Sport in Australia

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 813, 5 October 1905, Page 10

Sport in Australia

(By

“ Atlas.”)

Sydney, September 25. After the bustle of Metropolitan week a calm has come over the sporting community, but it will not be for long, as almost immediately the sporting mind will be exercised in the effort to solve the problems presented by the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup. Nearly all the visitors to the spring meeting at Randwick have taken their departure, the last to depart being the New Zealand contingent, and a happy party they were who left by the crowded Moeraki on Saturday night. In addition to the human freight, the good steamer had on board all Mr. Stead’s team, who were accompanied by Mr. Oxenham’s Acrasia (winner of the Melbourne Cup), Mr. W. H. Dean’s Bill of Portland mare, Portland Light, Dr. Ewan Fraser’s Bill of Portland mare Portalacca, and Mr. Hamilton Osborne’s Malvolio mare Novitiate, the winner of many good races, including the Perth Cup. All of these are booked to Multiform, who, it will thus be seen, is to have a great opportunity of distinguishing himself as a sire. Machine Gun also returned to New Zealand, as did also D. J. Price and L. Hewitt. F. Jones, who rode Maniopoto in the Metropolitan, will steer him in his Melbourne engagements, arrangements having been made with R. Mason to that effect. It is understood that Maniopoto will be sent over to Melbourne during the current week. The Randwick trainer, T. Payten, will take his departure for Melbourne this week with Roycroft, Elvo, Scot Free, Possum Jack, and possibly Lord Fitzroy and three two-year-olds. Lord Fitzroy was knocked about a good deal in the Epsom Handicap, but he is getting over that, although still a bit sore. Payten has a big string, but the stable is not nearly so formidable as it was in days of yore, when the late Hon. James White was its leading patron. S. Fielder had a bit of bad luck on Saturday, when a . good-looking gelding by Metal from The Shock, which he had recently purchased, broke a blood vessel and pegged out. The well-known Melbourne trainer, A. Ferguson, has been engaged to train for J H. Henning, of England. He received a flattering send-off on Saturday The City Tattersail’s Club held its

spring meeting on Saturday, and notwithstanding that it came so quickly on the heels of the A.J.C. gathering, it was a success. Out of the half-dozen that sported silk foi’ the Hurdle Race, Paragon (10.6) was made favourite at 5 to 4, but he was all out to beat Macklin (10.8) by a head. Eleven faced the starter in the Flying Mile, and Royal Arthur (7.13) was made favourite at 5 to 2, while Famous and Cecil were next best fancied. Backers were again right, as the favourite won by a length from Famous, who had the steadier of 9.10. The only other race of interest on the programme was the City Tattersail’s Handicap, for which half-a-dozen started, and so even was the betting that 4 to 1 could be got about three —Lucknow, Tatterdemalion, and Chaperon—while the Other three—l anshawe, Heracles, and The Laird —were at 5 to 1. Tatterdemalion (8.6) and Heracles (7.0) were in front nearly all the way, and the first-named won in the end by half a length in 2min 10|sec for the mile and a-quarter. The running of Roachy in the Hurdle Race did not please the stewards, and the gelding, with his owner (D. U. Seaton) and jockey (E. J. O’Brien) were disqualified for two years. F. Smith, in his billiard match with E. Janies, 1500 up, for the championship of Australia, won by 76 points. The Eastern Suburbs Bicyc'e Club decided their 20 miles’ open road race on Saturday in the presence of about 4000 spectators. In . addition to a bicycle valued at £l2 10s, presented by Mr. Alick McNeill, several other valuable trophies were presented. The race resulted as follows: —E. B. Rassmussen, Redfern Club, 3min 53sec start, 1; W. West, Annandale, 3min 40sec, 2; G. J. Falvey, Western Suburbs, 4min 30sec, 3. F. R. Rai, of Curson Park, secured fastest time, doing the full journey of 20 miles in the excellent time of 54min 44sec.

In Melbourne the Australasian 25 miles’ road championship was run off, and resulted in a win for W. F. Hawley, of Victoria, after a hard tussle with R. W. Morgan, of Victoria, and J. Arnst, of New Zealand. The weathu* conditions were unfavourable to record-break-ing, as a high wind prevailed. J. Arnst, who is looked upon as the best all-round road rider in Australia, was a strong favourite, but he met with bad luck. He was riding strongly on the home journey when his chain broke. A spectator. at once offered his machine, but in availing himself of the offer he lost a lot of ground. Hagney, too, in endeavouring to avoid a cart, had a nasty fall, and O’Connor broke his pedal and landed on his head on the hard metal road The time for the race was lhr 12min 58sec.. The Automobile Club will hold a big gymkhana on the agricultural giound, Moore Park, on November 18 The feature of the meeting will he the witnessing of the finish of the great motor reliability contest from Melbourne to Sydney, which starts on Tuesday, November 14, from the Victorian capital, and finishes in Sydney five days later. Mr Alick Gray, who has made himself famous as the inventor of the starting machine, which has found such general favour all over the world, has displayed his inventive genius in a new direction. This time Mr. Gray has devoted his attention to the rabbit. It is a big jump from the rabbit to the horse, but nevertheless the new invention is full of promise for utility reasons. The rabbit has been a real pest to Australia, and its extermination by means of poison and the dissemination of disease has been advocated. However, the rabbit is a good article of food, and Mr. Gray’s new invention is designed to capture it alive, and is very highly spoken of by those who have seen it in operation. Betting was quiet at Sydney Tattersall’s on Monday. For the Caulfield Cup Marvel Loch was easier, but £2OOO was taken about Distraction at 100 to 7, at which the horse was firm. Waroo, at 100 to 3, was backed to win £2OOO, and Step Out was in fair demand at 100 to 6. Mahutonga found support to the extent of £3OOO for the Melbourne Cup, at 100 to 5, 6 and 7, while Waroo and Tartan would have been supported at 100 to 4, but that price was not forthcoming. The following are the ruling prices on the two cups : —Caulfield Cup : 12 to 1 each v. Marvel Loch and Distraction, 14 to 1 each Torah and Step Out, 20 to 1 each v. Roller, Maniopoto, Waroo, and Scot Free, from 25 to 100 to I others. Melbourne Cup: 11 to 1 Maniopoto, 12 to 1 Mahutonga, 20 to 1 each Dividend, Tartan, Gladsome, Waroo. and Charles Stuart, from 25 to 100 to 1 others. The programme for the Australasian amateur championship has been drawn up as follows:—First day, November II : Championship events — 100yds, 440yds, one mile running, one mile walk, high jump, putting the shot, and 120yds hurdles, 120yds handicap, one mile handicap. and one mile walk handicap. Second day, November 13: Championship

events—22oyds, half-mi k-. three miles running, three miles walk, 440yds .hurdle, iong jump, pole vault and throwing the hammer; handicap events —- 100yds, 440yds, 880yds, and two miles. It was also decided to place a 100yds handicap for public school boys, a 220yds handicap for the great public school boys, also an Indian club competition for teams of girls from the State schools, on the programme, which events will be held on the second day.