SPORTING ITEMS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2334, 2 June 1887, Page 2

SPORTING ITEMS.

(From the Sydney Referee, May. 19).

TKenton has been put to work again at Caullield.

When Maud S. was sold as a yearling she brought loOilol. The mare again changed hands when three years old, and her purchaser paid 250du1. fur her. The last time she was sold Mr Bounor paid 40,000d01. for the queen, and now he states that money cannot buy her. The New Zealand mare Spade Guinea has won 12 races out of 34, whilst on 11 occasiinnf she has run second atid third. Her net winnings amount to £33'J7, nearly £3000 of which lias been won this season. The following resolution was passed by the Canterbury Park Race Club at a meeting held on Monday " That after May 81, 1887, no bookmaker will be licensed to bet in the Canterbury Park saddling paddcck except he is licensed by V. It.C. or A.J.C." We have been informed that Johnny Driscoll, son of Mr J. Driscoll, who in the days of Tim Whillier, Tarragon, and Co., was one of the premier riders of Australia, is about to leave Sydney for Queensland, vvliere lie willenter Mr liarrington's stable. Should the youngster get on as well as his father did, there is good time in store for him. We wish the lad every success. . The enterprise of the Hon. J. Eales in pui chasing Grandmaster for £1200 is only another instance of good judgement on the part of that gentleman. Grandmaster has produced so many good ones that his youngsters are eagerly sought after, and remunerative prices are always to be obtained. With such good dams as roam about Duckentield paddocks the mating of Grandmaster must perforce bring forth something good, and although the price paid for this sire is a handsome one still the Hon. J. Eales should shortly be repaid for his outlay. The French Government last year spent £2011,720 on their horse-breeding establishments. Austria spent £80,000 including £1(J,000 in the purchase of young stock from private breeders ; whilst the total expense of Hungary in the same way is £110,500 and that of Prussia £80,000. The departure of James Sandy to-day for America leaves another gap .amongst our good.trainers. He served his time with Mr J. Wilson, of St. Albans, and was connected, with that gentleman's stable during the tinus Savanaka, Petrea, and Progress were at their height of fame. He is highly spoken of by horsemen, and should do well in tiie laud of Stars and Stripes. Two important race meetings, one of four days and the other of two days, will be held at Calcutta in December and January next. The principal events are the Viceroy's Cup, with a sweepstakes of 150 rupees added, weight for age, l;f mile ; the Cooch Bkhar Cup, given by the Maharajah of that name, with a sweepstakes of 100 rupees, and 5000 rupees added, weight for age, 1£ mile; the Eclipse Pony Stakes, of 150 rupees sweepstakes, and 7000 rupees added, for ponies 13.2 and under, G furlongs. A rather important match is to take place in the United States in June or July next. Early in March, E. J. Baldwin made a public challenge to run Volante against any horse in the world, one mile and a half, weight for age, for 10,000dols The challenge has been accepted by Mr A. J. Cassatt, and hs names The Bard to run Volante at Mormouth Park, between June 20 and July 20 next, the day to be agreed upon later. The stake named is 10,000dols. a-side. The Bard's owner, it is said, also thinks of taking him to England to try conclusions with the cracks there. The Bard last season, carrying Ost, 31b., ran a mile and three-quarter, in 3inin. ssec„ and two miles, carrying Bst. 01b., in 3niin. 33sec\, while Volante carrying Gst. 01b., ran a mile and three-quarters in Smiii. 4sec. The best record for a mile and a half made last season was Jim Guest's 2tnin. 34sec. which has never been beaten anywhere, and our nearest approach to it | in Australia is Prince Imperial's perfortn- | auoe in the Hawkesbury Handicap, when, i as a four-year-old, he carried Gst. 121b. and ran the distance in 2min. So^-secs. The Leicestershire Spring Handicap, another of the great English spring races, was decided in April. The valne is 1200 sows.,"and a sweepstakes of 25 guineas for acceptors, over the straight mile. The winner was Mr J. R. llomfray's Knisky, by Kisber—lllumination, by Rosicrucian— Paraffin, by Blair Atliol —Paradigm ; Kisber being winner of the Derby in 1870, Knisky is a six-year-old, and carried Bst 01b in Imin. 51 l-ssec., the net value of the stakes to the winner being 1075sovs. The favourite was Clydesdale, 4yrs., Gst 'Jib, at 11 to 2, who finished nowhere; Tib, 4yrs., 7st, the second, being at 100 to 15. Knisky started at 20 to 1, and 5 to 1 for a place, and beat Tib by a neck. The winner was bred by Lord Rosebery, who two years ago parted with him for 1350 guineas. America's Crack Yaciit to Contest the Queen's Cup. Gen. C. J. Paine, of Boston, announces his intention of sending the Mayflower to England this summer, and thereby showing the Englishmen several things which they do not know now. The ostensible purpose of the trip is to bring to the American side the Queen's Cup, now held by the cutter Arrow, a yacht owned by Mr Tankerville Chamberlayne. The Arrow is on old yacht, and the last race for the Queen's Cup was sailed in 1552 The Queen's Cup has not been contested since that time.