SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 219, 24 December 1910, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Dec. 26, 27—Taranaki Christmas Meeting Dec! 26, 29, and Jan. 2, 3—Auck&wi R.C.' Summer. Dec. 26, 27.—Manawatu R.C. Summer. Dec. 28.—Ashhurst R.C. Annual. Jan. 2, 3—Stratford R.C. Annual. Jan. 2, 3—Rangitikei R.C. Summer. Jan. 2, 3—Hawke's Bay J.C. Summer. Jan. 21, 23, and 25—Wellington R.C. • Summer. COMING EVENTS. See. 26—Auckland Cup. Sec. 26—Manawatu Cup. Jan. 2—Great Northern Derby. Jan. 2—Stratford Cup. > STRATFORD RACING CLUB. ;t\ FIKST DAY ACCEPTANCES! The following acceptances for the first Say's events at the forthcoming Stratford races have been received:— Tariki Welter—Billington, Sandy Paul 9.7, Ambergris 9.6, Coolstream 9.5, Roselake, Silver fcpur 92, Tetikura, Silver Cluse 8.9, Loopguard 8.8, San Pan, Glen Tulloch, Rouge Dragoon, Rawinia 8.7. Midhirst Hack.—Shining Star 8.8, Silva 8.4, Tam Glen 8.3, Sandy Paul 7.8, Appollinaris 7.7, Ngatiranui, Silver Spur 7.5, Lady Heroine 7.4, Sinn Fein 6.13, Mississippi, The Reiver 6.10. Stratford Cup.—Te Puia 8.8, Waitapu, Lethean 85, First Mate 8.3, Golden Eagle 8.2, Uhlando 8.1, Shannon Lass 6.0, Patrobus 7.13, Solus 7.7, Mallet 7.0. Ohura Hurdles.—Waitapu 11.2, Golden Glow 10.9, Claremont 10.8, Kotare 10.7, Clemency 10.1, Paul 10.0, Otaraoa 9.13, Chase Mab 9.10, Starlike, Otus 9.0.

Flying Handicap.—True Shot 9.0, Golden Loop 8.8, Te Roti 8.3, Shannon Lass 8.2, Miss Advance, Solus 7.12, Cyrene 7.7, Lothair 7.0.

Railway Handicap.—Prancer 8.11, Valentine 8.9, Shining Star 8.8, Contralto 8.5, Billington, Sandy Paul 8.3, Bow Bells Coolstream, Jack Pin 7.13, Appollinaris 7.10, Ngatirannui 7.9, Bay Paul 7.7, San Due 12, St. Prior, Praefectue 7.0, Silver Close 6.11, St Helena, Con the Shaughraun, Marsuma 6.10. Trot.—Nancy Till ssec, The Flasher Bsec, Pearlie Maid 12sec, Gather No Moss 16sec, Uniform 20sec, Golden Rose B2sec, Echuca, Kate Allerton, A.T.L., Vanity, Wynotte, May Lady, Bezella 24sec, Singlet 26sec. ENTRIES. Borough Stakes.—Wairose, San Due, Labor Dav, Sylvanius, Bonnie Lass, Manawakaha, St Veriton, Lady Loo, Marsuma, Patriotic, Praefectus, East Wind, Lady Merp, Wild Lupin, Katua, Makahu, Kiwitihi, St. Prior, St. Helena, Dover Straits, Relief, Old Maid.

Cardiff Stakes.—Wairose, San Due, Labor Day, Sylvanius, Bonnie Lass, Manawakaha, St. Venton, Lady Loo, Loopguard, Patriotic, Praefectus, Eastwind, Wild Lupin, Katua, Makahu, St. Prior, St. Helena, Dover Straits, Relief, Old Maid.

