Sporting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8189, 15 May 1906, Page 7

Sporting.

[BY " Cehaint.""]

At a meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club, held on Thursday night, dates wore selected for tho autumn meeting of the club next year, and will be forwarded to the Conference for approval. This year Manawatu raccd before Feilding, but owing to the early dates of Easter next year Manawatu will in all probability follow Feilding, and perhaps Wellington. Mr D. Buick's smart filly, Tangimoana, had to strike hor colors on both days at the recont Hawke's Bay meeting. On tho first day she finished out of a place in her engagement, but improved on that form the second day, when she was defeated by a short half length by Frisco, an inmate of F. Tilley's Fordell stable. The filly will now enjoy a spell till taken up for spring engagements. In the meantime Mr King, who has charge of Mr Buick's team, will keep himself employed with a trio of youngsters, a three-year-old by Handsome Jack—Ator and therefore half-brother to tho onetime smart hurdler, Ngapuhi, a two-year-old by Papakura—Elusion, and a filly tho same age by San Fran from Ivismary, purchased by her owner at the las>t Hawke's Bay sales.

There is a chance that Prospector, an inmate of J. Maher's stable, will be put over hurdles during the present season. Tho gelding is endowed with a fair amount of pace as he has shown on several occasions, has plenty cf size to recommend him and should he take kindly to the obstacles should mako a strong addition to the ranks of West Coast jumpers. The ranKs of the latter promise to bo sadly depleted at an early date by the departure of Kremlin, Lull, Shrapnel and Apiti for Australia, tho likelihood of which I mentioned some time back. All four of the horses mentioned aro trained at Feilding, the first three by A. Hall and Apiti by A. Attwood. They will form tho strongest quartette of jumpers that has left New Zealand for some time past. Kuroki is mentioned as -another likely candidate for Australian jumping honors.

The Mahaki mare Mauira struck herself while schooling recently and has been put in the paddock, a refuge reached by several horses during the past few weeks.

Mussel ran a couple of decent races at Hawke's Bay and appeared to hold a winning chance at the home turn the first day. He could not see the distance out, however, a reason that accounted for his downfall on the second day. It is unlikely he will be jumped any more but kept exclusively at flat racing. The injury sustained by English Channel last week is more serious than was at first anticipated. He is reported to be suffering from a ruptured artery in the near foreleg, and his racing days are over for some time to come. J. Maher has Barca and Prospector doing good useful work. He has also taken up Apelles again, while a two-year-old by The Officer—Oriiiamme has also joined the stable. The latter has just been broken in. Four locally trained and owned horses in Hipporangi, Miss Launcelot, Sherlock Holmes, and Bonheur got into the winning list at the Marlborough meeting. Achilles has won over JG7OOO. The great English sire, St. Simon, has never yet sired a chestnut, Machine Gun will do duty at the Durham Court (N.S.W.) stud during the approaching season. Savoury, who was recently purchased from Mr Stead, is showing signs of knee lameness. Sir George Clifford's crack two-year-old, Kirriemuir, has been fired and blistered in the hope that her knee affliction may be cured. Treadmill is being ridden preparatory to going into regular work. In view of the scarcity of stayers, it is to bo hoped that this fine horse will survive a preparation. In referring to the fact that a paris n priest m New iSouth Wales bred Antonius, one of the best two-year olds of the presentjseason, a Sydney writer says : —Kirkland, the winner of the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase of 1905, was bred by a parish -priest stationed in the neighbourhood of Lord Dunraven's estate in County Limerick, where his Australian-bred sire, Kirkham, did duty. Mentioning this to an Irish barrister resident in Sydney, he promptly replied, " Why half the jumpers in Ireland are bred by the clergy." Stallion service is very much cheaper in Ireland than in England. A horse that could command 20 guineas in England would not be supported at more than five in Ireland, and then not at all unless passed as sound and free from hereditary disease by the agent of the Irish Breeding Society. Therefore a poor Irish priest is in a very much better position to indulge in a little stock-raising than is his English compeer. Exmoor is a candidate for jumping honours this season, and he figures amongst the entrants for tho Great Northern Hurdle Race. The highlybred son of Grafton and La Vivandiere had a couple of tries over the small sticks last season, but he is still a maiden in that department. His best effort was at the Taranaki meeting, when he followed Inniskillen home in the First Hack Hurdle Race. A Wellington writer says: —Obviously, Isolt was greatly distressed when she returned to tho scales after winning the St Leger. Whether she was short of work or has a tendency to become thick winded is a question that her trainer alone could best answer, but one seldom sees a horse after a comparatively easy victory pull up so badly as r did Isolt at the conclusion of the race for the St Leger. A southern writer says : —Convoy's display on Saturday convinced me that he is faint-hearted. Half a mile from home he was pnlling McCombe out of the saddle, but a few strides further on he collapsed, and eventually finished last. The same thing was said of Convoy before he went south. The Auckland mare Industry (dam of the Melbourne Cup winners, Ganlus and the Grafter) was sold for 40 guineas at the sale of the Tucka Tucka stud recently. Industry was foaled as far back as 1882. Industrious, a daughter of Industry, realised 460 guineas, and she was secured on behalf of the Rev. Father Campbell, the breeder of Antonms. It was generally anticipated that tho Haut Brion—Trieste colt would top tho list atj tho New South Wales yearling sales, but tho prediction was not borne out. " Terlinga," of tho Australasian, depicts the youngster in question in glowing colours, referring to him thus : " The Trieste colt is, I think, about the handsomest yearling I have ever seen in a ring. Ho is a real swell, possessing ! size, length, character, beautiful color — : m fact, he looks to have all the attributes

of a. smashing good rafcehorso. Why did-ho-step at 910 guineaß ? soicoa will ask. I fancy it was because Hauturior and Istria, full brother and sister, proved unsound, while another sister in Eleanor was not too easy to train. However, this fellow looks ail right, and, as prices went 910 guineas did not seem enough money for him."

Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for the Otaki meeting close with the secretary, Otaki, on Friday, 18th inst., at 8 p.m.