Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 479, 28 September 1899, Page 11

Sporting Topics.

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All the stakes at the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s Spring Meeting will be paid in full. Seahorse did a splendid gallop on the Hastings track on Saturday morning. The Ingomar gelding, Clonmel, was sold last week for £9 10s. W. batman accompanied Bred Davis and J. Creamer on Tuesday on the trip down to Napier. J. B. Williamson’s horses are still working at One Tree Hill. Some people say that St Paul will never go into the starters hands this season. Nor’-West has started work again and looks wonderfully well after his spell. Bluejacket’s race in the Avondale Cup has done him a power of good. During the last three weeks Douglas has been putting in some rattling worx. Colonel Dawson’s hunter, Turk, who raced on his own in the Hunt Club Hurdles at Avondale has gone into Jack Bae’s stables. bt Crispin and Firefly are getting over a dose of phjeic administered after the Avondale Meeting. Young Jack Chaafe left for Wellington at the end of last week, to bring up Conspirer and another horse. On Friday at Hunter and Nolan’s sale Mi JMcLeod, of the istar Hotel, Grey Lynn, bought the stallion Billingsgate for 10 guineas. Seahorse will be ridden in the Hawkes Bal Guineas by Creamer who leit for Napier by the Mararoa on Tuesday. Miscalulation, the St Hippo—L.quidation filly, seen out at Avondale has gone out to Whitford Park m company with Stepfast. Troubadour, the winner of the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles, has been nominated for the Handicap Hurdles at the jx.R.C. Spring Meeting. Before his win in the Waverley Handicap at the A.J.C. Meeting, Charge had not won since his Derby victory in 1896. The following horses have been withdrawn from the Caulfield Cup : —Hopscotch, Boscobel, Ace of' Diamonds, xiattle Boyal, Flodden, and Skylight. i The Gisborne jumper, Tommy, was sold on Friday at Hunter and Nolan’s sale, Mr “Budge” Gordon becoming the new owner of the chestnut at £25. Kettledrum is in the private sale list. On Friday when offered for sale at Hunter and Nolan’s yards, the Hotchkiss gelding tailed to bring the reserve price put upon him and was therefore withdrawn. Since showing good form at the A.J.C. Meet' ing, Le Var has been well backed for both CupsFrom latest advices I learn that his price for the Caulfield Cup was 14 to 1, and for the Melbourne Cup 16 to 1. The Carbine horse Spencer, who recently met with an accident which resulted in a broken shoulder, is making a good recovery, and there is no doubt that the horse will be saved for stud purposes. Fred Davis the well-know and popular rider has returned to Hawke’s Bay. Davis is a quiet and unassuming fellow, and during his stay in his birthplace has made many new friends, who though sorry to lose him will wish him the success he deserves. The Castor —Frailty horse, Astronomer, has been sold through the agency of Messrs Chisholm and Co. to the New Zealand and Australian Land Co., Longreaeh, Queensland, lhe price paid was 200 guineas, and at that figure the Castor horse is a rare bargain for stud purposes.

