SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 331, 5 March 1910, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. March s—Wangamii Jockey Club. .March U and 10—Dannevirke U.C. March 10 and 17—Napier Park U.C. March 17—Opunake R.C. March 26, 28 and 29—Auckland Racing Club. April 3 and 13—Avondale Jockey Ci'.ri. jlav 21 and 24 —Takapuua Jockey Crab. June Z, 4 and B—Auckland Kacing Club. DATES OF COMING EVENTS, New Zealand: March s—Jackson Stakes. Mareh 20—A.R.C. Easter handicap. March 28 Northern Champagne Stakes. March 20—Great Northern Oaks, Australia: "*'■*': Mareh s—Champion Stakes. Mareh 20—A.J.C. St. Leger. March 28—Sydney Cup. .Js.n TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Races at Wanganui to-day. The Dannevirke R.C. meeting opens on Wednesday next. • Napier Park weights are due on Monday; -, Bfiliiafrcy ran unluckily on Thursday, and may do better to-day. Hydrant is- sftill on the big side, but ran well in- litie open hurdle race. A good stake may be His at the winter meetings. There we're a lot of tired horses at the finish' 6i the Wanganui Cup. The time reeled. 3min 1 2-ssec, is better than tM previous best put up by Truce in 1907, and stands close to the Australasian record, 3min put \ip by the lightly-burdened Dumont at Randwiek "in 1904.

Lady Medallist was responsible for the solid pace set in the Cup race. Her colors were still prominent three lurlongs from home, and many proclaimed her tlie winner, but she shot her bolt at the home turn and finished in the ruck.

Of course, Diabolo was sent out favorite. The very appearance of the horse dispelled all doubts as to ins' very fit condition. He was always well up, about sixth, but Jenkins had to ride him all the way to keep his place. Half a mile from home the whip went on, and gamely he responded. '•'Diabolo wins!" was fhe cry as the black horse overhauled one after another of his lighter-weighted rivals'. At the turn he

was one of three or four who all looked like having a chance. Then Milan shot out, and Osiris and the favorite commenced a ding-dong finish. The race was all over, for Milan was fairly bolting in, but the race for second money absorbed all attention. At the distance Diabolo looked like taking second money, but in the last fifty yards Osiris came again and beat the black hors'e by a half-length. Uhlando had all the worst of the luck that was knocking about. Running out of the straight the little horse was badly placed, being in the tiiiek of the scrimmage. Along the back the

last time he was running about eighth, and although going freely enough did not seem to be improving his position until too late. Three furlongs from home Eva moved on him, and he responded brilliantly, cutting through the ruck until at the finish he was going s'trongly in fourth position. Whatever chance the Taranaki horse had, it was thrown away six furlongs from home. It is just questionable what position Lady Lucy would have occupied '.': the finish of the Cup race. The New Inland Cup winner was in a rear position in the first mile, but threaded her way through until at the head of the straight she was challenging. Milan, Osiris, and Diabolo. Then her saddle went back, and R. Young was forced to pull her up. Even had she kept going it is very doubtful whether she could •have caught her stablemate, Milan, ror the latter was going stronger the further they went.

Sedition was with the leaders in the early stages of the race, but finshed a long way back in the ruck. The Auckland horse did not get the best )f handling, and R. E. Brown's horsemanship compared very unfavorably with Jenkins' great effort on the favorite. The hottest orders of the day were Waione and King's Prize", and each landed first money. It is hard to understand the form of Waione. The Porirua horse raced at Hawera and in New Plymouth in hack company, and disappointing displays were his every time. Perhaps he was not properly tuned up. One might not deem it worthy of remark if lie won a hack ■hurdle race, but Thursday's running shows that past performances were »i< wrong. Waione was punted on as if the race was all over, and the bookmakers shoved their parcels into ''the joint" and held none of it. Waione was out lengths in the lead from the word "go," and never gave the strong field a trifle of a chance. It was a runaway Cakewalk! King's Prize, on the other hand, was the only racehorse in the crowd of motley stake-chasers who contested the Wiritoa Hack' Handicap. The big horse had the safeguard of Jenkins' horsemanship—for some jocksters' would lose on a Carbine—and when he raced into the lead at the'home turn the race was all over. John, who ran second, stood at any odds with the pencillers. who jokingly offered "your own price John with his trousers on!" ! t Idolatress is a six-year-old brown mare by Gos'soon—ldolatry, and is owned by the chef at Faber's Rutland Hotel. His owner-trainer cheerfully opined that Idolatress would fly in and nothing else. But punters stood off with such unanimity that the daughter of Gossoon paid a sensational dividend, and won just as easily as her few admirers said would be the case. Pikopo was landed at the post fit and well for the Westmere Hurdles, and ran well for a mile and a-quarter, when his wind gave out and lie fell backbeaten. Maggie Paul and Maku monopolised the betting in tlie Hack Hurdles, and both horses were up with the leaders three furlongs' from home. Maggie Paul, was being proclaimed the winner when heads were turned for home, but Gold Bird quickly singled himself nut and had them all beaten at the distance. Maku was too good for Anemone in the run home, and Mamie Paul, pulling up, finished next. Kauroa was ridden a queer race in the hack hurdles. Five furlongs from

' home "Tartar" Julian rushed him ' through th*- lifld. and lie took command at the fo'.rt'-furlong post, only to fall back badly iieatcn berorc the straight was reaciicd-- it was a senseless ctl'ort I and hardly worthy ot the Auckland I rider.