SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 218, 14 March 1914, Page 7

SPORTING.

Notes by "Moturoa." RACINU FIXTUJUt*. March 14.—Napier Park K.G. March 17.—Opunaks R.C. -March -25, 2u.—Kangitikei R. C April 2, 3.—Masterton K.C. April 11, 13.—Auckland R.C. April IH, 14.—Caut-irbury ...0. taranaki jockey clue improvements. The remarkable strides which the Taranaki Jockey Club has made during what is popularly known as the Webstjr regime, have frequently been referred to jn these columns. Five years ago the metropolitan club was just struggling round the corner from v hat had been a veritable Lean street. Since then it has not looked back. Meeting after meeting has been broueht off successfully, and fresh figures hoisted in ail departments. Naturally,, a heap of , money must have filtered through the ' club's banking account', and the turf foilower has only to look round the local 'course to see that the money has been judiciously expended in bringing the /club's appointments more uo-to-date each season, and thereby catering for the comfort of an ever-growing bodv of the club's Diitrons. To-day the T.J.C. stands for good sport in'the highest sense; for clean racing and enjoyable sport. When one looks, back five years mid considers what improvements have been made in that short time the club's progress is self-evident. New stewards' and outside stands, new totalis'ator house, tea kiosk, bar and manv minor Additions have been made 1 to the appointments on the local cource, and it is pleasing to announce that the club is not going to rest on its oars. The next thing to be imoroved is the racinir track. This project was outlined in these, columns u short time back and it is now well on the road to become an accomplished fact. Mr. Newton King, whose property adjoins, has. 1 am told, met the elnb in a generous manner, and a piece of his property—seven end :•. ball am* in all—has been aemiired to enlarge the track. This will enable the club to in- • the circumference of the track to a mile, and thereby improve the present sharp turns. The six • furlong post will foe set off the. course prouer, and starts from that post, as well » s from the five furlong post, will allow horset a straight run along the back of the course. When this work is finished., the local course will bear comparison with the best in the Dominion. The racing public of Taranaki has :nuch to thank the T.J.C. officials and Lecretary for inl making racing here clean and en joyable. and in every way worthy of the title of the Sport of Kings. That further success will crown their efforts is the wish of every true Bportsmen.

THE OPUNAKE MEETING. On Tuesday next the Opunake Racing Club's annual meetine will engage the attentions of the sporting public of the province. Considering that the el«b does not patronise the leading sporting paper on this const, the entries ami «*•- eeptanees are a very fair lot. It 13 really up to our Opunake friends to wake up! These are the days of a boom in racing. Little country clubs like Stratford, Woodville, Dannevirke, and others have opened out with better stakes, letter appointments, and foefe advertising, and the result is fciat they have climbed out of the ru»k *nd are now basking in the warm lays of success. Not that the Opunake has altogether neglected its opportunities, but there is much more to be done to attract better horses and bigger crowds to Pihama. It is to be hoped that next year the Opunake Racing CI ib will take its proper place alongside the prosperous clubs of Taranaki. .

The Opunake Cup, one mile and a quarter, has attracted ten acceptances, must, of which have shown fair form at recent meetings. Styrax appears to be well placed with S.li, and Maniaroa an.l Patronymic 'are not overweighted. Cornelian stands head and shoulders above the hurdlers and even 12.14 may not stop him if caught in a galloping mood. Katua may have a <rood following, and considerable interest will be taken in the efforts of several new aspirants to jumping honors engaged. Ladv Ami may have most friends in the Welter Handicap, and Calais and Martingale in the Hying Handicap. Scratching may cut up the field for the President's Handicap, but Manaiaroa and Oravford, if reserved, mav run veil. The "hurryups" have filled well, and smart sprinters like Tiora, Patroon and Calais may beat more than beat them. Tuesday's gathering promises to be a successful one.

