SPORTING TOPICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 701, 13 August 1903, Page 5

SPORTING TOPICS.

Forty horses still remain, in the New Zealand Cup after the first forfeit. ♦ ♦ ■> *

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s overdraft has been increased to £2170 during the season.' . . ■

A son of the English Derby winner, Galtee More, named Irish Lad, won the Warsaw Derby recently from twenty-seven opponents.

W. Lane, Madden, and Halsey are the three leading jockeys in England thito season as far as winning mounts go.

The Carbine horse Carabine, who won several races in England, has bean sent to India.

The total prize money for the four days of the recent meeting at Ascot came to £38,000.

It is reported from Sydney that the Auckland Cup winner, Siege Gun, is unlikely to stand a preparation for a race.

P. Hickey, a well-known Australian jockey and trainer, died at the Cooma Hospital (N.S.W.) recently. * * * *

The Brisbane Cup winner, Ruby d’Or has thrown a colt foal to the ex-New-zealander Osculator.

Sam Fielder’s candidate, Famous, is highly spoken of as a likely winner of the A.J.C. Epsom Handicap next month.

The first prize in. the Victorian Club Billiard Tournament, won by Mr S. Allen, was a diamond ring, value £75.

The first Rugby football match on record between combined Australia and New Zealand will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground next Saturday. ■** . * *

It is good news to learn that L. H. Hewitt has been in the saddle again since his return from America. This looks as if the injured leg is right again.

When the mail left London last month Sainfoin was at the head of the list of winning with £13,750, of which Rock Sand has won £13,650.

The Victorian Racing Club’s annual programme is very neatly got up, and Mr Byron Moore has managed to supply a lot of information in it. ♦ * V •

Before he was beaten in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, a, wager of £llOO was laid on Rock Sand for the S* Leger, to be run in September next.'

All classic races are to be abolished by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, and hack events will be substituted. This looks like retrogression, but may help to improve the exchequer.

The little Tilikum is to sail fffOHl St. Helier’s next Sunday afternoon for the Cape. The intrepid voyagers should have a great send off.

The added money for the Australian Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting next month pans out at £ll,OOO. Three weight-for-age races of £5OO each are included.

The Egmont R.C. made a profit of £833 oh the season’s racing, despite the fact that £2600 was given in stakes, a substantial increase on last year. Improvements to the club’s property are to be taken in hand forthwith.

Nine tenders were received for the erection of the Thames Jockey Club’s new grandstand, on the Parawai racecourse, and that of Messrs Mackie and Dudley, of Te Aroha, at £907, has been accepted. * * •» •

A great golf match should be seen at the Cornwall links if, as seems likely, W. B. Colbeck meets J. R. Hooper in the final of the District Championship. Both players are in great form, and the game should be wonderfullv even.

Sir Rupert Clarke will jay a -.hit to Auckland shortly with a view of inspecting his new yacht. He was not impressed with the starting machines in England, faulty construction being generally apparent.

The Canterbury Jockey Club will give away in stakes during the coming season £20,250, distributed as follows :—Grand National Meeting £3970, Metropolitan Meeting £10,250, Summer Meeting £1970, Autumn Meeting £4060.

♦ ♦ ♦ * A walking match is being arranged, open to officials, bookmakers, and their clerks engaged on courses registered by the Victorian Racing Club, and the sporting staffs of the various newspapers/ A similar event here would be a most amusing competition.

It is said ,thatj in futwe Awahuri will . inn ;in the nomination Of Mr W.' Clarkson, ‘ of Christchurch, butwill foe used chiefly 1 as a hunter. ■ ’ *

Even-in conservative England they are commencing to clamor for the introduction of the Totalisator, the cramped prices offered by the bookmakers being the cause.

Trainers and jockeys should bear in mind that all applications for licenses: for the ensuing season should be sent to the secretary of the Auckland Racing Club on or before Thursday, the 20th inst.

The time taken by Awahuri to negotiate the course in the Grand National Steeplechase, viz., 7min 20sec, has only once been beaten ini the history of the race, and that was when Gobo won in 7min lessee.

