CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 62, 19 November 1881, Page 149

CAP AND JACKET

SPORTING TELEGRAM. (FROM OUJt OWX COKKESrOJfDEXT.) CiißiSTCHTJitcir, Thursday. The Metropolitan Meeting passed oft" very successfully, as regards the racing attendance. I hear the Club June a balance of over £800 to their credit. The concourse of people on the Cup Day was a treat to see. The first day was showery, a heavy downpour taking place just as the horses •were about to start for C.J.C. The Ring have been heavily struck over the meeting, the favourites winning all the principal races, and the stable taking all the money in the market, the consequence being that the public are also heavy losers ; and I believe the settling, as far as the public are concerned, has not been a good one, which makes it very hard on the metallican, as they have had large sums to pay away to the Robinson stable. I am glad to say that my tips were very nearly correct. For the Derby Amulet did not 'start on account of an accident, and ray selection won the C.J.C; in fact I had two out of three placed horses. For the Welcome Slakes I placed Siesta first, and for the Cup I named the Derby winner, and he ran a grand second. The meeting lias shown us what a great horse Grip is, and what a mistake it was to throw him in the Handicap so lightly, for he won it with quite a stone in hand, and then came out and won the Cup equally easily. It was not a very popular win, and not a cheer being given when the horse weighed in. Louis DOr ran a good horse in the Handicap, but went off the other two days. Volunteer was thought to le a good thing, and started second favourite, but never was in the hunt ; for Grip went to the front pulling double, was never headed, and won just as he pleased. Libeller seemed to me too big. Le Loup was running very well when he split his hoof, and was scratched for all engagements. Lady Emma was out-paced, and the others had no show. The Derby was a great race, and had not the Peeress colt been so badly ridden lie must have won, for he was laying out of it all the way about last, and at the "distance post, when a dozen lengths behind, lie made a desperate rush and just lost it by a head. Still the Dauphin proved himself a fair horse, his running in the Cup being particularly good, for he led and made his own running until Grip caught him a hundred yards from home. Billingsgate once more showed' himself one of the best horses in New Zealand over a short course, and with any weight, winning all his races very comfortably. Sir George, if all goes well, wiil win a big handicap this season, for lie ran very game and fast in all his races. Mata did not start at the meeting, being nothing b\it a bag of bones. Amulet hurt himself the day before the meeting, and was scratched for all engagements. It was bad luck for Mason and Vallance, for I believe lie would have won the Derby. They seem to have had hard luck all through the meeting, for they only won the Maiden with their own horse, though Billingsgate was also in their stable. M. and V. backed Volunteer for the C.J.C. and Metropolitan Handicap, but he could never get to the post. I fancy lie is an over-rated horse. The Peeress colt I think a grand one, and he ought to win something big during the season. I hope he may, for Mr Walters has never yet been one of ilio lucky ones. The very popular gentleman, who runs under the name of Mr Horsford, appropriated the Welcome Stakes with Siesta. The Handicaps have appeared for the Spring Meetings at Dunedin and Wellington, and have caused much dissatisfaction, so much so that I think they will have very small fields. The weights came out on Saturday for the Dunedin Cup, Publicans', and Hurdles. In my next I will give you a brief outline of them.

