SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81848, 19 September 1906, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. September 19 and 20—Rangitikei Racing Club September 22, 26 and 29—Avondale Jockey Club September 27 and 28—Wanganui Jockey Club Sept. 27 and 28—Geraldinc R.C. Spring meeting. October 4—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club Oct. 4—Marlborough K.C. Spring. Oct. 4 —Olioka and Eyreton J.C. Annual. Oct. 10 and 11—Otaki Maori R.C. Spring. October 10 and 11—Napier Park Racing Club Oct. 10 and 13 —Dunedin J.C. Spring Oct. 17 and 20—Wellington R.C. Spring. Oct. 18 and 19—North Otago J.C. Spring. se Oct. 24 and 25—Gore R.C. Spring. Oct. 25 and 2(l—Poverty Bay T.C. Spring. Oct 25and 26—Masterton R.C. Spring Nov. 3, g, and 10 —Auck'and R.C. Spring. Nov. 3, 5, 7, and 10 —Canterbury J.C. Metropolitan Meeting.

AVONDALE ACCEPTANCES. Maiden Piato.—Bromide g.o, Lunetta 8.12, Pearl Necklet X.io, Cacliuca 8.9, Keep Step 8.9, Arai-te-Uru 8.7, Lichbuhie [1.7, The Raven 8.7. Chief Steward 8.6, Bump 8.4, lntombi 8.2, Soultstone 8.2, Fretwork 8.2, Ulilander 8.2, The Dunce 8.2. Masner Clements 8.2, Lord Seaton 8.2. i'iist Handicap Hurdles.—Sol ii./, Defender 10.2, Aqua Kegia ij.i), Lady Care 9.9. Kiuger 0.3, Swag^man 9.3, Sir Regal 9.0. Avondale Stakes.—Necktie, Cadence b f by Cyrcnian. Carmania,

Frontine, Lady Ferris, blk colt by Soult, Caracul"', Quadroon, Maheno, Blue Light, Wauchope, b c by Hotchkiss, br c bv Explosion, liirrarch. Flying Stakes.—Miss Winnie B.ti, Waikato S.io, Black and Gold 8.7, Millie X./, Lucrece 8.0, Ben 7.12. Luresome 7.12, Conductor 7.7, Soultmaid 7.7, Sweet Alice 7.4. Keep Step 7.0.

Handicap Steeplechase.—llakaria lo.tj, Cannongate io.j, Loch Fyne 9. 10, Zara g.7. First I'onv Handicap.—Forth y.o, Storyteller 5.12. Girton Girl 8.5, ller cu'-ean 7.7, Ruatamata Avonthce Cup.—Gladstone 8.7, Ironmould 8.0, Geordie 7.8, Apologue 7-0, Akarana 0. 13. Hautapu 6.1 j, Franklin 6.10, Kola Nip 0.10. l'lunket Handicap. Paritutu 11.11, Waikato <j.i3, Millie i>2, B«>nomiana 8.7. Soultma'd 8.7, Clarejiiont 8.7, Sir Gilead 8.5, l.ociibuliie 5.3, Miss Lancelot 8.3, l.adv G'adys 8.2, Soultfish 8.2. Geologist 8.2, Mechanic 8.0, Don Quex S.o. ANTICIPATIONS. (By ''Moturoa.'') The Kangitikei Racing Club's Spring Meeting commence- to day, and, as good arei-piances have been received for each event, a good day's spoit should be witnei-iscd. The tollowing are my selections Flying Handicap, 0 furlong.-..

Gleam 1. S. Bill 2, Splendid Idea 3. 12 4;. Hack Steeplechase. 2.J miles— Narcissi 1. Rangitotn 2, Westward 3. 1 311, Hack Hurdles, ijmiles.— General Pee! i, Bandmaster, 2, 110ki0.3. 2 15. Maiden Hack F'at. 5 furlongs. Lady Beresfurd, 1, Envoy, 2, SanToy, 3. 3 o. Rangitikei Steeplechase, 2 3 miles. Sammy, 1, Hutana, 2, Hikauoa. 3. | 3 45. Spring Handicap, mile and I distance—Ngatarua or Montigo. I 4 >5, Rangitolo Hack, 1 mile—i Honyiinhinn 1, Molock 2, Malaari 3.

