SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 49, 23 March 1909, Page 3

SPORTING.

SUU'LTLIXE SOLD FOR I.\J)JA. Received 23, 0.45 II.IH. Sydney, March &!. fckniltline was sum jui- 800 guineas, una gues to India.

| TUBE TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") A large number of horses arrived by train yesterday, nearly all those engaged at tne meeting being now on "V"' spot. J. I'rosser brought four horses, Taitoko, YUiimaria, Te Kahurangi, and Tauria, by last night's express. .Uonnrly, Clianicuse, Kilmarnock, YVhana, The Whareroa, Shannon Lass, and a host of others arrived duriii" t)rj day.

The local tracks are at present in better condition .than they have been for several months, but nothing very startling can be recorded of the 'gallops. L'liJando is the most pleasing of the Cup candidates, and Sir Artegal shows plenty of condition and has come through a solid preparation. Durability has been galloping as well as Waihuka. and is in rare- buckle. Colden Eagle does not please the track-watcher*, but

Cyrene, is stepping out in his old style. Hydraulic was sharpened up somewhat by his exertions at Opunakc, and U going oa the right way. Taken right

through, local horses are 'well forward and promisj to upset some of the "hot stuff" coming in from outside quarters. 11. Hatch is mentioned as the probable rider of Genuine in the Stewards' Handicap, and Jenkins and McConuon will pilot the Porirua team where the weights, suit. In writing of the bookniaking trouble, a writer in. the Evening Post says: The, racing clubs disclaim any responsibility whenever bookmakers repudiate their responsibilities. This is merely a quibble, and the clubs would be studying their own interests by insisting upon some evidence of financial stability before issuing licenses to each and every applicant. It is astonishing how quickly a punter sickens of the racing game if he is balanced once or twice, and this, in the long run, means loss of revenue to the clubs. It is not suggested that the safeguards should be so autocratic as to prevent new fielders coming iHto the game. Competition is an excellent thing in book-making, and anything approaching a trust regulating the odds is to be strongly deprecated. Not that there is much fear oi that, as the totalisator is always an active competitor for business l . The Danncvirke incident, where a bookmaker apparently undertook undue risks with Vi, ought to cause the wihok (question of the licensing of bookmakers to be taken up ■by the Racing Conference, with a view to the framing of suitable regulations, Iboth in the interests of the betting public and the decent section of bookmakers.