SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1915, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING H.VITUKS. •liii.v -I— ; Manawatti I limit Ktwp'.c. .Inly is—.l'ahiatua K.C. Anmai. July i!S--WaiiiiiiLi: Plain.; T C. July 2:l North Taranafi Hunt Steeple | Au-iist ID. 12 aiiil M -I'uiiU-rniirv Winter. TilK W.VI MAVK TROTS. On Wednesday nc.vt, owner.; of trotters will have ail opportunitv of showii'K their confidence in .tlm recently reformed Waiimitc. Iv.'n: Trotting Villi) by entering their horses for the various events set down for decision at the club's brst totalisator meeting, to be held on the llaweru Racecourse on July 2S. J lie club owes its present, position to the untiring efforts of a small hand of sportsmen, who have overcome all obstacles only after a strenuous struggle, and one lias only to -"lance at the' list of officials on the clrb's "programme to see that the light men are behind the movement to foster the sport of trotting in this province. The programme is made up of seven eVents, and the total prize money is .I*4-10. The events are as follow: Auroa Handicap, of 30 sovs, one nii'o and a half j Normanby Handicap, of 50 sovs, one mile and a distance; Waimats Plains Handicap, of 110 sovs, two miles; Farmers' Handicap, of 30 sovs, one mile and a half; Stratford Handicap, of SO sovs, one mile and a half; Manaia Handicap, of 50 sovs, ono mile and a quarter, and ITawera Handicap, of TO sovs, nne mile. 'L'ne handicapping is in the hands of ill'. Alie Shannon, and Mr. Aif. Morse will attend to the starting. The detailed programme will be found in another colunii:. Tnti' 1 TOT'ICS. • (lly Moturoa.) I Although the New Zealand Cup does not come lip for decision until November next, the appearance of nominations always causes a slight stir in the sporting world, and the field of possibilities opened up affords food for sacculation as to likely weights, starters, favorites, etc., and, incidentally, another fine opportunity for the '' Ear Xodings" to fleece a more or lose foolish band of ante-post plungers. Weights are not due until the .X-ational meeting is a thing of the past, but before the ink is rcaliv dry on the entry fonns the countryside is scattered with " charts " of all description. Fabulous odds might lie expected at this stage of proceedings. but a glance at {lie quotations quickly dispels that idea. It would be interesting to know how the layers arrive at their- assessment of horses' chances in a race four months oil'. Of course, these are only sent out as " feelers.'" Moneu talks—in the long run, but the bookmakers' favorites at present have little to warrant their positions on the charts. Probably the short-priced ones of to-day will be the, long-priced one of to-morrow. Xew favorites—like new prophets, Keystone comics and other things—arise from time to time. In roll the shekels for every .fresh fancy, and llwy Seldompay beams over everything, bis bag abulge with the hard-earned coin of so-called " sports," who have not got the brains to see that they are being taken down. Warstep is the short-priced one on most charts, but Bonny Helen, Colonel Soult, Indigo, Multiply. Pavlova, Rewi Poto, Rinaldo and Sea Tin!; are tripping on the first-named mare's heels. Mr. MeShortodds Is taking co risks!

The firry noises entered for the Cup include most of our best distance hor»w, liut there are notable exceptions. Balboa is an absentee, and it is a strange year when the Hon. J. D. Ormond and Messrs. T. H. Cowry, W. G. Stead, <l. 1.. Stead and " Mr. Highden " have not a horse worth catering. Taranaki-»w*ed horses include Bonny Helen, Sunbird, Lord Multifid, Bowi Poto and Maniaroa, and the Jbest of that lot, it may be Sunbird, should command respect. Ratlifaniham, who won " the Victoria Racing Club's (J rand National Hurdle Handicap on Saturday, ie by Positana —Rattler, a sister to Seahorse, by Nelson —lloonga, by Goldsbrough— Kernel, by Angler—Cocoasut; so that ho ranks as a half-brother to Nautiform, and Vivo-Admiral, who numbers the New Zealand Cup among his successes. Rathfarnham was bred by Mr. Sol Oeen at the 'Shipley Stud, and was sold as a yearling to llr. T. J. Loughlin for 220 guineas. Caulfield Cup weights show the " set" some "Stralian handicaippers have got on Lord Multifid. Reputation has 8.8, aad Mr. J. Hawkiii's colt 8.0. That is load enough, but when one strikes 'Bon Ton S.O and Cherubini 7.12 it is time to take some sal volatile. Again, in the Epsom Handicap, #ne mile, Lord Multifid Is set to give Colonel Soult 21b! Could anything be more ridiculous? Arunke s>as been leaping the big felloes at Wauganui in good style recently, but at no considerable pace, and Walter Raynei's idol may not do so well When bustled over a long journey. Jn addition. Aruake lias an ugly knee. All Auckland illustrated paper publishes a photograph of the racehorse ' Mummer indulging in his morning pint of ale outside a I hist ill-:, hotel. 11 seeri-i a terrible waste o!' good "jeer. one of the tale told concerning' a <!o\vn-the-liue lior-e that was r.lw> ; " jrUvsi y'nl of .ha npagn? before -1 ;■ rtil!lv in a nov. 'I ne trainer. at - r iv,l willi lb- bottle "it'eiy. Imt t' 1,, Il] ti.ji reckoned it wa.- a 1,, v --' ie . o'o.i -tisir ..i! a ik- homo --..i-kiv j \ " ;» \; In 1 rule oil !•<' v , • |- marked: "'lt, v.iil do mo than -Id I'ei-a-us" Ui hor e jn-', -on afte;- a ; :I;- . and lh" ! re."-s - .'d U'-:-.'- ,■ ~ v vo.'.e vi " ea.l v;;;i ■ i