SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1919, Page 7

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. V (By "Moturoa".) A rumor Is going the rounds that the Marton Jockey Club intends postponing its spring meeting until railway arrangements are more favorable, but the writer has It direct from the club's officials that no such step has even boon considered. The gathering will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, in conjunction with the Rangltikel Hunt meeting, and, judging by the number of horses already arriving at Marton, and those for whom accommodation has been booked, the gathering promises to be a most successful one. Lochelln, who rusned into fame by winning the Grand National Steeplechase, was lucky to have been given a chance to win a race at all. When first tried ho appeared worthless, and wa3 given to a stock inspector to travel Central Otago. After much travelling and many ups-and-downs he was put Into training once more, and showing promising form was persevered with. A small hurdle race fell to him, and when tiled over country he Jumped like a deer. How Locliella subsequently electrified the touts on the training bracks at Riccarton, and went on and won the Grand National In hollow fashion Is now history.

The other day this scribe saw the old coach that Equltas used to be one of the leaders In, and then It was brought home tn him how lucky some famous horses were to have ever got a chance to prove their worth In the racing arena. The tricks that Jockeys often have to resort to to ride light are well known, 'and In this respect a yarn is told of a youngster who had raised the Ire of an owner by going to scale 2 lbs over. "Well," explained the Jock, "I haven't had a lilfo for a week. I bought the chemist out of Kpsoms, and I've (jot a 4oz saddle, and by lightest pants and coots. I've just had a shave and a hair-cut, and 1 can't take on* another o\jnc;" "Well," said the owner, "you've just got time to clean your teeth and trim your finger-nails, so get busy I"

THE TTJRF REGISTER. We have to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the 1918-19 New Zealand Turf Register, a handy little volume that should occupy a place In every sportsman's library. The Turf Register Is compiled by the staff of the Weekly Press and Referee; and for conciseness and attention to detail this year's volume Is far ahead of previous issues. The Turf Register contains a full report of the season's racing and trotting in New Zealand, and tables of winners of the most important races since their .Institution. With these are given the winners of the Melbourne Cup and VI'..C Derby. Important features also are the racing and trotting statistics, entries for coming events, principal sales of bloodstock, registered colors, and rules of racing (Including the w.f.a. scale for flat races, hurdle races, and steeplechases). The price Is fixed nt half-a-guinea, a moderate outlay for a volume containing 050 pages of closely printed matter of Importance and Interest to the average race-goer.

There is a casual class of cuss In this world given to ringing a man up in the middle of the nighl to Inquire whether Blanker won the somethlng-or-other cup In ISS", or whether Blinker ever won a six furlongs heat at ..Outlandish Hollow, or something of the sort Othm'n float in when a fellow is up to his eye;" in hard work, or talking to a lady friend, or having a bowl, and the same old stereotyped, "just to settle a bet, tell me ," prefaces a question that means running through a Turf Register and, repeating to a dull intellect or committing to writing Bome Information that would always bo available to the inquirer if he had tho good senso to keep himself armed with a register of his own, and quit harassing a poor over-worked scribe by day and night. "Moturoa" has no intention to get warmed up over tho matter, but he respectfully suggests to those persons with a taslo for statistics and wagering that they purchase a Turf Register right away. Besides brushing tip Iholr falling memories and acquiring knowledge that would possibly stand to thom In their wagering they would give pleasure to themselves, and save others needless annoyance. Do It now I

REGISTER RECORDS. There are many worse ways of putting In » we'. Sunday afternoon than In perming the pages of a Turf Register. Information, both instructive and entertaining, bristles on every page, and each detail Is so clearly set out that the merest tyro may Quickly find what he wants. There lie all the answers to all the traps and conundrums with ' which knowing ones trip their unwary brothers, as the fellow found out who lost good money over the question, "was a £3 dividend ever returned on totalisator in New Zealand when only one horse started?" He said, "No," but overlooked the fact that when Kibbonwood was set against tho record the tote was opened on the contest, and tho public could cither back the horse or one o'clock. Rlbbonwood upset the record, and returned the dividend stated above.

Glancing through the recent register we find that half-a-dozen horses never tasted defeat in the 1918-19 season. Chief honors go to Bon Spec, who won each of his four races. Long Range started twice and won both starts, and Acquittal, Argo, Forest Gold and Marvel, ite all won on Ihe single occasion they wore saddled up.

