Sporting and dramatic REVIEW . AND . LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, November 24, 1898. SPORTING TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 435, 24 November 1898, Page 10

Sporting and dramatic REVIEW . AND . LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, November 24, 1898. SPORTING TOPICS.

The Waipa Racing Club will hold a race meeting on Te Awamutu course on Thursday, December 15. The programme is fully set forth in our advertising columns, and owners should not forget that nominations require immediate attention, as they close this evening at 8 p.m. Weights are promised on Saturday, December 3. “ Astronomer was twice well backed at Rosehill, finishing about sixth in the Holiday Welter on the first day, and last but one in the Welter Mile on the second day,” states the Referee.. There is no doubt that Astronomer has been a grievous disappointment on the turf, but the cause is inexplicable, as he is certainly one of the most handsome horses to be seen at Rundwick, and, moreover, he has demonstrated in private that he can gallop. At a meeting of the committeee of the Waipa wa County Racing Club held on Monday night a sub-committee, consisting of Messra White, Butler, and Symons, was appointed to interview Mr S. McGieery re purchase of land for lengthening the straight. It was also decided to invite Messrs F. D. Luckie, P. Martin, and A. Robertson to i isit the course in order to make suggestions regarding the alterations" Old Whakawatea placed another second to his* credit at Rosehill in the Prince’s Handicap, six furlongs, on November 12. The popular Melbourne boniface, Mr P. H.. Reynolds, of the Royal Mail Hotel, was not forgetful of the winning jockey this year. Hitherto his present to the rider of the Melbourne Cupwinner was a gold mounted whip; this year it took the shape of a gold watch guard and locket. According to published statements Gozo has a long lead in the winning stallion list this Season in Australia. Up to the present his progeny have won 22 races of the total value of £8999Trenton is second on the list with 29£ wins of the aggregate value of £4349 ; then follow Lochiel, £2999; Abercorn, £2689; Eridispord,. £2410; Castor, £2275; Malua, £2158; and Bill of Portland, £2136. All sporting men who were at the ring-side at the last Wellington Park sale will deeply regret to hear that an accident has happened that beautiful looking colt by Hotchkiss —Frailty, purchased by the well known Caulfield trainer, Ike Foulsham, for 1000 guineas. The Melbourne Sportsman reports : — ‘lsa ;c Foulsham has had more than his share of bad luck with his young; stock this season. A month or two ago the two-year-olds were attacked by influenza or some kindred complaint, and now the high-priced Hotchkiss—Frailty colt, Lancaster, is on the hospital list. About a week ago Lancaster managed to strain himself through being cast in the box, and he has since been unable to leave the stable.” When sportsmen pay a good price for a yearling we like to see their pluck rewarded, and no one, probably, will regret to hear the bad news more than the Squire of Wellington Park, Mr T. Morrin. It was only on Saturday last that Andy Cochrane, the stud groom who had charge of Lancaster in his young days, enthused to “ Atlas ” on the subject of Frailty’s son, and prophesied that, notwithstanding the attack of influenza, big things would be done with himLet us hope that he will be found to be correct, and that the injuries he is reported to have sustained are not of a serious nature. The practical stewards of the French Jockey Club have recognised the hardships imposed on owners in finding good jockeys, and have decided to increase the weight to be carried in classic events as three-year-olds from Bst 111 b to 9st 21b, so as to permit of good and tried horsemen,, weary of warring against the flesh and of the hardships imposed by wasting, to ride in races that have a certain value ,in the" future. Many jockeys who have turned their attention to training of late years have quitted the saddle because they could not do the weight. The French Jockey Club has taken into consideration the fact that practice makes perfect; and so, to remedy a stale of things which compelled a jockey when he hid gained experience enough to place him in the first flight to choose between retiring from the Turf or ruining his constitution by the wasting and physicking some are compelled to undergo, the scale of weights will be raised all round.. Owners and jockeys are delighted at the change, and most people are satisfied that the modification will secure more regularity in the different events decided on the French turf. In addition to winning the Melbourne Stake btwo years in succession, Battalion also filled, second place in the last two C. B. Fisher Platea run for.

