SPORTED NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 40, 7 June 1876, Page 2

SPORTED NOTES.

" Pavo " states in the " Morning Post " that whatever interest may attach to the performances of Mr. Sanford's string of American horses in England during the forthcoming season, far greater curiosity will be created by a series of intended trials at Newmarket between English and Arabian horses to test their relative speeds and powers of endurance. Believing in the Arab's superiority, Mr. Chaplin has recently unpolled from the East four Arabians of the highest caste, which were purchased in the interior of the country for the large sum of £2,000 by an agent well acquainted with the chiefs of the various tribes in possession of the best and purest blood ; and they have been under George Bioss's charge at Newmarket for some time past. The change of clime and scene from tli3 sandy desert tu the bracing air and elastic turf of I<Tewmarket Heath appears to have been so far beneficial to the illustrious strangers that they have thickened wonderfully since their arrival there. Sir John Astley has challenged to run the best—who enjoyed a wonderful reputation in lis own country—with Scamp, over the Beacon course, every day for a fortnight for any amount; nor would he object to take a fresh opponent daily during the same period. In the Goodwood Cup of 1847, won by The Hero (4 yrs., 9sfc. 61b.), the imported Arab horse Monarch (aged, sst. 41b.) was nowhere at the finish, though he cut out the running for a mile. He came in almost last in a held of nine.

During last year 880 horse races were ran in the United States, at the following distances':—73 under a mile, 121 at one mile, 147 between one and two miles, 42 at two miles,. 17 between two and three miles, 7 at three, 6 at four; 53 at halfmile heats, 30 -at half-mile heats best three in five, 1 at mile and a quarter heats, 44 at two mile heats ; 63 were hurdle races or steeplechases. The total value of the stakes was about £IOO,OOO.

On April 1 the sensational horse Petrarch, who had receded rapidly in the betting for the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby since he changed hands, had returned to 9 to 2 (taken) for the former race, and 6to 1 (oil) for the latter. The following list shows those next in favour: — TWO THOUSAND. 900 to 200 agst Petrarch sto 1 agst Kaleidoscope 10 to 1 agst Father Claret 11 to . 1 agst Great Tom | ~ . 100 to 8 agst Julius Csasar- * 100 to 7 agst Maelstrom DERBY. 6to 1 agst Petrarch (off; take 7to 1) 7.t0 1 agst Skylark (tk) Bto 1 agst Mineral Colt (tk) Sto 1 agst All Heart (tk) 25 to 1 agst Bay Wyncihain (off) [A cablegram published in our issue of yesterday states that Petrarch was first. Julius Ciesar second, and Kaleidoscope third.—Ed., E. M.] . - An aristrocratic pedestrian match is on the tcqus, Lord Marcus Beresford (the celebrated amateur steeplechase rider) and i ! iiord Charles Innes-Kerr having agreed to walk IQO- miles against each other for £1,000." The American pedestrian, O'Leary, has challenged his countryman, Weston, to walk in England from 1 to 500 miles for any sum from £4OO to £2,000. On February 8. at Cincinnati, Mrs. Millie Rose and Miss Alice Mat-ice finished a long distance match for 500d015., the former having walked 207 miles in 108 hours, and the latter 185 miles in the same time.

On February 9, at Baltimore, William Dietz accomplished the tedious feat of standing motionless for twelve hours. It was a very hard test of endurance, and Dietz was greatly fatigued at the conclusion.

A party of gentlemen with more time than money, intend walking from their home at Denver to the Philadelphia Exhibition. The distance is 2,500 miles, and they expect to make the trip in ninety days. The highest jump on record is said to have been accomplished on March 2 at Oxford by Mr. J. Brooks, President of the Oxford University Athletic Club. He cleared while practising sft. ll|in. A mile bicycle race for £IOO is arranged between J. Keen and F. Cooper. T. Bidduiph, the much-respected Nottingham cricketer, died on March 7. He had played for his country for fourteen years, and had been engaged at Lord's for thirteen years.

Captain Bogardus has just fired a novel pigeon match. He backed himself (in shooting at 100 yards) as follows :—IOO dols,. even that he killed 00 birds, oOdols. to lOOdois. that he killed 95 birds, and 50dols. to 230dois. that he killed the whole 100 birds. Tiie conditions were 21 3-ards rise, spr:ng trap, lsoz. shot, one barrel, and misfire another bird. Captain Bogardus had previously (in 1869) killed 100 consecutive birds, but lie then used 2oz. shot. This time he used a Scot tenbre. cMoader, and the score he made was as follows -.—lllll, 11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, 11111, inn, mil, mil, oim. urn. urn. urn. noio, 11110,11 m. urn, mil,total killed, 9G, missed 4. Time of shooting, lh. 34min. Captain Bogardus therefore cleared 150dols.

Mr. E. T. Martin, who has taken the shooting grounds at Dexter Park, has provided accommodation, for 75,000 pigeons. The Philadelphia billiard tournament will be for the following prizes :—First, 2,500d015. "'• second, l,ooodols. ; third, 750d015. ; fourth, oOOdols. ; fifth, 250d015. The 1, OOOdols. prize is" given by Mr. Frank Green, of the " New York Clipper."—Pegasus, in the Dunedin " Star."