SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTCR, . June 21, 22—Hawke's Bay J.C. Winter. June 28, 29—Napier Park R.C. Winter. July 6, 7 —Gisborne R.C. Winter. July 15, 19, 22—Wellington R. C. Winter. August 8, 10, 12—Canterbury J.C. Grand National. COMING EVENTS. New Zealand. June 21—Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. June 28 —Napier Steeplechase. Australia. July I—'V.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race. July B—V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") No races next week. The Pleiades boom has burst. Corazon has gathered in two, of the. plums of the 'chasing season. Merric Zealand should get amongst the winners very shortly. Old Highden ran "absolutely" all the way in the Cup at Otaki. The consistent Wauchope was tlifi only double-winner at Ellerslie. Turbine stayed out seven furlongs easily, and paid a handsome price in the Prince of Wales Handicap. Gladiole. is spelling, but Mr. T. O'Neill has a very useful sort in Monologue to go on with the game. Te Roti had the services of Jenkins at Otaki, but shaped poorly each day. Jockey Frank Lind, once again in the saddle, piloted Pleiades to victory on Wednesday in his old-time dashing style. Weight will steady the best of them! With 12st. up, Paisano was well settled each start at the Auckland meeting. The favorite, Whitestone, looked like winning the first day at Otaki, but was cut about in a scrimmage at the home bend and could not start the second day. Projectile, as anticipated in these columns, quickly earned a winning bracket. The Torpedo colt won his rac» in. good style on the opening day at Otaki, and finished gamely behind Floater the next day. Gunboat is partial to a mile and a quarter race, but it was due to the vigorous riding of If. Gray that ~the bay son of Calibre was landed a winner on the post. The bay has a marvellous finishing rush, and was gsing two to Merrie Zealand's one at the end. They put in on Arauke on Monday, but the general public were not in the know. The good thing ran well? but was hardly swift enough for Floater and Projectile. The seven furlongs were flung behind in Imm 30sec. Mallet should have won both hurdle ra«C3 at Otaki. The first day, Pine allowed Passive to get a big break on the Taranaki horse half a mile from home, and although the latter made up a heap of ground in the straight, themare still had a half-length advantages at the judge's box. Mallet was ridden | better the next day, and was in front over the last five furlongs, winning very easily from Boyne Water. j Old Paritutu looked really well when sent out to contest the Great Northern Hurdle Race (writes "Phaeton"), and quite a number gave him a chance. Those who backed the Castor gelding had the unpalatable fact placed early before them that they had lost their money. The case of Paritutu ehowß that the hauling of horses into position at the starting-post constitutes another risk backers have to take. The pull on Paritutu's bridle sent the ring of the bit into his mouth, and that settled his chance in the Great Northern Hurdle Race. Paritutu was galloping in bold style when he got rid of his rider by a faulty jump in negotiating the stone wall at the head of the straight in the I Great Northern Steeplechase. The old fellow continued in the race minus his rider, and clearing every jump, which included the complete round over the hill, he was the closest attendant to Corazon when the post was reached. Gay Lawless won again at Otaki, but it was a close thing for the hot order. A rank outsider in Aurora led until the last few yards, where Gay Lawless drew level and won by a bare head. Smilax recorded his best performance to date in the settlement of the Prince of Wales Handicap at Ellerslie. Mr. Hick's horse made most of the running, and just lasted lqng enough to stall off , Electrakoff. The stewards held an in- j quiry into the running of' the Taranaki , horse and accepted the explanations. , Smilax paid a handsome price, and more j than one Taranaki punter knew all , about the neddy's chance that day. | ( I Sol lost upwards of a dozen lengths . when the field dashed off in the Great | j Northern Hurdles. Half a mile from i , home the little horse was still well back, |' and Whakaweira and Appin were bowl- j ing along freely in front. Then Sol | , came! Cutting down horse after horse,, j he made up ground at a fearsome bat. . At the last jump he was third, and when over headed Appin. Excitement, , was intense as he gained rapidly upon > Whakaweira, but the winning post came too soon for him and the favorite won by three Jengths. With a level start Sol would have just about landed ■ the mustard 1 . St. Toney was produced in the best of form at Otaki, and was sent out favorite each day. Faunus was caught in a galloping mood, and Mr. J. Fryer's horse had to put up with second berth each start. St. Toney has improved no end since joining Fryer's string, and, if the weight-adjusters give him a chance should prove a good stake winner. I The oft-reportod broken-down horse, i Master Soult, sported silk in the Prince of Wales Handicap at Ellerslie. He was far from fit, and 12st. 31b. is a weight • ] that would anchor the best conditioned horse on the course. With Loch Fyue and Te Aral palpably below last year's form, Antarctic stands out as the best 'chaser up north this season. Seott made most of the running with him in' the big steeple- ' chase and there was no disgrace in the horse's defeat bv Corazon, the latter having a pull of 71b. in the weights. In the Winter Steeplechase, 12st. 31b. did not stop the son of Salvadnn, and lie romped home a comfortable winner from Loch Fyne. , John shaped fairly well in the earner stages of the Northern Hurdles, and against a poor crowd in the Campbell Hurdles on Wednesday, he found many I backers. Wanganui sports did not, fancy him, and much surprise was expressed when the result came thiougn., John is an out-and-out stayer, and j when he learn? to jump quicker, should bo dangerous in any field. ' More than one good judve ticked off St. Amans as a prad worth following, but the daughter of Soult. shaped so poorly at Tatapuna that her friends practically deserted her. She was on hand in the settlement of the Fitzrov Handicap on Wednesday, and getting a good run, won easily from Gloy and Uvo dozen others. New Zealand-brrd horses entered for both Melbourne and Caulfield Cups include Bridge, Los Angelos, Formeden, Vice-Admiral, Bnndiera and Broadsword. Lady Medallist and Lady Lucy 1 are engaged in tile CaulUcld Cup. En-

tries for the Epsom Handicap includeJ Fonneden, Vive-Admiral, Bandiera, Los\ Angelos, Genius, Culprit, Broadsword, and Royal Soult. The above, with the addition* of Lady Lucy, figure in the Metropolitan Handicap (one and a half miles). Mulga Bill is earning a record for censistency. Following on his Hawera and Wanganui successes, be ran a good third in the Cup at Otaki, and on the second day annexed the Huia Handicap. Mulga Bill races best in front, and in the laßt-named race led all the way. Tumut, who has been running without luck of late, got to his neck in the last few strides. Deploy was a neck away in third place, and Merrie Zealand and Brown Trout were close up. It was a fine finish.

Okaihau jumped finely in each of his essays over country at Ellerslie, and when more seasoned should make a worthy opponent amongst the big-gun 'chasers. White Cockade, who won over hurdles at Dunedin, is said to be on the upgrade, and in the South many pick the son of Finland to turn out a good National horse.

Flitaway appears to be much improved as the result of her spell. Last season, it will be remembered, she was retired to the stud, but proved to be without a foal. She was a brilliant filly at two years, and when in a galloping humor could foot it with thd slickest sprinters. The stiffness of the Ellerslie steeplechase course evident when such igood jumpers as Sol, Red McGregor, Pleiades, Hunakaha and Paritufcu fell in the Great Northern. The Auckland idol, Sql, was apparently feeling the effects of his gruelling race on the first day of the gathering. Glenspring, who was going particularly well on the tracks, sprung a tendon before the Otaki meeting, and will be thrown out of commission for some time. Gunboat, who won the big race at Otaki, has scored five times since the Easter meetings.