The Turf in Australia.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 299, 16 April 1896, Page 6

The Turf in Australia.

[Own CoreespondentJ

The A J.C, Meeting—Courallie’s Victory —How he was backed for the Doncaster —True Blue galloped on—Cabin Boy is not a hack—Chesterman might be such—A strong favourite nearly beaten —Punters dubious about. Wallace winning the Sydney Cup-Great rejoicing when he won — Trentham (TrentonNellie Moore) a “clipper’’—Toreador blocked in the Cup race — Coil and Newhaven. — Cydnus a likely Derby colt —Waterbury and Balyhooley baulk in the Steeplechase—“ A Prize Distribution” by members of Tattersall’s-

The only feature of the A.J.C. Doncaster mile was the comparatively easy victory scored by the top-weight, Courallie, who put on such a dash in the home stretch that nothing could catch him. His 9.3 in 2min 40Jsec was a great go, but, of course, doesn’t approach Marvel’s great run a few years ago when he beat St. Blaize with 10.4 up. A strange thing about Courallie’s race isn’t generally known. For a week or so he was a hot favourite, and the papers recorded thousands as having been booked against him, straight out and in doubles. Ot course the public fell in, as usual, and backed the good thing all roads. But the owner said afterwards that be hadn’t got any of the thousands —in fact, had very little about the horse. Courallie was apparent ly forced into the betting as a stalking horse for the ring to make a market. On the day he went back to 14 to 1, and then the stable got their little bit. When the son of Honeymoon cantered home the consternation of the ring may be imagined. Albicore, the beautiful Response, and Patron’s sister, Patrona, were first picks at starting time, and though Albicore was prominent, she knocked off at the racing end. Patrona disappointed Chipping Norton, hut Response was bound to get a place. It’s picking up money backing the mare for a drum in most big handicaps, or in fact for any race. True Blae, the Auckland-bred Hotchkiss colt, ran into second position, though I believe he was badly galloped on during the spin. It interfered somewhat with his Sydney Cup prospects, and lie was never prominent. I have a great opinion of this youngster, who should be able to hold his end up with the best next spring. Mundiva, the country horse introduced into the Newmarket. Handicap betting at the last moment, ran absolutely. He isn’t a bad looking sort, but wants time. The Delanev family were conspicuous at the finish, three brothers being on the placed horses.

When a neddy is well, and is a good ’un, it takes a grandstand to stop him. On the second dav Courallie was given 10.0, or 161bs more than when he ran second in the Newmarket, yet he got home in Imin 15sec by a bead from Dora (6.13), a five-year-old by Chesham—Remnant, Aurea (8.12), by Abercorn, being bang up third. There were fifteen others —some of the best, including Whakawatea (9.5). Cabin Boy (8.10) and Royal Rose (8.3) were List. The result sets one thinking what a good mare Maluma must be to have donkey licked a horse like Courallie in the Newmarket. People expected Wallace to have a canter over for the St. Leger, but they met wii h sweet disappointment. His Flemington Leger rival, Cabin Boy, was there, and made him go all he knew. It was a forlorn hope a hundred yards from home, and backers who laid odds on Carbine’s son almost contracted heart disease. Gough walloped him all the way up the straight, and he only passed Oxenham’s colt in the last, few strides. At the start Wallace wouldn’t face the music until Cabin Boy pulled out and let him come up on the inside. Cabin Boy made the pace the whole way, galloping in the free and easy style for which he was no'ed at Flemington. He had a three lengths lead of Wallace at one time, but the chestnut reduced this to a length. At the back, however, Cabin Boy swung away and made things warm, and it was only by the most desperate riding that Gough passed the leader on the very threshold of victory. The result goes to show that Wallace isn’t a brilliant of the extra special brand. Also that Cabin Boy isn’t the hack he was thought to be. He can gallop and stay without a doubt. The Merry Boy ran most respectably behind the the leaders, giving one the idea that he will prove a fair handicap horse later on. The Skipper and Fort were the last two. The latter looked dangerous in the straight, but he was, with Wallace, under the whip, and faded. Only that Wallace is as game as he is, he’d never win a race. He never shirks the floggings he gets in every event, taking his gruel like he does his oats. The w.f.a. Autumn Stakes seemed to be a waiting sort of a race. Delaware, who took the lead, waited until the last half mile was entered on, and then set sail. He just Id Id his advantage long enough to get home from the much improved Valiant, and Acmena was alongside the pair. Valiant seemed to falter near the post, otherwise he might have reversed things. Toreador and The Harvester weren’t far away from <he leade-s. Were the latter fit he would have set the field to the rightabout. Chesterman shaped as expected, and ran last. He’d make a good butcher’s Sunday aft'moon horse for gallops on the beach.

When anyone prates of “ morals,” back the best outsihers. People laid odds on the Carbine, voungster, Fucile, for the Maiden Two-year-old. He led in the straight, and it seemed all over until the never-mentioned-in-the-betting Snap-' shot (Nordenfeldt —Miriam) dashed up and gave a hot battle to the favourite, who only just got home. Vigilance (third) is by Abercorn—Lady Vivian. Sabretache, the Aucklander (by Cuirasajei—Toie), started, but was very green. He wasn’t, last, anyhow, Mosaic whipping in. Snapshot can’t be a bad sort of a two-year-old for he lined-up for the one mile and a quarter Maiden on the second day and started at, 6’s. He crossed Patrona in the straight and ran fourth. Patrona, however, won from the favourite, The Merry Boy (by Trenton—Mara), Dan O’Brien’s Ilchester (Abercorn—lolanthe) being third. A few day’s before the meeting Whakawatea (10.13) was the prime pick for the High-weight Handicap, but, at the post, Little Agnes ( Trenton —Dame Agnes) displaced him, and she won. There were a large number of withdrawals, the field being reckoned to have little show with Mr W. A. Long’s mare, who has been going to win a race for some time. Attachment (Clieveden — Affection) split her and Whakawatea in the place list.

