SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1915, Page 8

SPORTING.

NEW ZEALAND METROPOLITAN TROTS. (i f>y Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The weather conditions were decidedly unpleasant to-day, when the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's August meeting was continued. Light showers in the early morning developed into a steady rain'by the time racing commenced, and the track quickly became very heaw. Results: IMPROVERS'' HANDICAP (saddle), two miles.—7 Parkfield 12sec 1, Chub fisec 2, 13 Havana (isec 3. Also started: !) Bushranger, 1"> Mayflower, 14 Bow Bells, 21 Te Kuiti, 10 Arcadian, 3 Alber. toria, 12 Ciss Vivian, 4 King V., (! Mushroom, Rotlibiiry, 5 Matilda, and 8 Ohapi. Won bv a lencth. Time. amin. TRIAL HANDICAP (harness), one mile and a-half—3 O.f.C. 7»cc 1, 13 Lady Rattoo 7sec 2, 7 Drum Major Usee 1 Also started: 17 St, Swithin, 4 Prince Berlin, 12 Succeed, H Cello Sydney Wilkes, 1(1 Promotion, Ij Flake Cut, S Soda, 12 Waterlog, 11 Icicle, (j Ariadne, 7 Law Chimes, 0 Specification .Junior, 10 Kokemoor, 10 Annie Dillon, 2 Lindctta, and a Celtic. Won by a length. Drum Major was half a length away, third. Time, 3min fiascc.

