SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 296, 9 December 1908, Page 3

SPORTING.

THE WOODVILLE MEETING. By Telegraph.—Fress Association. Woodvillc, Last Night. The rain which has fallen during the last two days has done the course a lot of good. Tiie weather has every appearance now of remaining line for the Woodvillc summer meeting, which starts

to-morrow. The town is full of visitor.and everything points to a successful meeting. The following horses have been scratched for all engagements:— Sir Antrim, Advantage. Astraea, D'nil, Moriarty, Chicane, Mallet, Teru audi Charge. For the Hurdles, Indian Mutiny, and for the Welter White Star.

TuitF TOPICS. (By "Motnroa"). _ l'untcrs will be given a chance to 'use their heads" at the Woodville meeting, which opens to-day. Stratford nominations appear in this issue, a„d the Club has no reason to complain at the generous response owners have made. Hack flat events especiI ally have tilled well, but entries for open I events are below the average, probably due to the number of big meetings which take place in other parts about eW , ica !' ' ime - Wei g hts are due on or about lllursday, December 17. Consequent on their wins at Mains the following horses will put up penalties at Woodville to-day:-Grandstand Hack, Eclogue, 101b; Woodville Handicap, iMuskerry, 101b; Borough Handicap, Ikon, 81b; Electric Handicap, Kaugipapa,

-Mr. C. O'Connor will officiate as starter at Woodville, and it goes without saying that punters will have nothh» to complain of as far as the startup is concerned. D

By winning the Manchester Handicap iroin end to end Muskevrv made a heap of friends for the Woodville Handicap. Jkoji and Jielogue, fonvard-niimers at Feildiug, are likely starters at Woodville.

lhe Hack Hurdles appears a very open race, and should provide a good race. Don Carlos and Belario have been showing good form lately. Prince Hassan is reported to be a greatly improved horse and a good jumper. A crowd of -iliers" in the Electric should puzzle punters. Naumai, Aborigine, Kangipapa and Balhtrat amount the top-weights are quite sufficient to ensure a keen contest, and Tumut, who ij.iickly ran out of hack eonipanv, is in wilh 7..'i.

The reported oiler of a retainer of £2OOO a season to frank Wootton, the clever Rf-ycai'-old jockey, illustrates the possibilities of money-making i„ the saddle, hi America such salaries paid to boys in their 'teens arc more common than with us. It is not long since (leurgc Odom, a lad of l(i, was engaged to ride for Mr. \V. C. Whitney at£2ooo a year for two years; and it was said that his other earnings in the saddle brought his income to something ni; e £4OOO a year; while to-day there are, at least four boys in the States, all well under 20, whose earnings exceed £2OOO a year. Among older jockeys, both Tom and Mornington Cannon have enjoyed retainers of £SOOO a season, and John Watts enjoyed the same income from ".Mr. Aliiugton" for a period of three years. In single fees joekevs have ac tually received sums greater than the annua] salary of a Cabinet .Minister