SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 247, 24 November 1909, Page 4

SPORTING

WAITARA ACCEPTANCES. The following acceptances have been rwcived for tho Waitara meeting:— Hurdles;. Golden Clow, Hydraulic, Loch Guard, Recreation, Linda Lass, Rua, Taupo, Gunstock, Tokoniaru, Drudgery, Utiku. Lepperton Stake*.—Tsushima, Valentine, Te Roti, Overtime, Lady Heosiue, Sinn Finn, Solemn, Bow Bells, Pauline Bell, St. Prior. Waitara Cup. Anemone, Mallet, Durability, Royal Youngster, Timothy, Tarn Glen, Mikotahi, Rohepotac, Bismarck, Starboard. Dominion. Life, Miss Park, Loch Guard, Spontaneous, Forward, Kairoa, Tematekokosi, Tokoniaru. iWelter. Golden (How, Shining Star, ■Valentine, Overdraft, Tarn Glen, Kawaka, Dr. Shimose, Highden, St. Tarra, Starboard, Bay Paul. Clifton Stakes.—Driftershore, Hinckoran'gi, Overdraft, Lady Ileosinc, Spontaneous, Solemn, Bow Bells, Golden 'Dream, St. Tarra. Flying Handicap.—Pauline Bell, Roval Youngster, Te Roti, Kaw.ika, Dr. Shimose, Sandy Paul, SL Kildare. Maiden Plate.—Mashona Park, Scarlet Women, Prancer, Ambergris, Otchau, Lady Lupin, Marshal.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Golden Eagle is galloping well. Diplomatic will be spelled until the autumn. The Hippocampus mare, Cressy, recently foaled a colt to Spalpeen. Asliby still stands out as the best Auckland two-year-old. The disappointing ■ Waikaraka has been sold to a Wanganui sportsman. Alec Hall has St. Bill in good nick, and thcTiig bay is taking kindly to the lepping game. The Aucklander, Miss Winnie, » considered nicely treated in the Flying at Fcildiug. North-East, /who hurt his shoulder in the mix-up which marred the Steward's Handicap, is still on the easy list. The Officer gelding, Bercola, has been discarded as useless, and may not carry racing colore again. Ex-Maorilauder, D. J. Price, is now out of luck. His cheque at the recent Melbourne Cup meeting was only for a modest £ls.

Pikopo, looking very much on the lug side, has joined the active brigade at Hastings. Splendid acceptances have been received for the Takapuna meeting, whi'jli opens on Saturday. Maiuk and Rua claim engagements.

Don Carlos is galloping and jumping as will as ever, and will probably oe Alt'. Shearsby's trump card at Fcildiug. Nothing succeeds like success! Progeny of the Auckland sire, Soult, were lirat home in eight races at the recent Ellcrslie carnival.

Jockeys A. Julian and Ben Deeley, with four firsts apiece, topped the list of winning knights of the pigskin at the Auckland spring meeting. Haiwlce's Bay papers are responsible for the statement that Mr. S. 11. (linia:i intends breaking up his Mungalar.itu (H. 8.) stud in the autumn. The Menschikcfr-Arniillit poll, Tawhaki, changed hands at 500 guineas in Canterbury the other day. Tawhal;i cost Mr. H. Gaisford 800 guineas, and could hardly have been a paying investment.

Another North Island horse, King Post, was sold to a southern sportsman after the Canterbury meeting. King Post showed a good turn of speed on several occasions last season, but w.is one of the unlucky once.

Loiret lias been mated with California, the latter .being treated to a light season at the stud. Exclusive of trophies, the last Melbourne Cup was worth £5335 to the winner, and the Derby Stakes i 181)7. It is estimated that the selling jf books and cards for the Melbourne Lap meeting gave employment to an army of over 2000 " runners'." Ex-Maorilandcr jockstcr L. 11. Hewitt seems to have struck oil in Austria. The London "Sportsman" states thai ''Monkey" is carrying all before him in those parts, and is in consrqiu'nec getting a great hearing. The Wanganui Racing Club have luu their action for trespass against persons forcing their iway on the course, the latter alleging that it is a pub'.ic right-of way, and the matter bears a serious aspect. If the club cannit charge a fee for admission to their course, they will have to east about f;.r a new course out of town, but it is .•iiy likely that they will take th-i beating lying down, and the case is almost certain to go to a higher court. Owners and trainers' on the looko.it for Christmas engagements far their horses should bear in mind

that entries for the Taranaki Jock-v.-nil's Christmas meeting close on Friday night. Good stakes are offered at this popular fixture, details of which will be found in our advertising columns. Hector Gray has ridden 20 winners this season, and, barring accidents, premises to finish near the top of the poll at the end of July next. The star-chamber process of dealing with in-and-out performances is coming in for a well-deserved round of condemnation. When glaring reversals or. form occur, as they do too often, the public has a right to know the "inland outs" of the matter. It is all very well for the stewards, with the savoiny smell of a rapidly-cooling dinner in their nostrils, perhaps, to hold a hnsly inquiry and report that the "carpctei" one's explanation has been "accepted as satisfactory." That may suit the stew ante, .but the public and the press should have particulars. It is bad policy on the part of tho stewards to decline lo take the public into their confidence. The suppression of information gives a dissatisfied public food for imagination, and stewards often bring upon tehniselvcs the undeserved name of partisans to the inconsistencies of certain stables. We often hear the saying, "Oh! They'll never put so-and-so up!" Without public confidence, racing would most ■■<:,■ suredly be dropped by sportsmen, and the clubs would then have the rogues and the crooks to thenselves. They are putting the iv>|,.' round their own necks, and if they cannot see things which are as plain ;h daylight to the general run of racegoers it is time they recognised theninability and appointed stipendiirv stewards.