Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 514, 31 May 1900, Page 10

Sporting Topics.

[By

Petronel.]

The once well known steeplechaser Perform is dead.

Rhino has not been accepted for in the Great Northern Steeplechase. Evidently something has gone wrong with the Native gelding, for a fortnight ago he was doing sound work on the Hastings track. :

Ruby’s name is not among the acceptors for the Great Northern Steeplechase. The defection of the Turquoise mare and Rhino leaves Hawke’s Bay without a , representative in the big cross country race. ■

Forty-seven sadly besmirched his reputation as a jumper in the Maiden Steeplechase at Takapuna on Thursday. He got over the fences very slowly, and did not seem to relish the water jump a little bit. However, he may improve when he gets more confides.ce.

The running of Blackdust and The Guard at "Wanganui shows the Prosser’s stable will have to be reckoned with at the North New Zealand Grand National Meeting. Mr J. McLeod, of the Star Hotel, Newton, has sold the stallion Billingsgate to Mr dcott, of Par us. Bay. The Isaak Walton sire went up to his new quarters on Friday last. There was a slight inc .ease in the totalisator receipts on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Meeting, compared with the investments made on the opening day of last year’s meeting. Fulmen won the Birthday Handicap at Wingatui on Thursday. The Castor horse has been a long time in winning a race, but it is to hoped that his many admirers shared in the spoils of victory.

At Wingatui on Queen’s Birthday, First Blood improved on his Ashburton running. He ran second in the Welter Handicap, and fo.lowed up that performance by winning the Tradesman’s Handicap in very good style. Quickshot, a three-year-old by Carbine from Santa Felice, won the Rothschild Plate for maidens, one mile, at the r oithampton and Pytchley meeting on April 3rd. There were seven starters, and Quickshot, who went out at 4 to 1, won by a length. Two of the mares recently purchased at Mr Long’s sale —Goldlike, sister to Gloria, and Eidothea, sister to Merman —have g *ue on a visit to Bill of Portland. They will oe mated to foal to to English time in the Old Country. On Queen’s Birthday the totalisator staff at Takapuna handled £7368 On the same day last year, £7375 was invested. On the first day of last year’s Winter Meeting, the amount speculated was £4561. The machines were wellmanaged by .Mr C. F. Mark, who coni rolled an efficient staff.

1 regret to announce the death of Mrs Russell, mother of Mr J. J. Russell, the well-known owner and trainer. The deceased lady, who had attained a good age, was among the early settlers in Taranaki. Her husband was killed in action in the ambuscade at le Ngutu-o tea Manu, near Manaia, in the second Maori rebellion. St. Ursula justified the public preference in the Birthday Handicap at Takapuna on Clhursday by winning the race very easily. The St. Leger —Satanella mare waited on Hastings until about halt-a-mile from home, and then she tailed away and never left the issue in doubt. L anticipated her success, and the other winners whose success 1 predicted were Troubadour, Tim and Kettledrum

Entries close for the next New Z aland Cup OB the coming Monday, June 4th, with Mr Wanklyn, the secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club. The nomination fee is 2 sovs. The handicaps will be declared on or about July Ist The race has a stake of 1500 eovs. of which 200 sovs. goes to the second horse, and 100 sovs. to the third horse. Probably all the best-known horses will be.nominated, together with some that are not known. .

The running of Muscatel and Troubadour in the steeplechase at Takapuna on Saturday would aetm to throw their prospects of success in the Great Northern to the wind. Muscatel was never able to go the pace with Voltigeur 11. and Woolman, while Troubadour was also played out long before the finish. J or’-West’s brother evidently wants more practice at the cross-country game.

The racing at Takapuna on each day of the meeting was extremely interesting. There were many close finishes. Both hurdle races furnished highly-exciting contests, and the two steeple chases were such tight battles that they roused the spectators to enthusiasm. Some of the flat races also resulted in close struggles, and. Mr Knight came in for well-deserved congratulations upon his successful handicapping. Percy Johnson will, it is stated, ride Cavalier in the Grand National Hurdles. If this is correct surely Dummy will not be a starter in the race. The Mute gelding has been accepted for, but if one considered his form on Thursday seriously he can have no possible chance at Ellerslie. However, 1 do not take Thursday’s exhibition seriously. I take the view that Dummy was out for an exercise gallop, and that he will make a much better show if he is started in the Grand National Hurdles. The races at the Coromandel Hack Meeting held on Friday resulted as follows :—Trial Handicap '■ Sbaughran, 1 ; Clarion, 2 ; Birthday Cup : Sbaughran, 1; Clarion, 2. Ladies’ Bracelet: Silence, 1 ; Clarion, 2. Hurry Scurry : Clarion, 1• Silence, 2. The gathering was held on Mr Lynch’s paddock. Mr W. Reddy acted as judge, Mr E. Denize as starter, and the secretarial duties were in the hands of Mr A. G. Hughes, On the whole the Devonport Ferry Company managed the very heavy traffic on the rase days very well. The erection of barriers on the Devonport Wharf for the return journey on Saturday effected what they were meant to avoid —undue crushing. Save in this respect people were able to get to and from the racecourse in comfort, and though the crushing at the barriers mentioned was due to the unnecessary haste of the people, I think the wharf is better without them.

