SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 7 November 1914, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Nov. 7 —Auckland R.O. Spritg. Nov. 7, 9, 11, 14--Canturbury J. 0. Metropolitan. Nov. 18, 10—Marlborough R.C. Spring. Nov. 2j, 28—Takapuna J.C. Spring. Nov. 28, o'O— Feildiiig J.C. Spring.

Notes by "Moturoa" XEIW ZKALANI) CI!!' MEETIXG. The Canterbury Joekey Club's Metro'politan meeting, which opens to-day, sots the ball rolling in what is know* f s Carnival Wcclc m Christchurch. There will be racing to-day, and on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday of next week. Trotting will rage on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and in addition there will bo the usual Show, yearling Kales, etc., etc. For eight days, Sport reign? supreme. To-day is Xi'w Zealand Cup day. It is to be regretted that the field for the two miles handicap is numerically and physically weak. Ten horse* only remain io do battle for a two thousand pounds stake, and of these, two at least can have no show. The following are likely starters, .with their riders and weights:— Kilrain (L. Wilson) .. .. 0.0 tVa I'ink (K. Berry) .. .. 8.2 Kooya (W. Bell) " 8.0 La Keina (,). Buchanan) .. 7.12 Labour Day (0. Emmerson 1 - .. 7.U Warstep O'Shea) ~ .. 7.11 Multiply (B. Deelcy) .. .. 7.9. Indigo (W 8lowe) .. .. G. 12 Guiding Way (A. Reed) .. (l.fl Bongaiirrc (11. Reed) .. .. 6.7

The top-weight. Kilrain, can hardly be forward enough to sec the journey out with list, Sea Pink ran- second with 7.3 last year, and a rise of rßlbs should not trouble him much now. The fact that he Ims only won one race ("the Auckland K.C. Handicap one mile and a halfl, m Hie meantime, may deter some punters, but oh that occasion he tarried i.l and won nicely in 2.34. He has come through a solid preparation, and as the- representative of the lucky Watt stable must be kept in mind. " Then comes Kooya, 8.0.--winner of many Cups, including the Woodville Cup, Dannevii-jce Cup, and Hawke's Bay Cup (one mile and a half). Sac is very fit nt present, as her running at Trentham proved, and the longer distance at Ricrr.rton will be all in her favour. La Eeina is greatly fancied in the Korth, but bhe is getting ancient now, and her running in last vcar'.\ Cup suggested that she was on'the down grade. Labour Day put up a slashing' performance at Tastings, when she de- ■ feated Expect over a mile and a quarter, but the extra six furlongs may find her out to-day. Warstep is galloping brilliantly at present, and judging by her three-year-old form she is a mare (hat will not he troubled by the distance. With 8.3 in the saddle she ran a mile and a half in 2.38 last Saturday, and she must run well with 7.1). Multiply has yet to prove himself over a distance .of ground, but Indigo is a lightweight that promises to stay on. Guiding Way and Koni'alvre have only rough chances. fnoiiL'h the former finished just outside a ' place m the Auckland Cup won by Sir Folo. Performances are not even-thing, horse- i manship counting for much in a twomile race, but Warstep. Kooya and Sea I Pink are well served in the latter res-pect, and may he favoured in that order. I

Thf St<'\v.ir.l's llnnd/cap (six fur-lonp-s), will brieg together umim irrnii sprinters, :ukl :i -I.iuttli> roval" between Warstcp Postillion, Chortle. biiA the best of the ii-htweights- (pso'otiblv Downliam. Bertradc and 8e... a'iioiild lie worth watching. \*«t that the race is a spectafeular event, a "straight-awny" ce.urse robbing the public of a view of the runners' positions for otiite twothird', of the distance. Still, there is something thrilling about the uncertainty of it all, and speculation runs rife until the horses dash into view, and strain on in a maddening rush to the judge's box. Hiding engagements reported are:—M«>m- Roc' .'Buchanan). ! Postillion (0. Price). Chortle (Ollivcv), first (llancc (Wormaid), Chudie O'ricklebm':), Sauei (Doeley), Ruapani (F. Porter). Downliam (Berry), Mariius (L. Wilson). Obsono (K K. Jones), Sir Moseloy (W'.Price), Blue Lake (T. Pritthard), Bertrada (Bell), Peg (Campbell), Birneter (C. Emerson), Vocation (Manson). Vanquish (R. Reed), Suratura (E. Walsh), and Chalcwana.(A. Reed).

The top-weights have been getting through line work at headquarters, and iHough in the past lightweights have had most to y,iy in the decision of ihe Stewards' Handicap it seems probable that ti»e "big guns" will be hnrd to b.at to-day. Chortle is breaking walclies .ill Ihe time, and Hastings tout-- calmly 'lssm-e us' tlv.it he lias "carved it out in 1.12'/,." Merry Hoe is Janotlier that is 'well up to o.l—a wcigiit, never before carried to the front in this race. "Still, it lias to start some time," her backers say. The favourites to-day mi'.Y be ('lwUe. Bet

and Merry Roe. If anything upsets the field it may lie Downliam. The minor events have ail tilled well, (ileiiorc'iy may carry the "heads"' money in the Spring Hurdles; Birki'iil and Keno its the Riccarton Well or; Ardent and Stcimieil in the l.inwood Ifandica'p; and llingform in the Kpritie Plate. The Welcome Stakes will «v punters going iitrongly for Battle Kve. On .Monday next the IWbv i- the chief event, and the Metropolian; Hanliicap (IV. miles) ".'ill also ei-jase attention. Wednesday is Camerbiny Cnn and Oaks day, and on Sutrrdav <>hicl' :nteiTst. centres on the St<>lf" MeM<.,rk\! 'up (I'/, mile?).

Tin; aickum! iiKi'n.vi:. The Jtojri -nil be unfurled attain :tt today, when- ihe A.K.C. snriiijj liiwtinij'will ran to a tiuish. Aen-p----taui't's are mop- miru-roiM than on Weduostiay. and winners loot hard to picL The, public may go for imidsize'a:-.J Prince Merriv.eo in tin; Kin? Kdv.-n"d Handicap (I'/, miles): Anna in tli.: Musket Stakc-i; anil Admiral .Soiilt m thfi llin-dlosi. Kit.lv Bel-airs looks nicely treated in tin- (iorrt-.m lliMid'eiip and may strike ehiet from Christmas Hu-o. Mulli injur lia-< no!!i----iiif,' io complain of in the Kpsom, and Patronale is also well in. !!' reserved, Katana may run well in i.lic .Welter; and 1-Vncr. who i.s emjaceil in the N'ormanby Handicap, may ran will forward.