tn^ST o ,n lmd r on £18 ' 772 iv fcakes » ione «p to the end of Doncaster Meeting —Had Louis DOr only had a strong jockey on his back lie would have won the C.J.C. J tv,™ ; 1G i B ^ 8 * P rice P ai d for a yearling at tlio w£™ eS^' S r was £155 ° for a fine° colt by fepeciuum out ot Produce. —Little Mncdonald, one of the most promising witch mg sllsb J° cks ' rode Foxhall in the Cesaro—Gerald, the Yankee colt that ran second to Kennesse for the (English) Middle Park Plate, has already been heavily supported for the Derby of 1832. ~^ i " le Cobham sale, in September, Fair Ethel (foaled 1875) by Musket out of Mrs Waller, and covered by Blair Athol, fetched £3*o. —At the break up of the Cobham Stud, on Sept. 22, poor old Blair Athol, who a few years ago was sold for 12,000g5, fetched £1950 only. — Baron Eothschild's two-year-old colt, Gunstick, by Musket out of Gwendoline, won a maiden sweepstakes at Newmarket First October Meeting. — The Peeress colt started first favourite for the Canterbury Derby at 6 to 4, and both Mutaku and Hineinon. were more fancied at the post than Dauphin. — Awahou is preparing for the Hunt Club Meeting, and will be ridden by Captain Angerstein in Ted Wales' colours. — Mr Lorillard telegraphed to his agent in London to pay Archer £500 for riding Iroquois in the Sb Leger. —Mr 11. Rymill's Bruce, by See Saw, out of Carino, is first favourite for next year's English Derby at the short odds of 8 to 1. — The Hurdle Eace at Ohaupo seems a moral for Sportsman, Eawenata being almost crushed out of it at list 31bs. — A ratting match will take place at Joe Ellis' Hotel on Saturday afternoon between Bill Promt's little dawg and Mr feecconibe's ditto. An exciting contest is expected. — Mr George Ellis, who has been on a visit to Christchurch, has bought a filly by Traducer out of Eanpo, which will be placed in Day's hands to be prepared for Christmas. — The Spring Handicap at the "Waikato meeting is a very good one and reflects great credit on the maker. I think the winner will be found in Stanley or King Quail. — We shall see what we shall see, but it will greatly surprise me if something of Messrs Lance and Robinson's is not first favourite for the Auckland Cup before the day of the race. — Lord Fiilmouth's Dutch Oven was the two-year-old heriono of the First October Meeting, as she won both the rich Triennial Produce Stakes and the Rous^Meinorial, in each case beating a f uir field. — The Omnium, or French Cesarewitch, run at Chantilly on Sept. 18th, was won by Count Lagrange's eh. c, Innocent, l»y Dutch Skater— llda, 4yrs, Bst libs, who beat a good field of 27 horses in 2ui 38secs. — I have received the programme for the Hawke's Bay Autumn Meeting, to lie held at Napier on the. 16 and 17 March, 18£2. The chief event is the Napier Handicap of SOOsovs, the entries for which close on 20th December. — It is whispered that the Southern books have been so heavily hit by Grip's double victory as to be unable to square lip cleanly with Robinson and Lance. The public will, in all probability, have to make up the deficit. — The weights for the Auckland Cup will be out on Monday or Tuesday. The delay which has been so much complained about, is in consequence of the southern papers with the particulars of the Metropolitan meeting not having arrived. — " Ligar" writes : " Can you inform me, to settle a wager, if there is any truth in the report that there is a Haw in the pedigree of the celebrated mare, Ladybird, bred by Mr Henry Eedwood ?" Perhaps some of my readers^msiy be able to answer this query, I can't. — The commission in favour of Volunteer for the C.J.C. was executed at the very last moment, and created quite a sensation, everyone rushing- to be on. I hear that Mason and Vallance knew the bay to be the best at the weight all the time, nnd that Libeller's wonderful trial, which the public got to know about so strangely, was a hoax. — The effect of the Gaming and Lotteries Bill will not improbably be to paralyse racing altogether. The LyttcUon Times, describing the first^ day of the Metropolitan Meeting, says a pall of dullness hung over everything. There wore no lottery tables, the attendance was small, and even the bookmakers showed but little inclination to push business. Very different this from two years ago. — My Melbourne correspondent remarks on the difference in the demeanour of the Melbourne and New Zealand bookmakers during Cup week. He says, " Drake, Prince, Collins, and Poole were conspicuous flashing their books about and bawling the