SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1937, 10 May 1880, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

Bv Sinead. The Victorian Racing Club have passed a resolution authorising the use of the totalisator at the meetings under their control. Mr J. F. Etching, who, it is understood, ■will for the future race under the assumed name of “ Mr T. George,” has christened the Traducer—Waimea colt—“ Leveller.” Mr G. Stead, finding that a horse is running in England of the name of ” Gold Mohnr,” has re-ohristened the Rupee colt, who will for the future be known by the appropriate name of “ Louis D’Or.” Messrs Lance, Stead and the secretary are at present engaged in revising the rules of the Canterbury Jockey Club. This is a work of considerable time and trouble, but it is anticipated that they will be completed in about a month.

The long-looked for weights for the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap appeared on Saturday. As in the snace of one article it would bo impossible to consider the chances of so many horses, I intend to hold over my remarks on the Handicap and those engaged in it until a future occasion. Sooth to say, as a recent writer in the “ Sporting and Dramatic News” observes, the handicappor’s is a difficult, dangerous, and delicate task, and he may well take for his motto the old rhyming adage which runs—

Who seeks to please all men, each may. And not himself, offend— He may begin his work to day, But God knows when he’ll end. hut I think, on this occasion, the habitual growlers will not have much to say, for Mr fiance has been singularly successful in adjusting his weights, so much so that I shall expect to see an unusually large acceptance on August Ist. On the same evening, the weights for the Grand National Steeplechase Handicap were posted at the Commercial Hotel. These will also be found in another column. Lone Hand, as was the case last -year, tops the list, though with a more lenient impost. His New Zealand performances, so far, have not been of such a character as to induce the belief that ho will .bo any more formidable now. I understand he will be piloted by his present owner, Mr Turnbull, who rode him very well over hurdles on his first appearance at Geraldine. On this occasion, however, want of condition told its tale, and ho had to succumb to Black Prince, which performance was of course not within miles of his Australian form. The big gray is, I am told, doing very well under Mr Turnbull’s immediate supervision, and thus it may happen that the Australian crack may for once go straight. Should he do so, I think there can be little doubt about the result of the race. Personally I fancy the horse will always be tricky, and therefore I rather prefer the chances of the constant Agent, who is a sure honest jumper, and has over and over again proved his capability of carrying big weights over a big country. The Agent is not so young as he was, and his recent stylo of going in his work has scarcely been of an encouraging kind to his supporters, but if his hard working owner can only bring him to the post in good condition, I fancy he will be very near repeating his victory of last year. Grey Momus with 12st I do not care much for. Though undoubtedly a good horse, he appears to be a very in and out performer. I fancy, too, he is better suited over hurdles than across a country, and I prefer Mr Molvor’s other string. Loch Lomond, who, at the 91b difference, certainly appears to hold his stable companion quite safe. Though not one of the best tempered animals in the world, one cannot forget that at the Grand National last year, he receiving 131 b, ran the Agent to a head in the Hunt Club Cup. The course was a very severe one, and on being pulled out for the Consolation immediately afterwards ho carried twelve stone, and won easily from four others. This, it may bo stated, was his third appearance during the day. The North Island horse, Baron, seems to bo rather a lucky performer than a first-class one. At Wanganui last year, owing to a protest, he was credited with the big handicap steeplechase. Medora and old Gazelle finished in front of him, but were disqualified. This was not big form, for Baron fell twice during the race, and his place honors were, I fancy, more attributable to his rider than to himself. At Auckland, carrying lOat 71bs, ho appears to have utterly squandered his field, but it appears he refused several times. I do not think Scamp is over well treated at list 21bs, and I should certainly prefer the veteran Royalty. That the public also have a fancy for the son of Blood Royal is apparent from the fact that even now only 4i to 1 can bo obtained about him. Boyalty is, however, confessedly as slow as a man, and even at the difference in weight I prefer several of the preceding. Eversley, though an undoubtedly good jumper, is not, and never will be, a fourmile horse, and his recent accident must certainly militate against his chances of success. Duchess I know nothing of, while Hard Times is a North Island animal, concerning whom the “Turf Register,” if we had one, would, I think, be silent. Mireille at eleven stone I cannot stand at all, nor indeed could 1 had she a stone less, though her present trainer, Mr S. Powell, must know something about her cross-country Abilities, or her name would never have appeared in the nominations for such a race. Though never a fast horse, there was a time when the aged Banjo would have been certainly formidable with only lOst 101 b on his back, and with him as well as his immediate successor in the order of weight, Sir Tntton, it can scarcely bo said that “ age has not withered them, nor custom staled their infinite variety.” Sir Tatton, I hoar, broke down on Saturday morning, and I should think for the future a quiet paddock would be the most suitable place for the good old horse

