SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1913, 12 April 1880, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

By Biitbad. 1 Tho Autumn Meeting just over can scarcely he considered, so far as the racing was con. earned, as successful as usual. Several of the Southern horses were still absent oa their Northern campaign. Owing to the Traducer Waimea colt not being engaged in the Champagne he was also an absentee, while the death of Temploton lost the Autumn, and . probably the EVster Handicap, a very attractive feature. The fields were for tho moet part rather limited, as was indeed speculation. Lo Loup made his first appearance in the Free Handicap, whioh he won in good stylo from two not very high class opponents. A much . better—indeed, a first-claBS performance, whs his raco with Mata in the Fljing Stakes, w.ien he certainly showed a tremendous turn of foot. I think, however, that speed rather taan staying is the forte of the big son of Traducer and Mermaid. Oamballo, who was in rare niok, won his two events like a racohoree, showing more form and p.ico than he has yet favored ub with, while of his chief opponents it may be said that Foul Play could not have been himself, and that Betrayer ran with much determination and just up to his form. Titania should, I think, on public running have been a little hardier at the finish of the Great Autumn, though she was pretty prominent almost up to tho very end. Mata ran a grand horse in both of his races. Considering the weight he carried in the Autumn Handicap, his performance there is decidedly his best so far, and must be ra; kod as a very high class one. Volunteer was quite unfit, not having been up any length of true, while Marie Antoinette went well in the Autumn Handicap while she lasted, and quite the reverse in the Consolation. I fancy however that the daughter of Maria Thereßa will yet see a better day. Luna's running in the big race was pretty much what I expected, «nd if that be her top form she is only modeTate at any distance over a mile at furthest. Sir Modred, as was expected, carried off the Champagne, b"t the bad start he got and seven pounds |difference in the weights gave the Nursery Handicap to Lure on the second -day. This sißtor of Lurline's wus well brought out, and her owner certainly deserved to score a win with her from the perseverance -with which he stuck to her. Whether her hooks will trouble her in subsequent preparations remains to be seen, but if Jones can get her to train on, she will make a bad one to ■beat by and by. The Nursery Handicap showed us the Governor in much better form ■than on the first day, and this son of Anteros ■seems likely to furnish into a very prominent Derby candidate. I think Virginia Water, too, a very promising filly. Sho Bhowed a nice turn of foot, and it must, be recollected •that she has not been up nearly bo long as those above noticed. Borneo, as in the Welcome Stakes, was outpaced. Of the fivo that saddled up for the Selling Race, York won vory easily, while amongst tho starters were poor old Middleton, winner of the Maiden Plate and Metropolitan Handicap in Ohristchurch, and Mireille, an orst Derby favorite. Tera in both her performances proved herself very moderate, and On Dit little better. The Auckland and Springfield Handicaps appear elsewhere. For the former I fancy Ariel (if fit and well), Lsra, or Resolution for the Autumn Handicap, while I think Mr Mclvor's pair, Grey Momus and Loch Lomond should hold the rest safe in the jumping race. The Springfield Plato should seems to lay between Mario Antoinette and Orange Peel, but of the Hurdle Race I cannot express an opinion—being in complete ignorance of several of those engaged. I believe the Canterbury hounds this season will be hunted by Mr Cullen, a gentleman who brings with him unexceptionable testimonials from Ireland as to his riding abilities. Mr Cullen, it may be stated, rode no lobs than fifty-four steeplechases last year. The hounds, Mr Egan informs me, will be quartered for the season at Mr Sam Powell's. Mr Sydney James has kindly forwarded the programme of the Dunedin Queen's Birthday meeting. The following are the items : Hurdle Rico of 30sovj, Maiden Plate of :25sovs, Birthday Handicap of SOsovs, Handicap Trotting Race of 3030v5, Novel Handicap of 50sovs, Tradesmen's Handicap of 50sovs, and Consolation Stake of 20aovs. Nominations ifor the Handicaps must bo sent to Mr •James before 8 p.m. this ensuing Saturday, April 10th. It would appear that Mr Caleb Moore, assisted by a council of three, will apportion the weights. My friend, "Mazeppa," of the "Saturday Advertiser," takes me to task for a piragraph I wrote in reference to " Baaoon's " criticisms on Mr G. Fraser, and says I have no respect for the newspaper rule, which forbids comment on questions pending in courts of justice. So far I am not aware that I have made any -comment further than to quote a S lutVrn writer —I think " Mazeppa " himself—to say ■that the oase of Mr Stead v. " The Otsgo Dnily Times and Witness" Company was coming off. The remariß "Mazeppa " takes exception to were written in reference to an article by "Beacon" on the Great Autumn Handicap, and had no reference whatever to the case zmder notice. I remind owners that acceptances and general entries for the Kowai Race close on Monday next, April 12th. The Auckland general entries close on Friday next, April 16th, and owners of steeplechase horses are also reminded that nominations for the New Zealand Grand National Handicap of 200 sovs. close with Mr Egan, the secretary, in Ohristchurch, on the 24th instant. In reference to the big cross country event I understand the number of nominations is likely to be unusually large. Mr Carter, of Aehburton, who, it will be remembered, some time since imported two marea from England, informs me that he has now another on the way. This is a three-year-old filly by King Lud out of Myosotis. It was anticipated that she would visit Camhallo prior to leaving, and she will probably arrive in the Rangitikei in a couple of months* time.

Mr Btead haa named his recent purchase the colt, by Traducer, out of Rupee—" Gold Mohur."

