SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 275, 30 April 1915, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") The Hawke's Bay autumn meeting—one of the oldest autumn race gatherings held in the Dominion—opens to-day, and ■will be concluded to-morrow. The first day's acceptances are very numerous, and amongst the horses engaged are Desert Gold, Astcrias, Rangitero, Chortle Croesus, Downham, Multiply, Mummer, and other noted performers. The meeting should he productive fi interesting racing. To-day's sport opens with the Hack Hurdles." Eleven are carded, but possibly Birkful (who is rehandicapped at 10.7 for winning at Awapuni) may frighten out some of the opposition. Twenty-seven figure in the Maiden, but Depredation is not eligible to start, having won at Palmerston recently. With a fair run, Hyettussa, Nocturnal, and Finisterre should give a good account of themselves.

Desert Gold has a big load in the Nursery Handicap, but is such a good one that she will be well backed if started. Possibly she may be reserved for the more- heavily endowed Hawke's Bay Stakes on Saturday. The others are a fair crowd and include llangitero 5.7 and Eligible, the latter having 8.!) as the result of winning at Trentham. Croesus is in the boom for the Porangaliau Handicap, and will caryy 8.13. Another of the rehandicapped division in the shape of Tete-a-tete 8.0 should be handy over six and a-lialf furlongs. Emperador, Leonta, and Sir Alba have been scratched for the Hawke's Bay Cup, but with Balboa, Chortle, Mummer, and Indigo engaged a good race should result. Mummer carries 7.13.

Flingot is likely to carry a lot of money in the Iv.iramu Hurdles, but Vi has only to run up'to her Fcilding form to trouble the best of them. Bollin and Appin are reported to be backward in condition.

It is certain that a very big field will contest the Poukawa Hack Handicap, nineteen still holding their ground. If Dinner Gong was a better beginner the public would not have far to go to find a favorite, but Marimba, Sea Lord, and Irish Fusilier can all go pretty fast. The race looks open. Mummer lias ».7 in the Autumn Handicap, and if reserved will come in for solid support. Red Book and George lire also well treated, lianksia has been withdrawn.

Taranaki is not strongly represented at the meeting, several owners overlooking acceptance night. However, Maniavoa will probably lie on hand to eontest the distance events, and, being on to improve, may show up well. The Taranaki Cup winner, Phosphorus, has won over .Cl'iilO in place money this season.

Toreador, with A. Julian as mentor, is fencing well at F.llerslie. Bercola, who needs a spell anyway, is a notable absentee from the YVanganui Steeples entries. lien Dceley has ridden S3 winners this season, and' with three months still to go looks a moral to boat Charlie Jenkins' record of SS firsts for one season.

It is estimated that the four racing clubs in Auckland will have paid an aggregate of about .C2:i,0()0 in Government Tax by the time the season closes. Already the Auckland Racing Club has contributed well over a thousand pounds. Vet the "kill sports'' reckon that horse raoing should not go on during the war!