SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1917, Page 8

SPORTING.

TAKANAEI DISTRICT COMMITTEE. The Taranaki District Committee met on Tuesday night. Present: Messrs L. A. Nolan (cliairman), C. M. Lcppcr, J. M'Lcod, W. C. Phillins, A. Alexander, J Gray and W. T. Hookham. Apologies were received from Messrs J. R. ■L. Stanford, L. B. Webster, C. W. Sole and Newton King. A trainer's license was granted to Albert Ward, and a jockey's license to Alfred E. Foreman. Gentlemen riders' certificates were issued to Messrs. P. W. Rowland, and A. G. Rowland. E._E. Croot's jockey's license was cancelled at his own request. The list of fines for the recent Egmont and Taranaki meetings was duly approved. The Egmont Earing Club forwarded claim-form for accident to Charles Cochrane, amounting to £fi la.—lt was resolved to forward the claim to the conference. TARANAKI JOCKEY CLUB. The Jockey Club Cdmmittee met subsequently', the same frentli*men being present with the exception of Mr. Gray. Mr. J. Bennett's resignation as" timekeeper to the club was accepted. Two new members were nominated. The convi'ittee recommended to the Course Committee the ploughing and preparation of a track for schooling horses for the steeplechase meeting. A number of transfers in connection with the 4th TaranakiJ Stakes were approved. Accounts amounting to '£336 were passed for payment.

'TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") A final reminder is "given to horssowners and trainers that entries for the Opunake R.C. annual meeting, which takes place at iPiliama on March 17, close to-day with the secretary, Mr. P. Riley, Pihama, at 5 p.m. 'Die full programme will be found in our advertising colu.ons, ( The Wanganui Jockey Club's autumn meeting opens to-day. Yesterday morning, about seven o'clock, the horses had just finished their final gallops when rain set in. A stiff sou'-wester blew all day, with heavy showers. The course should be much improved by the rain, and should he in good order to-day. As in the previous work, yesterday's gallops were dull and uninteresting. Apparently the horses have completed their more serious tasks before coming to Wanganui. Bunting, Depredation, Colonel Soi.lt, Indigo, Master Lupin, and Housewife appear +c be well—the last-named in particular. Client is slightly sore, and if the going showed prospects of being l?ard his chances miglit be discounted. The three top-w;ights appear to have Hie bulk of 'the touts on their side, and they will carry a lot of hard cash to-day. Housewife and Master Lupin are most discussed of the lightweights, but the Wanganui horse will have to improve on his present track form to have a chance. Depredation looks like' holding the position of favorite to the finish, and his chance looks as good as any. Thii feature of the Flying Handicap is the lull in the Form Up boom. Not that the Formative gelding hes gone very much out of favor, but the prescv.ee of Tetc-aTctc, Chakwana, Nystad and Tthera has set the enthusiasts thinking. This rs.ee- is no more a "moral" than Uio Cup, and Chakwana and Nystad have both shown considerably bettci form than Mr. H. Troutbeck's gelding. At the weights Nystad in particular reads much better. Greenstreet galloped well on Tuesday morning, but is a second day performer. Tete-a-Tete li.es a big load, but she is a great weightcarrier, and can hardly be counted out of it. The "heads" are talking nothing but Nystad on the spot. The minor events should all be well contested. Cleft, Agnestcs, Iceberg, and Record are much discussed candidates, end all look very well. J. O'Shea will ride Colonel >Soult in the Cup, and the Auckland horse should run a big race. When Master Lupin won the Wanganui Cap in 1915 he carired 0.8. Colonel H .oult won with 8.7 last year The disqualification of Croesus aad nis party expires next month, and the oite-time crack sprinter will sport silk iftout Easter. Jockster G. Clarke, who met with an (resident through Aehi Baba. crashing through the mils ».t Woodville and colliding witi' a tree, is reported to be in a bad way. Besides a broken collarbone his injuries include a huge gasli in the thigh and lesser cut:? about the, body. The cranky brut? broke its blessed neck! Racing clubs, look out! One North Island club is "up" for selling tote tickets after the advertised hour of starling, and another will be called upon to explain to the District Committee how certain horses came to be included in the acceptance lists. Alleged lo draw big attendances again! Ashley Reed will bo an Jvi:itin<»' today.

Thrace defeated a, good field rt >V.jodville last week, and may turn out a good one Inter on.

The Wanganui Trotting Club's anmial meeting opens to-morrow. The Jockey Club's n-.eeting closes on S v ,tur. day, and the trots on' Monday round oil an interesting racing carnival.