SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 7

SPORTING

RACING FIXTURES. Oct. 4—Napier Pari RC Oct. B—Hawke's Bay J.C. Oct. B—Horowhenua B.C Oct. 9, 10—Whangarel R.C. Oct. 10, 11—Dunedin I.c Oct. 16, 18—Masterton R.C. BUDDEN WEATHER CHANGE. By Telegraph.—Press Aasn.—Copyright. Received Oct. 3, 9.50 p.m. _ ~ t Sydney, Oct. 3. There has been a sudden weather Change. It Being cold and showery, and the outlook for to-morrow's races Is dubious. V ABHBUBTON HANDICAPS. *-. ■™. *. „ Christchurch, Last Night. The handicaps for the Aahburton meeting are as follow : FIRST HURDLES—HyIang 12.8, Wild Pilgrim 10.5, Silver Shield 10.3, Vociferate, Jack Symons 9.6, Leaping Burn 9.5, St. Cletus, Milton, Sea Blue 9.0. COCNTT HANDICAP.-Punka 9 3, Gay Lad 8.13. Heathercote 8.5, Eleus 8.2, Almoner 7.18, Royal Star 7.7, Burrongong, Hiero 7.7, Indus, c "»°j* 7.5, Falataff 7.2, Lovelock 6.13. HACK.WELTER.—RoyaI Star 10.3, All Serene 9.3, Red Pool 9.1, Strathglass 8.10, Belgian 5 111 *J , .*« Tartr >* 85. Bonny Mac, Primum 8.3, St. Winnow, Footlights 8.0. BRAEMAR WELTER.—Hiero 9.9, Oxenhope, Commeift Post Haste 9.1. Merton, All Ready 8.9, Golden Prince 8.0. HACK HANDICAP.—Night Raider 9.2, Link Up 8.9, Mythology 8.4, Spyglsss, Irish Elegance 8.3, Eight Bells, Flight Commander, Immense 8.2, Naughty Queen 7.8, Belgian King 1.1, Lady Winston 7.3, Rapid River, Trickery, Starlike, Bonny Mac, North Sea, Miss Camouflage, High Heels 7.0.

SPRING HANDlCAP—Kllbrogan 9.7, Punka M, BadlaL Bon Speo 8.9, Eleus 8.8, Almoner, WreMler 8.5, Redshlre 7.11, Kiero, Moorabbc, Cartrock 7.7, Poet Haste 7.4, Braid 7.3. Link Up, Tremena 7.2, Thettlus 6.7. SfflJON TROT.—Wansworth, First Carbine, Chlldwood, Medallions scr., Bockaway, Cannle Jessie, Ftaser, Lucky Patch, Peter King, Hock Aye, Taoekaha, Malle, Nell Pointer, Rewanul 12yds behind, Orarl, Peter Dillon, General Pershing Colefield 36, New York, Locunda .Thr., Jane Leewood 48, Mykot 84, Oxenwood, Wild Briar B*.

NOTES BY "MOTUBOA." THE WANGANUI MEETING. The-recently concluded spring meeting of the Wanganul Jockey Club, viewed from all i"»pe'cts, was the moat successful and enjoyable held on the Wanganul course, and those who were fortunate enough to spend the concluding days of last week in the lively little Hirer City returned home with happy recollections of Interesting horse racing; a well-conducted boxing tournament; first-class "Digger" entertainments; and, above all, a race ball that was certainly a gorgeous affair. Others less frivolously inclined visited the recently completed Sargeant Art Gallery; inspected the much boomed "sand eater," tho dredger "KaloBe"; or spent their odd moments in the shrubberiet, or the pubberles that abound In Wanganul. As a sporting carnival and a holiday in the fullest sense It fulfilled the wildest hopes. This scribe does not pretend to be a connolseur of feminine apparel, but the raiment exhibited by the weaker sex at the races and at the ball wes warranted to arrest the attention of the moot short-sighted women-hater. It was always dazzling, and at times almost astounding I During the years of war our women have stuck bravely to sombre hues and unobstruslve styles, but with the noise of cannon and smell of powder out of the air nhave blossomed forth again with renewed and originality. It was not a question of what one wore. It was what they didn't wear. But this Is no place for such thoughts. Let It pass with tho expression of opinion that the styles of 1919 are audacious; that the "madamolselles" of this year are what "les soldats de Nouvelle Zeland" are pleased to call "tres Don"; and that our country cousins, or at least the unsophisticated section of them, would do well to wear dark glasses when the* attend their first race meeting I The boxing tournament, as mentioned above, was run very well, and tho form exhibited showed that there was promising "talent" in the town. One missed Caldwell, Thomas, Breed, and others, but these brave fellows proved their, ability to fight—not only In the hempen ring, but on the heights of Galllpoll, on the sands of Egypt, and In the slosh of Flanders, and their names now stand on the roll of honor—a credit to their country, and to the profession which endowed them with grit, ability and fearlessness.

