SPORTING NEWS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 597, 26 September 1873, Page 2

SPORTING NEWS.

(By Rat-trap.) It is to bo hoped tho Dunstan Jockey Club Committee will be fortunate in having fine weather for their Spring Race meeting, which takes place to morrow Friday the 26th., if so, I have little doubt but that the folks of Cromwell, Alexandra, and the other outlying divisions will muster in strong force, and patronise the Grand Stand, which has been recently built by the Club. 1 hope to see a large number of the ladies from the above named districts put in an appearance, and if so, the neat little stand will presnt a brilliant display. With the liberal programme, and the number of nominations fur the two principal handicaps, and not omitting the fine galloping condition of the Tan, I fully expect to see one of the best day’s sport ever held upon the Dunstan Race Course. Mr. Grindley, I am proud to inform you is healthy and well, and as usual, going in a clinker to make the Meeting a thorough success. By the way of giving himself a little training, so as to open his pipes before the meeting, he had a sharp spin on Monday in a forty yards handicap with Ned O’Donohuc ; he had a ' 6A cwt. 6tirk on hie back, he had tho beat of the start, lead all the way, and only w n t.n the hook. The betting market on the forthcoming events is in an extremely languid slate. A few of tho small fryinlhebook-n aking line kaVe arrived— they are generally to bo

found at Mr. Cox’s lounge, hut the amount of business they have done as yet is very slight—certainly the jolly and homely little landlord and his better half are kept pretty busy in dispensing drinks, but that does not satisfy the ring—they attribute the slackness in their line, to the attractions at the Town Ha l of Mr. Webb’s fancy decorations and display of fine art, preparatory to the arrival of the Cromwell Amateur Dramatic Club, and the large amount of money lately invested in National Insurance shares. M ’Kay’s three flyers, Sweetlips, Maori Chief, and Rosa have done very little, and slow work since their arrival, hut if all goes well with Sweetlip.s legs, she will not have much trouble in placing the stakes of the Alexandra Handicap to the credit of her owners, Brunette, second, Wild Manx Boy, third. For the mile and a half Handicap, Brunette’s ballast is too much, so I consider her out of the race—l will place the team, Wild Manx Boy, 1 ; Sweetlips, 2 ; Kid’s Flora, 3. The Maiden Plate will have a good field, Maori Chief, (a stranger to me) is a likely one to be in the front for this event. H awthorne’s Bobby has only just been taken up, he is healthy and well, and full of play, and Scud’s strain might pull him through—there is a wonderful improvement in the shape of his tail since he last made his bow before the public, but Mr. Woodman will have it that it is no improvement to him. A stranger to the racing boys, a party colored steed, amongst the fancy yclept a piebald, I notice is tai-ing his exercises most regularly. The boy round the corner says be is Ratcatcher, by Bum Bailiff out of a Smoking Cap mare—having seen but little of the creature, I cannot venture an opinion as to his going powers, 1 only know what the Boy says—Well, says he. if you are making a book, include the bicolor amongst those yen would not lay St. Paul’s to a Chiney orange on, but if he starts among the Maidens he might be first.