SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 49, 18 July 1914, Page 7

SPORTING.

JIACIM. HX'JT/KES. [Tuly KS-Wiliington B.C. Winter. .{August 11, lit. l.j -Canterbury •!. C. National. cumim; events. August 11 -<.: and National Stccplc-ha-August 11-Winter tup. August 13— drawl National Hurdle }\n- ,-. NOTES i:v •• AIOTfKi'iA." THE WELI.IXCTOX STEEPLE. Last Wetlm- day's contest for the Wellington Steplcchasc was, in spite of ■? bi-avy track, a splendid one. Of the eighteen acceptors seventeen went to the post, which Is a record for the hi? Wellington event, and a field which is seldom seen m New Zealand. In heavy gong one would hardly go nap on topWeights, but when the" totalisators had closed their hungry mouths on eou-taet streams of money it was found that Peary was a pronounced favorite, ami 80-cola. Captain Jack, Ruffy, Jackman and Tim Doolan were fancied in that order. Sir Lethe. Grit Lawles* and leolanter were the outsiders. Sir Lethe. as usual, set the pace, and as lie jump' 1 the post and rails his nearest attendants ivere Leolanter. Waterworks and Captain Jack. Rufly ran oil and put his back'T out i,f misery. Passing the stand Bir Lethe was well in front of Jackman. fend most prominent of the other*, wet•■• Leolanter. Captain Jack. Rapid ami Te (JThetu. Bercola and Peary were well Op. but The Spaniard and Antarctic ■Were a long way back. At the end of ft mile Captain Jack ran past Jackman: ■ml from that onwards Sir Lethe. Capjtain Jack and Jackman set too warm C pace for the "cracks/' The second time past the stand saw Sir Lethe, jumping finely, leading Captain Jack and JTa-kman. and close up were Leolanter, Kapd and Peary. The latter was going well at this stage and gaining slow'y. The Spaniard was also going better, but he was so far from the leader sthat » ■ - Chance appeared hopeless. The issw then looked very open. Sir Lethe, who was in front, was expected to stop at the end of two and a-half miles, and Captain ffack. Jackman and Peary looked to have winning chances. Then Peary Struck heavily and could not go on with It. And, in the rear, Sportsman and Antarctic fell heavily, the latter breaking the only neck he Had on him at the jtime. Sir Lethe shortly after began to fly signals of distress", and Captain Jack sailed past him at the five furlong post. Jackman then came fast, but the hunter, which everyone reckoned Iniglit be troubled by the pace, finished strongly, and, leaping the remaining ft'■tacles cleanly, ran in a winner by haif-1-do/en lengths from the Wanganui Steeplechase winner. Jackman. Sir Lethe struggled on gamely and gained third place, a similar distance behind trackman, and then came Siker Moaardi. The Spaniard and Bercola. Peary Bid not finish. That the best horse won was certain. but Jackman and Sir Lethe de-(-rve i llir;'-iire of praise fur their fire perb-rr.-i----ftnees. The jumping of the plated division was a tr.at to witness. UnU' ' • Struck, Peary v, ; >, gojig as v., il ;■ :. : - huge army of supporters could <:>''. Wished, blit it i- doubtful wlieth. . •:•• Could have been nearer than third in ' fin)thing gone right. Silver Monarch ran a good ra.-e. but Benola. v'.os.. party were \vr_. sanguine, it might ■ ■nentioncd. gave a lifeless display. "i''ie . gallop may improve him. and it may be I a very different horse that strips at I Biecarton next month. The Spaniard j Was ridden a queer race, but the posi- j lion he occupied at the finish is one ] •forth keeping in mind when wcighin,; Grand National possibilities. The time. 6min SS 2-3soc„ was a record for the Course. CURRENT TOPICS. Concluding day at Trenthani. Shaki was the only favorite to s,- e on Wednesday. Commotion paid a fine price in the. Parliamentary Handicap. Bluestone ran himself out on Wednesday, but he hasn't so far to travel today. When Knniki's dividend came through the Wanganui Bar Vons fell on the pave•tint and took the count! Ruatangata. Bonny and George were Warm first favorites t'fat 'blew'* by uarfow margins at Trenthani. All the "heads'' went for Immensity ©n Wednesday, and the daughter of ifnltifid gathered in the Winter Hi:rdies verv easily. For tlie first time over sticks Roal iAniis ran a great race. IJe was always with the lenders and only -tru-k bi« colors to a more o\ncrienf-"d hii:-I!or. and a go.„l ~ne at that. Jo.-ki-y C. Jenkins bad a c.uiple ~f ride- on the opening dav at Trenthaai and steered Te Op'ai into third place in the Trial Handicap in bis old style. There was lon-idcralde merit in PoiIraitlire'-, victory in the Parliamentary Handicap. The Palinerston horse responded gamely when Olliver called on bim in the straight, and he quickly settled Rluestone and Pnrsefiilcr. and ~j:i ««si!y. < heddar made a promising debut over the small sticks when he ran third in the Vittoria Hurdle Rare. He j-imp-d fairly well, and between the fences -bowed a lot of pace, but the distance itwo ■nib -i beat him badly. Over shorter Co'ii -es he will take some beating. A month h:i'k we mw Parewanui Stopping to a walk at the end of a mije and a-half. but the Advance gelding managed to run out a couple of miles on Wednesday and j«ist lasted long enough to h. at the scalding hot ord, r in RuntaiiLiita. The la!tot was flying at th* finish, hut his run (like the soldier's pardon and the man who mi—cd the T)Usi came too late.

A'ceptance- for to-day's raws are laiilv good, and should he.-r> punters fcii.-y. Ruatangata fif started., <;!.-,ibl'ih. and Cheddar will have heaps of friends in the Corunna llur.il.-. <o-r----bf-rga and K.-w arc well treated in ■•-..• On-low Handi.-ap. the latter p.vth ularly. A wry ordinary lot figur.- in the Tin ■: Steeple, including Inti'iiken b-r and Kor; hern-two fair jumper-, l.eor.'-. Tn Kluke and Hi-.. Par!, niav .any the money in the Croftnn Handicap. .M.>-i bf the "rra.'ks"' are i:ii—inir from the fjlllv Steeple-ha-e. ai.d the d-t.llle ihnnld -nit <ir T..-the better than o-i the first da.. P.-ary and finny will also cany aht of punters' h 0:..-. An interesting feature will be the r.-app-.i:-tnc- of old I'aritiitu under «i!!.\ ''an Jir- . ome 1.a.-k? 1 .'.onlit it v.-rv rr.u- 'i. Th" Winter Oats, one mil.-, will see »oiiie fin.- !;..i—-s measuring stiih -. and a meeting b.-tue.-ii Tllue-tone. Kamki ■ lid Haskauie over that di-tar . givenroinis.- of a spirited ennt.-f. The Tina: Hurdle Tlaoo looks -.,. open ft, the Winter Hurdle- did on I'••• fir-t Hav. linnnn-itv lias n„ n r up }<;] ... ail „ f ',haf .r'V,.:,:,- i, 1„..k- a.- -.M- <■: Roval Arm- Vatir.7 h.r. How. .... V r . 3. Ccorgo ha- -cr.itcin-.l hi- '■■ ■-. - > t l,e i-sii- l.e.ks more open. Ii ■cn .' j« jure to have many !•>))>■•:■ '- v>] Place;- and V'.u.i.nl q null ;v> • ;•!-.. ' in d'ir.niid. It is hard <<> gauge the li-wl- •!'« - |n tW Kin Ora Htiniii.an. hu : - |T>org> ami Hip' Pare may .-!.?' av:-:-ftism.