SPORTING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 406, 28 September 1889, Page 4

SPORTING NEWS.

By Hippona in tho " Auckland Star."]

THE A.J.C. SPRING MEETING. This afternoon witnesses the opening of tho Spring Meeting of the Australian JockeyClub at Randwick. The Derby is the big event to be decided. Since Judge Cheeke won the initial contest with Clove in 1866, there have been some great battles for the coveted honour, and what a lengthy list ot turf heroes is furnished in previous winners ! There is the material for a splendid race this afternoon, and although Merriment put Kudolph down in the Hawkesbury Guineas, I shall not (if started) desert Martini-Henry's son, who, 1 fancy, will reverse the positions. The Great Metropolitan Stakes is run on Tuesday. Writing before teeing the acceptances, I fancy whatever beats Ellerdale will win, but this afternoon's racing may throw a fresh flood of light on the race.

CORUNNA'S itIISHAF. The fact of Corunna nob being shipped to Napier this week to fulfil his Hawke'fc Bay Guineas engagement is not assuring with regard to his soundness. His recent mishap at Ellerslie, I hear, has stopped fche colt in hia work, and this is the cause of his not being taken down. There will be regret on all hands at the misfortune.

STUD NEWS. Ab Papakura, Mr W. Waiters' brood matron Yabberina (clnm of Matchlock) has produced a iilly ioal to Hippocampus. She visits i>iordenioldt this season, and Slander (dam of Billingsgate and Foul Shot) goes to the same sire. Fanny Fisher is to be pub to Nelson.

THE HAWKESBURY HANDICAP. Now that the Hawkesbury Handicap is decided, there seems to be little doubt Kllerdale was too leniently treated by the handioapper. Her performance in the last Sydney Tattersall's Cup entitled her to more weight than 6st 121b, for among those who finished behind her were Carlyon, Cardigan, Algerian, Theorist, Frisco, and Lamond, and she ran the two miles in 3.36. It is certain those connected with Ellerdale are heavy winners by her victory. With regard to Tourbillon not facing the fetarter, it turns out that the maro was surrounded with a lot of mystery after arriving in Sydney from Melbourne, and the touts presumed she was being worked by the light of the moon. Although Lamond j remained favourite till the fall of the flag, his downfall was not unpiedicted, for two days before the race was run, one Sydney scribe wrote: — "Notwithstanding that Lamond is such a short-priced favourite, there aro many who make a business of touting the training stiong in the belief that he will 'go down.' Whatever he may do at the Hawkesbury, it is quite certain that so far his early morning doings are not sufficient to warrant such a short Jigure being accepted about him."

VICTORIA RACING CLUB. The Victoria Racing Club Committee arc earning a reputation tor fickleness ot mind. Some little time ago they determined not to allow any racing in the Melbourne metropolitan area between the dates of .October 28th and November 9th. 0£ course, the objoct of the Committee was to protect the Melbourne Cup Carnival from suburban meetings during the period named. The result of pressure brought to bear on the Committee has been that that body has changed its mind, and race meetings will bheretore be registered durmg Cup time as heretofore.

WILL HISTORY jttJSPEAT ITSELF? In refevence to the downfall of Lamond in the Kavvkesbury Handicap it ia a somewhat singular fact that the results of the most impoufcant of the early Australian spring handicaps have been more consistently illustrative of the glorious uncertainty ot the burl than indicative of results to follow. Thus, for instance, Dagworth and Cardigan are the only two Hawkesbury Handicap winners that have ever won the Metropolitan in the same year ; neither the Hawkesbury nor Metropolitan winner has ever won the Caulfield Gup, and with the bolitary exception of the gallant old Tim Whidler (who won the Metropolitan and Melbourne Cup in 1867), the Melbourne Cup winner, never, earlier in the season, has got homo first in oither the Hawkesbury Handicap, Metropolitan or Caultield Cup.

fi£R J. THOMPSON IN ENGLAND. Mr J. Thompson, writing to a Sydney friend, says that backers in England are much cleverer than they are in the colonies, consequently the ringmen do not fare so well. For six consecutive weeks before writing he had been losing. The latter bet to figures and go for a small percentage. Owners and trainers', he says, discard "the watch " altogether as a means of determining the merits of their representatives. Mr Thompson is of opinion that at the present time Donovan is the only good three-year-old in England.

TOTALISATOR ODDS. It would seem, that those who indulge in the practice of laying totahsator odds will meet with no mercy this season at tho hands of the Dunedin Jockey Club. At bho Hunt Club Meeting last Saturday held at the Forbury, the stewards disqualified and warned two boukmakeis olf the course for indulging in the practice, and intimated that in tuture backers would be treated in the same way. There is every reason to believe that the racing clubs throughout the colony will stamp ,out with a strong hand the practice of laying and taking totalisator odds.