During the two days’ racing at the Takapuna Meeting the sum of £13,914 passed through Messrs Blomfield’s totalisators, which were under the capable management of k Mr O. F. Mark. On the first day £7368 was speculated, and on Saturday the money invested amounted to £6546. The total for the meeting was £lBBB more than was speculated during the Winter Meeting of 1899. Such a result must be highly satisfactory to the executive of the Takapuna jockey Club. Certainly the Club well merits the patronage it receives, for the public are well looked after when they travel to the North Shore racing ground.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club will be held to-morrow (Friday), June Ist. Record Reign, who has been scratched for the A.R.C. Grand National Hurdles, is among the entrants for the first and second Welter Handicaps to be run at the meeting. Sir George Clifford’s mare Catherine Wheel is in foal to Bill of Portland. Goldleaf, who also paid a visit to the St. Alban’s Stud, has unfortunately missed to Wallace. Rarely has the Takapuna Jockey Club experimented such lovely weather as was their 'ot on Thursday and Saturday. There was not a cloud in the sky on either day, and the public greatly appreciated the welcome change. Mr J. Champion, the well-known Taranaki penciller, has gone oown to New Plymouth for a while. He will return to Auckland in time to take part in the North New Zealand Grand National Meeting.

During the racing at Wingatui last week the jockeys Ruthven, Emmerson, Rae, Hewitt, and T. McComb were each fined £1 for breaking away. The starting was in the hands of Mr Harry Piper, who despatched the fields in quite his best form and gave every satisfaction.

Nor’ west will not start for the Great Northern Steeplechase. Eight days on the boat did nob do the h -rse much good, and retarded his recovery somewhat. Nor’-west has been out on the Ellerslie tracks doing useful exercise, but hie next public appearance will probably be at the Wellington Racing Club’s Winter Meeting. Verdi, Acone, and Tukapa have been accepted for in the A.R.C. Grand National Hurdles, and probably only their owners could give reasons why they choose to th ow money away. Ido not say the explanation would be convincing, for it seems rather like throwing good money after bad.

Maud S., 2min B£sec, was buried in a plot ad joining ti at wherein are placed the remains of Dexter, who in his day was as great as Maud S. was in her time. The bodies of these two wonderful horses now lie side by side on the estate of the late Robert Bonner, at East View, Westchester < ounty.

Assemblyman Sanders has introduced a bill in the New Yorn Legislature which makes it a misdemeanour for any telegraph or telephone company to transmit to any poolroom or bucket shop the result of any horse race. Und r the provisions of this act a sec >nd offence of this kind is deemed a felony punishable by a fine or imprisonment, or both.

The Dunedin Jockey Club had a most satisfactory meeting last week. The racing was highly interesting. During the two days £9582 was handled by the totalisator proprietors, Messrs Mason and Roberts. This amount was £1616 10s more than the sum received at the Winter Meeting of 1899. Such a result must be very pleasing to the Executive of the Dunedin Jockey Club.

Troubadour nearly came a smasher when taking the water jump for the last time in the Steeplechjae at Takapuna on Saturday. He seemed to fall on his side right on the top of the jump. He managed to slide over, but the mishap put the stopper on him, and he was eased up. I don t think he could possibly have won for the pace set by Woolman and and Voltigeur II was much too warm for him- Alex Hall did his level best but all his efforts were fruitless.

