SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 171, 23 August 1909, Page 4

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. iCSy "Moturoa") Golden Eagle has been placed on the activo list. Sir Prize is' as slow as a coach horse in the first mile, but can go like an aeroplane in the second.—Exchange. Provocation and Tribulation are due to leave for Sydney this week. The ex-New Zealander Kilderkin (Cyrenian-Kilmorlcy) won a race at the Kensington pony meeting on the Ota inst.

The Scaton Delaval gelding Nobel was sent out a warm favorite for the Bala clava Stakes at the Victorian A.'i'.C. meeting and won the race in good style by three-ujiarters of a length, the nine furlongs being left behind in liuin. 57% sec.

A colt by the Maoriland sire Trenton ran third in the Dutch Derby about six weeks ago, The Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club's annual race -meeting takes place on the Wanganui racecourse on Thursday next. Good liclds arc expected and some interesting racing will probably be witnessed.

According to an exchange, there is not an over-abundance of first-class riders in West Australia just now, and hackers arc frequently heard to stale that they like the chances of a certain horse, 'but do not like the rider. A punter .made a similar remark at .the Canning Park races, and his friend replied: "Oh, that's all right! There's a good'man tying him on in the paddock." This recalls the story of the man who was roundly abusing a jockey for falling off a horse. "It's not his fault," remarked a bystander, "but the fault of the man who tied him on." Queer par from an English sporting paper:—Some little excitement was caused at the Bibury Club meeting on July 8, when the pencillcrs in the silver ring withdrew; va a body as a protest against the totalisa.tor, which was being worked in their midst, but, upon the authorities forbidding the operation of the 'totalisator, the (bookmakers returned to their customary places. Hunt club meetings are generally lie! i up as emblems of true sport, but the running of Otus at the Woodlauds meeting and the horse and "gentleman" jockey's subsequent two years' disqualification go to mar the aforesaid statement. At the Poverty Bay Hunt Club's annual Taces on Thursday, G. Murphy, the rider of Martyr King in the Hack Handicap was put out for two years for striking J. Jones, the rider of Pearl Reef, during the progress of the race. Grafton is at the head of the Australian winning sires, for the third successive year. His record in this respect is, says ''Terlinga," a wonderful on?. In 1!)03 (Pilgrim's Progress was first and Grafton second. In 1904 Grafton was first, while in 1005 and 1906 he was second to Lochiel. In spite of bis position year after year, Grafton has not sired many great; horses. Last season Peru and Melodrama were easily his best representatives, but there were no fewer than 147 Graftons racing, and eighty-six of them won races. For number of representatives no other stallion comes within coo-ee of Grafton. Wallace had seventy-three running for him, and Maister sixty-seven. Malster, whose stock have only been running three seasons, has pushed his way into second place. 'All his two-year-olds won, and he had good older representatives in Alawa, Maltinc and Even Time. His crack two-year-olds were Mala and Malt King. Positano, who follows Malster, claimed the best horse of the year in Mooltan, who already bids fair to make a successful sire now that he has done «-ith rating. Positano 'was third last yea.r, second in 1007, and second in 1904. During National week "Phaeton," of the Auckland Herald, received a postcard from Christchurch, with an excellent photo of that good old battler Irish thereon. The note that accompanied it ran as follows:—"Seat of War," August ,10th, 1909.—Dear Friend—You will lie sorry to hear that I hurt iiny foot and my boss won't allow me to work any more for some time. He trotted me out this morning, and I went as free and sound almost as ever. I shook my head and gave it a toss, just to show the boys I's all right, and I stepped out my best. I heard them talk and say ihat I was sure to run. (and wouldn't I like to), but when i n stable the boss ordered more hot water (and it's very nice this cold weather), and it must he good for me, as I'm now free from pain; and I alto beard him say I must go home without running. And I'm so sorry—twice I've failed here beforebut never was as well as I am now, except for this bruised foot. You have said so many nice things about me that I like to thank you, and just send a photo of myself, taken on the' third day of the Wellington meeting, after three hard races. I did not like the soft going, and my boss knows that, too. It's lovely and glorious weather, and it's painful to be shut up in a 'box. Good-bye for six or eight months, when 1 hope to see you well again—Faithful'v vours. PADDY."

If one wants real thrilling exciteme-t. just try going ior a recovery on a warm favorite like, for example, Tyrannic, writes "The Blade." You buy jout money and try to forget about settling day. As the field races down the back, with glasses glued 'to your eyes you see with an inward glow of satisfaction Tyrannic gaily bounding along in front. Who would not lay odds on such a gallant steed? The six furlong poet is past —no change, still going well is the noble animal whose success amsuis disaster converted to victory. At the "five" Jil.vtlieboy draws nearer; at the "four" you see Tyrannies rider beginning to niggle at his mount, and you are not quite so easy in your minds about the wisdom of buying money. Three furlongs from home you become a prey to the poignant fear that Tyrannic is fimiul to succumb to his pursuer. You mentally cast .maledictions upon the long Ricearton straight. Will Tyrannic never get to the post? See. his rider feels his mount is dying, and Blythcboy appears to bo flying. Only a hundred yards now to go—what an ass a man is to lay the. odds—good old Tyrannic answers gamely, and he gets there .just in the nick of time. The odds have been landed, the glasses are put away, and you walk oil' with something of the feeling that possibly is experienced by the_ leader of ~ successful forlorn hope. It is a grand game.' but no game for nervous wrecks to take part in.