THE MOUNT WELLINGTON STUD. SPORTING NEWS. By Hippona in the "Auckland Star."

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 390, 3 August 1889, Page 6

THE MOUNT WELLINGTON STUD.

SPORTING NEWS. By Hippona in the "Auckland Star."

TiiFJiK are few small studs who have turned out so many winners as thab at" Mount Wellington," and ifc is always a pleasure to me to ha^o a ramble in the paddocks there, and renew the acquaintance of the mothers ot such turt celebrities as Trenton, Cuirassier, Niagara and Co., Artillery, Hilda, Son-of-a-Uun, Scots Grey, Krnpp, and Tranter. In company with the breeder and a thorough straight-going racing enthu&ia&b, I spent Monday afternoon last looking over tho mares?, and also the yearlings which, as usual, aro to bo submitted to auction. 1 am glad to &ay that the mates are all heavily in foal. Frailty. Oiuda, Vicfoiia, Albatross, Yalfcacy, and Pungawerewero were served by Norrlenfeldb ; Necklace by St. Loger, Yivandicre by Captivaloi, and Maid of Abhol by Lcolinu.*. What" a prolific matron Frailty is, to be eiuo ! She has nevei missed since her iirsb foal Ttenton, bnfc her breeder had the miV lortune to lo&e a yearling lull brother to the celebrity named from strangles. Frailty's lecord in tho way of producing winners is a wonderful one, and it itopen to debate- it any stud matron can bo named in tho colonies who has a better one. The yearlings at Mount Wellington number nine, and "Frailty's colt, r-ircd by Nordonfeldt, who has been named Bandolier, is tho {40m ot the collection, lie is p irticulaily well gtoun, without an atom of lumber or grosbness about him, and I think ir snfe to .say ho will add to the laurels? o\ hi° fami'y. Another good-look-ing 0110 is Jlalbeit, the colt by Nordenfoldt — On id a. Ho possess a nice racing head and neck, with good middle piece, and tho splendid quarcers of the Musket tiibe. A lilly by Nordenfeldfc — Yattacy, by Yattendon, much resembles Pearl Shell when a yearling, and die looks like growing into a good one. I don'l care for the piogeny Sword Dauco has loft behind him, and the colt he ha& t-ired out of Nccklaca i? a leggy customer with few good lookt. Ho is reputed, though, to bo a fast one in the paddock, and may belie his appearance. Among the others was a likely-looking colt by Loolinns— Miid of Athol. .All the youngstcis bear evidence of being welllooked after, and it is- surpiising how healthy they arc after the sevcro weather wo have had. J saw Balista roaming about the adjacent hills, and it is the intention to have her served thi& season.

THE V.R..C. STEEPLECHASE! MEETING. The Victoria Racing Club Steeplechase Meeting proved a " benefit " for Mr K. Miller, so far as the jumping events were concoi ned. In addition to pulling off the huidlos with Redleap and the Maiden •Steeplechase with Renmaik, his '"red and while 1 ' colouis were carried to the honb in fche big cross-country race. The winner, Eacrleb, was picked up by Mr Miller in 1887 after having annexed a small hurdle race at Moonee Valley, and when he gob home among 1 the crocks, in the big steeplechase al Caulfield la«t } ear there was no little surpri.se occasioned thereat. Previous to coming 1 into the hands ot the wealthy Victorian, Eaglet's fame was gained in country handicaps and htudle laces, where ho is said to have won fully 30 laces. He is an aged gelding, by WildEagletrom amare by South Australian, and was bred by Mr William lieid. of Tolarno, on the Darling. The surprise of the race to Aucklanders is the position ot runner-up occupied by Peter Osbeck. [ never thought the old grey would be capable of getting o\cr the foimidable stone wall in front of the Fiemington stand, and his running of late, compaied with his late New Zealand form, opens up ground for a lot of debate. It either goes? toproxe that the cross-country horses in Australia are a bad lot just now, or el?e the " knee " Peter Osbeck po.'sopsed hcie has been cured ; or was justice done to him in the matter of training ? Which is the correct solution, dear reader ? Full particulais bo hand of the iirst day's lacing show that for the Maiden Hurdle Race, Frolic (ri-'oii ot Julian A venal and Jeannefctel and Recall had most friends. The tormor won, after a gieat race with Parnell and Stntloid, while Recall gob home fourth. The well-bred Chintz, by First King iroui Kypatia, had most friend* for tho Two-Year-old Place Handicap, but never showed prominently, and the places went to The Wild Oats, Jerusalem, and Lin burn. The winner is by Epigram from Banksia (imp ), by Wild Oats from Steppe, by Saunterer from Seclusion, by Todmor from Miss Sellon, by Cowl from Belle Dame, by Belshazzai, etc., and, as he Avon easily, may be set down as a [rood colt. For the Maiden Steeplechase, Renmark, the favourite, made all his own running, and won easily. Tho speculative public got right on to the mark with the principal event of the day, the (•' rand National Hurdle Race, for at the last Corytheus and Hedlcnf wcic strong fa\ ou rite.". Ilcdleafwon very easily from the hivouiitc, who carried a lob of BaJlniat money, in addition to the win secured by The Wild Oals, Mr S. G. Cook i fccorcd another with Dividend, who appropriated tho Winter Handicap someI uhat easily, Teuton and Blue White filling j the other places.

