SPORTING.

Shannon News, 22 September 1925, Page 2

SPORTING.

NOTES AND. COMMENTS. Banjuke is a very likely-looking sort as a hunter, and it is said that an offer of £IOOO was made for him recently. Royal Divorce met -with a lot of bad luck in his engagements at Wanganui, a fact which should be kept in mind in future important engagements. Nelson Derby continues to please tno track watchers at Addington by the manner in which he gets through his tasks.

To date, Australia’s weight-for-age horse, Whit ter, has started 42 times for thirteen wins, thirteen seconds, and two thirds. He has captured several valuable races, and in stakes he luts won about £18,050. So far uo descendant of Kilbroney has succeeded in winning the New Zealand Cup. In this year’s big event Loughrea, Ivilfaire, Rouex, Sunshot, | The Banker, Kilbirnie and Phoenix Park are horses sired by Kilbroney. Mr. W. P. Russel has ben appointed judge for the Taranaki Jockey Club’s Christmas and February meetings, Mr. C. O’Connor starter (February meeting), and Mr. H. Coyle handieapp'er. The following foalings are reported from the Westmere Stud farm: Orat■ress, a bay colt to Paper Money; Kitell, bav filly to Archery; Miss Ethel bay filly to Paper Money; Leadihg Lady, brown filly to Archery; Formless, chestnut filly to Archery. While the horses were at the barrier for the Marangai Handicap at Wanganui, Nukumai lashed out and his hoof caught young Potter, the rider of Shining Armour, on the hip. The lad was hurt, but pluckily kept his seat and rode in the race, though suffering muefi paiu. The Christchurch Sun states that Loughrea may be taken to Australia within the next week or two. The weight-adjuster did not overburden Mr. Hazlctt’s gelding, and, provided he is at his best, should have an excellent chance of upholding New Zealand’s reputation in some of the rich events m the Commonwealth. While working at Avondale on Saturday morning the Avondale Cup candidate Sandstar, who was fancied for the event, dislocated hi s fetlock, and had to be destroyed. His owner, Mr. Wenze Scholium had a misfortune to another promising horse in Greetings, who dropped dead while at walking exercise at Avondale recently. Mandane, trained by P. Tilley, only ran third in the Wanganui Guineas. As ‘ she finished well and is not, yet wound up. better things may be looked for m the big races later in the season. Inferno, in the same stable, will also oe in the limelight. Bonliommc, Ohui and Shining Armour arc the other useful members of the Eordell stable. In Svdncy for a few days, wrote a Sydney scribe recently, is a veteran Melbourne bookmaker, who speaks witn the 'experience of 40 years behind him. Long an ante-post operator, he asserts that the volume of business on the two cups this year is astonishing. It is the greatest betting double for at least lo years, he added. Fortunes are going to be won or lost on the first Tuesday inNovember, 1925. A Wanganui writer states that never before has there been witnessed on the Wanganui course such a thrilling finish as that provided by the two cracks, Gold Light and Nigger Minstrel, m the Eclipse Stakes, the result being a dead heat. It was reckoned in some quarters that Nigger Minstrel notched victory by tlie narrowest of margins, but judge was the only one in the position to decide. . First Acre, the first of Acre’s stocx, won at Wanganui in easy style, and there is no doubt lie has inherited some of his sire’s pace. Hi s dam, Oka, is one of the well bred tribe, for she was cot by Stepniak out of Sortie, who was sired bv a New Zealand Cup winner, Vanguard, out of Fairy Maid, by imported Albany. First Acre is owned by Mr. A. Trevor and trained by A. DWebster at Otaki. Tiff is going on well m his picpaia tion, and if only he ste'ers clear of trouble t-liis hitherto unlucky horse is coing to win good races during the next few months (states a Christchurch writer). It is probable that C. Eastwood will be his pilot in the New Zealand Cup, a race in which he must have a creat chance if be survives th troubles that have more 'than once compelled his retirement m the past. R. J. Mason’s Australian trip has turned out disastrously ilUL.yea r , from a racing point of view. First Gloaming [ went- wrong and the idea of starting him in Sydney had to be abandoned, while a later message announces that Haze has had to forfeit all his engagements on account of lameness. Inis leaves onlv the three-year-old filly Lucinda, and if a buyer can be found for her Mason may soon be back at Riccaiton. . It is rather a peculiar coincidence that two New Zealand Cup candidates should have died in Wanganui dunng the last few days (writes "Achilles in the Wanganui Herald). On Friday Mark Time had to be destroyed, as he was found to be suffering from a form of paralysis, and on Sunday Quiescent died from perotinitis following an acute attack of inflammation of the bowms. Quiescent was apparently all right on Friday, and was to have been a runner in the Higgle Handicap on Saturday, but that morning was found to be amiss. The trouble rapidly developed, an>i though veterinary aid wa s obtained the son of Kilbroney died at 4 a.m. After a successful stay in England, the Australian jockey, Frank Wootton, returned home at the beginning oi this month, and stated that be intends to remain in Australia. He also intimated that lvc has retired from the saddle, but was unable to give an idea of what lie would do. In England, Frank Wootton headed the winning jockeys’ list for four years, and was one of the most popular riders in the Old Country. After the Avar Ire took to cross-country riding, and rode his last winner in Juno. Ho is a brother to Stanley Wootton. who recently purchased a big training estate near Epsom.