SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1921, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING IN AUSTRALIA. GLOAMING SCRATCHED AGAIN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Received Sept. 14, 8 p.m. Sydney, Sept. 14. j Gloaming has been scratched for Sat- ■ uidays Roschill engagements owing to 1 a cold, but is improving. ' n u P^ on J taking a mile gallop on the i Rand wick tracks, did 1.45, and during (the last six furlongs was accompanied | by Coniston, which did 1.19 L TURF TOPICS. (By Saturday being the weekly halfholiday in the majority of Rangitikei and Manawatu townships, as well as in Wanganui, the Rangitikei Hunt. Club showed, by holding its race meeting on that day, rather more foresight than the Marton Jocokey Club, which raced on the Wednesday previous. Despite dull, threatening weather, the Rangitikei Hunt gathering attracted a large attendance, and with smaller fields than at the Marton meeting, the public invested their money with greater abandon. The course was again very hard, and racing was of the poorest description. Scratchings were all too numerous, and the class of horses produced was only mediocre. Under the circumstances the R.H.C did well to make such a success of its meeting. Racing opened, with the Hunters’ Hurdles, in which the scratching of Kafour, Scimitar and Tipperary Lass left but seven runners, and even then the public guessed wrongly. Temaire was backed as if he was just as much a certainty when he won at the club’s previous meeting in July, but he never had a chance with Oak Rose, an aged hay gelding whose pedigree is given as by Makaranui—Curious Rose. R. Hunt took Oak Rose to the front, six furlongs from home, and though Temarre made a big effort in the straight, he never looked like giving the winner 291bs. Gay Jacket (A. McDonald) was a poor third, with Silver Paul next. Marshal Neil ran like a quitter, and Eldenholm refused (early in the piece. ! Nineteen lined up for the Trial Hack Plate, and Rose of Athens was a warm order. The winner turned up in. Paphian, a four-year-old gelding by Bezonian—Paphia. trained by A. MeConnor., at Levin. The winner got the best of | a straggling start, led all the way, and i just lasted long enough to score from the Te Awamutu mare Flying Nel] ■ (Quin Abbey—Brown Nell), who finish- ! cd fast. The favorite was a fair third, ! just in front of Siberian. Both d-ivi- 1 dends retuniefl in the race were over the limit. Amongst the beaten division were Mark Time (Marquetour’s brother). Ad- ’ rina (three-quarter sister to Equitas), Waiua (half-brother to Waimatao), and Solstice, a shapely three-year-old son of

i Solferino and Polymia, but most of them will see a better day. Stetson, who had gone wrong, and Tirau. who was reserved for a steeplechase later in the day, were withdrawn from the Hunt Club Steeples, leaving only five runners, and once again the public were astray, their selections (Nico mar and Pa pat ere) letting them down. Three Bells, under sufferance, led Nicomar the first time passing the. stand, but ran off at the next fence. Nicomar then took up the running, and was going well in front of Gaekwar and Papatere in the next round. Nicomar appeared to have the race in safe keeping when he fell, and Papatere having broken down, the finish was left to Onipoto and Gaekwar, who finished in that order, a length apart. The winner pune in on three legs. When Nicomar fell L. Berry sustained a broken collarbone, but the horse was ridden home by Frank Lind, and secured the 15 sovs. attached to third place. It was a sorry exhibition, to say the. least of it.

Numerous scratchings reduced the field for the Crofton Handicap to half a dozen, and of these Starland, Molyneaux and Trespass were best backed. Independence and Molyneaux led a bunched field to the straight, where .Starland momentarily flattered his supporters, but Molyneaux forged ahead and got home by less than a length •from Stork, who ,was just in front of Quest and Trespass. IT. Ryder, who piloted Quest, was fined £4 for crossing. The winner really looked like getting beaten, but Stork made up a lot of ground in the final stages. Quest shaped like a stayer, and appears to be smart, and Trespass should be in good trim for. Wanganui racing. Starland’s performance was inexplicable. Ton lined up for the View Halloa Steeples, and Delage, Tirau, Scimitar and Tornea carried most coin. This was

