SPORTING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 354, 27 March 1889, Page 3

SPORTING NEWS.

[By Hiitoxa in the " Auckland Star."]

' This year's nominations for the New Zealand Cup show a falling off in numbers ; in fact,' they are the smallest yet received. However, almost evei\\ horse of nobo in the colony has been entered' excepting Maxim and Gipsy King. Mr Stead figures with three entries opposite his name — "Rose Argent, Scots Grey, and Rainbow-— and the Hon. W. Robinson, whom everyone would be glad to see ouce more score a good win, has nominated Chain Shot, Exchange and Merrie England. Auckland owners have responded liberally, lor we have in tlis list Lady Norah, Quadrant, Cuirassier, Hilda, Cissy, Corunna, Fabulous, and Dolosa. Recluse showed very different form in the Hawke's Bay Cup on Monday lastto that which he exhibited some few days previously in the Wanganui Cup. His two performances at the gathering were of a very high order, and certainly add to his reputation. Local turfites were very sweet on the chances of Lady if o rah and Leopold, while ' Recluse was almost neglected in the specu- • lation that took place on the event. Leopold made amends on the second day for his recent disappointments by annexing the Burke Memorial Stakes, but it i* quite certain that he is many removes below firstclass. For the Chrbtchurch Great Autumn Handicap, 1\ mile, mu at Hiccarton on Easter" Monday, the following have accepted: — Dudu, 9st 51b ; Silvcrmark, Bst 71b ; Ruby, 7s t 121b ; British Lion, 7s t 121b ; Lady Florin, 7st 51b ; Captain Cook, 7st3lb : Vandal, 7dfc 2ib ; Ravenswing, Tst 2lb ; St. Clair, 6st 21b ; Mon Loup, 6&t 101b ; Wakatipu, 6st : Rainbow, 6st. The woights for the A.R.C. Easter Handicap and Steeplechase will make their appearance at the end of next week. The Hendersons Mill Turf Club Meeting on 'Saturday last "was noticeable for the number of surprises,^ the favourites being bowled over in ; every' event .'on v the card. Signess's win in the Cup'^was" unlooked,for •by'evetyone except those intimately^ connected with the stable', and they benefited to > fair amount. Tetford was made, a great "pot." but for some reason Pearson took him from a good position in the early part of the race, which he never lecovered. There was no end of growling over the running in the Hurdle Race, and I must say those: who indulged in it had plenty of reason on their side. The stewards of the Club took the matter in hand during the week, and have summoned the parties interested to appear before them. I see by a Melbourne paper that there is some talk of Mr D. OBrien taking up his residence there. During, the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting week, Mr Stead had Russley submitted to auction, and he found a purchaser in Mr D. Fountain for £3,100. Thunderbolt was also put up, and became'the pioperty "of Mr S. Blackler, 1 the Adelaide stud- master, at 220 guineas. Retort was purchased by, a Mi- Brown for 330 guineas, and Hartlands fell to Mr G. H. Rotton's bid of £200. Two of the weightiest sporting gentlemen in New Zealand are Mr Henry Redwood, '• Father of the New Zealand Turf/ and Mr Ufiki Mum, of Rangitikei. Both were present at the Wanganui Meeting, jand each weigh over 21st. While 'at Wanganui, J. Kean, the local trainer, disposed of the two-year-old colt Boulanger '(by Grand Prix — Fleurette), to Mr J. Paul, the owner of Foxton, and he purchased a' Musket— Lyra colt named CMartini-Enfield. The Hoji.~J: White headed Che list of winning' owners at' the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting with £3,577 18s, having scored with his horses five firsts, six seconds, and a.-third.. Last year, with nine win*, to his credit, x he w0n, £7,724. Mr Donald Wallace, who was thirdjon the list la^-ear, has gone up a step higher, the stakes won by him during the 'meeting being £2,246. all of which, barring £30, was won by Carbine. Mr Steaajs a close third with £1,918 ; "then follow Messrs M. Jacobs and J. O'Loughlan. Of the jockeys, Hales and' OBrien each scored three "wins, and Power, Coirigan and Clifford 'were each successful on two .occasions." Mtfsket headed the list of winning sires. It is stated that one of the best-looking horses at the recent Wanganui meeting was Leander, a. three-year-old colt by Natator from Foam by Ravensworth out of Maid of the Misti and therefore a relative of Dudu's, whose dam Fame is by The Painter out of Maid ot* the' Mist .' He improved every gallop he got. * Had be got home in the Flying when Recluse was 'left at the post, his backers would have received something like £150 for each pound invested. The turf scribes throughout Australia enthused in their best style over the running of Carbine andLochiel on the concluding days of the V.R.C. Autumn Meeting. A Sydney scribe says it was quite as galling to note- two New Zealand- bred hor=es fighting the finish out ,for such on important race as the Loch Plate, as it was to gee them appropriate the, Australian Cup, Champion Stakes, All- Aged Stakes, &c. That " most of the important events of the meeting should have been won by hor&es hailing from Maoriland is not surprising, remembering the many good deeds at others who have vi&itecl the colonies irom the same quarter, and Mr Stead's success will doubtless act as an incentive- to .other racing men to attempt like results. Save that the Australian Peer went wrong in his preparation, this colony was represented by its strongest hand, fo was Victoria, con sequently no reasonable excuse can be tendered for . the decisive defeats administered by the small band ot New Zealanders. Anent the Loch Plate "Vigilant" also discourses thus: — The finish was a magnificent one, and the performance stamps Carbine as one of the gamest and best colts who ever trod turf. Lochiel, of course, was badly handicapped by being' compelled to make his own pace, and I certainly tliink that if the race were run over again, Prince Charlie's son would win Still, Carbine's feat was phenomenal. On Thursday all the shrewdest turfites, accredited judges of the thoroughbred, agreed in bestowing on Lochiel the title of the best horse in Australia. Many even went further, and styled him the best horse ever seen in Australia. Mr ft. Ray oliered £800 for Recluse on the morning of the second day's racing at Wanganui/but the owners of tho colt demanded four figures. According to an Australian paper, the yearling colt .by Creswiek, from. Nancy Lee, purchased by Mr James Monaghan at Melbourne, is destined tor New Zealand. Reviewing the- recent V.R.C. Meeting, c< Vigilant " writes : — I think we saw the winner of the next Derby in the Nursery Handicap. His name very appropriately is Dreadnought (by Chester— Trafalgar), and his most dangerous opponent in the struggle for the Blue Riband will be Richelieu, who beat him. Dreadnought, however, was then left at toe post many'lengths behind his. field ; but as it was, he displayed a marvellous dash of ■ foot, and finished third. We shall hear from him at our Spring Meeting. Rudolph doesn't seem himself, and I think the chestnut son of Chester 1 have referred. to above will prove the best of tho two-year-olds we have seen out this autumn.

