OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 4 August 1904, Page 9

OTAGO.

Dunedin, August 3. It has been decided to send Canteen across to Australia to compete in the Melbourne Cup, and in about a month’s time the grey will make the journey and go into F. McNamara’s stable, where the ex-New Zealander Gladsome is quartered. The son of Castor has only to be in form to run a great race, but his pace is discounted by his temper which he now displays when at the post for his races. All going well it will be interesting to watch how Wairiki and Canteen emerge from a repetition of their New Zealand Cup battle. Last November, Canteen was about as fit as he could be made, while the Auckland horse was sorely afflicted with dental troubles which undoubtedly prevented him from being as fit as he would otherwise have been. The Soult horse’s form in the Auckland Cup showed that he was capable of improving on his New Zealand Cup form, and that being so, wherever Canteen is at the finish of the Melbourne Cup, Wairiki should be in front of him. Pipi, Phaetonitis and Petrovna, three Dunedinites at present at Riccarton, are doing good work and pleasing the local touts, and each of the trio may prove capable of earning winning brackets at the meeting Aka Aka and Haydn are the chief selections made here for the National Steeplechase, and Waiwera, Kremlin and Huku are in big demand for the Hurdles. Both events, however, are regarded as being particularly open. H. Jackson left yesterday for Wanganui to assume charge of Mr Moore’s team. Blazer and Benmore also make the journey. The Eurocyldon mare, Happy Home, leaves for Christchurch this week, and is reported to be in splendid order. Her trainer, G. Robertson, has also a sister to Happy Home in work. Mr 0. R. Wise has a couple of horses in work at Oamaru in Stepaside (Stepniak —Broadside), and Leeside (Eurocyldon—Broadside). The former will probably race in the Ladies’ Bracelet at the National Meeting. The North Otago Club are at present making several improvements to their course. A well-known local sport is preposterously positive that Canteen does not possess a winning chance in the Melbourne Cup, but probably the opinion is founded on the fact that he has supported the grey to win a few hundreds in connection with the New Zealand Cup. The Hotchkiss horse, Kelburn, has been purchased by the Southern sport, Mr C. White, and will probably he given a light season at the stud prior to being put into work. Kelburn is beautifully bred, being out of the St. Leger mare Lady Augusta, who was out of the Nordenfelt mare Brown Alice, a sister to Strathmore, so that breeders should not hesitate to patronise the horse.

Major Eustace Loder, the breeder and owner of Pretty Polly, has some near relations to the champion filly in a two-vear-old full sister, a yearling halfbrother by Isinglass, and a filly foal, full-sister to Pretty Polly. The dam of this lot is again in foal to Gallinule.

A relay race to the World’s Fair frojn Albuquerque, N.M., is a project that is under discussion (says an American exchange). F. H. Leland, a veteran cavalryman and a member of General Gomez’s Cuban staff, together with William Closson, a well-known rough rider, are backing the scheme. The race will be 1200 miles relay and will be open to cowboys from Arizona and New Mexico. A Southern paper tells the following amusing story. William Maloney was one of those remarkable men who think that bookmakers exist for the purpose of providing him with untold wealth. ■ Of course he followed this idea to its 1 logical conclusion, with the inevitable J result that most of his property had * been turned into ready cash in order that he might indulge in the luxury of “backing his fancy.” Naturally’ the landlord had to go without his rent, for landlords are secondary considerations where the sport of kings is concerned. But Maloney knew that his patience was nearly exhausted, and recently, when he expected a call from his natural enemy, he sent a note. “Put a sovereign each way on Disappointer,” read the precious missive ; “deduct your rent and pay me the balance.” The supreme audacity of the request was staggering, but the landlord was one who knew how to reply in kind. “Have a bit on The Bailiff for next week,” he wrote on the back of the note. “And,” said Mrs Ma- 1 loney, raising her apron to her eyes when telling the story, “that was the only tip I ever knew to come off ”