Sporting Topics.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 709, 8 October 1903, Page 7

Sporting Topics.

(By

“The Judge.”)

There are fifty horses working daily at IVingatui, which is a record for the track. * ♦ * *

Mr J. E. Gleadow has been appointed secretary to the Napier Park Racing Club.

Report has it that Mr J. Mayo refused £2OOO for Lord Cardigan after the colt won the Randwick Plate.

Pampero s dam Minstral broke one of her hind fetlocks a few days ago, but an l attempt has been made to set the broken limb.

Mr Clark has been reappointed secretary to the Southland Racing Club, while Mr A. J. Gibb will look after the weight adjusting.

Vladimir's injury is apparently not ao bad as was at first anticipated, as the leg - is on the mend. He has been given a blister.

It is said that the Prince of Wales contemplates following in the footsteps of his father by establishing a stud, and racing horses.

Mr Davis informs me that the most recent foalings at Sylvia Park are a filly by Explosion from the Ingomar mare Sunbeam, and a colt by Seaton Delaval from the St. Leger mare La Cloche.

only fifth in the) list of English winning owners during- the 'current season, he can claim to have won more races than any other owner, the nearest to him being Mr Leopold de Rothschild.

From the Cambria Park Stud the following foalings are reported : —Mantilla, by Anteros —Matana, colt to Cyrenian ; Sappho, by St. Leger —Brassolis, colti to Cyrenian ; Sparkling Water, by St. Hippo —Waitemata, colt to Cyrenian.

Notwithstanding the big attendance on three or four days of the Australian J.C. Spring Meeting, the club lost £3OO. However, the club has always lost on its Spring Meetings;, and fared better over the recent one than on any previous occasion.

The death of the Wonderland —Lady Leger gelding Kohupapa, at Wanganui, removes another candidate from the New Zealand Cup list, for which event he had been supported at long prices. He was a fine galloper, and the loss is a severe one to Mr George Richardson.

Lady Lillian has displaced Wairiki as favourite for the New Zealand Cup, only 6 to 1 being obtainable about Lady Zetland's daughter, while a point longer is quoted about the big son of Soult. Canteen and Shrapnel are the most favoured of the others, but business is far from brisk. Roseal has been supported for a fair amount during the week.

Bobadil's full sister Verne was killed the other day while exercising at Flemington. The accident was an extraordinary one, for . the mare was galloping with Le Portel and the latter fell bringing down Verne, with fatal results to both, a piece of real hard luck to the Western District sportsman, Mr McArthur, who owned the pair.

In San Francisco last month, W. C. de Lopez's Articulate (who is by St. Andrew from the well-known Sydney performer. Utter), beat Old England in a mile match for lOOOdol. a-side, and 1500dcl. added by the Californian Jockey Club. Odds of 2 to 1 were laid on Old England, but Articulate got home four lengths ahead of him in lmin 39sec.

The demand for subscriptions to the great Irish horse Ard Patrick has been so great in Germany that His Excellency Count Lehndorff, who purchased the horse a few weeks ago, has informed breeders through the columns of the “ Deuts'cher import ” that no inquiry can be entertained until the horse has been matriculated in the German “ Stud Register.”

J. Delaney, once one of the best Australian jockeys, is in a very bad way with consumption. Delaney won numerous good races of his day, among them being the Doncaster Handicap on Courallie, the Epsom Handicap on Daredevil, Winter Stakes and TattersalFs Cup on Muriel, Carrington Stakes on Stanmore. Summer Cup on Vespasia,. Birthday Cup on Pilot Boy, and V.R.C. St. Leger on Cabin Boy.

Mr T. Morrin, the Wellington Park studmaster, who has been on a business trip to Napier, Wellington and Wanganui, returned to Auckland on Tuesday.

Owners should remember that all acceptances close to-morrow night (Friday) at 9 p.m., for all events at the Otahuhu Racing Club’s Meeting ,to be held at Otahuhu next Wednesday, the 14th inst.

The tohalisator investments at the Wanganui Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting amounted to £13,846, as against £14,039 for the corresponding fixture last year.

Last month the champion French mire, La Camargo, lost 41b, was beaten easily by the three-year-old Vinicius, 9st ilb, in the Baden Grand Prize, of 4000 sovs,

Returned visitors speak in terms of warm praise of the manner in which the Wanganui Meeting was conducted, everything going off very smoothly and without the semblance of a hitch. Mr F. Moffatt and the Committee are to be complimented on such a successful result.

