SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 266, 2 April 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS.

(By '"Moturoa.")

The Wellington Racing Club's autumn faceting opens at Trentliani to-day and will be concluded on Saturday. Acceptances for the first day's events are : first rate, and provided weather favours the gathering some fine racing should be witnessed. The principal events on to-day's card are the North Island Challenge Stakes (sevpn furlongs), Thompson Handicap (one mile) and Railway Handicap (six furlongs). Twenty-one horses remain in the Thompson Handicap, and include the pick of the Dominion's "milers" at the present moment. Bon Ton tops the list with 8.11, and will have to be at his best to score with that weight. After winning the Great Autumn he pulled up lame, but the trouble was not considered serious, and the soft nature of the tracks at Trentham inav suit the crack all right. "Undecided failed under 9.3 last year, and with 8.10 does not read particularly well in. Einperador's first appearance at Trentham will be watched ■with interest. He had not the best of luck at TJiccarton, but his connections must be "'nunc" to take on the Thompson Hardicap with 8.7. Emperador has one good performance to his credit, but one riff does not make a champion. Culprit is one of the unlucky ones, and S:'.i Queen's form at Tauherenikaii was not too brilliant. Potoa had a bad run in the A.R.C. Easter Handicap, but lie won in.fine style on the second daw and many good judges consider that Handicapper Pollock took a risk when he let thp Auckland sprinter in at Sst. Bvron will be meeting better horses than he did at Feilding, but the next on the list —Heatherbrac —will only have to run ■up - to l'lircarton form to be very hard to beat. Of the light-weights, Cheddar. Sir '.Know Multiply and Dearest have shown fair form recently. The writer never remembers Dearest bein<r let in so lightly in a mile race. Mueli depends on the weather, but the fittest horses tn-dav may prove to be Potoa and Heathcrbrae. Ventura, the heroine of the Great Easter Handicap, has pride of place in the Railway Handicap. She is very fit at present, but she has a big load to •carry. -Culprit and Emperador are also engaged in this race, and if the latter is reserved for it he mav be prominent at the right end. Gipsy Belle is nicelv treated, and no fault ean.be found with Crown Pearl's weight. Both should .run well forward, Merrie Frank has been "the pea" for several good races latelv, but sonic ■'•roughie" has generally upset the hot order. He cannot be more than moderate. Patronale stands out on his own amongst the .light-weights. He Vat good horses at Feilding. and should hold his own with 7.3. In Crown Pearl and Patronale Taranaki has a brace of wort'hv representatives to-dav.

Torbc'lle has a liking for the Trentlinm course and his schooling work li'st week was very good. The Porirua-train-<'d horse will probably carry most money in the Hade Steeple. Bismarck was sent down from ITawera last week and this big bold jumper >n«.V <l° well at the meeting. Peronilla. Tinnier and Day Fly are a. trio that will be well supported in the N'nrserv Handicap. If the going is good Peronilla may have to be. reckoned with —even with 9.5.

The minor events all look verv open. Glenfinnan, Kooya, Ainsdale and' Chamanade may run well in their engagements. The crack horseman at Riccnrton was the light-weight, C. Emmerson, who rode seven winners out of fourteen flat) races. tiT.e is, riding in bis. best form now and Sir George Clifford's, horses will Iqse nothing by having hint aboard at Trentliani to-djiy.

' •'Pia.pj.'relsf winnings .an' liow well over r€T2.(H)O. it \voj\ld liavp .beon, inteijestin<» I,if lion Ton. Bobvikoli' an'd Co.. liiwj boen | wni'aci'ows to.m'pasmy (jtrijes with him r«t"tfie autumn meeting. * J.' ,

Sandy Paul was not hurt wlijen he toppled over in the Brighton Hurdles. He looks like proving a flood staHo-win-ner for Mr. ('. Mumb\- this winter. Nearly £3OOO has been spent on improvements to the Avondale I'ourse since last September and the appointments are now right, up-to-date. Evefv* wiie'fc/ 'ofie sees improvements, and the racing game is certainlv going alidad by leans and bounds in this country.!

'■> l-':iisano's unfortunate accident) and ■ O.eatii removes one of +he Dominion's hurdler* . Ji«odi tynMr. J, Rob.,w». m. '1D03.: the f MUt qf'iSftwaJi and Boobv proved himself, a champion both jn, New y!eaUi)id„<iiid; j.n !Stralia. Under .12.1. he won the Grand Xatdonal Hurdle '.JjHcp.in 1010 aji.il, H.w..fp»iul."knocking at the door" again last year. At the time of his death he, probably as good_as ever he was. ami the ntjws of his demise was received with expressions of regret from all parts. New Zealand bred horses, and the progeny of ex-Xcw Zealanders have been winning a lot of races in 'Stralia recently Amongst others. Satsunia (by Multi- . fpnn), Glinear (by..Machine "Gun), Miss •Alison (bv Sonlt). Tenterhook (bviClan--ora,i)ald) and Snowfoot. (bv Sonlt) • have been paving their wav latelv. Sir Lethe pta'mls alone amongst the 'chasers over there, and. ultogetW Xew Zealmu] hordes are holding their end up well iii the jnnd of Use kangaroo.