SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1754, 3 October 1879, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

By Sinbad. The Geraldine Meeting, which came off at the latter end of last week, passed off very pleasantly, and in many respects the sport afforded was of a more interesting kind than nsual. Ray broke the iee by appropriating the Maiden Plate by the aid of Rone Hand. The performance was not of a first-class kind, as ho had but two opponents, and of these little Fenella was the only one who could raise anything like a gallop. The big grey was, however, to everybody’s surprise, defeated in his own line of business, for in the Hurdle Race whidh followed he could only get second to the very moderate Black Prince, Te Whetu and Robin Hood, the only other starters, finished together half a length behind Lone'Hand, who, by the wayi had the services of Mr Turnbull as his pilot. Seven went to the post for the Publicans

Handicap, which again saw the colors of Ray in the van at the'finish. His representative, Maritana, waited behind for half the distance, and then weit to the front, winning comfortably from the Australian Rangitira. The latter ran like a game horse, and if well placed will no doubt prove a useful horse to Stewart Waddell. The handsome little Libeller was third, while Pinfire and Chancellor were never very prominent, which remark also applies to Dundee, of whom many entertained a very high opinion. Castout easily defeated that regular attendant at Geraldine Seven Balls, and a hack race finished the day. Business on the second * day commenced with the Geraldine Cup, the , event of the meeting. Here Ray appears to have thought Lone Hand good enough to meet the six that weighed out to oppose him, but the result proved that he very much over-rated the capabilities oi the grey, as he was quite out of it half a mile from home, the winner turning up in Pinfire, who, though not in the best of condition, wore down Rangatira, his nearest attendant in the run in. Libeller was again third, while Chancellor and 'Dundee again disappointed their respective admirers, of whom the latter had not a few. The Hack Hurdle Race was appropriated by Johnny, the winner of the previous day, and in the Ladies’ Purse, which followed, Libeller, who was carrying 51bs overweight, outstayed the steeplechaser Te Whetu, and won comfortably by a length ‘ and a half. The County Plate was only an exercise cantor for Julia, and Mr Lunn’s pair —Milo and Robin Hood—walked over for the Consolation. The arrangements were very good, but the course was decidedly susceptible of improvement, so much so that the running of several of the horses engaged must hardly be considered as their true form. The acceptances for the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap appear elsewhere, but closed too late for remark this week. Mr John Lunn has disposed of Milo. I have not heard who the purchaser is, but 1 believe a Geraldine resident. Mr H. Redwood has, according to “ Beacon,” leased the well-known studhorse Cassivelaunus -from Mr Dodson. He is by Caraotaous out of Camparrille, by StookwelL Caractaoua won the English Derby of 1862, and was by Kingston out of Defenceless, by Defence.

Settling up on the Geraldine races took place on Monday. The following amounts were paid : —Yallance and Mason, £IOO ; B. Bay, £BO ; Osborne, £7O ; Mundell, £3O ; Walters, £25 ; Primmer, £2O ; Story, £2O ; Lunn, £l2 ; P. Duncan, £4 10s. I was out on Monday at the course, and found that trainers, taking advantage of the fine weather, are now beginning to work before breakfast. This necessitates a very early start from town, and visitors must be up betimes to catch Ted Cutts. Mr Watters’ colt Billingsgate went twice round_ steady by himself, and his stable companion Grand Duchess followed suit. "Fishhook and Templeton were sent about three miles at three-

