SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1918, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES: ' Aug; 15, 17—-Canterbury J.C; Grand National: Sept. 4—Marton JjC. Spring. Sept. ]4 —'D&nncvirlic Rs3. Spring: Sept. ID—Egmonit li.C. Spring; TJ.G COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club Committee was held last night, there being present Messrs. L. A.- Nolan, W. C. Weston, W. T. Hookham, J. Hawkins, ,T. McLeod, A. Alexander, W. P. Nicoll, 0. W. Sole, B; H. Chaney, and E. F. Bhindell. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. G. Fraser and Newton King.

Mr. L. A. Nolan was elected chairman for the ensuing year, and it was decided that the monthly meeting night of the committee be the second Tuesday in each month.

The following were elected to represent the club on the District Committee: Messrs. N. King, E. P. Blundell, B. H. Chaney, 0. W. Sole and G. Fraser. Mr. L. A. Nolan becomes chairman of the District Committee by virtue of his office as chairman of the T.J.C. Committee.

The following were elected stewards for the season: Messrs Nolan, Watson, Alexander, Newman, Thomson, Orbell, Ciianey, Pigott, Webster, Linn, Haleombe, McLeod and Hookham.

The committee decided to retain the Sixth Taranaki Stakes, and that a handicap for 2 and 3-year-olds be included in the programme for the February 1 meeting. Several certificates of fitness and character were authorised for trainers and jockeys, and one application for jockey's license was held over, the applicant to attend the nest meeting of the committee.

The following were appointed a committee to arrange a programme for the coming season, and submit samo to the September meeting of the committee: Messrs. Nolan, King, Blundell, Chaney, Fraser and Alexander.

TARANAKI STAKES. PLEA FOR THEIR ABOLITION. In moving at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Jockey Club that it be a recommendation to the Committee to consider the question of abolishing the Taranaki Stakes or adding a race valued at not less than £250 for two and three year olds to the programme, Mr Fred Watson favored the abolishing of the Taranaki Stakes, which 'had been introduced to give the Metropolitan Club a bubble reputation. It was, he held, the duty of the club to support those who supported them, viz., the smaller owners. Four stakes had been run so far, and there had been respectively 5, 7, 3 and 2 starters. The race cost the club £. r ioo,. and each year had curtailed a loss in entries, profits and totfllisator receipts as follows: 1!>!5 £4l, 1910 £!)J, 1017, £3, 1018, £2BO, a total loss of £4' l !l. Had there been a decent race at half the value there would have been a profit. Tt had been argued that such a j race would induce the big owners to enter freely, whereas the result was that in 04 races they had received twenty such entries. It was also stated that a weight ior age race would draw the public and thus mean increased revenue. Tile revenue certainly had increased, but so had that of other clubs that had no weight-for-age race. It ha<l also been said that such a Taee would uphold the status of the club, but he thought if they put less races valued at less than £IOO to the winner in their programme tliat status would be nearer attained than by throwing awav £SOO in trying to ape their financial beters. Seventy live per cent of the (veigbt-for-age races proved only "one horse Shows," and if the wealthy clubs giving good staikes could not attract more starters lie did not see Iknv Taranaki could. Some years ago the club had put on a Derby, which had proved equally unsuccessful, though <t had done him the good turn of providing a canter for Okoari and so keeping his bankers quiet for a while. If the club still wanted to uphold its buhble reputation. he would suggest that a race valued at not less than £'2.30 be added to the programme for two and three-year-olds. and till is might al?o induce some of them to start in the stakes. He thought the club should spread the money over the other race.?, and so give the small owners a chance to yet a little of their own ba<?k, leaving tiie classic races to the wealthier clubs. Ills motion recommending this to the committee was carried.

Mr. 1.. A. Nolan (chairman) said that the committee realised the stokes did not pay and the only point was what Mr Watson called the "bubble reputation.'' The committee would consider Mr. Watson's recommendation. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.")

Acceptances for tiie Grand Nationals and the Winter Cup fell due last evening, and now (possibly) the great treble will assume some definite proportionsFor the past few weeks punters have been in a quandary, swayed by every rumor into backing certain horses "straight out," "in ''d-oubles," and even ia "trebles." All this sort of business is vorv nice for the layers, no doubt, but those alleged shrewd punters who have b.-t-ii rushing, first, one. and then another horse, for this, thai, or the other event, ought really to go and consult a doctor. The Canterbury Jockey Club professes to iie up against the bookmaker, but in requiring nominations, weights, and acceptances for the principal events at the Grand National meeting weeks before the ar-lual events come up for decision they are only playing ipto the greedy paw of the blood-sucking, liar Vons —thoso leeches who make a tidy living by pitting their gamblers wits agftinSt. the easily-swayed notions and whims of the would-be ''get rich quicks " It is a losing game for the "picker," and it is time somebody called him aside and broke the news to him.