Farmers' Plate.— The Mystery, Golden Glow, Oilskin, Sir Tullpch, Smilax, Haydn Park, Darby Paul, Silver Cluse, Zante.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.-; Christmas is with us once again. Te mere kirihimete, tc Hape Nuia! And w*k it its annual host of race meetings, both large and small. For the next ten days the sport of kings will rage all over the. land. On Boxing Day there will be held meetings at Auckland, Dunedin, • New Plymouth, Palmerston North ana a heap of smaller places, and before Jan 3 no less than forty days of racing will / kftve been concluded. That so much racing finds support in this Dominion is sufficient proof of the numerical strength of the sporting community. Taking a retrospective view of the year now lurrying to a close, we cannot, fail' to notice the increasing obstacles placed by a band of legislators in the way of true 'sport. The bookmaker's' _ death warrant has been signed. He shall I not be greatly missed on the courses, but the peniciller—like (the jpoor—we •hall always have with us. As long as there are two horses to race, and two men to ride them, betting will go on. Parliament cannot bleach out what is grafted in us. Men cannot be put in at one end of a machine and supernatural beings dropped out at the other end. When these fatherly legislators enact lavs bristling with penalties they probably imagine that crime will come to a dead-end. But it doesn't. Fines, imprisonment, even capital punishment does not deter those who have the mind' to break laws. Bookmakers will be removed from the racecourses, but no one supposes that they will cease to live, or go gum-digging, or anything of the sort. You might hang the lot of them to-day, and a fresh crop would arise tomorrow. To imagine that the abolition of bookmakers will do away with betting is as ridiculous as to imagine that the abolition of gutters will do away with rain. These are the'words of Lord Rosebery, a wise man and an honest sportsman. Furthermore, racing-permits have been reduced very considerably. This spells ruin to the majority of country "annuals," and the small club puts Tip its shutters and Its business goes to swell the coffers of the larger clubs, it is so characteristic of the general trend of legislation in this country. This steady encroachment of the liberty of the sportsman is becoming a serious matter. The sporting public is apparently obsessed with an indolent indifference which augurs ill for the future. The leading sporting papers of Australasia have pointed out the pressing necessity of immediately combatting the menace at our doors, but we make no sign. We are indifferent. We want further interference. Well, it is coming. The thin end of the wedge is in, and the minority is working feverishly to drive it home. But one tires of drumming tte cold hard facts into heads that do not feel and hearts that do not care' On Monday and Tuesday next the T*ranaki Jockey Club's Christmas meeting ml demand the attendance of sporting folk At time of writing it is too early to forecast the results of the gathering. Needless to say, the course is m fine racing condition, and everything is m apphe-pie order on top of the hill. Since taking up the reins of management Mr. E P. Webster has left no stone unturned to make the club's gatherings first-class, and this year's acceptances show a marked improvement in every W ay The Taranaki Jockev Club is fortunate m having an energetic committee and an up-to-date secretary. The club offers good stakes to 4>orse-o'wners, and good racing draws better attendances. Given fine weather, this year's meeting promises to be a record one in the annals of the club. A good number ?,Jn°T W ' l not put in an a PP<*rance until this afternoon, aid their appearance on the training tracks to-morrow m ™ in ? sno "'d arouse some interest •Tl V „ day ' s P r °g ra mme will open with the Huatoki Plate. Sixteen havej accepted, including the Waverley-trained Glen Tulloch and the local candidates letikura and Sinn Fein, and there is amole material for an interesting race The Stewards' Hack Handicap, with ■ *S?fff?/f"^* o "' «*«PI4 provide the

