SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 86, 20 July 1910, Page 8

SPORTING.

TURF TOPIC'S. (By ".Muturoiu") Wellington Steeplechase to-day. The punters had all the best of the argument on Saturday. California started* 'favorite for the Parliamentary Handicap, but the going was all against the top weights. 'J hey say that Compass is improving with every gallop, aud will be cherry ripe for the .National meeting. R. Barlow swung St. Lumsden out first in the Miramax Handicap, but the Taranaki prad could do no good in the mud. l''our first favorites Electrakoff, White Cockade, Morecombe and Conte:ident—scored at Trentham on Saturday. For winning the Whiter Hurdles, Paisano will be required to put up the maximum penalty in the Grand National Hurdles, thus bringing the ctrowau gelding's weight up to 12st lib. Once again backers let Merrie Zealand go out at a false price, in the Parliamentary on Saturday, and the brown gelding was only headed in the last tew 1 strides. He filled the sam# position in last year's race. With the National Hurdles close at hand, it is hardly likely that all those outside the placed division in the Winter Hurdles were really very anxious. Still, Pafitutu's forward running came as a surprise, and there r. ay yet be a good race left in the veteran hurdler. Ormond's luck was remarkable on the opening day of the Wellington meeting. Three sons of Birkenhead —Bollin, Morecambe and Contendent —slopped tlirough the mud in race style, and F. D. Jones had the pleasure of riding all three winners. Last year the same owner's Diamond Star ran third to Sir Frisco and Merrie Zealand in the Dig race; Dreadless "cakewalked" the Trial; and Contendent filled the role of runner-up to Te Kaliurango in the Te Aro Handicap. They thought they only had to start to take out with Penza on Saturday,and Pritchard rode a confident race. In, front, after going a furlong, she led the field practically all the way and looked a sure winner at the distance. Heir nearest attendant, Multiple, dashed up in the last bit, and got the better of a good finish by a good head. Penza has many friends for the Winter Cup, and when the tracks are firmer she is bound to rum well forward.

The Taianaki Jockey Club's application to the Racing Conference for a permit for a winter meeting, to be held on May 17 and 18 for preference, is only fair and reasonable and, under ordinary circumstances, would receive the favorable consideration of the Turf parliament. But just now things are rather upset in the racing world, and there is just a chance that totalisator permits may be very considerably reduced. The T.J.C. application was ill-timed, surely. Although November 9 will no longer be the King's Birthday, the Auckland Racing Club will still race on that day, and to keep green the memory of our late sportsman King the Birthday Handicap has been renamed the King Edward Memorial Handicap. Naumai did not accept for the first day at Wellington, but if the going is at all good he will be amongst the runners in the Glasgow Handicap to-dav. Recent events have proved that weight is nothing to the Wairarapa sprinter, and over a five-furlong course he always takes some beating. His owner is reported to have expressed dissatisfaction at the imposts handed out to Naumai, but when a horse carries over list, with a Gst 71b limit, and scores easily, his connections cannot growl at list 81b under welterweights.

St. Lumsden let down backers very badly on Saturday, but on a firm top he would quickly make amends for his defnat. He is engaged in the Ivarori Handicap on the second day. but reacts badly (on paper) when compared with Elfish and several others in the race. Elfish started favorite the first day, and will probably carry most coin again this afternoon. Followers of the "cerise" iacfeet argue that he came in for a rough passage in the .Karori Handicap, and he hasn't to meet Multiple and Penza this flutter. California had a bad passage in the Parliamentary Handicap on Saturday, I and did well to run fourth. If the Bay horse meets Electrakoff, : Bollin and Co. to-day, a great race ; should eventuate. ; The Wellington Steeplechase promises ;to provide an interesting contest, fifteen horses have paid u'-i for the event, "ird the '"inner to be well conji'npled. Capitol. and Andax are f roost J !i« "double' 5 punters. , - r r «••»*+ silk ? n the Jnmp-j ; "rs* Flat Pa"" ' t > : ? afternoon, and the locally trainer ?iorse is not overburdened with weight. It is hard to understand wliv Stavboy and Compass should be called upon to give away weight to the Gipsy Gnfnd gelding. The top weight. Maliuta. does not appear to be badly handicapped and will -robably start favorite.