SPORTING.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 48, 26 February 1901, Page 1

SPORTING.

THE BETTING MARKET IN MELBOURNE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Melbourne, Feb. 25. The acceptances • were in to-day, but there is small business and little change. Malster would be shorter if he were a certain starter. Wakeful is further supported for any money at 6 to 1, accepted, fives being the best on offer at the finish, Fulminate and The Watch Dog were backed at 1000 to 90, 10 to' 1 being tho best price. Marie Corelli was supported at 1000 to 40.

This is what “ Banjo " Paterson had to say about Advance when he got back 'to Austra lia: — Many judges in New Zealand consider Advance as good a horße as Carbine ever was. He doesn’t look it. He is a black, or very dark 'brown horse, about 15.3 in height, a very plain wear-and-tear sort with a pony’s head, a coarse neck, splendid barrel and limbs, and common-looking hindquarters rather badly coupled on to his body. He is about the last animal a -stranger would pick out as a champion by his looks. All the same, he is undoubtedly a galloping phenomenon. I travelled with him in small steamer from New Plymouth to Auckland, and he seemed a most contented animal, playing about in his loose-bos all the time. I did not see him race, but I saw him run a working gallop of a mile and a half with a mare called Tortulla—rather a good sort—as companion. He moves like a piece of clock-work, and gallops with his head high, which gives him the appearance of looking about him at scenery, while the horse alongside him is straining every nerve to keep there. In all his races lately he has finished in the same way with his head up looking about him. There is nothing in New Zea] land that can make him extend himself at weight-for-age. AH . the same, I would be sorry to prophesy that he will be able to do anything of the sort with the horses on this side of the water. The Auckland Derby winner, Benown, was the next best weight-for-age horse to Advance, and, in my humble judgment, Benown would not be able to make Malster or even Hautboy gallop. Bluejacket, the Auckland Cup winner, was an infirm horse, and to sum the matter up it would seem that Advance will meet very much better horses here than he met in New Zealand. Be this as it may, it is certain that the New South 'Wales and Victorian racing men will rub their eyes with when they see the plain-looking black go out for his gallop, and they will be more astonished than ever when they see him move along. Advance in his box and Advance on the track are two diSerent animals. Of course, there is the fear that he may not stand the voyage and change of climate, but he is a contented animal, and a great eater, so ho may weather the trip satisfactorily.

Bookmakers who lollow their calling in the West do not get much consideration from the West Australian Turf Club. That institution charged the ring men 60 guineas for the privilege of betting in the bird-cage at the New Year Meeting, and they had to pay for their clerks, in addition. Then the bookmaker is “ shut in ” the bird-cage, so that anyone desiring feo patronise him has to spend another couple of shillings to reach him. That the bookmaker continues to exist in spite of these-Almost prohibitive restrictions is a probf4hat the public want him. William Cnbbitt| who was a well-known cross-country riderTh Victoria, and who won the Grand National Steeplechase on Boyal Oak, died a short while ago in India of smallpox. He had gono to that country in oharge of Government horses.