SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 258, 13 February 1874, Page 3

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

DUNEDIN CUP. " For this great, handicap, two and a half-miles, to be run in March next, there are thirty-nine entrances, which embrace most of the horses of note in the Colony. " To Lurline is given the top weight of 9st: 9lbs,, which is a- crusher for ai fouryear old mare. Her racing weight-is'Bst. 13!bs., and an additional lOlbs for a distance of over two miles, is what no horse ought to be asked to carry. I do not com - plain of the weight the mare gives to other horses in the race," although to several she conceded from two to tbice stone; but I disapprove of putting a heavy weight upon a valuable animal", so as to risk her breaking doVn, in order that horses not a.twentieth part nf her value may be able to run in her Cup, the greatest weight accepted by a ■four-year'old hor§o. was Bst. 2lbs , which considering sex allowance, is Ist. lOlbs. legs thai? is given'to Lurline in Dunedin. The top weight m the Melbourne Cup was Bst. 9lbs., a,warded to Dagworth and the _A.ce, both five-year-old horses, and

animals of acknowledged superiot'itv The Ace did not sunt, hut Dagwurth <.> l ■hi imc get within , three or four li j nurhs o? .I (. >it Juau, with only 6st 12ihs. To l J aj apa is.assigned Bst , being.: I lb. above, his : racing; weight, therefore a concession of 9.'bs from the mare * The whole of the remaining thirty- seven horses en tered are : below their racing weights, and to the allowances they receive must be added the 101b and lllr extra given to Mr Redwood's pair, when estimating the differences in the handicap weights -1 will state what this allowance 1 is to some'of the principal horses entered : —Calumny gets lib.; Castavv.iy slbsr; Tambourini, 71b ; Hatred 9tbs. ; Defamer, "11 lbs ; Templeton and Ada .colt, each 151b5.; Verbena, 18,bs ; Batter, Kevoke colt, and Traitor, each 171 bs ; Earl of Lynne and Spritsail, each 19 bs. ; Parawhenua and Atlas, each 21 lbs.; Burgundy and Butterfly, each 22lbs ; Mabel, 251b5.; Gossip, 361 bs ; Yatterina, Banjo, and Staysail, each 271bs ; the remainder with increasing allowance up to 8511 is. ; theaged Malabar being awarded 7st. 21 bs ; and the four-year-old Prioress 6st 61 bs Many of the light weights are not race ■ horses, properly speaking, and could not gallop two miles against such horses as Lurline and Papapa, providing the latter ran with their racing weights, if turned loose, and it is of-htlle moment what' weights are given animals of that class. But for Lurline to concede 371b to a mare likeYatterina is another matter, as also is the two stone allowance conceded her- by Papapa. I shall not at present criticise the handicap in detail, but will, briefly say that the weight upon Lurlino is excessive, that Galumny:and- Tambourin i are'-harshly ' treated, that Yatterina is specially favored, and that the Derby colts which ran at Christchurch behind Castaway are as a lot let in easily. - - Note—Furnished by 'Sportsman' to the ' Nelson Examiner

THE IN'VERCARGILL RACE MEETIXG. 'Plyin-g Handicap of 40 sovs. Open to all , horses; distance,- •,one mile; entrance, ' £2 2s. Mr. C. -Holt's ch g Malabar, aged, 9st. Gibs (ifolt) 1 Mr: R .W. Willi,uns's b g Happy Jack, aged, Bst. Slbs. (Collins) 2 Mr. AY . Laurie's b m Rosina, o.years. Bst. - ' 121b. ... ... (irlarrison) 3 Mr.-G; Ward's b g Banjo, 4 years (Hughes) 4 Mr. J. Morrison's r g Stackpole, aged, 9st. 21b. .. .. ... scratchedMr. F.. R. White's clig London, aged, 9st. 21b ... ' ... - ... scratched

For this race, which had been "substi tuted for the Maiden Plate, owing to there-npt;having: been-a> sufficient- number: of entries for the latter, six horses were" entered, but only four started.

Time, 1 min. 51 sees. Selling Race of 25 sovs. Mile and'a half; ■weight for age; the winner to be sold bv 1 auction for £25 immediately after the race, any surplus to go to the race fund; entrance £2 2s. Mr. C Holt's ch g Swaggerer, aged, lOst. 41b.' ■ °° (Owner) l" Mr. "R. W. Williams's Happy Jack, aged, lOst 41b (O'Brien) 2 Handicap Hurdle Race of 30 sovs., with a sweepstake of £2 2s added. Open to all horses; distance, two miles ami a - distance; over eight flights of hurdles, about 3ft. 9m. high; entrance, £2 2s.

Mr. J. Ward's oh g Sir Tatton, list. -- 41b. t (.. ... (D. O'Brien)".. 1 Mr.-W..Laurie's g gDon Pedro, aged, 9st.

1 (Lawson) 2 Tambouriui ... ... ...-(scratched) Tambourini cantered round for the Cup of £s*o:

iNVERCfRGILT, HANDICAP of 70 sovs., with a sweepstake of £3 added. Distance, two miles; entrance,£3 35.; half forfeit after weights are declared. Mr. J. Ward's b g Tambourini, 5 years, ~ lOst. 121b. ... ... (O'Brien) i Mr. J. Morrison's rgStackpole, aged, Bst 101b (Holt) ... 2 Mr. A. M 'Kay's br g Kuriwao, 6 yrs. 7st: 91b. ... ... (Fyson) ... 3 Mr. J. Ward's b g Banjo, 4 yrs. 7st. 91b. ... (Wiseman) ... 0

The ' Southland Times' says;— With regard to the races, they possessed nothing highly calculated to excite enthusiasm in the spectators. The Flying Handieap was a fairly contested and moderately interesting event, so was the District Handicap, and so was the Hack Race ; but the Town Plate and the Ladies' Purse were strictly speaking, not races at all. This is to be regretted, as both these are important events, and their failure, or partial failure, ia calculated to create a feeling of suspicion and' distrust;: ? amongst outsiders: and people at a distance '