Acceptances for the minor races to be run on the first day of the North New Zealand Grand National Meeting, close at nine 7clock to-morrow (Friday), June Ist The races, and the acceptance fees to be forwarded to Mr Percival, the Secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, are as follows : Maiden Steeplechase, 2 sovs ; Winter Welter Handicap, 2 sovs; Maiden Huddles, 2 sovs, and the Maiden Welter Handicap, 1 sov. It was hard luck for J. H. Prosser that Black Dust went the wrong course in the Wanganui Steeplechase. He, with Tataramoa and Claymore, did not go the proper journey, and consequently Scallywag, who finished fourth, got the stake and tote money. This is not the first or second time that horses have gone the wrong course at Wanganui in steeplechases, so surely in is time that the course was flagged and that jockeys should be told the right course to go. The succesful riders at the the Takapuna Meeting were Jack Chaafe, jnr., two wins, on St. Ursula and St. Peter; Tommy Hodson, two wins, on Clansman and-. Canopus ; Buchanan, two wins, on Kettledrum and Blaircarng ; and the following with one winning ride each : Percy Johnson on Cavalier, Batman on Toroa, A. Hall on Troubadour, J. Stewart on Korowai, W. Stewart on Honesty, Katteras on Tim, Burns on Voltiguer 11, and Tooman on Pipiwharauroa.

A Melbourne scribe, writing of jumpers says ’•— “ Racing men are now looking forward to the jumping season, and ere long the cross-country brigade will virtually monopolise attention. There is no sign yet of anything new and exceptionally first class being on hand, but some of the young jumpers are fairly promising. lam curious to see how Chelsea, the magnificentlooking grey son of Portsea, will shape this season. R. H. Frew still has him in hand, and if he is not asked to carry too much weight, he shoul.. be very handy in some of the big jumping events during the winter. His Caulfield fall seems to have somewhat shaken his confidence over fences. Valdis, according to all accounts, is doing well, and J. Cripps has been giving Paradox, Trendle, and Federation a good deal of work over the small sticks, with a view to early business. Since his fall at Onkaparinga, Bush Lad has been restricted to work over the small hurdles. Cranberry, looking well after his rest, is to be put into work again shortly, while Loch Fad should, judging by the way he gallops and jumps, be nard to beat in any of the big events, provided the handicapper does not anchor him.

During the two days’ racing at the Takapuna Meeting one hundred and thirty-two horses started in the fourteen races.

Explosion, who has been put in training again has been out on the Ellerslie tracks this week. The Cuirassier horse looks well and big.

Dummy and Volcano were schooled over the steeplechase jumps at Ellerslie on Monday. Mr Watson’s gelding jumped very nice.y, but Volcano did none too well, and ended by coming a cropper at the water jump. Tataramoa will not start in the Great Northern Steeplechase. I suppose his running at the Wanganui Meeting was not up to the mark, for though he was accepted for he has since been scratched.

Conscript, La Belle, and Straybird were put over the fences at rllerslie on Tuesday. Straybird showed the best form. Ha jumped well and very neatly, and may be seen to advantage in one or other of the lesser jumping events at Ellerslie during the forthcoming meeting.

Cannongate burst a hoof during the running in the Hurdle Handicap on Saturday, and it is feared that the accident will prevent the Cannon gelding taking part in the Grand National Hnrdles. This is regrettable for Mr John Marshall’s horse was one of the most likely of the light-weight division. Troubadour looks very well after his racing at Takapuna. He will be very hard to beat in the Grand National Hurdles if he keeps up his pre sent rate of improvement. I do not fancy him for the Steeplechase after his running on Saturday, but in the email stick race he has a rosy chance.

Mr A. F. Scott, who won the last Auckland Cup with Bluejacket, has sold the colt, together with Antelope and her filly foal by St Leger. Mr Scott is retiring from racing, and though he has made a very satisfactory deal, he naturally feels regret at relinquishing the ownership of such a useful family. Moat probably Bluejacket will be trained by Peter Chaafe for future engagements.

“ Fritz,” the Canterbury correspondent of the Otago Witness, says : —Several of the Yaldhurst yearlings were walking about amongst the crowd at the Hunt Club Meeting at Templeton on Saturday. They were the full sister to Formosa, the brother to Skobeloff, and the Stepniak —Adulation colt. They all looked wonderfully well, Skobeloff’s brother attracting the most attention. He is a sturdy, stumpy-built youngster. The St Evelyn filly is on the small side, but the other two aro well grown, and I certainly liked the look of the half-brother to Bracelet.

