SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1917, Page 8

SPORTING.

BACJNG FIXTURES. Nov. 24 —Takapnna J.C. Spring. Dec. I—Feilding J.C. Spring Dee. 5, ft—Woodville .1.0. Summer Dee. l.'i—Wairarapa ISummer Dee. 20—Taranaki J.C. Christinas T.J.C. CHRISTMAS MEETING. SPLENDID NOMINATION'S. Excellent nominations have l>een received for the Taranaki Jockey Club's Christmas meeting, which is to be held on Boxing Day, at New Plymouth. In all, 103 horses have nominated for the eight events, compared with 142 for the first day of last year, an increase of 21. Included among the entrants are a number of well-known outside horses. The nominations for the open events are particularly gratifying, there being 17 for the Christmas Handicap and 15 for the Flying, as against 10 and 0 respectively last year. The detailed nominations are:

HUATOKI PLATE (of 125 srivs; seven furlongs).—Trench Wheel, Beaufort, Campfirc—Miss Park marc, Tiranga, Winning Shot, Whakanmon, Ruby Paul, Rifle Five, Reopai, Kaimanawanui, Gloam. Golden Nugget, Carry On, Geuskns, Happy Days, Paul Moore, Melita. Cymro. Lady Mylchrecst, Espionage, Trombone, Poka, Koyal Divorce, Shandon Bells, Key, C'arloman. STEWARDS' HACK HANDICAP (of 100 sovs; six furlongs).—Pergola, Pied Hot, Gipsy Gjm, Yolo, Wliite Ranger, King Shimose, Paddington Green, Fidelio, Cora Ora, Movement, Primato, St. Paul —Ebb Tide gelding, Warmth, Royal Park. RAHOTU HACK HURDLES HANDICAP (one mile and a half and 100 yds.). —Dasher Boy, Yarlit-ta, Zetes. Paparess, Penniless, Cordon, Crawford, Veto, Deeside, Ma+teek, Glendalough, As-.silon, Ot.ter, Collector, Silver Line, Niriiiauby, t White Blaze, Poltliogue, Speedwell Mae, ' Simple Sam, Want, Foeman. BOROUGH HACK HANDICAP (of 150 sovs; .1 furlongs).—Awarua, Royal Chef, Onaero Park, Pergola, Munition, Pukeatua, Rawakore, King Shimosp, Robur, Huzza, Madam Ristori, Miss Ora, Movement, Piano, Primato. Hushlad. Anserine Royal Divorce, Red Line.

