SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 53, 20 July 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Aug? 13, ta, i7.-*Caaterbury J.C. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") The Wellington R.C. winter meeting ■will be concluded to-day. The course is very heavy and much cut up as the result of the first day's racing, but it is to be hoped that weather conditions today will be an improvement on Wednesdays. On the opening day rain fell at intervals, and the track was a quagmire. Those who know Trentham on a wet day can realise the awful slush that showered the runners, the mud-slides but feebly masked by hay spread on the lawns, and the ankle-deep lakelets (and mudlets) outside. No wonder only one favorite, Peary, reached the post first on the day, and so many "good things" were "down the course" —mud-cover«d and beaten to a wa'iK. From a Taranaki point of view, Wednesday's racing was not bad. In the opening event Shuja came from a long way back in the straight, and just saved his backers' monev bv gaining second place. Trainer Dick Johnson had the horse in great nick, and he was sent out first favorite. Shuja figures in the prin-, cipal flat race to-day, and should run I well forward. In the Wellington Steeplechase Zante was the sole New Plymouth representa-; tivc. Paritutu being saved for a better j day. The former was little fancied, being ninth in the bstting, but practically l made all the running—in slow time, 'tis i true—and was just snuffed out for a healthy second dividend by Antarctic in the last few yards. Zante did not put a foot wrong the whole wav, and over a shorter course she will fisd more support this afternoon. Mulga Bill did not sport silk in the Parliamentary Handicap, the Taranaki money going on Coronetted. The ex- I Hawera gelding was quickly out in front, J and gaining a commanding lead early the race kept the opposition ••gathering j mud" from his flying heels to the finish.: The dividend attached thereto was a surprisingly big one, and the chestnut's owner, Mr. J. McKelvie. must have made a wonderful bargain when he secured the horse at Auckland the ot'nwr day. Coronetted jumps well, and on recent form must be put down as ''dynamite" for the Grand National Hurdles. The two Pauls-Sandy and Darbv lined up for the Winter Hurdle Race. I The former wa- practically neglected, but the Hawera horse was strongly supported. The latter was never dangerous, but .Sandy Paul ran a great race, and returned a handsome price for second, place. His finishing run was a fine one,) and Mr. C. Mumby was unlucky (as usual. CassM not to land the stake. iSaivly Paul has been paid up for for the Final Hurdha mile and three-quarters, hut a longer fourse appears to be more to the chestnut's liking. As a guide to National probabilities Trentham running—under this week's conditions—can hardly b? relied upon. Amongst the 'chasers, Continuance, Black Northern. Paritutu and Lugcon were not produced for the big race. Hautere was first favorite, but was stuck up by tho going. The next be.it backed one, Compass, was going well for a round, and was in the van when he failed to negotiate the stone wall. The fact that the Ilawera horse has been accepted for today points to the fact that his fail has not hurt him much (it takes a lot to kill / these veteran®) and the old horse will ) be found battling out the Grand National : Steeplechase next month. Captain Jingle ran right up to his Napier form, and won easily. The Captain Webb gelding k a long way from the first flight, but he is a safe conveyance, and on a day like Wednesday was sure to be there or thereabouts at the finish. The surprise of the race was the bold showing of Antarctic. With 11.10 against his name one would have expected the big chestnut to be well anchored in the heavv going. especially as his rheumatism has J been crippling him of late, but '"Billy" I Tuck's 'chaster (when warmed up) came j strongly over the last four furlongs and gained second money. Whakaweira and Master Paul did not get past the first fence, and all but the three placed horses were pulled up long before the real business began. The Auckland pair daiana and Armagh carried the bulk of the bullion in the Hack Steeplechase, and after making most of the pace gave way to the erratic Torbc-lle, who led the pair home. The big Porirua horse fenced badly, but his superior pace stood to him in the straight. Paisano's brother, Te Rahui, fell and was destroyed. The Native was not strongly backed on the course, but down the line I am told the bookmakers were rushed with money for the black horse, and in panic refused hundreds. The shorter course today should suit The Native, and if the going is anything better than a swimming pond he will command a lot of support. Diavolo is one of the consistent sort, and ran the lwial second on Wednesday. The Napier horse reads well in the > Kia Ora Handicap with 10.!t. Ceylon was well backed for the Te Aro Handicap the fir-t day, but got bumped hadly, and failed to ru;i up to track form. The horse will be amongst the most faufM-of the runners in tho Crofton Hanilicap to-day. At Johannesburg recently the big handicap was w<in by a horse named ' Who's Mr Father!" That is about the limit in racehor-e nomenclature. Truly, it's a wise neddy who knows his awn father! I'p to Mav 21 the leading ioekies in En-l.i:;! were 1". Wootlnn and D. Ma her. with :i! wins splice. The cracks are keeping togith-r well. let' U notion's nueei-., , in Fr.iv.