SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 182, 19 December 1912, Page 8

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By " Moturoa.") Since the public trial'of the new totalisator at Ellerslie on Saturday last, the committee have made several further tests of the mechanism with a view to getting certain necessary adjustments made in time for the opening of the summer meeting on Boxing Day. Unfortunately, notwithstanding, it has been found impossible to have the machine in such working order by Boxing Day as to justify the committee making it a medium for public speculation. Under these circumstances they must revert to the use of the old totalisators for the coming meeting. A cablegram from Sydney records the death of the well-known trotting stallion Mambrino Abdallah, the progenitor of some of the fastest trotting stock south of the line.

Nowadays every paper one picks up fairly bristles with lengthy acceptancelists for some meeting or another, and it is simply marvellous where all the horses come from. Manawatu acceptances, .published yesterday, are just about a record for that club, and there should be great racing at Awapuni next week. Twenty horses have been paid up for in the Manawatu Cup, one mile and a half, including Bronze, Sinapis, Sea Queen and other high-class performers. Bronze is reported to be a much-im-proved mare, and she will have to be at her best to carry 8.13 successfully in such company. Sinapis ran well at Riccarton, and has been handicapped right up to that form. Recent form points to Mira, Byron, Mendip and Sir Solo as horses likely to beat the top weights. «Mefrivonia has been let in nicely, but it is doubtful whether she will ever regain her form of a couple of seasons ago. There is a possibility of a light-weight showing up prominently, seeing that Master Laddo, Sandstream, Kill, Mangaroa and Browil Trout still hold their places. Taking the handicap right through it is a good one, and punters are set a stiff task to sort out the winner.

Final payments for the Palmerston North Stakes, run over six furlongs on the second day of the meeting, are well up to the average. Bon Reve, P'eronilla, Irmengarde, Culprit, Vibration and Bonny Helen are considered likely Starters, and their presence ensures a keen race.

The minor events have filled very well, and. include a number of Taranaki-owned horses, notably Piriwai, Lady Louisa and Lucerne. Piriwai will be given a flutter with the cracks in the Fitzlierbert Handicap, but the mare appears to be well taken care of by the weightadjuster.