SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 150, 4 October 1910, Page 8

SPORTING

A.J.C. MEETING. SECOND DAY. ERIC WINS THE METROPOLITAN.

, By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright. Received October 3, 6.10 p!m. , Sydney, Last Night. For the second day of the A.J.C. meeting the weather was fine, the course fast and the attendance very large. Results: — The Shorts, of 500 sovs; G furlongs.— Maori King, 9.5, I; Irishman, 9.4, 2; Grist, 8.2, 3. Seventeen started. Irishman and Maltchester led a packed fiela into the straight. Grist was well up, Maori King holding a good position outside. He put in his claim opposite the Leger and shot to the front, winning cleverly by a 'length and a half, threequarters of a length between second and third horses. Time, linin 14% sec. Clibborn Stakes, of 1000 sovs, for three-year-olds, one mile and a furlong. —Desert Rose, 8.0, 1; Styria, 8.0, 2; Electric Wire, 8.5, 3. Nine started. Gigandra and Styria took charge, and carried the running to the entrance of the straight. Styria was first in the straight, Gigarudra and Desert Rose being the nearest attendants. Desert Rose challenged the leader 'below the Leger. A great finish. Won by a short head, Electric two lengths away. Time, lmin SS^sec. METROPOLITAN STAKES, a handicap ,-sweepstake of 20 sovs each, with

3500 sovs. added. Eric, 7.9 (McDonald) 1 Ra. 7:5 (iSuttel) 2 Flavinius, 8.2 (Wood) .' 3 The non-starters were: Artillerie, Bright Laddie, Golden Slipper, Danilo, Bobby, Cadonia and Broadsword. A good'start. The first'to move was Maltine and Apple Pie. At the mile and a

quarter Apple Pie was in the van. Then Silverhampton took charge, followed by Apple Pie, Safrano, Son of the Marsh, 'Flavinius, Maltine, Ea and Patronatus. There was little changie to the six furlongs, Silverhampton still leading from Apple Pie. At the half mile, Silverhampton had Son of the Marsh and Fiavius as his nearest attendants. The field then spread out. Before the turn was reached Fiavius got on terms with the leader, Ea bein ! g half a length away, third. Apple Pie and Patronatus wert lying handy. Flavinius led Ra into the straight, followed by Silverhampton, Patronatus and Eric. Ea headed Flavinius in the straight. Then Eric, who had been steadily improving his position outside, came with a rush in the home stretch, and won comfortably by a length and a half, Flavinius a similai

distance fourth. Time, 2min Metropipkan First Steeple, about 2V2 miks.—Nigel, 11*12, 1; Seymour, 10.13, 9; Isl2, 3. There were four starters. was prominent during the first ppiuid, but fell back. Nigel and Seymour pressed the last hurdle on, almost equal terms. Nigefll was the quickest on the fiat. Won by four lengths. Bullworth was beaten off, and Kielder ran off the course. Time, smin 37% sec. ■ Breeders' iPlate, for g-yeac-otds, 5 furlongs, 1500 soya.*—Mr. D. J. Watt's br p Cisco, 1; Mr. W. H. Mate's to f Mirabexia, 2; Mr. A. Knox's br c Popinjay, 3. Eighteen started. Cisco caxne' at tihe Jjalf distance, and landed the by a length, Popinjay two and : a half lengths jjehind. '•». _ Squatters' Handicap, of 400 sOtfis, miles.—Red Knight, 7.3, 1; War Star, 8.1, 2; Backenburg, 7.7, 3. Fifteen started. Golden Slipper acted as pilot to half way down the straight, where the winner came through and won by a

length. Time, 2min 7% sec. Received October 3, 11.25 p.m. Sydney, Last Night. Pendil, Silver Hampton, Crown Derby and Maltine finished amongst the ruck for the Metropolitan. Sydney, October 3. Scratchings for all A.J.C. engagements: Hoanga, NeHius, Tilson and Effort. Tlison fractured (his knee while schooling, and was destroyed.

1 WANGANUI SPRING MEETING. (Notes by "Moturoa.") In direct contrast to Thursday's dazzling sunshine, dull, wet and unpromising weather greeted sportsmen (and wowsers) on Saturday morning. And what a change was there! the light ami fleecy raiment of Thursday gave way to winter toggery. Spring was gone for the nonce. Straw hats were given a whole holiday, and sombre hard felts took their place. Umbrellas were as thick as fleas in a church carpet, and several thousand pounds' worth of coats of ©very con- | ceivable (and inconceivable) hue and j pattern were rushed into service to protect poor shivering humanity from tihe blast. As the afternoon wore on the clouds lifted, but it was still damp under foot, and the sun appeared to have given up business. Thanks to a sandy soil the course was again in excellent racing trim, and the lacing was keen and exciting.. All started in the Owen Handicap. Clifford's 3-year-old, Countermine (Qu&r-ryman—-Safeguard), ruled favorite, with Emblem next in demand, but the five runners were fairly evenly supported. Emblem, as on Thursday, swung around when the barrier lifted, and was spared the exertion of the gallop. Mon Ami hopped out and made the pace a cracker to the turn, Countermine and- Te Roti following in that order. The mare was well in front when they straightened up for the run home, but she failed to see it out, and Countermine, comiiig up gamely under punishment, was in front at the distance, and maintained a halflength advantage to the finish. Te Roti, who was piloted by H. Gray, and was well backed by his connections, was a length and a half away, third. Mer-1 chantman was outclassed. | There were ho withdrawals from thej Railway Hack Handicap, the Taranakiowned Golden Loop being best backed.. Solid support was aiso accorded Falaet-1 to, Attention and Big Blast Falsetto

