Turf Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 220, 11 October 1894, Page 6

Turf Topics.

By

Reviewer.

The Possible and Ruenalf reads a decidedly promising Caulfied and Melbourne double.

Several of the mares booked to visit Cap-a-pie, whose death was announced recently, have gone to Boulanger and Wapiti. After Bruin had won the Bohemian Handicap, one mile, easily in imin 4<j.fsec on September 29th, he was backed pretty freely for the.Caulfield Cup.

I regret to learn that the Goldsborough mare Frailty produced a dead foal to St. Leger on Tuesday last. The fact that the youngster was a colt increases the misfortune which has overtaken the Wellington Park studmaster.

Adam Byers returned from Napier by the “ Te Anau ” on Tuesday. St. Kilda was left behind by his trainer to fulfil Gisborne engagaments. Yattenfeldt and Forme also returned by the “ Te Anau,” and French with Doris arrived on Saturday last.

The programme for the Summer meeting of the South Auckland Racing Club, to be held on the Claudelands Racecourse, on December 29th, carries 165 sovs in stake money. The leading item on the card is the Waikato Handicap of 40 sovs, one mile and a quarter.

At an adjourned meeting of the Wairarapa Hunt Club the annual subscription for hunting members was reduced to/i. Mr G. Tully was re-elected master, Messrs. Chas. Vallance and F. Pearce were appointed deputy masters, Mr N. Grace treasurer, and Mr. W. McKenzie secretary. Betting on the New Zealand Cup has been limited this week, Lottie being the only line taken to any extent. Mr Cruickshank states that the horses most enquired for have been Au Revoir and Royal Rose 8 to 1 ; Skirmisher, Lottie and Saracen 10 to 1 ; and Three Star, Prime Warden, Pegasus and Impulse 12 to 1. Horseowners may be reminded that nominations for the Dunedin Cup, Publicans’ Handicap, Jockey Club Handicap, Forbury Handicap and Marshall Memorial Stakes to be decided at the D.J.C. Autumn meeting close at 10 pm. on Saturday, October 27th. Particulars will be found in the business columns of the Review.

Several of the entries for the Wairarapa Hack Guineas do not give the name or breeding of the animals engaged, and at a recent meeting of the Taratahi—Carterton Racing Club stewards it was decided that all owners who had not given proper descriptions of their nominations be written to. Unless the particulars required are furnished by Ist November next their entries will be struck out.

The owner of Ruenalf, the winner of the Spring Handicap run at Tattersail’s Spring Meeting on September 29th had £1 750 to nothing laid against him by the holder of the horse in the Sydney sweep. In the race alluded to Royal Rose finished fourth, the mile and a quarter being covered comfortably by Ruenalf in 2min lojsec. The Sydney correspondent of the Sportsman stated prior to the race that the stable had laid half the sweep about the King Cole horse, so it is evident he was pushed for a win.

