SPORTING

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 22, 31 July 1884, Page 2

SPORTING

Notes by " Pbocyon." The French Derby, 1| miles, iron this year by Little Duck, is reported to hare been ran in SJmin. 22sec. (time taken by Benson's Chronograph). If this is correct it is the most rapid M waddle" yefc made by this well-known domestic bird, or, in fact, by any other, bat I fancy the Frenchmen must hare chopped a piece out of the middle of the tape they measured the course with, or else "Ben* son's Chronograph " forgot to keep going all the time. This is 24 seconds faster than the last English Derby. The Wellington Jockey Club, with a credit balance of £1400, propose to hare a two days' spring meeting, giving £600 in prizes. Hanlan has returned from Brisbane to New Soutff Wales, and is in actire preparation for his match with Beach, which many people think (Hanlon himself included) will be the hardest he has yet had to row. Beach is confident of being able to be the champion, and should the ~ result prore so, there will be rejoicing. . J ' amongst the cornstalks indeed. A southern sporting paper informs' its* ' I readers that Patriarch is dead. This, if. ... true, is bad news for breeders on this ;■' coast, as this horse was one of , if not the ; very best sire in the district of hi* class. For myself I doubt the statement. " Musket," in the Fatea Mai), gets his foreign sporting information from the War Cry, at least so I should imagine from hi« criticism of the Melbourne Cup Handicap. He states that Mr Barnard's treatment of Welcome Jack inalloting him such a weight as 9st 21 bs " is beydiid all comprehension, as the horse has not been saddled for any event for the last six months." Does "Musket" mean'tliat the fact of a horse having * spell should be taken into considerat on by a handicapper. and less weight accorded him on that account? A rest is generally given to improve, not retard racehorses. The same gentleman is " a b|it mixed,", a&rnt the other New Zealand nominations/ He

refers to Oudeis as a "she" and Liverpool and Eskatos as " both untried colts." Roberts and Peall, at the Brighton Aquarium, have played, a billiard match ldjOOb up, the former allowing 2000 start, which is perhaps the most wonderful ever played (latest advices do not give the finish, but up to the present the score stands Peall 8,000, Roberts 6.361). The champion was in great form at the start scoring three figures neatly every cue (including one break of 605), and caught Peall at halfway, the game at the conclusion of third evening's play being Roberts 5.Q38, Peall 4,705. Nexf day Peall, after making a break of 550, finished his day's , f t^ork with an unfinished 784. On resum- ► ing he. added four hazards, and Portly alter compiled 706. Either player may win, Such a game as four figures are quite within their compass at any time. What fun it would be to play 100 up with these gentlemen.