MELBOURNE TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 175, 30 November 1893, Page 9

MELBOURNE TOPICS.

("FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT."]

With the V.R.O. Spring Meeting a thing of the past, there will be a lull in racing matters in Victoria for some time to come. Until the public recover the shock they have had I am afraid the suburban meetings will suffer considerably. What a great colt Carnage is ! In the Spring Stakes he entered the straight absolutely last, and appeared to have no chance ; but the way he cut them down was a treat to see. Patron, who finished second, is a gentleman. Later in the day he won the Canterbury Plate, Loyalty running second. Mr S H. Gollan seems to have no luck. With such good ones as he has got he should have had a say in some of the big things. Percy Martin doesn’t seem to have the knack of getting them well— too fond of sending them along on the track. Forinstance, Sternchaser after a severe gruelling in the Cup, was given six mile work next morning, and that in face of being engaged to run on the following day. After Bessie MacCarthy’s defeat in the Oaks by The Dauphine, Mr Gollan dispensed with White’s services, so you will probably see the latter back in N.Z. Launceston ran a great race in the V.R.C. Handicap, finishing third behind Donation and Portsea in 3.3, and not half a length between the three.

The sensational Jeweller won the Williamstown Cup from Newman after being dealt with pretty severely at the back of the course by some of the runners. This horse should have won the Melbourne Cup In the Steeplechase at Flemington out of ten starters nine fell, the only one to stand up being the winner, Schoolboy, who started at ten to one. Dolphin, who was placed third, was remounted by a bystander, who caused much merriment by the efforts he made to- hang on. He managed to do so until after passing the judge’s box, when he lost ids balance and fell off.

The Champion International .Imateur Athletic Meeting being held on Oaks and Steeplechase days, naturally suffered in the matter of attendance. Great interest was, however, taken in the results. Of the New Zealanders, Tim O’Connor and Watson alone upheld the prestige of the colony, the latter winning the 440yds hurdles championship by 2yds from McCrae (N.S.W.) in 61 1-sth secs, and beating the world’s amateur record of 61 2-sth sec, obtained by H. W. Batger of N.Z.

N.S.W. on the whole of the meeting comes out on top with 7 points. Victoria has 5 points, and N.Z. 3 points.