SPORTING.

Otaki Mail, 19 September 1923, Page 3

SPORTING.

Levin Club To Race At Treiitham. I Mr. \V. Bull, secretary of the Levin Club, informs us that he has just com- , pleted arrangements whereby his club _ : will hold its next race-meeting at ! Treutham on -3rd October. A success- • ful meeting should result and be the ' I means of placing the club on a solid ' [ basis. i Martial Dawn has been scratched for I all engagements at the Otaki meeting, j Kemp, with Pntuki and Megan, and j Hickey, with Admiral Codriugton, are j now in quarters, at Otaki. Their i charges aie going well. i j Caretaker J. List, who has been han- | I dicapped by bad weather, has the | I course in good trim, and with lino j j! days the track should be well up to the standard. i The stewards of the Jockey Club in England have succeeded in obtaining some reductions from the railway companies in the charges for the carriage jof racehorses. On .May Ist hist suijj stantial reductions were made, and on I behalt of the railway companies it was I pointed out that the charges were now less l han 3u pel cent, above pre-war j rates. A further concession now made ' is thai one attendant for each horse is j allowed to nave! free, except in the case of two horses belonging to the ' same stable travelling together as one consiguii.eiit, when only one attendant per consignment fc allowed free. S. '.VulM'ii who. awhile back, was asJ sociated with the training of the iaird- ! lor Sir Donald, and other useful horses, ! is again following his calling. He has tour racy-looking animals to work on, notably a three-year-old coll by Quarantine — I'aloma. three-year-old Jilly by Snrto —Heal her. three-year-old filly by Quarantine —Glunnpp mare and a two- | year-old chestnut by Quarantine —McJalogue. It is understood then: will b'e I several additions to the above team j shortly. Watson will have the assistI ance of a capable horseman in C. G. • McSeveney, who intends taking up his permanent residence ill i'almerston 1 North.

Rapine's success in the Chelmsford Stakes at the Sydney Tnttorsall's meeting' was well received in VXew Zealand. The. time was slow, but as Rapine carried the maximum penalty there was a lot of merit in the performance-. David, whom he .beat by a short neck, is the best long-distance performer in Australia, and it may be held that he will lie belter suited to longer journeys, but this is a remark which may also be applied t.) Rapine, whose prospects in the rich weight-for-agc races at the Australian Jockey Chili's meeting now appear to be exceptionally bright. Rapine had to forfeit: some valuable engagements in New Zealand last spring, •is he showed signs of being delicate and could not. be got at. his best. Enthusiasm beat him in the Great Northern Derby, but he afterwards won the Auckland Plato, "Wellington Cup, Great Northern St. Leger, New Zealand St. Leger and Treutham Gold Cup. How Oakleigh Was Bought. In his notes in the "Weekly Press" (Christehurch), " Autisthenes " has nil interesting story of how New Zealand's champion steeplechaser. Oakleigh, came into the ownership of Messrs Peach Bros. One of the partners supplied the information to "Autisthenes," and after stating that he was outbid for one lot at the Hamilton fair, continued :is follows: — "The next lot was a good-looking sort, but had been trucked loose and had injured his head. The stupid ass id' a groom put a bridle on Ihe open wound, with the consequence that when the ),.„>. was cheeked he wen: mild «irh pain and charged the crowd. There was no hid: hut jn-l as the horse was leaving the vine i jdd a fiver. 'Fiver,' said the auctioneer v, ith infinite scorn, 'the reserve is £IS - take him out.'. 'Mister.' said a small voice belov. the box". 'Yes," said the knight of the hani•l brought the horse here and the boss told me not to bring him back.' 'Right.' said the auctioneer, 'a fiver —a fiver —goine- ;,i a fi ; ver.' Some silly fool bid ten bob. T made it six pounds—and that's how I bought Oakleigh." Oakleigh liar, won the two In-t New Zealand Grand National Steeplecnnscs. and those races alone returned his owners somewhere about £3OOO in priz"money. and his total is nearly £7""n.