Sport in Australia.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 801, 13 July 1905, Page 9

Sport in Australia.

(By

“ ATLAS.”)

Sydney, July 5. During the history of the V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race 1 do not think any contest for the event has caused less public interest or speculation than that which took place last Saturday, but nevertheless there were twentythree starters. With the exception of Marmont, who won two years ago with 9st lib, and was asked to carry 12st 71b this year, there was nothing of much quality among the starters, and one could look in vain for horses of the calibre of Rhesus, Don Quixote, The Agent, The I’eoman, Malua, Redleapy Ellerslie, and Tim Swiveller, all of whom' have shone in the race in the years gone by. It did not say much for the quality of the big field that Marmont, with the steadier of 12st 71b, should be equal favourite for the race, w’ith Oblivion (lOst 91b) at sto 1. The other candidates to receive any support were Airly and Merrion, 7 to 1 each, Transport 10 to 1, Adjuster 14 to 1, Valour and Solano 16 to1, York, Probus, and Orlando 20 to and Old Chappie 33 to 1. York was the first out in front, but at the abattoirsOblivion took charge, and passing the stand the second time the order was Oblivion, York, Loch Lochie, and Olynthus. At the back York ran past Oblivion. while Marmont was seen to be in trouble. York led into the straight, and. holding his own easily, he won by three lengths from Old Chappie, who w r as ten; lengths in front of the third horse Adjuster, while Solano was fourth and Probus was last. The time for the threemiles (smin 50sec) shows that the race was run at a solid pace, and it is only 2sec outside of the record (smin 48sec) r put up bv Radwon in 1902. With the exception of the first race of the day, nearly all the other events terminated in favour of the layers of the odds. The Maiden Hurdles, the first race, was won by Australian (7 to 4 against) easily. The Myross Handicap, for two-year-olds, was won by Sweet Bird, who was not mentioned in the betting. The Maiden. Steeplechase brought out a field of seven,, and was won easily by Warfield, one of the outsiders of the party, and the day’s racing was brought to a close by another outsider (Mollusc) winning the Winter Handicap. The Moorefield Racing Club supnlied. the Sydney people with sport on Saturday afternoon, but there was very little of interest in the racing. The New Zealander, Machine Gun, had been entered for the Flying Handicap, but he was withdrawn, and left for Melbourne on Saturday in charge of Dave Price. In his absence the Flying Handicap was won by Attendant, who was favourite at 9 to 4, while Miss Rosebery and Bridge filled the placep. The principal event, the Moorefield Handicap, was won by Byton (7st) and ridden by the successful, light-weight Smith. By ton is owned by J. Mayo, of Lord Cardigan fame, and is. by Grafton (imported), and the places were filled by Red Flag (7st 121 b) and Street . Arab (Bst 41b). Red Flag was favourite at 3 to 1, while the winner was. quoted at 5 to 1.

Up-to-Date was responsible for a good working galop at Flemington on Saturday morning. Mr. J. Noud’s bay colt Grafton Lad. by Grafton out of Conundrum, won the Two-year-old Handicap at Moorefield on Saturday with 9st 51b. This is the colt’s, third win in succession, and it is quite evident he is one of the reliable sort. Gaietv on Saturday night Frost (9st) and Green (9st 21b) were billed to fight 20 rounds. The contest was pretty even for seven rounds, bur in the eighth round Green’s seconds threw up the sponge.

In the return inter-State football match between New South "Wales and Queensland on Saturday at Brisbane, the former won by 15 points to 3.

In the first grade contests (Rugby rules) the. Glebe and South Sydney are leading with 14 points each. In Melbourne on Saturday night the first draw for the amateur boxing championships resulted as follows:—Bantams : Luke beat Taylor. Binnie beat * Lewis. Feather-weights: Gill beat Lyons. Darbyshire beat Cunning. Light-

weights: Synnot beat Loughran, Ralph beat Smythe. Middle-weights: Beckitt beat Dorrington.

A great crowd paid lor admisison lo see the catch-as-catch-can wrestling match in Melbourne on Saturday night between Harry Weber and Buttan Singh. Weber won the firts fall with a cross buttock in Imin 31sec. The Indian won the second fall with a spin from rhe bridge in Bmin 22^sec., and the as the same style in 32min 21sec. The second test match between New Zealand and New South Wales < soc^® r game) was played on Saturday on the Epping Racecourse in the presence of a large attendance. The ground was soft an® slippery, and the players experienced a lot of difficulty in keeping their feet. Middlemass was unable to P *° r Zealand owing to illness and P l *®® was taken by Taylor. Moore, who was hurt on the previous Saturday, was a Enable to play, and his place was taken by Hatton, of the South Sydney Club. In the first half of the game New South Wales was credited with one goal, the second half New South Wales increased their advantage by another goal. This is the fourth match played between New South Wales and New Zealand. The first was played at Dunedin, and was won by New South Wales by one goal to nil; the second was drawn at Wellington, three goals each; the third, P in Sydney, was won by New Zealand by six goals to four; while the fourth was won by New South Wales by two goals to nil. The New Zealanders will visit Newcastle this week. The handicappers continue to deal it out severely to New Zealand horses, n the Welter Handicap, to be run at Flemington on Saturday, Machine Gun i* ceived 12st 121 b, and conceded more than •2st to everything else 111 r ace. The New Zealander was scratched soon after tho weights were published. A sad accident occurred at Rosebery Park on Monday. When rounding the home bend Lady Wilton and Luleon collided and fell. The well-known jockey T Adams, was so badly injured that he died half an hour after the accident. McMahon, the rider of Luleon, was also badlv injured, and has been unconscious since. At the time of writing an inouest is being held on the body of Adams. From all I can hear the accident is attributed to a reckless attempt on the part of Adams to rush his horse up on the inside of his field. ,No fault can be found with the condition of the course, ■which was in splendid order. After the accident the meeting was nostnoned. Mr. J. A. K. Shaw, a Scone solicitor, has been appointed judge by the Australian Jockey Club at £4OO ner annum.