to end his days in. The next is Black Prince, who, with lOst 71hs, will, I fancy, occupy a very prominent position in the race. Starting as a complete outsider, he won the Maiden Plate at last year’s Grand National meeting, beating a good-sized field, and subsequently, at the finish of the Tallyho Handicap at Timaru, he ran a very fair second to Royalty, who was conceding him four pounds. Shortly after his defeat of Lonehand at Geraldine he met with an accident which prevented his racing up to the present. If m anything like form, ho should run a fair race. Clarence, Sluo 8011, and Thilo are all in, also at lOst 71b. Clarence’s only performance, so far as I am aware, was winning the hurdle race at Blenheim, where he defeated Grey Momus and others in the hurdle race. I was not present, and, as it is needless to add your indefatigable telegraph agent never telegraphed the weights, I am unable to guage the value of his performance. Ho is a good-looking horse, and jumps in go id style, and as he will have the advantage of Clifford in the saddle, he must, I presume, bo labelled “dangerous.” Of the merits of Blue Bell I must plead ignorance. Thilo has performed with some amount of success in moderate company, and has, X believe, the credit of being a fairly useful horse. I should, however, incline to the opinion that his owner would elect to start him for the Maiden, in which event he is also engaged. The same remarks apply in a lesser degree to Swindler, who is in at a pound leas. This powerful son of Golden Grape has scored a win or two in district company. He has never, so far us I am aware, seen much cross country work, but would, judging from what I have seen of him, make a useful horse with more schooling. Harkaway and Mickey Free, lOst 51b and lOst respectively, are, I think, scarcely good enough for their company, nor do I think that Little John, in spite of his light impost, is class enough to have any chance of repeating his Christchurch victory of last year. For a rough outsider I should prefer little Ada, who won the Consolation at Timaru last year, carrying lOst 101 b. She is a very sure jumper, and if mistakes are abundant I should never be surprised to see her, if well piloted, very handy at the finish. At present I think the winner will be found amongst the following—Lonehand, Agent, Loch Lomond, Royalty, and Black Prince. Owners are reminded that acceptances for the Grand National Handicap, and general entries for tho other events of the meeting close with the hon. sec., Mr F. Egan, on Monday, the 17th Inst. From recent Sydney files I learn that Monaghan has had another out in with the highly-bred Otira, who won the Two-year-old Stakes from a good field at the recent meeting of the Sydney Amateur Turf Club. Gipsy Cooper (Randwick’s brother) was among the unplaced ones for the Open Handicap at the same meeting. The stewaids of the Ashburton Steeplechase Meeting have fixed their date for tho 29th. This gives horses who may have competed at the Grand National plenty of time to get up to this invariably pleasant little meeting. The items are—The Ashburton Handicap Steeplechase, of 40 sovs ; District Handicap, of 20 sovs ; Wakanui Stakes, of 20 sovs ; Farmers’ Steeplechase, for district horses only, of 15 sovs ; and a Hack Steeplechase. Nominations for the handicaps must be sent to Mr James Wilkie, the hon, sec., before 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 20th. X am requested to state that, in consequence of several recent narrow escapes from accidents, dogs for the future are to be tabooed from the racecourse.

The Two Thousand Guineas has fallen to Petronel, a colt whose two-year-old performances were not of a high class. The news of his victory will be very welcome intelligence in Auckland, as his sire Musket is at present the lord of the harem at the Auckland Stud Company’s farm. The halfyearly meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club takes place to-day (Saturday).

Mr M. Sherwin has forwarded me the programme of the forthcoming Waimate Steeplechase, to come off on June 2nd. The various items are as follows :—The Waimate Steeplechase Handicap of 100 sovs, the Maiden Plate of 50 sovs, the County Steeplechase Cup of 75 sovs, and a Consolation of 40 sovs. Nominations for the first three events must be sent to Mr Sherwin on Thursday, May 20th, acceptances closing on the 28th. The story of the strange fortunes of Gemma di Vergy is revived in the account of Sir Lydston Newman in the current issue of the “ Biograph.” “One of the most noted of Sir Lydston’s sires was Gemma di Vergy. The former owners of this horseihad been so unfortunate that a superstitious man would have hesitated before he had anything to do with him. He belonged in the first place to the murderer Palmer, then, for 105 guineas, to a gentleman who ran him under a fictitious name. This second owner ran himself into difficulties, and gave a bill of sale and appeared in the Insolvent Court. The horse was hawked about at Tattersall’s, and was purchased by the Marquis of Waterford for 800 guineas. The Marquis fell and broke his heck as he was returning home with his hounds. The horse was sold by auction, and was bought for 1000 guineas by Mr Hamilton, of Round wood, who went out of his mind almost immediately afterwards, while the auctioneer died about the same time. Gemma di Vergy then passed into the hands of Sir Lydston Newman for 1010 guineas. In future he was to have a more peaceful life. In the quiet Devonshire valley the new owner might smile as he predicted a better fate for the present possessor of the famous horse.”