another shocking race. Tornea, Delage and Twister ran off at the first fence, and Tipperary Lass and Haukatea fol lowed suit at the stand double, leaving Kurapai and Tirau at the head of affairs. Scimitar was going well when he fell at the stand double in the second round, and Tirau was just clear of Kurapai as they ran along the back. A good, finish seemed imminent, but Kurapai fell just before entering the straight, leaving Tirau to win. pulling up, from the rank outsider Ringi, with Martinello a wretched third. Of the nine runners in the Telegraph Handicap Birkie, Ruddy, Automoana and Makere were most in demand. Ruddy played up at the post, and eventually got the worst of the send-off. Automoana and Bonnie Briar led in turn, but in the straight Birkie shot to the front, and won nicely from Automoana, with Ruddy and Miss Gold next. Birkie is very well now, and should go on winning, but Automoana will take some placing to pay her way. Ruddy evidently dislikes “mixing it,” and may do better if kept to the hurdling business. Bonnie Briar is a jade, and is herewith cut off my visiting list. Hipo found the company too “rich” for him.

There was a big field in the Ladies’ Bracelet, and Royal Gift, who had the services of that capable gentleman jockster, Mr. J. Morris, was backed as if it was cut and dried. Kafour had some backers, and Half-Blue and the consist; ent Sunray also had friends. Flying Camp and Try Hard led in the early stages, ln\t Sunray ran through quickly and led into the straight, and looked all over a winner. The weight told in the run home, and Mr. Morris was able to score cleverly with Royal Gift at the finish. Kafour was a poor third, and Flying Camp fourth. AVithout endeavoring to discount Royal Gift’s fast gallop (2.14 2-5 for a mile and a quarter with 11.9 up isn’t a bad “go”) it appeared as if Sunray had only to be decently handled to have won easily.

r Sunray is going to .Ellerslie in preference to Feiiding on Saturday, the writer hears, and may make amends there. He is a top-notcher, and will win in better company than he met on Saturday. Half-Blue cut up badly, and finished a. long way back. Punters were right on the spot with Tolerance in. the Farewell, for which a dozen were saddled up; Lord Desmond, Admiration and Malingerer also coming in for sblid support, projector caused some excitement by bolting round the course prior to the start, and but for being stopped by an attendant at the outside gate would have been on his way homo (Bulls) when the race was run. However, he took his place at the barrier, was first away, and led almost to the finish, when the favorite came along and took it off him easily. Probably Tolerance would have had to shift himself faster had not Projector indulged in his unauthorised speed exhibition, but on the other hand the incident caused Mr. Gaisford’s gelding to pay a much bigger second dividend than he would have done under ordinary circumstances. Malingerer (third) was running on at the right end. and should soon come good. Lord Desmond gave a lifeless display, and Lady lllma (fourth) proved that recent gallops had not done her any good.

The Manawatu Hunt meeting, which takes place at Feiiding on Saturday, will only attract moderate fields and attendance, the third test at Wellington draining the coast of likely patrons nn that day. Another counter attraction is the Pakuranga Hunt meeting, which will draw Sunray and possibly others to Ellerslie on that day. Needless to sav. the Pakuranga, meeting will provide overcrowded fields, as many as 46 horses being paid up for in one event, though all flat races have filled to overflowing.

During the week-end “Moturoa” was in Auckland, and took o' turn over the course at Ellerslie. Things are growing there, and. the new Derby stand, new tote houses, etc., are well on the way to completion. Though the writer did not strike a “fast work” morning there ■were apparently over a hundred horses on the tracks, and numerous trotters and pacers were being exercised at the Park and on the scoria roads about Ellerslie. Auckland is the place for sport, certainly, and in a few years will eclipse Christchurch and Wellington, if it has not already done so this

What strikes one about Ellerslie is the largo number of small owners, and the larger number of mediocre “weeds” in training there. The really good

horses could be, counted on one’s fingers, and they badly want a. few Cliffords. Steads, Komballs, and Greenwoods in the northern centre.

Mr. J. B. Gaisford’s team have had a rocky time of late. Stetson has broken down; Mark Time was galloped on at Marton on Saturday; Projector spoiled whatever chance he had by bolting prior to the start nt the Rangitikei Hunt meeting; Mattock fell at the Marton spring meeting: and Celmisia is sore. There’s a hard luck story, if yon want one.