SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 258, 1 May 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS,

( By "Moturoa.") The Hawke's Ray Cup meeting will open to-day, and the presence of the southern horses, Los Angelos, Masterpiece, Bandeira, Ileatherbrae, Brown Owl and others, at the gathering invests it with considerable interest. In the Cup the three placed horses in the Great Autulin Handicap will fight their battle over again. Los Angelos and Masterpiece will meet again on the same terms, and if form is anything at all to go on the top-weight should hold Clifford's horse safe to-day. Midnight Sun meets the pair on 91b better terms, and the fact that A. Olliver has been engaged to ride the horse has caused a run on him. Heavy rain has fallen this week at Hastings, and the tracks are sure to be holding. The favorite doubles for the first day are Stead's pair, Los Angelos and Bandeira, and Clifford's two, Masterpiece and Heatherbrae. Bon Ton and 'Brown Owl raced well at Awapuni, and will have many followers in their Hawke's Bay engagements. It is reported that Effort will now probably bid adieu to the racing track, and take her place at the stud. Undecided has the steadier of 9st 131b in the Marlborough Cup to-day, and will be ridden by R. Hatch. Deeley will probably ride Sir Knox, who looks well treated with Bst 01b. The Wanganui horseman, W. Price, will have the mounts on Sea Queen, Blue Lake and Toney at Blenheim. R. Hatch will ride Mon Ami and Merry Frank when the weights permit. Aloha played up and knocked herself about while being shipped at Wellington, en route to Blenheim, but if lauded at the post in anything like good nick she should give Deeley a comfortable , ride in whatever race she starts iu at ( the meeting. Merrimac, who won a double at Awapuni, has often been confused with Merrimax, an Auckland horse. The latter is a gelding by Merriwee, and hails from J. Rue's stable. Merrimac showed poor form at Avondale last* week. Idealism is on the boom agJtiu, but this time only for a hack hurdle race at j Hastings. Last time it was for the ' Brighton Hurdle Handicap at Ellerslie and to-day's engagement as a big drop in the racing scale. i T-aranaki Jiorses 'Bad a good innings at Avondale, winning four races. Tire successes of Pleiades and Red Lupin on Saturday were expected, and a lot of I money was lost on Ulenfern when that horse ran second. Mr. fcjid Pitt's horse was not paying "evens" for a win. Red Lupm oncu more demonstrated what a speedy little fellow he is by making no race of the Dominion Handicap on Saturday. The pony won in a canter by nearly half a dozen lengths. Kandy Paul was sent out a very warm favorite for the hurdle race on the first day at Avondale, but shaped wretchedly. After getting away with the leaders he fell baoK at every jump, and eventually finished absolutely last. l'aritutu, Cornelian, l'atrobus, Coronetted, Te Waharoa and Sandy Paul have been entered for the . .lireat Northern Hurdle Race. l'aritutu, Pleiades and Zanto figure in the Steeplechase. Boanerges will be shipped to Sydney on Friday. The Hawke's Bay and Marlborough meetings will be concluded to-morrow.