quarter pace, and Titania, stripped, did a mile and a half pretty fast. Hornby did alow work. hTuma, also stripped, was sent once round slow. Laertes and the Agent went about three miles, the Australian finishing by himself. Natator and Pablo were sent a good gallop once round the plough, and Mata did useful work. Betrayer, Dundee, and the Ada colt cantered, and Adamant, Edward James, and Daisy did a nice gallop of a mile and a half. The Knottingly-Tantruma three-year old filly, who has just been taken up, cantered. Kean was out with the two-year-old Parachute colt and Maid of Honor. The latter, however, was restricted to walking exercise. She is a very well-grown, game-looking filly, showing a lot of quality, and though rather light in consequence of so much sea-travel-ling, looks well and healthy. The colt, who is by the Sydney Tim 'Whiffler, is a very compact, even colt, and a good mover. I should say, if he came fit and well to the post, and he is in the right hands to be made so, he will have a deal to say in the Welcome Stakes. I hear from a Wellington correspondent that a new Jockey (Club is in course of formation in the Empire City. It is the intention of the new clnb to hold a race meeting on Boxing and New Year’s Days. This • does not appear to be a very judicious selection of dates, for it .clashes with Auckland and Rangitikei, and it is to be hoped the committee will think better of it. I understand the new elub will number many members of the present Wellington Racing dub. I learn from a well-written article in the South Australian “ Chronicle ” on Sir Thos. Elder’s Stud Farm that there are now at Morphettville about thirty of Gang Forward’s stock. last season the famous son of Stockwell served fifteen mares, but Conceit (the dam of Mr Stead’s Equation) missed, and the other mares are reserved for breeding to English time. This is done in consequence of Sir Thomas Elder’s recently exE reseed determination to send home some of is youngsters to race in England. The Gang Forward stock—twelve of whom are two-year olds—will be soon coming on the turf, and their performances will no donbt be watched with much interest by the owners of Middle Park here, who in En Avant possess a near relative of Gang Forward.

Danebury’a namo haa been added to the liat o£ atalliona, and will stand thia season in the Wanganui district. At the Otemata races Mr T. C. Hill won the Cup with Unknown, Cceleno being second. The other events were purely of a local interest. A meeting will bo held at Makakihi on November Cth. There are five events on the programme, the chief of which are the Handicap Hurdle Race and the Makakihi Handicap, of a mile and a half. The weights of the Napier Steeplechase, to be run on October 20th, are as follows : Grey Momns, 12st lOlba; Loch Lomond, 12st .'Jibs ; Baron, Hat 121bs ; Abbess, lOst lOlba ; Tametea, list 121bs ; Tawera, list 121ba ; Tawera, Hat 31bs; Awahou, Hat Gibs; Sloper, lOst 71bs ; Pourere, lOst; Harry Mount, Hat 71bs. One often has to go from home to learn news, and thus it is that I quote the following from a correspondent of the “Sydney Town and Country,” who haa recently been doing the northern part of New Zealand : “ I also paid a visit to Mr John Leonard’s dairy farm, and another property where he keeps his thoroughbreds. Amongst the thoroughbreds I saw (of the late importa tions from Sydney), a chesnut colt by Kelpie, brown colt by Maribyrnong, and a grey filly by Maribyrnong (Messrs Morrin’s). They are in good hands, and look well. lam only surprised that such stock could be bought in New South Wales for the money they realised there ; but they have yet to prove their real worth, and when that time comes I think they will not prove a bad bargain, if care is taken of thorn. Of the horses bred by Mr Leonard I noticed a chesnut colt by Pacific out of Minnie Athol, called Rifleman, just rising two years, which I really think will prove a trump card as a racehorse and a sire. At Otahuhu I went to see Mr M'Gee’s stud. 1 saw here the old favorite stallion Pacific .out of Disagreeable by Flatcatcher; a chesnut two-year-old colt. Vortex, by Reprieve (N.S.'W.); Perfume, by Dainty Ariel, d Una ; Elsa, a grey filly by Tradecer, d Crinoline ; Titiko, by Eavensworth, d Wctsail; Luna, by Pacific, d Nebulae; Simplicity, d Phcebe; Maymoon, by Dainty Ariel, d Moonbeam ; Alisted, by Stockport, d Allsteel; Joo Bennett, b Ake Ako, out of Creeping Jenny; and Ako 4-h°» Miss Rowe, by Towton,” Motea, the son of the Peer and Lnrhne ays “Augur ”) I am told, has g*-/>wn into a magnificent horse of the Lo Loup stampAs much as £2OOO haa been for Lord Bnrghley, bat his owfjer asks three thousand guineas for him. I