odds at the i top of their voices. Joe Thompson, on the other hand, did his business in a quiet, methodical manner, but was so rushed on Ca\> day that he had to etui>loy a clerk to book the wagers as he laid them." ! — My Melbourne correspondent, writing of the Cup, says, " I never saw such a scene of excitement as occurred after the race. Losers looked paralysed and the books incredulous. You could hear nothing but ' Well I'm d — d. Are you sure it's right P Who owns him ? Where did he come from ?' I must refer you to the Australasian for a description of the rnce, merely saying that the winner seemed to me to be in front all the time, and galloped up the straight with an action like a goat well in front of others." — A Southern contemporary moralises thus : — " Forty thousand pounds in Melbourne Cup sweeps in the custody of one man who is not legally liable for sixpence of the money ! Thitt is a curious and many-sided fact. It shows how wide spread is speculative feeling. It proves how confidence niny be obtained by previous good faith. Ten per cent, commission on the amount means .£4OOO, which, without other concurrent advantages, is an income above that of the judges, and far above that of the bishop ! There can be no doubt of the amount involved— 2o sweeps of £2000 each sum up £40,000, as Messrs Langton and Miranis would vouch if they were joint auditors." — The following description of the race for the C.J.C. is from the Lyttelton Times: — "There was one break away, in which Hilda went a mile on her own account, but when the flag fell to a good start, The Governor and Grip jumped off a length in front of Libeller. The flrst-named, however, soon gave way to Louis DOr, whom Grip led by half a length round the turn. Passing the stand Grip was a length and a half ahead of Louis DOr, Libeller third, and Hilda fourth, and the same order was preserved till opposite Ford's, where Louis DOr went up to Grip, and Hilda took third place, Libeller falling back, and Volunteer simultaneously improving his position. There was no alteration in this order till the home turn, when Lady Emma and Volunteer began to move towards the leaders, all being hard at it but Derrett. At the rails Louis DOr looked dangerous, but the boy seemed unable to finish, and Derrett, sitting still on the son of Slanderer, landed the Knowsley colours first past the post by a length, Louis DOr beating Lady Emma by two lengths for second place, Volunteer fourth. Time — 3m 45secs. —Lord Airlie's death, which is announced in the mail news, revives recollections gone of one of the most sensational Derbies in the history of Epsom. It was in 1849 that his lordship appeared on the Turf as joint owner, with a still living confederate, of Clincher, an Irish-bred two-yen.r-old by Turcoman out of Clinker's dam, who was trained by Henry Wadlow, father of the present master of Stanton. Being a very speedy colt, Clincher carried off the Clearwell at two years old, and was afterwards matched against Beehunter, the property of Lord Henry Lennox, for £300 a-side, Nat riding the latter, and Marlow the other. The betting was terrific, and never before or since has greater excitement been witnessed than when the pair raced up the cords of the T.Y.C., so closely locked together, stride for stride, that everybody was prepared for thejiat of a dead-heat. " A happy release," was the fervent exclamation of many, so heavy was the plunging on both sides. But the ' Clincher party stood manfully to their guns throughout the winter and spring, and having won his only engagement at one of the Newmarket meetings, Clincher, ridden by Frank Butler, started first favourite for the Derby, wherein he finished third to V6ltigeur (Job Marson), and Pitsford (Alfred Day). It was current talk at the time that nearly everything else that started was " squared " for Pitsford except Clincher and Voltigeur, as the latter presented such an untrained ap-

