THE WORLD OF SPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 190, 1 August 1908, Page 4

THE WORLD OF SPORT.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa").August s.—Woodlands Hunt Club Annual. August U, 13, and IS.—Canterbury J.C. (•rand-National Meeting. August 12.—Auckland Fleet Race Meetillg - . Augu.it il— Wairarapa Hunt Club Annual. September 2 and 3.—Marton J. C. Annual. September 9 and 10.—Horowhenua Hack li.C. Annual September 16 and 17.—Raugitikei R.C. Spring. September 19, 23, and 26.—Avondale J.C.

DATES OF COMING EVENTS. New Zealand. August 11.—New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase. August 13.—New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race. Australia. August I.—Australian Hurdle Race. August B.—Australian Steeplechase.

Ancycle ran another second at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club meeting. * • * '• To-day, August Ist, is the birthday of all race-horses. May they wiu when we back 'etu this season. * * » « Jockey H. Tate sustained a fractured collar-bone when Compass fell with him in the Final Hurdles at Trentham. . fPercy Johnson takes Paritutu and Kiatere to Christchurch next week, probably leaving New Plymouth on Monday Have you collected Maharanui money yet! All Taranaki were on it on Saturday, and the big horse paid a decent price for second place. Another bump for the lilliputian-!' The Avondale Jockey Club have deeid< d to wipe pony races off their program ne for the IUOB-!) season. ,

The triple event! By the aid of California, Mr. C. L. Lagor topped the winning owners, San Fran the winning sir<>s, and W. Whittaker the winning jocko;, s, at the Wellington Winter meeting. * * * * Sir Keid has been eugaged to ride Siraj lux in the Winter Cup at Riccart .n, W. ;:. McKay will have the mount < n Mot--i, (1. Price on Seaman, W. li> ,ii on S Frisco, andD. Price on Aborigii: il. Mi !iaranui ran a solid race in the Winter i fats at, Trenthain, and was taken on to Riccarton on Tuesday ni_-L Coclr.ine will steer Mr. Foreman's hor>:in th-; Winter Cup on Tuesday week. 5.V> to 75 were the odds quoted against the .inner of a race in Australia lit week. If figures keep rising a pun;.-r will iuive. to take a slate and pencil to the racecourse to figure out the "die." when he has half-a-doJlar on the winner.

Tlk} steeplechase course at Riecartoa is nothing compared with the •' hurdles " of .C2O Ms per day which confront bookmakers who intend to ply their calling at the National meeting Just fancy £6l 10s for three days' betting! Visions of short odds follow naturally. Charlie Cochrane rode a splendid finish on Immolation in the Third Hack Hurdles at Trenthain. Ghoorka led into the straight and the race looked all over, but " Cocky "■ got to work in his usual vigorous fashion, and Immolation responding gamely just up in the last stride and won by a nose. •Maorihwd ponies were to the fore at Kensington (Aust.) recently, Cocky (Waiukn—Daisy) and Ruatamata (Mahaki—Anuoureux) winning their races. Ruatamata beat iavourite horse by half-a-length, and Cocky, 'when the barrier shot heavenwards, went off like the other place and just lasted long enough to score by three parts of a length. ,: ' * » '* - *

Tlie action of the Victorian R.C. ;n refusing the nominations of two horses whose misbehaviour at the barrier has upset many a start will give owners of fractious prads food for eonsiderntion. )i is about time something was done to keep dangerous prads off the race-track, and if a horse cannot be taught to behave decently at the tapes his place is not amongst respectable equines. * * i. * *

Soultline has arrived safely in Sydney, but the son of Soult does not impress " Pilot" of the Referee, who sums him up as "a rather customer." Bnt Soultline has been heavily backed by his party for the Epsom Handicap, and may prove faster tlian most think when the eventful day arrives. »... * •• * *

In discussing the. cause of the poor support- which owners accord to the valuable steeplechases annually decid;d over the Randwick country, a writer in the Town and Country Journal refers to-the fences there as being "almost certain death to any but a sort of circus fencer.'*.

There is a wonderful three-year-old n the American turf this season iu '-he shape of Colin, by Commando—Past orella. Th« youngster has raced thirt. -u times without being-beaten or even extended, and is reckoned to be one of the greatest horses ever bred iu Ainei:. i. His owner, Mr. J. R. Kceuc, omitted \» ent. hiui for the Epsom Derby, -n whi. i he thought the colt would 1; -vc had •: great chance.

C: tance, the famous English juei ey. alwi s had the opinion that no o.ie -.. < a w >rse tipster than a jockey. V■! Fore ham thought likewise. "What I . do with this fiver I have, George!" -■<■-■. a relative to Fordhani, as old Geo: - was going out on Umpire for the Derb/. •'Put it in your trousers pocket!" w:-s the great horseman's shrewd reply, " ?-w\ then go home and tell your wife to -■-..• that pocket up so that you can't ;(•"■ at the money. I know nothing—until 1 get back. Then I know it all!"

Although distance, iu the lucky ye'.low jacket, black cap, of Jamie Men v. had won the Woodcotc Stakes the day before the Derby on Duudee. it wa> thought he was then too light to ride Thormanby for the Derby, and would have to load up with too much dead weight to pull the 9st. Mat Dawson saw no more difficulty in the way, however. thau he did fourteen years later, when he advised the very willing I/>rd Falmouth to put "that rising young lad Fred Archer up on Atlantic in the Two Thousand; and although there was 3st. of dead weight to be humped along, Atlantic won. Custance was about a quarter of a century in the saddle, and rode in sixteen "Two Thousands" without winning one, but he wou a single One Thousand with Achievement. He never won an Oaks, though he has seventeen mounts, and only one St. Leger came his way out of nineteen rides. That was in'ißßfl, on Lord Lyon, but it should be added he rode four seconds on Hermit. Albert Victor, Wild Tommy (a 1110 to I chance only beaten by a head), and on Childeric. Those seconds recall the story of the old-time jockey Ben Johnson, who was chopping wood when a noble lord came over and said he thought of giving him a mount in the coming St. Leger. " All right, sir," replied honest Bob; "I'll do my best, but dou't back me to win, Better back me for a place, I'm pretty sure of getting second, as I've been thei c fourteen times already!" And then he rode his fifteenth.

One should be very careful, writes "Boondi," in either taking or giving a tip. as the following story shows. Alv. Porter had a filly running in the Northampton. Plate, and her name, Inquisition, was printed at the bottom of the card. Seeing Sir. Herring, the bookmaker. Porter shouted to hiui, " George, put me £3OO on the bottom one," meaning bis own filly. But there was a turn-over. :ind on the other side of the card wis •'(jransville," which horse was at Iho bottom of the handicap, and Ibis wis the hor.-e that Mr. Herring backed fur his friend Porter. After the race. ll'rring. seeing Porter with a lip on Irin like a motherless foal, and looking - solemn' as though he were going ".' a. funeral, sung out, "You're looki ig very old man. considering Ibe g' "I win vou've bad: wasn't four monkeys stooii enough for viiur" Kxplanafii -■'■* followed, and botl, parties claimed i'ie lnoivy, though Porter had declared be mea.ii, to back bis own filly. Boh.- n losir-: tSOO and winning C 2.00!) Ih ■ -;(■ was a. wide gap, however, and the -c was taken before Tattcrsall's, the .!'>- eisien being that the moncv should be divided.

[AH Bights Hcserved.]