Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 512, 11 October 1900, Page 11

Sporting Topics.

[By

Petronel.]

Ashton, by Carbine out of Georgina, has left Australia for Singapore. Irene is the name of a very smart pony running in the 14*2 ranks at Sydney gatherings. San Fran is not likely to take part in any of the Victoria Spring races, for which he has been entered. ’

Malster’s dam, Barley, has foaled a colt to Bill of Portland. This youngster is a fullbrother to the A.J.C. Derby winner. At the Wanganui Meeting last week the following sires were represented by winners : — Vanguard, Foulshot, Dreadnought, Sou’-wester, Fathom, Torpedo, Cap-a-pie, and Derringer.

■ Carbineer is stated to be an unlikely competitor at the Victorian Spring Meetings. The Wellington Racing Club will this season pay the full amaunt of stakes advertised. This addition of the five cent tax alone means an increase of £5OO.

Our readers should not forget that coupons for the Three Cups Skill Competition must be sent in to the Review Office not later than Thursday, October 18th.

Strathroy is said to be doing well in India, but it is very problematical whether the son of Locbiel will ever revert to his Australian form, after his musical tendencies which were quite apparent last Calcutta meeting. The sporting writer of Truth is told that St Simon’s fee now stands at the astounding figure of 600 guineas, and, as a matter of course, his subscription is full, and practically for as many seasons as he is likely to live.”

Sagacity, who ran in the Stand Handicap at the V.R.O. Meeting on Saturday, performed indifferently, and in consequence the odds against him extended, His connections are however still sanguine that he will run a great race in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday week. To-morrow (Friday, October 12) Mr J. O. Evett will declare the weights for the Hurdle Handicap and the Prince of Wales’ Handicap, to be run at the Spring Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club. He has a fine field to try his experienced hand upon in the Prince of Wales* Handicap, and we may expect a handicap that will take a lot of picking. The Wanganui Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting was a very successful gathering. The weather was splendid, the attendance good, and the machine receipts excellent. During the two days’ racing £14,153 passed through the totalisator, an increase of £2063 Over the total speculated at last year’s Spring Meeting.

At the recent Newmarket sales Mr Jas. R. Keene, the owner of Disguise 11, purchased the broodmare Sandfly, by Isonomy, dam Sandiway, with a bay colt by Persimmon and covered by Persimmon, for 2200 guineas, and the chestnut mare by Beind Or, dam B ue Rose, covered by Persimmon, for 2200 guineas, and the chestnut mare by Bend Or, dam Blue Rose, covered by Abercorn, for 400 guineas.

Record Reign and Mies Delaval left for Rio earton yesterday (Wednesday). Both will start in the New Zealand C up, all going well with them, and their owner expects them to run close handy to each other. Indeed, he says it will not surprise him if they are first and second. The Castor gelding has undergone a splendid preparation, and if he keeps in the same condition until the race is over he ought to bring the New Zealand Cup to Auckland.

Fast and good-mannered polo ponies are very hard to find, and there is no doubt that the Arab blood in the English polo ponies has a lot to do with their superiority over American ponies. The breeding of good safe animals is likely to be very much encouraged in America in the immediate future, for it has been recognised that ponies of the right sort command very high prices.

The following extract shows how American writers open up on a horse races : —“ Jiminez is fast rounding into a colt of caliber, being about the best of the youngsters at the track at present. His victory in the five-furlong dash, shouldering 120 lbs, was an unusually c ever one, beating Money Muss at the wire by one length, with Try third, two lengths away. The time, 1.01, stamps the performance as a noteworthy one. It was Jiminez, Princess Tatyana and. Money Mus necks apart to the last eight, where Her Highness abdicated, leaving the Watkins gelding and Jiminez to settle the snarl, the last named gradually wore down his disputant, thanks to the eloquence of Willie Oaywood, and won rather handily on the wire. Dandy Jim, off badly, closed an immense hiatus and was mowing down horses on the end.”

