SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 313, 12 February 1910, Page 3

SPORTING.

H.v( l-IXT, i;;,,-.

Club. February 23 and 24—Woodviile District Jockey Club. .February 23. 24 and 2G—Duncdin Jockey Club.

March 3 and s—Wang.uiuis—Wang.uiui Jockey Club. ■"-March 20, 28 and 20—Auckland Ratine Club. April .0 and lo—Avondale Jockey- Clu't. .May 21 and 24—Takapuna Jockey Club. Juno 3, 4 and S —Auckland Racing Club. DATES OF COMING EVENTS. New Zealand: .February lo—Taranalii Cup. February 23—Duncdin Cup. March 3 —Wanganui Cup. March s—Jackson Stakes. .March 20—A.K.C. Easter Handicap. .March 2S Northern Champagne Stakes. March 29—Great Northern Oaks.

Australia: February 2G—V.R.C. St. Leger. February 2(i—Newmarket Handicap, \March i—Australian Cup. March s—Champions—Champion Stakes. March '2O—A.J.C. Sc. Leger. .March 28 —Sydney Cup.

TURF TOPICS,

(By "Moturoa.")

The Taranaki Jockey Club's autumn meeting takes place on Wednesday and Thursday next. For winning at Hawera Chase IM> is liable to be for the ,Taranaki Cup.

Merrivonia is an unlikely starter at .Wanganui next month.

, femora was well-backea away from the course on Wednesday and ga«e ■ stay-at-home walking-totes a bad bump. North-East was just a trifle unlucky in the Flying at Hawera. but may get amongst the winners at Wanuanni.

ft is reported that jockey J. Barden will probably pilot BobrikoiT in his engagements in 'Stralia in the autumn. Maggie Paul was another double hurdle-winner during the week and was responsible for pretty slick gallops in each event.

Wanganui weights are due. this morning and many people are anxiously waiting to see what weight Diabolo gets in the Cup.

Miss Park was out of it at Hawera hut will carry a lot of money in She Scurry at Xew Plymouth next week. Milan must be accounted lucky to !>p returned the winner of the Egmont Oup. Tiptoe looked all over a winner in the run home and with better handling must have scored.

The scratching of Maltine for the Newmarket Handicap is said to have cost straight-out and double bettors a .heaD of money.

Sir Prize moved as if sore in his preliminary at Hawera ancT after suddenly Jailing back in the. straight during the running of the Cup he pulled up very Jirf&e. His Taranaki Cup urospocts may be written down as practically nil.

Poor fields of fourth-rate jumpers contested the open hurdle races at the recent Egmont meeting and these Taees might very well be dropped and sprint events for hacks substituted. That Lord Soult is as speedy as ev?r he proved beyond a doubt bv the easy way he boid Polymorphous in the Hawefa Stakes. The "Hijrhden" reprpsentative had all the worst of the weights ,anu ran well under his load but could .never get lip to his older rival. The other runners were quite outclassed. The Hawert course was very fast, Milan proved when the nicely turn:ni daughter of St. Ambrose won the Cup in 2.315—a record for the race, and ..time ■which is rarely equalled on reputedly fast courses.

Golden Eagle is steadily becoming more fractious at the barrier. Her antics at Hawera were even worse than at Stratford, and she has probably

grown cunning. . " Although "Tartar" Julian was in the ■addle it struck many on Wednesday

\at the Aueklanclcr, Prophet, was v -etehedly handled in the Hack Hurdles the first day at Hawera. He was kept too far away from the leaders in the first mile and had no chance uf giving such a slick mare as Magsie jpaul several lengths start in the 'straight. Prophet "is a very promising liurdler and may run with better luck next week at the T.-T.C. meeting. Hawera running shed little lisrht- on the Taranaki Cup" beyond showing tint Sandstream, Mendip, Chase Mali and Porolina are in good fettle. Tiptoe was not entered for the Cup. Of the fresh hor-t-s engaged next week. Lady Medallist has most supporters in doubles, but it is quite likely that Koran will shape better over the longer course, and the presence of Roosevelt, Maheno and Adria will increase the interest manifested in the ten furlongs event. Practically fresh horses will contest

open sprint events at New Plymouth on Wednesday. Full Rate, St. Bill. Kareroa. .TTohunsatahi and Tarina will probably sport silk, that is if Clemora does not fnshten them off The high-priced Orraulu. who sold for 15.-50 <mineas at the Yaldhurst sale, was given" a flutter 111 the Flying at Riccar-

ton the other tip prominently. TTie imported flaujrhter of Orme is vorv hard to train and .it is very ctoubtful whether she will !ever "Ke sufficiently sound to show to advantage on the race tracks. At th? stuj her stock is certain to command J>io- pril'es, and ft is a wonder that she Jias not already been relegated to the paddock. * It is worthy of note that Magirie Paul and Prophet, who finished first and 'second respectively in each of the hack hurdle races at' Hawera, claimed St. Paul as sire. Amongst the sires represented at the meeting were Persiinjnon. Multiform, Soult. St. Ambrose, ,San Frail, Kuroeiyrion and Stepnialc. , For some unaccountable reason Handsome Paul was sent out favorite for the Ladies' Purse, run over a mile, on Wednesday. Punters apparently forgot

that the bit; son of St. Paul was stop'pincr badly in the Ladies' Purse at RtratTord, and that race only extended ,to six furlongs. Astraea looked very well when saddled up for the Enmont Cup anrt W;,s <roin" well in front for half the distance, when her saddle shifted, and she was forced to retire. To Eoti made no race of the iueie Mere Hack Flat on Wednesday, and returned Ms' supporters a handsome divi-

dend. A little weight does not trouble him much over a short course. _ Mulga Bill is touched in tlie «nid. a<m failed "to see out. either of his races at Hawera. . . Lethean was a lucky bargain for his new owner. The Lethe gelding finished

well uniler pressure in the Normanby Welter, aud may show up again next week.

Swimming lielt is a long while racing without scoring, and is one of the very few absolute failure*' that have i.ecn sheltered by the Porirua stables.

Without exception, racing was interesting throughout the Egmont" meeting, and finishes very elos'e, which reflects great credit on the weight adjuster's work. The big race each dav produced slashing racing, and were worth going a long war to witness.

With liawera form to guide punters' there promises to be a few hot orders sent out at the local meeting on Wednesday, but past experience has shown that horses often improve right out of all knowledge in a few clays, and it is not always safe to close one's ears to Dame Rumor and blindly follow "form." Taranaki running will probably show up the "jokes" of the Egmont meeting.