SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1918, Page 8

SPORTING.

A CHUISTCHL'RCH SXTiATCIHNG. By Telegraph. —Press Association. C'hristchurch, Last Night, (Jazi()ue was scratched tor tlie <.<r«at Easter Handicap at 8.30 p.m. to-day. MELBOURNE BLOODSTOCK SALES. Australian Cable Association. Melbourne, March 12, At tlie bloodstock sales 7o horses realised 17,-32 guineas. Shepherd Ki:iy fetched o.'iUIJ guineas, and ,Su'e! Win;;-, full sister t» Biplane, 1-300 guineas.

TURF TOPIC'S. (By "Moturoa") The rules regarding penalties to be carried )>y winners at the Wairarapa K.C. autumn meeting, which opens at Tauberenikiui to-day, appear to be framed wit'ii the idea of outing the recently sucwsrful, and puzzling ihc stay-at-home punter. 'l'o begin with, winners carry lOib extra, and tiii:; applies to ileinzi, .Mi'.'i'.'ot , Pari form, Huumakaka, Jiantry, Humorist. Iniarihbuu, ICxvjlusive, anil Blue Guw.'i; while horses handicapped at S.IO or over are only required to tarry •>]'» extra. Vi'aimatim appears to be the only one ali'ected by this amendment. Cut this is not all. The elub's rules go' further and state: "It the har.dicapper thinks ii necc<savy lie- may. increase the above penalties." There's a nice ;ui>:-up if you like! Why not re-handicap winners and be done with it? l.ilydale. Exclusive. and Blue flown, having v/ 011 races of a greater value than -!f> sovs., are not eligible to start in the Trial Handicap to-day. The rest are fairly "rough,'' though I'lighiy aiul Justification are reported to have shown pace on tiie tracks. Lingerie, who ran badlv hist week, is said to be an unlikely starter in the Wardcll Handicap, a six furlongs race which carries with it splendid stake.-, 300 sovs. Waimatao may not be seriously inconvenienced with 0.2, though veil-performed sprinters like Crowhur-t and Chimera have a big "puil'' in tiio weights.

' On paper the Nursery Handicap looks at the mercy of Oratress, who ran two really fine races at Grecnnieadows. She y.'as galloping over everything at the finkli of the Sapling Stakes, and on the second day run the speedy Demagogue to a narrow margin. She has only to get out decently to give a good account of herself.

I Nothing stands out in the Soldier?' Cup, a race, by the way, which should be reserved for soldier horsemen. There arc dozens of jockeys at Taulierenikai;, particularly in the filaxo Camp, and ii a dozen of (heir number were given a chance to change the khaki for the silks and satins of the racecourse great interest would be shown in the result. 1: necessary the handicap could have been arranged for an 5.7 minimum. Penalties have played havoc with the handicaps in the Makahi Hack Race, in which Associaton and Engari, who had such a sterling duel in the Petre ITacli Handicap/.t Wanganni. will again meet. In to-day's race Association is meeting the King Rufu; mare on Sib better terms than at Wangaiiui. The W aintrapa {.'up, of lj.">() govs., run over a mile and a quarter, h.-u attracted a fine field, and the result appears to be as much in doubt as Hindenburg's next move. Meuelaus h;ta big weight, hut he is a great horse, his Wanganui defeat notwithstanding. Red Ribbon appears nicely treated, and Trials and Multicipal are alfo well in. Possibly Trials may he favorite to-day-The Porirua team for Tauliercniknu comprised' George, Cold Sonlt, Rajput, Tabitha and Blighty. Not a very flash lot, eerlainlv!

The Royal Artillery gelding Hendra did not have much to beat in the. race he won :>.t Greenmeadows, but he won in convincing style and could do no more. He will be heard of again. 11. Gray rode the winning double, 'Royal Irish and Ring Lupin, at To Aroha.

Speedwell Max is doing steady work at Ellerslie.

Mr. G. L. Stead has disposed of the disappointing Bond' Or. He was as big a failure as his brother, Moulu.

had the easiest possible win on ahe first day at .Greenmeadows. W Bell just waited on Pao till the straight was reached, ,and then went alioad and took first prize. On the second day I l '. Johnson tried to repeat the trick, hut after Rawakore had disposed of the favorite. Elocution. Deeley brought Sweet Corn along with a good rim and won on tiie post. Ladogeur, a renowned mudlark, was always in a forward position in the Napier Cup,*and just out-stayed Potentiality, who finished fast.. ■ Tressida and Vagabond were- tied up by the heavy going, and Henry Clay's showing was also disappointing.

Pnrsefdler was very dirty at tiie post each day at Napier, and was left at the post in the Cup.

Ormond's Manila was a warm order in the Trial Stakes, but failed to act in the mud, the winner turning up in Formaline, by Formative—Hapuka. The name, by the way, should he spelt "Formalin."

Chantry, by King Mark—Chan'., got the l>G3t of the start in the Sapling Stake?, otherwise would have had a harder race with Oratress and Demagogue. Oratress was galloping over everything at the finish. Dusky Eve, who was voted a moral for the Redclyfi'c Welter, had the misfortune to gel. left at the barrier, but made up a lot of ground and finished fourth.

The surprise of the meeting was the false price paid bv Croesus in the Flying. A short while ago he heat Desert Gold at weight-for-age in Wellington, and then went on to Wanganui and won the Farewell Handicap, so that his form was well exposed. Toki won the Omahu Hiirdles in such easy style that he should bob up again in better company. Humorist's form on the second day was a distinct improvement 011 his first day's running. Trials is a fair horse on a soft track, but proved no match for Perfidy in the McVay Memorial Handicap, the lightweight scoring decisively.

Demagogue won the Kuao Handicap from end to end, and had a length advantage of Oratress at the finish.

Lilydale, by Multifid—Eastern Lily, was first away from a straggling start in the Miden Scurry, and just lasted long enough to beat the unlucky Silver and Black, who finished at a great pace There was practically 110 demand for thoroughbreds>at Otarara on Saturday llnst, when Mr. E. J. "Watt and Mrs. M. kA. Perry sent their horses up to auc-

lion. The best prices received were 71 guineas and 00 guineas, and m.)st of the noddies went at the price of butcher' hacks.