KING GEORGE HANDICAP (harness) two miles.—« Sherwood" Gsec 1, 2 Fashionwood ssec 2, 4 Frandoeia 4sec 3. Also started: 9 Denver Huon, 11 Lovelock, 10 St. Kevin, 2 Jewel Chimes (coupled with Fashionwood), 7 Sand Drift, Little Tib, 3 Edith A., 5 Stanley's Child, and I Queen's Drive. Won by four lengths. •JScmdoeia, who made up a lot of ground over fe'ia last half-mile, was twelve lengths arrav. Time, smin SJsec. LINCOLN" HANDITA-V Csaddle), two miles.—3 Gcorgehard 16aec ], !'.' Doris Wilkes 13 sec 2. 1 Treasure Seeker 9scc 3. Also started; in 'Prin'c Rufus, 2 The Bronzcwing, 4 Wallace Junior, 8 Ngnrnima, 9 Caledon, 5 rice Whiz, and (1 Gold Drift. Time, smin 4 3-ssec, INTERNATIONAL HANDICAP (harI ness), one mile and a-quarter.—2 Adonis 4eec 1, 1 o Eccentric lsec'2, 7 Win Rood 3. Also started: 8 Dillon Bell, 1 3 Mountain Rose, 4 Little Tib. and 6 Andy Regan. Adonis got up in time to win by half a length, Win Soon ten lengths back. Time, 3min, 5 l-ssec. AVON HANDICAP (harness), two miles.—l Galician 14sec 1, 2 Imperial Crown 14sec 2, 0 Clive 3. Also started: 5 Electrocute, 7 Michael Galindo, 9 Lord Roanchild, 10 Albertorious, 4 Mystic 3 Truganini, and S Parole Belaires. Won bv three lengths. Time.'Smin 17 2-ssee. 'TELEGRAPH HANDICAP (harness), one mile.—l False Alarm 2see I, 14 Prince Poole 2sec 2, S Dot Robbins 2sec 3, Also started: C Goldwood. 0 Ringana, 10 Blackness, 11 Lady Thcckla, 7 Blaekcliild Boy, 5 The Whip, 3 Desdemona, and 2 Bacchus. Won comfortably. Time, 2min 3 2-osec. DASH HANDICAP (saddle), one mile. —Jack Ashore 2sec 1, Hamapuka 2sec 2, ' Bright Alice 4see 3.. Also started: Bell Metal, Bellis, Tommy C, Clingschild, Franzalena, Pakalui, Bonny Jenny, Barmagitie, Dalwhinnie, Advocate, Franz Josef, Timepiece, Rawene, Sir Elmo, Medallion, and May Dillon. Won by a length. Time, 2min 25sec.. CHRISTCHURCH ACCEPTANCES. Christehnrcli, Yesterday. Following are the acceptances for the second day's races:— HUNT'CLUB CUP, about two miles and a-half—The Brewer 12.0, Bandalero 11.9, Gondolier and Rufus 11.8, Prairie Fire 11.7, Northern 1-1.5, Kingsway 11.3, The Mouse 11.2, Phamos 10.9,' Fairy linn 10.2, Dear Annie and Oratonu 9.13, Turco. Yokel,' Royal Guard, Dardanelles, and Glenwve 9.9. 1 SUMNER HANDICAP, one milePlunder 11.0, Derby Day 10.13, Nicomar 10.8, Told 10.3, Prince Laddo 9.13, Maltegardc 9.12, Mickey Free 9.5, Bodenham and Captain Glossop 9.4, Free 9.2, Countess Tolstoi, Bonny Maiden, and British Rose 9.0. AUGUST HANDICAP, six furlong.).— Crown Pearl U.O, Palisade 10.12, Bee 10.9, Fabrikoff and Ruapani 10.0. Bluestone 10.4. Peg 10.2, Fender 9.12, Afton Loch and Pride o' Clutha 9.5. Lady Black 9.3, Potentiality. Lion, and Jeannot 9.0. BEAUFORT "STEEPLECHASE, about tv.-o miles and a-half. —Tim Doolan 12.2, Morning 11.0, Glenmore and Daylight Bill 11.5, Ngatoa 11.0, Sandy Paul 10,11, The Brewer, Bonny, and Naupata 9.13, Kim 9.12, Golden Grape 9.8. Stroller 9.7. SPREYDON HURDLES, one mile and three-quarters.—Ruatanmita 11.13, Margo 11.3, Kingswav 10.1-. Cast Iron 10.10, Caher Davoii 10.fi, Scrutineer 10.4. T.ord Frederick and Silver Shield 9.13, Art 0.0. ISLINGTON HANDICAP, one mile— Birklinc 10.4, Loloma and Encore 9,13, Kaminohe 9.12, Glenroy 9.9, Black Heart 9.C, Mul-tum-in-Parvo, Nicomar, and Chrysotis 9.3, Wild Pilgrim, The Cornet, Vocation, and Seatondalc 9.2, Fortify 9.0. AUSTRALIAN RAGING. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received August 11, 10.10 p.m. ■ Brisbane, August 11. The Metropolitan Handicap resulted. —Poaching 1, Sea Pink 2, Brown Owl 3. Won by two lengths. Time 2min 34scp.. A cable says that Mr. J. B. Reid, the well-known Oamaru breeder, has purchased Sunnylakc, one of the fastest horses in England, by Sundridge —Pearl of Loch, by Persimmon. The. horse wi-'l be shipped by the Arawa. Sunnylakc was ;<'v beaten by a head in tlie Newmarket. », Reid intends racing his n;w purchase in New Zealand before sending him to the stud. _____ TURF TOPICS, (By "Moturoa.") 'J he result of the Grand National Steeplechase came as a complete surprise to followers of "form," but the detailed account (since received) of the race shows that the actual dividend-payers were lucky to have been in a place at all. Never was tlie uncertainty of steeplechasing better exemplified. From tlie reports it appears that Tim Doolan had the race well in hand when he blundered, and falls also accounted for Glenmore, Fagot, and Morning when they