Boscobel has been scratched for the Melbourne Cup. Mr T. G. MacOarthy has been re-elected President of the Wellington Racing Club. The Musket Stallion Remington is standing the season in the Wairarapa district. St. Lucia has been scratched for the New Zealand Cup. Mr Stead’s filly is still in the slings. I have received the September number of the Victorian Racing Calendar. In the Prince Edward Handicap run at Manchester on Saturday, Survivor ran sixth, and The Grafter finished in tenth position. Messrs W. White and J. G. McVay have been returned unsupported to represent the Hawke s Bay country clubs or the Metropolitan Body, Late English exchanges say that F. W. Day, the trainer who looks after Waiuku, is “lying low ” with the son of St. Leger and Musket Maid and with the Australian mare Georgia. Judging from the excellent nominations re ceived for the Auckland Cup, the Northern two mile race promises to be a second edition of the New Zealand Cup. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club held on Monday, Messrs .G. Hutchison and C. J. Johnston were elected vicepresidents. Lochiel was the most successful sire at the recent A.J.C. Meeting. He is credited with five wins, gained by Le Var (two), Cremona, Dewey, and Parapet. News was received in Auckland on monday that Explosion, Rosella, Beddington, and Miss Delaval had been landed at Napier in good health after a splendid passage down. Considering that St. Olga had only been a short time in work, her form at Avondale was very promising, and she should turn out a worthy sister to St. Clements, St. Paul, and St. Ursula. Uhlan has been nominated for the A.R.O. Handicap at the Spring Meeting. This may mean that Mr Russell’s horse will not go down South for the New Zealand Cup, or it may be just a little game of bluff. Strathnairn has been and is suffering from laminitis. As some time must elapse before he will be able to work again, the chances of the son of Abydos starting in the New Zealand Cup are rather remote. Mr Thomas Lennard’s Seaton Delaval colt, Vai Rosa, the winner of the Nursery Handicap at Avondale, is a very taking customer. He is growing fast, and will make a handsome three-year-old. The Prince Edward Handicap, the big mile race of the Manchester September Meeting, was run on Saturday, and resulted in the victory of “Mr Jersey’s” Maluma, by Malua—Madcap. Georgia won this race last year. Temeraire, by Dreadnought—Sister Mary, the three-year-old filly owned by the Hon. J. W. Ormond, is a very promising young lady. She is expected to run well at Hawk’s Bay next week, and all going well will be a dangerous candidate for the C. J.C. Oaks. A resolution was moved at the annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club on Monday prohibiting office-bearers, officials, and servants of the club betting on races run on the course, but of course, the motion was lost by a very big majority. Some people have naturally jumped to the conclusion that the Djin-Djin which won the Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday week is Messrs Pollard’s “opera horse,” but this is a mistake. There is another Djin-Djin in the field, a brown mare by Forest King—Cumino. Messrs < ’Sullivan’ clipper is by Apremont — Dudu. The other Djin-Djin belongs to Mr L. A. Cooper. A curious incident in connection with the fatal accident to Mr Nelson Mcßae has been mentioned by Mr D. Scott. That gentleman says that Mr Mcßae wished to ride Hangfire in the steeplechase at Bulls, and that he, Mr Scott, was also agreeable until he had dream in which he saw Mr Mcßae injured in a race. Then he refused to let the young rider have the mount on Hangfire. Mora, the six-year-old mare by Malua —White Star, recently well supported for the Melbourne Cup, has not won a race since she won the Adelaide Cup as a three-year-old. She then carried 7.8, and ran the mile and five furlongs in 2min 52sec. She has been doing track work satisfactory to her connections, but it is not surprising to find that the public have not backed her, for it is over two years since she was placed. Parthian and Reviver were the disappointing three-year-olds amongst the lot seen out at the A J.C. Meeting. Parthian’s display is said to be due to the fact that he was a bit on the big side when he started, and that instead of improving with galloping he went from bad to worse. Reviver ran a good colt in the Derby, but in subsequent efforts he did not show to such advantage. However, in the six weeks before the V.R C. Derby both colts may make considerable improvement. The Poverty Bay Turf Club holds its Spring Meeting on Thursday and Friday, October 19 and 20. A very promising programme has been prepared, as a glance at the advertisement columns will show. Altogether, £465 is provided in stake money for the two dajs’ racing. The Spring Handicap, one mile and a quarter, with 60 sovs, is the principle race on the first day, and on the second afternoon the Makaraka Handicap of 50 sovs, one mile, will perhaps claim most attention. There are open and hack hurdle races on each day, and welter, maiden, and sprint handicaps make up the rest of the programme. Nominations for the various events close with the secretary, Mr J. H. Aislabie, Masonic Hotel, Gisborne, on Friday, October 6.

