SPORTING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 171, 24 March 1915, Page 5

SPORTING.

RANGITIKE! RACES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. BULLS, This Day. Th'e Raajgitikei races opened, to-day in gloomy weather. The course is good, and there i s a fair attendance of the public. Results: Scott Memorail Handicap.—lneuru 1, Te Hau Hau 2, Improve 3. Thep were the only starters. Won by a nose. Time; 1.16. Trial Plate.—Te Ara 1, Iceberg 2, Black Ada 3. Scr: Mahlstick and Rockabye. Won by a neck. Time, 1.3 1-5.

Ohakea Hack Hurdles. —Captain McKay 1, Katua 2, Lady Strowan 3. Scr: Naupata and The Diver. Won by three lengths. Time, 3.24.

A now phase of the war has been entered upon .by the vigorous offensive of the Allies in the Dardanelles and on the eastern and western battlefronts. Within a foil night we may expect to hear that Constantinople has fallen and that the Turks are in full flight to their native Asia. It is'said, that the Moslems have never felt quite at home in Constantinople. They would much rather have Jerusalem as their capital, and they have a prophecy which declares that the a: -lent city of the Jew:- will one day be the Moslem seat of government. .As regards Constantinople, tradition alleges that when the Turks first entered it they found much wine there, whereupon they declared it -was only a sty for swine. That may account for Germany's mad ambitioiTto rule in Stamboul. Over forty years ago Mark Twain wrote in his "New Pilgmn's Progress": "I wish Europe would let Russia annihilate Turkey a little—not much, but enough to make it difficult to find the place again." It is pleasing to think that tins pious wish is now about to bej realised. I