SPORTING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 482, 21 June 1890, Page 3

SPORTING NEWS.

By HIPPONA. Auckland, May 6. The Winter Meetingof the Auckland Racing Club last Saturday was a successful windup to the season. It proved a wise move to again throw open the gates free t 0 the public, the totalisator receipts showing an increase of £559 on last year. There will be a profit on the gathering, so the Club can shake hands with themselves that the five mee:ings held during the season have resulted in a balance on the right side. The racing on Saturday was simply wretched, for there was not the semblance of a finish in the six events decided ; in fact, to put it in a nutshell, the racing was the most hollow I ever witnessed at Ellerslie. Jenny won the Great Northern Steeplechase in a similar manner to Allegro in 1888, viz., she went to the front soon after the llag feil, and making her own running, simply cantered home. Cameron, who had the mount on Auckland, rode a bad race by; lying in the rear too long. The horse was i the best looking of the lot that started, and he will be heard of in future events. Donald’s running in the Hurdle Race makes him one of the best “small stick” horses we have seen here for some time, and I believe it is Rae’s intention to keep him lor this class of racing only in Australia, where the jumpers are defined as being either hurdle racers or steeplechasers. Hune would have carried off the Selling Steeplechase in addition to the Maiden Steeplechase had she not blundered the jump at the top of the hill for home. The mare had a long lead and was winning easily at the time of the mishap. Hune appears to improve on each occasion she sports silk, and with age promises to be a tip-top ’chaser. One of the astonishing features of the day was the rush on Riot in the Winter Handicap. It appears that he showed a good gallop at Otahuhu, and this was whispered about, henco the support accorded Riot by the stable and public in the totulisators. Altogether the Auckland Racing Club can look back with pleasurable feelings on the falling of the curtain on the racing season of 1889-90 at Ellerslie. I hear that during the winter it is proposed to paint the Grand-stand, and an effort will be made to have a new stewards’ stand and weighing enclosure erected. The publication in Melbourne of the entries for the two big Spring Handicaps has not led to any speculation Ivorth mentioning, and until the weights are issued nothing is likely to bo done. The public, however, are nibbling at Carbine, Prince Consort, and Tantalion for the Melbourne Cup, and have coupled the three horses’ names in doubles with Titan for the V. R.C. Derby. In connection with the Melbourne Cup of this year, it was thought by many people that the Australian Grand Prize would attract competitors from England, the United States, India, and South America, but the response was nil , and the race will, as it has hitherto done, resolve into a contesb amongst the turfites of the Australasian colonies.

Mr j. Booth, the Waikato sportsman, 1 hear, shortly leaves for Sydney, taking several ponies with him, including Lottery.

As a result of an examination of the jumps over the Ellerslie steeplechase course by the stewards of the Auckland Racing Club, fit is the intention to have the jumps newly built up and heightened to the original plan before next season comes round. Ghent has taken over the stables at Otahuhu recently occupied by J. Rae. He is a steady young fellow, and at present has Prudence to make a start with. Tradition, who ran second in both the aulfield and Melbourne Cups, is being schooled over hurdles at Caulfield by Tommy Corrigan. Tnebigsonof Richmond is said to take kindly to the new business, and jumps as straight as a die. He is to be sold to dissolve the partnership existing between Messrs Cockroft and Heywood. The former gentleman contemplates a trip to England, and it is probable that Tradition will accompany him, that is, if Mr Cockroft makes up his mind to purchase him,

Titokowaru has been entered for tho V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase, and Donald for the Hurdle Race.

From Sydney comes word that the Rosehill Tontine Stakes, which proposed a new system of racing, did nob attract the stipulated entry of fifty. The management have abandoned the race.

The V.R.C. Derby favourite Titan has once more appeared on the Flemington tracks, and has apparently benefited by his blistering and spell. One morning recently he was walking and cantering in company with Carbine.

Mr D. O’Brien’s pair, Town Moor and Helmsman, are located at Charlie Ivimy’s, at Kensington, near Melbourne. Referring to the debut of the ex-Auck-land jumper Messenger at Flemington, “ Asmodeous writes: “Neither were the admirers of the New Zealand horse Messenger strongly in evidence in the betting ring, liberal odds being on offer against the Maorilander. Messenger may possibly be a rum one to go, but he is about as ugly as they make them, and would seem better adapted for the shafts of a water cart than seeking honours over the big fences at Flemington. It is well known, however, that steeplechasers gallop in all shapes, and although Messenger may be every bib as good as he is reported, he failed to prove it on Saturday, when his career was cut short at the second fence.”

A report has been generally circulated in Melbourne that Enfilade was doing good sc. ooling over the little sticks at Dowling F n est. It is stated to be quite erroneous, as the brother to Nordenfeldb has been turned out, and is now at Mr Donald Wallace’s, at Ballark. There was a dispute at Ellerslie on Saturday over the purchase of Jim, the winner ot the Selling Steeplechase. He was knocked down at £26, but for some reason the buyer would not take the horse. Subsequently, Mr J. B. Williamson was requested to take the horse on behalf of the Club.