THE JOCKEYS' RING. Ufe would be dull, indeed, without its occasional upheavals. Humors, like earthquakes, Tanner's Ark, the measles and other things hanncn along when things arc getting "slow," and we suddenh realise that life isnt a humdrum, smooth road after all. This is the dull season; the "between meetings" period, and that something would crop up was inevitable. This time it is a rumor of a jockeys' "ring." Not a new one to spring on to us, is it? But an extraordinary one seeing that special safeguards are now being taken to nurify sport. The information comes from Christchurch, and is based on the allegations of—wonderful as it may seem—two jockeyj! Needless to say, they are not members of "the circle." Certain races at Dunedin have been, it is alleged, "fixed" by the knights of the meskin, and the object of this alleged swindle has been to rip much good money off the wads of howling bookmakers in the North Island. Naturally, the rumor has received a mixed reception at the hands of sporting scribes, the majority ridiI culing the idea, and, apparently, with reason on their side. The fact that several of our lending jockeys choke the telegraph offices with tipping "wires" on nice days is sufficient evidence that a big army of greedv punters awaits this "information" at the other end, and despite a hulf-benrted police surveillance, nlenty of Drosperous-iookins gentlemen are found to he only too pleased to accommodate would he punters. When "tips" <ro wron" nothin'r is said, but when the pendulum swings over ther" is talk o' "readies" and "rings" salnre. Talk of this t.ort usually emanates from "busted" pencillers who never admit that the Tinbiic should have a turn sometime! That the mere "say-so" of a couple of (prohabM disappointed jockstcrs should ";:! taken seriously seems just as ridiculous ns to sy»ni(liis<> with a grasping, greedv "layer." The information in each eaS" comes from a tainted source, and must be received with suspicion. As one wh" sees a good deal of racing all throush the year, this scribe scouts the idea. Certainly things happen which do not appear to be all "above-board," but these

nvr. often be explained quite satisfactorily, and suspicion is a r.i'.ten pc,; tt. hang a man on, anyhow! I: tiles' Christchurch jockeys iiave any information to impari, the Canteikir, ..'..ci.e Club would only be too willing to probe the matter to the bultom.. and fo;- the sake of the grand old gune it is t. bi hoped that more light will be shed on that elusive mirage, the jockeys' "ring!'

CURRENT TOPIC.'-. Concluding day at Napier Park. Royal Scotch will go to the stud next season. Master Delaval is still carrying welter weights with fair success in' India. There is a racehorse in 'Stralia named Mum's the Word. Disjjusted punters want -'Mum's" changed to "Rum's." Chief Stipendiary McMnhon contemplates a trip to Sydnee after the Otaki meeting. See the smiling joekstcrs! Don't they wish him a safe return. Yankee Doodle, who appears to have turned sour since <roing to Auckland, won the Farewell Handicap at Te Aroha. defeating a strong order in ilLsg Livo »ia.

Mr J. 'Keiinah, of Captain Jingiefame, was booked to leave for Sidney yesterday with Continuance and Forest King. The former's breathing anDiiratus is said to be quite right again, and the i'-'abre-tache gelding may give them a taste of his quality on the other side. After finishing about a quarter of a ■nile behind the winner on the lirst day. Black Northern won the second hurdle race at Te Aroha from end to end. Both winner and rider (A. Julian) were greeted with "prolonged hooting." says an exchange, but once again the owner's explanation was accepted as "satisfactory-"

There must have been something wrong with the watch at the Akaroa meeting, when Goldseeker, a brother to Autummiß, by the way, was "clocked" to win the mile and a-half hurdle race in 2min 4.'isec. Five furlongs in 1.1 was torrid, but the pastrv probably goes ;o Valhalla, who curried 8.11 to the front in the Maiden Handicap (six furongs) in 1.13 3-5.

Under the title of "Not Going," the Bulletin gets this oft:—Punter (excitedly): "Say. old chup, what chance has vour horse in this race?" Owner: "'Sh! Speak softly of the dead!"

Referring to Wallalo's narrow victory in the Essendon Stakes, the Referee hands out the following compliment to an old friend:—"On Saturday a jockev from New Zealand, named H. Gray, had the mount, and he rode him like the late Tom Hales in his best da" could.' Wallalo started at a forlorn price, and appeared to be troubled by the pace set in the early stages of the race; but Gray stirred him up to some purpose when the winning post hove in sight, ind Wallalo just got up in time to wni bya head.