Watershot was in winning vein again at Rangitikei last week. The Natator gelding, carrying 10.12, won the Hack Hurdles, one mile and a half, in very good style. St. Paul has been nominated for the C.J.O. Metropolitan Handicap, and has also been entered for the A.R.C. Handicap, to be run at the Auckland Spring Meeting. Will he go South, or will he stay at home ? Bill of Portland will serve very few mares outside the inmates of Mr W. R. Wilson’s stud. Amongst the mares to be mated with the St. Simon horse are Sir George Clifford’s Catherine Wheel, by Maxim out of Miss Kate, and Goldleaf, by Stonyhurst out of Golden Crest. Kissmary and Rosiphele were the only Hotchkiss youngsters seen out at Avondale. The former is a strapping chestnut filly that should develop into a fine mare. She seemed to be a bit jaded, and certainly did not run up to her home form. Rosiphele may do better later on. Cavalier seemed all at sea in the Plumpton Handicap at Avondale, and after his good form on the first day his running was disappointing to his backers. Certainly St. Ursula’s time was pretty good, but on the winter showing the pair ought to have been closer together. It is pleasing to note that the Waikato sportsman, Mr Donald McKinnon, has a promising two-year-old in Landlock (by Flintlock —Dreamland). In the juvenile race at Avondale on the second day Landlock came very fast in the last furlong, and he finished like a racehorse. Orzil, the four-year-old English horse, by Ayrshire—Merry Miser, imported to New South Wales by Mr P. H. Osborne, arrived at Sydney by the Morayshire, the boat that brought Paris home again. Mr Osborne will race Orzil for a term before putting him to stud duties. At the Hurst Park (England) August Meeting a horse named Palmerston, carrying 6.9, ran the Hurst Park Holiday Handicap, two miles, in the remarkably fast time of 3min 25 2-ssec. This time handsomely beats Carbine’s Australian record of 3min 28£sec, and the American record of 3min 26|aec made by Judge Denny. George Wright thinks he will bring the New Zealand Cup to Auckland this year. He certainly has a very big chance, for Explosion has done some very good work, and at the present time is in splendid condition. The Sporting Review photographer went out on Thursday to take his portrait, and the picture in this week’s paper is an admirable likeness of the Cup favourite. Since his victory in the Timaru Cup Jupiter has been one of the best backed horses in the New Zealand Cup. Perhaps he has not been backed for very heavy amounts, but the support accorded him has been general. Punters in all parts of the colony have put a little bit on Jupiter. His running next week at Wingatui may throw a little more light upon hie prospects. St. Elmo was a popular selection to win both Plumpton Handicap and Mount Albert Handicap on the second day at Avondale. The good thing did not come off cn either occasion. In the Plumpton Handicap St. Ursula and Record Reign were too good for Peter Chaafe’s horse, while the heavy shower during the running of the Mount Albert Handicap knocked the spirit out of others besides St. Elmo. Miss Delaval was berthed side by side with Rosella on board lhe Te Anau on Saturday. Mr Dan McLeod’s high - spirited filly was looking better than she did at Avondale, but she still had a rather light appearance. She will improve rapidly now she is on the mend, and will undoubtedly run well if started at Hawke’s Bay. Miss Delaval makes the journey South in charge of Sam Lindsay. Explosion, Rosella, .and the two-year old Beddington, in the charge of George Wright, left for Napier in the Te Anau on Saturday. The Cup horse was in blooming condition, and he bore himself as one perfectly acquainted and contented with ocean travelling. Rosella also comported herself with great decorum. The filly looked wonderfully well, and should run well at the Hawke’s Bay Meeting. Beddington seemed very contented with his quarters, and, like his stable companions, was in admirable health. The case between the owners of the Forbury and the Dunedin Jockey Club which was withdrawn from the courts and referred to arbitration has been settled. The arbitrators Messrs Wright, Simpson, and Brown have come to the conclusion that the Jockey Club should pay the Forbury owners £750 and transfer the freehold sections at the entrance gates, and that the Forbury people should waive their claims for repairs and take over the property. These things have been done and now the owners of the old racecourse are looking out for new tenants. The Wellington Racing Club will give away £1990 in stakes at the Spring Meeting to be held on Wednesday, November 22, and Friday, November 24. The Wellington Handicap, the mile and a quarter race on the first day, is endowed with 400 sovs, and the Pearce Handicap run over a mile and a furlong on the second day, is now worth 300 sovs. On the first day, the Spring Juvenile Stakes, four furlongs, has a stake of 80 sovs, and the Spring Nursery Handicap on the programme for the second day is worth 70 sovs, and is run over a distance of five furlongs. Entries for all events at the Spring Meeting close on November 1. A meeting of the Coromandel Racing Club was held last week, when the following were elected to the committee : —Messrs Daldy, Marsick, Rostgard, Reynolds, Dunster, Denize, Ford, Urquhart, Prescott, Laing, Davies, O’Connor, Callaway, Donnelly, and Andrew. The re-appointment of Mr J. O. Evett as handicapper was decided upon, and the choice of the members for the position of secretary rested with Mr A. F. Billing. Messrs Brodie, Denize, Urquhart, Rhodes, and Maguire were appointed a sub-committee to frame a programme for the Summer Meeting.

