SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 134, 24 October 1912, Page 3

SPORTING.

TUIiP TOPICS. (lly "Moturoa.") That mild disturbs* nee, tlie Poverty Bay Spring meeting, opens to-day and will slop over to-morrow. Our sporting brothers oil the other side of the Island are fond of aristocratic names, and today's card reads like a page from ]);•- brett. Amongst the acceptors for the various heats are Our Xing, Our Queen and Lulu, Queen; Prince Eddie and Earl Percy; Lord Gazeley, Lord Pat—a marvellous effort at nomenclature this latter —and Lord Possible. Lady Cook and Lady Alicia are there, and the nobilityis nicely rounded oil' with Sir Daniel anil My Lady. It is to be hoped that the mere blokes, both pakeha and Maori, will conduct themselves with due decorum in such company. Principal interest centres on the Tunning of Our King in the Flying Handicap. The big eolt won his last race in good style and a run at Gisborne should lit him for the big struggle in the Great Northern Guineas next month. The meeting between Bleriot, Prince Soult and Our King should draw a 'big crowd to Ellerslie, and when heads are turned for home and all necks stretch to the winning post it may be safely forecasted that Our King's nozzle won't be far 'awav.

Only seventeen horses remain in the New Zealand Cup to be run on Saturday week. Surely our stayers have de- | teriorated when only seventeen more or less moderates can be drawn together to do battle for the Dominion's premier contest, and that a. race for the Dominion's largest pile of "boodle." Taranaki is without a representative. Shades of Waiuku, Paritutu, Battleaxe, Uhlan, Multilid, Volume and Star Rose—can there be any doubt that the province doesn't hold a single horse capable of running out a two mile race? Allegory, on the strength of the allegation that Deeley will have the mount, is. now favourite for the Cup. Undecided is a point away; then come Domino, Masterpiece and Haskayne two ipoints lower down, and Domino, Goldfinder, Vice-Admiral and Bronze straggling in that erder. Byron and Odessa are the rank outsiders of the far from sweet seventeen. If past form is not all wrong, or a parcel of things that never happened, quite one-half of the acceptors will be feeling that languid feeling long before Riccarton straight is reached for the last time. Trentham running may throw light on the Cup probability. And then again it may not, for many a good horse is ready when its owner isn't!'

A Wanganui paper threw out what looks like a tip last Monday morning. The par read: "Melbourne Cup—Uncle Sam 1," etc. Of course, it was intended for the Caulfield result, but -f U*cle Sam flukes the Melbourne Cup next month everybody will say, "I told you bo." Talking of tips, a Sydney paper stated—after the race—chat* many people got on the Epsom winner, Hartfell, 011 the strength of Aviator Hart's sensational fall from liis areoplane a few weeks previous. Just now tips are in tlie air and every second person has a "dead cert." for some race or other. The Riccarton "double" has now assumed reasonable proportions, and every down-at-the-lieela parasite appears to be "laying 'em." There must be money in the game. When you come to reckon up the crowd who back a horse on the strength of "what the trainer's wife told some other lady," or because of some imagined coincidence; or because they have worked it out by the A.B.C'. system, or by knocking out every 13th name until only one is left; then one realises what mugs the layers have for clients. Some fellows would strike more winners if they blindly pricked the "double-card" witli a pin. Jockey C. Emmerson's Sydney trip was a highly successful one, and while on the other side he .won fifteen races. Good light-weights are in demand over there and. but for Jfew Zealand retainers it is quite possible that Emmerson would havt remained in Sydney. Deeley did not 1 have such a good time, riding only at the big meetings, but he managed to pilot three winners during his etfty. Monorail was galloping well beforeleaving Ellerslie, and should run well at Gisborne. ' Imagination, a double-winner at Maitcrton, will be required to put up 3!bs extra in the Stewards' Handicap. She. , will carry fist lOlbs if started. i _ Sandy Paul is to be given a chance to j distinguish hims«lf over big fences, and has been entered for the Onehunsja Steeples at the Auckland Sporting mcoting. Taranaki will be well represented ai Ellerslie next month. Smilax, Ngatiruanui, Paoli, Glenfern, Katna, Darby Paul, Sandy Paul, Master Tupuhi and others are engaged in the various events.