CHEMIST'S VICTORY. j It was a great peiionuatice on the part o* Chcmi-t to easily carry 12st 71b to the front m the Now Zealand Giand National Steeplechase on Thursday, and it nmsb take rank \\ uh tho great deeds rocorded in the 1 s.ime race by tho Agent, Clarence and Canard. Jn 1880, The A^enb cairied ]2sfc olb to the fiont, and the year following faw him #et home with lib les>s while in 1884 he won with 12^t 61b. That grand old charger Clarence p-oved victorious with 12st21b in the saddle, in 1881, and Canard won with the thumping impost of 12sfcl01bin 1086. Chemist has earned for himseli the distinction of being tho best cros-s-country animal of these days, and it is, only fitting that his name fahould bo inscribed on tho list of Grand National winneib. La«t season Chemist won the Napier Steoplechas-e with ll^t 6lb, and the Htuvko's Kay Steeplechase with J.2st 6lb, while he appropiiated &ix hvirdle races, frovious to Thursday, Chemist had only been successful in ono nv.ee out of the bix ho started for, bub ho ran three seconds. He was sirod by Tho Painter.

— 1 SHOP TOTALISATORS IN SYDNEY. The Sydney police are .stirring up the tobalisator raon in Sydney. Povcrnl more have been lined £5 for first oflonccs, and others are to be brought up. One of the magistrates the other day expressed the opinion tdat ib would be a good thing if the machines ■\voro localised. The amount of business transacted is said to be something amazing, i\t shops in all quarters a totalisatov is being run, and the gentle public pan speculate on almost anything — from a dog fight up,

THE EPSOM DERBY. Oim London correspondent write by Iho mail:— Just seventy years ago, whon the then Duke oi Portland won the Derby with Tiresiae, sporting writers appear to have

