SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 232, 19 February 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

TI'RV T(.:".C'S. (Uv ".\inli!! '..") The Ihmedin .loekey Club's Autumn meeting opens today, will In- continued on Thursday and concluded on Saturday, l'airlv numerous acceptances are oaided for to-day's events. but the class of horses engaged is. on the whole, very mediocre. Nine remain in the J)unedin Cup, one mile and a half, and of these six ran in the Midsummer Handicap at Riccarton earlier in the month. In that race Anna Carlovna. in receipt of 221hs, beat C'oroniform home, by a length. Today the difference is only Southern scribes state that the mare will probahlv start favourite On paper this'is hard'to follow. The new element in to-day's race comprises Mira, Brown Owl and Stepdaneor. The former won at ITawcra and >houhl win a raee at the meeting. Brown Owl's recent form has heen '" very bad. Therefore the Chokebore neddv sliould run well! Stepdancer won" at the Canterbury meeting, hut the extra distance to-day may stopj the cake-walker. Last year old Parable brought off a surprise by winning the] Cup by a margin, but this well-bred; horse has done little creditable in the] interim. The following are the likely starters, and their riders to-day: Coroniform 8.12. V. K Jones: Mira S.7>. V. J). Jones; Anna Carlovna 8.2, L. Wilson; Parable 8.1. J. McOomhe; Tnnnhauser 7.2, P>. Decley: Brown Owl 7.2. C. Kmnierson; Stepdancer 7.2. P>. Perry; Mumura (i.ll. P. Oibbons; and The Cornet fi.S, J. Campbell. Ten more or less speedy two-year-olds will sport silk in the Champagne Stakes, six furlongs.—Clifford's pair. Nightwatch and Veritas may carry most money, but Wai'stcp and Fender are a pair that may keep the favourites busy. There will be >racing at Woodville today and to-morrow, and the presence of a fair crowd of Taranahi horses invests the meeting with more than passing interest. As usual the hack events have filled splendidly, but the open events ■disappointing. Onlv eight have been paid up for in the Cup. one mile and a quarter, and the class isn't very flash either. The much-boomed Montreal isj given a good chance to score, but manvj will prefer the chances of the "tried"' division—Lady Montoa, Ariom and Twin-1 nie Boy. Distinction's" running at TTawera was puzzling, and it is still a moot point whether the Awapuni-train-ed gelding is really "good goods" or not. The mystery which surrounds some off these enicked-up horses beats bush firesE in a canter. j

Aftin- a period of long-distance racing 1 Sinapis .once more figures in a sprint event. It may be worth remembering that the Xelson-nwncd mare won tlie Telephone Handicap last year at AVood-' ville though the nature of. her prcparation since then may have affected her hrilianoy. Sanguinary and Lord Possible may be'the fittest of the crowd.

Masterpiece was sent down to Wa-i nganni after the Egmont meeting, and 1 on Fridav last Autumnus arrived from Tiicearton. The pair are in steady work on the Wanganui tracks and appear to be verv forward. Autnmmis, on the; strength of recent form at the Canter-' ■bury meeting, is being warmly support-j ed for the Flying Handicap. Yankee Boodle will carry a penalty' at Woodville for his Taranaki victory.i but the Wanganni horse looks -welli treated and should run prominently, at the meeting. Katua is another one to be penalised.' and reads badly in the President's Handicap when compared with Monologue. Ascalon and others. Awapuni reports state Mint Monologue is galloping well, and should tret ainoiiL'sf the winner-; shortly. Culprit will be Messrs. Stead Bros, sole representative at Wanganni. The "chaser YVheturangi. writes "Flaneur." was so seriously injured a few days ago at Feildin? through heinrx kick-' ed by Straterrist that it was necessary to destroy him. The veteran Auckland rider Mark Ttvan lias banded in hU joekev's license and intends enlering the ranks of the trainers shortly.