Handicaps in connection with the Gisborne Racing Club’s Spring Meeting, to be held on November 9th, are due this day week. Mr Evett’s handicaps for the Prince of Wales Handicap and Handicap Hurdle Race, to be run on the opening day of the A.R.C. Second Spring Meeting, appear elsewhere. The Victorian Spring Racing Campaign wiff commence at Caulfield on Saturday next with the first day’s card of the V.A.T.C. The principal event is the Caulfield Guineas of 65OSOVS, one mile, which closed with 68 subscriptions. On the following Saturday (20th inst.) the Caulfield Cup will be decided to the disgust of the great majority of double punters. “Mazeppa” writes in no uncertain strain re Royal Rose’s New Zealand Cup prospects. My contemporary remarks :— “ Royal Rose’s 71b penalty prevents me from fancying him much, and, further, though backers have supported him readily this week, he may not at the finish be the elect of the stable.” The Southern writer is not a mile off in writing the foregoing. The five-year-old Trenton horse, Ronda, was heavily backed for the A.J.C. Epsom Handicap, and the indifferent show made by him was, his trainer thinks, due to his feet troubling him when running barefooted. Ronda is a martyr to tender feet, and should the affection that troubled him at Sydney disappear by Melbourne Cup time I fancy he will run a forward horse in that great event in which he has J. 12 to carry. The late Mr Martin Loughlin was a strong opponent to the practice of buying yearling stock. His idea was that no man can judge the merits of a horse at yearling age, and right through his turf career there is only one record of a purchase made by him at a sale of youngsters. He preferred to wait until a horse had shown some substance and then obtain him regardless of cost. Such a policy is very much open to question, and from a breeder’s point of view most reprehensible Mr A. Austin is to be congratulated on his Eurchase of Pleasanton, the grandly-bred Elector orse that Mr Lopez imported from the States. Thig 2.29 J trotter has breeding lines that should gain for nim marked attention from breeders. He is as nice a stamp of a trotter as one would wish to see, and if blood and performances go for anything he will quickly .leave an appreciable mark on the trotting tracks of this country. Pleasanton is the pick of the excellent basket of good things brought from the U.S.A. The following acceptances were received for the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s Spring Meeting : Spring Handicap of 100 sovs, i| mile.—St. Hilda 10.9, Mahaki 8.7, Lord Raven 7.12, Royal 7.0. Hurdle Race of 55 sovs, if miles.—Dainty 11.0, Disturbance 10.11, New Year 10.10, Worth 10.7, Whakawea 9.7, Glenora 9.0, Eeauly 9.0. Flying Handicap of 50 sovs, 6 furlongs —St. Kilda 10.12, Mahaki 8.7, Poinsettia 7.13, Samoa 7.4, Cocheco 7.4, Royal 7.2, The Sharper 6.9. The nominations received for the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s annual race meeting number 81. Last year the entries totalled 101. The Members’ Hurdle Race and the Pony Handicap show a decrease each of five nominations as compared with the 1893 figures ; there are three entries less in the Open Flying, Open Hurdles, Tally-ho Steeplechase, and Bracelet; the Hunt Club Cup main is the same as last year, viz., 7; and the solitary increase occurs in connection with the Open Handicap, which has attracted two more entries than was the case last year.

A wager of £lOOO to was taken in Melbourne last week about Camage’s Cup chance, so that the St. Albans crack has not been displaced very much in someone’s esteem by the Sydney running. Fit and well he should run a big race in the Flemington five thousand pounder; but as the Australasian writer hath it:—“ Given both well on the day he will find the task of conceding’ 231 b to a horse like Ruenalf a heartbreaking undertaking.” And probably a record breaking affair also. Commenting upon the indifferent display made by Bonnie Scotk.id in the A.J.C. Biennial Stakes “ Terlinga ” expresses his belief that Mr Gollan’s colt did not show anything approaching true form in Nobleman’s race. In endeavouring to account for the great reversal of form shown by Bonnie Scotland in the Stakes as compared with his Derby victory, the writer quoted remarks that perhaps running a severe race (the Derby) when rot sufficiently fit to stand such a strain took all the steel out of the colt, and rendered him unfit to show to advantage in the Stakes. That race was , run after a heavy shower of rain, which made the ground rather greasy, and the fact that Bonnie Scotland had a bad slip when making his preliir’nary, coupled with the state of the turf, might explain the apparently extraordinary conmade by the running of Loyalty’s brother. The V.R.C. Spring Meeting will give him a chance of retrieving his character. The results of the Napier Park meeting are as under; —First day : Trial Hurdles, ij miles— Hopeful 1, The Barbarian 2, Austral 3. Time, 3mm isec. Dividend, £2 19s. Criterion Stakes Handicap, 1 mile —Focus I, Prairie Grass 2, Goosander 3. Time, imin 48 4-sth sec. Dividend, /’24125. Park Stakes Handicap, l| miles —Golden Plover 1, Westmer e2, Purepo 3. Time, 2tnin Issec. Dividend, /q. Sapling Stakes— Handicap, 4 furlongs—Orion’s Belt 1, Wikitoria 2, Film 3. Time, 54 2-sth sec. Dividend, £2 15s. Handicap Hurdle Race, 2 miles —Melinite 1, T Rose 2, Roscius 3. Time, 4mm 6 i-sth sec. /216 s. Railway Handicap, 6 furlongs—Mahaki 1, The Shrew 2, Orion 3. Time, imin 18 2-SHI sec. . Dividend, £2 2s. Ahuriri Handicap, once round—Prairie Glass 1, Prince Charlie 2, Spinfeldt 3. Time, 2min. Dividend, £2 9s. Second Day : Second Hurdles, one and a half miles — Hopeful 1, Barbarian 2, Jewel 3. Time, 2.59 3-5. Dividend, /3 1. Caledonian Handicap of 30 sovs, 6 furlongs—North Atlantic 1, Poinsettia 2, Aphony 3. Time, 1.22 3-5. Dividend, £2. Racing Club Handicap, 1 mile and a distance—'Golden Plover I, Mahaki 2, Leontine 3. Dividend, £8 4s. Telephone Handicap — Prince Charlie 1, Spinfeldt 2, Jewel 3. Time, 1.50. Dividend, £2 2s. Second Hurdles—Melinite 1, T. Rose 2, Dainty 3. Time, 3.37 3-5. Dividend, £2 19s. Juvenile Handicap—Film I, Wikitoria 2, Combermere 3. Time, 5.6 1-5. Dividend, /4 4s. Grandstand Handicap — Mahaki 1, Princess May 2, Scot. Free 3. Time, 1.33 1-5. Dividend, £2 4. Owing to our report not coming to hand in time we have been compelled to hold it over until next issue.

