RACING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 77, 9 July 1910, Page 7

RACING.

RACING FIXTURES. July 16, 20, 23.—Wellington P. C. Winter meeting. DATES OF COMING EVENTS. New Zealand. July 16—Wellington R.C. Winter Hurdle Race. July 20—Wellington Steeplechase. Australia. July a—V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. July 9—V.R.C. Grand National Steeple ckase. z TURF TOPICS.

(By "Moturoa.") VJR.C. Grand National Steeple to-day.'] The morals, Paisano and Te Arai,' i caught at Gisborne on' Thursday. |i This season's racing closes uown alter! i the Wellington Racing Club's winter'i meeting, which commences this aay'i mreek. Trainer W. Coffey has Compass down ] at Wanganui now, and the jumper is undergoing a solid preparation in view ' of the Grand National Hurdle Race. S<jnthern Cross continues to display a great .dislike to big country, but lie has been paid up for in' the Wellington Steeplechase, and was shipped to the Empire Gity on Tuesday night. | The reported sale of Oiyoi is now off.) It is alleged that the Stepniak gelding could not get a clean certificate irom the vet However, the dominion will retain a good racehorse. Overtime was jumped at Wanganui on] Thursday morning. Norman Williams was in the saddle, and for the first at-, ' tempt, Mr. Faber's gelding shaped very well ov,er the three jumps. The name of Okiwai has been selected for the three-year old Malstua colt in the Porirua stable. The youngster'purchased by the Waganui publican who races unaer the! name of "R. Narelle" is a full brother j to that consistent filly Vi (Mernwee—" Armada)). The colt is a fine big fellow, and should carry the "green and white stripes" with distinction next season. | When the Nestor gelding Nero puiled up lame after winning the Napier Steeplechase it was feared that the old leg-trouble would tell against him just wihen he was about to reward the patience of his popular owner. -Thel horse's Gisborne engagements were allowed to lapse and he was not brou2ht| home. It is now pleasing to hear that the Taranaki 'chaser—how few big country horses we have nowadays—is galloping well again at Hastings, and he will be able to fulfil his engagements in the Wellington Steeple. 'The handicapper has not treated Nero too lenient-! ly, but he is a rare jumper and is sure to give a good account of himself when the colors are up. From the turf to the stage is not such a great step after all. The Australian Cup winner, Dreamland, now in Adelaide, nightly faces the footlights in "The Arcadians." If things go on' in this style we can expect to see Ned Kelly riding in on old Recreation at the local theatre. Trainer S. Brereton, of Waverley, is handling a nice five-year-old mare by San Fran—Lady Darling, and therefore full sister to Amato. The new arrival was purchased in Napier recently by a well-known Stratford sportsman. It was reported that the Fordell trainer, F. Tilley, had hopes of getting another race out of the Wanganui Guineas winner, Bunyan, but I notice the big horse is being hacked about the streets in Webbtown at present, and he is on the sale list. Being by Pilgrim's Progress and an entire, he should be a welcome addition to any stud even if his racing days are at an end. Mr. Alec. Hall is keeping St. Bill and Beacon on the active list. The former jumps, as well as ever, and Beacon gets round safely, but I do not like his style at all. He gets right under his fences, and is sure to come a cropper one of these mornings. Hall has the knack of educating jumpers and no doubt he will improve the new chum's fencing ere long. Parliament is to have a chance to deal with bookmakers and the totalisator very soon. So says Premier Ward. In the past the Totalisator Abolition Bill came up as regularly as this scribe to his imeals, and it went out every time with great enthusiasm. The tote is safe one might almost say. But what of the bookmaker? Some M.'s P. support the proposition to submit their licensing to magistrates, and others again are prepared to vote for their complete annihilation. When Parliament licensed the bookmakers and overlooked the fact that there was no law in the land to make him pay his first betting debts, it acted foolishly, and members who voted for such a measure clearlv showed that they had no grasp of the position. Under magisterial supervision the issue of licenses may be ■better regulated, but even that system may be found fault with. What is to prevent a bookmaker of low repute putting up a dummy? The police will haw nothing against the dummy. He will «;et his license and bet for his master. It is done even' day even now. Big license fees are met by two, three, or°more pencillers pooling on one bag. The twentv pound fee (or whatever it may be) is subscribed between them. One of their number "fields." Another holds the book, and the rest scout for customers. They all keep an eye on the book, watching how the betting is <roing. agreeing to rise or fall of odds, and oen'erallv running their knowledge of the chances of the horses engaged m the race Recent embezzlement cases have mused the odds-merchant to be fowled down bv more than the wowser section of the community, and no doubt they hold vprv solid arguments. 'But thev feo too far. Tbev cannot be permitted to lav down the law to free men to sav that" von mid I shall spend our spare'cash just a = thev dictate, and not to our own satisfaction. Tf it is oiw hobbv to back the speed of our favorite prrninist another runner, that is our own business, and as loner as we keen "within reasonable limits and sramhle with out own cash." who is to "reason whv?"

Vor tlire* months commpncinor to-Haf fFridn-r l=t .TnM for nffii-« f-om Omato. to Opiinake (inclusive! will elo=o at (J a.m. * ' ifotp.—N«xt mail for Canada nnrl TTm't-cl St/it<w of AmerK"i. doses here or Tuesday, sth July, at 6.15 a.m.