SPORTING MEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 226, 7 September 1875, Page 2

SPORTING MEMS.

The success of Calumny ia the Hawkesbwy Handicap must confirm the impression created by her, and Lurline's achievements Fast year on the Australian Turf, that New Zealand is able to breed horses able to compete with the best io any other colony. Wlih the exception of Goldsborough, the daughter of Gitana and Trnducer carried the greatest weight of any animal that ran (Bsfc 4lbs), and the time* 3 mins 35 aeca, was faster, we believe, by a second than any two mile race has ever been run in before in the colonies. Dagwortb, 4 year oM, 7at slba, won the Metropo itan in 3 roms 36 sees, *nd Don Juan, when of the same age, the Melbourne Cap in the same, time, carrying 6st 12lbs. Sterling's Metropolitan time last sear «88 3ou<is 36£secs, and The Prophet's Sydney Cup time (3yrs, 6st lOlbs), 3mins 36|secs. But The Barb in the fame race, when 5s year old, carrying lOst 81bs, and. winning in3mins 40aecs. was the crowoing two mile performance. Calumny's vktory ia another score for the Sir Hercules blood, her dam G tana, being a daughter of that Prince of colonial stallions. As Calaoioy has incurrel a penalty of slbs by her late victory, her weight in the Metropolitan will be Sat 13lbs, tha Eandwick bandicapper having assigned her four pounds more than was given her at Hawkesbury. This will bring her weight to within 71bs of Lurline'a, who will cury9st6lba>n the Randwick Handicap. We hope the weight will not deter Mr Wallace trying conclusions against the cracks of the united colonies. It will be a great disappointment to sportsmen, both in New Z-aland and Australia, should neither Castaway, Templeton, nor King Phillip, entered for the Melbourne Cap, proceed to Victoria. We say nothing of the two latter horses, as we regard them of a class below Cup winners, but the broiher o£ Lurlinaisa different animal, and with only 7at I3lbson his back, hnded sound and well, shonld have as good ,a chance for the great Australian pize as any horse enterel for it. Will Mr Campbell, after entering his horse, and getting him favorably weighted, show the white feather? We fear so, as no steps appear to have been taken for sending Castaway to Melbourne, and the lime for doing so and giving him a chance of winning, has nearly, if not quite, expired. In racinu, as in many other speculations, it is "nothing venture, nothing have," or, as says another proverb, "Faint heart never won fair lady." Lurline, with Mr S. Gardiner's other horses eng<ged at liandwick on the 4th, 7th 9th, nnd llth mat, left Melbourne in charge of Mr Dakin in the middle of last month. The form of the mare was perfect, and declared to be better than she hai ever before shown. The Australasian expects to see "The great New Zealand mare, and the mighty Kingsborough, fighting it out at the finish " in the Metropolitan. On her return to Melbourne Lurline will visit The Peer, and it i* understood will be scraiched for her subsequent engagements. Mr Woodhouse his been engaged to paint her portrait for Mr Gardiner, from which photographs will be taken lor the volume of the •• New Zealand Stud Book " now printing. Two paintings of the mare have already been made by artists of Inferior repute, and the compiler of the Stad Book haa been offered hii choice of either of these for hia work, but a* Mr Woodhouae's paintings are regarded as superior to those of any >; other animal painter in Australia, Mr Elliott has widely, we think, determined to wait for a likeness that is sure to be a good one. Programmes have been issued by three ef the principal clut?s ia our own colony for some of their meeting this coming season. Canterbury's Metropolitan Moating is sec down for the IO;h, utb, and 12th of November, and the public money advertised is £1350. The programme is but little varied from former ones. The Derby has thirty-seven subscribers, being four less than last year, and ia sure to ace a good field. At present, Kauri, by Towton, out of Waitnei, is the favorite, but Mr Kedwood has alao The Chief, a fine slashing colt out of Queen of the South, who won his maiden race so easily at Kowai Pass last autumn, and three others, in the race. Of course, all the cresm ot the ibxee year olds