SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 229, 15 February 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACIX<; FIXTURE-. Feb. 19, 20—Woodville Joekev Club. Feb. 19, 20, 22—Duncdin Jockey Ciub. Feb. 27, March I—Wanganuil—Wanganui Joekev Club. March 22, 24—Auckland Racing Club.

COMING EVENTS. Feb. 19 —Dunedin Cup. February 27—Wanganui Cup. March i—Jackson Stakes. March 22 —A.R.C. Easter Handicap.

TURF TOPICS.

(By "Moturoa.')

The Taranaki Jockey Club was favoured with fairly good weather for this week's meeting, and the attendances were well up to the average. The totalisator returns were £25,452 10s against £22,084 10r Inst year—an increase of £3368. Thursday was only a fair day as regards the tote turn-over partly owing to money being impounded after the first race. The total figures suffer by comparison with those of the Hawera. Summer meeting last week. Favourites had a bad run at the local meeting, and this probably accounted for the public holding off on the second day. Those who are not "holding" must perforce hold off!

Ngatiruanui was the only actual favourite to have his number hoisted on Wednesday, and Patronale and Minora pained a like distinction on Thursday. Zetes, Peroneal and Yankee Doodle were well-backed second favourites to score on the opening day. and Bercola and Floss on the second. Taking it right through winners were hard to pick, though their Ilawera form suggested Ngatiruanui, Lucerne. Zetes. Con the Sliaughran, Katua. Conner, Peroneal and Yankee Doodle (all first day's win ners), as likely to run well; "but second day's "form" was all at sea. Aruake, Minora, Chamanade. Muleteer and St. Luap all ran much better on Thursdav than they did at Haw era last week, ami on the other hand Undecided. Patriotic. Sanguinary aiid Goldsize shaped much worse. Horses cannot be expected to run like machines, but the unfortunate punter does expect a little consistency. Cob the Shaughran's victory in the 1 Taranaki Cup was certainly well-de I served. The bay son of Coronet is one: of the straightest run horse 3 in the pro ! vince. His forward running in the Eglnont and Taranaki Cups speaks well for i Trainer T. Pine's ability, as well as for the excellent handling the horse received j in both races by the smart light-weight, W. Bell. Con's party is not reputed to be a heavy betting combination, but they supported their horses at both meetings for small amounts. It is interesting to note that Con's sire. Coronet, won the Taranaki Clip in 1900. The young horse may never be as good as his "dad," but he is one of the honest and useful sort, and should win many races for his owners.

Stakes were well divided at the meeting. twenty-seven owners sharing in the spoil. The list reads as follows: Trustees late J. Ryan £2Sfl. ). TI trle £l7O. A. Alexander £l5O. Dr. Paget £135. W. Xidd £135, G. CI a rebut £l2O, .1. L. Stan ford £IOO, D. Hughes £BS. M. Gardner £BS. J. Barlow £BS, J. T. Butler £BS. M •T. Goodson £BS, ,T. O'Halloran £BS. .1. Melville £BS, T. Hopeful £45. A. -lark son £4O, H. TJaynor £'10; Mrs. Ruscoe. W. Handley. H. Bertrand. .1. TI. Evans. f\ Brereton. F. Lewes. Te Hikaka and G. Robinson £ls each; G. Laing ami Castle £lO each.

Amongst the now-chastone<l horsemen W. 801 l stood out with three firsts. 0.; McCarten. C. Emmerson and B. Deeley each rode two winners. Others to get. on the list were H. Copestake, R. Barlow. A. Olliver, W. Price, F. Flvnn. R. Bprry and Alf. Olliver. Silver Rose can rim half a mile in "50" any morning on the track, but with the 1 colours up she isn't worth twopenn'orth o' {fin. She has let her party down twice badly (and once, ahem—slightly) at the Tarnnaki meetings, and they must bo about tired of lier. Lucerne ran well up to five furlongs at Hawera and easily scored over that distance on Wednesday. She will travel further later on. but at present she must be reckoned very speedy up to "five." Tt is a pity she met with an accident on Thursday as she was coming on with even- race, and would have added considerably to her winning- at the autumn meetings. Jockey J. O'Shea was riding at the local meeting, having recovered from injuries received at Hawera. The Auckland horseman was out of luck this trip.

Minora has struck form again. In her case gradual improvement is most marked. At Hawera she finished fourth, on Wednesday was third, and then the climax—first on Thursday.

Yankee Doodle was a "can't 10-e" tip down the line on A\ ednesday. and his followers were very confident of success. Mr. Albert Jackson has had a lot of bad luck lately and his win. though only accompanied by the smallest of dividends, was well de-erred.

Maniwhakaha failed again and may be added to the ranks of the arch deceivers.

Passadena, with Deeley aboard, was sent out favourite each day. but ran much below expectations. Is' the Manawatu noddy over-rated?

Jackpin again showed a good turn of speed over four furlongs, but the Waver Icy horse does not finish as of yore, and these flash-in-the-pan exhibitions must cost his party something. Coronet was responsible for a couple of winners, Con the shriughraim and Conney; Patronus for Patronale and Minora, and Ohligado for Re, to. Girl and Katua.

As usual Mr. 15. P. Webster 1 .1 eveivtliing running smoothly, anri the ing reflects great credit on aim ard bis staff of assistants. Mr. JiT'oemr. as usual, filled the difficult role of starter very ably. Mr. Geo. MoT-,. ga\e i n ters many big conundrums and Vs wov'c reduced interesting racing. Reviewing contests for tbr> Sydney Cup, Milroy says;—" Carbine palpably interfered with Melos when he got on terms: but the excitement generated by such a race between three >nch hor-es upset men's balance, otherwise a prote-t would have gone in. It would have been any odds on Melos getting the race: but nobody thought of objecting until

it was too late. Ahercorn was evidently on the down grade, for he ran wor-e in the Cumberland Stake-, nnd bad enough in the O.J.C. Plate: but Tom Peyten had him in great buckle the following spring, when he carried 0.7 and won the Metropolitan as he pleased, and added the three w.f.a. races to that race. At the Melbourne meeting he beat Melos and Carbine over a Mile and a-quarter in the Melbourne Stakes, and accounted for them again at two miles and a-quar-ter in the Canterbury Plat.', He did not start in the Cup. for which his weight was 10.10: but Carbine did. and ran second to Bravo with 10.0 up. while Melos. the hottest of hot favorites, was third with 8.1"2. Owing to a mi-in-ler-standing Ahercorn was not scratched for the Cup until near the day of the race: and. judging by the tone of the market, it is not too much to say thai he would

; have started at a very s mri price bad I Mr. White elected to run him. It is possible, and even probable, we may any season find another Abercorn or a Carbine. or a Melos, or one like the Aus- * tralian Peer; but it is too much joy to expect to again see four such horses out in opposition. We are not likely to find one like any of them in ilie coming Cup. but the entry represents the best we have.''