SPORTING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 77, 18 December 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

SPORTING.

Marlborough Races. —The late hour at which the report of the races reached us at Piclou yesterday compels us to defer its publication until next week. Wo will now briefly give thoraces and the winners. On Tuesday last, the Maiden Plate was won by Lucy Glitters, Woodcock second. The Blenheim Plate was won by Otto, beating Maid of Blenheim by about a length. The Shearers’ Purse was won by Sportsman ; the Picton Plato by Lucy Glitters, Maid of Blenheim second. The Scurry Handicap was won by Otto. On Wednesday, the Marlborough Cup was won by Otto, the Hack Race by Raglan, Ladies’ Pusre by Sportsman, Consolation Plate by Claude Duval, and the Forced Handicap by Otto.— Press, Dec. 5. Melbourne. —The Jockey Club Spring Meeting, as was expect cd, proved rather a dull affair. Since the exposure of the Flying Buck and Buzzard case, about the time of the first Champion Race, the public seem to have lost confidence in the racing fraternity, and very sparsely attend the different meetings, except they be, like the Champion Race at Geelong, of more than ordinary interest. The attendance on the first day was very limited, though the racing on the whole was good. The Grand Stand Stakes were carried off by Flatcatcher. Amina won the Spring Sapling Stakes, beating five others ; and the Jockey Club Handicap, after an exciting race, was won by Falcon. The public mustered rather more strongly on the second day, but still nothing like what has frequently been witnessed on former occasions. The first race, the Maiden Plate, was won by Josephine ; and a filly named Modesty, much to everybody’s surprise, carried off the Spring Handicap Stakes. General won the Hurdle Race, and Bai'won very easily the Derby. The half holiday on Saturday brought rather more on the course, and those who were present witnessed a fine day’s sport. The Town Plate fell to the lot of Mormon, and the Oak Stakes wore awarded to Modesty, the winner of the Spring Handicap. Donovan Brown, after a well-contested race, won the steeplechase, and Paul Pry proved the winner of the Consolation Stakes, which affair wound up the sports of the day. Ballarat wdll be the scene of the next Champion Race. —Otago Daily Times correspondent. A Universal “ Derby.” —The project of founding at Paris a universal Derby, for three-ycar-old horses of all countries, has been mentioned. Of the 100,000 fr. to be given as the prize, the Municipal Council of Paris has voted 50,000 fr. for the years 18G3 and 1861, and each of the five great railway companies have decided on giving 10,000 fr. yearly. The Emperor will add a splendid work of art as a durable memento for the winner. The race will come off in June every year. It now Rppcars that 83 horses have been entered for 1863, and 126 for 1861. Of the horses for 1863, 51 are English, 26 French, 2 German, and -1- Italian ; for 1861, 70 English, 30 French, 9 German, 4 American, and 1 Italian.— Galignani. Importation of Valuable Stock; —The barque Waterlily , Captain D. R. Bolt, from London, bound to Lyttelton, arrived at Kelson on Thursday evening, December -1, having called here to land seven valuable borsss, shipped by W. Robinson, Esq., of Ciieviot Hills, Amuri. These animals consist of two thoroughbred horses, Diomedes, and Golden Grape, two thoroughbred fillies, Sky bird, and Coronaria, a Clydesdale horse, and two Clydesdale mares. The whole of the seven were landed without a scratch upon them, and all in blooming health and in high condition. Diomedes, by Hesperus, dam sister to Weathergage, was foaled in 1859, and is a rich bay horse of great power. This horse Mr. Robinson intends to send down to his run at the Cheviot Hills. Golden Grape, a dark brown horse, foaled also in 1859, by Bnrnton, out of Hop-picker, by Orlando, out of Hopbine, by Sir Hercules, is not quite so powerful, perhaps, as Diomedes, but shows more quality, and looks altogether like a sire of race horses. This horse has been purchased from Mr. Robinson by Mr. Kewcome, and is intended by that gentleman for Scarborough Hill, in the Awatcre. Skybird by Teddington, out of Skylark, by Peep-o’-day Boy, foaled in 1860, is a filly of great power and substance, looking, in fact, more like a five-year-old mare than a filly rising only thi’ee. She is almost faultless in symmetry, and shows great determination and character. Coronaria, the second filly, by Sweetmeat, out of Jessica, by Launcelot, was also foaled in 1860, and, though a smaller animal than the other, is nevertheless

well grown and muscular, and possesses those points in perfection -which promise great speed. The two fillies have likewise been purchased of Mr. Robinson, and will be kept in Kelson. Tiie cart stallion was purchased by Mr. Robinson for Mr. 11. Redwood, of Hedgesford, whose desire was to have the best colt that could be procured in England irrespective of price, and this commission Mr. Robinson was so fortunate as to be able to execute, by purchasing for him the two-year-old Clydesdale colt that took the first prize at the united show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and the Royal Highland Agricultural Society, -which took place at Battersea in June last. The cart mares are both prize animals, and will ho sent to the Cheviot Hills. Where all the animals are so good, it is difficult to particularise their qualities, and we shall therefore only state in general terms, that no such importation of horses has ever before been made to Kew Zealand, and, if we except Mr. Fisher’s importation of thoroughbreds to Adelaide, we believe no similar lot of horses ever before crossed the line in one vessel. Great praise is due to Mr. Robinson for his spirited endeavour to improve our breeds of horses in the colony, by purchasing and sending out such superior animals ; nor must we omit to mention, in terms of commendation, the conduct of Captain Bolt, who commands the Waterlily, and who throughout the passage, evinced the greatest anxiety for the safety of the horses, as well as that of Mr. Barnes, in whose immediate charge the horses were placed. It was a sight not to be forgotten to see seven such horses walking through the town from the Port, and, although the streets of Kelson are tolerably wide, they hardly sufficed for the gambols which two or three of the lot played off on their way. In addition to the horses, Mr. Robinson put on board the vessel six dogs, terriers of different kinds, and a badger, and these, with the exception of a sky terrier, which died about a week since, also arrived safely. —Nelson Examiner, Dec. 10.