SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 215, 9 March 1912, Page 10 (Supplement)

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. | March 13, 14—Napier Park R.C. J March 18 —Opunake R.C. March 28, 29—Masterton R.C. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") 1 Napier races on Wednesday. Merrivonia is to be given a lengthy spell. After many disappointments Golden Loop made good on Thursday, and the dividend was a good one. Sea Queen paid a false price in the Dannevirke Cup. After her forward runing at Wanganui her connections put in,; as many stay-at-home layers know 1 to their cost. In reply to several enquiries. The Press Association wire was incorrect. Golden Loop started and ran unplaced in the Dannevirke Cup. Jockey C. Price is having a great run of luck in sprint races this season. He was up on Avaunce on Wednesday, and safely landed the well-backed neddy a winner after a. good race with the outsider Ladrone.

Judging by the weakness of the fields engaged at the Napier Park meeting, Midnight Sun promises to be favorite for whatever race he'starts in there.

It turns out that W. Young's collarbone was not broken at Woodville, as reported. The successful hurdle-rider's spill resulted in nothing worse than a badly bruiser shoulder.

Evadne was the rank outsider of the field which lined up for the Nursery Handicap at Dannevirke, but Mr. J. ,-P. Neagle's two-year-old just romped over the opposition, winning easily by threr lengths.

Matlow broke it for a win on Thursday, but tlie price he paid would not go far towards xecouping his followers for their many lost shekels. Bouyant is a fine jumper, and will have many friends when the coin goes in for a stick event.

Gold Battery appears to have recovered from the ill-effects which followed, a poisoned leg, and is now standing up to hard work in his old style. Khamsin was heavily supported In Wellington on' Wednesday for the Tamaki Welter, and the good price paid by the son of Quarryman came as a surprise. St. Toney was favorite for the race, but 9.9 anchored him.

Galtee was very unlucky this week, going under by the narrowest of margins each day at Dannevirke. Mescal ran two good races at the

meeting, and would have paid a fair dividend had he got home either start. The son of Handsome Jack can travel very fast for a mile, but Trainer Tilley ! has yet to teach him the art 6t getting away smartly from the barrier. Golden Loop, Park Tide, Matlow and Master Kilcheran were all heavily backed away from the course on Thursday, and the layers had a shockingly bad time of it by way of a change. The Victorian Racing Club's autumn meeting will be concluded at Flemington to-day. Gold Braid and Elfbolt are' engaged in the Elms Handicap; Gunboat and Nobel in the Place Handicap; Hautapu in the Autumn Steeple; and Chauvelin, Lord Kelvin, Mary Seaton, Kerlie, Sharpshooter, Chief Lochiel, Obsono and i other New Zealand-bred horses in the Farewell Handicap. The principal event on the card is the Champion Stakes, ran over three miles. Trafalgar is likely to start a good favorite, and it goes without saying that the champion son of Wallace will get a great reception if he pulls off to-day's race. The following are the final acceptors:— Baw Bee 9.5. Flavel 9.5, Lord Nolan 9.5, Matouree 9.5, Trafalgar 9.5, Arquebiise 9.2, Didus 9.2, Prizefighter 9.2, Comedy King 9.2, Indiscreet 9.0, Simon's Fortune 9.0, Cadonia 9.0, Flaith 7.12, Jacamar 7.12, Crown Grant 7.12, Wilari 7.9, and Rhetia 7.9. The last-named is a three-year-old filly by Multiform—Heijot. In discussing'stud matters, "Vigilant," in the London Sportsman, has the following • reference to that great horse, Swynford, who unluckily broke a leg when exercising last year: "Altogether.! Swynford's recovery must be oonsidered a signal triumph of veterinary surgery and science, and a horse whose great value can only be vaguely guessed at has been sared: for the stud. Naturally he has wasted considerably during his confinement, but under more nourishing treatment be is picking up nicely again, and mighfr even be fit for the service of a few mares before the end of the season, but, according to present arrangements, Lord Derby has decided that he shall not be tried until next year unless exception should be made in favor of one or two' of his own mares. I have seen it stated that Sceptre was put to him, but this, I think, must have been a slip of the pen, as apart from the veto on Swynford, Mr. Tattersall informed me at the time he purchased the famous daughter of Persimmon and Ornament that she would probably return to Lord Rosebery's Cicero, to whom she is now believed certainly in foal. All continuing well with Swynford, he must develop into a magnificent stallion, and his great career as a racehorse, backed by his fine blood, by John o' Gaunt (son of Isinglass and La Fleclie) out of Canterbury Pilgrim, by Tristan (son of Hermit) out of Pilgrimage, must, one would imagine, ensure success as a sire."