SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 152, 14 November 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Motui'oa.") Punters are spelling this week. Darby Paul finished lust in the Manuka u Hurdles. Poor fields will face the starter at Blenheim races next week.

Jockey L. Nodder was injured through Sir Rupert falling with him on Saturday. As anticipated Our King made a big bid for victory in the Epsom Handicap, and was only caught in the last fifty yards. Merry Roe made every post a winning one in the Musket Stakes and revenged her first day's defeat by Tinopai. The latter finished fast in second place. The Menschikoff colt Mowbray gave them a start in the Electric Piate at Riecarton, and finishing with a terrific burst of speed, caught and beat the crack Ventura by a neck. Golden Loop was responsible for an attractive performance when he landed the Port Cooper Hurdles. Beacon set a solid pace, and the ex-Taranaki horse [ did not catch him until the winning post was but a stone's throw away. ( Good judges state that Bleriot was lucky to beat Antoinette on Saturday. The last-named came right out from the rails in the last fifty yards, her rider, C. Brown, watching Royal Soult on the outside, and before he knew what had happened Bleriot had dashed up on the inside and the post flashed past. The judge said, "Bleriot, by a nose; and Royal Soult a neck away, third." Bon Reve is certainly the crack three-year-old, but it took all Deeley's horsemanship to land him a winner by a bare half head from his gtable-mate Bon Ton, in the Stead Cup. The latter was rid-; den by a less experienced youth, and with jockeys reversed it is generally con-; ceded that the result would have beenj different. Jockeys are reputed to be the very worst judges in the world, but; it looks as if W. Young'® alleged opinion: —that Bon Ton was the better of the; pair—is correct. \ / j The Stead Cup was put on the Can-; terbury programme in place. ■of ithei Jubilee Cup as a memorial to that-finej sportsman, the late G. G. Stead. 'On Saturday it was pleasing to see the old, colours unfurled again, and to see Bom Reve and Bon Ton, both owned by Steadj Bros., battling out the finish. Tho crowd!!, cheered lustily as the horses returned to) scale, thereby expressing its appreciation of the Stead boys following in fath-| er's footsteps! '.,'■' Lady Lucy has been scratched for all, engagements at the Auckland Summer! meeting and goes to the matron's pad-J dock. . i

Sky High, by Explosion—Sunbeam, ran fifth in the Onehunga Steeples on thcj ; opening day of the Auckland meeting; and returned his backers a good dividend! when he scored easily in the Hunters} Steeple on Saturday. . Sky .HighJs.saM to be a cut above the hunters' class,' and' may be heard of in better companv! shortly. ..'.■ , Jockey Luke Wilson scofed a first afid a second on the concluding day at Riccarton, and brought his total for the' meeting up to seven firsts'. His successes' include the plums of tire programme. anc| his winning percentages would make thd average wage-earner's yearly income looli small. J Reported from Auckland that Mr. R Hannon contemplates taking the ex-New Plymouth hurdler Te Waharoa to Sydi ney almost immediately. Almesfc antf New Zealander appears to be able to 1 pick up a heat at the small meeting! around Sydney or Melbourne. ' The small dividend paid.by Odessa ii the "Feudalton Handicap on Saturday surprised most punters, but the brow'i son of St. Ambrose was bracketed witl the well-fancied Ceylonj hence the fav ouritism.

Feilding weiglits bear a formidable ap] pearance from the picker's standpoint and the class of horses engaged is of <i very high standard. In the St. An drew's Handicap Bon Ton, Cojomandej and Merrivonia read-well: Bon RcYe ha| a steadier in the Plying, hut his Ricpav-i ton deeds earned every ounce of it. li is hardly likely that' Stead Bros. ; wilt, elect to start the crack, and the danger-] ous division may include Ermengarde, 1 Prosper, Labor Day and Obligant. Tha last-named appears.. particularly nicely treated. r Amongst the hurdlers engaged at 1 1 Feilding little fault can be found with! the weights standing against the names! of Fashion Plate, Koran, AVaterworks' and Captain in the open hurdles, and: Weaeombe, Bandalero, Timothv and Seri enity amongst the hacks. Serenity isf being schooled by Jimmv Peachey at'Wa-: nganui and is reported to be progress-] mg satisfactorily. ■ i _ The minor flat handicaps at the Feild-! mg meeting should draw very ibiV fields? Patriotic, Ceylon, Con the Sliaughvauni and Clifford's elect should run well in!, the Welter. Exertion, Patronile, R oV a[i Simon and Allure have got in fairly wel\| I in the Hack Flying. ]i 1 =.J —ig==s i