SPORTING NOTES.

Shannon News, 13 August 1926, Page 4

SPORTING NOTES.

Next season the Nelson Jockey Club will hold a three days’ fixture in February, instead of the two day meeting as heretofore. The club will race the week prior to the Blenheim meeting. When Zircon fell in the Open Hurdles at Ricearton, states a Christchurch paper, he galloped off the course, jumping the cattle stop where the trains enter the club’s property. He then went on towards Sookburn and he was not recovered until evening. Apparently he was none the worse for his freedom. Happy Hays, who ricked a muscle when racing at the South Canterbury .Hunt fixture, is reported to be making a good recovery. from the injury, and his trainer, R. McDonald, is hopeful that he Avill be all right for his engagements this week. Sayonara is stated to have encountered some bad s luck during the running of the Open Hurdles at Ricearton and did well to finish fourth. Ho may show up prominently this week. R. MeSeA oney escaped with nothing more serious than, a slight injury to his hand when Bandaloro fell with him last Saturday week. The horseman was in (the saddle again in the next race on Spearpoint, but another fall was his lot. He had better luck at his (bird outing as he completed the coarse on Red Kriss in lire Open Hurdle Handicap. Sevang is stated to have infused plenty of dash into his work at Ellerslie and is expected to be in the lime-' fight early in the season. Sir Rosebun, who has been working on the hills for some weeks past, made a re-appearance at Ellersiic last week, ami is reported to have hit out freely when brushing along over the last few furlongs of his work. The crack jumper is pretty big, but should come to hand cpiickly. Bachelor, a two-year-old half-brother (bv Absurd) to Pluto Avas numbered' among the youngsters ivho failed to earn a winning bracket during the season. Although he made two or three appearances in public he has not raced since November. Northern reports state that in the meantime he has furnished very satisfactorily. Covent Garden, a gelding by' Absurd from the Birkenhead mare Cherry Mart, rising two-years-old, is stated to be shaping very promisingly at Wanganui. The youngster will carry the colours of his breeder, Mr. G. M. Currie. The Maniapoto gelding Prettyman died recently at Greyniouth. In the 192;]-2f season Prettyman paid his way, but he Avent through the whole of last season without earning a winning bracket. He faeed the starter 11 times, but only succeeded in gaining a place on tAVo occasions.

Argue is to be put in work again after his spell, and will probably go into J. Thacker’s stable at Normanby. Throughout his racing the Antagonist gelding shoAved a lack of staying power, five furlongs apparently being his limit.

Tarqnin is being prepared in Taranaki for the Hunt meetings. Thacker, the trainer of Tarquin, is reported to have taken up a useful fn-'e-year-old gelding by Antagonist —Lottery. He has never been raced, but should be handy as he is slunving promise in his Avork. A. Reed rode p very Jong-priced winner in the imported horse 'Bachelor's Temple at Geelong on July 141 h. Bachelor’s Temple, who Avas quite unbacked, is the property of Mr. Sol Green.

By way of contrast with the £IOO,OOO which the Aga Khan j,s said to have offered for Solario may be re-called the trifling value set upon some other famous racehorses before they had altogether proved their mettle. Godolphin, who, with his descendants, won millions of pounds, was discovered between the shafts of a watering cart in Paris and bought for a few guineas. Salamander, one of the finest steeplechasers ever known, was picked up for a sovereign or two in an Irish village. Plutus, winner of many classic events, was at one .time considered dear at seven guineas. Highland Laddie was reseuetl from a farmer’s gig to win thousands for the discerning m'an who bought him for £24, and Florence, purchased for £42, won her lucky owner the Ascot Plato, the Manchester Cup, and the Cambridgeshire. 'Scullion, another Ascot winner, was once so poorly thought of that ho was actually given away.