The Wanganul race meeting was, on the whole, a benefit for the small man who, not claiming the knowledge of racing affected by "the heads," Is content to "follow the money," and comes away satisfied with a small return. The uncertainty of train conveyance reduced the fields to convenient proportions, and the fad that on the opening day favorites returned first dividends In five, and second dividends In two races, and on the concluding day visited the pay out windows for four first and one second dividend, shows that the "rat bettors" had a heap of fun for their few hundreds (white ones I). To collect twelve times in sixteen—that is providing the elated punter kept sober—would send a wowser following the meetings! At first glance the above figures would suggest that victories were of the runaway order usually connected with the successes of socalled certainties, but such was not the case. Yankee Jack, Nursing Sister, Khartoum, and Seasprite won easily enough, but Affectation, Rose Wreath, Solfanello and Ruddy had little to spare In their winning efforts, and the finishes of quite one-half of the races were keenly contested. The Wanganul Guineas was a particularly Interesting race, and horsemanship had much to do with Affectation's success. Hurry Up was compelled to produce a beautiful finishing run to overtake All Over In the Higgle Handicap; and Solfanello's narrow defeat of Jutland.' and Saimal's equally flukey win over Tessares were both achieved by horsemanship. In the other ninety-nine cases out of one hundred Tessares and Jutland would win, but such is the uncertainty of the sport The battle of the three-year-olds in the Guineas as likely to shed some light on forthcoming welgbt-far-age events, particularly In Derbies, was particularly Interesting. The six starters were a high-class lot, and the public was anything but unanimous In sizing up tho ultimate winner. Under ordinary circumstances Warpiane would have been entrusted with the talk of the money, but the public went off him at the last moment, refusing to accept his trainer's hopes that the colt's lameness was trifling, and for once the pubßc fancy verre'd the right way. Warpiane was certainly anything but right, and he pulled up in a bad way. The final gallops put up by Affectation settled the question nf favoritism, and. aided bv the best of the start, the favorite was able to win from, end to end in'splendid time. Crinkles was splendidly handled, and "Bobby" Young rode bis first race for Mrs. Perry In capable style, but the son of Demosthenes, though showing pace from the start and gameness and staying power in the final quarter, was not quite good enough on the whole Possibly he may reverse conditions with the winner over the Derby course. He impressed one that way. Warpiane was not disgraced under the circumstances, •'but George Price will And it hard to give him a solid preparation by November next. Motulhl Is capable of Improvement, hut Bctnua appears to be best over only sprint courses, and Rose Queen Is further removed from the top rank The distance handicap horses were a fas', lot Client won In great style on Thursday, «vd but for interference would have troubled. the winner on the concluding day All Over raced consistently, as did Hurry Up, and both will be heard of again. Whenever Mr. Jas. Bull ■ejects to start All Over in a small stick event it wll! be all over and nothing pise. Hurry Tp races Tike a stayer, and with his lightweight might run a good two miles in the New Zealand Cup. He is coming on fast. Of the others Hushman showed pace up to a mile each doy, but retired when the real racing commenced. Maioha and Nobleman require a few races to bring them up to the mark, but Bingham would never be dangerous In such company. War Star Taced nicely on Saturday, and being by Manlapotn-rLady Lucy, It Trtll be surprising If she does not do well over longer courses. Zola cracked up on the hard going. The sprinters were below the usual standard at Wanganul, and too much attention stould not be taken of the actual results Inah beat the best field In the Flying, but few of eer opponents appeared to either be anxious or to take her seriously. The result was another great dividend for Hawera. Solfanello ran up well from a rear position on the first day, and the public made him an ,odds-on order on Saturday. He,certainly scrambled home. but he was as lucky as a transport full of crieftlil*.' Jutland ran altogether differently on the second day, and both his and the form of Volo on Thursday was Inexplicable The time worded each day was exceptionally fast. I and la hard to believe. (You shouldn't I swallow everything you see on a racecourse, be It form, or time, or anything else I) As anticipated, Yankee Jack proved the best hurdler on the ground, and there was no disgrace In his second to Austin at a difference of nearly three stone In the Obnvllle Hurdles. Austin hasn't won a race for years, and few expected him to, either. Trainer J. Fryers perseverance Is rewarded at last. It was a pity that Papanul was not able to start at the meeting, as he would have made the hurdle events verv much more Interesting Walk ng all over the country did not improve his d'ekey lee. but a short spell will probably see that trouble Tighted. Ngakanu! should be Improved by the galloping, and I expect him to show up shortly, possibly at WavmW this month. Neither Play Off nnr Blgnorella look 111-« paying their way over the small sticks Nursing Sister won both her races from end $o pad. «nd *k* 4» * *»» •dvwtiaeaeat for

