SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1921, Page 3

SPORTING.

TJ.C. DISTRICT COMMITTEE. The Taranaki Jockey Club District Conn-nlt-tee met last night. Present: Messrs. L. A. Nolan (chairman), J. McLeod, G. Fraser, B. H. Chaney, Gray, J. D. Malone, Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. A. E. Washer, A. Good, O. W. Sole and A. Alexander. An apprentice’s license was granted to J. M. Simpson, and jockeys’ licenses to E. Kendall and W. S. Lloyd (conditionally). Trainers’ licenses were granted to J. Hunter, T. OTCarro and J. S. Butler. The programmes for the Taranaki Jockey Club and Egmont summer meetings were approved. TURF TOPICS. (By “Moturoa.”) Horowhenua races to-day. Winton on Friday and Saturday. War Loan should go well in the Hurdles at Levin. Eruera struck himself recently and ia vn the easy list. The Juvenile Plate at Riccarton was a good thing for Rational, who led all the way and won with his unouth open. Owen McCarten has gone down to ride the Bulls torses, Celmisia, Projector and Detroit, at Levin. They appear to be very fit. The Foxton-trained Helen Rufus, who gave a taste of her quality at Waverley, will be well backed in whatever events she contests at the Horowhenua meeting. Winning Hit’s form at Riccarton makes him out to be a fine colt. According to most reports of the Stead Clip he beat Amythas fairly and squarely, and the time recorded easily beats anything hoisted in New Zealand. The Horowhenua Cup bears an open appearance, nearly half the field being engaged in the McDonald Memorial Handicap as well. If Kilrush, Tari, Festivity and American Beauty go to the post they should be well backed. and of the quartette Tari reads dangerCanterbury owners took the bulk of the stake-money at Riccarton. The principal winners were: G. I). Greenwood £2600, G. L. Rutherford £2250, Sir Geo. Clifford £2llO, A. McDonald (Wairarapa) £l6OO, R. A. McKenzie (Manawatu) £1550, K. D. Duncan (Wellington) £l4OO, W. R. Keunball (Wairarapa) £1145, A. B. Williams (Poverty Bay) £lO5O, F. E. Easton (Foxton) £940, Geo. Gould £925, and H. B. Gibson (Taranaki) £550. Astinome (if reserved). Borealis and Nursing Sister will carry big money in the McDonald Memorial Handicap at Levin. On paper Nursing Sister appears to be the one most likely to come to the aid of punters. "Big Bill” Riordan has ffo reason to regret purchasing Ethiopian for 500gns. The son of Dark Ronald won many good races for him, including the Cantala Stakes of 2600 st».a., and when sent under the hammer a couple of weeks back, brought 1700 guineas. . Backers of favorites must have pulled out a little on the wrong side of the ledger at Niccartnn last week. Of the 32 first favorites saddled up, only eleven won, while five returned second dividends. Tressayr, who won the Pioneer Handicap comfortably on Saturday, is an Australianbred torse, owned by Mr. G. D. Greenwood. He is spoken of as a good sort of a colt. Silver Link showed a dash of her old speed in the Members’ Handicap on the concluding day at Riccarton, and led into the straight, but the weight Jold on her in the run home. She should be benefited by the racing she got last week, and will strip fitter at Feildlng. Bonnetter ran a in tte Fendalton Handicap, only going under to Pluto at the end of ten furlongs run in 2min. 5 4-5 sec. It looks any odds on her starting favorite in the Ashhurst Cup next week.

Rough riding was again in evidence at Riecarton on Saturday, the Cressy Welter In particular being a bumping match. In the scramble that, took place Sunny Loch was nearly put over the rails, while others were rocking Hke a ship at sea. Charlie Emerson was lucky enough to get out first with Battle Scene, which led all the way and paid a fine dividend.

A wise provision 1 It is announced that »n future the New Zealand Trotting Association will not approve the programme of any totalisator club which has "optional” races. This class of event has, fortunately, long since disappeared from programmes on this coast. At <Jne stage of the New Zealand Oaks the favorite. Palestrina, was quite sixty yards behind the leaders, and ter backers were calling Emerson all sorts of names for "going to sleep,” etc. But Charlie knew perfectly well that he was on the only stayer in the race, and when given her head Palestrina quickly ran to the front, and won pulling up in 2mi’i. 35sec.—which beats Desert Gold’s previous record by two-fifths of a second. If asked to do belter Palestrina might have set figures that would have remained on the hook for a long time to come. Riccarton course must have been very fast last week. Epitaph ran four furlongs in 47 l-ssec; Farceur, five in 60 3-ssec; Solfanello, six in Imin. Usee; Affectation, seven in l<mm. 25 3-ssec; Pluto, one mile in Imin. 39 3-5 sec; Winning Hit, one mile and a quarter, in 2min. 3 l-ssec; KUgour, one mile and a half in 2min. 34sec; Royal Star, two miles in 3 min. 25sec; and Amythas, two miles and a quarter in 3onin. 55sec. Gloaming, has been left in the Feildlng Stakes, and other notable hofses holding their ground are Rational, Thespian, Lfstowel, Silver Link, Rouen and Tamatete. Mr. Greenwood has Valdamo (Varco —Miss Bass) entered as well as Gloaming, but a meeting between Gloaming and Rational (in a small field for preference) would be worth witnessing. Taking a Hue through Ahsurdum’s running (second) in the Stewards’ Handicap, and ris subsequent easy defeat by Rational in the Juvenile Plate, it looks as if the Hawera gelding was unlucky not to finish closer than third in the big sprint on the opening day of the Canterbury meeting. Tn reply to an inquirer tho writer wishes to state that Royal Star is not a full brother to Sasanof. Royal Star is erroneously stated by the Referee to be by Martia^—Ukraine, which is Sasanof’s breeding. Royal Star is by Martian out of Lady Victoria. Concerning Winning Hit’s sensational defeat .of Amytl as on Saturday, a Christchurch scribe (states: The five acceptors lined up for tho (Stead Memorial Cup. Amythas was a hot (favorite, with Winning Hit the best backed of (the other four. The Hawk jumped out smartlly, and soon opened up a gap of four lengths (from Winning Hit, who /was wcl) clear of lAmythas. while Palestrina ran past Trespass I before going two furlongs, but there was no other change in the order for the first half of the journey. At this stage Amythas was close behind Winning Hit, who had slightly reduced The Hawk’s lead. A little further on, however, Amythas dropped back a little. The Hawk had a slight, advantage on reacting the straight, but Winning Hit had his measure before Hie distance was reached, and then Amythas challenged, but Winning Hit hung on in good style, and won by half a length. The Hawk was four lengths away, with Palestrina some distance back fourth. The result was received with a wild burst of enthusiasm—a tribute to a popular owner and a good colt, for it has to be remembered that Amythas is a popular horse and he was a hot favorite, ■go it was not a case of the people talking through their pockets. It was a cleanly run race, with no element of luck about it, but in justice to Amythas it must be said that bis r’der did not appear to such advantage as H. Young, who was at his best form on the winner, "’winnihg Hit stuck to his task with great gainenes-s. a quality he gets from his sire. Autumnus, who was a great horse in a hard contest. Winning Hit lias come out ct tliis meeting with a greatly enhanced reputation. and now he is in the public eyes as a high-class colt.