SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1921, Page 3

SPORTING.

•THE NICOMAR CASE, JUDGES UPHOLD THE APPEAL. Christchurch, Nov. 16. In the matter of the appeal by H. A. L. Monteith against the decision of the Hawke s Biy District Committee in dismissing bis appeal against the decision of the judicial committee of the Dannbvirke Hunt Club, who dismissed his protest against Nicomar being awarded the Hunt Cup Steeples, run on August 24, on the grounds that Nicomar had run inside a flag and had not completed the proper course, the Racing Conference judges (Sir George Clifford and Messrs. Boyle and Bidwill) gave the following judgment after consideration of the evidence and a personal inspection of the course by one of their number: “The judges decide that the Steeplechase course was adequately marked out by flags, and therefore it must be held to have thereby been shown to the riders that the flag at the point where Nicomar ran inside It was one of the flags denoting the course. The judges therefore decide that Nicomar must be disqualified, and tbe placings in the race altered accovdinglyi The appeal was therefore upheld.”

EXIT NOBLEMAN.

A GREAT HANDICAP HORSE.

(By "Moturoa”.) Dropped dead after contesting the Hurdles at Levin on Wednesday, Nobleman, the fine, big upstanding nine-year-old bay gelding by Sir Ladao—Lady Stockwell; bred by Mr. W. T. ; Jewell (Foxton) ; owned by Mr. W. J. Phillips (Palmerston North) ; and trained by Rowley Hatch, of the latter town. Nobleman carried the colors of Mr. W. J. Phillips throughout his five seasons on the turf, and was a noted performer in distance Handicaps, though he never attained New Zealand Cup honors. He won two Manawatu Cups, as well as the Wellington Cup, and minor handicaps at Bulls, Feilding, Waverley and Opaki, and was the Idol of the sporting folk of Rangitikei and Manawatu. Commencing with the 1916-17 season, when he was a four-year-old, Nobleman ran eleven times, winning thrice, and being placed second once. His placed performances were as follows : Won Maiden (Rangitikei). Won Oiigo Hack Handicap (Feilding Easter). Won Awahurf Hack Welter (Feilding Easter). Second Peninsular Handicap (Wellington Winter). Stakes won: £290. Next season (1917-lS) he started eleven times, and this was his best year. He won thrice, was second twice, and once third. His placed performances read: Won Moumahakl Stakes (Waverley). Won Manawatu Cup (Manawatu Summer). Won Wellington Cup (Wellington Summer). Second Umutaoroa Hack Handicap (Dannevtrke Spring). i Second Manchester Handicap (Feilding Spring). Third Rangitikei Cup (Rangitikei Annual). Stakes won: £1725. Tn 1918-19 Nobleman was saddled up on thirteen occasions for two firsts, two seconds, and two thirds, as follows: Won Manawatu Cup (Manawatu Summer). Won Fraser Memorial Stakes (Rangitikei Annual). Second Easter Handicap (Feilding Easter). Second Longburn Handicap (Manawatu Autumn). Third Rangitikei Cup (Rangitikei Annual). Third Feilding Cup (Feilding Easter). Stakes won: £ll5l. At seven years (1919-20) Nobleman had fifteen chances to distinguish himself, and two firsts, two seconds and two thirds fell to him. They were as set out here: Won Walpipi Handicap (Masterton Spring). Won Longburn Handicap (Manawatu Autiunn). Second President's Handicap (Dannevirka Autumn). Second Feilding Cup (Feilding Easter). Third Rangitikei Cup (Rangitikei Annual). Stakes won : £ 725. Noblemdn was now "lagging superfluous” on the turf, and in 1920-21 he failed to win a race, though started eighteen times. Two seconds and four thirds were ail that he scored: Second Himitangi Welter (Manawatu SumSecond Summer Handicap (Marton Summer). Third Wattohu Welter (Otaki Spring). Third January Welter (Wellington Summer). Third Rangitikei Cup (Rangitikei Annual). Third Easter Handicap (Feilding Easter). Stakes won: £390: This season Nobleman made his first appearance at Levin, and it marked his debut, over hurdles. Evidently* the effort was too great for him, for after running a great race, jumping in fine style, he finished close up ♦ourth. Just before entering the birdcage the old fellow reared up and fell dead. Summed up. Nobleman's record reads: 69 starts: 10 firsts; 9 second.-;; 9 thirds. Stakes won. £4281. He holds the record (2min 32 1-5 sec) for the Manawatu Cup, but only carried a feather-weight (6.12) on that occasion. A better performance was his win in the Manawatu Cup the next year, when he ran 2min 34 4-ssec with 8.3 in the saddle, beating Client. Rewijkotu. Dusky Eve, Ladogeur, Battle Song, Detroit and others. He won the Wellington Cup easily with 7.9, heating Red Riblxm, Chortle. Teka, Multiply, Devotion, Bnub, Square. Deal, Johnny Walker and Alteration. Strange to say, Nobleman finished third in each of the three Rangitikei Cups wliich he contested. He. was a good, game horse, always more or less troubled with soreness, and on that account always shaped best when the sting was out, of the ground. He was certainly the best of the progeny of Sir Laddo. CHRISTCHURCH CARNIVAL WEEK. Following are the comparable statistics of Christchurch Carnival Week totulisator investments since 1914, the years 1917 and 1,918 being omitted because in those years the programmes of racing were considerably curtailed :•—« C.J.C. Trots. Total. 1914 . v 162,826 117,999 280,825 1915 177,015 125,312 302,357 1916 175,697 118,790 294.487 1919 259,979 218,723 478,70:1 1920 340,141 257,076 597,217 1921 271,454 225,479 496,933 It. will be noted that with* the single exception of 1920, tills year’s investments bulk larger than those in any previous year, and that they are on nearly double the scale of the investments in the first, war year. So that if these figures are to be taken as an index of prosperity, then New Zealand must be enjoying much better times than was ite case in I*9lo or any previous year.