SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1964, 10 June 1880, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

Br SnrniD. in view of the- Ashburton County Steeplechase Meeting on Saturday last, I left Christchurch on Thursday evening. Circumstances —adverse circumstances —have prevented my attending any Ashburton meeting for two or three seasons, and I certainly was greatly struck with the improvements in the town. Sjots of old sporting men remember the_ time, sot so very long ago either, when visitors were picked away like herrings in a barrel at the old accommodation house at Turton’s, which by the way was almost the only house ©£ any sort in Ashburton. Now there are ceveral really high class hotels, notably Quill’s and Shearman’s, where the accommodation is first class, and where, judging from my recent experience, one is reminded of Mr Shenstone’s oft-quoted couplet about “ the best of welcomes at an inn," On Friday morning I left Ashburton on a visit to Longbeaoh, my guide, philosopher, and friend being Mr James Wilkin, the genial secretary of the Ashburton Sacing Club.' Passing bjr Tinwald we met ■ Mr Carter, who very kindly took me to see his Snglish mare*. Miss Fate, the symmetrical Adventurer mare, has wonderfully improved, and os well as her shipmate Macsiccar, by Snight of the Garter, was looking the picture of health. Both are in foal to Leolinus. Close to them was Docisna, by Sorcerer out of Alice Grey, dam of Albatross,Septimus, Alma, and others, and who, I believe, has won some iocal reputation. In the same paddock, too, was old Sweetmeat and a filly foal by Traducer. Those two were bought by Mr Carter at the recent Middle Park sale for £lO. The filly promises to be a big mare, and moves in rare form, while, as the old mare is now in foal to St, George, I think Mr Carter’s tenner will prove a rather tidy investment. While going across the paddocks I could not help thinking what a grand place it was for steeplechasing. There is on Mr Carter’s place alone nearly every description of natural jump, some of them being quite stiff enough to satisfy the most fastidious in such matters. The district is very centrally situated. I really think the Grand National Steeplechase Club might do a long way worse than hold their next fixture in this locality. I make a present of the suggestion to the committee with much pleasure, and may further, inform them that Mr Carter is perfectly willing to give them the use of his country. A very pleasant drive through very fine farming country brought us to the genial George Wilcocks’, where malty stimulants wore suggested and approved .of* and then more farms, with the sea as a background, and we finally arrive at Longbeaoh' Here we are most courteously entreated by Mr Standish, who showed us, as far as was possible in the time, over the place. _ Longbeach has been too recently described in your columns for me to attempt it now. Indeed, to do this place properly would require the writer to stay there almost a week, but I may say the prize cattle and the draught horses are really a treat to iook at. As to the former, I don’t suppose there is any such herd in Now Zealand, or approaching it. The draught stallions, three in number, are well known, and are splendid specimens of Clydesdale* ; but I cannot say I was much impressed with Hadji Baba, who is a grey, half-bred Arab, and I think is hardly in ■Sleeping with the quality of the other stock. We ißad a pleasant time, so pleasant indeed that I could wish an Ashburton County Steeplechase came off about once a week. The meeting itself was a very successful one, as will be seen from particulars in the detailed account elsewhere.

The South Canterbury Jockey Club have issued a steeplechase programme, to come off on the Timaru racecourse on Friday, Juno 18fch. The various items are as follows: — Tally-ho Handicap of 100 sovs, Maiden Steeplechase of 40 sovs, Timara Cup Handicap of 59 sovs, and a Consolation Stake of 30 aovs. . Mr Bay has disposed of his training establishment at Crisis Lodge to Dr. Brins, who has also purchased the team at present -working there, and consisting of Maritana, Fishhook, The Governor, Hornby, and Bogardus. The entrance of Dr. Brins on the turf will be heard of with very great pleasure by sporting men in New Zealand. Mr Ray still remains on in | charge of thestring. Dr. Brins will run under the name of Mr Horsford, and his colors will be cherry jacket and black cap.

