SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 234, 11 February 1911, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Feb. 15 and 16—Taranaki J.C. Autumn. Feb. 22 and 23—Woodville R.C. Autumn. Feb. 22, 23 and 25—DHnedin J. O. Autumn. COMING EVENTS. Feb. 15.—Taranaki Cup. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Taranaki Cup on Wednesday. Highden has lost his dash. Mendip and St. Toney were doublewinners at Hawera. Red Lupin is a wonderful little horse for his inches. St. Bill's defeat cost his party a pretty penny on Thursday. By winning the Hawera Stakes Rill put up her eighth consecutive victory. Jack Pin was galloped on in the Meremere Hack Flat, hence his withdrawal on Thursday. The Waverley horse was in great fettle, and the mishap was bad luck for his party. Playmate ran two honest races at the Egmont meeting, but it is asking a heavily-weighted horse too much to win his races from end to end. There are many people who still aver that, had the saddle not slipped right back to his tail, Shining Star would have won the Egmont Cup. Attention was very lucky to get amongst the winners at Hawera. Had Contralto not been run out at the home bend, Olliver's mount would not have been placed in the final event. A lot of good money changed hands when North-East refused to leave the barrier in the Atkinson Stakes. He was turned the right way when the tapes flew up, and Billy Price isn't the lad to let a horse go to sleep either. Surely the horse hasn't grown cunning! , Waitapu has broken it for a win. When Telford's name was seen on the board it was at once recognised that the astute "Jerry" meant business. With horses falling in front of him, it was just good luck that kept the Gipsy King gelding clear of trouble, and, as a mat-

ter of fact, he nearly fell over Lochguard when the latter blundered.

The man in the street reckons that Jenkins on Lady Medallist was busy making a close finish with Shining Star in the Egmont Cup, and that Mendip came up on the outside and caught him napping. That may be so, but Lady Medallist is such a generous galloper that she was most likely doing her best, and the mare couldn't have had much <to spare after carrying Ost 1011) over a mile and a-half. If started, she will command a big following in the Taranaki Cup. Sunrose showed a lot of pace at Hawera, and when properly wound up should pay his way in moderate company. The absence of the bookmakers at Hawera inconvenienced many small bettors, and the club might consider the advisability of running a ten-shilling totalfsator in future. Many turf patrons cannot afford more than a moderate bet, and it is not always easy to find others to make up a ticket for the machine. Besides an Auckland magistrate gave it as his opinion the other day that anyone putting money on a totalisator for another party (even if it is only a share in a ticket) is liable under the new Gaming Act for acting as an agent in a betting transaction. Anyway, many sportsmen 'cannot afford to bet in pounds, and racing clubs would be studying their own interests if they ran ten-shilling machines.

Golden Loop ran a good race in the Normanby Welter, and after his rider saw that he had no chance of catching Tamainupo and Te Puia he very wisely eased down. .The chestnut is looking very fit, and a win for his popular owner would be well received at the Taranaki meeting next week.