SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 98, 22 May 1909, Page 6

SPORTING.

IIACIXU I'IXTUHISS. May 22 and 24—North Otago J.C. Winter. May 22, 24—Wauganui Racing Club. May 22, 24. —Takapima Racing Club. June 3, 4.—Duuedin Racing (Jluu. June 3 and 4—Otaki-Maori R.C. Winter. June 3, 5, 9.—Auckland Racing Club. June l(i and 17—Hawke'a Bay J. C.

• Winter. June 23 and 24—Napier Park R.C. Winter. July 8 and 9—Gisbonic R.C. Steeplechase. TURF TOPICS. (By " Motmoa.") Races to-day at Wanganui, Takapima, and Oamaru. The first race at Takapima starts at 12.30 this afternoon.

Exmoor was too good tor I'iuva and Playmate over a solidly run two miles on Thursday morning, and is going great guns at present. Cyrene, who was doing good work during the week, was railed to W'angaiiul yesterday, and is a likely starter in the JtoruugH Handicap. St. 13ill is moving well on the Wanganui tracks, and on 'lliursday galloped brilliantly over six furlongs. A large number of local sports galloped down for a certain Wellington weekly last evening, but were left at the post. Local booksellers are not taking any chances at present. Euros is jumping better than ever and'promises to perform with more sucI cess this season than last. Rangihaeta is unite well again and jumped all right on Thursday morning. Auratus did not impress the crowd by his display of jumping at Hawera, and the Cold "Reef gelding has been taking his fences in poor style at Wanganui. . , There is a lot of talk about Herima for the liorough Handicap, but Inc. '• good thing" will be up against better cattle to-day than when she carried l»st. (lib to victory in the Karere Hack Welter at Awapuui six weeks ago. The following riders have been engaged for the Wanganui Steeplechase today: Tilson (T. l'ritchard), Xogi (•>• Delaney), Jackpot (T>. Watt), Uoecassni (H. Cairns), Oryx (Morris), Pawn (AY. Young), Playmate (A. lici.onnon). Tilson won the Wanganui Steeple last year with Bst. 81b. In to-day's race the Lethe gelding is not badly treated with lOst. 21b. Compass will he ridden by C. Cochrane, in the Century Hurdles. Last year Compass made must of the running, and finished second to Waipu. A Southern exchange mentions that Kairoina and Audax will probably w railed through to Auckland on Wednes-

day. A half-brother to that brilliant mare Finery, by Roviil Fusilier, lias" shown more pace on llie Hastings tracks than any of the youngsters so far. Kolialtl Cameron lias returned to Aus-

tralia, and has been promised plenty "I riding across the water. Much surprise was caused by the withdrawal of Lull from all engagements at Wanganui. It transpires that the hand-', some Jack gelding contracted influenza and was in a very bad way last week. Kaipetipeti will in future be used as a hack on his owner's place, as he would not stand a severe preparation without .hreaking down, and this his trainer did not want him to do. Southern Cross carries lop-weight in the Hurdles at Ouiiiaru to-day. His opponents are a very ordinary lot. Sir George Clilford gathered in the Oamaru Cup l™t year with Strntagoiu. riitawav will carry the blue and go d chequers to-day, and is not harshly irontod. Kurneaux, who has been off the see-ie for a couple of seasons, is being schooled over the small fences at Foxton. Oeiisot is a terribly hard puller, write* "The uW ll,ul wy fcw I|OJS can hold him in his work. Two seasons ~,,0 it was his habit to decline to accede to his pilot's request to pull up. I think it was Howard, the well-known crosseomiti'V rider, who one morning at Elleivdic "undertook to stop the big son of Torpedo in one, round. Howard was verv lit at the time, but so was Crcusot. It was a contest of endurance, -but when Cmwot Hashed past the little knot of trainers, jockeys and touts, for the third circuit, going like: a runaway motor, his riders feelings were the re-ver-e of Christian when Tommy 0 linen cried out in the crisp winter air. "Tim, old «porl. hadn't yon better fall nil—your breakfast is getting cold!" Waihuka proved his ability to stay over a mile and a-quarter course at Avnndale, and the locally-trained horse is a certain starter in the Empire Handicap at Takapuna to-day. Advocate has a strange liking for I'hc Takapuna course, and has won all his races there. D-eley generally pilots the hay son of Hotchkiss and few know I tlie trickv turn* on tCic North Shore course better than Deelo.y. Advocate has 7st I'll) against his name in the Umpire Handicap. Maika showed great pace at Avondale and iiguivs in the pony ranks at Takapuna to-day. Multiform's list for next season is already full, and there have also been a few" marcs .hooked to go to the exNew Zeahinder in 11110 at 50 guineas a-piece. The high-priced New Zealander promises to be a paying proposition in Australia. When Scenery fell with -lack O'C'on- . nor ia the hurdle rue* on the lirst <lay of the Uanawatu meeting it was generally thought that he had escaped with I a few bruises anil a shaking. This, how.'Vev. has. since been found to he incorrect, as on O'Connor's return to Hasiings he consulted a doctor, and the latter discovered that the jockey's colarbouc had been broken. With the near . !i|rprnach of the winter jumping season ■ and the important fixture* at Wangartui : and Kllerslie, this is a very bad piece i of hick for O'Conncll. whose services i were required for Waipu and other Ilawke's liay performers over the hat- : tens or between the Hags.