pearance when he took Ms first gallop on Epsom Downs on the Sunday before the race that Pitsford's owner didn't think it worth while to trouble himself about " such a coach horse," upon whom all Yorkshire won largely nevertheless. — The English mail places us in full possession of the details of the First and .Second October Meetings at Newmarket. — The Third Great Foal Stakes for three-year-olds (1 mile and a quarter) of £2052, run on the opening day of the First October Meeting, was won by tbe hitherto disappointing Scobell; Jardine's Ishmael, second ; and Lord Kosebery's Cameliard, third. — On the second day of the same meeting the chief event was the Great Eastern Railway Handicap of 6 furlongs. For this contest there were 23 starters, the favourites being Sir John Astley"s Etona 11. and Sir Geo. Chetwynd's Althotas, who were both heavily supported down to 6to 1. Neither of the pair had, however, anything to do with the finish, which lay between three rank outsiders— Mr Morton's Johnßidd, by Knight of the Garter— Polyglot, 3yrs, 6st lib ; Mr Featherstonaugh's War Horn, 4yrs, Bst ; and Lord Rosslyn's Atalanta, 3yrs, 7st 41bs ; the former winning by a length and a half. Time, lin 27secs • value of stakes, £722. —On the third day of the First October Meeting there were two ovents of interest— the October Handicap, and the Grand Duke Michael Stakes for three-year-olds. The fir3t named fell to Mr Bragg's Victor Emanuel, 4yrs, Bst 121bs, who is a great card over a mile and a quarter ; and in the latter, Foxhall, currying 9st 31bs, beat Don Fnlano, Bst lOlbs, Ishmael 83t lOlbs, and Maskelyne. Bst lOlbs. This victory had the effect of making Mr Keene's colt an immense favourite for the Cesarewitch, for which he was instantly backed to win many thousand pounds at 100 to 15. — Since the notable day on which Hilarious, carrying 6st 51bs, started first favourite for the Cesarewitch, and waltzed comfortably home in front of 25 competitors, the English Ring have not received such a "doing" as they got through Foxhall's victory in the same race on Oct. 12th. Up to the third day of the First October Meeting at Newmarket but little was thought of the Yank's chance for the great handicap, though Keene and Williiim Day's stablo'had managed to bnck him to win about £30,000 at prices varying from 1000 to 30 to 1000 to 60. No sooner, however, was the race for the Grand Duke Michael over than people began to see what a good thing he was, and within two hours enough money went on him to bring his price from 20 to Itosto 1. This quotation soon hardened to !) to 2, at which rate Foxhall remained stationary till the start, though enormous sums wero invested on him by the " sharps." The story of the race is soon told. At tbe distance Foxhall passed Fiddler, who was leading, and rushed to the front, nothing attempting to challenge him save Retreat, who, however, wns cased when pursuit was seen to be hopeless. Chippendale and Fiddler then began to whip, but it wns no go, and Mr Keene's colt won by many lengths. Chippendale was second, and Fiddler third. To show what treatment the Ring had I ma> mention that Fiddler was second favourite and Chippendale greatly fancied for a situation. One American, aMr Walton, put £6000 on Foxball at 4 to 1, Mr Keene and the stable won £40,000, and it is estimated that fully £500,000 was taken out of the Ring by the American contingent. — One of the most exciting contests in the history of modern racing took place at Newmarket on October 13th, when the English and American Derby heroes— Bend Or and Iroquois— met in the Champion Stakes at weight-for-age. This race is run " across the the flat," a straight course of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 72 yards, and has been won by many notable thoroughbreds, Robert the Devil being the last to achieve a winning bracket in the event. On the 13th there were eight starters, namely, Lord Alington's Bend Or, Mr Lorillard's Iroquois, Mr Blanton's Scobell (winner of the Epsom Grand Prize), Mr Crawfurd's Buchanan (winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap), Mr Ewan's Falkirk, Lord Falmouth's Muriel, the Duke of Hamilton's Fiddler, and Count Lagrange's Albion (winner of the French Derby). Tbe betting, which proved to be terribly heavy, was 6 to 4 on Bend Or, 9 to 4 agst Iro- ' quois, 7 to 1 agst Scobell, and 33 to 1 each agst Muriel and Fiddler. Falkirk in the centre made the running at a good pncc.clear of Fiddler, and Scobell on the right with Bend Or and Iroquois on the left, and Albion to bring np the rear. In this order the lot ran until reaching the bushes, where Falkirk was beaten and Scobell assumed the command, being followed by Fiddler for a few strides, when Bend Or ran into second place, and came down the hill a length behind Scobell, Iroquois lying third. Half way down the hill Iroquois was in trouble, and Archer had to drive Bend Or hard to keep his place. Once out of the dip, however, he rapidly closed witli Scobel l , and getting the best of the struggle in the last fifty yards, won by three parts of a length. j Iroquois was a bad third, and Muriel fourth.