SPORTING MEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 194, 5 August 1875, Page 2

SPORTING MEMS.

Speculation on turf matters is becoming active in Australia as the opening ofthe racing season approaches, and the Hawkesbury meeting, on the 25th and 20th instant, is looked forward to with, eagerness as likely to show how. the cracks of last year engaged in the maiden meeting of the season have wintered. In the Handicap, Calumny is regarded as favorably weighted at Bst 41bs, being 41bs less than is assigned her in the Sydney Metropolitan, and 811)8 less than her weight for the Melbourne Cup. Calumny is the only New Zealander engaged at Hawkesbury, and her chance for the big race is regarded as very rosy if she can be brought out fit. The latest odds about her were 5 to 1, a point in advance of Groldsborough, who shows next in the betting at 100 to 16. The following recapitulation of the performances of Calumny is from the Leader, and the writer is speculating on her chance for the race in question : — " I have a great regard for Calumny, Bst 41bs, who was never in any condition in the early part of last season. Towards .the autumn, however, she fared better, commencing by winning the Grand Stand Stakes at Geelong, of one mile, under 7st Gibs, beating Polidori, 7st lllbs, and Atlanta, Bst 21bs. In this event there was no time taken, which matters little, as auyone could see she won it easily. A better test was provided the next day in the Geelong Handicap of a mile and a half, Calumny again being the winner. On this occasion she wa*. carrying 7st 51bs, to Light of Day Gst lOlbs, Calaba 7st lOlbs, and Lurline Bst 71bs. It must be admitted that her weight was not a very serious impediment to success, yet she again won easily in 2mins 46secs. We next find ber running in tbe Brmswick Stakes under Bst lib, heating Lurline Bst lOlbs, Benjiroo 7st 91bs, Wollomai 7st lOlbs, &c, doing the mile and a quarter in 2m ins lisecs, without auy great exertory. This led to the Newmarket Handicap, where she carried Bst to victory, in a race of three quarters of a mile, beating a large anda good field of horses. From thence she was taken to Kyneton, where her weight was raised to Bst 81bs in the Handicap ; here she disposed of "VVollomai 7st 91bs, Lapidist 7st 71bp, Calaba 7st 71bs, Prophet, 7st 71bs, Sunbeam 7st 51bs, Ella 7st 21bs, Daybreak Gst 81bs, and Gloom Gst 91b.. This was clearing the board with a vengeance, yet it must be remembered that a mile aud three quarters is the greatest distance she travelled during the many races. Not that I do not think her equal to the other quarter of a mile, which I now allude to, because it ,is held by some who knew her well in J New Zealand that it is beyond her ! distance. Ail I can say is, she always |

looked more like continuing than the field behind her, and if thoroughly fit to race I think she will capsize this idea about her staying. She is a well- made mare, with great strength, andabeiutiful, long, low-sweeping stride, and, excepting Goldsborough, there is nothing among the top weights I prefer to her." For the Metropolitan, the Governor's colt, Kingsborough, is the favorite at 100 to 15, followed by Stirling, the winner of the race last year, at 100 to 10, to whom succeeds Llama, Goldsborough, Eose d' Amour, and Eeprieve at 100 to 7. For the Melbourne Cup, Imperial, who is remarkably well in, stands at the top of the list at 100 to 8, followed by Echo at 100 to 5, Kingsborough, Goldsborough, Neotsfield, Marquis of Lome, Scanmag, Dilke, Don Giovanni, at 100 to 4, and then a long list of animals, including the New Zealand horses Castaway aud Templeton, at 100 to 3. Lurline is evidently not fancied for the Spring Handicaps, as her running in the early part of last season was so indifferent . For the New Tear's Day Champion Bace she shares with Goldsborough, The Diver, Rose de Florence, and Melbourne, the odds of 100 to 10, Maid of all Work and The Painter following at 100 to 7, while Kingsborough is at the head of the betting at 100 to 12. In the vveight-for-age race the advantage will be greatly in favor of the " grand old mare," as the Australian press has taken to call Lurline, as it will be also for that smart filly Maid-of-all-Work, who is assigned the heaviest relative weight in the Melbourne Cup except Lurline. Sportsmen in this colony will be glad to learn that the ensuing volume of the "New Zealand Stud Book " will contain a likeness of Lurline, photographed from a well executed painting of the mare. Ifc is a healthy sign for the turf in New Zealand thafc breeding studs are 1 being formed in various parts of the colony. In Duuedin, Mr George Dodson has secured several well bred mares, principally from Mr Nosworfchy iu Canterbury, and Mr Kedwood, in Marlborough. Mr Dodson has an imported thoroughbred horse Cassibelaunus, a son of Caracfcacii3, winner of fche Derby, out of Campanile, by Stockwell, dam by Velocipede. Here is blood that should produce race horses, and enable Ofcago to hold ifcs own against horses from any part of the colony— which she hitherto has failed to do. In Canterbury, Mr Griffiths has four imported mare's afc his stud, all with first-class pedigrees, and has the choice of three imported stallions — the well-known Traducer, Albany, aud Blue Boy— both of the latter being sous of Derby winners, the first by Thormanby out of a Touchstone mare, ■and the latter by Beadsman oufc of a Voltigeur mare. Mr Griffiths was so unfortunate as to lose a fifth mare which he imported— Aurifera — who died in Canterbury some weeks ago with a foal in her, got in England. At Hawke's Bay Mr E. Farmer owus several good mares, and having secured Papapa, will be able to send them to a highly promising young horse; while Mr Allan M'Lean, of Tuki-Tuki, in the same province, has commenced biding from some choice damsels, to wit, Flying Scud, a daughter of thafc greafc horse Fisherman, out of a Little John mare, and Songstress, daughter of Eavensworfch and Skybird, who has grown into