With Tradewind a non-starter it was only to be expected that Tupara would be made favourite for the Maiden Hurdle Race, and the brother to Battleaxe justified the confidence reposed in him by winning comfortably.

The Grand National Hurdle Race this afternoon should give rise to a lot of betting, for the event is really very open. Battleaxe will probably start favourite, but Tradewind, Awahuri, Mars, Huku and Waiwera will find plenty of backers.

My Dunedin correspondent was very sanguine as to the chances of Vladimir and Pampero in the Winter Cup, and the Southern City:s representatives finished within a short neck of each other. The veteran Derrett is said to have ridden a great race on the winner.

The members of the Pakuranga Hunt Club intend giving a social on the evening of September 9to the farmers over whose lands hunting has been indulged in. The season will come to a close September 12, when a Point-to-Point Steeplechase will take place.

My Mistake, who won the Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase, on Saturday, is an aged bay gelding by the Dante horse Mistake out of a mare by Grand Prix, and ran in the colours of Mr H. J. Taylor. Mistake sired twenty-one winners last year.

Of the twelve competitors in the Grand National Steeplechase only five finished. Scallywag fell at the first fence, his example soon being: followed by Cronje> Sultana and The Gryphon ran off as did Hurricane, Hipstone came down when close home, and Schnapps was pulled up.

.1 am very sorry to learn that Mr W. H. E. Wanklyn? was unable to attend the first day of the Canterbury J.C. Winter Meeting. The popular secretary was prevented by illness from being present. All sportsmen will wish him a speedy recovery.

• " :■: ■: season at Sylvia Park has made its appearance, the Leolantis mare Sybil having thrown a brown filly to Explosion. Sybil is generally the first mare to contribute to the Stud Book each season, and this year she has not belied her reputation.

Pipi, who ran second to Awahuri in the big event on Tuesday, occupied a similar position behind Haydn in the race last year. He is an aged gelding by Natator from Cockles, and as he was meeting his former conqueror, Haydn, on sixteen pounds better terms, was well supported by Dunedinites. ! 1« i ; ■ n ■ ' * Rup/n owner of the famous maie. La Carabine, arrived in Auckland from Australia on Monday. The Victorian baronet is accompanied by his brother, Mr Ernest Clarke, the immediate object of their visit being the inspection of the auxiliary schooner yacht now being built for Sir Rupert by Mr Charles Bailey.

The balance-sheet of the New Zealand Tattersail’s Club, presented at the Annual General Meeting last night, discloses a very satisfactory state of affairs. The total assets amount to £1327, being an increase of £2OO, while the liabilities are nil. Efforts have been made to secure new premises, but the properties offered were not considered satisfactory, and the idea for the present has been abandoned.

The result of the Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase caused no surprise. My Mistake had been figuring at the head of the betting quotations for some days prior to the race, and although at the last moment he was deposed by Isis, still the win must have been a good one for punters. Mr Heath’y gelding appears to have won with the greatest ease by six lengths. Isis and Freedom, the first and third favourites, were unplaced, the horses to finish next behind the winner being Loch Fad and- Plunger.

Boverie, by Leichhardt from Satanella, and a New South Wales country performer, has won four races in the East Indies.

The well-known racehorse, King’s Bowman, who raced in the colours of Mr Tancred, a few days ago fell while galloping in a paddock and broke his neck.

It is rumoured that L. H. Hewitt may after all go to Sydney to ride Cruciform and Orloff in their engagements at the A.J.C. Spring Meeting.

Rawiri, the favourite for the Winter Cup, at Riccarton, got very badly away in the race, and never quite reached the leaders, eventually pulling up lame.

In my Napier correspondent’s budget! this week will be found some weighty reasons why some of the “ classic ” events should be eliminated from the programmes of sundry clubs. There can be no doubt but that they tend to impoverish the exchequer, while the racing as a rule proves an exercise canter for one horse.

Nominations for the Avondale Cup, Handicap Steeplechase, Plumpton Handicap, and Flying Stakes, to foe run at the Avondale J.C. Spring Meeting, close to-morrow (Friday), at 9 p.m.

