SPORTING NEWS. (BY HIPPONA.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 421, 20 November 1889, Page 4

SPORTING NEWS. (BY HIPPONA.)

THE MELBOURNE STAKES. Then cntne a race that will never be forgotten while racing holds its sway in Australia — the Melbourne stakes — tor it brought about a meeting of the champions, and as the emperors of the burf cantered down Straight to take their places, faces puled and excitement grew to fever heat, for everyone knew that the great buttle pending would foreshadow the Cup. That king of racehorses, Abercurn, had a coat like satin ; his muscles stood out in bold lelief, and as he carried the honour of New South Wale*, pulses quickened, and a burst of applause came foith as Hales caught him by the head and rattled him up the straight. Great horse and "grand horseman," both fit and ready to battle tor a kingdom, and as he swept past in his glorious, even style, the hearts of New South Welshmen went out to him, tor they knew that Chester's son was ready to do or die. Carbino stripped in beautiful condition, and went to the post more quietly than usual, and he, too, received an ovation, for Mr Donald Wallace, like his great horse, is one of Victoria's idols. Melos never looked so well, and was one mass of strength and power. When taking his preliminary canter his hoot-strokes made the , turf ring again, and Mr Gannon must have been proud of tho reception accorded to the wiry son of the mighty Goldsbrough. Norton looked confident, buteyedHalesond OBrien with the lull knowledge- that a terrible task had been set him. Ellis, on Cardigan, appeared unconcerned, and the big chest- , nut wus as eager as a two-year-old, but retired from the contest when half a mile from home, and will be heard of to more advantage in the Cup. The boautitul Antceus was one mass of condition, and had a strong following ; but Abercorn held hib own in the betting, and was strongly supported at evens. An ta>us made the pace a cracker, attended by Sinecure, who gave him no peace in the inteiost of Abercorn ; but when the home corner was turned the teriible seventy of t lie pace to!d upon them, and as Abercom and Carbine entered tho straight together and settlod down to fight out the struggle for supremacy, the crowd raised an excited ciy that mu-t havo boen heard in the city. On they came, stride for stride, like one horse ; all the eilorts ol Hales and OBrien failed to separate them, and tens of thousands of voices ye'led, "Dead heat," "Dead hea'." For one moment Carbine got his htad in front, but Che-ter's brave son at once resented it, and at tho half dibtaiv c the chestnut's nose could be seen in advance ; the champion came again, but Abercorn, lengthening: his, stride, held his own, and his victory seemed certain. They had still 30 lengths to go, when suddenly, like a meteor, Melos dashed up on tho inside, and, hnishing like a locomotive, called upon the leadois He gained at every btride, and while Carbine faltered, Abercorn made one mighty and gallant ellort, and won for New South Wales by the shortest of halfheads, with Melos and Carbine with half a neck between them, amidst a scene of excitement which was absolutely painful. As each of the placed hordes returned to fcale they weieiecehed with ch&ei after cheer and it was admitted on all sides that the title of champion belongs to Abercom. The periigree and perfoimances of the Hon. J. White's favourite aie too well known to need repeating. The time ife tho fastest on record, and will astonish the world.

