SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 115, 4 November 1911, Page 7

SPORTING

RACING FrXTURES. Nov. 4—Auckland K.C. Spring. Nov. 4, G, 8 & 11.—Canterbury J. C. Metropolitan. COMING EVENTS. Xew Zealand. Nov. 4.—New Zealand Cup. I Nov. 4 —Stewards' Handicap. I Nov. «—C..T.C. Derby. Nov. B—Canterbury Cup. Nov. B—Oaks Stakes. Nov. 11—Stead Memorial Cup. Australia. Nov. 7—Melbourne Cup. TURF TOPICS. ('By "Moturoa.") To-day is New Zealand Cup Day! Few of my readers will need reminding of the fact, and it goes without saying that all sportsmen's attentions will be riveted on the big handicap to-day. Some people get mildly excited—with the aid of suitable stimulant-—over Christmas, New Year's Day and such like festivals, but it needs no liquid refreshment to set a glow of excitement in the heart of a true sport on Cup Day. Months ago each (and everyone of us, as the preachers say) sorted out our fancies for the event of the year, and as the weeks dragged on we saw our "morals" sink into oblivion or drop out altogether. Over sixty were nominated; but fifteen remain. Fresli certainties have arisen, and here we are to-day with the largest field on record of worthy punters and the smallest (almost) imaginable field of more or less unworthy horses. With two or three exceptions the, runners are practically untried two-milers. Past form is a poor guide under such circumstances. Still, one must not away with the idea that many of the hitherto milers and twelve-furlong horses cannot go tlio distance. Only two horses are weighted about Sst., and aided by the light scale many of the younger horses will be found putting in the long ones when the straight is reached to-day. What this year's Cup lacks is the presence of a veteran brigade. Three only of last year's field are engaged, and not one of these ran into a place last November. Quite one half never glittered over longer distances than a mile and a quarter. Consequently the race bears a very open appearance. The following are the likely runners, with their riders, in the New Zealand Cup:—-, Los Angelas (G. Pine), 0.3. Merrivonia (A. Olliver). 8.2. Prim (R. W. King), 8.0. Iranui (W. Holmes). 8.0. Martine (C. Emmerson), 7.12. Domino (A. Whittaker). 7.8. Vice-Admiral (P.. Declev), 7.5. Miscount (L. AYilsonh 7.0. Goodwin Park (A. McMullen), 7.1. Mulga Hill (E. Lowe). 7.0. Kilostere (R. Young), G. 12. Projectile, fi.O. . Outlander (R. Rerry). fi.S. CroiMadt (E. fli'ilten), C.B. Kanfoa (C. Monk), C.8.. .

When the final payments were posted ; on Wednesday evening if was seen that j five horses hurt dropped-out-■ Goldfinder's J withdrawal came as a;shoe,lv to tonic-post.! "pickers," hut the horse did not lappqar to be ready for the oni Satnr-.i day morning he "was 'badly kicked by.i another horse, aftd Jii? prospects dropped to zero. : wa£ withdrawn in | favor of Kilostere. falnnhauser because of unsoundness, and 'Mira nnd Xightlight because they* had-no'chance-of winning/! and should iteye-i;, hayo;.been ! accepted. Of the remaining, ones very little, need be added to the nflres, of gossip alr.ea.dy.. penned. At head<j(ia.i;tap3;tli<> pest track workers' have' iVeeji /Brim, Angelas, and Yice-Adpiirah , has 1 ' proved hey ability oyeritw.elve furlong's,' and will probably get to v the end'of'two ■ miles in good tinio.. Vic,e.v\dnvral'-is 'alleged to be a hotter, staler and ■<< such may >haivc-to,be rec<k<yri<lrti with. .Los, Angid'-os admirer* 1 , but 9.3 mny;>r,puidp,iji;n'. ; ,It is'dA-drth remembering, no doubb, ijuut noo'lidr»e> every carried more ttyjyi* ,8,9 into fl'toti place in the.C;itp.'>fTs.itipej'■JTill'iy won therace in IflOr v/'}\\) 'Erj t s,co I . ( ap( again in ISHt!) with I>ds- Liicy.'. lieve that', his stable will prob(iblj; provide the win l ' iter again, this year, in fact. He Park. and.:np. p'.)G kw»v«.be.ttcr how to get a horse■.rM^y,.W'A , h< : ) :frav..-,!;::.Thri crack three-yeawdlL has been much in the ainliWieuld run well Kil(O i .s I t,ei ; e,'.&i'i]ueJv,, himself on Monday, but ,'i^. l Auitc' tverl again, and• has ajljjyrfrsl Domino was a niuchdKKpned h l or,se : ,,i,ii.sepWraKer,. but ba« lost caste, recently, land very feu- ef the of-hVr. j!gh|^< ; Js'|>fs.''nrf: /he l -: corded more ft....,"rau,g.l!' chance. T»ramiki's Mulga Rill, is hardly'bril.'i;ijit, l)iit| his is a bull-dog galloper-';;!;' thjC .'',(jpip> of.Ais races, mid I |sli|bwod- bis:cou- ; ncetions a goo'd of weeks ago to c.neouVa'ge tlfeni to-go on with the game.. 'Tp.eyeiy |-aee there is a dark horse—one,that isjnot much boomed, but one that is .pu.ietlv backed-, right through t].u> ..piece,.'. '.Udging In-' pa*t performances. o(ie ; ;ivp'ii,ld |j>ick Mcrrivonia to be the one most written about for the race. But' such is. nof ? o. True.|the "wool-broki r»''! are, allege 1 to have kept her at .„■> ..short. price imiip. but no rumors, of rousi i.g gallops boosted her into .prominence,.. Mr. Ann's mare is admitted to' be y>'ry rit. : l;i her; jockey is one of, the be.sf: .ami the hooktells us that she. lias.iyon un to a mile ind three-quarters. '. Mcrrivjonia ! 'was. •aced on to a, mile in the.,spring'ancT iciiuitted h'Tself vi'li promise: jf mV