NEW liULiSS OF RACING. Next Wednesday afternoon a special meefcingof members of the Auckland Racing Club takes place to consider the rules passed at the late Wellington conference, and if approved of to pass a resolution adopting the rules, or any of them which the meeting may consider proper ; aleo to rescind the present rules or any of them which the meeting consider necessary. The proposed new rules are :—

Interpretation and Application of Tiiesk Rules. T. Jockey Club means any of the follovdi.g Clubs which aro the Metropolitan Clubs of New Zealand, and have jurisdiction ovor all race moeunKß hold in the districts wjl after their names respectively: — " Auckland Racing Club for the Provincial District of Auckland, Hawke's Bay Jockey Club for the Provincial District of Hawke's Bay, Taranaki Jockey Club for the Provincial District oC Taranaki, WhanKanui Jockey Club for the Provincial District of Wellington to the north of tho Manawatu River, * ellington Racing Club for the Provincial District to the south an I east of the Manawatu River, Nelson Jockey JClub for tho Nelson Provincial District, Marlborough Racing Club for the Marlborout?h Provincial District. Groymouth Jockey Club for tho Weatland Provincial District, Canterbury Jockey Club south of the Hurunui Rivov and north of trio Waitaki River, and the Dunedin Jockey Club so 1 1 1 hofth c Waitaki Ri ver. 11, '* Oflicial Calendar " means the publication foy Ihe time being appointed by the Jockey Club for advertising matters required by these rules to be advertised, Publication 'in the Onlcial Calendar by authority of the Jockey Club shall be deemed to be full notice throughout the colony o£ all matters and things so published.

MANAGEMENT OF MEETINGS AND POWER OF STKWABDS. 16. The programme of every moetine: must bo advertised. 17. The programme of each meeting in which the added money is dSIOO or upwards must be advertised in full once at least in the Olhcial j Calendar. The advertisement shall show that the programme has been approved by the Jockey Club— shall state the days on which tJie meeting is to begin and end, and the names of the Stewards, Judge, Clerk of the Scales and Handicapper. 21. Not more than one Club shall be allowed to hold meetings on (any racecourse except by ] special lioonso xroni the Jockey Club. I 22, The full programme of every race-meet-ing, run under tho&u rules, shall, prior to its being advertised, be forwarded in duplicate to, and receive tho approval of, the Committee of tha Jockey Club, and such Committee may at their discretion decline to approve any such programme unless altered as they recommend, l. Tho programme when submitted shall to accompanied, if required, by a properly audited Ualance - sheet, showing the leceipts and expenditure of the Club tor the past year, and in no case shall any Programme be passed unless it clearly appears from the JJalunce-sheet that all moneys received by the Club have been expended in Stakes, making improvements to th« Course and Stands, or payment for interest and sinking lund on purchase money, or generally in the interest ot racing, ii. No Club shall be allowed to hold more than live meetings in the year, iii. Any Club holding more than three meetings in the year must givo an average of at least Five liundred Pounds per diem m Stakes, iv. Any Club holding throe meetings in tho year must give an average of at least Four Huiutred Pounds per diem in Stakes. v. Any Club holding two meetings in tho year must give an average or at least Two Hunared Pounds per diem in Stakes. vi. Any Club holding one meeting in the year must give a sum of not less than One Hundred Pounds per diem in Stakes. vii. Subject to the foregoing Rules and the Rules of Racing there shall be no I restriction as to the amount of money added by any Club holding Meetings at which tho Totalisator is not used. 25. The Stewards of a meeting shall have full power to make u.ll such arrangements for the conduct of the meeting ai 1 they think lit ; and to regulate and control the conduct ot all officials, and ol all jockeys, grooms, {indDorcoiiiatLendant upon horses ; and to determine all questions or disputes arising between any persons at, or in relation to, anything done or omitted in reference to racing, including questions in relcrence to the totalisator and investments made thereon, and persons using the same, but not including disputes or claims relating to bets not made upon the totolisator ; and to declare any bookmaker or other person who shall have been proved to their satisfaction to have betted totalisator odds, except through tho medium ot the totalisator and also any person who shall have betted or m vested in the totalisator, and who shall have repudiated his bet or investment, to be guilty of corrupt and fraudulent ptacticeson tho turf. Five stewards to form a quorum. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RESTKICTIOXS. 38. No horse shall carry leas than 6st in any handicap on the Hat, or 9st in any Handicap Hurdle Race, or Ust 71b in any Handicap Steeplechase. 39. At any meeting held on any date from the 31st of May to the Ist of September, the lowest weight in any race on the flat shall not be less than lOst.