There is the promise of another millionaire patron of the Turf. It is reported that Mr W. K. Vanderbilt has been intent on forming a racing stable, and that he has been buying thoroughbreds on an extensive scale. His policy will be opposed to that of many of the leading American Turfmen, for the horses are to be raced here and not in England. Mr Vanderbilt owns the controlling interest in the Coney Island Jockey Club, but to this time he has only taken a passive interest in racing. The old commodore was a noted driver of fast horses, but not one of the family has ever had a racing stable About five years ago Mr Vanderbilt bought ten or twelve mares from Mr Pierre 1 orillard’s Rancocas farm, and he has since then conducted a thoroughbred stud in England. He then said that his idea was to mate the mares with the best stock abroad, and should the experiment prove favourable, to race the produce in America. An Argus West Australian telegram states that three men, named Young, an employee of Mr Charles, consultation promoter, Aimes, printer of consultation tickets, and Marshall, a contractor, were arrested on Saturday, on a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud. It is alleged that Young, being aware of the names of the holders of tickets for unclaimed prizes, supplied information to Aimes, who printed facsimiles of the tickets, and that Young, having access to Mr Charles’s rubber stamp, used it for stamping the tickets and the counterfoil at one impression. He received a ticket from Aimes, and applying transparent paper to the counterfoil, stamped the forged ticket to agree with the counterfoil. The name of the holder of the original ticket was then inserted in the facsimile, which was handed to Marshall, who presented it, stating that the holder was out of the colony Money was paid over £in several instances. Aimes said he had been expecting arrest for some time.

The jockey Jack Smith, who lately fired at and severely wounded Mr J. G. Henderson, a member of the Central Queensland Racing Association Committee, has had a life disqualification imposed upon him by the Association. Kaaba, who has been very well backed for the Caulfield Cup at different times, has not pleased some members of the knowing division lately. Probably he has fallen in estimation on account of the rumour that aU was not well with him.

Melbourne papers states that there is much demand for the services of Bob Lewis for the forthcoming meetings. The crack jockey has been besieged with owners aud trainers anxious to get him to ride their horses. As the second money in the Marangai Stakes was 15 sovs, Tortulla has not incurred a penaty for the New Zealand Oup. The Torpedo mare won her race in great style, and even though she did not beat a very high-class field her form entitles her to great respect for the big race at Riccarton next month.

At Melbourne, on Saturday, Kinglike was backed to win the Caulfield Oup. About £5OOO was taken about him at 100 to 8. Ihe ruling prices of the favourites were on Saturday : 10 to 1 Sagacity and Kinglike, 14 to 1 Cornquist and Nora, 16 to 1 George Frederick, and 20 to 1 Strathjoy.

Some good j udges of racing are of the opinion that George Frederick will run a good race in the Caulfield Oup. The Carbine horse has 9st to carry, and he will have to be at the very top of his form to many of those below him in the handicap. He has been doing good work, and that no doubt is the reason for the opinion quoted above.

Miss Delaval is a very likely starter in the New Zealand Cup. Statements that she would not start have been circulated, but her recent track form has been so good that her starting may be looked upon as assured, more especially if the soreness from which Record Reign is reported to be suffering should continue. Personally, I do not think there is anything in the rumour of soreness.

Mr Dan McLeod’s St Leger—Janet colt, Scotty, will not go down to Riccarton after all. the colt is growing bo fast that his owner and trainer cohsider it would be injudicious to set him very hard tasks just st present. There is no doubt that Scotty is a very promising colt, and when he does come out I.shall expect to see him perform very well. Renown bad little difficulty in winning the Hawke’s Bay Guineas on Monday. He ran the mile in lmin 43 l-ssec, and got home comfortably from Formosan and Beddingion Kahuwai and The Shannon, the only other starters who were thought likely to trouble the Dreadnought colt, were not conspicious, and evidently the Hon J. D. Ormond has in Renown a racehorse of ei - cellent quality. Limber, who won the last Kalgoorlie Cup, boasts of the following record 16 starts, 4 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, 9 times unplaced. As a two-year-old she ran six races, winning three times and running second once. She failed to secu e a place in the five races she started in as a three-year-old, and her record as a four-year-old up to date io. Five starts, won one, ran third once, and unplaced twice.

