SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 257, 28 November 1903, Page 4

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES, Nov. 30 and Dec I—Feilding J C. Spring Dec. 9 and 10—Woodville District J.C. Summer Dec. 26 and 28—Cromwell J.C. Annual Dec. 26 and 28—Reefton J.C, Midsummer Dec. 26 and 28—Northern Wairoa R.C. Summer Dec. 26, 29, Jan. 1 and 2—Auckland R.C. Summer Dec. 26 and 28—Taranaki J.C. Christmas Meeting Dec. 29, 31 and Jan. I—Greymouth J.C. Midsummer Jan. 1 and 2—Wairarapa B.C. Summer Jan. 1 and 2—Vincent J.C. Annual Jan. 13 and 14—Nelson J.C, Annual March 19—Northern Wairoa R.C. Autumn TAKAPUNA J.C. MEETING, ANTICIPATIONS. (Dy Moturoa). The Takapuna Jockey Club will open their Spring Meeting to-day, amd by the number of horses engaged in the different events some good racing can be expected. Anticipations 'Trial Handicap—Wellcast, Geordie, Cyrus. Cambria—Gweniiul, Promotion, Romola. St. Andrew's— Putty, Military, Maro. Maiden Hurdles—Vel Rosa., Crespin, Tumi. Melrose Handicap—Ngatoro, Te Aroha, Liberator. Hurdles Rufus, Val Rosa, Princess of Thule. Pony Handicap—Vulpine, Avalanche, Girton Girl. Cheltenham Handicap—Austerlitz, Geordie, Cordon Rouge.

Mr Moss, the owner of Canteen, has received the Cup stakes, despite a letter sent by Mr Bradley, owner of Wairiki, asking for a fuether enquiry into the race. At the sale of yearlings after the C.J.C. Meeting Mr G. G. Stead paid 1245 guineas for five of Stepniak's get. Mr R. H. Nolan, of Hawera, was also a purchaser, securing two for 455 guineas. Mr Leslie Maodonald made a lucky purchase when he secured Wakeful for 310 guineaes, as up to the time of her competing m the last Melbourne Cup, in which race she ran second, she had placed in stakes the nice little sum of £16,637 to her owner's credit. It is estimated that the ringmen at Mel-bourne had to pay out atrout £60,000 over the Melbourne Cup, A very clev»ir swindle was worked in Melbourne during the Cup meeting, and several bookmakers were victimisedj It consisted in altering £1 notes on one of the Melbourne "banks to make them appear as £lO notes, and so neatly was the work done that even the tellers in the bank passed them, until the fraud was disco ve*ed quite by accident. Under these circumstances it is hardly likely that the ringmen, in the rush of business, would notice the change, and quite a number of these notes were disposed of. Roseal, the winner of the C.J.C. Derby, whilst being taken to the blacksmith's shop at Christchurch the other day, stumbled, cutting' one of his bnees and head, luckily not very seriously, as he was able to be shipped for the West Coast the next day.

I see negotiations are now going on re the purchase of Bagpipes and Grand Rapids, Mr Stead having placed a price on the pair. At the Supreme Court, Dimodin, Moss, the bookmaker, was acqjuitted! charged with keeping* a gum*Mr house. '

Australians scooped the pool in Tattersali's sweeps, having drawn all the p>aced horses in the Melbourne Cup. . -

The Bookmakers' Association has collected the whole of the £6OO required for protective purposes. It is not intended to pursue any aggressive policy in the matter of gaining admission to the courses of New Zealand Racing Clubs, but the Association has resolved to circularise the clubs, and will ask that they be licensed to bet.

The sum passed through the totalisator, £77,102, at the C.J.C. Meeting is* a record for the colony. The previous best total was £73,539 at the Auckland Summer Meeting, 1901-2. Which of the two big clubs is destined to first put up a £IOO,OOO totalisator record ?

Mr Stead seemingly did not appreciate the flattery placed on h'is horses by Mr Evett in his allotment of their weights in the Auckland Cup and Railwuy Handicap. Grand Rapids has been scratched for the Cup and Machine Gun and Bagpipes for the Railway. Royal Plumes, with 7.4, has been left in the Cup. The Wpunake Racing Club seems to be in a rather flourishing state, the balance-sheet showing a credit of £lO3, while the club's assets stand at the value of £1382 7s, and the liabilities amounted to only £2O 2 S/ The two-year-old full brother to Bat tle&Ke has been named Rambler. Sir Rupert Clarke and the Ballarat trainer J. Scobie are at present in Auckland. It is mentioned that Scobie may buy one or two horses for his patrons during his visit to this colony. Two thousand pounds was offered for Lord Cardigan before he ran in the Melbourne Cup, but It was not entertained.

A number of jockeys at Corowa inserted an advertisement declaring that they would not participate in the local raco meeting while the present stewards and secretary held their positions. The jockeys wen; called before the stewards, whe were at first disposed to meet the insult 'by a severe reprimand. The jockeys, however, maintained their attitude! with the result that eight were disqualified for periods ranging from six months to five years.

Mr Coomibes, owner of Duchess, who won the hunters' competition l(> J'_tu-o years at Palmerstoa, refused 1< 5 guineas for the mare after winning a similar event at the Hastings show.

Ihe following horses left by train on t riday morning to fulfil engagements at the Feilding meeting on Monday ami Tuesday next Full Cry, Moturoa, Lady Bell, and Inglowood. Messrs Watson's and O'Driscoll s candidates leave this morning. heai that P. Johnston has the mount on Waiwera at Feilding.