THE RACE. 107. Wnen only one horse appears for a match or sweepstake ho must walk over, except by leave of the stewards, exoepL that in a hurdle race or steeplechase it shall be sufficient if the horse be weighed out and proceed to the starting post, when he shall be considered the winner of the race. But in the division atter a dead heat it shall not be necesbary for a horse to walk over. 109. No raco shall exceed twenty minutes in duration, and at the expiration of that time from the start the Judge shall leave the box, and no horse which shall subsequently pass the post shall be entitled to any portion o£ the prize. CORRUPT PRACTICES AND DISQUALIFICATIONS. 151. If any person corruptly give or offer any money, share in a bet, or other benefit to any person having official duties in relation to a race, or to anj jockey ; or It auy person lay, or any person accept, wagers to |be determined by the amount ot dividend paid by the totalisator. 156. Notices of disqualifications received from other Clubs shah be dealt with by the Committee. All disqualifications or suspensions made bv the Jockey Club shall forthwith take effect throughout the colony. All disqualifications tor fraudulent practices made by the Jockey Club, or country disqualifications endorsed by the Jockey Club, shall bo published in the Official Calondar. All disqualifications made by the Country Clubs shall, together with copy ol evidence taken and resolutions passed, be tor warded to the Jockey Club. No disqualifications or suspensions by a Country Club shall operate on any course except its own until endorsed by the Jockey Club.

GENTLEMEN RIDEKS. 177. Applications, which must be made annually, for olection as a Gentleman Rider, shall be made to the Committee ot the Jockey Club in whoso district the applicant resides, and must be proposed and seconded in writing by members of the Club. On election the Committee shall issue a certificate which shall entitle the holder to rule as a Gentleman Rider on any racecourse where these rules are in force. Provided that the certificate may be cancelled at any time on suttioient cause being shown. 178. No person having received payment in consideration of work performed in connection witli the training or tiding o£ horses shall be eligible to ride as a Gentleman Rider.

lIURULE RACES AND STEEPLECHASES. 181. No horse shall be allowed to run under four ycara ot age for a steeplechase, nor for a, hurdle race uncil he is three years and six months old. 182. Any rider in a steeplechase where the ground is not flagged out, opening any gate or wicket, or passing tluough any gateway or common passage from one enclosure to another, will disqualify Jus horse from winning although ho should come in iirst. 183. Any horse getting away from his rider may be remounted m any part of the same neld or enclosure in which the occurrence took place; but should such horse not be caught until ho 9hall have ontered another held, then ho shall be ridden or brought back to the one in which he parted from his r dcr. Any iockey so losing his horse may bo assisted in oaiching him and remounting him without any risk of disqualification ; and in the event ol a rider being disabled his horse may be ridden home by any person of sufficient weight, provided he be qualified according to the conditions of the race. No penally bhall be exacted for carrying overweight in ihis instance. l"84. H any flag, pos>t, or boundary mark be placed in the course— no matter by whose order — after the riders have been shown over the ground, or had the lino of country pointed out or explained to them, it shall not be considered binding or of any oifect unless such alteration or addition shall have been particularly named previously to starting to all the jockeys about to ride in the race by oneot the Stewards, Secretary, or by their repi'csentatives. 185. If a horse refuse any fence in a steeplechase, and it can be provod to the satisfaction ot the Stewards that he has been led over a fence by any of the bystanders, or has been given a lead over by eny horseman not riding in the race, the horse shall be disqualified from winning although he come in first. 186. The following shall be the scale of weigh t-for-age for steeplechases :— From Ist August to 31st of January, bjth inclusive :— 4yrs, lOst 31b ; syrs, list 81b; 6yrsaud aged, 12st 31b. From the Ist of February to 31st otJuly, both inclusive :— 4yrs, list; syrs, list 121b ; byrs and aged, 12s(; 31b. For rteoplecbasesot notlessthan thi'ee miles : —From the Ist ot August to 31st of January, both inclusive :— 4yrs, lOst 101b ; syrs, list 101 D ; 6yrs and flgoo, 12st 31b. From the Ist of February to 31st of July, both inclusive :— 4yrs, list 6lb : syrs, 12st ; 6yrs and aged, 12st 31 ti. For Hurdle Races:— From the Ist of August to 31st of January, both inclusive-^yrs, list; syrs, list 101b ; 6yrs and aged, 12st. From the Ist of February to 31st, July, both inclusive :— 3yrs. lOst 71b; ,4yrs, list 121b; syrs. 6yrs, and aged. 12st 31b. commencement of rules. 187. Thcso rules shall come into operation o" the Ist day of October, 18s9, and any other Rule of Racing shall bo annulled as from that day, without prejudice to then existing rights and liabilities.