j hsld forth on the alarming decadenco of the turf, and the impending collap?G of Epsom iace,s much as they do nowadays. In tho " Sporting Times '' of Saturday Mr Corlett quotes a doleful article from the " Sporting Magazine," of 1819, anent tho thieving and ramping which went on then at Epsom on Derby Day, and recommends prattlers about " tho faded glories of the turf" in 1889 to peruse tho same in lull. As a matter of fact, though speculation on the great race of the year has fiom various causes shfunk-up, il is as biff a cai nival (or saturnalia) as ever. On Monday evening bhcie was not a bed to be had at any of the West End Hotels for love or money, and hundreds of belated travellers found themselves foiced to spend the night in four-wheeled cabs. The winter favourites for the Derby were Donovan, Laureate, and El Dorado. Ot ■ these, Donovan was beaten for the Two Thousand with odds of 4 bo 1 laid on him, Laureate was beaten in tho Hastincr* Plate wibh 3 to 1 laid on him, and linnlly El Dorado was beaten in tho Payne Stakes with bto 2 laid on him. After three such tiagedies it is scarcely surprising that hackers geneially shied at laying odds on Donovan for the Derby. or\ paper the race looked as good a thing lor the lucky Duke's colt as it did for O>. monde in 188(5, but somehow very few ot the general public cared to put their raonov down. At TatteißaU'b on " Com>:aung day " the favourite was certainly very h'rm, the redoubtable " Jummy'fs " commissioner laying 100 to 60 on seveial times. The weather on Wednesday proved simply pci feet, savofor tho dust, which made bho&o who came down by road look like miller>. Donovan (guarded night and day fit Epfoom by a veterinary surgeon, two detectives and a po&go of constables) was not on view in the paddock, but dense crowds ilocked round El Dorado, Enthusiast, and the Fiench " crack " Clover, who looked extremely well. The feature of the morning in the ring was the opposition to the favourite, which broke out on the arrival of the notorious " Chippy Norton." This worthy's pencil usually signifies "dead meat" when it begins to work, so that 370 u3 7 ou can imagine the sensation which his rancous shout " Come, I'll take short odds the favourite don't even get a placo '' created. Very soon Donovan was what is called " going badly "in the betting. From 2to 1 on ho retreated to 7 to 4, 6 bo 4, 11 to 8, and finally sto 4 on. At the last-named price, however, a big commission steadied the Duke's colt, and finally a friend of the noble owner laid 11,000 to 8,000 on the favourite winning, and 3,000 to I,ooo on his getting a place. What Chippy Norton and Co knew, or thought they knew, it is impossible to guess. They betted wildly, and must have dropped many thousand pounds. Of tho other runners, El Dorado was fancied at 100 to 8, Pioneer beating a 10 treat to 100 to 6, ac which price Lauieate was also on offer, and Clover found plenty of friends at 20 s. The s. p.'s ot the remainder Aveie 22 to 1 Morglay, 25 to 1 Miguel, 33 to 1 Enthusiast, 1,000 to 3o Folengo, 40 to 1 (iullher, 50 to 1 Tin cophone, 66 to I Gay Hampton, and 200 to 1 } Loyal Stakes. Tho story of the race is exactly that of the Newmarket Stakes. The Tuicophone made the running to the distance, whei-e Donovan took his place, and cantered comfoitably homo in front of Migael, who never thieatcned the least danger. The verdict, " won by a length and a half," might have been ea«ily doubled had little Loates oared about it Six lengths separated Miguel from El Dorado, who just beat Pioneer for third place by a head. Then came Gay Hampton fifth, Moiglay sixth, and Laureate seventh. Value of stakes, £4,050. With Donovan out of the way, Miguel would have won easily, and this colt will yet do " yeoman's service " ior Mr Gretto.i. El Dorado ran badly ior the first half of the "jomnev, but came with a rush at tho finish, and clean outstayed Pioneer. Laureate greatly disappointed all concerned, and Clover broke down. Dono van's winnings now amount to the abnormal sum of £37,557.

AN IMPORTANT DECISION. Mr Soth Ferry, a well-known racing man, has> gained a verdict for £250 against the South Australian Tatter<all'b Club for illegally ejecting him from the Club and '• posting " him. The indge's, mling is said ! io have been gi\en on the ground that Mr Feuy was adjudged iruilty without leceiving notice of llic Club's intention Lo entertain the charge. After this betting clubs will be somewhat chary of "posting" persons even if they aie defaulters.

"THE LEVIATHIAN" IN ENGLAND. Mcsets Joseph and Barney Thomson, Lhe Australian bookmakcis now in England, gave a complimentary banaueb on the eve of the latt Derby to about 60 sportinc gentlemen, afc the Cafe Royal, Regentsbieefc, London, as a leturn compliment to Mr K. Topping, who similarly honoured the colonials on their arrival home. Several other Australians were picscnt, and Mr E. H. Fry oresided. In speaking to the toast of hio health, Mr J. Thompson "regretted that events happonin^ in Australia were so larelyand so btieily reported in Uie English new spapers. Since he had been in thi* counti y the only item ot information he had read in reieiencc bo the land ot his adoption wa° that it had been raining. He noticed that the papers reported racing news from Hungary, Ir-aly, Spain, Germany and France, bub he thought iL was a big mistake that more attention was nob paid by the press to Australian matters. There was no finer country on the face of the eaith and no more loyal subjects of her Majesty than the Austialians."