Waiwera seems to have had a very soft snap in the Ladies’ Bracelet on Tuesday. The Gipsy King gelding was opposed by a very weak field, and he cantered home six lengths ahead of the field.

After winning the Woolston Plate:, Glenaladale was sold by Sir George Clifford to Mr F. Holmes for £B5. The buyer appears to have by no means the Worst of the deal.

Wairiki still continues favourite for the New Zealand Cup, 8 to 1 being quoted against him. Lady Lillian is at a point longer, Shrapnel Shell at 10 to 1, Halberdier and Canteen being next in request-.

A remarkable record was accomplished at the Boulder races (W.A.) recently. The three brothers Anwin rode the first, second and third horses in the principal event, and repeated the performance in the last race of the dav.

Mr O’Rorke’s representative, Hipstone, was a well-backed candidate in the National, going to the post third favourite. He was right in the first flight for close on three miles, when he made a faulty jump and came to grief. * * M *

The totalisator returns for the opening day of the Canterbury J.C. Meeting show a big increase on last year’s figures, coming out at £15,146, as against £13,667. r l he fine weather which prevailed was partly the cause, a very large attendance being recorded at Riccarton.

* * * * The running of Hurricane in the Grand National yas disappointing in the extreme to his numerous admirers. A turf writer, who was present, attributes it to the indifferent handling of Mr Thomas who allowed the son of Gorton to drop so far behind in the early stages of tie race that it became an utter impossibility for him to pull up his ground again, even if he had not run off in the second round.

The following appear to have good winning prospects at Riccarton to-day :— Grand National Hurdles : Battleaxe, Awahuri, Tradewind. Summer Handicap . Narcissus or Lavalette. August Handicap : Paratutu or Red Gauntlet. Hunt Club Cup : Victory or Fright. Beaufort Steeplechase : Straybird or Roller. Second Hunters’ Hurdles : Plain Tom or Fairy Rose. Islington Handicap : Pampero or Rawiri. Jumpers’ Flat Handicap : Hipstone or Reliance.

Awahuri’s victory on Tuesday) in the Grand National Steeplechase was the second occasion on which the scarlet and white stripes of Mr G. P. Donnelly have prevailed in the big cross-country event. The previous win was in 1888, when Mangahone succeeded in carrying off the race under list 21b, a pound less than was Awahuri’s burden. Tn those davs the race was run over a distance of about four miles instead of the present three and a-half, so the time cannot be compared.

The wretched display made by Awahuri when attempting to negociate the Ellerslie Steeplechase course, gave Aucklanders a bad impression of his timbertopping ability, and therefore the victory of the son of Kaiwhaka in the Grand . National Steeplechase was not generally anticipated ( by sportsmen in this city. Awahuri gave a great exhibition of hurdling at Ellerslie when he annexed all three events over the small sticks, but prior to his big win on Tuesday, had only one steeplechase, to his credit.

Mr.C. F. Vallancehas been reappointe< Chairman of the Masterton Racing Club. * . ■ • The Pakuranga Hounds will meet al Mangere Pound on Saturday next, Augiisi 15, and at Penrose Station on the follow' ing Wednesday. & & * The New Zealand Football team is stil continuing its victorious career in Aus* tralia. Yesterday afternoon they defeated the Combined Northern Districts of New South Wales by 53 points to nil. * * * * The newly-appointed judge to the New Zealand Metropolitan T.C., Mr R. O. Duncan, is officiating for the first time a 1 the present meeting. Mr Duncan has taken a keen interest in the sport foi some time past, and should be quite capable of giving satisfaction to all concerned. * # ♦ * The Grafton horse Famous gave evidence at Rosehill, a few days ago, that; he is a good sort by decisively beating Sir Leonard over a mile at weight-for-age. Sir Leonard soon got to the front, and made the pace for Benevenuto to the straight, when Fielder’s representative quickly overhauled him, and won without an effort. With Bst on his back, or 71b less than he carried in this: race, Famous should give a good account of himself in the Epsom Handicap at the A.J.C. Meeting. * * jjc * A great reception awaited Marmont on returning to the weighing enclosure after winning the Caulfield Grand National Hurdle Race. Both horse and owner (Mr. J. N. M’Arthur) are very popular with the public, and even the members of the ring, who lost over the race, could not refrain from applauding the gallant feat of the Wellington gelding. Marmont’s time for the Caulfield Grand National Hurdle Race—6min 57sec —was only half a second longer than the record for the distance put up by Realgar in 1898.

