SPORTING NOTES.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2145, 10 January 1881, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

By Sinbad. Prom the report of the B&ngiora meeting it will be remembered that the open hurdle race fell through, the fact being that although two other animals had accepted, Clarence wai the only ene prepared to start when the saddling bell rang. I have on several previous occasions stated that in my opinion the condition one so often sees appearing amongst the advertisements of up-country meetings, viz:—" Three horses to start or no race" is hard on owners, particularly in the present scarcity of horses. The usual open races at such meetings are a cup (handicap) two miles, a shorter handicap of say a mile, and a hurdle race; An outside owner nominates for two, if not all three

evonts, accepts and travels up to the meeting. On arriving he finds that in one or perhaps 1 more of the races, there are only two others at all prepared to start. Their owners, on the strength of the condition I have referred to, levy black mail on the unfortunate stranger. Before they agree to start their entry monies must be paid, and in all probability a fiver or something besides, before they will send their horses to the post. Assuming that the visitor wins the race he finds, aftor satisfying the demands of the generous local sportsmen, and paying his travelling expenses, that he might, except for the honor of the thing, (have remained at home. It may be urged that owners know perfectly well what they have to expect when they nominate their horses. This goes without saying, but Itbink that the falling off of the fields in up-country open races is mainly attributable to the faot that owners begin to find out that they may travel many miles at considerable expense with every probability of the events being confined to looal racers. The Hurdle Bace at Bangiora was a notable instance in point. There were three acceptances, as I beforo stated, two of whom wanted half the stakes, but the owner of Clarence not quite seeing where the fun came in, of course declined. I have reoeived the annual programme of the Southland Jockey Club. The meeting will be held on March 3rd and 4th, and the following are the items. First day—Derby Stakes of 75sovs ; Maiden Plate, of 25sovs ; Southland Cup, of 150jovs (2£ miles); District Selling Baoe, of 20sovs. Second day— Handicap Hurdle Bace, of 40sovs; District Handicap, of SOsovs ; Southland J.O. Handicap, of lOOsovs (2 miles) ; Tradesmen's Handicap, of 40 sovs; and a Consolation Stake, »f 20sovs. Nominations for all the handicaps must be sent to Mr T. Aiton, the secretary of the Southland Jockey Club, before Tuesday, February 22nd. Mr Lyon has, I hear, resigned the position of Secretary of the Wellington Baoing Club. "Spur" informs his readers that the King Oole-Skittlesharper filly has been named Legerdemain. One of our best looal supporters (says " Beacon," in the Otago "Witness " ) of the turf has passed away in Mr John M'Neil, who died last week. He had one or two brood maras, from which he had several foals, but ill-luck attended his efforts, and none of them ever did muoh on the New Zealand turf. He was a very energetic member of our Jockey Club for many years, and a great student of pedigrees—on which, indeed, he was a great authority. The respect and csteom in which he was held was plainly shown by the very large attendance at his funeral on Sunday last.

At Cromwell, which seems to hare been a most successful fixture, the most valuable stakes were picked up by the Moa Flat pair, Nautilus and Atlantic. The Derby seems to have been won pretty easily by Spectator, a son of Roebuck. At Havelock and Fetane the events seem to have been confined to local contestants. At Waimate small fields were the order of the day. Old Shillelagh won the hurdles, and the very moderate Little John the Waimate Handicap. At Hororata the stakes were not gigantic, but my correspondent tells me that it was a really capital day's racing, and the finishes very close. At Marton-Rangitikei the two principal events of the gathering, the Flying and Rongitikei Handicaps, were won by Redeemer and old Opawa respectively. The latter event seems to have been a splendid finish, the veteran just winning by a nose. The MartonRangitikei Leger was won very easily by Sincerity, a daughter of Hay Dawn, who started a very strong favorite. I can find no particulars of the West Coast Roces, but a correspondent tells me that Elfin King won a couple of races. He says nothing, however, about York.

My southern confrere "Beaoon," wondera what we ("Phaeton," and others), will have to eay now that Foul Play has won the Auckland Oup so easily, and he sings a paean hymn of victory, of which the chorus is, " What did I tell you ?" The real truth is that Foul Play's victory, though admittedly a very easy one, does not prove that the handicap was the awful production "Beaoon" states it was. The field behind the winner was a very moderate one, except, perhaps, Libeller, whose subsequent performances at the meeting go far to induce the belief that were it not for his accident he would have been very handy at the finish. Virginia Water, but for being amiss, would probably have gone up to Auckland, and judging from her Q-sral-dine and Derby running, must have been very formidable. Piscatorious, too, who was really the pick of the handicap, was an absentee, from leg considerations. Had he started I consider he must have beaten Foul Play, who, by the -way, by his running on the second and third days does not seem to be such a paragon after all. I have, so far, said nothing about Betrayer, and I only mention him now to suggest to my generously-inventive confrere of the " Witness " that it is not always a good thing, even in one's most vindictive moments, to depend, for what we state as facts, upon one's imagination. The real state of the case in reference to Betrayer's scratching is briefly as follows. On the Thursday before the Oup was run his owner received a telegram from the colt's trainer saying that ho was lame, and that later in the day he would telegraph the vet's opinion. There was no seorecy about the business in Ohristchurch, for I heard of it from a dozen people (the owner included) during the afternoon. At about nine at night came another wire from Ancklacd, stating that the colt was suffering a strain of the lumbar muscles, and should be thrown out of work. A telegram was sent (it being too late to answer on the Thursday night) first thing on Friday to scratch him. Thus, in spite of " Beacon's " charitable suggestions, backers must have been aware all day long on the Friday that the colt was out of it. " Beacon" asked me a few weeks to cite a case where he imputed motives. I should say this was about as malignant a one as could be found in even his columns.

Yaldhurst has been thrown out of work, but Morpheus is to be taken up again, probably with a view to the Southland Derby, in which he is engaged. usual meetings will, I hear, be held on March 17th at Port Victoria and Oxford. From the account in the Kaikoura " Star," which some sportsman of the locality has kindly forwarded me, it would seem that the racing on Boxing Day was a very great success. The contestants were apparently limited to local animals, but the various events were closely contested, and the audience seem to have had a particularly good time. The professional metallician, we are informed, did not put in an appearance, and in this connection the writer in the " Star " states, I don't doubt very truthfully, " We were happy in our arcadian resort for all that."

By last Australian files I learn from "Augur" that Harry Yeend has taken a training stable at Flemington. Mr Ferguson, of Gorton, has sent his English mares Lyra, Locket and Dundee Kate to Musket. The first named has a chesnut colt by Feve, and Dundee Kate has a bay filly to the same horse. Locket misted. Mr Ritchie writes from the Chatham Islands to say that Eglantine has a bay filly to Totara, and that the Daniel O'Rourke— Red Rose filly is in work for the annual Chatham Islands race meeting. With the exception of the details of the Liverpool Autumn Meeting and the Lang Distance Walking Championship, there is not much of interest in the English files arriving here on Wednesday last. In the Liverpool Autumn Cup, Fordham brought Preston Pans home in front of Philammon and Petronel, while the Great Lincolnshire Handicap seems to have been quite a gift to Valour. I observe that Maximilian, who cost 4100 guineas as a yearling, was sold recently for 410 guineas. What a falling off was there ! The International Long Distance Walking Match excited a very great amount of interest. The competitors were six in number, viz., three Americans and three Englishmen. At the time of the mail leaving the match was not quite finished, but Rowoll had a most decided lead.