SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1919, Page 7

SPORTING

RACING FIXTURES. June 28—Hawke's Bay J.C. Winter. July s—Wulkato Hunt Iface Meeting. July 5, 9, and 12—V.R C. Grand National. July 8, 10, and 12—Wellington B.C. Winter. July' 17—Watmate District Hunt Steeplechase. July 26—Chrlstchurch Hunt Steeplechase. August 12, It and 16—C.J.C. Grand National. NOMINATIONS. July 11—Chrlstchurch Hunt Steeplechase. July 25—C.J.C. Grand National (general entries). '.' HANDICAPS. June 30—Wellington B.C. Winter. June 30—Watmate District Hunt Steeplechase. July 18—C.J.C. Grand National Steeplechase, Hurdle Race, and Winter Cup. July 18—Christcnurch Hunt Steeplechase. August I—C.J.C. Grand National (minor events). ACCEPTANCES. July 3—Wellington B.C. Winter. July 7—Waimate District Hunt Steeplechase. July 23—Chrlstchurch Hunt Steeplechase. July 25—C.J.C. Grand National Steeplechase, Hurdle Race, and Winter Cup. August B—C.J.C. Grand National (minor erents). FINAL PAYMENITS. August B—C.J.C. Grand National Steeplechase, Hurdle Bace, and Winter Cup. STAR CHAMBER METHODS. (By "Moturoa".) For a long while a long-suffering racing public has railed against the secrecy surrounding the ever-prevalent inquiries held into various matters appertaining to racing, and there is little doubt that a bit more publicity in this respect would remove the present feeling of doubt and dissatisfaction and place the sport of kings on a more satisfactory footing. Of course we have stewards,.judicial committees, and "stipes" galore, but what they do when they secrete themselves behind barred doors no one knoweth. The racing public demand to bo taken, into the confidence of those who are supposed to safeguard their interests, and want to know what is doing. Anyone with half an eye can see that something is radically wrong with racing at the pressat time. The glaring reversals of, form, often forecasted by straight-out, double and totalisator betting of the heaviest description, seen during the past few weeks would take tome explaining away, and while the average honorary steward is content to "let things run, along easily" there is no I Reason why the paid stewards should not give the public some tangible proof that they are doing something to warrant the fat fees they tear off annually. SWUNG PROSPECTS.

The publication of entries for the principal spring handicaps to be decided in '.Stralia early next season show that New Zealand owners have nominated freely, and though the position across the Tas'mah is a chaotic mesa of 'flu and strikes of all kinds at present, there seems every chance that matters will right themselves before October, Some teams are already in "Stralia, and others jaw all ready for tho invasion, and exj>«t to get shipping space very shortly. The entry lists are, therefore, of more than usual interest. Taking the races itt the order they will be run, the Epsom Handicap (Oftijber. 4) comes first. The mile event bM attracted Gloaming, Afterglow, Kara, Hymestrn, Gay Lad, Surveyor", Spariner; Golden Bubble, Lady Ball, Taunaha, Mie* Gold, Kilroy and Kildennis. The Metropolitan Handicap, of 1J miles, run en October 6, has drawn Surveyor, Golden Bubble, Miss Gold, Kiltoy, Kildfinrtisl, Gay Lad, Afterglow and Kara, as Well as our old friends Estland and Finmark. In the Caulfleld Cup, 1% miles, run on October 18, we find Miss Gold, Kilroy, Kildennis, Scottish Knight, The Hague, Kilfoyle, Kilfliiin. Beltane, Gay LofJ, Gloaming, Afterglow. Karo, Rossini, Impediment, Taunaha, Spanner, Golden Bubble, Surveyor, Sasanof, listland, and tlnnjnfk. Tile most important race of all, the Melbourne Cup, run on November 4, has been well cupported, ai the following list of New Zealand entries shows: Snub. Rebuff, Miss Gold, Kildennis, Scottish Knight, The Hague) Beltane, Kill 'Em, Gay Lad, Afterglow, Karo, Lucid, Speechraaker, Red Pepper, Sasanof, Siivvevor, Golden Bubble, Tin' pediment, perform, Finmark, aid Est; land. It will be interesting to see how 'Stralian hahdicappers rate Gloaming, Sasanof, Surveyor, and other Maorilanders with their best handicap performers. NEW ZEALAND ON TOP.