TURF TOPICS. (Bv U*e Aurkl.md lias resolved Id' 1)11 i Ir] ;i JVW '< «t .11 Is.UOr r ho U -e ill a .n-1 Ml /, 5()5 . iJoomerang i<- '.or ili<; King l.dwaid Handicap ul the. Bay Meeting. which suggests that tlu hoise in training ail ught Porcelain figures among the entrants ioi the Randwick P'ate, run uvt*r a distance of two miles and a fjuartcr. Evidently Mr Stead ton , side:-, Multit'uim's son can -lay. l ! is reported from Auckland that I ','ii l •'ji C «ilc Ui.im of Raiti« avf i* U> be mati-il ilu- with Salvadan. Shou ct tli'* rotahsaioj- permit Rjh b»* •. ;i: ri»*cl it wd! l)f a se'iious to racing rubs and horse racing in tlv colony. Tlu> Bill prohibits racing on the following days, (Hank holidays), New Year's Day, Good I'riday, K.ister Monday, \Vhii Mundav, day, St. Patrick's dav'.

I.March 17), Si. day, April -J), Si. Aiklpk's day,.N'ovmbcr 30), tut- ■, Birltitlay [Xovi'rnbrr li, l'limr oi Wales IJirtliilay I June 0), Labour dav (second Wrchi'-sdav in Od'ib' r).

Ihe Auck ;iiul Sporting S< rib" ••Phat'ion" writes;—Ai ih»| sale of' Mr. Reginald A I'll*s Mud'in Now. 'South Wales in the autumn of the New Zealand spoilsman Mr G. I'. Moore purchased the phij Aih-i! niaie Lady ll' len in foal to Don le stir a' 4ogns. The result »f that .ntni->n was lle'en Portland, who la-t >\-ck won a good race ai Marton for Mr. Mtmre. H' V-n Portland is stated to he a very promising filly, and she will, it is predicted, be again seen tn. advantage at no distant date. Dorclw'Mer. ill" sire of Ifel'-n Portland, il may be remarked, 'races to Musket, he being out of Wondnvnipli. the full-sitter to Martini Henry. The ' Svdtvy Mai I ,'" in <'omnH'nt ing on the ('rambling Reyulatiun Bill before the X.S.W. Pariianient, -ays; Thf measure is a fair sample

of the crude and impractible legislation that rouUI only be expected frem a government, which in the first plucu had dUp'aycd culpabW dilatori-

ncss in bringing forward a measure to deal with what had long developed into a public scandal, and ill the second place bad an evident desire to paitcr rather than deal in a bold and statesmanlike manner with the problem of reducing the twin evils of widespread gambling and excessive' liorso racing. New Zealand Cup Favourite, l'aritutu, has been sent up to Auckland in order to fulfil engagement in the l'lunket Welter Handicap which is to be lun next Saturday.

The following interesting Article on old time Starting in America appears in the "Spoils of tlie Tunes":—

Many quaint happenings smround ed old-time starling before tin; barrier appeared. In iB6O all running rates were still started at the tap of a drum. In one long delay the official had worked himse f nearly into an apop.ectic fit when lie caught them in line, and banged the drum so hard that he stove in the ends, with a muffled 60und totally distinct from the usual 'tap.' Only one horse moved, an outsider at 50 to 1, and the owner, a lank Texan, standing at the start, said; 'Did yo' tap that drum, sail?' The still irate starter turned the drum Itfad to him and said: 'What in adjective does it look like ?' The Texan was vivified; he waved and hollowed for his boy to 'go on,' and the boy com pie fed the course, gaining the purse, precipitating an awful squabb'n as to second and third money, and necessitating a new purse of equal value for the remainder of the entry. One of the old-time starters was Colonel Montgomery, of Montgomery Park. In an important race the jock eys would not line up, behaved scandalously, and finally he left them, saying. 'l'm going to the clubhouse: when you get ready to start send for me, and I'll try again.' The boys dared not dismount, and after keeping them twenty minutes the colonel came back to the most lamb-like gathering eviir seen at a s't;yrti,ng'> post. In a steeplechase lie once placed Carter Harrison first, and w'hen the jockey drew his attention to the fact that he had missed a jump, replied: \ es, I saw you did, but vou had the best horse; that was the only way you could think of to beat him, and you win anyway, rules or no rules."