Koss Heaton went to Sydney by the s.s. Monowai last evening.

Kangaroo broke down in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Saturday. Jenny also cut her knee at the double in front of the stand, which obstacle she took clumsily.

A few days back the cable despatches announced to us that Narellan was suffering from warbles. This complaint is common among3b horses, especially in England, where frosty weather frequently prevents the indulgence of regular exercising work. The symptoms are small lumps, about the size of a finger tip, generally about the neck and back. It arises from various causes, very frequently from grossness of appetite, and is sometimes induced by saddle-galling on a delicate skin. The appearance of these symptoms does nob necessarily indicate an organically unhealthy condition, nor is it uncommon for warbles to be noticeable in horses in training-

People who have dolefully shaken their heads over the decadence of the national sport (says the Canterbury Times ”) will

be surprised, perhaps, to learn that there has been a very material increase in the number of two-year-olds brought out this season. Last season thero were fifty-two horses of this age racing, one less than in 1887-88, but this season seventy-two have appeared in public. Taking the six principal winners during each of the last three seasons, we have the following comparison :

Advices from America state that a eolt named Del Mar won a 6-furlong race on the Sar. Jos3 (California) course recently, with 7st 12lb in the saddle, and covered the distance on a heavy track in lmin 14isec. Del Mar first saw the light at Hobartville, having been bred by the late Mr Andrew Town, and is by Somnus (imp.) from Maid of the Hills (late Janitress), (dam of Pastmaster), by The Drummer (imp.) from Atlanta, by Chatterbox from Camilla, by Cap-a-pie from Violet, by Gratis. He was purchased by Mr J. K. Newton at the Hobartville yearling sales, 188 S, and shipped to California, where he became the property of the well-known sportsman and breeder, Senator G. Hearst. Del Mar’s performance equals that of Cran brook for the V.R.C. Newmarket Handicap, and goes to show that Australian-bred blood stock can hold their own for stamina and speed in any part of the world. This is from the “ Melbourne Sportsman ” :—“ I hear that there is little probability of the New Zealand champion, Tirailleur, appearing ora any of the public tracks to break the watches of the public and amateur touts. During Mr W. R. Wilson’s tour in New Zealand he was a guest of Tirailleur’s owner, and Mr Wilson is returning the compliment by offering the use of his private tracks at St. Albans to Tirailleur and his owner.”

The net value of the Sydney Queen’s Birthday Cup, won by the outsider Eclipse, was 830sovs.

Considering that owners of horses pretty well provide three-fourths of the stakes for the Caulfield Cup—the V.A.T.C. committee merely guarantee the sum of 2,00050 vs — the entry for this year’s contest is more than encouraging. Last year the total was 110 ; bub this year it has run up to 142, and amongst those entered are two Englishbred horses, Beanfeast, by Plebeian Festival, and Elsie, by Sc. Simon—Larissa. Both will be three-year-olds at the time of running. Thoy are the property of Mr W. R. Wilson, and are located at St. Albans.

I clip the following interesting item from the Sydney “ Telegraph ” : “On the occasion of tho Hobartville sale last week many of the visitors to this celebrated breeding establishment took theopporiunity of looking over the foals that are running in the paddocks. General admiration was expressed for these, Trenton’s stock particularly coming in for commendation. In the paddock nearest the ‘ oaks,’ which when the old Fawn was in the heyday of her fame was devoted to her and which has always been known as * The Fawn’s Paddock,’ were some particularly fine-looking foals. A bay colt by Trenton, out of Mona (dam of Kenneth and Droa), by Young Trumpeter, out of Montana (imp.), dam of Vulcan, a colt that won the Maribyrnong Plate, was about the pick of the bunch. He has a very racing-like look about him, and should develop into a fine two-year-old. The Fawn, about the most famous and most profitable stud matron that ever dropped a racehorse in the colonies, is still alive and may be seen at Hobartville, hale as ever, but she has done breeding, her last foal, Miranda, being dropped in 1.884. ” An English cablegram says the Duke of Portland’s colt Donovan, who was so sue cessful last season, has broken down in training. Mr W. R. Wilson is already giving the Australians a taste of the quality of tho horses at St. Albans. With the two-year-olds Allegro (by Neekersgat—Queen ofNaples), The Author (by Richmond —Blue Bell and Legend (by Richmond —Bridal Wreath), ha won three races at the recent Adelaide Racing Club Meeting, and also ran second to Simpleton in the City Handicap with My Lord, and won the Norwood Handicap with the same horse. Legend is a full sister bo the sensational Tradition. As all four of the horses mentioned are announced for sale by Mr Wilson, he must have something much better in the stable.

1887-8. 1888-9. 1889-90. £ £ £ Carbine .. 1280 Cynisca .. 1262 Pygmalion 1535 Pearl Shell 831 Corunna.. 829 Tempest .. 578 Somneil .. 584 Dunkcld.. 480 Aronoel .. 549 Hilda 504 Scots Grey 434 Medallion 4C6 Chic 460 M. England 412 Mary 36i Adulation 438 Cissy 274 St. Andrew 280 4056 3,91 3709