According to accounts Dunkeld's trial in Christchurch for the Victorian Derby was 2.38£. This should bo good enough to win. From Sydney I learn that Cinderella has beon taken up and will shortly go into work again. The Dunedin Jockey Club have taken exception to some of the new rules of racing proposed by the Wellington Conference,and suggest that another meeting of delegates should be held during the Exhibition Meeting before the alterations are made. The horses reported to be doing best at Caulfield are Benzon, Newmaster, Churchill, Moorbank, Scottish Chief and Silvermere. The favourites for the Caulrield Cup are Chicago, Moorbank and Bravo at 100 to 5 each, while Cranbrook and Scottish Chief are quoted at 100 to 4. "Kaiser" Meyers has been disqualified from riding in Melbourne for a month for disobedience to the starter. Engagement (Martini-Henry's sifter) has been thrown out of work, and her place in Lunn's string has been filled by Exchange. In a recent issue of the New York " National Police Gazette," appears an engraving ot Mr M. Gallagher, ot the Em peri al Hotol. There is also a flattering notice of the popular host, and he is described as "New Zealand's big sportsman." The respective merits of Singapore and Sinecure were freely discussed at Randwick one morning recently, and the latter was backed for an even £50 to beat the other 1, 2, 3 in the V.R.C. Derby. A stipulation was made that both should start. The much-fancied Melbourne Cup candidate Antious is credited with having a sus-picious-looking foreleg, which may give some trouble. A few days previous to the Hawkesbury Handicap being run, Locksley was defeated in the September Handicap at Newcastle. He carried Bst, bub though having a clear run and looking all over a winner at the distance, he compounded when challenged by Lady Fleetwood, 7st 51b, and suffered a defeat. Recall was shipped co India a few days back, where he should more than pay his way. Says ohe Melbourne "Standard" ot September 9th : — "The money that went on Carbine towards the end of last week for the Melbourne Cup was tor an English backer." Captain Russell's mares Leonora and Tigredia have been sent to Somnus this season. The Duke of Portland was again to the fore at Goodwood with his crack filly Semolina, who won the Prince of Wales' Stakes (value 2,20050v5.), and thus avenged her only defeat a few weeks previously in the Portland Plate at Leicester, when, with odds laid on her, ahe failed to finish in the first three. The bookmakers in Melbourne are forming a Union. Its aim will be to protect the betting public from the army of " welshers " who exist, while its membership will be restricted to only men ot longknown probity. The ex-New Zealand mare Vinaigrette started a level money favourite for the Selling Race at the Ballarat Miners' Meeting, but got off very badly and failed to secure a place. , A new contribution ie about to be made to the turf literature of Victoria, in the shape ot an illustrated history of the Melbourne Cup. The especial feature will be a collection of sketches of winning horses and their jockeys, in colours, fiom the years 1861-2, when Mr E. De Mestre's Archer won the great handicap twice in succession, down to the memorable victory of Mr D. S. Wallace's Mentor last year. Thus a Flemington tout : "Boz impressed me very favourably indeed as he swung round the &and track twice at three-quarter speed, moving like a piece of machinery. One or two pretty ' fly ' people of my acquaintance are backing the son of Bosworth and Hypatia to do the Caulfield Cup trick, and after my experience of this morning I incline to the opinion that there's a deal of method in their seeming madness." ; The once flying Nevvstead ran in a race at Adelaide lately, but failed to gain a place. A colt foal by Chester from Princess Maud broke his neck a short time back in one of the Hon. J. White's paddocks at Kirkham. He was bred to English time. The Duke of Portland's Ayrshire has bidden a final farewell to the racecourse, and taken up stud duties at Welbeck Farm.

BITS OP TURF. By the s.s. Rotomahana, which left for the South on Thursday, Major George pent down to Chrisfcchuroh FiesoJe and the two-year-olds Reprisal and Vendetta, with 'a view to fulfilling their engagements at tho Canterbury Jockey Club Spring Meeting in November. They go into E. Cubts'a hands

Derby Oaks 10 DO 193 146 J.OOD 205 141 1001 196 153 1000 162 133 J.OOCT 171 112 lO3XJ 237 172 ±ov± 209 151

I Entries for fcho Epsom Derby and Oaks of 1891 have just closed. The following table will show how owners have supported the great classic races during recent years : —