SPORTING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 459, 2 April 1890, Page 3

SPORTING NEWS.

By HIPPONA,

ARRIVAL OF CASTOR. By the s.s. Te Anau, which arrived lace last evening, the stallion Castor, bought for the Mount Wellington stud, wa s brought down from Sydney. The horse was safely landed soon after the steamer was berthed alongside the whurf. I subsequently had a look at Castor, but being in clothing, one could not properly scan him. He is a bay in colour, and has the type of head and neck which we see in th e English imported thoroughbred. Looked at from behind, Castor is deficient, but otherwise he appears to have a lot of good points. This is what “Augur” said of the horse lately ■“ Caster improves greatly upon acquaintance, and shows more quality than he did when he landed. It is hardly fair to judge horses just after a long voyage, and this grandson of Hermit is a case in point. He is a tritle long in the back perhaps, but it is a muscular and well-knit back, and when he is made up into stallion estate he will be quite handsome.” THE HAWKESBUKY HANDICAP. The following are the acceptances for the Hawkesbury Handicap, one mile and a-half, to be run on Saturday next: —

A NOVEL STEEPLECHASE. Says a cablegram in a Melbourne paper, under date London, March 13 : deal of amusement has been created by the announcement that a steeplechase of a very novel character took place near MeltonMowbray, Leicestershire, at midnight on Monday last, when the leading members of the famous Leicester Hunt competed for a silver cup, which was presented by one of its members. The riders wore long nightshirts, stifily starched, and tall hats. Lanterns were placed at intervals to indicate the course, the moon being obscured. Many of the horsemen were thrown, and some were injured, but none seriously. The prize was won by Count Zebrowski, a wellknown rider.

SYDNEY BETTING MARKET. The following appeared in last Thurs day’s issue of the Sydney “Telegraph’ : The withdrawal of Titan from the .Doncaster Handicap has had the effect of making Prelude, who appears to be the next best of the Kirkham stable’s candidates in that race, first favourite, a position held by Titan. He is now quoted at ICO to 8 offered. The other prices offered on this event are 100 to 6 v. Gaytime, 100 to seach v. Insignia, Aristocrat and Yellowstone, 100 to 4 each v. Correze, Honeydew, Messenger and Ellerstene. Carbine continues to be first favourite for the Sydney Cup, his price now being 3 to 1 ; 5 to 1 is offered about Melos and Dreadnought, and bar the three 100 to. 4 is on offer. Betting is not very brisk on any of the events, and on the Hawkesbury meeting it is almost a dead letter, there being no betting on the Rowley Mile, while on the Autumn Handicap 100 to 8 is offered on the field, and the public have not as yet made a decided favourite. BITS OF TURF. Oddfellow is just now being indulged in a couple of months’ SDell. The Wanganui horse, Foxton, is to be tried at the jumping game. R. Williams, well-known in local racing circles, is back again from Australia. “Trumpator” thinks Corunna might have been third in the Newmarket Handicap. An English writer remarks that Hermit, now in his twenty-sixth year, is as fresh and lively as a two-year-old. . McGuinness, head man in Mr D. O’Brien’s stable, has been selected to succeed Mr C. Turnbull as trainer to the Hon. G. McLean. According to a late Sydney paper Abercorn is himself again, and there is so far every hope of his starting at the A.J.C. Easter Meeting. More Auckland horses for Sydney : Yv arwick, Vanguard, and Melrose were shipped over in the s.s. Wairarapa last evening under the care of C. Tutt. Braemar, the four-year-old brother to Mitrailleuse, by Musket Erycina, has changed hands in Melbourne, Mr A. Ferguson buying him at auction for^OOgs. Scots Grey and Medallion arrive back in Christchurch this week. The meeting of Medallion and Pygmalion in the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes on Easter Monday will be brimful of interest. The following youngsters have been scratched for the Auckland Racing Club Champagne Stakes : —Katisha, Sleep, Reprisal, Coalscuttle, Vendetta, Eagerness, colt by Gilderoy—Dainty Ariel mare. News comes from South Africa that the Summer Handicap, of 2,ooosovs, at the Johannesburg Meeting was won by Tracker, a son of Uncas, the sire of the New Zealand Stud Company’s stallion, Ingomar. John Kean, who took Corunna to Melbourne, returned by the s.s. Te Anau last evening. He left the little son of Musket in Sydney with T. Laraond, who will prepare him for future engagements. J. Cripps has been offered several times a big price for Boz, the intention being to send the horse to England. He would be just the animal for Old Country racing, but his owner is too fond of. the son of Bos worth to care to part with him. After Titan’s performances at Flemington, an offer of 3,000 guineas for him was wired to Mr James White, but was refused, as his owner declared that he intended to send him to auction with the other horses in training. The Australian horse Ringmaster, who was handicapped with Bst slb in the. Epsom Great Metropolitan Stakes, 2£ miles, 7st 121 b in the City and Suburban Handicap, 1\ mile, and Bst 41b in the Chester Cup, Similes, has declined to accept for all three races. The colts Mons Meg, Wentworth and Nepean and the other youngsters intended by Mr James White for the English classic races of next year are still in Sydney. It is probable that they will shortly leave in the s.s. Damascus, from which the English importations of Mr W. R. Wilson were landed in good order and condition.

The New Zealander Sultan, recently pur*, ohased by Mr W. R. Wilson, has been allotted top weight (9st 51b) in the Adelaide Cup, to be run next month. Ben Bolt follows with 9st 31b, Wycombe with 9st 2lb, and Audacity and Stanley 9st each. Ben Bolt, with 9st slb, has pride of place in the Goodwood Handicap; Audacity, 9st 21b, and Ernest, 9sb, being his nearest attendants.

st lb st 3b Aristocrat .. 8 12 Yellowstone 6 12 Sir William .. 8 4 Golden Crown .. 6 12 Rudolph .. ..8 2 Eveline 6 1 Leichardt.. ..SO Miss Alice 6 10 Honcydcw Jack .. 7 12 .. 7 10 Grandson .. Telocity .. 6 8 6 6 Insignia .. Ronnie Spec ..7 8 General Gordon 6 6 ..7 6 Little Dick II. .. 6 4 The Tyler.. ..7 4 Kosicrucian 6 4 Touchstone ..7 4 Busy Bee .. 6 4 Hop Bitters ..7 2 Mantilla .. 6 2 Tirana ..7 2 Drucilla .. 6 0 Sorella ..7 0