Soferlno. Tame Fox did not perform tip to [ expectations, but good judge* will be prepared to give him a chance when he strikes a bigger course. Admyra, by Solferino—Temba, looks like turning out useful. Seaanrite did all that was expected of her each day, winning a brace In line style. Back company will not see ber long. Simon chased bet bone on both occasions, and was unlucky to strike such a sterling mare. Sir Fanciful Is always there or thereabouts, and with decent placing should win good money. Rose Wreath did not have much on Ruddy In the Durio Had: Handicap, and It was up to the last-name) to score on the second day. Ruddy Is a splendid Pic All Red gelding, and should see a better day. Nemallne Is getting more solid in her races, and.may make amends for many disappointments, though no champion. Egmont Park has lightened up as the result of recent racing and travelling, ami may be better for a slight respite. Farce reads similarly. It was pleasing to see our old Pa tea friend, i Mr. B T. Bennett score each day in steeplechases with the aged King Rufus gelding Khar-■ toura. The latter has thrived on racing thlf spring, and his Jumping showed evidence of '. careful acd. painstaking schooling. Cornelia'.' got round without mishap each dsy, but lie! has lost his place. Kurapai's two perform-1 ances were disappointing, and he and others looked as if they had had enough of racing for'a spell. These hunters quickly lose their condition when pace is required to be added! to their usual careful jumping tasks. THE NAPIER PARK MEETING. The above gathering take: place at Green Meadows to-day, and the fields should be satisfactory all round. A dozen Aave been paid up for in the Park Stakes (a mile r.r.d ahalf), and a race over such a long course in the early spring Is always hard 'r- size up. The Speaker has 9 steadier of S.lO, but condition may "pull him through. Lovematch and Vermillion are also reported to be very forward, so an Interesting race appears cer- ' tain. CrenldSs should monopolise the belong; If started In the Railway Handicap, '.hough Hetaua will also be improved by the gallop it Wangamil Tessares was unlucky to lose last week, and may make amends in the Juvenile Handicap, while Maraetotara, Hymarty, Lord Mußkerrv, Whiro and Carillon should show up in the minor events. A.J.C. SPRING MEETING. The Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting opens a Randwlck to-day, and the presence of a large number of the leading New Zealanders invests the gathering with more than usual Interest. Horses carrying the colors of New Zealand sportsmen have won the last three A.J.C. Derbies, and Golden Bubble and Rossini will be asked to-day to add to the record get by KUboy, Biplane and Gloaming. In addition to the three-year-olds engaged Gloaming, Spanner, Sasanof. Surveyor, Karo, Afterglow and others will do battle for the Dominion, and they will be very unlucky If . some of them at least do not get amongst :the 'money; The meeting will also rage on Monday, Wednesday and. on Saturday week. A large number of "jubilee punters" have gone across to witness the racing, and (Incidentally) share some of the winnings.

