SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 312, 27 May 1911, Page 3

SPORTING.

I RACING FIXTURi • June 2, 3 —Dunedin J. C. Winter. June 3, 5, 7—Auckland R.C. Winter, ! June 3. s—Otaki Maori R. C. Winter. June 21, 22—Hawke's Bay J.C. Winter. June 28, 29—Napier Park R.C. Winter. 1 July C, 7 —Gisborne R.C. Winter. COMING EVENTS. New Zealand. , June 2—Otago Steeplechase. , June 3—Great Northern Hurdle Race. ; June s—Great Northern Steeplechase. Juno 21—Hawke's Bay Steplechase. ' June 28—Napier [ Australia. July I—V.R.C.1 —V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. ! July B—V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase. i England. May 31—The Derby. June 2—The Oaks. WANGANUI NOTES. (By "Moturoa"). Appin is worth watching. Marton has gone right off. Merrivonia paid the biggest dividend at the meeting. Mr. R. H. . Mpwith ("Sir Bedivero") is to be complimented for his excellent starting. Mulga Bill woii the Empire Handicap from end to end and returned a line dividend. Old Hydrant ran a fair race in the Century Hurdles, but each day faded ' out of the contest long before the straight was reached. Mr. J. R. McDonald reserved Ribston Pippin for the second day and put an unknown youngster up. The public were not to be put off, however, and lost a trifle on every pound invested. Te Whetu never gave him a chance. What a good mare Equitas is! With fist 91b in the saddle she led all the way in the Winter Oats, and although St Toney liended her at the distance, Billy Young only had to ride her strongly to win by a neck. The time was fast—l.ls. Lovell led the field at a merry pace for two and a-lialf miles in the Wanganui i Steeple, jumping perfectly all the way. No wonder the public went solidly for the Huntsman gelding for the Grandstand Handicap. He gave the finest exhibition of jumping seen on' the course for many a day, and led from start to finish. Silver Bullet was only produced once at the gathering. With 11. Gray in the saddle, punters would have nothing but the Taranaki horse, and after Melalogue had led to the straight the chestnut was given his head and' romped home easily. Melalogue hail bad' luck to striKe such a good one, hut made amends by winning the Balgownie Hack Handicap from end to end on the second day. •ToeTiey F". TTercoek had a good innings on Wednesday, riding Corazon and Appin, winners of the double, ne rode a nice, patient race on Corazon and his handling of Appin. who wftn on the post, was very fine indeed. Tile sensation of the first day was the disqualification of "Tartar" Julian- for ] putting Napper in the Hack Huriltos; i'Napper divided favoritism with Mallet : and great things were expected' from Ormond's jumper. Julian him to run along in fourth position for a mile, and then lie be£<»n to drop back. Three furlongs from, home, N'appcr was still hard held and at the, home turn ho ran out for no apparent reason. Then he was given a free rein, and what a run he made! It is safe to say that he. ; gave the lender, eight lengths' stay! the straight,but sft fast; di ( j j U! Mill'iW- 1 ,ll! W WlvNf' il llMltfiii hj" ' "it jttllp'e • , " 11 ratrnhiis BVis't • ' . - ,x - "'id a length past tnc was in front. Had the horse been ridden decently he must have won by half-a-dozen lengths, The public said nothing, but of course the incident could not pass the notice of the stewards, and after consideration they ordered Julian to stand down for twelve months. From all appearances it was a bare-faced attempt to "stop" a moral winner. It is hard to say why 'l'orbelle was simply rushed bv .backers ' ivr tllf century ITHtflli'S: .Ttyjalily tli6 fact that Ribston riji'piii HM jjcert withdrawn gave the public the idea that Torbelk wds the better of tlie pair. At the first fence he struck hard and there was Jic» "gttt* ger" in his display after that. In the Rata Hack Hurdles lie ran in the jcaf all the way, and the brown son of IVpedo lias no pretentions to successfully competing' in first-class company. I'annus generally wins his races from the rise of Ac barrier, but different tactics were t,rt'«l with the Hawke's Bay horse in the Wormigh Handicap on Wednesday. Te Ifolhrrangi and St. Toney -hopped out first and the latter made the running to. the turn. Then Faunus came from' ,the rear and scored easily from Mon Ami, who was running on fast at the finish. St. Toney was chopped about in the run home and was just outside a place. With a steadier of list 31b, EI Dorado ran a sterling race in the Wanganui Steeplechase. What proved his undoing, no doubt was the fact that Rangi Thompson "kept him hard at it all the I way to keep within striking distance of Lovell, wluj was running himself right out. Corazon was kept well behind until six furlongs from home, when lie started to tun up through the beaten ones. When Lovell cried enough, Winchester aiid'SEl Dorado were left in the vim. Winchester was going really well at this stage and looked like winning when he got into the gorse hedge three furlongs from home. By this time Corazon was close on El Dorado's heels and passed him an the turn. El Dorado was tiring, but answered Thompson's calls in the gamcst possible manner. It was a magnificent, struggle. Inch by inch El Dorado gained on his lighter-burden-ed rival and both horses came on gallantly under the flail. Fifty yards from home it, looked as if El Dorado would prevail, but Corazon stuck to his- task grimly and won an exciting race by a neck—all out. Regarding the other 'chaser seen out at the meeting. Mount Cook, who finished three lengths behind El Dorado, jumped splendidly, and finished up well. ,Tt is probable that the son of Apremont will do better next time he goes over big country, and his performance was highly meritorious, nil things being considered. Lovell ean travel fast for two miles and a-lialf—at the outside—but I would not have him for the Great Northern. Knrus fenced well each day, but clearly not in the same class as th. l winners, Miihara ran up to form, but was very tired in the last mile of the big steeple. Te Arai and Loch Fvnc shaped miles below their past form, and it is very doubtful if they cost their connections very much money on Wednesday. Loch Fvne did not reach the scene of acfion until close oil the meeting, and that may have prejudiced his chance. Te Arai shaped as if right out of form. Gold Circle looked short of work, and it is stransjc what induced punters to rush the chestnut for the Electric Handicap. When the tote closed Gold Circle was at a famine price, but the favorite still ted slowl v and galloped even slower and was a very had last when L.vly Kilcheran was running in an easy winner. The latter is a shapely mare own-

