SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1916, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES Sept. 10.—Avondale J.C. Sept. 21, 23.—Wanganui J.C. Sept. 25, 20.—Otaki Maori R,C. Sept. 28—Horowhenua E.C. Sept. 30.—Napier Park R.C. BLOODSTOCK SALES Australian-N.Z. Cable Association. Received Sept. 15, 7.10 p.m. London, Sept. 14. Splendid prices -wore realised at the bloodstock sales, at Newmarket. Sixtyone yearlings realised 25,118 guinea's. Fifteen from the Stcdmere Stud averaged 021 guineas. The Sunstar—Stolen Kiss colt made .£3001). Mr. Sanford, an American, bought the filly by Spearmint—Veneration the Second, for £4OOO. TURF TOPICS. (By "Motiiroa.") Concluding day at Avondale. The Wanganui meeting opens on Thursday. fljorncborg should start favorite in the. Avondale Guineas to-day. Ventura, who was in foal to Wolawa, died at Hastings last week. Strategist, winner of the Hurdles at Woodlands on Thursday, is rising eleven years.

Mia Cara is very "dicky" on her "pins" mid may not be fit to start al the Wanganui meeting. Desert Gold ran 'four furlongs in 48sec. last week, and all being well she Will again clean up the dish that holds Hie weight-for-age "plums." Tatters, Culprit, and Musketry will visit the imported Mountain Knight this season. The Knight, by the way, has ont leg shorter than the others, due to his fall in the Melbourne Cup, and he can only walk with difficulty. . They say that Mt. Victoria fences splendidly in private, but his public displays have been shocking. Possibly a little confidence is all that is required. ■ An exchange states that Taringamutu will make her reappearance at the Otaki meeting ''that is if the liandicapper does not mistake her for Traquette!"

No more money will he lost over Martyress on the Turf. She visits Formby this season.

Leonta (10.4) has dropped in very nicely in the Okehu Hurdles at Wanganui, and as he usually runs well on that course he is . likely to be very heavily supported on Thursday next.

Rewi Poto is well up to *S.ll, the weight awarded him in the Spring Handicap, though if all they say of Beltane is correct, the black horse may as well be kept at home.

There are many good judges who will not accept Pernor's form at Marton as correct. The Fordcll flier has only 7.10 in the Durie Hack' Handicap on Thursday, and if caught in the galloping humor may stir things up somewhat. Golden Grafton ran a sterling race at Marton, and does not appear to be overweighted in the Putiki Hack Handicap with 8.12. It is hard to sec what chance Flying Camp (9.0) can have with the local sprinter.

There are some speedy equinos in the .Wanganui Flying. Tyson and Interlude should set a warm paco from the jump, but Panmure and Cherry Blossom may be travelling fastest at the finish. Quaint par from the Dominion:— "Tino Atua has so far shown a partiality for short curses, but she may improve with age." It is to be hoped so, though the "curses" generally emanated from the filly's foolish' backers!

Jockster A. J. MoFlynn will pilot Okaihau, Diavolo and Kooya in Sydney and possibly Master Rcgel in Melbourne later on.

Horse-owners, trainers and the public generally may be interested to kenr that a special train will leave \Van"anui for Otaki on the Sunday following the Wanganui meeting. This should prove a great convenience to those who desire to "do" the two meetings. The following par again adorns the V pages of the Wairarapa papers: "Sir Solo is doing good work, and will be a starter in the principal handicap flat races this season." Quite an annual affair, isn't it?

The Sombrero arsenical poisoning case ranks as one of the most sensational Turf scandals heard of in the Dominion for many years. Arsenic is a dangerous "dope" in the hands of the

uninitiated. A little makes Deiain go fast, but a lot makes him step dead. Sombreror stopped dead— tzi is sfil] dead!

"One who follows the hounds" objects strongly to this scribe's hostile reirarks concerning certain aged hunters that performed at the local meeting. If these are the "genu-winc" hunters give us the crowd that "barelly qualified" by all means. My good friend should scramble out of the old rut, give up the worship of "ancient relics" of the hunting field, and recognise that horses that can "jump" are not nearly so useful as horses that can gallop fast as well as clear obstacles proficiently. Why not have a race for neddies that have completed, say ten (or twenty) years in the hunting field, and start the races an hour earlier so as to get through before old Sol had given up 'business for the day!

_ 'Welcome Nugget showed no brilliancy in the Pahiatua Handicap on Wednesday, but it is rathei early to eipect a New Zealand Cup candidate to show much form. Besides the heavy ground was against him—and possibly his connections did not fancy his chance very much.

This is a true bill! After a certain horse had won a race recently, the owner breasted up to "Moturon" and pwung the dook, remarking, "Thanks, old man. I didn't give him a dog's chance till I saw you mentioned him in the paper. So I thought I'd lave a "go," and he walked in. Comeanavadrink—Oh! Dash this anti-shouting farce!" If you don't believe it you may see the empty (sarsaparilla) bottle which now adorns my, ahem, escritoire! Big fields again confront punters at Avondale to-day. Housewife may have most backers in the Plimpton Handicap, and Bluestone in the President's. Scottish Knight is expected to again ruii well in the two-year-old event, and first day's winners such as Jocular, Tararu Jack, and Hopye also appear to be leniently treated. Racing should be interesting throughout.