SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 285, 24 April 1913, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Aloturoa.") The flags will be flying at Opaki today, the opening day of the Masterton Racing Club's autumn meeting. Acceptances are numerous, and racing should be good. The Waipihi Cup field has dwindled down to eight, Sir Knox being at the head of the handicap with Bst. 111b, a weight that should not trouble him greatly. Strong opposition may come from Imagination, who showed staying ability at Ellerslie recently. Lord Renown is a fair horse when caught in a galloping humor, but the pick of the handicap appears to be Leonta. Latter has won up to a mile and a distance quite recently, and usually finishes very strongly, a fact that points to him running on to the end of ten furlongs i to-day. Of the others, Ceylon is an honest sort, but has been troubled with bleeding lately, and the form of the rest has not been particularly good. Sir Knox, on his own course, and Leonta will probably share favoritism to-dav. Eight speedy ones remain in the April Handicap, six furlongs. Awapuni and Trentham form points to Mon Ami as being very dangerous. Glenfern has been paid up for in the Masterton Hack Handicap, but will have to show improved form to ''live" with good "milers" like the top-weights en- i gaged. I

Piermont won a double at Pahiatua last week, but there was nothing good against him. A rise of 101b brings his weight in the Ruamahunga Hack Handicap up to 7.13, and the chances of Suratura, Elevated and Black Lupin may be more favored by punters. Suratura's running lately has been marked by remarkable consistency. Lady Volga cost her army of backers a lot of money at Awapuni, and no doubt they will be trying to get some of it back in the Opaki Welter to-day. Negative and Matlow may offer most op- 1 position. • Master Lupin, but for stumbling in the ; last few strides, would have beaten The Croat Mogul at Palnu.rston the oilier day, and it is public property that he is a very fast nag. If he starts in the Maiden at Masterton he should be a very hot order. That much-boomed horse, The Great Mogul, did not strike this scribe as anything very extraordinary when racing at Awapuni. At the weights, Submersion ought to be capable of lowering the colors Qf the Hawke's Bay horse in the 1 Dash Handicap, though both horses will probably carry a lot-'of money. totalisator turnover at the Avondale meeting was just a little short of £40,000 for the two days. To show the increasing popularity of horse-racing and the growth of betting, it need only be said that this year's figures for the gathering were £II,OOO above those for last year, and nearly double the amount | put through the machines in 1011. I The .principal winning owners at Avon- I dale were as follows: T. Hall £270, J. S.; Kean £175, A. B. Carley £l7O, .T. D. j Kemp £125, R. Hannon, £OS, W. L. Thompson £95, and E. Kelly £9O. No fewer than thirty-three owners partici-| pated in the splitting-up of the stake' money. '

The principal winning jockeys were:— R. E. 9>'own (4), .1, Buchanan (2), J. Tutclierj (2)., and R. Trigger (2). The ,successful liorsenien, C. Emmerson and J. Conquest, .gt).t. amongst the number who rode one winner at the meeting. Te Waliaroa- broke down very badly in th& Avoiidale Steeple, and may*nt!'v<h' race'-Again.''' ■' Passadena has been scratched for all Egmont engagements.