The New York Turf Field and Farm gays Probably the only female jockey in the world is riding in running races on the Pacific coast circuit, fhe is a Mrs Bagwill, 24 years old, weight 1011 b, and resides at Carson City Nevada. At the recent Nevada State Fair she won two of her five mounts. Mrs Bagwill wears the regulation jockey costume in races, and rides astride. A well-known sportsman in the Old Country, to whom the efforts of some of the north and midland ring men in tackling uncommon names of horses had been a frequent source of amusement, bought a yearling, and in due course named it Chef d oeuvre. On the first appearance of the colt in a two-year'old race at Doncaster, the owner, on passing a burly Yorkshire book maker, was recognised by the latter, who nearly sent him into a fit by bawling out: “’Ere, twenty tur wun this ’ere Shoved Over.” Turning to the bookie, the owner took £lOO to £5, exclaiming : “By jove, old chap, you’ve got nearer to.it than some of ’em will, I’ll bet.” The betting question still crops up every now and again (says the Paris correspondent of a London paper), while some of the country gatherings endeavor toout-Hsrod Herod by announcing in their programmes that according to the law the only medium of speculation will be the mutual betting, and that consequently any person attempting to make a book will be prosecuted with the utmost rigor of the law. M. Maurice Duche, in the Paris Sport, warns the public against such meetings, and instances the case of a Parisian tradesman whose calling besmears his hands with grime and oil, difficult to erase even with a wholesale application of soft soap. There was a race meeting down in the South, where the sun lights up the country and keeps all awake. A certain horse was to run at the meeting, and “ from information received,” the Parisian went down to back him. He found no bookmaker willing to accommodate him, and going to the mutuals, surprised the employee by demanding 300 tickets of ten francs each in favor of the horse of his choice. The clerk said nothing, but when the horse backed bad won and the Parisian returned to the pay-office to receive his money, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and, burning round,, he found a policeman on either side of him deputed to bring him to the office of the Commissary of Police. When he got there the official, in a stern tone, demanded where he had obtained the £l2O he had put on the horse, pointing to the hands of the prisoner, and saying that he could not be the legitimate possessor of such a sum. Able to prove himself the lawful owner of the sum, the poor Parisian found himself -detained by the Commissary as a man not in his right mind and apt to squander his money, and some great trouble was experienced in satisfying the over-zealous official that the Parisian was not only sane, but that such operations were anything but uncommon.

Judging by results (writes “ Martindale ”) the St. Albans people, like others, cannot properly gauge the capabilities of their own horses at times, as when they start two in a race, the one that is best backed is sometimes beaten. . Such proved to be the case in the Williamstown Cup, when Symmetry went out second favorite, while Auriferous was at 8 to 1, made all the running, and won from Battalion and Catspaw. On the previous Saturday in the Final Handicap at Flemington Auriferous was well backed, but failed to get a place in the race won by Eleusive. The stable backed both upon that occasion, but the black colt never appeared to get into his stride. He, it will be remembered, got Bobadil in a tangle on the training ground on the evening prior to the V.R.C. Derby, which brought about a demonstration against the Derby favorite in the Victorian Club rooms on the Friday night.

That splendidly-bred colt, Firearm, by Carbine —Hestia, is advertised for private sale. The sire and dam of this youngster are so well-known that it is unnecessary to give their pedigree. Carbine in Australia, as well as in England, has proved his capability of procuring good stock. Firearm has not been successful on the Turf, but he should be of great value at the stud. We agree with an Australian writer who expresses the opinion that a great turf record considerably helps a stallion when he competes for public favor at the stud, but there are exceptions. For instance, if those celebrated sires, Gozo, St. Swithin, and Sunrise, had had to depend on their turf records when they went to the stud they would, like hundreds of highly-bred horses, have ended their days in obscurity instead of filling the calendar with winners. It is sincerely to be hoped that Firearm will follow the example of the sires stated. Negotiations for his purchase may be made with Mr F. Macmanemin at Ellers lie.