A new racing season is generally the occasion for a fresh batch of good resolutions, and while snd memories still lurk m the minds of ihe majority of punters of the reverses of the past racing year, it is time to consider whether this every-day struggle to sort out winners is worth all the trouble it entails. Certainly it is not a paying proposition. We often hear of the fellow who never loses, and his pal who is generally "ahead of it.," hut we all know it is a fallacy. The odds are too great against the punter. In attempting to pick winners, we rely on ''form" and on "information." Take "form/' and see how you will get on! And this so-called "information 1 ' —where docs it come front? Certainly not from the horse-owner, wuio wide awo v A H 8m iaot that the

booming of his horse robs liim of a decent (prospective) dividend. Certainly not from the trainer or from the jockey, 90 per cent, of whom are on their "uppers." And, then, from whomf I duimo.

Tlio Grand National acceptances arc not to hand ad time of writing, but it is sufficient to mention that good money lias already 'been squandered on horses like Parisian Diamond, Sleight of Hand, Colorado, Gaziaue, and a dozen more horses that were alleged to have some prospects of success at Riccarton. The gathering is still nearly a fortnight off, and much can happen before then. The prices on offer against Strowan, Sir Fisher, and Volo at tfhe present tima are perfectly ridiculous, and probably better dividends might offer on the day. Punters cannot all afford to be philanthropists! It now seems practieaJly certain that Desert Gold and Biplane will measure strides in Sydney, and when the pair meet it is to be hoped that both will strip at - their best. Jiaok O'Shea is to ride Desert Gold this trip, and nobody understands the mare better. M'Lachlan may be a gToat rider, but New Zealanders will prefer Desert Gold's old pilot. Ben Deeley will be on Biplane, of course, and it seems to he one of the queer turns of Faita tibat 'Stralians should be the favorod ones when it comes to a meeting between two New Zealand-owned and New Zealand-jockeyed champions. At the annual meeting of 'the' Taranaki Jockey Club, held this week, the fate of the Taranaki Stakes appeared to have been sealed. This is a matter for regret, for though the various contests for this valuable prize have not been strongly supported numerically, the Stakes have been the means of bringing many fine horses to the autumn meeting, and their presence has undoubtedly proved a, great attraction. It is a sad thing to seo good sport go down before pure money-making, and surely the Taranaki Jockey Club is in a position to encourage the better side of horse racing. It is to be hoped that the incoming committee will ponder deeply before taking drastic action in connection with Taranaki's classic event. This week's Referee contains the statistics for the season 1917-18, and th*v make interesting reading. The principal winners in the various sections have been dealt with already in these columns, but a word or two about Taranaki owners and horses should not be out of place. !Mir. Selwood is to be congratulated upon getting amongst the first dozen winning owners of the Dominion, the good services of Volo and Dingle earning for him £2600. Volo was the chief stake-earner of the province, and gathered in £1770, and lower down the list we notice:—Collector £lllO, Dingle £9SO, Iceberg £B2O, Inah £SOO, Silver Little £6BO, Paraoa £O4O, White Blaze £550, Sandy Paul £540, Astor £536, Glenrov £4,95, Tlyginas £475, Royal Clief £470, Henry Clay JMtto, Rawakoro £446. Otter £440, Paddington Green £436, Staccato £4lO, Rohur £3OO. Madam Ristori £350, Gipsy Gem £340, Gaycium £322, Paul Moore £3115, and Toatere £3OCi. Amongst the winning sires the most noticeable advance is that of Husbandman, whose seven winners were responsible for £3470. Coronet, whose progeny is well i represented in Taranaki, was responsible for elevon winners of £54,1 '2, and Campfire is again well up with fourteen winners of £2293. Patronus had five winners of £1630. and St. Paul nine of £1707.

The Egmont Racing Club recently voted a well-earned bonus .to the club's caretaker (Mr. Alf. Morse), and the Taranaki Club, when acknowledging the good work done by Mr. Blowman, might just as weil have suitably recognised the latter's hard work and ability. The number of horses trained on the New Plymouth and Hawera racecourses are very large, having increased considerably durthe past few year?, and the respective caretakers have a good deal of additional work in consequence. Both courses are well looked after, the tracks being second to none in the Dominion, and it is only right that those responsible for this satisfactory state of affairs should be suitably remunerated.

Ealieny, who finished third in the V.R.C- Grand National Steeplechase, is a wonderful pony. He has been racing continuously since 1907, and now, in his fourteenth year, laughs old age to scorn. Englisli papers state tjat racing days will probably be increased in the Old Dart this year, while in Germany the game still goes on merrily. Tn view of tho good work being done by New Zealand racing clubs, it seems ridiculous to talk about curt-oiling racing "to stop the war.'*