Fireside is no longer in the New Zealand Cup. Oingo has been scratched for all the Hawke’s Bay spring events for which he was handicapped. Sir Launceiot is meeting with steady support for the New Zealand Cup. Rhino has been re-leased to Mr T. Jones for a term of twelve months. The Native gelding is still having the run of the paddock. If the Rangitikei Racing Club pays stakemoney in full, Bush Rose will have a penalty of 31b for the New Zealand Cup. The Hawke’s Bay horses, Moonraker, Pistol Grip, and Jadoo, have all been doing good track work lately. An American jockey, who closely copies Tod Sloan’s method of riding, is now engaged in a prominent Hawke’s Bay stable. Toa was a “ good thing” in Auckland for the Flying Handicap at the Rangitikei meeting. A bigger dividend than £3 Is was expected. The Taranaki Jockey Club has decided to increase the value of the Taranaki Cup from £3OO to £350. Mr Joe Evett and Mr R. G. Pardy will, as formerly, frame the handicaps for the Taranaki Jockey Club. Koss Heaton, Major George’s late trainer, will give a careful eye to George Wright’s string during the visit of Explosion’s trainer to Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury. The jumper Hutana (by Voltigeur), now owned by Mr T. Scott, of Rangitikei, is said to be a promising customer, and one that it will be well worth keeping an eye upon. The Lower Valley Jockey Club will give away £6lO in stakes at the meeting to be held on December 26 and 27. The principal event of the meeting will be the Lower Valley Jockey Club Handicap, one mile, with a stake of 100 sovs. Christchurch backers of Miss Delaval for the Avondale Cup could not believe that she could stand up and get beaten, so the rumor flew round that the little beauty had fallen in the race in question I Niagara is standing this season in New South Wales at the very moderate fee of ten guineas. A Canterbury Times scribe bewails the fact that there is not a Niagara, a Manton, or a Lochiel at the service of Canterbury breeders. The American thoroughbred stallion, Gilead, will evidently be given a chance to prove his merit as a sire this season. Already eighteen mares have been booked to him; some of them highly-bred animals. We often hear of people looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, but Percy Johnson is said to have found several darning needles in Dummy’s straw bedding when Mr Watson’s jumper travelled from Wellington to Lyttelton for the Grand N ational Meeting. Little Wonder’s failure to pass the standard is a bit of bad luck for Sam Tooman, more especially as Reindeer and Reporter have both gone lame recently. However, Pipiwhauruoa’s win in the first Pony Race at Avondale must have been some compensation. Bush Rose, carryiog 9.2, easily accounted for the Spring Handicap at Bulls last Wednesday. Certainly, the opposition was not very strong, for Rubin was not nearly fit. However, the Cup horse galloped briskly, and pleased a good many people by his method of. going. The Wellington Cup for 1899 h.'.s 650sovs added money and a piece of plate of the value of lOOsovs. For this race and for the Wellington Racing Club Handicap, worth 400sove, entries close with Mr H. W. Lyon on Wednesday, November 1. Major F. Nelson George was a passenger to Napier by the Te Anau on Saturday. The latest reports received about his three-year-olds Seahorse and Labourer was very favourable, and the gallant Major is confident that his colours will be prominent at the xlawke’s Bay Meeting next week. Mr T. H. Lowry’s St. Leger stallion, St. Conon, who was a short time ago leased to Captain Russell, was found with a broken leg- in one of the paddocks at Sherenden, and had to be destroyed. Mr Lowry bought St. Conon (who was out of Sapphire) at the Wellington Park yearling sale ot 1896, the price he paid being 510 guineas. At the Marton meeting, one hundred and fortyfive horses started in the various events. If a punter had invested one pound on every starter he would have finished up with a winning balance of £BO Ils. His expenditure w-ould have been £145, while his receipts would have amounted to £225 Ils. The annual race meeting of the Waikato Hunt Club, held at Cambridge last week, was a great success. The sport was very interesting, and there was a big attendance of sportsmen from surrounding districts. Mr R. Dodd met with a piece of ill-fortune in the Hunt Club Steeplechase. His mare, Miss Kate, was going very well, but at the third fence from home the made a mistake and fell, breaking a leg. Mr Dodd was condoled with on his loss, for Mies Kate was a very useful mare. Seaton Delaval claims two winners at the Avondale Meeting, Jim Keane, the winner of the Maiden Plate m the first day, and Vai Rosa, the winner of the Nursery Handicap on the second day, Blairgowrie sired two winners in Blairina, and the good looking pony Clansman, Castor two winners in the gallant Record Reign, and the “hack” Castroline, St Leger one with St U rsula, Soult one with Lady Avon, Artillery one with Firefly, Cannon one with Cannongate, Lionel one with Voltigeur 11., Freedom one with Mo u. ent, Sou’-Wester one with Fortyseven, Derringer one with Pipiwharauroa, and Cap-a-pie one certainty with Dentist, and one “doubtful,” for Riot is set down as being either by Cap-a-pie or Huntsman.