THE lEKBY. Though they appeared to have done a great pieparation the field was by no mean- » representative Dei by one. Dunkeld di<J not look like a Derby hoise, nor d.cl Riclie lieu or Dieadnoughb; and perhaps the fittest of the contingent was Rudolph. Carrington and Tinlauder did their preliminaries first, followed by Loyal stone and Prince Consort. Then came Richelieu, who moved short and was su creed ed by Kudolph and Dread nought, the former's rider wealing an arm band. Dreadnought went anything but kindly to tho post, ditto Dunkeld, who was lust out. Rudolph, who was placed on the outside and had to bo held by hi« trainer, gave feome trouble by kicking and standing almost erect on his hind legs, while Dunkeld made lepeated at tempts to bite Prince Consott, who was with him on tho iail-. After two false attempts the start was made, and a very bad one ie was, the Held going o(Fin Indian file, with Dunkeld and Piince Consort left standing at the post. Rudolph quickly took up the running, and carried it on till half way down the river, when Tinlander went in command. Ho remained there with Rudolph in attendance, and a couple of lengths from Dreadnought and Richelieu, till the turn for home was reached. Then Rudolph joined Tmlander, and they made the straight together, in front of Dreadnought, who had drawn clear of Richelieu. When heads were turned for home Tiulander shot his bolt and Dreadnought closed on Rudolph, while the latter interfered with Richelieu by pulling out and causing him to lose slightly. Hales lost no time in making for the winning post, but Power was quickly in pursuit, and at the distance fc^e pair were almost level, Richelieu being on Dreadnought's whip hand. Stride for stride they raced, locked together, and at the end of the stand Richelieu appeared to have the Sydney idol in trouble ; but the former was unable to survive the ordeal, and Dreadnought, struggling gallantly in response to his rider's plentiful application of th*e whalebone and steel, wore the Adelaide-bred colt gradually down, and won amidst vvild excitement by his own length, Hales casting a rapid glance over hi 3 shoulder at Power as the winning post was reached. Rudolph, notwithstanding the running ho made in the early part and once being blocked in the straight by Dreadnought was only two lengths away, third, and he certainly ought to have won. Prinr-e Consort was a good fourth, but, with the exception of Tinlander, the others were well nigh disgraced. Dreadnought was then led on to the lawn and Lady Loch placed the blue riband round his neck. The winner's sides showed unmistakablo evidence of how freely H«les had plied his heels. Though he won, Dreadnought disappointed his moat immediate followers, inasmuch as he did not win easily : and it is quite probable that were the race to be run again he would neither be first nor second. But for the disappointment he met with at the homo turn, Richelieu wuuld have been even closer than he was, and though Rudolph was once shut out he could still have been a better third. The victory was well received and Hales and Payten were liberally complimented, the colt having been a very hot favourite for months past ; but while a good horse for the public his success brought anything but joy with it for the members ot the rintr.

DUNEDIN EXHIBITION CUP. It is agreed on all hands that Mr Dowse has handicapped the Auckland horses entered for the Exhibition Cup in such a

manner that there is no cause for cqmplainfc, but it romains to be Been during the next few days whether owners will undertake the journey. If Leorina was thotod^hly well she would have a great change, but the place-getters in the New Zealand Cup, viz., Tirailleur, Scots Grey, and Occident, must be hard to beat, and I think' one of the trio will furnish the winner. Uecluse will no doubt shape better at the meeting than at Riccarton last week, for he'\^ill be much more forward in his preparation. The acceptances are due next Tuesday^.

THE A.R.C. SPRING MEETING. As was anticipated, the Spring Meeting of fche Auckland Racing v' u !i>, proved a thorough success, and the finances of the institution will beneHt thereby. Raglan proved the hero of the gathering. He won the Prince of \Vale3 1 Handicap in handsome style, but thore were few who thought Major Ceorge's cast-off was capable of accomplishing two performances like that of the City Handicap and Huntera' Welter S alee*. Raglan has now won six races in J succession for Harry Harrison. Corunna proved a. disappointment, and there was never a more complete change of two and chreo-year-old form. It was quite plain the little horse was backward in condition, and to this we must put down his very indifferent display in the two races he started tor. Cissy looked a greatly-improved mare, and now that George Wiight has erot her well again, &he \\i\\ more than pay her way. The jumping hoises that ran were a bad lot, consequently Orangeman had it all his own vyay in the hurdle races. Tho meeting will be ever memorable for the fii>t victory of Nordenfeldt's progeny on a racecourse. That Mary is a good one, was fully prov d by her carryintr 9st to Souvenir in the Nursery Handic ip, which was run in 50&ec\ Souvenir is the makings of a smart hlly, and she is the (list Ingomar that has won a two-year-old race. Taken altogethei\ the juveniles were very much below former years in point of size and look.*, and I fa>led to fee the makings ot a Derby candidate amohgst the number.

