SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8132, 12 June 1906, Page 3

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. [By " Motukoa."] Some very close finishes were witnessed at Otaki, and in two events the judge declared a dead heat. Gold Guard was badly left at the post in the Otaki Hack race. A Wellington writer states that Black Reynard ran his lust Hat race at the Otaki meeting as in future the gelding will only appear in hurdle races.

Armimento, who was'greatly fanc:ed for the Telegraph Hack, was left at the post.

Splendid Idea also got badly ■v.v.iy in each of her races. Tuerc was considerable dissatisfaction at lhe judge's decision in some of the events at the Otaki R.C. meeting. A Wellington writer states that W. Davis had hard luck in not loading in a winner in Landwern m the Stewards' Hack race. Very many people thought the colt had won, and considerable surprise, if not disapproval, was expre:sed when Honyhuhum's number was placed first.

Miss King and Kuroki were booked to leave for Sydney on Saturday last.

I E. Russell received a substantial dividend and a good s! Ice when Waikato won the Prince of Wales Handicap. Peveral local punters also profited by the good dividend paid. Both Kaimere and Pangaroa failed to catch the judge's eye, although both were backed by their connections The soft going evidently did not suit old Waiwera in tho Grand National Hurdles, for the gelding was in trouble before a mile had been covered, and finished a bad last.

The stewards held an inquiry into the running of Convoy in the Orakei Hurdles, in which event the geldiDg was solidly supported. The explanation, however, was deemed quite satisfactory by the stewards. The opinion has been often expressed that an aged horse is generally unreliable in his performances. It is stated that Convoy has lately changed hands, the price paid being only 100 guineas. Hydrant was one of the disappointments at the Northern meeting, his form being much inferior to that which he displayed at the Wanganui meeting.

It is quite time the Racing Confer ence took steps to prevent owners from attaching such ridiculous names to their horses. Honyhnhnmn and Merrie Rose are two among others that I have noticed particularly. Matters in the racing world will be comparatively quiet for a while now.The next meeting of interest in the North Island is the Hawke's Bay J.C. winter meeting, held on the 20th and 21st inst.

The nominations received for the New Zealand Cup are very disappointin™, not only in number, but also in quality, and at this early stage it looks as if the field in the New Zealand Cup of 1906 will be the poorest that has yet contested this event. With the exception of seven or eight, most of the horses nominated have done nothing to entitle them to respect in a race like the Cup. Bo'h Mr G. G. Stead and Sir George Glifford are unrepresented, and the handieapper should not have much difficulty in adjusting the weights. The Carbine colt Spearmint not only won the English Derby easily, but he put up tune record for the race, which, had it been registered some years earlier, might have caused Carbine's stud fee to run into hundreds, instead of being, as it has been for some time past, £3B, Spearmint's time, too, is not only a record, but one by seconds. The previous best was 2min 3D 2-osec, made by Cicero last year, and this Spearmint cut to 2min 136 4-oscc. When Kettledrum won the Derby in 1861, his 2min 13see was ' well in front of all previous times, and, though it was equalled three years later by Blair Athol, it was not again 'challenged. until Merry Hampton was successful in 1887. He also negotiated the journey in 2min 4:) sec, and Ayrshire did likewise a year later. Ismglass equalled the performance in 181)3, aud tke fastest times registered since, until Cicero's year, wore 2min 42sec by Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, and 2mm 40 4-5 sec five years ago by Yalodyvski. Spearmint's achievement is, therefore, a great one from the aspect of the watch, and a bold advertisement for his New Zealand bred sire. Zealaud " Times."