SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 23, 17 June 1914, Page 3

SPORTING.

NOTES BY "itOTUROA." THE HAWKE'S BAY MEETING,

It seems but yesterday that all eyes were on the llawko's Bay autumn meeting, but Hastings will again be the rendezvous of sporting folk to-day and tomorrow, the occasion being the club's

great winter meeting. Xext week the Napier Park Club will supply a couple of days' racing, and the week following the carnival will close with two days at Gisborpe. Sportsmen on the East Coast should be about "fed up" with racing, but, after all, we in Taranaki, who crowd our Christmas, New Year and autumn meetings into a fuw weeks cannot throw stones!

The steeplechase season did not pro!niise to be any more than a mediocre one, but as the meetings come along fresh aspirants for "cross country" honors are constantly cropping up, and by j the time the Grand National .meeting comes along fields should be larger and horses more seasoned, and sportsmen will have little cause to complain of the sport served up. The Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, the trump card in to-day's pack, has drawn ton acceptors, and of these Peary and Exotic h:ive won this season, and Waterworks, The Spaniard, The Chief, Sir Lethe and Gondolier have shown promising form. The Great, Northern winner, Peary, may be the actual favorite, but The Spaniard (who has improved considerably since racing at Wanganui), Exotic and Waterworks should all command support. Several new-chums over the big fences figure in the Woodlands Hack Steeple (two miles), including the Taranaki-trained Timothy. The latter has only to jump to be dangerous. Daylight Bill is reported to have done little jumping, and besides has been bleeding from the nostrils after work, so that his chances do not appear to be very bright. Tyrannic and Kelp are two of the good old honest sort, but Stroller and Parcmata may have too much pace for them. Parcmata, in particular, has been fencing splendidly at Hastings, and may be Timothy's toughest opponent. Open hurdle races have not been drawing as well as the big stakes offered deserve this season, and the Hawke's Bay Hurdle Race (two miles) is no exception to the {' rule. In fact, far better horses were I seen out after smaller stakes at the Hawke's Bay autumn meeting. Flingot is by no means a champion, yet he heads the list to-day> Still, taking a line through Player, he may be hard to beat in what is admittedly a weak held. Cloudy Dawn rah well at Ellerslie, but could hot extend Admiral Soult. Whci ther the latter is above the average is J doubtful. Sam Pan reads well enough in, but 10.2 is all that a hack deserves. Idealism is too uncertain to warrant j 1 support, but Aruake is an honest customer. Mescal's win in hack company at YV.'iin'ganui has gained him many admirers, but he will be up against somcihiJig more solid to-day. Aruake, Plingot and Mescal may be as fit as any of them to go a longjournov. A field of ■ twenty hi the W'hukatu 'irnck Hurdles (one mile and three-c|iuiitcrs) is more encouraging. Probably there is a champion amongst some ol the new onea. On form Parewanui looks to be. let in lightly, but Manitau ami Morecauibe are 1 good fencers, and several "probables" -'arc seen lower down the scale. The hack hurdle races at the meeting should provide good sport. The Hunt Club Steeplechase has been in the past a benefit for The Chief. The old fellow is in. again to-day, and if reserved has only ! to reproduce his fine form in the Ta- | maki Steeplechase at Ellerslie ;(when Jie j ran Rapid closely, and beat a hdt order ' in Vestal) to show the way to the hunters to-day. The .flat events are limited to two. Of these the Heretaunga Handicap (seven furlongs) has drawn no fewer than twenty-four fine response when only 150 sovs. arc dangled in front of the successful one. The race looks very open, and whatever wins should pay a price worth handling. Red Book, Fair Rosamond, Mount Victoria, Black Lupin, Kpworth and Redloh have been going well, and favoritism may be divided between Redloh, Red Book and Black Lupin. If Byron is started in the Ladies' Bracelet ',l3st Sllis may not freeze the public off him. Still, The Hague (who has been showing improved track form) and Settlor ;may keep the Awapuni horse quite busy enough.

CURRENT TOPICS. Coronetted died recently in Canterbury. The Chief has won 'the Hunt Cup Steeplechase four times at Hastings. „ At one stage of his career Carbine wok fifteen races on end! Jockey-trainer V. 1). Jones will ride Black Lupin in the Heretaunga Handicap.

Tiie successful hurdle 'imrseman, A. ,7. JH-'lynn, will pilot Arnakc and f.'onodolii v to-day. 'l'iie Grand National Hurdle Race winner, .Morning, is engaged in flat events at the Napier Park meeting . Only four more totalisator meetings remain, and then the season closes. Tiie meetings are the Hawke's Hay, Napier Park, Cisborne and Wellington. Lord Renown, who went wrong in the wind, is to be operated on before next ■season.

A Sydney paper reports that Gaelic broke a leg while contesting a steeplechase at Epsom- (Victoria) last month. The stewards "cut some iiV" on small courses! The owner of The Great Mogul found that out at Olaki when he was fined a tenner for bis behaviour to one of t'lieir number.

The llawkc's. Bay Steeplechase dates from 1579, and has been remarkable for some great weight-carrying feats by successful horses. Clarence won in 1883 with 12.12, and the next year scored .again with 13.2. Macaroni 12.1. Chemist 12.0, Norton 12.0 and Moifaa 13.(1 were other notable performers. Last year The Spaniard won with 9.7.