THE VICTORIAN RACE MEETING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1333, 6 November 1872, Page 2

THE VICTORIAN RACE MEETING.

The entries for the V.R.C. springmeeting compare very favorably with last year's entries, both" in the number and quality of the animals engaged. The opening event in the Derby Day, the Melbourne Stakes, has fourteen entries, three more than last year. With such . horses as Dag worth, Hamlet, Barbelle, _^ Irish King, and Contessa, the [opening "f race of the meeting must prove a very interesting one. Belphegor has evidently ' ' recovered from the illness he was seized „_.-.: with at Raudwick, as his name appears; !in the entry for this race. The Hotham Handicap has twenty-three horses entered, but the number of starters for this race j iwill depend on Mr Barnard's, adjustment of the weights. Then follows the Maribyrnong Plate and Derby. The Essendon '■■.'.. Stakes, has. eight entries, and. among 3 V them |appears Mr Tait's Cup favorite,. 1 The Quack. The concluding event of the day is the Footscray Plate,., for which, there -are. only five mode-' rate animals entered. The Cup day commences with the Maiden Plate, for ;i!l which a dozen horses are entered, .: being .five more than last year. 3?hey are all three - year - olds 'except Adelina and Lothair, who are four yeara/ old. ! Horatio looks the most formidable — in the lot. The imported filly Sunrise will make her 1 first appearance on the; Australian turf in this race. The Railway ; Stakes has nine entries, including some fine three-year-olds, such as Loup Garou, r ' Pertobe, Patriarchy and Blue Peter.- U: There are only 25 "acceptances for the \ Melbourne Cup, one less than last yeajp.' Of those that have dropped, ou,t none „vUV be missed, and there is very little dead money in the lot. With such a formidable animal in the race, as. Dagworth, the owners of horses engaged have shown considerable pluck in paying upinßuph^ numbers. The Hurdle Race has the ex- 1 / cellent entry of 18 horses. This race always excites a great deal of interest, and this year, from the high quality of the animals engaged, the race is expected V to be a very fine , one. All the he^t. jumpers in Victoria are engaged, in it, and there ia also, a good sprinkling of new**horses. The Sydney-bred, Clodhopper will make his first appearance in the character of a hurdleracer on this occasion. The Darling Stakes has 10 entries, most H of them of moderate qualifications. The " third day commences with the Royal Park Stakes, for which eight first-class horses are entered. This should result in an excellent race, The Flying Stakes has ten entries, and here again the quality, of the animals engaged is very superior." A Then follows the Oaks. The Spring Han-; dicap has no less than twenty-six horses :•. -- entered of all kinds. There are 'nine* '! entries for the Four-year-old Handicap, including Hamlet, Benjiroo # Irish King, Julian. Avenel, and Dolphinv The day concludes with the Plate of LIOO, for which there are only fifteen entries. The, last day of tho meeting, commences with the All-aged Stakes, with seventeen entries, including no less than five two-year-olds. .The handicap for three-year-olds has. filled well with ten entries, containing all the celebrities of that age. : The V.R.C. Handicap has twenty entries, \ and the Steeplechase follows with the same sumbor, both likely to prove very exciting events. The Queen's; Plate haM only sixteen horses entered, being two '■' less than lagt yeajr. li is worth noticing that of this number eleven are three and four-year-olds, and there are only two aged horses in the lot— Warrior - and Nimblefoot, neither of which, are. Jftk, „ torian bred. The meeting concludes with the Free Handicap, for which farty : horses are entered, being ten more tham l last year. The Victoria Racing Club mayk - certainly be congratulated on the^succesa-.-' ful opening of the racing season.