COURSING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 352, 22 April 1897, Page 12

COURSING.

[By

Dicken.]

“Carbine” in the Budget remarks:— “ The Great Northern Challenge Stakes has, numerically, beaten our event this season, as after the second payment there are 45 left in, 18 of which are nominations from outside Auckland, four being from Sydney. lam afraid the restrictions of our Challenge Stakes to members only was a retrogressive move. It flavours too much of that defunct “ qualification fee” that formerly existed in racing circles, and which by common consent appears to have been wiped out altogether. Mr Martin Taylor telegraphed during the week to Messrs Leslie and Black for the services of Minstrel Boy, it being his intention to mate him with his queen of longtails, Bess Morley. The owners of the Hedley — Sonnet dog, however, decline to let him out of their sight, and have advised the astute Martin to that effect. It is to be hoped Mr Taylor will see his way to send old Bess down, for I am satisfied the union would prove a good one. Minstrel Boy has already demonstrated that he can get good-looking stock, as the pups by him out of the aptly named Ravenswin are as handsome as a new-blown tulip, in addition to being perfect in conformation.