SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 190, 20 January 1915, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (liy ••Moturoa.") The Wellington Racing Club ? s summer meeting ojiens to-day, and will be continued on Friday and Saturday. Fields promise to be fairly large, and. as most of the horses have recovered from the eli'ects of severe racing at New Year tin.' sport should be excellent. A fair number of Taranitki sports havu gone through to Wellington, but Taranaki staldes are poorly represented at such an important meeting, Crown Pearl, Glenroy and Play Off being the only ones engaged on the first day. Tln> programme opens with the Trentliiini Welter (one mile), seven only lit ing carded. Jem is likely to start favorite, being a most consistent performer. and Fashion Plate is likely to be well supported. Klevon figure in the Nursery Haiidi- j cap (five furlongs), Marco Bello has been shoeing fine form on the tracks,

end is likely to give the best of the ■NiuthcniH's, Nones and Down, a good go. The Anniversary Welter (one mile), I as only drawn ten horses, and possibly scratchings may further reduce the lielil. St. Elmn, if started, may be the public's choice, though Austin will not lack supporters. If Croesus does not frighten them all imt of the Trial Plate (seven furlougsi. a fair cross'd should go to the l'c,.»t Croi sus carries 7.4. and lins I'd n making a hack of Bimetcr on the tracks. Camulus, Arlington and Bold Stroke can all gallop, but it is hard to see what chance they can have if the favorite is caught in a galloping mood. Tlie Wellington Cup (II miles) may attract a dozen runners, and the issue looks fairly open. Indigo is a proitouncodj favorite, and is remarkably "well treated with 7.1: i A correspondent (who has been sleeping under a hedge' at Tivntham for the past week) tenders the information that Indigo is a stone better horse than when he dead-heated for first place with Warstep in the New Zealand Cup, If anything upsets the | hotstuff it may be Pavlova or Ivilrain. Bi the latter ran well at Asvapuai, Kilrain was finishing very fast at nd of the Jlanawtau Cup. That however, was a slow run event, may not be such a good guide as

npears on paper. , >)f the fourteen in the Ruapehu Handicap (six furlongs) nothing stands out more prominently than Cold Soult and .Miraculous. They are not a very -elect, crowd

Last year only five horses went to the post for the Waterloo Stakes (one iiiilei. and the field will not be much better to-day. What it lacks in numbers. however, is more than recompensed for in quality. A meeting between Autumnus, Mary Eoe and Emperador at weight-for-age should prtfve interesting. Autumnus was beaten out of a place last year with 9st up, and appears to have a big task in front of liiui to carry 10.2 to-day. Merry Eoe, on her Islington Plat,; form, reads well. It will be remembered that she beat Warstep over a mile at level weights in l.:ifl. and that time would win anywhere.

The day's racing closes with the Telegraph Handicap (six furlongs), the second "leg" of tlie double. Punters are set a hard task here, though Downham and Beldame may be the best backed ones. Gladiole was probably never better, and Play Off, Bimeter and Iliad's Hero may all have to be reckoned with. It is a very open event. An exchange reports the death at Nel->-011 of the stallion Alalia ranui, wellknown a few years back on TaTannki courses. Maharanui had a leg broken as the result of a kick, and the friendly bulliit terminated his career.

The amount of Government tax paid over the Taranaki Christmas meeting was £82(1. The Stratford Club helped Bill Massey's surplus with £B6O. And some people talk of wiping horse-racing out!

Mahlstiek is schooled over fences and jumps fairly well The Bonibardo gelding, Sea Plane, who has a big private reputation, is suffering from a bruised foot and will not be seen out at Foxton. Boil Ton won the 'Waterloo Stakes at Trenthain last January and has done no good since. St. Gate could not start at the Marion meeting owing to an injured knee. Mr Tuck's hurdler is now in steady work in view of Egmont engagements. What weight will Di Gama get in the Taranaki Cup? This is a question which i-i troubling many punters. The Whangaivi meeting held a couple of weeks ago Mould pan out disastrously for the club. The tote turnover slumped more than 2~> per cent., and the attendance was very poor. Postillion is as fast as ever on the tracks, but appears to have turned cunning. and at Ellerslu- the other day ran his races in patches. Weights for Taranaki and Egmont meetings will be declared on Saturday.