SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 315, 31 May 1911, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Saturday next, the birthday of Sportsman King George, will be very fittingly celebrated in many parts of the Dominion by race meetings, principal of which will be the Great Northern at Elterslic, the Dunedin Jockey Club's winter gathering in the south, and the Otaki Maori meeting down the coast. Final payments re|eived for the Great Northern Hurdles and Steeplechase are well up to the average, and these wellendowed events promise to provide good sport. Of the thirteen horses remaining in the Gfeat Northern Hurdles, Hawke's I Bay, Wanganui and Takapuna racing ha* exposed the form of Reumac, Whakaweira, Appin and Don Quex, and these horses, despite trifling penalities, have many friends for Saturday's big race. The writer was much impressed by Appin's showing in the Century Hurdles at Wanganui, and is of opinion that the bay son of The Possible could have won by a greater margin from Waiputere had! Jockey Hercock so desired, The rise oi j 1011)3 is nothing to a light-weight in* good form, and only the reverse way of running may puzzle last week's champion. Auratus was carrying a big baTrel at Wanganui, but ran a fine race, and should be a much improved horse this week. John jumped carefully, but was taking on a big task for a raw beginner, and I do not fancy Mr. Albert! Jackson's horse will prove dangerous at Ellcrslie. Ribston Pippin did not start im the Century Hurdles, but ran a good race in the May Hurdle Race on the stcond day when ridden by a young korscman. With H. Telford m the saddle I am prepared to see the 'Stralian-bred horse run well forward next time he sports silk. Paisano is going as well as ever at Ellcrslie, and even with 12st 41b in the saddle has many friends. Reumac won at Hastings against a poor lot, and with a penalty appears to be well steadied. The Native has been specially reserved for the race, but I would prefer to follow Mr. J. Bull's juniper if he had had a run in the hurdle races at Wanganui. The Native is fast and jumps well, and is aided by a handy weight. If caught in a galloping mood he may run well, but followers have no recent form of merit to give them a lead. At Takapuna, Whakaweira, Don Quex, Sol, Bully and Delegate were seen under silk, the two , first-named winning. The performance of Whakaweira in the Hautuiu Hurdles was a fine effort, and this beautifullybred one may have to be reckoned with. In judging form it might be remembered, however, that the Century Hurdle Race was the only one extending to more than two miles, and shorter races may be no sort of a guide at all for a Great Northern. Paritutu and Sol remain. The former is the only one engaged this I time which ran in last year's race, and | he may be put down as a spent light i without a doubt. Sol is a sturdy little I chap, and will be running on when most of them are stopping. Of the baker's I dozen engaged, Sol, Paritutu and The ! Native figure in the Great Northern j Steeplechase.

Twenty-three still remain in the Great Northern Steeplechase, to be run on Monday next, and to those who were fortunate enough to witness the strenuous battle between Corazon and El Dorado in the Wanganui Steeplechase, the meeting of these two horses at Ellerslie, this time El Dorado having an advantage of Olbs., will be brimful of interest. The bigger country and undulating ground may trouble such, a little fellow as Corazon, and Ellerslie is so different to all other steeplechase courses in the colony that, with ordinary horses engaged, the writer prefers an Auckland horse for Ellerslie country every time. The other candidates will be referred to later on.

Jockey Whittaker rode three winners at Takapuna and H. Gray one at Wanganui. The former now leads by 73 to 70 firsts. Lorelei, who died recently at Mr. J. R. McDonald's farm at Levin, won the Manawatu Cups of 1805-9(5, the Rangitikei Cup in 1898, and many other good races. She was the dam of Sol. Ex-bookmakers came up in good numbers to witness the racing at Wanganui last week, but they were refused' admission to the course. Some of their number went on with the game sub rosa at the previous meeting, and the club decided not to give them the opportunity this time. Seedless to say the innocent ones were very wroth at this turn of events. Gold Circle failed at Wanganui through want of condition, but the slashing big chestnut should be seen to better advantage at Ellerslie. "Pentagraph's" figures of winning two-year-olds for this season are headed by Culprit (7) £200,5, Pierene (3) £1570, Counterfeit (3) £1495. Misc«unt (4) £1490, and Orton (4) £1430. The number of victories of each horse appears in brackets. The last has been seen of that expensive failure, Golden Slipper, on the racecourse. The daughter of Multiform is to go to the stud and will probablv be mated with Wallace, a sturdy son of Carbine.

The 132 nd race for the English Derby will be run to-day. At latest accounts Mr. J. B. Joel's Sunstar, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, ranked a warm favorite.