Young Jack Chaafe is a disciple of the African Magician who persuaded Aladdin to swop his magic old lamp for a more beautiful modern arrangement. Peter Chaafe brought from Sydney a very handsome riding whip as a present to an Auckland gentleman. Jack seeing it, borrowed for his ride on St. Ursula in the Birthday. Handicap at lakapuna. After the victory of the mare, no efforts of the rightful owner could get that whip from him He kept the talisman of victory, but in exchange gave a whip that had dine him in good stead on other occasions. Jack Chaafe used the same persuader when he won on St. Peter in the Victoria Handicap.

The fatal accident t o Cuckoo on the first dry of the Wangauui Meeting was not due to any fault of his own. The Guard .truck a fence heavily and broke a rail Cuckoo, who was following closely, was struck full in the chest by this broken spar, and the force of the impact drove the timber out through his fl ink The poor animal continued moving for about a hundred yards and then dropped dead. Cuckoo, who was going well at the time of the accident, was well - supp .rted for the A.R.C. Grand National Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase. The gelding was by Cruiser, out of Blackbird, and was seven years old. He was disqualified for a year last season, and had only just finished the term of enforced absence from racecourses.

At the Takapuna meeting old Voltigeur II amply demonstrated that the breakdown which it was alleged he suffered from, was of a very temporary character. Ho first ran a sterling race against Troubadour in the First Hurdles, and on the second day scored a highly popular victory in the Steepl chase. It was touch and go with the son of Lionel the last time over the water-jump, for the old fellow had had enough, and tried to cut it as be has done “ many a time before.” Frank Burns drove hm at the jump in a most vigorous fashion, and managed to get him over at the corner. Then catching hold of Voltigeur’s ear he seemed to help the grey and keep himself in the saddle. Soon the pair got going and rapidly overhauled Woolman. Both horses were dead beat, but they battled out the finish in great style, and both Burns and Berry were cheered on returning to the Bird.-age.

Cavalier’s brace of wins, the Maiden Hurdles and Second Hurdle Handicap at Takapuna have made a good many people believe that he is the winner of tie A.R C. Grand Na ional. Ido not with that opinion, for the Cuirassier gelding has not yet thoroughly learnt the art of jumping. Some hurdles he cleared in excellent ‘style but others he took in such a slovenly fashion that an inch or so lower would have brought him down. With much more education he might have a chance, but on Takanuna form he cannot win at El erslie. At the North Shore he woo over mile and a-half and mile and three-qnirte ■ courses, and though he won the first race , in the second he could not beat Korowai, to whom he was giving 211bs. On the Takapuna racing Troubadour holds the pair safely, for he ran the two miles in very heavy going, in 4mins. 4 4-sth secs, when obviously a bit short of work. Troubadour will stay out the two miles, but judging from Cavalier’s display in Saturday’s race, ho will not shine at the end of the two mile journey at Ellerslie.

Dan Mor righan will assume the control of Major George’s horses next week.

Vr M. Vosbu-g, the leading American handicapper, in making comparison of English and American racing, says : “In England it brings pleasure and health; in America it brings vexation, care and trouble. In England an owner of racehorses is regarded as a public benefactor ; in America he is lucky if he is not held up as —something qui’e different. In England the racing authorities are supported ; in America every effort is made to belittle and baffle them. The merits of horses are lost sight of in a zeal to parade the demerits of men. In short, the tendancy to regard racing as a business makes us take our sport too seriously. It becomes too great a tension, a worry from the strain and sensationalism that follows it, and owners can hardly be blamed if they seek more congenial surroundings.”

The St Leger —Satanella family did well at the Takapuna Meeting. St Ursula easily annexed the chief flit race, the Birthday Handicap, and St Peter at last proved that he possessed the family brilliance. He won the Victoria Handicap in dashing style. He was fifth to enter the straight, but he made up his ground very fast, and having a fine opening on the rails he came like a flash from the distance and smothered Hastings. The wins of St Ursula and St Peter were extremely popular, and Mr Percival, the breeder of both, was heartily congratulated upon the success of Satanella’s offspring.

Firefl v was one of the well-backed ones for the Birthday Handicap, at Tikapu >a on Thursday, but she did not run at all prominently. On Saturday she was not so well supported for the Britannia Handicap, having only 95 tickets on her, but the Artillery mare ran a stashing race, and only narrowly missed a victory. Of course people talked about the seeming reversal of form, and a good many wondered what would have happened had she reached home before Honesty. Perhaps Mr Edwards’ mare was a trifle lucky, but I expect the Firefly people think that though Honesty is a good mare to follow she is a bad one to beat.