At the annual meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club yesterday afternoon, the following gentlemen were elected for the season : —President, Mr John Bollard, M.H.R. ; vice-president, Mr H. T. Gorrie; judge, Mr John Bollard, M.H.R. ; starter, Mr Geo. Cutts ; handicapper, Mr J. 0. Evett ; stewards, Messrs John Bollard, M.H.R., Robt. Duder, H. T. Gorrie, Donald McLeod, M. Foley, A. Hanna, Jos. May, J. W. Russell, A. Davis, and Dr. Sharman ; treasurer, Mr Donald McLeod; ■clerk of course, Mr A. Selby ; clerk of scales, Mr F. M. Marks ; hon. vet., Mr E. D. Halstead ; secretary, Mr H. H. Hayr auditor, Mr C. S. McKinney.

Vladimir, who won the Winter Cup at Riccarton, is a four-year-old bay colt by' Stepniak from Mist, a chestnut mare bred by the Hon. G. McLean, being by St. Clair from Mistral, by Gorton, her dam Lady Gertrude, by Cadogan (imp.) out of No Name, by Traducer. As Vladimir, as well as his dam, was bred by the Hon. G. McLean, the win must have been very acceptable to that gentleman. Vladimir showed some brilliant form as a two-year-old, winning five races, including a treble at Dunedin. In the Winter Cup the Messrs Haslett’s horse was first away, and well ridden by Derrett, lasted long enough to win by a neck after a great setto with Pampero. There were eighteen runners, and the mile was cut out in linin 15sec.

Pampero, who finished second to Vladimir in the Winter Cup, on Tuesday, is a six-year-old chestnut horse by St. Clair from Mistral, and ran in the Hon. G. McLean’s colours. His victories include the City Stakes,, the Ranfurly Handicap, Stewards’ Handicap, Exhibition Handicap, Jockey Club Handicap, Otago Handicap, St.. Andrew’s Handicap, Provincial Handicap, all at Dunedin, and the GreatEaster Handicap at Christchurch. He was much fancied for the event by Otago sportsmen. Pampero figures in the New Zealand Cup with the very handy impost' of 7st 101 b.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club intend holding a meeting at Alexandra Park, on September 5, when a good programme of six events will be run off. The list of events includes a Farmers’ Flat Race, one and a-quarter mile ; Hunters’ Handicap Hurdles, two miles •. Military Flat Race, two miles ; Farmers’ Hurdle Race, two miles : Hunters’ Handicap Steeplechase, two and a-half miles ; Members’ Handicap Flat Race, three miles. A very strong committee is working the affair up, and,it promises to be extremely successful. All short, races have been eliminated from the programme, which will make the sport far more interesting to watch, so there should be a very big attendance at the’ meeting. Nominations must be sent to the joint secretaries, Messrs R. P. .Kinloch and B. Lewis, not later than on August 21. Full particulars are advertised in another column. . ~ j

’ an ‘American exchange, <®>e Minous did pacer, Sleepy Tom, now «o years old, is still driven by a Wash--Ington Hotel proprietor. The old horse was one of. the attractions at the open■ing of the King County Fair last year, when he was credited with doing a quarter of a mile in 34* sec.

