SPORTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1317, 4 November 1885, Page 2

SPORTING.

V.R.C. MEETING.

(reuter’s telegrams—copyright ; (Special to Press Association.) Melbourne, Last Night. The second day’s racing of the V,R. 0. Spring Meeting took place to-day. The weather was grand, and the attendance larger than last year- It is estimated there were 140,000 people on the coarse. The lawn was even a more brilliant spectacle than ever. The coarse had dried, and was in excellent condition. His Excellency the Governor and saite were again present. The number of visitors from the neighboring Colonies was very large. The grand stand was literally packed, and on the lawn locomotion was almost impossible. The following are the results : Railway Stakes, of 100 sovs ; weight for age ; one mile aud a quarter. Mr Lock’s b c Isonomy, by Winterlake —Ruby, Syrs 1 Mr O’Shanassy’a br o First Prince, 3yrs 2 Mr Davis’ b g Bacon Necker. 3yra ... 3 Five started ; time, 2min 14£sec. Kensington Stakes ; for two-year-olds ; colts 8- 51b, fillies Bst; five furlongs, jMr Watson’s ch f Maddelina, by Neckeragat—Meg Merrilies 1 Mr Robertson’s b f The Nun... ... 2 Telephone 3 Six started; time, Imin 13£*ec. Hurdle Race ; about three miles. Mr Crozier’s Ruby, Sat 111 b 1 Mr Mayor’s Ravensworth, 10st 41b ... 2 Hon W. Pears <n's Gaoalier, lOatfiib... 3 Melbourne Ouf, a handicap sweepstakes | of 20 sovs each, 10 ft.. or 6 sovs only if j declared to the Secretary of the V.R.O. 4.J.0., S A.J.0., or C.J 0., before 4 p.m. on Monday, Angust 3, with 1000 added. The handicap weight of the winner of the A. J.O. orV.R.G. Derby to be not less than 7st 51b, and the winner of any handicap race of the value of 100 sovs, after the declaration of the weights to carry 3)b extra; of any such race of the value of 200 sovs, 51b extra; of any such race of the value of 603 sots, 71b extra; penalties not cumulative. The second horse to receive 300 sovs, and the third 200 sovs out of the stake. Two miles. (165 subs ) Mr M. Longhlin’a br h Sheet Anchor, by St Albans—Queen Mary, aged, 7st 111 b 1 Mr J. G. Reid’s ch m Grace Darling, by The Diver—Zoe, 6yrs, 7st 121 b, (including 71b penalty) 2 Mr D. O’Brien’s br h Trenton, by MusKet—Frailty, 4yrs, 7at 13!b ... 3 Blink Bonny Bst Sib, Acolyte £st 21b, Lord Wilton Sat, Tom Brown Sat, Corio(anus 7et 2ib, Kit Nubbles 7st 121 b, Bosworth 7st 91b, Warwick 7st 91b, St Lawrence 7st 9ib, Liverpool 7st 81b, Plausible 7=t Blb, Dunlop 7at 61b, Prometheus 7ss 61b, Thunderbolt 7at 51b, Nordenfeldt 7st 61b, Stornoway 7st 61b, Hilltop 7st 41b, Velocipede 7at 41b, St John 7st 31b, Despot 7at 2ib, Lord Exeter 7st lib. Brown and Rose 7st, Wing 7at, Britisher 6st 111 b, First Chester 6at 111 b, Arsenal 6st 91b, Minerva 6at 81b, Metal 6at 61b, Cyclops 6at 21b, Yellow Hammer 6at, Cerise and Blue 6at, aud Leabia 6st also ran. The betting at the post was as follows: Nordenfeldt, 5 to 1 ; Trenton and Despot, 8 to 1 ; Liverpool, 10 to 1 ; Sheet Anchor, Brown and Rose, and Grace Darling, 15 to 1 ; Acolyte and Kit Nubbles, 20 to 1; and others 25 to 50 to 1. After several breaks away, the field were despatched on pretty even terms, the colors of Trenton, Liverpool, Lord Exeter, Thunderbolt, and Britisher being most conspicuous when the flag fell. Sweeping past tha carriage staid, Thunderbolt was at the head of affairs, Prometheus lying second. Passing the stand the first time Prometheus dispossessed Thunderbolt of the lead, First Chester lying next, Trenton third; all clone together, with Nordenfeldt a length away fourth. Rounding the torn by the river, Thunderbolt and First cheater took a clear lead of two lengths. Passing along the river turn Grace Darling, who had been last when passing the stand, improved her position and joined the front division ; Liverpool even at this early stage in the race tailing hopelessly in the rear. Passing the Saltwater River Bridge the positions were : First Chester, Thunderbolt, Nordenfeldt, and t canton, Velocipede and Metal coming very fast on the outside, along with Cerise and Blue, Nordenfeldt, and Despot. Opposite the abbatoirs Thunderbolt, Velocipede, Cerise and Bine, St John, and Nordenfeldt comprised the leading division, Lesbia being well up, Trenton,'Sheet Anchor and Grace Darling also making a forward moveu-ent. Approaching the straight, Cerise and Blue, accompanied by St John, rushed to the front, followed closely by Sheet Anchor, ordenfeldt, Grace Darling and Trenton. Cerise and Blue led into the straight half a length in front of St John, but Sheet Anchor, who came very fast, wrested the premier position, and assumed a clear two lengths’ lead. Blink Bonny at the same time made a good run from the ruck, in the midst of which Robertson, on Trenton, was making strenuous efforts to get oat. Nordenfeldt was lying in a good position as they approached the carriage paddock, but on Grace Darling making her effort, she got blocked between Nordenfeldt and Blink Bonny. Meanwhile Trenton bad got clear of the field, and came up under the whip. Grace Darling, also getting an opening, drew out from the rack, and a desperate struggle enupued. Although the latter and Trenton tried gamely, they could not quite get on even terms with Sheet Anchor, who gained the jndge's verdict by a head from Grace Darling, Trenton half a head away from the mare third, Nordenfeldt fourth. Then came Minerva, Blink Bonny, Lesbia and St Lawrence, who were leading a straggling tail, the last of which were Bosworth and Yellow Hammer. Time, 3min 29£sec. The New Zealand horse Liverpool, whose chance at one time wan mnnl

