Our Australian Letter

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 445, 2 February 1899, Page 15

Our Australian Letter

[From Oub Own Correspondent.]

Sydney, January 25. Since my last the St. Hippo —Innisfail filly has taken another bad turn, and it was found neces sary to postpone the departure of both herself and the Soult —Oressina colt until the 17th prox. At the time of writing the filly is doing well, and the vet. is confident of being able to ship her by the Blue Anchor boat, Warrigal, on the date named. By the will of the late Mr Richard Craven, the whole of his thoroughbred stock and his private training establishment at Clarendon has been left to his eldest son Thomas, and that gentleman will continue to race, under the mentorship of Martin Payten. A subscription list is afloat for the benefit of the widow and orphans of the late George Durston, the jockey who was killed at Newcastle recently. Mr Hugh Roarty, a well-known aldermanic racing man, has collected over £5O, and at Newcastle the list is headed by the Jockey Club with ten guineas, so that altogether a goodly sum will be collected. If any of Durston’s old New Zealand friends desire to contribute to the good cause they can for* ard their donations to “ Martindale,” of the Tbwn und Country Journal, who will, I am sure, be only too pleased to receive th«m. Last Saturday’s meeting at Caulfield resulted in a loss to the V.A.T.C. of over £lOO. Mr Alf. Josephs, the well-known Victorian ringman, returned to Sydney by the Alameda on Sunday, and he looks very much improved by his trip to New Zealand. He speaks very highly of the kind treatment he received in the Land of theMoa, and refers especially to the attention paid him by Mr L. D. Nathan, the senior proprietor of Sylvia Park. In the Welter Handicap, distance seven furlongs, to be run at Randwick to-morrow, old Whakawatea is weighted at 11.7, the nearest to him being Breadalbane 9.9, whilst that gay deceiver Astronomer has 9.4. The lowest weight is 8.0, so it would seem as if old “ Whak ” is very much alive at the present time. For some time past Mr Fred. Fielder’s colt, Vigorous, by Aberoorn —Lady Vivian, has been heavily backed for the Newmarket Handicap, and before the weights came out he actually reached 100 to 7. Mr Dakin, however, gave Vigorous 8.11, and this was a rude shock to the Fielder family, and 100 to 5 is nOw on offer, and plenty to be had at the price The New Zealanders Whakawatea and Blazer have been well taken care |of in the Newmarket Handicap with 9.7 and 9.6 respectively, whilst in the Oakleigh Purse, five and a half furlongs, Blazer is top weight with 9.2, and old “ Whak” has 9.0. This should prove quite sufficient in both cases. The Victorian jockey, James Hayes, after trying in vain for a license in Western Australia, has decided to try his luck in England. Whilst in New Zealand, I found that Mr S. H. Gollan’s Australan jumper Ebor was thought little of. From recent English files I glean that the son of Robert the Devil is once more in the market, and his price is 1200 guineas. Read it carefully ye residents of Maoriland. The Australian Star draws attention to the fact that Mr Wm.- Percival has completed his twenty-fifth year as secretary of the Auckland Racing Club. It is published here that Mr G. G. Stead has refused an offer of 3,000 guineas for Multiform to go to England. It is rumoured here that the son of Hotchkiss—Formo will visit Randwick for the A.J.O. Autumn Meeting. Here Formo’s son will m* et good ones in Merloolas, Cocos, Bobadil, Lee Metford, etc., but after the Auckland Plate running, I shall be satisfied to stand Dick Mason’s pet.

