SPORTING.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 147, 23 November 1874, Page 3

SPORTING.

MELBOURNE RACES. Our Australian files, with the full reports of the late Melbourne meeting, arrived this morning. It will be seen that Lurline ran in both the Royal Park Stakes and the Flemington Plate, but in both races she occupied the position of last. This form is too bad to be true, and we must believe what "Augur" writes in his "Retrospective Notes, where he says—" Lurline never made the semblance of a show in the racej for though the mare looked well, she was affected by the season of the year, and was dead amiss throughout the meeting." The handicappers at Bendigo, going on these performances, have put her into the Sandhurst Cup and Bendigo Handicap at 7st 121 b, and if she is fit and well, she must, according to all preconceived ideas, hold everything above her in these two races safe enough, unless she has lost all form. At all events, she should beat such moderate cattle as Miss Jessie, or she must have sadly deteriorated by her trip across the water. We append the account of the two races in which ;she started on the last two days of the meeting : Third Day. Friday, November 6th. Royal Park Stakes.—A sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, with 150 added. For 3 yrs old, 6st 101 b ; 4 yrs, 9st; 5 yrs, 9st 91b; 6 yrs and aged, 9st 121 b. Two miles. E. De Mestre's b h Dagworth, 6 yrs, by Yattendon—Nutcut ... (Donnelly 1 J. Tait's b h Goldsbrough, 4 yrs (Ashworth) 2 .1. Wilsons bh Protos, aged (G. Arthur) 3 .1. Wilson's b h King of the Ring, 5 yrs (W. Wilson) 0 J. Watt's br m Lurline, 5 yrs (R, Mason) 0 W. Fikate's b h Lapidist, 4 yrs ' • (Southall) 0 P. Lewis's b c Menindie, 3 yrs dr R. Lane's br f Barmaid, 3 yrs dr Sir H. Robinson's b h Fitz Yattendon, 4 yrs ... ••• ••• ••• ••• " r Betting : Even on Dagworth, 3 to 1 Goldsbtough, 4 to 1 each Protos and King of the Ring. Lurline was first away, with Protos, Lapidist and Dagworth, but before reaching the stand the latter was taken to the front, Protos second, Goldsbrough and Lapidist side by side, King of the Ring following. On the river side Protos headed Dagworth, Lurline taking third place, Lapidist and Goldsbrough next. At the sheds Goldsbrough ran up second, but gave way to Dagworth down the training ground. Protos

continued to lead to the distance, when j Dagworth went to the front, followed by Goldsbrough, the favorite winning by half a length, Goldsbrough second, Protos third. Time, 3 min 43 sec. Fourth Day. Saturday, November 7th. Flemingtox Plate, of 200 sovs; entrance 1 sov each, to go to the second horse ; for 3 yrs old, 6st 101 b ; 4 yrs, 9st 31b ; 5 yrs, lOst lib ; 6 yrs and aged, 10st41b. Three miles. J. Tait's b c Melbourne, by Panic, 3 yrs, 6st 101 b (Boland) 1 C. Dublin's br h The Diver (late Dolphin), 4 yrs, 9st 31b ... (Yeomans) 2 J Tait's b h Goldsbrough, 4 yrs, 9st 31b (Ash worth) 3 J. Wilson's b g Protos, aged, lOst lib (W. Wilson) 0 J. Watt's br m Lurline, 5 yrs, 9st 101 b (Mason) 0 C. S. King's b g Handover, 3 yrs, 6st 71b 6 (Ives) 0 E. De Mestre's b h Dagworth, 6 yrs, 10st41b (Donnelly) 0 W. Filgate's b h Lapidist, 4 yrs, 9st 31b (Southall) 0 J. R. Harper's b f Blink Bonnie, 3 yrs, 6stslb (Snarey) 0 Betting : 6 to 4 Dagworth, 4 to 1 Melbourne, 5 to 1 the Diver, 6 to 1 Goldsbrough. Lapidist was the first to show in front, with Melbourne, Goldsbrough, and Handover, the remainder forming a ruck. At the river turn Handover bored his way to the front, leading by two lengths, Melbourne second. Blink Bonnie third, Goldsbrough and Dagworth together behind, followed by Diver, Lapidist having also been pulled off. Further up the river Blink Bonnie headed Melbourne, the rest keeping in the same order. Indeed, there was but little change until reaching the abattoirs, where Handover bolted off the course. This left Blink Bonnie with the lead, and Melbourne second, while old Dagworth had moved up into third place, having Goldsbrough on his quarters, with Diver and Protos in close _ attendance, and Lapidist and Lurline bringing up the rear. Thus they ran down the training ground side, but on making the turn Melbourne headed Blink Bonnie, and in this order they passed the stand, excepting that Lapidist had headed Protos. After rounding the river turn once again, Dagworth went up to Melbourne on the inside and headed him, though he had to be ridden vigorously to keep his head in front, the colt going very strong and determinedly Goldsbrough and Diver now joined Blink Bonnie, who soon gave way, beaten. On leaving the river for the abattoirs Melbourne divided Goldsbrough and the Diver from Dagworth, three lengths away came Lapidist and behind him Protos and Lurline. Dagworth was now in sore distress, and before reaching the sheds gave way first to Melbourne and then to Goldsbrough, the Diver sticking close to the latter. Melbourne now increased his lead by a length, was never again approached, leading the field home, and winning a grand race by a clear length, Diver coming with a rush and defeating Goldsbrough by half a length for second place; Protos was a bad fourth, and Lapidist fifth, Lurline being outpaced all the way. Time, 5 min 40 6-10 sec.