Little Bernie has been leased to a Queensland owner for breeding purposes.

Pegasus, Rangipuhi and Impulse have arrived at Christchurch and are in work at Riccarton.

The sale of privileges in connection with the Pakuranga Hunt Club’s Meeting will take place at noon to-morrow (Friday) at Brunswick Mart. The Leolinus mare, Leorina, and Cobweb (by Ingomar—Titania) have both foaled colts to Blairgowrie, whom they revisit.

The owner of Pearl 11. is not enamoured of the 9.2 awarded the mare in the Pakuranga Pony event. She was struck out of the race yesterday afternoon.

The fact that/’ioo to/j was on offer this week down Wellington way against Pinrose’s N.Z. Cup chance does not look as though the Hiko — Primrose gelding’s prospects are very promising. Mr S. Rawnsley is meeting with great success with Leolantis, several mares, clean an 1 half bred, having already been booked to the son of Leolinus and Atlantis.

With 7.10 up, half a stone over his Caulfield Cup weight, Miraculeux easily won the mile and a quarter race at the Melbourne Hunt Club meeting on Saturday last.

In the opinion of “ Caller Ou,” the Napier turf writer, Nixie is the pick of the Hawke’s Bay N.Z. Cup candidates. If that is so the Hawke’s Bay province cannot have a very brilliant chance of providing the winner of the big Christchurch race.

The cable informs us that Mr Dan O’Brien left Launceston and Response at Randwick, only taking Loyalty, Philson and Bob Ray with him to Flemington. This makes/Loyalty’s Caulfield Cup mission quite plain.

Mr W. Percival intimates that the following scratchings have been lodged :—Auckland Cup and A.R.C. Handicap : Needlegun. A.R.C. Guineas: Needlegun, The Shrew, Tartan and Planet.

The handicapping in connection with the Pakuranga Hunt Club Cup has been received with marked disfavour in certain quarters. Molly Hawk’s owner thinks that as Molly Hawk’s best performance consists of a second place gained three year’s ago at the Rangitikei Hunt Club meeting, the horse has been rather harshly treated.

A wire received from the Wellington correspondent of the Review states there is a rumour abroad in this city that a popular Southern pick for the New Zealand Cup has gone wrong, “ But (runs the message) the stable alluded to has another representative to fall back upon.’’ Au Revoir and I iberator are in one stable, and so are Saracen, Prime Warden and Lady Zetland. Malvolio, who is coming into some attention now in connection with the Melbourne Cup, was taken to Sandringham, one of the seaside Melbourne .suburbs, last week for a change. The Melbourne Cup winner of 1893 has been suffering from an ulcerated jaw, and his owner, Mr Redfearn, considered that the change of training quarters might have a beneficial effect upon the big black. The victory scored by Nightingate in the Waverley Handicap, run on the last day of the A.J.C gathering rendered the Somnus mare liable to re-handicapping in connection with the Melbourne Cup. The V.R.C. handicapper after reviewing her weight has, however, decided not to penalise her. In the race in question Nightingale with 8.4 in the saddle only beat The Trier and Royal Rose after a very hard fight in a 3.7 J run mile and three-quarters, so that the action of Mr Dakin in letting her Melbourne Cup impost remain at 7.13 can hardly be disagreed with.

