SPORTING NOTES.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 22 November 1917, Page 1

SPORTING NOTES.

A Sydney paper is responsible for the statement that over £10,000 was won by the stable connections when Biplane won tlic V.R.C. Derby. As Mr G. D. Greenwood is known to New Zealanders as a very modest investor, it would be interesting to learn who supported the Comedy King colt for such a large stake.

At Flemington on Melbourne Cup day recruiting addresses were delivered 011 the course, and for 20 minutes between the running of the November Nursery and the Melbourne Cup .the bookmakers were debarred from calling the odds.

It is anticipated that there will be a very spirited competition for Comedy King when the brown son of Persimmon goes into the sale ring next month, and with the proved record against his name it may be said that matters bear a favourable appearance for the price paid for Trafalgar (7500gns) being beaten.

It is interesting to relate that Sasa--11 of (winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1916) and Mcnelaus (winner of the New Zealand Cup of 1917) were both bred at the Kinloch Stud by Mr J. F. Buchanan, and they went into the salering within a few minutes of each other. Sasanof was bought by Mr W. G. Stead for 400gns, while Mcnelaus was taken by Messrs E. and V. Riddiford at 430gns. Another woman jockey, Kitty Yeomans (Forbes, N.S.W.), daughter of the old-time rider Billy Yeomans, who for some years has been a well-known horso pilot at shows, a few weeks ago took to the race track. Her first day's record was a win, a second, a third, and a fourth.

There are seven well-grown yearlings running in a paddock at Bushy Park, Wanganui, which are being prepared for the Randwick (New South Wales) sales next March. Five of these are youngsters by Hallowmas, including a brown filly out of Signora, a chestnut filly out of Sundra, a brown filly out of Simonia, a bay filly out of Largesse, and a brown colt out of Armistice. These live are owned by Mr G. F. Moore. The two others belong to different owners, and include a black colt by Autumnus —Ukraine, the dam of Sasanof, and a bay filly by Nassau — Formless, a half-sister to Bon Reve. J. O'Shea's broken arm has mended nicely, and he is again riding work at Ellerslie. The premier horseman of last year will make his first appearance this season at Takapuna. One of his mounts will probably be the imported horse PolydatDOn. R. J. Mason has not cancelled the accommodation booked for his .M at Green Lane, and it looks as if Biplane would be on hand to fulfil his engagements at the A.R.C. Summer Meeting.

Gold Fran will bo ridden at Takapuna by llio Taranaki lightweight McDonald. E. Pope has the son of San Fran very well at present, and all going well in the meantime, he can be counted as a certain runner in the Auckland Cup. Full details of the running for the recent Melbourne Cup now to hand show that the English-bred horse Lanius, who had the services of H. Cairns, held his position firmly as favourite for the great race right up to the start. Westcourt, on whom W. H. Mcl.aclilan had the mount, always ruled a strong second favourite. Lanius was practically a beaten horse before the last four furlongs came to be entered upon. When heads were fairly in a lino for home, Westcourt was in the van; and the son of Bright Steel was so well clear of his opponents approaching the distance that he looked like an easy winner. In the last furlong, however, Lingle came with a tremendous rush, and McLachlan, who had the mount on the son of Bright Steel, taking in the situation in a flash, sat down on his horse to engage in the desperate finish imminent. Lingle stuck to his opponent in great style, but the post was just a little too close, and, amidst great oxeitement, Westcourt gained the judge's verdict by half a head. The records published show that the first half-mile was slowly run, the timekeeper making it 54% sec, tl:3 second half-mile was covered in the third in 52y 2 sec, and the final four furlongs in 48% sec. The concluding six furlongs occupied lmin 15sec, and the mile lmin 41sec,