SPORTING NOTES.

Shannon News, 7 May 1929, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

Otaki Nominations. Nominations for all events or (he Otaki Maori Racing Club's winter meetin, to be held on June Ist and 3rd, will close on Friday next at 8 p.m. May Do Better. Australia has been a costly proposition to follow during the present season for in his nineteen starts ho has only returned a second dividend on three occasions while he has been placed third in four other races. On his form in the concluding event at Marton, the three-year-old son of Lord Quex should very soon get on the winning list as 'he was very unlucky not to win at the meeting. Mandarine. One fof this season's addi'ioiis to the ranks of jumpers, Mandarine, .is making a promising showing .'in this branch of the sport. In his last three outings he has been placed second on one occasion and fourth in two other events. As his performances at Hawkes Bay was among weak company and the pair he beat at Marton have no outstanding form, hti running pe haps does not look so good but he will not have to improve to any large degree to bo able to hold his own in a similar event to that which he competed at. Marton, providing of course _ the weights are the same in comparison. An Improving 'Chaser. * A surprise Avin at Marton ■ was the success of the Koputaroa-owner Matu in the Marton Steeplechase on Saturday. He was neglected to eighth selection."in a field" of thirteen runners and won easily by about ten lengths. It. was suggested earlier that Matd would have to be considered . when sizing up the fields for the important jumping events this season, but he was not expected, by the public at least, to be forward enough to hold a winding chance on Saturday. Contrary to expectation he won and in a manner which would suggest thdt he now possesses more than an outside chance in the Great Northern event. A further indication as to his capabilities may be gained from his performances at the Wanganui meeting. It is. understood that Matu will not be a competitor at the Egmont meeting this week. Odds and Ends. * It is apparent that a period of jumping has not affected the speed of Royal Acre as a flat performer. On Saturday he made a very good effort to share honours with Skyridcr in tK' Winter Hack handicap. Maui's record of successes on the Otaki track is good enough to earn •him much respect if he is a competitor at the forthcoming meeting. He may not, however, be accorded a nomination, but on the face of his win at Blenheim on Saturday it is more than likely his name will appear on the official card.

Mister Gamp 9.9., Brigadier Bill 10.5., Bonogne 7.0., Day Guard 7.3., and Kawhakina 8.8., all of which won races on the opening day of the last Egmont winter meeting are again engaged in the respective events in which they were successful last year. Had Mountain Crag kept on his feet he would certainly have bum in the money handed out. for the placed horses in the Marion Steeplechase. He should have every opportunity, how-, ever, of making amends at Egmont. Koauau, who contested the hurdle race at Mai ton on Saturday, has not rSted siuce March of last year. At that period he was competing in the South Islanel.

Day Guard made his reappearance at Te Eapa on Isiouday and led the field in the Te Eapa Handicap till the straight was reached. This waj his firs-t race for some time and he will have something to say in future events he contests.

Dishonoured, who has not rac ;d for some-time, figured among the entries for the Wanganui meeting. _ He won one event last season, a division of a Maiden Plate at Gisborne, while he wan placed in his other four starts. (Cybele, on of F. Loomb's team, ran well in the hurdles, on the first day of the Waikato meeting, finishing fourth in a big field. On the second day she was always handy, and, taking charge in the stragiht, stayed on to beat Kawini by a head. This is a most promising jumper, and she should do well during the winter. She is a chestnut by Cynic —The Hook and is a full sister to Mr E. T. Yuile's 4 year-old gelding Snecrer which finished 'hirel in the Trial Hack race at Blenheim on Saturday. As a flat performer Snecrer has been a disappointment, but it is quite possible that the local gelding will be equally successful is his elder sister when he joins up with jumpers.