The Adelaide bookmakers have been advised that the Government cannot prohibit the calling of totalisator odds, so at a recent meeting the ringmen openly announced their willingness to wager at machine prices. There will be trouble in South Australia before long if the bookmakers run their heads against the Government in the manner indicated. The layers are assured by their lawyer that as long as they issue a betting ticket specially drawn up by him the Government is powerless to prevent the offering of totalisator odds. I am curious to see one of the tickets alluded to, a sample of which should be of interest to local pencillers. Ruenalf, who owes his name to the idiotic practice of naming youngsters after the titles of their sires spelt backwards, comes over the water as a strong Melbourne Cup fancy. A damaged shoulder makes it doubtful whether he will stand the winding up Cup gallops, and the kick given him by Royal Rose on September 29th may affect him unfavourably. The King Cole colt showed temper at the post on the date named when the field was brought together for the Spring Handicap run at Tattersail’s Spring Meeting, and lashing out kicked Ruenalf inside the arm, severing a small artery which bled pretty freely. This caper of Royal Rose’s did not affect the Flaneur horse in the race mentioned, for he won with the greatest ease, covering the mile and a quarter with 8.4 up in 2min rojsec. Ruenalf’s owner states that after the 1892 accident, when the horse’s shoulder was so badly damaged he was sent to the stud, his coverings for last year numbering 40. The annual report of the Takapuna Jockey Club shows a net profit of /"333 2s 6d, the receipts being 12 2s 3d and the expenditure /’257s 19s gd. “This result is a pleasing contrast (says the report) to the balancesheets of the two previous years, which in each instance showed a considerable deficiency. The cause of the year’s success is owing to the club having held only two meetings as against three previously, showing that the existing restrictions re added money are neither in favour of the club nor of horse-owners. The stakes paid away for the year amounted to /1472 10s, as against 42000 last year. Your committee are of opinion it would be best to hold the same number of meetings this year as last, as the club should endeavour to continue to advance its financial - position, so that improvements and necessary public conveniences may be undertaken. The course has been carefully looked after during the past season, and is now in splendid order. Your committee take this opportunity of conveying to horse-owners and the racing public their hearty appreciation of the liberal support accorded to the club, and also to the club’s officers for their untiring efforts to promote the club’s best interests and with such satisfactory results.”

Caulfield Guineas next Saturday and Caulfield Cup a week later A winner at the recent Ballarat Turf Club’s Meeting rejoices in the name of Mrs Maybrick.

A further payment of 7 sovs is due in connection with the New Zealand Cup on .Friday, October 19th. On the same day there is a 6 sov liability for the Derby Stakes, and 3 sovs each for the Welcome and Oak Stakes and Canterbury Cup.

Reconstruction, the winner of the A.J.C. Members’ Handicap, holds the Australian record for a mile and a furlong with i-SSi-. Acme fi ot within a quarter of a second of this time at Randwick, and Cerise and Blue and Rosebrook did ditto at Flemington.