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a very grand Jady. Tbe former of these is heavy io foal to the celebrated Tim Wiffler, imported to Melbourne ; aod the latter, to Mr M 'Lean's own horse Kingfisher, bred in South Austml a, Who is fall of good running blood. We obaerve the same gentleman has just purchased in Melbourne, " Arab Child" a recent importation from India of pure Khylan biood. Hd is represented as very handsome, and we have great faith in an Arab cross when judiciously mide. In Auckland, Captain Walmsley owns Setdmere, whom he uses for his own roare*, while the services of the eon of Daniel O'Rourke are made use of by Mr Walters and otber northern breeders. Mr Watt of Auckland and Han kes 'Bay has several choice mares, whose produce wili some day be heard of. Wanganui has several good mares, and a " Stud Compauy'' was talked of there a short time ago, but nothing came of it. Breeders io Wanganui are not at a loss for tbe services of a well bred etalltOD, 88 the French horse Gladiator, a son of the celebrated Gladiateur, who made such a clean sweep of alt the great three-year-old races in England ten years ago, is owned io the diatrict, and Mr John Walker has a son of Peter Flat, out of an imported Sugarplum mare. In Marlborough Mr Redwood is sticking to his fillies oat of that most aristocratic dam Waimea, and will in a little time possess quite a family of thera. He can find nothing better, go where he will, as time bas showa and will continue to show. There are several stallions of good blood in different parts of the colony, but it is good mares that are most needed. However, these will now rapidly increase. ; A little Hberalty on the part of the Steam Companies whose vessels ply on our coast, would be a great encouragement to racing. The expense of conveying horses from port to port is far too high, particularly when there are three or four from one stable, and full cha.jge is exacted for each, with passage* money' for jockeys. When there was a competing line of steamers, more consideration was shown, but wben the N'Z.S.S. Company obtained a manoply of the trade, they abandoned a liberal policy >for that of «• get-all-we-can." This, to eay the least, was short sighted, and if the owners of the oew boats, eo much more roomy than the old ones for carrying-horses, are alive to tbeir own interest, .they will sacrifice something to induce horses to travel from meeting to meeting, aod will reap a rich reward iu increased passenger traffic Tbe late Epsom Derby lacked the interest which generally attaches to the greatest three year old race of the year. The absence of Holy Friar — disqualified by the death of his venerable and reverend owner, who last year gave up his church living rather than give up hia, racing stud—left the race to tLe mercy of Galopin, who started at the Short odds of 2to 1 . Claremont who had always held a forward position in thia batting was a respectable second, but the rest of the field were nowhere, including the Two Thousand winner, Cambello. The time, 2 mins 48 sees, was fast, being within four seconds of ihe fastest time ever aiade in the race, ..Death has terminated the career of I another fiue old patron ot the turf— -Sir i Joseph Hav? ley, at lhe age of sixty. Sir-tTps^pb, wbo from hiseuccees on the turf, A* earned the title of ibe "lucky baronet," woo no less than four Darbys, Resides Oaks, Legers, aad One and Two Thousand Guineas, the Ascot Cup, aod a long string of minor races.' 11l healtb led the baronet to retire from ttie tuif ayear ago. Of sportsmen of Kis [ class we would say, • < May their shadow never grow less. '