SPORTING NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3076, 2 April 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPORTING NOTES

(By Le Noun). John Porter says that no foals born after May are ever roarers, and that if the Jockey Club would alter the dates for horses' ages accordingly, all would be well. Candlemas, who was sent to South Africa in ISS9. aud proved himself a champion in that country, is on his way back to England for stud purposes. Subscriptions have been taken at 30gs per mare, and his list is already full for two seasons. Candlemas is an own brother to St. Blaise, who was recently sold in America for £20,000. A jockey named W. Blackburn was fined 10s and £3 3s costs at the Oakleigh Police Court for unuecessarily flogging the pony Actress at the Sherwood Park races. The jockey in question used a raw hide whip, and brought the blood from several places. Spondulix, who put up the highjumping record at the Agricultural Show last year at Flemington, has been purchased by Mr. A. T. Ackling, the master of the Brisbane hounds ; £200 being the amount paid. A Brisbane writer says "Ifit be true that 2000 guineas were paid for Shamrock, the price appears to be about 1850 guineas too much for the unsexed son of Marvellous and Mavourneen, who ran very badly at the late V.R.C. raeetiug ; but of course it may be a case of 1 bide a wee.' " Some people who were singing hymns on the sandhills on Dunedin Uup Day exhibited to the gaze of racegoers a banner with this strange device : '• Hell." So far as I know the tip was an unlucky one. " Castor " is my authority for stating that Medallion's split hoof has quiie grown down, but it is hardly likely the son of Nordenfeldt and Locket will be pat in training again, and he may be kept to fill Maxim's vacant berth in the Yaldlmrst stud. A sporting gentleman who has had experience on nearly every racecourse in the colonies, informed us, that the Fielding is one of the best he has every een. There is no other in New Zealand to beat it. Tiraillerie recently wrenched herself by putting her foot into a hole at Caulfield, and she had to be eased in her work.

During an interview with a reporter Charles Marvin is reported to have said : " I give you my word that Sunol went as easy when she trotted in 2-8y as though she was trotting a mile in 2.15 or so. It was no exertion for her at all." Sporting Review says of the RufusBrandy affair—"As, if possible, to make the fraud even still more apparent the brand on Rufus was mutilated. It was originally EUiu a halfmoon. The E was altered to a thick I, while the U had a tail put to it to represent the letter Y. As nature had not thoroughly completed its work in the healiDg up of the new brands, the fraud was easily detected by a veterinary sur* geon and other experts." This is what Ribbleden has to say

about a New Zealand 'chaser that it was c< feared was used up a year ago:— a; "Orangeman, to my mind, is the perfection of a steeplechaser; be the obstacle high or low, he just clears it and foes not expend his energy uselessly. He has a, suspicious-looking fetlock joint, but it does not seem to trouble him ; and before he retires he will, I think, be found capable of winning many more races for the Millers, who would rather see a good steeplechase any day than any number of 0 flutters on the flat." i, Walter Hickenbotham has decided, n says the Leader, to settle down permanently at his Flemington abode, Coreena Lodge, where he will continue to train for his old employers, Mr D. S. Wallace, Mr C. M. Lloyd, and a few « others. Antraus is at present the most n prominent member of Hickenbotham's r team, and in the event of this handsome ? son of the expatriated son of Sir Modred undergoing a successful preparation he t ought to revive former recollections by i the brilliany of his efforts on the turf. j At the December sales in England a ■ three-year-old sister of Semolina, named | Koorali, realised 3100gs. For Lonely, ( the Oaks winner of 1885, Mr D. Cooper ( gave 200gs, and for Simon's Bay, a filly f foal by St. Simon out of Mazurka, Mr B. , Maple paid the same amount. A number ( of purchases were made for America. j " Plenipo " in his Flemington training ( notes says :— (< Freedom is a handsome horse, and apparently a great weight carrier, whilst Florrie looks all over a galloper ; but, from only a cursory \icw, ' I should not fancy her up to a great deal ( of weight, as she has rather a lengthy ( middlepiece. Freeman looks a regular | ' varminty' kind of a horse, and one that should stay to the end of a long steeplechase, the big timber being his game." Bravo's death in Calcutta was very sudden. He had been out of work a few days owing to an affection of the kidneys and fever. Dr Greenhill was oalled in for a consultation, and, as there seemed considerable pressure on the lungs, it was thought advisable to endeavour to relieve the horse by blistering. This was done, but Bravo, maddened by the pain, backed through the door of his loose'-box, and ran backwards till his quarters struck the opposite wall; he then gave a bound into the air, turned over and fell with his neck under him, dislocating it, and dying with scarcely a struggle. _ Wakawatea, according to 4 Mazeppa, is one of the crack New Zealand two-year-olds. Writing on Dunedin races, he says: "But I must say I like this Wakawatea. He is a bit flighty sometimes, as was shown at the start of the Marshall Memorial; but he can generally be reduced before flag-fall, and when he does go he is not only fast but one of the gamest and most reliable youngsters I have seen here. Look at his win in the City Stakes. It wanted a bit of pluck to win that race from Wakawatea s position at the start. He is an exceptionally sonnd colt also, and if he does not develop into a Derby winner, he will pay his way in any company so l«ng as he retains his speed." Says the Sydney Referee : A plan which, if more frequently followed, might have the effect of lessening the amount of swindling on the turf, was adopted in connection with the Selling Race at Williamstown on Saturday, says the Argus. John Bright, one of the starters, was peculiarly treated in the betting market, and inordinately long odds were offered against him at the fall of the flag. Mr U. F. Fraser, the stipendiary steward, suspecting that all was not right, secured the assistance of one of the local stewards, and the couple placed themselves near the home turn, the spot usually chosen by a jockey to " pull " a horse. At the enquiry subse- , quently held into John Bright'* running, Mr Fraser was able to give valuable evidence. The horse, his rider, and lessee were disqualified for two years. If we had a stipendiary steward to look after the various little games p' a yed at our local race meetings he would find plenty to occupy his attention. Horses are roped and pulled with impunity, and no notice is taken of it. The example set by Mr Fraser at Williamstown is well worthy of imitation by the stewards of our suburban meetings. One or two disqualifications after this fashion would have a beneficial effect.