Tirole put up a good performance on the opening day of the Wanganui Meeting, winning both the Maiden Race and the Putiki Flack Race. For the first event the five-year-old son of Captain Webb and Tireuse started a red-hot favourite, but in the Hack Race Mr Holmes’ gelding paid the nice dividend of £9 13S.

Sir George Clifford's fine colt Treadmill had • a fairly soft thing on in the Wanganui Guineas, although Sea Lion ran a very creditable race. It was no encouragement for the Wanganui Club in their effort to provide classic racing to have only three starters for the rich prize, and two of these belonging to the same owner. * * * * The Northern Wairoa Racing Club is out with its programme for the Summer Meeting, which will take place at Alangawhare, on December 2(5 and 28. r l he re are seven events to be decided on each day, a very interesting bill-of-fare having been drawn up. The big event on the opening day is the Northern Wairoa Cup, of 50 sovs, while on the second day the best endowed race is the Kaipara Handicap, of 40 sovs. Nominations for all events close with Mr H. E. Stehr, the secretary, on Thursday. November 19. Full particulars of the various events will be found in outadvertising columns. * * * *. Here is one of “ Javelin’s ” latest. A Caulfield jockey said to a pal : “If ever I get killed, Bill, I'd like a couple o' lines o' poetry on my grave sayin' I went straight. 1 wus try in’ to compose it myself last night, but J could only manage one line —the rhymin' done me “ Let’s see it.” said Bill, taking the paper which bis friend had produced from his pocket. He read :— Here lies poor Tom, who was always) a trier, “ That’s easy finished,” he said, and taking out a pencil he added, Wrote- by 'his pal, who was always a liar! i * ♦ ♦ I was glad to see the Hack Race yesterday fall to Provost Marshall, who isi a three-year-old son of The Officer from the Dreadnought mare Montciread. The Officer was a very honest horse, and in any other year might have been considered really great, but had the bad luck to be opposed in classic events by such a brilliant galloper as Newhaven. Good as was the latter Mr Cook's colt proved equal to putting him down on one memorable occasion. viz., the V.R.C. St. Leger of--1897, when he put up a record for the race which has only once been equalled. **’ * * In answer to a correspondent who wants to know the records of the fastest trotter, pacer and racer, they are Lou Dillon 2:00 trotting, Dan Patch 1:59 pacing, and Batchelor's Button lmin 32 l-sscc. Lou Dillon was driven by Millard Sanders and Dan Batch by Myron McHenry. The trotting and pacing records were made this year. r l he mile racing record was done at Manchester, England, on November 21 last year.

Capital nominations have been received for the big handicap events of the Spring and Autumn Meetings of the Auckland Racing Club. Especially is this the case in chief events to be decided at Christmas time. Entries for the Auckland Cup show an increase of three, numbering fifty-two this year. Among them are quite an array of Southern horses, and there is some snlendid material for Mr Evitt to try his hand on in weight-adjusting. Among the list I am very pleased' to see a reappearance of the Auckland crack NoJiette, than which a more honest horse never looked through a bridle. Some good performers are to be found in the list, notably Wairiki, Lady Lillian, Treadmill, Battleaxe, Waiwera, Golden Rose, Quarryman, Idas, General Symons, Pallas. Halberdier, Strathavon and others. The other events have all drawn excellent entries, there being fifty-six in the Summer Cup, forty-eight in the A.R.C. Handicap, fifty-four in the Railway Handicap, and twenty-three in the Steeplechase.

The Otahuhu Racing Club will hold a race meeting next Wednesday.

The Caulfield Cup will be run on Saturday week.

The nan e of Achilles does not appear among tl.e list of entries for the Auckland Cup.

Comfort looked such a really good thing for the Hack Hurdle Race yesterday that it is difficult to imagine how the Quilt, gelding came to pay a dividend of £4 8s in a field of five.

Evening proved good enough to win the First Handicap Hurdle Race at the Hawke's Bay Meeting yesterday, but the bay daughter of Wonderland and Vesper was only opposed by a small field. She has been doing good track work, and a victory for the sister to Evening Wonder was not unexpected.