Ihe entries for the following races at the O.J.C. Metropolitan Meeting dose on Friday, October 19 : — Spring Hurdles, Middleton Hurdles, Suburban Hurdles, Port Cooper Hurdles, Riccarton Welter, Epsom High Weight, Avon Welter, Pioneer Handicap, Oressy Welter, Ladies’ Purse, Criterion Handicap, Ashley Handicap, Randolph Handicap, Irwell Handicap, Spring Nursery and Electric Handicap. The nomination fee for the last race is 2 sovs, for all the others 1 sov.

On Friday, October 19th, Mr William Percival, secretary of the Auckland Racing Olub, will receive nominations for ths following races to be decided at the A.R O. Spring Meeting :—President’s Handicap, Welcome Stakes, Short’s Handicap, First Pony Handicap, Flying Handicap, Spring Handicap: Second Hurdle Handicap, Musket Stakes, Handicap Steeplechase, Publicans’ Handicap, Maiden Plate, Farmers’ Steeplechase, Second Pony Handicap, Ellerslie Handicap, Maiden Hurdles, Ascot Handicap, Hunt Olub Oup, Nursery Handicap, Hunt Club Hurdles and Tally-ho Steeplechase. .The entry fee for each race is one sovereign.

The V.A.T.O. has every reafon to be well pleased with the response made by owners for the Spring Meeting ; 496 entries were received, as against a total of 427 last year. The few changes which were made in the programme prove to have been wise ones, the Polo Jumpers’ Flat receiving 34 entries, as against 18 last year, when its place was taken by a Huxdle Race ; and the Moora Trial receiving 21, as against 17 which the’ Maiden Plate which occupied its place last year attracted. The principal other increases in the totals, as compared with last year are :— Emo Hurdle from 18 to 36 ; Oby Hurdle, from 24 to 40 ; Wyuna Steeple, from 25 to 31; and Windsor Handicap from 50 to 61. The Indian Sportsman says the ex-Australian jockey, J. Robinson, formerly of Caulfield, had a magnificent innings at and ie a long way ahead of the other professionals in point of average, Out of six starts on the extra day, the leading jockey in India got home on five occasions. He rode for H.H. the Maharajah of Jodhpur more than a decade and a half ago, and now that he has rejoined this . big stable—which should hold a strong hand during the Calcutta campaign—his mounts will doubtless be followed by the cognoscenti. Arriving in India nearly two decades ago, Robinson showed excellent promise not long after he made his debut, and good judges say he should hold his own against any of the cracks, both at home and in Australia. - .

The next Kalgoorlie Cup will have stake-money to the value of £2OOO. Tirant d’Eau has been scratched for all his autumn engagements in England. Seahorse is being trained for his Viciorian engagements by Walter Hickenootham. A yearling full-brother to Paul Pry was recently sold to a Bathurst sportsmen for gOOgns. I have received the Victorian Bacing Calendar from M- H. Bvron Moore, the Secretary of the V.R.C Horace, it is said, carries as much money for the Melbourne Cup as any other horse engaged in the race. Strath joy is regarded as possessing something better than an outside chance in the Caulfield Oup. Finland is well fancied by his connections for the V.R.C. Derby. It is said that the colt has made considerable improvement since the Autumn. The following are among the latest scratchings for the Caulfield Cup:—Hymettus, Hautboy, Gunnedale, High Wine, San Fran, Saraswati, and Hoop Iron. Though Maltster continues favourite for the V R.O. Derby, there are a lot of people of the opinion that Hautboy will turn the tables on his A.J.C. conqueror when they meet at Flemington. The New Zealand-bred mare, Jean, by Manton, out of Cocoa won the Demonstration Handicap at Warwick Farm on October Ist. The Chief was second and Blue Metal third, but The Chief gave the winner 321bs. War God objects strongly to railway travelling. Returning from Sydney to Warwick Farm the other day he played up tremendously. He plunged and kicked, and got rid of his shoes, and as he became so unmanageable he was removed from the box and walked home.

