SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1921, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. April 2, 6—Avondale Jockey Club. April 7, 9—Wellington Racing Club. April 13, 14 —Manawatu Racing Club. April 20, 21—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. SYDNEY YEARLING SALES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, April 1. At the yearling sales a brother to Salitros realised 700 guineas and a Buckwheat—Gidgiel colt 1000 guineas. At tjie second series of yearling sales the demand was less keen than at the opening. One hundred and eight lots realised 21.350 guineas. Received April 1, 8.55 p.m. Sydney, April 1. At the yearling sales a chestnut filly, Eudorus—Lager, brought 1500 guineas; a chestnut filly, Eudorus—Desert Rose, 1050 guineas. A chestnut filly, Sands of Orient— Lass, 825 guineas. Mr. G. Nichol secured a chestnut filly, Roseworthy—Lanella, for 500 guineas. URUTI BEACH SPORTS. An attractive programme of hack events has been arranged by the Uruti Beach Picnic Club for their meeting to I be held on Thursday next, and patrons can be assured of an excellent day’s Lsport. Refreshments will be provided ! on the beach, and hot water may also I be obtained. The club’s annual ball will be held in the Urenui Hill on the following Thursday night.

TURF TOPICS.

(By “Moturoa”) Avondale races to-day V e'.m gton on Thursday next, la. j-ian Diamond won’t be long. Kuia (All Red —Tiz) is a bit above the average. \ Miss Love does not appear to be worth persevering with. Hats off to Silver Link! The most notable name of the season. Absurdum’s dividend at Riccarton was bigger than expected. Old Mattock is getting nicely sharpened up for the winter jumping season. Maniahera was backed both days at Feilding, but his backens only showed a slight profit on the deal. Mermin’s defeat in the Champagne Stakes only proves that the certainty of racing is—its uncertainty! Awake is always knocking at the door, and when he learns to begin better he will be worth going nap on. They backed Bonny Rill on the second day at Feilding, and lost, but the chestnut filly will be better at three years.

Nobleman’s luck is still out, though he invariably runs a good race. Credit is due to Roly Hatch for keeping the Sir Laddo gelding on his feet. Miss G. Barrett has Idle Talk, Siberia, and a promising San Fran colt in work at Feilding, and will probably shift her team to Trentham shortly. Tommy Long is now located at the Denbigh stables in Feilding. Both his charges. All Cerise and Released pulled up badly after racing there this week. Alf. Attwood has half-a-dozen horses in work at Feilding. Spare Moments was a good winner at the local meeting, but Borealis failed to run quite up to expectations. Star Lady, who has been leffted by Mr. A. Attwood, is standing up to solid work at Feilding, and appears to be in the pink of health. Dan Moraghan had Irapuka looking at his best at Feilding, but the class in open company was a bit too rich for the honest brown gelding. Sunart is still very much on the big side, but he ran two great races at Feilding, and if he stands he will keep the best of them going this autumn.

On Paoanurs form at Bulls she should have paid half a century in the Feilding Cup, but she didn’t. The handicappers haven’t wakened up to her yet! Voluble ran two seconds this week, but the price he returned in the Mangaone Handicap at Feilding came as a surprise. On the second day his backers were unlucky to have to collect less than their investments.

Mermin’s downfall should not encourage Rational's admirers to get too rash at Trentham. Riccarton form wasn’t Mermin’s best, and anyway, there’s a dazzler named Tamatete to beat too!

Lady Kotiripo (Lord Multifid—Kotiripo) showed a turn of speed at Bulls, and went one better when she led the field home in the Waiata Stakes at Feilding. She’s lucky. Sir Fanciful doesn’t often engage the attention of the judge, but twice in the last month he has returned big dividends. His price at Feilding was a beauty. It looked cruel to ask Cleasanta (All Black —Westella) to carry Ost. in the Maiden at Feilding, but the two-year-old (whose first start it was) hopped out in front and made her older opponents look slugs. Simonides has settled down wonderfully, and both at Bulls and at Feilding he negotiated the bends to perfection. His win in the Mangaone Handicap was fully anticipated. The Feilding trainer, Con. Hammond, had Jutland and Landloper iboking very fit at Feilding, and the first-named ran well enough to suggest that he will win a race shortly. Super-Six was not produced on Monday at Feilding, but on the second day they backed him, and but for covering superfluous ground he would have been closer than fourth at the finish.

