CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 53, 17 September 1881, Page 14

CAP AND JACKET

MY NOTE BOOK,

By "Saul."

"Is Saul also amongst the prophets."

— Moanatairi is dead. — Monmouth, like his brother Eoodec, is a cur. — The two-year-old filly by Anteros-Revoke has been christened Amazon. — Acceptances for Waikato close to-morrow (Saturday) at 8 p.m. — Mick Gallagher has drawn another horse in one of Miller's sweeps. — Sportsman is being backed at even money for the Waikato Steeplechase. It looks a moral for him. — Imre has wintered well, and will be dangerous this season. _ — Mafca has not been disqualified by the Adelaide Racing Club. The rumour was a hoax. — Mr Hanken has sold G-uy Faux to Mr Studholme of Waimate. — There were 11,000 people at Eandwiek on the Derby day. — There were fourteen false starts for the Sydney Metropolitan. — It is believed that the cracking pace at which the Metropolitan was run, did for Trump Yoss. — The " talent " betted even money on Trump Yoss at the start, and this, notwithstanding 1 there were 21 runners. . — Hesperian was in no way fancied, and his starting price was 20 to 3 , the King laying 10 to 1 against Waxy, and 8 to 1 Wellington. — Mata does not go so well in the betting for the Canterbury Cup. He has retired to 4to 1 (offered). — Fleming's sweep on the A. J.C. Meeting was a comparative fiasco. Instead of 8000 members there were barely 1500. — "Sinbad " almost raves about the new importation, Cadogan. He says he is " the handsomest horse in New Zealand." — James Munn has been unable to resume his usual occupation, owing to the accidents he met with at the Wanganui Steeplechase in June last. — Museatoon, a five-year-old son of Musket, won a Hunters' Race at Southampton on June 28th, and a similar race at Worcester in July. — Ted Cutts informs "Sinbad "that there is no truth in the report that he is to train Mata. Stewart Waddle will undertake his preparations throughout. — The result of the Doncaster St. Leger, run on Wednesday afternoon, had not come to hand when we went to press. — The local " talent" have books open on the Waikato meeting. Raweuata and King Quail and Harkaway and Grand Duchess are the favourite doubles. — A Home paper says that Petronel'sjfo^e is evidently stnying, and that' the Duke of Beaufort threw away a grand chance of winning the Cassarewitch Stakes by showing the horse's good form in the Ascot Cup. — St. Marguerite, who won the Chesterfield Stakes at Newmarket July meeting, is full sister to Thebais, winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks this year. — Mr Redwood has had very bad luck with his mares this season, the three best— Raupo, Toi-toi and Wai-iti — havir g all missed to Auteros. They are to be sent to Musket. — Those Avho used to make a small annual income out of Izaak Walton's victories in sprint races may he glad to hear that the old horse is standing in the Taranaki district and looks the picture of health. — With the exception of when His Lordship cantered round with his stable companion Vulcan in 1878 the time of this year's A.J.C. Derby, 2 mins. 52 sees, 'is the longest on record. — Over Wlieatear's victory in the A.J.C. Derby the Dunedin totalisator paid a dividend of £4 ss, and over Hesperian's victory in the Metropolitan Stakes a dividend of £40 10s. — There is a nice little story current about a Southern sweep. It is the effect that the local agent, who sold a good many tickets in Auckland, is the only Northerner who got a horse, and he (lucky dog) drew two. — According to a cablegram in the Australian papers Peregrine, the midsummer favourite for the Doncaster St. Leger, was scratched about a month ago. Lord Alington, who gave, some say 7000, others 8000gs. for him in Jvily, must feel rather cut up. — Mr Greorge Coombe, of Otago, is advertising for sale in the Southern papers the Australian bred Flying Dutchman, who ran three memorable struggles with Saladin for the Australian Cup in 1872, being beaten • by a head after two dead heats. — Messrs Mason and Vallance have sustained a severe loss in the death of Afghan, who died on Sa.tur.day fortnight from inflamation of the bowels. Afghan was a three-year-old by Albany, out of Tell Tale. He was purchased at the last sale of Mr Nosworthy's. He was going in very nice form up to getting sick. — I have received the programme of the A.E.C.'s coining meeting, got up in pamphlet form and containing a lot of useful information as to entries. The idea is a good one, and reflects great credit on Mr Percival, who seems to be always evolving some improvement or other. — Apropos of Louis dOr, who was backed to win so much money for the C.J.C. the other day " Sinhad" says : — "The Rupee colt, Louis dOr, was always a favourite of mine, and he is well forward in his preparation. I shall be much surprised if he does not secure his first winning bracket at the forthcoming November meeting." — The Liverpool Summer Cup, of 1000 soys., run on July 13, over a mile and a-balf course, brought out a field of nine starters, four of which — Spitzbergen, Blackthorn, Ambassadress and -Dominic — were backed at about the same price, viz., ■£''£© 1. Dominic, who belongs to a northern sportsman, Mr J. Pickersgill, and is a 4-year-old by The Palmer, out of Kilbride, won easily by a length, Dreamland sedond, and Greenfield third. Time, 2min. 28Jsecs. — " Spectator," of the Yeoman, writes as follows about Mr Morrin's new purchase :— " If King Don makes the least trouble in getting over the Auckland Steeplechase course, which has been the^ scene of many a burlesque of late years, I shall be very much disappointed. I can state with confidence, and without fear of contradiction, that this gauie old horse has never once been in racing condition, notwithstanding his numerous wins. — The following are the weights for the Waikato Spring Meeting :— Cambridge Cup Handicap : King Quail, 9st ; Redeemer, Bst 81bs ; Grand Duchess, Bst ; Maori, 7st 121bs ; Rocket, 7st 51bs ; Rawenata, 7st ; Gilderoy, 7st ; Slander Filly, 6st lOlbs ; and Orakau, 6st 71bs. Steeplechase : Sportsman, 12st lib ; Matau. list 71bs; Harkaway, lOst lOlbs; and Doric, lOst 41bs. Hurdles : Matau, list 121bs ; Harkaway, list ; Sportsman, lOst lOlbs : and Rawenata, lOst 51bs. — A Sydney paper remarks, "Of course after his defeat in the A.J.C. Derby nothing that could be said was bad enough for Monmouth in the ears of many ; but not a few think that he would have sustained his family reputation better had the pace been made stronger throughout, so as to make the weight tell upon his opponents. But, be that as it may, he was not only beaten, but beaten badly; and the way in which he refused to make an effort when called upon is suggestive either of fat inside or a weak place in the centre of his heart.

