SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 146, 17 July 1909, Page 6

SPORTING

I KAC'i.NG FLVmtliS. July 17, 21, 2±—'Wellington B.C. Steepiv jcnase. August 10 12} 14—C.J.C. Ciraud .National. tl\uf topics. (liy "Moturoa.") Alaidi lias Urukeu down. Tiie Wellington winter meeting ope'is to-day, Gimlet lias dropped out of the Fpsuin j Handicap, I At a iate hour <jn Tuesday evening the grim iuuid ol iJeiuli look Uoiu our midst one oi our best spoilsmen in the person ol -Ur. halgar ivusseJi. Of the younger generation there was no bettcr-kno wii ugure on .North Island racecourses than Unit of the genial " and his deat the early age of twenty-wgiK years is much to be regretted. A son of the well and favorauly-known* late J. J. Kussell, it was no wonder that -e took early to the sport of kings, and with such an able mentor lie early became an adept in the riding and management of inoroughureds. At an curly age he was riding with the best of then on tire llat 3 alia was always a smart beginner and a plucky and artistic horseman. Ins most notable were with that line horse WaiUKu, »n ■ whick he won two Thompson Handicaps and a number of other good races when a mere youngster of thirteen summers. At Taranaki meetings he always Had J a good record, winning races on often-1 times poor liorses, and at Waitara one afternoon he was up on no less than : four winners. That his heart was in i the right place was plainly evident wuen, , as a lad of fourteen years, he piloted 1 Friar to victory in the Beaufort bLeepici chase at lliccarton, and he rode in a • good number of stick events about that 7 time. Of recent years Edgar scored a • fair measure of success amongst the trainers, though be never really naa n.iy good horses m his stable. Waikato, (Jyrette, Geologist, Southern Gross and many others on races for him, and it was nothing short of marvellous the way lie kept these unsound horses in racing trim. For several years Hdgar had been in indifferent health, and during the last few months was quite cognisant of tiic fact that he was "in the straight for home"; but he always kept a brave heart, was always keenly interested in sporting matters—as was nis father even in lus last few months—and . liia cud was, happily, a most peaceful one. A good sportsman is gone, and a stout-hearted, cheery fellow; the only tiling that beat him was Death, and that overtakes all of us sooner or later.J The hearty sympathy of the general as j well as tiie sporting public goes vac spontaneously to liis mother and relatives in their sad bereavement. I Nero has ljeen scratched for all engagements a.t Trcntham. Charles Cochrane will pilot Irish in the Winter Hurdles to-day. Sir Frisco is said to be very well at present, and will be ridden by A. Oiliver in tiie Parliamentary Handicap. Uhlando is having an easy time ol it at present, and appears to be more robust than usual, it is to be noped the little sou of Uhlan will race with more success next season than he did this one.

•Silken Rein and Waihuka were companions over four hurdles at Trentham on Thursday moniing, the New Plymouth horse showing- to most advantage. According to '* Ulencoe," Charles Jenkins will have a mount in every Hut race at Tmitluuu to-day. lie will be up on Kurawaka, Te Kahurangi, Simplex, King Post and Latehet (or Masterful). ; Onnojid's reprosoiita tivc in "the Trial Plate is always considered dangerous. This time he has Dread-less, a maiden by Birkenhead from Montdread, engaged. The victory of Te Arai in the Ui's-j borne Steeplechase earns him a 71b penalty for ihei CJ/C. Grand National .Steeplechase, and liis weight in the hit; ter event will .be raised in consequence to 10.C. AVirral, according to "Achilles," is likely to start favorite for the Orand National Hurdle Race. Considering that I the Birkenhead gelding can easily hold Compass on the track, the public should I not be. long in sorting out a favorite I for the Peninsula Hurdles.

One of the smartest rising two-year-olds at I{a:ulwick is a iiily 'by Maemne Clin from Zebra, by Tranby from Missiy, by Welcome Jack, one of tlie crack sons of Traducer. Jt will be interesting to note how the blend of the two o.tek New Zeahvnders will figure during the* coming season. When the lust mail left England, t*. Wootton had ridden 45 winners, and his victories since that, date include a win on Perola in the Oaks. D. .Maher, who was second on the, list, had only 25 to his credit. Lull is reported to have guile j.une and will jiot visit Trentham. I'erhaps by tiie time the Xritional Hurdles come up for decision tlie Wanganui horse niay be quite him.sell Alec Hall hold's a strong hand in \\ irral and St. Bill for tiie Wellington meeting. Aurutus is going well in his work and is said to have quite recovered from tile edccts of his Otaki accident. lien Jonson, JSeotty, and Bully finished ill that order after galloping a mile and a half 021 Thursday morning. ISeotty was under a strong pull and appears to (be very lit. The following .ire the likeiy combinations in the Wj nter Hurdles:—Stormont (Jarvis), Gold Dust (J. O'Connell), Kairoma (J. Dehm ey),.lrish (G. Cochrane), ■Scotty (J. Decry), Xavier (A. McConnon), Jiully (P.. .Sjjeakman), Commander (M. Deeble), Xu Beau (Pinker), Stayboy ( 1\ Flyjut) Corazon (J. Hall), Belario (11. Fulti'aer), Xe Ami (F. Porter), Whatakura (7i\ IVitcliard), 1-orest (W. young), Taur'ia (11. Telford), and Souiitern Cross (Raymond). On his Ellutrsiie form it cannot be said that Irish is. overburdened in the Winter Hurdles with lOst. 41b against iiis name. A safis jumper, and endowed with a good turn of puce, the Aucklauder 'lias always to b>e reckoned with in a twomile hurdle race. It remains to be seen how the Eton gelding shapes with Charlie Cochrane in the saddle to-day. Irish shaped well with Le Beau over lour hurdles oh Thursday, and beat the steeplechaser home at the end of a mile and threo-quarters. Jockey R. Hatch's mounts at Trentham to-da,y will probably be Muskerry, Pikiho, Splash, Ban Fernando, am) Marengo.

The following are mentioned as probable riaers in the Parliamentary Handicap (one mile):—Jlunkerry (K. Hatch). Sir Frisco (A.- Oliver),' Pikopo (l». O'Brien), Iranui (W, Kyuii), Coronett'ed (C. Cochrane) Seaman ('(.). Price) Mcrrie Zealand (11. Cairns). Diamond Star (F. 1). Jones), Pohutn (F. Lowe), First Mate (W. Young), Kurawaka (C. Jenkins). The Canterbury Jockey Club have increased the stakes for the coming season by .-02440, making a grand total to be distributed of £30,240. The increases arc divided as follows: Grand National Meeting, :C710;. Spring Meeting, 11330; Autumn Meeting, £4OO.