Ideal had a very comfortable win in the October Handicap on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Meeting, and ran the mile and a distance in just over 1 min 58sec. The little mare put in a most brilliant finish, and left Rosella as if she were standing still.

Some surprise was felt in Melbourne when it was announced that Hautboy had been scratched for the Caulfield Cup. His people say that they had no intention of running him in a crowded Caulfield Oup field, while the public who have lost their money complain that they would have been very glad if tnat informatijn had been forthcoming a little sooner. The Carbine filly, Semper Vigilans, scored a winning bracket in appropriating the Duke of York Stakes, one mile and a-half, on the second day of the York August Meeting. She had but two opponents in Marked Man and View Holloa, started first in demand, carrying odds of 5 to 4 on, and won comfortably by a couple of lengths from Marked Man, who looked at one time like flooring the odds. The time, 2min 53 3-ssec, was poor, but as the race was run it was not to be wondered at

At the annual meeting of members of the V.A.T.C. Committee on Monday, October 1, Mr Jas. Paterson, owner of Hymettus, made an attack on the Oammittee He said if they did not give more consideration to owners he, for one, would not support them. He adversely criticised the conditions of the Debiitant Stakes, the Futurity Stakes, and the Toorak Handicap, and said Mr Albert Miller got all the credit for the Committee’s fads He wished Mr Miller would show as much energy in favour of the Totalisator. ‘ ' r

Sir' Richard Baker, the chairman of the South Australian Jockey Club, met with a rather serious accident whilst returning from Tattersail’s race meeting at Victoria Park. He had just mounted his mare, Queen B, when she reared up, and Sir Richard was unseated. He pluckily remounted, but the mare again threw him heavily, and the beam of one of the horse-boxes alone prevented Queen B falling on him. As it was, Sir Richard Baker sustained a severe strain to his right shoulder and right leg, and at the time it was not known whether the left shoulder is not broken.

I here were two objections for bumping and boring at a recent meeting at Kempton Park, and, although they were both overruled, the marked increase in the number of objections on this and similar grounds has been very noteworthy of late in England. In the first instance Kempton Cannon objected to S. Loates, and in the second Rigby protested against J. Reiff. Both races were run upon the straight course, which is wide enough to allow even a large field to race without interferance, and there were only two runners in the one ease, and half-a-dozen in the other. Commenting on the subject in the London Sportsman, “ Vigilant ” says “ I pointed out over and over again that no American jockey has the power to keep his mount straight, and now that some of our men are taking to a similar seat, it is to be feared that this class of objection will become more and more common.”

Old Olo’ and the three-year-old Trenton colt Longy were of the field in the Great Ebor Handicap Plate, the value of which was 925 sovs, and the distance one mile and three-quarters. Neither, however, was much fancied, their relative prices being quoted at .00 to 8 and 20 to 1. Before a couple of furlongs had been traversed, Mr White’s mare, who had the services of the American jockey, B. Rigby, dashed out for the lead, and at the mile poet she had increased her advantage to three lengths, Longy at thia point being her nearest attendant. Old Clo’led into the straight, but half-way down she collapsed and interfered with the favourite, Osbech, who was so much hampered that he suffered a half a length defeat by Jiffy 11., Longy cut up badly, and exchanges affirm he is clearly overrated.

Ja nes Hickey is shortly coming gß areh of a horse that will carry Mr Gollan s co lours to victory in England. Cha V.R.O. Derby betting in Melbourne on Tuesday made Malater favourite at 6 to 4, while Hautboy was quoted at 5 to 2. '.Messrs L.D. and N. A. Nathan’s gelding Beddingto i has been scratched for all engagements a. the 0.J.0 Metropolitan Meeting.