UNLUCKY NEW ZEALANDERS. Yesterday's cablegram announced the string of disasters falling on the New Zealand 'horses racing in Sydney caused considerable, disappointment in racing circles, anfl coming on the eve of the A.JC. spring meeting the news Is very disquieting Spanner, whoso prospects over sprint courses looked particularly bright. Is reported to be sore, and •oreness is fatal on hard Randwlck tracks. Golden Bubble, though possibly not so sound a stayer as to be wished for an AJ.C. Derby, still had plenty of opportunities of earning distinction at the meeting, but s L ,)I! heels will put him out of action for a tl«« Taunaha's Illness Is unfortunate, as he is a useful handicap horse, and one the hondlcappen appear to have given a chance to score on the other side. It is to be hoped that the cablegram Is highly-colored, and that the ailments may not prove so bad as painted. We saw a "cripple" donkey-lick a smnrt Held and pay * hatful at Avondale on Wednesday, and what Some Boy did others may also do Apparently Gloaming, Sasanof, Surveyor, Afterglow and Delight are at their best, and they are a quintette not to be despised.. Gloaming decisively beat Wolaroi (who was favorite) , Prince Virdls, Cetlgue, Greenstead and others in the Spring Stakes at Rosehlll on the 20th.: ult., and Sasanof and Surveyor heve also raced well. Their doings during the next week will be watched with Interest.

STEAT ITEMS. Everybody knew what a slashing good horse the imported Some Boy was, but owing to the reports that the horse had Injured a foot while being landed in Auckland, and had since done no work, he was allowed to pay a false price at Avondale on Wednesday All the crltjts reckoned that the horse was In a stone too light, but I wonder how many backed their opinion under tho circs? Some Boy's treatment by a New Zealand handicapper was very different to the treatment any New Zealand horse with performances of merit would receive from 'Strallan weight-adjusters. Good luck to Mr. P. W. Scally and his Avondale Guineas winner Esthonla. The speedy son of Elyaisn and Baronia sported silk four times last season, winning the Juvenile Handicap at Woodvllle, running second to Cadet in the Maiden at the same place, and filling the role of runner-up to Bindle in the Orlncl Handicap at Waipukurau. Esthonla paid a lovely price on Wednesday, and the dividend hurt some of the layers rather severely. Landslide, who won the two-year-old race each day at Avondale, had been showing great form on the tracks, and the good dividends he paid came as a surprise. He is a gelding by Kenllworth—Elegance, and in both his races he showed speed and gameness. Desert Gold's sister, Acacio, is due to contest the Hastings Stakes on Wednesday, and she Is reported to be a very promising sort. Tessares will also be a runner, and whatever beats tho chestnut daughter of Demosthenes and Gold Thread will have to be some good. There was a lot of money for Heather Sprig away from the course on Wednesday, but the good thing failed to connect In the Guineas. fhe ' Gisborne-bred three-year-old had done nothing to claim support, and proved to be quite a false alarm. A prime sample of senseless "red tape" was furnished on the occasion of the recent Otakl meeting The railway department removed tlie restrictions on the carriage of live stock, and horses could be carried In consequence, tut the powers that be declined to allow the youths in charge of the horses to accompany them I If Mr. G. V. Pearce, MP for Patea, con get a fair proportion of totallsator permits allotted to Tarahakl there will lie enough to satisfy the -Stratford Racing Club, and Eltham R.C. and Taranakl JC. Mr. Pearce rfcently asked the Minister for Internal Affairs to make the Racing Conference give the various provinces fair representation, and pointed out that Hawke's Bay, with a population of r,4.2<J7 persons, enjoyed twenty-four days racing, while Taranakl, with 55,966 persons, starved with a miserable dozen.