Referring to a case which has occasioned much talk amongst racing people the Canterbury correspondent of the Witness says : “ Though no official information is to hand as to what took place when E. Cutts was before the 0.J.0. Committee on Tuesday of last week, the veteran trainer was good enough to give me a few particulars relative to the matter. It appears that whilst in conversation in the street with Mr Wanklyn, Secretary of the C.J 0., Cutts said, “ that the public thought that the presence of a certain steward who sat on the Dundas inquiry condoned the offence,” or words to that effact. This was the extent of his shortcomings, anc, of course, he keen y felt his position in being haled before the Committee owing to a remark male in the street, in which he said he merely repeated public opinion. The secretary might very easily have let the subject drop, instead of reporting the. matter to the club. Of course stewards ought to be protected from allegations of this natu. e, but no possible harm could have resulted if the secretary had refrained from committing whab many would consider a far worse fault than that laid to Cutts’ door. Hid Cutts given the statement as his own opinion, there would have been some justification for bis carpeting. If Mr Wanklyn had pointed out to Cutts how inadvisable it was to repeat street-corner talk, as it might injure stewards, he would have acted wisely. There was surely no necessity to drag one of our most respected trainers before the committee merely because he happened to say what he had heard. Naturally, he never anticipated that he would ever hear of the matter again, and his surprise may be imagined when he received a memo, asking him to appear before the committee.

It is a singular coincidence that the deaths of two such prominent supporters of the Turf in Victoria as the Hon 8. G. Wallace and Mr W. tt. Wilson should be announced simultaneously. Mr Wallace, who died at Melbourne on Bunday last was a thick and thin supporter of racing, and in his time won many great races. He owned Carbine when that most famous son of Musket achieved all his great successes, including h.s victory in the Melbourne Cup of 1890. In 1888 Mr Wallace won the big two-mile race with Mentor by Swiveller. He owned the Lederburg Stud, and during the period when he raced his colours, ‘‘black, white sleeves, and scarlet cap ” were frequently borne to victory. Caimi by Yattendon won the Caulfield Cup of 1883 for -Ir Wallace, and Le Grand, by Epigram, secured the V.B.C. Champion Stakes in 1884, & feat that was emulated by Carbine in 1889 and 1891. In Titan, by Chester, Mr Wallace owned another good horse. Though Mr Wallace won a great many of the big races in Australia, be never succeeded in winning the V.B.C. Darby or the Australian Cup. 1 have not the space this week to speak more of the success gained by the many wearers of Mr Wallace’s colours. In Mr W. R. Wilson the Australian 1 urf loses another staunch supporter. I suppose he won nearly every race of importance in Victoria and New South Wales during his Career, with the exception of the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups and the AJ 0. Derby. To win eitherof the big Spring Handicaps was denied him, though he tried over and over again. As the proprietor of the famous St Alban’s Stud he was ano nto the wide world. Amongst the great

o .hat he raced may be mentioned Strathmore, Challenger, La Tosca, Carnage, Wallace, Havoc, Aurum, Bobadil, and La Carabine. These are a few that occur at the moment. It is a singular fact that Mr Wilson never won the AJ.O. Derby, even though he apparently had the best colts of various years. Next week I shall have more to say about i h > deceased gentleman and sportsmen, who was highly esteemed by all who knew him.

It is reported that Scornful, the 500 guinea sister of Soorn, will not race again. Lochiel has a substantial lead amongst the Australian winning sires. Mr H. Oxenham, who left for England by the Arcadia recently, received an enthusiastic sendoff in Sj dney prior to his departure. Mr J. Riley, the owner of Cabin Boy, has purchased from Mr H. Oxenham Longford, Violet and Gold.

The Australian-owned youngster by Light Artillery, from Cyclone, has been named Pom Pom.

Light Artillery, who recently won the NurseryHandicap in Adelaide, carried an impost of 10st 31b.

Sirdah, the colt recently purchased by the Australian sportsman, Mr Wootton, has been gelded, and will be treated to a good spell before he again takes up his work.

A notice appears in the current number of the English Racing Calender to the effect that it is better to use the same starting machine universally Clerks of courses are recommended to use the Gray machine.

Mr J. M’Ginnis has an Australian bred yearling in his stable in a chestnut colt by Lochiel, from Busset, by Bussley. -If breeding be any criterion, the youngster should prove a valuable addition to our local racing stock.