got the worst of a very ordinary sendoff, and Big Blast and Attention immediately set out to break records, Golden Loop heading the rest. Big Blnsl was out on his ace at the turn, and 'Golden Loop was coming like a boll from the blue. The leader blew out at the distance, and Golden Loop went on and won in line style by nearly two lengths from Valentine. Attention, Falsetto and All Blue finished close up. The winner was responsible for a fine gallop, and in carrying top-weight to the front with ease in the good time of 1.15, the effort was decidedly meritorious. Mr. J. Smith was present to lead in the winner, and he came in for

a good round of hearty congratulations. The Native dropped out of the Bruns- : wick Hurdle Race in favor of the softer "snap" in the hack event, a good fiela i of eight hurdlers facing the starter. Xavier and Tauira, on Thursday's form, were reckoned the pick of the crowd, but they were never dangerous. Old Sardonyx, ridden by Mr. 0. Gordon (the owner of Cavill), led all the way, ana ran in an easy winner in 2.48—a good go. Ruemac ran well for six furlongs, 'and then faded out of it, leaving Longner, Xaxier and Gold Bird to chase the winner home in that order. Waitapu was hopelessly beaten, and Tauira fencea like a novice. Sardonyx, who won at the Hunt Club meeting here last month, was little fancied, and returned the best dividend of the meeting. The scratching pen accounted for Mas- : ter Lethe in the Fack Hurdles, a poor field of four going to the post. This race was the "joke" ot the gathering. Te Whetu was alleged to be the correct pea, and the "guns" quickly secured

what, little money was offering at reasonable odds about the Daystar gelding. The hookies threw out tempting odds against the other runners, and it looked as if they were overcome with information. The favorite was in front for six furlongs. The Novice, pulling double, away in the rear. Kotare took up the runninig four furlongs from home, Te Wihetu lying handy. At the home turn the Taranaki prad was still going strongly, and then, Young called on Te Whetu to come on and win. But the favorite was in trouble, and couldn't respond worth mentioning. YVaikaraka was well settled, and The Native to all appearances ditto. The howl of dismay unust. have disturbed the patients at Porirua., Here was the favorite beaten, and Kotare bolting in! Then came the most surprising act of all. The Native suddenly turned into a flying machine, and started to mow down the lea'ders as if they were 'standing still. Making up 100 yards or mote in the last three hundred, he got to Kotare in the last couple of strides, and won a sensational race by a bare head. Naturally the defeat of the "hot stuff" came as a great blow to the "wise men" of the turf, for a "moral" in a (hurdle race

is always punted on as something extra specially "dry." One prominent New Plymouth sportsman relieved the penciller* of a tidy roll of notes after the race, but it is provable that he considers himself lucky. If Kotare had been a bet' ter sort of horse his money would have been 'gone for keeps. One wonders wihy Jockey Murtagih. , but then there are some things in horse raoing which will never be explained! There were no withdrawals in the, giggie Handicap, for which Lady. M" e 4. nllist was installed a firm favorite. The daughter of St. was turned out in great and the race proved the best of good things for her. Geimora lookefl well, but did not show any dash. The New Zealand Cup horses, Wimmera, Sir Antrim, Coronetted" and Marton, looked in good trim, and should be ready for the fray in November, Tipwas again ridden by H. Gray, and for somb unaccountable reason was not nearly so solidly $$ migfkt have been expected, for the chestiiut ran well oif Thursday, and is best suited by a mile' iand a quarter course. Lady Medallist' .made fill the running, Sir Antrim beinig close up to her, passing the stand the first time. Wimmera had supplanted the Foxton horse at the five furlong post, and Tiptoe commenced to improve. But Lady Medallist was still bowling along freely in "front, and showed well clear of Tiptoe as they swung round the turn for home. The favorite finished full of running, two lengths in front of Tiptoe, and Coronetted, coming fast, was close up, third. The distance was covered .in 2.10, and it is quite possible that the winner could have chopped considerable off that had the extra effort been necessary.