SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1916, Page 8

SPORTING.

fiACING FIXTURES. March 22, 23—Rangitikei R.C. Annual. March 29—Pahiatua R.C. Annual.. April S, B.—Wellington R.C. Autumn. April 12, 13—Manawatu R.C. Autumn. April 22, 24—Auckland R.C. Autumn. THE OPUNAKE RACES. , rUCCESSFUL MEETING. MAID 0' OOWRTK WINS THE HANDICAP. The advent of the motor ear has undsubtedly d»ne mdch to popularise the Opunake Racing Club's annual fixture, which for many years suffered from its isolated position, so far away from the railway line. The officials from the inception of ths club have worked with the object of unking the meeting an enjoyable one, a"d it has always been recognised as th? picnic meeting of Taranaki. Now they are having the reward of their labor for eacli year, with the increasing number of motor vehicles' in the district, sees a much augmented attendance at the meeting, which bids fair to become the most popular fixture in the country. The officials have adopted a progressive policy, and this year have effected considerable improvements, including enlarging the grandstand to accommodate 1500 people, as against fIOO previously, and also enlarging rue lawn. Judging by the increased attendance yesterday, which was a record in every way, the club will have to still further launch out, indeed, the matter is already under' discussion. The racing was of a most enjoyable nature, the fields in the majority of instances being good, whilst several finishes were very exciting. The weather was in kindly humor, though there was a slight drizzle in the afternoon, which was not sufficient to damn enthusiasm. Nor did it interfere with the totalisator returns: for speculation was very brisk and a large staff under the supervision of Mr. W. O'Callaghan, were kept busy handling £lC,C.i(i. as c<;ains't £13,182. an increase of £3474. The totalisator building will require enlarging to cope with the increased business for There was considerable delay in paying «"t, especially at the second dividend "windows, of which there were too few. Mr. A. Morse as starter handled his fields well, and Mr, W. V. • Young's decisions, though be had several i close" finishes to adjudicate on, were ! never questioned. ■ Sub-Inspector -iFouhy. - JM'otive fid- ' dells, Plain Clothes' Constable Fitzgibbons and a staff of policemen were ' present, but the crowd was a good- ! •aturec' one and their work was a sineevre. Sergt.-Major .T. C. Puterson, st\v°.ndiary steward, was closely watching ti:e racing. | An iuquiry was held into the running I of Henry Clay in the Maiden Plate. _ It | was decided to impose a fine of C"> on I the jockey. M. McDonald. - for getting out of his'place at the start, and for I not vigorously riding hrs iiorse at the : finish.

The Onimake Racing Club's Handicap was by ilie Inglewocd-owned mare Maid o'" fiovrrie, ridden by 0. MeCarten. wlm just managed/to squeeze borne by a head. A feature of tfcp meeting' was tlie riding of MeCarten, who bad tlie winning mounts in tlie first five flat races, and just missed the sixth bf a head.

' 'Die arrangements for the meeting •j -were good, tiie secretary, Mr. F. S. ! Biley, having evidently pre-arranged i every detail, and everything went off '•without a bitch. He is an Ideal secretary. Mr. J. I'. Burton, the totalizator steward, supplied the press promptly ' with the totalisator figures, and his i work was much appreciated by tlie • scribes present.

The publican's "bn'oils wa* -veil'ecuducted by Mr. Browne, of the Waimate Hotel," Manaia," arid the catering was in the capable hands of Mrs. Foster,.of El'tham A lii'o programme hy the Kaj.on.vjn Brass Bind, under Banrtma'ter F. Wuc.ii enlivened the proceedings. Results:

MAIDEN PLATE.-Con»iiiird 1, Lake Eel 2, St. Kiel.:). ..Also started: Leah Kleshna, Laura, Newt'orm,'Freckles, The (iuiie, Mahlstick, Henry Clay. Won by tw» lengths. Time, 1.32 2-5. HANDICAP HURDLES.—SimpIe Sam 1, Nita 2, Epworlk :i. , Also started: Clemency, Iceberg, Royal Fatron, Conroy. Won by a length. Time, 2.57.

FLYING HANDICAP.—Veto 1, Coropet 2, Avena 3. Also started: Zion. Won easily by three lengths. Time, 1.16.

