SPORTING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1484, 7 May 1873, Page 2

SPORTING.

THE SYDNEY CUP. I

The special correspondent of the 1 Argus telegraphs the following report on 17th April :— At 4 o'clock in the afternoon the great race of the meeting was to come to pass, but the delays which occurred brought it nearer to half-past before ithe final start was made. Eighteen horses came to the post, and during a false start Vixen fellj but speedily recovered herself. Afterwards, when a start was made, Commodore was left at the post. Dagworth cut out the running from the commencement, but soon gave way to J. L., Praetor, and The Prophet, who all led in turn, and the last-named kept in front-untilthe trainers 1 stand was reached before coming home, when he gave place to Patriarch. Then ensued a pretty face, the whole field being pretty well in a cluster, uatil ( coming round the turn. The Ace went forward, ' and Vixen made a rush past Patriarch and The Ace, and was : landed a winner cleverly by a length, amidst the cheers of the ; assembled crowd..; M'Callum Mohr was' fourth, and Warrior fifth. Priam, who ran well for a considerable distance, was all out at the finish. The time, 3m 40sec, is slower by over two seconds than the Prophet took in the Cup race last year ; but then great allowance must be made for the 'state of the ground. The winner, Vixen, is by Yattendoh cut of Miss Pitsford; and' altogether the Yattendon stock have done very well during this meeting. - : j The Sydney Cup. — A gold cup valued 150 soys, and 250 soys added to a Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soys each. Two miles. Mr G. Gibson's br g Vixen, by Yattendon — Miss Pitsford, 4 yrs, 7st 21b ... 1 Mr D. Melhado's b c Patriarch, 3 yrs, 7st 41b... ... 2 Mr T. J.Ryan's be The Ace, 4yrs, 9st 21b 3 The following also started : — Dagworth, Reprieve, Prophet, Warrior, Cyclops, Priam, Commodore, J. L., Silver Fox, Bannagher, Panic, Prsetor, M'Callum Mohr, and Paradise. At a false start Vixen fell, but recovered herself; A pretty good start wa3 then made; but Commodore was left at the post. ; Dagworth went away with the lead, with Prophet and J. L. in company. At the trainer's stand Prsetor was in front, with Ihe outside running, Prophet and Silver Fox lying well alongside. Coming into the atraight for the first time, Prophet took the lead, with Priam second and Silver Fox third. At the back of the course the positions of the leading horses were unaltered, except that Dagworth had taken third place in lieu of Silver Fox. Patriarch made an effort passing the trainers' stand, and headed Prophet by a length, the same distance, separating! the ' second and third horses, the rest all in a cluster. Round the last turn The Ace, who had been lying well at the head of. the ruck, came up with Patriarch, but Vixen, who had not hitherto showed in the race, made a rush through the horses, and won by a length. Patriarch second, Ace third, M'Callum Mohr fourth, and Warrior fifth. Time^-;3min. 4Csec. A protest was entered again Vixen, but soon dismissed.

In its report of the Clutha races, the Bmce Herald says : — " Everyone will regret to hear that Catapult had a very bad break down in the Railway Handicap — so bad, indeed, that it may be said that his racing day 3 are over. After having gone about half a mile, the boy (Malone) who was riding was seen to pull him up, and, dismounting, lead him back to the vicinity of the grand stand, to reach which was just as much as he could do. Mr Coombe, his owner, was desirous of destroying him, to put him out of the evident extreme pain he was suffering ; but ' doctors differing,' he handed him over in a gift to one of the jockeys (Mackay). The back sinews of both hind legs completely gave way, and we doubt very much whether he will ever come out of the paddock where he had to be clothed up and left."