The Americans are going in for valuable 2-year • old stakes with a vengeance, the Futurity Stakes, announced by the Californian Jockey Club, to be run in December, 1902, for then 2-year olds, being of the estimated value of £lO,OOO. There will be no forfeits ; £750 will go to breeders. No. 2 was the lucky number at the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Meeting, the horse having that number on the card won five times —St Ursula, Cavalier, Troubadour, Pipiwharauroa and Voltigeur 11. An investment of a £1 on No. 2 each time a horse bearing that number started would have resulted in a profit of £6 2s. A little bird whispered to me that the last race at the Takapuna Meeting a neat little place was laid. The race was looked upon as a good thing for Cadiz, and, so long as the Nelson colt could do the trick some of the others were not to be “ busted ”in endeavouring to catch him. Canopus was, however, left out of the reckoning, and he upset calculations completely. He was pretty near losing the race though, for it The Major had started his run a shade earlier he might have landed the stake for his owner, and a dividend for his backers well over a hundred pounds. St. Leger carried off the honours among the sire’s represented at the Takapuna Meeting for St. Ursula and St. Peter won the biggest amount of money. Hotchkiss was also well represented by two winners, Kettledrum and Korowai, and Blairgowrie claimed a couple of successful ones in Clansman and Blaircarrig. Then the following sires each had one winner : Sou wester with Troubadour, Cap-a-pie with Honesty, Lionel with Voltigeur 11, Hegel with Toroa, Woolbroker with Tim, and Derringer with Pipiwharawroa.

' Though Flying Fox’s figure, 37,000 guineas, is the highest price actually paid for a horse, it is perhaps not generally known that for Isinglass Mr Henry M’Calmont was offered Jj’not only 40,000 guineas, but that when refused, a blank cheque for him to fill ;up was presented. Mr M’Calmont would not part with Isinglass at any price. He brings in a steady income of £7500 per annum, besides the service he renders in his master’s honour. Mr M’Calmont, who belonged to the 2nd Life Guards, has gone to the front in command of a squadron of cavalry.

The Dunedin scribe “ Carbine,” writing of T. Buddicombe’s recent accident, says : “ From the latest enquiry made at noon Friday, I learn that he will not lose his arm through the accident, but it is feared that it will always be stiff. A piece of bone had to be removed altogether. It appears that he collided with the five furlong starting-post, and the wound to his head was caused through his coming into contact with the cross-bar, which he endeavoured to escape by dipping, the bar fairly scalping him. Had he been struck deeper he would have met with instantaneous death. There are great doubts about his ever being able to ride again, and I hope some influential persons will take the matter in hand, and start a subscription on the Wingatui course on Saturday, as, under ar y circumstances, it will be a long time before he can do anything. The death of the English trainer Jewitt reminds me (says “ Rapier”) of a story which I always thought extremely funny. Men are, of course, accustomed to apply phrases familiar to them in the course of their profession to the ordinary events of life, and the result is often quaint. A good many years ago Jewitt was engaged to a girl who had not been strictly truthful in the matter of Anno Domini; the engagement was broken off, and Jewitt was confiding details of the matter to a friend end adviser who took a great interest in him. He explained the cause of the rupture, and went on to add : ‘‘Besides you know, sir, she vas really 27, and she told me she was only 22. That was giving her wrong age, and she might have been disqualified for that, mightn’t she ?” A remark of Mornington Cannon’s also comes into my head. His uncle Joseph, the popular and expert trainer, is an »x--cellent all-round sportsman, a very good cricketer amongst other things. He was batting once in a match at Clieveley, took his guard with gr<at care and deliberation, prepared to do mighty deeds, but was unfortunately bowled first ball. i his was a blow ; but he resolved to make up for ■the disaster in his sec .nd iuniogs. Again he went to the wicket, eager to retrieve the mishap. Ihe first ball came down and carried away his middle slump. His nephew was watching the performuic.. “Form qui'e correct!” was his quiet cuinmiiit, as the defeated batsman etrolled ■away.

The Government of India contemplate appointing a commission of experts to make an exhaustive inquiry into the question of horsebreeding in that country. The reason for this action is that the output of young stock has been diminishing for some years past, and that during the last official year there were 800 less bred than ten years ago. Touching on the inquiry to be made, the Indian Planters' Gazette remarks : “ The question of quality, however, is, we would submit, quite as important, if not more so, than that of quantity. We have seen what havoc an injudicious selection of sires has done in the past, and we aver that the industry has not yet entirely recovered from the taint of the pseudoNorfolk trotter a certain eminent veterinary colonel brought to this country under the impression he was going to breed substance into digenous stock.”