SPORTING.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 40, 16 July 1874, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING NOTES. I remember an “ old sport” who was a member of the Legislative Council in South Australia. Year after year did this indefatigable sportsman move in his place in the House for a Queen’s Hundred, and year after year was the motion negatived by overwhelming majorities. Whether Paddy Coelan is still a member of the Adelaide Assembly, and whether he has at last carried out the darling wish of his heart, I know not ; but if his eloquence and pertinacity have not achieved success the old sporting Senator can at any rate lay the flattering unction to his soul, that like the friend of Semprouius, ho has at least deserved it. It is pleasant to be able to chronicle the fact that the Racecourse Reserve Ordinance Amendment Ordinance has passed the Council the second time of asking. It’s rather a mouthful, but being interpreted it means, as your readers are doubtless aware, that the C.J.C. are now allowed to charge for admission on the course. In spite of what has been said to the contrary, I feel sure that of the hundreds that yearly go to the races, few indeed will grudge their shilling. I feel so sure of this, that I shall drop the subject by congratulating a large portion of the public who never contributed towards the sport, on the fact that they will now be in position to stand in to the extent of one, two, or three shillings, as the case may be, according to the number of their attendances, The C.J.C, have decided upon altering the course, and very wisely too. The present one is very fast, and is naturally a popular one with owners, but there is no doubt that a course of smaller dimensions, bringing the horses more in view of the spectators, will corral ” the public sympathy. In view of the extra funds which will be available to the club, through the passing of the abovementioned Act in the Provincial Council, the C.J.C. have taken measures to lay out a course of a size which will attain the desired object. The course as surveyed is to a trifle less than a mile and a half, so that in all the important races of the meetings the horses will pass the stand at least twice, and at no time will they be, as at present, out of view from the stand. They will never be at such a distance from the spectators as to be undistinguishable, and the angle of the straight run in has been so judiciously altered that in the run home there will no longer be a doubt, as at present, as to the respective positions of the different horses. Surely this is something for a shilling. Then again, I understand that plans arc in preparation for a new stand—a stand that will accommodate ladies and their families, at a lower figure than has hitherto been asked for admission to the body of the present stand, and one where they can quietly rest while their husbands, parents, and guardian# are en-

gaged in spotting the winner in the saddling paddock. If the (J.J.C. are going to make money one of the public, they are, at any rate, going in to spend it again liberally. I'm not a cricketing man myself, but I must say I hope next session the cricketers will be empowered to charge for admission to their ground. There is not much fear that they would abuse the privilege, but in the case of Interprovincial match".; where large expense is incurred, it seems only lair that they should have the right to charge, but this is foreign to my business altogether. The weights for the Sydney, Metropolitan, and Melbourne Cup, were looked forward to here with no ordinary interest, from.the. fact that it was well-known that there was this season a greater chance of finding ‘* after long years,” New Zealand representatives doing battle against the cracks of Australia. The weights are now before us, and we understand that Lurline, Calumny, and Pa papa, who by the way do not hail from Queensland, as the sporting correspondent of the “Leader” states, are under sailing orders; and the sooner the said orders come the better for their chance. I presume their first destination will be Sydney, where Mr Scarr has treated the two marcs very leniently in his handicap for the Metropolitan Stakes, so much so, that I perceive that Augur calls attention to the favorable impost allotted to Lurline, If she be well in, her owner has certainly nothing to complain of in the burden placed on Calumny, as in almost the only two mile race she ever started for she ran Yatteriua (an undoubted stayer,) to a head giving her two years and 17 lbs. It must not be supposed that I consider either an out • and out good thing for the Metrotropolitan, for in the first place, it is impossible for us over here to know the exact form of the horses opposed to them ; and secondly they have a long sea voyage ahead of them, and little time enough for preparation when they arrive ; but fit and well, I feel quite sure that they will both give a good account of themselves. With regard to the Melbourne Cup, it must be observed that it has never yet been won by a mare, and if either of Mr Watts’ representatives should happen to win the Metropolitan, she will be saddled with a 51b penalty. This, added to the heavier imposts allotted to the Maori candidates by Mr Barnard, would, in all probability, put them out of court for the great Australian race; but Papa pa h a horse of another color. His performance in the Cup here was exceptionally good, and with seven five on his back and a good pilot —which, by the way, he certainly requires, he ought to run well up for the Cup. But the whole team ought to be there now.

Even at this season I hear the course is stirring of a morning. Mr Redwood’s lot are of course in work, and Mr Webb is, as usual, early at it. Sam Haines also puts in an appearance occasionally with Mr Delamain’s lot; and Bob Ray has a nice little team—of which Traitor is one—at his snug little crib near Broadlands. Castaway is in Phil Ball’s hands at Leeston. Of their doings I shall have more to say shortly. I observe our Auckland friends have a steeplechase meeting on October 7th, in which a handicap sweepstakes of 50 sovs, a Hunt Club steeplechase of 50 sovs, a hurdle race of 50 sovs, a selling steeplechase of 30 sovs, and a selling hurdle race of 20 sovs are items. Nominations for handicap, Hunt Club, and hurdle race close on 4th Sept. Sin bad.