SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

HECTOR GRAY. EARLY RETURN TO ENGLAND. , Hector Gray, New Zealand’s premier jockey, was a passenger by the mail train last night for Stratford on a farewell visit to his people. He will visit New Plymouth to-day, and leaves this evening for Auckland to join the Makura, which leaves Auckland for Vancouver on Tuesday. It was his intention to have remained in New Zealand until February 7, but in response to a cable from England from Sir Cunliffe Owen, for whom he rode so successfully last season, and who has considerably augmented his team, he has decided to leave at oPce. He arrive in England on February 20, in ample time for the beginning of the season in March, and although his many New Zealand and Taranaki friends looked forward to .seeing him in the saddle in the Dominion at the forthcoming meetings up to and including the Hawera gathering, all will wish him even a more successful career in England during the coming season than he had during the short period he was riding at Home last season.

TURF TOPICS. (By “Moturoa.”) Egmont entries close to-night at 8 p.m. The Absurds have won £19,000 in stakes'this season. Irapuka has been taken up again after a good spell. Cochineal is very fast, but unfortunately is a bleeder. She is on the easy list at present. Epitaph was sore after racing at Ellerslie, and will not be tried again until the autumn.

Lady Nassau has been more or less a cripple this season, but she has done well nevertheless. If “Billy” Dwyer ever gets her sound she will be a smasher.

If all they say about Maniania is correct 600 guineas may not be too tall a price. Still, horseflesh is dropping in value like everything else these days. Projector has been turned out for a R P e Jl> but other members of Mr. J. B. Gaisford’s team—Celmisia and Mark Time—are doing steady work. It is hoped to cure Listowel of erratic running' in his races by adding him to the list. In private he is a watch breaker, but at Ellerslie the other week he only tried in patches. Unahi figures amongst the horses remaining in the Wellington Stakes, but as a matter of fact the son of Mountain Knight was numbered amongst the defunct in the autumn of last year. Namur (Strowan—Country Boy mare) died recently. She went through laet season without a win, but the previous year was first home in three heats. Hepta broke down badly while racing at Hastings, and will require a long spell. Another Hawke’s Bay horse to go wrong during the holidays was Hyginas.

Farceur, Rational and Thespian will probably meet in the Wellington Stakes. On Ellerslie form Farceur should hold his opponents safe. Horses that catch the eye in the \verlingtpn Cup are Winning Hit 8.11, Marqueteur 8.0, Malaga 7.12, and Red Bob 6.11. The last-named is much better than most persons imagine. The Telegraph Handicap at Trentham appears to lie between Solfanello 10.0. The Hawk 8116, and Kinsem 8.7, with Celmisia 7.3 a good rough outsider.

The Manawatu trotting meeting takes place on Wednesday next. Judging by the big entries received racing should be first class in all events.

“X.Y.Z.,” Opunake, asks for information regarding the mare Contralto, presumably the Taranaki-bred daughter of Sylvia Park, well known on the Taranaki turf, and subsequently as a brood mare in this province. At the same time it may be mentioned that there is another Contralto in the stud book, a daughter of Orlando, and a descendant of Spaewife (4).

Contralto (24) was bred by Mr. D. Barry in 1904, and carried Mr. D. J. Goodwin’s coin - with some success. Three unplaced performances were recorded in the season 1907-8, but as a five-year-old (1909-10) she won the Cardiff Stakes at the Stratford annual meeting and the Flying Handicap at the Opunake annual meeting. In 191011 she won the Clifton Stakes at Waitara; the Electric Hack Handicap at the Taranaki Christmas meeting; the Railway Handicap at Stratford; and the Kaitoke Handicap at the Wellington summer meeting. In 1911-12 she ran three times unplaced.

Contralto’s breeding record is as follows: 1912, br f by Husband, bred by Mr. J. A. Goodson; 1913, ch c (Hushlad), by Husbandman, bred by Mr. J. A. Goodson; 1.915, b c (Monalto) by Husbandman, bred by Mr. J. Davidson; 1917, br c by Husbandman, bred by executors of Mr. J. Davidson; 1918, foal (sex not stated) to Husbandman, bred by executors of Mr. J. Davidson. Contralto missed in 1914 and 1916. No further returns have been supplied.