OPUNAKE HANDICAP.—Maid o' Cowrie l t Analogue 2, Belle Paul 3. Also started: Sylvan Dale, Collector. Won by a head. Time, 2.13.

ELECTRIC STAKES.-Flying Camp 1, Silver Web 2, C'eronita 3. Also started: Simple Bob, Royal Divorce, Miss Sylvan, Leah Kelshna, Mary Maid, Lake Eel t Rsderiek, D'Qurna. Won by a length. Time, 1.4.

WELTER HANDICAP.—Antwerp 1, .Calais 2, Vestalis 3. Also started: Clemency, Captain Miro, Mahlstick, St. Kiel. Won bv three lengths. . Time, 1.30. ' ".

PRESIDENT'S HANDICAP.-Dood 1. Veto 2, Henry Clay 3. Also started: Sylvan Dale, Belle Paul, Newform. Won bv a head. Time, 1.46.

FAREWELL HANDICAP. - Coropet 1, Zion 2, Royal Divorce 3. Also started: Avena, Flying Camp, Martingale, Rederiek, Silver Web. Won by two lengths. Time, 1.4 1-5.

NOTES ON THE RACING A field of eleven faced the barrier in the maiden race. Lad e' Cowrie, Rewatapu and Bellipotent being the withdrawals. Henry Clay was wade a warm favorite, The Guide being next in demand. Newform caused delay at the barrier, but the field were dispatched to an even start. The Guide was the first to show out, but was aoc\ \sp'accd by Conguard, who raced along the back two lengths in front of Lake Eel, with the favorite fourth. Entering the straight Henry Clay was third, hut was beaten out of a position by St. Kiel, who finished fast and just missed second money. Tirohanga was the only defector in the Hurdles, in which eight faced the starter. Nita was favorite, Epworth and Simple Sam also being well backed. The last-nßmed was the first to show out. followed by Epwsrth and Vestalis, witli Nita fourth. This was the order passing the stand. At the back Nita drew into third place, whilst Epworth closed on the leader, who was jumping well." Entering the straight Nita put in a challenge and displaced Epworth, hut could only get within a length of the winner. Iceberg was fourth, coining fast. Antwerp was withdrawn from the Flying Handicap, leaving the small field of four. Veto was picked by the public as the winner, and their judgment proved correct, as from an even start the chestnut was the first to show out and was never headed, winning comfortably. Zion was close up in the early stages, but fell back to last place.

All carded faced the barrier in the big event. Analogue was made favorite .in a stron* betting event. Sylvan Dale and Collector, about equally backed, being next in demand. From an even dispatch Belle Paul was first to show out, Collector hems' last. .Maid o' Cowrie quickly went to the front, establishing a two lengths' lead clear of Sylvandale and Analogue.. This was the order passing the stand. Leaving the straight Belle Paul moved into second place outside of the leader, with Analogue third. At the back Collector came with a rush, but quickly died away, and the field moved uj> to the leader. Rounding the turn MoCarten shook up the leader, who put a three lengths break on the field and entered .the straight that much clear. Here Analogue came with » great burst and, putting in three strides to the leader's two, just failed to snatch the victory by a nose. Belle Paul was three lengths away third, Svlvandale fourth, and Collector last. This made McCarten's third succesive win in fiat races.

There were eleven starters in the FJectrie Stakes, the scratching* being War Nurse. Conguard. Laura. Merry Paul, and Stranger. Roderick and Flying Camn- carried half the money, the former being slightly better backed. Simple Bob played up at the start, unseating bis rider. Flying Camp, Silver Webb, and Roderick were first to show out in that order, which was maintained into the straight, where Coronita on the rails displaced Roderick, aul there was no further change, passim; the judgeMeCarten scored his fourth victory.