fancied, would not gallop a yard, and never showed prominently in the race, while Trenton covered himself with glory by the part he took in the tremendous struggle, and under great difficulties. The win is a good one for the Ballarat division, the owner of Sheet Anchor win* ning L 20,000, and Corrigan L 7,000. The victory proves Sheet Anchor, who is a hurdle racer, to be a great horse, but had there been a couple more strides to go both Trenton and Grace Darling must have beaten him. This being the first time that M- O’Brien has piloted home the winner of the Melbourne Cop, he was congratulated on his excellent display of jockeyship. J. Williams, who had the mount on Grace Darling, also rode splendidly. The punishment Trenton received in the race was something terrible. Nordenfeldt was well placed throughout the race, and finished with remarkable gameness considering his heavy ithpoat. The time is a second and a quarter faster than Martini-Henry’s 1883 Cup race, which until now was the fastest on record. The Hon J. White’s stables in delighted with Nordenfeldt’a performance. The ring have beenhard hit by|3heet Auohor'awin. Nursery Handicap; or two-year-olds ; five fu iouga. Hon W. A. Long's h c fellow Jacket, by The Drummer—Baroness ... 1 Mr 8. Gray's b or br o Retort ... 2 Mr M. Ifaywt’a oh I OJ«U* 8

Twenty-one started ; time, limn face. The Yan Yean Stakes ; for thiee-yoar-olds and upwards ; one mile. Mr J. Whittingham’s oh o Merrimu, by Argus S and al—Cheffoniere, 4j rs 1 Mr D. S. Wallace’s h h Ohuckster, aged 8 Mr W. A. Filgate’a br o Lavington, 4yrs ... 8 Twenty-two started. Time, Imin 42$seo. TEAIJSINQ NOTES. (Bt Telegraph). Christohoroh. To-day. Fast work was not done on the coarse this morning owing tc the recent rain. Steady work on the tan was all that was done.