Ed by Mr. J. Ames, owner of Mcrrivonia, and this popular owner had tne pleasure

of raking in the two first dividends of the meeting. Lady Kilcheran went to the front three furlongs from home and won easily. In the Farewell Handicap she had'a bad passage and did well to get second money. Zante shaped well on the first day, and once he got his head in front,'jumped . splendidly, leaving the others at every fence. Patrobus had his measure at the turn, and lie faded into third place by the time the post was reached. There was plenty of money for Mr. Russell's gelding in the Grandstand Steeple, but he toppled over at the first fence —a simple one—an'd gave his backers a short spin for their coin. Backers of doubles got a severe facer when Wimmera and Ribston Pippin were withdrawn from the Century Hurdle Race. With ante-post bettors this pair were reported to be the pick of the hurdlers. and the facf that jrhey were both on the course sustained the agony until the scratching!) were posted at the finish. Marton and Torbelle carried most money, but Waiputere also had a big following. The-latter had the services of W. Young, and acted as pace-maker thioughout. So well was the daughter of The Officer going nt the turn for home that her victory was loudly proclaimed. Once straightened up for the final burst. Appin could he seen coming from the middle of the field, and at the distance was on Waiputere's quarter. Then Young sat down and rode Waiputere, but the mare was done, and Appin caught and beat her on the post by a clear neek. Auratus, who looked shorjt of a gallop, and Marton put in long ones three furlongs from home, but the distance found them out. Many superstitious punters backed Appin because his saddle-cloth was inside-out, appearing as "01" instead of 'iO." Such is the art of picking winners! Hitndicapper George Morse set the public a pretty puzzle in the Conolly I Handicap. Bliss , Cheddar, Kilosterc, Gunboat and Goo'dwin Park had many friends. As usual, Bliss dasned off with the lead, but Mulga Bill, Mcrrivonia and Cheddar were close up at the six-fur-longs post. Bliss was still in command at the turn, but Mcrrivonia easily ran past her and romped home two lengths in front of Gunboat, who came fast'under Gray's -vigorous punishment. Bliss was a good third, and Vi and Mulga Bill headed a hunched lot. The winner was ridden hy A. Olliver, and paid an altogether false price, Sandy Paul shaped poorly in the last race on Wednesday, and was absolutely last at the finish. That this form was all wrong was proved by the chestnut's running in the Balgownie Handicap, when with i change of rider (Gray being up this time), lie rnn Melalogue to a length. In this race Projectile would have been second had he not been allowed to run out at the bend. The money came thick and fast for fi Amaru and Mortite for the Farewell' Handicap, hut these horses were never | within striking distance of the leaders. Tohias made the early Tunning and then the field closed up. Half-a-dozen horses were being hailed as -winners as the cavalcade dashed up to th# distance. Then Lady Kilcheran singled herself out in the ( centre, and the. outsider Aruake dial- 1 [ lenged. It. was a.hrief struggle; .Aruake was full of running and scored easily [ I by nearly a length.