Sport in Australia

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 830, 1 February 1906, Page 15

Sport in Australia

(By

“ Atlas.”)

Sydney, January 25.

There has been little of interest to record in the sporting world during the past week, and trainers, punters, and fielders have been taking a breather prior to the Anniversary meeting, which starts to-morrow. The meeting at Moorefield on Saturday was a tame affair, and what speculation did take place was done at ridiculously short prices. In the leading event, the Moorefield Handicap, the South African-cum-New South Wales trainer and owner, Dick Wootton, achieved another success, this time by the aid of Hollander, a four-year-old gelding by Holbrook —Zulander. Hollander had been entered for the Flying Handicap, and the city punters in the shops had gone for him to a man, making him a red hot favourite. This, of course, meant that the bookmakers on the convincing ground would have no money about him, but on arriving on the course the astute Wootton took in the situation and scratched the horse. He, however, started him in the longer distance race later in the day, the Moorefield Handicap, and planked his money down so freely that Hollander started favourite at 2 to 1, while Dumont was next in demand at 3 to 1. In the race for home there was really nothing in it but Hollander (7.2), and he won easily by a length from Gowrie (7.0), with Glen Tana (6.7) third. The bookmakers had a bad day, as four favourites out of the six races got home, but the prices were so short that they could not have done much' harm.

Rain marred the January meeting of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club in Melbourne on Saturday, and here the bookmakers also had a bad time of it, a big percentage of favourites getting home. The Anniversary Handicap, one mile one furlong, brought out a field of eleven, including the New Zealand-bred Grey Seaton, who was in with the feather-weight, 6.7, but was not mentioned in the betting. Palmist went out favourite at 3 to 1, while Demas was quoted at 4

to 1, and First Tenor at 7 to 1. From 10 to 20 to 1 could be had about the others. A good race resulted in The Palmist (8.11) winning by a neck from Vibrate (7.12), Sardine (6.13) third.

At the Brisbane races on Saturday, the principal event was the Park Handicap, one mile, which was won by Lapidist (7.5), with Norseman (8.9) second, and Phyllatis (7.12) thrd. Wee Willie was favourite at 3 to 1, but Lapidist was second in demand at 4 to 1.

In pony racing there has been a perceptible falling off lately at the Kensington gatherings, but at Rosebery Park the game seems to be booming greater than ever. The cause seems to be that pony owners are not. pleased with the Kensington autocracy, but there is no doubt that Rosebery is popular, and this is evidenced by the fact that the £l2O offered for six events on the programme for Monday, attracted an entry of 94. The new pony course at Ascot promises to be the finest racing track outside of Randwick, and when it opens the keen competition that will ensue indicates that a lot of money will be scattered among the ponies. The rush for the spoil should be a good opportunity for New Zealand ponies. Sir Foote’s two-year-olds have done remarkably well this season. On Saturday the sire’s winning list was increased by the easy victory of Mundose in the Two-year-old Handicap. Mundose is out of Gossoon from Spice (sister of Abercorn). Moongal, who ran second to Mundose on Saturday, is a half-sister to Ropa, who won the Wellington Cup on Saturday.

The New Zealander Tenakoe has arrived at Caulfield all well. There was a big house at the National Club on Thursday night to witness the match between those two brilliant light-weights, Hock Keys, of North Sydney, and Charlie Frost, of Newtown. A few weeks ago this pair met, and after a whirlwind contest Keys was declared the winner. The contest on Tuesday 7 night was again of an exciting character, but Keys from the outset always had the advantage, and in the tenth round Frost was counted out. He complained that he had been hit

low, but he believed that the blow was not intentional.

The Summer Wheel Race meeting was brought to a close on Monday night, when the final for the big event was won by G. J. Farley (Vic.), 10 yards; W. R. Ringwood (S.A.) 110 yards, second; and R. G. Mutton (N.S.W.), 90 yards. There was a lot of bumping in the rain, and Farley won by a clear length from Ringwood, with Mutton a good third. Time, 2min 4 l-ssec. Ringwood was subsequently disqualified by the officials. The five miles scratch race was won by Henri Mayer (Germany), W. E. Samuelson (U.S.A.), second, and W. Rutt (Germany) third. Trumper has been doing some sensational scoring in off matches. For Broadway against the United Teachers he made 90 in 28 minutes. One over from O’Neill, the Central Cumberland bowler, yielded 29 runs, scored thus: 4,5, 5, 5 scored by Trumper, and 5, 5 by Jansen. Playing for his club against Manly on Saturday, Trumper made 124 (not out). J. R. Macky, in the Sheffield Shield contests and Kelly benefit match, has scored 834 runs for six completed innings, average 139. Noble comes next with 508 for five completed innings, average 101. Mackay’s average for all matches this season is roughly estimated at 170 runs per innings.