SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5847, 25 December 1879, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

-“Tam o J Shanter,” writing in the Tasma-. man Mail, concerning the Wanganui £IOOO, race, says :—“ Glen Innea and Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, and Hobarfcon, have already tried the experiment of 1000 sovb. handicap, and why should not Wanganui try her hand at the business 1 I say let her try it by all means, but the good folks of the district, I am afraid, will not repeat the dose, for they will find that throwing all their eggs : nto one basket, to be smashed up at one kick, is not a profitable game. Can they afford to add decent sums to some of the >ther races in their programme ? That is a; very important question. Look before you leap, I say to the Wanganui sportsmen, for experience has .taught (other clubs that they s made great blunders when they essayed the heavy business.” At. the sale of horses, the property of Lord ; Anglesey and Lord Falmouth, heavy reserve' prices prevented much business being done. : The former’s Early Morn was bought by Lord Wilton for 2000 guineas, and Caxtonian by Lord Howe for 1300 guineas ; while Prestonpans'was, after being passed in 5900 guineas,' bought by Mr. Gretton for 6000 guineas. Lord Falmouth’s Silviowaapassed in at7ooo guineas; Quern’s Messenger at 4500 guineas ; Kingcraft at 4000 guineas ; Whirlwind at 3000 guineas ; Skylark at 2500 guineas ; Leap-year at 1950 guineas : and Childeric at 1000 guineas. The Derby winner Sir Bevys has left the turf, owing to his roaring ailment. Rayon d’Or has won for Count de Lagrange this season eight races, worth £17,996 ; and last year two, worth£2/10 —in all £20,676 in stakes alone.

; The English Jockey Club at a recent meeting considered the desirability of framing some rule for licensing jockeys, and putting a stop' to jockeys being owners of racehorses and betting on races, and the meeting appeared to be almost unanimous on the subject. A proposal for a rule was promised by one of the stewards, Mr. Graver, who subsequently gave notice of motion as follows :—“ All jockeys shall be licensed. Should it be satisfactorily proved to the stewards of the Jockey Club that any licensed jockey is the owner or partowner of racehorses, or that he is in the habit of betting, they shall use their discretion as to withdrawing such jockey’s license. Any person proved to have betted for or with any jockey on races may be warned off Newmarket Heath.”