SPORTING

Taranaki Daily News, 4 February 1920, Page 7

SPORTING

TABANAKI J.C. AUTUMN MEETING, (Notes 'by "Moturoa.") All roads will lead to New Plymouth to-day, and the prospects for a record autumn meeting were never brighter, 1 ( irst-class fields, horses of quality, and perfect racing conditions seem to be assured, aftd those who are fortunate enough to be able to attend to-day and to-morrow will be provided with excellent sport. The Taranaki Cup has attracted seven horses, and the Flying Handicap a similar number, and amongst the acceptors are well known performers like Karo, Sasanof, Surveyor, Waimatao, Hymestra, Volo, Simonides and Esthonia. Eleven are carded fo? the Juvenile Handicap, including Golden Bubble, Esthonia, and other promising sprinters. The hurdlers engaged are a good lot, and include Explorer, Master Moutoa, Munster, Toatere, Papanui and Ratana. Seven have been paid up for in the Mimi Welter, and nine in the Okato Handicap. Big fields of seventeen and nineteen appear in the TJmaru Hack Handicap and Moturoa Electric Hack race respectively. An additional attraction on Thursday will be the Sixth Taranaki Stakes, in which Silver Link is expected to measure strides with some of the best sprinters in the Dominion.

To-day's racing opens at noon with the Waitara Hurdles, run over a mile and a half and 'IOO yards. Considerable interest will be taken in the imported horse Explorer (Kanilworth-Tilgo), but he is hardly expected to be ready for solid running at present. Master Moutoa Tan a decent race at Foxton, and is nicely treated with 10.13. Munster gave us a taste of his quality at the Egmont winter meeting, where he won under 10.1 and 11.1. Possibly he is not so fit to-day. Papanui is not too sound, but he has won good races, one event in particular (when he beat Royal Park, Watt, Sir Fisher, etc.), at the Feilding Easter meeting, stamping him as a dangerous horse over the distance. Ratana may 'be the more reliable of P. Johnson's pair. The stick events at the meeting may be divided between Papanui and Munster. The Juvenile Handicap, five furlongs, should be another good race. Esthonia has a big weight, but should strip fitter than (golden Bubble, but Income and Weldone should also take some beating. On recent form Esthonia and Weldone should carry the bulk of the money.

A small Md will contest the Mim! Welter, 84 furlongs, 'hut Perfect Day. Pretty Bobby, and possibly, Tiranga will coma in for support. Pretty Bobby has freshened up a lot since the holiday meetings, and may take some beating to-day.

The Taranaki Cup dates from 1876, so that to-day's race is the 45th. In recent years the coveted prize has mostly gone to outsiders, and it looks as if Taranaki horses will have to be content with minor places to-day. A nice field of seven promise to go to the post, and the issue looks to be between I\aro, Surveyor and Volo. Karo's performances at Auckland are well-known, and it is certain that the daughter of Demosthenes and Kautuku will run much better here than she did in the heavy going at Trentham. R. .T- Mason has her looking very well, and it is certain that Mr. G. f). Greenwood's mare will do her best to repeat Afterglow's winning effort last season. Surveyor is in good nick also, as his success at Trentham showed, but the top weight may beat him at a difference of only 11 lbs. Volo is in very light at 8.3, and should keep the pair particularly busy. Close followers of the sport will not have anything but Karo, Volo and Surveyor. Karo's performances this _ season, on good going, have been most impressive. Quantity, rather than quality, will be be the feature of the field for the Moturoa Electric Hack race, five furlongs, but Vivirini and Reki showed some pace at Stratford, and" the former should start first public choice. The Flying Handicap will bring out a fine lot of sprinters—not a bad one in the lot. Sasanof has all the weight he deserves, and may be seen to more advantage over a longer course before the carnival closes. Waimatoa has had a royel innings lately, and the soreness which usually troubles him in his preliminary gallops should not put the public off him,- as it generally wears off in the race. Hymestra's luck seems right out. and he seems unable to reproduce his brilliant three-year-old form. Simonides is well, and must run a great race. Esthonia, if reserved, should account for those lower down. Summed up, there seems every likelihood that Simonides and Waimatao will give their backers a big run for their money. The Okato Handicap, 8J furlongs, appears to be made for Fisher, who won very nicely «t Foxton the other day. His party must have had the idea that the Maniapoto gelding could "come back," for they had a royal win. The "good news" was known in Auckland too, and taken advantage of, to the discomfort of the Bar Vons. Starland has only won one race this season, at Geraldine, and does not appear to be the horse that some peoplo imagined last November- Fisher should start favorite, with the top weight next in demand. Punters will have something to keep them busy when the concluding event, the Timaru Hack Handicap, six furlongs, comes up for decision. One of the best fields 1 of the day will line up, including the s Douro Cup winner Trespass (Tressad)' —Totola), and recent good performers like Nursing Sister, Income, Egmont Parle, Marble Ear and Santorini. Trespass should carry the bulk of the money, but the race will be an interesting one. Mr. C. O'Connor will officiate as starter, Mr. J. K. L. Stanford as judge, and Mr. H. Coyle, as handicapper. The trio are at the head of their professions, and are popularly known here. The New 'Plymouth Citizens' Band, a greatly improved combination, will discourse sweet music, and all the minor details are right up to the moment.

If Karo is successful with 0.8 in the Taranaki Cup to-day she will register a weight carrying perfprmance that has only once been beaten in the history of the race. Lady Medallist won the Cup in 1911 with O.'ll in the saddle, and other notable performances were those of Convoy fI.G, Battieaxe 9.2, Opawa 9.0, and Paritutu 9.f1.

It is to be hoped that punters will be in winning vein to-day. Those who attended the Foxton meeting recently were sent homewards to the tune of "God be with you till we meet, again." It was a strange item for a racing hand programme, and its position at the foot of the list of musical items left one wondering if the conductor was overcome by feelings of disgust or blessing! Taranaki meetings are generally notorious for the success of the follow-the-favorit» system. Wonder if it will turn out trumps again to-day ? Mention of systems, a wag tells a tale of a punter who went stoney broke on a nag named j gftmpaxilk. It «l«an«d up his system) i