SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 207, 29 February 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. ! " ' (By "Moturoa.") , . ' < ' Wanganui, Last Night. The , Wanganui Jockey Club's autumn meeting opens 'to-day and will be concluded 'on Saturday.' Principal interest centres in the Wanganui Cup (one mile and three-quarters) and Flying Handicap (six furlongs), both run this afternoon. A dozen horses will probably sport silk in the Cups and on all sides one hears different favorites. The race is regarded as being very open, though Undecided, Midnight Sun,' Bronze and Domino are nominal favorites.- All the horses are at headquarters now, and at time of writing (Wednesday) Wanganui is full of sports-from all parts. The distance of the Cup will probably trouble more than half the runners, and the issue is flijectcd to lie between the top-weights. All the horses were out on the tracks this morning, but, of course, on the eve of the meeting, their tasks were not of the strenuous order. Undecided, Bronze and Midnight Sim galloped well. Domino was not extended, and Maxwell shaped poorly. The touts here will not have Maxwell at any price. Merrivonia looks well, as does Dearest. Goodwin Park, Fordell people say, is very fit, and the bay gelding always runs well on the Wanganui. course. The writer may be wrong, but he considerfi "that Midnight Sun is not properly wound up for such a long journey. Idealism has been tried to do big things, and now that Miscount haß been withdrawn the sole representative of the powerful, but this seasori unlucky, Karamu stable will have many followers. Undecided, Bronze and Domino look the fittest horses in the race, but as for the result this scribe cheerfully admits that he is undecided. If 'twere possible, the Flying Handicap looks an even greater puzzle than the Cup. Boanerges, Royal Scotch, Gipsy Belle and Theodore are most fancied here, and Watt's horses will probably start favorites. The field includes some fair sprinters amongst the light weigths, and probably Crown Pearl, .Byron, Ngatiruanui and Rangiatua will run well. Master- Sylvia was kicked this morning after emerging from the sand roll, but the blow was a glancing one, and no ill effects are apparent. With ordinary luck as regards the! running the top weights are sure to put up a pretty race over the last couple of furlongs. Gipsy Belle is such a smart beginner that she is likely to give her backers plenty of excitement for their money.

The hurdlers engaged at the meeting are not a very high class crowd. Reumac is meeting a poor crowd in the open event, but thie Hack Hurdles will lie contested by a very even lot. Bismarck, Rawinia'and the top-weight will have a good following. A. Olliver, who rides Bronze to-day, won on Milan in 1910 and on Merrivonia last vear. If he scores to-day it will complete the "hat trick." Styx and Outward, of the Juvenile candidates, look to be in the best of Master Tupuhi has been .troubled with a puffed leg and has been beach-trained for some time in an endeavor to reduce tlw: limb to normal.

St. Gate is going great guns at present, and is likely to run well in close-at-hand engagements. Outward looks the picture of health, and wants for nothing as regards condition.

The Auckland horseman, C. Brown, will rifle Golden Loop and Master Sylvia. The Taranaki horses have come through n good preparation, the former being particularly well.