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TURF FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.
BT "AFEMANTOS."
THERE was on Saturday last at Williamstown a
really capital assemblage of sports to assist at the
race meeting held on the seaside course. Although
the weather looked threatening the rain held ofl',
and some very exciting sport was witnessed. The
stakes amounted to no less a sum than £300, one
of these being for a hundred sovs., a fact that
alone 'induced a good field. The management was
everything that could be desired, and the meeting
a grand success throughout. Punters had considerably
the worst of the deal with the fielders,
and if the head verdict in the principal event had
been reversed would indeed have suffered.
A FIELD of only half-a-dozen out of fifteen faced
Mr. Watson for the Hurdle Race, Riplet being a
pronounced favourite at 0 to i, and oucc the sister
to Ripple touched even a shorter price. Realgar
and Ingeebyra, the latter carrying 81bs. over, were
well supported at fives, with Parisian at sevens,
and Wellington . at . the same. Ingeebyra made
play for half the distance, when Wellington supplanted
him, and, notwithstanding all Alf.
Williams' efforts on Riplet, Wellington won in a
canter in the moderate time of 2min. 59sec.
SEVEN was the main for the Welter Handicap,
Bostedo's brother, Warwe, who was in really
genuine commission, being at one time at evens,
having been backed from lives down, but eventually
he retired to 6 to 4, with Dunwell very firm
at fives, and Puncliestown figuring at the same
price. The start was delayed a long time for the
favourite to reach the post, and w hen sent away
he made strong play, hut once in the straight shut
up like a concertina, and Dunwell beat him like a
hack by a couple of lengths, with The Hummer a
similar distance away third. The race occupied
1.18, by no means bad travelling for a Welter
Race.
THE good field of- eleven went to the post
for the Trial Handicap-, the actual favourite being
Neva at threes, with Sir James close on her heels
at a point longer. Independent was backed at
sixes, and a commission at the last moment for The
Brewer saw him at the sanu price. Neva jumped
off with the lead from Martin and Kruger, but was
supplanted at the turn by Martin, who appeared a
certain winner, when at the half-distance Sir James
managed to thread his way through, and after a
desperate set-to got home bya head, with Independent,
Neva, The Brewer and Kruger being all very
close up and bunched together, the third being only
a neck away from Martin. Time, 1.5A.
FOR the hundred sovereigns stake named the
Bay View Handicap there was naturally a good
none Help