Concerning the competition for entires best calculated to improve the breed of saddle horses aud hunters, the following amusing criticism appeared in a daily paper : —“ Mr F. J. Marshall’s chestnut Leolantis, by Leolinus out of Atlantis, bred by the Auckland Stud Company, deserves special mention. Mr Taylor’s Lochinvar, by Yellowstone, dam, Envoy, was also favorably commented on ; but the third entry in this class, Mr John Lennard’s Favona, sire Regei, dam Friendship, was considered to be too closely allied tot he coacher class to be on an equality with the other exhibits.” The amusing feature of the criticism is that Favina was never exhibited, and on show day was peacefully grazing in the luxuriantjpaddocks of Mr J. Leonard at Mangere, miles from the exhibition grounds, and therefore could not have been seen by the judges and the sage critic. It is almost unnecessary to say that the Squire of Mangere feels indignant. The English Derby of 1900 has obtained the greatest number of entries on record, namely, 318. There were 36 subscribers for the inaugural race at Epsom, 1780, and the largest number prior to the year in question was the Derby of 1897, which Galtee More won, when 291 animals were nominated. There were 284 nominations for the Derby of 1898, and there are 271 for the Derby of 1899.

During the past week Mr G. S. Budge’s horses, Bluejacket and Canopus, have been placed in the hands of Feter Chaafe to prepare for future engagements. The change of quarters has been brought about through their former mentor, Fred Stennings, being about to remove from Ellerslie. Considering the short time Stennings has had Antelope’s sons in hand he has done wonders with them, and it is pleasing to hear that the owner is thoroughly satisfied with Stennings’ work, and that he speaks of him in the highest terms. * Stennings’ new quarters at the Royal Oak will be occupied by half-a-dozen horses from the Shaftesbury district, and the stable is sure to be heard of in the future. Meanwhile Bluejacket and Canopus, who both look wonderfully well, may be expected to give young Peter Chaafe a rise in the training world. Bluejacket had a verv bad time of it in the winter, owing to a skin eruption, and his form in the Guineas, in which he ran second after having been only six weeks in work, shows he cannot be a bad colt. He is engaged in the Auckland Derby. A strong desire has been evinced during the week to back Nestor for the Auckland Cup, although the weights have not yet seen the light of day. Perhaps the position of fourth occupied by him in the New Zealand Cup, coupled with an idea that he could be made better than he was in that race, was the cause. It is doubtful, however, if St. Leger’s strapping son can be made better. Mr Alison tells us that he was perfectly satisfied with the condition in which Adam Byers brought Nestor to the post. A short time before the Cup he was eased in his work, owing to the rupture of a blood vessel below the knee, but after his owner’s arrival at Riccarton the horse was bowled along every day, and the leg, although just a triflle puffed, did not seem to trouble him. He stayed out the journey in the Cup all right, but what he lacked was pace, and be had to be ridden hard during the first mile, and even then he was last. Mr Alison, who has returned from Riccarton, speaks highly of the form shown by St. Paul. All through the race young Chaafe had a good hold of him, and he kept a splendid position with ease, but just when it was expected that he would come with his final brilliant run, be broke down. Jack Chaafe states that when the collapse occurred he was sitting still, while the three jockeys who were just in front of him were riding for their lives, and he himself was confident of victory.

