SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 268, 11 April 1914, Page 7

SPORTING.

(By ''Moturoa.") RACING FIXTURES. April 11, 13—Auckland Racing Club. April 11, 13—Wairarapa Racing Club. April 13, 14—Canterbury Jockey Club. April 13, 14—Feilding Jockey" Club. April 22,15 —Avonilale Jockey Club. April 23, 25 —Wellington Racing Club. April 11—A.R.C. Easter Handicap. April 13 —Great Northern Oaks. April 13—Feilding Cup. April 13—Great Easter Handicap. April 14—Great Autumn Handicap.

THE EASTER CARNIVAL. Easter, like smallpox and the man who comes round for the rent, happens along at regular intervals, and unlike the latter pests is hailed with delight by wowsers and sports alike. Feasting, amusement and holiday-making runs riot. .Some prefer bnns aud gingerbeer, or Xgacrc gardens, and mild flirtations with the farmer's daughter, and some go | farther afield,, called by the incessant voice of travel, the faintly-remembered eyes of a gay coquette, or the tinkling of a far-off totalisator tell. It is all the same. All these buns and gingerbeer, Jlashing eyes and tinkling bells, etc., spell Pleasure, and why shouldn't everybody be happy and enjoy Easter in their own ihveet way? Why, not, indeed? For racing folk the shrines of that more or lcssiioble pr;ul Pegasus will be raised almost everywhere. Principal interest will be taken by Taranaki sports in the Auckland Racing Club's autumn meeting, which opens to-day and will he concluded on Monday. The same dates will see the Wairarapa Club in full racing swing, and on Monday and Tuesday Canterbury and Feilding will demand attention, as well as a host oi smalleT fry. At Easter time "everybody's doin' it".with a vengeance!

THE AUCKLAND MEETING. Five acceptances are carded for today's races. Two "one thousand pounders" figure on the programme, and it is only natural to suppose that the stakes will not he divided without some splendid competition. For a change the Great Northern Champagne Stakes bears an open appearance, and opinions are found divided between the merits of Tavistock, Hymettius, and Mullingir. The issue looks open, as it does in the case of the Easter Handicap, for which twenty-one have paid up. Goldsize may be a strong order, but Ventura, Pavlova, Merry Roe and Sir Moseley may all command solid support. Bonny Helen and Mistie are nicely treated in tin; Tradesmen's Handicap; Kitty Bellairs in the Onslow Stakes; Gerberga and Lord Lupin the President's Handicap; Centenary and Belasco in the Nelson Handicap, and Crown Pearl and Bed Book in the Eden Handicap. The Great Northern Oaks and St George's Handicap will be run on Monday.

EXIT HECTOR. The Sydney eablcerammer dropped a bombshell in our midst on Wednesday morning with the announcement that two years' disqualifications had been handed out to the racehorse Wallalo. to Mr. Eccles (owner), and to the trainer (T. McGrath), and jockey (IT. Gray), in connection with Wallalo's perfonnance in the High Weight Handicap at llawkeskiry on .Saturday. And tlfe sensation will make ail Australasia sit up and take .notice! To begin with, Wallalo, since winning the 'Stralian Cup has been a scalding hot order for next Monday's great race, the Sydney Cup. and a mint of money lias gone on him during the past fortnight. The owner, trainer, and jockey disqualified are vll ex-New Zealandcrs, T. McGrath being nn erstwhile Wairavapa trainer of note, and Hector Gray is too well-known to require a label. Providing that the parties concerned deserve their '"outing" it is a strong reflection on the way things are run in New Zealand. New Zealand owners, jockeys, trainers and horses met with more than a fair share of "trouble" on the othe'r side during the past few months, and it looks as if our slip-shod methods are not good enough for 'Str.iliiiu stipes.. The whole, turf wants cleaning up thoroughly, and all honor to ! tho.-e who are performing the unenviable positions of •■watch-guards" straightforwardly and fearlessly. , | TCRF TOPICS. .fockcy L. Nodder will lie up on Pati runale in the Easter Handicap. [ Cornelian has gone down to RiecarSton and aliouid not conic back without [ a win.

If the froi:i,!> is anyway holding at I'Vilcling Otii.hu may be very- hard to beat.

The Wanjriimii hurdle jockey, Frank kind, went across to Napier on Wednesday to take up the position of private trainer to Jfr. G. P. Donnelly. U. Frieklebank will have the meunt on Sir Knox in the Feildin.q' Cup. liatana is encaged in the Easter Handicap at tlie Wair.irapa meeting to-day, and jiuljjinjf by recent form sliould run prominently. \cw York can 1:0 Vi'ry fast for from four furlong's and is considered a certain starter in the Nursery HamKeap (\Yairarapti) to-day. Watiuo will lie ijiveu another chance in the Mohahi liai)dica|> to-day. The New Plymouth' na_' is improving, and a win is lonj; overdue. Ilercola will contest the liri<>hto;i Hurdle l'ace at l''.ilerslie, and bciiu: a jrrejitly improved horse liy recent Hat rac'ms;. should Jjive a i;ooil accomil of himself.