— Mr Elliott, of Taranaki, has in training a 3-year-old colt by Day Dawn, from a Traducer mare, which has been called Normanby. Mr Standish, the owner, has also given into his hands a filly by Reslution, from Ninna, nominated for Waitai-a 2-year-old race and Champagne Stakes, to be run at Taranaki ; and a 3-year-old by Bedouin, from the same mare. Mr Elliot has six in hand altogether, but the pick of the basket is the Yattendon-Ecstacy filly, coming two years old. She is described as a long way before anything in the Taranaki district in point of quality and racing appearance. — Mr Lorillard, the owner of the American three-year-old, Iroquois, hns not been allowed to wear his Derby laurels without undergoing a challenge at the hands of an English turfite, as Sir J. D. Astley has has publicly offered to run Peter against him, a mile and a-half, weight for age, for £1000, half forfeit. Mr Lorillard, however, declines the match on the ground of the several important enj^ngements his horse has to fulfil — nor is he to blame for the decision. Were such a race to come off, however, the famous matcli for the same amount between Flying Dutchman and Voltigeur would bo a mere village contest to the excitement this national struggle would create. — There were five, not ten, starters for the Australian Derby, and as I anticipated, Monmouth was amongst them. Mr White's colt looked much' riper than at Hawkesbury, and so confident wore his supporters he would win that, notwithstanding the large sums lumped on Wheatear at 7 to 4 they accepted even money freely. The race was one of the slowest, as well as moyt uninteresting, that has ever been run for a Sydney Derby. The horses ran in Indian file till after entering the straight, and when called upon, Monmouth stopped like a shot, and Wheatear, cutting down Sardonyx in a dozen strides, won easily by threcquarters of a length. The Gem was third, Monmouth, fourth, and Rupert last. — Amongst the principal turf winners during the past season in N.S.W., Mr Long heads the list with £7852, and of this Grand Flaneur (unbeaten) won eight races and netted £6951 ; Mr W. Branch is second on the list with £6226, won principally by Progress nnd Royal Maid; the Hon. J. Wdite is third with £3052, Mr K. Whittingham £2214, Mr M. Louhlin £2122, Mr T. I Cliirnside £1738. Mr Ivory £1712, Mr J. Morrison £1611, Mr J. Mayo £1377 ; these nre the principal winners. The horses with largest gains next to Grand Flaneur and Progress are: Royal Maid £2240, Spinningdale £1640, Wellington £1421, Welcome Jack, £1205, Aspen £1075, Sir Peter £1060, Mata £1040, Pontiff £1040. Yattenden occupies first position among the sires, with £13,476; then Panic, £7899 ; then comes Angler, Mnribyrnong, King- of the Ring, The Drummer, Kelpie, Barbarian, Irish King, Bctlmal Green and Fireworks. — The following is a description of the finish for the Metropolitan : "After topping thehill, Hesperian challenged Milbrodale, ami the pace becoming something terrible, cut him down at the trainers' stand, and commenced to round the bend with a lead of a length and a-half, Waxy. Milbrodale. and Sardonyx following in very close order, with Warhawk, Wellington, Brilliant, and Strathenrn next in a tfreat heap, and clear of Trump Yoss, who, holding out signals of distress, was unable to answer the repeated calls made upon him by Hales. Carrying on the running at a killing imce, Hesperian rounded the home turn clear of Waxy, who had disposed of the others, and, galloping home well within himself, won with something to spare by four lengths ; while Yeoinans, bringing old Wellington with a grand rush, the old horse passed a lot of beaten horses in the straight, and finished third, two lengths from Waxy, Warhawk coming in fourth, four lengths from Wellington."