I learn' from Sydney fchafc Cinderella is more seriously injured than was at tiist supposed to be the ease. The cause of the mishap is due fcp the mare haying .fallen back when leaving her box. She ia now under thecare.of a veterinary surgeon, who is of opinion that she lias strained herself intern ally. l " The " Sportsman " recently issued a circular to several Au&tralian owners and trainers to furnish their views on the improvement in horses between tv. o and three, and three and four years of age. The replies show that there is a unanimous opinion that a three-year-old is better in the spring at a mile than he was as a two-year-old the previous autumn, but the experts differ widely on the question of his advance from tlneo to four years. They think, though, that many horses are absolutely at their best in the latter end of their three - year - old career. In accounting for the comparative) failure of the three-year-olds to win big 'handicaps early in the spring, .several coi respondents would appear to have- hit upon the right explanalion. Put briefly, all, or nearly all, the first-class three-year-olds— the 18-carat division — are prepared during the winter for the Derby and other clas&ic races, and 'tis consequently, as a rule, only the secondrater A\ho runs tor any handicap of importance, baning the Melbourne Cup. Mentor certainly won a couple of handicaps as a three-year old, but Mentor was an excep tionally good colt, and he only had 6st 71b in the saddle when he won in the spring. The Melbourne Cup has only once been won by a three-year-o'd carrying more than 7st, and then 'twas a Dei by winner who did tho trick. Little Jack was the only three-year-old able to win a Caultield Cup, and he had but Gsfc 111b in the saddle. All these illustrations are diuwn from the spring, but turn to the autumn records and a%-ery different tale is told. Barwon, Gasworks, Eichmond, First King, Navigator, Trident and Garlyon>each carried eight stone or moie — barring Barwon and Richmond, who had 7sb 81b and 7st 131b, good weights for three-year-olds — and won the Australian Cup comfortably. Eight three-year-olds have won the Sydnoy Cup, Australian Peer, the last winner, canying Bst 61b. These facts go a long' way towards proving that the average horse is almost if not quite as good in the autumn of his three-year-old caieer as he is as a young four-year-old.