St. Peter, one of the great St. Leger— Satanella family and the best of the bunch according to Mr Percival, has been leased to Mr Lee Smith, of Matakohe, and will take up stud duties in that district.

The Victorian Amateur Turf Club will commence its big Spring Meeting next Saturday, when the chief items will be the Caulfield Stakes, Debutant Stakes, Toorak Handicap, and Caulfield Guineas. In the first-named event are Wakeful, Ibex, and Abundance, and at a nine furlongs the flying son of Angora might win. The richest race is the Debutant Stakes, of 1300 sovs, in which the cream of the two-year-old are engaged. Ibex heads the list in the Toorak Handicap, but may be slipped in the weight-for-age event. If not, he will nearly win the big mile handicap.

That wonderfully good mare Sceptre has won the J ockey Club Stakes, pf 10,000 sovs, putting down the triple crowned hero Rock Sand at a difference in the colt’s favour of eighteen pounds. The brilliant daughter of Persimmon and Ornament is rapidly writing down her purchase money, which owing to a contingency coming off stands at £22,000. If all goes well with the mare it looks ae if Captain Hamar Bass got a spelndid bargain after all when he bought Sceptre from Mr Sievier.

The death is reported from Melbourne of Duke of Grafton, by Grafton —Disgrace, who was so badly injured by a fall in the October Stakes, at Flemington on Saturday, that he had to be destroyed. He was a three-year-old brown colt belonging to Mr E. Fraser, of Sydney, but was a somewhat unreliable performer, at times showing great brilliancy, varying it with exhibitions worthy of a second-class hack. He was easily the best two-year-old of his year, and recently won the Rawsion Stakes in great style, but disgraced himself in the A.J.C. Derby. It is possible that he was only a sprinter, but when really in a galloping humour the Duke was something of a smasher, and Mr Fraser has undoubtedly lost a good colt. * « • * The Otahuhu Racing Club will bring off a meeting on the Otahuhu racecourse next Wednesday, for which the following weights have been declared :— MAIDEN PLATE.—SIy Miss 9.2. Simple Simon 8.2, Seatonia 8.0, Ngatoro 7.12, Mokomoko 7.10, Freewill 7.8. Captain Jack 7.4, Ralph Spreckels 7.0. Gatesman 7.0, Pukerimu 7.0, Ballin Calloo 7.0, The Hermit 7.0. RAILWAY HANDICAP.—CamiIIe 9.0, Blaircarrig 9.0, Defender 8.12, Taplow 8.10, Swagsman 8.7, Lavadel 8.6, Sly Miss 8.2, lan 7.8, Delia Rose 7.4, Woodmount 7.4, Simple Simon 7.4, Belfast 7i4, Leo Delaval 7.4, Seatonia 7.2, Ngatoro 7.0, Jdan 6.12, Cutter 6.12, Seabrook 6.12, Solitary 6.12, Cyclone 6.12. HURDLE RACE.—Tim 11.7, Inchcape 11.7, Perseverance 11.-5, Chancellor 11. it.2, Dingo 10.13, Waimana 10.0, Mokomoko 10.0, Tuni 9.12, Marksman 9.8. Terence 9.2, Boxer 9'.'o, Pukerimu 9.0. OTAHUHU CUP.—Solo 8.12, Defender 8.12, Taplow 8.10, Blaircarrig 8.10. Swagsman 8.8,’ Lavadel 8.6, Sly Miss 8.0, Frances Lovejoy 7.10, lan 7.6, Belfast 7.2, Simple Simon 7.2, Ngatoro 7.0, Seabrook 7.0.

PONY RACE.-Cuisine 8.12, Gladys Rose 8.12, Solitary 8.7, Leona 8.2, Kyra 7.10, Queenie 7.0, Soultbush 7.0, Victorine 7.0.

Acceptances close with Mr F. Yonfge to-morrow evening, at 9 p.m. A special train will leave Auckland at 12.20 p.m. for the course, returning after the last race. With any luck in the matter of weather, a very successful little meeting seems assured.

Creusot was served up pretty warm for the Welter Handicap at Hawke’s Bay yesterday, and the good thing duly came off, the five-year-old son of Torpedo and AEgyptilla putting down a weak field in good style.

