[By Hippona in the " Auckland Star."]

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 360, 17 April 1889, Page 6

[By Hippona in the " Auckland Star."]

Perhaps fche most important turf item of tho week has been the cable announcement of the victory of the Auttralian-Hed Kingmaster on an English racecourse. It is worthy of more than passing comment from the fact that this is tho first season a flat racer who first saw the light in this new world has bport d .silk in England, and although the Billesdon Plate which Ringmaster won is only a s>mail handicap of a couple of hundred sovereigns, and run over live furlongs, still it shows our hortes can win laces in England, and gives us hope that when the Hon. James White throws down tho gauntlet next year with his Kiikham-biod pair of colts, we may at lea^t anticipate a fair measure of success. During Ringmaster's Australian career, he always played what may be dubbed a " mysteiious" part. Ho was persistently fancied for big handicaps, but unfortunate punters over and over again had the worst of the deal, and as an end to his Australian caieer it was publicly put forth that he had boen sent to Western Australia, while at tho same time he was on his way to England. While in Australia Ringmaster's best performance was winning the Caulfield Guineas, Dunlop being second. His sire, First King, is colonial- bied, and it is claimed for him that he was the best three-year-old seen out up to the pre?o*it time. Yardley, the dam of Ringmaster, was imported from England. It may bo mentioned that Ringmaster is a full brother to Lonsdale, and 1* being raced by Mr J. E. Saville, who trained the sensational First "Water when he ran second to MaitiniHenry for the Melbourne Cup. Up to the last advice, there had been very little betting on the Sydney Gold Cup, and not one of the .-tables had made a move. In the wageiing transacted, Abercorn has had the pull. A couple of thousand is recorded as having been taken about Manton. but there was no genuine ring about the commission. Lochiel and Carbine have both been doing excellent work afc Flemington, and were due to arrive in Sydney this week. What a wonderful colt the English-bred Donovan has piove r l himself ! L^st season he won ele\en out of thirteen races he started for, and retired into his winter quarter' the winner of £16,487, tho largest amounr in stakes ever credited to a two-year-old. Now the cable apprise* us that at the first time of asking this season, he annexes the Prince of Wales Stakes of ll.OOOovs. The colt is engaged in all the '" classic " events of the present season, and it looks as if the Duke of Portland, his owner, will repeat his Ayrshiie victory of last year. The Duke is senior steward ot the Jockey Club, and is only 32 years of age. He wasextraordinarily successful with his horses last season, and owned the great St. Simon, who it is thought would have won the Derby and St. Legcr of his year had he been entered. Donovan comes fiom a winning family on each side — his sue, Galopin, having won the Dei by in a canter, and Mowerina (his dam) in her day could •• skip" with the be^t of them, as is proved by her victory in the Doncaster Portland Plate with 9st 51b. Galopin himself was by Voltigeur's son Vedette, and Mowerina is a daughter of Scotti&h Chief (grandson of Touchstone) and Stockings, by Stockwell. Donovan's remarkable success is further proof of the wisdom of sticking to winning families. Mr D. O Brien is back again in Christ church, and it tarns out that the statement with regard to his permanently taking up his residence in Victoiia is not without foundation. At the present time nothing is definitely settled, but he has lei b the yearling colt he purchased behind him in Foulsham's hands. Major George's quartette of yearlings, Coalscuttle, by King Cole - Florence ; Mi=s Cole, by Kiug Cole — Tenambra ; Vendetta, by St. Alban? — The Maid; and Reprisal, by First King— Memphis, have been broken in and handled. They are a splendid-looking lot, and the owner of the " black and white hoops" should have a deal to say in the settlement of the two-year-old races next season. The following have paid up for the Christchurch Great Autumn Handicap ;—; — Dudu, 9st 51b; British Lion, 7&b 121b; Rubj', 7st 121b ; Vandal, 7sfc 21b ; Ravenswing, 7st2lb; St Clair, 6st 121b ; Monloup, 6st 101b ; and Wakatipu, 6fct. By papers to hand I gather that Dudn is being served up warmly for the event. She is" striding along at Riccarton in her best style, and whatever beats her should win. I see that Peter Osheck started at a couple of meetings held near Melbourne. In the steeplechase of two mile*, at Moonee Valley, with list 71b, he fini&hed an indifferent third. Shamrock, 9st 121b, being returned the winner, while he failed to gain a place in a weight-for-age Selling" Race at Oakleigh Park, which Bonnie Chester won In both events Peter Osbeck was raced in the name of Sam Fergus, by whom he was also ridden. At the present time, Mr W. Kelso, has seventeen horses in work at Randwick, which is the largest string. Five of the number are Auckland bied, which does not count Cinderella, who has been blistered and turned out. The Hon J. White has I fifteen in work, viz., Cranbrjok, Carlyon, Abercorn, Spice, Escort, lanthe, Rudolph, Sinecure, Dreadnought, Plutarch, Christmas, Volley, Singapore, Lava, and Sequel. Considering that they arc owned by one man, the Sydney sportsman would requiie to net a decent amount in stakes to even pay his oat bills. Recluse bids fair to be the sensational horse of the season in respect to the number of stories told about his early days, if not in point of actual meiit. A Napier writer says that a rumour is current there to the effect that the colt was sold for £15, and that his dam, Voltarina, is in possespion of a widow lady, who lias been bo Bieged with application 4*4 * io purchase the raare, but who will neither sell nor lease her. From Wanganui, however, comes the story that Recluse was bred by Mr Copeland, and that he was such a miserablelooking foal that at one time he was actually offered to some Maoris in exchange for eight Maori pigs. This would have been casting pearls before swine with a vengeance. Strange to say, tl.e Maoris held no more flattering opinion of the foal thaft his owner, and the exchange was refused. It is needless to say that thos-e nativee aie rather sore upon the subject of the colt's merits now, and they do not like to discuss the question of the rn^ible value of pork ii its wild, uncured and unkilled state. The Queensland Tujl Club hove been ! mulct in £250 damages and costs in the action brought by Mr Alfred Court, a trainer and horse-owner. Through pome means or other a notice appeared in the " Q.T.C. Calendar " to the effect that Court was a defaulter, which turned out to be untrue, and he went for damages £2000. The defence was that the defendants were nob the.owners and publishers of the newspaper in question, and that even if they

were they had printed an apology in the subsequent number, which the plaintiff accepted as satisfaction for any injury cau&ed to him.