SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2134, 27 December 1880, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

Bi Sinbad. Trotting seems increasing in popularity, not ■only in ‘Dunedin, but in Canterbury. A trotting club has been formed at the Ashburton, and though the weather was very much against them, their recent inaugural meeting passed off with success. The Trotting Esce at Heathcote, to which I shall have occasion to refer presently, has attracted a very good entry, and is exciting, for a race of this description, an unusual amount of interest. The Heathcote meeting will take place to-day, and the close vicinity of the locale to Christchurch, coupled with the fact of the day being a general holiday, will, no doubt, attract a large attendance. The District Hurdles is not easy to pick, Stella being an uncertain starter, Levant in anything but form, and Mireille is a jade. She ought to win it, but I should never be surprised to see this event fall to one of the outsiders. Four have accepted for the Lower Heathcote Cup. Of these, two, Volunteer and Bandwick, belong to the same stable, and the Taldhnrst selection will no doubt be hard to beat. If Virginia Water were herself I should look-no further for the winner. Two miles is more than Luna likes, though she has no reason to complain of her impost. On the whole fl shall select Virginia Water. The Open Hurdle Eaoe must fall, I should think, to Clarence. The Trotting Handicap, being in complete ignorance of the merits of many of the competitors, I shall decline to express any opinion as to the probable winner of. I can omy add that I hear the whole thirteen owners are verv sanguine about the respective chances of their animals. For the Wellington Cup twenty have cried -content. • Of those accepting I rather prefer the chances of ’Virginia Water, and next to her Foul'Play and Betrayer, who are, as my friend “Beacon” very truthfully says, “a worthy pair.” This race will bo very interesting in. one way, inasmuch as Lady Emma will make her Now Zealand debut on the occasion. The weights for the North Canterbury Baaesaro to hand. ■ Clarence will be too good for his •field in the Open Hurdle Bace, while Supplejack looks as well as anything for the District Hurdles. Bandwick should win the North Canterbury Cup, but in the Publicans’ Puree l-should think- Luna would be too many for him. I kam from 'f Phaeton ” that Mr Parmer’s well-bred . colt Bewi, the winner of the HawkO'a Bay Guineas, has broken down temporarily, and has been-scratched for all his engagements. This is, indeed, a pity, as apart from' the sympathy one would naturally feel far his owner, tho colt was a very promising one, and -was,(l fancy, the first of the Mute’s-stock that has yet performed. It is to be hoped his indisposition may be only of hort duration. “ Beacon” has the following as to the various rose meetings to be held during the Christmas holidays :—“ In Otago there will be Cromwell, -Sowburp, '-Waikaia, Kakanui, Lumsden, St. -Bathans, Wrey’s Bush, Eastern Bosh, -Gore, ■ and Matakanui. In Canterbury, Ohofca, HectLcote, Albury, Hororata, -end Head of the Bay. On the West Coast, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Beef ton. In Wellington, Lower Valley, Wanganui, and Marten-Rsngitikei. In Marlborough, Kaifcoura, Wairau, and Benwiok. In Taranaki, Cronui. In Hawke’s Bay, Paki paki, Waipawa, .and Havelock. In Auckland, Waerenga-a-hifci, Jvaitoratabi, Thames, Waiuku. Northern Auckland, -Ngaraawahai, and the Auckland Summer races. These gatherings will be followed about the New Year with o score or ss .of othore, and altogether it will be -seen that -we are in the thick of the racing season.” I have received from MriOlibbom, the wellknown secretary cf the Australian Jockey -Club, a catalogue of a sale cf thoroughbred which will take place at Mr Andrew Town’s on January JOfch next, Mr Town’s stock are too well-known to require *ay further comment than to say that at the

■oomingsale sixteen colts and thirteen fillies will be offered by Mr Olibborn. Eiglit of the colts .Are by iMaribyrcong, three by Tim Whiffier, two by Malta, end one eaeh by Gemma di Vergy, Rapid Bay, and Yuttsndon, while of the Allies eight are by Maribyrnong, two by Malta, two by Yattendon and one by Tim WhbE-er. As Mr Olibborn points out in his preliminary the Maribyrnongs are famous for brilliancy, honesty, and ability to get a distance, as well as to carry weight. With the ' rapidly improving character of our New Zealand stud farms, it may be urged that 'there is no occasion to go so far a-field as ■Sydney, but a change of blood is often desirable ; and J therefore call attention to this important sale with very great pleasure. The sale of high class draught stock will be held the same time.