Messrs Mason and Vallanoe have named the Traduoer-Pleurange colt “ Fleur-de-Lys,” the Oostaway-Sonnambula colt “ Morpheus,” and the fiuy by Castaway from Cascade, “ Water Lily." T find that by some -slight mistake on the Eart of your Little Bivar correspondent, ha as given'you the wrong result of the principal event at the recent Little. River meeting. Mario Antoinette was the winner of the runoff in the dead-heat. The Birthdajr Handicap, the principal «vent at Tapanui, was won by Merrybird, Mr Etching’s representative, Atlantic, and an old opponent of his, Captain Douglas, being second and third respectively. Sam Higgott, who, it is scarcely necessary to say, trained for the late Mr Mallook, and since then for the Hon. W. Robinson, has purchased the property now tenanted by Fred Mathews from Mr B. Mason. Mr Mathews will continue to train there tor the present. «Spectator ” reports that a number of breeders intend sending mares to Musket, amongst them being the dam of Bide-a-Wee and Lochinvar. By the way, we have not yet heard what terms owners will be asked for Potronel’s sire during the forthcoming season. The success of that colt in the Two Thousand Guineas will no doubt affect the fees of his sire. At the recent Cambridge Jockey Club meeting, old Sportsman won the Hurdle Race and ran second to Hard Times in the Steeplechase. Biscatorius beat Bing Quail in the Amtnmn Handicap, which was the principal event of the day. At Oamaru I rather think that Clarence and old Boyalty have a bit the best of it at the weights, and the results of Waimato will probably point to which should command the suffrages of backers. It is very satisfactory to find that the moat successful running strains at Home have so many representatives out here. For instance, Jemmy Howlett, by the Balmer (own brother to Bosioruoian), out of a Buccaneer mare, is a very similar pedigree to that of Mr Stead’s recent importation, Bulchra, she being by Bosioruoian and out of a Buccaneer more. His other importation, Crinoline, is by Lord Lyon, the sire of the seoor f-i the Oaks. Then again, Rosy Cross and .'• icida, first and second in the Lincolnshire Handicap, are by Bosioruoian and Lord Lyon respectively. To continue still further, Warhom, who ran third in the recent Oaks, is by Thunderbolt, the sire of Sir Hercules Robinson’s recent purchase. The Oaks winner, as before stated, is owned by Mr O. Botkins, the owner Of Roohampton,’ Dresden China, and other good ones, amongst whom is the Leolinus colt Grainger, And apropos of this colt, it must be very pleasing to those breeders here who have put mares to Leolinus, to observe by the last English files that the very first of his get that ever started in England has carried off a good twoy ear-old stake at Oatterick 'Bridge. He got home easily in front of his field, beating, amongst others, a very highly bred colt by that sterling sire, King Lud (by King Tom out of Myosotis —sister to Strathoonan). Brivate letters state that Grainger is an exceptionally promising colt, and seems likely to train into a very high class horse. This intelli; ence is only what might hare been expected from those who are acquainted with the lord of the Bussley harem, and I can only express a wish that the success which has attended Grainger in England may be the forerunner of many similar ones for the progeny of the son of Caterer in the Britain of the South. I see by the last Tasmanian files that poor old Mousetrap has again been performing without success. At Melton Mowbray, carrying ten atone, he was unplaced in the Steeplecnaso, as was also Mr H. Yeends’ horse Intrepid. Bo'h animals may shortly bo expert ed in New Zealand. From other Australian files I learn with regret the news of the death of Sam Waldock, well known as one of the oldest riders and trainers in Australia.

I publish with very much pleasure the following account of a recent run with the Canterbury hounds, kindly forwarded by a correspondent, from whom I shall be glad to hear again : THE CHRISTCHURCH HARRIERS.

On Saturday, the 29th last, the rendezvous, with this really nice pack of hounds, was at the Junction Hotel, Lincoln road, where sharp to time the master, Mr Egan, on the beau ideal of a hunter, and Mr Cullen, on the veteran Mormon, arrived in charge of ton couples of the beauties, looking the pink of perfection. Their appearance certainly re*

fleet* great credit on those connected with their management.' I regret to *ee that hunting in this country i* thought so very little of—by tome actually considered a nuisance, and by. the farmers particularly, who are so very chary in giving permission to hunt over their farms —men who ought to be the chief followers of the chase. Surely it can do very little harm to anyone, and how much it tends to improve the breed of horses, which, in . a young and flourishing country like this ought to be the farmer s first consideration, and no one ought to be_ in a better position to enjoy a day’s hunting than the farmer. One cannot fail to bo struck with the different feeling here and in the old country. There you will see the lord, the squire, the farmer, aye ! and many a burly peasant too—a pageant which anyone would admire, bringing the “ crimson to the forehead, the lustre to the eye.” And— When the country is roughest, the fences the

the biggest. When the run is severest, who s mare at his ease. Than the farmer, on his game little nag. The meet was not a large one, a trot of a few miles to the left of the hotel brought us to some paddocks, into which the hounds were thrown, where, after some delay, “ puss from her slumbers was roused, and forced into an adjoining paddock across the road. Here there were several hares on foot, which gare ns a good many rings around th© paddocks, where the rich music of the hounds was heard to advantage. “ There's mirth in the ball-room, there s joy in the dance, Where music’s soft charms can heighten each glance ; But nothing on earth can so fill with delight As the hounds in full cry, and the game well in sight.” However, Mr Cullen had the pack together on one which was forced to break, and, being closely pursued, went straight over some soft tillage and pretty stiff fences on to a bye road, along which she ran until she came to the public road, when, turning to the left, the hounds got a view j race along the road until they came to Mr Campion's ; turn to the left through the yard and into the paddock at the back of the house, where she wae run into in the open after a smart spin of about three miles. Amongst those present I noticed'the following i —Messrs Hayden. Ford (2), Newtan, Piper, Powell, Munn, Griffith, Del mam, junior, <to., &c., and several cithers whoso names I conld not find out. Hare Fobbabd.