THE ANTI- CAMBLINC CRAZE. (By '"'Moturoa.") There is, and always will be, a i cerium section in every community , whu cit aire to make law what they themselves consider to be fight. '1 hey have been sometimes termed extremists, faddists and agitators by tiiose holding opposite views. In Australia the labour party have been more often on the watpath. In New Zealand prohibition to have been "lie tavouritc craze, but this time it is Ami- gambling, and probab ; y when this craze fizzles out we may have an anti-meat eating' crusade, and so on ad infinitum. I do not for a moment wish to insinuate anything but the very best intentions against these good people, but they should not forget that every subject of the British Lntpire is at perfect liberty to ho;d and to express his own opinionThere is not the slightest doubt, however, that these different controversies have the effct of bringing before a large proportion of the community facts and particulars, which they otherwise would not have known. There are unfortunati/iy many people who are either too indolent, lazy, or indifferent to take any interest in anything except their own little selves. What interest was taken in the Anti-gambling meeting held in the New Plymouth Theatre recent ly. A mere handful of people out . f the population were present. Some were there for curiosity; others because it was a duty; and a certain number no doubt from interest, and a desire to assist in the crusade, but. after all, what a half-hearted affair it was. if gambling has become such an evil in the country as many paint it m n and women should" have crowded the, hall to overflowing. The Wellington correspondent f the "Press" states: A Christchurch Mr EH, was advertised to speak 011 gambling in a local church last Sunday afternoon. A very limit =d attendance put in an appearance; the lecturer gave a somewhat ranib'ing discourse. Mr Kll's discourse brist'od with misstatements, and was a fair sample of the arguments used by men who are entirely unacquainted with the subject upon which they are discoursing.

Why \vil| not speakers and writers take the trouble to find out facts and V< rify their statements. ? The Premier, in speaking to the deputation,which waited on him in Wellington the other day, said that it had been brought under his notice that ,£2,000,000 had been sent out from Wellington alone last year for"gambling purposes". One can only pre Mini' 1 that the speaker was referring to money sent to "Tattersalls", and if so it was a ridiculous statement. As a writer in (he 1 ,Vn Zealand ''Herald points out that there were only 22 races in the year, on some of which there were two or nior consultations, in all as follows: One ot 100,000 subscribers at 10/ each 50, r.oo); one of 50,000 subsu iburs at 10/ each(£2s,ooo); uof 100.000 subscii beis at 5" each(£27s,ooo); 15 of 50, 00 1 subscribers at 5, each I/J: >> and three of 25,000 at 5/ each (tX, 750), making a grand total, if they •W(:ri'. alj tuliy subscribed, of .£550,250 only tliat was handled by "Tatter.l,ill's" in the year, and as this am- ] ounl is divided between the seven Australasian colonies, as well as a Midi: fiom elsewhere, and New Zealand I know to be the smallest con tributer of the 'ct, it copies Jar below the amount thftt we are led to believe went out of i\"ew Zealand; in fact, less ill an one-thirtieth. I ii|ay aUo Mate that we never hear anything about 1111 ■ prize money that comes hark to N«'\v Zealand. I-nan the remarks of many writers and speaker our i:» |ed u> bolit;v« that gamMing has increased cousidcrab y in ih<- colony during the last few years, hut do these people knowthat tlie pnpuiatiun has also increased r 1 venture to slate emphatically that gambling has not incieased, ; n the colony out of proportion lu tho increase of population. if tho*- people who ar«' crying out so loudly against horsoracing will only confine

their effort-. in stamping out the abuse without attempting to deprive a pnrtion of tin l community of their legal and innocent pleasure*, a utfalj of good may ;es»jil, but if they will j I) 1 n>i «i in following tn the steps of N.SAV. by ;il?t ntpting tou inuch : l.hey \vdl sme-y fail ih the main'o\>h'c».'' Why sh'iultl ot he dopnved oi .spoiling n< \\> in the papu>: What ri.i»hi have they to ho

< nt oil [iom telegraphic communication when they at;end a race meeung because there ate snmr "Mack sheep'' who also attend horserace? Whcte in any ch-partim'tit of life will not a Mack sheep he found; aye, even tin-

ciuinhes are not free from them? Why ihcn in th<' name of justice Mi"ulfi others siifT'-r for thes- biw, ou lluhl.llliu ? \\ ay 1(01 c.ut. o'tf al! tographic ami mimical ion fiom the. Slock Why not prcviu ill*- publication of ih<- latest ((tiiilaand dividmds on share's? Uoud ill'- pub'ir Mand this i;tiiiperinj> with their privileges if ; l wnc attempted ? \o; while men are men thev will piml)!i' and go to races and do * other things which people would not approve of, and no legislation in th«* wmld can possibly prevent it. Il may have the effect of jm'vcntmg "il beinft" done openly, and hf> cause the evil to be carried on j • s,, cret!y in side ways and byways. l Ihe rinif has fuliy arrive! for all t:ne •sportsmen to shake off their lothatgy. and come forward to mainlain th'-ir rights as eitiz<ns of the. British Kmpire in assisting- to abolish | llir abu-<—but save the gcod old -sport of hnrseiaring, for there is a dantf'-r ih.it tii<-y may wake up ioo late and find th»'ms''!ves deprived of a noble and healthy sput.