After the way he shaped in the Leger, people weren’t so sure about Wallace for the Sydney Cup, but he went out at 3’s. Leslie McDonald started Trentham to make the pace, and how did he make it! He didn’t show up in the Doncaster on the first day, but with 281 b from Wallace in the matter of weight, he was enabled to scoot over the two miles in fine style. He had a length’s advantage in front of the stand, where Delaware was pulling double. He made the pace a cracker at the five-furlong post, ere which was reached there were a number of changes. In the straight the leader was still going strong, and at the Leger Cullinan looked round to see what had become of Wallace. The favourite was then brought along under the whip, and gradually passed his stable-mate. He had had a clear run, but not. so Toreador, who was vainly tiding to get out of the beaten ruck. He succeeded too late and came with a rattle, bea'ing Trentham bv a short length for second place. The scene that followed Wallace’s victory was reminiscent of the year his dad won the event. The majority of the crowd had their little bit on the chestnut, hence the cheers and tears of joy. The Trier, who ran second to Lady Trenton a couple of years ago, was fourth, but Patroness, last year’s winner, didn’t shape according to promise. Response and The Skipper followed, four lengths in front of Valiant. Then came Damien (who was privately expected to run rings round things). Waihine, Chesterman, and Malachite were the last three home.

The lime for the Cup (3min 31sec) had only been put up once previously— by Carbine Wallace, too, is the second V.R.C. Derby winner to win the Sydney Cup in the same season for the last thirty-seven years. ’The Australian Peer was the other. The winner was only packed in with the field once during the race, and Gough got out of the road with all possible expediency. Trentham’s meritorious two miles in front of a field of twenty-one others, indicates somethinghot in the near future. He should improve greatly by the spring. I gave an opinion of the son of Nelly Moore a little while back in the Review, and I quite expected to see him shine as he did on Monday. Wallace’s win was in a

great measure due to his efforts. Trentham was one of the best bred in the race, and appears to be coming on as a stayer earlier than his halfbrother (Lochiel) did. The latter was regarded as a sprinter until he upset the apple-cart in the New Zealand Cup —memorable day ! —and showed what he could do over distances in Australia afterwards.

Toreador had certainly bad luck in getting blocked in. It would have been a great “ go” if he had got clear in time. Had he done so he would have beaten Wallace. That’s a certainty. He was going much faster than the favourite at the finish. Then again, under other circumstances, Trentham could have beaten the pair had Calliuan rode on his own, instead of according to orders. It was noticed that the placed trio in the Autumn Stakes were quite out of it, a fact which once again demonstrates the unreliability of w.f.a. events as a guide to picking handicaps. Last year Wallace, favourite for the Champagne Stakes, was downed by Bob Ray. On Monday Newhaven was reckoned such a good thing for the same event that odds were laid on him, and he was badly beaten not only by Coil, but by the undreamt of Gozoczar, owned by Mrs Gannon, relict of the late Mr W. Gannon, who raced Arsenal, The Australion Peer, and others. Personally, I have always thought Coil nearly as good as Newhaven, but have been frightened to say so aloud —to a Victorian, at any rate. I was consequently surprised, even after Coil’s defeat in the Flemington Ascot Vale Stakes, to see Cobbitty’s brother go out at sevens. He was second favourite, ’tie true, but then the race was a bird for the Victoiian champion. Both were penalised lOlbs on top of 8.10. Before the St. Leger was reached Newhav/n got his head in front, but on Coil getting abreast of him he couldn’t go any faster, and the Abercorn colt got home a length and a half from the unpenalised Gozoczar, who won a race recently, and appears to be something out of the common. Tire was fourth, three lengths in front of Fucile, and then followed the much-discussed Huret and Vigilance. My opinion of Coil is that he will prove far and away the better three-year-old than Newhaven I tnok a fancy to the youngster the first time 1 saw him, and unless he has the bad luck in training that Cobbitty had, lie should prove a dandy overall distances.

Writing of juveniles leads me to think that St. Albans may proie as strong as ever next spring. Cydnus, the winner of the First Nursery, beating Le Nord (Nordenfeldt — Hebe, imp.), Sayles, and fifteen others, with 8.5 up, is not yet as fit as might be, and he looks just the sort to blossom into a tip top Derbv colt. He is by Trenton —Hypatia, and that you will write his name pretty often next spring is almost certain, unless I’m a.bad judge. He won his race easily, and had a lot in hand. Present indications lead to the conclusion that next season’s three-year-olds will be the best seen out for years.

Lameness in the shoulder was, I believe, the cause of Fishmonger’s withdraw 7 ! in his engagements. The First Steeplechase fell to Blacktracker (Pathfinder—Zingari), who went out at tens. The Joker (The Drummer—Camilla) was a good second, and the ancient Bushman third. Waterbury stuck up at the second of the treble the first time, and Ballyhooley did likewise the second time round. King, the favourite, and Glenara fell. Mikado 11. was ten lengths off four, h.

As Courallie and Wallace were written heavily in all the combination books, pencillers didn’t enjoy their Easter holidays to any great extent. Wallace was favourite since the appearance of the weights in all the colonies, so that the public participate in a general prize distribution.