In winning the Northumberland Plate "at the Newcastle and High Gosforth Park (Eng.) meeting on June 24, Cliftonhall was credited with running the two 'miles in 3min 25 i-ssec. As he caijried 7st 71b, the performance was a "iharvellous one, as it is one-fifth of a ’second under Palmerston’s world’s r -record made at Hurst Park, England, in 1899. Wakeful holds the Australian record of 3min 28sec for the distance. At a sale of the brood mares and foals in the estate of the late Colonel Harry M’Cafmont last month, some very big prices were realised. Medora (Bend Or—i .Agneta), with a Ladas colt foal at foot, <and covered by Persimmon, went to Lord M. Beresford at 5600g5. The same buyer gave 300ogjs. for Amphora (Amphion— Sierra). The American sportsmen, Messrs A. Belmont and W. C. Whitnev, 'were also to 'the fore. Mr Belmont gave 4600 Jgs 'for Hautesse (Archduic—Hautour), and 360(5gs for Fairy Gold (Bend Or—Dame Masham). The first-mentioned .had a colt foal at foot by Ladas. Mr Whitney’s new purchases were Jeunesse Doree ' (Isinglass—La Croisee), with a filly foal by Whittier, at 3500 gs ; and Snowv Corrie (Tristan —Corrie Roy), with colt by Whittier, at 2600g5. Galienne (Galopin—Lady Chelmsford) went to Lord Howard’ de Walden at n Bioogs, and Mecca (Isonomy —Pilgrim’”«ge) to the Hon. F. Lambton at 2ioogs.

Survivor was a failure in England, and it is evidently going to be the same with the Melbourne Cup winner, Clean Sweep. The latter has had a couple of runs in England, and each time has acted as whipper-in, his latest appearance being in the Manor Welter Plate, a mile weight-for-age race, at Gatwick on June 23. He had a 201 b allowance, owing to not having won in 1902 or 1903, but, despite that advantage, could never get near the front. According to an English exchange, he is but a shadow of his former self, and is so infirm that G. Chaloner has great difficulty in training him. Under the circumstances, he may not do much more racing.

Only four living jockeys have carried off the English Derby on more than one occasion. The list is headed by Wood, who has been first past the post with St. Blaise (883), St. Gatien (dead-heated with Harvester in 1884), and Galtee More in 1897. Sam Loates rode two, viz., Harvester (1884) and Sir Visto (1895), and his younger brother Tom two, with Donovan (1889) and Isinglass (1893). The late John Watts scored four times in the great race. In 1887 he steered Merry Hampton to victory ; in 1890 Sainfoin, in 1894 Ladas, and in . 1896 Persimmon. Harry Constance won the Derby three times, on Thormanby, Blue Gown, and George Frederick. Although he is a frequenter of other courses, he took such a dislike to Epsom that he has not visited that place for nearly 30 years. When Sceptre was purchased by Mt ■*• • ♦ „

Pass, one of the wealthiest men in England, for 20,000 guineas, it was given out that this wonderful mare’s first engagement in her rich owner’s colours would be in defence of the Ascot Cup against the French invaders, but Mr Bass withdrew the daughter of Persimmon, and cleared the atmosphere for the Frenchman. Among the gentlemen of England the Ascot Cup is next in their affections to the Derby, and Mr Bass preferred to keep his famous mare for a certainty—the Hardwitke Stakes. William the Third, the best stayer in England, was ready to defend the Cup against the invaders, but at the last moment developed leg troubles, and had to be withdrawn. The “ Sporting Times ” strikes the right key note with the following :—“ The French horse, we need scarcely state, had got the race well won a long way from home, and from what we can hear it is lucky for us that they did not send La Camargo over also, ns in that case they would probably have been first and second, with La Camargo most likely winning. All this time we had in England a mare that might have averted all this disgrace to us, and she was kept in her stable merely in order to try to win a moneyprize on the following ■day, to which no glory whatever attaches. And there was Ard Patrick, ,who is going just now in fine form ? ‘ Bob ’ Sievier, poor as he is, would not have let the Frenchman have the Cup without a fight for it had he still got Sceptre, was the tsmark that was made on all hands. The ? possession of a few hundreds of thousands ; pounds per annual does not necessarily make a man a sportsman, and we beilevs that tlfefre is far ftidre of the sporting gritin ‘Bob' than is to be found in tteay teen whom names read better on <hs hack ftf a bilk” 1