SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 195, 7 January 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

TCRF T 'i'l'CS. (Bv •' Mot::rmi.") Hcigli-o. tlie holidiiy li.eetings arc over at last, and more or less wenrv sports have had it brought home to them that after all the past week's play there ; s really such a thing as plain, dull work; Most of us are "fed up." as our Amurkan cousins sat. of "the game." Some of us—the fortunate few —have emulated the deeds of Ciet-Rich-Qtiick-Wailing-ford. hut more of us. alas, if we told the truth, would admit that the carnival Mason cost us something. And why shouldn't it? As far as Taranaki sports were concerned, we enjoyed four good day's racing, mostly in good weather. and with favorites scoring practically all along the line. Wisdom is dearly bought, and all of lis are surely wiser now. Does anybody squeal? No —a thousand time. 110Tlie outstanding features of the Taranaki meetings were larger attendances and increased totalisator returns —records in all cases —and keen racing characterised by clean sport and the triumph 'of '' form." Of the latter it is worthy of note that Kuropotangi. Patronymic, TSoronia. Royal Dragoon, Bereola, Sam Pan. Master Tnpuhi.. Crawford. Katua, Tree Lucerne and Aruake, all prominent runners at New Plymouth, earned winni'ig brackets at Stratford. In addition, Princes* Flo. .Muleteer, Connev, Aloirette, Patroness. Red Lupin and others ran consistently, though not always with the be.it of luck, at both gatherings. Tlieije records speak for themselves—in a loud, almost triumphtint voice!

Xo matter how much one would ffird inclined to "spread himself" on the raring. these para would be incomplete without a kind word for the two clubs' treatment of their patrons. Marked improvement was shouting for recognition as regards improvements in the clubs' appointment-;. The comfort and convenience of sportsmen was attended to almost to perfection. ' A'weak but not to be denied voice from within states most emphatically that the catering was "great." Needless to say the beer was just as good as the beer of last year. To remove any misconception I hasten to remark that I have this on the word of an expert who desires to remain anonymous. (Xo! 1 didn't say it was a policeman!) Mr. Thompson's starting was good, and I haven't heard the judges' decisions disputed by the fellow who wasn't in a position to see tne finish, or his brother, who was reverently lowering a schooner of nutbrown fluid at the back bar while the race was being run. Harking back' to improvements, the most noticeable was the silent totalisator recently installed at Stratford. The figures might have •been larger, but the new "tote" does our friends proud. Apart from "the ■music of racing hoofs" mention must be made of the melodies discoursed by brass bands at both gatherings. This scribe doesn't set up for. a Baeyertz, but both bands appeared to be doing their b'est, and the country combination played its hardest, anyhow! Wanganui-trainrd horses had a good run at Xew Plymouth, but llawera and yew Plymouth neddies gathered in "the:

plums at Stratford. The successes of j White Crane. Katua, Royal Drpgobn, 1 Master Tupuhi and Patronale were par- J tieularly gratifying to Xew Plymouth J sports. Three victories went down 'to > the Campfire gelding Royal Dragoon, while Aviatrix, Bercola, Aruake and j Crawford won doubles. Bercola, with two first and two seconds, was the most consistent hurdler. North-East, who is not nearly at his best yet, ran well on Boxing Ddy, but the big fellow could hardly keep his', feet at the turns in the wet at Stratford. The other members of Alex. Hall's te#m, Phroso, St. Gate.»iiid,l>enise I Orme, each caught the judge's eye. i>ie j latter -was lucky to beat Patronalp, but ] she is a useful mare, and should be heard of again. The Auckland Racing Club's summer meeting proved a huge benefit for the Hawke's Bay sportsman, Mr. T. 11. Lowry, his three horses, Bobrikoff, The' Hague, and Soltano gathering in £3/00 in stakes alone. Honors go to Bobrikoff, of course. The rejuvenated black champion was seen at his best, ati<rW won over a mile, a mile and a half and two miles in convincing style. : The Hague won twice, and Soltano proved himself the crack two-year-old of the year. Jockey F. D. Jones was associated with all but one of Mr. Lawry's successes, and his record of six wins tops the list for the meeting. J. O'Shoii and U Wilson each rode four winners, and \V. Young .three. Stead Bros.' horses ran off with £20(10, mainly owing to the efforts of Bon Reve and Culprit, though Bon Ton and Oxenhope each shone like minor constellations. No other owner won more than a thousand pounds. After Mr. Lowry

and the Steads had helped themselves there wasn't much left for the small fry. Stakes were evenly divided at Awapuni, llr. T. O'Neill, the owner of Gla'diole, coming out best with £405. Mr.

F. Dorset .C-100. .Mr. .M. Kllertou £230, and the luck man of the Turf, .Mr. F. Hall. £'2;is. were also fairly successful. .Mr. \Y. Ilidwill scored all along the line at Carterton, notching- jlist over £SOO, with Mr. F. Hall also amongst the hundreds. The last-named sportsman had the pleasure of seeing his name high up amongst winning owners on the Auckland, Alanawatu and Wairarapa pay-sheets —not a bad record for one week's flutters. The racing carnival, like every other carnival at this time of the year, produced many sensations and more oddities. The shocking death by burning of six horses at Westport cast a gloom over the little West Coast meeting. Likewise the Nonuanby motor accident resulting in the death oE a good sport. Mi-. Jack Young. .Jockey Stan. Reid went out for twelve mouths for deliberately pulling Moreykoff at Greymouth. A Southland owner made use of a motor lorry to carry his hoTses to the country meetings. Billy Young rode three winners at Ullerslie on Boxing l)av. and the following afternoon piloted "cladiole to victory at I'almerston North. Postillion actually won a race at last. 11. Tricklebank rode four winners at Marton on New r Year's Day. and \V. Ryan went one better by piloting five firsts on the same • afternoon at Hastings. The ancient and alleged "good as dead'' Explosion gelding Rendrock mopped up both hurdle races at Marton in dashing style. .Mr. •T. Montefiore captured a race at Auckland with his fine little trotter lirin s Tracy. And last but not least in the way of surprises. Labour Day fetched nearly a cool thousand pounds when he fell to a Tlawke's Bay sportsman's bid in Auckland on Friday. I'untera will now be given a spell for a fortnight. * :