SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

BEEFTON MEETING. MISSLAND WINS STEVENSON MEMORIAL. Reefton, April 29. The weather was wet for the Reefton races, and the going holding. Ttere was a large attendance. The totalisator handled £6975 10s. Results : DIGGERS’ HANDICAP. Six furlongs.— Weary Willie 1, Marble Bar 2, Gold Problem 3. Won by three-quarters of a length. Time, Imin. _23see. WELTER HANDICAP. Six furlongs and a half.—-North Inch 1, Lyroe 2, War Tax 3. Won by half a length. Time, Imin. 30sec. PROGRESS TROT. One mile.-Elite 1, Prince Charlie 2, Miss Marion 3. "Won by a neck. Time, 2min. 22sec. STEVENSON MEMORIAL HANDICAP. One mile and a quarter.—-Missland 1, Nautical 2, Falstaff 3. Won by a length. Time, 2mtn. 19%sec. STEWARDS' HANDICAP. Five furlongs.— Leithfield 1, Marauder 2, Weary Willie 3. Won by a length and a half. Time, Imin. 7sec. REEFTON TROT. One anile and a falf.— Prince Charlie 1, Miss Marion 2, Hydaspes 3. Time, 3min. 40sec. HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP. Seven furlongs.—Falstaff 1, Fisher 2, Tiranga 3. Won by a length and a half. Time, Imin. 13sec. FAREWELL HANDICAP. Six furlongs.— Counter Attack 1, Demoness 2, Nautical 3. Won by a nose. Time, Imin. 24sec. It was a stroke of real bad luck for the Taranaki trainer, Mr. P. Johnston, to be laid aside through an unfortunate accident on the eve 6f the Avondale meeting, at which the four members of his team were engaged (says the Auckland Star sporting writer). It is understood that tte leg is not actually broken, but that a bone is misplaced, but even so it will mean at least a month in Rawhiti Hospital, where he is at present. ■ With the jumping meetings coming on and ■ several jumpers under his charge, Mr. Johni ston could not have struck a worse time for ; his mishap. Apropos the Sydney Referee tale of the man who backed five "tips” in one race at Rosehill and even then failed to strike a placed horse, the writer can go one better. It was in Wanganui, in August, 1915, and a number of wool-buyers were congregated in the smoking room of a leading hotel, when the subject of the next day’s New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase cropped up. One tipped Morning for the race, and offered to bet a tenner that it would beat any single named horse for places. An admirer of Tim Doolan dug up a couple of fivers, and took the wager. Then things hummed. Tenners and fivers came to light on ail sides, and Ngatiruanui, Glenmore, Sandy Paul and Daylight Bill were backed to beat various others. The bets were noted, and a tidy sum in cash and cheques handed to the proprietor of the pubbery, who acted as stake-holder. Needless to say, . there were a number of anxious-looking individuals hanging round to pick up the result next day, and when it arrived It read: Ngatoa 1, The Brewer 2, Golden Glow 3. Not one of these tipsters had succeeded in picking a placed horse, and all bets were cancelled!