Mt*. J. Bull’s horses proved costly at Feilding. Ruddy was well backed in the Mangaone Handicap, and finished close up fchird, and both Ruddy and Ngata let their owner down very badly on the second day. Munition tried to win the Kimbolton Hurdles all the way, but Maniahera just beat her home by a nose. Both horses paid short prices. Rouen had a gruelling race in the Feilding Cup, having to take on Sunart and Paoanui respectively in various portions of the final of the race, and he looked (and ran) considerably worse on the second dav. He should freshen up by the time the Manawatu meeting comes along. , , Mr. L. G. Paul backed Admyra each day at Felding. and when she dashed up and narrowly defeated Bindle and Parisian Diamond at the finish of the Denbigh Stakes he threw in for Jt good win, Admyra finished very fast each day, and appears to be a mare that could get over middle distances with distinction. A&kaji was backed as if the Halcombe Welter was well over, but after flattering his backers to the distance he weakened, and finished .jtist outside a dividend. The next day he ran the distance right out, and comfortably beat Borealis and Raceful. The latter was a hot favqrite.

But for making a bad jump at the second. fence from home. Old Gold would have won the Kawakawa Hurdles. He was not saddled up on the second day, but should not be lost sight of next start.

Manawaponga stood out on his owi amongst the hurdlers seen out at Riccarton, and scored twice. It must have been painful to watch that good winner Hylans, toiling hopelessly in the rear and Jack Symons was another that ap pears to have temporarily mislaid his punch. Sasanof was sent out favorite for the C.J.C. Easter Handicap, with Chimera Clean Sweep and Tigritiya, but the win ner turned up in Miss 'Mimic, who began a forward move three /furlongs from home, a beautifully sustained run landing a winner on the post from Sunny Corner, with Tigritiya, who had been interfered with, a neck further away. Solfanello was prominent in the early stages, but failed to see it out, and Sasanof failed to reproduce his brilliant track gallop in the race. Jockeys of the past have not been noted for thriftiness, but the average present-day knight of the pig-skin is different. Never has there been such a crop of well-to-do saddle sitters. Coming home from Warwick Farm recently, says an Australian writer, an interesting debate sprang up as to who was the richest jockey in Australia. The popular nominations were W. McLachlan, M. Connell, A. Wood, W. Lillyraan, and Bobby Lewis. Many others were mentioned as being well fixed, but the debate centred round the group mentioned. Ttfb greatest amount left by any Australian horseman so far was that W. H. Smith, when he went out through Aurofodina coming down in the memorable Rosehill Cup smash. Billy had amalgamated £12,000. Surprise was expressed at the time that his estate did not amount to much more, and probably some of the fabulous sums tacked on to the names of many pre-sent-day riders are somewhat far-fetch-ed. Frank Kuhn left an estate of £5,500, and, like many of the presentday horsemen his money was invested mostly in real estate. Ted Power, who subsequently became a trainer, left £5,000 behind. Further back Tom Hales, than whom no rider had «*o n opportunities to become rich, lef£ a paltry £l,OOO. Probably thebe’ least half a dozen riders in Australia who could easily at present top “Billy” Smith's total, and appearances point to all of them carrying the goods to the end. .Though the popular vote of the debaters on the train seemed to go to McLachlan, the writer would choose l>ewis as the richest jockey. Since he joined the ranks of benedicts, “Bobby” seems to have lost interest in racing, grid is nowadays an established farmer. He is probably the richest jockey in the world to-day, and people who ought to know state "that a cheque for six figures could be written by the little Victorian, and it would be honored at the bank. The record amount left by any jockey was that of Tom Loates the English rider, whose estate was declared at £75.000. Fred Archer comes next with £66,000. As stated before, the fortunes credited to jockeys are generally enlarged upon by rumor; but there is little doubt that Tom Loates’ record is in jeopard}’ to “Bobby” Lewis, and, all going well in the one or two others may give it a shake. Many apprentices nowadays have opposite their names sums running well into four figures. Although Gloaming won the Challenge ■Stakes comfortably enough, the race was not without its thrills. Mr. G. D. Greenwood elected to start, the two-year-old, Pluto, in addition to the champion, while Sasanof, who had 101 b the better of Gloaming, completed the field. Pluto led off from Gloaming, with Sasanof in the rear. At the end of three furlongs Gloaming was in front, and led into the straight. Sasanof then closed on Gloaming, and for a moment it looked as if the meeting of surprises had still another unexpected happening in store- But Sasanof’s challenge was quickly stalled off, his condition not being equal to sustained effort, and the champion went on to win by a big margin from Pluto, who finished on strongly and cut Sasanof out of second money in the last bit. What would have happened had Mermin been on hand, fit and well, can only be conjectured, but it is quite on the cards that the son of Absurd—at the weights —would have made Gloaming travel a good deal faster. Have our jockeys lost confidence in the men selected to do the starting at recent meetings, or are the boys getting out of hand. At both Bulls and Feilding there was an inclination on the part of the riders to do the starting themselves. Time after time horses were rushed up to the tapes, and often through them, and it looked as if the infliction of a few hefty fines would have been useful in cooling the ardour of the jockeys on the look out for a “fly.” The standard of starting nowadays is mediocre, and lack of control appears to be the chief fault. We hear a lot—once a year when the Conference is sitting —about the good work the stipendiaries are doing, but if they want to justify the big salaries they are drawing they should take a trip to the starting post occasionally and witness proceedings there. To occupants of the grandstand it looked as if Festivity beat Beloved by a neck in the Onepuhi Hack Handicap on the first day at Feilding, and persons stationed alongside tlie judge’s box were amazed when Beloved’s number was hoisted. So certain were the majority of Festivity’s backers that they rushed the first horse pay-out windows, it being the last race and dividenddrawers being anxious to make a quick get-away, while Beloved’s backers filled the second pay-out windows. There was a great shuffling of places when the early birds realised that Judge Cameron differed with their judgment, and a noisy demonstration ensued. Feilding is singularly unfortunate in such occurrences, which do not rebound to the credit of the local population. The Feilding Star refers to the demonstrators as “pig-mannered fools,” and the editor probably knows his readers best! Recent meetings have attracted a greater number of bushies, flaxies, etc., than usual, and though their “rolls” have been quite as bulky as in past years, they have shown a disinclination to squander their wealth on racing and other luxuries as freely as usual, possibly realising that there is a hard winter ahead. Struck one individual the morning after Feilding races. He appeared to be nursing a sore head, or a grouch or possibly both, and, seated in a quiet corner, he was thoughtfully counting his “bundle.” “What’s wrong, Paddy?” I asked- “Oh! nothing,” was the laconic reply, “I was just calling the roll, and I find there’s a good few blankers absent this morning!” | Very big acceptances are carded for , to-day’s races at Avondale. Gold Kip, i Rockfield and Penona appear to be nicely placed in the big handicap, and Gol-