‘ On Tuesday morning Lancaster and Sagacity worked over a mile and' a furlong toget er. They ran the distance in 2min Ijsec. Mr Humphrey Oxeaham recently sold yerla and Sailor Boy II for £2OOO. Mr Oxenham is now cn his way Co Melbourne, where he hopes to bo intima to seethe rape for the Melbourne uup. 0 I the strength of a good gallop at Caulfidd on Tuesday morning Ing.iaton has been backed to win the Caulfield Oup.to the extent, of a few hundred pounds In company ‘with Oornquist, Gunga Dia, and Belemnite he ran eleven furlongs in 2min 38se& < On Tuesday at Flemington Seahorse galloped a mile with Finland, the latter beating the Aucklander at the finish of the journey do.:e in Imin 48see.-. Hautboy and Lord Rudolph for companion did a mile in Imin 46seo. —the best gallop qf the morning.

Entries for the > orth Island Challenge Stakes, to be run at the Wellington Racing Club’s Autumn Me.ting, 1901, close on Wednesday, October 31st, with Mr HM. Lyon, Ihe Secretary of the 01ub.<” The nomination fee js one sovereign. >

' T> Auckland Trqtting Club invites applications for the positions of Pony Measurer, Clerk of the Scales and Timekeeper. Mr C F. Mark, the Secretary of the Club, will receive applications up to four o’clock on Friday afternoon at his office, Durham street.

The Takapuna Jockey Club held its annual meeting yesterday (Wednesday). A full reporb of the meeting will appear next week, but meanwhile I may state that last season’s operations resulted in a profit of £1,417 In the future the 5 per c nt. deduction from stakes will be deleted from the Club’s programmes. 1

' The opinion of a well-informed sportsman as to the best animal he ever saw is always interesting, and it will surprise many people to know that in Sir George Chetwynd’s opinion, Kaiser occupies that position. Speaking of the son of Buccaneer on the occasion of his Derby victory, Sir Geoige says : “ I am quite certain -he is the beat horse I have ever seen, and am confident that he would have beaten Ormonde if the latter had been of the same year. Through his trials and on his best form 1 made him out at least a stone better than Petrach on the latter’s Two Thousand running.”

A field of 19 .promising two-year olds was stripped at Warwick Farm on Monday, October let. to.compete in the first two-year-old race of the season. Perplex, a small but stoutly-built gelding, by Grafton from The Riddle, was picked out as favourite, and on entering the straight looked as if he would justify the confidence of his supporters by winning. Inside the distance Azure, a tall, lengthy, and well-shaped daughter of Medallion and Blue and White, put in a great run, and quickly cut down the favourite Azure has a racing-like appear.nee without, however, departing from the usual character of Medallion’s progeny, even to being flecked with white hairs. It will no doubt prove gratifying to Mr F. Reynolds to know that Medallion, whom he prizes very highly, has sired the winner of the first two-year-old race of the season. Azure was bred by her owner, the gentleman who races under the name of “ Mr East.”

As bearing on the oft-repeated suggestion of apprenticing jockeys, the following, culled from an English sporting journal, should prove interesting :—“ Where would Fred Archer have been without the watchful care of Matthew Dawson, to whom he was worth more than his weight in pure gold during at least half of his apprenticeship? 1 Consider the jockeys who were made by Thomas Dawson, of Tupgill, a trainer whose methods were rough indeed compared with those of his brother Mat. And before him old Flintoff, of Hednesford, among others, ‘readied’ many a fine horseman, including John Wells and Luke Snowden. But, with the exception of Tom Cannon, of Garlogs, late of Danebury—who is responsible for the manufacture of such jockeys as John Watts, Walter Robinson, Samuel Loatee, and hie own sons, ‘ Moray,’ ‘Kemmy,’ and ‘Charley’—l can point to no habitual jockey-maker amongst the trainers of the present day, many of whom have far too many horses to look after them properly.”