Tn the Welter the scratching pen was busy. Coropct. Maid o' Ciowric, flood. Viyiny Tamp, and T.ad o' Cowrie heln? the withdrawals. Of the field of eight Calais was made a warm order. Antwerp, under the victorious McCarten. heinx next in demand. Antwerp was the first to hreak the line, followed by Calais and Vestalis. and this was the order to the finish.- McCarten scored bis I'ith victory by three lengths, the third horse, two lengths further back. Tn the President's Handicap six faced the barrier, Analogue being scratched. Dood and Veto were ?olidly supnortcd in another heavily backed race. Veto was the first to show clear, followed by Sylvandale and Henrv Clav. Dood lying fifth. At the back the field closed' up, Henry Clay falling behind sllghtiy. Veto increased her lead to a length. Henry Clay moving up to second and Dood to third. Veto led into the straight, and a bard-ridden race ensued between Veto and Henry Clay. Dood. however, came fa-t and, stepping up on the rails, Brown snatched a. victory bv a short head. Sylvan Dale was fourth. TURF TOPICS. (By ''Motnroa.") The TUnffltlkol meeting opens on Wednesday. Desert Gnid has h?en allowed tP F6= main in the Manavratu Stakes.

*".e Vovdel! cast-»v Mescal, is being jumped again at Kiccarton. Marton jumped very big at the Wanganui meeting, and' it is quite qn the cards that he will be figuring aa a 'chaser this winter. Red Book was sold to a Southern sport recently for 200gns. "Mr. R. Narelle" had a buyer for Spain at 250 gns, but, fortunately, the bargain was not completed, and the Siguor filly then won each day at Napier Park. Wangunui punters to a man went for Interlude on Thursday, but she is not built on weight-carrying lines, and flst tied her up securely. Marimba, on N" i ier ton, looked a good bet ••ni paid a nice fi.ee.

I'll.- lard ground spoilt anv chance Leonta might have had at Masterton but the stable won races with Ararat and Cello. The latter is bv Achilles— The dinger, and showed fair pace on the tracks recently. .

The Chillies—Montana double was backed for a ton of wealth on Thursday, but Chillies failed to land his left of the doubt, Watchful beating him by what a Maori once said—'-a face, and a blank ugly face at that!"

Postillion, who is looking anything but the Postilion of old, has joined Alex. Hall's team at Wanganui. Montana's win on Thursday should compensate his owner for his 'bad luck over the Nelson meeting. Owing to insufficient, shipping facilities the horse could not be loaded at Wellington, and had to be railed home again.. The Nelson plums would have' been easy picking. The Soult mare, Jolie Fille, who was injured at OpotiUi, "is to be retired to the matron's paddock. She did a lot of racing, and in five seasons won about twenty heats. Last season she started twenty-six times, winning'four races, and beinf placed in half a dozen others.

A certain trotter was reported so lame that lie could scarcely put one foot to the ground, but the very next day lie appeared as a contestant in a race upon which considerable money was evpected to be wagered, winning in one-tw6-three order. After the race a writer in the Hsrsc Review approached one of (he parties interested in the race and niadu a remark concerning the previous reports. "Oh, that's all right." replied the man, "It's this way, you know—there are two Dexters, one who is most awfully lame, and one thatjs absolutely sound. Funny ain't it, but such things happen." And it certainly happened that afternoon. There is still plenty of money for racehorses, as was evidenced by the good prices obtained at the yearling sales held In Melbourne' recently. Eightyfive lots were pat Up, and brought 10.233 guinea*. Trotting form at the Nelson meeting was, to say the least of it, very hard to follow, but the owners' and trainers' explanations were accepted. The man who can explain away some of these racing inconsistencies could easily prove that the world is square, and that plus one equals minus one, or nothing at all! Jumpers of big fences threaten to be scarce this winter, and all sorts of old stagers are being resurrected to tackle the big events. Bercola, who lost his punch last year, and Captain Jack are in work again, Spccialform ran shockingly at the Xelson meeting, but his stnblemnte, Samisen, who is a very useful customer, paid for both by winning two races very comfortably,

It is ,vorthy of mention that the three runners in (lie Champion Plate (now called the King's Date), at Fleming ton on .Saturday, were all New Zealandbred: The winner, Carlita, had a previous vlptory to her credit and her opponents on Saturday wore Cherublni anil Franrlis Foy,

Joehey R. Conway had a Held day at Opotiki, winning four races, Blue Garment and Delenda . (both old 9tagers) each landing a double. For crossing, T. Chaplin was suspended for a month by the Wangamii stewards, and for a similar offence at Dmiedin, .1. Pine, was banded three month*, There Is no uniformity about these sentences, When O'Shea i 9 concerned a £SO fine hits him on the money-box. What funny ways these "stooards" have of dispensing justice!