in the colony, from Auckland to Utago, are tntered, as also a highly bred Victorian colt owned by Me Hill, by Maribyrnoog, oufc of Miss Warrior. The Phoebe colt, Kanolf, sold by Mr Kedwood to Mr Mallock; was not entered for the Derby. The Cup will be a great race, and probably see the largest fisld of horses thus ever started in Canterbury. Supposing nothing goes wrong, we may expect Tamburini, Castaway, Templeton, Wainul, Kanolf, and the be3t of the Derby hordes, at the post, and possibly representatives from . Auckland and Otago. Papapa will be absent a* he goes to tha ami, it being doubtful whether he could stand a preparation. With so many steamers runniag, the inducement of half-fares would tempt a large number of person* to pay the Canterbury meeting and cattle show a visit. The following is the latest betting :— la the doubltg for the Cup and Derby, the tnosc ia favor are Kauri and Castaway, 100 to 10 taken freely; 100 to 8 anything elte offered. The most ia call for the Derby are Kauri, Castilian, an.i The Chief, at from 5 to 10 to 1 taken and offered, and for the Cup, Castaway, Phoebe colt, Kauri, aud Ternpleton, at from 6 to 10 to 1/ Uken and offered. I Wellington has a respectable programme for the 7th and Bth of December, the public money amounting to £795. Nominations for the Derby and Cup must be made by the Ist of October. Dunedin comes oufc strongly this season. j The S6 Andrew's Meeting has be«n extended to two days, November 30 and December 1, and the public money advertised is £485. But Dunedin's greit mealing is in the autumn, March 23, 24. and 25. For these three days' races £1650 will be given in stakes, the plum of the meeting being, as usual, the Cup, a handicap eweepsiaVe of ten Boys, with 400 soya added. It is not unlikely that some of the best horses in the colony will be reserved for Dunedin, and we shall not be surprised if a horse or two was sent down from Melhourne to strive for a slice of the puiding, notwith»t»nding the ill success that has always attendad similar ventures. Cheap steam fares would largely increase the number of visitors to the Forbury course. Mr Kedwood will have a strong team of horses this se>son, and if they are a* gcod as they are numerous, hia winnings should be considerable. At Christchurch, Wainui, Guy Fawkes, and the three-year-olda Cock-sure (Certainty colt), Haruka (Fair Puritan colt), Kauri (Waime* colt), Lillipea (Shrovetide' colt), Tho Chief (Queen of the South colt), and Kuku (Fair Agnes filly), have done sttady work during the winter months, and are now in excellent fettle. At the studtarm, Spring Creek, Hercules, half-broher to Malvina, who is now in Mr Redwood's bands, has become more tractable, and is in excellent condition, as also ia Nora, a three-year-old filly out of the same mare, by Towton. Another three-year-old is Amohia, by j Towton, out of Anticipation, by Ravens worth— dam Coronaria, by Sweetmeat, and a perfect beauty. She is rather small, but very muscular, and promises to uphold the reputation of the Sweetmeat blood, which, when j transmuted through fillie?, haa often proved of the very first class. The twr-year-o!ds ' ia preparation at Spring Creek are Purijf,'! colt out of Waimea, Maroro, colt out of. Fair Agnes (a daughter of Phoabe. by St. Auhyrf)^ Taha. fllly out of Harakeke (daughter tifc Waiinea), Queea Moe, out of Queen of tfel

bonth, Songster, cole oufc of Skybird, Sfiirftbout, colt out of i-hrovetide, and Amanda, filly out of MaMna's dam— all by Towton. isevera! ot these youngsters show great premise and particularly the Waimea colt, who h being « inquired alter." The- yearlings are ol a In number, three bßing by Towton, and the remainder by Dead Shot. The lattet are ail ro/ta, andare a credit to their sire. The W»imea yearling, Wai-iti, is a fllly, rather flHt-sided but of great length and height, with excellent legs. The brood mares at bpriog Creek are eleven in number, ani Wainat, who h to be sect to Tcaducet in Oantee"ury, will make up a dozen, which is the maximum uumber Mr Redwood purposes to se.-p. It i-» probable that both Waimea and loi-toi will- al 8 o be Bent to Canterbury fco 'is t Twducer, the fee for whose services is Of t guineas a mare This is not bad for a hor«n that could once have been purchased for £60.