According to the Barrier Miner there was a bookmaker in Broken Hill who did not wait for the running of the Cup —one who stood not on the order of going, but went. He had in a small way already become famous. Some time ago he was unfortunate in cheque transactions, and charges of false pretences resulted in imprisonment. He was, however, released a few months ago, and thereupon started in business as a bookmaker. He gave liberal odds, generally a point or two better than his brethren of the ring, and clients were many. He had gathered in, it is reckoned, close on £2OO, when he decided on a change of air,- he accordingly left by the express and did not ask the Miner to publish a paragraph about it. Many, however, had an interest in him, and he was inquired after. It leaked out that he had left, and his clients began saying things, while two of them went further than words ; they mounted their bicycles and went in pursuit of the train —not so Quixotic a step as it would probably appear to those unacquainted with train speed on narrow guage lines. The bicyclists at any rate reached Silverton before the train, saw their friend, spoke with him earnestly, and the interview grew sultry. They tried to detain him, and one of them practically sat on Ids chest while the other went for the police. The police came, but could do nothing ; and the bookmaker continued his journey. Now those who backed The Grafter with him are waiting for marked cheques by post. Dreams were more than ever prolific in connection with the Melbourne Cup this year (writes the Australasian'). When I asked the cause of the rush for Clarion on Tuesday I was told that it was because a woman dreamt that Clarion would win the Melbourne Cup, and that she would die before the race was run. The woman duly died, and the first leg of the double having come off, the superstitious took it for granted that Clarion woula accomplish his part of the contract and land the second leg. On the day of the Melbourne Cup of 1883 Dirk Hatteraick had not a 1000 to 1 chance of winning, but some such dream as the Clarion one had been dreamt concerning him, and published in the papers. The result was a rush for Dirk, whose owner was able to get out of the money he had on him at a very satisfactory price. A bookmaker who has a very large intercolonial connection took about £l5OO about Clarion at the calling of the card on Monday, and he told me he would like to get £l5OO more. He had laid thousands against Mr White’s horse, and still his clients wanted more. I believe Clarion actually touched 3tol on Tuesday. I suppose Zulu and Bravo were responsible, in a measure, for the persistent way in which Merloolas was backed. A fortnight before the race a well-informed bookmaker told me he did not think Merloolas had a 100 to 1 chance, but some people kept on backhim because cripples had won before, and the ring, having laid the horse up to the hilt in Sydney, dare not take liberties. In the days of Joe Thompson neither Merloolas nor Massinissa would have gone out at such prices. I shall never forget how he knocked out Somerset on the night before Darebin’s Derby. The colt had come to 6to 4 without being seen, and but for Thompsom’s opposition those who had the money would very likely have been able to crush at even money.

When Mr Evett issues his Auckland. Cup weights to-morrow everyone, of course, expects to find St. Paul at the top, but we are afraid that no matter whether the little bounder gets a big load or a little one we will not have the pleasure of seeing him out at the summer meeting. It is more than likely that he will be treated to a well-earned spell.

Mr W. R. Wilson has tired of the vagaries of Manfred as a flat racer, and has decided to give him a trial over hurdles. He will be schooled for j umping races by james Scobie a Ballarat.

The following appears in an American exchange—There is no other place so many horses can be seen per square mile as in the Department of Calvados, France, during the months of July and August, and one who visits that country, in which French coach horses are reared, is impressed with the fact that the skill exercised by the French breeders and the supervising influence of the French Government, in only permitting the best animals of the breed to reproduce themselves" have given them a race of horses that is the admiration of the whole world. Horsemen who visit that section of France, and they go there not only from America, but from every nation of Europe, are simply entranced with the excellent conformation, the perfect quality, and the graceful, beautiful, grand, and lofty action of the noble animals. Nowhere else among such a large number of horses can there be found so few with faults. To one who expects to buy will be shown horse after horse —for as many days as you have to spend in the country —all of which are 16 hands high or thereabout, with beautiful, graceful appearance, with good feet, with eordy, bony legs like a thoroughbred, with short backs, with thick chests and shoulders with the proper slope, with long, arched necks, clean in the throat, with bony, clean-cut heads, and eyes prominent, and ears not too large nor too email, held gracefully, with perfect rumps, and tail set high and carried always up —such are the coach horses of France. These are the horses that Frenchmen do not like to have leave their country. These are the horses that fashionable people of Paris drive on the boulevards and in the Bois de Bologne, and for which they pay very high, sometimes fabulous prices. To replenish the studs the French Government buys each year early in autumn something over 200 young stallions, and there is much rivalry among the breeders to supply their Government with the stallions needed for public service. There will be ten times as many offered as will be bought.