Mr Bedwood has also disposed of Chokebore Lodge to Mr E. Outts, in whose hands the Hon. E. Campbell haa placed the Idalia and Hammock colts, purchased by him at the recent Middle Park sale. Gossip has it that Maribyrnong, formerly owned by Dan O'Brien, and whose boxes are now tenanted by the team of Mr Butler, will soon pass into tne hands of one of our leading light ■weight jockeys', if it has not already done bo. The Taranaki meeting seems to have been Tery successful. Marie Stuart, a daughter of old Fidget, won the Maiden, and Hailstorm appropriated the Cup, beating Bocket and Ifnma. Evolution lowered the colors of Opawa and Sing Quail in the J. C. Handicap of 250 sove. Mr Horsfall was, however, more successful on the second day, when with the aid of King Quail, he appropriated the Autumn Handicap, Laertes being second. Hailstorm carried off the Ladies' Purse, and old Opawa the Consolation. In writing of the new modiCcations in the V.E.O. programme, proposed by Captain Standiob, " Hermos" makes the following suggestion :—That the following clause bo inserted in the conditions of one race, say the Autumn Handicap:—" To be ridden by lade that have never won a race, and belonging to ■ fihe stables in which the horaeo they ride are trained." This would be following the lead of the Engliah Jockey Club, who have instituted a special race at Newmarket for stable lads. It would give many a deserving lad, whose talents would never otherwise be recognised, a chance or emerging from obscurity. It woiild emancipate trainers and ownei-E to a great extent from the thrall of the leading jockeys, much to the benefit of racing, aa each one w ould have in his stable a lad with some experience of raeo riding, and competent to be given a mount on an emergency. The Emperor of Morocco has made aj present of some Arabian horses >o the Pre- j jident oi the French Eepublic. M. Grevy is | a mighty hunter, but he is not a horseman, ] and so the noble steeds will be sent to the Government stud farms. In the year 1731 the Bay of Tunis sent eight Barbary horses 4o Louis XT. They excited the attention of the Court for a time, and were then left unnoticed in the Boyal stables. The cause of •this disdain, saya Eugene Sue, in his novel " Arabian Godolphin," was that Inuis XV. .always rode short ar.*d thick set Suffolk cobs, which were called "courtauda." One of these Arabian horces in question was the famous Godolphin, thG hero of Sue's novel, and the ancestor of many celebrated English racehorses. Godolphin was sold for a small price to an Englishman, named Coke, who took it to London, where it was boupht by Lord Godolphin. The horse died in 1753. Lord Anglesey's death (says the "Sporting and Dramatic News") has come upon m with startling suddenness, for though in former years only an occasional and desultory jjupporter of tho turf as an owner oi horses,

his name blazed forth unexpectedly last year, in which Beaudesert and Preston Pane performed so oreditably, to say nothing of a whole host of minor racing luminarieß which carried the well-known " red, white, and blue" of the deceased peer. During his lather's lifetime we find the oolors registered of Lord TJxbrMgo, who always had something with a bit of form about it, and we think we are correct in Baying that Distin would have made a bolder bid for Hermit's Derby than did Yauban (his stable companion at Danebury), had all gone right with the brother to Lady Elizabeth. For many years Lord Anglesey was among the steadiest patrons of Danebury (a Btable which has experienced so many remarkable ups and downs), and John Day generally had something capable of making a fair eV.ow for the nobleman who stuck to the " old shop " in Hampshire through good and evil report. Even latterly, when Tom Brown had taken over moat of Lorl Anglesey's lot, a few were left in training near Sronkbridge, and it will be recollected how Einmanuella "BW.pt the board" of two-year-old races at Bath, besides picking up a few unconsidered trifles elsewhere. Lord Anglesay beltod heavily at times, and not invariably with the best of judgment, but was luekv in making a happy hit now and thou, whereby he recouped himself for losses sustained in other quarters. In turf adtninist.mtion, as a member of tho Jockey Club, ho took little or no interest, wisely leaving to others what he did not profess to jcare for or to understand. His death, of course, mightily affects tho engagements made by him for Beaudesert and Preston Pans, though by a slice of good luck the Middle Park Plate winner was among Tom Brown's Derby nominations. Still it is hard lines for Lord Alingtonand "Sir Frederick," as well aa for Mr G-rotton, whose heavy racing purchases have been far from lucky ones. Lord Anglesey's death has, of courße, aroused that sleeping lion, the great disqualification by death question, and we heard the noble beast roaring Borne short time ago, on the occasion, we fancy, of the decease of the late General Peel. Objectors to tho rule as it now stands have most undoubtedly a solid, substantial and downright grievance to j combat; but does not its very harshness, like i an impossible fence in the hunting-field, deter ' all comers from attempting to "get round it," , and what would be the effect of making even the slightest breach in so effective a barrier ? Half measures are of no good whatever, and if once the rule be relaxed, tho whole tag, rag and bobtail of the field —to follow out our hunting simile—must rush through it, for we can think of no compromise, nor has any one been suggested as yet capable of satisfying all parties. If the nominations of a dead man are to ensure to the benefit (or contrariwise) of posterity, his executors, administrators, and assigns must be held primarily liable for the forfeits, if strict justice is to be done, which course would hardly bo in accordance with the feelings of those who would thus becorno saddled with his liabilities. We cannot quite recognise the principle of re-nominating nor of confirming the nomination of others, inasmuch as this course would involve the option of deolining or refusing unprofitable engagements. Turn which way we will, there appears to be no satisfactory solution of the difficulty ; and thus the beßt motto to adopt is ijuieta ne movere, however harshly the rule may work in cases like the present, where the owners of Beaudesert and Prestonpans have been unceremoniously left out in tho cold. Will gentlemen in this position look also upon the other side of the pioture, and recollect what a number of shocking bad bargains the removal b/ death of their nominator has had the welcome effect of rendering null and void.