfield, which is about twelve miles from Bishop’s-Sutton. Mr Higgens says, ‘ Bill hated the sheep, and begged me to take him into the stable.’ The first horse Dollery learnt to ride on was Abelard, and the first winning mount he had was on King Stephen at Chandler’s Ford, where he beat Topsy bv a head in the Selling Hurdle Race. After that he rode Stuanite for Captain Fisher and Mr Higgens, ahd won on her both at Chandler’s Ford’and at Lewes. Then, as Mr Higgens puts it, “ farming gave him up.” Mr Arthur Yates took Dollery, and since then the Cloister jockey has never looked back. We are pleased to hear that Bill Dollery is a real good son to his parents.