BKTS OF TURF. In a conversation I hud with iSTr Thos. Mori in bcfoie lie letfc for Brisbane on Tuesday, he told mo that, while in Sydney he would endeavour to arrange with the Hon. 0. White to ha\o one ot the Mount Wellington brood maicb mated with Chester this pbaso.i. Auckland horse-owners should bear in mind that nominations for the Dunedin Exhibition Cup ot 1,500 soys and the leading handicaps of the meeting close on Saturday next. There should bo a liberal rcsnonso. There is no betting on the other side on the big Spring events. A few weeks back Mr F. Panetti, a wellknown Christchnrch sportsman, accompanied by the jockey Strattord, took liewi and Escapado over to Melbourne Both horses proved successful at minor meetings, v s.nd the iatest effort of Escapade was at th\ Oakleigh Paik laces, in which he had 9ot to carry in the Visitors' Handicap. The race was won by Olive (7st), and the running of Escapade being considered of a suspicious nature, the stewards held an inquiry and disqualified horse, owner F. Panetti, and rider Stratford for 12 months. Escapade is by Puviri, from Escape, It is announced that Pearl Shell has run her last race, and Mr Henry White intends that the daughter of Muskot shall enter on stud duties this season. She proved a great disappointment to her owner in the A.J.C. Winter Stakes the other week. On tho strength of good work she Avas thought to havb a groat, show of winning, but was l^er once prominent. From Melbourne I learn that Mr 11. Haines has lost his yearling by St Legor from Raupo, purchased at the last New

Zealand Stud Company's sale. ' t He had beenadded to the list and turned out, when he caught cold, and inflammation setting in he died. The Musket— Madcap four-yeai>old, recently shipped from here to" Sydney,* was pni chased by a Mr Shepherd, of .Lawrence. From Graf ton (N.S. W.) comes word that the jockey, Alick Sutherland, while ejecting a c< drunk " from his hotel, was thrown and had his right thigh broken. I see by a Sydney paper that Ricochet, the full sister, to Mitrailleuse, is missing. For feome time she was turned oub in the neighbourhood of Windsor, but when I wanted to be taken up could not be found. Whether stolen or strayed is not known, and a reward has been ollered for her re-, covcry. The rumour with regard to old Commotion being in a bad way is denied. Sir Thomas Elder, of South Australia, who i.s at present on a visit to England, haa purchased 12 bhoroughbierl colts and tillios tor his stud at Morphetville," Amateur cross country riders are becoming quite as successful in Victoria as piofes&ionals, it being quite a common thing to hear ot their victories. Redleap, this year's winner of the Grand National Hurdle Race, was piloted by Mr W.S. Cox, while last year Mr J. O. lnglis rode his own representative, Malua, home easily in front. Redleap, who is engaged in the Laulfield and Melbourne Cups at 6st 121 band 6st 101b respectively, did not run at two or three yoaics old and was not once in a pJace at four years. He is by Dante fiom Pandora, by Panic out of Inlying I)oe, by Warhawk, and is thus half brother to Morn tier, who was got by King Tom. Like the [New Zealand Stud Company with Sylvia, Onyx and Mersey, the Christchurch Middle Park Company are ateo having bad luck with their matrons this season. X learn that Idalia, the clam of Sir Mod red and other celebrities, is not in toal, having missed to Apremont. Otner barren mares at Middlepark are Miss Flat (dam of Welcome Jack), Tell Tale, Strcnua, Red Rose and Maria Theresa (dam of The Dauphin). Word frcm the other side sajs that Oakleigh and Bravo ate doing medium-pace work at Ballarat. Both horses are looking big and well. It is also stated that Silverton has furnished into a splendid hoise, and is lusty and well, and appears to be sound. According to a Melbourne paper, M. Carmody has been singing the praises of the Ellerslie tan track at Flemington. Some trouble has arisen in Sydney with regard to the ownership of that good colt Marvel, and the law courts are to be appealed to to set-tie the question. An old friend in Julia Ann ran second to Maimion in the Sydney Hunt Club Steeplechase on the 10th in^t. Le Clair, ridden b}' P. Nolan, was among the starter s, but Jell. It is considered unlikely that Tranter will ever stand another strong preparation. He is said to have gone "all round." The anneal regiaCiation or licensing -of. lingmen by the Victoria Racing Club tools place recently, and many were required to attend before the sub-committee and sub : mit their bank-books for inspection. Messrs Mason and Robert.", of Dunedin* have during the season passed the sum ot i' 109,136 through the totalisatois worked by them for different clubs. Ray is pegging the .work into Sou of-a-Gun and Wakatipu at Riccarfcon. The pair aio leported to be as iar forward as anything fcheie intended foe Spring cngagemer.ts. ' * . '_„> In a letter to a Wanganui journal, Mr S. M. Baker, owner .of S6mnu&, denies^,, the &tabcmenb published that he ia opposed ito the importation- of English stallions. ,<He thinks there are horses in this colony equal to any that might be imported, and adds : — Some yearo ago I argued with 7 the late and much-lamented Captain W aim* ley that, with the exception ,of the mighty Traducer and Musket, i was prepared to show, and to prove, that colonial-bred &ires were, as a rule, a greater- success than the imported ones ; in support of which I named Sir Hercules, his son Yattendon, and his grandson Chester, also Maribyrnong, Goldsborough, The Painter, Slanderer, Le Loup. and Sornrms, as sir.es that would compaie favouiably with u-rf'y !like number of imported horses. In the South, Occident has' been backed to win the New Zealand Cup, one wager of C5OO to i' 36 being booked. There appears to be no settled market, judging from the vmied quotations in the weeklies. Oddfellow is advertised for sale. He has a bad foot, tho result of an old stake, but it is nothing sciious. Mr P. Butler's string at Riccarton has been added to by a couple of Wanganui pu rcha&es, both two-year-old colts, one being by St. Leger from. Mystery Girl (the dam ot Conundrum) and tho other by Ascot from Ayrshiic Lass. "Wiitefc the Melbourne coi respondent i the Christchurch '" Weekly Piess " :—Rejected, forsaken, forlorn, a waif on the streets ot Melbourne, is the last tribute I can pay to the erstwhile champion of. New Zealand, Sailor Boy, tor in fche lost columns of one of the local papers I see his tinder will be perhaps rewarded by return in tr him to his Windsor home, where his lessee resides. Beautiful. A great impetus has been given to hunting in Wellington by the presence of our new Govornor. At the opening meet of the Wellington Hunt Club the attendance numbered 1,000, including Lord and Lady Onslow and Lord Cianley. There were 130 at the Hunt breakfast at Mr E. J". Riddiford's, and 150 followed the Rangitikei hounds. Two runs were held, and a couple of scratch sweepstakes races took place. The V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race, won by Redleap. was worth in stakes £1,430, and tlie winner's share was £1,110. The field (17) was the biggest that even faced the starter for a similar event. Chicago, Whak.iwni, Buffalo Bill and! Don Giovan have been transferred from* Flemington to Brighton, where ttie last. Caulticld Cup winner and the New Zealand horse will occupy the boxes which last year were sacied to Chicago and Dick Swivelleiv Last year Mr M'Evoy won the Billiard Tournament and hi& horse Chicago carried off thfi CaulGeM Cup. This time Dr. Lawrence, who finished second to Mr M'Evoy at billiards in '88, reversed the relative positions, and for reasons best known to themselves lovers of coincidences aie> backing Mara and The Charmer to win the Caulfield Cup. So says the " Sportsman.'" Those followers of the turf who knew • Onyx's constant son Sardonyx when he was racing, will be pleased to learn that he has so far recovered from the injuries he received some months ago as to be able to get about. He is not, of course, very active, - and doubts are still entertained, as to whether the injured limb will prove strong enough to admit of the gallant brown' gibing . through another season's stud duties.