First Love is on a visit to Soult. St. Elwyn has not been moving very freely since the Avondale meeting.

Bed Lancer will probably go down to Biccarton for the C.J.C. Spring Meeting. I hear that Coronet is not very likely to keep his New Zealand Cup engagement.

Miss Delaval arrived at Napier safely, and on Tuesday on the Hastings track pleased the touts immensely.

Explosion and Beddington created a good impression at Hastings on Tuesday morning. Bosella it is said was very sore after working. The stallion Eros (by St. George —Idalia) will again be offered at auction on Friday by Messrs Buckland and Sons.

The annual meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club will be held at half-past two o’clock on Wednesday afternoon next. The Pakuranga Hunt Club holds a Point to Point Steeplechase on Saturday, October 7. Entries close with the secretary on Friday, October 6.

The only foaling at Wellington Park to record this week is the birth of a colt by Castor out of Rubina. There are six foals at Wellington Park now —two colts and four fillies.

J. B. Williamson has gone to Sydney, and is looking about for suitable mares to mate with Cyrenian. Mr Leonard Marshall may ultimately establish a stud farm.

Entries for The North Island Challenge Stakes to be decided at the Wellington Bacing Club’s Autumn Meeting, 1900, are due on Wednesday, November 1.

Miss Delaval will be a starter at Hawke’s Bay, and if her prospects are considered good enough she will go on to Christchurch, where possibly Harry Franks will put the finishing touches to her preparation.

Mr Alec Phillips has purchased his old Ellerslie stables, which will be tenanted by Knight of Athol, Nor’-East, Opou, and Handsome Jane. These horses have been removed from Avondale to Ellerslie, where their trainer, Mick M‘Aulliffe, will take up his residence.

Cranberry will after all be prepared for the V.B.C. Spring Meeting. The question of his starting in the Caulfield Cup is left to the discretion of his trainer. The colt worked on Tuesday morning, and ran a mile at half pace. Mr J. A. Slack, probably one of the best live stock photographers we have ever had in New Zealand, is relinquishing his business in Auckland and returning to the Old Country. Readers of the Spotting Review well know the faithfulness of Mr Slack’s equine portraiture, and while regretting that his skill with the camera will no longer be exercised upon New Zealand subjects, I am sure all will join with me in wishing him the best of luck in the Old Land and in the hope that we shall see some of his English work in > these pages. I have received the following letter and gladly give it publicity in our columns : —“ The ‘John Coyle’ Memorial Fund. Wellington, September 15th, 1899. Dear Sir,—lt has been thought that his many friends would be glad of an opportunity of showing their appreciation of the late Mr John Coyle, and it is suggested that the manner of so doing might be the provision of a suitable headstone and railing for the grave, and a contribution towards the very heavy expense of bis final illness. We may mention, in support of the foregoing proposal, that, about four months previous to Mr Coyle’s death he and his family were burnt of house and home at Ohingaiti, and consequently they all suffered very serious pecuniary and other loss. Ihe gentlemen interesting themselves in this movement have asked us to take the initiative in laying the matter before those who have the same feeling for the deceased that animates them ; and we shall be glad to receive any amount you may feel disposed to give towards this end. The promoters will form themselves into a committee to see to the administration of the fund, and particulars will be forwarded to each subscriber in due time. We would point out tbfct such matters as this should be closed as soon as possible, and therefore we would kindly ask prompt attention from you. There are probably other friends in your district who would add their mite, and we would feel obliged if you would bring the matter under their notice, ard collect any sums they may offer. — Yours faithfully, J E. Heneys, H. M. Lyon, for the promoters.” Isi all be glad to actin the manner suggested by Messrs Henrys and Lyon, and receive contributions to the proposal funds. Any subscriptions forwarded to the Editor of the Spobtijsg Feview will be acknowledged in these columns.