CHRISTMAS HANDICAP (open: of 250 sovs; one mile and a quarter). —Golden Grafton, Iceberg, Crawford, Hushman, Maid o' Cowrie, Ola vis, Alteration, Tree Lucerne, Flying Camp, Lady Beaufort, Paddington Green, Fidelio, White Blaze, Zetes, King Chiara, Dingle, Munstcr. LEPPERTON WELTER HACK HANDICAP (of 135 sovs; 7 furlongs).—Tiringa, Winning Shot, Cordon, Penniless, Carry On, Munition, Gipsy Gem; Deeside, Clavis, Lady Beaufort, Paddington Grc-en, Speedwell Mae. Movement, Trombone, Dingle, Royal Park. TiKORANGI HACK STAKES (of 125 sovs; five furlongs).—Awarua, Kickapoo. Koyal ('lief, Onaero Park, Pergola, (itiianform, Rifle Fire, Kaiiiiaiiawainii Gloam, Golden Nugget, Fireless, Munition, Revocation, Nenialine, Pukeatua, Rawakore, Otanga, Melita, Carl Rosa— Energy gelding, Huzza, Silver Link, Madam Ristori, Miss Ora, Hetmisn, Primato, Gcnskns, Hushlad. St. Paul —Ebb Tide gelding. Key, Red Line, Carlomaii, Anserimc, En by Paul. FLYING HANDICAP (open; of 175 sovs; six furlongs).—Astor, Starengo, Avon Park, Hushabyc, Revocation, Inah, Hushman, Fionnualia, Rewipoto, Alteration, Glenroy, Tree Lucerne, Toa Tore, Cora Ora, King Chiara. LATE HON. J. D. OKMOND'S STABLE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Napier, Last Night. TPlie dispersal stile of the late ,1. D. Orniond's racing stable realised £7700. Hymestra brought 2050 guineas, Gladi'ul 510. Hylaus .TOO, Bagdad 420. [lymeniono •'ISO, Belair 520, Piano 210. Torfreila SOO, Hyllus 300, Marqueteur 150, Woodlark 200, Centre 200, and Hvginas 150. TURF TOPICS (By "Moturoa"). The fields at Takapuna to-day will be numerous, and, judging by the excellent handicaps, the gathering should be a tiling of joy for the Bar Yons. The programme opens with the Maiden Handicap, in which Stilts has only to start to settle the question of favoritism. A large field of speedy sprinters figure in the Borough Handicap, among which are quick beginners like Ring Lupin, Hopfield, etc. Thrace and Carbiness have been gailoping as well as any of those -■rigaged in the Pontii Hurdles. The imported Cynic ran a great race in the City Handicap at Ellerslie, finishing right up ni the leading buneli, and with only fi.O against his name in the St. Andrew's Handicap, reads remarkably well created. The field includes another consistent performer, ISir Ralph, who is also certain to be well backed. The Cambria Handicap should be another interesting race, a meeting between Shining Light and Kilbeggan being particularly exciting. A very big crowd has been paid up for in the Melrose Handicap, but the majority are of the "thirty-bob-a-dozen" variety. Recent form shows that Meltonio and All Talk are pretty well. C'arlysian and Housewife mny be best supported in the Cheltenham Handicap. . The Feilding J.C. spring meeting takes place this day week, and, judging by the acceptances, practically all the Taranaki stables of note will be represented at the gathering. Amongst the score or more engaged, the prospects of Inah, Calais, Paddington Green, White Blaze and Staccato appear fairly bright. Foeman finished second to Paparess in the Hurdles at Ashurst; not Atuatoro, as stated in the Press Association wire.

The going was very greasy at Ashurst, and the long striders refused to stretch out on it. A large number of horses that were taken to the course were not started, and amongst the starters to fall were Trials (who looked like troubling Dribble at the time) and Silveretta (who had to be destroyed). The Wanganui-traincd Awarua was backed for a ton of money on Wednesday, but, when the tapes lifted, stood like a statue, and that was the end of it.

It is reported l ill Wanganui that Client and Acre arc unlikely starters at the Auckland summer meeting. Probably Awapuni will be their "dart." The crowd behind Foeman reckoned the Hack Hurdles at Ashurst was as good as "in their kick," but. they reckoned without Paparess, who put in a pretty run in the straight, and won with something in hand. Crowhurst was a strong order for the Pohangina Handicap, but did not jump out too smartly. Gray hustled liini along over the last couple of furlongs, but he was simply not good enough. .1. Olseii made no bloomers on King's Armour in the Flying. Hopping out first, lie. made every post a winning one, and simply romped in. Horsemanship! It is a singular fact that since his return to the ranks of licensed horsemen, nothing but praise has been heaped upon the head of that very much maligned person, Hector Gray. Not a meeting goes by but those who had

sn.-li a sr( on tlic Taranaki Joclc-.<,» arc> forced to admit that his riding lit the present limp is n revelation, and tlml racing would be a suH'erer in Cray's absence. Whether it was on Tjfidy Beaufort at Otaki, or on Tlie White Kin;; at Kiccarton, or on Kahumanga at Asliu>::il, tlio same remark is heard e\ cry« hero, "Horsemanship won the race''; and the testimonial is fully deserved. Brown was a punter who had been having a particularly bad time of it, and he grumbled loudly on settling day. Tin? Bar Von was a sport, and by way of small recompense offered to "siiout"' him a small memento. Brown accepted, at the same time saying, "Thanks, old man; I wanted to buy a hat, badly." "Well, go to lilinlcs and Co., my boy, and buy a good one, ;":d charge it up to me,'' said the layer. At the end of the month the hill, came in, and when the Bar Von received it he threw a back flip. Accosting Brown, lie said: "Here, what do you mean by miming me ill for four quid? Did you buy all the Stetsons they had in the shop?" "No fear," replied Brown, "the hat I wanted wasn't for me; it was for the wife, and she did the buying."