In commenting on tjie season's threeyearrolds seen under silk in Australia, "Pilot," of the P«eferee, after siting up the local horses, gives the palm to the New Zealanders. He writes: The Aus-tralian-ibred but New Zealand-owned Gloaming, and Finrasrk, bred in New Zealand, have prdved themselves superior ds stayers to the Australian divlfiori of the same age, and the latter must fee accounted somewhat unfortunate in not having a Victoria flerbv to his ffid fourth' In the Melbourne fun tefld* to uphold that idea, and h|6 Sidney Giip form was also good, even though he did not get a place He finished ahead of Kennaquhair and Poitrel, wiiotn h* was respectively meeting only 61b Sfid 31b better than w>l£ht-for-age, atid they represent top foMfi among this State's older horses. \Ve have had bad seasons for three-year-olds in Australia, but comparatively few have been worse than the.current one. We cannot well claim either Gloaming (though he was bred in Victoria) or Fintnark. both of whom were sent from New Zealand, and they are really the only three-year-olds that have shown form over a distance that entitled them to be ranked with the beM of tho older horses.

Developments are always possible, but of this season's three-year-olds Finmark is the only one at present in Australia that, as a four-year-old, readj at all like holding his own against Poitrel, Keimaquhair and Co. over a distance. STRAY SHOTS. A Melbourne scribe mentions that the New Zealand owner, Mr- W. R. Kernball, has now ten horses in work at Cauifleld. The team includes the ever-green Snub, as well as Wishful, Gladful, Negambo, Explorer, Scornful, Hymestra, and three yearlings. Snub la doing well in his schooling essays, and Mr. Kernball should pick up some good stakes at the jumping meetings over there this winter. Mr. Kernball also has nine horses in work at Opaki. " In connection w,ith, the, agitation to admit members of the press to rafting inquiries, it is,worth Mentioning that .tjse, 'Wanganui Trotting Club, for whom Mayor Maekay will aet as spokesman, has forwarded a remit to the Racing Conference in support of the admission of the press. Northern papers report that Walmai is moving well at Ellerslie, and the old fellow is to contest the chief steeplechase events at Trentham and Ricearton,An exchange reports that a priee was put on Seasprite a few weeks ago, but the wouM-be purchaser got a chock when they mentioned 800 guineas. When horses like itauss. Obinewairuft. HvUiu.

[■etc-, are picked up for much less it is [no wonder .that the deal was off.

_ Successful jockeys make good money in 'Stralia. K. Bracken's winning percentages at the recent Randwick meeting amounted to £4OO, and what he received in the way of presents would be a heap more. An advertiser in a Wanganui paper offers for sale a motor car that will run "on the smell of benzine." Judging by the lean appearance of some of our alleged racehorses, they are trained on the smell of oats I

Although Kennequhair has only won two races this season, his second in the Newcastle Cup has increased his season's earnings to £7479, of which £2790 represents place-money. The crack Canadian racehorse, Inferno,died recently, and when his body was dissected his heart was found to weigh seventeen pounds. The average is about twelve pounds, but the writer has seen a horse's heart as big as a prize pumpkin. The injudicious use of arsenic as « dope was responsible for the latter monstrosity. ' Poethlyn, the winner of the last Liverpool Grand National Stseplechase, has sported silk on 2r> occasions- His record reads: 12 firsts, 3 seconds, 1 third. He has only fallen twice, and the above figures make him out to be a remarkable horse.

The champion of the Q.T.O. autumn meeting was the Achilles horse Venerable, winner of the King's Plate (w.f.a.), Erisbane Cup, and Royal Stakes (w.f.a.), representing a win on each day of the meeting. This is almost equal to the deeds of Poitrel at Randwick last month, excepting for the Brisbane Cup, in which the winner's weight was .8.13, or 4lb under weight-for-age. It is a great performance all the same, and stamps Venerable as a champion—in Queensland, at any rate.