Yearling books on the English Derby are now counted among the things that have been. Very ' few of those pencillers who were daring enough to bet on the big event of two seasons ahead, had the best of the settling, and, after a few consecu.tive disastrous seasons, layers fought shy .of tempting their clients with long odds. Finding there was no longer an open market, backers accordingly abstained from supporting their early fancies, with the result stated. Figures speak for themselves. When Sir Joseph Hawley secured the coveted Epsom race with Teddington, he also landed £30,000 for which he had backed the colt when a yearling. The Flying Dutchman’s victory wrs also expensive to layers. Lord Eglinton, having a greatliking for the youngster, backed him ,at long odds to win a very useful sum. Voltigeur was another instance. If report may be relied on, the Yorkshire idol’s success cost layers of yearling bets even more than the other victories mentioned. Another severe shock was administered when Lord Lyon got home, and long before Kingcraft made his debut at Ascot, Lord Falmouth’s horse had been backed to win the Derby. After a few such experiences it is scarcely surprising if metallioians concluded that the game did not pay.

Satanella, the dam of St. Paul, St. Ursula, Sto Peter and St. Olga, has foaled a colt, to Ben Godfrey. The Hon J. D. Ormond won five races at the Hawke’s Bay Meeting. On the, first day he scored with Idealand Renown, and on Tuesday he won with Intrepid, Goyt and Jabber. At the One Tree Hill Stud Farm the brood mare Iphimene has foaled a colt to Jet d’Eau, and the Pastime mare has produced a colt to Oyreniara.

Bluejacket returned from Wanganui onTuesday. Peter Ohaafe was much disappainted with the efforts of the St. Leger horse. On the track he did well, but when it came to racing he was nowhere.

Ringlet won for Castor at the Hawke’s Bay Meeting, while Formula and Kissmary scored for Hotchkiss, so the Wellington Park sires were fairly well represented at Hastings on Monday and Tuesday.

Jabber’s performance in the Flying Handicap on the second day of the Hawke’s Bay Meeting was a pretty good one. He carried 9st 111 b and ran the six furlongs in lmin 15 2-sth sec. The St Andrew gelding waited on his field until the right 1 time, and them simply romped away, finally winning by nearly three lengths.

During the two da>’s racing at Hasting?, the totalisator receipts amounted to £9258. This sum is £ICO6 less than the amount of money speculated atjthe Hawke’s Bay Spring Meeting of 1899. The fields were in some cases sma 1, but eo many first favourites got home, that the wonder is that the totalisator figures were not very much larger than last year instead of lees,

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency have received instructions from Mr A. 0. Oaulton to sell on Friday the following horses :—That well-known performer, Porangi Potae, by Castor—Madcap, Nikau, by Hotchkiss out of Yattaghan, a half-sister to The Afghan, Belfast, the four year old bay gelding by Seaton Delaval, out of Lady Antrim, a two-year-old bay colt by the trotting stallion Wilmington, and a yea-lug filly by I ord Dunluce.

In consequence of her easy win in the Marangai btake?, at Wanganui, Tortulla has been well supported for the New Zealand Oup, and at the end of last week she was the local second favourite at 6 to 1, Record Reign being a firm first fancy at 4 to 1.

The following foalings have taken place at the One Tree Hill Stud Farm since the last report: —Mr 8. H. Gollan’s Tireuse, by Nordenfeldt— Florence McCarthy, a colt to Jet d’Eau, Mr B. Alien’s Chiara, by Cuirassier —Ouida, a filly to Lakeshell; Mr L. de Pelichet’s Primula, by Torpedo —Primrose, a colt to Jet d’Eau; Mr J. B. Williamson’s Asthore, by < >restes —Cushla, a colt to Oyrenian ; Mr J. B. Williamson’s Dodo, by The Dauphin—Fair Lilian, a filly to Eton. The following are the winning owners at the Wanganui Meeting : —Mr Walter Best, £355; Hon J. D. Ormond, £310; Mr V’ouglas Gordon, £280; Mr G. M. Currie. £110; Mr J. R. Corrigan, £110; Mr F. W. Bunting, £B5 ; Mr J. J. Connell, £7O; Mr H. Jeffrey, £-5; Mrs E. Shearsley, £6O; Messrs L. D. and N. A Nathan, £65; Mr A’ Bates. £6O ; Mr Jervis George, £4O; Mr J. O’Dri coll, £l5 ; Mr G. H. Ginson, £l5 ; Mr David Sc -tt. £l5 ; Captain W R. Russell, £l5 ; Mr V. H Oolello, £l5 ; Mr J. Grupen, £10; Mr T. S. Bristol, £10; total, £1704. The programme of the Taranaki Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting for Hacks appears in full in this issue. On the first day the stakes amount to £5OO, and on the second day £390 will be given away, making a total of £B9O for the meeting. The Hack Guineas of 150 sbvs, run over a mile, is down for decision on the first day, and another mile race, the Christmas Handicap, has a stake of 100 sovs. There‘is a Hurdle Race over a mile and three-quarters worth 50 aovs. and the Flying Handicap of six furlongs has stake money to the extent of 60 sovs. On the second day the Hurdle ace, one mile and a-half, is worth 50 sovs ; the Summer Handicap, one mile and a quarter, has 100 sovs added money; the second Welter one mile, has 45 sovs; and the Moturoa Handicap, six furlongs, is endowed with 50 sovs. The programme all through is one to attract the attention of owners and trainers, who should make good entries on Tuesday, November 6th, the day nominations close with the Secretary of the-,Club, Mr Mussell Fleetwood.