At the time of writing there is not time to go through the weights for the big events of the Victorian autumn carnival, but at a hurried glance the following half-dozen seem possessed of good chances in the various events : —Oakleigh Plate: Olaf 9.1, Symmetry 8.0, Stand Off 7.1, Vigorous 7.4, Revenue 7.11, and North British 7.10. Oakleigh Purse: Tremarden 84, Ideal 7.7, First Consul 7.10, Valorous 8.6, Eleusive 8.1, and St. Gatien 7.2. Newmarket Handicap : Blair 8.13, Symmetry 8.8, Hopscotch 9.7, Olaf 9.1, Reaper 8.2, Stand Off 8.0. Australian Cup: Cocos 8.10, Lee-Metford 8.2, Wait-a-Bit 8.12, War God 7.7, Wild Raven 6.13, and Symmetry 7.2. The chairman of the A. J.C., Mr H. C. Dangar, has left Sydney on a visit to Egypt for the benefit of his health. Mr W. Duggan informs me that Amberite has run his last race, the brilliant son of Carbine and Duenna having broken down. His owner, Mr John Lee, of Bylong, from whom Mr Duggan had a racing lease, intends replacing Trident with Carbine’s brilliant son. By the way, Mr Duggan has Pellissier, a full brother to Amberite, and a colt by Trident from Amberite’s dam in his string. The Rosehill Racing Club received no less than one hundred and ninety entries for the halfdozen events to be decided on the popular course on Feb 4. Mr W. Kelso, the well-known trainer, contemplates a visit to Auckland on a health-seek-ing expedition. The victory at Caulfield of Artilleryman (by Light Artillery—Alethe) cannot be otherwise than gratifying to Dan O’Brien, who purchased the dam at Sir Thomas Elder’s sale in Adelaide some time back, and if I mistake not, the owner of the“ rose and black stripes” has a full brother to the V.A.T.C. winner.

The St. Leger—Ouida colt purchased at the recent Wellington Park sale, and which is now in

Walter Hickenbotham’s stable at Flemington, is already a great favorite in Melbourne among sporting men. Although eight days on shipboard, the colt landed in Melbourne as fresh as paint. Colonel Campbell, one of Tom Payten’s big patrons, has decided that in future his horses must be trained in Melbourne, and in the southern city his trainer will be Mr R. H. Frew. Meanwhile, that good mare, Sweet Marie (by Trenton —Marie Louise), and the disappointing War God (by Carbine —Hera) have been leased from the sporting colonel for their racing career by Mr William Forrester,-of Warwick Farm. The results of Saturday’s Caulfield Meeting were as follows: —Kookribb Stakes : Forest 1, Wigmore 2, Bay Rose 3. Hawthorn Hurdle Race: Iramoo I, Realgar 2, The Provost 3. Anniversary Handicap: Ballistite 1, Majestic 2, Diversion 3. Rowena Steeplechase : Leeway 1, N.Z, 2, Gentilt 3. Holiday Stakes : Artilleryman 1. Kooma 2, Pauline Louise 3. Tooronga Handicap: The Don 1, Marie Corelli 2, Locksmith 3. At Canterbury Park the results were : —Flying Handicap: Marnie 1, Drummer Girl 2, Mecca 3. Kogarah Stakes : Bluecap 1, Silverfall 2, Fortune 3. Welter Handicap : Nardoo 1, Sinking Fund 2, Residue 3. Two year-old Handicap : Catherine Wheel 1, Tib 2, Lauri 3. Moorefield Handicap : Pasquin 1, Aillee 2, Crimson 3. Stewards’ Mile : Lord Gresford 1, Blanche Florence 2, Bubba 3. The Tod Sloane style of riding has been set going here by the ex-pony jockeys, F. Kuhn and E. Crockett, and singular to say, upon each trial it has been successfully At Mentone (Vic.) races yesterday the horse J.T. and his O'vner, W. Brown, were disqualified for five years for fraudulent, practices, and the jockey, Joseph Carson, “ went out” for twelve months.

The latest Newmarket betting is as foil »ws : — 100 to 5 Vigorous and Stand Off, 100 to 4 Veneda.

Nothing else is asked for. For the Australian Cup Cocos and Bob idil are quoted at 10 to 1, and Wait-a-Bit at 12 to 1. There is, however, very little doing as yet.