SPORTING NOTES.

Shannon News, 8 January 1929, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

(By "SJlken Rein.")

A Hurdler Returns,

Mister Gamp, who met with a goo.] deal of success over the battens during last season, has apparently recovered from his trouble. He is nominated to line up in the Awahou Hack at Foxton meeting. May Do Better.

Rash, who made a surprisingly bold 1 attempt to win the hurdles on the first day at Otaki, is nominated to. appear in the Poroutawhao Hurdles at Foxton meeting. Up to that time the Bisogne gelding had very little recommendations on the flat and no form at all over the battens, with the result that he paid a substantial dividend for second olace.' With the little experience' that Rash now has, he will not be allowed to go out at such a long price in his next start. On Her Home Course.

Two thirds and second at Manawatu meeting indicates that Henna is again coming'to form. With 8.1 on her home course in the Herrington Handicap it looks as though what beats her will probably win. , Most- opposition will come from the recent winner, Sir Roy, but) it is not yet known whether the latter will go to the post. Poxton Clip Candidate.

Teri 's long list of seconds and thirds came to an end when" he scored in tho President's Hamdicap at Tauherenikau on Wednesday last. - Teri is a good, honest sort and seldom runs a bad race, but appears unlucky in that he meets one better in nearly every instance. With 7.13 in the Foxton Cup he should at least be able to get a part of the money offering. To iTry Middle Distance.

The Foxton Cup distance, one anl a-quarter miles, will be jia new one to Maui, but if he can stick to it lika he did in the nine-furlong event at Awapuni when he ran third to Singleton and Sir Roy, there is every reason to believe that Maui will be a cup winner befoie ihe season has extended much farther. Epistle in Form. After winning the concluding event of Manawatu Racing Club's meeting Epistle went on to Hawkes Bay, where she scored twice and ran third in three starts. iShe has now apparently reached her best form and though ' the fields she beat at Hawkes Bay were not exceptionally strong, she should, with 8.9, be capable .of putting up a good performance, if allowed to go to the post in the Anniversary Handicap at Foxton. Track Condition Tells.

At recent fixtures horses displaying a liking for heavy conditions have enjoyed a ■ great innings, and the presence of Nucleufl in the New Year Handicap on the opening day was quite overlooked by the majority of patron* at Marton, the ftucullus mare.not having been figuring or" late at district meetings! In the past, shei has run prominently in first class company up north when conditions were to h-n----liking, but when she accounted for \luopposition in the Stewards' Handicap she paid a long price. The public backed her down to a much shorter price on the second day for, instead of having 88 tickets invested upon her prospects, she carried 614 ticKets in a smaller pool. The conditions, however, wcic not ,so much to her liking and, being bro-ight 91'bs closer to K.Hniezzo, she had to submit to a narrowdefeat. When she returns to tho hurdling branch Nucleus should not bo without friends.

A Reliable Mare., Placing horses (is undoubtedly e|a art, but looking back on the -'perforin-, anees ef Miss Pat one wonders ho v it is that this game little mare has kept down- in the Last se.ur son she won six times, ran second thrice and third five times in 26 starts, yet. the-, Levin fixture in November, found her weighted, at 7.12. Going on to Feilduig, she'again ran unplaced with 7.7 on the opening day and third to The Haider (7.0) and Lysander (8.11) on the second day with 7.6. Retreating a further 21bs at Wpodville, she Beat two good ones in Toxeuma (8.3) and Gascony (8.11) on the opening day and then ran second to-', Gascbny with 7.13 on her back, the winner having advanced but lib. Under the same scale Miss Pat again got on ■'the'winning.li3t at Marton, The RaUer, who had run third to her on J.he opaning day at Woodville with 7.5, being third with 7.7. The handicapped gave ner an additional lOlbs on the second day, but it failed to halt her, Benzora being beaten into third place with 8.12. Ridden by the apprentice K. F. Robinson on the majority of occasions, Mis. 3 Pat has been able to claim a 31bs or 51bs allowance, and it would appear that it will take a solid poundage to halt her, small though she ti. Foxton's. Annual Meeting. The next racing fixture of interest to local sportsmen will be the Foxton Raring Club's two-day meeting to b 3 held on January 16th and 17th. In previous years this club have held their meeting on Anniversary Day, on the same date as Wellington Racing Club. The southern, fixture, by reason 'of its better class acceptances, drew a good deal of the holiday attendance which/would have otherwise patronised the Foxton meeting had they not clashed. Foxton were also treated badly in respect of acceptances and this would also tend to detract interest in the racing as in many cases only ine-dividend races resulted. The altered date will certainly effect an improvement the number of acceptances as the fixture will give trainers

an opportunity of giving theix charges . an outing before the more important ';. ;- meeting. In regard to public attendance, the absence of a holiday would' y. make it iseem that on this point tha ~ Club would show a loss,..but it must ' be taken into consideration that;th«' '. bigger and better class fields will be■an extra inducement while the -ppssir ,-. . bility of gaining some form to work on at the Trentham meeting, will ajfcr f . tract a .large number of Wellington ;'. enthusiasts, who do not usually put in.' !' an -appearance at this meeting on ac\ : - count of the racing closer at hand on the holiday. Thcicare very few unj .. favourable comments on the new and given fine weather there is every* - reason to 'believe that the Club wjlj ; considerably benefit by making alteration. 4 The acceptances will .close at S p.m. on Thursday, January 10th. Local Team Returning. A cable message from Sydney states that Mr W. Iliggins's) jhprses, Joybird, Kilbronsyth, and Passbook, who are und«r the care of Mr E. T. Yuile, ■ are returning oy the Ulimaroa, which arrives at Wellington to-morrow., Kilperon has oeen sold to a Sydney sportsman, and is remaining. _ While the trip has lasted barply a month, \ Joybird and Passbook were'.winners. .