The performance given by Cobbitty in the A.J.C. Members’ Handicap, in which he gave the winner 2olbs and ran him to a neck in a imin 55|sec nine furlong go, should inspire his party with confidence next Saturday when the numbers go up for the Caulfield Guineas. At a special general meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club held on Tuesday the following resolution was carried :—“ That the C.J.C. having in view the promotion of true and honest sport, heartily concurs in the proposal to establish a New Zealand Jockey Club for the regulation of horse racing, and a court of appeal in all important questions of dispute or disqualification.” When Mutiny and Grandwing reached the last fence in the Second A.J.C. Steeplechase, and Grandwing refused to jump, Mr Douglas’ horse struck the timber heavily, but thanks to a miraculous recovery by George Hope, the Hawke’s Bay horse kept on his legs. Hope was warmly applauded by the Sydney-siders for his clever horsemanship. When the horses were going to the post for the Members’ Handicap at the A.J.C. Spring meeting, a couple of stewards called Ellis back, and told him that they heard he was going to deal with Cobbity. They told him “ a man ” had informed them, but would give no name. If the stewards knew their business they would have brought Ellis up before his accuser, and thus give the lad an opportunity to clear himself. Some are born to greatness, others have greatness and bad champagne thrust upon them.— Truth. They say that Havoc will represent the St. Albans stable in the Caulfield Cup ; but what of Steadfast of whom we have heard nothing of late He was right out of form after the defeat he inflicted on Marvel at w.f.a. in the Canterbury Plate of two miles; but when the last V.R.C. Grand National Meeting came on he romped over a more than fairish field in the Winter Handicap, the distance of which (a mile and a quarter) was left behind in 2. nJ. And onlookers say that although his weight was only 7.8 he won with about a stone in hand. Fit and well this gelded son of Nordenfeldt and Nelly Moore should be able to make things lively over the Caulfield Cup distance, in which race he is weighted at 7.6 (including a 31b'penalty). No, Havoc may be the Caulfield representative if recent occurrences be any guide; but for all that, the St. Albans Melbourne and Caulfield double effort will, in all probability, prove to be Havoc and Steadfast. Holders of such a double may be advised to hold on to it.

Chesterman has come into strong favour locally for the Melbourne Cup on the strength of his Randwick Plate record. In connection with this, punters may be reminded that the winner of the A.J.C. Plate has never succeeded in carrying off the big Flemington two-mile event in the same year. Chester and Calamia are the only horses that have ever annexed this double. The first-named won the Melbourne Cup as a three-year-old in 1877 and the Randwick w.f.a. three-mile event the following year, and Calamia scored in the Plate in 1876 and carried off the big Flemington prize two years later. Many a great racer has scored in the three-mile Plate only to be unsuccessful in the Cup, but at the same time it must be remembered that the Plate winners I have in mind never had the good fortune to be in the Cup at 6.8. At that weight however Chesterman will be ridden by aboy, and such guidance maybe a very different matter in the nerve-trying bustle of a Melbourne Cup with a big field engaged to a Randwick Plate with only 3 contestants. Last year the “J. B. Clark” stable pulled off the A.J.C. three-mile race with Camoola but the Melbourne Cup was denied them, and the same experience may be their fate this year. Speaking re the Tim Swiveller incident which occurred in connection with last year’s Caulfield Cup, Mr James Grice, the Chairman of V.A.T.C. annual meeting, remarked that the stewards had noticed that Tim Swiveller did not get a good start. He wore down one horse after another, beat Sainfoin, and though he collided with Oxide, undoubtedly won the race in the last 100 yards. One of the committee men, Mr A. Miller expressed himself strongly re this matter. In his opinion Tim Swiveller should have been awarded the race, for though he collided with Oxide, he never interfered in the slightest with Sainfoin, to whom the race had been given. The V.R.C. had, he considered, insulted the V.A.T.C. authorities by neglecting to confer with the latter regarding the new evidence on which the governing body had judged it expedient to disqualify Tim Swiveller. While the V.A.T.C. had refused to award the race to a horse that could not have won on his merits, the V.R.C. had taken it from the animal that did win on his merits and given it to a horse that could not have so won. The utterances given vent to at the meeting by Mr Davis, the owner of Tim Swiveller, were anything but milk and watery. The principle which admitted of a decision on a question of fact being reversed was in his opinion most pernicious. Such a step would never obtain the sanction of the English Jockey Club, which body had consistently refused to hear an appeal on a question of fact. The influence of such a procedure was “ far reaching and subtle, and one could not tell where it might end.” The speaker contended that the action of the V.R.C. committee was held as bad in all parts of Australia. One gentleman, he declared, had said to him, “ Davis, they robbed you of that race.” An interjection by a member of the club that Tim Swiveller’s owner was going too far added fuel to Mr Davis’ wrath and brought from him the following statement; —“I repeat that from Cape Howe to Port Fairy and from Port Phillip to the Mui ray there is but one opinion, viz., that it was a swindle that should not have been perpetrated.”

