SPORTING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1348, 28 August 1883, Page 2

SPORTING.

Sporting News from Hastings. By Breastplate 1 According to promise I send you some sporting notes which may be interesting to your Gisborne readers :— The various teams of horses engaged in the forthcoming meeting to be held here on the 9th of October next, are commencing to do useful work, some of the horses being engaged in the great event to bo run at Christchurch in November, viz , the N.Z. Cup. Martin and Gosseman have the largest string, McLean’s being the next, the former consists of Radames, Yankee, Leonata, Herculaneum, Carmen, Oberon, Mavis, with the N.Z. Cup candidates, Tim Whiflier and Mischief, their stable being full they have been obliged to erect more loose boxes, which brings their number up to twelve, and I think I may say that when they are filled, which thev will be as soon as they are finished, will make their team as large as any in New Zealand. McLean’s lot consists of Flora McDonald, a very nice looking filly, by Hero, dam, Hatred, she is the ver}' picture of her dam, and should she turn out as fast, will have no trouble in winning the Guineas. Majory, a bay filly, dam, Ngaro, brown filly out of Flying Scud, by Javelin, also tho brisk pricer, Lord of the Isles, which our handicapper has so unmercifully treated in the Spring Handicap, by inflicting the severe impost of 7st 61b on him, making him give last years winner two pounds, as well as other good performers weight. He has only started once in the Two Year Old Race, won by his stable companion, Epicure, here, las; March meeting. It is true he is a grand bred horse, but he is certainly not entitled to give Mavis and others weight, and I shall not be surprised to see the pen run through his name Mr. McLean has also a very nice looking filly, by Musket, dun, Repohc lias named her lona, although she may not show her hand at the next meeting here, I shall not be surprised to hear her give a good account of herself shortly. H. Honor has Foul Play, a colt by Hero- Renga, and Wild Davrell in work ; the old Veteran is looking thejpicture of healtn, and going very free, if he should stand his preparation, and with 9st 2lb up he ough to thave little difficulty in disposing of his opponents in the Spring Handicap, Dayrell is “looking very well, and with lOst 51b ou him will be hard to beat in the Hurdle Race. Edwards has Leonora, and a Guinea candidate by Musket, a very useful looking mare. Leonora is looking well after her winter’s spell, and as she is engaged in the New Zealand Cup, with a fair weight on her, I do not expect to see her face the shifters flig hero on the 9th of October next. The weights appeared .hero on the 22nd. They do not seem to give general satisfaction, some of the owners complaining about the weights allotted to their horses, but the acceptances will prove how many cry content. Mr. Douglas has three engaged in tho Hurdle Race, and one in each of the Handicaps. Ido not expect to sec them until the day as they are t-rain-'d in Ins private property at To Mahangu. With Jac-k Atkinson’s team, which consists of Toe Laird, lleretaunga, and Doubtful, comprises all the horses that are working on the Hastings course at present. We snail not have any of the Southern horses up for this meeting, they all being reserved for the Spring mooting there. The Laird and Kingaak arc the most fancied for tho Spring Handicap, while Wild Dayroll, Lomond, and Pastime are tho pickl'd once for the hurdles. Leonora has be n backed here for >1 considerable amount of money, for t’-e N.Z. Cup, the owner, 1 hoar, han taken 1000 to 40 about her.

The Jockey Club are having the running ground top dressed with soil, which, if it keeps fine three weeks before tho races, will bo a great improvement, but should it rain will render tho course heavy going.

In a Christchurch paper Mr John Walker, a sporting character well known in Wangaganuiand Christchurch, and who is 64 years of age, challenges the “famous” Captain Jackson Barry to run 50 or 100 yards for £5O or £lOO a side. Mr. Walker also offers that in ease the captain cannot obtain the necessary backers he will lay him £5O against the whale which Captain Barry is now exhibiting, aud if Mr Wfclker wins he will present the whale to the Canterbury Museum. The challenge is also open to anyone else of Mr Walker’s age at even money. The death of the Hon. E. K. Cox is thus referred to by “ Augur ” in the Australasian ;—“lt is with sincere regret that I have to announce the death of the Hon. E. K. Cox, one of the leading breeders of Australia, and a thorough sportsman. The deceased gentleman had for some time been a martyr to rheumatic gout, and on Tuesday last (24th ult.) he was at Penrith, but at | midday returned home complaining of severe spasms in the vicinity of the heart. He was compelled to take to his bed, and on Wednesday morning the attack terminated fatally. Mr Cox was best known on the turf as the owner of the great sire Yattendon and the breeder of the eracks Chester, Grand Flaneur, Habena, and Narina. He was passionately fond of sport, and a liberal supporter of the turf. During the last year of his life he gained the most important triumphs that ever fell to his colours, the beautiful Narina carrying the scarlet and blue to the victory in the Maribyrnong Plate, and the magnificent Darebin carrying Ost 81b home in front in the Sydney Cup ; and I fancy 1 now see the Fernhill studmaster shying his hat in the air us the grand looking son of Lurline wore down the light weights an<l beat them home. Only a few days ago I received a letter from him telling me how much Darebin hud improved, and what a priceless value he set upon him. His great ambition was to see the stock of Darebin and his Yattendon mares figuring on the turf; but, alas ! the great old scythebearer, who handicaps us all, has cut him down ere his hopes can be realised.”