HEAVY IMPOSTS. Something unusual is shown in the way of handicaps by the weight of 15st71b which was allotted to Abrupt, and 14st 7lb given to Marque in the Farmers' Plate, run at the Oaklands Hunt Club Races at Moonee Valley on October 29th, The explanation of this unusually heavy handicap is (a.dd the Melbourne " Arcrus") that Abrupt and Marque are nominated amon^c a lot of hor.«es which were not lacehorses. The conditions of the race are that horses •' must be bona fido property of farmetP residing within 10 miles of the Oaklands Hunt Club's kennels." Mr \V. J. Austin, owner of Abrupt and, Marque, resides within the prescribed distance, and he nominated his two best, horses, with the re«ult that one of them received what is probably the heaviest impost ever given to a horse in Australia.

THE RACE FOR THE NEW ZEALAND CUP. In view of the forthcoming Dunedin Exhibition Cup, the following clipped from the "Canterbury Times" anenb the condition of the New Zealand Cup candidates previous to the etart for the race will be interesting reading :—: — Dudu looked hard and well, but had lost tome of the bloom &he possessed two or tlnee weeks ago, and long before her rather poor display in the race, there were *good judges who pronounced her overdone. Kecluse was voted the handsome horse of the lot, and if at his best would, despite somewhat harsh treatment by the handicappeis, have had a much larger following. Whisper appeared almost commonplace beside the best of her opponents, but had done a capital preparation. British Lion and Occident were both wonderfully well, and the connections of the latte r horse ex pressed themselves as thoroughly confident. Scots Grey walked very lame as he was led round the paddock, but this appears to be as much a peculiarity of his gain as anything else, and Mr Stead made no secret of his own opinion that the colt would finish alongside and perhaps in Iront of the favourite. Tirailleur was perfectly composed a? Martin put the finishing touches to hi? ftbtire, wholly indifferent to the attention and small anxieties he was exciting. The colt is n ■ beauty, but niade on lines which often devel"p a lot of pace, and on this occasion he was not rpquired to be a weiyht-carrier. - Wakatipu was in the pink of condition, but displayed some symptoms of lameness behind, and had previ usly disheartened most of his friends. The parade in front of the stand was a novel and pretty sight, but backers had scarcely determined whether it was a good omen or the reverse that the favourite was accorded the post of honour, before they weie led away to the starting post. Mr Campbell got 'them off in capital line, which was hardly broken until they reached the course proper, where Wakatipu drew oub and made play juft in advance of Scots Grey. Wakatipu was still striding away in front at the end of a mile and a quarter, and backers began to cast anxioua glances at the favourites. Confidence was not restored when Matthews was seen moving on Dudu, but the lightweight had nearly got to the end of his tether, and directly Tirailleur was asked bo go he drew up to Scots Grey. Ab the end of the next furlong the two three-year-olds were in command, and when lacing commenced in real earnest the pair began to leave their field. Scots Grey had the advantage at the distance, and as Tirailleur bore away from the whip ib looked for a moment as if the Yaldhurst lepiesentative would get home, but Collelo straightened the favourite up again, and getting the advantage at the stand won cleverly by a neck, while Occident, who had gone faster than anything' else in the last hundred yards, was only a length away third. The early part of the race was run at a slow pace, tha- first halfmile occupying 55^sec, six furloned lmin 23?V, and a mile lmin 51-ec, buo from this point they travelled much faster, and the mile and a quaiter was covered in 2min 18^sec, mile and a half in 2min 443 sec, «nd the full distance in 3min 34-^sec. The' victory, strange as it rrjay seem, was a good one for the majority of the members of the ring, and as the public had benefited through the totalipator, the winner was given a hearty reception on returning to scale. - ' '

CHICKET. ,r Spofforth has shown his old form in England this season. He took 112 wickets ior 478 rune, the average being 4*30 runs per wicket — a performance which 'has seldom if ever been equalled by any bowler. His : bittintr average for the season was 16*15 runs — which is certainly a good one.' v " Mid-on " writes in the Melbourne , " Leader " !— There is not the least chance of Percy McDonnell again appearing in the cricket field. Thb many Victorian frierifla of Auafralia's most punishing batsman will " be glad to hear thab he has been appointed' to the management of the Miller's Toinbbranch of the Australian Joint Stock Bant, Sydney, and he has determined nofc toreenter the field. >- -