The Otaki Maori Meeting will take place on Wednesday and Thursday next, Napier Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Dunedin J.C. Spring Alee ting on Wednesdday and the following Saturday, so there will be no dearth of sporting fixtures next week.

Quarryman's gallop at Wanganui evidently benefitted the three-year-old son of Bill of Portland and Aladowla, for he managed to pull off the King Edward Handicap all right fre ui the Sou'-wester mare Dexterity, whose recent good form enhances the merit of Sir George Clifford’s colt’s victory.

When having a look round Sylvia Park last year, I was greatlv impressed with the yearling colt by Seaton Delavel from Lady Moth, and was afterwards accused of writing in too eulogistic a strain of Hohoro’s half-brother. Fie was subsequently purchased by Mr Stead, who gave him the appropriate name of Silkworm. Sent up to contest the Hastings Stakes, the youngster succeeded in doing what was required of him in the most satisfactory manner. Truly, Seaton Delaval is leading off in great style this season for champion honours in the winning stallion list.

Jhe Cup candidate Halberdier is being treated to swimming exercise in the Wanganui River, and is reported to be looking- really well. A strong doubt exists, however, as co whether he will stand the final winding up. If the son of Cuirassier and Miss Stead can be got to the post really well he. will take no end of beating m the Great Spring- Handicap.

Those who are arguing pro and con over Casper Redfield's theory of speed transmittance have two recent examples m The Picket, winner of the American Derby this year, and the new champion trotting mare Lou Dillon. Those who beoeve with Air Redfield that an old stalaon will sire the fastest horses can instance Ihe Picket, who was g'ot when his sire Falsetto was 24 years old, while those on the other side of the controversy can refer to Sidney Dillon, who sited Lou Dillon when he was a five-vear-old. “A ou pays your money and takes your choice."

n .> H ’ 1 W ’ Stevenson, ex-champion billiard player of the world, has paid a fleeting visit to Auckland, and is now on his way to Canada having left yesterday by the Union Coy. steamer to catch the \ ancouver liner to Suva. It would be idle to deny that the Auckland uart of the tour .was wretchedly managed, and I understand Stevenson was greatly disappointed at his treatment here. The fact was that whoever was responsible for making the arrangements in Auckland made a wretched bungle of the affair, and but few knew that the famous player was in this City, the Press r-ot having been notified in any wav A solitary match at the Auckland Club looked like being the only event of the visit, but Mr W. Lyons, although feeling far from well, with characteristic good nature threw himself into the brej.cn, and played a couple of exhibition matches. Far better financial results might have been? obtained if the luess had been invited to the matches. The first game took place at the Auckland Club, Stevenson conceding half the points in a match of 1000 up to Mr J. R. Hooper. The latter seemed off his game at the. start, and the professional rapidly closed the gap. Towards the end, the Auckland amateur settled down a bit, and; although caught at 880, was only beaten .by 21 points. Stevenson’s best breaks were 49, 36, 157, 156, 73, 52, and .63, while Hooper’s few good efforts realised 51, 39, 24, 31, 31, 23, 29, jand 52. After the match, Stevenson gave q display, qf fancy shots. ■The second match was plaved .at the tyaitepata Cljub-rooms, Stevenson giving Lyqns 550‘ ..points start in a 1000 up. Although §tijl suffering a good deal from pqtins in his head, the after-effects of his Sydney trip, Lyons played very consistently, but the visitor stringing together nice breaks of 141 and 143 caught the Aucklander at 920, and going on won by 80 points.. An exhibition of fancy shots was .given at the conclusion of the • match.

Stevenson played his concluding match in Auckland on Tuesday, on this occasion conceding Lyons 600 in a match of 1000. The ex-champion was in rare form, stringing together breaks in his own particularly finished style. His best attempts were a beautifully put together 204, then 121, 119, 86, 76, 68, 64, and 67, eventually winning by 176* having taken just an hour and forty minutes to complete the thousand. He averaged just 40 points per cue. Lyons was hardly seen at his best, his few good efforts being 53, 26, and 22. Stevenson, prior to leaving, warmly thanked the TattersalFs handicap winner for giving! him the opportunity of showing

That Yorkshire is admittedly the home ■of horseracing in England everybody 'knows (says the ‘‘Licensed Victuallers Gazette ”). Hargrave declares that the sport may be traced to- the times of the Romans, and we can only deplore that there are not a few Romans of Claudian characteristics to have lived on throughout the ages and furnished us with a contrast of the contests forthe Bay Leaf Stakes, and those which are permitted by the wisdom of the Jockey Club to be run at York in the current year of grace.

