SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 178, 14 December 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. IJec. 26, 27.—Taranaki Jockey Club. Dec. 20, 2S.—Dunedin Jockey Club. Dec. 26, 27, 28. Manawatu Racing Club. Dec. 20. 30, Jan. 1, 2.—Auckland R.C. Jan. 1, 2.—Stratford Racing Club. COMING EVENTS. Dec. 26—Auckland Cup. Dec. 26—Great Northern Foal Stakes. Jan. I.—Great Northern Derby. TURF TOPICS.

(Bv " Motnroa.") The Rangitikei Club was favored with glorious summer weather on Wednesday and Thursday, and, considering the ridiculous train arrangements, the attendance was good. Speculation was brisk, the sum of £21.109 going through the machine, as against £14,819 handled a. the club's last New Year meetirfg. in. secretary, Mr. H. A. Goodall, and his aseistants worked strenuously to make the gathering a success, and the only Hy in the ointment was the blindness o the , stewards to flagrant "rough riding and apparent non-triers. The totahsator figures alone offered many conundrums, and had a stipendiary steward beer, on the spot he would have been working overtime. ~ . , , The Rangitikei Cup saw the consistent Bonnie Boy improve on his Feilding running, and he rewarded Mr. F. Atfield with a good dividend. Byron came in J for a rough passage, and with ordinary luck Deeley would have landed him a winner. Mendip was favorite on the course, but he was interfered with, and appeared to run erratically. Rill ran a fine race, and should win a good race at the Christmas meetings. Master Laddo , lost his rider, and, of the others, Aloha was the only one to show up, though she tired to a walk at the finish. ■ A different storr is to be told of the ] Greatford Stakes, the principal event on j the second day. For same unaccountable j reason Labor Dav. who had started sixth in the order of favoritism in a sevenhorse race the first day, and who could onlv finish sixth, was made a strong lavorite for the Greatford Stakes. That monev makes the mare go was evident, for she showed wonderfully improvedform, looking a winner down the' straight, «nd eventually finishing close) up third. Mendip was only fifth on the ] machine, but he was ridden a nice race t by Luke Wilson, and. assuming command , in the straight, he held his opponents at bay in the run home. Bonnie Boy finished strongly on Mendip's quarter, but N«atimaru's form is hard to understand. Deelev had the mount on the son of Freedom, and the horse was a good second favorite. Master , Laddo again had a bad passage. _ , Mon Ami carried off the principal sprint event each dav in simple fashion, ami her new owner. Mr. F. Martin, made a good bargain when he securer! the mare. On a fast, dry track she always exhibits a good turn of speed, but_ it, is something new to sec her running strongly at the end of seven furlongs. C Emmerson rode Mon Ami each day, and she rewarded her party with good dividends. Dearest, with Deeley up, ran two "ood races, and should be a mucn improved neddv the next time she steps out Red Lupin came in for spirited support on the second dav. and when running prominently at the turn suddenly dropped right back. j \s expected. Euroco had no difficulty i in'running off with the Ohakea Hurdles, j The Wanganui horse was sent out a, > warm favorite, and practically led from end to end. Euroco appears to go mad when he sees a hurdle in front of him,] and his tear-away fencing would only | do on courses like Rangitikei, where the . obstacles lean right over like tired poll-1 ticians. Euroco over-reached himself,/ and could not be started on the second day. He appears to be staying better now, and should always be dangerous .over easy hurdles. ~„.-, Boiling was well backed the first clay. but ran badly, and another wretched performance went down to his discredit on Thursday. Sandy Paul shaped moderately, and is no champion over sticks. Silver' Cause's performance on the first day was, to say the least of it, very unsatisfactory. . Chief Marshall was the public pick in the Par.-wanui Hack Hurdles the first day. but he was ridden a poor race, and was pulling strongly when his head should have been loosed. Flingot was alleged to be "the pea." but. to the surprise of the knowing ones. Sleacombc had too much "foot" for him at the finish. Chief Marshall was hotter than ever when the tote closed on the Sandon Hurdles, the open race on Thursday. With over a stone and a half off his back he ran better, and won easily. The pace was very slow, and some of the defeated jockevs did not appear to be taking it to heart either. Patronale ran two honest races at the* meeting, and thoroughly deserved his J win in the Pukehou Scurry. A. Ollivcr j rode the Xew Plymouth horse enoh day. Heather, who had been whispered nbou* as something out of the ordinary, was well backed in this race, and filled the role of runner-up. She is a fmir-yoar-old mare by Vladimir, trained by J. Hathaway at Awapuni. Master Tupuhi ran well in the Killeymoon Hack Handicap, and was unlucky J to bump up against Moutoa Girl when the latter was in a galloping mood. The first-named paid a good price for second place.