Good reports come from Gisbomc of Con's work. The son of Gazeley lias been beating e7«rything on the flat, and Multive has been no use to him over the bobs. Another Glsborne horse which is expected to show up at Napier is Lionskln, who is said to be sprinting In first-class style. Both Gay Lad and Bon Spec were on the course at Geraldine, but owing to the <tfav of the track neither were saddled up Parana was then left on apparently easy task In the Cup, but lie had. to do his best to get horn? in front of Hiero, who, but for being wretchedly bandied, should have been home and dried. There was nothing In Starland's perform ance at Geraldine to Justify the Nassau gelding's position in the New Zealand Cup betting, though he did not win. At the finish he had old Merton making him do his best, and another very moderate performer, Bellshire, was also In the picture Ashley Reed has been rldlnc with some success lately. At Otakl he was on three winners, while on the second day at Wanganul, in the absence of the other cracks who had left for Arondale, lie rode five firsts la as many starts.

Both the Westland and Greymouth Jockey Clubs are putting on hurdle races this seaspn instead of trots, and here is a chance for some of our second rate hurdlers to win a stake. Hurdle events, when tried on tlif Coast, did not draw good fields, and it remains to be seen how their reinstatement wll! pay the clubs concerned. Yolo is freely nominated at the Wellington R.C. spring meeting, being engaged io the Champion Plate, Wellington Handicap, Shorts Handicap, and Pearce Handicap In thft Champion Plate his possihle opponents are Gloaming, Desert Gold, Affectation, and Oaj Lad—a nice quartette to tackle over ten furlongs Royal Chef has been paid up for at Levin In preference to Greenmeadovrs, and will meet a weaker field under more advantageous circumstances at the Horowhenua meeting next week.

On Wanganul form, War Star looks best In the Horowhenua Cup, and Trentham Rase miu take some beating in the McDonald Memorial Hardicap. May Mom, Prlntemps and Haeremoana read well In. their Horowhenua engagements, and the trio have had the advantage of plenty of gallops this spring. "Whalebone," In the Auckland Star, writes: —Although nothing definite Is to hand, it Is practically certain that, the effort of H. Gray to obtain a rider's license in Australia was unsuccessful, and this being so, a rather peculiar position has been created, and. one that the Taranakl District Committee should take strong exception to. It will he remembered that after the two years' disqualification inflicted on Gray by the A J.C. Stewards had expired, the Taranakl Jockey Club issued a license to the rider named, and In doing so were evidently fully nware of all the facts In connection with the case It Is a well-known fact that there are a lot of people lo N.Z,

who do not agree vrfth. the decision of the Taranakl committee, but it is difficult to see why that body should refuse an application when the person making it had finished the suspension inflicted on him by another body. Gray was ruled out for two years by n body of men who, it is presumed, saw the occurrence for which he was punished, and if it was considered that the penalty imposed was sufficient to meet tho offence of which he was deemed guilty, why does tho body Imposing the sentence still refuso to grant him a license after his term of disqualification has ended? Tt savours decidedly of injustice, and it would have been far better to have warned Gray off for life. Then the position would be clear to everybody. At present Gray h eligible to ride in the Dominion, but cannot do so in Australia, and ye', there is reciprocity between the two governing bodies. There should be no toleration of punishment by assumption, and for the A.J.C. to extend a sentence of two years into a life sentence without any apparent cause will not appeal to any right-think-ing man. It is ridiculous that such apposition should be allowed to exist, and the Taram;ki District Committee are entitled to know the reason for the refusal. It is to be hoped they will make some move In the matter and end an intolerable position.