SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 July 1918, Page 7

SPORTING.

~ RACING FIXTURES. Juljr 10, 18-Wellington RjC. Winter. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Wellington Steeples on Wednesday. Hautcre is going to Melbourne. Gang Awa' may be reserved for the National. Trainer iSid Reid dona khaki at the end of next month. Record has changed hands, but is still trained in Wanganui. The steeplechase fences at Trentham should suit Sleight of Hand. They say that Sir Fisher is fit to run for a kingdom; so look out! Most punters will doubt Waimai's ability to give Master Strowan 31b over Trentham country. Tressida ran two sterling races at Hastings, and she will beat more than i beat her next start. j All sorts of wonderful tales are being [ whispered about St. Eimn, but we have heard the story before. The V.R.C. Grand National Hurdles come up for decision at Flemington today. No New Zealanders are engaged. Mr. W. R. Kemlball will probably invade iStralia next January witt Hymestra, Naana, and Co. Colorado's recent form has been too bad to be true, and now that the handi. cappers are giving him a >W he may show his true form. ' Despite his 11J9, Vojo wa 3 one of the early favontes for the Parliamentary! Handicap Punters evidently recognise that it takes a tot of weight to stoTa good horse. * \ The schooling hurdles at Flemington are now well padded, and if the same course was followed here there would be fewer horses suffering from shin soreness. The Wanganui District Committee wants to carve one day's racing off the Manawatu Club's menu, but the latter j»dy says, "No » and fondly hopes that tee Racing Conference will echo thenegaThe Waimate Plain* Trotting Club has sent forward a remit to the Conference asking that all races in the Dominion be started Iby the yards' system instead ot by seconds. Uniformity as regards starting is desirable, but both systems have their champions. . W f\ 01 >ly one more important meeting before the racing season closes, the jockeys' premiership, ig safe in theVads' of Hector 'Gray, with 60 firsts. His runaway victory does not stand alpne, for Stan Reid, with 20 wins, just as easily distances the riders over hurdles. It does not take a horse long to get ra the boom, but the public very quickly drop a beaten neddy. Ibex, because he lightened up and went off at Greenmeadows, is now classed as a false alarm. He is a horse that requires tender handling, no dotfrt, but there is no doubt that ho is a cut above the average. Some months ago he showed great track form at Wanganui, and he should be a letter horse next season.

Backers of favorites at Hastings had s bad run, only .two winning and three gaining second money, 'but the ißar Vons are all weeping about "a disastrous meeting. ' 'While those on the course -were blundering on to dead-'uns, there was big money away from the course for Art, All Over, Golden Glade, Torchlight Yellow and Black, and Hydrus. ' Pitch Dark is the appropriate-label attached by Mr. J. J. Oorry to the black colt by All Black—Noctorum. Fife and Drum, though not a bad handle for * filly by Heather Mixture—Amusement, is a clumsy name in comparison. i Honorable mention i 3 due to the person wh* christened Import ('Birkenhead—Suratura).

Mr. Harold Cooper, the popular president of the Manawatu Racing Club, has U;en granted leave by the military authorities until October 0.

On the nominations, Bon. Reve, Coalition, Master Strowan, Waimai, and Collector aro nominal favorites for the Grand National Steeplechase, while Art, Colorado, Gang Awa', Pursefiller, Sleight of Hand, and Sir iPisher occupy similar positions in the Grand National Hurdles. (Parisian Diamond, Lady Black, John Barleycorn, Lady Louisa, Volo, Tip-up; Gazique, and (Form Up also stand at short odds for the Winter Cup. Considering that the National meeting is some weeks off yet, and that most of the horses mentioned above have yet to get through their Trentham engagements safely, the Bar Vons are taking no risks. Bore, who was prevented from doing his best at Wanganui and Ellejrslie through lameness, is still reported to (be showing signs of infirmity. Heavy rain has hindered, training operations considerably at Ellerslie re°cently, and most of the Auckland horses are very backward in consequence. Waimai has done practically no jumping, but he is looking very well nevertheless. The unfortunate Slogan had to be destroyed this week through breaking a leg while running in the paddoek. Trainer Christmas now lias Fiery Cross, Glendower, and Killjoy in work. The first-named will not be fit to race for some time.

Vascular has been jumping both hurdles and big country proficiently at Ricearton, and should pick up a race about National time. A. M'Mulfan will ride him in his future engagements. For the New Zealand Trotting Cup of 1918, limited to horses that have done 4min 34sec or better, no less than 24 horses have qualified. Trainer H- Telfon], after a trial in camp, has been discharged as medically unfit. "Tod" Hewitt goes in shortly to try his luck. Arrow-field has not had any luck this ■;■•.. n. but the weight-adjusters are takiii'.r ;;nod care of him.