SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 38, 4 July 1914, Page 7

SPORTING.

PRINCE OF WALES STAKES; By Cable--Press Association —Copyright London, July 3. The Princess of W T ales' Stakes resulted: The Curragh 1, Brakespear (owned by King George) 2, White Prophet 3. NOTES BY "MOTUROA." June 4—Gisborne R.C. Winter. July 15, 18— Wellington R.C. Winter. August 11, 13, lo.—Canterbury J.C. National. HUNT OLUBS.

Next month representatives; of various hunt clubs will meet in Wellington to wait on the Premier and place before him various reasons why their gatherings should lie favored 1 with, totalisator permits. The Hon. W. Massey, speaking at Palmerston recently, gave hunt, clubs some hope, and later on the member for Patcsi", Mr G. Pearee, expreyed the opinion that while he did not favor an increase in tote permits to country clubs he was in favor of these privileges being extended to hunt clubs. This scribe takes the risk of being called u "ki]l-»port" in stating his opinion (and most racing men hold the same views) that hunt clubs should not be granted totali&atar permits! It is argued that hunting has been responsible for presenting the turf with most of our great steeplechasers and hurdle horses, which, on the face of a list published in the News of Thursday last, cannot be denied. But whether such horses as Moifaa, Kiatere, Antarctic, G'lenmore and dozens of lothers would not have found their way to the racecourse without preliminary training in the hunting field is a moot point. The chances are that they would have done so anyhow. It has alvraye been a pleasure to look back on hunt club race meetings as really sporting gatherings, with stakes infinitesmal and the betting element practically nil. Apparently the hunt clubs l wish to turn their meetings into Straight-out gmmlijing concerns and practically blot out the good old sporting atmosphere. And why shouf.d they? Surely the country clubs, whose racecourse* are now practically white elephants, deserve more consideration. There will only be a few extra permits—if any —doled out this •nession, and clubs which were slaughtered when ''kill-joys" momentarily influenced M.P.'s have the prior claim. Gome to think of it, the regular racing clubs treat 'lie hunt clubs very rea'sonab'y in granting the use of their fine courses and appointments once a year.

This scribe favors the idea that the hunt clubs should be better supported; but in a different way. As bodies which encourage tlie breeding of a -stout class of horse, and the most useful from: a military point of view, these clubs deserve substantial support from the Government, and racing clubs miglit easily fulfil their obligations by placing hunters' events on the programmes for all meetings held between May 1 and October 1. For instance the Egmont winter meeting might be greatly improved by the placing of one .pen steeplechase and one race of the same kind (open to backs and hunters only) on each day of their winter meeting. The Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury clubs have done their duly in the past, and there is no reason why other clubs racing I'uring the winter months should not be cempe.i-d to do likewise. That, seems the true solution of a knotty problem, but to turn hunt elu'b gatherings into regular race meetings scorns quite wrong.

Ct-BPENT TOPICS. Concluding day at t!i--borne. N.Z. Cup "entries clo-c-d iast evening. liuupani broke his "duck" on Thursday. Sapper Tandy broke his "nappcv"' the fame (lav. Darby' Paul and Knrnalpi have gone to Wansanni f-r selrool'iig. Sandv'l'aul was not entered for the Crand National il.irdle Pace. All the "good tilings"-!.'rev. King. Chortle. Itaup.ini and Tatinii, won on riiiirsday. Came was going well when he fell in the Cishonie Steeple, but the shorter distar.ee may suit him bettor to-day, Mistic. who was just blown out. in the Hying Handicap, in a fairly eniart horse and should win shortlv. Pearv. Darbv Paul and Kufl'v have been entered fur the two National and Lennta and Royal Ann,, for tieWinter Cup and Hurdles. Plaver has been given the steadier i.i l'ist 131b in the Cislmmo third!.-, but he is in a class of his own. £OlllO of his li.iililly-weighl.-d opponentcouldn't will if thev onlv had "pimple ■" on their backs!

At the of Hie season nr.ltcrs looked blue' for the <irand Nationals, bill tin t'lifvii's arc as bit; as ever, and Ibeir should be vnne line raciii-: at l!iu;>.rlon in August.

Peary. IVreola. (ilcninore. The Spanianl. .lacUiiiiii and Exotic remvv.it rpialitv in tin- (Irand National Si"i>i:l<> chase.' an.! Ilic llnr.lli' Tlaae will ]>rr.bal.lv mv •:.«,.,! ~,,-.s like 'IV 0,,-,,. Moh>iii ? ' F-n i Prin-o. Goodwin Par!;. N>>tinianni. P. ary. Ilivy Kin;/ ami Player under '.ilk. Tlii> lot cuniabi, in ■■-;'iil<.." 'l'lic .r,,u-.l b-liiml Maniian fanei-l

the ncir-'- chance ai lla-line.- as she hail been in.inline v. rv «;1! in i>rivate. lb, (he lirsf da- :.lic did not ■jet a eb.ir viuv or tiie lir-i hurdle and -!)-.i-l-- b-avilv. and •-!„. \va< tin. lame lu la t e-nin nl Ibe merlins.'. Tli- <.„naiiilce <if (!■<■ lv.;iiiont-Wa!i--amii llrnl ( !',b inieiid ai!|.lviii" lor H.e da 1 ■■Mrrm lb;. ; v ,-(i ,b\ : > of lb, Win-'-ii ■'■" l; i".' .'li-.'-i -prine- im-"t----ili;;. lie-- I 'll, v." ■n <r ill I lie footsteps 01 (lie Wan;;. ,uii 'JTottin<; Cliili. It, was