Warpaint, one of the Caulfield Cup candidates, has injured his stifle. London Sportsman states that Lord and Lady Randolph Churchill will shortly visit Australia. Chesterman’s trainer, T. Payten, thinks the Episode colt is more like Chester than any of the other sons of that sire.

Victoria will be represented at the Dunedin Plumpton Coursing Club’s 1895 Challenge Stakes by Messrs Kelly, M’Gillicuddy. Jerome and Kenyon. In Sydney a horse is reckoned a starter directly he is weighed out; but in Victoria the animal must be in the hands of the starter before he is accepted as a contestant.

“The Possible has improved into a fine specimen of the upstanding lengthy thoroughbred, and this three-fourths brother to Maxim looks well for the Caulfield Cup at 7.11.” —(Terlinga). The trotter Osterley recently attempted at Moonee Valley (Vic.) to lower the two mile •* trotting record of 4.57 —established by Honour—but could only manage a 5.3 gait. Osterley was driven in a sulky. Whether Loyalty is “ going” for the Caulfield Cup may be gauged from the fact that “someone” in Melbourne accepted a wager of /'iioo to/40 on Saturday last about the St. George colt’s mile and a half chance. Mr O’Brien intends, I believe, going all he is worth for both cups. “ Cervus Elaphus” (Mr John Madden) who writes hunting notes for the Australasian, is 77 years of age. At a recent Moonee Valley race meeting he could have been seen exchanging ideas with two brother sportsmen whose ages added to his would have totalled 228 years.

The Auckland bookmakers have decided that in future there shall be no betting at totalisator odds in this city, and a feature in connection with this matter that may have escaped backers’ notice is this. If one backs a horse in connection with a Southern meetiug and the horse does not start the' bet stands. Starting price wagers do not give a start in, as was the case in connection with the old system of totalisator odds betting. The Queensland Parliament has cancelled the notice published in the Government Gazette by the Postmaster-General to the effect that letters addressed to sweep promoters would not be delivered on or after January Ist, 1895. During the carriage of the motion cancelling the attempted extinction of Tattersail’s and others of that ilk, certain significant remarks re the introduction at an early date of a comprehensive Betting Bill were made by ministers of the Crown. The late Mr Loughlin left property, chiefly realty, valued at from £2 40,000 to/250,000. The late gentleman’s will provides for about/"i5,000 being at once paid away in bequests, including /■5OOO to his brother, Mr Michael Loughlin, a Ballarat farmer. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Ballarat will receive /5000 for the benefit of Roman Catholic schools and other institutions; /■5OO each goes to the Ballarat Hospital, Orphan Asylum and .Benevolent Asylum; distant relalatives in N.S.W. will have /2000 to divide, and the deceased’s god-children receive sums ranging from /’too to /300. Paris, Atlas, Brockleigh, Isaac, Nobleman, Loyalty, Response, Bob Ray, Cravat, Miss Nora, Lady Trenton, Novelette and Aelous left Sydney for Melbourne last week to prepare for the approaching V.A.T.C. and V.R.C. Spring campaign. Paris and Lady Trenton should run well in the Caulfield Cup, and though the former has lolb more than the impost he successfully carried in 1892 his chance cannot be considered an indifferent one. The fact ot his owner undertaking the Victorian trip in spite of the defeat inflicted on him in the Metropolitan by Projectile and Lady Trenton argues that Mrs White’s representative has been improved by the Sydney galloping.