with magnificent reserve. When tlie tote closes this i'.flerr.opn fhi} favorites] wUI probably be Merrivonia. :Pnr,i aildj Miscount. ' ' , I ' "i Thirtv-one ho'-ses still ljold tVir. pls-ces in the Stewards' Handicap. The new six frrinmr- strnight-.iWay course' v-ill In- used for (lie first time, and under favorable conditions smart time i-bonlil be vecunled. A corespondent of (hi- Pre--< points out that the now fence of (lie siy-'furlon? track ends fnllv three

chains front (In- fence nf the main coursi on t!io bend, and unless the p-in is tern rorariiv br'd?cd there is a danger, ir (l,„ ~.,;,. „f f-rowdin.L' towards t)io in shle rail, of •> bed smash-up at this 'dace Xn don]' l the coin's!' commit lec will attend to Hti-\ ftefiiinling the runners Ivinit.K is lij.ely in carrv most money •M.d shotdd run "ell. fin traek fnnn. VdUs. Madam M-'dcap. Ttoval Scotch ami Pierce li-ve demonstrated the fact <liif jlicv tire readv for tlie ]»''_' sprint. The Taranaki nair. Electrakofi' and St. Toil!"', are v"ll forward in condition tli" former hcimr especiallv well, A c/nat deal depends on the start, and .a sfvaisrlitaway course is not, the best liv iinv metins. The field is. spread out -ijrlit across the track, and when pressure is liroiiiht. to heir on manv of the horses thev run verv erratically—mostly tuvav from the whip—and manv of the iockevs. it. miirht be mentioned, don't know tlie shortest, wav to the winninp: nost nn'ess thov have the inside rails to litis:. TJsrelv ' has the Welcome Stakes ."V-v.n a six-edit" - crowd than this vear. I Y\' : uniM;>- V'm-. <>-! and .\ulum- | mis carry Clifford's clteuners. and each I of the two have done better than 40seo. ( Stead's colts, T!on Soir and T!on Ton, I are said to hf verv slick, and the samp I applies to Canute and the Ilastinfrs Stakes winner, Glade. Winning Way is the most admired Ally at Riccarton. and

was unlucky to lose' at Trentham. Er- [ mingarde has earned a 101b penalty,'« which places her at a considerable dis- : advantage. Espartero has been galloping well at Riccarton, and such a line jumper would ' be very unlucky if he returned home without picking up a stake. Nightlight, having dropped out of the Cup, will be given a run in the Ladies' Purse, which is just about her class. Last season the daughter of Stepniak won once over a mile course, and ran into a place on half-a-dozen occasions.

Pleiades' success at Ellerslie on Wednesday was well received in town, and no doubt many Taranaki people had a good win over the race. Tjio forward running of Royal Arms. True Shot and Recipe was quite expected, but Crown Pearl's pronounced defeat in the Flying Handicap .came as i>, surprise. The same horses, together with Uhlando and Highden, will do battle for the province at Ellerslie to-day. ■lt is hard to say what horse backers will make favorite in the Riccarton Welter. Masterpiece, Medallist. Merry Frank and quite a number of others are bound to be well supported if they start. The Victorian Racing Club's spring meeting opens at Flemington to-day, the principal events to be decided this afternoon being the V.R.C. Derby, the Melbourne Stakes and the Maribvrnong Plate. The Melbourne Cup will be run on Tuesday. New Zealanders will mostly be interested in the Melbourne Stakes to-day. The race is run over a mile and a quarter, and Lady Medallist will he meeting all the ''cracks." including Malt King, Comedy King, Trafalgar, Prince Foote and Broadsword. A great, ' 'e should ensue, and the result should 1 'p to settle the argument as to • ' Hlier Lady Medallist is better than ' It King over ten furlongs.

After the running of the Great Northern Guineas on Wednesday the stewards had B. Dcelcv, rider of the hot favorite, Miss Winsome, up on the carpet to explain his riding. The horse was blamed as usual. "The mare would not go on and win." and Deeley couldn't very well have gone on on his own. As anticipated, Coromandel ran a fine race in the City Handicap, paying a good healthy price, too. A. Jackson has the horse well now. and should go on scoring. A few pounds extra weight is no drawback, the improved class of rider of middleweight more than making up for the extra poundage. Vibration has gone lame, and will hardly start at the Canterbury meeting. Bridge is galloping in great style at Caulfirid. and should pro\e a worthy Xew Zealand representative in the Melbourne Cup. Tf he could reproduce last year's Xew Zealand Cup gallop it would be no race!

Don Qucx is fencing well again, and will be at his best in the Manukau Hurdles this afternoon. Royal Arms finished well on Wednesday, and if he gets on his feet smartly might show i»p at the business end of the Gordon Handicap. With 7.11 against his mime his owner has no cause for grumbling. The Canterbury meeting will be continued on Monday, when the Derbv Shakes and Metropolitan Handicap will be the principal events.