SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1918, Page 8

SPORTING.

THE BIPLANE CASE. Dunedin, April 22. Mr. Peter Miller, president of the Dunedin Jockey Club, who was at the Manawatu meeting last week, was asked by a Dunedin Star representative about the Biplane tumult. He said from the best information they could gather Mason (trainer of Biplane) had no intention of starting the colt in the Awapuni Gold Cup if Desert Gold was starting. He is said to have given as his reason that Biplane had not been worked for a mile and a quarter race. There was a rumor afloat that all was not well with Desert Gold, and that at the last moment she would fall out. That was all fudge, but Mason did not know whether the rumor was true or not, and he kept Biplane in the race up to the moment that he could make sure, his idea being to give Biplane a run in the race if Desert Gold went out. I understand he was undecided on the point until, on the afternoon before the day of the race, he motored out to where Desert Gold was training so as to find out at first hand about the mare; and when he learned that she was going to start lie at once decided to scratch the colt. I am told that when Mason was asked why he did not give some indication beforehand that Biplane's starting was contingent on Desert Gold's withdrawal he replied that he was hoping against hope that she would not start. It is believed by those in the know that the owner (Mr. Greenwood) was rather inclined to start Biplane in any case, but Mason would not have it, and went the length of saying that if Mr. Greenwood insisted on starting the colt against the mare he could train him himself, I must say that I felt sorry for Mr. Greenwood in the circumstances. It was an awful "jerrying" that he shared; I have never heard anything like it. My personal opinion about the resolution of the stc\wds is that it was rather drastic, colored by the excitement that inflamed the whole crowd. A rebuke wa» certainly called for, and I am told that the parties concerned got it when taken before the stewards. DESERT GOLD'S PERFORMANCES. A comparison of Desert Gold's performances, summarised with those of the greatest stake-winners in the history of the Australian turf, is compiled by The Australasian: Starts. Ist. 2nd. 3rd. Unp. Carbine 43 33 6 3 1 Trafalgar .... r>!) 24 11 0 IS Cetigne 53 15 14 5 10 Desert Gold ... 40 34 8 4 Jlaniapoto, who must be getting on in years, is in the sale list. Owing to the difficulties of transportation there are unlikely to be any thoroughbreds arriving iii Australia from England for many months, a state of affairs that will be appreciated by our breeders (writes "Pilot" in the Sydney Referee). There seems much less diffi* culty in selling imported horses than those bred in Australia. At Newmarket in February five two-year-olds and a three-year-old, originally purchased by Mr. R. Davidson for Australia, were resubmitted to auction, owing to the impossibility of getting them away from England. The only one that realised even a fair price was the two-year-old filly by Neil Gow from Gallenza, which was knocked down at 175 guineas. Of the other five three made 30gns, and two 35gns, so it would appear as if they belonged to that "good enough for Australia" class which We could well do without.