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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 314, 30 July 1896, Page 6

Disfigured (late Maria), who appears to be much fancied for the Caulfield Cup (8.13) and Melbourne Cup (8.12), is an aged bay mare by Malua—Progressive. She is the property of Mr “ First King ” Wilson. At two, three, four, and five years of age she did not run, but during this season her principal performances were Won Geelong Handicap, one mile, 7.10; at Flemington Autumn Meeting, dead heated and divided for first place in the Brunswick Stakes, one mile ' and a quarter, 8.0, with Warpaint, 8.7, time 2min lOsec ; won Autumn Handicap (same meeting), one mile and five furlongs, Dreamland (8.7) second, Trentham (6.12) third, time 2min sLtsecs Flemington last May meeting, ran second in Birthday Handicap, one mile and a quarter, 9.7, won by The Chevalier, 7.11. Although the mare has been brought on to to the race track late in life, as it were, she is evidently a decent bit of stuff, as both Trentham and Warpaint have shown really good form since she defeated them. AVhen the Press Association in Wellington wired, in its commentary on the Maiden Hack Race (won by Langdale), that the son of His Grace and Misfortune bad “ already this season served upwards of seventy mares in the Otaki district,” people up this way came to the epnelu- ' sion that they had started the season very early. However, the association man meant to say “ last season,” and not “ this season.” Still, this is not' of sufficient importance to wire, as it was only a very poor hack race that he won, and serving mares last season is nothing to blow about. Take old Armourer’s performances—for several seasons he was at the stud, and, after those duties were accomplished, he used to appear on the race-track again. I might almost say, during the year, there > are a hundred stallions in the colonies that perform stud duties, and then race during the back end of the racing season. Langdale took the first prize at the last Manawatu Show for the stallion' best' calculated to get weight-carrying hacks.