SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1916, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") To-day, Ireland's Day, all roads —dusty roads included—will load to Pihama, it being the? occasion of . the Opunake Racing Club's annual meeting. Given fine weather there should' be a great attendance, for St. Patrick's sons dearly love, a holiday, and a good "blow out," on their patron's feast day. And Englishmen, Scotsmen and others will "chip in" just out of sympathy with Paddy—and phwat a. divil ov a toiine ■they'll all have, to be shure! But to get back to the racing. The Opunake Cup is voted an "absolute" for the \y,averley-trainc<l Analogue, who will be assisted by K. Lambess. The writer always shies half-wny across the thoroughfare when someone mentions "morals,'' and in this ease Collector may be found equal to stretching the favorite's neck at the finish. Tirohanga is in a class of his own as far as the hurdlers go, and it is only a matter of health for him. The minor events can only be correctly sized Tip by those on the course, so many of the horses being engaged in two or more races. Veto looks like taking off Bome money, and Calais, Sylvan Dale, Roderick, Coropet and Ilenry Clay might have. !jomething to say in the settlement of their various engagements. Veto, who is reported to be very fit, will be ridden by 0. MeCarten at Opunake. R. Hatch is mentioned as Calais' pilot, K. Lambess will ride Analogue, and A, Ward will pilot Nita in the Hurdles.

Returned soldiers and recruits in uniform will be admitted free to the lawn at Opunake. At Johannesburg recently, a winner returned £350 to a single investor of ten shillings. The fortunate backer was a Kaffir jockster. The one-time crack horseman, Mornington Cannon, who rode for the late King Edward, is now acting as inspector in a munition factory in the Old Dart. The Masterton Racing Club autumn meeting will be brought to a close today. Winners look as hard as ever to pick. Montana was heavily bncked away from the course yesterday, and Chillies, Ararat, and Marimba also had their names pencilled pretty often. Trafalgar, who won £22,111, in stakes, lias been sold for '£7500. His stakes winnings are second only to those of his grandsire, Carbine, who mopped up £20,4-10 in the days when the majority of stakes were much smaller than they now are. At the Melbourne yearling sales, Mr. G. D. Greenwood purchased a colt by Comedy King—Air Moto, for 275gn5., which looks a low figure for anything got by the English-bred Melbourne Cup winner. C'herubini must have been charged with the right "hurry up" mixture on 'Stralian Cup day. Not only did he bent a. One field, including Carlita, Mareulfas Cyklon, and Patrobas, but he led from end to end and won, pulling up, by a good margin. The clock had only got as far as 3min Msec, and therefore, a fresh record for the Cup was established. "Tod" Hewitt, is having a fair innings in 'Strulia, and was on Flash of Steel at Caulfield when the imported neddy "outed" a big field of cracks in .the Woodcliffe Handicap. "L.H." has not lost any of his dash. Mr. E. J. Watt purchased a ■ couple of youngsters at the Melbourne sales. A Comedy King—La<[y Fisher colt cost him 270gns, and to get a The Welkin — Cape Hatterus filly his banking account w?" tr'iu>r relieved of 210gns.