The opinion of Mr Tom Lamond, either as an aiderman of the borough of Waterloo or as a horse trainer, is always worth listening to. Recently he was interviewed on the subject of weights and said he would raise the minimum weights in handicaps to at least 7st —another 71b preferred. He points out that horses carry big weights over hurdles and fences, and last longer than flatracers do with comparatively light weights. Lamond contends that a Cup race, for instance, with the maximum about lOst 71b and the minimum between 7st and 7st 71b, would be a truer and much better ridden race than at present, for only experienced and strong horsemen would be put up. At present, just when a stable boy or apprentice has mastered the art of riding, he becomes too heavy, and is not given a chance to prove his ability in the saddle. “How did you get on years ago, when the minimum was sst 71b ?” a Sportsman reporter asked of the veteran trainer. Worse than we do now,” he replied. “We had to put babies up, and so lost many a race. When there was a good feather-weight about, he or his employer could demand almost any fee. Why, when I had Zulu in the Melbourne Cup, Mr J. Wilson offered to lay me £lOOO to nothing to let Gough ride his mare, but I refused, and Gough, being the only decent feather-weight in the race, got Zulu home, though he was a cripple.”

The Newmarket (Eng.) “talent” would not stand Survivor foi* the Cesarewitch, as they reckoned his preparation had been much too easy to enable him to stand the strain of a two and a quarter mile race, and their judgment proved correct. The Lochiel horse, who started at 100 to 6, was one of the first four for the greater part of the journey, but the distance beat him, and he finished sixth, just behind Acmena. Touching on Survivor’s appearance and the way he ran, the “ Special Commissioner ” of the London Sportsman says : —“ Survivor had come on a lot since I saw him at the last meeting. He is a lengthy, powerful, big-boned horse that might win anything, from acCesarewitch to a Grand National, but I should imagine bis trainer would have liked a rather longer lime in which to get him ready, or at any rate to have known for certain at an earlier period for what race to prepare him. It may be that he stopped to-day shortly after passing the Bushes because he had really reached the length of his tether, but on the other hand a few more strong gallops would have enabled him to stay home. Anyhow, such a commanding position did he hold at the Bushes where Allsopp was sitting perfectly still, that those who were stationed at that place made haste to try and back him for the Cambridgeshire.” The day following the Cesarewitch Survivor was at 100 to 7 for the Cambridgeshire, but his efforts in the long race when not wound up must have knocked him out, as the cable has informed us that he was one of the last to get home in the shorter event.

In England, as in Australia, long work for long races is going out of fashion, and some of the oldtimers contend that the present style of preparing a horse for a distance is all wrong. In connection with this the London Sportsman scribe remarks : “Looking back through the list of Cresarewitch winners, what a lot of moderate horses one comes across. They got there simply because (hey were trained, and some years ago a Ciesarewitch candidate started his preparation in June or July, going over the full distance, too. Nowadays a few weeks preparation, and never the length of the course, is considered sufficient by some of our trainers. But then they don’t often win, and it is any odds on the old-fashioned manner of preparation against the present-day gingerbread style, which I regret to say is so much in vogue.” As, in a previous paragraph, the writer pointed out that Chaleureux was doing the strongest preparation of any horse at Newmarket, the result of the Cicsarewitch will give him further reason for scoffing at the “ gingerbred style.”

St. Gordon, we believe, has been taken out of the hands of Alick Caulton and handed over to another trainer. After making St. Gordon do better than he has ever yet done, it does seem hard lines that the St. Helier’s Bay trainer should have received but scant reward. However, Caulton cannot be deprived of the credit of having brought the horse to the post so fit.

A case of colonial interest as affecting the relations between racing clubs and bookmakers was argued in the Wellington Supreme Court in banco on Friday, before the Chief Justice. It was an appeal from a decision of Mr Kenny, S.M., who convicted George Champion, a bookmaker, and fined him £5 and costs, for having trespassed upon the Hutt Park Racecourse on January 24 last. The stewards of the Wellington Racing Club notified by advertisement on January 17 that no bookmakers would be admitted within the racecourse enclosure. Champion, however, went upon the course, was warned off by the authority of the stewards, and subsequently prosecuted and fined. The defence on Friday was that the Wellington Racing Club, who were the lessees of the course, had no statutory power to evict any member of the public from the course. His Honor reserved judgment.