If Venerable takes any way, after his sire, Achilles, he should be of "high class, for Achilles was one of the greatest horses on the New Zealand Turf. Ab a two-year-old he won four times in five starts, at three he was unbeaten in eight starts, at four he won twice in three starts, at five three times in eight starts, at six four times in 11 starts, and at seven four times in 11 starts. As he was Usually top-w'%ht in handicaps, his record speaks for itself. The wonder is that a horse with sjoh a remarkably fine career has not piodueed many more of Venerable's calibre-

Monarda, dam of Venerable, never started in a race. She was by Birkenhead (imp.) from Balm, by the Melbourne Cup winner Dimlop. Monarda was purchased by Mr. J. E. Brien in New Zealand and brought to Australia, where Venerable was foaled. Achilles, it will be seen, was bred on much the same lines as Wallace, being by a Musket horse from a Gdldsbrough mare. The success of Goldsbrough mares was referred to last week. It is astonishing what great dams they have proved, especially when crossed with Musket blood-

Birkenhead, sire of Monarda, produced many winners in New Zealand and some in Australia. For .years his name was one of the first" four in the winning sires' list of New Zealand, but last season he fell away a good deal, and took up a position a long way down the list, He is another representative of the Galopin blood, his sire. Orme, being from Si. Simon's sister, Angelica.

THE STANDING START. Concerning the much. Vexed question of starting in trotting races the well-known N.S.W. enthusiast, Mr D. M. Robertson, voices his opinion thus:—

"It may help to clear the position a little more if I give some reasons why the barrier and yards system. was considered necessary and introduced. It prevents what was continually happening by some horses beating the starter and getting away seconds before their time it does away with the danger of a liorse being called off for leaving a fraction of a second in advancp of its time, i which was often quite unavoidable under the conditions, and could not affect the result of the race, but deprived the speculating public of any chance of a return or run for their investments when ordered off. It prevents any opoprtuhitv for ealhng a horse off when leaving 1o its correct time, biit reported for riot having done so, a simple and sure method of preventing a horse winning where owners' interests clashed. It also helps to check the practice of horses being sent to the post without any intention of takirig part in the face, their presence there being only required to provide a better betting market for some other horse—by leaving before their time they are ordered off, and later in the day can face the starter again fresli and without any danger of an enquiry if they win Double-event betting is taken advantage of by these tactics, and a good price provided in machine betting on both races to the disadvantage of all except those directly involved. "Numerous reasons oould be given why" the barrier and yards system should be compujsorily enforced in support of clean racing, but these remarks may help the public to realise more qerrectly the need of protection from men who have only one end in view, and that not in the bM interests of the sport," STRAY SHOTS.

After winding the Disposal Handicap at the Otago Hunt Club meeting old Multiplication was sold for half a hundred,

From Te Aroha comes news Of the death of the old chaser Loch Fyne. The Great Northern winner has had an easy time during the past few years, having been pensioned off after his term of «semlness on the turf bad ended. Master Strowman's accident was serious enough to make his starting at Irentham very unlikely, but he should be applie pie" for the Grand National m August, i

Mannish, by Mania.poto-Blemish is moving well on the tracks at W&nganui, and promises to .turn out useful next season,

One of the smartest sprinters at Gisborne is Demonstrate, by Demoathenesle Awahou. He seems to be up to any weight, and is sure to be heard of a,t the spring meetings. Silent Way blossomed forth as a hurdler at Bendigo the other day, and with 10.7 in the saddle ran a betterfancied stable-mat to a ]engft Poitrel's winnings at Sydney meetings this season have reached ,£5711. Gloaming follows with £5411, and then fsrs 8 consißtent Kennaquhair with

The Gazeley tribe was muoh in evidence at GJsborne the other day, GMtoue and Woodrow winning doubles,, and JNick s #ead a sing-Jo, There will be big money for junipers in fetralia tfaia winter. The vhc Grand National Steeplechase will carry with it £2OOO of added money,: and will be the" richest cross country event ever .deeded n Australasia, The Australian bteeplechase, to be run at Caulfield in August, wiil be worth £1750, and it ia [surprising tlrnt several of our top-not-I Chew have not bean sent across to gather in these attractive stakes.