SPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 701, 21 December 1909, Page 3

SPORT.

BY “ EARLY-BIRD.”

As the day approaches, First Gun becomes firmer in the betting for the Auckland Cup. Paisano is likely to improve on Woodville form, and will have many firm friends during the holidays. Jim Lambess is pushing Slippery Queen along, evidently with a view to contesting the Scurry at Foxtou. We have to acknowledge with thanks the' receipt of complimentary tickets for the Mauawatu and Ashurst holiday gatherings. There are those who argue that because Osiris could defeat a big field at Sydney, the offspring of Ismene .should win the Mauawatu Cup. Bosh ! That Sydney field was not much class. Te Puia, who has given some promise of proving a stayer, has been nominated for the Wellington Cup, though Dick Brough is more likely to be found racing the San Frqn mare at Foxton on Wellington dates. Mauawatu Summer meeting opens on Thursday, when the rich Manawatu Stakes and Summer Handicap Mile will be decided. Alf. Wright has his team engaged during the day. Tawhaki, the southerners say, is a stone certainty in the Manawatu Cup. What will the others be doing ? This scribe cannot believe that Prosser would allow a good Cup winner to quit his stable. On recent form, Mataari would give the Summer Mile a great shake on Thursday, but he is unsound, and it will be good business to leave kronk limbed equines alone on the metal-hard track at Palmerston. All the best horsemen in the land will be available at Awapuni on Thursday, after which a large contingent of them will make haste to Auckland and New Plymouth to take part at the Xmas meetings in those quarters. Notorious is so highly estimated by his connections that they are unlikely to take the risk of smashing him up completely on the hard tracks at holiday time. Good policy to wait till the going has the sting out [of it, a course which will probably be pursued. There is no disputing the fact that Toney Messena has a useful string. Waipaku, Waitapu, Waitoto, and Wairoto should all win good races if judiciously placed and handled. Until Waiouru can put on the beef, it is hard to even imagine the rakey brother to Motoa winning a decent race. Although Lord Soult had the Feilding Stakes at his mercy from flagfall, it is erroneous to imagine that he could have gone on much further. Feilding going was to his liking, but the extra distance and hard track at Awapuni will not sweeten his chance of success. More likely to “ out ” his groggy leg for ever and a day. With a continuance of the present fine weather, there will be that many horses going sore with racing that when the last day at Awapuni comes on, the fields will be so weak in number and quality that lots of very rough stuff may bob up serenely and win sufficient stake money to keep their owners from the pangs of poverty. If Waiouru could be built up at all, he would prove a “ smasher,” but it is like attempting to make water settle on . a duck’s back to try and put condition on him. So much good food wasted ! He may win a sprint event or two, but so long as he retains his present “ hat rack ” appearance, about five furlongs will prove the length of his tether. If Coleman conld be relied upon to keep his horses well, Moose would read fair stuff in the Hack Hurdles on Thursday. But punters would be wise to study the appearance of the Wanganui nag before putting their bullion in. If this bay is as well as at Feilding meeting, there is nothing surer than Coleman’s charge bidding “Good-bye” to Pearl Reef and Co. at the business end. Success often weakens the brain power of people in all walks of life, but it is most noticeable with a large percentage of the youths who take to the horsey profession. There are brilliant exceptions at the riding business, in fact most of those who are at the top of the tree at their calling are, at least, gentlemanly in manner. There is no reason why those following the jockeys calling should not pursue it in a thorough gentlemanly manner, and so elevate themselves to the social standing of the most respected citizen; But, unfortunately, the average boy who throws his legs across an inmate of the racing stable, and who perhaps flukes a mount in a race, is made so much of by his boy pals that he imagines himself a little tingod, loses his head, and straightway buoys himself up with the idea that to be a hero amongst his kin, he must be an out-and-out blasphemer, must give cheek to all and sundry, must become an inveterate cigarette smoker, and must addict himself to every vice of life—in fact he gets an idea into his young mind that he has been inherited with a special right to do all these things, and so lower all dignity of the profession into the depths of perdition and infidelity, It is a pity that such brainless youths are set at large, but we find him everywhere in the horsey profession, even right in our midst. To make a successful horseman, a boy has to be blessed with a cool sound thinking head-piece, for the inducements at the game to go wrong are phenomenally great, and it would be well to remember that only those, who shun evil ways in their infancy at the calling make a success of the business. The others always end up the one way—in the mire !