SPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 700, 18 December 1909, Page 3

SPORT.

BY “ EARLY BIRD.” A start has been made to get the Foxton track in order for the forthcoming meeting. Grass cutting is now proceeding apace. Most of the southern contingents have wended their way northwards in readiness for the coming Auckland Cup gathering, and training work at Fllerslie is of a lively order. Though Taskmaster and Aberbrothock both went a bit sore at Ellerslie and had to be eased in their work, still a short spell is expected to fit them to face the starter. Nick Martin, local horse tamer, is handling a young Advance nag for Alf. Wright, preparatory to it being educated for a racing career. Not a bad stamp of a galloper, and, I uudeistand, the property of Martin Boyle. Sir Antrim has been lightly assessed in the Wairarapa Cup with only 6.13 ou his back. But his full brother, Lord Soult, caught it hot in the sprint event, being placed within easy range of Penates in the gst odd division. Jim Lambess is working a Gipsy King mare, by name Slippery Queen. If it proves as fast as its name would suggest, things will be alright for her connections, but they say although she shows some pace for a couple of furlongs, this latest charge of Buoyant’s mentor will have to be particularly well placed to win races. There are those who incline to the belief that Toney Messena will catch the Mauawatu Cup with Waitapu. They are not a brilliant lot fighting for the prize, but this scribe does not think Waitapu can possibly be got down to racy condition in time. The bay son of Gipsy King mostly wins his races when light in condition. Although Hatch and Hector Gray are due to see the Auckland carnival out, still Arthur Olliver, Syd. Reid and Billy Young are expert horsemen left to favour horse-owners round Mauawatu and district meetings. No doubt they will scoop the pool between them. Anyway, this trio would be a good investment to the judicious monied punter. Goodwin Park is nicely handicapped in the Ashurst Cup with 6st odd, and it will be interesting to note how Tilley’s bay nag fares in open company. The average Manawatu punter is sweet on the chances of Waipaku—undoubtedly one of the best mares in the island up to a mile and a quarter. The Foxton mare will come to profit shortly, and seems well suited in the big race at Bulls. First Gun, stable mate to Master Soult and Elysian, has been consistently supported lor the ,£2OOO Cup at Ellerslie right since the appearance of the weights. Rather nicely weighted at 7.3, and there are some heads who think the Aucklander capable of landing the stuff. It will be remembered First Gun won a handicap event from a large field at the Riccatton carnival, and.has showed promise of staying qualities. The fact that E. J. Watt has both Theodore and Kilindini in the Railway at Auckland has punters puzzled, as either may be capable of landing the prize. Those who wish to get in early may be right in assuming that Theodore will prove the elect, for Kilindini has had a busy time this spring, while Theodore is just coming to form. Besides, it is an open secret that Theodore is much the better of the two. However, Salute and others cannot be counted entirely out. Unless there is a solid downpour ot rain in the meantime, the Xmas meetings round these parts must assuredly be responsible for sending many of the horses engaged out for a term. It will not be safe to race any groggy legged nag at Palmerston, where the going promises to be as hard as the road. Ashurst will be bad enough, but Bulls will be more to the liking of the horse owner. They are racing on a new track there, and the going should be “ turfy.” It was about time the Bulls people made a change from the old order of things, and now that they have a new up*to-date course, let us have a change from them in the conduct of their meetings generally. Willie Redgrave is no fool at the cricketing lurk, a fact which he amply demonstrated at the local Victoria Park on Wednesday last, when he gave spectators a taste of his phenomenal hitting powers and kept the United fielders exceptionally busy in the trees searching for the leather which he biffed to the boundary with monotonous regularity. He ran his score past the century in easy fashion and finally carried the willow out with a total of 112 runs to his credit. The Himitangi hero has had a very successful career in New South Wales and New Zealand cricket, and has worn the silver fern leaf badge ’ere to-day. He is a genial sort is the local liquid dispenser, and since his feat of Wednesday last, has been subjected to much banter by the school boy, but perhaps the most witty interjection came from a twaddling greasy faced urchin when “ Reddy” notched his hundredth run. This lad (evidently bent on recognising the startling merit of the local Ranjitisingi), with‘the air and attitude of a martyr, bawled out, “Retire Bill, retire ! ” Reddy acknowledged the compliment by pasting the bowler to boundary for a “ sixer.” He is an exceptional hard hitter is the ruddy faced leather-beater in question, and, though centuries in local cricket have been as scarce as radium, ou Wednesday’s form it is reasonable to expect “Reddy” will go on piling up “ hundreds ” , again in the near future.