Rose Pink, with fJFi starts, was the hardest worked neddy in the season, though Trentham Rose ! 321 followed closely. 80-Peep 27, Cold Problem 27, Movement 20, Royal Chef 26, Achtl. lodes 24, KilbTogan 22, Rewi Poto M, Rawakore "1, Polthogue 21, Tenacious 21, Pyjamn 21, Chimera 21, an* Mill n' Gowrle 20, all did their share of stake-ohflslng. In 24 starts Achliledes was placed 15 times. Affectation won 5 out of a dozen starts, and Afterglow 0 out of 15, Alteration did not race with much success, only winning 3 times in 18 tries. Astinome's 1!) races resulted In 5 firsts, 4 seconds; and 2 thirds, and Aurore went one better with 5 firsts, 4 seconds, and 4 thirds In 17 races. Battle Array had a good average, 1.1 flutters resulting In 0 firsts. Rliick Mark was never out of a plflvte, nor was Bon Spec. 80-Peep had 2" ihances, but was unlucky enough to register only 3 wins, though she was 8 times second, and 3 times third. An olderly prad named Brown .Toe gained place-money in his four goes, and Brunswick performed similarly. Cerberus was only twice outside a place In 8 races, and should be worth following. Chimera had 21 chances, and scored 0 times—a good average. Dainty Step won her last three races, and should bo fit for early spring racing. Desert Gold's six starts In the Dominion out to 2 firsts, 3 seconds, and once unplacedwhen she was beaten In the A R.C. Handicap with 9.13. The well-named Divorce (Sensation —Countess) performed consistently, his 12 starts returning 4 firsts,. 3 soconds, and 3 thirds. Euripos won sof the 10 heats he started in, and Gay -Lad's twlco up read one win and one (half-head) defeat. The champion. Glooming was produced 14 times, winning 11 times, and being twice "knocking at the door." In his only other start he fouled the tapes, »nd cam 6 down. Gold Problem had any amount of racing, and with 6 wins certainly paid his way. Jutland, in 3 pops, won twice, and was once narrowly defeated by Rebekah. Kilbrogan thrives on racing apparently, for 22 starts saw him home In front on fl occasions, while second and third money fell to him on 5 and 2 occasions respectively. KilIlney faced tho barrier 14 times, and her plncr Inns were 4 all round. Kllmeedy was only once unplaced in 1(1 outings, and Kllroy was either 1, 2, or 3 in as many star's.

Lady Mlddleton scooped tip 6 firsts,, 5 sec : onds and 2 thirds on the Wet Coast, and Lord Musketry was placed 11 times "in concussion." Magnus Enuus did not run up to his grandiloquent cognomon. Marqueteur won 5 out of 19 races, and Iferton 7 out oi IG. Mill o' Gowrio was first home 6 Mmcs In 20. and Movement 5 In 26. MultWe faced the starter 16 times, and had a winning average of 50 per cent. Omnhu won his last four races, but he. commenced the new season badly at Rlccarton.

tor 9, were paying propositions. Polthogtts scored 9 firsts, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds In 21 "plugs," but Poste Haste did not haste enough to win a race. Punka's number was bolsted first on .four, occasions, her gallops In ..public numbering UPyiama didn't get much rest, 21 starts resulting In 6 firsts, 3 seconds, and ? thirds. Radial won 7 times, and was second 5 times In 17 starts, and Rawakore caught 5 races In 21. The. consistent Rebekah rewarded her fortunate owner on 7 out of 13 heats. Rosa Pink only won 4 out of 35, but she earned second money 5 times, and third money 6 times. The champion unlucky prad was Royal Chef, whose 26 sprints were fruitless, unless 8 seconds and 4 thirds are any good to a battling owner.

Sasanof was given a light season, 13 races bearing fruit as follows: (i firsts, 3 seconds, 2 thirds. Silver Link was another lightlyraced one, 12 starts producing 5 firsts, 2 seconds and 1 third. Spanner had a like record for 11 races. Slmonldea was saddled up 10 times for a brace of wins, but he ran into a place In each' of his last 8 starts. Surveyor, the leading two-year-old, raced 11 times, and was 5 times top-dog. Taiamal mopped up 8 races, D of which wore on end.

Take Down mostly took her owner down. Tantalus was well named, four tries being poorly rewarded with 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. Taunaha won 3, and ran second once in 6 flutters. Tenacious did "the smalls" in the Auckland province right royally, notching 11 firsts, 0 seconds, and 4 thirds. Thrace was C times first, and with a brace of seconds and a third earned good money. Tlnuiga rushed off with a win, 4 seconds, and a third, and later on won 4 times and was' second thrice. Six firsts, and a similar number of seconds rewarded Treutharn Rose's owner for 32 races. Ulster was only hopped out twice, but ha won once, and was second onco. Uncle Ned ran consistently through twelve tries for five winst and two seconds, and Vance's ten-minute runs resulted in two firsts, three seconds, aud three thirds.

Vascular donned racing gear on 19 occasions, and his record of seven firsts, six seconds, and three thirds was ono to be proud off. Want! won fire out of 14, and was 12 times placed In the season.

Warplane was never out of a place, nine races producing three wins, four seconds, and two thirds. Wlndorah had the distinction of winning four tunes on end, and Zola, In 13 starts, won three times, and was runner-up on six occasions. Here endeth the firdt lesson from the Register.