SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 330, 17 June 1911, Page 7

SPORTING

RACING FIXTUR- . ' June 21, 22—Hawke's Bay J.O. Winter. June 28, 2!)—Napisr Park R.C. Winter.] July 6, 7—Gisborne K.C. Winter. i 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.") Grand National weights are due on Friday. From Riccarton comes a report that Tikitere has broken down. Weights for the Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting should appear about Monday. The Hawke's Bay wfciter meeting will take place on Wednesday and Thursday next. Many Taranaki sports arc promising themselves a day's sport at the Waimatb Plains trots on Thursday. Directoire changed hands recently, and Mr. W. T. Hazlett, of Invercargill, secured the mare for 180 guineas.

Latest London files record that Maher has ridden 23 winners to F. Wootton's 16 this season. Wootton has already had 100 mounts. The New Zealand Cup candidate, Ingoda, is again quite sound and in steady work at Ricearton. Xavier and Gold Bird are reported to be in good nick and will probably start at Hastings next week. Mr. M. T. McGrath was booked to leave for Sydney last evening with Gunboat, Tumut and Zealand. H. Gray will ride the horses in 'Stralia. New Zealand Cup entries numbered 61 against 80 last year—a big falling off. With the exception of half-a-dozen, the others will have to show improved form to have a chance in November. • Taranaki is getting a few good horses. Electrakoff is now under Albert Rhodes' care, and J. Fryer has Aurora, the latter running in Mr. Carmont's nomination at Otaki recently.

Trainer Aynsley has Prim, Martine, Coroniform, Bonny Glen and Query going well,at Ricearton. Coroniform is fancied in some quarters for the Now Zealand Cup. Grafnax was given a run recently and finished third. ■■• The great 'ehas,er was not. nearly, ready, but should be a greatly improved horse when he strips for the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase next month. El Dorado has returned home and is to be spelled. His 'Stralian trip is now off. Corazon will not sport silk at Hastings, hut after,a short spell will he put into solid work in view of the Canterbury Grand National Steeple. Lady Jean, by Kileheran, is a stablemate of Lady Lucy, and already the lilly has many friends for the New Zealand Cup. She has not sported silk yet, but is said to be a great galloper. Jfr. B. O'Meara has Te Puia in work at his Te Mahanga station, and the daughter of San Fran is said to b» looking robust and well as the result of her spell. Aeolus and Contorp were amongst the runners at Epsom, Victoria, and both ran into places. Aeolus has been off the scene for some considerable time, and now that he is picking up form again, should pay his way on the ether side. Talk about betting! Sunstar's victory in the Derby cost 'the English ring a cool million. The colt's owner won £."O,00O, and apparently all the countryside was on the swift' one. The stallion Finland (Bill of Portland—Fishwife) was sent up to Napier last week, and such a flue commanding horse should be in great demand amongst breeders in Jlawke's Bay this season. Cullinan is now jumping very proficiently, and one' recent morning shaped splendidly over jive hurdles at Hastings. Another promising fencer on the same track is Gold Clasp, who is an adept at the illegitimate game. All Turf followers will commend the action of the Tara-iaki Metropolitan Committee in allowing R. Barlow's appeal against disqualification by the Egmont Club. The weight of publtc opinion was against the disqualification, and Barlow is to be congratulated at the vindication of bis character. Whether the Egmont Olub will let the matter rest at this remains to be seen, ; but their action received no endorsement from their .patrons, and was distasteful to all sportsmen.

Seaweed is now trained by A. Raynor at Hastings. The Captain Webb gelding lias just been taken up after a good spell. An exchange mentions that a bookmaker recently remarked that going to the races was now (for their elan)"like goin s to the Zoo. "You are outside looking in all the time," he said. Now this scribe always figured out that the peneillers were like certain members of every zoo, looking out instead of in.

Bon Soir is the rather pretty name claimed by Stead Bros, for one of theii two-year-olds. No doubt some mera bloke will call it ''Bonser"! In Belgium an English jockey, W. Sharps, recently rode his thousandth winner. The Wanganui owner-trainer, Albert Jackson, brought his new purchase Ooromandcl back with him when he returned home last week. According to the lending English sporting .papers it is quite probable that the totalisator will be given a trial in the Old Country very shortly.

Hawke's Bay acceptances should make their appearance this morning. a nd with the fonn exposed at Kllcrslie and at Wanganui, winners sliould not be hard to pick at Hastings next week. It was after the last race, and a perspiring auctioneer was trying to sell a sorry weed. There went no bidders until the village pork butcher advanced and said, "Bring Mm round to my shop at six o'clock to-morrow morning and I'll give you a quid for him." "How do I know you'll be there at six o'clock," asked the owner. "Well, if I'm not there," replied the pig-purveyor, "just shove Mm under the door!". There was a great fight that niglit.