were running prominently well on in the piece. Tim Doolan has had no luek this winter except bad luck—and there is plenty of the latter commodity flying around for most of 113. The winner, Ngatoa, is an aged gelding by Ngatirua, out of a Leolantis mare, and carries the colors of the well-known Auckland sportsman, Mr. E. W. Alison, who is better known as the owner of Allegation and Tiresome. Ngatoa has ha 3 plenty of schooling at Ellerslie, and owed hi 9 victory to fine jumping. He won the chief steeplechase at • the Pakuranga Hunt meeting last year, and in the Autumn Steeplechase" at Ellerslie filled the role of runner-up to that good 'chaser Scots Guard. At the Great Northern meeting Ngatoa got away with the Maiden Steeplechase in good style, but his showing in the Great Northern Steeplechase on the second day was not nearly up to National form. The Brewer, who finished second in Tuesday's race, is an aged bay gelding by Blue Ruin, and his most noticeable victory in the past two seasons was a win in the Eastern Steeplechase at Gore in 1913. Ho carried Mr. W. H. Palmer's colors on that occasion, and carried the minimum home in front of a big field of moderates. Both Ngatoa and The Brewer returned their supporters almost a score in the Grand National, and the result was a great "turn-up" for the double-layers. The dc'il looks after hi 3 own!

Probably of more sensational interest to Taranaki sports was the dafeat of Glenroy in tlie Winter Cup. From all accounts our crack was out in front early, but failed to stay on—a matter that was always a doubt. Still, "n finishing fourth he was not disgraced, and may win before the curtain falls at the meeting. The winner, Banksia, is an in-and-out mare, but Decley appears to have got her to do her best on this occasion. On breeding lines Bhe should be useful, as both her sire (Achilles) vv.i dam (Tortulla) were tep-notchers, The Achilles progeny are not "solid," but may improve with age. One thing about Banksia'a victory that is worth mentioning is that Mr. G. D. Greenwood prom-' ised to donate the first stakes won by either Emperador or the mare in question to the War Fund—a truly generous and sportsmanlike offer. Encore, who finished behind Banksia, is well known in Hawera, where he was spoken of by the touts. He was sold to Mr. A. Rutherford, jun., for something in the region of 408gns., and is apparently all thai his admirers alleged. The performance of John Barleycorn in carrying 19.12 into third place was a fine one. He was a good winner at southern meetings last season, and gathered in stakes to the tune of £1917. Bluestone, Fojtify, and Loloma appear to have cut up very badly.

The chief feature of the minor events was the hollow victory of Harbour Light in the Jumpers' Flat Handicap. The Hawera horse won practically from end to end, but the dividend attached to the win was infinitesimal. Another strong favorite in Parewanui led the field home in the Hunters' Hurdles, but the public did not pick the other winners too well. The scratching pen accounted for most of the good ones in the Trial Hurdles, and the hot order, Multiply, was "downed" badly by "second raters' like Moddite and" Ruatangata. The Turakinaowned 'chaser, Grey Renown, broke a long list of defeats by scoring in the Enfield Steeplechase. Mr. D. Anderson is to be congratulated on his fine win. He is a good sport, and takes fortune's rebulfs in good part. Derby Day, by Stronghold, put it all over a big field in the Avonhead 'Handicap, and paid a remunerative dividend. What happened to Pride o' Clutha, Mandoline, and Nicomar? These "morals" again! The Grand National meeting will be advanced another stage to-day, the chief event being the Grand National Hurdles. Fourteen remain in, and the race,looks very open. Harbour Light has come into favor after his easy victory in the Jumpers' Fiat Race on Tuesday, and, with lost., he should run very well. Several of the other horses would haw been all (he better for a race on the opening day, and if Harbour Light is blown out I.conta or Styrax may do the trick. It is practically certain that Arthur Oliver will have the mount on Royjl Arms. Acceptances for the other events are numerous, and the public may find winners hard to pick. The Brewer and Dear Annie may carry a lot of money in the Hunt Club Clip, and Plunder and Tuki will not want for backers in the Sumner Handicap. The August Handicap will see some fine sprinters under silk. Crown Pearl, with Oliver up, won this race two years ago, and with 31bs off his back should show up prominently again, though Bluestone may lie a tough nut to crack. A good field or a dozen is' carded for the Beaufort Steeples, and Morning and Sandy Paul have only to stand up to run forward at the finish. Glenroy disappointed the- public on Tncsday," but may be an improved horse when he steps out for the Islington Handicap this afternoon.