den Bubble should show) up in the chief sprint. Golden Dream and Unahi will have plenty of supporters in the Juvenile, and Luperino, Khublai Khan, Te Toa and Lord Kenilworth in the other events.

Wellington weights promise to keep students of racing figures very busy. Sasanof heads the list in the Thompson Handicap with lOst 51b, more than he won with in 1919, and (byrthe way) 31b less than Waiuku carried first past the post in 1898. Sasanof’s form at Riccarton does not suggest that he will win again this year. Marqueteur and MaToha are both on the 9.4 mark, at which the latter reads the better. Silver Link must be given a good chance with 9.3, her A.R.C. Easter victory dispelling all doubts as to her ability to get a mile in good company. Of the Bst division Parisian Diamond 8.11, Tigritiya 8.10, Miss Mimic 8-8, Eleus 8.7, and Rouen 8.3 look as well as anything. The light-weigths do not read dangerous, but Nobleman 7.6, Truthful 7.3, and Johnny Walker 7.0 may attract some people. If Silver Link goes to the post she may be hard to beat. Practically the same horses figure in the Railway Handicap, so comment may be withheld until the acceptances appear. Pacific' Slope and Lord Nagar will be well backed if started in the Jumpers’ Flat race. Anomaly, Fulsome and Clifford’s elect should have a- rare battle in the Nursery Handicap. It is hard to go past Egotism and Festive in the Silverstream Handicap, and Egotism and Lord Usk in the Tinakori Handicap. Explorer has been scratched for both hurdle races at the Manawatu Racing Club's autumn meeting.

Thanks to the efforts of Paoanui, Sunart, and Askari, the McKenzie brothers ran pff with the bulk of the stake money at Feilding, R. A. McKenzie taking £lOl5, and L. McKenzie £B2O. J. Harle won £350, A. D. Webster £2BO, J. Brice £275, L. G. Paul £245, H. J. Palmer £2>ls, and R. Hepner £2OO.

B. Morris was the most successful horseman, winning three races; A. McCormack, Roy Reed and A. Dixon two each; and S. Walls, H. Ryder, E. Lowe, F. Corlett, A. Hare, C. Reed and J. Kaan one each.

The Waimate Plains Trotting Club is to be congratulated on the success of the recent meeting held at Hawera. The racing wafe of a high standard, and the meeting well managed throughout. All the officials worked well, and Mr. A. Morse made a successful debut as a starter of trotting horses. That winners were hard to pick was to the credit of the handicapper, but the public got a good day’s sport in return for their money, so what’s the odds! The feature of the Australian J.C. autumn meeting was the clean sweep made of the big events- by Eurythmic. Maorilanders would have liked to have seen Gloaming measuring strides with the West Australian champion, as both horses are now at their best. As anticipated, Arch Marella made a bold bid for victory in the Sydney Cup, the New Zealand-bred horse beating all but Eurythmic.