SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1919, Page 3

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS, (By "Moturosu") The Taratahi-Carterton annual meeting takes place to-day, but the quality of the horses engaged is not first class and the gathering is only of moderate interest. The Wairarapa Cup has attracted fifteen horse*,' including consistent performers like Dirkenvale, Multiline, JTastie, etc., and the issue looks very open. Prince Form by is nicely treated in the Members' Handicap, but if reserved for the Trial Plate Cotillion may be the hardest to beat. Parorangi and Prince Formby have most to recommend thorn in the Trial Plate, and Rio a«nd Transmission may stay out as well as anything engaged in tile Carterton Hack Handicap. There are some smart beginners in the Telegraph Handicap,- and if Lady Black, Matatua, and Trcntbam | Hose go to the post the race should be | interesting. March On showed winning form at Fcilding and at Awapuni, but wii! not be allowed to pay such a "price" if saddled np for the Taratahi Welter to-day. .Loyal Arch and Multaine should strip well in the Maungaraka Wciter, while Pevvolo and Cotillion look dangerous in the Electric Hack Handicap. The Great Northern meetings opens on Saturday. White Blaze must have a chance in the Cornwall. Polthogue i 9 reported to be an unlikely starter at Eilerslie. Sleight of Hand should slip the cut pn the hurdlers in the Great Northern I-lurdles. Volo is running into form, and will carry this scribe's quidlet at Otaki next week.

Polthogufe, Euripos, and Astinome were all double winners at Wanganui, and Oroahu ran 1 and 2. The Wanganui "correct cards" gave Ti. Barlow credit for training Polthogue, whereas the honor belongs to C. Jackson. It was nothing short of flattery to start Otter in the May Hurdles on Saturday, and he was; so far behind at the finish that it looked like the next race. Heard at Wanganui: 'What! Foil put tenner on him? Why, yon conhl BUY Lne horse for a fiver, and have a couple of races for that money!" Euripos won each day at Wanganui in very easy fashion, and his form was in direct contrast to his miserable showing in hi.-; only start at Hawera.

After viewing "Johnny Armstrong" at work on the first day at Wanganui, the "heads" all rushed a certain horse for' a jumping event that is due within a few davs.

The 'Wanganui Jockey Club is proverbially lucky as regards weather, and last week two perfect racing days were tandwiched in between rain and storm. Quite the gamest little punter on the course was an American comedienne, who put "scores' on horses, and was a regular caller at the pay-out window. When she collected off Astinome in the last race her pockets were bulging, and her only remark was, "Geo! If T/d known they would pay me out in single bills I'd have borrowed a pillar-box to take 'cm home in, sure!"

Euripos was railed through to Ellerslin on Monday, and on his Wanganui form should inn well in the Great Northern. Ho will be up against a tougher proposition there, however.

Silver Lin!;, ivitli Gray on top, was voted a moral on Saturday, but Eawakore galloped all over the field at the f;ni?h, and paid a good price. It iw reported that one big punter had fifty away on the winner, and what he said when he saw the pries it paid on' the machine can easily be imagined. During race week a raid was made on a hotel in Wanganui one evening, but no one hut boarders were found on the premises. If the police had opened the t"V wcfl't safe in the kitchen they might have been rewarded with a good bag!" Post Haste hM lightened up a lot on his, northern trip, anil runs a woi'se race each "time he is saddled up. He cannot negotiate the turns on this eoast.

Flying Gowrie was brought down for one rune at Wanganni, and on the strength of Gray's riding she was backed for a. ton of meney in the Farewell Handicap, t The AuekJander was in trouble all the way, and finished a Ion" way back. "

The Hallowmas filly Seasprite ran a groat race in the Farewell, hut Astinome was much too good at a difference of only ' lbs. A comparison of the performances of the pair made Mr. Fredrie's filly out to be very badly treated. Hushraan skipped along like a two-year-old in the Empire Handicap, and won easily. First out, ho led past the stand, but gave way to Ridngham five furlongs from home, only to come a<rain in the straight and win cleverly from the fast-finishing Volo. The latter was badly placed in the early stages of the race, but came with a 'great burst of j.peed from the distance.

Rewipoto is well cared for by tlie handicappery these days, and it is time they recognised that he is not the Rewi of old. Gray had him in a good position at the turn each day, but he failed bauiy in the run home.

As short, a price as "eights" was greedily snapped up about a certain 'double" at Wanganni on the second day, i>.nd it is sate to say that the Rawa-kore-Hushman combination was an absolute skinner for the books. If then* had been a double machine on the course it would have been a repetition of the Star Rose-Captain Shannon dividend at Kicearton. VHiiro cau travel pretty fast for about a mile and three-quarters, but Euripos and /jola left him standing over the last three furlonga of the Mav Hurdles on Saturday. ; Although boafcen, Zola ran a great moo, hut was unlucky to meet such a i wnasher as Euripos. Copcstakc rode a f;ne race on the Wanaanui prad. In faot, lie is riding better now than ever, and, with Stan Keid out of the way, is rate of the Dominion's leadiun' hurdle horsemen. " When Ecvnice fell in the Rata Hurdles lie broke a Jog and had to be destroyed. The Signor gelding finished third on'tlie first day, nud was running well on Saturday when he came to grief. Both Arlington and Lochella would have been second in their races on Saturday but for falling at the last obstacle. The hencoop, which brought Arlington down, is a tough obstacle to get ovej- at the tail end of a trying steeplechase, and it has brought many better horses 'than Arlington to grief. When Coalition struck at the post and rails in the Grandstand Steeples the girth parted, and JlcSweeney took everything (including the bridle) when he volplaned to earth. Tt was a clean sweep, and the smartest piece of "unsaddling" ever served up on n, racecourse. Old Styrcx was badly licked for pace in the steeples, and Meagher pulled him up on Saturday, after vainly trying to "punch" the old chesuut up to Ms field. They will lia.ve to be a, bad lot when Styrax can win a steeplechase. , "nre was outclassed at Wangaaui..

but did his best, gathering in one hundred guineas by his two thirds there. He would be a useful horse on the other aide of this island next month. Grafton Tot is a fine big 'chaser, but a difficult horse to ride. He was all over the course with T. O'Connell on Saturday, and eventually blundered at the double in front of the stand. The spectators were treated to an exhibition of coolness on O'Connell's part as he crouched on the ground, but much credit is due to the riders of the following horses, who skilfully avoided the prostrate horseman. Cello was treated to a flying start in the Balgowuie Handicap, and even thpn could not win, Marshal Neil getting np ill time to beat the Fordell cast-off. Bayberry's running was.the disappointment of the race. The principal winning owners at the meeting were: H. A. Knight £7SO, V. and E. Riddiford £SOO, L. Wemmick £440, Mr. Ewart .€330, G. A. Palmer .-£275, J. Hurley £275, Clout Bros. £205, W. Raleigh £2(30, F. S. Easton £205, J. Bull £175, W. L. Luseand £l4O, and H. MeManaway £lls. Winning horsemen were: E. Copestake, E. Bagby, M. McCarten, and H. McSweeney two each; W. Ayre, R. Reed, L. Morris, A. McDonald, F. Ellis, and A. Reed one each.