Birkenella lost some of his admirers through a poor schooling effort last week, but those who recalled his good racing at liiccurton a year ago were prepared to wait for a race before condemning him (stales a southern exchange). On Saturday, however, he gave a very disappointing exhibition in the Homeby Steeplechase. He was last practically all the way. and after faulty jumping at more than, one obstacle he finished up by bumping his 'rider off when he hit the sod wall, live furlongs from home. As a result, his •Grand National prospects are not now regarded so highly, but he may do much belter before tlu* end of this week, for it is hard to credit that he has

■forgotten lioav to jump tie Ricearton (fences, over Avkich he performed so 'brilliantly last year. Mr. George A. Duncan, Avko died on (Saturday after a long illness, was wellknown in sporting circles in various ■parts of the Dominion. He Avas at one ■time engaged as a trainer of trotters ■and pacers in Auckland, but in later i years he had resided in Christchurch, .where he was in business, Avhile at different periods he also owned a feAv horses, being interested in galloping as well as in the trotting sport. The Qast horse to carry his colours was tSarty, a useful hack, in the spring, ■and avlio is now racing in the North Island. George Duncan Avas a likeable •man and news of his death will be re•ccived with regret by a large circle of friends. li. S. Bagby has received a trainer ’s license for next season, also a jockey’s license, but the later only permits him to ride in hurdle races and steeplechases. Banjukc, Avhose activities have been .restricted ‘to racing over .hurdles, is, states a Taranaki report, being schooled over big country and Avill be a runner in the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt •Cup. ‘ / j..ercinoana is reported to be looking remarkably avcll at present, possibly better than at any previous stage of his career. It will be strange if this great galloper does not win several of the Aveight-for-agp events this season. Lady Cavendish is also reported to have furnished nicety since the autumn, and while her staying powers may nor have developed she should race prominently over short distances. The name of Morcina has been claimed for the Bisogne two-year-old from a Signor—Trueshot (hare at present being handled by 0. Cox in Taranaki. Since returning from ( the Wellington meeting R. Knox has only been giving Lady Fingers and Sir Moment light work, but, along with I Sir Wai, they will’again be sent into fast, Avork shortly. Sir Moment is improving in general conformation, and promises to turn out Avell next season. For some time past the half-brother to Six Rosoberry has been considered a delicate horse, but now he appears quite robust. Lady Fingers is not getting any younger, and does not gallop Av:ith her usual freedom, but with careful placing there should be another race or two for the mare yet. Sir Wai has no.w recovered from ills poisoned leg, and is looking very well. Wairarapa trainers are just waiting for the tracks to dry up to send their charges along in earnest, and from present appearances next season will be an important one as regards the class of horses racing. Mr. W. R. Kenibali Av:ill have his usual large team in action, and Messrs W. E. BidAvell and Ghas. Elgar, the Featherston OAvners, are again racing on the same scale as previous years. The past 12 months did not sIiOAV the usual large amount to the credit of OAvners in that district, but a number of races have been Avon by horses owned and trained in the Wairarapa, and it is confidently expected the sum will be exceeded during the coming season. Rightly or Avrongly, says the Nelson Colonist, betting per medium of the totalisator is legalised. Horse racing Avould languish for want of finance but for the revenue derived by clubs from deductions made f roiii investments. Moreover, the Government, Avkich has sought by elimination (statutory only) to confine betting on racing to the legalised machine, derives a substantial revenue from its levy on investments. Whether it might not secure mare revenue if it licensed bookmakers and taxed them is open to argument.- As it is tbe bookmaker flourishes in every corner in New Zealand and pays no fee or tax. He knows, soon after a race is run the exact amount of the dividons paid—information conveyed over Stateowned Avires. Every bettor is also fully informed of the dividend—or. what the bookmaker tells him is the dividend. Yet there exists a stupid prohibition against newspapers publishing dividends or any information from AAdiicii the amount of dividend can be calculated! One of the objects of the Gaming Bill Avhich lias passed the Upper House is tire removal of this absurd provision. With the idea of making the bookmakers ’ calling less attractive and of confining investments to the totalisator the Bill further proposes to allow the public to telegraph investments; also to give permission to dubs to run a “double” totalisator. The “bookie” thrives on the laying of the elusive double and opposes the amendments proposed. He is not anxious, either, that tire same State-owned Avires Avkich give liim race results and dividends — thus breaking the law—should be available to enable an investor to telegraph his investment direct to the totalisator. The present position is farcical and should be ended. The elective Chamber of Parliament will be flouting eommonsonsc if it places obstacles in the Avay of the passage of the Gaming Act Amendment Bill. To be consistent, the member who opposes it should be prepared to advocate the abolition of the totalisator and of horse racing. He might also turn his r attention to the stock and share market, property deals and a few other things.