SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 229, 6 March 1915, Page 7

SPORTING.

FIXTURES. March 10, 11 —Xelson J.C. Annual. March 12, 13—Napier Park R.C. Autumn March 17 —Opunake K.t'. Annual. March IH, I!l —Mastcrtoii I'.C. Autumn. March '24, 25—Rangitikei li.C. Annual. THE OI'UXAK 15 MEETiXG. A final reminder is given i<> hor~c(.win rs anil trainers that acceptances and general entries for the Opunake Racing Ciub's animal meeting, to be held on March 17, close to-day, (Saturday), at. f> p.m. (lood staked and satisfactory handicapping merit a generous response fioni tliose irtterested, and Secretary I'. S Riley (P. 0., Pihama), should he a iiusy ■ll.lll this afternoon. TURF TOPICS. (By ''Moturoa.") Ascalon's brace of victories it the Dannevirke meeting, together with a win at Woodville, brought a fair amount of money to Taranaki punters, and must have caused considerable pleasure to the horse's owner, Mr P. W. Scally, who has shown great patience with his veteran hurdler. Asealon has shaped most consistently this season, being placed at Hawera and New Plymouth, and the vie tories were well deserved. .Merry Guy, on Taranaki form, appeared to have a pull in the weights over Asealon on Wednesday, and his defeat was put down to interference through horses falling in the race. "However, Thursday's running shows that Asealon is a much better horse than most people imagine, and the J|ity of it is that he was not given a ■jUguVniiganui last week Asealon, if ■HMpfrill be required to put up 171!,5. Pippßy' in the Hurdles at Opunake, Mffaging his weight up to 11.5. ConsWWWtff that he won with 10.11 at Dannevirke this may not stop him on the 17th inst.

Sunbird was heavily backed each day at Dannevirke, and ran two fine races. It is the opinion of several who saw the race that the Fordell nag was made too much of i n the Dannevirke Cup, but the distance may have troubled her, The Autumn Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter on tile second day, saw her score easily. She won throe races last season for the local sportsman, Mr A. Alexander, and promises to turn out rather more than useful over a distance this season. Quite a number of horses that have been threatening to win a race for a long time had their numbers hoisted this week. Want won a double, the first win for Sir James Carroll, the writer believer, sirce the Penury colt wo n the .Maiden at Awapuni in April last," In that race it will be remembered he downed Encore and a big field, but his subsequent displays were far from promising. Mr E. J. Watt scored with flic All Bla-k pair, Dribble and Black AH. The latter was one of the early New Zealand Cup favorites last year, but he is much below Cup form. Deeley further added to his huge total of winning rides by six victories at Dannevirke. On Wednesday he was successful on Multiply, Multiplicity and \vant (twice), and on the second dav he

M-nred on Loreto and Melodist. 'Tiie jockey's list looks like a case of Deeley first and the rest nowhere!

The racehorses Bercola and Toa Tcre were shipped to Sydney fro"i Wellington last Friday. The pair were in charge of R. Percival, but J. Fryer will go over ir a few weeks to superintend Bercola's preparation.

Expect is rapidly getting into shape at Awapuni, and will probably be back to his best form for the Easter meetings. Another in the same stable, Garance. has been taken up again after a long spell, and appears to have got over the lameness which troubled him last season.

Rereliau recently changed hands at .10ft guineas, which seems a fair figure. Master Lupin and Tree Lucerne, winners of the Wanganui "double,' - are tvo prod advertisements for the Government sire Lupin. Little Harold Young lias ridden thrcv Cup winners this season—Pavlova in the Wellington Cup; Sir Alba in the Woodvil'e Cup; and Master Lupin in the Watiganui Cup. All paid good prices, and owed their victory mainly to Young's fine riding.

The Wanganui Jockey Club was vie

timised for about £l7O through forgrd totalisator tickets. Master l.upin was the one sorted out for the "take down," and despite the fact that the forged tickets were smaller, printed badly, airl on thinner paper, the swindle worked without a hitcli. The same game was worked at Pahiatua, but an ui tempt to take down the Dannevirkn Club failed. It is to he hoped-the gang operating .it these meetings will be quickly run to earth.

i WESTPORT TOTALISATOR PERMIT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, March 4. The Westport Jockey Club met tonight to see what action should he taken in seeking to recover the totalisator permit, which was taken away a few years back, when the number of totalisator permits wa,s reduced. Speakers pointed out that Westport was very harshly dealt with, as, owing to its isolated position, local liorseowners could not very well be represented at any race meeting, and it was decided to see the Borough Council, with a view to getting a reserve on the beach, and, provided a permit is obtained, to have a new track formed there.