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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 518, 22 November 1900, Page 15

The improvement American trainers work in cast-offs from English stables continues toexercise the minds of the sporting fraternity in England, and in connection with this, “ Vigilant,” ol the London “ Sportsman,” writes :—“ At the end of last season had any reasonably capable judge been asked to handicap Eager and Royal Flush he would probably have asked the former to concede at least 281 b. In the shire they actually met at a difference of 271 b, and now they are matched for £5OO aside to run over six furlongs at next Hurst Park meeting! Lester Reiff will ride Royal Flush, and M. Cannon Eager, and, strange as it may seem, there is no certainty as to which of the two will start favourite. -There can be no more striking commentary on the astonishing results produced by American methods of training and riding, and really there seems to be no limit to their possibilities when we see a horse like Escurial carry his 101 b penalty and romp home as he did at Hurst Park on Saturday. It seems almost absurd to think of Royal Flush as being in the same street with Eager, but we have reached a point now where it seems idle to be surprised at anything, and though it, is positively irrational to anticipate any result other than an easy victory for Eager, I must admit to already contemplating with resignation the prospect of his defeat.”

The “ Special Commissioner,” of the London “ Sportsman,” says it seems that Patron is going to make a great stud success, so far as it is possible to judge at this early stage. The horse’s foals are so good that Mr Simons Harrison, who is second to none in his knowledge of blood-stock, has secured four nominations to the son of Grand Flaneur for next season, and has also purchased two foals by him—viz , a chestnut colt out of Gliff by Torpedo, her dam Tullia (granddam of La Carabine), by Petrarch ; the other a chestnut filly by Patron out of Lady Sterling (dam of Silver Ring, Hie Labor, Queengold, and the yearling Trenton filly, for which Mr Sneyd got 650 guineas at the recent Doncaster sales).

Apropos of opera in Melbourne, “ Touchstone,” in Punch, writes: —“ Greenroom gossipers are saying that George Musgrove is lucky in having three Marguerites to his hand. And Marguerites of whom, in each case, the public have approved and applauded. Mies Coomber, though occasionally overweighted by the music, looks dainty, young, and pretty, and sings for the most part with delightful freshness; Madame Lorraine, though not looking quite the ideal Marguerite, sings the music with consummate ease, and plays the part with a nice perception of the fitness of things; add Madame Slapoffski gives an excellent all-round performance of Dante’s heroine. Now that the new company is acclimatised they are commencing to show us their quality and of what they are capable, and the general opinion is as fresh works are put forth for the behoof of theatregoers, that George Musgrove has got together a very even and able band of singers, and that the performances given by them are consistent and evenly good in every respectsinging, acting, staging, and management.

The return of the mirth-provoking Mr Sheridan and his company attracted a large audience to the Sydney Theatre Royal on November 10, to witness the first performance of the musical farce comedy, “A Trip to Chicago.” As a pendant to his famous “ Widow O’Brien,” the clever comedian gives a highly amusing version of the part of Joanna Murphy, and is well supported by the Misses Grade Whiteford and Celia Mavis, Messrs Lyster, Duggan, Weatworth, Oressley, and other members of his popular company.

Miss Lottie . Collins has been having a triumphant time at the Sydney Tivoli. The songs she has baen more than usually successful with are “ The Little Widow,” and “ The Coalman’s Wife.”