I am again honored by a considerable Amount of attention in the columns of “ Beacon." In reference to my “ startling information" about the Auckland Oup that u almost every one "of the following horses cannot " raise A gallop," “ Beacon,” as usual, has wilfully misunderstood my meaning, Wfe*lo)di»7 Vf»r, that "Almost every horse

that can raise a gallop has accepted,” and putting it in his own way I am not so far out after all. Hornby is without doubt, on the sick list; Hilarious, ditto; Laertes, ditto; Holderrrsßs, ditto ; Sir Garnet and Edward James I do not think could win with the proverbial postage stamps on their bade ; while Tile Governor and Mischief are absentees, simply frem the fact that their owner decided s ome weeks since not to send any of his animals toAucklard. Of Rose of Shorwell. Vortex, and the others “ Beacon ” mentions, being North Island horses, I know, of course, nothing, but as “ Beacon ” delicately observes, perhaps they’re “ stiff ’uns.” I hope this explanation, which I moke with deep humility, will be satisfactory to my amiable southern confrere, “Beacon,” in his way, is most amusing. The style in which this heaven-born sporting correspondent snubs his sporting brethren all over New Zealand, is often excessively ludicrous. He is the “ Sir Oracle,” no other dogs must bark except in consonance with the growls he himself so perpetually emits. His errors—and even “Beacon ” does make one or two sometimes —are written on sand, while are not his successes always duly chronicled in the columns of his weekly effusion ? "Beacon,” however, has a little bit to learn yet. He is a promising young sporting writer, and wm no doubt some day learn a little more of journalistic etiquette than he has exhibited in the last two numbers of the “ Witness.” With a little more experience perhaps ho may learn that abuse is not argument, and that he might use his pen to better purpose than by venting his spleen on those_who choose to exercise that difference of opinion which is bound to exist on many subjects. For instance, “ Beacon ” might this week have let us have that long-promised analysis of the Dunedin Oup Handicap. I for one am quite open to conviction still. The “ cruellers ” of the Dunedin Oup (whoever they may bo) that have been so often alluded to lately by both my southern confreres have not been so successful in their wicked plots as might have been supposed. Twenty-two have cried content, some of whom I should eay, must he very trustful owners. As “ Mazeppa ” says, it is more than probable that onr Southern friends will have a good race for their big event. lam sure I hope they will, but I still think—and if they stand up I shall keep on thinking—that the winner will be found amongst the following trio— Le Loup, Sir Modred and Virginia Water. A rather mixed telegram appeared in a recent issue in reference to the purchase of some brood mares for the Auckland Stud Company. The telegram states that Sir Hercules Robin* son (who as I stated some while since was authorised by the company to select some high class English mares) has bought seven choice mares from “ Lord Falmouth’s Middle Park Stud.” Lord Falmouth has no more to do with the Middle Park Stud than I have, but it seems probable that wherever the mares were purchased they are likely to be of the right sort, and as the telegram informs us five of them are in foal to crack sires, the addition to the Northern Stud Farm should be an unusually valuable one. The nominations for the coming meeting of the Hawke’e Bay Jockey Club are most satisfactory. The 500 Bovs, stake has attracted no less than forty-two entries, and the two other handicaps are proportionately as good. I am glad to see Rewi’s name in the big race, as it seems from his being entered that there must be every chance of his getting the better of bis present indisposition. Amongst the nominations for the hnrdles I sec the_ name of : Longlands. This is the first intimation I have had of his owner’s relegating him to the illegitimate game. The Canterbury autumn programme ie to hand, the dates being, as|asual, Easter Monday and Tuesday, April 18th and 19tb. The various items are nearly the same as last year, the exception being that what wao last year the Flying Stakes and a weight.for age race, is now the Flying Handicap. The Epsom Stakes having been hitherto found a failure, considerable alterations have been made in the conditions of the race. Under the new arrangement it is anticipated there will be a much better field than formerly. The following are the various items —First 'Day :—Free Handicap of SO sovs, Great Autumn Handicap of 300 sovs, Champagne Stakes of 250 sovs, Epsom Stakes of 100 sovs. Second Day :—Autumn Nursery Tandioap of 100 sovs, Easter Handicap of 100 sovs, Selling Race of 60 sovs, Flying Handicap of 50 sovs, and Consolation Stake of 40 sovs. Nominations for Great Autumn Handicap, Easter Handicap and Flying Stakes are due on Tuesday, February Ist. I also remind owners that nominations for the Canterbury Jockey -Club Handicap of 1881 are due on March Ist. The stake as usual is 500 sovs.

The English mare L’Orient has dropped a fine foal to Leelinus at Buseley. “Augur ” states in the last number of the “Australasian” that Mata is now being hacked about the Melbourne streets by Mr H. Haines. This is indeed a case of a racing Ichabod.