SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 80, 21 August 1912, Page 3

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moiuroa.") That liorsi--T:i<:iii{? is; the primp amusement of Maorihinders is daily becoming more (videnl, and in lime its votaries may- expect due consideration at the lianas of M's.P. when JJills relating to the turf are introduced, The recently concluded Omini \'-.l ini'iiii lirti'liii"' drew to Iticcarlon record crowds, and despite faultv tnialisator management the huge •inm.'of ';!'!'-.!■;:::.■ I : M■ =. I through the niai-Fiim-.-,. This foul represents an iniiv;ih' of ,t;l(i.:iHo on last year's lig;:res, I ,'i.d -is a cerlaiu index that, despite the alleged hard times, the crowd of people who love in go lii a racecourse and back lli'eir fancy (or the other fellow's "dead bird"! is increasing in, numbers by leaps and bounds. Saturday" last s.aw favorites —in most instances—in the van, and it must have been a welcome change to punters after the two previous days' disasters. As anticipated. Paritutu had no difficulty in gathering in the Lincoln Steeples., returning his army of backers a short price for a cross-country event. Crown Pearl added another stieces to his credit by easily running oil' with the Selwyn Handicap in fast time, and the erstwhile Hawcra horse, Coronetted, gathered in the Sydenham Hurdles irt easy style". Of the other Taranaki horses seen under silk, Sandy Paul ran well and finished up close fourth in Ooronetted's race, and Smilax and Con the' Shau'gh-' raun were beaten out of a place in the Heatheote Handicap. Already the crowd .begins to filter back from the National meeting, anil, if all j of them have, hot been' viewing the raciitg through ..the small end of a beer glass, things must have been very queer indeed at Riccarton. Many who saw the race for the {/rand National Hurdles are certain that although C. Price, the rider of The Native, was much to blame for indulging in whip-play, the real offender, who escaped the vigilance of the stewards, was another'horseman who, it is alleged, clung on to • The Native's bridle for about 150 yards it is a queer thing that The Native's 4 stable-mate, mate, Coronetted; made one in n. nasty scrimmage which'took place again on Saturday in the Sydenham Hurdle Race. One has to accept the stewards' ruling on these matters, but that wholesale interference and .brazen and open jostling took place on Thursday and Saturday is quite certain. They say that The Na-. tive.would have won the National Hurdles "from here to the Imperial," barring jostling, and although not an-hilariously popular horse it- is .cheerfully admitted that the Mack son of Worry was easily the ,be«t horse at the weights that day. Another matter that returned sportsmen' have a lot to say about is the allegation that a certain National favorite, ■who was withdrawn on the day, was, by the terms of I'iis lease, not eligible for hurdle-racing, his r'acing being confined to flat events. Should there by •any. truth in the rumor that the„..horse. must have been kept in to the last moment for the benefit of' somebody's pocket, and it was certainly not the pocket of any one. of the- public who • supported the nag. it is to be hoped that some further' light will be shed on these matters, as at present the tales told by' the aforesaid sports leave a very ibad taste in the mouth, and it is up.to.the C.J.C. to clear them up Jockey F. D. Jones headed the "winning riders at I>icea,rtorr\vit!t three firsts. L. Trail and W.- Adams each rode twowinners.

Three days' racing in ono week—in fact, five days—is. a bix tax on ariost horses, and many well-backed ones ram much below expectations on Saturday. An.important fixture like the National meeting might with advantage, be spread over a longer period. Paritntn was responsible for a great performance on Saturday, and his' victory was the signal for a remarkable outburst of enthusiasm. Half a mile; from home he- look to be well out of it, and Sir Lethe was jumping finely•'way out in front. P.ut Julian was riding his usual "heady" race. Yard by yard he crept up, but Sir Lethe stayed on well, and was lirst over the last jump. On the flat the Taianaki .lior.se put in the long ones, and made up ground rapidly, catching the leader near the post and landing the stake after one"of the most exciting reces ever witnessed at Riccarton. The race on Tuesu,\y had evidently done him the world of good, and there were many people present who were of the opinion that, had Paritutu been given a pipe-opener at the Trentham meeting he would have, been equal to the task of reversing positions with Captain Jingle, in the Great Northern Steeplechase.

The handicapping of Crown Pearl for the August Handicap on Thursday was one of the blunders of the meeting. The Taranaki sprinter was literally, pitchforked into the handicap with'list 71b, and that just after running Mt. Victoria to a head at Trent-liiim. -Crown Pcarfis generally handicapped ,2411) above .the minimum in a .six furlong race in fair company, and. that that was correct he' proved- when ho won again with tile greatest of case on Saturday, this, time carrying 10st 01b..