We often hear stories of people disguising themselves for the purpose of backing horses (writes the Australasian). An instance of this actually occurred at a registered meeting quite recently. A man had a moral for the Trot, and did not care to entrust the backing of it to any one else. The horse was unknown, but the owner was as familiar to the trotting fraternity as Albaugh or Will Whitburn. A disguise was the only thing. Accordingly the man with the moral went to Mr J. Graham, the well-known wig maker in the Block, explained his predicament, and was fitted out with a wig and beard which altered him beyond recognition. The properties were taken on hire, and so satisfied was their owner that the mysterious gentleman had a good thing that he gave him 2 s 6d of the money charged for the loan of the disguise, and asked him to put it on for him. The “ make-up ” served its purpose most effectively. Beginning at outside prices the “ old man with the beard ” backed his horse down to 3to 1, and he won as he liked. On the following Monday he returned the properties and exhibited to their owner a fine fat roll of notes which had been gathered in over the race. Bookmakers who dabble in trots will look out for old men with beards for the next few meetings.

The Australian papers are lavish in their approbation of Gray’s starting machine, which was used with such marked success at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting. The Australian Star writes : — “ A feature of the meeting was the introduction of the starting machine to Randwick racegoers, and it must be acknowledged that Gray’s apparatus answered all requirements. So much so in fact, that the authorities are credited with haaving given the inventor permission to erect additional machines at different starting places, consequently it may be assumed that the instrument is a permanency. The races operated upon by the invention were the Derby and Spring Stakes. In both events the fields were despatched ' without a moment’s delay, and as one horse.” The Daily Telegraph, in its report of Tattersail’s Meeting, remarks:—“Gray’s starting machine was used to dispatch Tramway Handicap and Flying Welter fields with, and in both cases the results were admirable, while in the others the starts were only effected after some delay.” Sydney Truth writes: —“ Looking back into the dim past of horse racing in Australia, and remembering the thousands of times that bad starting has spoiled races, it is no wonder that all conditions of sporting men hail with pleasure the advent of the starting machine. Horse and ppnyowners, trainers and jockeys are unstinted in their expressions of approval of the machine.” . ■ 1--r.kL’i-w. . 'As?!', ‘.t?•!. M

Roie (by St. Leger —Hippona) has foaled a filly to Cuirassier and visits him again.

Coalscuttle and Jadestone have been mated with Cuirassier.

Leita, the dam of the grey gelding Musket, has foaled a colt to the defunct Cap-a-pie.

I have to thank Mr Sydney James for the book programme of the Dunedin Jockey Club for the season 1894-95.

Lyrelinus (by Leolinus — Lyre) foaled a chestnut colt to St. George at Wellington Par last week.

Three Cheers’ nomination in connection with the Wellington Trotting Club’s Spring meeting (held yesterday) arrived too late to be accepted. Weights for the Wanganui Spring meeting to be held on the 18th and 19th inst. are due today. Acceptances are timed for the 15 th inst.

I regret to learn from Wellington that Mr Joseph Poole, the well-known Wanganui bookmaker, has suffered a relapse and has returned to Wellington. St. Clements had the bad luck to be cast in his box recently, but I am glad to say the big brown has quite recovered from the effects of his mishap.

The Takapuna Jockey Club was desirous of holding its Spring meeting without the totalisator, but the pencillers declined to supply, the £lOO required by the Shore racing authorities. The members of Tattersall’s were willing to pay £5 5s per man, £73 in all, but declined to raise their bid to £lOO. The T.J.C. has so far failed to see its way clear to accept the reduced figure so that the deal is off.

The fast time made by Chesterman in the Randwick Plate is accounted for by Light Artillery cutting out the first two miles at such a solid pace. The times taken during the contest were as follows: —Ist mile, Imin 51sec ; 2nd mile, Imin 44fsec; and the last, Imin 49|secs The last two miles were run by Chesterman under 3min 34sec.

The secretary of the Amateur Athletic Club was asked prior to the Avondale Jockey Club Committee fixing on November 24th as the date of their Spring Meeting, whether his club had any intention of holding its gathering on that day. The secretary of the A.A. Club assured the Avondale Jockey Club people that the date mentioned would not clash with the arrangements of his committee, yet after the Avondale programme for Nov. 24 has been advertised for three weeks the athletic people calmly fix on the date which their secretary stated would not be required. No doubt the two gatherings will not clash very much, but it was hardly courteous on the part of the A. A. secretary to make one arrangement with the racing club and a totally different one with the committee of his own organisation.