All the Auckland horses that were engaged in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting have returned, St. Paul having arrived last Thursday, and Nestor and Swordfish 11. on Monday. The trip for the trio, undoubtedly three of the best horses in the race, was disastrous. St. Paul, as we know, broke down under his big load; Swordfish, as we stated when ‘the handicaps appeared, had more to carry than his performances justified, while Nestor, although he ran well, failed to get a place. Auckland owners cannot credit Mr Henry, the C.J.C. handicapper, with leniency or much encouragement to undergo the expense and experience the risk of taking horses so far away from home. St. Paul was top weight, Swordfish second, and Nestor third, and probably Jack Chaafe thinks there is not so much after all in owning a good horse like St. Paul, when he is asked to give away to thoroughbreds like Tirant d’Eau, who won, 301bs, Fulinen 411bs, and Cceur de Lion 291bs. Once more the light-weights in the New Zealand Cup have prevailed, and the better division gone to the wall.

When Lord Granville Gordon was told that he would get himself disliked by the jockeys for his plain speaking in his latest novel, “ Warned Off ! ” he enquired apprehensively, “ Which of ’em had learnt to read ? ” The insinuation is, of course, baseless, because several notable horsemen can read quite nicely ; but there is one well-known trainer who has not yet acquired the art, and the ruses be adopts to disguise his ignorance are decidedly ingenious (says a writer in an English exchange). On one occasion recently I was paying him a visit, in company with a trainer who resided in his neighbourhood when a telegram was handed to him in the stable-yard. He tore it open, and appeared to read it with avidity Then he frowned darkly, and, with a muttered “D ! Look at that now,” he handed it to my companion. “ 1 hat’s all right,” he remarked, and passed it to me. But the old chap wasn’t half satisfied. “ But read it, man!” he cried; “read it aloud!” And I obediently read -. “ Sheep Farm won three lengths.” It was from Epsom, and referred to one of his own horses. “ What more do you want than that? ” I asked, amused at his native artfulness. And, not a whit abashed, he replied: “ What more ? Why, I wanted him to win by six lengths, to be sure ! ”

The Weekly Press, of Christchurch, is supposed to be an authority on everything from the regulation of the universe to the proper clipping of a bull-pup’s ear, but more particularly on horse racing affairs. In its issue of November 16, in its leading columns, it explains that there were only four starters, namely, Altair, Dundas, Conspirer, and Djin-Djin, in the C J.C. Derby, and yet, in its illustration?, which are supposed to be taken on the spot “by our special artist,” there is one entitled “ The Derby field returning after the race; the clerk of the course waiting to escort the winner,” in which ten ho ses and their riders distinctly appear. Now, it is an axiom of photography that the apparatus cannot lie. What explanation can be given ? If Salem Scudder was right that the “ apparatus could not lie,” then :we are forced to the conclusion that the apparatus of the Weekly Press is an extraordinary invention of modern times, an invention designed to invent at the sweet will of the artist. What a blessing would such an apparatus prove to a sensational American print, for instance, the Police Gazette, which could then enjoy the luxury of depicting the female form divine with six legs instead of two.

A southern scribe is responsible for the following : —Mr R. Beckett, an owner of trotting horses in New South Wales, arrived here last week, bringing with him a powerful team. Unfortunately his nominations for the Plumpton Park Meeting, an important gathering, were received too late to be accepted. Mention of trotting reminds me that in a letter received recently Mr Buckland, the owner of Fritz, reiterates his previously expressed intention to bring over a team at Christmas time.

We have heard and received all sorts of comments on the riding of the American jockey, “Tod” Sloan. The following appearing in Sporting Life from the pen of the “ Special Commissioner” is worthy of reproduction : —“ Sloan’s judgment in race-riding is marvellous. He keeps his opponents on the stretch —a horseman from beginning to end. Whether his system will revolutionise jockeyship is another matter. But certain it is that our professors have much to learn as regards judgment in pace—which is at the li' tie American’s finger ends —the even way of getting the most of a miler at a mile, or the same on the T.Y.C. proportionately, is ‘ Tod * Sloan’s forte. There is no suspicion of gallery riding about him.”

