SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 220, 5 February 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

MIDNIGHT SUN. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, February 4. Midnight Sun is an unlikely starter for the Australian Cup. His owner considers the weight excessive. PALE OF A STALLION. Sydney. February 4. The Trish thoroughbred nlallion Tom Wedgwood, imported by Mr. \\ outton, had been bought by Mr. Shield for 1200 guineas. PATTIATUA PiACTNf! CLUB. Pahiatiia. Thursday. A largely attended meeting was held in Pahiatiia last night, when nn address wa« delivered by Mr. A. Paape, secretary of the New Zealand Sports Protection League. Mr. Paape stated that the lea true now had 70.000 members. Aatrong branch was formed here. A resolution was passed reminding the Government of the great injustice done to Pahiatua bv depriving it of its Racing Club's permit, and urging that legislation be brought down next session to remove the present anomaly. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.").

All roads lead to Tlawera to-day. the opening day of the Egmont Racing Club s Summer meeting. From north and south, trains, motors and hundreds of less pretentious vehicles will hurry their burdens towards the old convincing ground. To-day will be, as the religious papers say. a red letter day in the club's history. The acceptances are splendid, and the' quality of the. performers a vast improvement on past, meetings. The attraction i?, of course. Bobrikoll'. the idol of the crowds at Ellerslie, Trentbam and. for the matter of that, the whole racing Dominion, The old champion will get a rousing reception it' he lands the Stakes to-dav, and at the weights there is more than a me re possibility of the j black ron of Finland doing the trick. Fine weather is all that is required to make the meeting a record one. What do you like in the, TTawera Stakes? Of course you all "like" BobrikolT. But sentiment apart, what do you pick to win? Perhaps ITeatherbrae, or Electrakoff. Perhaps not! A small field will contest the Whareroa Hurdles. Some people reckon it's just a question of whether Aviatrix ifs caught in a galloping mood or not. The starters in the Oliawe Hack Hurdles promise to be more numerous. Serenity is very well, as are Ngatiruanui and Allure. A good race this. Twenty-four arc carded for the Mere- : mere Hack Handicap, run over five fur- I longs. Grattan, Lucerne, Gerbera and I Tree Lucerne may carry most of the | money. Recent form points to Grattan J being one of the hardest to beat. Then comes the Egmont Cup, one and j a half miles. Labor Day galloped > smartly on Saturday and appears to be J in great niclr. The Wellington tip is Un- j decided, and it is not a bad one either, j Both horses should be close up at the > finsh. Of tlie light-weights Mira, Malta- ! wakaha and Master Laddo are most J favoured, bnt the race is considered by I many of the keenest sports to be merely a battle between the top-weights. Quantity, if not quality, looms largely in the Ladies' Purse. Moirette is con- ' sidered a likely starter, and local interest is centred on St. Kildare. A TTawera horse that lias improved since the Stratford meeting is Oxley. but there was room for improvement, anyhow. The Flying Handicap looks like providing a pretty race. Recent winners. Goldsize. Peroneal, Sanguinary and Dearest are engaged. Tf landed at the post in srood nick the last-named might keep I Goldsize and Co. very busy. Punters, or those of them who have survived, will find it hard to sort, out, a favourite for the Waipapa. Hack Handicap. Tf reserved, Postillion might be

"tlic pon.. : ' but Patronymic ami Crawford should not: l;tcTc supporters.

Ooldsize filled the role of runner-up in the A.E.O. "Railway Handicap. and is always worth watching over a short course.

Trainer .T. Peachev has Serenity looking very well, and on Foxton form the well-bred rogue appears to be the malcin?« of a fine hurdler. Moirettehas been responsible for some fair gallops of late, and it is up to her to reward her Straight-going owners with a winnin? bracket shortly. Elect raknfT broke a long string of ''ducW by gathering in the Takapnna Handicap on Saturday. The win was well-deserved as the horse had a verr bad. run in the Cup the fiivt day. and then finished <-lo*e up. Worcester. who lias always had (be remit at ion of being "hot, stuff." easily mopped up (be Aiinivcv«'irv Weltev at Takaunua. The should keep the hacks at Xi'iv Plymouth next week. The TCswont. meeting will bp concluded t o-'iiorrniv. when, iii view of it beiii"' t be half-holiday, the attendance should he

COWARDLY ASSAULT. vorxr; woman knocked down. TIER CRIES TTEARD. ASSATT.AXT GETS AWAY. Per Press Association. Auckland. Tuesday. A cowardly assault, upon a young lady occurred at, Mount Eden on Friday night as the result of which she Is now confined to her house suffering very much from shock. Earlv on Er Uh y evening a young lady who lives at 'Mount Eden had occasion lo visit the city. She returned bv tram at 10.10 p.m.. and got ont at the Svmonds street section, and walked down Eden Terrace. As she turned into Wvnyard l'oad sh." b"<-amp conscious that someone was walking very close behind her. Hie was too frightened to turn round to sec who it wa.i-. so she kept straight on towards her destination. Suddenly, and without the slightest wnrniitg, an arm was swung beliiud her and she received a violent blow on the mouth. The force of the blow knocked one toot lt out and felled the young lady to the ground.

Tlmnuli dazed by Hie lilow slip liad sufficient presence of mind to scream loudly for assistance. wlicreuiioii lier as-ailant then tried to mutl'le lier cries liy i>l;11• ill jr liii li:i;id over lier moutli. TTer cries, lioivever, liad been heard In' people living near 1 >y. and lliev rushed out. only lo see ; i dark shadow inovno- oil' at a rapid pace. Tlie yonncr l.ndv ivns assisted to lier feet and taken into a house close liv. TTcr face was lindlv lacerated .and as was milv natural die was suA'crin:: vcrv nincli from shook. Tlie oerson who committedl Hie outrage did not attempt, to roll (die romi" ladv or in any oilier way molest lier. and no reason can lie nssicnied for (lie cowardly assault.