SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1918, Page 7

SPORTING.

turf topics. ***** Cu P an d Railway Handicap glits are stih in obscurity, the prevailing epidemic having caused a uostponement of the work of handicapping. a. ,1 j teen withdra wn from the Auckland Cup and Acre from tlio Rail>vay Handicap. Perm Up i s worth keening in view. 5115 Auckland engagements may result m much "grist to the mill." Manawatu Cup list contains the names or no less tnan ]■?, horses engaged in the Auckland Cup. The winner should very nearly come from this dozen. Since her three wins earlier in the season Rosa Pink has won 515 aovs in place money, bringing he/ total for the season up to D 27 sovo. Devotion has won 010 sovs, and Mascot 65 sovs. If, 3a >'. owner depended colely on his horse's winnings to recoup himself for the season's outlay—training, travelling expenses, nominations, acceptances, and jockey's fees, etc., and reckoning £3O per wck as a fair average exxpenditure —the amount won by Rose Pink would 1 nof, leave much of a margin for an occasional "champagne flutter" after a hard day's picking! After the successes of Sasanof and ■-nub (who would probably not have beaten Sasanof in the Canterbury Cup if Kilmoon had not been in the race), it was not surprising that colts by Martian realised good prices at 'Christchurch. Four colls fetched 28i"5gs, -m average of over 7)Bgs, and the° number 01 fillies slogs, an average of Is2Jgs. There were four double winners at Gisborne during two days' racing, five double winners at Riccarton during three days. At the V.R.C, meeting Stage Girl, winner of the Oaks and Batman Stakes, was the only animal to win more thin one race during the four days.

The «ood form shown bv kilmoon at Riccarton gives Detroit and Rose Pink, plnce-getters behind Mr. G. L. Stead's colt, a good chance in {lie Manchester Handicap at Feilding, At Trenthnm the weights were:— Detroit 84, and Rose PinK 7.12. They are on the same mark at Feildint!. Thomas Pine, whose death occurred at Hawprs, a week ago, 'Merged to ft South Island family of well-known horwnen a. f.w neasons back, The eldest Mother pfTTniam) won important rice* in the Smith TslanS, find for ?nme v.??tp, acted as nrivato trainer to Mr. 3. P. Tipohanan. Jack Pirp was cfmr.'ected j with Sir Oeoree Clifford's staMe. and rod? vir.ners of hi« races in both island?. Thr- other monitors of the familv, James and fleorirc, were .-.uoeess'fn! rider:? until increasing witfifc kept thorn nut of tfie saddle. Since he nettled in Fawerc, as a trainer, a few vrarz back, Tom Pine had saddled up a pood many winners. o-Peep and Torfreda we're bptli allowed to forfeit their engagements in the Flying Stakes at feilding. Both tliroc-year-nTH fillica have been placed on tbe same mark in the Electric Handicap, live furlongs, at Woodvillo. faking their form at Riecarton an a guide, perhaps Torfreda is the better of the pair. Nominations for Auckland Trotting Club'e summer meeting, also final payments for the Great Northern Derby

(1©18) and first acceptances i'or the Great Northern Trotting Derby (1319) close on Friday evening. Before the Melbourne Cup wr.s run, £6ooo—a fair price fuy horseflesh these times—was offered for Keiwaquhnir, but the owners were confident of winning the big Australasian prise! Tho horse, of course, only got a pk.ee, hut, being yet in lis prime, may laier_heat all opposition, for there is :*■> doubt aSout 1 it, Kennaquhair is just about the fastest ■ distance horse in Australia to-day. Circumstances do not always fa tor the fleetest horse in a /ace. Punka. and Killard continue tp do good track work, ar.d, if the ialtcr strips fit for the two miles at Auckland, he will be close up. So iaya a aouthew scribe But Killard is one of those goorl, little horses that put up great gallops and in the hunt homo for the money find the piiich just a "little too Fig" wr their staying powar3, Menelaus soem:i to Jir.vp como into strong favor for the Auckland Cup. On past fcrra, if well, ho should 'be going strong and giving the opposition a heap of trouble at the business end of two miles. In referring to Sazanof, "Sentinel," of the Otago Witness, writes;—" The Martian gelding is the cause of a good deal of anxiety to his trainer, end is likely to crack up at any minutf. It is a pity that such, V gooff Tiorso is not sound enough to stand a thorough preparation, as sound, fit, &nd well, he ia undoubtedly one of the best. His form goes to show what a great cold KJiboy was, m when they were both trained .by Murray Hpbbs the latter wes much the fetter of the two." One of the fittest horses at Ellerslie at the present time is MaUipgw. If he retains his present form, ho may be ejected to be heard of in a prominent fashion before the season is mufh further advanced. For tlif NZ Cup of 1917 Mullingar was quietly tacked for a pot of money, Lis connections being very confident. However, on that occasion he could not catch the big money. Since then he has picked up several decent stales yid run lis distances like a stayer—a brilliant finish each tizae. The new electric totalizator which has been installed at EUerslin will be partly staffed by girl clerkn. This txparijuent worked successfully tt t ftandwioli (Sydney); but it chovid not he nceesi'.aiy or desirable where the required number ot male operators are available. Perhaps, after all, it is a girl's ivorlcj they would not be continually craning their necks through the windows to iir.d out ''what yer bnokin', Joe!" News of the death of Mr A- ,iRutherford, jun, at Christchureh p. couple of weeks ago, caused quite a shock 1 in sporting circles throughout the Dominion. Only a fev? days previously Ms father fell a victim to influenza, to which the son's death was also due. He Tvs» keenly interested in dicing, and dur. ing the last few years he had maintained a stable at Riccaiton. with McAulay ' ae bis private trainer, One of his earliest ventures was the purchase of Rneore, bnlliant galloper, who won some good races, despite the fact that he v>v:- m.vro or Iffs unsound throughout h'i career Other horses who carried his e;»'->rs with aiwf were Speelalform Treadfire, Sairrsen. Furling, .Tinpo. and Kilrush, At the recent, meeting of th» Canterfancy for tho N.Z. Cup, 111 which he failed to realise expectations, but he ' ran a great race on the Inst dav in the Metropolitan Handicap, filling third 'j pince after a desperate finish. Some T'"':l and Some K;r,s are a couple of promising two-year-olds ho had In training ' at the tiii.e of Jiis death. ' Ar.'.oui th? c.ealh* rcer.tl.' at Oi"i-* chrtrch from Vi'tnua wi" Vv'.-r i'ot 'top, »t tn» tig* of 20 yuan. In hi*

young days he was a capable lightweight r der. He was attached to Sir ' George Clifford's stable for some time, and scored many wins in the blue-and-gold chequers, among thein being the Wcllesley Stakes, Foal Stakes, and Canterbury Champagne Stakes on Kirriemuir; Canterbury Metropolitan Handicap and Wangunui Cup, on Quarryman; and Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap; on Signalman. Increasing weight threw I "Vie" out of the saddle.

NO RACING AT REEFTON. Reefton, Deo. 4. Owing to the racecourse being used. a.s an auxiliary hospital at Reemton the Jdlekey Club will not hold, tho race meeting during Christmas week and nominations are meanwhile postponed in conecequenee. Delegates of the West Coast clubs meet at Greymouth to-morrow to consider the position. The Reefton Club will ™--' on Friday niglit to decide on future action. There are no severe cases at Reefton.