SPORTING.

Shannon News, 7 December 1923, Page 3

SPORTING.

Marqueteur started at an outside price in the St. Andrew's Handicap, at Feilding, and looks in need of a race or two.

According to an Auckland authority the successful Australian trainer Peter Biddle will shortly transfer his headquarters to Christchurch. Zcv’s recent defeat of In Memoriam made him America’s greatest stakewinner. His winnings are now £60,214. ,

There were 13 applicants for the position of starter to the Foxton Club and Mr. A. Keith received the appointment.

Axecta, which ran second to Millimetre in the Aorangi Plate .at the Feilding meeting, is an aged mare by Taitoko —Hcrmia. She runs in • the colours of W. Hastie, of Feilding. Bonnie Heather’s wind trouble appears to be getting worse, and it is quite on the cards that Heather Mixture- gelding ‘‘will shortly be retired from the turf. The Marton mentor, J. Morris,' has Martulla looking in good order, and if the daughter of Martian —Tortulla does not notch a win in the near future it will ijot be for the want of condition. i

Pantler ran a good race in the St. Andrew’s Handicap, and was responsible for the solid pace set for threeparts of the journey. The son of Panmure will win a race during the holiday fixtures. The Trentham mentor, H. Telford, who recently took Flight Commander over to Sydney, is expected back in the course of a few days. He will, leave for Sydney again during the month, and may take the Boiiifonn filly Bonnie Sox with him.

It is understood that J. O’Shea will pilot Tarleton in thp Great Northern Derby, and as his services were sought for Suggestion, it is evident that Mr. Bidwill intends, sending his representative north again, when it may be expected that he will bo ready to do himself justice. New Zealand-bred horses had quite a good day at a recent meeting at Kensington, Sydney, three of them' being winners. The Flying Handicap, five furlongs and a quarter, was won by Red Bock, by Rokoby—Red Rose; the Approved Handicap, one mile, went to Ballymena’s 6-year-old half brother, Golden. - Mixture, ‘by Ivilbroncy—Medley; and the Kensington Handicap, one mile and a quarter, was Avon by Kilwa, by Kilbroney —Divinia. Evidently the stipendiary st'ervards ha\ r e started out on a belated spring cleaning and jockeys should sit up and take notice. At Feilding, no feAver than tlirc’c riders, rvcrc stood doAvn; the apprentices W. S. Bagby, H. E. Ryder and Jockey R. J. Mackie, the first and third for a fortnight, and Ryder for a month. All three were getting plenty of riding and are. bound to f'eel the pinch. Still, the stipes are right, and jockeys riiust learn to look where they are going. Some Avriters have complained of harshness on the part of the Feilding Jockey Club stervards in heavily penalising a jockey for crossing and careless riding. While refraining from making any comment on this particular case, 1 ‘ Avis ” is of the opinion that if all steAvards were as watchful, concerning the real interests of racing, as are these gentlemen, the sport would have f'CAver spots on it. While in Melbourne recently, on a holiday, Mr. P. Garrity, of Terraco End, Avitnesscd the running of the Cup, and on liis return related to “Avis” his impressions of the fixture. “I attended the same meeting 50 years ago,” said Mr. Garrity, “and on that, occasion—lß73 —there AA r as a considerably smaller crowd than on this occasion. At the meeting fifty years ago Don Juan Avon the Cup in 3min 36sec, and carrying 6.12, Avhile at the recent meeting, Bitalli won the event in 3min 24Jsec, carrying 6.13. The most striking thing about the meeting to the tends. On the day I Avent there were tends, n the day I went there were 135,000 watched the running of the Cup,