Noah would have failed as a railroad man. He even built an ark to keep stock, trom being watered. If you want a man to think you are smart you have only to make him think you think he is smart. When society is aware that you think it a flock of geese, ib revenges itself by hissing loudly behind your back. .Eligibility — "But, my dear, what has that old man to recommend himself aside from his riches 2" * ' Heart disease. "

timo, and served to multiply copies of the Scriptures, and the writings of the Reformers in great numbers, and at small cost. 5. Persecution helped, instead of hindered, the work. People learned to distinguish right i'rom might. The heroic courage of many martyrs provoked sympathy, stimulated enquiry, and turned many to the side of tho persecuted ones. 6. Tho quarrel between Henry VIII. and Pope Clement VI., together with the reforming spirit of Thomas (Jromwell, severed the political tie between Engknd and Papacy, and at the flame time almost destroyed *tho popular veneration for the Pope. Honry was no true Protestant, but he took -Advantage of the Protestant temper of the nation to carry out his own purposes. While Protestants have not been iroe from blame in their work or their lives, we may be thankful for their protest against error, corruption, and tyrann> ; and should do our own pait in promoting truth, righteousness, and freedom. During the course of the lecture sketches were given of the characters of the principal actors in this work, and many interesting incidents of their lives vei c 1 ecited . We understand that on afutuie occasion Rev Mr Lawry intends giving a lecture on the life and work of Martin Luther, the great German Reformer*