Non inations for all events to be run at tfie Spring Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club close on Wednesday, October 31. Mr H. M. Lyon, the popular secretary of the Club, will receive entries on that day up to nine o’clock in the evening at his office, Custom House Quay, Wellington. The principal race on the first day of the meeting is the Wellington Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter, for a prize of 400 sovs. The six furlong race, the Flying Handicap, is worth 150 sovs, the November Handicap, one mile, has a stake of 100 sovs, and the Shorts TTandtcap of five furlongs also has 100 sovs added money, 'the Pearoe Handicap, of a mile and a furlong, this year is worth 300 sovs and the Hutt Park Spring Handicap, of seven furlongs, has 150 sovs for the first and second horses. On each day there is a hurdle race of the value of 100 sovs. The Spring Hurdle Handicap is run over a mile and three-qua ters, while the distance of the November Hurdle Handicap is one mile and a half. A perusal of our advertising columns will show further information. The nomination tee for each of the races is one sovereign. On the same day Mr Lyon will receive entries for the Wellington Oup. the Wellington Racing Club Handicap and Port Nichobon Handicap, the three chief races to be decided at the Summer Meeting tp bs held on Tuesday, Thursday and January 22, 24 and 26. The Wellington Oup is this year worth 650 sovs, the W.R.O. Handicap 400 sovs, and the Port Nicholson Handicap has 300 sovs added money.

Cavaliero went from Auckland yesterday with Record Reign and Miss Delaval. Jack Thorpe ought to pick up one at least of the hurdle races at the C. J.O. Metropolitan Meeting.

On Friday week the further payment of 7 sovs for the New Zealand Oup is due with the Secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club. The Wanganui and Hawke’s Bay running have shown us that the Hon J. D. Ormond’s horses are in form, and if the running at Hastings is correct, Paphos may be left out of the reckoning. In Ideal, 7st 51b, and Jabber, 7st 131 b, the Napier sportsman has a very good pair, and I am inclined to think —as 1 have thought all along — that Jabber will be the bearer of the all cerise on November 3rd. Tortulla is sure to start, and will undoubtedly run well . Prosser ought to know to a pound her ability over a two-mile course, and even though we have never seen her go a long distance, she is certainly a stayer. Record Reign has departed for the.scene of action as fit and well as his friends would desire. Miss Delaval has also gon? down, and she too is very fit. The Canterbury horses, Sant Ilario, Malatua, Military, Djin t>jin, Dundas and Skobeloff are reported to be doing well, while Dunedinites hope Fulmen continues to make good progress. Matero’ ’s good fccond to Coeut de Lion on luesday, in very fair time, shows that the Gisborne mare is in excellent trim. Some of those low down on the list, have, on recent form, no snow, and at the present the field does not promise to number more than a dozen. After the further payment on October 19th, there is a final payment of 10 sovs, due on October 31st .By that time the strength of the field should be know ,i to a certainty and probably the further payment will thin outjthe hqrsee with no chance, for there is little use in throwing away £7.