Sporting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8102, 31 May 1906, Page 7

Sporting.

*he big return of £513 18s paid by the double machine on Waipuna and iSen Blair at Takapuna last week has induced " Photon " to compile the following table of big dividends : —

£306 Crumniv, February, 1886, Fire Brigade Handicap, Town and Suburban, Napier. £385 17s-~lpswich, December, 1893, Electric Stakes Trot, Canterbury Trotting Club. *£259—-Louie, March, 1882, Napier Handicap. £251 14a Kalo, April, 1885, Shorts Handicap, Auckland. *;£223 4e—Mavis, March, 1881, Tradesmen's Handicap. Hawke's Bay. £174 12s Lavender, April, 1886, Ashley Plato, New Brighton, i 8169 4s—Silver Bell, March, 1889, Trot, Dunedin. £162—Waimarama, December, 1893, Christmas Handicap, Porangahau. £159 6j-Polly, May, 1883, Trot, Dunedin. £153 9s and £103 10s—Liberty, October, 1896, Hurdle Handicap, Hawke's Bay. £147 12s —Minnie 11., October, 1894, District Race, Ohoka and Eyreton. £139 10s—Tristan, Decpmber, 1885, County Plate, Cromwell. J6137 3s—Sebastopol, May, 1892, Welter Handicap, Geraldine. £136 16s—Disappointment, May, 1891, Trot, Auckland. £135—Dead Shot, December, 1894,

Nursery Handicap, Auckland. £134 2s—Moderation, April 1895, Wei-

ter Handicap, South Canterbury. £131 5s —Moonee, January, 1890, Hack Race, Wellington. £123 18s —Dorothy, February, '1891,

Hack Hurdle Race, Manawatu. £122 8s —Dundonald, January, >1892, Maiden Plate, Waikouaiti. *£120 17s—Adamant, February, 18S3, Dunedin Cup. £114 6s—Malvina, March, 1887, District Handicap, Peninsula. £113 Bs—Sly Sam. May, 1885, Trot, New Brighton. £103 19s—Little Tom, March, 1894, Pony Race, Auckland. £'103 10s —Catesby, June, 1888, Winter Handicap, Auckland. £102 12s —Frances, April, 1895, Flying Handicap, Beaumont. £101 14s—Love Shot, November, 1894, Juvenile Stakes. Christchureli. £101 2s —Blackthorn, January,.; 1892, Trot, Yincent. £10016s—Hanlan, October, 1889, Hack Race, Lowburn. £322 4s —Leo Delaval, January, 1902, Hack Handicap, Takapuna. [£122 4s —Ballistite, 1902, Settlers'

Hack Handicap, Napier Park. *£2 ticket. | Dividends paid on first and second horses.

The sensational dividend declared at Takapuna brings to my mind an even more sensational case of a like order recorded on the colonial turf. At the South Australian Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, held in May, 1881, a horse who racc-d under the initials of his owner,

" D.0.D.," won the Goodwood Handicap, and a dividend of £836 was the result. From the following extract bearing on the surprise, which I have unearthed from an old scrapbook, it will be seen that it was a sensational case in more ways than one. The extract reads: —" Great excitement was caused owing to a mistake made in working the totalisator. When the Goodwood Handicap was over the machine showed that of £904 invested no one had backed the winner._ Directly afterwards, however, a winning ticket was presented, duly embossed, and Mr Barnard endeavoured to explain to the crowd that the mistake arose in consequence of the number being shown in the wrong compartment. The crowd refused to hear him at first, but eventually they were partially satisfied. Mr Smith, a farmer, was the lucky holder of the ticket, and he received £836 for the £1 which be invested."

The victory of Ben Blair in the Royal Handicap at Takapuna is entitled to rank as one of tbe most genuine surprises associated with the North Shore ground. Entered to be sold for £20 for the Auction Stakes, run at Avondale, he was allowed to go at an advance of £10 on that sum ; and with none the best of tne weights in the Royal Handicap, and the company against which he was pitted being _ held to be above the standard, it seemed to be quite in order that hS should be held in light esteem. In the decision of the race Ben Blair showed himself capable of calling up a dash of pace that showed he was quite eligible to try conclusions with the class he was opposing, for there was no element of fluke in the victory to go down to his credit. It was by no stolen march that Ben Blair claimed the attention of the judge, for he had to come along from the head ot the straight to cut down the leaders, and the grit he displayed showed him up in quite attractive colours.

When Tambourina was in the hands of the auctioneer at Ellerslieon Wednesday last, J. Gallagher bid 75 guineas, and she went down to his account. If it was a sale, the well-known jockey made a good deal, as the race she won on the day after standing in the sale ring was worth 90 sovs.

Though Sol has received hia fullest deserts in list Sib for the Great Northern Steeplechase he is in good request. The Soult gelding is training on nicely. An English buyer has offered 5000 guineas for Collarit, but it has been refused by the colt's owner, Mr W. P. Crick. As regards the advisability of racing two year olds at all, it all depends on the youngsters themselves (writes " Boondi" in the Referee;. It's like the old conundrum : " Is life worth living ? Answer, " All depends upon the liver. Morpeth, The Admiral, and scores of other horses could bo quoted to that a horse can win as a two year old and keep on doing it for quite a long time after. At two years old the great Ormonde won 3000 guineas ; at three years he won £21,552; and at four years he won the Gold Gup at Newmarket with 100 to 3 on him, arid he was well backed, too. Of course, Ormonde was a marvel, for he roared like the great Bull of Basban, but when trainer Sorter said: " by he looks lite a d el great coach-horse," our present King dryly observed: " I wish I had four like him in my coach to-day. " Teddy " is no mean judge ot a llyer, however, for it was on his recommendation that Baroa de Hirsch gave 500 "uineas for the rather weedy-lookm 0 La Fletciie i" The Arrow") as a yearling, ancl she won him a pretty littl pile !, F. Gretton gave 360 Z u J n ™* *°l Konomy as a yearling, raced him at two years, and lie lasted long enoug to win his owner *110,000, and to al.o beget Isinglass and Common.