SPORTING.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 120, 19 October 1874, Page 3

SPORTING.

The weather on Saturday morning was most tempting, and accordingly I travelled up to the course, and, for the first time in my life, sat behind the little pony that has won Mr Kirkwood so many matches. In spite of her having a "family conveyance" to draw, we arrived quite early enough to see all the work of importance that was done. The up-countryman Waverley was the first to go, and he shaped fairly enough, though he is not of much class. Bob Ray had out Traitor, Tadmor, Remnant, and Somnambula, and the first three did some strong work, Bob himself riding Tadmor, who is a lazy little beast, and requires the persuasion of a man to make him extend himself. Somnambula did not do any fast work whilst I was on the course, but, as far could be judged by the eye, there does not seem a great deal the matter with her. Traitor I do not much admire, as there is a lack of liberty about him. and he does not seem to extend himself as well as I should like, but somehow or other he gets over the ground at a fair pace. Old Tamburini was stripped, and, with a boy up, he was sent in company with Alice Grey a real good gallop, the old gelding going like a lion, as determinedly as possible. The old horse looks really well, and does credit to Dan O'Brien, and, though I cannot allow him to be a firstclass nag, yet there seems to be nothing in the cup that he should not have a fair chance of beating, and more especially if he is kept fresh for this race and does not run in the Handicap, for which I think he can have no show. It would be odd indeed if the nag, that last year could only manage to run a dead heat for the Consolation Stakes, should this year pull off the principal event of the meeting, but more curious things than this have happened in racing before now. Mr Redwood's team, with the exception of Roro, who was an absentee from the accident I mentioned in my last, also did good healthy work, and the chesnut filly Nangara (Anglice, bluebottle), went as strong as a house, but her action is at present anything but good. Webb's team came on to the course just as I was leaving, and comprised Meteor, the "glass case horse," as I heard him described, and who I take to be a bitter bad one, the Emmeline gelding, who may be put in the same category, the grey colt, that every one will persist in describing as by Caledon, though he is entered in the Derby plainly enough as being by Lightheart, a sire I have no knowledge of, the Zigzag gelding, a worthy companion of the two first mentioned, and the Ada gelding, who is a niceish colt, though I fear he will hardly have condition enough to show prominently at the coming ingTurning from this colony to Australia, I can not understand the different accounts given of Lurline's price in the betting, in the Ausiralasian and Leader, the one stating that 500 to 25 is obtainable, while the latter states that 500 to 50 is hard to get. However, I have always found the Leader by far the most accurate paper as far as accounts of the betting were concerned, and should judge that such was the case in this instance.

The pedestrian match, which I mentioned in my last, will I fear not come off, as the amateur, who hurt his knee badly during the last football season, has again sprung something in that quarter, and the chance of his being able to train seems but small. The College sports seem to have been a great success. I could only just get up to see the " Old Boys' " race, and a very good one it was ; but oh ! for amateur timing, 22 see's, on grass, "and slightly uphill." The winner had 188 yards to cover, and he did his work very well, though a few yards more would have seen him out of it. The entries for the Auckland Cup appeared in our Saturday's issue, and may be considered fairly satisfactory, though the Red-wood-Watt confederacy own six out of the fourteen entered. I shall be glad to hear from any studmasters who may send me the dates of their different mares foaling, and shall always be happy to give publicity to these events. HERMIT.