tield, ami no less ill,-ill fourteen went to the post.
Kighl.-twiU U.c public pitched '»> Devoid), ami ho
wi-nt in (j 4, witli Goodman a strong second at
lives. Lnili KJII! at sevens also iwivcd strong
snppoit. whilst, Woodbine was ako bucked at
eights, tin- others ranging from tens to thirties.
Devoted M;IS tlio lirsl to) anticipate the rise
of tin- burlier, but Blunderer quickly supplanted
liim, as did al.-u The Musketeer. TJtc
order was the same, until the turn, whore tile
favourite seemed to hold everything wife, but under
his weight he tiled to nothing, and Matthews
brought '(inodn aii with nich ft rush that he got
home by »nh a head from The .Musketocr, who
eame willi a second run, the favourite being two
lengths away, with Woodbine and Iiughie
following. The race occupied 1.4(5 for the mile, or
only moderate time for a hundred sovereigns' mile.
I)Ki"Ojii-:n was always favourite of the half-dozen
that paddled up for the Junipers' Flat Race, a jd
went out at a shade of odds on, with Last Gler/at
fours. After Lindsay had made strong run'jfng,
Alf. Williams played with bis opponents, and won
hard held by a length from ^the second favourite.
FOR the Autumn Handicap a field of thirteen
faced the barrier, Sayles being a pronounced
favourite at twos, but his lieels were trodden on by
Blue Vest at half-si-point longer, and the connections
of (lie Martini-Henry filly were wonderfully
confident. Boston was genuinely backed down to 9
to 2, and hopping off with the leaders was really
never caught, for although he swung out at the
turn he won by a length, full of running, from
Woodbine, who oinie with a great rush, and was
only beaten by a length, with Sayles and Blue Vest
following.
NOTWITHSTANDING the rain, hail, sleet and wind
•which were the order on Tuesday last there was an
excellent attendance at headquarters, although
naturally enough, the ladies were " conspicuous by
their absence." Notwithstanding the drenching
it had received the ground was in first-class condition,
although, naturally enough, not of a record
nature. The sport, moreover, was of a splendid
description, and generally speaking the public beat
their constilntional enemies, the fielders. The
Royal Handicap was so exciting that until Mr.
M'Culloch had hoisted his numbers, there was considerable
incertitude as to the winner, but the
Sirdar Jerwan Singh's new purchase, Cherry,
received the award, perhaps owing to the influence
of Mr. Wragge's visitor of last week, " Buddha.'
INT the initial event, the Hurdle Race, there
were only five jstai tiers, Borderer, Wongong,
Riplet, Deposed and Kangaroo II. For the first
half-mile the quartette followed by Deposed were
abreast, antl so they charged the flight opposite
the judge's box, where Kangaroo II. fell and broke
his ncek. Deposed then simply waited on the
others, and coining away at the turn for home won
by five lengths from Borderer, with Riplet a good
third, aixl Wongong, who carried Sir Rupert
Clarke's colours, close up. Considering the going
the time of the nice, 4.lit, wa s by no means bad. In
the betting market Deposed was alwiys a strong
favourite after his Williamstown victory, and
more, especially as Underwood had scratched
Aboriginal in order to ride the late King Orrv,
who was jumping very badly throughout, trying to
save his " Dutch peg."
O\VIN<; to wet weather the scratching pen was
freely used during the day, and only fifteen of the
four and thirty coloured on the card went to the
barrier for the Royal Stakes, favoritism resting
with Yencda and Alabaculia, whilst the Gisbornefilly,
(.'arila, as also The Don antl Emon-na-
Knuc.k were well supported. At the distance
it looked as if the two favourites, The Don
and Cherry would fight it out, but Veneda
was unequal to the strain, and then Cherry
drew out, but Alabaculia chased the son of
Lochiel so 'very closely that Trahan had all his
work to do to defeat her, with The Don, Cavbina,
The Bright Jives aiid Reaper following in order.
Nn.us and.Tapage weje equal favourites for the
Steeplechase, whilst Nipper also received splendid
support. The last-named came down at the first
fence after leaving the straight, and then at the
stone, wall Nimble, Tapago, Will o' the Wisp and
.Mikado II. also came to grief, owing, as one of the
jockeys e.vplaided to me, the greasy nature of the
take-oil. Nihis (hen went on and won, but. only
after a game struggle by N.Z., on whom Howard
rode a desperate race : Blue Peter was the only
other to finish.
THE principal event of the day, the Birthday
Handicap, saw The. Chevalier at the head of the
market operations, and be won somewhat, comfortably
after alb,wing Beau Brummel. who refused
to try a yard wh. n ihe pinch eame, and the green
Peeress (o cut each other's thvoats. Tlie Chevalier
won this race a couple of years ago, but has been a
most expensive horse to bis owner. La Carabine
was speedily well backed, but ran a bit of a jade;
not by any means the first time Mr. Herbert
Powers leggy (illy has done so.
Foil some reason the public rushed the Queens"
dill gelding, Copperas, a diminutive sou of Ofi
Colour, into - favouritism, but he retired in the
betting towards the close of operations, when the
Mill Park gelding, The Bird, was a pronounced
favourite. Pretorius and The Bird had all theiaco to
themselves, they leading throughout, first one and
then another, but little Flowers on Canary's son
always seemed to have a bit up his sleeve, and
all hough l'retorius and the top weight Avalon ran
well, Mr. Miller's representative got home.
Ai AIIACCUA was always at the head of quotations
for the Welter Handicap, and with only
J sllc
appeared wonderfully well treated, l'n
company with the other QueenscM' pair, Bunvan
and Audity, she was always prominent, and'the
whole of the stake went to Wilson j.ere cl fits, as

they filled the three situations, Alabacuiia winning
with something in hand from Bunyan and Nudity.
As the race occupied 1.49J, some idea of the slate
of the now cut-up course can be proved.
TncsDAY was certainly a most disastrous day to
the fielders, and was also the same to the crosscountry
horses, as both Tapago and Kangaroo II.
fell and killed themselves.
l'y a couple of days Cherry, the winner of the
Royal Stakes, and the Australian Cup victor,
Ayrshire, will take their departure for India under
the charge of Mo. Trahan. Ayrshire is by Dunlop.
whereas,"strange to say, a horse named Dunlop, by
Ayrshire, has just been sold in England for a few
thousands,
MARTIN TAYLOR, well-known in Melbourne racing
and coursing circles, has, in conjunction with other
N.Z. keepers of betting shops, been severely
punished by being sent to gaol for a term, the
offence being keeping such betting "places."
MK? BAJ.DPCK, the Indian buyer, has purchased
Boston; by Bo/, from Peerage, but delivery will
not' be given until to-morrow morning, so that
Boston will, in all probability, carry Mr. Jack
Davis' colours for the last time to-day, at Sandown
Park.
TO-DAY Mr. Considine invites his patrons to
Sandown Park, wherea capital programme has been
framed, and well responded toby owners. On Saturday
the steeplechase season practically commences at
Moonee Valley, when the Commonwealth Steeplechase
will eventuate. Mr. Cox is the only secretary
that institutes a close season for steepleehasing, and
therefore when he actually starts in proper
jumping weather he receives that patronage he so
:ichly deserves, As Moonee Valley is so adjacent
to the metropolis there will probably be a very
large attendance on Saturday next.
Tun Californian racehorse, Judge Denny, is
credited with having, last February, lowered the
two miles record held jointly by Ten Broeck and
Newton, of 3inin. 27Asec., to 3min. 26Jsees.
Of course such a record knocks spots ofi
Carbine's Melbourne Cup record, but I think
I would prefer "Old Jack's" performance. One
reason is that in America Maxim's stock are
showing wonderful records, as, for instance,
Traverser ran six and a-half furlongs in 1.20 for
the first part of a mile, which Maxim's daughter,
Fleur de Lis, finished in 1.39.

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