-e put hi I; i far ahead of liis American rival as regards successful l'idie • 11 re's nothing in a name! A horse liaiiicil Pleasant Ways fell in a hurdle race nt Fh-mington la-t week and was killed.. It r nii'ds of th" father. >vli<>. seeing i!w> prodigal -on returning, '•ran and i- il on his »«vk!" The amni'l b:.!-,-nee-sheet of the Egmo.'it Racing C!ub. to he presented at til" gt ncral iil«<-t;n« of members to-night (Saturd.:vi that for the- year ending June 30. Kill, the club made a profit of HUM Is; the sum of £307 lis lOd was written off for depreciation on various assets, lea' ,:ig a net profit of A 1703 Ills 2d for the year. Uiceipts from the lotali.-ator amounted to 114434 12s lid; from the privii-ge- nh- gates. correct cards and booth.-' 4'1212 3- lid: and from nomination-and acceptance-. tlf!.">7. The farm aeeo-eit d a of CIS."* U 7,!: m ii:-ab-.-ripti'.e- a e'.iint ed to £I7-"i an! tiaining t< • - lo CI 03 17». On the expenditure «-!>!<• t !| e chief items were: UovenmitiK tax. r 'l'ls !)d; stake-. C'«27o: att.-n !:•::••• ;• s meetings. CI3I 10s .-,d: •naintenan--. 10-!) d; salaries. £2.Vi. Th" < x-; --of a = -els over liabilities .'>iee,nii- : IT IS< Id. Till' commit ti • report "• e i - regret at the death of Mr. V. i;I:a:a iirewer. a life member of the club; and mentions

that during the coming year matters that will require consideration will be the erection of a tea kiosk, motor stable and new foncing round the course. THH RACING CONFERENCE. VARIOUS REMITS. Wellington, Thursday. At the Racing Conference to-night it was decided that the interpretation of "metropolitan committee" be altered to "district committee," and that five delegates (instead of two) be elected by totalisator clubs in metropolitan districts. Rule 3, of part VI., providing that no club shall give less in stakes than the net amount derived by it from the use of the totalisator during the previous vcar, was amended by adding a proviso 'that the rule shall not apply in the case of a diminution of the number of days on which the totalisator is used bv anv chtb. ■ Rule 7of the same part was amended to provide that clubs shall undertake "not to permit any person to carry on the business of a bookmaker." Previously the prohibition had applied to ''any unlicensed person." Rule 8, part XXIV.. was struck out. and was substituted by—"The clerk of the scales, before passing a jockey's weight as correct, shall satisfy himself ■ I that it does not exceed his correct weight by more than two pounds in a flat lace or 41 bs in a hurdle race or steeplechase." Rule 2, part XXVI., was altered to provide that a horse may be disqualified and a jockey punished if the horses crosses another unless two clear lengths ahead, or jostles another horse or "the jockey of another horse, unless it be proved that the jostle was wholly caused by the fault of some other jockey, or that the jostled horse or his jockey was partly in fault. Rule 7. part XXXL. was amended to pio\ide that there shall be no appeal ' from the finding of the stewards on the < following matters—(a) Short weight; j (b) a cross or jostle; (c) a start in front of a post or on a wrong course, or before i the appointed time; ( <1) an obvious pull. Rule 1, part XXXV., was amended to gi\e power to trustees to invest moneys at interest on such terms and for such periods as they may think lit. The Canterbury country clubs, brought forward the following remit: —"That the Conference consider the necessity of taking the requisite steps to alter the in- \ cidcnce of taxation, so that the tax be I payable on the net profit of a meeting only, instead of, as at present, on the | gross turn-over of totalisator receipts,' gate receipts, etc. ' J Mr. G. Hunter thought that theyi should not approach Parliament. It was j a new Parliament, and they did not ! know what attitude it would take up in i regard to the totalisator. They were j getting op very well at present. i 'Mr. E. W. Alison declared that this law should never have been made. It j was wrong in principle and a disgrace j to Parliament. It should be altered, j It was brought about through the in- i Alienee of men opposed to racing, and ! now they had n change of Government, let them go and ask them to change the ! law, which should never have been plac-') ed on the Statute Book, and so do jus- { tice to themselves and to those connect- ' ed with racing. I Mr. W. E. Bidwill said that unless J they ventilated their grievances they 1 would never get them rectified. They j should point out to the Government the injustice of the present tax. The motion was amended to read — That the conference make representations to the Government with reference ! to the unjust system of taxation, so that j tax be made payable on the net profits of a meeting only, instead of. as at pre- j sent, on the gross turn-over of the totalisator, gate receipts, etc. ' In this form the motion was carried, j Mr. G. Hunter moved that it be a permanent instruction to the Dates Committee not to allot Saturday before ' Easter Sunday as a dav of anv race j meeting.—Carried by 25 votes to' 12. I The following were elected to the Dates Committee.-—Messrs J. W. Abbott, ' E. W. Alison, E. Ooodbehere, J. MeVev. j and I'. Miller. ' I Sir George Clifford was re-elected pre- j sident. The president was authorised to make I a special levy during the year for the ' benefit of the Sports Protection League. 1