weight is now paddock-trained by his owner, and is reported to- be rather backward. Solus ran a few fair races as a two-year-old, but has yet to break, his maiden certificate. The Aucklander appears to have got the worst of the deal. Contralto and Shining Star won at Lepperton, and at the weights the former will probably claim most followers. Tam Glen is always threatening to win a race, and might run forward If in the humour. Jack Pin and Sandy Paul are a dangerous pair, and their presence should make matters very interesting. The others have nothing but their light weights to recommend them The Ladies' Purse will bring together several horses which raced at the Waitara meeting, where Roselake showed to advantage. Ambergris has shown a deal of pace on the tracks, but generally fails to reproduce his form with the colors up. The First Hurdles will probably be contested by the best field that has lined up for the race for several seasons. The top-weight, Claremont, was in good style at Lepperton, and is apparently very well. Kotare is one of the unfortunate ones, and usually runs into second place. Golden Glow has performed disappointingly of late, and the same applies to Paul. Otaraoa has been off the scene for quite" a long while, and may .not be quite tuned up yet. Clemency I is partial to the distance, and good reports come to hand of Starlike's galloping and jumping abilities. Eight horses have cried content in the Christmas Handicap. Clemora fills the post of honor, and the sturdy son of St. Clements may be expected to make a bold showing, though the distance may find him out. Uhlando is in good fettle, and no fault can be found with First Mate and Lethean. Shannon Lass is «Jso engaged inthe Flying Handicap. The Wanganui-owned mare ran third in the Christmas Handicap last year, but rarely hits out freely unless the "sting" is taken out of the ground. Anything might win this race. The First Welter has drawn eight acceptors—a moderate lot. A good word is spoken for the Waverley-trained Meroze, who may prove a thorn in the side if.Sandy Paul, SHva and Co. Hack Scurries are popular in these parts, and some good sprinters are engaged in these events at New Plymouth. Red Lupin, if started here in preference to Auckland, must command respect, and others with ability to gallop fast include Nukuhau, Ngatiruamii, Bow Bells and Hinekorangi. In the Flying Handicap (open) another good field will face the starter. True Shot has not been boomed much since coming to this province, hut is a good hprse when well, and at Wanganui beat Polymorphous over six furlongs in the Juvenile Handicap. Lady Menschikoff and Golden Loop have been winning lately, and are a Tattling good pair. Shannon Lass is bright and well, and of the others Te Roti has been showing good form at the spring meetings. The meeting will be brought to a close on Tuesday, the New Plymouth Handicap (one mile), and "the Farewell Handicap (six furlongs) being the principal events. Mr. Ulic Shannon will ad just the weights for the second day. The Auckland Cup comes up for decision on Monday next, the Government having backed down over that totalisator permit, and with twelve or thirteen likely runners the race will take some picking. The following are the likely starters and their riders:—Diabolo (C. Jenkins), Bridge (H. Gray), Sedition (A. Julian), Kopu (T. O'Brien), Waimangu (J. Conquest), Sir Prize (F. Coleman), Paisano (J. Buchanan), John (C Brown), Advocate (B. Deeley), Manapouri (R. Brown), Prophet (J. Morris), (C. Emmerson). Diabolo has been landed in good fettle at Ellerslie, and must be given a great chance. Bridge will only have to repeat his New Zealand Cup gallop to keep everything busy. Paisano and John have been galloping best of the others on tho tracks, and Kopu, Sedition and Advocate have lost many friends. The others do not appear a ve"ry dangerous lot, but may provide a surprise—l don't sa V a Sir Prize! Turbine, Salute and Kakama are most faneied up north for the Railway Handicap but in the Empire City they are backing Gipsy Belle as if it were all over bar "shouting." Culprit will give Aucklanders a taste of his sprinting abilities next week and on time-records for the last three months not a two-year-old in the Dominion should be able to live with him. A Waverley sport was giving the show away the other night. He said: "By jove> we'll scoop the pool in Taranak'i. Jack Pin can fly, and Meroze and Starlike—oh, you write for the papers, don't you?" and he went outside to call him- . self names. It is reported that quite a contingent of Waverley people are coming up to back the "good things." Golden Loop is going well at present, and Mr. J. Smith's popular colors may be seen in the van before many davs are over. ' The Manawatu Cup will be run on Monday. Sandstream will have the services of A. Olliver, and the bay is said to be galloping well.