The Queensland Derby, decided at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, on Saturday, November 5. was won by Mr D. Little’s brown colt Boreas, by Little Bernie —The Nun, and as the winner fairly walked home in 2min 42£sec he must be held as more than an average colt; Little Bernie, his sire, is rapidly making a name for himself, and he is a rare-bred one, as he is by the New Zealand-bred Cheviot (a full-brother to Sir Modred) from the granddam (Myrtle) of that wonderfully good Australian horse, Marvel. Everything sired by Little Bernie can gallop. The Flat, after Melbourne Cup race (says The ’Bulletin') afforded an interesting lesson on the tote. From the Hill could be seen small, excited knots of bettors gesticulating violently, then a break-away and a vision of an individual turned upside down in a hurry, with a vigorous tossing about of arms and legs ; then a couple of white helmets, lockup and peace —till next time. One small welsher, when last seen, was high in air on the shoulders of a big brewer’s drayman, disappearing in the bushes near the Saltwater River ; and presently the drayman returned —alone ! Gozo has increased his lead in the winning sires’ competition during the last ten days (states “ Terlinga” on November 12), and now has within a pound of £9OOO to his credit. This is only £6OO less than Lochiel headed the list with last year. Carbine, who was second last year, is only twelfth now, and unless Amberite recovers his form, and carries all before him in the autumn, “ Old Jack” will not be near the front at the end of this season. Considering the mares he had, Carbine has not done as well as might have been expected, and it is to be hoped the Duke of Portland’s mares will suit him better than those he got in Australia. With Revenue, Symmetry,and Eleusive fighting for him at Flemington Trenton is now second on the list with £4449 to his credit, and he is sure to come into a good place at the end of the season. Lochie] is third, and thanks to Cocos, Abercorn is fourth. With C pra the grand old chestnut who could always give Carbine a good race when both were well would have been a dismal failure at the stud. Perhaps he will *do better in England. Hymettus keeps Eiridspord well up, and Cravat does the same for Castor, but Malua has 11 winners, who have won 15 races and run 14 seconds. Although only eighth now, Bill of Portland is bound to be higher up before the final statistics are made up. Three old favorites who are gradually dropping down in the list are Robinson Crusoe, Goldsbrough, and Richmond, all of whom have died within the last year.

Scorn and Revenue (writes “ Terlinga ”) stand right out from all the two-year-olds, and unless some of the dark ones to come out in the autumn are above the average, Mr Wilson will be as formidable as Mr A. F. Smart was with Archie and Warwick in the autumn of 1883. Which is the better of the two I do not know. Before the meeting, 1 believe, the stable estimate was that Scorn was slightly the better of the two, but it strikes me the sharpening up Revenue got in his first race did him a power of good, and Mr Dakin made him give Scorn 21b the last time he handicapped them. Revenue covers a tremendous amount of ground in his stride, and races with his head down almost to the level <>f his knees, just as Carbine did. Tremarden, the Debutant Stakes winner, was not seen at the meeting. Perhaps he is not up to the form of the other two, but he is a fine colt, and should improve. Both Revenue and Tremarden are by Trenton, who would have remained at the he;d of our sires for some time to come if he hud not gone to England; Fleetfoot I was disappointed with. She is as fractious as was her relative La Cheville, and never showed her form. Neither of Tom Pay ten’s pair, Carinthia or Badge, are in the firstclass ; and Viscount 11. does not seem to get more than half a mile. Still, T. Lamond won races with all his three, and this was not the Ju k of J. Allsop, who brought down five horses and did not win a race ! Skylark ran pretty well on Saturday, and will turn out useful; while Golden Queen is very smart, but in the autumn Scorn, Revenue, and Tremarden will probably stand out from everything which raced during the Victorian campaign.