A new world’s record for a mile and three-quarters was made at Saratoga (America) on August 22. The great performers Africander and Waterboy met in a race of that distance, and, after an exciting finish, the former, who is a three-year-old, won in 2min 58sec.

A match to which a lot of interest attached came off at Hurst Park (Eng.) on the 23id of August. It was between the crack sprinter Sundridge (9.10) and Le i. lizon (7.12), the distance being five and a half furlongs, and the stake £5OO aside and a £2OO cup, to which each owner contributed £lOO. Sundridge, who was ridden by M. Cannon, was favourite at 7 to 4 on, but Le Blizon (J. Hare) outstayed him, and won easily in Unin 8 4-ssec. The going was soft. 14 mile.

Although Australasian sires have not done much in England this season, yet late mails tell of a more encouraging state of things. The Hardwic. e StaKes, for two-year-olds, at the Stccxton August Meeting, was secured by Mr Douglas Baird’s b c Musqueton, by Carbine from Musa, by Marfagon from Falmflower, by The Palmer. The three-year-old gelding Salute, by Carbine from Testa, won the Upleatham Handicap, at the Redcar Second Summer Meeting, beating five others. Minie, a daughter of Carbine and Helen Mar/, secured the Manor Maiuen Plate. The Lochiel gelding Obari, won the Prix du Golf (Selling Steeplecha&e , at the Deauville August Meeting, in which he carried lost 131 b, and won in' a canter from five others. The Carbine colt, Powder Puff, won the Apprentices’ Plate at Hamilton Park. At Derby, Carburton (Carbine —Mrs Butterwiek) won the Portland High-Weight Handicap, and White Webbs (Trenton— Spoleta) was the winner of the Belper Plate.

With turfites of the old school matchmaking m many instances amounted to a passion, and the names of such noble sportsmen as Exeter, Glasgow and Jersey readily occur to the mind in this connection (says “ The Licensed Victuallers!’ Gazette”). The second named noble sportsman, who was, to say the least of it, very eccentric, used to cause great amusement during the running of his matches by the extraordinary excitement he displayed. On one occasion, when he had one of his matches with the late Mr Ten Broeck, the American sportsman, during the running the Earl, scratching the back of his neck, as was his wont, shouted, “ Glasgow wins ! Glasgow wins ; ” until he saw that his horse was hopelessly beaten. Then, turning his back to the course, he “ bonnetted ” his hat over his ■eyes with the remark, “ Glasgow is a fool !” It may be remarked that had anyone else said so there would probably have been a coroner’s inquest. It was reserved to one of the great years of a great reign to see our greatest match, however. We speak of the contest for the Hardwicke Stakes, of 1887, the Jubilee year, as a match advisedly, as although four horses took part in it, the event was looked upon as a match between Ormonde and Minting, it never being thought that . either Bendigo or Phil would be in it with the two champions. True it was that Bendigo was a king of handicap class, but not an Ormonde or a Minting. We shall not easily forget the courts, held by those mighty equines in the paddock before the race. Ormonde possibly had most admirers, but Yorkshire to a man was on Minting, it being the case of a Yorkf-hire horse, ridden by a Yorkshire jockey, J ohn Osborne, opposed to a southcountry champion, Ormonde, ridden by a southern “ jock,” Tom Cannon. In splendid condition were the wonderful pair, and as Ormonde was infirm in his wind, Osborne had orders to try for this weak spot. He forced the pace accordingly. making running from Ormonde and Bendigo, Phil being whipper-in throughout. So terrific was the pace that Bendigo cracked opposite the stands, and a desperate race ensued between the two great horses for the kingship of the Turf. Minting made a great fight for it, but by an immense effort Ormonde got up, and getting his head in front, won literally on the post by a head. There were four spur marks on each side of Ormonde, and two traces of flail on Minting’s flank. Even the Royal enclosure forgot its dignity then, and yelled and ramped with the betting rings. John Porter’s lip quivered in reply to a score of hands stretched out to grasp his. It